WARHAMMER QUEST

THE LAND OF ARABY
ARABY SETTLEMENTS

By Peredur Glyn - 25 Oct 1997

The people of Araby are generally Nomads and live together in camp settlements known as encampments. There are many encampments dotted around the desert's sandy dunes, and are easily spotted from afar by the lines of tents and shelters, and also the banners flapping on high spiked poles that signify the tribe that dwell in these camps. Warriors who have travelled to Araby to adventure might want to travel to these encampments - the only settlements in Araby they can visit after an adventure - to heal, restock on supplies or seek advice.

In Araby Encampments come in three variants - Nomad campsite (Village), Settlers' camp (Town), and Tribe-hold (City). These take less time than usual to travel to, because if the warriors were to travel for more than a week in the desert they would almost certainly perish. Thus the times to travel are as follows:

Nomad Campsite 1 Day
Settlers' Camp 2 Days
Tribe-hold 3 Days

When the warriors travel to a settlement, they will need to make two rolls for hazards for every day they travel; one Morning Hazard and one Night Hazard. When the party begin the journey, roll a D6 to find out whether they start out at night or in the morning.

1-3 Morning
4-6 Night

So, for exapmle, if the party travels to a Settlers' Camp, then they would need to roll a D6. If they roll a 2, then they would have to roll a Morning Hazard, Night Hazard, Morning Hazard and a Night Hazard - in that order! After that they reach the Settlers' Camp.

What happens in the settlement after that depends on whether they arrived in the Night or in the Morning (the Morning is considered to signify the whole day, i.e. Daytime).

Here are the two Hazard Tables for Araby. Make sure you roll on the Night Hazard Table if you are needed to resolve a Night Hazard, and the same for the Morning Hazards.

MORNING HAZARD TABLE (D66)

11

Sand Drake!

The warriors are attacked by a gigantic Dragon of the Sands who leaps from within a sand dune. Each warrior makes a Strength Test difficulty 8. Any who fail roll 3D6. If this is euqal to or less than their Toughness, they are eaten and killed! Otherwise, they are at -1 Toughness next adventure.

12-14

Sandstorm!

Each warrior must discard one Treasure (at random) as the storm blows it away. In addition, all warriors are at -1 Starting Wounds next adventure.

15-16

Whipping Sands!

Sand flies in the warriors' eyes. All warriors not wearing a Helmet must make an Initiative test Difficulty 7 or be at -1 Initiative next adventure.

21-22

Carnivorous Lizards

The warriors are assaulted by lizards who are eager for their blood, for that is what they drink! Each warrior must make a WS test (Diff 7) or lose 1 Starting Wound for the next adventure.

23-24

Uneventful Morning

You watch the sun rise and find it a very hot day, but nothing untoward happens to you today.

25-26

Gipsy Nomad

You meet an Araby Nomad who is hooded and leaning on a staff. The warriors can ask him for help or ambush him. If they ask him for help roll a D6 on the table below:

 

1 The Nomad is angry that they disturbed him and he attacks you! Roll a D6 on the next table.
2-3 The Nomad pays them no attention and goes on his way.
4-5 The Nomad eyes them suspiciously but tells them of a danger that he met with on the way. This journey, the warriors may ignore the next hazard that befells them on a 5/6 (D6). This does not apply later if it fails the first time.
6 The Nomad is a rich merchant and is walking in disguise so as not to be attacked by raiders. He shows the warriors a way to the next settlement - ignore the next hazard the company faces this journey.

If the warriors attack him, roll a D6 on the table below:

1 The Nomad is a dignitary who has bodyguards close by! Each warrior must roll a D6, and add all the numbers together. If the result is greater than 13, then the warriors manage to flee with their lives. Otherwise, each warrior loses 1 Starting Wound permanently as they leg it!
2-3 The Nomad is a mighty warrior who is seeking blood! The warriors flee, each dropping 1 Treasure at random in their haste.
4 The Nomad turns and flees when the warriors draw their swords.
5-6 The Nomad gives a good fight, but is overwhelmed and slain. The warriors find D6x30 gold on his body which they can share.

31-32

Wall of Swirling Sands

The sand is being blown about so much that the warriors cannot carry on until it has died down. When night comes they are able to carry on again. Roll a Night Hazard immediately to replace this one.

