Silent Night, Wretched Night - A Wretched & Alone game

[Teviko604]

Introduction

It’s December and this year I am and doing a themed solo adventure for Christmas.  I plan on posting several times over the next few weeks, with the final ending being on either Christmas or Christmas Eve.

This adventure will be based on Silent Night, Wretched Night, a journaling game.  As you might be able to tell from the title, it is based on the Wretched & Alone system.  I’ve discussed this system before in this post, but in a nutshell (chestnut, perhaps) you are required to make journal posts based on prompts you receive by pulling standard playing cards.  In addition to the cards, you have 10 tokens and a Jenga tower (or one hundred dice).  Some prompts will ask you to remove a token, or in this game, eat a sweet.  If you eat all ten, you win.  Other times you will be asked to pull from the tower.  If the tower falls (or you eliminate all the dice by rolling 1’s), you lose. You can also win or lose by pulling all the Aces or all the Kings, respectively.

The core premise of the game was written by Luke Russell.  The background and story-telling method are mine.

Also, a little disclaimer, not everything in this story is all sugar plums and happy feels.  There are times it may get dark and gruesome.

PROLOGUE:

For years, children have been misinformed.

They’ve been told that every Christmas Eve a mysterious man travels the world.  He goes by many names -- Santa Claus, Père Noël, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas -- but the story is typically the same. His job is to bring toys and gifts to all the good little boys and girls around the world.

In reality, it’s the parents who have always been the gift givers.  Sometime, long ago, it was agreed that Christmas would be a special time for all families to buy special gifts for each other.  However, as children’s desires have grown, parents found they could not keep up. So, they enlisted the help of the man dressed in red.

Oh, I never said Santa Claus wasn’t real.  I only meant that he was an afterthought, not the originator.  Sorry for any confusion.  Times and technology may have changed, but Santa still travels the world in one night, helping parents everywhere make sure the kids have brightly colored gifts in their stockings or under their trees.

However, Santa’s journey has been threatened as of late.  Not everyone wants him to spread joy around the world.  One such evil being has made it their goal to stop Santa in his tracks.  That being is Dracula.

Source

TAKE OFF

SANTA: This is JOLLY-ONE calling Aire Traffic Control.  Are you there, Sprinkles?

ATC: (Child-like female voice)  I hear you loud and clear, JOLLY-ONE. However, this isn’t Sprinkles. He caught the Elven Flu.  My name is Peppermint. I will be monitoring your flight instead.

SANTA: Peppermint?  You must be a new elf.  How long have you been at the Pole?

ATC: Only a couple of months, but I assure you, I have been well-trained. I’m pulling up this year's list and I will be sending the first batch of stops to your Global Present System.

SANTA: Sounds great.  Dasher is getting restless.  I think he’s ready to kick it into high deer.  Is there any sign of BS?

ATC: No, sir.  You’ll get only honesty from me.

SANTA: Ho Ho Ho! I’m sorry. I should have been more clear.  BS stands for “BLOOD SUCKER”. That’s Dracula’s call sign.

ATC: Oh.  No, sir.  The skies are currently clear.  I think you’ll have a smooth ride tonight.

SANTA: If only I had your confidence.  Ah, the list is in the GPS and I’m on my way. I’ll check in shortly.  On Dasher. On Dancer . . .

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 1 (100 DICE, 10 SWEETS):

SANTA: Come in, Aire Traffic Control.  I am nearing the first stop.  Can you give me an update?

ATC: Skies are clear and I still have no sign of Drac . . . uh, the Blood Sucker.  Perhaps he’s decided to give up?

SANTA: Oh no, Peppermint.  He’s out there. And don’t let your guard down.  That is his pattern.  He’ll wait till I’ve delivered gifts throughout many of the Pacific Islands and usually Australia to generate a false sense of security.  But after that, it’s anyone’s guess. One year he struck as I turned north to Japan. Another year I was midway through Asia and I thought Dracula may had actually taken the night off. Then, when I wasn’t expecting it, he flew up under the sleigh and tried to unhitch the reindeer.  Nearly ended in disaster, but luckily, Donner and Blitzen sensed what was happening and kicked the Blood Sucker in the head until he let go. 

We can’t let our guard down at any time tonight.  Our job is too important.

ATC: You should be at the first house but now.

SANTA: Yes, I see it.  I’ll check back after this first neighborhood.

