Gaming in Sep 2022

 

• 4 Sep - The Beast of Errinsford (OSE) - face-to-face
• 7 Sep - Traveller
• 18 Sep - The Beast of Errinsford (OSE) - face-to-face
• 27 Sep - Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls - solo wargaming
• 30 Sep - Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls - solo wargaming

The Beast of Errinsford

The open table OSE game at our FLGS is becoming so popular again that we've made arrangements for a second table for when too many people turn up.  I volunteered to GM it and, given less than a week's notice, decide to dig out the campaign I ran online earlier in the year.  This is The Beast of Errinsford, loosely based on the module The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford by Chance Dudinack. 

Of course, in the first session the party went off in a direction that the other players never reached...  Player agency!

• 4 Sep

Constable Ward -
my favorite NPC

The party had an ice-breaking encounter with a wild boar, entered the town of Errinsford, where they met several of the leading inhabitants (upon some of which they made a better impression than others).  There was a big info-dump (with more to come!), before an afternoon's stroll in search of the delayed caravan ended with a leathal encounter with goatmen and the desecration of bodies.  Then home for tea and XP!

• 18 Sep

Joined by an old friend, the party continued its interviews with the townsfolk, getting madeleines and Maderia wine (and some lore) from Fr Willem the priest before deciding to head out to see Vivienne, the witch that lives in the forest.  On the way, they came across the body of an elf being devoured by giant centipedes, which managed to poison Winston the dwarf.  Vivienne got their trust by curing him and, over tea, told them about the curse that had created the original beast.  Yet another tussle with goatmen - this time they didn't desecrate the bodies, but instead fed them to the wolves.

On Day 3 of their stay in Errinsford, Derek the thief cased out the abandoned General Store, while the rest went to spoke to Riffin, the traumatised hunter who is the only known survivor of an encounter with the beast.  After picking up their packed lunch, they then headed out of the village, with the aim of getting to Sir Errin's tomb to reciover magic weapons.  They renewed their acquaintance with the local bridge-troll, who gave them directions, and had a night in the woods.  Sprites were plied with spirits.

Day 4 saw them come to the border of the marshes.  There they came across a strange shrine, which they debated robbing, but instead made offerings and petitions.  This led then the the missing Friar Dirk, who had spent the last few days in a pit after unsuccessfully trying to loot it.  Over elevenses, Dirk told his story.

Classic Traveller

• 7 Sep

Our band of Free Traders did a bit of arms smuggling, almost immediately returning to the site of our last crime.  Contracting the Corporate goons who'd previously employed us as assasins, we were offered a black-bag job.  We very efficiently managed to exfiltrate a turn-coat scientist with minimal casualties.

Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls

• 27 Sep
• 30 Sep

My solo play of a version back in August of the Battle of San Domingo, 1806 at The Games Table worked out well, so I thought I would give it another go.  At the end of the first session, the rear of the French line had been forced to strike, but more damage had been done to the British van.  There was enough to call it as a French victory, with a good chance of them successfully withdrawing.  However, I thought I'd carry through on the scenario and and see if the approach of the rest of the British squadron made any difference.

In the end it didn't, the French were able to concentrate their fire as the British came into range, and ended up winning the day.

The Games Table...

Although I obviously didn't need much scenery for the BBIB game, I thought I'd share a couple of pictures of that on the neighbouring tables.  This is one of the reasons The Games Table is an excellent place to play a game.