SPEAKER_02 0:38

Welcome to Stories with Dice. This is the Sword Campaign, a Pen Dragon actual play podcast using the sixth edition starter set from

Introduction to the Sword Campaign

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Chaosium. If you're enjoying our actual plays, please subscribe to Stories with Dice so you never miss an episode. Don't forget to rate and review us, it really helps others discover the podcast. Follow us on social media to stay updated, share your thoughts, and join the conversation. You'll find the relevant links in the description of each

Last Time on the Sword Campaign

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episode. Last time on the sword campaign, through the power of an ancient ley line opened by a mysterious woman claiming to be a student of Merlin, Sir Ian and Sir Histelwin accomplished the impossible. They arrived at the Boy King's encampment in mere hours, a journey that should have taken a week. Yet their success was overshadowed by an unsettling mystery. Sir Caradoc, the first to step into the ley line, never emerged on the other side. After delivering their report to King Arthur on the results of their diplomatic mission to secure alliances with foreign courts, our two Salisbury knights reunited with their count, but tensions flared during a heated exchange with Sir Blaines of Silchester, hinting at deeper divides within Arthur's ranks. As the army marched toward County Lamborgh, Sir Ian and Sir Histelwin bolstered the spirits of the young, freshly drafted foot soldiers, barely more than boys, helping them summon courage for the battle ahead. At Lamborgh the army waited for reinforcements from King Leo de Grance, but news of King Lot's forces clashing with Arthur's scouts near Bedigraine castle forced the boy king's hand. Arthur could wait no longer. He called his banners to muster, and the bloody battle of Bedigrain began. The fight was brutal. Many of Arthur's knights lost their horses, including our Salisbury Knights. The young, untested foot soldiers, filled with courage but lacking in experience, were slaughtered in waves, their bravery undone by the ferocity of Pictish warriors. When we last left our two Salisbury Knights, Sir Histlin had sent an Irish kern back to the gods. But the battle was far from over. And we're back. I'm joined as always by Ed playing

Battle of Bettegrane Begins

SPEAKER_02 3:33

Sir Ian. Good day or good evening or good afternoon, I don't know. And Pete playing Sir Histlin.

unknown 3:40

Hi.

SPEAKER_02 3:41

And once again, our other player, Tony, who plays Sukaradoc is AWOV. He decided to work instead of play a role-playing game with his pals. So you know Honestly. He's off my Christmas list.

The Fight Intensifies

SPEAKER_02 3:56

We're in the middle of the Battle of Bedigrain. It has been a gruesome fight so far. So we open up on battle turn four. So you've pushed your way back to the front lines after you dealt with the Irish perns. Once again, you're face you're facing Pictish warriors. You've got spearmen on one side of you, and you've got those javeliners on the other. Now I'm going to roll the intensity. And so the main encounter will be the spearmen. If I fail this role, you make a battle roll to decide to see if you can choose the encounter instead. And I have succeeded. Okay. So what is your posture, Ed?

SPEAKER_01 4:38

I guess we're rushing in, aren't we, from from getting the uh the Irish turns? So Yes, and that was that was reckless. You were being reckless at that point.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

I think they've got spears and stuff, so I'm I'm a little weary because I know that's just a standard valorous. Okay. And what is your morale at this point?

SPEAKER_02 4:56

Our morale currently is ten. Okay. The minimum morale here is eight, so good. So you're fighting valorously. So check your valorous traits if you haven't already checked them. So these two picks that are in front of you that you're engaged with, they're gonna fight a reckless attack. Okay. So that gives them a plus five bonus. Because of that, neither they or you can apply shield or parry protection under any circumstances. So you lose the shield protection.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

In that case, so would I know that that's what they're gonna do? Should I make a battle roll to determine whether or not they're gonna give me a give me a battle roll, yeah. Because I feel that otherwise I might be cheating a little. Let's make a battle roll to decide whether or not I know what they're gonna do. So I need a 10, I got eleven. So no. So no.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Yeah, so you don't you're you're not really privy to the way they're moving toward you with their s with their weapons. Which case shield and shield and sword.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Regular old attack. Okay. Regular old attack, that's that's what I'm gonna do. Otherwise I would have defended. This is gonna be fun. So you get plus ten. Yeah. Wow. Ooh, okay. Yep. Ouch. That's that's a success. Okay, well, I am at minus five. So I need a nine. I got a sixteen.

