Strange is the night where black stars rise,

And strange moons circle through the skies

But stranger still is

Lost Carcosa.

–Cassilda’s Song in The King in Yellow, Act I, Scene 2

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Signs of Carcosa, a new expansion for Eldritch Horror!

You live in an oblivious world, a world uncaring of anything outside the rims of its myopic gaze. After all, why should people look beyond? It seems that every day, scientists pioneer new advancements and develop new technologies, bringing the solid touch of reason to even the most unexplainable phenomena. Yet despite this daily triumph of the rational mind, madness creeps through the cracks at the edges of the world.

Beneath the light of a gibbous moon, poets and artists pen strange verse and weave arcane sigils into their paintings. The Unspeakable One is entering the world, his horrid city is tearing its way through dimensions, and as it does so, more and more humans succumb to a mindless insanity. The very people you have sworn to protect may come padding after you on a cursed night, knife in hand and the light of evil stars gleaming in their eyes. Whether you’re walking along the streets of Tokyo or through trackless jungles in the heart of Africa, you may be forced to choose between the people close to you and the people of the world.

Signs of Carcosa is a new expansion for Eldritch Horror, and within, you’ll find enough madness to influence all of your games. Hastur enters the game as a new Ancient One, spreading insanity and dissension. Against this foul abomination from Aldebaran, four new investigators join the fight to save the world. A host of new Encounter cards for every continent ensure that fresh adventures are always around the corner, even as a wealth of new conditions, spells, assets, artifacts, and Mythos cards draw you deeper into a world of madness and fear.

Do Not Speak His Name

Your life used to be the same as the lives of the people you pass on the street, before you first saw the sign. Now, you see it everywhere: in a seemingly-happenstance arrangement of sticks, in the lines of an old man’s face, in the flow of raindrops on the window of your automobile. At night, you see it in your dreams—the same sign, dripping yellow. Tomorrow, you will attend the theater, and at the last showing of The King in Yellow, you will find the truth, and end this torment.

The Unspeakable One begins to push its way into our world in the Signs of Carcosa expansion. Yet Hastur’s approach doesn’t exhibit the brute force of an Ancient One like Azathoth or Cthulhu—Hastur is far more insidious and prefers to approach through whelming tides of madness. Hastur enters your games of Eldritch Horror as an entirely new Ancient One that you can battle as you attempt to solve terrible mysteries such as Finding the Way, which requires you not only to delve into Hastur’s twisted designs, but to claim the Key to Carcosa and journey into the domain of the King in Yellow.

Your struggles against Hastur will soon force you to make choices you had hoped to avoid forever. Monsters may incubate within your body, slowly devouring you from within, and only a pact made with dark powers can save you—unless it’s all a figment of your tortured imagination. You may seem to hear the soul-chilling shriek of a byakhee that echoes through the fog to your ship. You may even strike a deal with the darkness in exchange for the promise of future power.

There Is a Madness in His Methods

Though the grip of madness is tightening, the world is not without defense. Against both elder gods and horrifying monsters, a few brave humans are willing to make a stand and, in all likelihood, cast away their lives for the good of all.

Four new investigators join the struggle against Hastur in Signs of Carcosa: Dexter Drake, Jenny Barnes, Michael McGlen, and Wendy Adams. Each of these investigators has unique talents and abilities that we’ll explore in future previews, but few are more adept with the arcane arts than Dexter Drake.

This soldier-turned-magician has a natural flair for showmanship, and in the wake of the Great War, he turned to the stage to make his living. Of course, it proved impossible to learn illusions and deception without picking up a great deal of real occult knowledge. Now, Dexter Drake still travels the world, using his shows as a front for his work battling the minions of Hastur.

When you play as Dexter Drake, you can use his magical abilities to banish a monster to another Gate, even on the other side of the globe. You’re also able to easily pick up the difficult gestures and words that accompany your magic, which allows you to gain spells much faster than other investigators. Dexter Drake even starts the game with a copy of the new Binding spell, which can dramatically reduce the damage that a monster deals to you or another investigator. Like all spells, however, casting Binding may demand a terrible price for the power it grants you.

The Mystery of the Hyades

In the lost city of Carcosa, Hastur lies in his dark prison, awaiting the day when he can break free and consume the corrupt cities of Earth with his power. A few brave men and women have seen the threat beyond the veil, but are even they truly sane? To battle the might of Hastur, you too must take your first steps along the seductive path to madness.

Look for the Yellow Sign and the Signs of Carcosa expansion to appear in the third quarter of 2016!