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Chaosium Digest Volume 36 Number 01
Chaosium Digest Volume 36, Number 01
Date: Thursday, April 25, 2002
Number: 1 of 3
Contents
* DER HEXENHAMMER (CTHULHU NOW)
by Mervyn Boyd - jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk
Editor's Note:
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Welcome to our new subscribers. Hello again to those who've been around a
while. This issue features an extensive contemporary CoC adventure by Mervyn
Boyd that could also be easily adapted to Delta Green. I've still got a
couple of submissions yet to be used but then I'm out, so keep those
submissions coming.
Enjoy!
* We have a interesting how to keep as well up at
http://www.shoggoth.net/article.php3?story_id=207
--
--
Matt "TrollBoy" Wiseman
Webmaster: Shoggoth.net
Site Designer: phpslash.org
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear,
and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.
-H.P. Lovecraft
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Dear Friends,
We would like to take this opportunity to let you know that we have expanded
the HeroQuest FAQ available on the web site. To see the actual document,
please go to <www.glorantha.com/news/hq-faq.html>. If you have any questions
that are not answered in this list, please do not hesitate to contact us at
<heroquest@glorantha.com>.
Stephen Martin
<administrator@glorantha.com>
* Howdy Folks!
It sure has been a Looooooong time since the last R'lyeh report went out. I
hope February and March treated you well. We Chaosium folk have been running
as fast as we can to keep new book projects moving along, and chasing some
old projects as well. A Trade show in mid March took half the company out of
the office for a week, and we're still catching up from that. Add to the mix
a new influx of Call of Cthulhu fans with all sorts of questions to answer,
new retailers asking about our books, and a couple of distributors who are
suddenly interested in our company again, and you can see why it's been so
long since our last report. If it weren't for the Unexpected Arrival of
Chaosium dude #4.5 - Ben Monroe, we'd be hopelessly behind. As it stands,
we're simply hopefully behind. Now that we have 4.5 Chaosium dudes, we'll be
quite dangerous once we get some cash flowing back into the company. :)
Here's what's new at Chaosium:
Since our last report in January, we shipped a new fiction book: The Book of
Eibon (http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6026.shtml) CHA 6026, $17.95,
ISBN 1-56882-129-8 This book is a great resource for Call of Cthulhu
Keeper's and players, and is selling quite well.
Also in March, TSR/WOTC shipped their d20 Call of Cthulhu rulebook,
published under license form Chaosium.
(http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20/) #886440000 $39.95, ISBN 0-7869-2639-2
This book is gorgeous, and shows just what you can do when your company has
deep pockets. This d20 book is introducing a new generation of cultists to
Call of Cthulhu. He hope you'll welcome them into the tribe.
Our d20 plans & the fate of BRP
While we've tried to make it clear in the past that Chaosium is not
abandoning our classic Call of Cthulhu line, we're still getting email from
upset cultists who think we're switching entirely to d20. So it bears
repeating: Chaosium will continue to support our Basic Role Playing Call of
Cthulhu & Stormbringer lines. While some of our future releases will be dual
stat releases (including BRP & d20 material), we will continue to print BRP
only releases as well. We've been publishing BRP system books for over 20
years, and with your support, will do so for the next 20 years as well.
So why are we printing ANYTHING using the d20 system? Because there are
thousands of gamers out there we'd like to introduce to our game lines, who
might not look at our books otherwise. We want and need those extra sales,
and those new Chaosium gamers, so we can continue printing Books and Games
for another 26 years. So we hope most of you will see this as an opportunity
to find more Chaosium players, and ensure we can keep printing the books you
want.
Arkham Horror News
In December we announced that we'd be printing a new edition of Arkham
Horror this year. Our Lovecraftian board game of monster hunting has been
out of print for nearly 15 years, but will soon return. Charlie Krank is
spear heading the project, and it's coming along well. From the looks of
things, Arkham Horror will be a late Summer or Early Fall release. For more
information see http://www.chaosium.com/arkham_horror
Summer Cons
We still need volunteer GM's to run events for us at Origins & Gen Con. If
you're planning to attend these shows, and have some time to spare, drop us
a line! mailto:dustin@chaosium.com
At the printer:
The Creature Companion #2375 $21.95 ISBN 1-56882-133-6
Our Manual of Mythos Monsters is expected to release in May
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2375.shtml
H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands (Hardcover)
#2394, $34.95 ISBN 1-56882-157-3
We'll be releasing a hardcover edition of our Dreamlands Sourcebook in May.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2394.shtml
Here's our upcoming releases: Go let your local shop know you want these
books!
