Miskatonic Monday #89: The Orphanage

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: The Orphanage

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Rudy Peverada

Setting: Jazz Age Arkham

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Seventeen page, 3.28 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: “Ohhh, won’t somebody please think of the children!”

Plot Hook: Children are going missing from the Arkham State Orphanage, so why won’t the authorities take an interest?

Plot Support: Detailed location, four maps, twelve NPCs, and two Mythos creatures.

Production Values: Uneven.

Pros
# Self-contained investigation

# Decent maps

# Possible addition to a Lovecraft Country campaign 

# Easy to relocate to other times and places

Cons
# Challenging to involve the investigators

# Underwritten plot

# Requires a good edit
# Villain motivations underwritten

Conclusion

# Self-contained investigation

# Underwritten plot and villain motivations

# Requires a good edit