Arkham Horror: The Card Game – The Path to Carcosa: Campaign Expansion Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Additional Rules and Clarifications
  • New Keyword: Hidden
  • Doubt and Conviction
  • Story Cards
  • Expansion Icon
• Campaign Setup
• Prologue
• Scenario I: Curtain Call
  • Suggested Location Placement
  • Setup
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
  • Resolution 2
• Scenario II: The Last King
  • Setup
  • Suggested Location Placement
  • Standalone Mode
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Interlude I: Reality's Shadow
• Scenario III: Echoes of the Past
  • Sebastien's Information
  • Setup
  • Standalone Mode
  • Suggested Location Placement
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Scenario IV: The Unspeakable Oath
  • Intro 1
  • Intro 2
  • Intro 3
  • Constance's Information
  • Setup
  • Suggested Location Placement for The Unspeakable Oath
  • Standalone Mode
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Interlude II: Lost Soul
• Scenario V: A Phantom of Truth
  • Dreams
  • Setup
  • Suggested Location Placement
  • Standalone Mode
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Scenario VI: The Pallid Mask
  • Intro 1
  • Intro 2
  • Haruko's Information
  • Setup
  • Location Adjacency in the Catacombs
  • Standalone Mode
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Scenario VII: Black Stars Rise
  • Ashleigh's Information
  • Setup
  • Suggested Location Placement for Black Stars Rise
  • Dual Agendas
  • Standalone Mode
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Scenario VIII: Dim Carcosa
  • Intro 1
  • Intro 2
  • Setup
  • Locations in Dim Carcosa
  • Sanity in the Realm of Carcosa
  • Suggested Location Placement
  • Standalone Mode
  • Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario
• Epilogue
• Encounter Set Icons
• Quick Reference

Additional Rules and Clarifications

New Keyword: Hidden

Some encounter cards in The Path to Carcosa campaign have the "hidden" keyword. Hidden cards have Revelation abilities that secretly add them to your hand. This should be done without revealing that card or its text to the other investigators. While a hidden card is in your hand, treat it as if it were in your threat area. Its Constant abilities are active, and abilities on it can be triggered, but only by you. A hidden card counts toward your hand size, but it cannot be discarded from your hand by any means except those described on the card.

When discarded, hidden cards are placed in the encounter discard pile. They do not remain a part of your deck like weaknesses do. For the best experience, players are encouraged to stay "in character" and not share information about hidden cards in their hand.

Doubt and Conviction

Some story resolutions and interludes in The Path to Carcosa campaign instruct the players to "Mark one Doubt" or "Mark one Conviction" in their Campaign Log. This is done by filling in one of the boxes next to "Doubt" or "Conviction" at the bottom of the Campaign Log.

Later in the campaign, some scenarios may be changed or altered depending on whether the investigators "have more Doubt than Conviction" or "have more Conviction than Doubt." The investigators have more Doubt than Conviction if the number of boxes filled in next to Doubt is greater than the number of boxes filled in next to Conviction (and vice versa). Doubt and Conviction are shared among all of the investigators, and they are not tied to any specific investigator.

Doubt and Conviction have no game effect except when explicitly referenced by the Campaign Guide or by a card effect.

Story Cards

Story cards are a new cardtype in The Path to Carcosa campaign. These cards serve as an avenue for additional narrative and typically appear as the reverse side of another scenario card. When you are instructed to resolve a story card, simply read its story text and resolve its game text, if any.

Story card example: "Sickening Reality"

Constance laughs as the skin begins to slough off her body. Blood trickles from her shedding skin, leaving a trail of crimson on the carpet where she walks. One might expect her to cease functioning with her ribs and organs exposed, but she barely seems to notice.

Each investigator at Constance Dumaine's location takes 1 horror.

Move each clue from Constance Dumaine to her location.

Flip this card to its enemy side, and switch it with the Bystander asset version of Constance Dumaine, removing that version from the game.

Expansion Icon

The cards in The Path to Carcosa campaign expansion can be identified by this symbol before each card's collector number: [expansion icon: black silhouette of a stylized head]

Campaign Setup

To set up The Path to Carcosa campaign, perform the following steps in order.

1. Choose investigator(s).
2. Each player assembles his or her investigator deck.
3. Choose difficulty level.
4. Assemble the campaign chaos bag.
   • Easy (I want to watch the play): +1, +1, 0, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
   • Standard (I want to read the signs): +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –4, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
   • Hard (I want to speak the oath): 0, 0, 0, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, –5, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
   • Expert (I want The King in Yellow): 0, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, –4, –5, –6, –8, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].

Transcription note: the four bag lists are transcribed from the printed guide. The printed bag lines for Standard, Hard and Expert each end in the same icon tokens as Easy; the two non-skull icons are bracketed because their glyph names do not survive the text layer.

You are now ready to begin at the Prologue.

Prologue

You turn over the folded program in your hand, reading it for what seems like the hundredth time. "Miskatonic Playhouse presents: The King in Yellow," it reads. "A special one-night engagement at Arkham's very own Ward Theatre. An irresistible drama in two acts. Production staged and directed by Nigel Engram." The cast is a small ensemble, with one unattributed credit at the end: "The Stranger."

To have such a highly anticipated play come to Arkham all the way from Paris is a noteworthy event, even if it is just for one night. For weeks leading up to the show, it was the talk of the town. It seemed so unassuming…and yet, you have evidence something sinister is at work. It started with the disappearance of one of the stagehands at the theatre—a boy of only seventeen who missed rehearsal one night and was never seen again. Then, less than two weeks before the performance, there was the musician whose corpse was found with a gun in its mouth. Perhaps most chilling was the crazed man the coppers had picked up in Independence Square who had been ranting and raving about the "King's return." He was brought to Arkham Asylum, and you were surprised to discover that he was not alone in his delusions.

Finding these events suspicious, you and your companions have delved deeper into the matter. Although no connection can be proven, these weren't the only strange events surrounding the up-and-coming play. Instances of suicide and madness have followed in its wake, and you are determined to discover why.

The lights in the auditorium dim, and a spotlight shines on the stage. What unfolds is not quite what you expected. Slow-paced and monotonous, the first act of The King in Yellow is a tedious bore. The setting and characters are compelling, but the meandering and nonsensical story does little to entertain or inform. You begin to wonder whether the dreadful events surrounding The King in Yellow aren't connected, after all. Perhaps it was just your overactive imagination; how could such a trivial and unassuming show cause such pandemonium? You are surprised when the first act closes without any rising action or revelation. The lights rise for the intermission, and you consider leaving early, stifling a yawn. Before you are able to decide, however, you find yourself drifting…drifting…to sleep.

If Lola Hayes was chosen as an investigator for this campaign: That investigator reads Lola's Prologue (out loud).

Otherwise: Proceed to Scenario I: Curtain Call.

Lola's Prologue: Act I came and went without a hitch, as it often did in rehearsal. You couldn't help but note the blank, dismissive expressions on many of the audience members' faces, and you wonder how the audience will react to the play's disturbing second half. The role of Cassilda is tiresomely boring for the first half of the play, although you enjoy portraying her regal charm. You find yourself missing your previous co-star, Miriam Twain, and suddenly the dread and regret you had felt in Paris comes flooding back. With a sigh, you retreat to a dark corner backstage to escape the sounds of stagehands preparing for the next scene. You try to quell your emotions and replace your thoughts with those of Cassilda's—her hopes, her fears, her fate.

Just then, you catch the Stranger staring at you from afar, and you find yourself shaking at the mere sight of him. Even though they continue to replace the actor who plays the Stranger before each show (and indeed many times during rehearsals), you know that this last-minute replacement is the most horrid of them all. Realizing you never caught his name, a shiver of terror courses through your spine. Have you found your way back to the wolves, like a lost lamb? You cannot look away—his gaze is inescapable. Everything goes black.

Proceed to Scenario I: Curtain Call.

Scenario I: Curtain Call

You awaken with a start, as though shaken by an unseen force. You must have slept for quite some time, for there are only a few other patrons in the audience, and no performers on stage. The lights are dimmed, and the stage curtains are tattered and ripped, though you do not remember that being the case during the first act. You wait a moment before you are sure this isn't part of the performance. As you wait, a foul but unrecognizable smell permeates the air. How long have you been asleep? Shaking off your drowsiness, you walk toward one of the seated patrons and ask for the time, but he does not respond. It is then that you realize you are speaking to a corpse.

Suggested Location Placement

• Balcony: A carpeted taircase [sic] leads up into the balcony. Somehow, a hot draft is blowing down through the steep passageway.
• Lobby: Through the tall glass doors leading into the lobby, you can see that this room isn't nearly as dilapidated as the auditorium. Signs promoting The King in Yellow taunt you from inside.
• Theatre: Must have been one hell of an intermission.
• Backstage: The set is different from what you remember of the play's first act, decorated with a backdrop of an unsettling sunset.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: Curtain Call, Evil Portents, Delusions, Hauntings, Cult of the Yellow Sign, Striking Fear, Rats. These sets are indicated by the following icons (the set icons are shown in the Encounter Set Icons section at the end of this guide).
• Set the following cards aside, out of play: The Man in the Pallid Mask, Royal Emissary, each copy of Lobby Doorway, and each copy of Backstage Doorway.
• Put the Theatre, Lobby, Balcony, and Backstage locations into play. Each investigator begins play at the Theatre.
  • If Lola Hayes was chosen as an investigator for this campaign, she begins play at Backstage, instead.
• Shuffle the remainder of the encounter cards to build the encounter deck.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator was defeated): Once again you are startled awake, this time by the cold, clammy fingers of a hand on your shoulder. "Are you alright?" an elderly man asks, helping you to your feet. Your mind is a flurry of memories. Last you remember, the Ward Theatre had become a place of nightmares, filled with dangerous fanatics and strange terrors. Worried, you glance at your surroundings, only to find yourself on the rain-slicked curb outside the theatre. Despite the events from earlier, the city seems normal to your eyes—or at least, what passes as normal for Arkham. The bright glare of headlights drills into your eyes as cars pass on the street, splashing dirty rainwater onto the sidewalk beside you. The old man wears an expression of concern, noting the terror in your eyes. "Were you mugged? Damn those trouble boys!" he exclaims. "Dry-gulching folk on a night out to the the-a-tre! Not a single street those hooligans haven't staked a claim on, I tell you."

