The Quest For The Lichemaster

Quest 8 - The Struggle Below The Mountain - Level 2


The sound of fighting is louder on this level; you wonder if you will encounter any of the combatants or if you can sneak past them.  Somewhere on this level is the World's Edge Hammer, if only you can find it.

Wandering Monster:  2 Orcs


Special Note:

If the Heroes leave this level, and then return, none of the monsters killed by the Heroes should be replaced on the board.  The only exception to this is room 'I', and it is discussed more fully in that room's description.


Notes:


A.  This is the entrance to the level.  The stairs lead to Quest 8, The Struggle Below The Mountain Level 1, Room 'C'.


B.  The Orc in the Upper Right Corner has a short bow, which he can fire at any Hero at least two spaces away from him.  Roll one attack die for the bow.  When attacking a Hero in an adjacent square, he rolls the normal 3 attack dice.


C.  The chest here contains 200 gold coins, plus two premium throwing daggers which can be thrown at an enemy for two attack dice.


D.  The secret door is 9 feet in the air, and while it can be found it cannot be opened under normal means.  The only non-magical mode to open it is for a Hero to stand on another's shoulders or for two Heroes to lift another up.  The Dwarf is too short to be the low person in one of these methods.

When the secret door is opened, tell the players "As you touch the door, you here a distant alarm.  Suddenly a group of Orcs appears in the doorway behind you".  Four Orcs enter the room.  The last one, besides his normal sword, has a Crossbow and will use it to shoot at the Heroes for three attack dice of damage.  If the Heroes are using a non-magical method to get at the secret door they are surprised and cannot attack for one turn.

If the Heroes try to open the secret door for a second time tell them "Behind the secret door you find an alcove containing a small chest."  The chest contains 6 glass vials, all marked 'Potion Of Major Restoration.'  Tell the Hero that gets the vials "The vials feel unusually light."  If opened, the potion has dried up.  The vials are empty.


E.  This is the alcove containing the chest as described in 'D' above.


F.  These pits are cunningly hidden.  When a Hero searches for traps, roll 1 red die for each trap.  On a roll of 1-3 the trap is found.  On a roll of 4-6 it remains hidden.


G.  This trap can be spotted, but cannot be disarmed.  When a Hero searches for traps, tell him "You spot the trigger for an Electrical Trap here [point out the square]."  If a Hero attempts to disarm the trap, roll a red die (to confuse the players) and tell him "This trap is unlike any that you have ever seen before, and your attempt to disarm it fails."  The Hero suffers no damage, but the trap cannot be disarmed.  The Heroes can avoid it by not stepping on the trigger.  The trap is not disarmed if it is triggered - it is triggered every time a Hero steps on the square.


H.  When the first Hero enters this room, read "Before you stands a deep chasm in the floor.  An old rope bridge hangs over it."

When the last Hero crosses the bridge, read "Sadly, the weight of the last member of your party has been too much for the old, frayed bridge, which falls away from your side of the chasm into the depths below."

If the Heroes want to cross the chasm after the bridge collapses, they must wade across the river in the chasm.  This takes 6 movement points.  If a Hero is on the far side of the chasm and does not have 6 movement points left, he cannot cross.


I.  Place the grate tile as shown on the map.  If a Hero opens the grate, read "You see a shallow underground river below.  On a ledge above the river you see the glint of gold coins!"

If a Hero attempts to reach the coins, roll one red die.  On a roll of: 
1-3 read "As you reach for the gold, you feel the paws of a skulking Skaven grabbing your arms.  You quickly withdraw your hands, luckily though you were first able to retrieve the gold."  The Hero gets 10 gold coins.  

4-6 read "As you reach for the gold, you feel the paws of a skulking Skaven grabbing your arms.  You quickly withdraw your hands, but are forced to leave the gold behind.  Before you can close the grating two Skaven pop out of the passage beneath."  Place two Skaven as close as possible to the grating.  After the Skaven are killed, if a Hero tries he can reach down into the passage below the grating and retrieve 10 gold coins.


