Shadows Over Port Royal

Lovecraftian Horror

Your ship finally reaches Jamaica after seven brutal weeks at sea. Ahead lies Port Royal, the richest and most infamous city in the New World; a pirate stronghold where gold flows freely, rum never stops pouring, and corruption hides behind every door.

Ships have been found drifting at sea with no crew aboard. The governor is dead under mysterious circumstances. And whispers spread through the taverns that the mayor himself is involved in something… unnatural.

You have been sent from England to uncover the truth. And before long, you will discover that the city’s sins run far deeper than piracy or greed.

Shadows over Port Royal is a dark investigative role-playing scenario set in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. 

Inspired by the cosmic horror of H. P. Lovecraft, the adventure blends historical events with Mythos horror. The story builds toward a real historical catastrophe; the destruction of Port Royal on June 7th, 1692, when an earthquake and tsunami erased the city from the map. 

In this scenario, the disaster may not be entirely natural. 

The investigators arrive to explore a city full of factions, secrets, and hidden agendas. Pirates, priests, corrupt officials, and mysterious strangers all have their own plans; and the players may find themselves caught between them.

Artwork

We are incredibly honored to feature illustrations by Earl Geier, whose artwork helped define the visual identity of Call of Cthulhu throughout the 1990s and beyond. 

For many of us in the hobby, Geier’s haunting drawings were our first glimpse into Lovecraftian horror. His work appeared in legendary Chaosium titles such as:

• Masks of Nyarlathotep
• Horror on the Orient Express 
• Fatal Experiments
• Cthulhu Casebook

Now his unmistakable style brings the world of Port Royal to life once more. The illustrations you see here are just a small taste of the atmosphere waiting inside the book.

For the cover illustration, we are proud to present Daniele Ingrassia, a talented Italian artist known for his dark, gruesome, and atmospheric artwork.

We strongly believe in the creativity and talent of human creators. 
No generative AI was used to create Shadows over Port Royal. The writing, artwork, and other creative content were created by human writers and artists.

Shadows over Port Royal is system-agnostic and can be played using any tabletop role-playing system. No specific ruleset is required.

The adventure is written with flexibility in mind, focusing on investigation, exploration, interaction, and player decisions rather than system-specific mechanics. Clues and essential information are generally uncovered through what the investigators do and how they approach a situation, rather than being locked behind mandatory skill checks.

When mechanics are needed – whether picking a lock, persuading someone, sneaking past a guard, or facing danger – the Game Master simply uses the appropriate rules from their chosen system.

For those who want a ready-to-play option, the book also includes pre-generated character sheets loosely based on Chaosium’s Basic Roleplaying (BRP) system, the same core system used by Call of Cthulhu. They’re simply provided as an option for groups that want to get started quickly without adapting another ruleset.

Shadows over Port Royal is designed as an investigative horror scenario with an open structure. Once the investigators arrive in the city, they are free to explore Port Royal as they wish. Clues and discoveries can be uncovered in many different ways, allowing the story to develop differently for each group. 

The book will be over 100 pages long. Most groups can expect five to seven sessions of play, depending on their pace, choices, and how deeply they explore Port Royal. With its richly detailed setting, multiple factions, and numerous locations, the scenario can easily grow into a longer campaign.

The scenario includes:

• A richly detailed depiction of Port Royal in 1692  
• Multiple factions with competing agendas  
• Investigative gameplay with many possible paths  
• Mythos horror inspired by Lovecraft’s creations  
• Tools and appendices to help the Game Master run the city dynamically  
• A story that builds toward one of history’s most dramatic disasters

This project is created by lifelong fans of Lovecraftian role-playing. Our journey into cosmic horror began with Call of Cthulhu in the early 1990s, and Shadows over Port Royal is both a tribute to those classic adventures and a new story set in one of the most fascinating historical settings imaginable. 

We draw inspiration from Lovecraft’s Mythos while creating entirely original characters, plots, and mysteries. 

The result is a scenario that feels familiar to Mythos veterans — but is just as accessible to groups encountering Lovecraftian horror for the first time.

Shadows over Port Royal is our third system-agnostic Lovecraftian adventure, following Pax Cthuliana and Svalbard. Once it's released, we'll turn our attention to a major, officially licensed Call of Cthulhu project in collaboration with Chaosium. More details will be revealed in the future—stay tuned!

