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Chaosium Digest Volume 25 Number 10
Chaosium Digest Volume 25, Number 10
Date: Sunday, May 10, 1998
Number: 3 of 3
Contents:
Adventuring in Arkham (Guy Hail) MYTHOS
--------------------
From: GRHail@aol.com
Subject: Adventuring in Arkham
System: Mythos
Adventuring in Arkham
in the Mythos Collectable Card Game
with the assistance of the
infinitely-knowledgeable & gracious Jeremy York
Arkham is one of the fictional cities of H P Lovecraft's New
England. Unlike decript Innsmouth, it is a modern, bustling city of
commerce and education. Like Innsmouth, it has dark secrets in its
past that have lived on into the present. For me, Arkham is the most
attractive, most Lovecraftian city of Mythos to center a deck
around. Innsmouth, while suitably evocative of Lovecraftian horrors,
has too many Allies who cost Sanity, and in Innsmouth there is no
Sanitarium to which the Investigator may repair--not a surprise in a
town inhabitated by Deep Ones.
Many Mythos cards within the Arkham subregion are named for famous
characters and places in Lovecraft's fiction. Who has not wanted to
adventure with Laban Shrewsbury, the blind anthropologist and explorer
who authored a tome about the sunken city of R'lyeh? Who has not
wanted to put an end to the grave-robbing of Herbert West and to the
depredations of his risen-again Zombies? Who has not felt sympathy for
Asenath Waite Derby, moldering in an unnatural grave, or for Edward
Derby who lost his wife, his sanity, and his life to sorcery? Who
could resist attending Miskatonic University and reading the
Necronomicon before Wilbur Whately stole it? Or arriving at the
library in the wee hours with Henry Armitage to find Wilbur ripped to
shreds by the Faithful Hounds that guard the campus?
In Mythos, the Arkham subregion offers the greatest number of
Locations and Allies. Because of this there are no Locations that
feature all the useful attributes: Artifact, Gate, Tome. When you play
an Arkham adventure, you won't be able to play card after card while
remaining in one Location.
A glance at the list of Allies shows that the Allies of Arkham have
most of the attributes available, and the Allies findable in any
Locations add several more attributes. These Allies know almost every
language. Arkham has the most Police Detectives and Private
Investigators to protect against both the Limited Edition and New AEon
edition of Police Investigation. The Detectives are all three points
in value and can be buried when an artifact or tome is lost. The
single strongest Ally card, Albert Shiny, may be played in Arkham,
though his true subregion is any city.
Because it is a city, few Great Old Ones & Outer Gods may be played in
Arkham. Those that may are Ithaqua, the best Great Old One or Outer
God to play from an Arkham-only deck, because while travelling within
Arkham you cannot be affected by its powers; Nyarlathotep,
unfortunately a rare card; and Rhan-Tegoth, the Great Old One of
choice for a theme deck based on Arkham's many cemeteries.
Arkham has only one wife--an attribute required for The Heroic Rescue
and The Unspeakable Oath. Its only Corrupt Cultist is also a Ally From
the Past. Playing an adventure in Arkham that requires a Corrupt
Cultist should include Hitch a Ride, Train or Surprise Meeting to play
a cultist from another sub-region, probably Providence or
Boston. Arkham has no Church, but the easily-playable Samuel Winsor
may create one. There is no entry to N'kai from Arkham.
Adventures that may be played entirely within Arkham are
Arkham Horror
The Curious Parcel
The Expedition
The Great Epidemic
The Great Menagerie
A Heroic Rescue
The Interesting Shop
Knee-Deep in Doom
On the Edge
The Outsider
The Secret of Power & Glory is Yours!
Seeking Everlasting Life 1
Seeking Everlasting Life 2
To play The Expedition use Tramp Steamer to travel from a Miskatonic
University Location to Hangman's Hill. To play A Heroic Rescue is
difficult because Asenath Waite Derby is the only wife in Arkham, and
Arkham's Corrupt Cultist is also an Ally From the Past. Use of
Arkham's subway (Train) will permit play of a wife or cultist card
from another sub-region and shake the Serial Killer stalking you. The
Outsider also needs a cultist. The Secret of Power & Glory is Yours!
requires an Ally who costs Sanity. Arkham has three, all unique: the
two Allies from the past and Asenath Waite Derby.
