My playgroup just finished 4A in our last session, and before we meet up for the next, I'd like to confirm how Honor-Tested is handled/gained during 4B.
Based on the wording of the "During This Scenario" text, you must actually fail the check to defeat Cindermaw, resulting in some amount of Combat damage, in order to gain Honor-Tested.
Simply overpowering Cindermaw without the scourge causing him to be undefeated is not a valid way to gain the scourge.
Is this correct?
When you fail a check to defeat Cindermaw, gain the scourge Honor-Tested. While marked with this scourge, at the start of your turn, suffer 1d4-1 Fire damage.
If you would defeat Cindermaw and are not marked with the scourge Honor-Tested, Cindermaw is undefeated instead.
You're correct: you have to actually fail a check to get the scourge. Defeating Cindermaw and having it converted to undefeated doesn't count.
You can deal with the resulting damage however you'd like, of course.
Thanks, Parody.
That's how I interpreted it.