Night of the Zealot 1 (Part I: The Gathering)

This post was a lot longer than I thought. Maybe I should have split it into different pages. Never mind, here’s a kind of table of contents instead:

« Arkham Horror | Part I: The Gathering | » Part II: The Midnight Masks

Intro

I only own the revised core set so I have no choice other than to start with “The Night of the Zealot”, but that’s not a bad thing. Disclaimer for this: I am new to the whole Arkham Horror / Fantasy Flight Games shtick, so do not expect any great tactical play by me1. In fact, I would be surprised if I actually make it to the end without having my head torn off by a monster, or perhaps by myself if the game allows it, but we will see!

After looking over the investigators available to me I decided to go with Roland Banks2 as he has high strength, useful for killing bad guys, high health, useful for not being killed by bad guys, possesses abilities to gain extra clues, useful for gaining extra clues, and is blue, my favourite colour, which everyone should realise is a major factor in choosing your character. The downside is his absolutely appalling sanity value that means anything remotely scary will cause him to shit his pants faster than anyone else3.

The first scenario of this The Night of the Zealot campaign is called The Gathering, and this is the spiel from the guide:

You and your partners have been investigating strange events taking place in your home city of Arkham, Massachusetts. Over the past few weeks, several townspeople have mysteriously gone missing. Recently, their corpses turned up in the woods, savaged and half-eaten. The police and newspapers have stated that wild animals are responsible, but you believe there is something else going on. You are gathered together at the lead investigator's home to discuss these bizarre events.

Pretty spooky stuff, as you can see.

Next up was choosing the difficulty. I already knew the game was tough, so I picked “easy”, meaning I would have an easier time of it with the chaos bag. My natural luck in life is fairly low so I will take any boost I can get to compensate4.

I set up the game for the first scenario, picking the correct cards, getting the pre-made Roland deck out and shuffling, shuffling, shuffling.

Now I found myself in the Study

This number circled on the left means that the shroud value is two, kind of like the base difficulty of the room, which in this case is pretty easy. The number on the right is, again, two, which means that the room contains two clues per investigator. As I am only playing as Roland, there are only two clues in the study that can be investigated.

Simple.

I mentioned earlier that I am playing on EZ mode because I do not enjoy playing games that are too difficult5. Imagine watching a film, and halfway through you are quizzed on the plot. If you do not answer enough questions correctly about the character motivations and themes the director is trying to convey, then the film locks you out6. That’s the kind of thing I am talking about.

Anyway, let’s get into the game.

Each round progresses like this:

  • Mythos Phase - Where bad things happen, enemies are drawn, doom increases.
  • Investigator Phase - Where the player takes their actions.
  • Enemy Phase - Enemies move and attack.
  • Upkeep Phase - Refresh the game, gain cards and resources.

Each investigator starts with five resources, and differing amounts of health and horror, and a starting hand of five cards drawn from their own investigator deck.

Roland's investigator card looks like this:

A quick overview of these icons:

  • Head: Willpower - Your mental fortitude
  • Book: intellect - Your smarts
  • Fist: Strength - How good you are at dispatching enemies
  • Boot: Agility - How good you are at running away

From this you can see that Roland is good at bashing enemies, ok at investigating7 and resisting horrors, and rubbish at avoiding enemies. Considering his special ability is gaining extra clues when he defeats an enemy, I should probably focus on creating a bloodbath in clue-rich locations.

My starting hand consisted of the following cards:

Which is actually pretty good, I think. No need for any mulligans here.

The scenario info card for EZ mode:

The first Agenda (the enemy progression) states:

It is late at night. You are holed up in your study, researching the bloody disappearances that have been taking place in the region. A few hours into your research, you hear the sound of strange chanting coming from your parlor down the hall. At the same time, you hear dirt churning, as if something were digging beneath the floor.

The card also requires three doom to advance to the next Agenda.

The first Act card says:

As you leap to investigate, the door to your study vanishes before your eyes, leaving behind only solid wall. You're trapped inside your study until you can find another way out.

This first Act requires three clues per investigator playing to be investigated in order to progress. As Roland is the only investigator, only three clues are needed.

Ok now that all the preamble is out of the way let’s get into the actual game.

