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.

I hide spoiler sections with JavaScript. If you have JavaScript turned off, you can skip the spoiler sections I have marked.

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.