Wolfe took one of the general rare packs, then tore it open and dumped it into his hand.
Most of the cards weren’t that interesting. Wolfe did get a second Xolo Spirit-Warder, and the rare was a ‘Shattered Mayan Calendar’ that was a 1 Golem or 1 Meta power persistent that stopped all creatures and persistent from advancing any timed effect so long as it was in play. It felt highly situational to Wolfe, but Rhett took it for his deck with everyone’s consent.
Wolfe opened the final pack of cards, also a rare one. He had been underwhelmed with the number of cards he had gotten for his deck from this entire run. Although Shel was building toward and insane mixed civic and healing deck, which Wolfe was extremely pleased with.
Two common cards, two uncommon ones, and two that were rare—for a second time in this dungeon, an uncommon had upgraded to a rare card.
One of the uncommon cards was finally psychic—a card called ‘vision quest’ that took 2 psychic power and stopped the deckbearer from playing cards the next 30 seconds, but afterwards restored all power to the deckbearer even if cards were already on the field. Effectively, all the cards of the deckbearer that were on field already had their power cost reduced to zero. It seemed risky to Wolfe, but Fern wanted it, and he passed it over after a nod from Shel.
But both the rare cards were, somehow, canine subtype although neither fit perfectly with Wolfe’s deck as both lacked Infernal. Excitement bubbled in his chest regardless.
The first showed a ruined, dead city jutting out of the ground, filled with spirit dogs.
Fragment of Itzcuintlan
Rare Tier-1 Undead/Beast [Spirit, Ruin, Canine] Building
0 Power
The Fragment of Itzcuitlan creates a 250,000 sq. feet ruin park, with fragments of buildings and a permanent fog within it. Within 10 miles of this location, all dogs have 30% increased lifespan and do not get sick. Within the location, and in all adjacent contiguous buildings, all undead cards except Itzcuintlan Spirit Dogs have their Attack and Magical Attack set to N/A.
So long as this card is in the deck, whenever a [Canine] of the deckbearer is reduced to zero health, there is a 50% chance that an Itzcuintlan Spirit Dog token card will be called into play.
In the event that the deckbearer has more than one fragment of Itzcuitlan, each additional one past the first adds +1 to all non-health stats of all [Spirit] and/or [Canine] cards rather than increasing summoning chance.
“The first realm of the underworld is sometimes known as Itzcuitlan, the land of dogs, because the spirits of dogs guide their kind owners onward in their journey to their final resting place.”
Itzcuintlan Spirit Dog
Undead / Beast [Spirit, Canine] Creature
Token, 1 power equivalent
Health: 6
Attack: N/A
Defense: 10
Magical Attack: 4[Death]
Magical Defense: 2
“The ethereal nature of the Spirit Dog makes it extremely hard to seriously injure with normal weapons.”
“Okay, so, I’m extra glad I didn’t take the Stone Arch Fire and left it to you,” Wolfe said, staring at the card. “I mean, I barely have any leveling pips, but this has a great deal of potential for my deck. A huge amount of potential, really.”
Shel nodded. “Yeah. Except that by not being an Infernal card it limits the benefit of Hellmouth.”
Wolfe winced. “Oh, yeah. My bad.”
Then he paused. “Although, technically, the Conduit of the Infernal can make a card act as if it’s Infernal.”
Shel nodded, but held a hand up. “Don’t forget, even with that, it still requires ten leveling pips, so…”
Wolfe frowned. “Well, let’s keep it as a possible. It would be pretty amazing in my deck if I can afford it.”
Shel didn’t say anything else, she just leaned up on tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Wolfe glanced at the second card—another orphan from the modifier provided by his ‘Caretaker of the Lost and Lonely” enhancer. This one showed a skeleton. But the creature wasn’t just normal remains. The bones of the body were clearly human, but the skull was canine. The creature card showed Aztec markings all over the bones.
Xolotl’s Get
Rare Undead / Beast [Skeleton, Canine, Demi-God, Orphan] Minion
0 Power
Health: 20
Attack: N/A
Defense: 3
Magical Attack: N/A
Magical Defense: 3
Special: Orphan Evolution [Unique]: If kept ‘alive’ for ten straight years, will turn into a unique Legendary equivalent, Tier-1 equivalent, five power creature card. The deckbearer will also gain a common Undead or Fire (choose one) Building card from the same set as the orphan. If ever ‘killed,’ the timer resets.
