Recently, I purchased all the Hero and Monster expansions + Manor of Ravens, so my Descent collection is complete again. Of course I added the Rumour Quests to the growing stack without closely examining them. Our group wanted to mix things this time so I'm not playing OL for the current campaign.
We decided to start the Labyrinth of Ruin, and after the Introduction was completed and won by the OL, he took us on one of the new Rumour quests, and won. The win condition for that was to draw an additional Rumour card.....ouch. It just so happens that many of the new Rumour quests, if won by the OL, allow him to draw an additional Rumour card. Of the three Rumour quests he can take us on, two have this win condition.
I tell you, early in a campaign being taken on back to back to back Rumour quests is going to set the OL up big time. I wonder if they continue making Hero and Monster packs, if the OL award of drawing additional Rumour cards will be the new norm.
I'd like to read the thoughts other OL's have concerning balance, and the risk of tipping the scales early in the campaign for the OL. As all of us are aware, Rumour quests early in the campaign, before heroes earn some experience and loot, can be extremely difficult.
-Cursain