Let’s talk about Mythos, our forthcoming 1920’s horror skirmish game.

The cosmic horror of the unknown (or unknowable ) has inspired a wealth of role-play games, board games and miniatures games as well as the novels, video games and even television and movies that riff on the ‘ancient horror’ genre. So when we had the opportunity to further develop Mythos as a tabletop skirmish game, we knew that it had to continue to be something special and distinctive, incorporating not only this cosmic horror flavour of mythology but also the creatures and mysteries found elsewhere, all given a suitable Mythos twist!

One of the aspects that really stands out in the game is that each of the Factions is in the service (albeit indirectly sometimes) of one of the Old Ones. These are unfathomably ancient entities that have been slumbering since the dawn of time, now awoken by the massed slaughter of the First World War. While there is lots to talk about regarding the underlying narrative for the shadow war between these Factions, what I want to do here is focus on just one: The Priory.

The Priory are an ancient institution with its members operating around the globe in roaming self contained groups known as Cells. Contact between Cells is rare and membership and recruitment to each Cell is handled by their Cell’s leader. For the Lazarus Cell, that duty falls to Professor Zachary Lazarus (as depicted below). An expert in the arcane and occult, it is Lazarus who receives the telephone calls from the mysterious coordinator of the Priory, Madame Adrestia, to plan his Cell’s next mission. Lazarus has a formidable will and distinctly Bohemian tastes, often found talking in earnest to his cat Zeus. More curious is that the creature seems to understand the detail of Professor’s discussion and obliges with various acts of infiltration and observation for the Priory.

The archaeologist Abigail Halsey is an invaluable member of the Lazarus Cell and her discoveries and research are often instrumental in overcoming many of the challenges they face. It was Abigail who discovered the journal of Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel and the secrets of creating the Golem Maharal. This fifteen foot tall animated clay monstrosity provides the muscle for the Priory on their missions. What Maharal lacks in subtlety is more than made up for with brute force!

Bertie Smythe was a decorated pilot over the Western Front when a dawn encounter in the clouds left him a changed man. He will not speak of what he saw that early morning, nor of the fate of his squadron. Wielding a flame thrower, it is hard liquor and endless cigarettes that fuels his determination to right this unspoken injustice. Maintaining the equipment of the Priory, such as Bertie’s flame thrower, falls to the mechanically minded Kitty Page, the most recent recruit to the Cell. Kitty joined the Cell after their mission in Providence against the Path of Chronozon. Though still learning much of their war against the fell powers, Kitty is almost comforted that their mortal adversaries seem to be as susceptible to bullets and burning as the Priory are.

Well hopefully this little taster for the Priory and the wider Mythos game will whet your appetite for more when the tabletop skirmish horror hits stores in early 2020. Before then I’m sure we’ll be able to reveal more (I’m hoping I can sneak the Hidden Ones out so you can take a look!)

Until next time.

Stuart

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