Fear of Overtime by Phanzar 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.
The supplement is available as a 23 page Pay What You Want PDF from DriveThruRPG. One page is the front cover and one the front matter. There is also a png map, a zip that contains two png handouts and another zip that contains five png character sheets. There are also Brazilian Portuguese duplicates of all of these.
Context explains this is a short scenario for four investigators that takes place in 1929 on a single floor of an office building in a city. The characters are forced by different reasons to work past closing time and are startled by a shot. A sidebar covers the Magnolian Building where the adventure takes place.
What Haunts the Magnolian explains that the owner of McAllen Imports bought a painting that has influenced him, changed his nature and finally caused him to kill himself which opened a portal.
The Rift Weaver is the creature that came out of the portal. Now free, it feeds, evolves and grows, and when it has eaten enough, it will return through the portal. One way it eats is eating SIZ characteristics of people.
Constant Evolution looks at how the creature grows, with a random table to determine what it’s doing and where it might go.
The Hallway covers the main hallway of the floor.
Ways Out looks at ways that the floor might be fled and what happens if this is tried; fleeing is not easy.
The different locations of the floor are then covered, along with clues, things and people that might be found in them, and how the Rift Weaver might attack in these locations.
Conclusion wraps things up.
Dramatis Personae describes the NPCs.
Characters and Threats has stats for the NPCs and the Rift Weaver.
Artifacts has the painting that caused the problem.
Resources 1-3 have the map and handouts.
Resource 4: Character Sheets has five character sheets and various traits. The characters are given a general description of them and their suggested roles, as well as the stats.
Fear of Overtime in Review
The PDF is well bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. Navigation is good. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be mostly free of errors. Bar the map and handouts, there are no illustrations. Presentation is okay.
As currently designed, this wouldn’t work as part of an existing campaign; it’s suggested it’s either a one-shot or a campaign started, being a way of throwing characters together. It will work in many cities, though. With some tweaking, giving the characters a reason to be at the building other than working late, it could be slotted into an existing campaign. Perhaps they have a meeting with McAllen, following up on something they learned about the painting. In general, this is an easy enough adventure to use, perhaps with alterations. Fear of Overtime can be found by clicking here.
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