Chapter III : Red Dawn

Number of heroes : 3

Difficulty : 3

Red Dawn

Scenario largely inspired by "L'Aube Rouge" de Laurent Pouchain

The Aifreweia was founded by Nemedian worshippers of Mitra, two centuries ago, as a haven of peace and learning far from the tumult of the world.  Nestled in the foothills of the mountains that border the North Lands to the West, it is known to few and visited by less.

For the last three moons, however, the sanctuary has been troubled by the presence of a practitioner of the black arts, a necromancer named Gann.  Ancient pupil of the Aifreweia, cast out for his impious ways, he has returned for revenge and for plunder.

The Aifreweia is, however, far from being undefended.  Rashar, the Abbott of Aifreweia, who has powers of his own, can also rely on the sword arm of the sanctuary's warrior nuns, and also on a wandering Warrior of Mitra, Cadmendin, who has heard of the Abbott's distress and offered his services.

Nonetheless, only the help of Mitra can truly vanquish such a terrible foe.  To call upon the God's aid, the defenders must undertake a ritual, no easy task when the undead are within the walls...

Objectives
-  At the end of turn 10, if the Heroes have scored at least as many points as the Overlord, they win.

-  Otherwise, the Overlord wins

Game length
The scenario lasts 8 turns.  The Overlord plays first.


Scenario Map
The scenario is played on a 8 x 8 hex surface portraying the Aifreweia, whose buildings are surrounded by strong walls pierced by a lone gate in G4.

For set-up purposes, hex rows are numbered A to H, and columns from 1 to 8.

There are four special buildings, all within the walls, numbered 1 (C3), 2 (B5), 3 (E6) and 4 (F6).

Heroes
In the campaign setting, the following heroes take part in this adventure, with any equipment they have, and spells selected using the campaign method.

Rashar, Abbott of the Eifreweia, Priest of Mitra 

Chimène

Cadmendin

As an Ally, Johanna, Ceorl (same; 3 Wounds)

Johanna can be commanded by any Hero.

All Heroes begin with 3 Energy Gems in the Fatigue Zone.  They set up at the player's choice anywhere within the walls, after the Overlord has set up, but only Rashar can set up in one of the building hexes numbered 1 to 4. 

 

If using other Heroes, it is highly recommended that at least one of them has "Concentration".  There is a lot of searching to do, which becomes very difficult if all heroes suffer the hindrance of enemies present in the same zone.



The Overlord
The Overlord commands :

Gann, who uses the Warlock tile (sets-up as the controlling player wishes).  He has Yajur's Awakening and Deceleration.

2 Grey Mummy Champions [tile with 3 Passive Defense] (A1, F8)

4 Orange Mummies (A2, A2, H1, F8)

4 Green Mummies (A2, H1, H1, F8)

4 Purple Mummies (A1, A1, F1, F1)

4 Blue Mummies (A2, G8, G8, G8)

The Overlord begins with 3 Energy Gems in the Available Energy Zone and 8 in the Fatigue Zone.  He recovers 5 each turn.

Ravens
When an Event is played, the Overlord can roll a red die, and apply any event that corresponds to the number of successes or less.  The die may be rerolled by expending energy gems.

0 : Reinforcements : 8 points of reinforcements; all reinforcements must be placed in the same reinforcement zone, which is then removed

1 : Crumbling Walls : add one rubble token to any wall that already has at least one rubble token.

2 : Ill Omens : the Overlord moves 4 Energy Gems from the Fatigue Zone to the Available Energy Zone

3 : Second Wave : replace a reinforcement zone that has been removed in its original hex, and place 4 points of reinforcements there



The River

1 : Green Mummies
2 : Orange Mummies
3 : Purple Mummies
4 : Grey Mummy Champion
5 : Gann (5 Wounds)
6 : Raven
7 : Blue Mummies
8 : Grey Mummy Champion


Reinforcement Zones
There are three reinforcement zones in A2, F1 and F8


Equipment Cards
In the four special buildings of Aifreweia, are placed two treasure chests.

The Equipment Deck is made up of an Axe, an Ecu, a Dague, an Epée, a Parrying Dagger, 2 Pictish Alcohols and a Javelin.

The rules for opening the treasure chests are noted in the SSRs.

Terrain

If the game is played on 3D terrain, the House Rules for this apply.  The walls block line of sight until they are toppled.

The Heroes may not leave the board.  Gann (but no Mummy) may leave the board but if he does so, he may not return.

All doors are unlocked, and the main gate has already been unhinged by the attackers and can be moved through freely.  The main gate is not considered a wall hex.

The walls can be moved over at no additional cost by any character with the Climb skill, or be crossed by Heroes using all base movement.  Overlord characters may not move over a wall, but the undead may topple or swarm them, see SSR.

