Hakon - Story Seeker's page

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your check to acquire a boon, add 1d6; if you succeed, bury the boon.

Hakon's frenzy continues to burn, but the continued lack of any sign of Vencarlo's presence stifles the fiercest of his inner flames to slow-burning coals. The power invigorates and protects him, but kept in check by his sensibilities as the Skald increasingly becomes convinced that Vencarlo must have already escaped.

Especially if Varian's discoveries ring true, and that Vencarlo was Blackjack all along.

Okay, that Hour power changes my plans. I can't actually keep any boons I encounter, but I'm much more likely to acquire them. The Office location only has boons and the henchman left on top, so this seems like the best chance to fish for deck upgrades before the rest of the boons get burned.

Hakon moves to the Office.
Free exploration:

Hearing shouting down a hallway full of smoke and cinders, Hakon charges through the haze fearlessly, breaking down a door heedless of the risk. The backdraft causes a sudden surge of heat and smoke, but a rat-like humanoid slips out, hacking and coughing, fur matted. Hakon covers his burning eyes, waving blindly and yelling to the rescued rat-person to flee the manor. By the time Hakon retreats to safety and clears his watering eyes, they're gone.

Hakon discards Ruan Mirukova to heal a random card (The Wanderer), then explore again.

Hakon continues to blink as he takes a moment in the relatively safe foyer, eyes burning as he looks around for his compatriots. No sign of them in the immediate vicinity, but a magic-exhausted wand along the floor suggests that Varian may have been in the area, perhaps trying to suppress flames with its magic.

I could explore again, but healing is more valuable than explorations now that we're largely just down to a small number of banes.

Hakon ends his turn.
Scenario: Hakon examines the top 1d4 ⇒ 3 cards of the 1d3 ⇒ 3 Office.

Office Card 9: Divine Fortune
Office Card 10: Red Mantis Assassin
Office Card 1: Symbol of Agony

Darn, I really should've taken that last exploration. Divine Fortune is Banished, goodbye Spell 3...
Red Mantis Assassin and Symbol of Agony are placed on the bottom of the Office. All cards in the Storehouse are known and ordered.

Ablaze (Deadly): Hakon suffers 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2 Fire damage, and draws Gray Maiden Plate to reduce the damage by 1, to 1, then discards Gray Maiden Plate to the remaining damage.
Hakon resets his hand.

Burning pages scatter amidst the cinders of the air. Clearly a small library or trove of scrolls must have gone up in flame nearby. The sight of the magics, stories, and history becoming ash before his eyes stokes the coals of Hakon's fury once more.

Hand: Glorious Warhammer, Divine Insight (Core), Priest of Pharasma, Delve, Kusarigama,

Displayed:
Deck: 9 Discard: 3 Buried: 4
Hero Points: 3
NOTES:
Available Support: Glorious Warhammer - Recharge to examine the top card of my location (only use if you don't anticipate burying my other weapon)
Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Priest of Pharasma - Bury to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Delve - Bury (via Recovery) to add 1d8 to any check to acquire a Weapon, Armor, or Item 3.
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+3 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Unless you have a specific plan in mind, please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Move per current player's decision

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Zova - Bank Of Abadar 2-11 remain // 2=Crow

Zadim - Manor 3-11 remain // 3=Giant Slug
Hakon, Varian - Office 2, 4, 6, 10, 1 remain // 2=Wailing Maidens, 4=Minotaur, 6=Drowning Mud, 10=Red Mantis Assassin, 1=Symbol of Agony

I'm finally back! Sorry all.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Before Zadim ends his turn, Hakon buries Sacred Candle to draw the hour (The Wanderer), since it's an on-suit Harrow blessing.
========================

Over the preceding days, Hakon's former loyalty to whatever creature has fashioned itself as Korvosa's queen has continued to harden and forge itself into a silent, revolutionary fury.

Hakon joins his fellow heroes not in search of safety, but for answers and allies. After the Trinia debacle and everything else, the Skald is certain that Vencarlo Orisini must be tied to a broader movement, and Hakon is ready to be convinced that such a movement is the only way Korvosa's people will know peace.

The sight of the flames elicits one in Hakon's own chest. A filling, vigorous, rightful hatred, burning around the coal of certainty that this fire was no accident. Hakon roars, charging his body and voice with power as he charges into the heart of the Manor without delay in frantic search of Vencarlo.

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your Charisma check, you may use your Intelligence die instead of the normal die.

Balancing between the Manor and Storehouse, I think being able to take advantage of Varian's support and the allies at the Manor tips the scale towards it.

Hakon moves to the Manor.
Free exploration:

Speeding through the foyer and halls not yet choked with smoke and flame, Hakon breaks down each and every door he sees, looking for survivors or culprits both as he howls out Vencarlo's name in his accented, magically-enhanced voice. From a nearby sliding panel to the attic, a small fox-skulled undead creature screeches in response to the flame, smoke and noise, and drops down in front of the raging Skald, surrounded by some strange magic that seeks to sap the very magic from Hakon's voice.

Hakon clamps his jaw shut mid-roar, unhooking one of his personal weapons from across the seas and throws a sharp sickle-head-like object at the creature. It dodges, but Hakon skillfully and furiously whips the chain-cord of the kusarigama around to whip its head to follow the creatures movements, flailing it in devastating lashes and whips until he strikes it square in its skull which gives way under the weighted hit. The creature's remaining body falls apart into dust as Hakon charges on without delay, rage still driving him on and cleansing the heat and exhaustion that would otherwise slow him.

Hakon discards The Inquisitor (Harrow) to explore again (and does not use the Adventure Power).

Hakon breaks through a door into something resembling a large training-hall, perhaps one of several in the academy. Its walls are spotted with armoires and racks of weapons and armor, but the fires have already eaten away at much of its flooring and there's no way to access the equipment. More importantly, though, no sign of Vencarlo. Hakon grits his teeth and races on.

Hakon displays Gray Maiden Plate.

Hakon ends his turn.
Scenario: Hakon examines the top 1d4 ⇒ 3 cards of the 1d4 ⇒ 4 Storehouse.

Storehouse Card 1: Red Mantis Ambush
Storehouse Card 2: Ambrosia
Storehouse Card 3: Tower Shield

Ambrosia and Tower Shield are Banished. Red Mantis Ambush is placed on the bottom of the Storehouse.

Ablaze (Deadly): Hakon suffers 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 Fire damage. Hakon draws Gray Maiden Plate to reduce the damage dealt by 1, to 0.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hakon sprints down the hallways as the fires escalate, covering his head as cinders and fragments of wood rain down on him, pelting his arms and rmor.

Hand: Divine Insight (Core), Priest of Pharasma, Gray Maiden Plate, Kusarigama, Ruan Mirukova,

Displayed:
Deck: 10 Discard: 2 Buried: 2
Hero Points: 3
NOTES:
Available Support: Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Priest of Pharasma - Bury to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Ruan Mirkova - Recharge to add 1d4 and the Magic trait to a local check. If passed, that character may heal a card.
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+3 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Unless you have a specific plan in mind, please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Move per current player's decision
Other: I could've probably explored one more time, but I wanted to keep the Priest in my hand in case I had to discard 2-3 cards at EoT to damage.

After the start of Zova's turn, Hakon displays Gray Maiden Plate again.

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

"Notes for Varian: Must make a Wisdom 4 check to avoid being Dazed.
Recharged a card for Urban assistance.
"
Zadim - Bank Of Abadar 1-11 remain

Varian, Hakon - Manor 3-11 remain
Office 3-10, 1-2 remain // 1=Symbol of Agony 2=Wailing Maidens
Zova - Storehouse 4-9, 1 remain // 1=Red Mantis Ambush

For my deck upgrade, I replaced Good Omen (Spell 0) with Delve (Spell 2).

LOOT (Dragon's Demand AP Reward): Explorer's Pith Helmet (Armor) -> Incitation (Blessing)
LOOT: Fencer -> Ruan Mirukova

Hakon starts at the Storehouse.

Hakon draws his starting hand (+1, Storehouse), then adds his Harrow to it.

Hand: Divine Insight (Core), Priest of Pharasma, Incitation, Gray Maiden Plate, Kusarigama, Sacred Candle, The Inquisitor (Harrow),

Displayed:
Deck: 11 Discard: 0 Buried: 0
Hero Points: 3
NOTES:
Available Support: The Inquisitor - Bless and ignore immunities and resistances
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour
Incitation - Discard to bless a check, Freely if it invokes Acid/Cold/Electricity/Fire/Force
Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Priest of Pharasma - Bury to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+3 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Unless you have a specific plan in mind, please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Move per current player's decision

Curse-2D - Hakon Rewards

Scenario Reward: Hakon checks off his Supporter Feat for Amin Jalento.

Tier Progression: (2.4) Hakon gains a Hero Point.
Hakon stores it.
Hakon expends his XP to tier up to Tier 3.

Hakon now has 3 remaining Hero Points.

Deck Upgrades: Hakon's preferences are as follows...

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Move to Oubliette.
Oubliette, Besieged: Hakon takes 2 Ranged Combat damage. Hakon displays and recharges Chain Mail (Core) to reduce the Combat damage dealt by 2, to 0.
Receive Enervation from Varian.
Hakon sends Good Omen to Recovery.
Move to Pits.
Besieged: Hakon takes 1 Ranged Combat damage. Hakon draws Gray Maiden Plate to reduce damage dealt by 1, to 0.
Hakon displays Gray Maiden Plate.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your non-Attack combat check, add 1.

Hakon gives Enervation back to Varian.

Hakon nods to Zadim, beginning to guide the party back into the dark caverns he'd previously fallen into and cautiously navigating back towards where he and Zova had spied the well-dressed cultist. On the way, Hakon takes stock of the state of his equipment and pushes the aches and burns of his wounds and exhaustion from his head. It's been a trial and a half, but they've damn near routed what seems to be the cult behind this plague between the handful of them. Korvosa may see a brighter future yet.

Hakon stays at the Pits.
Free exploration:

The group catches sight of the apparent cultist-leader. Nobility - or someone styling themselves as one - wearing the trappings of an Urgathoan cultist and carrying a wicked scythe. She seemed to have gathered some of the remaining cultists to her side, too, so numbers alone would not decide this fight.

At Zadim's direction, Hakon hunkers down to wait for a better opportunity to strike, but the pale woman lifts a bony finger directly at the Skald, even cloaked in the thickest darkness as he was. Could she freely see in this glum light? She opens her mouth, and Hakon makes to move as he realizes the beginning of a verbal component. All too soon a jagged stream of energy - some colorless wave surrounded by what can only be described as something blacker than the mere absence of light - scorches through the air, breaking the silence with a near-howl as Hakon brings his sabres up in a cross-pattern to block.

The energy blasts the weapons from Hakon's hands - scattering them to either side - and the proximity of the blast seems to cast a shadow over every one of Hakon's senses, as if his life was briefly dimmed and every wound and ache exaggerated. But the worst of the spell seems to have been deflected, and with a magic word of his own Hakon draws his warhammer as it blazes with light bright enough to illuminate much of the room.

The cultist sneers, drawing her scythe as the cultists surrounding her raise their daggers and shortswords.

"You are far from your post, Guardsmen. Attack!"

Varian sends Enervation to recovery to reduce the difficulty of the Combat check by 2d4 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5. New difficulty = 11.
Combat: Hakon reveals Glorious Warhammer to use Melee +1d8+1.
Zadim recharges Blowgun to add 1d8+4 to my combat check.
Combat/Melee 11 (Zadim): 1d10 + 2 + 1d8 + 1 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 + (1) + 1 + (1) + 4 = 19 -> Pass.

Zova enters the fray, clawing at the throat of one approaching cultist as another's dagger glances off her axe. Hakon doesn't take stock of the remining fight, but charges at the presumed cultist-leader as she hangs back, only to be engaged by a cultist that grabs at Hakon even as he tries to swing and punch the surprisingly-strong, bony man off of him. Another cultist rushes to attack Hakon whilst he's grappled, but they fall to the ground from an energy-sapping spell from Varian. Hakon continues to spar with the clutching cultist until the cultist suddenly freezes, goes limp, and falls backwards - a poisoned dart embedded in his neck, expertly shot during the struggle.

