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Chaosium Digest Volume 19 Number 07
Chaosium Digest Volume 19, Number 7
Date: Sunday, May 18, 1997
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
Announcement: The Necronomicon Project (Alquier Laurent) CALL OF CTHULHU
Creating Professional Adventure Cards (G. R. Hail) MYTHOS
A Night in the Lonesome October: A Myth (Joseph Baptist) MYTHOS
More CthulhuPunk Weapons and Gadgets (Dany St-Pierre) CTHULHUPUNK
Editor's Note:
Welcome to this week's issue of the Chaosium Digest. As you can see,
there's a mass of mythos madness heading your way, from tips on making
good-looking Mythos CYOA cards, to stats for big weapons usable in
CthulhuPunk horror games. On deck, I've got a couple of new card files
for Mythos. Expect to start seeing those next week.
On a closing note, let me say that submissions for Chaosium's other
games (Nephilim, Pendragon, Elric!) have been in a slump for the last
two months. If you've been thinking about sending something this way,
now would be a great time.
Shannon
NEW ELECTRONIC RESOURCES:
The Eternal Champion ML
mailto: majordomo@lists.io.com
The old Eternal Champion ML, which discusses both the game Elric! and
Michael Moorcock's novels in general, has moved. To subscribe to the
new address, send mail to majordomo@lists.io.com with the message
"subscribe eternal-l" in the body of the message.
--------------------
From: alquier@eerie.fr (Alquier Laurent)
Subject: Announcement: The Necronomicon Project
System: Call of Cthulhu
Ia everybody
After months (nearly two years!) trying to find enough time, I am glad
to announce the reopening of the Necronomicon Project. Along with a
better design and navigation, the site now features new documents and
illustrations.
The URL is still: http://www.eerie.fr/~alquier/HPL/azif/n.html
The Necronomicon Project is an attempt to give the "look and feel" of
the content of the wicked book as described by Lovecraft. Its content
is purely fictional. You would be amazed about the amount of email I
receive asking if the pages are a translation of the real book! It is
intended for readers who would be curious about the book or for gamers
as a resource to use with scenarios of The Call of Cthulhu.
As it is started, this Necronomicon is divided into seven Books, each
concerning a different aspect of the Mythos. So far, Books One and Two
are mostly complete. The others are readable but they need more text
and a better navigation.
Of course, I am still receiving contributions from anyone inspired by
the project.
Laurent
--------------------
From: GRHail@aol.com (G. R. Hail)
Subject: Creating Professional Adventure Cards
System: Mythos
Creating Your Own
Professional-Appearing
Mythos Adventure Cards
grhail@aol.com
Those of you who have traded Mythos cards with me have seen my
homemade cards. I include one with nearly every trade. (I don't always
have a spare available). If you like the appearance of my gift
adventure card, here is how it was done.
MATERIALS
You need a computer, a graphics program, a laser printer, preferably
at 600 dpi or denser, self-adhesive film, and several more blank
Create Your Own Adventure cards than you need.
Plan on ruining a couple of cards working out the best layout and
procedures for creating printed cards. I did. Learn from my mistake
though: print to transparency to check alignments of text upon cards
before printing to adhesive film.
For the graphics program, I use Freehand 7.0. I have a 600 dpi
Hewlett-Packard laser printer. The smallest text size used on my
self-created cards is 6 point. A 300 dpi laser print can't print
6-point type legibly, in my opinion, but a 600 dpi or denser dpi
printer can.
I use Letraset Copy F/X Invisible Self-Adhesive Film (Matte). Other
companies probably make similar films, but note: this is Letraset's
Invisible film. It is thinner than the visible film, and thus more
suitable for placing on cards. Visible films have a milky
appearance. A card created with visible film would be usable, but
cards created with invisible film appear to have been printed
professionally. The film is matte, not glossy, so as to be easy on the
eyes. I bought the product (stock number 83171) at an art and drafting
supplies stores. It's approximately US$2.50/sheet (the cost declines
as you buy in bulk). One sheet will print nine cards.
PROCEDURE
** Read All These Instructions Before
** Attempting to Print Your Own Cards
If you don't use Freehand, the area of the card to be covered by film
is sized 162 x 240 points. The area on the cards available for the
text of your adventure is sized 120 x 150 points. In your graphics
program create a rounded-corner rectangle tp fit the whole card, then
outline it with a light grey line to guide in cutting the film. The
film area is much smaller than the card to allow the edge of the card
to protect the edge of the film and because the cards have a border
that obscures text. Then, through trial-and-error, work out the
placement of the individual adventure sections.
