Legends:Kastus Thorn's House

Search the house for clues. Episode: Enter the Shadows Opponent Name: Kastus Thorn Opponent Class: Assassin Lanes: Field/Shadow Starting Health: 30 Special Conditions: Confide: Kastus Thorn starts with Sparring in play. Kill: Kastus Thorn starts with To the Death in play. Story Characters: Kellen, Kastus Thorn Previous Quest: Cloudy Dregs Inn Next Quest: Order of the Hour Barracks or Temple of Akatosh Reward: 3x Brotherhood Slayer

Enter the Shadows: Kastus Thorn's House

Kastus Thorn's House is a location in Wayrest. You enter the house to search for clues of the Dark Brotherhood and find the assassin Kastus Thorn living there. You can then choose to Confide or Kill the assassin. Depending on your choice, Kastus Thorn will start the battle with either Sparring or To the Death in play and be told that "Only you or the assassin can survive this fight. Damage dealt to each of you is doubled", or that you'll "Prove yourself to the assassin. In this sparring match, damage dealt to players is reduced."

Dialogue

Pre-match

Kellen: As the hero searched the house, the assassin arrived home. The hero faced a choice: Confide in the assassin, or attempt to kill him, and complete his contract in his stead?

Confide:

During the match

Kastus Thorn: You wish to join our brotherhood? Very well. Show me your skills.

After the match

Kastus Thorn: You fight well. Here. Take my contract. The target is Markam Hawksmire, the corrupt head of the Order of the Hour guard. He's likely at their barracks or the Temple of Akatosh.

Kill:

During the match

Kastus Thorn: Die, interloper!

After the match

Kellen: Searching the dead assassin's home revealed a contract: The target was Markam Hawksmire, the notoriously corrupt head of the local Order of the Hour guard. He was likely hiding at the order's barracks, or the Temple of Akatosh

Decklists

Confide

Normal

Quantity		Name	Type (Subtype)					Ability
2		Brutal Ashlander	Creature (Dark Elf)	1	1	1	1 Common	Last Gasp: Deal 3 damage to a random enemy.
1		Daring Cutpurse	Creature (Khajiit)	2	2	2	1 Common	Prophecy Pilfer: +1/+1
2		Guild Recruit	Creature (Argonian)	2	1	2	1 Common	Lethal
1		High Rock Summoner	Creature (Breton)	2	1	1	2 Rare	Summon: Put a random Atronach into your hand.
2		Soul Split	Action	2	–	–	1 Common	Sacrifice a creature to summon a 3/2 Sundered Shade in each lane.
1		Thieves Guild Recruit	Creature (Argonian)	2	1	2	1 Common	Summon: Draw a card. If it costs 7 or more, reduce its cost by 1.
3		Brotherhood Slayer	Creature (Wood Elf)	3	3	3	1 Common	Prophecy Slay: Put a Completed Contract into your hand.
3		Nimble Ally	Creature (Wood Elf)	3	3	3	1 Common	Summon: +1/+1 and Lethal if the top card of your deck is .
3		Sanctuary Pet	Creature (Spider)	3	2	2	1 Common	Lethal Summon: Shackle an enemy creature in this lane.
2		Varanis Courier	Creature (Dark Elf)	3	1	3	1 Common	Guard Last Gasp: Draw a card.
2		Fire Storm	Action	4	–	–	2 Rare	Prophecy Deal 2 damage to all creatures in a lane.
2		Territorial Viper	Creature (Reptile)	4	1	1	2 Rare	Charge, Lethal
2		Bandit Ambush	Action	5	–	–	3 Epic	Summon two 1/1 Cruel Bandits in each lane.
1		Leaflurker	Creature (Wood Elf)	5	4	3	3 Epic	Summon: Destroy a Wounded creature.
1		Spider Lair	Support	7	–	–	3 Epic	Ongoing At the start of your turn, summon a random Spider.
1		Indoril Archmage	Creature (Dark Elf)	8	6	6	4 Legendary	Guard Last Gasp: Deals 6 damage to all enemy creatures in this lane.
1		Nest of Vipers	Action	10	–	–	4 Legendary	Fill a lane with Territorial Vipers.

