Joe's Tarot Reading #4: The Wages of Sin

The Wages of Sin

Pre-Mulligan Hand: Mr. "Rook", Vicious Blow, Mr. "Rook", Ever Vigilant, Astounding Revelation, Emergency Cache

Opening Hand: Mr. "Rook", Ever Vigilant, Crack the Case, Vicious Blow, Daring, Fine Clothes

1-Card Tarot Draw: Page of Swords

Oh? That’s an unexpected draw. At first glance the Page of Swords has little to do with an Arkham Horror game, much less a solo one. Normally it represents bright ideas, curiosity and communication. What I think is happening is that the reading is reacting to Joe’s unexpected success in the previous scenario. The Page of Swords acknowledges our detective as a free-thinker taking on new challenges, but at the same time it is a messenger who warns us not to underestimate the predictive power of the reading. Notice that the deck was shuffled and yet The Page of Swords comes right after a Ten Swords as if it wasn’t. In essence, Joe rejects fate and fate exists regardless.

#1

• Hunch: No Stone Unturned
• PLAY No Stone Unturned (draw Strange Solution)
• PLAY Ever Vigilant (Mr. "Rook", Fine Clothes & Strange Solution)
• Mr. "Rook" (2 secrets left, Astounding Revelation, 1 secret on Mr. "Rook", Paranoia, lose all resources, draw Hawk-Eye Folding Camera)
• MOVE to Abandoned Chapel
• Upkeep: draw Astounding Revelation, 1 resource total.

#2

• Mythos: 1/8 doom, (Centuries of Secrets, 1 damage to Mr. "Rook", 1 damage)
• Hunch: Unsolved Case
• Mr. "Rook" (2 secrets left, Astounding Revelation, 2 resources, draw Magnifying Glass)
• PLAY Unsolved Case
• PLAY Magnifying Glass
• INVESTIGATE (, 1 clue from Abandoned Chapel)
• INVESTIGATE ( +1, 1 clue from Abandoned Chapel)
• Crack the Case (2 resources)
• Upkeep: draw Daring, 3 resources total.

#3

• Mythos: 2/8 doom, Evil Past
• Hunch: Scene of the Crime
• Mr. "Rook" (1 secret left, draw Strange Solution)
• MOVE to Haunted Fields
• PLAY Hawk-Eye Folding Camera
• INVESTIGATE (commit Astounding Revelation, -1, 1 clue from Haunted Fields)
• Upkeep: draw Eureka!, 2 resources total.

I've used to detest Paranoia as a weakness, but Joe's example in the above three rounds show that nowadays Seekers got cards to bounce back quickly. I wonder how would our detective fare if The Tower or Indebted was his basic weakness But, let's focus on the present and attempt to banish at least one Heretic.

#4

• Mythos: 3/8 doom, Bedeviled
• Hunch: Working a Hunch
• Mr. "Rook" (no secrets left, draw Hawk-Eye Folding Camera)
• PLAY Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (discard Magnifying Glass)
• Working a Hunch (1 clue from Haunted Fields)
• Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (1 evidence)
• Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (1 evidence)
• Bedeviled (commit Eureka!, 0, draw Ace of Swords, discard Bedeviled)
• MOVE to Heretics' Graves
• Upkeep: draw Timeworn Brand, 1 resource total.

#5

• Mythos: 4/8 doom, Punishment
• Hunch: No Stone Unturned
• PLAY No Stone Unturned (draw Take the Initiative)
• Punishment (commit Take the Initiative, +1, discard Punishment)
• advance act (4 Heretics, take Spectral Web, In Pursuit of the Living)
• PARLEY (spend 1 clue, "Can't be dead...", Heretic attacks, defeat Fine Clothes)
• In Pursuit of the Living (flip Heretics' Graves)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (2 supplies left, commit Vicious Blow, -4)
• Enemy: Heretic attacks (defeat Mr. "Rook")
• Upkeep: draw Enchanted Blade, 2 resources total.

#6

• Mythos: 5/8 doom, Burdens of the Past, Wraith
• Hunch: Scene of the Crime
• PLAY Scene of the Crime (2 clues from Heretics' Graves - Spectral)
• Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (2 evidences)
• Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (2 evidences)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (1 supply left, commit Enchanted Blade, , 3 damage to Heretic)
• FIGHT (commit Daring, -3, defeat & banish Heretic, draw Mr. "Rook", × Heretics' Graves - Spectral)
• Enemy: Wraith attacks (2 horror)
• Upkeep: draw Prepared for the Worst, 3 resources total.

Excellent! The first Heretic Joe came across plays right into his strength, namely combat. The ghostly apparition hid into the ground and attacked from below, but Joe quickly took control of the situation and banished the foe. Notice that in keeping with the sword-themed tarot readings the game offered us two different kinds of bladed weapons, but I'd much rather keep those hand slots for the Willpower and Intellect bonuses the Hawkeye camera provide. No weapon would do Joe any good if that Bedeviled wasn't handled.