Create Your Adventures
An adventure requires a title, adventure points, sanity points, text,
and the type of adventure it is. I closely follow the style examples
from Chaosium's printed cards, except that I use Times or Jenson
instead of a typewriter-like typeface. My adventures also have my name
and URL at the bottom. Nine adventures fit on one page. If you don't
have enough home-brewed adventures handy, visit the Unofficial Mythos
Archive at http://www.io.com/~pardoz/mythos.html. There are probably
about one hundred adventures available there. However you acquire
adventures, lay them out nine per sheet.
Print a Sample Sheet to Paper First
Even better, print a sample sheet to transparency film. Proofread the
cards. Test the adventures. Once the film adheres to the cards,
spelling errors can't be corrected, new Locations can't be added, nor
can the points for completing the adventure be changed. With scissors
cut out one of the new adventures, then hold the paper against one of
Chaosium's Create Your Own Adventure Cards to check that the adventure
points, title, adventure text, adventure type, and sanity points
appear in the proper place. If a sample has been printed to
transparency film, alignment is a snap to check.
Print to Invisible Film
With my laser printer, the pages must be fed through one at a
time. Film isn't paper. If the film you purchased comes with an
instruction sheet, read it. The film may require a straight paper path
to printer properly. If you don't understand what a straight paper
path is, read the manual that came with your laser printer.
With scissors cut one new adventure from the film before removing the
backing.
Work on a Flat Surface
Apply the adventure film to the card by peeling a finger's width of
the film from the backing. Peel from the end with the adventure points
and title. Fold the backing underneath to create a flap. Align the
adventure points to the white area on the Chaosium card and align the
title to the silvery title area. When the film is aligned, smooth it
against Chaosium's card. Gently hold this film in place against the
card with one hand. Grasp the folded backing flap with the other
hand. As you peel away the backing, gently rub the film against the
card. It will align perfectly. If it doesn't align perfectly, practice
on an old deck of playing cards.
If the text printed to the film aligns correctly with the blank areas
on Chaosium's card, apply the other adventures to blank Create Your
Own Adventure Cards, otherwise, correct the alignment in your graphics
program and throw away the mis-aligned film.
WARNINGS
The film, once applied to Chaosium's blank cards, can be removed only
at the cost of ruining the finish of the cards and peeling up the
artwork underneath. Laser print is not permanent. It will rub off. A
fixative may help this, but I haven't tested any.
Different laser printers handle manual feed paper differently. Precise
alignment of film may not be possible. Be prepared for a few crooked
or wrinkled sheets that can't be used.
--------------------
From: JOEDOGBOY@aol.com (Joseph Baptist)
Subject: A Night in the Lonesome October: A Mythos Adventure
System: Mythos
"A NIGHT IN THE LONESOME OCTOBER"
+9# or +13* Victory, +3# or +4* Sanity
Heroic/Corrupt Literary Adventure
(with apologies to Roger Zelazny)
Note: # indicates needed only for Heroic, * indicates needed for Corrupt
Perhaps twice in a hundred years, when the stars are right, a group of
CORRUPT CULTISTS* (at least two) known as "openers" and STEADFAST
ALLIES# (at least two) known as "closers" gather to try to open/keep
closed a GATE for the GREAT OLD ONES* (at least two). They ascertain
the correct location for their ritual battle, a lonely place that once
served as a CHURCH or CEMETARY. Throughout the month, during the
WAXING MOON, they gather the SPELLS (at least two) and ARTIFACTS (at
least two) that they will use in the struggle. One of the "closers"
wields an ENCHANTED WEAPON, and their preparations may provoke a
POLICE INVESTIGATION. When the FULL MOON arrives, the participants
light a bonfire and summon any MONSTERS (at least two) that they think
will help them. Will the "closers" suffer a CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, or
will the Earth survive the DAWN OF A NEW DAY?
