TIC Blind Run #2 (The Vanishing of Elina Harper)

Ehhh... I'm not thrilled about the setup instructions. Turns out Jenny can spend the unspent XPs from the previous scenario, which means she's more advanced in the flashback that she was in the present. I realize this can be excused with memory loss or stolen equipment, but I was looking forward to some sort of payoff. In practical terms our budget is five XPs, which is one short for Streetwise under the recent Taboo. Mindful of the experience from The Pit of Despair I'm purchasing a full play-set of Easy Marks. This means Faustian Bargain is out before it could be put through its paces. Next, I want to hold onto 3 XPs, so I'm replacing one Flashlight with Lockpicks I. This leaves Jenny's equipment a tiny bit eclectic, but our girl's a Dilettante, isn't she? Unless the situation in Innsmouth quickly turns sour I expect Jenny is going to shine. I expect to see lots of scouting, swift investigations and glib parleys. Let's begin!

Pre-Mulligan Hand: Fine Clothes, Eureka!, Easy Mark, "I'm outta here!", Easy Mark

Opening Hand: Fine Clothes, Easy Mark, Easy Mark, Leo De Luca, Easy Mark

The Vanishing of Elina Harper

Agenda & Act: Decrepit Decay & The Search for Agent Harper

#1

• PLAY Easy Mark (2 resources, draw Lone Wolf)
• Easy Mark (2 resources, draw Flashlight)
• Easy Mark (2 resources, draw Nimble)
  • We’ve got eleven resources to play around with. Jenny enters the town exceedingly self-confident. She doesn’t consider the locals to be a threat.
• PLAY Leo De Luca
• PLAY Lone Wolf
• PLAY Flashlight
  • We’re one action short to do an investigation. Notice that the act imposes an intensive investigative regimen that’s going to become harder and harder to fulfill as the leads deck is stuffed with encounter cards. I estimate I’ll need at least fifteen clues. Provided the second agenda has a similar doom threshold that translates to around one and a half clue per round.
• Upkeep: draw "I'm outta here!", 4 resources total.

#2

• Mythos: 1/6 doom, Innsmouth Look
  • Uh-oh. It’s not crippling, not exactly, but it’s almost tailor-made to hamper Jenny. There’s nothing I can realistically do about it without at least two willpower icons. I don’t think the full look manifests itself, but the overall atmosphere is muggy, Jenny’s hair is getting sticky for no reason and she’s slowly getting irritable.
• Lone Wolf
• MOVE to Marsh Refinery
  • Excellent. To maintain her cover Jenny heads over to the largest business in Innsmouth. She’s going to hide and snoop around at night, flashlight in hand.
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (2 supplies left, 0, 1 clue)
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 1 clue, Zadok Allen)
• Marsh Refinery (draw "Watch this!", Hard Knocks & Lone Wolf)
• Upkeep: draw Mauser C96, 7 resources total.

#3

• Mythos: 2/6, Locked Door (on Innsmouth Square)
  • The locales around the main square are closing. It’s an overt sign of economic decline, but it’s of no immediate concern to Jenny.
• Lone Wolf
• MOVE to Fish Street Bridge
• PLAY Fine Clothes
• PARLEY (-2, 1 clue, display Zadok Allen)
  • Wasn’t the interview with Zadok Allen a significant part of the original novel? Nice to see the parallels. Notice that if not for Innsmouth Look it would be an excellent opportunity to commit "Watch this!" and get more resources.
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 1 clue, The House on Water Street)
  • It’s a shroud 1 location with two clues and an irrelevant downside. That works out great for us. On the way Jenny heeds Zadok’s warning and arms herself.
• PLAY Mauser C96
• Upkeep: draw Leo De Luca, 5 resources total.

