[A Touch of Evil] Breaking The Gargoyle

This was an actual play report originally posted at Boardgamegeek.com for A Touch of Evil, some three years ago.

In the upper right corner: The Gargoyle

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Set-up: This was a solo play with a team of 4 vs The Gargoyle. In use were the base set, Something Wicked, The Madness and the Hero Pack. (Still don't have Allies or the SE Soundtrack).

Heroes and Villain determined randomly.

Breaking the Gargoyle

Eliza the Witchhunter

Adrianna the Foreign Traveler

Katarina the Outlaw

The Scarlet Shadow

Round 1:
Eliza ventured to the Ancestral Tomb in the Abandoned Keep, where she was confronted by Grotesques! They left her badly shaken before she killed them.

Adrianna began a slow trek to The Manor, stopping off at The Church first.

Katarina arrived at The Windmill, where The Beast in the Dark was lurking! It hit her once, but she struck quickly and deadly, finishing it fast.

The Scarlet Shadow entered The Olde Woods where he happened upon a Runic Amulet.

Grotesques that had appeared at the Forgotten Island took flight, hovering over The Monastery. However, The Scarlet Shadow was attacked by The Gargoyle! He failed to penetrate the stony hide of The Gargoyle, but he dodged its efforts as well.

Round 2:

As Adrianna continued onto The Manor, Militia were sent ahead for her and to the Monastery.

Katarina’s timing was either good or bad, as The Gargoyle struck at The Windmill while she was headed toward The Fields. The Gargoyle left behind Living Statues as a parting gift.

The Scarlet Shadow marshaled his resources and headed to The Crossroads, on his way to Echo Lake.

Eliza headed to The Doctor’s Office for some healing.

The Living Statues left The Windmill. The Gargoyle struck at The Abandoned Keep, leaving clues behind. The Living Statues arrived at the Blacksmith’s, while the Grotesques took flight toward The Inn.

Round 3:

Katarina had a very useful meeting with The Elders at The Manor. She also discovered that The Gargoyle wears a second face: Lord Hanbrook!

The Scarlet Shadow crept softly into Echo Lake.

Eliza returned to the Abandoned Keep to search for clues. The stairs gave way and she fell down below! Luckily for her, she found a Rosary when she landed!

Arriving at The Manor, Adrianna sensed something under the floor, but failed to locate it.

The Living Statues arrived at Town Hall. All four travelers found themselves at The Monastery, where The Gargoyle was waiting, sneering! Unfortunately for The Gargoyle, Adrianna armed herself with Holy Water, Katarina with a Crossbow, Scarlet Shadow with Robes, and Scarlet Shadow thrust his Runic Amulet into the hands of Eliza! Katarina struck a fierce blow with the Crossbow, but paid for it when the Gargoyle lashed out and smashed her into a wall. The Gargoyle clipped The Scarlet Shadow, but he struck back, finding the weakest point he could and forcing The Gargoyle to scream in pain! Eliza and the Militia attacked with little effect, and the poor Witch Hunter found herself slowly hardening! Adrianna smacked The Gargoyle, but he blasted her out of the fight. Katarina struggled to her feet and hit, but got taken out seconds later. Seeing his team fall and The Gargoyle charge, The Scarlet Shadow slipped out of his robes as The Gargoyle grasped for him, and slipped away to the North Docks. To top it off, the arrival of more Living Statues at Town Hall, plus appearances at The Crossroads and the South Dock made Shadowbrook very nervous.

Round 4:
The Scarlet Shadow ventured to the Forgotten Island, where he discovered a Weathered Skull.

The rest of his team recuperated at the Monastery.

The Living Statues continued their march. The women recovered, though Adrianna and Katarina lost their gifts from the Monastery. Though Scarlet Shadow beat back the oppressive darkness, The Gargoyle’s healing from its grievous wounds began in earnest, as a murky fog settled over the town.

Round 5:

Eliza sought clues at the North Dock, and “corrected” a rumor about the Lady Hanbrook also being involved with The Gargoyle.
Adrianna moved down the road to The Inn, actively seeking out the Grotesques. She struck quick and true, eliminating them before they could threaten her. She also discovered something else: The otherwise arrogant Sophie hiding from the Grotesques. With a disapproving shake of her head, Adrianna headed on to The Inn.

