William Yorick in... Return to The Gathering (DttF Contest)

Contest? What Contest?

This is a deck constructed for the Drawn to the Flame podcast's competition, in which one must choose an investigator and build a deck which matches the theme of a single scenario. The details are in episode 76!

SPOILER WARNING: As you may have guessed from the deck's title, this is a William Yorick deck for Return to the Gathering. There are most definitely spoilers for Return to the Gathering ahead. You have been warned.

Introduction: Why Yorick

(Return to) the Gathering features our intrepid investigator in their study researching strange disappearances in Arkham, only for their house to develop some rather odd features and then be overrun by ghouls. We know that Yorick has tangled with "degenerate creatures eating the dead in their graves" previously and keeps these Graveyard Ghouls at bay. What if William is researching disappearances from other graveyards in Arkham? What if the ghouls have descended on his house not by chance, but for revenge? And what if Lita Chantler has used this gathering of ghouls to her advantage, attempting to seal them within forever?

Assets: Hand, Accessory, Body

"Who'd live in a house like this?" This is Bill's house so it stands to reason that it would include the tools of his trade: his trademark Gravedigger's Shovel and Lantern. We also find the Newspapers that Bill has collected while investigating the disappearances, some Knives (surely a staple in every house), Bill's Leather Coat and a few Cherished Keepsakes (turning this house into a home). Finally we have his Backpack, which doubtless contains a collection of items which are helpful when he is out digging graves.

Assets: Other

Cornered pretty much sums up the Gathering, trapped in your own house by a glowing barrier with nowhere to go. Sure, early on the rooms have been mysteriously twisted into a loop but those rooms still have corners dammit. And the ghouls will soon find out that nobody puts Billy in the corner.

Gravedigger, huh? Looks like you'll need to... Dig Deep (puts on sunglasses).

Try and Try Again describes Yorick's attempted acting career. There's only one copy in the deck because evidently he eventually gave up. Zing!

Events

"If it bleeds...": the player playing Yorick must give their finest dramatic reading of any card title bearing quotes or it doesn’t count. Or is that just me?

"Look what I found!" A hole in the wall! "Look what I found!" A barrel! "Look what I found!" Some ice! The possibilities are endless.

Bill probably has plenty of Emergency Caches around his house. Maybe this represents a third shovel, fourth lantern or his entire knife draw. He might even have supplies in his Backpack! And just look at that card art, doesn’t that mask just scream thespian?

Yorick is Ever Vigilant against the ghouls and they’ll find him Prepared for the Worst when they try and invade his house.

Houses are full of Improvised Weapons. Who doesn’t want to see William break out his finest Undertaker impression while breaking a chair over the head of the Ghoul Priest?

Skills

As someone well-versed in taking out ghouls with nothing but a damage bonus-less shovel, Bill must be capable of some pretty Vicious Blows. And ghouls invading your home is enough to make anyone mad!

“Okay Bill, there’s a barrier across your Parlor, trapping you in your house with a load of ghouls and if you can’t figure out a way past it then it looks like your time is up. You’ve never been the smartest but maybe you can Rise to the Occasion. Maybe a load of that ice I found earlier could destroy it, if only I could carry it... the barrel! The barrel, my kingdom for a barrel! Oh, there it is, in the graveyard above the attic (I really should stop bringing my work home with me).” Pretty Resourceful, don’t you think?

Signature Cards

How else do you get Ghoul Pits but by Burying Them Deep?

Graveyard? Check. Graveyard Ghouls? Check.

Chronophobia is both William’s knowledge that he urgently needs to escape his house and his acute awareness that time is running out for him to ever become a real actor.

Closing Comments

William's thematic link to ghouls made a ghoul-heavy scenario an obvious choice. The mundane cards of the survivor class lend themselves to ordinary situations and settings, and where could be more normal than his own house? It also helps that the shovel and lantern seem to have been custom made for him, coming out as they did in the same deluxe box, and should serve to remind you in no uncertain terms that you are playing a gravedigger just in case you somehow forgot!