Boundless - Edrik 5
Edrik in peril
Last episode, Edrik was tracking 4 members of the Church of the One Light and a captive Druid. After getting within far sight distance of the group, Edrik fell prey to an ambush. He managed to take out the One Light Assassin - at the cost of the Mask of the Swallowed taking a crossbow bolt - severely damaging it.
Edrik has difficult descision to make.
Day 4. Watch 3. Nightfall.
I havce decided that the mask will not control Pallid creatures until it can be healed by the Derweald.
We have a dilemma here. Edrik has 3 conditions (2 x Fatigued and Chilled) that are basically rounding out his inventory. Any more conditions and he’ll need to start dropping equipment to free up space. The 10 inventory slots goes quickly - whcih is very effective in creating tension.
Edrik was completely exhausted and cold, but so close to his quarry. He did not want them to get to the safety of Fieldhearth Redoubt. He did have the Crossbow, Spell Marble and clothing of the Assassin. He took the Spell Marble and placed it against his forehead. Feeling the frail spirit inside, he sensed its malice and willingness to sacrifice itself if it meant hurting the Church of the One Light. This Edrik could understand, he too would sacrifice himself to hurt the Church. The Church hated the Spirits. This Spell Marble, like all Church Spell Marbles had already been pushed past the point of no return. Its fate was to be burnt out - used as a resource for the Church of the One Light. He would honour its sacrifice and make it count. He quickly formulated the beginnings of a plan.
Edrik went on the hunt.
Edrik, pushing past his fatigue, made his way towards the faint campfire. From a good distance he could make out some figures, possibly four. Three One Light fiends and the druid. Wary for another ambush, he glanced down at his new white attire - he had changed into the One Light Assassin’s cloak and packed the Mask of the Swallowed away - it could hide his face but would not control any Pallids, should any appear. The Mask would need to heal amongst the Derweald. He was hoping the Assassin’s cloak could buy a few seconds of time if needed.
Edrik made his way to a large rock. He bundled up the Spirit ward, Vial of Ash and 15 Coins, hoping he would be alive to come back for them later. Next he unpacked the lantern, placed it on top of the rock. Feeling a bit lighter, he unslung the Crossbow and lit the lantern.
He kept low and ran a distance, keeping the lantern and camp in sight.
He waited for movement.
Dex / stealth check from good positioning 4D: 1 Hit with a cost. I will creat an Alarm Event P4: down to P2. When this event happens, it will mean they know Edrik is there.
It seems likely to me that 1 church member will check out the lantern. Fortune roll, will one church member check out the light? (Edrik will react depending on where the concentration of Church members are) 2 hits. One church goes to inspect the lantern.
One Light Enemies (These are from the Bestiary):
Bright Mage. 4 HP, P4 Morale and a host of spells.
Inquisitor. 8 HP.
Bright Templar 10 HP, 2 Armour. 4
(This might be too crazy - but we are hoping the Druid can join the fight).
Druid: Name: Droho. (Male), Str 1, Agi 3, Pre 3, Wil 4. HP (9). Equipment 1 fatigued.
Is Droho conscious? Likely 3D: 1 hit yes. Twist or setback. Droho is tied up.
(Mercey’s Spark Spell Marble in Edrik’s posession allows +1 Damage per attack and it increases by +1 for each consecutive attack in a single combat as I interpret it.)
Edrik watched the camp and saw a hulking giant in plate armour rise and begin to walk towards the distant lantern. He waited for the figure to get some distance away, then approached the camp in a crouching position. Edrik used the Mercy’s Spark Spell Marble, thanking the spirit for its sacrifice. He came up from his crouch as he came into the firelight, One Light Assassin disguise on and Crossbow held out.1
Edrik made eye contact with the druid who then glanced at a nearby backpack and staff. The Inquisitor, eyes on the fire, said “Damn Helga, you gave us a fright…” and flinched as a spray of blood spattered across his face. The Bright Mage’s head had snapped back with the Crossbow bolt hitting dead centre.
Edrik dropped the crossbow, pulled his daggers and cut the druid loose. The Inquisitor yelled hoarsely in alarm and fumbled for his executioner’s sword. Edrik immediately launched himself at the Inquisitor, daggers in underhand grip.
Oh’amunh sliced cleanly through the Inquisitor’s white vestments, red blooming around the gash.
The druid hastily pulled on a robe that appeared to be ethereal, swirling smoke and snatched up the nearby decorated staff.
Edrik grunted as the Inquisitor bellowed, driving their Executioner’s Blade in a heavy downward arc, battering away Edrik’s daggers to cut into his shoulder. He spun as the Inquisitor began to mutter an incantation and plunged both daggers, glowing faintly from the Mercy’s Spark spell, into his chest.
Both Edrik and the druid could see the massive Bright Templar running towards the campfire. Edrik bent for the crossbow as the druid waved his staff over the campfire and the pair dashed away into the darkness - gaining distance from the Templar, who was somehow able to run in their armour.
Hide in tall grass. Edrik loads the crossbow. Asks if the druid can fire it? Fortune roll 50/50: no hits. Setback - the Templar spots them and quickens his pace.
Edrik will have time to fire the crossbow once - fires when Templar is semi-close for a good shot. Fortune roll: is the Marcy’s Spark still in effect? Likely: 2 hits.
