1) "If undefeated, examine top 3 cards of your deck and discard any allies. Shuffle any remaining cards into your deck."
So even after I do this, (i.e. I did not defeat the Caller) does it stay on top of location deck for next player to encounter until defeated?
2) This puts me into a quandary in which I can't see a way to advance. I'm playing Rum Punch and this is the last open location (other three are closed, 2 player game).
I am playing both Lem and Valeros whose base Wisdom cannot defeat the Callers Wisdom check of 8.
Both have full hands of 4 & 5 respectfully, and nothing in their hands can boost this check (i.e. no blessings, no reveals to add Wisdom). I know the villain is here somewhere, but with my Blessings Deck down to 4 or 5 turns left..I feel I'm stuck.
Should Lem or Valeros discard cards from their hands and hope & pray that they *may* have a Blessing come up to add a die? Or if Siren does her damage and makes you discard, is this encounter finished and she goes back to the box?
If you fail to defeat a bane, the rule is to shuffle it back into the location deck unless some power tells you otherwise.
Undefeated banes are shuffled back into their deck, so it does not remain on the top; you might never encounter the Siren again.
If Valeros encounters it, Lem can recharge a card to add 1d4 to his check. That puts you a lot closer to success.
Discarding to fish for blessings is a time honored tactic, though be careful about running out too many cards as you might get a character killed.
Also, can't every version of Lem recharge a card to add 1d4 +x to a check by another character at the location?
That's an option to help Valeros make the check.