ROSD Mission 2: The Argent Sanctuary

We are back to playing some Rangers of Shadow Deep! You saw our report on Mission 1: The Missing a few months back. Now we're tackling Mission 2, and we were joined by our friend Dominik.

Dominik's character Camran and his companions are under a horrible curse that turned them into skeletal monstrosities. He brought his own warband, while my boyfriend played with his old character Gordon the Vigilant and companions selected from my collection. As before, I took care of the scenario and adversaries.

Mission two of Rangers originally takes place around and inside of a sentry tower Tor Varden. I made a few changes to adapt the scenarios to my own terrain and miniature collection. Instead of a tower, my Mission 2 takes place in an old monastery I named the Argent Sanctuary. The place was originally overrun by Gnolls, but that did not fit my tastes so I replaced them with Disgraced Knights and Dwarf Crossbowmen. ROSD is easy to modify this way, and I appreciate that in a rules system.

The Monastery Wall

Soon after Gordon arrived back from destroying the nest of spiders, he received a message from the local clergy. Contact has been lost with the monastery of Argent Sanctuary, and it is presumed to have been overrun. Gordon was compelled to round up what men he could and proceed with all swiftness to Argent Sanctuary to ascertain the truth. If the monastery has fallen, to learn what enemy forces now occupy it and harass or eliminate them as opportunity presents.

As Gordon and his companions approached their destination, they encountered Camran the Cursed. After initial distrust, the two parties elected to join forces and investigate the monastery in tandem.

The outer wall of Argent Sanctuary. Looks like the hostile forces occupying it have fortified their position and made camp behind the wall. In the original scenario this was a river, but I needed to improvise. Our heroes' mission was to get through, dispatch the enemies and pillage their encampment. 

Disgraced Knights are guarding the only gate in sight. Definitely not the kind of soldiers normally garrisoned here. There must be something sinister going on!

Dwarf Crossbows manning the top of the wall, safe behind spiked barricades.

Camran and Gordon decided to head for th gap in the wall, while trying to stay in cover from dwarven crossbow fire. The Knights were no match for the heroes. Even Dominik's Raptor managed to slay a Disgraced Knight with its bony talons.

There was an alternative way in: a thin ladder leading on top of the wall, but this was not the route they decided to take. During the fight, a large harpy flew over the battlefield (originally Vulture). Presumed a spy for the enemy, the heroes tried their best to take it out with their few ranged attacks. Gordon shot it first, but Camran finished it off with a lucky throwing knife hit. In the nick of time, too, as it was close to the edge of the battlefield.

The Outer Cloister

After the encounter at the wall, the heroes and their companions were able to slip past a couple of other enemy patrols and reach the Outer Cloister. There were no guards posted outside, and very little indication of anyone inside. Then a muffled scream came from somewhere inside. It was a sign both good and ill. There is at least one person alive in Argent Sanctuary, but it might already be too late to save them. Gordon and Camran will need to move fast.

Originally the lower level of the tower Tor Varden, this mission is played across a chain of three rooms connected by closed doors. When a character enters a room, it is randomly determined which of the four possible rooms it is. Then scenery and enemies are placed inside accordingly.  I arranged my ruins scenery on a 2'x4' table in such a way to form three sections separated by solid impassable walls with only one door each. I painted a bunch of new scenery elements for this mission in order to be able to thematically furnish the rooms. Definitely worth it!

The heroes advancing through the devastated monastery.

The first room the party entered was the Mage's Workshop. Whatever this room once was, it has been completely transformed into a horrific workshop. In the centre of the room is a metal cage with an inanimate flesh golem slumped inside. A dark sorceror stands beside it, with a pair of henchmen in between him and the heroes. They were caught off guard. 

Gordon managed to shoot the sorceror dead before he could animate his abomination. The rest of the enemies were dealt with as well, but there was some struggle.

Having slain the dark sorecerer and his henchmen, the heroes regruped and advanced into the next room. It was the Torture Room. This room is furnished with a number of cruel torture devices: iron maidens, racks, stocks, and all manner of manacles, chains, pokers, knives and drills. Two badly beaten prisoners are shackled to the wall opposite the doorway. In the centre of the room, a Disgraced Knight is tormenting a man-at-arms. The man is wearing torn Argent Sanctuary livery. Two other enemy knights are in the room.

The heroes successfully rescued the prisoners, and the injured Man-at-Arms joined them in their mission.

The final room turned out to be the Storage Room, guarded by four more Disgraced Knights. This room is filled with boxes, crates, bags, and barrels, and contains a trap door leading into the Inner Cloister. This is where we're going in the mission finale, on our next game session.

Dominik's warband was converted from Citadel undead models. There are more cursed soldiers planned, and you can follow his progress on his Instagram: @kingofrhovanion. From left to right there are: Rogue, Barbarian, Guardsman, Camran the Cursed, Man-at-Arms, Conjuror, Raptor.

We shall see what happens with our heroes in the finale of Mission 2: Scenario 3 - The Inner Cloister, in a couple of weeks.

If you want to have a collection of Companions and Monsters like mine made, or even a custom Ranger, I’m open for commissions. You can find my email in the bottom of the page, together with the Gardens of Hecate Facebook, Instagram and RSS links.