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Chaosium Digest Volume 34 Number 04
Chaosium Digest Volume 34, Number 04
Date: Tuesday, July 17, 2001
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
* Review of "Garden of Earthly Delights" from Strange Aeons by Chaosium
(CTHULHU)
by Oliver Schmidt (oliver_schmidt@hp.com)
* The Adventure of Arthur's Treasure (PENDRAGON)
by Jorge Palinhos
Editor's Note:
The winner of the second quarter 2001 Chaosium contest has been chosen. The
winner is "All Nighter" by Matt Sanborn which appeared in issue 33.09 and is
available in the archive. Congratulations Mr. Sanborn and keep up the great
work! The next contest's deadline is September 30, 2001 with the usual prize
of a $40 Chaosium gift certificate. Keep those submissions coming.
This issue contains some useful background info and review for a published
Chaosium scenario and a short and sweet Pendragon adventure.
Enjoy!
UPCOMMING PRODUCTS
* From Chaosium
JULY:
CHA 2399 20th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu (Very Limited!) $79.95
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2399.shtml
CHA 2019 Straits of Chaos (D20 Dragon Lords of Melniboné Adventure) $8.95
http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2019.shtml
CHA 6032 Song of Cthulhu $12.95
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6032.shtml
August:
CHA 2363 The Complete Dreamlands (reprint) $24.95
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2363.shtml
Late Summer Early Fall:
CHA 2378 San Fransisco Guidebook $16.95
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2378.shtml
CALL OF CTHULHU
20th Anniversary Edition
CHA 2399
$79.95
ISBN 1-56882-151-4
300+ pages, illustrated.
A Limited, 20th Anniversary Edition
Bonded Leather-Bound, New Interior Layout
One Printing Only
In honor of the 20th Anniversary of our award-winning CALL OF CTHULHU game,
Chaosium Inc. is proud to announce a premium, bonded leather-bound edition
of the core rulesbook with features such as high-quality paper stock, a new
interior layout designed to evoke that 'ancient tome' look and feel, sienna
ink, and a durable Smythe-sewn binding that collectively make this the one
edition that every Cthulhu player and keeper will have to have. This is a
once-in-a-lifetime
gift.
STRAITS OF CHAOS
A D20 adventure on the high seas for levels 3-6
CHA 2019
$8.95
ISBN 1-56882-155-7
32 pages, illustrated
Written by Shawn Havranek
The seas of the Young Kingdoms are fraught with peril. Some waters are more
dangerous than others though all captains avoid the Straits of Chaos.
Strange sea beasts, wild magics, and Dharijorian pirates plague the narrow
strait and the weather can change from calm to storm within a drumbeat; but
when Melnibonéan warships are closing in even the bravest sailor may see the
murderous straits as the lesser evil -- our heroes soon find themselves in
terrible peril.
Appendix includes new prestige classes, spells, and monsters.
Song of Cthulhu
Tales of the Spheres beyond Sound
CHA 6032
$12.95
1-56882-117-4
Edited by Stephen Mark Rainey
Like any eclectic catalog of dark music, this volume of stories explores
many levels of emotion, each writer composing his own unique movement to the
symphony. Here, you will find a wide range of voices, some spinning tales
of pure, deep dread, much as might be found in the most successful works of
HPL
himself. Others venture into territory that the Old Gent would never have
imagined, or wanted to imagine . . . There's even a touch of whimsy to be
found, yet always mingled with the strain of darkness like that faced by
Erich Zann in his garret in the rue d'Auseil.
The San Francisco Guidebook
A 1920's sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu
2378
$16.95
ISBN 156882-136-0
96 pages
For some, San Francisco is the Paris of the West, where immigrants and
outcasts reinvent themselves to make a cosmopolitan haven for refugees of
every nation-- and all their gods. For others, it is the golden gateway to
the inscrutable Orient, and the unwitting heir to many of its darkest
mysteries. But for those who know where to look, The City is a house of
doorways, leading to secrets beneath the Earth and sea, and outside time and
space.
