Descent: The Tomb of Ice
Descent: The Tomb of Ice Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Components
- New Heroes
- New Monsters
- New Map Pieces
- Stealth Die
- New Props
- New Treasure Markers
- New Cards
- Expansion Rules
- Treachery
- Feat Cards
- Obstacles And Props
- New Treasure
- New Special Abilities
- Map Pieces
- Descent Core Game Rule Changes and Clarifications
- Additional Rules
- Card Revisions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Quest Guide
- Dungeon Levels: The Road to Legend
- Rumor: The Road to Legend
- Special Abilities Summary
Components
Below are summary descriptions of the various components included in The Tomb of Ice. They should help you identify the components and introduce you to how they are used.
This Rulebook (the second half of which is a Quest Guide)
- 6 Hero Sheets
- 6 Plastic Heroes
- 21 Monsters
- 2 Tan and 1 Red Plastic Ice Wyrms
- 2 Tan and 1 Red Plastic Medusae
- 2 Tan and 1 Red Plastic Wendigos
- 4 Tan and 2 Red Plastic Shades
- 4 Tan and 2 Red Plastic Lava Beetles
- 110 Cards
- 10 Monster Reference Cards
- 12 Overlord Cards
- 17 Fighting Feat Cards
- 17 Subterfuge Feat Cards
- 17 Wizardry Feat Cards
- 2 Town Store Cards
- 4 Copper Treasure Cards
- 4 Silver Treasure Cards
- 4 Gold Treasure Cards
- 1 Relic Card
- 10 The Road to Legend Monster Reference Cards
- 5 The Road to Legend Incident Cards
- 2 The Road to Legend Location Cards
- 4 The Road to Legend Dungeon Cards
- 1 The Road to Legend Rumor Card
- 1 Stomach Tile
- 43 Map Pieces
- 9 Room Pieces
All cards from The Tomb of Ice expansion are marked with a small skull symbol on their fronts, to allow you to separate them from your Descent: Journeys in the Dark cards.
New Heroes
These new heroes can be easily incorporated into The Tomb of Ice. Simply shuffle the new heroes in with the others when choosing heroes at the start of the game.
New Monsters
The new monsters in this expansion appear in the new quests in this rulebook. Additionally, the overlord can spawn them in any of those quests through the use of the spawn cards included with this expansion. The overlord may use all of the monsters from this expansion in addition to all of the monsters from the base game.
New Map Pieces
The new map pieces are used in the new quests in this rulebook, and give players more options for constructing new quests.
Stealth Die
The transparent stealth die is used when attacking a figure (monster or hero) that has the Stealth ability.
New Props
The new props included in this expansion are listed below.
Ice: Any figure entering an ice space has a chance to slip and fall, ending its turn.
Monster Eggs: Monster Eggs are possible monster re-spawn locations, and their function is defined by the quest they appear in.
Frozen Sarcophagus: Frozen Sarcophagi are found in crypts and tombs. This prop's effects vary by quest.
Monster Stomach: Heroes consumed by monsters with the Swallow ability (see page 7) are placed on this tile.
New Treasure Markers
These markers represent the invisibility potions introduced in this expansion (see page 7) and the Ring of Rogues relic featured in the new quests.
New Cards
This expansion includes new cards for the shop and treasure decks. The new Ring of Rogues relic can be acquired in the new quests included with this expansion.
New Overlord Cards
Four of the new Overlord cards are intended to be added to the Overlord deck from the base game (one copy each of "Lava Beetle Scouts," "Shade Spooks," "Lone Medusa," and "Lone Wendigo"). The other Overlord cards have a colored, hexagonal gem between their threat cost and threat value. This gem contains the card's treachery cost. See "Treachery" on this page.
Feat Cards
Feat cards are similar to Skill cards in that they both have the same three deck types: fighting, subterfuge, and wizardry. However, unlike Skill cards, heroes draw and play additional cards from the Feat card decks as the game progresses.
New Monster Reference Cards
The new monster reference cards provide the game rules and statistics for the new monsters featured in this expansion. See New Special Abilities on page 7 for a full description of each new ability listed on these cards.
The Road to Legend Components
This expansion contains Monster, Incident, Location, Dungeon, and Rumor cards that can be used to add elements from The Tomb of Ice to the Advanced Campaign introduced in The Road to Legend. These cards are only used in that campaign.
Additionally, all of the map pieces included in The Tomb of Ice expansion are double-sided. Their front sides show the dungeon terrain used in standard Descent play, while the reverse sides show outdoor terrain used with The Road to Legend expansion.
Expansion Rules
This section contains rules for the new game elements included with this expansion.
Treachery
With this expansion, the overlord player has the ability to customize the Overlord deck from the base game using treachery.
Most of the new Overlord cards have a hexagonal, colored gem between the gems for their threat value and their threat cost – this is their treachery cost. At the start of each quest, before the game begins (step 6B), the overlord receives a certain amount of treachery with which he can customize his base Overlord deck.
The overlord's base deck consists of all his cards that have no treachery gem: This includes all the cards from the Descent core game, as well as one copy each of "Lava Beetle Scouts," "Shade Spooks," "Lone Medusa," and "Lone Wendigo," which are new to this expansion.
When customizing his deck, the overlord player swaps out cards from his base deck for cards that have a treachery cost. Each quest states how much treachery the overlord receives when playing that quest. This information is found above the chest contents chart for that quest. (Treachery for quests from the core game's Quest Guide can be found in the "Treachery for the Original Quests" sidebar.)
Treachery comes in three types: events (green), traps (purple), and monsters (red). Power cards are paid for with event, trap, or monster treachery as well, depending on the color of their treachery gem. In order for the overlord to add a card that has a treachery cost to his deck, he simply spends the listed amount of treachery (making sure to spend the proper type), then adds the card to his Overlord deck, removing any one other card of his choice from the deck. The overlord may swap out as many cards from the Overlord deck as he wishes in this manner, as long as he has enough treachery to pay for them all.
The treachery gem on the new overlord cards may be either green (for events), purple (for traps), or red (for monsters). The number in the hexagon indicates the card's treachery cost.
Example: Steve, the overlord, receives three event treachery, two trap treachery, and two monster treachery at the start of a quest. He finds this information on the quest map, above the chest contents chart. He decides to add "Prowling Wendigo" (one monster treachery), "Host of Haunts" (one monster treachery), and "Spell of Thunder" (two event treachery) to his deck. This leaves him with one event treachery, two trap treachery, and no monster treachery. He then adds the three cards he chose to his Overlord deck and chooses three other cards to remove from it, in this case, choosing an "Aim," a "Gust of Wind," and a "Hordes of the Things" card).
Unspent Treachery
For every two points of treachery (of any type or combination of types) left over after customizing his deck, the overlord draws one extra Overlord card to start the game, up to a maximum of eight cards.
Example: Continuing the example from above, Steve has one unspent event treachery and two unspent trap treachery, for a total of three total points of unspent treachery remaining. He draws one extra Overlord card to start the game (giving him four cards total), and the final point of treachery is wasted.
Resetting the Overlord Deck
At the end of the game, the Overlord deck is restored to its original condition, removing all cards that have treachery costs from it and returning the original cards to it.
Treachery for the Original Quests
The overlord should receive the treachery listed below when playing the nine quests from Descent: Journeys in the Dark.
| Quest | Event (green) | Trap (purple) | Monster (red) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Into the Dark | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| The Brothers Durnog | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Problems of Life and Death | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Spoiled Brat | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Last Wishes | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| The Eternal Guardian | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| The Black Blade |
Feat Cards
In addition to the Skill cards they receive normally, The Tomb of Ice introduces Feat cards that hero players can receive and use. When drawn, Feat cards are always placed into a player's hand without being revealed.
Feat cards can never be traded with or given to other players.
Feat Cards Setup
During setup, after the Skill cards have been dealt to the hero players, separate the three Feat decks (fighting, subterfuge, and wizardry) and shuffle them individually. Then, each hero player draws the quantity and selection of Feat cards indicated by the starting skills section of his hero sheet.
Karnon's hero sheet shows the starting skills 2 fighting, 0 subterfuge, and 0 wizardry, so he would draw 2 fighting Feat cards during setup.
Arvel Worldwalker's hero sheet shows the starting skills 2 fighting, 2 subterfuge, and 0 wizardry, so she would draw 2 fighting, and 2 subterfuge Feat cards during setup.
Playing Feat Cards
Each Feat card lists one or more triggering conditions that determine the timing and situation in which it can be played. Hero players may play Feat cards at any time as long as the triggering conditions have been met. After playing a Feat card, the hero player simply follows the instructions printed on the card, resolves its effects, and discards the card onto a discard pile for that feat type.
