Settlement 2, Lantern Years 3-5

On lantern year 3 I'm checking out the first one of these special challenge scenarios. This one is the Candy & Cola scenario, though I've renamed this survivor to Candice. I loathe quite a bit such light-hearted humor that Candy with her Cola lantern is supposed to give. I even renamed the lantern.

Anyway, three survivors I choose for this scenario are Rudaghet and Materna, plus a completely fresh face straight from the settlement, Voici.

Random terrains were Toppled Pillar and Acanthus plants.

Because the Young Lion already had Ground Fighting in play, I proceeded to collect both Acanthus Plants all the while Young Lion was waggling it's tail and bottom.

Voici found Fresh Acanthus and Materna found something delicious.

I manipulated Lion deck to get a critical wound at Soft Belly, getting an extra Eye of Cat and Organ Trail persistent injury.

Rudaghet and Materna deal one wound to Lion and Voici checks next hit locations.

Cat attacks Voici with Power Swat, which she dodges.

Next turn Candice gives accuracy, causing Rudaghet to hit twice. She wounds only once, though, and gains two Insanity.

Just as things start to look too easy, the Young Lion starts to lick it's wounds.

Candice gives accuracy to survivors and Rudaghet attempts to charge in. She manages to enter Young Lion's front arc with her King Spear. She hits once and scores a wound. Farewell, Lick Wounds. If Rudaghet had failed, I would have needed to use my second last Founding Stone.

Materna injures Young Lion once more, and then Sizes Up on Candice. She has no Insanity, so she is knocked down and takes a Brain Trauma. She frenzies, though.

Voici checks hit location deck and encourages Candice up. Candice gives accuracy and encourages Rudaghet up. Materna tries to lob a Bone Dart at the Lion from Blind Spot, but misses.

Lion Sizes Up again, this time on Rudaghet who has more insanity than every other survivor on board counted together. Well, Lion doesn't even roll a 4+ for this one. This showdown starts to feel like an overkill. I do mess up with one hit location, though, which causes another Grab attack on Rudaghet. But Materna encourages her right up.

Rudaghet causes one wound, and Voici checks hit locations. Now I know the trap is coming up, so I need to be careful.

Last card remaining in the Lion's AI deck is Size Up, though. And damn this Lion is good at picking the targets who have no insanity protecting their brain - it's Voici's turn now to take a Brain Trauma. New Perspective doesn't hurt that much, though.

Rudaghet causes one wound, so it's just basic actions from now on.

Next turn showdown ends with a critical hit on the Fleshy Gut. Rudaghet finds a Skull basic resource, and I'm getting quite worried about the insanity levels of this shining star of a survivor. She won't be hunting all that many Antelopes, I guess.

Rewards were, all critical hits and pick-ups from the board included:
Basic: Skull, 2x Monster Bone, ??? and Broken Lantern
Lion: Eye of Cat, Golden Whiskers, Sinew, Lion Claw, White Fur
Rare: Fresh Acanthus

Settlement Event is Elder Council. Result is 15, which is annoying because I had plans for Endeavors this year. Well, I shouldn't complain, since in last campaign every single settlement event had already been killing survivors.

Anyway, I innovate Bloodletting. I could have chosen Hovel, but that would have added quite a few cards to innovation deck and I would like to get Symposium or Inner Lantern.

I build Catgut Bow, Skull Helm, Bone Blade and Bandages.

I'm not happy with production this turn. Maybe I shouldn't have innovated. Well, Fahert attempts and Augury and receives +1 Understanding. And next I will need to figure what the heck can I do to Butcher. I decide to actually try to fight him. I don't have all that many survivors to just throw at him to die.

Year 4:

Random terrain was Lion Statue, which I placed so that it might offer me a little LoS block if the stars align right. So, let's start this sorry affair.

Candice gives accuracy and Accuniecus checks AI hit locations. Rudaghet lobs a bone dart at Butcher's Mask. Materna misses.

Then I'm already doomed. First Butcher misses Rudaghet with Hack, but second AI is Lantern Frenzy and target randomizes to Rudaghet herself. Candice has Golden Harp, though. Candice tries to strum the harp, but fails.

Materna scores a perfect hit with Catgut Bow, so Mighty Strike triggers on Furious Bellow. Wounding on 3+, she rolls 2 and is Knocked Down.

Well, at least Accuniecus gives a wound to Furious Gauntlet.

Butcher starts screaming. Rudaghet survives Hack City and gains Legendary Lungs secret fighting art, but suffers Broken Back. Candice finally manages to get rid of Lantern Frenzy and a couple of extra wounds are scored by Rudaghet and Materna.

This turn everyone frenzies thanks to Screaming.

