This explanation is combined with a couple peoples thoughts from the board game geek forum hope it helps. 1) The moment the runes have been matched and Cthulhu has been lured to the Void space, the Cthulhu figure is permanently removed from the game. The R'lyeh mat appears, existing as a "space" connected to the Void that can be moved into (or out of) for 1 move action. 2) Cthulhu is now immobile and will no longer perform any kind of movement triggered by a Monster Card. Cthulhu will however still resolve its Monster Card attacks on anyone in R'lyeh, potentially damaging them with hit symbols on attack dice. As mentioned, other Monsters will also be able to move into R'lyeh to attack Heroes. 3) When a Hero is on the R'lyeh space, they can bind Cthulhu with 1 manacle by discarding a number of matching-colored items that meet or exceed the power of Cthulhu's Special Item. If Cthulhu's Special Item is a green item of power 5, a Hero can for example discard [blue 3 + blue 2], or [purple 3 + purple 1 + purple 2], or [green 6]. The rules specify that the "type (and by implication, the color) of Cthulhu's Special Item does not matter" at this juncture. As long as you discard a handful of items that all match each other in color, they do not have to be the same color as Cthulhu's Special Item. Be aware that each separate item discarded will require a separate Advance action. The aforementioned examples would require 2 Advance actions, 3 Advance actions, and 1 Advance action respectively. There also seems to be an implication that the series of items must all be played within a single player turn, in order to earn a manacle (?) 4) If the required value of items is successfully discarded as described above, then the Hero (who is already in R'lyeh) is moved specifically to one of the 3 circular areas surrounding Cthulhu's Special Item - if a Hero discarded 2 blue items, you would move them to the blue circular area. You can then place 1 manacle on Cthulhu. Nothing in the rulebook suggests that you're stuck on these circular areas, so I assume a Hero can freely move off of a circular area by using 1 Move action (the same action of which would essentially move the Hero out of R'lyeh and back onto the Void space). 5) While on 1 of these 3 circular areas, Heroes will specifically be susceptible to Cthulhu's Power Symbol (!), whenever Cthulhu rolls a (!) result during an attack. The symbol will deal 1 damage to each Hero standing in the colored area matching Cthulhu’s Special Item. If Cthulhu's Special Item is purple, and there are 3 Heroes standing on the purple area, then each will take 1 damage (blockable only with an item whose color matches Cthulhu's Special Item). After resolving this (!) result, replace Cthulhu's Special Item with a new random one from the item bag, and then resolve any additional (!) dice in the same fashion, replacing Cthulhu's Special Item after each resolution of (!). Effectively, Cthulhu's Power Symbol (!) will alter the characteristics of Cthulhu's Special Item, changing its power value and/or its color (the latter of which will affect which circular areas are targeted by subsequent Power Symbols (!). 6) After all 4 manacles are placed, my interpretation is that every Hero must move into R'lyeh. Then each Hero must contribute 1 item (of any color or power). This team contribution would be resolved with a single Share action 7) discard those gathered items to defeat Cthulhu Ex: If you have a 5 item in the center, to lock an arm you need all of any one color, let’s say that’s purple then play purple 5+ with one action. Or a purple 3 and a purple 2+ for the second action to lock the arm on your turn. Once locked you then go stand in the purple spot. You could have more than one character in any of the colored areas. I believe this means, you can move off the color by leaving the room or you can discard a different color number(s), equivalent of the center item. Remembering the rule, per lock if you discard more than one item to equal+ the center number, you must have actions equal to the number of items discarded then move to that color. IE: a purple 1 and a purple 3 and a purple 2 would be three actions to equal the purple 6 in the center.
We love the original version of Horrified, but none of the others lived up to that one. It seems like they’ve put less and less effort into each successive version.
On Cthulhu, there’s a good rule clarification on board game geek forum section. Step three and four is confusing, but the forum readthrough with reading the rules I have it locked down I believe :-).
This explanation is combined with a couple peoples thoughts from the board game geek forum hope it helps.
