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Chaosium Digest Volume 26 Number 06
Chaosium Digest Volume 26, Number 6
Date: Sunday, August 16, 1998
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
The Snake in Blood (Andy Clements) CALL OF CTHULHU
Editor's Note:
This time around, a short adventure outline for Call of Cthulhu. Send
in those submissions for next issue!
Shannon
RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
* Call of Cthulhu - _No Man's Land_ (Chaosium, 80 pg., $14.95), by Sam
Johnson, is a tournament adventure for Call of Cthulhu. Based on a
round of the famous GenCon Cthulhu Master's Tournament, this
adventure takes investigators into the heart of Mythos horror during
World War I. Perfect as a standalone or an introduction to a 1920s
campaign.
* Misc - _Tradetalk #4_ (Chaos Society, 48 pg.) is the fourth
issue of the newest Glorantha fanzine. This one features info on
Kethaela, including a history of the Kingdom of Night, points of
interest, and more. There's also a short Pendragon article featuring
three NPC knights.
--------------------
From: Andy Clements <Andyc2@netcomuk.co.uk>
Subject: The Snake in Blood
System: Call of Cthulhu
In this 1920s adventure, there is an Arkham-based cult which allegedly
serves Kukulkan, a Mayan deity. However, this is just one of
Nyarlothotep's guises, who is using the cult to summon itself to
Earth, possibly for the mass torment of humans.
The cult has also gained an ancient Mayan book containing several new
spells, of which only one is essential to this adventure's plot. This
spell is detailed at the end of the article.
The adventure begins with a newspaper article, focusing on the death
of a speak-easy owner (however, the newspaper will claim that he runs
a restaurant--the dead man paid the editor well for "public-spirited"
comments...).
The newspaper offers the usual blurbs about '...well respected member
of the community...', and '...tragic, yet mysterious death...'.
However, the important thing is the description of the crime scene:
the owner was dead with a fired shotgun in his hands, and the room was
liberally covered in blood. The man's head had been brutally removed
(the newspaper claims the work of a blunt machete) and there was a
drag mark in the blood leading to the shattered window. There was
glass both on the outside and inside of the window. The newspaper
assumes that two people broke in, one of whom was shot, whilst the
other dispatched the owner. Then the survivor dragged the body out
through the window. The newspaper is unable to find a reason for how
the intruders got in through a second-floor window, nor how they were
able to leave.
The actual murder was carried out like this: A Feathered Snake (new
monster, see spell at end of article) sprang through the window using
powerful muscles before biting off the owner's head, and spitting it
out. The shotgun failed to have an effect on the Serpent, and the
blood trail was actually caused by the serpent dragging itself through
the window.
Since the Keeper knows the actual events of the murder, it is probably
best to leave the distribution of evidence to individual Keepers...
this way, players reading this are unsure of how to accumalate the
evidence they need--after all, they can't just race to the police and
gibber about giant snakes.
A week later (or longer at the Keeper's discretion) the shop is bought
by an archaologist with a history of visiting South America. He
converts the building into a folklore art shop, which sells Mayan art
and sculpture. Nothing of Cthulhu taint is sold here, as the
Archaeologist knows well enough what should be kept for "private"
use... The Archaeologist is (as many Keepers will have quickly
realized) the cult leader. The shop is merely a front for the purchase
of the building. What the Archaeologist is interested in are the
catacombs which run close to the cellar, knowledge of which
Nyarlothotep granted him.
If players decide to watch the Archaeologist's shop, they should see
South Americans arrive at midnight on every other week, on the day of
the Keeper's choice. If the Investigators break into the house, whilst
the new owner is on "holiday" (i.e., travelling after rumours of new
occult books), there is a 25% chance that there is a Feathered Serpent
in the house on guard. If the breakin is successful, the players may
steal the Mythos Tome that the cult is using.
For Keepers who wish to add spells beyond that described, it is
reccomended that they be blood related spells as well as those to do
with Time/Space enitities and Great Old Ones, or Outer Gods. Call
Nyarlothotep, of course, is necessary.
The Tome also adds +10% Cthulhu Mythos, and has a x2 Spell Multiplier.
Investigators looking through the house will also see a notice placing
heavy significance on the next full moon--this is when Nyarlothotep
will be summoned.
If the players examine the cellar, they will see a crude tunnel
leading to the catacombs. These catacombs contain a strange alien city
which warps through strange angles, and incidently costs Investigators
0/1D4 sanity each. If the Investigators search for long enough, they
may find a strange monument poised over an alien library. Inside this
hideous place books wrapped in skins of something best left unknown
may be found, and it is here the cult found further information on
summoning Nyarlothotep.
How the Investigators attempt to stop the ritual, or how Nyarlothotep
manifests if the attempt fails, is up to Keeper discretion. If you
wish to add a "finding an ally" sub-plots, then so be it.
New Spell: Create Feathered Serpent
====================================
This costs the caster 1d4 Sanity, and requires the expenditure of 10
Magic Points.
The spell must be cast on a willing recipient, and involves the
sacrifice of a non-believer. The blood of the victim is then drunk by
the recipient, whom begins to turn into a large Feathered Serpent.
Watching this process for the first time costs 1d4 sanity unless the
recipient is a friend, in which case the cost is 1D6+1, the cost of
seeing a friend lose their humanity.
New Monster: Feathered Serpent
===============================
Strength: Roll 4D6
Dexterity: Roll 3D6
Intelligence: Roll 2D6-4
Constitution: Roll 3D6
Size: Roll 2D6+2
POW: Roll 1D6
Move: 15
Attacks: Bite 45%, damage 1D6+damage bonus.
Inject Poison [following a successful bite attack], 50%, Potency 10
poison injected.
Constrict/Crush 20%, damage 1D4 + damage bonus.
Armour: 2-points of armour, plus regeneration of one point per two
rounds, until death.
Sanity Loss: Cost of 1/1D10 sanity loss: Feathered Serpents are alien,
yet have human vestiges, and are obviously powerful...
=============
Andy Clements
Andy
Andyc2@netcomuk.co.uk
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Stadium/1754/index.html
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