Here are some concept drawings for the artefacts found in this quest. Our Italian Heroquest aficionado, Lestodante, is busy creating the cards for the fantastic new artefacts found in the HQ novels, which will feature all new artwork! These are just my drawings, he has an artist friend who will create the final pictures.
Quest 5 - The Tower of the Cabiri Lords
The Wizard's Tale (continued)...
"You have climbed the long twisting stairway up from the labyrinth below, and now find yourself back in the Tower of the Cabiri. They will demand the Wand of Galimatias from you, but you must not give it up. These strange sorcerers must be punished for the evils they have committed; the twisted games they made you play down in their labyrinth and the shipwrecking and drowning of the innocent sailors that brought you to this cursed island. You must tread very carefully though. The Cabiri have a fearsome reputation for sorcery and are said to be masters of elemental magic. In Matholem's school of magic you learned many sorcerous tricks to help you survive, but you never completed your full training as a battle-wizard. But that is what you must now become if you are to be victorious in this high tower against the Cabiri Lords of Water, Earth, Air and Fire...".
Notes - This is a Quest for the Wizard and Elf Heroes. If the Wizard encountered the Elf in Quest 3 they will now be working together. If the Elf was not freed in that Quest, the Wizard will meet him in this Quest instead. Either way, the Elf will not have his equipment or spells until he can find his belongings in the Tower. To complete the Quest the Heroes must start at the stairway, destroy all four of the Cabiri and then find some way to escape from their island.
Once the Cabiri Lords are encountered the Evil Wizard player may move them around the board, opening doors & secret doors. Lay out the contents of any rooms which they enter. As an action, the Cabiri are also able to activate magical traps in this quest, as detailed in the Quest notes. This is the only way the magical traps can be triggered.
A - If the Wizard is already working with the Elf, ignore this note. If not, the Elf will be encountered here. The Elf explains that the Cabiri wrecked his ship with their spells and took him captive, He escaped from his cell and now seeks revenge against his captors. The Elf has full Body Points but will not be able to use equipment or spells until he can find his belongings.
B - The Elf's equipment is stored here. He may take any items he had at the end of Quest 1, and select his full complement of Elf spells. There is also a Shield on the weapon rack.
C - The Alchemist's desk contains a potion of healing (4BP) and the magical artefact Scrying Glass. A Hero with this item may search for magic traps at the same time as searching for ordinary traps. The Evil Wizard player must tell the player if there are any magic traps within his line of sight, but they are not disarmed.
D - Use the carpet tile from Mage of the Mirror here. The four Cabiri stand in the positions shown. They may open and move through doors and each have the following stats; Move 6, Attack 1, Defend 2, Body 4, Mind 6. The FIRE CABIRI has the Fire spells, the WATER CABIRI has the Water spells, the AIR CABIRI has the Air spells and the EARTH CABIRI has the Earth spells.
If a search for treasure is made in this room or the Scrying Glass is used here, tell the player that he has found a magic Carpet. If the Cabiri are destroyed, the Carpet will obey the commands of its new master, and fly through a window in the ceiling, speeding the Heroes on their way north, and ending the Quest.
E - If the Cabiri Lord of Air has line of sight to the X symbol he may trigger the Hurricane trap as an action. He may do this once per turn, with the hurricane moving down any ONE of the 3 corridors at the Air Lord's command, forcing any figures back 8 spaces until they hit a wall or fall in a pit.
F - From anywhere on the board, the Cabiri Lord of Water may choose to fill all of these pit of darkness traps with water. As water rushes into the pits, a Hero inside must immediately discard one piece of equipment, or all of his gold, or will sink and drown. If the Hero does this, or if he has no gold or equipment, he may climb out without harm on his next turn as usual.
G - The Cabiri Lord of Water may as an action use the Sorcerer's table to create a Wall of Ice anywhere in the room. See Strom Master spell for details of the Wall of Ice.
H - From anywhere on the board, the Cabiri Lord of Fire may as an action trigger any ONE of these Fireburst traps.
I - The Cabiri Lord of Fire may as an action draw power from the Fireplace to create a Wall of Flame anywhere in the room. See High Mage spell for details of the Wall of Flame.
J - From anywhere on the board, the Cabiri Lord of Earth may call forth a large boulder from a nearby pile of rocks. Use the Boulder tile from Kellar's Keep. It starts rolling from the J symbol towards the other end of the corridor, using 2 dice to move on each Evil Wizard player's turn. If it rolls over a figure they are attacked with 3 combat dice, from which they may not defend.
K - The Cabiri Lord of Earth may as an action take a spell scroll from the Bookcase. He may take the Spell of Protection Wall of Stone and use it on a subsequent turn.
L - The chest contains 80 gold coins and a Staff (the Wizard may take that equipment card).
Wandering monster - Goblin
The Dwarf's Tale (continued)...
"Glad to leave Runeport behind you, you travelled north on foot through territory that became increasingly cold and barren. Green vegetation soon gave way to stunted pines and icy crags, and now carrion birds wheel overhead. You have been tracking the detestable pair, Grinch & Grivois, burning with a fury that only a Dwarf can feel. Without the map that they took from you there can be no way to find the treasure of Chungor Chan, but in truth taking revenge for their treachery would taste even sweeter than the gold itself.
