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Chaosium Digest Volume 07 Number 05
Chaosium Digest Volume 7, Number 5
Date: Sunday, August 28, 1994
Number: 1 of 2
Contents:
Two Mythos Tomes for Cthulhu Now (Seth Blumberg) CTHULHU NOW
Forked Tongues (Steve Hatherly) CALL OF CTHULHU
The Writing on the Wall (Steve Hatherly) CALL OF CTHULHU
Tales of Terror: The Collection (Steve Hatherly) CALL OF CTHULHU
Mountains of Madness Volunteers Wanted (Lynn Willis) CALL OF CTHULHU
Editor's Note:
New out this week for Elric! is _Fate of Fools_ (Chaosium, 64 pg.,
$10.95). It includes two adventures set in the Young Kingdoms. I ran
the first of the two, "The Book of Brilliant Things", at a con earlier
this year and had a lot of fun. Good stuff.
Scott Plumer (splumer%westlrc@ibm4381.onet.edu) wanted to announce
NOWSCon '94, in Cleveland, Ohio. He said that there would be two Call
of Cthulhu events, one of which he will run. The dates are September
10 and 11. If you want more details, Scott has them available by
email. Drop him a line.
Shannon
--------------------
From: Seth "the Lesser" <slb22@columbia.edu>
Subject: Two Mythos Tomes for Cthulhu Now
System: Cthulhu Now
The bibliography of Mythos-related works given in the _Call of
Cthulhu_ rules ends at about 1938. Barring the intervention of some
mysterious force or agency, there must have been at least *some*
publications in the last half-century dealing, however peripherally,
with the Great Old Ones.
In fact, CTHULHU NOW investigators may well stumble across either of
the following modern tomes in the course of their researches. Note
that both are written in modern English, and as such do not require an
Own Language roll for native English-speaking characters; this makes
them slightly more potent, ounce-for-ounce, than archaic tomes. Also
note that these books have not existed long enough to develop the sort
of reputation possessed by, say, the Black Book of von Junzt (or even
_People of the Monolith_); librarians won't look askance at
investigators who ask about them -- in fact, most librarians won't
know they exist.
* THE PROPHECIES OF SCIENCE/THE SCIENCE OF PROPHECY: Cognitive Science and
the Writings of Abd al-Azrad
Sanity loss 1D3/1D6; Cthulhu Mythos +5%; spell multiplier x2
(recommended spells: Contact Nyarlathotep, Summon/Bind Hunting Horror,
Summon/Bind Servitor of the Outer Gods).
This obscure book was one of the few titles published by the ill-fated
Human Horizons Press, which closed when its offices burned down in the
early morning of May 1 (Beltane), 1983. Research will disclose that
the book's author, Jonathan Stellare, was arrested in connection with
the fire, but committed suicide while in police custody. The book
never actually went to the printers before the fire, but bound galleys
were sent to several reviewers.
Stellare appears to have had access to a mostly-complete copy of Dr.
John Dee's English translation of the _Necronomicon_ in the
preparation of this work. He draws parallels between the rituals that
Abd al-Azrad describes and algorithmic descriptions of computer
programs. Pseudocode and fragments of source code are included from
one of Stellare's attempts to electronically re-create a worship
service of the Outer Gods; a competent computer programmer who learned
the spells from this book might be able to construct a program to aid
in their casting (Keeper's option).
Unfortunately, Stellare does not appear to have truly understood the
significance of the _Kitab Al-Azif_, and his explanations and
descriptions are fragmentary, confused and heavily adulterated with
New Age mysticism.
* BEYOND THE VEILS OF SCIENCE
by "Dr. Harlo Y. Patten"; unpublished manuscript (1971)
Sanity loss 1D6/2D6; Cthulhu Mythos +11%; spell multiplier x1
(recommended spells: Create Gate, Call/Dismiss Azathoth).
This tome will fall into the investigators' hands in the form of a
tattered photocopy of a low-quality dot-matrix printout. The author's
name is an obvious pseudonym (and an anagram of "Nyarlathotep"), and
little or nothing is known about the book's true origins.
