Kalmana Retreat 9-11

Lantern year 9 (now with more Forgotten Fear!)

Zamarias had a serious flashback from lantern year six, and raised the alarm - The looming threat of Slenderking was just about to bloom. The result turned Nemesis Encounter into Special Showdown, so I guess I just go on a hunt right after this? Insane. But insanity is good in this game.

Kalnetan, Minovas, Murlu and Ougrano rise to defend the settlement of Kalmana Retreat. Kalnetan and Minovas are long established heroes, but Murlu and Ougrano are outsiders that came with society principle.

First three turns of the game the Slenderking just... isn't. It performs amnesia, and then performs amnesia again, and then finally Lost I Memory brings it on board... at the center, doing nothing. Ensnares weren't successful just yet.

However, fourth hit location card was no other than the trap. Four points of damage per hit got me scared for the well being of two prominent figures that Slenderking seemed to be targeting - rather than the two outsiders I had brought as expendables. Maybe it is the legacy of Kalmana Deluge. Slenderking is only attempting to make things right by correcting something that shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Afterwards, the luck takes a turn for the survivors. Or more perhaps not for the survivors but for the Vespertine Bow. Without it I would've been in far worse situation. The bow wrecked Slenderking until it drew Deep Paralysis, which prevented survival actions for the better part of the time.

Kalnetan critically wounded the Pale Forearms and gained permanent evasion for the hefty price tag of five survival. Then right after he was imprisoned in dark water pot.

But by then showdown was nearing end. Lost In Memory was the last card left in AI deck, so I was a hair's breadth away from total party kill. Luckily Minovas had Blotted Out, so she wasn't teleported to corner and was able to axe off that card, and the Slenderking on the subsequent turn.

Lantern Year 10 - Gorm Climate

Harsh climate pours down twice, if it was legal thing to do. And oh boy... the amount of story event this year has.

First, Cardani comes back in the settlement after flower infection transforms an unnamed survivors' brains to match those stored inside the Sleeping Virus Flower.

Then Necrotoxic Mistletoe kicks in, and Warba and Warbo are instantly shriveled to goofy looking husks. An unnamed survivor and Zamili also perishes all the while being questioned over their life choices by health-conscious, yet apathetic, Logar.

But wait, there's more! Hooded Knight comes and slays Minovas who was one point away from gaining weapon mastery!! Ewarbabola even wasted her re-roll to save Minovas, but this didn't help.

Well, at least the mound of survivor corpses gave enough resources to innovate Clan of Death on the year of Massacre.

Drumming insane melodies gave Ewarbabola a "c" and a new lifetime. Now she's known as Ewarbabolac.

Augury gives an Intimacy on the first attempt, and Kalnetan and newly born-again Cardani form the first family of Kalmana Deluge, the Masvar family. They receive a son, Cardetan, who is quickly briefed on how to use bow and how to fight. Next it's going to be a family hunt!

But before that, it seems, there is this Manhunter thing, again right after a hard nemesis.

So... Kalnetan, Cardani, Cardetan and Murlu attempt to shoo this new old threat.

And a honorable mention to Murlu. She just... stood there! In the middle of the entire board, with arms wide open, taking bullet after bullet from the Manhunter. Her rippling abs and iron thighs took a total of four severe injuries, all with results of 9+. Kalnetan received a Prey disorder from a hit location reaction and burned out his survival on turn, what... two?

Most survivors had some insanity from earlier fight with Slenderking, but the loud noises are scary. Gun action caused a few flee's and new perspectives, so nothing to worry about.

It was an easy showdown, though it didn't feel easy. Maybe because survival was burning so fast - Cardetan had two, Kalnetan zero, Murlu three and Cardani five when showdown ended. However, once more all thanks go to Cardetan and Vespertine Bow that dealt about 70% of the wounds, and even the killing blow.

Lantern Year 10 hunt & showdown - Screaming Antelope level 1

I would have gone for level 2 had Minovas lived, and since Cardani is one point away from Fist & Tooth Mastery, I chickened out. I need that mastery. Or at least the survivors of Kalmana Retreat.

Kalnetan, Cardani, Cardetan and Logar hunt for the Antelope.

Logar gives a free step towards the Antelope with Trailblazer, and he goes forward to scout with his health-conscious, apathetic tracking skills. When he doesn't come back, other survivors start to wonder and take his general direction. They come to a statue of Logar, with a confused-looking survivor right next to it. Thus ended the story of Logar, and Stapura's arc started.

Showdown? Showdown was a sad one. I feel guilty not hunting greater prey. Apparently Kalnetan felt so too, and blocked the fight from his memory by replacing Berserker with Blotted Out. Cardani gained her mastery, and received Trailblazer.

Lantern Year 11: Clinging Mist

So... Beating the little Antelope with over-sized weapons wasn't enough. I have to do it again. Alright... I could start anew with four pretty darn amazing survivors and gain fist & tooth mastery from lantern year 1... could probably start doing level 1 sunstalkers & phoenixes right away. But I do have Ewarbabolac in settlement with her re-rolls in Protect the Young, so she's probably too great of an asset to have a "fresh" start.

So... first event is 76, Dream the Way. I think it fits unreasonably well into the situation at hand - survivors actually dreamed the last hunt in vivid detail, so much so that the dream came real. However, it was only a dream.

Then survivors hear a forbidden word, and they try to cope with their new knowledge by making a shadow puppet play out of it. When the survivors have finished their play, they hear clapping - and none of them are clapping. It's the Lorekeeper, who had caught the play in her attention. Even she heard the forbidden word, albeit through a proxy. As a reward she whispered ancient truths into the ears of Stapura, which horrified him to the core.

Showdown was ready to start.

Nightmare Tree yields lonely ant and broken lantern, and Cardani gets to play with vermins like never before. She has vermin obsession, and spent a total of four turns searching through the bug patch. That's three 2's in a row. But what's to be expected with obsessions like that?

Although this Screaming Antelope was a tough one - no matter how survivors attacked it, it somehow nimbly managed to dodge. On the other hand, it did no real damage either.

But odds were stacked so much in the survivors' favor that the poor monster stood no chance other than to shed resources. Stapura critically wounded the location that gave him permanent movement, so

Which amounted to 26 resources. Sure, it was actually two hunts, but still that's a staggering amount.

With collective toil and two tinkers Kalmana Retreat has seven endeavors. Let's try that lantern year 11 again.

Lantern Year 11 - Year of the Birth

Regal Visit would rob the resources from the settlement and give -1 population. It's almost abusive to challenge The Hand, so that's what happens. I've been showered with extra fights for so much that I'm starting to worry about the longevity of the main survivors! I mean... Kalnetan already has 11 hunt xp. He's going to burn out soon.

First of all, Cardani and Kalnetan attempt to have a kid from Love Juice. And since the settlement now has Hovel, the result becomes a Savior. All it took was to join together the bloodlines. Welcome Danalne of Dormenatus.

Settlement also innovates Shrine, builds Weapon Crafter, cures leather and does intimacy with Augury. The newborn Alneani Masvar is immediately taught Extra Sense. Settlement develops entire full set of Leather Armor, as well as Whistling Mace.