Adventures that can use Arkham Locations are
The Auction
The Birds & the Byhakees
The Cruise
A Day in the Life of a Miskatonic Student
The Dunwich Horror
Even Stranger Case of Charles Fort
Make Money Fast!
Make Them Pay!
A Midsummer Night's Dream
One of the Circle
Out of My Mind
Perchance...
Questionable Judgement
The Royal Geographic Society
Searching for Laban Shrewsbury
The Strange Case of Charles Fort
The Temple
Your First Big Story!
Perchance... is better as a Dreamlands-only adventure. Searching for
Laban Shrewsbury could be played entirely in Arkham but for the Old
Congregational Church in Kingsport.
** GHOULISH ARKHAM DECK
No special tricks here. Most of the cards are from the Limited
Edition, but this deck draws upon cards in all editions. The deck
contains 58 cards and its adventures total +23 / +9. Fifty-six is the
maximum number of cards I like to have in a deck, so for fast play or
tournament play, some cards should be trimmed.
Most cards in this deck fulfill adventure requirements. That kind of
deck can be boring to play, but this deck includes cards that affect
opponents in various ways (Azathoth & Others, Typhoid, High Noon,
Downpour, and the spells); cards that have unusual but useful powers
(Herbert West, Richard Upton Pickman); and a Great Old One. Try to
play the Great Old One immediately after completing an adventure (or
going to a Sanitarium) and before one's opponents do the same. There
is nothing like the look of frustration on an opponent's face when you
play a Great Old One while he's walking to a Sanitarium.
This isn't a tournament deck, but I believe it could be tuned to
become one by dropping a few of the extra cards such as Rhan-Tegoth
and adding two Trains to defeat Serial Killer.
THE GREAT EPIDEMIC
+9 / +4
17 cards; 17 total.
Named Cards
Typhoid Epidemic x2
Herbert West unique
Zombie x3
Two Doctors
Dr Allen Halsey x2
Two and only two, although Carl Jung or a third copy of Allen Halsey
may be added to his deck if your opponent prefer to discard Allies
by Spells or Nightgaunts. The Great Epidemic doesn't require two
different doctors, merely two doctors, so two copies of the same
card can fulfill the adventure requirements. The Great Epidemic does
require one doctor be buried in your Story Deck.
Three Days
High Noon
Dawn of a New Day x2
Dawn of the Solstice
Unexpected Eclipse
This many days will prevent the Television card from New AEon from
affecting this deck for more than a turn or two. The two dawn-day
cards increase Sanity. High Noon causes corrupt Allies with weapons to
be filled face-down. Unexpected Eclipse is an all-purpose cure for
phobias, Serial Killer, etc. Dawn of a New Day is also a quick way to
move your Zombie to your Story Deck. In the unlikely event you have a
Zombie in play as an Ally, remember that its special effect box
doesn't apply when it's an Ally. Dawn of a New Day will not bury a
Zombie Ally.
Night
Waxing Moon x2
Sanitarium
Arkham Sanitarium unique
ARKHAM HORROR
+8 / +3
21 cards; 38 total
Named Cards
Downpour x2
Samuel Winsor x2
Faithful Hounds x2
Miskatonic University Commons x2
Arkham Gazette x2
After playing Downpour, play one of the day or night cards required
for the Great Epidemic to bury it as quickly as possible. Downpour
interferes with city travel.
Business
Arkham Mystical Supply
*Arkham Gazette
The card titles marked with an asterisk were necessary to fulfill
previous adventure requirements. Do not add additional copies. The
second copy of Arkham Gazette may be used to fulfill the Business
requirement for this adventure. The deck needed more artifact
Locations, so I added Arkham Mystical Supply.
Two Monsters
Ghouls x3
Two Steadfast Allies
Edward Pickman Derby
Raymond Legrasse
*Dr Allen Halsey
Raymond Legrasse prevents Police Investigation from being played upon
you and can be buried in place of an Artifact or Tome. Derby was
chosen because his card doesn't see much use. His wife and his poetry
collection are also included in this deck. The card titles marked with
an asterisk were necessary to fulfill previous adventure
requirements. Do not add additional copies.
