Author: Keeper Doc

Cat Links Australia, MoN - Keeper

Trimming & Refining Australia

Posted on Keeper Doc

Excluded from the early releases of Masks of Nyarlathotep, the Australia chapter finally saw publication in 1996, and, in many respects, still feels slightly perfunctory and out of place. For one, it lacks the geographic constraints imposed in the other chapters and spans an entire vast continent. While the scale of the search adds to the global flavor of the campaign and helps create late-game pressure by adding in lots of travel time, it also dilutes some of the excitement.  The cursory detail provided in the relatively brief descriptions of each location lacks the flavor and drama present in other chapters.  The chapter’s true heart lies beneath the parched earth of the sparsely populated Australian

Read on…Trimming & Refining Australia

Cat Links Reviews & Picks

Heinrich’s Call of Cthulhu Guide to Carcosa – Review

Posted on Keeper Doc

Disclosure: I playtested and proofread Heinrich’s Call of Cthulhu Guide to Carcosa. I have not received any free content, payment, or remuneration for this privilege or the following review. “No, he is not vicious, nor is he in the least demented. His mind is a wonder chamber, from which he can extract treasures that you and I would give years of our life to acquire.”   -Robert W. Chambers, “The Repairer of Reputations.” Since Ambrose Bierce first introduced the ancient mysterious city in his short story “An Inhabitant of Carcosa,” the otherworldly place presided over by Robert W. Chambers’ Yellow King is oft-referenced but infrequently captured. By nature, it eludes description as those who wander

Read on…Heinrich’s Call of Cthulhu Guide to Carcosa – Review

Cat Links Keeper Tips, MoN - Keeper

The Long Run: Reboots, Retcons, and Resets

Posted on Keeper Doc

This is a follow-up to an earlier post, found here, which is spoiler-free. Be advised, the post below does contain some MoN spoilers. The Even with the best intentions and committed gaming crews, big campaigns falter. If you find yourself in such a situation and wish to continue playing, do not despair! There are potential solutions to reignite the adventure. It may not be a perfect, uninterrupted playthrough, but it’s still an amazing journey.  TPK Retcons: The history of MoN is littered with dead investigators, and TPKs account for many an arrested campaign. The introduction of Pulp Rules and modifications to the latest edition have toned down the death and destruction, but these things still

Read on…The Long Run: Reboots, Retcons, and Resets

Cat Links Keeper Tips, MoN - Keeper

The Long Run: On Getting MoN “Wrong”

Posted on Keeper Doc

“I’m going to finish this, even if it means I’m playing by myself.” -Keeper Dave (esteemed co-host of the MU Podcast) Disclaimer: This is not really an admonishment or castigation of others. In truth, it’s more of a conversation with myself. While the principal subject matter is MoN, this discussion applies to any long-form TTRPG campaign, creative project, or sustained effort.  Conventional internet wisdom cautions prospective Keepers to steer clear of MoN if they cannot guarantee dedicated time, committed players, and willingness to read the campaign at least once before launching the adventure. Being a fool, I openly refute these limiting precepts. I’ve previously suggested an alternative to the prescribed cover-to-cover study, so I will

Read on…The Long Run: On Getting MoN “Wrong”

Cat Links Reviews & Picks

Keeper Doc’s Top 5 Cthulhu-ween Picks

Posted on Keeper Doc

So I missed getting this list of Halloween scenario picks out in time for the holiday. Am I distressed? Not in the least. First, there’s no bad time of year to play a Halloween-themed scenario. Second, in right around 11 months’ time, there will be blood-thirsty Keepers querying social media about the best one-shots for Halloween. And here we are. Waiting for you. In the dark. With some opinions. I will offer up five top picks, including some classics, a couple of Miskatonic Repository gems, and a phenomenal Delta Green recommendation.  To wrap things up, I’ll toss out some honorable mentions, as well as an out-of-print solo adventure. What I’m not going to talk about

