Spodilicious
  • News
    • Home
    • Contents
  • Rage Virus
    • Part 1 - A police story
    • Part 2 - Attrition
    • Part 3 - Going nowhere
    • Part 4 - Special Weapons and Tactics
    • Part 5 - Tactical retrograde
    • Part 6 - Mission accomplished
    • Part 7 - It's pretty much all downhill from here
    • Part 8 - Hollerton Field
    • Part 9 - Out of the frying-pan
    • Part 10 - How few remain
  • Five Men in Ukraine
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 30 October 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 05 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 14 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 29 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 13 December 1943
  • DBA
    • Mongols v Georgians
    • Timurids v Georgians
    • Mongols v Il-khanids
    • Mongols v Il-khanids II
    • Pre-feudal Scots v Anglo-Danish
    • Caledonians v Scots-Irish
    • Vikings v Saxons
    • Mongol campaign
    • Ming v Mongols campaign
    • Picts v Strathclyde Britons
    • Mongols v Russians
    • Russians v Swedes
    • Kaykhusraw & the Mongols
    • Köse Dağ
    • Mongols in Korea
    • Mongols in Korea II
    • The Danes in Estonia
    • Danes v Estonians
    • Norwegians v Scots 1263
  • SF
    • Sladden >
      • Sladden - chapter 0
      • Sladden - chapter 1
      • Sladden - chapter 2
      • Sladden - interlude I
      • Sladden - chapter 3
      • Sladden - chapter 4
      • Sladden - chapter 5
      • Sladden - interlude II
      • Sladden - chapter 6
    • Dunhold >
      • Dunhold I - the raid
      • Dunhold II - the Guffinsson device
      • Dunhold III - a walk in the country
      • Dunhold IV - assassin's greed
      • Dunhold V - assault on precinct XIII
      • Dunhold VI - hostage & rescue
      • Dunhold VII - the gun
      • Dunhold VIII - tank shock
      • Dunhold IX - raid on Beteneb
      • Dunhold X - firebase Ragnhild
      • Dunhold XI - hit and run
      • Dunhold XII - just-in-time logistics
      • Dunhold XIII - infiltration
      • Dunhold XIV - Applewhite & Nettles
      • Dunhold XV - 'They've got a cave troll!'
      • Dunhold XVI - The bridges at Itrook
    • Dalek Invasion >
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 1
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 2
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 3
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 4
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 5: Bob's story
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 6: Bob's story (2)
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 7: Dalek hunters
      • Dalek invasion - cast
    • Lasers & feelings
    • Mutants & Death Ray Guns >
      • From Dust: Introduction >
        • From Dust: Prologue
        • From Dust: Chapter 1 - the Trademaster
        • From Dust: Chapter 2 - the Wretched
        • From Dust: Chapter 3 - the Device
        • From Dust: Chapter 4 - Tucamari
      • Big Dode in the wastelands >
        • 1 - The ordeal
        • 2 - The rats
        • 3 - An ally
        • 4 - Scorpion!
        • 5 - Water! Water!
        • 6 - Cornered rats
        • 7 - The river
        • 8 - R-10-T
        • Appendix 1 - Bestiary
      • Don Chimpanzino
      • Therianthropes are go!
      • Against the Wretched >
        • Against the Wretched - 1
    • Schar's World
    • Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Goats, Rats and Pigs >
      • Chapter 1
    • Marines v Aliens
    • Fallout >
      • Fallout - part 1
      • Fallout - part 2
      • Fallout - Resistance part 1
      • Fallout - Resistance part 2
    • England Invaded! >
      • Ottoman airship raiders
      • A sharp action at Fawkham
      • On the road to Canterbury
    • Gangs of New Neasden >
      • Gangs of New Neasden part 2
    • Post-Brexit Gangs of Middlesborough
    • Operation Last Train
    • Silver Thorn
    • Goblin Civil War
  • Dark Ages skirmish
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 1
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 2
