[actual play] Kingdom Death: Monster - People of the Stars - Lantern Year 20 - Asura Rises

Aapep, the eldest and first of the People of the Stars, leads Anro, Aido Wedo and Aida Hwedo on a hunt for a phoenix. They narrowly avoided the very ground gobbling them up, and felt the tug of time flowing forward. They once more passed pools of saliva, feeling sick at the sight of such bubbling bile. Onwards they travelled, and in the dark Anro found a shimmering feather. On touching it he instantly forgot everything. He was a blank slate. One last hurdle impeded them, as Aida fell into a pit, and droppings fell from the sky and struck Aida on the head.

The phoenix was found resting on a tree, pecking at the remains of some monster. The hunters quickly made their way up to the creature, making a combined attacked that knocked it down. A flurry of strikes, and the beast responded, beating its wings an causing time to twist. Its iron hard beak tore through armour, but the creature was eventually struck down.

With the creature dead, Aida Hwedo looked to the sky, as it opened up and the stars looked down. He was exalted, as a sculptor. His lost arm regrew, as if made of obsidian. On returning to the settlement he set about using a stone face from the ground that looked like his own, and made a living statue in his image, and into it he breathed life. Asura was born, and equal to Aida Hwedo in every way.

The camp continued building the tomb for their god. The work was exhausting, and to sanctify it two of the lowest of the tribe were sacrificed. The Tyrant in return blessed them with Hazmat shield.

The apocalypse was looming and there was still much work to be done.

Meanwhile Anata Deva sneaked off and listened to a tale told by a lonely beetle knight.

[actual play] Kingdom Death: Monster - People of the Stars - Lantern Years 5-6 - Blood and Empires

Aapef, Aapep, Agri-manios, and Abzu, set out to hunt once more, eventually coming upon a lion cub and slaying it, and drawing the attention of its parent. While the lion attempted to lure the survivors into a trap, they prepared to lunge upon it while gathering resources from the obsidian pillar and the corpse of the survivor.

The fighting arts that had marked them as the blessed of the Tyrant allowed them to make short work of the lion, landing powerful blows and rending slices.

Upon returning to the camp the survivors dreamt, and imagined that they were just pawns of some giant being, and they were pieces on some board.

Leaving to hunt once more, Aido, Aapep, Abrasax and Aapef found the lion quickly, as their scent was blown to it on a strong wind. In the night a booming alien voice terrified the hunters, but they soon found their quarry.

The survivors were becoming experts in hunting, lunging and slicing and dealing killer blows to the lion. The dragon vestments along with his iridescent skin made Aido near impervious to the lion's claws.

Upon returning with their bounty from the hunt, another acid storm swept the plane of stone faces, an the survivors welcomed more young to their society. Having learnt the importance of building bloodlines and conquering the lands around them, the newborns of the settlement were taught all they could be by their parents, and children were now born of those who shown signs of being the chosen of the Tyrant.

From the skies a single shimmering feather landed. The phoenix had arrived.

[actual play] Kingdom Death: Monster - Lantern Year 17 - The Death of a Star

The camp was met once more by a mysterious traveller, of the order of Twilight Knights. He handed them a package, and within, and Aeson drew from it the Twilight Sword.

Agarve, Shining Fool of Darkness, and leader of the tribe, led Aethra, daughter of Aiakos (who was murdered by Agarve), Agron, and Actor, son of Alcetis, out to face the returning threat to the tribe - the Butcher.

The hunters laid their trap, near many fallen pillars and a giant stone face. The plan was for Agarve to take some of the punishment, driven by her own madness of immortality, and for Aethra to form another front with her shield and her fathers legendary sword. Aiakos was to circle about the beastly man, and use his storm of attacks from his Katars to tear the Butcher apart, while Actor was to also launch supporting attacks with his spear.

The fight was bloody, with Actor using the horn helm to inspire the others to further heights of insanity, in order to prepare them for the deathly gaze of the Butcher. They all barely survived the mind breaking attacks of the Butcher, with Actor eventually falling to a series of brutal attacks and the Butcher biting at his face, ripping arteries open and smashing Actor's jaw apart.

It was by then that the Butcher was already seriously injured, and with Agarve drawing the beast's attention, Aiakos leapt through the air, rending the Butcher apart is a flurry of attacks, inspired by the way the White Lion would fight. In a flash the Butcher exploded, sending shattered lanterns about.

Returning to the settlement of Agelasta the returning hunters looked in to the sky and witnessed a blinding light. It was different to that which had previously illuminated the perpetual darkness of the world. Rather than bathing them in warm light, it was the night sky screaming and a single point of light radiating as waves of cloud expanded from it.

Aethra rested at the camp, her broken rib mending. She also gave birth to a fit an healthy son, Anthas Aiakos. He was much like his grand father and grew to be one of the strongest of the tribe, and a master of swords like his family before him.

Praying at their shrine the tribe prepared for the next hunt, blessing their armour.

