Call of Cthulhu: The Sutra of Pale Leaves 2 – Carcosa Manifest by Chaosium

Seth Stauffer

The King in Yellow returns for Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu, with a collection of modules called The Sutra of Pale Leaves 2 – Carcosa Manifest. Investigators will face off with the secretive cult, the Association of Pale Leaves, just as with the previous book, The Sutra of Pale Leaves – Twin Suns Rising. There are multiple investigations, including one split into two parts, offering varying levels of difficulty. Yet, all of them share one sure trait: investigators will be confronted by eldritch powers that are trying to test their limits.

This book compiled a strong collection of material, and complements the other book in this duo of missions very well. An essential part of this collection is that it once again relies on the King in Yellow and a devout cult dedicated to this peculiar antagonist. As with the other book, this offers a variation on weird fiction that is a perfect fit for the strangeness people might come to expect from Call of Cthulhu. Arkham is well-trod and beloved ground in horror. Both the setting —1980s Japan — and the antagonist, The King in Yellow, are less familiar. The ongoing use of the same cult and antagonist suggests the very real possibility that the King in Yellow may become a new threat in yet-to-be-written CoC content. It would be an excellent way to expand the game line.

All of the material feels very distinct. I didn’t get the impression that there was much overlap between modules. Each one felt like its own creation, despite recurring themes or characters.

For example, one investigation sends players into a multi-user dungeon (MUD) called Wonderland, which feels like a fresh riff on classic CoC content. It’s gruesome, bizarre, and challenging. Plus, it gives people a chance to explore older video game platforms and becomes a game within a game within a history lesson. This one may have been my favourite of the book, and is something that would make a great session or two on its own.

There is even a mission in this book explicitly aimed at more experienced players. It’s dark but exciting, and it gives the investigators an incredible amount of freedom to satisfy the victory conditions. For a keeper who wants to challenge themselves and the players, this is a very open and challenging one-shot.

Once again, the modules themselves are creative and engaging, doing an excellent job of recreating the near-historical setting they emulate. Cultural consultants worked on this book, helping ensure the material would be crafted with respect and that Chaosium would present care when developing weird content to drive gamers’ PCs insane. 

Despite being a substantial collection of modules, there is no real incentive to run this as a campaign. Each of the four modules refers to the same cult, but there isn’t really a story or anything to link them into a larger arc. Considering that this is the second of a two-volume collection of investigations, this aspect of the content misses the mark a bit.

Overall, this book does a great job of respecting the source material from Robert W. Chambers’ fiction and from Call of Cthulhu, the game. If this book were a lone product, it would already be a good addition to Call of Cthulhu’s products, but it’s a second book, which is a substantial addition. There isn’t a single story that ties everything together, but the individual missions are still of high quality on their own merits. There are dark terrors within this book that are ripe for horror gaming. Gamers beware!, But strongly encouraged to dive into this menagerie of menace.