Darkest Dungeon

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 21
Weeks 91-95

The Crimson Curse has officially returned to my Hamlet.

And, as per last time, Dismas was one of the first to come down with it.

Unlike last time, I plan to keep him permanently sidelined until we either deal with the new source of the Curse, or can actually wrest that damned Cure from the Fanatic's hands. I'm not as hard-pressed for worthy heroes this time - I've even got two other Highwaymen around.

And I finally got around to getting the latest revision of guidebooks to the Guild, so they're ready to train Champions now.

I have a checklist of things I need to address before going further:

1. Get the Shieldbreaker to have another nightmare and resolve it.
2. Dispel the Crew from the Cove again.
3. Destroy that new cannon the brigands unearthed.
4. Clean up that flesh mass that showed up at the Warrens again.

With all four of those under my belt, I will not have to be picky about the ranks of explorers. I won't have to worry about who I'm training... but way more importantly, I can focus all efforts on the Courtyard to get this new infestation under control.

You'll notice that the Prophet isn't on the above boss list. That's because I got a new Flagellant - Fresle - and sent him with a team (including Linesi, the new Musketeer I hired a while back) to dispose of the Prophet once more. Fresle actually served more as a healer, whereas Moyaux, Mandeville, and Linesi used Mark-powered attacks to strike the back line where the prophet was.

That's right. I have enough income stream from Antiquarians that a few pieces of ziricote from the pews aren't relevant to my situation. Or at the very least, I'm no longer always one run from destitution - especially because the Collector has shown up way more times than he needs to. He's had his time. I can take him out reliably now.

.....I realize one thing I've forgotten to do all this time is train any of my team on survival skills. I can focus my efforts either on that, or building Districts with all the new blueprints I've been picking up. With the two most important buildings addressed (and having convinced the Nomads to open up more of their stocks - they said they won't carry any more than a dozen at a time due to roving bandits), I can turn my heirlooms to other pursuits.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 22
Weeks 96-100

Those four objectives I listed? Those, right up there?

Consider them done. Yes, in the mere span of 5 weeks, I cleaned all of those up.

First the cannon. The team was... actually not optimal for dealing with it, as they could only hit the matchman if they were in rank 3. In rank 4? Not enough damage. But the fact is, the whole team took a cannonball to the face without a single casualty. That has to count for something. If you're wondering how I got through this, I buffed up a Leper and had him go to town on the cannon.

Next was the flesh mass. Naturally, that called for a Bleed team. So of course the flesh mass would get criticals on my Jester and... frankly, without all that bleed, you can't keep up with the healing needed to take that flesh mass for very long.

And finally, that pirate crew. This one was interesting. Long story short, Mussegros went Virtuous before the battle, and all I had to do was sit him in front while Faceby and Port went to town with their Blight attacks. The anchorman kept targeting the Vestal, but all they had to do was go "nope" and put the Man-at-Arms back in front. The Vestal actually got some melee practice for... what is probably one of the only times it will happen.

With all the bosses sorted, it was time to do something about the Shieldbreaker. My first attempt didn't go so well - no nightmare, and the Shieldbreaker almost bit it from damage. So the crew went back to town, and I ordered them to ride right back out to get things done. On the second trip, the nightmare happened. And it turns out the Flagellant and Highwayman did wonders in helping the Shieldbreaker get over the nightmare.

Oh, something really interesting happened on week 100. Someone came in selling a tonic, claiming it could cure any disease. Enough to share with my whole roster! All I had to do was hand over my remaining shard stash. Now... when they say "any disease", I thought, "They couldn't clear the Crimson Curse that easily, could they? That's a disease too."

Well, it did. Dismas is clean and I've got a reprieve for... a little bit of time. Long enough that I scraped everything together and ordered construction of the Cartographer's Camp. I saw the interest rate on the Bank. A measly 5%, when I've never had six figures? It's not worth it.

Now why do I say "scraped together"? Well, I have a whopping SEVEN new Champions, and outfitting and training them drained my coffers completely.

It's back to sending the Antiquarians out on missions constantly. I actually am torn whether to keep collecting heirlooms for the Survivalist at the moment - I really need to start hoarding money badly given I'm at a critical point now.

I'm told Champion missions are a massive step up from everything I've done so far. I need to be truly ready from here on out. The real endgame is beginning.

 

[PC Master Race]

You got this, sweetie. I believe in you. Make the mother of all omelets and break those eldritch 'horrors' in two with your bare hands !