Support your local shop - it's where new gamers come from.
For Call of Cthulhu Fiction:
Encyclopedia Cthulhiana (reprint)
#6022 $16.95 ISBN 1-56882-119-0
Our reprints have been delayed in favor of newer books. Expected SUMMER
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6022.shtml
Disciples of Cthulhu II
#6033 $13.95 ISBN 1-56882-143-3
February Release.
This Book is nearly completed, and should be sent to the printer soon.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6033.shtml
The Necronomicon 2nd edition
#6034 $19.95 ISBN 1-56882-162-X
Summer Release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6034.shtml
Other Nations
A Cthulhu Mythos Novel
#6025 $13.95 ISBN 1-56882-128-X
Summer Release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6025.shtml
The White People & Other Tales
The Best Weird Tales of Arthur Machen Vol. 2
#6035 $14.95 ISBN 1-56882-147-6
Summer Release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6035.shtml
For Call of Cthulhu
Miskatonic University
a 1920's Sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu (BRP)
by Sam Johnson and Friends
A Manuscript is now in house, and we hope to release this book in August.
#2389 $39.95 ISBN 1-56882-140-9
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2389.shtml
Pulp Cthulhu: Reckless adventures in the 1930's (dual stat d20 & BRP)
A new setting for Call of Cthulhu & Call of Cthulhu D20.
8800 $29.95 256 pages ISBN 1-56882-159-X Expected July
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20cthulhu/8800.shtml
d20 Cthulhu GM Screen
#8801 $19.95 ISBN 1-56882-159-X
May release
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20cthulhu/8801.shtml
Secrets of Japan
Modern Day Exploration of the Land of the Rising Sun
#2392 $27.95 ISBN 1-56882-156-5
A manuscript is in house, and we hope to release the book this Fall.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2392.shtml
For Stormbringer & Dragonlords of Melnibone
Cults of Law & Chaos
A New Dragon Lords of Melniboné D20 sourcebook.
This book is currently being written by Gareth Michael Skarka. Expected this
Summer.
2020 $23.95 192 pages ISBN 1-56882-158-1
http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2020.shtml
River of Tears
A Stormbringer Adventure
We have yet to receive a manuscript for this book. Release date unknown.
Delayed Titles
The San Francisco Guidebook
#2378 $16.95 ISBN 1-56882-136-0
Delayed due to hard drive crash. No word on when it will be re-created.
We're removing this book from the schedule. Once we have a completed
manuscript in house, we'll work it back into the publishing cycle.
http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2378.shtml
Straits of Chaos
A new Dragon Lords of Melnibone d20 adventure.
2019 $8.95 32 pages ISBN 1-56882-155-7
This book has been removed from our schedule.
http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2019.shtml
We have plenty of other books in the works, but we expect to print the
books above in the next four months.
Thank you for your support everyone!
--
Dustin Wright- Chaosium Colorado "Leng Embassy"
/|\_(@jjjj@)_/|\ http://www.chaosium.com
27 Years of Quality Mayhem and counting
Support your local game shop!
-----------------
DER HEXENHAMMER (pt. 1)
by Mervyn Boyd - jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk
Foreword
It should be mentioned that this is not a CoC scenario in any real sense.
There are no monsters to fight; there are no spells to cast; there are no
cults seeking to summon something or other. There's no ancient dusty tomes.
There's no combat, and there's no horror to speak of, save that of one
immortal madman on the loose. In fact there's no real investigation to speak
of either. Although the scenario can be played as a stand alone, it's
probably best if it is added into an ongoing campaign as a side track event.
If played as a stand alone it would be best if the players create Homicide
Detectives, Forensic Pathologists, Crime Scene Technicians, and the like,
because they're so easy to fit in and it's only natural for them to be
involved. Incorporating established and other character types is left
individual keeper.
Since I am not a great creative writer there will probably be many entries
that are vague in content and description - or even missing - thus causing
the adventure to appear disjointed. Don't be put off by this. Originally I
wanted to shift the emphasis from the usual investigative methodology and
utilize other ways in which to solve crimes. For example: Blood spatters,
foot or tire prints, drag marks, fingerprints, clothing fibers, pollen
grains, hair strands, etc. You know, real intensive forensic clues but that
scenario died a death. It got way too complex, so here's a radically
different knock off instead. While provision have hopefully been made for
everything the players are likely to look into, it is up to the keeper to
improvise, and flesh out all other areas - as well as NPC personalities and
reaction.
