Part 2 in our series rushes us headlong into the denouement. Again, using the Fistful of Lead rules (primarily the Horse and Musket rules for their simpler handling of Shock) from Wiley Games.
The villagers, reinforced by military elements and some very resourceful Gentlemen of Magick, have taken it on themselves to purge their land of the evil that is Earl Hugo Musgrave. Only recently returned to a land on the brink of war, Earl Hugo's attempts to fortify his Manor House came to a low, half completed stone wall with a lower ring of temporary field fortifications.
The Villagers knew that with a press of force and some well placed ladders they could overwhelm the defenders. The defenders felt confident that could not happen.
The overview of the table showing the bastle style fortified manor house and a timber framed gate house protected by low walls and field fortifications.
A closer look at the manor house.
Unbeknownst to the villagers, Earl Hugo's coven of witches had chosen this very evening to perform a great summoning that would, if successful, bring forth a great and dark lord to aid them in their cause.
For activations I printed up my own set of cards using the Wiley games format. Based on some scans I took of a reproduction 16th century card deck.
As the villagers make their approaches the hounds of hell are unleashed to worry at their flanks. A group of riders sallies forth from the manor house and starts to loop around to the other flank.
The army has sent some dragoons and cavalry to aid the villagers. All have dismounted. The light cavalry have formed a storming party and will assault the gatehouse with a petard. If all goes well they will blow the gate off and have an easy run to the manor house.
The assault commences!
Dragoons on the right flank are tasked with picking off the wall defenders. Suddenly they are flanked by ravening abominations that seem to literally spring from the ground.
The ladder crew pushes forward under heavy musket fire.
The petard is "hoisted" to the gate and secured in rapid fashion.
The Sergeant commanding the Dragoons is struck down and dragged down into a pit by the last surviving abomination.
The ladders reach the first line of defenses.
Meanwhile the petard has blown the gate and attackers storm through. One group stays near the gate to hold it against the devil hounds they can see headed their way.
Earl Hugo unleashes his Dark Riders from the manor house to stop the attackers pouring through the sundered gate.
One lone rider makes it past the dragoons fire to harry the assaulters with pistol fire.
The Devil Dog Barghests make their attack but are stymied by musket fire from the rear guard.
Meanwhile, behind the Manor, the great summoning has gone better than expected. The great Dark Lord has arrived. The witches squeal with delight and all start to jabber like hens, begging their boons of him. With a wave of his hand he turns the witches into swine. He then resurrects the sacrifices made to tempt him here and moves to the great pit from which the abominations had earlier climbed out of.
Seeing his plans thwarted Earl Hugo decides to make his escape and sallies out with the leader of his Dark Riders and his faithful familiar the dog known as Parson Pyrites.
The Dark Lord rasises an army of the Dead from the pit and forms them into lines of battle.
As attackers pour through the sundered gate they are met by villagers clambering up their ladders. By this time the defenders see that their days are numbered and start to think better about remaining on the field of battle.
The rear guard puts paid to the Barghests.
Parson Pyrites holds the gate to allow his master time to retreat. He lets forth with a tongue of Hell Fire that puts several of the attackers out of the fight.
Earl Hugo vaults the wall, musket and pistol balls whizzing by. One strikes him but maintains his horse and rushes on, intent to make good his escape.
The leader of the rear guard runs up the revetment and takes a final shot at Earl Hugo, his aim is true and his shot makes a breach in Earl Hugo the Devil couldn't close.
As the defenders routed from the field and their leader lay dying on the ground, the Villagers and their Military supporters started to question the sense in holding the field against such a great evil as this devil and his army of the dead that now faced them.
Just as it came to the tipping point the Demon waved his hand in the air in a summoning gesture. All the recent dead lying about the field of battle rose, and flocked to him. The demon turned his gaze to the East and in a great booming voice he called out to his flock: "Now we make for London children, and I shall claim my seat in Parliament!"
With that the demon strode off to the East, ending our players worries as to what to do.
For now.