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“The non-unique card turns into a unique one?” Shel asked.
“Guess so,” Wolfe replied. “I just hope it stays canine. This might be the best pack I’ve ever drawn from, even if I never really saw myself going with any Undead cards.”
“So, what are you doing for level?” Miriam asked.
“Well… I already added in the enhancer, and upped my cards on field and in hand. I think, given my build, that my next best bet is to simply save pips for a building card slot. That Fragment of Itzcuintlan is insanely good for my deck.”
“Especially if I can work up to the Civic Irrigation card,” Shel said. “Three in four times a dog card died, it would spawn a replacement that could stop other cards from attacking you while you set something up.”
“Yeah.”
“So, what are you looking like at the moment?”
Wolfe pulled his status chart, and recited it. Rhett and Fern paid attention. Wolfe was a touched worried, but not much—Rhett was a damned boy scout, and Fern already had enough to bury him if she wanted.
“So… any changes to your deck?” Shel asked.
Wolfe nodded. “Yeah. After everything, I’m adding our spare two Demonic Portal cards, the orphan, and
Ethan Madison Wolfe Status:
Level 36 Mortal [3 pips remaining]
Deckbearer Perks:
Lost and Lonely God-gifted Start: +1 Companion card
Deckbearer Perk 1: In the Thick of it: +50% to all numerical benefits gained from mantles
Deckbearer Perk 2: Man’s Best Friend’s Best Friend: Gain 1 Beast Power. May have one extra card in play so long as it’s a Beast (Canine or Hybrid Canine).
Level 25 perk: Master of the Lost and the Lonely: Orphans gain +1 Tier when they evolve, and any card packs or non-orphan cards gained from orphan advancement are gained twice. Any one [evolved orphan] card of no more than 2 power may be treated as if it were a free-slot companion card with a 0-power cost.
Deckbearer Flaw: Fallen: May not gain Divine Power, nor use Divine cards unless they are also Infernal or Corrupted.
Deckbearer Stats:
Cards in Deck: 20 (3 pips)
Cards in Hand: 5 (3 pips)
Cards in Play: 4 (1 pips)
Length of Play: 5 minutes
Specialty Cards: Companion: 3 (three free from perks and cards, 1 must be an evolved orphan acting as a companion)
Building: 2 (5 pips, one free from cards)
Minion: 3 (3 pips, 1 free from cards)
Enhancer: 2 (3 pips)
Total Power: (upgraded 5 times): 8 -1 (Infernal Rift) +1 (Infernal Gun set) = 8. (Total pips 15)
Type 1 and Power: 5 Infernal (5 -1(Infernal Rift) +1 (Infernal Guns))
Type 2 and Power: 2 Beast
Energy 1 and Power: 1 Fire
Personal Perks:
Inborn Perk 1: Vicious Killer: +25% to all Attack and Defense, check twice for Attack modifier and take the best
Inborn Perk 2: Tough as Nails: +10 Health
Acquired Perk 1: Crafty Street Fighter: +3 Attack and Defense
Personal Stats:
Health: 30/30
Attack: 10
Magical Attack [None]: 0
Defense: 10
Magical Defense [None]: 5
Deck: (20 cards, 3 companions, 2 Buildings, 3 Minions, 2 Enhancers)
Specialty:
Companion:
1x Cereboo (Gate to Hell set card 1)
1x Malviere
*1x Obsessive Infernal Cultist
Building:
1x Hellmouth Institute
1x Infernal Library (Library Wing of the Hellmouth Institute) (locks Obsessive Infernal Cultist to the first pull)
Minion:
1x Get of Xolotl
Enhancer:
1x Caretaker of the Lost
1x Conduit of the Infernal Six (Enhancer, Gate to Hell set card 4)
Standard:
Mantle:
1x Master of the Infernal Hunt (Mantle, Gate to Hell set card 3)
Persistent:
4x Demonic Portal (each adds a side deck of 5 Infernal creatures, 10 creature total side deck)
1x Cerberus’ Home for Wayward Hellhounds
Immediate:
1x Infernal Rift (Gate to Hell set card 2, adds 1 minion and 1 building card)
Creature
1x Obsessive Infernal Cultist
1x Bulgae Moon Chaser
Equipment
1x Hellfire (Infernal Gun set card 1)
1x Brimstone (Infernal Gun set card 2)
Side Deck: (20 Infernal Creatures)
1x Gehenna Kennel Master
2x Tier-4 Angry Hellhound
2x Tier-3 Angry Hellhound
2x Tier-2 Lost Hellhound Puppy
1x Fireborn Hellhound
1x Smoke Demon
1x Chain Demon
2x Xolo Spirit-Warder
Wolfe finished his recitation with, “And I’ve got room for one more card in deck, and up to eight more creatures in the side deck for the combined Demonic Portals.”