1) The moment the runes have been matched and Cthulhu has been lured to the Void space, the Cthulhu figure is permanently removed from the game. The R'lyeh mat appears, existing as a "space" connected to the Void that can be moved into (or out of) for 1 move action.
2) Cthulhu is now immobile and will no longer perform any kind of movement triggered by a Monster Card. Cthulhu will however still resolve its Monster Card attacks on anyone in R'lyeh, potentially damaging them with hit symbols on attack dice. As mentioned, other Monsters will also be able to move into R'lyeh to attack Heroes.
3) When a Hero is on the R'lyeh space, they can bind Cthulhu with 1 manacle by discarding a number of matching-colored items that meet or exceed the power of Cthulhu's Special Item. If Cthulhu's Special Item is a green item of power 5, a Hero can for example discard [blue 3 + blue 2], or [purple 3 + purple 1 + purple 2], or [green 6]. The rules specify that the "type (and by implication, the color) of Cthulhu's Special Item does not matter" at this juncture. As long as you discard a handful of items that all match each other in color, they do not have to be the same color as Cthulhu's Special Item. Be aware that each separate item discarded will require a separate Advance action. The aforementioned examples would require 2 Advance actions, 3 Advance actions, and 1 Advance action respectively. There also seems to be an implication that the series of items must all be played within a single player turn, in order to earn a manacle (?)
4) If the required value of items is successfully discarded as described above, then the Hero (who is already in R'lyeh) is moved specifically to one of the 3 circular areas surrounding Cthulhu's Special Item - if a Hero discarded 2 blue items, you would move them to the blue circular area. You can then place 1 manacle on Cthulhu. Nothing in the rulebook suggests that you're stuck on these circular areas, so I assume a Hero can freely move off of a circular area by using 1 Move action (the same action of which would essentially move the Hero out of R'lyeh and back onto the Void space).
5) While on 1 of these 3 circular areas, Heroes will specifically be susceptible to Cthulhu's Power Symbol (!), whenever Cthulhu rolls a (!) result during an attack. The symbol will deal 1 damage to each Hero standing in the colored area matching Cthulhu’s Special Item. If Cthulhu's Special Item is purple, and there are 3 Heroes standing on the purple area, then each will take 1 damage (blockable only with an item whose color matches Cthulhu's Special Item). After resolving this (!) result, replace Cthulhu's Special Item with a new random one from the item bag, and then resolve any additional (!) dice in the same fashion, replacing Cthulhu's Special Item after each resolution of (!). Effectively, Cthulhu's Power Symbol (!) will alter the characteristics of Cthulhu's Special Item, changing its power value and/or its color (the latter of which will affect which circular areas are targeted by subsequent Power Symbols (!).
6) After all 4 manacles are placed, my interpretation is that every Hero must move into R'lyeh. Then each Hero must contribute 1 item (of any color or power). This team contribution would be resolved with a single Share action
7) discard those gathered items to defeat Cthulhu
Ex: If you have a 5 item in the center, to lock an arm you need all of any one color, let’s say that’s purple then play purple 5+ with one action. Or a purple 3 and a purple 2+ for the second action to lock the arm on your turn. Once locked you then go stand in the purple spot. You could have more than one character in any of the colored areas.
I believe this means, you can move off the color by leaving the room or you can discard a different color number(s), equivalent of the center item. Remembering the rule, per lock if you discard more than one item to equal+ the center number, you must have actions equal to the number of items discarded then move to that color.
IE: a purple 1 and a purple 3 and a purple 2 would be three actions to equal the purple 6 in the center.
This is the exact reason I haven't bought these games for.
It just seems more complicated than needs to be.
We love the original version of Horrified, but none of the others lived up to that one. It seems like they’ve put less and less effort into each successive version.
On Cthulhu, there’s a good rule clarification on board game geek forum section. Step three and four is confusing, but the forum readthrough with reading the rules I have it locked down I believe :-).