More Questing for Brin the Barbarian

Introduction

Found time for another quick game of Brin the Barbarian (see side bar for the latest version of the rules). In this encounter Brin has been joined in his quest by Auburn Aoife. They are represented here by Minifigs SSX1 The Barbarian and SSX3 Pirate Girl.

A note on pronunciation: Brin rhymes with green and not grin. Aoife is pronounced EE-fah. 

Brin goes for tighty-whities and leather cummerbund, Aoife wears traditional chainmail bikini

Setting

Brin and Aoife have wandered into a land known as The Petty Kingdom. This dismal country, all that's left of a once prosperous Empire that tore itself apart in uncivil war, is ruled over by a creature of infinite malice and evil, The Great Toad. The Toad lurks in the centre of a swampy area called the Gripping Mire, surrounded by his rabid, sycophantic supporters. The countryside surrounding the Mire is an impoverished land where the common folk strive beneath the yoke of the malevolent Toad and his foam-mouthed followers, and outsiders are at best tolerated, until their money runs out, or more likely meet a grisly end.

Game

The red markers represent possible encounters, inspired by 2D6 Sword and Sorcery. Some possible encounters were rolled for as the heroes approached the counters, the last being more difficult to deal with.

The first encounter - The Howling Woman, a harmless Soothsayer (Minifigs SSX4 Witch)

Second encounter - an ape who was quite tough (Minifigs SS21 Great White Ape)

The sky darkens as our Heroes enter the village

The local Witch, Barking Mad Annie of Widdicombe, an acolyte of the Great Toad, and her henchmen block the entrance to the village. Mad Annie is played by Minifigs SS11 Witch of the Mists. On the left is Steve, a Xenophobic thug (Minifigs SS61 Ogre) and on the right is Gover, a back-sliding slimy thing of dubious origin (Minifigs SS49 Gargoyle) who looks like a proto Teletubby

Mad Annie (with a terracotta lantern) and Stinky-Winky (with a Subway)

The resulting battle was touch and go for our Heroes. Regrettably it got too dark to take any more pictures, however I can report that Mad Annie fled to the swamp and Brin and Aoife overcame their foes and left the Petty Kingdom with nothing to show for their exploits other than some new scars.

The Quests of Brin the Barbarian v1.1

I have finally got round to adding the Sorcery section to the Quests of Brin the Barbarian rules (see side-bar). It does require a bit of recording I'm afraid which I know isn't to everyone's taste. Here's some photos of the test gaming.

Game 1

The enigmatic Wizard in the Woods is out for a stroll when

he is attacked by two reckless Forest Orcs

The Orc with the axe is momentarily paralysed with an Evil Eye curse

The second Orc attacks

and is blasted by a Fireball

The Wizard uses a blast of raw magic to destroy the other Orc

Game 2

A long dead Sorcerer has been brought back to Undeadness by a rouge Necromancer. Brin has been tasked with destroying this monster. 

The Sorcerer in his animated mummy form

As Brin arrives a spell causes skeleton warriors to emerge from the ground

Having made short work of the Skellies, Brin approaches the Creature..

who promptly vanishes to return in another game.

The Quests of Brin the Barbarian - test games

Preamble

Much like the current UK Government, I seem to have squandered an awful lot of time recently with very little to show for it (oh, bit of politics, bit of politics). Unlike them, however, I have at least achieved one of my objectives and messed about with the Quest of Thane Tostig rules (see side column for link to my simple version for a grid based game).

Brin the Barbarian

(A note on pronunciation; Brin should rhyme with teen rather than tin)

Brin is travelling from his home in the cold wastelands of the North to the "Civilised" South, looking for Adventure, Treasure and some warm weather. On the way he has various encounters which will, hopefully, form the basis for some skirmish games. The following are some of the test games I played.

Quest the First

During his journey South, Brin (here played by Anvar from Minifigs Valley of the Four Winds range) is attacked by wolves

Why do barbarians from cold lands wear so little?

Brin has no trouble with a couple of wolves

Quest the Second

In order to earn a few coins Brin agrees to kill a monster that has been harassing villagers. The creature dwells in a swamp (cannot be entered by Brin). Brin approaches the swamp and the creature attacks.

Minifigs Slimeman from the Sword and Sorcery range

Fighting Old Boggy, the swamp monster

Old Boggy retreats into the swamp to tend his wounds - failed quest

Quest the Third

Further South Brin comes upon a village that is being terrorised by some bandits (sound familiar..). Teaching a couple of the men to fight, Brin leads them into the forest to find the outlaw leader, know as Red Hood, a shadowy figure of indeterminate gender..

Red Hood, Will Johansson and some Merciless Bowmen

Brin (who has acquired clothes and a beard) with Sly and Rabbie, the villagers

Rabbie is shot in the head before combat is joined

Brin chops his way through the Bowmen; Sly is under pressure

Sly runs for home chased by a Bowman. Brin fights on

With both leaders injured the fight ends without resolution