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 23
Weeks 101-105

Training continues, slowly.

Even a basic short mission to try to bring others up to skill runs the risk of making someone irrational. Such was the case when I sent Reynauld and Dismas' team into the Ruins with what few supplies I could buy on spare change - it was Valorges who went nuts.

As I was setting her up a gambling table afterwards, I was approached with new workers who were willing to do some work on the town. With my most important infrastructure spoken for, I had them put up posters and wanted bulletins up where the stagecoaches convene - and it's paying off already as I'm getting Veterans fresh off the wagon now. I accept no less at this point unless I have to - to the point where I tagged off my last two non-Veterans to recruit a Crusader named Bonel and a Plague Doctor named Patris.

Unfortunately, thanks to an incident on Week 104, I'm down to one Antiquarian - Vesli bit the dust this time. And Dreux is at Champion level, so I have no lower Antiquarians. Then again, Champion missions seem to be no worse than the other missions as long as I keep in mind that enemies will be focusing their fire this time. I sent Mussegros in with a team and got a decent haul.

But now I have a problem.

Because as soon as Mussegros got back, the very thing I feared would happen occurred - Brigand Vvulf is descending upon the hamlet, trying to destroy all my hard work! I have a couple options:

• I can sacrifice a few Veterans and stave him off for another few weeks while I train Champions.
• I can actually pull together a team to take him down here and now.

Here's the roster I have available if I want to take him down:

• Fairfax, Leper
• Bourneville, Jester
• Lanquetot, Vestal
• Guyot, Vestal
• Port, Grave Robber
• Moyaux, Houndmaster
• Clinchamps, Jester
• Mandeville, Highwayman
• Faceby, Abomination

Out of them, only Port is the full resolve 6. The rest are level 5, with all the necessary gear and skills maxed out.

Why is Mussegros not on the list despite being another resolve 6? Too much stress, and I need to put him in the Sanitarium so he gets less antsy. Though if I bring a Jester to offset that stress (he's not Afflicted, at least), I can consider Mussegros for this job and commit him to the aslyum afterward.

Reynauld's team is also all level 5, but there is no way I am even considering them for this battle. No way.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 24
Weeks 106-110

I am happy to say that Brigand Vvulf turned out to be a very trivial matter overall. Kinda stressful for my team, but sending Mussegros in there was the right call. Fairfax and Bourneville took care of the offense, Guyot kept Mussegros going, and I walked out of there with three very rare trinkets. More importantly, I'll never see Vvulf threaten this hamlet again!

With the Brigand gone, it was all about training and outfitting the teams. And improving the Sanitarium, Tavern, and Abbey some more with stashes of heirlooms I find. I have a total of six more Legends at this point, probably enough people to consider sending a team into the Darkest Dungeon itself.

Sadly, Loucelles bit it while on one of these training excursions. These things happen from time to time.

And unfortunately, Reynauld and Dismas are not among the legends at this time. I didn't send them out with enough food and they brought back a massive haul of gold instead of finishing their training. If you can't tell, I'm a little overprotective of them at this point. One or two good training missions and they get to sit on the sidelines until it's time to take on the heart of this incident.

At this stage of things, accuracy buffs have become absolutely vital, whether by trinket or by ability. Without them, I can expect to miss very frequently, and I can't afford that.

Oh, in the ruins I saw this standard-bearing undead. Who can apparently revive the fallen. Obvious first target, anyone?

 

[PC Master Race]

I did get one new Veteran to the roster:

• Mussegros, Man-at-Arms

Parthenai was in there as a frontliner and healer, but the rest were a dedicated mark team whose sole focus was that nest. The good news? They broke the nest, and got 4 more of those trapezohedrons. The bad news?

......the beast took Parthenai's life in exchange. That's another team leader down. I guess that serves me right for not being able to send a single Champion to this mission. I've promoted Mussegros to take his place.

The rest of the time was spent fighting bosses. Another report of the Siren showing up again in the Cove prompted another trip. Mussegros is coming into his own as a team leader...

There was also another report of a Hag being in the area. My first team came back wounded and Raoulin had multiple diseases, so I sent Mussegros with a team to deal with her.

And finally, that pirate crew. This one was interesting. Long story short, Mussegros went Virtuous before the battle, and all I had to do was sit him in front while Faceby and Port went to town with their Blight attacks.

