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Chaosium Digest Volume 04 Number 02
Chaosium Digest Volume 4, Number 2
Date: Sunday, September 19, 1993
Number: 2 of 3
Contents:
Review: Investigator's Companion I (Alan Glover) CALL OF CTHULHU
Cthulhu Without Cthulhu (Sandy Antunes) CALL OF CTHULHU
War Experience for the 1920s (Frederic Moll) CALL OF CTHULHU
Hidden Lore in CoC Supplements (Alan Glover) CALL OF CTHULHU
--------------------
From: aglover@acorn.co.uk (Alan Glover)
Subject: Review: Investigator's Companion I
System: Call of Cthulhu
The Investigator's Companion (IC) has finally made it to gaming stores
in the UK. I managed to get hold of one in London in early September.
I suspect at least part of the delay in publication was due to the
decision to split it into two volumes. The second is currently slated
for December release in the Chaosium 10th August catalogue. I've been
eagerly awaiting the IC, since my group and I are all new to CoC in
the 1920s, and have been faced with many of the questions that the IC
is intended to answer. How long do torches last? Which sorts need
oxygen to burn? ...
Until now I've been using a mixture of sources of information,
including the 2nd and 5th Ed. rulebooks, the 1920s Sourcebook (of the
same vintage as the 2nd Ed rulebook), and supplementary information
from the 4th and 5th Edition Keeper's screens. Naturally, I don't
allow players access to any of these during the game, other than to
point out areas on a map or something similar.
So, how good an alternative to all these various sources of
information is the IC?
Well, the first thing is to put the book in its correct place. It
does not contain *any* scenarios, nor will it be of any use to
Gaslight or Now players. It has a sole aim: to provide useful
information for players running investigators in a 1920s setting. As
such, the only time where allowing players to use it could be
detrimental to a campaign would be when there is an excess of
rules-lawyers who want to insist on one bit of kit, or price.
However, a capable Keeper should easily be able to deflect this, even
if it requires a strike at the factory concerned!
Note that I said that the IC contained 'useful information for
players.' This is another very important point. The book is intended
for players to use; there is no mythos related information in it at
all and there is only discussion of game mechanics and skills where
some expansion or modification of the 5th edition rules has become
necessary.
For my play style, I will be encouraging my group to have at least a
copy or two amongst them so that I won't have to keep nabbing my copy
or breaking the flow of play with a historical question which would
inevitably either need a snap answer (which I have to hope is proved
reasonably right when I get a chance to check it) or a pause to find
the information.
However, some keepers who are more jealous of information may not wish
to pursue such an open policy.
The IC weighs in at 64 pages, and has a correspondingly low price of
$10.95 - I paid GBP 6.99. I am pleased that the page count (and hence
price) has been kept down... it eases my conscience when I start
trying to get my group to get their own copies!
The book features a comprehensive index on a double page spread near
the front of the book, however I found at least one mistake in the
indexing so be prepared to check the entry above or below for a
correct page number to try.
The IC is divided into four parts:
i) The Roaring Twenties
A Time of Prosperity (background), Social Unrest, Prohibition &
Gangsterism and a Chronology
ii) Research & Resources
Public Records, Newspapers, Newspapers from outside USA, Libraries and
Museums of Natural History, and some Consultants who might be prepared
to get involved or offer advice.
iii) Transport & Travel
Getting around Town (Buses, Taxis and Bicycles), Rail Travel,
Automobiles, Trucks & Buses, Motorcycles, Boats and Aircraft Travel
and Performance
iv) Equipment & Arms
Everyday Items, Detective Gear, Camping Eqmt, Observation, Audio
Recording, Communications, Climbing Gear, Self-Defence (various
weapons, some more obvious than others), Firearms (inc. Handguns,
Rifles, Shotguns, Submachine Guns and Machine Guns). A table is
provided which is intended to allow other guns to be rated within the
firearms rules.
Entries are generally concise and to-the-point, with sample prices in
most cases.
