The War of Five Stones

The world hold many secrets. Some known, some unknowable, and some, that should never be known.

During the year the humans call IC 1925 there came an event. For the races of the world it went by much as any other. Armies assembled, Empires arose, and Humans, Elves, Dwarfs went along their busines of survival as they had for mellenia; all the flow and ebb of the Winds of Magic and the will of the chaos gods. But for three weeks things were, diffrent. The Winds of Magic, fickle and strange began to twist and writhe in ways none of the races had ever seen. In the sky the stars were obscured by writhing deamon lights and the wind seemed to wisper secrets. The mortal races of the world were thrown into disaray as children were born with deformites unseen even during the great storms of magic.

In the Empire the city-state of wissenburg was horrified by a child born with no head and issued prophices out of his throat. The dwarfs in their mountain homes gathered their familes and barricaded their doors as seems of rock glowed with unearthly colors and disturbing sounds issued out from the deepest mines. The Skaven cowered in their cities as more and more litter were born unspeakable horrors. The Elves of Ulthan, Naggarrond and Athel Loren were all shaken to the core when their spells began to shift and change to things never before recorded in all their long history. The Slann were like wise disturbed by these protents and searched the tablets of the Old Ones in search of the meanings, if they found one the did not share it with anyone else. In the areas were chaos was worshipped the rites and sacrifices reached a new frenzy as the minds so close to madness felt a touch that was not of their gods. The only ones who understood, and the only ones who acted were the ruinious powers.

In this small backwards world they felt something they had felt scarce few times before and it frightend them. For the first time in aeons they turned the mighty intellects upon the Warhammer world. With their armies assembled the marched through the Polar gates to do battle. All the living things in the world looked up in fear as the skies filled with colors that did not exists, sounds came down from the sky that did were not sounds, and shreds of non-existence fell to the earth only to dissolve. These conditions lasted for a long, long week that was marked with the complete abscence of the Winds of Magic. Even those who had strived to keep themselves pure of the touch of Chaos could feel the importance of the events going on around them. Then at the end of the week there was an allmight sound, like the sound of a child first cry and a mans last dying gasp and it finished. All the colors and sounds were sucked back into the gates and the winds of magic flooded back out into the world. Thing were seemed to be normal.

But something was left that had not exsisted before.

In the twisting wilds of the chaos wastes two opposing forces gather. Each is here for their own reasons but now they're united against each other for controll of the object.

Having seized controll of the object, the chose ones have found it to be a obscure and hard to read map. As they can see they need to march through the mountains of mourne. With requests to his Lord for reinforcements, Sorcerer Lord Darzhi sends hobgoblins to track them, hoping to find a place in the craggy mountains for an ambush.

Dramatis personæ

The Dark Emissaries

From the outskirts of the Empire, the Lantern Bearer travelled north. Wherever he went, dark things followed. The Lantern Bearer spoke to no man, and rarely stopped, neither for food nor rest. He was sent by someone else from a shadowed place, to seek out a power in the Northern Wastes. And upon his first snow laded step, he knew his task had only begun.

The wind whistled harshly through the rocks and the trees, carrying the sounds of marching. The Lantern Bearer was not alone, and he was not pleased.

The light from his lantern dimmed, as he trudged off into the frostwind. A cold place, consuming a colder heart.

Raising his lantern up to the looming crystal, the Lantern Bearer snarled. The swirling lights on the crystal formed symbols unknown to him. It would lead him closer to his sinister goal, but he would need a wise ally to aid him. Promising great fame and fortune, the Lantern Bearer convinced a Grey Seer to read the symbols for him. The Rat wizard had the wisdom, a could decipher the map upon the shimmering crystal. The map directed them to the Mountains of Mourne. Though he now travelled with company, he did not speak, nor even look at any Skaven that approached him. The Grey Seer would have to be patient, waiting for whatever reward the Lantern Bearer had offered him.