Important: Each hero player may only play one Feat card per turn. So, for example, each hero player may play one Feat card on his turn, and one Feat card on the overlord's turn.
Drawing Feat Cards
When a hero player activates a glyph, all hero players may draw one Feat card (unless their hero sheets state differently). Additionally, some quests' treasure chests yield Feat cards as rewards. When a treasure chest lists a Feat card as a reward, all hero players may draw one Feat card (unless their hero sheets state differently).
When several players must draw Feat cards at the same time, they may decide among themselves what order to draw them in. If the hero players cannot agree, the overlord player chooses for them.
Each hero player may only draw from Feat decks of the types they are able to draw from during setup.
Okaluk and Rakash's hero sheet starting skills are 2 fighting, 1 subterfuge, and 0 wizardry. Whenever Okaluk and Rakash draw a Feat card, they may draw a fighting or subterfuge card because they have a starting skill of those types. They may not, however, draw a wizardry Feat card.
When a hero player draws the last card in a Feat deck, the hero player shuffles all the discarded cards of that feat type and creates a new deck.
If a Feat card deck runs out of cards and there are no discarded cards of that feat type, the hero players cannot draw that type of Feat card, and must draw another Feat card type, if able.
Unless otherwise stated on a player's hero sheet, a player's maximum Feat card hand size is four. If a player already has four Feat cards in his hand, he may still draw Feat cards when able, but then must immediately discard back down to four.
Obstacles And Props
The following section describes the new props included in The Tomb of Ice.
Ice
Block Movement? No. Block Line of Sight? No.
Any figure (hero or monster) entering an ice space as part of its movement must roll a power die. If the result of the power die is a surge, that figure's turn ends immediately. All other die results have no effect. The power die roll must be made even when entering an ice space from another ice space.
When a figure enters an ice space occupied by a friendly figure and a surge result is rolled, the moving figure is placed on the last space it occupied before entering the ice space, and its turn ends.
Large figures are affected by ice, but only if they make a move that results in the entire figure occupying ice spaces.
Familiars are not affected by ice.
Figures with the Fly ability are not affected by ice.
Figures that are moved onto an ice space using the Telekinesis skill are not affected by ice.
Heroes and monsters may jump across ice using the same rules for jumping across pits (i.e., by spending three movement points for each ice space crossed.)
Monster Egg
Block Movement? Yes. Block Line of Sight? No.
Monster eggs can be attacked as if they were normal monsters, using the wound and armor values described in the quest.
Frozen Sarcophagus
Block Movement? No. Block Line of Sight? No.
Frozen Sarcophagi have additional effects that vary by quest.
Tree
Block Movement? No. Block Line of Sight? Yes.
It costs two movement points to enter a tree space. A figure in a tree space is considered to have the Shadowcloak ability. Large monsters only need to occupy one tree space to benefit from this ability. Spaces containing more than one tree have the same effects as a space containing only one tree.
New Treasure
The following new type of treasure is introduced in The Tomb of Ice.
Invisibility Potion Markers
Invisibility potions are elixirs with magical concealment powers. When a hero picks up an invisibility potion, he may immediately equip it for free if he doesn't already have three equipped potions. Alternatively, he may place the potion in his pack if it isn't already holding three unequipped items.
A hero may drink one equipped invisibility potion by spending one movement point.
When a hero drinks an invisibility potion, his player places the potion marker on top of his hero's picture on his hero sheet.
While the invisibility potion marker remains on the hero, that hero gains the Stealth ability (see below). At the start of his turn, that hero must roll a power die. If the result is a surge, the invisibility potion wears off, and the invisibility potion marker is removed from the hero sheet. All other die results have no effect.
A hero cannot have more than one type of potion active at a time. A hero who drinks a new potion while an old potion marker remains on his hero sheet must remove the previously placed marker, which is then replaced by the new one.
Heroes may purchase invisibility potions from the town shop for 50 coins.
Note that invulnerability potions, from The Altar of Despair, can also be purchased from the town shop for 50 coins.
New Special Abilities
The following section describes the new special abilities in The Tomb of Ice.
Ghost
Figures with the Ghost ability cannot be attacked by adjacent figures using a melee attack.
A figure with the Reach ability can attack a figure that has the Ghost ability using a melee attack, as long as both figures are not adjacent and the Ghost figure is within range of the Reach figure.
Shadowcloak
A figure with the Shadowcloak ability is only affected by attacks made by adjacent figures. The figure does not suffer any wounds or effects from attacks originating farther than one space away.
Tread Ice
Figures with the Tread Ice ability are immune to the effects of ice.
Swallow
A monster with the Swallow ability that makes a successful attack (i.e., an attack that causes at least one damage before applying the effects of armor) against a hero within three spaces of it can choose to swallow that hero.
If the monster chooses to use its Swallow ability after a successful attack, the hero suffers the attack damage as normal, and that hero's figure is then removed from the dungeon and placed on the stomach tile.
While a hero is placed on the stomach tile, the following conditions affect him:
- At the start of each of that hero's turns, that player rolls a number of black power dice equal to the number of wounds the hero has remaining (i.e., the number of additional wounds it would take to kill him). Blank die results have no effect. Each die result that is not a blank causes the hero to suffer one wound (ignoring armor).
- The hero cannot use any ability or skill that requires advancing, running, battling, or readying (except for placing a hero order).
- The hero can only make one attack per turn, and can only attack the swallowing monster. Any such attack the hero makes ignores the monster's armor, however.
- The hero can only use one hand's worth of weapons. Alternatively, the hero may make an unarmed attack as per page 19 of the Descent core rule book.
- The hero cannot use surges or fatigue.
- A swallowed hero remains in the stomach until either he or the swallowing monster is killed.
If the monster is killed before the swallowed hero dies, the swallowed hero is removed from the stomach tile and placed on any space, of that hero player's choice, that was occupied by the swallowing monster when it died. If a hero on the stomach tile is killed before the swallowing monster dies, the hero's figure is placed on the town tile, and all the normal rules for hero deaths apply.
A monster may only have one hero placed on its stomach tile at a time. Once a hero has been swallowed, a second hero cannot be swallowed until the previously swallowed hero is killed.
Stealth
When a figure with the Stealth ability is attacked, the attacking figure must roll the transparent stealth die in addition to the dice that figure rolls normally.
If the result of any die used in the attack roll is an "X," the attack is a miss.
When a single attack roll would affect multiple figures (for example, an attack using Blast, Breath, or Sweep), and any of those figures have Stealth, a single stealth die is included in the attack roll, but the stealth die's result is used only for the figures that currently have Stealth.
Multiple sources of the Stealth ability do not stack. A maximum of only one stealth die is rolled for any given attack.
Example: Okaluk and Rakash start the game with the Stealth ability. Even if Okaluk and Rakash drink an invisibility potion, any figure attacking Okaluk and Rakash still only rolls one stealth die in the attack roll.
Map Pieces
Map Piece Labels
To help make dungeon setup easier, some map pieces in The Tomb of Ice are labeled with a letter for easy identification. The letter symbols below are used in the Quest Guide maps to show orientation and placement of those map pieces.
Snow on Map Pieces
Some map piece spaces depict snow. Snow does not affect movement or line of sight in the The Tomb of Ice quests.
Descent Core Game Rule Changes and Clarifications
The following rules have been changed or clarified to improve the game.
Overlord Cards
The overlord starts the game by drawing three Overlord cards from his deck. The overlord can discard cards for threat at any time, even during a hero player's turn.
Quest Monster Placements
In the first quest "Into the Dark," one of the razorwings in Area 3 is placed off the map. It should be placed one space to the south.
In some cases the Quest Guide calls for more monsters than are included in the game. For these quests, use other monster figures or tokens to represent the extra monsters as necessary. These instances are detailed on the errata sheet available on FFG's website.
Drinking Potions
Each hero may only drink one potion (of any type) each turn. This prevents players from using certain overly powerful potion combinations.
Cost of Vitality Potions
Vitality potions cost 50 coins, not 25 as listed on page 20 of the core game's Quest Guide.
Selling Treasure from Chests
Heroes can no longer immediately turn in a treasure card from a chest to receive its full value. Instead, they must carry the item back to town and sell it for half value in the town shop.
Buying Treasure Cards from the Shop
Heroes can only buy treasure cards from the shop if they've opened at least one chest of that color. For example, until the heroes open at least one silver chest, they cannot buy Silver treasures from the town shop.
Small Monsters and Staircases
By using one movement point, a small monster may move from one space containing a staircase to any space containing a staircase of the same color.
