The Battle for Argolis - Megagaming in Leeds (Part Three)

Autolycus reached into his knapsack and drew out the jar of ointment he had been given by Medea. Blood pumped hotly from the spear wound in his side and the bright colours worn by the defenders of Argolis seemed to swim slowly all around him. There was a label on the jar that he'd never thought to read before and now seemed the appropriate moment:

"Apply to thy skin at dawn and ye shall be invulnerable 'til nightfall."

Broken and burned, Autolycus still could not help but laugh.
"Sir?" The men that followed him into battle stared at their leader in wide-eyed horror.
"I just wish I'd read this label last night!" A split second later the sky was rent by a final thunderbolt, the laughter of Autolycus rose briefly into a roar of pain, and nothing remained of him but ash on the breeze.

Now, you might be thinking, by Hades! When did Argolis become relevant? And, you'd be right to, because this is going to take some back-story. It is worth taking the time to understand the role of Argolis in this tale, however, as it was the site of Autolycus's most honourable and most foolish hour as well as, if I may be so bold, the greatest mistake made by Artemis. The city-state of Argolis stands on the eastern peninsula of Peloponnesus, east of Arkadia (where I wanted to take the Golden Fleece) and north-east of Lakonis (where Ares demanded that I take it). Either way, my return journey from Colchis took me through the lands of Argolis and I found it to be an affluent and flourishing region.

Let's hear what one of the rulers of Argolis had to say at this point in the day.

For many years, the city had fostered good relations with the hero, Bellerophon. He slew beasts for them, led their armies and took Quests in their name. They had also built an enormous temple to Artemis who favoured them in return. This was very much a city-state that believed in keeping all their eggs in a single basket.

The Proud Nobility of Argolis and Faithful Bellerophon.

I knew by this point that I would disobey Ares, but I had no idea how the games of divinity are played and I thought it best to seek the advice of Artemis. So, entering the temple and kneeling before the oracle, I recounted the events that had taken place and requested guidance. The Voice of Artemis promised me that I would be protected and I should dedicate the Quest for the Golden Fleece to the goddess as I had planned. I agreed, but inquired where I should take the Fleece as it was a tremendously prestigious item for any city-state to possess. Here, I feel, the goddess misstepped. Wherever the Fleece was deposited was bound to attract a great deal of unwelcome attention but, underestimating her rivals, the oracle told me simply to present it to the Wanax of Argolis with the warning that it must be protected. I did as the goddess bid me, even though I could almost see the Hand of Ares standing beside me saying "WHAT THE F...?!!"

I had barely finished relaying the words of Artemis to the Wanax of Argolis, when a fully armoured soldier made of solid bronze strode into the court, marble slabs cracking under his mighty footfalls. Ares had manifest once more and was demanding that the Fleece be surrendered unto him. Suddenly, a terrible roar shook the building. An enormous tiger with silver fur that shimmered like moonlight, bounded into the space between Ares and the Fleece, baring its teeth and lashing its tail from side to side. Apparently, the gods were willing to duel for ownership of this iconic trophy, and Argolis would be the unhappy hosts of their conflict.

"Of course," Autolycus mused aloud, "if another goddess were to support Artemis..."

I'd like to say that, at this point, I left Argolis to battle monsters in distant lands or set out upon another Quest, for that is the work of heroes and, if I intended to maintain my position as Most Glorious Hero, I had a good deal more to do. However, in spite of the fact that I could never hope to influence the outcome of a contest between deities I stood (alongside almost every other player in the room) and watched in dumbstruck awe as the battle played out.

"It's one of those classic megagame 'everybody crowds round one table' moments!" - Bruce Walton

First, Ares struck with his enormous spear, but the tiger-form of Artemis was quick and lithe. She dodged the blow and the first round was a draw. Then, Artemis drew on her divine grace and delivered a strike to Ares that, though invisible and utterly incomprehensible, was felt by all those present. Finally, Ares fell back on his cunning. Feigning defeat, he waited until the tiger drew close, then he rose in a flurry and buried a dagger in the great beast's chest. Artemis vanished, Ares claimed the Fleece and then he stalked from the hall. No one could fail to appreciate the gravity of the situation; Autolycus was a dead man walking, but worse, he would likely take the city-state of Argolis with him.