Master

Quantity		Name	Type (Subtype)					Ability
2		Brotherhood Assassin	Creature (Dark Elf)	1	3	3	4 Legendary	Lethal Summon: Draw a card.
2		Fighters Guild Recruit	Creature (Argonian)	2	1	2	1 Common	Prophecy, Guard, Lethal
2		High Rock Summoner	Creature (Breton)	2	1	1	2 Rare	Summon: Put a random Atronach into your hand.
2		Thieves Guild Recruit	Creature (Argonian)	2	1	2	1 Common	Summon: Draw a card. If it costs 7 or more, reduce its cost by 1.
2		Soul Split	Action	2	–	–	1 Common	Sacrifice a creature to summon a 3/2 Sundered Shade in each lane.
3		Wardcrafter	Creature (Breton)	2	2	1	2 Rare	Summon: Give a creature a Ward.
2		Daggerfall Mage	Creature (Breton)	3	2	2	4 Legendary	Ward When Daggerfall Mage's Ward is broken, put a Tome of Alteration into your hand.
2		Sanctuary Pet	Creature (Spider)	3	2	2	1 Common	Lethal Summon: Shackle an enemy creature in this lane.
2		Varanis Courier	Creature (Dark Elf)	3	1	3	1 Common	Guard Last Gasp: Draw a card.
3		Territorial Viper	Creature (Reptile)	4	1	1	2 Rare	Charge, Lethal
1		Leaflurker	Creature (Wood Elf)	5	4	3	3 Epic	Summon: Destroy a Wounded creature.
1		Chaurus Reaper	Creature (Chaurus)	7	5	4	1 Common	Summon: Give all enemy creatures in this lane -1/-1.
1		Goldbrand	Support	7	–	–	4 Legendary	Uses: 3 Activate: Deal 2 damage to a creature, then increase the damage dealt by 2.
1		Wispmother	Creature (Spirit)	7	5	5	3 Epic	When you summon a creature that costs 2 or less, summon a copy of that creature in the other lane.
1		Eclipse Baroness	Creature (Dark Elf)	8	5	5	3 Epic	Summon and Last Gasp: Draw a card and reduce its cost by 2.
1		Indoril Archmage	Creature (Dark Elf)	8	6	6	4 Legendary	Guard Last Gasp: Deals 6 damage to all enemy creatures in this lane.
1		Nest of Vipers	Action	10	–	–	4 Legendary	Fill a lane with Territorial Vipers.
1		Supreme Atromancer	Creature (Breton)	10	3	3	4 Legendary	Summon: Summon a Flame Atronach in each lane. When you summon another creature, deal 2 damage to your opponent.

Kill

Normal

Quantity		Name	Type (Subtype)					Ability
2		Daggers in the Dark	Action	0	–	–	1 Common	Equip a Steel Dagger to a random friendly creature in each lane.
3		Firebolt	Action	1	–	–	1 Common	Deal 2 damage to a creature.
2		Mournhold Traitor	Creature (Dark Elf)	2	4	4	3 Epic	Last Gasp: Your opponent summons a 2/1 Mournhold Guardian with Guard.
2		Thieves Guild Recruit	Creature (Argonian)	2	1	2	1 Common	Summon: Draw a card. If it costs 7 or more, reduce its cost by 1.
3		Brotherhood Slayer	Creature (Wood Elf)	3	3	3	1 Common	Prophecy Slay: Put a Completed Contract into your hand.
3		Giant Bat	Creature (Beast)	3	2	2	1 Common	Charge, Drain
2		Malefic Wreath	Action	3	–	–	2 Rare	Give a creature -2/-2.
2		Nimble Ally	Creature (Wood Elf)	3	3	3	1 Common	Summon: +1/+1 and Lethal if the top card of your deck is .
1		Sanctuary Pet	Creature (Spider)	3	2	2	1 Common	Lethal Summon: Shackle an enemy creature in this lane.
2		Swift Strike	Action	3	–	–	2 Rare	Give a creature an extra attack this turn.
2		Thievery	Action	3	–	–	1 Common	Deal 3 damage to your opponent and gain 3 health.
1		Deshaan Avenger	Creature (Dark Elf)	4	3	3	2 Rare	Last Gasp: Summon a 3/3 Deshaan Sneak.
3		Elusive Schemer	Creature (Dark Elf)	4	3	1	2 Rare	Summon: Draw a card. Last Gasp: Shuffle a 0-cost Elusive Schemer into your deck.
2		Lightning Bolt	Action	4	–	–	1 Common	Prophecy Deal 4 damage.

