Road to Ekra - Jousting Tournaments

Road to Ekra is two complete stand-alone games in one. In it you are a knight that travels the tournament circuit, moving from town to town in search of Fame & Fortune and adventure along the way.

The game has rules for the actual tournament, the joust, as well as rules to use between tournaments. Road to Ekra is set for you to travel from the Edge of the Nation, through the Center and ending at the Heart. Along the way you stop and enter a tournament, each one getting more difficult and rewarding

Between tournaments you go on adventures from carousing in taverns to confronting enemies in combat and everything in between as you move from town to town.

Road to Ekra uses the game mechanics found in Talomir Tales, our Fantasy rules. You can bring your existing Stars in from the other books or take your Star from this book to the others.  

Qwik - Jugger Game Step by step.

In this AAR, by reading the pictures, we will show step-by-step how a game is played . At the end will be a synopsis. 

The game is made for solo play and can be played co-op or head to head. You start with the two Qwiks fighting to gain control of the bean - what you must stake to win the game.

After that the players move and when occupy the same zone roll on the Confrontation Table - fight. Take damage and you can lose Rep or get knocked out of the game.

Knock an opposing Jugger down? You can pin it to the ground so it cannot move unless you let it up. Game lasts until the bean is staked with a 100 Stone Break rest if the game goes that far.

Look for Qwik next week.

Juggers coming! Juggers coming!

Just got Qwik back from the editor. Look for some final Bat Reps and the game to be released sometime next week. 

And then there's After the Horsemen End Times, but that's another story.  

New Print Company, New Lower Prices ?!

Yep, just closed a deal to use a new print company that will lower my cost, so passing the savings on to you guys. Includes PDF pricing as well.

Check it out. 

Talomir Tales - Joust - It ain't just rolling dice!

Step by Step Bat Rep

The Lists Board where mounted combat occurs.

Joust uses a base 2d6 (six sided dice) versus Rep system. For those not familiar with how it works, here goes:

Each Knight is assigned a Rep (think quality) from 3 to 5.

You roll 2d6 versus the Rep of the Knight. If the d6 score is equal or less than the Rep, you have passed that d6.

• Pass 2d6 = Good things happen.
• Pass 1d6 = Okay things happen, not as good as passing 1d6 but better than...
• Pass 0d6 = Bad things happen to you.

Here's an example from the Charge Table:

• Pass 2d6 = Horse accelerates into the charge, gain 1 Bonus d6. Go to Aim Table.
• Pass 1d6 = Horse goes into the charge. Go to Aim Table.
• Pass 0d6 = Horse balks or is slow to move. Lose 1 Bonus d6. Go to Aim Table.

Okay, so now here's where you need a strategy 'cuz like we said - It ain't just rolling dice!

You get 1 Bonus d6 per point of current Rep before each run down the Lists - there are three - where mounted Knights charge at each other. When you use a Bonus d6, you roll it in addition to the basic 2d6. When you use a Bonus d6 you discard it, until the next course of the Joust.

There are three tables that Bonus Dice can be used on - Aim, Strike and Damage.

• Use it on the Aim Table - increase the chance of hitting the opponents head, scoring more damage.
• Use it on the Strike Table - increase the chance of landing a solid hit on the opponent.
• Use it on the Damage Table - when you get hit you can lose Rep points. Using more d6 reduces the chance of you getting damaged.

Non-Player Knights (NPK) will roll to see when and how many Bonus Dice they will use, but players must choose how many and when BEFORE the NPKs roll for theirs.

You replenish Bonus Dice in two ways. Before each course or run on the Lists you  replenish your Bonus d6 up to your current Rep.

At the start of melee on foot you  replenish your Bonus d6 up to your current Rep, but only once. When  you're out, you're out.

So, do you use the Bonus dice, maximum of 5, to aim your lance or maybe to get a better hit on the enemy or what about saving them in case you take damage? That's the big question and that's the strategy. What do I suggest? Good question. Be flexible though as different opponents have different strengths and weaknesses. And just when you thought it was going to be easy.