"Dr. Patten" presents a philosophical reflection on the meaning of
modern physics, much like _The Tao of Physics_ or _The Dancing Wu Li
Masters_, but informed with a sinister and oppressive Mythos
sensibility. The book discusses the implications of relativity,
quantum mechanics and non-Euclidean geometry as a way of thinking
about the world, and demonstrates that human notions of morality and
ethics are meaningless in the face of an empty universe ruled by
random chance.
Characters becoming temporarily or indefinitely insane as a result of
reading this book will usually manifest their disturbance either as a
chokingly deep and pervasive depression, or as a variant of Quixotism:
"referential mania", the belief that everything that happens, no
matter how small -- the blowing of a dead leaf across the street,
someone slamming a door, the shapes of clouds -- has a darker, hidden
meaning.
--
Seth L. Blumberg, M.S.E. \ ``Jesus said, `Love thy neighbor as thyself.'
slb22@columbia.edu \ Right. If I did that, they'd have me up on
CUSFS President-in-Exile \ charges.'' -- Davo White <white@icad.com>
> No one I know shares my opinions, least of all Columbia University. <
--------------------
From: Steve@flar.demon.co.uk (Steve Hatherley)
Subject: Forked Tongues
System: Call of Cthulhu
Following is a Tale of Terror, designed to provide scenerio background
and adventure ideas for a Call of Cthulhu game.
FORKED TONGUES: A TALE OF TERROR
by Steve Hatherly
Martin Coleford-Johns is fascinated by dinosaurs. His father worked
hard uncovering fossilized skeletons of the giant creatures and passed
the bug on to Martin. It was only natural that he should attend Oxford
and study the science of paleontology. Now, at the age of 42, Martin
Coleford-Johns is the acknowledged leader of the field.
Tall and good looking, many women have fallen for this aristocratic
figure. However, Martin has but one passion - dinosaurs. He is
distant and uninterested in anything except his favourite subject.
When anyone mentions anything to do with the prehistoric world he
suddenly becomes lively and alert, undergoing an almost total complete
personality change.
However, this reclusive man does not like to publicise his work. He
lives in the family house set back in extensive gardens behind high
brick walls. His two servants, a butler and a maid, aid him.
Currently he has only one heir, Justin Coleford-Johns. The boy is at
boarding school, his mother having died in childbirth.
Coleford-Johns rarely appears in public, preferring to work either in
the field or in the extensive laboratories constructed on his grounds.
When he does appear (evening engagements only) he is always impeccably
dressed.
Visitors to the Coleford-Johns' Mayfair house are unwelcome. If the
visitors cannot express an interest in either the extensive reptile
collection or the study of fossils then they will be shown the door.
Otherwise Coleford-Johns will talk animatedly to his fellow devotees
on the subject until he grows tired of them.
The Coleford-Johns family has for years been a sanctuary for the
Serpent People. With the aid of Consume Likeness the Serpent People
have taken the place of Martin, the butler and the maid. There are
several other Serpent People hidden about the house.
The only human member of the family is Justin, and he is kept away
from the house as much as possible. Once he has bred and has at least
one heir, the Serpent People will kill and replace him as well.
The house is filled with reptiles and dinosaur books. The shelves are
lined with anything even vaguely connected to the subject. There are
fossils and bones and several scale mock-ups of dinosaurs. There are
also several Serpent People tomes, but they are well hidden. Lighting
in the house is always soft to avoid casting betraying shadows. The
Serpent People never go out in bright sunlight and have most of their
needs delivered direct from Harrods.
Coleford-Johns has a purpose other than the study of fossils. He is
engaged in a programme to return the People as rightful masters of the
Earth. In rooms concealed below the house he has several clutches of
Serpent People eggs, just waiting to hatch.
His fossil hunting expeditions across the globe conceal a more
sinister purpose. Chipping at rock in distant countries is a good
cover for his true goal - finding the lost temples of the Serpent
People.
The Serpent People were a violent, possessive race and fought many
battles with other aliens that wanted Earth for their own. However,
their enemies were cunning and powerful and, at the end of the Permain
Era, they began the preparations which would preserve their ancient
race until such time as they could reclaim the world for their own.