Knockback and Large Monsters
Large monsters (monsters that occupy more than one space) are difficult to affect with the Knockback ability. For each space beyond the first that the monster occupies, it is moved one less space by Knockback. For example, an ogre occupies four spaces, so it moves three fewer spaces when affected by Knockback. A dragon, on the other hand, occupies six spaces, so it would move five fewer spaces.
Pits and Line of Sight
Figures in a pit can see into the spaces adjacent to the pit.
Breath Template Clarification
The flame from a Breath attack billows around obstacles. It usually affects all figures under the breath template, but can be blocked by walls and closed doors. Essentially, if a small flying figure could trace a legal movement path from the square where the Breath attack starts to the target – while staying within the breath template – then the target is affected. Breath attacks cannot be made through staircases.
The diagram in the printed rulebook shows how a section of the dungeon looks just before a Hell Hound makes a Breath attack. In the other three diagrams, the spaces that are shaded yellow show which spaces are affected by the Breath attack, and the red squares show the spaces that the Breath attack is unable to reach. The diagrams are not reproduced here.
In the first example, the Breath attack is almost entirely blocked by the dungeon walls. Even though the breath template reaches the heroes, a flying figure on the "start" space of the breath template would not be able to stay within the confines of the breath template and trace a legal movement path to either of the heroes.
In the second example, the Breath attack billows around the curve in the hallway and through the rubble obstacle, reaching both heroes under the breath template. Notice that a flying figure standing on the "start" (left-most) space of the breath template can trace a movement path to both heroes.
In the third example, a closed door has been added. The door blocks the Breath attack, so only one of the heroes is affected by the attack.
Rune-locked Doors and Named Monsters
Named monsters may open rune-locked doors, whether or not the heroes have the runekey to that door. However, named monsters still cannot open any door leading into an unrevealed area.
Landrec the Wise
Landrec the Wise's special ability should state that he "receives 2 free surges on every attack roll."
Skye
Skye has the Fly ability, but can also end its movement in the same space as another figure.
Additional Rules
The following rules are introduced in The Tomb of Ice.
Stomach Tile
The stomach tile is an off-board location that is its own single space, and it is not adjacent to any other spaces. Because of this, any attack, ability, or card that would normally affect adjacent spaces (for example, Aura, Blast, and Sweep abilities, or the Feat card "Protect Thyself") has no effect on the stomach tile or any character on it.
Shiver and Aura 4
Because Shiver has the Aura 4 ability only during the overlord's turn, and not on the heroes' turn, it should be noted that if the Telekinesis skill is used to move monsters adjacent to Shiver, Shiver's Aura 4 ability deals no damage to those monsters.
Aura
The Aura ability can stack. For example, if the Feat card "Sparks of Pain" (Aura 4) is played on Shiver, Shiver gains Aura 8 during the overlord's turn.
Card Revisions
Replacements for the following cards are included in The Well of Darkness expansion.
Beastman
Beastmen have +1 Damage instead of Pierce 1, and Master Beastmen have +2 Damage instead of Pierce 2.
Skeleton
Skeletons have Pierce 1, and Master Skeletons have Pierce 2.
Bow
The Bow (shop item) has Pierce 1.
Bow of Bone
The Bow of Bone (Silver treasure) should not have "two surges: Burn."
Golden Armor
The complete abilities of Golden Armor (Silver treasure) are:
- +3 Armor
- Your base speed is reduced to 3.
- You cannot equip Runes.
- You are immune to Grapple and Daze.
Dragon Scale Mail
The complete abilities of Dragon Scale Mail (Gold treasure) are:
- +4 Armor
- Your base speed is reduced to 3.
- You cannot equip Runes.
- You are immune to Bleed, Burn, and Poison.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following sections answer frequently asked questions about Descent: Journeys in the Dark. This is version 1.3 of the Descent FAQ.
The Hero Players' Turns
Q: Can a hero give any type of item to an adjacent hero, or just weapons and potions?
A: A hero may give any item (but not money) to an adjacent hero at the cost of one movement point per item.
Q: When can a hero equip items?
A: A hero can equip, drop, or place items in his pack at the beginning of his turn, just after refreshing cards. In addition, whenever a hero receives an item from another player or from a chest, he may immediately equip that item, dropping or placing other items in his pack to free up the hands necessary for the just-received item.
Q: Does a hero have 360 degree line of sight?
A: Yes, as the rules state on page 4, "The direction a figure is facing has no effect in the game. Heroes and monsters are assumed to be constantly looking around and can therefore see in all directions."
Q: Can stunned heroes perform movement actions (such as drinking a potion)?
A: Yes, if the stunned hero chooses a move half action. A stunned hero can also spend fatigue for movement points.
Q: Can a hero that chooses the "Run" action use his movement points for purposes other than moving (such as drinking a potion)?
A: Yes. Whenever a hero receives movement points, he can use them for any movement action, including moving, drinking a potion, opening a door, etc.
Q: In town, are you limited in how many items you can buy or sell and do you have to buy and sell in any specific order?
A: You can buy and sell in any order and as often as you like.
Q: Can a hero rest in town?
A: Yes.
Q: If a chest has 2 Copper treasure tokens, does each hero draw 2 Copper treasure cards?
A: Yes.
Q: When a chest contains curses, can the overlord use the threat generated by the curses to play a trap on that chest? Does the trap go off before or after the rest of the chest contents are distributed?
A: Curses are always the first thing distributed from a chest, and threat from curses may be used to play a trap card in response to opening the chest. The rest of the chest contents are only distributed after the trap card (if any) resolves. In the case of a Mimic or similar card, this could be several turns later!
Q: Can familiars jump over pits? Can they use transport glyphs?
A: No on both counts.
Q: What is the proper timing of events that occur "at the beginning of a player's turn"?
A: When multiple events may occur "at the beginning of a player's turn," such as a hero affected by multiple different status effects like Burn and Bleed, that player may decide in which order to resolve them. The player must resolve all "start of turn" effects before proceeding with the rest of his turn.
Q: A hero who has been Transformed by either Curse of the Monkey God or Dance of the Monkey God may move up to five spaces and may not take any movement actions. Can that hero take other actions, such as receiving an order token or declaring a Run action? What about a hero who is both Stunned and Transformed?
A: A Transformed hero may not declare any action. He may still use any skills that are appropriate (e.g., Acrobatic, Telekinesis) and may spend fatigue for extra movement points. A Transformed hero who is stunned may only move (i.e., he must choose the "only move" option for being stunned, not the "only attack" option), which in most cases has no effects beyond those of being Transformed. A Transformed hero who has an order token placed on him by means of another hero with Leadership may still use the order, except that he may not make an attack with a Guard order. (Note that while Guard and Aim orders are useless to a Transformed hero, they may still be placed on him by a hero with Leadership.)
Q: How does Grey Ker's ability work? Can I declare a Battle action to activate my Battle Cry power, and then declare an Advance action to activate my Relentless power?
A: Grey Ker may still only declare one action per turn. His ability allows him to change what action he is taking mid-turn (provided that the new action is legal), but changing his action is not the same as declaring a new one. For example, Grey Ker could declare a Battle action (potentially triggering Battle Cry or a similar skill), spend some fatigue to move, make an attack roll, and then change to an Advance action to move his speed or to a Ready action to place an order token.
The Overlord Player's Turn
Q: When the overlord is controlling a hero through "Dark Charm," who decides how to spend the surges and power dice? Can the overlord move the character and attack, or just make a single attack without moving?
A: The overlord controls the hero for that attack, including the hero's use of surges and power dice. The overlord may also play cards such as "Aim" with the attack. However, the overlord player cannot move the character, or force the hero to spend fatigue to add to the attack.
Q: Is the effect of the overlord's "Dodge" card that the hero's attack completely misses, or that the overlord can force the hero to re-roll dice rolled for the attack, as with the hero dodge orders?
A: The "Dodge" card allows the overlord to force re-rolls.
Q: Can a monster end its movement on or be spawned on a glyph of transport?
A: Monsters can end their movement on or be spawned on unactivated glyphs, but cannot end their movement on or be spawned on activated glyphs. If a monster is on an activated glyph, the overlord must move it off the glyph on his next turn, if possible. Monsters can always move through or attack into spaces containing glyphs.
Q: Under what circumstances can the overlord receive threat for rolling surges on an attack roll?
A: The overlord may spend two surges on each attack roll to gain one threat. He may do this on any attack that hits a hero. This represents a change from previous FAQ rulings on this subject.
Q: Can the overlord play more than one "Rage" card on a single monster?
A: No.