==========
Roll Results: 1 card

Ace of Hearts: Recalling your interactions with the Lord of Darkness you realize
there is a pattern to his behaviour. What is this pattern?
Do not discard this card. If this is the fourth Ace that you have pulled
then you have discovered Dracula’s weakness. Write one more entry
detailing how you defeat the Vampire once and for all.

[mark]

Just when I thought I'd seen every RPG genre. :-)

[RocknRollFTW]

Love this so far!

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 2 (100 DICE, 10 SWEETS, 1 ACE):

SANTA: You’ll never guess what was left in my sleigh at the last stop. A gift!

ATC: Oh no!.  Did someone spot you?

SANTA: No. No. It’s from the Tooth Fairy.  There’s a bunch of us that hang out and watch each other’s back: myself, Toothy, the Easter Bunny, Cupid, Phil . . .

ATC: Phil?

SANTA: You know, that groundhog from Pennsylvania in the United States. Sometimes when one of us is on a job, we leave little gifts for them.  Toothy gave a portable J-Cup coffee maker.

ATC: I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a J-Cup?

SANTA: J, like the shape of a candy cane.  All the coffee’s this machine brews are peppermint flavored.

ATC: Like my name.  How . . . appropriate.

SANTA: This will be great once I get over the Atlantic.  I could use something to keep me awake over that long, dull stretch.  But I have much to do before . . . Woah!  The reindeer just swerved hard left and begun to dive.  The presents! They’re tipping over the edge . . .

ATC:  Santa!  Santa!  What’s going on?

SANTA: . . .

ATC: JOLLY-ONE.  Are you there?  Oh, great!  Don’t tell me I lost Santa on my first night.  What do I do?  I need to call Sprinkles.

SANTA: (Radio crackles before clearing up) Peppermint. Are you there?

ATC: Santa!  I’m glad you’re back.  What happened?

SANTA: The reindeer got spooked.  I believe a cloud crossed the face of the moon and cast a bat-like shadow over us.  The team must’ve thought it was Blood Sucker. They’re great at dodging, but still unsure when it comes to distinguishing between a real and fake threats.  Regardless, I was able to catch the gifts and now we are back on track.

ATC: You have me scared there for a minute.  I thought . . . what’s that?  (distanced from the mic) Hello?  Who’s there? Hey!  What are you . . .  (Buzzing and static)

SANTA: Peppermint!  What’s going on? 

ATC:  (Static)

SANTA: Is it Dracula?  I’ve seen his posts on FairyBook warning that if I ever left the Pole he would come after my family and friends, but I never took them seriously.  I thought they were empty threats, meant only to scare me. Perhaps I was wrong. Still, he couldn’t find our workshop, could he?  The arctic is a big place.  Dasher!  Dancer!  Be prepared for a course change.  We might need to head home early.

===============

<I just remembered that Silent Night, Wretched Night is a paid product and re-posting the actual game text may not be appreciated.  In lieu of that, I will still reveal my draws for solo mechanics purposes, but I will briefly paraphrase the results.  If you are interested in the actual prompts (which are much more detailed), please consider purchasing the full game.>

Roll Results: 3 Cards

Queen Clubs: A gift is left in the sleigh.
Eat a sweet (9 Left)

Seven Clubs: Something about the moon makes the Reindeer go out of control.
Draw from the tower (Eliminated 15: 85 remain)

Seven Hearts: Dracula has threatened your family in the past.
Draw from the tower (Eliminated 20: 65 remain)

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 3 (65 Dice, 9 Sweets, 1 Ace)

ATC: JOLLY-ONE.  Come in JOLLY-ONE.

SANTA: Peppermint! Thank the Holy Star that you are okay.  I was afraid Dracula found our HQ.

ATC: Nothing so sinister.  It was Tinkerblue’s twins: Cinnamon and Sugar.  They were sneaking around the control center playing hide and seek or something.  I accidentally knocked over my cocoa and the board went on the fritz. Luckily, Monkeywrench was switching out some lights next door. He came over and was able to fix it.  Everything’s fine now. What about you?

SANTA: Glad to hear everything is okay.  I was worried for a while, but knew that even if Dracula was there, the children are counting on me. Sometimes even Santa Claus has to make some hard decisions.

ATC: You should be heading over the mainland by now.

