The Death of Hope - A Karthlands Narrative Battle Report

This was a fun one. As I played this game, I took a quick video each turn and "live" posted it to Instagram with details. All that is since gone from IG, but I thought I would recap the battle with a bit of narrative - this one certainly changes the direction of the campaign ideas I had!

 

 

Heading southward from the crags, Orin takes a detour to meet up with a few more wardens before heading west again towards Karth. After dealing with the ogre, his priorities have shifted - no longer ranging and scouting - it has become imperative that he share the news of ogre attacks with the Earl. If ogres are moving south again, it will take a lot more than a handful of scouts to keep them from ravaging the people of the Karthwoods and disrupting the trade of the north.

Orin and his entourage come down a hilled path into a valley with a river running through it. They are spread out along the trail and marching briskly, but at ease, enjoying the slightly warmer clime below the frost line. Crossing the bridge and scanning the old ruins in the woods, Orin takes in the day. 

The first sign of trouble comes from behind him the sounds of quarrels being fired, and hitting marks. Not long after, the deafening roar of black powder rips through the valley. Turning around, Orin sees total disarray. His thin column of men has been assailed by men in black and yellow livery, Elumites. In his mind, Orin recognized that the scene before him made little sense - Elumites didn't attack wardens for no reason - but this was not a time for deep thought.

Seeing nearby, a grey bearded man barking orders to the Elumites, Orin charged forward to engage the enemy leader. A young boy who had been his marching companion moments ago followed along at his side. The melee around them was brutal but stable. Steel clashed against steel, but the wardens held out for now. There was no time for Orin to survey the field, he knew his wardens could take care of themselves, his focus was on the man in front of him with a skull cap and broad sword. 

Circling each other, the two leaders lashed at each other, but with sword and shield, blocking and parrying as they went. Orin was the first to falter, and a steel tip bit into the meat of his shoulder. He staggered and may have fallen then, but the boy who had followed him swung an axe at the head of the enemy leader. At the last moment the man deflected the blow, but took a nasty gouge down his arm.

The wound did nothing to slow the man, but only made him fight harder. He lashed and swung his weapon until Orin was overwhelmed and felt the flat of the steel crunch against his skull. He went down hard, hitting his head again on a rock. In his narrowed vision, he saw a very different picture on the battlefield. His wardens, their blue garb covered in red stains, lay strewn along the road. Men in black and yellow were cleaning up the remainder and chasing down those who fled. Turning back, Orin saw the Elumite leader strike down the boy who had tried to save his life.

The darkness was coming quick and Orin new he hadn't much time left. His only regret now was that nobody would warn Karth of the ogres roving in the north...