Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago Campaign Game One

                                        Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago

Welcome to the first report on the exploration of The Ghost Archipelago. Since the terrain befitting a jungle is still a work in the conceptions phase, our two band of adventures have stumbled into a ruined city strangely devoid of any greenery. Scenting gold and mystery, they press forward into the strange ruins, hoping that whatever curse befell this city does not be fall them.

The Heritor Baldric and the Warden Aleia have, up to this, foraged into the Archipelago two times with some success. Baldric is a heavy hand-to-hand combat hitter with heavy armor, shield, and sword (13 armor) His skills, randoms rolled, are Surge, Crushing Blow, Evade, Catch Missile, and Lunge. Thinking that evade would be very useful to slip around enemy units to go after archers, I lowered Evade's utilization number down to 3. I haven't used it once and that's probably because Baldric is so slow. Slipping quickly around foes is not his thing. 

That was my first mistake. My second was my misunderstanding of Surge. I have a bad habit of crippling myself in war games. Partly, this is because I am usually playing against new players or teaching a new game. That said, I don't want to pick the "best combination". I want to make it a challenge. Because of this, if I read a skill like Surge (or later Projectile) I interrupt them as weak as possible. For Surge, I thought it was more of a "charge" skill that would allow my Heritor to use both move actions and still attack. It does allow this, but I did not think I could attack twice in one turn. I eventually clarified this on Frostgrave's facebook page (ran by the author) and got an official answer that states that you can indeed attack twice (but you can't shoot twice).

My second was with my Warden and this one has cost me dearly. I specifically avoided the Storm Warden and the Water Warden because the advantage is obvious (lightening and true flight for a ranged threat) and the Water Warden with healing to keep the warden going. So I went with the Earth Warden because I looked at her spells and did not think they were that good. I choose Earth Blood, Earth Wave, Projectile, and Beast Strength. Now here's the funny thing (please don't laugh), I thought Projectile was limited to ONLY two damage (OK, you can laugh). I was used to Frostrave spells that didn't have any +damage modifiers. Enough being defensive. Nonetheless, with my Heritor unable to use Surge effectivey and my Warden unable to work her magic, its a wonder my warband managed to do as well as it.

The set up:

                                           

Here's the board with the Drichean Cage set up in the middle represented by cellar door guarded by four Drichean Spearmen. Our goal is to slay the guards, recuse someone who knows where the treasure is, and get out.

Baldric advanced and a steady stride with Axel at his side and a crew man nearby. Mark, the Eagle Eye, crept nearby to offer support. Aleia casts Earth Blood on Baldric, strengthening him for the coming match. The old man needs all the help he can get, she thought to herself.

The enemy approaches from the opposite direction, coming in fast.

  Baldric and his adventures spread out around the cellar door. The spearmen launches themselves at the approaching adventures, but the Heritor and Axel quickly dispatch one while Cort dispatches another on the other side. The opposing Heritor in turn takes out the other two, but at suffers a crippling blow in return dropping to four health. Mark takes position without being told and starts taking providing covering fire (no damage). The crewman snatches up the treasure at Baldric's orders. "Get out of here, return to the ship and we'll take a look at it later," snapped the Heritor as more arrows from above clattered around them. He looks up at the creaking sound above just as the enemy Warden brings up a walls of vines in front of them, blocking the direct path to the prisoner.

On Baldric's left flank a Crackshot gets ready to take aim, cooly ignoring the Drichean reinforcements

A foe rushes the driechean cage and cracks it open with a solid kick. Baldric grimaces as the prisoner jump out. "Take him out, now," he orders his approaching men. There enemy was brave, or a fool, rushing in alone like that. They would soon put an end to him. Baldric, meanwhile, thought he heard something to the right. Fearing a flanking maneuver, and seeing the center well secured Baldric, went to head off whatever might be coming.

A furious battle begins in the center surround the prisoner. Dedric, seeing the Crackshot lifting his crossbow to shoot poor Cort in the back, charges, hacking him down with one powerful strike (that was very satisfying indeed).

Indeed, a lone warrior was coming from behind. The man swung clumsly with his heavy mace and Baldric smashed him in the face with the hilt of his sword before clobbering him senseless with his shield. When he turned around, expecting to see the free prisoner well on his way to safety, and instead saw a travesty.

The fearless enemy crewman had single handed dispatched Cort and Hugh while barely taking a scratch. Cort must have been drinking. Baldric cursed. Meanwhile Dedric had his hands full dealing with the Drichean warrior while the menacing Axel had become entangled in a wreathing mass of vines and while he was attemptin to cut himself free, an arrow from above took him full in the back. He fell and did not get up.