Lantern Year 11 Special Showdown, Hunt and Showdown

The Hand is greeted by Alneani, Cardani, Ewarbabolac and Danalne

The special showdown with the hand was uneventful, except for his "Take your best shot" followed by soft chuckle procedure. Also, the finishing move of Line Up was a nice touch. However, the only threat during the fight was a single brain trauma Danalne had to take.

That being said... Then Cardani rolls "1" for the applause. This was the exact reason I wanted Ewarbabolac in the showdown. Her re-roll fixed Cardani to a healthy statline of Accuracy +4, Strength +6, Evasion +1, Luck +2, Speed +1.

However... that didn't help Alneani, who also rolled a "1" and died instantly from the healing pain. Danalni also received the most benevolent applause of The Hand and now sports +3 permanent evasion.

Ewarbabolac gained enough hunt XP to gain Age milestone, which renamed her to Newarbabolac.

The Hand hands a gift to the victorious survivors - this is the mangled corpse of Flowerista.

Shrine ritual fails, so that's +5 insanity for departing survivors now, combined with Dark Water Research.

Hunt Cardetan, Kalnetan, Cardani and Murlu hunt for a Phoenix. Murlu proves to be exceptionally clumsy and set fire on her cloth by accident. And a massive shadow looms ahead already, the bird-brained Phoenix decided to take a leap closer.

While I was very confident for this fight, I got worried when the Phoenix was older than it should have been and on top of the food chain. Any accidental severe injury would now kill survivors on 1-5. And I had almost all of my eggs in the same hunter basket.

But Cardetan did amazing job with his bow. He rolled more critical hits than regular wounds, and in the end was the survivor to kill Phoenix.

But we're not there yet. First the Phoenix gives survivors a pitying sigh. It was a difficult choice, but I decided to lose three survival and gain courage for all survivors.

Then after pitying sigh the Phoenix would have pulled people inside of it to be reborn, but there was no-one in the blind spot.

And then there were no cards in its AI deck. The bird lasted for four rounds, which has me wondering are the level 2's or their equivalents actually too easy for the hunters? Probably, if they can score the kill early enough. Even now only Murlu had survival above one when showdown ended. Alright, that was because of my choice to all but ignore pitying sigh.

Lantern Year 12 - Open Maw

I really wanted to choose Romantic as the conviction, but that has to be some other settlement. Kalmana Retreat already has Bone Witch on the timeline this year, and Clan of Death just isn't enough alone for Protect the Young. Barbaric it is, and Stapura who has heard the Forbidden Word and encountered the Lorekeeper is nominated as the Thundercaller.

Bone Witch scars Kalnetan's eyes for good. He receives -4 accuracy, +4 strength. And the result isn't even a permanent injury, so he can't get rid of those penalties. I suspect this was the last we will hear of Kalnetan.

Newarbabolac continues to grow her name with a t, as her rolls were needed to not lose all resources.

Settlement innovates Song of the Brave to finally get rid of Gorm Climate and cures some leather for Pickaxe.

All the remaining endeavors were spent on trying to trigger Intimacy, but it was not to be. However, Cardani remembered the White Secret and officially became my first Ageless survivor - as far as I remember - ever. I guess she starts practicing Axe now, since looks like she won't have any offspring for at least one year.

The hunt is going to be Gorm level 2. But that shall be some time in the future.

Kalmana Retreat

Population 13

Settlement Locations:
Skinnery
Organ Grinder
Bone Smith
Gormchymist
Gormery
Leather Worker
Weaponsmith
Plumery

Innovations:
Lantern year 0: Language,
Lantern year 1: Symposium + Nigredo,
Lantern Year 2: Ammonia + Inner Lantern,
Lantern year 3: Paint
Lantern year 4: Storytelling
Lantern year 5: Lantern Oven + Bloodletting
Lantern year 6: Sculpture
Lantern Year 7: Hovel
Lantern Year 8: Round Stone Training, Drums, Albedo
Lantern Year 9: Family
Lantern Year 10: Dark Water Research, Clan of Death, Whip Mastery, Unarmed Mastery
Lantern Year 11: Shrine
Lantern Year 12: Song of the Brave

Sculpture: Extra Sense

Gear:
2x cloth
2x stone nose
3x monster grease
2x bone blade
1x luck charm
1x gaxe
1x Knuckle Shield
1x Wisdom potion
1x Power Potion
1x monster tooth necklace
Full rawhide armor
1x Rawhide Boots
1x Rawhide Whip
1x hunter whip
1x bandages
1x whistling mace
Vespertine Bow
Skull Helm
Full Gorment suit
Full Leather suit
Leather Shield
Reverberating Lantern
Flower Knight Badge
Bone Sickle
Bone Pickaxe
4x dried acanthus

Storage:

1x fresh acanthus
Steak
Bladder
Muscly Gums
Spiral Horn

Phoenix eye
Hollow Wing Bones
Wishbone
Small Feathers
Shimmering Halo
Muculent Droppings

3x monster organ
1x Broken Lantern

1x leather

Nightmare tick


1x Lonely Fruit

1x dark water


Survivors of note:

* Survivors from previous settlement *

Zamarias, last remaining from the original original four starting survivors from Deluge.
- Entitled material hoarding (Hoarder) Prima Donna with Spiral Ganglia.
- Dealt the killing blow to Gorm in last settlement, and has hunted Gorm and Flower Knight, and is a Butcher survivor of Kalmana Retreat.
- Blinded in one eye.
- Watched a Phoenix pass over the settlement.
- From his hazed memory, he remembered the dire warning from lantern year 6 on lantern year 9: Slenderking is about to arrive. He remembered the horror and gained Spiral Ganglia.
- Sword specialist with three points in proficiency.

*

Kalnetan Masvar, mourning parent of a child lost in time and space. One of the original four of Retreat.
- You don't want to anger him. He's Berserker with Burning Ambition and Hyper-Sensitivity. He is Secretive of his dealings in the settlement.
- Shared the feast of Mesul during Unnatural Hunger, triggering Cannibalize.
- Fought spiderlings during Season of the Spiderling, but slayed an unnamed survivor whom he had just saved from beneath a silk nest.
- Placed second in debate contest and fight contest, and was last in race contest during Triathlon of Death.
- Was imprisoned in a pod of dark water between the planes of existence.
- Has two children with Nasanovim.
- Has children with Cardani.
- Apparently can't feel secure being alone, and right after Minovas died, formed a family of Masvar with new and improved Cardani.
- Has heard the forbidden word.
- Took part in shadow puppet play.
- Took part in dreaming the hunt for Screaming Antelope in vivid detail.
- Has hunted Gorm twice in previous settlement, and Screaming Antelope and Phoenix in the current one.
- Whipped a level 1 gorm dead.
- Dealt the killing blow to Butcher
- Dealt the killing blow to Manhunter on Deathblow location, with a whip. LY 5.
- Encountered another Manhunter on LY 10.
- Dealt critical wound to Slenderman, gaining permanent evasion.
- His eyesight was scarred beyond repair by Bone Witch Surastus.
- -3 permanent accuracy , +8 permanent strength, +2 permanent evasion,
- Courage 7 (stalwart), Understanding 7 (tinker)
- Whip specialist with six points in proficiency.

