Tomb Raiders
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Tomb Raiders | 
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| Frederick must save Henrietta lost in the underground tunnels during her search for the warlock, Agar. Her last message was about finding the lost tomb, where her expedition then headed. The level of heroes is unlimited. The difficulty you choose would define your possibilities on the global map. | ||||||||||||||
Victory condition: Defeat Monster
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Loss condition: Lose All Your Towns and Heroes
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Allies: 
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Enemies:   
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Choose a bonus:
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Carried to next scenario:   
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Max level: ∞
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Prologue
Kastore: Having to make do with less… the worst torment imaginable for one who knows his worth. There were times when the process of satisfying my interests involved discovering new worlds. I could unleash the awesome power hidden in a grain of matter–and now I roll around inside a stinky barrel for weeks, just to test a little hypothesis! Anyway, I must find out whether this self-professed artificer, Fenimore, Farragut, whatever his name, has indeed achieved something yet unseen in this world, or is he just another fairground mountebank like all other “scientists” I have met here thus far?
Scenario
Timed events
| Day 1 - Henrietta's Expedition |
| Frederick: Four years have passed since we defeated Dargem’s pirates. Much has changed in Burton, what with all the new inventions, new allies... and new, previously unfamiliar faces. Sorcerers who had once been in the service of Archibald Ironfist began to appear more and more often in the cities of the Wastelands, now a haven for the rejected of this world. I remember well how I met Wrathmont during the battles with the pirates, but the influx did not end with him. Not long ago, we heard rumors that the famous warlock Agar himself had come to the wastelands, supposedly settling in the western mountains and setting up a laboratory there. I was pretty sure that Agar had turned into a lich and then been destroyed. Didn't matter. Something completely different was really important now... Soon after Agar had settled in the west, disturbing reports began to arrive in Burton. At first, it was news of rockfalls and landslides in the mountains, but we didn't pay much attention to them. Landslides are not uncommon in such a geologically heterogeneous landscape. Later, however, we found out that Sandworms might be involved. These creatures had been around for a long time, occasionally bothering farmers, but they were rarely seen. Most witnesses spoke either of wide furrows in the ground seemingly dug up from below, or of mysterious holes that caused posts and fences to fall, but there were no direct confrontations. However, the creatures of which recent rumors spoke were different: not only larger, but much more aggressive—they attacked mining camps, devoured herds, and attacked trade caravans and lone travelers. Everything indicated that those were no ordinary worms. Those creatures were not plain animals—no, they looked like the product of someone's keen mind. At the Burton town council meeting, the task was set to find Agar at all costs and to find out if he had anything to do with the strange worm attacks. Henrietta immediately volunteered to go on the expedition. Without wasting much time packing, her scouting party left Burton. Days, then weeks, passed, and it finally became clear that something had happened to her expedition. Any attempts to follow its trail were futile: constant rockfalls and earthquakes caused the road through the western mountains to keep changing like an enchanted labyrinth. Then I realized what we needed. Airships, stopping at no obstacle—that was our solution! I had been doing other, albeit very important, things for too long, but it hurt me to see my favorite project stalled without any development. |
| Day 1 - Frederick meets Kastore |
| Frederick: I was on my way to Volta, a free city west of Burton. The recent earthquake had destroyed the factories there, but I hoped to find companions among those involuntarily out of jobs. This town was the last place Henrietta and her party were seen. That afternoon I boarded a ship at the port of Orca's Maw: I intended to round the first mountain range by sea and reach Volta, whence my air expedition would start. Imagine my surprise when, just before we set sail, a messenger caught me and announced: "Kastore, the King of Deyja, intends to pay a visit to Burton to establish and strengthen economic ties and wishes to meet with Frederick." The Deyjan King? Here? Of course, news had reached me of how a certain Kastore had come to power last year in that land of necromancers and dark sorcerers, but I had never been interested in those squabbles. Coups are commonplace in Deyja. But what would he want here, and what economic ties could there possibly be when there wasn't even a single port city in Deyja? And how did he know my name? On the other hand, the world of magic is small, and the artificers’ world, even smaller. I ordered a fast brig to go out and ask the captain of the Kastore’s ship to call at Volta instead of Orca's Maw. I was running out of time, but the preparations for the expedition were to last a few more days, and I hoped that the meeting with the unexpected guest would not take too long. I didn't want to ignore the visit of the ruler of Deyja and make a new enemy in him—too many powerful wizards were already on the list... and who knows, maybe Kastore would turn out to be an interesting conversation partner? I was struck by the view that opened up as we approached the port of Volta. From afar, I saw a great ship under gray sails, easily capable of carrying an entire army. How fortunate that we had dredged the port the year before so that heavy ore freighters with a large draft could unload here. That was when I first saw Kastore. An elf in shining armor stood at the gangway of the giant ship with his hands behind his back. On either side of him, multi-armed serpent women stood frozen like statues, armed to their teeth. Nagas are a common sight in Bracada, where they can be found in the service of many wealthy mages, but I knew that any skilled sorcerer could summon those fearsome creatures. It was harder to get them to obey commands, though, something only the most powerful wizards could do. My arrival did not seem to make much impression on the lord of Deyja. Without even turning his head, he said dryly:
Kastore turned to me leisurely.
