Chaosium Digest Volume 19, Number 3 Date: Sunday, May 11, 1997 Number: 1 of 4 Contents: The Adventure Files, Part One (Cedric Chin) MYTHOS Editor's Note: This week, a massive four-part discussion of Mythos adventures by Cedric Chin. Here's what's in each issue: V19.3, Introduction and Assault on Y'ha-Nthlei to The Cruise; V19.4, The Curious Parcel to The Interesting Shop; V19.5, Knee-Deep in Doom to The Royal Geographic Society; and V19.6, Save the World! to Your First Big Story. I've got a few other bits and bobs for Cthulhu sitting around that didn't make it in this week to the largness of the Digest. They'll appear next week. Send in your submissions, too! Shannon NEW RELEASES: * Misc - _Starry Wisdom_ Vol. 1 No. 2 (Chaosium, 16 pg, free to members of the Cult of Chaos) is the second issue of Chaosium's new quarterly. It includes my Yithian Mental Contact Card File, a two-page study of the Yithians, information on upcoming products including a spotlight on New Aeon, a marketplace for Mythos artwork, Glorantha news, Greg Stafford on Ancient American, and more. If you'd like to become a member of the Cult of Chaos, there was an announcement and form back in V17.7. Retail stores can get complementary copies of Starry Wisdom by requesting them directly from Chaosium. RECENT (FRENCH) SIGHTINGS: Thanks to Frederic Moll (fm10@calvanet.calvacom.fr) for these French magazine sightings. * Call of Cthulhu - "L'Asile St. Gilles", a five page play aid about any asylum, Casus Belli #105 [May, 1997]; "Alien(e)s", a six page scenario set in the Asile St. Gilles, Casus Belli #105 [May, 1997] * Pendragon - "Qui va a la chasse...", a five page scenario set in Morgane Forest and Salisbury County, Backstab #3 [May/June, 1997] -------------------- From: Cedric Chin Subject: The Adventure Files, Part One System: Mythos ** THE ADVENTURE FILES ** ** PART ONE: INTRODUCTION ** ** ASSAULT ON Y'HA-NTHLEI TO THE CRUISE ** This article discusses adventure. Each adventure is examined individually, and disected by a number of criteria. The discussion of each adventure follows the same format. OUTLINE Adventure Name: This is the name of the Adventure. It is followed by the adventure point gain and the sanity point gain. Source of Adventure: This is which set (Limited Edition, Dreamlands, MSGS) the Adventure comes from. Summary: I've summarized and rated the Adventures as follows: * Broken: Free points. * Darn Reasonable: Mid-place in a tournament. * Yeah, whatever: Not terribly sexy. * Go for it!: Lots of points, impress your friends. * Are you kidding?!?: Way too many Regions or other problems. Dimensions and Regions: This is a short description of which Dimensions, Regions, subregions, etc., can be used with this Adventure. Also noted is if the Adventure can be used in a Waking World / Dreamlands deck. Attributes: This is a short description of which Attributes (Gate, Artifact, Tome) are needed to play this Adventure. Required Cards and Additional Cards: These are lists of recommended cards to use with this Adventure. The Required Cards are the ones listed in the Adventure. The Additional Cards are cards not listed in the Adventure, but are still necessary or highly recommended to use with the Adventure. Comments: Any comments not covered in the Summary are here. Wish List: Finally, I've tacked on a Wish List that'd make the Adventure more attractive to play, either by making it easier to play the Adventure, or by making it more able to be played in different decks. Compatible Adventures: Here is where I list some Adventures that work with the described Adventure, as well as what cards to use. How well the Adventures work are rated as "Good fit", "Okay fit", and "Poor fit". Not all "Poor Fit" Adventures are listed, of course. NOTES The following notes are relative to many of the adventures. Corrupt Cultists in Dreamlands: Most Corrupt Cultists in the Dreamlands have the same problems as Cultists from the Past in the Waking Worlds. That is, most