Christmas in Frostgrave (or: Santa's Slay Ride)

I've started playing Frostgrave on a regular basis at Dragon's Lair in Austin, and last week John, the guy who introduced me to the game at MillenniumCon, ran a holiday scenario with four players taking part.

Our warband is sitting around the fire when in walks a tiny elf (not depicted), who tells us that Santa's sleigh has crashed and leads us to the area. The small creature notes that strange gobbling sounds have come from the area. Coincidentally, the other warbands show up, also led by tiny elves (not depicted with miniatures).

The area is scattered with snowmen, candy canes, decorated trees, and gloves and boots and hats and present--parts of Santa! If we can get these components back to the sleigh, we can revive Saint Nick. In a rare spirit of holiday cooperation, all the warbands decide to work together to help Kris Kringle.

There's treasure in the snowmen, but messing with it brings them to life, and we have a fight on our hands.

The sleigh contains an Elixir of Life, good for restoring Santa Clause from his components, if we can manage to get them all back to the sled.

Those decorated trees also come to life, making things difficult for all the warbands.

The sound of gobbling (or is that clucking) and fluttering wings brings some new creatures to the battlefield.

And despite their silly appearance, these barnyard fowl prove quite lethal to one of my treasure hunters, even though there was a construct helping him.

Another random encounter roll, and some more turkeylike critters climb out of a well--and these birds are bearing blunderbusses.

After the small turkeyoids are dispatched, out comes Cluckosaurus Rex, who takes coordinated attacks from several warbands to be defeated.

The warbands, still under truce, pour the Elixir of Life onto the assembled Santa parts. In a flash of light, they all merge together to form ...

Krampus! Santa's buddy was test-driving the sleigh for him when the turkeys, disgruntled about holiday rankings shot it down. The horned demon thanks us for our help before leaving. Back at our bases, we all find a little something extra under the tree. Fun scenario, and a good time cooperating with three other warbands. I was pleasantly surprised that the truce held and no one got too greedy.

Merry Christmas, everyone!