The Well of All Fear – A Call of Cthulhu Scenario by Kat Clay

Game Review

Seth Stauffer

Victorian England is synonymous with prudish people hiding their vices in whatever closet they could. While most people associate this behaviour with sexual activities, writer Kat Clay explores darker secrets in the module The Well of All Fear for Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. There is murder afoot, or so it would seem, because the truth is much more sinister. Can the investigators infiltrate polite society and solve the mystery with their reputation intact?

One of the first things visible for this product is that it won a 2024 Silver ENnie award in the Community Content category.  I can attest that the quality of the module is spot on. The use of reputation as a game mechanic is excellent, and PCs could find themselves in a tight spot if they do not respect the rules of etiquette. There’s even an optional bankruptcy rule should the  PCs find themselves gambling.

This is a complete product, short of the core rules. It includes NPCs, handouts, and maps, and everything is full-colour. Historical information and a helpful bibliography are also available. Overall, this product looks and feels carefully and attentively crafted. Don’t forget, it feels like an official release but is community content.

Despite its great composition, this module isn’t perfect. Victorian society was very class-oriented, and while it comes up in the module, it largely excludes lower-class characters. At one point, I wondered what role a character would have if they weren’t well-off or didn’t have a high enough status socially. For example, how would a maid initiate meaningful conversations with a wealthy community member? The module might be almost impossible since the PCs couldn’t access the NPCs. 

This is a great module. Regardless of my quibbles, it’s creative, fits the game perfectly, is an exceptional example of community-created content, and even resembles Lovecraftian stories. Fans of this kind of fiction will be well-served. There is a problem with limiting PCs to certain members of society, which might frustrate some people, but overall, this is a quality product. It would be good for anyone looking to play Call of Cthulhu