- "A worm knows one thing with complete faith. Eat to live. Whether it's moldy dirt or rotten flesh, that worm digs and eats, eats and digs to fulfill its one truth. Eat to live.
But I hold one now in my Undead fingers. It squirms, fighting to free itself. What is it thinking? When I pop it in my mouth and chew its pink flesh, does it realize that you should NEVER place all your faith in one ideal?" - ―Gauldoth Half-Dead —
Listen (file info)
The Unholy Breath is the fifth and final scenario in the Half-Dead campaign in Heroes of Might and Magic IV.
Gauldoth is forced to betray his beloved master, Kalibarr, when he learns that the lich actually serves a malicious god of death determined to destroy every living being on this new world. In three months time, the stars will be in alignment and Kalibarr will be able to forge the Unholy Breath, an artifact with the power to destroy all living flesh. For the sake of the entire world, and for his own survival, Gauldoth must stop him.OffBck
Walkthrough[]
Gauldoth returned the Deadwood Staff to Kalibarr, but then he sees Kalibarr going through the portal. Gauldoth follows him and learns he serves the Master, known as the God of Death. The God of Death orders him to use the power of the staff in three months to eliminate life on Axeoth, since people managed to escape with their lives during the Reckoning (which the God of Death is displeased about). Gauldoth sees he needs to stop Kalibarr and has to kill him to prevent such disaster, since it also means Gauldoth's death. Gauldoth should escape the Plane of Death by going west, then north, through a portal (which does not have the Quest Guard).
Kalibarr is powerful and Nekrorrum is occupied by his forces. So, Gauldoth needs to find the town of Rija, which lies in west. To get through, he needs to enter the Monolith One-Way in the south. Rija is occupied and needs to be attacked. Once captured, Mardor informs Gauldoth there is Suraze, who likes to have a conversation with Gauldoth. Gauldoth will have to march north, then east, to a quest hut. Gauldoth sees Suraze, the demon he put in jail, is alive. Suraze replies Kalibarr ordered him to assassinate Gauldoth, but did not like Kalibarr's orders and fled. Gauldoth requests help in defeating Kalibarr, so Suraze wants a portion of the cities and a title. Since Gauldoth has not much choice, he agrees. Suraze joins Gauldoth with some vampires and a devil.
North-east of the hut is the portal, which leads back to the Plane of Death. East of the portal (on the Plane of Death) is a cave, where Gauldoth can free Hadrin, adding 30 zombies in his army. After preparing himself, Gauldoth has to face Kalibarr and kill him. After the battle, Gauldoth is saddened his Master had to die, but knows it was necessary. He has to go to Nekrorrum and capture it. Once conquered, Gauldoth frees the children Kalibarr wanted to sacrifice and becomes the King of Nekross.
- "I have struggled to understand a Universe that allows the destruction of an entire planet. Which will win this endless conflict - destruction or creation? The only thing I know for certain is never to place your faith entirely on one side. Play the middle if you want to survive.
Everyone else is a fanatic.
I am Gauldoth Half-Dead. Your savior." - ―Gauldoth Half-Dead — Listen (file info)
Strategy[]
A difficult scenario, since the enemy will build a much stronger army. Gauldoth has to make haste in capturing Rija and build it to get as much troops from it as possible. Suraze will be a help, considering his Tactics skill. In facing Kalibarr, Gauldoth should immediately kill him, since Kalibarr will likely curse Gauldoth (even kill him) in the first turn. A similar tactic should be applied in capturing Nekrorrum, but not necessary.
