Chaosium Digest Volume 21, Number 5 Date: Monday, September 1, 1997 Number: 1 of 3 Contents: Under a Blood Red Sky: A Tale of Terror (Mathias Braun) COC DREAMLANDS Always Ask for a Second Opinion (Philip C. Robinson) MYTHOS Editor's Note: Another nice batch of Mythos decks this week, but articles for other games have continued to be scant. Send your articles this way! Shannon NEW RELEASES: Here's a whole pack of new stuff. The Chaosium books all started shipping on August 25. They should be to stores toward the end of this week. The Pagan stuff is all a bit older, but I've just finally seen copies. * Call of Cthulhu - _The 1920s Investigator's Companion_ (Chaosium, 128 pg., $18.95), by Keith Herber & others, is a compilation of the two out-of-print Investigator Companion volumes. They're also reorganized, reedited, and have several pieces of new art. This book has everything a player needs for Call of Cthulhu, and is designed to be the first book in the new Call of Cthulhu core rulebook set. _Singers of Strange Songs_ (Chaosium, 256 pg., $12.95), edited by Scott David Aniolowski, is the newest book in Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu fiction line. It's a celebration of Brian Lumley, containing three rare Lumley stories: City Out of Time (a poem), Cement Surroundings, and Spaghetti; as well as brand new stories by D'Ammassa, Burleson, Adams, Jens, J. Smith, Tynes, Gresh, Nicoll, Henderson, and Rainey. _The Realm of Shadows_ (Pagan, 208 pg., $20.95), by John H. Crowe III, is a campaign set in the 1940s. It centers around ghouls and the Charnel God, taking investigators from Massachusetts to Zothique and beyond. _The Unspeakable Oath #14/15_ (Pagan, 128 pg., $12.00) is the newest, double-sized issue of Pagan's 'zine. It contains all the usual features, adventures, and more. _Call of Cthulhu Dice Set_ (Chessex, $11.00) is a set of ten blasphemously green and black dice: from the d4 to the d20, including multiple d6s and d10s. A dice bag portraying Cthulhu is also included. Chessex promises no Elder Gods were harmed in the making of this product. * Pendragon - _Percival and the Presence of God_ (Chaosium, 192 pg., $10.95), by Jim Hunter, is the second book in the Pendragon fiction line. This novel is the classic story of Percival and his twin quests for the legendary king Arthur and the Holy Grail. OTHER BOOKS OF NOTE: * Elric! - _Sailing to Utopia_ (White Wolf, 536 pg., $21.99), by Michael Moorcock, is book eight in the White Wolf omnibus series of Eternal Champion stories. It contains a number of books set in Earth's future: _The Ice Schooner_, _The Black Corridor_, and _The Distant Suns_, as well as the short story "Flux". -------------------- From: Mathias Braun Subject: Under a Blood Red Sky: A Tale of Terror System: CoC Dreamlands Under a Blood Red Sky A Tale of Terror for the Dreamlands After sleeping for a while the characters awaken in a forest. Their first impressions is that the light is very strange. Indeed it is, for in the twilight all colors are shades of red. It looks like an old black-and-white film filmed with a red filter lens. After walking for an hour or so the characters come to the edge of the wood. This opens an even stranger vista to them: They look on a valley where a stream of blood-red water flows gently. On the horizon a dark red light, which must be the sun, glows unnervingly. Everything is shaded in red: the clouds, the grass in the valley beneath, even the sheep which are herded by a little boy not far away. Down in the valley at the blood river lies a small city. Farther away, on the hill that the river springs from, rises a tower, glowing unholy red in the eerie light. Possibilities: 1.) Do vampires dream? Yes they do! This is the domain of a whamphyri lord. (For details, see Brain Lumley's "Necroscope" series. Or, just assume they are a weird kind of vampires, but that's only half the fun.) In the vampire's long unlife, he has had more than enough time to dream, shaping a whole nightmare realm in the Dreamlands. It lies in the middle of the Stony Desert on a high plateau. He is something of a counterpart to King Kuranes, having created an entire realm out of nothing. The vampire has made himself a retreat in the unlikely case that vampire hunters should kill his body. In his domain he is a god-king. His seat is the Citadel of Blood, the unholy red tower on the hill. He is a very cruel ruler. The characters have been drawn to this plateau because, against all odds, another dreamer or dreamland's wizards has visited this place and seen how the subjects of the vampire lord are suffering. But, the