Iron Seer Tabletop Wargames

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Old Units & Warhammer Legends

Inspirobot thinks you can do better with all that money.

So, recently Games Workshop dropped a huge chonk of stuff onto Warhammer Legends. In addition, a large swath of stuff was removed from Forge World's Imperial Armor books. Like, 200 units. FROM THE GAME.

You likely already know what I'm talking about. You guys remember when they used to claim continued support for any army they ever sold? Huh? You remember that?

I'm not going to go into detail on what I think about this move, but as far as generally-accepted practices go I would say it isn't one and shouldn't be. It's so silly I've decided that I hardly even care - not because it doesn't affect me, but because I'm numb to the pain. Therein lies the strength.

I find I'm just not really interested in a lot of stuff that GW is doing these days. Sorta, but not really. Rules design and coherence has been sketchy since 2012 and everything needs constant collation and updating. I mean, I love Warhammer - but this constant points changing has got to stop. In 8th and 9th we'll probably skip right to power levels across all modes over the ridiculous new points system. I'm not really a competitive gamer anymore. I'll deal with it in that setting, but in our increasingly more casual games it's a disservice to listen to the metamongrels who constantly force this.

While I'm not declaring that this is an Oldhammer exclusive blog...I'm probably steadily leaning that way as time goes on. I like a diversity of rulesets, so it's unlikely that I sit with simply ONE version of a ruleset I own six or more completely different versions of already. We'll use, create and convert any rules or models we want to make our games interesting - you know, how they used to encourage us to do.

Just like with D&D there are so many old editions that actually provide valid ways to play. So many things that have been lost in the current version of the game. I have toyed with the idea of attempting to bring every rule and unit from my vast collection of tomes into one work, a sort of 'ultimate' edition, if you will...but that way lies madness. I mean, vehicle design rules, Legion of the Damned - pretty much everything that the current IP stands on the head of to even be a thing.

It's obvious GW doesn't really care HOW we play the game, and I don't really care what they think anyway. They can't make up their minds as there are too many goons out there trying to break the rules. The current rulesets do have their own cool things, don't get me wrong. I like it, in a way. I can always use the models for whatever I want. Any model - in any edition.

Friday, November 6, 2020

Howl of Oblivion: The Crossroads / Ancient & Wicked

** Howl of Oblivion Campaign Page **

The Crossroads

The party decides to press on to Yecha in the vain hope of catching El-Bakir. The journey takes eleven days, and they run out of food not far from their destination. During the journey, the party begins to have even more respect for the Tevarsi hunters.

Along the way, they encounter an old medicine man known throughout the Tevarsi and Zyrjan Roams. His name is Dar Dagbat, and he happened to have a Tevarsi apprentice named Keshik who knew Jaan Dhar. The party easily hunted down a gazelle to trade Dar Dagbat for his healing potions. While the party was camping there, Dar Dagbat had a vision of unclear import, only stating 'they are coming'. As a result, Keshik joined the party.

A little worse for wear, they eventually arrive at the city of the Tiger Nomads.

Ancient & Wicked

...is what most nomads think of civilization. The players have arrived in Yecha. However, they will find their long absence from the Tevarsi Roam has had some unintended consequences.

Yecha is not a big city, nor is it what you'd call modern. It does have the amenities of a larger city than what the players may be used to in the setting so far. However, it is sinister in many ways.

Unable to find any leads on either El-Bakir or followers of Iuz, the party befriends Fasha Daouda'shi at the night market. He is a caravaner who regularly visits Yecha, and Khaine begins to feel out a possible business relationship involving freight hauling toward Greyhawk. Saffron would likely make a good export, as well as wild rennet and other Baklunish spices.

As Borz and Walkul explore the city, they become aware of a seedy underbelly to Yecha but cannot find the fulcrum for the 'night life'. Initially stumped, Keshik has heard stories of Yecha's 'House of Night'. After he relates much of what he had heard involving the den of iniquity, the party renews the search for it. After Borz speaks with Fasha the next day, he spots someone watching them intently from the periphery of the bazaar.

The watcher beckons the rogues over, and lets them know her master summons them to the House of Night. The party gathers and follows the agent, a young girl named Khai Djin, to the house of ill-repute in the center of the city.

The House of Night is a larger building in Yecha, a fabled House of Ill-Repute. It is part opium den, part brothel, part gambling hall. It is ran by one Rai Suli, a immigrant to Yecha from Ket, who came to the city of the Tiger Nomads eager to use his fortune and strike out on his own. However, he is well known in Yecha and considered an upstanding citizen. He informally operates a sort of 'thieves' guild' and has several informants all throughout the city, but the Ilkhan gives him little issue. Rai Suli has grown quite comfortable on his k'tallah crops and in the decades he has been in the city his power and influence have quietly grown.

Rai Suli welcomes the party to the House of Night, and begins to speak of Tep El-Bakir. The party mentions the letter from El-Bakir to Iuz, and Suli is very interested and asks to take the letter away. He is gone for some time, bidding the party to enjoy the amenities of the House of Night.

Fantasy Grounds: AD&D 2e Ancient & Wicked - House of Night

In that time, Bari Bur, the Tevarsi Captain, enters the House of Night. He is surprised to see the party and fills them in on what happened after they struck for Yecha. The Tevarsi thought them dead, and the party's long absence from the roam has had some unintended consequences.

Fantasy Grounds: Ancient & Wicked - Rai Suli as Sean Connery

Unchallenged, Amir Bahra of the Wolf Nomads took command of the 200+ strong army on the Tevarsi Roam. Unable to counter the force, the Zyrjans and Tevarsi withdraw and allow the army to move south into a pass in the Yatils. The Zyrjans, eager to attack and unknowing of the size of the enemy force, prematurely attacked their gathering at the crossroads of Nu'Rek. This results in the solid defeat of the Zyrjans, and the Tevarsi decide to move the entire encampment away from the army ahead of season.

The players are assumed dead by Amir Iruz, who sends Bari to Yecha to speak of this account to the Chakyik Viziers.

Soon after this, Rai Suli emerges from his chambers and declares he has arranged a meeting with the Ilkhan's prime vizier, Ekbiya-Baklun Lyzandhan. The party meets the vizier at his villa the next day, and are surprised to learn their services are no longer needed. The army must be met with an army, and if the so-called 'enemy' move too far into the Yatils they will not be pursued. The party is given a chance to join the provisional army to scout enemy movements to the Tiger border, but decline.

Fasha Daouda'shi offers the characters a chance to adventure, listing some tall tales and implying the existence of treasure maps, however some of the party are unsure how (or even if) they should continue. Many feel the call to return home to the Tevarsi, rather than seek adventure with Fasha or pursue whatever vengeance Rai Suli had in mind.

Fantasy Grounds: Ancient & Wicked - Fasha's Tall Tales

The date is Moonday, 3rd Planting, 585 C.Y.

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Star Wars Portal

Despite everything you may think to the contrary, Star Wars is still the most consistently popular tag on any of Iron Seer's sites. I know, right? I still dig Star Wars even if I got more Imperial than First Order on my table. So, as we move into 2021 it's probably a good idea to get all this sorted, especially if we want to reference it later.

Speaking of references, this post will be updated as new Star Wars posts hit. I still have so many unopened ships I want to devalue by opening. I also plan to make a great many more 'pew-pew' noises.

Last Entry: 05/16/21