Miskatonic Monday #278: The Viscount Who Left Me

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 Viscount Who Left Me

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: Z.V. Cretney

Setting: Regency-era Bath

Product: Scenario for Regency Cthulhu: Dark Designs in Jane Austen’s England
What You Get: Fifty-two page, 52.14 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: ‘Gone Groom’ (not by Gillian Flynn)

Plot Hook: The groom has gone, can the bridesmaids save the day?

Plot Support: Staging advice, six pre-generated Bridesmaids, ten NPCs, thirteen handouts, one Occult tome, one occult spell, and one occult monster.

Production Values: Excellent

Pros

# You get to play Regency bridesmaids!

# Regency folkloric horror one-shot

# Highly detailed scenario

# Detailed Investigators

# Nicely done handouts

# Great title

# The bridesmaids need to return

# Ornithophobia

# Hemophobia

# Anthropophobia

Cons

# Bridesmaids may need a pointer or two get the investigation started

Conclusion

# Connection between set-up and first investigative steps undeveloped, but otherwise another good one-shot for Regency Cthulhu: Dark Designs in Jane Austen’s England

# Richly detailed post-wedding Regency weirdness whose bridesmaids deserve a sequel