Sartosa 4: Dark Waters, Flame On campaign - summer/autumn 2009

Click on the map for the "interactive" version!



Sartosa 4: Dark Waters

Life on Sartosa is starting to get back to normal; many of the pirates who had fled to the small islands around the coast of the Southern Sea, Black Gulf and the Gulf of Sufaga have returned and the business of plunder has returned. The pirates are preying on passing shipping once more, the inns and taverns are full of drunks celebrating successful cruises (or commiserating unsuccessful ones!) and the harbour towns are being rebuilt.

But everything is not quite as it was; the island is under a darker ruler than in years gone by. The current Pirate King is rumoured to be a mere puppet of a Daemon Prince, a hollow shell of a man who rarely appears in public but rules with an iron fist. The worship of the Dark Gods, once forbidden under Sartosa law on pain of death, while not common-place seems to be grudgingly accepted by the more pragmatic of the Buccaneers. Small, secretive, sects have appeared in most of the island’s port towns, often under harmless-sounding names but clearly not following Empire or Bretonnian strictures.

The shattering explosion of the chaos-infused herdstone of immense size, known as the Bloodfane, two years ago caused untold mayhem on land and at sea. Showers of corrupted rock fell across the island, mostly in the east. Earthquakes and landslides opened a great canyon across the eastern peninsular of Sartosa and cutting Vercuso off from the mainland. The volcanic Mount Ertinia erupted for the third time in living memory. Many sailors reported that the ocean floor was rent and cracked in many places, releasing poisonous fumes to rise bubbling through the waters. In the past two years tales of sea monsters have been more and more common in the taverns and inns around the coast and most lay the blame for the increased size and aggression of these beasties squarely at the foot of the Daemon Prince Nethrag and his nefarious schemes.

Rackham’s treasure

Like most of the world the island of Sartosa was, in ancient times, in the dominion of the Old Ones – long before even the legions of Khemri became cursed with undeath. Occasional traces of this long-gone time can be found in the overgrown ruins, deep in the jungle of the interior: crumbling stone temples, toppled pillars and broken statues entwined with vines and creepers litter the island but they are rarely seen.

About a month ago a party of treasure hunters and grave robbers made an expedition into one such temple and only one man returned. This in itself was not unusual, nor was the madness the lone survivor was clearly suffering, since many bands of pirates turn on each other when given half a chance and ancient treasures always come with ancient curses. What was unusual was what he did with his cursed treasure.

The man was called One-eyed Rackham and the treasure was a heavy golden disk, about a foot across and covered with engraved symbols and pictograms. After the usual ranting and raving Rackham took the disk to a blacksmith’s and had it broken into pieces. Then he handed the fragments to any ship’s captain who said they were about to leave the island, with instructions that the trinkets should be dropped into the sea as soon as their ship was clear of Sartosa.

Whether the pirate captains took any notice of the ravings of this madman is open to debate, but it seems unlikely a pirate would willingly throw gold into the sea. Word of this strange tale soon spread around the island, though no one seemed to agree on who the captains entrusted with the gold fragments actually were. Suddenly the “nonsense” that Rackham was spouting on his appearance from the jungle became of increased interest and any who heard it found they could dine out on recalling his words. Eventually the scraps of the story were gathered together and it became clear that the golden disk was not the treasure itself, but “The Key” to finding a greater treasure, hidden in a temple of the Old Ones that no one even knew existed. Only if the fragments of The Key could be re-assembled could the location of the ancient loot be discovered!

The hunt is on – the fragments of The Key must be located and reunited, its clues deciphered and the treasures of the Old Ones found. So set sail, me hearties! Fortune and glory await; fortune and glory!

This post has been edited by WarbossKurgan on Oct 26 2009, 10:32 AM

The Factions


The Brethren of the Sea
The pirates of Sartosa: a swashbuckling confederation of scurvy sea-dogs.

WarbossKurgan
walkingginger
Dazza
spider_mat

The Sufaga Swordwind
Raiders from the north; an evil band and no mistake, they are probably worshipers of the dark gods.

Andy
mike
Jeridian
Ironbark
Mike Mee

The Black Gulf Corsairs
A mysterious and secretive coalition – it is not yet clear what their plans are or where their allegiances lay.

Nethrag
Davespaceman
Grotsmeg
Godfather Viktor
Jimmy

The Naval Alliance
A greedy bunch of merchant-adventurers, privateers and imperialists; they claim to be bringing peace to the region, but they seem more interested in profit.

zelophahad
Blessed Knight
zoglug
The Beanbag

Unclaimed Locations
Ripe for plunder!

