About Harlem Unbound:
Investigate Mythos mysteries in 1920s NYC’s Harlem Renaissance! An RPG sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu and GUMSHOE.
PICTURE THIS…
New York City in the 1920s: Prohibition is in full swing, and bootleggers are living high. African Americans flee the oppressive South for greener pastures, creating a new culture in Harlem. The music of Fats Waller and Duke Ellington pours out of the city’s windows and doorways, and the sidewalks are crowded with women in stylish skirts with silk stockings, and men in white gloves and Chesterfield coats. There’s a feeling of possibility in the air, like never before. But even in this land of promise, Harlem is a powder keg. While classes and cultures collide, Lovecraftian horrors lurk beneath the streets, creeping through dark alleys and hidden doorways into the Dreamlands. What Great Old One shattered our reality? Can you hold it together and keep the Mythos at bay for one more song?
This sourcebook flips the standard Lovecraftian view of minorities on its head, putting them in the role of heroes who must struggle against cosmic horrors while also fighting for a chance at equality. By default, the protagonists of Harlem Unbound are African American, not white (which is the standard assumption found in Lovecraftian fiction). Our heroes and heroines come from all walks of life with regard to class, ethnicity, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation.
The heart of the Renaissance was a revolution aimed at changing the world through art, ideas, and the written word. It was a uniquely powerful movement against the unjust status quo, a time in history that still inspires today. The history, people and stories in this book shine the spotlight on the people of Harlem, their successes and their struggles.
From Chaosium:
Chaosium will publish a second, updated edition of the critically acclaimed Call of Cthulhu supplement Harlem Unbound, it was announced at the close of Gen Con.
Harlem Unbound is the creation of African-American game designer Chris Spivey. The first licensed edition was published to critical acclaim by Spivey’s indie studio Darker Hue Studios. Spivey’s first release, Harlem Unbound won three Gold awards at the 2018 ENies Awards.
The new edition of Harlem Unbound will feature additional scenarios, new maps and new art.
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