Grand Melee Board where dismounted Knights fight in melee.

Talomir Tales Joust - Step-by-Step Part Four

Part One 

Part Two 

Part Three

2nd of 3 courses to be run. Both Knights recover Bonus Dice up to their current Rep.

1st phase is Charge. Both roll 2d6 and pass 2d6, each gains 1 Bonus Die, up to 5 each.

2nd phase is Aim. Knight can aim for the Head, Chest or Shield. Head hits do the most damage (3 points) chest (2 points) and shield (1 point).  Players choose how many Bonus d6 to use, Non-Player Knights roll to see how many they use. Billy rolls 5d6; passes 4d6 and will hit Head. Treyine Knight rolls and uses 2 Bonus d6, rolls 4d6 and passes 2d6 - chest.

3rd phase is Strike, the Knights hit home. Billy uses last Bonus d6 and passes 2d6, solid hit and Treyine Knight passes 1d6 using all of her Bonus Dice. If Billy would have missed, she would have hit him, but because he hit her, she misses.

4th phase is Damage. The Treyine Knight passes 1d6 and takes 3 points of damage, dropping her Rep down to 1. She take the Withdrawal Test versus Rep and passes 0d6. She withdraws, Billy wins the second joust.

Billy has gained 2 Increasing Rep d6 for winning the 2 jousts - note that if Billy loses he gains 5 Decreasing Rep d6.
He had picked up 2 Fame & Fortune points for defeating both Knights.
As this was a small Tournament on the Edge of the Nation I Billy would only face 3 opponents.

Two down only one to go!

Talomir Tales Joust - Step-by-Step Part Three

Part One 

Part Two 


Billy's 2nd opponent was a Rep 4 Treyine Knight with a 2 handed weapon and Red Sun Alignment. At the start each Knight has 4 Bonus Dice and are Rep 4.

Billy spurs his horse on in the Charge phase and gains 1 Bonus d6. The Treyine Knight does not.

Lowering their lances, the Knights take aim. Billy uses 2 Bonus d6 and aims for the head - passes 3 and success! The Treyine Knight uses one Bonus d6 and ends up aiming for Billy's chest.

Both now roll on the Strike Table. Billy uses all 3 Bonus Dice, the Treyine Knight uses 2. Both score hits and both go to the Damage Table.

The Treyine Knight uses her last Bonus d6 and passes 2d6, no effect and she continues to joust. Billy rolls 2d6, no Bonus Dice and passes 2d6, no effect and he continues to joust. The 1st of 3 courses are finished.

Talomir Tales - Joust! A Step-by-Step Bat Rep - Part Two.

Part One

It's time for the joust to start. I lay out the Knights. Bonus Dice Card first - one per point of Rep, then Rep, then the Knight itself. A corresponding counter of the Knight is place at opposite ends of the Lists. And so it begins!

Joust 1

Charge!

The first course of the joust, there are three, starts with each Knight rolling 2d6 versus Rep on the Charge Table.

·        Billy passes 0d6! The horse balks then moves forward – Billy loses 1 Bonus d6.

·        Capalan Knight passes 0d6! The horse balks then moves forward – Knight loses 1 Bonus d6.

Billy dodged a bullet there. If the Capalan Knight passed 2d6 it would gain 1 Bonus d6, pass 1d6, no Bonus d6 lost. Billy now has 3 Bonus d6, the Capalan Knight has 2 – you start each course with Bonus Dice equal to current Rep.

Aim!

After the Charge Table we go to the Aim Table. The Knight aims for the Head, Chest, or Shield of the opponent. Want to hit the head? You need to pass 3d6 so using Bonus d6 is necessary.   

·        Billy uses 2 Bonus d6 and passes 3d6! He is aiming at the head of the Capalan Knight.

·        Non-Player Knights will roll all of their Bonus Dice AFTER you decide how many of yours to use. He needs to score “1” to use the Bonus Dice and doesn’t. Rolling 2d6 he passes 0d6 – He will hit Billy’s Shield.

