Hunters of Huanchi Quests

Source: Stealth and Stone (out of print)

Patrol the Gnarlwood

The endless task of the Hunters of Huanchi is to patrol the thick forest barrier that surrounds the ruins of their crashed ship, the Eye of Chotec, keeping it free of intruders.

Pick 1 artefact of power from the Wonders of Talaxis table (see below) and note it in your quest log. You cannot pick an artefact of power already borne by a fighter in your warband.

While embarked upon this quest, you must keep track of the progress your warband makes represented by a progress score. Add 1 to your progress score each time a fighter in your warband uses the 'Slippery' reaction. In addition, in step 4 of a campaign battle's aftermath sequence, add 2 to your progress score if you won the battle. Furthermore, in that step, you can pick 1 fighter from your warband and send them forth to search for the artefact. If you do so, roll a dice and add the score rolled to your progress score. On a 1, that fighter is also attacked by something within the Gnarlwood. Make an injury roll for that fighter.

You can complete this quest in step 4 of a campaign battle's aftermath sequence if your progress score is 10 or more. When you complete this quest, you obtain the artefact of power noted in your quest log.

Wonders of Talaxis table

Artefact
Totem of Huanchi This emblem hangs from a leather strap and imbues the bearer with a vicious streak. Before the bearer makes a disengage action, pick 1 visible enemy fighter within 1" of the bearer. Allocate D3 damage points to that fighter.
Mask of Sotek Not an actual mask but stripes of red warpaint made from the blood of worthy prey and applied in a ritual fashion, the Mask of Sotek makes those who bear it aggressive and warlike. Add 1 to the Strength characteristic of melee attack actions made by the bearer. In addition, add 1 to the damage points allocated by each critical hit from melee attack actions made by the bearer.
Blazing lcon of Chotec A gleaming pendant that recharges its power when doused in the lifeblood of the enemy and held up to the rising sun. Once per battle, the bearer can use this artefact as a reaction after they are targeted by an attack action but before the hit rolls are made. Subtract 1 from the Attacks characteristic of that attack action (to a minimum of 1).
Feathered Cloak This magnificent cloak allows the bearer to fly. Once per battle, during their activation, the bearer can use this artefact. If they do so, the bearer gains the Fly () runemark until the end of that activation and can make a bonus move action.
The Teeth of Itzl Gathered from rare beasts to be used as ammunition in dartpipes, these barbed, hollow fangs lodge in the flesh of the victim. Tearing them out causes horrendous damage, but if left in place, the teeth begin to pulsate, pumping agonising poisons into flesh and bone alike. This artefact can only be borne by a fighter armed with a dartpipe. After an enemy fighter has been allocated damage points from an attack action made with a dartpipe by the bearer, that fighter's controlling player must either allocate an additional D3 damage points to that fighter or subtract 2 from the Toughness characteristic of that fighter (to a minimum of 1) until the end of the battle.
Shield of Talaxis This celestite shield represents the duties of the Hunters: to defend Talaxis at all costs, to be the shield against intruders, and to show no mercy to those who would steal secrets from the mighty Seraphon! Add 1 to the Toughness characteristic of the bearer. In addition, once per battle, when the bearer uses an ability, a [double] can be treated as a [triple] or a [triple] can be treated as a [quad].

Chosen Of The Stars

Chameleon Skinks have patience enough to watch the stars go out, if it will draw them closer to their prey. The greatest of them are acknowledged by all as master hunters, and without a doubt, these mighty stalkers are peerless in the realm of the predator and the prey.

Pick a fighter with the Hero () runemark in your warband that can gain a heroic trait, and note them in your quest log.

While embarked upon this quest, in step 4 of a campaign battle's aftermath sequence, you can complete this quest if 1 or more enemy fighters with the Hero () runemark and/or a Wounds characteristic of 12 or more were taken down in that battle by an attack action made by the fighter noted in your quest log.

When you complete this quest, you can give that fighter one of the heroic traits from the Hunters of Huanchi Heroic Traits table below.

Hunters of Huanchi Heroic Traits

Heroic Trait
The Perfect Hunter This fighter knows exactly where to strike and how. After deployment, this fighter can be removed from the battlefield and set up as if they were part of another friendly battle group, including a battle group that is in reserve. If more than 1 player has this heroic trait, those players roll off. The winner chooses the order in which the players use this heroic trait.
Consummate Camouflage This fighter blends in with their surroundings as easily as breathing. This fighter can make the 'Take Cover' reaction without forfeiting one of their actions in that battle round.
Coalesced Champion Having spent a long time in the Mortal Realms; this warrior has become one of the Coalesced and is driven by a vicious and predatory instinct. Each time an enemy fighter finishes a move action within 1" of this fighter, allocate 1 damage point to that enemy fighter.
Cold-blooded Stalker This fighter evinces few emotions - fear and mercy least of all. When targeting an enemy tighter with the Hero () runemark and/or a greater Wounds characteristic than this fighter, add 1 to the Strength characteristic of attack actions made by this fighter and add 1 to the damage points allocated by each hit and critical hlt from attack actions made by this fighter.
Withering Toxins The poisons this fighter uses are rare and deadly indeed. When this fighter uses the 'Envenomed Weapons' ability, add 2 to the damage points allocated by each hit and critical hit instead of 1.
Seventh Sense This fighter can innately sense when danger lurks and can vanish the moment trouble rears its ugly head. This fighter can make the 'Slippery' reaction without forfeiting one of their actions in that battle round.

Scour the Gnarlwood

The Hunters of Huanchi have one purpose: to ensure that the Gnarlwood is clear of trespassers, in order to better protect their home in the heart of the forest. This means laying traps, executing masterful ambushes and, above all, making sure that no one discovers a meaningful path to the ruins of the Eye of Chotec.

