The Quest For The Lichemaster

Quest 5 - The Skaven Of The Wizard's Halls Level 1


The situation back in Felspraag is grim indeed.  The Lichemaster has begun to flex his strength, and Marshal Maximillian Steiner has returned this very morning with a battalion of men from a skirmish with Skeletons and other dark Undead in the foothills less than a dozen miles away.  Many men died, and the Marshal himself has a grievous leg wound, leaving him limping and grim-jawed with pain.  Johann the Wizard is red-eyed with sleeplessness after his constant spellcasting and vigilance.   Yet he still finds some time to help you with your quest.

When you show him the parchment that you found, he pores over it, shaking his head with annoyance, and then final he jabs a finger into the paper.  "Of course," he says, "that symbol.  It is the personal sigil of Martin Heydrich, an Ostlander Wizard.  I should have realized ... this riddle is strange indeed.  I can think of only one place which his message could refer to - a dungeon built by a fellow Wizard, his cousin Albrecht, not far from Middenheim.  Albrecht was a recluse, and died unmourned within his own chambers there.  Why an Elven Bow should have been hidden there, I really cannot say.  Yet it is the one lead we have.  One thing I do know is that the place is feared and avoided, for it is overrun by Skaven, and more than one clan of the foul and pestilential Ratmen have taken up residence there.  The Skaven there are renegades, driven out from their own clans for various crimes against the rulers of the Ratmen.  They have fled to this dungeon and banded together under the leadership of a Skaven Sorcerer.  They're a ragtag bunch, but they're motivated by the simple desire to defend themselves and stay alive.  And because they're not very numerous compared to the large Skaven clans, they have developed some dangerous tactics for dealing with intruders.  These are especially due to the Sorcerer, who has managed to use warpstone to create some unusual magics which these Skaven use to considerable effect in battles."

Johan gives you directions to the dungeon, and you make your preparations before starting on the journey.  After several weeks of traveling, you find the entrance and enter it...


Wandering Monster:  Skaven


Special Notes:

1.  Some Skaven in this dungeon carry a special warpstone-based charm prepared by the Skaven Sorcerer  which allows them to become Berserk Monsters.  These Skaven will become berserk as soon as they reach hand-to-hand combat.  The Skaven that can accomplish this are stated in the room descriptions to be wearing Berserker Amulets.  The amulets cannot be used by the Heroes or by any Henchmen.  If they put one, they immediately suffer 1 Body Point of damage from the effects of this Chaos-tainted material.

2.  Some of the Skaven in this quest have slings with which they can fire stones at enemies.  Slings may be fired at any character at least two squares from the Skaven, but no more than eight.  A Skaven may fire two stones from a sling every turn.  It may fire them at two different enemies or at the same one.  Roll one attack die for each stone.  These slings are not usable by Heroes or Henchmen; they are too small to be used effectively by them.  If the Skaven's enemy advances to a square next to the player, it puts up its sling and uses its regular weapon.

3.  If the Heroes leave this level, and then return, all monsters should be placed back on the board when the Heroes enter the appropriate room (even monsters they have already killed).


Notes:


A.  This is the entrance to the quest.


B.  The Skaven Champion in this room has a sling.


C.  The chest contains 100 gold coins.


D.  All three Skavens in this room are wearing Beserker Amulets.


E.  Both of these Skavens are wearing Beserker Amulets.


F.  This Skaven Champion has a sling.


G.  This is the exit from this level.  It leads to Quest 6, The Skaven Of Wizard's Hall Level 2, Room A.
