Trench Crusade Warband: Sisters of the Sable Geisslerlieder

     So I have become absolutely fixated upon Trench Crusade. Maybe it is the aesthetics, maybe it is the fact that I'm a huge WWI fan (Second Yrpes shout-out!), but the game has absolutely caught my interest. I've made some war bands, and because this is my blog, I'm going to post them here. The first of the three are some grieving flagellant nuns.

Sisters of the Sable Geisslerlieder

     Flagellation is considered something of a controversial subject in the Church. Never officially sanctioned, even during the dark days of the Black Grail’s push into Western Europe, Flagellants nonetheless were, and are, still seen as divinely inspired by many of the faithful in the regions from which they hail. The Sisters of the Sable Geisslerlieder are a typical, if somewhat extreme, example of the streak of flagellant-influenced Beghardism which is most commonly encountered in the Low Countries. With membership arising primarily from war-widows or, the surviving wives, daughters, and mothers of those taken or killed in Heretic Naval raids upon the coast, Sableites dress in mourning clothes until their dying days. Beyond their distinctive dress, the lay order is known also for their wailing battle cries and blood-drenched initiatory and pre-battle rituals.

     The Sableites lack any official sanction, but their status as sympathetic and mournful figures has won them many supporters across the Netherlands and beyond. Many Sable Sisters travel from thew Low Countries to bring the fight to the Heretics and vent their wrath upon them in a more personal way. While a less prestigious organization would perhaps suffer accusations of blasphemy, it has been whispered that the title Saint Gwenaelle’s followers use for her may become one in fact when her inevitable martyrdom comes to pass. Led by the visions she sees in the sprays of her enemies blood, the would-be Saint leads her sisters to the only thing which matters to any of them now: Vengeance.

Unit Type	Name	Equipment	Cost
War Prophet	Saint Gwenaelle	Semi-Automatic Rifle (15), Flail (5), Trench Club (3), Holy Icon Armor (30), Gas Mask (5)	138
Castigator	Sister Superior Bernadette	Zealot Strength (5), Punt Gun (20), Great Hammer (10), Trench Club (3), Holy Icon Armor (30), Gas Mask (5)	123
Stigmatic Nun 1	Blessed Sister Liselott	Anti-Tank Hammer (30), War Cross (5), Standard Armor (15)	100
Stigmatic Nun 2	Blessed Sister Madelief	Anti-Tank Hammer (30), War Cross (5), Standard Armor (15)	100
Pilgrim 1	Sister Dineke	Flail (5), Musician’s Instrument (15)	55
Pilgrim 2	Sister Annalies	Wrath of God (15), Flail (5), Trench Club (3)	57
Pilgrim 3	Sister Thea	Flail (5), Trench Club (3), War Cross (5)	42
Pilgrim 4	Sister Carolien	Flail (5), Trench Club (3), War Cross (5)	42
Pilgrim 5	Sister Marysa	Flail (5), Trench Club (3), War Cross (5)	42

Colors:

• Armor: Gunmetal/Flesh

• Primary: Black

• Secondary: Crimson

• Highlight: Brass

Far Afield in Search of Riches -- A Merchant Generator

 

     Trade is the lifeblood of civilization. Almost no community is capable of being fully self-sufficient. Aside from mere survival, even the most mean and severe of peoples have desires beyond those which can be found in their immediate surroundings. The solution to this conundrum has been the same the world over: the Merchant. Risking life, limb, and their own prosperity, merchants and other traders set out across the world to find a need and fill it. Profit demands no less of them, and penury is the fate who fail

     Who doesn’t need to come up with occasional merchant on the fly? From weird player interactions and desires, to a need to sell something important in a pinch to fill a particular need, the tables below can help give a framework to build off of quickly. Simply roll 4d8 and consult the tables below.

1d8	Where are they from?
1	Far, far away. So far that you may not have even heard of it.
2-4	From across the continent.
5-7	From a neighboring kingdom or state.
8	Your own homeland.

1d8	What are they selling?
1	Raw materials like timber, ores, or unworked stone.
2	Something illegal or heinous in nature such as slaves, harmful drugs, or stolen goods.
3	Weapons, armor, and other accouterments of war.
4	Cattle such as cows, horses, or something even more exotic.
5	Fine goods such as carpets, jewels, or silks.
6	Exotic raw goods such as medicinal plants, rare preserved fruits, or ivory.
7	Information. This could take the form of rumors and hearsay, but more likely books, maps, or scrolls.
8	Services. They could be actors, tinkers, or traveling laborers.

1d8	What is their demeanor, along with the bargains they strike?
1	Honest and forthright.
2	Misleading and exploitative.
3	Harsh and stand-offish. Fair.
4	Kind but ultimately unyielding.
5	Eccentric, impressed by strange or otherwise unique goods.
6	Criminal, actively seeking to fleece.
7	Quibbling and endlessly desiring to haggle.
8	Easily fooled and equally easily agitated.

1d8	How do they defend themselves?
1-3	Mercenary guards. Heavily armed and armored.
4-5	The prestige of their tradehouse or guild. Being blacklisted by them would be ruinous.
6	Great, ferocious beasts trained to kill on a word from their handlers
7	Mystical wards or shields which can be activated to keep attackers at bay.
8	Magically animated wagons which roll and smash attackers by their own accord.

Hi! I’m alive! I know it has been a few years. Life got in the way for me for a bit, but I’m hoping to start providing you all with content again. Thanks for reading.