House
197 E. Pickman St x2
This Location is a multiuse gate, useful for playing Zombies until one
is buried in your Story Deck.
Weapon
-32 Revolver x2
*Faithful Hounds
The second copy of Faithful Hounds can be used to fulfill this
requirement, but I added .32 Revolver because it provides +1 Sanity
when played. The card titles marked with an asterisk were necessary to
fulfill previous adventure requirements. Do not add additional copies.
Station
Boston & Maine Train Station x2
THE SECRET OF POWER & GLORY IS YOURS!
+6 / +2
8 cards; 46 total.
Five Different Gate Locations
Golden Eye Society
Hangman's Hill
Old Arkham Cemetery x2
*197 E. Pickman St.
*Arkham Mystical Supply
*Boston & Maine Train Station
*Miskatonic University Commons
Hangman's Hill or Old Arkham Cemetery are the Locations where Ghouls
may be played as Allies when Richard Upton Pickman is in play or where
Rhan-Tegoth may be played when Waxing Moon is in play. The card titles
marked with an asterick were necessary to fulfill previous adventure
requirements. Do not add additional copies.
Tome With the Eye Icon
Azathoth & Others
Necronomicon (Latin)
One of these is easy to play, the other more difficult. Azathoth &
Others prevents play of Unexpected Calamity. It's Edward Pickman
Derby's collection of poems. Once I chose Edward as a Steadfast Ally,
I felt obligated to include his book. The Necronomicon is translatable
by Dr. Halsey and Samuel Winsor.
Ally That Costs Sanity
Asenath Waite Derby unique
She can also know one spell, if your Tomes seem to be permanently on
the bottom of your Mythos deck.
Extra Cards
10 cards; Total 58
Richard Upton Pickman
Arkham Historical Society x2
Arkham Police Department
Christchurch Cemetery x2
Rhan-Tegoth
Create Statsis (Azathoth & Others)
Curse of the Rat-Thing (Azathoth & Others)
Blasphemous Obeisance (Necronomicon)
Consume Likeness (Necronomicon)
Remortification (Necronomicon)
This Richard Upton Pickman is the Dreamlands version, playable only at
a cemetery Location. When Richard Upton Pickman is in play, Ghouls may
be played as Allies at cemetery-gate Locations. Rhan-Tegoth is
included because it's powerful. It's special effect keeps Allies in
play when they should be buried or discarded. This interfers with play
of The Great Epidemic, but it's a Great Old One, so this drawback is
offset by your opponents inability to can gain Sanity while it is in
play. Don't play Rhan-Tegoth until after play of The Great Epidemic.
The spells were chosen to fill the Tomes required for The Secret of Power &
Glory is Yours! Change them as necessary.
The Arkham Historical Society is another Location that increases
Sanity. The Police Department is an artifact Location that also
reduces the value of threats directed at you. Christchurch Cemetery
(if you have one, it's a rare) removes phobias and is also a +1.
Two Spells counter an opponent's threat: Create Stasis by causing one
Monster in the threat to be held over until the next Round;
Blasphemous Obeisance returns one card in a directed threat to the
owner's hand. When you have many Allies are in play, whether true
Allies or Ghouls, Remortification, which causes any Allies buried by a
threat to attack before being buried, makes opponents think twice
about aiming their threats at you. If a Ghoul as an Ally but need one
of the human Allies in play, cast Consume Likeness upon it. The Ghoul
will be buried and the Ally returned to play.
** CARD LISTS
ARKHAM ALLIES
For a fuller list of Allies, including all those found elsewhere, see
my Allies page.
Albert N. Wilmarth
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Miskatonic University Professor
English Greek Latin
Albert Shiny
Limited Editon Starter
Corrupt Friend
English
Arthur Munroe
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Reporter
English
Asenath Waite Derby
Limited Editon Starter
Corrupt Wife & Living Dead
English
Arkham's only wife is unfortunately unique. Her special ability of
instant play following the burial of Ephraim Waite can rarely be
used because Ephraim is both an Innsmouth Ally and an Ally from the
Past.
