The news the magic user and the amulet Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a news that spread like wildfire among the people. It was said that a powerful magic user had discovered a legendary amulet that could grant unlimited power. This news had everyone intrigued, as they all dreamt of harnessing such power for themselves. As the news spread, people from all walks of life traveled to the city where the magic user resided, hoping to catch a glimpse of the precious amulet. The city became crowded with curious onlookers, eagerly waiting for any news or updates about the amulet. The magic user, known for their reclusive nature, decided to hold a public presentation to showcase the amulet.
A# - Allied Towns
O# - Opponent Towns (a,b,c,d,e,f,g indicates which enemy)
N# - Neutral Towns
M# - Mirror Entrances (a) and exits (b). two-way unless stated
E# - Exit (a) entrance and (b) exit
S# - Seer (a) and the location of the item (b)
G# - Guard Tents (a) and the location of the Guard Tower (b)
J - Jail
X - Ambush
Unfortunately, there are a bunch of Scorpicores right in front of E2a and since they re so fast they will likely kill most or all of your Grand Elves if you decide to attack them. The Blacksmith will enable you to build a City Hall faster yet the 15 Wood will enable you to build creature generators faster so it s up to you which one you prefer.
The magic user, known for their reclusive nature, decided to hold a public presentation to showcase the amulet. The whole city gathered at the grand hall, buzzing with anticipation. The magic user appeared on stage, holding the amulet in their hands.
The news the magic user and the amulet
Acquire the Amulet of the Undertaker to win the scenario. However, if Gem or Clancy are defeated in combat, the scenario is lost. Your heroes are limited to level 15, but Gem and Clancy will carry their experience, skills and spells on to the next scenario. Starting Bonus: Blacksmith or 15 Wood or +1 Spell Power.
Click on a map to see a larger version.
Green - Friendly Town
Red - Enemy Town
Grey - Neutral Town
Yellow - Underground Passage
A# - Allied Towns
O# - Opponent Towns (a,b,c,d,e,f,g indicates which enemy)
N# - Neutral Towns
M# - Mirror Entrances (a) and exits (b). two-way unless stated
E# - Exit (a) entrance and (b) exit
S# - Seer (a) and the location of the item (b)
G# - Guard Tents (a) and the location of the Guard Tower (b)
J - Jail
X - Ambush
Starting Out
I'd take either the Blacksmith or the 15 Wood as the bonus. The Blacksmith will enable you to build a City Hall faster yet the 15 Wood will enable you to build creature generators faster so it's up to you which one you prefer. The Mage Guilds have the same restrictions as in the previous map in that you can't build level 4 or 5 Mage Guilds.
It's far better to take out the enemy than in trying to get the amulet to win the map. Give Gem the starting forces from Clancy and see if you can hire a Rampart hero to giver her even more. Flag the Wood and Ore resource mines near A1 and see if you can go underground at E1a to flag the Homestead and get more Wood Elves. Then get back to the surface and head north to claim the second Rampart town at N1. This town doesn't have a Fort and so I'd use it to build a City Hall for the gold. As to A1, I'd build a Homestead and then a Castle and then work on getting a City Hall. The second week upgrade to Grand Elves and Centaur Captains because they will be used to take over the next two neutral towns.
After giving Gem the troops and upgrading them at A1, go east along the blue path and past the Vampire Lords to take over N2 and then north to take over N3. The enemy will have to go by N3 in order to either invade your territory to go down E2a since that's the only way to get to O2a. So I'd start building up N3 and have Clancy use the Castle troops to defeat the enemy heroes that wander by. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of Scorpicores right in front of E2a and since they're so fast they will likely kill most or all of your Grand Elves if you decide to attack them. In addition, there are Dragons guarding E3a underground so even if you make it past the Scorpicores you have another powerful enemy facing you. One tactic is to wait until the enemy defeats the Scorpicores and goes underground. You then follow it and wait for it to defeat the Black Dragons and then you defeat the hero once their forces have been whittled down. This is chancy since the enemy could always decide to attack N3 instead but it's the easiest. While you're waiting you can flag the resource mines while building up your towns. I suggest building the Enchanted Spring and Dendroid Arches in your Rampart town the second week while you're waiting for the way to O2a to be cleared by the enemy.