SPEAKER_02 6:21

Right. It also gives them a plus two d6 damage.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

It does indeed. It's gonna

Sir Histelwyn's Reckless Charge

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go badly. The dam that's fifteen, and then add eight to that.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Thirteen damage, I take. It's not a major wound, and it's not knocked down either.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Okay. Alright, so yeah, so this this pick recklessly bandies forward with his two-handed spear and jabs it right into you, right past your shield, smashing into your shoulder. Uh the other one that is also a success. I fail. So that's 10 damage to me. Twenty, yep. Okay. Yeah, so so as just as the other shield hits your shoulder, the second the second pick with his two-handed spear jabs you into your side.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

That is below my unconscious rating.

SPEAKER_02 7:14

Okay. So you have fallen unconscious. Oh, Sir Histolin. Uh there's a chance we might both be waking up in the enemy camp, then. Yes. Yes, there is. Yes, there is. I I'm not going to be as cruel with you, because I feel like I've been battering you and battering you this whole campaign, and this is the first time Ed has been knocked unconscious, so you're just getting a straight-up attack. Okay, so these two spearmen failed against you. You failed against one and hit with a critical against the second. So you're adding four d6 to your damage on him. Alright, so that's thirty-one in total. Oh, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Please describe to me how you end this man's life. Yeah, I'm the first guy comes in at me and I just waft at it. And the other one wasn't expecting me to be there, so it's just a lunge forward with the blade, straight through the chest cavity.

SPEAKER_02 8:10

Yeah, and these guys aren't wearing any armor, so your your sword just goes right through his chest and out the back, and he's just and he slides off your blade and lands on the ground. Sir Histolin, give me a battle roll. Not my best skill, but we'll give it a go. You know what? I'll say you can also give me you can choose, you can give me awareness. Well, I've I've rolled battle now. Okay. Didn't fail by much. Yep, so you're you're way you're way too busy to notice that the picks are dragging Sir Ian away. No The one picked who is still remaining has failed his valorous trait and he starts fleeing from you. What do you want to do? Right, so I still haven't seen anything else. I I'll actually pursue him. Okay. So roll your movement. Give me a move roll. Success. Okay, but his success is higher than yours, so he actually gets away. Yeah. Well he's not wearing armor. Yes. Right. Yes, exactly. Now as you're as you lose the chase, that is when you see these two other picks carrying Sir Ian off the battlefield. I will look to intervene if possible. If you have a throne weapon, you can s you can use that, or we will it'll be down to opposed move rolls.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

I d I think I'm gonna carry on my my running after them, I'll try move again.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

Okay. And I'm gonna give them a negative modifier because they're carrying. What's your size, Sir Ian? Size? It's fifteen. Oh, yeah. Okay, I'm gonna say they have a negative ten.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

They still got a success.

SPEAKER_02 9:50

Well, let's see what the other guy gives. One of them might fail and drop Sir Ian.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Oh no.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

Nope. Okay. Yeah, they're wet they're well practiced at this maneuver. Sir Histelwin, you're you're chasing them across the battlefield and you've lost sight of them through the masses of men that uh that are fighting one another. So you and our lone on the battlefield. So you can seek out your former conroy, which would be Sir Ian. You have to make an unopposed recognized role, and the success indicates that you find him in the in the crowd. Or you can attempt to sort of rally a new Conroy together, or you can retire to the rear. Those are the those are the three things you can do.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

I think I might retire to the rear. I'll just have a quick uh roll on me. Well, yes, win on the side of prudence and a win on the side of reckless. I'm torn, but higher role was reckless, so yeah, we'll I'll I'll further wander into the melee and try and see if I can spot my compatriot.

SPEAKER_02 10:48

Okay, so we're now in battle turn five, which is the final battle turn of the day. The sun is

Aftermath of the Battle

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going down, there's lots of moaning uh of wounded men on the battlefield, squires are dragging their wounded knights off the field, you're wandering through dust and mist coming in from the forest, and men everywhere that are hacking at one another, and you're moving through them and up ahead, you've spotted Sir Ian. These picks are over him, and also, much to your surprise, or not, depending on how you feel about Sir Blaine's. He is there with two of his bodyguards. And it looks like Sir Blaine's might be paying these people. Fucker.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

Well, I mean, if he's paying the ransom, then my friend will be back, but I'm sure he won't like it. Being in debt to Sir Blaine's.

