The BLACK DRAGON

Two centuries after the advent of The 3rd Cycle, explorers from various seafaring races sailed west over what became known as The Endless Sea in hopes of finding a land not embroiled in endless wars. Though the sea was treacherous and some missions encountered kraken to their demise, the efforts eventually succeeded in discovering an entirely new continent. They established colonies there, and merchants returned to their old homes with rare metals, jewels, spices and stories of dragons and other creatures there. Knowledge of this new world and the navigation of safer passages became known to all peoples of Alamaze, and each sent its own expeditionary missions to establish their own colonies in the new land.

The discovered country was large enough that each found a region to settle and grow. Denizens of the continent have been encountered as well. Rumors of a Giant Ant race; of an undead uprising led by a powerful being called The Night King, and the establishment of a society called the Lycans: breathing men and beasts but not like normal mortals.

Borders were established. Cultivating this new territory and making use of ample materials combined with new construction technologies developed in the last two centuries led to rapid development of whole ranges of structures, including castles. Peace was found and endured for the next two generations, but then the old rivalries and jealousies reemerged. Discourse has become tinged with aggression and innuendo. It is clear the innate desire to establish empire has reemerged in all the kingdoms.

It seems to the sages that the outbreak of war is inevitable and only a few months away. Each kingdom is preparing in their own best way: militarily, economically, covertly and magically, all using the new sciences of steel and construction and the advantages they provide to their desired ends. It is a frenzy of development and preparation.

The time, and so the land as well, in this intense swirl of activity in a world still with many unknowns has come to be called The Maelstrom, and The 4th Cycle of Alamaze!

TO ARMS!

From Your Chief Thrall: Great Khan of The Black Dragons, lesser races dread your arrrival! Great thanks Oh Kahn for honoring me with the title of being your Chief Thrall and overseeing all your human minions and ensuring they perform their tasks as you demand. Blessed with incredible mobility, a good political corps, and decent magic and agents, the Black Dragons are a balanced kingdom with wings. Your dragons are not a match for the Red Dragons one on one, or brigade for brigade vs. several kingdoms, but your flight ability lets you pick and choose your fights your strategy should be multi-dimensional, perhaps allowing your groups to locate population centers and having emissaries at the ready to move in and usurp control.

The following traits provide special and unique bonuses for our kingdom. These effects are inherent and do not require specific action to enable unless otherwise specified in the section below.

• Acuity: Groups are never surprised, acts as entrenched. Agents have a reduced -10 points from being captured during missions. Political emissaries get +5 to their rebel/usurp die roll. Characters of this kingdom that become prisoners get 15 points added to their chance of escape.
• Evil: Only Evil kingdoms may summon undead if in spell lists. Undead brigades cannot become Elite. Undead brigades have a floor morale of 80 and cannot raise above 120. Damned, Skeletons, and Zombies may be summoned from pop center areas (not in wild only). Only Evil kingdoms may recruit Trolls. Brigade maintenance is -25% for Evil kingdoms. Only Evil kingdoms may have Nazgul, Wraith, or Lich figures. Evil kingdoms gain a pop center's full production value in food and gold (not reduced by seasonal effects) when conquered. Rule of Law has cost of 0 for Evil kingdoms. Evil kingdoms start Hostile in all regions except for capital and second town regions. When an Evil kingdom first controls a particular region, all non-Evil kingdoms have their regional reactions changed to Hostile. If an Evil kingdom has control in a region with Loyal reactions, non-Evil kingdoms cannot improve their regional reaction there. An Evil kingdom may not enamor a region that is Loyal to any non-Evil kingdom. Agent training is -1,000 gold to a minimum of 1,000. Maximum agent training is +2 levels.
• Foreknowledge: Kingdom has the short name of one or more artifacts on setup. Varies by kingdom as to number and which specific artifacts.
• Magic Resist Death: Kingdom is 33% resistant to magical death effects. This consists of the kill leader/wizard spell, death spell, and the summon imp/demon/high demon spells. If successful, no damage will be taken.
• Magic Resist Sleep: Kingdom is 33% resistant to sleep effects.
• Rich: Increases starting treasury by 30,000 gold, and increases starting capital gold production by 4,000.
• Ruthless: Cause Fear (-10% to morale of opposing groups or to popcenter defense). +2 points intrinsic status quo to controlled popcenters so about a Provincial Governor Maintaining Status Quo in a tolerant region. +10 points to Threaten (#180).
• Trackers: Provides an intrinsic (no order required) level 4 agent recon of each active group area. Detects groups in ambush but not invisible groups. Can locate hidden sites if ending movement on them.