SANTA: Affirmative, but I think I see something I need to check out. I’m going to land.  I’ll be right back.

(Time passes)

SANTA: Peppermint!  Send me the next location now.  We need to get out of here!

ATC: Already sent, Santa.  What’s going on?

SANTA: It’s horrible, Peppermint!  Something innocent elf eyes should never have to see.

ATC: Well, we’re not that innocent. We do spike our cider.

SANTA: Oh, you foolish elf. It’s Dracula!  He’s been here.  I just spotted three bodies in the alleyway.  They were white, drained of all blood.

ATC: But . . . It’s Christmas!

SANTA: Indeed it is, Peppermint.  But jingle bells and mistletoe don’t stop evil. The evil lord has prepared himself with a nice, big meal.  He’s ready for the night, and I’m afraid he’s near.  Keep a lookout for anything unusual on the radar, and we’ll keep our eyes on the skies.

Source

===============

Roll Results: 1 card.

Three Spades: You find one of Dracula’s victims.
Draw from the tower (Eliminated 13 - 52 Left)

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 4 (52 Dice, 9 Sweets, 1 Ace)

ATC: JOLLY-ONE. This is Aire Traffic Control.  Are you there?  It’s been a while since you’ve checked in.

SANTA: I read you, Aire Traffic Control. Sorry for the absence, but I’ve had an eventful hour.

ATC: Hey, I’m all pointy ears.  It’s been a bit boring around here.

SANTA: People are getting real serious about security these days.  In fact, one house I just delivered to had trip lasers crisscrossing all over the living room.  Can you believe that?

ATC:  Oh my!  How did you get past?

SANTA:  It took a bit, but I figured it out.  I dug through the toys in the sleight and salvaged as many mirrors as I could. I took them from Barbie Dream Houses, starter make-up kits, baby play toys, even a heavily polished toy badge.  I strategically placed them in such a way so that when I placed the final mirror, all the beams reflected perfectly from the start to finish sensors, leaving a clear path for me to walk through and leave the presents.

ATC: Wow! Sounds meticulous.  I’m glad you studied up on your trigonometry this year.

SANTA: Not to mention my geometry, as well. But it was well worth it. The family had a bookcase filled with books about mythology and legends - that’s what humans think of us, you know.  I saw they had a book about vampires and I decided to skim through it to see if could find any clues on how to defeat BS.

ATC: What did you find?

SANTA: I read one tale about a cook whose wife turned out to be a vampire. He obviously couldn’t spend his life with her anymore, but he loved her too much to let her live as the undead. So one night he cooked her favorite dinner and laced it full of garlic, enough to kill her.

ATC: Smart thinking, but a little dark, too.

SANTA: Yes, but the story turned out to be very useful.  I wasn’t able to put all the mirrors back in their packages when I was done, so I had to stop at a toy store to pick up some replacements. I was walking through the aisle that Dracula attacked me.

ATC: Dracula!  But I didn’t see him on the radar.

SANTA:  He must be using stealth, keeping low and to the ground.  He probably thinks that’s the best way to sneak up on me, and frankly, it worked. He lunged at me and I was defenseless. I had left all my weapons in the sleigh.

ATC: You carry weapons?

SANTA:  A few.  Candy Cane Sword.  Nerf Gun fitted with armor piercing darts.  Those types of things.  Anyway, he had me pinned to the ground and I couldn’t wiggle free. I looked around for something to use and all I saw was a set of jacks that had been knocked off their stand and scattered on the floor.  That’s when I remembered the story about eating garlic.  I didn’t have any garlic, but perhaps the metal jacks would work just the same.  I scooped several up in my hand and, when he opened his mouth to sink his fangs into my neck, I shoved them in.  The creature swallowed several and started to gag.  I pushed him off and, while he was coughing and trying to free the jacks from his throat, I ran for the door.

ATC: Wow! That was close!

SANTA: Oh, I wasn’t free yet.  I still had to get to the sleigh, which was hidden behind some bushes, when suddenly there rose a low, guttural growl.  I couldn’t see what made the noise, but I still knew what it was.  Fenrir, the giant wolf who has been known to travel with the Vampiric Lord. I had no idea where he was, but I could hear him.  I only had one chance and that was to take my jingle bells and throw them as far as I could away from the sleigh.  Hopefully, the animal would think it was me and chase after them.  He is basically a dog, after all.  It worked.  The wolf jumped from around the corner of the building and ran toward the bells. I wasted no time getting to the sleigh and commanding the team to lift off. Fenrir couldn’t fly, but Dracula could. We had to put as much distance between us as we could before he could continue the chase.

