The company found a new lifeform, and they want you to study it. Their offer’s uncharacteristically generous—you catalog this organism, determine how they can use it, and bring it back so they can slap their patent on it. Fairly routine stuff. In exchange, they’ll hook you up with a cushy corporate department head position, secure you a book deal, and make sure the institute of your choice gives you tenure. Did I mention the money? There’s a lot of it. Simple survey, sample, and analysis job. Seemed too good to be true.

Of course, it is.

Heart of Darkness is a complete Cinematic Scenario for the ALIEN roleplaying game. It requires either the ALIEN RPG core rulebook or the boxed Starter Set to play. In this scenario, players take the roles of an extrasolar science team with a mystery to solve. While it is a standalone adventure, Heart of Darkness also serves as a conclusion to the Draconis Strain Saga begun in the cinematic scenario Chariot of the Gods and continued in Destroyer of Worlds. Heart of Darkness is designed for 3–5 players plus the Game Mother and is a spiraling descent into soul-crushing madness.