Flood Tide Arcs

The underhive gets worse whether the gangs are ready or not. Contamination rises at each arc boundary, zones reclassify, and the things in the dark grow bolder. Flood Tide spans five arcs - from first disturbance to the moment the Seep cracks open and the only way out is through.

See The Tidal Cycle for the contamination schedule and mechanics that run alongside these arcs.

Arc I - The Awakening (Cycles 1–5)

Backdrop: Sump Sink-17 has been quiet for decades. Now, something has disturbed the deep levels. Strange machinery has been heard running. Servitor-things walk in the dark. The gangs are just trying to establish themselves - but the Sink has other plans.

Arc Climax Battle (end of Cycle 5): The Signal - A multi-gang scenario. A mysterious homing beacon is active deep in the Drowned District. All gangs may participate. The gang that controls the beacon at battle’s end learns something about what lies in the Sump - and claims a special Relic Territory.

Arc II - The Power Play (Cycles 6–10)

Backdrop: Word has reached the upper hive. A Guilder caravan carrying rare STC fragments is passing through the Sink. Every gang, every scavenger, and every desperate soul in the underhive wants a piece. Alliances form and fracture overnight.

Arc Climax Battle (end of Cycle 10): The Caravan Run - A pursuit scenario across multiple terrain boards if possible. The caravan moves. Gangs intercept. Betrayals are encouraged.

Arc III - The Deep Reckoning (Cycles 11–15)

Backdrop: Whatever was sleeping in the Sump has woken up. Zone 3 becomes dramatically more dangerous. An ancient Clan House vault has been located - but the way is guarded by something inhuman. The dominant gang will need allies (or hostages) to breach it.

Arc Climax Battle (end of Cycle 15): The Vault - A cooperative/competitive scenario. All gangs must fight their way through a Horrors of the Underhive gauntlet. The first gang to reach the vault claims its treasure - but must survive the way out while all other gangs try to stop them.

Arc IV - The Last Descent (Cycles 16–20)

Backdrop: The contamination is nearing its peak. The Sump has reached Contamination 5 - the maximum - and the Drowned District and Sprawl are close behind. The ancient machinery deep beneath the Seep is groaning, cycling, building toward something. Every gang feels the pressure: the air is toxic, the water is rising, and the things in the dark are everywhere. There is nowhere safe left in Sump Sink-17. The only option is to push deeper.

Arc Climax Battle (end of Cycle 20): The Last Light - A multi-gang scenario in the Sprawl. The final lumen-shrine in the upper underhive fails. Gangs fight to salvage its power core before the Sprawl goes dark permanently. The winner claims a portable lumen-rig (grants immunity to Pitch Black in one battle per Cycle) and a territory bonus.

Arc V - The Turning (Cycles 21–25)

Backdrop: All three zones are at or approaching Contamination 5. The Seep is open - black water rises from the lowest point of Sump Sink-17, and with it come things that should have stayed buried. Ancient machinery has been detected beneath the Seep, still functional after millennia. If it can be activated, the tide might turn. Every gang knows what is at stake.

Arc Climax Battle (end of Cycle 25): Sealing the Seep - The repeating peak scenario. All gangs fight their way to the lowest point of the Sump and race to activate ancient machinery that will reverse the contamination. The winner gains the Seep-Wright title and shapes the recession. See The Tidal Cycle for full scenario rules.