Rudaghet takes in a Backhand and yet another Hack City. She takes six hits this time. This time Butcher doesn't even get through armor, thanks to the blistering plasma fruit ability.

Since everyone has frenzied, there is no-one to encourage Candice up. Turn causes only one wound to the Butcher, but his next turn ain't that grand either. Well, Rudaghet has been mauled beyond recognition - she's deaf and blinded from one eye, as well as having broken back and four bleeding tokens.

Materna has to patch Rudaghet up a little with bandages, making survivors lose precious attacks.

I remember I have two Analyzers and check the upcoming AI card. It's Lantern Frenzy. Ouch. And Rudaghet causes no wounds whatsoever so Candice has to fling her Founding Stone at Butcher.

Butcher bites another ear off of Rudaghet and devours her lantern, so from now on she'll be just a punching bag for Butcher. I won't even try to attack him. She sees Hack City is coming up next. I decide to keep Hack City in the deck, so I switch it to Backhand with Rawhide Headband. Candice gives accuracy. Materna scores just one wound, which knocks Butcher down and gives courage. This triggers Bold for Rudaghet.

Next is Hack City, then, and Rudaghet receives ten hits. She dies to bleeding tokens. Next attack he devours Materna's lantern.

Candice gives accuracy and Accuniecus rolls an additional point of accuracy again. I did shuffle the hit location deck, though.

So, Butcher is knocked down. I haven't checked the hit locations, and Butcher has Hack City and Devour Lantern in his deck. This is so close, and one trap might spell my doom. Materna makes three fist attacks, and all score a hit. Hardy har har, when hit locations are 2x cleaver and Lantern Explosion.

Butcher devours Accuniecus' lantern and knocks her down. Next turn he kills Candice, so now I got two survivors with -3 accuracy tokens fighting a Butcher who only has one hit point remaining.

Accuniecus removes Hack City, and now I need to injure Butcher only once. Just once. Please...!

Materna aims with Catgut Bow, but scores no hits. Then Butcher attacks her, knocking her down but not inflicting severe injuries. She gets four bleeding tokens, though.

Next turn Accuniecus is the only hope. Only hope who succeeds. I kill Butcher. Can this really be real?

I received Skull and Monster Bone from Rudaghet and Candice and one Broken Lantern and Butcher's Cleaver from Butcher.

Settlement Event is Rivalry, and Accuniecus receives a gaping chest wound. I decide to use the offered endeavor in the event which results Accuniecus dying off and Materna to receive +1 permanent strength. I got a Monster Hide from Accuniecus.

I make Bone Dagger and Rawhide Vest. Oh, and Dried Acanthus since I noticed it's Organ Grinder item, not Barber Surgeon.

White Lion starts to feel boring, but since I don't have Surge or Dash, hunting Screaming Antelope feels too risky. A level 2 lion would just devastate everything.

Year 5:

So, the hunt begins. First event is Lion in Heat. Next card is White Lion Cub, and once more I slaughter the little pup. Father Lion starts the showdown immediately. Random terrains are Debris and Toppled Pillar.

Lion started game with Ground Fighting, so I tried to position everything as favorably for me as possible. And when I finally started mauling the beast, it inflicted two wounds in one turn. Second turn got two more, as well as critically injuring Beast's Femur. That's -1 movement token and an extra white lion resource.

Voici scored a critical hit against Strange Hand and savored the moment for +1 permanent strength. I had been steadily giving two injuries per turn, and White Lion had not really succeeded to deal any real damage. Best attempt was when it revenged against Voici and isolated her.

It was a boring fight. White Lion level 1 never again. Though let's see how events kill people this time.

Rewards:
2x Monster Hide, 2x Monster Bone, Monster Organ, ???, Love Juice, Broken Lantern
Curious Hand, Lion Claw, Shimmering Mane, Eye of Cat, Sinew

Voici got +1 permanent strength from Age, and Fahert gained +1 permanent accuracy from Age.

Settlement Event is Lights in the Sky. Sadly, though, none of the endeavors there are available to me.

I nominate Bewh for Hands of Heat and roll 6.

Bewh and Voici consume Love Juice. I roll 4, which is far better than the 2 I rolled with my other die.

I use one endeavor to innovate Paint. Hooray for Dash. This triggers Hooded Knight, though, and I roll 6. Since I got so many Broken Lanterns I decide to give Mighty Strike for Accunaicus. She's the other one who gained +1 permanent accuracy some time ago.

I build Lion Headdress and Rawhide Boots + Pants, Monster Grease and Monster Tooth Necklace.

I put Materna to Bloodletting... twice. First attempt was useless and removed all of her survival. Second one was a success and removed Vestiphobia from her.

I even attempt to get a little insanity for Voici, but roll 1 again. Well, she got understanding, ain't that nice... Waste of resources, all of this.

But, until next time.