Q: When does the overlord play Power cards? The Well of Darkness rules summary on page 28 and the core rulebook seem to disagree.
A: The rules summary in the Well of Darkness rulebook is in error; refer to the main rule book instead. The overlord may play a Power card at the beginning of his turn. Remember that when a player has multiple effects that occur at the beginning of his turn (such as spawning and playing a Power card, for example), he may resolve them in any order. Thus, an overlord may draw cards, discard down to his maximum hand size, and then play a Power card, spawn card, and/or any other cards that are played "at the beginning of turn" in any order. He must resolve all these effects before proceeding with activating monsters.
Special Abilities
Q: Can an attacker using Knockback move the target in any direction, or just straight back? Also, can the target be knocked back into a pit?
A: The attacker with Knockback can move the target in any direction, including into a pit or other trap.
Q: Do special abilities stack?
A: Special abilities that require you to spend surges are designed to stack. So if you have an ability such as "one surge: +1 Damage and Pierce 1," and you pay 3 surges, you gain +3 Damage and Pierce 3. Some items may explicitly limit your surge spending/stacking, but those are the exception to the rule.
Q: Does Sweep affect friendly figures? When a figure has both Sweep and Reach, does it strike every creature in range or only those to which it has Line of Sight?
A: Sweep affects only enemy figures, never friendly figures (unless Dark Charm is played, of course!). For the purposes of a Sweep attack, figures do not block line of sight – that is, a figure which is completely behind another figure (friendly or enemy) may still be affected by the Sweep attack. A figure that is completely obscured by rubble, a closed door, or some other effect that blocks line of sight would be immune to the Sweep attack, however.
Q: When making an attack with the Guard order, can a hero use abilities such as Cleave that grant extra attacks? What about other special abilities?
A: When making a Guard attack, a hero retains access to all appropriate special abilities unless otherwise indicated. This includes abilities such as Cleave, Quick Casting, and Rapid Fire that may grant an extra attack.
Miscellaneous
Q: How much fatigue would it cost a hero with Telekinesis to move a hero out of a pit?
A: One fatigue.
Q: Can a player with Telekinesis use it to move a hero that is caught in a web?
A: Yes. However, the web token would stay with the moved hero.
Q: Can a hero kill another hero in order to trigger "Divine Retribution"?
A: No. Divine Retribution only triggers when an enemy figure kills the hero.
Q: If a flying monster passes through a hero that has Holy Aura, does the monster suffer a wound for the space it "shares" with the hero?
A: No.
Q: When a chest explodes because of the "Explosive Rune" card, does the hero standing on the chest suffer wounds, or just the heroes adjacent to the chest?
A: The hero standing on the chest suffers wounds.
Q: Why can't I jump over water like I can pits?
A: As every hero knows, the dank water found in subterranean caverns is usually infested with deadly bloodsquids, ready to pull an unwary hero to his doom at a moment's notice. As a result, only the most acrobatic heroes dare to leap across even the most innocent-seeming pools of water.
Q: What happens when a figure in a pit space moves to an adjacent pit space?
A: Pit spaces that are adjacent are considered to be part of the same pit. Moving from one pit space to another does not require any extra movement points and does not inflict damage in the same way that entering or leaving a pit does. Furthermore, if multiple figures are in the same large pit, all may trace line of sight to each other as if they were on normal floor spaces. All normal line of sight restrictions still apply, of course.
Q: Can Relics be destroyed by effects that destroy items, such as the Frost ability?
A: Relics may not be destroyed ever for any reason. This is NOT true of Dark Relics, which have all the same vulnerabilities as normal items.
Q: If a master monster is killed via some indirect means, such as being knocked back into a pit, a hero's aura ability, a lingering effect, or a familiar, who gets the bounty of coins?
A: No one. A "killing blow" must be the product of an attack roll.
Q: What happens when a rolling boulder or crushing wall moves across potions/chests/glyphs/runekeys/other tokens?
A: Any token not specifically mentioned, either individually or as a class, in the rolling boulder or crushing wall rules is completely ignored by the boulder or wall. This includes familiars, potions, coins, chests, runekeys, and many others.
Quest Guide
The Quest Guide begins on page 14 of the printed rulebook. Each quest lists the overlord's treachery, the chest contents, and the text read aloud as the areas are revealed. The quest maps are printed in the rulebook and are not reproduced here; the map letters used in the text (A, B, C, and so on) refer to the printed maps.
Map Legend
The treachery that the overlord receives for each scenario is indicated in three colored gems above the chest contents information. For example, the gems indicate that the overlord has 2 treachery to spend on cards with purple treachery gems, 3 treachery to spend on cards with green treachery gems, and 4 treachery to spend on cards with red treachery gems. Remember that the overlord must swap out a card from his base deck for each card he purchases with treachery.
Some map pieces are labeled with a letter for easy identification. The letter symbols are used in the Quest Guide maps to show identification and orientation of those map pieces.
Door symbols with triangular endcaps mark the divisions between dungeon areas, but are otherwise identical to standard door symbols (i.e., those with rectangular endcaps).
Note: Red-bordered monsters are Master Monsters.
Quest 1: Cauldron of Tears
Treachery: 2 (trap), 3 (event), 4 (monster)
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Copper 1 | 1 Curse, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 100 Coins, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 3 | 2 Curses, 1 Copper Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 200 Coins, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 3 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Silver Treasure |
Introduction
In this quest, the heroes must defeat the Old Crone and return with the Cauldron of Tears.
While journeying through the North, you come across a town that at first seems deserted. As you investigate, however, you find that the inhabitants have been turned to stone! Everywhere in the village are statues of townsfolk frozen forever in the midst of a normal day. Luckily, the fire still bum at the local Temple of Kellos, and the priest there, Father Mikael, explains that he was able to resist the spell that struck down his flock ... but only partly. He pulls back his robe to reveal that his left leg is stone from foot to knee.
"Bring me the Cauldron of Tears," says the priest. "Once filled, its magic waters will cure all the people here."
Quest Goals
The priest explains that the curse wrought on his town is the work of a coven of medusae, led by a particularly wicked monster known only as the Old Crone. The Old Crone surely keeps the Cauldron of Tears on her person, unleashing its magic in her evil rituals. If you can find and slay the Old Crone, you will recover the Cauldron, and the townsfolk will be restored!
You start with 5 conquest tokens. If you ever run out of conquest tokens, you will join the villagers as statues for all time. Good luck!
Area Descriptions
These descriptions should be read as the appropriate areas are revealed by the heroes.
Area 1: The crumbled shards of stone statues that must have once been people are scattered about the ground in this area. As you advance, you realize that the stone beastman statues in the corners have come to life!
Area 2: You hear the groaning of a chill wind echoing through this corridor, but as you move to protect your torches you realize that no breeze disturbs the musty air here. The sound comes from the shades looming in the darkness, wailing for all eternity!
Area 3: The walls of this room are lined with shelves. each crammed full of lifelike statues of animals, with more than a few busts of failed adventurers ...
Area 4: Although chilly and macabre, this room has a strange beauty to it. Statues and stone fragments of all sorts have been arranged into pleasing shapes and patterns. The small garden is lit by torches that burn with an awful blue-white flame.
Area 5: When the door to this room opens, you hear a riotous cackle echo through your soul. "Yet another set of pretty statues for my garden," says the Old Crone, laughing ... Do you think you are the first group of pretties my pet priest has sent me?" The Crone and her coven-mates gesture with their many arms, and all around the room statues return to flesh and blood to do their bidding.
The Master Medusa in this area is the Old Crone. She has the same statistics as an ordinary Master Medusa, except that her armor is 5 and she has 5 extra wounds per hero.
If the heroes defeat the Old Crone:
With a shriek, the Crone collapses. Her cauldron goes rolling across the floor. "Oh, my pretty Mikael." she murmurs. "When I cursed you for spurning my love. I never thought it would come to this."
You collect the Cauldron of Tears and return to Father Mikael. When you tell him the news, he weeps. and his tears slowly fill the Cauldron. "Anoint the petrified villagers with those tears," he says. "l shall keep my foot. .. and my memories."
The heroes gain 4 conquest tokens for saving the village. They have finished their quest.
Quest 2: Cousin Durnog
Treachery: 2 (trap), 3 (event), 4 (monster)
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Copper 1 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 2 | 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 3 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Silver 1 | 1 Curse, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Silver Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 3 | 2 Curses, 3 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
Introduction
In this quest the heroes must kill Kanthar, either by defeating him in combat, or by destroying both of the ice pillars that contain the heroes' hearts.
