Miskatonic Monday #65: Tales From Ye Dusty Olde Crap Shoppe

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: Tales From Ye Dusty Olde Crap Shoppe
Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: James Thompson

Setting: Modern Day

Product: Hunt & Chase Scenario
What You Get: Eighty page, 32.46 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Sometimes the shelves hold scares as well as books... and the book hunters become the hunted.

Plot Hook: Lost books, lost customers, just how far back do these shelves go?

Plot Support: Six plots or hooks, location description, two optional encounters, eleven maps, nineteen handouts, nine NPC statistics and illustrations, three monster statistics and illustrations, six pre-generated Investigators, and staging advice.

Production Values: Good.

Pros
# Superbly disquieting book illustrations

# Multiple, easy-to-combine plots and hooks

# Straightforward plotting for all six plots

# Potential introductory scenario or one-shot

# Excellent artwork throughout

# Delightfully dreary location

# Entertainingly weird cast of NPCs for the Keeper to roleplay

# Potential, unknowing entrance to the Great Library of Celaeno
# Potential introduction to The Yellow King 

# Could be adapted to The Yellow King Roleplaying Game

# Could be adapted to Bookhounds of London
# Fourteen Weird Book Covers to Alarm Your Investigators

# Squinty Crumpet

Cons
# Using some plots or hooks, may preclude a return visit to the location and scenario reuse
# Pre-generated Investigators not illustrated

# Straightforward plotting for all six plots

# Terrible title

# Squinty Crumpet

Conclusion

# Superbly disquieting book illustrations

# Multiple, easy-to-combine plots and hooks

# Terrible title

# Fourteen Weird Book Covers to Alarm Your Investigators

# Squinty Crumpet