Brown Jenkin
Legends of the Necronomicon
Corrupt Cultist
All Languages
Arkham's best Corrupt Cultist is almost impossible to get into
play. Brown Jenkin is the witch Keziah Mason's familiar. It can be
played only with Keziah Mason, an Ally from the Past. It's unlikely
that Keziah & Brown can be used for a tournament deck, but in
friendly play the two make a surprise play and powerful Allies.
Captain of the White Ship, The
Dreamlands
Steadfast Dreamer & Seaman
English
Arkham has many Water Locations. Unless Drought is in play, the
Captain can dock his ship in Arkham.
Dr. Allen Halsey
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Steadfast Doctor & Miskatonic University Scholar
English Latin
Dr. Carl Jung
New Aeon
Steadfast Doctor
German
An unlikely Ally, Jung may be played only with Hitch a Ride, Train
or Surprise Meeting or at Arkham's only Sanitarium.
Edward Pickman Derby
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Poet
English
Alas, the poet attribute isn't used by any adventure. Asenanth &
Edward can be used in good Create-Your-Own-Adventure adventures.
Ettienne-Laurent de Marigny
Dreamlands
Steadfast Explorer & Dreamer
English French Greek
George Birch
Limited Editon Starter
Corrupt Undertaker
English
George, the corrupt Richard Upton Pickman, a fistful of Ghouls and
Arkham's many cemeteries suggest a deck with a death & burial theme.
Harvey Walters
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Reporter
English
Henry Armitage
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Steadfast Miskatonic University Professor
English French German Greek Latin
Herbert West
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Corrupt Miskatonic University Student
English
K.J. Hooper
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Private Eye
English
Keziah Mason
Legends of the Necronomicon
Corrupt Cultist
English
Arkham's Corrupt Cultist, the hanged witch Keziah Mason, is also an
Ally From the Past. Seeking Everlasting Life 1 requires a Corrupt
Ally. Seeking Everlasting Life 2 requires an Ally From the
Past. Playing Keziah Mason and Brown Jenkin solves both problems,
but the resurrection of the Cultist from the Past required by
Seeking Everlasting Life 2 must be performed after the play of the
previous adventure. That is, if you use Resurrection & the Grecian
Lekythos to play Keziah Mason, then on a later turn play The
Interesting Shop or any other Adventure, play of the adventure
cancels the resurrection for purposes of fulfilling adventures.
However, Seeking Everlasting Life 2 requires only that the Cultist
from the Past be Resurrected, not resurrected from the
past. Therefore, play Seeking Everlasting Life 1 counting Keziah
Mason as the Corrupt Ally. Then bury her by making her a defending
Ally or casting one of the many spells that might bury her. Cast
Resurrection re-playing her from your Story Deck. This resurrection
will count for Seeking Everlasting Life 2, provided you play no
other adventure prior to playing Seeking Everlasting Life 2. Because
there are two Cultists from the past in Arkham, resurrect Keziah
Mason as the Corrupt Ally for Seeking Everlasting Life 1, then later
resurrect Brown Jenkin for the Ally from the Past for Seeking
Everlasting Life 2.
Laban Shrewsbury
Mythos Standard Game Set Steadfast
Steadfast Explorer
English Atlantean
Lin Carter
Dreamlands
Steadfast Author & Dreamer
English Atlantean
Luther Harden
Mythos Standard Game Set Steadfast
Steadfast Police Detective
English
Nathaniel Wingate Peaslee
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Steadfast Miskatonic University Professor
English Atlantean Glyphs
Nikola Tesla
New Aeon
Steadfast Inventor and Scientist
English German
Professor Wingate Peaslee
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Steadfast Miskatonic University Professor
English Chinese Latin
Randolph Carter
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Dreamer
English French
Ray Stuckey
Mythos Standard Game Set Corrupt
Corrupt Police Detective
English
Raymond Legrasse
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Police Detective
English French
Richard Upton Pickman
Dreamlands
Corrupt Friend
English
Robert W. Chambers
Cthulhu Rising
Steadfast Author & Artist
English French
Samuel Winsor
Mythos Standard Game Set Steadfast
Steadfast Priest
English Latin
Winsor provides a method of creating a Church in Arkham. So does the
Tiara of Opulent Fantasy, but you must trust your opponents to help
you out.
