Miskatonic Monday #179: Camp Otter Lake

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: Camp Otter Lake

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Sean Liddle

Setting: 1980s USA
Product: Scenario Outline

What You Get: Six page, 241.81 KB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Summer camp scares, again. Again.

Plot Hook: Summer camp promises freedom and pay, but serves up scares and haunting.

Plot Support: Staging and set-up advice, timeline, and two handouts.

Production Values: Undemanding.

Pros

# Straightforward plot outline
# Minimal investigation, mainly a physical investigation

# Phasmophobia

# Diokophobia

Cons

# Requires development by the Keeper

# Requires Player Characters to be created

# No Sanity losses or gains

# Requires a strong edit

# Non-Mythos slasher horror cliché

Conclusion

# Non-Mythos slasher horror cliché 
# Single-session scenario outline which requires development by the Keeper