Call of Cthulhu?

[Kahluah]

Ok, I've actually gone and picked up a copy of 'Call of Cthulhu' and from the brief look that I've been able to give it, it looks pretty funky. It's slightly removed from the D&D system, as it is a class-less system, but it still looks good.

If I can manage to learn the new system, would anyone actually be willing to play a PBP version of Call of Cthulhu at all?

[Cadogan Trahem]

If I manage to buy the book im in.

[LeeCHeSSS]

What's so special about it anyway? My local gaming shop doesn't allow me to skim through the books when there are other customers around (and sadly there usually are).

Do me a favor and sum up what's it really about, and what would make it so good...

[Kahluah]

If you've ever read any books from either H.P. Lovecraft, or any books with that sort of style, you'll know the general gyst of the Call.

It's basically Urban Thriller/Horror roleplaying. You play an investigator, someone who has either thrown themselves, or more likely been thrown into, the knowledge of the Mythos, and you go around exploring for mythological artifacts, or get thrust into checking out supernatural happenings, or whatever the GM decides to throw at you.

Oh yeah, theres also the whole insanity factor to play with too ...

;)

[Spoon]

I picked up a copy of it myself a few weeks ago and it looks very cool indeed, as such i volunteer my services should an extra player be required. What era are we looking at 1920's or something closer to the present?

[Kahluah]

I'm thinking probably modern day i.e Early 2000 or sometime around there.

The first group that I send into battle the Call will be a testing to see how it works.... hopefully it'l all be good... :)

[LeeCHeSSS]

Sounds quite interesting.., but since PBP's are usually quite slow (this site is home to a few exceptions :cool: ) and my real life gaming group already has enough trouble with both a FR and a homebrew campaign going on; I doubt it would be worth buying for me.

Alas...

[Cadrius]

Same as Cadogan, if I manage to get my hands on the book I'm in. Sadly I seem to have this thing called rent, not to mention bills. They seem to do quite a number on my cash flow.

[itches]

ohoh i'll play . . i dont so much have the book, but i can copy out all the relivent bits out of spoons one, like i did with the players handbook . .i have witnesses. didnt i Cadogan Trahem

:dead:

[Cadogan Trahem]

Aye, and you'll burn in D&D hell for it. :nod:

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

I'd be interested in playing. you might want to lay down some initial parameters, like what kind of group we'd be. By that I mean are we normal every day people or are we going to be a trained military unit that explores the unknown beyond the scope of the normal government agencies. Or soemthing else, I'll leave it up to your imagination.

[itches]

ahh ahhh it burns, it burns . . .just getting the practice in
:dead:

[Kahluah]

First thing is i'd probably prefer people to own the book first before anything else .... The reason being is because I would want people who are familiar enough with the rules to play, instead of having a flick through every so often.

Second thing, it will most likely be set in early 2000, and you'll most likely be normal every day types, and not a crack military unit.

Thirdly: firearms. I will probably be using the generics, or if i end up using the expanded firearms list, there'll be severe restrictions as to what sort of guns you own ..... some of the weapons are just not going to float (i.e. no Uzis or anything with massive damage like that) not at first level at least.

I'm still reading through the book, and learning the system, so yeah.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Based in the USA with US firearms regulations? If so that would allow a person to own pretty much any pistol, rifle or shotgun, all of which do enough damage to squishy people, i.e. humans.

I'd also assume that we'd be free to decide on offense/defense for our characters. And would you be using the suggested defensive AC bonus chart?

If I play I'd either be an investigative reporter or antiquarian. Probably not have any firearms skill at all at first level unless I take the offense package. In my other group we're playing as a Delta Green group, heavy on weapon skills because it's our mission to capture or kill these alien biologics. Playing a non-combative character would be a nice change.

Just hammer out what you want to do first, and then start asking for players. I'm sure you'll have a number of people interested. I know I'd be. :nervous:

[Kahluah]

the thing i'm worrying about is everyone wandering around with the 2d10 weapons ... i mean ... ack! lol

[Cadogan Trahem]

Well actually, you need to remember there are laws and people to enforce those laws. If you wanted to have control of weapons available to characters choose a country with strick gun control, a few that come to mind are Australia (of course thats not entirely helpful to the plot), the UK is another, as well as Germany. All have tight gun control, im sure there are more but these are the ones which come to mind.

On the other hand, playing a French Legionaire in Egypt 1945 would be cool.. now that I think about it there are a few good choices for campaign settings... (over all I mean, as not for you because you want to play 2000+)

[Spoon]

yeah no running round with sawn off shotguns damn cops. Of course i always wanted to play in Egypt in the 1940's, with the Nazi's, very Indiana Jones style, but the 2000's is an easily identifiable setting, very easy to play in. As for guns they arn't really important generally the drawing of guns only leads to your horrible, horrible death and besides when one of us goes insane i'd prefer that they had crappy weapons.

[Kahluah]

I can just see it now .... a nazi doing ritual magic ... i mean a nazi would have a 0/1d4 sanity loss attributed to it by that alone.... an insane nazi wielding magic... well... 1d10/2d20 ..... ;)

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

We'll see the mummy come to life. One of the players will shoot it with their shotgun thinking it's dead and when they turn to run, a hand grabs them from behind. Turning around to see what it is, all they see darkness as the mummy sucks the life out of them. Guns generally only make critters just that much more upset. However, other people like cultists are fair game to be blown apart by firearms.

