"By placing a price on the heads of the escaped slaves, Mad King Gryphonheart caused the slaughter of hundreds of Mudlanders. Even today, mass unmarked graves of headless corpses can be found in the swamps."
By Royal Decree is the third scenario in Revolt of the Beastmasters, the seventh part of Heroes Chronicles.
Eliminate Baron Paglon by conquering all the towns. All Heroes will be limited to level 18, but Tarnum and his two best Captains will transfer to the next scenario.OffBck
Baron Paglon fled from his castle when Tarnum's army approached it, so they followed him when the Baron fortified himself in another. Mad King Gryphonheart warned Baron Paglon that if he failed, he would be stripped of his title.
Tarnum learned that the King had promised a reward of ten silver for the head of any escaped slave, and many rogues were now hunting his army. Brellick discovered that the bounty hunters murdered women, children, the elderly, the sick, sleeping men - anyone who wouldn't put up much of a fight, selling their heads to the Baron.
Some of the gnolls deserted the army, taking a wagon of resources with them. Tarnum knew that if he punished them harshly, like most generals would, his army would view him as just another slavemaster, so he told the search party to capture the deserters, but not harm them in any way. Unfortunately, the rogues found them first, and Tarnum later found the charred and headless corpses of the deserters in a cave.
One morning, Tarnum called out to the Ancestors in a moment of weakness and rage, asking for "just a few seconds with this scum!" The wise woman Adamina asked whether destroying their enemy would save them, and Tarnum realized that he was slowly turning the Mudlanders into a bloodthirsty horde - like he once did to the barbarians. Tarnum knew that the Mudlanders needed a wise, compassionate leader when he left them, and decided that the swamp boy Droglo was the perfect candidate - a human boy who had been raised in the swamp and fought the Erathians all his life, but still showed mercy when he could because he knew that the common folk they were fighting were not responsible for the actions of the Mad King and his nobles.
When Tarnum approached Baron Paglon's castle, the Baron promised him half his wealth if he let him go free, but Tarnum refused and conquered his opponent.
Walkthrough[]
Tarnum and his two strongest heroes from the previous scenario start out with two Fortresses on the southern part of the map. There are two enemy Castles in the northwestern corner, and the heroes Baron Paglon and Ingham. Near the center, the map is split in two by one of Tarnum's garrisons.
Tarnum will be safe until the enemy captures the garrison, but the Baron starts out with large forces and might accomplish that quickly. Tarnum should explore his side of the map and capture all mines. When he has built up his forces, he can head through the garrison and attack his enemies.
Towns[]
- Two Fortresses
- Two Castles
Strategy[]
Baron Paglon will stay in the nearest Castle with a large army, so it might be wiser to capture the other Castle and all surrounding mines first, giving Tarnum plenty of time to build up before the final fight.
Near Tarnum's Fortresses, there's a Cart of Ore, guarded by pikemen, halberdiers, and archers. To the northwest of Tarnum's side of the map, there's a Necklace of Swiftness guarded by griffins, and on the eastern edge, there's a Ring of Life guarded by monks and zealots.
