Sunday, October 06, 2024

Morgan's Miskatonic Repository Con 2024 Excellent Adventures


Another free online convention. This one focused on Call of Cthulhu 7e scenarios in the Miskatonic Repository (3rd party written scenarios). Scenario authors (and others) can run scenarios from the Miskatonic Repository or play tests of scenarios.

This year, every GM I played with was the author of their scenario. Overall, a good convention. More good games than bad. And the quality of the good games more than compensated for the bad games.

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10/4/24 Fri 11am-3pm (4 hrs)

Bound by Blood (Playtest)
System: CoC
GM: Nellufy
3 Players: David J (Marisigan - Field Guide working for Dr Schneider), Denice K (Father Antanacio Jr), Morgan Hua (Dr Schneider - German Ethnologist)
Content Warnings: Cannibalism
Pregens are provided

This scenario takes place in 1911 Philippines. It has been under American Rule for 13 years.

Strange happenings have been taking place up north. A report came in the San Fernando Constabulary that a headless corpse has been found outside of Luka Village and accused is on the run.

The PCs were designed for the scenario and had fairly detailed backstories.

I enjoyed this scenario. It's great to play a game with only 3 Players. We get lots of screen time.




10/4/24 Fri 4-8pm (4 hrs)

The Wolf Trap
System: CoC
GM: Chris McCutcheon
6 Players: Robert F (Capt Carpenter), Benjamin S (Mrs Daria Walmsley - socialite), Moran T (Father Filbert Mason Esq), Walter M (Holly Hoyle - muscle), Kevin K (Dr Etsuko Hoshi - doctor), Morgan Hua (First Mate Enzo Pimintel)

Chesapeake Bay, 2 April 1896, The schooner 'Caroline' is southbound with passengers, mail & cargo, when a wicked gale kicks up. With the bay growing ever angrier the Captain steers towards Wolf Trap Light; a tiny, hazy & so very distant beacon of hope glinting dimly off their port bow. The desperate plan is to make for the lighthouse in the middle of the bay, hoping to lash to the stormproof structure & ride out nature's fury. Only ten minutes more & they'll be able to safely ride out the storm.

The issue is that I've played a number of games with the same premise. Another issue was this played out like a radio play, I basically listened as the GM told us a story. Not enough Player choices or Player agency. There were too many individual vignettes where PCs didn't interact with each other and the GM just round robined through the PCs. This happened multiple times.

GM did tell us that this scenario was squeezed into a 4 hour slot. Various things were removed (less exploring), and events condensed. So, maybe if this scenario had more space to breathe, it would have played out better.




10/5/24 Sat 11am-3pm (4 hrs)

System: CoC
GM: David Melville - Keeper Doc
4 Players: Bud B (Curt Kendrick - Ad Exec), Robert F (Ted Brantly - Contractor / Outdoorsman), Jo S (Donny Shows - Talent Agent), Morgan Hua (Larry Frippe - Insurance Salesman)

Summer 1972, Washington State. A group of old friends reunite for a weekend rafting trip in the Olympic National Forest. Their whitewater journey down the Lost River in the shadow of Mt. Mystery unearths terrible, subterranean secrets hidden within themselves and the primeval wilderness. Warning: body horror, child endangerment, PvP.

Each PC had a "Dark Secret" card which added a lot to the roleplaying. If the PC did a specific Act, they would get a Reward (3 possible awards, one use), so doing the Act 3 times gives you all 3 Rewards that you can use only once. The Rewards are pretty powerful rule breakers.

An incredible table of Players and great GM who wrote this scenario. My favorite game at this convention. Premium character interactions. Everyone was present in their character and I felt everyone was very real with their actions.




10/5/24 Sat 4-8pm (4 hrs)

System: CoC
GM: David Waldron
5 Players: J D (Merton Campbell - Doctor), Xiao W (Selene Laurent - Entertainer), Robert F (Ming Yuet - Gunslinger), Morgan Hua (Bill O'Reilly - Miner)

From ENNIE award winning Miskatonic Repository writer David Waldron. The Demon of the Deep Leads Amidst the lawlessness and turmoil of the Eureka Rebellion, a young First Nations woman of the Jardwadjali people searches desperately for her missing brother. As bushrangers stalk the innocent and rebels prepare for a bloody clash under the Southern Cross, something far more terrifying stirs in the depths below—an ancient creature with an insatiable hunger for human flesh.

