Arkham Horror: The Card Game – The Night's Usurper: Scenario Pack
Arkham Horror: The Card Game – The Night's Usurper: Scenario Pack Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Modes
Guardians of the Abyss consists of two separate scenarios: The Eternal Slumber and The Night's Usurper. These scenarios can be played in one of two ways: as standalone scenarios, or as side-stories inserted into any campaign.
Standalone Mode
When played as a standalone scenario, follow the steps for Standalone Mode on page 19 of the Rules Reference. This booklet is the campaign guide for both The Eternal Slumber and The Night's Usurper. Refer to the section below for additional setup instructions.
When played as standalone scenarios, The Eternal Slumber and The Night's Usurper have only two difficulty modes. Construct the chaos bag with the following tokens:
- Standard: +1, +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, –6, plus three skull tokens, one cultist token, one tablet token, one elder thing token, one token bearing the icon printed as a stylized S with a 2 (the source text layer does not name this icon, so it is not named here), and one elder sign token.
- Hard: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, –4, –5, –7, plus the same eight symbol tokens: three skull tokens, one cultist token, one tablet token, one elder thing token, the stylized S-with-2 token, and one elder sign token.
Symbol icons are printed on page 2 of the source booklet and are not reproduced as text here.
Side-story (Campaign Mode)
A side-story is a scenario that may be played between any two scenarios of an Arkham Horror: The Card Game campaign. Playing a side-story costs each investigator in the campaign a certain amount of experience. Weaknesses, trauma, experience, and rewards granted by playing a side-story stay with the investigators for the remainder of the campaign. Each side-story may only be played once per campaign.
When either of these two scenarios are played as a side-story during a campaign, play them as if you are setting up the next scenario in the campaign, with the same chaos bag, weaknesses, trauma, and story assets previously earned.
The Night's Usurper can be played as a side-story without playing The Eternal Slumber, but once The Night's Usurper is played during a campaign, The Eternal Slumber cannot be played afterwards.
Playing The Eternal Slumber side-story costs each investigator 2 experience.
Playing The Night's Usurper side-story costs each investigator 2 experience.
The Night's Usurper
Setup
- Gather the following encounter sets: The Night's Usurper, Sands of Egypt, Brotherhood of the Beast, and Abyssal Gifts. These sets are indicated by the following icons, respectively: (icons printed on page 18 of the source booklet; not reproduced as text here)
- Put the Expedition Camp into play. Each investigator begins play in the Expedition Camp.
- Set the following cards aside, out of play: Khopesh of the Abyss, Summoned Nightgaunt, the single-sided Eldritch Gate location, the double-sided Xzharah enemy, each of the 5 double-sided Otherworld locations, and both copies of Dreaded Shantak. Xzharah and the Otherworld locations have story cards on their reverse sides. For the best experience, do not look at the story cards on their reverse sides (see "Story Cards" on page 6).
- Create the exploration deck. This is done by shuffling together each of the 7 remaining single-sided locations, along with 1 copy each of the following treachery cards: Abyssal Reach, The Black Wind, Terror Under the Pyramids, and Swarm of Locusts.
- Find the 6 double-sided Brotherhood enemies. These enemies have story cards on their reverse sides (see "Story Cards" on page 6). Some of these enemies are placed beneath the scenario reference card, as follows. The rest are removed from the game.
- If you are playing in Campaign Mode, place each of the enemies listed next to "Brotherhood Agents Who Escaped" in your Campaign Log beneath the scenario reference card.
- If you are playing in Standalone mode, shuffle these 6 enemies together and place 3 of them beneath the scenario reference card without looking at them.
- Place a number of resource tokens on the scenario reference card (under "Strength of the Abyss"), as follows. (see "Strength of the Abyss" on page 6.)
- If you are playing in Campaign Mode, place resources equal to the number listed in parentheses next to "dreamers in the abyss" in your Campaign Log.
- If you are playing in Standalone Mode, place 1 resource for each investigator in the game.
- Shuffle the remainder of the encounter cards to form the encounter deck.
Cross-reference: the "Story Cards" and "Strength of the Abyss" rules cited above appear on page 6 of the source booklet, in The Eternal Slumber section, and are covered in the Additional Rules & Clarifications section of the Guardians of the Abyss rulebook.
Resolutions
DO NOT READ until the end of the scenario.
If no resolution was reached (each investigator resigned or was defeated): Go to Resolution 1.
Resolution 1
"It's just an arch. Why're you so worked up, boss?" Winlock crossed his arms. Something about all of this felt wrong. He was sure that this was the place those folks from Arkham were looking for—a delicately patterned archway that led nowhere at all—and yet, Winlock was certain there was something on the other side. "It's not Egyptian," he noted, staring at the thing with narrow eyes. "It doesn't even look…human."
"You believed those loons? Look boss, it's nothing!" one of his men laughed.
"Is it?" Winlock snapped, eyes wide. "Is it?"
- In your Campaign Log, record that the Day of Reckoning is coming.
- Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
Resolution 2
The essence fades from Xzharah's body. Swirling clouds of mist surround him and force him to his knees. Creatures of the abyss appear wordlessly at your side, surrounding Xzharah with a quiet, expressionless hate. Xzharah's sword betrays him and falls from his grip, the blade fracturing as it clatters to the ground. "…The prophecy must be fulfilled…" It is the last of his vile whispers. His physical form vanishes into the realm's ethereal mist, and all is silent in the Great Abyss.
- In your Campaign Log, record that the Abyss was saved. Cross off all "(card name) was taken by the abyss" notes in your Campaign Log.
- Any one investigator may choose to add Summoned Nightgaunt to his or her deck. This card does not count toward that investigator's deck size.
- Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
Resolution 3
Xzharah places an ice-cold hand on your shoulder as you kneel before him. "You have proven your loyalty," he decrees. Creatures of the abyss surround you, heads bowed in reverence to their new master. There are none left to oppose him. "Few of your kind have the wit or the will to see beyond the present. To see our prophecy fulfilled. But you are worthy enough to have your eyes opened. Far worthier than the fools I have trusted in the past." He bids you to stand, and places the handle of his blood-soaked sword in your hands. "Now arise, Servant of the Beast, and take your place among us."
- In your Campaign Log, record that you joined forces with Xzharah.
- Any one investigator may choose to add the Khopesh of the Abyss to his or her deck. It does not count toward that investigator's deck size.
- Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.