ARKHAM CITY CIRCA 1922 A.D. | GM CAMPAIGN PRIMER
System: OpenD6 | Setting: Lovecraft Country (Classic Era)
Section 1. Title: Arkham City 1922: The Shadowed Pedigree
Introduction
The Hook: It is 1922. The "Roaring Twenties" are in full swing, but in the Miskatonic Valley, the noise of jazz can’t drown out the guttural whispers from the Western Hills. Arkham is a city defined by its bridges—not just those over the river, but the ones connecting a dark colonial past to a terrifying cosmic future.
The Problem: The very ground of Arkham is soaked in a "carnal truth" that historians have tried to bury. From the aggressive sacrificial rituals of the vanished Miskatonic tribe to the non-Euclidean geometry hidden in the "Witch House," the city is a powder keg of eldritch energy waiting for a spark.
The Solution/Promise: This primer provides GMs with the historical roadmap to run a campaign where the industrial revolution meets the cosmic apocalypse. Using the OpenD6 system, your players will walk the line between 1920s prosperity and total mental collapse.
Introduction for the Game Master
Welcome to the Miskatonic Valley, Keeper. It is 1922 A.D., and the world is caught in a frantic dance between post-war recovery and the booming "Roarin' 20s." But in Arkham, the noise of progress is a thin veil. This primer provides the mechanical and narrative framework to run a campaign where the industrial revolution meets the cosmic apocalypse. Your role is to balance the investigative pulp of the era with the crushing weight of the "Carnal Truth" hidden beneath the city’s colonial brickwork.
Preface: Keeper’s Notes
Location Note: In 1922, Arkham is a 40-minute drive from Boston. It is also accessible via the MBTA (Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority) trains and a small community airport. While modern readers see it as a suburb, in the 20s, it is a rural community with a dark, isolated atmosphere.
The Carnal Truth: The history of the Miskatonic tribe is your primary "Spoiler." Use the Swamp Dread mechanics to emphasize the physical and mental toll of the river. The rock formations in the Western Hills are not just scenery—they are mechanical hazards that require high Search or Investigate rolls to decipher.
Section 2: Geography: The Divided City (H2)
Arkham is a 40-minute drive from Boston, accessible by the MBTA and a small community airport. In 1922, it remains a rural community transitioning into an industrial hub.
Northside (Downtown): The civic heart. Includes City Hall, Police Headquarters, the Alley, Miskatonic Books, and the apartments of Allison Flynn and Marisa Moore.
Southside: The academic soul. Home to the Miskatonic University campus, the Miskatonic Museum, and the Hotel Miskatonic.
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| Arkham City Circa 1922 A.D. |
Section 2 (Counted): Detailed Geographic Survey of Arkham (1922)
Based on the OpenD6 Fantasy and OpenD6 Adventure Location Frameworks, the following data provides the standardized difficulty benchmarks and mechanical modifiers for the Arkham City 1922 campaign setting.
I. The Northside Civic & Transit District
The Northside serves as the threshold for most investigators. It is characterized by the constant soot of the Boston-Maine Railroad and the busy intersections of Town Square.
The B-M Station (High Lane & West Street): Located centrally on High Lane, the Boston-Maine Railroad station is the soot-stained gateway to Arkham. In 1922, it is a hive of activity where the 40-minute commute from Boston ends and the rural dread begins. For a GM, this is the perfect "cold open" location.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 12 Streetwise. A success allows an investigator to secure a local guide or overhear rumors about the recent disappearances in the Miskatonic Valley.
The Town Square (Intersection of Federal and Whately): Residing in the northeastern quadrant of the Northside, the Town Square is the civic heart of Arkham. It is surrounded by colonial-style architecture and contains the primary bulletin boards for public notices and news. It is the best place to gauge the "temperature" of the local populace.
OpenD6 Stat: +1D to Investigation. The density of public records and local gossipers makes this the prime location for gathering non-occult information.
The Arkham Sanitarium (North of Derby Street): Perched at the northernmost edge of the map, the Sanitarium is a grim, sprawling facility used to house the "mentally fractured." Its proximity to the quiet, fog-heavy woods makes it a place of deep unease, especially for those who have already looked too closely at the Mythos.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 20 Willpower. Failure to maintain composure upon entering results in a "Spooked" condition, reflecting the heavy psychic weight of the facility's residents.