No time frame is used so events, if any, move along according to the pace of
the players. Weeks, months or even years can pass before police make any
progress, and then it's only because the criminal made a mistake, or some
stupid overlooked clue is seen in a new light. Some serial killers go for
years without being caught, and the killer in this scenario has racked up an
impressive 319 years spree. The scenario is intended to be set in Little
Rock, Arkansas in the modern day (2000), though this can be changed as the
keeper desires.
Keeper Information
For the last two years or so, the city of Little Rock has been beset with a
number of reported disappearances. Nothing out of the ordinary there you
might say. Every city has that problem. True, but many of these people have
one thing in common. They are modern day witches, and all are being hunted
by a Witch killer.
A matter of procedure & Lab Results
Conventional play means players do what they want when they want with
relative impunity. Since this scenario assumes players are law officers,
then certain rules and regulations should be adhered to. It is left to the
keeper to include things like obtaining arrest and search warrants, or
whether it is assumed these things are automatically taken care of for the
sake of simplicity.
Ballistics; toxicology; it all takes time, and as such results from lab
analysis come back in 3d8 hours. Pushing things through urgently requires a
CREDIT RATING check. Success enables the impatient player to wait only 3d4
hours. For an impale you can subtract another 2 hours from the time, but
nothing takes less than 3 hours.
Ignatius Sprenger, Witch Killer
Sprenger was born in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 16, 1656 to strict
parentage. His father was a distinguished and influential clergyman and
Puritanical to boot. He was the eldest of five children, and it was by no
mistake that he would follow in his father's footsteps. Nor was it by any
mistake that he got involved with two reputed witches. The alarm of
witchcraft was first raised in the family of a local nobleman, where two
Negro maid-servants were charged with the supposed crime. It was likely they
were practicing voodoo or obeah, but, however this may be, the charges did
not stop at them. The alarm spread rapidly, and in a brief space of time
numerous persons in the city fell under the suspicion on the most frivolous
of pretexts. Two noted examples being an old washer woman named Lieselotte
Meier, who was employed by a local statesman to look after his children, who
shortly afterwards displayed symptoms which Sprenger, on examination stated
were those of diabolical possession. The poor washer woman was arrested,
brought to trial, found guilty and hung. The second being that of Ute
Schaudi, a simple farm girl who was accused of witchcraft because the cows
weren't producing much milk that month. Similarly, she was arrested, tried
and hung.
Being a man of observation and ingenious invention, Sprenger struck out a
trade which brought him moderate returns which sufficed to maintain him, and
at the same time gratified his ambition by making him a terror to many, and
the object of admiration and gratitude to many more, who felt themselves
indebted to him for ridding them of their enemies. After several successful
cases, Sprenger left home and engaged in a regular tour of the surrounding
counties. He found and employed two confederates, a man called Jurgen
Hitler, and a woman whose name is long forgotten. They visited every town on
their route that invited them, and secured to themselves the moderate
payment of twenty pfennigs plus expenses, leaving what more than this to the
spontaneous gratitude of those who should deem themselves indebted to the
exhortations of Sprenger and his party. Soon Sprenger became known as Der
Hexenhammer (The Hammer of Witches), for his exacting punishment of known
and suspected witches.
In every town to which they came, they enquired for reputed witches, and
having taken them into custody, they assailed the poor creatures with a
multitude of questions constructed in the most artful manner. Confessions of
whatever Sprenger wished were wrung from his victims under extreme and
merciless torture. Rich and poor, learned and ignorant, all were gathered
into his inquisition. They were stripped naked and shaved bare, in search
for the Devil's Mark which they ascertained by pricking with needles,
though the absence of such marks was not conclusive to prove innocence.
Bound hand to foot, they swam their victims in rivers and ponds, it being
undoubted fact that if the accused were a witch, the water, which was the
symbol of admission into the Christian Church, would not receive them into
its bosom (a witch would float). If the accused continued obstinate, they
were seated in constrained and uneasy positions, occasionally being bound by
cords, and compelled to remain so without food or sleep for as long as
possible. Some they walked until their feet were blistered and they dropped
from fatigue. Others they hung in heavy sacking and swung for days at a time
without food or water until delirium set in. Some were hung by their ankles,
or bound by their wrists and repeatedly dropped from a height. Many were
beaten with rods and spikes, or crushed beneath great weights. The most
insidious and ingenious tortures were held to last resort. For example: The
Bowl. This torture method involved trapping mice in a bowl which was
upturned onto the victim's exposed belly. On top of the bowl a fire was set.
