Miskatonic Monday #260: Stars Over Siberia

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: Stars Over Siberia

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Rjurik Davidson

Setting: 1920s Soviet Union

Product: One shot
What You Get: Sixty-two page, 10.91 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: The horror of the Soviet Union lies within and without

Plot Hook: Will a Scientific discovery be for the Soviet Union or Stalin?

Plot Support: Staging advice, four pre-generated Investigators, eight handouts, one new spell, and one new Mythos creature.

Production Values: Untidy

Pros

# Engaging atmosphere of political uncertainty

# Strong sense of history

# Brilliant colours, but not a Colour Out of Space

# Paranoia

# Metathesiophobia

# Paranoia

Cons

# Needs an edit

# Could have been better organised

# Not a Colour Out of Space, but like a Colour Out of Space?

# Does every Soviet-era scenario always have to involve things falling from the sky?

Conclusion

# Untidy, but atmospheric allegory of Stalinist crystallisation

# Reveals the horror of Stalinist Russia