II. The Southside Academic & Historic District
South of the river, the atmosphere shifts from industrial noise to academic silence and ancient rot. This is where the University dominates the landscape and the oldest secrets are kept.
Miskatonic University (Between College Street and Crane Street): The University campus is the intellectual fortress of the Southside. It is composed of ten key buildings, including the Science Hall and the infamous Orne Library. In 1922, it is a world-renowned center for research, though its "Special Collections" remain a source of dark speculation.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 15 Persuasion/Bureaucracy. Accessing the Orne Library (#6) restricted stacks is a challenge; without proper credentials or a silver tongue, the "Ink of Anticipation" and other relics remain out of reach.
The French Hill District (East of French Hill Street): Located on the southeastern slope of the city, French Hill is a maze of steep, narrow streets and tightly packed wooden tenements. The architecture here feels as though it is leaning in to listen to your conversations, and the residents are notoriously guarded.
OpenD6 Stat: -1D to Stamina. The grueling inclines of French Hill make physical exertion difficult, adding a layer of exhaustion to any foot chases or long-distance investigations.
Pickman Street (Running East-West below the Hospital): This residential stretch is famous for its unsettling atmosphere and its connection to the city's darker artistic history. The shadows here seem longer and more persistent than in the Northside, and even in 1922, the street feels trapped in a previous century.
OpenD6 Stat: +5 Difficulty to Search. At night, the lighting is poor and the architectural "geometry" is subtly off, making it incredibly hard to find hidden clues or portals.
III. The Peripheral Badlands
These are the borderlands where Arkham’s "civilization" ends and the "Carnal Truth" of the wilderness begins.
Hangman’s Slough & Bad Water Road (Western Edge): To the far west, where the city grid breaks down, lies the Slough. This is low-lying, marshy ground where the "Swamp Dread" is at its strongest. The air is thick with the scent of decay and the guttural echoes of the vanished Miskatonic tribe.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 15 Survival. Failure indicates the party is bogged down in the mire. This is a "High Alert" zone where remnants of the "Transmigration" are most likely to be encountered.
The Aylesbury Pike (Northwest toward Dunwich): The Aylesbury Pike is the lonely road that winds away from the city toward the deeper hills. It is a place of profound isolation where the "Loneliness of the Hills" can weigh as heavily as any physical threat.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 10 Sanity Check. Travel at sunset or night requires a roll to avoid the crushing sense of cosmic insignificance that the New England wilderness inspires.
IV. The Miskatonic University Campus Survey (1922)
The Academic Core (Science & Lore)
1. Science Hall (Northwest Corner of the Quad): This imposing stone structure houses the departments of Physics and Biology. In 1922, the halls hum with the vibration of early electrical experiments and the sharp scent of formaldehyde. It is here that the physical laws of the universe are tested—and often found wanting. For a GM, this is the premier location for analyzing "alien" biology or strange artifacts recovered from the field.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 15 Technical/Biology. Access to the laboratory equipment here provides a +1D bonus to any Investigate rolls related to analyzing physical Mythos remnants or strange chemical residues.
2. Science Annex (Adjacent to Science Hall): An extension of the main hall, the Annex is often used for long-term projects or research deemed too "unconventional" for the public eye. The basement contains a massive cold-storage unit originally designed for medical cadavers, but rumored to hold far more exotic specimens.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 20 Search. A thorough investigation of the basement files reveals records of "medical anomalies" directly linked to the 1921 disappearance of Dr. Herbert West.
3. Liberal Arts Building (Southwest Corner of the Quad): The bustling center of the humanities and the heart of Arkham's intellectual curiosity. This is where the linguists and historians work tirelessly to translate the "guttural" dialects found in the Western Hills. It is the best place to find a scholar who won't ask too many questions about a forbidden tome or a prehistoric ritual.
OpenD6 Stat: +1D to Languages/Lore. Success on a DN 15 roll here allows an investigator to bridge the gap between local Miskatonic tribe legends and the "Gods of the Deepest Oceans."
