Blood Valley, Round 2: The Hunter

[angelfromanotherpin]

(It is night, but the quarry has another keyword.)

Isn't it still day??

My bad. Still, either day or night-with-keyword results in the same text.

[angelfromanotherpin]

(The quarry has left tracks here.)

The road has fresh marks on it and the hounds are in full cry. Your quarry has used this road recently, but you cannot be sure just how recently. You can be sure that they were feeling the pace of the chase, however, for the distance between footsteps is not exactly regular. Weariness or a wound is taking its toll.

The hound's tongues are lolling out as you run down the north-to-south road that leads from the standing stones through the hills.

WAIT

• Search the area?
• Go south to a ford?
• Go north to where the hunt began?
• Turn west?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

It just dawned on me that backtracking is an even more effective tactic for the quarry than I first thought, since the text made it clear that the hounds can't tell how recent the tracks are and we see the same info as long as he's passed through here once. If there were an option to search at the ford I'd probably suspect he's hiding back there.

At this point I'd be notified if he went on the moors or the bridge, so somehow he's not gone to either.....

Search here.

[angelfromanotherpin]

(Your search is super effective! The quarry is not in the area, hidden or otherwise.)

The hound's tongues are lolling out as you run down the north-to-south road that leads from the standing stones through the hills.

WAIT

• Search the area?
• Go south to a ford?
• Go north to where the hunt began?
• Turn west?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[angelfromanotherpin]

You are contacted through a crystal ball by the squire of Kritos Bloodheart! They have found your quarry in the moorland and Kritos is riding to the attack.

[SGamerz]

Whoa, he's closer than I first thought!

North back to the stone circle and then west to the moors!

[angelfromanotherpin]

You see Kritos Bloodheart ride his charger at your quarry, but the priest speaks the Word of Helpless Palsy and Kritos is paralyzed. He topples stiffly from his horse and the fall breaks his neck. You see the quarry approach the crystal ball and pick it up to look you in the face.

'See how I deal with your most feared lieutenant, you vile abomination. So shall I deal with you in time.' Your view is lost as he drops the crystal once more.

The allotted time is up and you ride to the standing stones, the Hounds of Hell yapping at the horse's heels. A grisly exhibition of trophies adorns the monoliths, the heads of your previous victims. The more recent have been crudely embalmed. One of last year's victims was the young sorceress, Noquila, you growl in annoyance at the sight of her, her spells had been love spells, she was powerless against you and poor sport. Next to her is the body of the big barbarian Torvald Bloodaxe, his plaits still swinging in the wind, his face a mask of agony. He had been good sport.



The stones are on a conical hill-top. Behind you the dark towers of Castle Remorse deter all attempts at escape to the east. A track leads north towards high ground and a road of beaten earth winds south towards the hills of the Barrow Weald. To the west lies the rising swell of the rough moor. The hounds are confused, for some reason they find it difficult to tell in which direction your quarry set off. Sorcery is at work. Someone has tried to thwart you by aiding the quarry.

WAIT

• Head due west across the moor?
• Take the road south?
• Take the track north?

Yeah, there isn't a separate reference for coming back to the stones, so you get all the opening text again.

You know every inch of this rough inhospitable moorland and your horse and the hounds can cross it more quickly than can your quarry. The bracken and moss underfoot are spongy and wet.

(Your opponent does not have the relevant tracks keyword.)

There is no sign of the quarry having come this way as the hounds find no scent, and there is little chance of hiding in the rocky moorland. Your horse occasionally sinks into the mire, but you are not much delayed.

WAIT

• Search the moorland?
• Ride down into a gully to the west which you know to be a dead end?
• Climb the spur to the west?
• Go north to the track which leads past the standing stone to the cataract and on to the accursed monastery?
• Go south to the road of beaten earth that crosses the Barrow Weald?

Well, here we are again.

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Jesus Christ, how many spells does he have? That's twice he's dealt with my henchmen without taking a scratch. At this rate, he should be hunting me!