As they left the battlefield for the rocky lands, there remained the littered remnants of a Dwarf and Skaven skirmish, and the still standing, frozen corpses that were once the Lantern Bearer's necromantic thrall.

Spoiler:

The Clavigers

From the industrial wastes of the Dark Lands, at the behest of the Sorcerer-lord Jarl Darzi, the lesser lord Grimhilder Darzi and his commander Gunnarr El-Hashem wander the Chaos Wastes searching for creatures for their mad lord`s zoo.

Spoiler:

Phase 1

Dark Emmisaries - 2 cp/2 cp total
- Signs and portents

Phase 2

Dark Emmisaries - 1cp/3cp total
- The Long March

Phase 3

The Crossing of Fire

Special:

Deadly Ground - The Dark Lands are one of the most inhospitable realms in the warhammer world, filled with boiling rivers of sulphur and hills that are little more than treacherous mounds of bone and ash among which many foul things lurk. In addition to any othe rterrain effect, hilla are counted as being Dangerious Terrain and any water or swamp scenery inflicts 2D6 strength 1 hits on any unit caught in it during the Compulsory Movement phase of the player's turn.

We can change that storyline if people don`t like it, I was typing it before I was going to bed and i was only about half conscious.

For the army list just post a little blurb about your characters, mainly who they are and a simplified version of what events found them in the chaos wastes.

I've been trying to get around to doing this, but my army is like 400 points. Not sure when I'll get those darned skeletons done. Gimme a day or two to figure out something.

Also, when should we get around to doing the first game? Will it be me and Colten vs you, Robbie?

I'm thinking so. I'm busy this week and next finishing up some Distance course so would the week after that (6-12th) be okay? That way we have a bit of time to set up a time that works for all of us (hopefully). Also could we use your place?

And yes it looks like it's going to be against me. You asked earlier if you could borrow some models and I have 10 dwarfs and 20 goblins I'm not using.

Awesome. Yes it can be at my house. I would really like to have a game we can have plenty of time to finish. Us being new and all, will need time to look up rules and such. So like, a weekend type day, start it in the afternoon or something, and just stay as long as it takes to finish.

Thnks, for a little while, those gobbos and dwarves just may have to be skeletons, or even ghouls.

Okay, so here's pretty much all I could muster right now, (includiing those proxies)
Still pondering a backstory, as when I first thought about collecting these guys a Vampire was going to be the main character.

Vampire Counts army at 660 points:

Hopefully Colten can fill out the last 1,400 points. Are we playing with 2k? Or what?

So its happening around the 6th or 12th

Hmm, It says 2,500 points. But 2000 will work just fine, which ever you can muster. If you're having trouble making the 2000 I can lend you some orks as they're only there to get me to 2500.

As for the date, well I would like this week or next for the first game. Later this week would be good for me as I seem to be coming down with something. which dates are good for you guys?

I'm good for pretty much any day. I'm so ready for this to finally get under way.

Weekends are best though. We really need to be able to have all of us stay long enough to actually finish the game. I would really enjoy playing a full game. Not sure if we need to start this midday or just in the evening. It is only one game, but I'm pretty darned new to it.

Shall we say..... next saturday? Or what?

so 1:00 on the 26th, 2000 points, 1400 pts of which im filling out... about right

DEAL, but to be exact, I'm at 660, so you'd need 1,340. But you know, close enough. Can't wait to see what you're bringing to the table. We need to be able to chew through hobgoblins and survive war machine bombardments.

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The cool things about the Lantern Bearer (the Necromancer and General of my force) is that he travels alone, and ghouls naturally follow him wherever he goes, as they are drawn to necromantic magic. Then, when battle comes he prepares some cadavers and imbues them with reanimation with a few dark words.

But how does he strike a deal with the Skaven? Perhaps he promises them something? Or does the Skaven general hire him for this alliance. Either way, both sides have their own motives, this is just a mutually selfish alliance after all.

Very nice story Calvin. Like the idea of a lone Necromancer roaming the Old World raising the dead, and then making more .