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 3
  • Douglas of the 92nd.
    • Douglas of the 92nd. - the supply column
    • Douglas of the 92nd. - the heliograph station
  • The First World War
    • Mesopotamia
    • Trench raiding
    • Panzer Angst September 15th 1916
    • Freikorps
    • Biplane Barmy
    • 1914
    • 1914 - Opening Moves
    • Night falls over Jutland
    • 1919
    • Zeppelin L33 over England
  • Horse & Musket
    • Meyvaci Ali and the British invasion
    • Meyvaci Ali and the troublesome dervish
    • Meyvaci Ali and the Albanian raiders
    • Meyvaci Ali and the caravan
    • Meyvaci Ali and the tax collector
    • Meyvaci Ali and the customs-house
    • Meyvaci Ali and the revolting Martolos
    • Meyvaci Ali and the Albanian menace
    • Napoleonic Ottomans
    • Late 17th century >
      • Kirk o Shotts
      • Covenanters at Pitlochry
      • Auchtermuchty
    • Jacobites
    • O Brien's Farm
    • Turks v Russians
    • Turks v Russians 2
    • The Peninsula
    • Altdorf April 23rd 1813
    • Alcuesta
  • Samurai
    • Lord Sugiyama and the ten ronin
    • Neshikocho 1618
    • Ikko-ikki
  • Arty farty
    • Aikey Brae
    • Balgorkar (Castle Fraser)
    • Barra Hill
    • Brandsbutt stone
    • Broomend of Crichie
    • Clune
    • Cullerlie
    • Cuween Hill
    • Dunnideer
    • Clach an Tiompain / Eagle Stone
    • Cnoc Freiceadain
    • Eassie
    • Easter Aquhorthies
    • Glassel
    • Kintore stone
    • Kirkton of Bourtie
    • Leuchar Moss
    • Loanhead of Daviot
    • Loch Kinord
    • Machrie Moor
    • Maiden Stone
    • Meigle
    • Midmar Kirk
    • Migvie
    • Mulloch
    • Sunhoney
    • Tollohill
    • Tomnaverie
    • Auchindoun
    • Fedderate castle
    • Fowlsheugh
    • Slains castle
    • Bullers o Buchan
    • Camster
    • Coire Fraoichidh / Corrichie
    • Cruden Bay
    • Gourdon
    • Loch Eich
    • Nairn beach
    • Newburgh
    • Perwinnes Moss (Scotstown Moor)
    • St. Fillans
    • Animals
    • Interesting rocks
    • And quiet flows the Dee
    • Enchanted Forest, Pitlochry
    • Strange skies
    • Covid-19 lockdown
    • One tree, one year
  • Fantasy
    • Song of Blades & Heroes >
      • A cautionary tale
      • Succession
      • The short-lived adventures of Yark the kobold
      • Gondor v Orcs
      • Cormyr - introduction >
        • Cormyr - the watchtower
        • Cormyr - the ambush
        • Cormyr - the outpost
      • The adventures of Zou Kov >
        • The palace of Covidius I
        • The palace of Covidius II
        • The palace of Covidius III
        • The palace of Covidius IV
        • The howling
        • The beacon
        • The castle
        • Assassination
        • Run out of town
        • Kobold caves
      • Alquin of Barrowdale
      • The Young Kingdoms
      • Zothique
      • Hyperborea
      • Vadagh
    • Lord of the Rings >
      • Mahud & Haradrim v Gondor
      • Hobbits v goblins
      • Rohan v Dunlendings
      • Gondor v Haradrim & Mahud
      • Gondor v Dunlendings
      • Faramir at Osgiliath
  • Second World War
    • Atlantic Convoy SC41
    • Burma 1943
    • Neil Thomas
    • Martelange
    • Dzyatlava
    • Monopoly Blitz
    • Ten minutes on a Burmese afternoon
    • Bolt Action >
      • Encounter at Villages Pas Vrai
      • Manhunt
  • Who thought this was a good idea?
  • Modern
    • Afghanistan 2009
    • AK47 Republic
  • Terrain
    • Terrain showcase
  • Back catalogue
    • Aberdeen Beyond 2000
    • MDRG four-way scrap
    • Published articles
  • Le salon des spods
    • Semi-random scenario generation
  • Extended universe
    • Spodlight
    • Spodcast
    • There Will Be Spods
    • Spodify
  • All Under One Banner
    • All Under One Banner 03 June 2017
    • All Under One Banner 05 May 2018
    • All Under One Banner 04 May 2019
    • All Under One Banner 17 August 2019
    • All Under One Banner 07 October 2019
    • All Under One Banner 11 January 2020
  • Scrapbook
Picture
A heated discussion in Taulfan's audience chamber.
Picture

