MARREND PLAYS HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC 3 COMPLETE!

The next component of the Elixir of Life, the Ring of Life, is said to lie in the valley of Dagrond. The local lords of this area have been caretakers of Green and Gold Dragons for generations, and have been loyal to AvLee so far. There is a non-zero amount of fear that some may have been tempted by the Necromancers of Dejya, and thus, make our mission more difficult.

I suppose there is, really, only one way to find out if such a fear has any foundation.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: 1 Green Dragon, <Boots of Speed>, 3000 Gold
Win Condition: Acquire the Ring of Life (achieved day 4)

The next item on Sandro's list is the Rib Cage of Power. This artifact is held in a swampland, possibly underground. Once again, I find myself fending for a Stronghold of my own. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and the riches promised me should be worth it. If, in fact, Sandro is to be trusted.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: 40 Wolf Raiders, 30 Orc Chieftains, <5 Ogres>
Win Condition: Acquire the Rib Cage of Power (achieved week 2, day 4)

I've spend my childhood in Bracada, studying as a wizard, but that is but half my heritage. The other half is that of a warrior, and it is that half I feel more kinship towards. While it might betray my homeland, I intend to answer an invitation to Krewold by Duke Boragus himself.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: <Spirit of Oppression>, Pendant of Negativity, 3 Nagas
Win Condition: Capture Groa (achieved week 3, day 1)

This campaign focuses on the rise of Yog, who, as we know of from this post in my World of Xeen LP, was chief of the Sardaj tribe.

In the context of Heroes 3, though, he's portrayed as a half-genie, starting out studying to become a Wizard in Bracada. This campaign details his separation from Bracada into the greater Krewoldian society.

Because Yog starts the campaign as a Wizard, he's using Solmyr's slot instead of his typical one, and, of course, has a custom background applied.

The Duke confirmed that the Krewold armies sent against me was a test. For my next test, I am to take the Angelic Alliance, break it down into it's components, and spread them across the land.

I shall first take the Sandals of the Saint, and the Armor of Wonder into Tatalia. As for the other components, I will send elsewhere.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: 10 Wood, <Ring of the Wayfarer>, 3500 Gold
Win Condition: Acquire the Pendant of Courage (achieved week 3, day 1)


So, funny story about this scenario's win condition. The scenario description explicitly states to bring the Sandals of the Saint and Armor of Wonder to Alendora. This was not the case at all. What ended up happening was that I brought those two artifacts to a Seer's Hut to acquire the Pendant of Courage, and that won the scenario for me. Technically speaking, the Seer's Hut in question was accessible from an underground entrance near Alendora, but, that's not exactly the same thing, is it?

As it happens, the Sandals of the Saint and Armor of Wonder are part of the Angelic Alliance. Now, the Shadow of Death campaigns I've played so far have focused on retrieving McGuffins to construct an artifact. Since we've never actually had our hands on one of these, and this campaign is asking us to tear one apart, let me talk a little bit about how they work.

The game uses the term "combination artifacts" to describe a group of artifacts that can be put together into one artifact. Though, I'm not exactly sure if you can really call it "one" artifact. Sure, they take one slot in a hero's backpack. However, when equipped, the slots of the component pieces are locked off as if they were equipped.

There is some sense of game balance in the decision to lock off slots, though. While a combination artifact has it's own benefit, it still grants the benefits of the component artifacts. For example, Angelic Alliance grants a buff across all four primary stats from the component artifacts, while also granting the effects of Prayer, and negating any morale penalties for having troops of differing alignments.

The final test of loyalty lies in Bracada. Here, I am to seek out Beleg and Orruk, and give them the Helm of Heavenly Enlightenment and the Sword of Judgement. No doubt, fending off agains the armies that Bradaca can muster against me.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: Everflowing Crystal Cloak, 2 Cyclopes, <4 Rocs>
Win Condition: Bring the Helm of Heavenly Enlightenment and the Sword of Judgement to Beleg and Orruk (acheived day 7)


This was an interesting map in that there were exactly four towns on it. So, I only needed up to three extra wandering heroes to capture them, and didn't hire more to replace them, as I usually do.

This was also the last scenario in this campaign. I spent a total of 48 in-game days, granting me a score of 1290, and the title of Zealot. Perhaps, at some point, I will go back to my old posts to see where my titles are at. However, the high scores, as they stand:

Armageddon's Blade	1615
Dragon Slayer	1610
Foolhardy Waywardness	1605
Song of the Father	1510
Dragon's Blood	1495
Hack and Slash	1475
New Beginnig	1410
Playing With Fire	1400
Festival of Life	1305
Birth of a Barbarain	1290
Elixir of Life	1175
Liberation	1140
Long Live the King	1105
Seeds of Discontent	1030
Long Live the Queen	965
Spoils of War	900
Dungeons and Devils	365

Ethric won't give me up, even if I've given up on him. I've something of a promising apprentice that could help set him down for good. As they say, the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Such relationships are not meant to last, but, it should prove useful for now.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: 3000 Gold, <2 Knowledge>, 3 Litches
Win Condition: Capture all enemy towns, and defeat their heroes (achieved day 1)

This scenario uses Daremyth's slot for a younger/alive Vidomina. Which, of course, includes a custom background. Fortunately, as you can see, this was a small map where all the enemies were tightly, and conveniently, fit into one place.

In my travels, I met a necromancer named Finneas Vilmar. While he might harbor ambitions to increase his holdings, he has no talent for strategy. This is where I came in, and will probably backstab him in the future for my own advancement.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: <2 Defense>, 8 Vampires, 15 Wood/Ore
Win Condition: Capture all enemy towns, and defeat their heroes (achieved week 2, day 5)


Finneas is taking Thant's slot this scenario. Which, of course, means a custom background. I'm getting sick and tired of dealing with this, and working around it. However, I'll try to push through for the sake of the thread, such as it is.

How bad do things have to be for rumors of a necromancer in Erathia reaches to Krewold? I don't care for an answer, and I've been idling for longer than I thought I would be.


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: <40 Goblins>, 2 Cyclopes, 4 Rocs
Win Condition: Capture all enemy towns, and defeat their heroes (achieved day 6)


This is a kind of split campaign between the characters we've been following. While the player is presented with a choice of four scenarios at the start of the campaign before it can progress, I'm just going with whatever is selected at default.

This scenario concerns itself with Yog, the newly-minted Barbarian from Bracada. Or, at least, that's how the campaign would lead us to believe. You and I both know he's from Xeen. XD

How can a Vampire stay disguised long enough to rise into the position of Lord in AvLee? That this discovery was only uncovered after he was found dead via poisioning is also irksome.

Whatever kind of conspiricy is brewing behind this, I must strike out against the necromancers!


Scenario notes/asides
Starting Bonus: <Pendant of Life>, 2000 Gold, 1 Green Dragon
Win Condition: Capture all enemy towns, and defeat their heroes (achieved week 2, day 2)


Here, we move to Gelu. Not to much more interesting to say about this, that I noticed.