Chaosium Digest Volume 17, Number 9 Date: Sunday, December 22, 1996 Number: 1 of 2 Contents: Cthulhu Live: A Preview (Robert McLaughlin) CTHULHU LIVE Investigators and Skill Progression (Ricardo Christe) CALL OF CTHULHU Editor's Note: Welcome to the latest issue of the Chaosium Digest. This week, in V17.9, a preview of Cthulhu Live and an article on skill gain in CoC. Meanwhile, over in V17.10 you'll find a Dreamlands adventure. Ricardo J. Mendez (ricardo@tecapro.com) is interested in compiling some Call of Cthulhu sourcebooks for various countries (ala The Cairo Sourcebook, and the London Sourcebook, no doubt). If you're interested in helping out, send him email. And a Merry Cthulhu to all, and to all a good night. Shannon NEW ELECTRONIC RESOURCES: Once Upon a Time in China http://www-hsc.usc.edu/~eyin Updated rules for Eric Yin's Once Upon a Time in Chine campaign, which first appeared in V5.5 of the Digest are now available on the web. RECENT BOOKS OF NOTE: A magazine this week. * Call of Cthulhu - "Worlds of Fantasy & Horror #4" marks the newest issue of the magazine that refuses to die. This is the current incarnation of the Terminus publication that bore the Weird Tales logo for several years. Lovecraftian enthusiasts will be most interested in the Dunsany tale in this issue ("A Day on the Bog") as well as the new (general horror) column by S. T. Joshi. Stories by Lee, Shipley, Ligotti, Chetwwynd-Hayes, Watson and Schweitzer round the issue out. -------------------- From: Robert McLaughlin <100424.2612@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Cthulhu Live: A Preview System: Cthulhu Live CTHULHU LIVE: A PREVIEW by Robert "Mac" McLaughlin Early in 1997, Chaosium will publish its live-action role-playing version of CALL OF CTHULHU. This is the first mass-market attempt to bring the Lovecraft mythos into a comprehensive and complete LARP rules system. I believe that old and new gamers alike will find the CTHULHU LIVE game to be a refreshing approach to LARPS and a faithful adaption of the CALL OF CTHULHU RPG that we've all enjoyed for so many years. I'd like to briefly discuss the game, and answer a few frequently asked questions about the system. From its inception, CTHULHU LIVE was meant to be a hands-on game, using a variety of props, costumes, and locations. Players have the opportunity to handle "ancient relics", page through tomes of blasphemous secrets, and battle otherworldly horrors. The success or failure of many actions are determined by the players themselves, while other special knowledge or skill tests are judged by the Keeper. Safe game-play is always the primary concern, but I believe players will be amazed at the excitement and realism generated by a well-conducted game. HOW MANY PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED? A typical game involves a Keeper, four to six investigators, and about an equal number of NPCs. The numbers vary according to the adventure and resources of the gaming group. NPC gamers frequently play multiple roles during the course of a game, although a few "Primary NPCs" have lead roles which they play for the entire session. HOW MUCH TIME IS INVOLVED? Most adventures are played within the course of a single evening, using as few physical locations as possible. Tips on scene changing and ways to maximize locations are included in the game rules. Very long games cause players to become distracted, and numerous, far-flung locations create logistical problems transporting props and players. Especially ambitious groups may overcome these challenges to create adventures played over the course of two or more days. WHAT ITEMS ARE REQUIRED? Besides a copy of the rules, a gaming group needs a variety of costumes and props. A "prop room" will grow over the course of several games, which makes the job easier. Most props will be used over and over again, while others are created just for a single adventure. A modest outlay of funds is required, which should be split among all the gamers. Scavenging through attics, basements, and flea-markets is a great way to outfit a group easily and cheaply. Suggestions for collecting props are found within the rules. HOW IS THE GAME PLAYED? In short, players create a set of character attributes before the game begins. The Keeper maintains a copy of these figures to judge the outcome of special tests. No dice rolling is involved. The Keeper typically blends into the background during game play, except when his decisions are required, or a question arises about the rules. Almost all interaction in the game is between the investigators and NPCs. Investigators must use their characters' skills and their own wits to stay alive and (hopefully) thwart the plans of madmen and alien horrors. DON'T NPCs HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER THE INVESTIGATORS? NPCs may have attributes and skills superior to investigators. Even the weakest creatures in the Lovecraft Mythos are more than a match for most humans. But, NPCs work for the Keeper! They are not playing to win, they are playing a role. Adventures are written out like the script for a loosely constructed play. Certain events are scheduled to happen at specific times, or upon the action or inaction of investigators. Each NPC has a profile of goals and attitudes, and those gamers are expected to play their roles within this framework. The Keeper may give new instructions to his NPCs-- if they should press harder or pull back-- since he is the director of the whole show. Investigators sometimes make monumental blunders which doom the entire party; but no, NPCs don't take advantage of their inside knowledge to unfairly counter the other players. WHAT IF THE INVESTIGATORS DO SOMETHING UNEXPECTED? CTHULHU LIVE adventures are interactive, improvisational theater. Adventure scripts are written to cover the most likely actions of investigators, but no one can foresee every eventuality. The Keeper and his staff of NPCs meet several times before the game to discuss investigator reactions and how they might alter the direction of the script. NPCs must learn their roles well, and understand their part in the whole story to convincingly improvise lines and actions. The unpredictability of the investigators is part of the fun of being an NPC. IS COMBAT DANGEROUS? CTHULHU LIVE uses a non-contact combat system. Weapon props such as cap-guns, rubber knives, and home-made mock weapons are used in the game, but no physical contact is allowed for reasons of safety and game control. When hostile actions are initiated, the Keeper announces the commencement of combat rounds. Throughout the duration of