You stand and walk over to the front window of the Ward Theatre to tentatively peer through, but it is too dark to see anything inside. The elderly man eyes you curiously for a moment, then shrugs and continues walking. "Well, I'd best be on my way. I would do the same, if I were you," he says, rounding the street corner. You quickly follow, hoping to warn him to stay away from the theatre. But when you turn the corner, it is not the elderly man you see, but the familiar sight of the Stranger in his featureless, pallid mask. His unwavering gaze bears down upon you. "Who are you?" you call out. The Stranger does not respond, but instead turns and disappears into the alleyway behind the theatre. You give chase, hoping for answers, but by the time you reach the alleyway, it is empty—save for a notice on the wall near the theatre's employee entrance. "Don't be a wet blanket! Come to The King in Yellow cast party. 8pm, at the home of Constance Dumaine, 1452 Atlantic Avenue. Formal dress only." You tear the notice from the wall and take it with you, frustrated and lost.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the Stranger is on to you. Add The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness to the lead investigator's deck (does not count towards deck size). For the remainder of this campaign, any time the bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask leaves the campaign for any reason, choose a new investigator to become the bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness, and add it to that investigator's deck.
• In your Campaign Log, under "Chasing the Stranger," place one tally mark for each time The Man in the Pallid Mask was defeated during this scenario. For the remainder of the campaign, keep a running tally of the number of times The Man in the Pallid Mask is defeated during a game. Each tally will bring you one step closer to the truth.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 1: Fleeing from the theatre, you head straight to the police station in Easttown. Bursting through the door, to the stares of onlookers and police officers alike, you demand to see Sheriff Engle, stressing the importance of your visit. The desk sergeant, who is lazily working through a stack of paperwork, shakes his head and raises a finger in silence, then points to a nearby chair. The wait is excruciating. Every moment is an eternity. The hands of the nearby clock crawl. You drum your fingers on the desk. You tap your feet. You constantly peer over your shoulder to make sure the pallid mask of the Stranger is not watching you through the front window. Finally, the desk sergeant puts his pen down and sits up, beckoning you. "Alright, what's so important now?" You are only halfway through your explanation of the night's events when he sighs and shakes his head. "Look, if this is some kind of joke, it ain't funny," he says. "We had officers downtown all night. Don't try to feed me some hooey straight to my face." You insist, but the desk sergeant rises to his feet and opens the door, motioning for you to leave. He raises his voice. "What, you think we're not busy enough or something? Beat it!" He mumbles about "blind birds" behind your back as he escorts you out of the station.

You know what you saw earlier that night. Frustrated, you head back to the Ward Theatre to find some kind of proof you can take to the police. You are surprised to find that the front door of the theatre is locked. You are about to decide whether or not to break down the door when you see a notice on the wall near the entrance. "Don't be a wet blanket! Come to The King in Yellow cast party. 8pm, at the home of Constance Dumaine, 1452 Atlantic Avenue. Formal dress only." You tear the notice from the wall and fold it into your coat pocket, hoping it will lead you to the answers you seek.

• Did you really think the police would help you?
• In your Campaign Log, record that you tried to warn the police. Mark one Conviction in your Campaign Log.
• If you "stole from the box office," record in your Campaign Log that the police are suspicious of you.
• In your Campaign Log, record that the Stranger is on to you. Add The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness to the lead investigator's deck (does not count towards deck size). For the remainder of this campaign, any time the bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask leaves the campaign for any reason, choose a new investigator to become the bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness, and add it to that investigator's deck.
• In your Campaign Log, under "Chasing the Stranger," place two tally marks. For the remainder of the campaign, keep a running tally of the number of times The Man in the Pallid Mask is defeated during a game. Each tally will bring you one step closer to the truth.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 2

Resolution 2: You think about going to the police, but considering the horrors in the theatre, they're more likely to think you're mad than to believe your story. A small part of you wonders if this is still some kind of prank, but that can't be the case—it was all too real, too terrifying to forget. Wondering what course of action to take, you find yourself backtracking over your escape route, returning to the theatre with cautious steps. The bright glare of headlights drills into your eyes as cars pass on the street, splashing dirty rainwater onto the sidewalk beside you. Soon the Ward Theatre comes into sight, its bright lights dominating the streets of Downtown. You expected the theatre to be in ruins, but its exterior looks the same as it did when you arrived to see The King in Yellow earlier that night. You walk to the front window of the Ward Theatre and tentatively peer through, but it is too dark to see anything inside.

Just then, a chill brushes the nape of your neck, and you feel that you are being watched. You turn, and spot a shadow fleeing around the corner. A swarm of roaches skitters across the sidewalk, following in the shadow's wake. Your muscles tense with uncertainty, and you round the corner in pursuit. Standing unconcerned on the sidewalk is a familiar-looking man in a featureless pallid mask.

His unwavering gaze bears down upon you. "Who are you?" you call out. The Stranger does not respond, and instead turns and disappears into the alleyway behind the theatre. You give chase, hoping for answers, but by the time you reach the alleyway, it is empty—save for a notice on the wall near the theatre's employee entrance. "Don't be a wet blanket! Come to The King in Yellow cast party. 8pm, at the home of Constance Dumaine, 1452 Atlantic Avenue. Formal dress only." You tear the notice from the wall and take it with you, hoping it will lead you to the answers you seek.

• Do you think it was wise not to warn anyone?
• In your Campaign Log, record that you chose not to go to the police. Mark one Doubt in your Campaign Log.
• In your Campaign Log, record that the Stranger is on to you. Add The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness to the lead investigator's deck (does not count towards deck size). For the remainder of this campaign, any time the bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask leaves the campaign for any reason, choose a new investigator to become the bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness, and add it to that investigator's deck.
• In your Campaign Log, under "Chasing the Stranger," place two tally marks. For the remainder of the campaign, keep a running tally of the number of times The Man in the Pallid Mask is defeated during a game. Each tally will bring you one step closer to the truth.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Scenario II: The Last King

If anyone has the answers to the questions that burn in your mind, it's the cast and crew of The King in Yellow. With no other leads to pursue, you put on your best clothes and head to 1452 Atlantic Avenue, where a woman named Constance Dumaine is hosting an event in celebration of the play's one-night engagement in Arkham.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: The Last King, Hastur's Gift, Decay & Filth, The Stranger, Ancient Evils. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
• Put all 6 locations into play (Foyer, Courtyard, Living Room, Ballroom, Dining Room, and Gallery). See the suggested location placement below. Each investigator begins play in the Foyer.
• Shuffle the 5 Bystander assets depicted here (Constance Dumaine, Jordan Perry, Ishimaru Haruko, Sebastien Moreau, and Ashleigh Clarke) and randomly place one in each location except for the Foyer. Place 1 clue on each of these assets, plus 1 additional clue per investigator.
  • Note: These cards are double-sided and have story cards on their other side. For the best experience, do not look at the other side unless an effect instructs you to do so.
• Set the Dianne Devine enemy aside, out of play.
• Place the 5 "Sickening Reality" story cards underneath the scenario reference card.
  • Note: These cards are double-sided and have encounter cards on their other side. For the best experience, do not look at the other side unless an effect instructs you to do so.
• Shuffle the remainder of the encounter cards to build the encounter deck.

Suggested Location Placement

• Dining Room: The rancid smell of rotten food wafts under the dining room door, and you barely avoid losing your lunch.
• Gallery: The sounds of conversation and warped music become muffled as you approach a lonely section of the manor. Leading to the door of the gallery is a long hall adorned with many expensive paintings, including one of Mrs. Dumaine herself.
• Living Room: Cigarette smoke and the sounds of idle chatter drift out of the manor's living room. You feel warmth behind the door.
• Courtyard: Looking out one of the windows, you spy the courtyard in the center of the manor. You find yourself longing for fresh air.
• Ballroom: The distorted music grows louder as you approach the ballroom. Inside, many of the guests are dancing, eating, and enjoying themselves.
• Foyer: The entrance hall is lavishly decorated, displaying the wealth of the manor's owners while still creating a welcoming atmosphere. "Shall I take your coat?" the doorman asks as you enter. It takes a moment before you realize the doorman has only bloody stumps where he should have hands.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –4, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• Randomly choose one of the following tokens: Cultist, Tablet, or Elder Thing. Add 2 of the chosen token to the chaos bag.
• Shuffle the remainder of the encounter cards to build the encounter deck.
• The lead investigator adds The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness (The Path to Carcosa #59) to their deck.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached and at least one investigator resigned: Go to Resolution 1.

If no resolution was reached because each investigator was defeated: Go to Resolution 2.

Resolution 1: The brisk autumn embraces you as you exit the manor. There is no doubt in your mind that the cast and crew of The King in Yellow have become affected by madness. Perhaps it's getting to you, as well. You feel an encroaching darkness, a presence in your mind not unlike the gaze of the Stranger. Startled, you peer about the front yard for the first time since escaping the manor. The scene is…different. The front windows are not smashed as they were when you first approached. The trail of blood you had noticed on the porch has been wiped clean, and instead of the disturbingly warped music you had heard upon entering, the soothing tones of slow jazz drift out from the courtyard.

• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Interviewed," record the name of each character you "interviewed."
• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain," record the name of each unique Possessed enemy in the victory display.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• For every 2 clues that were on the act deck when the game ended, choose an investigator to earn 1 additional experience point. Experience from this reward must be divided as evenly among the investigators as possible.
• Proceed to Interlude I: Reality's Shadow.

Resolution 2: "Excuse me, but it's very late," you hear a server say as he gently taps you on your shoulder. You realize that you are sitting on a couch in the manor's living room, and that you have been asleep for some time. No music fills the halls, the food is all but gone, and only a few guests remain. "Perhaps you would like for me to get your coat?" the server asks with a trained smile. You wobble as you rise to your feet, leaning against the couch's armrest. Your head pounds with a dizzying intensity, and your vision is spotted. You insist that you are fine, and begin walking toward the foyer.

You no longer see any of the guests you were searching for earlier, not even the hostess, Mrs. Dumaine. All traces of the madness and horror you've experienced are gone. Even the oddities you witnessed upon entering the manor have vanished—the signs of struggle, the broken windows, the blood trail on the porch… Every piece of evidence has been erased. But you still remember the night's events, and in your memory you will find your answers.

• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Interviewed," record the name of each character you "interviewed."
• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain," record the name of each unique Possessed enemy in the victory display.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• For every 2 clues that were on the act deck when the game ended, choose an investigator to earn 1 additional experience point. Experience from this reward must be divided as evenly among the investigators as possible.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 1 [Cultist] token, 1 [Tablet] token, and 1 [Elder Thing] token to the chaos bag.
• Skip Interlude I: Reality's Shadow, and proceed directly to Scenario III: Echoes of the Past.

Resolution 3: Several days later, you find yourself reminiscing about the party you attended at 1452 Atlantic Avenue. What a roaring good time you had! And yet, your memory is hazy. You can't help but feel you are forgetting something important. Something about the play you'd watched earlier that night—The King in Yellow. That nagging sensation pursues you in every waking moment. Try as you might to recall the night's events in full, there remains a gaping hole in your memory. As you strain to remember, your concern grows, almost to the point of obsession. Deciding that you absolutely must know what occurred that night, you head toward the manor of the Historical Society in Southside. Perhaps there you can learn more about The King in Yellow play…

• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Interviewed," record the name of each character you "interviewed." Then, cross off each of those names, since you forgot everything that happened that night.
• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain," record the name of each unique Possessed enemy in the victory display.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• For every 2 clues that were on the act deck when the game ended, choose an investigator to earn 1 additional experience point. Experience from this reward must be divided as evenly among the investigators as possible.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 1 [Cultist] token, 1 [Tablet] token, and 1 [Elder Thing] token to the chaos bag.
• Skip Interlude I: Reality's Shadow, and proceed directly to Scenario III: Echoes of the Past.