SPEAKER_02 11:48

So what uh what po what posture are you gonna are you gonna take Sir Histowin?

SPEAKER_00 11:54

It's difficult. Well, yeah, you see, I know I know Sir Ian is now gonna be returned to safety. It's just his I love the way you think that. Yeah. Well that that's what I'm assuming is that you're gonna be um be made to be in debt to Sir Blaine's. He's gonna have that holder on you. I'll see that as fate effectively in play. That the one thing I was aiming for is to get my companion back. As far as I can see, he is gonna come back just with uh with a debt, which he's gonna absolutely hate, but it's probably fate, and he's gonna have to work it out. So yeah, I'll uh on seeing that I will probably see my way clear to exiting the battlefield.

SPEAKER_02 12:37

Okay, so you retire to the rear. The first day of the Battle of Betegrain has concluded, and as the sun goes down and Sir Histowin retreats to the rear, and Sir Blaine has paid off the picks for Sir Ian's capture, King Arthur orders a halt and an orderly retreat, and Lot's forces also retreat for the evening. And so, Sir Ian, you come

Sir Ian's Ransom

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to an attent. Sir Blaine's smiling face sneering at you. He's got a Shorgan tending to your wound. So now did you do you have a major wound? Uh I've got no major just a bunch of minor wounds. I've got three minor wounds.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

So for your first minor wound, it is a success. Okay. Let me uh heal that part for Okay, I still got a minor wound. And that is a critical success. Okay, so that's my eight for the second one. So that's and my last one. Just a regular success. So that leaves me with three minor wounds, two at two, and one at nine. Okay, and they're all treated. But they're obviously still around, they just have to naturally heal by. So I'm feeling very bruised and battered. Not feeling particularly happy.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

This is like late at night, you've come to Sir Blaine's sort of sitting and leaning over you while his shirgens are working on you and applying first aid

The Tension of Debt

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to your wounds. And he says to you, I'd like you to know that your ransom was only a few coins.

SPEAKER_01 14:17

Are you telling me that you paid my ransom? I did. So I'm gonna make a I'm gonna make a hospitality roll. Okay. Which I fail. I kind of look at him and roll my eyes. I am grateful for that.

SPEAKER_02 14:34

I believe the words you are looking for, Sir Ian, is I am in your debt, Sir Blainez. Thank you for saving my life.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

Sure. I I am in your debt, Sir Blaines. Thank you for saving my life.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

I will send you back to your count. I believe your comrades or Histowin survive, though you'll be happy to know that he retreated to the rear when he realized you were captured. Are you sure you trust these men of yours? Yes, I suppose I do. You trust your life with a man who will tuck tail and run at the first sign of trouble? No, I shall have words with him. I tell you you you cannot trust these pagans. Us Christians must stick together. You won't get much of an argument from me there. Well that is good to hear. I may call upon your good Christian virtue one day, to repay this debt that you owe me. Can I just pay you back? Don't be so silly. Some things are more valuable to me than coin. My men will see you safely to your to your tent. Thank you. Good luck to you. My lord. Except with gritted teeth. Yeah, he smiles when he hears you say that. So the two of his bodyguards take you back to your tent, and there you see Sir Histelwind sleeping the night away.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

I'm gonna basically kick him as soon as I get there. I a proper boot in the side. You're looking better,

Nighttime Reflections

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Saritan. Thanks for that. Uh I hear you I you you you ran off.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

I made my way from the field once I saw you uh safely in the hands of Sir Blaine. Yeah, thanks for that. Now I owe him. Uh I wasn't going to argue with him on the field, otherwise we might have both been owing to him. That's a fair point. And maybe we could turn this to our favour. How would I do that? Well, he believes he has a hold over you. Well he does.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

But maybe that that could be an advantage. The um the right of station and hospitality means that I must repay my debt to him depending on what he wishes me to do. As long as of course it doesn't counteract my my loyalty to the Count and King. If he does ask you something, it will be revealing. Yes, I have a horrible feeling. It's something that I'm not gonna particularly like to do. But I am more or less well, I'm out of these scrapes, how this hurts. Kind of like holding sort of like parts of my elbow and maybe sort of like moving my arms around. I've got bruising and stuff down my side of my face and along my arm.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Well, your belly's not punctured, and as you say this, I'm pouring out a flagon of wine for him. That's true, in which case it will not leak all over the place.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Drink to your safe return. And I'll probably want to have a few drugs to uh commiserate being saved by Sir Blains.