33-34

Cave

In a pile of rocks the warriors find a small cave. They can go in and exploreif they wish. Roll a D6 if they do:

 

1 Sand Drake!

A Sand Drake leaps out of the shadows and attacks you - see result 11.

2-3 Nothing.
4-5 Hermit

He tells the warriors to go away, but when they pester him he gives the leader a bottle of spicy brew, which heals D6+2 wounds when drunk. :

6 Glittering hoards...

The warriors find half-buried in the sand, a gleaming object. Take a Treasure (1-4 Dungeon 5-6 Objective).

35-36

Uneventful Morning

You have a tricky morning clambering over rocky dunes and slipping down dusty plateaus.

41-42

Camel Herders

You meet a troupe of robed men guiding a train of camels. Following them you are able to find a route to a small Nomad Campsite. You may stop your journey here now, if you wish, or you may carry on.

43-44

Ambush!

You are surrounded by masked bandits, who demand gold off you. Each warrior must give D6x100 gold or fight. If they fight, each warrior roll a D6 and add all the numbers together. If the result is greater than 12, the bandits are beaten off. Otherwise, the bandits laugh and demand D6x200 gold each instead!

45-46

Ravine

A jagged ravine blocks your path. You can either go around it, which means rolling another Morning Hazard, or discarding a rope to climb across.

51-52

Uneventful Morning

You can spy the settlement in the distance from the top of a hill. Not far to go!

53-54

Sabre-toothed Tiger

A massive tusked creature leaps from an overhanging ledge at your warriors. The warriors manage to kill it after a massive struggle. If they sell the skin at a Settlement in Araby they can receive 1000 gold for it (to be shared between them).

55-56   

Mirage

Each warrior must make a WP test Difficulty 7. If more than 50% of the party fail, then the warriors think they see a Settlement in the distance. They go towards it, not realising until it is too late that it is only an illusion. Add one Morning Hazard and one Night Hazard to the journey.

61-62

Sandwiches

The warriors wake up in the morning to find their backpacks full of sand! All provisions and bandages the warriors have perish.

63-64

Pyramids

Mighty pyramids rise from the horizon to bar the warriors' way. The warriors can go immediately into an Araby Adventure or carry on with their journey.

65-66

Travelling Gipsy

The warriors meet a man in a cart laden with wares. The warriors can buy Trinkets, Cram, or Lucky bracelets from the Gipsy at 10% lower than the normal price. However, after they have bought the stuff, roll a D6 for each item. On a 1 it is badly made and is useless. You can chase after the cart if you like...

NIGHT HAZARD TABLE (D66)

11

Moonless Night

The sky is pitch black, and there is no light save from your wan lantern. None of you are able to sleep due to the howling and whistling that floats in the air. Due to this, each warrior must make a WP test difficulty 8. Big tough warriors like the Barbarian can add 1. Any who fail are permanently at -1 to all Fear rolls as they are so jumpy! Terror rolls ae made as normal (they're tricky enough!).

12-13

Ghosts!

You awake during the night to find out that pale figures are walking between you, looking at your sleeping bodies with empty eyes. Each warrior must make a Fear test at difficulty 12 or be at -1 to all Fear and Terror rolls for the next adventure.

14-15

Icy Cold

The night is so cold that even with all your blankets and cloaks you are shivering. By the morning you are shuddering and can hardly talk. Each warrior has -1 Starting Wound for the next adventure.

16

Creeping Shadows

The flickering lightb of the small fire you have lit casts eery shadows onto the rocks nearby, and you are sure some are moving to and fro as if they were alive...Each warrior makes a WP test dificulty 7. Any who fail are wary of dark places and for the next adventure they will not venture anywhere unless the bearer of the lantern is in the same board section as they are (or they have an independant source of light).

21-22

Uneventful Night

You have some trouble sleeping, because of the Dwarf's snoring, but otherwise you are glad to find yourself in one piece when dawn breaks.

23-24

Bed Bugs!

You have been foolish enough to put your mattress near a dwelling of insects, who crawl over you during the night, and you are kept awake trying to swat them and brush them away. You feel all weird all during the next few days as you can sense something crawling on your back, but nothing is there...During the next adventure you are at -1 Initiative.

25-26

Eaten Alive

A swarm of insects buzz around you all night, stinging and biting you. You do your best to swat them but they just keep on coming back. After a while you are fed up and let them chew on your flesh. In the morning your skin is dotted with bruises and sting- wounds - ouch. Next adventure you are at -1 Toughness.

