The Eastings Adventure: The Barrows – Dungeons & Dragons Tactics

This guide covers a required adventure in the first act of Dungeons & Dragons Tactics. Below, you’ll find a table with adventure statistics, a map, map legend, and an overview.

Map Legend

1 – Arrival
2 – Chests
3 – Skeleton
4 – Zombie
5 – Chest
6 – Skeleton
7 – Zombie
8 – Chest
9 – Secret Doorway
10 – King Vingan’s Burial Chamber
11 – Skeleton
12 – Chest
13 – Zombie and Chests
14 – Undead Ambush
15 – Skeleton and Chest
16 – Skeleton
17 – Treasure Chamber

Information

At the barrow-mounds, defeat King Vingan’s undead weaponthanes. A victory will summon his ghost to speak with you.

Overview

1 – Arrival

All six characters spawn in formation at this subterranean entrance. Two chests can be seen off to the north, so that’s where you’ll likely head first.


2 – Chests

Two chests rest between a pair of sarcophagi in this room. The southern chest can be cracked open immediately for some gold, Masterwork Scale Armor, a Potion of Darkvision, and a Torch. The northern chests is locked, so you’ll either need a sufficient amount of Open Lock skill to pick it, a sufficient amount of Strength to smash it, or a Psion, Psychic Warrior, Sorcerer, or Wizard with access to the Knock spell. Once it’s open, grab the gold, Scimitar, Buckler, and Masterwork Thieves’ Tools within.


3 – Skeleton

Take this first Skeleton down to earn 50 experience points for each party member. Keep in mind that slashing and piercing weapons aren’t nearly as effective on skeletal creatures as bludgeoning weapons are.


4 – Zombie

Send this undead creature back to the void for 50 experience points per party member. Some Zombies are worth 100 experience points per party member, though.


5 – Chest

At the foot of this sarcophagus is another locked chest. Once you’ve managed to get it open, you can grab some gold, a Sling, two sets of Bullets, and a Scroll of Sleep.


6 – Skeleton

Another Skeleton will attempt to ambush your party here.


7 – Zombie

Slash it, pierce it, smash it, or burn it.


8 – Chest

This unlocked chest will provide you with more gold and a Scroll of Inflict Moderate Wounds.


9 – Secret Doorway

As you approach this wall, it slides down into the earth allowing you entrance into the burial chamber beyond.


10 – King Vingan’s Burial Chamber

Initially, there isn’t much to do here aside from slaying the Zombie and Skeleton that inhabit the chamber. Later, however, after you’ve slain the Weaponthane at area #17, four Skeleton Warriors will manifest inside the room. These creatures seem to be slightly more powerful than a standard Skeleton, though they’re still only worth 50 experience points/party member.

When all four Skeleton Warriors have been bested, King Vingan will rise from his tomb and demand to know who has disturbed his rest. When he hears the name “Athearorn”, the “End of Adventure” screen will be triggered and a cutscene will begin afterward.


11 – Skeleton

A single Skeleton guards this hallway.


12 – Chest

This locked chest can be ransacked for some gold, an Orc Double Axe, a set of Arrows, and a set of Crossbow Bolts.


13 – Zombie and Chests

Slay the Zombie that calls this chamber home and then focus on the two chests. The chest on the east side of the room is unlocked and contains gold and a Masterwork Chain Shirt. The chest on the west side of the room is locked and contains gold and a set of Silver Arrows.


14 – Undead Ambush

A Skeleton and a Zombie descend upon your party as you attempt to move down this pathway.


15 – Skeleton and Chest

A single Skeleton guards this unlocked chest. When it has been dispatched of, loot the chest for some gold, a Dagger, and a Silver Dwarven Waraxe +1 called “Night Slicer.“


16 – Skeleton

You’ll have to destroy one last Skeleton before entering the room beyond the door to the west.


17 – Treasure Chamber

Before you can begin looting any of the four chests in this room, the south wall will sink into the earth and King Vingan’s Weaponthane will ambush your party. Smash the skeletal creature to bits, then start searching the unlocked chests.

The contents of the southeast chest include gold, a Scroll of Bless, a set of Arrows, and a set of Crossbow Bolts. The southwest chest contains gold, a Scroll of Disrupt Undead, and some Oil of Bless Weapon. The northwest chest contains gold, a suit of Masterwork Studded Leather Armor, a set of Arrows, and a set of Crossbow Bolts. And, finally, the northeast chest contains gold and a Ring of Protection +1.