SPEAKER_02 17:38

Yeah, so you you have a couple of drinks with Sir Historwind and then retire for

Preparing for the Next Day

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the evening, and you know you wake up in the morning and prepare for the next day of battle. And so we open in the aftermath of the previous day's carnage. What remains of Arthur's horsemen line up in the shadow of their fallen comrades? The camera lingers on their faces, worn, bloodied, their eyes hollow with fatigue, and King Arthur stands among them with Sir Brastius at his side. The camera pulls back to reveal a ridgeline where Arthur's footmen move into position, while the remaining knights on horseback, too few in number, are interspersed between them. The camera sweeps across the field as Lot's forces take shape in the distance like a gathering storm. His footmen keep to the rear this time, with archers forming lines behind the cavalry. Arthur surveys the battlefield, his hand gripping Excalibur's hilt. He turns to Sebrastius, giving a single, firm command. The old knight rides along the line, his voice steady as he passes Arthur's orders. There will be no charge today. You must stand firm on the ridgeline and receive the enemy's charge.

Day Two: The Calm Before the Storm

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The shrill sound of war cries splits the silence like a thunderclap, as a barrage of arrows rain down upon Arthur's forces, the deadly tips whistling through the air. Then the ground trembles beneath the pounding hooves of King Lot's cavalry charge, closing in fast, as the archer's assault continues hammering your ranks before the cavalry closes in. So the intensity for this battle is eighteen, and we've already determined your morale, which is fifteen.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

So we're not on horseback then, I take it. You are not on horseback, that is correct.

SPEAKER_02 19:43

How to receive a charge, I guess, with space. So I've succeeded in the intensity. So the first thing we are going to do is you are going to roll battle to determine how many rounds of archer fire you receive before before the cavalry arrives. You won't be able to engage in the archers because they're too far away. And you're holding the line. Just a straight battle roll? Any bonuses or anything? Just no bonuses. Unless you want to invoke a passion. No. Nope. I have succeed. You succeed. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 20:16

So one round of archery fire. I assume the normal thing that you do is zigzag, but obviously we're holding our place, so we don't zigzag anywhere, do we? No.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

They get an unopposed missile attack against you for one round, and your kite shields impose a negative ten penalty to their weapon skill. Okay, let's see here. So the two archers firing upon Sir Ian miss. And the two attacking Sir Histelwin also miss. So that is the end of battle turn one. So the your storm of arrows rains down on you. Sir Ian, your shield is porcupine with arrows. The ground around you's got arrows sticking out of it near your feet. Sir Histelwin, your shield has arrows in it, and then the cavalry charge has arrived, and you you lose one morale. Okay, we're down to 14. You've got knights of Lothian charging at you, and you also have Knights of Cornwall charging

Facing King Lot's Forces

SPEAKER_02 21:29

at you. So let me make my intensity roll here. And I succeeded. So it is the Knights of Lothian. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

So uh what is your posture? So it's gonna be valorous and I'm going to set my spear with my shield to prepare the uh against the charge that's about to happen. Oh, you're setting your spear. Wonderful. So set spear action as a purpose of countering a declared or potential charge attack. So it's aimed at The opponent of the chart of the mount, the spear B wielded one handed if you want to use a shield for protection. Or alternatively, we can drop the shield and hold a two-handed to get an extra plus two six damage. Yeah. So it's my spear skill versus the opponent's action.

SPEAKER_02 22:15

Their spears are couched, so they get a plus five bonus. So couched is like they're tucked under their arms.

SPEAKER_01 22:21

So so it kind of the set spear thing means that we counter out that. So it's just a straightforward roll. Okay. Cool. So it's just a straight roll for me. I need a twelve. I get a six. No.

SPEAKER_02 22:36

So it's a success. Okay. So you have a partial success, they have a success. So you can use your shield to deduct from that damage.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Take one damage and then roll your roll my spear damage. So did you want to randomly check which way I go? Whether I hit the horse or I hit the uh the person? I mean what what would you like me to do? See, what does it say here? It is an angle aimed at the opponent or their mount. Okay, so I get to pick. So you picked, yeah. It makes sense to do it to the mount because you're gonna stop that mount in in its tracks and Yeah, so that's what I'm gonna do. So here's the role. Sir Ian is a horse killer. Twenty-seven damage. I have no idea if that's a major wound or yeah, so he's down to twenty-eight from fifty-five. So the guy the the the the rider has to make a roll to actually control. He's gonna make a horseman roll, etc. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 23:36

So he's lost control of his horse, and then he makes a successful emergency dismount. So he is now on his feet. The the second knight of Lothian. Oh, that is a failure.

