The Harrowmark Twisted Oak - part 7, game 4 - The Vantage Point

"The compass is wrong." said El Doctoro.

"How can both compasses be wrong?" asked Bortagno.

"The same way the maps are wrong." said Kapitan da Leeva.

The three of them looked at the charts and maps spread out between them, across the top of a barrel.

"Something is pulling them out of true. Something powerful. " El Doctoro took a compass bearing on three landmarks on the horizon and drew lines on the chart. Then he marked the direction of the Nadir, according to the compass - thaumaturgic north. But it was still wrong.

"It's no good scribbling and squinting at that device. We have to get up high and have a proper look at our surroundings. There's no other bearings that matter." rumbled the Kapitan. "I have an idea where we can go."

Bortagno and El Doctoro looked at each other. El Doctoro folded up his maps.

Deep in the forests of the Harrowmark, a skydock stood tall, above the tree tops. The Rotmoons knew that if they were going to find the Twisted Oak first, they would be better placed if they could get a good view of the surrounding forests.

In the gathering twilight Kapitan da Leeva and some of the Rotmoons moved towards the skydock to control the vantage point it afforded. Percy Percy and Bold Rikk bickered and argued as they walked but they soon shut up when the Kapitan pointed out what was happening on the far side of the tower.

Even in the gloom they could see a band of figures - moving with strange jolting actions.

The Rotmoons started climbing as the first Deathrattle skeletons approached. The fallen sorcerer, now Necromancer; Kalyustar the Soulchemist was close behind them.

Dragante and his companions, Dudoso and Awkwardo, appeared through the trees to the south-west.

Bortagno and Tambor approached from the north.

More skeletal warriors shambled out of the trees to the east, and north-east.

The Kapitan reached the top of the skydock first, only a little out of breath. He chuckled to himself and swished his kutlass ostentatiously.

A skeleton stepped out of the shadows beneath the stairs and attacked Percy Percy.

A furious fight erupted - the pirate crew did their best to hold up the first wave of dead-unz.

Another skeleton attacked Bold Rikk.

El Doctoro took a position on the balcony and started cracking skulls with short-ranged arcs of green lightning.

One undead hero broke through the pirates and got to the vantage point to face the Kapitan.

Tambor was set upon by another.

Bortagno joined the fray with a roar, his kutlass flashing in the last of the setting sunlight.

The undead champion dealt Kapitan da Leeva a mighty wound.

More dead-unz trudged slowly through the forests toward the tower.

The Kapitan replied in kind and smashed the undead hero to pieces.

Another skeleton made it to the top deck, but so did Bortagno and as darkness fell the orruk pirates secured the skydock and victory!

Bortagno muttered to himself, "What was the point of all that? We can't see a thing now its dark!"

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This was our first face-to-face game in almost exactly two years! It felt so good to roll dice together again.

In our pre-game chat we decided to use everything that had been added to Warcry over that missed time (including new fighter types, points changes and campaign frameworks) and we quickly restructured the campaign on the fly. But as this game was a warm-up fight, we just used a random draw of Battleplan Cards (see above!) - but they turned out to be a perfect re-introduction to the story anyway.

We can't wait for more games now! Roll on next week.

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Viktor's side of this story is here.