ROUND ONE - FIGHT

0/2 Clues | 0/3 Doom | 5 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 0/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

There is no Mythos Phase in the first round, so it’s straight into Investigations.

Investigator Phase

I need to get a weapon out as soon as possible, so play Roland’s .38 Special for a cost of three resources. I then choose to investigate the study, as I am trapped and need to gain three clues to escape. I successfully manage this8 and gain one clue, and then I decide to gain another resource9, bringing my total up to three.

For the rest of the game I’ll just write this as:

Enemy Phase

There are no enemies to worry about yet.

Upkeep Phase

  • Gain: +1 Resource
  • Draw: Guts

ROUND TWO

1/2 Clues | 0/3 Doom | 4 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 0/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Revelation: Test 3 agility.

  • 2 base agility
  • Drew Elder Sign from Chaos Bag (+1) = 3
  • Passed, took no damage

Investigator Phase

Played Dr. Milan Christopher as his passive ability to buff Roland’s intellect and gain a resource for every successful investigation is pretty cool10. Investigated the remaining clue in the study, and drew the deduction card.

Advanced the act deck. This was the next piece of the story:

You notice that the edges of your newly purchased rug are tattered and mud-stained. Finding this odd, you shift the furniture aside and pull back the rug. To your surprise, you see the door leading out of your study. You slowly turn the knob, and the door swings open, revealing your hallway below.

You jump through the doorway, landing on your feet on soft dirt. The door to the study slams shut above you. The smell of burning wood fills the narrow hall, intermingled with the scent of rot and decay.

The next act card reads:

A glowing barrier blocks the path to your parlor. As you move toward it, intense heat forces you to back away. Picking up a handful of dirt, you toss it at the barrier and watch in horror as the dirt incinerates. Perhaps there's something in the cellar or attic that can help

The next act advancement will cost three clues.

Enemy Phase

Still no enemies to worry about

Upkeep

ROUND THREE

0/3 Clues | 1/3 Doom | 2 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 0/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Investigator Phase

  • Fight : Use .38 Pistol (Dealt two damage to the Ghoul Minion. Defeat Ghoul minion.)
  • Move : Attic (Add two clues to location, take one horror.)
  • Investigate : Success (+1 Clue) (+1 Resource)

Enemy Phase

Managed to kill the Ghoul Minion earlier, so, again, no enemies to worry about.

Upkeep

ROUND FOUR

1/3 Clues | 2/3 Doom | 4 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 1/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

  • +1 Doom
  • Advance the Agenda

The agenda advances, and bad things will start happening:

Your house continues to change before your very eyes. The walls have decayed, and the ground in many rooms has turned to dirt. It is almost as if you have been transported somewhere else entirely, although every now and again you recognise elements of your former home

I now had to either choose a card at random to discard from my hand, or to take two horror. I chose to take two horror11.

The floor beneath you is giving way, and you see a vast network of tunnels twisting into the darkness below. Shapes and silhouettes of strange creatures move swiftly through the tunnels, trying to find a way up. You probably don't want to be here when they do...

Revelation: Test 4 willpower

  • Commited Guts (+2 willpower)
  • 3 base willpower
  • Drew Cultist token from Chaos Bag (-1) = 3 + 2 - 1 - 4 = 0
  • Passed12, took no horror
  • Gained Manual Dexterity from using Guts

Investigator Phase

  • Play: First Aid (-2 Resources)
  • Activate: First Aid (-1 Horror)
  • Investigate: Success (+1 Clue) (+1 Resource) (+1 VP)

Enemy Phase

Kinda boring really, no monsters.

Upkeep

ROUND FIVE

2/3 Clues | 0/7 Doom | 4 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 2/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Revelation: Test 4 willpower

  • Commited Guts (+2 willpower)
  • 3 base willpower
  • Drew -1 token from Chaos Bag = 3 + 2 - 1 - 4 = 0
  • Passed, took no horror
  • Gained Working a Hunch from using Guts

Investigators Phase

Enemy Phase

Again … not much going on. I keep drawing hazards rather than monsters.

