Doing Business - Bellerophon's Account (Part Two)

It's time for the second thrilling instalment of Bellerophon's Of Gods And Men Megagame report. When last we saw him (at the end of Turn 2), he had forged profitable relationships with a few gods and, most significantly, the city-state of Argolis. He had come from Eighth Most Glorious Hero to Most Glorious in an astonishingly short time. And, he was starting to fear that he may have peaked too soon. Over to you, Bellerophon...

"My Worries are Fulfilled?
The next turn is a real blur, but I recall spending a long time walking round in search of work and visiting the Oracle to thank the mighty Apollo, Aphrodite and Artemis for their inspiration. At one point I receive a Poker Chip from the Tavern Keeper. He tells me this is a Puissance counter? “What does that do?” I ask (having completely forgotten everything I’d read from the Game Handbook). When I hear the screech of a Banshee (or was that Bruce, the Game Control) uttering the dreaded phrase “we are now entering the Resolution Phase!” I realise this means I've probably missed any opportunity for a battle this turn and get busy working out if I can hunt down and dispatch any beasties. The pickings are slim and I begin to panic that all the other Heroes know what they are doing and I'm lost at sea. Many of the feats on offer are beyond my current abilities (or should I say Hero card skills). I manage to find a Large Wolf wandering the lands of Phokis and using a large number of Hero Cards for a plus 3 slaughter it for the honour of Artemis (although I wasn't able to provide the requested wolf skin coat to the Gods, as I didn't have a ‘Skinner’ follower card). Just another ‘Favour of Zeus’ token would have to do. I am about to return to the Tavern with the heavy burden of such a mediocre haul, when the Phokis Wanax thrusts a quest sheet into my hand. I get excited at this point, but this is short-lived when I realised that the Hellespont Gateway has not yet been opened. The quest for Hippolyta's Belt will require me to battle the Amazons and I will need to amass a great army to conquer these savages. I’ll keep hold of this quest for later, I think. As I haven't been as busy as the previous turns I am not surprised to be told that I am no longer ‘Hero Most Glorious’, although following another ‘Paper-Scissors-Stone’ victory I only slip to fourth place on the Glory table. By this time most of us Heroes are getting into the swing of the game sequence and badge exchange is a routine event. “Just give me my cards!” I hear another Hero cry as we all quickly disperse to the far corners of Hellas.

My rates are reasonable and my service unforgettable. ;-)

I guess it is at this point I begin to realise that I am a prostitute. No work – no glory, no glory – no point. The hunger for glory begins to burn deep inside, but there’s still a part of me that doesn't really know what I'm doing (and it feels like everyone else does). Am I having a panic attack? No, it’s just adrenalin. I turn to my lunch box for inspiration, but looking at its contents I can’t bring myself to actually eat anything. The thought of food starts to make me feel sick…

Now as the day progresses the specifics of turn sequences and when things actually happened become a little hazy. However, the what and why are still etched on my brain and the feelings of sheer immersion are very apparent. I found myself with increasingly less time to make notes of any actions and began falling into the habit of creating a tally chart to rack up glory. I think it was around now when I received another green sticker, only this time from Apollo. Despite my failing memory, I know I was then involved in leading another expedition to new lands. Yet again another City State had the same idea and had their own hero in tow. I was again victorious in a duel against their Hero and was triumphant in our battle against the other City State and the colonies of the new lands. I dispatched a ‘Bard’ (follower card) to sing of my tales most glorious (the folklore of Bellerophon will live on long after my death) and began to discuss with other Heroes what quests they were in search of or if any of them had the right cards to help me with the Hippolyta’s Belt. I was at the Oracle in deep contemplation, when things may have gone out of turn sequence as I was grabbed by the elbow, pulled with an act of desperation, and asked to defend the people of Attika against an invasion on their City State. As I walked toward the Attika table I had a token thrust upon me by the hand of a god. I thanked the God in question for such a divine intrusion. Although, when I looked down I could see this was from Athena and said -1 to all die rolls, Noooo! Seconds after I had another token presented to me from the Hand of Artemis, this said +1 to all die rolls (relief). As I began to realise the Attika nation was under attack by a significant force of two, possibly three, other city states it was clear that I needed to place on the table all the tokens presented to me by the gods as they cancelled each other out, but my Green Sticker granted me +1. The hero in front of me (I don’t think this was Laertes this time) and I decided to Duel. I played a Puissance counter and was successful, although the Wanax from Boeotia (I think) then arrived with a handful of Divine Might counters and attempted to intervene on behalf of a God. Have the Gods developed a franchise system (I thought) or the ability to be in 2 places at once? I know the will and wit of the Gods is a mystery, but what the...

