Unchained Spirit

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Standard Raid the Vaults

Schemes: In Your Face, Let Them Bleed, Outflank, Protected Territory, Power Ritual

My list:

Kirai, Envoy of the Court & Ikiryo
Datsue Ba
Lost Love
Goryo
Shikome
Gwisin with Grave Spirit Touch
Onryo
Enslaved Spirit
Seishin

Pool: 3
Schemes: Let Them Bleed, Protected Territory

Opponent had:

Youko, Unseen & Chiyo
Bill Algren
Hinamatsu
Kunoichi
2x Bunraku
Tanuki
Geisha

Pool: 5
Schemes: Let Them Bleed, Outflank

Turn 1:

It was a map with a lot of choke points, so much so that it was rough even for incorporeal Urami! Crews were essentially split into top and bottom parts, with smaller contingents on top and the rest below. 

Top was Chiyo, Bunraku and Kunoichi against Shikome, Seishin, Enslaved Spirit and later joined by Onryo. Shikome placed a scheme marker to top-right corner to bluff Power Ritual, and was launched to center line by Seishin.

And below... huh. There was this cluster thing going on. 

Youko rushed to center-bottom strategy marker. I attempted to apply som pressure to her, and managed to land Adversary on Youko with Goryo. Datsue Ba came to weigh her sins, but didn't succeed. Hinamatsu, on the other hand, lured the granny forward, which startled me. Sure she'd be just fine this turn, but next turn there would be Hinamatsu, Bill and Youko left to activate. Datsue is a supergranny for sure, but still I thought it better to double-walk Kirai on top of a platform and swirl Datsue Ba to safety, maybe even summoning a model in the process via adversaried Youko.

Black Joker. 

Ah well. At least Bill failed his attackon Datsue Ba.

Gwisin went to guard Kirai, because, well, there was only incorporeal grandmother in between Hinamatsu and Kirai, or Bill and Kirai for that matter, Ikiryo was just concentrating hard because she was not able to get past Youko's stealth. Tanuki and Geisha were hugging Hinamatsu.

Turn 2:

Fortunately Urami got the initiative. Kirai went first, walked past Gwisin and swirled Datsue Ba past Bill, and then past Bill and Youko. Opponent had to cheat one summon check, the rest were passed au naturel. For the rest of the game, in fact. Kirai backed away into safety with masks trigger, having accomplished pretty much nothing.

Bill challenged Gwisin and charged Datsue Ba, dealing a total of four points of damage. Lost Love, who had put a scheme marker to bottom-right corner last turn, teleported to Datsue Ba and healed three out of those four damage. 

Hinamatsu charged Gwisin, but botched her activation, dealing only a total of two points. Since most of the movers and shakers of Qi and Gong had now activated, I turned my attention to top before Shikome would get engaged. She flew to left-top strategy marker. 

And that was when the damnable Tanuki activated and went to heal Bill Algren! Damn you! It was time to punish that abominable furball. Goryo charged through Youko and Tanuki, both of whom passed their summon tests. But you already knew that. Balanced sword slapped the drunkard little furry hard, leaving it at one health remaining. Violent Spirits, sorry, I mean Ghosts, finished Tanuki and even flipped a Red Joker on Youko's failure. Ouch.

Bunraku was able to lure Shikome away from a strategy marker and even stun her with a melee attack. Chiyo just ran past the centerline.

Seishin gave Onryo a walk to contest center-top strategy marker and get Kunoichi within its melee range. Kunoichi waited for a bit too long, and Onryo managed to kill her in one activation. I guess that happens now and then. Enslaved Spirit was then able to walk, chain gang Onryo forward and plant a scheme for perhaps protecting territory one day in the future.

Youko attempted to kill Datsue, and managed to do a few damage points in. Gwisin gave its regeneration for Datsue to bring he up to six health remaining and walked past Hinamatsu, who passed summon test. Threatening Bill Algren didn't do anything. 

Datsue Ba walked through Bill and Youko, prompting a check only on Youko as Bill was a little too far away. Youko passed. Bill didn't. The skinning knife, that is. 