J.  The Gargoyle in this room is extra strong, and gains an extra defense die and an extra Body Point.

The chest is trapped with an electrical trap.  Any character standing in the marked squares are effected.  The chest contains 300 gold coins, a Magical Throwing Dagger (see artifact cards)


K.  Do not place any monsters in this room until instructed to.  The wandering monster for this room only is a Skeleton.

Read this the first time a Hero enters this room "You gaze into a warm, steamy chamber with a magical fire burning ahead of you.  The room is cluttered with object - barrels, chests, bones, a whole slew of rocks and stones, and in the middle of the room is a pit with a skull and bones - and a dwarven hammer and a helm!"

The pit is 10 feet deep.  A Hero may jump down without injury, but only the Barbarian and the Elf may jump back up.  If the Dwarf or the Wizard enter the pit, they must stay there until helped out by either the Barbarian or the Elf.  To help another Hero out of the pit, either the Barbarian or the Elf must be standing in a square next to the trapped Hero.  Helping another Hero out of the pit counts as that Hero's attack turn.

The World's Edge Hammer, plus the a Dwarven Helm (see artifact card) are in the bottom of thepit and can only be reached from either square that represents the bottom of the pit.  When a character reaches for the Hammer, read "As you take the Hammer to complete your Quest, you are engulfed one last time by a vision.  You see an ancient Dwarven Smith, standing in his shop.  It has taken the old smith three long years to find the right metal, to heat and temper it, to join the metal to the iron-hard wood of its handle, to etch the runes the Dwarven LoreMaster focused his enchantments upon.  At last he sits back and contemplates the beauty of his work.  Although the mithril of the weapon is heavy and redolent of power, the hammer flies as swiftly as a bird, and returns to the hand that threw it firm and true.  The Smith cradles the hammer in his hands for one last time.  Now it is time for a Hero to wield it.  The vision fades, and the cavern trembles with magical energies!  The bones in the Pit are joined by others which thrust through the surface of the ground and assemble into a skeleton, while the magical fire blazes into a roaring column.  Searing flames burst from the firepit, burning you with a wave of heat.  The other bones scattered about the room begin to assemble and attack!".  

The following then happens:

1.  Roll five attack dice for each Hero on the same row as the Pit or between the fire and the Pit.  This is the damage from the sudden flames bursting from the firepit.  Do not roll these dice for the Hero in the pit - he was protected by being in the pit.  

2.  As long as there are not two Heroes in the Pit, place a Skeleton in the Pit with the Hero.  If there are two Heroes in the Pit, as soon as one climbs out or is helped out, place the Skeleton in the Pit.  The Skeleton can climb out if needed.  This Skeleton is stronger than normal, and rolls an extra defense die and has an extra Body Point.

3.  Place the Skeletons that are shown on the map on the board now.  These Skeletons are stronger than normal, and roll an extra defense die and have an extra Body Point.

4.  The second turn after the Skeletons animate, place a Skeleton on each of the squares marked with an 'X' (or as close as possible).  These Skeletons have the normal amount of defense dice and Body Points.  At the start of your (the GameMaster's) turn, check to see if there are any Skeletons left in the room.  As long as at least one Hero is still in the room and at least one Skeleton is still alive, two more Skeletons will appear on these spots.

5.  At the start of your (the GameMaster's) turn, check to see if any Hero is on the same row as the Pit, or between the Pit and the firepit.  A blazing red-hot stone is shot out of the magical fire at every Hero in this area.  Roll one attack die for each rock shot.  If a Hero moves through this area but doesn't end his turn there, the rock does not shoot out.

As long as the Heroes have the World's Edge Hammer, they can leave this area, even if all the Skeletons are not destroyed.  The Skeletons will not follow the Heroes, but will be here if they return.  If the Heroes manage to destroy all the Skeletons, they can open the chests.  The first one is empty, and the second one contains 400 gold coins.  If they get out with the Dwarven Magic Helm, give the card to the appropriate Hero.
