Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Chaosium Digest Volume 06 Number 03
Chaosium Digest Volume 6, Number 3
Date: Sunday, April 3, 1994
Number: 2 of 2
Contents:
A New Tome for CoC (Matthew J Ruane) CTHULHU NOW
Fencing in CoC (Matthias Walder) CALL OF CTHULHU
Everyday People (Jonas Hedkvist) CTHULHU NOW
--------------------
From: Matthew J Ruane <ruane@brahms.udel.edu>
Subject: A New Tome for CoC
System: Call of Cthulhu
Here is a new tome for Call of Cthulhu. Below is an excerpt from the
book, some history for the Keeper and the tome's stats. Together,
this should provide a Keeper with sufficient information to construct
a short scenerio around the adventures described below.
AN EXCERPT FROM "TWENTY YEARS OF INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN: THE
UNFINISHED DIARY OF DR. OTIS CLARKE, M.D., OF PHILADELPHIA"
"It was a letter in the post that set off our recent adventure into
the unknown. One morning, I received a letter from an old military
acquaintance, Captain James Erasmus Sharpe. It was postmarked
Delaware City, Delaware. It took a few minutes to find an atlas and
to discover where this god forsaken place was located. The nearest
military installation was something called Fort Delaware, located in
the middle of the Delaware River. It appeared that Captain Sharpe had
recently recently returned from an inspection of the island's
fortifications for the US Army. The fort has apparently laid empty
since 1867 or so, and Captain Sharpe was inspecting the maintenance
program undertaken by local contractors to maintain this vital link in
our nation's coastal defences.
"While spending the night in the former officer's lodgings on the
island, Sharpe wrote that he had been awakened in the middle of the
night by a strange croaking sound. 'At first, I thought it was the
sound of a thousand bull frogs, but the croaking sounds got nearer and
louder, and as I moved to the windows, I saw figures moving outside
the fort. Looking into the interior of the fort, I saw more figures,
and their strange lopping gait set off memoiries of seeing Confederate
injured moving in columns after their defeat at Gettysburg. My mind
apparently began to play tricks, and I thought I heard a rebel yell
from the croaking mass below. The figures seemed to charge each other
and then a horrific light shattered the inky darkness and gloom of the
night, knocking me unconscious. I awoke several hours later, lying on
the floor, covered in a cold sweat. I quickly washed, dressed and
went down to the courtyard to see if there were any signs or evidenc
of the occurence from last night. Looking around, nothing seemed to
be disturbed and there was no trace of of the intruders or of the
horrific violence I glimpsed before fainting. Gathering my gear from
the room I slept in, I left the fort. I was passing through the cool,
wet, stone portcullis and gate when I noticed a glint of metal in one
corner. There, laying on the ground, were two shiny brass buttons,
and as I turned them over in my hand, I noticed that they were stamped
'CSA'! I think my mind snapped at that moment for here was evidence
of the dreadful visions from the previous evening. I know I ran pell
mell for the the docks, where the boat was arriving, to take me back
to the mainland, and to let off the maintenance crew. The Captain of
the boat greeted my dishevelled and distraught person with dismay. I
ordered that he immediately set off for Delaware City. When he failed
to move quickly enough, I drew my revolver and put a round through the
pilot house window. We quickly cast the lines and the boat moved off.
We arrived on shore a few scant minutes later, where I retired to a
local tavern to calm my nerves. I am writing you, my old friend and
soldierly brother, to gather yourself and any acquaintances to try and
help save my tenuous grip on sanity. I must return to the island
soon, prove that nothing happened, and try and salvage my reputation,
career and honor. I await your rapid reply.'
"So ended the letter. What was I to do? I gathered a few of my more
trusted colleagues, some equipment and a change of clothes, and took
the first train from Philadelphia to New Castle, where the rail line
ends. From there, we plan on hiring a coach to take us to Delaware
City and the meeting with an old friend. Together, we will confront
whatever awaits on that horrid little island."
Excerpted from "TWENTY YEARS INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN: THE UNFINISHED
DIARIES OF DR. OTIS CLARKE, M.D., OF PHILADELPHIA", by Brian
Templehoff, (Newark, DE: unpublished doctoral thesis, 1989). The
original twenty diaries, including the unfinished 1888 diary, are held
by the Delaware Historical Society, Wilmington, DE. The 1888 diary
was discovered by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1946 while
dearming and removing military stores from Fort Delaware. That exact
circumstances of its discovery are unknown, though information
acquired by Brian Templehoff in 1987 under the Freedom of Information
Act's provisions indicated that the Army has retained possession of
Captain James Erasmus Sharpe's diaries and unfinished report to Corps
of Commisioners. These items are still marked TOP SECRET one hundred
years after the event.