So it almost was a pathetic turn all around, except for the couple of activations that had major implications for turns to come - death of Tanuki and Kunoichi were harsh blows for Qi and Gong.

However, scores went 1-1. One strategy point for Resurrectionists, and Outflank for Ten Thunders.

Turn 3:

Shikome was torn apart by a furious puppet, while Chiyo kept on outflanking. Enslaved Spirit moved scheme marker a little and tried to launch Onryo as far a possible with chain gang, but that was not far enough to get a scheme marker for Protected Territory. Instead, Onryo ran to hold left-top strategy marker.

Melee in the middle was a mess with nobody really accomplishing anything. Datsue Ba and Bill kept hitting each other until Geisha lured Bill away from Datsue, and charged in herself to slow the grandmother with her sharp wits. 

Ikiryo, who had been challenged by Bill Algren, took a walk and a charge at the henchman, bringing him down to two health remaining.

Goryo failed every single check it made. At least Lost Love was able to heal Datsue Ba back to full after Youko had failed most of her attacks against Urami henchman.

But there was also Hinamatsu. I kind of feel sorry for her. She landed four hits on Gwisin that had five health remaining, but failed to kill. Outflanking Bunraku tried to come and deal the last point of damage to no avail.

Kirai activated, healed Gwisin for a bit and swirled it past Hinamatsu, who passed her check. 

Gwisin was not able to get a hit on Hinamatsu, but luckily she had brought herself down to half of her health remaining. 

Scores went to 2-1 for Resurrectionists, as I opted to not reveal Let Them Bleed just yet. 

Turn 4:

Although situation seemed harsh for Qi and Gong, we decided to continue until definitive results.

And good thing we did! There was a chance of a comeback for Ten Thunders when they got the initiative, and Bill wrecked Ikiryo with two strikes. Sure, he was now at one health remaining...

I went to tie Chiyo with Seishin so that she would not be able to go and claim my side strategy marker at top. 

And then Hinamatsu copied what Bill did against Gwisin.

However, Goryo went all kinds of crazy next. First he did Violent Ghosts, that Bill and Hinamatsu passed. But Geisha didn't, and neither did Youko. Geisha took the minimum, but Youko got trashed by Red Joker on Violent Ghosts... again! Goryo was able to cut Geisha down and then charge Bunraku, scoring a severe damage which brought Bunraku down to one health remaining. 

Another Bunraku at top was able to dislodge Chiyo from melee with Seishin, so now Ten Thunders at least had a path to score strategy point.

But Kirai managed to shoot down Bill Algren. Youko was at three health remaining. Hinamatsu at two. Bunraku that was engaging Goryo at one. That was too hopeless of a situation for Qi and Gong, so we ended game. And as opponent had Let Them Bleed as her other scheme, it was indeed game over. Outflank end and any form of Let Them Bleed seemed far fetched. And this turn Resurrectionists would have gotten their both schemes.

While I got the one nasty Black Joker on turn one, opponent had received plenty of Black Jokers on damage flips. Most of the crucial attacks by Qi and Gong seemed to fail all the way until fourth turn, and by then it proved to be too late after all.

Likely scores at the end of fourth turn were about 5-2 for Resurrectionists.

First duo

 A 75 point game of Warmachine Mk4 in the new duo format.

My list:

Horruskh
-Molok
-Tyrant with Relentless Charge, Scything Flail and Claw

Kishtaar
- 2x Jackals with Arc Node, Hunter Rifle and Pneumatic Spike

Ulkor Barragers
Strike Reavers + Reaver Standard
Warwitch Coven
Reaver Commander
Vulcar Forge Master

Opponent had:

Cygnar Unlimited

Commander Coleman Stryker
-Defender
-Cyclone
-Charger

Major Siege Brisbane
-Defender
-Cyclone

2x Stormblade Infantry
2x Arcane Tempest Rifleman

Scenario was Invasion, and Cygnar started game.

One unit of Stormblades accompanied by Arcane Tempest Rifleman were on the flanks, with all of the heavy machinery lumbering on from the middle. 

Orgoth had less of a formation. Ulkors and a Jackal were closing in from the far right, with a unit of Reavers and their commander screening Kishtaar nearby.