• Terrain Adeptness: Flight, Disadvantage in Forest (combat only)
• Magical Prowess: Standard (Tier 4 of 7)
• Spells available earlier than prowess base: Cold Darkness
• Phoenix (Order #565 Recruit Companions) may be recruited at one of the volcano locations on the map (KH, KS, ZV). Phoenix are flying creatures that have regenerative powers. A group that contains a Phoenix brigade may issue their special regenerate order (#236 Regenerate) once per turn. This ability will heal up to 5% attrition (double during an Ice Age).
• Flanking Tactic (use TAC 4). Group vs. group attack (special exemption for our kingdom, others require the Riders trait), a Marshal or better in the group (not stunned), and can only be done in Plains or Desert terrain. Cannot be used against a group with flying or a kingdom with the Riders Trait (reverts to Standard Battle Plan). Cannot be used against an enemy group with a Warlord who is healthy (not stunned). Charge phase combat value for the flanking force is at 175%. Enemy losses in retreat is x3. Changes enemy's Organized Withdrawal to Stand And Defend. Own group retreat as Standard Battle Plan. If Flanking group retreats, its own losses in retreat are 2x.
• Create Dragon's Lair (Order #650), specified map area must be a Mountain location without a pop center (pillaged or a magic-destroyed pc frees the map area of a pc so the area is valid for a lair). May only have one Dragon's Lair on the map. May only issue order on turn 4 or later. A Dragon's Lair produces 20,000 gold each month (does not decrease due to seasonal effects).
• Black Dragons cannot use sea power or buy ships, and therefore cannot use Orders #710 and 715. Use the normal land movement order #720 to cross sea areas. Flying groups may land on water.
• Special Order: Equip Advanced Item (Poison Tail Stinger) (Order #607, 500 mithril), poison tail stinger is an advanced weapon group attachment similar to forged improved weapons and cannot be traded. The tail stinger provides an extra 20% leader/wizard death effect during group combat. Equip the stinger to group at kingdom-owned pc with forge. Group must have one or more brigades in group. Group must already be equipped with improved weapons or mithril weapons from forge (Order #605). Only able to equip improved weapons, mithril weapons, or advanced weapons to a group once on the same turn.
• Black Dragons capitals start with a significant boost to their defense and gold production than normal.
• Our ruler starts the game as being Immortal.

Your first group begins as your most powerful and important group. In addition, should you earn your Early Strategic Objective or qualify for an Appeal to the Gods (Epic Game only) there are possible awards that only go into your first group (see General Rules).

Enter your selections for the Early Strategic Objectives with your orders on turns 1 through 3. Use Order #991 and reference the instructions in the Official Rulebook. If you do not select any objectives, your kingdom will receive the default objectives listed below:

We are pursuing a MINOR ESO!

On turns 10 through 15, if our kingdom has achieved the above requirements to total 3 achievement points, we may claim awards worth 3 points!

This campaign has NORMAL victory conditions.

Therefore a kingdom may win via Rex (control 5+ regions) or by Lion's Share (most status points at end of the game).

The following skeletons, if revealed, will have detrimental impact on your influence and on regional reaction in some regions.

Proficiency: Standard (Tier 4 of 7)

Maximum assured Power level attainable: 8 (includes +2 levels from Immortal)

(Spellcasters may attempt to research beyond the assured level, but may fail about 50% of the time, and the gold cost is still consumed)

Gold cost per research level: 10,000

(Plateau levels have additional cost. At 3rd level, +10,000 gold. At 5th level, +30,000 gold. At 7th level, +60,000 gold. For example, to increase a pwr-2 wizard to pwr-3, the cost is the gold-cost-per-research-level x level + plateau cost, or 40,000 gold. To reach 5th level, the cost is 80,000 gold. To reach 7th level, the cost is 130,000 gold.)

Level 0: Rite Of The Magi, Self Invisible, Wizard Assist Encounter

Level 1: Create Food, Light Of The Evening Star, Magic Research, Protect Heroes and Wizards, Raven Familiar, Stun Leader

Level 2: Bridge Of Mist, Create Gold, Diplomacy, Fear, Light Of The Evening Star (Intrinsic), Lightning Attack, Reveal King's Influence, Shield, Speed, Valor, Ward

Level 3: Bridge Of Mist (Intrinsic), Dispel Magic, Fertile Fields, Firestrike, Guarded Attack, Hidden Ore, Kill Leader/Wizard, Lesser Masking, Presence (Intrinsic), Ship of Mist, Sleep, Strengthen Walls, Teleport Self, Wind Storm

Level 4: Chaos, Conceal Emissary, Dire Wolf Familiar, Dispel Dome of Invulnerability, Dispel Storm at Sea, Flash Flood, Greater Masking, Instant Self Teleport, Invisible Patrol, Mirror Image, Raise Population Center Census, Teleport Patrol, Wall of Flame

Level 5: Cold Darkness (Regional Effect), Command Tornado, Create Magical Item, Destroy Undead, Dispel Regional Effect, Imp Familiar, Invisible Brigade, Protection from Regional Effect, Storm at Sea, Teleport Brigade, True Seeing, Ward Population Center

Level 6: Curse, Earthquake, Invisible Division, Project Image Of Group, Revelation, Sacrifice, Teleport Division, Unveil Group Locations, Unveil Population Centers

