Hello Investigators! I’ve got a cool review for you today with an ENNIE nominated one shot for Call of Cthulhu! This one is a bit unusual as it’s based on historical events and real locations. If you love Call of Cthulhu and you are looking for a new one shot scenario for your table, William Bailey’s Haunted Mansion is perfect for you!

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What is William Bailey’s Haunted Mansion?

William Bailey’s Haunted Mansion is a one shot scenario for Call of Cthulhu 7th edition. Before I go any further, I should make it clear that while I was given a complimentary copy of the scenario by the creator David Waldron. However, this is post is in no way sponsored by the creators of the scenario.

In the scenario you will find a scenario based on historical events in the 1890s in Ballarat, Australia. You will find several historical figures in the scenario, including William Bailey, Emily Bailey, Thomas Learmonth, and the Stephenite cult.

One of the coolest parts of the scenario is that all of the Investigators are also historical figures. This makes it fun to play around in the time period.

The scenario also contains 7 NPC stats, 8 player handouts, 4 pre-generated character sheets, and 4 maps.

What’s it About?

Players should skip this section. If you want to play the scenario, make sure to let your Keeper know and have them read ahead.

Spoilers Follow!

I will try to keep the spoilers light here but there are going to be some in order for me to talk about the scenario.

In the 1890’s there was a man named William Bailey. He was a successful business man who made his money in the gold trade. But the way he came about his success was far less than ethical. Bailey made many enemies, not the least of which was the Learmonth family. Bailey fooled them into thinking a gold mine was worthless, bought an anonymous stake in said mine, then kept the mine for himself, thus making himself a wealthy man. With his ill gotten gains, Bailey purchased a mansion. Recently, Bailey has seen strange things happening at his mansion. He assumes this is revenge on the part of the Learmonth family but there is a more supernatural explanation here.

Meanwhile, Bailey’s wife Emily has been in contact with the Stephenite cult. This was a real cult at the time. They have convinced Emily to allow a seance to cleanse her home.

Emily keeps this fact a secret from her husband. William, wanting to get to the bottom of things, has hired the Investigators to figure out what is going on.

I won’t go further into the details of the scenario here because what happens next is going to depend on your players.

How long does it take to Run?

The story is a one shot so it should only take about 2-3 hours to run. For some great context and an example of how the scenario was first created, you can check out this YouTube video. They have some great costuming ideas too if you want to make it even more fun at your table!

What are the Cons?

No scenario is perfect and any Keeper is always going to have to do some work to make things perfect for their table. There are some points, especially in the setup, that can feel kind of railroaded here. In a short scenario, I don’t see that as a bad thing. But there are some Keepers who can’t stand that at all so do be forewarned.

As far as the maps go, they are a little tough to read but this is because they are actual public domain sketches of the real place. My table used them just fine. But there were some areas where I had to take a pretty close look to make sure I was looking at the right place.

Overall, the pros far outweigh the cons here and it’s an enjoyable scenario, no doubt.

How can I get a copy of William Bailey’s Haunted Mansion?

If you’re still not sure if you should get this scenario let me remind you of a few things. First, this is nominated for an ENNIE. If you don’t know what that means, it’s like the Emmys but for tabletop role playing games. It’s not easy to even be nominated for one, so this scenario stands out.

Second, this is quite reasonably priced. You can get a PDF, a color soft cover, or both. The price ranges from $3 – $10 depending on the option you choose.

If you’re just itching to get your hands on it, you can purchase it right here!

In Conclusion

My table had a good time with this one and I think yours will too. You might even learn a bit of history while you are at it.

It’s a great way to spend a couple of hours and there is a nice, creepy payoff if your Investigators make it through.

So, if you are looking for your next Call of Cthulhu 7th edition scenario, I think you’ll like William Bailey’s Haunted Mansion.

P.S.

If you’ve already played this one and are looking for another historical Call of Cthulhu scenario, I humbly suggest trying my scenario Trouble on the Rock set on Alcatraz Island in 1934. It’s on sale right now for only $3.99!

And if you are new to Call of Cthulhu, check out my how to play series starting here!