A Mind-Bending Campaign for Pulp Cthulhu

By Christopher Smith Adair

Brendan Sterling sought answers in experimental past-life regression. Unfortunately, his mind isn’t the only one seeking answers in the past.

A Cold Fire Within is a campaign for Pulp Cthulhu. Set in 1935, a missing persons case leads to the discovery of a foul plot that could change time itself and bring disaster to the world. A cult intent on unleashing the power of the Great Old Ones leaves a trail through the Catskill Mountains and into the very heart of the planet!

Within the subterranean world of K’n-yan, the heroes will encounter forgotten secrets, strange lore, and bewildering inhabitants. Curious cities of gold, ruined temples, and dark forests are just some of the terrors that lurk below the ground. Yet, before the heroes descend into nightmare, they must contend with remnants of ancient worlds, unruly mountain people, and psychic devilry. Along the way, the heroes may find that going back to the end of an ancient city is the only answer! Perhaps in Lomar’s doom shall they unlock the secrets of both past and present.

Chaosium Unveiled: Inside A Cold Fire Within

Watch the unveiling video. Remember you get the PDFs with the book purchase.

Complete with New Rules, Skills, and Psychic Powers

A Cold Fire Within is a complete six-part campaign for Pulp Cthulhu. It presents new rules and skills for psychic powers—Parapsychology, Dematerialization, and Telepathy—new spells, details of the people and lands of K’n-yan, as well as a new hero organization—the Open Mind Group. Six ready-to-play heroes are provided.

Fearsome monsters, otherworldly designs, and psychic powers all mesh together to present your heroes with an epic and action-packed challenge!

Download the GM Reference and Handouts

GM Reference - Maps, Notes, and Pre-Generated Characters

NPC Portraits - More visuals for your players

Watch before you Buy!

Join our heroes as the members of the Atlas Occult Society tackle a danger to the entire world! This show on The Stream of Chaos takes four brave souls through the entire campaign! Watch A Cold Fire Within on YouTube, or click here to get more details

Dare you step into the darkness of lost worlds?

Contents

Introduction

Timeline of Events

Psychic Villains (and Possibly Heroes)

The Open Mind Group

Authoritarianism’s Ascent

Chapter 1: Past Lives, Future Deaths

Involving the Heroes

Melody Enters

Following Brendan Sterling’s Trail

Argus’ Home and Office

The Other Missing Victims

Checking in with Melody

Chapter 2: Wandering Minds

Saugerties

Woodstock

Ghosts of the Slater Institute

The Absent Director

Chapter 3: Into the Wilds, Into the Depths

The Catskill Mountains

Groth’s Village

The Cave

Chapter 4: Lost Worlds in Blue

Northeastern K’n-yan

R’ga-lil’s Plantation

The Road to the Temple of Nug and Yeb

The City of V’Thruu

Finding Yian-Ho

The Fallen Temple

The Tribal Lands

The Dripping Forest

Sea of Still Waters

Temple Across the Sea

Gru-lug

Zyth-eb

Chapter 5: Black Sun Rising

The City Between the Poles

Dramatis Personae

Arriving in the Forbidden City

The Ritual Site

Chapter 6: Time Rescue

Dream Lomar

The Spaces Between

While Olathoë Burns

The Tower and its Prisoners

Farewell to Doomed Lomar

Appendices

Appendix A: Collected Handouts

Appendix B: Tomes and Spells

Appendix C: New Skills

Appendix D: K’n-yanian Equipment and Vehicles

Appendix E: Pre-Generated Heroes

Ready-To-Play Heroes included:

Boris Konev, age 55, Mystic cult leader

Jean Bernard, age 25, Grease Monkey aviator

Laura Ruth Sheversky, age 31, Hard Boiled investigative journalist

Macario “Mac” Ortiz, age 28, Steadfast soldier

Miriam Blackmore, age 26, Egghead scientist

Morgan Dunhurst, age 37, Thrill Seeker explorer

What the Critics Say

"As a campaign, A Cold Fire Within does something different. There have been plenty of scenarios for Call of Cthulhu which deal with the Science Fictional aspects of Lovecraft’s Cosmic Horror, but not a campaign. It is very much not a campaign of Lovecraftian investigative horror in the eldritch sense, but rather one of fringe science—or ‘Science!’ and fringe theories ranging from Theosophy to the Hollow Earth."—Reviews from R'lyeh.

"Distanced as Pulp Cthulhu is from its better known big brother, it keeps on producing quality adventures that can't be easily found elsewhere. The first thing that struck me while preparing the adventure was how it managed to be both pulp and retain a firm anchor to reality. It blends together elements which on first sight don't have many things in common. The pseudoscience of the paranormal is one of them; the adventure strikes home the idea that back in the 1930s the scientific method was still used to prove or debunk weirdo theories that mostly belong to mythology. Nice!"—Antonios S. review, RPGNet.