(Faintly in the background, Peppermint hears music coming over Santa’s mic.)

ATC: What is that?

SANTA:  It’s music.  It seems to be coming from a nearby radio tower.

(The music grows and Peppermint recognizes it as “Carol of the Bells” as performed by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 

ATC: Ah, that’s nice.  You’ll have some traveling music for a little . . . hold on. There’s a blip on my radar!  Oh reindeer droppings!  You have a bogey at 2 o’clock!

SANTA:  It’s Dracula!  He’s descending from the top of the radio tower.  Dasher! Dancer! Take evasive maneuvers!

ATC:  Get out of there!  Fast!

SANTA: (Santa orders the reindeer and keeps Peppermint abreast of the situation as the music swells to its crescendo.)  He’s circling around behind us.  I’m going to try and outrun him.  Left Dasher.  Faster! Now right!  Blood Sucker must still have full veins.  He's getting closer. Quickly team, dive!  I’m going to try to lose him in the alleys.  We might lose our signal, but I’ll call back as soon as . . .

===============
Roll Results: 5 cards

Ten Spades: Santa is attacked by Dracula in a toy store but is able to get away.
Eat a sweet

Ace Diamonds: Santa finds a book about myths on a bookshelf and learns something helpful about Dracula.
Hold on to the Ace. You win if you collect all four.

Nine Diamonds: You hear the growls of a hound that is after you.
Draw from the tower (6 Eliminated, 46 left)

Eight Spades: Dracula attacks from a radio tower but the music spurs you on.
Eat a sweet

Two Diamonds: A house is guarded by a robust security system.
Draw from the tower (5 Eliminated, 41 left)

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 5 (41 Dice, 7 Sweets, 2 Aces)

SANTA: Ho, Ho, Ho. Peppermint, it’s great to be back in Germany.

ATC: What’s even greater is that we haven’t had any sign of BS since you lost him in Bangkok. 

SANTA: The old bat is probably still lost in those alleyways looking for me.

ATC: (Peppermint gives a hearty laugh, hearty for an elf, at least.) So, what’s so great about Germany, Santa?

SANTA: I have great memories of the children here.  They’re some of my favorites.  Take my last stop, little Gretta.  Her grandfather, Hans, lives with them and was sound asleep in the living room chair.  When he was just 10 years old, he asked me for a simple board game. If I remember, it was called Gänsespiel. What is so memorable is that it was a selfless gift.  The family didn’t have much and Hans wanted a gift that wasn’t just for himself, but could be enjoyed by the entire family, especially his older sister and younger brother.

Back then, the gifts were simpler.  A game.  A toy train. Dolls.  Books.  They really sparked a child’s imagination.  Nowadays, everything is electric and computerized with lights, buzzers, and power cords.  PlayStations. MP3 players. Electric bikes. The elves can’t just be cobblers, tailors, and scribes anymore.  Now I have to hire programmers, engineers, and a team of lawyers just in case something has a major malfunction.

ATC: I didn’t realize things had gotten so complicated.

SANTA: They have, indeed, Peppermint.  But every now and then a glimmer of the simple life shines through.  Just before stopping at Gretta’s house, I ran into a homeless man named Johan.  While I’d love to give him a nice home to stay in, that just isn’t possible.  But I was able to give him a warm cup of coffee from the J-Cup machine and a spare gift blanket I had. We spoke about Christmases past for a few wonderful minutes before I had to move on.  It’s those unexpected stops that remind me on why go through this year after year.

Unfortunately, it also reminds me of that one regrettable night a decade ago.

ATC:  Regrettable? What happened?

SANTA: It was Dracula, of course.  He knew he had no chance of stopping me that year.  I had a large head start and he just couldn’t catch up.  But that didn’t stop him from doing what he could to disrupt my deliveries.  He arrived in Hamburg after me and proceed to take all the gifts I left for himself.  The children woke up the next morning to find many of their presents were gone.  I can’t help but think that I could have done something. Hide the gifts where only the children would find them, perhaps? Send several of the woodland creatures to guard the houses?  Anything, that would have ensured they had a Merry Christmas. 

