Miskatonic Monday #145: Octopus Tag

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: Octopus Tag

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author Ronny Anderssen

Setting: Modern Day

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Twenty-Six page, 21.71 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Squid Game versus the Mythos

Plot Hook: Can you survive the horrors of the game?
Plot Support: Staging advice, eight NPCs, six handouts, one map, one Mythos artefact, and one Mythos monster.

Production Values: Good.

Pros

# Definitely survival horror!

# Inspired by Squid Game

# Nicely done NPCs

# Some NPCs you want to die

# Make the NPCs playable Investigators for interesting dynamics

# Almost endless supply of replacement Investigators

# Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi

# Chapodiphobia

# Ludophobia

Cons

# Inspired by Squid Game

# Unwinnable

# As a one-shot, needed pre-generated Investigators

# Some NPCs you want to die

# Every game needs careful study and staging

# Keeper needs to prepare ready supply of NPCs and names

# Keeper needs to prepare ready supply of new Investigators

Conclusion

# Bonkers, ultimately unwinnable game (or series of games) of survival horror that will grind the Investigators down and scour their Sanity.

# Reality Television or Black Mirror-style horror infused with the Mythos for a nasty one-shot that will bring out the worst (and the best) in the NPCs and Investigators.