Miskatonic Monday #138: The Big-Game Hunt

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.

—oOo—

Name: The Big-Game Hunt

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author Danial Carroll

Setting: Cthulhu by Gaslight and Pulp Cthulhu: Two-fisted Action and Adventure Against the Mythos

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Thirty-seven page, 12.62 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: What do a Mad Scientist, Poisoner, Bounty Hunter (plus Hyena), Ninja, Gunfighter, and Brawler do when they get together? They hunt the Mythos!

Plot Hook: An ex-big game hunter wants one last big trophy.
Plot Support: Three NPCs, six pre-generated Investigators, eight maps, two handouts, and three Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Excellent.

Pros

# Villains versus the Mythos

# Scenario for both Cthulhu by Gaslight and Pulp Cthulhu: Two-fisted Action and Adventure Against the Mythos

# Physical adventure across North Africa

# Taunt set action pieces

# Mythos villain more sympathetic than the Investigators

# Appropriately over-the-top pre-generated Investigators

# Well presented one-shot

# Keraphobia

# Eremikophobia

Cons

# First action scene superfluous

# Physical adventure across North Africa

# Villains versus the Mythos

# But what if the villains want to be villainous?
# Five linear routes, but none of them matter

# Appropriately over-the-top pre-generated Investigators

# Linear

Conclusion

# Linear, over the top big-game hunt in which the Investigators are the villains and the Mythos threat is more sympathetic than they are!

# Straightforward, uncomplicated one-shot for both Cthulhu by Gaslight and Pulp Cthulhu: Two-fisted Action and Adventure Against the Mythos, with little actual scope for villainy