SOME HISTORY OF FORT DELAWARE
Fort Delaware is located on Pea Patch Island, in the Delaware River,
one mile east of Delaware City. The 178 acre island got its name from
a colonial era legend which said that a boat loaded with peas capsized
and the peas took root in a sand bar and sprouted in the sandy loam.
The island, even to this day, dominates the shipping channel that
leads from the ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington. It is close by
the Delaware River entrance of the C&D ship canal, and so provides a
short cut for shipping to Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay region. As
a result, the island has been fortified on and off since 1813. The
British attacks on Washington and Baltimore during the War of 1812
convinced the army that a fort needed to be built on the island to
protect Philadelphia and Wilmington. The present fort replaced an
earlier fort destroyed by fire, and was built between 1849 and 1859.
The island is only accessible by boat, and the only sheltered
anchorage is at a pier on the opposite side of the island, constructed
in the 1960s. A protected anchorage was constructed nearer the fort
during the Civil War, and a small railroad was laid to help move
supplies and other cargo to the fort. However, this anchorage is
tidal, and tended to silt up without constant maintenance, which is
the current situation.
Today, the fort is a state park, open to tourists. During the Civil
War, there was another group of "tourists", some of whom stayed for
several years. The fort was a Union prison during the war, housing
several hundred Confederate prisonners, and the fort gained a terrible
reputation as the Andersonville of the North. Cells were built below
ground, and as the fort itself is surrounded by water, and the river
runs directly under the masonry walls, the cells often flooded and the
walls of the fort are continually damp. The fort itself is in a
continual state of decay despite maintenance. Rooms are damp even
with heaters or a roaring fire in the fireplace, woodwork quickly rots
in the dampness and the main gates' brick and masonry archway drips
near continual streams of glistening water over the stone and brick.
The flooding of the lower levels occassionally loosens materials from
the dirt flooring of the cells, such as buttons, rusting spoons and
bones. Birds, stray cats, rats, and other animals contribute to the
fort's odd sounds, eerie shadows, and foul smells.
STATS FOR THE DIARY OF DR OTIS CLARKE M.D.
+05%; -1d6 SAN; 1x Spell Modifier; Spells: Contact Cthulhu, Summon
Deep Ones; Enchant Crown
Dr. Otis and Captain Sharpe discovered that a ship had crashed on Pea
Patch island in 1681. The ship was the Susanna, captained by the
Dutch South Seas explorer, Christen Van Der Meir. The Susanna was
returning from the South Pacific with a cargo of strange trinkets
collected on the islands and peas from South America. Trying to reach
Holland before winter, the weather turned against them and they were
forced to take refuge at Philadelphia. But, the Susanna never made
it, instead breaking up on a hidden shoal. The trinkets were hidden
in the sandy loam, including a Deep One crown. A storm in 1888
uncovered the crown and Captain Sharpe happened to be there the
evening two groups of Deep Ones came looking for it.
--------------------
From: Matthias Walder <matthias.walder@medizin.uni-ulm.de>
Subject: Fencing in CoC
System: Call of Cthulhu
This short article has the aim of describing the three common weapons
in traditional fencing. I've found that most CoC players have a
strange conception of fencing, thinking of Broadswords, Katanas and
other large weapons. I started fencing some months ago, so maybe I
can forward some useful information on fencing and its art of parrying
and attacking.
First, some short description of the weapons:
FOIL: Damage: 1D6 (and character damage bonus)
Mostly used in the 18th century as a sword training weapon. The foil
is thin and has a flexible blade with a square base and a mall bell
guard. In today's fencing sport, points are scored when hitting the
torso of the opponent, including the back. The foil is a pointed
weapon; no strikes are allowed.
EPEE: Damage: 1D8 (and character damage bonus)
Very good for Cthulhu 1890. A classical duelling weapon in the
mid-19th century. The blade has a triangular cross section and a very
large bell guard. In today's fencing sport, points are scored for
hitting everywhere. Like the Foil, an Epee is a pointed weapon.
SABRE: Damage: 1D8+2 (and character damage bonus)
A late 19th century weapon , mostly seen in the cavalry. The blade is
light and flat with a knuckle guard. In many films the sabre is the
weapon which is named 'Epee', so simply look if the actors use the
cutting edge of the blade. The Sabre is the only weapon which can be
used with a point or an edge attack. Today's fencing gives scores for
hitting anything above the opponent's waist.
