Miskatonic Monday #275: The Schoolmarm’s Ghost

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 Schoolmarm’s Ghost

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Andy Miller

Setting: Oregon, 1877

Product: One-on-one scenario for Down Darker Trails: Terrors of the Mythos
What You Get: Fifty-eight page, 23.36 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Ghost, but in the Beaver State

Plot Hook: An inheritance and a haunting points to...?
Plot Support: Staging advice, one pre-generated Investigator, eight NPCs, sixteen handouts and images, seven maps and floorplans, three Mythos tomes, and two Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Decent.

Pros

# Scenario for Down Darker Trails: Terrors of the Mythos

# Scenario for one player and her Keeper

# Good introduction to both Call of Cthulhu and Down Darker Trails
# Probably the best conversion notes in the world
# Richly detailed investigation

# Extensive notes included

# Phasmophobia

# Osmophobia

# Androphobia

Cons

# Needs a slight edit

# Scenario hook is a Call of Cthulhu cliché

Conclusion

# Excellent, easily adapted introduction for one player and her Keeper

# Takes a hoary old cliché and turns it into a richly detailed and thoroughly enjoyable investigation in the Old West