Published in 2020, this is the hardback edition of the Call of Cthulhu: Cthulhu Dark Ages role - playing game supplement by Chaosium. It comes as a single leatherette hardbound book. The rule set is Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition. It's in full - color hardcover, with 270 pages and has an ISBN of 978 - 1 - 56882 - 421 - 5. The authors are Chad Bowser, Andi Newton, James Holloway, and Mike Mason. The cover is by Rob Gould, and the interior art is by Alberto Bontempi, Pat Loboyko, Caleb Cleveland, and Sam Lamont. Cartography is by Stephanie McAlea, and art direction & layout are by Nicholas Nacario.
In the world of Cthulhu Dark Ages, it's a place lit only by fire. Ancient empires fell centuries ago, taking their culture and knowledge. It's a dark world full of fear. There are Viking raiders, witches, outlaws, the unquiet dead, ancient horrors, and malevolent beings. Dark entities beyond good and evil hide in time and space. A few brave people try to resist these horrors.
The 3rd edition is updated for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, revised completely, and has a lot of new setting material. Inside, you'll find a player's guide to the Dark Ages, an optional Sanity mechanic for the medieval mindset, rules for oral storytelling and mounted combat, a grimoire of Dark Age spells with optional Folk Magic rules, a bestiary of monsters, and a detailed Anglo - Saxon community of Totburh in England's Severn Valley with interesting characters, dwelling descriptions, and plot hooks for game keepers.
This new edition also includes additional material on poetry, kennings, the written word, using the Oral Tradition in games, amulets, more on Sanity in the setting, Paganism, and Norse Paganism. There are three ready - to - play scenarios: 'The Hunt' (a wolf troubles Totburh), 'The Doom That Came to Wessex' (the monastery is in trouble), and 'Eseweald' (a thegn's son disappears in the forest). The book also has comprehensive appendices with a Dark Ages Glossary, a Timeline, a Who's Who, and a bibliography.
It provides advice on running adventures and presenting the Dark Ages world. This supplement works best with the CALL OF CTHULHU (7th Edition) role - playing game and optionally PULP CTHULHU. When you buy the physical copy, you also get the PDF. And a portion of your purchase will go towards backing new games on Kickstarter. If you have any questions, contact The Game Steward.
Using this product is easy. First, if you're new to the Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, it's a good idea to get familiar with its basic rules. This supplement will build on that knowledge. When you start, go through the introduction and foreword to understand the overall concept of the Cthulhu Dark Ages.
For players, the player's guide in the book will help you create your Dark Age investigators. Pay attention to the optional Sanity mechanic as it can add a unique flavor to your gameplay, mirroring the medieval mindset. The rules for oral storytelling and mounted combat can make your adventures more exciting.
Game keepers, make use of the detailed setting of the Anglo - Saxon community of Totburh. There are plenty of plot hooks to develop your own scenarios. The three ready - to - play scenarios are a great starting point, especially 'The Hunt' which is a good introduction to the Dark Ages setting.
As for maintenance, keep the hardback book in a dry and cool place to prevent damage to the leatherette cover. If you have the digital copy, make sure to back it up regularly in case of data loss. And don't forget, you can download pre - generated characters and handouts to enhance your gaming experience.
