Arkham Horror: The Card Game – Devil Reef: Mythos Pack

Expansion for Arkham Horror: The Card Game Expansion for Arkham Horror: The Card Game – The Innsmouth Conspiracy: Expansion Expansion for Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Core Set)

Arkham Horror: The Card Game – Devil Reef: Mythos Pack Rulebook

Table of Contents

Scenario IV: Devil Reef

Friday, September 2, 1927 Three weeks earlier

Intro 1

The rumbling of the boat's engine startles you from your thoughts. "Yeh all right there?" the ship's captain growls. "Yeh look like ye've seen a ghost. Pale as a sheet, yeh are."

You turn and face the grizzled old man. Mr. Moore was the only ship captain you could find in Innsmouth who was unafflicted by whatever curse or deformity has gripped most of the town. His apparent humanity, however, has done nothing to spare his broken teeth, crooked jaw, or the massive scar torn down his right cheek. Still, he is a welcome sight, considering the way the rest of your investigation has gone.

"Can't believe you want to head to that accurs'd Devil Reef," he exclaims, shaking his head. "It's a fool's errand."

You point out that the sailor was happy enough to provide passage after you showed him his payment, earning a raspy chuckle out of him.

"Yeh got me there," he admits. "Now get ready. We set off in ten." He stumbles from the main deck into the bridge to chart a course while you prepare for the journey ahead.

Check Campaign Log.

If the mission was successful, proceed to Intro 2.
If the mission failed, skip to Intro 3.

Intro 2

Agent Dawson boards the ship at last. He sports a heavy overcoat and carries a shotgun slung over his shoulder. "Agent Harper had a cache with some extra firepower," he explains, "I figured, given the rumors, it couldn't hurt."

You know what rumors Dawson refers to: Devil Reef is supposedly haunted, or perhaps infested, with some manner of devilish sea creature. The sailors of Innsmouth speak of silhouettes crawling in and out of caves along the reef's many islands, of strangely misshapen fins sighted along the surface of the sea, and of entire boats crashing against the jagged rocks and vanishing beneath the waves.

"All of our research has led to this. Whatever is going on in this town, the Esoteric Order of Dagon and this 'Devil Reef' are at the heart of it. Agent Harper suspects these rumors were spread by the Order to keep sailors away from the reef. If that's true, there must be something the Order is hiding."

You ask where Harper is, and Dawson shoots you a hard glance. "She has her mission. We have ours." You remind Dawson that you've already accomplished the mission you were hired to perform, which yields a smirk from the hardened vet. "True. And yet here you are."

He has a point. You could have left right after Harper was rescued, but you stayed to assist with their investigation. Perhaps out of a sense of duty, or perhaps curiosity. Whatever it was, you're here now, and there's no going back.

Skip to Setup.

Intro 3

Agent Dawson boards the ship at last. Heavy bags hang under his weary eyes. "All of our leads are cold," he says with resignation. "Wherever Agent Harper is now, she's beyond our reach."

You attempt to console Dawson by reminding him why you've chosen to investigate Devil Reef. The rumors say it is haunted, or perhaps infested, with some manner of devilish sea creature. The sailors of Innsmouth speak of silhouettes crawling in and out of caves along the reef's many islands, of strangely misshapen fins sighted along the surface of the sea, and of entire boats crashing against the jagged rocks and vanishing beneath the waves.

"You're right," Dawson admits with a sigh. "Whatever happened to Agent Harper, it has something to do with the Esoteric Order of Dagon. That book that was slipped under your hotel room door is evidence enough of that. And if my hypothesis is right, the ones who have been spreading these rumors about Devil Reef are none other than the Order themselves. If that's true, there must be something they're hiding."

You nod and begin preparing for the mission. Agent Dawson gazes at you inquisitively the entire time. "Why did you stay?" he finally asks. "You could have left Innsmouth after we failed to rescue Agent Harper, but you chose to stick around. Why?"

Truth be told, you aren't sure. Perhaps it was a sense of duty. Perhaps it was curiosity. You shrug and tell him that it doesn't matter. You're here now, and there's no going back. Your admission earns you a smile from the hardened vet.

"Right. Let's go find what they're hiding," he says.

Proceed to Setup.

Investigator Setup

Perform this step before setting up your investigator.

Search each investigator's deck for Elina Harper and remove her from the game for the duration of this scenario.
Check Campaign Log. If the mission was successful, search the collection for Thomas Dawson and add him to any investigator's opening hand, as an additional card. If the mission failed, shuffle him into that investigator's deck for the duration of this scenario.