Interlude I: Reality's Shadow

• The investigators must decide (choose one):
  • Things seem to have calmed down. Perhaps we should go back inside and investigate further. Proceed to Reality's Shadow 1.
  • I don't trust this place one bit. Let's block the door and get the hell out of here! Proceed to Reality's Shadow 2.
  • If these people are allowed to live, these horrors will only repeat themselves. We have to put an end to this. We have to kill them. Proceed to Reality's Shadow 3.

Reality's Shadow 1: The change in the atmosphere has you curious. What if it was all a trick of your mind? What if the hauntings that follow The King in Yellow are but transitory? The answers to all of your questions might lie inside. Cautiously, you open the front door to the manor once again. Reassuring jazz and the clamor of casual conversation grow louder as you step inside. The enticing smell of roasted pork wafts through the air. As you suspected, the signs of struggle and oddities you noticed before have vanished without explanation. Then, as you turn the corner into the dining room, you find the Stranger speaking with another man—tall, mustached, wearing a fine black suit, and holding a silver-handled cane. The Stranger turns to you, his gaze drills through your mind, and your vision swims with agony. Before you realize it, you are running as fast as you can, toppling through the front doorway in a haze of pain and disorientation. Without time to catch your breath, you race to your vehicle and speed away, hands trembling upon the steering wheel.

• Why would you go back inside?
• In your Campaign Log, record that you intruded on a secret meeting. Mark one Doubt in your Campaign Log.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• The story continues in Scenario III: Echoes of the Past.

Reality's Shadow 2: You can't trust your senses. This is all a trick, an attempt to lure you back inside. You're no safer now than you were before. Swallowing your fear, you set to work barricading the front door of the manor using several of the heavy stone benches lining the cobblestone path in the front yard. You hope it's enough, but you aren't willing to stick around to find out. As soon as you're done, you head back to your vehicle and drive toward Southside, where you hope to find answers.

• That door isn't going to stop them.
• In your Campaign Log, record that you fled the dinner party.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.
• The story continues in Scenario III: Echoes of the Past.

Reality's Shadow 3: You dare not risk stepping back inside that madhouse. But you can't let the monstrosities run amok, either. You root through the open garage for a few supplies, finding an old hose, an empty gasoline canister, and some matches. Knowing what you must do, you first siphon some gas from Mrs. Dumaine's Oakland 6-54A. You spread the gasoline across the front porch, inside the garage, and around the manor's outer walls. From there, all it takes is several matches to start the blaze. You watch from the front yard as the manor is eventually consumed by the flames. The sounds of crackling fire and snapping wood and the screeching of dying horrors fills the street. Satisfied, you head back to your vehicle and tear off toward Southside, full of grim determination.

• You did what had to be done… Right?
• In your Campaign Log, record that you slayed the monsters at the dinner party. Mark one Conviction in your Campaign Log.
• In your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain," record the names of all five "VIPs," if not already recorded there: Constance Dumaine, Jordan Perry, Ishimaru Haruko, Sebastien Moreau, and Ashleigh Clarke.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens to the chaos bag.
• The story continues in Scenario III: Echoes of the Past.

Scenario III: Echoes of the Past

Your head throbs with a dull ache as you drive through the rainy streets of Arkham toward your next destination. The threat of the Stranger looms in your mind, and you find yourself glancing often at your rear-view mirror, expecting to see the expressionless visage of his mask haunting you. Instead, you see nothing but the misty, starless night, and the deserted road behind you.

Your thoughts once again wander, as they have often in the past few hours, to The King in Yellow and to the city of Carcosa and its inhabitants. What was the message hidden inside that awful play, the meaning within its madness? A lone detail worms its way to the forefront of your thoughts, one made apparent by the discussions you'd overheard at Ms. Dumaine's estate—that tonight's performance of The King in Yellow was not the first Arkham had seen of the foul play. There had been at least one other performance, directed by the same man: Nigel Engram.

There is one place in Arkham where records are often kept of important events occuring within the city: the Historical Society's manor house in Southside. If there are any records of the previous show of The King in Yellow, the Historical Society may have held onto them. Perhaps there you will find answers to the questions that burn in your mind.

Check Campaign Log. If Sebastien Moreau is listed under VIPs Interviewed: Proceed to Sebastien's Information. Otherwise, skip to Setup.

Sebastien's Information

Sebastien's Information: You recall what Sebastien told you during the dinner party. The King in Yellow had come to Arkham several decades ago, long before the Ward Theatre was built. According to him, it isn't surprising that few people remember—in fact, part of their goal tonight was to bring The King in Yellow to a wider audience. The Historical Society may have kept records pertaining to this earlier production, especially if it was followed by events similar to what has occurred tonight. Perhaps you can find some newspaper clippings or other articles describing what happened in the past.

• After you put Entry Hall into play during setup, place 1 clue on it.

Proceed to Setup.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: Echoes of the Past, Cult of the Yellow Sign, Delusions, The Midnight Masks, Locked Doors, and Dark Cult. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
  • When gathering The Midnight Masks encounter set, only gather the 5 treachery cards (2x False Lead and 3x Hunting Shadow). Do not gather the location, act, agenda, or scenario reference cards from that set.
• Randomly choose one Ground Floor Historical Society location, one Second Floor Historical Society location, and one Third Floor Historical Society location. Remove those locations from the game, without looking at their revealed sides.
• Put the following locations into play: Entry Hall, both copies of Quiet Halls, and the remaining 6 Historical Society locations. (See below for suggested location placement.) Each investigator begins play in the Entry Hall.
• Set the following cards aside, out of play: Hidden Library, Possessed Oathspeaker, Mr. Peabody, The Tattered Cloak, and Clasp of Black Onyx.
• Based on the number of players in the game:
  • If there is exactly 1 player in the game, no changes are made.
  • If there are exactly 2 players in the game, search the gathered encounter sets for 1 copy of Seeker of Carcosa. Spawn it at a Third Floor Historical Society location.
  • If there are exactly 3 players in the game, search the gathered encounter sets for 2 copies of Seeker of Carcosa. Spawn each at a different Third Floor Historical Society location.
  • If there are exactly 4 players in the game, search the gathered encounter sets for 3 copies of Seeker of Carcosa. Spawn each at different Second Floor or Third Floor Historical Society locations.
• Check Campaign Log. If you fled the dinner party: You arrive at the Historical Society with time to spare; each investigator can take 1 additional action during their first turn of this game.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –4, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• Randomly choose one of the following tokens: Cultist, Tablet, or Elder Thing. Add 2 of the chosen token to the chaos bag.
• Sebastien Moreau is not listed under VIPs Interviewed or VIPs Slain.
• You did not flee the dinner party.

Suggested Location Placement

The printed guide shows a grid of nine location cards for this scenario: six Historical Society locations, two Quiet Halls, and the Entry Hall. The grid is a placement diagram; the location cards themselves are the printed cards from the encounter sets.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator resigned or was defeated): You barely escape the building with your body and mind intact, and flee to safety. Read Resolution 4.

Resolution 1: There are no coincidences when it comes to The King in Yellow. There is no doubt in your mind that the object you've found is important. You decide to take it with you before continuing your investigation. The last record you find related to the original production of The King in Yellow is a psychiatric evaluation of one Daniel Chesterfield, a stagehand who lost his wits after the final show. It seems he was admitted to the asylum after the production ended. Perhaps he's still there…

• In your Campaign Log, record that you took the onyx clasp. Mark one Conviction in your Campaign Log. For the remainder of the campaign, one investigator must include the Clasp of Black Onyx weakness in their deck. This card does not count toward that investigator's deck size.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• If Sebastien Moreau (Savage Hysteria) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens to the chaos bag.

Resolution 2: This investigation would make anybody paranoid. Attributing some greater meaning to everything you find can be a dangerous proposition. You're sure that this clasp is meaningless, perhaps even a prop from the original play. You leave it behind and continue your investigation. The last record you find related to the original production of The King in Yellow is a psychiatric evaluation of one Daniel Chesterfield, a stagehand who lost his wits after the final show. It seems he was admitted to the asylum after the production ended. Perhaps he's still there…

• In your Campaign Log, record that you left the onyx clasp behind. Mark one Doubt in your Campaign Log.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• If Sebastien Moreau (Savage Hysteria) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.

Resolution 3: The figure collapses to the ground, its warped, melting body writhing in agony. It wheezes and cries out, a yellow glow emanating from inside its mouth and behind its eyes. "Daniel," the thing says in its cracking voice. "Seek Daniel… Daniel Chesterfield, the stagehand, he remembers!" Deep inside the man's words, there is another voice behind it, whispering faintly in a melodic language. "Find him… He too has spoken the oath… The oath that doomed us all…!" With those final words, the skin melts off the man's bones, and he rattles to the floor.

• In your Campaign Log, record that you destroyed the oathspeaker. Any one investigator may choose to add The Tattered Cloak to their deck. This card does not count toward that investigator's deck size.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• If Sebastien Moreau (Savage Hysteria) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.

Resolution 4: The night's events have left you exhausted. You were unable to learn anything at the Historical Society's manor that could drive your investigation forward. Whoever those intruders were, they must have been looking for the same information you were. Distraught, you find your way to the closest bed you can find—in Ma's Boarding House, not too far from the Historical Society. Dawn breaks as you reach the boarding house, the front doorknob and ferns on the porch covered in dew. You are lucky enough to get a vacant room for the day, and soon you are fast asleep.

Suddenly, you are falling. Above and all around you, a blinding radiance flares like an inferno. Your head twinges with pain and your vision swims with brilliant colors. Your skin is singed by the flames. Below you, the abyss opens and swallows you whole. You then find yourself in a dank, windowless cell, filled with a putrid stench. A man is huddled in a corner of the room, shivering from the cold, or from the hopelessness of his situation, or perhaps both. "No mask," he mutters over and over, "no mask, no mask…" You take a few tentative steps forward, but before you can reach him, the metal slot on his cell door slides open, and you hear an orderly call to him. "Daniel, it's time," he says. "Daniel, wake up." Wake up, Daniel. Then, you awaken.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the followers of the sign have found the way forward.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display. Each investigator earns 1 bonus experience as they gain insight into the machinations of The King in Yellow.
• If Sebastien Moreau (Savage Hysteria) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 1 [Cultist] token, 1 [Tablet] token, and 1 [Elder Thing] token to the chaos bag.

Scenario IV: The Unspeakable Oath

Check Campaign Log. If the followers of the sign have found the way forward: Read Intro 1.

Otherwise, skip to Intro 2.