Master

Quantity		Name	Type (Subtype)					Ability
2		Brotherhood Assassin	Creature (Dark Elf)	1	3	3	4 Legendary	Lethal Summon: Draw a card.
3		Firebolt	Action	1	–	–	1 Common	Deal 2 damage to a creature.
2		Voracious Spriggan	Creature (Spriggan)	1	2	1	1 Common	Drain
3		Daring Cutpurse	Creature (Khajiit)	2	2	2	1 Common	Prophecy Pilfer: +1/+1
2		Mournhold Traitor	Creature (Dark Elf)	2	4	4	3 Epic	Last Gasp: Your opponent summons a 2/1 Mournhold Guardian with Guard.
2		Shrieking Harpy	Creature (Harpy)	2	2	1	2 Rare	Prophecy Summon: Shackle an enemy creature.
2		Brotherhood Slayer	Creature (Wood Elf)	3	3	3	1 Common	Prophecy Slay: Put a Completed Contract into your hand.
2		Camlorn Hero	Creature (Breton)	3	4	2	1 Common	Summon: Deal 2 damage to your opponent.
2		Giant Bat	Creature (Beast)	3	2	2	1 Common	Charge, Drain
2		Thievery	Action	3	–	–	1 Common	Deal 3 damage to your opponent and gain 3 health.
3		Lightning Bolt	Action	4	–	–	1 Common	Prophecy Deal 4 damage.
1		Moonlight Werebat	Creature (Beast)	4	4	2	3 Epic	Prophecy, Drain
2		Cliff Racer	Creature (Reptile)	5	4	4	2 Rare	Charge
2		Spear of Embers	Item	5	–	–	2 Rare	Prophecy +3/+3 Instead of equipping Spear of Embers, you may throw it at an enemy creature to deal 3 damage.

Strategy and Example Deck

Confide

Strategy

The Sparring support slows down the game significantly, meaning that early aggression is not easy with smaller creatures. The opponent's larger creatures do allow board control; later-game threats can become overwhelming if allowed to persist.

Notes

• An aggro style may be difficult to pull off due to the halving of damage; however with rapid aggression and a powerful curve, one may be able to pull off an aggro deck.
• A control style must be defensive in order to defeat the larger threats; removal is important in a control style—advice which is applicable to many control decks.
• A midrange style will suffer from some of the opponent's later-game threats if not adequately prepared to deal with them.

