I set out from Brooklyn early Friday afternoon with fellow Metropolitan Wargamers club members Kimber, James, and Brian. After an easy drive through the somewhat idyllic Pennsylvania countryside in all its Fall glory, we arrived at the Lancaster Host late that afternoon. I checked then roamed the halls to get the lay of the land.
After successfully campaigning against Jarl Erik and winning new farmland for his people, Jarl Ulfried’s scouts came across the infamous Shamus McUgly and his men near a stone cottage perched on the edge of a bog deep in the wild lands. They sent a runner back to call for the rest of the warband then approached the cottage to see what they could see.
Shamus’ archers let loose a volley from across the bog, felling a few scouts. Ulfried’s Raven War Banner accompanied by a group mail-clad hirdmen sprang into the clearing. Then, Shamus himself appeared from the other side, commanding his archers to let their arrows fly again. This time, though, Odin heeded the scouts’ call and the Scots fell back instead.
Ulfried’s hirdmen made for Shamus, keeping the stone cottage between them and the archers. As they rounded the rear of the building, they were surrounded by Shamus’ spearmen. Battle was joined and the spearmen were driven back — only one of their number left standing. Within moments, the Viking hirdmen were surrounded yet again. This time by armored thanes.
Ulfried and his berserkers rushed into the clearing and sprinted to the aid of their fellows, but they were too late. This time each and every hirdmen was slain, and the Raven War Banner fell to the ground to be trampled in the blood and the mud.
Instead, Ulfried gathered his berserkers and what was left of the scouting party into a line and charged the Scots on the far side of the cottage. Steel rang, blood flowed, the cries of battle were said to reach Asgard itself.
In the end, Ulfried was the last man standing. He could see Shamus, archers arrayed beside him. Ulfried pointed his blood-soaked sword toward Shamus and cried, “Next time the day shall be mine.” He then dashed into the forest to regroup his warband and head home to Kaldaross.