Support units were hanging in the back, behind a burning building with Jackal, Horruskh and Tyrant holding middle. Molok had a bit of an ego, challenging the entire leftern flank in its entirety. 

Cygnaran firepower was scary indeed. Molok lost its legs to Defenders, and all but the flag died from Strike Reaver unit. 

Vulcar was a tad too far away from Molok, so Old Faithful repaired damaged systems of the character warjack. 

Ulkors were able to kill one Arcane Tempest Rifleman with blasts bouncing off from a slightly damaged Cyclone. However, when Kishtaar activated, she used her feat and removed the Cyclone with her pack of Jackals. 

Tyrant went to control my 50mm objective with Horruskh hanging behind feating hard. Molok spent a pathfinder card to charge unit of Stormblades that were holding enemy 40mm objective, killing two of them. So, damage done was okay, but what seemed devastating to me was the amount of control points - I received four of them. That seemed... excessive.

So, opponent replied by feating even harder than my warcasters. Siege removed the entire unit of Ulkor Barragers with his feat and Ground Pounder. A Cyclone and Defender brought Jackal in the Dust Devil clouds down to one or two health remaining. 

Stormblades removed the Reaver Standard and shot Reaver Commander off the board. 

Remaining Stormblades in the left ran away from scary Molok, and last remaining Arcane Tempest Rifleman ran to rob me a point from my 50mm objective. Charger was able to shoot Molok's head off, but thanks to hyper-aggressive that spelled some kind of doom for someone, somewhere.

Stryker also used his feat for a round of invulnerability. Opponent managed to deny me all points and even score two of his own. 

However, next turn Orgoth killed just the Arcane Tempest Rifleman, and all but wrecked a Defender with Molok. Orgoth were able to seize a whopping five points, which placed opponent in an untenable situation - either score four points or kill two casters that had plenty of focus left in bank. 

So, game ended in victory for Orgoth.

Jossittelua

 A 50ss game of Malifaux on Vassal.

Strategy: Standard Stuff the Ballots

Schemes: Ensnare, Espionage, Protected Territory, Outflank, Let Them Bleed

My list:

Sebastian Baker & Copycat Killer
Madame Sybelle
Bete Noire
Carrion Effigy with Fate
White Rabbit Co.
Bone Pile
2x Dead Dandy

Pool: 6
Schemes: Ensnare, Protected Territory

Opponent had:

Charles Hoffman & Mechanical Attendant
Melissa KORE
Joss
2x Hunter
2x Watcher
Medical Automaton

Pool: 4
Schemes: Espionage, Let Them Bleed

Turn 1:

First turn was rather slow for Resurrectionists - I proceeded to mine the strategy markers close to my deployment witch scheme markers for a potential Ensnare end condition. For that reason, both Dandies, Carrion Effigy and White Rabbit hadn't moved much beyond deployment zone. White Rabbit sew a hat for Madame Sybelle. 

Seamus carved a Mourner from Madame Sybelle, and the trio was closest thing to strategy marker in the center.  Bone Pile was a little further away not figuring out what to do. 

Farthest flanks were held by Bete Noire (left) and Copycat Killer (right), with Bete Noire charging a Watcher that had flown within her walk+charge reach.

Augmented had a Watcher on both flanks. Melissa and a Hunter supported by Medical Automaton were closing in from the middle of center and right ballot, and the rest were in the middle with Hunter and Joss in the frontline.

Voting in the center looked like it would become a hot topic next turn.

Turn 2:

Dead Dandies finished solving their identical murder mysteries at my side of ballot boxes. One Dandy went in the direction of rightmost ballot that had been claimed by Medical Automaton and Watcher. Another Dandy was sewn a fancy hat by White Rabbit. Rabbit went to remove a destructible box for moves next turn.

Bete Noire wasn't able to kill the Watcher on left with a single strike, so she couldn't fulfill his duty as a citizen just yet. 

Before Mourner was killed by plethora of Augmented action points, Seamus used his entire activation to drop a scheme just past the center ballots, take Mourner by the hand and drop two votes in the center. I would have certainly liked to do other things with Seamus, but I had messed up with Madame Sybelle by charging Joss and then hitting him again. I had originally planned to interact a scheme close to Joss. 

