The War in the Willows

This is the state of play for the Misfits Den.

Labour Points = 2

Materials = 1

Rating = 57

Coffers = 86 Pennies

Stashed Gear = 11 Broadhead Arrows, 3 Elf Bolts, 1 Thyme Leaves.

Den Upgrades = Study, Library, Archery Range, Magical Garden, Smallholding, Fletcher, Alchemy Laboratory and Occult Laboratory.

Now we start getting into the heavy hitters for my warband.

Thomas is a level 5 Snail (Tortoise Profile)

He was supposed to be my tank, but ended up more like a pillbox.

For skills, he has Tough 5 and Lucky.  He is armed with his trusty mace, heavy armour and a heavy shield.  If he can get into combat, he is pretty good at whacking.

He is going in with 5 fate points (as per my previous post, a lot of my characters are going into the finale with a ridiculous amount of fate)

Morrigan is next.

He is a level 7 Crow (Large Bird)

He is equipped with a Bow, Sword, Light Armour, 6 Broadhead Arrows and 3 doses of Mortal Poison.

For skills he has, Flight (obviously, he’s a bird), Expert Shot, Wounding Shot and Tough 1

Morrigan has been fun to play, he is incredibly self-centred and does his best to stay away from trouble.  He has a fortitude of 10, making him quite resilient to taking long-term injuries.   He has made a friend of Neville and has something of a love-hate relationship with Thomas.

He is sitting on 4 Fate Points and 2 Experience Points.

The next up is a bit of a surprise…

Maverick!

Yes, Maverick, my Level 9 Fox, who is also my leader, is not my highest-ranked member.

He has the following skills: Strong 4, Tough 4, Fearless, Lucky and Furious Charge.

He is sitting on 5 Fate Points going into the final battle and is equipped with a Two-Handed Sword, Heavy Armour, +2 Ring of Protection and a Mirror Talisman.

Maverick has been the backbone of my force.  Holding the line where needed and being taken out a few times, although never actually suffering a long-term injury.  If Neville can get a Haste spell off on him, he can cover a lot of ground and give a pretty hefty smack to someone.

That just leaves the top spot, which goes to…

…Bramble, my second in command, who is a Level 10 Fox.

Bramble has the following Skills.  Strong 1, Tough 1, Expert Shot, Wounding Shot, Crippling Shot and Spot the Weak Point,

She is equipped with a Venom Bow, Sword, Light Armour, a Mirror Talisman and 6 Broadhead Arrows.

Bramble has been very lucky, managing to get not one free advance from the Temple of Light but two.

With a Perfect Roll on her bow after focusing, she hits at 21 points with 11 points added to the wounds, ignoring Tough from armour.  It’s insane.

She will be going into battle with 5 Fate Points.

I had planned on getting another game in tonight, the last before the grand finish at the weekend, alas, work had other plans for me.

So, it looks like my merry little band is as good as it is going to get before the end of this campaign.

I thought it would be fun to do a little breakdown of each of my characters as they prepare to enter the final showdown.

______________________________

In 10th place, based on their level, we have our newest member.

Hercules.  Level 2 Duck (Medium Bird)

There really is not much to say about little Herc, suffice to say, I like ducks.

I had the spare pennies, so I decided to get him some equipment to start with. He has a Mage’s Focus – his hat and 3 lots of Dragonfly Wings.

I gave him the Transpose spell.   I figured that if one of my archers gets dragged into a melee, they don’t want to be in he can use this spell to remove them and replace them with either Maverick or Thomas.

He has not had the chance to get any upgrades yet, so he will be going in fresh and have just the one fate point to start the game with

Following on from Hercules, we have –

William and Rose, who are both Level 4 Foxes

Yes, I know that is two characters, but they’re identical.

With expert Shot, Bows, Swords and Light Armour.  Foxes are, in my opinion, the best archers in the game.  They have good speed, are good in Melee and have good Ranged skill.

Thanks to some good rolls on the wandering table after my last game, and with the bonus of an Occult Laboratory at the Den, they will be going into battle with 4 fate points each.

