Friday, September 2, 2011

Scenario Fourteen

The Endless Shadow 

Mandy killed the chaos, again and again, but it was always a mask. Nothing real was ever underneath, and it laughed at her vain attempts. She wandered the city, seeking it, but the people she saw there were also hollow. Their faces melted together, bodies tearing apart and rejoining as they breathed, sometimes joining together as two people made a singular abomination, burbling skin, wheezing, hissing, sluggishly swirling, decaying teeth emerging from eyes emerging from nostrils, mouths vomiting fountains of blood, ears rotting on bodies covered with swelling sores of pus covered with swelling sores of pus covered with swelling sores of... Boiling out like bubbles bubbling on bubbles from their bodies, liquefying in cancerous growth and decay. The great buildings, towers of iron, twisted above, crushing their inhabitants, their windows ran red, death shrieks filled the swirling metal that melted and danced in the streets. Melted and danced. The molten city rained down on its inhabitants who screamed as they melted and danced. Melted and danced!

“Iä! Iä!” Mandy shrieked and woke.

Luke stared at her. “The Crawling Chaos is whispering to you. I heard it and came. It seeks to break us before the time of its power comes. We must not let it. Lily and I will help teach you how to defend your dreams. If this continues, one day you will wake up insane or its slave. Perhaps both.”

“You need to teach the others too.”

“Assuredly. It desires you first, for it knows you are the greatest threat, but attacks on the others are sure to follow...”

“Shall you teach us in the morning, or now?”

“Now. Soon. Perhaps both. Regardless, you must stay awake now, it is already past noon.”

“But it’s pitch black outside!”

“Yes, I’m afraid so… Have you also heard the creature giggling and fluttering its wings? Wings? It wears so many faces it is hard to see it well… Some of its faces have wings and can fly away from their bodies. We shall meet again soon, but now I must return to my dreams.. Here or there. It does not matter.”

***

Monterey Jack found no satisfaction. His face had frozen in an snarling rage. The Lodge had used his father. Used him and killed him. And they took pride in their work. They might as well have stuffed his head and mounted in on their damnable trophy wall. He had shattered their bones and spilled their blood. But he wanted more. He wanted them all dead. Saving the world could come second to vengeance. Pausing to reflect on the insane adventure he had found himself in, he speculated if his father’s artifacts would be the same on this world, or different.

And then he smiled through his hate. A cold satisfaction danced in his eyes. An infinity of worlds could mean infinite vengeance, but it was something. Something to replace the emptiness that had filled his life when the trail went cold. Something to fill his heart with joy when the cultists were all dead. There would be more, more to break, and burn, and kill! It was hot again, and this thing— this thing hinted at in the shadows of his research— it was no mere myth. Nyarlathotep was a living God that he might— must— somehow destroy. He was the one. The really responsible one. All the others. The manipulators. The murderers. They were just puppets. Shadows of their master. But he’d have revenge no matter how many times he’d have to die for it. They all would pay for taking away his father’s life… And in so many worlds… How many horrible deaths? Oh God…

Where was that stinky bum? He was only good for three things, fighting, rooting through garbage, and drinking. His booze was awful, but booze is booze, and Jack wanted to get stinking drunk. There’d be time for the rest later.

Jack looked forward to torching the Lodge again. He’d giggle at their screams. But not yet. Not before they were ready to leave again. And then he’d do it again. And again. And again. Where was that damn bum?


Custom components can be found here:
http://s622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/avi_dreader/Additional%20Components%20for%20the%20Fan%20Creation%20League/


Ancient One: Nyarlathotep
Heralds: The Bloated Woman, Haunter of the Dark
Required Investigators: Luke Robinson, Lily Chen


Special Rules:

The environment The Blackest Night never leaves play— if another environment is drawn, discard it after all its non-environmental effects.

The Bloated Woman is a fast stalker with magical and physical resistance.

A cursed investigator who defeats Haunter of the Dark may draw an exhibit item by passing a lore +0 check.

If an endless monster would go to the outskirts, put it in The South Church instead. They are not counted against the monster limit.

Barred investigators can still enter Arkham Asylum and Saint Mary's Hospital.

When final battle begins all investigators are cursed. Join Me causes the first player to be devoured and all other investigators to discard two clues instead of its normal effect. If Nyarlathotep is defeated, the first player rolls a die, on a failure, the ancient one is Azathoth, on a success, all investigators discard down to one clue and the second Ancient One is Nyarlathotep again (do not curse all investigators again or reshuffle the Epic Battle deck).



Clarifications: Haunter of the Dark and The Bloated Woman can only be removed from the board by combat checks.  If the placement of clues causes clues to be removed, The Bloated Woman returns to play.


NOTE: if you are using Revised Curse of the Dark Pharoah, make or use copies of the Barred from Neighborhood cards.


http://www.arkhamhorrorwiki.com/Barred_from_Neighborhood