The Inside Scoop on Gaming

You wouldn't think it to look at them now, but Games Workshop made their name by operating the British license for games like Runequest, Paranoia, and - yes - Call of Cthulhu. They didn't just reprint American supplements, either. GW produced a number of supplements for CofC, including "Trail of the Loathsome Slime" and "Statue of the Sorcerer." "Green and Pleasant Land" is a sourcebook describing Britain in the interwar period, designed to remedy the lack of material for games set outside the US in the CofC rulebook.

GPL came out in 1987, and I don't know how much of it has been superseded by Chaosium's London Sourcebook. That said, let's look at the British gaming titan's entry into the CofC ring.

GPL is slightly larger in format than the average Call of Cthulhu supplement. It's laid out like a compendium, containing one- or two-page articles on a variety of subjects. It also contains three scenarios and a short story by home-grown Mythos author Brian Lumley. The interior is illustrated with period photographs and advertisements, with character and spot illos by Martin McKenna and Ian Cooke. I dig Martin McKenna's art big time - McKenna's eerie, degenerate style should be easily recognizable to fans of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

The first section of the book contains information on illulstrious characters of the period, both real and fictional. The next section introduces new character templates, drawn from the fiction of the period. The character tamplates are very detailed, with explanations of each individual's place in the social heirarchy and the literary precedents of the templates. Information is provided for giving characters war experience, and there is a brief section on arch-villains.

A series of brief articles follows, covering social life, communications, crime and punishment, entertainment, public health, money and prices, history, and the occult. These are all brief but useful - in particular, the occult article covers the Society for Psychical Research, a great organization for investigators to join. Two timelines (much like the ones in the back of the rulebook) are prvided, with special emphasis on Britain. More articles follow, on archaeology (this is a boom period for British archaeologists), follies (weird buildlings on the estates of wealthy eccentrics), Mythos stories set in Britain, aviation, inland waterways, motoring, railways, and sea transportation.

There's enough information in here to run games set in England if you're willing to do a little research; a short but useful bibliography is provided. It might be of more use for British Keepers who don't know a lot about the history of the period. For example, regional stereotypes aren't addressed. They should be reasonably familiar to British Keepers, but American Keepers may be a little lost - particularly as these stereotypes play a big role in NPC characterization in the scenarios.

On to the scenarios. "The Horror of the Glen" involves gruesome murders, an old house, and dark secrets uncovered on an archaeological expedition. It's very much a classic Call of Cthulhu investigation, with an appropriately British flavor. My only complaint is that the climax of the scenario is a tad linear. Still, it's atmospheric and straightforard enough - an enjoyable case that ought to take up no more than an evening or two.

Next up is "Death in the Post." This is basically a loose set of encounters centering around a mad sorcerer's revenge on the people who were responsible for committing him to an asylum. The opposition is tough, and there isn't much to investigate. This is classic monster horror, without the usual mystery elements of CofC. It might make a refreshing change for some Keepers - I tend to see it as a bit of a deathtrap.

The last scenario is "Shadows over Darkbank," a case involving the British canal system, which has - unsurprisingly - nasty Mythos inhabitants. It's an interesting scenario. The rumors and folktales which abound among the "canal-folk" are well-written, with appropriate variations and real-world explanations. But I'm a little concerned about the Mythos's rather parochial aims in this scenario. To quote: "the whole of Shubford is at their mercy." Look out, world! I'm just not sure that the villains' plan makes a lot of sense in this scenario. It's a decent enough scenario, but it could be a lot better.

Lastly, we have "The Running Man" by Brian Lumley. No, there's no Arnold Schwarzenegger. Instead, there's a predictable haunted house story with some Mythos elements. You know, I don't like Brain Lumley's writing, so I think this story has lame characterization, clunky writing, and a predictable plot twist. But if you like Lumley's other work, you might like this. Whatever- it's only 7 pages long.