Intro 1

Intro 1: "Wake up, Daniel." The words echo in your thoughts as you pace through the disheveled room, trying to make sense of what you'd just experienced. You had awoken later that afternoon with a violent startle, your body shaking, bedsheets soaked with sweat. Although you'd slept a healthy eight-and-a-half hours, you feel even more exhausted than you had the previous night. You catch a glimpse of your dark, bloodshot eyes in the mirror next to the dresser, and wonder if you've gotten any real sleep at all.

Who is Daniel, you wonder? The chamber from your dream looked like a prison, but the man—Daniel—he seemed unhinged, as though he wasn't in control of his mind. This led to only one conclusion: An asylum. Knowing you'll get little rest here, you head towards Arkham Asylum, hoping your hunch is correct.

Continue to Intro 3.

Intro 2

Intro 2: Over the course of the next few days, you delve into the evidence you've collected, hoping to find any information regarding Daniel Chesterfield, a stagehand during the previous production of The King in Yellow. As far as you can tell, he is the only surviving member of that production's cast and crew. The rest of them—that is, those for whom you can find any records at all—disappeared or died soon after opening night in a variety of fashions connected only by their morbidity. Freak accidents. Suicides. Vanishings.

It would seem that Daniel is your only lead, if you are to investigate further. According to the records you found, he was admitted to Arkham Asylum many years ago. All documentation about Daniel's treatment seems to end there. You're unsure if he's even still alive. Perhaps he was cured and released. You were hoping to avoid this, but there seems to be only one way to find out. You collect your belongings and head downtown, towards Arkham Asylum.

Continue to Intro 3.

Intro 3

Intro 3: As you enter the asylum, you stop to speak with the receptionist, though you feel your body urged to step deeper into the clutches of this madhouse. He gives you a confused expression as you tell him of The King in Yellow and of Daniel. But at your insistence, he pores through his file cabinet, eventually pulling out a stark white folder. Inside is a wealth of information about the patients admitted to the asylum—medical records, psychiatric evaluations, and the like. You recognize a few of the faces as he flips through the pages. "Daniel… Daniel Chesterfield, yes? He is admitted under the special care of Doctor Mintz. But you can't see him; his level is restricted to staff only." You argue and insist to be let into the patient wing, knowing that Daniel must hold the key to understanding what is really going on.

The receptionist gives a pitying smile and relents, nodding to the security guards nearby. "Oh, of course, of course," he says with all the honesty of a street peddler. "I will schedule a meeting for you with Doctor Mintz so you can speak with him about Daniel. These gentlemen will see you in." Relieved that you will soon get the answers you seek, you are escorted into the patient wing of Arkham Asylum…

Check Campaign Log. If Constance Dumaine is listed under VIPs Interviewed: Proceed to Constance's Information.

Otherwise, skip to Setup.

Constance's Information

Constance's Information: You recall what Constance had told you when you spoke with her during her hellish dinner party. She and the other members of the cast and crew had been told by the director, Nigel Engram, to take some kind of oath. At first, she'd written it off as the whim of an eccentric artist; something Mr. Engram did as a strange formality to unite and strengthen the bond of the cast and crew. And to his credit, she claimed that it had worked; ever since they'd taken his strange oath, she and the other members of the troupe felt much more confident and full of spirit. Perhaps Daniel had a similar experience during the last production of The King in Yellow. You must speak with him about this.

• Each investigator places the top card of their deck facedown in their play area, without looking at it. Treat this card as a Courage asset with 0 cost, no icons, and 2 sanity. Discard this card if it leaves play for any reason.

Proceed to Setup.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: The Unspeakable Oath, Hastur's Gift, Inhabitants of Carcosa, Delusions, Decay & Filth, and Agents of Hastur. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
• Set each Monster enemy among the gathered encounter sets aside, in a separate pile. (There should be 7 Monster enemies, in total.)
• Set each Possessed enemy among the gathered encounter sets aside, in a separate pile. (There should be 7 Possessed enemies, in total.)
• Randomly choose 1 copy of Asylum Halls (Eastern Patient Wing) and 1 copy of Asylum Halls (Western Patient Wing). Remove those copies from the game. Put the remaining Asylum Halls into play. Each investigator begins play at an Asylum Halls of their choice.
• Set the following cards aside, out of play: Daniel Chesterfield, and each copy of Patient Confinement.
• Put the following locations into play: Mess Hall, Kitchen, Yard, Garden, Infirmary, and Basement Hall. (See suggested location placement.)
• Based on your difficulty level, add the following chaos token to the chaos bag, for the remainder of the campaign:
  • Easy: –2.
  • Standard: –3.
  • Hard: –4.
  • Expert: –5.
• Check Campaign Log. Depending on the following circumstances, a different version of Act 2 should be used in this scenario. Each other version of Act 2 is removed from the game.
  • If you took the onyx clasp, use Act 2—"The Really Bad Ones" (v. I).
  • Otherwise, use Act 2—"The Really Bad Ones" (v. II).

Suggested Location Placement for The Unspeakable Oath

The printed guide shows a placement diagram of eight locations: Garden, Yard, Kitchen, Mess Hall, Asylum Halls (Eastern Patient Wing), Asylum Halls (Western Patient Wing), Infirmary, and Basement Hall. The diagram is a placement guide; the location cards are the printed cards from the encounter sets.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• Randomly choose one of the following tokens: Cultist, Tablet, or Elder Thing. Add 2 of the chosen token to the chaos bag.
• Constance Dumaine is not listed under VIPs Interviewed or VIPs Slain.
• You did not take the onyx clasp.
• Do not read Interlude II—Lost Soul.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

Before resolving any other resolution, if at least 1 investigator was defeated: The defeated investigators read Investigator Defeat first.

Investigator Defeat: "Doctor Mintz, the patient has been medicated and is ready to see you now." Nurse Heather opened the file on the desk nearby, taking a moment to review the patient's records.

"Any changes in the patient's condition?" Doctor Mintz asked in a monotone voice. A formality. Both knew the patient was beyond repair.

"None. The patient's delusions remain. Demanding to speak with the Warden, claiming they are only guests, and rambling about that play that aired the other night, The King in Yellow."

"And their other crimes? The incident in the theatre? What about 1452 Atlantic Ave?"

"They believe they were attacked, and were defending themselves." Her voice was thick with pity. What could have caused somebody to snap like this so quickly? None of the patient's records showed any prior history of mental instability. "Can you make any sense of it, Doctor?"

"Who could?" Doctor Mintz sighed and stood, grabbing the file from his desk. "My job is not to understand. It is to cure. Perhaps my experimental procedures will prove fruitful on this one." The nurse winced and felt goosebumps on her arm. She knew how his procedures would turn out, and she doubted it would prove anything.

• Each investigator who was defeated is driven insane. If there are not enough investigators to continue the campaign, the campaign is over and the players lose.
• If another resolution was reached, the remaining investigators proceed to that resolution.
• If no resolution was reached (each investigator was defeated): Go to Resolution 1.

Resolution 1: …And so ended the madness of The King in Yellow.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the King claimed its victims.
• If there are not enough investigators to continue the campaign, the campaign is over and the players lose. Otherwise, the campaign continues. (Each player whose investigator has been driven insane must choose a new investigator from the pool of available investigators.)
• Check Campaign Log. If you took the onyx clasp, choose a new investigator to take the clasp. That investigator must include the Clasp of Black Onyx weakness in their deck. This card does not count toward that investigator's deck size.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• If Constance Dumaine (A Little Too Sociable) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens to the chaos bag.
• Skip Interlude II: Lost Soul and proceed directly to Scenario V: A Phantom of Truth.

Resolution 2 (each defeated investigator should resolve Investigator Defeat first): You are confronted by a number of orderlies and security guards, who bar your escape. Feeling cornered and trapped, you have no choice but to fight your way through them. As you struggle to escape, several of the patients nearby see their opportunity, and attack the guards with a crazed fury. Nurse Heather shrieks and retreats, and in the ruckus you are able to escape, bruised and battered but free once more. It will take some time for your wounds to heal, but you have no time for that yet.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the investigators were attacked as they escaped the Asylum.
• Each investigator suffers 1 physical trauma as they are assaulted by the Asylum's guards.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• If Constance Dumaine (A Little Too Sociable) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.
• Proceed to Interlude II: Lost Soul.

Resolution 3 (each defeated investigator should resolve Investigator Defeat first): With the asylum staff distracted and patients running amok, you are able to slip away without being noticed. You escape deeper into the garden behind the asylum, where a two-story tall fence topped with barbed wire is all that separates you from the outside world. You have little time, and need to make it far away from the asylum before the guards return and spot you. Using a straitjacket you'd found inside to cover the barbed wire, you scale the fence quickly, breaking into a run as you make it to the other side.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the investigators escaped the Asylum.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.
• If Constance Dumaine (A Little Too Sociable) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• Proceed to Interlude II: Lost Soul.

Interlude II: Lost Soul

If an investigator resigned with the asset version of Daniel Chesterfield under his or her control, proceed to Daniel Survived.

If the enemy version of Daniel Chesterfield was in play when the scenario ended, proceed to Daniel Was Possessed.

If neither of the above are true, proceed to Daniel Did Not Survive.

Daniel Survived: You decide to lay low for some time in Ma's Boarding House and hide Daniel from the authorities, although you're unsure how long you'll be able to stay in Arkham with an escaped asylum patient. Daniel is a loose cannon, dazed and unresponsive one moment, and screaming for his life the next. It takes several days for him to realize he's no longer institutionalized, which for some reason makes him even more terrified. "He's coming for me, he's coming for me!" he rambles, sometimes for hours at a time. Finally, during an unusually warm and starry night, Daniel is calm enough to open up to you. "The King in Yellow, it's not just a play," he explains. "It's a being named Hastur, and He's already claimed me. But there's still time for you. You are not yet possessed. You have yet to speak the Oath. Whatever you do, speak not his name. Do not give in." You ask him about the strange events that have been happening across town, and of the cultists and creatures you've encountered. "They are trying to find Carcosa," he says matter-of-factly. You recognize the name as the fictional city from the play, the one The King in Yellow rules over. "They want to release Hastur from His prison. But you!—You can open the way to Carcosa before they do! You can seal Hastur for good!" He grips you tightly as he rants. "Quickly, before the Stranger discovers our plan!"

Hours later, Daniel is incoherent and unresponsive once more. You take a long walk to ease your thoughts, mulling over this new information. You're unsure what to make of his wild claims. Before you can make a decision about what to do next, you return to find the door to your room broken open. Daniel lies in a heap on the ground, his face colorless and body limp. Judging from the bruising around his neck, you surmise that he has been choked to death.

• Each investigator earns 2 additional experience as they gain insight into the machinations of the Tattered King.
• The investigators must decide (choose one):
  • Possession? Oaths? There must be another explanation for all of this. Proceed to Ignore the Warning.
  • We must heed Daniel's warning. We must not speak the name of The King in Yellow. Proceed to Heed the Warning.