William Channing Webb
Cthulhu Rising
Steadfast Professor
English Glyphs
Zadok Allen
Limited Editon Starter
Steadfast Bum
No Languages
Zadok is the only Arkham Ally that increases an Investigator's
maximum. Combine him with Squire Whateley and Ammi Pierce in an
Arkham-Miskatonic deck to increase your Investigator's maximum by
three.
Arkham Locations
197 E. Pickman Street
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Water
Artifact City Gate House
This is the only multi-use gate in Arkham. A most useful site for a
Knee-Deep in Doom deck. This multi-use gate requires additional
Sanity expenditure to use, making it easier to use than those that
require a Star but also more costly to use.
Arkham Advertiser, The
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Water
City Press
The Arkham Gazette, below, features all the attributes of this
Location and adds the Business (necessary for Arkham Horror, Make
Them Pay, Outside and Unspeakable Oath adventures) and Tome
attributes. Unless you're expecting to suffer from Bibliophobia, the
Arkham Gazette should be prefered to this Location.
Arkham Gazette
Mythos Standard Game Set Steadfast
Inside Water
City Business Press Tome
Arkham Historical Society
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Water
City Museum Society Tome
One of the most valuable Arkham Locations. When I build my decks I
try to minimize the use of Sanitariums. They're obvious targets. The
best ones exchange one turn for the Sanity boost. I think it's
better to have several Locations that add Sanity as this one does,
provided those Location also supply an attribute necessary for the
completion of an adventures. This Location does.
Arkham Mystical Supply
Mythos Standard Game Set Corrupt
Inside Water
Artifact Business City Gate
Arkham Police Department
Mythos Standard Game Set Steadfast
Inside Water
Artifact Business City
The Arkham Location you always want as your Current Location. All
directed threats attacking you have their value reduced by one.
Arkham Rare Books & Maps
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Water
City Business Tome
Arkham Sanitarium
Limited Editon Starter
Forest Inside Water
City Sanitarium
The only Sanitarium in Arkham is designed not to complement a
Knee-Deep in Doom deck. Upon gaining six Sanity for treatment, the
price is the discard of the top card of the player's Mythos Deck,
following an attack should that top card be a Monster.
Boston & Maine Train Station
Mythos Standard Game Set Unmarked
Outside Forest Water
City Gate Station Tome
The Mythos Standard Game Set introduced the Station attribute, which
improved the utility of Trains by allowing a Station to be played
immediately after a Train card instead of waiting until another
Turn. This Station also has two additional useful attributes.
Chapman Farmhouse
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Forest Water
City House Tome
Christchurch Cemetery
Limited Editon Starter
Forest Water Outside Cemetery
City
Another +1 Sanity Location, it also buries a phobia. It should be
included in every Arkham-only deck.
Crowninshield House
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Water
City Gate House Tome
Golden Eye Society
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Forest Water
Artifact City Gate Society
The text of this card's special effect box isn't a mistake. No Tomes
may be played here.
Hangman's Hill
Limited Editon Starter
Water Forest Outside Cemetery
City Gate Site
Home of Laban Shrewsbury
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Water
Artifact City House
Lowell Street Cafe, The
Limited Editon Starter
Forest Inside Water
City Business
Miskatonic University Commons
Mythos Standard Game Set Steadfast
Water Forest Outside
City Gate University
Miskatonic University Medical School
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Forest Inside Water
City Gate University
Miskatonic University Memorial Hall
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Forest Inside Water
City University
Another +1 Sanity Location.
Miskatonic University Orne Library
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Forest Inside Water
City Library UniversityTome
Miskatonic University Science Annex
Expeditions of Miskatonic University
Forest Inside Water
Artifact City University
Old Arkham Cemetery
Limited Editon Starter
Water Forest Outside Cemetery
City Gate
Potter's Field
Limited Editon Starter
Cemetery Forest Water Outside
City
This card is in all ways but one identical to Old Arkham
Cemetery. There is no reason to play this card.
Unnameable House, The
Limited Editon Starter
Inside Forest Water
Gate House
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