Presumably he's still somewhere on the moors, assuming that getting caught by an enemy should count for something and at least costs him a few WAITs. North and south look like they'll be leading to different territories altogether, so west again.

[angelfromanotherpin]

West into the gully, or west up the spur?

[SGamerz]

Since the gully is apparently a dead end, spurs.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You are soon at the highest point of the moor, but there is no sign of your quarry. Even here the ground is wet and spongy underfoot.

WAIT

• Continue along the spur to the west where you know the moorland is riven by an impassable cliff?
• Turn southwest and descend again?
• Turn back to the standing stones where your quarry was set loose

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Damn, if I can't spot him from the highest point, it looks like he's already left the moors. That encounter didn't even slow him down.

Southwest, since I still doubt the priest will attempt to scale the "impassable cliff".

[angelfromanotherpin]

The moorland is wet and spongy underfoot and the going is rough. The moorland rises in a series of swelling folds of land to the north and east. The woods are shrouded in mist in the basin to the southwest. Due west is an area of land that looks lush and green and very flat but you know it to be marshland. Nearby is a healing-myrtle bush, one of the few left on Orb.

(The bush has previously been harvested).

WAIT

• Head west?
• Head north?
• Head due east to the highest part of the moor?
• Head southwest toward the misty wood?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Certainly NOT going back west to have my horse trapped in that bog again. At any rate he can't proceed much further west if he went that direction.

It's either north or south, and I don't really want to go back to Misty Woods either (besides, the randomness means that I probably won't catch him even if he's there).

North to either pursue him or cut him off from the monastery. Even if I'm wrong and he went to the woods, I can at least hope that he'll get lost in there long enough for me to get the chance to re-assign my allies again.

[angelfromanotherpin]

(The quarry has left no tracks here.)

The going here is rough and slow. The moorland is strewn with boulders and the ground is heavy and wet underfoot. You have come to the northwest corner of the moor. Ahead lies a fast-flowing river, which you can cross with ease, and beyond it the despised monastery.

WAIT

• Search the moorland hollows?
• Go west into an unnaturally flat and lush-looking meadow that you know to be marshland?
• Cross the river?
• Head east across the moor?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

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x

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x

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Day 2

x

x

x

x

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x

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x

x

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39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Cross the river.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Crossing the river could not be easier. You can walk serenely on water just as if it were land, and the paws of the hounds are grounded on the greensward of another plane, they trot across seemingly in midair. Your horse, however, cannot swim against the current.

• WAIT and turn back?
• Abandon your horse and cross the river?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

That's annoying. So far the horse has been more hassle than help!

I think I'll patrol this part for a while since the lack of tracks indicate that he hasn't yet passed here.

WAIT and turn back.

[angelfromanotherpin]

(The quarry is here!)

You have caught the quarry. Any creatures simply move away at the sight of you. You may exchange any threats or insults you think appropriate at this stage.

• Unleash your hounds upon the quarry?
• Finish this hunt personally?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Huh, so he actually is hunting me. Since I was already here, he found me, not the other way round. :/

You may exchange any threats or insults you think appropriate at this stage.

The Archveult shall intimidate his quarry with his special spine-chilling war-chant/battle-hymn:

I will follow you!

Follow you wherever you may go
There isn't an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep
Keep me away
Away from my prey!

I'll get you!
I'll get you!
I'll get you!

Where you go, I'd follow
I'd follow!
I'd follow!

You'll always be my dog food!
My dog food!
My dog food!
Forever

I will follow you

Every since you crossed my land, I knew
Near you, I always must be
Nothing can keep you from me
You are my sacrifice!

I'll get you!
I'll get you!
I'll get you!

Where you go, I'd follow
I'd follow!
I'd follow!

You'll always be my dog food!
My dog food!
My dog food!
Forever

I will follow you

Follow you wherever you may go
There isn't an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep
Keep me away
Away from my prey!

Then set the hounds on him. Recall them once they're Wounded or worse.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The mud-splattered priest looks up at you. There’s a light of religious fervour (or madness) in his eyes. “At last. The face of my tormentor.”

