Chaosium Digest Volume 10, Number 2 Date: Sunday, April 16, 1995 Number: 1 of 1 Contents: More Weapons for Ringworld (Charlie Seljos) RINGWORLD Hal Zealey III: A CoC NPC (Shaun Horner) CALL OF CTHULHU More Cthulhu Cycles (Shannon Appel) CALL OF CTHULHU Editor's Notes: Welcome to another issue of the Chaosium Digest. This issue includes something which I think is kind of cool: an article on RINGWORLD, Chaosium's one foray into Hard SF. I'd love to see other articles for that game in the future. TALES OF THE BLIND IDIOT GOD: New out in the world of Mythos Fiction is The Azathoth Cycle (Chaosium, 234pg., $10.95). This book, which is volume 6 of the Cthulhu Cycle series, prints both new and old stories of Azathoth. A complete table of contents is included further below. CTHULHUPUNK: Tales of Cthulhu set in the Dark Future has been a subject of the Chaosium Digest in the past (see V2.10, V2.11 & V3.1). Now, there's an entire sourcebook on the subject, put out by Steve Jackson Games. It's called GURPS CthulhuPunk (SJG, 128pg., $16.95). FRENCH RELEASES: New Chaosium-related releases in France include Chair et Metal, a supplement for Hawkmoon, with lots of information on Sicily, optional rules on mutations, and a huge campaign; and Kabal, a colectable card game based on Multisim's original Nephilim game. STRANGE AEONS: Jan Engan asked me to mention that the Strange Aeons listserv has been down for about a month now. She doesn't know when it will be back up, but says that if you have been trying to subscribe or simply want to get in touch with everyone who was a part of that group, you can email her directly at: LadyeJan@aol.com. If you do so "PLEASE, PLEASE put the letters SA somewhere in the subject header." Recent Sightings: Another recent sighting from France, thanks to Frederic Moll. * Call of Cthulhu - "La Toile du Destin", a five page scenerio, starting in England and ending in Brazil, Casus Belli #86 [Apr/May 95] -------------------- From: Charlie Seljos Subject: More Weapons for Ringworld System: Ringworld More Weapons for the Ringworld Game by Charlie Seljos Here are a selection of a few weapons described in some of Larry Niven's tales of Known Space. Many of them date to pre-Ringworld-era times, and are generally unlikely to be in the possession of explorers, unless peculiar circumstances exist, or unless the Gamemaster sets an adventure before the 3rd Man-Kzin Wars. Any of these weapons might be found on the Ringworld, in the possession of the Machine People, City-Builders, and possibly others. Direct all comments and criticism to: azathoth@wam.umd.edu ----- GAUSS WEAPONS Gauss weapons, also called electromagnetic railguns, use superconducting magnets to accelerate small metallic projectiles to hypersonic speeds. Most of the mass of such a weapon is its power supply and ammunition, which are usually bundled together in a single unit. Because there are almost no moving parts, these weapons have an extremely high rate of fire -- up to 10 projectiles per impulse -- nearly double that of chemically-powered projectile weapons. Firing many rounds increases the marksman's chance to hit. Each round fired adds 5% to the chance for success, but the maximum increase cannot be more than twice the marksman's original skill. Roll a die to determine the actual number of rounds which strike the target. If the weapon is fired across an arc, subtract one from the die roll for each target in the area of fire. (See the Ringworld Gamemasters book under the "Machine People Weapons" heading for details, the "Agaman Heavy Gun" heading in the Ringworld Companion, or use the Automatic Weapons rules found in Call of Cthulhu). Gauss weapons can, of course, be set to fire a single shot per impulse; most models came with a selector switch with three positions: single shot, three shots, or fully automatic. Gauss weapons are rare in the 29th century, but saw extensive use during the first two Man-Kzin wars. Gauss weapons have extended ranges in very thin or vacuum environments because the tiny projectiles meet no aerodynamic resistance. If using a Gauss weapon in such an environment, increase all ranges by 50%. Gauss weapons make a peculiar popping sound when fired in an atmospheric environment -- the sound of the tiny projectile breaking the sound barrier. GAUSS PISTOL (Magnetronics, Earth) WEIGHT: 465g VOLUME: large pistol -- 4cm x 12cm x 14cm RANGE: short 30m, medium 60m, long 90m DAMAGE DONE: 1d10+4 ENERGY USED: 6/shot POWER SUPPLY: 600/6/390g/R + 100 round magazine ARMOR: 3 points HIT POINTS: 12 APPLICABLE SKILL: Handgun (projectile) COST: 100 stars (2400 a.d. currency); ammunition and power supply cost 17 stars; illegal to private citizens The Gauss pistol was the normal side-arm for a Terran officer during the 1st and 2nd Man-Kzin wars, but was gradually replaced by the laser pistol by the end of the Third Man-Kzin war. It was renown for its reliability, and was easy to maintain even in the harshest