Daniel Did Not Survive: You decide to lay low for some time in Ma's Boarding House, unsure whether news of the events at the asylum will get out to the general public. You take this time to make extensive notes of the events you've experienced thus far, including the brief dialogue between you and Daniel. He'd spoke of The King in Yellow as if it were an actual being, and even named it. "Hastur." He'd rambled and muttered and screeched other phrases, as well. You doubt you'll ever forget them. "He made us speak the Oath." "The price was paid." "They are opening the path to Carcosa." For hours, you think about Daniel's warning to you, which he begged you to heed: "Do not speak His name." His final moments play out in your mind over and over again.

• The investigators must decide (choose one):
  • Possession? Oaths? There must be another explanation for all of this. Proceed to Ignore the Warning.
  • We must heed Daniel's warning. We must not speak the name of The King in Yellow. Proceed to Heed the Warning.

Daniel Was Possessed: You decide to lay low for some time in Ma's Boarding House, unsure whether news of the events at the asylum will get out to the general public. You take this time to make extensive notes of the events you've experienced thus far, including the brief dialogue between you and Daniel. He'd spoke of The King in Yellow as if it were an actual being, and even named it. "Hastur." He'd rambled and muttered and screeched other phrases, as well. You doubt you'll ever forget them. "He made us speak the Oath." "The price was paid." "They are opening the path to Carcosa."

On the third night, you return to your room to find the door broken open. You enter cautiously, wondering if the police are onto you. Or worse, the Stranger. You are surprised to find the body of Daniel Chesterfield instead, lying on the ground with a pained, wide-eyed expression on his face. He is dead. His eyes are bloodshot and yellow, and he clutches a copy of The King in Yellow in his stiff hands. You pry the playbook from his deathly grasp and examine it. Daniel has scribbled notes in the margins of each page, mostly incomprehensible, but with a few lucid standouts. The first time the fictional city of Carcosa is mentioned, scrawled next to it Daniel has written:

Carcosa is real Do not let them open the path

When Cassilda speaks of the tattered king, Daniel has written:

Hastur is the king in tatters locked in his prison in the stars seal him away and stop this madness!

Your mind swims with questions. How did he escape the asylum? How did he die? And why does he appear human to your eyes now? With little time to spare, you clean the room of your belongings and flee. Daniel's words, which he begged you to heed, play out in your mind over and over again.

• The investigators must decide (choose one):
  • Possession? Oaths? There must be another explanation for all of this. Proceed to Ignore the Warning.
  • We must heed Daniel's warning. We must not speak the name of The King in Yellow. Proceed to Heed the Warning.

Ignore the Warning: For hours, you struggle with this insight into The King in Yellow. What is true? What is real? Only you can sort through this madness.

• In your Campaign Log, record that you ignored Daniel's warning.
• Mark two Doubt in your Campaign Log.
• Proceed to Scenario V: A Phantom of Truth.

Heed the Warning: For hours, you struggle with this insight into The King in Yellow. What is true? What is real? Only you can sort through this madness.

• In your Campaign Log, record that you heeded Daniel's warning.
• Mark two Conviction in your Campaign Log.
• Each investigator earns 1 additional experience as they gain insight into the machinations of the Tattered King.
• For the remainder of the campaign, any time an investigator speaks the name of HASTUR aloud during a scenario (or during the setup of a scenario), that investigator must immediately take 1 horror.
• Proceed to Scenario V: A Phantom of Truth.

Scenario V: A Phantom of Truth

Check Campaign Log. If the King claimed its victims: Read Intro 1.

Otherwise, skip to Intro 2.

Intro 1: Several months have passed since The King in Yellow came to the Ward Theatre. You and your companions have been investigating the strange incidents that followed in its wake. What you have found makes you question the wisdom of continuing your investigation, but the truth calls out to you, and you cannot help but answer. It seems you weren't the first to piece together the strange happenings surrounding The King in Yellow. Another group of investigators had been researching these events as well. Just a matter of days after the performance in Arkham, they were admitted to the asylum, ranting about the King's return and the "monsters" that had attacked them. Somehow this doesn't surprise you. Their fate makes you all the more certain you are on the right trail… And all the more certain that you should stop while you still have the chance.

You've found the records those investigators kept before their incarceration, and picked up the trail where they left off. They had interviewed some of the cast and crew of The King in Yellow, and discovered several pieces of vital information. Their research also contains notes about their discoveries in Arkham's Historical Society, and accounts from their time spent in the asylum, including interactions with a patient named "Daniel Chesterfield." After a long night of compiling and comparing notes, you fall into a deep slumber. In your dreams, you are subjected to visions of Carcosa—its black stars, twin suns, shattered moons, and twisted spires.

Continue to Dream 1. Don't get lost.

Intro 2: It has been several weeks since the events in the asylum, and you are still no closer to the truth about The King in Yellow and Carcosa. You have scoured the city for signs of the others Daniel had mentioned—the ones who are "opening the path to Carcosa"—but found nothing. Either the trail has gone cold, or they're no longer in Arkham. Perhaps Daniel truly was insane, and you are only following him deeper down the rabbit hole. Every night, you toss and turn as you are subjected to vivid dreams of Carcosa—its black stars, twin suns, shattered moons, and twisted spires.

Continue to Dream 1. Don't get lost.

Dreams

Dream 5: You peer in the mirror, and your reflection gives you a curious glance. "Wait a second, this isn't Dream 1," you say.

Continue to Dream 1.

Dream 4: Smoke and embers float upwards into the starless night sky. The screams of burning creatures fill you with a horrid sense of accomplishment. They almost sound human, you consider. But you know that isn't true.

Each investigator suffers 1 mental trauma. Continue to Dream 6.

Dream 8: You peer in the mirror, and the Stranger peers back at you. His gaze drills into your mind. The mirror shatters.

Check Campaign Log. If there are 3 or fewer tally marks under "Chasing the Stranger," continue to Dream 9.

If there are 4 or more tally marks under "Chasing the Stranger," continue to Dream 10.

Dream 12: You peer up at the stained glass, curious. What is the shape of the shadow along the window? What is the meaning behind this strange design?

Mark one Doubt in your Campaign Log. Continue to Dream 13.

Dream 2: Constance takes your hand and pulls you onto the polished dance floor. "Come now, don't be shy. Tonight is a night for dancing! For celebration!"

Check Campaign Log. If the King claimed its victims, continue to Dream 8.

If the above is not true, and you intruded on a secret meeting, continue to Dream 3.

If you slayed the monsters at the dinner party, continue to Dream 4.

If none of the above are true, continue to Dream 6.

Dream 9: You chase the Stranger through dark, chilly passageways composed of hundreds of thousands of skeletal bodies. Skulls watch as you run, their mouths rattling a mocking taunt as you pass. The Stranger reaches a solid wall of bone, and is grabbed by bony hands and pulled into the wall. Their mocking laughs reach an awful crescendo.

Continue to Dream 13.

Dream 1: You fall through the empty abyss of Hali. Creatures of unknown and impossible origin lurk just beyond the darkness of your sight. Hastur looms above you, magnificent and yet bound in his prison of madness, manipulating your torturous descent with a sole outstretched arm.

Each investigator has earned the Lost Soul weakness (The Path to Carcosa #227) (does not count toward deck size). Shuffle one copy of this weakness into each investigator's deck. Continue to Dream 2.

Dream 7: You find yourself inside the Arkham Police Department, desperately trying to explain to the desk sergeant what happened in the Ward Theatre. He scoffs and refuses to believe you. "We know what you're really up to," he says, and claps a pair of handcuffs over your wrists. "You're under arrest for larceny. Boys, take 'em away." Several other cops flank you and prevent any escape. Your protests go unheard as you are firmly escorted down a flight of concrete stairs and hurled into a cold jail cell. "Maybe some time in lockup will change your story," the desk sergeant shouts. He slams the door behind him, leaving you with your spiraling thoughts. How did they find out? How could they possibly know?

Choose an investigator. The chosen investigator has earned the Paranoia weakness (Core 97) (does not count toward deck size). Shuffle 1 copy of this weakness into that investigator's deck, if able. Continue to Dream 8.

Dream 10: You chase the Stranger up a steep staircase of broken stone, a torrent of rain crashing upon your back as you run. Lighting flashes in the distance. A vortex of swirling black clouds looms above you, threatening to swallow the world whole. The masked man dashes through a wide set of doors atop the stairs, and you follow close behind. The sound of crashing thunder is muffled as the doors close behind you. Looking up, you see a familiar depiction in stained glass. "Beautiful, is it not?" the Stranger says quietly.

The investigators must decide (choose one):

• "How could any of this be beautiful to you?" Continue to Dream 11.
• "What exactly am I looking at?" Continue to Dream 12.

Dream 3: "Ah, if it isn't our esteemed guest," the man with the mustache and the silver-handled cane says. He grabs a bottle of wine from the nearby countertop and pours you a glass. "I hear you have taken quite the interest in our little production," he says with a smile. "Tell me: how are you enjoying Act 2, so far?"

Continue to Dream 6.

Dream 13: Daniel's voice calls out to you. "They are opening the path to Carcosa."

Continue to Awakening.

Dream 6: The lights of the theatre dim and a spotlight shines on the stage. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" the creature exclaims. Its many tentacles reach across the stage, up into the rafters, and throughout the aisles. It tears the curtains down, and tattered red cloth falls over its bulbous form.

Check Campaign Log. If the police are suspicious of you, continue to Dream 7.

Otherwise, continue to Dream 8.

Dream 11: You avoid looking at the stained glass. If this vile man considers it to be beautiful, it is probably some trap meant to ensnare your mind. You clench your fist until your knuckles are white and step forward to confront the Stranger.

Mark one Conviction in your Campaign Log. Continue to Dream 13.

Awakening: You awaken from your fitful dream, sweating and gagging. This cannot go on any longer. You have only one option if you are to continue your investigation. You must find Nigel Engram, director of The King in Yellow, and architect of this madness. Only he will have the answers you seek. You pack your bags and plan your trip to Paris, the City of Lights.

Check Campaign Log. If Jordan Perry is listed under VIPs Interviewed: Proceed to Jordan's Information.

Otherwise, skip to Setup.

Jordan's Information: According to Mr. Jordan Perry, who had financed several performances of The King in Yellow across the world, Nigel Engram was an eccentric and impassioned man, almost to the point of mania. Rumor was, he hadn't directed any other works since discovering The King in Yellow. Jordan had first met with Mr. Engram at a café in Montparnasse, "L'agneau Perdu." You travel there first, hoping to find Mr. Engram…

• Each investigator begins the game with 3 additional resources. Instead of the normal starting location, each investigator begins play at Montparnasse.

