Miskatonic Monday #84: Broken Arrow: Chernobyl

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: Broken Arrow: Chernobyl

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Chad Briggs

Setting: 1990s Ukraine

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Seventeen page, 5.93 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: In the new wild west of post-Soviet era someone has mosied out of town with a nuclear warhead!

Plot Hook: One of their bombs is missing!

Plot Support: Detailed plot, six handouts, one NPC, one Mythos monster, and six pre-generated Investigators (separate).

Production Values: Plain.

Pros
# Interesting use of the historical background

# A chase into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

# Suitable as a one-shot or convention scenario

# Decent background information

# Easy to adapt to Delta Green: The Roleplaying Game

Cons
# Requires a good edit

# Linear plot
# Mythos threat underdeveloped

Conclusion

# Best suited as a Delta Green: The Roleplaying Game scenario

# Interesting background and setting

# Linear and underdeveloped