The Sable

As the incoming tide of war looms and the attention of maidens turns to the south the cold and quiet north has become a perilous place to live. Autumn is early giving way to winter and grey skies have given white ground. Farmers and hill-dames far from the main roads have not been seen in the trading and mining settlements and those who travel those paths have not been heard of. The authorities have become nervous but do not know what to do. A few Heroines with experience of the northern reaches have banded together and brought their followers with them - less interested in the brewing war that will pit Helenas against each other than proving that their suspicions of the raven-haired Sable maidens are true.

Unfortunately for the isoloated and forgotten communities they are.

Mysterious Traders

While nearly all maidens of the north know of the Sable very few have met one in person. Those that were lucky enough were the important and rich traders or authorities in the region or unfortunate victims outside of settlements. Now however the number of unfortunates is increasing rapidy.

The quickening winter has been the cover of the increased Sable activity although they have disappeared completely from the settlements. Sightings of them are vanishly rare and only from a distance with the maiden feeling that she is being watched and there on the white horizon is a lone figure nearly invisible in white. Only the presence of a wolf pack gives away her location to the maiden. There are newer tales of falling night and wolf cries and a lucky maiden locking herself into her hovel just in time.

It is all part of the strategy of the hand behind the Sable. First to learn of the Helenas through trading of exquisite furs and precious stones by a few specialist agents. Then when enough information has been gathered to begin to move slowly and deliberately destroying outlying maidens and cutting off communications between the larger settlements creating an atmosphere of terror and panic all in anticipation for the final stage - the attack.

The Princess of Ice

The society of the Sable is monarchist and its head is the Princess of Ice, sole occupant of the Ice Palace that sits alone in Perpetual Winter, a glacier surrounded by peaks over half a kilometer high. The Palace has one thin reaching spire and it is from there that the Princess of Ice can see far from her winter land into the north of the Helenas. Watching intently through magnifying mirrors and her beast agents the Princess of Ice started her planning and began looking for suitble agents.

Those she trusted for the first phase of her plan - to learn more of the maidens with sun coloured hair - were ageless and powerful sorceresses capable of taking care of themselves and maintaining their secrecy. They travelled alone and were forbidde to congretate with each other. The Princess of Ice did not want any information of her north to be revealed to the Helenas at all. Despite the curiosity revealed by her agents phsyical differences - thin wide eyes and black hair - nothing was to be given away except the goods brought by the agents. The items the agents brought back, money and traded artifacts were of little interest to the Princess of Ice.

The Princess of Ice has believes that she has gathered enough information on the southerners and can easily take care of them. Mistress of Snow and Storm she has covered the land as far as she can see in winter and unleashed her minions to wipe out the Helenas and bring back any worthy of further questioning as her plans extend far further south to engulf all the world in white.

Raven Hair

The Sable are not a populous race. The land they live in is harsh and provides little sustenance. What is available often has the capacity to fight back and it is the strongest and smartest that survive. That does not mean the Sable are solitary. They live in communities located in cave and tunnel complexes to escape the cold but mostly travel alone. The Sable are always careful about exposing more than one of their number to any danger and their own land is very dangerous.

Sable maidens are tall and lean. Their eyesight is exceptional being able to distinguish one of their own clad in white in a snow storm. Each is also a powerful sorceress gifted with the ability of beastial transformation and command over the winter elements.

Despite the harsh frozen land they inhabit Sable wear nothing except white animal fur. They can survive in the cold without it thanks to their magic; they rely on it for camofluage and carrying their belongings.

Bear, Wolf and Raven

That is not the limit of a Sable's powers. Lycanthropy and the mastery of beasts are their greatest talents. Able to transform into the shape of a Bear, Wolf or Raven the takes the characteristics of the creature: strength, speed and flight. When a Sable is cornered and has to fight she changes into a towering black Bear rearing on its hind legs and swiping aside attacks with mightly paws; when on the hunt the grey wolf is the preference speedily and hungrily tracking the prey before pouncing and tearing them to pieces. When having to travel far and fast and to view the lay of the land the Sable stretches out her arms and they become wings and taking to the air as a raven she can see for miles and no sign of movement is missed.