Proceed to Setup.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: A Phantom of Truth, Evil Portents, Byakhee, The Stranger, Agents of Hastur, and The Midnight Masks. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
  • When gathering The Midnight Masks encounter set, only gather the 5 treachery cards (2x False Lead and 3x Hunting Shadow). Do not gather the location, act, agenda, or scenario reference cards from that set.
• Check Campaign Log. If you have more (or equal) Doubt than Conviction:
  • Search the gathered encounter sets for both copies of Twin Suns and all 3 copies of Hunting Shadow, and remove them from the game.
  • During this scenario, use Act 1—The Parisian Conspiracy (v. I). The other version of Act 1 is removed from the game.
• If you have more Conviction than Doubt:
  • Search the gathered encounter sets for both copies of Black Stars Rise and both copies of False Lead, and remove them from the game.
  • During this scenario, use Act 1—The Parisian Conspiracy (v. II). The other version of Act 1 is removed from the game.
• Choose one of the two Montmartre locations, one of the two Opéra Garnier locations, and one of the two Le Marais locations, at random. Put the chosen locations into play. Remove the other versions of those locations from the game.
• Put the remaining locations (Montparnasse, Gare d'Orsay, Grand Guignol, Canal Saint-Martin, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Notre-Dame, and Gardens of Luxembourg) into play. (See next column for suggested placement.) Each investigator begins play at Gare d'Orsay.
• Set the double-sided The Organist enemy aside, out of play.
• If there are any remaining copies of the Lost Soul weakness, set them aside, out of play.

Suggested Location Placement

The printed guide shows a placement diagram of the locations used in this scenario: Grand Guignol, Canal Saint-Martin, Montmartre, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Opéra Garnier, Le Marais, Gare d'Orsay, Gardens of Luxembourg, Notre-Dame, and Montparnasse. The diagram is a placement guide; the location cards are the printed cards from the encounter sets.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• Randomly choose one of the following tokens: Cultist, Tablet, or Elder Thing. Add 2 of the chosen token to the chaos bag.
• During setup, choose one: Doubt or Conviction.
  • If Doubt is chosen, for the remainder of this scenario, you are considered to have more Doubt than Conviction.
  • If Conviction is chosen, for the remainder of this scenario, you are considered to have more Conviction than Doubt.
• Throughout the setup of this scenario, there will be several references to events in your campaign log. None of these events happened. Additionally, there are no tally marks under "Chasing the Stranger," and Jordan Perry is not listed under VIPs Interviewed or VIPs Slain.
• Do not take the Lost Soul weakness as instructed during this scenario's introduction.
• The lead investigator adds The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness (The Path to Carcosa #59) to his or her deck.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator resigned or was defeated): You lose track of yourself within the city as you flee for your life. Your feet move of their own accord. The beating of sinewy wings and screeching of creatures above you spurs you onward. Soon you find yourself running down a narrow avenue, passing a set of heavy iron gates. You are in a dead end—a court with tall, old houses on either side. You turn back toward the entrance to find the shapes of many winged creatures barring your path. They are perched on the gates and on the balconies above, awaiting your doom. Walking with cold, sinister confidence, the man in black opens the iron gate and enters the court. His face gleams in the darkness. His eyes pierce your soul. For a moment, you recognize him for what he truly is. It is the last you remember of that night.

• Record in your Campaign Log that you did not escape the gaze of the phantom.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Jordan Perry (An Imposing Presence) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 1: You can only assume this house belongs to Nigel Engram, the director of The King in Yellow. At last, you have finally found your quarry… and yet, it is little relief to your straining sanity. You feel like a dog being led by a leash, your fate decided by a cruel master who has long kept you in the dark. You push these gloomy thoughts to the back of your mind and knock on Mr. Engram's door. There is no response but a flock of magpies that scatter from the rooftop at the sudden noise. You try the doorknob, hoping you won't have to resort to more forceful measures. To your surprise, you find the door unlocked.

Inside, Nigel's home is a mess of notes, old books, and strange diagrams. Covering the coffee table in his living room is an old, faded map, bearing many fold creases and tattered edges. It looks to be an incomplete map of the catacombs beneath Paris, or at least a section of it. The food in his pantry is old and rotten. There is no sign of anyone having lived here for years, and yet the ink upon the living room walls is wet and fresh. Over and over, across nearly every inch of the wallpaper, it reads:

He is already here.

• Record in your Campaign Log that you found Nigel's home.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Jordan Perry (An Imposing Presence) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 2: You can only assume this house belongs to Nigel Engram, the director of The King in Yellow. At last, you have finally found your quarry… and yet, it is little relief to your straining sanity. You feel like a dog being led by a leash, your fate decided by a cruel master who has long kept you in the dark. You push these gloomy thoughts to the back of your mind and knock on Mr. Engram's door. A flock of magpies scatters from the rooftop at the sudden noise. Then, to your surprise, the door opens.

Across the threshold of the doorway stands a tall man with a thick, brown mustache. A familiar silver-handled cane leans against the wall next to his coat hanger. "So it's you," he says. "Come in. I have expected you for some time now." He turns away and walks toward his kitchen. You can hear a teapot whistling, as though he'd been preparing for your arrival.

You enter his home, unsure of what to do next. This gentle, unassuming man is not quite what you had expected. Nigel's home is a mess of notes, old books, and strange diagrams. Covering the coffee table in his living room is an old, faded map, bearing many fold creases and tattered edges. It looks to be an incomplete map of the catacombs beneath Paris, or at least a section of it. Mr. Engram returns moments later with hot tea and a plate of cheese and crackers. "I assume you are here to find the path to Carcosa?" he asks, wearing an excited grin. You shake your head in response, but he doesn't seem to notice. He paces back and forth around the room as he speaks rapidly. "He told me that you would be arriving soon. That I should… Prepare." Nigel turns toward you as he reaches the wooden door across from you, his eyes flashing. "Don't worry. All is ready. The way is paved." He opens the door to his study and steps inside, leaving you behind to interpret his cryptic comments. You wait a few minutes for him to return, but when he does not, you begin to worry. Then you notice that mold has already begun to grow over the cheese he'd brought you. "Mr. Engram?" you call out, and you hesitantly knock on the door to his study. There is no response. When you enter the room, you find him hanging from the ceiling fan, his body rotting from weeks of decomposition.

• Record in your Campaign Log that you found Nigel Engram. Each investigator suffers 1 mental trauma from the shock of their discovery. Each investigator earns 2 additional experience as they gain insight into the machinations of the Tattered King.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Jordan Perry (An Imposing Presence) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 3: As the sun rises once more over the skyline of Paris, you lose sight of the mysterious figure. Frustrated at your failure, you return to your hotel to sleep and recover from the horrors of the past few nights. Your fitful dreams return—dreams of Carcosa, of the King in Tatters, and of the shadowy figure whom you had pursued through the streets of Paris. When you awaken, you are no longer in your hotel room.

• Record in your Campaign Log that you were unable to find Nigel.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Jordan Perry (An Imposing Presence) is in the victory display, record his name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Scenario VI: The Pallid Mask

Check Campaign Log. If you did not escape the gaze of the phantom, or if you were unable to find Nigel: Read Intro 1.

If you found Nigel's abode, or if you found Nigel Engram, skip to Intro 2.

Intro 1

Intro 1: You are stirred awake by dirty, stale air and dust in your throat. You are lying on a slab of cold stone inside a lightless underground passageway. How did you get here? And where is "here" exactly? A shiver courses up your body, and your hair stands on end. Rising to your feet, you take stock of your surroundings. Bones decorate the walls and ceiling around you, open-mouthed skulls peering back at you everywhere you look.

• Record in your Campaign Log that you awoke inside the catacombs.

Check Campaign Log. If Ishimaru Haruko is listed under VIPs Interviewed: Proceed to Haruko's Information.

Otherwise, skip to Setup.

Intro 2

Intro 2: The contents of Nigel Engram's home answer none of your questions about The King in Yellow, but do hint at where you should head next. The old, tattered map you found on his coffee table depicts a section of the infamous Catacombs of Paris. One particular room on the map has been circled with pen, and next to it is written: "The key to opening the Path lies here!" You swallow your fear and head immediately for the entrance to the catacombs underneath Rue de la Tombe-Issoire.

• Record in your Campaign Log that you entered the catacombs on your own.

Check Campaign Log. If Ishimaru Haruko is listed under VIPs Interviewed: Proceed to Haruko's Information.

Otherwise, skip to Setup.

Haruko's Information

Haruko's Information: Just past the archway closest to you, you see a familiar symbol etched into the skull of a sheep: rows of concentric semicircles, lined with exotic runes. Two wavy lines descend from the design, leading into the skull's lower jawbone. You recognize it as the pattern Haruko had shown you. Wondering why it would appear here, you examine the skull in greater detail. As soon as you touch the underside of the skull's jawbone, its mouth suddenly opens. Bones collapse to the ground as the wall slides to reveal a new path.

Remember that "you opened a secret passageway."

Proceed to Setup.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: The Pallid Mask, Ghouls, Hauntings, and Chilling Cold. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
• Find the Tomb of Shadows and the Blocked Passage (each one is the revealed side of a Catacombs location). Set them aside, out of play.
• Check Campaign Log.
  • If you awoke inside the catacombs: Put a random Catacombs location (other than the set-aside Tomb of Shadows or Blocked Passage) into play, Catacombs side faceup. For the remainder of the scenario, that location is referred to as "the starting location." Place a resource token on this location to mark it as the starting location. Do not place investigators here yet.
  • If you entered the catacombs on your own: Find The Gate to Hell (it is the revealed side of a Catacombs location). Put The Gate to Hell into play, Catacombs side faceup. For the remainder of the scenario, The Gate to Hell is referred to as "the starting location." Place a resource token on The Gate to Hell to mark it as the starting location. Do not place investigators here yet.
• Set all of the other locations aside as a separate "Catacombs Deck." To do this, perform the following:
  • Shuffle the set-aside Tomb of Shadows, the set-aside Blocked Passage, and 3 other Catacombs locations together to form the bottom 5 cards of the Catacombs Deck, Catacombs side faceup.
  • Then, place all of the other Catacombs locations on top, in a random order. All of the cards in the Catacombs Deck should be showing only the Catacombs side, so that the players do not know which is which.
• Each investigator begins play at the starting location. (Remember to trigger the Forced effect on that location when it is revealed.) If "you opened a secret passageway," choose a Catacombs location adjacent to the starting location and reveal it.
• The bearer of The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness searches their deck for it and sets it aside, out of play.

Location Adjacency in the Catacombs

During this scenario, locations will be arranged in a set pattern, with new locations from the Catacombs Deck emerging to the left, right, above, or below existing locations, as they are revealed. A location that is put into play to the left, right, above, or below another location should be set next to that location in the manner described, with no other locations in between them.

A location that is next to another location in this manner is considered adjacent. Locations are only adjacent orthogonally (left, right, above, and below), and are not adjacent diagonally. During this scenario, adjacent locations are considered to be connected to one another.

