The Scene of the Crime
The Excelsior Hotel is busy when you arrive, despite the rumors that have hounded the hotel for over a month now. Everything seems normal, though you cannot help but wonder if the staff and guests are really preoccupied with their various activities, or if they are gathered to keep an eye on you and your investigation. Still, you have come too far to turn back. The blood‐red door to room 225 stands before you and all that is left for your to do is take a deep breath, and knock.
When you come to, you are standing over the man’s body. You recoil immediately from the grisly sight—multiple stab wounds perforate his chest and blood spills freely onto the floor. What the hell happened? And why can’t you remember a thing? Your head is spinning as you try to make sense of the situation. Empty bottles are scattered about the room. Your hands tingle. The shadows seem to coil and writhe around you. Were you drugged? Or is this something else entirely?
It’s only a matter of time before some staff or—heaven forbid—the police arrive and discover the crime scene. Should you attempt to cover it up and protect yourself from suspicion, or use your precious time searching for clues as to what really happened?
Chasing Leads
With time running out before you are discovered and surely blamed for the horrific events that have occurred at the Excelsior, you must choose a path of action and follow it. This may steer you towards any one of the many possible leads kept in the Leads deck. In your desperate search, you may uncover a lost key or forgotten locket, or some sort of mysterious device you cannot hope to understand. Whatever hints to the truth you uncover, and whichever leads your gut tells you to pursue will irrevocably alter your game experience throughout the scenario. With a remarkable ten possible versions of the final Act, Murder at the Excelsior Hotel immerses you in the feel of a true investigation like never before. Every action has a consequence and every trip to the Excelsior plays out differently. Will you find the true culprit and clear your name, or will you or another innocent soul be lost to the evil that resides in the Excelsior?
As you struggle to remain unnoticed in the hotel while your investigation continues, you may be confronted with some enemies that feature the new Patrol keyword.During the enemy phase each ready, unengaged enemy with the patrol keyword moves to a connecting location along the shortest path to the location designated on their card. For example, a morbidly curious Hotel Guest (Murder at the Excelsior Hotel, 22) will move towards the nearest Crime Scene. If there are multiple locations that a Patrol enemy may be drawn to, your team’s lead investigator may choose which location the enemy moves toward. And if their way is blocked, the enemy does not move. Luckily for you, even if a guest should reach a Crime Scene, you may be able to talk your way out of it by using a parley action. But how long can you dodge the truth before your lies catch up with you?
While a nosy guest or suspicious staff member may seem like small potatoes compared to the eldritch monstrosities you have faced in the past, you cannot afford to let your guard down, even for a second. In the endlessly twisting halls of the Excelsior Hotel, any mortal may be Driven to Madness (Murder at the Excelsior Hotel, 24). When this Curse is revealed, you must attach it to the nearest Humanoid enemy, increasing their fight, health, and evade, and pushing them to become violent and attack. While a quick-footed investigator like Rita Young (The Circle Undone, 5) may choose to simply run away until the enemy’s mind has cleared, that may not be an option for those who are used to having to fight their way out, like Leo Anderson (The Forgotten Age, 1). But even in their fevered state, you cannot forget that these tormented minds are the same people you have sought to protect. If you should strike them down, even in self-defense, will you ever forgive yourself?
Room 225
What happened at the Excelsior Hotel? With the clock ticking and danger around every corner, will you be able to figure out the truth behind this grisly murder and clear your name? Or will you be the next victim? The truth is out there, but the story is yet to be told. Pack your bags and check in for a night at the Excelsior Hotel!
