Prey -
Death in the Frostwood
Skirmish Battle
“I heard it again” said Jakob, hand straying to the quiver at his hip.
“And this time, so did I” Jules replied.
The two rangers stood warily in the underbrush by the old gatherer’s trail, suddenly alert for any sound. Above them the pines swished and creaked, while underfoot the crackle of leaves tossed about by the autumnal winds swept about the two men - but that was all.
Jules and Jakob had hunted in these woods as boys, and knew every bird call, every hoof and paw step that echoed through the Frostwood. where once the cacophony of the wild should have worried their ears, only a ghostly silence enveloped them. No bird, no beast: save one.
the sound had begun when they had first followed Captain Kreutzmann’s command to watch the gatherer’s trail. Decrepit and overgrown as it was, this trail was the only trail into the Frostwood worth the name, so it made sense that pursuit would come that way. Knowing the ways of the Frostwood as they did, Jakob had volunteered them for the job.
Now, as they stood motionless by a thicket of dense gorse in the lea of rocky spur overlooking the trail, the sound could not be mistaken. At first Jakob thought it had been a happy memory, a happy night in the common room of the Rise and Fall, drinking and laughing amongst the bustle of woods folk celebrating the end of the harvest. Dozens of voices all chattering excitedly, the staccato murmur of colliding conversations. It seemed distant, far off, as if carried on the wind.
Yet the sound moved. First it had come from the direction of Avondorf, which was expected: the sound of pursuers coordinating their plan. Yet swiftly it drifted down from above, Jakob had thought, as if it had been the chatter of birds on the upper slopes of Morr’s Spur as it encircled the Frostwood to the West. Then, incredibly, it had seemed to be below them, echoing up the gully they now stood watch over. And now Jules could hear it too.
The trees creaked again, sharply, as a cold wind whipped abruptly through the gully and up to their hiding place. The voices, carried with it, suddenly became audible: “unworthy-foolish-failure-two-of-them-two-for-the-count-make-it-end-gather-the-skins-stupid-stupid-always-burning-two-of-them-take-them-both-offer-them-the-pain-the-pain-make-it-end-offer-them-unworthy-make-amends-foolish-take-them-take-them-both”.
Abruptly, the voices ceased. Jakob dared not even breathe. Not even the pines made a sound. He looked towards his friend, seeing naked fear in Jules’ widening eyes.
“TAKE-THEM-NOW!” A dozen voices, all speaking together, froze Jakob to the spot. The beast, a riot of swollen limbs, grinding plate and sinew, suddenly gouged a hole in the thin mountain air and came tumbling through the rent. As Jakob looked, he could already see the ruin of Jules, suspended in the tear, as the creature’s dozens of mouths flensed his skin. Jakob, his own mouth wide, screamed the last, silent scream he would ever loose. Trailing Jules’ harvested skin from its spines, the beast came for him.
Battlefield
The battlefield is a 4x4” table, scattered with copses of wooded areas and rocky outcrops. At its centre is the hidden encampment where Captain Kreutzmann and the survivors of Avondorf have gathered.
Armies
Armies are selected according to the skirmish rules with the Empire receiving 100 points as well as Captain Kruetzmann, equipped as he was from the Fall of Avondorf, for free. They may only select pistoliers and archers.
The Chaos force consists of the Red Mane, a Chaos Spawn.
Deployment
The Empire forces deploy first, in or within 6” of their encampment. The Red Mane is not deployed.
First Turn
The Chaos player has the first turn, with the Red Mane appearing anywhere on the table no closer than 12” from any Empire model, and then scattering. If a misfire is rolled on the scatter, the Red Mane can begin in combat with one of the Empire models (not Kreutzmann).
Once deployed the Red Mane moves as normal as the first turn.
Victory
The game lasts until either the Red Mane or Captain Kreutzmann is killed.
Special Rules
The Red Mane
The Red mane is a Chaos Spawn of Khorne with 4 wounds, and the following special rules.
· Tormented Whispers: the creature is covered in tiny mouths that whisper in the minds of its prey. Models that begin their turn within 8” of the beast must test for Stupidity.
· Shifting hunter: the Red Mane hunts by shifting in and out of reality. When moving, direct the creature as you would a normal spawn. Instead of rolling 2D6, roll two artillery dice instead. Should either dice result in a Misfire, the creature can instead of making a normal move, simply vanish and appear anywhere on the battle field. Should both dice result in a Misfire, then the creature can appear inside one its prey (not Captain Kreutzmann, who is warded from such arcane power). This unfortunate model is instantly slain, and all enemy within 6” must make a Terror test immediately.
