Alone Against the Tide is a solo-play adventure module for the Call of Cthulhu horror roleplaying game, written and produced by Nicholas Johnson and first released through the Miskatonic Repository player-driven resource initiative in 2018.[1]
Overview[]
| “ | Alone Against the Tide is a solo-play adventure designed to be run with no Keeper and only using the Call of Cthulhu 7th edition Quickstart rules. The scenario is designed for ease of use, and requires no preparation to pick up and play. The adventure itself takes place in the lakeside resort town of Esbury, Massachusetts. You, the player, are going to Esbury in the wake of the death of a Professor William Harris, who has left behind many questions as to his mysterious suicide, a grieving widow, and collection of rare and valuable antiquities. Whatever your business here, you will soon learn that maybe Esbury isn’t the best place for a vacation spot. When things take a violent and mysterious turn, you find yourself Alone Against the Tide...and with little hope of survival. |
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| ~ Publishers description (1st edition)[1] |
| “ | Solitaire Adventure by the Lakeshore Set in the 1920s, Alone Against the Tide is a solo horror adventure for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. You take on the role of an investigator traveling to the affluent, scenic, and remote lakeside town of Esbury, Massachusetts. You decide your pathway through the story by choosing from the options presented. Your choices not only affect what happens to your investigator, but also the fate of Esbury’s residents and visitors—even the town itself! You may choose to create your own investigator or use the ready-to-play investigator, Dr. E. Woods, a professor of archaeology from Miskatonic University. There are a variety of reasons for visiting Esbury, but almost all are tied in some way to Esbury resident, Professor William Harris. What has Professor Harris’ research got to do with the strange green fog enveloping the town? Who are the menacing, dark-suited men that arrived on the ferry with your investigator? And, why is a Buddhist monk visiting Esbury, a town more used to entertaining New England’s wealthy elite? Armed with a pencil, some roleplaying dice, and a copy of the Call of Cthulhu: Keeper Rulebook or the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set, you are ready to brave the mist-shrouded streets of Esbury. Dare you take on the challenge? |
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| ~ 2nd edition back cover text[2] |
As with other solo-play scenarios, Alone Against the Tide offers an adventure in the choice-tree style of the Choose Your Own Adventure or Fighting Fantasy books. The adventure involves the player travelling to the quiet lakeside town of Esbury to investigate a series of bizarre events, and allows for custom character creation using the Core Rules, although a pre-generated character, Miskatonic University's Dr. Woods, is included in the 2nd edition for quick-start play.
Publication[]
In 2020, Chaosium released a revamped edition of Alone Against the Tide featuring new cover art by M. Wayne Miller, which was published in a solely digital format.[2] Polish, German, and Russian editions have also been released.
In November 2025, a licensed app version of the scenario, with a focus on providing audio immersion into the setting, was released by Sound Realms AB.
2nd Edition Design Team[]
- Written by: Lynne Hardy, Nicholas Johnson, and Mike Mason
- Artwork by: Andrey Fetisov, Doruk Golcu, and M. Wayne Miller
- Production staff: Lynne Hardy, Mike Mason, Nicholas Nacario, Phillip O'Brien, and Chitin Proctor
Gallery[]
- Main article: Alone Against the Tide/Gallery
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alone Against the Tide (1st edition) at RPGGeek
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Alone Against the Tide (2nd edition) at RPGGeek