Lost Colossus - Joseph A McCullough Read online

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE:

  Introduction

  CHAPTER TWO:

  The Campaign

  Playing the Campaign

  Scenario One: The Plinth

  Scenario Two: The Broken Hand

  Scenario Three: The Bridge of Tears

  Scenario Four: Death’s Garden

  Scenario Five: Rolling Thunder

  Scenario Six: The Standing Eye

  Scenario Seven: The Ring of Five

  Scenario Eight: The Hand of Glory

  Scenario Nine: The Dragon-Bull

  Scenario Ten: The Heart of Gold

  CHAPTER THREE:

  New Specialist Crewmen

  Bosun

  Topman

  CHAPTER FOUR:

  Snake-Men

  Snake-Man Magic

  CHAPTER FIVE:

  New Treasure

  Expanded Weapons and Armour Table

  CHAPTER SIX:

  Bestiary

  Animals

  Firejackets

  Glider Snake

  Goliath Scorpion

  Demons

  Ancient Guardian

  Plants

  Mantrap

  Thornspitter

  Saurians

  Dragon-Bull

  Sentient Races

  Hemata

  Skarak, Protector of the Golden Heart, Snake-Man Priest

  Snake-Men

  CHAPTER ONE

  INTRODUCTION

  Welcome to Lost Colossus, the first supplement for Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago. In these pages you’ll find a ten-scenario campaign that will send your Heritors travelling around the Isles in search of the pieces of an ancient statue that hold clues to the location of the Crystal Pool. While it is possible to play these scenarios as standalone adventures, the campaign has been designed to tell one continuous story, and there are rules for how ‘winning’ one scenario will give the player a slight advantage in the next, and even, in some cases, choose the next scenario that will be played.

  In the introduction for the main rulebook, I called Ghost Archipelago a ‘narrative wargame’, and it is my hope that this supplement demonstrates that philosophy and gives players an example of how to construct a larger story with each game that they play. I have found that the more I focus on this overarching narrative aspect in my own games, the more I enjoy each one I play, win or lose, and the more I enjoy other aspects of the hobby as well – painting, modelling, scenario writing etc.. I hope you will find the same.

  Most of the scenarios in this book call for rather specific pieces of terrain – namely, the pieces of the Colossus. I am aware that most people do not have giant stone hands and legs in their terrain collection. Now, if you were looking for an excuse to add these items, here it is! Otherwise, don’t worry too much about matching the terrain called for in the set-up exactly. All of the dimensions given are approximations, and rarely will a couple of inches here and there in the size of a terrain piece make much difference. Additionally, it doesn’t really matter if that stone bridge across the river is a perfectly modelled ruin of a giant stone leg, or if it is a roll of tinfoil. As long as the players have a decent imagination there is still plenty of fun to be had with more mundane scenery.

  Along with the scenarios, this book also contains a couple of new specialist crewmen to aid your Heritors on their explorations, a load of new monsters to fight, and a new table filled with wondrous new treasure to find. Also included is a new, expanded system for magic arms and armour which vastly increases the variety of items that can be found. I think this is one area of the main rulebook that probably didn’t get as much attention as it deserved.

  Finally, I just want to reiterate something I’ve said before: all of the rules and scenarios presented here are just ideas. Players are encouraged to change them to their hearts’ content, just so long as everyone involved in a game or campaign are in agreement. There is really only one way to play Ghost Archipelago wrong, and that is to not have fun.

  If you are enjoying Ghost Archipelago and would like to hear more about the game and see what other players are up to, join us on the Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago Facebook page, on the Frostgrave page at the Lead Adventure Forum, and follow my personal ramblings on my blog: therenaissancetroll.blogspot.co.uk.

  CHAPTER TWO

  THE CAMPAIGN

  Long ago, the great Colossus of Argantheon stood upon one of the outer islands. Its body was engraved with the stories of the Lost Isles, and its vast, outstretched arm pointed the way to the Crystal Pool. Or so the ancient texts claim. Then, during some forgotten war, the Colossus was shattered, and its parts flung across the Archipelago to lie in ruin. Until now.

  A crew of cutthroats has recently returned from the Lost Isles and claims to have seen the great plinth upon which the Colossus once stood. Using this as a starting point, it might just be possible to follow the trail of destruction and find all of the missing pieces. Although broken and scattered, and weathered by millennia of rain and heat, the Colossus might still contain clues to the location of the Crystal Pool.

  PLAYING THE CAMPAIGN

  The Lost Colossus campaign is a series of ten adventures designed to be played by 2–4 players. Each scenario should only be played once, and all players should participate in each scenario if possible. This campaign uses all of the campaign rules from the core rulebook, including experience and finding and spending treasure. However, the treasures recovered during this campaign represent not only loot and magic items, but also the knowledge the crew has gained from their explorations of the Colossus’ ruins.

