Call of Cthulhu: The Sutra of Pale Leaves – Twin Suns Rising by Chaosium

Seth Stauffer

Japan has been many things throughout its history; it has been an innovator across numerous sectors and is a significant presence in world politics. As such, the island nation’s rich history and culture find themselves showcased in popular culture. Now, Chaosium’s Sutra of Pale Leaves, Twin Suns Rising showcases many of these very traits. Players can immerse themselves in Japan’s recent history with a series of modules set in the 1980s. 

Additionally, this set of investigations features the work of a writer altogether different from H.P. Lovecraft. Players will square off with the infamous King in Yellow, from the stories by Robert C. Chambers. Will the investigators resolve their queries, or will they succumb to the pitfalls encountered along the way? 

Using the work of Chambers means that this campaign is paving a different path. While the modules don’t stray away from the creepy confines of ‘weird fiction’, the players will pit themselves against a foe that has nothing to do with Cthulhu. 

This book is the first of a two-volume set, making it a substantial collection of horror for gamers. In this book, there are three distinct modules featuring a recurring antagonist. My favourite is the one featuring a comic convention. All three stories can be played separately as one-shots or as part of a campaign. As individual modules, they are strong. However, I was skeptical that this was one extensive campaign, rather than a loosely interconnected series of adventures. What felt lacking was a larger story arc that would compel the players to want to play through them all. None of them was of poor quality, but a stronger meta-narrative could have more effectively bound the individual investigations to one another. 

The book includes worthwhile instructions throughout to help players. For example, the characters’ investigators should be familiar with the Japanese language. It seems an obvious suggestion, but it influences character creation. Guidelines to account for varied possibilities are helpful for players, whereas for the Keepers, there are numerous options for story hooks, meeting NPCs, and advancing the story. All of these are welcome, regardless of a gamer’s level of experience. 

Notably, this book focuses on Japan, encompassing both its recent and distant past. Chaosium utilized cultural consultants to evaluate the material, ensuring its accuracy and avoiding cheap cultural appropriation—a nice touch.

A glaring problem with this particular text is that it refers to The King in Yellow, but that assumes people are familiar with the character and story by Robert W. Chambers.  The book provides an introduction to the character for readers unfamiliar with it. Those with knowledge of Chambers’s work will likely have a different experience playing their way through these modules, as they will understand the source material with greater depth. This book stands apart from other Call of Cthulhu supplements set in the early 20th century. With the backdrop of 1980s Japan, as well as the utilization of the King in Yellow as an antagonist, Twin Suns Rising diverges from the more well-trod Lovecraftian ground. Not everyone will be knowledgeable with the stories by Robert C Chambers, but chances are, if you’ve enjoyed the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, then you’ll be a fan of Chambers as well. This book is a quality, if slightly unexpected, addition to Call of Cthulhu, and a welcome choice for fans of occult mysteries seeking to shake things up.