vampire lord, also called the Witch King, is a mighty foe, so the dreamer/wizard can not face him alone. Therefore he has tried to summon helping hands. On the outskirts of the city he looks for the saviours... De facto this seems more like an campaign background, than a tale of terror, and maybe I will use it as such. 2.) A more simple possibility: The characters are not in the Earth's dreamlands, but in those of an alien world. They are archaeologists or geologists and in the waking world have discovered a strange meteor. This meteor is of a stony material in varying shades of red. Everyone touching the stone will dream of the planet from which the meteor comes. How is the curse broken? (3) After watching a horror film named "the mad butcher", with much blood-spilling, and then eating lots of pizza, the characters have a simple nightmare. But, why do they all have the same nightmare? ;) -------------------- From: "Philip C. Robinson" Subject: Always Ask for a Second Opinion System: Mythos Always Ask For a Second Opinion -OR- Question Your Doctor, every time! Introduction: This two city deck features Arkham and Providence [not including any country sanitariums]. The deck uses two cities, because one of the adventures, Questionable Judgement, requires two gate locations in different cities. As far as overlap is concerned, two of the adventures require Doctors and Sanitariums (The Great Epidemic & On The Edge). Two adventures (Questionable Judgement & On The Edge) require a tome and Corrupt Cultist. Lastly, a pair of the adventures requires monsters (The Great Epidemic needs Zombies & Questionable Judgement any such monster). Sets: Limited Edition [Starters, Expeditions of Miskatonic U], MSGS Investigator: Any Investigator with low starting sanity and good hand size max/min. Low starting sanity is preferred, so you can have a head start with the On the Edge adventure. I prefer either the Adventurous Dilettante*, Soulful Jazz Singer or the Cleric of Fading Faith*. * These are good since their special ability to discard/draw cards can be used to cycle through your deck faster. Adventures: * The Great Epidemic * On The Edge * Questionable Judgement The Great Epidemic (Heroic Adventure) +9 / +4 san Required Cards: - Doctor/Doctor In Story Deck: Dr. Allen Halsey, Arkham (x2); Dr. Marinus Bicknell Willet, Providence (x2) - Three Days: Any such day [Dawn of A New Day - See Notes], Event (x6) - Typhoid Epidemic: Event (x2) - Herbert West: Arkham, Unique - Night: Waning Moon [See Notes], Event (x2) - Zombie: Monster (x2 minimum, the more the better) - Sanitarium: Any such sanitarium [See Notes] (x2, optimally x4) Notes: I typically begin playing this adventure first, simply because Herbert West is unique, possibly requiring you to cycle through the whole deck before reaching him. Days: It is important to note that putting in at least two Dawn Of A New Day Events can help send pesky Zombies to the story deck, should they keep trying to come back into your threat. Plus, you get a San bonus, very helpful if you need to recover from an ON THE EDGE attempt. Nights: The Waning Moon (Night Events) are practically required, if you intend a speedy assist for the On the Edge Adventure (since the Call of Cthulhu Tome requires Waning Moon to be in play before Re-Rolling your investigator). Sanitariums: Arkham Sanitarium would be wise. Also, any Lovecraft Country Sanitarium that either featured the Gate attribute (for this Adventure and Questionable Judgement), or the Tome attribute (for Questionable Judgement and On the Edge). The more sanitariums the better, since two adventures require them, and On the Edge can take its toll, as far as sanity is concerned. On The Edge (Mythos Experience) +6 / +4 san Required Cards: - San Below Six: Ring of Eibon, Artifact, Unique; (Joining) Monsters that cause san loss coupled with reusable gate locations. Tomes that cause san loss. Several possible strategies, see notes below - Sanitarium: Any such sanitariums [see The great Epidemic above] - Doctor: [See The Great Epidemic above] - Corrupt Cultist: Dr. Allen [See Notes], Providence, Unique; Gomes, Providence - Two Phobias: Any such phobias (x4) - Call Of Cthulhu Tome: (x2) - Reroll Your Investigator: Requires Waning Moon, Night Event [overlaps The Great Epidemic above] Notes: San Below Six Strategies: 1. The trickiest, but most sinister way I've found to deal with this requirement is to include the Ring Of Eibon. Since it's unique, you cannot rely upon it all the time however. But when it works, you get to spend two sanity points to then tell another player what card