Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago Read online

  Drichean Soldiers Table

  Specialist M F S A W H Cost Notes**

  Drichean Warrior 5 +3 +0 13 +4 12 120gc Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Shield, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Infantryman 5 +3 +0 12 +4 12 120gc Two-Handed Weapon, Heavy Armour, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Archer 6 +1 +2 11 +4 10 120gc Hand Weapon, Bow, Quiver, Light Armour, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Artillerist * 5 +2 +2 12 +4 12 120c Hand Weapon, Heavy Armour, Artillery Trained, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Guide 7 +2 +2 11 +4 10 150gc Staff, Bow, Quiver, Light Armour, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Freebooter 5 +4 +0 13 +4 12 200gc Hand Weapon, Shield, Heavy Armour, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Mercenary 5 +4 +0 12 +4 12 200gc Two-Handed Weapon, Heavy Armour, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Savage 6 +4 +0 10 +4 14 200gc Two Handed Weapon, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Blade-Dancer* 6 +3 +2 10 +2 12 200gc Hand Weapon (x4), Throw Hand Weapon, Martial Discipline

  Drichean Saurian Hunter 5 +2 +2 12 +4 12 200gc Two-Handed Weapon, Bow, Quiver, Heavy Armour, +2 Fight vs Saurians, Martial Discipline

  * See full rules for these Drichean soldiers below.

  ** Every Drichean soldier possesses a Martial Discipline determined by the kingdom from which they hail. See here for full details.

  Drichean Artillerist

  Most Drichean kingdoms are protected by heavy stone walls or, at least, wooden walls and earthen palisades. As a result, Dricheans are used to siege warfare and have developed a number of fixed-position artillery pieces. One of these, the ballista, is small enough that it can still easily target individuals. In many ways the ballista resembles the swivel bow used on some ships and small boats from the mainland, although it is slightly larger, fires heavier ammunition, and takes more practice and skill to use effectively.

  Drichean artillerists are competent hand-to-hand fighters but have also received special training which means they are most valuable when positioned behind an artillery piece such as a ballista or a swivelbow (Gods of Fire, here). When an artillery-trained figure operates such weapons, it does not suffer the Shoot penalty from the weapons being inaccurate. This could be useful for a Heritor looking to mount some heavy firepower on their ship, or perhaps for one looking to attack a fortified Drichean position.

  Drichean Blade-Dancer

  In some Drichean kingdoms there is a tradition of ‘blade-dancing’, a technique that combines the artistry of dance with the martial skills of sword fighting. Only women are allowed to join one of the dance houses and to become blade-dancers. While they mostly employ their skills in ritual performances to honour a festival or celebration, they are some of the most fearsome and deadly of warriors a kingdom can boast – for while they lack the heavy armour of traditional Drichean soldiery, they make up for it with the speed of their whirling blades and the ability to throw them with great accuracy. In general, individual blade-dancers are more inclined to join a Heritor crew than many Dricheans, as they often long for adventure and the opportunity to test their skills against real opponents, but permission must be obtained from both the ruler of the kingdom and the head of their house of dancers.

  Blade-dancers carry four short, curved swords, and are trained to fight with one in each hand. Blade-dancers can also throw their swords. Treat this as a standard shooting attack with a maximum range of 4” and no damage modifier. Each time they make this attack, cross off one of their hand weapons.

  Martial Disciplines

  Over time, each Drichean kingdom has developed its own fighting techniques, tactics, and philosophies. For game purposes, each Drichean kingdom is assigned one Martial Discipline, listed below. All Drichean soldiers that come from this kingdom, whether opposing a Heritor’s crew or a temporary or permanent member of one, gain the advantage assigned by this Martial Discipline.

  ADVANCED MEDICINE

  This discipline teaches how to quickly dress wounds to keep them from becoming a handicap in battle. Once per scenario, this soldier may spend an action to heal 2 points of lost Health.

