ONLINE QUEST 0 New Beginnings

[jace]

two quests were added to the app under pulse exclusive beginnings and xor-xel

[Kurgan]

Interesting that they call them "exclusive," kind of an exaggeration since they're just posted on the website for free anyway...

[Azure]

Personally, I haven't tried it (yet) - - I'm a DM most of the time. The maze layout seems pretty easy-peasy to me, as well as the monster placement. It appears to be much less risky than The Trial.

[Maalicia_Ironhoof]

Is this quest from the 2021 edition, the first to include a Chaos/Dread Sorcerer Icon?

Unfortunately the .JPG is such low quality I cant make a usable .ESP/.AI from it.

[Maalicia_Ironhoof]

Also from my point this is a terrible first quest, it literally has EVERYTHING in it, removing a lot of fun and surprise as new monsters, furniture and traps are rolled out for the first time as you get into the first handful of quests.

Avlon hill seem to have the habit of making their quests as busy as possible, cramming the board rather than easing back and allowing the atmosphere to lead the way.

I'd advise not to play this and use the Maze instead, but have the DM scrutinise the notes of this quest and tack the extra rules clarifications to the end of what first quest they choose to do.

just my 2 cents....

[Bareheaded Warrior]

I’m not sure how I feel about rules that really should be in the rulebook being included in Quest Notes, as Kurgan mentioned we knew they were canon since 1992 but repeating them here (they may be in the 2021 rulebook I haven’t got it) does open up the possibility of causing confusion by missing bits like ‘on your turn’ and so ending up two variants of an official rule where surely one is sufficient!

And cyber333 I do get your point, the quests are too crowded and I’m not a fan of Greenskins and undead in the same Quest unless there is a thematic justification…

How come Zoryana gets to cast the same spell 3 times, without any artefact, that is a new one?

The Ring of Fortitude causes me a minor problem, but only because in my own house rules I changed Borin’s Armour to Borin’s Amulet for various reasons and that had exactly the same effect as the Ring of Fortitude, but that is my issue alone!

That said if I scrap the Ring of Fortitude and instead give Zoryana a new artefact that could kill two birds or in this case crones with one stone…

New Artefact: Bracelets of Fire

Labels: Artefact, Spellcaster, Once per Quest

A pair of bracelets of hardened leather, with fire symbols burned into them along with a lingering smell of brimstone and ash. These allow the wearer to cast the Ball of Flame spell twice, simultaneously at the same or different target squares and then discard the spell as usual. This artefact can only be used once per Quest

Need to work out whether this could be combined with the Spell Rings and Wand of Magic and similar…

Whinging aside it is always nice to see a new official Quest, just wish they could run them passed us first

[SirRick]

How come Zoryana gets to cast the same spell 3 times, without any artefact, that is a new one?

In Kellar’s Keep there is a Fimir that can cast the Rust spell three times, so there has been something like that in the past.

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Good catch.

I just don't like it when exceptions are made to rules (in this instance the spell can only be used once rule) but no explanation is given like the use of an artefact or because the monster is stood in a magic circle or whatever, it just encourages the Wizard to start moaning "Oh so you can cast the same spell more than once, so I'll take just one healing spell or the Genie spell only into the next Quest and cast it nine times?"

Obviously the answer is "no you can't" ... but "why?"

[SirRick]

I really wish this quest came with both pages in one file, just like the “Into the Northlands” quest.

I do like the attempt at putting more flavor text in the quest. It makes me think of the many times I read the original instruction booklet, and how it really got me in the mood to play each time.

[Kurgan]

Yeah wonder if they could add a higher quality vector version of the quest in a PDF form as a single file... if you have a PDF creator you can do that yourself, but it won't increase the image quality.