(When buying a physical deck, make sure you get the PDF + Cards option to get the guidebook.)

The Warlord's Rise is the second deck in the Khieron's Keep Saga: a set of three decks with 9 storylines. These decks are designed to work with 5th edition(5e), and there is enough content in the three decks to level a character from level 1 to level 17. It is not needed to start with the first deck (The Gladiator's Circle) but it does help with the story. The three decks build on each other but can be played separately.

The story

Khieron’s Keep is an ancient structure with a dark history. The temple has been destroyed more than once but keeps reappearing. As you go through the missions, you will learn the secrets and tragic history of Khieron’s Keep and the souls it has claimed.

There are nine quests in the Khieron’s Keep Saga, broken into three tiers. As you progress through the tiers, the story grows as you explore the mysteries of the Keep and its long, brutal history.

                When you purchase a deck of a certain tier, you get a digital copy of the other two decks of that tier as well as access to the maps and story aspects through the app.

Setup

1. The deck comes with Map cards, Trap cards, Encounter cards, Monster cards, NPC cards, Loot cards, and Boss cards. Make sure you have each ready, and any pdf given, before playing.
2. Determine your party’s threshold for each type of encounter. Use the table to find the Easy, Medium, Hard, Deadly, and Too Far Limit XP for each party member, and then multiple those totals by the number of players to determine the difficultly range of encounters (You can also use a website like https://dhmstark.co.uk/rpgs/encounter-calculator-5th/).

Tier 1: Levels 1-4

The Gladiator’s Circle

Elishavan the Redeemer

Khieron’s Redemption

Tier 2: Levels 5-10

The Warlord

Hard Time

Khieron’s Conquest

Tier 3: 11-16

The Jester

Condemnation

Khieron’s Damnation

Mission Decks are a multi-purpose tabletop gaming tool developed by Nor Cal Mythos entertainment. There are two initial decks: Khieron’s Keep developed using the 5e open gaming license, and Haedus 8B created for NCM’s own Carbyne Jungle.

 Players adventure through the dungeon or base, facing horrific challenges, dealing with NPCs, and discovering the mysteries of the game. Each game is designed to last for one session, but also can be played repeatedly, delving deeper into the story, learning new secrets, or just playing for fun where the whole table can level and grow together. 

Mission Decks work perfectly as a cooperative play game. On nights when no one wants to DM/GM, or players couldn’t make it to the game, this is the perfect activity. Map and Conflict cards take players through randomly drawn dungeon, facing different encounters, and exploring storylines. Monster cards and loot cards keep the party progressing, allowing the players to grow together at the table. Parties encounter NPCs and work their way to the Boss Fight of the Dungeon.

Solo Play

When you cannot get a party together or are just in the mood to run through a mission on your own, Mission Decks work incredibly well for Solo play. By making multiple characters or using the NPC cards, you can build a party and run through all of the dungeons. If you use all three decks in the setting, there is enough storyline to take a character from a brand new adventurer into a grizzled world-conquering veteran.

 Each Mission Deck has three built-in storylines that require repeated playthroughs to be fully explored. When players tire of the storyline, map cards also have untyped maps designed to be used in any setting. Players can the map cards to enjoy randomly drawn dungeons again and again.

 In addition, DMs/GMs can use the decks as tools for quick no-prep or low-prep sessions. Using the Conflict and maps cards, you can build quick encounters in interesting locations as well as build quick monsters to fight against.  

Map Cards

Map cards are two sided. The first is a setting specific map with details about the location, objects in the room, and a scale for the room to give an idea of the size of the area. The back of each card is a non-typed map, also with objects and scale, that can be used in any setting type the players or DM/GM would want. 

Useful both for cooperative play, or for running a game, the map cards allow everyone to get a good idea of the setting. Every map card also comes with a code that can be loaded onto the Web-Based App, so the map could be loaded onto a large phone or tablet. With the printable PDF of the decks, each map also has an 8.5x11 printable version for tables who prefer to have a map large enough for miniatures.

Encounter/Conflict Cards

Encounters for 5e, Conflicts for Carbyne Jungle, these cards deal with the challenges and stories the players face in the game. Like the map cards, these are a mix of setting specific cards and generic conflicts that will work for any setting. Because of this, the decks can be used indefinitely for cooperative play, or also as a tool for DM/GMs. In any setting, whoever is running the game can pull a map card, grab a conflict card, and then plan out a quick encounter.

With the app, different conflicts can also be added. Each deck has multiple storylines available, so players who complete either Khieron's Keep or Haedus 8B can use the web-based app to load alternative storylines with different challenges for the party to face. 

Monster/Target Cards

Everyone needs a good fight, and there is no reason that fights need to be the same every time. Used in conjunction with the Conflict/Encounter cards, the Monster/Target cards allow for a different challenge every time the table plays the game. Each encounter is built differently.

Loot Cards

Sure, you can find gold or credits, or possible a sword or mass driver in a fight, but that can get old. Loot cards allow for unique rewards as well as unique fights. Roll up loot before the fight, and all of sudden you are fighting a goblin with a staff of fireball.

Boss Cards

Boss cards are templates added to monsters cards, allowing for unique challenges to finish the dungeon every game. Every time you enter Khieron's Keep or Haedus 8B, you don't know how the game is going to end... which is exactly how it should be. 

NPC Cards

In the mission decks, not only will you face monsters, but you will also run into Non-Player Characters that will present unique interactions and situations. NPCs will make offers, ask for help, offer rewards, join the party, and possibly even betray the party. 

Trap Cards

There's nothing like a nasty trap or a suped up security system to make a day more interesting. Each deck comes with a variety of trap cards that you can mix into your deck.