Dedric handedly took care of the Drichean warrior only to find a dagger in his chest thrown somewhere from the shadows (enemy Heritor). Meanwhile, Aliea remained in the back struggling with her magic, wondering why on earth her projectile attack was so useless! The only thing she was good for was giving Earth blood to the adventures, just to watch them taken out by the enemy snipers! (I could have really used Projectile here)

Above the center of the battlefield, Baldric's crewmen struggle to take out the sniper, but get entangled in vines themselves!

I did not take any further pictures of the game. It was actually a close game. Because the Drichean crippled the enemy Heritor in the early game, he couldn't do much except throw daggers (although he did manage to kill one of my warriors) Baldric tried to head off the fearless crewman heading off with the prisoner with Mark's help, but Mark got taken out by another Crackshot hiding atop a building. The prisoner got away, but not before Baldric turned on the enemy Heritor and cut him down. 

The enemy came out easily on top of this game and I was so incensed I urged him to another battle. That one went even worse. 

I think I slew maybe one of his guys and he took out half of mine. Most of his kills were from archers, but Baldric, in a long, drawn out conflict, was taken out by an infantry man while my freebooter was taken out by a crewman! Meanwhile, the enemy Heritor simply took his time securing the central treasure and didn't have to lift his sword the whole game.

My poor adventures banding together before the dreaded whistle of arrows starts.

My left flank went after the archers and got shot down one by one....

The only good thing about this game was that Aleia gained level four and learned how to raise up walls. I also learned latter that Surge and Projecticle can actually be very useful. I cannot wait for revenge... (although I'll be two specialists short)

Ghost Archipelago: Introduction to the Crew

Let me introduce you to my crew, namely Baldric (Heritor), Aleia (Earth Warden), Cort (Mercenary) as these three will be the main characters. I will offer a brief introduction to the other three specialists, or I will find myself writing a novel (which no one will read). Also, this is my crew after my third game, so Cort was upgraded to a mercenary, and Axel paid for some fancy gear and training and became a freebooter. As for the crew, we give them respect for the roll they must play, but no names. Unless they earn one that is.

Baldric fingered the thick chain links of his old armor, felt the old familiar weight and knew automatically how it would feel on his shoulders, as it wrapped around his waist. He knew how it would effect his sword arm, his speed, how long he could walk with it on, and that was awhile for the record. The sword and shield lay next to it, along with the buckles, belts, and boots. The dusty chest lay open in the corner, his finger prints still imprinted on the top as he had leaned against it, paused before turning the key. He had not thought he would open the chest again.

"This isn't the work I had planned on for retirement," Baldric said. He let the armor drop to the floor, pulled out a ring held by a silver thread. He fingered it in his right hand.  "I thought I would pick up carpentry, learn on how to run the farm, manage my own place for once."

"You travel to the Archipelago, you drink of the Crystal Pool and you can manage your own kingdom." Aleia sat at the plain, wooden table. On it sat an open book, sprawled maps, and an ornate, jeweled dagger that looked to be older than the old captain Baldric. Older than his grandfather, or his great, great grandfather.

Baldric laugh, a dry chuckle. He looked at his hands, felt the veins in his hands. "I thought all this time I was just lucky mixed with hard work and skill. I could pluck an arrow out of the air. In the flow of battle, I felt like it was just the thrill of the battle."

Aleia shook her head. "Somewhere down the line, your ancestors drank deep. Its time to renew that power and reclaim your destiny."

"I lived out my destiny."

"As what? A lowly captain of the guard? For some backwater duke of nowhere like you did for your whole life?"

Baldric lifted a finger. "Don't disrespect my duke or my work. I'm not in the mood for getting angry, I'm too old for that. You can leave, if you like. And take that crusty dagger with you."

Aleia hands reached for her hair, froze. She put them down and took a deep breath. Baldric smiled, waited. Aleia said,"Baldric, that's not what I mean to say. I know your loyalty to your duke and the king, but I'm trying to get you to see what's out their waiting for you if you just pick up your sword again and grasp what is within your reach. You know what's been happening. You've probably been having visions, like the rest of the heritors out there. Only they are already gathering their crews and setting sail while you? You sit there."

"Most are what? In their twenties? Maybe thirties? Have you not notice this white hair? This beard? These wrinkled hands?"

"And that give you qualities these young Heritors will soon find the lack of: Wisdom, patience, and discipline. I would throw my lot in with you hands down to any other Heritor."

Baldric gripped the ring he had been fingering, turning it into a hard fist. "You've done your work. Worked it out down to the last coin I have, the men I should hire, our chances of success. Very analytical. You say you want off this land, escaping your...."