Because as soon as Mussegros got back, the very thing I feared would happen occurred - Brigand Vvulf is descending upon the hamlet, trying to destroy all my hard work!

Why is Mussegros not on the list despite being another resolve 6? Too much stress, and I need to put him in the Sanitarium so he gets less antsy. Though if I bring a Jester to offset that stress (he's not Afflicted, at least), I can consider Mussegros for this job and commit him to the aslyum afterward.

I am happy to say that Brigand Vvulf turned out to be a very trivial matter overall. Kinda stressful for my team, but sending Mussegros in there was the right call. Fairfax and Bourneville took care of the offense, Guyot kept Mussegros going, and I walked out of there with three very rare trinkets. More importantly, I'll never see Vvulf threaten this hamlet again!

"Try the hamlet instead of the weald !"
"Couldn't have gone CHAMPION without all the boss fights in my time."
"I'm not one of your brigand pansies. I could break your barrels of bombs in two, with my BARE HANDS !"
"Don't fuck with THIS Man-At-Arms !"

"[DEDENDER], son."

"Making the mother of all virtues here, Vvulf. Can't fret over every stress !"

MUSSEGROS
Weald Explorer and Tactician
Man-at-Arms Champion of the Hamlet​

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 25
Weeks 111-115

Much of my roster is at maximum level now, including Reynauld and Dismas' team.

And I'm getting close to a point where I may actually want to consider the Bank or one of the other Districts to build next. I've got plenty of blueprints, and only the Tavern and Abbey need significant renovations to bring this hamlet to its old glory. The Sanitarium needs a little bit of expansion work, but that's all else.

It's well beyond time I start setting up a couple teams to take on the Viscount. Goodness knows I've gotten enough incidental Invitations to the guy's buffet.... but if there's anything I've learned about buffets, it's either fat people or starved tourists hoarding everything. I'm guessing the Viscount's packing a major gut.

Very little in the way of interesting stuff happened this time, aside from Reynauld's team taking out the last of the Necromancers in the Ruins. I think I've sent Reynauld and Dismas' team to kill them every single time they've showed up. Only thing that was different this time was that the Necromancer Lord down there was constantly hitting Valorges and Craon with stress damage.

....how, you may ask, am I certain that's the last of the Necromancers down there? Well, Reynauld hauled the guy's collar back to the Hamlet as a trophy. It's kind of like when Mussegros took a lock of Vvulf's hair.

Anyways, there's actually one thing I need to address before we actually kill the Viscount. I want to get an entire team infected and send them to face the Fanatic. The loss of two earlier teams still stings, and I want to put an end to that guy at least once.

Reynauld and Dismas' team is not suitable for this, and neither is Mussegros. I'm going to need a new approach. Actually considering taking a power team and just smashing his pyre to bits - I'll worry about the aftermath later.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 26
Weeks 116-120

So this time I found out that the Crimson Curse is a finicky thing.

I thought it would spread if I put a team in the Sanitarium, but apparently it doesn't work that way. I really want to dispose of the Fanatic just once before I take on the Viscount and I need a solid Cursed team to stop him.....

....anyway. I sent Fairfax and Mussegros with two others to deal with rumors of yet another massive swine in the Warrens. They ran into Wilbur. AGAIN. Having found a Swine "God" of sorts. Well, Fairfax got to god-slaying while Mussegros sat in the back and protected the line. One thing I didn't clarify last time is that ever since the Brigand Vvulf encounter, Mussegros' position has been staying in the back and being the team's shield and a serious commander. Bombs might as well be firecrackers to him. He can take a cleaver hit that could split a transformed Abomination in two from full health (and almost did!). With him on defense, everyone else could take on the Swine God and take out Wilbur again.

....I'm not too happy about the fact they only took the signal flags he was using as a trophy. I hoped they would take his head. I still feel like Wilbur's not done, but he certainly isn't finding another powerful swine in these Warrens.

I had a situation of a couple missions failing this time because of stress. Apparently Patris and Vesci can't seem to hold it together long enough to get trained. Oh well.

I actually sent Fairfax in with some shard mercenaries to take on the horrors of the Farmstead.... and learned very quickly that a Leper is not an appropriate champion for that place. I only made it up to the Miller this time. And thanks to using mercenaries, I only got a total 30 shards out of the deal. I need hundreds for Districts and I need Memories for the Mill.

I was able to put stuff together and build the Sanguine Vintners though. Next time, I'm going with the Bank - goodness knows a lot of my money concerns are alleviated by now....