Rewards

Shadows Over Port Royal: Exclusive Edition

The complete physical package! Receive Shadows over Port Royal as a hardcover book, along with all physical extras: a giant player map of Port Royal (approximately 17 × 22 inches / A2), a large GM map of Port Royal (approximately 11 × 17 inches / A3), all printed handouts, and a sturdy three-panel GM screen made from cardboard, designed specifically for the scenario! The hardcover book and physical extras will also come together in an exclusive printed slipcase!

In addition, you'll receive the digital PDF of Shadows over Port Royal, delivered through DriveThruRPG, plus all digital extras: a player map of Port Royal, a GM map of Port Royal, and all printable handouts. 

You'll also have your real name, backer name, or a pseudonym listed in the thank-you pages!

Shadows Over Port Royal: The Citizen

Become a part of Port Royal! Create an NPC with a custom name and occupation*, and we'll add your character to the city's official NPC lists—a valuable resource for Game Masters as their players wander the streets of Port Royal, talking to its many inhabitants. 

You'll also have your real name, backer name, or a pseudonym listed in the Citizens section of the thank-you pages! 

As a Citizen backer, you’ll also be invited to an exclusive add-on, available only to Citizen and Captain backers, where you can add a custom portrait of your character by artist Alisha Røssland!

This pledge also includes everything from the Exclusive Edition: the hardcover book, all physical extras, and every digital file!

* Most names and ideas are welcome, provided they fit the world of Shadows over Port Royal. If needed, we'll work with you to make small adjustments.

Shadows Over Port Royal: The Captain

Become a part of Port Royal by creating your own NPC captain and claiming a ship in the harbor! Your captain and vessel will become part of the setting and be featured in the Ships section of the book. 

After the campaign, you'll receive an overview of the five available ship types. Simply choose your preferred vessel, give both the ship and its captain a name, and provide a short description of why they're in Port Royal*. You're also welcome to contribute to the ship's backstory. 

Your real name, backer name, or a pseudonym will be listed in the Captains section of the thank-you pages. 

As a Captain backer, you’ll also be invited to an exclusive add-on, available only to Citizen and Captain backers, where you can add a custom portrait of your character by artist Alisha Røssland!

This pledge also includes everything from the Exclusive Edition: the hardcover book, all physical extras, and every digital file!

* Most names and ideas are welcome, provided they fit the world of Shadows over Port Royal. If needed, we'll work with you to make small adjustments.

Shadows Over Port Royal: The Proprietor

Become a permanent part of Port Royal! Create your own establishment—a tavern, inn, brothel, warehouse, shop, shipyard, private home, or something similar—and we'll make it part of the setting. 

After the campaign, you'll receive a player map of Port Royal. Simply choose the street where you'd like your establishment to be located and send us its name, proprietor, occupation, and a short description*. We'll place it on the GM Map of Port Royal! 

You'll also receive the property's official in-game deed, personally signed by us and shipped free of charge! 

Your establishment and proprietor will be featured in the Proprietors section of the book, and your real name, backer name, or pseudonym will be listed in the thank-you pages. 

Your proprietor will also be brought to life with a custom portrait by artist Alisha Røssland, included in this pledge at no extra cost! The finished portrait will be sent to you digitally and will also appear in Shadows over Port Royal!

This pledge also includes everything from the Exclusive Edition: the hardcover book, all physical extras, and every digital file!

* Most names and ideas are welcome, provided they fit the world of Shadows over Port Royal. If needed, we'll work with you to make small adjustments.

Shadows Over Port Royal: The Founder

Leave an indelible mark on the "Wickedest City on Earth!" Become one of Port Royal's legendary founders by creating either a monument or an alley named in your honor, making your legacy a permanent part of the setting. 

After the campaign, you'll receive a player map of Port Royal. Simply choose where you'd like your monument or alley to be located and provide its name along with a short description or the story behind it*. We'll add it to both the printed Player and GM Maps! 

Your founder and their achievement will be featured in the Founders section of the book. 

Your founder will also be brought to life with a custom portrait by artist Alisha Røssland; included in this pledge at no extra cost! The finished portrait will be sent to you digitally and will also appear in Shadows over Port Royal.  

You'll also receive a signed, in-universe historical document describing your founder's achievements, shipped to you free of charge! 

Finally, your real name, backer name, or a pseudonym will be prominently listed in the Founders section of the thank-you pages. 

This pledge also includes everything from the Exclusive Edition: the hardcover book, all physical extras, and every digital file!

* Most names and ideas are welcome, provided they fit the world of Shadows over Port Royal. If needed, we'll work with you to make small adjustments.

