The Usurper Dungeon

For six centuries, the tomb of King Lodegan has stood as a cherished memorial to one of Carloth’s most beloved kings. His heroism and tenacity are the stuff of legend, and to this day he serves as a shining example to which all the citizens of Carloth may aspire. However, the tomb now lies in the hands of those unwholesome fiends, the necrotic, and one of their foul number has even gone so far as to take the good king’s body for his own. This usurper, Verrev, must be put down, and the remains of King Lodegan laid to rest. This request should not be taken lightly, for it comes from no less than the spirit of the great king himself!

King Lodegan’s Tomb is an Ardent-only dungeon found relatively early in the PvE campaign, and serves to highlight the Human/Necrotic conflict for Ardent players in much the same way that Fort Romor does for the Underworld. As such, the dungeon introduces some of the key elements that make for the animosity between the two races, especially the outrage and horror that the humans feel when they see the blasphemous necrotic parading around in the bodies of their ancestors. However, various encounters may also give the player an idea of what sorts of thoughts might be running through that necrotic hive-mind, and why it’s so hard for the humans and necrotic to see eye to diamond-eye.

Of course, the journey through King Lodegan’s Tomb serves not only as an important story introduction, but a mechanical one as well. A few of the encounters found throughout the dungeon introduce the player to the concept of “states” that can be inflicted on a champion. Take, for example, the encounter with the vermin-keeper, Ghuuhg.

As you can tell from his portrait, Ghuuhg has all manner of creepy crawlies in his stable of pets, but the most prized of all are his Infected Vermin. These nasty little rodents introduce the Vulnerable state to the player. Vulnerable is rather straightforward: while a champion is Vulnerable, any damage they receive is doubled. As you can see from the Vermin, Vulnerable is one of a handful of states that can have a duration measured in counters. While a champion has one of these states placed on them, that state will “tick down” at the end of each of their turns, and when the final counter is removed, the state goes away. That means that as long as you can keep the Infected Vermin from hitting you repeatedly, you’ll eventually be able to shake off the debuff they apply. Be careful, though! Spending even one turn Vulnerable could give Ghuuhg a chance to unleash a game-ending burst of damage.

States aren’t the only new thing introduced in this dungeon, however. The Tomb is likely to be the first dungeon an Ardent player encounters in which it is possible to complete the dungeon without clearing every single encounter. In fact, it’s possible to bypass the Ghuuhg encounter entirely depending on the path the player chooses. However, as any experienced dungeon delver knows, skipping encounters can sometimes be dangerous. If Ghuuhg is still alive and well during a later encounter in the dungeon, you just might hear some footsteps running down the hall towards your battle. . .

That’s right, Ghuuhg can show up in troop form as well, and he brings his Infected Vermin with him. Thus, even players that choose to avoid the Ghuuhg encounter will still get a chance to see what being Vulnerable means. Of course, if the thought of seeing Ghuuhg suddenly join your battle still isn’t enough to frighten you, bear this in mind: the vermin lord may not be the only necrotic prowling through the Tomb, ready to spring to the aid of their companions if needed.

Ghuuhg is just one of many encounters you’ll face on the way to ousting the usurper of King Lodegan’s body, but for those willing and able to undergo such an ordeal, rich prizes are in store. While King Lodegan’s powers in the world of the living may have diminished over the centuries, those that aid the spirit king in his time of need will find the support he can still offer them impressive indeed.

King Lodegan’s Verdict is one of the many rewards you can earn from your time questing through the Tomb. At its base form, it functions like a slightly more restrictive Verdict of the Ancient Kings, focusing on stopping actions. However, for those that remain loyal to the Ardent, the verdict of the king of kings offers even more. Even in death, Lodegan still commands respect and loyalty among the Ardent, and soldiers will not hesitate to come rushing to the ghostly king’s aid. As long as you can fulfill the Ardent Allegiance requirement, King Lodegan’s Verdict will serve as not only a wonderful defensive measure, but will also give you a potential follow-up troop to turn the tables on your opponent.

So, for those who swear allegiance to the Ardent banner, heed the call of the former king! Glory and riches await those who would seek to right this latest necrotic transgression. All this and more awaits you in King Lodegan’s Tomb.

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