Establishing Sanctuary

Yet another year in Burkstad.

Brave group of Ennhilde, Igorina, Cohenia and Surrelia... oh, who am I kidding. They were not brave at all. Two survivors had one point of courage and that's it.

Anyway, these four poor souls tried to tackle a Sunstalker - mightiest monster we've hunted to date. Ennhilde took four points of damage to two hit locations right off the settlement, so it was a promising start. I guess. Surrelia and Cohenia were both females, and they were Partners thanks to Rivalry. Now, when Cohenia found some cuddling skeletons, perhaps she realized she'd never feel the blessings of motherhood. She became emotionless. Igorina dreamed a point of courage for herself. Hooray.

Showdown started. We got an easy start, since Sunstalker did absolutely nothing. All survivors were in the light, and it targeted all survivors in shadow. Cohenia knew how to use Attack Pattern tactics, and all in all survivors orchestrated a fine turn, giving three wounds in. Wow. With some luck, the monster could be dead on turn three...!

Nope.

Two or three complete rounds later, survivors still hadn't had done even one additional wound, and had drawn trap twice and two out of three survivors had Black Blood. Ennhilde had had Black Blood too, but she was already dead at that point.

Using my unsurpassed gifts of premonition, I knew this was the last showdown for Burkstad. Heck, even Shade minions outnumbered the survivors almost two to one. On top of her emotionlessness, Cohenia had received warped pelvis and destroyed genitals. Igorina had suffered broken ribs. Surrelia, who was wielding cumbersome bow, had been continuously tossed twelve spaces away from action.

But then, somehow, the miracle of Burkstad started to trickle in. Showdown called for at least ten severe injuries, and nobody died to those. Ennhilde died to a Shade stacking bleed tokens on her.

Only one trait/mood rose up from AI deck during game, and even this wasn't enough to stop the bleeding, mauled and broken ragtag group of survivors from lucking out a victory. When Sunstalker was finally slain, there were two survivors with Black Blood and four bleeding tokena. Cohenia with destroyed genitals and warped pelvis was also emotionless and became megalophobic. And as they say how people in long relationship start to resemble each other... well, Surrelia became emotionless, too.

But hey, victory. Igorina even triggered Bold and became stalwart.

For resources we gained nothing useful - from our newly gained Skyreef Sanctuary, we could have only built the lure & hook.

Settlement event was at least Weird Dream, where Surrelia dreamed of delicious food, hunting another survivor and realizing that she is the delicious food.

Igorina slept off her broken rib and Cohenia gained enough understanding from auguries to become Tinker. I suppose emotions somehow cloud your understanding.

A total of two Intimacies were rolled, and here Burkstad was again. Going strong at a "steady" population of eight. Settlement innovated Pictographs, because our choices were Pictographs, Face Painting, Sacrifice and Scarification.

We decided to hunt for another Sunstalker next to get access either to cycloid hat or vest or harpoon or at least something else other than lure & hook. Hunt ritual was a success.


Burkstad

Population: 8

Principles:
Protect the Young
Graves
Barbaric


Innovations:
Language
Hovel
Ammonia
Bed
Nigredo
Symposium
Paint
Family
Bloodletting
Inner Lantern
Cooking
Sculpture
Partnership
Shrine
Petal Spiral
Pictographs

+Guidepost


Locations:
Lantern Hoard
Bone Smith
Skinnery
Organ Grinder
Catarium
Gormchymist
Gormery
Weapon Crafter
Leather Worker
Skyreef Sanctuary

Gear:
2x Cloth
3x Stone Noses
Full Rawhide Set
1x rawhide vest, 1x Rawhide Gloves, 1x Rawhide Headband
Gorment Boots
2x Skull Helm
Bone Dagger
Bone Darts
Rib Blade
Greater Gaxe
Leather Shield
Cat Eye Circlet
2x Monster Grease
Lucky Charm
Monster Tooth Necklace
Bandages
Catgut Bow + Claw Head Arrow
White Lion Coat, White Lion Gloves
Scrap Sword
Flower Knight Badge



Resources:
Sun Stones
Black Lens
Sunshark Blubber
Shadow Tentacles
Prismatic Gills

Monster Organ
Skull
???