All in all, the source material in GPL is very good, particularly if you're willing to do a little easy research reading. The scenarios are of mixed quality, and the fiction is kind of a pointless add-on.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Green and Pleasant Land
Author: Compiled by Pete Tamlyn. Written by Andy Bradbury, Graeme Davis, Richard Edwards, Marc Gascoigne, Pete Jeffrey, Caroline Rogers, Marcus Rowland, Norman Tamlyn, Pete Tamlyn, and Brain Lumley. Art by Lee Gibbons, Martin McKenna, and Ian Cooke Category: game Company/Publisher: Games Workshop Line: Call of Cthulhu Page count: 80 ISBN: (UK) 1 869893 06 9 (US) 0 933635 39 7 Capsule Review by James Holloway on 04/17/00. Genre tags: Science_fiction Historical Horror Gothic	You wouldn't think it to look at them now, but Games Workshop made their name by operating the British license for games like Runequest, Paranoia, and - yes - Call of Cthulhu. They didn't just reprint American supplements, either. GW produced a number of supplements for CofC, including "Trail of the Loathsome Slime" and "Statue of the Sorcerer." "Green and Pleasant Land" is a sourcebook describing Britain in the interwar period, designed to remedy the lack of material for games set outside the US in the CofC rulebook. GPL came out in 1987, and I don't know how much of it has been superseded by Chaosium's London Sourcebook. That said, let's look at the British gaming titan's entry into the CofC ring. GPL is slightly larger in format than the average Call of Cthulhu supplement. It's laid out like a compendium, containing one- or two-page articles on a variety of subjects. It also contains three scenarios and a short story by home-grown Mythos author Brian Lumley. The interior is illustrated with period photographs and advertisements, with character and spot illos by Martin McKenna and Ian Cooke. I dig Martin McKenna's art big time - McKenna's eerie, degenerate style should be easily recognizable to fans of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. The first section of the book contains information on illulstrious characters of the period, both real and fictional. The next section introduces new character templates, drawn from the fiction of the period. The character tamplates are very detailed, with explanations of each individual's place in the social heirarchy and the literary precedents of the templates. Information is provided for giving characters war experience, and there is a brief section on arch-villains. A series of brief articles follows, covering social life, communications, crime and punishment, entertainment, public health, money and prices, history, and the occult. These are all brief but useful - in particular, the occult article covers the Society for Psychical Research, a great organization for investigators to join. Two timelines (much like the ones in the back of the rulebook) are prvided, with special emphasis on Britain. More articles follow, on archaeology (this is a boom period for British archaeologists), follies (weird buildlings on the estates of wealthy eccentrics), Mythos stories set in Britain, aviation, inland waterways, motoring, railways, and sea transportation. There's enough information in here to run games set in England if you're willing to do a little research; a short but useful bibliography is provided. It might be of more use for British Keepers who don't know a lot about the history of the period. For example, regional stereotypes aren't addressed. They should be reasonably familiar to British Keepers, but American Keepers may be a little lost - particularly as these stereotypes play a big role in NPC characterization in the scenarios. On to the scenarios. "The Horror of the Glen" involves gruesome murders, an old house, and dark secrets uncovered on an archaeological expedition. It's very much a classic Call of Cthulhu investigation, with an appropriately British flavor. My only complaint is that the climax of the scenario is a tad linear. Still, it's atmospheric and straightforard enough - an enjoyable case that ought to take up no more than an evening or two. Next up is "Death in the Post." This is basically a loose set of encounters centering around a mad sorcerer's revenge on the people who were responsible for committing him to an asylum. The opposition is tough, and there isn't much to investigate. This is classic monster horror, without the usual mystery elements of CofC. It might make a refreshing change for some Keepers - I tend to see it as a bit of a deathtrap. The last scenario is "Shadows over Darkbank," a case involving the British canal system, which has - unsurprisingly - nasty Mythos inhabitants. It's an interesting scenario. The rumors and folktales which abound among the "canal-folk" are well-written, with appropriate variations and real-world explanations. But I'm a little concerned about the Mythos's rather parochial aims in this scenario. To quote: "the whole of Shubford is at their mercy." Look out, world! I'm just not sure that the villains' plan makes a lot of sense in this scenario. It's a decent enough scenario, but it could be a lot better. Lastly, we have "The Running Man" by Brian Lumley. No, there's no Arnold Schwarzenegger. Instead, there's a predictable haunted house story with some Mythos elements. You know, I don't like Brain Lumley's writing, so I think this story has lame characterization, clunky writing, and a predictable plot twist. But if you like Lumley's other work, you might like this. Whatever- it's only 7 pages long. All in all, the source material in GPL is very good, particularly if you're willing to do a little easy research reading. The scenarios are of mixed quality, and the fiction is kind of a pointless add-on. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average)