I recently purchased Gloom, and all of its expansions. We've played through the game, and loved it. The trouble is, there are certain card types that we cannot figure out how to properly use.
Some of the expansion Event cards, such as "Dead Man's Party", have 'center art' that suggests that it is some form of "death" card. Are they handled like any other event card--played, then discarded--or are they placed on a character, with the "rest in peace" side up?
Hi There! Glad to hear that you're having a great time with Gloom!
Between the first and second editions of Gloom (and expansion), we added illustrations to Event cards in order to make it harder to tell what kinds of cards someone has by looking at the backs as they're fanned out in your opponents' hands. Previously, any card with a portrait would have to have been an Untimely Death. But now that Event cards also have an illustration, it's more difficult to guess.
(The shorter answer is that Events are played, have their effect, and are discarded just as the rules describe. Even when they have illustrations, Events are never placed on Character stacks.)
Thanks!