This book will give you all the background essential for a 1920's Bay Area
campaign, including history, maps, research venues, scenario hooks, and the
outlandish urban legends that make San Francisco unique among all the cities
of the world.
-----------------------
Review of Garden of Earthly Delights (Strange Aeons, Chaosium)
by Oliver Schmidt (oliver_schmidt@hp.com)
This article will support the keeper in two ways: 1) provide background on
painter H. Bosch, 2) Hints how to run this adventure (based on my
experiences with it).
1) H. Bosch and his paintings
This adventures refers to some paintings of Hieronymus Bosch, though they
are not central to the plot. Unfortunately, there is not much information
given on Bosch; knowing and bringing into play Bosch's paintings will add to
the middle-age religious flavor of this adventure.
Hieronymus Bosch lived from 1450 to 1516 in s'Hertogenbosch in the
Netherlands. Royals and rich merchants in Netherlands, Austria and Spain
bought his paintings but he also provided churches with paintings. His
paintings focused on sin and punishment, gruesome to look at, fascinating
the viewer. His pictures express intense pessimism and were terrifying. Give
colour printouts of the following three paintings to your investigators, see
URLs below.
Information on Bosch
-> http://www.abcgallery.com/B/bosch/bosch.html biography and 73 paintings
-> http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/bosch/ biography and few paintings
Painting 1: The Haywain Triptych
A triptych consists of three paintings, one central large painting and one
panel at each side of it, used as an altar-piece. Theme 'sin & punishment'.
Shows the progression from Eden to Hell.
Left wing: Eden
Center: Earth, wagonload of hay symbolizes sin, which the greedy world tries
to grasp.
Right wing: Hell, the demons pull the wagon with the people into hell.
-> http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/bosch/haywain/
Painting 2: The Stone Operation
This shows a trepanation (opening the skull to release diseases). This was a
familiar practice. Note that there is a nun and a Jesuit similar to our
investigators.
-> http://www.abcgallery.com/B/bosch/bosch17.html
Painting 3: The Garden of Earthly Delight
Theme: History of the world and its progression of sin.
Left wing: Adam and Eve, original sin
Center: Garden, a world deeply engaged in sinful pleasures
Right wing: hell, dark, icy fiery nightmarish vision
-> http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/bosch/delight/
2) Some hints:
The central part of this adventure is talking to the villagers and sorting
out who is a heretic and what is happening at this village; e.g. the gypsies
noticed a change in the behavior of the villagers. This is fun and this part
should take some time.
It is important that the players find out what is going on in the village
(more satisfying to the players). They can not find out the background of
the shan, but at least should they realize what was going on in the village.
If the investigators fail, let some of them travel back to the inquisitor
general and spread the shans. Of course they will be sent to the pope in
order to tell him directly (and deliver a shan). The shan changed the
memories of the investigators, they do believe their own story. But players
know better and will enjoy the intrigue.
If possible, try not to kill your investigators too early (in hand-to-hand
combat), which happened with my group once. E.g. keep Montoya alive for a
while, as he is a good fighter.
If a shan-free investigator is sent away to warn the inquisitor general, two
things could happen: first, a shan hides within the horse and will infect
him later (at night). Or, the infected investigators will follow him later
(they are brain-washed!) and will make sure that he gets infected as well.
If you don't have 6 players, let some play two investigators. This proved
better than removing some investigators from play.
Give each investigator a dream hand-out, otherwise it is too easy to guess
who had the important dreams.
Q: How do investigators find out about the Fonsecas' secrets?
A: They found the dead donkey, and later on hear the story of the dead
chicken and the tinker. This is probably not enough to realize the real role
of the Fonsecas but at least they seem suspicious. In the finale,
investigators realize their leadership of the coven.
Q: How do investigators realize that the shan die in daylight?
A: Normal people suddenly behave strange at day-time (after they became
possessed). This is difficult to realize, only works for very smart
investigators. At least your investigators should notice that something is
wrong. Easier way (as you want them to find out the shans' nature): When
they escape from the prison and fight against the guards (in the house of
the Don) and kill a guard, a shan flies off and gets into a ray of daylight
(from a window). The shan catches fire and burns.