While embarked upon this quest, you must keep track of your warband's ambushes with an ambush score. Add 1 to your ambush score each time an enemy fighter is taken down in a campaign battle.

While your ambush score totals 12 or more, you can fight battles using the 'Flee the Forest' quest battleplan. If you do so and you win the battle, in step 4 of the aftermath sequence, you can complete this quest. If you do so, in step 5, you can relocate your warband's encampment to the 'Heavenly Pool' (see below) and do not need to spend any glory to do so.

battleplan

Quest Battleplan: Flee the Forest

Another warband attempts to flee the Gnarlwood, bearing valuable relics looted from Talaxis. They have been stalked by the Hunters of Huanchi ever since they left the ruins, their members sickened and injured. Now they are making a final break from the edge of the forest where safety (of a kind) awaits, and the skinks must ensure that none escape with the treasures they have stolen.

Attacker And Defender

In this battle, the questing player is the attacker and the adversary player is the defender.

Terrain

Set up terrain as normal.

Deployment

Use the deployment map below. The defender is red and the attacker is blue.

Victory

After deployment, the defender picks 3 fighters in their warband that are on the battlefield to carry treasure. If there are fewer than 3 fighters from their warband on the battlefield, they must place a treasure token on the battlefield floor within 6" of the centre of the battlefield.

The battle ends after 4 battle rounds. At the end of the battle, if there are 2 or more fighters from the defender's warband carrying treasure within 3" of the battlefield edge, the defender wins the battle. Otherwise, the attacker wins.

Twist

Determine a twist as normal.

The Aftermath Sequence

The adversary player receives the following bonus in the aftermath sequence:

Renown to be Earned: The adversary player adds 1 to each renown roll they make in this aftermath sequence.

Encampment Location: Heavenly Pool

Location	Location Bonus	Points Limit	Reputation Modifier
Heavenly Pool One of the many secrets of the Gnarlwood is that a fragment of the Eye of Chotec plunged deep into this pool. The arcane wreckage has since cleansed the basin, which now invigorates and heals those Seraphon who bathe in its glowing waters.	Add 1 to renown rolls you make for fighters from your warband with the Hero () runemark. In addition, in step 5 of the aftermath sequence, you can pick 1 fighter from your warband and send them forth to comb the Gnarlwood. To do so, roll on the the table below.	1150	+3

Hunters of Huanchi Lesser Artefacts

D66	Result
11-16	Return Empty-Handed Your warrior returns with nothing of worth. This result has no effect.
21-26	Meagre Pickings Your warrior returns with minor spoils that can be sold or bartered for materials. [Reward] You receive D6 glory.
31-33	Celestite Sigil This sigil is a broken plaque from the Eye of Chotec. Though its original use is long forgotten, its energies provide speed and power in equal measure. [Consumable] The bearer can use this artefact as a bonus action only if they have not used an ability this activation. If they do so, the bearer can use a [double] ability with a value of 6 without needing or using any ability dice.
34-36	Kraka-tikki Grubs These delicious grubs are native to the Gnarlwood and provide sustenance to the skinks who greedily devour them by the handful. [Consumable] The bearer can use this lesser artefact as a bonus action. If they do so, remove all damage points allocated to the bearer.
41-43	Screaming Scar-toad This innocuous-looking toad is completely harmless save for its one defence mechanism: it emits a high pitched shriek that Seraphon can barely discern but that ruptures the eardrums of other species. [Consumable] Tge bearer can use this lesser artefact as a bonus action. If they do so, enemy fighters within 3" of the bearer cannot make the same action more than once in the same activation and cannot use abilities until the end of the battle round.
44-46	Shrunken Head Your fighter has single-handedly slain a vicious foe from an enemy warband. Their shrunken head is now a trophy that marks them out as an inspiring warrior. [Perishable] The bearer can use this lesser artefact as a bonus action. If they do so, until the end of the battle round, add 1 to the Move characteristic of friendly fighters while they make a move action that starts within 6" of the bearer.
51-53	Charged Bolas These bolas have been charged with starlight. When they connect, they emit a colossal crack, stunning the victim and nearby foes. [Perishable] Only a fighter with the Hunters of Huanchi () and Trapper () runemarks can bear this artefact. When the bearer uses the 'Hurled Bolas' ability, treat the value of the ability as 6.
54-56	Scourfang H1ve Your fighter discovers a hive of scourfangs. When one is squashed, it releases pheromones that summon the entire hive to avenge the fallen, inflicting nasty bites that itch and induce fever. Releasing a few into an enemy encampment before battle is not a bad idea ... [Perishable] After the first initiative phase of the battle, if the bearer is on the battlefield, pick 1 of your opponent's [doubles], [triples] or [quads]. Change the value of those ability dice to 1.
61-62	Spawn Of The Gnarlwood The animals that provide the Chameleon Skinks with their poisons are legion, and your raider has discovered one of their lairs, which will ensure your weapons are always coated in a thick venom. [Perishable] Add 1 to the damage points allocated by each hit and critical hit from melee attack actions made by the bearer.
63-64	Star-Sign Brand A bolt of lightning strikes your fighter during a fierce storm, perhaps sent by the spirit of a long-dead slann or an extension of the very will of Azyr itself. Once they recover, they find a strange symbol throbbing with power burned into their forehead. [Perishable] Add the number of the battle round to the value of abilities used by the bearer.
65-66	Prize Of Talaxis Your warrior discovers a lost relic of Talaxis, clutched in the hands of a skeleton. It can be used before it is returned to its rightful home on the Eye of Chotec. [Reward] Immediately choose one item from the Wonders of Talaxis table; you receive that artefact of power.