Intro Confrontation Battle Report 3

The stage is set for what could be a classic Teacher vs Apprentice showdown. Ive changed things up a little bit this week. Rather than continuing with the Dirz vs Wolfen as I have in the past two reports, this report is devoted strictly to those fuzzy, cuddly, loved by all Wolfen and just the Wolfen. We find Irix, now the Fury, confronting her old instructor Ophyr the Guardian. Irix set a trap by convincing Ophyr that this would be a hunting ritual to help foresee the future. Unfortunately for him, initially his future looks bleak. Will Ophyr and his archery focus subpack be able to overcome Irix and her own killing machines? Turns will tell.

This battle report will follow a more narrative style much like the first one I wrote. The major difference is that I have now added in the rules for Incantation, and as such each side has a mage (hence picking Irix vs Ophyr) When Incantation rolls are made, I will be listing the dice rolls and difficulties associate with them to help you get an idea of how Incantations work.

The setting for the battle is an old Goblin fort that they abandoned years ago. A few walls remain in the northeast and Ophyr and his wolves have taken cover there preparing for the oncoming attack. To the south is a hill they could have chosen instead, but Ophyr wanted the extra defensive ability of the ruins. In the southwest, a pair of Irixs hunters and a warrior are prepairing to head east behind the hill to hide their approach. Irix is accompanied by three warriors and are heading north to gain the cover of a small cluster of trees found there while they approach Ophyr from the west.

TURN 1
Irix shouts out a taunt to her old teacher as she prepares to attack, but he shows the control of a disciplined warrior and just goes about making sure that his Wolfen are prepared for the coming fight. Irixs hunters are the first to move and then instantly sprint behind the hill for cover. At this range, a shot would need luck to hit, but a hit would still wound. Caution is the best strategy for the Wolfen that cant shoot back. Not wanting to remain out in the open, Irix quickly moves behind the forest and three of her warriors follow her example and enter the cover of the forest. The remaining warrior attempts to catch up with the hunters and manages a position of cover behind the hill as well. One of the Warriors underestimated the abilities of a focused Wolfen with crossbow and very quickly found his leg bleeding lightly. The flow of magic on the battlefield is harsh and hard to control as the fire and air compete with each other and each mage begins to bring it under control. (MANA RECOVERY: Irix (5)-5(current)= 0 Adept get 1 Fire Ophyr (4)-5(current)= -1 Adept gains 1 Air)

TURN 2
Spurred by the scent of their own blood, Irixs pack takes the initiative. Making sure to remain in cover, Irix and her warriors advance through the woods to its edge. Knowing they cannot reach the others quickly enough, they opt for a bit of caution and cover to prepare for their attack. The hunters dash over the hill and head straight for the ruins in an attempt to divide the defenders and cause them to fight on two fronts.
Sticking to their plan, Ophyr orders his own to hold and prepare to fire. And fire they do. The first crossbow takes aim at his previous target and discovers that it has made another mistake by bringing itself into short range. The mistake proves to be fatal as the bolt buries itself in the Warriors skull. Another of Irixs Warriors finds himself within medium range of both javelin hunters as they rain down on him. The first finds his arm and the second impales his eye, leaving him in critical condition. The other wolfen with crossbow finds an easy target of a hunter in the open and buries his bolt to the feathers in the hunters brain. Irixs youth helps her to control the winds of magic while Ophyr struggles to concentrate amidst his troops shouts of enthusiasm. (MANA RECOVERY Irix (6,4)-6=4 Adept: 2 Water, 1 Fire Ophyr: Fails)

TURN 3
As Irix concentrates on controlling the magical energies and her injured troops, Ophyr mixes words of encouragement with words of caution telling his to fire as soon as they can before the enemy closes. The Warrior in the southeast runs to catch up to the remaining hunter while the Warriors in the northwest close on closest warrior with crossbow and hunter with javelin. Irix breaths a small sigh of relief knowing that while she may lose the critically wounded warrior, the crossbow he charge into may no longer fire at her as she makes her approach. The remaining hunter crashes into the crossbow that slew his fellow before it can shoot him as well. Irix decides to remain in the cover of the forest and support her warriors as best she can from there. Unfortunately, Irix underestimated her old mentor and his Sceptre as a jet of cold and ice pummels the critically wounded warrior and freezes it to death. (3 Water gems at end of movement, 2d6 wound roll (3,3) Light wound, modifies CW to Killed.) Ophyr then turns his attention to the remaining hunter and calls on the forces of Air (2 Gems through Sceptre) to lift it into the air where it cannot attack its prey.
Irix howls in frustration as her magic skill is of no avail at this range. If only shed known that Ophyr would kill the Warrior. If only shed known. She should have known and that she did know. The power of the rod is such that she knew it was impossible to counter. Curse the old fool!!

With his enemy dead at his feet, the wolfen aims his crossbow at Irix rather than shoot into the frey of his fellow. The short range shot hits but to no avail. (Double 1s on the wound roll) The javelin beside him and the other crossbow take aim at the remaining southeast warrior. The crossbow hits while the javelin fails in the attempt. A light wound to the leg slows the warrior down but does little to stop his advance. The attacking warrior underestimates his hunter target and loses the initiative as a result. Forced to a slight defensive, he relies on his Born Killer instincts for a chance to retaliate. The warriors superior combat ability and strength serve him well as he deflects both blows landed by the hunter and then wounds the hunters leg in return. Irix attempts to draw the little remaining before her limit and does ( (3)-9=-6 Adept: 1 Fire). Ophyr, now that he has once again used his staff finds control of magic easily and quickly replenishes his store of power ( (6,2)-1=7 Adept: 4 water, 1 air) The airborne hunter regains his footing on solid ground, seething at his missed opportunity.

