Summer Map Campaign Preview #5
May 7, 2009 11:59:45 GMT -5
Post by Dr Carnivean on May 7, 2009 11:59:45 GMT -5
Two places you won’t see on House Hunters
Coming into the final stretch for special territories – I think I’ve only got six or seven left to write up now. (Castle Phagius, Barrow Hills, Skullcrusher Pass, Treasure Well, Fort Markov, Hellfurnace, the Rotting Gums Orc Camp, and probably something for lizardmen – see my other post)
Both of today’s previews are similar to one another in that each contains a village and along with one of the three evil mansions found in the Forsaken Vale.
Shellendrak Manor of course needs little introduction for many in the club, since several have ventured within its dark halls in the big skirmish game last December. For terrain building notes, Shellendrak Manor was built from downloadable cardstock terrain kit of the same name found at www.worldworksgames.com, which has a bunch of great scenery stuff for those who have never checked them out. It was a very ambitious design on my part, and ended up taking me a year of working on it off and on before I finished. It was originally used in a Ravenloft scenario – the journal for which I’m hoping to get finally finished and posted sometime in the next few weeks – and then in the big skirmish game last year, and currently sits brooding in my storage unit, waiting to be taken out again.
A note on the name Shadygrove. It is a reference to play written by a friend of mine who was in the theatre department with me. The play takes place in Shadygrove Sanitarium for the Deeply Disturbed, and I directed it in an off-Broadway showcase our department did back in ’96. We both have really sick minds and are into the horror stuff, so I dropped Shadygrove and it’s sanitarium into my Ravenloft campaign a few years back, and have now used it again as Dr. Shellendrak’s stamping grounds.
Laruba mansion, or the House on Blackbark Ridge, as it was originally known, was the first major scenery project I ever did, and was built in winter of 98 for a Warhammer fantasy event I ran at a convention that year. I built it out of cardboard and a bunch of other stuff. It was based on a design for a haunted house I had created for Ravenloft, used in several different scenarios. In 2001, Blackbark Ridge and Laruba Mansion became a territory in my original Warhammer Map campaign. Then back in 2007 I revisited Laruba Mansion for a big multiplayer Ravenloft event, going back and creating scenery for the entire interior of the house.
You can check out more pics of the scenery for both houses at the below link
www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=19943300&uid=9092274
Wow, I’ve already dropped quite a Wall of Text down and haven’t even gotten to the territories.
Better get on with it, huh?
Ok, here they are.
Shadygrove[/u]
Surrounded by dense primeval forest in the southeastern area of the Forsaken Vale is the small community of Shadygrove. While the township's relatively secluded location has protected it from the many bloody squabbles of the border princes over the years, they have ever been subjected to the depradations of the residents of Shellendrak, a sprawling estate nearby, and home to an ancient family of the same name. For generations those who live in that rambling manse have always dabbled in dark and forbidden arts and brought terror upon the local community, but the current resident in particular has shown great attention to the residents of the community, often using them as cattle in his foul experiments and terrorizing the town with the results of these dark forays into the realms which mortals were not meant to enter. The townsfolk refer to him as 'the Ghoul of the Grove' and speak of him only in hushed whispers.
As an alchemist and necromancer, Dr. Shellendrak is constantly pursuing dark sorcerous arts and unholy sciences. In addition, he has made dark pact with evil creatures from the worlds beyond, as had Shellendraks before him. His ancestral home and its grounds are infested with creatures only imagined in the darkest of nightmares, and it is even said that the doctor himself is no-longer quite human.
Its name is Legion, for it is Many.
Known to very few is the fact that long ago a powerful daemonic entity had its essence split into thirds and sealed away beneath three mansions within the valley, and it is the evil taint of this creature that has led to the corruption and destruction of their residents over the years, causing each of these three places to become the site of terrible misdeeds and numerous tragedies. Shellendrak is one of these three, and holds the taint of this daemon, which has caused the spreading corruption of the surrounding lands, growing stronger.
Campaign Map Rules:
Townsfolk: When Empire or Brettonian Banners move onto the territory, roll on the following chart.
