[the eye in the sky]

hey yall
does any one a lot about the Call of Cthulhu tabletop game made Chausuim? A friend and I would really like to play it but we were wondering how many people we would need, edtions, other stuff we would need and Mainly is it any fun. I have found in thee people on these forums know all about al kinds of things hope some one can bust out some good info
Thanks

[drbinofski]

hey yall
does any one a lot about the Call of Cthulhu tabletop game made Chausuim? A friend and I would really like to play it but we were wondering how many people we would need, edtions, other stuff we would need and Mainly is it any fun. I have found in thee people on these forums know all about al kinds of things hope some one can bust out some good info
Thanks

Hi ya. I've played quite a lot of CoC and have the 1st to I think 5th Editions lying around the house somewhere. It's in it's sixth http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=41&products_id=359 edition now - but I haven't seen the most recent incarnation.

You can play with one 'keeper' (GM/DM) and one player but it would be dull. IMHO 4 players and one keeper is a good group size. With more than 4 players things start to become increasingly difficult to manage as the GM, but hey opinions vary.

I'll dredge up my copies from their dusty lair and re-acquaint myself with them. Supplement wise we found Cthulhu in the 1890's an excellent setting package. Green and Pleasant Land which provides info on adventuring in the UK is also useful. The modules are largely pretty easy to run, or you can write your own stuff which we branched out into after a couple of years of playing the published material. Avoid the Orient Express modules - very difficult to run. Most of the bigger modules require some thorough reading and planning before running - so the GM/keeper has to do some work. Having a good grip on timelines of events and keeping track of the passage of time in a CoC game is a must have for many modules as often events occur along a timeline basis.

The rule-book (3rd-5th) provides some scenarios ranging in depth. Start with the smaller ones and build on up. There is lots of scope for campaign style play - a group of investigators, recurring mysteries, advancing historical timelines etc which makes for a compelling long-term game.

The game mechanics are kinda RuneQuesty but cut-down in complexity. Combat can be nasty brutish and short if there are decent firearms in the game so pick your time period carefully. Using spells which involves checking to save sanity tends to lead to such investigators going off the deep end rapidly. It helps to have a psychoanalyst/psychologist type character in the group. Having someone with some medical/first-aid experience is also a must have. Arguably 'Library Use' is one of the most important skills in the game.

That's all I can come up with off the bat. As ever all of the above is subject to differing opinions. But I've played CoC in various incarnations for about 10-15 years or so, so hopefully I'm not being too controversial there. If you have any more specific questions - fire away!

Is it fun? Hell yeah. There you are armed only with a pepperpot and a stout stick, with deep-ones emerging from the waves or nearby lake. Your best pal has gone stark staring mad from seeing the things in the first place and is of no use to you, and you've ill-advisedly split the group up to let the brains of the pack rummage through the local library for clues. What you gonna do? And that's just a pretty minor servitor race. Insert a more major mythos beasty into that equation and you can ramp up the fear big stylee. Plus I always liked being able to mix genres with it - very easy to customize. Loads of potential. We have some fond memories of our games and COC games in particular.

Dr.B.

[DerBonk]

I played some Cthulhu, but as I have the German editions, there might be differences here and there (although I think Chaosium might translate the German books to English or something). In general the books are excellent, very beautiful, high-quality and the campaign boxes are just as great (the ones I have seen at least). But again, that's the German ones.

All I can add to the above (which is a great description, hit the nail on the head I think) is to emphasize atmosphere. Don't play Cthulhu to rack up XP and be the ownz0r. We had to guys like that in our group once and it ruined the game. In the end, this is about the story and the experience the players have, not some numbers. There were a couple of moments in our sessions that were among the best role-playing experiences I have ever had, just because everyone was so deep into it. As a GM to get your players scared just by playing feels great (not (only) in a sadistic kind of way, but because you can feel that a) they're enjoying it and b) you were able to suck them in). And, well, Cthulhu rules no matter what! FHTAGN!

[the eye in the sky]

wow sounds like its a lot of fun I'll definetyly have to order it and try it out! Ill get back to you guys if i have some questions. Thanks so much for your help

[deerpoob]

Ive heard of a group of people that do what is essentially call of cthulhu LARPing, of course this isnt people in horrible cardboard armour, shouting "firebolt, firebolt!" but essentially a dinner party murder mystery, based in the 1920's with an evil cult of star creature worshippers! the idea of travelling around, trying to peice together a mystery involving god knows what dark creatures sounds incredibly interesting to me....I wonder if I could put together a group to do it....

[drbinofski]

Ive heard of a group of people that do what is essentially call of cthulhu LARPing, of course this isnt people in horrible cardboard armour, shouting "firebolt, firebolt!" but essentially a dinner party murder mystery, based in the 1920's with an evil cult of star creature worshippers! the idea of travelling around, trying to peice together a mystery involving god knows what dark creatures sounds incredibly interesting to me....I wonder if I could put together a group to do it....

I've hosted a few CoC games where we had a big dressing up, playing all in character and dinner thing going on. One was using the Orient Express campaign (which was not a fun campaign to run as a keeper) which gave us a nice setting - we started the game off on board the restaurant carriage. I went so far as to enlist a friend in waiter garb to do the service.

It certainly is good fun - and a hopefully good feed into the bargain! Have you got the CoC rules? If so, what edition?

