Joe's Tarot Reading #8: Before the Black Throne

Before the Black Throne

Pre-Mulligan Hand: Mr. "Rook", Ace of Swords, Eureka!, Vicious Blow, Strange Solution, The Black Book

Opening Hand: Mr. "Rook", Ace of Swords, Strange Solution, The Black Book, Astounding Revelation, Magnifying Glass

Joe begins with 3 scenario resources.

1-Card Tarot Draw: Ace of Wands

Will Joe win the campaign? The Ace of Wands almost always answers “Yes” to Yes or No questions. It’s a card of pure potential. With enough effort it’ll allow our investigator to surmount whatever the scenario throws at him. I say no more interpretation is required. Let’s go!

#1

• Ace of Swords
• Hunch: Unsolved Case
• PLAY Mr. "Rook"
• Mr. "Rook" (2 secrets left, draw Ever Vigilant)
• PLAY Ever Vigilant (Strange Solution, The Black Book & Magnifying Glass)
• INVESTIGATE (-1, 1 clue from Cosmic Ingress)
• × Unsolved Case
• Upkeep: draw Crack the Case, 1 resource total.

#2

• Mythos: 1/4 doom, Terror in the Night (-2, attach), Wizard of the Order at Cosmos.
• Hunch: Working a Hunch
• Mr. "Rook" (1 secret left, draw Pathfinder)
• The Cosmos Beckons (spend 1 clue, move ⇧ to Flight into Oblivion)
• Working a Hunch (1 clue from Flight into Oblivion)
• Crack the Case (2 resources)
• PLAY Pathfinder
• The Cosmos Beckons (spend 1 clue, move ⇨ to Pathway into Void, discard Astounding Revelation)
• Pathfinder (move ⇨ to Cosmos, Pathway into Void, 1 damage to Mr. "Rook")
• Enemy: Wizard of the Order attacks (1 damage)
• Upkeep: draw Prepared for the Worst, 1 resource total.

#3

• Mythos: 3/4 doom, Mysterious Chanting (2 doom on Wizard of the Order)
• Hunch: No Stone Unturned
• No Stone Unturned ( Astounding Revelation, 1 secret on Mr. "Rook", draw Timeworn Brand)
• Mr. "Rook" (1 secret left, draw Take the Initiative)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (2 supplies left, commit Prepared for the Worst, -2, defeat Wizard of the Order)
• Pathway into Void (2 scenario resources left, ⇩)
• Pathfinder ⇩ to Cosmos (Hideous Palace)
• INVESTIGATE (-2, 1 clue from Hideous Palace)
• Upkeep: draw Vicious Blow, 2 resources total.

These were some spectacular opening rounds! That Wizard of the Order was a disaster waiting to happen. Reading the log it might seem easy to avert, but it all hinged on two good draws from the Cosmos deck. Notice that Joe was spending one clue per draw as there was no time to stock on clues on Cosmic Ingress. Then there was the Mysterious Chanting, an essentially empty encounter as our detective smashed the wizard’s face immediately thereafter. I’d like to think that the wizard was granted a boon from the elder gods in the form of headphones with trendy music and he missed our investigator walking up to him. In any case, it’s possible to advance right now, but I’ll delay that for a moment just in case the encounter deck shows us something that can be left behind.

#4

• Mythos: 3/4 doom, Terror in the Night (0, attach)
• Hunch: Extensive Research
• advance act (Daemonic Piping, Mindless Dancer, In Azathoth's Domain)
• Mr. "Rook" (no secrets left, Paranoia, lose all resources, draw Crack the Case)
• INVESTIGATE (, , 1 clue from Hideous Palace)
• In Azathoth's Domain (spend 1 clue, move ⇩ to Infinity of Darkness)
• INVESTIGATE (, , 1 clue from Infinity of Darkness)
• Crack the Case (2 resources)
• Enemy: Mindless Dancer ⇐⇐ hunts to Cosmos
• Upkeep: draw Mr. "Rook", 3 resources total.

#5

• Mythos: 4/4 doom, advance agenda (Daemonic Piping, Daemonic Piping, Piper of Azathoth, Ancient Evils, It Awaits), Acolyte (at Cosmos)
• Hunch: Extensive Research
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (1 supply left, commit Take the Initiative, , 3 damage to Piper of Azathoth)
• FIGHT with Strange Solution (no supplies left, commit Vicious Blow, 0, defeat Piper of Azathoth)
• Infinity of Darkness (1 scenario resource left, ⇓)
• Enemy: Mindless Dancer hunts ⇓ to Hideous Palace
• Upkeep: draw Daring, 4 resources total.

