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Hunt For The Golem
Hunt For The Golem
INTRODUCTION
Millennia ago, in a time now completely forgotten, a cabal of wizards founded a
city in the shadow of the great mountains on the bend of a mighty river. Over
the passing centuries, the city grew from a small collection of stone houses into
a thriving sorcerous metropolis. In those early days, powerful enchanters created
an army of granite golems to tear stone from the mountains and shape it into
great blocks, then carry these immense slabs into the city to be used in the
construction of the wizards’ towers, libraries, observatories, and other buildings.
As time passed, these golems were slowly rendered obsolete by more effective
elemental magic that was both less expensive and less time-consuming.
Most of the redundant constructs were destroyed, broken down for parts, or
used in the foundations of the new buildings. A few were given new roles as pack
animals, or even as bearers of the rich and indolent, whom they carried around
the city. Most wizards, however, preferred new and more fashionable constructs.
By the time the great blizzard struck, there were only a few survivors of the
original granite golems that had helped to build the city, and the storm destroyed
all but one of these. The lone survivor had been owned by a mean-spirited, but
rather successful, alchemist, who used the golem to cart large orders of
potions all over the city. In the midst of the blizzard, the alchemist and
his workshop were destroyed in a huge explosion caused by one potion
vat toppling into another. The golem somehow survived the
explosion and, even more improbably, a magic spark created by
the strange mixture of potions entered into the golem’s simple
mind and gave it consciousness. For one second, the golem lived.
In the next instant, it froze solid.
One thousand years have passed, and the great thaw
has come to the city now known as Frostgrave. The
Granite Golem has awoken from its frozen slumber,
its mind active once more. It is a mind filled with hatred
– for the city it was enslaved to build, and for the wizards who
controlled it…
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BESTIARY
T he Granite Golem
The Granite Golem is a unique creature, a construct capable of limited,
independent thought. Unfortunately, most of its thoughts are based around
homicidal rage.
THROW ROCK
The Granite Golem follows the standard rules for creature actions, with the
following addition that should be inserted between steps two and three
(Frostgrave, p.47):
• If, during the creature phase, there is no warband member within 10”, but
there is one in line-of-sight, the Granite Golem will use its first action to hurl
a large stone at him. If more than one figure fits this circumstance, the
Golem will attack the closest eligible target. Treat this as a standard shooting
attack, but any hit does +2 damage. The Granite Golem will then use its
second action to move towards the same target (whether it survived the
initial rock attack or not!).
EXPLOSION
The magic that powers the Granite Golem is unstable. If the construct is
destroyed by any form of magical attack, roll on the explosion table below.
Explosion Table
d20 roll Result Effect
1–6 Fizzle Nothing Happens.
7–10 Minor Explosion Figures in base contact with the Golem take a +5 attack.
11–15 Major Explosion Figures within 4” of the Golem take a +5 shooting attack.
16–20 Massive Explosion Figures within 4” of the Golem suffer a +5 shooting attack.
Figures between 4” and 8” take a +3 shooting attack.
21–24 Catastrophic Explosion Figures within 8” of the Golem take a +5 shooting attack.
*Add +4 to this roll if the spell that destroyed the Golem was from the Elementalist school.
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SCENARIO ONE
The Attack
Site
As the warbands make their way through the frozen ruins, they come upon a scene
of carnage. Amongst the snow and broken rocks lie the fresh corpses of another
warband. While such sights are not uncommon in the Frozen City, the sheer
savagery that has been inflicted on the bodies gives pause to even the most
hardened adventurers. The corpses are crushed and torn – some have been pounded
into the ground; others twisted around ancient masonry; and a few hang from the
upper storeys of ruined buildings, their blood frozen in dark icicles.
A few wizards, those familiar with the magic of constructs, can see patterns
amongst the slaughter, but something does not feel right. Constructs are lifeless,
unthinking creatures, while the bloody scene here shows hints of rage and cruelty.
There is knowledge to be gained here but, more pressingly, there is loot to acquire…
Set-Up
Set up the table as per a standard game of Frostgrave. However, instead of placing
treasure tokens, players should take turns placing corpse markers, following the
same rules as for placing treasure tokens. Each player should place five corpse
markers. A couple of the corpses should be placed above ground level, if possible.