  Unlike normal campaigns, where scenarios are rolled randomly, or decided upon by the players, the Lost Colossus campaign is designed to be played in a specific order. Players should start with Scenario 1 and proceed sequentially, unless instructed to do otherwise. Also, because the hunt for the Colossus is essentially a race around the Archipelago, it is possible for one crew to get ahead in that race. Within the campaign, this is referred to as ‘gaining the Advantage’. Players can gain the Advantage in the campaign by accomplishing specific things during a scenario – usually capturing the central treasure. A player with the Advantage will sometimes have the ability to dictate which scenario is played next, and will often get some small bonus in the next scenario. In this way, the scenarios are truly linked into one narrative.

  By the time the players reach Scenario Ten they should have a hardened crew of explorers, ready to face the final challenge of the Lost Colossus, and potentially gain a major step forward in their search for the Crystal Pool.

  SCENARIO ONE

  THE PLINTH

  The search for the Lost Colossus can begin in only one place, the grand plinth upon which the statue once stood. Thankfully, the plinth is located on one of the more stable outlying islands, which can usually be located with little difficulty. It is said that from the top of the plinth, other parts of the Colossus are visible. If you can be the first to reach the top of the plinth and get a fix on those other pieces, it will give you a significant advantage in piecing together the secrets of the Colossus. Unfortunately, there are rumours that the plinth has recently become an outpost for the snake-men…

  Set-Up

  In the centre of the table place a flat-topped building to serve as the plinth. This building should be approximately 10” square and about 6” high. This building should have one door. The location of this door should be determined at random after all of the crews have been set up on the table. The top of the plinth should be mostly bare, except for a trap door that leads to the stairs inside (see below). The rest of the table should be covered in a dense mixture of vegetation, rocks, and other smal
l bits of ruin.

  Two snake-man hunters should be placed on the top of the plinth, standing in opposite corners. Increase this number to three if there are three players, four if there are four players, and so on. A snake-man warrior should be placed in front of the plinth door.

  Next to the main board, there should be a small 10x10” table representing the inside of the plinth building. This table should contain a staircase that leads onto the roof, and a scattering of fallen rocks and other rubble. Place a pair of snake-man warriors on this table about 4” from the door. Place the central treasure in the centre of this room.

  Finally, players should each place two treasures on the board, following the standard rules for placing treasure, with the exception that none of these treasures should be on, or in, the plinth.

  Special Rules

  To enter the plinth, the players must break through either the main door in the side of the plinth building or the trapdoor on the top. From the inside, the trapdoor can be opened as a free action. A figure that is adjacent to either the door or trapdoor and not in combat or within 1” of an enemy figure may attempt to break down the door. The figure must spend an action to make a Fight Stat Roll with a Target Number of 14. If successful, the door has been broken in and is considered open for the rest of the game.

  The interior walls of the plinth are covered in the lost language of the Colossus’ builders. A Warden who is within 1” of the walls and not in combat or within 1” of an enemy figure may spend an action to copy down this script, gaining experience as noted below.

  The first player to have his Warden or Heritor on top of the plinth at the beginning of a turn in which there are no opposing figures on the top (either snake-men or rival crewmembers) has gained the Advantage in the campaign.

  The snake-men that begin the game on the table follow the standard rules for uncontrolled creatures, except that they will never make a random move. If ever called upon to do so, they will end their turn instead. If using random encounters in this scenario, do not roll on the random encounter table. Instead, any encounter will consist of a snake-man warrior.

  Treasure and Experience

  Treasure is gained as normal for this scenario. Experience is gained as normal for this scenario, with the following additions:

  •+20 experience points for gaining the Advantage.

  •+5 experience points for each snake-man killed by a Heritor or his crew.

  •+10 experience points for each door or trap door broken open by a Heritor or his crew.

  Wardens can also gain bonus experience in this scenario.

  •+20 experience points for any Warden that copies the text off the inside walls of the plinth.

  Gaining the Advantage

  The player who gained the Advantage in this scenario may choose to play either Scenario Two or Scenario Three next.

  SCENARIO TWO

  THE BROKEN HAND

  From the top of the plinth, you spied the hand. It lay less than a mile away, atop a rocky precipice in the centre of the same island. Most of the fingers had broken off, but one still pointed skyward, while the thumb jutted out to the side. Around the hand, small dark specks glided through the air, but whether they were birds, or some other creature, it was impossible to say. Between the plinth and the precipice was a thick carpet of dark green jungle. It is going to be a hard journey, but the race to discover the secrets of the Colossus has begun…

  Set-Up

  This scenario features a high, rocky precipice, around 10” tall, 10” wide and 4–6” deep. This precipice should be centred on one table edge. The ruins of a giant hand should be placed on top of the precipice. Six glider snakes begin the game on the top of the precipice. The rest of the table should be crowded with jungle terrain as per a standard game of Ghost Archipelago.