Shoving the limp cultist off of him, Hakon calls upon his magic hammer to blaze even brighter as he charges at the cultist leader with a warcry. She steps back, taking a defensive posture, leveraging the reach of her weapon to hold off Hakon's approach. Or tries to - Hakon roars in hatred and vigor, letting his pain fuel his war-focus, recalling his fights, his people, his story - and slams his shoulder against the bladed weapon, gambling on his armor and angle to deflect it with his frontal attack. Hakon's hammer swings out as he charges past her scythe, and his hammer strikes true - knocking the life from her eyes with a deadly blow to the side of the head.

She crumples to the ground, and Hakon looks around, head numb from adrenaline, shoulder burning, seeing the rest of the group dispatch the remaining cultists.

Lady Andaisin would be defeated and cornered...
Scenario: Lady Andaisin is undefeated and banished.
Scenario: Daughter of Urgathoa (Villain) and one Cultist (closing henchman) are shuffled into the Pits.

The cultist-leader's body twitches. Convulses. Hakon turns back in time to see the beginning of an unholy transformation as the bones of the once-corpse seem to grow, wrapping around the scythe like vines over a trellis, something both living and dead as the body rises to its feet from some unseen force. Hakon's wounds suddenly burn harsher, tighter, his head burning with agony as his rage teeters on the edge of his concentration, now staring up at a much larger, monstrous undead... thing where the cultist once was.

Hakon recharges Shining Wayfinder to move to the Pits (Rulebook pg 6, you may move to your current location when no other locations are available, and effects that would happen when you move are ignored), then examines the top 2 cards of his location...
Pits Card # (10 == Daughter of Urgathoa, 11 == Cultist): 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Pits Card # (10 == Daughter of Urgathoa, 11 == Cultist): 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

The creature screeches wordlessly, raising her scythe-claw before recoiling as Hakon's wayfinder shines with a strange, piercing light that seems to repel the monster. At least for long enough for him to stumble back out of her reach, re-readying his hammer for combat anew.

Hakon did not examine a non-story-bane monster, so cannot encounter anything.

Hakon ends his turn.
Withering: Hakon buries Divine Insight (Core) from his discards (his only card in discards).
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge any of his spells, and so they are discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Sacred Candle (2), Glorious Warhammer, Blessing of Kofusachi, Priest of Pharasma, Blessing of Wadjet,

Displayed: Gray Maiden Plate,
Deck: 3 Discard: 1 Buried: 10
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Glorious Warhammer - Recharge to examine the top of my location
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour
Blessing of Wadjet - +2d8 to acquire a boon
Blessing of Kofusachi - Discard to bless
Priest of Pharasma - Bury to heal a local character 1d4+1
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+3 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Unless you have a specific plan in mind, please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Other: 10 buries cards, 3 cards left in deck. Further, the only non-recharged card left in my deck is Cure, go figure.

Use everything I have for the remaining checks! Hakon will bury Sacred Candle to draw a Blessing 2 or before any exploration that would encounter the villain! (Which may also give you a beneficial hour power.)

"Notes for Zova: The Real Rabbit Prince arrives in your Discards.
1 Ranged Combat Damage from Besieged Pits
Notes for Zadim: Blowgun recharged
Notes for Varian: 1 Ranged Combat Damage from Besieged Pits
Given Enervation
Enervation sent to Recovery
"

Zadim, Zova, Hakon, Varian - Pits 8, 10, (2-7, 9, 11 - Shuffled) remain // 8 = Bound Imp, 10 = Daughter of Urgathoa (VILLAIN), 11 = Cultist

Hakon continues his turn.
Hour Power (reminder): When you would discard a boon to bless a Strength or Constitution check, you may recharge it instead.

Hakon moves to the Shrine.
Besieged: Hakon takes 1 Ranged Combat damage, but displays and draws Gray Maiden Plate to reduce the damage by 1, to 0.

Shaking off the worst of his afflictions with Zova's assistance, Hakon re-arms himself and ducks through the cave system to try to find his other allies so that they may coordinate better. More by chance than intent, he stumbles upon a passage taking him into the inner sanctum of some temple-like structure, seeing Varian standing beside a dead chimera.

Free exploration:

Hakon waves at Varian, beginning to approach before the wizard cries out, warning Hakon of traps in the dim light and - with some kind of magical item - summoning a floating light to illuminate the gloom. The skald shields his eyes and, once they had adjusted to the new light source, notes the pattern of pressure plates and ventilator grilles worryingly close to where he was about to plant his feet.

Hakon discards Fencer to explore his location, adding 1d4 and the Finesse and Swashbuckling traits to combat checks during this exploration.

Speaking a soft prayer in the hope it will grant him some safety, Hakon warily makes his way over to Varian, avoiding more trap triggers thanks to the new light. As he does, Hakon notes the conspicuous absence of Varian's de-facto bodyguard.

"Varian! The light was appreciated; and if you can keep it up I can guide us back to Zova once we secure this area. What of Radovan?"

Hakon displays Gray Maiden Plate.

Hakon ends his turn.
Withering: Hakon randomly buries Divine Insight (Core) from his discards. Boo.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge any of his spells, and so they are discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Shining Wayfinder, Good Omen (Core), Glorious Warhammer, Chain Mail (Core),

Displayed: Gray Maiden Plate,
Deck: 5 Discard: 1 Buried: 8
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Glorious Warhammer - Recharge to exame the top of my location
Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+1 to a check to acquire or close
Fencer - Recharge to encounter a monster on behalf of a local character
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first, unless you choose otherwise.
Other: Turn Paused.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon is healed a card (Double Chicken Saber +1) and is his Plagued scourge is removed!

Relief washes over Hakon at Zova's arrival. The Skald accepts the offered medicinal berries, doing his best to keep the sour fruit down through the nausea. Sure enough, less than a half-minute passes before the worst of the shakes and weakness subside, and Zova's keen vision see's Hakon's relief even in the gloom of the pit.

The sound of clanging metal heralds another small miracle - Hakon thinks he just heard at least one of his sabres fall safely into the pit from above. If only he could find it amidst this darkness...

Per his notes, on Zova's turn (prior to exploring the Pit) Hakon recharges Blessing of Kofusachi (Hour is The Brass Dwarf, which has a Constitution CtA) to search his deck for Double Chicken Saber +1, drawing it. My notes said to draw the Warhammer, but I would always pick Double Chicken Saber over the Warhammer and it suddenly became an option thanks to Zova's healing.

Scrambling in the dark, Hakon's hand closes around a familiar hilt. Wonders never cease...

========================
Hour (23->25): 1d18 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24 -> Hour 24: Torag's Power.

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: When you would discard a boon to bless a Strength or Constitution check, you may recharge it instead.

Pausing turn for strategy considerations (and preferably a board update).

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Divine Insight (Core), Good Omen (Core), Gray Maiden Plate, Fencer,

Displayed:
Deck: 8 Discard: 0 Buried: 7
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+1 to a check to acquire or close
Fencer - Recharge to encounter a monster on behalf of a local character
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first, unless you choose otherwise.
Other: Turn Paused.

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: When you suffer damage on your turn, each other local character suffers 1 damage of the same type.

Hakon stays at the Lair.
Free exploration:

Hakon fumbles in the dark for his torch, keeping his weapons close to hand. Finally, his hand closes around the familiar, warm wood and light is summoned into the lair-like cavern one strike of flint later. Raising the torch high, Hakon inspects the decapitated ghoulish bat to ensure there are no lingering signs of unlife, then cautiously peers upwards for any more enemies.

Instead of finding more enemies, he hears some kind of muffled, fearful noise. Following cautiously, he sees someone huddled in a stony corner under a bundle of rags, hiding from the torchlight with panicked breaths.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm with the guard, with the city. We can get you out of here..." Hakon comforts them, cautiously leaning the torch across some nearby stones to free up his hands and lessen the severity of the light. He holds one of his sabers in his hand, but low and half-behind his leg, wary but trying to approach nonthreateningly. The individual is so covered that he can't tell what they are, but they're clearly in a state of panic.

"Shield your eyes from the light if you must, but please show me your hands. I can bring you to safety..." Hakon promises, remaining a few feet away. The bundle of rags stirs, and a shaky hand emerges from the shifting mound.

Dead, pustule-ridden skin drawn skeletal fingers.

Closing Henchman defeated: Hakon attempts to close the Lair.
Hakon buries Bodyguard to his character power to add his Diplomacy to his Strength check.
Melee 7 (Hakon): 1d10 + 2 + 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 2 + (8) + 3 = 21 -> Autopass; Lair closed!
Hakon moves to the Pits.
Besieged: Hakon suffers 1 damage and discards Double Chicken Saber +1.

Hakon reaches for his second saber but the... thing is so much faster than he could have foreseen, as some plagued, monstrous cultist-thing that may have once been human throws off the ragged disguise it wore over its threadbare Urgathoan robes and lunges for Hakon's neck with surprising strength. Unable to bring his swords to bear in time Hakon drops them as he grabs at the creature's bony wrists, struggling and stepping backwards as its horrible, decaying visage spews ichor over his lips and beard.

Spitting and retching, Hakon punches and struggles at the monster, stepping back again-

-into nothing, falling backwards into a pit amidst the stone. The cultist falls with him, still clutching at Hakon's neck, but Hakon kicks out with a leg, his armored boot hitting stone, and spins them both as they fall, and all of a sudden all of the motion stops as Hakon crumbles into the creature, crushing it under his armor as they suddenly hit land.

Hakon struggles away from the broken, plagued now-corpse and struggles to his feet, dizzy, bruised and vomiting. His head spins, his heart beats fast, he struggles for air between his vomiting and winded stomach, and the dark itself feels almost as constricting as the bony hands previously wrapped around his throat. After emptying his guts, he thumps his chest and claps his hands together, centering himself even he sweats and tries to spit out the rest of his bile. He can still see the traces of light coming from the torch above, and guesses he fell in a pit no more than 20 feet deep at most. Not only is the pit wide enough to move about in, but as his eyes readjust to the dark he can see passages leading out of this deeper portion to the pit.

He can worry about whatever sickness he was exposed to once he finds a way back to the others.

Hakon ends his turn.
Withering: Hakon randomly buries Explorer's Pith Helmet from his discards.
Plagued: Fortitude 5 (Adventure Rule): 1d8 + 1d4 ⇒ (1) + (3) = 4 -> Fail; Hakon buries Commune (Core) from the top of his deck.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Blessing of Kofusachi, Divine Insight (Core), Good Omen (Core), Gray Maiden Plate, Fencer,

Displayed:
Deck: 7 Discard: 1 Buried: 7
Hero Points: 2 // Hakon has the following scourges marked:

Plagued:

While Marked:
At the start of your turn, each other local character must succeed at a Constitution or Fortitude 5+# check or suffer this scourge.

At the end of your turn, succeed at a Constitution of Fortitude 3+# check or bury the top card of your deck; if you succeed by 5 or more, remove this scourge.

NOTES:
Available Support: Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Blessing of Kofusachi (Unhallowed) - Bury to bless a check, Discard if hour has a Constitution CtA. Only use in an emergency.
Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+1 to a check to acquire or close
Fencer - Recharge to encounter a monster on behalf of a local character
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first, unless you choose otherwise.
Other: If the Hour has a Constitution CtA, or BEFORE a character explores at Hakon's location, Hakon will discard/recharge Blessing of Kofusachi to search and draw Glorious Warhammer from his deck.

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your check against an Undead card, add 1d6.

At Varian's direction, Hakon girds himself for combat and cautiously starts making his way towards the ominous pillar-like structure in the center of the remarkably large cavern; some kind of hollowed out stone structure linking the ceiling and floor, lights coming from within. How long has this space been under Korvosa, Hakon wonders? Magic was almost certainly involved in its construction, powerful magic, but how long ago?

Hakon stays at the Lair.
Free exploration:

When he gets close, Hakon observes that the structure isn't quite stone, at least not as he's familiar with. The poor lighting hid its details, but the structure's surface is smooth, like some kind of gray-black glass. It's most certainly inhabited by... something, but the sounds of creaking and scuffling aren't enough for Hakon to predict what he may come across.

He does spy some kind of worn wooden doorway into the structure, miraculously unlocked. Lighting a torch and entering the otherwise pitch-black room, Hakon sees what may have been the remainder of some guardhouse or small armory. Most of the weapons and tools are rusted or broken - again, Hakon wonders how old this structure is - but there's a shield that has managed to survive in good quality against all odds.

Hakon discards Fencer to explore his location, adding 1d4 and the Finesse and Swashbuckling traits to combat checks during this exploration.

