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Chaosium Digest Volume 37 Number 04
Chaosium Digest Volume 37, Number 04
Date: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2003
Number: 1 of 2
Contents:
* 4th Quarter 2002 Contest Winner
* Creating the Right Atmosphere for Call of Cthulhu (CTHULHU)
by Dave "Mechlord"
* Cthulhu Haiku (CTHULHU Creativity)
by Nick Jowett
* Daddy Long Legs Part A (CTHULHU Fiction)
By Michael Blenkarn with a paragraph contributed by Brooke Johnson
Editor's Note:
The submission "Balancing Sanity Loss In Campaigns" by Pete Wright
crawling.chaos@ntlworld.com has been selected as the winner of the fourth
quarter 2002 Chaosium Digest submission contest. Just a reminder that this
contest runs each quarter. Any submission dealing with Call of Cthulhu, BRP
or d20, Stormbringer, Dragon Lords of Melnibone or general BRP is
automatically entered in the contest. The prize is $40 of Chaosium Product.
Also note that even though they don't qualify for the contest from Chaosium,
I still accept submissions for Pendragon, Glorantha, Cthulhu Live, Delta
Green, Corum and about anything else related.
This issue contains some great Cthulhu related stuff.
Enjoy!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Happy New Year from Chaosium!
May the New Year bring us all plenty of joy, rewards, and Crunchy Chaosium
Goodness.
2002 was a pretty good year for Chaosium. While we didn't publish all the
books we had hoped, we did manage to release eight new items.
CHA 2018 Slaves of Fate (d20) Jan
CHA 6026 The Book of Eibon Mar
CHA 8801 D20 Cthulhu GM Screen (COC d20) July
CHA 0082 d20 T-shirt Sep
CHA 2006 Basic Roleplaying Sep
CHA 8802 H.P. Lovecraft's Dunwich (Dual Stat) Oct
CHA 6034 Necronomicon 2nd edition Dec
CHA 2395 Keeper's Companion 2 Dec
In addition to these eight releases, Chaosium made a lot of administrative
changes over the course of 2002. While these changes are invisible to most
of you, we believe they have positioned us for a very successful 2003.
Our main goal in 2003 is to release 12 new titles, averaging one per month.
We've made a good start towards this goal by sending our first release, H.P.
Lovecraft's Arkham (http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20/8803.shtml), to the
printer this week. While this book may not hit the store shelves until early
February, having our first release so early in the year is a very good
start.
Our next three releases, expected about one per month, are Disciples of
Cthulhu 2 (http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6033.shtml), Secrets of
Japan (http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2392.shtml), H.P. Lovecraft's
Kingsport (http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/d20/8804.shtml), and our
Encyclopedia Cthulhiana reprint
(http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6022.shtml). These books should
keep us plenty busy through the end of May.
Other books will of course follow. Many of these books have been previously
announced. H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands, Miskatonic University, the very
nearly lost Secrets of San Francisco, The White People & Other Tales, Arkham
Horror, and Pulp Cthulhu should all see print in the coming year. There are
also some surprises coming, and several reprints as well. All in all, we
have a very busy year ahead of us!
While the New Year has just begun, we're already hard at work on our
upcoming convention season. Chaosium will be attending at least 7
conventions this year, maybe more. Each of these conventions almost counts
as a new release for us, given the amount of work we put into them, and the
amount of office time we give up to attend these shows. Being able to meet
many of you face to face and promote our books and games makes all the
effort worthwhile.
Here are the shows we know we are attending in 2003. If you're attending any
of these shows, please run some Chaosium games! You'll find a link to each
event below.
Ghengis Con
2/13/2003 - 2/16/2003
Denver, CO
http://www.denvergamers.com/genghis/volunteerinfo.asp
Event Deadline: Now (but run an event anyway!)
