Leagues of Cthulhu: Guide to Cumbria

I first went to Cumbria, and more specifically it’s central attraction, The Lake District, on my honeymoon, and immediately fell in love with the place. It’s a gorgeous region of high, barren mountains, shining lakes, and ancient monuments, and everything has interesting names (mountains are ‘fells’, lakes are often ‘meres’). Since then, I’ve returned to the area half-a-dozen times, and am planning to go again later this summer.

So, when I was browsing the trade hall at UK Games Expo this past weekend, and came across Leagues of Cthulhu: Guide to Cumbria, I just couldn’t resist. I am happy to report, that even though I bought it on a whim, it was worth every penny. At just 32 pages, it’s a small monograph, but it is packed with interesting tid-bits, including many adventure hooks.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at the quality; it is written by Paul ‘Wiggy’ Wade-Williams, a name that will be familiar to many long-time role-players. (I’m a fan of his Necropolis world for Savage Worlds, among other things).

Now, it should be noted that to ‘officially’ use this book, you (amazingly) need 3 other books! However, the Guide to Cumbria includes only a few rules, and these are mostly confined to a few sample NPCs at the back. Most of the book is just a discussion of the history, the interesting places, and the potential adventure hooks to be found in Cumbria. I think people who have actually been to the region will likely get the most out of the book, but anyone who likes horror RPGs set in remote, slightly exotic locations is likely to get something out of it. I especially loved the entry for Hardknott Roman Fort, which is a really cool place, and a perfect setting for a bit of horror…especially at night.

Obviously, I got a hard copy, but I’m pretty sure it was print-on-demand, and likely comes from DriveThruRPG.  It’s a fun one to add to the library, and has got me thinking that I should give the base game Leagues of Adventure a look.