Song of Arthur and Merlin Arthurian Sourcebook for Song of Blades and Heroes, V.1.1 Written by Daniel Mersey
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Song of Arthur and Merlin Arthurian Sourcebook for Song of Blades and Heroes, v.1.1 Written by Daniel Mersey Credits Copyright © 2008 Daniel Mersey/Ganesha Games Playtesting, helpful suggestions, and thanks: Simon ‘Lancelot Slayer’ Bell; Damian Beamish; Simon Egan- Payne; Pascal Saradjan; Rich Jones; Shaun McTague; Ponders End Wargames Club; Guy and Guy for their differing opinions on Arthur; James and Steve for reigniting my interest in Arthurian gaming; the Song of Blades and Heroes Yahoo group (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/songofblades/), from whom I’ve learned a lot about how to play the game; and the many, many people who have beaten me at my own games over the years. Most importantly, thanks to Andrea for asking me to write this book and for his contributions to the High Medieval special items. www.ganeshagames.blogspot.com Table of Contents Introduction 3 Special Scenarios 18 Scenario Generator 27 Page References Drawing the Sword from the Stone Kill the Monster! Which King Arthur to Play The Strife of Camlann Magical Cattle Raid Grail Quest Campaign Kidnap Within Camelot’s Hinterland 19 The Hunt 28 Into the Perilous Forest Culhwch and Olwen Campaign The Desolate Desert Wrnach the Giant’s Sword Special Rules 4 The Grail Castle 20 The Cauldron of Diwrnach 29 Bard Finding the Grail The Hunt for the Giant Boar Chivalry Grail Tests The Very Black Witch Dogged 5 Hero’s Horse The Welsh King Background 21 The Historical King Background 30 Inconvenient Special Items Designing Your Warband Jouster Arthur’s Mantle 22 Warband Advances Knight 6 Arthur’s Weapons Angons Legendary Wizard Cauldron of Ceridwen Boar’s Snout Protect 7 Cauldron of Champions Flags and Horns Solar Force Dart of True Flight Host of Riders Stubborn Enchanted Weapon Roman Equipment Unique Faerie Cloak Rustlers Special Situations Lion-Skin Shield Sea Raider Herds Magical Torc Shieldwall Veterans Jousting Mead Successor 31 Raiding 8 Padarn’s Tunic Historical King Rosters The High Medieval King Background 9 Pendragon’s Helmet 23 Dismounting Chieftains and Champions 33 Special Items Prydery and Manawyddan’s Shields Scenario Generator 34 The Adventurous Shield Rydderch Hael’s Sword Raid Balin’s Broadsword Standing Stones Marauders Blessed Armor Terrifying War Horn Fight at the Ford Bor’s Sword 10 Tudwal Tudelud’s Whetstone Special Scenarios: the Fifth Century AD Damsel’s Ribbon Weasel Venom The Battle of Badon Excalibur Warbands Groups in Historical Games 35 Galatine Designing Your Warband Zone of Control Golden Harness Triad Tale The Ride of the Gododdin The Grail Welsh King Warband Advances 24 Hermit’s Potion 11 Befriended by Eagles Designer’s Notes 36 Lancelot’s Ring Druid’s Favor Miniature Lists and Further Reading Magical Ring Host of Riders Perceval’s Sword Knowledge of Folklore Priamus’ Sword Mead Relic Sword Raven Feeders Sacred Vision Rustlers The Spear of Vengeance Sailing to Avalon Terror Tree Shapechanger Viviane’s Shields 12 Welsh King Rosters 25 Water of Paradise Warbands Designing your Warband Games Between Bands of Knights Questing Knights 13 High Medieval Warband Advances Champion’s Challenge Knights of the Round Table Knowledge of Folklore Sailing to Avalon Valorous High Medieval Rosters 14 Scenario Generator 16 None Shall Pass! Blood Feud 17 Rescue Tournament Introduction This is an Arthurian sourcebook for Song of Blades and Heroes, rather than a new set of stand-alone rules. You’ll need to refer back to the original rulebook, Song of Gold and Darkness and Song of Wind and Water to learn the game and identify most special rules and some rosters used in this supplement. The special rules, objects, terrain, and game mechanisms outlined in SBH and other supplements are usable with this book if you wish to expand your Arthurian setting. Each section of this book contains new items and warband advances relevant to three different Arthurian worlds; feel free to include these ideas in non-Arthurian games. Rosters include models from previous supplements where applicable to the Arthurian setting; this is to clearly indicate what models most suit an Arthurian setting. If you fancy introducing other monsters, that’s fine so long as your gaming pals agree. Page References To prevent repetition of rules, references to pre- existing rules are noted as SBH (Song of Blades Which King Arthur to Play? and Heroes), SGD (Song of Gold and Darkness), Stories of Arthur have been around for many or SWW (Song of Wind and Water) followed generations, maybe from as early as the sixth by the page number in that book. References century and definitely from the ninth century, including a