ATC: Sounds awful.  I assume that’s why we use CBD?

SANTA: Yes.  It was that disaster that inspired me to have the elves develop the Computerized Bow Detectors. Our network can track each gift's location.  If one of them is moved before morning, a team of SEALs, the Specialized Elves Averting Loss, is dispatched to retrieve the gift and make sure it is either returned safely or replaced.

ATC: You have sure built quite the organization over the years.  Which reminds me, Cookey poked her head in earlier.  Wanted me to ask you what you would like her to make for your after-flight meal.

SANTA: Oh, that’s easy.  I’ve been thinking all night about enjoying my favorite meal when I return to the North Pole: a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with a side of salty cheese fries.

ATC: Buffalo?  That’s a surprise.  I never took you for a spicy man.

SANTA: After a night of cookies, sweets are the last thing I want.  I prefer something that’s the complete opposite, and buffalo chicken is about the most opposite I can think of.  Not to mention, all those glasses of milk I drink are the perfect buffer for my stomach.

ATC: Sounds delicious, but you know how they say all good things must come to an end?  I just spotted a blip on the radar.  I think Blood Sucker is in the area.

SANTA: Thanks for the warning.  Luckily, I’m flying over a used sleigh lot.  If I park among the other sleighs, unhitch the team, and shut everything down, I should be able to blend in and hide until he moves on. 

ATC: Sounds like a plan.  I’ll keep quiet until you check back in.  Aire Traffic Control, signing off.

===============
Roll Results: 6 cards

Queen Diamonds: An elderly person asleep in a chair is someone you remember from their childhood.
Eat one sweet (6 left)

Six Clubs: You escape from Dracula thanks to a warning from your elves.
Eat a sweet (5 left)

Two hearts: What favorite food will you eat when you are done with your ride.

Ten hearts: How have gifts changed over the years.

King hearts: What past regret keeps upsetting you.
Draw from the tower. Keep the King.  If you get all four, you lose. (Eliminated 6, 35 remain)

Six Diamonds: You help a homeless person.
Eat one sweet (4 left)

Source

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 6 (35 Dice, 4 Sweets, 2 Aces, 1 King)

ATC: Hey Santa, I have a joke for you.

SANTA: Let’s hear it, Peppermint.  I’m always up for a good laugh.

ATC: What are the most common photos taken at the North Pole?

SANTA:  I don’t know.  What are the most common photos?

ATC: Elfies!

SANTA: Ho! Ho! Ho! That’s a good one. That reminds me of Christmas 1985. We had just upgraded the sleigh. Almost everything was replaced with state-of-the-art technology and Widget, the chief elf mechanic at the time, wanted to accompany me on the trip to see how well everything performed. That was before this whole Dracula nonsense, so it was safe enough to allow ride-alongs back then. Anyway, about half-way through the trip, Widget turned to me and asked, “Do you have any idea how much this sleigh costs?”  I told him I didn’t, and he said, “Nothing.  It was on the house!”  Ho! Ho! Ho! I laughed so hard I almost missed my next stop.

ATC: (silence)

SANTA: Aire Traffic Control?  Are you there?

ATC: Yeah, I’m here.  I’m just trying to figure out what was so funny about a free sleigh.

SANTA: You’re being too literal, Peppermint.  You see, I land my sleigh on the roof . . . oh, never mind.  If you have to explain it, then the moments gone.  Anyway, I can’t wait to return and spend the next couple of days in bed with Mrs. Claus.

ATC: I can imagine.  After staying up all night and visiting every child around the world, I would be tired too.  Who wouldn’t want to a nice long sleep?

SANTA: Who said anything about sleeping?

ATC: Santa!  Are you trying to get on the “Naughty List”?

SANTA: This is all fun, but I’m beginning to have a serious issue with this fog.  It’s so thick I can barely see. I’ll need you to help guide me through it.

ATC: No problem, JOLLY-ONE. But the weather monitor says everything should be clear.  There is no indication of fog anywh . . . wait!  The radar just lit up. It's indicating that Dracula is there.

SANTA: Where?  I don’t see him.

ATC: Not sure!  It’s not a single dot. It’s many.  In front of you. Behind you.  To the sides.  He’s everywhere.

SANTA: I don’t know what you are talking about?  I can’t see . . . Ugh! Peppermint! It’s the fog.  Dracula’s taken on the shape of the mist. He’s . . . argh!  Stay away!

