Horror on the Orient Express

Last updated

Horror on the Orient Express
A Luxury Campaign Spanning the European Continent
Horror on the Orient Express, role-playing supplement.jpg
Cover art by Lee Gibbons, 1991.
Designers
  • Geoff Gillan
  • Nick Hagger
  • Penelope Love
  • Marion Anderson
  • Richard Watts
  • Christian Lehmann
  • Mark Morrison
  • Bernard Caleo
  • Russell Waters
  • Phil Anderson
  • Peter F. Jeffery
  • L. N. Isinwy-II
  • Thomas Ligotti
  • Lynn Willis
Publishers Chaosium
Publication
  • 1991 1st edition
  • 2014 2nd edition
Genres Horror
Systems Basic Role-Playing
ISBN 978-1568823904

Horror on the Orient Express is a campaign boxed set published by Chaosium in 1991 for the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu . In this adventure, the player characters use the Orient Express to search for pieces of an artifact, while a cult tries to stop them. The original edition won two Origins Awards and received positive reviews in game periodicals including The Unspeakable Oath , White Wolf , and Dragon . A revised and expanded edition was published in 2014, which won three ENnie Awards.

Contents

Description

The Investigators must search for the pieces of an artifact called the Sedefkar Simulacrum. The campaign starts in London and continues along the route that the Orient Express uses. [1] [2] A cult called the Brothers of the Skin tries to stop them. [3] The game notes indicate that this is a very deadly adventure with an expected investigator mortality rate of 70%; reviewers confirmed that the adventure was very difficult to survive. [3] [2]

The first edition boxed set contains:

Publication history

In the 2014 book Designers & Dragons, game historian Shannon Appelcline discussed early 1990s publications for Call of Cthulhu, and noted that "Horror on the Orient Express (1991), another classic mega-adventure, also appeared during these years." [4] : 269 

The game was designed by Geoff Gillan, Nick Hagger, Penelope Love, Marion Anderson, Richard Watts, Christian Lehmann, Mark Morrison, Bernard Caleo, Russell Waters, Phil Anderson, Peter F. Jeffery, L. N. Isinwy-II, Thomas Ligotti, and Lynn Willis. Interior art was by Earl Geier, Laurie Deitrick, Carol Triplett, and Gustaf Bjorksten, and cover art was by Lee Gibbons.

A revised and expanded edition was released in 2014, a boxed set designed by Phil Anderson, Marion Anderson, Bernard Caleo, David Conyers, Carl Ford, Geoff Gillan, Nick Hagger, L.N. Isinwyll, Peter F. Jeffery, Mike Lay, Christian Lehmann, Penelope Love, Paul Maclean, Mike Mason, Mark Morrison, Matthew Pook, Oscar Rios, Hans-Christian Vortisch, Russell Waters, Darren Watson, Richard Watts, and William Workman. Artwork was by Gustaf Björksten, Patricio Contreras-Toro, Laurie Deitrick, Dean Engelhardt, Earl Geier, Lee Gibbons, Stephanie McAlea, Marco Primo, Roger Raupp, and Carol Triplett. [5]

Reception

In the Fall 1991 edition of The Unspeakable Oath (Issue #4), John Tynes called the 1991 product "one of the most intriguing releases Chaosium has ever put out." He was impressed by the quality of the player handouts, calling them "luxurious", especially "the passports, printed on linen paper with graciously embossed seals." However, although Tynes thought the first few scenarios were quite good, he did not like the middle section of the game where he felt "things rocket downhill as the campaign goes from okay, to fair, to middling, then begins to suck." Tynes felt that the middle third of the game railroaded the players by leading them along one storyline — "pop the investigators into one end of the tube and pop them out the other." But Tynes was impressed with the final third of the game, calling it "just excellent. Lots of thrills and nasty stuff, some good investigative work, and a series of false climaxes that will leave players wheezing and investigators dead." Tynes concluded by saying that the game "is really for experienced Keepers only." He rated the final third of the campaign 8 out of 10, but overall gave the game a poor rating of only 5 out of 10 due to the middle third of the game. [2]

Wayne Ligon reviewed Horror on the Orient Express in White Wolf #30 (Feb., 1992), rating it a 5 out of 5 and stated that "What can one say about 200 pages of top-quality adventure? I could go on and on and still never scratch the surface. There is something for everyone here, though, and the Investigators can be powerful vets and babies in the woods. It will take you several months of dedicated play if the Keeper decides to pull out the stops, and even then you may not be through with it. You may never be finished." [6]

In the September 1992 edition of Dragon (Issue #185), Rick Swan was impressed, calling this campaign "a start-to-finish knockout, a dazzling and intoxicating Call of Cthulhu campaign with the scope and richness of an epic novel. Thanks to the strong narrative and skillful pacing, the suspense never lags and the surprises never stop coming, a remarkable achievement for an adventure spanning more than 200 pages." The only negative note Swan made was about the game box, which he called "a flimsy single-piece affair virtually guaranteed to disintegrate," but he gave everything else the thumbs-up. "The components themselves are superb [...] The books are well-organized and loaded with troubleshooting tips, making the complex adventure relatively easy to run [...] The story carries the players along on a series of cascading shocks, each more jaw-dropping than the one before." He concluded with a strong recommendation, saying, "Many RPG products aspire to greatness, but few actually achieve it. Horror on the Orient Express qualifies as a work of art. The provocative cast of characters, colorful settings, and heart-stopping encounters add up to a gaming experience that few players will soon forget. I envy anyone who’s about to get started. I wish I could do it again." [3]

