Miskatonic Monday #222: The Pursuit

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 Pursuit

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Cameron Hays

Setting: Regency-era mid-Atlantic

Product: Scenario for In Strange Seas: Horror in the Royal Navy for Regency Cthulhu and Regency Cthulhu: Dark Designs in Jane Austen’s England
What You Get: Eighteen page, 5.42 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Sometimes the pressganged are worse than the dregs society has to offer... 

Plot Hook: Rounding the Horn to avoid danger is definitely going to make things worse.
Plot Support: Staging advice, six pre-generated Investigators, two NPCs (plus more), and two handouts.

Production Values: Decent

Pros

# Close knit, closed-world investigation as the Investigators sail into danger

# Potential for inter-party conflict

# Solid advice on investigative paths

# Agoraphobia

# Pagophobia

# Hemophobia

Cons

# Cult leader’s Sanity is impossible

Conclusion

# Solid sea-going one-shot for In Strange Seas

# Enjoyable emphasis on human monsters rather than the Mythos as Investigators must navigate a society a world away from Regency England.