Miskatonic Monday #241: Trouble in Pinewood

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: Trouble in Pinewood

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Tineke Bolleman

Setting: Jazz Age Massachusetts

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Fourteen page, 14.42 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: What hunts the night on Cape Cod? Bigfoot?

Plot Hook: When two men are abducted in bloody circumstances, someone has to investigate.
Plot Support: Staging advice, two NPCs, one map, and one Mythos creature.

Production Values: Adequate

Pros

# Short, introductory scenario

# Easy to adapt to other time periods and places

# Suitable for a small number of Investigators

# Solid discussion of the possible outcomes and their ramifications

# Leaves room for development in places

# Speluncaphobia

# Teraphobia

# Carnaphobia

Cons

# Needs a stronger hook to get the Investigators there and involved

# No map of Pinewood given

# No map of the caves given

# Leaves room for development in places

# More physical than investigative

Conclusion

# Involves combat and physical investigation rather than traditional newspapers and wills

# Very straightforward, likeable, easy-to-prepare introductory scenario