*

Kalovim and Nasalne, doomed children of Nasanovim and Kalnetan.

*
Cardetan Masvar, the first survivor whose lineage mingled with that of another lineage. He's the son of Cardani and Kalnetan.
- Took part in dreaming the hunt for Screaming Antelope in vivid detail.
- Has head the forbidden word.
- Took part in shadow puppet play.
- Dealt killing blow to Manhunter on Lantern Year 10.
- Dealt killing blow to Phoenix on lantern year 11.
- +2 permanent accuracy, +3 permanent strength, +1 permanent evasion
- 2 courage, 3 understanding (analyze)
- Is training bow with four dots in proficiency.

*

Danalne Masvar of Dormenatus, the first savior of the settlement. Daughter of Cardani and Kalnetan.
- Defended the settlement from The Hand, and received his full blessings.


*Kalmana Retreat original survivors*

All of the above have unbroken lineage from the previous settlement, Kalmana Deluge. Below are original people of Kalmana Retreat.



*

Cardani Masvar, who has Binge-Eating disorder and Vermin Obsession. Let's not think how those two combine.
- Braved the Storm in the very first lantern year, but was blinded as a result. Later on her new body, this eye has healed.
- Was "blessed" by the Cleaner Birds during hunt for Gorm. Then she encountered Flesh Monolith, and during Unnatural Hunger she was one of the survivors who ate Mesul. Then, back in the settlement, she took what was left of Mesul and showed everyone how beneficial it is to eat corpses, and not disgusting at all.
- Fought off spiderlings during their invasion.
- Came back from the dead with her brain recorded by Sleeping Virus Flower, and then reconfigured an unnamed survivor's brain to match hers.
After coming back from the dead, formed Masvar family with Kalnetan.
- Is training to become unarmed master. One-eyed cannibal with excessive craving for food, martial zen master with Extra Sense.
- Hunted Gorm on lantern year 1, 6, 7 and 8 and Screaming Antelope on lantern year 3 and 10(twice then), Flower Knight on year 5, Phoenix on 11.
- Manhunter survivor on LY 10.
- Saw Dung Beetle Knight in the distance, and got obsessed with vermin as a consequence.
- Has heard the forbidden word.
- Took part in shadow puppet play.
- Took part in dreaming the hunt for Screaming Antelope in vivid detail.
- Surastus the Bone Witch came and fueled Cardani's desire to eat human flesh. Brutally she murdered Nengar, a promising axe-master. Settlement did not approve her skull-eating habits and murdered her before other damage could be done. But this only grows the flowers in her heart.
- After coming back from the dead she has shown far less tendencies to feast on human flesh.
- Defended settlement from The Hand, and her efforts were so valiant that The Hand's thunderous applause nearly killed her - if it wasn't for the intervention of Newarbabolac, she'd have died.
- Remembered the White Secret and got lost the ability to age naturally. Gold Smoke Knight... here we come!
- +5 permanent accuracy, +8 permanent strength, +1 permanent evasion, +2 permanent luck, +1 permanent speed.
- Has children with Kalnetan, and is mother of first savior of the settlement.
- Courage 6 (prepared), Understanding 9 (tinker + ageless)
- Unarmed Master.

*



*Lineage of Plants*

Newarbabolact, a plant-based survivor who breathes new lifetimes into her as the seasons pass. This is probably what also gives her Ghostly Beauty. Her name was originally Warbabo, but continues to grow as she gains new lifetimes.
- Is the daughter of Worba and Warbo, two survivors who were raised from a flower seed.
- Hunter Gorm on LY 6, and slayed a Gorm on LY 7.
- Tried to save Minovas from being beheaded by Hooded Knight on lantern year 10.
- Fought The Hand, and saved Cardani from applause that was so loud it was lethal.
- Saved the settlement from losing all resources on Principle: Conviction.

*

Flowerista, a survivor of Warba's and Worba's progeny.

*Outsiders from the Darkness on lantern year 9*

Ougrano
- Slenderman survivor.

Murlu
- Slenderman survivor.
- Manhunter survivor, who tried to sacrifice herself but instead shrugged off at least four severe injuries when being constantly barraged by the Manhunter.
- Clumsy enough to burn herself with her lantern.
- Has hunted Phoenix.
- +2 permanent strength, 1 courage & understanding
*

Stapura, a quixotic, binge-eating outsider with motion sickness, with whom Logar switched places when Logar touched a statue he encountered during hunt.
- Took part in dreaming the hunt for Screaming Antelope in vivid detail.
- Has hunted Screaming Antelope twice on lantern year 10.
- Has heard the forbidden word, and took part in shadow puppet play, and encountered Lorekeeper as a consequence, whose secrets made Stapura a binge-eater.
- Knows enough secrets and was nominated as the Thundercaller.
- +1 permanent movement, +2 permanent accuracy, +3 permanent strength, +1 permanent evasion
- Courage 4 (Matchmaker), Understanding 4 (Explore)


Dead or missing survivors of note:



Nengar, blotted out berserker with a Purpose and the firstborn of the settlement. Vestiphobia.
- First departed on a hunt on lantern year 3 against Screaming Antelope. Year 5 against Flower Knight, and years 6+7 against Gorm. He is also a Butcher survivor.
- Fought off the spiderlings, but got frenzied in the process and killed an unnamed survivor.
- Craving for human flesh in the form of Marrow Hunger.
- Murdered by Cardani. Purpose fulfilled, I suppose.
- +3 permanent strength, +1 permanent speed.

Qyillus, one of the original four from both Deluge and Retreat
Cause of death: Valiantly defended the settlement from spiderlings during Season of the Spiderling, failing in that but perhaps her example encouraged the remaining survivors to try extra hard and achieve victory?
- Has taught the secrets of language twice to different settlements an spoke some reason to the settlement during Endless Screams.
- Considering the above, no surprise she won debate contest during Triathlon of Death, and was third during race contest and lost fight contest. After all, she wasn't that much of a fighter anyway if we read into her Enfeebled disorder.
- Has hunted Gorm, and slain one Gorm and one Screaming Antelope.
- Enfeebled and Megalophobic disorder
- +1 permanent accuracy, +1 permanent strength. 3 courage (matchmaker), 3 understanding (tinker).

Warba and Warbo, the progenitors of plant based survivors in Kalmana Deluge.


