Requiem for Two Gangs of Hirelings

In my last post, I highlighted the villain, Frederick Bolmer. Here are some of the deceased henchmen that were hired by  Bolmer in his final and fatal attempts to kidnap the beautiful Beatrijs van Tilborgh.

These men are mercenaries who were hired in Flanders and France  by Jonathan Blaine to carry out Bolmer's latest kidnap plans. Blaine was one of the few survivors.

Next are several local toughs from Orléans who Bolmer hired, through Blaine, to support his final kidnapping plan at the Maid of Orléans inn. Bolmer was a very clever opponent with a high Savvy so I tried to include feints and strategy as part of his plans.

Leader “Hache”

Might 2   Brawl 1   Melee 2   Defense -1

Sailor 2   Lifeblood 10          Retainer 2

Fearsome Looks, Ugly & Brutish, Thick-Skinned

Protection 1 Thick Skin

2H Axe 1d6+4 Dmg, +1 Bind. -2 Parry

Maneuvers: Bladework+2, Brawling+1, Choke+3, Moulinet+3; Bind+4[5], Grapple+3; Parry+2[0]

(8) Thugs

Might 1   Melee 1   Ruffian 0   Pawn 2

Axe/Club/Cleaver/Rusty Sword 1d6+1 Dmg

Maneuvers: Bladework+1; Grapple+1

Requiem for a Villain: Frederick Bolmer

Frederick Bolmer

Frederick Bolmer was first encountered during the diplomatic mission to the Netherlands where he was a rival for the affections the beautiful Beatrijs van Tilborgh. Bolmer felt that, as the richest man in the town of Tilborgh, Beatrijs was his due. Guy de Bourges had been asked by Baron Henri de la Ferte-Senneterre to arrange for Beatrijs to leave Tilborgh for France. Guy's attempt to fetch Beatrijs' drew the attention of Frederick Bolmer to them. Bolmer  warned Guy off by telling him that "no one else will have the fair Beatrijs." When Guy ignored his warning, Bolmer attacked Guy by surprise using his hidden sword cane. Guy held his own and more against the skilled Bolmer and, with the intervention of Father Signoret, the odds tipped against Bolmer. Wounded, the Dutchman retreated around the corner of a building, then ducked back to fire a parting shot with his pistol that barely missed Guy. Bolmer was encountered again in Amsterdam where he tried to find Beatrijs and to kill Guy.

More recently, some of the other characters ran into Bolmer near Orleans where he and his men tried several times to kidnap Beatrijs and where Bolmer himself nearly killed his rival, Baron Henri. But this time there was no escape for Bolmer. The player characters set a clever trap for Bolmer and they had not intention of letting him escape again and Gaston made certain that Bolmer's next meal would be served in hell.

Note that Bolmer was designed to be better than a starting hero or villain. He possesses qualities of Daring, Savvy, and Flair that are at least the equal of any PC, which made him a significant challenge to the heroes. His picture is from a painting by Frans Hals circa 1616. Here's the full painting.

Banquet of the Officers of the Saint George Civic Guard

At some point I accidentally deleted the electronic version of Bolmer's character sheet. Here is a scan of my only paper copy. The scan includes a number of my handwritten notes showing both my marginal penmanship and how I use the NPC sheets in practice. The back of Bolmer's character sheet depicts an early version of Beatrijs' character sheet.

Bolmer's Character Sheet

In a follow up post, I'll list some of Bolmer's henchmen, many of whom have been added to the list of the dead.

Also, Happy New Year Everyone!

Requiem for a Doppelsöldner

Of late, my players have been particularly hard on the German lieutenants of the Villain. Last night saw another one bite the dust. Though the combat rather surprisingly kept the 2 PCs (we were short a player) busy and challenged. Though they didn't take damage, they both had to yield a lot of advantage and spend Fortune Points to create near misses and such. So Otto, who was hired to beef up the minion ranks when the PCs wiped out a bunch of the rank and file pawns, ended up dead. The alchemist's lab is in shambles, the alchemist is on the run, and the players are in the process of deciding which stuff to haul away or destroy.

Otto is better than a standard Retainer 3. He 2 extra boons and has mastered 2 extra maneuvers. The rules don't mention making retainers tougher than level 3, but sometimes I do it anyway.

So here's Otto...

Illustration of a Suisses lansquenet (Swiss Landsknecht)  from Le Fouduroy

Otto

Doppelsöldner                      SR 4

Location: Paris, Old Inn Court
Factions: DeMainz
Description: Tall, heavy, with a full beard; he floppy hat, steel cuirass, heavy leather gloves, and colorful pantaloons.
Personality: Professional, but jovial soldier.
Background: The so-called “Double Soldiers” get their name because they command twice the pay of most mercenary troops—and tend to live half as long. They are used to defend artillery and attack pikemen. They are armed with greatswords (Zweihänders) to cut enemy pikes. *They add their Soldier Career to any roll to resist fear, and even if they lose all Composure to fear, can regain their Composure in the normal manner.

Might 2               Daring 2*              Flair -1

Brawl 1               Melee 3                 Ranged -1              Defense 1

Ruffian 0             Swordsman 1        Soldier 2*

Lifeblood 12†     Composure 3         Advantage 1          Retainer

Languages: German (N), French

Boons: Armor Familiarity, Dueling (Zweihänder), Hard to Kill, Military Order (Doppelsöldner)

Flaws: Greedy, Illiterate

Protection: 1d6 Heavy Armor

Zweihänder: 1d6+4 Damage, -1 Parry, +1 Moulinet

Stiletto: 1d3+4 Damage; Ignores 2 Protection, +1 Called shot

Punch: 1d3+2 Dmg, (heavy gloves)

Maneuvers: Bladework+5; Brawling+3, Choke+3, Dirty Fighting+0, Disarm+5, Hilt Punch+5, Lunge+5, Moulinet+4[5], Swordbreak; Beat+5, Bind+5, Footwork+3, Grapple+3, Shove/Trip(BD+3); Dodge, Parry+3[2]; Riposte+3, Stop-Thrust+5,

† The Old Style: The ferocity of the Old Style enables the swordsman to remain conscious at 0 Lifeblood.

