Burmak Dmitry - Frostgrave Thaw of the Lich Lord

First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Osprey Publishing,

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PO Box 3985, New York, NY 10185-3985, USA

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This electronic edition published in 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

2015 Joseph A. McCullough

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Print ISBN: 978-1-4728-1409-8

PDF e-book ISBN: 978-1-4728-1410-4

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Artwork: Dmitry Burmak

Official Frostgrave figure design: Mark Copplestone,

Mike Owen, Mark Sims, Nick Collier, Giorgio Bassani

and Bob Naismith

Figure painting: Dave Woodward, John Treadaway,

Steve Maguire and Kevin Dallimore

Scenery: John Treadaway, Steve Maguire, Karl Perrotton

and Kevin Dallimore

Photography: Kevin Dallimore

Other figures from: North Star Military Figures,

Crusader Miniatures, Copplestone Castings,

Wargames Foundry, Wargames Factory,

Fireforge Games and Mantic Games

Scenery manufacturers: Gale Force 9, Pegasus Hobbies,

Fenris Games, Ainsty Castings, Cigar Box Battles and

Frontline Gaming

C ONTENTS

I NTRODUCTION

Welcome to Thaw of the Lich Lord, the first supplement for Frostgrave: Fantasy Wargames in the Frozen City. In this book, players will find ten new scenarios set during one of the most dangerous times in the history of Frostgrave, a period when an undead wizard from before the great cataclysm escapes from his imprisonment and attempts to take control of the city. While the scenarios presented here can be played in any order or used for one-off games, if they are played in the order in which they are presented, they can provide a full campaign that tells the story of the Lich Lords attempted rise to power. The players wizards and warbands can then become major characters in the battle to thwart the Lich Lord and, of course, grab his treasure.

The scenarios in this book are ordered so that they become more challenging and more dangerous as the campaign progresses. It would probably be unwise to take a newly generated wizard and throw him into the action in Scenario 10. Additionally, some scenarios have such a high threat level that the players may even make temporary alliances with each other in order to defeat the Lich Lord or his minions. Thats fine just remember that any such alliance is only as good as the word of your opponent.

To assist the players during the campaign, this book also includes four new soldier types that their wizards can hire. There are also new treasures that can only be found during this campaign, some of which are unique items to be won during specific scenarios. Several new spells are also presented, including the horrific Lichdom, which allows a wizard to escape his mortal flesh and become a nigh-immortal lich. A bestiary provides new threats for players to overcome, and includes many of the Lich Lords undead servants. Finally, a new random encounter table is given for those who wish to create their own scenarios set during this tumultuous period in the history of Frostgrave.

As always, the rules, scenarios, creatures, and treasures found in this book are meant merely as the beginning. Players are encouraged to make up their own scenarios and monsters, and take their games wherever their imaginations lead them.

T HE CAMPAIGN

More than one thousand years ago, during Felstads glorious age, a great wizard turned his mind to dark places. Seeking knowledge from forbidden books and the writings of madmen, he experimented in a soundless dungeon and discovered a horrific secret immortality through undeath. Drawing upon the greatest necromantic powers, he ripped his soul from his body, then forced it back into his own lifeless corpse. In that instant, he became a creature of death, a lich of vast magic powers. Casting aside his old name, he dubbed himself the Lich Lord, and vowed to rule over all of the undead.

The new lich had little time to put his plans into action. Mere days after his transformation, the great storm arose and swept over the city. Caught off-guard by the cataclysm, the Lich Lord retreated into an indestructible sarcophagus, where he planned to wait for the storm to pass. The blizzard, however, did not pass it raged for days and weeks. Although the Lich Lord remained safe in his sarcophagus, the terrible storm froze it solid, sealing him inside, and buried him with the entire city under incalculable tons of snow.

It looked like a pool of clear water. I could even see my reflection. But beneath it was just a bottomless pit

S CENARIO ONE

TOTAL ECLIPSE

For centuries, the Lich Lord has dwelt beneath the ruined city, trapped in the frozen prison of his sarcophagus, waiting for a precise conjunction of celestial bodies to give him the power to break free.

As the warbands move through the city on their hunt for lost treasures, a darkness slowly falls on Frostgrave. Those that look up see the black shadow of the moon slowly passing across the sun. Spellcasters feel a strange tingle in their fingertips, a sense of untapped power. In the instant that the moon fully blocks out the sun, a shudder runs through the entire city

Set-Up