As Hakon picks up the shield, a shriek emerges from the shadows and a cultist bearing the distinctive cloth and marks of Urgathoa - bearing a face marred by pox-scars - lunges at the Skald with a cruel ritual dagger drawn. Hakon swings his arm, driving the shield between the cultist and him. The shield takes the brunt of the stab, but the cultist's weight continues to bear on, their shoulder falling on the old shield and snapping it in two.

But, off-balance as they are, Hakon swings his free arm at their temple as they make a clumsy attempt to grapple him, and knocks them out cold.

Hakon discards The Tangled Briar (Harrow) to explore again.
Harrow: Hakon randomly heals an ally (Fencer).

Setting the cultist down for now - noting that they're still breathing, at least - Hakon takes one last glance at the old armory and, seeing nothing, exits through an open doorway deeper into the structure.

Hakon discards Explorer's Pith Helmet to explore again.

A strange, loud fluttering draws Hakon's attention upwards, and he raises his torch just in time to see the horrid, sunken visage of an enormous, mostly-skeletal bat descending upon him, its empty eye sockets reflecting the wispy flamelight. Pharasma must have been with Hakon that day, because his spin, by chance, drove the torch right into the path of the creature's deadly-looking talons, and its flight pattern drives it into the torch, battering it from Hakon's hand, rather than through Hakon's skull. Cinders fly out, settling along the creature's bony frame as it lurches ungainly through the air and helping Hakon see its outline, enough for him to draw and lash out with his hooked sabres to catch a corner of its rib-bone and drag it downwards and into the ground. A final executioner's sweep with his second sabre decapitates the awful thing, which mercifully stops moving.

That's as far as I'm willing to push my luck. Hakon ends his turn.
Withering: Hakon randomly buries The Tangled Briar (Harrow) from his discards.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Blessing of Kofusachi, Divine Insight (Core), Lamashtu's Madness, Bodyguard,

Displayed:
Deck: 11 Discard: 1 Buried: 3
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Blessing of Kofusachi (Unhallowed) - Bury to bless a check, Discard if hour has a Constitution CtA. Only use in an emergency.
Lamashtu's Madness (Unhallowed) - Bury to bless a check against a monster twice
Bodyguard - Recharge to reduce damage to a local character by 3
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first, unless you choose otherwise.
Other: If the Hour has a Constitution CtA, Hakon will recharge Blessing of Kofusachi just before the end of the turn to search and draw Shining Wayfinder from his deck.

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Random Card(s) Used: Spell 1-3, Blessing 1

Hakon - Lair 5-10 remain
Zova - Shrine 5-10 remain
Zadim - Oubliette 2-10 remain
Pits 1-10 remain
Varian - Cell 1-10 remain

Strategy Considerations:
With this scenario burying cards from discards, discouraging use of blessings and throwing lots more damage at us - I'm going to use my Dragon's Demand AP reward for Chain Mail, rather than Incitation as I usually do.
===================================
LOOT (Dragon's Demand AP Reward): Kusarigama (Weapon) -> Chain Mail (Core) (Armor)
Hakon starts at the Lair.

Hakon draws his starting hand, then adds his Harrow to it.

"

Hand: Sacred Candle, Divine Insight (Core), Fencer, Explorer's Pith Helmet, Double Chicken Saber +1, The Tangled Briar (Harrow),

Displayed:
Deck: 12 Discard: 0 Buried: 0
Hero Points: 2

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Before Varian ends his turn, Hakon buries Sacred Candle to draw Lamashtu's Madness. A blessing 2 is nothing to sneeze at!

Hand: Lamashtu's Madness, Divine Insight (Core), Fencer, Explorer's Pith Helmet, Double Chicken Saber +1, The Tangled Briar (Harrow),

Displayed:
Deck: 12 Discard: 0 Buried: 1
Hero Points: 2

My actual turn will most likely have to be posted another day, unfortunately.

Curse-3 - Hakon Rewards

Scenario Reward: Hakon checks off his Supporter Feat for Keppira D'Bear.

Tier Progression: (2.3) Hakon gains a Hero Point.
Hakon expends the Hero Point on a Card Feat, and checks off...
SPELL 3 [X] 4

Hakon still has 2 remaining Hero Points.

Deck Upgrades: Hakon's preferences are as follows...

Breaking from his stupor, Hakon reunites with Zova after her encounter with Rolth. He's grateful that his friends are safe, but there's a sad tale here that he's hardly blind to.

Gaedren's son lies dead at their hands, like his father before him. There's some poetry to that unpleasant little story, one unsure if Hakon ever will wish to tell.

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: At the start of your turn, summon and encounter an ally.

From The Marriage hour power: Hakon summons and encounters...

Varian, Radovan and Zadim scout ahead whilst Zova and Hakon secure the office of any further evidence. It seems that harrower was hardly the only abductee in the place - some poor street child with wild eyes had somehow folded themselves into the cabinet underneath a desk. They lash out at Hakon when he opens it to look for clues and come tumbling out in the process.

Hakon strips off his plague mask, tossing it aside as he subdues the struggling youth, convincing them that he's not among the 'doctors' here but with the guard. The distinction doesn't seem to bring the child much comfort, but the child at least nods when Hakon explains to him that they are safe now and he'll be getting them out of this place soon. The child doesn't otherwise talk or help, but Hakon takes some relief in noting a lack of physical injuries on the child beyond their concerning lack of weight - had they snuck in here on purpose?

Hakon buries Cressida Kroft to draw an Attack spell.

The fainted Harrower comes to with a start as Hakon shakes his shoulder, lifting him a bit to prepare him to move.

"Gracious, is he gone? Oh Gods, that's him, isn't it? He's dead? Dreadful, oh Gods-" He panics, before fainting again. Hakon sighs, letting him slump to the floor for now.

Hakon buries Sacred Candle to draw The Marriage.
The hour power is now "At the start of your turn, examine the top card of your location; if it is a Magic card, encounter it.".

Hakon moves to the Office.
Free exploration:

A small whine catches Hakon off-guard, and he spins around to see Zova holding a small, young dog in her arms. Hakon sees a tight steel collar on it, wearing at its fur and with the remnants of some kind of broken chain hanging from it - Zova had clearly rescued a test-subject of the four-legged kind.

As Zova calms the pup and holds it still, Hakon grasps at the padlock holding the collar closed, getting a solid grip on the rusted old thing and physically tearing the lock open. They spring the collar off of the dog as the pup eagerly licks at both of their faces and hands.

Zadim recharges Armor of Insults to examine the final card of the Office...

Hakon discards Dog to explore.
Melee 6: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 -> Pass.
Acquired.

Location Empty: Hakon attempts to close the Office.
Varian recharges Korvosan Dandy to add 1d6.
Diplomacy 7 (Korvosan Dandy): 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 3 + (4) = 13 -> Pass; Office closed!

When the remainder of the party returns to the office, the group plans how to get the freed subjects, prisoners and stowaways to a safe place before they explore the strange hospice depths from the elevator.

We win!

Hand: Flaming Mace, The Marriage, Blessing of Wadjet, Bodyguard, Harrowstrike, Warhammer,

Displayed: Magic Leather Armor, Vencarlo Orisini, Studded Leather Armor, Thousand Bones, Trinia Sabor,
Deck: 7 Discard: 4 Buried: 7
Hero Points: 2

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
From Zova: Hakon is healed for 1: (Blessing of Wadjet). Deck shuffled.
On Zova's turn, per my notes: Hakon sends Cure to Recovery to heal 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 cards.
Hakon is healed for 2: (Shining Wayfinder, Studded Leather Armor). Deck shuffled.
Hakon recharges Blessing of Kofusachi (the hour has a Constitution CtA) to search his deck for Shining Wayfinder, drawing it.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your blessed check, you may reroll any dice showing 1.

Hakon gives Good Omen (Core) to Varian.

Hakon observes the physician's suit offered by Varian. He defers to the wizard's wisdom and dons it, quietly grateful for the concealment it provides for his furrowed brow and how easy it makes concealing his clenched fingers amidst the loose robes.

"I'll secure the evidence found here, and try to... move the Doctor." Hakon excuses himself as the rest continue the investigation. He remains in the storeroom, trying to right the shelves, to bring the body out of sight and to spill some strange alchemical mixtures he found to hide the smell of blood with the stench of some reagent resembling embalming fluid.

As he works to ensure that their intrusion isn't discovered too early, his unsettled mind repeats his past encounters.

Hakon moves to the Base.
Free exploration: Hakon looks at the top 3 cards of the Base and draws...

Base: Hakon draws Blessing of Wadjet.

The noble swordsman's defense of the painter, Trinia, over the Queen's own judgement.

Hakon discards Priest of Pharasma to explore again. Hakon looks at the top 3 cards of the Base and draws...

Base: Hakon heals 1 card (Priest of Pharasma).

The Field-Marshal herself, complicit in the... treason.

Hakon discards Blessing of Wadjet to examine the top card of his location, then explores. Hakon looks at the top 3 cards of the Base and draws...

Base: Hakon heals 1 card (Blessing of Wadjet).

The Shoanti elder, Thousand Bones, representatives of a people gravely wronged by Korvosa once before. A shameful history.

Hakon discards Shining Wayfinder to examine the top card of his location, chooses not to shuffle, then explores. Hakon looks at the top 3 cards of the Base and draws...

Base: Hakon heals 1 card (Shining Wayfinder).

The wrongfully accused artist, saved by the folk hero Blackjack.

Blackjack, it appears, is more beloved than the current monarch to the people of Korvosa. And with what is happening under her watch in this disgusting place, it seems the people's faith is better directed towards that masked vigilante than the Queen. If only Blackjack could see what was happening in these "places of healing". If only he could be everywhere at once, perhaps he could affect the change the city is crying out for.

Blackjack's story, Hakon realizes, is the story he came to seek.

Hakon displays Vencarlo Orisini, Cressida Kroft, Thousand Bones and Trinia Sabor.

Hakon ends his turn.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge his Cure spell, and so it is discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Flaming Mace, Blessing of Wadjet, Studded Leather Armor, Bodyguard, Sacred Candle (2),

Displayed: Magic Leather Armor, Vencarlo Orisini, Cressida Kroft, Thousand Bones, Trinia Sabor,
Deck: 6 Discard: 3 Buried: 5
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Blessing of Wadjet - Discard to add 2d8 to a check to acquire a non-blessing AD2 boon
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour outside of an encounter (use to avoid a nasty hour power, or draw a powerful blessing)
Vencarlo Orisini - Bury to add +1d6 after a combat roll
Trinia Sabor - Bury to add 1d4+2 to any non-combat check
Thousand Bones - Bury to heal any character 1d4+1 cards
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: If anyone may conduct an exploration that could end the game, Hakon will bury Cressida to draw a new boon of the party's choice.

Notes for Varian: Recharge Handy Haversack, Given Good Omen
Random Card(s) Used: Ally: Korvoson Dandy, Monster: Dire Badger

Hakon - Base 2,5,7 remain // All cards known (by process of elimination)

Hospice 1-11 remain // 1 = Sleep

Zova, Varian, Zadim - Office 4-7 remain

Hakon encounters Doctor Davaulus.

Unfortunately, the encounter with the harpy drew the attention of others beside his allies. A well-dressed Chelaxian bursts into the room - Doctor Davaulus, the head of Korvosa's fight against the blood veil, whom Hakon had the pleasure of meeting in passing some weeks ago. He had never seen the man so much as raise his voice before now, though.

"What on Golarion are you doing tearing up the storeroom!?" Shouts the good Doctor, his face briefly twisted with rage before he notices the uniforms of the five inside. His expression all-too-quickly changes to a thin smile, his rage dissipating like an extinguished candle as his eyes briefly flick to the corpse of the harpy at Hakon's feet.

"Guards? Why I... wasn't informed we had visitors. I'd be happy yo help with your questions, but for quarantine reasons you'll need to be signed into the building so if you'll follow me..." The Doctor turns back to the door only to find Radovan standing in front of it, having closed it behind Davaulus. Another hint of anger crosses the Doctor's face, quickly evaporating.

"I'm afraid I must insist, guardsmen. It's not safe for you to be in here - we're conducting critical but dangerous work here. Authorized by the queen itself, I might add-"

"Of course, Doctor." Varian steps in, matching the smile and demeanor of the Doctor, "But first, we have questions about a musician who came here under your care. Ruan?"

The Doctor's smile seems all too genuine.

"Oh! The Varisian? My cures worked wonders on him, and he was given a clean bill of health just yesterday. If he's not at his house, then perhaps-"

"Nobody's left this hospice in days." Zova asserts, as more of the group step into position to half-circle Davaulus. He clears his throat, silent for a moment before narrowing his eyes on her.