You cannot put a location into play where an existing location already is. If you are given the choice to place a location from the Catacombs Deck in one of multiple spots, and one of those spots is occupied by an existing location, you cannot choose that spot. You must choose a spot unoccupied by a location, if able. If all of the specified spots are occupied by existing locations, the Forced effect fails and no new Catacombs locations are put into play.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• Randomly choose one of the following tokens: Cultist, Tablet, or Elder Thing. Add 2 of the chosen token to the chaos bag.
• The lead investigator adds The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness (The Path to Carcosa #59) to their deck.
• You found Nigel's abode / entered the catacombs on your own.
• Ishimaru Haruko is not listed under VIPs Interviewed or VIPs Slain.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator was defeated): You are shaken awake by a police officer and lifted to your feet. You feel as though the weight of a train has slammed into your head. The pain is unbearable. The man shines a flashlight in your eyes and asks you several questions in French. Dazed as you are, you find it difficult to answer. He points toward the staircase nearby and pushes you away from the catacombs. You stumble onto the Rue de la Tombe-Issoire and slowly make your way to a hotel where you can stay the night.

Several days of research later, the meaning of the strange diagrams you saw within the catacombs still escapes you. You feel as though you have been led on a wild goose chase. Just as you are about to give up, you see a faded yellow book on the table nearest to you. You are stunned to discover that it is the unabridged script of The King in Yellow. Drawn on the cover in black ink is the very same diagram whose meaning you have been struggling to interpret for several sleepless nights. Who had placed it here? How had it come to your hotel room? Regardless, you know what you must do. The play holds the secrets—it has all along—and yet like a fool you have avoided reading Act II out of superstition. Its words cannot harm you any more than the creatures and fanatics you have already encountered. Trembling, you open to the second part, and begin to read.

• In your Campaign Log, record that you know the site of the gate.
• Each investigator must choose whether or not to read Act II of The King in Yellow. At least one investigator must read Act II. In your Campaign Log, record the names of each investigator who chose to read Act II. Each investigator who read Act II searches the collection for a random basic Madness or Pact weakness, and adds it to their deck (does not count toward deck size). Each investigator who read Act II earns 2 additional experience as they gain insight into the machinations of the Tattered King.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Ishimaru Haruko (Just Skin and Bones) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 1: The burned skull holds the key to everything. You are sure of it. You have tried every method available to you in studying the diagram it bears, but the answer eludes you still. You have brought the skull to experts, occultists, and professors. You have even tried speaking with the skull on more than one occasion. Exasperated, you place the skull on your night table and try to get some sleep for the first time since escaping the catacombs. As you fall asleep, you cannot shake the sight of the diagram etched in the skull's forehead.

You awaken with a spark of inspiration and rush to the Musée du Louvre, a famous Parisian museum housing tens of thousands of paintings, drawings, and archaeological finds. You spend days exploring the museum—every display, every collection, every single object of art that might hold a clue to the diagram's meaning. Finally, you see it: a painting depicting a beautiful island town weathering a torrential storm. Waves crash against the stone of the outer wall, the tide threatening to swallow the island whole. Lightning flashes around the tower of the abbey above the village. A whirlwind of black clouds churns in the sky above. The diagram from the burned skull you hold in your hands is recreated perfectly in the stained glass of the abbey. The title of the piece is "The Path Is Open."

• In your Campaign Log, record that you know the site of the gate.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Ishimaru Haruko (Just Skin and Bones) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 2: You fall ceaselessly through the empty abyss. No air slows your descent or courses through your hair. It is a passageway devoid of reality. Finally, you pass through an invisible gateway and enter another realm. Looming above and below you are two skylines, one a warped reflection of the other. A vortex of swirling black clouds and crashing waves lies in between them. You study both sides—the familiar city and its strange mirror. Could this be the path to Carcosa? A passageway between realities, where realms converge? If so, all that is left is to find where this gate appears on Earth. You fall into the vortex below.

You are shaken awake by a police officer and lifted to your feet. You feel as though the weight of a train has slammed into your head. The pain is unbearable. The man shines a flashlight in your eyes and asks you several questions in French. Your eyes widen with realization and you wrest your arm free from the confused man's grip. "I have to go at once!"

• In your Campaign Log, record that you know the site of the gate. Add two tally marks under "Chasing the Stranger."
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Ishimaru Haruko (Just Skin and Bones) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Scenario VII: Black Stars Rise

The island commune of Mont Saint-Michel lies off the northwestern coast of France. It is beautiful, elegant, and enigmatic—a place out of a fairy tale. Only this tale is one of horrors and madness. During low tide, you would be able to reach the island on foot by crossing the tidal causeway that emerges from the sea. However, by the time you reach the coast, the tide is much higher than you'd anticipated. Dark clouds cover the sky, and a distant crash of thunder signals the start of the oncoming storm. You find a boat whose captain is willing to take you to the island, and prepare for the ritual to come.

Check Campaign Log. If Ashleigh Clarke is listed under VIPs Interviewed: Proceed to Ashleigh's Information.

Otherwise, skip to Setup.

Ashleigh's Information

Ashleigh's Information: You recall the night where this all began, and your thoughts drift to the mesmerizing song Ashleigh sang that night. Somehow you remember the lyrics perfectly after all this time, and its haunting melody is ingrained in your mind. "Above the city the storm clouds rage, and waves crash through the gilded cage… Below the earth the salt water seeps, the shadows fall as the red sun sleeps…" Studying the island that lies before you, illuminated by flashes of lighting and assaulted by tumultuous waves, you can't help but wonder if Ashleigh was singing about this very moment.

• During this scenario, as a [wing icon] triggered ability, an investigator may remove 1 doom from an agenda in play. (Group limit once per game.)

Proceed to Setup.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: Black Stars Rise, Evil Portents, Byakhee, Inhabitants of Carcosa, The Stranger, Dark Cult, and Ancient Evils. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
  • Be aware that some cards from the Black Stars Rise encounter set have multiple versions, some with The Flood Below encounter set icon on their reverse side, and some with The Vortex Above encounter set icon on their reverse side. These encounter sets are indicated by the following icons:
• Based on your difficulty level, add the following chaos token to the chaos bag for the remainder of the campaign:
  • Easy: –3.
  • Standard: –5.
  • Hard: –6.
  • Expert: –7.
• Sort each copy of the following cards into two separate piles, based on the encounter set icon on their reverse side: Agenda 2a—Let The Storm Rage, Agenda 2c—The Entity Above, Chapel of St. Aubert, and Abbey Tower.
  • You should have two piles of exactly four cards. Each pile should have one copy of each of the above listed cards. The cards in the first pile should have The Flood Below encounter set icon on their reverse side, and the cards in the second pile should have The Vortex Above encounter set icon on their reverse side.
    • Flip each pile over so that only the Black Stars Rise encounter set icon is showing. Randomize the two piles so you cannot tell which is which.
    • Choose one pile at random to remove from the game and one pile at random to use throughout this scenario's setup. Do not look at the reverse sides of any of the cards in either pile.
• This scenario does not have an act deck. Instead, it has two agenda decks. One agenda deck is built using agendas 1a, 2a, and 3a. The other agenda deck is built using agendas 1c, 2c, and 3c (remember to use the versions of agendas 2a and 2c that were randomly chosen earlier).

Suggested Location Placement for Black Stars Rise

The printed guide shows a placement diagram of six locations for this scenario: North Tower, Abbey Church, Broken Steps, Outer Wall, Grand Rue, and Porte de l'Avancée. The diagram is a placement guide; the location cards are the printed cards from the encounter sets.

Dual Agendas

During this scenario, there are two agenda decks. One represents a means for you and your allies to open the path to Carcosa, and leads to one of the two set-aside act cards. The other represents a means for Hastur to escape into our world, and spells demise for Earth.

When playing this scenario, while there are two agenda decks in play, players must observe the following additional rules:

• Whenever 1 or more doom is placed on "the current agenda," the players may decide which of the two agendas to place this doom on.
• Doom on cards other than the two agendas (such as enemies, locations, or assets) count towards the doom threshold of both agendas.
• When one agenda advances, doom on the other agenda is not removed. All other doom in play is removed.
• If the doom thresholds of both agendas are satisfied during the "Check doom threshold" step of the Mythos phase, choose only one agenda to advance. Then, once you have completed advancing that agenda, check the doom threshold of the other agenda and advance it if its doom threshold is still satisfied.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, –5, skull, skull, skull, [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• Randomly choose one of the following tokens: Cultist, Tablet, or Elder Thing. Add 2 of the chosen token to the chaos bag.
• The lead investigator adds The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness (The Path to Carcosa #59) to their deck.
• Do not take any additional weaknesses as instructed in this Setup.
• Ashleigh Clarke is not listed under VIPs Interviewed or VIPs Slain.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator was defeated): Go to Resolution 3.

Resolution 1: You hold your breath as you swim through freezing water toward the spires below. As you get closer, you see ripples throughout the water, as though you are peering into a reflection upon the sea's surface. You break through the surface and gasp as air fills your lungs.

• In your Campaign Log, record that you opened the path below.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens and 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Ashleigh Clarke (Songs Die Unheard) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 2: You marvel at the cloud-waves encircling you and fly toward the spires above. The desolate and inscrutable city of Carcosa towers before you. You suddenly realize you are falling—not floating—and a pulling force takes hold of your body.

• In your Campaign Log, record that you opened the path above.
• Remove all [Cultist], [Tablet], and [Elder Thing] tokens from the chaos bag. Then, add 2 [Cultist] tokens and 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• If Ashleigh Clarke (Songs Die Unheard) is in the victory display, record her name in your Campaign Log, under "VIPs Slain."
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display.

Resolution 3: When you awaken, you are sitting in the choeur gothique of Mont Saint-Michel's abbey. No rain pelts the glass of the windows above, and you hear no thunder, nor the screeching of winged horrors overhead. Somehow, you had escaped the island's certain doom. You creep to the door of the abbey and open it with trepidation. A dazzling light sears your eyes, and you lift your hand to block the glare of two suns. You stand overlooking the Lake of Hali. Black stars hang in the heavens above. Beyond, over leagues of tossing cloud-waves, the towers of Carcosa rise behind the shattered moon.

• You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?
• In your Campaign Log, record that the realm of Carcosa merged with our own, and Hastur rules over them both.
• Each investigator is driven insane.
• The investigators lose the campaign.

Scenario VIII: Dim Carcosa

Check Campaign Log. If you opened the path below: Read Intro 1.

If you opened the path above, skip to Intro 2.

Intro 1

Intro 1: You swim to the edge of the water and throw yourself upon the rocky shore, gasping for air. You lie there for some time, utterly exhausted. Every muscle in your body aches. Before you lies a desolate expanse of plain. In the distance, the alien spires of a warped city rise into the clouds. Behind you, the dark surface of the lake from which you'd emerged reflects the glare of two suns. When you peer back into the murky depths, you see no sign of the chapel where you'd made the leap, or of Mont Saint-Michel, or even of Earth. This is Carcosa—the realm of madness in the stars, where Hastur reigns supreme.

