The War in the Willows - Chapter One
Game Eight and Nine - Post Game
The Black Swan
Maverick and Maximiliano pushed through the underbrush, the skeletal remains of the shipwreck looming before them.
“Neville said it was here,” Maverick said, eyeing the wreckage.
Maximiliano nodded, his accent thick. “Sí, but did he look properly?”
The pair began to search the ship, their eyes adjusting to the dim light. As they rifled through the debris, Maximiliano suddenly crouched, his eyes widening.
“Maverick, esto es… this is a treasure ship. The ‘Black Swan’.”
Maverick’s eyebrows rose. “The one with the legendary cargo?”
Maximiliano nodded, his grin spreading. “Sí. If there’s treasure here…”
The two intensified their search and soon stumbled upon a stash of unopened chests, adorned with intricate locks. The chests creaked open, revealing a hoard of pennies, glittering in the dim light.
Maverick whistled low. “Jackpot.”
But it was Maximiliano who spotted the ring, nestled in a velvet box. The gemstone pulsed with a soft, magical glow.
“Ah, mira,” he breathed. “This… this is no ordinary ring.”
Maverick picked it up, feeling the power coursing through it. “Could be useful.”
The two exchanged a look, the weight of their discovery settling in. The ‘Black Swan’s’ treasure was real – and they had found it.
Ancient Stones
Morrigan stomped through the underbrush, his feathers ruffled with frustration. He couldn’t shake the feeling of failure – if only he’d spotted the mushrooms grabbing Barry sooner…
As he brooded, he stumbled upon a circle of ancient standing stones, half-hidden by ferns. Morrigan’s head cocked, curious. He hadn’t seen these before.
As he examined the stones, a soft glow caught his eye. A warm, golden light wrapped itself around him, chasing away the shadows. Morrigan’s feathers fluffed, surprised, as the magic seeped into him.
In the trees, a Rabbit from the Temple of Light watched, a knowing smile on her face. She nodded, satisfied she’d done her part. Silently, she slipped away, leaving Morrigan to feel… different.
Morrigan looked around, feeling a strange sense of… hope? The glow faded, but the feeling lingered. He shook his head, puzzled. What just happened?
Arcus Venenatus
Bramble followed the High Priestess deeper into the Temple of Light, the air growing thick with an otherworldly energy. William, meanwhile, was led away by two Rabbits, his grin suggesting he’d found something interesting.
The High Priestess stopped at a hidden door, her eyes serious. “Bramble, the Necromouser is a blight on this land. A poison. And sometimes, poison must be met with poison.”
She opened a small alcove, revealing a glowing green bow. As Bramble’s fingers touched the wood, the bow pulsed with a malevolent energy.
“This is Arcus Venenifer, the Venom Bow,” the High Priestess said, her voice low. “We’ve kept it safe from those who’d misuse it. Now, we trust you to use it against the Necromouser. You are pure of heart, Bramble. The only one we can trust.”
Bramble’s eyes widened as she took the bow, feeling its dark power coursing through her. The High Priestess nodded.
“The Necromouser’s reach is long, but with the Venom Bow, you can strike back. Be careful, Bramble. Poison cuts both ways.”
Splashing the cash
Philippe grinned, bowing to the crowd as the applause died down. A flamboyant duck, resplendent in a top hat and monocle, approached him.
“Ah, ze charming Philippe! I ‘ad to meet ze man behind ze magic,” the duck said, his accent dripping with wealth.
Philippe chuckled, shaking the duck’s webbed hand. “Enchanté, monsieur…?”
“Lord Quackmore,” the duck replied, gesturing to his entourage. “I ‘ave a proposition, Philippe. View my wares, and if you like… you can earn one of my finest pieces.”
Philippe’s eyes lit up. “Ooh la la, I am intrigued.”
Lord Quackmore led Philippe to his makeshift market, filled with exquisite goods. Philippe’s eyes widened as he scanned the treasures. Lord Quackmore noticed his gaze lingering on a sword, its blade gleaming with an otherworldly sharpness.
“Ah, ze ‘Avian’s Bite’,” Lord Quackmore said, smiling. “A masterwork. Very well, Philippe – perform for me at my dinner party, and it’s yours.”
Philippe’s grin was all the answer needed. “Deal, monsieur! Ze show, she is yours!”
Lord Quackmore nodded, handing Philippe the sword. “Splendid. Tonight, ze moon is high… and ze guests, zey are eager.”
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Because the last game was over so quickly, I had fate points to burn, so once more, my little critters went into the wilds. They all went individually, but some got the same results, so I combined them into the same story.
I didn’t write stories for each of them, once again just a sample of what’s been going on.
I have lost count of the number of times I have now found the shipwreck, so I am assuming that each time it is the same shipwreck. The same goes for anything that has an ‘Enchanted’ feel to it. I assume it is in some way connected to the Rabbits from the Temple of Light.
All in all, it was a very successful post-game phase, earning me several nice items through the wanderings and rolling for rare items. I also scored a large sum of pennies. Not sure what I will do with them all yet, but I am thinking of adding another member to the gang to round them out to 10 models.
