The Mysteries of the Oswald Wirth Tarot
Introduction
There is no doubt in my mind, that FFG delivered some of the
most beautiful and interesting board games of our time. With this
scenario I try to make a small contribution to the Arkham-community
and to FFG by supplementing Mansions of Madness with fresh blood
and new ideas.
Just as Mathildadad has enabled and inspired me to make my
design, I hope others will be inspired to upload and shar
scenarios.
When playing the story of the arctic explorer you should notice
that the scenario in four aspects does not resemble the scenarios
in the original game;
- The arctic explorer is designed to be played once only.
- Independent human characters are in play on the board, and
might help or hinder the players.
- Focus lies on the mood and storytelling aspect of the game.
Thus some of the clue texts might seem unnecessarily long.
- It is possible to work on several leads at once. The intention
of this design decision is to force the players to prioritize their
actions and possibly even split the party.
Good luck in the investigation of the artic explorer.
Please let me know how what you like/dislike in the story.
- Hans Peter Hartsteen ([email protected])
The Arctic ExplorerInvestigator Guide
The story so farYou had travelled dusty roads and desolate
villages for months, while researching an occult case for your old
friend Dr. Ludvigsen. You couldnt believe your luck when an elderly
librarian led you to understand, that the book you were searching
for, De Vermis Mysteriis, was part of a private collection of
occult books, held in a lavish estate manor close by.
This breakthrough led you to Chteau des Avenires in Comberville,
California. The Chteau housed both Brian Tonnerre, the last
descendant of the patrician family, and a remarkable collection of
books gathered over quite a few generations.
Special RulesBrian Tonnerre and Gregory Sert are present on the
board, and can be harmed by both monsters and investigators. Each
has 8 Stamina. Investigators can share items with either of these
at any point.
Both Brian and Gregory start the game in Hallway 4.
The Keeper must move Brian and Gregory in the Gain threat step
of the keeper phase, in accordance to the rules specified in the
Keeper guide.
Keeper GuideWhile the investigators are reading the story and
setting up the map, perform the setup according to the usual
rules.
Notice: This adventure does not have any story choices,
providing a coherent story meant to be played only once.
Component setup
1. Clue cards: Claim the storys clue Exploration cards. In this
specific scenario make sure you print the clues, cut them out and
use clue Explorations card numbered 1 through 6 from one of the
scenarios included in the game.2. Exploration: Axe, Colt .38,
Crucifix, Cult Robes, De Vermis Mysteriis, Dhol Chants, Knife,
Lantern, Magic Phrase, Nameless Cults, Ruby of RLyeh, Shotgun,
silver Key, Startling Evidence, Torch, Whateleys Diary, Whiskey,
Nothing of Interest *10.3. Obstacle: Puzzle Box, Lockbox
4. Lock: Dark Room, Dreadful Passage, Magical Lock. Rune locked
Door, Locked Door, Padlocked Door, Sealed Door
5. Build Mythos Deck: Outside (Fireplace), Inside (Door),
Darkness (Bat), Weapon (Pistol)
6. Claim Keeper Action Cards: Darkness, Evil Presence, and
Uncontrollable Urges (Raise Dead and Creature of the Night are
inactive at the beginning of the game, but should be kept close at
hand).7. Starting Cards and Threat: Nothing. Special RulesBrian
Tonnerre and Gregory Sert are present on the board, and can be
harmed by both monsters and investigators. Each has 8 Stamina.
Investigators can share items with either of these at any
point.
Both Brian and Gregory start the game in Hallway 4. For play
testing we used the FFG miniatures of Charlie Kane (for Gregory
Sert) and George Barnaby (for Brian Tonnerre)Each round (beginning
in the first keeper phase in the Gain threat step) Brian will move
two steps towards the library. When he gets there, he will find the
De Vermis Mysteriis (activated by an event card), and will be able
to hand it over to the investigators. After this he moves to the
study and end the game there.Each round Gregory will move one step
towards the Kitchen Storage.