Board State Reminder: 8 health, 6 sanity, 5 resources, 0 clues

In Play: Leo De Luca, Mauser C96 (5 ammo), Flashlight (2 supplies), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf

In Hand: Nimble, "I'm outta here!", "Watch this!", Hard Knocks, Lone Wolf

Threat: Innsmouth Look

#4

• Mythos: 3/6 doom, Initiate of Dagon (at Marsh Refinery
  • It seems the Order of Dagon reacts to Jenny’s intrusion. No doubt the initiate is instructed to assess how much Jenny has learned in the refinery. BTW, I must praise the design of this enemy. It gives an incentive to keep it on the map for at least one round.
• Lone Wolf
• MOVE to Innsmouth Harbour
  • That’s an useful ability, but Jenny lacks the street smarts to take advantage of it at the moment.
• MOVE to The House on Water Street
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (1 supply left, , 1 clue, × The House on Water Street, Innsmouth Look)
  • OK, now we’re in deep trouble and it’s all due to an errant elder sign.
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 1 clue, Barnabas Marsh)
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (0 supplies left, )
  • Seriously? Is it because I called an elder sign errant? It’s bad. We’ve exhausted the Flashlight. We’ve been reduced to bottom-tier Intellect. We’ve got no events to sidestep the investigations. Jenny is not in immediate danger, but all the momentum from her excellent start is lost.
• Upkeep: draw Intel Report, 8 resources total, × Initiate of Dagon, 1 doom.

#5

• Mythos: 5/6 doom, Innsmouth Troublemaker (at Innsmouth Harbour)
  • There’s no easy way around it, Jenny has to take an attack from this guy.
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Hard Knocks
• MOVE to Marsh Refinery
• FIGHT ( 2× Hard Knocks, , defeat Initiate of Dagon)
• PARLEY (, 1 clue, display Barnabas Marsh)
  • I believe Mr. Marsh has been sufficiently intimidated by our investigator dispatching the cultist.
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 1 clue, Furtive Locals, -2, next to the Agenda & 1 damage to Leo De Luca)
  • But as soon as Jenny left his office the angry locals were waiting for her! No wonder. Mr. Marsh holds an important position in this tight-knit community. I should be spending two clues per search, but there’s no way I’m getting them easily. Oh, and there’s an additional problem. Whenever I draw an encounter card from the leads deck it replaces itself and the deck isn’t getting thinner.
• Enemy: Innsmouth Troublemaker hunts and attacks (2 damage)
• Upkeep: draw Searching for Izzie (at The Little Bookshop, 7 resources total, discard Furtive Locals.

#6

• Mythos: 5/6 doom, Hunting Shadow (2 damage)
  • The beating continues. Jenny is pushed to the brink and aims her gun at the man.
• Lone Wolf
• FIGHT with Mauser C96 ( 2× Hard Knocks, 0, 2 damage to Innsmouth Troublemaker, 1 resource)
  • She shoots and shatters his knee.
• FIGHT (3× Hard Knocks, +1, defeat Innsmouth Troublemaker)
  • Jenny closes in and clubs him with the butt of her gun. The man loses consciousness and Jenny uses that opportunity to slip away from the scene. She assumes other locals will find him before the troublemaker bleeds out to death.
• MOVE to The House on Water Street
• INVESTIGATE (commit Leo De Luca, )
  • Leo suggested there were more answers to be found in the decrepit house, but it sure doesn’t look like it!
• Upkeep: draw Working a Hunch, 6 resources total.

Board State Reminder: 4 health, 5 sanity, 6 resources, 0 clues

In Play: Leo De Luca (1 damage), Mauser C96 (4 ammo), Flashlight (0 supplies), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf, Hard Knocks

In Hand: Nimble, "I'm outta here!", "Watch this!", Lone Wolf, Intel Report, Working a Hunch

Threat: 2× Innsmouth Look

#7

• Mythos: 6/6 doom, advance Agenda (take Thomas Dawson, Growing Suspicion), Crypt Chill (-4, discard Flashlight)
  • Thomas buffs Willpower! Excellent. He’ll tell Jenny to finally ditch that silly flashlight and a take hold of herself.
• Lone Wolf
• Innsmouth Look (commit "Watch this!", -4)
• Innsmouth Look (, 1 horror to Thomas Dawson)
• Innsmouth Look ()
  • Three wasted actions.
• Working a Hunch (1 clue)
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 1 clue, Robert Friendly)
  • OK, it’s not an encounter and the suspect spawned close by.
• MOVE to Innsmouth Harbour
• Upkeep: draw Nimble, 7 resources total.

