[RPG] Cthulhu By Gaslight, 3rd Ed

CTHULHU BY GASLIGHT 3rd
Horror Roleplaying in 1890s England

Victorian England. The era of Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, and a horrific real-life mystery in the form of Jack the Ripper. Thousands of books, films, and stories have featured these characters over the past 120+ years -- Holmes and Dracula have become the most commonly-used fictional characters of all time. Little wonder then that this era, with its foggy atmosphere, gross social and economic inequality, and the vast history of England to draw from, should spawn a setting for Call of Cthulhu. For what is Call of Cthulhu if not the first truly great roleplaying game combining mystery and horror?

In 1986, avid Sherlockian Bill Barton produced the award-winning first edition of Cthulhu by Gaslight. A second edition, with only slight changes, appeared two years later. Since then a handful of Call of Cthulhu books set in the Victorian era have appeared, and articles and scenarios still crop up from time to time. But it’s been over 20 years (!) since the Gaslight book itself was reprinted or updated.

This new edition of Cthulhu by Gaslight has been thoroughly revamped, expanding the book by nearly 50% and adding new material roughly equivalent to the original book’s length. We have more thoroughly developed the Victorian England setting. Character creation has been reworked, with some new wrinkles added, and there are new articles on the Victorian world, crime, politics, personalities, and so forth. There are also extensive new sections on the Cthulhu Mythos in Britain -- creatures, cults, books, etc. -- including a précis of Ramsey Campbell’s Severn River Valley. Also included are tips on running various types of Gaslight era campaigns, a gazetteer of intriguing British myths and legends, a selection of friends and foes from Victorian fiction, and a lengthy new bibliography/filmography of suggested reading and viewing. Rounding out this new edition are a pair of new Victorian era scenarios -- one an urban adventure set in London, the other set in rural Dartmoor.

With this book and a copy of the Call of Cthulhu core rulebook, a prospective Keeper can run a campaign set in Victorian England. This edition provides a strong background in both the Victorian world and the activities of the Cthulhu Mythos within it. So grab your coat, hat, and walking stick, and have the doctor bring his bag and revolver. It’s time to step into a world of Victorian occult adventure -- the world of Cthulhu by Gaslight!