Miskatonic Monday #103: An Occurrence at Como Bluff

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 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: An Occurrence at Como Bluff

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Dawson Wohler

Setting: Dakota Territory, 1878.

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Ten page, 493.83 KB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: The ‘real’ monsters of the Bone Wars

Plot Hook: When the Bone Wars turn ugly, more than the bones bite back.

Plot Support: Straightforward plot, four NPCs, one animal, and four handouts.

Production Values: Adequate.

Pros

# Interesting period setting

# Scenario for Down Darker Trails: Terrors of the Mythos in the Old West

# Interesting revelation of Darwin versus the Mythos paralleling evolution versus creationism

Cons

# Combat and wilderness survival scenario rather than investigative

# Short and linear

# Underdeveloped

# No pre-generated Investigators 

# No maps
# Not much for the Investigators to do

Conclusion

# Underwhelmingly linear with a lack of player agency

# Interesting period setting combined with an interesting parallel between knowledge of the Mythos and knowledge of evolution.