Deck Exemplar

UESP's Deck

Quantity		Name	Type (Subtype)					Ability	Information
3		Execute	Action	1	–	–	1 Common	Destroy a creature with 2 power or less.	This card can function as early removal, being able to easily deal with cards like Daggerfall Mage before its effect can be triggered, and eliminating small guards like Varanis Courier and Fighters Guild Recruit.
3		Solitude Stalwart	Creature (Imperial)	1	2	2	1 Common		A card with little in the way of notability; this card's stats are versatile for the cost and in early stages of the game can be used effectively to fight for board control.
3		Bruma Profiteer	Creature (Imperial)	2	3	2	2 Rare	When you summon another creature, you gain 1 health.	A card with respectable stats, its main utility lies in its health-gaining ability, which can allow the game to last through the mid- and late-game turns wherein the opponent is able to push damage.
3		Wardcrafter	Creature (Breton)	2	2	1	2 Rare	Summon: Give a creature a Ward.	An immensely useful card commonly seen in many control decks, Wardcrafter allows your creatures to survive trading or actions like Ice Storm, with a respectable body for its cost.
3		Arrow Storm	Action	3	–	–	2 Rare	Destroy all enemy creatures with 2 power or less in a lane.	An early-game removal action allowing many early creatures to be removed from the board, this can be rather useful in early turns. In later turns, it can function as a more expensive Execute, serving as a three-cost action to remove the opponent's guards like the aforementioned Varanis Courier and Fighters Guild Recruit.
3		Grisly Gourmet	Creature (Nord)	3	2	1	2 Rare	Summon: Transform an enemy creature with 2 power or less into a Sweet Roll.	A card to deny Daggerfall Mage's ward-break effect and Varanis Courier's last gasp effect, this card serves as Execute with the benefit of a body and Sweetroll's ability to heal your creatures to lend them additional survivability.
3		Thieves Guild Shadowfoot	Creature (Khajiit)	3	2	2	2 Rare	Summon: Steal the top card of the opponent's deck and replace it with a Counterfeit Trinket.	A card that can deny value to your opponent while gaining value for oneself, this card allows a pre-emptive removal of the opponent's cards. It has a reasonable potential to steal cards which could prove important; and its body, though small, is able to trade.
3		Dres Renegade	Creature (Dark Elf)	4	4	4	2 Rare	Guard Other friendly creatures are immune to Shackle.	A respectable guard for its cost, it can prevent damage from reaching face or guard creatures against the opponent's, its real value lies in its ability—it can allow cards to be unshackled after Arrest or Shrieking Harpy.
3		Elusive Schemer	Creature (Dark Elf)	4	3	1	2 Rare	Summon: Draw a card. Last Gasp: Shuffle a 0-cost Elusive Schemer into your deck.	This card serves as card draw; its last gasp ability allows more creatures on board without emptying hand. Card draw is immensely useful in many control games, and this card is extremely useful for Intelligence decks.
3		Hive Defender	Creature (Kwama)	4	3	6	2 Rare	Guard	The classic high-health guard, Hive Defender's high health can't be removed by many creatures on the first attack—a fact which, when combined with its respectable three power, allows it to not only slow down the opponent's assault and protect creatures, but to also remove and weaken the opponent's board. Hive Defender is a staple in many defensive decks due to this, and this one is no exception.
3		Lightning Bolt	Action	4	–	–	1 Common	Prophecy Deal 4 damage.	As an extremely common card in Intelligence decks of all stripes, Lightning Bolt is reasonably well-known. With the ability to deal damage anywhere, including creatures on both sides of the board and face, the prophecy ability becomes extremely useful. Its main utility in this deck is to serve as removal; four damage can kill many creatures.
3		Writ of Execution	Action	4	–	–	1 Common	Choose an enemy creature. At the start of your turn, destroy it and put a Completed Contract into your hand.	A card that can be rather slow, its ability allows for both the removal of a creature and the ability to use a Completed Contract to ramp into early removal. This card is adequate removal, and can be effectively used in this match.
3		Piercing Javelin	Action	5	–	–	1 Common	Prophecy Destroy a creature.	A five-cost removal action, its popularity is derived from its prophecy—this card can be crippling from runes, as well as being perfectly sufficient removal in and of itself.
3		Ice Storm	Action	6	–	–	3 Epic	Deal 3 damage to all creatures.	The classic Intelligence board clear, Ice Storm can be used to remove a large amount of small creatures, and is perfect to play after a Nest of Vipers or Supreme Atromancer, allowing one to easily remove opponent's creatures in one fell swoop.
3		Arrest	Action	7	–	–	2 Rare	Steal an enemy creature. It loses Guard, and is permanently Shackled.	A card with perhaps more utility in Master mode than Normal, this card allows for the removal of threats like Indoril Archmage, whose last gasp can then be used by its new owner; Eclipse Baroness, to whom the same applies; Wispmother, whose ongoing effect is not to be misunderestimated; or other cards with Last Gasp abilities.
3		Spirit Knife	Action	7	–	–	1 Common	Deal 7 damage to a creature. Draw a card.	This card is, in effect, a removal action with seven damage exceeding the health of all of the opponent's creatures, it also draws a card afterwards meaning that it doesn't deny its wielder value.
1		Ancano	Creature (High Elf)	8	5	5	4 Legendary	Breakthrough Summon: Deal 5 damage. Your actions have Breakthrough.	An extremely easy-to-obtain Legendary, with a copy being available in the Ancano's Cunning theme deck, Ancano's summon ability can serve as removal in conjunction with its respectable stats. Its ability can force you to deal facial damage with cards like Lightning Bolt and Spirit Knife, but the value of its body and summon far outweigh any potential shortcomings.
1		Odahviing	Creature (Dragon)	12	10	10	4 Legendary	Summon: Deal 4 damage to all enemy creatures.	An extremely potent board clear, it can save one after a Nest of Vipers or Supreme Atromancer. As a legendary, it can be difficult to obtain, and as a unique it could stand to be replaced without too much impact.