Dundracon
February 14-17, 2003
San Ramon CA (SF Bay Area)
http://www.dundracon.com/ReqGame.html
Event Deadline: January 8
Origins
June 26-29, 2003 Greater Columbus Convention Center
http://www.originsgames.net/events/index.cfm?action=home&nodeID=377&nodename
=Events
Pre-reg book Deadline January 10th
Gen Con Indy '03
July 24th - July 27th
Indianapolis, IN
Event Deadline: March 7, 2003.
http://www.gencon.com/pages/3/index.htm
NecronomiCon
August 20th or thereabouts (H.P. Lovecraft's Birthday)
Providence, RI
http://www.necropress.com/necronomicon/
Tacticon
Early September
Denver, CO
http://www.denvergamers.com/tacticon/generalinfo.asp
In addition to the Shows above, Chaosium staffers will likely attend a
couple of Bay Area shows. We'll also be at the Game Manufacturer's
Association Trade show in March, and the Book Expo Trade Show in Late May.
We've been invited to many other shows as well. While we'd like to attend
them all, we can't afford to spend too much time away from the office or
we'll never get any real work done. Besides, we'd rather spend our money
printing new books. But if some convention jumps up and offers us a free
convention experience, who knows? Maybe we can squeeze in another show.
Others Chaosium Goals for 2003: Find a bigger location for our California
Offices. Revamp the website (we have a crack cultist working on that now).
Quarterly promotional events at game shops and cons run by our Chaosium
Missionaries. Upgrade some of our computers. Find more Chaosium GM's to run
events for us. Finally convince every last gamer and game retailer that
we're not abandoning our Classic/BRP Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in
favor of d20. Raise R'lyeh. Make our wives happy. Not necessarily in that
order.
Thank you all for your past support - we couldn't be here without you. We
look forward to a wild ride with you in 2003.
Ia! Ia! Chaosium!
--
Dustin Wright- Chaosium Colorado "Leng Embassy"
/|\_(@jjjj@)_/|\ http://www.chaosium.com
27 Years of Quality Mayhem and counting
Support your local game shop!
-------------------
Creating the Right Atmosphere for Call of Cthulhu
One of the greatest challenges that a horror GM faces is actually inspiring
a feeling of horror in his players. The reasons for this are many-fold, but
primarily because everyone already knows that they are sitting around the
table to play a "horror" game, it can be difficult to cultivate the
requisite terror.
Hopefully, by following the suggestions below, both new and experienced GM's
will find ways to inspire fear in their players, and end the bored yawns and
remarks of, "oh don't worry, its just another Shoggoth."
The primary key for inspiring fear is creating the right atmosphere to begin
with. Without atmosphere the requisite trepidation and awe of the unknown
will never materialize. For this reason, the GM must spend significant
preparation time in several key areas: the play area, music, narration, and
attire.
Because the play area takes so much prep time, it is probably best for play
to take place at the GM's house. While this isn't necessary, it makes things
much easier if the GM doesn't have to lug a bunch of things to someone else'
s house, and take significant game time just to set up. In addition, there
are certain elements, such as lighting that the GM simply wouldn't be able
to control at another location.
Next, play should take place around a table. This gives the players
someplace to put notes, books, paper and pencils, dice, and a host of other
essential game materials that are needed during play. It also focuses the
action on the game itself, and lowers outside distractions that might take
away from what you, the GM, are trying to accomplish.
Second, you should consider how you are lighting the play area. You don't
want things TOO bright (or hard), but if it is too dark no one will be able
to see the dice, you won't be able to see your notes, and everyone will
start to feel a little sleepy. An overhead light with a dimmer switch is
ideal. This allows you complete control to set the light so that it's
comfortable for everyone, but low enough to create a "soft" atmosphere.
Fluorescent lights are definitely out. They are too bright to begin with,
and create a "wash" effect on the surrounding area. If you can, avoid them
at all costs.
In addition to the overhead lighting, additional light sources that can
provide atmosphere are "special effects" types such as lava lamps, lightning
balls, glitter lamps, etc. Standard lamps that have sculptured bases like
those found at most gift shops are great as well. Even though this is a
horror game, a lamp with a sculpted wizard, or dragon can add to the overall
"feel" of the room.
