Leo’s RttCU Run #2 (At Death's Doorstep)

In solo At Death's Doorstep tends to leave apt time for setting up the investigator, so is shouldn’t be an issue for Leo Anderson to finish the scenario. That said, the next one is much more difficult, so should be doing my best to get as many XPs as reasonably possible. On the other hand, I feel that in-narrative Leo Anderson would be trying to leave as soon as the mist receded. He wouldn’t go out of his way to punch Josef Meiger, but at the same time Leo would find the Lodge rather unconvincing and he wouldn’t have the patience to deceive them. He could, easily, with his gruff charismatic demeanor. I guess we’ll have to see how the scenario unfolds.

At Death's Doorstep

Pre-Mulligan Hand: Venturer, Perception, Venturer, Calling in Favors, Fine Clothes

Opening Hand: Fine Clothes, Flashlight, Daring, Intel Report, Sled Dog

Agenda & Act: JUSTICE • XI & Hidden Agendas

Leo begins the scenario with 2 Physical Trauma. There are 3 clues on Victorian Halls.

#1

• PLAY Sled Dog
• PARLEY (-2, 1 clue from Senator Nathaniel Rhodes)
• MOVE to Victorian Halls
• PLAY Emergency Cache
• Upkeep: draw Perception, 7 resources total.

#2

• Mythos: 1/8 doom, Fate of All Fools
• PLAY Intel Report ( 2 clues)
• DRAW Scene of the Crime
• PLAY Prepared for the Worst (draw Mauser C96)
• Upkeep: draw Daring, 3 resources total.

#3

• Mythos: 2/8 doom, Mists from Beyond
• PLAY Scene of the Crime (1 clue)
• DRAW Lone Wolf
• PLAY Ever Vigilant (Fine Clothes, Flashlight & Lone Wolf)
• Upkeep: draw Sled Dog, 1 resource total.

Mists from Beyond is an excellent variation on Chilling Fog. It’s less impactful, but it cannot be removed and it follows the clues. Great idea for a campaign where Haunted exists. That said, I’m as good as ready to advance. I’ll use the extra time to set up the board.

Board State Reminder: 6 health, 6 sanity, 1 resource, 4 clues

In Play: Sled Dog. Flashlight (3 supplies), Fine Clothes

In Hand: 2× Daring, Perception, Mauser C96, Sled Dog

Threat: Fate of All Fools

#4

• Mythos: 3/8 doom, Unavoidable Demise (-4, 1 damage to Sled Dog, 1 damage)
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Sled Dog
• DRAW Fine Clothes
• DRAW Sled Dog
• DRAW Mitch Brown
• Upkeep: draw Take the Initiative, 1 resource total.

#5

• Mythos: 4/8 doom, Shadow Hound (× JUSTICE • XI, 1 doom)
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Mitch Brown
• RESOURCE
• RESOURCE
• RESOURCE
• Upkeep: draw Calling in Favors, 4 resources total.

#6

• Mythos: 6/8 doom, Nether Mist (× JUSTICE • XI, 1 doom)
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Sled Dog
• PLAY Mauser C96
• Victorian Halls (Lodge Neophyte, 2 clues)
• MOVE with two Sled Dogs (to Trophy Room, to Billiards Room)
• Upkeep: draw Bought in Blood (discard Mitch Brown), 1 resource total.

Heh. If Leo didn’t trust Mitch I’m sure he would find the timing of Mitch disappearing and the spectral mist descending… curious. Game-wise, the Nether Mist was drawn so we’re on track on getting the full 7 XPs from this scenario.

Board State Reminder: 5 health, 6 sanity, 1 resource, 6 clues

In Play: 2× Sled Dog, Sled Dog (1 damage), Mauser C96 (5 ammo), Flashlight (3 supply), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf

In Hand: 2× Daring, Perception, Fine Clothes, Take the Initiative, Calling in Favors

Threat: Fate of All Fools

#7

• Mythos: 9/8 doom, advance agenda 1a→2a (spend 3 clues, Josef Meiger at Balcony), Leo is on Gavriella’s trail, Over the Threshold), advance act 1a→2a (Senator Nathaniel Rhodes moves to Victorian Halls, The Spectral Watcher at Entry Hall, Shadow Hound, Nether Mist, The Spectral Realm), Bloodthirsty Spirits
• Lone Wolf
• FIGHT with three Sled Dogs (, 1 damage to Sled Dog, defeat Shadow Hound)
• Bloodthirsty Spirits (, discard Bloodthirsty Spirits)
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (2 supplies left, commit Calling in Favors, -2, 1 clue)
• advance act (Escape the Cage)
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher hunts to Victorian Halls
• × Over the Threshold (defeat Lodge Neophyte, 1 damage to Senator Nathaniel Rhodes)
• Upkeep: draw Venturer, 3 resources total
• × Mists from Beyond (moves to Trophy Room)
• × Escape the Cage (Senator Nathaniel Rhodes moves to Entry Hall).

