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Chaosium Digest Volume 37 Number 12
Chaosium Digest Volume 37, Number 12
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2003
Number: 1 of 2
Contents:
* The Treasure Hunt (CTHULHU)
By: Mervyn Boyd (jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk)
Editor's Note:
Sorry it's been so long between issues but some family health problems have
kept us distracted around here. Let me remind everyone that the end of this
month is the deadline for submissions to qualify for this quarter's Chaosium
Contest. Any submission dealing with Chaosium's current game lines qualifies
and the prize is a $40 gift certificate from Chaosium. This issue features
another adventure from frequent contributor Mervyn Boyd that's a follow-up
to an earlier submission of his "The Rise of the Ophidian Order" which can
be found in the archives. Just point your browser to
http://pages.prodigy.net/gobackstage and click on the link for the Official
Chaosium Digest Archive.
Enjoy!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
* Dear John & Christine,
I would like to take this time in thanking both of you unreservedly for the
opportunity your electronic publication has afforded me in my meagre search
for glory and worldwide recognition.
Lynn Willis of Chaosium spotted my scenario The Books Of Uncle Silas through
the Chaosium Digest (November 2000), and approached me asking if I'd like to
see it published in an upcoming reprint of Arkham Unveiled - which has now
been reissued and renamed HPL's Arkham. I, needless to say, accepted the
invite. So I thank you again. Were it not for you I'd never have been
published.
Not bad for a scenario that originally got runner up prize at The Gaming
Outpost, then won your competition which netted me $40 worth of stuff. It
just goes to show, you never know who's reading your stuff.
Thanks,
Mervyn Boyd
jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Hello,
If you have an interest in contacting players for Call of Cthulhu then you
may be interested in the new Cthulhu Players Directory over at
www.yog-sothoth.com.
http://www.yog-sothoth.com/players/
Regards,
P. Maclean
* Hi Folks
It's Fergie of Chaosium again, bringing you some quick catalog news
The last newsletter of the month finds us with very good news. Chaosium
should have several new books out by the end of the year. You may visit
http://www.chaosium.com and see which new titles we will release within the
next few months.
We also have some current products back in stock, as well as some older
favorites not seen for quite some time. The wonderful <i>Cthulhu Plaque</i>
and two boardgames, <i>Cthulhu Mash</i> and <i>Monster Mash</i>. I hear all
three were big hits at Origins and GenCon.
Some older shopworn books are back as well, like the <i>Call of Cthulhu 5.2
Rules Book</i>, <i>The Creature Companion</i> (with color plates), and the
<i>Masks of Nyarlathotep</i> campaign book. Also, underneath a musty,
charnel tarp we found <i>empty</i> boxes. Lots of boxes. Old boxes. For all
the people out there who need <i>new</i>boxes for old Chaosium games, we may
have what you are looking for. These boxes are <i>original</i> boxes left
over from their respective print runs. We have four offered here, and as
they are selling rather quickly. gets yours while you can. If you need a box
for 1st Ed. Dreamlands, 1st Ed. Cthulhu by Gaslight, Spawn of Azathoth, or
1st Ed. Arkham Horror, we got 'em.
Also, Chaosium is offering <i>2 new shirts</i>, and we have had a restock
from Mythos Books. Finally, we are just now posting all sorts of goodies
from Bad Dog Designs (brains, keys, pendants, and such).
That is all, and Chaosium hopes your Summer continues to be warm and fun.
If you need to contact Chaosium, please call us at 510 583 1000, or send an
email to me at fergie@chaosium.com
Fergie
* One Gen Con is Over . . .
Gen Con Indianapolis has come and gone in a fury of games, pizza, T-shirts,
Insanity, and mayhem. We couldn't have survived it without our many
steadfast volunteers, the CMT, MU Skulls, & NOS crews, and the presence of
plenty of Chaosium supporters willing to roll up their sleeves and lend a
hand. Thank you to all who helped make this Gen Con a very successful show.
We hope to see you next year!
. . . Another Gen Con is Coming
Chaosium is planning to attend the inaugural Gen Con California December
11-14th. Since this is a new venue, we need to find plenty of game masters
willing to run Chaosium events.
If you plan on attending this show and have some time to a run a Chaosium
game (or several Chaosium games) please contact us
(mailto:dustin@chaosium.com).
We have to get all of our events lined up by September 10th, so that we can
turn them in to the Gen Con staff shortly thereafter.
Our volunteer GM's can expect plenty of swag, good cheer, and an invite to
our first Annual California Gen Con Pizza Bash. We hope to see you there!