Scenario Setup

Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: Devil Reef, Agents of Hydra, Creatures of the Deep, Flooded Caverns, Malfunction, and Rising Tide. These sets are indicated by the following icons: [six encounter set icons printed in a row; the icons are pictures and are not mapped to individual sets in this transcription].
Set each key aside, as follows:
- Set the purple, white, and black keys aside, faceup.
- Set the yellow, green, red, and blue keys aside, facedown. Shuffle them so you do not know which is which.
Put the Churning Waters location into play. (It enters play fully flooded.)
- Put the Fishing Vessel story asset into play at Churning Waters.
- Each investigator begins play in the Fishing Vessel (see Vehicles, below).
Set the following story assets aside, out of play: Awakened Mantle, Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei, and Waveworn Idol.
Shuffle the 5 Devil Reef locations and put each of them into play, unrevealed side faceup (see location placement on next page).
- Do not place them adjacent to Churning Waters—these locations are connected not via adjacency, but via their connection symbols.
Prepare the Unfathomable Depths by performing the following steps:
- First, remove 1 of each of the following locations from the game without looking at them: Cyclopean Ruins, Deep One Grotto, and Temple of the Union. Each of these locations is the revealed side of an Unfathomable Depths location.
- Set the remaining 3 Unfathomable Depths locations aside, out of play.
Shuffle the 8 Tidal Tunnel locations to form the Tidal Tunnels deck.
- Each of the cards in the Tidal Tunnels deck should have its unrevealed side faceup so that only the "Tidal Tunnel" side is showing.

Location Adjacency in Devil Reef

During this scenario, Island and Cave locations are arranged in a set pattern, with new locations from the Tidal Tunnels deck emerging, below, to the left, or to the right of some Island locations. However, Island locations and Churning Waters are not adjacent to one another, and are instead connected through connection icons as normal.

During this scenario, adjacent locations are considered to be connected to one another.
A location that is put into play adjacent to another location should be set next to that location, with no other locations between them.
Locations are only adjacent orthogonally (left, right, above, or below); they are not adjacent diagonally.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setups or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -3, -4, skull, skull, cultist, cultist, tablet, tablet, elder thing, elder thing, two tokens printed with an icon that could not be identified at scan resolution [unidentified chaos token icon], and elder sign.
The mission failed.
A battle with a horrifying devil is not listed under Memories Recovered.

Vehicles

An asset with the vehicle keyword represents a vehicle that the investigators may enter or leave. An asset with this keyword is called a vehicle, and follows these rules:

While an investigator's mini-card is placed overlapping a vehicle, that investigator is in that vehicle. While an investigator's mini-card is placed overlapping their location, that investigator is instead not in a vehicle (even if they are at the same location as a vehicle).
- As a fast ability, an investigator may enter or leave a vehicle at their location. Move that investigator's mini-card onto the vehicle or off of the vehicle and onto their location to indicate their new position. Each investigator may perform this ability only once each round.
- An investigator who is in a vehicle is also at that vehicle's location.
- While an investigator is in a vehicle, that investigator cannot move independently of the vehicle.
Vehicles generally have one or more abilities that allow them to move to a connecting location. As a vehicle moves from one location to another, all investigators in the vehicle also move with the vehicle.
Vehicles do not alter enemy movement or enemy engagement in any way unless otherwise noted.

Suggested Location Placement

Note: Be sure to leave some space between Churning Waters and each Island location, to show that they are not adjacent, but rather, connected through their connection icons.

The printed diagram shows Churning Waters at the center, with the Fishing Vessel placed on it, and five Devil Reef locations placed around it, with space left between each Island location and Churning Waters.

Keys

During this scenario, keys represent the following:

Red / Blue / Green / Yellow: Various devices used to gain entrance into the deeper parts of Devil Reef.
Purple: A strange idol.
Black: A mystical headdress.
White: An unholy mantle.

Flashbacks

Flashback IX

Do not read unless you are instructed.

As you wade through the flooded cavern, your foot strikes something hard and metallic. The water is too dark and murky for you to see what lies beneath the surface. Holding your breath, you dive into the water and grope around for the object. Eventually, your hands wrap around something smooth and heavy. You drag it up to the surface and heave it onto an outcropping of rock.

It is a statue depicting some kind of entity—or perhaps a deity—although it is unlike any religious figure you have ever seen. The sight of its uncanny spined tendrils and its sole glaring eye of translucent crystal makes your skin crawl. And yet, it also calls to you, like the sound of ocean waves crashing on the shore on a foggy, overcast day...

