Miskatonic Monday #40: The World of Necronomicon

Between October 2003 and October 2013, Chaosium, Inc. published a series of books for Call of Cthulhu under the Miskatonic University Library Association brand. Whether a sourcebook, scenario, anthology, or campaign, each was a showcase for their authors—amateur rather than professional, but fans of Call of Cthulhu nonetheless—to put forward their ideas and share with others. The programme was notable for having launched the writing careers of several authors, but for every Cthulhu Invictus, The Pastores, Primal State, Ripples from Carcosa, and Halloween Horror, there was a Five Go Mad in Egypt, Return of the Ripper, Rise of the Dead, Rise of the Dead II: The Raid, and more...

The Miskatonic University Library Association brand is no more, alas, but what we have in its stead is the Miskatonic Repository, based on the same format as the DM’s Guild for Dungeons & Dragons. It is thus, “...a new way for creators to publish and distribute their own original Call of Cthulhu content including scenarios, settings, spells and more…” To support the endeavours of their creators, Chaosium has provided templates and art packs, both free to use, so that the resulting releases can look and feel as professional as possible. To support the efforts of these contributors, Miskatonic Monday is an occasional series of reviews which will in turn examine an item drawn from the depths of the Miskatonic Repository.

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Name: The World of Necronomicon

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Marek Golonka
Setting: Any 

Product: Campaign set-up
What You Get: 5.82 MB twelve-page, full-colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Sometimes what you read sets you apart. 
Plot Hook: What if encounters with the strange confirmed what you read in The Necronomicon rather than The Necronomicon confirming what you encountered?
Plot Development: Like Lovecraft’s protagonists, investigators know the content of the forbidden The Necronomicon from the start, their studies altering their perception of reality to be able to see what the blasphemous tome alludes to, emphasising its dread influence, and bringing Lovecraftian investigative roleplay closer to Lovecraft’s narrative.
Plot Support: Discussions of Investigator back stories, locations of The Necronomicons, first revelations, adventure seeds, and some mistranslations.

Pros
# Sixth release in English for the ‘Zgrozy’ line
# Works in any period which has The Necronomicon 
# The horror comes pre-loaded
# Closer to Lovecraft’s narrative structure
# Player knowledge becomes investigator knowledge?
# Ties into The Necronomicon description in the Keeper Rulebook
# For both player and Keeper
# Good roleplaying potential

# Prequel potential?
# Makes the Investigators themselves weird and ‘special’
# Possible Investigator organisation?

Cons

# Sets players and Investigators up with too much information?
# Needs a better edit
# No specific example of it being used with a published scenario
# Increases the Keeper’s workload at the table

Conclusion
# Interesting alternative campaign framework
# Possible Investigator organisation