Their preparations consisted of a series of pyramidal temples
scattered across the globe in various isolated locations. In each a
number of the Serpent People were placed in a state of deep
hibernation, along with much of their (now lost) technology and
sorcery. Eventually, when the wars were over controls would be
triggered and they would awaken to reclaim the Earth.
However, something went wrong and the temples inhabitants never woke.
As the Earth grew older its crust moved and shifted, crushing many
temples. Others were lost as the land dropped and the sea rushed in,
or were found by other races and destroyed. Now, 230 million years
after their construction, there are only a few of the temples left.
Martin Coleford-Johns hopes to find these.
Possibilities:
1) Justin Coleford-Johns is troubled by nightmares about reptiles. In
them he dreams of giant walking snakes which talk in strange hissing
voices. Sometimes, in the really bad nightmares his father turns into
one of these creatures. Periodically he runs away from the boarding
school, but is always captured and sent back.
One day, he is not captured and cannot be found. Later one of the
Investigators discovers that his son has been hiding Justin in his
room. Justin is clearly terrified and does not want to go back to the
school.
2) In a careless slip Martin Coleford-Johns is photographed in broad
sunlight while working on a large fossil in Utah, America. The
photographer is a journalist reporting on the expedition and does not
notice the strange, inhuman shadow. However, while Martin is still in
the USA, the photograph is printed in one of the London papers. The
shadow is blurred, but to a keen eye is obviously not human.
The paper has the print in its files, the shadow is much clearer on
that.
3) Should reports pointing to a new Serpent People colony reach his
ears, Martin will begin to investigate. Stories of dinosaurs, giant
reptiles, and samples of shedded skin will stir his interest.
If the Investigators are involved he may try to infiltrate the group
by casting Consume Likeness. Coleford-Johns may decide to use one of
his different forms to avoid attracting attention to his sanctuary.
--------------------
From: Steve@flar.demon.co.uk (Steve Hatherley)
Subject: The Writing on the Wall
System: Call of Cthulhu
THE WRITING ON THE WALL: A TALE OF TERROR
by Steve Hatherly
The symbols and half letters scrawled messily on the wall are not from
any recognisable language. They look like the drunken attempts of a
lone vandal, and are not particularly remarkable. Except for one
thing: they appear elsewhere. On lorries and trains, schools and
churches. In the country, in town. On sheds and walls, windows and
signs. Usually in paint, and once or twice in blood.
Possibilities:
1) The symbols indicate the borders of a small but rapidly growing
cult. As they spread alarmingly from town to town the symbols spread
with them.
2) The 'ley lines' of old are now too weak for the Lloigor to use as
energy sources. But, in this age of technology, there are other
sources - electricity and telephone cables. The Lloigor have
implanted messages into sleeper's brains, forcing them to daub the
symbols across the country. They are eventually translated to form an
artificial intelligence algorithm. The algorithm hides in the
computer system and 'encourages' the construction of new cables.
These form circles of power the Lloigor can absorb and begin their
return to power.
3) The symbols (written by sleepwalkers) originate from a long
forgotten language. Eventually they are translated to form one word.
Rejoice. What does it mean? Is it a sign from God? Then, a second
word: for. Then He, followed by is and coming. Rejoice for He is
coming. But who?
--------------------
From: Steve@flar.demon.co.uk (Steve Hatherley)
Subject: Tales of Terror: The Collection
System: Call of Cthulhu
The above two Tales have been taken from the first Tales of Terror
collection (long out of print). However, those depraved folks at
Pagan Publishing will be releasing a collection of Tales of Terror
early next year for sale by mail order. They have foolishly let me
edit this weighty tome, and as a result I am actively seeking
submissions.
So what the hell is a Tale of Terror?
Most scenarios develop from a single idea, a sole flash of
inspiration. Tales of Terror showcases these flashes of inspiration
without hiding them amongst turgid plotlines. Each Tale is a scenario
idea stripped clean of dead meat, rotting statistics and wretched
prose. Like the existing Tales in the Oath, these will consist of a
brief description with three (count them, three) alternate endings.
