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Chaosium Digest Volume 02 Number 11
Chaosium Digest Volume 2, Number 11
Date: Sunday, June 27, 1993
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
Ideas for CyberCthulhu (Jason Corley) CALL OF CTHULHU
Pendragon Vignettes (Shannon Appel) PENDRAGON
More Info on Beaumains (Nigel Johnston) PENDRAGON
European Supplements (Kaid Ramdani) MISC
Editor's Notes:
I've put an Arthurian book list that I started compiling back when I
began playing Pendragon up for FTP on soda.berkeley.edu. It's in the
file /pub/chaosium/sources/pendragon. If you've got some Arthurian
books not on that list, please drop me a line with the appropriate
info, and I'll update the list. Book lists for Stormbringer, Call of
Cthulhu, Ringworld and Elfquest should follow soon.
A few quick notes from subscribers:
John Tynes pointed out that several articles on CyberCthulhu have
recently been published. Interested parties should check out issue
seven of the Unspeakable Oath and issue six of INTERFACE. There is a
CyberCthulhu cross-over scenerio between the two issues. In addition,
the INTERFACE issue includes conversion notes to R. Talsorian's
Cyberpunk (and back) as well as a new CyberCthulhu scenerio, EctoTech
and a look at cyperpunk era cults.
Jason Corley had a query with regard to Cthulhu. He said that he'd
recently run a one shot from The Stars are Right, and that the players
had ended up burning San Francisco to the ground. It was apparently
the first time his players had ever _really_ messed up an adventure.
His question was, "Have you ever gotten fed up with your players...
they just don't do what they need to do, and you've given them all the
hints you possible can?" Any responses?
Shannon
--------------------
Subject: Ideas for Cybercthulhu
From: corleyj@GAS.uug.Arizona.EDU (Jason D Corley)
System: Call of Cthulhu
Anyone remember how in the old "Shadows of Yog-Sothoth" adventure,
there was a scenario called "Look to the Future" or something like
that? There was a power plant run by a captive shoggoth. Biotech
corporations can be really nasty, as anyone who has seen _At Your
Door_ should know, but in the future, when there aren't _any_
restrictions on them? Yow.
Aside from the obvious evil-corp plots (which are, of course a staple
of Cyberpunk games), here are some other ideas for CyberCthulhu:
The demise of printed books in favor of interactive text chips.
Imagine a _De Vermiis Mysteriis_ Hypercard stack with search routines
and a virus that makes it replicate itself and send itself randomly
through the Net. Also, a bibliophile who has Read Too Much (tm) might
try to "get back at" technology by using the magic and summonings
he/she has found. And of course, you can have a lot more fun with
books because anyone who doesn't know 13th century Latin can still
pick up a skill chip and know it almost as well as the Professor over
at Miskatonic.
Speaking of which...Arkham, and indeed the whole Eastern Seaboard will
have meshed together into a gigantic, tremendous slum of toxic waste
spills, tenements, skyscrapers, twenty-story tall advertising boards,
choking smog and acid rain. Fishing is nil, except for this one
single-exit-from-the-freeway city called Innsmouth.... Kingsport is
more dreamlike than ever, as the surreal future pushes it closer and
closer to the Dreamlands. Ghost ships from the 1980s ply the harbor
regularly, some flying ancient Soviet flags. The hills of Dunwich
have, of course, been paved, but the stone monoliths are still there,
inexplicably jutting up from parking lots and in public parks, inside
skyscrapers, sometimes as part of the foundation. Miskatonic itself
has grown no larger geographically (except for the science annex added
in 1967, and even that is overpacked), but the number of students at
the school is overwhelming both teachers and administrators.
Another futuristic idea: transmissions from Yuggoth are intercepted.
Will the Mi-Go destroy the station in an attempt to cover it up? Will
the corporations destroy the station in an attempt to cover it up?
Will the players destroy the records in an attempt to cover it up? Or
will they be on their way in cryogenic capsules towards Pluto without
being told what they will find when they will get there? ("Is this
gonna be another Fungi hunt, sir?")
Antarctica gets populated (as is everywhere else), but by fiercely
individualistic people. When they discover the Mountains of Madness,
will they turn to the corps or the government? Nope, they'll turn to
people like them to check them out, and see if they are safe. Kinda
makes you hope your players aren't fiercely individualistic.
In short, the rats are still in the walls, the watchers are still in
the dark, the shadows are still out of time, the Hounds still hunt,
and of course, the Big C still calls.
Any more ideas?
--------------------
From: appel@erzo.berkeley.edu (Shannon Appel)
Subject: Pendragon Vignettes
System: Pendragon
Here's a set of vignettes for Pendragon. I'd love to see short ideas
in this format from other people (for Pendragon, or any of the other
Chaosium Games).
Encounter With Sir Bohort: The players encounter a jolly knight at the
crossroads who challenges them to a battle with horses.
Unfortunately, Sir Bohort does not intend to lance. Rather, he will
throw his steed at his unfortunate (and likely surprised) foe.
Rouncies do 4d6 damage, Chargers do 6d6 damage and Destriers do 8d6
damage. How will the players react to this odd duel? What task might
Sir Bohort request if he wins? What is the secret of Sir Bohort's
awesome strength? (This scene is borrowed from a humorous book named
_Rude Tales and Glorious_.)
The Adventure of the Drunken Knight: One of the Knights of the Round
Table (perhaps Gawaine) becomes roaring drunk in one of the towns of
the player's lord and begins rampaging about, causing problems. The
player knights are called in to deal with the problem. Are they
skilled enough to deal with one of Arthur's greatest knight? Even if
they are, how can they do so without embarrassing him (and thus
causing themselves much future grief)?
