Kingfisher Knight - suggestions for engagement roll obstacle?

Forged in the Dark Band of Blades
1

Hey,

Running the VK mission and I have been trying to think of a starting obstacle that fits the fiction. I like the idea of starting the mission with the squad arriving at the Temple where VK is ‘praying’, but don’t want to do the usual undead/combat/spotted threat for the engagement, as I plan to build tension slowly/horror themes for the session. I did think that the obstacle might be gaining access to the Temple, but unsure how different positions would look for this, and what the threat might be.

Any/all ideas welcome!!

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In my game the initial complication was that the Kingfisher Knight was suffering from corruption, and had to cleanse himself in a holy font before he joined the army.

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In the game that I played in, VK had hallucinations such that he mistook humans from undead. In that case, the engagement roll impacted how dangerous VK would be to the group when they first encountered him.

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I know this was from weeks ago now, but I wanted to share my notes here in case they are useful to anyone.

I gotta admit I dumped the script for this one and added a love story. Not sure why I went full witcher on this, but I felt like it would make for some cool moments and even though the obvious thing happens, part of the fun is to watch the obvious thing happen.

My unused scenario (because the players chose this as their secondary mission and failed it) was that the Kingfisher Knight fell in love with one of the shades of Dar and took her home to his family in the mountains because he knew there was a holy shrine, and magical healing waters that may cure his love.

This is what happened:

The squad arrives to find a party in full flow. The Knight, the hosts say, is indisposed, as it is the day of his wedding to his young bride, whose curse was cured by taking the waters of the holy spring. Would the Legion like to rest a while and perhaps pray at the shrine?

If they inquire after the knight - after all, they want him to join them - the hosts (the knight’s father and mother and extended family) understand but reiterate that he will see them after the ceremony.

Break for mingling. Some opportunities to see the rot lurking beneath the festivities. How the dancing girls dance like they are puppets on a string, the weird smell of decay beneath the bouquet of flowers, the greasy slippery quality of the food and wine.

Just before sunset the knight enters the scene, he appears heavy and tired, and when he sees the legionnaires he begs them to flee for their lives. He is bleeding from copious wounds on his chest and neck, and cries that his beloved will come when the sun sets.

Here comes the bride, all dressed in bones and teeth and horror.

Can her curse be lifted by the waters? Maybe. Maybe the Kingfisher Knight’s strength and purity failed at the last minute. Maybe you can save them both and you’ll earn Voyis Kariyevich’s undying (lol) loyalty, or maybe you’ll send your B squad and they’ll all die because you decided to Primary a supply run instead and rolled 1s on the engagement.

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That is epic mate! Thanks for that :slight_smile:

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Aw, I’m glad you liked it :slight_smile:

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That is an incredible take on this mission! I love it.

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My version of Voyis earned the displeasure of Vlaisim/Render a decade or two ago.

There was an awkward business with a prestigious Zemyati family arranging a politically convenient marriage for their second son, who Voyis was also courting. That led to his brother - one of Vlaisim’s trusted knights - interfering, Voyis accidentally killing the brother in a duel, and Vlaisim then casting him out and exiling him, hence Voyis settling in Aldermark.

I’ve very much played him as a grumpy, cynical large ham. He’s been tending the shrine to one of Aldermark’s long-dead Chosen for years. And although there are bandits and undead in the mountains, the biggest obstacle to recruiting him is persuading him that he should act against the Living God’s wishes. He was sentenced and he feels he’s serving that sentence - which also means he’s a hermit who’s largely oblivious to what’s happened recently.

My players persuaded him that with Vlaisim now Broken and Shreya accompanying them, it would be acceptable for him to step back into the world. What will happen if he ever comes face to face with Render himself will be interesting (although possibly brief).