The Plague of Zombies

[Zenithfleet]

Accurate information is pictured for rooms A and B (see here.) Originally, both chests in room B were empty. That being said, the Quest definitely needed some additions to be playable--particularly stats and spells for the Deathmaster. If you check out the promotional leaflet included in the box here, it can be seen a good deal more was actually part of this Quest. Too bad out the text in the tiny image is hopelessly illegible.

Hey, that's fascinating.

I just put the Plague of Zombies into HeroScribe myself to come up with my own EU version, and was impressed at how playable it already was. A lot of effort to go through just for a promotional pic on the back of the ADK box. It certainly has none of the problems that those White Dwarf quests have!

Those detailed notes (in two columns!) in the promo flyer are even more impressive. No published EU quest used two columns that I know of, even though you can fit more text on the page that way.

I wonder if the Plague was originally a complete Quest that the designers couldn't fit into any published pack, so they ended up using it as the basis for the ADK photo? There must have been Quests that were cut for space during the development process.

Hmm... also... on that promo flyer, both the Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord questbooks just say 'Quest Book' on the covers. That matches my official Kellar's Keep book, but not my Return of the Witch Lord book (which has the title of the pack on it). I wonder if they changed it in later printings, or if all runs of KK were printed as 'Quest Book' but all RotWL were given the title?

[Oftkilted]

Based on some pictures lestodante posted there are extremely minor differences. The orcs with “crossbows” in the Phoenix edition have bows in the version lestodante posted. So they can attack with their full damage at both melee and range.

As you went through the quests did you also notice that there are fewer monsters placed? And fewer traps?

[lestodante]

Hmm... also... on that promo flyer, both the Kellar's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord questbooks just say 'Quest Book' on the covers. That matches my official Kellar's Keep book, but not my Return of the Witch Lord book (which has the title of the pack on it). I wonder if they changed it in later printings, or if all runs of KK were printed as 'Quest Book' but all RotWL were given the title?

All UK Kellar's Keep has "Quest Book" written on the questbook instead of "Kellar's Keep". Italian version and many other countries has the real name.
Return of the Witch Lord is written correctly instead. Many images used on flyers or back of the boxes were featuring demo stuff.
I've always wondered where that door placed at the bottom corridor of Plague of Zombies may lead to...

[Zenithfleet]

Based on some pictures lestodante posted there are extremely minor differences. The orcs with “crossbows” in the Phoenix edition have bows in the version lestodante posted. So they can attack with their full damage at both melee and range.

In the EU rules, 'these orcs have bows with three dice' is mechanically the same as 'these orcs have crossbows'. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

When I was talking about comparing the Quests, I meant the one on the back of the ADK compared to the one in the promotional leaflet (with its dense two columns of text).

As you went through the quests did you also notice that there are fewer monsters placed? And fewer traps?

Sorry, was this directed at me? I'm not sure what you mean by fewer monsters / fewer traps.

I didn't look at Phoenix's NA version (much). I just took the ADK photo and did my own HeroScribe EU-style map. Though strangely enough, I made the Chaos Sorcerer a statue, and only later found out that Legolasbaker apparently did much the same thing!

[lestodante]

Though strangely enough, I made the Chaos Sorcerer a statue, and only later found out that Legolasbaker apparently did much the same thing!

what a coincidence. Can I ask, what let you imagine the boss as a statue?
Is it possible you previously read my comment in the OTHER topic and were influenced in some way?

The hystory is... an Italian user, Legolas77 (aka Legolas Baker), made the very first adaptation of this quest by copying the map from the rear box but since it was incomplete he apllied some changes, featuring a weird rule that the final boss is a statue and can not be defeated so the Heroes have to leave the quest once they realize this.

Anyway...
Would you mind to share yoir version of the quest too?
I am curious to see it.

[Zenithfleet]

Though strangely enough, I made the Chaos Sorcerer a statue, and only later found out that Legolasbaker apparently did much the same thing!

what a coincidence. Can I ask, what let you imagine the boss as a statue?
Is it possible you previously read my comment in the OTHER topic and were influenced in some way?

The hystory is... an Italian user, Legolas77 (aka Legolas Baker), made the very first adaptation of this quest by copying the map from the rear box but since it was incomplete he apllied some changes, featuring a weird rule that the final boss is a statue and can not be defeated so the Heroes have to leave the quest once they realize this.

Anyway...
Would you mind to share yoir version of the quest too?
I am curious to see it.

I did read your comment, but I'd forgotten about the statue thing (I only remembered the teleport changes). However, it must have lingered in my subconscious...

The main reason I made the Chaos Sorcerer a statue is that I was bored of 'final boss in central room'. Especially one who sounds like yet another Witch Lord rip-off.

I had just finished adapting The Eyes of Chaos, which also has a fight with a Chaos Sorcerer in the middle room. When I got to The Plague of Zombies, I wanted something different.

Having a boss called the Deathmaster in the middle room makes perfect sense as an example of a young HeroQuest fan's homebrew adventure. It's definitely the sort of thing I would have made at age 11. So it works well as a photo on the back of the ADK. But for an official Quest, it would be predictable and repetitive.

I want to give my version a quick playtest before I put it up.


EDIT: OK, I've playtested my version. And the map is indeed functional. But yikes, the original is insanely tough! (EU rules). I sent in four Heroes who were fairly well equipped--all rolling 3 or 4 dice to attack/defend, and the Barbarian had a crossbow. They all died in the first third, on the Orcs/Gobbos/Fimir side of the map.

None of that was due to my adaptations; it was all in the adventure as published.

The main culprit was that special rule about anything living coming back as undead after it's killed. It means that in the north and south early rooms, the number of monsters there is actually double what's on the map. The north room with the fireplace actually has 14 monsters in it! Brutal if the Heroes get surrounded, since they can't clear a square for breathing room / retreating / reorganising their formation--the square is immediately filled by an undead.

I didn't give them any potions to start with, I didn't max out their possible equipment, and I wasn't playing super-SWAT-team tactics. So it's not impossible. But in terms of difficulty I'd rank it with Kellar's Keep at least, and probably closer to Ogre Horde. Tougher than RotWL and MUCH tougher than the base game quests.

Them caves are scary. Beware.

[lestodante]

Yeah man.. I know it's very hard!

[HispaZargon]

Hi, about the lack of quest notes or info shown in the back of the Adventure Desing Kit UK box for The Plague of Zombies quest definition, has anybody checked if boxes of other languages show more informarion? I am thinking on German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian ... versions of the box.

[lestodante]

Just wanted to ask the same, came here to write and .. you've anticipated me!!

[HispaZargon]

Just wanted to ask the same, came here to write and .. you've anticipated me!!

Haha... yeah, I suggested such question after checking that the example of character sheet shown in the back of the box is a little bit different between languages and maybe the same could happen with the plague quest.