Game(s) Played:
No, really, the following post has MAJOR spoilers for the Gloomhaven campaign. This has been your spoiler warning.
Gloomhaven #23 – (30) Shrine Of The Depths
Game: Gloomhaven
Designer: Isaac Childres
Players: 1 – 4 Players
Playing Time: 30 – 120 minutes (This Play: 75 minutes)
Main Mechanisms: Role Playing, Legacy, Hand Management
Player(s):
Splinter's "Karoke Kingu" eyes snap open but from the flickering lights on the ceiling from a torch nearby and more importantly, the rank smell, this is not his bed in the Sleeping Lion. Sitting up in the makeshift cot, Splinter touches the bandages on his body and realizes the Vermlings must have mistaken him for one of their own and taken him in to heal his wounds.
Quickly pulling on his weapons and armour, Splinter uses his nose to find Xanna "Master Artificer to the Etherium Crafters" and All Might "The Symbol Of Peace" locked up in a shoddy pen guarded by a single Vermling Guard. Affecting a scowl and haggard look which ages him by decades, Splinter pretends to be a healer and examines the "corpses" of his comrades. Their breathing is shallow and their wounds are starting to fester but both are still alive. Sniffing in disapproval, Splinter orders the Vermling Guard to dispose of the "corpses" on the surface, the guise is so convincing the Vermling Guard calls out for a colleague to help with the burden and neither questions the orders of the "Vermling Healer".
As the Vermling Guards are busy with their burden, Splinter quickly tosses Xanna and All Might's belongings from the crate nearby into a drawstring sack and follows the contingent up to the surface. Depositing the "corpses" under the bridge, Splinter orders the Vermling Guards back into the sewers, indicating that he is going to stay above to sell the spoils for provisions. After the Vermling Guards have left, Splinter turns to his comrades to find Xanna already sitting up and looking at Splinter, "I didn't take that much damage. Quick hand me my backpack so I can help All Might".
Reaching the hospital with All Might slung between them, Xanna and Splinter find Thalia "Heir Of Saint Traft" waiting for them, "Dragon's dung! Do you guys smell!" After depositing All Might into a hospital bed and an invigorating shower, the group finds themselves seated around the table at the Sleeping Lion at Xanna's behest.
"So, what's this all about Xanna?" asks Thalia.
Xanna looks into her mug for a few seconds then finally says, "I have completed my assignment and need to return to report to my superior professor immediately."
Perplexed, Thalia enquires further, "I knew you were a student but you never told us what your assignment was. How did you complete it whilst out gallivanting with us?"
"My assignment was to save my party members from near death situations 15 times" answers Xanna.
"Oh… Ohhhhhhh… …" harmonize Splinter and Thalia together.
"I need to return to the University immediately, so this is my goodbye to both of you. It has been a lot of fun and good times which I will remember fondly" says Xanna with regret in her voice.
"But we can always visit you at the University" quips Splinter trying to lighten the mood.
Smiling sadly, Xanna replies, "Unfortunately I begin my doctorate studies immediately and that is to be done in seclusion in the Tower of Artifacts."
"Oh, I see. And how long does this take?" asks Thalia.
"Twenty five years?" is the uncertain answer of Xanna.
"Dragon's duuunnnggg…" is all Thalia can say.
At the door of the Sleeping Lion, Xanna gives both her comrades a goodbye hug and walks towards the University, her life as an adventurer now over, and a new life of study begins.
"So what do you want to do today?" asks Thalia of her lone companion.
"I'd like to see the seagulls, I wonder if they sing" replies Splinter.
"I really doubt that, but what the heck, let's go" shrugs Thalia.
Those Lurkers sure looked scary though *foreshadowing*
Over the cheers of the crowd, the ding of a bell sounds in both Thalia and Splinter's ears. Looking at the sky above, they see a cloud in the shape of…
Character unlocked!
"Okay. That was fairly horrifying. Maybe we should learn how to speak Lurker" pants Thalia.
"We can drop by the University to ask and at the same time see if we can visit Xanna before she goes into seclusion!" suggests Splinter happily.
