Leo’s RttCU Run #1 (The Witching Hour)

Hello! To tell the truth I was never impressed with the Circle Undone campaign and it ranks towards the bottom of my favorites list. Coming on the heels of TFA the fight between the Lodge and the Witches felt blander than the competition between Serpents and Yithians. The original TCU has a weak finale where saving or failing to save your friend from the prologue had little impact on the resolution. I’m curious to see whether the Return to TCU improves these aspects. As for our investigator, we’re going to be playing as Leo Anderson with a full set of Sled Dogs. He was preparing for an expedition to the frozen wastes of Antarctica but events held him up in Arkham. I cannot see him rolling with whatever the fortune-teller said, so we’re going to reject fate and accept the Elder Thing tokens into the chaos bag. That said, I appreciate the option of not having to take the Tower weakness for accepting your fate. Tower is an obnoxious weakness, but at the same time it’s fair enough that I cannot justify myself removing it from the weakness pool like I do with Doomed.

The Witching Hour

Pre-Mulligan Hand: Intel Report, Venturer, Daring, Sled Dog, Scene of the Crime

Opening Hand: 2× Sled Dog, Flashlight, Calling in Favors, Perception

Agenda & Act: TEMPERANCE • XIV & Lost in the Woods

Leo rejected his fate. He begins the scenario with 2 Physical Trauma at Unmarked Graveyard.

#1

• PLAY Sled Dog
• INVESTIGATE ()
• INVESTIGATE (0, 1 clue)
• PLAY Flashlight
• Upkeep: draw Mauser C96, 2 resources total.

#2

• Mythos: 1/8 doom, Rotting Remains (0)
• PLAY Sled Dog
• INVESTIGATE (, draw Sled Dog, 1 clue, × Unmarked Graveyard, Maligned)
• Maligned (-1, discard Maligned)
• MOVE with two Sled Dogs (to The Lonely Tree, to Cairn Stones)
• Upkeep: draw Take the Initiative, 1 resource total.

#3

• Mythos: 2/8 doom, Dissonant Voices
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (2 supplies left, +1, 1 clue, × Cairn Stones, lose 1 resource)
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (1 supply left, , 1 clue)
• MOVE with two Sled Dogs (to Hermit's House, to The Lonely Tree)
• Upkeep: draw Sled Dog, 1 resource total, discard Dissonant Voices

Moving with Sled Dogs allows for scouting Witch-Haunted Woods. That’s useful. However, I notice that I’m not allowed to stop moving if I find a location I’d want to investigate. With four clues we’re making good progress. In solo this scenario loses its main twist and Leo can sweep clues from all five Witch-Haunted Woods during Act 1. Oh, and there’s one thing bothering me. If the Quiet Glade is removed from the setup instructions, why are we still running five locations instead of four?

Board State Reminder: 6 health, 6 sanity, 1 resources, 4 clues, 23 cards in the encounter deck

In Play: 2× Sled Dog, Flashlight (1 supply)

In Hand: Calling in Favors, Perception, Mauser C96, 2× Sled Dog, Take the Initiative

#4

• Mythos: 3/8 doom, Vice and Villainy (to Flashlight)
• INVESTIGATE (-1, 1 clue)
• MOVE to Witch Tree
• INVESTIGATE with Flashlight (no supplies left, commit Perception, 0, draw Lone Wolf, 1 clue)
• Upkeep: draw Lone Wolf, 2 resources total.

#5

• Mythos: 4/8 doom, Despoiled
• MOVE to Hermit's House
• PLAY Lone Wolf
• Despoiled (0, discard Despoiled)
• Upkeep: draw Intel Report, 2 resources total.

#6

• Mythos: 5/8 doom, Unhallowed Land (-2, 1 horror to both Sled Dogs, 1 horror)
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Sled Dog
• DRAW Emergency Cache
• PLAY Emergency Cache
• PLAY Intel Report ( 2 clues, × Hermit's House, discard Calling in Favors & Take the Initiative)
• Upkeep: draw Intel Report, 1 resource total
• advance act 1a→2a (move to Great Willow, Goat Spawn, -3, Witch Hauntings).

I like all the new encounter cards we’ve seen so far. The Hexes have this balance of being a hindrance, but not too harsh so removing them doesn’t become an absolute priority. Centuries of Secrets does make more sense as a horror-dealing encounter. Of course, it is going to decimate our allies. Leo is the worst investigator to deal with that encounter card. Anyways, it seems we’re going to make short work of the scenario.

Board State Reminder: 6 health, 5 sanity, 1 resource, 6 clues, 16 cards in the encounter deck

In Play: Sled Dog (1 horror), Sled Dog (1 horror), Sled Dog, Flashlight (with Vice and Villainy), Lone Wolf

In Hand: Lone Wolf, Sled Dog, Mauser C96, Intel Report

#7

• Mythos: 6/8 doom, Coven Initiate
• Lone Wolf
• PLAY Sled Dog
• FIGHT with three Sled Dogs (-1, defeat Goat Spawn, × 1 horror)
• FIGHT with Sled Dog (, 1 damage to Coven Initiate)
• FIGHT (-1, defeat Coven Initiate)
• Upkeep: draw Daring, 1 resource total.

#8

• Mythos: 7/8 doom, Impending Evils (1 damage & 1 horror to Sled Dog)
• Lone Wolf
• advance act 2a→3a (Paths into Twilight)
• advance act 3a→4a (Anette Mason at Witches' Circle, A Circle Unbroken & A Circle Unbroken)
• MOVE to The Lonely Tree
• MOVE to Witches' Circle
• FIGHT with four Sled Dog (-1, defeat Anette Mason)
• R1.

Done. I was in the position to wait around for another Witch to enable the new resolution, but that isn’t how Leo rolls. Especially considering his basic weakness. In either case, dispatching Anette in one attack and before Agenda 2 is remarkable. It remains to be seen whether Sled Dogs are consistent over the course of the campaign. Back to the new resolution, I’m hesitant about making the Witches narratively equivalent to the Lodge. Because that’s what getting “Erynn wants to meet” does, doesn’t it? It has to be a prelude making an alliance with the Witches possible.

Campaign Log:

Disappearance at the Twilight Estate: Gavriella disappeared into the mist. 3 pieces of evidence were left behind.

The Witching Hour: Leo has rejected his fate. The witches’ spell was broken. 8 XP, Mementos: Mesmerizing Flute & Ritual Components.