drmauric

@Primeval I equipped Yogah with the Battle Axe because I needed him to be the heavy hitter. I equipped Ikhmet with the 2 Assassin Daggers from the Stygia box. Don't feel limited by what I did. Feel free to give whatever equipment you want.

@Matt John S From Phoenix On the Sword "And having read, a word will be whispered in Stygia, and a wind will creep up from the south by midnight. And where will you hide your head, Thoth-amon?" Maybe Thoth Amon turns this threat against him around on Conan... "where will you hide your head, Conan?"

I called it Hadrathus' Spellbook. (mind blown, right?) I'm open to anything more creative.

FYI In the Scenario Editor when choosing Hero equipment there is no Spellbook. There is a grimoire. I am assuming things didn't quite get translated all the way.

@Primeval @Matt John S @Neil Amswych @Ken Here is how I am wording the Spellbook Rules in my scenario Spellbook: Place 3 Red gems on the Spell Book card. Hadrathus may use these gems to cast spells by moving red gems to a spell card. Gems used in this way must not raise the total number of gems on the spell card above its exersion limit. He may combine these gems with his blue gems. During the Start Phase and End Phase of each Hero's Turn move the red gems back to the Spellbook card. Red gems are never counted when calculating Hadrathus' life points. In mine only Hadrathus can use it. The wording is similar to Pelias' Ring in The Zamboula Stangler scenario. and similar to Zaporavo's Cape in The Price of Success scenario. Both are official Monolith scenarios.

@Matt John S Other than the Spellbook, no carry overs. I like how yours is sounding.

@Neil Amswych @Primeval This pdf that, I posted a while back, has been helpful in determining what is in the Retail Box, which the author of the pdf refers to as Core. He even lists out the spells. Keep in mind, the focus is on the Retail Box. (refer back to posts fron Jan 11 and 12) Any thing from the King pledge will need to be printed or proxied by a player and we've move away from that idea. Also keep in mind you can choose whatever weapons and spells you would like, don't feel obligated to use your predecessor's. We don't want anyone bound or limited by the previous scenario. It's not hard to imagine a Sorcerer having the exact spell he needs, when he needs it. Or a warrior grabbing a more suitable weapon for the task at hand. Oh, and in case you missed it, go back a few posts and read up on the Spell Book carry over item for Hadrathus, you'll need that for playtesting. (or not if you choose, but at least be aware of it. ;) ) Conan from Monolith content.pdf

@Ken If you are cool with the Scepter I'll take the Spell Book. So plan on this item being carried over. @all Sound good?

@Matt John S I like the simplicity and the one time level up. And what you have in mind for the Heroes. For the OL maybe bump up armor slightly? or I think someone else mentioned adding a yellow die to something.

@Ken @Matt John S It's not too far out to consider the Outer Dark Demon a final/evolved version of the Dark Demon. Remember I am using the Evil Hound to represent a not yet full power Dark Demon in the first scenario.

@Ken I did see that you were using the Spell Book, and I knew this question would come up. Looking at the Retail Components the other option is the Sorcerer's Scepter. I could switch to that, no problem. (My main thought was the cool mental visual of Hadrathus using a Spell Book as his primary weapon. I'm not giving him a weapon in my scenario.) As far as Hadrathus actually getting the item, there is enough incentive in the scenario for him to get it. I think if the idea doesn't work in a particular scenario it can be written out. For example in yours maybe instead of making the other Heroes wreaker, don't allow the Spell Book item. Thoth Amon is a way more powerful sorcerer so Hadrathus functions at his regular gem level. Hadrathus' advantage pales compared to Thoth Amons's power. Meaning the spell book gives him no benefit. (simply exclude it from his starting equipment) and you can still use it for the Lightning Spell. Make sense? It would have to be included in every other scenario's starting equipment if we decided to go this route.

@Matt John S @Neil Amswych @Primeval @Ken How would you other main scenario writers feel if I included a Spell Book item for Hadrathus similar to The Leadership Cape in Monolith's scenario The Price of Success? It would have 3 red gems that refresh every turn but Hadrathus can use them to cast spells. If a Sorcerer is our main Hero maybe he needs a little beefing up? I think Monolith did this with Pelias and the Ring in another scenario but I can recall the name right now.

@Ken Glad to see those Eternal Guards!

@Matt John S You asked about Bonus Gems and Victory Points. Maybe the securing of an item results in the Bonus gems for the next scenario rather than keeping the item. (this would be a reversal of what I said in my previous post, but it would simplify the item carry over issue. Not sure I like this.) Would need an equivalent Overlird opportunity. Maybe Victory points equate to Bonus Gems in the next scenario. 2 for Winner. 1 For Loser. Use them or lose them in the next scenario. Maybe the cumulative total of the Victory points determines which final scenario is played. Just some thoughts.

I can confirm that Shuang Mian will not die. He is too cowardly to be at the Tower in person, so when he is attacked he will vanish in a puff of smoke, much to the disappointment of Thoth Amon... (when Shuang is removed the Evil Hound, which cannot be otherwise harmed, is also removed)

@Matt John S Thanks. I have read Tower of the Elephant. Obviously, I'm due for a re-read. You mentioned getting to Norheim via dream or lotus. This is not a bad idea and may be an easy solution to the required travel. In The Phoenix on the Sword, for example, Conan's dream resulted in a real world benefit. And for our time period and desperate circumstances maybe Conan is due another visit/ help from Epemetreus the Sage. And perhaps the Yellow Priests can assist... (in the narritive, not the actual game.)

