Weekender 2024 - escaping the Spectral vail
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Arcworld Weekender 2024 narrative campaign.
Narrative Campaign: Escaping the Spectral Veil
This campaign is designed for 4or more players. There should be be one person, a GM. In charge of organising the match ups and he should be the only one reading the narrative pdf ahead of the campaign. Full instructions for the GM can be found at the end of the narrative pdf.
Prelude:
Whilst drinking in an isolated tavern deep within Mildaark Forest, a rumor reaches you of a powerful magical artifact, one that just might help get you/your master get the allies they need to get out of your latest predicament (feel free to elaborate in your background story).
“Shanwing’s Bridal Comb” is truly a mysterious object, of tremendous powers. It's said that it has the ability to reach thru the fabric of time and space.
Legend says that the comb was made for Shanwing, a Vampire of tremendous power, when she wed Lord Jethro Probes the Count of Hauxly. As her vail was lifted and the marriage sealed with a kiss, the two of them flickered and faded out of existence. Many years passed, and one day they reappeared wreathed in power. Together they forged the greatest Vauhemian realm of their era, ruling atop their impressive castle that loomed over their domain. After the Count failed to return from a campaign abroad, the town that surrounded the castle withered away and was left abandoned.
Shanwing’s Comb is still hidden within the crumbling castle atop the hill. All you know is that the Countess held court in the old Vaulhemian town of Hauxly. That will be your starting point. Your party quickly gathers its supplies and travels under the cover of night, else others might rush ahead and get in your way.
What to bring:
- A Warband, costing 400 GP (see below)
- Printed stat cards/individual profiles for each Character in your Warband,
- A Thrall/servant model (any model on a 30mm base in your collection)
- 5 objective markers, one of which should ideally be book themed.
- 5 circular templates 3” in diameter (paper cut outs will do)
- Dice and tokens
- If you're able, please bring ruined city terrain and loads of scatter / decorative cityscape objects.
Before the Weekender event, build a Warband from any ArcWorlde Faction (aside from beasts) with a Game Value of 400GP. You have only access to your chosen Faction Ruleset and the Common Armoury list. The Warband may not include any Titans, monsters, mounts or mount-like upgrades. You may hire Swords for Hire Characters.
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Part 1
After weeks of travel you arrive at Smithies Bay on the Vauhaeminan coast, the high mountains surrounding it creating an eerie calm within. The town of Hauxly lies by the water with piers jutting out into the sea, protected by breakwaters. The few ships still in the harbour have sunk and are mostly rotten away. The town itself is in a dismal state. Every building is a ruin, only a few walls still standing. Clearly there have not lived anyone here for decades, maybe even a century.
You start to think that this whole expedition was a mistake and that there could not possibly be anything of value still hidden within the keep. On the way through the ruined town, you see fresh signs of travellers - others must have heard the rumours too. Perhaps there may be something to gain from pushing on after all…
Above the town lies Robin’s Keep, with a beautiful birds eye view over the town. The hardy stone has kept a better state, but still looks abandoned. As you carefully make your way up the road cut into the cliff side, you get the sensation of being watched. Expecting the treasure hunters whose tracks you saw in town, you cling to the walls of the cliff and try to stay out of sight. When almost at the top, the air is filled with a terrible scream. From behind the keep leaps a terrifying ghoulish monster, carried upon leather wings. The flapping menace swoops down towards you, and you rush towards the shadowed doorway of the building for safety.
As your Warband is enveloped in shadow, you feel a spectral pull touching your entire body. It leaves you feeling strange and sort of less than what you were before. Looking over your shoulder you see the opening is now blocked by a barred wooden gate. You cannot leave, so head deeper into the stoney depths to explore.
Carefully advancing through the halls and courtyards you see shadows everywhere, and phantom shapes always just out of view. In one archway, however, you see a figure clear as day. Approaching it you realise it is an image trapped within a mirror, but the figure beckons to you and speaks in a whispered echoing voice.
The spectre reveals that the entire keep is bewitched, trapping all who enter as ghosts. The mirror figure is part of another treasure hunter party, who are trapped deeper within the keep. They speak of a many-layered Spectral Veil, within which any who venture into are lost. You take pity on them, as well as yourself, and you agree to help each other escape. If the bewitchment is still active, perhaps the ancient denizens of the castle may be too. They may know how to escape the spell, but as you ponder you are interrupted by a commotion from the mirror. Your new friend and their Warband are under attack, you must press on quickly.
As you search deeper into the keep your Warband is harried by ghosts, and although they are mere shadows their swords are still sharp. As one is cut down, another is reformed from curling spectral mists. As you rush towards a large inner hall, you spy a hunched figure sweeping the floor and muttering to itself. Not a ghost. Surely they must be a servant of the Countess Shanwing. As you attempt to walk closer to the figure, a ghastly host forms along the opposite wall. The servant appears to have noticed you, but goes about his own business. You need to find out what he knows.