The Command Centers (Authority & Records)
6. The Orne Library (Southeast Corner of the Quad): The crown jewel of the university and arguably the most dangerous building in Arkham. Behind the heavy iron gates of the "Special Collections" lie fragments of the Ink of Anticipation and various forbidden texts. The air is unnervingly still, smelling of ancient parchment and a faint, metallic ozone.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 25 Investigate (Special Collections). Finding specific Mythos lore here is a Heroic task. Furthermore, simply handling these texts requires a Sanity Check (DN 15) to avoid taking Mental Wounds from the forbidden knowledge within.
7. The President’s Home (Northeast of the Library): A stately, well-manicured residence for the head of the university. In 1922, it serves as a site for high-society functions and faculty dinners. However, behind closed doors, it is where the university’s board makes the "hush-hush" decisions required to protect the school's reputation from the growing list of "supernatural scandals."
OpenD6 Stat: DN 20 Con/Persuasion. Gaining an audience to discuss sensitive matters like the "Herbert West problem" or the "Innsmouth tension" requires significant social finesse and a high roll.
The Residential Row (Students & Scholars)
4, 5, & 9. The Student Dormitories (South Side of the Quad): These buildings are the lively, often cramped homes of the MU student body. In the 1920s, they are hubs of youthful energy and, more importantly, campus rumors. If something strange happens on the quad at midnight, the students in these halls are the first to witness it.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 12 Persuasion. Spending an evening in the common rooms can grant an investigator a +1D bonus to Streetwise regarding current campus movements or odd faculty behavior.
8. Faculty & Graduate Residences (North of the President’s Home): A much quieter and more dignified set of apartments for upper-level researchers. These residences are high-security compared to the student dorms, as many professors keep private, unedited journals of their more "unorthodox" findings that they dare not publish.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 18 Lockpicking/Security. Breaking into a professor’s study is a high-risk move that can yield private diaries or keys to the Special Collections.
10. Locksley Hall (Central-North Campus): A specialized hall often used by visiting scholars or those on prestigious fellowships. It has a reputation for being the quietest building on campus, yet investigators often report that the building’s acoustics are subtly "off," making footsteps sound as if they are coming from behind you.
OpenD6 Stat: DN 15 Willpower. The odd architectural geometry requires a roll to avoid a "Distracted" penalty, which imposes a -2 pip penalty to all Search rolls within the hall.
3. The Historical Record (Keeper’s Note: Spoilers Below) (H2)
The Precolonial Mystery: The Miskatonic Transmigration
Though Arkham was founded in 1667, the area was long the domain of the Miskatonic tribe. While historians originally dismissed them as a subdivision of the Wampanoags, they were a biologically and linguistically distinct people. Their dialects were far more guttural, and their religious beliefs centered on the "Great Gods of the Deepest Oceans." Unlike neighboring tribes who respected the sanctity of all life, the Miskatonic practiced brutal human and animal sacrifice to ensure bountiful harvests from the sea. In the mid-1500s, the entire tribe vanished, leaving behind bizarre rock formations in the Western Hills. Local legend suggests this was no disappearance, but a “transmigration of the body,” where they assumed fish-like forms to live eternally beneath the waves.
OpenD6 Mechanic: Sanity Check (DN 15) when discovering precolonial artifacts or rock formations. Seeing a "remnant" creature triggers a Deadliness Rating (DR) 2 check.
Colonial Foundation: The Arkham Legacy
The town owes its existence to the Great Fire of London (1666). Aristocrat John Arkham recruited thousands of newly homeless Londoners to settle the Miskatonic Valley. He strategically built bridges to a central island in the river, creating a vital trade route to Boston, Salem, and Kingsport. The town’s growth was bolstered by liberal-minded Bostonians fleeing Puritan conservatism, eventually founding Arkham College. However, the town nearly buckled during the Salem Witch Trials when it sheltered refugees like Keziah Mason. Her "Witch House" remains a focal point of non-Euclidean geometry and eldritch residue.
OpenD6 Mechanic: Investigation DN 20 to find the original survey maps of the island bridges. Locations like the Witch House museum impose a -1D penalty to Willpower rolls due to residual hysteria.
