Morcar's General

[Daedalus]

I'd discount the Witch Lord as the general plotting with Morcar/Zargon as he was still imprisoned at his tomb at Barak Tor at the time of Mentor's message from the Rules of Play/Instruction Booklet.

There is an ancient threat called by Morcar/Zargon that has recently been released in the Northlands beyond the Sea of Claws, the general's place of retreat. I'm referring to the Forgotten Horror. As the FH's Quest Pack comes a bit later down the road, it can be considered to be about to revive its minions and enact it's plans to cover the Northlands and Empire in deadly ice. I'd say that fits with the general's and M/Z's plotting cited in Mentor's message.

[TMU]

There's a new drinking song among the imperial plebs:

"Harden the Border for the Princes
to drive it heartily up their princely arses...
until every blue-blood princess tearily winces
and every blind man sees through all the farces!"

Unrest is spreading...

I actually have a melody in my head. Something like that song Merry and Pippin sing and dance in The Prancing Pony in The Lord of the Rings movie.
Complete with ale spilling into hookers' cleavages.

I thought you meant Mary Poppins and the superduperhüberfluber song and it turned out way too funny for me

[aaronAGN]

I'd discount the Witch Lord as the general plotting with Morcar/Zargon as he was still imprisoned at his tomb at Barak Tor at the time of Mentor's message from the Rules of Play/Instruction Booklet.

There is an ancient threat called by Morcar/Zargon that has recently been released in the Northlands beyond the Sea of Claws, the general's place of retreat. I'm referring to the Forgotten Horror. As the FH's Quest Pack comes a bit later down the road, it can be considered to be about to revive its minions and enact it's plans to cover the Northlands and Empire in deadly ice. I'd say that fits with the general's and M/Z's plotting cited in Mentor's message.

I thought the message was referring to an event long ago in the past? Wouldn't the time of Rogar be before the Witch Lord was imprisoned?

[Spookyhappyfun]

I thought the message was referring to an event long ago in the past? Wouldn't the time of Rogar be before the Witch Lord was imprisoned?

I thought so too until I just read the "...even now they plot their revenge. Soon their plots will be ready..." part. Whoever it is was around long ago and somehow still planning and plotting with Zargon. This is intriguing!

I don't think it's the Frozen Horror (seems more of a beast) or the Witch Lord (he was asleep and entombed when Zargon began his most-recent campaign). I'll have to read more about Skulmar to figure him out. I assumed he was just a lackey of the Witch Lord's but maybe there's more to him?

Or is it someone we haven't met yet?

Or, better yet, is it someone we've already met but didn't know what that evil? Maybe he's deep undercover and he and Zargon and playing the long game.

[torilen]

I always assumed the general of which it speaks was the Witch Lord.

[aaronAGN]

I still think it's the witch lord.
Maybe it's referring to "their plotting" in the general sense.
WL has been plotting up to the point of his slumber.
Morcar is still plotting.
I dunno.
I'm not as well versed in the games as the rest of you.
Maybe one of the Wizards.
Anyone from another expansion fit the bill?

[Daedalus]

. . . I don't think it's the Frozen Horror (seems more of a beast) . . .

The Frozen Horror is ghastly, I'll give you that. When I first read Mentor's recounting way back when, I imagined someone less exotic. I could see how the Forgotten Horror doesn't fit that mold. Anyone you imagine is undoubtedly the best choice for your game.

This topic got me thinking, however. To me, the Frozen Horror seems more the general of Morcar/Zargon's hordes of Chaos than beast for several reasons:

• ancient evil recovering for centuries
• awaiting the signal of Zargon, his master
• big plans to cover the Northlands and Empire in ice
• native to the Northlands beyond the Sea of Claws (place of Morcar's retreat and supposed stronghold, the Northern Chaos Wastes)
• leads minions
• 4 Mind Points
• spellcaster (12 spells!)
• wicked battle axe and armor
• Scepter of Glacial Majesty
• Seat of Power where evil plans are devised for the conquest of the Empire

. . . or the Witch Lord (he was asleep and entombed when Zargon began his most-recent campaign). I'll have to read more about Skulmar to figure him out. I assumed he was just a lackey of the Witch Lord's but maybe there's more to him?

While I agree ". . . even now they [Morcar and his general] plot their revenge. . . ." coupled with the magical seal that imprisoned the Witch Lord in his resting place discounts him as Morcar's current general, as King of the Dead he could have served as the general under the Black Banner back in Rogar's day.

I suppose Skulmar as Captain of the Dead Host/Forgotten Legion (thousands of battles) also could have served as that general. Like Morcar's general of old, Skulmar will again try to escape when confronted in Kalos. His prominence is also confirmed by his position as one of the Court of the Dead, along with the Witch Lord and Kessandria the Witch Queen.

However, captain and general don't mesh well as titles. Furthermore, when first encountered in Kalos, he is encased in magical ice. As he hasn't yet taken his throne in the Court of the Dead, it is quite possible he has been encased since the gates of Kalos were shut long ago upon the Witch Lord's first defeat. . . .

[aaronAGN]

Daedalus makes LOTS of GREAT observations.
The Frozen Horror gets my vote.
.......
Although....
The quest book for The Frozen Horror says . "The Frozen Horror, an evil creature long thought banished, has burst forth from its icy tomb to await Zargon's command" and that it's been entombed for "centuries".
So isn't it still just as unlikely a candidate?

[benvoliothefirst]

This web site makes me happy. You nerds are my heroes!

[Daedalus]

It's not called Hero Quest for nothing!

The timing of when the Frozen Horror broke free is uncertain other than it must be less than a century ago. We also know it needed some amount of time to regain the Scepter of Glacial Majesty, begin reviving minions, and start enacting its icy plans. That could have taken years, months, weeks, or even days. It's only a sketched-out narrative.

We do know the Frozen Horror was awaiting Zargon's signal, which indicates some kind of advance plan before it burst forth. In contrast, the Witch Lord isn't described as coordinating with Morcar/Zargon. When the seal to his tomb is broken, he is simply awoken and released. Could Morcar/Zargon have somehow been in contact prior to this? Well, yes . . . he is the Lord of Chaos, after all. Pretty much anything goes.

This is all just speculation, of course. Was the Frozen Horror planned as a BQP baddie from the days when Mentor's words on p.2 of the EU Rules of Play were penned? I dunno. I feel the Frozen Horror was either weakly retconned in for the reappearance of the original Morcar's general or else it fits as just another ancient evil conjured by Morcar back in Rogar's day.