Miskatonic Monday #79: Michigan Mythos: Fall Colors

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.

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Name: Michigan Mythos: Fall Colors

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Charles Dunwoody

Setting: 1930s Michigan for Pulp Cthulhu: Two-fisted Action and Adventure Against the Mythos

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Twenty-six page, 3.38 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: When more than the leaves fall in the autumn...

Plot Hook: Who can say why a Civilian Conservation Corps team is off-colour?

Plot Support: Detailed plot, four good handouts, eight maps, four NPCs, one Mythos monster, and one gadget.

Production Values: Reasonable.

Pros
# Suitable as a one-shot or convention scenario

# Three incalcitrant NPCs

# Straightforward plot

# Easily adjusted back to Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition

# Pleasingly strong emphasis on the five senses

Cons
# Requires an edit

# Slightly odd layout
# Underwhelming investigation

Conclusion

# Colourful employment of all five senses

# Straightforward scenario