Have You Found It? Act I: The Jitters

Designer: Matt Corley, Mark Hart, Cat Evans, Sandy Petersen

Artist: Graey Erb, Dynasty Gusa, Joshua Culp, Dion Harris, Wirawan Pranoto, Hazem Ameen, Raph Lomotan, Erick Efata

Publisher: Petersen Games

Year Published: 2021

No. of Players: 5–6 (one game master and 4–5 characters)

Ages: Not Listed I suggest 10+ for horror and madness themes

Playing Time: Cthulhu High Fantasy

Main mechanic / Theme: 5e with Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for 5e

Find the clues to save Tiarazan from the madness gripping the city.

Overview:

Have You Found It? is the fifth Cthulhu Mythos Saga from a master of horror gaming, Sandy Petersen Games. In this collection of adventures, the heroes are thrust into the intrigue of the city of Tiarazan. At first, they are drawn into investigating a murder of four people. Each of the victims is had a prominent position in a major family or faction of the city. The more they learn, the more they are drawn into the web of intrigue that must be unraveled before the city itself is lost.

I was provided a copy of Have You Found it? Act I: The Jitters for review purposes.

Saga Overview

The Jitters is the first of four acts of the Have You Found It? saga. The complete story arc is designed to take characters from level 1 through level 14. Each act is divided into chapters, one for each level, and are designed so a party can complete them in a single session. However, depending on the players you have, they could take longer, but you should have at least 14 gaming sessions of intriguing horror role playing.

The entire Saga takes place in, under, or relatively near the city of Tiarazan. All of the information needed to run the adventure is contained in the Have You Found It? saga books, the 5e core books, and Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for 5e.

The players are a people who are working to save their city as they find out more information about how an elder god is driving people mad to create a place where they can come through and create a new place for themselves. To do so, they have to get involved and become a point of attention to those who are fighting for and against The King in Yellow.

The adventure I reviewed shows there is combat to be had, but the main part of the story is the building intrigue. Depending on how the players treat and react to others in Tiarazan will affect how later events are played out.

This Saga book (Act I)

Because The Jitters and the entire sage takes place in Tiarazan, there is good information about the city and what makes it unique. There is a general layout and information to begin with. As places and events are introduced, there are descriptions for their use. I can easily see where this could be a place for many additional adventures both within the Cthulhu Mythos setting and without. Some locations could also easily be adapted to a game master’s personal setting.

The Jitters is designed to take the characters to fourth level. Experience can be given by reaching a milestone or earned through the many opportunities of adventures down one of the city’s side streets. Each of the three chapters of the first act provides plenty of opportunity for players to both think and fight—yet the emphasis is in finding clues to solve the mystery.

The team of authors created an engaging adventure with The Jitters. Their collaborative effort on this adventure and setting is an excellent addition to their list of accomplishments. Throughout the work they included great detailed points on interest for reading and gaming.

Not to be outdone by the writers, the artistic team has created magnificent works of the city, its inhabitants, and its monsters. I have seen other work by this group and with each viewing my admiration of their ability in creating visual representation of a Cthulhu setting increases. Fans of this style will appreciate this book purely for the art. The works included are classy and appropriate for viewing by anyone.

This 920-page volume also includes a number of non-player characters, monsters, and special items that are used during the adventure. The details make them easy to use and allow for fun player interactions.

Final Thoughts:

Have You Found It? Act I: The Jitters is another excellent installment of Cthulhu literature. Here the authors allow players to be a part of a story with Hastur and the King in Yellow. The details are well covered, as expected. There is also a suggested reading list for those who desire more of the history and mood for which this series of adventures is capturing.

The centering of the entire campaign into a single city provides an opportunity of players to delve into their connections with the non-player characters who are a part of their lives. The building sense of dread and the creeping of madness through the community, and the characters, builds a great level of suspense.

I am looking forward to the continuation of this story and the setting in the remaining acts.

Act II: Stage Rehearsal

Act III: Oratorio

Act IV: Unspeakable Performances

I recommend Have You Found It? Act I: The Jitters for gaming groups who are looking for more intrigue, mystery, and eldritch horror. If you are a fan of Cthulhu mythos, this is a must.

About the Author

Daniel Yocom does geeky things at night because his day job won't let him. This dates back to the 1960s through games, books, movies, and stranger things better shared in small groups. He's written hundreds of articles about these topics for his own blog, other websites, and magazines after extensive research along with short stories. His research includes attending conventions, sharing on panels and presentations, and road-tripping with his wife. Join him at guildmastergaming.com.