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Quest 20: The Final Battle

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Act III 1 Encounter Requires: Quest 19

Quest 20: The Final Battle

Introduction

"A deep rumbling echoes from Baron Zachareth's throne room as you approach... the rumbling of some great creature breathing.

As you step forward you see it: a dragon, larger than any you've ever seen, with scales as black as midnight. The creature seems to glow like a hot coal, heat radiating through its ink-black scales, and when it opens its eyes they shine like candles.

Zachareth steps into view. 'So. It has come to this. You've 'won,' heroes. The ritual—I was going to be King, you know. A bloodless conquest—well except for your blood, but what does that matter in the grand scheme of things? But now, look what you've made me do!' The baron turns to glance over his shoulder as the dragon struggles to its feet. You get the impression the creature hasn't stood under its own power in a long time; a giant waking up from a centuries-long slumber. 'Now I'll just have to unleash my pet dragonlord on the Barons of Dagan and take the throne by force! Gryvorn, kill them all!'

This is it: the final battle. Defeat Gryvorn and you'll save Terrinoth. Fail, and no one who remembers you will live out the year.


Monsters

If the Overlord has the "Shadow Rune" relic, return it to the box and add 1 objective token to the Overlord's play area (it has been consumed in the ritual to unleash Gryvorn).


Setup

Place Baron Zachareth and Dragonlord Gryvorn on the Throne Room as indicated.

Place search tokens based on the number of heroes.

Keep the objective tokens collected in Quest 19, Encounter 1 (ritual components). They determine Dragonlord Gryvorn's Health.


Special Rules

Gryvorn Eats Zachareth

At the end of any Overlord turn while Zachareth is still on the map and within 3 spaces of Gryvorn, the Overlord may choose to read the following aloud:

"Enough," roars Gryvorn, turning on Zachareth. "You have outlived your usefulness; you will perform one final service." The dragon rears up, opening its mighty jaws.

"No," shrieks Zachareth. "No, you serve me! You obey me! I am your master! Noooooo!"

Gryvorn swallows the baron in a single gulp, then turns his focus back to you.

Remove Baron Zachareth from the map. Gryvorn recovers 3 [Stamina] per hero.

Dragonlord Gryvorn Stats

Attribute Value
Health 20 + (2 per hero per objective token)
Speed 4
Defense 1 black
Attack 3 red + 1 black (Pierce 2)

Abilities

Shadow Pierce 2: This attack ignores up to 2 bonus defense dice.

Reach: This monster may attack up to 2 spaces away.

Awesome Power: After each individual attack, if there is a viable target in range, Gryvorn may attack again. (Gryvorn still acts during the Overlord turn, as normal.)

Incredible Health: For each objective token in the Overlord player's play area at the start of the Encounter, Gryvorn has 2 additional Health per hero.

Playing for Keeps

Any hero defeated during this quest is slain and removed from the game permanently. This is the final battle!


Reinforcements

None.


Victory

Hero Victory

If Gryvorn is defeated, read the following aloud:

The dragon roars with pain and surprise. "No mortal can defeat me!" he bellows. "I am the greatest of the dragonlords! My time has come!" Gryvorn falls, his tail and wings thrashing out. "I won't... be..." The dragon's words fade into an incoherent roar that grows louder and louder. As it does, the creature's glow grows correspondingly brighter, as if its internal furnace were out of control. You turn and run, and when the dragon explodes into an enormous fireball you escape with only minor burns.

Castle Talon is not so lucky. You wonder if the ruins will ever stop burning, and if any living thing inside could possibly have survived.

The heroes win the campaign!

Overlord Victory

If all heroes are defeated, read the following aloud:

Castle Talon seems to ripple, then burst, hurling enormous bricks of black stone far into the night. A fire kindles at its heart and then leaps into the sky, and soon it seems as if the black storm clouds above are raining flame down upon the baronies.

Gryvorn is reborn, and a new darkness has come to Terrinoth...

The Overlord wins the campaign!


Rewards

This is the final quest. The winner of this quest is the overall winner of the entire campaign.


Map Tiles

  • Throne Room
  • Entrance

Campaign Epilogue

If Heroes Win

The Shadow Rune is destroyed, Gryvorn is vanquished, and Terrinoth is saved. Baron Greigory and the remaining barons rebuild their lands. The heroes are celebrated throughout the Free Cities as saviors of the realm.

If Overlord Wins

Gryvorn reigns supreme over Terrinoth. The baronies fall one by one to the dragonlord's fury. Baron Zachareth's dream of kingship is realized—not as King of Men, but as the first servant of the new Dragonlord age. Darkness covers the land, and the Shadow Rune's power grows with each passing day.