  ARMED TO THE TEETH

  Soldiers with this discipline are never found unarmed. They receive an additional hand weapon for free. This weapon provides no bonuses but can be used if their primary weapon is destroyed. This applies to soldiers that do not normally carry a hand weapon – but remember to adjust the damage they inflict accordingly.

  FURIOUS CHARGE

  While most Drichean soldiers are known for their discipline, these soldiers are famous for the wildness of their charge. If this soldier moves into combat and fights during the same activation, he receives +1 Fight but -1 Armour.

  HEARTS OF IRON

  These soldiers are implacable, even by the standards of the typically stoic Dricheans, and can endure the most horrific of situations. Soldiers with this discipline receive a permanent +2 Will.

  PAIRED FIGHTERS

  Used to outnumbering their opponents, these soldiers have developed specific manoeuvres to take advantage of their numbers. If a Drichean soldier with this discipline is able to claim a supporting figure bonus (after cancelling out any supporting figure bonuses for its enemy) he receives an extra +1 Fight modifier.

  SHIELD FIGHTERS

  These Dricheans use their shields as a secondary weapon, often bashing their opponents with them, or slicing at them with sharpened edges or spikes. If a soldier with this discipline wins a fight, but would inflict no damage, he inflicts 1 point of damage, regardless of the enemy’s armour. This does not apply to enemies that have the Large trait. Furthermore, if this soldier has a shield, he does not count as unarmed, but will do -1 damage if he has no other weapon.

  SPRINT

  Soldiers with this discipline are trained to move very quickly, even when wearing heavy armour. While this can prove decisive in battle, it is also very fatiguing. Whenever this soldier is activated, he may take 1 point of damage to gain +1 Move for the duration of the activation. The soldier may only take 1 point of damage in this way per activation, and the maximum Move he may achieve is 7.

  TOWER SHIELDS

  Trained to fight using very large shields, soldiers with this discipline gain +1 Fight whenever they are the target of a shooting attack but suffer a -3 swimming penalty (instead of the usual -1) for carrying such a heavy shield.

  WALL OF BRONZE

  Used to fighting in close formation, these soldiers have trained to use their shields to protect the men next to them as well as themselves. If a Drichean soldier is equipped with a shield and has this discipline, he receives +1 Armour when in base contact with another such Drichean soldier (i.e. one who also has a shield and this discipline). The maximum Armour bonus a single figure can receive in this manner is +1, no matter how many other eligible figures are in contact with it.

  WEAPON BREAKERS

  These soldiers are taught to look for weaknesses in their opponents’ weapons and to use that to their advantage. If a soldier with this discipline is involved in a combat in which the total Fight scores are tied, he may choose to break one of his opponent’s weapons instead of inflicting damage (he may choose this option even if his attack would cause no damage). If the targeted weapon is superior, roll a die: on a 1–12 the weapon is fine, on a 13+ it is destroyed. This ability has no effect on magic weapons.

  CREATING A DRICHEAN KINGDOM

  Whenever a player is working with a Drichean kingdom and there is the likelihood of gaining Favour or of hiring or employing some of its soldiers, the player should take a moment to create the kingdom. To do this, the player simply needs to give the kingdom a name, identify what Martial Discipline it has, and then assign a Privilege to each of the three levels of Favour. If players are short on time, or would like to assign these randomly, they may use the tables below. After this, players may wish to spend a little time fleshing out the kingdom, perhaps defining a little of its history and culture, as this will greatly increase the narrative feel of any adventures in which it is involved. A few sample kingdoms are provided below as examples or to get a kingdom to the table as quickly as possible.

  Random Privileges Table

  Die Roll Privilege

  1–4 Markets

  5–8 Tutor

  9–11 Soldiers

  12–14 The Seer

  15–17 Library

  18–20 Royal Weaponsmith

  Random Martial Disciplines Table

  Die Roll Martial Discipline

  1–2 Advanced Medicine

  3–4 Armed to the Teeth

  5–6 Furious Charge

  7–8 Hearts of Iron

  9–10 Paired Fighters

  11–12 Shield Fighters

  13–14 Sprint

  15–16 Tower Shields

  17–18 Wall of Bronze

  19–20 Weapon Breakers

  SAMPLE DRICHEAN KINGDOMS

  The following kingdoms are just a few examples of the numerous city-states that can be found scattered throughout the Ghost Archipelago. Players should feel free to use these kingdoms in their games, or just use them as starting points for designing their own.

