Modern Mythos ep.17 - Blackwater Creek and Inspirations for Horror!

In this episode, Jon and Seth talk about some of their favorite books, movies, and music that inspire their tastes in horror, and they review Blackwater Creek, a scenario suitable for new players and Keepers in the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. 

Topic 1: Inspirational Media for Horror Games

• The Fisherman, by John Langan
• Other short short stories by John Langan (ex: Wide Carnivorous Sky)
• The Color Out of Time, by Michael Shea
• Darkest of the Hillside Thicket (ex: Let Sleeping Gods Lie)
• The Haunting of Hill House, Netflix
• Love/Death/Robots, Netflix
• 30 Coins, HBO
• Devil Rides out, Dennis Wheatley. Hammer Film
• Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammet
• Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin - Polanski
• Winter Tide - Ruthanna Emrys
• Archive 81, Netflix

 

Topic 2: Review of Blackwater Creek

• Written by Scott Dorward
• Published by Chaosium in the "Missed Dues and Blackwater Creek" book which was included in the Call of Cthulhu Keeper Screen.
• 50 pages long:
  • 33 page of text
  • 6 pre-generated characters
  • 6 handouts
  • 5 maps

Pros:

• Sandbox scenario
• Author describes two ways to engage with the scenario
• Various "Keeper Notes" to guide novice Keepers
• LOVE the student who thinks his mother is alive.

Cons:

• More roadside encounters to engage novice players – For example: a mutated wild pig that crashes through the foliage and smashes into the investigator's car. Good opportunity for Spot Hidden rolls to recognize the animal as a mutated pig, (versus maybe a wild boar), opportunity for a Drive Auto roll to avoid or lessen the potential damage the pig could inflict, and an opportunity for combat if the investigators pursue the pig. If the investigators can gain possession of the slain pig's body, it could be studied to gain additional information or clues about the mutating effects of the Mother's Milk. - because there already is Brutis, maybe a mutated deer.
• Blackwater Creek is a very well designed sandbox scenario, but I think one or two of the roadside encounters described in "Location 1: The Town of Blackwater Creek" need to be reformatted into mandatory encounters. I can imagine novice Keepers being a little overwhelmed with the cornucopia of encounters in each location, and not realize how to select encounters that would further the investigator's drive to pursue the mystery.
• A note directing the Keeper to "The Mother's Gift" is mislabeled as "pg.28," when it should be "pg.31." – ignore this… too nit-picky
• It's suggested that the investigators might consider using the home/shack that was once owned by the widow Hawkins as a temporary headquarters, (the investigators don't know that Hawkins is dead). But her shack is right in the center of town, facing Sheriff Sprouston's home. I can't imagine any investigators, (bootleggers or academics), daring to just squat in someone's home… especially if they assume she's alive and simply just not home yet, and because it's in full plain sight of the whole town.
• Pre-gens only for Bootleggers. Missed Dues, in the same book is also criminals. Would have preferred those to go together and the BWC pre-gens be the University option.
• Stage 4: Draws People to BWC, so with all the whiskey going out, people should be arriving in town.
• Random infant Dark Young might be overpowered for the PCs

 

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And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes.

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