As mighty heroes and adventurers, you've saved countless villages, rescued princesses, and had more treasure run through your fingers than you thought you could ever spend. You've also killed any number of monsters in your quests. So, you can't honestly remember if you've actually killed any giants of the Durnog clan or not, but this giant Kanthar claims you did and is looking for vengeance. In fact he woke you up in the middle of the night with his enormous bellows and informed you that he'd taken your hearts and frozen them in ice! In one week you'll die, and no temple or priest can save you!
Quest Goals
You've tracked Kanthar to his lair in the frozen north, but as you prepare to enter, Kanthar bursts from hiding in ambush! Although you attack bravely, Kanthar is apparently so tough that he barely seems to notice. "Fools," he bellows. "Your mere pinpricks do not frighten me! By taking your hearts, I have made your lives my own!" In desperation, you flee into the frozen caverns Kanthar calls home. You must find your hidden hearts and break Kanthar's power, but the Giant is hot on your heels! If you can Defeat Kanthar then you will be safe.
You start with 5 conquest tokens. If you ever run out of conquest tokens, then Kanthar will have triumphed over you. Goodluck!
Kanthar the Giant
Kanthar has the same statistics as an ordinary Master Giant, except that he has Tread Ice, 10 armor, and 40 wounds. Over the course of the quest. the heroes may find and destroy the frozen pillars that contain their hearts. Each time they do so, Kanthar takes 20 damage, ignoring armor.
Ath the end of the overlord's second turn:
"Look out below!" bellows Kanthar, and then the boisterous giant leaps to the bottom of the shaft!!
Place Kanthar on the four X spaces in the Start Area. If there are any monster or hero figures on the four X spaces, move the figures to the closest available empty space(s) of your choice.
If the heroes defeat Kanthar :
"'No!" the giant bellows ... First Narthak, then ... I have failed you, cousins!" With a mighty thud, he drops to his knees, then falls forward, stone dead.
The heroes gain 4 conquest tokens for defeating Kanthar. They have finished their quest.
Area Descriptions
hese descriptions should be read as the appropriate areas are revealed by the heroes.
Start Area: You've just hurled yourself down a frozen mineshaft in desperation. Kanthar's minions move to attack, while above you the giant bellows, "Puny 'heroes'!, You can't escape me!" You'd better start running - it sounds like Kanthar's about to jump.
Area 1: Ice coats the walls and floor here in a twisting tunnel scarcely large enough for the giant who calls this place home. You hear him behind you: "Ooooh, midgets! Don't go that way, that's not the way out!"
Area 2: A collection of monsters - possibly Kanthar"s lieutenants - are clustered around a low table with a map stretched out across it here. but what really catches your eye is the pillar of ice in one comer. Frozen in the core of that pillar you see some of your missing hearts! If you can just break the ice you can recover them. and possibly wound Kanthar in the process!
The encounter marker in this area is the ice pillar containing half of the party's missing hearts. They can attack it as if it were a monster with 4 armor and 4 wounds.
If the heroes destroy the ice pillar:
The hearts in the pillar float free, beating enthusia5tic.ally, and a sudden pulse of red light floods the air. smashing the door off its hinges and blinding you briefly. You hear Kanthar howl in pain behind you. "No! I'll kill you for that!
Kanthar immediately suffers 20 wounds, ignoring armor. Remove the red rune door from the board.
Area 3: The footing here is treacherous, with ice and pits at every turn. Behind you, Kanthar bellows a command. "Beastmaster! Unleash the hounds!" The howl of multiple wendigos chills you to your bones.
Area 4: In the corner of this room is a frozen pillar. and fluttering like caged butterflies at its core are some of your hearts! A collection of monsters snarl and move roars to protect the ice prison. "Keep them from the pillar!" roars Kanthar "Don't let them smash it!"
The encounter marker in this area is the ice pillar containing half of the party's missing hearts. They can attack it as if it were a monster with 4 armor and 4 wounds.
If the heroes destroy the ice pillar:
The ice of the prison cracks, and you see the cracks spread throughout the room until the door shatters. The hearts in the pillar fly free and disappear in a pulse of red light! .. Urrgh!" shrieks Kanthar. "That hurt!"
Kanthar immediately suffers 20 wounds, ignoring armor. Remove the blue rune door from the board.
Quest 3: The Hive
Treachery: 2 (trap), 3 (event), 3 (monster)
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Copper 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 3 | 1 Curse, 100 Coins, 1 Feat |
| Silver 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Silver Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 3 | 3 Curses, 1 Conquest Token, 2 Silver Treasures |
| Gold 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure |
| Gold 2 | 3 Curses, 3 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure |
Introduction
In this quest, the heroes must eliminate the insect infestation that has grown large enough to menace the nearby village.
In the farmland near the village you use as your home base between quests, swarms of insects have been harassing the country folk. The panicked stories of the survivors of these attacks keep repeating the same things: giant beetles shooting flames from their abdomens, poisonous spiders large enough to drag off and kill a full grown man, and a giant hive from which the swarms of these creatures have been launching their attacks.
Quest Goals
Taking it upon yourselves to rid the village of the insectoid menace, you realize that, like most hives, somewhere in this next should be the Queen and that if you kill the Queen, you kill the hive! You start with 6 conquest tokens. If you ever run out of conquest tokens, the nest of bugs will have overwhelmed you and cocooned you for later consumption by their larva. Good luck!
Rubble as Walls: In this quest, all rubble markers are actually walls, and spaces containing rubble markers are completely impassable.
Area Descriptions
These descriptions should be read as appropriate areas are revealed by the heroes.
Start Area: After some time spent searching, you find what seems to be the entrance into the nest. There is a constant coming and going of worker beetles at fairly regular intervals, which is occasionally punctuated by the arrival or departure of one of the bigger, nastier-looking soldier bugs. You stay hidden, waiting until evening arrives. By then, the activity at the nest's front door has died down considerably, and the entire hive itself seems to be asleep. You enter through the opening and discover that the entranceway almost immediately forks in two different directions.
Area 1: Upon opening the door, you see two dead adventures, one slumped in the corner and another prone, curled in a fetal position in the middle of the floor. You hear the high-pitched, squeaking chatter and squawking of many, many voices coming from around the corner. Almost immediately, the two dead adventurers stand upright, drawing beads on you with their weapons.
Area 2: Rushing towards you as you open the door, a fast-approaching shade moans its pitiful, tormented wail. The apparition's sudden movement and caterwauling has drawn the attention of the rest of the room's occupants as well.
Area 3: The room is crawling with creepy insects. When you open the door, they stop their scurrying about, and all their antennae turn towards you..
Area 4: More bugs, except these are of the larger and harrier variety. You catch the faint shimmering of something shiny, metallic, and possibly even magical further back in the room. Unfortunately immediately in front of that glimmering shine is what appears to be a four-legged, furry beast. The beasts razor-sharp teeth look like daggers neatly arranged in rows. As it looks at you, it seems to have decided where its next meal will come from...
Area 5: Two of the larger soldier-sized spiders have positioned themselves in the center of the room, as if they were guarding something valuable. But before you can decide what you should do about the poisonous arachnids, a pair of screaming apparitions come hurtling towards you, arms outstretched and reaching for you as if they were trying to grab your souls and yank them out of your bodies.
Area 6: The door opens into a great cavern, and the entire area is teaming with hordes of insects. The sound of mandibles clacking together escalates into a thunder-like rumble as you enter into the chamber. In the far corner of this vast underground space, surrounded by many clutches of eggs, is the biggest, hairiest insect you've seen in the entire nest. The bug is so enormously bloated and fat that you doubt it can even move without the assistance of its hundreds of worker bug minions. The swarm begins to close in on you, their abdomens raised into firing position.
The Master Bane Spider is actually the Insect Queen. The Queen has that same statistics as an ordinary Master Bane Spider, except she has 7 extra wounds per hero, Speed 0, Armor 4, +3 Range, and the Burn ability, but she does not have the Poison ability.
The monster egg markers are Lava Beetle eggs. Lava Beetle eggs have 2 Wounds and 2 Armor. Any time a Lava Beetle or Master Lava Beetle is killed in Area 6, the overlord may attempt to respawn the Beetle just killed by rolling a power die. If the result is a surge, the roll is unsuccessful, and that Beetle is removed from the game as normal. If the result is not a surge, the overlord removes one of the Lava Beetle eggs from the board and replaces it with a new Beetle of the same type as the killed Beetle.
If the heroes kill the Queen:
The Insect Queen gives one final screech of pain and then crumples into a heap. The other insects and creatures in the room detect the smell of the queen's death in their antennae, and back away from your party in fear, skittering away towards the hive exits, crawling over each other in their attempts to leave. The Queen is dead!
