Eldritch Flora by Bethany Minchew is a role playing game supplement published by DRAKAT Games for use with Call of Cthulhu, the horror role playing game system based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
The supplement is available as a 12-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $0.85 but was purchased at a reduced price during a sale. One page is the front cover, half a page the front matter and Contents and one is ads.
This is one of three supplements, the other two being Eldritch Fauna and Eldritch Invertebrates, for the company’s Darkisle setting. The opening paragraphs explain that this is aimed at the Keeper who wants to add some Mythos-tainted vegetation to their setting. Though it is aimed at the Darkisle setting, it can be used anywhere, and it contains an in-character pamphlet written by the Reverend Alfred Purefoy.
There are two parts to the supplement and the first part is the pamphlet, with which the cover could be used, to print out as a handout. There are five plants, each of which has History & nomenclature, Description, Habitat and Notes, together with an image.
Feverdream is a plant with a reputation for causing drowsiness and troubled sleep. Mawe Moss is a predatory type of moss with an underground sack into which creatures fall and drown. Snareweed is a plant that wraps around creatures as a way of spreading its seeds around, but larger plants wrap too tightly. Scrywort is a plant reputed to be useful in scrying. Thunstanberry is a plant that, though not specified in this section, has been affected by a Colour Out of Space.
Notes for the Keeper/GM is the second part and has game stats. It states that the plants’ folklore might just be colour, but it could also be based on fact. This then gives the game effects for each plant.
Eldritch Flora in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and, though short, these would have been appreciated. Navigation could be better. The text maintains a single column format and appeared to be free of errors. Each of the flora has an appropriate stock illustration. Presentation is decent.
Like the other two in this series, this is a nice little supplement. With a bit of work, the pamphlet section can be printed out and used as a prop. Making the flora distinctly more unpleasant is the GM’s section, which gives them game stats; these could be used to infer how the flora will work with other systems. Eldritch Flora is a good little supplement and it can be found by clicking here.
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