That's a great backstory. Hmm, I can't do saturday as I will be in Nanimo possibly picking up something nasty for my Chaos Dwarfs. Thursday I'm free anytime till 7 and on Friday I'm free around 3:30.

Well thursday wouldn't work then, as I get home at 6. So Friday then? 3:30 it is. It'll take, what 3 hours, 4 hours for us slow folk to finish a game? That sounds good to give us extra time. 3:30pm to 8:00pm? I mean, I could go later, but I figured I'd have a suggested end time in case people need to know when this is over.

And thanks guys about the story.

Alright Sounds good.

Woah, I have no idea what the heck I was thinking. I still work friday, like I have for many many many months. Not sure what I was thinking but I can not start this at 3:30.

I CAN however, start this at 6:30. Can we start at 6:30 and end at 9, 10 or 11 even?

Is this possible? Can everyone stay 'til 10?

Thumbs up. I love the lantern

I just did that for my space marine army(made fluff about them,only read the 1st page of posts),made a book about em to. can i upload from microsoft word?

Well thanks!
Not that it is a big deal, but in trying to keep this topic more about the campaign, you could have posted on the topic in the link. Not trying to be rude, again, no big deal Nathan, there is just a topic made specifically for my Necro for talking about it.

And Sage, could you not just copy and paste all the text? Put it in to your own topic, perhaps in the "What's up" category.

Oh, OK

Battle report 1: Altar of Battle

The first Game of the campain! 2,000 pts Chaos Dwarfs vs. Skaven/Vampire counts.

Setup:



The S/VC choose their side and set up. The skaven cores are flanking on one side and the rest are behind the Zombies and skelies who are in the path of the marsh. Now it's not in the picture but between the two blocks of Clan rats there were two Wind Motar. The Chaos Dwarfs deploy their foot troops on the sides with the artilery in the center. We roll for magic and the Sorceror Lord gets Enchanted Blades, Golden hounds, Transmutation of Lead and Glitering robe. The Pyrophant gets Cascading Fire cloak. The Necromncer got Invocation of Nehek and (Calvin you'll have to tell me what the other one was). The Grey Seer got the Dreaded 13th spell and (Colton you'll have to tell me what other one's he got).

Chaos Dwarf Turn 1

I win the roll off, everyone except the artilery marching. During the magic phase the pyrophant's cloak got dispelled, and the Sorceror Lord was not in range, yet. The Altar scattered off the skellies, while the Death Rocket killed 5. The Doom Cannon scattered off the Grey Seer clan rats onto the Wind Motars obliterating one of them.



Skaven/Vampire counts 1

All marched up with one of the units of zombies moving slowly through the marsh. During the magic phase the Grey Seer wasn't in range but the necromancer manged to raise 13 zombies and 8 skeletons.

Chaos Dwarf 2

The Pyrophant risked the Temple of Skulls and was upped to 4 attacks. all move up and the hobgoblin archer move into the tower. Again the the sorceror was out of range and the pyrophants spell was dispelled. During the shooting phase the Death Rocket killed 11 zombies and the Doom Cannon killed 8 skaven clan rats from the Warlord group and scared them so badly that they fled! The White council saw this and decided to flee as well.



Skaven/Vampire Counts 2

Luckly however the Skaven reform in the movement phase and everyone, who could, marched again. In the Magic phase the Skaven attempted to take their revenge by casting the dreaded 13th spell on the block of acolytes but the sorceror lord irresitably dispelled it. The Invocation of nehek raised 4 skellies and 16 zombies but while the concentration of the Sorceror lord was else where he cast the curse of years at the left most block of hobgoblins and killed 3. During the shooting phase the wind mortar failed to take revenge for it's lost comrade.