Nasanovim Minovas, mourning parent of a child lost she can't clearly remember any more. One of the original four of Retreat.
- Encountered an elderly bee that doomed her and her future children.
- Believes she has a higher purpose, though, and has Quixotic disorder. She has become Tenacious and is Blotted Out.
- Shared the feast of Mesul during Unnatural Hunger, triggering Cannibalize.
- Won the fight contest, and placed second during race contest and third during debate contest in Triathlon of Death.
- Deranged expression. With a history like hers, I'd have one too.
- Forgot her name from first non-violent visit of Slenderking.
- Made a sculpture of her vague memories about the Slenderking, imbuing it with her Extra Sense.
- Killed the Slenderking on lantern year 9.
- Was slain by Hooded Knight on lantern year 9.
- Has two children with Kalnetan.
- Has hunted Gorm thrice and is a LY 4 Butcher and LY 5 Manhunter survivor. She killed LY 8 Gorm.
- +1 permanent accuracy, +2 permanent strength and +2 evasion, courage 7 (matchmaker) and understanding 3 (explore).
- Doomed Path: You may always choose Path of Doomed during Overwhelming Darkness. If you do, gain +1 on your roll. When you are one of the parents during Intimacy, the children will inherit this ability.

*

Logar, the twice widowed apathetic and megalophobic trailblazer. He is also a seasoned hunter without much actual hunt experience.
- Is the first father of the settlement, and has four children - Nengar, Rastgar, Lostus and Suragar with two different mothers, one of whom is dead and another has been banished from the settlement. No wonder he's apathetic.
- Won the race contest, but placed third during fight contest and lost the debate contest during Triathlon of Death. Especially debate result seems thematic - he was the only participant from Kalmana Retreat, others were from the first settlement.
- Is health-conscious after watching four survivors die from Necrotoxic Mistletoe.
- +1 permanent movement, +1 permanent strength, +1 permanent evasion.
- Hunted Gorm on lantern year 2 and is LY 5 Manhunter survivor.
- Turned into statue on lantern year 10 hunt.

*

Surastus, a banished survivor who tinkered with lanterns and got disfigured. Before departing, suppose she was the "old crone" that offered Sleeping Virus Flower for Cardani. She's revisited her settlement, and caused Cardani to murder Nengar. Scarred Kalnetan's eyes.

Reaper of Reapers

Sara, the Bright Witch and Doctor Edwards continued the Touch of Evil two-player campaign.

The Grim Reaper was our villain.

I had remembered the Reaper to be a rough villain, and probably it would have been if it wasn't for the astonishing luck of heroes.

Did Sara and Edwards actually draw even one negative corner location? I can't remember, but it was few indeed. Not a single murder was played throughout the game, and only one town elder died - and even that was in the hands of heroes via Traitor's Blood mystery card. Heck, also a lightning bolt struck Doctor Edwards straight in the head, and he took zero wounds without Sara's interference.

Grim Spectres were most problematic asset at Reaper's disposal, but in the end they served just to fuel the disgusting amount of investigation points heroes eventually had. Throughout the entire game we maybe drew three or four extra mystery cards despite constant presence of Spectres. Seemed like Reaper would absolutely not stand a chance in the actual showdown.

In the actual showdown, that is.

To even things out the Reaper called out for a Surprise Showdown. Sara was rolling six dice, and after the first showdown round Doctor Edwards was able to muster five Fight Dice. Reaper only had three Fight Dice, but sixteen wounds. And each hit it does is two wounds.

Well, the villain had its chance but it didn't amount to much. The heroes waltzed through the shadow of the valley of death, had a picnic and came back to wait for a proper challenge.

This is one of the first, if not the first time heroes have been able to win the villain during surprise showdown. Well, the campaign needed this. Now heroes at least outnumber the villains, if even only by one.


Campaign statistics

Villains defeated: Spectral Horseman, Vampire, Siren, Bog Fiend, Volgovian Nutcracker, Delion Dryad, Scarecrow, Krampus, Sunken Seven, Gargoyle, Banshee, Reaper
Villains still to be defeated: 7, +1 investigation vs Werewolf and Shadow Witch

Heroes dead: Katarina the Outlaw, Frederic Leon Brother Marcus, Anne-Marie, Lucy Hanbrook, Harlow Morgan, Scarlet Shadow, Maria de la Rosa, Thomas the Courier, Adrianna, Valeria, Jack Fellows, Argot Blackwell, Inspector Cooke, Isabella von Took & Liliana, Lost Soul
Heroes remaining: 8

Stashed investigation: 7

Kalmana Retreat 5-8

So the Lantern Year 5 gauntlet begins for Kalmana retreat.

First Nasanovim, Kalnetan, Logar and Nengar take on Manhunter.

Fight was short - only four rounds - but it was furious. Logar and Nengar both threw Founding Stones at the altered human monstrosity, and one of them triggered the trap. The other one gave critical effect, where Manhunter attacked Nengar. Just as planned, or...

Anyway, because Nasanovim had received this penalty of not getting survival for any reason during this settlement phase, settlement put Logar with her into the battle. Because Trailblazer gives survival on arrival. I couldn't fit Stone Noses on her gear grid, so Nasanovim would struggle with just one point. Rawhide set failed to give it back on the first dash.

On a more hilarious note, Nasanovim dealt about four wounds to Manhunter throughout the fight. Nengar dealt one wound in. All the remaining six wounds were whipped into the thick hide of the Manhunter by the whip specialist Kalnetan. Least likely weapon of doing any damage at all. And it did crack me a smile, when killing blow was dealt by Kalnetan on Death Blow location. Kalnetan, the Tough and Crazed Berserker with style!

The showdown did burn up both dried acanthuses, so the second showdown with the Lonely Tree... I don't think I can make it. Settlement develops Monster Tooth Necklace to have slightly better odds against Toughness 10, but, no. Not without Red Fist. Settlement goes in with fresh recruits. Boring as that is. Or maybe exciting, depending how the showdown goes. One survivor will be able to wound the tree on 4+, one on 7+, and the two remaining ones are just going to be extra redshirts trying to deal with the fruits.

And the fight was kind of epic. I honestly believe I could have won it with just fresh survivors like the hero, Rastgar. Who did critical twice with savage Gaxe, along with other wounds. Even Lostus did some damage with Bone Axe. But then, Rastgar had to take just one severe injury, and a "2" it was. Odds were now way too low, but the tree kept "damaging" itself by drawing moods, which gave me false hope.

All in all, four statless survivors brought Lonely Tree down to two AI cards remaining.

If it wasn't for that "2"...

Oh well. Logar now has lost the mothers of his children, and now the children as well. Poor Logar. Maybe settlement develops some clothing from the cannibalized monster hides. Poor, poor Logar.

Year 5 hunt & showdown

It's time to hunt, but it must be the Flower Knight this time. Settlement needs to relieve Cardani of her addiction.

Cardani, Zamarias, Nasanovim and Nengar depart for a hunt.

Zamarias leaps away from hungry ground, that disgorges a rotting corpse of a monster. Starving survivors start to feast on it, and while they are at it Nengar takes a look upwards and sees the Flower Knight standing next to them with its sword drawn.

It was a long dance, and this time it wasn't possible to abuse damage stat of 0 - just about every AI card checked for Bloom. But that did also mean Luck tokens.

Zamarias took a severe head injury and was blinded. Nengar broke the Bone Axe. Showdown would have been a lot more difficult if it hadn't been for two criticals that have all survivors +1 survival. I hadn't though it through when I departed with a survivor who would only gain 1 survival at the start of showdown... she could have died during hunt phase a bit too easily.