Another excellent light source that can't be overdone are candles. The
flickering light casts bizarre shadows on the walls, instantly conjuring
spooky mental images, and by its very nature creates the appropriate
atmosphere for horror to occur. I suggest scented candles as well. Use
something unique, that you only use when you play Call of Cthulhu. Since
smell can elicit certain psychological effects, you can program your players
to associate the smell of the candle with the horror of the game. Over time,
just lighting the candles will immediately put the players in the right
frame of mind. Trust me, this works!
An area that a lot of GMs overlook, that they have COMPLETE control over is
themselves!
Remember that the players are about to spend four or five hours looking
primarily at you. How you dress, and the way you carry yourself can have
tremendous influence on the atmosphere of the game. For Call of Cthulhu I
recommend black attire. When I GM, I wear a black turtleneck cotton
pullover, and black jeans. I also wear some outlandish "fantasy" costume
jewelry that can be found inexpensively at most gift shops. A gaudy dragon
pendant, with ruby eyes, with matching earring for example does nicely. This
also sets up another subliminal signal to your players that you are READY to
scare the bejeezus out of them.
Another thing that you can do to prepare yourself is to work on the
inflections in your voice. This is good practice for whatever games you GM,
but when combined with everything else in this article, this just adds to
the overall effect. Go over some of your narration, and record yourself
speaking it. Try to emulate a "theatrical" style, hitting your consonants
hard and varying the tone of your voice. For CoC, a Shakespearean style is
most appropriate. You won't like the sound of your voice when you first
start out (no one does), but with practice the mental images that you can
create with the correct narration will send chills down you player's spines.
For example, read the following piece of narration, and think about how this
technique will enhance its effectiveness on the players.
"The cavern opens wide before you, revealing a hellish vision that shocks
you to your very core. Mineral deposits and massive amounts of fossilized
human remains have melded together all along the walls, ceilings, and floor
of this passage to form a bizarre chamber of the macabre. Bony fingers and
gaping mouthed skulls intertwine with rock leading as far back as your light
allows you to see into the cavernous depths, and the thick darkness beyond.
The cavern is dank and quiet, the only constant. the sound of water as it
seeps from the world above and slowly drips. forming shallow pools on the
cavern floor."
Just reading the above aloud should creep your players out, but taking the
narration slow, intensifying your stare, and varying your inflection will
enhance your player's absorption of your narration.
Another handy tool that GMs often overlook is their own facial expressions.
We are programmed at birth to take cues from people based on facial
expressions. Done correctly, you can further drive your players into the
realm of horror simply by moving the muscles in your face, but it takes
practice. Look into a mirror and try to make your face tense, dire and
serious. The way I think of this is as the "Jack Nicholson" look. Think of
how the actor contorted his face in the horror classic "The Shining." Now go
over the above narration, and consider how much more effective it would be
if Jack were reading it with that wild eyed face of his, and go for it. Vary
the inflection in your voice like you've practiced. This is the same type of
thing that actors do to prepare for a play, and isn't that what a
role-playing game is? Why shouldn't you give your lines some practice before
you read them during the game? Trust me, you may feel silly at first, but
your players will love you for it.
Lastly, if you can't do any of the above, and you do the following you
should still be successful in creating an atmosphere of horror in your CoC
games. One of the easiest ways to generate the appropriate amount of tension
in a scene is to play the right soundtrack. It can't be overstated, if you
have Jerry Goldsmith scoring your game sessions, you're success is virtually
assured. But don't just put on a piece of music and let it play aimlessly,
as it will simply turn into background clutter that your players
unconsciously ignore.
For my games I use a portable CD player, right on the table where I can
reach it easily. I also have a set of portable amplified speakers to make
set up and playback even more convenient and effective. Lastly, I coordinate
the music tracks with the scene that is taking place. This is the ultimate
special effect, and if used in conjunction with everything else you should
be able to literally JOLT your players in their seats. Ideally, I try to set
up a scene at least once per game session where I "get" the players, so to
speak.
