The Seal of Sigmund - Flame On campaigning in Vercuso again!

Yes it's true! The Flame On forum ran aground, broke a mast and burned to the water-line.

But we are back like a Phoenix from the flames, and setting sail for Sartosa once again. Andy (Formerly Known as "Sizzling Gromril") is in the GM's seat this time so the weekly reports and summaries are bound to make great reading!

Pull up a chair mates!

Andy wrote:

The Seal of Sigmund - Week One

Okay. Since some of you slippery rubberneckers are crossing swords tomorrow we might as well get the ball rolling.

The setting is Vercuso, but not as we know it. It's 2459, fifty years before all that malarky with Nethrag and his scurvy-ridden lot. Nobody on the island has ever heard of a 'beastman', but that still doesn't mean everyone's getting on. Pirates are just as much a nuisance, sea monsters are still lurking in the salty depths and the place is still a dump. And now, to make it worse, a shiny new artifact has turned up on our fair shores.

Over the coming weeks, eight of them to be precise, there'll be fights, big fights and even bigger fights. Alliances will be forged, then broken, then forged again. Heroes will rise and fall, and if there's an undead warband taking part, they might rise again.

The aim is simple: have fun, weave some grand tales, model some groovy conversions and lay down your smack. But also, as purpose and direction seem to be in fashion, we'll set an overall goal for the campaign. The Seal of Sigmund - whoever has possession of it at the end of the eight weeks will be the grand winner. Of course we'll have to make up some sweet scenarios and crazy rules for aquiring it, as it might get a bit stagnant if we sit around waiting for someone to roll 10+ on the Seal Table.

So get out there, grab the nearest fishwife, and carve a name for yourself in the crumbling ruins of Vercuso. And don't forget to get your buckles swashed before you do.



The Seal of Sigmund was glimmering now, radiating brilliant light between the bloodstained fingers that gripped it.

“You'll never get the seal” barked Kasper van Dandt. He staggered back against the wall, left hand pressed against his opened side, gore streaming over the holy relic. A bent sword quivered in his right. The ghoulish figure in the shadows gurgled.

“Look at yourself, boy. Mortally wounded, struggling to stand up. You can't even hold your sword. You overestimate yourself”.

In quick response, Kasper's blade flashed out. One of the necromancer's fiends sagged back, head bouncing wildly across the stone tiles of the hall, cracking as it went. Still more rotted guardsmen shuffled forward.

The brave captain was at the window now. His skin was pale and gangrened, his eyes puckered and brown. The sorcerer's foul arts were ravaging his flesh. Another monstrous creature lurched at him and he lunged out. His longsword cut into its putrid stomach and the innards sloshed out like pig slop.

Then Kasper felt his mouth go instantly dry and his tongue lolled out, stretched beyond any sane size, and detached itself. It hit the floor with a wet slap. His clumsy screams came out like a madman's dirge.

“Give me the Seal” hissed the shrivelled old thing in the shadows. “I will spare you a long death”.

Kasper's sword clattered to the floor, his palsied fingers no longer able to clasp it. He considered the shambling cadavers trudging his way, and the hideous conjurer deep in the darkness. The Seal of Sigmund must never be taken, quoth his father upon his death bed. And so, as his wrecked flesh dribbled from his bones, he flung himself, seal and all, through the window, into the blasted landscape below.

Quote :

The Seal Table

At the end of each game, instead of sending a hero to search for Wyrdstone you can send him to look for the Seal of Sigmund. Roll 3d6. If you roll a double, you may roll another 2d6 and consult the Seal Table.

2 – Aah, Zombies!: Uh-oh. Looks like you've stumbled across a cluster of the shambling dead. This doesn't look like it's going to end well. Take an Initiative test to see if you've got the cat-like reflexes needed to escape the horde. If not, the warrior misses his next game.

3 – Dead Body: Don't worry, this one has no head, or at least some other debilitating wound that'll stop it getting up and biting you. Unfortunately, it also doesn't have much money on it. You find d6 gold coins.

4 – Search Party: You're not the only one looking for the Seal. One of the necromancer's scavenger teams staggers across your path. It's okay, they haven't seen you, but one of them seems to be carrying a map of sorts. The warrior can flee, or he can charge the zombies to try and get the map. If so, there are d6 of the rotten sods. As they are so slow the warrior attacks first in every turn of combat against each zombie. If he can kill all of them he finds the map, which allows him or any member of his warband to roll an extra dice when testing whether he can search for the Seal next time. So instead of 3d6, he'd roll 4d6. Also, no xp is gained from slaughtering zombies.

5 – Creeping Fiend: You've perhaps travelled too deep into a cave or ruined house, and whatever is in there doesn't seem to like visitors. Fight a close combat against the creeping fiend, rolling to decide who charges. The fiend has the same statline as a Possessed. Roll on the serious injuries table as appropriate, treating the dead and captured results as a full recovery. Luckily for you the monster isn't hungry or in the mood for company.

