3
Back to the Earth
No man - not even Bran Mak Morn - can bridle the Worms of the Earth for long. Soon after a narrow victory, the pale creatures slipped back into their subterranean lair and no appeals nor offerings would draw them out. Bran’s Pictish brethren – having watched their leader command these fiends to terrible purpose – began doubting their leader’s mental faculties. Some of them even turned coat, becoming servants of Rome. But these fools could not know what other horrors lurked in the bowels of the earth.
On the borders of Caledonia an ancient ruin looms. A small force of Roman soldiers seized the site as a base of operations from where they could plan attacks against Pictish villages. Unbeknownst to them, just below the soil, a sleeping god stirs. Perhaps it was the Worms of the Earth that roused the creature, or Roman sorcery run amok. In either case, Bran Mak Morn sees an opportunity to take vengeance on his traitorous brethren, strike a blow to Rome, and save his lands from a creature beyond the ken of human experience.
Objective
If the Heroes kill Thaug before the end of turn 10, the Heroes win. If the Heroes don’t kill Thaug before the end of turn 10, the scenario ends in defeat.
Setup
The game starts with the Heroes’ turn.
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After setup, each Hero moves 4 gems from their Reserve zone to their Fatigue zone. |
Asset Deck
Chests require a complex Manipulation with a difficulty of 1 to open. The Asset deck contains: Halberd, Stygian Scepter, Scale Mail, Pictish Fetish.
Events
Event 1
Reinforce up to 3 Bossonian Guards and up to 3 Bossonian Archers in the reinforcement area
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Event 2
Move the Strongest Hero to the closest area with a Tentacle.
Special Rules
Game Board Rules:Game Board Rules: Standard game board rules apply, except Rock Slide areas are treated like regular areas; they do not cost extra movement points to enter. Overlord units will not leap from walls.
Game Board Rules:Tentacles: In this scenario, the Tentacles effectively serve as tokens which denote areas from where Thaug can seize Heroes. They don’t have attributes and cannot be killed or removed from the board.
Game Board Rules:Bran’s Servants: Though they still bear the name, these creatures no longer serve Bran Mak Morn. In fact, whenever they activate, they always attempt to target Bran. If they cannot reach him for an attack, follow the rules for determining an Alternate Target Hero.
Game Board Rules:Heads for a Hungry God: Thaug is only vulnerable once its belly is full. Thus, the Heroes must feed it severed heads from the foes they kill. Whenever a Pict Hunter or a Bran’s Servant is killed, lay their miniature down in their area. A Hero in an area with a laid-down miniature may harvest their head by performing a complex Manipulation with a difficulty of 1. If successful, remove the laid-down miniature from the board and place a red gem next to the Hero’s sheet to denote they are now carrying a head. The head has an Encumbrance value of 1 and may be dropped, passed, or thrown like an object. To feed the head to Thaug, a Hero needs to throw or drop the head in Thaug’s area. A Hero may only carry one head at a time.
Game Board Rules:Thaug: Whenever Thaug’s tile is activated, first move any Heroes currently in an area with a Tentacle to Thaug’s area. If a Hero is carrying a head at this time, that head is sacrificed to Thaug, contributing to the Heroes’ tally. Thaug then attacks, following standard rules for determining a Target Hero. Thaug is only vulnerable to damage after it has been fed 5 heads.
Game Board Rules:Pictish Fetish: When a Hero carrying the Pictish Fetish attacks Thaug, Thaug’s Armor value is reduced to 4 and may not use its Horror skill against this attack.
Options
Non-Campaign Mode
Cache: Dagger x2, Kris, Throwing Knives, Pirate Saber, Leather Armor, Zingaran Breastplate, Battle Axe, Chain Mail, Crossbow.
Spells: Telekinesis, Set’s Halo, Bel’s Caress, Withering, Bori’s Rage, Mitra’s Halo, Gift of Life, Teleportation, Lightning Storm.
Four Player Mode
- After setup, each Hero moves 5 gems from their Reserve zone to their Fatigue zone.
- Thaug has 15 life points.
- Grom starts the game in the same area as the rest of the Heroes. Add Conan’s Sword to the Cache.
- Reminder: The Overlord activates four times per turn.
Hard Mode
The Heroes must kill Thaug before the end of turn 8.
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10
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Hero Victory: With a final shriek, the creature sinks back into the earth, leaving a putrid black pool of ichor in its wake. Off in the shadows, glowing eyes dim, then fade entirely. The Worms have returned to their subterranean lair and now Bran Mak Morn may again turn his efforts toward crushing the encroaching Roman forces. But will Bran’s people still accept his leadership? And will the King of the Heather ever truly shake the vile influence of these hellish fiends?
Hero Defeat: Failing to send the colossal demon back to the earth, Bran and his companions flee to the endless fields of heather. Surely the beast now dines on heaps of dead Romans, but the notion affords Bran scant mirth. He knows the Worms will find him in the days to come. He also knows his allies are losing faith in his leadership. Only the gods know what comes next, but for the defeated king the bloated, granite clouds hanging above the western horizon spell doom.