/TG/heim:Sulemain's Magnificent Menagerie (Cult of the Possessed)

Intro

Out on the fringes of Mordheim is a... collector. Of things strange and twisted, of creatures fantastic and grotesque. He calls himself Sulemain, and to Mordheim he goes, searching for more raw "material" he can use as a canvas to display the horror of the human condition.

Warband Rating:118

Treasury: 79 gold crowns, 3 wyrdstone. 4 Henchman XP available since last game.

Record: 1-6

Heroes

Sulemain the Magnificent

Clad in bright, garish motley, this turbaned old man speaks altogether too rapidly, with the air of the utterly self-assured or the utterly insane. Sulemain the Magnificent, as he styles himself, describes himself as an artist dedicated to expressing the true state of humanity. That most of the people that he takes as his "canvas" are not volunteering for the opportunity does not bother him in the slightest.
Magister - 70
Lure of Chaos - 12" range, Opposed Ld+1d6 to control
+Dagger
+Sword
Starting Experience: 20
Current XP: 26. Next Advance at 28.
Advances: +1WS

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	5	4	3	3	1	3	1	8

"Lord" Ose

At a glance this creature could pass for human, save for the triple-jointed limbs, the uncanny lolling of the head, and the beastly wails that emit from it's throat. Ose is one of Ose's older creations, and suffers unfortunately from a jerkiness in the limbs and nervous system that has hampered his ability to fight, climb, or really, accomplish much of note in Mordheim.
Possessed - 90
+Daemon Soul - 20
Starting Experience: 8
Current XP: 16. Next Advance at 17
Advances: +1 Ld, New Skill
Mighty Blow - +1S in close combat
OoA's: 1 Warhound

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
5	4	0	4(5)	4	2	4	2	8

Brother Barbados

Strange bulges underneath the cloak of this man hint at some fell disfigurement of the flesh. Barbados is Sulemain's lieutenant and warmaster. A former mercenary himself, Barbados has a penchant for tactics and strategy that Sulemain completely lacks but his exceedingly elaborate plans are often foiled by the poor discipline and training of the Menagerie's various warrior-morphs. Despite his superb combat abilities (or perhaps due to them), the Menagerie's general misunderstanding of the term 'mutual support' often means they abandon their leader in the chaos of a rout, often resulting in his capture by advancing and outflanking enemy forces - three times already on separate occassions.
Mutant - 25
+Extra Arm (+1 to Attack) - 40
+Dagger
+Axe
+Sword
+Helmet
Starting Experience: 0
Current XP: 11. Next Advance at 14.
Advances: +1A, New Skill, +1WS, New Skill, New Skill
Step Aside - 5+ unmodified save vs. close combat wounds
Combat Master - +1A when fighting two opponents, never tests for fighting alone
Jump Up - Warrior may ignored Knocked Down results when rolling for injury (Knocked Down results from a Helmet save still apply).
OoA's: 1 Warhound, 1 Flagellant, 1 champion (Siegfried Bellegarde - Hoestermann champion, KIA), 1 Chaos Spawn (assist with Brethren, KIA), 1 Chaos Hound

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	4	3	3	3	1	3	2+2	7

Sister Murmur

This woman speaks in a low rasp, and does not raise her face up to you from below her veiled hood. A former beggar "rescued" from the streets, Murmur is fanatically loyal to Sulemain, although the mutation process has left her somewhat deranged. It's become increasingly unclear however how much of this is actual derangement or just an inability to control her spastic and faster-than-normal reaction times.
Mutant - 25
+Hideous - 40
+Dagger
+Mace
Starting Experience: 0
Current XP: 8. Next Advance at 11.
Advances: New Skill, +1T, +1I, New Skill
Step Aside - 5+ unmodified save vs. close combat wounds
First Strike - Warrior strikes at Initiative value vs. chargers.
Old Battle Wound - roll a D6 before every battle. On 1, this warrior must miss the battle.
OoA's: 1 Warhound, 1 Marauder (Thrall of the Facepunchers)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	3	3	3	4	1	4	1	7

Brother Crowley

This cultist has a wild, haggard look, his eyes twisting and darting about in their sockets. Crowley is one of Sulemain's Mordheim recruits and is the leader of the First Circle Brethren, having proved himself by cutting the throat of Witch Hunter Jacob Schnell when he was sent reeling by a backhanded blow from Barbados. Unlike most of the wretched (ab)humans who serve Sulemain, Crowley is a burly and heavyset man, and Sulemain's experiments have only further heightened his endurance and strength.
Strongman (promoted to Hero: Combat and Strength skill lists)
+Dagger
+Bardiche (Double-handed weapon, +2S)
Current XP: 9. Next Advance at 11.
Advances: Lad's Got Talent!, +1T (from promotion to hero), +1A, +1 WS, New Skill
Strongman
OoAs: 1 Witch Hunter (Jacob Schnell, KIA)

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	4	3	3+2	4	1	3	2'	7

Henchmen

"Men shaped like goats, you say? With horns and eyes and cloven hooves?" Suleiman wheezed, slumped in his chair as Barbados finished his report on the clash he had witnessed above between the Rieklanders and the raiders.
It had been a rocky start in Mordheim, and Suleiman was still half-bedridden and pale - a lingering side effect of the Liche's death spell, but his creatures had managed to set up a crude base of operations and began taking what living captives. Surprisingly enough, some recruits had appeared as well, twisted, mad, or desperate men seeking a way to survive on the streets of the accursed city.
"That give me an idea. Barbados, send one of the recruits down to the laboratory. The big dumb one, I forget his name. It matters not, he will not be needing it soon enough." Sulemain dismissed his mutant servant with a wave of his hand.
Channeling his chaos magicks would be difficult, between the crudeness of the equipment available here and his injuries, but his minions had discovered plenty of wyrdstone to fuel the process, and besides, now was the time for inspiration!
"Goats, goats... now what sort of eyes do goats have..." Sulemain mused to himself as he flipped through the tome beside him.

