Miskatonic Monday #180: The Tunnels Under Temple Meads

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: The Tunnels Under Temple Meads

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Peter Willington

Setting: Jazz Age Bristol, United Kingdom
Product: Scenario

What You Get: Eighteen page, 2.59 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Hell is being hunted for reasons unknown...

Plot Hook: The Investigator must find out who he is and why he is there.

Plot Support: Two NPCs, four handouts, and three maps.

Production Values: Plain.

Pros

# One-to-one format more engaging

# Good staging advice for the Keeper

# Short, one-session, one-to-one scenario

# Strong sense of personal horror

# Memories recovered via actions and exploration

# Could be run player versus player with more players

# Potential campaign starter for one Investigator
# Different setting in Temple Meads railway station

# Nyctophobia

# Diokophobia

# Paranoia

Cons

# No background beyond the scenario

# No advice for continuing the scenario

# No Sanity rewards

# No Sanity losses

# Combat-focused scenario

Conclusion

# Short, one player, one Keeper amnesia-to-memory hunt as the Investigator is thrown into a hunting ground in a railway station. 

# Potential introduction for an Investigator to a campaign, but no advice or background for that.