The Llednevir Chronicles
"Death Amid Water in Llednevir"
A Flintloque Scenario by CJ Hooper
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The village of Tarrwen Harbour has been destroyed by a fearsome Elder God but the survivors of the rampage drove him back into the seas. Now in this third Llednevir Chronicle the seas themselves rise to take back it's wounded master and claim the creatures that harmed him. Who will prevail ?
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Those who know, those who follow the tales of Llednevir, will have witnessed the return of Owen Dunglowerin to Tarrwen Harbour at their time of greatest need. Most of the village gone but for a few of the Women Folk, Evans the Deaf and a smattering of Todoroni, including Hoolio Iclaziarse and Captain Hatt. The rest sleep safe in the land of mists beyond the furthest shore.
Dunglowrin remembers; his men distracting the great beast Dagontwyswifchips, some giving their lives so that the gunners may reach the cannon. The great Brunnehilda’s Bark, the cannon rescued from the Todoroni ship La Storia proved that it’s bite was tougher than its voice and bellowed leaden death towards the devouring beast that was smashing up the town.
All had nearly been lost as Taffsea and Todoroni alike fell before Dagontwyswifchips. In the end all the Taffsea Gunners had fallen, all appeared lost until a wounded Captain Hatt with his knowledge of his old cannon stepped into the breach and assisted the last of the Taffsea in reloading Brunnehilde and blasting the watery behemoth one last time before it fled back to the sea.
The last alliance saw off the destruction of the town and Dagontwyswifchips returned to the sea. However this great demigods vengeance would be felt...
The sea began to swell, to rise to take back its wounded master and to swallow those that wounded his pride with their fire and stone.
First the tide rode back as would a rearing warhorse ready to stamp its iron shod hooves upon it prey.
Unknowing of the danger the Taffsea and Todoroni rested in the middle of the town by the smoking ruins of the Tavern, the Sailor’s Arms where Sinworse the Sailor once plied his weak beer to the over worked and thirsty.
However the sea is cruel and before crushing the town it reaches its arms around the remaining town during the cold night.
As the desperate sun pushes its way through the mourning mist the villagers realise that Tarrwen Harbour has been become an island and unlike Angharrad’s it does not offer rest and succour.
The survivors mist reach La Storia, see her afloat that they may escape Dagontwyswifchips’ deadly throes...
The Game is A Webbed Foot
This game may be played as a solo game or as two players (Taffsea and Todoroni). As a two player game it is anticipated that both players may wish to work together to escape, however there is always the risk of the double cross. Who will finally Escape From Tarrwen Harbour…?
(The author wishes to state that each of the adventures of Llednevir have had a previously unwritten sub-title; these have been left secret as to preserve some of the mystery of events to come... Well I tried... The first game was referred to as simply Tarrwen Harbour, followed by The Battle for Tarrwen Harbour, this is Escape From Tarrwen Harbour. You may, for some reason, be able to guess the next two… Beneath Tarrwen Harbour and finally Conquest for Tarrwen Harbour, in which the final truth will be revealed.)
Back to the Game...
This game may be complex... With players changing allegiances... and maybe characters...
If you haven’t played the prequels (of course you have you loyal fans...) then the two sides are built on the remains of the last assuming Dagontwyswifchips was defeated.
It may be that there were not survivors enough to do this in which case assume that named characters survived and D3 of each side… yes D3. It was a very tough prequel.
Both sides are placed at least 12cms apart in the main street amidst the rubble in the centre of the town. They must place one player at a time as they vie for dominance of the road.
As the race begins towards the boat, scraps may occur depending upon the players, their main concern at this point will be the sea. You may see that the map is divided up into squares. For each edge square roll a D6 – on a 5 it partially floods impeding passage, on a 6 it floods deeply drowning any within the square. In each consecutive round roll another D6 for each square bordered by a water filled square. If the adjoining square is partially flooded then the same rules apply. If the adjoining square is completely flooded then add 1 to the die roll. e.g. a 4 becomes 5 and partially floods, a 5 becomes a 6 and completely floods. Feel free to vary the size and number of squares to increase / decrease the level of danger.
