Miskatonic Monday #42: Ice Cream Man

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.

—oOo—

Name: Ice Cream Man

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Michael LaBossiere
Setting: Modern day

Product: Scenario
What You Get: 1.018 MB nine-page, full-colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: How dangerous can a  Mr. Whippy be?
Plot Hook: When a father says the Ice Cream Man is the monster who took his son, and he wants you to kill him, is he mad, or is he right? 

Plot Development: A murderer, a victim, and chasing the sounds of the Ice Cream Man all summer...

Plot Support: One handout, one picture, and a unique monster.

Pros
# Easily adapted to the ice cream carts of the 1890s and 1920s
# Strong, non-traditional set-up
# Investigator research pre-prepared
# When does hunting become stalking?
# Player driven

# Potential kids versus the Mythos situation

# Just how dangerous is a 99 and a Flake?

Cons

# Why does the father know of the investigators?
# Needs a list of victims
# When does hunting become stalking?
# Needs a floorplan

Conclusion
# Easy to adapt to the 1890s and 1920s
# Strong, non-traditional set-up

# Needs some support by the Keeper