Rise of the Phoenix

Rise of the Phoenix is the 9th mission in the Empire Campaign.

Plot
Alric do Rei and Lady Tierna are traversing the Mordanwood when their Gnome Ark is brought down by enemy units. They have to find a new way to escape this forest, where they meet unexpected allies...

Quests

 * Shortcut
 * Find a suitable location to build a base
 * Guide Alric to the exit beacon on the far side of the forest
 * Alric must survive
 * Lady Tierna must survive
 * The Phoenix Orb
 * Find the Yellow Runestone
 * Find the Green Runestone
 * Destroy the Phoenix Orb

Hints
This mission is actually quite easy. You just have to fight your way through the Beast bases to the beacon.

The reward for the second quest is being able to build Phoenices at the Elven Sanctuary and you get the Elder Phoenix. The Green Runestone is to the southwest of the base. The Yellow Runestone is to the West in the underground. In order to get to the dungeon of the mage, you have to destroy a Beast settlement (that doesn't put up much resistance).

The tower of the mage Zahn is to the northwest of the base and grants the ability to cast Decree with a Cooldown of 3:30 minutes.

A few Hive Stingers and Hive Spitters lurk in the underground. This is the first time to encounter the Fallen in the campaign.

Tips

 * Feeling desperate because you get swarmed from all sides? That's because there are 3 enemy bases attacking you all at once. The key is to Capture the Beast base to the east of your settlement immediately - it has barely any defenses and will give you an opportunity to expand there later. Then the mission suddenly becomes much more manageable.
 * Use Dryads to neutralize enemy Ogres (and Trolls). Dryads can already be trained on tier one - don't need advanced tech for them.
 * Alric fares great in this mission - he has Decree; his attack damage type is Fire which deals double damage to Beast buildings and he heals twice as fast as normal units - can use him as a "tank"; he has 50% resistance to poison and can almost handle Wyvern attacks by himself only.
 * 5 towers should be enough to repel Wyvern attacks (on hard difficulty) - just make sure there's a Peasant around to repair them.
 * Decree is very effective against low-HP units like Goblin Hunters or Bone Warriors.
 * Blacksmith with a few wood-chopping Peasants should be located somewhere safe, for instance the starting area near the crashed Gnome Ark.

New tech

 * New units
 * Phoenix
 * Lady Tierna (hero) - 500HP, 40 pierce damage, 3 base armor
 * Elder Phoenix (champion) - 600HP, 50 mana, 30 fire damage, 0 base armor (fire 50%, cold 200%, poison 50%)
 * New spells
 * Nova (Phoenix)

Mission details

 * Neutral hostiles
 * Spider (150HP, 14 poison damage, 1 base armor)
 * Pale Spider (200HP, 16 poison damage, 0 base armor)
 * Varangy (300HP, 10+10 swing+poison damage, 1 base armor)
 * Mighty Varangy (1250HP, 25+15 swing+poison damage, 3 base armor)
 * Demon (technically allied to the Beast factions)
 * Bone Warrior
 * Bone Archer (150HP, 10 pierce damage, 1 base armor)
 * Orb of Fire (100HP)
 * Neutral structures
 * Diamond Tower (with Decree)
 * Enemies
 * Undrah Tribe - Warrior, Goblin Hunter, Witch, Totem
 * Ranathor Tribe - Warrior, Goblin Hunter, Ogre, Witch, Troll (on hard), Totem
 * Sharadan Tribe - Wyvern, Strider, Totem
 * Fallen
 * Hive Stinger
 * Hive Spitter
 * Starting units
 * Alric do Rei
 * Lady Tierna
 * 3 Swordsmen
 * 3 Elven Rangers
 * 5 Peasants
 * Priest

Trivia

 * This mission was included in the Single Player Demo of Armies of Exigo.
 * There is a treasure chest in the starting area, to the northwest of the Elder Phoenix.
 * Zahn's tower is protected by Varangies with a boss Mighty Varangy, and grants you a global Decree spell.
 * Weirdly, the Mighty Varangy does not take extra damage from pikemen - might be an oversight on part of the devs.
 * Enemy Ogres can sometimes one-hit Alric to death, even with full HP (same with Lady Tierna) - reason for this unclear.

Dialogue
"One week later - The Gnome Arks ferry Alric toward Dragonfire Field."''Within the Obsidian Tower, chaos had taken hold of the gathered Magi. Keran's betrayal had rocked them to their collective foundation. Worse, Keran's transformation had shocked many into inaction, disbelief. Questions flew like wild fire. But no answers came. In the wake of their defeat at Margoth, the Beast Tribes from the Howling Plains had begun to regroup - drums sounding, marching - smoldering ruins in their wake.''

''Of good news, with the quelling of the rebellion in the east by Dunehelm, the Warlords had come in force to answer Noran's need. Alric's summons to the Old Alliances had likewise proved successful. The Elven Nations had sent a small but powerful contingent; Antaras had sent two legions of its finest warriors; and proud Teonia had mustered its cavalry, knights moving toward Noran's capital.''

Alric, at the forefront of his great army, marches toward the Fields of Celwennor to face the Enemy.

Prelude

Lady Tierna: It is a miracle we survived!

Alric do Rei: I am spent. It was all I had left to get us down alive.

Alric do Rei: We must set about repairing this vessel that we may get airborne again.

Lady Tierna: The vessel is beyond repair. All of the shipwrights perished in the crash. It is a sad loss.

Lady Tierna: I know this place - It is called the Mordanwood. An ancient and elemental forest. It would matter not whether you were spent or in full flush. The Forest inhales magic like you and I breathe.

Phoenix Cutscene

Lady Tierna: Goddess! It is a Phoenix!

Elder Phoenix: What were you expecting, elf-girl?

Lady Tierna: The legends speak of you but...

Elder Phoenix: All true. The Black Wizard Zahn bound us to these lands to serve him. Then, like all mortals, he died. His magic, however, did not, and here we have remained.

Alric do Rei: What can be done to break this spell?

Elder Phoenix: There is a labyrinth - Its entrance is barred by two magical wards. Within you will find an Orb! Destroy the Orb and you destroy the Spell binding my kith and I. Lady Tierna: This is the source of the healing waters of life! Drink of it and be replenished.

Swordsman: The Tower of the Black Wizard Zahn!

[upon encountering Fallen units in the underground]

Lady Tierna: We are under attack!

Swordsman: High Lord, what evil was this?

Lady Tierna: A new devilry, soldier. I suspect we will encounter even greater wonders before this day is done. Lady Tierna: Undead! Have a care, soldiers!

Alric do Rei: Attack!

[Orb of Fire destroyed]

Lady Tierna: Noble Phoenix - you are released.

Elder Phoenix: My kith and I owe you a great debt of gratitude.

Alric do Rei: Noble One - we are embattled with the Beast invaders. They employ fell Wyverns against us - It would be a boon to have your aid.

Elder Phoenix: Our freedom is long awaited - what you ask is a small recompense for our release. We will join your cause.

Ending Cutscene

Alric do Rei: We have lost much time clearing the Mordanwood.

Lady Tierna: True, we cannot afford to tarry here. We must get to Celwennor at once. It is still some ways by foot!