SPEAKER_01 23:53

So I needed the seven I've got a critical. Whip the spear around? I'll go for the guy rather than the horse.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So 29 damage. No, 30 damage. To the guy. Tell me how you how you kill this guy. Okay, right. So I guess, yeah, so I've hit the horse, I've walled around, and I just see this flash of horse in person. I just jab upwards and I catch him underneath his armpit as it kind of goes into his chest. Yep. And you just lift him right off the horse with your spear. Right off the horse, and I lose my spear as him and the um and him just crash into the hooves of the next horse that's running past. Excellent, excellent. Standing there, like with my shield up, now grasping for my sword.

SPEAKER_02 24:39

Sir Histelwin, what action are you taking? Are you setting your spear as well?

SPEAKER_00 24:43

No, no, I've sword and shield, trusty. I'm gonna try and sort of dodge and weave and see if I can use my sword to uh catch them on the way through and avoid as much as I can.

SPEAKER_02 24:55

Okay. So that's your so the contest is your movement versus the opponent's action. So first knight has a success. Critical. And that is a critical. So you tuck and roll and avoid any damage, you do not inflict any damage on your opponent, and you begin the next round ready to attack. Okay, yeah. So this guy charges after you, he's got his spear out, and you deftly move out of the way as he just rides right past you. His spear gets nowhere near you. The second knight who's charging after you, ooh, that's a critical. Oh right.

SPEAKER_01 25:36

And I'm do the same role. Wait, um Mark. Once you dodge as an act, that role is for everyone that attacks you. It just means you can't attack this round. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 25:49

Okay. Thank you. Still gonna get hit because it's a critical against a critical, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 25:54

No, they avoid any damage this round. See, folks, we're still learning the game. Sir Ian, it is back to you. You are facing the dehorst knight of Lothian.

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Guess we're gonna go toe-to-toe with a knight of Lothian. Probably saying something like King Lot is a day day scumbag, or we're just gonna fight regularly. I needed a fourteen and I got a three. And what are you using? A sword? A sword.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

My sword and shield. So you got a s you got a partial success, he got a obsess on his sword. So you can use your shield. That's a good thing. That is a good thing. The damage is sixteen. Alright, I don't take any damage. Alright, so he just batters the hell out of your shield with his sword as you come in underneath with yours.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

That sounds like a good plan. As I come in underneath my sword, I give him a good jab for 21 damage.

SPEAKER_02 26:48

So that is, let's see, that is not a major wound. It is not a knockdown. Alright. These horses are have now come around for another attack. They don't have enough runway to do a mounted charge, so they're just attacking from the from their mounts with their with their spears. So because you're on foot, they get a plus five. What is your action? I'm gonna try and dodge their attacks again, frustrate them. Okay. So that's a success. So you're frustrating the hell out of these knights as you're dodging back and forth as they're trying to they're trying to attack you with their spears. And this was a valorous posture, so that is the end of the second battle turn.

The Saxon Warriors Arrive

SPEAKER_02 27:33

So you're now several hours into the second day of this battle, King Lear de Granz has not arrived. You've just survived the cavalry of Lot's forces, and now you've got Saxon warriors or northern prickers. So northern prickers hail from the lands around Hadron's wall. These rough men, while they may be the best armed men of their remote dales, they are certainly no match for southern knights, and we all of course know that the Saxons are fierce, seasoned, armored warriors. So you will face the Northern Prickers if I succeed in my intensity role. Which I do. Northern Prickers it is. I love that name, by the way. Yes. But but the Saxons, we hate the Saxons. I know you hate the Saxons. Damn it. What do they what do they look like? They're wearing male armor. They have those arm shields, the shields that attach directly to the arm. And they are they have maces. And they're on foot. They're usually mounted on ponies, but they must have lost their their animals in the in the battle. So So what is your posture?

