Ghoul Island Act 3: Clean Up Crew by Sandy Petersen and Matt Corley is a role playing supplement published by Petersen Games for use with Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for 5e. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is the second part of the campaign and continues on from Ghoul Island Act 2: Ghoulocracy.
The supplement was purchased from DriveThruRPG as a PDF but it now only appears to be available as the PDF from the Petersen Games site. It is also available in printed form from sites such as Amazon. The PDF is the version reviewed and has 60 pages with one being the front cover, one the front matter, one the Table of Contents and two the Open Game License.
A map of the city of Farzeen is included for reference.
Act 3: Clean Up Crew explains this is an adventure for 4-5 characters of 8-10th level and gives a synopsis of the adventure.
Act 3.1: The Citadel starts with a synopsis of this part of the adventure, which is intended for 4-5 8th level characters. In this, they head into the tunnels beneath to find an entrance to a newly-constructed citadel in Farzeen and are in a race against the clock.
Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice again starts with a synopsis for this episode, which is intended for 4-5 9th level characters. In this, they stop, hopefully, the destruction of the statue of the Goddess of Light and, seeking a way out, end up facing a stage 2 Elder Influence of Ghatanothoa. This last is an unwinnable confrontation – which may annoy some players, more familiar with 5E than Call of Cthulhu – and results in the characters being mummified by the Elder Influence.
Act 3.3: True Sacrifice starts as usual with a synopsis. This is intended 4-5 10th level characters. In this part, they start off as mummified but living prisoners, but are rescued from this, after a villain helpfully explains the plans in front of them, then must escape from the Citadel with the statue of the Goddess of Light, which is now much smaller. The campaign then continues in Ghoul Island Act 4: Ghatanothoa Awakens.
Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items has stats for NPCs and monsters and some new magic items.
Ghoul Island Act 3: Clean Up Crew in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and given its size and the number of sections it really needs them. The Table of Contents covers the major sections and subsections. Navigation is poor. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a variety of colour and black and white illustrations and maps, up to full page in size, which appear to be custom. Presentation is good.
Continuing with the theme of this adventure series, this is a much more dangerous adventure than most 5E players are likely familiar with, though still safer than Call of Cthulhu ones. Perhaps the biggest problem is that the PCs have to be captured; this is done comparatively easily without them fighting thanks to going face to face with an Elder Influence. Still, this is the kind of railroading that tends to annoy players, and there is really no way around it. Once more, this is neither 5E adventure nor Call of Cthulhu, and may not appeal to those familiar with those systems. It also continues with the straightforward level progression. Ghoul Island Act 3: Clean Up Crew can be found by clicking here.
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