Game is set in 1854 Ballarat, Australia. GM had deep knowledge about the peoples and places. Had lots of historical paintings and drawings, and real events melded into the scenario.

We had an ok table of Players and we made the mistake of skipping half of the investigation and jumped to the Big Bad at the end. We finished 2 hours early and wound up talking about the scenario and Australian history for 30 mins. So, the scenario wasn't as satisfying as it should have been.

Overall, I think if this was run over several sessions and with some work by the GM to massage the scenario a little, the game would be better. The historical content and setting makes getting this scenario well worthwhile.




10/6/24 Sun 11am-3pm (4 hrs)

System: CoC
GM: Michael Reid
4 Players: Anne K (Mukai Kotori - Office Worker - vocalist), Gwen H (Kano Hoshiko - Pianist), Denice K (Kawashima Ru - Doctor - harp), Morgan Hua (Nakaoka Shintarō - Guard - taiko)

Modern Day Japan, Tokyo Investigators attending the "Hills Music Festa," a music festival held in Roppongi, Tokyo, face off against a strange phenomenon swirling behind the event. Do Gods Dream of Digital Drugs focuses on music and AI, taking place in the modern metropolis of Tokyo.

Written by Byoushin, from the scenario collection 'Japonism 2024' Pregens provided, all experience levels welcome. Content Warning: Self-harm.

Michael Reid isn't the original writer, but he did the official translation from the original Japanese. GM created pregens for us because the published scenario did not provide any.

I played in Unseasonable Blooming and Minuet last year, so I was really looking forward to playing in this. I was not disappointed.

We had a great table of players and the GM delivered again. This came in as a close second to being my favorite game at the convention. It's all the character interactions and a good mystery that made this a great game.




Thursday, September 12, 2024

Vaesen: A Wicked Secret and Other Mysteries - Review


This 112 page book (including endpapers and such) consists of 4 unrelated scenarios. No pre-gens are provided.

On the maps for each scenario, I've circled Upsala in green as a reference point. Red is the destination.

I really enjoyed all 4 scenarios. If run correctly, with some GM inspiration, all 4 scenarios can be really, really good.

Ranked in order of preference:
1. The Night Sow
2. The Silver of the Sea
3. A Wicked Secret
4. The Song of the Falling Star

Most of my sessions are 3 hours long. Different groups take different times, but my run times are here for comparison purposes. At conventions, I generally book a 6 hour time slot which includes time for explaining the system and a break for food.

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The Silver of the Sea
Location: Fjällbacka Archipelago
Pages: 22
Run Time: 3 sessions
Hook: A dead priest washes up ashore with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Another priest suspects foul play at Wrecker Isle.






A Wicked Secret
Location: Färnsta
Pages: 32
Run Time: 2 sessions
Hook: An industrialist sent two trusted men to Färnsta to buy forestry land. One came back raving mad, the other is missing. The ravings sounded like Society business. Can the Society look into this for a handsome fee?





The Night Sow
Location: Mölle
Pages: 18
Run Time: 2 sessions (ran this twice, both times took 2 sessions).
Hook: A friend asks for help at the Mölle Seaside Hotel. The problem is a secret that can't be revealed until you show up.






The Song of the Falling Star
Location: Arensburg on the island of Oesel
Pages: 16
Run Time: 1 session
Hook: A cousin's wife has gone insane and a priest says his newborn son is under an evil influence.




Sunday, September 08, 2024

Morgan's VaesenCon 2024 Excellent Adventures


All Vaesen RPG, all the time.

I got into two games and then two seats opened up on waitlists, so I got into 4 games. 3 of the 4 games were run by Nellufy. So, this was really more of a NellCon for me.

