Happy Birthday Blog and Welcome to Thanda the Grim.

It's my Blogs Birthday Today. Please don't sing Happy Birthday :)

I know I should have a birthday cake but I'm a little short on time and as usual with Birthdays I'm last minute so anyone reading this please bear with me. I'm also not going to waste your valuable time with my thoughts on the last year's blogging experience or what I've got lined up in the future, there's others that do that far more eloquently than I can.

Now that's out of the way a bit of a departure for me, I have a game to post but wanted to do an introduction to the characters first. Last year I had a couple of games of Frostgrave with two other old people and as usual I didn't much like the rules but really like the concept, it reminded me of Rune Quest, another game I didn't much like the rules for. Both of them have in common the fact that they are set in a fantasy world using swords and sorcery and I've always liked the genre, in particular Robert Howards Conan stories and the more grown up (in my opinion) David Gemmell books.

This sort of ties up with what I tried to do with the Horror games, using my existing rules and introducing concepts lifted from elsewhere, like terrifying gaze, fear, terror cards and frightening events that sort of thing.
So it's a small step to bring in some form of magic or spell casting into the same rules, again much of it lifted from elsewhere but I think I've incorporated it fairly seamlessly and I played an initial game that I was well pleased with.

So without further ado I would like to introduce my gang of badass adventurers and I don't suppose anyone will be too surprised that they are all badass women.


THE SORCERESS

Thanda The Grim is my Sorceress of little renown, she completed her apprenticeship 25 years ago, when she was first painted and has not been heard of since. Never been on the table, she will be a little nervous in such exalted company but I’m sure she will prove her worth.

Armed with a steely grim glare, said to turn lesser mortals to a quivering lump of jelly, or on a really grumpy day - to stone. She carries a carved rune staff of power and an ivory handled sacrificial knife (unused). She will be leading my ill assorted rogues.



THE APPRENTICE

Rufina Grey Eye has been Thandra’s Apprentice for 25 years when she also was first painted. She has practiced Thanda's Grim Gaze but so far only achieved the sobriquet of Grey Eye.

Armed with a commanding right hand, known to subdue dogs, cats and small vermin, she is hoping to extend this to larger animals and maybe even to humans, certainly simple minded ones. She also has a red handled sacrificial knife (unused) but no staff of power - yet.




THE WIZARD

Bergeris Luoll – A Wizard from the Central Land of Merde, a land of fire and flame.
She has practiced magic for a long time but only just succeeded in becoming skilled enough to strike out on her own. She is skilled in runes and languages and can cast spells reading from a parchment, but these are usually not as effective as the Five special spells she has memorized and used often.

Her short wand is stout and sturdy, it has been used to knock down anyone she has failed to reduce by magic, unfortunately there have been too many of the later, but she is improving slowly. As her master said – slow and sure – stay alive.

THE THIEVES

Tina The Swift – Small and exquisite, Tina makes you want to protect her. You pull her close to look after her, only later when your money is gone do you wonder if maybe she could have taken it, but no that couldn’t be – she is too fragile, too trusting, too helpless, and you are too much of a fool.

One of the greatest thieves of her age. No one believes she is capable of such deeds but therein lays her strength.
Swift as a striking snake, daring as a mongoose, bold as a tiger.

 Armed only with a knife and her lock picks, she is a dangerous adversary – don’t underestimate this one.

Signy Freyasdotter – From the far north where the wind and the ice hold fast, pale as death, wild as a Falcon, Signy learned to survive by stealing what she needed. Her parents were killed by frost giants, her family scattered, she had to survive alone, men only seemed to want one thing from the young girl.

She keeps a small sharp and very deadly knife hidden in a leather sheath under her blouse, close to hand if needed but it is her skill at moving silently, gaining the trust of the most boorish guard, speed that a rattlesnake would admire that keep her alive.

Akira – A minstrel of some repute, she plays the lute like an angel, with long slender fingers for plucking strings and manipulating lock picks just as easily. No treasure box is safe from her skills.

Her parents toured with a small band of players, they passed on to her their knowledge of juggling, high wire, gymnastics and sleight of hand. She became a master in her own right but left the roving players for a more profitable and exciting game of her own. She carries a sharp pointed sword with which she is as much a master as with the lute.


THE ADVENTURERS

Helgi the Lean is an adventuress born and bred. Slim and athletic she is unfortunately no picture having sustained a disfiguring scar on her face in a sword fight when she was a teenager.

She carries a sword and wears a leather jerkin for protection. Smart and street wise she has brains if not beauty, is a skilled pickpocket and sword fighter.

For quieter evenings out she has a small leather bag filled with lead shot, one blow from this will spoil your evening big time.

Patricia of Selby – a smart cookie long time friend of Helgi, and Sandra they have been in some scrapes together and survived them all.
She has an aristocratic bearing and commands respect from most men and women.

She tends to use her sword a bit like a club, never having really understood what the pointy end is for, but usually her commanding ways will see her through most troubles and if not there is always Helgi and Sandra.

Sandra the Dancer – Beautiful and fast, fights like a dancer with grace and poise. Will use her dagger and sword at the same time, in an ambidextrous ballet of death.

As charismatic as she is beautiful, fighting is always a last resort because she will usually be able to talk her way through most trouble that comes her way.

Like Helgi – for those quiet times she also carries a leather pouch full of lead shot, one blow to the head usually settles any disagreements.

The rest of the gang will be along shortly.

In the mean time if you're still here - thanks for reading.