- Joseph Baptist
--------------------
From: Dany St-Pierre <carnifex@quebectel.com>
Subject: More CthulhuPunk Weapons and Gadgets
System: CthulhuPunk
This article describe some more weapons and gadgets for the
CthulhuPunk setting. See also V19.1
DANY "CARNIFEX" ST PIERRE
** ASSAULT WEAPONS **
ASTRUM ACR (FLETCHETTES)
This South American weapon uses saboted flechettes instead of normal
caseless ammunition. This bullet is a very thin dart encased in a
sabot. When fired, the sabot is discarded and the dart is launched at
higher velocities than normal amunition. Unlike most assault rifle of
this era, it does not have automatic-fire capability; instead, it
fires either single shots or three round burts.
Base Chance: 30%
Damage: 2D6
Attacks per Round: 1 or 3
Range: 40
Shots: 24
Price: $2000
MAL: 00
Notes: this type of amunition double the basic chance of impale for
the shooter.
ASTRUM CAWS (12G)
The CAWS was designed to meet a Chilentina police requirement for a
short-range assault weapon with greater hit probality than a rifle,
but more penetration than a shotguns. The Astrum CAWS fires either
tungsten-alloy pellets or flechettes. Flechettes at base range always
impale. Tungsten-alloy pellets are +1 to damage for a shotgun this
caliber. This shotgun, along with the Astrum Meteor, is the best
seller weapons of the Chilentina industries.
Base Chance: 30%
Damage: 4D6/2D6/1D6 but see text
Attacks per Round: 3
Range: 10/20/50
Shots: 10
Price: $1,200
MAL: 00
FE-AC CARBINE AND FE-AR RIFLE (7.7MM)
This is the cream of military firearms from Fabrique Europa, the
massive cartel that combined europe's leading weapon manufacturers
into a single corp in 2014. Both the FE-AC and FE-AR are equipped with
integral telescopic sights and low-lights targetting systems. They
also have integral HUD targetting circuitry, wich can be connected to
HUD goggles or a helmet display. The FE-AR has an integral 20 mm
mini-grenade launcher wich is identical to the NATARMS MML-20 (see
below).
FE-AC/FE-AR
Base Chance: 25%
Damage: 2D6+4
Attacks per Round: 3 or Burst
Range: 20/70
Shots: 2 magazines of 30 rounds
Price: $1000/4500
MAL: 00
FE ACAW (10G)
Fabrique Europa's automatic close-assault shotgun is devastating in
combat. It is found in the hands of SWAT teams and similar
organizations all over the world.
Base Chance: 30%
Damage: 4D6+2/2D6+1/1D8 (Slug: 1D10+7)
Attack per Round: 1 or burst
Range: 10/20/50
Shots: 2 magazines of 10 rounds
Price: $1200
MAL:00
NATARMS ACR (5.56 DUPLEX)
This descendant of the NATARMS M-23 adds few innovation, concentrating
instead on improving existing designs. It does use a novel caseless
round, the Duplex. The goal of its designers was to double the
performance of the old M-23 rifle. The end result is a more acurate
and reliable rifle that does not differ much from its predecessor.
Notes: utilize the stats of the Natarms M-23 (see below), and use
normal rule for automatic fire, but multiply the number of hits by 2.
NATARMS M-23 (5.5MM)
The M-23 and its related configurations are the principal military
firearms in the U.S. They are equipped with telescopic and low light
sights and have integral HUD targetting circuitry. The M-23 is
equipped to mount an MML-20 grenade launcher under the barrel.
Base Chance: 25%
Damage: 2D6
Attacks per Round: 3 or burst
Range: 20
Shots: 2 magazines of 30 rounds
Price: $4,250
MAL: 00
Notes: See Under-Barrel MML-20 Grenade Launcher, below.
NATARMS MML-20 UNDER-BARREL GRENADE LAUNCHER
Certain weapons can be equipped with these under-barrel grenade
launchers.
Base Chance: 20%
Damage: 4D10 (5 yards radius)
Attacks Per Round: 1 or burst
Range: 10
Shots: 10
Price: $1,000
MAL: 00
SOG G7 CARBINE (5.5MM)
The SOG G7 weapon is a compact bull-pup design popular with infantry
in less-developed nations. SOG has licensed the design for manufacture
in a number of last world countries. It is the most common assault
weapon found in the streets around the world, since it is so widely
produced that gunrunners find it an easy weapon to obtain.