#7

• Mythos: 6/8 doom, Wracked
• Hunch: Delay the Inevitable
• Delay the Inevitable
• FIGHT with Spectral Web (spend 1 clue, commit Prepared for the Worst, +1, defeat Wraith, × Heretics' Graves - Spectral)
• MOVE to The Gallows
• PARLEY with Heretic (spend 1 clue, "Burn...")
• PLAY Mr. "Rook"
• Mr. "Rook" (2 secrets left, draw Vicious Blow)
• Upkeep: draw Crack the Case, 1 resource total.

#8

• Mythos: 7/8 doom, Centuries of Secrets (0, no curses), discard Delay the Inevitable
• Hunch: Delay the Inevitable
• Delay the Inevitable
• In Pursuit of the Living (flip The Gallows)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (no supplies left, commit Vicious Blow & Daring, , defeat Heretic, flip to Unfinished Business, draw Magnifying Glass)
• INVESTIGATE (commit Magnifying Glass, , 1 clue from The Gallows - Spectral)
• INVESTIGATE (-1, 1 clue from The Gallow - Spectral)
• Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (3 evidence)
• Hawk-Eye Folding Camera (3 evidence)
• Crack the Case (2 resources)
• Mr. "Rook" (1 secret left, draw Take the Initiative)
• Upkeep: draw Prepared for the Worst, 4 resources total
• × Unfinished Business ( Delay the Inevitable).

#9

• Mythos: 8/8 doom, advance agenda (The Spectral Watcher at Hangman's Brook - Spectral, Death's Approach), Trapped Spirits (+1)
• Hunch: Scene of the Crime
• Mr. "Rook" (no secrets left, draw Eureka!)
• Unfinished Business (commit Take the Initiative & Eureka!, , draw Fine Clothes, banish Heretic)
• PLAY Strange Solution
• MOVE to Haunted Fields - Spectral
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher hunts and attacks (defeat Mr. "Rook")
• Upkeep: draw Emergency Cache, 4 resources left.

Joe is on the roll! The second Heretic didn't require us to move, so our investigator basically banished it at leisure. However, the situation is not so rosy from his perspective. With Hangman's Hill plunged into darkness Joe sees more ghosts in the distance, not to mention the familiar silhouette of the Watcher. Joe glances in that direction and then towards the old chapel. Wherever he goes the Watcher will intercept. No matter. Joe strides onto the Haunted Fields to meet the challenge head on.

#10

• Mythos: 1/7 doom, Shapes in the Mist (× Haunted Fields), Realm of Torment
• Hunch: Scene of the Crime
• × Haunted Fields - Spectral
• PLAY Scene of the Crime (1 clue from Haunted Fields)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (2 supplies left, commit Prepared for the Worst, +1, 3 damage to The Spectral Watcher)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (1 supply left, -1, exhaust The Spectral Watcher)
• × Realm of Torment (-3)
• Upkeep: draw The Black Book, 5 resources total.

#11

• Mythos: 2/7 doom, Terror in the Night (commit The Black Book, -2)
• Hunch: Logical Reasoning
• MOVE to Abandoned Chapel - Spectral
• INVESTIGATE (-3, 1 clue from Abandoned Chapel - Spectral)
• PLAY Logical Reasoning (discard Realm of Torment)
• Enemy: The Spectral Watcher readies
• Upkeep: draw Detective's Colt 1911s, 6 resources total.

#12

• Mythos: 3/7 doom, Wraith
• Hunch: Logical Reasoning
• MOVE to Hangman's Brook - Spectral (Wraith attacks, 2 horror)
• RESIGN, R1.

Joe bought himself just enough time to once again poke around the fields and the chapel, which translates to 2 additional XPs. Potentially, I could've have him burn the excess clues on Spectral Web to fight one of the Heretics hiding deeper inside the Chapel, but it I didn't want to push my luck as I well remember the two or three times I was unable to have my investigator resign from this scenario. Not to mention, the scenario was patched and now there's no point in defeating a Heretic without also banishing it. Oh, and we're now officially halfway done with the campaign. Can Joe win it? If nothing else, the Page of Swords almost always answers 'Yes' to 'Yes-No' questions.

Campaign Log:

Disappearance at the Twilight Estate: Jerome was taken by the Watcher. 6 pieces of evidence were left behind.

The Witching Hour: Joe has rejected his fate. Joe identified the solution. The witches’ spell was broken. 8 XP (Anette Mason, Abandoned Mine, Cairn Stones, The Lonely Tree, Tainted Well, Hermit’s House, 1 bonus XP), Mementos: Mesmerizing Flute & Ritual Components.

At Death’s Doorstep: Joe is on Jerome’s trail. Joe escaped the spectral realm. Joe rescued Josef. Joe is a member of the Lodge. Joe is deceiving the Lodge. 6 XP (Office, Billiards Room, Master Bedroom, 2 bonus XP).

The Secret Name: Joe told the Lodge about the coven. 4 XP (Twilight Abyss, Physics Classroom, 2 bonus XP), Mementos: Gilman’s Journal, Keziah’s Formulae & Worn Crucifix.

The Wages of Sin: 2 heretics were unleashed unto Arkham. 4 XP (Haunted Fields, Abandoned Chapel, 2× Unfinished Business), Mementos: Wisp of Spectral Mist.