6 – Weapon Cache: It looks like some arms dealers have been using this place as a cache. You find d6 daggers and d3 swords automatically. On a 4+ you find d3 bows and on a 4+ you find one suit of light armour. Nice.

7 – Storm: While you were searching a heavy tempest descended on the island. You'll have to stay where you are and ride it out. The warrior misses his next game unless he can pass a strength test and push his way through the howling winds.

8 – Ghost: Spectres, phantasms, disembodied souls. Call them what you want, just not to their face because there's one standing over there. Take a leadership test or miss your next game due to crippling fear.

9 – Nothing: You've found the most common thing on the island – debris. It's worthless.

10+ – The Seal of Sigmund: You've found it. It's the relic that thousands of men have died for. The van Dandt family died defending it, and now it's fallen into your lap. You may give it to any hero in your warband. For as long as he has the Seal, he may use prayers of Sigmar and can choose to add prayers in place of skills, in the same way as a warrior priest or matriarch. When receiving the Seal, the hero is assigned one random prayer. If the hero is evil, the Seal corrupts at his very touch, blackening in the palm of his hand. The hero may use Chaos rituals and can choose to add rituals in place of skills, in the same way as a possessed magister . When receiving the Seal, the hero is assigned one random ritual. The hero also gains +1 strength, +1 initiative, +1 weapon skill and +1 leadership. However, if the hero is taken out of action, roll a dice at the end of the game. On a 3+, the Seal is lost, and again falls into the ruins, to be found by another eager adventurer.

Right guys. This is the first campaign I've tried to organise, so it's probably going to be filled with inconsistencies, plot holes and general bad things. Any help or feedback is greatly appreciated. I don't want to be the Grand Overlord of the campaign, where what I say is taken as law. It's all about the players; so if people don't agree with the direction this thing is going, then please don't hesitate to put me in my place. Thanks a bunch, and have fun.

Always a pleasure to hear from the Flame On lads! Can't wait for more, especially orcs...

HOORAY!

Another GREAT Flame On Campaign to live for,erm...look forward to. It's been awhile. SO...WELCOME BACK!
AND now we've added an Obituary where you can post the Sad News of your Heroes Noble [or not ] Demise.

Kommodore Deffgit and The Seal of Sigmund

The Hopeless Anchor inn, Vercuso, Sartosa.

An elderly, one-eyed, bearded Orc pirate looked wistfully down into his empty grog-glass and sighed. He had run out of drink and run out of gold. There was only one thing for it…

“Gather round mates, and I’ll tell ye a tale of days gone by.” said Kommodore Deffgit in a louder-than-absolutely-necessary voice.

The assembled Orc and Goblin pirates looked up and started to move chairs and stools closer to the smoky fire. The Kommodore gave a significant glance at his glass and the nearest Goblin rolled his eyes but stuffed a hand in his pocket: he knew how this worked. A drink was ordered for the old Orc and the crowd settled down to listen.

Deffgit took a sip of grog and leaned back in his chair.

“This was back in the days before them beasts came to the island,” he began “back when the air was cleaner and the merchant ships were heavy with loot and ripe for plunderin’. They was heady days back then but deadly too; a crew’d follow their cap’n into the jaws of a squig-whale if’n they thought there was loot in it’s belly. But their wasn’t so much unity between the pirates here-abouts: There wasn’t no common enemy y’see?”

The crowd nodded to each other sagely.

“There was always a rivalry between the various cap’ns – whether it was for the best prizes when afloat, or the best drinkin’ hole ashore – but it came to a head back when some fool said he lost a magical hoo-jib in Vercuso at the end of the winter of 2459. Nigh-on fifty years ago! There was mayhem for a couple o’months while crews from all over the island, and further afield, came here lookin’ for it and the promise of power it held.”

Deffgit paused for a while, lit a pipe, and stared into the middle distance. After a few minutes the crowd began to shuffle and cough impatiently and the Kommodore seemed to remember where he was. He cleared his throat and continued.

“It was about this time when the crew of the Ogresun, the old Ogresun you understand – not the slab-sided gunboat you all know now but me first ship. Ah, she was a weatherly craft and no mistake. Trim lines, sharp sailing and solid built too…”

At this point Deffgit rambled on for half an hour about the sailing qualities and speed of his old command before he was steered back on course by the persistent questioning of three Goblins and the purchase of another glass of grog.

“Aarr, it was about this time when the crew of the old Ogresun were searching the ruins around Southgate, near where the river comes through the old town walls, and we stumbled upon a bunch o’them wretched Halflings, Cormorant Rams-Eye’s lot I think, they was robbing the empty houses by the river while we was securing the vacant properties by the wall.”











“We had gone though most of the houses on our side when the miserable little gitz spotted us and started running. We hadn’t any firearms with us so we relied on Hogbreff to throw firey death at them. As usual the death was somewhat lackin’ from his fiery throwings.” Deffgit chuckled “No offence Hogbreff!” in an aside. Hogbreff held up his mug and wobbled a bit to show none was taken.

