(Peppermint can only sit there, helpless, as she listens to the sounds of Santa’s struggle and the Vampire’s hiss.  After several moments, she hears a scream of rage, followed by “Vat ‘ave you done? I’ll never get this out!” The cries of frustration quickly fade away, and all the elf hears is silence.)

ATC:  Santa.  Are you still there?  Is everything okay?

SANTA: It is now, little one.  That was close. The fog closed in around me and took on human form.  The monster had me in his clutches. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t break his grasp.  I thought it was over, but did manage to get one hand free and plunge it into a nearby sack.  Luckily, it was full of glitter and I grabbed a handful, silver I think.  I threw it in his face. It went everywhere, clinging to his clothes and cape.  He glittered like a tinsel covered tree . . . and he hated it!  I’ve never seen Dracula more outraged.  I grabbed the reigns and urged the reindeer to speed away as fast as possible as we left the Lord of Darkness behind, trying to brush the sparkling specks from his sleeves.

===============
Roll Results: 3 cards

Queen Hearts:  What is a joke you heard you were told one year?
Eat a sweet (3 Left)

Nine Spades: Dracula take on the form of the mist.
Draw from the tower (Eliminated 7; 28 Remain)

Eight Hearts:  What is waiting for you when you get home?
Eat a sweet (2 Left)

[Teviko604]

COMMUNICATION 7 (28 Dice, 2 Sweets, 2 Aces, 1 King)

ATC: I know Dasher, and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen. Then there’s Comet and Cupid, Donner, and, of course, Blitzen. But, I seem to recall, there used to be another reindeer. You know, famous and all?

SANTA: You are talking about Rudolf. Sad story, is his.

ATC: Why?  What happened?  How come he’s no longer a part of the team.

SANTA: Rudolf’s specialty was foggy nights.  You may have heard he had a red nose that shone really bright.  Like the lights on top of tall towers.  His was so bright it would cut through the fog and help light the way. The only problem was, he wasn’t a very strong flyer.  In fact, because he had to be up front, he tended to slow the team down. Dasher and Dance got a little pissed.  They could tell me, of course, but one could tell. That’s why Rudolf wasn’t a regular.  Just a B-Team reindeer.  I only called him in when fog was forecast and we needed him.

Four years ago was such a Christmas.  One of the foggiest in ages. So we hooked Rudolf up to the front and headed out.  Surprisingly, we were over half way done without any sign of Dracula. But somewhere over Africa, the fiend swooped in.  Because of the fog, it was hard to get a bead on him.  Luckily, the same was true for Blood Sucker. Sure, in bat form he has great sonar. However, he can’t do much to us as a bat.  He needs to be in human form. But that didn’t stop him.  He just honed in on Rudolf’s nose, and Rudolf knew it.  When it was clear that we wouldn’t be able to outrun Dracula, Rudolf chewed through his reins and took off without us. I never saw the little guy fly so fast.  He led the vampire away from us, for a while apparently, as we weren’t bothered again the rest of the night.

ATC: What happened to Rudolf?

SANTA: When I returned home later the next morning, the elves were somber.  They told me to visit the stables before I went to bed. I did, and you know who I found there? Rudolf, of course.  Unfortunately, he was not the same.  His snout was bloody, and his nose was torn off. Well, actually, it was bitten off. You could see the fang marks.  I assume Dracula was so furious at being tricked that he made sure Rudolf would never be able to mislead him with that glowing nose again.

ATC: But, if Dracula bit it off, that must mean . . .

SANTA: Yes, Peppermint. Rudolf is now a vampire. That’s why no one has seen him for the last three years. We need to keep him separated from the rest of the reindeer, or he’ll just try to suck their blood for a late night snack. Luckily, enough rats and other non-magical critters wander into his stall to keep him well-fed.

ATC: That sounds horrible!

SANTA: That’s not the worst part. Without Rudolf’s nose, we had to come up with a back-up plan.  I purchased an LED headlamp should another foggy night ever arise. So far, we haven’t had to use it, but I’m concerned if we ever do. Dasher really hates having that thing strapped to his head.

===============
Roll Results: 1 Card

Three Hearts: One year, a friend sacrificed something to help you escape from Dracula.
Draw from the tower (Eliminated 3; 25 Remain)

Source