Before us lies a hoard of wealth, more treasure than we have ever seen. Gilded suits of armour, jeweled weaponry, coins, rings, and piles of gems fill the room. The light is positively dazzling, and I squint against the glinting treasure. Stepping forward, I finally notice something wrong with the room. A shadow seems to be drinking all the light around it. As we move towards it, it stands up and eyes filled with rage lock onto my own. “You have found your way into my lair. Congratulations. Now you pay for the sight with your lives.” This is the Lord of Darkness, the being sealed away by the creator of the Crown of Command. His armour is magnificent, crafted of the finest metals and decorated with trophies of those he has slain. He hefts his massive sword, and with a gesture, it bursts into flames!

The Dungeon is a deadly place, and every level only increases in danger. We have seen some of the new spaces, the new encounters, and glimpsed some of the treasure and its terrible guardian. Many adventurers have come before, and many continue to stalk the lands. The Crown of Command has been recovered and lost many times, and every generation sends forth new seekers. Now we examine the brave adventurers that choose to descend into the depths of this terrifying expanse.

Our mage reads a scroll, and I go to draw my sword. Much to my dismay, my arms are frozen! The Gladiator appears equally paralyzed, and the mage will have to fight on his own. The fireball cast at the Lord of Darkness splashes harmlessly off of his shield. The mage looks at me for assistance, and the Lord begins to laugh. “Foolish mortal, you must fight me honorably. One on one, a true test of your mettle.” With this, he aims his sword at the mage, mutters a word, and the mage bursts into flame! Unable to even utter a scream, he is reduced to ash. Chuckling to himself, the foul guardian looks my way. “Your turn.”

The Gladiator is a powerful addition to the world of Talisman. Featuring a high life total, and solid values in Strength and Craft, this devotee of evil is more than capable of taking care of himself. Add in his ability to boost Armour rolls, and beginning the game with the Helmet, the Gladiator can tackle large encounters even early in the game. The biggest ability allows him to gain Strength from all of his followers. Every follower is able to add one to his Strength, giving him double benefits.

The strange paralysis afflicting me lifted, and a new paralysis fills my veins. I must face down the most vile and powerful creature that has walked the land since the creator of the Crown. I draw my sword, heft my shield, and walk towards the Lord of Darkness. “You hold yourself well, for a man about to die. I admire your courage, pity you won’t survive the next five seconds.” Once again, he gestures, and his sword bursts into flames. Steeling my nerves, I charge forward. He aims his sword at me, repeating the spell he cast upon our now departed mage. Not without a few tricks of my own, I utter a command taught to me many adventures ago, by a mighty magician. The flames die in midair, and I swing for the joint in his armour. Far too swiftly, he raises his shield. Not wanting to lose me momentum, I swing again and again, bashing against his shield, until I finally knock the artifact from his hands. Deftly stepping back, the Lord of Darkness wields his sword in both hands. Locking eyes, we charge towards each other.

The Philosopher is a man steeped in spells. Not only does he begin the game with a spell, but every time he draws a spell, he can discard it and draw another! Nothing like being able to get that spell you need, when you need it. In addition to his spell competency, he can discard a face up encounter and draw another. Staring down the wrong end of a dragon? No problem, discard it and greet the friendly dwarf that appears instead. The Philosopher is a welcome addition to the lands of Talisman.

The years of training have given me many opportunities to hone my sword skills. I have faced down many opponents, and this is the toughest I have faced yet. The battle is long, and I now stand over an empty suit of armour. The Lord of Darkness is not dead, he will regain his strength and continue to guard his hoard. I turn to the Gladiator, weary but victorious. Much to my surprise, he has taken a prize from the hoard, and is stepping into the portal. “What are you doing?” The fool is trying to use my conquest to steal the Crown of Command. “Only the wisest can wear the Crown. Guess you should have been smarter. I’m in it for me.” With that he steps into the light. I fight my way back out of the Dungeon, and now stand before you. I wish to take my leave. I have some unfinished business with that Gladiator.