As the temperature inside the bowl rose the mice would panic and in their
frenzy to escape they would burrow through the still alive victim.
By this expedient Sprenger, found favorable reception amongst many persons
who would listen to his dictates as Greeks to the Oracle of,, Delphi. Being
three of them, they were sufficiently strong to overawe all timid and
insecure opposition with a certain air of authority. The fanaticism and
diabolical cruelty of this man has probably never been equaled in the
history of human persecution. Relying implicitly upon the Scriptural
injunction: "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (EXODUS, 22:18). By now
Sprenger's actions had naturally attracted the interested eye of
Nyarlathotep.
The most plentiful inquisition of Sprenger and his consorts lasted ten years
as he flourished across the length and breadth of Germany. Even at one time
to preside over a raid at a suspected witch conclave within the Horselberg
mountains wherein 1300 men and women, child and infant, young and old were
eradicated. The number being so great that the names were never taken and
written down, the prisoners being cited as Number 1, 2, 3, and so on. All
deemed to be emissaries of the Evil One.
At length there were so many persons committed to prison, or had been put to
death upon the suspicion of witchcraft, that the government was compelled to
take hand in the affair. The magistrates for whom Sprenger and his
confederates once worked were now obliged, willingly or unwillingly, to
commit them for trial.
Prince Bishop Heinrich Fleischer von Freiburg was appointed by Parliament to
lead the trial. At this time he was one of the most popular noblemen in
Germany, and was much courted by the clergy. He was shrewd, penetrating and
active, and exhibited a singular mixture of pious demeanor with a vein of
facetiousness and jocularity. The trial began. Ignatius Sprenger, the man
that at first they hailed as a public benefactor was labeled a cunning
impostor. Blinded by his zeal, he cost the lives of many precious people,
dealing in cold blood for monetary gain, and still more horrible, for the
allure of fame. The trial concluded with the sentencing of Sprenger and his
cohorts to death by public hanging in January 16, 1692.
It was their in the gallows as Sprenger's life was slipping away when he
asked God to spare his life. Intrigued by this little man's crusade,
Nyarlathotep granted him his wish - immortality to carry out his work, but
he took Sprenger's soul in payment. The following morning Sprenger's body
was found to be missing which caused a stir among the populace. The next we
hear of Sprenger is in Salem, Massachusetts where he enjoyed a renewed, and
fresh lease of life and freedom. But once more the hysteria subsided and
public temperament changed, and Sprenger again found himself out of favour,
and so to continue, he was forced to scale down his relentless effort and
become more discreet.
Since then, Sprenger has moved from town to town slaying those whom he deems
a witch, finding great success in Arkham, Kingsport, and Dunwich. It wasn't
until the Government raid on Innsmouth in 1929 when he really felt useful
again. But after which he was forced back to relatively meager pickings. For
over 300 years Sprenger has continued his trail of terror.
Sprenger's Immortality and Killing Him
Sprenger has been granted immortality, and this means he cannot die. If
Sprenger is "killed", he will appear dead to all but the most thorough
forensic examination. Sprenger remains biologically active at the cellular
level and will slowly heal until he comes back. This is not to say that
should he cut a finger off, that that finger will slowly regenerate into
another fully living Ignatius Sprenger. That won't work, but Sprenger will
eventually regrow another finger; or limb. You know, like a salamander will
regrow a severed tail, but the tail won't regrow a salamander. Also, the
severed part will not decompose. To utterly destroy Sprenger it is suggested
that he be totally consumed by fire, and whatever remains should be pounded
into fine dust, dissolved in acid and then scattered to the four winds and
all points in between. Just burning the body is insufficient. The charred
remains will slowly heal. Dismembering or decapitation is also an option,
but should the body parts come into contact they will eventually knit
together. Whatever method that stops Sprenger from regenerating is fine, so
use your judgment.
To determine how long Sprenger has before rising from the dead, consider how
he died. Reduce all applicable stats to zero to reflect the damage taken.
