First, please note that we have searched this forum, as well as have read the latest FAQ concerning this dungeon. There is a bit of a debate concerning the starting conditions.

First, note that the 3 cell areas containing the villagers (2 per cell) are NOT marked as red (i.e. Overloard normally cannot place monsters in red areas to start the dungeon). The FAQ states that no spawing can occur within these cells.

Question:Can the Overloard place his initial minions (which is not a spawn) in the cell areas with the villaers?

Question: Once the doors have been opened from the outside, can the Overlord then spawn in these cell areas, or are they forbidden areas for the entire length of the dungeon play?

any2cards said:

Technically, yes. There's nothing in the rules to prevent it. As OL, I would be inclined not to, putting it in the same spirit as "no spawning" like the FAQ says, but technically initial monsters are not spawns, as you say. So a less scrupulous OL could put them there without fear of being called a cheater (legitimately anyway.)

any2cards said:

Again, technically, they would be forbidden for the whole game. The FAQ answer doesn't say "no spawning until they've been opened."

But again, I would be inclined to say it's fair game once they've been opened, but I would abide the majority rule of other players at the table on this point.

The whole concept of villagers in cells seems to be a hotspot for rules questions, really. The game is designed such that the OL can (some might argue he should ) take no prisoners during play (pun intended,) however, the prisoner levels imply that the OL has some reason to keep these prisoners alive, which the OL player has no compulsion to do.

I think these levels would work better if there was some motivation for the OL to keep the prisoners alive as well - at least for a little while. After all, his minions didn't kill the villagers for some reason. Unfortunately, as written, there is not. So the OL's primary tactic is to kill them quickly and deny the heroes whatever benefit they get for rescuing the buggers.