Down into the depths we go...

So, I've had to come home from work feeling like crap... sore throat just in time for Christmas. Ain't that typical? I should be putting more paint on some models for the painting challenge, but I think that's probably a very bad idea right this second.

I decided it was probably less taxing to try out Shadows of Brimstone, so here's a tale of woe, followitng the exploits of our intrepid band of lawmen. No photos I'm afraid as I was just using card tokens to represent the heroes and monsters as they are either still on the sprues or partially assembled.

In our party we have:
- Jackson Swift, a US Marshal (Hardened resolve, spectacles and dynamite)
- Fred Smith, a Lawman (Iron Will, Weathered hat, dynamite)
- Reverend Jones, a local Preacher (Missionary, Cure, Weaken, Lucky Charm, bandages)
- Doc , a Gunslinger (Pistol fanning, Concealed flask, dynamite)

Jackson Swift had been sent out to Brimstone shortly before the town imploded, to bring in the Scafford gang. Having deputised some local law enforcement he's been on their trail ever since. This day, Jackson had seen signs of them entering this particular mine... Doc knew this was one of those days he should have stayed in bed, but had no clue how quickly it wold become apparent.

After passing into the mine, the party see a room full of pipework and skulls. Lots of skulls*. Sadly, Fred slipped on one and started a large cascade, causing lots of wounds and sanity loss to everyone as they are buried in the landslide! (And a growing dread card as they search). The avalanche of skulls unblocks a narrow cap in the roof of the room, letting in a shaft of light. Reverend Jones takes this as a good sign and starts to sing a small sermon, raising everyone's spirits and healing one of his wounds in the process. After all the excitement calms down, they discover a clue as to where the Scaffords went.

For some reason Doc was dawdling a bit, giving Reverend Jones a chance to heal some more wounds. Gazing through the next doorway they spot the second clue... and a room full of monsters! To top it off, the walls are dripping with gore... we can only assume this is what is left of the Scaffords.

(The red Threat card that I drew said to draw two Mediums. The first of these was for 3 Tentacles, 2 corpse piles and 3 undead *gulp*. The Second said to draw two Easy.. no fair! The first of these was 1 Night Terror and 4 void spiders. the second was for another night terror and 5!! Stranglers). Just as well I've got lots of dynamite and it's only my second room!

Doc opened the fight by skillfully throwing some dynamite at one of the Stranglers, which was standing between a couple of tentacles and a corpse pile. The resulting explosion took out one of the Hungry Dead, a void spider,a tentacle and 2 stranglers! Fred thought this was a great idea and followed suit, taking out two stranglers, two void spiders and a tentacle. Things were starting to look a little less worrysome... but only marginally.

The remaining stranglers then got to attack Fred, between them only causing 1 unsaved wound. Before the tentacles got to attack, Jackson let loose with his shotgun and managed to blow one of the corpse piles apart, removing that threat from the board. Unfortunately Fred was paying too much attention when throwing his dynamite as one of the night terrors lumbered across the room and ripped him apart. So much for his lucky hat! This left a free path through to Doc for a tentacle, who bludgeoned him to death too. Things are not looking quite so good.

Summoning his vengeful wrath, Reverend Jones proceeded to Weaken the tentacle and banish it back to wherever it came from.

With only two of them left, and the monsters closing in, Jackson threw his dynamite towards the newly spawned Hungry Dead, blowing it, the corpse pile and the last Strangler apart and seriously wounding the two Terrors. With no way through, the Terrors just had to stand at the back and wait for the remaining undead to either do their job, or to collapse and make way. The Reverend manages to weaken one of the dead enough to cave in it's skull with his holy book, only realising afterwards that that was a dumb move as there was now space for the terrors or a void spider to come through instead.

Thankfully initiative order saw the spider skitter through  to get in the way, even though it did cause some damage. Jackson raised up his shotgun and thought of his responsibilities as a Marshall (+2 attacks), which he dutifully used to remove the undead next to him and then open up on the terrors, taking one out completely and allowing another shot at the Terror behind it, bringing that one down very low as well. The remaining terror barged through the gap and tried to savage our valiant hero, which he shrugs off. The poor thing is nearly dead anyway... it's probably just waving some bloody stumps around at this point.

The reverend manages to fend off the spider for another turn, while valiantly keeping the darkness at bay once more. Jackson finishes off the last Terror and causing some extra damage on the last spider. It doesn't last the rest of its following turn...

With the monsters out of the way, Jackson and the Reverend can tend to their collegues and get the heck out of dodge along with a few pieces of Darkstone each.

Jackson finished with an impressive 160 XP and 1 piece of darkstone
Fred finished with 105 XP and 1 piece of Darkstone.
The Reverend finished with 90 XP and 2 pieces of darkstone
Doc finished with 170 XP and 1 piece of Darkstone

Fred managed to gt a Slashed Leg (-1M) from being KO'd. Doc had his arm crushed (normally -1 Combat), but he's already on Combat 1, so I think that stays the same.

During the course of the journey back to town everyone starts to have Dark Dreams which everyone takes to heart:

Johnson: -4 Sanity next game
Fred: -6 Sanity next game
Reverend: -5 Sanity next game
Doc: -5 Sanity next game

Geeze, these guys really didn't like their dreams did they? Thankfully they manage to avoid any corruption form the Darkstone shards

As the adventure was really really short, they didn't actually find any treasure, so no-one has anything to sell, so it's one night in camp to pay a visit to a few different locations and see what they do.

Johnson goes to the saloon to see if there is anyone causing trouble and ends up in a bar fight instead, which ends with him getting a slashed leg (-1M).

Fred also goes to the saloon, tells some tall tales that no-one believes.

The Reverend decides to go to the Church and preaches the faith. Sadly it seems to be a heathen town, so there's no-one there to pay attention to his diatribe.

Doc goes to the bar as well, but unlike the others, seems to have a great time and comes out of it $10 richer.

Everyone gets a good night's sleep at the camp site, ready to head off into the wilds looking for the Scafford gang again.

* Was this mine designed by GW or something?!