Fantasy Flight Games has announced Murder at the Excelsior Hotel, a stand-alone Scenario Pack for its Arkham Horror:  The Card Game, releasing in the third quarter.

Murder at the Excelsior Hotel opens, predictably enough, with a murder, and the evidence points towards the player characters as being the perpetrators of the crime.  But they have no memories of the deed, and must seek out clues to the truth as they evade the authorities.

The scenario features a special kind of enemy ability called Patrol, which causes them to move between locations during the game, possibly uncovering the crime scene or causing other difficulties for the investigators.  As the investigation continues, insanity spreads through the hotel, transforming normal people into dangerous maddened foes.  But unlike Mythos monsters, players must take care about needlessly killing innocent bystanders.

The expansion includes 10 possible conclusions, with the ultimate storyline being created by the decisions the players make during their investigation, providing a different experience each time should they decide to try visiting the Excelsior Hotel again.

Click Gallery below to see cards from the expansion.

Murder at the Excelsior Hotel requires a copy of Arkham Horror:  The Card Game to play.  MSRP is $19.95.

Fantasy Flight will also launch a new story cycle for the game in the third quarter with The Dream-Eaters (see “Fifth ‘Arkham Horror’ Cycle Opens with ‘The Dream-Eaters”).