About items and progression. I think we really do need items to carry over. This is one of the things people want in a campaign. It's what I want. Our goal is to write a campaign that people want, not one that is easier for us. I understand that it maybe tricky carrying items over but it's not impossible. We just have to be careful I think each author should have the freedom to give the Heroes whatever starting weapons and spells they want. So the main weapons and spells should not carry over. But for example, I would like to put a Crossbow in the basement of the Tower. It's out of the way. But if the Heroes are daring enough to go for it I would like it to be a reward that carries over. I am a firm believer that no single weapon or item will wreck a balanced scenario. Using my Crossbow example, yes it's a Red Dice weapon, but no Hero has a Red Ranged Combat Dice. So a Hero has to decide, do I trade my Ambidextrous or Red Close Combat for a Ranged shot with weaker dice this turn? And it weighs 3 (I think) so it's not like Heroes can pile it on like Call of Duty. They will have to make decisions regarding gear or they will lose skills and movement points. We want these decisions in our campaign, it's what makes it more immersive for the players. They begin to be more careful, especially if they can lose an item. How often in the regular game do we toss all of our itemes so we can get off the board with the prize with no consequences? The potential consequences will change the way the Heroes play and enhance the campaign feel. Or another example, Life Potions, carrying over a Life Potion isn't much diffrent than including one in the scenario. Yes, it will be less likely the Heroes go for the new one in the locked chest, but then they don't have one for the next scenario. We just have to be careful and respectful to the next guy in line. We obviously don't want to complicate things for the next guy. But the next guy in line also needs to maintain flexibilty and creativity. If a crossbow or other carried over weapon or item will truly wreck your idea, be open to making an optional rule, for example, if the Hero has a ranged weapon, certain Overlord units gain Untouchable or Protected or starts in a different area of the board. Obviously once we see each others ideas more fleshed out we'll be able to adjust things and add in optional special rules or set up options if needed. I write this not to impose my ideas or opinion but to encourage us to maintain felxibility and creativity, especially here at the very beginning. Let's write the campaign we've always wanted in Conan! It might not be easy, but Crom suffers not the weak!

This all looks great. I need time to process it all. I'll respond in more detail tomorrow. @Matt John S can you point me in the direction of where I can read more about the Yellow Priests?

@Neil Amswych There is only one Belit in the Retail Box.... oh, wait... you mean treasure chests... there are 10 of those... geeze... I suddenly feel like I'm back in the JR High locker room. LOL!

@Ken Good news! Looks like they got the Stygia with Ship map up in the Scenario Editor.

@Grizzlyface I think your idea is great for a optional scenario. With some simple modifications of how the Overlord works in Sacrificial Heroes I think you will be fine. For example in Sacrficial Heroes they call out when the blue guards are activated, all guards with colored bases are activated as well. You could use the same idea, for example when the guards are activated on the Inn map the (what ever nightmare creatures) on the fortress map are also activated. Or when the Captain tile is activated so is his equivalent on the other map. Easy enough, I think. Looking forward to it.

@Grizzlyface Have you played Monolith's scenario "Sacrificial Heroes?" They use 2 maps in that one. Might be helpful to check it out.

OPENING SCENARIO PITCH Hadrathus awakens from a magical trance in which Thoth Amon's plot has been revealed to him. It is powerful, global and destructive. Hadrathus must get the word out to Conan of Aquilonia. Ikhmet, renegade Stygian Assassin, arrived at Shuang Mian's Tower where Hadrathus has been studying, mere hours ago, warning of dark powers rising in the South. Too late! Breaking glass and the stomp of soldiers boots reveal Shaung Mian has betrayed Hadrathus to Thoth Amon. Assassins and soldiers pour into the Tower, led by an unstoppable servant of the dark. Shentu, the last guard loyal to Hadrathus, prepares to fight. Hadrathus calls upon Asura for aid. Asura sends a powerful guardian in the form of Yogah of Yag. Ikhmet, Shentu and Yogah must see that Hadrathus gets safely out of the tower and on his way to Aquilonia with the warning, nothing else matters. Using: Khitai Tower map Hadrathus Yogah Shentu Ikhmet Stygia Assassins Khitai Tower Guards Khitai Honor Guards Shaung Mian Evil Hound- Dark Demon not yet full power. Warlock Documents Spell Book special item I will purposly keep the exact details of Toth Amon's plot vague. That is for the rest of you to flesh out. I'm just getting the ball rolling. Of course, I'm holding on to all these ideas lightly and I thank everyone for their previous input. I borrowed some of your ideas. Like for example the Evil Hound (Dark Demon) cannot be harmed and the Heroes must flee from it. I thought that idea was worth stealing. We will see in playtesting. Looking forward to discussions. :)

This all looks really good to me. 5 or 6 main scenarios is a good number. And 2 or 3 sidequests feels right also.

@Grizzlyface I am considering using Yogah in the opening scenario as a summoned guardian to help the other 3 Heroes escape the Tower. I realize this may short circut a few other ideas, but that's why I am considering the "summoned guardian" approach, so others can write him in or out of thier scenarios as they see fit. But with the narrower Hero pool (which I like) unfortunately we are going to be stepping on each other toes. I had pitched this idea pretty early on, before we were told to save our ideas for Sunday, but maybe it's best I get this out there again since I'm doing the opening sceanrio. Of course I am open to suggestions once things begin to develop and I am holding onto this idea lightly until I see what is on everyone else's mind come Sunday. Feel free to message me @Grizzlyface if this wasn't helpful. I still want to hold off with too much conversation until everyone gets a fair chance to pitch their ideas. :)