Bring Your Character to Life

Want to see your Port Royal character brought to life?

Artist Alisha Røssland will create custom pen-and-pencil portraits for selected character pledges. Her portrait of captain Hector Barbossa, shown below, gives you an idea of her style.

Citizen and Captain backers can add the Character Portrait add-on for €75. The finished portrait will be sent to you digitally and will also be included in Shadows over Port Royal alongside your character!

For Proprietor and Founder backers, a custom portrait is already included in the pledge at no extra cost!

Treasure Hunt

Instead of traditional stretch goals, we're going treasure hunting! Follow HMS Progress across the map and join us on the voyage. As the campaign grows, we'll discover new islands, uncover hidden treasures, and reveal what lies ahead!

Every treasure we find will unlock free upgrades, extras, or new items for all backers!

So help us spread the word and bring more adventurers aboard—the more people who join the treasure hunt, the greater our chances of finding some truly spectacular loot!

Follow the ship. Find the treasure. Unlock the loot!

UNLOCKED LOOT

Loot #1: Shipwrecked Survivor: Rescued from the sea, our grateful castaway will voice selected Shadows over Port Royal handouts as immersive audio recordings in English, free for all backers!

Loot #2: Message in a Bottle: Inside the bottle was sheet music! Played by the crew, it reveals the complete Pax Cthuliana soundtrack, free for all backers!

Loot #3: A Passing Sloop: We traded insults, rum, and maps with her crew. The insults are forgotten, the rum is gone; but the map is yours, free for all backers!

Loot #4: Buried Treasure: Following the X on the map, the crew dug up a chest containing a VTT Asset Pack with maps, handouts, portraits, and artwork as separate files, plus the complete 344-page Insight Fantasy Core Rules PDF; free for all backers!

Loot #5: New Faces on the Voyage: While stopping at a few islands to resupply, we picked up two additional pre-generated investigators willing to join the adventure. They’ll now be part of Shadows over Port Royal, free for all backers!

Loot #6: Reached Slipcase Island: At last, the crew reached the island and dug beneath the great X. Inside the chest: an exclusive printed slipcase for the hardcover book and physical extras, free for all backers at the Exclusive Edition level and above!

Add-ons

Pax Cthuliana and Svalbard will be fulfilled through DriveThruRPG’s Print-on-Demand (POD) service. After the campaign ends, you’ll receive a unique code from DriveThruRPG, which you use to pay the base printing cost and shipping to your address. Your add-ons should arrive shortly after completing this process.
Estimated Printing Costs: USD 6.
Estimated Shipping Costs: Vary based on delivery location, print location, and shipping options (e.g., USA shipping approximately USD 5, Europe USD 6).

About Us

Two Starving Gnolls (TSG) is a creative company founded by Even Vinjor Røssland and Jarle Haktorson in 2017. From small roots in rural Norway, TSG has grown into an international game publisher with operations in the USA, Japan, and Scandinavia. Its original IPs include The Exorcist’s Codex™, Svalbard and Pax Cthuliana™.

Join us on our Discord server, where we hang out all the time! https://discord.gg/ZPVhRwytCX
You can also email us at: post@twostarvinggnolls.com
Let us know how we can help!

Shipping

All US orders will ship from eFulfillment Service’s warehouse in Michigan.

For EU backers, we are currently setting up fulfillment through a warehouse in Germany, which will allow us to ship orders locally within the EU.

Orders for Norway will be fulfilled from our local warehouse in Norway.

Rest of the world: Ship from the US.

Your pledge does not include shipping costs. These will be collected separately after the campaign ends. Below, we’ve provided estimated shipping costs based on current rates. Please note that physical add-ons may increase shipping costs. Any applicable taxes, VAT, or duties are not included in the estimates below and may vary depending on your country’s regulations.

Estimated Shipping Costs: US and Norway: approx. EUR 10. EU and rest of the world: approx. EUR 12–15.

Partners

For shipping, we partner with eFulfillment Service, the most award-winning fulfillment company in the US. With over 20 years of experience and a 99.9% customer satisfaction rate, they are a trusted and reliable choice. Our goal is to ensure a smooth, hassle-free experience for delivering Shadows over Port Royal, and eFulfillment Service is the perfect partner to make that happen. 

All digital rewards and add-ons are fulfilled through DriveThruRPG. We have been a DriveThruRPG publishing partner since 2014, and most of our digital products are available on the platform.