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| Day 2 - Conversation with Kastore |
| Frederick: Kastore surprised me. Maybe I'd expected a lavish procession that would accompany the sovereign from the port to the city... or dark spirits hovering around the king of the Necromancer land. Kastore, however, was on a very ordinary horse, riding with enviable horsemanship beside my steed, all by himself. The Nagas were gone, but I had no doubt that, should the king be in danger, they wouldimmediately appear out of thin air. Everything in Kastore’s way of moving his body, in his stance on horseback, and in his skill of noticing even the smallest details around him, told me that he was an experienced traveler with many adventures under his belt. I did most of the talking, Kastore only occasionally asking for more details about this or that aspect of our life in the wastelands, and being particularly interested in how we'd gotten here. I was careful enough to keep some of the details to myself. He wasn't the least bit interested in my tales of demons falling from the sky with the stars, but my theory about the moon, where I assumed those demons had dwelt before, seemingly amused him. When it came to our airship journey, Kastore raised an eyebrow, looked me in the eye and asked:
I couldn't believe my ears, but Kastore… it was as if he read my mind and saw my dreams in the palm of his hand. It was a risky decision, but the prospect of a powerful ally who could make the glory of my inventions known to the world was too tempting. I said yes.
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Objects
Events
| Location | Message |
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| 120, 165, 0 | Frederick: We left Volta the next day. The airship shipyard was a ways from the city, and we still had to reach it and load some equipment on board. Kastore was silent for most of the trip, only occasionally making some remark about the design of the automatons and other fruits of progress he'd seen in Volta. Sometimes the elf asked me technical questions—I didn’t fully grasp all of them, but I answered to the best of my knowledge and erudition. The elf gave short and dry answers to my questions, but it was challenging for me to deduct anything of use from them. Most of all I was surprised by his ability to perform complex calculations in his mind almost instantly; in those moments, he turned away and brought his hand with an inconspicuous-looking bracelet of strange material to his face. It looked a little funny: as if an all-knowing spirit was hiding in that piece of dull gray bone, providing him ready-made answers—but I knew for sure that spirits weren't any good at hard science. Something told me that the ruler from overseas knew far more than any of the artificers in Burton, or perhaps even myself. Where did he get this knowledge? Why was he so interested in our inventions? That’s not how I imagined a king of necromancers to be at all… Note: ONLY applies to HUMAN player.  Movement points |
| 94, 104, 0 | Frederick: There was the entrance to an immense tomb in front of us... if it was indeed a tomb. Kastore, who had been following me with his usual indifferent, even sour expression, suddenly perked up. He looked with keen interest at the strange symbols scattered here and there at the entrance to the tomb for a while. Then he said:
The elf waved the object from side to side for a while, looking into the dark halls of the tomb, and finally exhaled:
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| 6, 49, 1 | FrederickAgar. What did I expect from meeting this man? It's hard to say. There were all sorts of rumors about him, some contradicting others. Years ago, I heard that he'd turned into a lich, shortly after the Succession Wars. Then I heard that he had been killed during an experiment in his laboratory. I also heard a very naturalistic recount telling that Agar had been mauled to death by his own monsters. According to another credible source, Agar was killed in a wizard tournament. Finally, word came that Agar had arrived in Jadame, alive and well... There was a wide range of speculation among the wizards and artificers of Burton regarding the sandworms. Some claimed that Agar had begun to experiment on wild worms, and the subjects had gotten out of control. Others insisted that he was deliberately siccing the worms at the settlements for purposes known only to himself. And now Agar stood before me. The sorcerer was clearly as alive as it gets—at least, he didn't look anything like a lich. His eyes were racing, a nervous smile twitching on his face. He seemed undecided whether to talk to me or run away.
Agar sighed with the relief of a man who had been dragged out of the noose and kicked off the scaffold.
Agar suddenly straightened up and looked at me carefully, squinting into my eyes.
