Miskatonic Monday #158: The Wolf in the Labyrinth

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 Wolf in the Labyrinth

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Malcolm Harbrow

Setting: Jazz Age Arkham
Product: Scenario

What You Get: Twenty-two page, 1.31 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: What are you prepared to sacrifice to save someone?

Plot Hook: A missing author of macabre stories might just get the Investigators lost.
Plot Support: Eleven NPCs, seven handouts, one map, one Mythos artefact, and no Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Simple.

Pros

# Lovecraft Country scenario

# Solid investigation

# Can be tied into Miskatonic University

# Refreshingly different mystery

# The Mythos can only be managed, never defeated...

# Adaptable to Cthulhu by Gaslight or the modern day

# Suitable for one, two, or three Investigators

# All investigation, no action

# Would suit an Investigator with the Artist Occupation

# Mazeophobia

# Artophobia

# Diokophobia

Cons

# Needs a slight edit

# No stats for the NPCs

# The Mythos can only be managed, never defeated...

# All investigation, no action

Conclusion

# Excellent low-key investigation with a claustrophobic feel involving a variation upon a classic Mythos artefact whose effects can only be managed, never defeated.

# Suitable for a small group of Investigators, but lacks stats for the various NPCs