This first adventure was to set the tone for the campaign, as well as began a number of plot hooks and details for the future. A number of small personal details were added, and we’ve let the Players see how nasty the heavy units can be. I also wanted part of the challenge to come from having no equipment to start with, and discovering what the new creatures and models are.
The party was captured as part of the opening cutscene, and put onto a slave ship together. They were given story details about some sort of meeting between two evil powers. The familiar one is the undead Nightmare Empire of Cryx. The other group is the newly discovered force of the Legion of Everblight. In this timeline, the Legion has not really shown its hand to the western countries, so most Characters have no idea what they have encountered. Those Players familiar with WarMachine and Hordes have a good idea, but the new players are appropriately puzzled. The Iron Cask is indeed the symbol of this strange meeting.
Escaping a slave ship is a grand old tradition, and it went well here. They were surprised by the helljack in the wreckage, but it was indeed trapped, so could not chase them. It’s Harpoon gun, however, could drag hapless victims within the ‘jack’s reach. Its controller was also hidden in the wreckage too, but their surprise attack got terrible dice, so instead of shooting their Storm Sorcerer in the back, she just warned everyone she was there. (GM note: from now on I’ll be referring to the Storm Sorcerer as “Sparky”) After a battle that surged across the deck, the Players won the ship. Enemy forces consisted of eight Mechanithrall Sailors, six BaneThrall Soldiers, a damaged and immobile Reaper Helljack and a Statyxis Raider Captain pinned to the deck by a fallen spar.
After the battle, the Players got all of their starting equipment and set off inland to escape the Cryxian raiders. We’ll see how well that goes next time.
Cast of Non-Player Characters
Raider Captain – Cryxian Warcaster
SPD:0 DEF:5 ARC:4 MAT:8 RAT:6 ARM:12 Damaged Spiral
Hand Cannon: RNG:12 POW:12
Lacerator: PS:9 Bonded Reach Chain Weaponmaster Feedback Crit:KD
Reaper Helljack (Bonded)
SPD:0 DEF:5 MAT:7 RAT:5 ARM:17 Damaged Grid (no MOV- cannot turn!, reduced hull)
Harpoon: RNG:8 POW:12 Drag
Driver: PS:16 Reach Sustained Attack
Mechanithrall Sailor
SPD:5 DEF:9 ARM:11 MAT:4 Hits:5
Fist: x2 PS 12, Combo Strike:PS:15
Bane Thrall Soldier
SPD:6 DEF:11 ARM:15 MAT:6 Hits:5
Scythe: PS:13 Reach
Map
Unlabelled black markers are skeleton warriors and sailors. Scale number and variation according to party size.
