Josiah Leis
United States
Merino
Colorado
I spent 100 GG and all I got was this stupid overtext.....
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Session one of this campaign can be found here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/523665/down-with-sean-th...
Session two is here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/563389/down-with-sean-th...
Session three is here, along with a kind of "mid-campaign recap" post at the bottom of the thread: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/564207/down-with-sean-th...
We now continue with session 4 of our campaign, Down with Sean the Sorcerer King. This happened several weeks ago, so I apologize about the haziness of my memory, I'm going mostly off of notes. Sean is playing the overlord, while Roy is play Landrec and Laughin, I am playing Ispher and Runewitch. When we last left off, the campaign looked like this:
Sorcerer King: Siege Engines, Sir Alric Farrow, Lord Merrick Farrow (DEAD), Lady Eliza Farrow, Gold Eldritches, 1 Trap Treachery, 1 Event Treachery, Lawlessness
Laughin Buldar: Weapon Mastery, Wounds Upgrade, 1 Black Melee Die
Equipped Items: Dragontooth Hammer, Morningstar, Chainmail, Belt of Strength, Ring of Protection, 2 Vitality Potions, Stealth Potion
Pack Items: Platemail, Hammer
Landrec the Wise: Wind Pact, Prodigy, Wounds Upgrade
Equipped Items: Staff of the Grave, Heavy Leather Armor, Ring of Quickness, Mana Weave, Vitality Potion, 1 Stealth Potion
Pack Items: Screaming Eagle Staff
Ispher: Born to the Bow, Rapid Fire, 1 Black Ranged Die, Fatigue Upgrade
Equipped Items: Magic Bow, Leather Armor, Gauntlets of Power, Archer’s Charm, Vitality Potion, 2 Stealth Potions
Pack Items: Great Bow, Falcon’s Claw, Crystal Shield
Runewitch Astarra: Quick Casting, Acrobat, Fatigue Upgrade
Equipped Items: Staff of Punishment, Elven Armor, Ghost Armour, Vitality Potion, Health Potion, Stealth Potion
Pack Items: Backbiter, Stealth Potion
With a total conquest score of 131 to 117 in favor of the heroes. The campaign had just entered the Silver Level, and the heroes were having an encounter on their way to the city of Frostgate.
Week 22 (continued)
As mentioned in the last session report, the heroes were just about to have an encounter. It was the Red Necromancer at The Stormy Stream. This encounter consisted entirely of Eldritches, which Sean had just this week freshly upgraded to Gold to coincide with the campagins advancement to Silver. Fortuneately for the heroes, the encounter was not an ambush, but it did look rather rough for them.
However, in his cautioun to protect the encounters leader, Sean left a critical gap open to the heroes. Hence the encounter ended in a Party Flight as all of the heroes managed to flee the very first turn, there may have been some Vitality Potions used to do this, I can't remember.
Once in town, Runewitch went to the tavern and got a rumor. It was the one where 1\2 of the rumor's cost was refunded (we played that 1\2 meant rounded down, though the card doesn't specify). I don't remember what the reward was for that, but the heroes didn't really care for it so Laughin went to the tavern also to buy a 2nd rumor. This one was The Twins which the heroes liked better, and placed at the Hanging Gardens (conviniently within 2 trails of Tamalir).
Landrec and Ispher then went to the Market and sold 4 Copper Items which they expected to be replaced soon or no longer wanted.
Week 23
Sean collected his weekly conquest [+1], and then succeed at raising the city of Riverwatch on his first roll [+5]! His LTs then moved into Vylenvale and he bought the Temple of Fire plot card for Riverwatch. The heroes stayed in the city of Frostgate with a train action so Runewitch could purchase the skill Tiger Tattoo.
Week 24
Sean again collects his weekly conquest this time increased due to the destruction of Riverwatch [+2]. He then purchases the silver upgrade for Beasts, while Sir Alric and Lady Eliza place two siege tokens onto the city of Vylenvale.
The heroes move into Shika's Tree, but have an encounter on the way. It was The Sentinels at the Haunted Trail. This encounter has two large, tough golems, again with the golden eldritches. Golems are however, in a word, total crap. The encounter was completely trivial for the heroes whose firepower was far too much for the Golems.
Both leader kills , (+4) went to Landrec the Wise. The heroes netted for winning the encounter.
Week 25
Sean collected [+2] and his LTs placed another 2 siege tokens on Vylenvale. The heroes trained at Shika's Tree, with all heroes acquiring their Silver HP training.
Week 26
Sean agains collects his [+2], but fails on his siege roll for Vylenvale. He decides to leave both LTs there to protect the cities siege tokens. The heroes again train at Shika's Tree, with Landrec the Wise acquiring another black magic die and upgrading another to a silver .