Base Chance: 25%
Damage: 2D6
Attacks per Roud: 1 or burst
Range: 20
Shots: 40
Price: $550
MAL: 00
** MACHINE GUNS **
FE KMG (5MM)
The FE 5.5MM KMG is a typical assault chaingun. Ammo can be loaded in
chain-feed cassettes holding 100 or 500 rounds. Fitting a new casette
takes a combat round and a succesfull mechanical repair roll. The KMG
is equipped with integral HUD targetting circuitry. The weapons are
heavy and bulky, and are almost never used without an articulated
weapons harness, or equivalent cyberarm mods and a reinforced
skeleton.
Base Chance: 30%
Damage: 2D6
Attack per Round: Burst, but an area effect may better simulate the
extreme rate of fire of this weapon.
Range: 20
Shots: see text
Price: $8500
MAL: 00
Notes: For each -10%, the firer hit a supplementary 2 yards radius
area effect.
SOG LSW (6.5MM)
Schneider-Oranien Gesellschaft is an up-and-coming German manufacturer
of civilian and sporting arms. While their military hardware is less
advanced than the weapons produced by Fabrique Europa, SOG weapons are
popular with local police and last world armed forces. The SOG LSW is
the most popular general purpose machinegun found around the world.
It is also among the easiest to find in the black market.
Base Chance: 25%
Damage: 2D6+3
Attacks per Round: burst only
Range: 110
Shots: 300
Price: $2000
MAL:00
** LASERS **
NATARMS SUNBEAM PL-5 (LASER)
The PL-5 is a smaller version of the RL-5. It is likewise available
only through contacts in the U.S. Army or the Natarms Corporation.
Base Chance: 25%
Damage: 1D6/sec.
Range: 40
Shots: 12 sec.
Price: $1300
MAL: 00
NATARMS SUNBEAM RL-5 (LASER)
The Sunbeam is limited to U.S. special ops teams and the NERCC's elite
emergency response strike teams. Besides the built-in laser sight
capability common to all laser weapons, the Sunbeam RL-5, a rifle
configuration, is equiped with integral HUD targeting circuitry.
Base Chance: 25%, but see below
Damage: 1D10/sec.
Range: 110
Shots: 140 sec.
Price: $14500
MAL: 00
Notes: Rules for lasers. For each second the firer concentrates a
beam on his target, it causes 1D10 Damage. Holding a beam on a target
for an additional second drops a skill by 10%. Thus, to do 3D10 damage
causes skill to drop by 20%.
** SNIPER RIFLES **
MOSKARM SVS 7.7MM
A superb marksman's weapon, with adjustable buttstock, balance weights
and a optional tripod mount. The SVD is equipped with integral HUD
targeting circuitry.
Base Chance: 30%
Damage: 2D6+4
Attacks per Round: 1
Range: 200
Shots: 20
Prices: $4500
MAL: 00
NATARMS CW 55 (5.5MM)
The covert rifle is a sniper's weapon that breaks down into separate
barrel, barrel, buttstock, receiver, and clip mechanism. When
dismantled, it fits into a briefcase, or can even be carried in
special pockets in a overcoat. It takes five minutes and a successful
mechanical repair roll to put the weapon together.
Base Chance: 25%
Damage: 2d6
Attack per Round: 1
Range: 90
Shots: 10 or 30
Prices: $3.750
MAL: 00
** WEAPON ENHANCEMENTS **
Firearms in Plastic Polymer: Allows weapon to pass metal detectors
without being noticed. Becomes unusable after fifty shootings. These
weapons are illegal, and cost 50 times the price of the normal weapon.
Silencer: Adaptable on various arms. May be used fifty times at
maximum (roll 5d10), after what the silencer becomes ineffective.
Costs a quarter of the price of the weapon.
** OTHER GADGETS **
Electrical gauntlet: Melee weapon which electrocutes an adversary
(roll CON or be stunned for 1D10+10 minutes). Five uses before it
needs to be recharged for five hours. $50.
Flash lamp: Dazzles all targets within 15 yards facing it (roll CON or
be blinded for 2d6 rounds). Each lamp can be used ten time before
being recharged (five hours to recharge the battery). $100.
Tear-gas Sprayer: Neutralizes the adversary for approximately 10
(1d10) minutes if a CON roll is failed.
--------------------
The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial electronic 'zine about Chaosium's
Games. In no way should it be considered representative of the views
or beliefs of Chaosium Inc. To submit an article, subscribe or
unsubscribe, mail to: appel@erzo.org. The old digests are archived on
ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in the directory /pub/chaosium, and may be
retrieved via FTP.
