This is a series of games concerning the misadventures of Lernak Thern, a minor sorcerer of Pan Tang. That's him below with an escort and conjuring a pair of imps.
I Across the Oldest Ocean
After many years of study and several years of practice as a sorceror, mostly as an assistant in rituals to more competent magicians, Lernak Thern was alarmed and gratified in equal measure when summoned to the chamber of one of the Theocrat's lieutenants. There the scowling, black-bearded magician ordered him to join a ship sailing to an island off the coast of Lormyr, where the crew would search for certain minor magical items which recent scryings suggested were hidden there. Lernak Thern's delight was tempered by the news that he was not going to be in charge of the expedition, as he had first assumed. Instead, a mercenary captain called Azhal Rhuvas would be in command with Lernak Thern as magical advisor and as the Theocrat's eyes and ears. For this purpose he handed Lernak Thern an small arrow made of a dull black metal. This, he said, was worth much more to him than Lernak Thern alive or dead, and must be brought back. It pointed the direction to the magical items, but, he warned with an even deeper scowl, was not infallible and must be used with some discretion.
Seeing Lernak Thern's disappointment the Theocrat's lieutenant overcame his first reaction, which was scorn, and as a concession to Lernak Thern permitted him to select a companion. Without hesitation he chose Katlatch Vaun. Lernak Thern and Katlatch Vaun had first met as boys undergoing assessment for magical ability; when Katlatch Vaun was found to have little he pursued an undistinguished career in the army of the Theocrat and had participated in several overseas raids.
A week later the vessel set sail, across the Oldest Ocean. Its mercenary crew were a hard-bitten lot and had little respect for their two advisors, or guests, or supernumeraries. However one evening their opinion of Lernak Thern rose somewhat. In a slack wind their vessel was overhauled by a purple-painted bireme which drew alongside and prepared to board the smaller vessel. Lernak Thern summoned a small imp, which flapped heavily across to the galley; there it overturned a brazier into the rowers and then flew to a yard from where it screeched insults until brought down by a thrown javelin. The confusion of tangled and dragging oars permitted the Pan Tang ship to run before what wind there was and escape into the gathering dark.
Katlatch Vaun; Lernak Thern; Azhal Rhuvas; three mercenaries.
II Landfall
Within a day or two the island was sighted and without hesitation Azhal Rhuvas beached the craft. A few of his men scouted inland while the rest made camp on the moorland which bordered the beach. Lernak Thern's offer to summon an imp to fly high and report back any sign of life was rejected with a curt shake of the head. Early next day the scouts returned. Inland a path led though a dark and forbidding-looking forest. Azhal Rhuvas looked a question at Lernak Thern who muttered an incantation and threw the arrow into the air. It fell pointing inland and so their route was set.
Approaching the edge of the forest Lernak Thern felt strong forbodings, and one of the mercenaries, more skilled in tracking than the others, indicated the tracks of an unknown animal of some sort. Muffled barks and screeches from deep within the forest did nothing to calm Lernak Thern's nerves. Close to mid-day, as the track passed through a series of clearings, Azhal Rhuvas halted the group and pointed ahead with his axe. Some way off a group of half-naked warriors was blocking their way. They bore axes, swords or spears and shields.
As the mercenaries advanced on the enemy Lernak Thern summoned three imps to help them, watched warily by Katlatch Vaun, The mercenaries charged fiercely and assisted by the imps, who hung squeaking on the edge of the fight and darted in to grab a weapon, hang on an arm or trip an unwary leg, killed several of the barbarians. Katlatch Vaun moved up to join the melee and was at once attacked by two of the enemy and struck down. Lernak Thern drew his dagger and ran to help, but as the enemy pulled back to regroup and Azhal Rhuvas gave instructions to his men was brusquely ordered by Rhuvas to send his imps forward into a clump of trees. As the mercenaries attacked the imps darted from the undergrowth and hampered the barbarians; the two surviving imps then turned on the barbarian chief and dragged him to the ground. He was able to shake them off and rise to his feet but by then the mercenaries had despatched another couple of his men and the barbarians fled.
As the mercenaries checked the five fallen barbarians for signs of life and loot Lernak Thern went to Katlatch Vaun and was relieved to see him trying to rise to his feet. He had a minor wound to his arm and a dented helmet, but was alive. The mercenary who had been knocked down by the barbarians was also only slightly hurt.
Game stats:
Lernak Thern Q3+ C1 Summoner, Evil @ 40
Summoning pool:
Imp Q4+ C2 Stealth, Evil, Coward @ 17
Winged imp Q4+ C2 Flying, Stealth, Evil, Coward @ 32
Winged ape Q3+ C4 Flying, Evil @ 60
Katlatch Vaun Q4+ C4 Evil @ 30
Azhal Rhuvas Q3+ C4 Leader @ 70
Mercenary Q3+ C3 @ 30
Islander Q3+ C3 @ 30
Islander champion Q3+ C4 @ 40
Islander chief Q3+ C3 Leader @ 60
Islander earl Q3+ C4 Leader, Hero @ 100
Game 1:
Lernak Thern Q3+ C1 Summoner, Evil @ 40
Katlatch Vaun Q4+ C4 Evil @ 30
Azhal Rhuvas Q3+ C4 Leader @ 70
3 x Mercenaries Q3+ C3 @ 30
2 x imps, 1 x flying imp to summon = 56/2 = 28
Total 258
versus
Islander leader @ 60
7 x Islander warriors @ 30
Total 270
