Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
The clock is ticking. Your team of Investigators have been sent to R’lyeh for the purpose of reinforcing the failing gate, trapping Cthulhu in his prison forever.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
The clock is ticking. Your team of Investigators have been sent to R’lyeh for the purpose of reinforcing the failing gate, trapping Cthulhu in his prison forever. The Investigators have two enemies. The clock and the cultists hidden among their numbers. Triggering the four needed incantations will take all of the skill your team can muster and you don’t have the luxury of time to search for the traitors in your midst. The odds are slim, but the fate of the world rests in your hands. The game is played in rounds starting with the player holding the pocket watch and proceeding clockwise so that each player takes a turn. The clock advances one hour after each round. WHY IS THIS GAME DIFFERENT? - Each player will have a choice of Five actions during their turn. - The Cultists are not the main enemy, the clock is. - The Cultists don't know each other. - Revealing a Cultist does not eliminate them from the game. - Players lose sanity in different ways. INVESTIGATOR/CULTIST ACTIONS CONTRIBUTE: Play a card into the incantation pool. RESEARCH: Discard (0-3 cards) and refill your hand to 3 cards . GAMBLE: Draw 2 cards. You must play one into the incantation pool immediately. Discard the unplayed card. INVESTIGATE Shuffle and look at all but 1 of the cards in the Incantation Pool. You may swap 1 card with 1 card from your hand. MAKE AN ACCUSATION A player may make an accusation during their turn in order to accuse another player of being a cultist. A majority of the players must vote in agreement with the accusation for the accused to reveal their Secret Nature card. If the accused is an Investigator subtract two hours off the clock. THE NECRONOMICON If time is running short and the investigators are desperate, they may vote to consult the Necronomicon. There will be advantages but failure is an instantaneous and brutal end to the game. EQUIPMENT Character will each get a piece of equipment to aid them in their quest. Usage of equipment may aid the Investigators or the Cultists... it just depends whose side you are on. There is no player elimination and the cultists are unaware of the other cultist's identity. If a cultist is discovered their powers are reduced and changed. Be wary, they can still wreak havoc.