SPEAKER_01 28:47

I'll guess it's still gonna be Valorous as the kind of like the standard. I I I don't see any reason, Pete, to do anything different. Not at the moment, no. Okay. So that's two combat rounds. What is your action? I'm I'm gonna go toe-to-toe with one of them, I suppose. Straight up attack? Straight up attack. Okay. So you have a seven. Yep. Need a fourteen.

SPEAKER_02 29:08

They have a mace, they need a thirteen. He has a nine, so you have a seven, so you have a partial success. You trade blows. His mace dents your shield. You know, you feel it you feel it in your arm, that the the strength of that blow, and then you just give him give him one in return with your s with your sword. It knocks him right on his back. A sophistical win.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

Yeah, I'll do a normal attack, see if I can get the measure of this chap.

SPEAKER_02 29:39

Okay. He does the same. So I have a nine, you have a four. So you have a partial success, he has a success. So that means you can use your shield. So the damage for you is eighteen, uh nineteen, because he has a plus one to his damage. So that's another three damage. His feet sort of dig into the ground a little bit as you as you wail on him with your sword, and his mace just just bangs against your shield as well. The second round of this combat, Sir Yeah, Sir Ian, what are you doing now? You've got this guy on the ground.

SPEAKER_01 30:16

I'm attacking while he's prone on the ground. A bonus for attacking while he's prone? I'm gonna say you do. Give yourself a plus five.

SPEAKER_02 30:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

That's a critical.

SPEAKER_02 30:28

I need the nineteen, and I rolled a nineteen. Okay, so he's he's actually like trying to roll on the ground away from you. So let me roll his move here. And I'm gonna give him a negative five. So he's got that targ shield on his arm, and you know, you hit that as he's like trying to roll out of your way. And he's actually cried, mercy, mercy, mercy, sod, mercy. But if he says that, I'll probably stop him. Sir Histelin.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

Yeah, I'll go a second rail of this champ.

SPEAKER_02 30:55

Okay, so you both failed. So you're just wailing away at each other, just banging the hell out of your shields. Clang, clang, clang, clang, your arm is really sore, and it's getting your forearm is probably gonna be bruised. As this battle turn comes to a close, and the man who cried for mercy, you you let him go, so he he gets up and he runs. You can see that Count Sanim of Betegrade, his or his forces are retreating, exposing the right flank of King Lot's army. So the tide is starting to turn in your favor. And as we enter battle turn four, it is now like the late afternoon, this battle has been raging all day. A cry goes up onto your flank Leo de Grants has come. Leo de Grants has come. And you can see these fresh knights bursting from the cover of a nearby wood. You are now going to face Um do we get to have a squire action? Oh yes, I'm sorry. At the end of every battle turn you can do a squire action. Oh well, I'm gonna What's the chance of getting a horse?

SPEAKER_01 32:09

The chance of getting a horse, the chance of getting a horse is gonna be slim. Well uh okay, in which case I will not ask for a horse, uh, but I will ask for a first aid, because I've taken a minor minor wound last time. So Okay, sir, roll your squire skill. Come on, Felix. Oh damn you, Felix.

SPEAKER_02 32:30

He failed. Yeah, so you're like, Felix, Felix, he's nowhere to be found. Son of a deck.

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Sir Histerwin, do you want to call for your squire as well? Yeah, I'll get him to uh I've still got the head of one of those arrows stuck in me mail and it's digging into me, so I'll get him to try and pull that out.

SPEAKER_02 32:49

Okay, yeah, and it's so it says here, it doesn't list first aid as one of the things you can do in the mass battle rules, but I'm gonna say I'm just gonna say it it's it's it's fine. Is that something you'd have to do if you went to the the rear?

SPEAKER_01 33:01

I think so, yeah, I think so. Okay, that's that's fine.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

So Sir Cistle Wynn, you can restore whatever your healing rate is. So Neb arrives and he quickly, very, very quickly, cleans the wound, bandages you up, and you are set to go for the next for the next few hours at least. Okay. For this battle turn, as you press deeper into the fray, you spot Saxon warriors surging forward with shields and swords, their war cries mingle with the clash of steel all around you. To your left, a group of knights of gore, clad in dark, blood streaked armor, ride into the chaos, their banners snapping in the wind like harbingers of death. The ground beneath your feet is slick with mud and blood, and the cacophony of battle swells.