Agron however was elsewhere. He saw a streak of light strike down in the distance. He travelled to what was a steaming crater, and saw a gigantic wing creature dead in the smouldering blast crater. From the chest of the dead beast a naked man emerged, and leaves as Agron hides. Seeing his chance, Agron slides down the side of the crater and pulls from the beast carcass a shimmering membrane, that he dons as a cloak. He looks down and sees how his hands now soaked with ichor, cause everything he touches to melt. Agron looks back up to the sky in the direction of the strange lights he had seen, and is able to see the stars for the first time, and understands that the dragon is a dead star.

Rag'Narok - A time of war approaches

So over a few blog posts starting later this week I will be delving into this game, and Confrontation, looking at what makes both rather unique games and sorely missed.

[Battle Report] Hybrid - The Scorpion's Venom

Laboratory SO19
The time the laboratory doors have been barricaded on the inside. When they enter the laboratory, the Templars of Hod discover a sickening spectacle; numerous dead creatures frozen in grotesque positions, the terror etched on their faces like an echo of the agony of their demise.

An invisible death prowls these corridors. It must not escape.

So in this mission the objective for the Dirz forces is for a secretly assigned rank 1 warrior to escape through one of the 4 exits. Objective 1, if activated, will releases the rank 0 clones from their tanks. But in doing so, the Griffin player selects one of the exits and it is removed from the game.

Griffin Force;
Venerable Ambrosius
Seneschal
2 Purifiers
Phidias

Dirz Force;
The Aberration
2 Hybrid Clones (rank 1 warriors)
Neuromancer (rank 1 warrior)
4 Pests of Flesh (rank 0 warriors)

The Pests of Flesh were place in the cloning tanks in the most Westerly chamber, while the Aberration and clones started in the North East chamber.

The Seneschal led Phidias and one of the Purifiers into the central chamber, ready to stop whatever clone my pass through hoping to escape. Ambrosius and the other Purifier headed West, and towards the cloning vats, seeking to destroy their occupants while also defending the other exits.

The Aberration charged through the corridors, smelling fresh meat in the air, and tore away the doors, as the Neuromancer followed. One of the clones also followed and took the corridor parallel to the Aberration, and stood waiting at the next door, hearing the enemy beyond.

Near to Ambrosius an explosion shook the lab. A mine had been detonated, and the Purifier called out, reassuring the old man that he was fine.

The Seneschal opened the door and fought the clone, and the flurry of blows, and well timed firing of the gun blades, were thwarted by the parries of the Hybrid clone. More attacks were traded and the Seneschal was seriously injured.

In the cloning chamber, Phidias and Ambrosius began to fire at the tanks. The bullets punctured some of the tanks, but others could spill out the vile creatures at any time.

The Neuromancer reached out with his psionic abilities and burrowed his thoughts into that of the Seneschal. The Griffin warrior was overcome with revulsion, and quaked in terror before the clone, which also landed a further blow. Hideous epidermal blade erupted from the being's back and lashed out at the Griffin soldier. The Seneschal however held on, pressed on by his faith. His pendant glowed, and reinvigorated the warrior, who stepped back and fired at the clone, finally killing it. But the clone's death took both the Seneschal and the Purifier's combined fire to kill it. And in response the Aberration charged forward, and lashed out with the sickle like claws that adorned its hand. The steel talons cut into the Purifier and sent the man tumbling backwards.

The gun fire continued in the cloning tank chamber, as more of the creatures were destroyed before they could be birthed. But then there was a loud simultaneous clank, and the amniotic fluids within the tanks spilt out, releasing the frenzied creatures. One promptly ran at Ambrosius and exploded, and was soon followed by another. The trap had been sprung.

The Seneschal held on, but the Aberration charged him, and head butted the man with it's steel cranium. The Seneschal hurtled backwards, choking up blood. He should have been dead, but his faith gave him one last ounce of strength, with which he charged the Aberration and dealt it a deep wound, before finally giving his last breath and meeting his lord Merin in the afterlife.

With the trap sprung, and the Hod warriors in disarray, the Neuromancer and remaining Hybrid clone made their escape, leaving the Aberration to finish the survivors.

It took the combined might of Phidias and the Purifiers to cripple the beast. Or so they thought. The Aberration fought on, as strong as ever, even having been dealt many wounds. Purple ichor dripped from bullet holes and cut sinew. But glimpsing the clones fleeing, far beyond, Phidias and one of the Purifiers broke off their engagement with the Aberration. Hopefully they could stood the plague carrier from escaping.

Phidias reached the exit, and taking up position before it, fired on the clone before him. The shot missed, and the Neuromancer moved to block any of the Griffin fighters from entering the chamber. It was now just Phidias and them.

The Aberration charged the remaining Purifer before him, and in like a rag-doll the human was slammed against a wall, pulverising numerous bones and organs.

The Hybrid charged forward, preternaturally quickly, and with it's cleaver like sword it dealt Phidias a mortal wound. With no other Griffin warriors close enough to stop the infected clone, it walked out into the wider world, ready to spread the virulent plague.

So another mission down, and two left to play in the core game.

