• Bride of Halloween Horror: Nine Dread Encounters on All-Hallows Eve

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    Authors: Sarah Newton et al.
    Art: Divers Hands
    Publisher: Chaosium Inc. MULA Monograph 0364, October 2008.

    Review by: malcojones
    Bride of Halloween Horror monograph cover.
    This monograph is a collection of nine unconnected scenarios by nine different authors all entered in the 2008 Halloween Horror contest. As such (and as implied by the title) it is one of a series and therefore it is unlike the usual monograph in that Chaosium have clearly undertaken some editorial role in the selection of scenarios, their arrangement in the book and in the choices of illustration. The editorial work remains anonymous, however, and there are signs of the project being rushed through for Halloween with typos throughout and the lack of maps in most of the scenarios.

    I'll deal with the scenarios individually below in enough detail that there will probably be spoilers, but this paragraph gives a general overview. Halloween is the linking theme but the scenarios span a wide variety of settings including a fantasy future, Cthulhu Invictus, Cthulhu Dark Ages and, mainly, the present taking us to Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin as well as unspecified generic mid-West USA, the UK and Japan. The focus on the contemporary is logical for horror stories, as authorities such as M.R. James and (following James) Sandy Peterson have argued. This means that, despite the number of scenarios, this collection neglects Classic 1920s and Gaslight periods. Obviously, Chaosium can't determine what is submitted to their competition, but some editorial comment in an introduction or in the blurb would help potential purchasers evaluate the product. Instead, what we get as blurb is nothing but cunningly tweaked flavour text from the first scenario.

    The Beloved Dead by Sarah Newton
    Spoiler:
    In many ways this scenario is a plug for the author's Chronicles of Future Earth BRP campaign setting. For me, this is a problem since it can't really be played without that book: Page 5 describes races that the PCS may be from but no character creation information is supplied. Reading between the lines, Chronicles of Future Earth isn't science fiction but D'n'D-style fantasy centred on a recogniseable human society with alternative words for things we know (there is a glossary). The scenario offers up the nicely mapped village of Mormoth which is full of unstatted characters who may lead the PCs past a number of dead ends to BRP statted encounters with 'The Chelarch', servant and dogs, a ghost and, eventually, a lich on a nicely mapped island. The most intriguing potential investigation here is whether it was Chaosium or the author who thought this would be a viable and appropriate scenario for a Halloween Horror competition. I don't agree and think the effort to make it work would be wasted since it will never be a genuine Halloween encounter and the fantasy setting is unconducive to horror.


    Cain's Clan by Ed McLinn
    Spoiler:
    This scenario begins unpromisingly with a description of an Indian brave fighting Nyogtha. It sets up a contemporary dilemma in which the PCs are consultants helping the local police deal with the prospect of a 4th year of Halloween night murders. It turns out that a resident has been contaminated by a severed part of Nyogtha, though why it only compels them to kill at Halloween isn't really explained. Nevertheless, the scenario is as plausible as many contemporary horror films. I rather liked the sinister sub-plots with another, unexpected, contaminated victim and the contaminated wildlife in the forest. Overall, though, I don’t see any solution offered unless the PCs arrive very heavily armed. A lethal contemporary CoC scenario might, however, be just what you need for Halloween, even without maps.


    A Chill Down Your Spine by Harris Burkhalter
    Spoiler:
    Set in the self-proclaimed Halloween Capital of the World in Minnesota and keyed to an actual Halloween blizzard from 1991 this is a well-grounded and interesting scenario with the strongest HPL elements in the collection, including a Dreamlands-based threat and marauding nightgaunts. The hook is a missing person and investigators are involved by their membership of a local historical society. No maps again, but there are 5 decent handouts (though the handwritten ones show signs of scanning resolution problems) and a list of resources and help on Yog-Sothoth.com!



    The Dragon and the Wolf by John W. Thompson
    Spoiler:
    Set in (unmapped) Wroxeter during the (Cthulhu) Dark Ages this scenario has the PCs as wolf-hunters who will find a sorceror, a werewolf and a dragon (of sorts) during their investigation. Like the first scenario this one has a strong D'n'D vibe, but is much grittier and realistic. The role-playing challenge is to trust instincts and find the real villain before things go badly wrong and Nyarlathotep gets involved, potentially initiating a really horrific and bleak outcome.


