There are plenty of horror tabletop games out there. Some take you to thedark depths of space, while others look to history for their ghouls and goblins. Perhaps none of them hold the weight that Call Of Cthulhu does.
It’s been around since the early 80s, and since then, it’s honed not only the rules it’s based on but also the creepy adventures it takes you on. With all the different scenarios to run over the decades, you may find it hard to pick which one to run for your party. Luckily, some of these scenarios stand out above the rest.
15The Haunting
A Classic Mystery
With something like Lovecraftian horror, you expect some pretty wild stuff, so it’s surprising to come across a CoC scenario with such a simple name as The Haunting. With it being an older scenario, everyone has their own ideas about it.
Don’t let the mix of reviews dissuade you, though; it has earned itself a sort of classic status at this point. As you’d expect, this scenario follows your investigators looking into a haunted house, but in the wayonly cosmic horror can. It’s a classic three-part plot that’s easy to follow.
This is perhaps the best scenario for new players. It’s a simple plot that keeps things interesting, which makes it perfect for those who are new to TTRPGs or horror ones at that.
14Edge Of Darkness
To The Brink Of Madness
The Edge Of Darkness is another classic scenario for CoC that feels a little more modern with all that it contains. It has a little bit more in the way of cosmic horror that the newer ones are known for, whereas the older ones can lean more toward supernatural horror.
This is a great choice for those who have dabbled in TTRPGs and maybe a few horror ones here and there. It allows for your investigators to be more dynamic, and there are plenty of twists and turns. Not to mention some ominous powers and maybe a cult here and there.
13The Secret Of Castronegro
A Secret Best Left Alone
This is one of the shorter scenarios out there. Made by some of the creators over at Chaosium, this adventure runs best in the 1920s setting and takes place in scenic and arid New Mexico for a bit of a change of scenery.
Your characters start off in Silver City, where they slowly hear more and more information about dead cattle, disappearing people, and even a few missing babies. It can be cut down further by having them move to the titular Castronegro at the beginning of the game, but either way, it’s a fun change of location for a classic adventure.
A Scenic Vacation?
Few of the scenarios do intrigue and just general eeriness like Dead Light does. Set in a quiet, cozy little cottage, you and your investigators get to relax for a moment. But would you believe that things don’t stay that way for long at all?
Where some of the earlier scenarios are leaned towards investigation, this one focuses more on survival, as most of the later edition scenarios do. But, don’t worry, there are still plenty of secrets to uncover in the wilderness surrounding.
Make sure if you want to run this scenario (or one similar) that your players understand that CoC will more than likely end inat least one player’s death. Or more likely, all of them.
11The Lightless Beacon
Back To Massachussets
The Lightless Beacon is another great introductory scenario, but it doesn’t water down the game or the themes that make CoC great. It’s a free scenario from Chaosium released on the anniversary of the passing of the company’s founder, Greg Stafford.
A coastal town in Massachusetts, a lighthouse, and something sinister behind it all; there aren’t many scenarios that feel at home in Lovecraftian horror as this one does. This is also a great scenario to springboard into a longer campaign, that is, if your party survives the horrors that await them.
10The Fungi From Yuggoth
Not Mushroom For Error
For the fans of Call Of Cthulhu who want a longer adventure, The Fungi From Yuggoth is a great one, and it shows off some of the world traveling that CoC was well-known for in the days when it first came out.
Named after Lovecraft’s set of poetry, this adventure starts in NYC, looking for a psychic medium gone missing. Like any good adventure, everything goes wrong from there as you travel the globe unveiling horrible secrets.
This is one of the more difficult adventures to pare down. It’s best to approach this one with the knowledge that you’ll need multiple sessions.
9Trail Of Tsathogghua
The Curse Grows Stronger
Trail of Tsathogghua is unique for being one of the few of the pre-made scenarios that doesn’t take place in the U.S. Instead, your investigators are transported to icy Greenland (not green Iceland) to look into some odd occurrences.
Inside Trail of Tsathogghua are actually two interconnected scenarios that include getting to know the icy, and often lonesome, tundra, as well as some cryptid horror on top of the usual cosmic horror for extra fun.
The standalone scenario: The Haunted House, is also included in the DrveThru RPG purchase of this scenario for added fun.
8Beyond The Mountains Of Madness
Building On A Classic
While CoC is built around the works of the founder of cosmic horror, none take a direct page from Lovecraft’s work like Beyond The Mountains Of Madness does. Taking place directly after The Mountains Of Madness, your investigators get to explore the setting on their own now.
As part of an expeditionary force of scholars and adventurers, your investigators are brought to the Arctic by plane. Not much has changed since this scenario first came out, and included are some interesting setting-specific rules on things like frostbite and snowblindness to boot.
7The Travesty
A Twist On A Classic
Investigating an inn haunted by something supernatural may sound like it’s been done before, especially in CoC, but The Travesty balances the usual tropes with plenty of fun. The culprit doesn’t take too kindly to your meddling, and it’s up to you how you stop it.
The converging paths and options that this scenario allows are a great way to allow your players some choice, but making sure they stay in and around the inn itself also sandboxes them enough without completely railroading them.
This is one of the better scenarios out there for a wide variety of characters. Bruisers, academics, and everything in-between will have something to contribute.
6The Crack’d And Crook’d Manse
A Lot In A Small Setting
This scenario is much like The Haunting in the way of setting as well as some of the plot points (haunted house, focusing on investigation, etc.), but The Crack’d And Crook’d Manse plays like a sequel for fans of that plot type.
It has a potentially smaller run time than some of the other ones on this list, but that depends on how thorough your investigators are or how luckytheir dice rollsare. There’s a surprising amount of intrigue and horror packed into such a small setting and one that sometimes feels like it’s been done before.