Other House Rules

If players are in agreement, any or all of the other House Rules may apply



SSRs

-  Secret Aims

There are five secret aims, which are as follows :

A : Heroes - The Grimoire is taken by Chimène to building n° 1, where the Hero must succeed a Complex Manipulation requiring 3 successes (+ 2 PV)

Overlord - At least one character is in building n° 1 at the end of the scenario (+5 PV)

B : Heroes - The Grimoire is taken by Chimène to building n° 3, where the Hero must succeed a Complex Manipulation requiring 2 successes (+ 1 PV)

Overlord - At least one character is in building n° 3 at the end of the scenario (+5 PV)

C : Heroes - The Grimoire is taken by Cadmendin to building n° 2, where the Hero must succeed a Complex Manipulation requiring 3 successes (+2 PV)

Overlord - At least one character is in building n° 2 at the end of the scenario (+5 PV)

D : Heroes - The Grimoire is taken by Cadmendin to building n° 4, where the Hero must succeed a Complex Manipulation requiring 2 successes (+1 PV)

Overlord - At least one character is in building n° 4 at the end of the scenario (+5 PV)

E : Heroes - Gann is slain (+4 PV)
Overlord - Gann is alive at the end of the scenario (+2 PV)

The Overlord chooses one of these objectives, and places the card face down next to the Book of Skelos.

The four remaining Objective Cards are mixed in with a Grimoire and 3 Sacred Treasures to form a deck of 8 cards.  It is shuffled and 2 cards are placed in each of buildings 1 to 4.  Along with the Equipment cards, there are now 4 cards per building.

A Hero in one the buildings numbered 1 to 4 may make a Complex Manipulation.  Each two successes allow him to draw one card.  He chooses one of those cards, and shuffles the others back into the pile.

If the chosen card is from the Equipment Deck, the Grimoire, or a Sacred Treasure, he places it face upright, and may equip it as per the standard rules.

If it is an Objective Card, he shows it to the other players but, without consulting them, decides to either permanently discard it (face upright) or try to achieve it (face down).   All players on the Heros' side may consult the face down Objective Cards at any time.

This mechanism not only allows the players to attempt to acquire more victory points, it also helps them narrow down what the Overlord's secret goal is.

When a Hero with a Grimoire succeeds a Complex Manipulation in a building, the appropriate Objective Card must be immediately revealed to gain the victory points.

-  Bring down the walls !

Upon activation, any Overlord character can give up his base move to claw or hack at the wall in his hex.  He rolls a yellow die, and adds that many rubble tokens to the wall.  Once a wall has three rubble tokens, it is destroyed and is no longer a hindrance to movement.  Any figure atop a destroyed wall suffers falling damage.

-  A Book of Ancient Days

The Grimoire cannot be thrown, it can only be transferred between Heroes in the same hex

-  Gimme a bunk up Mummy

As mindless undead, Mummies can also pile up until some of them are able to get over the wall.  As long as the hex contains more Mummies than there are missing rubble counters to destroy it, a Mummy that has been activated can move over the wall (example : there are three Mummies in a hex whose wall is undamaged.  A fourth Mummy is activated in an adjacent hex, and moves into the hex.  There are now four Mummies, so the activated Mummy can cross the wall with its remaining movement).  Hindrance rules still apply to the movement.

-  Pillage

If Overlord characters are activated in or enter one of the buildings numbered 1 to 4, and no Hero or Ally is present, they (may) go through any remaining cards and reveal any Grimoire or Sacred Treasure.  A Grimoire or Sacred Treasure can be moved with an Overlord character freely (one object at most per character), but the object cannot move in this way, in any given Overlord turn, with more than one character.  A Hero can grab such a Grimoire or Sacred Treasure card, but this is a Complex Manipulation requiring 1 success, and as per the standard rules, is subject to Hindrance.

 

-  Pictish Alcohol

A Hero may discard Pictish Alcohol; he or she moves 1 Energy Gem from the Fatigue Zone (or from another emplacement) to the Wound Zone, then 3 Energy Gems from the Fatigue Zone (or another emplacement) to the Available Energy Zone.


-  So who won ?

At the end of the scenario, any unrevealed Grimoire and Sacred Treasures are placed face up in their hex.  Both sides count their points :

Overlord

If he has achieved his secret objective, + xVP

For each two hexsides of wall toppled, + 1VP

The Grimoire is not carried by a Hero and is in a hex with an Overlord character or has been carried off-board + 3VP

For each Sacred Treasure not carried by a Hero and in a hex with an Overlord character or that has been carried off-board + 1VP

Heroes

Per objective retained and accomplished + xVP

Per objective retained and not accomplished - xVP

Each Sacred Treasure carried by a Hero, or in a hex devoid of Overlord characters +2 VP

-  Is it over or not ?

If the Heroes were victorious, when Rudraige, Gawayn and Ygritte arrive at the Aifreweia, before playing Chapter IV of this quest, all Heroes (including those wounded during the present scenario) may make two Recovery Roll as per the campaign rules.  Otherwise, they will be too busy repairing the damage and fighting off Gann.

 

 

-  Pushing back the darkness 

If the Heroes beat the Overlord by +5VP or more, all Heroes eligible for XP gain, obtain an additional +1 XP.