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59. The Item Lost

Source: Town Cryer #25
Setting: Mordheim
Author: Mark Havener, et al. Broheim notes: Nicodemus joins one warband (presumably a warband far weaker than the others) in an attempt to retrieve a magic wand. Naturally the other warbands would like the wand for themselves. Much bloodshed ensues.

The wizard Nicodemus has hired a warband to help him find a magic wand that has been reported lost in the city. Following up on the latest reports has led him and the warband to this section of the city. Unfortunately, others have also heard of the wand, and wish to keep it for themselves.

terrain​

Each player takes it in turn to place a piece of terrain, either a small building, set of hedges or walls, or similar item of terrain appropriate for Mordheim. We suggest the terrain be set up in an area roughly 4'x4' for two-player games, or 4'x6' for multiplayer games.

special rules​

One warband gets the services of Nicodemus for free for the duration of this scenario. The other warbands have to make do with their normal rosters.

Place a marker in the center of the table. This is the current resting place of the wand. Any non-animal warband member can pick up the wand by stopping when they contact the marker (it’s a small piece of wood and not easily seen if you don’t stop to look!). If the current holder of the wand is taken Out of Action, place a marker where that warrior fell... the wand may then be picked up by another warrior stooping in contact with the marker.

If the warband that Nicodemus has hired successfully retrieves the wand, Nicodemus thanks them for their services (they are considered to have found an additional two Wyrdstone shards to represent their ‘payment’). If another warband retrieves the wand, they may of course keep it, though only a Hero can use it.

the wand of phyrros​

This wand is a slender stick of dark wood, roughly 10" long. It seems rather ordinary, but it allows the wielder to use the spell Fires of U’Zhul once per game. The spell is automatically successful, and the wielder of the wand does not have to be a spell caster to use it (though he does have to be a Hero). The wand may be sold for 100 gc.

set-up​

All players roll a D6 to see who deploys first, with the player rolling highest choosing a table edge and setting up first. If there are two players, then the next player sets up on the opposite board edge. If there are more than two players, the remaining players choose sides and set up their warbands based on the order of their dice rolls, highest to lowest. A player must set up his warband within 8" of his table edge, but not within 4" of a side edge, and not within 10" of another player’s warband. Keep in mind that more than 4 players should be accommodated with a larger battlefield than normal (see the “Chaos in the Streets” article on multiplayer games in the Mordheim 2002 Annual, page 26).

starting the game​

Players each roll a D6 to determine who goes first. Play proceeds clockwise around the table (based on where players placed their warbands) from there.

ending the game​

The game immediately ends if one warband succeeds in getting the wand off the table. Failing this, the game ends when all warbands but one have failed their Rout test. Warbands that Rout, automatically lose. If two or more warbands have allied when the other warbands have all routed, they may choose to share the victory and end the game, or they may continue the game until one warband is victorious (ie, break the alliance and fight it out!).

experience​

  • +1 Survives. If a Hero or a Henchman group survives the battle they gain +1 Experience.
  • +1 Winning Leader. The leader of the winning warband gains +1 Experience.
  • +1 Per Enemy Out of Action. Any Hero earns +1 Experience for each enemy he puts out of action.
  • +1 Retrieves the Wand. The Hero or Henchman group who takes the wand off the edge of the board gains +1 Experience.

I know I left that thing around here somewhere,” the old man muttered to himself as he moved swiftly through the ruined home, overturning broken stools and peering under floor-cobbles. “When will you ever learn you old fool, don’t just lay important things down when you're done with them...” He continued in this fashion for the rest of the day, moving from house to house down the deserted street. As he turned the corner he could be heard to say, after a string of incoherent expletives, that he really needed to hire someone to keep track of such things for him...