Fortunately Joss wasn't able to land his hits on Madame Sybelle - that irreducible damage track sure is scary! - only one weak damage with critical strike came in. 

One Hunter engaged Bone Pile, and another leaped on Seamus and used deadly pursuit to go and engage White Rabbit and Dead Dandy. 

Carrion Effigy healed whatever damage Hunter had done to Bone Pile.

Scores went 2-1, with lead for Resurrectionists from revealing Ensnare.

Turn 3:

Madame Sybelle popped her aura and injured Joss heavily. After that opponent got totally fixated on killing Madame Sybelle. Joss, Hoffman, Melissa and even a Hunter that disengaged from White Rabbit and Dead Dandy all took their shots. Keeping Madame on board took all of my remaining soulstones, but she was left standing with two health. Undivided Attention and Alone in the Dark trigger on Urban Legend helped there immensely, although I don't think even a single point of damage was done via distractions. 

In the center, Seamus had put up his aura, placed a vote and a scheme marker.

Bete Noire dropped a scheme to left and placed her vote. White Rabbit and a Dead Dany were slowly, so slowly getting past the center line. 

Second Dandy went to place a vote on rightmost ballot before getting engaged by Medical Automaton. Since it looked like even fight, Watcher just dropped a scheme out of Dandy's LoS and another vote to the ballot. 

Effigy turned into Emissary tried to relieve Dead Dandy in melee with Medical Automaton by rotting and rending in their general direction, but failed to accomplish anything. Even bonus action failed because of no cards left to cheat.

Hunter and Bone Pile continued their less-than-lethal duel, and suddenly we were looking at the end phase. 

Bete Noire had scored me second strategy point for a lead of 3-1.

Turn 4:

Guild got the initiative, and Joss butchered Madame Sybelle as expected. It took only one strike, and as such Joss got some extra time to scribble his vote to the ballot. I made the mistake of activating Seamus first, taking Hunter by the paw to get a charge lane at Joss. Only one attack hit Joss and dealt minimum damage, so the henchman was still alive at one health. Mechanical Attendant was able to heal him for two.

What I should have done was to activate Carrion Emissary and put up Aura of Decay and go and charge Joss so even if it fails, Joss wouldn't be able to heal.

Fortunately Emissary was able to kill what remained of Joss with a single strike though, so there's that. 

Melissa charged and started shooting Carrion Emissary, bringing it down to two health remaining. This forced Bone Pile to stop scratching the chrome paint of Hunter and disengage to throw a healing bone for Carrion Emissary. 

Having now activated just about every model I could use for votes in the middle, Hoffman was left free to stuff his own stack of votes to center, resetting the points. Last action was an attempt to attack Carrion Emissary, but no hits were scored. 

Copycat Killer blasted Medical Automaton with half-pint flintlock, dealing a severe damage and bringing the automaton to one health. But the minion activated next, healed itself for two and tried to perform a surgery on Dead Dandy. Dandy did not approve and spanked the tiny robot dead with a single well placed hit with fancy cane. After violence, Dandy flamboyantly dropped his vote into the ballot. Watcher, however, claimed that box and came to engage Dandy.

Dandy on the left insulted a Hunter and charged it to engage. This forced Hunter to disengage, so it wouldn't be able to interact this turn. I had high suspicion opponent got Espionage for one of his schemes. 

Another Hunter that had been engaged by Bone Pile was now free to move and vote at Resurrectionists side right ballot.

I had become a little carried off with the Dandy beating R2D2 and spent all cards from my hand, so to score Protected Territory this turn White Rabbit had to make a hat to happen. After Bete Noire ran to Guild side left strategy marker, White Rabbit Co. concentrated and sew a hat for Bete, and walked to the same strategy marker. 

So, opponent was able to deny me a third strategy point, and got the second one himself. However, Resurrectionists scored Protected Territory for a total of 4-2 lead for Resurrectionists.

