The Sutra of Pale Leaves | Investigative Horror in 1980s Japan!
“We exist without ever knowing / If this world / Is a dream or reality / Reality or a dream.” — “No. 942,” Kosgin Wakashū, Volume 18, Misc. Poems
$15.00
/ Session
Details
1 player following this game
Weekly / Friday - 5:00 PM UTC
Oct 23 / Session 10
Session Duration / 2.5–3.5 hours
Campaign Length / 7–10 Sessions
4 / 5 Seats Filled
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One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
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Schedule
Meet your party members
4/5
About the adventure
“At seventy-three, I have learned a little about the real structure of nature, of animals, plants, trees, birds, fishes and insects. In consequence when I am eighty-six, I shall have made still more progress. At ninety, I shall penetrate the mystery of things; at one hundred, I shall certainly have reached a marvelous stage; and, when I am a hundred and ten, everything I do, be it a dot or a line, will be alive.” —Katsushika Hokusai The Sutra of Pale Leaves is the first of a two-part campaign set in 1980s Japan. Players will take on the role of investigators swept up in a world of excess, conspicuous consumption, and enormous technological changes. But time and changes in tradition aren't the only threats here: the King in Yellow lurks in the darkness, manifesting in terrifying ways that you've never seen before! This campaign features two investigations set in Tokyo! NOTE: If the group enjoys this setting, we can continue into Part II of this official Chaosium content, pending a group vote.
Game style
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Rules as Written (RaW)
Combat Lite
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(21)
2 years on StartPlaying
46 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, Creativity
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Avast, ye intrepid adventurer! Ye hast...*Ahem*. Perhaps I should be serious. Hello, there! I'm Enigmaze, but you can call me Enigma. I have been DMing for 10 years (as of 08/2026). Throughout those years, I've ran a variety of systems ranging from D&D 5E to Exalted: Essence and even V:tM 5E and, recently, Daggerheart. My interests are vast and varied. Odds are, I either already have a game for you OR I likely have one (or will have one) in the works!
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We will discuss the setting and character creation during Session 0. Your characters don't need to be native Japanese citizens. However, for ease of play, most PCs should have strong scores in Japanese (Language).
1 psychologist and 1 journalist thus far.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Keep one thing in mind: this is Call of Cthulhu, not Cthulhu Pulp or D&D. And, by that, I mean: charging head-long into danger like you're a superhero will almost certainly lead to your character's death and could adversely impact your enjoyment of the campaign. That said, don't play your character the way you would act in real life in these situations. If you never take any risks or never pursue any sketchy leads, you will also adversely impact your enjoyment of the campaign. Discord and Foundry links will be posted in the campaign page on SPG.
What Enigmaze brings to the table
-Appropriate ambience to dramatically enhance key scenes throughout the campaign. -Detailed hand-outs, not only of key clues but also key characters in the story. -Friendly and detailed tutorials of CoC 7E rules so beginners don't feel overwhelmed or out of place among more experienced players. -A safe and welcoming table so players can experience the horror without fear for their real life sanity.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Enigmaze creates a safe table
Content Warning (from the book): "This campaign deals with mature themes and content that some may find disturbing, including moderate depictions of gore, violent death (including that of children), predation, abuse, social isolation, obsession, self-harm, and existential dread. Mature player discretion is advised. Mind control of investigator player characters by inimical inhuman powers is a possibility later in the campaign." Send me your Lines and Veils prior to Session 0 in DMs so I can ensure we all have a hauntingly good time and not an upsetting or trauma-inducing one.
Content warnings
Safety tools used