In the next few months Taulfan extended his authority over the area, with Zou Kov and his band as his enforcers.  Taulfan established his base in a fortified house built for the leader of the expelled colonists and with the aid of Brother Athelstan and Teragram began to set up a system for collecting tithes and judging claims to land ownership.  Taulfan himself was the sole arbiter and his audience chamber the court.  Over the course of a few months relations between Taulfan and Zou Kov's band became strained, Taulfan was making larger and larger exactions from the peasants, which the barbarians were uneasy about enforcing, and his decisions became increasingly capricious and self-centred. 

Early one winter morning Zou Kov,  Athelstan and Teragram were in discussion in the audience chamber with Taulfan, who was in a foul humour after a late drinking session, when Zou Kov held up a hand for silence.  He had noticed a lack of sound from the guard-room just inside the main door.  There were usually a handful of picked men there to guard the door and admit visitors.   




Sergeant     
Q3+ C3 Leader, Heavy armour, Short Move
60 points

Soldier         
Q4+ C3 Heavy armour, Short Move

23 points x 9

Picture





​Erluk
​Q3+ C2 Assassin
50 points
​

Picture

​Calbardius 
Q3+ C3 Magic-user
60 points

 
Taulfan
Q3+ C2
Slow


Zou Kov
Q2+ C3 Leader

Aushog
Q3+ C4
Magic sword +1

J'Neb
Q3+ C4

Naim Tocs
Q3+ C3

Thersites
Q5+ C2 Coward

Brother Athelstan
Q3+ C2 Cleric

Teragram
Q3+ C2 Stealth, Traps, Heavy Armour (magic mail)

Saylok
Q3+ C4 Shooter to Medium, Stealth

Nurmi
Q3+ C4






Early in the morning Zou Kov remonstrates with the increasingly tyrannical Taulfan. Athelstan tries to keep the peace. Teragram wishes she was somewhere else.
In the great hall Thersites makes breakfast for Nurmi and Naim Tocs.
Not fancying Thersites's cooking Saylok searches the kitchen for snacks.
Aushog, suspicious at the absence of servants, heads for the guard room. He pauses, thinking he hears something.
The intruders pack into the guard room. It is a group of Knights of the Dust intent on revenge on Taulfan.
Three Knights burst into the corridor but stop in their tracks at the sight of Aushog.
Aushog holds them at bay and calls to Zou Kov.
Three against one is fine odds for Aushog.
As more of the enemy shove their way out the guard room Aushog retires to the great hall to alert the others.
Zou Kov orders Athelstan to secure the door.
Sergeant Maggard curses his men for lack of progress.
Athelstan bars the door.
Seeing the enemy's hesitation Aushog comes back into the corridor and taunts them.
Two come at him and Aushog holds them off easily.
Irritated by the amateurism of the soldiers Calbardius the mercenary mage elbows his way out of the guard room.
The enemy batter at the door of the audience chamber. Zou Kov and Athelstan prepare to defend it.
J'neb has been outside performing his ablutions. Finding the door closed and hearing fighting inside he barges the door open - despite two of the enemy leaning on it - and finds the guard room full of the enemy.
J'neb is set upon by two soldiers and Erluk the assassin.
The fight sways this way then that.
J'neb eventually falls, cut by Erluk's poisoned dagger.

Then came a remarkable turn of events.  The band of Knights of the Dust, under their disgraced sergeant Maggard, had been reinforced by two experts hired at considerable expense.  One was Erluk the assassin, and the other was Calbardius, a magician and swordsman.  Calbardius was well-known for his skill and cunning, but also notorious for never undertaking a mission without having an ulterior motive and for his lack of patience. 

As the attack by the Knights stalled - despite having the advantage of surprise and numbers they were being held in the corridor out of the guard-room, at one end being held off single-handedly by Aushog and at the other being unable to batter down the door held by Zou Kov and Athelstan - Calbardius became increasingly exasperated.  He elbowed his way through the crowd to where Aushog had killed one soldier and was easily fending off two more and cast a transfix spell on Aushog.  Aushog shook off the lethargy he felt creeping over him and fought on.  A second attempt had even less effect.  Calbardius was jostled by a mass of Knights, irritated by their blundering attempts to smash down the door, and enraged by the ease with which the half-naked Aushog was dealing with his heavily-armed foes.  When their leader Maggard emerged from the guard room and began to bellow contradictory orders and abuse Calbardius's patience ran out.  He turned and cast a transfix on Maggard, and as the astonished soldiers looked on called through the door to Zou Kov for a truce.  The knights had no idea what was happening and meekly obeyed Calbardius's order to lay down their weapons.  Through the door Zou Kov and Calbardius negotiated, and then met in person in the great hall.  

Taulfan was still in the audience chamber, guarded by Athelstan and Teragram.  Teragram carried messages between the two as the negotiations progressed.  Calbardius initially demanded a hundred gold coins to lead the Knights away from the mansion; Zou Kov was eager to pay but Taulfan baulked at the amount and despite the seriousness of the situation would only part with fifty.  Calbardius accepted with a poor grace, pocketing the money himself and as an afterthought insisting the that knights should be allowed to retire unmolested.  As he left the house he split the money with Erluk who then administered an antidote to J'neb, patting the fallen barbarian and telling him he would be fine in a week or so.

Zou Kov's reaction to the episode was relief; the knights' attack could have been much more successful if Aushog had not become suspicious and then held the intruders off so ferociously.  Taulfan's reaction was however rage, that he had been betrayed by his guards and servants, and had then had to part with a large sum of money.  Zou Kov later discovered that half of the guards had indeed been bribed and abandoned their posts; the other three had however died defending the outer door. The servants, who lived in huts surrounding the mansion, had been advised not to go to work that morning.  The whole episode fuelled Taulfan's suspicions and his behaviour became more erratic.  It soon became clear to Zou Kov that Taulfan somehow suspected them of being involved in the plot and relations between Zou Kov and Taulfan deteriorated further.  The arrival of a group of merchants, who Taulfan then retained as advisors in place of Zou Kov, Teragram and Athelstan, made Zou Kov's band feel more than ever that they were unwelcome outsiders.
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