Turn 5:

We decided to play until game was clear. My first activation was to run Dead Dandy to engage Hunter, which already made scoring strategy point difficult for Guild. Melissa shot off Dandy's hat, but the gent stood still. 

Emissary went to engage both Hoffman and Mechanical Attendant. But when second Dead Dandy succeeded in removing opponent's scheme marker on centerline, we called it quits. Almost. We realized opponent might try to peck a point of damage in to Dead Dandy for Let Them Bleed end condition.

Resurrectionists got 5 or 6 points, while Guild might have scored 4 in best case scenario.

Can't Get the Angle R ight

 Gave a second round of Malifaux demo to a local Angler prospect. 

Crews we had:

Sebastian & Zombie Chihuahua
2x Flesh Construct
Guild Autopsy

Pool: 2

Opponent had:

Aunty Mel & Bruce
3x Skulker Skin

Pool: 4

Scenario was my demo standard: if a model was killed this round, gain 1 point. Scheme pool: Dig Their Graves, Assassinate, Breakthrough, Deliver a Message, Detonate Charges.

This set-up worked quite well. There were two targets for Aunty Mel's White Whale. Experimentals had absolutely horrible defense with Bruce around, so Skulker Skins had no trouble connecting hits, but weren't dealing that much damage per hit, while Flesh Constructs had to rush in and play it risky, certainly dishing out damage where I wanted. This resulted in a steady trading of models for victory points. 

Both of my schemes (Detonate Charges and Deliver a Message) required enemy models alive, so I couldn't just go to town with Sebastian's bone saw. Opponent, on the other hand, just needed my models dead with Assassinate and Dig Their Graves. 

So it was a pretty good demo setting. 

As a honorable mention Aunty Mel ended game with four Tide Markers that she had placed herself... had not one of them been turned into a scheme marker, there would have been five. Movement is way overrated in Malifaux, anyway. 👀

A Spoiled Gaki in Every Adult

A 50ss game of Malifaux.

Strategy: Wedge Cloak and Dagger

Schemes: Death Beds, Sweating Bullets, Espionage,  Power Ritual, Hold Up Their Forces

My list:

Kirai, Envoy of the Court & Ikiryo
Datsue Ba
Lost Love
Goryo with Grave Spirit Touch
Goryo
Gwisin with Grave Spirit Touch
Gwisin
Seishin

Pool: 2
Schemes: Power Ritual, Espionage

Opponent had:

Nekima, Broodmother & Blood Hunter
Hayreddin
Mature Nephilim
2x Young Nephilim
Lilitu
Black Blood Shaman

Pool: 4
Schemes: Espionage, Death Beds (corpse)

Turn 1:

A scary bunch of Nephilim discouraged Urami to fly across the board. Fortunately there were corners to secure for both Espionage and Power Ritual. Ikiryo placed one scheme marker in the bottom-right corner and Lost Love in another. Seishin walked Ikiryo a bit forward, within interact distance to rightmost strategy marker. Goryo with Grave Spirit Touch received the same treatment towards center-right marker.

Goryo went and picked up intel. By now Nephilim had summoned a Terror Tot a bit past the centerline, spammed some Focused with Black Blood Shaman, shot off a part off Mature Nephilim with Hayreddin, and eventually grew a Lilitu into another Mature. Former Lilitu proceeded to charge my intel claiming Goryo.

There were still fast Nephilim models left to activate, so Kirai activated and walked into front of wedge, and started swirling some spirits, a non-touched Gwisin closer to Terror Tot and Goryo away from melee. Gwisin charged past Terror Tot and managed to pop Enslaved Spirit out of it and Mature Nephilim. In the picture, tough, the spirits are the scheme markers. Kirai2's summons are not ideal when dealing with Black Blood models for sure.

Hired Mature went to pick up intel and screen Nekima, and my other Goryo went to pick up intel from the same marker. Datsue Ba startled the Mature by shouting things only grandmother knows.

A Young Nephilim went to stalk the same strategy marker Ikiryo was going for, and another Young took center.

Turn 2:

Oh my, looks like I forgot to take picture from the most important and eventful turn of all. Last turn picture everyone is still on board, next turn picture everyone's gone. Ah well.

