Chiron's Doom

Three explorers, one monument, and a deck in which drawing a king is very bad news.

At the edge of civilisation stands a monument. Nobody knows who built it, what it does or why, and you are sending three explorers to find out. Chiron's Doom, by Nick Bate of ickbat games, is a softcover horror storytelling game in its second edition, and you set the genre yourselves, from gothic sci-fi to dark fantasy to stranger things. Players begin by sketching their impressions of the monument, and four ready-made monument playsets by guest designers are included.

You build an expedition deck from ordinary playing cards, mostly diamonds for the monument's secrets plus a few triggers. Each day you draw and answer the card's prompt, as a journal entry or a short scene. Diamonds move the expedition toward the final revelation; other suits shuffle disasters into the deck, diluting the secrets you are after; and drawing a king kills an explorer. At the end of each day the survivors can choose to turn back, which is always the sensible option and never the one anyone takes. Expect two to three hours.

Please note: you will need a standard deck of playing cards. A journal helps for solo play.

Perfect for: Anyone who has shouted at the screen when the documentary crew decides to camp overnight in the ruins.

1–3 players | About 2–3 hours