The Stars Are Right... for an Arkham Horror LP!

Nodal
Darrell Simmons, the Photographer
Sanity: 4/4
Stamina: 6/6
Focus: 2
Speed: 4
Sneak: 1
Fight: 5
Will: 1
Lore: 3
Luck: 1
Money: $4
Clues: 1
Common Items:
Dynamite Physical Weapon +8 to Combat checks (Discard after use) 2H
Unique Items:
Cabala of Saboth Tome Movement: Exhaust and spend 2 movement points to make a Lore (-2) check. If you pass, draw 1 Skill and discard Cabala of Saboth. If you fail, nothing happens.
Ancient Tablet Movement: Spend 3 movement points and discard Ancient Tablet to roll 2 dice. For every success rolled, draw 1 Spell. For every failure rolled, gain 2 Clue tokens.
Spells: NONE
Skills:
+1 Will When you spend a Clue token to add to any Will check, add one extra bonus die.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others:
Retainer Upkeep: Gain $2, then roll a die. Discard this card on a 1.

ajr82
Bob Jenkins, the Salesman
Sanity: 4/4
Stamina: 6/6
Focus: 1
Speed: 4
Sneak: 1
Fight: 3
Will: 4
Lore: 2
Luck: 2
Money: $9
Clues: 0
Common Items:
Map of Arkham Movement: Exhaust to get 1 extra movement point.
Research Materials Any Phase: Discard Research Materials instead of spending 1 Clue token.
Unique Items:
Cultes des Goules Tome Movement: Exhaust and spend 2 movement points to make a Lore (-2) check. If you pass, draw 1 Spell and gain 1 Clue token, but lose 2 Sanity and discard Cultes des Goules. If you fail, nothing happens.
Lamp of Alhazred Magical Weapon +5 to Combat checks. 2H
Spells: NONE
Skills:
+1 Will When you spend a Clue token to add to any Will check, add one extra bonus die.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

Büge
Vincent Lee, the Doctor
Sanity: 5/5
Stamina: 5/5
Focus: 2
Speed: 2
Sneak: 3
Fight: 1
Will: 3
Lore: 4
Luck: 2
Money: $9
Clues: 1
Common Items:
Cavalry Saber Physical Weapon, +2 to Combat checks 1H
Old Journal Tome Movement: Exhaust and spend 1 movement point to make a Lore (-1) check. If you pass, gain 3 Clue tokens and discard Old Journal. If you fail, nothing happens.
Unique Items: NONE
Spells:
Voice of Ra Casting Modifier: -1, Sanity Cost: 1, Upkeep: You may cast and exhaust to gain +1 to all skill checks for the rest of this turn. 0H
Dread Curse of Azathoth Casting Modifier: -2, Sanity Cost: 2, Any Phase: Cast and exhaust to gain +9 to Combat checks until the end of this combat. 2H
Skills:
+1 Sneak When you spend a Clue token to add to any Sneak check, add one extra bonus die.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

Tefari
The Great Dexter Drake, the Magician
Sanity: 5/5
Stamina: 5/5
Focus: 2
Speed: 4
Sneak: 2
Fight: 2
Will: 2
Lore: 3
Luck: 2
Money: $5
Clues: 0
Common Items:
Whiskey Any Phase: Discard Whiskey to reduce any Sanity loss by 1. 0H
Unique Items:
Alien Statue Movement: Exhaust and spend 2 movement points and 1 Sanity to roll a die. If the die is a success, draw 1 Spell or gain 3 Clue tokens. If it is a failure, lose 2 Stamina.
Spells:
Shrivelling(x2) Casting Modifier: -1, Sanity Cost: 1, Any Phase: Cast and exhaust to gain +6 to Combat checks until the end of this combat. 1H
Find Gate Casting Modifier: -1, Sanity Cost: 1, Movement: Cast and exhaust to immediately return to Arkham from an Other World.
Skills:
Marksman Any Phase: Exhaust to re-roll a Combat check.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

Sarcasmorator
Kate Winthrop, the Scientist
Sanity: 6/6
Stamina: 4/4
Focus: 1
Speed: 3
Sneak: 3
Fight: 2
Will: 2
Lore: 3
Luck: 3
Money: $7
Clues: 2
Common Items:
Cavalry Saber Physical Weapon, +2 to Combat checks 1H
Unique Items:
Holy Water Magical Weapon, +6 to Combat checks(Discard after use) 2H
Spells:
Flesh Ward Casting Modifier: -2, Sanity Cost: 1, Any Phase: Cast and exhaust to ignore all Stamina loss being dealt to you from one source. Discard this card if the Ancient One awakens. 0H
Shrivelling Casting Modifier: -1, Sanity Cost: 1, AnyPhase: Cast and exhaust to gain +6 to Combat checks until the end of this combat. 1H
Skills:
Marksman Any Phase: Exhaust to re-roll a Combat check.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