19th Century: Industrial Decay & The Shift
Arkham transitioned from a farming community to an industrial powerhouse during the Industrial Revolution, with textile factories lining the river. This prosperity was shattered by the Great Flood of 1888, which severely damaged the riverside infrastructure. Unable to compete with the rising textile industry in the South, Arkham’s economy underwent a fundamental transformation. The town doubled down on Miskatonic University, expanding it from a small liberal arts college into a world-class institution of law, medicine, and science, which became the city’s new lifeblood as it entered the 20th century.
Mechanical Hazards: The Industrial Ruins
OpenD6 Mechanic: Technical/Engineering (DN 15). This check is required for investigators attempting to safely navigate the crumbling 19th-century industrial ruins along the Miskatonic River. Failure indicates the character has encountered structural instability, such as collapsing floorboards or rusted catwalks, potentially resulting in physical damage or being trapped.
Swamp Dread Rules: Any investigation conducted within the abandoned factory shells is subject to Swamp Dread mechanics. This represents the oppressive, oily atmosphere and the psychic weight of the "Carnal Truth" seeping into the rotted foundations. While inside these shells, investigators suffer the environmental penalties associated with the Miskatonic wetlands, including increased DNs for sensory-based rolls and the persistent threat of Sanity attrition.
4. The State of the World: 1922 A.D. (H2)
Summary: The Shadowed Prosperity
The dawn of the new century has been a relentless assault on the human spirit. The memory of the 1905 Typhoid Outbreak still lingers in the quiet coughs of Arkham’s elderly, a reminder of our biological fragility. This was followed by the mechanized slaughter of the Great War, where Arkham’s volunteers saw "democracy" bought with the kind of industrialized death that makes traditional ghost stories feel quaint. In the wake of this carnage, the mysterious 1921 disappearance of Dr. Herbert West has left a vacuum in the medical community and a shivering dread in the Northside; it is whispered that West was seeking a way to reverse the finality of the grave, and his absence suggests he may have succeeded in ways too terrible to document.
While the "Roaring Twenties" bring a booming economy and the hum of new factories, the shadows are lengthening. The sky over the Miskatonic Valley seems to hang lower, and the newfound wealth of the industrial elite feels like a desperate shield against the "Carnal Truth" that the universe is not ours. The social order is fraying, and the intellectual elite at Miskatonic University are beginning to realize that the "progress" of the 20th century is merely a faster road back to the ancient horrors of the past.
The Atmosphere of 1922
The Post-War Psychic Wound: A generation of men has returned from Europe with eyes that have seen too much. The "shell-shock" of the trenches has left the collective psyche of the Miskatonic Valley vulnerable to the whispers of the Great Old Ones.
The Science of the Abyss: New discoveries in physics and astronomy are proving that the universe is far larger and more alien than the Bible ever suggested. This intellectual displacement creates a persistent -1D penalty to Willpower for investigators who rely too heavily on "modern" logic.
The Gilded Mask: The neon lights and jazz clubs are a frantic, noisy mask worn to hide the silence of the Western Hills.
Final Takeaway
Every success in 1922 Arkham—every newly paved road, every scientific breakthrough, and every soaring stock price—is built upon a crumbling foundation of sacrificial blood and the inevitable, patient evolution of the "fish-form" shadows beneath the sea.
OpenD6 World State Mechanics
OpenD6 Mechanic: The Weight of the Era (DN 12 Willpower). Investigators starting a long-term project in Arkham must roll to resist the pervasive "Era Melancholy." Failure results in the Dazed mental condition for the duration of the scene as the futility of human endeavor sets in.
The Herbert West Legacy: Any medical or biological roll made within the Miskatonic University Science Annex suffers a +5 Difficulty increase as the equipment seems tainted by West's "reanimation" theories.
5. Call to Action (CTA): Choose Your Descent (H2)
The history of Arkham is written in blood and salt, but the future remains undecided, resting entirely on the roll of the dice. We’ve provided the map and the mechanics—now it’s time to decide how your story begins.
Which historical secret will your players uncover first? Pick your starting hook:
The West Legacy: Start at the Science Annex (#2). An old colleague of Dr. Herbert West has received a shipment of "preservatives" that shouldn't exist. Can your team secure the lab before the contents wake up?