They sure look exciting, but what on Olympus do they do?

There was almost an uproar, but fortunately, Bruce was on hand to restore calm and the counters were sent back to the God from whence they came. There was then a long calculation incorporating all the pluses and minuses present around the table. This was a complex scenario for City State control to co-ordinate (but with the help of Bruce it was resolved) and even after a re-roll counter played by the Attika Wanax we still lost. The attacking forces moved on to the Inner Hinterlands. We were able, with the intervention of a God (not sure which), to successfully defend and despatch the invading force back to their homelands, this was counted as a ‘win against the odds’ and I duly ticked that off on my Hero Player Sheet. Feeling very pleased with myself I walked away, only to be tapped on the shoulder by the Hand of Artemis. I enquired at that point if the Hand was allowed to talk to me. “Why of course I am” came the reply as counters were expended. “I would like to present you with this gift” said the God. This was a Quest! (A voice inside in a French accent then said “Tell them we already got one”). The quest to locate and present the head of Medusa to the Gods. Yes! At last, a chance to make a name for the heroic Bellerophon. I thanked Artemis with a wide grin on my face and returned to Attika to claim my Hero Cards for agreeing to defend their nation against the pillaging forces of the Barbarian Horde.

The Hunt for Medusa:
Having skim read the quest sheet I set about thumbing through my now extensive deck of hero cards to determine if I had the prerequisite cards to spell out the word ‘Medusa’ in the Greek alphabet. I had three of the six cards and returned to the Oracle to enquire if the remaining letters were present in any of the God's hero card decks. I continued the search for these cards when back in the Heroes' Tavern, exclaiming that if any other hero were able to locate these cards I would gladly invite them to join me in this glorious expedition. I was so engrossed in my hunt for these cards that I’d missed the opportunity to compete in the (now) traditional round of ‘Paper-Scissors-Stone’ and was duly informed I had lost that opportunity to compete for first place and was now second in the Glory Table (but at least my 100% ‘Paper-Scissors-Stone’ record was still intact). During the Hero Card trading session it appeared that another Hero had also been given the same quest and we agreed to team up to locate the whereabouts of the ‘Grey Sisters’. I had no clue what this meant, but we agreed this was probably an aforementioned ‘Rumour’ and we would share the burden of trying to locate this information. It later transpired that the ‘Grey Sisters Know’ was a token although none of the city states or Gods I spoke to appeared to have any indication. However, Artemis instructed me to return to the Oracle when I was ready, as a God can Teleport anyone to anywhere in Hellas.

The Defence of my Cherished and Lucky Argolis:

Team Argolis: Dressed for Success and Jammy Dodgers.

Turn five began (I think) with me being requested by the Wanax of Argolis to defend the city state from an attack. We were faced with several invading forces. Yet again, I was presented with the Hero Laertes and we began to duel (I hope he’s not taking this personal), he was part of the invading force and I was leading the defence. I felt it was worth expending a Puissance Counter at this point to ensure a +1 on my roll, but I rolled a one!  Laertes rolled his dice and it trickled off the table and was exclaimed by some players as a 6. I had been subject to the fickle nature of the Gods (or it could just be that all their Divine Might for this turn had already been expended). As I turned back to the Argolis table the invading forces and Gods struck me with a feeling of dread. As the battles began our Outer and Inner lands were sacked and slowly the Gods disappeared. As many more counters were expended we were able to defeat the offensive on the Citadel and I asked if this was a “Victory for a lost cause”, the answer was “Yes”. This resulted in me retaining second place in the Hero table.

There followed a “Homeric Interlude” - Bruce provided a summary of the event so far and a number of Heroes were asked to regale the room with their tales of glorious conquests. Laertes was able to provide a tale of being the “Pharaoh of Egypt (for five minutes)” and Autolycus was eloquently able to impress the people of Hellas. So it was my turn, I told the City States and Gods “I have KitKats and spicy treats from far off lands” should they wish to ally themselves with me. Although, I was still not able to eat as it made me feel nauseous.

