The wagons finally roll out of Chicago, and the settlers of Missouri Crossing get their first true taste of frontier travel. In this episode, the group assembles on the south side of the city—families packing their final belongings, Jesuits securing their mission wagon, and Samuel Baker’s mostly–Black crew preparing the massive herd for the journey north. Amidst the bustle, friendships begin to form, tensions surface, and the reality of the months-long trek ahead settles in.
Gregory grapples with the weight of uprooting his family and the promise of work waiting in the Territories. Sister Margaret discovers that the hardships of walking, dust, and exhaustion are far harsher than she expected—yet the kindness of fellow travelers helps her endure. Bjorn steps into his new role as a drover, learning the rhythm of the cattle and carving out purpose for himself and his son as they leave the soot-choked city behind.
As campfires burn each night, quiet conversations reveal hope, fear, faith, and the ghosts each traveler carries. And along the way, rumors of hidden wealth, risky ventures, and a Wells Fargo coach bound for the frontier hint that Missouri Crossing may hold more than fresh beginnings.
Call of Cthulhu – Down Darker Trails: Missouri Crossing is a Western horror campaign set in 1867, using the Down Darker Trails supplement for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition. The story follows the founding generations of Missouri Crossing, a rough camp town in what will one day become Bismarck, North Dakota—decades before the events of The Ultimate Evil. As immigrants, veterans, and drifters stake their claim on a cold, contested landscape, they must navigate community, lawlessness, prejudice, and the brutal realities of frontier life. Against this backdrop of manifest destiny, “northern horror” takes shape: long distances, bitter weather, scarce resources, and the creeping realization that some things lurking beyond the firelight are far worse than bandits or hunger.
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