HPL Birthday Party
Once again, the Darkest of the Hillside Thickets dudes will be celebrating
H.P. Lovecraft's Birthday with an annual Birthday Bash in Vancouver, BC.
The event runs Saturday August 30, Sunday August 31, and wraps up on Monday
September 1st 2003.
The event includes a performance by the Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, a
Cthulhu live action roleplaying event which runs during the concert, and
multiple games of Call of Cthulhu, Mythos, Arkham Horror, etc.
The venue is the Marpole Curling Club, 8730 Heather St, Vancouver, BC,
Canada
For more information check out http://www.vancouvergamingguild.com or email
the band at mailto:thickets@uniserve.com
Shadows of Yog-Sothoth
A long time ago in a little house far away, Shadows of Yog-Sothoth was the
first supplement released by Chaosium for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying
game. It is a great adventure, and set the standard for the epics to come.
It also contains the only episode in which our brave investigators come
face-to-face with Great Cthulhu himself!
We have gone over the text to smooth out some of the transitions between
sections, and have added some new art, and tweaked the book all over. H'mmm,
maybe we should make the bad-guy tougher
Release Schedule Update
H.P. Lovecraft's Kingsport is shipping now to distributors & retailers world
wide. You should see copies in your local Chaosium friendly retail store by
the end of the month. White People and Other Tales is at the printer and
should release in late August. Secrets of Japan is awaiting some final art,
and is currently on track for a September release. Cthulhu Dark Ages is
being edited and is expected to release in October along with our Call of
Cthulhu rulebook.
Other Fall releases include a reprint of our Three Impostors and other
Tales, Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, and The Yellow Sign.
Finally, we hope to get H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands & Shadows of Yog-Sothoth
printed by the end of December.
For more info on our upcoming releases, check out the Upcoming Releases News
Section of our website.
Site Update
Chaosium returned from Gen Con with plenty of new stuff for the catalog. We
now have jewelry, T-shirts, and plenty of Cthulhu Miniatures restocks for
your enjoyment. You can find all this and more at http://www.chaosium.com
Rumors, Rumors, Rumors.
Several Elder Party Insiders have informed us Cthulhu is considering
entering the absurd California Governor race. Has Arnold finally met his
match?
At least one Chaosium wife is on record threatening a boycott should the
Chaosium wives not be invited to attend Gen Con California later this year.
It seems they have nefarious plans involving nearby Disneyland.
It's been suggested that the Colorado staff are interested in relocating the
Leng Embassy to the North West, so as to be closer to the annual H.P.
Lovecraft Birthday Party Bash, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland,
OR Oct 9-11, and the Chaosium mother-ship currently buried somewhere in
Hayward California. If you live in the Northwestern US, beware!
Some have speculated that Chaosium should release it's older material as on
line PDFs. Chaosium staffers are leaning towards reprinting books rather
than making them available in a highly pirated format. Never the less, it is
believed Chaosium has created a special committee to look into the matter
further.
As always, thank you for your continued support. Chaosium couldn't be here
with out you!
The Chaosium dudes.
* Hi Friends!!
I hope your summer is going as well as ours. Fergie came back from vacation,
and Charlie had a great time at GenCon.
We found in our travels new items to entice and confound our fans around the
world.
Chaosium would like to announce a new Call of Cthulhu RPG sourcebook.
H.P. Lovecraft's Kingsport is now available and shipping. Many of you have
already ordered it, so Chaosium would like to trumpet the arrival to the
rest of you. Kingsport is a sourcebook of the vein of the previous two
releases in our Lovecraft Country series, Arkham and Dunwich. Kingsport is a
dual stat title, and thus includes both BRP and d20 stats. Please visit
http://www.chaosium.com/catalog/products_new.php to find more info on this
new book.
We now offer dice in two Mythos flavors. Fans of Leng may now game with
Sapphire dice from that fabled land, or for the more disturbed, the R'lyeh
Jade dice will make any CoC session creepier. Both dice sets may be seen at
http://www.chaosium.com/catalog/products_new.php
Miniatures fans will be glad to read we have two new RAFM sets based on the
M.U. Expedition to the Antarctic set. Each set includes 7 sled dogs and a
dog sled, and one of them also contains 3 human handlers. Please visit
http://www.chaosium.com/catalog/products_new.php for more info on these nice
additions to our figures catalog.
We always look for new things to offer to our loyal fans. However,
Chaosium's tentacles can only reach a little bit of the surface world at
once. Our cultist allies should keep their eyes open for neat things to
offer your kin worldwide. If you know of a product that would look good on
our website, let us know and we will try to get some.