"You must be mistaken. If anything untoward has happened to him in the streets, that would appear to be a failing on your behalf. Now I must insist we properly sign you in and I must return to my work post-haste. Must I inform you that interfering with my research, as it is commissioned by the Queen, could be seen as high treason?" Davaulus has yet to drop his smile, but his threats bely the growing venom in his speech.

Hakon braces himself in mind and spirit for this interrogation as he steps to complete the full-circle around Davaulus the group has formed.

"Doctor. How many people do you treat a day? Give me an estimate for how many are released from your care, daily?" Zadim flatly asks.

Davaulus' smile disappears.

"This plague takes a heavy toll. But that is the nature of disease - it prunes the weak and strengthens the strong. You appear to be on some misguided, foolish crusade, thinking some sword or spell can save this city but it can't. Only the work I do here will bring true strength to Korvosa."

Zadim grips his weapon tightly, sharing a glance with Hakon. Hakon gets the message - there's only so much time before a Gray Maiden returns. Hakon grips the mace he'd picked up, and pushes the question.

"Answer the question. How many do you treat? And why are there guard uniforms in this storeroom? Answer the questions, Doctor."

The Doctor sneers, making an arcane gesture and beginning to vocalize a spell. Zova charges, but Davaulus disappears before them and she stumbles. Hakon curses and looks over his shoulder - did the doctor teleport?

Varian passes the first check to defeat.

Varian closes his eyes for a moment, concentrating.

"Guards up, everyone. Radovan, mind the door. He's still in this room - that was an invisibility spell."

Hakon reaches out his weapon, swinging cautiously back and forth, pushing the concerns evoked by the Doctor's words about the Queen from his head. Varian incants some kind of dispelling magic just as one of the shelves of miscellaneous items suddenly tilts and falls onto Zova and Zadim. Both react in time, catching it with their hands with a grunt as they're pinned in place trying to steady the whole thing.

Radovan rushes to support them as Hakon races behind the shelving, facing up against Davaulus as he tries to tip the shelves further over Hakon's pinned allies. Davaulus steps back and draws a wicked-looking saber. Hakon's question dies on his lips as Davaulus charges with an unexpected speed.

Harrow of Books difficulty increase: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Doctor Davaulus difficulty increase (Human): 1d8 ⇒ 4
Combat: Hakon reveals Flaming Mace to use Melee +1d8+1d4.
Hakon buries Double Chicken Saber +1 to his character power to add his Diplomacy to his Strength check.
Combat/Melee 13 (Hakon, Barracks): 1d10 + 2 + 1d8 + 1d4 + 1d8 + 3 + 1d4 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (6) + (2) + (1) + 3 + (1) = 16 -> Those are some fairly low rolls - I'm glad I played it safe. Pass.
Harrow of Hammers: Hakon discards Sacred Candle from his deck.
Defeated.

Hakon barely parries the first blow with his mace, but lashes out with his free hand to punch Davaulus in the jaw. The doctor reels, and starts to incant another spell. The mace in Hakon's hand alights with magical flame, and Hakon swings it into the doctor's ribs. Distracted with his spell, Davaulus is too slow to respond and crumples over Hakon's weapon.

Closing Henchman defeated: Hakon attempts to close the Barracks.
Combat: Hakon reveals Flaming Mace to use Melee +1d8+1d4.
Zova recharges Blessing of the Green Faith to bless.
Combat/Melee 14 (Blessed, Barracks): 2d10 + 2 + 1d8 + 1d4 + 1d4 ⇒ (3, 9) + 2 + (3) + (4) + (4) = 25 -> Pass; Barracks closed!
Barracks: Each local character heals an Attack, Melee, or Ranged boon. Hakon has none to heal.
Hakon moves to the Blood Pool or, in the alternate, anywhere Zova requests so that I may continue to offer local support.

Hakon displays Magic Leather Armor.

Hakon helps lift the shelving unit off of Zadim and Zova before checking back on Davaulus. Dead.

"No 'doctor' I know uses a saber like that." Zadim notes, kicking the serrated blade along the floor, "That's a tool of assassins. The Red Mantis."

Hakon frowns. How could that be?

All the more reason to investigate what goes on in this hospice. Any concerns arising from the fact that he just killed Korvosa's leading expert on the blood veil can wait until they find the truth of what goes on in this accursed place.

Hakon ends his turn.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Flaming Mace, Blessing of Kofusachi, Cure (Core), Good Omen (Core), Priest of Pharasma,

Displayed: Magic Leather Armor,
Deck: 5 Discard: 5 Buried: 5
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Cure - Recovery (Discard) to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Priest of Pharasma - Bury to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+2 to a check to acquire or close
Blessing of Kofusachi - Discard to bless a check, Recharge if hour has a Constitution CtA. Use sparingly unless it would recharge.
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: If an hour has a Constitution check to acquire, then at the end of that player's turn Hakon will Cure himself and - if Shining Wayfinder is healed - recharge Blessing of Kofusachi to search and draw Shining Wayfinder from his deck.

Notes for Zova: Recharged Blessing of Green Faith, may heal an Attack/Melee/Ranged Boon, move on Barracks closure
Notes for Zadim: Recharged Shuriken +1, may heal an Attack/Melee/Ranged Boon, move on Barracks closure
Notes for Varian: Given Enervation, may heal an Attack/Melee/Ranged Boon, move on Barracks closure
Random Card(s) Used: Ally: Korvoson Dandy

Base 1-7 remain
Barracks BANISHED 4-10 remain // SHUFFLED (Card 8 currently being encountered)
Hospice 1-11 remain // 1 = Sleep
Hakon - Blood Pool 1-11 remain // 1 = Desna's Freedom
Office 2-7 remain // 2 = Biting Tigers

Proxying: Zadim chooses to fail the BA check and moves to the Barracks.

Continuing Turn.

...Zellara sets out the spread and continues speaking. "Looking to the past, I see many images of the Skald Hakon. Anguish and grief. Anger and hatred. And an image of another Skald on his deathbed, a sibling perhaps? The Teamster tells of an unrelenting force, always driving one to move forward." She locks her gaze with Hakon before continuing. "These images shift to look like others, curses of betrayal escaping with their final breaths. Your image shifts to the family they leave behind, similarly in grief. While you quest for vengeance may have ended with Lamm, there are others in this world who lack your determination, your strength, and your refusal to give up. While the half orc in this card is under constant toil from an uncaring taskmaster, he knows that the work he performs is for his betterment and the betterment of others. Be that champion and try to right the wrongs happening in this hospice, even though it is not a burden you ought to have borne."

Zellara then flips over the central column, revealing The Big Sky, The Hidden Truth, and The Theater. Her gaze fixates on the latter of these as she pauses for a moment. Shaking her ghostly head solemnly, she begins. "A theater is normally a happy place, where one goes for entertainment and to forget the worries of the world. However, a dark, more twisted play is being put on at this Hospice. I see a young doctor with a brown coat, but he is not caring for his patients. Instead, he brings them deeper, whether alive or dead at the time, although to where I cannot see due to something blocking any further visions. Beware this 'Doctor' Davaulus, for he answers not to his patients or the wellbeing of Korvosa, but to an altogether darker master....

Zellara's words continue to weigh on Hakon during their stakeout of the Hospice. He remains silent and distant from the remainder of the party, alternating between keeping an alert watch and turning The Teamster card back and forth in restless hands whenever his shift is over.

What occurs behind the closed doors of the Hospice? What darkness has Zellara seen? How could any such darkness exist under the watchful eye of the most trusted of the Crown - the Gray Maidens themselves? Has corruption taken hold of echelons so high in Korvosa? How could the Queen allow it, or fail to know of it?

Hakon tests the edges of the card in his bare fingers, closing his eyes, replaying events in his mind. The end of his brother's murderer at the jaws of their own alligator. The Queen appointing the four of them to the guard. Trinia's would-be execution, and Blackjack's involvement. Vencarlo's involvement. Cressida's own involvement. His involvement.

"Yes indeed! Let us usher in justice for Korvosa! Down with the queen!"

He aches. His loyalties strained, his uniform uncomfortable. Korvosa was suffering and he had been powerless to heal the city that had offered the promise of new inspirations.

The Hospice, he hopes, will be his doubts may be laid to rest one way or another.

...

Inside, Hakon's unease only grows at the increasing signs of foul, ignoble experimentation. The Skald already was averse to centers of alchemy and peddlers of medicine, but this was shaping up to be something far more sinister. He keeps his weapons close and his head down as they try to avoid attention now that they're inside.

"There might be something useful hidden beyond that space, but those tigers look fierce. I should be able to sneak past them, but the rest of you should clear out first or they might come running out to attack you while I'm sneaking in. I don't want anybody to get bit."

Hakon nods, slipping down a hallway and listening at a door further down. Nothing.

He frowns, mentally preparing an excuse in case someone is indeed inside before he barges in, but he doesn't have any more time to consider his options when he hears approaching footsteps from around the corner. From the sounds of it, someone clad in heavy armor, so it cannot be one of his allies - most likely it's one of the Gray Maidens. Making a snap decision, opens the door and slips inside quickly, closing it behind him. Inside, he finds himself in a storage room lit by an oil lantern.

At least, the shelves of paraphernalia seems like a storage room of a sort. But not medical supplies, for the most part, but personal items. A satchel, a necklace, lots of articles of clothing, some weapons, some armor. To the eyes of one familiar with warfare, it bears a worrying similarity to the types of items that might be scavenged off of corpses, just without the bloodstains.

Hakon's stomach sinks, wondering what became of their owners. He's all the more concerned when he comes across a pair of leather armor emblazoned with the emblem of Korvosa's guard, along with a mace that looks like it came straight out of the Korvosan armories and a compass of a kind issued to guardsmen who need to navigate the sewers under Korvosa. The armor is well-worn. What happened to these two guards, and where are they now?

BA: Hakon automatically fails the Wisdom 6 check (1d4 vs DC 6) and cannot play weapons or spells.

Combat: Hakon uses his Melee skill.
Barracks adds 1d4.
Zadim recharges Shuriken +1 to add his Stealth skill.
Combat/Melee 10: 1d10 + 2 + 1d4 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 + (2) + (4) + 4 = 22 -> Pass, no Harrow of Hammers effect.
Defeated.

Before the skald can finish asking himself if these guards had sought to investigate this place too, a screech mere feet away drives the thoughts from his head with an ear-splitting magical wail. He curses, the warhammer he tried to reach for clattering to the ground as he instead swings out a half-blind punch, his eyes somehow half-blind from the scream. His fist hits flesh and feathers, and his vision clears for a moment as he drives the thing back. A harpy!

Hakon tries to reach for the guards' mace behind him before the harpy recovers, but she shrieks again and lunges with inhuman speed, talons outstretched. Hakon raises an arm to defend himself, but he shriek is cut short and she falls lifeless to the ground, a shuriken embedded in her temple. Zadim, Varian and Zova were all close enough to hear the noise and came running.

Hakon clutches his pained head with a groan.

"As ever, Zadim, your timing is impeccable. Now could someone explain to me what a harpy was doing in a storeroom?"

Hakon discards Blessing of Wadjet to examine the top card of his location...
Card # (8 == 10): 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Yet another encounter I should probably consult the party for. I may choose to simply leave the henchman on top and end my turn.
I think this encounter is fair to take right now, though. Zova may take the first check to defeat, with some assistance (a blessing, my character power, etc), then I can take the subsequent combat check to defeat and combat check to close.
As far as I know, however, the conditional difficulty-to-defeat does affect the check regardless of who actually takes the check to defeat, because a human did the actual encounter. There's always the option to leave the encounter for later, though.

Turn Paused, again.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Magic Leather Armor, Flaming Mace,

Displayed:
Deck: 10 Discard: 4 Buried: 4
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Blessing of Wadjet - Discard to add 2d8 to a check to acquire a non-blessing AD2 boon
Bodyguard - Recharge to reduce damage to a local character by 3
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: See above for strategy options. TURN PAUSED.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon moves to the office.
Hakon receives Enervation from Varian.
Because the hour has a Constitution check to acquire: At the end of Zadim's turn, Hakon recharges Blessing of Kofusachi to search his deck for Shining Wayfinder, drawing it.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your check, the first item or ally played is played freely.

Hakon gives Enervation back to Varian. I'm always happy to juggle cards like this for effectively free card draw!
Hakon moves to the Barracks.

