Apes Perform Deconstructive Dental Work: Empire of the Dead Battle Report

Life conspired against me from updating this much recently, but I'll be rectifying that, starting with catching up on Friday the 15th's Empire of the Dead game.

.................................................................................................

Lord Greystoke was convinced that the western hills near Wales contained plants which might aid his transformations research, traveling under cover of darkness with his apes and trusted companion ape Alphie, as well as members of his household staff, he relocated for a bit of a holiday and some specimen collecting. Though it was day, and not terribly foggy (rare and unseasonable) Greystoke and his entourage were accosted by what at first appeared to be common highwaymen, but they soon caught the scent that revealed the presence of the undead: a Daywalker Vampire and his mate.

The vampire was actually on business of his own, and was just traveling through the area,but on crossing paths with the apes, it riled them to an agitation that they would not be reasoned with.

Lord Greystoke and his followers
(I'll get some better glamour shots of them soon)

...............................................

We set up the table for an outdoor setting with a river, hills and ruins and a graveyard.  

The mission said that the vampires had to get at least 2/3 of their party off the table on my deployment side, while I had to stop them.  The vampires had a lower Warband Standing, so would get an additional 5 shillings from the encounter. from memory, the Vampire leader had the day walking skill and a boost to his combat skill (or one of them) One member was out sick for the day, and he had a good shot with a repeater rifle. My group were as they last were at the end of my last Battle Report.  

A view from the hill overlooking the river. Peaceful... for now. 

Then Alphie directs the apes up the hill to ambush the undead and their ilk. 

Milly the maid covers them, no slouch with a tranquilizer gun (bow). 

At the other end of the small valley Lord Greystoke enters the ruins,a trusted ape tagging along, as well as Police Sergeant York, acting as bodyguard, and faithful household staff Butler Woodhouse and Margaret the Maid, or Mags as she prefers to be called when off duty, which is seldom. 

The Vile Vampyr sensed the danger and one of his enthralled called upon unnatural forces to summon a mob of the undead.  To be more precise, they were not undead, it turns out they were just simple commonfolk.

What they were doing in the graveyard, and what this says about the deplorable conditions of simple folk in Wales, to allow for them to be mistaken for walking dead, is anybody's guess.  

Woodhouse and Margaret spot the Vampire's sharpshooter.  These gypsy types really should refrain from wearing bright colors, as everyone knows there are no bright colors in the whole of Britain!

Quite easy to spot he was. 

The Apes,Cecil and Dudley, prepare to pounce on the enthralled.

Alphie tangles with the Vampire's personal guard while Cecil chases the Vampire, trying to make a run for it.

Unable to see what awaited him, the Vampire graf did not know that Lord Greystoke had already bounded down from the ruins and sprinted across the river, with preternatural speed.  

Woodhouse and Margaret had tried in vain to stop a swarm of bats from escaping, but it was small loss.

His escape cut off by Lord Greystoke, the Vampire turned to face his attackers.

Cecil contemplates the use of a bronze gauntlet in dental work. 

Even cornered vampires are fierce fighters with unnatural resistance. 

Molly began taking shots into the crowd while Dudley charged them after dispatching the fang flunky.

Sustaining minimal damage, the Apes and their Lord pulverize the Vampire, tearing his head from his shoulders.  The vampire turned to a pile of ash.  Sensing the spell broken, the mob scatter and the field remains in the hands of the apes. Srgt York collected the unconscious body of the vampire bodyguard and turned him in to the local authorities under suspicion of unsavory activities.  

...................................................................

In post-game, the vampire's body guard got the 'captured by the peelers' result, which he'd have to play to free him -which we did, and he was easily freed. The worst result was for the vampire leader: Dead.  Dead-dead,not mostly dead, but dead and gone unraisable dead.  Luckily in Empire of the Dead, you can sacrifice another member of the team instead.  Obviously what happened was the Vampire's ashes were collected, placed in a coffin and the sacrificial faction member was brought in, asked quickly 'what's that over there?' and when he turns to look, his throat is cut, blood fills the coffin and in a few days a fresh pasty vampire emerges reconstituted.  

My faction made some decent coin from this victory and I focused it on my two characters. 

Alphie went up in strength, which is nice, and Greystoke gained an extra attack. 

I also brought in my second police officer mini, another 'wolfskin' flunky, and equipped both of the police minis with bows clubs and knives. I had enough money to bring in a second secondary character ('beastlord) but since I didn't have a miniature ready, that will wait until the next time I have the money.  It seems wise to invest in the characters you hope to advance and keep at this stage though, so it is alright. 

With 10members, it is already a large team. 

Thanks for reading, 

Until next time! 

I think the vampire coming back was something like this...enjoy!