The would be Heroes ready to descend into the Massive Darkness! Owen, the Paladin of Fury, is leading the way. Whisper happily let's him think he's leading while she darts about without his knowledge.
I completed six missions with Sibyl and Siegfried earlier to get the rules down, and I am curious to see how these two heroes do together. Writing this in retrospect, I already know that I am going to miss both Sibyl's and Sigfried's ability to re-roll attacks and dice to manipulate even bad dice rolls into damage. During the game, I kept looking at my character sheets trying to figure out how to turn my blanks into damage and they simply wouldn't change! With these characters, I don't have as much options at first to create bams into swords. I am looking forward to learning how different these characters operate from the other two.
The Dungeon looms darkly ahead. I starting off with Quest 4: Goblin War Drums. There are two objectives: 1. Kill the Sentry. 2 Escape! The dungeon is collapsing (notice the 4 hears on the side and two further up) The first tile has 4 hit points and the three remaining tiles have two. At the beginning of each turn, one tile will lost a hint point. When it reaches zero, the dungeon collapses and everything is removed from the game. As starting quest, this one is going to be hard. My heroes do not yet have the equipment and will have to use valuable time to search for better weapons while the ground is shaking beneath their feet!
In the first turn, the ever eager Whisper went first and, unlike her name, noisely opened the door. Ambush! A fire-sword wielding goblin launched himself with the aid of his minions. While she managed to take out the boss' two minions, largely because of her shadow ability (-1shield), she was already down to her last wound when the goblin was finish flailing about. I figured Own could finish the job, but he did no damage (rolling one yellow dice is simply not that effective) and the goblin in turn, battered him to the ground!
My event card was a roaming monster -1 level, which meant the heroes had some breathing room, but Owen and Whisper have some growing to do as heroes. Lifebringer brought Owen to life (Whisper smirking all the while) and took his revenge on the goblin, snatching up his blazing sword and going into the now empty chamber to pick up the remaining treasure. Whisper dove into the next room where a group of dwarves were passing away the time playing cards. Picking up a near by spear, she impaled two of them. The boss, however, came over and knocked her over the head and she was dead. Two turns and two heroes dead! However, the gods were looking out for these heroes as best they could and my event card resurrected Whisper with 3 health! This is the first time that card has proven useful. Feeling much better, she knifed the dwarf, collected the treasure and bounded after Owen as if nothing had happened. "This isn't game," he snarled when she caught up.
With some OK equipment and the dungeons now shaking thoroughly, Whisper and Own took the short room rather than risking the larger dungeon. More dwarves waited for them, probably playing cards again, and once again, Owen struggled to place any damage. A hellhound was heard baying outside the room and another round of ferocious fighting exploded in the cramped room, but the boss would not die. finally leaving the dwarf dead and battered. Owen kicked the body a couple times just to make sure. Thankfully, the next event phase found two treasure chests on the level token, not that anyone had time to go get it. With the snarling hellhound just waiting to pounce on them should they open the door, the heroes instead waited out the turn.
With the hellhound barreling past them and the dungeon floor revealing nasty crack, the heroes flung open the door and took off. Owen bravely turned to face the monster while Whisper vanished into the darkness....
Only to reappear in the middle of a goblin forward patrol! With the kind of knife work expected of her, she did them in and glanced back at the fiery conflagration that had enveloped her companion.
A moment later, tremendous crash vibrated through the corridors and Whisper caught just a glimpse of the hellhound's sudden panicked gaze as it scrambled vainly for footing. With a roar, and vanished into the darkness and she felt a strange pity for the creatures fate. Owen had suffered three damage for taking the hit.
Event cards had never been so kind to a pair of struggling heroes as more treasure was found on tile three. However, Owen opened the door, hoping for a some kind of edge in this desperate fight against darkness, but darkness was waiting for him as goblins jumped all over him, one in particular waiving an awfully smelling plague sword. Even with Whisper's help, they were only able to land a single wound! Thanks to their better armor and Owen's ability, the heroes easily shrugged off the attacks, but at this point, damage was not the issue.
With the next two starting, the tile had two hit points, which meant Whisper had to slay the goblins and race towards the third tile before it collapsed. If so, Owen would be quickly behind her to face the final challenge and escape through the exit.
Alas! It was not to be. Gritting her teeth, Whisper set to work on the goblins and slew them, giving Owen enough space to leap ahead, but not Whisper. Too exhausted from her fight, she fell behind, just a pace short. The dungeon gave way beneath her and without a cry, she fell. Owen, thinking she was still behind, realized she had not made it. He hoped she met a quick death for if not, some monstrous thing would torment her long before she had any peace. And with that thought, Owen knew he had little choice, even if that choice lead to his own death. Casting up a prayer, he fell into the darkness. Meanwhile, a spider sense she had missed a delicious dinner.
A thoroughly enjoyable game. I suspected my heroes were going to struggle, but I didn't realize how difficult it can be to hit something without those heroic abilities. I decided to end on the Town Market phase and got rid of my level three items for full two experience points. This will enable both Owen and Whisper to level up next game.
Whisper will be starting next game with her duel sword and dagger combo with an upgraded long sword and plate armor ready.
Owen is also starting with duel swords, keeping the very fiery sword that slew him. King's armor can come in handy if the other king's equipment is found early in the campaign. I also have a trinket that helps out on the defense and a good set of level one armor.
I am hoping to make some decisions in character rather than what's always best. So I really don't see either Whisper or Owen wielding large, two handed axes. Maybe one handed. I really hope to keep Whisper with a dagger and Owen with a shield and sword as I think that just fits them, but we shall see whether integrity or survival is more demanding a master.
Thoughts
I really enjoy watching my characters develop. With few skills and poor equipment they are struggling!
I also enjoy playing a bit recklessly. In my first campaign play through, I was a bit more methodical. If I see the opportunity to take a gamble, I'll go ahead and take it. Whisper is an over confident, reckless lady eager for adventure. Owen, the more practical and methodical type, is always trying to slow down and take his time, but Whisper won't have it.
I do wish this game had more of an incentive to win. For example, I have no desire to reply this game with the hope of winning because I have nothing to gain from it. If there was some kind of price with campaign mode, a special weapon, experience, or ability to be gained than I would really want to win. As it is, I don't loose much. Some micro experience and equipment that can easily be recovered in the next game.
At the same time, having nothing to gain or loose means I can play with any style and not where about the outcome so much. For example in a game like
Frostgrave where you are fighting campaign mode against an opponent, a loss can mean your warband is crippled and is going to be even worse off in the next game. A victory can mean not only a better warband, but also means you can further develop your character. A player can have too much to loose or gain in a single game and I find this can get in the way of having fun.