Free exploration:

Hakon discards Shining Wayfinder to examine the top card of his location...

Hakon discards Compass to explore again.
Card # (3 == 11): 1d9 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Hakon discards Bodyguard to explore again.
Card # (3 == 10): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Hakon reloads The Teamster and discards Studded Leather Armor to explore again.
Harrow: Hakon heals an ally (Bodyguard).Card #: 1d7 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

We have a few choices here as to how to approach this, but one way or another Hakon will probably want another player's assistance.
Hakon could probably take the Harpy on himself, but it would likely involve burying both his armor and his spare weapon to buff both his BA Wisdom check and the combat check. Fairly expensive.
Varian could assist with Hakon's BA check if he first failed his BA check and moved here, then use his character power for support. Alternatively, he could support the combat check from afar with Enervation.
If Zadim first failed his BA check and moved here, then Zadim could support the combat check with his character power.

Given the variety of options, I'd prefer some discussion with the table before moving ahead with the checks. I'll add in my flavor when I complete my turn.

Pausing Turn.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Blessing of Wadjet, Magic Leather Armor, Flaming Mace,

Displayed:
Deck: 10 Discard: 3 Buried: 4
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Blessing of Wadjet - Discard to add 2d8 to a check to acquire a non-blessing AD2 boon
Bodyguard - Recharge to reduce damage to a local character by 3
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: See above for strategy options. TURN PAUSED.

Thanks Mhuirich! Just making it official...

LOOT (Dragon's Demand AP Reward): Explorer's Pith Helmet (Armor) -> Incitation (Blessing)

Hakon starts at Zova's location.

Hakon draws his starting hand, then adds his Harrow to it.

Impoverished: Hakon draws 3 cards, then buries Kusarigama, Fencer, Incitation.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Blessing of Kofusachi, Blessing of Wadjet, The Teamster (Harrow), Glorious Warhammer, Bodyguard,

Displayed:
Deck: 8 Discard: 0 Buried: 3
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Blessing of Wadjet - Discard to add 2d8 to a check to acquire a non-blessing AD2 boon
Bodyguard - Recharge to reduce damage to a local character by 3
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: If any hour has a constitution check to acquire; Hakon will recharge Blessing of Kofusachi to search and draw Shining Wayfinder from his deck at the end of that turn.

Curse-2B - Hakon Rewards

Scenario Reward: Hakon rallies Keppira D’Bear.

Tier Progression: (2.2) Hakon gains a Hero Point.
Hakon expends the Hero Point on a Skill Feat, and checks off...
Charisma d8 ☑ +1 ☑ +2 ☐ +3 ☐ +4

Hakon still has 2 remaining Hero Points.

Deck Upgrades: Hakon's preferences are as follows...

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: When you encounter a monster from a location, before acting, another local character summons and encounters it.

Start of Turn: Hakon discards The Teamster (Harrow) (Blessing) to draw Blessing of Kofusachi from his discards with his character power.

Hakon buries Sacred Candle to draw The Beating.
The hour power is now "Your Ranged check is blessed.".

Hakon stays at the Abandoned Shacks.
Harrow of Keys: Hakon buries Quartermaster from his discards.

Free exploration:

Villain step! All other characters attempt to guard.
As per Zova's last post, she buries Cloud Puff to guard Den of Iniquity.

Varian attempts to guard the Graveyard. Hakon offers Blessing of Kofusachi to assist (bless).
Additionally, Before Acting: Zadim summons and encounters Plague Zombie. Hakon offers the use of his character power (burying The Beating) to assist (+1d8+2).

If Zadim does not defeat Plague Zombie (or if Varian fails to guard); I'll have to make a new Villain combat check as my options change. I have assumed that other players have used my aforementioned blessings, as my odds are 100% even without them.

Hand: Blessing of Kofusachi, The Beating,

Displayed:
Deck: 6 Discard: 8 Buried: 7
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Blessing of Kofusachi - Discard to bless a check.
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Zova heals Hakon for 5: (Bound Imp, The Forge, Blessing of Wadjet, The Teamster (Harrow), Gray Maiden Plate). Deck shuffled. Thanks!

Suppressing a wince as the poultices take immediate but stinging effect, Hakon murmurs a 'thanks' to Zova for the treatment of his accumulated injuries. He agrees that the graveyard requires a more thorough investigation but - with the ointments still wet on his wounds and Zadim needing to resupply - elects to spend more time investigating these streets until Zadim is prepared.

========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On any non-combat check, you may freely recharge an ally that lists Diplomacy in its check to acquire to bless.

Start of Turn: Hakon discards Glorious Warhammer (Weapon) to draw Double Chicken Sabre +1 from his discards with his character power.

Hakon stays at the Abandoned Shacks.
Harrow of Keys: Hakon discards Blessing of Wadjet from his deck.
Free exploration:

His arms burning from exertion, Hakon elects to prepare some lighter weapons for future combat. He sets his warhammer in the safety of a passing guard patrol for return to the armory to instead prepare his sabres for combat - alongside an exotic knife of Zadim's which must have gotten mixed up in Hakon's pack at some point.

Hakon discards Blessing of Kofusachi to search his deck for Shining Wayfinder, drawing it.
Hakon discards Shining Wayfinder to examine the top card of his location...

Making his way through the streets at Zova's side, Hakon spies an unusually well-armed zombie up ahead and signals to Zova that he'll move to flank them before they strike. Trusting in his growing knowledge of the streets, the skald ducks off into a side-alley in the hopes of circling back to the zombie, but a strange glow amidst the flagstones warns him of magic at work. He recites a sequence somewhere between poetry and prayer, and with a noise between a hum and crackle the glow amidst the stones fade under the suppressive power of his minor spell.

Hakon ends his turn.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge any of his spells, and so they are discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Sacred Candle (2), Cure (Core), The Teamster (Harrow), Keen Starknife,

Displayed:
Deck: 5 Discard: 9 Buried: 3
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour outside of an encounter (use to avoid a nasty hour power, or draw a powerful blessing)
Cure - Recovery (Discard) to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: At the end of Zadim's turn, if not otherwise used - Hakon will cast Cure on himself.

If a Blessing 2 or a Shields blessing is the Hour, then Hakon will use Sacred Candle at the end of that turn (unless the current player wants to change the hour earlier in the turn).

Zadim - Base 1,2,4-6 remain // 1-2 Known
Graveyard 1-10 remain
Hakon, Zova - Abandoned Shacks 2-7 (shuffled) remain // The Desert
Varian - Den of Iniquity 1-12 remain

Small amendment, as per Discord. When the Shop closes...

Zadim moves to the Den.
Hakon moves to the Abandoned Shacks.

Notes for Zova: Recharge Blessing of Green Faith
Notes for Zadim: Discarded Blessing of Abadar, moved to Den
Random Card(s) Used: Ally 1

Base 1-6 remain
Zova - Graveyard 1-10 remain

Varian, Hakon - Abandoned Shacks 1-10 remain // The Desert
Zadim - Den of Iniquity 1-13 remain // Proxy B3 (Plague Zombie) SHUFFLED in

Hakon resumes his turn.
After Acting: Hakon suffers AA Damage (Deadly): 1d4 ⇒ 3 damage, and recharges Bodyguard to reduce the damage by 3, to 0.
Defeated.

Hakon tries to follow Zova as she makes her way deeper into the mass gravesite - hunting some zombie quarry she spots amidst the fields of death - but loses her in the maze of hastily constructed tombstones and hillocks of soils. He considers calling out, but thinks better of drawing any more unwanted attention to either of them.

Unable to find her or her quarry, Hakon spots Zadim making his way towards Giotorri's Toy Shop and instead follows to regroup with the Slayer, walking in along with another nearby member of the guard to greet the pallid shopkeep as Zadim surreptitiously explores its back rooms. Unbeknownst to him, one of Korvosa's 'local' imps has taken an interest to the goings on of the Skald, and hangs upon a nearby wooden post to peer in through the cracked glass of the shopfront windows to watch Hakon's movements.

Looking to break the ice before asking the shopkeep any further questions, Hakon buys the first thing his eyes settle on - a small fake crossbow, a wooden toy for children - and starts to query the shopkeep for any odd events in the nearby streets. The man gives curt denials as Hakon continues to probe, asking questions to see if there's any real response to any, asking if there were any bodied carted in different directions from the nearby gravesite, any strange noises or sudden-

Hakon's questioning is cut short by a shout - Zadim's voice - and a tremendous clutter of noise from the back rooms, along with a telltale groan common amongst the undead. The shopkeep pales more than his already-fragile complexion suggested was even possible, and hides under the bench as Hakon draws his warhammer and batters down the door, finding Zadim fending off a putrid zombie with a rapier as he kicks a nearby crate into the path of another, tripping the ungainly creature. Noises from a shadowy corner suggests that there may be a third undead.

Hakon bellows and tosses the toy crossbow at the zombie stumbling into Zadim's rapier blows, clocking it on the head hard enough to leave an audible crack as its decrepit skull partially crumples, whilst the local guardswoman engages the third zombie with shield and sword. Hakon follows suit with a charge of his own, delivering blow after blow with his warhammer into the wounded zombie and freeing Zadim to turn and finish off the Zombie clumsily scraping over the crate shoved in its path. Between hammer, rapier and sword, the three finish off their respective undead opponents - though the local guard has suffered from a grisly bite in the battle.

Scenario (Card Remaining: 4): 1d8 - 4 ⇒ (5) - 4 = 1 -> Success; Hakon attempts to close the Shop.
There's no other support I can draw upon, and it looks like Zadim is due to spend a turn at the Base digging up supporters until his next hand reset, so I'm asking that Zadim discard Blessing of Abadar to bless.
Diplomacy 7 (Blessed): 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (6, 1) + 2 = 9 -> Pass; Shop closed! Talk about teamwork - I think Zadim contributed far more to the success of my turn than Hakon did!

Stowing his weapon, Hakon provides what treatment he can to the guard's wounds as the three of them make their way back out to the front of the store. Hakon bangs his fist on the desk to summon the hiding shopkeep back to his feet, and proceeds to demand answers with increasing ferocity at the petrified man. The shopkeep babbles about illegal corpse dumping in the nearby streets, and that some kind of overdressed elven woman had come by and ransacked his back rooms for something; then threatening him to not say anything about it.

If the plague wasn't the direct cause of the undead, perhaps this elf might be if she has indeed left zombies in her wake.

Closing (Scenario): One Henchman Proxy B3 / Plague Zombie is shuffled into 1d3 ⇒ 3 the Den Of Iniquity.
Closing (Shop): Hakon elects not to shuffle any remaining boons into other locations (there's an Item 1 and an Armor 0, neither useful in the scenario).

The Shop is banished.
Hakon moves to the Den Of Iniquity, so I can guard it if we end up encountering the villain (plus, it's the location I would least want to explore and thus the best place to sit with the Harrow of Keys wildcard out).
Zadim moves to the Graveyard, where he seems most likely to provide combat support. (Overrule this if Maelwys elects otherwise.)

Hakon ends his turn.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge Bound Imp, and so it is discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Glorious Warhammer, Divine Insight (Core), Blessing of Kofusachi, Fencer, Explorer's Pith Helmet,

Displayed:
Deck: 4 Discard: 10 Buried: 2
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Blessing of Kofusachi - Discard to bless, recharge if the hour includes a Constitution check to acquire
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check (in an emergency - I've nothing good to bury). Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: At the end of any turn under an hour with a Constitution check to acquire, Hakon will recharge Blessing of Kofusachi to search and draw Shining Wayfinder from his deck.

Incidentally, my deck size is starting to get a bit small and I haven't drawn my Cure yet; a little concerning.

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Notes for Zova: Recharge Blessing of Green Faith
Notes for Zadim: Discarded Blessing of Abadar, moved to Graveyard
Random Card(s) Used: Ally 1

Base 1-6 remain
Zadim, Zova - Graveyard 1-10 remain

Varian - Abandoned Shacks 1-10 remain // The Desert
Hakon - Den of Iniquity 1-13 remain // Proxy B3 (Plague Zombie) SHUFFLED in

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon sends Good Omen to Recovery.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge Good Omen, and so it is discarded.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: At the start of your turn, summon and encounter an ally.

Start of Turn: Hakon discards The Forge (Blessing) to draw Blessing of Wadjet from his discards with his character power.
Start of Turn (Hour): Hakon encounters...

Hakon buries Sacred Candle to draw The Marriage.