 

[PC Master Race]

Bombs might as well be firecrackers to him. He can take a cleaver hit that could split a transformed Abomination in two from full health (and almost did!).

Old man refuses to die and insists on making the mother of all PROT this time around and not fret over every crit, very impressive~

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 27
More Vivid

So it seems I have trouble keeping my notes of these endeavors in the same location. I am in the process of putting them into a more sturdy and elaborate book... though I've gotten another vision of the future. A much stronger one.

I know it was stronger, because I recognized everyone by different names. Instead of Paracelsus, the Plague Doctor introduced herself as Valorges. The Man-at-Arms is not Barristan, but Mussegros. The Grave Robber goes by the name of Port rather than Audrey.

And.... there was a new face this time. I'd heard whispers of his name being Damian, but I recognized exactly who it was - the lost Flagellant, Parthenai! Although... the Shrieker sure did a number on his body. Every part of him is completely septic!

I did try to use some of my remaining candles to recall certain events... and I was able to find a bunch of stuff. Poultices, a map of shrines, stims, a strange explosive... but the most important was a couple old loaves of bread. Now my party doesn't always have to eat disgusting slime mold!

Anyways, after a game of cards, I set out from the Valley inn towards the Tangle again. This time, I knew not to seek out the Lair right away - I remembered what happened last time. I instead went right for a Shrine - and asked Mussegros to tell us a story. I never knew the man had politics in him - apparently he negotiated a high command rather than earning it on the field. I'll ask him how that went later - he demonstrated his best battle bellow for us, sure to throw off any counterattacks.

One sight I encountered on the way through the Tangle was a den of creatures. Worms, rabid dogs, and spiders. One of many places I ordered the team to clear out. What concerns me the most is what happened just as we were escaping the Tangle - we ran into mutated cultists! Including one literally serving as an altar. Parthenai barely held together during it - and I've noticed, everyone seems to hate him.

Arriving at the next inn, I asked the innkeeper to unlock that reliquary. What was inside was some kind of scroll. Parthenai suggested preaching the word of that scroll... and that was not a well-received idea. Because just as we were about to go to bed for the night, Port - who had been silent on just about every encounter to this point - started screaming at Parthenai! I was able to break up the fight, but the two resented each other greatly...

In the morning we set out for the Sprawl - a burning city landscape. Mussegros spotted a group of civilians and insisted we pull over - he then proceeded to chat up the locals and came out with some kind of treasure map. I don't know who could use it, exactly... anyways, we encountered another one of those shrines. I asked Valorges about her studies... she went on about senior year again, but this time she described a really boring professor who was giving a lecture. She'd had enough of the guy and knew his conclusions were off... so she actually started arguments with the professor as soon as he concluded his point! And she got really into it while recalling the story, too.... at one point, she chucked one of her poison bombs in such a way that it dispersed the payload over a wide area. I interrupted her, had her do it again... she liked the idea and dubbed it the "Plague Grenade".

Unfortunately, it seems I am still not ready for these visions. I had the team go into a Lair... they did well for the first couple incidents, but then they saw this crazed Librarian who was burning whole stacks of books. They burnt them all before my team could do much about it... and...

....things are hazy from there. All I know is that I found myself back at the ruined stagecoach, pulling candles out. A lot more this time.

I must figure out the secret of these visions somehow.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 28
Weeks 121-125

A time frame with decent heirloom hauls, ending on an extremely disastrous note.

Decent enough money for training, for sure... but never enough for training.

So much of that progress was soured by one thing: The Fanatic.

Seriously, I set a team to take him on. Fresle, Faceby, Vesci, and Bosc. All with the Curse, specifically to draw him out. He dodged the first attack, put Vesci on the pyre... and only Faceby ever managed to do any actual damage to him. This all comes from Bosc, the only survivor of the whole endeavor.

After retrieving my trinkets from the Shrieker, I have a new rule:

No bosses or any other major fights until the Fanatic goes down at least once. I have my game plan: bring a team of the heaviest possible hitters - Lepers, Crusaders, Shieldbreakers, etc. - and smash that pyre to bits.

And you can take that vow to the bank - especially since I just ordered construction of one.

That's three teams the Fanatic has robbed from me. While I was able to recruit another Flagellant and Abomination, this madness has to stop.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 29
Weeks 126-130

So apparently the reminder that "overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer" isn't just for me.

