Axe and Brimstone - Scenario 5 - The Gates of Zo!

The final battle has come.  The Possessed seek to slay their sacrifices to summon their dark lord and only the Halflings can hope to stop the ritual in time.

Possessed:  High Priestess on Helldisc (Q3+ C3, Diabolic Charisma, Helldisc, Skull Battleaxe, Unholy Symbol), Possessed Champion (Q3+ C4, Combat Master, Demonic Armor, Runesword, Short Move), Hellcaster (Q3+ C2, Short Move, Spellcaster, Spell:  Hellfire Blast, Netherworld Gate), Fungus Assassin (Q3+ C3, Double Stab, Slayer, Squishy), Veteran Hellchain Fanatic (Q3+ C4, Ball-and-Chain, Opportunistic, Steadfast), two Screaming Face Axemen (Q3+ C4, Heavily Armored, Short Move, Vorpal Sword), Heavy Infantry with Paincarver (Q3+ C3, Heavily Armored, Paincarver, Short Move), and their ally Dolmen Rock Thrower (Q4+ C3, Body of Stone, Throw Rock, Good Shot, Stoneslumber).

A desolate plain spotted with boulders and a few trees.

Halflings:  Halfling Mage (Q3+ C1, Spelllcaster, Spell: Lightning, Sleep, Switcheroo, Trip), Nova Valk (Q3+ C3, Encourage, Forester, Halfling Wisewoman, Quick with a Blade, Unique), Fungus Paladin (Q3+ C4, Block, Heavily Armored, Holy), Hound Rider (Q3+ C3, Heavily Armored, Long Move, Mounted, Powerful Jaws, Free Disengage), Dwarf Demonslayer (Q3+ C4, Axe and Sword Technique, Demonslayer, Rare, Short Move), Panther Pelter (Q3+ C4, Gift of the Panther, Hammering Blow, Rare, Short Move), and James the Hungry (Q3+ C3, Knapsacks, Long Move, Stiltfighter, Unique).  Nova Valk brought three doses of Quick Feet Ointment, giving one to the Dwarf Demonslayer, Panther Pelter, and Fungus Paladin.

Here are the Possessed with their sacrifices, ready to begin the ritual.

The Halflings on the other side of the board prepare to stop the ritual at all costs.

The Possessed win the first turn.  The Hellcaster is able to complete three actions of the Task for the Netherworld Gate Ritual.  Both Screaming Face Axemen each provided one action to the Ritual, which is enough to complete the spell.  All sacrifices are now dead.  First turn of the scenario, not so good for the Halflings.

Since the Netherworld Gate spell is complete, all the characters are transported to the desolate landscape of the Netherworld.  All movement is now reduced to short, if not already.  And their is a risk of hellfire popping up, joy!

Both warbands advance.  One of the Possessed barely escapes a pocket of hellfire.

The Possessed choose to form a long line while the Halflings are still struggling on the difficult terrain.

The Possessed near the Halflings...

The Panther Pelter is blasted off her feet by a spring of Hellfire.

The combatants are inching closer....

They are now engaged.

The Dwarf Demonslayer breaks through as the Halflings form a defensive front to their north.

More hellfire erupts, pushing back the Fungus Paladin and knocking James the Hungry over.  The Halfling Mage fires a mighty bolt of Lightning at the Paincarver, but the spell just reflects from his armor.

The Panther Pelter is knocked away but not before the Fungus Assassin's Slayer attack causes her to be Staggering. 

The Hound Rider is also blasted by hellfire, luckily putting himself in a better position from being swarmed by Possessed.

The Dwarf Demonslayer continues to prove how tough he is, holding back many foe.

The Fungus Paladin tries to help out the outnumbered Dwarf Demonslayer but is tripped up.

It takes the Fungus Assassin, Screaming Face Axeman, and Veteran Hellchain Fanatic to finally kill the Fungus Paladin.  More hellfire continues to sprout up.  Nova Valk is surrounded by the Possessed Champion and another Screaming Face Axeman.

Nova Valk is slain.  While the Hound Rider, James the Hungry, and Halfling Mage all try to kill the Paincarver.

The Dwarf Demonslayer tries to catch up with the High Priestess on Helldisc but is being followed closely.  The Halfling Mage is murdered by the Possessed Champion and allies.

The Hound Rider breaks away to assist the Dwarf Demonslayer when a hellfire font cause him to recoil.

The Fungus Assassin is finally able to kill the Panther Pelter.  The Dwarf Demonslayer and High Priestess on Helldisc are both knocked prone in a vicious battle.  James the Hungry is able to slip away from the Paincarver.