But it was a victory, with ten resources in total. Love Juice and two Warbling Blooms ought to help against the tree losses.


Lantern Year 6: Open Maw

What sort of gigantic, subterranean creature is stalking Kalmana Retreat? I mean, hungry ground had just vomited a gigantic monster corpse... and now it seems to be back for more! Well, I'd otherwise be tempted to enter, but the population situation is kind of alarming.

Nasanovim learns Extra Sense but forgets her name... was it something, like, Minovas? All returning survivors also blot out the memory of a savior popping into existence in the middle of the settlement, and exploding into gore.

Minovas also receives entirely new identity, as Hooded Knight recognizes that she's the one who shall vanquish the Watcher, and drops Twilight Sword on her. Damn, now she needs to change her gear guild.

I might regret my next choice in a situation like this, but I did, for the very first time ever, build Vespertine Bow.

Warbling Blooms grow into Worba and Warbo, one of whom eats Lantern Bud to gain some extra endeavors this phase. They then consume Love Juice and receive a healthy baby... bud? named Warbabo. Looks like here's a third lineage inside Kalmana Retreat now.

Nengar and Cardani have twins from Minovas's Matchmaker. Such swings. Now population went from eight to thirteen in just one step.

Minovas sculpts a hideous statue of a tall man with tentacle-like appendages. The statue is magical, and able to teach Extra Sense to anyone who gazes too long at it. Which is exactly what Cardani did, after one failure. Then settlement attempt storytelling, and departing survivors are gaining +3 insanity. I wanted understanding, though.

Anyway, set-up is pretty good for a Gorm hunt.

Lantern year 6 hunt & showdown
Nengar, Cardani, Kalnetan and Warbabo depart for a hunt.

Scouring the mating fields, Cardani finds gorm brains, while everyone else either injures their foot or takes brain event damage. But this wasn't enough, oh no. The fumes of the mating fields caused head-splitting pain for everyone involved, and everyone received disorders except for Cardani who got a bleeding token instead. Otherwise not too bad, but Nengar received Vestiphobia and tore off his leather cuirass. It's not like it is Kalmani Retreat's most valuable chest armor, because... it was.

Warbabo, the child of two warbling bloomers may have lead survivors to a trap! Because showdown starts with Lonely Tree on board. Maybe I'll get my successful showdown with the tree after all.

Showdown was easy even if trap was drawn two or three times. If survivors start to be this good, maybe it is time for them to move to greater prey.

However... As often goes, remarkably easy showdown is compensated by terrible settlement phase.


Lantern Year 7: Skull Eater

Nengar has become an annoying troublemaker. First he tears off his armor, and then starts eating peoples skulls with Marrow Hunger. Considering he already has Berserker fighting art, it appears Nengar is descending to his primal urges way too deep. And yet the setbacks don't stop here. Murder is coming next year, and Gorm Climate took off all the resources in storage. Which were 2x bone, 2x hide.

Zamarias watches a Phoenix pass by, and takes one downward floating feather as a keepsake, which makes him a crazed hoarder, but also a matchmaker.

Settlement innovates Hovel, and then Zamarias prays and prays at the Organ Grinder for intimacy to happen. And it does! But only one new survivor brings population to tormenting number of fourteen.

Settlement develops Knuckle Shield and Gorment Sleeves, and there we go again. Hunting Gorm. People of Kalmani Retreat are careless and free, lantern hoard shining brightly and non-violent little birds tweet merrily beneath the unnatural, constant stormy weather. Little do the honest folk know about all the horrors Lantern Year 8 is bringing. They have Dung Beetle Knight, Sunstalker, Bone Witch and Murder all lined up.

Lantern Year 7 hunt & showdown

Nengar, Warbabo, Kalovim and Cardani marks one of the first, if not the first hunt that have no people from earlier settlement around. Also, represtented are both the original residents of Kalmani Retreat - Cardani. Those born from people of earlier settlement - Kalovim. The strange person who appeared from flower-people - Warbabo, and first generation of descendants from original population - Nengar. Can this be other than a disaster?

A big game hunter who has just taken down one of the Gorms whispers some secrets about the upcoming fight. Which is: it's an overkill. A few retches threatened survivors, which made Cardani act a little cowardly in the late showdown - she had received some bile on her head. But it's quickly over. The most ominous thing was Lonely Tree - again. With shuffling the terrain deck and rolling d20 for the card I'll draw, that's definitely one dangerous stalker tree.

Warbabo triggered her first Age milestone, and became one of the most important and influential survivor in the whole settlement. She drew Infinite Lives. A once-per-lifetime reroll in Protect they Young? Yes please!


Lantern Year 8: Lights in the sky

Beautiful lights in the sky! Some hope is in the air! Nope, it's murder. But first Cardani gets overly excited about seeing Dung Beetle Knight in the distance. This makes her easily manipulated by the Bone Witch, who is supposedly Surastus, who burnt herself unrecognizable with Lantern Oven's lights. She makes Cardani a Bone Whisperer, and what do Bone Whisperers eat? Marrow! So, Cardani murders Nengar in secrecy. No one saw, or chose not to see, when she snapped Nengar's neck with bare hands.

Gorm Climate wrecks the settlement storage again, but this time the insight about Round Stone Training protects the settlement. I need that Gorm Brain!

Settlement innovates Drums and upgrades Gormchymist with Albedo. Then the experimenters brew up a Power Potion with a roll of 10,9,9. While I wanted Wisdom Potion, I'm now really tempted to try some bigger foes... but alas, I got no gorment suit. Level 1 Gorm, here we come before the encounter with Slenderking.

Love Juice becomes Warbnechton, another flower-born survivor. But that only brings settlement back to fourteen.

Last endeavor is spent on augury, which makes Cardani a tinker, and +1 endeavor from insight. This endeavor is spent on augury also, and makes Kalnetan a tinker, too. Some luck there, but still no society principle.

Departing survivors are gaining -2 survival and +5 insanity from the outcome of murder.

Lantern Year 8 hunt & showdown

Hunt phase is short. First card is Itchy Palms, and finally the party has a 3+ understanding survivor. Space before showdown is Encore, which has survivors encounter a "playful" phoenix. It only results in Minovas getting slightly electrocuted.

Then, out of 31 terrain cards, showdown got Bug Patch. Cardani has Vermin Obsession. Not a problem, though, unless - well, of course pick target for Maw-Arm Toss is random threat. And the random threat goes exactly to Cardani. This is one of these occasions where random number generator works in its mysterious ways.

Luckily both attack rolls are a miss.

Cardani tries to relieve herself of her obsession by scouring through the bug patch, but finds nothing. And can't surge another attempt, because she is Doomed.

Kalnetan manages to land one hit out of six 6+ attempts. At least its the first blood. Gorm is provoked.

Minovas axes Gorm without trouble, and Kalovim dashes to help with the bug patch. And what a terrible bug patch it was. First, Kalovim takes three brain damage from staring bugs. Next, he finds a Hissing Cockroach, which he must eat. Zero survival. Well, at least he wasn't Cardani.