Week 27
Sean gains [+2], but fails to raise Vylenvale. The heroes move into Frostgate, but find nothing of interest in the market (curse that city's lack of an alchemist!).
Week 28
[+2] for Sean, and this time he succeeds in destroying Vylenvale [+5]! Fortuneately for the heroes this city does not grant weekly conquest when raised, but it did allow Sean to purchase his Temple of Waves plot card for the destroyed city. Sean was now just barely ahead of the heroes in conquest, which allowed them to then enter the Legendary Dungeon, The Fool's Rapids.
Level One: #27 Monastery
This level features a group of villagers that the heroes score bonus conquest for if they complete the level with the villagers still alive. Instead of killing a boss to unlock the door, there is a blue key at the far end of the dungeon. The boss demon does not start on the map, but is summoned somehow (killing a certain number of the villagers I think).
The level proved completely trivial. It started with Runewitch doing her usual run to grab a treasure pile and the Glyph (+3). Ispher followed by snatching up a 2nd treasure pile, while Laughin and Landrec took up protective posistions near the villagers. Sean then tried to attack the villagers, but missed and lost a monster from a Guard order. He hurt Runewitch but failed to kill her due to an Invisibility potion she drank during her run.
The next turn Runewitch managed to grab the silver chest and search the sarcoughogus (blank), while the others killed a few monsters. Sean managed to kill a few villagers and Runewitch [+2] before the heroes ran out on the 3rd turn. The heroes scored (+3) for 3 surviving villagers.
Overlord CP: 2 Hero CP: 6 Total Party Gold Gained: 1000
Level Two: #39 Cursed Fountain
This level has two fountains, one at each end. In order to hurt the boss, a hero must drink from the far south fountain which puts a threat token on him. He gains a new threat token at the end of each of his turns, dying instantly if he acquires four of them. Drinking from the north fountain removes all threat tokens from a hero (and his ability to hurt the boss subsequently).
I don't recall a blow by blow account of what happened on this level, but I do remember an important rule issue that arose from the whole fountain thing.
Basically, Laughin was the first hero to drink from the fountain, but he then died. The card didn't say the threat tokens were removed by death, so we let Laughin keep his. The following turn he emerged from the glyph and killed the boss (+2). This however left him with two threat tokens which meant he would die if he didn't drink from the north fountain, which was now crawling with monsters.
The heroes had already lost Ispher [+3], Runewitch [+2], and Laughin [+4] earlier and weren't in the mood to stick around, so they headed out the door rather than waste time fighting their way to the northern fountain. This meant Laughin would die on the next level from the threat tokens, but the kill really belongs on this level [+4].
I don't know if the tokens should come off when a hero dies, but I think in retrospect they probably should have. Otherwise a hero with 3 tokens who dies from a monster going to have a very good chance of dieing a 2nd time on his next turn, since it could be hard to reach the northern fountain in one turn from a glyph.
Regardless of what happens, groups should probably decide on this issue before they start the level.
Overlord CP: 13 Hero CP: 5 Total Party Gold Gained: 1350
Level Three: #43? Snake Pit
I honestly don't remember much of this level. I think it is a Tomb of Ice one that I belive features a Naga boss.
Though Laugin died twice here, once was from the previously mentioned threat tokens, the other time was due to a horde of Gold Skeletons and some Kobolds. I also remember that Ispher's new Silver Bow which he gained in the previous level was showcased, with Rapid Fire he cleared about half the room and killed the boss  (+2). Unfortuneately this little display of power led Sean to use Crushing Blow on it the next level  .
Also Runewitch died at some point [+2], though once again running insane amounts and grabbing everything including the glyph (+3) and chest (+1).
Overlord CP: 6 (Technically 10, but I gave 4 to the previous level for the fountain kill) Hero CP: 6 Total Party Gold Gained: 1750
Level Four: Legendary Area: Fool's Rapids
This level consists of three seperate areas grouped together by staircases. To be honest I didn't really enjoy this level all that much, it just seemed very long and rather tedious.
The first two areas are quite large, with both requiring the heroes to run to all the different corners of them activating encounter tokens in order to unlock the stair case to the next level. Both areas also contain 1 or 2 monsters with Grapple to slow the process down a bit.
Of course Runewitch again showcased her insane running abilities, hopping all over the map, with the other heroes clearing Grappling monsters for her when neccessary.
As I mentioned Sean used Crushing Blow on Ispher's new Silver Bow, though the short time he had it was a glorious preview of things to come  . The boss Giant in the bottom was largely trivialized thanks to the fact that he was humaniod (Sean's only Copper category), and Ispher's web weapon.