Think of about every horror movie you've ever seen. Somewhere, one of the
characters is alone. The music tenses, and the audience immediately knows
that SOMETHING is about to happen, but they don't know what. Suddenly, the
music intensity increases, a cat jumps out of nowhere and screeches, and
everyone in the theatre jolts in their seat. Usually, this is followed by
laughter as they realize that the filmmaker "got" them. Believe it or not,
you can accomplish the same thing in a role-playing game. with the right
pacing.
That's another area that GMs need to be very cognoscente of. When to raise
the tension, when to relieve it, when to go for humor, and when to take it
to the limit. Pacing directly effects your atmosphere. It is a good idea to
have a few false starts, before diving directly into the "real" horror. You
and the players have gathered around the table to play Call of Cthulhu, and
they know that you are going to try something. The key is for them not to
know WHEN.
When creating a scene I like to listen to the music I am going to be playing
during the game, and let my imagination run with it. I get real familiar
with the timing of the track, and during play, I try to allow the pacing to
match the music. As the music plays soft and eerily, I lower my voice as I
describe the scene. A peculiar side effect of this is if you lower your
voice, so will the players.
If I have to repeat the track multiple times, or whatever to keep the music
in pace with the action, then that's what I do. Then, as the "thing from
beyond" erupts from the shadows, I skip the track to a more intense piece of
music. If you have selected the right music, and you pace correctly, they
will jump out of their seats. There is nothing more satisfying for me as a
GM, than to have successfully executed the "movie house effect" on my
players.
There are a lot of great sound tracks that you can use for your game, but I
would like to take the time to mention a few "must-haves" for any horror
RPG. First, "The Omen" soundtrack screams to be used for CoC. One of the
hallmarks of this movie was its soundtrack, and it remains one of the great
horror classics because, besides the great story line, just simply listening
to its music gives you the heebie-jeebies. I guarantee, if you have a scene
with some cultists about to perform a human sacrifice (and what great CoC
game doesn't at some point?), and you put in "Ave Sante" (Latin for Hail
Satan), the players will immediately be "in the scene."
Another excellent soundtrack for CoC is "The Hunger." This was a vampire
flick that stared David Bowie and Catherine Denuve. It has some great
classical pieces, and its other tracks are outstanding for just wracking up
the tension. Every track can find its way into a scene at some point or the
other. From the classical "Bach" #1 for solo cello in G-major," to the
creepy sounds of, "Waiting Room" and "Sarah's transformation" playing one of
these tracks at the right time will transport your players into a scene the
way nothing else can.
Finally, you can't beat the creepiness of "Atmospheres" and "Requiem for
Soprano, Mezzo Soprano" from "2001: A Space Odyssey."
Classical music is also great for creating the right atmosphere, and
acquiring the music is cheap and easy. You can usually find great music
classics heaped into the "bargain bin at most music stores. Beethoven's
"Moonlight Sonata" is an excellent piece that has been used in horror movies
for years, and is a great example of what I'm talking about.
In one of my games, the players were exploring a haunted house, and every
time they moved past the piano it began to play (on its own of course) some
piece of classical music. Even though the music itself wasn't scary, it was
still "creepy" because it allowed the players to actually picture this piano
playing by itself. Moreover, it put the players "in the scene," and allowed
them to more fully immerse themselves in the shared world of the game.
So there you have it. I hope that you find these suggestions useful, and
incorporate some or all of them into your next game session.
-------------------------
Cthulhu Haiku
Cthulhu rising
Doth he not eclipse the sky
Gibber gibber drool
The shoggoth and his
Wiley ways. Gimble sloam
My foot dissolving
Fleep and drool in cell
Of white and steel man made
My mind Cthulhu's
Called Byakee comes
Destined flight taken so cold
Azathoth boils
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Nick Jowett
------------------
(continued)
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