the encounter, the Keeper announces the passage of phases and rounds, similar to traditional role-playing games. Players announce special actions, move about each round based on their movement allowance, and "attack" and "defend" using a simple system based on their ability scores and weapon bonuses. Most combat resolution is accomplished by the gamers themselves. The Keeper oversees the conduct of these encounters, making sure that the phases are conducted in an orderly manner. Combat assumes a dramatic "slow motion" affect as investigators and their opponents turn and shift through each combat round. The CTHLUHU LIVE combat system is quite different to other non-contact LARPS on the market today. It's easy to learn and uniquely playable. DO YOU REALLY HAVE CREATURES IN THE GAME? Not all, but many adventures will feature monsters. With a little creativity and the right costuming, many monsters from CALL OF CTHULHU may be replicated in a LARP environment. Obviously the more human-like creatures such as Ghouls, Deep Ones, Night-Gaunts, etc. are easier to create with masks and some simple costume pieces. Many large creatures, however, can be reproduced with great effect. The wonderful thing is that so many costume parts are reusable in different combinations. As the prop room expands, the group has a variety of masks, mottled sheets, foam appendages, and wings to mix and match as required. Since the Keeper wants his creations to be as scary as possible, special lighting effects, smoke, and the element of surprise are often combined to elicit real squeals of terror from the investigators. A whole chapter of the book is devoted to costuming and special effects. CAN YOU ADAPT CALL OF CTHULHU ADVENTURES? Many CALL OF CTHULHU adventures can be adapted for CTHULHU LIVE. Most need to be modified so that they use fewer locations and NPCs. Complex story-lines are split into a number of separate mini-adventures played over several game sessions. With a little creative adaption by the Keeper, many RPG adventures can be brought to life. HOW FLEXIBLE ARE THE RULES? One of the greatest strengths of CTHULHU LIVE is that the rules are VERY flexible. Tests modifiers are called by Keepers on the fly, without the use of complex charts and tables. Even new tests not in the rules may be easily settled and adjudicated by the Keeper using the flexible Test Resolution system of the game. Over time, gaming groups may create new standard skills and tests they feel are necessary. Additionally, the CTHULHU LIVE system does not limit itself solely to the Lovecraft Mythos. The game system includes rules for mediums and psychic powers, vampires, werewolves, living dead, and even ghosts and other incorporeal entities. The CTHULHU LIVE game system is designed to fully support traditional horror and supernatural adventures. Many groups may even prefer to run a series of action-based, "monster-bashing" adventures such as hunting vampires or battling an army of the living dead. IN CONCLUSION CTHULHU LIVE is a fun and exciting addition to Chaosium's line of games. Its "hands-on" play and adaptability will be of interest to experienced LARP gamers, while the simplicity of the rules are no obstacle to those new to live-action gaming. It should prove of interest not only to dedicated CALL OF CTHULHU gamers, but also to fans of CHILL, KULT, GURPS HORROR, White Wolf's WORLD OF DARKNESS series, and other supernatural horror RPGs. The release date is scheduled for March 1997. -------------------- From: Ricardo Christe Subject: Investigators and Skill Progression System: Call of Cthulhu Investigators and Skill Progression Players often ask what happens to those skills that seem never to be raised, no matter how constantly they're used (typically because they're not used in a way that might justify skill checks). Some players have their characters find a teacher or tutor to learn something specific, such as French or perhaps Babylonian art. In these cases, with regular study, it's only natural that the relevant skill or skills progress. But, how do you rule that progress, without affecting game balance and at the same time maintaining internal logic and coherence? The simple system that follows was tested in normal gaming conditions, and could be used to solve such problems. It is based on notes from my own campaign, as well as numerous other sources (such as a table found in the 5th edition Keeper's Screen). Before trying it, check if it suits the style of your own campaign. Suppose that a character has a skill currently rated at zero - that is, he/she knows next to nothing about the subject in question. Somehow the player chooses to change that, and--assuming it's something that can be taught--finds a teacher of some sort: the Investigator then begins regular training. (Note that given enough money and perhaps a reason, someone will teach anything). After an initial month of training, have the player roll his character's Idea. Success grants a beginner's skill of 5% to the character. At the end of each subsequent month he/she keeps on studying and practicing, the Investigator receives an automatic skill check. If that check is successful, he/she receives ONE additional percentile to the relevant skill, provided he/she has had at least a couple of hours of teaching per week, plus a variable number of hours of practice and/or study per week. This study time will, of course, be determined by the Keeper according to each individual situation, and his word is final. If the skill check is failed, the Investigator gains nothing. If he/she stops his/her studies, these may be resumed at a later time. This system ensures that the character evolves gradually, making the player happy as he witness increase, but not fast or dramatically enough as to spoil the balance of the game. It can, of course, be used to improve also skills not currently rated at zero; in fact, about the only skill it can never be applied to is Cthulhu Mythos. The character will be lucky if he gets about ten percentiles to a skill during the course of a whole year of game time. Most characters, in most campaigns, probably won't live that long anyway. Copyright (c) 1996 Ricardo Christe rchomsi@ibm.net -------------------- The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial electronic 'zine about Chaosium's Games. In no way should it be considered representative of the views or beliefs of Chaosium Inc. To submit an article, subscribe or unsubscribe, mail to: appel@erzo.org. The old digests are archived on ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in the directory /pub/chaosium, and may be retrieved via FTP.