1 – The village is upon hard times and cannot offer any assistance.
2-5 – Helpful villagers. Roll 2d6 x10 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
6 – Greeted as heroes! Roll 2d6 x20 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
Wood Elf, High Elf, and Dwarf banners may also roll on the chart when occupying this territory, but must divide the results by half.
All other races receive no effect from the territory, as the villagers refuse to help them, but are too afraid of them to interfere in their business.
Note that these bonuses do not accumulate if the territory is revisited before the next battle that banner engages in.
Dark Power, Dark Insanity: For as long as a player controls this territory, one of his wizards generates an extra power die for himself during battles. This comes at a consequence: Any time a miscast is rolled for that wizard, rather than rolling on the chart, the miscasting wizard instead casts the spell against his own army, as directed by the opposing player. If the spell being cast cannot really aid the other army in any way, the opposing player chooses another spell from that mage’s list and casts that instead. Such miscasts may not be dispelled. For the rest of the game, twos are considered to be ones for the purposes of miscasts, as the mage continues to descend into madness. If all three of the cursed mansions are controlled, each grants two additional power die to a wizard, rather than one.
Lifting the Curse: Conversely, players (especially players of ‘good’ armies) may attempt to remove the curse which has long dwelled in this place. To purge the evil of Shellendrak, a player must have an army present at the location, and it must take a ‘hold’ action. Then the player engages in a one on one skirmish game to determine if he is successful. If successful, the house can no longer grant the Dark Power/Dark Insanity power, and the player gains one permanent victory point towards winning the campaign. By cleansing all three houses, a player can earn five victory points (1 per house plus two additional bonus points for cleansing all three) which can never be lost or taken away.
Battles at Shadygrove:
No special rules apply for battles in Shadygrove, other than the battlefield should contain some woods, farms, and/or buildings.
Blackbark Ridge[/u]
The northeastern area of the Forsaken Vale is very hilly terrain, and the most famous – or infamous – of these is Blackbark Ridge. It didn’t used to have a name, and the community that sits nestled before it went by a different name as well, but tragic events have left their mark on the area. It is said that Laruba Mansion, the large house that overlooks the village from atop its perch on the wooded ridge, was built by a wealthy merchant long ago. It is also said that the black hearted landowner brutally murdered a gypsy boy who had become involved with his daughter, and according to the legend, as the boy cursed him and the ridge with his dying breath, and that as his blood seeped into the ground behind the house, it turned the bark of all the trees in the area as black as pitch, and that the merchant and his family all met with horrible fates in the following weeks. Many others have attempted to inhabit the mansion over the years, all meeting tragic ends, with more than a few becoming raving madmen or crazed murderers.
The folk of the community now known as Blackbark Ridge are afraid to go up on the wooded hill, for it is said to be now filled with monsters both living and dead. One creature in particular has stalked the people for generations, even boldly venturing into the village for prey in the dark of night. None have ever encountered it and lived, but the villagers call it the Beast of Blackbark Ridge and speak of it only in hushed whispers. As for Laruba Mansion, it now sits alone. Brooding. Filled with evil.
Its name is Legion, for it is Many.
Known to very few is the fact that long ago a powerful daemonic entity had its essence split into thirds and sealed away beneath three mansions within the valley, and it is the evil taint of this creature that has led to the corruption and destruction of their residents over the years, causing each of these three places to become the site of terrible misdeeds and numerous tragedies. Laruba Mansion is one of these three, and holds the taint of this daemon, which has caused the spreading corruption of the surrounding lands, growing stronger.
Campaign Map Rules:
Townsfolk: When Empire or Brettonian Banners move onto the territory, roll on the following chart.
2 – The village is upon hard times and cannot offer any assistance.
2-5 – Helpful villagers. Roll 2d6 x10 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
6 – Greeted as heroes! Roll 2d6 x20 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
Wood Elf, High Elf, and Dwarf banners may also roll on the chart when occupying this territory, but must divide the results by half.
All other races receive no effect from the territory, as the villagers refuse to help them, but are too afraid of them to interfere in their business.