The two Tales above represent the extremes in length. Tales are
usually somewhere in between.
A Tale can be on any subject, providing it has relevance to Call of
Cthulhu. It may be set anywhere, anytime and concern anything -
people, items, places. Anything. The best Tales are universal in
application - one set in Oslo in 1936 is less likely to be accepted
than one concerning a strange artifact appearing anywhere.
Be inventive. Be original. Scare me.
Contributing authors will earn themselves two copies of the book, the
envy of their friends, the enmity of their enemies, and the blessing
of the Elder Gods.
Please e-mail your submissions (as many as you like) to me, Steve
Hatherley, at terror@flar.demon.co.uk.
Alternatively, by snail: 37 Brighton Grove, Bramley, Leeds, UK, LS13
4BP. (I prefer e-mail as it saves typing.)
Please don't send stuff to Pagan Publishing - they'll only lose it. :)
If you have any queries, you know where to find me. Otherwise I look
forward to seeing the spawn of your creative energies.
Steve
--------------------
From: Lynn Willis <LWWillis@aol.com>
Subject: Mountains of Madness Volunteers Wanted
System: Call Of Cthulhu
[this notice was originally posted to ladyjan's call of cthulhu
discussion group.]
After some (longish) discussion, I'm trying to reopen Mountains of
Madness as a Cthulhu publication title.
I'm wondering if anyone in this group might be interested in doing
some work on the concepts involved, and some writing when the time
comes. I have a nominal physical form and a nominal price point, and
a clear trail with the story itself. Now I need some un-nominal,
thoroughly unique hu-manz to get the notion rolling.
Structurally, the title separates into a shorter background book
(which Phil and Marion seem to have plenty of data for), a longer
campaign scenario book, documents and handouts, a nice Antarctica map,
and maybe separate ship and plane plans. (Any artist who thinks he or
she can draw a fine plan of the city is sincerely encouraged :-)!
If Phil and Marion are the background meisters (I suppose there might
be room for volunteers, too), there also needs to be a plotmeister and
coordinator to help create and certainly to harmonize how the
scenarios will work, who writes what, the proper lengths and
proportions of material, and so on. The plotmeister job is
particularly demanding, and should be approached only by people whose
schedules are flexible, and who are by nature are both demanding and
tactful. It will be of great help if the plotmeister lives somewhere
near San Francisco, so that he/she and I can easily consult. If not
physically near, email and telephone accessibility are vital. Of all
the jobs for the project, this is the most important. Creative
writing ability is not needed, but a cool critical eye sure is.
I suspect that there also will be a sort of informal coordinating
council of writers and interested participants, to provide
brainstorming and plot ideas. There will certainly need to be some
sort of sustaining subplot to carry matters along before reaching the
city, the dark waters of the black and icy sea below, and the
shimmering, calling Mountains beyond both....
And then there are the scenarists. The general plan I have in mind
allows for both short and long pieces and some, like a solo scenario
for two people following the flight of the Ford trimotor, do not need
particular coordination (The general plan may vanish utterly by the
time this gets rolling, of course....). We will want competent
writers (there seem a lot among this readership) who habitually finish
things, but they need not be members of this group. Writers also need
to be familiar with the Cthulhu rules, and to be of the sort of mind
that delights in those twists of perspective and emphasis that give
players pause.
What should they write? Not yet determined. Setting interesting
scenarios in Antarctica is a daunting task. Nothing much happens
there, nothing significant (we know of) lives anywhere except at the
shelf of the continent, and it's cold, dry, and you have to bring
everything with you. Not much Mythos material, at least in the
initial scenarios, can be introduced, either (No convenient mi-gos,
say.).
But the first need is interest. Details later, and not to further
bore this group with. If anyone is interested, please indicate to me
what you would like to do: plotmeister, writer, contributer of ideas.
Please also note any special knowledge you possess that might have
bearing on the project. Naval architect, aviation buff, ham radio
operator, relative of an Antarctica explorer, that sort of thing.
Special knowledge is always useful; it need not tie obviously with the
story. Contact me directly, via LWWILLIS@AOL.com.
Cheers,
Lynn
--------------------
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