Skip to Setup.

Intro 2

Intro 2: You land on a piece of black obsidian stone winding up a dark spire. You cough blood and feel a searing pain in your gut, as though you'd broken a rib. Before you lies a warped, alien city. Its twisting streets and aberrant architecture have no semblance of order or structure. In the distance, a murky lake reflects the glare of two suns. When you look up, the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel peeks just below the clouds, flipped upside-down. This is Carcosa—the realm of madness in the stars, where Hastur reigns supreme.

Proceed to Setup.

Setup

• Gather all cards from the following encounter sets: Dim Carcosa, Delusions, Cult of the Yellow Sign, Inhabitants of Carcosa, Agents of Hastur, and Striking Fear. These sets are indicated by the following icons (see Encounter Set Icons at the end of this guide).
• Check Campaign Log. Depending on the following circumstances, a different version of Act 2 should be used in this scenario. Each other version of Act 2 is removed from the game.
  • If you have 5 or less total Doubt and Conviction, use Act 2—"Search For the Stranger" (v. I).
  • If you have 6 or more total Doubt and Conviction, and you have more Doubt than Conviction, use Act 2—"Search For the Stranger" (v. II).
  • If you have 6 or more total Doubt and Conviction, and you have more Conviction than Doubt, use Act 2—"Search For the Stranger" (v. III).
  • If you have 6 or more total Doubt and Conviction, and you have exactly equal Doubt and Conviction, you may choose to use either Act 2—"Search For the Stranger" (v. II) or Act 2—"Search For the Stranger" (v. III).
• Randomly put 1 copy of Bleak Plains, 1 copy of Dim Streets, 1 copy of Ruins of Carcosa, and 1 copy of Depths of Demhe into play. (See suggested location placement.) Set each other copy of Bleak Plains, Dim Streets, Ruins of Carcosa and Depths of Demhe aside, out of play.

Locations in Dim Carcosa

Each of the locations in this scenario has no unrevealed side, and therefore enter play with their revealed side faceup. Instead of an unrevealed side, these locations have story cards on their reverse sides. Whenever a location in Dim Carcosa enters play (including during setup), place clues on that location equal to its clue value, as normal.

Sanity in the Realm of Carcosa

In the twisted and madness-inducing realm of Carcosa, insanity is an inevitability. But even with your mind fractured and broken, your investigation does not end here. During this scenario, investigators are not defeated when they have horror on them equal to or greater than their sanity. Investigators may continue to take horror even in excess of their sanity. While an investigator has more horror on them than sanity, their "remaining sanity" is considered to be 0.

Suggested Location Placement

The printed guide shows a placement diagram of seven locations for this scenario: Dark Spires, Depths of Demhe, Dim Streets, Palace of the King, Ruins of Carcosa, Bleak Plains, and Shores of Hali. The diagram is a placement guide; the location cards are the printed cards from the encounter sets.

Standalone Mode

If you are playing in Standalone Mode and do not wish to refer to any other setup or resolutions, you may use the information below when setting up and playing this scenario:

• Assemble the chaos bag using the following tokens: +1, 0, 0, –1, –1, –1, –2, –2, –3, –3, –4, –5, skull, skull, skull, [Cultist], [swirl-2 token], [eye-star token].
• During setup, choose one: Doubt, Conviction, or neither.
  • If Doubt is chosen, for the remainder of this scenario, you are considered to have 8 Doubt and 0 Conviction.
  • If Conviction is chosen, for the remainder of this scenario, you are considered to have 8 Conviction and 0 Doubt.
  • If neither is chosen, for the remainder of this scenario, you are considered to have 0 Conviction and 0 Doubt.
• Randomly choose one of the following options:
  • You opened the path below. Add 2 [Tablet] tokens to the chaos bag.
  • You opened the path above. Add 2 [Elder Thing] tokens to the chaos bag.
• The lead investigator adds The Man in the Pallid Mask weakness (The Path to Carcosa #59) to their deck.
• There are no tally marks under "Chasing the Stranger."
• Do not read the campaign epilogue, even if you win the scenario.

Do Not Read Until the End of the Scenario

If no resolution was reached (each investigator was defeated): Check Campaign Log.

• If you have more (or equal) Conviction than Doubt, go to Resolution 4.
• If you have more Doubt than Conviction, go to Resolution 5.

Resolution 1: You stand atop the balcony of the abbey tower in Mont Saint-Michel, wet wind coursing through your hair. The Pallid Mask lies in your hands, devoid of warmth. You can scarcely bring yourself to look at it. You remember everything now—how it all began, how it ended, and everything in between. There is only one thing left to do. You hurl the mask into the air with all of your strength and watch as it flies into the tempest-tossed waves below.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the investigators prevented Hastur from escaping his prison.
• In your Campaign Log, record the names of each investigator who ended the game with at least 1 copy of the Possession treachery in their hand.
• Each investigator suffers 2 physical trauma and 2 mental trauma, as they never fully recover from their time spent in Carcosa, the realm of madness.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display. Each investigator earns 5 bonus experience, as they have triumphed over their own self—the most dangerous of foes.
• The investigators win the campaign!

Resolution 2: A roar of applause startles you awake. The crowd of the theatre rises to their feet, cheering endlessly. Several patrons in the front row are throwing roses to the actors on stage, who are bowing with wide smiles across their faces. A searing headache crawls through your temples. How did you get back here? Were you in the theatre all along? What about the dinner party? The asylum? The catacombs?… Carcosa? Was it all just a terrible dream?

You exit the auditorium before the crowd rushes to do the same. Dizziness and exhaustion harries your senses. The weight of your lengthy investigation is crushing your mind. By the time you finally reach the lobby, you are clawing your way across the ground. Just then, a man in an elegant suit reaches down and grabs you by your arm, pulling you to your feet. You are about to thank him when you realize who he is. The sight of him causes you to stagger backward in horror momentarily. The actor who plays the role of the Stranger is still wearing his pale, featureless mask. He gives you a wordless bow, then turns and leaves through the Ward Theatre's front entrance.

• In your Campaign Log, record that the investigators prevented Hastur from escaping his prison.
• In your Campaign Log, record the names of each investigator who ended the game with at least 1 copy of the Possession treachery in their hand.
• Each investigator suffers 2 mental trauma, as they never fully recover from their time spent in Carcosa, the realm of madness.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display. Each investigator earns 5 bonus experience, as they have learned the truth behind The King in Yellow.
• The investigators win the campaign!

Resolution 3: When you awaken, you are sitting in the choeur gothique of Mont Saint-Michel's abbey. No rain pelts the glass of the windows above, and you hear no thunder, nor the screeching of winged horrors overhead. Somehow, you have escaped. You creep to the door of the abbey and open it with trepidation. A dazzling light sears your eyes, and you lift your hand to block the glare of the sun. You stand overlooking beautiful Mont Saint-Michel. Seagulls fly over the abbey under a backdrop of cloudless sky. The waters around the abbey are calm and azure-blue.

"I've been looking all over for you!" You hear a voice exclaim behind you. You turn with a startle. For a moment you expect to see the Stranger and his Pallid Mask, but instead, the boat captain you'd hired to take you to Mont Saint-Michel stands at the edge of the steps, smiling at you. "Are you ready to head back?"

• In your Campaign Log, record that the investigators prevented Hastur from escaping his prison.
• In your Campaign Log, record the names of each investigator who ended the game with at least 1 copy of the Possession treachery in their hand.
• Each investigator suffers 2 physical trauma, as they never fully recover from their time spent in Carcosa, the realm of madness.
• Each investigator earns experience equal to the Victory X value of each card in the victory display. Each investigator earns 5 bonus experience, as they have learned the truth behind The King in Yellow.
• The investigators win the campaign!

Resolution 4: When you awaken, you are sitting in the choeur gothique of Mont Saint-Michel's abbey. No rain pelts the glass of the windows above, and you hear no thunder, nor the screeching of winged horrors overhead. Somehow, you have escaped the island's certain doom. You creep to the door of the abbey and open it with trepidation. A dazzling light sears your eyes, and you lift your hand to block the glare of two suns. You stand overlooking the Lake of Hali. Black stars hang in the heavens above. Beyond, over leagues of tossing cloud-waves, the towers of Carcosa rise behind the shattered moon.

• You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?
• In your Campaign Log, record that the realm of Carcosa merged with our own, and Hastur rules over them both.
• Each investigator is driven insane.
• The investigators lose the campaign.

Resolution 5: The outside world will never know how you tried to save them. They treat you with pity, with scorn and contempt, but you know the truth. They are resigned to their hideous fate, but still you try day after day to bring them your message. You must warn them of The King in Yellow, of Hastur and of Carcosa. "Another lost soul," they say, but they cannot possibly fathom what you have gone through in your attempt to save them. You warn them that he is coming to claim them, but they never believe you. You write of Aldebaran and of the black stars on the wall of your cell, but the words become faded as the years go by. Your warning is never heeded.

• You didn't really think you could escape, did you?
• In your Campaign Log, record that Hastur has you in his grasp.
• Each investigator is driven insane.
• The investigators lose the campaign.

Epilogue

Read the following only if the investigators won the campaign.

Check Campaign Log. If at least one investigator was possessed, only those investigators read this epilogue. Do not read it out loud unless all investigators were possessed.

It has taken months of preparation, but you are finally ready to unveil your latest work to the world. Gathering financial investments was your first task, of course. That hadn't taken too long given the connections you'd made during your stay in Paris. You have been assured that the cast assembled is the finest that money could afford, but still you strive to make everything perfect. It must be perfect. The story must be told, so that the world knows. You've heard the troupe whisper behind your back: the remarks about your bizarre passion, the concern about your piercing yellow eyes. It matters not to you. All you care about is the performance. The pronunciation of the words. The melody of Cassilda's song. The design of the Stranger's mask.

This would be the greatest performance of The King in Yellow ever.

Encounter Set Icons

The encounter sets referenced by icon throughout this campaign guide are:

• A Phantom of Truth
• Agents of Hastur
• Black Stars Rise
• Byakhee
• Cult of the Yellow Sign
• Curtain Call
• Decay & Filth
• Delusions
• Dim Carcosa
• Echoes of the Past
• Evil Portents
• Hastur's Gift
• Hauntings
• Inhabitants of Carcosa
• The Flood Below
• The Last King
• The Pallid Mask
• The Stranger
• The Unspeakable Oath
• The Vortex Above
• The Midnight Masks

From the Core Set:

• Ancient Evils
• Dark Cult
• Ghouls
• Locked Doors
• Rats
• Striking Fear

Transcription note: the printed key pairs each set name with its icon. The icons are pictures, so this list gives the names in the key's order. The key does not list Chilling Cold, which Scenario VI uses; its icon is shown on the printed Scenario VI page.

Quick Reference

• Location Adjacency in the Catacombs (see Scenario VI)
• Dual Agendas (see Scenario VII)
• Sanity in the Realm of Carcosa (see Scenario VIII)