· Ruined plate: the Red Mane still has vestiges of the Chaos Armour it once wore. It has a 4+ armour save.
“And this time, so did I” Jules replied.
The two rangers stood warily in the underbrush by the old gatherer’s trail, suddenly alert for any sound. Above them the pines swished and creaked, while underfoot the crackle of leaves tossed about by the autumnal winds swept about the two men - but that was all.
Jules and Jakob had hunted in these woods as boys, and knew every bird call, every hoof and paw step that echoed through the Frostwood. where once the cacophony of the wild should have worried their ears, only a ghostly silence enveloped them. No bird, no beast: save one.
the sound had begun when they had first followed Captain Kreutzmann’s command to watch the gatherer’s trail. Decrepit and overgrown as it was, this trail was the only trail into the Frostwood worth the name, so it made sense that pursuit would come that way. Knowing the ways of the Frostwood as they did, Jakob had volunteered them for the job.
Now, as they stood motionless by a thicket of dense gorse in the lea of rocky spur overlooking the trail, the sound could not be mistaken. At first Jakob thought it had been a happy memory, a happy night in the common room of the Rise and Fall, drinking and laughing amongst the bustle of woods folk celebrating the end of the harvest. Dozens of voices all chattering excitedly, the staccato murmur of colliding conversations. It seemed distant, far off, as if carried on the wind.
Yet the sound moved. First it had come from the direction of Avondorf, which was expected: the sound of pursuers coordinating their plan. Yet swiftly it drifted down from above, Jakob had thought, as if it had been the chatter of birds on the upper slopes of Morr’s Spur as it encircled the Frostwood to the West. Then, incredibly, it had seemed to be below them, echoing up the gully they now stood watch over. And now Jules could hear it too.
The trees creaked again, sharply, as a cold wind whipped abruptly through the gully and up to their hiding place. The voices, carried with it, suddenly became audible: “unworthy-foolish-failure-two-of-them-two-for-the-count-make-it-end-gather-the-skins-stupid-stupid-always-burning-two-of-them-take-them-both-offer-them-the-pain-the-pain-make-it-end-offer-them-unworthy-make-amends-foolish-take-them-take-them-both”.
Abruptly, the voices ceased. Jakob dared not even breathe. Not even the pines made a sound. He looked towards his friend, seeing naked fear in Jules’ widening eyes.
“TAKE-THEM-NOW!” A dozen voices, all speaking together, froze Jakob to the spot. The beast, a riot of swollen limbs, grinding plate and sinew, suddenly gouged a hole in the thin mountain air and came tumbling through the rent. As Jakob looked, he could already see the ruin of Jules, suspended in the tear, as the creature’s dozens of mouths flensed his skin. Jakob, his own mouth wide, screamed the last, silent scream he would ever loose. Trailing Jules’ harvested skin from its spines, the beast came for him.
Battlefield
The battlefield is a 4x4” table, scattered with copses of wooded areas and rocky outcrops. At its centre is the hidden encampment where Captain Kreutzmann and the survivors of Avondorf have gathered.
Armies
Armies are selected according to the skirmish rules with the Empire receiving 100 points as well as Captain Kruetzmann, equipped as he was from the Fall of Avondorf, for free. They may only select pistoliers and archers.
The Chaos force consists of the Red Mane, a Chaos Spawn.
Deployment
The Empire forces deploy first, in or within 6” of their encampment. The Red Mane is not deployed.
First Turn
The Chaos player has the first turn, with the Red Mane appearing anywhere on the table no closer than 12” from any Empire model, and then scattering. If a misfire is rolled on the scatter, the Red Mane can begin in combat with one of the Empire models (not Kreutzmann).
Once deployed the Red Mane moves as normal as the first turn.
Victory
The game lasts until either the Red Mane or Captain Kreutzmann is killed.
Special Rules
The Red Mane
The Red mane is a Chaos Spawn of Khorne with 4 wounds, and the following special rules.
· Tormented Whispers: the creature is covered in tiny mouths that whisper in the minds of its prey. Models that begin their turn within 8” of the beast must test for Stupidity.
· Shifting hunter: the Red Mane hunts by shifting in and out of reality. When moving, direct the creature as you would a normal spawn. Instead of rolling 2D6, roll two artillery dice instead. Should either dice result in a Misfire, the creature can instead of making a normal move, simply vanish and appear anywhere on the battle field. Should both dice result in a Misfire, then the creature can appear inside one its prey (not Captain Kreutzmann, who is warded from such arcane power). This unfortunate model is instantly slain, and all enemy within 6” must make a Terror test immediately.
· Ruined plate: the Red Mane still has vestiges of the Chaos Armour it once wore. It has a 4+ armour save.