Destil
Joe Diamond, the Private Eye
Sanity: 4/4
Stamina: 6/6
Focus: 3
Speed: 4
Sneak: 3
Fight: 3
Will: 2
Lore: 0
Luck: 3
Money: $8
Clues: 3
Common Items:
.45 Automatic Physical Weapon +4 to Combat checks. 1H
Rifle Physical Weapon +5 to Combat checks. 2H
Map of Arkham Movement: Exhaust to get 1 extra movement point.
Unique Items: NONE
Spells: NONE
Skills:
+1 Lore When you spend a Clue token to add to any Lore check, add one extra bonus die.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

StriderDL
Monterey Jack, the Archaeologist
Sanity: 3/3
Stamina: 7/7
Focus: 2
Speed: 3
Sneak: 1
Fight: 3
Will: 2
Lore: 4
Luck: 2
Money: $7
Clues: 1
Common Items:
Bullwhip Physical Weapon, +1 to Combat checks, Any Phase: Exhaust to re-roll 1 die after making a Combat check. 1H
.38 Revolver Physical Weapon, +3 to Combat checks 1H
Unique Items:
Elder Sign Any Phase: When sealing a gate, lose 1 Stamina and 1 Sanity and return this card to the box. You do not need to make a skill check or spend any Clue tokens to seal the gate. In addition, remove one doom token from the Ancient One's doom track.
The King in Yellow Tome Movement: Exhaust and spend 2 movement points to make a Lore (-2) check. If you pass, gain 4 Clue tokens, lose 1 Sanity, and discard The King in Yellow. If you fail, nothing happens.
Spells: NONE
Skills:
+1 Speed When you spend a Clue token to add to any Speed check, add one extra bonus die.
Allies: NONE
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

SladeForrester
"Ashcan" Pete, the Drifter
Sanity: 5/5
Stamina: 6/6
Focus: 1
Speed: 2
Sneak: 4
Fight: 3
Will: 4
Lore: 2
Luck: 1
Money: $1
Clues: 3
Common Items:
Dark Cloak +1 to Evade checks.
Unique Items:
Healing Stone Upkeep: Exhaust to gain 1 Stamina or 1 Sanity. Discard this card if the Ancient One awakens.
Spells: NONE
Skills:
Bravery Any Phase: Exhaust to re-roll a Horror check.
Allies:
Duke +1 Maximum Sanity Discard to immediately restore your Sanity to its maximum.
Trophies: NONE
Others: NONE

does Drake's(or any of the draw two, pick one) ability apply to his initial inventory? That'd be pretty boss.

Indeed they all do, and we have 3 players with those pick-n-choose abilities.

Oh my god you guys I have the potential to be so unbelievably broken. I have a spell drawing engine coupled with my pick the better of two spells, not to mention I picked up another Shriveling to outfit myself or someone else. I have the ability to reroll a Combat Check thanks to Marksman so in the event that somehow DOUBLE SHRIVELING fails. Oh, AND I HAVE FIND GATE ON MY INITIAL LOADOUT. Hahahahahahaha whaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttt.

Alright, we're almost ready to start our first turn! Everyone has their starting equipment, and if there are any last-minute stat moves anyone wants to make before we kick off, let me know.

Here is our opening Mythos card:
First of all, this is an Environment, which will stay in play until another Environment is drawn to replace it.
The Clue falls right into Kate's pocket, so now she has 3.
The Gate opens, and out pops:

This thing is a pain. It can fly and it causes Sanity and Stamina damage even if the checks are passed, due to the Nightmarish and Overwhelming traits. Physical Resistance allows it to take half damage from Physical damage sources. About the only saving grace on this thing is the +0 Awareness against Evade checks.

Of course, as a consequence of the Gate opening:

The countdown is on.

Here's the board!

The players are black letters in white blocks, the monsters are white letters in black blocks. Clue tokens are green dots, the gate is the pink circle.

I have my master file updated for Kate's newly gained Clue token, and once everyone is ready after stat moves and item usage (if any), we'll do the first round of moves. Here is the completely randomly generated move order, except for putting myself last:
1.) Nodal
2.) ajr82
3.) Büge
4.) Tefari
5.) Sarcasmorator
6.) Destil
7.) StriderDL
8.) SladeForrester

Let's rock!