Rhett nodded. “It’s a very strong deck, Wolfe. But we should head back now.”
At Rhett’s words, Wolfe felt his exhaustion seeping up from his very bones. The amount he had done today was impossible to overstate. Two levels of a dungeon, followed by ring shopping, followed by a fight to save Shel that had nearly killed him, followed in turn by a third dungeon level.
Wolfe nodded, his agreement more heartfelt that usual. “Yeah. I’m done as well. Let’s go.”
***
Wolfe leaned against the door frame with his forehead as he banged on the door to Mrs. Timo’s bedroom. Every single bedroom in the entire Hellmouth Institute was the exact same size, and came with the same furniture. You could move furniture around the Institute, but if you moved it back, it would regenerate inside the place again.
But the bas relief demon faces that made up the doors had a central nose you could hang things from, and each of them hung with an art project from one of the girls—a stylized name. This one had been done by Shannon, and showed a poorly drawn series of waterslides and fish around a pond with the words “Mrs. Timo’s room” drawn on it.
The sign was garish and childish and clashed horribly with the décor, but it did mute it—it was far less sinister.
Of course, the place also smelled just the tiniest bit. Not of brimstone or smoke, as you might suspect, but rather the faintest hint of disinfectant in a slightly-too-chilly-but-not-cold building… just enough to be creepy.
But the sign helped a little.
Wolfe raised his fist, about to bang again, when the door opened. Mrs. Timo stared out at him, her gray hair frizzy and her eyes blurry behind her glasses. She was dressed in a thick woolen nightgown and a pair of ratty once-pink bunny slippers.
She stared at him owlishly for a moment. “Wolfe? What in the Infernal do you want at this hour? I swear you acted like a mutt before you got your deck.”
Wolfe dropped his fist, pulled his head back from the door frame, and reached into his pocket. He took out ten cards and a scrap of paper.
He held it out to her. “Here, you old bat.”
She took the cards and stared down at them, her eyes wide. “What’s this?”
“Well, if things go badly, it might be severance pay,” Wolfe quipped.
“What?” Mrs. Timo asked, still not raising her eyes. “I’ve only worked for you for a bit over a year.”
“Look, the situation is too long to explain, and I’m way too tired to relieve the shitshow that today has been,” Wolfe replied. “But the long and the short of it is, I need you to take Liam, as well as Lucy and Shannon and our useless Cavapoos, and get out. I got you some tickets to Tahiti.”
“And the deck?” Mrs. Timo asked. “Why the deck?”
Wolfe sighed. “In case stuff goes bad. That deck is designed to win by doing nothing, and it’s got some rather nasty cards for it. I mean, I know a stiff breeze will kill you, but hopefully it won’t come down to you actually fighting. Work it out with Liam, I’m not sure. But I’d rather not have to worry about my people under attack.”
“What made you think of this?”
“I told you,” Wolfe began, then hesitated and scratched his head. “No, never mind. I guess I didn’t. They found Fern and attacked her, and on the way home tonight, I had the sudden thought it could happen to my people next, since a badass deckbearer named Nathan saw me. So I need you to get out before he does anything insane.”
Mrs. Timo nodded. “When do I leave?”
“Four hours from Noimore International,” Wolfe said.
Mrs. Timo nodded a second time, a single sharp nod. “I’ll get changed and get moving then.”
Wolfe nodded and turned away even as Mrs. Timo began to shut the door.
But after a few steps, Mrs. Timo called out, “Wolfe?”
He turned, to see one of her eyes staring out from the mostly closed door. “Yeah?”
“Did she say yes?”
Although beyond tired, Wolfe’s face lit up. “Asked me, technically. I’ll tell you all about it when this is all over.”
Mrs. Timo gave another half nod and finished closing the door.