As I stumbled away from the table, head reeling, still failing to engage in the tasks that would keep me from losing the lead over my rival heroes, I was approached by representatives of two city-states. Apparently, it was known throughout Hellas that Argolis and Artemis had been delivered a crippling blow. Therefore, a mighty host was marching from several neighbouring city-states, with the blessings (and potentially corporeal manifestations) of Ares, Aphrodite and Athena, to exploit the vulnerability of Argolis and raze their city to the ground. I ran to the temples of Apollo and Artemis with warnings and appealing for aid, then I made the long walk back to the Argolis table. A wiser man might have stayed away. Ares would be occupied by the battle and likely wouldn't catch up with me for some time if I went abroad on a Quest. A more unscrupulous man might have joined the invading army. The god of war was unlikely to strike down a general in the armies that marched in his name. But I'd decided long ago that Autolycus was far less wise than he was honourable, so I took my position on a hillside overlooking Argolis and awaited my fate.

If Artemis can be said to have misjudged anything, it would be the danger posed by a god with nothing to lose. Unbeknownst to mere mortals, the resolution of the Quest for the Golden Fleece had left Ares in an unsalvageable position with no way to seek greater satisfaction than petty vengeance. If Artemis can be said to have been at all unwise, it would be in the loyalty she showed to her servant. The armour Autolycus wore sparkled with myriad stars, his sword arm moved with a grace and alacrity that could only be divinely inspired. The goddess had sunk the remainder of her strength into this man. Did she believe he was not doomed? If so, she was the only one. Perhaps her greatest weakness was that she was willing to back me all the way, and I was damned if I was going to let her regret that.

The Battle for Argolis draws the attention of all but the most competitive (and those who cannot leave their tables).

"MORTAL!" Predictably enough, Ares had taken physical form once more and had interrupted the resolution of the actual invasion to pick a personal beef with me. There are those who say that mortal veins are spiked with just a drop of Titans' blood. I don't know how true that is, but in that moment I could certainly believe it.

"What do you want, Ares?" A few players looked to Game Control in shock. Surely, I couldn't be permitted to talk to a god that way? Game Control waved them back, my fate was sealed - may as well let me enjoy it. The god of war accused me of acting with dishonour and foolishness when I disobeyed his will. "All I ever did was refuse to be pushed around by you, you whining bully!" That, believe it or not, was all the god was willing to take from me. He hurled his spear in my direction. Fortunately, at the last second, one of my companions (a legendary archer) loosed an arrow into his eyes, turning his aim slightly so that the blow dealt was not fatal. I spent all the divine favour, puissance and lucky re-rolls that I had amassed through the game to weave across the battlefield with superhuman agility. Ares followed up the assault with a shower of lightning bolts, however, which proved more than enough to destroy my fragile mortal body.

After that, I think I shut down altogether. The hunger and fatigue that I'd been holding at bay overwhelmed my senses. I'm pretty sure Argolis took a beating. In a particularly memorable moment, the city's favoured hero, Bellerophon, lead an army of enemy forces into the main square and set the Temple of Artemis ablaze - uncool, Bellerophon, but a fascinating plot twist. In the next turn, Hero Control would announce my death to the whole room and I would be given a round of applause. He would issue me with a new hero, carrying over all of my glory and achievements (see how much I should have kept questing?). And I would play out the final turn of the day as Eurytus, successfully slaying a giant bear and a giant, erm... guy, before ending the day in third or fourth place. In all honesty, I don't remember. Dying rather took the wind from my sails and the last hour or two of the day passed in something of a blur.

I wish I could tell you that I took the defeat of Autolycus with good grace. In truth, though, I ran around desperately trying to locate the card for the Ointment of Medea which, at the time, I believed would cure any wound. When a fellow hero piped up that he had the card, I discovered to my horror that it should have been declared before dice were rolled. Game Control comforted me by saying that it was never intended to thwart the gods and that, had it come up at the table, he would have simply made Ares spend twice as much divine power to destroy me. Imagine my heartbreak when, in the hotel bar after the game, the Hand of Ares told me that it had cost nearly all the divine power he had to take me down. I said I was fine with it, but for hours I was tortured by the thought that I could have survived. Finally though, I realised how lucky I had been. The way events turned out had given me the one thing I wanted from my experience more than anything else: a fantastic story. Autolycus was a joy to play and got the spectacular finish he deserved. In addition, I got to meet a host of wonderful people who I sincerely hope I'll be gaming with again in the near future.

This picture was taken at the end of the day... I'm still grinning!

Would I recommend Megagaming?
I'll let you guess the answer to that one. :-)

Images courtesy of Alexander Porter, Andrew Hadley (Megagame Makers) and Leeds Sword

The Rise of Autolycus - Megagaming in Leeds (Part Two)

"You may present the Golden Fleece in a city-state of your choice, as long as you dedicate your Quest to the honour of Artemis..."

