By Rookery Publications
Art by Mark Gibbons
A minion, newly arrived in Anthrand, might imagine their peerless Patron furnishing them with an assortment of weapons, disguises, and fiendish accoutrements aplenty, prior to losing them upon the city’s hapless inhabitants. All the better to perform the titular Dark Deeds, right? Wrong! The Patron, in their unquestionable (if unfathomable) wisdom has determined that a minion’s dedication is best tested through adversity. Consequently, every day begins with beady-eyed (and empty-handed) minions scouring the Street for Citizens likely to ‘donate’ tasty pieces of Loot to their master’s grand cause.
The three categories of Citizen encountered on the Street carry different types of Loot and a wise minion will pick their target accordingly. Artisans usually carry weapons with Strength bonuses (good for defeating Guards and Nemeses), Merchants frequently carry items that boost Cunning (good for robbing and sneaking), and Clerics can be counted on to be carrying a mixture of both.
Once acquired, some Loot cards become permanent additions to a minion’s arsenal – assuming one can avoid losing everything after being arrested, or the thieving fingers of their rivals – while others wait to be deployed at a crucial moment before being discarded.
A minion may occasionally rob a Citizen only to discover the poor unfortunate is carrying nothing of value. What becomes of that impoverished individual is best not dwelt upon.
The three Loot decks sit below the Street, and offer up a cornucopia of criminal temptation for all sticky-fingered minions. After successfully robbing an Artisan, Cleric, or Merchant a player may select either of the corresponding face-up cards on display or if they’re not tempted by that Loot, draw a face-down card from the top of the deck. There’s an element of risk in drawing blind since each deck contains Nothing of Value cards which are immediately discarded and offer the player nothing more than a modest reduction in their Suspicion total.
Loot may also be acquired from the game’s Most Suspicious Minion. Whichever player currently bears that dubious honour may be targeted by a rival playing the Mine! Plot card and lose whichever choice piece of Loot that rival has their black heart set on.
Earning the Patron’s Favour is key to victory in Dark Deeds and although that precious commodity can be acquired without Loot, it’s a far easier endeavour with a sharp blade or cunning disguise to hand. It behoves a minion to build a broad arsenal of items, ensuring they have both Strength and Cunning bonuses, as well as a couple of choice one-shot items to dig them out of whichever hole they inevitably find themselves in.
Here we see a 4-card Loot hand which covers the bases nicely. The Assassin’s Blade provides a modest +1 Strength bonus but with the potent option to reroll a failed attack once per turn. The Pretty Petticoat offers a +1 Cunning when used to rob a Citizen and a +2 Cunning when attempting to sneak past a Guard (who are of course famously befuddled by a lacy hem!). Both the Caltrops and Soporific Incense cards are handy one-shot items to be used at key moments in the game and have the potential to turn the Street’s grubby tide in the deploying player’s favour.
For players with a penchant for performance, a cleverly curated Loot selection can form the inspiration for lively minion roleplaying opportunities. Take for example, this set of Loot cards. Our minion, sporting a Nun’s Habit and mounted upon a Faithful Steed, wields a Pocket Arbalest in each hand. One assumes they’ve earned themselves an intimidating moniker – Sister Deathbolt, perhaps – and has become the scourge of Anthrand, until the City Watch inevitably catches up with them and ends their reign of terror.
In conclusion, Loot plays a vital part in every winning strategy and the most cunning minions will master its effortless acquisition and deadly deployment. In a future blog we will discuss the coupling of Loot and Plot to maximise maliciousness, until then… may you dream of Blessed Bludgeoners and Grand Pantaloons!
In our next blog we step away from the game itself to explore the art of Dark Deeds. What twisted visions and infernal processes have come together to shape this sinister and sneaky world? Join us as cocreator, Mark Gibbons, guides us gently through the alleyways and middens of his mind.
But why wait when you can pre-order Dark Deeds now!
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