City of the Damned - Electric Bastionland Meets Mordheim

Art from the Mordheim rulebook

In which I continue to use the excellent artbook/specialist games that Games Workshop killed as FKR sourcebooks for Electric Bastionland. I mean look at the illustrators on this one: John Blanche, Alex Boyd, David Gallagher, Nual Kennedy, Karl Kopinski, Paul Smith, and John Wigley. Good lord.

Mordheim and Inquisitor are such rich fonts of inspiration. We won't see their kind from GW again.

City of the Damned

Whatever you were, cruel fate and dire circumstances have forced you to become a wyrdstone hunting mercenary in a dreadful city destroyed by a meteorite.

The horrors of this DAMNED CITY will ruin you.

The base of the rules is Electric Bastionland. Slick and easy to use.

Roll 3d6 for your ABILITY SCORES and a d6 for HIT PROTECTION as you would in Electric Bastionland.

You start with d6 Brass Pennies (p).

240 Brass Pennies (p) = 20 Silver Shillings (s) = 1 Gold Crown (gc).

Your mercenary company has a crushing debt of 50gc. More money than you've ever seen in your rotten life. 

The CONDUCTOR should make a rival just as they would in EB.

Any Lackeys start with one of the following (d6):

1. Hammer (d6, Bulky)
2. Dagger (d6)
3. Sword (d6)
4. Mace (d6)
5. Axe (d6. Bulky)
6. Crossbow (d6, Bulky)

Art from the Mordheim rulebook

RECRUITING THE COMPANY

This is a time of remitting war, civil strife, violence, and famine. A time of orphan children and wanton slaughter. For warrior these are good times! Since the discovery of the wyrdstone, Mordheim has become a magnet for fighting folk from all over the Empire. Nobles, merchants, and the Temple itself offer rich rewards for shards of the precious stone. Foremost among the patrons of these mercenary warriors are the three powerful contenders for the Emperor's throne. - Mordheim Rulebook, p. 63

Give your company a suitable fitting name such as the Wolfheads or the Bloody Dozen.

If you are the youngest player, you're the CAPTAIN. Roll a d3 to determine your PATRON. 

• The Grand Prince of Reikland

• The Count of Middenheim

• Lady Magritta of Mairienburg

Everyone else is a mercenary, either a hopeful Youngblood or a bitter Veteran.

Your Patron may give you some insight into your characters:

• REIKLAND. The heart of the Empire and seat of the Temple of Sigmar.

• Devout and proud | Close-minded and haughty

• Strong tradition of martial training | Overeager for conflict

• Brave and disciplined | Distant and cold

• MIDDENHEIM. City of the White Wolf and bitter rivals to Reikland.

• Large and strongly built | Brutish and slow

• Reputation of ferocity | Savage and backward

• Contemptuous of danger | Wild and uncontrolled

• MARIENBURG. The City of Gold and the most prosperous trading city in the Old World.

• Sumptuously dressed and armed | Foppish and effete

• Skilled at arms | Cut-throat and ruthless

• Roguish and clandestine | Criminal and underhanded

Art from the Mordheim rulebook

STARTING GEAR

As a Company, your Expedition has:

• Torches and tinderboxes.
• Shoddy climbing and camping equipment.
• Foul food and dirty water.

Each character starts with the following:

ARMOUR (d6)

• 1-2: No armour. Good luck.
• 3-4: Light armour (Armour 1 against attacks causing d6 or lower). Everything from hardened leather tunics to chain shirts forged from steel with the occasional helmet. Not much but better than nothing.
• 5-6: Heavy armour (Armour 1, Bulky). Typically chain mail or steel breastplates and greaves, this armour offers excellent protection at a cost.

SHIELD (d6)

• 1-4: No shield. Stay towards the back.
• 5: Buckler (Armour 1 against melee attacks causing d6 or lower). Small, round shields made for parrying or deflecting.
• 6: Shield (+1 Armour, Bulky). Either wood, occasionally reinforced with some metal, or metal.

