AAR: Rangers of Shadow Deep, Scenario 2

The Hook

Our crew of Rangers and companions followed the trail of large spiders deeper into the woods. After about an hour, they ran across the foul creatures' nests. The goal? To eradicate this blight from the woods, thereby denying the Shadow Deep even this small foothold.

The Set-Up

Small table for this scenario. Dryer sheets over the affected trees, web cocoon tokens, and Bob's your uncle.

The infected woods

On a side note, I had the chance to paint Gypsy, the companion Bloodhound of Aksel Klein (Tim's Ranger).

  

The Game

Our intrepid adventurers entered the woods directly by a cocooned person and a spider. 

The fight ensued! Stanley Barret and his faithful war hound, Blue Dog, dispatched the vile creature with impunity.

Stanley checking a cocoon

Aksel brought up the left flank, while Gregarin and Yelena anchored the right. Aksel immediately got into a scuffle with a spider...then a zombie...then another spider. He did not actually move very far the entire evening, sustaining wounds and losing his faithful Gypsy in the fray. Eventually, even the Ranger's stamina was bested and Aksel fell.

Aksel and Gypsy tag-teaming a spider

J'herry, aiding Stanley in the center, was webbed early in the contest. He easily managed to fight his way out of the sticky stuff, only to be confronted by an entire wave of arachnids. Indeed, things did not look great for Ranger Re'eed.

Webbed (NOT on fire)!

Uh, guys? Some help?

On the right, Gregarin and Yelena had their own spider troubles. Checking a cocoon, they discovered a zombified villager. The zombie dispatched Yelena after a lengthy brawl. Gregarin managed to eliminate the enemy and proceed to shoot (poorly) at both arachnids and undead for the rest of the evening.

Eventually, the woods were cleared of most of the infested trees. a random one was discovered too late in the game to deal with it, although the spider was dispatched. 

The final spider...or was it?!

Wrap-up

At the scenario's conclusion, the group saw Aksel, Gypsy, and Yelena fall. They all recovered, although Yelena took a rather severe wound to her leg that will bother her the rest of her life. The woods were cleansed, with a great many spiders and zombies killed. No villagers were found alive to rescue. The gang headed back to civilization with the knowledge that they had helped fight off the Shadow Deep for one more day.

Nobody got enough experience to gain second level. We look forward to the next mission!