Because while I was trying to raise more money with an Antiquarian mission, the Fanatic struck again... apparently confident that he could stymie my progress more readily. The problem was the matter of the Antiquarian on the team. Invigorating Vapors, combined with the high Dodge of a Houndmaster, ensured that I got several rounds without anyone on the pyre at all. I used this time to push towards destroying it. Eventually the Fanatic got pissed off and threw said Antiquarian on the fire, but the team broke her out and then destroyed that thing.

At which point, the Fanatic started calling down holy light. The team tells me that this is where the Antiquarian, Dreux, breathed her last. A worthy sacrifice, for a couple vials of the Cure and a.... dead rat. I don't know why they brought back a dead rat, it seems like something Fonnereau would have done. Clinchamps says the rat is bleeding way more than any rat has a right to, but I don't want to touch the thing any more than necessary*.

Maybe I'll use one of the vials on Mussegros, who got cursed while doing a training mission. With the Sanguine Vintners active, though, I don't think I'll need to hurry on wiping the Curse from critical party members.

I don't care if I have to run from the Fanatic every time now. I just needed to know that I could stop him at least once. That'll be good enough for me.

Now with that out of the way, I think it's time we finish up with the Shieldbreaker nightmares. Marci actually had one this week, meaning there's just one more until she's recovered. I wonder if those snakes will show up outside the nightmare realm? I could always use more Aegis Scales.

I also have training missions ongoing to get that Occultist I revived up to speed with everyone else. And his whole team, if possible.

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you all because I was still salty from the Fanatic battle in the last log. On the same week the Fanatic showed up, I got an offer to recruit one of three heroes that had either fallen or gone missing. A no-name Shieldbreaker, an Occultist who had a little advancement.... or Fonnereau. There was no way I was calling back Fonnereau after what she did. So, Occultist it is. I'd abandoned them for a while because I never could use them effectively, but apparently the right answer is to send them to the Cove (or any place with the Eldritch) and let them go nuts.

* So the rat carcass apparently prevents death from the Crimson Curse. I'd rather hoard The Blood, thank you very much.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 30
Weeks 131-135

Three attempts to get my Shieldbreaker to go through the last nightmare. Three times, I got nothing.

This set of weeks wasn't all bad, though. I got the Occultist Mowbray and his trainee team - Antiquarian Selina, Vestal Mobec, and Flagellant Marchès - to Veteran tier. Additionally, I was able to take down the Hag Witch without a single casualty. How? Two Houndmasters and a Jester. The Hag Witch cannot survive that much Bleed.

Once I get the final Shieldbreaker nightmare, I'm open to the idea of going to the Courtyard and disposing of the Viscount. I think I've stalled on him long enough and I've only got five Champion bosses to slay. What am I supposed to do after that? Grind Shards for weeks on end? There will be a chance for that, mind you, but some things take priority.

I also wound up hiring another Jester - Ravenot - for some Shards. I should go back and get many more Shards as I've got stuff to build with them.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 31
Weeks 136-140

So, two pieces of good news.

First, I've solved the final Shieldbreaker nightmare finally. No more worrying about nighttime serpents with Marci - though I may run into some serpents later.

Second, I've taken down the Alluring Siren.

This comes with two bits of bad news.

I actually required two expeditions to take on the Alluring Siren. First, I sent Sollers, Poer, Mandeville, and Patris in there. The expedition actually got to her... but my team was too weak, and all four of them have been killed in action. Worse, I failed to recruit the follow-up team that showed up in the caravan the following week, so my roster has a gaping hole in it.

The second expedition called upon my two Houndmasters, plus Port and Guyot. This did much better - stacking Bleeds is one way to go against the Siren, and Hound's Harry means no one can block for her.

When I noticed the gap in my roster from failing to recruit replacements, I was a bit livid. How did I take out my frustrations?

I plucked four recruits off the wagon, all level 0, and pointed them in the direction of the Darkest Dungeon. Just to see how far they could get. A Leper, Grave Robber, Occultist, and Bounty Hunter. They actually made it past the first pair of Rapturous Cultists and the Cultist Priest. And NEARLY made it past a battle with two brawlers and a Rapturous Cultist - with the Occultist surviving five Death's Door checks in a row. At level 0.

So if I send a REAL team in there, I should have a lot more success. But that's for later. I have a lot of retraining to do, and it's seriously time to do something about the Viscount.