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| 41, 22, 1 | Frederick: The flooded caverns appeared again, and it looked like we would have to take the boat again. Agar had warned us: he himself had tried several times to reach the other shore of this underground lake, by magic and by boat, but the lake was full of underwater rocks, and the other shore was too far away to be reached with a spell. Perhaps we could see what we need to see, should we walk on water around our ship? |
| 87, 68, 1 | A strange sensation filled your mind. For a moment you felt as if the very march of time had stopped.... Note: ONLY applies to HUMAN player. Movement points
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| 89, 38, 1 | Frederick: The caves were getting deeper, and it was getting darker. Even the magical light I'd conjured up seemed to fade only a few cubits away. “There's something up ahead," I said. “Or someone.” Agar uttered a few words and waved his hands, casting some kind of spell. A weird noise came from somewhere in the depths—growls, bellows… moos? |
| 103, 107, 1 | Frederick: Our expedition into the depths of the mysterious vault continued. We had to do our best so this tomb—built for whom? when?—would not become ours as well. Not only worms and the usual undead, but also all sorts of magical creatures prowled the dark corridors and dusty halls. Some of those monsters had probably infiltrated here from the nearby caves when the collapses had opened the passageways; others seemed to have always been here, guarding their ancient secrets. Though I called this place a tomb, we found no ritual burials here. I kept thinking about who and why had erected this majestic underground temple. However, my companion did not seem to care about such things. Kastore appeared a man changed—like a young alchemist, whom his master finally allowed to use his distillation pipes, reagents and incunabula after years of training, he kept rushing from one wall covered in writings unintelligible for me to another. Every now and then, he fervently flipped through a small book, making notes in it. Soon the elf apparently noticed that the ancient hieroglyphs did not arouse the same kind of enthusiasm in me.
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| 122, 177, 1 | Frederick: Kastore decided to continue the conversation we had begun about Enroth's long past:
Funny, isn’t it: I had once been an all-knowing mentor like that myself, sharing what I considered to be unrivaled knowledge, while the little wiggly girl interrupted me every now and then with her silly comments and clarifications. What a wonderful time it was in our lives… and what a doubly, triply wonderful time it is now. If I only can find Henrietta in these labyrinths—I want her to walk this path with me.
“But the Silence came more than a millennium ago... Had those Kreegans already invaded Enroth?”
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| 123, 177, 1 | Kastore: “Imagine these distant worlds as islands separated by a vast ocean of stars. And long ago, even I don't know when and where from, ships of a powerful, ancient civilization appeared in this ocean. Different sources have different names for them: Gods, Makers, Ancients... The interstellar empire expanded, swallowing worlds like a sea dominion absorbs uninhabited islands, building its settlements and fortresses on them. Enroth is just one of those islands, and this tomb is their ship... no, just a small fragment of it. The Ancients have other tools that allow them to cross the abyss of the void. In some ways they are even more efficient than ships. You've no doubt encountered portals.”
They were also breeding incessantly and incredibly fast. More and more resources were needed to supply their ominous colonies and hives. So the Kreegans went to war against the Ancients, even though the Ancients tried to negotiate with them first. Like pirates, the devils ravaged worlds, and once they had looted and killed their fill, they went on to do the same elsewhere. The machines the Kreegan use to go from world to world look like celestial bodies,” I remembered the insides of the meteorites I'd seen on that unfortunate day! “But of course, like any ship, they are slow compared to traveling through a portal. The Kreegans are familiar with the principle of teleportation, they can summon beings, they have access to other planes of existence… But they have not mastered the art of traveling between worlds as perfectly as the Ancients.”
“The thing that happened was that the Kreegans attacked not only the various worlds, but also the very portal system created by the Ancients... That's how contact between the planets broke down.”
My whole world turned upside down and expanded overnight to the size of the sky, maybe even further. I needed time to think about it. |
| 126, 32, 1 | Frederick:We were stepping cautiously through the large room. Kastore read the sign at the entrance; it read: "Hall of Illusions." It was oddly quiet here—we'd seen genies, efreeti, and other monsters in other halls, but this one was surprisingly empty. I was peeking around nervously. In the blink of an eye, everything changed. A strange rumbling sound came from the depths of the tomb, and a moment later, the Efreeti and Kreegans appeared before me: dozens and dozens of huge red-skinned creatures! One of them looked familiar... Of course! It was the same Efreet we had to fight before fleeing from Eeofol. But how...? Ah, right! These are the illusions I was warned about. These phantoms are more than a play of light and shadow. Their scythes and whips can harm us just as much as the real thing. |
| 155, 149, 1 | The dwelling in the far corner of the cave looked abandoned at first glance, but you quickly realized it was not: once inside, you found yourself in a hut full of bookshelves and potion vials. The alchemist, clearly the place’s owner, was leaning over a crystal ball, looking at something. “Finally!", he said. “I've been watching you for some time, and I knew you would come. You're looking for Agar’s lab, aren't you? I know where it is, and I know the man well. As for the lab, it used to be relatively easy to get to, but it all changed when he started experimenting with those... worms. Now many of the roads have been destroyed by landslides, and the place can only be reached by air. Please take a look at this," the alchemist points to his crystal ball. “I have something to show you.” |
| 174, 137, 1 | Kastore: “Tell me, Frederick, what do you know about the era called the Time of Wonders?”
