Quest 5: The Baron Returns

Act I 2 Encounters Requires: Quest 2 (Rellegar's Rest) or Quest 3 (Siege of Skytower)

Quest 5: The Baron Returns

The flap to your tent ripples open and a young man stumbles in. A broken arrow shaft extends from his shoulder, but as you move to aid him he waves you off. "There's no time. I've been watching the enemy's camp to the east. Wagons marked with the seal of Carthridge passed through, carrying prisoners and hidden supplies to a nearby tower." He pauses, watching you. "Don't you see? Zachareth lives! The traitorous Baron of Carthridge is here to conquer." He slumps forward in exhaustion. You send for a healer and then hurry toward the ford.

You approach from the north and scale the cliffs, arriving at the entrance undetected. Steam slips from the windows, reeking of blood and death.

"Of course you choose tonight to visit," a voice comments from above you. Craning your neck, you spot Zachareth standing on a balcony a few floors above. "Ah well, shall we begin?"

Monsters

Setup

Place Lady Eliza Farrow on the Stairway. Place zombies on the Armory. Place goblin archers on the Exit. Place the open group on the Ruined Hall.

Collect 1 white and 3 blue objective tokens and set aside for Encounter 2. Place 6 objective tokens facedown in indicated spaces as bubbling vials.

Place search tokens based on the number of heroes.

Special Rules

While a goblin archer is within 3 spaces of Lady Eliza Farrow, it is enthralled.

If Lady Eliza is defeated, discard each bubbling vial carried by a goblin archer and each bubbling vial on the map.

Toil and Trouble: As an action, adjacent figures may attempt to retrieve bubbling vials by testing Book or Sword. Eliza/enthralled goblins place vials in OL play area; heroes place on Hero sheets. Goblin archers carrying vials exiting transfer vials to OL play area. Defeated figures drop vials in adjacent spaces.

Reinforcements

At the start of each overlord turn, place 1 goblin archer on the Exit, respecting group limits.

Victory

Eliza hisses and backs away. You step forward and land what should be a killing blow, but she dissolves into a red mist that swirls about you and then disappears from the room.

Encounter 1 complete. Overlord keeps facedown tokens; heroes collect their tokens.

Map Tiles

3B Armory
5B Ruined Hall
19B Stairway

You ascend to the top floor of the tower. Zachareth waits for you just down the hall, a black, glowing rune in his hand. The air is thick with heat and the stench of blood. "About time," Zachareth says, "I've been waiting." He raises the rune and a dark bolt leaps toward you. You sidestep the first, but another follows close behind. "Come now, don't be difficult. It will only hurt for a few lifetimes."

Monsters

Baron Zachareth
3 open groups

Setup

Place Baron Zachareth on the Great Hall wielding The Shadow Rune relic. Place 1 open group on Great Hall, 1 on Lair, 1 on Armory.

Place 3 blue objective tokens as vats. Place 1 white objective token on Great Hall as cauldron.

Facedown tokens in OL play area from Encounter 1 are enchanted vials; in heroes' play area are redeemed vials.

Special Rules

Doors cannot be opened or closed normally. Baron Zachareth may move through doors.

Fire Burn: Once per Baron Zachareth attack, OL may discard 1 enchanted vial for +1 Surge; heroes may discard 1 redeemed vial to cancel 1 Surge.

Cauldron Bubble: Baron Zachareth may add conditions near cauldron; at start of each OL turn, heroes suffer those conditions. Heroes tip vats (discard tokens); when third vat tipped, all doors removed.

The Shadow Rune: Baron Zachareth gains Ranged. Attacks targeting him gain: Miss Miss = set aside Shadow Rune relic. The Baron's rune flips from his hand and he shouts in horror...

Victory

Hero Victory

The baron retreats to the cauldron and kicks it over as you approach. The room fills with red mist and when it finally clears, Zachareth is gone.

The heroes win!

Overlord Victory

At last, you approach the cauldron at the center of the great hall, but Zachareth appears unconcerned. He waits until you are close, then kicks it over, splashing its contents forward... He catches the droplet in a vial and disappears back into the shadows. "—I'm a man of my word."

The overlord wins!

Rewards

Win or lose, each player receives 1 XP.

Heroes win: 25 gold per hero. Next: Caladen's Crossing.

Overlord wins: +1 XP. Next: Rise of Urthko.

If Shadow Rune was set aside: no player receives it. Otherwise: overlord receives it.

Map Tiles

5B Lair
1B Great Hall
3B Armory