Miskatonic Monday #59: The Posse

 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 Posse

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Andy Miller

Setting: Down Darker Trails

Product: Scenario
What You Get: thirty-four page, 29.29 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Cowboys and dinosaurs, oh my! (Again)
Plot Hook: The Boyd Gang has robbed the 11:10 to Santaquin! Let’s ride out and round ‘em up.

Plot Support: Introduction to train robberies, five NPCs, six detailed pregenerated Investigators, NPC and Investigator portraits.

Production Values: Decent.

Pros
# Cowboys and dinosaurs, oh my!

# Sequel to The Last Valley
# Potential convention scenario
# Potential one-shot

# Well done pregenerated Investigators
# Enjoyable introduction to the Lost Worlds genre

# Straightforward plot
# Multiple set-ups

# Classic Wild West set-up

# Action driven scenario

Cons
# Linear plot
# Utah background underused

# Requires The Last Valley

# No Sanity losses for failure?

Conclusion
# Cowboys and dinosaurs, oh my!
# Classic Wild West set-up

# Linear plot