Miskatonic Monday #76: Storm from a Teacup

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: Storm From A Teacup

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Royce Wilson

Setting: Prohibition Era New England or the North West

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Twenty-five page, 3.03 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: What happens when the high life comes from a cuppa...?

Plot Hook: Is there something in the tea?

Plot Support: Detailed plot, six good handouts, two maps, and eight NPCs. 

Production Values: Good.

Pros
# Good use of the historical background

# Solid investigative plot

# Underplayed sense of violence (which could be overplayed)

# Works as a one-shot or a convention scenario

# Mythos pleasingly underplayed

# Scope for a sequel with another cult?

# Scope for links to Innsmouth?

# Could be adapted for use with Pulp Cthulhu: Two-fisted Action and Adventure Against the Mythos

Cons
# Requires a slight edit

# More maps would have helped
# Some handouts underdeveloped

Conclusion

# Decent little investigation

# Mythos pleasingly underplayed

# Madness in a teacup