Read on…Keeper Doc’s Top 5 Cthulhu-ween Picks

Cat Links Keeper Tips

Running “The Dare” – Some Tricks and Treats

Posted on Keeper Doc

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR “THE DARE” BELOW! As the leaves begin to change and the smell of apple cider and pumpkin spice waft through the air, many a Keeper commence their annual search for an excellent adventure to capture the Halloween spirit. Surprisingly, Chaosium offers no dedicated Halloween Call of Cthulhu scenario for the 7th edition. For our seasonal scares, we must turn to third-party supplements, out-of-print modules, the Miskatonic Repository, and alternative systems for dedicated selections. In this post, we intend to spotlight our second favorite Halloween adventure while offering some constructive analysis and posing suggestions to optimize the experience for your players. If you’ve already played “The Dare,” you can look forward to a follow-up

Read on…Running “The Dare” – Some Tricks and Treats

Cat Links China, MoN - Keeper, Tomes

Mythos Tomes – True Magick

Posted on Keeper Doc

Location:  Stored in Ho Fang’s booby-trapped teak cabinet in the Shrine to the Bloated Woman (China) Alternative Location: On the desk in Carl Stanford’s room (China) Physical Description:  Bound in fine red Chinese silks depicting various Mythos creatures and symbols Author:  Theophilus Wenn, 17th-century Hermetic philosopher, produced no additional works believed to be a pseudonym, possibly Arthur Dee (eldest son of John Dee) or Elias Ashmole Publication History: Only a single copy exists, last recorded in the possession of the early 19th-century bookseller and American wizard John George Hohman. Records reveal it seemed to be a small and crumbling manuscript bound in disintegrating leather. According to scholars, medieval records from the University of Salamanca detail

Read on…Mythos Tomes – True Magick

Cat Links England, MoN - Keeper

Adding “The Vanishing Conjurer” to Your Campaign

Posted on Keeper Doc

Warning: Vanishing Conjurer Spoilers Below Presented as an introductory-level investigation, The Vanishing Conjurer is suggested as an “intermission” in the Masks of Nyarlathotep campaign during the England Chapter. The Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion also notes it as a suitable sidetrack adventure. We thoroughly enjoyed this scenario as a one-shot featuring a stage magic act, but we also incorporated elements and easter eggs tying it to our larger Masks of Nyarlathotep campaign. In particular, we used it as an opportunity to introduce our players to both Mickey Mahoney and Carl Stanford, as well as foreshadow the importance of the Order of the Bloated Woman. In this post, we share our experience in running this scenario as

Read on…Adding “The Vanishing Conjurer” to Your Campaign

Cat Links England, Keeper Tips, MoN - Keeper

Scenario Remix – The Vanishing Conjurer

Posted on Keeper Doc

    WARNING: Vanishing Conjurer Spoilers Below Stage magic and the Cthulhu Mythos pair beautifully. Lovecraft himself collaborated and ghostwrote for Harry Houdini. Over the decades, several scenarios have capitalized on this thematic association, including the two-pack of adventures from Games Workshop published in 1986 featuring The Statue of the Sorcerer and The Vanishing Conjurer. Other notables include The House of Memphis in Mansions of Madness, volume 1, and Miskatonic Repository offerings, Death is the Final Escape and The Maw. Of these, our personal favorite is The Vanishing Conjurer by Mike Lewis and Simon Price, which features evocative cover art by Lee Gibbons, a promising hook, and a novel roleplaying opportunity baked into the scenario. As

Read on…Scenario Remix – The Vanishing Conjurer

Cat Links Conventions

Survive the Con – Origins 2023

Posted on Keeper Doc

Origins became an annual pilgrimage for me starting in 2019. It feels like a dozen lifetimes have passed since my friend Augur and I enjoyed an assortment of games. Some standouts included Survive the Night’s “Carnage at Camp Ojibwe” with its creator Brian Crenshaw and the now classic Call of Cthulhu con scenario “The Shooting Party” with Matt French. These were the days of yore in the Rogue Cthulhu era, pre-COVID, back before I gave in to the Keeper’s compulsion…back when I actually went to cons and played games. My experiences with conventions and gaming have evolved substantially over the last several years, and this trip to Origins nicely encapsulates those shifts.  Though I wish

Read on…Survive the Con – Origins 2023