In about week 4 give Gem all of the troops from A1 and send her back to N3 since the enemy will probably have cleared out E2a and you can follow them along the red path to O2a. Try to defeat that enemy outside of O2a if you can but take it over in any way you can and head south through the one-way mirror at M1a. You'll be at M1b in Necromancer territory to the east of N5 which has most likely been taken over by the enemy. Take over that town and defeat any wandering hero that's nearby. Then head north along the red path and take over O1a and defeat any enemy that's near. Unfortunately they will probably have gone through one of their garrisons and taken over N4 which means you need to follow them. The garrisons don't allow the use of any magic and have about two weeks worth of every Necromancer nonupgraded unit. After you defeat them you can take over N4 and hunt down any enemy nearby. There's a distinct possibility that the enemy will head south and try to attack N3 so having a good force of Castle troops is essential because it would take too long for Gem to return and she might not be able to take on another garrison and win. Once the enemy has been eliminated you can breathe a sigh of relief since most of the difficulty of this map is behind you.
Finishing Up
Now that all of the enemies are gone, you can increase the levels of Gem and Clancy since they will both transfer to the next map. If you didn't do it in the first map, I suggest building level 3 Mage Guilds in every town and having both Gem and Clancy visit them all since there's a good chance of you getting a variety of nice spells. To finish the map, follow the purple path from O2a through G1b (be sure to visit G1a through E1a), past a School of War that both should visit, past the Ambush of 60 Bone and Ghost Dragons, and finally about 80 Ghost Dragons before you can grab the Amulet of the Undertaker and win the map.
Healers like clerics, druids, and bards are even more negatively affected than spellcasters in general by the bonus action heals and help action buffs. In 5th edition dungeons and dragons, one of the most amazing low level spells was probably healing word, some might say it's the game's best spell. It allows the use of a bonus action to bring up a fallen teammate from a distance and provide them with around 5 hp. All another teammate could do was get next to a downed player and use their action to attempt a medicine check to stabilize - they can't take actions, but are no longer dying. If they had a health potion they needed to get next to them and use an action to bring them up with it. Clerics could do this with a bonus action from 30 feet away! In balder's gate 3 everyone can toss a health potion at a downed ally to bring them up. Everyone can use the help action without any spellslot or healing potion to bring up a downed ally. Everyone can take healing portions or eat food using a bonus action to boost their health in the middle of combat before getting downed in the first place.
The amulet was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. It shone with an otherworldly glow, radiating power and mystique. People were captivated by its beauty and power, eagerly imagining what they would do if they were the one to possess it. The magic user began explaining the amulet's origin and its immense power. They cautioned that with great power comes great responsibility. The amulet could bring either great good or great evil, depending on the intentions of its wielder. Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the crowd as a man pushed his way to the front, desperately wanting to possess the amulet. He claimed that he would use it to bring peace and prosperity to the land. The people watched with bated breath as the magic user considered his plea. After a long pause, the magic user refused to grant the man the amulet. They explained that the man's intentions were clouded by his own selfish desires and that he lacked the wisdom to use the amulet for the greater good. Instead, the magic user decided to keep the amulet hidden away, protecting it from falling into the wrong hands. The news of the magic user's decision spread quickly, disappointing many who had hoped to gain access to the amulet's power. However, the people eventually came to understand and appreciate the magic user's wisdom. They realized that power, in the wrong hands, could bring about destruction and chaos. It was a lesson in humility and the importance of using power responsibly. The news of the magic user and the amulet became a cautionary tale, reminding people of the consequences of unchecked desire for power. And so, the city went back to its normal routine, but the news of the magic user and the amulet remained in the hearts and minds of the people, reminding them to be mindful of the choices they make and the power they seek..
Reviews for "Unlocking Ancient Secrets: The Magic User and the Amulet's Forbidden Knowledge"
1. John - 1 star
I found "The News, the Magic User, and the Amulet" to be extremely disappointing. The plot lacked depth and originality. The story felt cliché and predictable, with the typical hero's journey and a predictable ending. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked development, making it difficult to care about their fate. The writing style was also mediocre, lacking in both descriptive language and immersive storytelling. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and unique fantasy read.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
"The News, the Magic User, and the Amulet" had an interesting premise, but it failed to deliver on its potential. The world-building was minimal, leaving many unanswered questions and making it difficult to fully understand and connect with the story. The pacing was also inconsistent, with long periods of stagnation followed by rushed and unsatisfying resolutions. Moreover, the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to believe in the interactions between the characters. While I appreciate the author's effort, I cannot recommend this book for fantasy enthusiasts looking for a well-crafted and immersive tale.
3. Michael - 1 star
"The News, the Magic User, and the Amulet" was a complete letdown. The plot was filled with holes and inconsistencies, leaving me confused and frustrated throughout the entire read. The characters lacked depth and authenticity, making it impossible to relate to or care about their struggles. Additionally, the writing style was amateurish, lacking in sophistication and finesse. The dialogue was stilted and the descriptions were often vague and insufficient. Overall, this book felt like an unfinished draft rather than a polished and cohesive novel. I strongly advise against wasting your time on this mediocre fantasy offering.