subregions will only have one Corrupt Cultist, who will be Unique. The Ghost Being of Ib, in Mnar, is a notable exception. Cultists from the Past: Most subregions have no more than one Cultist From the Past, which is a Unique card. Thus, if you build a deck with a single subregion, you may only have one Cultist From the Past card. The disadvantage of this deck is that it violates the "Two of each card" rule for decks. The advantage is that a single subregion City deck plays faster than a deck with two subregions. There is one exception to this: Arkham, which has both Keziah Mason, and Brown Jenkin. However, since Brown Jenkin may only be played with Keziah Mason, or if she is already in play, he does not truly counter the problem. The alternative is to build a deck with two subregions. The advantage is that it will have two Cultists from the Past, and thus follow the "Two of each card" rule for decks. The disadvantage is that it will play slower than a single subregion City deck. Exotic Locations: I'd recommend at most only two Adventures requiring an Exotic Location in a deck. Playing an Exotic Location typically requires some previously played cards. You can end up playing the Exotic Location as the last card before playing an Adventure, and then you can keep it at the top of your deck as the first card for your next Adventure. Timing: Some cards may only be played when other non-Location cards -- typically Night, Day, or Storm Events -- are in play (eg. GOO's). Since Night, Day, and Storm Events are easily buried, cards requiring timing are less easy to get into play than other cards. "Travel by Air" Monsters: Some Monsters are described as "Travel by Air" Monsters. These Monsters are any Monsters that, when summoned, can be used as a Travel by Air Event. Such Monsters are typically Lesser Servitors, and include some of the different varieties of Byahkees, Shantaks, and Nightgaunts. "Two of a Card": This guideline means that a requirement for an Adventure should have two cards in the deck that fulfill it. Thus, if a required card is a Steadfast Professor, the deck should have two Steadfast Professors in it. THE ADVENTURES Assault on Y'ha-Nthlei (+12/+4) Limited Edition Summary: Are you kidding?!? The main problem of this Adventure is that the Adventure, Stand Against the Order, must be played first. Assault and Stand have almost no card overlap. Adding insult to injury, one of the Required Cards for Assault is a European Ally, necessitating Surprise Meeting be added to this deck. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, Innsmouth (LC). Attributes: Tome, Artifact, Gate Requirements: * STAND AGAINST THE ORDER: Stand Against the Order, Adventure. * PONAPE SCRIPTURE, R'LYEH TEXT, or CTHAAT AQUADINGEN (non-English): Cthaat Aquadingen (German), or R'lyeh Text (Chinese). * STEADFAST SOLDIER: Any Steadfast Soldier, Ally, Europe. * U-BOAT: U-Boat, Travel by Underwater, Event. * Y'HA-NTHLEI: Y'ha-Nthlei, Exotic Site, must be reached by Underwater, must be able to breathe underwater. * TWO DEEP ONES, SHOGGOTH, and FATHER DAGON or MOTHER HYDRA: Monsters, some Unique, all Join. * DIVING SUIT: Diving Suit, Artifact, Allows breathing Underwater. * SPHERE OF NATH: Sphere of Nath, Artifact, Unique. Additional Cards: * Investigor: Chinese or German. * Aldeberan Moves in the Sky: Star, Event. Removes Drought, which prevents play of U-Boat. * Captain of the White Ship and the White Ship: Steadfast Seaman and Dreamer. Travel by Sea, Event. Allows play of an Exotic Location regardless of its requirements. * Jewelry of the Deep Ones: Artifact. Optional. Increases the value of the Monsters. * Surprise Meeting: Event. Allows play of the Steadfast Soldier in Innsmouth. Comments: Innsmouth is deficient in Locations with the Artifact attribute. Many Unique cards in this Adventure make it unlikely that the Adventure will be played until the deck is exhausted. Wish List: Add a Steadfast Soldier to Innsmouth. Compatible Adventures: * Stand Against the Order: Poor fit. Don't even bother. *** Alone in the World (+7/+2) MSGS Summary: Yeah, whatever. If you stay in Kingsport, the Corrupt Cultist is Unique. This Adventure also uses the Servitor of the Outer Gods, another Unique card. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, Kingsport (LC). Attributes: Gate, Artifact. Required Cards (MSGS): * PHOBIA: Any phobia. * WEAPON: Any Weapon. * AMBUSH: Ambush, Event. * TWO DIFFERENT CEMETARY LOCATIONS: Any such Locations, Kingsport. * CORRUPT CULTISTS: The Terrible Old Man, Kingsport, Unique. * SERVITOR OF THE OUTER GODS: Servitor of the Outer Gods, Greater Servitor, Monster, Unique. * THE FORGOTTEN CRYPT: The Forgotten Crypt, Underground, Kingsport. Comments: None. Compatible Adventures: * The Interesting Shop (+5/+1): See The Price. * The Price (+8/+3): See The Price. *** Arkham Horror (+8/+3) MSGS Summary: Darn Reasonable. High overlap with Searching for Laban Shrewsbury. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, Arkham (LC). Attributes: Gate, Artifacts. Required Cards (from the MSGS set): * BUSINESS: Arkham Police Department, Artifact, Arkham. * DOWNPOUR: Downpour, Storm, Event. * SAMUEL WINSOR: Samuel Winsor, Any Non-Gate Location. * FAITHFUL HOUNDS: Faithful Hounds, Weapon, Artifact. * TWO MONSTERS: Hunting Horror, Greater Servitor, Joins Hunting Horrors, Monster. * MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY COMMONS: Miskatonic University Commons, Gate, Arkham. * TWO STEADFAST ALLIES: Laban Shrewsbury and Luther Harding, Arkham. * WEAPON: Any Weapon. * ARKHAM GAZETTE: Arkham Gazette, Arkham. * STATION: Boston Train Station, Arkham. Comments: The above cards were written with the MSGS cards and Searching for Laban Shrewsbury in mind. Compatible Adventures: * The Interesting Shop (+5/+1): Add a few more Arkham City Locations with the Artifact and/or Tome Attribute, and use Sanity-costing Weapons. * Searching for Laban Shrewsbury (+8/+3): Arkham Horror has a high overlap with Searching for Laban Shrewsbury, needing only A Letter from a Friend (Skull-Icon, Tome), Evening, and the Old Congregational Church (Kingsport), to use both Adventures in a Deck. * Seeking Everlasting Life I (+5 / +1 SAN): Add Herbert West and Ray Stuckey as Corrupt Allies, and the Resurrection Spell. *** Armed and Clueless (+7/+3) Dreamlands Summary: Yeah, whatever. Travel to three Dreamlands Regions, one of which is an Exotic Location. Dimensions and Regions: In the Dreamlands, Mnar (The West); and The East. And, in any dimension, an Exotic Location. Attributes: Artifact Requirements: * RUINS: Any Mnar (The West) Ruins. * ENCHANTED WEAPON: Any Enchanted Weapon. * DREAMER: HP Lovecraft and Randolph Carter. * LOCATION IN THE EAST: Any Location in the East, including the Great Libraries. * LOCATION IN THE WEST: Any Location in the West, including the Great Libraries. * EXOTIC LOCATION: Celaeno and possibly the Far Side of the Moon. Additional Cards: * Angles of Tagh Clatur: Eye-Icon Spell. Allows Travel by Shantak to Space Locations, and other Regions. * Shantaks or Nightgaunts: Lesser Servitor, Monster. * Thag Weed: Artifact. Allows survival in Space. Comments: The Locations will also depend on what other Dreamlands Adventures you use with this Adventure. *** The Art of Magic (+5/+2) Dreamlands Corrupt Adventure Summary: Yeah, whatever. Dimensions and Regions: In the Dreamlands, any subregion. Attributes: Tome. Required Cards: * LIBRARY: Any such card. * SITE: Any such card. * COUNTRY GATE LOCATION: Any such card. * TWO ALLIES (SPIRITUALISTS, OCCULTISTS, PRIESTS, OR DREAMERS): Any such card, including HP Lovecraft, Speaks Hyperborian, Any Dreamlands. * TOME WITH DREAM ICON: Book of Black Stones, English. Book of Beautiful Devices, Hyperborean. * SPELL: Any such card. Wish List: Remove the "with Dream Icon" requirement, so that this card can be played in the Waking World. *** The Auction (+9/+3) Limited Edition Summary: Yeah, whatever. No sexy cards here. Many of the card are Events, and thus easy to play. No Allies are required; Multiple Regions would make Ally play difficult. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, any Lovecraft Country; and Vienna (Europe). Attributes: Tome or Artifact Requirements: * TWO CITY LOCATIONS, LOVECRAFT COUNTRY: Any two City Locations, such as Sanitariums (from the MSGS set). * THE AUCTION HOUSE: The Auction House, Vienna, Europe. * THIEVES IN THE ATTIC: Thieves in the Attic, Event. * POLICE INVESTIGATION: Police Investigation, Event. * ARTIFACT OR TOME COSTING TWO SANITY: Any. Additional Cards: * Aldeberan: To remove Storm Events, which prevent play of Cockpit Monoplane * Cockpit Monoplane: To immediately play a new Location Comments: Maybe add Shantaks and Nightgaunts, plus Angles of Tagh Clatur, to this deck if you make this part of a Europe / Lovecraft Country deck. Wish list: Add an Artifact that allows easier Regional travel. *** Beyond Your Wildest Dreams (+5/+2) Dreamlands Fantastic Dream Summary: Yeah, whatever. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, any region; and an exotic location. Or, in the Dreamlands, any region; and an Exotic Location. Attributes: Tome. Required Cards: * EXOTIC LOCATION: Any such Region. * TRAVEL BY LAND: Any such card, such as Zebra. * TRAVEL BY AIR: Any such card, such as Sky Galleon, Ship of Clouds, or Dirigible. * STAR: Aldeberan Moves in the Sky, Star, Event. * TOME AND SPELL: Any such cards. * PRIEST: Any such card, including Samuel Windsor, MSGS, for the Waking World. Comments: None. *** Brotherhood of the Black Pharoah (+9/+3) Limited Edition Summary: Broken. The Middle East Region is easier to play than Lovecraft Country subregions, and this Adventure is easy to score. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, Cairo (Middle East). Requirements: * ARABIC ALLY: Any Arabic Ally. * 7 SAN OF ARTIFACTS AND TOMES: Kitab Al-Azif, Necronomicon, Sphere of Nath, etc. * SIX MIDDLE EAST LOCATIONS: Any Cairo Locations. Comments: Free points. All of these cards are easy to play, and often useful cards. The Sun-Worshippers / Brotherhood / Seeking Everlasting Life I is an easy-to-score tournament deck. The Necronomicon books allow you to draw an Additional Card each Round. The Sphere of Nath is a useful card because if you play this card in a tournament, you can use it against your opponent's Sun-Worshipper's Great Temple at Karnak card, and delay your opponent. Wish list: Make the Middle East (Cairo) less easy to play. Compatible Adventures: See the Sun Worshippers. *** The Birds and the Byakhees Limited Edition, +6 / +2 SAN. Summary: Yeah, whatever. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, Arkham (LC); or Inssmouth (LC); or Providence (LC); and any Country (LC). Required Cards: * DAWN OF A NEW DAY: Dawn of a New Day, Day, Event. * TWO DIFFERENT WATER LOCATIONS: Any two different Water Locations. * ALLY OF THE OPPOSITE SEX: Any male Ally. * TWO DIFFERENT FOREST / COUNTRY LOCATIONS: Including most Sanitariums. Providence has the North Burial Ground cemetary is a Country Location. * MONSTER: Any Monster. * PRESS LOCATION or SOCIETY LOCATION: Arkham, Innsmouth. Additional Cards: * Investigator: Any female Investigator, for the Ally of the opposite sex requirement. Comments: None. *** Carter's Quest (+12/+4) Dreamlands Summary: Are you kidding?!? This Adventure requires four Regions: one Exotic, one in the Waking World, one with an Island, and one with a Lair. Dimensions and Regions: Must be used in a Waking World / Dreamlands Deck. In the Waking World, Snake Den in Miskatonic Valley (LC). And, in the Dreamlands, Island in the East or South; and Lair in the Underworld. And, in any dimension, an Exotic Location. Attributes: Artifact. Requirements: * CARTER'S CLOCK: Carter's Clock, Artifact, Rare. * RANDOLPH CARTER: Randolph Carter, Steadfast Dreamer, Country. * SITE: Snake Den, Site w/ Gate, Miskatonic Valley, Waking World. * FANTASTIC DREAM: Any Fantastic Dream Adventure. * THE SNAKE DEN: duplicate card. * LAIR: Any Underworld Location w/ Cemetary; to play Edward Pickman. * MONSTER: Any "Travel by Air" Monster. * ZEBRA OR YAK: Zebra or Yak, Travel by Land, Event. * CORRUPT CULTIST: Any Corrupt Cultist, such as Mnar's Ghost Being Of Ib. * ISLAND LOCATION: Serannian, Celaphis. * FRIEND: Edward Pickman, Corrupt Friend, Cemetary Location. * CASTLE OF KADATH: Exotic Location, requires Travel by Air and Star. * KING: King Kuranes, Celaphis or King of Ilek-Vad. Additional Cards: * Silver Key: Artifact; Allows travel between dimensions. * Star: Aldeberan allows play of Castle, and gets rid of storm which might disrupt travel. * Surprise Meeting: To encounter the Corrupt Cultist. * Tome w/ Angles of Clatur: Eye-Icon Spell; Allows summoning of Travel by Air" Monsters, to travel by Air among Regions * Tome w/ Gate of Oneirology: Diamond-Icon Spell; Allows travel between dimensions Comments: This Adventure has too many Regions! There aren't even any Corrupt Cultists in the subregions required for the Adventure (closest are Hesper Payne in the East of the Dreamlands, and any number in Lovecraft Country). *** Come Sail Away (+6/+2) Dreamlands Summary: Go for it! Dimension-travelling is cool! Dimensions and Regions: In the Dreamlands, Celephais (The East); or Dylath-Leen (The West). And, in the Waking World, Kingsport (LC). Must be used in Waking Worlds / Dreamlands deck. Attributes: Gate, Artifact, Tome. Required Cards: * KINGSPORT LOCATION: Any such Location with the Gate, City and Artifact attributes. * SEAMAN: The Captain of the White Ship, Any Sea, Any Dimension; The Old Man, Kingsport, MSGS; and Ibbix the Harbormaster, Celephais, Rare. * TRAVEL BY SEA: The White Ship, Travel By Sea, Event. Allows travel between Dimensions, if the Captain of the White Ship is your Ally. * BASIL ELTON: Basil Elton, Steadfast Dreamer, Kingsport. * LIGHTHOUSE: North Point Lighthouse, Kingsport; The Tall Lighthouse, Dylath-Leen, Rare. * PORT: The Harbor, Celephais; Harbor of the Black Galley, Dylath-Leen. * A DREAMLANDS LOCATION: The Harbor, Celephais; or Harbor of the Black Galley, Dylath-Leen; and various Dreamlands Sanitariums. Additional Cards: * Gate of Oneirology: Diamond-Icon Spell. Allows travel between Dimensions. * The Silver Key: Artifact. Allows travel between Dimensions via Gates. Comments: None. *** The Cruise (+5/+2) Limited Edition Mythos Experience Summary: Yeah, whatever. If you don't have Surprise Meetings in your deck, don't bother with this one. Also, the Interesting Shop is easier to play than this Adventure. Dimensions and Regions: In the Waking World, Lovecraft Country; and South Pacific. Required Cards: * CITY / WATER LOCATION: Any City, Lovecraft Country. * TWO TRAVEL BY SEAS: Tramp Steamer, Travel by Sea, Event. * SOUTH PACIFIC: Any South Pacific Island. * STEADFAST CHIEF: Chief Wakalea, Steadfast Chief, South Pacific. * CITY LOCATION: Any City, Lovecraft Country. * STORM: Any Storm, such as Blizzard. Additional Cards: * Aldeberan Moves in the Sky: Star, Event. This card removes any Storms or Droughts, preventing Travel By Sea. * Surprise Meeting: Event. You can't count on both Chief Wakaleka and an Island in the same round, so you should expect to meet him via a Surprise Meeting. Comments: Before Dreamlands, most Storms prevented Travel by Sea Events from being played. Dreamlands introduced more interesting Storms, which don't affect Travel by Sea. (Travel by Sea decks are not very powerful, so there's no point shutting them down.) -------------------- The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial electronic 'zine about Chaosium's Games. In no way should it be considered representative of the views or beliefs of Chaosium Inc. To submit an article, subscribe or unsubscribe, mail to: appel@erzo.org. The old digests are archived on ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in the directory /pub/chaosium, and may be retrieved via FTP.