(In my last wandering rolls, I got the Tainted Ancient Stones, which gave every model an extra fate point.  A roll of 5 on the Occult lab, giving everyone 3 fate points, and to top it all off, Morrigan found the Blessed ancient stones to give me an extra 5 fate points to distribute amongst the gang.)

After that, we have three characters who are all level 5, so I shall list them in the order in which they joined the misfits, with the more recent coming first.

And that is…

Maximilliano Vulpine, a Level 5 Ferret.

I was pretty lucky and managed to get Max on one of my wandering rolls quite early in the campaign.  He’s a bit of a rogue and has a thing for the ladies, in particular Bramble.  I have no idea how that came about. I was just trying to think of things that may have made good stories. I was also going to have him become a good friend of Maverick as between the two of them, I expected them to do most of the fighting.

He has A sword, a Bow, Heavy Armour, 6 Broadhead Arrows and 2 doses of Mortal Poison.  He can also ignore the next roll on the major injury chart, something he got when he first met the Rabbits at the Temple of Light, and so far, has not used.

He is also pretty good in melee and has 2 experience points, and thanks to all the bonuses from the last set of wanderings is going into the final battle with 5 fate points.

He has

Tough 2, Fearless and Lucky skills.

Next up is…

Phillipe Phillop a Level 5 Toad

He also has 5 fate points (same reason as mentioned above.)

He is armed with a +2 Sword of Smiting and Heavy Armour

For skills, he has Strong 3, Tough 4, Natural Hunter, lucky and Killing Blow (Ridiculous really, as I think he has only managed to land one hit in all the games I have played)

Next is little Neville.

Neville has been consistently amazing, getting perfect rolls at just the right moment, keeping everyone healed and catapulting Maverick into combat when needed.

Neville is a Level 5 Frog

He knows the following spells: Cure, Haste, Lightning and Push.  He carries Haldyn’s Staff and has 3 Elf bolts for his ingredients.  (I can’t trust him with Thyme leaves anymore after he smoked the lot)

He has 4 fate points and 2 Experience points as he goes into the final battle.

I never really expected a lot from Neville, but he has really turned out to be a lifesaver and man of the match for me more than once.  I guess you really should never underestimate the little guy.

It is getting pretty close to the end of this campaign now, and I thought I would take a little sideways step from all the story text and share some of the other bits I have been working on.

Burrows and Badgers, at its heart, is a scenario-driven game, and several of the scenarios call for extra models to be protagonists.

Ghasts seem to feature quite a bit in the scenarios in the rulebook, as do cultists and renegade wizard types.  Seems only fair that I did some of those, should they be needed for a game.

I have also done a fair few skeleton animals to bolster the ranks of the undead.  I have no idea what the final game will entail, but I suspect that there will be undead involved.  If the campaign organiser needs more than he has, I will now be in a position to help out.

Maverick paced the den, the gang’s eyes on him. “No luck, guys. Nobody fits.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “Nobody? What about Dudley?”

Maverick shook his head. “Didn’t ask him.”

Thomas frowned. “Why not? He’s a beast.”

Maverick sighed. “He’s Black Watch, through and through. Needed there.  Wouldn’t want to pull him away.”

Thomas snorted. “Fair point. What about the Bishops?”

Maverick shook his head. “Threesome. We’re looking for one.”

The gang nodded, understanding. Maximilliano piped up, “Isabella?”

“Happy with her tacos,” Maverick said, chuckling. “And no Lady Toads in sight.”

The Misfits exchanged looks, the silence stretching. Then Bramble grinned. “Guess we’re back to brainstorming.”

_

Neville stood before them, a determined look on his face. “Guys, I want to ask you something. My friend Hercules is looking to join the crew.”

Maverick raised an eyebrow. “Hercules? Sounds impressive.  What’s he like?”

 “He’s a… a bird,” Neville said, a hint of defensiveness creeping in.

“A bird?” Thomas echoed. “What kind? Falcon?”

“Maybe an eagle?” Bramble suggested, eyes lighting up. “We could have a predator flying above us, swooping down with fierce talons!”

“Death from above”, cried Thomas.

“A hawk, maybe?” Maverick chimed in. “Something with some serious airspeed and claws?”

The group got excited, visions of aerial dominance dancing in their heads.