#6

• Mythos: 2/6 doom, The End is Nigh! (, 2 doom on Azathoth ❷)
• Hunch: Extensive Research
• PLAY Timeworn Brand ( The Black Book, 1 horror to Mr. "Rook", discard Magnifying Glass)
• Pathfinder ⇒ to Cosmos (Court of the Great Old Ones)
• FIGHT with Timeworn Brand (, defeat Acolyte)
• INVESTIGATE (, +1, 1 clue from Hideous Palace)
• Enemy: Mindless Dancer hunts ⇓⇓ to Infinity of Darkness
• Upkeep: draw Eureka!, 1 resource total.

Piper! Mindless Dancer! As expected, Before the Black Throne pulls no punches. That Vicious Blow was worth its weight in gold. BTW, if that second attack missed Joe would've been forced to somehow put Timeworn Brand on the table with insufficient resources and while engaged. Given that we seen to draw an inordinate amount of Elder Things it was an authentic threat. In the meantime the hunch deck keeps offering us Extensive Research, an overall good Joe card that we nevertheless don't have the time to use. BTW, consider the last action from round #5. Is it legal? As far as I know no one has a definite answer, but I'm playing under the assumption that it is legal.

#7

• Mythos: 4/6 doom, A World in Darkness (defeat Mr. "Rook")
• Hunch: Extensive Research
• advance act (Terror in the Night, commit Eureka!, , 3 horror)
• INVESTIGATE (, recover No Stone Unturned, 1 clue from Court of the Great Old Ones)
• What Must Be Done (spend 1 clue, move ⇓ to Infinity of Darkness)
• INVESTIGATE ()
• Upkeep: draw Daring, 2 resources total.

#8

• Mythos: 5/6 doom, Ancient Evils, advance act (Daemonic Piping, Ultimate Chaos, , attach, 1 damage & 1 horror, Whispered Bargain, 1 doom on Azathoth ❸, The Final Countdown)
• Hunch: Scene of the Crime
• PLAY Scene of the Crime (1 clue from Infinity of Darkness)
• Infinity of Darkness (no scenario resources left, ⇓)
• Pathfinder ⇒ to Cosmos (The Black Throne)
• INVESTIGATE (0, 1 clue from The Black Throne)
• Upkeep: draw Magnifying Glass

#9

• Mythos: 4/8 doom, Mindless Dancer
• Hunch: No Stone Unturned
• No Stone Unturned (draw Ever Vigilant)
• PLAY Magnifying Glass (discard Timeworn Brand)
• INVESTIGATE (commit Ever Vigilant, -1, 1 clue from The Black Throne)
• R3.

I'll allow myself a sigh of relief on Joe's behalf. I'm reminded once again that the TCU finale is an extremely demanding scenario for a solo investigator. The sheer amount of encounter cards drawn is overwhelming. Joe was quickly running out of tricks, sanity and health. Thankfully, luck was on our side. The chance to find the correct location on our first tries in both second and third act was 1 in 12. We had more time, but Joe is just so vulnerable to encounter deck I suspect he'd be defeated long before the final doom was put on Azathoth. Nevertheless, we won! Fate was defied! Tarot is worthless! Seriously, I've never used it before this campaign and over the last days I've seen that you can bend the interpretation of the cards to fit whatever narrative you wish.

Farewell!

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.

For the Greater Good: Joe discovered how to open the puzzle box. Joe kept his mementos hidden. 5 XP (Nathan Wick, Vault, Library, Ceremony Room).

Union and Disillusion: Joe sided with the coven. Carl Sanford possesses the secrets of the universe. Jerome is dead. 4 XP (Nether Mist, Misty Clearing, Moss-Covered Steps, Haunted Spring).

In the Clutches of Chaos: Joe arrested Sanford. The path winds before you (3). 3 XP (Carl Sanford, Hangman’s Hill).

Before the Black Throne: Azathoth slumbers… for now. 5 XP (Piper of Azathoth, 5 bonus XP, Unsolved Case), 2 Physical Trauma.