There are some new skills (eg Ride Bicycle) and modifications and
enhancements to the Firearms rules (a gun can now malfunction at a
different number depending upon its condition: clean, neglected or
dirty). Keepers should read the book thoroughly to note such changes
and to decide whether to implement them in ongoing campaigns. Also of
note to Keepers is the table on page 50 which gathers together stats
for various 'weapons of convenience' such as letter openers. I, for
one, have had to think rapidly in the past to decide what kind of
offensive weapon a 'sawn-off pitchfork' would be... I settled for a
two handed spear. I would have liked to see a quick summary table for
Keepers indicating on which page tables which could affect play are to
be found - my own solution for this will be a special bookmark, after
the style of the very useful one included in the 5th Ed. Keeper's Kit
which provides a spot index for the rule book.
The presentation is fairly typical of current Chaosium titles, with
side boxes for various information related to the current subject.
Overall the layout is good, but for me it is partly spoilt by poor
proofreading. The proofreader appears largely blind to instances
where the word 'of' is missing. Major examples being 'A couple
submachine guns' in the index and also on page 62. In reading it to
write this review I spotted another two instances of the same error
(pages 8 and 45). However, most people probably won't even notice.
A comparison between the IC and the 1920s Sourcebook suggests that
possibly more could have been lifted from the earlier publication.
The earlier book has several more profiles of potential consultants
such as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and HG Wells. One final
missing item, which I feel is a little more serious, is a bibliography
of sources of information which were drawn from for the book. Don't
forget that the 1920s Sourcebook is no longer available though, and
that much of its content has been brought into the 5th Ed. rulebook.
One other thing I would have liked to have seen is a calendar for the
period. However, the 1920s sourcebook has one for 1920, and The Great
Old Ones (#2321) has one for 1610-2080, so all is not lost.
Overall, niggles aside, the potential usefulness of this book to a
campaign feeling its way through the 1920s (especially one not being
played in the USA) cannot be denied. I believe it could be best used
with the Keeper having his own copy, and encouraging the players to
have at least one further copy between them. Although I have compared
the IC with the 1920s Sourcebook it should be borne in mind that the
1920s Sourcebook is a Keeper tool (and is also no longer available!);
I would not be inclined to encourge players to use it, one reason
being that it features a section giving stats for further beasts and
monsters which were not in the 2nd Ed. rulebook.
--------------------
From: Alex ANTUNES <alex@astro.isas.ac.jp>
Subject: Cthulhu Without Cthulhu
System: Call of Cthulhu
Cthulhu without Cthulhu
copyright (C) 1993 by Sandy Antunes, all rights reserved
"Horrors, it cannot be!" cried the Doctor.
"Yes, Dr. Martin, it is true," said the old professor calmly, pausing
to relight his pipe. "People have run entire 'Call of Cthulhu'
campaigns without ever setting eyes on the Big C personally. Why,"
and here his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "some of them
haven't even seen a Shuggoth!"
This pronouncement brought such an outcry to the young Doctor that the
Professor had to club him over the head with his copy of the 5th
Edition rules before he was silent.
Yes, it's true. After you've seen Cthulhu, faced Hastur, and repelled
an invasion of NightGaunts, where do you go next? You're jaded.
You've seen the worst and most alien. Truly life has no meaning.
But... most characters in the stories went insane after 1 (one! uno!
eichi!) encounter; you're a REAL Investigator, you've faced them all.
So, like a bad Godzilla movie, it's time for teamups:
Cthulhu and Hastur versus the Investigators
A Colour From Space uses Shuggoths to attack Arkham
Cthulhu and A Colour From Space team up with Hastur and the
Nightgaunts to attack Arkham
However, not all CoC games require constant Mythos appearances to
succeed. Horror comes in many forms. The appearance of the alien,
the bizarre and the shocking can truly terrify, but, equally
mindbending is normal reality when it is just slightly altered.
History is full of examples. Subtle horror is a very powerful
approach to a single adventure or a campaign. Herein, we shall focus
on the realistic, that which is only slightly bent.
Great Horror Subtle Horror
Cthulhu Jack the Ripper
Aztec Human Sacrifices Nurse Krachet
Vampire Cults the IRS
A good focus for subtle horror is the normal human. A single person
provides a focus for the players. Initially, the person should not be
presented as The Enemy; that's too easy. For horror, you must present
an Everyman, and add the corruption and evil later. Upon first
meeting the Enemy, the investigators should not be able to guess at
the evil. The adventure then unfolds with subsequent clues as to the
true nature of the evil. Naturally, as they discover the evil, the
investigators realize the person is truly The Enemy. They should also
at this time discover the great power of The Enemy. From here, the
choices can be 1) destruction of the Enemy, or 2) redemption of the
Enemy. The game evolves from both the slow revelation of the evil and
the choice of solutions by the investigators.
