Below is the scenario I plan to run at the Williamsburg Muster, 18-20 Feb 2022. Planning for 4 players, but we can always adjust that.
SYNOPSIS
It’s that time of year again. The citizens of Dawnmourn gather together to celebrate The Festival and all the semi-Lovecraftian horrors it brings. Responding to reports of odd happenings, government investigators are on scene, trying to stop whatever these fun-loving, maskless, fish-cult worshipers may be trying to summon. Because that’s what the government does.
Tensions between the Dagon-sect and the other townsfolk have been growing all season. An uneasy truce had existed between the two groups since Season 2. The need to defeat the encroaching agents of Sarga, Kiraly, & Zavaros had given both sides a common enemy. With SKZ’s plans foiled and Dawnmourn safe, it looked like a new era for the town, an era of increased understanding between the two sides of the town.
Understanding does not always lead to peace, however. In this instance, learning about the malign intentions of the Esoteric Order of Dagon horrified the good citizens of the town. When they learned about the true meaning behind the yearly Festival and the plans for this year’s celebration, some of the local sailors decided to do something about it. Simply thwarting the plans of the Order would not be enough; they needed help from the outside.
Will the government agents manage to prevent the ritual at the core of the Festival? Will the Order succeed? And, regardless of which side wins, will Dawnmourn ever be the same?
SET-UP
The Festival takes place in the square in front of the Esoteric Order of Dagon. This scenario is best played on a 4×4 table. Place buildings around the table as appropriate for a city, but leave a roughly 2×2 section in the center for smaller terrain. Place terrain in the center 2×2 for a town festival or fair; market stalls, games, tables, etc.
At the four corners of a 1×1 square in the very center of the table place altars.
The Esoteric Order are the defenders in this scenario. They deploy anywhere within the center 2×2 area of the playing area. Spy models are placed using the usual rules.
The government agents and the good townsfolk are the attackers. They start within 4 inches of any table edge. The cast does not all have to start at the same table edge and could potentially deploy on all four edges. Spy models can deploy using the standard rules and may even be placed in or on buildings.
AND… ACTION!
Initiative is determined as normal. Since this is a convention game, anyone providing the game runner a beer will get a +3 bonus on their initiative role. And, no, this has not worked to get me a beer in the past.
SPECIAL RULES
All cast members have the “In Cuffs” fight attack option. This fight attack has a range of 0″ and a strike of the model’s Fight stat + 3. If successful, the attack deals no damage but the target model gains the Captured status.
Each cast is trying to capture as many of the opposing cast members as possible.
For the government agents and their allies, the goal is to capture enemy models and lead them to any edge of the board. Once the capturing model makes contact with the board edge, the captured model is removed from play. The capturing model remains in play.
For the Order, the goal is to capture and sacrifice the enemy models. The capturing model must lead the captured model to one of the unlit altars. Once the capturing model is in base contact with the altar, they may use a special action to sacrifice the captured model. The sacrifice special action is not a free action and requires an action to perform. The sacrifice action deals 1 Health to the captured model which cannot be defended against. If the captured model has 0 Health, remove the model from play and place a marker on the altar indicating the altar is lit.
Captured models killed by any means other than the sacrifice special action do not count as sacrificed for the purpose of lighting altars or calculating victory points.
There is no limit to how many models can be removed from play either through being lead off the board or through sacrifice.
VICTORY POINTS
At the end of the game, use the standard rules to determine Victory Points and which side wins with the following changes.
+1 VP to the government agents and allies for each opposing model lead off the board.
+1 VP to the Order for each sacrificed model.
+2 VP to the Order if four altars are lit at the end of the game.
-1 VP to each side for each opposing model they kill with gunfire. Other means of killing are fine, but guns draw attention.
DIRECTOR’S CUT
If the Order manages to successfully light 4 altars before the end of the game, they succeed in summoning an ancient elder being of madness and eldritch horror (AEBMEH). Place a suitable AEBMEH miniature in the center of the table and treat it as the Eldritch Horror card from the Pulp set. The AEBMEH acts at the end of each player’s turn.
It’s first action is to move up to 6″ towards the nearest model,, stopping within 1″ if possible. If in range, it will strike the model with a Crush attack, adding 2 dice to the attack roll. If the first move does not put it in range, it will take a second move in an attempt to get in range of the closest model.
When defending the AEBMEH adds 2 dice to it’s defense roll.
The AEBMEH will attack any model on the table in range, regardless of the cast that summoned it.
Maybe don’t tell the players about this. The surprise is better. If you are one of the players, forget you read this.
2022 Count:
41 figures painted
18 figures printed
30 figures purchased
4 terrain painted
the immortal frequentist 