Kill

Strategy

The To The Death support speeds up the game significantly, meaning that early aggression is significantly more powerful with smaller creatures. The opponent's drain creatures allow large damage to be pushed while also healing dramatically, and what would be considered survivable damage like Lightning Bolt could be considered a serious threat. However, if the initial control is weathered and one is allowed to stabilize, then little damage will be pushed by the opponent.

Notes

• An aggro style is easiest to pull off; however the opponent does have enough control tools to catch one off-guard and remove threats. This, however, does prevent large damage being pushed to face.
• A slower style will result in a quick defeat.
• Using prophecies can be greatly beneficial when the speed of damage pushed to face is considered.

Deck Exemplar

UESP's Deck

Quantity		Name	Type (Subtype)					Ability	Information
3		Cheydinhal Sapper	Creature (Imperial)	1	1	3	1 Common	Drain	An inexpensive creature with Drain, its high health and low cost can allow it to survive trades with low-health enemy creatures. When played in conjunction with the To the Death condition, it can heal you for more dramatic amounts when attacking face.
3		Execute	Action	1	–	–	1 Common	Destroy a creature with 2 power or less.	An inexpensive removal action, Execute can remove some of the opponent's lower-power creatures such as Daring Cutpurse before they are allowed to develop into threats.
3		Sharpshooter Scout	Creature (Wood Elf)	1	1	1	1 Common	Prophecy Summon: Deal 1 damage.	An inexpensive prophecy, Sharpshooter Scout's summon ability can even out trades against the opponent, or outright kill creatures. If necessary, it also has the ability to push damage to face.
3		Circle Initiate	Creature (Nord)	2	2	2	1 Common	Prophecy Beast Form: +2/+1	An inexpensive prophecy, its real utility lies in its beast form. When changed into its werewolf form, it has very good stats for trading and can deal eight damage to face. In addition, the opponent will prioritize the removal of this creature, meaning that cards such as Lightning Bolt won't become an instant eight damage to one's own face.
3		Graystone Ravager	Creature (Orc)	2	4	1	1 Common	Prophecy	An inexpensive prophecy, Graystone Ravager can trade with creatures at almost any point on the opponent's curve. Its ability to deal eight damage to face will force the opponent to spend removal on it, preventing actions like Lightning Bolt from winning the game for the opponent.
3		Priest of the Moons	Creature (Khajiit)	2	2	2	1 Common	Prophecy Summon: You gain 2 health.	An inexpensive prophecy, its summon ability can assist in surviving the opponent's onslaught. Its main utility lies in the ability to play it during the opponent's turn to trade with a creature on yours, if one is lucky enough to play it off a rune.
3		Vivec City Pilgrim	Creature (Nord)	2	2	2	1 Common	Drain Exalt 3: +2/+2	A creature useful in the early- and mid-game, Vivec City Pilgrim can heal for large amounts due to its Drain, which can be considered in conjunction with To the Death. Its exalt ability allows one to choose the best time to play it, and because of its Drain then the opponent will attempt to remove it.
3		Crusader's Assault	Action	3	–	–	2 Rare	Give a creature +2/+0, Breakthrough and "Slay and Pilfer: Draw a card" this turn.	Crusader's Assault can provide additional draw power later in the game or simply serve to bolster creatures' power for trading or to increase the effectivity of Drain.