The Tide Turns

SPEAKER_02 34:01

So I've succeeded in the intensity roll, and that means you will now face Saxon warriors. So point of order, we forgot to do the morale loss for the previous battle turns, so you lost eight morale in your fight against the Knights of Lothian and three in your fight with the Northern Prickers. So your current morale is nine, just one above what you need to take on the Saxons. You can use a passion, because it's the second day, so if you want to use a passion, you want to use those hate Saxon passions, you are That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Here at Stories with Dice, we don't endorse actually hating anyone, but you know, it is a game, so there you go. Yeah, we do. It's all in the It's all in good fun.

SPEAKER_01 34:49

Except for Saxons. Except for Saxons. So Damn it, you made me say it. No. Yeah, okay. I succeeded in my hate Saxons.

SPEAKER_02 34:59

Okay, so you will get a plus five. Pistol win, do you have a hate Saxons passion? I do.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Do you want to use it? I think I'll save that for the moment. Well, I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to see whether I'm gonna go into this recklessly or not. Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm going in recklessly. Yeah, it makes sense. You despise the Saxons. I don't like them much. Didn't they like kill someone in your family or something? Uh yeah, we we've had uh we've had uh quite a few number of sentues in our family, so yeah, okay, I'm going in reckless.

SPEAKER_02 35:34

So the two of you will fight the Saxons for three combat rounds. Sir Ian, these two Saxons that are attacking you, they're gonna attack you recklessly. We're both recklessly attacking each other. Okay. So that means that you can't use your shield protection if you get a partial success.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

I need a nineteen and I fumbled with a twenty. Oh, no, wait. I used my I f I forgot to use my passion. Okay, roll it again. So so that would actually be a plus ten, so that wouldn't have succeeded. Let me just roll my butt. Plus ten. So I see two. I've got eleven.

SPEAKER_02 36:13

They need he needs a nineteen and he got a six. Oh he has a partial success, you have a success.

SPEAKER_01 36:20

Fifteen damage from me. Oh wait, recklessly, so I get plus C D six. Fifteen plus six.

SPEAKER_02 36:28

The damage is twenty-one, you said? Yep. Twenty-one. Okay, so minus his armor, so it's sixteen. So that is a major wound, it's also a knockdown. Falls flat on his back. However, before he does that, he does deal some serious damage against you. Ouch.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

Ho ho ho so minus ten, so that's fifteen. Oh, that's on my knockdown. Give us your dex roll. A minor roll, but my decks. I need a sixteen, I rolled four, I stand up. I do not go down. That's well, actually no. Um I've just got underneath my unconscious rating. I am down on the floor, I'm under nine. I'm unconscious. We both go down.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

You both you've both knocked each other senseless, and you're both prone.

SPEAKER_01 37:22

He's probably hit me around the head or something, and I've I'm just like out. My head is I've got blood coming down the side of my face. It's still a minor wound. Well, I've just got one, two, three, four, five minor wounds there.

SPEAKER_02 37:34

My goodness. So this other guy could essentially kill you.

SPEAKER_01 37:37

Yeah. But I don't want him to kill you. That's the way he goes. I guess it's the same time, so I'm I presumed I still roll.

SPEAKER_02 37:47

That's true, I suppose, right? It's all spawn it's all s it's all um simultaneous. Sublane's anywhere nearby. Sublane saves your life once again.

SPEAKER_01 38:04

So in I still had my my bonuses, right? Yeah. Because it's still the same. Okay. Yes. Thank God. Hopefully. So I needed uh 20, I got an eight.

SPEAKER_02 38:14

Okay, so he has a partial success, you have a success. Once again. Oh so you just 14.

SPEAKER_01 38:21

Okay. Um I do 22 plus 26. 22 22 uh plus nine 31 damage. Oh.

SPEAKER_02 38:34

Okay, yeah, you've killed him. So this must have been hell one hell of a sight. Sir Ian fighting two Saxon warriors and and in a single blow kills one of them, knocks the other one flat on his back, and then collapses.

SPEAKER_01 38:53

Yes. After being hit multiple times around the head and in the chest, but still with no major wounds. But I am at minus nine, so I'm gonna find out what happens to you.

SPEAKER_02 39:03

Okay, so Sir Histolwyn, while he's doing that.

SPEAKER_00 39:06

Uh well, I've been charging in with the uh the Conroy in the spirit of recklessness, but the fact there's two of them, I'm going to try and dodge. You're gonna dodge, okay. As it worked successfully last time. Do I I probably don't do I get the reckless bonus to me move roll?

