Eldritch Horror Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Prelude

Back of a Prelude card

Preludes are a type of card first introduced in Mountains of Madness Mountains of Madness that slightly modify the play style of any game. Players are instructed to draw one random Prelude before setup when playing with any expansion beside Forsaken Lore. An optional rule is included in the rulebook that allow players as a group to either choose a specific Prelude or use one instead of drawing a random Prelude.

Prelude effects always modify the game before setup. Some of them allow for the use of the side boards that would normally not be in play for the Ancient One, or using the Mystic Ruins Encounter when Syzygy Syzygy is not the Ancient One. Others simply modify game effects. In general, it makes the beginning of the game a bit more difficult by creating extra hurdles at the start, but allows the player to gain other effects to make up for this.

Typically, only one Prelude is in effect at a time, but players who wish to use more than one side board or encounter deck may choose to run more than one. If playing the Campaign mode, players use the Prelude matching the Ancient One in play, and the Ancient One that would be in play in the next game.

If a Prelude places a Mythos card in play, it bypasses the usual resolution steps and therefore Clues aren't spawn from the Rumor's Spawn Clues icon. The amount of Eldritch token Eldritch token placed on the Mythos will also be modified by the Prelude if stated so.[1]

List of Prelude cards[]

Prelude Name Mechanic/Ancient One Set[2]
Beginning of the End Azathoth Azathoth / Eldritch token Eldritch token on the Green Omengreen space 03
Mountains of Madness
Doomsayer from Antarctica Antarctica side board (Elder Things Rise of the Elder Things / Antarctica adventures) 03
Mountains of Madness
Key to Salvation Spend Sanity Sanity to gain Task Unique Asset 03
Mountains of Madness
Rumors from the North Ithaqua Ithaqua / The Wind-Walker Rumor 03
Mountains of Madness
Ultimate Sacrifice Add Defeated investigators 03
Mountains of Madness
Unwilling Sacrifice Spend Health Health to gain Character Unique Asset 03
Mountains of Madness
Dark Blessings Gain Deal Condition to gain Boon Condition 04
Strange Remnants
In Cosmic Alignment Mystic Ruins (Syzygy Syzygy / Cosmic Alignment adventures) 04
Strange Remnants
The Coming Storm Resolve Mythos effects to gain 2 bonus 04
Strange Remnants
The Dunwich Horror Yog-Sothoth Yog-Sothoth / Dunwich Horror Epic Monster 04
Strange Remnants
Call of Cthulhu Cthulhu Cthulhu / Cthylla Epic Monster 05
Under the Pyramids
Drastic Measures Improve 2 skills and Impair 3 05
Under the Pyramids
Epidemic Abhoth Abhoth / Child of Abhoth Epic Monster 05
Under the Pyramids
Ghost from the Past Gain starting possessions from random investigator and Haunted Condition 05
Under the Pyramids
Litany of Secrets Play with 2 Expedition Encounter decks 05
Under the Pyramids
Under the Pyramids Egypt side board (Nephren-Ka Nephren-Ka / Museum Heist adventures) 05
Under the Pyramids
The King in Yellow Hastur Hastur / The King in Yellow (Mythos) Rumor 06
Signs of Carcosa
Silver Twilight Stockpile Additional Asset in the reserve 06
Signs of Carcosa
Sins of the Past Accept a malus to gain Promise of Power Condition 06
Signs of Carcosa
Weakness to Strength Impair a skill to gain a benefic card 06
Signs of Carcosa
Written in the Stars Play with the top Gate revealed 07
The Dreamlands
Lurker Among Us Doppelganger Epic Monster 07
The Dreamlands
Twin Blasphemies of the Black Goat Shub-Niggurath Shub-Niggurath / Nug and Yeb Epic Monsters 07
The Dreamlands
Web Between Worlds Atlach-Nacha Atlach-Nacha / Web Between Worlds Rumor 07
The Dreamlands
Otherworldly Dreams Dreamlands side board (Hypnos Hypnos / Otherworldly Dreams adventures) 07
The Dreamlands
Focused Training May gain Talent Conditions from the reserve during Acquire Assets 07
The Dreamlands
Apocalypse Nigh Shudde M'ell Shudde M'ell / Disasters on the Doom track 08
Cities in Ruin
Fall of Man Disasters on the Green Omengreen space 08
Cities in Ruin
The Price of Prestige May gain Task Unique Assets from the reserve during Acquire Assets 08
Cities in Ruin
You Know What You Must Do Gain For the Greater Good Unique Asset 08
Cities in Ruin
Aid of the Elder Gods Dreamlands side board (Nyarlathotep Nyarlathotep / Corruption Condition) 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
The Archives May gain Spells from the reserve during Acquire Assets 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
Army of Darkness Spawn Zombie Monsters 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
Father of Serpents Yig Yig / Serpent People Monster 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
Harbinger of the Outer Gods Nyarlathotep Nyarlathotep / Corruption Condition 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
In the Lightless Chamber Egypt side board (Nyarlathotep Nyarlathotep / The Beast (Monster) Epic Monster) 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
The Stars Align Antediluvium Antediluvium / lose Sanity Sanity when Omen on the Blue Omen blue space 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
Temptation May gain Corruption Condition to gain a bonus 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
Unto the Breach Always awake the Ancient One 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep
Wondrous Curios May gain Relic Unique Assets from the reserve during Acquire Assets 09
Masks of Nyarlathotep

References[]

  1. Official answer from Nikki Valens for Prelude on BGG icon BoardGameGeek.
  2. First appearance. 4 Preludes were re-issued with the release of the Masks of Nyarlathotep expansion. 
Advertisement