Miskatonic Monday #220: The Great American Dynasty

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: The Great American Dynasty

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Keller O’Leary

Setting: Modern day USA

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Thirty-eight page, 14.34 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Sacrifices have to be made to maintain control

Plot Hook: A clean-up task reveals an incredible conspiracy
Plot Support: Staging advice, four pre-generated Investigators,

four-hundred-and-fifty-seven NPCs, four handouts, two spells, one map, and two Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Decent

Pros

# Conspiracy on conspiracy action and investigation

# Combines Americana with the Mythos

# Miskatonic University connected ‘Society for the Exploration of the Unexplained’ as the Investigators’ Investigator Organisation?

# Could be used as a campaign starter

# Paranoia

# Melophobia

# Gerascophobia

Cons

# Feels like Delta Green and Need to Know

# Needs an edit

# Some elements will need developing by the Keeper

# Opportunity to interact with presidents and celebrities of the past undeveloped

Conclusion

# Great American conspiracy meets Call of Cthulhu

# Serviceable scenario which needs development to flesh out some of its encounters and details