As the ringing of swords drawn, a soft female voice fills your head:
Poem 1:
Harken to the trapp’ed souls
Awaiting you, torments I control
All success is at my leisure
All despair, it is my pleasure
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Scenario 1
The Warbands deploy in the middle of opposite table edges. In the centre there is a servant character, a Werewolf in Thrall form. Both player's objective is to "control" and bring this character within 6" any table edge by the end of turn 5. If the servant is in base contact with another Character at the start of the turn or when contact is made, roll a D6 and consult the chart below. This can interrupt a Character's activation.
- The servant flees its full move and one free leg it as far away from all models as possible. It will use all its AP to disengage. If unable he will be unable to move that turn.
- The servant follows willingly and can do up to one Leg It.
- The servant follows willingly and can do up to one Leg It.
- The servant is unwilling to follow. You need to make an Easy Feat to make him come along, Hard if in base contact with an opponent. He will only move half his movement and no Leg Its are allowed.
- The servant is hostile. He won't move and will attack anyone in base contact. The opposing player to the one in contact controls the servant this turn. If both players are in base contact, alternate in making actions.
- The servant transforms into a Werewolf and is hostile as above. The Werewolf transforms back at the end of the turn.
Include profile for both the thrall and a werewolf, thrall will save any damage delt to him.
Scenario Special Rules
Environment – at the start of every turn a spirit host appears on the battlefield and attacks any who dare approach them. Using the Random Placement grid (see Core Rules), place a token on the board. Any Character that is at any point in their Activation within 4” of this token suffers D6 Hits that ignore Armour. Place a new token every turn, reroll on duplicate results.
Cloak of Ghasts – A shining veil of mist surrounds the area. As long as Characters are within 10" of any table edge they benefit from this effect. Any Shots against the wearer at a Disadvantage. If in Cover, they may not be targeted by Ranged Attacks.
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Part 2
The servant is not pleased to share his information, but gives it reluctantly. He is incapable of lying or withholding information, a curse set upon him by his masters. The further you manage to get him towards safety, the more you learn. All this at a cost. The spectral shapes tear at you and the servant lashes out and eventually he has had enough. The beast within him bursts forth, and a furious man-wolf goes for your throat. You fall to the ground, the world fading to blackness.
You regain your consciousness and sit back up. All your wounds are healed and each companion is accounted for. There is something strange about this place. You feel it like an itch through your bones. All the more reason to find the Comb as quickly as possible and escape this curs’ed keep.
Using whatever you managed to learn from the servant about the Comb's whereabouts, you head out to search once more. As you make your way, you quickly discover that the information is wrong. Arguing what to do, the voice of your allies shouts directions to you. Somehow you're able to guide each other with the intimation given to you by the servant. Soon after you have to climb a flight of stairs and are forced to part ways. At the landing on the top there's a door. Entering the chambers of the Countess’ private quarters, you see many ornate chests within. Surely the Comb has to be within one of these. Pushing the door open and carefully stepping inside, you are met once again by ghost-like shapes moving through the windows and walls on the far side of the room. They look determined to fight you for the artefact.
Again the soft voice enters your mind and sends shivers down your spine:
Poem 2:
You can search and you can look,
but know whatever things you took,
Whatever you find, still is mine.
Nothing is truly taken by force,
Your doomed journey is taking its course.
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Scenario 2
Place 5 objective markers in a plus pattern on the board. One in the centre, two on the centreline 8" to either side of the centre and two more in the middle 6" from the centre towards each player. Each marker is a possible location for "Shanwing’s Bridal Comb", the Fabled Artefact that can control the Spectral Veil. To find the Comb, players need to search the objectives.
To search an objective the players need to perform a Feat. The three objectives along the centre are successful on a Hard Feat, the objective closest to the players on a Legendary Feat and the one furthest away on a Medium Feat. Each player can only search one objective every turn and each objective can only be searched once.
The game lasts for 5 turns.
Deployment
If at an advantage, you may deploy within 3" of the entire table edge. If you get a neutral state, you deploy within 3" deep and 6" wide of both corners. If at a disadvantage you can only use one corner, randomly decided.
Scenario Special Rules
Crumbling Castle: At the start of every Round, starting at turn 2. Randomly determine what objective is targeted. The ground crumbles away to reveal a hidden catacomb, forgotten for centuries. Create a 3" diameter circle around the objective as it sinks into the ground. Any Character within must pass a Medium Feat or take D3 hits, no save possible. Whilst in the hole they may not be the target of ranged Attacks. Characters must make an easy feet to climb out or into the pit. If successful it counts as a full move.
