Verrotwood Game 7 - A return to the Place of Power

Introduction 

Years have passed and the ancient stones of the Place of Power are once again sending out their arcane emanations.  Unable to ignore the call, the cultists of the Wisentii and The Uncoiling of Beiysss are drawn to battle in the shade of the great monoliths.  


Set up

This game is a revisit to one of the earliest games of Verrotwood that I played (here).  Pre-game I rolled for additional terrain and generated a piece of Elevated terrain.  The three standing stones are along the centre of the table.  The creature roll generated a Greater Forest Beast (GFB), which I deployed in the centre of the table.  

Round 1

Round 1 starting positions 

The first round action is dominated by the cultists manoeuvring to place themselves in a position to take control of the stones.  SerpensLeachim of The Uncoiling and Breath of Wisentii are the only two to achieve this.  The rest of the cultists are either stopped in their tracks by the terrain or can't quite reach a stone.

Amongst all of this movement however, the Greater Forest Beast (GFB) catches the scent of the nearest weakest cultist, and lumbers off to attack SerpensLeachim.  The crossbow armed cultist wards off the beast's initial attack, but it's fetid claws score a Critical Hit with it's second attack.  Leachim takes 7 damage, leaving him with only 2 Health points.  Not a good way to start a game!

The GFB gets stuck in.

Round 2

Round 2 starting positions 

Breath of Wisentii is first to activate and as he is in contact with a stone, he uses his two action points to Pray and take Control of the stone.

Breath claims a stone.

The GFB resumes it's attack on Leachim.  Incredibly his DEF roll of 10 beats the GFB's STR rolls of 8 and 9 and he manages to survive a bit longer.  

SerpencsLivev uses his actions to Run and make contact with the centre stone.  His fellow cultist, SerpensNadrew attacks the GFB to try and help out Leachim.  He hits and inflicts 8 DAM on the huge beastie.  

Nadrew hacks at the GFB.

With The Uncoiling trying to deal with the rampaging beast, Shield of Wisentii Moves to make contact with the centre stone.

It's then the GFB's second activation and it relentlessly continues its attack on Leachim.  This time the Uncoiling cultist's luck runs out and he falls to the vile creature's frenzied onslaught.  Leachim is Out of Action.

The end for Leachim.

With the nearest stone already under Wisentii control, Horns Runs to the centre stone hunting for Uncoiling cultists to attack. 

Heart Runs towards the furthest Stone, which also brings her into the area where the GFB and Nadrew are fighting.  Was that a wise move?  It wasn't as she is seen by SerpensEnirethec who uses one action to Move into contact and his next action to engage Heart in Melee.  However, her defence is far too good for him and she easily deflects his attacks.  

SerpensEnirethec and Heart in melee.

Round 3

Round 3 starting positions

The GFB activates first and after despatching Leachim turns to face SerpensNadrew.  His claws sweep down and score a Critical Hit on the leader of The Uncoiling.  The GFB is enjoying this. 

Heart swings her great axe at SerpensEnirethec.  Her mighty attack bats aside his attempt to parry and she inflicts a Critical Hit on him, with the 9 Dam points scored putting him Out of Action.  It's not going well for The Uncoiling.  

The axe bites deep.

Shield of Wisentii uses his two action points to Pray, taking control of the central stone.  

Shield at prayer.

Horns moves in and attacks SerpensLicev as he was about to Pray and claim the central stone.  Feinting with the right dagger, she plugs the cultist with the left for 5 Dam.  Ouch!  All of The Uncoiling are now either Out of Action or carrying wounds.  

Licev feels the Horns!

In a straight run. the fourth and final Wisentii's token is drawn.  Breath remains Praying at the left side stone, maintaining his control of the ancient monolith.

SerpensLicev attacks Horns, his assailant.  Matching her previous attack he also scores a Critical Hit  inflicting a whopping 9 Dam.  

Nadrew attacks the GFB, but it comes to nothing as he fights for his very existence against the towering monstrosity, whose token is the last to be drawn for the turn.  Luckily for him his Defence rolls are better than the Beast's Strength rolls and he survives the latest attacks.

Round 4

Round 4 starting positions

It’s the penultimate round and much to Nadrew's horror the GFB is the first to activate.  Swiping wildly it beats down Nadrew's defence and inflicts another 5 Dam on him.  He's barely hanging on now.  

Heart moves and attacks SerpensLicev from the flank.  Her axe hews into him and he instantly goes Out of Action.  This has become a disaster for The Uncoiling.  

Licev falls to Heart's axe.

Things may well go from bad to worse as the GFB attacks again and once again thrusts his claws past Nadrew's desperate defence to inflict a further 5 Dam.  This is too much and the final Uncoiling cultist goes Out of Action.

Nadrew in the claws of the GFB.

Shield stays at the centre stone, ensuring he has control of it and Breath does likewise at the left side stone.  Horns stands her ground and performs the Aura of Rage ritual in preparation for the next round and to help defend against the rampaging Greater Forest Beast.

Round 5

Round 5 starting positions

It's the final turn and with the utter decimation of The Uncoiling, it's left for Wisentii to consolidate their control of the stones and try to survive the onslaught of the Greater Forest Beast.  

Shield and Breath's tokens are consecutively drawn and they stay deep in prayer at each of the respective stones they control.  

Heart casts the Berserk Ritual and this allows her to bravely (or foolishly) Run at the GFB and then attack it in Melee.  Her axe cuts into the abomination and she brings it down like a diseased tree.  And with that brave action the game ends with the Wisentii in complete control of The Place of Power.

Heart fells the GFB.

Summary 

Well it didn't take long to work out who'd won this game!  Wisentii controlled two standing stones and all of The Uncoiling of Beiysss were Out of Action by the end of the fourth round.  Wisentii gain 1 Power and 100 Favor, with The Uncoiling receiving 50 Favor.  

I've never had a game of Verrotwood that's been so one-sided.  The Uncoiling were wiped out and the game couldn't have gone better for the Wisentii.  I've also not had a game where I rolled so many 10s.  If it hadn't been a solo game I'd thought someone was cheating!  This was a complete reversal from the first time I played this encounter, where it was Wisentii who were trounced.  

In post-game phase there was further catastrophe for The Uncoiling, with Licev losing an eye when rolling on the Post-Encounter injury table.  As he'd already lost one in a previous encounter he had to be declared dead.  After enduring the harrowing attack by the GFB, Nadrew had his Health reduced by 5, whereas Enirethec gained Favor by becoming Hardened.  Nothing further happened to Leachim who'd been the first to fall. 

During the Explore the Forest phase, things got even better for Wisentii.  They gained the ability to activate all models for two actions prior to the first round of the next game. That's a massive advantage.  The Uncoiling gained a modest 5 Favor.  

For the next game The Uncoiling will call back the relatively inexperienced SerpensLezal to fill the ranks.  Wisentii have now crept ahead in their experience, so we'll see how that impacts the campaign going forward.  

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