Cocksure's Gambit

Finally the day has arrived! I headed out last night and ventured across deepest darkest Englandshire to Snickets house where he and his brother, Erny, were about to take part in the filming of an episode of the classic historical/fantasy TV series, 'Elizabethan Gothique'. In this episode, Sir Thomas Cocksure and his companions, Sir Jack Falstaff, Nathan Jarrow and some fine stout englishers, take time out from fighting on behalf of the rebellious dutch in order to gain some 'personal wealth' at the expense of some madam that locals refer to as 'a witch'. Such uneducated yokels!

The whole force move in from the table edge. They know the 'gold' chest is stored in one of the houses in this hamlet so they decide to split into two groups to search them more quickly.

On the other side of the hamlet a group of Spaniards, who have come to take delivery of the chest from their ally, Lady Giselle, move into the village using the buildings for cover.

One of the Spaniards takes aim with his arquebus and a shot rings out, wounding Sir Jack.

Meanwhile Sir Thomas moves the arquebus men and Nathan towards the 3 storey house.

Sir Jack and the Veterans decide to get out of the way of the flying lead balls and hot foot it towards the house in front of them.

Sir Jack rushes in the door only to be confronted by a shambling Zombie that Lady Giselle had left to guard her. Confronted by the shambling dead Sir Jack is struck with fear and only just manages to defend himself from the zombie's attacks.

Before his veterans can come to his aid and one of them falls to a spanish bullet and massive firey column explodes behind them, narrowly missing the two survivors.

Before they rush into the building and chop the Zombie into little chunks.

Meanwhile on the other side of the village, Sir Thomas leads his band in the back door of the building and find nothing of interest. A couple of the stout lads decide to take a peak through the trap door into the room above.

Finding nobody there the whole crew scramble up into the room above.
Again they sneak a peak into the next floor and see only a slightly eccentric looking monk. Deciding not to bother him they move on.

They leave the building by the front door and head down the steps to the next building and try to see in the window. They decide to smash some of the pane's in order to see in.

Only to be confronted by two filthy deadlings try claw their way out of the window. The sheer terror panics two of the not-so-merry band. At the same time an bolt a magical lightening blasts the group killing the leader and a trooper from the arquebus group. (Erny had played and event card that allowed him to move some of his opponents figures so that Giselle could fire her magical bolt at them).

But a Volley of Arquebus shots and Sir Thomas' deft sword arm see's to both the vile varmints!

Sir Jack and his two surviving veterans move upstairs in attempt to avoid the volleys arquebus shots coming through the walls from the spaniards.

Imperial Spain's finest send shot after shot into the building and although the chances of hitting someone is slim there is still a chance. Giselle throws another pillar of flame at the building which sets the house on fire. Things are looking desperate for Sir Jack and just then his two compatriots succumb to bullets (Erny rolled 3 sixes and a 5 and used his audience appreciation token to take it 4 sixes!!)

At this point Sir Jack ran across the room and dove out of the window (Snicket played an event card which meant he could use an extra move action for Sir Jack). He landed perfectly and ran through the door of the nearest house....

And was confronted by another two Zombies! This wasn't Jack's day.

Sir Thomas took the remainder of his group towards the back door of the final house, the treasure must be here!

But before they cam do anything Giselle uses her dark arts to capture Sir Thomas. The Arquebusiers storm outside to try and fire in the window when they see the spanish go up the stairs and into the building. Nathan stays with his struggling captain.

The trapdoor opens and Hurtz leaps down and attacks Sir Thomas and Nathan.

The spanish follow (one succumbed to a lucky shot from Nathan). And between them they reduce Sir Thomas to unconciousness.

To the sound of rapturous applause, Sir Jack arrives at the door of the house and confronts the Lady Giselle.

And the Arquebusiers charge into the house. Hurtz is recalled by Giselle to protect her.

But in the cliffhanger ending to the episode Giselle fires her Arcane bolt into Sir Jack, removing his last wound and meaning that with no characters left, Giselle and her henchman have won the day!

The following episode has also written itself!

We used Crooked Dice's 7th Voyage rules for the first time, and with any first time we had to keep going back to the rulebook to check stuff but for the most part it went fairly smoothly and gave us a good 2 and half hours of gaming. I think Giselle is pretty powerful and was able to snipe from her hiding place for most of the game while Sir Jack managed to get himself trapped in a crappy position but is obviously a hero of some standing. I think I'll add a couple of new characters to the hero's cast, they'll need some magic as the Villains had two magic users and that probably tipped the balance. The Mad Monk didn't do much but cower in the building but he did steal Snicket's Luck token near the start of the game. I'm looking forward to the next game. Cheer boys.