“The Time of Wonders was a time when the world was not yet divided into states and was ruled by all-powerful mages. Their unlimited powers allowed them to create mighty artifacts from pure energy and to control the elements a hundred times more skillfully than the most powerful elementalists alive today. Their rule was so wise and merciful that the world knew neither hunger nor war. The most sophisticated of their magical creations called Heavenly Forges could even create full-fledged copies of objects. Many of the items now known as legendary artifacts were regular soldier's gear in those days. The Time of Wonders lasted until one man, the viceroy of the mages in the land now known as Dragonsand, on the continent of Enroth, caused a devastating cataclysm. This calamity wiped out dozens of cities overnight and turned that area into a poisoned wasteland. Everyone waited for a response from the omnipotent mages, but there was only silence. Then the regents of the lands realized there was no more supreme power over them, and an era of endless wars began, where power over the remnants of the perfect world was at stake. Of course, the world was never the same again. And only Bracaduun, an empire created out of discipline and the power of mind, remained...”
I asked Kastore: “So, the old books lie?”
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| 15, 19, 1 | Note: Blank event; ONLY applies to
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| 15, 20, 1 | Note: Blank event; ONLY applies to
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| 50, 34, 1 | Technical block event Note: ONLY applies to
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Towns
| Location | Player | Type | Name |
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| 121, 163, 0 |
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 Factory
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Volta |
| 175, 179, 1 |
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 Necropolis
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- |
| 34, 84, 0 |
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 Stronghold
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- |
| 121, 20, 0 |
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Stronghold
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- |
| 141, 96, 0 |
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Stronghold
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- |
| 179, 178, 0 |
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 Conflux
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- |
| 12, 34, 1 |
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 Necropolis
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Darkness |
| 45, 40, 1 |
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Necropolis
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Darkness |
Heroes
| Location | Player | Hero |
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| 154, 168, 0 |
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Frederick the Artificer
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| 2, 150, 0 |
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 Mormolykos the NecromancerNote: Hero identity is Nimbus. |
| 86, 89, 0 |
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 Volothomon the Knight
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| 39, 19, 1 |
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 Trophon the NecromancerNote: Hero identity is Thant. |
| 51, 2, 1 |
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 Fulghea the Elementalist
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| 61, 27, 1 |
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 Meline the Necromancer
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| 122, 31, 1 |
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 Zydar the Heretic
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| 134, 63, 1 |
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Henrietta the Mercenary Note: Hero identity is Sam, whilst Henrietta is disabled in this campaign. |
| 169, 11, 1 |
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 Dargem the Navigator
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| 104, 98, 0 |
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 Ulkumi the Planeswalker
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| 34, 84, 0 |
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 Gorghe the Barbarian
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| 121, 20, 0 |
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 Akratos the Barbarian
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| 141, 96, 0 |
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 Semachus the Barbarian
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| 38, 85, 1 |
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 Phlegeth the Demoniac
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| 92, 43, 1 |
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 Ghius the Overlord
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| 106, 51, 1 |
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 Breus the Overlord
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| 121, 49, 1 |
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 Kotus the Overlord
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| 43, 103, 0 |
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 Thammus the Death Knight
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| 12, 111, 1 |
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 Tonant the Planeswalker
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| 52, 136, 1 |
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 Telchion the ElementalistNote: Hero identity is Gelare. |
| 64, 174, 1 |
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 Ioke the Necromancer
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| 111, 7, 1 |
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 Boyd the Death KnightNote: Hero identity is Moandor. |
| 120, 177, 1 |
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 Keio the RangerNote: Hero identity is Giselle. |
| 149, 94, 1 |
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 Yrkula the Elementalist
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| 163, 51, 1 |
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Frederick the Alchemist Note: Hero identity is Neela. |
Monsters
| Location | Type | Message |
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| 0, 0, 0 |  Halflings
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Monster Text |
Seer's Huts
Quest Guards
Quest Gates
Artifacts
Epilogue
Kastore: Rejoice, you halfling girl: Kastore himself goes out on a limb to get you out of this labyrinth. Well, of course you aren’t the reason I’m here, but I sure could use the good rap that comes with being your savior. For now, however, there are bigger things to attend to: knowledge lost in aeons, and forgotten wonders! This tomb is replete with them. Just this tiny speck in your hands holds unspoken power. Very soon, I swear, I will make it serve me, and me only, just like your friend with his freshly-found insight into the nature of things already does. My immediate plans are clear… and Deyja can wait for its king for a bit.