Mark Morrison on Gaslight: I’m running this TONIGHT!
Posted by Michael O'Brien on 22nd Nov 2024
On the release of the Cthulhu by Gaslight Investigator’s Guide renowned Call of Cthulhu author Mark Morrison wrote this:
The Cthulhu by Gaslight Investigator’s Guide for Call of Cthulhu 7th edition is out today! I’ve been enjoying a nostalgic look back at Gaslights of yore but they all lead up to this magnificent volume: from the subtle gas lamp in the “i”, it’s a labour of love from front to back.
Disclaimer: I work for Chaosium! I didn’t work on this, but my colleagues did. So I can’t be impartial, but I love it with my whole heart. This is not a review, it’s me singing about how cool my friends are.
Mike Mason, Keris McDonald & Lynne Hardy and other chums build on the solid foundation by William Barton and Kevin Ross, but bring a fresh and modern perspective acquired from growing up in Britain and knowing its history in every respect. The expansion over previous editions is dizzying: 294 pages, detailing not only rules, society, equipment, the occult, England and London to new levels of detail, but also the entire late Victorian Era, across the world and all the way to East Coast USA and the Miskatonic Valley in the 19th century.
The old 1st edition assumption that investigators must be upper class is gone; now investigators of all levels of society can face the Mythos together. The chapter on creating investigators makes you want to roll up all of them, and the inclusion of the core Call of Cthulhu rules as an appendix is inspired; a true player’s book, if you’re in a campaign this is all you need.
Loïc Muzy’s cover is the best yet; dynamic, beautiful colours, diverse investigators, but there’s good old Big Ben and a London bobby getting it. The interior art is colour throughout and really brings Victorian times to life in a way I haven’t seen before. Alyssa Faden’s London map is phenomenal, with astonishing detail, but still very clear and with a true sense of time and place. Matt Ryan’s colour country and world maps are incredibly pleasing.
Huge shout out to Chandler Kennedy’s layout which has so much period flavour but is also so easy to read; page layouts are open, clear headers and fonts, and box text with good contrast but not dark. It’s such a joy to kick back with this book on the couch, and it’s going to be even better when flicking though quickly at the gaming table.
The Keeper’s Guide is still coming, but no need to wait. I’m running this TONIGHT!
*Well, in the UK, EU, US & Canada; it will be early December in AU.
