Miskatonic Monday #192: Bad Tidings

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: Bad Tidings

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Orlando Moreira

Setting: Portugal, 1937
Product: Scenario

What You Get: Thirty-page, 4.92 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Innsmouth in Iberia

Plot Hook: A mentor’s revelation exposes murder and terrible Nazi experiments

Plot Support: Staging advice, four pre-generated Investigators, two handouts, three NPCs, five maps and floor plans, and one Mythos monster.

Production Values: Decent.

Pros

# Period one-shot under a different dictator

# Pulp horror style scenario

# Entertainingly staged finale

# Pre-generated Investigators help enforce the background period

# Excellent use of period photographs

# Ichthyophobia

# Thalassophobia

# Batrachophobia

# Iatrophobia

# Naziphobia

Cons

# Needs an edit

# Cartoonish artwork

# Mythos tome mentioned, but never found

# Oddly undermanned Nazi base

# Heavily plotted in places, but Keeper advice gives options

Conclusion

# Strongly plotted scenario supported by decent Keeper suggestions

# Pulp horror one-shot in pre-war Portugal opens up new location for period horror