31-32

Visitors at Midnight

You have a good night's sleep. But when you wake up, to your horror you find that D6x100 gold has disappeared from your pouch, but it is closed and tied in the exact knot you closed it with when you went to sleep. Strange...

33-34

Bump in the Night

You wake up at about three in the morning hearing a terrific bang [behave now] from behind a nearby rock. Rushing to see what it is, you find that the rock has split in two and that a cave has appeared. Searching inside you find...(D6):

1 Ghosts!

A spooky spectre chases you out. See 12-13.

2-3     Nothing.
4-5 Wizard!

A mighty Wizard is here, and he was just coming out through his "front door". He is surprised to see you but tells you to let him pass. As he goes he gives the leader a pouch containing magic dust which can be thrown into the air in an adventure (one use), and all the warriors on the same board section as the thrower are at +1 Strength until end of turn.

6 Shining in the Darkness

On a jutting column of rock in the centre of the cave is a gleaming treasure. Take a treasure (D6,  1-4 Dungeon, 5-6 Objective).

35-36

Uneventful Night

You choose a spot under a palm tree where you spend an untroubled night.

41-42

Raiders' Camp

Searching for a spot to spend the night, you stumble across a camp where bandits are sleeping. Roll a D6 and add the number of warriors in the party. If the result is greater than 6, then the bandits wake up and find you trespassing. They demand D6x100 gold from each warrior (they are surrounded quickly and cannot refuse without dying swiftly). If the result is 6 or less, the warriors are quiet, and can steal D6x50 gold each from the bandits' hoard before creeping off.

43-44

Snakes

A brood of snakes are living in a pit beside your campsite. Without warning one slithers out and bites an unsuspecting warrior. One random warrior is at -1 Starting Wounds for the next adventure. But he slays the snake and may sell it at a Settlement in Araby for 200 gold.

45-46

Mist

A dense fog descends during the night, and the warriors cannot find their bearings in the morning. This leads to them taking a wrong turning, and heading ten miles in a completely wrong direction. Roll a D6 for the leader and add his Initiative (and +1 if he is an Elf). If the result is greater than 9 then they find their way miraculously and are on their way again. Otherwise, roll for another Morning Hazard immediately, which counts as this one.

51-52

Fireflies

The night sky is illuminated by dozens of flitting and swooping bright insetcs, that form wonderful patterns in the air. These firelfies like to dwell in the Araby desert because of its humid comditions. Each warrior can make an initiative test (Diff 8) to catch a firefly and put it in a phial, that acts as a lantern for the duration of the next adventure.

53-54

Uneventful Night

You set camp in the shelter of a jutting rock, and nothing dusturbs you tonight.

55-56

Burial Mound

At dusk you stumble across a mound of sand with a gravestone marked on the top. If the warriors investigate it, roll a D6:

 

1-2     The Ghost rises!

A Ghost attacks you! See result 12-13.

3 Just a grave

RIP...

4-5 Sticking out half-buried is a skeletal hand, studded with rings and gems. The warriors can grave-rob to their hearts content, netting them D6x50 gold in between them.
6 The grave is not a grave at all, it's a bandits' treasure trove! The warriors each find a Dungeon Room Magic Item!

 

61-62   

Riddles of the Ancients

The warriors meet a crooked hermit squatting in the middle of a narrow pass between two high dunes. The warriors can't pass without answering the hermit's riddle. Choose one warrior in the party, who must face the challenge. He makes a WP test at Difficulty 9. Add +1 if the warrior is a natural spell-caster, and +1 if the warrior is an Elf or a native of Araby. If the warrior succeeds, the warriors are allowed to pass, and the succesfull warrior gains +1 Luck permanently. If he fails, the warrior loses D3 Starting Wounds permanently as the curse takes effect, and the warriors are sent away running!

63-64

In the distance

The warriors can spy a Tribe-hold from the top of a high dune. They can extend their travel by one Morning Hazard if they wish to go to it, or they can continue on their normal journey.

65-66

Oasis

The warriors find a beautiful oasis to camp by. Lush waters and shady palms provide a restful night's sleep. In the morning, the warriors fill their water bottles with the wonderous liquid, which can be drunk at any time to heal 3 wounds. They can fill further bottles if they have any empty phials. The water does not go off.