Light Sleeper

Light Sleeper is the twelfth scenario of the Fall of the Trident campaign in Age of Mythology. The main objective is to return the Guardian's sword to its rightful owner, as soon as possible.

Summary
The heroes, escorted by some starting forces, consisting of Slingers and Chariot Archers, exit the oasis from an unknown passage, heading towards a city, where a minor deity, known as the Guardian, is currently inactive.

The sword that has been unearthed from the Excavation in the previous mission, The Lost Relic, is carried by a duo of Sword Bearers and belongs to the Guardian. The player's mission is to protect the Sword Bearers from Kemsyt's forces, amass forces to force their way through Kemsyt's defences, return the sword to the Guardian, and beat Kemsyt's rampaging army.

Objectives

 * 1) Kill the guards watching over the Laborers mining gold.
 * 2) Bring at least five Laborers safely to their Town Center.
 * 3) Bring the Sword Bearers to the Guardian, before Kemsyt's army reaches it.
 * 4) Use the Guardian to destroy Kemsyt's army.

Players
Neutral Enemies Allies
 * Arkantos (Ra) - The player starts with all four heroes (Ajax, Amanra, Arkantos and Chiron), some Slingers, a few Chariot Archers and the Sword Bearers, without a base, at the Archaic Age.
 * Sepa (Ra) - A placeholder player, that controlls the village of Sepa. After the player reaches it, it is converted to the player's side.
 * Desert Spirit (Set) - The Wonder found in the canyon after the mining camp belongs to this player. The player seems to serve no purposem but is possibly connected to the Plague of Serpents trigger (see strategy section).
 * Kemsyt (Set) - The defenders of the Guardian (and of a Piece of Osiris), they have walled all passages and placed defences, including a Migdol Stronghold. They train Animals of Set, Chariot Archers, some myth units (such as Wadjets) and Barracks units.
 * Kemsyt (Isis) - Controlls some Monuments in this map. As this player worships Isis, these negate God Powers.
 * Kemsyt (Set) - This players controlls an enormous army, consisting of War Elephants (champion and unupgraded versions), Spearmen, Scorpionmen and Avengers that is transversing the canyon on the south part of the map (visible to the player), rampaging allied villages until it reaches the Guardian.
 * Villages (Ra) - They are found in the canyon, to the south part of the map. After the town of Sepa is converted to the player's side, Kemsyt's Army will rampage through them, until it reaches the Guardian. They are at the Classical Age, and have weak garrisons, consisting of either Spearmen, Slingers or Anubites.

Strategy
This guide is applied to hard difficulty. It is, of course, also applicable for the other grades of difficulty.

Freeing the Laborers
The player's forces begin at the northernmost part of the map. To the west, lies a mining camp, where Kemsyt's forces have enslaved the locals, and have to be saved, by killing the Spearmen and Slinger guards. It is recommended to draw enemies with Heroes, then snipe them with Chariot Archers. Slingers should be temporarily left behind, as the enemy's Slingers can cause unnecessary casualties.

Note: Chariot Archers are an invaluable unit in this scenario, thanks to their great range, so keep as many as possible alive.

Reaching Sepa
After the male Laborers are freed, the player must travel south, beyond a canyon, first next to a Wonder and later, through a river full of Crocodiles towards a village. As the player's army marches towards it, they will encounter Mummies just after the Wonder. Once again, the vanguard must be Heroes, as the Mummies can turn Laborers or soldiers into Minions.

After the Mummies are killed and the player starts approaching the exit to the river, Kemsyt will invoke a Plague of Serpents that covers much of the length of the canyon, from the Wonder, up to its exit. Ignore them; evacuate the Laborers, the Sword Bearers and the soldiers outside the canyon as fast as possible, and kill any pursuing cobras. Then, cross the river.

When you reach the Town Center of Sepa and the women of the village witness the return of their husbands, the entire town (including its Pharaoh) will come under your control. From this point on, the player must make haste to reach the Guradian.

Reaching the Guardian
To the northeast of Sepa, just outside the walled place where the Guardian and a Piece of Osiris lie, is Kemsyt's base, consisting of walled passes, beyond of which lie Monuments of Isis, Towers, a Migdol Stronghold and the defenders, consisting of Chariot Archers, Animals of Set, myth units and various Barracks units.

Build a Temple as fast as possible, advance to the Classical Age with Bast, and order your Laborers to gather as much resources as possible, as Kemsyt's army is on its way. A massive army is transversing the canyon on the south part of the map (visible to the player), rampaging allied villages until it reaches the Guardian. While holding back against enemy raids, gather as many resources as possible and advance to the Heroic Age.

From this point on, one can choose two solutions to end the game; one is to worship Sekhmet, create a large army, ideally consisting of boosted Chariot Archers, Sphinx units and Heroes, and storm the defences, until the Sword Bearers reach the Guardian. Another, more mundane way is to worship Hathor, train Rocs, garrison the Sword Bearers, avoid enemy defences and unload them just next to the Guardian.

Either way, after the Guardian awakens, use him to destroy Kemsyt's army and beat the scenario. This is a quite easy scenario, and shouldn't be challenging to a seasoned player.

Trivia

 * This scenario might have inspired the creation of the Age of Empires II scenario A Fallen Crown, as both are a race against time, involve holding against enemies while booming and amassing forces, and facing an enemy army that rampages through a weaker ally. Of course, Light Sleeper involves reaching a unit that can face that army, while A Fallen Crown is a regicide, as Yodit's army must kill Dagnajan.