Call of Cthulhu: Petersen's Abominations

A collection of five nightmarish modern-day scenarios for the Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game.

Gathered from across the aeons, this anthology of horror brings together for the first time a series of scenarios from the mind of Sandy Petersen, the creator of the Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game. Each one-shot scenario is designed for one or more sessions of play.

Panacea

ZyMedBio Corp is a pharmaceutical development company. The company is relatively new, having been incorporated just three years ago. In the last five months, the company has begun drug trials on human subjects for a range of clinical issues. Currently, ZyMedBio is undertaking a Phase 2 study where human subjects are being given doses of a new drug called “Zylactis.”

Behind a miraculous cure for many ills hides a loathsome truth.

Hotel Hell

In 1924 an obscure and ill-regarded painter from Europe, named Johan Schiegl, came to the Seven Stars Hotel in British Columbia. Seeking solitude far away from hustle and bustle of the Roaring Twenties, Schiegl came to capture the remote and rugged wilderness of the Canadian landscape in his paintings…

An inheritance in the remote wilderness of British Columbia conceals a hideous secret that may spell the end of the world.

Mohole

A team of observers is called in to conduct an audit and report on an experimental and top secret drilling project designed to penetrate the Earth’s crust and release a previously untapped source of energy. Set on a repurposed North Sea oil platform, those involved discover that there are some depths that should never be plumbed…

An experimental drilling project delves too deep and brings the attention of an ancient unspeakable horror.

The Derelict

Within the icy waters of the North Atlantic the discovery of a missing reefer ship, the Groenland Tropisch, stranded on an iceberg brings considerations of a substantial salvage reward, driving an attempt to rescue the ship. But in so doing, an ancient horror is stirred…

A final journey brings a remarkable discovery and a hidden terror.

Voice on the Phone

As youngsters, Diego Lopez and his younger brother Juan were close. While Diego had the street smarts, Juan was more academically minded and his parents pushed him to make something of his life away from the streets and gangs of Dallas. Of course, Juan just wanted to be like his brother. Both boys seemed destined for a gang lifestyle; however, Juan’s life was to take a different turn…

A tale of two brothers set in the violent world of gang culture.

Advice for getting the most out of the scenarios is provided, as well as suggestions for expanding the scope of the adventures and increasing their length. Each scenario comes with a set of ready to play pre-generated investigators, allowing players to dive straight into the mysteries within.

Produced in full color, with cover art by Victor Leza, and sumptuous cartography by Andrew Law and Stephanie McAlea. Get ready to enter the mind of the creator of Call of Cthulhu and enjoy the nightmare!