Miskatonic Monday #154: Through a Dream, Darkly

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: Through a Dream, Darkly: A Brief Experience in the Dreamlands

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Genevieve Colter

Setting: H.P. Lovecraft’s Dreamlands
Product: Scenario

What You Get: Twelve page, 895.13 KB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: “Stranger in a strange land.”

Plot Hook: Grab. Tickle. Drop. Dream.
Plot Support: Staging advice, one spell, one NPC, various Mythos creatures, and two gods.

Production Values: Plain.

Pros

# Begins in media res

# The gods as guides!?

# Single session scenario

# Investigator choice determines plot

# Dreamlands interlude or Dreamlands introduction?

# Easy to adapt from other periods and places

# Suitable for one Investigator and the Keeper

# Oneirophobia

# Mycophobia

Cons

# Begins in media res

# The gods as guides!?

# Needs an edit

# The Keeper will need to provide stats

Conclusion

# Interventional interlude which introduces the Investigators to the Dreamlands and has them interacting with the very gods! 

# Simple player and Investigator choices dictate the story and perhaps allusions to come in the Waking World.