Campaign Trailer: MASKS OF NYARLATHOTEP

The last two trailers were all me, but I also wrote one to pimp the classic Call of Cthulhu campaign "Masks of Nyarlathotep". I wrote it like an old-timey adventure serial. It made me giggle, anyway.

A ROUSING OVERTURE

As the RKO RADIO studio logo appears on the screen...

A BLOODY HAND – CLOSE

We see a BLOOD-COVERED HAND and forearm tumble off the edge of a bed as MENACING MUSIC plays. We hear A WOMAN SCREAM!

A HORRIFYING MURDER!

INT. COFFEE SHOP – NIGHT

We see JIMMY MULDOON, a rough-and-tumble man, holding up a bundle of papers. He is sitting opposite CLARA GATES, a young woman wearing a raincoat.

MULDOON

Jackson was on to something. Something that got him killed. And I think it had something to do with the Carlyle Expedition...

A LOST EXPEDITION!

EXT. DARKEST AFRICA / CAVE – NIGHT

We see JACK BRADY, a square-jawed tough-guy type, standing aghast. Eerie flickering light in the foreground sends the shadows of DANCING NATIVES on the cave wall behind him... and something else. We see a VAST, INHUMAN SHAPE RISE UP in the foreground.

BRADY

My god! It’s impossible!

We see A FIGURE IN A BIZARRE AFRICAN TRIBAL MASK lurch at the camera!

INT. CARLYLE MANSION – DAY

We see ERICA CARLYLE, a pretty young dilettante, light a cigarette.

CARLYLE

My brother was fascinated by Africa. Obsessed, really. It was all he talked about...

DRAMATIC CLOSE-UP

CARLYLE (continued, dramatic)

It haunted his dreams.

A BOLD ADVENTURE AROUND THE WORLD!

EXT. MANHATTAN HARBOUR – DAY

We see a steamship, the VENTURE, pull out into the open waters.

CLARA (voiceover)

We owe it to Jackson to get to the bottom of this mystery and bring his killers to justice.

We DISSOLVE through several shots of the LONDON SKYLINE, the GREAT PYRAMIDS of Egypt, and the port of SHANGHAI.

DEADLY PERIL!

INT. APARTMENT – DAY

We see Muldoon struggling with a SWARTHY FOREIGNER weilding a long, curved knife. The assassin pushes the knife closer to Muldoon’s throat, but Muldoon manages to push him away and knocks him back with a left hook to the chin.

INT. COLLAPSING TUNNEL – NIGHT

We see Muldoon and several others fleeing through torch-lit sandstone tunnels with EGYPTIAN HEIROGLYPHICS on the walls. There is a terrible RUMBLING and we can see SAND is beginning to pour through cracks in the ceiling. Behind the fleeing heroes, we can see the shadowy forms of pursuers with monstrous, inhuman heads!

CUT TO

A MADMAN – CLOSE

We see a super-crazy MADMAN, trembling, giggling and drooling on himself. His eyes shine with insane mirth.

MADMAN

The master is coming... you cannot stop him! Ee-hee-hee-hee!!

INT. RITUAL CHAMBER – NIGHT

We see MULDOON strapped down to a stone altar, surrounded by chanting cultists. The CULT LEADER steps forward, wearing black robes, holding a curved SACRIFICIAL KNIFE in his hands.

CULT LEADER (super evil)

The stars have at last come right, Mister Muldoon. What a pity... for you.

The cult leader lets out a RIDICULOUSLY SINISTER LAUGH. Muldoon struggles against his bonds as the cult leader approaches, lifting the knife over him, ready to strike...

CLARA (off-camera)

Not tonight, palooka!

We see CLARA swing down to the altar stone on a rope. She kicks the CULT LEADER away with one booted foot and raises a THOMPSON SUBMACHINEGUN to mow down the assembled cultists.

CLARA (cont’d)

This is for Jackson, you monsters!

HEART-POUNDING ACTION!

INT. PIT – NIGHT

The camera is set at the bottom of the pit looking up. We see MULDOON and CLARA step into the frame at the top of the pit, and Clara claps a hand over her mouth as we see a WEIRD, SHIFTING DARK MASS enter the frame in the foreground.

MULDOON

What in the name of...!

The thing in the pit lets out a monstrous HOWL.

BONE-CHILLING TERROR!

EXT. FOGGY DOCKS - NIGHT

Clara and Muldoon wrap their arms around each other and kiss passionately as TRIUMPHANT MUSIC SURGES.

Clara pulls away, GAZING INTO THE CAMERA.

CLARA

Oh, Jimmy... how can we love each other when it could be... THE END OF THE WORLD?!

PASSIONATE ROMANCE!

YOU WILL NEVER FORGET...