Katarina crossed Echo Lake to hunt down the Living Statues, but her first blow bounced harmlessly off of them! They struck back, taking a lot of the fight from her. She failed to harm them with her second attack, before being knocked unconscious until monks could save her.

The Scarlet Shadow arrived at the South Docks and sought clues. The Statues suddenly picked up their pace on their march to Town Hall.

Katarina and The Gargoyle healed further, but Grotesques attacked Katarina at the Monastery! She’s really having her doubts about that place now. They struck her, but by the time the Militia came running, she already had them dead. Meanwhile, Sophie spread all kinds of crazy rumors around town.

Round 6:

Adrianna arrived at The Inn, hearing the voice of Sebastian Skinner calling her to Room 216. Unfortunately, it was a trap and a swift assault left her unconscious in the hall until another mysterious monk hauled her onto his cart and took her back to the Monastery.

Katarina decided to move under the town, slipping through the tunnel from The Monastery to the Manor. Once there, Selena the Housemaid, frightened by the transformation of Lord Hanbrook, offered to join her!

The Scarlet Shadow was very much impeded by the fog, but his resolve only grew stronger.

Eliza sensed a shadow beneath the surface as she rowed to the Forgotten Island, but her resolve held.

More Statues arrived at Town Hall, sending the townsfolk into deeper panic. The Gargoyle grew stronger as its wounds disappeared. It celebrated its returning strength by killing some of the Shadow’s men at the Abandoned Keep and turning them into Living Statues. The crazed machinations of the Hanbrook persona of The Gargoyle moved the town ever closer to darkness.

Round 7:

Katarina slogged through the fog, trying to make it to town to prevent any further damage from the Living Statues.
The Scarlet Shadow returned to the South Dock, seeking more clues, as an ominous Full Moon appeared overhead.

Eliza, impeded by fog and her stony curse, found herself stranded on the Forgotten Island. As further proof that God hates Eliza, a Spiteful Totem infected her with a Werewolf Curse! Ominous full moon indeed.

Adrianna, quite furious after the ambush by Skinner, stomped down the path to the Inn. However, she found herself inside the Rose Room this time…where the echoes of Lost Souls whispered in her area cryptic clues about the location of The Gargoyle.

Eliza felt her animal side growing, while the Gargoyle neared 100% health. The Statues began to surround the town. The Gargoyle killed again, this time in the Olde Woods, leaving more Statues behind. Then, he did it again at the Doctor’s Office, though no Statues were produced this time.

Round 8:

The Scarlet Shadow arrived in the Olde Woods, where he attacked the Statues there. He struck true, but they are hardy and hit back. He pressed the attack and destroyed the stony servants at the cost of his own health, due to the effect of the moon on them. Some of his men scooped him up and carried him to the keep.

Eliza, without full recollection, appeared at The Inn with Adrianna. There, she found the Book of Death, which quite intrigued her. She also thought Adrianna looked scrumptious.
Adrianna moved to The Bog, picking clues along the way.
Katarina charged Town Hall, intent on stopping the Statues there. Her opening salvo left them wounded, and they retaliated in kind. As they struck back fiercely, Katarina callously sacrificed Selena to their assault. Like Shadow before her, she beat them at the cost of her own health.

The Gargoyle finally returned to full health as Katarina and Shadow recovered, and Eliza transformed into a werewolf, then stalked Adrianna in the Bog! Adrianna struck first, and the curse-weakened reflexes of the Eliza-wolf weren’t able to pin the blind traveler down. She ran away in the night, leaving

Adrianna confused and flustered. The terror of the Gargoyle continued to reign over the town. The Gargoyle was growing more brazen, placing a sense of urgency on the heroes.

Round 9:

Eliza crept slowly down the path to the Bog.

Adrianna, impeded by the fog, slipped closer to the Crossroads.
Katarina bravely moved to the Magistrate’s office, to trade blows with the Living Statues there. Again, she stopped their advance, but again, it was at the cost of her own health.

The Shadow, pinned in by the fog, stayed at the manor: where Statues attacked! His initial attack bounced right off of them, and he got hurt. They smacked him again, but he unloaded a furious attack that crushed the minions. The Shadow’s contacts also brought him news: The Gargoyle was holed up in the Blacksmith’s.