Morrigan scowled, folding his arms. “If he’s a wacko bird with a death wish, sure, why not?”

Thomas clapped Neville on the back. “Seriously though, Nev, extra muscle’s always good.  He’s in.”

The group agreed, high-fiving enthusiastically.

Morrigan muttered under his breath. “Top bird, my arse. Now there’s gonna be some feathered competition…”

Neville hurried out of the den, a big grin on his face.

____________________

Neville found Hercules not far from the old schoolhouse.

“Hey, Herc!  You’re in! The Misfits want you to join!” Neville exclaimed.

Hercules’s eyes widened, and he flapped his wings nervously. “R-really? They’re not just, uh, being nice?”

Neville laughed. “No way! They’re stoked.

Hercules puffed out his chest, lost his balance and stumbled sideways, putting his foot into a bucket.

Hercules looked up, quacking loudly. “Quack! Oh no, no, no! I’m stuck! Help, Nev!”

Neville burst out laughing. “Herc, what’ve you done now?”

Hercules quacked again, stumbling again, the bucket thunking against his leg.

“Herc, stop moving! I’ll get it off.”

Finally managing to free Hercules, Neville straightened up, giggling. “Okay, so… the gang wants you in. It’s a done deal.”

Hercules’s eyes widened, and he let out an excited “QUACK! Really? For real? I’m a Misfit?”

Neville smiled “Yep! You’re officially a Misfit, Herc.”

Maverick and Bramble strolled through the market, weaving past stalls and haggling locals. Maverick nudged Bramble’s elbow. “Still no decision on the tenth member, eh?”

Bramble raised an eyebrow. “Nope. Dudley’s the front-runner, but…”

Maverick snorted. “He makes Barry the Bastard look like a child, he’s huge.”

Bramble chuckled. “The Bishop brothers – I suspect too many egos. And Lady Toads? Not exactly crawling the streets.”

Maverick grinned wickedly. “Isabella’s got tacos, though. Tacos on tap, right?”

Bramble laughed. “Tempting, but I doubt she’d join.”

“Only one way to find out.” Maverick smiled.

____________________

Isabella

Bramble and Maverick strolled into Isabella’s Taco Shop, the aroma of sizzling meats and spices enveloping them like a warm hug. Isabella, la reina del taco, flashed a sultry smile as she greeted them.

“¡Hola, guapos! Welcome to my humble abode. What brings you handsome Misfits in today?”

Maverick grinned, nudging Bramble. “Just thought we’d drop by and… taste the goods.”

Isabella laughed, a throaty purr. “Mi tacos are the best, no? But I think you’re looking for something else, ¿sí?” She batted her eyelashes, first at Maverick, then at Bramble, who raised an eyebrow, amused.

Bramble leaned in, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Actually, we were wondering if you’d consider joining the Misfits.”

Isabella’s eyes sparkled, and she leaned in, her voice husky. “¡Ay, caramba! The Misfits, eh? You’re a bunch of locos, I like it.” She glanced at Bramble, then Maverick, her gaze lingering. “But… I’m afraid I’ll have to say no, guapos. I’m happy here, serving up tacos and making dreams come true.”

Maverick chuckled, shaking his head. “Can’t compete with that.”

Isabella laughed, patting Bramble’s hand, then Maverick’s. “You know it, chicos. But maybe I’ll come visit you Misfits soon, ¿no?”

Bramble grinned.  “We’ll leave a standing invitation, just in case.”

Isabella’s smile was like the sun breaking through clouds. “¡Ay, cuenta con eso, guapos!” She winked, and Bramble and Maverick beat a hasty retreat, chuckling.

As they left, Maverick turned to Bramble. “Think she’ll ever join?”

Bramble shrugged, a sly grin spreading across her face. “Doubt it. But it’s always fun to watch her flirt.”

____________________

The Bishop Brothers

In the quaint village of Greenhaven, nestled between rolling hills and lush fields, lived the Bishop brothers – Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer—three mice with mischievous sparkles in their eyes, notorious for their kinship towards each other .