#8

• Mythos: 1/11 doom, Watcher's Grasp (The Spectral Watcher attacks, 1 damage & 1 horror to Sled Dog)
• Lone Wolf
• EVADE (commit Daring & Take the Initiative, , 1 damage, draw Reckless, exhaust The Spectral Watcher)
• MOVE with three Sled Dogs (to Trophy Room, to Victorian Halls, to Master Bedroom)
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (1 supply left, commit Reckless, -3, return Reckless)
• × Reckless
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher readies, Nether Mist hunts to Trophy Room
• Upkeep: draw Mauser C96, 3 resources total
• × Escape the Cage (Senator Nathaniel Rhodes escapes).

#9

• Mythos: 2/11 doom, Whispers in the Dark
• Lone Wolf
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (no supplies left, commit Reckless, , 1 clue)
• MOVE to Balcony
• PARLEY (commit Perception, , flip Josef Meiger)
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher hunts to Trophy Room, Nether Mist hunts to Victorian Halls
• Upkeep: draw Sled Dog, 5 resources total, discard Whispers in the Dark
• × Escape the Cage (Josef Meiger moves to Master Bedroom).

Notice that the addition of Senator Rhodes makes the Watcher linger a little longer near the exit. If it weren’t for the Watcher’s Grasp I wouldn’t need to deal with it for several rounds. Anyways, it’s always fun to see Leo solve his problems by evading. I imagine him using his dogs as distractions and then barreling with them through the corridors.

Board State Reminder: 4 health, 6 sanity, 5 resources, 1 clue

In Play: 2× Sled Dog (1 damage each), Sled Dog (1 damage & 1 horror), Mauser C96 (5 ammo), Flashlight (no supplies), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf

In Hand: Daring, Fine Clothes, Venturer, Mauser C96, Flashlight, Sled Dog

Threat: Fate of All Fools

#10

• Mythos: 3/11 doom, Unavoidable Demise (+1, next to agenda)
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Sled Dog
• MOVE with three Sled Dogs (to Master Bedroom, to Victorian Halls, to Office)
• PLAY Flashlight (discard Flashlight)
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (2 supplies left, commit Venturer, 0, 1 clue)
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher hunts to Victorian Halls, Nether Mist hunts to Office
• Upkeep: draw Lone Wolf, 3 resources total
• × Escape the Cage (Josef Meiger moves to Victorian Halls).

#11

• Mythos: 4/11 doom, Mysteries of the Lodge, Shadow Hound
• Lone Wolf
• FIGHT with three Sled Dogs (, defeat Shadow Hound)
• MOVE to Victorian Halls
• EVADE (commit Daring, Lone Wolf & Fine Clothes, -2, draw Take the Initiative, exhaust The Spectral Watcher)
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher readies, Nether Mist hunts to Victorian Halls
• × Over the Threshold (defeat Lodge Neophyte, 1 damage to Josef Meiger)
• Upkeep: draw Calling in Favors, 5 resources total
• × Escape the Cage (Josef Meiger moves to Entry Hall)

#12

• Mythos: 5/11 doom, Lodge Neophyte (at Master Bedroom)
• Lone Wolf
• EVADE (commit Take the Initiative, Calling in Favors & Mauser C96, 0, exhaust The Spectral Watcher)
• ENGAGE
• FIGHT with four Sled Dogs (-1, defeat Nether Mist)
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher readies
• Upkeep: draw Intel Report, 7 resources total
• × Escape the Cage (Josef Meiger escapes, Lodge Neophyte moves to Victorian Halls).

Well, isn’t that last draw convenient? Intel Report saves me the need to return to the Office. Truth be told, at the beginning of the scenario I’ve expected I’d be engaging Josef and dragging him to the exit. If I did that with Sled Dogs there would be only one attack of opportunity. Still, making the way clear for him works just as well.

Board State Reminder: 4 health, 6 sanity, 7 resources, 1 clue

In Play: Sled Dog, 2× Sled Dog (1 damage each), Sled Dog (1 damage & 1 horror), Mauser C96 (5 ammo), Flashlight (2 supplies), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf

In Hand: Intel Report

Threat: Fate of All Fools, Unavoidable Demise

#13

• Mythos: 6/11 doom, Supernatural Tempest (, 1 damage to Sled Dog, discard Mauser C96 & Lone Wolf)
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Intel Report (The Spectral Watcher attacks, defeat Sled Dog, 1 clue from Office)
• MOVE to Entry Hall (The Spectral Watcher attacks, defeat Sled Dog)
• RESIGN.

It’s one of the strongest scenarios in TCU, but aside from the encounter replacements it wasn’t improved too much. The addition of Senator Rhodes was welcome, but there was no resolution for him. In the same vein, I saw there was another see an additional named Lodge member, whom you could couldn’t parley with, in the encounter deck. No resolution for him either. It feels unsatisfying. In narrative I went for Leo hedging his bets, he’ll go along with the Lodge for the moment, but there’s no sense of loyalty between them. That translates to deceiving the Lodge.

Campaign Log:

Disappearance at the Twilight Estate: Gavriella disappeared into the mist. 3 pieces of evidence were left behind.

The Witching Hour: Leo has rejected his fate. The witches’ spell was broken. 8 XP, Mementos: Mesmerizing Flute & Ritual Components.

At Death’s Doorstep: Leo is on Gavriella’s trail. Leo escaped the spectral realm. Leo rescued Josef. Leo is a member of the Lodge. Leo is deceiving the Lodge. 7 XP.