"Fate. I have seen my death here if I stay."

"Yes, some kind of romantic entanglement you said. I won't have any dramatic nonsense on my crew, you understand."

Aleia glared at him.

Baldric leaned forward, closed his eyes and put his clenched fist to his forehead. The silver thread slipped and dangled free against his wrist.

"If you've truly done your work, as I suspect you have, then you know that nothing you've told me, not the riches, the mystery, nor the Crystal is what will truly make this decision.Tell me what I want to hear, or I put away these useless illusions of might." Baldric waved a hand at the sword, shield, and armor.

"There's a cure," Aleia said. "A rare flower that grows close to the Crystal Pool. It will cure her. I'm certain of it."

Baldric nodded. "Very well. I have one more addition to the crew."

Aleia sighed. "He's drunk and he's let himself go to waste."

"I'm not leaving without him. Cort will come around after a few days under my command."

Aleia stood up. "I hope you're right. I have your permission to round up the rest?"

"Do it. I'll find the ship. I want to leave within the week."

"A week? Impossible. I figured a month. We should do this right. Set off on a good foot. There's the supplies to be purchased. The ship, like you said, has to be found and bargained with. They have to find a crew and supply, then there's--"

"You can never prepare enough and we're already behind. We're leaving within a week."

"Very well, sir. Within a week."

"So you've become a studious drunk."

Cort snorted, turning a page. "Its the only time a books interesting. When ever I tried to read sober, I just think how much I need a drink. I soon sort myself out and here I am. The quiet life for me from now on." Cort arched a heavy eye brow and his mustache twitched. Baldric nodded and folded his hands together on the table. He leaned forward and waited. Cort turned another page, took another sip of his foamy beer.

He dropped his book down on the table. His mug soon followed it and the dark beer sloshed out and fell on the book. "Tell me you have a job for me. I can't retirement. I'll work your farm, whip some hired hands into shape."

"You told me you were done working. You were going to do nothing, but memorize poetry, drink, and speak smooth words to the girls at the tavern."

"Truth that must be told, I find I do enjoy my life. No responsibilities. No work. Just leisure and rest from the moment I wake up. Do you know? After I wake up, I spend a full hour in bed just staring at the ceiling, twiddling my thumbs and thinking how I want to spend my day." Cort scratched his beard. "Somehow I always spend most of it here. Along with most of my coin. I saw you walk through that door and I smelled change sail in with you. And, truth that must be told, my first was you won't pry me from this chair, my book, or my beer, I don't care what cockeyed story you tell me, but as I got to thinking about this body of mine, this gut that is truly getting preposterous, these flappy arms that used to wield a great sword like it was a walking stick, well, I was thinking how good it might be to hold that old great sword again."

Baldric smiled. "I know you would come. I've been told there's a cure."

Cort nodded. "That would do it. Yes. That would do it. One last adventure, eh? For the duke, may he rest in peace."

"For the duke," said Baldric.

Aleia had already spoken with two others who had agreed to work for her, or rather for Baldric. The first was Dedric. He was a young, stocky man eager for adventure and ready to sign up at the first made offer. Another soldier gained out of desperation. She doubted he had seen more than a border skirmish or two. Despite her inspiring words to the old Heritor, she would have preferred a younger fighter. Wisdom, patience and discipline: those were virtues for a general leading an army from the safety of his command tent in the rear. She would have preferred skilled, cunning, and ruthless if she had her choice. Baldric was simply someone she had known from a different time, though he had given no sign that he recognized. She had been little more than a girl at the time.

Axel was another lucky, if desperate, find. His elven blood showed clearly through his features and most wouldn't go near him. It was bad luck to pay gold for an elf merc. "Elf aid, freely given, is a rich blessing. Elf aid, bought with gold, is a curse rightly bestowed." So most payed elves with silver rather than gold, but it did little to alleviate her fears. She told herself she wasn't superstitious. She had seen Axel fight. He was probably a match for most Heritors, even. He just had the misfortune of being born in the wrong time.

Aleia pulled her hair loose and then, with a sigh, rubbed either side of her nose with both hands. "It's done."

Mark let the book fall to his chest. He lay stretched out on the bed, his boots on and swinging back and forth. "When do we sail?"

"Far quicker than I had expected. Within the week, on board the Dice and Sword."

Mark laughed. "A gambling name. I like it. Does the crew new what kind of gamble they're involved in?"

"Baldric can't exactly trust me yet. He doesn't know anything, so don't act like you know me. You're just a hired hand, just like anyone else."

Mark nodded. "We've talked it over more than once, Aleia."

