Long before the coming of Sigmar, when the lands south of the Worlds Edge Mountains were little more than a wilderness of petty tribes, wandering warriors and isolated holds, there arose amongst the tribes of men a sorcerer king named Kurgan Darksoul.
An acolyte of the Dark Gods, Kurgan carved out a brutal empire with sword, sorcery and fear. His armies swept across the lands that would one day become known as the Border Princes, and those who opposed him were put to the sword. Those who submitted were taxed, enslaved and stripped of anything of value. Kurgan's treasure hoard grew with every victory, fed by the riches of conquered kingdoms, plundered tombs and the tribute of terrified subjects.
For many years Kurgan ruled without challenge.
Eventually, however, Dwarf and Man united against the tyrant. A great army marched against Kurgan and, after a bloody battle, the sorcerer king was finally defeated. Mortally wounded, he was carried from the battlefield by the last of his loyal followers. Knowing that their master was dying, they gathered his enormous treasure and carried both the king and his sizable treasure hoard to a secret place known only to them.
There, beneath an ancient hill, they constructed a great barrow. Kurgan Darksoul was laid amongst his treasure, and the entrance was sealed. The followers of Kurgan were slain or scattered soon afterwards, and the location of the barrow was lost.
Centuries passed.
Kingdoms rose and fell. Roads changed. Forests grew over ancient battlefields. The names of Kurgan and his enemies became little more than half-remembered tales told beside smoky tavern fires. Yet one part of the old stories never disappeared:
Kurgan possessed a treasure board beyond imagination.
And so, many centuries later, it came to pass that a small band of adventurers stumbled upon the lost barrow.
Inside they found the bones of the ancient king and a treasure hoard beyond their wildest dreams. Unfortunately, they could not carry it all. Reasonably enough, they took what they could and returned to civilization, intending to gather horses, wagons and enough trustworthy men to recover the rest.
They also swore a solemn oath that not a word would be spoken of their discovery.This might have worked but unfortunately, their party included a Halfling.
Bungo Blabfoot was a fellow of many talents. Unfortunately, keeping his mouth shut was not amongst them.
Several evenings later, having consumed considerably more ale than was good for him and attempting to impress a particularly attractive dwarven barmaid, Bungo let slip that he and his companions had discovered something rather interesting.
Something involving an ancient king.
Something involving a lost barrow.
And, most importantly...
A very large amount of gold.
By the following morning, Bungo had a terrible headache. By the following evening, half the taverns in the Border Princes were buzzing with rumours.
Within a week, the rumour had become a certainty.
The Lost Treasure of Kurgan Darksoul had been found!
Princes, warlords, mercenary captains, ambitious nobles and unscrupulous adventurers immediately began gathering their forces. Each intended to claim the treasure for themselves so, from every corner of the Border Princes, banners were raised and armies marched towards the forgotten barrow of Kurgan Darksoul.
Some seek wealth, some seek glory, Some seek the ancient relics said to lie amongst Kurgan's treasures
and perhaps, somewhere amongst them, there are even those who remember the old legends...
For the tales say that Kurgan Darksoul was not merely a king.He was a servant of the Dark Gods
and the last thing his loyal followers did before sealing his tomb was to swear that their master would one day rise again.
Whether that part of the story is true remains to be seen.
For now, however, there is treasure to be claimed.
Let the battle begin!
Victory points Common to All Generals
Secret Objectives
Before the battle begins, each General secretly rolls 1D6. The result is known only to that General and must not be revealed until the end of the game.
1. You Hate That Guy!
There is one General amongst the enemy whom you particularly despise.
Randomly determine which opposing General is your hated foe.
+20 VP if that General is killed during the battle.
You don't necessarily have to kill him yourself. A dead General is a dead General.
2. What's the Point of All This Gold if I'm Dead?
Your General has decided that discretion is the better part of valour.
+20 VP if your General is still alive at the end of the battle.
There is no shame in running away. Especially when you're running away with your life and a fortune in gold
3. The Sword of My Forefathers
Your General believes that Kurgan's hoard contains the lost sword of his ancestors.
Each time one of your units successfully loots the Barrow, roll 1D6.
On a 5+, your warriors discover the ancient weapon.
+20 VP if the sword is recovered.
The sword counts as a basic magic weapon, with no additional attributes or special abilities.
Whether it really belonged to your ancestors is another matter entirely.
4. Keep Your Enemies Close...
You have little faith in your ally. In fact, you rather suspect that he would be considerably easier to deal with if he were dead.
Your ally's General must be killed during the battle.
+50 VP if your ally's General is killed.
You may not deliberately attack your ally's troops. However, there is nothing in the rules preventing you from giving your ally extremely questionable tactical advice.
“Of course you should send your General ahead. What could possibly go wrong?”
5. Kurgan Lives!
Your ancestors were followers of Kurgan Darksoul. You have no interest in mere gold.
You intend to restore Kurgan to life and return him to his rightful place as ruler of the Border Princes.
Instead of looting the Barrow, your General may attempt the Ancient Ritual.
Roll 1D6. On a 5+, the ritual succeeds.
Kurgan Darksoul rises from his tomb and joins your army as a Level 15 Liche, replacing your General as the army's commander.
+50 VP for successfully resurrecting Kurgan.
If the ritual fails, the Barrow remains unlooted and your General has wasted his time meddling with powers he clearly does not understand.
Whether a Liche is actually what Kurgan's followers had in mind is a question best left to the scholars.
6. Think of the Inflation!
Your General has considered the consequences of allowing Kurgan's enormous treasure hoard to suddenly enter circulation.
Such an influx of gold would surely have a disastrous effect upon the economy of his kingdom. Prices would rise, merchants would grow fat, and the value of honest coin would plummet.
Far better, therefore, that the treasure remain safely buried.
Your General has equipped himself with a quantity of magical explosives and/or black powder bombs for precisely this eventuality.
Instead of looting the Barrow, your General may attempt to destroy it. He must be personally present at the Barrow and spend one complete turn preparing the explosives. At the end of the turn, roll 1D6.
On a 5+, the explosives work.
KABOOM!
Kurgan's Barrow is blown to kingdom come, burying the treasure beneath tons of rubble and denying anyone the opportunity to enter it for the remainder of the game.
+30 VP for successfully destroying the Barrow.
The destruction of the Barrow may prevent other Generals from achieving their objectives.
The General must do this himself. His troops would never understand the economic necessity of the operation.
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