950AD - The Occident is broken in fragments. For two centuries the empires and kingdoms of the western world have experienced hordes of foreign invaders come to pillage and conquer. Warlords and upstarts dispute what remains, each competing to control the land, its people, and its wealth. The church is weak and the clergy is at an all time low, its ranks filled with men of degenerate morals and corrupt character. Cities, great and small, have experienced mass depopulation and barely function as centers of power. Trade has become stagnant and the merchant houses have lost much influence. Study and learning is something few have access to and even fewer need. Violence is the currency of the day and survival often depends on the weapon at a man's side, not his educational progress. It is during this dark time that mankind has stumbled and it nears falling into the grasp of the uncaring forces of the Mythos. All that stands between the final fall of man and survival are a handful of men and women who seek the truth, men and women who are attempting to keep the dark forces leashed and mankind safe. Failure is not an option.

Cthulhu Dark Ages is a complete roleplaying game set between the years 950AD and 1050AD. It requires nothing else to play, though it is compatible with the philosophy and system used for Call of Cthulhu. Based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft, but set in a time not generally covered by Lovecraft except as a passing reference, Cthulhu Dark Ages offers a whole new game world to fans of the Cthulhu Mythos. This is a dark world close to going over the edge and the investigators will need all their wits and skills to hinder the advance of the approaching eternal night. Keepers will find this to be a world full of new possibilities and stories. This is a fascinating world where absolute oppression meets absolute permission. It is a time where many have no rights to speak of and yet it is a time of massive change. The old empires are crumbling and new lords arise from brigands, the population centers are shifting, and the church is attempting to regain a solid footing. In this chaos, the players have many choices and the keeper has many options for stories. Where will you stand in the Dark Ages? What will you be? Who will you call friend and who enemy? These and many other choices await those who choose to venture forth in this grim world.

Cthulhu Dark Ages is a soft cover, perfect bound book with 176 pages. It has black and white illustrations throughout and a full index. The book also includes a section with a short introductory adventure titled "The Tomb."