Miskatonic Monday #56: The Room with No Doors

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: The Room with No Doors

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: M. T. Black

Setting: Classic Jazz Age Arkham

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Twenty-eight page, 6.5 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: What would drive a housewife to a murderous mania?
Plot Hook: A landlord hires the Investigators to look into the truth of her new property being haunted.

Plot Support: Detailed background, a decent floorplan, nine handouts, and a single monster.

Production Values: Clean and tidy, well organised, clear map, and nicely done handouts.

Pros
# Classic Call of Cthulhu haunted house scenario
# Potential convention scenario
# Potential one-shot

# Superb handouts
# Easily adapted to other periods

# Investigation path clearly laid out
# Mythos light

# Nice ties to Arkham

# Possible first encounter with the Mythos?

Cons
# Classic Call of Cthulhu haunted house scenario
# Mythos light

# Too obvious a title

# Too close to ‘The Haunting’ from the Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition Quick-Start Rules

Conclusion
# Great production values
# Classic Call of Cthulhu haunted house scenario

# Too obvious a title and set-up for experienced players