Miskatonic Monday #251: Banker’s Folly

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: Banker’s Folly

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Nader Rabie

Setting: Jazz Age New England

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Thirty-eight page, 19.29 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: The terminally ill can be desperate, but so can the conmen.

Plot Hook: A terminally ill man goes missing. Is he dead? Is he searching for a miracle cure?

Plot Support: Staging advice, five pre-generated Investigators, five NPCs, four handouts, two floorplans, and three Occult or Mythos tomes.

Production Values: Decent

Pros

# Detailed, location-based investigation

# Simple, straightforward plot

# Easy to adapt to other time periods

# Interesting mix of pre-generated Investigators

# Written as a one-shot, but can be adapted to a campaign

# Potential addition to Lovecraft Country 

# Necrophobia

# Hemoophobia

# Tomophobia

# Anthropophagusphobia

Cons

# No map of Clifton

# Background plot strands left undeveloped

# Ends in a physical confrontation

# Ignores Prohibition

Conclusion

# Pleasingly detailed straightforward investigation

# Could be developed into a longer scenario if the unworked background plot strands are expanded