#8

• Mythos: 1/7 doom, Crypt Chill (-1, discard Lone Wolf)
• PARLEY (-2, 1 clue, display Robert Friendly)
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 1 clue, Fog over Innsmouth, , next to the Agenda, 1 horror to Thomas Dawson)
  • Nope! Still, I bet the fog makes the harbor look scenic.
• PLAY Lone Wolf
• PLAY Intel Report ( 2 clues)
• Innsmouth Look (-1, discard Innsmouth Look)
• Upkeep: draw Streetwise, 4 resources total, discard Fog over Innsmouth.
  • Yes! Hopefully that’s where the situation turns around. We’ve still got around five rounds until Jenny has to come forward with her accusation.

#9

• Mythos: 2/7 doom, On Wings of Darkness ()
  • What’s with these Elder Signs? That’s the second time I wanted Jenny to fail and she didn’t. Her Elder Sign effect isn’t too thrilling to begin with. It’s merely a number. I enjoy Jenny’s simplicity and elegance, but she’s still a holdover from the early days of Arkham’s design.
• Lone Wolf
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 2 clues, Innsmouth Jail)
  • The second card was Othera Gilman. This leaves two potential suspects and four potential hideouts. Jenny’s almost halfway done with the search for Elina. Is it good enough for the purposes of advancing the act. Doubtful. I need to narrow the list further. At the same time, Jenny wouldn’t forgive herself if she didn’t pursue even the faintest hint of her sister.
• MOVE to Fish Street Bridge
• MOVE to Innsmouth Jail
• PLAY Streetwise
• Innsmouth Look ()
• Upkeep: draw Mauser C96, 7 resources total.

Board State Reminder: 4 health, 6 sanity, 7 resources, 0 clues

In Play: Leo De Luca (1 damage), Thomas Dawson (2 horror), Mauser C96 (4 ammo), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf, Hard Knocks, Streetwise

In Hand: 2× Nimble, "I'm outta here!", Mauser C96

Threat: Innsmouth Look

#10

• Mythos: 3/7 doom, False Lead, Hunting Nightgaunt
  • It seems to me that’s the first time Jenny encounters an incontrovertible proof creatures of mythos exist, isn’t it? All previous encounters, even the double Innsmouth Look, can be justified away with mundane means, but not this winged monster. Out-of-character it’s an inconvenience, because I either forego the clue on the jail or miss out on an excellent opportunity to commit Nimble.
• Lone Wolf
• INVESTIGATE (Hunting Nightgaunt attacks, 1 damage to Thomas Dawson, 1 horror to Leo De Luca, Thomas Dawson, draw Eureka!, 3× Streetwise, -2, 1 clue)
• EVADE (commit "I'm outta here!", Nimble & Mauser C96, -3, exhaust Hunting Nightgaunt)
  • I took the third option, but got no payoff from Nimble.
• MOVE to Gilman House
• MOVE to The Little Bookshop
• Enemy: Hunting Nightgaunt readies
• Upkeep: draw Deep Knowledge, 4 resources total.

#11

• Mythos: 4/7 doom, Furtive Locals (-2, next to the Agenda, 1 damage)
• Lone Wolf
• Innsmouth Look (commit Eureka!, , discard Innsmouth Look, draw "I'm outta here!")
• Searching for Izzie ( Streetwise, +1, discard Searching for Izzie)
  • Phew!
• INVESTIGATE ( Streetwise, , 1 clue)
  • These Elder Signs are so random. These were three outright positive tokens in a row.
• The Search for Agent Harper (spend 2 clues, Brian Burnham)
  • The other card was False Lead. More importantly, I can now narrow down the suspects to Joyce Little. I'm not sure what happens to the other suspects when Jenny throws the accusation. I should parley with Brian just in case the guy becomes hostile. The Agenda suggests it might be the case.
• Enemy: Hunting Nightgaunt hunts to Gilman House
• Upkeep: draw Intel Report, 3 resources total, discard Furtive Locals.