Hah! Outsmarted the Road Event for once!
"I'm sorry sirs, I'm afraid that Master Xanna has already gone into the Tower of Artifacts. Short of death, we won't be seeing her until the Year of the Walking Elephant" replies the apologetic receptionist.
"FREEEEEE MEEEEEE!!!!!!"
"I say, what?" asks Thalia.
The receptionists looks at Thalia quizzically before saying, "I said Master Xanna has already gone into…"
"UNLEEEEEEAAAAAASH MEEEEEE!!!!!!"
"… Year of the Walking Elephant", concludes the receptionist.
"Didn't you hear that voice?" asks Thalia, looking from Splinter to the receptionist, both of whom look at Thalia with question marks in their eyes.
"Do you have a demon / ghost / incorporeal being locked up somewhere in the university?" asks Thalia.
"HOW DID YOU!!! Ehem, no sir, no demons / ghosts / incorporeal beings locked up in the 6th floor of the dungeons, sir. Perhaps you need to speak with someone from our 'Beings That Can Only Be Seen / Touched / Heard (choose one) Division'? Take the left stairs up one floor, 2nd door to your right" the receptionist says with perfect efficiency, slams the "COUNTER CLOSED" sign on the desk and disappears into the back office.
"Okaaaaaayyyyyy…" whistles Thalia.
"Left stairs up one floor, 2nd door to your right" repeats Splinter mechanically.
Why is it that an important relic needed to renew the bindings needs to be hidden and guarded when you need it
Standing before the entryway, Splinter turns to Thalia, "Should we have waited for All Might to recover?"
Thalia responds, "Its fine. Without the bumbling Inox around, we just might be able to get in and out without bringing the whole roof down around us for once."
"It's not much but Xanna taught me some simple healing concoctions before our last misadventure, let me know if you need some touch up" says Splinter with foreboding.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but good to know" replies Thalia as they enter into the darkness.
OOZEs again! We were smarter this time and unleashed our respective ONE-HIT-KILLS
"Looks like the OOZE is going to multiply again" comments Splinter whilst watching the last OOZE vibrate violently.
"Two coins on the OOZE not making it through the process" suggests Thalia.
Turning towards the door and opening it, Splinter replies "No bet" just as the OOZE explodes in a shower of goo, its wounds too severe to survive the multiplication.
Whose nightmare did we walk into today?
Looking at Splinter, Thalia asks "Should we try the tactic we discussed on the boat?"
Taking in the LURKERs fighting their way through the half flooded chamber towards them, Splinter nods and asks in return, "What should we call this unusual plan of yours?"
"No Valid Targets" says Thalia with a grin before disappearing into the shadows.
"Not exactly a hard thing to do for either of us" mutters Splinter before slipping into the shadows himself.
The hissing of the LURKERs turn into screams as flashes of steel appear out of the shadows to plunge into the soft unprotected sides of the LURKERs. The wild swings of the dying LURKERs do manage to wound both Thalia and Splinter but Splinter's quick administrations stem the wounds until they can be looked at later.
The Scoundrel is starting to become too OP
"You gonna take care of the last one?" asks Thalia.
"Leave it to me" is the reply that comes out of the darkness.
With a running leap, Thalia jumps over pool of water and quick steps up the sheer cliff like a mountain goat to reach the elevated platform, ignoring the DEEP TERRORs guarding the staircases to the left and right. Turning back to the general direction of Splinter, Thalia shouts…
As Gideon (Thalia) says, "This scenario was made for us"
Easy peasy lemon squeezy
Now let's cut to the action in real time!
Results Of Game(s)
Winners:
Justin aka Splinter "Hey your SKELETON is invisible too!" – 17 Exp (LVL UP!) & 22 Gold & 2 Ticks (+1 PERK!)
Gideon aka Thalia "We could have ended this scenario in 5 rounds" – 20 Exp (LVL UP!) & 28 Gold
We will be back with more Gloomhaven next week.
Until next time, keep calm and play better.
No comments:
Post a Comment