He traces a circle around himself in the mud with the point of his sword, incanting a prayer under his breath.

Then the hounds are upon him.

(The quarry does not have a potion of Hell Hound Control.)

The hounds leap forward, snarling, and snorting flame to attack your prey. You stand back to survey the fight, smiling grimly.

THE HOUNDS OF HELL

Health	Strike	Damage
Savage	+2+1	+1
Vicious	+1 0	0
Wounded	0 -1	-1
Whimpering	-1-2	-2
Dead	–	–

At the end of each combat round there is a 1/6 chance that the hounds will scorch with their breath for a damage roll.
The ferocity of the hounds is lessened when attacking a holy man.

Round 1: Quarry 3, Hounds 12; Damage 2 (1 WL). No fire breath.
Round 2: Quarry 9, Hounds 5; Damage 6 (2 WL). No fire breath. The Hounds are Wounded.

The hounds sprint back to you, tails between their legs. Now you prepare to kill your prey, and take their head.

You circle each other warily. For each combat round you must choose one of eight combat options (listed below), the results of which will modify the next strike roll on top of any other modifiers you both may have. The Quarry will be making a choice from the same moves. There is a table at the back of the book in the main thread explaining the combat choices.

• Charge forward and execute an overhead cut?
• Make a cautious jab?
• Sidestep to the left and slash to the right?
• Sidestep to the right and slash to the left?
• Slash to the left?
• Slash to the right?
• Parry and riposte?
• Flee?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Cautious jab.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You pause, waiting for an opening in your opponent's defense, and make a tentative lunge. Your opponent has sidestepped to the right and you are able to react and lunge as he moves. You strike at +2 this round.

Round 1: You 6+2+2=10, Quarry 8+1=9; Damage 5+2=7 (2 WLs).

You circle each other warily. For each combat round you must choose one of eight combat options (listed below), the results of which will modify the next strike roll on top of any other modifiers you both may have. The Quarry will be making a choice from the same moves. There is a table at the back of the book in the main thread explaining the combat choices.

• Charge forward and execute an overhead cut?
• Make a cautious jab?
• Sidestep to the left and slash to the right?
• Sidestep to the right and slash to the left?
• Slash to the left?
• Slash to the right?
• Parry and riposte?
• Flee?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Another jab. That seems to give the Archveult the advantage against almost all moves except charging.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You pause, waiting for an opening in your opponent's defense, and make a tentative lunge. Your opponent has sidestepped to the left and you are able to react and lunge as he moves. You strike at +2 this round.

Round 1: You 10+2+2=14, Quarry 4+1=5; Damage 2+2=4 (1 WL).

You circle each other warily. For each combat round you must choose one of eight combat options (listed below), the results of which will modify the next strike roll on top of any other modifiers you both may have. The Quarry will be making a choice from the same moves. There is a table at the back of the book in the main thread explaining the combat choices.

• Charge forward and execute an overhead cut?
• Make a cautious jab?
• Sidestep to the left and slash to the right?
• Sidestep to the right and slash to the left?
• Slash to the left?
• Slash to the right?
• Parry and riposte?
• Flee?

The Archveult

Wound Levels:
Healthy/Bruised/Injured/Wounded/Badly Wounded/Crippled/Dead

Combat:
+2 Damage
+2 Strike with mace

Equipment:
Spiked mace
Armor (Absorbs one level of damage on a roll of 5+)
Healing-myrtle berries (Eat out-of-combat to heal one wound level)
Postern gate key of Askelon
Spear

Special Abilities
Night Vision
Breathe Water
Strength
Endurance
Warrior Skill
Awe others
Hounds
Suit of Armor
Allies

Hounds of Hell
Savage (+2 strike, +1 damage)
Vicious (+1 strike)
Wounded (-1 damage)
Whimpering (-1 strike, -2 damage)
Dead

Time:

Day 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Night 1

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Day 2

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48