In your Campaign Log, under "Memories Recovered," record discovery of a strange idol.

Take control of both the purple key and the set-aside Waveworn Idol story asset. Place the purple key on the Waveworn Idol. (It is still under that investigator's control.) For the remainder of the game, whoever takes control of the purple key takes control of the Waveworn Idol, as well. If the purple key is placed on another card, place the Waveworn Idol near that card, uncontrolled. If the purple key leaves play, remove the Waveworn Idol from the game.

Flashback X

Do not read unless you are instructed.

You swim through an array of vast undersea halls until at last you come to a circle of pillars. Inside this submerged henge stands an altar covered in an ornate cloth. It is embroidered with rich threads of gold and inlaid with cerulean opals. Despite being immersed in water, the fabric appears perfectly preserved. Wondering what such an object is doing deep in this underwater cavern, you decide to take it with you.

The moment you emerge from the depths and onto dry stone, you realize with amazement that the cloth is perfectly dry. Turning it over in your hands, you find a clasp of gold and realize it is not simply shapeless cloth, but a mantle—perhaps even part of a greater outfit. When you don the strange cloak, its gemstones pulse with arcane power.

In your Campaign Log, under "Memories Recovered," record discovery of an unholy mantle.

Take control of both the white key and the set-aside Awakened Mantle story asset. Place the white key on the Awakened Mantle. (It is still under that investigator's control.) For the remainder of the game, whoever takes control of the white key takes control of the Awakened Mantle, as well. If the white key is placed on another card, place the Awakened Mantle near that card, uncontrolled. If the white key leaves play, remove the Awakened Mantle from the game.

Flashback XI

Do not read unless you are instructed.

You reach an outcropping of rock overlooking a ceremony of sorts. Horrifying fish-like creatures prostrate themselves in front of two enormous statues: one of onyx, another of white marble. At the precipice of this ridge sits a golden crown sporting a shell-like pattern and three distinct horns. Whatever this artifact is, it is clearly important to these creatures. Summoning your courage, you snatch the artifact and escape while you still can. The relic thrums with power in your hands as you flee.

In your Campaign Log, under "Memories Recovered," record discovery of a mystical relic.

Take control of both the black key and the set-aside Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei story asset. Place the black key on the Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei. (It is still under that investigator's control.) For the remainder of the game, whoever takes control of the black key takes control of the Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei, as well. If the black key is placed on another card, place the Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei near that card, uncontrolled. If the black key leaves play, remove the Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei from the game.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator resigned or was defeated): Proceed to Resolution 1.

Resolution 1

With daylight fading and the tide rising to swallow the various islands off the coast of Innsmouth, you decide to make your way back to the harbor with your discoveries. "Found what yer lookin' for?" Mr. Moore asks once you've made it to the coast safely.

Truth be told, you're not completely sure. What you found was startling. The coves and tidal caverns of Devil Reef were home not just to relics of the Esoteric Order of Dagon, but also to a horde of strange creatures: hybrids between fish, man, and monster. You might have escaped with your life, but the horrors you saw in those caves will stay with you forever. Sharp, jagged teeth—blood-stained altars—unholy prayers—signs of a coming catastrophe—it still haunts you even after your escape.

But is Innsmouth truly safe? Is any land at all?

Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display. Record this experience under "Unspent Experience" in your Campaign Log, but do not spend any of it yet. You will be instructed to spend this experience at a later time.
Find The Terror of Devil Reef.
- If it was agenda 1a when the game ended, or if The Terror of Devil Reef is in play, record in your Campaign Log the Terror of Devil Reef is still alive.
- If The Terror of Devil Reef is in the victory display, record in your Campaign Log the Terror of Devil Reef is dead.
Proceed to Interlude III: Beneath the Waves. Do not move the purple, black, or white key from their current position just yet—the location of each of these keys will be important during Interlude III: Beneath the Waves.

Interlude III: Beneath the Waves

You bounce through your memories, struggling to return to the present. You remember a dark cell. A knife at your throat. A man with wide, unblinking eyes, wearing a long hooded robe. "Oceiros," another voice calls, "these ones were found in Dagon's lair as well. We believe they were the ones snooping around Devil Reef."

Oceiros nods. The knife at your throat digs deeper. "Take what they have stolen to the lighthouse at once," he commands. "It is time to begin our great work. None will disrupt the Order's business ever again."

Your mind snaps back to the present. The rumbling of an automobile engine grows as your senses return. Agent Harper grips your shoulder and peers into your eyes. "Another vision," she utters with a hint of surprise. "Do you remember something? What was it?"