Author: Gaston's Hat   NPC in: L'Honneur et les Intrigues (Fiction)

Requiem for a German Swordsman: Gunnar Haas

In Saturday night's session, two of the PCs (Guy de Bourges and Father Signoret) along with a trusted companion retainer (Mel) attacked a guard room of 5 average pawn hired swords led by a Retainer 3 duelist. Guy is a skilled combatant and Father Signoret, the dueling Jesuit, is one of the best blades in Paris. The players were rolling about average while I rolled below average, sometimes far below average, so the combat was a pretty easy one. During the first melee they killed Gunnar Haas. After the second melee, there was only a single Pawn left standing. 

On the other hand, they waltzed right into the gas trap in the next room which left us with a nice serial style cliff hanger.

Gunnar Haas

German Swordsman              SR 4
Location: Paris, Alchemist’s Lair in SewersMotivation: Greed
Appearance: Bald, short and wiry, with a long, waxed mustache
Roleplaying: Hard-bitten and professional
Background: Served throughout the Germanys as a mercenary and sell-sword.

Daring 2              Savvy 1                Flair 1

Melee 2               Ranged 1              Defense 2
Mercenary 1        Swordsman 2
Lifeblood 8          Composure 3       Advantage 1        Retainer
Languages: German (N), French

Boon: French Dueling Style

Flaws: Greedy

Rapier 1d6 Dmg, +1 Parry

Cloak +1 Feint, Bind

Parrying Dagger 1d3 Dmg; +1 Bind, 1d6+1 Dmg with Swordbreak

(1) Wheellock Pistol: 1d6+1 Dmg;

Maneuvers: Bladework+4, Brawling+2, Dirty Fighting+1, Disarm+2, Glide+3, Lunge+4, Quick Cut+3, Tag+3; Feint+3[4], Footwork+3; Cloak Parry+3, Dodge, Parry+3[4], Riposte+3; Ranged Attack+2

French Style: spend 1FP for +2 to resist Melee that doesn’t target Defense.

Equipment: Rapier, Parrying Dagger, Cloak & Hat, (1) Belt Pistol

Author: Gaston's Hat     NPC in: L'Honneur et les Intrigues (Fiction)

Requiem for a Musketeer

Helias de Cedelhac

I used a black and white line drawing from the H+I rules for the character portrait for de Cedelhac.

King’s Musketeer (and Gascon) (SR 7)

Motivation: Endure Loss and Suffering

Location: Paris with the King’s Musketeers

Background: De Cedelhac is a Gascon and a King’s Musketeer. He is very proud of his Gascon heritage and honestly (and somewhat naively) believes that Gascons are the best and bravest warriors in all of France and thus, of course, of all the world.

SECRET: What is not known is that Cedelhac came to Paris after his father died and his family lost their lands. He sends what money he can to support his ailing mother who lives with relatives back in Gascony. The loss of the lands that have been in his family for generations is a constant and enduring pain and embarrassment. [Sadly the players never learned of Cedelhac's secret. Which is always a possibility in an RPG.]

Cedelhac was on guard duty with Lucien de Bourges in Adventure 04: On Guard. After their humiliation after the affair on the Pont Neuf, Helias de Cedelhac, Raymonde de Trebouchard, and Léonide de Termopillae sought revenge on Gaston Thibeualt. Cedelhac challenged Gaston to a duel. Gaston easily defeated and humiliated him, disarming him and breaking his sword, then wounding him in arm; Cedelhac holds a grudge, but knows he is not good enough to win against Gaston. At Termopillae’s urging, he helped to persuade the new Musketeer called Porthos to fight Gaston.

Cedelhac also resents Lucien who has cast veiled aspersions on his honor and who openly refuses to side with his fellow Musketeers against Gaston.

In Book 9: The Deadly Duke: Cedelhac again aids Termopillae in an attack on Gaston. Accompanied by 6 hired swords falsely dressed as King’s Musketeers the two try to arrest Gaston after his “duel” with the Vicomte le Limoncourte. Gaston refuses to surrender. He kills Cedelhac (single riposte for -9 LB), uses a stunt with clotheslines and bed-sheets to neutralize the Pawns, and frightens off Termopillae. 

Stat wise, Cedelhac is a standard NPC King's Musketeer from the H+I rules. As a bit of a change, I've given him the Italian style and he's chosen to master the Lunge. Which kind of fits with the sort of personality who would be prone to Gasconades and also with the sword and dagger fighting pose of his picture.

 .

Daring 2               Flair 1              Melee 2                Defense 1
Soldier 1              Duelist 2                                      Retainer 3

Lifeblood 8          Advantage 2

Boons: Military Order: King’s Musketeers, Dueling Style: Italian; Flaws: Arrogant, Hot-Headed

Rapier: 1d6 Dmg, +1 Parry

Main-Gauche: 1d6 damage, +1 Bind, Disarm, and Sword Break

Maneuvers: Bladework+4, Lunge+4; Parry+2[3].

NPC in: L'Honneur et les Intrigues (Fictional)

26-JULY-2016 Update: Helias Cedelhac died recently. He made the fatal mistake of helping his fellow Musketeer, Termopillae one too many times. This time they tried to arrest Gaston Thibeault for dueling. Gaston chose not to be arrested. Which was too bad for Cedelhac. As has become his habit, Termopillae again ran away. He's becoming rather unpopular among the King's Musketeers.