Akachi is Burning Down The House (Solo, Achievements)

I haven't tried running a Mystic through Return to the Night of the Zealot yet, and I've never played Akachi Onyele, so... let's try it! Not really sure I'm feeling this deck to be honest, but perhaps she'll improve with some experience (plus bonuses from Arcane Research) under her belt. Here we go!

SESSION REPORT SCENARIO I: RETURN TO THE GATHERING

Opening Hand: Storm of Spirits, Delve Too Deep, Flashlight, Drawn to the Flame, Mists of R'lyeh Kept: Flashlight, Drawn to the Flame, Mists of R'lyeh Replacements: Storm of Spirits, Rite of Seeking Starting Location: Study

Investigating tools, evasion, and a combat event. Seems a decent start.

R1 (0D, 2H, 5$, 0C): 0/3 doom

• Encounter: None
• Play Mists of R'lyeh [-2$]
• Play Drawn to the Flame: encounter Chill from Below, 5 vs. 3 (): fail by 3 [discard Flashlight, Storm of Spirits, Rite of Seeking] [+1C] (gah!!!)
• Draw Perception
• Draw Spirit-Speaker [+1$]

Well. That Drawn to the Flame result could not have been worse. With all my options suddenly vanished, I decided to draw a bit before heading further into the house.

R2 (0D, 2H, 4$, 1C): 1/3 doom

• Encounter: Rotting Remains, 5 vs. 3 (): fail by 3 [3H] (are you serious??)
• Move to Guest Hall
• Move to Bedroom
• Investigate, commit Perception, 4 vs. 2 ( is -2): pass [+1C, draw Delve Too Deep]
• Draw Storm of Spirits [+1$]

And just like that I'm only 3 horror away from failure!! Two pulls right off the start. Is there any way to bounce back from that awful beginning?

R3 (0D, 5H, 5$, 2C): 2/3 doom

• Encounter: Ancient Evils [+1 doom]
• Agenda advances to 1b, discard Spirit-Speaker, advances to 2a
• Play Delve Too Deep [-1$]: encounter The Zealot's Seal [1D/1H], +1 Victory
• Move to Guest Hall
• Move to Bathroom
• Draw Arcane Initiate [+1$]

I decided to Delve while I could, as I could Mists away if a Ghoul popped up. Instead, some more horror for my ever-dwindling reserve. At least now I have a bit of ally soak and can start hunting for spells in earnest.

R4 (1D, 6H, 5$, 2C): 1/7 doom

• Encounter: Icy Ghoul spawns in Cellar (which enters play)
• Play Arcane Initiate [-1$] with +1 doom
• Use Arcane Initiate: no draw
• Draw Drawn to the Flame
• Investigate, 2 vs. 1 (-1): pass [+1C]
• Draw Torrent of Power [+1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: draw Ward of Protection

Even a 2 investigator has a 5/8 chance (with no Ghouls around) of successfully investigating a shroud 1 location in this scenario on Standard. I've lost too much tempo already, I had to take that chance. At least it paid off.

R5 (1D, 6H, 5$, 3C): 2/7 doom [+1 on Arcane Initiate]

• Encounter: Obscuring Fog attaches to Bathroom (good timing there!)
• Move to Guest Hall
• Advance Act 1a [-3C]: Hallway, Attic, and Parlor enter play, move to Hallway, commit Torrent of Power [-1* from Mists of R'lyeh], 8 vs. 4 ( is 0): pass
• Move to Attic [1H on Arcane Initiate]
• Investigate, 2 vs. 1 ( is 0): pass [+1C]
• Draw Unexpected Courage [+1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: no draw

R6 (1D, 6H, 6$, 1C): 3/7 doom [+1 on Arcane Initiate]

• Encounter: Ancient Evils [+1 doom]
• Investigate, 2 vs. 1 (-1): pass [+1C, +1 Victory]
• Draw Angered Spirits
• Use Angered Spirits [-1* from Mists of R'lyeh]
• Draw Arcane Initiate
• Draw Ward of Protection [+1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: no draw

The encounter deck has stopped beating me upside the head for a bit, and I thought hard about cancelling the Ancient Evils with my Ward of Protection, but I'd rather use its horror hit to finish off my Arcane Initiate next round. At this point, I need to dig through my deck to find a Shrivelling so I can deal with the Icy Ghoul. (I'm not too worried about Angered Spirits; I have the time and extra Mists of R'lyeh charges to pay it off. I hope.)

R7 (1D, 6H, 7$, 2C): 5/7 doom [+1 on Arcane Initiate]

• Encounter: Frozen in Fear, play Ward of Protection to cancel [-1$, 1H discards Arcane Initiate]
• Draw Torrent of Power
• Draw Shrivelling
• Play Shrivelling [-3$]
• Use Angered Spirits [-1* from Mists of R'lyeh]
• Draw Rite of Seeking [+1$]

Finally, my weapon! (First experience spend for this deck will be to slot more attack spells into it. Maybe Shards of the Void.)

