Jenny rounded the corner and entered the Egyptian exhibit. First, she caught sight of the mummies on display and the ankh symbols in their glass cases. Then she saw the nimbus of light glinting off the golden pharaoh's mask. It was as if a dagger had cut through her mind. Something about that golden mask struck her. Suddenly, she was back in front of the dreadful yellow sign and that gibbous, jaundiced creature. She felt her stomach sink. She couldn't see a clear danger, but she knew—somehow, to the core of her being—she was surrounded by the most terrifying of evils. Her mind reeled. Her heart raced. She couldn't breathe…

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce that Grave Consequences, a new expansion for Elder Sign, is now available. Pick up your copy at your local retailer or through our webstore!

Designed by Richard Launius, the creator of Arkham Horror, Grave Consequences introduces fifty new cards that increase the challenge and drama of your Elder Sign adventures. More than that, though, they immerse you more deeply into the world and allow you to connect more fully with the role of the investigator you're playing.

Phobias, Epitaphs, and Epic Battles

The cards from Grave Consequences are divided into three modular decks: Phobia, Epic Battle, and Epitaph. These decks and their cards can be used together or separately, and they're all fully compatible with the core game, as well as all of its expansions.

Phobia cards give new meaning to the sanity-draining challenges of Elder Sign, eating away at your mental health every time their triggers are met. To the external challenges presented by monsters, cultists, and otherworldly terrors, Phobias add a compelling, new internal dimension.

Epitaph cards ensure that your fallen investigator's contributions will be remembered—whether for good or for ill. Marked by the tombstone on their backs, these cards introduce random effects whenever an investigator is devoured. Your Epitaph may heal the investigators' sanity and stamina, or it may lead monsters onto their trail.

Epic Battle cards greatly amplify the difficulty and danger of your battles with any of the game's Ancient Ones. Each round, they exert the Ancient One's chaotic influence over the battle, warping your reality and altering the rules, changing the order in which you attack, and adding new measures of surprise and horror.

Whether you incorporate one, two, or all three of these modular decks into your games, you'll find the psychological and supernatural aspects of Arkham and Elder Sign brought to life more fully than ever before. You'll feel more of your investigator's angst and anxiety. You'll travel through a world forever changed by the lives of those who perish. And you'll experience the true, awesome power of the elder gods.

An Interview with Richard Launius

To gain a better understanding of how Grave Consequences changes the nature of your Elder Sign experience, we spoke with the expansion's designer, Richard Launius.

FFG: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Let's start by addressing the ways you hoped Grave Consequences would fit in with your favorite aspects of Elder Sign.

Richard Launius: What I like best about Elder Sign is that it recreates the Arkham adventures in a quicker way. For me, Grave Consequences fits right in because it expands the story and mystery elements of the game.

FFG: In your mind, what makes an Arkham adventure?

Richard Launius: I am talking about the whole experience—the adventures, the characters, the exploration, the mystery, and the ultimate conflict between brave adventurers and the horrors that await. I like how Grave Consequences makes it possible for your characters to take on phobias that play out in the game and your character, and I like the way the game will craft a story around that. I also like how the death of a character will now feel more substantial with the way the Epitaph cards play, and I like how the final battles will shift and flow and become more of a story.

FFG: Of course, they're all your babies, but do you have a favorite among the expansion's new mechanics?

Richard Launius: I love the Phobias best. They become something that is purely Lovecraftian and fun to play as well. In reality, though, I love all parts of this expansion because it seamlessly adds story throughout the game and can be used just as easily in the Museum, the Gates of Arkham, and the Omens of Ice. Wherever your adventures take place, these new decks add more story and depth to your play experience.

FFG: It's clear that you really appreciate the story elements of the game. Do you see Grave Consequences almost as a roleplaying-focused expansion to the game?

Richard Launius: To some extent, yes. You gain a greater ownership of your character, and the character develops more as the game goes on… or, at least, as they fall deeper into the insanity of the mythos.

FFG: We have to ask—with all the investigators that have been added to the game through its different expansions, do you have a favorite that you like to play? Or a favorite team of investigators?

Richard Launius: I am really old school. Joe Diamond is the first investigator I created for Arkham Horror, and Jenny Barnes is the second; they forever remain my favorite characters to play.

FFG: Anything else you'd like to share with fans at this time?

Richard Launius: One other thing I really like about this expansion is the Epitaph cards. It is a silly thing really, but I like looking over at the part of the table where the Epitaphs and their tombstone designs sit with the character tokens residing on them. I like how they visualize the sacrifices the different investigators made to keep this world safe from the ever-impending doom of the mythos. It's just another fun aspect this expansion brings to imaginations like mine.

FFG: One last question, then, in summary. Would you say it's fair to look at Grave Consequences in some ways as a counterpart to the larger story driven expansions, like Omens of Ice, where it's not about the shape of the overall journey, but it's more about your personal journey—your investigators' personal experiences in the terrifying Lovecraftian world of Arkham?

Richard Launius: Absolutely. This expansion makes it more personal to the investigators and amplifies the excitement and mystery of the game. Insanity takes on a behavior, death results in consequences, and the final battle becomes epic—the stuff of blockbuster movies.

All the Madness of Your Own Personal Blockbuster

Pyschological thriller? Epic monster flick? Or both? Take your games of Elder Sign to new, deeper dimensions of peril, Paranoia, and immersive gameplay experiences with the Grave Consequences expansion by Richard Launius.

Fully compatible with the Core Set and each expansion, Grave Consequences adds new twists, new trials, and new terrors to the classic Elder Sign experience. Pick up your copy today and lose yourself to the madness!