I'm not overly thrilled with the prospect of checking out a new location only to start another turn running headfirst into a barrier, so I'm asking that Zadim recharge Elixir of Love to examine the top card of the Shop...
Shop Card 1: Light Crossbow

Good enough for me! My combat abilities are looking pretty limited this turn to hope for the best at the Graveyard anyway if I don't have Zadim's support. Hakon moves to the Shop.
Free exploration:

Hakon sends Bound Imp to Recovery to draw 2 cards (Divine Insight (Core), Bodyguard).

Hakon discards The Marriage to explore again.

Hakon discards Blessing of Wadjet to examine the top card of his location...

Turn Paused for Zadim's action, all flavour text for my turn will be in my next post.

Hand: Glorious Warhammer, Divine Insight (Core), Bodyguard,

Displayed:
Deck: 6 Discard: 9 Buried: 2
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Bodyguard - Recharge to reduce damage to a local character by 3
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check (in an emergency - I've nothing good to bury). Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: Turn on pause.

After Zadim's combat check, Hakon will take the after acting damage (and nullify any damage with Bodyguard).

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon was given Quartermaster and moved to the Manor when the Alley closed.
Moved to the Abandoned Shacks when the Manor closed.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your Stealth check or your check that invokes the Poison trait, add 1d4.

Start of Turn: Hakon discards Incitation (Blessing) to draw Blessing of Wadjet from his discards with his character power.

Hakon moves to the Graveyard.

Varian is momentarily stumped as he puzzles over the magical rune uncovered by Zadim, considering the best methods of safe disposal or dispelling. Unable to help with a solution and generally eager to follow more leads, Hakon heads to a nearby mass gravesite in the Gray District where plague victims have been dumped, looking to see if he can confirm any connection between this outbreak of undead and the victims of the plague.

Was that elven woman from earlier a necromancer raising corpses left in the plague's wake, or is this some new change with how the Blood Veil is affecting its victims? If its the former, then she'd surely go to a mass grave to find more corpses. If its the latter...

Well, then he'd find out for sure at the graveyard, Hakon thinks. 'Let's hope that's not the case...'

Free exploration:

Requesting that Varian discard Blessing of the Archdevils to bless.
Knowledge 9 (Blessed): 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (3, 6) + 2 = 11 -> Pass.
Defeated: Hakon examines the next two cards of the location...

Graveyard Card 2: Will-o'-wisp
Graveyard Card 3: The Forge

On the outskirts of the grave, Hakon is struck by how... quiet it is. Shouldn't plague carters be busy around here? He sees no sign of life, no racket of horses and carts. He starts to make his way carefully to the center of the gravesite when a familiar apparition approaches.

Zellara.

"You seek to understand the connection between the diseases of death and undeath that plague this district." Zella speaks.

It was not a question.

Regardless, Hakon clutches at the card from Zellara's own Harrow deck he always keeps in his pocket - its presence seems to make Zellara's voice and form seem more real - and answers the statement. "Yes, but surely it is the opportunism of necromancers exploiting the presence of chaos and death. The plague has existed for much longer, surely they wouldn't be related?"

Zellara does not respond, but she raises a translucent finger in one direction before dissipating into thin air. Following her guide, Hakon see's a faintly glowing wisp in the distance, hovering over... something. He somehow senses, rather than sees, something beyond the wisp's domain.

Grimacing, the Skald raises his weapons for battle.

Hakon discards Quartermaster to explore again.

Hakon discards Blessing of Wadjet to examine the top card of his location...

The aberrant wisp of energy reacted with hostility to his presence, but was cut down like any other foe. Nearby, however, the sense from before surges with familiarity, leading Hakon's eyes and fingers to a small bit of hard paper-like material half stuck in the soft earth. Leaning down, he picks it up and turns it around... another Harrow card, The Forge.

He frowns. He's no reader of these strange Varisian fortune-cards, but having seen their power with his own eyes he racks his brains for the significance of the card. Refining one's strength? Or was it combining different strengths to bring to bear against one foe? Is this a warning from Zellara, that he should secure the support of his allies before plunging deeper into this gravesite? Is there danger within?

Hakon muses on the card, for a moment, before tucking it into his pocket alongside The Teamster within.

Two blessings left in hand, along with a relatively weak weapon and one spell. Not going to risk another exploration in a location full of story banes - next turn I can switch out my hammer for my dual sabres again in case I need to handle a henchman or villain.

Hakon ends his turn.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Glorious Warhammer, The Teamster (Harrow), Good Omen (Core), Sacred Candle, The Forge,

Displayed:
Deck: 7 Discard: 6 Buried: 0
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+2 to a check to acquire or close
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour outside of an encounter (use to avoid a nasty hour power, or draw a powerful blessing)
The Forge - Discard to bless and after the roll, for each type of boon played on the check, add an additional 1.
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check (in an emergency - I've nothing good to bury). Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.

Notes for Zova: Recharge Blessing of the Green Faith
Notes for Varian: Discard Blessing of the Archdevils
Random Card(s) Used: Lightning Touch Acquired

Base 1-6 remain
Hakon - Graveyard 4-14 remain

Shop 1-12 remain
Varian, Zova, Zadim - Abandoned Shacks 3-13 remain // 3: Symbol of Fear (also here: The Desert)
Den of Iniquity 1-12 remain

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: After discarding any number of cards as damage, draw a card.

Hakon moves to the Alley.

Wrinkling his nose and brow, Hakon follows Zova and the Count to Racker's Alley. Hakon's sense of smell was never quite the same after that second time he broke his nose, but even to his dulled senses the stench was a strong guide.

With a smell like this, no wonder there are rumours of corpse-dumping in these streets.

Free exploration:

Zadim recharges The Joke to bless.
Diplomacy 8 (Blessed): 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (4, 3) + 2 = 9 -> Pass.
Defeated.

On their approach, Hakon glances at a conspicuous door on the nearby street - one with a viewport that closed just as soon as he looked at it. Breaking rank from the others', Hakon goes to investigate, rapping his knuckles on the door. There's a scurrying noise inside, and the viewport reluctantly opens to show a bespectacled, wiry-haired man. Odd to see glasses worn by someone living in such an area...

The man rejects any suggestion that he's seen or heard anything, and seems solely interested in having Hakon leave. The only thing that seemed to lower his guard was when Hakon provided the punchline of a common joke amongst the locals, one he'd heard from Zadim, and with a wry smile the man invites Hakon in as long as he's quiet and doesn't disturb anything.

Hakon displays Quartermaster next to the location (Alley power) to explore again.

Hakon reveals Blessing of Wadjet to add 1d4 to his check to acquire.
Wisdom 5 (Blessing of Wadjet): 1d4 + 1d4 ⇒ (2) + (1) = 3 -> Fail.
Banished.

Bafflingly, the man is either a naturalist of some description or just a collector of strange animals, as the place is full of furred creatures of various shapes and sizes; some caged, some roaming free. The place stinks in its own right, but at least the smell of wet fur and animal feed is slightly less oppressive than the stench of rot out on the streets. Given how exotic some of the creatures look, Hakon greatly doubts the legality of this man's ownership of such creatures - but the city has lists of issues to deal with before it starts checking animal ownership permits.

Curious at a spined creature - some relative of a porcupine, the Skald thinks - Hakon reaches out with a gloved hand to feel at the quills along its back. A couple stick in his gauntlet as the creature makes a disgruntled noise and flees under a nearby table.

Evidently it wasn't looking to make friends, Hakon rationalizes... hiding his disappointment.

Hakon discards Blessing of Wadjet to examine the top card of his location...

The naturalist(?) starts droning on about his beloved pets and bemoans the circumstances that led him to this gods-forsaken corner of plagued city and his complaints about the people at odd hours disturbing his creatures. Whilst he's sure there's valuable information in there somewhere, Hakon is instead caught up in thinking on the irony that Zova investigates the streets outside whilst he's left in a veritable - if messy - menagerie of animals. Hakon does, however, notice immediately when the naturalist goes silent and steps back, his fearful eyes trained on a very large cage at the end of the room... one with a battered, bent cage door swinging open.

On instinct, Hakon readies his blades - just as a Dire Badger attacks with a snarl, frothing at the mouth! Hakon holds a sabre defensively as he slashes with the other, spinning his swords as he slices at the legs and belly of the creature, leaving it's startled claws to bounce off his armor and its body to fall in a bloodied heap.

Hakon reloads The Teamster (Harrow) (and discards Gray Maiden Plate) to explore again.

Once they calm down from berating Hakon's damage to their valued speciment, the naturalist insists upon Hakon's help in tending to the creature's wounds and fixing its cage. Reluctantly, Hakon does so - handing them magical curatives when directed in between bending a working latch into place for the cage.

Leaving the man with strict instructions to sedate his monster and purchase a better container for it soon, Hakon leaves the house to return to his compatriots.

Not very good luck with boons - but it's good to have a hand size that leaves me capable of 4 explorations a turn.

Hakon ends his turn.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: The Teamster (Harrow), Double Chicken Saber +1, Good Omen (Core), Incitation, Glorious Warhammer,

Displayed: Quartermaster,
Deck: 9 Discard: 2 Buried: 0
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+2 to a check to acquire or close
Incitation - Discard to bless a check, Freely if it invokes Acid/Cold/Electricity/Fire/Force
Glorious Warhammer - Recharge to examine the top card of the location
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.

Notes for Zadim: Recharged The Joke

Strategy Considerations:
This is one of the many post-Core scenario designs I love, that makes great use of the proxies. The locations becoming more and more full of these zombies (which also helps you close them) leads to a great sense of escalation.

The fact that this scenario features a huge number of multi-check monster banes which spit out automatic combat damage also means that it's a scenario genuinely rewarding weapon-and-armor users (fighters, barbarians, etc), a role that I feel tends to underperform relative to spellcasters and so I always like seeing scenarios to buck that trend. Zadim and Hakon (especially Zadim) may shine here.

Rough wildcards, though. Harrow of Hammers and Deadly are both relatively minor penalties, but they'll be coming up A LOT with the Plague Zombies filling this scenario.
===================================
LOOT (Dragon's Demand AP Reward): Kusarigama (Weapon) -> Incitation (Blessing)

Hakon starts at the Manor, but if you want to be at his location for support reasons then note that he plans to move to the Alley on the first turn.

Hakon draws his starting hand, then adds his Harrow to it.

Hand: The Teamster (Harrow), Gray Maiden Plate, Double Chicken Saber +1, Good Omen (Core), Blessing of Wadjet, Quartermaster,

Displayed:
Deck: 11 Discard: 0 Buried: 0
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+2 to a check to acquire or close
Blessing of Wadjet - Discard to add 2d8 to a check to acquire
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.

Curse-2A - Hakon Rewards

Scenario Reward: Hakon rallies Ishani Dhatri.

Tier Progression: (2.1) Hakon gains a Hero Point.
Hakon expends the Hero Point on a Power Feat, and checks off...
Hand Size: 4 ☑ 5

Finally! The Handsize from 4 to 5 feels like such an important jump in gameplay speed and potential - I just wanted to make sure I started with the option to support some tricky noncombat checks against Monsters in the last tier.

Hakon still has 2 remaining Hero Points.

Deck Upgrades: Hakon's preferences are as follows...

To confirm, the cards from the Boat were left to be banished. Yvicca is shuffled into the Docks and no other changes to location cards occur.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon receives Fiery Glare from Varian, thanks for the spell fuel!
Hakon receives Shield of Resistance from Zadim, thanks for the bury-able fuel!
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your check, you may discard a card to reroll 1 die showing 1 or 2.

Start of Turn: Hakon discards Fiery Glare (Spell) to draw Cure (Core) from his discards with his character power.

Hakon moves to the Boat. Time to put my Diplomacy to work.

Hakon follows Varian's lead, staying with the other two on their vessel as they explore the surroundings near the sunken Direption. As the other two try to divine meaning from the baubles floating on the surface, Hakon's wary eyes scan the horizon amidst the varying-sized flotsam and he spies a small rowboat half-hidden behind a floating piece of a mast. A trail of cloth over the side of the boat give away someone hiding, laying flat in the craft.

"Hold there! It's the Korvosan guard; sit upright!"

Hakon brings their own vessel closer as the previously-spotted, unassuming woman slowly sits upright, watching the trio silently as they approach without making any further movements.

Free exploration:

"What's your name?" Hakon queries. The woman stares blankly, silently. Hakon thinks for a moment, asking a second question as he tries to make out what about her unsettles him so.

"What were you throwing overboard earlier?"