The trouble began when Farmer Jenkins’ wife, Mrs Jenkins, accused the Bishops of tormenting her relentlessly. Whiskers twitching, the brothers denied it all, of course. But the evidence was stacked against them: nibbled cheeses, raided cookie jars, and a trail of chaos that led straight to the Bishop’s doorstep.

The villagers took Mrs Jenkins’ side, especially when she threatened to cut off their tails if the torment didn’t stop. The Bishops, however, maintained their innocence with straight faces.

Rumours swirled that the mice had witnessed something – perhaps a shady deal involving the village elder’s prize-winning pumpkins. But Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer stuck to their story: they saw nothing.

The case went to trial, with the village lawyer, Mr Grimstone, prosecuting the brothers. The courtroom was packed, the air thick with tension.

Grimstone: “So, you three claim to have seen nothing?”

Latimer (with an innocent squeak): “Absolutely nothing, Your Honour.”

Ridley (nodding vigorously): “Not a thing.”

Cranmer (smiling sweetly): “We were, uh, busy grooming our whiskers.”

The villagers groaned. The judge banged his gavel. “Enough! The court finds you… reluctantly, not guilty.”

The verdict dropped: the Bishops were acquitted, but with a warning. “You three may not see anything, but be warned, I’ll be watching you.”

The brothers emerged from court, tails intact, and grinned at each other. “Told you we’d get out,” Latimer whispered.

As they scratched their ears, Mrs. Jenkins glared from the back of the courtroom. “This isn’t over.”

The Bishops scurried off, chuckling, and promptly got into a new scrape – stealing a particularly fine cheese from the village pub.

Their legend grew: the three mice who saw nothing, blind as the Bishops, some would say, thick as thieves, said others.

Dudley

In the shadow of the setting sun, the Black Watch assembled at the old oak, their armour polished, their spirits high. Dudley, the mighty Bloodhound, stood tall, his one eye gleaming with pride. He was a legend among the Watch, a champion of valour and loyalty.

Dudley’s career spanned years, with campaigns in the Wreckage Wars, the Night of Screams, and countless skirmishes against the Dark Things that lurked in shadows. His coat bore the scars of battles fought and won, and his chest was heavy with medals.

But it was the Battle of Brindlemark that cemented his legend. A horde of feral mole rats, their eyes glowing like embers, had descended upon the sleepy village of Brindlemark, intent on slaughter.

With a deafening roar, he charged into the fray, his massive polearm tearing through the enemy ranks. The mole rats swarmed, but Dudley fought on, his jaws crushing, his claws slashing. He took blow after blow, his armour dented, his fur torn, but he would not yield.

In the chaos, a mole rat had breached the schoolhouse, where the children cuddled in terror. Dudley saw the danger and sprang into action. With a Herculean effort, he smashed through the enemy, losing an eye in the process, but saving the children.

The Watch arrived to find Dudley standing amidst a mountain of defeated foes, his chest heaving, his eye socket bleeding. He had saved the village and the schoolhouse, single-pawed.

The villagers hailed him a hero, and the Watch promoted him to Champion. Dudley remained humble, his loyalty unwavering. He continued to patrol the night, ever vigilant, ever loyal.

–

Dudley sat in his office, the worn leather chair creaking beneath him. He stared at the wall, eyes tracing the 37 names etched into the wood. Brothers and sisters, fallen in battle, their memories honoured here. A quiet reverence filled the room, mixed with the scent of old books and polished armour.

He remembered the day he arrived at the Black Watch, a scared, gangly, orphaned pup. The Watch had taken him in, trained him, given him purpose. Dudley’s eye wandered to the Phoenix emblem on his shield, gleaming in the dim light – the symbol of the Black Watch, rising again and again.

Thirty-seven. So many good souls. Dudley had thought he’d join them in the Great Hall at the Rainbow Bridge more than once, but fate decreed otherwise. Now, age had crept in, slowing him down. But experience remained, and wisdom earned.

A soft knock broke the silence. “Sir?” a Watch pup said, poking his head in. “There are two foxes here to see you.”

Dudley nodded, his one eye focusing. “Tell ’em I’ll be down shortly.”  The pup nodded and left. Dudley turned back to the names on the wall. “Still here,” he whispered.