This remote region is the dwelling place only of warring orc and goblin tribes, plus an old sorcerous hermit named Magister Caenwulf. Caenwulf is known to be very knowledgeable about the region and it is even said that he can read a traveller's future, but he is also famously prickly and capricious. You should only approach his tower as a last resort, should the trail grow cold and you become desperate for his advice".
Notes - This is a solo Quest for the Dwarf Hero. It takes place in the craggy countryside north of Runeport, and ends in the icy northlands.
A - Use the outdoor tile from Against the Ogre Horde here. Three goblin archers are lying in wait for prey, hidden at the streamline. If the Dwarf searches for traps on his first turn, he will smell an ambush and get the jump on the goblins before they can attack; place the Goblins on the X's and tell the Dwarf that he may immediately take another turn. If the Dwarf doesn't search for traps, you may place the goblin archers and attack with them on Morcar's first turn.
B - Tell the Dwarf that he can see the thieves Grinch & Grivois in the distance, stood on the B symbol. On Morcar's turn they will flee around the corner towards door C. They become out-of-sight of the Dwarf and are removed from the game-board for now.
C - An inscription above the stone doorway reads "The Tower of Magister Caenwulf. GO AWAY!". There is no sign of Grinch & Grivois but the ground around the stone door looks as if it has been disturbed recently.
D - There is a Potion of Healing (up to 6 BP) and a Potion of Strength on the table in this craggy goblin lair.
E - The stairs lead up to the tower of Magister Caenwulf, and Caenwulf himself stands on the X. As the Dwarf greets him the old man growls "Go away". As the Dwarf continues with his request for help, Caenwulf transforms into a werewolf and attacks - Move 8, Attack 5, Defend 3, Body 4, Mind 4. However, as soon as the werewolf takes any damage at all, it transforms back into Magister Caenwulf, who then says to the Dwarf that he has passed the test and beckons him inside the tower. Both characters move into room F.
F - Use the carpet tile from Mage of the Mirror here. The Dwarf says that he is looking for two thieves who have taken his treasure map. Caenwulf's offers him a seat in the chair, which the Dwarf must accept. As soon as the Dwarf sits down, wooden hands sprout out of it and hold him fast. Caenwulf then explains he can read the future and that Grinch & Grivois will never live to see the treasure of Chungor Chan...but neither will the Dwarf either. He then offers the Dwarf a deal; to receive a great prize, without knowing Caenwulf's price until after he has agreed to the deal. If the Dwarf doesn't agree to the deal, the chair tips back and the Dwarf is thrown into the teleport trap; move him immediately to room H. If the Dwarf does agree, Caenwulf will give him the magic artefact Skullcleaver, then bid him to leave in peace via the other door. As the Dwarf leaves he can see that Caenwulf looks younger whilst he (the Dwarf) feels older. He has lost some years of his life and permanently loses 1 from all movement rolls!
G - Use the Snow Blizzard tile form Revenge of the Weather Man here. Snow has fallen and the Dwarf can see strange footprints here; the size of the footprints changes drastically from one step to the next, as if the creature which made them changed in size as it moved along. The secret door here cannot be opened from this side as it is too well hidden in the snow drifts.
H - The Dwarf has been teleported to the very top of Mount Kringla! Use the Ice Vault tile from The Frozen Horror here. If the Dwarf doesn't have Warm Furs he will lose 2 BP on each turn he is in the room. He will have to find a way off the mountain.
I - Use the Ice Chasm tile from The Frozen Horror here. It can be jumped as a pit but if the Dwarf falls in he is killed. If he has a rope he may cross the chasm without harm, but the rope is then lost.
J - An undead creature known as a Draugr stands upon the X. Use a Zombie model but tell the Dwarf that it grows in size as he sets eyes on it. Stats - Move 4, Attack 5, Defend 4, Body 4, Mind 0. However, after 3 turns the Draugr shrinks again and has the same stats as a regular zombie, apart from its current Body Point total which it retains. If the Draugr is still alive in another 3 turns, it will change back to the increased size and stats again!
K - The Ice Slide (from The Frozen Horror) cannot be detected. When the Dwarf steps on the start of the slide he tumbles down it into room M. He suffers no damage, but cannot climb back up the slide.
L - The tomb contains a Potion of Healing (4BP) and Heroic Brew.
M - Use the Snow Cave Entrance tile from The Frozen Horror here. The party of 12 orcs and 2 Rime-wolves is led by an Orc Witch, stood on the X, who already has Grinch & Grivois tied in chains (the thieves have been badly beaten up). The Orcs are busy chanting the name of Kyrax in an off-key cacophony, and don't notice the Dwarf at first, allowing him the first move/attack. The Rime-wolves have these stats - Move 9, Attack 4, Defend 2, Body 2, Mind 1. The orc witch, who is named Ghashlug, will not attack as she will let her acolytes do all the fighting. When the Dwarf loses his last Body point, he is not killed, but rather captured. The Quest is now over, but keep a record of how many Orcs/Wolves the Dwarf killed before he was captured.