The woman blinks, then leans forward and down as if peering at the water lapping up against her craft. She idly trails a finger over the salty surface and whispers something too softly for Hakon to hear, but he feels something in the air and notices Varian tensing beside him. A spell?

Hakon sends Cure to Recovery to heal Varian 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 cards.

Realizing something is wrong, Hakon half-sings a shout of defensive magic over the trio, reaching for his weapon...

Hakon discards Quartermaster to explore again.

...When suddenly the water swells and shifts. Hakon steadies himself as a beast larger than a man surfaces from the deep and latches its enormous jaws to the other side of the party's small ship, a shark! The boat lists violently, throwing Varian and Zadim to the floor as the wood begins to bow, creak and splinter under the crushing force of the jaws.

No stranger to storms or sea creatures, Hakon keeps his feet steady and his bearings straight as he unclips his warhammer, lifts it high and crashes it down onto the skull of the shark, before following it up with a swipe from the side. The first strike deals a crippling wound to the creature; the second it fatal and shoves it back into the water. Hakon turns back to the woman as her shape shifts and twists into something horrific and vile - a long-clawed monstrosity clad in trails of seaweed - and she leaps from her boat at the Skald with a scream of rage!

Hakon takes the first combat check to defeat Yvicca...
Difficulty Increase (Aquatic Location): 1d4 ⇒ 4

Combat #1: Hakon reveals and additionally discards Double Chicken Saber +1 to use Melee +1d8+1d6+1.
Hakon buries Bronzed Leather to his character power to add his Diplomacy (+1d8+2) to his check against a monster.
Combat/Melee 13+4 (Character Power): 1d10 + 2 + 1d8 + 1d6 + 1 + 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 + (4) + (5) + 1 + (5) + 2 = 25 -> Pass.
Double Chicken Saber +1: Hakon uses the check result (25) for the subsequent Combat check.
Combat #2: Pass.
Fail.
Defeated.

Dropping his warhammer in the boat, Hakon draws his two exotic chicken sickle-sabers, both unsheathing them and slicing them outwards in a cross pattern just as the hag descends upon him. Unprepared for the sudden new weapons, the hag has no time to react before gravity pulls her into the pair of slices which tear even at her supernaturally tough hide; slashing and scarring her as she's thrown off the boat and into the water, a clawed hand dragging at Hakon's blades in an effort to bring him down with her but only managing to pull the weapons from his hands and sending them overboard.

The hag wails and sinks under the waves, almost seeming to become liquid itself in the water. Hakon retrieves his hammer and watches for her to resurface, until Varian points out that she was a sea-hag and likely has fled to tend to her wounds.

Villain defeated: The Boat closes automatically.
Scenario Rule: Hakon looks through the Boat and notices a Weapon 2. Discussion is in Discord whether the Boat's cards should be shuffled into another location or not before the next turn starts.
Villain Escape: The villain is shuffled into the Docks.
Hakon, Varian and Zadim move to the Docks.

Hakon ends his turn.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge any of his spells, and so they are discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Divine Insight (Core), Blessing of Wadjet, Glorious Warhammer, Shield of Resistance,

Displayed: Vencarlo Orisini,
Deck: 4 Discard: 8 Buried: 5
Hero Points: 2 // Hakon has the following scourges marked:

Dazed:

While Marked:
You may explore only once per turn and you may not examine locations.

If this scourge is displayed at the start of your turn, at the end of the turn, shuffle your hand into your deck and remove this scourge.

NOTES:
Available Support: Vencarlo Orisini - Bury to add +1d6 to any combat check post-roll
Blessing of Wadjet - Discard to add 2d8 to a check to acquire a non-blessing AD1 boon
Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Notes for Zova: Recharged Blessing of the Green Faith 2

Base 1-2 remain // 1=Trinia Sabor, 2=Thousand-Bones

Zova - Twisting Passages 4-7 remain

Hakon, Varian, Zadim - Docks 1-8 remain // Crow, Villain

Boat BANISHED // Cards 3-7 MAY be shuffled into another location (including a Weapon 2, but no other good boons). See Discord

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon is given Shield of Resistance; thanks!
Hakon buries Sacred Candle to draw The Trumpet.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: When you fail a check, you may bury your hand and discards to reroll.

Start of Turn: Hakon discards The Trumpet (Blessing) to draw The Brass Dwarf (Harrow) from his discards with his character power.

I lack an effective means of combat, but I'm well-suited to taking on the Henchman and closing the River. Plus, the scenario power prevents us accidentally shuffling away good boons, so it seems that's the safest bet right now. The closing effect also lets me get this Vampiric Touch to Varian!

Hakon gives Shield of Resistance to Zadim.

Hakon moves to the River.

Fortunately for Zadim's pride; Hakon is distracted by a telepathic message from Varian and hurries upriver to find what the wizard communicated to him, leaving behind some of his equipment to travel a bit lighter.

Free exploration:

With Varian's mental directions, Hakon cautiously searches the Riverbank for a symbol that the wizard insists is of the utmost significance to the case. Soon, the skald comes across a small, curious clay tablet with such a symbol inscribed on it laying in the shoreline's mud. As he gently tries to pry it from its bed of earth, he corrects himself - it appears to be a small vessel of some description, not a tablet but a clay envelope, perhaps? He gently lifts and tilts it to examine its sides when suddenly his fingers freeze up and the tablet falls back to the muck - its symbol now glowing and seeming to emit some foul-coloured miasma.

Closing Henchman defeated: Hakon attempts to close the River.
Hakon discards The Brass Dwarf to bless twice.
Harrow: Hakon heals an Ally (Bodyguard) from his discards.
Constitution 8 (Adventure, Blessed*2): 3d8 + 1d4 ⇒ (1, 7, 8) + (1) = 17 -> Pass; River closed!
On Closing: Hakon gives Vampiric Touch to Varian.
Scenario: Hakon searches through the remaining cards in the River, but chooses to let them be banished. We were lucky to have all of the banes at the bottom of the location.
Hakon moves back to the Docks.

Hakon sends Cure to Recovery to heal 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 cards.
Hakon is healed for 2: (The Brass Dwarf (Harrow), Divine Insight (Core)). Deck shuffled.

Hakon backs away and falls to his hands and knees, coughing up bile and gasping for air, his lungs burning and muscles contracting as he hacks out some magical syllables as best he can through the pain, summoning a force of healing to purge whatever curse was trying to plague him. Through the Harrow's fortune, perhaps, his clumsy spellcasting seemed to work, and his health returns in the coming minutes as Varian catches up and helps him to his shaky feet. Hakon warns him from touching the symbol-inscribed thing, guessing that it's a source of a magical curse... or a magical disease.

Who or what would be leaving something like that in a riverbed?

Hakon ends his turn.
Recovery: Hakon is proficient, but chooses not to attempt the check to recharge any of his spells, and so they are discarded.
Hakon resets his hand.

Hand: Double Chicken Saber +1, Quartermaster, Bronzed Leather, Glorious Warhammer,

Displayed: Vencarlo Orisini,
Deck: 6 Discard: 5 Buried: 4
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Vencarlo Orisini - Bury to add +1d6 to any combat check post-roll
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: Feel free to use my character power fairly liberally if there's any local Strength checks or checks against monsters (combat or otherwise); I don't need the Bronzed Leather or Glorious Warhammer at all.

You may also recharge Glorious Warhammer to examine the location if you need that information, but Zadim likely can do that better anyway.

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Notes for Zadim: Given Shield of Resistance
Notes for Varian: Given Vampiric Touch

Base 1-2 remain // 1=Trinia Sabor, 2=Thousand-Bones
Zova - Twisting Passages 1-7 remain // 1=Cave Bear
Hakon, Zadim, Varian - Docks 3-9 remain
Boat 1-10 remain // Villain is here

Flavour post for my turn, continuing smoothly from my previous turn's flavour.

...Instead, Hakon sees a suspicious, armed figure approaching. Hakon warily prepares the hooked blades he'd picked up in his former travels in case combat is necessary.

Hakon grips at his weapons, considering his options... before his instincts took him in a direction perhaps unexpected to his conscious mind and he ducks quickly behind a conveniently-placed barrel, staying still and quiet. Based on the sounds of shuffling, then retreating footsteps, the armed figure must not have actually seen him. Once the coast is clear, Hakon stands, stowing his weapons and dusting himself off, considering his uncharacteristically stealthy approach.

'I've been spending too much time around Zadim...' he muses, admitting that it's nice to still avoid bloodshed when words may not work.

Ah, right. Zadim.

Hakon guesses where the slayer has headed, and makes his way to the nearby medic station set up for the Korvosan Guard. Sure enough, he encounters Zadim and Amin Jalento - the unpleasant aristocrat they'd saved during earlier riots - conversing and is pleased to hear that Zadim's health is not at risk. Good news for Hakon's own health, of course.

Whilst at the medic station, Hakon has some of his earlier wounds treated by one of the Guards' healers and elects to make his way back to the Docks to follow up on another lead. As he winds through a rather unfamiliar portion of the city, the tall complexes of buildings and the cloudy weather masking the direction of sunlight, he pauses to consult his wayfinder to recover his sense of direction.

"Tell me you're not shirking your duties, Guardsman." Comes a familiar tone from nearby. Hakon spins, seeing Field Marshal Cressida Kroft in civilian clothes alongside - even more surprising - the fencer Vencarlo Orisini. A corner of his mind reminds him that Cressida was the one to introduce him to Vencarlo in the first place, and evidently they knew each other well - not much of a stretch to see friends together in the city.

Hakon tenses at the implications of the connection. Vencarlo was helping Trinia make her way into hiding, making him complicit in possible treachery from the perspective of the Crown - does Cressida know that her friend has defied the Queen? Does she care? Hakon eyes the fencer, beginning to regret his own decisions to assist Vencarlo in hiding Trinia - at any moment he can let slip that detail to Cressida and Hakon would be likely if the only thing he lost was his position and not his head.

"No, Field Marshal." Hakon affirms, at least accustomed to holding a steady tone no matter how much tension he must hide to do so, "The wererat Girrigz was slain by my fellow guard, and I am making my way to the Docks to ask further questions about the Direption. I simply needed to tend to an injury."

Vencarlo, to Hakon's dread, speaks up next. "Good to hear the injury wasn't serious. Tell me; were there any incidents in the favour I asked you to perform?"

For all of his years as a Skald, Hakon is momentarily speechless - long enough for Cressida to notice. She glances around to note that nobody else is within earshot, before jabbing a sudden elbow into the fencer's ribs.

"You know it went smoothly. Don't be so cruel, Vencarlo. Nor brazen." She begins, speaking in a low tone to Hakon, "Officially, I am disappointed to report that Trinia has escaped the justice of the Crown. Unofficially, I commend you for your services to Korvosa's people."

Hakon blinks. Cressida knows that they helped Trinia escape? Does she share his doubts about the Queen, then? Would she even say that aloud if it were true?

"Now, keep up the good work, Guardsman. Vencarlo and I are following up a lead of our own off-the-book, and I expect to see you back at the barracks to give me a verbal report by sundown of your findings." Cressida orders with a small smile, "Additionally, do inform Guard Varian that we recently took custody of some smuggled spell scrolls. At a later date, we will be asking for his assistance in cataloguing them and deciding what to do with them - perhaps you may find some of use to you."

With that, the two leave, leaving Hakon's head whirling with all of this new information. Blackjack, Vencarlo, Cressida... so many individuals so well-respected in this city all sharing their faith in - at minimum - Trinia's innocence. Such knowledge should ease Hakon's own guilt and doubt, but in truth it only raises more questions. Does the Queen not listen to Cressida's advice, or does Cressida not dare to share her own thoughts?

Regardless... Hakon has a job to do, and he returns to the Docks.

No flavour for fighting off the Mercenary and Guardian Door - I got sidetracked creating a somewhat more interesting side-story and I can't help but feel this post would get too long and unfocused if I also forced in some flavour for those encounters.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
At the start of Zova's turn, Hakon buries Cressida Kroft to draw a random Attack spell. None appear in the last update, so going back to the previous one to draw...

Hand: Cure (Core), Sacred Candle, Vampiric Touch, Quartermaster, Bronzed Leather,

Displayed: Vencarlo Orisini,
Deck: 5 Discard: 6 Buried: 3
Hero Points: 2
"NOTES:
Available Support: Vencarlo Orisini - Bury to add +1d6 to any combat check post-roll
Cure - Recovery (Discard) to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour outside of an encounter (use to avoid a nasty hour power, or draw a powerful blessing)
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: I'll use Cressida Kroft off-turn as soon as it's confirmed in Discord what to draw with her. If Spell deck upgrades are most desired (as I anticipate), then it makes most sense to draw an Attack Spell with her, but I'm willing to draw a different card type or wait if that's a preference.