Note that these bonuses do not accumulate if the territory is revisited before the next battle that banner engages in.
Dark Power, Dark Insanity: For as long as a player controls this territory, one of his wizards generates an extra power die for himself during battles. This comes at a consequence: Any time a miscast is rolled for that wizard, rather than rolling on the chart, the miscasting wizard instead casts the spell against his own army, as directed by the opposing player. If the spell being cast cannot really aid the other army in any way, the opposing player chooses another spell from that mage’s list and casts that instead. Such miscasts may not be dispelled. For the rest of the game, twos are considered to be ones for the purposes of miscasts, as the mage continues to descend into madness. If all three of the cursed mansions are controlled, each grants two additional power die to a wizard, rather than one.
Lifting the Curse: Conversely, players (especially players of ‘good’ armies) may attempt to remove the curse which has long dwelled in this place. To purge the evil of Laruba Mansion, a player must have an army present at the location, and it must take a ‘hold’ action. Then the player engages in a one on one skirmish game to determine if he is successful. If successful, the house can no longer grant the Dark Power/Dark Insanity power, and the player gains one permanent victory point towards winning the campaign. By cleansing all three houses, a player can earn five victory points (1 per house plus two additional bonus points for cleansing all three) which can never be lost or taken away.
Battles at Blackbark Ridge:
Terrain: If the terrain is available, the battlefield will consist of a large hill in the center atop which sits the mansion. A small stream moves around the hill with some wooded areas and buildings which represent the outskirts of the village.
If this terrain is unavailable, woods, village buildings, streams, walls, and farms would work for terrain.
Beware the Ebon Shades: The ebon shade is a species of spider that is unique to the region and resembles a large black tarantula. They infest the wooded areas, climbing about the bark of the trees, which make them difficult to see against the pitch black bark of the tree, appearing almost as if the bark of the tree is moving and shifting, until one gets closer. The bite of the ebon shade is known to cause acute madness in its victim.
At the beginning of the close combat phase, any unit that is within or partially within a forest must make a Leadership test. (those immune to psychology do not have to test). Units that fail must make a full round of attacks against itself.
Coming into the final stretch for special territories – I think I’ve only got six or seven left to write up now. (Castle Phagius, Barrow Hills, Skullcrusher Pass, Treasure Well, Fort Markov, Hellfurnace, the Rotting Gums Orc Camp, and probably something for lizardmen – see my other post)
Both of today’s previews are similar to one another in that each contains a village and along with one of the three evil mansions found in the Forsaken Vale.
Shellendrak Manor of course needs little introduction for many in the club, since several have ventured within its dark halls in the big skirmish game last December. For terrain building notes, Shellendrak Manor was built from downloadable cardstock terrain kit of the same name found at www.worldworksgames.com, which has a bunch of great scenery stuff for those who have never checked them out. It was a very ambitious design on my part, and ended up taking me a year of working on it off and on before I finished. It was originally used in a Ravenloft scenario – the journal for which I’m hoping to get finally finished and posted sometime in the next few weeks – and then in the big skirmish game last year, and currently sits brooding in my storage unit, waiting to be taken out again.
A note on the name Shadygrove. It is a reference to play written by a friend of mine who was in the theatre department with me. The play takes place in Shadygrove Sanitarium for the Deeply Disturbed, and I directed it in an off-Broadway showcase our department did back in ’96. We both have really sick minds and are into the horror stuff, so I dropped Shadygrove and it’s sanitarium into my Ravenloft campaign a few years back, and have now used it again as Dr. Shellendrak’s stamping grounds.
Laruba mansion, or the House on Blackbark Ridge, as it was originally known, was the first major scenery project I ever did, and was built in winter of 98 for a Warhammer fantasy event I ran at a convention that year. I built it out of cardboard and a bunch of other stuff. It was based on a design for a haunted house I had created for Ravenloft, used in several different scenarios. In 2001, Blackbark Ridge and Laruba Mansion became a territory in my original Warhammer Map campaign. Then back in 2007 I revisited Laruba Mansion for a big multiplayer Ravenloft event, going back and creating scenery for the entire interior of the house.
