Hi Seth, just found your review of my scenario 'The Ilsley Variant'- I have to say I found your review not only very entertaining, but very fair. Although I've been playing CoC since it first came out, this is the first time I'd written a CoC adventure for publication, so a bit of a learning experience for me. Loved your poker rules, and I shall be pinching them for my games :-) Thanks for taking the time to review my scenario, and glad it gave you and your players an entertaining gaming session. Cheers, Rick :-)

Being a native Texan and a fan of HPL's friend, RE Howard, I wish I could've been in your game.

The library could also have a Latin dictionary

I was sold at 'Robert E Howard' 😊. I've run games within games before, a particularly memorable session was playing a slight variation of Liar's dice (using D10s because it was a sci-fi game & D10s just seemed more futuristic 😜). The danger is always that the mini game becomes more interesting than the actual adventure! I had a similar experience when I used to use tabletop war games like Warhammer to simulate D&D battles. My game nights quickly devolved into Warhammer with a sort of loose narrative connecting the battles which is fine if that is what you want but RPGs are my first love & the story is all important IMO.

Very nice. I continue to enjoy your reviews - and your imaginative way of presenting them. I really enjoy your npc asides. This sounds like a very low-key scenario when it come down to it, something my players could probably use (they finished Dark Carnival - 40 or so cultists and did Dark Harvest (another 30 cultists - though they didn't finish that one just killed a few cultists and fled)). I need something a little more low-key for them after I put them through the Darkness Beneath the Hill. A trip to Texas might do them all good after that.

Hello Seth, thanks for your video, I will consider this scenario for this year Halloween. Last year I run "Halloween in Dunwich" by Oscar Rios, where the investigators are children hunting a witch, we enjoyed it a lot. This weekend is "The auction". Again, thank you for your work and greetings from Spain.

When I ran this adventure, instead of having some rules for the poker game. I literally just pulled out a pack of cards and we just played poker and roleplayed for the rest of the session. Personally, I thought that was a lot more immersive. But if anyone wants to do that, your players might become a bit confused if you pull out an entirely different game.

I love NPC's that come across as super friendly and helpful only to heel turn at the end and try to murder everyone. The problem for me is not doing it all the time so my players don't start suspecting all of my NPC's of sudden and inevitable betrayal.

I can't remember how I found this channel but I'm sure glad I did! Seth you're awesome! But, I'm certain you did not print out the train car schematics full size. Lol

💕 I'm fascinated by the whole monograph series of books. Going through all the call of Cthulhu scenarios again to see what's the next adventure is for my Call of Cthulhu group is going to play next.

I've watched many of your adventure reviews and find them excellent hints for enhancing a module but I found it refreshing to see a review for an adventure that was OK rather than great. I also appreciated Rick's comments.

They never gave me my horse either. what's up with that?

This is awesome I never thought my home state would get a Call of Cthulhu scenario!

Don't know if it's still relevant but I found the floor plan of R.E. Howard's house. Might be cool to have if someone is running this scenario.

So I just ran this one for my group, two of my players are major are major Robert E. Howard fans, and they had a blast. I also had three critical successes in this game, two by one player who had the baseline for the skills. Spoilers begin here: For the Halloween party, I had them roll spot hidden to notice Nyarlathotep as the Black Pharaoh at the party, who became a recurring sight before he spirited Zthul-za Dûm out of the mirror and spooking an agent from Department 29. Unfortunately, they instantly suspected Spencer Wade as being the villain just with speaking with him for the first time. I was able to delay their concerns and they had quite a bit of fun with the poker game, two of my players rolled 100 for their luck during the game. Eventually it was a battle of wills between Wade and a lounge singer, who eventually won the pot of $53. My players and I did find the combat at the end to be a bit jarring, but admittedly I didn't set it up properly before Spencer attacked. I also allowed one of my players, who is a fan of Robert E. Howard and who's character is named Howard, to find the stories written by Roberts which coincide with Robert E. Howard's actual stories.