Unless y'all want me to go gate-diving with my Sign, I was going to use my King in Yellow and stay put to see what other Uniques I turn up.

During upkeep, I'm going to slide my Speed/Sneak to 3/2. Then during the movement phase, I'm going to head to the Woods to scoop up that Clue Token and use my last point of movement to use the Old Journal. Is that all legal?

Hopefully I can end the turn with four extra Clue Tokens.

I'm planning on heading over to the curiositie shoppe and try and buy a second one handed (magical) weapon to go with my trusty 45. Anyone need a rifle? Alternately I could just give Monte my $8 and let him buy something next turn...

So how are rolls going to work? Will you roll for us, or are we doing something like an online dice-roller?

And are we gonig to proceed in the fashion that it's Nodal's turn, he'll do his upkeep, use any items he wants and then move, and so on down the line, then encounters for all, everyone does their encounter (if interaction is needed) next phase etc etc?

In an effort to not totally kill my bandwidth and do everything faster, I will be using http://www.roll-dice-online.com/, a fantastic website for just that purpose. All roll results will just be copy-pasted right to the board.

Once everyone has posted their Upkeeps, Nodal will post his move, then ajr82, and so on down the line. Once all moves are finalized, Encounters will be handled one at a time in the same order. I will post all Encounters as they come in stride unless one is at the player's discretion (a "you may" as opposed to "you must") at which time that player will say whether he/she wants to proceed or decline.

Your stat move is logged, and you'll be able to make that move when it is your turn to do so. Using movement points to activate items does not prevent you from moving at all, so long as you have the points to spend.

As a side note, a friendly piece of advice: It is generally good strategy to hold on to at least $2, since that is how much it costs to fully regenerate Stamina at St Mary's Hospital or Sanity at Arkham Asylum. You can regenerate for free at these locations, but at the rate of 1 point per turn.

Since I realize the resolution on the picture of the board is pretty rough, I will be posting location details and effects here shortly.

I'll head over to the Silver Twilight Lodge when my turn's up.

During my upkeep I'll move speed to 5 and will to 2. I'll then exhaust my tome during my turn, and use the remaining movement to head to independence square.

I want to shift my Speed to 5 so I can use my Alien Device and still make it to the Historical Society on my turn to grab the Clue there unless someone else wants it more. I might as well risk my Stamina when I'm close to the Hospital, and I can generate Clues with my Device then hack Gates with Find Gate. I'll trade a Shriveling with someone for another 1H Phys weapon if they want.

Uptown
St. Mary's Hospital
Likely Gains: Clue
Effect: Medical Care: Instead of having an encounter here, you may recover Stamina by receiving medical care. You may either regain 1 Stamina for free, or pay $2 to restore your Stamina to is maximum value.
Location Status: STABLE

Ye Olde Magick Shoppe
Likely Gains: Unique Item
Effect: Magic Lessons: Instead of having an encounter here, you may pay $5 to draw 2 Spells. Keep one of them and discard the other.
Location Status: STABLE

Woods
Likely Gains: Money, Common Item
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Southside
Historical Society
Likely Gains: Skill, Spell
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

South Church
Likely Gains: Sanity
Effect: Blessing: Instead of having an encounter here, you may spend 5 toughness worth of monster trophies or 1 gate trophy to have any investigator you choose be Blessed.
Location Status: STABLE

Ma's Boarding House
Likely Gains: Stamina
Effect: Recruit: Instead of having an encounter here, you may spend 10 toughness worth of monster trophies, 2 gate trophies, or 5 toughness worth of monster trophies and 1 gate trophy to take any 1 Ally of your choice from the Ally deck.
Location Status: STABLE

Miskatonic University
Science Building
Likely Gains: Unique Item
Effect: Dissection: Instead of having an encounter here, you may spend 5 toughness worth of monster trophies or 1 gate trophy to gain 2 Clue tokens.
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Administration
Likely Gains: Money
Effect: Classes: Instead of having an encounter here, you may pay $8 to draw 2 Skills. Keep one of them and discard the other.
Location Status: STABLE

Library
Likely Gains: Unique Item, Spell
Effect: NONE
Location Status: STABLE

French Hill
Silver Twilight Lodge
Likely Gains: Unique Item, Clue
Effect: Inner Sanctum: If you have a Silver Twilight Membership, then you look at the Inner sanctum entry when having encounters here.
Location Status: UNSTABLE