Hakon will bury Sacred Candle to grab any Shields or Level 2 hour prior to a player's turn ending, if one comes up. Otherwise, Hakon will use Sacred Candle on Zadim's turn if it hasn't been used by then, so he can redraw his Harrow blessing with his character power."

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Hakon sent Divine Insight to Recovery, then discards it.
========================
Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: On your Strength or Constitution check, you may recharge a card to reroll.

Wounded: Hakon discards Explorer's Pith Helmet from his deck.

Hakon moves to the Base.
Free exploration: Hakon looks at the top 3 cards of the Base and draws...

Base: Hakon removes his Wounded scourge.

Hakon displays Cressida Kroft.

Hakon discards The Brass Dwarf (Harrow) to explore again.
Harrow: Hakon removes his Exhausted scourge.
Hakon looks at the top 3 cards of the Base and draws...

Base: Hakon draws Bodyguard.

Hakon displays Vencarlo Orisini.

Hakon recharges Shining Wayfinder to move to Docks, then examines the top 2 cards of his location...

Hakon discards Bodyguard to explore again.

Hakon ends his turn.
Harrow of Shields: Hakon buries Explorer's Pith Helmet from his discards.
Hakon resets his hand.

I hope to post flavour for my turn in a separate post within the next 24 hours.

Hand: Cure (Core), Sacred Candle, Quartermaster, Bronzed Leather,

Displayed: Cressida Kroft (+Feat), Vencarlo Orisini,
Deck: 5 Discard: 6 Buried: 2
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: Vencarlo Orisini - Bury to add +1d6 to any combat check post-roll
Cure - Recovery (Discard) to heal a local character 1d4+1 cards
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour outside of an encounter (use to avoid a nasty hour power, or draw a powerful blessing)
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: Hakon will move with Varian unless current player suggests otherwise.
Other: I'll use Cressida Kroft off-turn as soon as it's confirmed in Discord what to draw with her. If Spell deck upgrades are most desired (as I anticipate), then it makes most sense to draw an Attack Spell with her, but I'm willing to draw a different card type or wait if that's a preference.

Hakon will bury Sacred Candle to grab any Shields or Level 2 hour prior to a player's turn ending, if one comes up. Otherwise, Hakon will use Sacred Candle on Zadim's turn if it hasn't been used by then, so he can redraw his Harrow blessing with his character power.

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Zadim - Base 1, 5 remain // All known.

Zova - Twisting Passages 1-8 remain
River 1-8 remain
Hakon, Varian - Docks 3-11 remain

Boat 1-10 remain // Villain is here

Zadim does not Avenge. Hakon continues his turn.
The Docks is shuffled.

Hakon recharges Glorious Warhammer to examine the top card of the newly-shuffled Docks...
Docks Card #: 1d11 ⇒ 2

Hakon reaches back to trace at the tear in his armor, his fingers coming back damp with blood. He curses, stumbling up to his feet when the coast is clear, looking around for Zadim, having lost him in the sudden chaos - hopefully he wasn't further injured in that trap.

Instead, Hakon sees a suspicious, armed figure approaching. Hakon warily prepares the hooked blades he'd picked up in his former travels in case combat is necessary.

Hour Power (The Hidden Truth): Hakon heals 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 cards. Assuming I can't choose to still remove Wounded, I guess that's a wash as well - adding insult to the injury I've already sustained.

Well I'd have no weapon for a Combat 16 or Charisma 11 check, and would end my hand with no cards and thus would suffer a Wildcard penalty if I explored... so after Zadim re-examines the location for a heal, Hakon ends his turn.

Hand: The Brass Dwarf (Harrow), Double Chicken Saber +1, Divine Insight (Core), Shining Wayfinder,

Displayed:
Deck: 9 Discard: 3 Buried: 1
Hero Points: 2 // Hakon has the following scourges marked:

Exhausted:

While Marked:
On each check or step, you may play no more than 1 boon.

At the start of your move step, you may end your turn to remove this scourge.

Wounded:

While Marked:
At the start of your turn, discard the top card of your deck.

When you would heal any number of cards, you may remove this scourge instead.

NOTES:
Available Support: The Brass Dwarf (Harrow) - Discard to bless a Constitution check twice
Divine Insight - Recovery/Discard to add 2d6 to a check to defeat a barrier
Shining Wayfinder - Recharge to have Hakon move to a location, examine the top 2 cards, and optionally encounter an examined non-story-bane monster.
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: N/A
Other: That has to be the most counterproductive turn I've taken with Hakon this AP, right? 1 location shuffled, 0 cards banished and a chunk of scourges and damage.

At least I gave Varian a Fencer, so that's a single positive outcome!

Status Link
Most Recent BR Refresh

Notes for Zova: Discarded The Survivor
Notes for Zadim: Suffers 1d4 Combat damage (allies to be discarded first). May heal 1d4-1 cards on his first examine during Hakon's turn
Notes for Varian: Given Fencer. Discarded The Tangled Briar

Varian, Zova - River 4-11 remain // 4-6 known. Henchman is 6
Zadim, Hakon - Docks // Shuffled. 1 is Mercenary. Spiked Volley is somewhere.

OFF-TURN ACTIONS:
Good Omen (Core) sent to Recovery, then discarded.

Hakon arrives at the Fishery too late to assist Zadim, finding the Slayer tending to his ugly-looking wounds and the corpse of Girrigz floating in the water. He whispers a soft apology to Eries under his breath, and yet looking at the lycanthrope's body - adorned with the scars of combat and mistreatment, and weapons in addition to his claws and fangs - he doubts an encounter between them could have ended in any other way.
========================

Hakon starts his turn.
Hour Power: When you suffer damage, suffer the scourge Plagued.

Well... a negative effect on an hour, but a strong blessing as well as being an AD2 blessing for the purposes of deck upgrades. An easy target for my Candle.

Hakon buries Sacred Candle (2) to draw The Sickness from the hourglass.
New Hour Power: The first time you examine cards this turn, heal 1d4-1 cards.

Hakon gives Fencer to Varian. It looks like you'll be especially well-suited to exploring the River, given the Intelligence/Knowledge based boons and banes atop it, so I think you'll make better use of a bonus exploration than I will.

After the rest turn to follow other leads, Hakon chases after Zadim as he runs, guessing the reason for the Slayer's odd behavior and haste based on the wound he'd glimpsed, but choosing to trust in the sign of The Brass Dwarf and brave possible infection if he can help his friend in the process.

Hakon moves to the Docks.
Free exploration:

Given the cost of failure, I'm asking that Varian discard The Tangled Briar to bless, since that plus rerolls is a bit better than relying on The Sickness.
Dexterity 9 (Blessed): 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4 -> Fail, ugh... Hakon suffers Exhausted to reroll (Docks).
Dexterity 9 (Blessed): 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6 -> Fail again. No dice.
Undefeated: Hakon becomes Wounded and suffers 1d4 ⇒ 1 damage and discards The Sickness to damage. Hakon discards Incitation from his deck (Harrow of Keys).

Zadim suffers 1d4 damage and must discard allies first. Would Zadim like to Avenge prior to the location being shuffled?

Note that I can heal myself by examining the top card of the location thanks to the Hour - as can Zadim. Additionally, scourges like Exhausted aren't too bad since playing our Harrow clears a scourge.

Turn Paused.

As Hakon chases Zadim through the streets leading to the Docks, he fails to notice a set of tripwires set up by some inhabitant paranoid of visitors infecting him with the disease. Tripping one, all of a sudden the alley where both Hakon and Zadim are is filled with flying shrapnel, and Hakon dives to the ground as a flying spike tears a gash in a weakpoint of his armor, drawing blood.

"

Hand: Glorious Warhammer, The Brass Dwarf (Harrow),

Displayed:
Deck: 11 Discard: 3 Buried: 1
Hero Points: 2 // Hakon has the following scourges marked:

Exhausted:

While Marked:
On each check or step, you may play no more than 1 boon.

At the start of your move step, you may end your turn to remove this scourge.

Wounded:

While Marked:
At the start of your turn, discard the top card of your deck.

When you would heal any number of cards, you may remove this scourge instead.

NOTES:
Available Support: The Brass Dwarf (Harrow) - Discard to bless a Constitution check twice
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: N/A
Other: Well that was awful; that teaches me from seperating from Varian and his powerful noncombat buffs.

Not so long after the failed execution, Hakon tenses at the sight of the approaching Vencarlo and... Trinia. Hakon's discerning glare must have frightened the artist, as Vencarlo quickly steps between them, giving Hakon a reproachful look and insisting on her innocence before the group, citing Blackjack's judgement and explaining the situation.

Blackjack; that name once again. Hakon has since learned more of the seemingly impossible feats attributed to the figure in this city, but had yet to meet anyone claiming to have spoken to him such as Vencarlo claims. Hakon's impromptu interrogation - how does Vencarlo know Blackjack? Where did they meet? Why would Blackjack not himself protect the woman he risked his life for? - is brushed off repeatedly, Vencarlo stating that he is sworn to silence on the matter and repeating his urging for the group of guards to trust him, pointing out the risks he's taking himself in entrusting them with this task.

Though his curiosity burns... Hakon, somehow, can't find it in himself to doubt the fencer. Vencarlo has the heart of a noble warrior; something any true Skald can sense at a glance. He agrees, carefully silencing the stray thoughts in his head that suggest this action is akin to betraying his oath to the Queen, and assists the party in surreptitiously delivering the fugitive to the Trots inn.

Upon their return, Hakon is all but silent throughout the news of the decree and the encounters with Zellara and Eries, disturbed at all the news to ingest. Disease and plague can demolish whole kingdoms when left unchecked - and he has never seen a city so populous as Korvosa and can scarcely grasp the scale of suffering that is going on beyond the Bank of Abadar and the nearby streets.

A different kind of disease seeps through his thoughts. Doubt, paranoia. Zellara is right - there are so many unanswered questions. But regardless of the cause his duty to both himself, to Cressida and to Korvosa is clear; to find and stamp out the source of this horrific plague, this terrible suffering.

Before they leave to make way to tackle these leads, Hakon draws a lone card from Zellara's odd Harrow deck, turning it to face him. The Brass Dwarf. Hakon is still learning of the odd workings of the Harrow - a field he had dismissed as superstition prior to his time in Korvosa - but he felt that the card suggested that at least he would remain safe and healthy for long enough to get to the bottom of this foul plot. Even if others were not so lucky.

Strategy Considerations:
A straightforward enough scenario; keep Harrow of Keys in mind when picking your starting locations. Fortunately for me, Hakon doesn't mind discarding from his deck!
Note that the Strength closing checks can be assisted by Hakon's character power.
Sadly, the new "When you play your Harrow" power is a lot weaker for Hakon. Given my hand size; drawing more cards to do more in a turn is far more helpful to me than a miniscule amount of healing.
===================================
LOOT (Dragon's Demand AP Reward): Kusarigama (Weapon) -> Incitation (Blessing)

Hakon starts wherever Varian asks him to start.

Hakon draws his starting hand, then adds his Harrow to it.

I'll wait until the Harrow reading is done and/or the scenario starts before adding in my flavour. Suffice to say that given his increasing doubts towards the Queen, Hakon is taking the opportunity of the disaster befalling Korvosa to throw himself even deeper into his work to an almost obsessive degree to help keep his mind focused on anything else.

"

Hand: Glorious Warhammer, The Brass Dwarf (Harrow), Sacred Candle (2), Good Omen (Core), Fencer,

Displayed:
Deck: 12 Discard: 0 Buried: 0
Hero Points: 2
NOTES:
Available Support: The Brass Dwarf (Harrow) - Discard to bless a Constitution check twice
Fencer - Recharge to encounter a monster on behalf of a local character
Good Omen - Discard to add 1d6+2 to a check to acquire or close
Sacred Candle - Bury to draw the hour outside of an encounter (use to avoid a nasty hour power, or draw a powerful/high level blessing)
Bury a card (Character Power) - +1d8+1 to a local check against a Monster or a local Strength check. Please use from the bottom of my hand first.
Movement: N/A
Other: Feel free to use Good Omen or Sacred Candle to grab some level 2 boons if the opportunity presents itself.