    Earth: Rest Stop, Body Shop by John D. Kennedy
    Spoiler:
    In contemporary Michigan an unpronounceable alien that uses organic technology has established itself near an outlying settlement and gained a human collaborator who has virtually taken over the town. This scenario has been done better or at least with much better resources (see Worlds of Cthulhu 6), but this is a pulpy Hollywood-friendly scenario. The final combat crawl to put an end to the threat is something that movie characters (rather than sane investigators) might feel motivated to do.


    Longa Obscuritas by Oscar Rios
    Spoiler:
    A British-set, Cthulhu Invictus scenario by Invictus campaign writer Oscar Rios and MRP stalwart probably sells itself. It’s well-structured and offers a convincing Romano-British setting. Though I've seen a few too many variations on 'the little people' recently, they're well done here and the scenario offers a number of interesting resolutions. I particularly like the serpent men ruins to be found in the woods, even though their "geographical" shapes should have been "geometrical". No maps.


    Jubai Kadain by Simon Yee
    Spoiler:
    This scenario uses the Secrets of Japan setting to plausibly place the PCs (whether familiar with the setting or not) at an occidental party in a university annexe and pitch them into the realm of J-horror. Though there are lots of references to the sourcebook everything necessary is included here. In fact, there are rather too many monster options, with profusion likely to confuse the investigators, but it is clear that the GM can mix and match in whatever way is effective. Both maps and flavour illustrations are provided – it can be done!


    Revenge of the Hei People by Nick Davison
    Spoiler:
    Set in Chatham/Medway, UK in 2007 this scenario has a British horror film crew hunted by scarecrows and their more powerful 'king'. The PCs are statted here and the actor characters are given imdb.com style pages full of fun postmodern self-referentiality. There are six short appendices giving background information and an unlucky 13 one line handouts to tip the humour into horror. In fact the scenario would be ready to run if it did not lack they key map of Chatham's Napoleonic Fort Amherst which is referred to extensively on pages 90-1. This is highly frustrating and seems like it is Chaosium's blunder. It would be nice if the absence could be addressed by some online source.


    Who's That Knocking? by Garnett Elliot
    Spoiler:
    Similarly self-reflexive in its film references to the previous scenario, this one has the PCs unwittingly caught up in a Blair Witch style shoot at an abandoned farmhouse that turns out to be really haunted. There are lots of opportunities for creepy fun here as ghost hoax and ghost reality are revealed. The threat is manageable and potential problems are fully adressed in a troubleshooting section. As ever, a map would have been nice.


    Conclusion
    Overall, this is not a bad collection of one-offs with some welcome support for pre-gunpowder eras. Not all the scenarios are worth your while, though YMMV, but there is enough viable material for several Halloweens here, as long as you're happy to make your own maps or wing it without.
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    Comments 5 Comments
    1. Skyman's Avatar
      Skyman - 17th May 2011, 03:03 AM
      Thank you for spending time doing the cool review.

      Of the monographs I like this one for the art (except what I submitted which looks very pre-highschoolish) that everyone did and the stylish headers.
      Chaosium also redid my maps. So who ever re-did them at Chaosium. Thanx they look great.
    1. ejmcglinn's Avatar
      ejmcglinn - 10th June 2011, 08:13 PM
      Thanks for taking the time to read through these and review them.
    1. Shimmin Beg's Avatar
      Shimmin Beg - 1st November 2012, 12:10 PM
      a list of resources and help on Yog-Sothoth.com!
      Any chance anyone could point me at them? I'm trying to do the wiki articles and can't track anything down.
    1. MrNorrell's Avatar
      MrNorrell - 2nd November 2012, 02:21 AM
      Hi! I'm the author of "A Chill Down Your Spine." I must admit, I've been a terrible procrastinator over the last few years, and I am sorry to say I have not had a chance to post my extra notes here on Yog-Sothoth.com. I can email anyone interested what I have written up in a pdf format. Again, my apologies! Oh, and thanks for the great review!
    1. Shimmin Beg's Avatar
      Shimmin Beg - 3rd November 2012, 09:14 AM
      Assuming it's not a problem, you could offer the pdf to Paul as a download for the site, which would make it easy to track down.