Special Rules
Any figure that is in base contact with a corpse marker may spend an action to
search the body. In this case, role on the corpse table below:
Corpse Table
d20 roll Result
1–12 Treasure (x6)
13–16 Zombie Attack (x2)
17–18 Survivor (x1)
19–20 Golem Notes (x1)
Each of these results can only be obtained a certain number of times (indicated
in the table above), so keep a tally of the results that come up. If a player rolls a
result that has already reached its maximum, roll again until a new result is
obtained. This table has been designed for a two-player game – if more than two
players are involved in the scenario, add one Zombie Attack, one Survivor, and
three Treasure results per additional player.
TREASURE
The figure finds a treasure on the body. Replace the corpse marker with a treasure
token. He may pick it up as a free action, but will be encumbered as usual.
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ZOMBIE ATTACK
The corpse reanimates as a zombie. Immediately replace the corpse marker with
a zombie (Frostgrave, p.112). The zombie starts in combat with the figure that
was searching it, and will act in the creature phase as normal.
SURVIVOR
This is not a corpse, but a badly wounded thug. If, at any point, a spellcaster
successfully casts a healing spell on the thug, or if a figure spends an action to
give him a healing potion, the thug will get up and join that figure’s warband.
He has the normal stats for a thug (Frostgrave, p.23), but starts with just 5 Health.
This thug may temporarily take the warband over its normal limit. After the
game, if the warband has room, the wizard may hire this thug for 10gc. The
normal warband limits apply, however.
GOLEM NOTES
The figure finds a collection of papers containing field notes about a specific
golem that seems to have achieved some form of sentience. These papers do not
count as treasure or as an item, and a figure carrying them incurs no penalties.
Possession of the notes is determined as per any treasure token.
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S C E N A R I O T WO
Field
Research
Following the discovery of the attack site, wizards have kept their ears open for
any talk or rumours about a rogue golem. One common thread to the gossip and
tall tales that are spun in the taverns beyond the Frozen City is the presence of
a massive rock golem that hunts humans with an unnatural fury. With such
rumours starting to circulate, the wizards know that they must act fast if they
want the chance to study this potentially unique creature and learn what magical
secrets it might yield.
So, assembling their warbands, the wizards set off into the ruins of Frostgrave
to find this construct and examine it close-up. Eventually, after hours of trudging
through the snow and ice, they discover their quarry smashing statues in what
was once a great garden.
Set-Up
This scenario is set in the ruins of one of the city’s great gardens. It was once a
meticulously designed landscape of plants, streams, and fountains, with numerous
statues dedicated to the wealthy and powerful of the city. Today, it is a barren,
icy wasteland.
When setting up the table, most of the terrain should be smaller pieces.
Players are encouraged to use statues, fountains, monuments, small walls or small
buildings. Large ruins should be fewer in number and only used on the outer
edges of the table. Single-storey terrain should be widespread, with few (if any)
terrain elements offering a second storey. A good number of statues (6–8 for a
two-player game) should be spread around the board.
Treasure should be placed as per a normal game of Frostgrave.
Once all other set-up is complete, the Granite Golem (see Bestiary, above)
should be placed in the centre of the table, or as near to it as possible.
Special Rules
Because of the magic leaking from the Granite Golem, all of the
statue models in the game count as potential constructs. This
means that a wizard may cast Control Construct on a statue. If
the spell is successfully cast, no Will roll is made, and the statue
animates as a small construct (Frostgrave, p.116) under the
spellcaster’s command and subject to the usual rules for the
Control Construct spell.
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Treasure and Experience
Treasure is treated as normal.
Because the wizards have come to study the Granite Golem, wizards will
receive no experience whatsoever if it is destroyed. This is regardless of the
source of the experience gain. The destruction of the Granite Golem would, for
all intents and purposes, also end this mini-campaign. Otherwise, calculate
experience as per a normal game of Frostgrave with the following additions:
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SCENARIO THREE
The House of
the Golem
Close observation of the Granite Golem reveals that the creature is covered in
ancient runes, some of which the wizards were able to record and decipher. By
consulting with books of lore and history, they have learned that the construct
comes from the earliest days of the city. More importantly, they have learned that
it is powered by a very unstable magic.
There is probably a great deal more to learn from the runes that cover the
body of the Granite Golem, but to discover those secrets the wizards must first
capture or kill it. This would be a relief to most of the explorers of Frostgrave, as
the creature is now responsible for killing at least four wizards and an unknown
number of soldiers.
So, the wizards and their warbands set off once more into the ruins, on the
hunt for the Granite Golem. Thankfully, the creature has left a path of destruction
that is easy to follow. The warbands soon discover it in the ruins of an immense
factory that had once produced constructs. Tools and workbenches lie scattered
about and frozen to the floor. Heavy chains, covered in frost, hang like icicles
from the ceiling. As the warbands arrive, the Granite Golem is in the process of
demolishing the building, venting his rage towards his ancient enslavers.
