Secret Santa
A Holiday HorrorClix Scenario by Mad Jack

The Widow Octavia hungered, as she had for many a long age, for the blood and flesh of men. Very nearly was her appetite sated: the young athlete and the fat bearded man had dulled the hunger, yet she craved more. Before her, tangled in a well-placed web, was a slip of a girl struggling to free herself, screaming at the horror that scuttled ever closer. Yes, thought the Widow, this scrawny morsel is just the thing – all that will be needed to restore my strength. Once she’d finished with this one, she would turn her appetite to more worthy prey – the imps that fluttered through the halls, or the vampires she could smell sating their own appetites.

She drew closer, savoring the terror that her majestic bulk inspired. Truly, she reflected, I am as a goddess in this age. Let those who would oppose me despair, and let those who would worship me beware, for my hunger will not be averted – only placated. She reached out her great pedipalps to caress the girl’s face, savoring the smell of terror and the taste of tears. She savored too the elation that welled up within her monstrous heart.

But no, this was not elation. This was some alien emotion, a sensation which she groped to name. Gaiety? No, more than that. She, who had known only the grim pleasure of the hunt and the satiety of the kill, felt for the first time in her epoch-spanning life…jolly.

Somewhere within the tangled webs she found a sack, and compelled by a force she could but dimly comprehend, she pulled from it with one great claw an object, a mere box wrapped in red and green. Surely this was but some mortal conceit, a pallid aping of her web-wrapped scraps. Yet from it she sensed power; in it she sensed a manifestation of that force which even now consumed her with the need to give, the lust for laughter and light. She thrust the gaudy box into the hands of her erstwhile victim and from within her inhuman throat arose an alien incantation: words that meant nothing to her, and yet which resounded with power: “Merry Christmas.”

The Widow Octavia turned from the girl and scuttled down the hall. The screams of the terrified and dying echoed through the halls, and yet this was no mouth-watering serenade. This was a call to duty– already she could feel the gratitude, the joy she would bring to those poor souls caught up in the monsters’ spree. She hungered still as always, and yet she found herself not a bringer of death and torment– no, she brought…comfort and joy. Comfort and joy!

So it is true, she thought, her last sane thought before she was lost to her new calling, even for a queen among monsters, there really is a Hell…*

Background:
Monsters descend on a Christmas party, intent on blood and slaughter. Little do they realize that they are stumbling into the clutches of a force more powerful and insidious than monster: Old Saint Nick!

Objective:
Each player aims to beat the other.

Army Size:
300 points; although designed as a two-player scenario, it works well with three or four.

Time Limit:
60 minutes

Map:
The Haunted House (starter set)

Setup:
Players contribute an equal number of victims; one additional Santa victim is placed face-up at G-11. The Alien Queen and monsters that rescue victims are not appropriate for this scenario.

Special items should be prepared for this scenario, including a custom victim of Santa and several ‘gift’ tokens. These are easily constructed with index cards and sharpies. I also made a Christmas tree stand-up, but you might have fun draping tinsel off the Tree of the Damned; this 3D Object can be placed on the indoor map and functions like the Tree of the Damned. The other really important item is a little Santa hat, just the right size to fit on a monster’s head; I made one with some tightly folded strips of red and white paper, and a little blue-tack in the bottom to give it a sticky factor. If you have access to some good sculpting putty and a dab of paint, you may get good results.

Special Scenario Rules:

The Season of Giving – When Santa ends his movement adjacent to a victim and still has at least 1 move left, the active player may end his movement and put a gift token on that victim. That player earns points for doing so equal to the value of a victim (so 10 points in a 200 pt game). No victim can have more than one gift token at a time.

When a monster attempts to slay a victim that has a gift, if nothing else prevents the slaying, remove the gift token. The slaying attempt fails, but the monster earns 5 points.

The More the Merrier – When Santa is the chosen victim, you may choose not to move Santa. If you do, put a new victim into play on any unoccupied bloodspot.

Jolly Old Elf – Santa is worth 50 bonus points in addition to his normal value.

The Spirit of Christmas – When a monster slays Santa, put the hat on the monster. That monster is now Santa. The monster gains the power The More the Merrier: [move-dependant] “Instead of moving this monster, put a new victim into play on any unoccupied bloodspot.” This power is available on all clicks. If the monster attempts to slay a victim, the Season of Giving activates (thus the monster cannot slay victims, although it can earn points by giving them gifts). If this monster is killed, it is worth 50 bonus points in addition to its normal value, and the monster that killed it is subject to The Spirit of Christmas.

Zombie Masters! For some extra fun, don't reveal to your players the Spirit of Christmas rule until Santa has been slain. Just consider it a little holiday surprise.