Any character that reaches La Storia may board her. They may need to fight to remain on board as the water level rises. Once the square containing her is under water, La Storia takes to the sea. If Captain Hatt is alive then it may be steered, if not it will move one square per turn in a random yet water filled direction...
Now the twist...
What happens next is also down to the players... As D12 Deep Ones enter the board from any watery table edge intent upon revenge...
The Deep Ones have Experienced Big Todoroni stats, they also have the Frighten (Latent) spell and Slimy Tongue.
The Deep Ones move at a walking pace as they are adept in water, they do not have ranged weapons but will close in quickly upon the erstwhile sailors.
If both players still control troops on board then the Deep Ones may be controlled using the solo rules. If only one player survives then the Deep Ones are controlled by the other. Such is the price of backstabbery.
Death Amid Water Map Coming Soon ~|~
Victory Conditions
As the Deep Ones arrive they have D10 plus 6 turns to reach the ship, board it and kill those on board.
The survivors of Tarrwenn Harbour must simply live on until after the prescribed D10 plus 6 turns the water will recede sharply and settle again as the wounded Dagontwyswifchips power wanes. The boat will continue to sail for one more adventure...
But this will wait for another game...
Author’s Notes
When Craig and I first played Mostly Death In Llednevir we rapidly discovered what a dangerous creature Dagontwyswifchips really was, destroying most of the houses and the church of Brunnehilde the Undone. Many troops, cultists and civilians (those that had not slain each other) fell to the invincible beastie. It taught me an interesting lesson in creating a piece that removes others from play and no argument may be used against it.
I seem to remember that we finished up with around three or four characters left in total. Such was the destruction. The number of survivors was not aided by the sheer hatred of Hobgoblin for Toad that saw the whole sorry affair beginning but the outcome described above, with a wounded Captain Hatt coming to save the day, was the final outcome. Let’s see what happens next...
In this scenario the rules get even more free form. It was my intention to steer away from straight fights and ‘capture the flag’ style games. I inhabit Tarrwen Harbour quite often as it is the setting for table top games of Call of Cthulhu and will hopefully soon feature in a live game (under construction).
So treat my town gently, she’s had a tough time and it’s inhabitants, those who remain, could do with looking after.
“And to the sun we all shall bow,
And say ‘Goodnight’, but just for now.”
Rev Eli Jenkins
Under Milk Wood, Dylan Thomas
Webmaster's Notes
An Orcs in the Webbe Original! "Death Amid Water in Llednevir" was written exclusively for Orcs in the Webbe's 2011 Advent Calendar and was first published on Friday 16th December 2011.
CJ's Llednevir Chronicles have been a huge success here on Orcs in the Webbe, if you've not read them (or fancy re-reading them, they are rather good) check out the other chapters using the links below:
Chapter One - 'Tarrwen Harbour' aka 'Love and Death in Llednevir'
The forbidden love ‘twixt ‘Goblin and Toad causes trouble between the Hobgoblin and Todoroni inhabitants of Tarrwen Harbour, a small fishing town in the county of Llednevir, Taffsea.
Chapter Two - 'Battle for Tarrwen Harbour' aka 'Mostly Death in Llednevir'
We return to the village of Tarrwen Harbour in Taffsea the day after the fateful events of 'Love and Death in Llednevir'. The Elder God Dagonwyswifchips has been summoned by Todoroni cultists and he is very very hungry.
Chapter Four - 'Beneath Tarrwen Harbour' aka 'Death Out of Sight but Much in Mind in Llednevir'
Something stirs deep beneath the town of Tarrwen Harbour. Can the survivors of the Sea's wrath face the many faces of of Nyarfoxtrotqwikstep.
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