"When I delivered the Amulet of the Undertaker to Sandro, he told me he had also hired a Barbarian named Tarek to locate another artifact, The Vampire's Cowl. However, Tarek is long overdue and Sandro fears for his life. From what I can see, bandits have captured Tarek and are holding him for ransom in an underground prison near the Deyja border."
—Gem
Retrieving the Cowl is the third scenario of the New Beginning campaign in Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death.
Walkthrough[]
Bring the Vampire's Cowl to the town of Leafhall to win the scenario. However, if Gem or Clancy are defeated in combat or you lose the Cowl, the scenario is lost. Your heroes are limited to level 20, but Gem and Clancy will carry their experience, skills and spells on to the next scenario.OffBck
After giving the amulet, Gem is sent to another task: to find the Vampire's Cowl. Sandro had hired another mercenary, Terek, to find the Cowl. Terek managed to find it, but was captured by bandits and held in a prison in the Deyjan lands. Gem has to rescue Terek and bring back the cowl to Leafhall, a village in northwest. Clancy stays with Gem, for he can go with her as long as they don't attack AvLee. At any rate, Gem and Clancy will have to focus on capturing Leafhall first. The town can be accessed through the nearby tunnel, west of the starting town. If the eastern path is taken, the heroes will come to a different Rampart town, while the road to Leafhall is blocked by viscious monsters. In underground, though, lie some mines, as well as artifacts, guarded by many harpies, manticores, minotaurs and medusae.
Seeing another village attacked by the undead, Gem gives gold to Mayor Delino to fund troops, knowing evil can be fought effectively if the locals defend themselves properly. With enough creatures, Gem and Clancy have to find a green keymaster tent, southeast of Leafhall, guarded by naga queens. Southwest of Leafhall is a portal, leading to a secluded area in northeast, with a dragon cliff structure. As Gem sleeps, she is visited by Amanda. Gem tells her of her victories, but Amanda replies to be aware what she is *exactly* doing. Gem and Clancy have to take either the southern or eastern route to access the Deyjan lands, protected by anti-magic garrisons containing dread knights and power liches. In those areas, there are two one-way monoliths, allowing the enemy to access the land easily enough. During a hunting expedition, Lord Fayette meets Gem and after a talk, proposes she could join AvLee. Gem considers the offer, but decides to wait until she finds the other two artifacts, even after receiving the charming letter from Fayette.
At any rate, once Gem is inside Deyjan lands, she needs to go to one of the southeastern subterranean gates and enter a cave. There lies a prison in which Terek is held. To open the prison, Gem needs to unlock the green border guard and offer 40 000 gold to the bandits. Once Terek is released, the cowl needs to be sent back to Leafhall to win the scenario.
Towns[]
- Rampart x3: Leafhall
- Necropolis x4
Strategy[]
The enemy has two Necropolis towns from the start and will take two more, leaving Gem and Clancy at a disadvantage, since they have three Rampart towns. The towns need to be captured fast and developed, then make a fast attack at Necropolis towns, stopping their armies from growing larger than they are already. It is not necessary to defeat the enemy, since either Clancy and Gem have to take the cowl from Terek and run back to Leafhall, considering the enemy heroes have high stats from the artifacts they carry. Heroes are limited to level 20, though Gem and Clancy will go onto the last scenario.