Overview

The campaign will run from Saturday 1st August 2009 for about 12 weeks.

You can play as many games as you want in this period: Mordheim, Warhammer (including Skirmish, Warbands, Naval and Siege games) and even Warmaster (if anyone plays it!) games are all appropriate.

You must pick one of the four factions to fight for, for the duration of the campaign.

To take part find an opponent (preferably one in a different faction!), choose a location on Sartosa to battle over, play a game, let me know the result (Win, Loss or Draw) and write a bit of fluff. Players earn 5 Campaign Points for winning a game, 3 for a draw and 1 for a loss. At the end of each campaign turn the faction with the most Campaign Points in a location will win control of that location. The faction that controls the most locations at the end of the campaign is generally considered the winner, but there is an extra twist this year. One location is worth more than the others but which one it is will have to be discovered through solving a puzzle (see The Key below).

NB: Vercuso is only controlled results of the Mordheim sub-campaign at the Mill. Campaign Points earned from any other games cannot be spent on controlling this port town.

Each week there will be a Campaign News update, along with maps, graphs and charts to record the ebb and flow of the campaign results.

The Key

Along with the attempts of each faction to take control the Pirate Island there is the additional task of collecting the fragments of “The Key”. For the first four weeks the faction with the highest total of Campaign Points amassed each week will find one fragment. In the weeks following, the faction with the highest total will capture one fragment from the faction (that has a fragment) with the lowest total of Campaign Points amassed that week.

The fragments of The Key contain clues to the location on Sartosa that is will give a bonus to the controlling faction at the end of the campaign. Only if all the fragments are assembled will the location be revealed and even with all of them it may not be obvious!

This post has been edited by WarbossKurgan on Aug 12 2009, 03:35 PM

Wow! This looks fantastic! What a great job you have done. The website is very cool and I like that it is interactive. The story is really good, too. I'm glad that everything seems to be more involving different kinds of pirates. With the Naval Alliance being all good guys, I was worried that Sartosa would become tame! Their story now seems that they are just as greedy as others. I like it.

I'm very much looking forward to reading about the campaign.

Calico Jack would be proud!

There are 2 maps! I missed that over on Tom's. Doh! This fall is going to be great!

Thanks guys.

The Naval Alliance have always been portrayed as in that "grey area" between goodies and baddies by the main players in that faction - it may not have come across that way but several of them (most notable Jeridian) really like to play up the moral ambiguity of the human nations.



I looking forward to it too - I'm all fired up! Lots of prep still to be done though!

Great background as ever, can't to wait to read more

That is a pretty cool map, WBK. I could not get the individual locations to pop up with "more information," but maybe that is my browser or firewall (unless there is nothing there). I like the background and the ket idea. Very creative. Should make for some fun campaigning.

So, you built the new lighthouse, which was very cool. What other new models are going to grace your board? Is it all hush-hush?

Goomb

It's probably your browser letting it down - Internet Explorer 5 or later is required (or even better: Firefox!)

The Mordheim sub-campaign started today! Two battle reports and photos to follow soon. For now, here's the rules and stuff:

Here's a map with location key:



Here's the interactive Vercuso Map


Mordheim in Vercuso

1 Controlling locations

*Vercuso is divided into 30 locations: 20 basic and 10 special, which confer certain
advantages on the warband that controls them (see below).
• Each warband starts with one randomly determined special location.
• A warband may choose to relinquish control of a location. The location immediately
becomes uncontrolled.
• If a warband loses its last territory, it does remain in the campaign. You may not
voluntarily abandon control of your last location except to leave the campaign.
• Warband rating is used to determine how firmly a warband controls each location
in its territory: Divide the warband’s rating by the number of locations it controls.
That is its base control score in each location.
• A warband’s grip on a controlled location can vary according to its ability to repel
invaders. Each time a warband wins a game in one of its controlled locations, its
control score there is modified by +1. But each time a warband loses a game in one
of its controlled locations, its control score there is modified by -1. These modifiers
are cumulative, but are ‘reset’ should the warband ever lose control of the location.
• A warband may control any number of special locations. After each battle, you may
‘use’ as many special location advantages as you have heroes in your warband
(including any taken out of action or not taking part in the latest fight) – it is your
choice which to take advantage of.

2 Fighting scenarios

• Determine which location you will be fighting in and find it on the Vercuso map.
(The location should be mutually agreed with your opponent, but if you really can’t
agree where to fight, the player with the lower warband rating chooses.) The
scenery used should reflect the location being fought over, and many locations will
have specific scenery pieces designed to represent them.
• Roll 2D6 as usual to determine the scenario played, but first consult the locations
table below: In many cases the location will have a specially-assigned scenario
which must be played if you roll any double except double 1 or double 6. Some
locations have other special scenario rules.
• The game will determine who controls the location, but it won’t necessarily be the
winner (see below).