  Place the central treasure adjacent to the hand, on top of the precipice. Players should then take turns placing two treasures each. These treasures follow the standard rules for treasure placement, except that each crew must place one of these treasures within 6” of the base of the precipice and no closer than 8” to the edge of the table.

  The starting placement of the crews for this scenario varies slightly depending on the number of players. In a two-player game, instead of selecting table sides, the players should select between the two corners adjacent to the table side opposite the precipice, and set up all members of their crew within 8” of their chosen corner. In a three-player game, two crews should set up as above, but within 6” of the corners, while the third crew must set up within 8” of the centre point of the table edge opposite the precipice. In a four-player game, which needs to be played on a table at least 3x3’, two crews begin the game on the table edge opposite the precipice. Each of these crews must set up all of their figures within 3” of a point 10” from one corner. The two remaining crews set up their figures on opposite sides of the two remaining table edges within 3” of a point 6” in from the corner of the non-precipice side of the table. Players may need to modify the crew set-up slightly depending on the size of the table.

  After all of the crews have been set up, but before the players roll for initiative on the first turn, the player with the Advantage may activate up to two figures. These figures may take any two actions as normal, except that they may not move into combat, make a shooting attack, or cast any spell that generates an attack roll.

  Special Rules

  There are numerous vines and ancient rope ladders hanging down the sides of the precipice. Any figure that wishes to climb the precipice may declare that they are using one of these to climb. If they do, they climb at their full rate of movement. However, before they move each turn, they must roll a die. On a roll of 1, the vine or ladder snaps. The figure falls to the ground, taking damage as normal, and their activation ends immediately. This is true even if the figure is still on the ground when they attempt to climb. Alternatively, figures may climb the precipice normally, at half their movement rate, but do not have to roll for falling. A figure on the precipice may switch methods of climbing between turns.

  The glider snakes atop the precipice will not take any actions until a figure is on the precipice. At this point, one glider snake will move directly towards the closest crewmember, attacking if possible. Further glider snakes will move to attack the next closest crewmember, and so on until there are no glider snakes or crewmembers left. A glider snake will never move into combat with a crewmember who is already in combat with a glider snake. Glider snakes will never make a random move. If ever called upon to do so, they will move back to the top of the precipice by the shortest route possible.

  Any crewmember that loses a fight while climbing the precipice must make a Move Roll with a Target Number of 10 or fall to the ground.

  No figure may exit the table from the top of the precipice, even if it is adjacent to the table edge.

  Treasure and Experience

  Treasure is gained as normal for this scenario. Experience is gained as normal for this scenario, with the following additions:

  •+20 experience points for any Heritor who stands on top of the precipice at any point during the game.

  Wardens can also gain bonus experience in this scenario

  •+20 experience points for any Warden who stands on top of the precipice at any point during the game.

  Gaining the Advantage

  Whichever player secures the central treasure in this scenario has gained the Advantage. If you have not yet played Scenario Three, do so now. Otherwise, proceed to Scenario Four.

  SCENARIO THREE

  THE BRIDGE OF TEARS

  From the top of the plinth, you could see the precipice with the hand in one direction. In the opposite, on a nearby island, you could just make out a large river and a large stone bridge crossing over it. As you stared, however, you realized that it wasn’t really a bridge, but the long, broken leg of the Colossus!

  Set-Up

  A large river, around 8” wide, should run down the middle o
f the table, cutting the table into two, roughly equal parts. In the centre of the table a large stone bridge (the Colossus’ leg), about 4” wide, should span the river. The rest of the board should be covered in jungle, rocks, and small ruins.

  Place the central treasure in the middle of the bridge. Place the rest of the treasures following the normal rules for treasure placement.

  Place two octopikes (Rulebook, page 139) in the river, one on either side of the bridge.

  Before players place their figures on the table, they have a choice to make. Each player is allowed to bring one small boat to this scenario should they wish, and should note down in secret if they are taking this option and, if so, which figures will be in it.

  If only two players are playing this scenario, they should start on the two table edges that are cut in half by the river, with their small boat in the river on their edge. If there are three players, they should all start on separate table edges, but everyone must set up their figures on the same side of the river. The player with the Advantage then gets to choose which end of the river to place his small boat. The two other players must roll randomly for their boats. For four players, select table edges as normal. Again, the player with the advantage should choose which end of the river to place his boat, while all other players roll randomly.

  Before play begins, the player with the Advantage may move his small boat up to 6”.

  Special Rules

  Along with essentially being a big cylinder, the bridge is wet and slimy, and thus very tricky to stand on. Whenever a figure makes a move that ends on the bridge, he must make a Move Roll with a Target Number of 10. If he fails, he falls into the water at the closest point.

  The river counts as deep water. Any figure may attempt to climb onto the bridge from the water or from a small boat, by making a Fight Stat Roll with a Target Number of 14. If the figure fails, its activation ends immediately, with no other ill effects.