Level 7: Charm Region, Conjure Prestige, Conjure Scandal, Crack The Sky, Demonic Visions (Regional Effect), Dome of Invulnerability, Enhance King's Aura, Ice Torrent, Infuriate Populace, Invisible Army, Meteor Strike, Plague (Regional Effect), Raise Regional Census (Regional Effect), Teleport Army, Transform to Nazgul, True Seeing (Intrinsic)

Level 8: Augment Title, Chain Lightning, Famine (Regional Effect), Summon Death, Summon Demon, Teleport Army Group, Wraith Form

Level 9: Prismatic Rays, Simulacrum

Here there be dragons! A Black Dragon brigade has only perhaps a score of Black Dragons, but is more powerful than any other brigade. They spew acid in the missile phases, swoop down with huge claws in the charge phase, throwing victims into the air or crushing them, and then land and attack with jaws and tail in melee phases. Their flight gives them a good advantage attacking population centers as their walls do not provide the same advantages. While Black Dragons are a strong brigade type, they are not a match for the top kingdom brigades such as Red Dragons and the Sacred Order when brigades and other factors are about equal.

Recruit Troops (Order #560), Recruit Companions (Order #565), or magically summoned brigades fight at their respective values for all kingdoms. They move according to the kingdom's movement table. They consume food and gold at their respective rates. Groups at sea fight according to the fleet quantity and quality in the given sea.

Special Note: Flyers may be available for your kingdom through the Recruit Companions (Order #565) or as a Wizard Summoning Spell. All flying groups, either as natural flyers like Dragons or groups enhanced with special brigades/artifacts that bestow flying capabilities, are considered flying at all times. When specifying the group's movement, all terrain costs are calculated as normally in your movement order (including when flying over water areas). However, flying groups whether they are all-natural flyers (e.g., all brigades of Griffons) or non-natural flyers (ground-based troops that gain flying by acquiring an artifact or by recruiting Giant Eagles) are checked throughout the turn if their situation changes. Flying status may be lost if the group no longer meets certain criteria such as losing division-sized status required by certain artifacts due to transferring troops between groups, combining groups together, or gaining additional troops through battle as what may occur with special troops like Zombies that eat the dead and grow in number. Or Lycanthrope that spreads among the injured on the battlefield and the group acquires new Lycan brigades. Another possibility to consider is if the group will receive any troop reinforcements, which occurs at certain intervals throughout the game. So, even though a ground-based, non-natural flying group may start the turn as a flyer, its status may change throughout the course of the game. A flying group that flys over or lands upon a water area may be issued any movement order (e.g., 720 and not required a sea movement order like 710).

Natural flyers are: Black/Red Dragons, Great Bats, Phoenixes, Specters, and Wyverns, as well as the new troop types of Air Elementals, Beholders, Chimeras, Cockatrices, Fairy Folk, Gargoyles, Giant Eagles, Griffons, Manticores, Mephits, Pixies, Rocs, and Sprites. Giant Eagles and Rocs are the only natural flyers capable of bestowing flight to ground-based troops. Artifacts that are capable of bestowing flight to others are: Great Red Bats of the Lost Caves, Green Dragon Mates, and the Last Herd of Winged Stallions. If a group consists of only natural-flyers or ground-based troops that become capable of flying, the following flight bonuses apply: +20% attack bonus vs pop centers, immune to Earthquake, Flash Flood, and Wall of Flame spells, patrol-sized groups have 32 (rather than 20) movement points (only for patrols of the Black Dragon, Red Dragon, and Fairy Folk kingdoms), may fly over water without a naval fleet being involved (may finish movement upon a water area), automatically performs a reconnaissance of the group's location as a level 1 agent, and the flying group may not be flanked in battle (a special attack maneuver that certain kingdoms may perform).

Your intercept radius is 5 areas (for Order #732).

Over fifty criteria which comprise the characteristics of each Kingdom have been evaluated in designing and balancing the Second Cycle. Exactly where your Kingdom falls along many of these lines will be divulged below. Much of the work which went into the second cycle involved balancing the potential of each Kingdom. The ratings will be broken down into several elements of play, with a numeric rating converted into a subjective phrase. These rating phrases were arrived at by establishing a mean and standard deviation for each criteria, and then assigning the appropriate phrase. Throughout, the following scale is used:

What this is intended to relate to you is that there is no puffing of any ratings: if you have a SUPERIOR rating in some area, another King almost certainly has a VERY POOR rating there. On the other hand, if you think your Kingdom looks horrible in a certain area, yet it's evaluation is BELOW AVERAGE (rather than VERY POOR), then you should be clued to reevaluate your perception of the strength of other Kingdoms in this area (ie, they probably are not as strong as you suspected).

For each area, take the rating for Summary with a grain of salt. It will involve some weighting of the factors in that category, but could give a misleading final evaluation. For example, in the military section, a Kingdom whose troops are quite good in combat may be summarized as only average militarily because of poor movement capabilities and light reinforcements. In any case, the evaluations are only intended to allow you to frame your Kingdom's beginning characteristics against those of the other Kings.