With the Halflings down to below half strength, the meddlesome gods of Norindaal decided to help out the Halflings.  The Fungus Paladin is brought back to life and in contact with the prone High Priestess.  The Dwarf Demonslayer and Hound Rider capitalize on the arrival of their ally and slay the downed Priestess.

The Possessed retaliate, swarming and killing the Dwarf Demonslayer and the Fungus Paladin.

The Hound Rider and James the Hungry are all that remain of the Halflings now.  Their only hope is to work together to overcome the Possessed, or perhaps a hellfire pit to help out.

The Possessed move in on the Halflings as more hellfire pits erupt.

The Hellcaster disappears in an explosion of hellfire and lava!

In joint effort James the Hungry and Hound Rider kill the Paincarver.

But the Possessed Champion and Screaming Face Axeman knock over the Hound Rider.

The Hound Rider is slain....

...and James the Hungry falls as well.

The Possessed have won!  The Halflings are dead, the sacrifices were sacrificed, and the ritual was completed.  Yet, they were supposed to summon their dark lord.  Instead the Gates of Zo opened, taking the combatants to the barren lands of the Netherworld.  So did they really succeed?  Or did they just trap themselves in the pits of hell?

Scenario 5 is complete, ending the campaign of Axe & Brimstone!  And the Possessed won.  'Hurray!' say my obviously evil dice.

I have some questions/concerns/thoughts regarding this scenario, which I will ask Andrea Sfiligoi or the Yahoo Group:

1)  The Netherworld Gate spell for this scenario to do the Gates of Zo, is it exactly like the spell?  Same Ritual/Task requirement?
2)  Can 'helpers' assist the spellcaster for the Gates of Zo?
3)  What is the purpose of the sacrifices?  Other than for potential allies for the Halflings if they get there in time.
4)  Hellfire Pits, if the result is a tie or Recoil or Prone, can the defender choose where to place the model away from the pit?
5)  When the meddlesome gods of Norindaal decide to help out, does that take effect at the start of the Halfling turn?  If an ally returns, do they get to try to activate as soon as they arrive?
6)  So the result of the Possessed's win is that they get a trip to the Netherworld.  Or does this mean they have opened up a gate to the Netherworld on Norindaal?  I thought they wanted to summon their dark lord.

Axe and Brimstone - Scenario 4 - Burn the Demon Worshipper!

Halflings are putting on trial one of their own, who may or may not be a demon worshipper.  The individual had been a trapper who helped to guide the Halflings to a desecrated Standing Stone, but that led to disaster (see the Scenario 3 battle report).  The Halflings now suspect that trapper to have guided them to an ambush by the Possessed.  Regardless, a band of the Possessed seeks to intervene on the trial in the Halfling village and to drag away the suspected demon worshipper, to either join their band or to join their collection of sacrifices.

Halflings:  Two Archers (Q4+ C2, Good Shot, Short Bow), two Militiamen (Q4+ C2, Block, Heavily Armored), Fungus Paladin (Q3+ C4, Block, Heavily Armored, Holy), Hound Rider (Q3+ C3, Heavily Armored, Long Move, Mounted, Powerful Jaws), Dwarf Demonslayer (Q3+ C4, Axe and Sword Technique, Demonslayer, Rare, Short Move), Panther Pelter (Q3+ C4, Gift of the Panther, Hammering Blow, Rare, Short Move), and Chieftain (Q3+ C3, Block, Elven Plate Armor).  To the side is the Trapper, the suspect demon worshipper.

A gallows was built to hold the trial.  The Chieftain stands as judge and executioner as the remaining Halflings and guests watch.  The Fungus Paladin is new to the village, but his holy presence senses demons nearby and he is always ready to defend the innocent.

Possessed:  Priestess on Helldisc (Q3+ C3, Diabolic Charisma, Helldisc, Skull Battleaxe), Possessed Champion (Q3+ C4, Combat Master, Demonic Armor, Runesword, Short Move), Veteran Hellchain Fanatic (Q3+ C4, Ball-and-Chain, Opportunistic, Steadfast), two Screaming Face Axemen (Q3+ C4, Heavily Armored, Short Move, Vorpal Sword), Heavy Infantry with Paincarver (Q3+ C3, Heavily Armored, Paincarver, Short Move), Hellfire Fusilier (Q3+ C2, Hellfire Arquebus, Short Move), and their newest ally Dolmen Rock Thrower (Q4+ C3, Body of Stone, Throw Rock, Good Shot, Stoneslumber).