I would recommend you avoid using Cults. Cults are Cliche. Most
players would find it easy to equate Cult as Mob, an unthinking
hostile crowd of faceless people bent to destroy them. Such an enemy
is scary, but easy to discount or to mow down with automatic fire. A
single individual presents more of a challenge by being more personal,
more involved, and more like the investigators themselves.
The key is a slow building of tension. The investigators should be
introduced to the ordinary, everyday scene, where perhaps only one
detail or clue is unusual: the rash of murders, the butcher shops all
having discounts or something similar. Only as they probe deeper do
they realize how things have gone awry. A good plot does not involve
the prime movers-and-shakers of the cosmos, but deals with the
ordinary human. Again, this is best served by example:
"Red Sea"
BAD: Cthulhu plans to rise soon-- everyone starts having nightmares,
then the island rises! [The investigators go there, face 'thulhu,
have to make lots of insanity rolls, die horribly. *Ho hum*]
OK: Cthulhu plans to rise soon. His cult begins gathering sacrifices
for his appearance, following his dream-order that all sacrifices
must have red hair. [Okay, the investigators can start to face
this, sooner or later realizing 'thulhu is the ultimate evil and
having to make an insanity roll. Those poor deluded cultists.
*Yawn*]
Good: Cthulhu plans to rise soon, or so Milton believes. So he's begun
the preparations for his trans-oceanic trip. He's packed his
suitcase with clothes, gathered some food for the trip, and now all he
needs is three more still-alive severed heads from three left-handed
red-heads and he's off to R'yleh! [But Milton was so... ordinary!
Was it 'thulhu, or does such a demon lurk in the heart of every
man? *shiver*]
To sculpt an adventure of this nature, you must inspire yourself using
every-day examples. Take a normal situation you've faced before,
then, add the macabre twist. Been audited by the IRS? What if the
auditor wasn't after your money, but hungered for your fear! Such an
auditor might not be willing to stop the audit at the end of business
hours. Or, had a student in your class that was particularly loath to
make an effort? Perhaps they are bored, because they know it all.
They read your mind. In fact, they know that you've just figured out
their secret... pity they'll have to stop you before you tell anyone
else. That waiter at the resturant that was late bringing your
dessert? Well, it takes time to add the potion which will make you
follow their every command, while they slowly fatten you up... hey,
why is the cashier looking at you so hungrily?
Good night, pleasant dreams!
--------------------
From: Frederic Moll <fmoll@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: War Experiences for the 1920s
System: Call of Cthulhu
The following text is a summary of the rules we use in our group of
French players during the creation of European investigators for CoC
in the 1920s. The Great War (1914-1918) was a tremendous tragedy in
Europe, but it also gave experience to future investigators who
learned something during their military service.
Prerequisites for servicemen:
STR: at least 9
CON: at least 10
(CON may have been reduced due to wounds. See later in Miscellaneous)
Years of service:
Up to 4 years of service can be made if the minimal age of 16 was
reached during this period.
Ranks and "professions":
Private: if INT is less than 12
NCO: if INT is in 12-14 range or APP (or CHA) less than 11
Officer: INT greater than 14 and APP (or CHA) greater than 10
Other "professions":
Ambulance Man
Administrator
War Correspondent
Technical Staff
Arms of the Military:
Infantry
Artillery
Air force (only for NCO, officer and Technical staff)
Medical Service
Intendance
Armoured
Press
Skills:
The following gains or losses for skills are given for 1 year of
service, so 3 years of service give 3 times these gain/loss :
Infantry:
First Aid, Listen, Spot Hidden, Mechanical repair, Camouflage,
Hide, Sneak, Speak (French, English or German): +5%
Rifle, Knife: +10%
Artillery:
Listen: -5%
Accounting, First Aid, Make Maps, Rifle, Speak (French, English or
German): +5%
Mechanical Repair, Operate Hvy machine: +10%
Air Force:
Pilot Aircraft: (Base is DEX + INT + POW + 10% per 2 years)
Speak (French, English or German): +5%
First Aid, Make Maps, Electrical repair and Mechanical Repair,
Machine Gun, Handgun : +10%
Medical Service:
First Aid, Pharmacy, Treat Disease, Diagnose Disease, Drive
Automobile, Fast Talk, Psychology, Speak (French, English or
German): +10%
Intendance:
Handgun: +5%
Accounting, Law, Library Use, Drive Automobile, Bargain, Credit
rating, Oratory: +10%
Speak (French, English or German): +15% per 2 years of service
Press:
First Aid, Library Use, Make Maps, Photgraphy, Psychology, Drive
Automobile, Debate, Fast Talk, Oratory: +10%
Speak (French, English or German): +15%
Armoured:
Speak (French, English or German): +5%
Accounting, First Aid, Make Maps, Operate Hvy Machine, Electrical
repair, Mechanical repair: +10%
Gun or Machine Gun: +20%
Miscelleanous:
* War was a great psychological experience for the soldiers (and the
civilians), so the loss of 1d4 points of SAN per year of service is a
minimum (Heat of Battle, effects of shell shock, horrors of the war).