What I do remember is that Seishin gave a walk for Ikiryo, who went to stand on strategy marker. 

Hired Mature Nephilim charged towards Datsue Ba and Goryo, pushing ghosts here and there with Shove Aside. Gwisin and Kirai were able to kill former Lilitu with great trouble. After that, killing a baby was too much of a task and Terror Tot was able to grow into a fully fledged Lilitu that kept trying to lure grave spirit touched Gwisin. In the end Gwisin was forced into melee with Mature Nephilim that later charged the granny. Gwisin's activation was wasted with missing a Threaten and disengaging to guard Kirai. 

Before Mature Lilitu had died, Nekima had darkly bargained it to place a scheme marker on the centerline. Gwisin engaged by the Mature Lilitu scraped off the scheme marker, feeling proud of himself thus ruining Espionage for Neverborn. With the free walk went to engage the new and improved Lilitu. 

Well, he was just about to die, though. Young Nephilim in the middle was able to just slap a scheme marker next to Gwisin, and models around the Urami bodygoard failed so hard that Gwisin died and scored Death Beds for the opponent.

Goryo with Grave Spirit Touch went to place a scheme marker on centerline, and as last activation for the round Young Nephilim charged it and nearly killed the ghost, bringing it down to one health remaining.

Ikiryo had ran to top-right corner to bring Lost Love there to drop scheme markers for both of my schemes.

Datsue Ba started tickling hired Mature with skinning knife, steadily making weak progress that in total damaged my models equally much. 

Both players scored strategy, Neverborn got Death Beds and Resurrectionists took Espionage for a 2-2 tie.

Turn 3:

Nephilim got the initiative, and Mature Nephilim banished Goryo that still had an intel on it, invoking a blast of Adversary condition. This at least gave an activation for the touched Goryo, regenerating back to three health. It brought itself back down to one. It was likely Young Nephilim that killed my fragile ten point investment.

Someone managed to summon an Enslaved Spirit out of Lilitu, who was then able to chain gang Datsue Ba out of melee. The grandmother charged through Mature Nephilim, managing to get two summons out of the beast first by getting a Gaki from moving through, and then Onryo from  scoring a kill with Weigh Sins. 

Hayreddin had used Life From Blood, and Blood Hunter charged Gaki. Gaki would have proven to actually be a Terror Tot if it wasn't for moderates on damage with negative modifiers.

Onryo and Seishin tried to deal with Blood Hunter, but weren't up to the job. Seishin even managed to die somehow, although I forget how. 

Ikiryo and Lost Love played their own game next to Neverborn board edge.

Black Blood Shaman had been sneakily collecting intel last round and this, thus giving a point for Neverborn. They also got their own Espionage, while Resurrectionists revealed Power Ritual for a 4-3 lead for Neverborn.

Turn 4:

Both players started to run low on significant, non-summoned models. I was thinking of trying to go for a strategy point until Young Nephilim managed to kill remaining Gwisin. That was a marking point where granny chose violence, again. Unfortunately Young Nephilim endured grandmother's wrath. 

Kirai was able to pull off another Gaki from Blood Hunter with Onryo, and Gaki even killed the puppy. Onryo was free to go and place a scheme on centerline so that there was no realistic way to deny me at least that line of Espionage. 

Ikiryo went to pick up Neverborn scheme marker from their deployment zone. Young Nephilim went to place one on mine, though.

No additional points were scored this turn.

Turn 5:

ome excitement left for the last turn. Onryo was able to engage Black Blood Shaman, but the bugger was able to disengage and place a scheme with Nekima's Dark Bargain. 

Ikiryo placed a scheme to enemy deployment and went to act as a Lost Love homing beacon for last corner of Power Ritual. 

Datsue Ba and Kirai were swirled by the spirits on top of two strategy markers, and both were able to pick intel. Nekima, however, ruined that plan by stealing Kirai's intel. 

So, it looked like both players were going to get both scheme ends and nothing else. But Resurrectionists still had a chance for a draw - Gaki would have to disengage and get at least 3" of movement to gobble up one corpse from Death Beds end condition, and come back to engage Young Nephilim so that it would not be able to go and scheme with the respectable numbers of corpses around, considering that one of the teams weren't dropping any markers on death...

