Collaborative Campaign Year 3: Part 2

 Today's installment of the Collaborative Campaign takes us back to Picenia, and focus's on events in the recently conquered province of Northern Luss, in this Year of the Pot-Bellied Pig. 

Mark Cordone once again tells the tale in words and pictures.

The Raid on Metlustum

The first of two games I have the pleasure of playing out for Jack's collaborative campaign is a raid by Catacus, son of the late Lussatian high king Vepotalus.  For this game I envisioned a raid on a Picenian fortified camp to free recently captured slaves.  This would involve a number of small combats and not really be a big battle.  I decided to resolve it with a series of die rolls.  I set up a few little vignettes to illustrate the action.
First I rolled for the date and got the 25th day of the first month of the year of the Pot Bellied Pig.  A winter battle!  I thought it would be neat to have it during a snow storm, and it would be a good plan to attack under the cover of bad weather.  For the fighting I decided to resolve it with a series of 5 roll offs, high roll winning the round, the final score indicating margin of victory.  I also used my Oracle die.

Catacus, son of the late deceased high chief of the Luss, had managed to gather a warband of around 1000 men with which he harried the Picenian's as they established control of their newly conquered territory.  Just before the new year they succeeded in reducing the mountain stronghold of the last of the tribes who had not yet submitted, the Caletti.  As it turned out, the eldest daughter of the chief of the Caletti, Rionach, was among the captives taken there.  Exceedingly fair, she had also been betrothed to Catacus.  He resolved to rescue her.
The Picenian's had established a series of fortified camps along the banks of the Sulla to assert control and process the fruits of their conquest.  Catacus learned she was at the largest of these camps near the town of Metlustum.  As dawn broke on the 25th day of the first month the weather was very bad with heavy blowing snow.  Catacus hoped the enemy would be shivering in their huts and tents, giving him the advantage of surprise and resolved to attack.
I asked the Oracle, were the Picenian's surprised?  The answer was no, so I gave them a -1 disadvantage only on the first roll.
Round one, an assault team crosses the wall:  Luss 2, Picenian's 1-1=0.  They cross the wall without difficulty, but are spotted as they make their way to the gate and the alarm is raised.

Round two:  Luss 6, Picenian's 5.  After a hard fight, the Luss managed to open the gate letting the rest of Catacus's men in.
Round three:  Luss 4, Picenian's 3.  Heavy fighting sees the invaders making their way to their two primary targets in the camp.

Round Four:  Luss 3, Picenian's 4.  At the slave pens the Luss are unable to prevent the guards from putting most of the captives to the sword.  Oracle die, is Rionach killed?  No, but.  Although not slain, she is spirited away by the centurian on duty, in the confusion of battle he escapes the camp with her and a few of his men.
Round Five:  Luss 5, Picenian's 3.  At the commanders tent, the Tribune Fortus Fuscus, is cut down in single combat with Catacus.

The camp is burned and most of the garrison killed.  A great victory for Catacus, but a hollow one, what happened to Rionach?
To be continued....

The random dice called for an uprising, but Mark's narrative has added a whole new spin to the story! Thank you Mark and I can't wait to see what happens next...