[deerpoob]

No unfortunatley I dont have the rules myself, I might get them some day, If I could get some interest going for it....

also this group Ive seen goes all out, they actually rent out a small building and set up a sort of "home point" thats decorated in a fashion similar to the 1920s, and essentially combine the roleplaying game with a scavenger hunt, the players travel around a small city area, talking to "npc's" and putting together clues.

[drbinofski]

No unfortunatley I dont have the rules myself, I might get them some day, If I could get some interest going for it....

also this group Ive seen goes all out, they actually rent out a small building and set up a sort of "home point" thats decorated in a fashion similar to the 1920s, and essentially combine the roleplaying game with a scavenger hunt, the players travel around a small city area, talking to "npc's" and putting together clues.

Oh wow, that's cool. Definately crossing over into more LARPing then table-topping. We never really got into LARPing much as a group. Did one LARP fantasy game once and that was it. I like the sound of what that group is doing, but am a bit too lazy to go for the more immersive LARP style approach. Do admire it though. Sounds v. organised and orchestrated.

[deerpoob]

I'll fully admit the normal idea of larping is not something I would ever do, Im sorry but id have to laugh if i saw people doing it with something like dnd, but the way this is set up, theres no stupid costumes, no people yelling out spells and such, it would require intellect, and teamwork, as well as a hell of alot of fun, if it was well made, it could be the greatest thing ever...

[drbinofski]

I'll fully admit the normal idea of larping is not something I would ever do, Im sorry but id have to laugh if i saw people doing it with something like dnd, but the way this is set up, theres no stupid costumes, no people yelling out spells and such, it would require intellect, and teamwork, as well as a hell of alot of fun, if it was well made, it could be the greatest thing ever...

It does whet the appetite. I never managed to 'cross that bridge', so to speak, into the LARP domain, partly because I found it hysterical - just the idea of a 'rubber sword' was enough to reduce me to childish sniggering (and still is I'm afraid), and also because it was expensive for our relatively limited means at the time. Nowadays time is more of a factor. I'm gearing up for some tabletop gaming at the moment - although there's a long way to go before that actually happens.

This group you mention and the way they are doing it does sound cool. If you can get a copy of the CoC rules (whatever edition) and want a hand constructing a scenario or whatever to implement into such a game. Anything I could usefully do being on the other side of the ocean, let me know. (If you get that far!). Do they have a web presence?

[deerpoob]

the group that did it around here doesnt have a website, at least none I could find, but there is a larger one that does games all over the place, there site is actually quite great! they seem to be quite large in the "lovecraftian community" they have fonts based on Lovecrafts actual handwriting, arkham library cards, all sorts of cool stuff.

http://www.cthulhulives.org/toc.html

and of course they've got music, and wallpapers, the whole shebang.

Thanks alot for the offer! I have my doubts about getting something started, but well see how things work out.

I found this "prop" in perticular very cool, insanity license!
http://www.cthulhulives.org/toybox/PROP ... anity.html

[drbinofski]

That's an interesting site - I'll have to explore it further - thanks for the links. I may have to print off the certificate of insanity and have it up at work. (I'm a researcher in psychiatry so it would go down particularly well!). I like the props they have on there, although they look quite USA-centric. (I tend to play games set in the UK/Europe - but hey). Take it easy. Oh, I have to ask - "deerpoob"!?

[deerpoob]

ya its a pretty interesting sight, thought the US centric nature is quite appropriate, most of lovecrafts stories too place there (Arkham and innsmouth are both in massatuchetts after all) and the site is based mainly in the US too, besides im sure with some clever editing they could be made to work with any location.

as for the name there is litterally no thought behind it....I made it up when I was 11 and all my friends were getting emails...and Ive just sort have used it for everything since.

[drbinofski]

ya its a pretty interesting sight, thought the US centric nature is quite appropriate, most of lovecrafts stories too place there (Arkham and innsmouth are both in massatuchetts after all) and the site is based mainly in the US too, besides im sure with some clever editing they could be made to work with any location.

as for the name there is litterally no thought behind it....I made it up when I was 11 and all my friends were getting emails...and Ive just sort have used it for everything since.

Oh the US-centricity of it is fair, I just have a preference/bias for running games based in the UK and Europe (I am a Brit after all). Fair point about editing them to suit location.

My current screen-name has a similar origin - at our school if you said something deemed 'clever' (merely demonstrating some degree of mental alertness and relevance in your answer in the school room seemed sufficient) you were treated to a rousing chorus of 'Ooh get you Dr Binofski'. No idea why!

[the eye in the sky]

Alright Im back and we have ordered the book, read through it, made charecters played though two of the senerios in the book and are about to the other two. Do you guys have any Chausuim made campains that you would recomend or a cool fansite with a bunch. We're not very creative when it comes to these things

Thanks

[drbinofski]

Hey there,

You could try www.yog-sothoth.com. There's a lot of stuff on their website - scenarios, materials etc.
I like the dark designs scenarios, and also the fungi from yuggoth scenarios.

Hope you are enjoying what you've done so far - and check out the sothoth site for starters.

ttfn
drB.

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[MelaniaDot]

I kind of get the feeling that this will end up like that the last game. Call me a little negative, but I may pass on this one at first.

Also, I am looking to see what the new Silhouette fleet scales will be. They have been streamlined and should be pretty impressive.

Jonathan