Here follows the account of Gudon jarl of Gottborg, and his son Svein. Gudon was the son of Brage who did conquer the warlord Imrik the Unaccountable. Brage sired 9 children, of which Gudon was the fith and he never thought much of him. This is the saga of Gudon.

In the wild and desolate lands between Marienburg and the Sea of Claws, not far from the shore, the low-born and aged burgher Geert van Bork, desperate to improve his standing and fill his coffers, took Mathilda Sturnson to wife, the daughter of jarl Gudon Sturnson. But the fates were not kind to Geert, for at the birth of Mathilda’s child, the sky was set ablaze and Mathilda herself did perish. In confusion, Geert told Gudon of the child’s possession and of the priests who would come to burn both mother and child.

Mad with grief and rage, Gudon gathered a small force and hastened across the Sea of Claws with his son Svein, Mathilda’s brother, to recover the corpse and take the baby home. They arrived in time to save the child through a brief siege of Geert’s castle, but Mathilda’s corpse was beyond saving. Gudon swore that the baby would go home to Norsca, no matter the cost. Despite heavy losses, he would fare back to the coast, where his longships awaited. The baby girl was carried by the wet-nurse Anneken.

Meanwhile, dark forces had marked the baby’s birth. In the deep forests near Middenheim, the child had been seen coming into the world in crystals, and it was known that Bamma-Zahr had been reborn – a sorceress whose return was foretold in forbidden books. From afar, the servants of darkness watched the battle between Geert and Gudon, ready to strike. The moment had now come.

As the sun began to set and the men of the north gathered their strength for the final leg of their journey to the coast, they were unaware that one of the servants of darkness, the sorcerer Cefwyn Scarred, and his green-skinned hired troops lay in wait, ready to cut off their path home to the northlands. For Cefwyn was determined to snatch Bamma-Zahr, and he would not let these men stand in his way.

Scenario:

6×4 foot table.

Norse: Win by getting Anneken and the baby out of the table on the narrow side behind Cefwyn. Anneken must not go alone until she is 12″ from the edge of the table. Anneken can hide in a unit (but not the eagles) and will only become visible when that unit comes into BtB with an enemy. Since the baby has a strong aura of chaos, Cefwyn can track the baby with magic (see roster).

Necromancer: Win by getting the baby out of the table – which edge of the table is secondary. Anneken automatically follows if the unit she is with is defeated. If her protectors flee from HtH, she will remain with the enemy. Anneken does not run out of the table with fleeing units, but remains at the edge of the table.

Armies

The two armies that fought in this battle were at 1200 points selected from the Warhammer 3rd edition rulebook.

A fierce force of Norse with giant eagles and ogres, and a combined force of Evil.

The Evil side had Skeletons and Orcs amongst them.

The full armylists are available here:

Battle

The armies deployed on the short table edges 6” in. Gudon immediately called upon his Giant Eagles to fly forward and harass the Necromancer. He knew that the green-skins were easily scared, so if he could just cause enough havoc behind the enemy lines, maybe all of them would run off.

The entire host of evil marched forward, eager for the coming bloodshed. They longed to feel the hot spray of blood on their knives and scythes. Cefwyn cackled with malevolent glee, unable to contain his excitement.

Gudon, ever the cunning jarl, entrusted the baby to the care of the Ogres and sent them along the right flank. He knew that with the fierce strength of the Ogres and the swiftness of the giant eagles, the baby would soon be safely carried aboard the longships, far from the dangers of the battlefield. Gudon placed his trust in these mighty warriors, knowing that they would defend the child with their very lives if need be. He watched with pride as they marched into battle, determined to carry out his bidding and ensure the safety of the precious babe.

The giant eagles descended upon the skeleton regiment where Cefwyn was hidden, and the fight was swift and fierce. The necromancer soon fled into the battlefield, shrieking in terror. This caused the magic that held the bones of the undead together to dissipate, causing great instability among the undead constructs.

Many fell, but some were also invigorated by the chaos. The eagles continued their assault, tearing through the ranks of the skeletons and laying waste to Cefwyn’s forces. It seemed that the tide of battle was turning in favor of Gudon and his men.

At the sight of the fleeing Necromancer, the goblin cavalry, brave and fierce though they were, were startled by this unexpected turn of events. And so, with hearts filled with fear and uncertainty, the goblin cavalry made the decision to retreat. They galloped towards the nearby woods, hoping to find safety and sanctuary amidst the trees.

But even as they rode, they knew not what fate awaited them. For the woods were dark and treacherous, and many dangers lurked within. Still, they rode on, driven by the fear of the necromancer and the hope of escape. And thus, the goblin cavalry vanished into the woods, their fate unknown to all who watched.

Cefwyn regained his wits and tried to run back to his skeletons. But before he could manage to do so, the ogres charged around the corner of a building.

As the great necromancer Cefwyn faced off against the ogres, he could feel the power coursing through his veins. He raised his hands, summoning forth a great storm of dark magic that surrounded him like a cloak of shadows. The Ogres, led by the fierce Ruphi, charged forward with reckless abandon. But Cefwyn was ready for them. With a fierce cry, he unleashed his full power, sending bolts of dark energy flying at the ogres.

But the ogres were not intimidated. They knew the strength of their own might, and they were not afraid to face the necromancer’s dark magic. They charged forward, their weapons raised, determined to put an end to Cefwyn’s reign of terror. Cefwyn fought bravely, unleashing wave after wave of dark magic. But the ogres were relentless, and their weapons tore through the necromancer’s defenses.

In the end, it was the Ogres who emerged victorious. Cefwyn lay slain on the battlefield, his body battered and broken. His power had been extinguished, and the world was rid of his dark influence.

After vanquishing Cefwyn, the ogres headed straight into battle against the ghouls. They were still bodyguarding the wet-nurse, and they knew that they must protect her at all costs.

The ghouls did not stand a chance against the might of the ogres. They were defeated and scattered, their dark powers vanquished. And so the wet-nurse was able to escape, and the dark forces were defeated.

At the other flank, Fuzka Swinebreath and his Orcs had been waiting to see how the battle would unfold before committing to the fight. But now, with the defeat of the dark forces, Fuzka knew that he and his orcs were doomed.

He tried to rally his troops, to prepare them for the inevitable battle. But before he could do so, the Norscan beserkers and Wolf-kin smashed into his unit, their weapons cutting through the Orcs like a hot knife through butter.

In the end, the Orcs were utterly defeated. Fuzka and his troops were minced into a pulp, their bodies scattered across the battlefield. And so the Norscan beserkers and Wolf-kin emerged victorious, their victory hailed by all who witnessed it.

Thus, the Ogres and the Norscan beserkers and Wolf-kin proved themselves to be the greatest warriors in the land. None could stand against them, and all who opposed them were doomed to fall. Their sagas would be told for generations to come, and they would be remembered as legends in the annals of history.

Conclusion

Gudon and his granddaughter sailed back to Norsca after the great battle. As soon as they arrived, a curse fell over the land. The crops withered and died, and the people were plagued by illness and death. Gudon searched for a way to lift the curse, but the child grew into a monster and turned on the Norscans. Gudon and the child were banished to the Chaos Wastes. Gudon lived for many years, but he was never able to lift the curse. The Norscans continued to live in fear and despair. The curse remained unbroken, and the darkness continued to haunt the land. The end.

Credits

The scenario and ALL miniatures and terrain was written, painted and procured by Martin. Check out Martin’s blog here: https://shamutantis.wordpress.com/

The original scenario and pregame blurb was in Danish, but I have translated it into English with the consent of Martin. After action part is by me, written to Martin’s surprise and enjoyment, I hope.. 😉