Poor Boeotia (sob, sob):

Hey Boeotia! If you start something, you'd better finish it!

At the start of this turn I was asked by the Tavern Keeper to roll a dice (arr, the paranoia of unexpected requests to roll a dice check). This was a roll against my Providence to determine if agedness had affected my faculties. The roll was good, but I still received a Black sticker to denote the maturity of my Hero. The action continued with an attack on the Boeotian people by the now leading Argolis City State. As we arrived their Wanax exclaimed “now there’s a surprise”. “Have you come to pick over our bones?” said another player. We quickly progressed through their Outer lands, wounded their Wanax and onto their Inner Hinterlands, when we were interrupted by the City State Control of Lakonia (Tom) to tell us we were starting the resolution turn too early. We all agreed this would have affected the outcome and waited a short while to see if any other City States/Hero’s turned up. Although, I was keen to progress as they did not have a Hero or a Hand of a God present and we did. As we broke through we pressed on to their Citadel and were Triumphant in sacking their city. Not fully understanding the City State protocols I left it up to the Argolis player to decide on the consequences and which two Citadel features were destroyed. I received a significant amount of glory and took the ‘Favours of Zeus’ to the now beloved Artemis. In consultation with the Voice we agreed I would attempt another feat in her honour and I clutched a ‘Luck’ token in my hand as I went on the prowl for something else to kill and to continue my search for those elusive Greek letter cards. Upon inspection of the City States there appeared to be a Giant that I could attempt to defeat, although I did not have the prerequisite cards, but eventually I found a Lion prowling around the lands of Messina. The Wanax (a rather well-dressed gentleman) asked that I attempt to rid them of this terrifying beast in return for a Hero Card. Thankfully I had the required cards to undertake this feat and was triumphant over it. Following the expenditure of a now located “Skinner” card I was able to present a Lion Skin to the voice of Artemis (although later I realised I could have worn that myself for the remainder of the game). The Voice exclaimed that a Lion Skin coat was clearly preferable to that of a Wolf Skin and the “Favour of Zeus” token was exchanged in return for a small green card. I didn’t really understand the information on the Item Card, I smiled, thanked Artemis and bundled it into the deck of Hero Cards I was continuing to accumulate. This most noble sequence of events resulted in the gift of an additional glory point from the Tavern Keeper and my rightful return to the top of the Hero leader board.

"

All images courtesy of Jim Wallman (Megagame Makers)

The Right of Reply - Bellerophon's Account (Part One)

Those of you who read my blog about the Of Gods And Men Megagame will remember the significant role played by the city-state of Argolis, their patron Goddess (Artemis) and their chosen champion (Bellerophon). As a Hero-player myself, I was particularly curious about Bellerophon and the thought processes behind the (sometimes surprising) choices he made. For this reason, I am excited and grateful to announce that he has written his own report and agreed for it to be featured here! I hope you enjoy the opportunity to view the game from an alternative perspective. It certainly enriched my appreciation of the events that took place.
(A word to the wise: The Tavern Keeper, or Hero Control, was a man referred to here as “JP”.)

"OK, I'm not normally one for long posts, write-ups, blogs or those kind of things as I'm dyslexic and find it difficult to put my thoughts onto paper, it often feels like I'm having to carve out each word from granite (with a rusty spoon, of course). However, on this occasion I find myself compelled to do so, to try and clear my head of the spinning sensation I'm still suffering from my experience in Leeds.

Expect only the best from Leeds Sword

Friday night thoughts:
Before I received the game pack on Monday I didn't realise how complicated the whole system was going to be. Having read the documentation twice I'm still confused and it is a more complicated system than I expected. The normal game rules and hero handbook seem quite sensible when read in isolation but there are a some significant shortcomings in my understanding of the hero’s processes, especially around the use of cards, the prerequisites for quests, what the heck the rumours are about and I can only hope that in receiving the cards and seeing things in action tomorrow I will understand a little more about how the game sequence works. On a positive note my costume is ready: Cream Tunic, Sword, Greek Leather Belt, Bracers, Helmet and Cuirass. I intend to be the best dressed hero in town and amaze the tavern keeper with my tales of bravery and heroism.