Cardani fails to score any hits with six tries, but at least both Kalnetan and Minovas trickle some damage in. Provoked Gorm gets furious, drawing both Posturing Piss and Thunder Foot, plus a regular attack card against Kalnetan. Who dodges.

Cardani slaps Gorm's thunder foot with an injury, and then survivors are all where I want them - gaining weapon proficiency.

Just as hunters are about to clap this thing done, Lure Paroxysm kicks in. Not a single showdown with Gorm during these sessions at least has gone by without the trap. Often there have been multiple traps. Just like in this showdown. Third card after shuffling the deck is Paroxysm again. Fortunately survivors are in good health, but still.

However, from now on it'll be level 2 monsters. Gorm was such a piece of cake and the hunters received enough Stout Hides to build the long coveted gorm chest armor.


Lantern Year 9: Skull Eater

So... the Bone Whisperer becomes the Skull Eater. Coincidence? I think not! Cardani is dead. For a while, at least, before flowers start to bloom. I did remember I have one re-roll available, but I really don't want Murder on the timeline, and since Skull Eater was killing the one who would come back... alright, I suppose.

But really. The story of Cardani is a twisted one. First, she teaches settlement about cannibalism by eating another survivor alive. Then Bone Witch anoints her as the Bone Whisperer, who has to kill Nengar. And then... then she's found eating people's skulls and killed. There is a strong theme going on for her. Binge-eating cannibal.

Matchmaker and Love Juice give settlement Zamili (who marks the first time the bloodlines in this settlement mix - Zamarias and Lonili, the daughter or Logar and Cardani, have a kid) and Flowerista, another member of the flower-people. Yes, this means finally a society principle!

Settlement develops the gorment suit and hunter whip, plus finally the Wisdom Potion, albeit this took both once-in-a-lifetime reroll and the sacrifice of healing potion.

Six endeavors.


Kalmana Retreat

Population 17

Settlement Locations:
Skinnery
Organ Grinder
Bone Smith
Gormchymist
Gormery
Leather Worker

Innovations:
Lantern year 0: Language,
Lantern year 1: Symposium + Nigredo,
Lantern Year 2: Ammonia + Inner Lantern,
Lantern year 3: Paint
Lantern year 4: Storytelling
Lantern year 5: Lantern Oven + Bloodletting
Lantern year 6: Sculpture
Lantern Year 7: Hovel
Lantern Year 8: Round Stone Training, Drums, Albedo
Lantern Year 9: Family

Sculpture: Extra Sense

Gear:
3x cloth
2x stone nose
3x monster grease
2x bone blade
1x luck charm
1x gaxe
1x Knuckle Shield
1x Wisdom potion
1x Power Potion
1x monster tooth necklace
Full rawhide armor
1x Rawhide Boots
1x Rawhide Whip
1x hunter whip
1x bandages
Vespertine Bow
Skull Helm
Full gorment suit
Leather Shield
Sleeping Virus Flower (On Cardani)
Twilight Sword (on Minovas)
Reverberating Lantern
Flower Knight Badge

Storage:


1x skull
1x Lonely Fruit

1x leather


Survivors of note:
(survivors without sheet: 2)

Zamarias, last remaining from the original original four starting survivors from Deluge.
- Entitled material hoarding (Hoarder) Prima Donna with Megalophobia. Hysterical in the form of Crazed, and Blotted Out.
- Dealt the killing blow to Gorm in last settlement, and has hunted Gorm and Flower Knight, and is a Butcher survivor of Kalmana Retreat.
- Blinded in one eye.
- Watched a Phoenix pass over the settlement.
- +1 permanent accuracy from Age.
- Sword specialist with three points in proficiency.

*

Kalnetan, mourning parent of a child lost in time and space. One of the original four of Retreat.
- You don't want to anger him. He's Berserker with Burning Ambition and Hyper-Sensitivity. He is Secretive of his dealings in the settlement.
- Shared the feast of Mesul during Unnatural Hunger, triggering Cannibalize.
- Fought spiderlings during Season of the Spiderling, but slayed an unnamed survivor whom he had just saved from beneath a silk nest.
- Placed second in debate contest and fight contest, and was last in race contest during Triathlon of Death.
- Has two children with Nasanovim.
- Has hunted Gorm twice in previous settlement, and Screaming Antelope in the current one.
- Whipped a level 1 gorm dead.
- Dealt the killing blow to Butcher
- Dealt the killing blow to Manhunter on Deathblow location, with a whip.
- +1 permanent accuracy , +3 permanent strength, +1 permanent evasion,
- Courage 5 (stalwart), Understanding 4 (tinker)
- Whip specialist with six points in proficiency.

*

Nasanovim Minovas, mourning parent of a child lost she can't clearly remember any more. One of the original four of Retreat.
- Encountered an elderly bee that doomed her and her future children.
- Believes she has a higher purpose, though, and has Quixotic disorder. She has become Tenacious and is Blotted Out.
- Shared the feast of Mesul during Unnatural Hunger, triggering Cannibalize.
- Won the fight contest, and placed second during race contest and third during debate contest in Triathlon of Death.
- Deranged expression. With a history like hers, I'd have one too.
- Forgot her name from first non-violent visit of Slenderking.
- Made a sculpture of her vague memories about the Slenderking, imbuing it with her Extra Sense.
- Has two children with Kalnetan.
- Has hunted Gorm thrice and is a LY 4 Butcher and LY 5 Manhunter survivor. She killed LY 8 Gorm.
- +1 permanent accuracy, +2 permanent strength and +2 evasion, courage 7 (matchmaker) and understanding 3 (explore).
- Doomed Path: You may always choose Path of Doomed during Overwhelming Darkness. If you do, gain +1 on your roll. When you are one of the parents during Intimacy, the children will inherit this ability.

*

Kalovim and Nasalne, doomed children of Nasanovim and Kalnetan.

*****

All of the above have unbroken lineage from the previous settlement, Kalmana Deluge. Below are original people of Kalmana Retreat.


Logar, the twice widowed apathetic and megalophobic trailblazer. He is also a seasoned hunter without much actual hunt experience.
- Is the first father of the settlement, and has four children - Nengar, Rastgar, Lostus and Suragar with two different mothers, one of whom is dead and another has been banished from the settlement. No wonder he's apathetic.
- Won the race contest, but placed third during fight contest and lost the debate contest during Triathlon of Death. Especially debate result seems thematic - he was the only participant from Kalmana Retreat, others were from the first settlement.
- +1 permanent movement, +1 permanent strength, +1 permanent evasion.
- Hunted Gorm on lantern year 2 and is LY 5 Manhunter survivor.

*



*



*******

Ewarbabola, a plant-based survivor who breathes new lifetimes into her as the seasons pass. This is probably what also gives her Ghostly Beauty. Her name was originally Warbabo, but continues to grow as she gains new lifetimes.
- Is the daughter of Worba and Warbo, two survivors who were raised from a flower seed.
- Hunter Gorm on LY 6, and slayed a Gorm on LY 7.