#12

• Mythos: 5/7 doom, Initiate of Dagon (at Marsh Refinery)
  • OK, that's an interesting situation. On one hand I could place it near Jenny and deplete resources in an attempt to eliminate her and get one more round. On the other had I could somewhere else, do nothing and prepare for the final act. It all depends on whether the final act is short or not. Should I gamble on "I'm outta here!" being useful once again and allow Jenny to push herself more than usual? Is avoiding Hunting Nightgaunt more important than accumulating resources? We're going to find out in a moment.
• Lone Wolf
• MOVE to First National Grocery
• PARLEY (discard Deep Knowledge & Nimble, 1 clue, display Brian Burnham)
  • Of course, I'm not going to spend that clue due to potential Hunting Shadow. I'm not drawing cards as well because of Dark Pact. Movement wastes time since I don't know my destination. There are still four unconfirmed hideouts.
• RESOURCE
• RESOURCE
• Enemy: Hunting Nightgaunt hunts and attacks (1 damage & 1 horror, Thomas Dawson, draw Streetwise)
• Upkeep: draw Lockpicks, 8 resources total, × Initiate of Dagon, 1 doom
  • I'm declaring Joyce Little and Esoteric Order of Dagon. These guys sent out their agents to obstruct Jenny. That makes them more suspect than the slum-dwellers or church-goers.
• advance act (Angry Mob at Innsmouth Square, Joyce Little & Elina Harper at Shoreward Slums with 2 clues, Frantic Pursuit & The Rescue).

Board State Reminder: 2 health, 6 sanity, 8 resources, 1 clue

In Play: Leo De Luca (1 damage & 1 horror), Thomas Dawson (1 damage & 2 horror), Mauser C96 (4 ammo), Fine Clothes, Lone Wolf, Hard Knocks, Streetwise

In Hand: "I'm outta here!", Intel Report, Streetwise, Lockpicks

#13

• Mythos: 1/7 doom, Winged One
  • Ahaha. I've got enough damage and sanity buffers to win without pulling from the chaos bag. However, I'll have Jenny win in style if at all possible. I'll consider it payback for round #4.
• Lone Wolf
• EVADE (commit "I'm outta here!" & Streetwise, , exhaust Winged One)
• EVADE ( Streetwise, +1, exhaust Hunting Nightgaunt)
• MOVE to Innsmouth Square
• PLAY Intel Report ( 2 clues from Shoreward Slums)
  • Done!
• R4.

What an ordeal! I think there were two main factors that contributed to pulling it off in the end. First, the triple Easy Marks in the opening hand were an immense boost. It would've been next to impossible to recover without extra actions from Leo de Luca and extra resources from Lone Wolf. Second, it was pure luck in seeing more suspects than locations in the leads deck. It turns out that pinpoint just one part of the puzzle was sufficient. Plus, parleying was easier than investigating. In the end Jenny earned herself 3 XPs, which is enough to get the permanent Streetwise, if barely. As for the scenario in the abstract, it was great. It had the same investigation theme as Midnight Masques, but accusation mechanic was an unique and interesting twist. Note that the Agendas warned that suspects might be out for blood. No one is out for Jenny's blood. Two, or was it three, years ago I went out of my way to spare every VIP in Carcosa. That didn't pay off well at all. Perhaps this campaign will be different? I'm eager to find out. Until the next scenario!

Campaign Log:

Pit of Despair: 5 XP, Memories Recovered: a meeting with Thomas Dowson, a battle with a horrifying devil, a decision to stick together, an encounter with a secret cult.

The Vanishing of Elina Harper: The mission was successful. 3 XP.