So, a 6-5 victory for Neverborn.

Destinies Galore

 Since the longest of time, I played a three player game of Talisman. 

My character was the Scavenger, and the other players were the Alchemist and Totem Warrior. 

Early on in the game Totem Warrior found the Cataclysm Blade and went to wreck face in the Highlands. The Alchemist "found" a Flail in the city and went to wreck face, well, kind of nowhere. All manners of enemies seemed determined not to encounter him, or if they did they were of such high level that the battle turned into a stand-off. 

Scavenger was just fooling around without accomplishing much by herself, but Auctioneer encountered by other characters gave her a Greatsword and a Spiked Shield. A notable find for her was the Magic Wand.

As Scavenger's game didn't seem to be going anywhere, she made the drasic desicion to go to Woodlands and chose the Path of Fortune. And what a fortune it was to get the Alchemy spell from magic wand! However, Scavenger did n't rush to cast the spell and waited intead until she was closer to meet with her destiny. 

However... in the particular corner space where you draw cards equal to the difference between two die rolls, she managed to land on the maximum of five cards. And what an excitement it was. First Oberon robbed Scavenger of her fate and lives, and Urdr filled the lives back. Then it was time for Baba Yaga to torment her, but fortunately she did not turn into a toad. And then Leprechaun - again one opportunity to turn into a toad! Fortunately no, this Leprechauns was rather nice and gifted Scavenger with six gold. 

Scavenger had twice lost all of her fate during her time in the woodlands, thus being Fateless a tad too often. Nonetheless, I pushed my luck and was finally gifted with the destiny of The Champion.

Around that time Totem Warrior had come back from the Highlands, and entered Woodlands, too. His journey there was miserable, as right near the end of it with Path of the Wyrd he got turned into a toad. Heroically the little ribbit survived whatever the trees threw at it, and even landed on his stuff right after turning back into Totem Warrior. And his luck did not end there - he had a successful encounter with Queen Mab, gettinga free destiny before managing to score another destiny from Path of the Wyrd. One of them was the Wealthy, and the other one was one to replenish a fate whenever another player replenished fate, I think?

Throughout the fateful ordeals of Totem Warrior and Scavenger, Alchemist had played a weird game. He had not exactly had bad luck, no, not like that... at least in the way it is usually meant. He had nice items and a few followers, spells and stuff, but actual stat ups had evaded him all through the game. 

Totem Warrior had scary enough base strength via stats and items, so my Scavenger was in a hurry to go to Crown of Command before he'd come out of the woods. With ease she beat the Eagle King, managed to find the Arnkell, forced the lock of Portal of Power, ditched Arnkell after finding the Ageless Talisman from Plain of Peril, and teleported to the space before Crown of Command. Then, she won the game. Right? Nope. 

She only managed to cast the Command Spell two or three times, failing every time, before Alchemist attempted to play the kingmaker and summoned Scavenger away from Crown of Command with the Gongs of War. 

It was time for Totem Warrior's gambit of power. 

He shuffled about in the outer region until he managed to land on Woods space for a raft. With ease he passed the Portal of Power, and didn't have much of a problem in the inner region, having more than enough followers to feed to the Lich. Scavenger was following him just behind his steps, but got an unlucky roll in mines or wherever and got teleported to Crags.

So, Totem Warrior was able to reach Crown of Command without anyone opposing. However, once there, Scavenger opposed him indeed, as now her stats went through the roof due to Ageless Talisman.

Easily enough Scavenger passed the first two spaces of the Inner Region. However, even all the Totem Warrior's followers had not fed the appetite of Lich. Scavenger was to lose six lives even after trying to haggle to price with fate.

And, as a cruel twist of fate, that was Scavenger's last Bright Fate. I didn't take into account that Scavenger had Death Pact spell - by using that fate to redirect the loss of lives to Totem Warrior would have almost certainly won me the game.

Oh well. Scavenger died there, and Alchemist defied Totem Warrior by dying to a random enemy rather than the Command Spell.