The heroes gain 4 conquest points for killing the Queen and defeating the hive. They have finished their quest.
Quest 4: The Castle of Dragons
Treachery: 2 (trap), 4 (event), 3 (monster). The printed card label reads "Traîtrise" (French for treachery); it is rendered here as "Treachery".
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Copper 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 3 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 100 Coins, 1 Feat |
| Silver 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Silver Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 3 | 2 Curses, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Gold 1 | 3 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Gold 2 | 3 Curses, 3 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure |
Introduction
In this quest the heroes must eliminate all three of the of the named Ice Wyrms and their clutch of eggs.
No one used to think about that ruined keep. Located in the wintery, northern part of the realm, and conquered by a rampaging army centuries ago, the pillaged castle had lain abandoned for hundreds of years.
No one used to think about that old keep, that is, until the dragons moved in. After the three great lizards arrived, the crumbling stone stronghold slowly started collecting many kinds of creatures, all of which were drawn by the presence of the dragon lords. These newly-devoted underlings willingly served the great ice wyrms.
In an alarmingly short period of time, the dragons built themselves up quite the fortress. Worse yet, rumors of a clutch of dragon eggs nearly ready to hatch could turn this quickly-growing, but at the moment, still minor problem into a major nightmare for the entire kingdom.
Quest Goals
Being the intrepid heroes that you are, you volunteer to save the land from the ice wynn menace.
You equip yourselves and journey towards the keep in the frozen north. It's time to go dragon hunting. You must eliminate all three named dragons and destroy all the dragon eggs. You start with 6 conquest tokens. If you ever run out of conquest tokens, the dragons or their multitude of minions will have defeated you, which allows the next generation of dragons to hatch and eventually dominate and rule the entire realm. Good luck.
Area Descriptions
These descriptions should be read as the appropriate areas are revealed by the heroes.
Start Area: The pathway into the ruined castle passes underneath the gatehouse. The big iron gates that once were the protectors of the stone fortress have been Smashed in and lie in a crumpled ruin.
Area 1: This is the northwest tower. The first thing you notice upon opening the door is the rather large ogre immediately on the other side of it. The ogre and his beastman underling swing their weapons wildly, howling a warcry and charging forward.
Area 2: This is the northeast tower. The open door immediately reveals an ogre and one of his smaller beastman minions. The ogre must have heard your commotion in the hall, because he is already armed and waiting.
Area 3: This area is a long hallway, running the entire length of the castle. Leading the charge toward you is what appear to be ragged, floating cloaks. The hoods of the tattered cloaks are pulled up and over where heads should be'. However, not having a face doesn't stop their grasping hands from reaching towards you. Very briefly, you also catch a fleeting glimpse of a large mouthful of fangs, but it quickly disappears ... and now you aren't sure where it went.
Area 4: As you look down the hallway, you see dozens of crawling creeping bugs - spiny-looking, hard-shelled insects that are much bigger than they have a right to be. The bugs abruptly stop their random skittering when they smell you, and then they start scurrying in your direction, one big insect mass, moving in an eerily coordinated way.
Area 5: This is the southwest tower. The door opens onto a coven of ugly, old crones, seemingly in the middle of casting some vile spell. The room starts to spin around you. Not knowing what havoc this spell could wreak, you quickly decide that in order to stop them from completing their incantation, you must kill all the crones and fast!
The heroes must kill all 3 medusae before the overlord starts his third turn after Area 5 is revealed.
If all Medusae in Area 5 are killed:
The last medusa's body crumbles to the ground. The room steadies itself, and you feel like your feet are on solid ground again.
If any Medusa is still alive in Area 5 at start of the overlord's first turn after Area 5 was revealed:
The medusae's partially cast sell causes the room to shake and distort. You begin having a serious feeling of wooziness and a premonition that something bad is about to happen...
If any Medusa is still alive in Area 5 at start of the overlord's second turn after Area 5 was revealed:
The room is practically spinning and your nervousness about what the medusae's spell is doing as you nearly paralyzed.
If any Medusa is still alive in Area 5 at start of the overlord's third turn after Area 5 was revealed:
With a sudden whoosh of air, you are transported through time and space to some other place...
The overlord moves all the heroes (even if they are in town) into Area 8, placing the heroes onto any space that is not already occupied by a monster or monster egg.
If Area 6 has not been revealed, then the overlord also places the Ice Wyrm Sardrac into Area 8 in any space that is not already occupied by a monster or a hero.
Area 6: This is the southeast tower. Taking up nearly half of the space in the room, but fortunately fast asleep, is an adolescent dragon. You have found one of the ice wyrms that you need to vanquish, and you've caught it napping... This should be an easy kill! But, alas, as you try to quietly approach the dragon, one of its eyes eases open and surveys its surroundings.
The Ice Wyrm here, Sardrac, has the same statistics as an ordinary Ice Wyrm, except that he has two extra wounds per hero and is a named monster.
Area 7: A look through the open door reveals a group of skeletons patrolling the hallway, all with knocked bows drawn. A sharp-fanged wendigo lurks in the doorway crouched and ready to pounce.
Area 8: You have opened the door to the main chamber in the castle. In the days before the keep's defeat, this room was the great banquet hall, where all of the feasts and other highly- attended activities took place. In the west side of the room is a large clutch of dragon eggs, most of them swollen in size and nearly ready to hatch. Guarding this precious horde of eggs are tow ice wyrms, one adult male and his even larger, fiercer mate. They look ready to protect their unhatched young at all costs.
The Ice Wyrm in this area is Kosric. He has the same statistics as an ordinary Ice Wynn, except that he has 2 extra wounds per hero and is a named monster.
The Master Ice Wyrm in this area is his mate. Malandra. She has the same statistics as an ordinary Master Ice Wynn, except that she has 6 extra wounds per hero.
The monster egg markers in this area are dragon eggs. Dragon eggs each have 4 wounds and 4 armor. When a dragon egg is destroyed, each Ice Wynn in Area 8 takes 2 damage, ignoring armor.
If the heroes destroy a dragon egg while any Ice Wyrm is still alive:
As you smash the egg to bits, the ice wyrms writhe in pain, and bloodcurdling shrieks of dragon rage echo off the great hall's walls.
If the heroes kill either of the two Ice Wyrms in Area 8, but Area 6 has not yet been revealed:
You hear the roar of a dragon coming from down the hall, and you realize that you are about to be joined by yet another ice wyrm!
Immediately place the Ice Wyrm Sardrac into Area 8 onto any space that is not already occupied by a monster or a hero.
If the heroes kill all three Ice Wyrms from Area 6 and Area 8:
The last ice wyrm crashes to the ground with a shriek. Looking through the open rune door, you see that all the remaining monsters who were serving the dragons have thrown down their weapons and are fleeing the castle in haste.
The heroes gain 4 conquest points for killing all three dragons. They have finished their quest.
Quest 5: The Manticore's Maze
Treachery: 2 (trap), 3 (event), 4 (monster)
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Copper 1 | 1 Curse, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 2 | 1 Curse, 100 Coins, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 3 | 2 Curses, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 1 | 2 Curses, 3 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 2 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 200 Coins, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 3 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Gold 1 | 2 Curses, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Gold Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Gold 2 | 3 Curses, 3 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure |
Introduction
In this quest the heroes must kill the evil manticore Clubtail.
The printed introduction box is in French. It is translated here: You have heard of an old, cunning manticore named Clubtail. Dishonest, greedy, and very dangerous, Clubtail has issued a challenge from its underground lair: any hero who dares to enter its labyrinth will be rewarded with the fabulous Gem of Mutation!
Quest Goals
You've descended into Clubtail's twisting maze of passages in search of the fabled Gem of Change, which is said to have the power to turn water into wine and lead into gold! Unfortunately, you've just gotten started and already locked doors greet you at every turn. If you can find the keys, claim the gem, and escape to town, then victory will be yours!
You start with 6 conquest tokens. If you ever run out of conquest tokens, then the Manticore's Maze will have claimed another victim and you lose the game. Good luck!
Area Descriptions
These descriptions should be read as the appropriate areas are revealed by the heroes.
Start Area: Two rune-locked doors stand to your east and north, decorated with a snarling lion's mouth at the peak of each door's high arch. As one, the lion heads begin to speak. "Come to steal my gem, have you? Fools! All you'll find here is death!" The lions roar, and the roar is echoed by a pack of beastmen leaping to attack.
Area 1: The passageway twists to the left and vanishes from sight here. You find the gnawed remains of a freshly-killed adventurer - someone less lucky than you - on the mossy flagstones. You have just enough time to wonder what killed him when the corpse staggers to his feet to attack!