Also, Chaosium would like our friends to give us some ideas for a tee shirt
to print. If there is a clear favorite, we just may print some up and sell
them. Now is the chance to make your voices heard.
And please log out of your account after ordering from us, as it helps your
order process completely.
In closing, Chaosium would like to thank you for your continued support. We
wouldn't be a company without you.
Thanks
Fergie, and the rest of the Chaosium gang.
* Issaries Press Release
Concord, CA
August 15, 2003
HeroQuest is Here!
Voted "Most Anticipated Roleplaying Game of 2003" on an RPG.net poll,
HeroQuest has finally arrived. Really. We got our copies today, and the book
should be showing up in game stores as soon as the distributors can get them
there. Surely it is only coincidence that this coincides with the mysterious
event that knocked the power systems of much of the eastern seaboard of
North America off-line?
Years in the making, HeroQuest is epic roleplaying amidst the myths and
magic of Greg Stafford's fantasy world of Glorantha. HeroQuest, Roleplaying
in Glorantha is the culmination of 27 years of creation, revision, and
difficult questing. Designed by Robin D. Laws and Greg Stafford, HeroQuest
contains the same basic rules system as the ground-breaking Hero Wars game,
but it has been revised, streamlined, and expanded. While previous Hero Wars
supplements are compatible with HeroQuest, the game is better, faster, and
stronger than it was before. This 288-page perfectbound book includes
everything you need to start adventuring in Glorantha, including three new
introductory scenarios and a new heroquest, in which the heroes travel into
the land of myth.
For years, Glorantha has captivated its fans with its rich and exotic
cultures, myths, and wonders. In the words of Glorantha's creator, Greg
Stafford, "For 27 years I've said it would be out 'next year.' Well, now it
is next year! HeroQuest is the system I have always wanted for Glorantha --
powerful and flexible enough to cater to every kind of hero, from the hunter
trying to feed his family when the death of a god brings magical winter to
his land, all the way to the champions of their homelands, dueling with
demigods on the glassy bowl of the sky."
HeroQuest is available for retail sale at fine retail stores everywhere or
else direct from warehouse 23 <http://www.warehouse23.com/item.cgi?ISS1001>.
For distributor sales, contact Ross Jepson of Steve Jackson Games at
<jepsonr@telusplanet.net>. For further information, see the Issaries, Inc.
website
<http://www.heroquest-rpg.com> or contact Stephen Martin at
<administrator@glorantha.com>.
HeroQuest, Roleplaying in Glorantha
ISS 1001, $39.95
ISBN 1-929052-12-X
288 pages, perfectbound
Stephen Martin
<administrator@glorantha.com>
Issaries, Inc., publisher of HeroQuest, Roleplaying in Glorantha
P.O. Box 272914 Concord, CA 94527
Phone: (925) 680-8897
See our extensive web site at <www.HeroQuest-rpg.com>
* Hi Friends!!
It's Fergie from Chaosium again. We hope your summer has been as fun as
ours.
Chaosium is happy to announce that our website is now safer. We have
implemented a security certificate, which encodes and encrypts all your data
while you are visiting www.chaosium.com.
Also, Chaosium will like to remind you to log-off at the end of your
session, to help successfully complete your order and avoid delays in
shipping.
September will be a busy release month. NAMELESS CULTS is back in stock next
week. The highly acclaimed KEEPER'S COMPANION 1 is in the midst of a reprint
and will be available again in late September. And last, but certainly not
least, for all the fans out there waiting for Machen's WHITE PEOPLE, we have
good news. THE WHITE PEOPLE AND OTHER TALES is at the printer as we speak,
and should be in our warehouse in a few weeks. Please check www.chaosium.com
for updates.
Chaosium has also added a neat collection of Mythos-inspired jewelry. Many
of you have already seen and purchased some pieces, so the rest of you may
want to come by and take a look.
For fans of the game CTHULHU MASH we also have its predecessor, MONSTER
MASH, available on our website.
Thanks for the support of all fans from around the world,
Charlie, Lynn, Dustin, David, and Fergie.
Chaosium 2003
----------------------
The Treasure Hunt
By: Mervyn Boyd
jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk
Foreword
While this scenario can be played as a stand alone in it's own right, it
should be noted that it has been taken, and adapted, from a larger 50-odd
page scenario entitled: Rise of the Ophidian Empire: Part Two. To be
eligible to be published here, a bucket load of material has been ruthlessly
cut. If you would like the rest of it, please contact me (Mervyn) at:
jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk.