The Den’s common room was a hub of activity; the Misfits sprawled about, soaking in the relief of being back home. Neville muttered to himself, mixing potions with a flourish, as Morrigan looked on, befuddled.

Thomas, unusually chill, hummed a jaunty tune, quill scratching as he balanced the books. “Hmm, six…Seven… Mmm…”

Bramble looked up, a notice in hand. “Guys… It’s about Barry.”

The group fell silent, eyes on Bramble.

“Barry’s family paid a ransom. He’s… home,” she said, her tone measured.

The Misfits exchanged looks – relief mixed with a hint of “could’ve been better”.

Maverick nodded, leaning back. “Not ideal, but at least he’s safe.”

Morrigan perked up, a grin spreading. “Hey, that’s bloody brilliant!”

Neville looked up, a splash of purple potion on his cheek. “Hear that, Morrigan? Chemistry’s not that hard.”

Thomas kept humming, scribbling a note in the ledger. “Carry the four… divide by nine…”

The tension dissipated, replaced by the usual Den banter. Barry was home – that was what mattered.

Thomas looked up from the ledger, a mischievous glint in his eye. “One more,” he said, as if it were a done deal.

The Misfits exchanged confused looks.

“One more what, mate?” Neville asked, wiping purple potion off his hands.

“Member,” Thomas said, grinning. “We can fit one more in the gang. Funds are solid, we’ve got space, and I know just who it could be.”

Maverick raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “The Black Watch, I bet.”

Thomas nodded, enthusiastic. “Yeah! They’re tough, reliable –”

Maverick cut him off. “No hounds, Thomas. We don’t need a gang of Bloodhounds breathing down our necks.”

Thomas’s grin didn’t falter. “Ah, come on, Mav. One hound wouldn’t hurt. They’re loyal –”

Maverick shook his head. “Not up for debate. No hounds.”

Morrigan chimed in. “Hounds are cool, actually…”

Bramble leaned back, amused, as the argument unfolded.

Philippe grinned. “Ooh la la, ze solution, she is simple! We find a lady toad! Charming, clever… et voilà!”

Maximiliano chuckled, shaking his head. “No, no, amigo. I know a lovely Mexican Squirrel. Isabella’s her name. She’s got ze best taco in town.”

Rose piped up, eyes shining. “Ooh, tacos!”

William nodded emphatically. “And mice! We need mice in the gang. Squeaky, smart ones.”

Maverick shook his head, firm. “No mice. They get under your feet.”

The group started arguing again – toads vs squirrels vs… mice. Morrigan chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “This is gonna be fun.”

Bramble raised an eyebrow.

–

The Misfits dissolved into chaos as each member passionately argued their point. “Character’s everything!” Philippe exclaimed.

“Skills are key, amigo!” Maximiliano countered.

Maverick shook his head. “Heart matters –”

“No, no, experience is what counts!” Thomas insisted.

Morrigan and Neville watched, giggling like maniacs, as the argument escalated.

Meanwhile, Bramble and Rose slipped out, grinning at each other. “Boys, huh?” Bramble said.

Rose chuckled. “Archery range?”

The pair headed outside, bows in hand, as the shouting match continued inside. Morrigan and Neville collapsed into each other, snorting with laughter.

Neville wiped away tears. “This is gold.”

Morrigan grinned.

The arguing inside got louder…

____________________

The morning after the great debate, the Misfits stumbled into the Den’s common room, looking like they’d been through a blender. Thomas, ever the optimist, had taken matters into his own hands.

The wall was plastered with pictures of potential new members. Dudley from the Black Watch – a gigantic Bloodhound in full plate armour, shield and Halberd at the ready. Thomas’s grin said it all.

Next to Dudley were Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer – three white mice, looking mischievous, with captions hastily scribbled across the poster, no doubt referring to the infamous incident with the farmer’s wife.

Isabella, the Mexican squirrel, smiled cheekily from the wall.

And finally, a blank piece of paper with “A Lady Toad” scrawled on it. Philippe looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Ze toad, eet ees a long shot, no?”

Maverick shook his head, exasperated. “Thomas, what’ve you done?”

Thomas beamed. “Narrowed it down, Mav! Now we just… argue some more!”