  Bandari

  Sometimes called ‘The Kingdom of the Lion’, the large, sprawling kingdom of Bandari stretches across a long line of rocky foothills. Most of the population survives by herding goats or sheep, though a few farm the lowlands. The kingdom also has a significant mining industry, focused mostly on copper and tin. The kingdom is plagued by mountain lions, which have grown numerous thanks to the abundance of prey. It is considered the highest honour for a young Drichean to slay a lion, and those that have done so are the only ones permitted to wear lion-skin cloaks. The most famous of these cloaks is worn by Nesis, the Heritor-King, who currently rules the Bandari. Nesis is not originally from the kingd
om but took the crown when he killed the despotic former ruler in a ritualized duel. The Bandari are ‘typical’ Dricheans in that much of their culture is directly tied to military pursuits.

  Martial Discipline: Furious Charge

  Favour: Soldiers

  Favour II: Royal Weaponsmith

  Favour III: Markets

  Norcofai

  The ‘Dark Kingdom’ of Norcofai is so called because much of the main city, including the palace, is situated inside a massive cave, with buildings occupying all the floor, and running up some of the walls. Such an arrangement is only possible as the Norcofai control several wells which produce a dark, highly flammable oil that they use in lamps. Those that have visited the kingdom describe it as a place of permanent night, lit by thousands of little stars. While the situation of the kingdom has caused some to believe the Norcofai to be a secretive and reserved people, nothing could be further from the truth. They are probably one of the most open and welcoming of the Drichean kingdoms. The current ruler, Queen Darcasia, has seven husbands, including several non-Drichean ones, and is said to always be on the look-out for more. Openness should not be taken as a sign of weakness, however, as the Norcofai are steadfast and disciplined fighters who have seen off more than one attempted invasion.

  Martial Discipline: Hearts of Iron

  Favour: The Seer

  Favour II: Soldiers

  Favour III: Library

  Olusis

  Buried deep in the mountainous jungles, Olusis is an isolated kingdom that receives few visitors. That said, from time to time, wise men from other kingdoms will come to Olusis in the hopes of gaining access to the kingdom’s extensive library, which contains numerous writings on history, magic, and philosophy. Thus, those that come to Olusis seeking knowledge have a better chance of gaining admittance than those who come looking for trade. Olusis is currently ruled by the young King Trocasis, who took the throne after the recent disappearance of his father. Much like his father, Trocasis is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the care and maintenance of the great library.

  Martial Discipline: Tower Shields

  Favour: Library

  Favour II: Tutor

  Favour III: The Seer

  Tencerie

  This small kingdom occupies a long, curved peninsula that forms a natural protected harbour. The main citadel sits near the end of the peninsula, while a long wall extends most of the way down the open sea side. The Tencerie are primarily fishermen, though a few cultivated fields and some pastures for livestock are also maintained. The kingdom is currently ruled by Queen Klytia, although many of the day-to-day affairs are handled by her son, Corsis. The Tencerie are more open to outsiders than many Drichean kingdoms, possibly thanks to the opportunities provided by their harbour, and often engage in trade with explorers and merchants. This largely consists of smoked fish for provisions, but also includes delicate metal work and semi-precious stones.

  Martial Discipline: Advanced Medicine

  Favour: Market

  Favour II: Tutor

  Favour III: Royal Weaponsmith

  CHAPTER THREE

  NEW SPECIALIST CREWMEN

  Below are three new specialist crewmen that can be hired by Heritors. Unlike the Drichean soldiers that can be hired through gaining favour with a kingdom (see here), these crew members are recruited as normal.