WEAPONS (d12)

• 1: Zweihander, great axe, or great hammer (d8, Bulky).
• 2: Flail, halberd, or spear (d8, Bulky).
• 3: Axe or club (d6, Bulky).
• 4-6: Dagger, sword, or mace (d6).
• 7-9: Crossbow or bow (d6, Bulky).
• 10: Pistol (d6, misfires on a 1, requiring a Rest to fix).
• 11: Handgun (d8, Bulky, misfires on a 1, requiring a Rest to fix).
• 12: Blunderbuss (d6 Blast, Bulky, requires a Rest to clean and reload).

TRINKETS & CURIOSITIES (d20)

1. Case of poison (d3). Universally abhorred but a common last resort for the desperate.
1. Vial of Deathtouch. Lose d20 STR if consumed.
2. Black Lotus coating. d12 STR loss on Critical Damage.
3. Dark Venom coating. d12 DEX loss on Critical Damage.
2. Ether leaves. Smoked. STR save or pass out for an hour.
3. Lucky charm. Just a piece of junk, whatever it is. Or is it?
4. Vial of blessed water. Good for warding off the unholy (d6 damage each round until washed off).
5. Elven cloak. Made from maiden's hair and interwoven with living tree leaves. Blends into the shadows. 1 Armour against ranged weapons only.
6. Hunting arrows. Barbed and nasty. Arrows do d6 DEX loss on Critical Damage.
7. Garlic. Said to ward off vampires and other denizens of the dark.
8. Net. Man-sized.
9. Keg of Bugman's ale. Extremely potent. Helps cope with the horrors of this place.
10. Tome of magic. Full of strange symbols and forbidden lore. Only useful for wizards.
11. Holy tome. Book of prayer and descriptions of the holy deeds of religious heroes.
12. Pouch of healing herbs. Restore STR and DEX with overnight treatment.
13. Holy relic. Supposedly. Good for encouragement in this age of superstition.
14. Halfling cookbook. Full of delicious, secret recipes fit for a feast.
15. An animal (d4). The filth kills most animals quickly and many are butchered for food. This is an exception.
1. Mutt (2 HP, d4 bite).
2. Hound (5 HP, d6 bite).
3. Mule (3 HP).
4. Horse (6 HP).
16. Lantern. Can be closed to dim the light.
17. Superior black powder. High quality. Enough for one fire-fight. +d6 bonus damage.
18. Map of the City (d6). Some survivors nearby make a living by preparing maps of the City from memory.
1. Fake. Completely worthless and likely leads you on a fool's errand.
2. Vague. Generally accurate (well... parts of it are... perhaps).
3. Catacomb map. Shows a way through the catacombs into the city.
4. Accurate. Recently made and very detailed.
5. Master map. One of the twelve master maps made for the Count von Steinhardt of Ostermark. Don't lose it.
19. Cathayan silk cloak. For flaunting your wealth. A good way to attract thieves and assassins.
20. Tears of Shallaya. Neutralizes any poison or toxin. One dose only.

Art from the Mordheim rulebook

Here are some sample mercenaries who can die in die in a damned city.

Sander van Okker, Reikland Mercenary

STR 8, DEX 15, CHA 8, HP 6

• Soldier's pack (1p).
• Father's chainmail (1 Armour, Bulky).
• Ancestral sword (d6).
• Lantern.

Lord Tobias Marquandt, Marienburg Mercenary

STR 12, DEX 12, CHA 12, HP 4

• Velvet coin pouch (3p).
• Shiny breastplate (1 Armour, Bulky).
• Ornate blunderbuss (d6 Blast, Bulky, requires a Rest to clean and reload).
• Fancy Cathayan silk cloak

Werner "the Howler", Middenheim Mercenary

STR 15, DEX 13, CHA 11, HP 6

• Fur pouch (4p).
• Wolf pelt adorned chain mail (1 Armour, Bulky).
• Spiked mace (d6).
• Keg of Bugman's ale.