Call of Cthulhu – Arkham Supplement Review

boardgamequest.com:

We review the Call of Cthulhu Arkham supplement, published by Chaosium. This is a new book dedicated to the famous town of Arkham for your Call of Cthulhu RPG sessions.

As a Keeper of Arcane Lore (game master for Call of Cthulhu) I have ran more scenarios from the beloved RPG system than I can recall. While the setting is rich with locations both real and fictional, there has always been one town that keeps calling my players and me back with its siren’s song, Arkham. Finally, we have a revised and expanded Arkham supplement for 7^th edition Call of Cthulhu that will allow Keepers to implement and flesh out the town that so many adventuring parties visit, and that some never leave.

The book is broken down into five chapters, each dealing with a plethora of content. Chapter 1 gives Keepers an overview and history of Arkham. Chapter 2 specifically deals with Arkham investigators giving new background options centered around Arkham, new skills and focuses, and outlining reputation and clubs that investigators can join. Chapter 3 explores Arkham miscellany such as how to find help in Arkham, how to get around, rumors and gossip tables, and an outline of the secretive Arkham Coven. Chapter 4 is the bulk of the book and goes over the different neighborhoods in extreme detail, giving maps, points of interest, NPCs, and notable features. Chapter 5 is the appendices giving Keepers further background knowledge with a chronology and game aid tables. All this and more is bursting out of the 265-page tome.

Chapter 1 goes into a history lesson of Arkham all the way back to its native peoples through the early 20^th century. This includes detailed explanations of the weather, government, business practices, and suggestions on how Keepers should have law enforcement respond to different scenarios.

The second chapter allows Keepers to integrate some new material regarding player characters. One of the best is the new significant people and location tables. I have had so many players