Prologue
As darkness settle over Chteau des Avenires and the song of the
cicadas intensify, you drive down the gravel road, pass a small
wayside chapel and park in front of the lavish gothic Chteau.
As you turn of the headlights you notice a tall, slim figure
moving behind the chapel windows. You consider looking into this,
but before you have a chance to investigate, the doors to the
hallway of the Chteau open, and in the vague light you see two
silhouettes moving towards you. Brian Tonnerre and his butler
Gregory Sert greet you courteously, and as you walk towards the
door the old man express his warm feeling toward you.
I will be happy to provide you with the inimitable De Vermis
Mysteriis, if you will pleasure me with by staying the night. It is
not often I get visitors these days - especially not connoisseurs
of the old arts - and I long to tell the stories of my arctic
expeditions to someone who may possibly truly treasure them...
Being polite guests you decide to humour the old man by
inquiring into his travels, and he happily recounts.
Well it must have been 26 years ago this summer. As a child I
had been terribly inspired by the exiting adventures of Sir Robert
McClure, who was credited with the discovery of the Northwest
Passage by sea. I, however, explored the barren artic wastes of
Greenland, and it almost cost me my life. If it hadnt been for
Gregory, I surely would not have been here today.
With elegant strides, Brian heads of toward the library. Gregory
limps slowly towards the kitchen.
And being investigators you might even be able to advice me on a
quandary. My family crypt has recently suffered from frequent cases
of vandalism. Please follow me
Seed CardsLibrary
Whateley s Diary, Clue 1
Study
Dhol Chants, Clue 2, Puzzle Box (?)Master bedroom
Colt .38, Lockbox (?)
Kitchen
Knife
Kitchen Storage
Nothing of Interest, Dreadful Passage (Lock)Dining room
Whiskey
The tower room
Shotgun, Clue 3, Locked Door (Lock)The Attic Storage
Ruby of RLyeh, Padlocked Door (Lock)Hallway 4
Brian and Gregory miniatures
Guest bedroom
Nameless cults, Magic Phrase, Clue 5, , Runelocked Door
(Lock)Storage closet
Nothing of Interest, Sealed door (Lock)Chasm
Clue 6, Dark Room (Lock)
Root Cellar
Torch Chapel
Crucifix, Clue 4. 1 body counter.Crypt 1 body-counterCeremony
Room 3 body-counters, Cult Robes, Magical Lock. (Lock)
Face down in front of the Keeper
Silver Key, De Vermis Mysteriis (Possessions to be given to
Brian as specified by events). And the Keeper cards Raise Dead and
Creature of the Night (Inactive at the beginning of the game, but
are activated by events).Clues:
Clue 1Excerpts of Tonnerre family genealogy:- Pierre Tonnerre
left the home country of France in 1723 to search the land of
opportunity, America. With him was his grandfather's large library,
a small fortune in gold and the desire to carve out a career as a
wine grower.
- Pierre's great-grandson, James, in 1788 donated the village a
small chapel. It was a noble gesture, although it was rumored that
the donation was due to fears of a peasant uprising.
- Brian Tonnere, the eighth generation of the family, threw
himself over a number of expeditions in northern Canada and
southern Greenland. A severe infection in his leg forced him
however in 1875 to abandon his expeditions
Clue 2
Well all my old expedition paraphernalia is in the tower.
Statues, notes, my diary and even my trusted shotgun are stored
there. Perhaps you would be interested in taking a further look on
my old notes?
Clue 3Excerpts from the diary of Brian Tonnerre
31/8/74, Kraulshavn.As the ice split with a thundering roar, our
dogsled and forspand was divorced from the rest of the expedition.
Gregory and I have no compass, but draws north to meet with the
expedition near Kullorsuaq.
7/9/74 ?It is five days since the guide dog died. There must
have been bacteria in the raw dog meat, I could not endure. We
leave the unnecessary equipment and hope I can rest on the sled on
the long stretches.
