Miskatonic Monday #61: Hand of Glory

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: Hand of Glory

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Allan Carey

Setting: Jazz Age Yorkshire

Product: Scenario Set-up
What You Get: Twenty-three page, 29.91 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Sometimes fate hands you a terrible choice.
Plot Hook:  A day’s walk takes a terrifying turn atop the Yorkshire Moors. Maybe the locals really are weird, maybe they just don’t like outsiders. Or both.

Plot Support: Plot set-up, single period maps, three handouts, and five pre-generated Investigators.

Production Values: Clean and tidy, decent map, lovely handouts, and clearly done pre-generated Investigators.

Pros
# Type40 one-night, one-shot set-up
# Potential convention scenario
# Solid moral choice

# Superb handouts
# Pre-generated Investigators nicely fit the set-up

# Easily adjustable to other periods

# Nasty, even cruel scenario

# Minimal set-up time

# Playable in an hour or two!

Cons
# Nasty, even cruel scenario
# Stark, difficult choices

# Playable in an hour or two!

# Investigator interaction hooks and relationships could have enhanced the tension.

Conclusion
# Great production values
# Minimal set-up time

# Underwritten Investigator relationships undermine simple, really nasty plot.