Saturday A.M.:
So, we turn up here to the Megagame in Leeds Royal Armouries and enter the newsroom, as the gods and men arrive and the hero’s tavern begins to fill. Not only do we find ourselves in a position with a lot of new faces to the Leeds Megagame family, but we also find ourselves in the position not especially understanding the rules even though we've read them several times and prepared more for this game than other previous encounters with the Megagame collective. Having consulted “the book of armaments” (or the player Hero sheet) it would appear that I'm an expert Pilot and my starting glory is 13, not really sure if that’s a good or bad thing (13 - a pretty unlucky number, really, is this a bad omen?). However, all those on 13 Glory rolled the dice to determine the Hero ranking. At this point, I realise that Bellerophon is by no means the most glorious Hero and I find myself sat on a bench next to the least glorious Hero in 8th and 9th place. So I ask my fellow Hero (Autolycus) sitting in last place “How does it feel to be sat down at the bottom of the Glory Table?”, he looks at me with wide eyes and says “it feels full of potential”, “Yes, the only way is up” I add. At this point JP (the Tavern Keeper) interrupts the whole proceedings and demands each Hero introduce themselves in Rank order. I so want to impress the city states and gods as being the go to hero, but I'm second last (give me a break)… I guess I’ll have to turn the ‘charm-o-meter’ up to 11. I tell them I'm a ‘Master of War’ and I'm looking for a winged horse, but inside I've no real clue what I'm doing and I think I forgotten everything I read from the game rules! So, the heroes have introduced themselves. A rather impressive cohort of Heroes we have with us today. My objective is to climb to the top of the table, although I've no real idea how to do that. However, there appears to be some stiff competition, most of which appear to be new players and haven’t even bothered to come dressed for the occasion - huff (apart from that ‘Dapper Dan’ that is Autolycus).

To my right, the path to Glory!

The Best Dressed Fighting Combo:
As the first turn begins I plan to go and introduce myself to each table, however, I am strangely interrupted and drawn to the table directly in front of me featuring the best dressed city state of Argolis (the only team in matching full costume). As such, I unexpectedly commit myself to leading an expedition force to colonise new lands. I inform them I'm only doing this as we have made the same effort with costumes and this could be the start of a lasting relationship. We agree it would be good for them to accrue as many boats and forces as possible to make it a strong action and in return for my support they will give me 2 Hero cards (one now and one after the battle is completed). It’s at this point I realised my first mistake. The first thing I should have done is visit the Oracle on Mount Olympus to request advice and try to obtain additional hero cards or divine favours from the Voice of the Gods. Hero cards are really important and the larger the hand of cards you accrue the more likely you are to succeed in a feat or quest. So, I prostrate myself in front of the gods of Apollo, Athene and Artemis. All three Gods inform me they have no more cards left for this turn (I won’t make that mistake again). All the other heroes appear equally busy at this point, introducing themselves to the city states and getting busy preparing. So, I continue to ‘work the room’ (I think my ego may be swelling) and receive several requests of work (swelling further). I inform them all I'm already booked this turn, but we should team up later in the game.

Team Argolis get their International Trade on.

At this point, I receive the nod from Argolis that they are ready to go on expedition. Argolis turn up with a good few boats, an elite force and several armies. However, at the same time two other city states (Attika and maybe Boeotia, I think), with their own Hero in tow, arrive on the same colony (Crete, I think). I also see behind me the hand of a God, this is the God who seems to favour the city state Argolis and who has maybe taken pity on the hero who did not prostrate himself early enough. Some discussion then ensues between the two arriving city states as to how they will approach Argolis. They agree to merge forces in an attempt to remove Argolis from the colony and take the spoils themselves. The poor game control standing opposite looks as confused as we are and we all reach for the game handbook. As the other city states get their act together, they are in deep conference with their hero, Laertes (I think). He appears to have a good grasp of exactly how the game works and is clearly better briefed than I am. Control now asks who is leading each army. I say “I am” and the other states debate who should take the lead a Wanax (King) or Laertes. Common sense eventually prevails and they agree on Laertes. At this point the question appears of “whose is the best leader”? We now agree that a Duel must take place. I roll a 5 and have a combat value of 3 and win a victory, scoring 2 Glory points (Huh-ray). The battle then commences and I roll for Argolis. With the help of the Hand of Artemis we are victorious. I'm not sure how many Glory I should have for all this, but everyone from Argolis is happy and as this battle was fought in the name of Artemis we receive a ‘Favour of Zeus’ token. I then take this to the Oracle. On returning to the Argolis table to congratulate ourselves, they then ask me to help them get rid of some Cattle Rustlers. I have to admit I have no clue what this means, but a passing hero agrees to help us all through the process. Between us we have the appropriate prerequisites and defeat the rustlers.