The Transmigration Trail: Head into the Western Hills. A group of hikers has found a "fish-scale" artifact near the ancient rock formations. Is it a relic of the past, or a sign that the Miskatonic tribe is moving back inland?
The Witch House Geometry: Investigate the Keziah Mason Museum. A local student has disappeared after claiming the walls in the attic "folded" during a midnight study session.
The Kingsport Smuggle: Stake out the Kingsport Docks. Oily, guttural-speaking men are unloading crates that smell of deep-sea rot. Are they bringing supplies to the Sons of Adam, or something much worse?
The Shell-Shocked Secret: A veteran at the Arkham Sanitarium claims he saw the "Gods of the Deepest Oceans" in the trenches of France. He’s asking for someone with a high Investigation skill to look at his wartime sketches.
Join the Conversation:
Share Your Build: Post your 1920s OpenD6 character concepts below! Are you a Technical specialist or a Willpower-heavy occultist?
Collaborate: If you’ve drafted your own Swamp Dread mechanics or creature stats, share them in the comments to help your fellow Keepers expand the "Carnal Truth."
Don’t let the silence of the hills have the last word. Leave a comment and let’s build this 1922 nightmare together!
Investigator Archetypes for Arkham 1922 (H2)
To jumpstart your campaign, players can choose from these Lovecraftian archetypes. These templates utilize the OpenD6 attribute/skill structure modified for cosmic dread.
The Scholar of the Unseen
Focus: Ancient texts, forbidden knowledge, and the "Carnal Truth" of occult history.
Key Skills: Occultism, Archaeology, Linguistics, Scholar: Mythos.
Unique Trait: Dead Language Specialist. Gains a +1D bonus to Perception when investigating ruins or deciphering guttural precolonial symbols.
1922 Flavor: Typically found in the restricted stacks of the Orne Library (#6).
The Investigator of the Veil
Focus: Tracking anomalous events, missing persons, and the "Shreveport Shiver" phenomena.
Key Skills: Investigation, Survival, Cryptography, Anomalous Detection.
Unique Trait: Veil Sense. Can detect "veil breaches" (reality distortions). Gains a +1D bonus to Willpower when standing in a designated "Swamp Dread" zone.
1922 Flavor: A private eye or federal agent haunted by the 1921 disappearance of Herbert West.
The Mad Archivist
Focus: Preserving and cataloging knowledge that should have been burned.
Key Skills: Archival Science, Cryptomancy, Occultism, Memory.
Unique Trait: Mental Vault. The character can "store" madness. When referencing their personal notes, they gain a +2D bonus to Lore, but must immediately roll a Sanity Check (DN 15).
1922 Flavor: A recluse living in the French Hill District, obsessed with the 1888 flood records.
The Outsider’s Child
Focus: An individual with a distant, perhaps biological, connection to the "fish-form" entities.
Key Skills: Survival, Occultism, Charisma, Swimming.
Unique Trait: Blood Call. Can sense the presence of Miskatonic "remnants." Gains a +1D bonus to Charisma when interacting with cultists or those who have undergone "transmigration."
1922 Flavor: A dockworker from the Kingsport border with a strange, unblinking stare.
The Unraveling
Focus: A character whose grip on 1922 reality is already fracturing, allowing them to see what others cannot.
Key Skills: Survival, Perception, Willpower, Anomalous Detection.
Unique Trait: Fractured Sight. Gains +2D to Perception in unstable reality zones (like the Western Hills), but suffers a permanent -1D penalty to Charisma as they become increasingly detached from society.
1922 Flavor: A shell-shocked veteran of the Great War currently seeking "treatment" at the Arkham Sanitarium.
he Nutty Professor
Focus: Unorthodox science, fringe physics, and reanimation theories.
Key Skills: Technical, Biology, Chemistry, Scholar: Weird Science.
Unique Traits: Experimental Edge. Gains a +2D bonus to Technical or Biology rolls when using improvised equipment or "unstable" university lab gear. However, must succeed on a DN 12 Willpower check to avoid a "Manic" distraction (-1D to all other actions) for the scene.
