Evil haunts strange, far-flung places in Horrific Journeys, the newest expansion for Mansions of Madness! Reality has begun to deteriorate in the New England countryside, danger rains from the skies, and even the seas are not safe as evil emerges from the depths. In the countryside, a speeding train desperately flees from a threat that defies all laws of reality. In the clouds, a dirigible’s voyage is interrupted by a vicious murder as a storm rolls in. And on the waves, a luxury ocean liner has been sabotaged by some madman planting explosives to sink the vessel.
Fresh Faces
In this latest expansion for Mansions of Madness, the investigators of Arkham find themselves far from the comforts of home, and the danger increases with each step they take away from their beloved city. To stand against the coming darkness, Horrific Journeys calls upon four new investigators from a wide variety of backgrounds, including a sailor, a spy, a musician, and a waitress. These brave men and women are each more than meets the eye, and the unique backstory on the back of their investigator cards tells you what has led them to this point—how they went from living the life of an average citizen to being thrust into the world of Elder Gods and monsters beyond comprehension.
To help them fight against and survive the mythos, each investigator has a special ability gained from their personal travels and years of living in a sleepy town on the edge of madness. The sailor Silas Marsh may not have much experience with the supernatural, but he is willing to push himself further than anyone to aid his allies, flipping his horror cards faceup to reroll his dice during a test. Meanwhile, Trish Scarborough, the skilled spy, finds it easy to succeed while performing a search action. Jim Culver is one of the world’s most talented musicians and he begins each game with his treasured Golden Trumpet. Finally, Agnes Baker is a waitress with dark powers that she is only beginning to understand, starting each investigation with her own signature spell.
When you choose to step into the shoes of these investigators and bring them to life, you're accepting the responsibility of defying maddening monsters with the knowledge that you will never receive thanks or even an acknowledgement that your fight exists. Arkham holds its secrets close. Most of its citizens insist that their sleepy town is the very definition of normal, but those who dare to look closer know that all is not right in Massachusetts. Now, as the evil that rots Arkham from within spreads beyond the city limits, you have little choice but to chase down the darkness and bring it to heel.
Tales from the Road
Horrific Journeys unlocks three new digital scenarios, packed with previously unseen secrets, conspiracies, and mythos events to challenge and intrigue your team of investigators. In 10:50 to Arkham, you and your colleague, Harriet, are passengers on a train winding through the New England countryside. She has been working on a theory regarding a complex conspiracy; one connected not only to you, but to several of the other passengers. So, when Harriet disappears from the car, you know your enemies must be close. But now there is nowhere for them to run... right?
Then, in Murder on the Stargazer Majestic, you have the golden opportunity to travel aboard a dirigible airship on a transatlantic voyage. But what begins as a peaceful journey is suddenly interrupted when you hear cries from below. Rushing to the gondola, you discover that a passenger has been killed. At the same moment, lightning cracks across the sky and rain begins to pelt the craft. Whatever has taken place here, it is no ordinary crime. There is a dark force at work.
Finally, Hidden Depths takes you to the deck of the RMS Morgana, where you have been hired to investigate strange rumors surrounding the vessel. The ship has been plagued by a series of tragic accidents, and reports of unnatural sea creatures grow evermore frequent. After four days at sea, you are about to step below deck as you have many times before, when you are thrown back by a freak explosion. What on Earth happened? Was this planned? As the crew erupts into chaos around you, how do you know who to trust?
With this last scenario, Horrific Journeys introduces a brand-new mechanic in the form of agendas, which represent the hidden allegiances of each player. When playing Hidden Depths with three or more investigators, you each receive an agenda card that you must keep secret from the rest of the team. Taking a twist on the Insane condition already present in Mansions of Madness, these cards foster the seeds of mistrust, potentially turning your teammates against one another and forcing you to become suspicious of the very people you would once trust with your life.
You may find that you are unchanged; simply another human, attempting to escape in the lifeboats with as many of your fellow survivors as possible. But you must be wary, for some of those among you are not all they seem: the other agenda you may receive casts you into the role of a Deep One Hybrid. With this shifted loyalty, you do not win the game as normal. Instead, your goal is to sabotage the investigation and keep the secrets of your people from being revealed to the rest of the world. You must get to the lifeboats with the humans and prevent them from reaching the shore, but if there are too many of them, you will be outnumbered and outmatched. Wherever your loyalties lie, you must be careful not to let your paranoia get the best of you as you seek out friends from foes. If you made a rash decision that cost an innocent ally their life, would you ever be able to forgive yourself?
All Aboard
Wherever evil emerges, the investigators of Arkham will be there to fight back the darkness and protect our world from the terrors that thrive beyond our reality. Should you join them, there is no guarantee that you will survive the journeys that await, and even if you can survive, you will not be unchanged. But the call to take a stand is not one that you can deny. Pack your bags, climb aboard, and steel your nerve for the horrors ahead!