First Circle Initiates
Goat skulls and voluminous robes obscure the hunched over forms of these twisted men. First Circle Initiates are drawn from beggars, press-ganged prisoners, or even desperate recruits. Whatever their origins, Sulemain's experiments have left them just able-bodied enough, and just trusted enough, to be given weapons - in most cases, just a simple dagger. The First Circle Brethren are expected to prove their loyalty in combat, and most throw themselves at the enemy with fanatical abandon hoping to prove themselves worthy in the eyes of the Ruinous Powers. Despite steady casualties their fanaticism has only grown deeper, going so far as to rush a Chaos Spawn on Sulemain's orders to "bring it back for my collection."
Brethren (3 models)
+2x Daggers (each model)
Current XP: 4. Next Advance at 6.
Advances: +1 Attack, +1 Ld

M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
4	3	3	3	4	1	3	2	8

Deceased

"Duke" Eligos (Possessed) - Slain in combat with Iron Biter Captain Jugo.

Initiate Morax (Brethren) - Slain in combat by Warrior Priest Papa Francis of Van Helsing's Avengers.

Beastman Moloch (Beastman) - Slain in combat by Matriarch Bertha of Bertha's Redemption.

Initiate Amir (Brethren) - Slain in combat by Champion Volprecht Romm of Hoestermann's Mans.

Notable Moments

Game 1 (vs. Wicked K's Company): Sulemain eats a Liche Doom spell, Eligos doesn't feel like doing anything except knocking over Zombies. After the battle, Barbados finds a single gold crown, and 3 shards of wyrdstone which are sold for 70 gc more.

Game 2 (vs. Iron Biters): Eligos slain in single combat against an Ogre Captain. Ose holds off two Ogres and miraculously survives against all odds, allowing the warband to retreat once more.

Game 3 (vs. Van Helsing's Witch Hunters): Surprise attack comes off perfectly. 3 warhounds and a Flagellant are taken out of action, and one of the Brethren shanks a Witch Hunter, killing him stone-cold. The Brethren gets promoted to heroic status for his accomplishment, but the Hunters rally and another retreat is called.

Game 4 (vs. Wu Manchu's Cathayans): Again, the Menagerie proves their greatest bane is T3. Although successful in retrieving the chest, and pulling off a perfect ambush, the Menagerie's blades (and claws, and tails, etc.) fail to find purchase in the thick and calloused skin of the Cathayan peasants. Barbados is captured by the unarmed fist-fighting monks and is ransomed for all wyrdstone found, or "bling", in their strange Cathayan tongue (1 wyrdstone paid).

Game 5 (vs. Bertha's Redemption): An attempt to drive the Sisters away from a Sigmarite reliquary ends in failure, as Sigmar shields his servants from Sulemain's magics and empowers the Matriarch to cut down the Menagerie's best warriors. Barbados is captured again, forcing Sulemain to launch a daring rescue operation involving several feats of acrobatics by Ose and a pair of inflatable pigskins. The operation is taxing on the Menagerie's time, forcing them to give up ground to the Sisters and let them recover more wyrdstone. (randomed Barbados for 1)

Game 6 (vs. Hoestermann's Mans): First victory! An initial fodder rush by the Brethren allows the mutants to get in his charge and shank two champions (one after a failed jump attempt). Ose takes a crossbow bolt while flanking the Marksmen and does litte again. After the battle, 4 more wyrdstone was recovered (along with the 3 initially carried and the 1 recovered from the mercenaries).

Game 7 (with Clan Landprecht vs. Facepunchers and Amar-Sin's Slavers vs. Good Company of Artorias and Capitalism Ho! and Price's Outfit and Roger's Raiders): 8 warbands suddenly converge on a location rumoured to be filled with rich veins of wyrdstone, several banding together to improve their chances. The Menagerie suddenly finds itself outmatched, and for lack of a better option throw into an uneasy alliance with Clan Landprecht. The Menagerie holds the line against the howling charge of the Facepunchers and the Chaos Dwarves on the right flank, but the brutal melee is interrupted by volleys of accurate fire from an advancing team of mercenary companies and both sides are forced to retreat. Barbados is captured yet again! This time by Chaos Dwarf slavers, forcing Sulemain into the humiliating position of ransoming him and one of the captured brethren for 2 pieces of wyrdstone and five gold coins (Clan Landprecht, begrudgingly respectful of Barbados' contribution to holding their flank - and far more decent folk than Sulemain ever will be, added 1 wyrdstone to the ransom, saying "he might be a foul demon-spawned mutant, but gosh darn it can he fight!"). Sulemain's foul mood is slightly improved by the fact the Menagerie picks up a straggler on the way home, providing him some new material to vent his frustrations on, as well as 3 more wyrdstone shards. Despite the bloodiness of the battle, no long-term casualties were sustained by the brethren - and they even managed to bring down a Chaos Spawn!

See also

/TG/heim

The Ars Goetia