Quest 12: Lord of Flame
Quest 12: Lord of Flame
Introduction
You are patrolling the main road with a few soldiers when a young elf steps out from behind a tree directly beside you. You barely perceive her motion, and only one of the soldiers notices, reaching for his blade.
"Peace," she whispers, "I come with information. I am a spy within the enemy camp." You motion for the soldier to return his sword to its sheath and she continues. "For three weeks I have lived in the tree above Merick's tents, gathering information. This morning, I overheard Eliza speaking with him, requesting that he travel to the Ix'Halantha caves at the southern end of the valley, and secure the power of the ancient elementals that reside there. I escaped before he left, but you don't have much time. You cannot allow him to master those beings."
You leave the soldiers to their patrol and the young elf leads you along a secret path toward the mountain. It is long into the night before you enter the hidden valley that rests beneath the caves. A near-invisible path winds its way to the far side, flanked on either side by a few decrepit shacks. To your surprise, many of the windows are aglow with candle light. You approach quietly, but then see Merick waiting for you. "I'm not sure how you found me—" you realize that your guide has disappeared "—but it won't happen again. You are a pesky bunch. Anyway—" the doors to many of the shacks burst open, spilling forth a wave of sickly flesh moulders. They charge toward you, calling spheres of dark energy into their hands.
Monsters
- Lord Merick Farrow
- Flesh moulders
- 1 open group
Setup
Place Lord Merick Farrow on the Garden tile as indicated. Place the flesh moulders split among the Garden tile however the Overlord prefers. Place the open monster group on the Field tile.
Place a number of blue objective tokens faceup on the map as indicated. These are flood markers representing pools of rushing water from the nearby river.
Place a number of red objective tokens faceup on the map as indicated. These are fire markers representing patches of consuming lava that have erupted from fissures in the earth.
Each hero must skip his or her first turn. Read the following aloud:
The ambush catches you completely off guard. Merick's laughter echoes across the hidden valley.
Place search tokens based on the number of heroes.
Special Rules
Consuming Fire
The red objective tokens (fire markers) represent lava terrain. Treat each space containing a fire marker as a lava space. A figure that enters a space containing a fire marker immediately suffers 2 [damage]. A figure that starts its turn in a space containing a fire marker suffers 1 [damage]. Fire markers block line of sight.
At the start of each Overlord turn, after placing reinforcements, if there are fewer than 4 fire markers on the map, the Overlord may place 1 additional fire marker on any empty space on the Garden or Field tiles that is not adjacent to a hero.
Roaring Rapids
The blue objective tokens (flood markers) represent rushing water terrain. Treat each space containing a flood marker as a water space. A figure that enters a space containing a flood marker must test [Agility]. If it fails, its movement ends immediately. A figure that starts its turn in a space containing a flood marker may only perform 1 move action during that turn. Flood markers block line of sight.
At the start of each Overlord turn, after placing reinforcements, if there are fewer than 4 flood markers on the map, the Overlord may place 1 additional flood marker on any empty space on the Garden or Field tiles that is not adjacent to a hero.
Flesh Moulder Channeling
Flesh moulders have been touched by elemental power. Once per turn, as an action, a flesh moulder adjacent to a fire marker may channel the consuming fire for an attack. The attack gains +2 [damage] and the target is immediately moved 1 space away from the flesh moulder (target's choice of available adjacent space). If the target enters a fire marker space, the Consuming Fire damage applies.
Once per turn, as an action, a flesh moulder adjacent to a flood marker may channel the roaring rapids. Instead of a normal attack, each hero adjacent to the flesh moulder must test [Agility]. If a hero fails, he is pushed 2 spaces directly away from the flesh moulder. If this pushes the hero into a flood marker space, the Roaring Rapids effect applies immediately.
Heroes: Extinguish and Drain
As an action, a hero adjacent to a fire marker may attempt to extinguish it by testing [Willpower]. If he passes, remove the fire marker from the map. If he fails, the hero suffers 1 [damage] from the intense heat.
As an action, a hero adjacent to a flood marker may attempt to drain the water by testing [Strength]. If he passes, remove the flood marker from the map. If he fails, there is no effect.
Merick's Exit
Lord Merick Farrow may exit the map at any time by moving off any edge of the Garden tile. If Merick exits the map, the heroes automatically win Encounter 1 (Merick has been driven off). Record this for carryover effects.
Reinforcements
At the start of each Overlord turn, he may place 1 flesh moulder on any empty space on the Garden or Field tiles, respecting group limits.
The open monster group cannot be reinforced.
Victory
Hero Victory
If Lord Merick Farrow is defeated or exits the map, read the following aloud:
Merick retreats, his spell broken. The elemental fires gutter and the floodwaters recede. The hidden valley falls silent. "This is not over!" Merick shouts over his shoulder as he vanishes into the cave entrance. You steel yourselves and follow him into the darkness.
The heroes win this encounter!
Note the total number of damage tokens and fatigue tokens accumulated by Lord Merick Farrow and the flesh moulders during this encounter. These carry over into Encounter 2 as elemental power.
Overlord Victory
If the Overlord accumulates 6 fatigue tokens in his play area, read the following aloud:
The elemental forces overwhelm you. Fire and water swirl in a cataclysmic vortex. When your vision clears, Merick is gone. He has entered the caves unopposed. You follow, knowing you are already too late.
The Overlord wins this encounter!
Note the total number of damage tokens and fatigue tokens accumulated by the heroes during this encounter. These carry over into Encounter 2, strengthening the elementals.
Carryover to Encounter 2
Record the following:
- Total [damage] tokens on Lord Merick Farrow when victory was achieved: ___
- Total fatigue tokens accumulated by the Overlord in his play area: ___
- Total fatigue tokens on heroes from all sources: ___