Fear’s Sharp Little Needles: The Human Face of the Mythos.

Published by Stygian Fox, this 26-scenario anthology focuses on something rather different to the standard Chaosium fare. Fear’s Sharp Little Needles (FSLN), as emblazoned on the cover, is for mature gamers and is set in the modern era. So, what’s the deal and how does it differ from a standard Call of Cthulhu supplement?

First off is the focus on people as the bad guys. Typical Call of Cthulhu scenarios tend to point fingers at cosmic entities and blame them for all of the awful things people do. How unfair! Kidding aside, FSLN chooses to shift the focus a bit more onto people and the decisions they make than Call of Cthulhu typically does. A human antagonist is less likely to be a mindless puppet of the Elder Gods than a person who has made some terrible decisions (which they may now regret). As such, the horror becomes personal, because it’s less about inhuman entities than the consequences of unchecked human appetites: for material gain, status, power, or revenge.

But who can satisfy these human appetites? Well, that’s where the Mythos comes in. There are plenty of cosmic entities willing to promise the world to a naive or sociopathic human in order to get a hold on them. So don’t worry, Nyarlathotep and friends still feature in the scenarios, but they’re often in the background, pulling the strings. Not always, though: they can be front and centre, too. I mean, what’s a horror game without a creature feature? The shift of focus form cosmic entities to people isn’t absolute, it’s nuanced. The characters in these scenarios aren’t two-dimensional tools of cosmic destruction, they’re people who made bad choices, now witnessing the consequences of said choices, or perhaps insane. Or dead. It depends. But the monsters are still there somewhere, laughing. Your players may get to meet some of them.

A second point of difference is the length of the scenarios. Most of them are only a few pages long and can be played in a single session. This provides an excellent resource for any Keeper who would like to have a bit on the side in-between longer scenarios, or as a bit of a break during a longer campaign. FSLN is filled with short, novel, non-standard scenarios to scare and delight your players. You could even string a few of them together to make a longer campaign, but The Things We Leave Behind (also published by Stygian Fox) is perhaps better for that. But that’s a review for another day….

FSLN is well written, has an excellent layout and showcases great artwork. What’s more, it comes with a digital supplement file, running to 96 pages, with more maps, handouts and NPCs than you can poke a stick at. And it’s a 2019 Ennie award winner. What’s not to like?

A word of warning, though, FSLN delves quite deeply into psychological and body horror. It is best used with care and would probably suit more experienced gamers or those interested in a more intense horror experience. After all, that is what Stygian Fox publishing is all about.

there’s a reason many in the Call of Cthulhu community consider it a modern classic:

Because it’s awesome.

Get Fear’s Sharp Little Needles at Drivethrurpg

Prefer the 1920s? New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley should fit the bill.

Check out the Stygian Fox website