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News and Material related to Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu RPG

[Scenario] The Stench of an Open Grave – Updated to V1.1

Something rots in the heart of Somerset… and where old traditions met new, death is the only outcome…

The Stench of an Open Grave is a short adventure designed to introduce a small group of players to the atmosphere and intrigue of Cthulhu Dark Ages 3rd Edition for the first time. Ideal also for Keepers looking to run a dark – yet simple – mystery set in the early Middle Ages, it gives you everything you need (including three pregenerated characters – created specifically for the scenario) to bring this world – and its horrors – to life.

—- Buy this scenario on DriveThruRPG.com —-

Updated to version 1.1 November 2024 – 

With ‘Stench’ successfully reaching Copper status at DrivethruRPG, I thought it was high time that this scenario got a good edit and update. While none of the content has been altered for this version, the text has been tidied up in places and should have far fewer spelling and grammar errors (sorry about that!). I have also done a bit of tinkering with the fonts and styles to align the document with my next planned Cthulhu Dark Ages adventure set around Glastingberi Abbey (no date as yet for a release).

Should you buy this scenario?

This scenario was created with the express purpose of introducing new players to Cthulhu Dark Ages and as such presents what I hope is a simple, almost linear, mystery for them to explore. With this audience in mind, ‘Stench’ attempts to downplay the more fantastical elements that can sometimes seep into Dark Ages games and instead tries to bring to life the culture and experience of living in the Early Middle Ages. Of course, this may mean more experienced role-players (especially those well versed in the Dark Ages) might find the story a little too simplistic for their tastes, but nevertheless I would still like to think that you ‘hold in your hand’ a well thought out, fun scenario; one that can give a good night or two’s entertainment for any fan of the Cthulhu Mythos.

After much effort and time Stench of an Open Grave (for Cthulhu Dark Ages 3rd Edition) is now available up on Drive Thru RPG for sale (my first non ‘pay-what-you-want’ offering).

You can get it here for just $6.00 US. I’m hoping – if this sells well – it might break the shackles and motivate me to produce some of the myriad of other Call of Cthulhu scenarios (and campaigns) I have floating around on my various drives.

[Personal Reflection] Dark Conspiracy & Call of Cthulhu

“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.”
– John Dewey

It probably goes without saying that I’ve always been a fan of Dave Chapman’s work as an RPG designer (umm… see the Conspiracy X material here on this site for ongoing evidence) and as such I’m an avid follower of his blog. In 2020 he completed a series of posts called [Roll Your Own Life] The Games That Shaped Me that looked at the Role Playing Games that influenced and guided him in his writing and personal life. These brief snippets are fascinating, and they’ve inspired me to do the same, although maybe a little more critically.

So without further ado … unashamedly stolen (with permission) … this is “Games That Shaped Me”.

Projects Update – March 2016

Prompted by a post over at Yog-sothoth.com (after I mentioned that I’d updated the site with a new theme) I thought I’d create a brief overview of the status of all the projects I’ve previously mentioned here (or elsewhere). Please note that, as with everyone when they get older, I do not have the free time I once had for elective writing, with work, family and other commitments often getting in the way.

On top of which, Call of Cthulhu no longer quite has the appeal it once did. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the themes and stylings of lovecraftian horror, but 7th edition has left me feeling a bit empty in regards to the direction of the game. Please note that I respect everything Rick and his team are doing over at Chaosium, but this new vision of Call of Cthulhu ain’t my Call of Cthulhu.

[Against the Flame] Roadblocks and U-Turns

Progress continues a-pace with Against the Flame, and there is now less than a month before its first play test. The last few weeks have been an interesting one  for me as an author, with whole chapters of the narrative having been removed, only to be returned once it was realised that they could be accomodated.

Thankfully thse types of decisions are made easier with the help of two Call of Cthulhu stalwarts (regulars over on YSDC.com) with whom I’ve been corresponding. Just having these fine gentlemen to bounce ideas off of, and the opportunity to reflect on their opinions makes this project all the more exciting!

 

[Against the Flame] Visualising the Story

While, as with Monophobia, I plan on releasing Against the Flame for free via this site, it doesn’t mean that the campaign can’t have good design and art work. I have really ‘lucked out’ finding Domagoj Rapcak to help realise some of the key scenes from the plot.

Here is the first he’s completed for the project, a scene from early in the story, titled ‘A Curious Stranger‘.

graveyard-final

 

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