Blood Valley, Round 2: The Hunter

[SGamerz]

He hasn't passed through here yet? Not sure if that's good or bad....is that magic stuff that prevented my hounds from tracking him earlier still working?

East to see if there're any tracks at the Mountain Pass, since I know he did pass through that.

[angelfromanotherpin]

He hasn't passed through here yet? Not sure if that's good or bad....is that magic stuff that prevented my hounds from tracking him earlier still working?

Under ordinary circumstances (for this book), when the quarry enters an area they record a tracks codeword which you then check for when you enter the area. Whatever assistance they initially got seems to prevent your dogs from knowing which way they went, but not where they have been.

So either the quarry has legit never been here, or they have found some other way to mask their tracks completely.

You are on a road that leads up into a pass between the tall mountains, and west into some wild countryside. In the middle of the countryside you can just make out Braggart's Hold, one of your holdings.

(The quarry has passed this way.)

Your hounds sniff frenziedly at the road here. They have picked up the scent of your quarry who has passed this way recently.

WAIT

• Go east into the pass?
• Go west into the countryside?

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

23

24

[SGamerz]

Ooooh! His tracks stops here and he can only go east or west here....that means he backtracked! Cunning bugger.

East in pursuit! He can't have gone far.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Huge mountains rise up on either side as you make your way through the mountain pass. There is nowhere to hide here.

WAIT

• Go east, past the huge statues that flank the pass?
• Go west, where the road leads down to a wild countryside?
• Climb a nearby peak to survey the ground that borders the pass?

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

24

[SGamerz]

....and his tracks disappear? What the hell is going on? There were only 2 directions leading from that last section and he's not traced on either side? Did the priest have Teleportation too?

East between the statues is where I assume that's where the alarm system was, so continue there.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Not all references check for tracks keywords. If I don't say (there is no sign of the quarry here) or something similar, then there is neither presence nor absence.

You are walking along a road that climbs up toward a mountain pass. Two huge stone statues flank the entrance to the pass. As you near them, they become clearer. They are fashioned to represent two firedrakes like yourself. You know they will emit a piercing shriek that only you could hear, wherever you are, if any unauthorized person should pass between them.

WAIT

• Head east, down the road?
• Head west, along the pass?

A new day is coming. At your next WAIT, you will have a chance to reassign your allies.

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	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
Night 2	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48

[SGamerz]

Okay, thanks to the alarm system I know he was here, and if the tracks were accurate I don't think he had the opportunity to leave the path before I reached this road. So east is the right way. Continue down that direction!

About re-assigning my troops:

1) If I don't re-assigned them at the start of the day, can I still do that by spending the WAITs later in the day/night (probably not, but I'd like to make sure)?

2) I notice both the assassin and the son can be assigned to the volcano. If I do put them both there and the quarry gets there, do they both attack simultaneously? Or only one of them attacks and I'd be wasting the other if I do that?

[angelfromanotherpin]

1) If I don't re-assigned them at the start of the day, can I still do that by spending the WAITs later in the day/night (probably not, but I'd like to make sure)?

My reading of the text is no, it's got to be done when day dawns.

2) I notice both the assassin and the son can be assigned to the volcano. If I do put them both there and the quarry gets there, do they both attack simultaneously? Or only one of them attacks and I'd be wasting the other if I do that?

It's hard to be sure, but I think the text never checks for the assassin and the option to assign him to the volcano is a typo.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You are walking along a road that runs west up to a mountain pass and east toward some low hills.

WAIT

• Go east, towards the hills?
• Go through the pass?

You may now spend up to three WAITS to reassign as many allies.

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	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
Night 2	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48

[SGamerz]

Can I assign just one for now and then wait for my opponent's next move before I decide on the rest? If my judgments are correct, he should be fairly close to Misty Woods, and I don't want to move the assassin only to have him enter right after.

Anyway, he can only proceed west either through the woods or the monastery (since the fens block the way west). I've got Kritos blocking the way to the bridge north, but he might turn to the moors and then turn north into the monastery, and I can't assign the son to the moors. :/

Oh hell, re-assign Kritos to the moorland to block his way there. I still have a mantrap on the bridge, so if he triggers that I can circle to the monastery via the moors myself to cut him off.

I'll wait till the next turn to decide on the others, if allowed.

[angelfromanotherpin]

I'll wait till the next turn to decide on the others, if allowed.

Right and proper.

[SGamerz]

If the option to assign the assassin at the volcano is a possible error, then are there any other locations where the book checks for him but is not listed in the re-assignment options? Or is he in fact limited to only 5 locations?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Well, it took some more extensive checking, but yes. Ka-riim does have a sixth assignment, not the volcano, but the Mines of Smelt. I'll amend the listing in the first post.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Kritos is reassigned to the Moors.

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	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
Night 2	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48

[SGamerz]

Good to confirm the error, although I was hoping that the sixth location would be the lake. Alas.....

Re-assign Demiveult to the plains, just in case he somehow managed to get past me earlier from the south.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Demiveult to the plains. Did you want him to use the heal sauce?

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	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
Night 2	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48

[SGamerz]

Did you want him to use the heal sauce?

Since he can apparently use them during combat, I think it might as well hold on to it until the next time it sees the quarry.

And now....decisions, decisions.....I'm inclined to think that if he still hadn't entered the Misty Wood by this point he must have gone back north.....but then he might be hiding somewhere to the east and is waiting for me to leave this south path......

.....okay, move my assassin to the monastery. I'm probably just being paranoid about those monks. but something tells me that the priest meeting the monks would be a very bad thing for the Hunter Team.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Well, that's everyone, so...

• Go east toward the hills?
• Go through the pass?

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

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

East is probably the way I want to go, even though the map makes it look like the road should be going north-south at this point.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The road begins to wind up into the pass that divides the Mountains of Berg here.

WAIT

• Go north, out of the mountains?
• Go south, into the mountains?

There's the north/south path, you were just a little ahead of yourself.

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

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Still no opportunity for the quarry to leave the path that I can see, so north.

[angelfromanotherpin]

South of the river Spate, the road continues north-south.

WAIT

• Go north to the ford that crosses the river?
• Continue south on the road leading up to the Mountains of Berg?
• Keep to the east of the road?

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

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

Interesting landmark! It's been some time since we found any tracks, hopefully there'd be some at the distinctive landmark.

To the ford.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The river is wide and sluggish at the ford, which is a serrated wall like a battlement with water flowing through the gaps in the crenelations.

(The quarry has a relevant keyword.)

There are some strange black packages floating in the river, jammed between the crenelations of the ford wall which form its stepping stones. On close inspection you see that they are parts of a human body that has been dismembered and torn apart by dogs, perhaps after death.

(It is day.)

You leave the ford and continue on your way.

WAIT

• Journey south toward the mountain pass or jungle?
• Hunt north toward the hills?

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

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

Night 2

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

[SGamerz]

On close inspection you see that they are parts of a human body that has been dismembered and torn apart by dogs, perhaps after death.

Hey, hang, on, I'm supposed to be the only one here who tears people apart with dogs! Someone's usurping my privilege, apparently.

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

Isn't it still day??

Alright, 2 keywords from the quarry, so I think it's fairly safe to assume that he backtracked through this spot and therefore had been through here twice.

North in pursuit!