Some questions/answers:
Q: what about the 'Three Musketeers'?
A: See above. They use Sabres, not Epees. Classical fencing
wouldn't look like this.
Q: when do CoC characters have a good basis in fencing?
A: When going over 25%. This means the character has good ability
to parry, attack and coordinate.
Q: What about two-handed fencing (fencing with two weapons)?
A: This is the Florentine style, which isn't trained often. it
should require 35% ability.
Q: What about the comparison of Medieval swords and classical
fencing weapons?
A: The differences in the techniques are too wide, so seperate
swords and fencing weapons into two classes. Fighting with
a sword needs much physical power, while fencing requires fast
actions, point control and timing.
Q: What about parrying a Medieval sword with foil, epee or sabre?
A: A fencer learns to evade an attack fast. A parry would
look like moving out of the attack line and 'riposting' (doing a
counter attack). A parry never would look like 'sword-on-epee'.
Feel free to contact me anytime if there are more question about
fencing, ok?
Cthulhu Fthagn, have fun and survive!
Matthias
--------------------
From: jonhed92@amanda.ies.luth.se (Jonas Hedkvist)
Subject: Everyday People
System: Cthulhu Now
Everyday People: Playing yourself in Cthulhu Now
In Lovecraft's stories, most of the horror (mythos or not) happened to
ordinary, everyday people. When my gaming group got to thinking about
this, we decided to try out a new approach to our gaming. I mean, who
can be more ordinary then you and the people around you? We decided
to make our characters as ourselves. This required a slight
modification to the rules.
We rolled the amount of dice needed and when we had enough numbers, we
started discussing which number was the most fitting for each stat.
Some of the stats did not need to be rolled, such as Size and Edu,
since those are quite easy to determine, by the height and weight for
Size, and the number of years in school for Edu. With the other
stats, the Keeper, player and the rest of the group decided mutually.
To give an example:
Peter rolled the numbers 10, 13, 8, 12, 16, 6 for his own character.
Everyone decided that his Size was 11 (he is not a very big guy) and
his Edu was 15 (based on the number of years in school). After that,
it was up to everyone (mostly the Keeper and Peter) to decide the
other stats. Since Peter is extreamly weak he got 6 on Str. He is
not very dexterous either, 8 on Dex. He has average constitution, 10
on Con. He is sort of clever, 12 on Int. He always has luck in
things like gaming (and dating), 13 on Pow. And, he looks criminally
good, 16 on App.
After this, it is time to decide the skills of the player. This is
also quite easy, since everyone knows (more or less) what one is good
at. Here you can pick some skills out of the ordinary, such as
fishing, playing cards, cooking and so on.
Then, you either pick a photo or ask a friend to draw your face in the
portrait box (make sure it really is a friend who draws you, otherwise
it can be quite grisly). After that, the character of youself is
ready to go out into the horrible world of the mythos. It is time for
you to face the horrors that you have up until now only read and
played about.
If the Keeper wants to be nice, he can have the players get hold of
some weapons (unless the players have some in real-life, of course).
The scenario should take place in the player's own town to give it an
even more authentic feeling. Maybe the neighbor next door is a foul
serpent-man, the local priest is a worshipper of Yog-Sothoth or
someone in the player's family is to be brutally murderd by a Byakhee.
Have the players meet and interact with people that they know, such as
their friends at school, their teachers and their partners. I can
promise you that if the players get into the feel of things, it can be
an evening of terror that is like no other the players have ever
plunged into. The Keeper will have a good laugh watching the players
being extraordinarily cautious when entering that old abandond house
on the outskirts of town. I mean, it hurts more to kill yourself than
to kill a guy that does not exist in real life. Some of my finest
memories from CoC gaming comes from when I played myself in an
adventure called De Profundis. In it I, saved a young (gorgeous) girl
from the clutches of a demented sailor with a machinegun while I only
had a knife. Later, I came on national television, prevented
Y'golonac from returning to earth and much more.
So, have fun and rememeber to look out for those nightgaunts in the
evening sky as you are walking home...
--------------------
The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial discussion forum for Chaosium's
Games. To submit an article, mail to: appel@erzo.berkeley.edu. The
old digests are archived on soda.berkeley.edu in the directory
/pub/chaosium, and may be retrieved via FTP.