*

Warba and Warbo, the the progenitors of plant based survivors in Kalmana Deluge.

*

Dead or missing survivors of note:

Cardani, the binge-eating Bone Whisperer who prefers vermin. Dead for now.
- Braved the Storm in the very first lantern year, but was blinded as a result.
- Was "blessed" by the Cleaner Birds during hunt for Gorm. Then she encountered Flesh Monolith, and during Unnatural Hunger she was one of the survivors who ate Mesul. Then, back in the settlement, she took what was left of Mesul and showed everyone how beneficial it is to eat corpses, and not disgusting at all.
- Fought off spiderlings during their invasion.
- Is training to become unarmed master. One-eyed cannibal with excessive craving for food, martial zen master with Extra Sense.
- Hunted Gorm on lantern year 1, 6, 7 and 8 and Screaming Antelope on lantern year 3, Flower Knight on year 5.
- Saw Dung Beetle Knight in the distance, and got obsessed with vermin as a consequence.
- Surastus the Bone Witch came and fueled Cardani's desire to eat human flesh. Brutally she murdered Nengar, a promising axe-master. Settlement did not approve her skull-eating habits and murdered her before other damage could be done. But this only grows the flowers in her heart. She'll be back.
- +1 and -1 permanent accuracy, +3 permanent strength, +2 permanent luck, +2 and -1 permanent speed.
- Courage 4 (prepared), Understanding 4 (tinker)
- Unarmed specialist with six points in proficiency.

Nengar, blotted out berserker with a Purpose and the firstborn of the settlement. Vestiphobia.
- First departed on a hunt on lantern year 3 against Screaming Antelope. Year 5 against Flower Knight, and years 6+7 against Gorm. He is also a Butcher survivor.
- Fought off the spiderlings, but got frenzied in the process and killed an unnamed survivor.
- Craving for human flesh in the form of Marrow Hunger.
- Murdered by Cardani. Purpose fulfilled, I suppose.
- +3 permanent strength, +1 permanent speed.

Qyillus, one of the original four from both Deluge and Retreat
Cause of death: Valiantly defended the settlement from spiderlings during Season of the Spiderling, failing in that but perhaps her example encouraged the remaining survivors to try extra hard and achieve victory?
- Has taught the secrets of language twice to different settlements an spoke some reason to the settlement during Endless Screams.
- Considering the above, no surprise she won debate contest during Triathlon of Death, and was third during race contest and lost fight contest. After all, she wasn't that much of a fighter anyway if we read into her Enfeebled disorder.
- Has hunted Gorm, and slain one Gorm and one Screaming Antelope.
- Enfeebled and Megalophobic disorder
- +1 permanent accuracy, +1 permanent strength. 3 courage (matchmaker), 3 understanding (tinker).

*

Surastus, a banished survivor who tinkered with lanterns and got disfigured. Before departing, suppose she was the "old crone" that offered Sleeping Virus Flower for Cardani. She's revisited her settlement, and caused Cardani to murder Nengar.

Outgunning Caine

Played a 50 point game of Warmachine yesterday.


Dominar Rasheth [+28]
- Agonizer [6]
- Basilisk Krea [7]
- Cyclops Raider [9]
- Cyclops Shaman [8]
- Tiberion [19]
Extoller Soulward [3]
Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor [4]
Venator Dakar [4]
Paingiver Beast Handlers (min) [5]
Venator Reivers (min) [9]
- Venator Reiver Officer & Standard [4]

Opponent had:

Captain Allister Caine [+27]
- Avenger [17]
- Defender [16]
- Ironclad [12]
- Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator [4]
Black 13th Strike Force [10]
Rangers [9]
StormbladeInfantry [9]

Scenario was one from main rulebook, the one with three flags in the middle.

I was somewhat horrified of the matchup, but then on the other hand I had a shield guard against those range 16 cannon shots. But that required my troops to move in a blob formation - not ideal for a scenario like this. I was hesitant to rapidly approach, and this gave opponent a clear lead in the scenario game.

But hey, then there was an Ironclad within charging range of Tiberion, and all defensive maneuvers were promptly defenestrated. The Cygnaran warjack had a total of -4 armor, and Tiberion was swinging at P+S 20 so it was... messy.

On the right side of the board, rangers and stormblades were exchanging shots with reivers, and while both sides suffered casualties, skorne was in the difficult position where they had to dislodge point scorers.

Caine shot off the Agonizer, which had two Cygnaran heavies put a dent in Tiberion. Without it, the damage would have been next to nothing. Rasheth had used his feat, so that would've been an effective +4 arm for the character titan. But turns out even +2 is a lot, when you have arm 19 model with shield.

I did quite enjoy the combination of Cyclops Raider and Shaman. They took down most of the Black 13th, and some other inconsequential models such as Caine... whoops, did I spoil the ending? Oh my.

Anyway, fast forwarding to end, Caine looked like a possible scenario winner despite nearly devastated army. A true solo gunslinger. But, I had my chance of shooting Caine with the dynamic duo of Raider and Shaman. First, Raider scores the 12+ needed for a hit and deals nearly ten damage points in. Next Cyclops Shaman does the same. A lot hinged on those 12+ rolls, but this time luck was in my favor.

Charged Walk

A 50 soul stone game of Malifaux.

My list:

Molly + Necrotic Construct
Philip & Nanny with Grave Spirit Touch (Claim Jump)
2x Rabble Riser with Killer Instinct
Crooligan
Mourner
Gravedigger
Dead Dandy

Soulstone Pool: 2

Schemes: Claim Jump, Detonate Charges

Opponent had:

Asami Tanaka + Amanjaku
Shadow Emissary
2x Obsidian Oni
Jorogumo
2x Akaname

Soulstone pool: 9

Schemes: Deliver a message, Dig their graves.

Turns 1-2

Strategy was Turf War with Flank deployment.

In other games it feels like players had started much closer to each other, but less so in this deployment. Of course I messed my deployment - I had made a nice blob of resurrectionists to get focused for nearly all of my models via Blasphemous Ritual, but blocked any meaningful way for Gravedigger's movement. The ritual was performed by Philip instead, but this left quite a few models unaffected.

I had deployed Crooligan to one of the quarters near enemy, but when the Shadow Emissary came around, the Crooligan was kind of spooked. He hadn't the time to turn the turf marker for resurrectionists, thanks to not being able to interact on turn one. Anyway, I got a nasty charge against the Shadow Emissary with a Rabble Riser, who dealt something like eight points of damage. Although Rabble Riser overperformed, I was still surprised how easily even the big models can go down... or so I thought.

Originally my plan was to move ahead with gravedigger, have a corpse, and then have two rabble risers giving me two soulstones with Killer Instinct, but yeah. That only happens if you actually plan your pathing algorithms correctly.

I scored two points on turn two, one from Detonate Charges with movement shenanigans I'm proud of. That involved gravedigger tossing corpse aside, Dead Dandy switching a scheme marker into corpse marker, and Mourner using her Mourn the Dead ability first time in a meaningful way.