SPEAKER_02 39:26

Yes. You do? Oh right. So that's a success. You have succeeded. Yeah, okay. So these guys, you're just too quick on your feet, and there's they're you know, swinging their swords and you're just dancing around them, making them feel foolish and pissing them off.

SPEAKER_00 39:42

Yeah, it's a bit like a bullfight. Our closing speed was that high that all I had to do was dodge and we went past each other. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 39:50

And you guys chose a reckless posture, right? So that was just one round. You've got two more to go. Well, he's still reading. Let's do the next one, Sir Pistolwin. You guys go for it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:05

That's still coming in out. Yeah, this is this is yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:08

I think this is This might be where the campaign ends, folks. Yeah. I'll try and style my feet again. Another two. He's a s he's got a success. And you're doing dodge again? Yeah. Okay. There's also no shame in retreating. Okay. Right. So once again, you're you're dancing around them and they're banging their swords against their shields as they're as they're coming around again for another another blow. Why don't you you can choose to either give me an awareness or a battle roll? Yeah, I'll go for an awareness. Okay. Nope.

SPEAKER_01 40:44

I'm too busy trying to avoid getting hit. What have you learned, Sir Ian? Okay, so I have suffered a mortal wound. No. Damage from a single blow that is greater than or equal to the total hit points left, you should kill the character. This is a horrible injury, a cracked skull, severed artery, punctured internal organs, or even a hacked off limb, if Skin Master so desires. Characters are unemployed and incapacitated. However, they may still survive if certain things are met. Someone must successfully apply a first aid within one hour of before the character dies. Okay. And even then, recovery is doubtful. First aid must restore enough lost hit points to give the character at least one hit point above zero. I'm at minus nine, which means you cannot do that because the maximum Icon recovery is eight. So I am afraid to tell you that Surian is dead. Perhaps. It looks that way. It looks that way. It looks that way. If I am so restored that I will suffer three rolls from the characteristic loss to determine what permanent effect my mortal wound has.

The Final Moments of Battle

SPEAKER_01 41:55

Okay. So that is it.

SPEAKER_02 41:57

Okay. We have one more round to go with Sir Histowin. Are you going to dodge again, Sir Histowin?

SPEAKER_00 42:03

Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm not sure what's going on here. I can't see anybody in my peripheral vision, so Okay.

SPEAKER_02 42:09

So you successfully keep dancing around the Saxons, making them feel really foolish. Honestly, they're pretty frustrated they couldn't land a blow on you, but they press ahead, pushing deeper into the melee, and the tide of battle shifts, and suddenly you find yourself in a brief moment of calm amid the chaos, and you see Sir Ian lying on the battlefield. He's covered in blood. Most of it clearly is his. His armor is battered, scarred with deep gashes, and his body lies limp. Nearby the bodies of two dead Saxon warriors lie sprawled in the dirt. It looks like he took them out before he fell. So the round has ended. Do you want to make a call squire action?

SPEAKER_00 43:04

My call squire would be to aid me in removing him from the battlefield.

SPEAKER_02 43:09

Okay, so go ahead and make your squire skill roll for me, please. Great. You call out for Neb, and soon you see him stomping across the bloody ground, stepping over bodies as he rushes to reach you. Together the two of you lift Sir Ian and carry him away from the fighting, retreating to the rear for the final battle turn. As you go, your voice rises, calling for healers, for Merlin, for anyone who might save your friend's life. At the rear you find the surgeon's tent. While they work desperately inside to tend to Sir Ian, you pace anxiously outside, each hour dragging on like an eternity. A sudden cheer breaks out, a soldier rushes past and shouts that King Lot's men are retreating. Then the surgeons step outside, their faces

A Grim Outcome

SPEAKER_02 44:04

grim. One speaks with a heavy voice We did all we could for Sir Ian, but I'm afraid he will not last the night. The battle of Bedagran has ended. And you remember the whistle that Bledwin gave you, the one you could have used to call for aid during the battle. The thought weighs heavy on your mind, had you blown it, maybe with the help of the wolves, the tide might have turned sooner, and Sir Ian, along with so many others, might still be

Bitter Victory

SPEAKER_02 44:39

standing. For you, victory tastes bitter, and the cost feels too high.