Edrik and the druid crouch in the darkness behind some tall grass. Edrik hastily loads the crossbow and asks in a hissed whisper if the druid can fire it. The druid shakes his head no, backs away, his smoke-like robe swirls as the druid disappears.2
Edrik sees the Bright Templar stalking towards their position, shield raised. He readies the crossbow, feeling the Mercy’s Spark still present with the spirit’s last gasp hanging on. He waits for the Templar to get within maximum damage distance and fires from behind the grasses.
The bolt punctures the Templar’s thick armour just above the shield, which lowers just a fraction, as he continues on, sword raised. Edrik drops the crossbow and pulls his daggers as the Bright Templar stalks into melee range.
A clang, the Templar’s great helm juts to the side with the druid appearing from thin air, glowing staff sparking with flame.
The Templar continued his charge at Edrik and brought the sword heavily along Edrik’s leg. Edrik leaned on his good leg to find gaps in the Templar’s armour with his daggers. The Templar gave out a death groan and his heavy body fell dead.
Edrik and the druid, gasping for air, sweating and swaying where they stood looked at each other. The druid stared Edrik straight into his desiccated face, with its deep sunken eyes and graveyard skeletal lipless grin and then bowed “Brother, I know you not, yet you saved my life, nay maybe saved me from worse than death; to be tortured by the foul Church.” He spit on the Bright Templar’s corpse.
“Call me Edrik friend, fore we share the same hatred for the enemy.” Edrik held out his hand.
The druid came in and they grasped forearms, “Droho of the Dale.”
Spoils from the battle with the members of the Church of the One Light:
Mage: 3 Burned out Spell Marbles. 2 x Spell Marbles each same spell: Unrest (P2 Uses): Let the spark return to cold flesh, for the Light denies the grave as it wills. Your character raises a corpse for 1D × 10 minutes. Then the body and soul are destroyed.
Inquisitor: Execution’s Blade (Edrik will use this one handed with the dagger)
Spell Marble: rolled a 3 again!: Unrest (P2 Uses).
Bright Tremplar: Shield, sword. (leave it)
This is very cool! Talk about dice pushing a story - 3 undead spell marbles. I’ll decide that these One Light members are experimenting with undead rituals etc. Alright - this could link easily with Droho’s captured friend. The Fieldhearth Redoubt is ripe as a target. Maybe these Church folks are a cultish off-shoot?
The pair loot the bodies before burning them. A pyre large enough to send a message. Erik kept the crossbow and executioner’s sword, leaving the stiletto.
Strangely, the Church of the One Light dregs had 3 Unrest Spell Marbles. This was unheard of, maybe even bordering on blasphemous? Droho and Edrik talked about this and more as they set off for Droho’s grove.
Temples and Cults table (cool sounding names): Rolled: Root and Chose: Spire for Rootspire Grove.
Session end. This grants character advancement. Edrik gains +2 HP and I’ll bring Dex up to 5 (It is Agility, I keep referring to Dex).
Droho is of The Whispering Flame background and druid-like in my mind. He will also advance with +2 HP. and will take Agility up to 3.
Edrik going Rambo was incredibly fun. I enjoyed going over his abilities, gear and strategising on the best approach for his toughest battle yet. With all attacks hitting - it can be very deadly and the need to plan out a best approach while rolling with the changes and setbacks is so much fun!
The Bright Mage, Inquisitor and Bright Templar are all from the bestiary and scary foes. Edrik attacking from surprise and freeing Droho was key.
A small note: After Edrik cast the Marcy’s Spark spell he needed to make a Willpower check (missed during the playthorugh). Rolling now he gets 1 hit and would have been ok. If he had 0 hits, he would have taken on another Fatigued condition in a slot. He had no room left and would need to have dropped something - it would have been rations., so overall, gameplay not affected.
I am going to leave this AP here for now - I hope the fun I have had with Boundless has come across. Edrik is a great chracter and there is more of the story to tell.
Boundless is approaching a full release soon. In the meantime, check out the Boundless 2 page rules on itch!
For this and other Actual Plays check out my Table of Contents Page.
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Combat: Surprise: Edrik Crossbow at the mage: Kill. Rnd 2. Edrik drops crossbow, pulls knives and cuts the Druid loose. Inquisitor shouts in alarm and grabs weapon. Alarm event will now switch over to a timer for the Bright Templar to get back P6: P3. Rnd 3: Initiative roll: Druid and E). E uses Oh’amunh on Inq, (20 years, down to 10) 2 damage. Druid pulls cloak on, grabs staff. Inq attacks E: 3 Damage. Rnd 4. Event roll: P1. E attack: Kill Inquisitor (Oh’amunh charged back up). Druids holds staff into the camp fire. Rnd 5. Event P1. The Bright Templar is barrelling towards them. Edrik grabs the crossbow and runs into the dark, druid follows.
E fires: Damage: 1D+3: 6 Damage, armor blocks 2 = 4 total. Edriks drops the crossbow and pulls the daggers. The druid has disappeared (invisibility cloak) - Edrik feels small as the Templar barrels in. The druid attacked the Templar from behind - invis broken 2 damage.
Rnd 2. Init: T atk E for 2 damage. E D+3: 4 Damage: Dagger exhausted (Life roll 40 decades, down to 30). Kill. Wow… E recovers 4 HP.
Love a good ending with a hook for the future!
A super fun jaunt through Boundless! For sure felt your enthusiasm while reading it