The gallows and trial are in the center of the village.  The Possessed have split into three teams to hopefully spread out the Halfling defenders.

The Possessed move in.

The Hound Rider rushes the Priestess on Helldisc as the Dwarf Demonslayer takes on the Paincarver.  The Halfling Chieftain begins his interrogation of the suspect Trapper.

More combatants come into play.

The Hellfire Fusilier takes aim at the Fungus Paladin, pulls the trigger, and his Hellfire Arquebus explodes in his hands.  Luckily it did not kill him instead.  The Chieftain's heavy-handed interrogation causes the Trapper to pass out, he must be revived to continue the process.

The Possessed are closing in.

The Chieftain has succeeded!  The Trapper is....INNOCENT!  He is not a demon worshipper!

But whats this?  The Priestess on Helldisc glides onto the gallows and knocks the Chieftain away.  Her only concern is to drag that suspected Trapper away, no matter if he is innocent or not.

The battle to save the innocent bound Trapper has begun.

The Possessed Champion killed the Hound Rider and the Veteran Hellchain Fanatic smashed the pink-garbed Archer as the Priestess grabs up the prisoner.

The Fungus Paladin plows into the Hellchain Fanatic.

The Priestess on Helldisc drags away the Trapper but the Dwarf Demonslayer pursues.  The lavender Archer takes aim and shoots the Priestess off of her Helldisc.

The Demonslayer capitalizes on the downed foe to kill her quick.

The Possessed rally in a hurry.  Seeing their Priestess dead and their objective on the ground, the Possessed Champion and a Screaming Face Axeman confront the Dwarf Demonslayer.

The Paincarver causes excruciating pain on a Halfling Militiaman, who drops his shield as he falls prone.  The other Militiaman tries to help the outnumbered Demonslayer.

The Demonslayer continues to fend off the two Possessed warriors.

The Panther Pelter is struggling with the other Screaming Face Axeman and knows she is needed to defend her dwarven comrade.

The Panther Pelter is able to recoil back and run towards the Demonslayer.

But alas, the Screaming Face Axeman and Paincarver box in the Panther Pelter.

The Fungus Paladin also tries to break away from his foes, but the Hellchain Fanatic proves to be quite meddlesome.

Then it happens, the Possessed Champion and Screaming Face Axeman cut down the Dwarf Demonslayer.

Saddened deeply, the Panther Pelter stumbles and she is cut down as well.

The death of the Panther Pelter drops the Halflings to half strength and many flee.  A Screaming Face Axeman picks up the Trapper and begins to drag him away.

But with incredible courage, the Halflings charge back.  A Halfling Militiaman catches up with the slower Screaming Face Axeman dragging the Trapper but he himself is knocked down.  In the subsequent turn that same Halfling Militiman is Gruesomely Killed, causing the Halfling Archer to run away completely and the others to fall back further.  This allowed the Possessed to drag away the prisoner unopposed.

The Priestess on Helldisc was the only Possessed casualty, but she will recover.  The Possessed now learn the Trapper is an innocent, so that adds to their collection of sacrifices to a grand total of EIGHT.  For their campaign advance, the Dolmen Rock Thrower is upgraded to a Q3+ (thank goodness).

The Fungus Paladin and a Halfling Militiaman survived, as did a Halfling Archer who had run away.  The other Militiaman was Gruesomely Killed, so is permanently removed (but they are a dime a dozen for the Halflings).  The Hound Rider, Dwarf Demonslayer, and Panther Pelter all are injured and will suffer -1 Q next game.  The other Archer and the Chieftain will miss the next game entirely.  But considering the next game is the final scenario, all the injured characters are not Personalities and have no upgrades so they can be replaced with the same models.

Scenario 5 was a slugfest for me.  The equal combat between the Possessed dwarves and the Fungus Paladin and two good dwarves made a teeter-totter effect, with lots of recoils and knocking prone, but with out any kills, which let the Halflings stick around a bit longer this time.

The Dwarf Demonslayer and Panther Pelter were beasts, each holding off two Possessed at a time during the course of the game.  The Priestess on Helldisc was neat, able to fly and do long moves is impressive, especially with a weapon that ignores blocks and heavy armor.

Now the Possessed have EIGHT sacrifices and the final scenario is just around the corner.  Will the Possessed summon their dark lord?  Or will the Halflings finally win a scenario, especially since its the last one and the most important one?  I still think my dice are evil...