-----------------------
The Adventure of Arthur's Treasure
by Jorge Palinhos
Time: Phase 1 (510 as per The Boy King)
Problem: A treasure needs to be retrieved.
Development:
Arthur needs money to pay his army to fight against Lot and the invaders
from the north. Merlin therefore points him the location of a treasure and
Arthur sends the Player Knights to retrieve it. The treasure is guarded
inside three sets of concentric walls with only one entrance each. The walls
are impossible to break or climb. The first door is topped by a figure of a
Roman. When someone tries to enter the first door the figure halts him and
asks: " Listen thou who whishes to enter and reply carefully. A king wishes
to impose his will over his reluctant people. Yet his people loath and
refuse to comply to his will. Has this king the right to summon foreigners
to help tame the people he was sworn to defend and protect? Has the people
the right to disobey his divinely appointed king?"
Each player character must roll JUST or reply an appropriate answer. Such
answer must have some degree of fairness and must comply with the precepts
of the time. One sided answers (like "The king can't do that" or "The free
will of the people must be respected") are definitely not acceptable.
If one player gives an appropriate answer he should be rewarded 20 GLORY and
a JUST check, the other players may give the same answer and enter without
any rewards. If they roll successfully they also receive 20 GLORY and a
check
but every player must succeed in his roll to enter.
Players who fail their rolls or give unacceptable answers aren't allowed to
enter.
The head will say: "Very well, he who strives for justice is bound to do no
willing unfairness." And grant passage. After this first door there is a
second door topped by the stone head of a wild pict. When the PKs attempt to
enter he asks: "Listen thou who wishes to enter and reply carefully. A very
poor man lives and starves at the door of a very wealthy man who earned his
riches plowing his fields. One day the poor man notices that the door to the
bakery of the rich man was carelessly left open and from inside the bakery
comes the sweet warm smell of freshly baked white bread. What should the
poor man do? Steal one bread? Steal all? Or not enter and starve himself to
death?"
Again the players can try to answer or roll HONEST. The procedure is the
same as above. A correct answer must imply that the poor man should not
steal but should overcome his difficulties by other means. Grant a check in
HONEST and 20 glory.
The head will speak: "Very well, he who does not deceive under the darkest
circumstances is worthy of being called honest."
Behind the second door there is a third door topped by the stone head of a
small child. This child is silent but below him the is a scales balance. In
one scale there is a dove in the other a snake.
Here the players may roll TRUSTING or do something that involves showing no
caution or fear of the snake. Grant 20 GLORY and the relevant check.
The head will speak: "Very well, he who trusts others is himself
trustworthy. You may enter."
Behind the third door there is an open field with a circle of stones in the
middle. In the north of the circle of stones there is the statue of a wild
pict staring to the north. At the south of the stone circle there is a
statue of a roman staring south.
If the players dig the land inside the circle they will find a chest full of
silver.
They should take the chest to Arthur. If they try to steal some or all of
the silver they must lower immediately their HONEST, JUST AND TRUSTING
traits by one point, lose HONOR and lose a point on LOYALTY ARTHUR. Besides
Merlin is watching the player knights and will be most displeased.
Reward: Arthur will thank the knights (40 Glory each) and give each one 20£.
Explanation: This adventure was made for a Players Hook in The Boy King, for
the year 510. Metaphorically this magical site guards a treasure of the true
king of Britain, Arthur, and only he or vassals of him who prove to be just,
honest and trusting (therefore less prone to steal the treasure for
themselves). The justice riddle is presented by a roman, a people noted for
their concern with legal affairs. The honesty test is presented by a wild
man, who are known for their honesty and even bluntness. The trusting test
is supervised by a child, the finest example of blind trust.
Inside the walls there is a circle surrounded by two statues. The pict
represents the northern people which Arthur will dominate soon. The roman
represents the roman empire which Arthur will conquer later. The treasure
inside the stone circle represents Logres, which has been buried in darkness
without a king but will soon see the light at the hands of Arthur.
--
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