page number only are references to intertwining many different settings and this book. characters. Depending on your take on the legend or history, you may decide to play games set in the classic Arthurian setting of an enchanted medieval world (High Medieval King), or prefer the equally enchanted but slightly grittier setting of earlier Celtic folklore and old school history (Welsh King). Some players wish to re-enact the real life battles in Britain of the fifth and sixth centuries – the historical era in which a real life Arthur might have lived – bereft of magic and monsters, but still full of tactical choices and tough warbands (Historical King). The same miniatures can be used for the Welsh and Historical King games, using models from the many existing Dark Ages ranges; for High Medieval games, look to plunder fantasy ranges and historical models from the medieval period 1100-1500. Arthurian Special Rules Standard Chivalry Chart Bard As one action, a Bard may temporarily make any Good one friendly model within Medium distance into +?? As specified by scenario or agreed by a Hero during that model’s next turn. The target players in game (awarded at end of model may be changed each turn, but a Bard may game) only make one Hero per turn. If a Bard uses this +1 Moving to fight enemy with higher power on a model with the Hero special rule, that Combat rating (each time the model hero receives two automatic successes. A Bard is moves into hand to hand) a Personality model. +1 Not striking at an opponent who has Fallen Down when the opportunity arises (each time) +1 Unhorsing an opponent in a joust (once per opponent) +1 Backing out of a combat so that opponent is no longer outnumbered (each time) +1 Slaying a model with the Terror special rule (once per slaying) Bad Chivalry -?? As specified by scenario or agreed by A Chivalry rating is given to any model with the players in game (awarded at end of Knight special rule – wizards, brigands, peasants, game) and creatures don’t live their lives by a chivalrous -1 Killing opponent who has Fallen Down code of honor. Chivalry reflects the heroic or evil (once per opponent) deeds a knight accomplishes, judged against the standards of the Round Table. Chivalry is not -1 Using a missile weapon (each time) affected by Morale; a negative score represents a rogue or evil knight rather than a coward. -1 Using an Ambush (each time) All knights begin with a Chivalry of 0, but may carry over their Chivalry score from game to -1 Using poison or spells – but not using game. Every time a model performs a good act or magic weapons or armor (each time) a bad act in the game, they add or subtract points -1 Joining a fight where the enemy is of Chivalry (this is one of the few bits of record already outnumbered (each time) keeping you’ll need in the game – and if you’re playing one off scenarios, you can leave this rule out). The Standard Chivalry Chart shows what When a model attains certain Chivalry points, constitutes a good or bad act. Some scenarios’ the warband may go on a Quest scenario to find a Victory Conditions allow the player to choose Special item of the player’s choosing; see Special whether to take positive or negative Chivalry, Items in the High Medieval King section for more depending on which is most beneficial to the details. models in his warband. Given the epic nature of the Arthurian setting, Inconvenient you might wish to make your campaigns longer A player spends points on this model as usual than the usual 4-5 games when using the Chivalry and may choose to place it in his opponent’s rules – the longer your campaign, the greater warband rather than his own (at no points cost your chance of questing for some seriously good to the opponent). The model becomes part special items. of the opponent’s warband for the entirety of Chivalry costs no extra points. the scenario, and one Knight on that warband (nominated by the Knight’s owning player) gains Dogged the Protect special rule for the Inconvenient model, for 0 points. Only one Inconvenient model Once entering into combat with an opponent, the may be given to an opponent in any scenario. model cannot leave that combat or start a fight with a new opponent until his current enemy has Example: Simon chooses to add an Inconvenient been killed or fled from the table. Other models damsel to his warband for 8 points, so that he may join the fight, but the original opponent can place her in his opponent’s warband before must remain the Dogged model’s target on his either warband deploys on the table. This means own attacks. If the original opponent breaks off that his total points value is now 292 compared combat, the Dogged model must pursue until the to his opponent’s 308 – although both still count opponent is dead or off the table.