Abyssus Aquae by Ruggero Cortini is a role playing game supplement published by Chaosium Inc. through the Miskatonic Repository Community Content Programme for use with Call of Cthulhu, the horror role playing game based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft. This is a modern day scenario.
The supplement is available as a 35 page Pay What You Want PDF from DriveThruRPG. One page is the front cover, one the front matter and one the Table of Contents.
The Introduction explains that the adventure is set in Naples in the present day, in which the investigators try to find a kidnapped friend but gets tangled up in more, including a plot to free some Chthonians imprisoned by Virgil. It also explains it contains mature themes and is not intended to be run as a pulp adventure. Background is given for the Keeper on the story so far, including the kidnap and the plot regarding the Chthonians. How the pregenerated characters are linked to the missing person is covered as well as how to involve them.
Dramatis Personae has details on the professor behind the plot, the missing person, her associate, a gangster and a local official.
Start: A Missing Friend has the investigators starting to look for the kidnapped person and a timeline of past and future events.
Next Steps has the characters continuing their investigation and research, with an optional encounter with gangsters.
Monte Gauro Archaeological Site is the scenario’s concluding encounters.
Conclusion wraps things up with awards.
Appendices has stats for the monsters and NPCs, a new spell, the handouts in one place and the final eight pages are two-page character sheets for the pregenerated investigators.
Abyssus Aquae in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Table of Contents is to a similar level of depth. There are also a number of internal links. Navigation is very good. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of colour and black and white illustrations, up to full page in size, as well as the maps. Presentation is very good.
This is definitely not a safe adventure, but such should be the case with Call of Cthulhu. There are a variety of ways to fail, including by dying, and that doesn’t have to be at the appendages of Mythos creatures; the gangsters involved are just as capable of killing someone human. There are also a number of potential things that could be used for further adventures, if this one is survived. Abyssus Aquae is a decent adventure and it can be found by clicking here.
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