R8 (1D, 6H, 5$, 2C): 6/7 doom

• Encounter: Obscuring Fog attaches to Attic
• Play Arcane Initiate with +1 doom [-1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: no draw
• Move to Hallway
• Move to Cellar [1D, Icy Ghoul engages]
• Icy Ghoul attacks [2D, 1H on Arcane Initiate]
• Draw Holy Rosary [+1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: no draw

I moved in and took a hit from the Icy Ghoul because I know another ghoul is going to spawn with the agenda flip, and I want to leverage Storm of Spirits if we're all in the same place together.

R9 (4D, 6H, 6$, 2C): 7/7 doom [+1 on Arcane Initiate]

• Agenda advances to 2b: encounters reshuffle, Acolyte of Umôrdhoth spawns and engages, advances to 3a
• Encounter: Rotting Remains, 5 vs. 3 (-2): pass
• Play Storm of Spirits [-3$]: Fight Icy Ghoul, 5 vs. 3 ( is -2): pass [+2D to Icy Ghoul and Acolyte of Umôrdhoth, 1D]
• Use Shrivelling [-1*]: Fight Icy Ghoul, 5 vs. 3 (-1): pass [+2D, defeated, +1 Victory]
• Fight Acolyte of Umôrdhoth, commit Unexpected Courage, 5 vs. 3 (-2): pass [+1D, defeated]
• Use Angered Spirits [-1* from Mists of R'lyeh]
• Draw Decorated Skull [+1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: draw Mists of R'lyeh]

Whew, the situation has somewhat stabilized. Now, can I pull through to defeat the Ghoul Priest?

R10 (5D, 6H, 4$, 2C): 1/10 doom

• Encounter: Ancient Evils [+1 doom]
• Play Holy Rosary [-2$]
• Play Drawn to the Flame: Encounter Grave-Eater, spawns and engages [+2C, +1 Victory]
• Use Shrivelling [-1*]: Fight Grave-Eater, 6 vs. 2 (0): pass [+2D, defeated]
• Draw Flashlight [+1$]
• Use Arcane Initiate: no draw

R11 (5D, 6H, 3$, 4C): 3/10 doom

• Encounter: Swarm of Rats spawns and engages
• Fight Swarm of Rats, 3 vs. 1 ( is +1) [+1* to Shrivelling]: pass [+1D, defeated]
• Move to Hallway
• Use Angered Spirits [-1* from Mists of R'lyeh]
• Play Mists of R'lyeh [-2$, discard Mists of R'lyeh]
• Draw Shrivelling [+1$]
• Advance Act to 2b [-3C]: Parlor is revealed with Lita Chantler, Ghoul Priest spawns in Hallway and engages
• Agenda 3a: +1 doom

I thought about spending a round looking for my second Delve Too Deep or hoping for more Victory ghouls, but there just isn't time to do so comfortably... not with the doom acceleration that accompanies the Ghoul Priest's arrival. I want the "burn down your house" achievement, which means I need to defeat the bastard.

R12 (5D, 6H, 2$, 1C): 5/10 doom

• Encounter: Grave-Eater spawns and engages
• Use Mists of R'lyeh [-1*]: Evade Grave-Eater, 6 vs. 2 (-1): pass [evaded, move to Parlor]
• Parley Lita Chantler, commit Flashlight, Rite of Seeking, Torrent of Power [-3* from Mists of R'lyeh], 8 vs. 4 (-1): pass [control Lita Chantler, discard Arcane Initiate]
• Use Mists of R'lyeh [-1*]: Evade Ghoul Priest, 6 vs. 4 (-2): pass [evaded]
• Grave-Eater readies
• Ghoul Priest readies and engages
• Draw Decorated Skull [+1$]
• Agenda 3a: +2 doom

Over-committed on the Parley there to be sure I can defeat the Ghoul Priest in two successful Shrivelling hits. I have only one round to do it, so I can afford to miss exactly once.

R13 (5D, 6H, 3$, 1C): 8/10 doom

• Encounter: Flesh-Eater spawns in Attic
• Use Shrivelling [-1*]: Fight Ghoul Priest, commit Ward of Protection, 7 vs. 4 (0): pass [+3D]
• Use Shrivelling [-1*]: Fight Ghoul Priest, commit Drawn to the Flame, 7 vs. 4 (): fail [Ghoul Priest attacks, 2D/2H on Lita Chantler]
• Use Shrivelling [-1*]: Fight Ghoul Priest, 6 vs. 4 (-2): pass [+3D, defeated, +2 Victory]
• Advance Act to 3b: choose Resolution 1

Resolution 1

• Akachi's house was burned to the ground
• Lita Chantler joins Akachi
• +1 mental trauma
• 8 experience (6 Victory + 2 bonus)
• Total trauma: 0 physical, 3 mental
• ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Insurance Doesn't Cover Ghouls

Whew. What a ride. That terrible start notwithstanding, Akachi actually managed to pull it off. This deck definitely needs some upgrade assistance. Indeed, I'm mulling over the idea of spending 1 experience for a side trip to Curse of the Rougarou to attempt gaining a couple of extra points (and let Arcane Research work its magic a bit more as well) before heading into Return to The Midnight Masks. We'll see!