Miskatonic Monday #149: Trick or Treat 2

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: Trick or Treat 2

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author Andy Miller

Setting: Modern Day

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Sixty-Two page, 32.43 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Sequel to ‘Trick or Treat’ from Blood Brothers

Plot Hook: Bored? Too old to trick or treat? Why not visit the site of an unsolved series of murders?
Plot Support: Staging advice, six pre-generated Teen Investigators, twelve NPCs, three handouts, four maps, three non-Mythos spells, and four non-Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Decent.

Pros

# Sequel to ‘Trick or Treat’ from Blood Brothers

# Pleasing history of Halloween and Halloween and Call of Cthulhu

# Decent staging advice

# Plenty of background

# Does not simply start at the murder site

# Contrasts the horror with school life

# Detailed playtest notes included

# Detailed plotting

# Botanophobia

# Formidophobia

Cons

# Another ‘Kids in peril on Halloween’ scenario

# Too much background for a one-shot?

# Handouts a little plain

# Needs an edit

# Detailed plotting

# Slightly too for a one-session one-shot

Conclusion

# Classic ‘Kids in peril on Halloween’ scenario in which exploring an old murder site turns horrifically bloody as traditional Halloween motifs come to life and stalk the teenage protagonists. 

# Highly detailed and plotted—perhaps overly so?—teenage horror scenario which delivers a suitably nasty sequel to a Call of Cthulhu, non-Mythos classic.