Strike!

After the Aim Table we go to the Strike able. You will always hit the opposing Knight, but how well depends upon rolling 2d6 and using Bonus Dice.

·        Billy uses 2 Bonus D6, his last 2 and passes 3d6! He has scored a solid hit and the Capalan Knight will go to the Damage Table.

·        Non-Player Knights will roll all of their Bonus Dice AFTER you decide how many of yours to use. He needs to score “1, 2 or 3” to use the Bonus Dice and uses his last 2. Rolling 4d6 he passes 1d6 – a Glancing blow, no effect!

·        Both Knights are out of Bonus Dice!

Damage!

Knights that get hit go to the Damage Table. You can use Bonus Dice there as the Knight that gets hit rolls versus Rep. Passing d6 is what you want to do!

·        Rolling 2d6 he passes 1. As he was hit in the head, he takes 3 points of damage.

·        This is Bonus Dice first, and then Rep points when you run out of Bonus Dice.

·        The Knight takes 3 points and reduces his Rep to zero. He is thrown from his mount and is out of the Tournament.

·        Later he rolls to recover and does so.

Billy has won his first round. I roll 1d6 and Billy will be facing a Treyine Knight, Rep 4, 2 handed ax  and Red Sun Alignment.

Talomir Tales - Joust! A Step-by-Step Bat Rep - Part One

 

William Pink moved through the fair towards the Lists. Billy, as he was known in many places, liked Talomir. He remembered the first time he went through the Magic Door to Talomir he was struck by how primitive everything was. The land rich and fertile, the people simple, but danger was without rhyme or reason.

After his first few encounters with the locals, he had landed in Eskelin many, many years ago by the Talomir calendar; he found ways to “make ends meet”. Now across the Kimean Sea and in the north he was in Ekra, a Red Sun nation and home to the Brethren. But that was another Story.

Today, he was entered in a Tournament on the Edge of Altengard and Ekra. Looking at the roster he knew a few names, but most being unknown to him. That was normal, for when you traveled through the Magic Door, time had no meaning.

Billy saddled up his mount, Char handed him a lance. “Be careful Billy,” she said. “It has been a long time since you’ve tilted in the Lists.”

He smiled and replied “No worries my lady, jousting is like, like; well, you know, those things you do once and never forget how to do them.”

She smiled and slapped his horse, “Go get us some gold!”

************

In Joust, your Star starts at Rep 4.

Here’s how the Talomir Tales – Joust rules can work with any THW title. Billy Pink is actually a Rep 5. Talomir is not his “normal” environment so I decided to count him as a Rep 4 for the “technical” things of jousting as he hasn’t done it in a long, long time. I could have kept him at Rep 5. But that would mean he would have to be in larger Tournaments, so to make the step by step Bat Rep, I chose to make him Rep 4.

I chose to start in a Tournament on the Edge of Ekra. The roster of Knights is found below.

·        I roll 1d6 to see who the first opponent is and score a 4 – Rep 3 Capalan Knight, 1 Hand weapon, and Neutral. If Billy beats him I roll 1d6 and go down that many rows, starting at the last Knight Billy fought - the Capalan Knight.

Edge of the Nation Knight Roster

#	Race	Rep	Weapon	Alignment
1	Border	3	1 Hand	Neutral
2	Ekra	3	1 Hand	Red Sun
3	Altengard	4	2 Hand	Red Sun
4	Capalan	3	1 Hand	Neutral
5	Orc	4	2 Hand	Black Moon
6	Dwarf	4	2 Hand	Red Sun
7	Ekra	4	1 Hand	Neutral
8	Goblin	3	1 Hand	Black Moon
9	Treyine	4	2 Hand	Red Sun
10	Elf	4	1 Hand	Neutral
11	Dwarf	3	1 Hand	Black Moon
12	Beast	4	1 Hand	Black Moon

Part Two