In a review of Horror on the Orient Express in Black Gate , John ONeill said "It was a huge undertaking — a complete campaign that spanned the European continent, crammed into a box containing four lengthy books, numerous player handouts, a European route map; cardstock plans of the train that could be laid end-to-end; scrolls, and even luggage stickers. It wasn't merely a high water mark for CoC; it was a template for how mega-adventures could be created." [7]

In the November–December 2014 issue of Casus Belli , Marc Sautriot reviewed the 2014 edition, and noted that the 704 pages of material covering 19 separate scenarios would likely result in over 120 hours of playing time. With such a large amount of material, Sautriot was not surprised to find that several scenarios were much weaker than others, "the finale is endless and the last scenario doesn't work." He was also disappointed that much of the action takes place off of the train. But he did admit the overall work had "life, adventure, terror, mystery, twists and turns." [8]

Awards

At the 1992 Origins Award, the 1991 edition won two awards, for "Best Roleplaying Adventure of 1991", and "Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game, Adventure, or Supplement of 1991". [9]

At the 2015 ENnie Awards, the 2014 edition was nominated in seven categories. It won gold in "Best Adventure" and "Best Cartography", and silver in "Best Production Values". [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Basic Role-Playing</i> Tabletop role-playing game system

Basic Role-Playing (BRP) is a tabletop role-playing game which originated in the RuneQuest fantasy role-playing game. Chaosium released the BRP standalone booklet in 1980 in the boxed set release of the second edition of RuneQuest. Greg Stafford and Lynn Willis are credited as the authors. Chaosium used the percentile skill-based system as the basis for most of their games, including Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, and Elfquest.

<i>Call of Cthulhu</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop horror role-playing game

Call of Cthulhu is a horror fiction role-playing game based on H. P. Lovecraft's story of the same name and the associated Cthulhu Mythos. The game, often abbreviated as CoC, is published by Chaosium; it was first released in 1981 and is in its seventh edition, with licensed foreign language editions available as well. Its game system is based on Chaosium's Basic Role-Playing (BRP) with additions for the horror genre. These include special rules for sanity and luck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaosium</span> Game publisher

Chaosium Inc. is a publisher of tabletop role-playing games established by Greg Stafford in 1975. Chaosium's major titles include Call of Cthulhu, based on the horror fiction stories of H. P. Lovecraft, RuneQuest Glorantha, Pendragon, based on Thomas Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur, and 7th Sea, "swashbuckling and sorcery" set in a fantasy 17th century Europe.

<i>Delta Green</i> Tabletop horror role-playing game and game setting

Delta Green is a contemporary era setting for the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game created by Adam Scott Glancy, Dennis Detwiller, and John Scott Tynes, a.k.a. the Delta Green Partnership, of the Seattle gaming house Pagan Publishing. The setting first appeared in a 1992 RPG scenario and revolves around a secretive organization tasked with protecting the United States from paranormal and alien threats. Delta Green combines the classic 1920s Cthulhu Mythos of H.P. Lovecraft with modern conspiracy fiction.

James Daniel Lowder is an American author, anthologist, and editor, working regularly within the fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror genres, and on tabletop role-playing games and critical works exploring popular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelgrane Press</span> British publisher of roleplaying games

Pelgrane Press Ltd is a British role-playing game publishing company based in London and founded in 1999. It is co-owned by Simon J Rogers and Cat Tobin. It currently produces GUMSHOE System RPGs, 13th Age, the Diana Jones award-winning Hillfolk RPG, The Dying Earth Roleplaying Game, and other related products. It publishes fiction under the Stone Skin Press imprint.

<i>Trail of Cthulhu</i> Lovecraftian horror tabletop role-playing game

Trail of Cthulhu is an investigative horror role-playing game published by Pelgrane Press in 2008 in which the players' characters investigate mysterious events related to the Cthulhu Mythos. The game is a licensed product based on the horror role playing game Call of Cthulhu published by Chaosium, which is itself based on the writings of H. P. Lovecraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cthulhu Britannica</span> Series of role-playing game supplements

Cthulhu Britannica is a series of role-playing game supplements produced by the British game company Cubicle 7 Entertainment for use in the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game produced by Chaosium. The series allows for games to be set in the United Kingdom.

The Unspeakable Oath is a game magazine that was published by Pagan Publishing from 1990 to 2001, and later by Arc Dream Publishing starting in 2010.