Upkeep

ROUND SIX

2/3 Clues | 1/7 Doom | 4 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 1/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Investigators Phase

  • Fight:
  • Test 1 strength
  • 4 base strength
  • Draw Perils from Chaos Bag = Auto-Fail
  • Fight:
  • Test 1 strength
  • 4 base strength
  • Draw 0 from Chaos Bag = 4 - 1 - 0 = 3
  • Dealt one damage to the Swarm of Rats. Defeated Swarm of Rats.
  • Activate: First Aid (-1 Horror) (Discarded)

Enemy Phase

Shrug

Upkeep

ROUND SEVEN

2/3 Clues | 2/7 Doom | 4 Resources | 0/9 Damage | 0/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Investigators Phase

Enemy Phase

Shrug Shrug

Upkeep

ROUND EIGHT

4/3 Clues | 4/7 Doom | 4 Resources | 1/9 Damage | 0/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Investigators Phase

  • Test 2 strength
  • 4 base strength
  • +1 strength (Roland’s .38 Special)
  • Draw -2 token from Chaos Bag = 4 + 1 - 2 - 2 = 1
  • Success (Deal 2 damage to Ghoul Minion. Defeat Ghoul Minion)

Enemy Phase

Nothing

Upkeep

  • Gain: +1 Resource
  • Draw: Dodge

ROUND NINE

1/0 Clue | 5/7 Doom | 10 Resources | 1/9 Damage | 0/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Revelation: Test 3 willpower

  • 3 base willpower
  • Drew -2 token from Chaos Bag = 3 - 2 - 3 = -2
  • Failed, took two horror
  • Added one horror to Roland and one to Dr. Milan Christopher

Investigator Phase

  • Advance Act Deck: 2a (-3 Clues)

Advanced the act deck. This was the next piece of the story:

Using the barrel from the attic, you carry ice and snow from the cellar and hurl it at the barrier. The barrier sparks and shudders as it consumes the ice, then hisses and fades out of existence.

Reveal the Parlor

Put Lita Chantler into play in the Parlor

A woman with a torch stands in your parlor, a glimmer of hatred in her eyes. 'What have you done to my barrier?' she screams, furious. Before you can answer, a ghastly wail sounds behind you, and a creature wearing robes and a deer-skull mask tears through the wall, advancing toward you.

Spawn the Ghoul Priest in the Hallway

I need to defeat this Ghould Priest to win this scenario.

  • Test 4 agility
  • 2 base agility
  • Commited Research Librarian (+1 agility)
  • Skill Manual Dexterity (+2 agility)
  • Drew +1 token from Chaos Bag = 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 2
  • Success, Ghoul Priest is exhausted14

Enemy Phase

  • The Ghoul Priest is exhausted

Upkeep

ROUND TEN

1/0 Clue | 6/7 Doom | 11 Resources | 1/9 Damage | 1/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

  • +1 Doom
  • Advance the Agenda

A feral beast, roughly humanoid with a canine cast and hooves for feet, tears through the ground in front of you. Below the floor, you can see vast tunnels beneath your house. Fiendish howling echoes from deep within the underground caverns.

Search for a new ghoul enemy and draw it.

You hear a crazed howl outside, and suddenly all the creatures turn their attention to that sound. They rush to escape the house, breaking down doors and clawing at everything in their way.

Revelation: Test 4 willpower

  • 3 base willpower
  • Drew -1 token from Chaos Bag = 3 - 1 - 4 = -2
  • Failed, took two damage, placed them both on Lita Chantler

Investigator Phase

  • Fight: Ghoul Minion
  • Test 2 strength
  • 4 base strength
  • Committed: Machete (+1 strength)17
  • +1 strength from Lita Chantler
  • Drew Elder Sign token from Chaos Bag = 4 + 1 + 1 + 0 - 2 = 4
  • Success (Deal 1 damage to Ghoul Minion, +1 damage from Lita Chantler)
  • Defeat Ghoul Minion

Enemy Phase

Upkeep

ROUND ELEVEN - FINAL ROUND

1/0 Clue | 1/10 Doom | 11 Resources | 1/9 Damage | 1/5 Horror

Mythos Phase

Investigator Phase

  • Advance Act Deck: 3a

When the robed figure falls, the fiendish swarm burrows back into the ground, and the chaos of the house quiets. But the stranger in your parlor doesn't seem relieved.

'You broke my seal that was set to trap the ghouls within.' She raises her torch. 'Now we must take more direct measures and burn this hell-pit to the ground!'

