Advice for Running 'Paper Chase' for Call of Cthulhu 7e

Paper Chase is often the first scenario many new Keeper's encounter - and for good reason. Designed for a small party (solo or two person duet), this short, low combat investigation emphasizes tone, pacing and storytelling. But while its simplicity is a strength, many Keepers find the need to tweak it to make it more satisfying in its payoff.

Scenario Overview:

• Title: Paper Chase
• Setting: Arnoldsburg, West Virginia (1920s or modern)
• Runtime: 1–2 hours
• Themes: Investigation, moral ambiguity, light supernatural horror
• Best For: Solo players or new duets exploring the tone of CoC

The scenario opens with a simple mystery: books have been stolen from a local estate. The nephew, Thomas Kimball, asks the investigator to look into a break-in at his late uncle Douglas Kimball’s house. The trail leads to the cemetery—and what’s left of Douglas.

What Works:

• Perfect for New Keepers or Players – With minimal combat and one or two investigators, it’s a soft entry point into CoC’s themes.
• Unexpected Monster Sympathy – Ghoul-Douglas isn’t a villain. He’s a tragic, almost poetic figure. Some players may walk away feeling sorry for him.
• Great Opportunity for Roleplay – A one-on-one scene with a ghoul asking to be left alone? That’s pure CoC flavor.

What to Watch For:

• Too Light in Tone for Some – Some Keepers have noted the scenario feels “cute,” and not particularly horrific.
• Leads Too Quickly to the Ending – The infamous map handout points directly to the cemetery and Douglas’s hideout.Many Keepers have had their investigators beeline directly to the end of the Scenario based on the information.
• Underdeveloped Investigation – Clues don’t logically connect. Some Keepers say players skip the police, library, or newspaper entirely without nudges.

Keeper Tips & Tricks:

1. Delay the Journal: Instead of leaving the big clue in the study, move it into the tunnels beneath the cemetery. Or lock it in a desk the player needs to find a key for. As written, they find the journal, then the map, and boom—it’s over.
2. Use the Town First: Give players a reason to visit the local library, police station, or newspaper. This fleshes out Arnoldsburg and builds investigative flow. Try adding a newspaper article quoting Douglas’s elitist rants about the homeless, A police report of vagrants disappearing and locals whispering about strange sounds in the cemetery at night
3. Make Douglas Morally Gray: Douglas should be horrific, but understandable. Making the investigator's choice have weight adds meaning. Do they sympathize with a murderer or stop a man who is just looking for peace.
4. Remove the Map (or Alter It): If you keep the map, edit out the direct route to the crypt. Let players find the trail themselves. Many Keepers reported better pacing this way.
5. Use Ghouls as a Living World: Don’t have the player fight ghouls—have them stalk, watch, or chase. The Ghouls should be like Hyenas, dangerous, but not mindless, and cunning, feral, but intelligent.That’s even more unsettling.

Handout Design:

Because this scenario is short, even one or two quality handouts can elevate the experience.

1. Journal Page (Moved from Study): Handwrite a single journal entry from Douglas, age the paper and add smudged ink or bloodstains, include unsettling reflections: “They don’t judge. They listen. And they let me read in peace.”
2. Newspaper Clippings: Create two articles from The Arnoldsburg Herald: “Local Scholar Criticizes Police Inaction” – Douglas complains about vagrants and “Cemetery Quiet Again After Strange Activity” – Hints that the problem mysteriously “resolved itself”. These give players incentive to visit the paper or police and hint at Douglas’s guilt.
3. Letter from Thomas Kimball: Instead of a cold “quest giver” intro, make the case personal: “Uncle Douglas was always a strange man… but he didn’t deserve this. Please help me figure out what’s going on. The police won’t listen.”
4. Edited Map (Optional): If you do use the map, blur or remove the direct route. Let players ask the groundskeeper or stumble upon the right path themselves.

Final Thoughts:

Paper Chase is not about defeating monsters or escaping madness - it's about a quiet, strange horror that asks investigators to reflect, not react. But, in my opnion it needs a little Keeper finesse to work. Tweak the clues, shift the tone, and don't let the story resolve too quickly.