<i>Masks of Nyarlathotep</i> Horror tabletop role-playing game campaign

Masks of Nyarlathotep, subtitled Perilous Adventures to Thwart the Dark God, is an adventure campaign first published by Chaosium in 1984 for the second edition of the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu. A number of revised editions have subsequently been published. Masks of Nyarlathotep is a series of several sequential adventures set in the 1920s that take the player characters from New York, to London, Cairo, Nairobi, and Shanghai as they deal with the threat of the god Nyarlathotep. Screenwriter Larry DiTillio wrote the adventure with game designer Lynn Willis during a writer's strike. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including Casus Belli, The Space Gamer, White Dwarf, Different Worlds, and Dragon, and is considered to be one of the best roleplaying adventures of all time.

<i>Cthulhu by Gaslight</i> Horror tabletop role-playing game supplement

Cthulhu by Gaslight is a horror tabletop role-playing supplement, written by William A. Barton, with art by Kevin Ramos, and first published by Chaosium in 1986. This supplement provides information on role-playing in an alternate setting of Victorian England of the 1890s for Call of Cthulhu. An expanded second edition was published in 1988, and a third edition was published in 2012. It won an Origins Award and received positive reviews in game periodicals including White Dwarf, Casus Belli, Different Worlds, Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer, The Games Machine, Games International, and Dragon.

<i>In the Shadows</i> (Call of Cthulhu) Tabletop horror role-playing game adventure

In the Shadows is an anthology of adventures published by Chaosium in 1995 for the 5th edition of the Lovecraftian horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu.

<i>The Golden Dawn</i> (Call of Cthulhu) Tabletop horror role-playing game supplement

The Golden Dawn is a Horror Fiction supplement published under license by Pagan Publishing in 1996 for Chaosium's horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu.

<i>The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep</i> Tabletop horror role-playing game campaign

The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep is an adventure campaign published by Chaosium in 1996 for the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu; it is the third edition of the adventure campaign Masks of Nyarlathotep originally published in 1984. It is a series of several sequential adventures set in the 1920s that take the player characters from New York, to London, Cairo, Nairobi, and Shanghai as they deal with the threat of the god Nyarlathotep. The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep is a revised and expanded version of the original adventure scenario with additional material by new authors. It won an Origins Award and received positive reviews in game periodicals including Arcane and Dragon.

<i>Cthulhu Now</i> Tabletop horror role-playing game supplement

Cthulhu Now is a supplement published by Chaosium in 1987 for the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu.

<i>The Great Old Ones</i> (Call of Cthulhu) Call of Cthulhu adventure

The Great Old Ones is a horror tabletop role-playing adventure, by Marcus L. Rowland, Kevin A. Ross, Harry Cleaver, Doug Lyons, and L.N. Isinwyll, with art by Tom Sullivan, and published by Chaosium in 1989. The Great Old Ones contains six adventures for Call of Cthulhu. It won the Origins Award for "Best Roleplaying Adventure of 1989".

<i>Fatal Experiments</i> Tabletop horror role-playing game supplement

Fatal Experiments, subtitled "Three Investigations into the Sinister and Macabre", is a collection of three adventures published by Chaosium in 1990 for the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu, itself based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

<i>Terror Australis: Call of Cthulhu in the Land Down Under</i> Horror tabletop role-playing game adventure

Terror Australis is a supplement published by Chaosium in 1987 for the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu, itself based on the works of H. P. Lovecraft. It was written by Penelope Love, Mark Morrison, Lynn Willis, Larry DiTillio, and Sandy Petersen, and is intended to be used as a sourcebook for adventures in Australia in the 1920s. It received positive reviews in game periodicals including White Dwarf, Casus Belli, and Dragon. A revised and expanded second edition was published in 2019, which won two ENnie Awards.

<i>Horrors Heart</i> Horror tabletop role-playing game supplement

Horror's Heart is an adventure campaign published by Chaosium in 1996 for the 5th edition of the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu.

<i>Kingsport: The City in the Mists</i> Horror tabletop role-playing game supplement

Kingsport: The City in the Mists is a supplement published by Chaosium in 1991 for the horror role-playing game Call of Cthulhu that describes a mysterious Massachusetts city, itself based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft.

References

  1. ↑ "Horror on the Orient Express - RPGnet RPG Game Index".
  2. 1 2 3 Tynes, John (Fall 1991). "The Eye of Light and Darkness". The Unspeakable Oath (4). Pagan Publishing: 26–36.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Swan, Rick (September 1992). "Roleplaying Reviews". Dragon (185). TSR, Inc.: 66–67.
  4. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-075-5.
  5. ↑ "Horror on the Orient Express (2014)". RPG Geek. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  6. ↑ Ligon, Wayne (February 1992). "Capsule Reviews". White Wolf Magazine . No. 30. p. 57.
  7. ↑ "Vintage Bits: Sword of Aragon – Black Gate". April 24, 2013.
  8. ↑ Blayo, Frederic (November–December 2014). "Terreur sur l'Orient Express: Chasse au trésor à travers l'Europe". Casus Belli (in French). Vol. 4, no. 12. pp. 68–69.
  9. ↑ "Origins Award Winners (1991)". Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from the original on November 5, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  10. ↑ "2015 ENnie Award Winners | ENnie Awards". www.ennie-awards.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.