Eliza-wolf struck again, this time getting to Adrianna and weakening her. Katarina recovered, as the Gargoyle began openly attacking anyone and anything indiscriminately. He killed again, this time at the North Dock.

Round 10:

Arriving the Woods, Adrianna encountered hanging skulls, listening to the sounds echoing through them…sounds that told her Magistrate Kroft, one of their best hopes for stopping the Gargoyle, is in fact a pawn of the Gargoyle. The tide turned much worse, with the skulls telling Adrianna all Sophie could possibly tell her…but the Gargoyle sensed this and turned the Midwife into a crumbling stone statue. Some good news came at last…Reverend Harding (who was also into Witchcraft) went on the hunt, and happened to be in the vicinity of the Blacksmith’s. Doctor Manning joined Adrianna’s cause, seeking to atone for his hidden warcrimes.

Katarina moved to the Doctor’s Office, trying to hold the line against the statues. Again, they traded blows. Katarina quickly took the worst of the exchange. There was no double knockdown this time, as the statues smashed her and began their advance to Town Hall.

The Shadow slowly slipped toward a town that hated him nearly as much as it did the Gargoyle.

Eliza moved slowly through the Bog, finding a party invitation for her troubles.

Eliza-wolf got smacked by Adrianna, but slashed the traveler down and infected her now as well. Adrianna and Katarina both recovered at Town Hall to find Living Statues staring them down. Katarina killed them, but was left barely standing. The Gargoyle struck at the Inn, creating more minions and sending Shadowbrook into near hysteria. Then, just because, it struck again, this time in the Fields.

Round 11:

Katarina, in desperation, moved to the Blacksmith’s and called out the Gargoyle. Reverend Harding tossed Katarina a pistol, while The Scarlet Shadow loaded a musket as the two stalked the Gargoyle with Adrianna and Eliza in tow. Katarina’s opening shot winged the Gargoyle, while it smashed her to the ground. The Scarlet Shadow blasted it as well, and while it did smack him down, Dr. Manning moved quickly to aid the outlaw. Eliza gashed her hand open as she aimed the Runic Amulet at the Gargoyle, blasting it. Her sacrifice was repaid by being crushed against the wall. Adrianna attacked, staggering the Gargoyle, but it lashed back, wounding the traveler though she avoided his stony touch. Katarina blasted the Gargoyle and got knocked unconscious. Rev. Harding pulled her to safety. A well-placed shot ripped through the Gargoyle’s face, and Dr. Manning’s guiding voice kept the Shadow out of the reach of the Gargoyle! Adrianna was the next to fall, leaving the Shadow, the Doctor and the Gargoyle. The Shadow shot for the heart, but the stony beast roared and charged. Shadow took it hard that time, and Dr. Manning could do little for him. As the Gargoyle stalked Manning, The Shadow raised the musket once more, and a shot tore an ear from the Gargoyle. The Gargoyle missed the Doctor and went after the Shadow, but he again avoided the stony touch while the Doctor moved quickly to cover his wounds. When The Gargoyle finally did pin down the Doctor, The Shadow sacrificed the Weathered Skull to save him. The Doctor repaid that several times, tending to The Shadow and guiding him from the stony grasp. The Gargoyle, nearing its end, went for the Doctor once more, but the Shadow again reached the Skull and used it to save the Doctor. The Gargoyle lashed out in desperation, but Dr. Manning saved his charge and allowed the Shadow to unload with a shot at the cracked façade of the Gargoyle, shattering his face and ending his evil.
And, to boot, Dr. Manning helped The Shadow escape the town, all parties silently understanding that Katarina, Eliza and Adrianna should take the credit.

Thoughts: God hates Eliza...clearly. Nice, dramatic end for the Scarlet Shadow. The combo of The Shadow and Dr. Manning (and Hero of the People), plus a LOT of luck were the only things that pulled this out for the Heroes. First time using Shadow or Adrianna at all. Shadow's abilities were gimped due to the Weather, so he never got to "appear anywhere". Eliza got REALLY hampered with the Stone Curse AND Fog impeding her movement. The Stone Curse' penalty to fight dice probably kept Adrianna going longer as well.

If I had the time just to sit and do it, I would try to "dramatize" it into story form, but there ya go...solo session report.