.....oh, and one other thing. Mussegros asked me to build a Training Ring so he could keep himself in shape. So I obliged him.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 32
Weeks 141-145

Well, I can confirm that the serpents are showing up in normal dungeons now. Being able to grab Aegis Scales whenever I want is going to be a massive boon later on.

Anyways, there were only two proper dungeon crawls this week, both involving the same Veteran team - Gueron the Crusader, Amiens the Flagellant, Mowbray the Occultist, and Selina the Antiquarian. Both runs got acceptable hauls.

Two of my weeks were sent taking on the Shrieker. I have quickly learned that if I want the nest, I need to bring a ranged mark team - two Houndmasters and a melee Vestal at least, with a ranged attacker to follow up. One mission for which Mussegros just won't cut it.

So what happened with the final week? Well... I have finally taken my invitations and breached the Courtyard, to take on the Viscount.

His mission is going to consume much of the next five weeks as I retreat and re-enter to take my spoils each time. I was able to secure a map of the place and am going to get every curio right that I encounter in the place. I badly need all the heirlooms I can get, and the money haul is pretty solid too.

I've used the first batch of heirlooms to build a Performance Hall for my Jesters. Maybe I'll be more likely to consider Finale for them now.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 33
Weeks 146-150

Four out of the five weeks of this stretch were spent in the Courtyard, with Fairfax, Clinchamps, Port, and Guyot leading a search of the place. AND I'M STILL NOT DONE. Mercifully, I have only one or two more trips before the Viscount is dealt with.

Part of the issue is that the Courtyard is chock full of coins, gems, and heirlooms. Even some tapestries. It also has crates that can be busted up for firewood, but that only does so much...

There's been enough heirlooms that I could put stuff together to build the Outsider's Bonfire, and push my coffers over 100k gold for the first time. That should give you an idea just how much I'm making off of this.

And I managed to rescue someone. I was originally going to ship him out of this town, as he was a Highwayman and he'd been through a massive ordeal, but... one of my Veterans pulled me aside and said that I should keep said Highwayman here, learn the venue from him. So I will be taking this Highwayman - whose name is Grancourt - on my very next mission.

Though not the Courtyard. My Courtyard team needs a break. Grancourt is Champion-level, so I can train him and Marci at the same time.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 34
Weeks 151-155

Grancourt has proven to be a good hire.

There's really not much to be said about him that I haven't already said about Dismas and Harcourt. Highwaymen are just that good.

Also, the Courtyard team has finally done it and slain the Viscount. They report that the guy was literally eating strung-up corpses, so they had to cut them down... and apparently, Fairfax and Port both nearly died multiple times right at the end of it. Clinchamps said he was only good as an extra target once the bodies were down... but everyone made it through, and that's what matters here.

So with a few weeks before the Countess truly shows her face, it's time to train up some of my junior league to fighting form. I need to use Medium missions for this - Short missions don't give enough, and Long missions run the risk of too much baggage and not enough supplies. Happened to Selina's team - stopped just short of the goal and brought back 28k in goodies.

Soon, I'll have so much money I can just live off the interest! Then I won't need the Antiquarian much. Heirlooms are always going to be in short supply until I can build literally everything, though.

Selina, my lone Antiquarian, is probably going to be leading the first serious expedition into the Darkest Dungeon, if I've got to be honest with all of you.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 35
Weeks 156-160

Three years into this, and it's official... I can't be hiring Occultists. Weak, fragile, unreliable with their healing... maybe someone else can get better use out of their support status, but I have had no luck with them at all. On the threshold of Legend status, I lost Mowbray to a 0 HP heart attack. Perhaps the future visions I've been getting will have significantly better luck with those guys. Oh well.

In any event, most of this round was finishing up the town upgrades. Yes, after all this time, the only purpose I have for the heirlooms is building Districts. But one of those districts requires 750 crests.... so it'll still be a while.

I had a bit more fun this time as well, as two of my expeditions went into the Cove... with a Jester. You all know about the ghast musicians in there? Well, Ravenot finished one of them off. Fun time, there.

Sadly, the party won't last... as the Countess is finally showing her influence. I think it'll take two expeditions to defeat her at minimum - as I may say "screw it" with treasure and just work towards disposing of her.

There's also the matter of the Farmstead. I really need to make a few trips into that place. Once for the Sleeper, for sure, but I want to farm enough Memories to construct the Mill and my chances with the Thing from the Stars are iffy in that regard.