The boss Grappled Ispher who then proceed to stick web tokens all over him through the staircase. The boss never managed to kill Ispher despite grappling him, and ultimately couldn't escape the grasp of webbing to do much. Ispher was also the one to kill him the first time, before his bow was CBed, scoring (+4).
Landrec the Wise [+2] and Laugin [+4] were the only hero deaths on this level, though Runewitch and Ispher both came close several times. Isphers healing ability really saved him this level, I think it probably healed him for a good 10 or 12 wounds over the course of this map.
Overlord CP: 6 Hero CP: 7 Total Party Gold Gained: 1900
Ultimately the heroes managed to progress through the Legendary level pretty quickly for such a large, sprawling map, with so many elements built in to delay them.
The fact that Sean did not manage to cycle his deck in a 4 level dungeon was a testament to the speed with which the heroes could operate. The 2nd level was the only one that gave the heroes any real trouble.
Sean ended up winning in conquest over the course of the dungeon 27 to 24, but the heroes walked away with thousands of gold and 4 shiny new skills thanks to the Oracle  .
Ispher took the Knight skill, Landrec the Wise acquired Spiritwalker, Laughin Buldar took Leadership, and Runewitch Astarra took Blessing.
Blessing and Leadership were both skills available only in Vylenvale, so this was the hero's only chance to get them. I don't know if taking Blessing was the right choice for Runewitch, maybe it was the fact that it wasn't normally available increased my desire to have it.
It should help her DPS though, and provide a little more utility for the other heroes, particularly a Spiritwalking Landrec shooting through her, and the 9 attacks a turn Ispher. My other considerations were Swift and Ox Tattoo. Swift seemed fun, but unneccessary, Ox Tattoo though situational, probably was a better choice than Blessing for the Grapple immunity.
After completing the dungeon, the heroes then returned to Tamalir.
Week 29
Sean gained [+2] and purchased Silver humanoids while moving his LTs to Moonglow Marsh. The heroes spent the week training in Tamalir, upgrading the Market again.
Landrec and Laughin both upgraded 2 dice to Silver, while Runewitch and Ispher went shopping for items and potions.
Week 30
Sean again gains [+2], and purchases Krieg the Relentless for 14 experience. While Krieg moves out to the Bitter Downs, the two Farrows enter into the Smokeblue Hills. The heroes again Train in Tamalir, upgrading the Temple this time. Runewitch gained a black die, while Ispher acquires a black and a silver.
Week 31
Again Sean gains [+2], and while the Farrows move into the Bitter Downs, Krieg heads for the Misty Plains. The heroes then attempt to move to Dawnsmoor and have an encounter along the way. This is where we chose to end our session.
We've played another session since this one, albeit a short one. As such I don't remember exactly what the conquest score was when we quit, though I know Sean was leading it was by a rather small margin, maybe 10 or 15 conquest. I believe we were still about 60 or 70 conquest away from the Gold Level. I hope to write the next session report for our more recent, shorter session soon. Since I don't recall the exact state of the campaign at this point, I'll just kind of try to summarize about where we were:
The heroes have completed the Silver Legendary area, and spent a couple of weeks beefing up their dice in Tamalir. They've also acquired more Silver equipment, though the really nice addition of Ispher's Silver Bow has already been destroyed by Sean.
As such they've headed to Dawnsmoor to cut off the overlord's rapidly approaching LTs, before they can destory the city. With 2 cities already raised, Sean needs only to raise 2 more in order to start his plot toward its completion.
Because of this, the heroes will need to put a stop to the LTs city raising behavior, before making the final push through the Gold Level of the campaign and into the final battle.
It will be interesting to see if Sean's Gold and Silver monsters with 2 points of Treachery can make his LTs tough enough to withstand the heroes rapidly synergizing skills and new dice.
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Corbon Loughnan
Singapore
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Kartigan wrote: Basically, Laughin was the first hero to drink from the fountain, but he then died. The card didn't say the threat tokens were removed by death, so we let Laughin keep his. The following turn he emerged from the glyph and killed the boss (+2). This however left him with two threat tokens which meant he would die if he didn't drink from the north fountain, which was now crawling with monsters.
I don't know if the tokens should come off when a hero dies, but I think in retrospect they probably should have. Otherwise a hero with 3 tokens who dies from a monster going to have a very good chance of dieing a 2nd time on his next turn, since it could be hard to reach the northern fountain in one turn from a glyph.
Regardless of what happens, groups should probably decide on this issue before they start the level.
The tokens are a lingering effect...
