Someday the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.

–H. P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the upcoming release of Strange Remnants, an expansion for the Lovecraftian board game Eldritch Horror.

Throughout the world lie the ancient ruins of massive stone monuments built by lost civilizations, ruins which conceal the dark secrets necessary to save the planet from a terrible fate. In Strange Remnants, you and your fellow investigators must travel to these uncanny landmarks and piece together their uncanny mysteries before time runs out and the entire Earth is devoured. The Ancient One at the heart of Strange Remnants is no monster from another dimension or creature from the deep. In this expansion, your enemy is the Syzygy, a deadly alignment of the planets. In other words, you must fight the universe itself. You'll learn more about this Ancient One in a future preview.

Ancient Ruins and Imminent Doom

Long ago, numerous prophets and priests foresaw that someday the Sun, Earth, and Moon would align with the center of the universe, and a terrible portal would open leading to the court of an all-consuming dark god. To prevent the future end of mankind, these prophets and priests commanded towering temples and statues to be built, gargantuan feats of early engineering that would safegaurd the keys to humanity’s salvation. This cosmic alignment is now fast approaching. Only by visiting these ruined monuments and confronting the horrors that dwell within their moss-covered stones can you save the Earth from imminent doom.

Strange Remnants enables you to explore the prehistoric Mayan temples of Chichen Itza, the winding Great Wall of China, fog-shrouded Stonehenge, and the stern Moai Statues of Easter Island. The new Mystic Ruins Encounter deck brings each of these four locations to life through encounters that might alter time and space for your benefit or curse you with debilitating Conditions. Beyond these four sites of arcane importance, your determined struggle against a new Ancient One will lead you to sites of arcane power throughout the world. New Location and research encounters connect you with ancient ruins and artifacts in places from Egypt and Argentina to San Francisco and Arkham.

One way to stave off doom is to strengthen the world’s unseen shield through Fortifying the Barrier Special Encounters. Of course, these encounters entail countless risks. You may, for example, accidentally enrage the capricious spirits that inhabit the ancient ruins where you need to perform a ritual. If you cannot preclude that dark portal in the universe’s center from opening, there is a chance you may still be able to seal the portal and rescue the human race. Sealing the Portal Special Encounters take you through the portal of doom, to an unknown and evil realm where you could be asked to defend humandkind in a cruel trial . Whatever your journey, whatever rituals you undertake, whatever clues you find, the fate of humanity lies in your hands.

Agents of Secrets

Four new investigators dedicate themselves to solving the cosmos’ mysteries in Strange Remnants. Among them is Tony Morgan, a highly observant bounty hunter. Traumatized by a near-fatal experience with the slimy half-human inhabitants of Innsmouth, Tony is now determined to take down Arkham mobsters and otherworldly monsters alike, regardless of the bounty. Tony’s keen eyes will help your team find fading inscriptions and ancient artifacts amid the ruins, and he can gain Focus from defeating monsters in combat, yet another helpful tool in the search for clues.

Your investigators’ efforts may be aided by several new Allies. With the support of the powerful telepath Asenath Waite , you can discard two spells to dispel newly-spawned Gates and the monsters that emerge from them. Or, you can use your influence to persuade an enigmatic Agent of Secrets to help you with lore and observation tests. A studious, softspoken Museum Curator can not only give you a valuable and unique Relic, but also help you succeed in your expeditions and excavations. Since the very movement of the planets is your enemy, you’ll need all the allies you can get.

The Coming Storm

As the planets align, the very fabric of the universe unravels. New monsters emerge to hunt for human prey, and bizarre, unprecedented events occur in the world’s great cities, unfathomable oceans, and dark wildnernesses. Will you be able to withstand the oncoming storm, or will you perish along with the rest of the Earth?

Strange Remnants will open up for your exploration in the third quarter of 2015. Watch the Eldritch Horror minisite for more details.