environments -- a few strokes with the cleaning rod (stored in the handle) was enough to remove any dirt or obstruction which might enter the barrel and cause a shot to go astray. GAUSS RIFLE (Magnetronics, Earth) WEIGHT: 1.5kg VOLUME: short, bulky rifle -- 4cm x 13cm x 50cm RANGE: short 50m, medium 90m, long 180m DAMAGE DONE: 2d8+6 ENERGY USED: 10/shot POWER SUPPLY: 2000/10/600g/R + 200 round magazine ARMOR: 4 points HIT POINTS: 14 APPLICABLE SKILL: Rifle (projectile) COST: 180 stars (2400 a.d. currency); ammunition and power supply cost 25 stars; illegal to private citizens The Kzinti fleet attacking the Terran system were surprised by the ferocity of Earth's defenders, especially when their telepaths consistently stated that their opponents were unarmed. It was no surprise that the starship-launching railguns throughout the Belt were used as the model for the standard weapon of the Terran and Belt soldier. The Gauss rifle was powerful enough to penetrate Kzinti battle-armor, and although a single shot might not be enough to take down a charging Kzin, Terran soldiers rarely fired only one round. Terran Gauss rifles had a longer range than the Kzinti warrior's chemically-powered weapons, and a much greater rate of fire. By the Second Man-Kzin War, Kzinti engineers had equipped their own warriors with weapons very similar to (but considerably larger than) the Terran Gauss rifles. The Kzinti even developed a tiny high-explosive projectile, which inflicted terrible wounds on its targets. MERCY PISTOL (Bellepax, Inc., Earth [now defunct]) WEIGHT: 300g VOLUME: small pistol -- 3cm x 10cm x 15cm RANGE: short 15m, medium 30m, long 40m DAMAGE DONE: Unconsciousness ENERGY USED: none POWER SUPPLY: memory-plastic spring ARMOR: none HIT POINTS: 4 APPLICABLE SKILL: Handgun (projectile) COST: 55 stars (2100 a.d. currency); ammunition costs 2 stars per 100 rounds; illegal to private citizens The mercy pistol was developed to serve the needs of Terran police agencies worldwide during the 21st and 22nd centuries. As transplant technology advanced, it soon became possible for humans to extend their lives indefinitely. Ensuring a steady supply of organs became something of a problem, until the establishment of organ banks, since a steady supply of organs and tissue was necessary. Violent criminals became the first victims of the organ bank laws; they were soon being executed by physicians in combined hospital-jails, to fill the demands of the organ-hungry public. Police needed a method of apprehending criminals in a way which did not harm their valuable organs and tissues. Until the development of the sonic stunner, mercy weapons were the standard armament of police officials worldwide. They were also utilized by "organleggers" criminals who sold human body parts on the black market -- parts taken from unwilling donors. Mercy weapons fire tiny needles of crystalline material which quickly dissolve in the bloodstream of the target, rendering it unconscious. Each crystal is micro-encapsulated in a safety coating which prevents dangerous concentrations of the sedative from building up in the target's bloodstream, making it nearly impossible to die of an overdose. Mercy weapons are powered by a spring of memory-plastic, and fire once per impulse. A dial near the trigger controls the quantity and spread of the needles fired, up to a maximum of 20. A single needle is enough to knock out any human target, but a wider spread gives the firer a better chance to hit. Mercy weapons usually had settings which fired 1, 5, 10, 15, or 20 needles. Every five needles fired increases the chance to hit by five percentiles. Set to 20, the weapon fires a burst of projectiles in a conical area with a one meter base at a 15 meter range. Medium range is 30 meters, and anything beyond 40 meters is considered long range. Beyond 40 meters, the light projectiles may be unable to penetrate even light clothing, due to loss of momentum. The weapon's magazine holds 100 needles, giving a skilled marksman plenty of shots. The weapon's main disadvantage is its inability to penetrate armored targets. The crystalline needles ignore any armor protection less than 3 points, but cannot penetrate armor with any higher rating. The protective value of armor at a particular hit location is important, however, since the needle may hit an unarmored area. If a mercy weapon is fired at a target at point-blank range, the gamemaster might rule that the target could suffer 1d4 hit point of damage from such an attack. On the Ringworld, it is likely that if an advanced people developed mercy weapons, they could fire ammunition which affected only certain species or sub-species of humanoids. -------------------- From: Shaun Horner Subject: Hal Zealey III: A CoC NPC System: Call of Cthulhu The following is a great recurring villain for your CoC game. However, he could also be used to aid a group of investigators, as long as tomes are involved. H e might even use