The Path Ahead

The first glimpse of Talisman: The Dungeon
originally published 20 March 2009

Halting before the corridor, the Gladiator pauses. Something isn’t right. Suddenly the ceiling begins to cave in! He dashes forward to escape the crushing rocks and timbers. Fearing the weakened ceiling may take the surrounding rooms with it, he continues to run through another four rooms. He stops to catch his breath. Taking a glance about the room he sees all manner of books and scrolls. Picking up the nearest scroll, he reads over the arcane words. Some mumbo jumbo about a Finger of Death, he casts it aside. No waving his arms or faith in magic for him, his faith lies in the sword at his hip. Grabbing a torch from the wall, he proceeds forward into the darkness.

Talisman has celebrated 25 glorious years. Many adventurers have stalked the lands looking for the fabled Crown of Command, and a lucky few have found it. Now a lost path to the Crown has returned. The Dungeon expansion offers brave adventurers an alternative Region to explore, and can reward them with fantastic new items. Over the next few weeks, we will be reading over the reports our expeditionary team has brought back.

The entrance to the dungeon is foreboding. Stone gates fitted neatly together create a feeling of “once in, never out again.” Our party mainly consists of familiar faces, but we have agreed to take on a new member. He is a Gladiator, and I feel his close combat experience will prove invaluable in the narrow corridors which surely await us behind these doors. Once past the gates, we find ourselves in a torch lit corridor. The shadows dance about on the walls, and the air is warm and old. We all light the torches we have brought, and we draw weapons and prepare spells for the coming encounters. The Gladiator stalks off towards the next entrance, and stumbles upon a large web. He calls us over to inspect. Approaching, my only thought is, Where is the spider? My query is answered when a bloated Umbra Spider descends from the shadows above us.

The Dungeon is an L shaped board that rests next to the main board. It can be accessed from the Ruins space in the Outer Region. A character may move into the Dungeon as part of their normal movement. Exploring the Dungeon can be very rewarding, but there is danger around every turn. Descending into the darkness will require you to steel your nerves and hone your skills. Many creatures await, and it will take all of your strength and craft to defeat them.

The battle with the spider has driven us through the neighboring tunnel and out into a library. The spider was easily as strong as the Gladiator, and it took all of us working together to defeat it. Teams are not common in these lands, as only one adventurer can claim the Crown. We are out to map this new area, and woe be unto those who seek the Crown from within our group. Shaking myself from my reverie, I look about the library. The Gladiator mentions that he has been here before, and shows us his footprints in the dust. He picks up a scroll, reads over it again, and tucks it into his belt. We read over the spines of the tomes, and decide we must return and catalogue all of these precious volumes at a later date. For now we must delve further into the dungeon.

Most of the spaces in the Dungeon will provide encounters. Once in the Dungeon, encounters are drawn from the new Dungeon deck. The team was able to bring back some information on the new creatures and hazards, something every adventurer should know before descending.

Jon New over at Talisman Island also has some great information. Check out his site for an additional look at the upcoming Dungeon expansion!