The Spark Devil

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A Prop-Intensive Call of Cthulhu® Adventure Providence, Rhode Island. The year is 1935 and the Great Depression is in full swing. The sudden and inexplicable death of a local elect rician catapults Investigators into an inquiry steeped in madness, mystery, and dark powers. Can they bring comfort to a grieving widow, or does the death merely presage greater horrors that await? The Spark Devil is an original scenario written by the HPLHS' Sean Branney with a fantastic set of props created by Andrew Leman. The adventure makes extensive use of real Providence history and locations to create the most authentic setting possible. Investigators can explore Lovecraft's home town as they strive to stave off an entirely new Mythos threat. Both newcomers to Call of Cthulhu and seasoned veterans will find this story an engaging mystery filled with perilous surprises. The deluxe box set measures 13.5 x 11.75 x 4.5 inches and weighs almost 5 pounds. What's Included Physical Props A special gaming version of the facsimile edition Miskatonic University monograph on Liber Oblitus (this is a 300 page hardback book) A vintage oatmeal canister "radio" that includes a working custom BlueTooth speaker capable of playing key audio props (see below) Prop Documents Twenty-five documents, including newspaper clippings, large-format maps, photos, letters, legal documents and much more, crafted with painstaking detail to provide your table with cinema-level props for unparalleled realism Handouts A large format (27 x 31 inches) vintage map of Providence A large format (17.5 x 27 inches) vintage map of Narragansett Bay A floorplan (11 x 17 inches) of a wing of Butler Hospital Audio Props Twenty-three audio props, recorded by professional actors to dramatize key NPC interactions during the investigation Three custom vintage radio broadcasts for use with "radio" above Game Book An 86-page perfect-bound game book, richly illustrated with vintage photos and original artwork by Ukranian illustrator Vladyslav Yurasov Pre-generated characters specially crafted for this story Digital Props Most of the Prop Documents are also provided as Digital Props to facilitate online gaming Ennie Award Nominated In the 2026 Ennie Awards, The Spark Devil has been nominated for Best Long Form Adventure, Best Production Values, and PRODUCT OF THE YEAR! Player Reviews One of the most chilling and fun adventures that I have ever experienced! The clues, the investigation itself, the props, the characters and the horror all blend together to make an unforgettable scenario! Highly recommend! --Vincent M. I had a fantastic time playing The Spark Devil. It was a great story tied to real history and brought to life by incredible props. Highly recommended. --Erik F. It was an incredibly enjoyable experience, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. Your dedication to writing such an engaging adventure and putting together all those fantastic props! --Zachary S. ... a fantastic experience that I would love to repeat as a player or run as a keeper, with plenty of options for variable scenarios and follow-on games, and some first-rate props that take the experience to the next level. --Andrew H. This was a fantastic Call of Cthulhu game, with amazing props! ...my jaw dropped when we discovered the gigantic tome. Highly recommended! --Rebecca P. [It]... was an awe-inspiring, immersive experience. All of the props, maps, and the tome created an unforgettable evening of Mythos sleuthing. --David R. I thought that the blending of real history and fictional elements... gave the story a level of verisimilitude that you don't often see in other scenarios. Add in the myriad props...all crafted with the typical HPLHS attention to detail, and the immersion level of this story gets ratcheted up to 11. The oatmeal canister radio alone is simply an amazing prop creation. --Kevin M. FAQ Q: Is there a digital version for those who play online? A: There is only one version of The Spark Devil. However, we have digitized the props that can be digitized, and all those digital props are included with The Spark Devil. That said, some props like Liber Oblitus and the radio are real 3D objects and cannot be rendered to our satisfaction into digital props. But The Spark Devil can be played online and most of the props can be used in online games. The numerous audio props are especially useful for online gamers. Q: If I already own Liber Oblitus. Can I get a version of The Spark Devil without it? A: Sorry, no. The version of LO included with The Spark Devil has been specially prepared for use in playing the scenario. Q: How long does it take to play through The Spark Devil? A: Playtesting has shown that most games want around 12+ hours of game time. However, it can be played as a one-shot and the game book includes suggestions for accelerated game play. Q: Can The Spark Devil be played using Pulp Cthulhu rules? A: Why yes, it can. While conceived for Classic Call of Cthulhu, there are several aspects of the game well suited to Pulp rules. Those are pointed out in the game book. Q: Is The Spark Devil compatible with first-edition Call of Cthulhu? A: The Spark Devil was written for the current 7th edition rules of Call of Cthulhu. But players will find that as long as you can multiply or divide by 5, converting from 7th edition to any previous rule set of Call of Cthulhu is pretty simple. Q: Could the game be run with a Keeper and just one player (plus NPCs) for people who don't have a local group? A: The Spark Devil comes with pre-gen characters well suited to the game. It could certainly be played by a single player. If one were to do that, though, the player should probably play two characters: the electrician and the librarian. Without having some skills in those areas, the game could be frustrating. The numerous audio props also lighten the NPC burden for the Keeper. Q: Was this package created using AI? A: No. HPLHS products are written by humans without AI assistance. All illustrations and audio are created by talented human beings without the use of any AI tools. Props and graphic design are created likewise. That's how we roll. NOW SHIPPING Produced under license from Chaosium Inc.Call of Cthulhu, Chaosium Inc., and the Chaosium logo are registered trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Used with permission.Call of Cthulhu © 1981–2025 Chaosium Inc. All rights reserved. The names, descriptions, and depictions in this product are derived from works copyrighted by and include trademarks owned by Chaosium Inc., and may not be used or reused without their permission. NOTE: The included Bluetooth speaker requires a Bluetooth enabled device (not included) capable of playing MP3 files. Most contemporary phones, tablets, and computers can do this, but we want to be clear, the speaker cannot play audio without such a device. Show more