Miskatonic Monday #285: The Black Pyramid

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.

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Name: The Black Pyramid

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author Dante Harrower

Setting: Jazz Age Egypt

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Twenty-four page, full colour 2.40 MB PDF

Elevator Pitch: The Black Pharaoh will walk the land and you will be there.

Plot Hook: An archaeological dig in Egypt promises fame and fortune
Plot Support: Staging advice, six maps, eight NPCs, seven mythos spells, and six Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Okay

Pros

# Prequel to H.P. Lovecraft’s Nyarlathotep

# Atmospheric survival horror 

# Scoleciphobia

# Traumatophobia

# Aiguptosophobia

Cons

# Needs an edit

# Underwritten hook

# No handouts

# Linear

# Pre-generated Investigators would help 

# Feels like a sequel to a scenario the Investigators haven’t played

Conclusion

# Serviceable prequel to H.P. Lovecraft’s Nyarlathotep that will need teasing apart to run with ease

# Atmospheric survival horror that has its creepy moments