2.1 Fighting for uncontrolled locations

• To claim an uncontrolled location, simply fight another warband in it.
• The winner of the game immediately gains control of the location. (He may not
voluntarily relinquish control of this new location until he is calculating his control
points after he has fought his next battle.)
• If the game is drawn, the location remains uncontrolled

2.2 Fighting in controlled locations

• To attempt to claim a controlled location, fight the warband that controls it.
• The controller has a big advantage in deployment: 1) he may choose whether to
attack or defend and counts as having the lower warband rating when rolling for
the scenario; 2) he may choose whether to deploy first or second; and 3) he may
choose whether to go first or second.
• After the battle, work out each warband’s new warband rating. Then calculate their
control score, including the location that’s just been fought over. (Remember the
win/loss modifiers for the player that controlled it at the start of the game). The
player with the highest control score keeps/captures the location. (You will then
need to recalculate the other warband’s control score not counting this location.) If
both players have the same control score, the location becomes uncontrolled.
• This does of course mean that a warband can win a game but still lose control of its
territory. This is what comes of spreading your forces too thin: The occupiers may
be able to fight off the invaders, but they don’t have sufficient presence in the
location to retain the hearts and minds of its inhabitants, and are forced pull back
and regroup.

3 Alliances and pacts

• If a warband has a very high control score (or even if they don’t!), other warbands
may wish to gang up on them to take their locations. In this case, fight a
multiplayer and apply the rules above to determine who ends up with the location.
• Allied warbands may choose to end the game without ‘routing’ once the warband
which was controlling the location has been defeated. In this case, the controlling
warband will count as having lost (for control points purposes), but none of the
other warbands will gain the advantages of having won (e.g. extra dice for
exploration, +1 experience for leader etc.).
• Weak warbands with few territories may find their best chance of survival is to
offer their services as allies to stronger warbands in multiplayer games in exchange
for protection of their own territory.

4 Ending the campaign

• At the end of the campaign, the winner is the warband which controls the most
locations.
• However, Vercuso is a mysterious place and some apparently unremarkable places
may turn out to have unexpected benefits for their controlling warband. To reflect
this, at the end of the campaign, every Basic Location will count as D6-3 locations
(where any result less than 1 counts as 1).

Wishing Well (special)
Assigned scenario (apply on doubles except 1s or 6s): ‘Hidden Treasure’
Special rules: Lady luck: EITHER all heroes and henchmen taken out of action may re-roll on the injury table; OR you may re-roll
(together) any of your exploration dice. In either case the second results always stand.

The Sail-Makers’ Guildhouse (special)
Assigned scenario ‘Occupy’
Special rules:Rum stash: Any or all of your heroes or henchmen groups may join the after-battle drinking session. Alcoholfuelled
bravado adds +D6 experience to each hero or henchman group taking part. However, on a roll of 5 or 6, the
hero or henchman group has acquired a little too much bravado and must miss their next game!

The Leaning Lighthouse (special)
Assigned scenario Controlling player chooses. If uncontrolled, roll as normal.
Special rules:Look-out: When invading a controlled location, the enemy looses the scenario-selection and deployment benefits
normally granted by controlling a location.

The Battery (special)
Assigned scenario ‘Breakthrough’
Special rules:Blackpowder kegs: If the warband may not normally use blackpowder weapons, they can now (within the
constraints of other rules). In addition, all blackpowder weapons count as common. If the warband loses control of
The Battery, any blackpowder weapons it can no longer use are immediately lost (they can't be sold off).

The Farms (special)
Assigned scenario Roll on the Empire in Flames table
Special rules:Food source: The warband counts as being D6 men smaller when selling treasure (roll during each post-battle
sequence). In addition, the warband may exceed its normal maximum size by 1.

The Old Temple (special)
Assigned scenario ‘Wyrdstone Hunt’
Special rules:Ancient trinkets: Gain an extra 2D6gc income after the game.

Pressgang Alley (special)
Assigned scenario ‘Surprise Attack’
Special rules:Recruits aplenty: You may re-roll the dice for determining how much experience-worth of veterans you may hire. In
addition, you may recruit a Hired Sword for free after each game, but must still pay the upkeep cost if used for
more than one game. You may not take the same type of hired sword twice in a row.

Binnacle Yard (special)
Assigned scenario ‘Chance Encounter’
Special rules: Magic compass: When determining unusual locations found when exploring, count doubles as triples, triples as
four-of-a-kind, etc.