They say that pride comes before a fall. I'd like to add that the pride is often accompanied by a full stomach and sleepy head. We overheard someone say that Quests get harder, whispered Brain as he drifted off, but you're allowed to team up. My time is at hand, announced my heart, follow me to certain Glory! Thus, filled with quixotic bravery, I stepped aboard my ship once more. "To Colchis!" I exclaimed. The skeleton crew regarded me expectantly for several awkward moments."Nobody knows where Colchis is, do they?"

I know Colchis is in this room somewhere... any clues?

It was time to mingle with my fellow heroes. Broadly, they fell into two camps: those who languished at the bottom of the Glory rankings and those who were dead on their feet. I selected two: Peleus was a mighty warrior whose big blue eyes seemed to cry out, "please, just point me at something. I can think for myself no longer!" Coronus was an unassuming fellow of considerable Cunning. He wore the Cap of Hades, which allowed for undetectable escape, it seemed dishonourable to me, but I held my tongue. More importantly, he knew the location of Colchis, so the three of us set sail each in their own vessel. Had my brain been awake, he would have said, three ships, eh? Have you considered taking troops with you? Instead, however, he merely snored.

Coronus took the lead on the arduous journey to Colchis. It was the right choice, as he proved a superb navigator, but allowing another to lead my Quest did not sit well with me. Once we arrived in Colchis, we were met by King Aeëtes and his enchanting daughter, Medea. Accepting their hospitality, we were given leave to Quest for the Golden Fleece, providing that first we harness the fire-breathing Oxen of Aeëtes and use them to sow a field with dragon's teeth. At this point, the Tavern-keeper (Hero Control) appeared before me. He placed a Puissance counter in my hand, refreshed my Hero Cards and struck me ceremonially on the forehead. I peered up at him, utterly perplexed. "The gods have seen fit to bestow upon you the Divine Gift of Song," he declared.

"Do you wish to interact with Medea?" Quest Control, Paul, enquired. I remembered my very first conversation with Aphrodite, all those hours ago. I opened my mouth and Heart spoke for me, "I wish to use my Divine Gift of Song to win her heart." The dice clattered on the table and love found a way. Medea told me of her father's intention to betray us and gifted me the Ointment of Medea which granted the user invulnerability for a single day. I relayed what I had discovered to my companions. "Time to don the Cap of Hades and depart?" Coronus wondered.
"Nay," cried my heart, unwilling to abandon Medea. "Let this treachery come. We shall defeat it!"

Peleus had yet to enjoy her moment in the spotlight, so we stood back and watched as she harnessed the terrible oxen. Then, we sowed the teeth and the betrayal was upon us. Animated skeletons sprang from the earth and closed on us with malicious intent. If Brain had been present, he'd have pointed out to me that we had no army. He might have shouted to the room for a copy of the Ointment of Medea card, so I would actually know what it did. Best of all, he could have reminded me that we'd spent half an hour collecting Hero Cards that spelled out the word "φλεεχε", which may have been enough to convince Quest Control that I had the wit of Jason and could cause the skeletal warriors to fall upon one another. Brain, however, was still out to lunch and it appeared that our Quest would end in ignominy and death.

Lightning rent the skies and before our eyes had chance to recover from the blinding flash, we heard the voice. "MORTALS! LOOK UPON ME AND QUAKE!" Our battlefield had been darkened by the shadow of a thirty-foot tall, bronze warrior; the preferred form of Ares manifest. "I SHALL MOVE THIS OBSTACLE FROM THY PATH. IN RETURN YOU WILL DEDICATE YOUR QUEST TO ME AND DELIVER THE FLEECE TO MY FAVOURED CITY OF LAKONIA."

I peered up at the fixed expression of the avatar of war. I had so wanted to deliver the Fleece to my old friends in Arkadia, but they were not expecting such. The goddess on the other hand... how could I turn my back on her now? "I quest in the name of Artemis, great Ares, but in appreciation of your intervention I will deliver the Fleece to Lakonia!"

"I HAVE NOT COME TO BARGAIN, MORTAL. YOU WILL OBEY, OR ELSE."
With that, Ares struck his heel thrice upon the earth and the skeletons crumbled to dust.

