Game(s) Played:
No, really, the following post has MAJOR spoilers for the Gloomhaven campaign. This has been your spoiler warning.
Gloomhaven #18 – (16) Mountain Pass
Game: Gloomhaven
Designer: Isaac Childres
Players: 1 – 4 Players
Playing Time: 30 – 120 minutes (This Play: 90 minutes)
Main Mechanisms: Role Playing, Legacy, Hand Management
Player(s):
"He's not waking" Thalia "Heir Of Saint Traft" comments as she comes down the stairs of the Sleeping Lion. Xanna "Master Artificer to the Etherium Crafters" looks up from her work strewn all across the table and adjusts her goggles. She offers Thalia a shrug as if to say "All Might is normally 50% drunk or asleep anyway" and returns her attention to her work.
With a gleam in her eye, Thalia sits down next to Xanna and casually mentions, "So it's just us two then, you want to check out the quest the City Guard posted up? It just asks us to confirm the existence of a dragon, nothing about killing it assuming that it even exists. And if it does exist, think of all the TREASURE… …"
Looking at Thalia in disbelief, "You touch any part of a dragon's treasure without killing it and your head will be on the dragon's wanted list. You can bet your socks the dragon will collect that bounty in full. Better to grab some of the dragon's dung as proof of existence" which in turn causes Thalia to look at Xanna in disbelief.
Xanna continues "Besides, we should bring someone along…"
"Anyone but that filthy rat!" interrupts Thalia.
Proceeding as if uninterrupted, "… so let's go meet my cousin" finishes Xanna.
After packing up her things, Xanna leads Thalia over to the next street.
"I didn't know you had a cousin" prompts Thalia.
"Uh… He's a bit… unusual so the family doesn't mention him much but he's very useful in a fight, believe me" explains Xanna in a hurry "And this is him, Thalia meet Splinter my cousin, Splinter this is Thalia"
Two hours ago
"Look you're a ninja right? Can't you look like someone else? Anything besides a Vermling so you don't set Thalia off" pesters Xanna at Splinter "Karaoke Kingu".
Splinter mulls over the idea for a second and looks at Xanna "It's easier if I have a point of reference, so who should I look like?"
Xanna points at the Quartyl bard tuning his stringed instrument in the corner "Try looking like 'Fat Cat' Bob"
Splinter looks at the bard and then turns back to Xanna quizzically "Are you sure you're pointing at the right Quartyl? He doesn't look very fat to me"
"Nevermind that, just try and look like him and I could tell Thalia you're my cousin or something" chides Xanna.
"Very well" responds Splinter as he removes his cloak and tosses it theatrically into the air. As the cloak floats down to the floor, Xanna's jaw drops to the floor as standing in front of her in Splinter's clothes is the identical twin of "Fat Cat" Bob.
"How did you… Nevermind, we don't have time. Here, put on this hat with the colourful feathers and hopefully Thalia won't realize anything" says Xanna hurriedly. Pushing Splinter out the door, "Go wait for us by the glassmaker's on the next street over"
Back to the present…
"Hullo there" says Splinter by way of greeting, all hints of squeakiness in his voice vanished. Shaking Splinter's hand, Thalia takes a closer look at him "Say… You look a lot like 'Fat Cat'…" "OH DEAR! LOOK AT THE POOR CRYING CHILD! WE MUST HELP HIM!" shouts Xanna cutting off Thalia's thought process.
I'm not entirely sure that a perk tick for a point in reputation is a fair trade off but then this is Gloomhaven
"Do you happen to be a cat-person? It took a while but that was still a lot faster with your help" says Thalia to Splinter as they are walking towards the city gates.
"It's somewhat of a natural condition I grew up with" replies Splinter evasively.
"Oh look! Lunch!" Xanna points towards the sky at an attempt to divert the conversation to safer topics.
It's nice to have a beneficial, repeatable quest in such a cruel world
Trying to drop boulders on us? Not so simple sparky!
As the party waits for the dust to clear, a deafening roar cuts through the silence and stones are tossed aside as an EARTH DEMON rises from beneath the rubble and proceeds to pound its fists together in rage.
Pushing up her goggles, Xanna says "I spot three INOX ARCHERS coming down the slope"
"Well let's use their demon against them, is it in place?" asks Thalia looking at Xanna.
Just then the EARTH DEMON howls in anger as a vise of jagged teeth closes on the EARTH DEMON's foot with a loud "CLANK". Xanna grins back at Thalia "Yes" only Thalia is averting her eyes, having caught Splinter winding his arm back with a round ball and a lit fuse held in his hand.
"Fire in the hole" says Splinter in monotone. *BANG*
This is the beginning of a status ailment filled scenario. Many Esunas would have been needed
The blinding light drives the EARTH DEMON into a rage as it swings blindly at any target that ventures to close. Trying not to enter the striking range of the enraged EARTH DEMON, the INOX ARCHERS are in turn peppered by daggers and crossbow bolts from Thalia and Xanna, a lucky dagger taking an INOX ARCHER right in the eye, killing him instantly.