Area 2: When the door opens, a burst of bitter cold wind nearly extinguishes your torches. The smell of winter hangs in the air and frost begins to coat your weapons and armor.
Area 3: This room may once have been an alchemist's laboratory, and vials and beakers full of a foul green ichor crowd the few shelves still intact. Webs obscure the rest of the walls and bulbous shapes move among them.
Area 4: The booming laugh of an ogre thrums through the air as soon as you open this door. "More hero scum!" The ogre stomps its feet. "Kill 'em!"
Area 5: This room may once have been a temple or crypt, but it has crumbled into disrepair. A mounded insect nest forms the southern wall, and a fallen pillar obscures the altar to the north.
Area 6: Finally, you press the blue runekey against the door and pass into the last chamber of the maze. The anticipation of your prize makes your steps faster, but Clubtail's satisfied laughter makes you pause.
"You fools! There was never any gem! I spread that tale to lure greedy heroes to their doom. Now your treasure will be mine!"
The Master Manticore here, Clubtail, has the same statistics as an ordinary Master Manticore, except that he has 5 extra wounds per hero and has the Knockback ability instead of Poison.
The printed name here reads "Cluhtail"; it is transcribed as "Clubtail", the name used everywhere else in the quest.
If the heroes defeat Clubtail:
The manticore opens its mouth to speak, but all that comes out is a strangled roar that ends in a death rattle. Suddenly, the earth begins to shake - the manticore's maze is collapsing! You sprint for the nearest glyph of transport. You may not have recovered a priceless magic gem, but at least you've ended this monster's reign of terror over the nearby villages.
The heroes gain 4 conquest tokens for defeating Clubtail. They have completed their quest.
Quest 6: The Tomb of Ice
Treachery: 2 (trap), 3 (event), 4 (monster)
| Chest | Contents |
|---|---|
| Copper 1 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 2 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure |
| Copper 3 | 2 Curses, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Copper Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 1 | 1 Curse, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Silver 2 | 2 Curses, 1 Conquest Token, 1 Silver Treasure, 1 Feat |
| Silver 3 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Silver Treasure |
| Gold 1 | 2 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure |
| Gold 2 | 3 Curses, 2 Conquest Tokens, 1 Gold Treasure, 1 Feat |
Introduction
In this quest, the heroes must enter the Cathedral of Nordros and put to rest both of the ice priestesses.
The unquiet dead stalk the night, growing bolder with each new moon. Where they walk, frost follows. Spring is now two months past due and winter marches south on undead feet. A great conclave of wizards, priests, and learned folk in Greyhaven has pinpointed the source of the disturbance: a long-abandoned cathedral dedicated to Nordros, the Frozen God. Twin sisters, both priestesses of Nordros, lie interred in the crypt beneath the temple, but their spirits do not rest easy. The library of Greyhaven produces a musty, old map of the temple and a call goes out for heroes to save the world from winter.
Quest Goals
Equipping yourselves with the warmest clothes you can find, you travel north into the heart of winter until you stand before the Cathedral of Nordros. Shimmering blue ice coats the tall, vaulted cathedral. A high keening wail cuts through the air as you approach, and you realize that the entire crystalline structure is singing a mournful dirge.
Somewhere beneath this temple lies the Tomb of Ice and the unquiet spirits of the priestesses. You must put them to rest and bring an end to this unnatural winter. If you can find and reactivate some of the ancient glyphs of transport in the temple, then perhaps the priests of Kellos can prevent this tragedy from ever striking again.
You start with 6 conquest tokens. Should you ever run out of conquest tokens, then your frozen bodies will lie forever on the altar of Nordros as the world succumbs to endless winter.
Area Descriptions
These descriptions should he read as the appropriate areas are revealed by the heroes.
Area 1: The temple antechamber is lined with three-pronged candelabra. Although the candles within are encased in ice, they burn with a steady blue flame!
Area 2: A monstrous spider blocks your view of the web-choked corridor beyond!
Area 3: What you first take to be an enormous chandelier proves to be a mass of ice crystals clinging to the underside of the staircase in the corner. The stairs head upwards, and slightly warmer air seems to be wafting down from the upper level.
Zone 4: The wailing song is louder here, and you find yourself shivering with something other than cold. The southern door is covered in a solid foot of ice, except for the keyhole.
Area 5: A wave of horror grips you as a new cry of pain and loss strikes your ears. The song is louder and more awful here, and the air more chill. From the shadows of this dusty crypt you see monsters rising to attack you, but in the corner is a staircase leading down. You must be getting close.
Area 6: As you carefully climb the slippery stairs here, you find that the ice gradually turns to water. With every step, the air grows warmer, until you find yourself standing at the top in what might have once been the choir chamber. A beastman crouches here, warming its hands above a slumbering lava beetle. When the monster sees you, it howls, "Intruders!"
Area 7: Cold light streams through the iced-over arches that once served as this room's windows, but chamber remains choked with cloying shadows. Suddenly, a piece of darkness turns, and you realize it is an enormous black demon - only its glowing eyes and the fire of its words visible in the darkness. "You're probably wondering what servant of Fire has to do with endless winter, aren't you? Well, it matters not to me whether the world ends in fire or in ice, so long as it ends. For you however, the world will end rather sooner than for others..."
The Master Demon Styg has the same statistics as an ordinary Master Demon, except it has an extra 2 wounds per hero.
The Master Shades here are the Priestesses. They have the same statistics as ordinary Master Shades, except that they each have 7 extra wounds per hero and they each roll an extra power die when attacking.
The frozen sarcophagus here has the same statistics as an ordinary frozen sarcophagus, except that the space is occupied by it are considered to be ice bases for the purposes of movement.
If the hero with the blue runekey moves onto the encounter marker:
Thinking quickly, you shove back the ice cold sarcophagus lid and place the smoldering heart within. Almost immediately, the wailing songs take a different, more confused tone, and the cold begins to ebb.
Heroes no longer lose fatigue or health at the end of their turns. Place the blue runekey by the compass rose.
If the hero's defeats Styg:
The room immediately seems brighter as the demon gasps and screams, falling to the floor. "No!" it croaks, "Do you have any idea how hard I work to make this happen? I won't let you..." With a final flicker of shadow. the demon is gone, leaving a smoldering stone heart on the floor. Waves of heat ripple off of the heart.
The hero who dealt the killing blow to Styg gains the blue runekey. The blue runekey represents Styg's stone heart and is treated like a relic (It takes up space in the pack and may be dropped or given away). Only the hero carrying the blue runekey may open the blue=locked door. If Styg is slain by a lingering effect or some other in direct means, give the key to the last hero to deal damage to Styg.
When the heroes kill the last Priestess:
With a final crescendo of sound, the priestess's spirit dissipates and silence reigns. Although the chamber remains cloaked in ice, you already feel warmer. As you emerge from the temple into the sunlight, you see beads of water dripping from ice-shrouded tree limb, and somewhere you hear a bird singing. Spring is finally on its way...
The heroes gain four conquest tokens for ending the endless winter. They have finished their quest.
Area 8: The song is a its shrillest here, in the vaulted, crypt beneath the church. Ice seems to flow like water as the song rises and falls, and a cold deeper than anything you've ever felt begins to sap your strength. The cold seems to originate from the frost-rimmed. Sarcophagus in the center of the room. Finally, you see the spirits of the priestesses drifting through the air, singing endlessly in a deranged and disturbing chorus... As you move to put them to rest, skeletal soldiers burst through the stone and ice of the catacomb floor and move to protect their priestesses!
The supernatural cold of this room is lethal. At the end of each hero's turn, the hero must lose either one fatigue or one health as long as the hero is in Area 8. If the hero has no fatigue remaining, he must suffer one wound, instead. The hero carrying the blue runekey is immune to this effect.
The Master Skeletons here are the Guardians. They have the same statistics as an ordinary Master Skeleton, except if any monster figure within 3 squares of a Guardian is attacked, the overlord may choose to have that Guardian suffer the damage from that attack instead.
Dungeon Levels: The Road to Legend
The following four dungeon levels are for use with The Road to Legend expansion's Advanced Campaign rules. You must have a copy of The Road to Legend to use them.
41. Snake Pit
You take a few cautious steps forward into this quiet chamber when suddenly the hissing of serpents fills you ears! Vipers come slithering from every crack and crevice.