Set-Up
The entire table represents one vast, but badly ruined factory where constructs
used to be built. The building once had many separate rooms, but these have
mostly been smashed, leaving fragments of wall here and there, and creating a
dense, maze-like structure full of rubble and broken machinery. The building once
had multiple levels and lots of elevated walkways, so some multi-level terrain is
appropriate. If players don’t have the right kind of terrain to represent the factory,
they can just set up the table as normal, but still use the special rules below.
Treasure tokens should be placed as normal.
Once all other set-up is complete, the Granite Golem (see Bestiary, above)
should be placed in the centre of the table, or as near to it as possible. Immediately
move the Granite Golem 10” in a random direction, ignoring terrain.
Special Rules
Due to the destruction wrought by the Granite Golem, the building has become
badly unstable. Any time a player rolls a 1 on an initiative roll, he may pick one
soldier or creature on the table (wizards and apprentices may not be chosen) to
take an immediate +5 shooting attack as masonry or machinery falls from above.
If a player rolls a 20 on an initiative roll, he may pick one piece of terrain to
suffer from the equivalent of a Crumble spell, either creating a doorway in a wall,
or collapsing a section of floor below another figure.
If a spellcaster manages to cast Control Construct on the Granite Golem, he
can (and probably should!) force it to walk off of the table. In such a case, the
construct is assumed to have been captured by that spellcaster’s warband.
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Treasure and Experience
For every treasure token recovered during this scenario, the player may exchange
his roll on the normal treasure table for a roll on the Hunt for the Golem treasure
table below.
Additionally, if a wizard manages to capture the Granite Golem, he receives
the Script of the Golem in addition to any other treasures recovered. If the
Granite Golem is destroyed, but did not explode, then the player left in control
of the table at the end of the game receives the Script of the Golem. If the
Granite Golem exploded, no one may claim this treasure.
Experience is gained as normal during this scenario. Furthermore, any
wizard that ends the game in possession of the Script of the Golem gains 50
experience points.
CONSTRUCT HAMMER
This is a large, enchanted hammer that can be fitted to a medium or large
construct after a successful Animate Construct spell. A construct equipped with
this item is treated as wielding a magic two-handed weapon. A construct may
only ever be equipped with one Construct Hammer.
CONSTRUCT OIL
This is a barrel of magical oil, used to increase the speed and efficiency of
constructs. An application of Construct Oil can be added to any construct after
a successful Animate Construct spell. The oil grants the construct a permanent
+1 Move. There is enough oil in the barrel for three applications, and a construct
may only ever be given one application of oil.
MIND WRENCH
Although it appears to be a simple wrench or spanner,
this magic wand gives its wielder +1 to any roll to cast
Control Construct.
TRUESTROKE CHISEL
A wizard possessing one of these magical chisel adds +1 to any roll
to cast Animate Construct. He does not have to be carrying this
item to use the ability – it can be stored in his vault. Only a
wizard may use this item, and the maximum bonus is always +1,
no matter how many Truestroke Chisels are owned.
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SCRIPT OF THE GOLEM
These are the ancient runes of power that are carved into the body of the Granite
Golem. A wizard who possesses the Script is able to build tougher constructs.
Anytime a wizard with the Script successfully casts Animate Construct, the
construct produced has +2 Health (for example, a small construct would have
Health 12). This item does not need to be carried to be used and may be stored
in the wizard’s vault. Only a wizard may use this item.
****
AFTERMATH
Assuming the wizards manage to kill or capture the Granite Golem, the campaign
ends. If the Golem was destroyed, all of the wizards in Frostgrave breathe a sigh
of relief. If it was captured, it’s up to the players to decide what happens next.
Imprisoning such a creature is an extremely difficult and time-consuming task.
After copying the Script of the Golem (and depending on the individual), a
wizard may want to destroy the creature, release it somewhere safely away from
the city, or even set it against his enemies. What choice is made, and the scenarios
it entails are up to the players…
If the players fail to stop the Granite Golem, they may wish to set up another
scenario to allow them a further change of stopping it. The ruins of Frostgrave
are vast, and all manner of creatures can be found amongst them, so if players
want more of the Granite Golem, perhaps it isn’t unique after all – more of its
kind might still be waiting to thaw out in some forgotten chamber…
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