?/9/74I must have been unconscious - Gregory says for three or
four days. We are with an Eskimo tribe. I do not understand their
language. Ayashkimew means Eaters of raw meat in their tongue.
Winter(Almost illegible handwriting)I'm burning up. Deformed
Eskimos. That rotten dog meat. Obscure drum sounds. Nuliayuk,
Nuliayuk.
Clue 4The local priest is present in the small family chapel. I
am looking into the recent vandalism, but I have no clue to what
has happened. I actually made an appointment with Gregory, as I
expected he might have knowledge of what has happened. If you want
to talk to him, he lives in the small guesthouse west of here.
The priest step toward the crypt, bus the moment he open the
door, a slim arm reach out for him and pull him into the chapel.
His scream is short Place a zombie in the chapel. Take 2
horror.
Clue 5As you go through Gregorys personal stuff, you find
disturbing tupilaqs made from polished bones. Beneath the bed lies
a small collection of human bones.
Take one skill point and 2 horror.
Clue 6
On the ground lies a stack of books and countless papers with
indistinct notes. You pick up one of the notes :... And through
Nuliayuk there will be salvation and clarity and by his will the
souls of the many are released and shall penetrate flesh and
animate it ...An outcry disturb you..
Event 1 (Time 2)In the library; some books are missing from the
library, but De Vermis Mysteriis is still there I wonder why so
many books are missing. Where could I have misplaced them? Perhaps
Gregory knows... I will ask him later. If you are interested in my
journeys, I might have some notes in my study. Brian strolls toward
the oaken door in the back of the room.
The Keeper card Raise Dead is given to the keeper. De Vermis
Mysteriis and a Silver Key is given to Brian.
Event 2
(Time 4)Only god can save us now! Lightning strikes the tower
and the lights in the tower go out... Then an eerie howl echoes in
the tower, and an evil spirit of materialize among the old
equipment from the arctic expedition.
Place three Darkness-counters in the tower. Place a Hound of
Tindalos in the Tower Bedroom. The keeper gain the keeper card
Creature of the Night.
Event 3
(Time 2)
You look disbelief at the crypt wall, as it erodes and the
plaster given way to strangely entangled limbs. A deformed shape is
clawing its way out into the open ... More are following
behindRemove the door-blocker between the Chapel and the Ceremony
room, thus revealing the secret passage. Place a zombie in the
crypt.
Event 4
(Time 1)
I began to fear you would be able to spoil my plan, but you
shall not succeed in stopping me! Gregory Sert laughs manically, as
he opens a hidden trapdoor in the kitchen storage. Nuliayuk,
Nuliayuk! Your servant is summoning your favors once again.The
secret passage in the Kitchen Storage is revealed + the objective
of the game. Gregory is replaced by a cult leader miniature.
Gregory still has 8 Health. Event 5
(Time 2)Darkness covers the land.
All rooms within the Chteau des Avenires are subject to the
darkness rule.
Event 6
(Time 5)Gusts of wind blow through the ceremonial chamber, and
as the chanting of Gregory grows louder the earth seem to
shiver.
At the height of his voice Gregory cries Nuliayuk, Nuliayuk as
countless spirits takes physical shape in his mouth and twist it
out of shape. From Gregorys body strange creatures are formed. They
move towards you
The Keeper and the investigators loose the game.
Game objectivesInvestigator victory objectiveNeutralize (kill)
Gregory
Keeper victory objectiveWhen Gregory reach the alter, the keeper
is allowed to place a token on the alter. Each time Gregory
performs the ritual (once pr. Turn unless stunned) Gregory can
place 1 further token. When 3 tokens are present, Gregory has
completed the summoning of Nuliayuk (Nyoghta), and the game
ends.
FAQ:
Is there a passage between Chapel and Crypt.
Start
Ladder
Altar
Hiding Space
Sealed Door
Barrier
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