Cthulhu Dark Ages is a world lit only by fire. The ancient empires collapsed centuries ago, taking their culture and learning with them. It’s a dark world and people are right to be afraid of the dark. Apart from the Viking raiders, witches, and outlaws, there are the unquiet dead, ancient horrors, and other malevolent beings stalking the countryside. Dark entities, beyond good and evil, wait hidden in the recesses of time and the angles of space. A few brave souls try their best to resist the horrors and push them back from whence they came.

Will you be one of them?

With the 3rd Edition, Cthulhu Dark Ages has been updated for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, completely revised and includes a wealth of new setting material. Inside you will find a player’s guide to the Dark Ages, an optional Sanity mechanic for mirroring the medieval mindset, rules for the oral tradition of storytelling and mounted combat, a grimoire of Dark Age spells plus optional rules for Folk Magic, a bestiary of monsters, as well as a fully detailed setting—the Anglo-Saxon community of Totburh in England’s Severn Valley, full of interesting characters, dwelling descriptions, and a multitude of plot hooks for Keepers to use and develop.

This new 3rd edition comes in full color, with additional material concerning poetry and kennings, the written word, using the Oral Tradition in games, amulets, further use of Sanity in the setting, Paganism, and Norse Paganism.

Chapters

Introduction and Foreword

Anglo-Saxon England

A to Z of the Dark Ages

Dark Age Investigators

Game System

Investigative Horror in the Dark Ages

The Cthulhu Mythos in the Dark Ages

Bestiary

The Community of Totburh

Scenarios

Appendices

Three ready-to-play scenarios introduce players to the world of Cthulhu Dark Ages, building on the tensions, characters, and horrors lurking in Toburh and the lands surrounding the community.

The Hunt —wherein a terrifying wolf is troubling the community of Totburh and must be dealt with. This short adventure provides the perfect introduction to the Dark Ages setting.

—wherein a terrifying wolf is troubling the community of Totburh and must be dealt with. This short adventure provides the perfect introduction to the Dark Ages setting. The Doom That Came to Wessex —all is not well at the Monastery of S. Swithun, with an attack leaving some of the monks dead or injured. Something foul is afoot threatening the very sanctity of the monastery.

—all is not well at the Monastery of S. Swithun, with an attack leaving some of the monks dead or injured. Something foul is afoot threatening the very sanctity of the monastery. Eseweald—Oswyn, the thegn of Totburh, is concerned about the disappearance of his son, sent on a diplomatic mission to calm tension with a neighboring community, who seems to have vanished without a trace in the dark foreboding Eseweald forest

The book is rounded out with comprehensive appendices containing a Dark Ages Glossary of historical terms, a Timeline covering 950–1054 CE, a Who’s Who of notable historical people, kings, and popes, and a bibliography of texts and sources of inspiration.

Throughout, advice and guidance on running adventures and presenting the world of the Dark Ages is provided.

With nothing but candle light and your wits, your journey into the Dark Ages begins...

This supplement is best used with the CALL OF CTHULHU (7th Edition) roleplaying game and optionally PULP CTHULHU, available separately.