The Tavern Keeper and his Board of Glory

I then hear a call for the heroes to return to the Tavern. The Tavern Keeper asks us all to reveal how much Glory we have earned. JP helps us all understand how much glory we should have accrued and asks us to regale him with tales of our conquests. It appears most heroes received a minus score in the first turn and then JP instructs us all to sit down again as he calculates the leader board. Before the verdicts are revealed some of us are asked to face off in order to finalise the leader board. How should such an important deadlock be decided? Yes, you guessed it ‘Paper-Scissors-Stone’ (and where’s the ‘Lizard-Spock’ I hear from a voice deep inside). I pull out the ‘Paper’, as does my fellow Hero. So, I go again with the trusty ‘Paper’ and I win – Yes! Mainly due to this, or possibly the victorious duel and battle, I move from eighth place to fourth overall. Unfortunately, the passing hero that helped me with the cattle rustlers was then informed he must lose one Glory point as he helped a hero lower than him in the glory table and let me lead a combat - Harsh. It’s clear that this hero game is a cut-throat business. I feel unusually guilty about this and quickly offer to trade cards, or provide him help in the future to reciprocate the favour. The Tavern Keeper then redistributes the hero badges and we all receive to additional hero cards. I'm still trying to work out how these hero cards really work, but I'm sure all will become clear as the day progresses.

Turn Two Begins:
Turn two begins with another approach from Argolis, who wish to take a raiding party to another city state, Lakonia. “Are you up for it?” Asks their Wanax. I'm very interested, but before I do anything else I must visit the Oracle to ensure I pay respects to the appropriate gods and request favours from them in advance of any action. This proves very fruitful as Artemis remembers the bonuses provided by allying with the number one team of Argolis and Bellerophon. I receive a Hero Card and a ‘Green Sticker’. I think this is a good thing, but have to ask a passing game control what this means. As the resolution turn begins I'm grabbed once more by my Argolis friends and thrust into the front line. Who do I see before me but my old pal Laertes. Again, we duel and again I win, but this time with a Triumph. As the battle then begins the Hand of Artemis and the hand of another god appear (Ares I think). We are left equal after the die rolls despite having the best leader and outnumbering the Lakonians. However, Argolis play a ‘Luck’ token and we re-roll a Victory. We continue onto the Inner Hinterland, roll and again are equal on the points, but Artemis clearly wants a Triumph at any price and expends a large amount of Divine Might to offset the other god's attempts – Huzzah! We agree to call it quits at this point and not ride our luck by attempting a move on their citadel. Although, in the confusion it was unclear if anyone had notified the game control that the battles were fought in honour of Artemis, but given the direct involvement of the Hand of Artemis an agreement is reached. I again visit the Oracle and then return to Argolis to collect my Hero cards. As I wander around the room I'm pulled over to Phokis, by their Wanax who appears to be wearing a Toga and sporting a rather impressive mitre. They would like me to rid them of a Sea Monster. I ask if this would be in honour of any particular god, I think he exclaimed “Apollo” (but he may have said Aphrodite). I agree on two conditions: 1) in exchange for this I would like a Hero card and; 2) I must revisit Mount Olympus to pray for guidance in advance of any action. The people of Phokis agree. This again proves fruitful as I receive a ‘Luck’ token from the Voice of the Gods, somehow manage to accidentally have the correct prerequisite cards in my hand and (after a re-roll) Triumph over the beastly creature. Another, ‘Favour of Zeus’ and after returning to the Tavern I am able to impress the proprietor with my adventures. Thus I receive an additional Glory and am proclaimed the ‘Hero Most Glorious’! Although, I worry I may have peaked too early...

"

All images courtesy of Jim Wallman and Andrew Hadley (Megagame Makers)

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