they must play. Do this ad naseum, until sanity has been suitably drained. If you intend to rely upon this method, be sure to think about including a way to defend this unique artifact from loss. [ie: Raymond Legrasse, KJ Hooper, Seal of Isis, et al] 2. Utilizing the unholy trinity of Father Dagon/Mother Hydra/Shoggoth. Simply playing these at a single gate location can drain you of four sanity. But, if you were at a reusable gate location like 197 E. Pickman St., you could pay the san cost not only for the location, but for subsequent gate uses! Add to that a (regrettably) rules lawyer interpretation vis Dreamlands Rules, pg. 28 & 67 regarding Joining: "Cards that Join CAN be played together" (not MUST). Also on pg. 67 is the phrase: "Two cards MAY Join as long as long as one of them allows this in their Special Effects box." (not MUST). So, if you really need to suck some sanity, and are at the proper location (ie: 197 E. Pickman St.) the Unholy Trinity becomes a Seven point loss. One for location, then summon Mother/Father for additional one pt. Next round summon Mother/Father for one plus gate reuse of one san, and finally the Shoggoth becomes a three point loss... As long as you're willing to spend turns doing so, the possibilities are endless. If you use Joining monsters, the benefit is, if you don't need to waste san, you can plop all your monsters out at once anyway. 3. Since a Tome is required for Questionable Judgement (see below), you can always add a tome that has a high san cost... Corrupt Cultist: Bringing out Dr. Allen, who does not count towards The Great Epidemic because he hasn't the Doctor attribute, and Gomes are just too fun! Not only do they fulfill the need for corrupt cultist in this adventure, and Questionable Judgement below, but Dr. Allen fits the theme nicely! After all, wouldn't *you* want a second opinion after consulting with him? Questionable Judgement (Mythos Experience) +5 / +1 san Required Cards: - Library: Any such libraries [MU Orne Library, Arkham; BU John Hay Library, Providence; The Athenaeum, Providence] (x2) - Tome: Call Of Cthulhu [See The Great Epidemic above]; Any such tome that costs san - Two Gate Locations in Different Cities: Any such gate locations in Arkham and Providence (x2 in each city) - Monster: Zombies (x2) [See The Great Epidemic Above]; [See San Below Six section in On The Edge, above] - Spell: Any such spells [See Notes] (x2) - Corrupt Cultist: Dr. Allen, Providence, Unique; Gomes, Providence [See notes for On The Edge, above] Notes: Spell: Since a spell is required, why not throw in Keenness Of Two Alike (folk Spell)? It will aid you in The Great Epidemic if you need to get an ally out in a hurry, for whatever reason! I like to throw in Pipes of Madness (Folk spell) just for the sake of evilness. Sample Deck: This breaks some of the suggested guidelines given above, simply because I was shooting for a very harmless looking, but incredibly annoying deck. Most people learn to pay attention after I play the nasty phobias, or do strange things at 197 E. Pickman St.... I am assured low sanity for On The Edge, after people notice the monster combos, the nasty phobias, or from using the Ring of Eibon. Regrettably once someone is familiar with this deck, and sees it coming, it gets its player targeted for reduction to zero sanity pretty quickly. I doubt this deck would be tournament worthy, without some way of protecting the Ring of Eibon, and/or adding cars..but then I play it for fun, not victory.... 52 Cards total Adventures ========== The Great Epidemic On The Edge Questionable Judgement Allies ====== [Arkham] Dr. Allen Halsey (x2) Herbert West [Providence] Dr. Allen Dr. Marinus Bicknell Willett (x2) Gomes Artifacts ========= Ring of Eibon Events ====== Yithian Mental Contact [Day] Dawn Of A New Day (x2) Direct Sunlight High Noon New Moon [Epidemic] Typhoid (x2) [Night] Waning Moon (x2) [Phobia] Bacteriophobia Claustrophobia Eosophobia Portophobia Locations ========= [Arkham] 197 E. Pickman St. (x2) Arkham Mystical Supply Boston & Maine Train Station Golden Eye Society MU Orne Library [Providence] The Athenaeum BU John Hay Library Church of Starry Wisdom Robert Blake's Study (x2) The Shunned House [Sanitariums] Conanicut Island Private Hospital Massachusetts State Hospital (Tome) Asylum For The Deranged (Gate) Waterbury State Hospital (Gate) Monsters ======== Father Dagon Mother Hydra Shoggoth Zombies (x3) Spells ====== [Folk] Keenness Of Two Alike Pipes Of Madness Tomes ===== Call of Cthulhu (x2) Nameless Cults Bridewell Edition Enjoy... Philip C. Robinson Bedlam@InZenity.org --