You can check out more pics of the scenery for both houses at the below link
www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=19943300&uid=9092274
Wow, I’ve already dropped quite a Wall of Text down and haven’t even gotten to the territories.
Better get on with it, huh?
Ok, here they are.
Shadygrove[/u]
Surrounded by dense primeval forest in the southeastern area of the Forsaken Vale is the small community of Shadygrove. While the township's relatively secluded location has protected it from the many bloody squabbles of the border princes over the years, they have ever been subjected to the depradations of the residents of Shellendrak, a sprawling estate nearby, and home to an ancient family of the same name. For generations those who live in that rambling manse have always dabbled in dark and forbidden arts and brought terror upon the local community, but the current resident in particular has shown great attention to the residents of the community, often using them as cattle in his foul experiments and terrorizing the town with the results of these dark forays into the realms which mortals were not meant to enter. The townsfolk refer to him as 'the Ghoul of the Grove' and speak of him only in hushed whispers.
As an alchemist and necromancer, Dr. Shellendrak is constantly pursuing dark sorcerous arts and unholy sciences. In addition, he has made dark pact with evil creatures from the worlds beyond, as had Shellendraks before him. His ancestral home and its grounds are infested with creatures only imagined in the darkest of nightmares, and it is even said that the doctor himself is no-longer quite human.
Its name is Legion, for it is Many.
Known to very few is the fact that long ago a powerful daemonic entity had its essence split into thirds and sealed away beneath three mansions within the valley, and it is the evil taint of this creature that has led to the corruption and destruction of their residents over the years, causing each of these three places to become the site of terrible misdeeds and numerous tragedies. Shellendrak is one of these three, and holds the taint of this daemon, which has caused the spreading corruption of the surrounding lands, growing stronger.
Campaign Map Rules:
Townsfolk: When Empire or Brettonian Banners move onto the territory, roll on the following chart.
1 – The village is upon hard times and cannot offer any assistance.
2-5 – Helpful villagers. Roll 2d6 x10 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
6 – Greeted as heroes! Roll 2d6 x20 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
Wood Elf, High Elf, and Dwarf banners may also roll on the chart when occupying this territory, but must divide the results by half.
All other races receive no effect from the territory, as the villagers refuse to help them, but are too afraid of them to interfere in their business.
Note that these bonuses do not accumulate if the territory is revisited before the next battle that banner engages in.
Dark Power, Dark Insanity: For as long as a player controls this territory, one of his wizards generates an extra power die for himself during battles. This comes at a consequence: Any time a miscast is rolled for that wizard, rather than rolling on the chart, the miscasting wizard instead casts the spell against his own army, as directed by the opposing player. If the spell being cast cannot really aid the other army in any way, the opposing player chooses another spell from that mage’s list and casts that instead. Such miscasts may not be dispelled. For the rest of the game, twos are considered to be ones for the purposes of miscasts, as the mage continues to descend into madness. If all three of the cursed mansions are controlled, each grants two additional power die to a wizard, rather than one.
Lifting the Curse: Conversely, players (especially players of ‘good’ armies) may attempt to remove the curse which has long dwelled in this place. To purge the evil of Shellendrak, a player must have an army present at the location, and it must take a ‘hold’ action. Then the player engages in a one on one skirmish game to determine if he is successful. If successful, the house can no longer grant the Dark Power/Dark Insanity power, and the player gains one permanent victory point towards winning the campaign. By cleansing all three houses, a player can earn five victory points (1 per house plus two additional bonus points for cleansing all three) which can never be lost or taken away.
Battles at Shadygrove:
No special rules apply for battles in Shadygrove, other than the battlefield should contain some woods, farms, and/or buildings.
