A Growl of Thunder

This is a HeroQuest adventure for which you will require the HeroQuest board game.  You will need a GamesMaster and just one player.  Rules are the same as for any HeroQuest game, but the adventure has one difference:  it is only for a Barbarian.  Just one Barbarian at a time may try his luck at this quest.  If other players wish to tackle it, they must wait their turn.

The description of the adventure begins over the page.  DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING PAGES UNLESS YOU INTEND TO GAMESMASTER THIS ADVENTURE.



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THE ADVENTURE
(GamesMaster Only)

Read this to the player:

You have traveled far and wide, seeking adventure in all corners of the world.  But it is always the wild heaths and tangled pine forests of your Norscan land where you are really at home.

One day, returning to visit your tribe, you are alarmed by a smell of wood-smoke in the cold air.  Hurrying over the next bluff, your worst fears are confirmed:  the great stave-hall of your people is engulfed in flames!

You race to the hall and help your clan-cousins drag survivors out of the burning wreckage.  Old Thidrand, your father's steward, stands coughing.  He is blackened in soot and his face is raw with burns, but he is trying to get back into the burning hall.  "The lord is still in there!" he wails.

You dive through the doors without hesitation and battle through the heat and smoke until you catch sight of your father, Lord Thunrir.  He is pinned by a smoldering timber beam that has fallen across his legs.  With every ounce of strength, you heft the beam up and drag him clear.  Straight away you can see that he is not long for this world.  Gazing up at you with stern eyes, he says, "It was the Orcs of Stalac Tor.  They attacked without warning, having used fell sorcery to blind our sentries.  You must avenge your people - and more than that, you must recover the three sacred treasures of the Thunder God which the Orcs have stolen!"

Those are his last words in this world.  You waste no time on lamentation.  Leaving the women and the wounded to bury the dead, you take up your weapons and set out across the moors to the ancient mound where the Orcs have their lair.  Soon you see it looming ahead.  The wind whips your cloak behind you, making you look like an avenging demon in the blood-drenched sunset.

You stride towards the mound...


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The three sacred treasures of the Thunder God are all hidden within the Orc's lair.  As each is retrieved, the adventurer should be informed that he/she gains extra strength in combat as follows:

THUNDER GOD'S BELT (see room C)
Armour
The belt allows you to roll four dice in defense.  It may not be used by the Wizard.

THUNDER GOD'S GLOVES (see room D)
Armour
You must have these gloves to wield the hammer.  They may not be used by the Wizard.

HAMMER OF THOR (see room I)
Weapon
The hammer allows you to roll two extra dice in attack.  It can be used in normal combat or thrown (it will return to you for use the next turn).

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Enter at A



A.  In the north side of the mound is the door that leads into the Orc's lair.  Note that the two Orc sentries in the entrance passage are aware of the spear trap directly beside the doorway.

B.  As the Barbarian approaches the door in the southwest corner of the room he will hear the guttural speech of Orcs from the other side, answered by a deep voice which rings with an eerie metallic echo.

C.  The chest here contains a magical belt with a buckle in the shape of a thunderbolt.  This is the first of the three stolen treasure of the Thunder God.  Anyone wearing it gets to roll twice as many dice in defense.

D.  These three Goblins are part of the retinue of Balor (see room I) and have been told to wait here while he consults with the Orc Chieftains.  They are guarding the weapons rack, which contains the second of the stolen treasures: the Thunder God's Gloves.

E.  This is the central chamber of the mound, which was originally the burial mound of Grashlyg, an ancient Orc warlord.  The Orcs know better than to enter this chamber, since the act of opening the door will awaken Grashlyg as an undead Wight (use the mummy figure):

Movement:     4 Squares
Attack:       4 Dice
Defend:       4 Dice
Body Points:  4
Mind Points:  3

Once awake, Grashlyg will stalk through the mound attacking anyone who gets in his path - friend or foe!

F.  These four Orcs are savagely beating a human Wizard whom they've captured.  If the Barbarian keeps the Orcs busy for three consecutive turns, this gives the Wizard chance to recover and join in.  This Wizard (whose name is Balash) has already used some spells but still has those of Water and Earth.  He has the normal attributes values of a player wizard.

G.  This is where the Orcs sleep, and these four are slumbering contentedly having just returned from torching the stave-hall of the Barbarian's tribe.  Each needs to roll a six at the start of their turn to wake up, or will wake up instantly if attacked.  (Their clothing still smells of smoke and there is dried human blood on their axes, so the Barbarian should be in no doubt what they've been up to.)

H.  These two Chaos Warriors are the honour guard of Balor the Chaos Sorcerer, and bear his personal coat-of-arms on their shields:  four serpents intertwining to form an eight-pointed star.

I.  Balor the Chaos Sorcerer is deep in discussion with the elders of the Orc tribe.  On the table in front of them is Thor's Hammer, the third of the stolen treasures.  The Orcs summoned Balor here to give him the hammer (hopefully for a lavish reward of gold) so that he could take it back to his dread master Morcar.  But they have a problem:  no one has been able to move the hammer since it was brought back here.

What they haven't realized is that only someone wearing the Thunder God's Gloves (room D) can lift the hammer.  If the Barbarian has these, he will be able to snatch up the hammer and use it himself.  As soon as he does this, sparks of lightning shoot from the hammer to strike the Orcs, killing them instantly.  Balor, though, is made of sterner stuff:

Move:         7 Squares
Attack:       5 Dice
Defend:       4 Dice
Body Points:  4
Mind Points:  4


WRAP-UP
The Barbarian returns to his tribe with the three sacred treasures.  Nothing can restore the slain to life, but at least they can rest with honour now.  The Barbarian is the new chieftain, and under his direction the task of rebuilding the hall begins...
