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Chaosium Digest Volume 26 Number 09
Chaosium Digest Volume 26, Number 9
Date: Sunday, October 11, 1998
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
Evil Things The Keeper Can Do To Players Using Magic
(Andrew Clements) CALL OF CTHULHU
Editor's Note:
This coming week marks a major life change for Ye Olde Editor. My last
day at Chaosium, where I've worked for the last two-and-a-half years,
is Monday, and after that I'm starting work at a cool computer
cryptography company called Certicomm. Life moves on.
I've also decided that my tenure as editor of the Chaosium Digest will
soon be drawing to a close. I've been editing the digest regularly
since January 31, 1993, when I created it. Just a tad short of a
million words have passed through the digest in that time (975,000
currently -- the equivalent of about fifteen 128-page RPG
supplements). I'm tired and ready to pass the electronic baton.
I'm planning to continue the Digest through the end of its sixth year,
which is to say until the end of January, 1999. But right now I'd like
to get word out that I'm looking for a new editor. If you're
interested, and don't mind spending several hours every Sunday (or
every other Sunday as you prefer) writing words or editing them into
shape, drop me a line. I'd very much like to see the Digest continue.
As a side note, Chaosium continues to be the coolest game company
going, in my mind, and I'm sure you'll still see me around now and
then, and I'm sure Chaosium will continue to come out with cool
games. The time has just come for new vista for me--I'm actually
amazed that I've managed to stay focused on this digest for almost six
years without getting distracted!
So, drop me a line if you're interested in being the new Chaosium
Digest editor, and *SEND THOSE ARTICLE* for the next issue.
Shannon
Ye Olde Editor
NEW ELECTRONIC RESOURCES:
The Walker in the Wastes Mailing List
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/witw
This is a new mailing list specifically for discussion of Pagan's WitW
campaign. Go to this web page to sign up.
New *Stuff* from Edward P. Berglund
http://www.toddalan.com/~berglund/
Update # 24A of the Reader's Guide to the Cthulhu Mythos includes
Nightscapes # 9, pages on the Return to Innsmouth movie from Aaron
Vanek, gaming materials by Laurent Alquier that are not up on his new
website yet, and Edward Phlager's The House of Cthulhu web pages.
Nightscapes # 9 features: Fiction by Brian Nutter, Mike Minnis, J.B.
Lee, Alan Peschke, Kenneth Silver, R.S. Cartwright, Steve Maschuck and
Fred Lubnow, Ron Shiflet, Peter F. Guenther, and Gerard E.
Giannattasio. Nonfiction by James V. Kracht, G.W. Thomas, and Robert M.
Price. Pseudofactual Material by Luis G. Abbadie and F.C. Adams.
Parodies by Steven Marc Harris and Brendan Carson. Poetry by Franklyn
Searight, Natalie Cthullia, and Ron Shiflet. Artwork by Stanley C.
Sargent, James A. Gruetzmacher, and A.S. Moore. Reviews of "Derleth's
The Cthulhu Mythos", The Innsmouth Cycle, Miskatonic University,
Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, Professor Challenger in Secrets of the
Dreamlands, and From Beyond the Star-Spaces.
--------------------
From: Andyc2@netcomuk.co.uk
Subject: Evil Things The Keeper Can Do To Players Using Magic
System: Call of Cthulhu
This article is NOT about new magic rules, or about new spells. It is
a collection of reasonable and common sense suggestions which can make
life a misery for players.
The article takes into account that most occultists would have to be
highly secretive. In Call of Cthulhu, most of the great Mythos tomes
were written a long time ago, when religious persecution would be
rife. Therefore, it makes sense that anyone writing a mythos tome
would take their own safety into account. Here follows a list of
precautions and traps which will affect players...
1) Disguise the book as something else. In "The Case of Charles
Dexter-Ward", the main villain did this, disguising the Necronomicon
as a religious book. In this way, people searching for evidence
against the owner will be unlikely to search every single book in
hopes of finding something damning. In addition, it means that rivals
will find it more difficult to steal said tomes. In modern day
scenarios, with modern sorcerers, they may merely make a swap of book
covers, causing investigators to steal a mundane book. Imagine the
horror of the investigators who risked so much to capture the
Necronomicon, only to find out the spells include instructions on
making cookies...
2) Write the book in code. This is similar to the above tactics. This
is not merely the ambiguous phrases that Lovecraft uses, but is more
effective when complete lies are used. For example, on a ritual
requiring that a certain whistle be blown at midnight, disguised as a
child's story: "And Rumpelstilksin blew the magic whistle three times
during the magic hour, making the princess's dreams come true." Just
don't mention that Rumpelstilskin has three eyes and big claws...
3) Only include one spell in each book. And make the book you include
it in otherwise mundane. For example, in modern times, writing a spell
on a scrap of paper, and shoving it in a copy of Fishing Monthly...
4) Change all the spell titles so that they sound religious. This
provides the spell keeper with a small desperate defense: "But it's
only a family prayer...." This can be humorous in campaigns with
priest characters...
5) Swap all the spell titles around. This is used if the sorcerer
expects the book to be stolen. Since most sorcerers would only know a
few select spells [ignoring the likes of Masks of Nyarlothotep], they
could easily memorize the true natures of spells. Popular ones might
be swapping "Call/Dissmiss Azathoth" with "Bless Blade." I know I'd
find it hilarious on the other side of the after-life...
6) Include spells as normal, but neglect to include Binding spells.
This again counts if the sorcerer expects the tome to be stolen by
another. This works well since you are not obligated to tell players
if a binding spell is included... ("No! Baaad Byakhee!!!"); for comic
effect, combine this with number 5.
7) Write the book in an ancient language. Many sorcerers seem to pick
up a few ancient dialects, so writing in something that other people
cannot identify will be a good idea...
8) Write the book in as many languages as you know. This works much as
as the above, except about ten expert linguists will be needed to make
a translation. And since the party often does not have that many
linguists, will they trust outsiders?
9) Mix all the spells into a larger one. This is designed for
sorcerers who WANT to lose their books. In the style of Cthulhu magic,
the caster will almost certainly go insane, or be eaten by something
with more tentacles than brain cells.
10) Write on loose scraps of paper, and leave them in random places.
Keep a much better organised tome in a secret cache. While the players
search for all the parts for the spell they need, the sorcerer can
either escape or organize an ambush.
11) Include as many sanity-destroying pictures as possible. This will
safely remove any currently sane opponent who is unwise enough to
steal the book...
12) Include some fake snippets of a diary, belonging to someone who
"read the book, and than became dangerously depressive, and made a
final entry claiming that they would commit suicide." Include said
snippets on the last few pages...
As you can see, spells don't just drain a few sanitiy points; they
should also make the average player paranoid after some time. Now
practice the Keeper evil laughter... It helps.
Andy
Andyc2@netcomuk.co.uk
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Stadium/1754/index.html
"Is this reality, and do we exist?
If we exist, who's sick idea of a joke is this?
And if we don't, why am i writing this?"
Andrew Clements
For my always up-to-date [yeah, right] contact information, click here:
http://www.planetall.com/main.asp?cid=772643
It's private, secure, and free!
Whether or not you'll ever use the d**n thing...
--