But after that, the classical loss of SAN for vision of corpses or
others things like that will be avoided, because nearly nothing can
mentally harm an ex soldier.
This also means that the task of finding a psychoanalyst is easier
because the future investigator has been treated (and maybe he is
still following a therapy...)
* War veterans can also have kept souvenirs, such as a weapon :
English:
Lee Enfield .303 Bolt-action rifle for an ex private
Webley-Fosbery .455 revolver for a NCO or an officer
German:
Mauser for private
Luger 9mm for officer
* Wounds may have lowered the CON, especially if the soldier was
exposed to chimical attacks (at the Keeper's discretion)
This is not a complete treatment of the war for investigators, but it
gives flesh to their past and may sometimes explain quirks they have.
These modifications can also be applied to American investigators but
with a shorter duration of service because of their late entry in the
war...
As usual, any comments and/or criticisms are welcomed either in the
Chaosium Digest or by e-mail.
Frederic MOLL
(fmoll@cix.compulink.co.uk)
--------------------
From: aglover@acorn.co.uk (Alan Glover)
Subject: Hidden Lore in CoC Supplements
System: Call of Cthulhu
Occasionally something that strikes me as a really useful bit of
information shows up in the strangest place. Here's a list of some of
them in various CoC supplements.
I have not included the various spells introduced (and usually only
used) in specific supplements.
At present, this only includes the supplements I own and are still
available/in print. Gaslight, Now and Dreamlands supplements are not
represented since I concentrate on a wakeful 1920s setting.
The Great Old Ones 2321
-----------------------
British Army Diving Suit (p115)
Calendar for 1610-2080 (p141 et seq)
Foreign character sheets
Arkham Unveiled 2325
--------------------
Arkham trolley routes (p8)
Miskatonic University directory (p57)
Miskatonic Library plan (p66)
Hypnosis skill (p73)
Foldout map of Arkham
Fatal Experiments 2328
----------------------
New weapons; chapter begins p7
Return to Dunwich 2330
----------------------
Lovecraft country map (p13)
Foldout map of Dunwich
Kingsport 2333
--------------
New occupation: Artist (p46)
Foldout map of Kingsport
Tales of the Miskatonic Valley 2334
-----------------------------------
Lovecraft Country - details and populations for the whole valley (last
page)
Foldout map of valley
Fearful Passages 2335
---------------------
Table of new skills for discontinued ones (p3)
Diving suit (p57)
Hypothermia (p59)
Escape from Innsmouth 2338
--------------------------
Supporting Character sheets (p152)
Foldout map of Innsmouth
Adventures in Arkham Country 2342
---------------------------------
Arkham street map (p39)
Arkham Sanitarium plan (p73)
Lovecraft country map (road/river/rail) (p125)
Cthulhu Classics 3301
---------------------
Map of R'lyeh (p59)
Rail lines 1920 (p142)
Cthulhu Casebook 3305
---------------------
10 Commandments of Cthulhu hunting (p121)
Sinister seeds (p124)
Death Reports (p127)
Curse of Cthulhu 3306
---------------------
Lovecraft Country map (p24) (with Salem)
Keeper's Notes page (last page)
[an index of the interesting items in all of the CoC supplements would
be very useful. anyone interested in taking on the task? -sda]
--------------------
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