A Sable has the power to command these beasts as well and can see through their eyes, sense their senses. The sorceress commands them with her mind or when in their shape through their languages of sound, gesture and scent. Unlike impressed monsters, the Sable's will not panic or rampage. Wolf packs, flights of ravens form the majority of a Sable's Pack. More strong-willed Bears are much harder to control but provide the Pack with unstoppable power. Lured by the fuller southern feeding grounds more Bears are joining Sable Packs.

In Battle

Sable Packs work by isolating part of their enemy and tearing them to the ground instead of directly attacking. Wolves are ferocious animals but cannot win a fight against a prepared and armed maiden. They prefer to flank and rush, wearing their enemy down for the final strike. The craven ravens are even less inclined to battle directly, preferring to distract from high as the wolves nip from below. Only when the Sable changes into a Bear or the Pack runs with one can it smash headlong into any formation or defense and break it apart.

A Sable Pack can spend 20 Points on Heroines for every 100 Army Points.

Beast M A D H Notes P Base Fig Min Max U

Crow of Ravens

10

2

3

2

S, Flight, Distraction

5

4 x 3

3

2

6

2-3

Wolf Pack

7

4

3

3

Mtd Beast, R

10

8 x 3

3

  4

  10

2-4

-2

+1

+1

hide armour

+2

White Bear

5

4

4

4

Stalwart, Strong 1, E, Mtd Beast, Glamour 2

15

8 x 6

1

0

2

1

Black Bear

5

6

3

4

Stalwart, Strong 2, E
Mtd Beast, Glamour 1

15

8 x 6

1

0

  2

1

Heroine M A D H GLAM Notes P Base Fig

Sable Sorceress

5

2

3

2

2

Magi: Sable, Shapeshifter, Packmistress

10

4 x 3

1

Sable Trader

5

3

3

3

3

Magi: Sable, Shapeshifter, Packmistress

15

4 x 3

1

Sable Special Rules: These rules apply to all Sonja Units.

Distraction: Instead of making an attack the Stand can Distract an enemy Stand it is in contact with or a friendly Stand it is supporting in melee. The enemy Stand suffers A-1.
Strong X: Replace X D6 of the Stand's A with D10s.
Mtd Beast: The Stand gains A bonuses as if it were a Mtd Cavalry Stand.
Shapeshifter: The Sable can shapeshift into any Beast Stand. The Sable can do nothing else that turn and may begin the battle in a shape. Whilst a Beast the Sable cannot cast spells or use any Items. She retains her Glamour but cannot duel unless a Bear.
Packmistress: None of the Beasts in the Sable's Pack count as Monsters and can move normally.
Flight: The Stand can move over any other Stand or terrain feature. For M-2 the Stand can be out of melee range and all ranged attacks have the range to the Stand increased by 2".

Sable Items & Magic: Sable Heroines can only use the Items and Magic spells below. A Sable Pack can spend 20 Points on Items.

Sable Spells and Items

Fast Shapeshift
Cost: 10

Tarvet 1 Heroine. That Heroine can shapeshift and move and fight in the same turn.

Blood Essence
Cost: 5

Target 1 Heroine. That Heroine gains Strong to all A.

Exquisite Fur
Cost: 2

Target 1 Heroine. That Heroine gains GLAM+1.

Wolf Fangs
Cost: 5

Target 1 Heroine. That Heroine gains A+1.

Crow Bones
Cost: 2

Target 1 Heroine. That Heroine can reroll any 1 miss in melee.

Brittle Steel
Cost: 5

Target 1 Stand. That Unit suffers A-1 and D-1.

Snow Mist
Cost: 5

Target 1 Unit. That Unit gains D+0/+1.

Driving Sleet
Cost: 2

Target 1 Unit. That Unit suffers Distraction.

Deep Snow
Cost: 5

Target 1 Unit. That Unit suffers M-2.