Ray of Daylight: A bright beam of light moves about the battlefield, blinding those it hit. At the start of each round players roll off, one random character on the losing player's warband is blinded. when blinded, all attack rolls made by that Character are at a Disadvantage (Make the attack roll twice and apply the worst result).
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Part 3
Never before have you rummaged through so many of a lady's personal belongings, with so little regard or respect. Finding the Comb was of paramount importance and now you finally have it (or not). What you hold in your hand is ghostlike in appearance. You realise that it is not for you to use.
Perhaps it is to be handed though the Spectral Veil, somehow. Maybe it could be given to your friends in the mirror. Scrambling for safety out in the corridor, sitting up against the walls you see the huge wounds on your companions start mending and knitting themselves back together. Cut off limbs drag themself back to the owners and fallen party members crawl towards you, as they reassemble to their original state. This is all so wrong, the sooner you get to escape this nightmare, the better.
Once you all feel fit to fight, you get up and make towards the domed hall, with the mirror image in the archway. Hoping that they too had succeeded and both of you can make good the escape. As you approach, a figure is standing within it. Nothing is said as you both push the Comb (or not) through the shimmering barrier. Holding the now solid Comb you received (or not) , you turn about and hastily move towards the outer courtyard. On the far side is the gate and the exit to freedom.
As you rush out, a shimmer flickers across the far side wall and ghostly warriors rush to stop you. In the centre of the courtyard stands a pedestal, upon which rests a huge tome of a book. It beckons to you, and its power radiates a glitter of hope. This might help turn the odds in your favour.
Then there's a whisper in the wind, the female voice once more reaches out for you.
Poem 3:
Within illusion, chance of freedom
T’is but a lie.
The hope you hold to be in control is but a veil
before your eye.
Though you search and though you fight,
It is all to my delight.
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Scenario 3
Place an objective in the centre of the board (a dais with a book will be ideal). Divide the gaming table into a 4 by 4 grid. Players deploy in the opposing centre squares, staying 3” away from the centre. The aim is to bring as many models to the table corner behind the opponents deployment. The player who gets the most GP worth of their Warband to their exit after 5 rounds wins. Any Characters that have travelled through the Spectral Veil, by use of the Comb, count double.
Special Rules
Shanwing’s Bridal Comb : This Item allows the player to transport characters through the Spectral Veil. A Character holding the Item can perform a Feat to transfer one Character within 3" from its location to the matching location on their ‘Mirror Ally’s’ table. To do so they have to manage a easy Feat for a 30mm/40mm base, a medium Feat for a larger base size. Enemy characters are one level higher.
You Can’t Fall Yet! : At the start of each Turn, each player may randomly replace one Knocked Out Character on the board, using random placement. They activate as normal, but return to their rest at the end of the Round.
The Arcronomicon: On the objective in the center lies an Arcronomicon, A cursed tome bound in the skins of unnamed victims, the dark texts within are said to bring back those who have passed beyond the mortal realm. A Character in base contact with the Arcronomicon may sacrifice all of their AP to resurrect a fallen Character. They are placed at half HP in base contact and may Activate in the next Round. However, they are considered for the rest of the game as ‘resurrected ’ and can not count for existing the game.
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Epilogue
To the loser:
The ghosts of the keep have blocked you off and gotten the better of you. The return to the world outside was so close. You reached the gates, but the Spectral Veil entangled you within its net. A suffocating force, from which there seems to be no escape. You've failed to find the comb and failed to get out, and suffering from exhaustion you eventually pass out. You feel yourself floating through space and time, spiralling down and coming to rest within a small chamber.
You're back at Robbin Keep. Before you is a freestanding archway blocked by a translucent shimmering barrier. Staring through it, you see a gang of adventurers come towards you. You've been given another chance, if only you can make them cooperate, freedom may just be possible.
To the winners:
Rushing to the gate the power within the comb helps you lift the Spectral Veil before your eyes. The seemingly solid gate flickers and you see that it's another illusion, meant to keep you entangled within the Veil. Awaiting the right ebb and flow of the Veil’s folding, you rush the gate and as you reach it the Comb parts the fabric as you make it through the open arch.
At the exact moment that you pass beneath the gateway the air is knocked from your lungs, your mind goes black and you tumble down the path outside. When you wake, you remember nothing of the events within the Robbin Keep - it's even hard to figure out where you are and why. As you and your party gather yourselves up, you all try to fill in the blank patches of your memories. Suddenly, the air is filled with a terrible scream. From behind the keep leaps a terrifying ghoulish monster, carried upon leather wings. The flapping menace swoops down towards you, and you rush towards the shadowed doorway of the building for safety.
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