Lots of different and new settings for Vaesen. I love that a lot of independent scenario writers are writing scenarios based on new locations and its local folklore.

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Thurs Sept 5, 5-9pm (4 hrs)

The Weeping Woods
GM: Nellufy [Nell]
4 Players: imaginationascendant (John Hall - Hunter), nova.nix (Sister Catherine Cohle - Nun), apontious [Andrew] (Ezra O'Connor - Vagabond), Morgan Hua (Remy Ledoux - Academic)
Pre-gens provided
Content Warnings: Body Mutilation, Racism

September 1884 Elias, Texas. The small farming town of Elias has been plagued with mysterious deaths. Edward Tuttle, the mayor, has been sending telegraph messages throughout Texas, Louisiana, the Oklahoma and Indian Territory for help hoping someone would come. Word spread that the town is cursed. Men turn up dead in the woods they say. Their corpses mangled within the branches of the trees. No one has stepped foot in Elias for 3 weeks until now. An odd band of people has just entered the small town of Elias. They associate themselves with “The Society” and they are here to help.

Yeehaw! We're in Texas with guns! A nice use of a new setting and lore for the wild, wild west.




Fri Sept 6, 11am-3pm (4 hrs)

A Town Called Nyvik
GM: Nellufy [Nell]
4 Players: cliodnaconnoree [Clio] (Klas Kvistad - Occultist) , mikc0666 [Mik] (Maud Magnusdottir - Writer), severin.fall [Severin] (Saga - Occultist), Morgan Hua (Anders Baltasar - Servant)
No pre-gens.
Content Warnings: Body Horror

A plea for help has arrived in Castle Gllyencreutz. It is a plea from a Pastor from a small town called Nyvik. There isn't much about this town only that it is a small fishing town along the Swedish coastline. The Pastor says in the letter that a mysterious plague has struck this town and it has been hard to control his flock. He hopes that the Order of Artemis can send help and salvation in his time of need.

I really enjoyed this game. It was very touching emotionally.

Of the 3 Nell scenarios I played in, this one had the best story beats and complicated conflicts. So, I'd say this was the better scenario of the 3.




Fri Sept 6, 5-9pm (4 hrs)

The Gate of Izanami
GM: Thomas B (gmendlessgame)
5 Players (1 empty seat): codenameage [Age] (Akira - Policeman), wishmoon.5335 (Ryuu - Officer), penny676 [Martin] (Yoshiaki - Doctor), Morgan Hua (Taro - Professor)
Pre-gens provided
Content Warnings: none

In the Mountains of Shimane Prefecture lies the Higashiizumo a town that lies beside the gate to Yomi, the land of the dead. Mysterious deaths have occurred in the prefecture recently, ones driven by violence. The local Shrine Maiden, knowledgeable of such things has reached out to the Daisan No Me for assistance. Can you help solve the mystery before more deaths occur. Set in Meji Japan after the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, this adventure makes use of the Community content released under Ukiyo-E you need none of this to participate in the game. Characters will be provided.

Another new setting and lore. I always enjoy a good Japanese game due to the social niceties and nuanced interactions (and breaking them when required). A fun game.




Sat Sept 7, 5-9pm (4 hrs)

It's Waiting
GM: Nellufy [Nell]
3 Players: wanderingwanderer.1887 [Joel] (Thomas Lester - Detective), Ross1stlevelDM (David Copper-Bottom - Writer), Morgan (Molly Sullivan - Occultist)
Pre-gens provided
Content Warnings: Grief, Loss of a Child

The members of the Society in Boston have found themselves summoned by a concerned family member from the small humble town of Fallen Oak that is nestled in the forests of Maine. The concerned family member mentioned that his sister has been found blind and is mad with hysteria. No one in the town wants to help her. When they arrive at Fallen Oak, the sacred holiday of Samhain is in full swing. 

Another new setting, but some popular lore with a new twist on it.

This was my personal favorite game because we had only 3 Players, so we had more screen time per Player. The Players were also excellent which made this a great experience.

