Preview Lord Hawthorne and the Crypt Dragons from Guardians of Deephall

The village of Deephall stands in dire need. Its dead rise as mindless zombies, animated by the magic of dark priests. Four heroes defend the city’s walls, but strength alone will not be enough to save Deephall. To put an end to this evil, the heroes must venture into the icy caverns high above the city and find a mysterious pendant that may hold the key to Deephall’s woes.

Like other Hero and Monster Collections for Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition, Guardians of Deephall offers thirteen sculpted plastic figures previously available only through the first edition of Descent. Now, these figures have been brought in line with the aesthetics of the second edition with new sculpts and artwork. Within this expansion, you’ll find four heroes, two crypt dragons, three wendigos, and four dark priests, as well as two brand-new quests: Guardians of Deephall and The Curse of Iona.

In our last preview, we took a closer look at Silhouette and the wendigo monster group. Today, we turn to the martial prowess of Lord Hawthorne and the terrifying presence of the crypt dragons!

Sworn to Defend

Years ago, Lord Hawthorne and his men lay under siege in Seragart. When they poured from the city gates in a final sortie, few expected victory. But the throng of barbarians fell beneath Lord Hawthorne’s blade, leaving their sorcerous warlord scrambling to retreat. Lord Hawthorne pursued the rout and closed in on the dark mage, but only severed a corner of his cloak. Lord Hawthorne swore then that his opponents would never again escape his blade. He has never broken his oath, and now he has sworn to protect the city of Deephall or die in the attempt!

As a Warrior, Lord Hawthorne brings overwhelming strength to your quests, cutting down the deadly monsters of the overlord wherever they may stand. In combat, Lord Hawthorne is renowned for his mastery of greatswords and other enormous weapons. His hero ability grants Reach to all of his Melee weapon attacks, enabling you to attack foes up to two spaces away. This added range for Melee weapons makes Lord Hawthorne a powerful force, especially in the tight corridors and cramped confines of a dungeon.

Lord Hawthorne deals even more damage to monsters by using his heroic feat at the opportune moment. As an action, he may use his heroic feat to attack, move up to two spaces, and perform another attack against a different target! With two attacks and added mobility, Lord Hawthorne can cut through a variety of monsters. What’s more, Lord Hawthorne’s hero ability applies to these attacks, increasing the range of this heroic feat even more. As a cunning warrior and a deadly combatant, Lord Hawthorne’s blade could make the difference between victory and defeat in Deephall.

Hoarded in Darkness

Many of the overlord’s monsters join the assault on Deephall directly, but some lurk in the shadows instead, such as the fearsome crypt dragons. While other dragons hoard items for their great value or shining brilliance, crypt dragons are far more interested in items of great magic or fate. These powerful artifacts have been known to carry dreadful curses and terrorize settlements near the tombs and graveyards where these beasts build their hoards. The presence of crypt dragons in the caverns above the city may hold a clue to the source of Deephall’s woes.

Crypt dragons are formidable in battle, and when you play as the overlord, you can call upon their dread power to send the heroes fleeing in terror. All crypt dragons can attack at range, spending surges to deal extra damage. They can also spend a surge to grant Blast to their attacks, allowing every blast of black fire to affect large groups of figures. Crypt dragons also share a Horrifying visage. Every hero adjacent to a Horrifying monster suffers from reduced willpower, making him more susceptible to the overlord’s tricks and deception.

Master crypt dragons offer another option for taking advantage of the heroes’ compromised willpower. As an action, a master crypt dragon can Cause Fear, forcing an adjacent hero to test his willpower. If the hero fails, he must flee two spaces away from the monster and become immobilized. By keeping the heroes from moving closer to the quest’s objectives, your crypt dragons may become a crucial part of the overlord’s monstrous army.

Salvation or Ruin

The city of Deephall lies in your hands. Will you defend its walls as a hero, slaying foul monsters at every turn? Or will you command dark priests, wendigos, and crypt dragons in unceasing assault until Deephall is brought to ruin? The choice is yours in Guardians of Deephall, a new Hero and Monster Collection for Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition!

Look for Guardians of Deephall at your local retailer soon!

…