Man, after figuring out that there's an evil wizard trapped inside a mirror, I am really disappointed that it wasn't the painting he was trapped in. I mean, c'mon! Who doesn't want a Cthulhu scenario that ends with you fighting a bootleg Conan the Barbarian? Whether that's implementable or not, I'd imagine it could lead to a few cool twists to the scenario. Starting with the fact that disposal of the painting is going to be difficult, because it's a prized possession of a rich man. You can't just smash it and leave it at that, you gotta be more clever. The way I'd run this adventure would probably be something like this. The investigators and Spencer Wade are all associates and friends of the man hosting the party and you've been requested to help him set up some time before the party. It's then that he shows the PCs the painting, asking if they know about the runes (Part of the reason they were invited, considering you may either already have Cthulhu mythos or at least an interest in the subject), which would lead to the scenario proper. It's at this time that Spencer becomes hypnotized by the wizard in the painting, but at this point, only manifests as an obsession with figuring out the translation. This immediately gives the players a bit more time to become friendly with Spencer, making his treachery feel a little bit more like a sting than a "pfft, whatever". As they then discover the truth of the painting, this triggers Spencer (and any other PCs who failed the POW check against the painting) to become dominated by it (The PCs naturally get another POW-check). From then on, this could either set up a ticking time element not unlike Idol of Thoth, where the PCs still have time before the party was set to be held to stop the wizard from brainwashing everyone or you could have had the party already happen, with a majority of the people in the party now after them for the book or translation, the PCs left in a situation, where they will never find rest until the painting is destroyed. It's a basic idea and not without a few holes to address, but I think adding a few twists and turns to the thing would make it more fun. And again, I'm ready to contrive alot when it comes to doing shit like a climactic confrontation between the PCs and Conan the Barbarian.

This is really useful as I was looking for a scenario to run in Texas as my players will be driving from New Orleans to LA and wanted to include Robert E. Howard in there someone - i'll probably modify it some (it's the 1920s and Robert Howard will be a teen.) Thanks for digging this up :D

this was a great review, I have enjoyed and shared a few of them now. The tie with Howard was great, and i think lends to more stories. The topaz throne would be a great find, perhaps it being a conduit to speaking with eldritch things or calling them to do a task. Another idea is the demon sorceress akivasha, with the eternal flame of acheron being resummoned to this plane or if not summoned the full risk of it

I'm not a gm or a player, I just come here for the NPC quips

Fun fact, the laws of prohibition didn't actually make the drinking of alcohol, or even OWNING alcohol, illegal. It made specifically the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages illegal. So it was perfectly legal for some well-to-do to have some reserve of ancient whiskeys and wines that he keeps specifically for parties and get togethers and the like.

I’m always excited when KZfaq suggests your old videos to me on my homepage because I think they’re really enjoyable to rewatch. I was wondering, have you played any of the other adventures from the book that this particular scenario came from? If so, do you plan on reviewing it? Thanks!

i feel like i travel in time with every video, as i watched the whole playlist

Mirror of =Kull of Atlantis references. First, Thulsa Doom. Second, Kull story "Mirrors of Tuzun Thune".

Good day Seth, Another great review. I really enjoy the length you go to provide quality reviews. Thanks again for everything. Was curious if you had any comments or suggestions on the scenerio "Alone Against the Wendigo" would enjoy hearing your thoughts on it.

Another great run through. your the man Seth. always enjoy watching your reviews. out of curiosity, are you familiar with Savage Worlds Realms of Cthulhu? Was wondering if you have ever reviewed that book. One other question for you. Do you have any recommendations for any single player/ one on one scenarios? Specific rules sets not important. I can convert the story to Realms of Cthulhu with little difficulty. Once again great job and that s for all that you do providing wonderful content.

Did I miss something or do we not find out what the runes in the painting say. I failed my POW roll and now I’m compelled to find the answer.

Perfect time for a Halloween scenario now

Great as always! Do you plan to run, and subsequently review, The Star on the Shore?

Hi Seth, I'm a big fan of your videos, especially the Call_Of_Cthulhu ones. I have a question about your homegrown gambling rules. Do the bonus or penalty dice get carried over only to the next step or are they cumulative and only are used with the LUCK roll in Step 3? Thanks!

Hey Seth, I was wondering you ever had a Party that involved a Black investigator in one of these Lovecraft games?

I had to run through all your videos again to figure out which one had the poker rules

This is one of the few cases where legal drinking durring this era in the mainland USA could be done. As it was super common in the days leading up to it becoming law the rich stockpiled as much as they could, and it's only illegal to manufacture or sell it. Maybe show off the host gloating to someone that asks, to show off the "Law for thee but not for me" element of that law.

Hey Seth been looking for a 6th edition keepers screen but they are so expensive on amazon and ebay and there arent any on there website any ideas where i can find one Thank you

In various reviews, there is mention of "PRINTING THEM FULL SIZE" what, may I ask, is the print size, if say you take the pictures to a print place like staples or such place?

For fun, and if you have time, you can always get a set of poker dice to simulate a game. :)

A party in CoC doesn't end in death or theft. Make a San check. 0/1 Sanity Loss.

Does anyone know where I can find either a copy or a place to purchase this module because I can’t find it anymore.

Love your vids! I wish you were my dm!

Yea, I just play actually poker, 5 hands of Texas Hold-em, Only 5 Hands.

@2:45 subvert expectations!