I decided that, actually, the value of the house must have dropped dramatically during this demonic incursion, making the re-sale worthless, so perhaps claiming on the insurance for arson by zealot makes sense.

It was never much of a home. Burn it down!

You nod and allow the red-haired woman to set the walls and floor of your house ablaze. The fire spreads quickly, and you run out the front door to avoid being caught in the inferno. From the sidewalk, you watch as everything you own is consumed by the flames. 'Come with me,' the woman says. 'You must be told of the threat that lurks below. Alone, we are surely doomed ... but together, we can stop it.'

  • In your Campaign Log, record that your house has burned to the ground.
  • The lead investigator earns the Lita Chantler card.
  • Roland takes 1 mental trauma from seeing his house burn down. 18
  • Roland earns 6 XP.

Scenario Finished

Thoughts on The Night of the Zealot Part I: The Gathering

I had fun playing this, and think I got most of the rules correct. I know I missed a card draw, and I am still unsure about the whole “take control of Lita Chantler” thing, but otherwise I think I did ok. Some dodgy decisions on when to take horror, and when to commit cards to tests.

What I have noticed is that blogging about the game takes about ten times as long as playing it.

Regarding the scenario itself; yeah, it’s pretty good. Very short, but I guess the first part of an intro game is always going to be short.

I also felt like there were too few enemies to deal with. I realise I had the difficulty on Easy, but for almost all of the enemy phases, nothing happened. I drew a monster in the Mythos Phase, and splatted it shortly after in my Investigator Phase.

Maybe playing with more investigators would balance that out.

Besides, Easy mode in Arkham Horror is still difficult.

« Arkham Horror | Part I: The Gathering | » Part II: The Midnight Masks

« Tabletop Games

13th May 2024

  1. I can re-use this comment for literally every single game I have ever attempted. ↩︎

  2. “Booooorriiiinnnnggg”, they cried in chorus. ↩︎

  3. Another identifying link between us. ↩︎

  4. This is true. I have disproportionately bad luck in any RNG game. I started noticing it first when playing World of Warcraft way back in the day, and rolling for loot. I always lost. Every. Single. Time. Statistically I should have won at least a few times, but I never did. Things have only become more apparent since then. ↩︎

  5. “ThEn WhY aRe YoU pLaYiNg ArKhAm HoRrOr?!11”. ↩︎

  6. I am sure there are an awful lot of people who would love that mechanic for increased gatekeeping. ↩︎

  7. Isn’t the guy supposed to be an FBI agent? His job is literally to investigate. Maybe he’s on a PIP. ↩︎

  8. Unfortunately I wasn’t very good at recording what the exact values were when calculating the skill tests, so I will have to just give the outcome of the test. I will try and remember to record the details in other games. ↩︎

  9. On reflection this was a waste and I should probably have tried to investigate the study a bit more to advance the Act deck. I must have thought that playing the asset for three resources was kind of expensive and wanted to offset that. ↩︎

  10. Apparently the experienced players think this is a waste at solo play as there are fewer clues to active the ability. ↩︎

  11. Another bad decision. Not sure why I wanted to take the horror, considering the low horror that Roland has. Maybe it was because I liked all the cards in my hand, or because I was planning on using First Aid to heal the horror? That’s the problem with writing about it weeks after having played the game itself. ↩︎

  12. Thanks, Guts! ↩︎

  13. Finally an enemy appears. ↩︎

  14. I should have drawn an extra card here because of Manual Dexterity being used in the successful test. Oh well. ↩︎

  15. I am not sure if I did that properly. After a successful parley, the card says “take control of Lita Chantler”. But does that mean put her in your hand? Or add her as an ally? Or something else? I assumed the wording meant that I could decide, as surely there would have been explicit instructions otherwise. “Put Lita Chantler into your hand” or “Add Lita Chantler as an Ally”. Update: The ArkhamDB FAQs state “When you ’take control’ of a card, it enters your play area (not your hand).”, so I think I did it right. ↩︎

  16. Ha, probably the best card I could have drawn. Perhaps my base luck isn’t as bad as I thought. ↩︎

  17. I don’t know why I committed this card for the extra +1 strength. I would have been ok with just the base strength stat, unless I drew a peril. ↩︎

  18. Or, more likely, Roland remembers the immense amount of paperwork involved in insurance fraud, and takes one mental trauma. ↩︎

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