Aleia sat down in chair in the corner that looked out on the wharf. She could smell the salt, the decay of dead fish, the sweat of men working hard. The sun was falling, casing out its dying colors on her face and into the room.
"I expect he'll ask around regarding me. If he's smart he will. He'll have people ask around.I'll bet he'll know a few things I wished he didn't by the end of the night. It couldn't be avoided."

Mark put his book down. He swung his legs around. "We'll out run Tark, then. That's good."

"Its not good. There's nothing good about this. I'm sick of being afraid, sick of running, and looking over my shoulder. I will find that pool, Mark, and I'll never be afraid again."

Mark picked up his hatched, swung his bow over his shoulders. "Aleia, fear will always follow you no matter what you do. You cling to life to hard."

"What else am I to do? And where do you think you're going?"

Mark shrugged. "For a walk. See what kind of talk is going on. That kind of thing. Good night."

Aleia muttered under her breath as he closed the door behind him. Leave it to Mark to get under her skin. He always did what he wanted and never listened to her. She sighed and with nothing to do, fretted about her calculations, recalculated and wondered if she had made an error somewhere.

Frostgrave Captains, Ghost Archipelago Heritors

I painted up a couple of my Frostgrave captains in preparation for the campaign. With these guys, I tried something new based on my experience with painting Arcadia Quest and Massive Darkness. With both those games, I gave up trying to create a unique color scheme and simply painted to the best of my abilities the characters depicted in the game. I found this method very rewards because it took away the pressure of making up my own color scheme, which I always found stressful. I've exactly understood what colors should go with what, what's a good complimentary color and what's a contrast color, or how to use cold and warm colors. I know what people mean when they talk about such things, and when its pointed out to me, I can say, "Hey, that looks pretty good."

But I have no idea how to do it practice. Worse, the times I did attempt it, I always painted with fear and trepidation, not knowing if the next color I was going to add would destroy the look of the whole model.

With the Frostgrave Captains, however, I did not find the show cased color scheme appealing.

   So instead I looked through pintrest in order to find a color scheme to inspire my models.

   Here's the inspiration I found for the Cultist Captain with the sword and axe:

Pintrest

And here's how I painted the captain:

Ok, they look nothing alike. However, using the picture, I was given a good choice of colors to work with, namely the grayish green, the brown/gray hood and the copperish tone of the armor. By examining the pintest character, I was able to find a presentable color scheme for my captain. Even though it deviated and they look nothing alike, I was at least able to start from somewhere. Starting is my main difficulty.

Using a similar route I used the following two pictures for the next model.

I took namely the red and silver from this character.

And from this character, I added the grayish blue to get....

This guy!

I was pleased with the result. Lastly, for my second cultist captain I went with this fellow for inspiration namely because I've been fearful of using yellow. I practiced a little bit to get the right shade of yellow, eventually using Yriel Yellow and Ushabti Bone from Games Workshop.

pintrest

The yellow turned out better than I had expected. So much so that I used the same yellow on my next captain. His base is still in process so I'll wait to post on him next time. 

Farewell to The Darkness

Alas, it is time to put the game away. I was hoping the game would hold my attention longer, but I found some significant flaws that I was unable to move past. If I stuck to solo gaming, it might have taken me longer, but a friend joined me in the game and we played it all day, for a couple of days. At first, with the miniatures, the treasure, and the leveling up, the game feels like a lot of fun. And it is fun. The fact that it could hold our attention all day is something to mention. However, even then, we only focused on one or two "difficult" scenarios. I think we spent three full days on it, possibly a couple more, and at the end we found the game play was predictable and repetitive. The game play did not offer us engaging decisions to make during the game and most often it was too easy to win. When we did loose, it felt like it was merely a stroke of bad luck and dice rolling, not necessarily bad decision making. Because of this, we never felt the tension or excitement during the game. In the end, although there were a few scenarios we hadn't finished, we simply weren't interested in trying them out.

I am still happy with the purchase for a couple of reasons. One: I really enjoy the miniatures and I am hoping to finish painting them before I move on to another painting project (I really, really hate leaving projects unfinished, although that doesn't prevent me from not finishing them). Two: I can use the miniatures in other games. Three: I do think the game is a good introduction to RPG/miniature games. We were able to pull in a third player and the game helped inspire him to get into painting and collecting miniatures. Four: I am hoping the fix the game in an expansion.

I really wanted to love this game and I hope a future expansion will bring me back in.

Where am I going from here? Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago. For next week, I'll show case some of the heritors (Frostgrave captains) that may be participating in the games. I'm not planning on a long campaign, probably the eight scenarios or so that come in the book. I'm looking forward to exploring jungles, seeing how the heritors and their crews develop.