The Adventure of the Stolen Children: Word reaches Arthur that the
Children of an orphanage in the North have mysteriously disappeared.
After much misdirection, the knights will learn that the children have
been taken by a knight named Sir Robert Nai. He steals funds intended
for the Orphanage while forcing the children to mend the armor of his
men. Will the knights be able to force (or trick) Sir Robert to give
up his hold on the children? (or, instead, will they think him
justified in his actions?)
The Adventure of the Diabolic Castle: In the North of Arthur's Realm,
there is a castle which has been tainted by the devil. Evil spirits
walk the halls at night, and the nearby land is devastated. What dark
deeds might have given this place into the devil's hands? When
knights are asked to free the castle from its enchantment, perhaps
they might have to do little more than slay the creatures of the devil
which now abide there. More likely, though, the old evil which
brought the devil there shall have to be discovered and set right.
Like Day and Night: In the Adventurous Forest of Anglia, the Angles
are hatching a devious plot. With the aid of an evil Faerie, they are
conducting rituals every evening to increase the power of the
Unseelie. During the Day, all seems bright and beautiful, but during
the night, dark shapes may be seen lurking within the woods,
constantly testing the boundaries. Will the players be able to stop
the Angle's dark rituals, or will unholy hoards pour forth from the
woods? (The seed of this idea was borrowed from an adventure in the
_Ars Magica_ supplement, _Faeries_.)
Shannon
--------------------
From: johnston@heart.enet.dec.com (nigel johnston)
Subject: More Info on Beaumains
System: Pendragon
[back in vol.1.10, Heidi Kaye noted the subscription address for the
new Pendragon Fanzine, Beaumains. Here's some more notes and comments
on it. -sda]
There's a new Pedragon Fanzine. It's called "Beaumains - The
Arthurian Magazine for Gamers." Its production quality is pretty
good, though not as good yet as "Tales of the Reaching Moon," the
RuneQuest fanzine. There are two issues out so far.
Issue 1 contains:
news, the adventure of the twice-throthed knight, the adventure of the
moonlight boar, alternative arthurs, in durance vile, the adventure of
the fey mist and reviews
Issue 2 contains:
news, lancelot's early adventures, the adventure of the white hart,
more about heraldry, the Greg Stafford interview, a chronology of the
knights of king arthur's britain, reviews, diver's dabblings (!),
alternative arthurs and letters
Subscriptions are available from the address below. Postage is free
in the UK. Just multiply the number of issues you want by #1.75.
Overseas subscriptions to be paid for in pounds sterling. Cost of
postage will be invoiced when the first issue is sent.
"BEAUMAINS",
Gareth Jones,
69 Atherley Road,
Shirley,
Southampton,
SO1 5DT
UK
For people in the UK, Beaumains is also available from Esdevium Games
in Aldershot.
njd
--------------------
From: NUMERIK1@ze8.rz.uni-duesseldorf.de (Kaid Ramdani)
Subject: European Supplements
System: Misc
[There are a good number of European companies which produce original
supplements for various Chaosium games. Included is a listing of many
of those supplements. -sda]
+-------------------------+
| Oriflam |
| 132, Rue de Marley |
| 57158 Montigny les Metz |
| FRANCE |
+-------------------------+
L'ecran [Hawkmoon]: Gamemaster screen with some fierce-looking
granbretans.
La France [Hawkmoon]: A supplement concerning the post Tragic
Millenium France. A sort of atlas with lots of maps and ideas for
adventures. Also includes extra rules which describe the skill of
psychology in a very different way from the Cthulhu rules, new
weapons, and more.
La Kamarg [Hawkmoon]: A description of the part of France, which is
left out in _La France_, dealing with the surroundings of Castle Brass
plus a campaign for 50 years. Also includes the Stormbringer rules
about the art of war.
L'empire Tenebreux [Hawkmoon]: Information about Granbretan. Notes on
the isle, its terrible inhabitants, the Orders and Londra.
Les Portes du Paradis [Hawkmoon]: Heaven's Doors. A campaign
throughout France.
+------------------+
| Descartes Editor |
+------------------+
In France:
+-------------------+
| Jeux Descartes |
| 6, Rue Meissonier |
| Paris |
+-------------------+
In Canada:
+-------------------------+
| 4408, St-Denis-Montreal |
| Le Valed de Coeur |
| P.QUE H2J2l4 |
+-------------------------+
Nightmare Agency [Call of Cthulhu]: Twelve adventure which take place
around a detective agency in Boston.
+----------------------+
| LAURIN Verlag |
| Luruper Chaussee 125 |
| 2000 Hamburg 50 |
| Germany |
+----------------------+
Die Froschkoenig Fragmente [Call of Cthulhu]: A campaign, which deals
with fairy tales by the Grimm Brothers (sounds weird, but think about
the deep ones and a certain royal frog - hope, you understood this
joke in the USA).
Die Aegypten [Call of Cthulhu, Box]: a supplement about Egypt in the
roaring twenties, which contains a sourcebook, an adventure book,
handouts, a map and a touristguide (no kidding). Brilliant!
Im Zeichen des Stiers [Call of Cthulhu]: The sign of the bull. An
adventure, which starts in Germany and takes the investigators to
Egypt (and probably back).
Auf der Suche nach dem roten Gott [Stormbringer]. The search for the
Red God. An adventure in the young kingdoms.
I think you will love these supplements. They are original and differ
a little from the american works. The french ones have great
illustrations, the german CoC books are full of photographs from the
twenties.
KAID
--------------------
The Chaosium Digest is a Discussion Forum for Chaosium Games which do
not have another specific area for discussion. To submit an article,
mail to: appel@erzo.berkeley.edu