Minions
- A: 3 Bane Spiders, 2 Nagas
- B: 3 Skeletons, 2 Sorcerers
- C: 3 Skeletons, 2 Ferrox
- D: 3 Bane Spiders, 2 Dark Priests
42. Secret Garden
You're not sure how or why, but ahead you see sunlight and hear birdsong! As you gape up at the impossibly sheer walls of this hidden valley, a new, more terrible song swells...
Minions
- A: 2 Shades, 3 Lava Beetles
- B: 1 Master Shade, 4 Shades
- C: 3 Shades, 3 Kobolds
- D: 3 Shades, 1 Master Dark Priest
43. Cavern of the Wyrm
Bones crunch underfoot, raising puffs of white powder. The entire cavern is covered with the devastated remains of centuries worth of meals for some massive creature ...
Minions
- A: 1 Master Wendigo, 2 Wendigos
- B: 1 Wendigo, 3 Razorwings
- C: 1 Master Ferrox, 2 Wendigos
- D: 1 Master Deep Elf, 2 Wendigos
44. The Ice Tunnels
Your breath hangs in the air before you as you advance, and soon you realize that the cavern walls here are not stone, but hard-packed ice from some hidden glacier.
Minions
- A: 1 Manticore, 2 Wendigos
- B: 1 Master Medusa, 2 Wendigos
- C: 1 Golem, 2 Wendigos
- D: 1 Troll, 2 Wendigos
Rumor: The Road to Legend
The following rumor is for use with The Road to Legend expansion's Advanced Campaign rules. You must have a copy of The Road to Legend to use it.
Rumor 13: Hunting the Wyrm
Introduction: The following hints and rumors of Crag's whereabouts, you have tracked the beast to this place. An icy wind lows out of the dark tunnel ahead of you, and strange spirits dance upon the air currents.
Area 1: The ice encrusted passage is eerily silent. Ahead, it curves to the left and vanishes out of sight, but blocking your path is a savage wendigo!
Area 2: An enormous frozen lake dominates this chamber, with the corpses of previous adventurers trapped forever beneath its icy surface. A deep, steady hissing sound comes from one corner behind a pile of rubble/ After a moment, the ice creaks beneath your feet and the hissing stops. Crag has obviously sensed you.
The Lake in this room is frozen over and is treated as ice spaces.
Crag is a Master Ice Wyrm with 12 extra wounds, 1 extra armor, and Ironskin. All spaces adjacent to Crag are frozen by his terrible icy presence and treated as ice spaces.
If Crag dies, the red rune-locked door opens and the heroes immediately receive their reward for this rumor.
Special Abilities Summary
Symbols printed in the rulebook as dice faces are written out here as "surge", "surges", "blank" or "X" as the text describes them. The small icons marking which expansion introduced each ability are omitted.
Aura: Enemy figures that move into a space adjacent to a figure with Aura suffer 1 wound that cannot be reduced by armor.
Bash: A figure with Bash may roll up to 5 power dice with its attack. If any of the power dice roll a blank, the attack misses. Otherwise, the attack gains "two surges: +5 Damage and Pierce 2."
Berserk: If a monster with Berserk is wounded (i.e., currently has one or more wound tokens on it), it rolls all 5 power dice when attacking.
Black Curse: All enemy figures within 3 spaces of a figure with Black Curse receive –1 Range and –1 Damage to all attacks they make. Any enemy figure that deals the killing blow to a figure with Black Curse receives 1 curse token. A hero's conquest value is increased by 1 for each curse token on him.
Blast: Blast attacks affect every space within X spaces of the target (only spaces with line of sight to the target are affected).*
Bleed: Bleed attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† on the target cause a bleed token to be placed on the target. Victim must roll a white die for each bleed token on next turn: Victim suffers wounds equal to total result,** then discards all bleed tokens.
Bolt: Bolt attacks use the Bolt template to determine which spaces they affect.*
Breath: Breath attacks use the Breath template to determine which spaces they affect.*
Burn: Burn attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† on the target cause a burn token to be placed on the target. Victim must roll a power die for each burn token next turn: Discard a burn token for each surge, then victim suffers a wound for each remaining burn token.**
Command: A figure with Command adds 1 to the range and damage of all attacks made by friendly figures within 3 spaces.
Dark Prayer: A monster with Dark Prayer generates 1 threat for the overlord for every surge it rolls when attacking, instead of every 2 surges. In addition, the figure gains +1 Range and +1 Damage for each surge.
Daze: Daze attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† on the target cause a daze token to be placed on the target. Victim must roll a power die for each daze token next turn: Discard a daze token for each surge, then victim rolls 1 fewer die for each daze token that remains when making attacks.
Fear: When an attack affects a space containing a figure with Fear, the attacker must spend X power surges or else the attack misses.
Fly: Figures with Fly may move through obstacles and enemy figures, and may end their movement on obstacles without taking damage.
Frost: Frost attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† on the target cause a frost token to be placed on the target. Victim must roll a power die for each frost token next turn: Discard a frost token for each surge. Heroes with any frost tokens remaining must role 1 power die when attacking or using a shield: On a blank, the weapon/shield shatters. Frosted armor checks for shattering if it is dealt 5 wounds.
Grapple: Enemies adjacent to a figure with Grapple cannot spend movement points until the figure is dead.
Ghost: Figures with Ghost cannot be attacked by adjacent figures using a melee attack.
Ironskin: A figure with Ironskin is immune to Aura, Bleed, Burn, Pierce, Poison, and Sorcery. In addition, all damage dealt to the figure by Blast, Bolt, or Breath attacks is reduced to 0.
Knockback: Knockback attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† allow the attacker to move the target up to 3 spaces in any direction.
Leap: Figures with Leap can move up to twice their movement in a straight line (horizontal or vertical, not diagonal), then they may make one attack roll against all figures in the spaces moved through, ignoring rolled range.* See page 9 of Descent: The Altar of Despair for details.
Leech: For every wound token lost due to a Leech attack, the target also loses 1 fatigue and the attacker is healed of 1 wound.
Morph: The overlord chooses which attack dice a monster with Morph uses (the attack must include at least one red, white, or blue die).
Necromancy: When a hero with Necromancy deals the killing blow to a small, normal, unnamed monster, he may choose to animate that monster. The monster stays on the board and is returned to full health, under the control of the hero. A hero may only animate one monster at a time. The monster activates after the player's hero, and afterwards must roll a power die: The monster is killed on any result except a power enhancement.
Pierce: Pierce attacks ignore X points of armor.
Poison: Wound tokens lost due to a Poison attack are replaced by poison tokens. When receiving healing, the victim removes poison tokens rather than gaining wound tokens, until all poison tokens are removed.
Quick Shot: A monster with Quick Shot may attack twice each time it is activated.
Reach: Allows a figure to make melee attacks targeting figures 2 spaces away.
Shadowcloak: A figure with Shadowcloak is not affected by attacks made by non-adjacent figures.
Sorcery: After making an attack roll, a figure with Sorcery may add X to either its range or its damage, and may split the bonus between the two.
Stealth: When attacking a figure with Stealth, the attacker must roll the stealth die in addition to the dice the attacker rolls normally. If the result of any die used in the attack roll is an "X," the attack is a miss.
Stun: Stun attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† on the target cause a stun token to be placed on the target. Normal monsters that begin a turn with a stun token may do nothing else, while heroes may take one half action and master monsters may move or attack once. Figures discard 1 stun token each turn. Named monsters cannot be stunned.
Swarm: A figure with Swarm may roll 1 extra power die for every other friendly figure adjacent to its target.
Swallow: A monster with Swallow that makes a successful attack (i.e., an attack that causes damage†) against a hero within 3 spaces of it can choose to swallow that hero. The swallowed hero suffers the attack damage as normal, and is then removed from the dungeon and placed on the stomach tile. See page 7 for details of the conditions affecting the hero placed on the stomach tile.
Sweep: Sweep attacks affect all enemy figures within melee range.*
Tread Ice: Figures with Tread Ice are immune to the effects of ice.
Trickster: The Overlord's cost to play Trap cards is reduced by 1 threat for each monster with this ability in play.
Undying: A figure with Undying rolls 1 power die when killed. On a surge, the figure is instantly restored to full health.
Unstoppable: A figure with Unstoppable is immune to Daze, Grapple, Knockback, Stun, and Web.
Web: Web attacks that inflict at least 1 damage† on the target cause a web token to be placed on the target. Victim must roll a power die for each web token next turn: Discard a web token for each surge, and victim may not spend movement points if any web tokens remain.
In all cases, X is equal to the rank of the special ability.
* If more than one figure dodges the attack, only 1 re-roll may be made (first dodging player to the attacking player's left decides who re-rolls).
** Damage dealt ignores armor.
† Determine whether damage is inflicted before applying the effects of armor.