This time, the player of the Griffin was another friend who was new to the game, but he soon picked up how it worked, and even for a person new to the game, it led to a final confrontation which could easily have gone either way. Again, it was clear that splitting up the Griffin is ill advised. The bonus of Conviction is just too important.

The placement of the Pest of Flesh is also important. As it can definitely force the Griffin to fight in a particular way, and make an assumption of which exit you will be using.

Critical this time round to the Dirz win was the use of Defensive combat modes. The parry early in the game prevented the Seneschal getting the upper hand, and eliminating quickly the Hybrid (it stop a critical hit!). Also the Neuromancer is incredibly useful. The same Hybrid was also lucky to get an event card to heal it. One Hybrid essentially bogged down the best fighter in the Griffin camp, doing more than even the Aberration.

The final battle perhaps would have been best for Phidias to have gone into Defensive mode, giving him more of a chance to survive and block the exit until support would arrive.

[Battle Report] Hybrid - The Heresiarch's Diaries

The Hod warriors have made a vital discovery: the various laboratories form a network with a special research laboratory at its centre. It is even possible Dirz himself performed experiments within its walls... Invaluable information concerning the Heresiarch's work is surely hidden there.

Griffin - Chris

Venerable Ambrosius
Misericorde
2 Purifiers
1 Executioner

Dirz - Ben

Aberration
Neuromancer
3 Hybrids
2 Pest of Flesh

The Griffin had the initiative, with the Executioner quickly moving to turn off the valve, removing the poisonous gas from the chamber, and so preparing the exit for the team, so long as the valve remains off. Ambrosius and the team took up positions, either on overwatch or ready to dodge the enemy cross bows.

The Dirz forces quickly moved through the laboratory, with the Aberration lurking, waiting, since it stood in the way of the Griffin escape.

The Griffin had the initiative again, and the Executioner and one of the Purifiers quickly made their way towards their objectives, the laboratory notes of Dirz. The remaining Purifier stood ready to defend Ambrosius as both he and Misericorde prepared to lay down gun fire.

The Aberration attacked, charging through doors until it reached the Purifier that stood between it and Ambrosius. Its steel talon sliced through the air but met just the cold stone of the floor [Chris's note - Ben rolled a 9 to hit. If he had hit the knock back would be impeded by Ambrosius and so inflict another 2 wounds, thus killing the Purifier out right... phew!].

The Purifier turned to fight, both driven by is holy conviction, and the Aura of Bliss that Ambrosius had called upon. Merin had blessed the Purifier and his attacks struck home. A Pest of Flesh and Hybrid clone emerged from the gloom, and both were struck with gun fire, and taking the advantage, the Executioner charged into the back of the Aberration, stabbing multiple times and wounding the creature. [Chris - the Executioner has Felon, and gains a hideous +3 on SL checks when making back strikes, perfect when you need to make multiple attacks].

The Aberration attacked the Purifier again, this time injuring him, while ignoring the Executioner to his rear, who continued his attacks. Ambrosius headed forward to give covering fire to the other Purifier who had retrieved the first of the diaries of Dirz. Misericorde saw and opening and strode forward and attacked the Aberration. Her blade, Hauteclaire cut into the beast, crippling it. She then held it high and called upon Merin. Flames erupted from the blade and swept about her, immolating the Aberration and the Hybrid before her, and also injuring the Executioner. A horde of rats now ran through the laboratory, making shooting difficult for the Griffin warriors.

Though perhaps she had acted to hastily. The remaining Hybrids and Neuromancer entered the chamber, surrounding her, and their cruel blades cut into her. Steel clashed and she called upon Merin again, to heal her wounds.

The Purifier had retrieved both diaries now, and was looking to escape the laboratory, but little did he know, the Hybrids had made short work of his compatriot, and were now dealing lethal blows to Misericorde. Very soon both swordsmen were dead, and all that remained were Ambrosius and the Purifier who put up a courageous, but futile, fight for survival.

As far as missions go this one is quite the challenge for the Griffin. A monster can be used which will stand in the way of the exit, and with the need to have both the diaries and the valve turned off, it makes for a few hard choices. Either split the Griffin, and have a fighter go for the diaries, and the rest hold the fort. Or have the entire party move together to get the diaries, and move out as a group, as they block the Dirz from the warrior with the diaries, before making a final move on the valve. Hard, hard, choices, given how well many of the Griffin models work together so long as they remain in range of the leader with Aura e.g. Ambrosius.

What I should have done, is killed the Aberration normally, and held back Misericorde's one use ability for when more of the Hybrids attacked. The only model without Conviction, and so gains no bonus for remaining near Ambrosius, is the Executioner. This was also my fastest model. This model should have been the one getting the diaries.

Also some great event cards drawn in the game. A rat swarm, a card that allowed one extra wound to be dealt to a model on a strike, a head shot, and a booby trapped door that got reversed (it almost took out my Purifier getting the diaries).

Again Hybrid proves to be a far more tightly balance game than appears on first impression.

Oh yeah, it helps not to roll 9s and 10s a lot. Ben was getting terrible rolls at the start. But then he won, so go figure.