Miskatonic Monday #157: Annals of Flint’s Detective Agency Chapter 2: MESISTOPHELES’ MALICIOUS MILK

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.

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Name: Annals of Flint’s Detective Agency Chapter 2: MESISTOPHELES’ MALICIOUS MILK

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Mark Potter

Setting: Jazz Age Chicago
Product: Scenario

What You Get: Thirty-Four page, 1.82 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: “First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Plot Hook: Investigating a young man affected by the demon drink leads to demons!
Plot Support: Eight NPCs, six handouts, five maps, four Mythos artefacts, and three Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Variable.

Pros

# Sequel to Annals of Flint’s Detective Agency: The Case of the Stolen Golf Clubs

# Many Hobbit jokes

# Throws the Mob and the cops into the mix

# Decent investigation

# More than the Mythos involved for extra storytelling elements

# Familiar set-up and plot, but not badly done

# Selaphobia

# Dipsophobia

Cons

# Needs a strong edit

# Familiar set-up and plot, but not badly done

# Too many Hobbit and other jokes

# Maps a little too small

Conclusion

# Solid investigation at the height of Prohibition undone by too many jokes and uneven production values, and a degree of familiarity with other Prohibition-set scenarios.

# Good mix of the Mob, the Cops, plus extra storytelling elements gives some good roleplaying opportunities.