Funny story, in one adventure our team sniper decided to enter the building with his rifle. I suppose he was bored or stupid, or both. We're on the first floor checking for the "reported" cultist. He goes up the stairs and then we hear a scream, followed by a thumping sound. It turns out he was decapitated by a fireaxe wielding cultist as he got to the top of the stairs. The thumping was his head as it tumbled down the stairs. Needless to say we were all a bit freaked out by that. Two team members pumped several magazines of SMG ammo into the cultist in an effort to put it down. Had they not done what they did, there would have been a few more bodies to go along with the sniper.

What's the point of that story? Guns while nice against people, generally don't work too well against the nasties which are spawned by Cthulu. And that while a person might look normal, they might not be.

[Kahluah]

plus there's the whole criminality of going places guns ablazing .... not to mention the sheer disability of being able to hide the bigger types of handguns easily ... but still ... *shrugs*

[Cadogan Trahem]

I was told an important lession today about Call of Cthulhu, the best party comprises of 5 guys who have lots of guns, and 1 guy in a wheel chair who knows everything there is to know. When he mutters, you open fire and shoot EVERYTHING. ;)

[Kahluah]

*slideways look at cadogan* you realise that if you aren't careful, i'll sic Azathoth onto you ..... he makes Cthulhu look like childsplay ......
*sadistic DM cackle* (patent pending)

[Cadogan Trahem]

Hey, I mean every character in the novels either 1. Dies, 2. Goes Insane. or 3. Turns into an Unimaginable Creature.. You think we're any different? ;)

[Kahluah]

We'll see ... who knows, i may let you survive till level 5 before killing you... if i feel nice ..... ;)

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Originally posted by Cadogan Trahem
Hey, I mean every character in the novels either 1. Dies, 2. Goes Insane. or 3. Turns into an Unimaginable Creature.. You think we're any different? ;)

Are you sure you've read everything that is written within the Cthulu Mythos? Not everyone dies, goes insane, or turns all icky. There's almost always that one survivor who gets out to tell the story. Unfortunately, I'm usually one of the casulaties, and not the storyteller.

[itches]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Kahluah
[B]First thing is i'd probably prefer people to own the book first before anything else .... The reason being is because I would want people who are familiar enough with the rules to play, instead of having a flick through every so often.



okay i'm bored so i'm going to argu the point . .that and the fact that noone has posted anything for a bit. If i copy things out, that will mean that i will know the rules better then those ppl who only read it . . .plus i am really determined . . .well partial determined . . .okay moderatly determined

:yum:

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Owning the book would be a very good start. If you're a player like me, I own the book but since I only play, I've limited my reading to the player character and combat sections. I haven't read the spells, monsters or any of the other DM stuff. By keeping that stuff a surprise, it makes the game just that much more entertaining.

[Kahluah]

One of the reasons I would prefer people to own the book rather than copying stuff out of it is copyright laws. I, personally, don't particularly like it when people copy out stuff from the books (or download the books off places like Kazaa, WinMX, etc) if they don't intend on buying the book at a later date.

If you want to copy the stuff from another book, then I can't stop you, but as I have already stated, I would prefer people who own the book as players.

As for no-one having posted anything here for a bit, that's a very good point. But since no-one's actually needed to say anything, that's also a very legit reason as to why no-one's posted anything. *shrugs* Just my two coppers worth.

[Cadrius]

As soon as I get paid (ugh, in a couple weeks) Cthulu is right near the top of my list of things to blow my money on. I mean, it's a book that simply must be added to my collection. Hell, one of my most beloved Christmas presents last year was one of the discontinued Cuddly Cthulu. Imagine Cthulu miniaturized to six inches and polymorphed into a plush green stuffed animal. He's cute, in an evil "I'm going to eat your face" sort of way.

Suffice to say I enjoy leaving him in odd places of the apartment to freak out my roommates.

[The_Friendly_Fiend]

Originally posted by Cadrius
Hell, one of my most beloved Christmas presents last year was one of the discontinued Cuddly Cthulu. Imagine Cthulu miniaturized to six inches and polymorphed into a plush green stuffed animal. He's cute, in an evil "I'm going to eat your face" sort of way.

Suffice to say I enjoy leaving him in odd places of the apartment to freak out my roommates.

I've got two versions, one is the 6" Cthulu, the other is a larger plush version with wire inside the wings so you can pose him. Both were given to me as gifts. I have them sitting beside me when I play Call or Mythos. They're my good luck charms. :)

*edit - What color is you Cthulu? Mine are both green, but I have friends with small red versions.

[Cadogan Trahem]

Imagine Cthulu miniaturized to six inches and polymorphed into a plush ]green stuffed animal.


;)

[BigRedRod]

I*'m considering picking up a plish Cthulhu from my bookshop
three of the little things arrived and got stuffed into the rpg section

they look pretty shivvy

well thats enough for this interruption :)

[Kahluah]

*looks over at cadogan, cadrius and co.* well... my birthday -is- coming up .......... *smirks*

[Cadrius]

Hey, I'd get ya a life-size version, but they don't seem to make those...