Miskatonic Monday #80: Without Warning

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: Without Warning

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: William Adcock

Setting: 1950s Arctic Canada

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Twenty-seven page, 18.30 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Mini-King Kong on ice (with added Mythos)!

Plot Hook: An evacuation flight leaves an aeroplane and its stranded, but not alone...

Plot Support: Detailed plot, one good handout, a single floor plan, one Mythos monster, and six pre-generated Investigators.

Production Values: Excellent.

Pros
# Suitable as a one-shot or convention scenario

# Good use of the historical background

# Straightforward Mythos monster movie plot

# Could be run using Pulp Cthulhu: Two-fisted Action and Adventure Against the Mythos

# Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s short story, ‘Polaris’  

# Inspired by Howard Hawk’s The Thing From Another World 

# Could be adapted to a pulp Sci-Fi setting for ‘The Thing On Another World’ 

Cons
# A map or two would have helped

# No female pre-generated Investigators
# May require access to Malleus Monstrorum

# Primary inspiration makes the plot obvious

Conclusion

# Short of the flaming carrot, the scenario’s inspiration crashes you onto the ice, then the Mythos socks you on the jaw.

# ‘B’ movie horror one-shot

# Whither Blood Brothers III?