The Merchants’ Guildhouse (special)
Special rules:‘Defend the Find’ Trading savvy: You may re-roll any dice when searching for items and/or determining their cost.

Vercuso Bridge (special)
Assigned scenario ‘Street Fight’
Special rules: Strategic control: Instead of voluntarily relinquishing control of a location, you may choose to transfer your control
from that location to another, uncontrolled location without fighting for it. All win/loss modifiers are ‘reset’.

The Barrel o' Monkeys

The Hole in the Wall Inn

The Emperor's Bane

The Slips
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

The Boarding Party Inn

Wrecker's Point
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

Soup Alley

Unlucky Quay
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

The Cod and Cutlass Inn

Dumplington

Slippery Jack's Underwater Cave
Assigned scenario Always ‘Slippery Jack’ (don’t roll)

Cheapside
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

The Sarky Cutter

Hangman's Square

The Capstan
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

The Whirlpool
Always ‘Slippery Jack’ (don’t roll)

The Bucaneer's Blade Inn

The Ropewalks
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

The Crooked Farthing Inn

The Shivered Timber Inn
Assigned scenario ‘Slippery Jack’

This post has been edited by WarbossKurgan on Jul 27 2009, 04:02 PM

Pottery Shed Cultists

Getting my comfy chair all fluffed up mate!

Kommodore Deffgit and The Ogresuns - the further adventures...







Vercuso Bridge, 27th July, the year Nine.
Opening Shots

Seagulls squawked and screeched as they laboured into the blue sky, disturbed from their scavenging by the sudden appearance of a band of hurrying buccaneers.

“Don’t let them little buggers take the bridge!” shouted Kommodore Deffgit as the crew of the Ogresun rushed towards the river, “I’ve got me best grog stashed in the west wall…” he muttered to himself more quietly before he continued in his usual, louder-than-necessary, tone “Larboard watch that way, Starboard watch with me.”

Several of the Ogresuns bickered on the way to the bridge but no more than harsh words were exchanged for the most part. Arrows skipped off the battlements of the south-eastern tower as Briney Duff pulled himself over the parapet. A startled Halfling Thief squeaked and fled over the rickety bridge into the south-western tower as the Orc Pirate loomed over him. A pair of arguing Kabin Grots followed Duff over the ramparts but their quarrelling erupted into an exchange of blows as soon as the were off the ladder!





As a herd of pigs snuffled and grunted across the bridge the Larboard watch gathered behind a barricade and lay in wait for them –the swirling inky green smoke of Hogbreff’s quickening enchantment still clung to the pirates like a morning mist. The porkers caught wind of the odorous Orcs and the thought better of approaching.







As Briney Duff trotted over the bridge Fagin Bulger, the diminutive thief, pinged off a couple of crossbow pistol bolts but they flew wide in his panic. Duff roared “I got ye now, chump!” and leapt from the end of the bridge, cutlasses flashing in the sunlight, and caught the Halfling’s sword-hand a glancing blow. The Orc left the thief in a crumpled heap, clutching his bloody arm and slid down the ladder to the west wall of the bridge.







There before him in the shadow of the wall was a rum barrel, badly hidden under a pile of dirty sail-cloth. He greedily snatched the cask up and turned to climb the ladder again. A hail of arrows arced in his direction but all missed and clattered off the stones around him, but then little Rob the Scout took carful aim – the bow string creaked slightly as he squinted down the length of his hunting arrow. At just the right moment he loosed the arrow and it hit Duff’s shoulder with a meaty thud. The pirate yelled in pain and dropped the cask! It seemed to fall in slow motion, taking an age to reach the foot of the ladder. When it finally did land it smashed on the stone buttressing and spilled its precious contents over the flagstones, from where it flowed into the gutter and down into the river.

Briney Duff’s cried of rage and anguish echoed across the city.

“Whatssat?” said Deffgit in the street below.

~ ~ ~

Gentlemen of the Inferno vs Pottery Shed Cultists

Great tables! The Leaning Lighthouse!
Stuff those Furry Foots Boss!

Pirate heaven.

Both the Gentlemen of the Inferno and the Pottery Shed Cultists look to have a bit of pirate theme even. More photos of them?

Good to have you boys back in action.

The continuing adventures of Gordo Rams-Eye's Halfling Catering Corps

This post has been edited by WarbossKurgan on Jul 28 2009, 02:48 PM

The Pottery Shed Cultists

Bounty Office

This post has been edited by WarbossKurgan on Jul 28 2009, 04:00 PM