No special skills or knowledge is required to carry out this scenario. No
timeframe is used either, so it can take as long as is necessary. There is
really nothing to it anyway, the characters are required to sacrifice a
weekend to go cave-delving. While there they uncover a fantastical discovery
that could make them famous - and RICH. Their fortune and success, however,
is short lived when IT comes to reclaim what they steal.
The scenario is intended to be played in the modern era. Play begins in
whichever city the keeper decides. Characters need not know each other as
play begins.
Keeper Info
Dave Gorman, a spelunking enthusiast places an advert in some periodicals
looking for some similar-minded individuals who are willing to join an
expedition he is going on. Hopefully for the sake of the night's play the
players are indeed interested. For those same reasons the characters,
whatever their ability, are welcomed aboard and soon they are driving to
Kansas. Dave, through research, has discovered the location of a network of
subterranean caverns he thinks may store some treasure. While true, that's
not all he's discovered...
Introducing Kevin McCarthy
This loose character can be introduced at any time and used in whatever
manner the keeper wants. He's essentially here to put a dampener on things
and try to discourage the expedition from taking place. He pays particular
attention to Dave Gorman, seeing as he is team leader. He spotted Dave's
advert in a magazine. Kevin comes across as a nut, but he isn't all mad, and
nor is he at all bad. He's seen first hand what lies beneath Kansas. He used
to be an armature cave delver, and back in '98 he and a few mates went in
and
what they found profoundly shocked them. The explorers did not pause for
detailed observations, and those who escaped alive never returned.
At first he'll slip notes into Dave's letterbox, then he'll phone him like a
crank caller, but he's never straight with his warnings. "Do not go to
Kansas". "I'm telling you, you'll find nothing but danger there - and death"
He never elaborates on it. Create and use Kevin as you see fit - or ignore
him.
Note: Using last caller identification brings up a phone number. Anyone who
has the resources can discover that the number comes from a local
payphone.There is a 01% chance somebody picks up if the number is called.
Two letters of note are these, the keeper can make others too. Dave will
obviously be distressed at them to a certain degree, and will inform the
characters of them at their next meeting. They players can try and
investigate, but there is nothing really for them to find.
Mr. Gorman.
You do not know me, but I know you are planning on going to Kansas. Do not!
Do you hear me. I beg of you, do not intrude on their world. Let them stay
there undiscovered. They Live! I have seen them. Do not go to Kansas - or
YOU WILL surely DIE.
Mr. Gorman,
You must listen to me - to the warning. I cannot stop you if you do not
listen. I understand that you cannot understand my reasons, and nor will I
explain them, but it is necessary that you listen to me. Your expedition
must not happen. If you persist in your endeavor, then you will almost
surely die - as so many others have. Even if you survive and live you will
not be the same rational man you are now. Look at me. I was like you - once.
Let them live with their secrets. Please, for your safety. TURN AWAY. Go
someplace else. Tell the others.
Player Intro
While flicking through the classified ads in a random occult, ufo, geology,
outdoors enthusiast, or rockhounding periodical or magazine - the character
finds something that for some reason interests him/her (see handout 1). The
advert is looking for hardy potholers, spelunkers, treasure seekers or
people who are just plain bored who are looking for something to do over a
weekend.
Handout 1
WANTED. ARE YOU A HARDY POTHOLER, spelunker, or other enthusiast, or are you
just plain bored with no previous experience. I am looking for people to
accompany me on a weekend expedition into a cavern network in Kansas. Only
serious applicants need apply. Some additional funding may be required.
Contact: Dave Gorman. Phone: 405-555-6424, Fax: 405-555-1256, or
Email:spelunkingdave@netbot.com.
If the characters phone Dave there is an 80% chance he answers personally
otherwise his answer machine picks up saying: "Hi, you've reached Dave
Gorman. I'm not in at the moment, but if you leave your name, message and
phone number after the tone, I'll get back to you. BEEP"
Dave is happy that his advert generated interest, and will indeed phone back
if he has to. He'll talk openly on the phone about the project, hoping to
generate more interest - although there's not much to say at this time. You
go exploring caves, and crawl down tunnels. What more can be said, except
that this time round it seems to be more than that. Dave can't say much more
than that for now. He does say that a week or so before the expedition
proper he'll host an informal dinner so that all the participants can get to
know each other, iron out the details and discuss possibilities, and
hopefully by then he'll know more about what they are going to do or see.
He'll also mention that there may be some additional funding required to be
paid by the character - but that shouldn't be more than a few hundred tops.