The Quest for the Golden Fleece was almost complete and the news reached me that I had risen through the ranks to the prestigious title of Most Glorious Hero. Thus it was with great ambivalence that I led our motley trio of heroes back to the Quest table for the third and final time. The Fleece was guarded by a hideous serpent that never slept. Musick, however, has charms to sooth a savage breast. So, we formed a quartet; Peleus was a talented singer, I had the Divine Gift of Song, Coronus could just about hold up a tune and, best of all, he'd brought a professional bard. Before long the serpent was happy to lie peacefully at the roots of the tree while we retrieved the Fleece from its branches. Finally, we had to flee Colchis before the king became aware of our success and tried to make good on his betrayal. As far as I was concerned, Aeëtes had disgraced himself when he moved against us, so I saw no dishonour in now making use of the Cap of Hades. We took flight unhampered and, at Hellespont, we went our separate ways.

Oh. how high you will climb, little man.

The Hand of Ares was at my back; I felt the urgency with which he desired his prize. I must attend to my affairs, my heart spoke aloud, then I shall settle my account with you, Ares. I stepped across the threshold of the Heroes Tavern and set my goblet upon the table. The Tavern-keeper looked up at me quizzically. "I am pretending to have business with you, o Tavern-keeper, until the gaze of Ares is elsewhere." I was pleased to see his expression of surprise. He asked me if I thought it wise to cross the gods. I looked down at my name sticker, it bore four black markers of age, "old men do not fear death." I smiled wryly, he laughed, and my guts turned to iron...

Images courtesy of Jim Wallman (Megagame Makers)

Of Gods And Men - Megagaming in Leeds (Part One)

"And finally, the ninth and least glorious of our heroes..."

That is literally, word for word, how I was introduced at the start of the day. It was almost ten o'clock in the morning, and I had come to the Royal Armouries in Leeds for a Megagame. I stood uncertainly and looked out on a hall of more than sixty unfamiliar faces. A character sheet clutched in one hand, a satchel of food and drink at my feet. My only armour; a distinctive styling of my facial hair that I had adopted the night before which allowed me to believe that I wore a disguise of impenetrable cunning.

"I am Autolycus," I mumbled, before gesturing to the eight other heroic characters. "Anything mysterious you've ever heard about that couldn't be attributed to one of them... this guy."

Awkwardly, I returned to my seat. My heart was thundering; my ears roared, vision narrowed, limbs shook, breath shortened. Even the intermittent lower back pain, that I always attribute to being tall and utterly uninspired by sports, throbbed with the surges of tension pouring through me. This must be a panic attack, I thought, the important thing is to remain hydrated and not let it spiral out of control. I took my silver chalice (a much treasured gift) from my satchel, opened a cheap litre bottle of fizzy energy beverage and carefully drank the vessel dry three times. I think people were talking to me and someone put a few Hero Cards in my hand. I probably smiled and agreed a lot.

Ares is unimpressed by your tiny mortal drinking vessel.

I need a plan, said my brain, something to give me an edge. I had one friend in the room: Mavis Cruet was part of the team that represented the city-state of Arkadia. That's not enough you buffoon, scoffed Brain, all the heroes will know people in the city-states. If I want stories told of my exploits, and boy do I ever want that, I need a fistful of destiny. My eyes fell on the temples of the oracles. At this moment, the god teams (each comprising a Mind, a Voice and a Hand) were discussing tactics and the temple chairs were sitting vacant, but I knew immediately what I would do.

My feet carried me to the temples, where I strolled up and down hoping to catch the a god's attention. This won't work; gods don't want to be summoned! I went to my knees. Other heroes nearby glanced at me suspiciously, no doubt wondering if I knew something they didn't. All I knew was, if I was playing a god, I'd like being prayed to. But time was passing, behind me I could hear heroic characters forging alliances and making pacts with city-states. Had I been foolish? Wasn't I just hiding from interaction because I was so nervous? My will broke easily, I stood and turned away.

"Where do you think you're going?" The voice that rang out was that of Aphrodite and with a sudden rush of joy I spun on my heel and went back to my knees. Moments later, Bruce announced the commencement of the first turn and suddenly oracles appeared. Athena came first, inquiring how I intended to honour her. One of the few parts of my character sheet that I understood was that I had a Talent: Piloting. "I plan to embark on a long sea voyage," I improvised madly, "and would be grateful for your wise guidance." This garnered me another of these mysterious Hero Cards, so I tried again with Aphrodite. "The love of my youth died many years ago, and I am weary of mourning. I sail to distant shores in search of love..." another Hero Card. Artemis made me work a little harder. I had to promise that I would sing of her grace in the Heroes' Tavern "loud enough that it may be heard on Mount Olympus." I gave my word and two Hero Cards were forthcoming. Onward, to the temple of Ares.

