''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' is a horror tabletop role-playing supplement, written by William A. Barton, with art by Kevin Ramos, and first published by

Chaosium Chaosium Inc. ( ) is a publisher of tabletop role-playing games established by Greg Stafford (game designer), Greg Stafford in 1975. Chaosium's major titles include ''Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game), Call of Cthulhu'', based on the horror fic ...

in 1986. This supplement provides information on role-playing in an alternate setting of

Victorian England In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed th ...

of the 1890s for '' Call of Cthulhu''. An expanded second edition was published in 1988, and a third edition was published in 2012. It won an

Origins Award The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the gaming industry. They are presented by the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for games released in the preceding year. For example, t ...

and received positive reviews in game periodicals including ''

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'', ''

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'', ''

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'', ''

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'', ''

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'', ''

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'', and ''

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

''.

The game ''Call of Cthulhu'' was originally set in the 1920s. ''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' presents an alternate setting in

of the 1890s. The supplement includes * details of life in Victorian England, with essays on social class, occupations, crime, the cost of living, the government, the monarchy, and belief in the occult * a map of Victorian London * blank

character sheet A character sheet is a record of a player character in a role-playing game, including whatever details, notes, game statistics, and background information a player would need during a play session. Character sheets can be found in use in both ...

s for the ''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' setting. * ''The Yorkshire Horror'', an adventure featuring interaction with

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

In order to accommodate players' characters that have already adventured in the 1920s, referees are presented with several ways of transporting those characters to the 1890s. In 1989, Chaosium republished ''Cthulhu by Gaslight'', adding an essay on world politics of the time, a guide to prominent stores in London, and a glossary of Cockney underworld slang, as well as additional maps of the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

, the

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, and Sherlock Holmes's residence at

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Publication history

''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' was written by William A. Barton, with art by Kevin Ramos, and was published by

in 1986 as a

boxed set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

with a 68-page book and a 56-page book, a large map, and a sample

. It was published again in 1988 as a 128-page book.

Reception

Tim Wilson reviewed ''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' for ''

'' #78, and stated that "Overall this is a good buy for anyone wanting an English campaign or as a challenge to those souls jaded by the Arkham countryside, and is recommended to those who appreciate sane game design." In the August-September 1987 edition of ''

'' (No. 79), Lisa Cohen gave the book a thumbs up, saying, "Finally, what I have been waiting for! A game with real mystery and horror all in one." ''

'' reviewed ''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' and stated that "Thoroughly recommended for anyone who likes the idea of horror roleplaying in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes. But remember – the tentacles of the Deep Ones are everywhere..." In the January 1990 edition of ''

'' (Issue 12), Kevin Jacklin liked the game, but criticized the included scenario "The Yorkshire Horrors", saying, "My gripe with the ''Gaslight'' scenario is that it is a long one and players new to ''Call of Cthulhu'' or the Victorian era may find it a little daunting." He also pointed out that the scenario, set in Yorkshire, did not use any of the extensive London resources provided by the game. Nevertheless he concluded "I can recommend ''Gaslight'' highly, because it is the best produced and clearest background package for Victorian London yet." In the June 1990 edition of ''

'' (Issue 158),

Jim Bambra Jim Bambra (born 1956)Jim Bambra: Director Summary
Company Check Ltd is a Briti ...

thought that this book "perfectly captures the flavor and mood of the times, taking ''CoC'' into a previous age." Bambra also lauded the included adventure, saying, "''The Yorkshire Horrors'' is a good period piece for ''CoC''. It’s lengthy and develops well as the clues pile up, and there are plenty of opportunities for players to exercise their role-playing skills in Victorian society." With only slight reservations about moving characters to a period that has no other adventures written for it, Bambra concluded with a strong recommendation, commenting, "''Gaslight'' is another excellent ''CoC'' product... ''Gaslight'' comes with my highest recommendation. Anyone interested in adventuring in the Age of Victoria should snap up a copy." In a retrospective review of ''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' in '' Black Gate'', John ONeill said "As much as I enjoyed Chaosium's other published adventures, there was just something about the 1890s England that perfectly suited the creeping horror of the game."

Awards

''Cthulhu by Gaslight'' was awarded the H.G. Wells Award for "Best Roleplaying Supplement of 1986 ".

References

{{Reflist, 30em Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game) supplements Origins Award winners Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1986

Contents

Publication history

Reception

Awards

References