3		Grisly Gourmet	Creature (Nord)	3	2	1	2 Rare	Summon: Transform an enemy creature with 2 power or less into a Sweet Roll.	A card to deny Daggerfall Mage's ward-break effect and Varanis Courier's last gasp effect, this card serves as Execute with the benefit of a body and Sweetroll's ability to heal your creatures to lend them additional survivability.
3		Khuul Lawkeeper	Creature (Dark Elf)	3	1	6	2 Rare	Guard, Rally	A guard with health higher than nearly all of the opponent's creatures' attack, Khuul Lawkeeper can be played to vastly decelerate the game. If it is allowed to survive, then its Rally can allow other creatures far more utility as the game progresses.
3		Morkul Gatekeeper	Creature (Orc)	3	2	2	1 Common	Prophecy, Guard Summon: Give a creature +2/+0.	Morkul Gatekeeper's utility lies in its ability to increase other creatures' power; its flexibility allows drain creatures to heal for more; for trades to be more even; and simply to end the game faster. Its prophecy means it can be played to disrupt the opponent's turn; this is one of the reasons for this card's popularity in aggro decks.
3		Riverhold Escort	Creature (Khajiit)	3	1	6	2 Rare	Guard Pilfer: Move.	A guard with a higher health than most of the opponent's creatures' power, it can dramatically decelerate the game by prevent damage from going to face. Its Pilfer means that it can defend either lane even after being played.
3		Candlehearth Brawler	Creature (Nord)	4	2	5	2 Rare	Charge, Guard	A guard with a higher health than most of the opponent's creatures' power, its main utility lies in its Charge. This allows for efficient trading in conjunction with defending the board to prevent face damage, or simply to push damage to the opponent's face later in the game.
3		Hive Defender	Creature (Kwama)	4	3	6	2 Rare	Guard	The classic high-health guard, Hive Defender's high health can't be removed by many creatures on the first attack—a fact which, when combined with its respectable three power, allows it to not only slow down the opponent's assault and protect creatures, but to also remove and weaken the opponent's board. Hive Defender is a staple in many decks due to this, and this one is no exception.
3		Moonmoth Castellan	Creature (Imperial)	4	4	3	1 Common	Guard Plot: Put a random Guard into your hand.	Moonmoth Castellan's stats can block most of the opponent's creatures. However, its value is seen in its Plot, which places another guard into one's hand. This allows for more defensive cards to be played, and can refill the hand if cards are running dry.
1		Tyr	Creature (Nord)	4	5	4	4 Legendary	Prophecy, Breakthrough, Guard	Simply back-breaking as a prophecy, Tyr also has utility when played naturally. Tyr can block most of the opponent's creatures, and qualifies to be removed. Additionally, Tyr's breakthrough can help end the match later in the game. As a legendary, it may be hard to obtain; though, of course, a copy can be earned from the Interlude. However, as a unique legendary, Tyr's absence from the deck could go unnoticed.
3		Piercing Javelin	Action	5	–	–	1 Common	Prophecy Destroy a creature.	A five-cost removal action, its popularity is derived from its prophecy—this card can be crippling from runes, as well as being perfectly sufficient removal in and of itself.
1		Odahviing	Creature (Dragon)	12	10	10	4 Legendary	Summon: Deal 4 damage to all enemy creatures.	An extremely potent board clear, it can be a touch expensive in this match. Its main utility is seen later in the game; where it can be used to clear off the last remnants of the opponent's board and then deal 20 damage to face. As a legendary, it can be difficult to obtain, and as a unique it could stand to be replaced without too much impact.

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