That's right, while I addressed the Voice of Ares, the Hand of Ares loomed over me.
Because, if there's one thing the god of war is really into, it's intimidation.

"What could Ares possibly want of Autolycus, least glorious of heroes?" The Voice of Ares sneered and craned over my shoulder in search of more worthy worshippers. A little crestfallen I decided to see what my Hero Cards could do, so I sought out my friend in Arkadia. As it happened, they were plagued by a sea serpent and were looking for a hero to deal with it. Defeating the sea serpent was a Feat, this meant that certain requirements had to be fulfilled before one could face it. These requirements were usually met by demonstrating ownership of certain Hero Cards. My hand of cards matched some of those required, but three deficiencies remained: someone to pilot the boat (which fortunately I could do myself), a superhuman strength at arms and, perhaps predictably, a boat. My first really good bit of luck was when the Arkadians revealed that they had a magical, unsinkable boat, which I could use and then keep. All that remained was the strength so, with a heavy heart, I returned to the temple of Ares. My memory has drawn a veil over the begging and grovelling that then took place, but in the end I succeeded. As long as I promised to dedicate my victory to him (by handing over the Favour of Zeus tokens I would receive), Ares agreed to grant me the requisite strength. I made the attempt (which required me to discard two of my precious Hero Cards), got lucky with dice and achieved my first victory. By the end of turn one, I had slain the sea serpent, earned Prestige for Arkadia in doing so, grudgingly dedicated the victory to Ares, won myself a magical boat and risen in the ranks to seventh most glorious hero.

The city-state of Arkadia fends off invasion, while I vanquish the Sea Serpent and Ares watches over us all.

Thinking that I had now completely grasped my role in the game, I spent the next couple of turns stalking the lands of ancient Hellas, slaying beasts, honouring the gods and collecting Hero Cards. At one point, I drifted into the path of an army and, though I literally could not tell you who was fighting whom, I found myself leading an army to defeat and was injured for my efforts. The wound healed well, but meant that each subsequent turn I had to roll for Mortality, which brought the risks of death or ageing. Battle suited me ill. Fortunately, good old Arkadia let me know that the Hind with Golden Antlers had been sighted in their lands and bid me slay it that they might mount its head upon the wall of their throne-room. Hunting, I thought, I know which two gods I'll be checking in with. However, when I told Artemis of my plans and how I'd sing her praises in my telling of the hunt, the look on the oracle's face filled me with doubt. Oh, I wish I'd read up on my mythology before I came! Surprisingly, in response to my prayers, she granted me two Hero Cards and a token of Divine Good Fortune. Without uttering a word she had chastened me and I knew this mission would be a turning point for Autolycus. My subsequent visit to Apollo granted me a window into the lives of the gods. The oracle complained that I could do nothing for him as he knew that I would dedicate the hunt to his sister-goddess, Artemis. I swore that, if he aided me, I would not forget it and he would have my praise for a future victory. After weighing me up for a moment, Apollo provided my tenth Hero Card and I set out after the Hind. Choosing to test my Cunning, rather than Combat, meant that I could not apply the bonus from a magical bow that had been lent to me by Boeotia, but it did mean that I could capture the beast alive. I presented it, bucking and whinnying at the Arkadian court and strolled away.

"So, the secret to making a good cocktail is that you have to shake it really well." - Jaap Boender

Some sort of Arkadian courtier hurried after me, inquiring whether I still sailed in their boat. I admitted that I did and he asked if I would be so good as to sail it around Hellespont, thus opening the Black Sea region to trade and exploration. It seemed a reasonable request, but first I had boasting to do. I dedicated my Feat to Artemis and announced it at the top of my voice from the door of the Heroes Tavern. Hopefully, that fulfils my promise of a song, I thought.

Could you say that again for the camera?

The Voyage around Hellespont proved to be a Quest and this was where the game really got going. Employing the aforementioned Boeotian bow, I rid a blind seer of the harpies that plagued him. I dedicated this act to Apollo, clearing my divine balance sheet, and pressed onward. The seer advised me to follow the heron that flies through the crashing rocks. I did so, and with a little help from two heroic allies, piloted my ship to the end of the Quest. By the end of the turn I had reached the dizzying height of third most glorious hero, and by the gods it felt earned. I quaffed the remainder of my energy drink and devoured the contents of my satchel; an apple, a plum, two carrots, and an Eccles cake. We must have been going for four hours or more, but there was no time to rest. The Voice of Artemis was sending me on another Quest. This time to Colchis, for the Golden Fleece...

All images courtesy of Jim Wallman (Megagame Makers)