Turns 3-5

Crooligan teleported into safety from the clutches of Shadow Emissary - only to be shot to pieces by Obsidian Onis. Tough luck, little one. At least he depleted activations from both onis. I decided to do the same for the Emissary, but both Molly and Mourner managed to bring it only down to one hit point remaining. From three. Hard to Kill is a real ability. It was probably turn four when Mourner finally ate all sorrows from Emissary - who died as a consequence.

Here was a clever way to circumvent Lethe's Caress in action - you declare a move and a charge towards no-one. Coming from three editions of Warmachine, this struck me as really odd. That you can charge without a target.

Dead Dandy was troubled with a summoned Akaname when he wanted to claim a turf from enemy board edge. He did succeed to disengage on turn 4 and do the thing on turn 5, while trying to insult a hideous demon who disgorges all manner of filth and corpses, and then eats them back again. Turns out it's... difficult to insult a creature like that.

One middle board had cleared, Philip and Nanny were able to score Claim Jump.

Molly had been left behind from my other troops, and was immediately harassed by Obsidian Onis, who delivered a message to Molly who had burning +4 by then. Message taken, I guess. Or not. For what, two? turns Molly spent all her actions trying to ask one more question what this message was really about. She managed to have two schemes out from those questions, which I would have wanted to use for End condition of Detonate Charges. But turns out (again) that Molly has no melee range and can be walked by without trouble. The Obsidian Oni she had engaged stood in stoic silence while the dead news reporter was repeating what she did while alive - questions, questions. When the oni cracked off its ear and symbolically threw it to the ground as a scheme marker, opponent scored end condition for Deliver a Message. Perhaps Molly finally understood.

One of those damn monkeys had appeared once more, and this time threw poo over my plans legally - using the flicker teleportation and bonus actions and all the shiny things to kill Gravedigger and claim the middle turf.

Game had been really close fought. I think scores were 2-3 for resurrectionists on turn five. And had opponent activated one Akaname before another, scores would've been 5-5. Necrotic Construct was able to block last point from Ten Thunders, and so it was very narrow victory for resurrectionists.

From all Malifaux games I've played until now, this was probably my favorite. Sure, it's only eight or so. But still amazes me that the games feel fresh and different from each other even with same factions and same masters we have played earlier.

The Slenderking

I received this resin version of The King model for Kingdom Death as a Christmas gift from my dearest, and it sure took a while to actually start painting it. Looking at the painted listing for 2019 and 2018, the speed I've painted this year has been astonishing. That is partly because of the wonderful Citadel contrast paints - they're quick and decent enough to get less important models out of the paint desk.

So, finally The King is ready - and soon enough ready to make its first appearance on Kingdom Death as a proxy for Slenderman. I sold the original model because I don't quite enjoy such internet creatures polluting otherwise original world of Kingdom Death.

No contrast colors were used in other than gold trimmings of the robe, and that's because the contrast yellow is magnificent beyond words. No yellow I have encountered before actually looks yellow after just one layer, or ten layers. By using contrast in this particular field I could avoid the yellows looking blotchy at all, which often happens when I paint traditionally.

vs 2x Beefed Up Grim Angus

Yesterday I played these two 75 point games of Warmachine. Opponent wanted to test a particular list, so he had the same list in both games while I switched mine in between. It's been way, way too long since I played Warmachine with themes. But now I'm getting ahead of things.

Game 1:

Scourge of the Broken Coast

Captain Aiakos [+29]
- Harrower [16]
- Helldiver [6]
- Reaper [13]
- Slayer [10]
- Stalker [8]
- Satyxis Blood Priestess [0(4)]
Axiara Wraithblade [0(6)]
General Gerlak Slaughterborn [0(6)]
Misery Cage [2]
Satyxis Raider Captain [4]
2x Warwitch Siren [4]
Black Ogrun Boarding Party (max) [11]
Black Ogrun Ironmongers [6]
Satyxis Raiders (max) [16]
- Satyxis Raider Sea Witch [4]


Opponent had (something like):

Kriel Company
Grim Angus [+29]
- Sea King [36]
- Trollkin Runebearer [0(5)]
Boomhowler, Solo Artist [0(6)]
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (max) [9]
- Stone Scribe Elder [0(3)]
Pyg Burrowers (min) [7]
Hearthgut Hooch Hauler [18]
2x War Wagon [16]

War Wagon butchered up over half of my Satyxis Raiders, who had the ranged defense option on. As a reply, they expend Power Swell and charge the wagon.

Then Slayer charges in, deals damage. Eventually even Stalker charges in, deals some damage. Now...

Now. Had I remembered about, let's say, GANG FIGHTER, the Wagon would now have been dead, and Reaper could have gone elsewhere. Now I wanted to have at least some dead huge based models, and Reaper charged in to finish the War Wagon on the right. Now I had three warjacks within easy sweep range of Sea King. Facepalm.

Harrower took a thresher against both War Wagon on left and the Hooch Hauler, and the Hooch Hauler destroyed its melee weapon with Return Fire.

The dices in this game were absurd. Of course I can't defend from bad play by blaming dice, but they did not help at all. My good rolls were the average rolls. Opponent, on the other hand, missed perhaps five attacks throughout the game.

But yeah. Maybe I'll pay some attention to my special rules next time. Just...

Maybe.


Game 2:

In second game I had:

Black Industries
Lord Exhumator Scaverous [+27]
- Deathripper [6]
- Erebus [16]
- Nightmare [18]
- Nightwretch [7]
- The Withershadow Combine [9]
Darragh Wrathe [9]
Machine Wraith [2]
3x Pistol Wraith [0(5)]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Black Ogrun Ironmongers [6]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
- Brute Thrall (3) [0(6)]
Soulhunters (max) [18]

And here I forgot Carapace right off the bat. Maybe I need some sort of clearly visible reminders about the special rules? Would that help?

In this game I consider my downfall to be when I thought you can't stay on top of covering fire template. This resulted in me trying to do a little bit of damage here and there, not actually breaking anything. All three battle engines were damaged, but even with Feast of Worms and charging Nightmare who had Hooch Hauler as its prey could not break it with okay-ish rolls.

Mechanithralls charged War Wagon on left, and Erebus charged War Wagon on right.

Miraculously Erebus survived for a little longer than I expected - and would have survived a LOT longer if I had remembered Carapace. Luckily, Carapace wouldn't have done diddly squat on Nightmare, who got trashed by Sea King who did its best to fail at the job.

War Wagon on the right failed to remove almost any of the Soulhunters from board - which in turn allowed me to destroy both Hooch Hauler and the War Wagon on left. If I would've remembered Carapace, Erebus would've been tying up the War Wagon on right.

Scaverous took six souls from Pyg Burrowers who had risen up to shoot the objective down.

But then, Sea King destroyed every remaining Soulhunter and my Pistol Wraith who had been trying to get some points from flag on the left.

Opponent uses most of his non-Sea King resources to remove all who blocked the lane for War Wagon to come and contest my zone.

Then Scaverous with thirteen focus removes that Wagon from the board.

Grim knocks down Scaverous and Baits the Line on him, which allows for Sea King to charge Scaverous. End of game(s).