his fortune to finance a research and recover mission. Hal is better left to advanced Keepers and players since his power continuously grows. However, he could be easily used as a thorn in the sides of investigators. Mr. Zealey III can always be found with generic guards (4), and with his trusty cane at his side. Hal Zealey III Charismatic Cult/Evangelist Leader Sex: Male Age: 38 Colleges, Degrees: Ph. D. Theology-- University of Missouri. Birthplace: Springfield, Missouri Mental Disorders: Megalomania Class: Upper Middle -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Characteristics & Rolls : STR:12 DEX:11 INT:12 Idea: 60 CN: 9 APP:13 PW: 15 Luck: 75 SIZ:11 SAN:45 EDU:22 Know:110 99-Cthulhu Mythos : 35 Damage Bonus : none -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanity Points (Max: 45) : 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magic Points ( 15) | Hit Points (10) | Hit Locations 00 01 02 03 04 05 | 00 01 02 03 04 05 | L.Arm(3):_ R.Arm(3):_ 06 07 08 09 10 11 | 06 07 08 09 10 11 | L.Leg(4):_ R.Leg(4):_ 12 13 14 15 16 17 | 12 13 14 15 16 17 | Chest(4):_ Head (4):_ 18 19 20 21 22 23 | 18 19 20 21 22 23 | Abdomen(4):__ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income : $ 22500 / year -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Skills: *Cthulhu Mythos(35%), Accounting(80%), Ambush(10%), Animal Lore(10%), Appraise(5%), Archaeology(0%), Bargain(65%), Block(22%), Climb(40%), Conceal(15%), Credit Rating(85%), Cryptography/Codes(1%), Diagnose Disease(5%), Diagnose Poison(5%), Dodge(22%), Drive Auto(20%), Fast Talk(75%), First Aid(30%), Forgery(5%), Geology(20%), Hide(10%), History(20%), Intimidate(4%), Jump(25%), Law(5%), Library Use(25%), Listen(25%), Mech. Repair(20%), Medicine(35%), Occult(65%), Other Lang: Hebrew(25%), Other Lang: Latin(45%), Own Lang: English(110%), Psychoanalysis(20%), Psychology(86%), Publish/Writing(20%), Ride(5%), Set/Disarm Traps(10%), Sneak(35%), Spot Hidden(25%), Swim(25%), Throw(25%), Track(10%), Treat Disease(5%), Treat Poison(5%) Combat Skills: Bow(25%), Club(25%), Fist/Punch(50%), Grapple(25%), Handgun(20%), Head Butt(10%), Kick(25%), Knife(25%), Machine Gun(15%), Rifle(25%), Shotgun(30%), Submachine Gun(15%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spells: Cloud Memory, Consume Likeness, Create Zombie, Dominate, Enchant Cane*, Find Gate, Raise Corpses *A Enchant Cane spell has already been cast, and a sacrifice has been made (Hal's mother was brutally beaten a couple of years back). He uses this in self defense against those who believe that he has the power granted by the Christian God. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Background: Hal Zealey was the son of the wealthy Hal Zealey II, a famous Missouri banker. Raised in a staunchly religious household, young Hal learned to respect the power of God almighty and to fear him. Young Hal always said his prayers at night, and went with his family to church every Sunday. His religious fortitude ended when, at age 13, he was molested by one of the church Deacons. His family soon found out, and the small town of Chillicothe was thrown into turmoil. This seriously damaged young Hal mentally, as many people believed that he instigated the action. After the church Deacon agreed to leave town, nothing the Zealey's did allowed their sons return to church. Several years went by, and Hal Zealey assumed his father's role as bank President in 1912. Shortly after his assumption, he sold his shares in the family business and embarked on a journey to rediscover his religious beliefs. In 1918, Hal Zealey III found those beliefs during his graduate work at Miskatonic University. While finishing his Theology work he came across the unique old collection of books held under Dr. Armitage. Hal's research brought him to the realization that modern religious beliefs were somewhat incorrect. He took the remainder of his fortune and invested a small amount in a voyage that would lead him to understand the Occult religions of the world. When Hal Zealey returned in 1929, he was a very different person. His research had uncovered dark truths that mortals were not meant to understand. This macabre knowledge scarred Hal so much that he believed that he was the new prophet of the Christian religions. He believed that with his knowledge of the Elders and their like, he could bring forth a new era onto this earth, an age like that of eons past. Currently, Hal Zeally III is working the evangelist circuit. He concentrates on the rural areas of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and his home state of Missouri. He uses his spells to create havoc before announcing his presence and the cure. So far, most local officials have cautioned his flamboyant behavior, but his schemes are becoming increasingly more directed towards controlling a large following, and accruing the spells to call forth a Great Old One. -------------------- From: Shannon Appel Subject: More