Sonjas

Many weeks journey to the North-West of the civilised Hellenas the lonely and hardy travelling damsel is greeted by a sudden escarpment of jagged rock upon which only the toughest and meanest of plants and creatures survive.

Climbing the escapment does not reveal lush meadow or forests beyond; just more rock, ravines, and the blood-redheads who inhabit this inhospitable land, the Sonjas.

Surprise! Sonja maidens duel on the rocks of the escarpment.

Tough Redheads

A Sonjan maiden is taller and has a sturdier build than the typical Hellenas damsel. Her hair is a rich burgundy that constrasts strongly with pale skin; the escaprment is near constantly overcast with low hanging ash clouds from a range of active volcanos further west. While the escarpment is as far north as the beginnings of the Sable lands the climate is mild but dry. A Sonjan rarely wears anything more than a loin cloth or some articles of fur. The lack of civilisation or settlements do not necessitate a full or varied wardrobe.

It is a rare thing to find more than a dozen Sonjans together at the same place, more so for any length of time. The escarpment is a harsh place to live in with little food or water, enforcing a scattered population. Surival is for the fittest and smartest and each Sonjan has to live on her own wits and sword arm against the land and her fellow maiden.

When Sonjans to band together into goal orientated fratenities, they treat each other as an extension of themselves. For any to succeed, they all must. Thus a strong bond is established between each maiden that can only be broken by death.

A band will form when a dire threat threatens the area the maidens occupy, such as a dangerous beast that cannot be felled by one alone, or a drastic shortage of food or drought. Affected areas may be large enough that two bands will come into conflict with each other to ensure their own survival.

A Sonjan is a good hunter; a skill her life depends on. Her senses are attuned to the land. A slight change in weather, a pebble moved, she can identify them all. She is also fast with a pair of strong legs and tough feet to let her run over the rocky land and jump the many ravines and crevases. Tough skin and bones protect her from most falls and scratches. Even so, armour is worn by some, typically skinguards of gnarled bark, bossed shields or a rare helmet for battle.

Bloodhair

When a Sonjan feels the blood boil inside her and a red haze covers her eyes she is said to be a Bloodhair. In this state nothing will stop her until she has killed her prey or been slain herself. Minor wounds are of no concern. Gashes and cuts are not noticed until the loss of blood begins to affect her ability to fight. It has been known for some maidens to have lost limbs and continue fighting.

Spears and wide blade swords of iron, which is plentiful in escarpment, are the ordinary weapons of a Sonjan maiden. Whilst they are not of high quality; spear heads are tied into place with sinew or coarse string of hair and the blades are not sharp, the strength of the Bloodhair is enough to compensate. She can hurl a spear through a body and crack open armour as so many animals have shells or scales for hide, and shatter bones with the heavy sword.

Snake Charmers

A wild land with wild women breeds disturbing and occult practices. Where the Hellenas worship Goddesses, the Sonja worship snakes and reptiles. Where a transluscent robed Priestess of Aryiki prayers to the Goddess with incense, a nude Snake Charmer receives a bit venom to induce her into a trance like state.

The Snake Charmer, wise-woman or Shaman, speaks the language of the reptile and uses their blood or venom to create potions of strength or awareness, or paints tattoos over the receiver's body to give her the virtues of the cold-blooded creatures.

Two maidens receive charms from a Snake Charmer.

Snake Charmers are the few Sonjans who have a fixed abode, usually a cave or grotto and live with dozens or hundreds of reptiles, possibly near the lairs of the rumoured Great Sauris, snakes longer and thicker than a tree.

In Battle

Players can use Sonjans for small games where only a few models are available or in RPG like settings. In this case each model is a Heroine and all melee combats are fought as Duels.

Sonjans can also be used as mercenary allies in another army to add some variety and surprise, or as a random force in a scenario that player armies must contend with. At this point in time there is little chance of an entire army of Sonjan maidens forming to invade or raid outside of the escarpment.

A band of Sonjan maidens protects a Snake Charmer as she comunes with her reptile Gods.

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

Sonja

4

3

3

3

Spear, E

9

8x 3

3

0

3

2-3

+2

replace Spear with Sword

+2

+1

Shield or armour

Bloodhair

5

4

3

2

R, Stalwart

10

4x 3

1

0

2

1

Snake Charmer

5

1

3

1

Magi : Snake Magic

5

4x 3

1

0

1

1

Heroine M A D H GLAM Notes P Base Fig

Sonja

5

4

3

2

2

Can have 1 Snake Magic Charm. Works on 4+ per use.

10

4x 3

1

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

Ambush: All Sonja Units have Ambush: Rocky Ground.
Leap Ravine: A Stand can cross over impassible terrain such as ravines, crevases, gorges and creeks if the entire Stand does not end its move in any part over the impassible terrain. If it is, the Stand is destroyed.

Sonja Items & Magic: Sonja Units can use the General Items and those below. Snake Charmers can only take spells from those below.

Snake Venom: Target 1 Unit. That Unit gains A+1 in melee. 5 Points.
Reptile Venom: Target 1 Unit. That Unit gains D+1. 10 Points.
Hunting Traps: Target 1 terrain feature. When enemy moves into feature it suffers 1 attack against its M. If the D6 roll is equal to M the Unit's M is halved (round up). If the roll is greater the Unit's M is reduced to 1. 10 Points.

Cold Blood Charm: Target 1 enemy Unit. That Unit suffers M-1 (non-cumulative) if a D6 roll is equal to or greater than the Target's starting M, or a 6 is rolled. 2 Points.
Venom Spit Charm: Target self. Can make a ranged attack of A -/2 6". 2 Points.
Cobra Strike Charm: Target 1 Stand. That Stand can make a Ranged attack equal to its melee A against any enemy Stand within 2". 5 Points.

Threats

The escarpment is home to many dangerous creatures that can kill a damsel. The Dangerous Nature rules cover most of the flora and fauna that can be encountered. However, some especially large and common threats to the Sonja are:

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

Rock Golem

5

3/2

4

4

A: Rocky Ground, Stone Throw 6"

12

8x 3

3

0

6

2-4

Basilisk

4

2

2

1

Transfix

5

4x 3

1

0

2

*

* A Basilisk Stand must be a part of a Rock Golem Unit and counts to that Units size restrictions. It must be in Support of one Stand of that Unit.

Stone Throw: A ranged attack.
Transfix: The Basilisk's gaze can stop a maiden from doing anything leaving her vunerable to attack. Roll the Basilisks attack before anyone elses. A hit Stand instead suffers D-1 per hit.

The maximum army size is 50 Army Points for a Rock Golem warband.

Rock Golems are six to seven foot tall humanoids with a body substance of escarpment rock and clay. Their intelligence is limited to hunting of anything that moves, including Sonjan maidens which they also seek to capture once per year. They are able to merge into a rock face or floor and hide, but cannot travel through the substance.

Basilisks are the angry pets of the Rock Golems. Their gaze can transfix a maiden to the spot so she cannot move or look away. The gaze has no effect on the Rock Golem, hence their master status. Basilisks accompany a Golem band during hunts to transfix the prey.

Miniatures by Iron Mammoth