Haunted By the Past / I don't trust 'em

[Russ]

During our last game, the Zombie player played 'Haunted by the Past' on one of my Heroes. Then later, they played 'I don't Trust 'em' on the same Hero, (they were able to do this because the first card states that the Hero gains the keyword: strange.)

I used some sort of card that could cancel any Zombie card. I canceled 'Haunted by the Past.' Does that mean 'I don't Trust 'Em' gets cancelled for free? Since it can only be used on "strange" Heroes, and that Hero no longer has the keyword Strange?

[D153453D]

I'd say no. It was allowed to be played because he was strange. What's played is played even if he isn't strange anymore. That's my take.

[mqstout]

This isn't covered by rules anywhere, it's just how your group would interpret it. Same situation arises with 'Rosary' and 'Faith'. I'd go for the two-for-one exchange and make both go away.

[Gothicincarnation]

That's a tough one...

Arbitrarily I'd have to agree with D153453D, once it is played legally, removing the terms for the 2nd card to be played should not have any effect to the 2nd card. I was played it is still in play, even if the condition for it is removed.

Logically, however, I'd have to agree with mqstout. Remove the condition removes anything requiring that condition. This would be my play on it though. I prefer logic to arbitration.

More over, I have to definitively agree with mqstout... It isn't covered by the rules so take your pick... Or ask Jason C Hill directly if there is a defined answer in his mind... It's his game after all.

[Russ]

(02-23-2011 01:39 PM)Gothicincarnation Wrote:  ...or ask Jason C Hill directly...

Good idea. I'll just shoot him a text message. :p

[vikinglad]

Thematically (my favorite way to resolve these sorts of disputes), I think they should both cancel. People didn't trust him because he was haunted by his past, which turned out not to be true. He should also regain the trust of the townspeople once his sordid past has been cleared up.

[Russ]

(02-24-2011 11:44 AM)vikinglad Wrote:  Thematically (my favorite way to resolve these sorts of disputes), I think they should both cancel. People didn't trust him because he was haunted by his past, which turned out not to be true. He should also regain the trust of the townspeople once his sordid past has been cleared up.

I like the way you think! I hadn't really thought to analyze the situation from a thematic point of view. Here's MY take on the theme of these cards:

I take 'Haunted by the Past' to be referring to Woodinvale's history of Zombies, naturally. That's why it can't be played on the 'student' characters: they are too young to remember it, and the people that did live through it don't usually talk about it. Gaining the keyword 'Strange' goes back to my old assertion that the word 'Strange' in this game isn't referring to the character being weird or eccentric. It's referring to the fact that they are considered an outsider to the community of Woodinvale. They are a Stranger, (like the drifter.) A character that has 'Haunted by the Past' gains the keyword 'Strange' because they are one of the few people that remember Woodinvale's dark history, and that makes them feel sort of like an outsider. They feel alienated from most of their fellow townsfolk. Estranged if you will. Maybe they even suspect that one of their fellow townsfolk is responsible for the previous zombie outbreak, but aren't sure who!

The card "I Don't Trust 'em," (when played on a specific character,) doesn't refer to the character not being trusted. "'Em" is a contraction of "them" not "him." The card isn't "I don't trust him," (the strange character) it's "I don't trust them," (the other Hero characters.) The estranged character who has this card played on him refuses to exchange items because he doesn't trust anyone. The card even has a picture of Jake Cartwright, (the one 'strange' character,) with a suspicious look on his face. He is scratching his chin, as if he is trying to decide weather to trust someone or not.

Well, that's my take on things anyway. I realize that many of the thematic and story elements of the game are open to interpretation. I just happen to feel kinda strongly about my interpretation.

So from my point of view, it's not that the townsfolk don't trust him because he is strange. It's that he doesn't trust any of the townsfolk because he feels distanced from them due to being haunted by the past.

...of course, either point of view results in the same exact game play, so I guess it may not matter to some. But I like to think about the stuff in the game as actually happening, so it matters to me why certain events happen or don't happen.

[gavindowning]

I'm with you, Russ, in my interpretation of what "I don't trust 'em" . I disagree on "Strange" -- I think it means that they're considered odd by other people, not because they're strangers. The drifter is known to the people of town. But he acts very strangely... as does Kenny.

As for the card in question, I seem to recall that the way it's worded is that, if the character is Strange, then "I don't trust 'em" remains in play. Thus, after he's no longer strange, the card still has its normal effect, but it no longer remains in play.

[Gothicincarnation]

(02-24-2011 07:56 PM)Russ Wrote:  The card "I Don't Trust 'em," (when played on a specific character,) doesn't refer to the character not being trusted. "'Em" is a contraction of "them" not "him." The card isn't "I don't trust him," (the strange character) it's "I don't trust them," (the other Hero characters.)

Only one thing I can disagree with here... 'Em is a southern phrase I have lived in the south pretty much all my life, so I know of where I speak. 'Em originally, is a shortened version of "Him". BUT it is also used to reference "Them". It is both, not one or the other. So it can still be either, or in fact both rulings on this card. And therefore still comes down to a personal call... Or an official ruling from FFP.

[Ryuk]

From the Growing Hunger Rulebook, page 10:

Q- What happens if a Hero has the Rosary and Faith that Remains in Play on them, then discards the Rosary during a Fight?
A-The Faith card continues to take affect on the Hero until the end of the current Fight. After that, it must be discarded as the Hero no longer has the Keyword Holy.

So ... if Haunted By The Past and "I Don't Trust 'em" that Remains in Play are played on a Hero, then Haunted by the Past is cancelled... "I Don't Trust 'em" continues to take affect on the Hero until the end of his/her current Exchange Items phase. After that, it must be discarded as the Hero no longer has the keyword Strange.

So it is written... so it shall be done!