DJitD pg18 (hero death)
In addition, any lingering effects (such as burning, webs, poison, or transformation into a monkey) are immediately removed.
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Josiah Leis
United States
Merino
Colorado
I spent 100 GG and all I got was this stupid overtext.....
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That the tokens are a lingering effect would make the most sense, we just didn't think of them that way. I suppose calling anything that lingers on you like that a "lingering effect" makes good sense though. *sigh* Oh well, it's not the first time we've played something wrong in Descent, lol and I'm sure it won't be the last. At least it doesn't happen as often as it used to :D.
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Phil Crompton
United Kingdom
St Helens
Merseyside
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Great report mate ! My gaming group's just getting into Descent and we've bought RTL and this has whetted my appetite no end.
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Sebastian D.
Germany
Berlin
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Wow, seems to me the heroes spend a good amount of time just hanging around cities and trainers. In my games so far they felt under constant pressure to keep moving, either doing dungeons or battling lieutenants in (to them) crucial locations. How do you do it?
I'm also interested to see how your lieutenant fights turn out. I would have much preferred more treachery over a humanoid upgrade, especially as the remaining threesome doesn't really have any in their minions. Beast upgrade is pretty good, I think, the whole Eliza posse and Alric's razorwings and hellhounds are definitely beefed up now.
Does facing upgraded monsters in every category have an impact on dungeons? I'm curious to see that, too in the future.
Nice report, I like it.
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Josiah Leis
United States
Merino
Colorado
I spent 100 GG and all I got was this stupid overtext.....
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Thanks for the comments, hopefully I'll be able to post our 5th sessions report soon.
I haven't really thought the heroes have spent an inordenant amount of time in towns, though in this session they did quite a bit. Basically they do some dungeons, then go to a town or trainer and stay their until they've spent all their money.
Maybe part of the reason there isn't much map pressure is due to the fact that the heroes did pretty well early in the campaign? Since they've already killed one LT, that helps a lot. Plus we also blitzed well early, but since we quit blitzing we've pretty much been doing all 3 levels of every dungeon we've been entering.
Since this allows for fewer weeks and lets the heroes pile up gold and XP quickly, maybe that's the reason for less map pressure.
I agree more treachery would be a much bigger help in the LT fights than the humanoid upgrade. I think mainly the reason Sean did it was that he was tired of having his still Copper Humanoids be so ineffective in dungeons. In particular the humanoid bosses were pathetic, Laugin and Landrec were both one-shotting them before he upgraded.
I do think the humanoid upgrade helped him in the dungeons, but probably only marginally more than treachery would have. More treachery would definitely have been a bigger help in the upcoming LT fights though.
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joel cuthbert
United States
fort collins
Colorado
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it would be nice to have an ending tally of what the heroes have. in week 28, it says you guys shop, but do you guys actually buy anything? which potions are you purchasing? have you made any other party upgrades?
it looks like you are going to make another session report, so it may just be included in there, but those are things that i am looking for.
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Josiah Leis
United States
Merino
Colorado
I spent 100 GG and all I got was this stupid overtext.....
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duhtch wrote: it would be nice to have an ending tally of what the heroes have. in week 28, it says you guys shop, but do you guys actually buy anything? which potions are you purchasing? have you made any other party upgrades?
I'll try to put that up in the next session report. Since our 5th session has already happened, I can't recall exactly what we had at the end of our 4th session.
*Edit* And just to answer the question about if we bought anything during week 28 I think we did. I believe we may have purchased Ispher's Silver Bow that was destroyed that week. The other draws weren't worth buying or were treasure caches. Our group seems to be able to draw that stupid Bottle Imp everytime we go to a market. How in the world is such a worthless piece of crap like that a silver treasure and a cursed one at that? I suppose maybe it's more useful in vanilla....
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joel cuthbert
United States
fort collins
Colorado
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i read a post about buying everything in the market so you have an even better chance to draw the good stuff. then, when you get the good stuff, go ahead and sell the crap stuff. this will also help you to have back up items in case stuff gets blown up.
so far it has worked for us, but then again, we haven't had CB against us yet.
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Josiah Leis
United States
Merino
Colorado
I spent 100 GG and all I got was this stupid overtext.....
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I've heard of doing similar things to manipulate the market into giving you more treasure caches when you draw treasure from chests (since more of the treasures are in your packs). So far though, the atrocious waste of gold in buying items for that purpose as been too much for me to stomach doing (since you buy it at full price and sell it at 1\2). Since money is what has been the limiting factor on our heroes all throughout this campaign we haven't wanted to do that.
We have though tried to keep back up armor and weapons instead of selling them off right away in case one gets destroyed.
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I spent 100 GG and all I got was this stupid overtext.....
