Miskatonic Monday #254: A Midsummer Night’s Darkness

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: A Midsummer Night’s Darkness

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Jane Routley

Setting: 1900s England

Product: One-shot
What You Get: Twenty-seven page, 16.27 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Suffragists, they are not for sacrificing
Plot Hook: Suffragists confront the misogynies of the Mythos!

Plot Support: Staging advice, six pre-generated Investigators, seven NPCs, and one Mythos monster.

Production Values: Decent and in the proper colours too!

Pros
# Excellent social horror

# Enjoyable period piece

# Nicely done pre-generated Investigators

# Engaging plot in which men really are beastly
# Great convention scenario

# Set-up for an Investigator organisation (and sequels?)

# Suffrajitsu!

# Dendrophobia

# Xylophobia

# Androphobia

Cons

# Needs a slight edit

# No floorplans

Conclusion

# Mild militancy takes on the Mythos!

# Fantastic period piece which shows another way to confront the Mythos