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 36
Weeks 161-165

I'm finally venturing into the Farmstead. Each expedition there doesn't count for the weekly total, so there was really 7 adventures for this section, counting two runs in the Farmstead.

I have this much to say: for the Farmstead, Houndmasters suck, Jesters rock, and anyone that can cause Blight needs to be there. Two attempts and... one with Houndmasters (Houndmaster, Houndmaster, Vestal, Shieldbreaker) only got to the Miller, and the one with the Jester actually beat the Sleeper. (Leper, Grave Robber, Jester, Vestal in that team.) Now I need to beat the Sleeper eight more times, as that will let me get the Mill.

And I'm guaranteed to get enough shards to do what I want in that time, even if I only rely on mercenaries. I believe Marci should be put on this duty full-time - her ability to guard-break and cause lots of Blight is valuable.

Anyways, I'm nearing 400k in gold at this stage, so I still prioritize Heirlooms for the time being as I have some Districts to finish. However, with the Athenaeum and Geological Studyhall built, the time for me to keep caring about Heirlooms draws shorter and shorter. I will always have a need for gold, whether in the Sanitarium or training new recruits or simply for provisioning.

As it stands, all the remaining bosses are open, and the Curse is starting to go around again. No more Farmstead until I defeat the Countess. I REALLY hope the team that kills her brings back enough of a sample so we can cure the Crimson Curse ourselves.... my Vintners have more than enough Blood, but it really is getting annoying to treat this curse....


Oh, and in other news, I got word there's going to be more to do in my future, in the time of road trips. The only hint I got was "Inhuman Bondage".... bondage.... inhuman creatures.... I wonder if Abominations will finally show themselves outside the Hamlet?

 

[Firuthi Dragovic]

STATUS UPDATE: DAY 37
More of What's to Come

Had another one of those visions again. Back in the darkness, on that shadowy road.

This time, there were many more familiar faces. Port was there... so was Fairfax, Clinchamps, and Guyot. The entire team that first took out the Sleeper. Things have... changed, with how they fight. Clinchamps relies a lot more on dancing between positions in battle, Fairfax seems to have partially lost his eyesight, and Guyot... Guyot's missing her big reliable team heal, but actually has some sort of build-up mechanic going for her.

This time, I went into the Sprawl hoping to find a merchant to discuss the treasure map. No luck with that at all. As it stands, the Leper seemed to be interested in fighting at first, with everyone else not wanting to get close. He was... also kind of picky with the way he suggested helping others. I didn't listen. Clinchamps was smarter about all of it.

I found another Shrine inside the Sprawl. This time, I chose to hear out Port's story. She's apparently born rich and married even richer... but she had an extremely nasty husband? No wonder she's out and about. She spoke of riches she'd inherit... and had her pickaxe buried in front of a nearby headstone, ready to rob the grave (as she does). She didn't have time to do so, though - we needed to move along.

Anyways, it turns out Fairfax still has his amazing self-heal ability, and if he takes a moment to reflect he can clear his vision so he doesn't miss. We were able to deal with the first Rampart really easy thanks to that.

There was no merchant in the Tangle either. I may not have been able to focus on a merchant either, as everyone started hating on Fairfax all of a sudden. I decided to have a word with him at the next Shrine we saw... he says the party's reaction to him is the same behavior his royal advisers had. As it turned out, Fairfax used to be a king, and he wanted to comfort the sick and dying despite his advisers' objections. Right after his retelling of the story, he smashed a cracked pillar with his blade... but he stressed that helping the infirm was not a mistake, despite confirming it's the source of his leprosy. No, he was still pissed off at his advisers... but wouldn't tell me more. I wonder if he can do the same breaking trick to our enemies' armor.

The wagon actually broke down at one point due to too much damage to the wheels. While we were trying to fix it, brigands tried to rob us. With a CANNON! Never mind a 12 Pounder or even a 16 Pounder, they apparently managed some ritual to animate one to not require a vulnerable Matchman! In between Guyot's hasty attempts to repair the stagecoach (she did the lion's share of the work fixing the wheel), everyone else had to fight off the brigands. Good thing that cannon still has to take time to load or else we might have met our end there.

That was pretty much the end anyways, though, as we ran into the second Rampart right after that disaster with the cannon. Too exhausted to continue, team dropping like flies to the Deacon that was there.... Guyot told me to run while she held them off as the last one standing.

The vision ends there. I still only have a few dozen candles, but I'm not sure what my next approach will be if I have another of these visions...