The Witch House
Likely Gains: Clue, Spell
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Merchant District
Unvisited Isle
Likely Gains: Clue, Spell
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

River Docks
Likely Gains: Common Item
Effect: Shady Character: Instead of having an encounter here, you may spend 5 toughness worth of monster trophies or 1 gate trophy to gain $5.
Location Status: STABLE

The Unnamable
Likely Gains: Unique Item, Clue
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Rivertown
General Store
Likely Gains: Money
Effect: Shop: Instead of having an encounter here, you may draw 3 Common Items and purchase one of them for its list price. Discard the other two items.
Location Status: STABLE

Black Cave
Likely Gains: Common Item, Spell
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Graveyard
Likely Gains: Clue, Unique Item
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Northside
Curiositie Shoppe
Likely Gains: Common Item
Effect: Shop: Instead of having an encounter here, you may draw 3 Unique Items and purchase one of them for its list price. Discard the other two items.
Location Status: STABLE

Newspaper
Likely Gains: Money, Clue
Effect: NONE
Location Status: STABLE

Train Station
Likely Gains: Unique Item, Common Item
Effect: NONE
Location Status: STABLE

Downtown
Bank of Arkham
Likely Gains: Blessing
Effect: Bank Loan: Instead of having an encounter here, you may take out a Bank Loan if you don't have one yet.
Location Status: STABLE

Arkham Asylum
Likely Gains: Clue
Effect: Psychiatric Care: Instead of having an encounter her,e you may recover Sanity by receiving psychiatric care. You may either regain 1 Sanity for free, or pay $2 to restore your Sanity to its maximum value.
Location Status: STABLE

Independence Square
Likely Gains: Clue, Unique Item
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Easttown
Hibb's Roadhouse
Likely Gains: Money, Common Item
Effect: NONE
Location Status: UNSTABLE

Velma's Diner
Likely Gains: Money, Stamina
Effect: NONE
Location Status: STABLE

Police Station
Likely Gains: Common Item, Clue
Effect: Deputized: Instead of having an encounter here, you may spend 10 toughness worth of monster trophies, 2 gate trophies, or 5 toughness worth of monster trophies and 1 gate trophy to become the Deputy of Arkham. Take the Deputy of Arkham card.
Location Status: STABLE

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

In the case of the 3 shops and the Administration building, if you choose to take the effect, then one of the items, Spells, or Skills drawn must be purchased. You may not turn down all the draws and keep hold of your money.

If Sarcasmorator is heading to the Lodge, I'll head over to The Witch House and pick up the Clue there.

For my upkeep, I'll adjust to Speed 3/Sneak 2.

Nodal shifted Speed/Sneak to 5/0, and shifted Fight/Will to 4/2.
ajr82 shifted Speed/Sneak to 3/2.
Büge shifted Speed/Sneak to 3/2.
Tefari shifted Speed/Sneak to 5/1.
Sarcasmorator makes no adjustments.
Destil makes no adjustments.
StriderDL makes no adjustments.
SladeForrester makes no adjustments.

In a game with this many players, certain things need to be taken into account.

The number of monsters allowed on the board at any given time is always the number of players + 3, so in our case, the limit is 11. Any monsters over that limit would normally be put in the Outskirts, but in an 8-player game, the maximum number of monsters allowed in the Outskirts is zero, so if the limit is ever exceeded, the Terror Level will automatically increase by 1. The Outskirts may as well not even exist in this playthrough.

Also, in an 8-player game, the Ancient One will awaken if there are ever 5 gates open at any given time. This is very important to be aware of. If that wasn't enough of a reason to start closing Gates right away, if there happens to be a Gate Surge, 8 monsters will appear all at once. This would be a bad thing.

Lastly, and this was my error, in a game with 5 or more players, 2 monsters appear every time a Gate opens instead of one, and this does include the initial Gate that opens before Turn One. So, our other unwelcome guest is:

remember, the effect of the Big Bad is that Cultists have the Endless trait, which means they cannot be claimed as trophies. Oh shucks.

Just confirming my movement above. While I plan on getting into that Gate, I'd like a magical weapon on-hand.