Cthulhu Cycles System: Call of Cthulhu Back in V5.3 of the Chaosium Digest, I included listings of the Table of Contents of the first four Cthulhu Cycle books. Since there have been a few new releases, including a new collection of fiction, I thought I'd update that list here. Lynn Willis was kind enough to give me information on the next few books as well. Cthulhu Cycle Book V: Encyclopedia Cthulhiana Although labelled Call of Cthulhu Fiction, this book really isn't. Rather, it's an encyclopedic tome of tons of mythos terms, put together by Daniel Harms. It's quite well done, and very useful. Contents: An Encylopedia of the Mythos, from Abbith to Zuchequon Appendix A: A Chronology of the History of the Necronomicon Appendix B: Locations of the Necronomicon Appendix C: Some Contents of the Necronomicon Cthulhu Cycle Book VI: The Azathoth Cycle This recently released book, like I and IV in the series, is a collection of stories about one element of the Cthulhu Mythos, in this case Azathoth, the nuclear chaos that seethes at the center of the universe. A lot of the stories are fairly new, and provide nice, fresh visions of the Lovecraftian world. Contents: Azathoth, by Edward Pickman Derby Azathoth in Arkham, by Peter Cannon The Revenge of Azathoth, by Peter Cannon The Pit of the Shoggoths, by Stephen M. Rainey Hydra, by Henry Kuttner The Madness Out of Time, by Lin Carter The Insects from Shaggai, by Ramsey Campbell The Sect of the Idiot, by Thomas Ligotti The Throne of Achamoth, by Richard L. Tierney & Robert M. Price The Last Night of Earth, by Gary Myers The Daemon Sultan, by Donald R. Burleson Idiot Savant, by CJ Henderson The Space of Madness, by Stephen Studach The Nameless Tower, by John Glasby The Plague Jar, by Allen Mackey The Old Ones' Promise of Eternal Life, by Robert M. Price Cthulhu Cycle Book VII: The Book of Iod The next book of Cthulhu fiction out from Chaosium (I don't know what exactly the planned publication date is) will be the Book of Iod, a work centering on the writing of Henry Kuttner. As far as I know, most of this stuff has been out of print for fifty or so years. You'll note that the book ends with two non-Kuttner pieces. Those two short stories both center around Kuttner's Book of Iod. Contents: The Secret of Kralitz, by Henry Kuttner The Eater of Souls, by Henry Kuttner The Salem Horror, by Henry Kuttner The Black Kiss, by Robert Bloch and Henry Kuttner The Jest of Droom-Avista, by Henry Kuttner Spawn of Dagon, by Henry Kuttner The Invaders, by Henry Kuttner The Frog, by Henry Kuttner Hydra *, by Henry Kuttner Bells of Horror, by Henry Kuttner The Hunt, by Henry Kuttner Beneath the Tombstone, by Robert M. Price Dead of Night, by Lin Carter * There is indeed a bit of unintential duplication between VI and VII. Oops. Cthulhu Cycle Book VIII (?): Made in Goatswood Last I heard, it wasn't clear whether this book or the Dunwich Cycle (see below) would be the eighth in the series. However, you should definitely see Made in Goatswood soon. I believe it's currently scheduled for August. Made in Goatswood will be a book of all new fiction set in Ramsey Campbell's Severn Valley (the English analogue to the Arkham Valley). If you aren't familiar with the background, I highly suggest reading Campbell's original Severn Valley stories. You can find most of them in the not-too-far-out-of-print paperback, Cold Print (TOR, 1987). I believe that Campbell's mythos writing is some of the most original and innovative since Lovecraft's. Besides the stories noted below, Made in Goatswood will also contain a nice map of the Severn Valley region. Contents: A Priestess of Nodens, by A.A. Attanasio Ghost Lake, by Donald R. Burleson Beauty, by Fred Behrendt Unseen, by Penelope Love Fortunes, by Doc Herber Cross My Heart, Hope To Die, by J. Todd Kingrea I Dream Of Wires, by Scott David Aniolowski The Turret, by Richard A. Lupoff The Second Effort, by John Tynes The Queen, by Diane Sammarco The Undercliffe Sentences, by Peter Cannon The Awakening, by Gary Sumpter Random Access, by Michael G. Szymanski Free The Old Ones, by C.J. Henderson The Music Of The Spheres, by Kevin A. Ross Growing Pains, by Richard Watts The Beard of Byatis, by Robert M. Price The Horror Under Warrendown, by Ramsey Campbell Future Releases The one other book that I've heard of, but is still in the planning stages, is The Dunwich Cycle. If it does come out, it will contain stories on Dunwich, starting with the origins of the themes, in Machen's writing, and coming up to the present, with authors such as Henderson and Price. We'll have to wait and see what happens with it. -------------------- The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial discussion forum for Chaosium's Games. To submit an article, subscribe or unsubscribe, mail to: appel@erzo.berkeley.edu. The old digests are archived on ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in the directory /pub/chaosium, and may be retrieved via FTP.