  Cabin Boy

  Most ships of a decent size will include a cabin boy in their crew, usually a teenager who is kept around to do menial work and to run errands for the Heritor. Occasionally, a Heritor sees something in a cabin boy, some spark of unfulfilled potential, and decides to take him under his wing, including him in his adventures. While the youth and inexperience of these individuals often makes them a liability, some, after a few missions, turn into a valuable member of the crew.

  Cabin boys are free to hire and can take the place of a standard crewman. Every time a cabin boy participates in a scenario and survives, make a note of it on the crew sheet. Once the cabin boy has survived five scenarios, he can be promoted and replaced at no cost with any of the specialist crewmen from the main rulebook. The Heritor must still have room for the specialist crewman in his crew. Cabin boys do not have to be promoted the moment they are eligible but can remain as they are for as long as the player wishes before being promoted after any game.

  Specialist M F S A W H Cost Notes

  Cabin Boy 6 +0 +0 10 -2 10 0gc Hand Weapon, Potential Promotion

  Demon Hunter

  When the great magical city of Frostgrave was rediscovered, most of the loose confederation of warriors known as demon hunters headed north to deal with this new threat. A few though, remained in the southern kingdoms and empires to hold the line. For in the hot lands of the south, demons have always flourished, called forth by old magic or slipping through the cracks of reality. While the threat of demons escaping from the Ghost Archipelago is minimal, a few demon hunters have joined up with Heritor crews in the hopes of discovering new techniques, items, and knowledge for battling these creatures (and picking up a little gold along the way).

  Whenever a demon hunter is making a combat roll against a demon, the demon hunter receives +1 Fight (or Shoot if it’s a ranged attack) and does +1 damage (so, a total of +3 damage when using a two-handed weapon or crossbow).

  Demon hunters try to stay spread out in their attempt to patrol the world. For this reason, a Heritor crew may never contain more than one demon hunter.

  Specialist M F S A W H Cost Notes

  Demon Hunter 6 +2 +2 11 +2 12 100gc Two-Handed Weapon, Crossbow, Quiver, Light Armour, Bonuses vs Demons

  Shipwright

  Although most Heritors also serve as the ‘captains’ of the small vessels that sail them to and from the Ghost Archipelago, the truth is, most are not seamen. In fact, many have no interest in ships beyond their necessity as means of conveyance. If they are wise, such Heritors will hire an experienced seaman or shipwright to oversee the day-to-day running of the ship, to ensure all necessary upkeep is performed and repairs made, and, generally, to take charge of the vessel in adverse conditions. Shipwrights are not fighters by trade and would generally prefer to stay on the ship rather than go slogging through the jungles. In the Heritors’ high-stakes game of exploring the Archipelago, however, every able-bodied crewman can make the difference, and many find themselves put in harm’s way.

  Although the shipwright is a specialist crewman, he can take the place of a standard crewman, and not occupy one of the Heritor’s four specialist crewman spaces. A Heritor crew can only include one shipwright – more than one in a crew would just lead to arguments!

  A Heritor crew that includes a shipwright receives a 10gc discount on the cost of any trip to the mainland, as well as a 20% discount on any ship upgrades.

  Specialist M F S A W H Cost Notes

  Shipwright 6 +1 +0 10 +2 12 100gc Hand Weapon, Nautical Discounts

  CHAPTER FOUR

  NEW WEAPON

  Ballista

  Ballistae are essentially large crossbows that are too heavy to move during the heat of battle, although they can rotate. To fire a ballista, a figure must activate while in contact with the weapon. It takes a single action to fire the weapon and another action to reload it (as for the crossbow, this reload can replace a figure’s move action). Use the figure’s normal Shoot for this attack, even if it doesn’t normally carry a missile weapon, but note that unless the figure is Artillery Trained it suffers -2 Shoot. Note that any Heritor may take ‘Artillery Trained’ in place of any other advancement when he gains a level.

  Ballistae are very powerful weapons and can punch through armour – any figure hit suffers -2 Armour (to a minimum of 10) for the purposes of determining damage.

  They also tend to be robustly built – a figure operating a ballista counts as being in light cover if the line of sight for a shooting attack passes through the ballista.