Journeys in the Dark

Quest #5, "Last Wishes"

18 February 2008, DunDraCon

Player - Character

Lisa M. - Bogran the Shadow
Tom G. - Battlemage Jaes
Chris K. - Mad Carthos
Owen H. - Red Scorpion
Kris - Overlord

We played Quest #5 in Journeys in the Dark, "Last Wishes." It turned out to be a fitting title as the heroes needed to make their last wishes.

In turn 1 the heroes went through the right door. Mad Carthos killed a Beastman and used his Necromancy Skill to turn it into an undead minion. Bogran was killed in turn 1 by the rest of the Beastmen, Bane Spiders and Skeletons. I used the one remaining Master Beastman for his Command ability and that hurt, especially against such a lightly armored party. I spawned a Bane Spider Swarm and had the Master Bane Spider come through the left door to make a monster-hero-monster sandwich!

In turn 2 the heroes started whittling down more monsters but I spawned a Beastman War Party. More sharp claws and two Master Beastmen adding their Command abilties didn't look good.

Turn 3 saw the heroes kill a few more monsters. Mad Carthos's undead Beastman minion was still around and helping. Unfortunately, the Beastmen piled on Red Scorpion and killed her. The heroes gave up their last Conquest token and were defeated in turn 3.

Tactics:

I'm wondering if the heroes should have opened both doors on turn 1. That would cut down the Overlord's areas to spawn in. It would also have prevented the Master Bane Spider from coming around the rear of the party.

A party with a few more heavily armored heroes might have helped. Otherwise, all these heroes had Magic and Ranged attacks and probably should have attacked from longer ranges so the monsters couldn't charge them.

The heroes advanced at different speeds and got strung out in a line. This allowed the monsters to get 3 or more attacks per turn on the lead hero, thus picking off one at a time. Forming a solid line of 2 heroes would have been better.