Identity
| WML ID | 18_A_Spy_in_the_Woods |
|---|---|
| Next scenario | 19_The_Vanguard |
| Map | Reuses 16_The_Kalian.map, 27 × 27 hexes |
| Turns | 1 |
| Theme / schedule | Cutscene_Minimal, afternoon |
| Carryover | 100%, no report |
| Archetype | Eavesdropping cutscene |
|---|---|
| Story importance | Critical |
| WML complexity | Moderate |
| Combat | None intended |
| Signature technique | Temporary duplicate of a persistent unit |
Story and dialogue
The elven lords receive reports that orcs have landed on the Great Continent and infer that an unseen power is following Haldric and the Ruby. Rather than immediately honoring the Pact, several lords decide to let the humans and orcs weaken one another, then “deal” with the survivors and compromise with the dwarves.
Lady Dionli objects but ultimately agrees. Jessene, disguised and hidden in the council woods, overhears the decision and leaves to warn Haldric. The scene converts the Ka’lian from a completed diplomatic success into a fragile alliance whose promises depend on the refugees’ military usefulness.
Map reuse
The cutscene uses the exact Ka’lian map from Scenario 16. Reusing the council stage has two advantages: the player instantly recognizes the location, and the scene can place the same four elven lords in a familiar political geometry without rebuilding a second council map.
| Scenario 16 use | Scenario 18 use |
|---|---|
| Haldric petitions the council openly. | Jessene observes the council secretly. |
| The map represents formal diplomacy. | The same map reveals the private calculation behind that diplomacy. |
| Haldric is visible at the central audience position. | Haldric is teleported there and hidden; he does not participate. |
Temporary Jessene duplicate
prestart stores Lady Jessene with kill=no, then edits the stored copy before unstoring it:
[store_unit]
[filter]
id=Lady Jessene
[/filter]
kill=no
variable=stored_Jessene
[/store_unit]
{VARIABLE stored_Jessene.id "Jessene in Hiding"}
{VARIABLE stored_Jessene.name _"Jessene in Hiding"}
{VARIABLE stored_Jessene.x 20}
{VARIABLE stored_Jessene.y 20}
[unstore_unit]
variable=stored_Jessene
[/unstore_unit]
The original campaign unit remains untouched. The temporary copy receives a different ID and name, moves into the eavesdropping position, whispers her conclusion, exits, and is killed before stored_Jessene is cleared.
Event outline
| Trigger | Behavior |
|---|---|
prestart | Teleports and hides Haldric, creates the temporary Jessene copy, and creates Lord El’Isomithir. |
start | Moves Jessene into listening range, runs the elven council, moves her out, removes the temporary unit, clears storage, and ends the cutscene. |
endlevel | Victory, no bonus, 100% carryover, no report, no linger mode, no replay save. |
Lessons for campaign authors
| Pattern | Reuse lesson |
|---|---|
| Revisit a diplomatic map from another viewpoint | Map reuse can reveal hidden political meaning, not merely save production time. |
Store with kill=no and unstore a modified copy | Create a temporary double while preserving the canonical unit. |
| Rename the temporary ID | Avoid event filters accidentally treating the double as the real hero. |
| Use a one-turn scenario for secret dialogue | Gain unit movement, facing, map continuity, and full carryover. |