You shake the ache from your pounding skull and ask Harper if the name Oceiros means anything. "Oceiros Marsh? He's the keeper of the old lighthouse on Falcon Point," she replies. "Why? What did you see?"

Depending on which keys were on the current act or controlled by an investigator when Scenario IV: Devil Reef ended, read each of the sections below that apply. Then, proceed to the following text.

If the purple key was on the current act or controlled by an investigator when the scenario ended:

You describe the idol found in the undersea grotto. Agent Harper nods along with you. "I remember seeing something like that in some of the notes I found while you were off investigating the reef. It depicts some kind of ancient deity—something those vile creatures worship." Her voice lowers to little more than a whisper. "Something I suspect is no myth." You ask where the idol is now, and she shakes her head. "I suspect it was taken from you when you were thrown into that pit," she replies.

The conspiracy deepens. Each investigator records 2 additional experience under "Unspent Experience."

Add 1 cultist token to the chaos bag for the remainder of the campaign.

In your Campaign Log, record the idol was brought to the lighthouse. (Do not add the Waveworn Idol story asset to any investigator's deck. It must be recovered first.)

If the white key was on the current act or controlled by an investigator when the scenario ended:

You recall the strange mantle you found submerged in the depths of Devil Reef. "Yes, I remember seeing that," Harper says with a snap of her fingers. "One of the 'priests' in that accursed Esoteric Order of Dagon wore it when I first arrived in Innsmouth. It must have been taken to the lighthouse with the rest of your belongings when you were captured at the Order's headquarters. If we're lucky, it'll still be there..."

The conspiracy deepens. Each investigator records 2 additional experience under "Unspent Experience."

Add 1 tablet token to the chaos bag for the remainder of the campaign.

In your Campaign Log, record the mantle was brought to the lighthouse. (Do not add the Awakened Mantle story asset to any investigator's deck. It must be recovered first.)

If the black key was on the current act or controlled by an investigator when the scenario ended:

You tell Agent Harper about the temple with the two statues you discovered within Devil Reef, and about the crown you stole. "That sounds like the 'Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei' I read about while I was researching the Order. I'm impressed you were able to make off with it. Whatever it is, it sounds pretty important to the Order. Although I still have no clue what 'Y'ha-nthlei' is." You remark that you don't have the crown anymore, and she nods. "It must have been taken from you and brought to the lighthouse with the rest of your things before you lost your memories," she explains.

The conspiracy deepens. Each investigator records 2 additional experience under "Unspent Experience."

Add 1 elder thing token to the chaos bag for the remainder of the campaign.

In your Campaign Log, record the headdress was brought to the lighthouse. (Do not add the Headdress of Y'ha-nthlei story asset to any investigator's deck. It must be recovered first.)

If no keys were on the current act or controlled by an investigator when the scenario ended:

You struggle to remember anything of value beyond your initial exploration of the reef. You recall the uncanny creatures you fought, the various islands you explored, and the steadily rising tides, but no more. Secrets must be hidden in those reefs, but either you were unable to find them, or you simply don't recall. Your head throbs with pain as you struggle to summon memories from the void within your mind. "That's okay," Agent Harper says, placing a hand on your shoulder. "We'll figure this out together."

"It seems your memories are starting to return," Agent Harper says with a tentative grin. "How do you feel?"

You struggle to find a reply that fits. Part of you is relieved to have your memories returning, but the rest of you wishes they hadn't been so vivid. You wonder once more if you should simply take this opportunity to drive back to Arkham and never set foot in Innsmouth again. Then your gaze meets Harper's, and you see the fierce resolve within her eyes. The same resolve that stirs in you.

You say nothing, but she seems to understand. "This must be a lot to take in. For now, let's focus on getting to Falcon Point. If what you say is true, and Oceiros is part of the Esoteric Order of Dagon, there should be answers there." She looks over her shoulder, peering into the western horizon. The sun dips just below the treeline, bathing the sky in deep scarlet. "Something tells me this isn't over."

Return Thomas Dawson to the collection. If an investigator earned Elina Harper (at any point during this campaign), they may add her back to their deck.
With a fragment of your memories returned to you, past events have become clearer. Each investigator may now spend the experience recorded under "Unspent Experience" in your Campaign Log.

Proceed to Scenario V: Horror in High Gear.

To Be Continued... The story continues in the next Mythos Pack of The Innsmouth Conspiracy cycle – Horror in High Gear.