Nodal heads for Independence Square and claims the Clue. The remaining 2 movement points go into the Cabala of Saboth, and on his Lore (-2) check, Base 3 - 2 = 1 die. Nothing happens.
Also, because I forgot during Upkeep, the Retainer gives $2, and a die is rolled to see if the Retainer sticks around. On a 1, it is discarded.
It remains.
Clue count = 2
Money = $6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ajr82 goes to the Witch House and claims the Clue there.
Clue count = 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Büge walks to the Woods and claims the Clue there. The last movement point goes into the Old Journal. Base Lore 4 - 1 = 3 dice.
Nothing happens.
Clue count = 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tefari makes for the Historical Society. After picking up the Clue, the final 2 movement points and 1 Sanity go into activating the Alien Statue. A single die is rolled.
It is a failure, so 2 Stamina is lost.
Clue count = 1
Sanity = 4/5
Stamina = 3/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarcasmorator goes to the Silver Twilight Lodge and grabs the Clue.
Clue count = 4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Destil hoofs it to the Curiositie Shoppe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
StriderDL stays put at the Curiositie Shoppe and pumps 2 movement points into the King in Yellow. Base Lore 4 - 2 = 2 dice.
The roll is a success. 4 Clues are gained, 1 Sanity is lost, and the King in Yellow gets discarded to the bottom of the Unique Items deck.
Clue count = 5
Sanity = 2/3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SladeForrester takes a quick hop to the Unnamable and grabs the Clue.
Clue count = 4

Don't you mean Sanity?

Whoops. Thanks. Fixed.

YES! Capability to seal 2 gates. Although now only two points stand between me and crazy.

If any player is reduced to zero Sanity or Stamina while in Arkham, he or she is automatically transported to Arkham Asylum or St. Mary's Hospital, whichever is appropriate, and is immediately restored to 1 Sanity or Stamina. However, that player loses half of his or her items and Clue tokens (rounded down). Items in this case includes Commons, Uniques, and Spells.

God damn it...typical Arkham Horror. Right off the bat get into a crappy encounter that tests your lowest stat and will curse you if you fail. How about someone comes down here and takes all this useful crap off my hands because I'm not predicting good things regarding this character after all.

EDIT: NOT CURSED! Thank god...

Nodal
Base Will 2 - 1 + 1 from Skill = 2 dice.
A failure. Nodal opts to spend a Clue for a 2-dice re-roll (thanks to the Skill):
Another failure, and the last Clue token gets spent:
Finally a success. Nodal claims Anna Kaslow's Ally card and the 2 Clue tokens she comes with, breaking even.

+2 Luck Gain 2 Clue tokens when Anna Kaslow joins you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ajr82
Bob gains 4 Clues and loses 4 Sanity, which drops him to zero. The men in the white coats come to take him to Arkham Asylum, where he is restored to 1 Sanity. His Clue tokens are reduced to 3, and he loses his Research Materials and Cultes des Goules.
Clue count = 3
Sanity = 1/4
New Location: Arkham Asylum
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Büge
Base Sneak 2 - 1 + 1 from Skill = 2 dice.
Failure. Büge opted to spend one Clue token on a re-roll.
Success! No damage is sustained.
Clue count = 1
New Location: Uptown Streets
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tefari
Base Sneak 1 - 1 = 0 dice, so Tefari decides to burn his only Clue token in a bid to avoid the Curse.
A success. Tefari stays where he is, un-Cursed and 1 Sanity point richer.
Clue count = 0
Sanity = 5/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarcasmorator
Opting to attempt this, base Fight 2 - 1 = 1 die.
Failure. Sarc decides to spend a Clue token for a re-roll:
Success! Ruby Standish joins the team as an Ally.

+2 Sneak, Draw 1 Unique Item when Ruby Standish joins you.

Enchanted Knife Magical Weapon +3 to Combat Checks. 1H
Clue count = 3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Destil peruses the wares of the Curiositie Shoppe, spending $6 on an Enchanted Blade.

Magical Weapon +4 to Combat checks. 1H
Money = $2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
StriderDL also checks out what the Curiositie Shoppe has to offer, and stumbles upon an Elder Sign! While already having one, but hating to see it go to waste, it gets bought anyway, and in a show of teamwork, gets passed on to Destil. In return, Destil trades StriderDL the Rifle.
Money = $2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SladeForrester
Base Luck 1 - 1 = 0 dice, but being an adventurous soul, and having 4 Clue tokens already, I decide to burn one to at least get one chance, but only one since there is no penalty for failure.
Awesome. I look at the bottom of the deck, as my special ability allows me to do, and what I see doesn't thrill me, so I draw from the top of the deck. What do I find?

Wow! We now have 3 Elder Signs in play! I'm honestly floored.

hee-hee-hee

My favorite part was when Bob went completely insane right out of the gate.

Does this thread have a theme song yet?
The Call of Ktulu S&M

Or anything from Shoggoth on the Roof?

"If I were a sane man..."