On our next play session we will be playing The Man Who Would be King. As part of the setup, Sir Alric Farrow should be equipped with the Duskblade relic.

My question is: We have not played The Dawnblade or The Desecrated Tomb quests. Thus, the Overlord hasnt't received the Duskblade as a reward. Is Alric Farrow still equipped with it? I assume that the answer is yes, but if so it feels like he gets a "free" extra reward.

He does in fact get a "free" extra relic. In the base game rulebook, it states that for setup of the finale , any unplayed quests are considered "won" by the OL. That is, if you haven't played Dawnblade/Desecrated Tomb, the assumption is that the OL won that quest when determining whether or not Alric has the Duskblade. For reference, the relevant section of the rulebook is on page 22, under "Finale."

Thematically, you can explain it by remembering that the OL has many forces at his command, while the heroes are just a party of 4- they have to pick and choose which plots of his they try to stop. While they were off trying to keep the OL from claiming the dragon skull with Belthir, Alric was still grabbing the Duskblade from that tomb- they weren't there to stop him, so he got it.

Unrelated, but make sure that Splig starts on the side of the door OPPOSITE the heroes, and not on the side close to them. This has been changed in the errata.

I'm not sure that it means that they get the rewards for all those quests, just that they are considered "won" in the context of determining which Lieutenants they can use. If setup says he gets the relic, that's only because the setup says so specifically for that quest, not because the OL gets free rewards for all unplayed quests.

Otherwise, you'd have to give the Overlord all the XP for all those unplayed quests as well, as the XP rewards are just as much part of winning the quests as the relics are.

Just to be sure, though, I'll submit this question to get an official confirmation either way.

I'm not sure that it means that they get the rewards for all those quests, just that they are considered "won" in the context of determining which Lieutenants they can use.

Otherwise, you'd have to give the Overlord all the XP for all those unplayed quests as well, as the XP rewards are just as much part of winning the quests as the relics are.

Just to be sure, though, I'll submit this question to get an official confirmation either way.

He certainly does not get extra XP- that isn't part of the setup. What he does get is Alric, equipped with the Duskblade, since the quest setup says (approximately) "if the OL won ____, he gets Alric equipped with the Duskblade" and the rulebook says "for Shadow Rune Finale setup, treat unplayed quests as if the OL won them."

Ah, OK, I misunderstood what you were saying then I do agree if the Setup explicitly says so, he gets the relic (I don't have my guide handy). I thought you were saying it in a more general sense, that all the quests that weren't played give the OL the reward associated with that quest (which is what I disagree with). If you are just referring to this specific setup, then I withdraw my disagreement on that point.

No problemo- yes, I could have been more clear. If I'm not mistaken, balerino was asking what to do about setup for "The Man Who Would Be King," (one of the finale's of "The Shadow Rune") since it says (approximately, I don't have my quest guide either) "if the OL won the Dawnblade or The Descrated Tomb, place Alric equipped with the Duskblade. If Alric was defeated, instead place an open group."

Since neither of those quests was played, p22 of the rulebook says that for dealing with that particular condition only (you're absolutely right, not extending to other things like XP granted, etc) proceed as if the OL had won the quests in question. I think we are in agreement.

Sounds good I will read the posts more carefully next time

Thanks for the replies. The setup text actually says: "Sir Alric Farrow, equipped with the Duskblade relic". Period. and that he won't be present if the heroes won either of those quests.

I agree that if he is present he should also have the relic for that encounter, even if the quests that give it as a reward haven't been played.

I'm not sure that it means that they get the rewards for all those quests, just that they are considered "won" in the context of determining which Lieutenants they can use. If setup says he gets the relic, that's only because the setup says so specifically for that quest, not because the OL gets free rewards for all unplayed quests.

Otherwise, you'd have to give the Overlord all the XP for all those unplayed quests as well, as the XP rewards are just as much part of winning the quests as the relics are.

Just to be sure, though, I'll submit this question to get an official confirmation either way.

My dream.... shattered!