Chaos Dwarf 3

The hobgoblins with curse of years moved into the Altar of Battle and lost 2 to the angry spirits of would be conquers. The other hobgoblins moved up but the Stormcallers stayed on the temple of skulls. The Sorceror lord casts the Golden hounds of Ghenna at the necromancer who passes all but one of his Look out Sir! rolls and loses 1 skelly out of his retinue, the one that did hit him not doing anything. In his anger however he channels more than he could take and causes a calamatis detonation (both on the first roll and the re-roll) losing a wound and two of his blunderbuss retinue. The curse of Years killed 8 more hobgoblins. The hobgoblins archer shoot at the skelies and kill 3.



Skaven/Vampire Counts 3

As usual all march forward but the zombies lost 6 as they got sunk in the swamp. one unit of zombies moved into the altar and lost 4 to the angry spirits. During the magic phase the Grey seer cast warp lighting which killed 2 acolytes. he also cast krax call but it was dispelled. The Invokation of nehek raised 27 zombies and 5 skeletons. During the shooting phase the wind mortar missed again.

Chaos Dwarfs 4

The Acolytes charged the Grey Seer skaven and the Curse of year'd Hobgoblins charged the zombies for control of the altar. During the magic phase the cloak is dispelled again despite the acolytes musical support.... and the sorceror lord casts glitering robe on the acolytes. The hobgoblins loose 2 to the curse of years. In the shooting phase the altar misfires and the Death rocket fails to wound any of the skellies (the necromancer having made his look out sir!). The Doom Cannon kills 4 skaven clanrats and turns them on their heels again. The Hobgoblin archers managed to kill 1 skelly. During the close combat phase the cursed hobgoblins are killed to the man and the chaos dwarfs challenge the Grey Seer who hides like a coward! They then proceed to kill 4 skaven and loose 1 in return.

Skave/Vampire counts 4

The Rat ogres try to charge the Acolytes but fail, the skeletons charge the hobgoblins and the zombies charge the archers. During the magic phase crat call kills 4 acolytes and invocation of nehk rasies 18 zombies and 8 skellies. The Hobgoblin archers kill 5 zombies and we may never know howmany they lost in return due to my hidious hand writing. The necromancer thinks no more than a couple. The Acolytes kill 7 skaven and loose none in return. The Hobgoblin Challenges the skellies and the Skelly champion awnsers only to be killed.

At this point we ran out of time and so the victory went to the Skaven/Vampire counts as they had got a victory point for killing the cursed hobgoblins.

Sweet, great report Robbie! Can't wait to see what the result of this battle means for the campaign, and where we go next.

Here are some corrections as I notice them:

The Necromncer got Invocation of Nehek and (Calvin you'll have to tell me what the other one was). The Grey Seer got the Dreaded 13th spell and (Colton you'll have to tell me what other one's he got).

Funny, you actually mention the spells in the rest of the report. Mine was Curse of Years, and Colten's was Warp Lightning, and Krax's Call. Though I am stumped on the spelling for that last one.

The Sorceror lord casts the Golden hounds of Ghenna at the necromancer who passes all his Look out Sir! rolls and loses 1 zombie out of his retinue.

First of all, his retinue was Skeletons, not zombies. Secondly, I seem to recall that he failed one LOS!, but you failed to wound, because his armour save was 6+ so it was 6+ to wound.

the Death rocket fails to wound any of the zombies (the necromancer having made his look out sir!).

Again, unless some how the blast hit the zombies, I think you are refering to the skeleton warriors, as they were with the Necromancer.

The Hobgoblin archers kill 5 zombies and we may never know howmany they lost in return due to my hidious hand writing.

I can't remember for sure either, but I think the zombies only managed to kill like one or two gobbos. Maybe just one...

(not sure why the quote boxes have that "no image" image.)

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I was a super duper fun game. Got to play like my 3rd game of Fantasy, got to use my own army (however small or proxied) for the first time. I am super excited for more games. Oh great Campaign Manager, what great adventure will you bring us next?

Can't wait to find out what the Altar of Battle does, now that my Necromancer is stroking affectionately with his gnarled fingers...