The Kommodore went on “As usual it was their vicious pigs what did most harm. Fishgutz got a nasty bite on the leg which took an age to heal proper. They had a small chest with ‘em and they seemed keen to be keepin’ it from us. While they was fleein’ they was chatterin’ and swearin’ about this magical wassname – which was the first we’d heard about the damned thing mind. We’ll that started a chain of events… which I’ll tell ye about tomorrow.”







Deffgit finished his drink and left his audience wanting to buy him more. He grinned as he climbed the stairs to his room: tomorrows drinks would pay for themselves, and maybe the rest of the week if he could string out the tale of the Seal of Sigmund for long enough!

Beautiful table. Is there a thread about it somewhere? I just took a quick look and couldn't find anything.

Also, are those pigs sculpted, or are they purchased models? The naming on their bases is great.

WONDERFUL STORY & GREAT PHOTOS! As always it's SUCH a pleasue seeing your GREAT minis battling their way through ALL that beautiful terrain.
I've missed old Kommodore Deffgit; his return is a welcome one.

To be honest, I haven't read the story (I have work to do!), but the minis (and board) are brilliant!

Thanks all!

Identity wrote:

Beautiful table. Is there a thread about it somewhere? I just took a quick look and couldn't find anything.

Also, are those pigs sculpted, or are they purchased models? The naming on their bases is great.

Finsihed Gallery
WIP Thread

The pigs were bought from a toy shop many years ago I think - "Britons" farm range, I think.


I have to say: Mini-Tripod = winner! I'm really pleased with the improved image quality! These pics all seem so sharp and crisp... and in-focus!

I came up with the "framing device" of Deffgit telling tall tales of his glory days on my walk back to work after the game
Anything I get wrong now is down to his memory-lapses after fifty years (rather than mine after an hour!)

Yarrr! The Furryfoots are back, too! Have a care for your purse.
Nice photos.
The narratives a bit sparse on detail though, mate, like who won?

Ah this really is motivating, Sartosa I love it

Von Kurst wrote:

Yarrr! The Furryfoots are back, too! Have a care for your purse.
Nice photos.
The narratives a bit sparse on detail though, mate, like who won?

You don't think Deffgit is going to tell a pub full of pirates that the Hobbits won do you?!

To be honest the game was fun but rather light on action! We searched all but two building, then we knew that whoever searched their nearest building next would loose (as the last un-searched building automatically has the loot) so Phil chose to wait and watch me roll. I rolled, didn't find it, and he grabbed the chest and ran. The Pigs vs. Fishgutz fight was pretty much the only thing that happened!

That's why I'm loving the "X" marks the spot variant in Styro-king's Sartosa. No more of this last building nearest my setup zone foolishness!

For all that it is a pleasant surprise to see a campaign from Flame On again!
js

COOL! There's nothing that adds that extra bit of flavor to a campaign like a well written News Letter. I don't think I should go into what flavor is implied by the title The Slippery Fishwife, but it's an EXCELENT READ nonetheless. As always, WELL DONE!

I am so glad there is another Vercuso campaign! The reports and fluff bits are an excellent read as ever!

However, I am shocked by Sizzling Gromgril's appointment as GM! Does this mean there's no more Witch Hunter action of Ludwig the Coward (or, given the time setting, his ancestor?)

Fear not Eliazar! Andy/Sizz is playing as well as GMing - after all, there's always plenty of Fishman action when I GM!

There is a multi-player game at 1pm today - I'm not taking aprt but I'm going over with my camera.

DeafNala wrote:

I don't think I should go into what flavor is implied by the title The Slippery Fishwife,

I'm fairly sure that's intentional!

Here's Andy's list:

Andy wrote:

The Expendables

Half-Wit Hansel
Captain
Axe, Hammer
68gc

Damocles Moriarty
Witch Hunter
Bit of Wood and a Broken Pistol (Two Clubs)
31gc

Eyeball
Witch Hunter
Hammer, Crossbow
53gc

Krackshot Klaus
Witch Hunter
Hammer, Staff, Crossbow
56gc

Ludwig the Extremely Brave
Warrior Priest
Two Hammers
46gc

3 Street Lepers
Zealots
Swords
90gc

4 Stray Mongrels
Warhounds
60gc

Sunny Yellowbrook
Halfling Scout
Bow, Dagger, Cooking Pot
15gc (5gc Upkeep)

Gritt Gutripper
Pit Fighter
Morning Star, Spiked Gauntlet, Helmet
30gc (15gc Upkeep)

Treasury: 51
Members: 14
Rating: 143

Another of the Moriarty Clan joins the fray. OH BABY!

LOL, I love those pigs...umm...baaaacon..mmmmmmm

GOD BUT I LOVE LUNCHEIM! There that about says everything. Sorry to hear Andy was hamstrung in his Porkine Puns lapse.