Miskatonic Monday #60: One Less Grave

 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 a 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: One Less Grave

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Allan Carey

Setting: Jazz Age Home Counties

Product: Scenario Set-up
What You Get: Twenty-five page, 46.66 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Romantics Dance to Jerusalem
Plot Hook:  The Romantics Society outing to St. Batholomew’s Church on All Hallow’s Eve becomes more than a dance...

Plot Support: Plot set-up, three period maps, three handouts, and five pre-generated Investigators.

Production Values: Clean and tidy, gorgeous maps, and clearly done pre-generated Investigators.

Pros
# Type40 one-night, one-shot set-up
# Potential convention scenario
# Solid moral climax

# Superb maps and handouts
# Pre-generated Investigators nicely fit the setting
# Easily adjustable to other periods

# Player driven, not plot driven

# Minimal set-up time

# Playable in an hour!

Cons
# Horror rather than Mythos scenario
# Pre-generated Investigators are students

# Player driven, not plot driven

# Playable in an hour!

# Investigator interaction hooks and relationships could have enhanced the tension.

Conclusion
# Great production values
# Minimal set-up time

# Underwritten Investigator relationships undermine simple, nasty plot.