As the EARTH DEMON begins to tire, Splinter, having finished his channeling his chakra, leaps towards the EARTH DEMON, rolling under the EARTH DEMON's lateral swipe, he swings at the EARTH DEMON, taking it above the knee. As the EARTH DEMON keels over, the remaining two INOX ARCHERS rush forward with their short swords only to be met with Thalia who furiously bats away their sword swings, two dirks in hand. The INOX ARCHERS are momentarily puzzled when Thalia suddenly crouches down, only to be blown back by a crossbow bolt to each of their chests.
Walking past the corpses, Thalia quips "Well that went swimmingly. In fact, I'd say All Might would be the dead weight if he were here" with a laugh.
Rounding the corner, Thalia stops dead in her tracks…
As if one All Might is not torture enough…
"Oh it's just regular INOX GUARDS" breathes Thalia with relief. As the buffeting winds of the WIND DEMONS whip around the INOX GUARDS, Thalia notices that they are very careful not to step backwards beyond the turn of the slope. Stepping back onto the base of the slope, Thalia feels something brush past her and through the distortion of air realizes that Splinter has just slipped past her under what must be an INVISIBILITY CLOAK. Stepping to the side of the entryway, Thalia calls out "COVER FIRE!" and Xanna begins to fill the sky with crossbow bolts.
As the WIND DEMONS and INOX GUARDS attempt to take cover from the raining bolts, Splinter moves through their ranks, an invisible wraith dicing and slicing his way through their defences. Too late, the enemy realizes that they face an invisible foe and now Thalia jumps into the fray as the last of the crossbow bolts fall to the ground. The INOX GUARDS put up a token resistance but are no match for a nearly unharmed Thalia, Xanna and Splinter and soon fall to the dirt as well.
As Splinter moves towards the Treasure Chest that was being guarded by the WIND DEMONS, Thalia stops him and points towards an invisible line at the bend in the slope "Don't step there". Nodding his understanding, Splinter makes a deft jump, clearing the traps easily as Thalia follows him after.
"These Boots of Levitation are really earning their keep" Xanna happily mumbles to herself
Filled with elation and a bit of adrenaline, Xanna rushes up the hillside and pushes through the vines covering the cave entrance. A roar that shakes the stones loose from the cavern roof fills the mountainside and two EARTH DEMONS rush towards Xanna. "Quick! Give me a boost!" shouts Splinter and Xanna immediately cups her hands and tosses Splinter into the air just before the smaller and faster EARTH DEMON shoulder charges Xanna into the dirt.
This is teamwork baby!
Coming up behind the EARTH DEMONS, Splinter uses the butt of his short sword to knock both EARTH DEMONS senseless for a few minutes. Sensing more than seeing the huge WIND DEMON behind him, Splinter crouches down and for half a second, the room flashes with a bright light. Thalia who had just snuck in underneath the stunned EARTH DEMONS guard and into the shadows, looks back at Splinter only to find the WIND DEMON dissipating into nothingness and Splinter sheathing his short sword, sweat dripping off his brow.
One shot one kill
As the remaining WIND DEMON howls in outrage and turns to target the exhausted Splinter, Thalia steps out of the shadows and as she swings her dagger to plunge it into the WIND DEMON'S back, she feels electricity flow into her dagger which causes thunderclap to explode into the WIND DEMON at point of impact, disintegrating it completely.
As with most RPGs, thinking up awesome / hilarious situations for critical hits / misses is one of the joys of being a DM
The larger EARTH DEMON is the first to come to its senses and begins to close in on Splinter. With a scream of outrage, the EARTH DEMON brings its fist up overhead and slams it down into the ground, causing the ground around it to rise and fall.
I had to keep taking pictures as we added one status effect after another. This then is the picture with the MOST status effects so far
Bouncing off the heaving ground, Splinter launches his short sword straight at EARTH DEMON, piercing through its torso and wedging into the ground behind it, destroying it. As the last EARTH DEMON rouses itself, Thalia walks up to it in even steps and begins to exude her killing aura. Freezing the EARTH DEMON by implanting her VISAGE OF THE INEVITABLE into the EARTH DEMON'S psyche, Thalia steps up to the EARTH DEMON and plunges her dagger into its core.
Looking at the picture, this move was technically illegal as there was no adjacent ally
Another mystery to be discovered?
"Well no dragons today" says Thalia as the party heads back to Gloomhaven.
"Thank heavens" says Xanna morosely.
Turning towards Splinter, Thalia says with a smile "If you're not tied down to a day job you're more than welcome to join our little party. You've got some deft moves unlike another Quartyl I know"
"HEY!" interrupts Xanna.
"It would be my… I mean, sure why not?" says Splinter, catching himself.
Now let's cut to the action in real time!
Results Of Game(s)
Winners:
Justin aka Rincewind "Henge no Jutsu" – 21 Exp & 3 Gold
Sean aka Xanna "Help me… I've been shoulder charged… Help" – 15 Exp (LVL UP!) & 18 Gold & 1 Tick
Gideon aka Thalia "Continuous stun block is so cool" – 26 Exp & 11 Gold
+1 Reputation
We will be back with more Gloomhaven in two weeks' time.
Until next time, keep calm and play better.
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