TURN 4
Ophyrs superior discipline continues to guide his pack while Irix struggles to maintain control. Ophyr quickly attempts to aid his fellows as in the past turn with his sceptre. Again, the cold inflicts a light wound, this time on the warrior in contact with the hunter, and again he lifts the enemy hunter into the air. Prepared for the attack, Irix begins the incantation for Punishment of the Damned for her Warrior. (2 Water Dif. 6(Fear of target) Power5+(3)=8) The success allows the Warrior to become POSSESSED and the wound appears to heal itself. Irix shifts to bring herself out of sight of the crossbow but much closer to the fighting, and the other archers. The other wolfen with crossbow takes advantage of his harassment ability to shoot at the now wounded warrior that is fast approaching. The shot finds its mark and lightly wounds again, leaving the warrior seriously wounded. He then charges into the crossbowmen and prepares to get his revenge.
The Irix lets loose the fire of rage within her with a Primal Fire Attack against the lone javelin adding an extra gem to ensure that Ophyr would not be able to counter. (2 Fire Gems, Dif 7, (5,1) chooses 5 + 5(pow) = 10 = success, (6)= LW) The gem explodes when it contacts the Hunter inflicting a light wound.

Judging that the hunter doesn't stand much of a chance against the warrior, the Crossbow takes aim into the combat hoping to hit the enemy and does, seriously wounding the warriors arm. The just wounded hunter takes aim at Irix in return for her kindness but fails as blood clouds his vision.

Again the hunter wins reacts quicker than his warrior enemy and goes on the attack. Of three hits, one is defended, and the leave the warrior unaffected (stun doesn't stack) The warrior hits his mark and brings his opponent to his serious wound level. Finally, the other remaining warrior attacks the crossbow that has thus far avoided the hunter with Ophyrs help. The warrior lands three hits and slices him to bits. He then pursues into the wounded javelin. Slipping on the blood of his foe, he loses initiative and the hunter attacks as if his life depends on it, and it does. Two blows land, but one is blocked. The one that wasn't divides the warriors muscle in two, leaving him critically wounded. With labored breathing and blurred vision, the warrior attacks back landing his two hits. Two light wounds quickly leave the javelin in critical condition.

The Hunter falls back to earth, his prey dead at his feet while Irix and Ophyr attempt to regain their magical strength. (IRIX: (5)-6=-1 Adept: 1 Fire, OPHYR: (5)-1=4 Adept: 3 water)

TURN 5
Irix gains control as her pack begins to win the advantage at close range. Her hunter charges into Ophyr knowing he will not be lifted skyward again this turn. Ophyr fires the jet of cold at his aggressor critically wounding the hunter before combat has even begun.
Irix returns the favor by again unleashing a Primal Fire Attack against the Seriously Wounded hunter with javelin leaving it in a critical state. (Dif. 7 Pow5+(4)=9 (4)=Light Wound) The remaining Wolfen Crossbow, regretting he didnt enter into combat himself, again shoots into combat but fails to hit anything at all.

The warrior gains the edge over the hunter, and emerges victorious after landing a death blow to the head. He pursues into the remaining hunter, and assists the other warrior in finishing him off as well. The second warrior then pursues into Ophyr to aid the hunter. Ophyr gains the edge on the wounded enemy, and lands three hits on the hunter who has forgotten how to defend against attack. Any of the three would have finished off the hunter, but all three combined show how the mage has survived thus far by finishing the hunter and killing the warrior as well. He then takes it upon himself to avenge his own hunters and pursues into the remaining warrior. The warrior cannot withstand the battle rage of Ophyr and quickly falls to his death.

Seeing a nearly empty battleground before them, Ophyr and Irix gather their power to prepare for the inevitable showdown. (Ophyr: (2)-1=1 Adept:3 Water Irix: (2)-5=-3 Adept: 1 Fire)

TURN 6
Ophyr begins by offering his student peace, but she will not accept. Nodding his head in understanding, Ophyr points his sceptre at her and releases the cold. He controls it so that she only suffers a light wound, and again asks her to yeild, and again she declines. Knowing her only chance of survival is to attack her past mentor, she does so invoking the Fire strength of her own sceptre as she does. The remaining Wolfen decides it would be unsafe to fire into the combat with Ophyr and instead charges in to help.
Fury blazing, Irix gains the initiative and goes on an all out attack. Four hits are a success and none are blocked. Three wounds land, and manage to seriously wound Ophyr. Ophyr then attacks in kind and defeats his student with the multiple blows.

His remaining companion looks across the battlefield at the blood and asks Ophyr why it was necessary. The old Wolf shakes his head and says that what must be must be and that he will not take the life of another Wolfen as long as he can prevent it. There is a great battle to come, and we will need all for the fight. He walks back toward the forest, as the last Wolfen puzzles at what was said. Looking down, he sees that Irix still breaths. Checking the other two that fell before Ophyr, he realizes that they also still breath. Not quite dead and still with a chance at life. He realizes that Ophyr taught him yet another lesson this day and he wonders if in the same situation he would have spared their lives as well.

CLOSING:
I'll apologize for not getting into any of the countering of spells with this report, but I think you folks can handle that on your own. If not, email me and Ill lend a hand in helping you figure it out. Hopefully you enjoyed the report, and as always, I'm looking for comments, suggestions, and corrections.