Blackbark Ridge[/u]
The northeastern area of the Forsaken Vale is very hilly terrain, and the most famous – or infamous – of these is Blackbark Ridge. It didn’t used to have a name, and the community that sits nestled before it went by a different name as well, but tragic events have left their mark on the area. It is said that Laruba Mansion, the large house that overlooks the village from atop its perch on the wooded ridge, was built by a wealthy merchant long ago. It is also said that the black hearted landowner brutally murdered a gypsy boy who had become involved with his daughter, and according to the legend, as the boy cursed him and the ridge with his dying breath, and that as his blood seeped into the ground behind the house, it turned the bark of all the trees in the area as black as pitch, and that the merchant and his family all met with horrible fates in the following weeks. Many others have attempted to inhabit the mansion over the years, all meeting tragic ends, with more than a few becoming raving madmen or crazed murderers.
The folk of the community now known as Blackbark Ridge are afraid to go up on the wooded hill, for it is said to be now filled with monsters both living and dead. One creature in particular has stalked the people for generations, even boldly venturing into the village for prey in the dark of night. None have ever encountered it and lived, but the villagers call it the Beast of Blackbark Ridge and speak of it only in hushed whispers. As for Laruba Mansion, it now sits alone. Brooding. Filled with evil.
Its name is Legion, for it is Many.
Known to very few is the fact that long ago a powerful daemonic entity had its essence split into thirds and sealed away beneath three mansions within the valley, and it is the evil taint of this creature that has led to the corruption and destruction of their residents over the years, causing each of these three places to become the site of terrible misdeeds and numerous tragedies. Laruba Mansion is one of these three, and holds the taint of this daemon, which has caused the spreading corruption of the surrounding lands, growing stronger.
Campaign Map Rules:
Townsfolk: When Empire or Brettonian Banners move onto the territory, roll on the following chart.
2 – The village is upon hard times and cannot offer any assistance.
2-5 – Helpful villagers. Roll 2d6 x10 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
6 – Greeted as heroes! Roll 2d6 x20 and gain that many points of troops for the next battle that banner engages in.
Wood Elf, High Elf, and Dwarf banners may also roll on the chart when occupying this territory, but must divide the results by half.
All other races receive no effect from the territory, as the villagers refuse to help them, but are too afraid of them to interfere in their business.
Note that these bonuses do not accumulate if the territory is revisited before the next battle that banner engages in.
Dark Power, Dark Insanity: For as long as a player controls this territory, one of his wizards generates an extra power die for himself during battles. This comes at a consequence: Any time a miscast is rolled for that wizard, rather than rolling on the chart, the miscasting wizard instead casts the spell against his own army, as directed by the opposing player. If the spell being cast cannot really aid the other army in any way, the opposing player chooses another spell from that mage’s list and casts that instead. Such miscasts may not be dispelled. For the rest of the game, twos are considered to be ones for the purposes of miscasts, as the mage continues to descend into madness. If all three of the cursed mansions are controlled, each grants two additional power die to a wizard, rather than one.
Lifting the Curse: Conversely, players (especially players of ‘good’ armies) may attempt to remove the curse which has long dwelled in this place. To purge the evil of Laruba Mansion, a player must have an army present at the location, and it must take a ‘hold’ action. Then the player engages in a one on one skirmish game to determine if he is successful. If successful, the house can no longer grant the Dark Power/Dark Insanity power, and the player gains one permanent victory point towards winning the campaign. By cleansing all three houses, a player can earn five victory points (1 per house plus two additional bonus points for cleansing all three) which can never be lost or taken away.
Battles at Blackbark Ridge:
Terrain: If the terrain is available, the battlefield will consist of a large hill in the center atop which sits the mansion. A small stream moves around the hill with some wooded areas and buildings which represent the outskirts of the village.
If this terrain is unavailable, woods, village buildings, streams, walls, and farms would work for terrain.
Beware the Ebon Shades: The ebon shade is a species of spider that is unique to the region and resembles a large black tarantula. They infest the wooded areas, climbing about the bark of the trees, which make them difficult to see against the pitch black bark of the tree, appearing almost as if the bark of the tree is moving and shifting, until one gets closer. The bite of the ebon shade is known to cause acute madness in its victim.
At the beginning of the close combat phase, any unit that is within or partially within a forest must make a Leadership test. (those immune to psychology do not have to test). Units that fail must make a full round of attacks against itself.