Death of the Dwarvern Deathdealer?

The Dweorgas  class option for skirmishers is the Deathdealer. Initially I wanted to avoid the cliched crossbow as the dwarf missile option so I came up with the Stonepelter a kind of one-man portable siege weapon that lobs either small stone cannon balls or clay urns full of dragon fire. But I kinda think it's all very cumbersome and quite boring and the Deathdealer is my least favourite of the 12 classes. 

So, I'm toying with the idea of replacing it with either a dwarf with an auto-crossbow like the Chinese Chu-ko-nu (and maybe some dragon fire grenades) or basically a forge bellows flamethrower contraption (although that might be a bit too steampunkish and out of place for Redwald). The other option is perhaps an axe throwing maniac (make a change from all the ones that prefer wielding) as the dwarf skirmisher.

What say you?

Elves of Redwald: Ælfcynn Scytta (Elfin Shooter)

Ælfcynn Scytta (Elfin Shooter)

There is a joke amongst the woodsmen of Eastlund Seaxe, who work the outskirts of the great forest, it goes: How do you know if an Elfin Archer is watching you? By the Arrow in your throat.

The black humour covers the fear, and often hatred, that the men of Eastlund have for the Elfin archers. Anyone born there knows not to venture too deep in to the great forest lest they run afoul of the Ælfcynn, or the other dire creatures that dwell there.

Although they are primarily hunters for their tribe, men soon learned to fear the Ælfcynn Langboga. Famed for both the accuracy and power of their longbows the Eleven archers are rightly feared. Whether it is elf magic, or the sheer power of the longbows their flint arrow heads are capable of piercing even a mail hauberk. Of course when your enemy can shoot a crow in the eye, mid-flight, from 200 yards away, you might as well not be wearing armour anyway.

Scytta: AC: 4/1 [15/18]; HD: 6; Attacks: 3; Langboga (R: 240’ 2d6KH+3) or Heort Seax (1d3); Special: Forest Fast, Elf Shot, Flint Flight, Bow Storm, Tree Runners, Wood Wraiths; Saving Throw: 10; Move: 10/12; HIDE/XP: 6/1000

Gear: Langboga, Coceb of 24 Arwan, Heort Seax, Déorhýd

All Ælfcynn are fast and silent when moving in wooded terrain and gain 2 to move and +1 to surprise and initiative.

When they have surprise the Scytta, through skill or perhaps elf magic can sometimes be so accurate they find a chink in, and bypass, any armour their foe is wearing and attack as if the enemy were AC 9 [10]. If they hit they may choose where the blow lands: the head or heart are killing blows; the legs and arms disabling blows. They may also use this to make any near impossible shot in a non-combat situation.

Scytta imagine that their spirit flies in their flint arrow head, guiding it to their target. Whether this is true or not their accuracy with a longbow is astounding (+4 to hit).

When accuracy is necessary their speed at loosing arrows is frightening. They are able to loose 6 shots per turn at -2 to-hit or an unadjusted to hit roll when shooting at a warband in a close formation.

Spending most of their time in the tree tops of their densely forested tribal territories Scytta can move through the canopy, leaping branch to branch, tree to tree, as effortlessly as men make their way on the forest floor. (Move 10 in the trees AC 1 [18]).

Whether in the tree tops or on the forest floor if the Scytta aren’t engaged in melee they are able to disappear into the forest like wood wraiths. It’s a tactic they will use to flee if they can or have to. But mostly they fade in to woods to seek another opportunity to sneak up on and surprise their foes again.

Elves of Redwald: Wuduheald (Woodgaurd)

Wuduheald (Woodgaurd)

Although not as famous, or as feared, as their archer kin the Ælfcynn Wuduheald are fearsome enough in their own right. Especially to those who have witnessed their speed and prowess in combat and the, literally, gut wrenching damage their primitive Gáe Bulg spears are capable of.

It is very rare for any Ælfcynn to be encountered outside of their woodland homes, but if they are they’re likely to be a small group of elder (7HD) Wuduheald on a mission whose reasoning is beyond the ken of mortal men.

It is much more likely they’ll be encountered in their main role as defenders of their tribe’s territory and the forest in general.

Although vicious and savage in combat the Ælfcynn do not mindlessly lust after the blood of strangers. They believe in the divinity of tree spirits, the sacral purity of the forests, and the inviolate laws that none but kin shall enter their territory without permission.