The group groaned, eyeing the candidates. Morrigan chuckled. “Dudley’s gonna crush us.”

The Black Swan

Maverick and Maximiliano pushed through the underbrush, the skeletal remains of the shipwreck looming before them.

“Neville said it was here,” Maverick said, eyeing the wreckage.

Maximiliano nodded, his accent thick. “Sí, but did he look properly?”

The pair began to search the ship, their eyes adjusting to the dim light. As they rifled through the debris, Maximiliano suddenly crouched, his eyes widening.

“Maverick, esto es… this is a treasure ship. The ‘Black Swan’.”

Maverick’s eyebrows rose. “The one with the legendary cargo?”

Maximiliano nodded, his grin spreading. “Sí. If there’s treasure here…”

The two intensified their search and soon stumbled upon a stash of unopened chests, adorned with intricate locks. The chests creaked open, revealing a hoard of pennies, glittering in the dim light.

Maverick whistled low. “Jackpot.”

But it was Maximiliano who spotted the ring, nestled in a velvet box. The gemstone pulsed with a soft, magical glow.

“Ah, mira,” he breathed. “This… this is no ordinary ring.”

Maverick picked it up, feeling the power coursing through it. “Could be useful.”

The two exchanged a look, the weight of their discovery settling in. The ‘Black Swan’s’ treasure was real – and they had found it.

Ancient Stones

Morrigan stomped through the underbrush, his feathers ruffled with frustration. He couldn’t shake the feeling of failure – if only he’d spotted the mushrooms grabbing Barry sooner…

As he brooded, he stumbled upon a circle of ancient standing stones, half-hidden by ferns. Morrigan’s head cocked, curious. He hadn’t seen these before.

As he examined the stones, a soft glow caught his eye. A warm, golden light wrapped itself around him, chasing away the shadows. Morrigan’s feathers fluffed, surprised, as the magic seeped into him.

In the trees, a Rabbit from the Temple of Light watched, a knowing smile on her face. She nodded, satisfied she’d done her part. Silently, she slipped away, leaving Morrigan to feel… different.

Morrigan looked around, feeling a strange sense of… hope? The glow faded, but the feeling lingered. He shook his head, puzzled. What just happened?

Splashing the cash

Philippe grinned, bowing to the crowd as the applause died down. A flamboyant duck, resplendent in a top hat and monocle, approached him.

“Ah, ze charming Philippe! I ‘ad to meet ze man behind ze magic,” the duck said, his accent dripping with wealth.

Philippe chuckled, shaking the duck’s webbed hand. “Enchanté, monsieur…?”

“Lord Quackmore,” the duck replied, gesturing to his entourage. “I ‘ave a proposition, Philippe. View my wares, and if you like… you can earn one of my finest pieces.”

Philippe’s eyes lit up. “Ooh la la, I am intrigued.”

Lord Quackmore led Philippe to his makeshift market, filled with exquisite goods. Philippe’s eyes widened as he scanned the treasures. Lord Quackmore noticed his gaze lingering on a sword, its blade gleaming with an otherworldly sharpness.

“Ah, ze ‘Avian’s Bite’,” Lord Quackmore said, smiling. “A masterwork. Very well, Philippe – perform for me at my dinner party, and it’s yours.”

Philippe’s grin was all the answer needed. “Deal, monsieur! Ze show, she is yours!”

Lord Quackmore nodded, handing Philippe the sword. “Splendid. Tonight, ze moon is high… and ze guests, zey are eager.”

______________________________

Because the last game was over so quickly, I had fate points to burn, so once more, my little critters went into the wilds. They all went individually, but some got the same results, so I combined them into the same story.

I didn’t write stories for each of them, once again just a sample of what’s been going on.

I have lost count of the number of times I have now found the shipwreck, so I am assuming that each time it is the same shipwreck.  The same goes for anything that has an ‘Enchanted’ feel to it.  I assume it is in some way connected to the Rabbits from the Temple of Light.

All in all, it was a very successful post-game phase, earning me several nice items through the wanderings and rolling for rare items.  I also scored a large sum of pennies.  Not sure what I will do with them all yet, but I am thinking of adding another member to the gang to round them out to 10 models.