He regenerates 1d2-1 points to each stat per six hours, and "awakes" only
when he as a minimum of 1 point in each stat. For example: If Sprenger
simply dies of gunshot wounds or is stabbed to death, he needs only to
regenerate hit points. If specifically shot in the head and killed, reduce
his INT and EDU to zero. If he is run over by a speeding car reduce his STR,
DEX, APP (and if applicable INT & EDU if head trauma is sustained). If he's
burnt to a cinder all stats should be reduced to zero. Use your judgment
when determining the stat loss. Severed parts take months to regrow.
When he finally awakes, Sprenger will move on to a new location to begin
again - even if he has to dig himself out from his grave. He doesn't hold
grudges against the players, and won't seek revenge. Sprenger has probably
been killed several times in the last 319 years.
Player Insertion
Campaign: Characters, particularly those with a relevant skill, can be
brought in by LRPD to help in autopsies, bug identification or whatever when
the main dig has begun. They will be paid their normal fee in compensation.
Or, they learn of it from news reports and take an interest. Perhaps a name
is released and it's similar to somebody they've met already - another
reason to snoop around.. Use your discretion in how you bring your players
into this.
Stand Alone: Players create Police Detectives and the like. Everything is
going fine at the office. Day to day affairs. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Then a call comes in. Time to head of to work. See Case One
Case Number One: I32-6382-7-A
The Date: 27 May 2000
Two park rangers, while checking the general state of things in a remote
part of the Pinnacle Mountain State Park discover the partially exposed
human skeleton. Excavation of the site recovers only the skeleton. No
jewellery, identification, clothing, or other effects. Dental records
identify the skeleton as 27 year old Melissa Blake, an exotic dancer who was
reported missing almost two years ago by her partner Collin Harker. Analysis
of the skeleton show a few stress fractures that did not heal. They were
probably sustained just prior to death. Things that come to light: It's
unlikely that all the clothing and shoes would rot into nothing in the
intervening years. You would expect to find something, so she was probably
buried naked. She was found buried, so suicide or death by misadventure is
ruled out. She was probably murdered.
Re-opening the case.
Collin reported Melissa missing on 14 May 1999. The ensuing investigation
was headed by Detectives Kevin Milligan and Andrew Wilson. A routine
background check on Collin proved clean, with no suspicions. Interviews with
her family and friends brought nothing to light. Melissa was well liked by
all who knew her; she had no credit problems, no enemies, no problems with
ex lovers, no extra relationship affairs. Nothing. Everything seemed to
check out, so the case was left open and unsolved. The only interesting fact
that can spring out at the players is that she had a keen interest in Wicca.
She, apparently was a practicing witch, although she was not part of a
coven, or similar group.
Re-investigating the case, going over old case notes, and re-interviewing
friends and family brings nothing else to the fore. Collin, and Melissa's
family would be extremely relieved to be told of her discovery. Collin lives
in the same home and has not been big on the dating scene since Mel's
disappearance. Any life insurance she had is still uncollected. In this
instance that's pretty much this case closed, with the exception of what
actually happened to her.
Case Number Two: I26-6376-9-A
A month or so passes, when on 13 July, 2000 a group of ramblers discover
another skeleton not more than 500 yards from the location of Melissa. They
inform the park rangers. Investigation of the burial site is similar to the
first. Victim was buried. Victim is naked. No personal effects. Dental
records ID the victim as Audrey Harrison, a 25 year old dental technician,
who was reported missing by her parents almost two years ago. With the
location of this body in relation to Melissa, it should immediately ring
some alarm bells. Is it mere coincidence, or is there something more
sinister at work.
Re-opening the case.
Audrey was reported missing on 03.April.1999. The ensuing investigation
headed by Detectives Donald Rumsfield and Ryan B. Dennehy failed in the
light of lack of suspects or evidence. The case remained open and unsolved.
A same kind of profile can be created. Audrey was well liked by all who knew
her; no credit problems, no enemies, no problems with ex lovers and the
like. Nothing. Everything seemed to check out. Interviews with her family
and friends brought nothing to light. Again, the only interesting fact that
springs out to the players is that she was a had a keen interest in Wicca.
She was a practicing witch. Ah, a link. It does indeed seem something
sinister is at hand. Also, Audrey and some of her Wiccan friends usually
held some kind of renewal ceremony at a secret location in Burns park once a
month. This is nothing more than a small meticulously cared for niche in
amongst a dense part of the woodland, where Audrey and her friends prayed,
chanted, sung (sometimes naked, but not always), and performed earth
cleansing spells in honour of Mother Nature. Nothing perverse occurred here,
no sacrifices, no smoking of marijuana.
(continued)
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