Wandering monster - Goblin
Quest 7 - A Growl of Thunder
The Barbarian's Tale (continued)...
"After your adventures on the Sea of Claws, you journeyed north across many leagues of wild heath and tangled pine forest to reach your homeland of Valringia. Upon reaching your tribal heartlands, which you have not seen for years, you are alarmed by a smell of wood-smoke in the cold air. Hurrying over the next bluff, your worst fears are confirmed: the great stave-hall of your people is engulfed in flames!
You race to the hall and help your clan-cousins drag survivors out of the burning wreckage. Old Thidrand, your father's steward, stands coughing. He is blackened in soot and his face is raw with burns, but he is trying to get back into the burning hall. 'The lord is still in there!' he wails.
You dive through the doors without hesitation and battle through the heat and smoke until you catch sight of your father, Lord Thunrir. He is pinned by a smoldering timber beam that has fallen across his legs. With every ounce of strength, you heft the beam up and drag him clear. Straight away you can see that he is not long for this world. Gazing up at you with stern eyes, he says, 'It was the orcs of Stalag Tor. They attacked without warning, having used fell sorcery to blind our sentries. You must avenge our people - and more than that, you must recover the three sacred treasures of the Thunder God which the orcs have stolen!'
Those are his last words in this world. You waste no time on lamentation. Leaving the women and the wounded to bury the dead, you tak up your weapons and set out across the moors to the ancient mound where the orcs have their lair. Soon you see it looming ahead. The wind whips your cloak behind you, making you look like an avenging demon in the blood-drenched sunset.
You stride towards the mound...
Notes - This is a solo Quest for the Barbarian Hero. To complete the Quest he must retrieve all three scared treasures of the Thunder God that were stolen by the orcs, which are now hidden in their mound.
A - In the south side of the mound is the door that leads into the orcs lair. the Rime-wolves in this Quest have the following stats - Move 9, Attack 4, Defend 2, Body 2, Mind 1.
B - As the Barbarian approaches the door he will hear the guttural speech of orcs from the other side, answered by a deep voice which rings with a an eerie metallic echo.
C - The chest here contains a magical belt with a buckle in the shape of a thunderbolt. This is the first of the three treasures of the Thunder God and the Barbarian should take the artefact card Thunder Gods Belt.
D - These three goblins are part of the retinue of Balog, the orc chieftain, and have been told to wait here to guard weapons rack, which contains the second of the stolen treasures, the Thunder Gods Gloves.
E - This stone doorway leads to the central chamber of the mound, which was originally the burial mound of an ancient orc warlord. The orcs know better than to enter this chamber, since the act of opening the stone door will awaken the corpse inside the tomb as an undead wight (use a mummy figure). Once awake, the orc mummy will stalk through the mound attacking anyone who gets in his path; friend or foe! Stats - Move 4, Attack 4, Defend 4, Body 4, Mind 0.
F - This is where the orcs sleep, and these four are slumbering contentedly having just returned from torching the stave-hall of the Barbarian's tribe. Each needs to roll a 6 at the start of their turn to wake up, or will wake up instantly if attacked. Their clothing still smells of smoke and their is dried human blood on their axes, so the barbarian should be in no doubt what they've been up to.
G - These chambers belong to the shaman of Stalag Tor, an orc witch named Ghashlug, and the door bears her personal symbol: four serpents intertwining to form an eight-pointed star.
H - These four orcs are savagely beating a chained Dwarf. If the orcs are defeated, the Barbarian can release the Dwarf, who is none other than the Hero who was captured in the previous Quest. The Dwarf can collect all of his equipment and other items from a pile in the corner of the room, but he only has 4BP left after his beating. He will join with the Barbarian, after telling him about his recent experiences; as far as he can glean from listening to the primitive speech of the orcs, he was dragged here as an offering to the orc chieftain, Balog, whereas his former colleagues Grinch and Grivois were hauled north to be sacrificed to someone or something named Kyrax. The true leader of the orcs, a fanatical witch named Ghashlug, has marched north with her acolytes for this very purpose.
I - Balog, the orc chieftain, stands on the X, deep in thought; on the table in front of him is Thor's Hammer, the third of the stolen treasures. But he has a problem: no one has been able to move the hammer since it was brought back here. What the orcs haven't realised yet is that only someone wearing the Thunder God's Gloves can lift the hammer. If the Barbarian has these, he will be able to snatch up the hammer and use it himself. As soon as he does this, sparks of lightning shoot from the hammer to smite the orcs, killing them instantly. Balog, though, is made of sterner stuff: Move 7, Attack 5, Defend 4, Body 4, Mind 4.
The Quest is over once the Barbarian has retrieved all three treasures. He can keep these artefacts, as these Heroes now march north to hunt down the orc witch and the remaining orcs. The Barbarian still hungers for revenge, as does the Dwarf (there is also the small matter of regaining the treasure map).
Wandering monster - Orc
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