It depends on whether they have the right safety equipment and stuff.
Investigating Dave
If the characters have the know-how or the resources, they can track down
Dave's home address, access his tax records, electoral records, police
records, and the like. At the dinner party he'll divulge this anyway when it
comes to introductions
Dave is unmarried (never has been) and lives at 1623 Elgin Court in Oklahoma
City. He's 38 years old, and was born in Columbus on the New Mexico / Mexico
Border. No children. No criminal record. He's a freelance photographer and
makes a living selling photos to assorted travel, and nature magazines.
Learning about potholing or spelunking.
Basically the art of exploring caves. 'Nuff said.
The Dinner Party
The evening begins with an informal gathering with introductions all round
and assorted small-talk. The dinner is a congenial affair. Much to player
misfortune as the dinner is set, Dave says that they should bow their heads
and give thanks. He'll lead them in prayer: "Hail Mary, full of grace. Come
and sit upon my face. Amen." Hopefully this further breaks the ice and
generates a laugh. "Right lads. Dig in."
Introductions all Round
It's only fair and natural for Dave to start the ball rolling. He recaps the
information found under "Investigating Dave". In addition to that he says
that he is a dedicated enthusiast to potholing, and because of his work he's
done it the world over. His fascination springs from a childhood event when
he went wandering down some local caves and got lost for several hours.
Eventually he found his way out and he knew what he wanted to do in life.
The thrill was exhilarating. The rush flowed through him, especially after
what he discovered there. He found a box of Spanish Doubloons and made front
page news in the local rag. The haul was worth just under $3000. Ok it's not
a lot, but to a 12-year old boy, it's a veritable fortune. Specialists were
brought in and soon several other caskets were found with Spanish
treasure that amounted to $150,000. Even though he doesn't fully expect
anything of the likes again - there is always that undying hope. That said,
he believes that after all this time he's found a place in Kansas that may
hold some treasure... which he'll come back to after everyone else has
introduced themselves. And seeing that he's not part of a potholers group or
association, that is why he placed the advert seeking similar-minded people.
Now the players can introduce themselves...
Background & History
Once dinner is over with, Dave takes the players through to another room
where he has maps, books, and photocopies of newspaper articles set out.
Gentlemen, this is our target. Here, at a place called Pinnacle Rock,
Kansas. I discovered it quite by accident when I was researching where my
next jaunt would take me, and it has intrigued me. I've done a preliminary
scouting of it and it seems legitimate.
By accounts, the caves have been known about for over 170 years, but rarely
visited. Many cases over the decades have appeared in the newspapers of the
nearest town of people and groups of people going in, but never coming out.
I've gone back as far as I could and the earliest news account appears in
The Healy Times in 1825. Of the several who did find their way out, some
were hopelessly insane. At least that's what the newspaper said about them.
The last known case of somebody coming out was back in the 1880's by a
fellow by the name of Alvin Brewer from Canton, Missouri. The last known
expedition to the caves was in 1963. Nobody ever heard of them again.
Anyway, apparently Alvin brought out of the cavern quite a few, by his
reckoning, "ancient" plates. Some of them were gold, some silver, brass,
copper and clay. And many bore the inscription of an unknown language. It is
also said that he saw many strange things, but he wouldn't talk about it.
Months later he was tortured and killed by some unknown person or persons
trying to force the secrets out of him. It was well known the church wanted
the plates in the worst way. And today, nobody knows what happened to
them.... Unfortunately there is nothing more to learn of that. The trail has
gone cold. So, gentlemen. What do you think? Do you think there's more
treasure there, just waiting -- for us?
Talk things over a little more, and arrange a suitable date for the
expedition to give the characters time to suit up with appropriate
equipment. If characters wish to conduct their own investigation then they
may do so, but nothing more than what Dave has said can be found. He did a
good job of it. Another informal get-together will be had to iron out
wrinkles.
Suggested Expedition Equipment
Change of clothing Personal Hygiene Stuff Camping Gear including Tent
Decent Boots Rope Route Markers
Emergency Flares Cameras Tools
Land Rover & spare Wheel Mobile Phone and spare battery
Humungous roll of twine - just in case Small Daypack (35 liter capacity)
Suitable First Aid kits including manual Longlife Food & Bottled Water
Safety protection Gear: Helmets, Gloves, & Pads Flashlights, Batteries and
spares
Anything else is left to the players to decide upon, though why they'd want
to take guns and ammo is beyond my limited understanding. Just because it's
a Cthulhu scenario doesn't mean there's going to be monsters in it.
(cont.)
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