1922 Flavor: Usually found in the Science Annex (#2) basement, surrounded by humming coils and jars of questionable "preservatives."
The Dreadful Detective
Focus: Criminal psychology, street-level grit, and closing the case at any cost.
Key Skills: Investigation, Interrogation, Streetwise, Marksmanship.
Unique Traits: Street Hardened. Gains a +1D bonus to Investigation and Interrogation. Additionally, the detective is immune to the "Stunned" mental wound from DR 1 or 2 horrors, reflecting a psyche already dulled by the human depravity of the Northside.
1922 Flavor: Operates out of a smoke-filled office near Town Square, clutching a lead on the 1921 Herbert West disappearance.
The Wealthy Patron
Focus: High-society influence, resource acquisition, and funding "special interest" expeditions.
Key Skills: Charisma, Bureaucracy, Persuasion, Value.
Traits: Deep Pockets. Once per game session, the character can automatically succeed on a DN 20 Bureaucracy or Value roll to acquire rare equipment, legal immunity, or private transport (like a chartered tugboat or a custom armored vehicle). However, their high profile makes them a Primary Target for cultist kidnapping or social blackmail, increasing the DN of all Sneak rolls by +5 when in Arkham.
1922 Flavor: Resides in a sprawling, fog-shrouded manor on French Hill, bankrolling the search for the "Miskatonic Legacy" to save a family reputation—or a family soul.
6. Meta Description (H2)
Campaign Primer: The Miskatonic Resurgence (1922) (H2)
The Setting: September 1922 The campaign opens in a damp, salt-aired September in Arkham, Massachusetts. The town is a patchwork of decaying industry, hidden cemeteries, and abandoned research facilities, all humming with the tension of a society on the brink. The Miskatonic River, its banks thick with forgotten lore, is the cradle of a long-suppressed indigenous people whose ancestral knowledge has been twisted by colonial forces into a potent weapon of witchcraft.
The Conflict: Colonial Exploitation & Gritty Realism Players will navigate a tangled web where indigenous spiritual practices were co-opted and distorted by Puritan and industrial interests. This history has left behind a network of cults, occult experiments, and hidden archives that still influence the present. The campaign blends classic cosmic horror with the gritty realism of 1920s industrial America—where labor unrest, corporate greed, and supernatural forces collide in the shadows of the textile mills.
Key Campaign Themes
Colonial Witchcraft: The persecution and "occultization" of Miskatonic traditions, now manifesting in localized horrors that haunt the colonial wood-frame houses and the "Witch House" museum.
Industrial Decay: Abandoned factories, flooded mills, and forgotten rail lines that serve as both the setting and the source of danger. Use the Technical/Engineering DN 15 rules here.
The Miskatonic Legacy: Persistent whispers of the tribe’s true nature, their historical resistance, and the recovered artifacts that threaten to awaken their "fish-form" ancestors.
The Three Phases of the Campaign
Investigation & Discovery: Players explore Arkham’s streets, docks, and riverfront to uncover clues and rumors. Focus on Search and Streetwise rolls to map the hidden locations of the "Carnal Truth."
Cult & Occult Threats: Confront local and regional cults tied to colonial witchcraft. These groups are often led by disgruntled industrialists or desperate workers seeking power through forbidden rites.
The Miskatonic Reawakening: The investigators must unearth the tribe’s true history and prepare for a final confrontation as the "transmigration" begins to reemerge in the modern world.
OpenD6 Adaptation: This primer is designed for OpenD6, with mechanics specifically adapted for horror and investigation. Whether played in a group or as a solo "pulp" adventure, the system’s flexibility allows for high-stakes supernatural encounters where the past is never truly buried, and the river’s secrets run deep.
Product Identity & Legal
The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr.: The specific narrative composition of this primer, the "Swamp Dread" mechanics, the character names Allison Flynn and Marisa Moore, and the unique historical "spoilers" provided.
Open D6 System: Mechanics referenced from the D6 System are used under the Open Game License (OGL v1.0a).
Notice: This work is based on the public domain writings of H.P. Lovecraft and the creative works of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Chaosium Inc.
© 2026 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.
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