Nell is going to rename this scenario to "The Fires of Samhain." (my suggestion after she said she wanted a new title).




Sunday, August 04, 2024

Morgan's Pelicon 2024 Adventures


All GUMSHOE all the time.

This online convention limited you to 3 games per person and only lifted the restriction closer to when the convention started. The only issue is that games started exactly after another one ended without a gap, so there was no way I was going to signup for back-to-back games, instead I signed up for games on different days. In my second game, one of the players had to leave for another game and missed 10 mins of the ending (we ran slightly over time).

There were a lot of dropouts and adds. In my first game, it was originally full, then multiple people dropped out and added and we wound up one Player short.

Overall, the games highlighted why Gumshoe is great for investigative games.

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Fri Aug 2, 2-6pm (4 hrs)

A Suffolk Haunting
System: Casting the Runes
GM: CJ Romer
4 of 5 Players: Morgan Hua (Lady Prudence Whitterly), Kitty (Jemima Greene, librarian), Shannon L (Daisy Blenkinsop, schoolmistress), Philip K (Tom Garrick, photographer)

It's the heatwave of 1904 and as temperatures soar the St Edmundsbury Ghost Society set up out to solve the mysterious haunting of the Sicklesmere Eagle; soon they will have more than heat to contend with...

Beginners welcome. Age 13 and above.

This was a lot of fun.

The GM told us that he's a local of the area and wrote a book on Suffolk hauntings and all the ghost stories he told us were true accountings. It was clear from his descriptions and the pictures he showed us that he had a real love of the area.




Sat, Aug 3 10am-2pm (4 hrs)

Dying in the Name
System: The Esoterrorists
GM: Steve Dempsey
5 Players: Morgan Hua (Alex Sumerset, TV Producer/CIA), Theo R (Walter Smith, Olympic Marathon Runner), Dave S (Sam Prekowski, SWAT), Deathmetalbard (Buzz Bazoli, ex-gangster), George S (Andy Widecombe, FBI forensics)

The Black Metal band GoreShrine all died supposedly in a plane crash whilst on tour in the Mid-West before recording any albums. Their bootlegs recordings have become pretty popular on Torrent sites, in particular Dread > Dead and Tear Down the Cathedral. However some new tracks have surfaced, and these have studio sound quality. Your organisation, Ordo Veritatis suspects these might be related to a spate of teen deaths and whilst the techies keep taking down the tracks from the internet, the team must find the source of the problem before it goes viral.

Pre-gens available, suitable for beginners, adult themes, 18+

I enjoyed the scenario. One Player, yeah that one guy, had all these weird approaches to things and there was a bit of over thinking without enough information. We should really go to a location and take a look-see before making weird assumptions. We spent too much time talking about what to do vs just doing.




Sun, Aug 4 2-6pm (4 hrs)

On a Bank, by Moonlight
System: The Fall of Delta Green
GM: Zack H.
5 Players: Morgan Hua (Daniel Blackburn, FBI Special Agent), Lorraine D (Celia Taka, Archivist), Marcy (Virginia Fortini, Dept Vet Affairs Surgeon), SeanH (Dana Palmer, Treasury Dept Investigator), Toby B (Pete Bluestone, USMC Master Gunnery Sgt)

Two people in the small town of Milltown, NY die on the same night. One was a tragic car accident; the other, shot in self-defence by the police. Both were members of the same commune of hippies and drop-outs that’s taken over a farm just outside town.

1968. Police reports contain references to chanting. To carven idols. To strange ceremonies by moonlight.

As Agents of DELTA GREEN, a top-secret branch of the US Government, your mission is to investigate those deaths, find out the truth – and take whatever action is necessary to eradicate any unnatural influence. When your predecessors raided Innsmouth in 1928, DELTA GREEN saw what the unnatural can do if it takes root in America.

It cannot be allowed to happen again.

Pre-gens/CW TBD/Beginners welcome

Age 18 and above.

This scenario totally leveraged the 1960s setting.

Lots of investigation which I love. And we had a really good table of Players. Of the 3 games, this one had the best pacing and party cohesiveness.