It's clear to everyone by now that the Duskmourn: House of Horror expansion and its cards are inspired by horror films and stories, but beyond the cinematic references, have you ever wondered what unsettling story lies behind this plane?
Imagine you've just moved, your parents are over the moon about this change and are convinced that nothing could possibly go wrong.
Riding this wave of positivity, you start school, but due to your shyness, you are immediately targeted by bullies. Your only relief is being able to return home to escape the situation. Once back, you explore every nook and cranny until, in the darkness of a basement, you find someone willing to listen to your day and seek alternatives to all the negative things happening to you.
You become great friends and help each other; he always listens to you, and in return, you wish to give him freedom.
Days pass steadily until one day the situation at school escalates. You return home desperate and immediately go down to your dear friend Valgavoth to talk about it. This time, however, he has a more drastic solution than usual: revenge. You humor him and decide to invite your bullies over to your house, eager to discover what "Val" has in store for them.
Now you're on the basement stairs, your classmates are already at the bottom, when suddenly an entity you've never seen appears from the walls, and enormous claws grab the four girls, making them disappear inside the cellar walls.
You flee, trying to forget what happened, but in the following days, everything becomes increasingly unsettling, and the people around you begin to disappear... everyone, including your parents. You can no longer pretend it's nothing and decide to confront the entity responsible for all this. Either he'll restore everything to normal, or you'll burn the house down, bringing about his death. The demon accepts, and before your eyes, everything returns to normal; all's well that ends well.
This is the story of Marina Vendrell, daughter of the house's last owners, and it would seem to have a happy ending, were it not for the fact that what Marina sees is nothing more than a spell cast by Valgavoth, making her live in a bubble where everything is unchanged. Outside this bubble, however, things are not so pleasant; the demon has transformed into a hunter that feeds on fear and terror. Thanks to new prey, his power has grown significantly, enough to extend his dominion across the entire plane, expanding the house immeasurably, engulfing the demon realm present on the plane, and reaching the Blind Eternities.
Let's now look at the plane's structure. If you wanted to take a trip, the advice is to dress in layers, as each room is completely self-contained. Opening a door, you might find a normal bedroom or a foul swamp, so it's best to have the right equipment.
In general, we can distinguish five zones, although they don't always have fixed boundaries, as the house's structure changes continuously. In the Sunken Pits, you'll find water in all its forms, from frozen rooms to abandoned libraries immersed in mist to deep lakes where terrifying aquatic predators lurk, such as the Sunken Pits Drowner.
Among the most ambiguous zones, we find the Haunted Woods, where one might think they are outdoors due to the vegetation; however, among the tree trunks, it is always possible to glimpse a door to access the next room. In addition to the plants that characterize this plane, many creatures can be seen, such as insects and wiminids, a type of scarecrow derived from some of the plane's original inhabitants, represented on the Overgrown Zealot card.
If you like risk, Caldinferno is the place for you; earthquakes and eruptions are commonplace, not to mention the pleasant creatures that might chase you, like the Chainsickle Lamid, a pure example of what you could become if, consumed by madness, you decided to turn against other survivors.
What was once the basement of the Vendrell house has now become the Gloomstyche, a place where darkness dominates and every plant withers. We are in the most unsettling area of the house, where among the tombstones of swampy cemeteries you might glimpse creatures like the Gloomstyche Leech. If you are lucky enough, you might spot a corridor that can lead you to the Below, the place where Valgavoth, Terror-Eater, resides, and where you can observe him extending his tentacles throughout the house.
Should you arrive in a spacious room filled with white drapes and refined furniture, you would likely find yourself in the Moorveil. Here, the architecture is pleasing but at the same time capable of instilling a sense of dread, much like the ghosts and other creatures that infest the plane, such as the Shattered-Face Doll.
If you want to take a short break, the Valley of Serenity is recommended, a relatively quiet place with few dangers. There you might encounter followers of the Cult of Valgavoth, who are among the few inhabitants of the plane, and who will only try to convert or sacrifice you. Their creed, in fact, is based on the Gift of the Threshold, the belief that only those without fear can reach paradise, which is why the Terror-Eater is a blessing capable of purifying them.
At times, you might also feel lonely, so a good habit could be to socialize with the other survivors present on the plane. You will easily find other prey that Valgavoth has captured through the doors he makes appear in the Multiverse; be careful, though, some of them might decide to turn their backs on you.
Remember, however, that even when all seems lost, you might be capable of Uncontrolled Tenacity, and your glimmer could instill the courage you lack to face even the most dreadful of demons.
Have a good trip discovering this new expansion.