No Ælfcynn could ever accidentally wander into another tribe’s territory. For them the markings that designate a tribe’s borders are clear. An Ælfcynn without hostile intent will simply wait at the border until contacted. 

Unfortunately men often miss these tribal markings, and need a less subtle warning. This warning is normally in the form of a young(3HD) Wuduheald emerging from the forestry, as if from another world,  spitting at the interlopers feet, and disappearing again before they can act. Vague as it is the Ælfcynn consider this a clear enough warning.

Anyone, man, Ælfcynn or otherwise who enters an Ælfcynn tribe’s territory without permission will be attacked, and pursued without mercy until they either leave, are destroyed or every Ælfcynn is slain. They themselves cannot flee as their territory contains their spirit trees.

The first anyone will know they are under attack from Ælfcynn is when the younger (3HD) Wuduheald start ambushing them. These first attacks will come from a series of lone Wuduheald who will strike then disappear into the forestry again if they can. If this does not deter the enemy the attacks will come in twos and threes, and become more sustained.

Anyone who survives this gauntlet will next find themselves surrounded by a combined force of veteran (5HD) Wuduheald and Ælfcynn Scytta (archers). Finally all surviving Ælfcynn will fall back to the sacred glade of their spirit trees to make a final stand with their Gealdor Sangere (spell singers) and the elder (7HD) Wuduheald.

Wuduheald: AC: 3 [16] HD: 3/5/7; Attacks: 3 Gáe Bulg (1d6+1/1d6+2) or Heort Seax (1d3); Special: Forest Fast, Sly Speed, Truestrike, Gut Rippers; Saving Throw: 11; Move: 12; HIDE/XP: 3/5/7/600/800/1000.

Gear: Heort Seax, Gáe Bulg, Déorhýd

All Ælfcynn are fast and silent when moving in wooded terrain and gain 2 to move and +1 to surprise and initiative. The Wuduheald although melee fighters, move and attack as skirmishers in the combat sequence, often taking unsuspecting foes by surprise with their sly speed.

If they win the initiative the Wuduheald delivers a blow so fast and accurate that it bypasses any armour their foe is wearing and they attack as if the enemy were AC 9 [10].

A successful hit with the fearsome Gáe Bulg means the victim’s gut has been impaled. If they survive the damage dealt by that (1d6+1) they may fight on, but cannot disengage. With their next attack the Wuduheald rips the weapon out. An attack that requires no to-hit roll (1d6+2). This may only be done once per foe, after all you can’t have your guts ripped out more than once.

I See A Black Sail . . .

The pre-credits to episode 1 of this show sold me instantly.

Elves of Redwald: FÆGE (Doomed)

FÆGE (Doomed)

The Fæge, or fey, are Elves whose bond with their spirit tree has been broken, because the tree died, or was destroyed. Though not exiled in any sense that men would recognise they are no longer considered to part one of the living, and part of the tribe. They aren’t forced from their lands, but friends and family do not see or acknowledge them. In the end it is sorrow that drives them from their tribal homeland and deep into the wild woodlands.

Alone and unconnected to their tree spirit they are doomed to die a mortal death. Most lose their minds within a year and haunt the forests as wrathful, capricious terrors.

Some legends tell of tribes made up entirely of treeless Fæge, and changeling wildling children stolen from wood side villages. These tribes are said to be even wilder and savage than both their wildling and Elfin kin. Of course, no one ‘living’ has ever met one of these Fæge tribes and returned to their village to tell the tale of it.

Fæge: AC: 5 [14] HD:4; Attacks: 2 Flintenscæglod Ságol 1d6-1 and limb breaks ; Special: Forest Fast, Wood Wild ; Saving Throw: 12; Move: 10/12; HIDE/XP: 4/400.

Gear: Most Fæge are naked, though it’s hard to tell as they’re covered in filth and forest detritus - bark, moss, bird feathers, small animal bones, etc. Other than their fearsome flint studded clubs, they carry little of worth, or at least little of worth to anyone sane.

All Ælfcynn are fast and silent when moving in wooded terrain, and gain +2 to move and +1 to surprise and initiative. The Fæge are scarily insane. When they burst out of the undergrowth, covered in their own filth and bits of dead crows, waving gore smeared clubs, and screaming even the bravest of warriors might break and run. Especially if they look into their eyes and witness the depth of the Fæge’s sorrow and insanity. (ST against or morale check to stand).