Chaosium Digest Volume 26, Number 5 Date: Sunday, July 15, 1998 Number: 1 of 1 Contents: The (Guest) Stars Are Right... (Philip C. Robinson) MYTHOS The Commitment of Laban Shrewsbury (G.R. Hail) MYTHOS Editor's Note: This time a pair of articles related to the Mythos CCG. Shannon RECENT BOOKS OF NOTE * Call of Cthulhu - Weird Tales #313 ($4.95). The unique magazine is back in yet another incarnation, from the same folks that brought you the previous version and "Worlds of Fantasy & Horror". Not Lovecraftian, but horror with a distinguished pedigree. NEW ELECTRONIC RESOURCES: Return to Innsmouth: The Official Website http://www.beyond-books.com/productions/innsmouth A web-site dedicated to a fun-looking Lovecraftian film. -------------------- From: bedlam@inzenity.org (Philip C. Robinson) Subject: The (Guest) Stars Are Right... System: Mythos The (Guest) Stars Are Right. . . A Rule variation for Mythos CCG For those players who have become too jaded and bored with a `regular game' of Mythos, the following game variation was concocted. We all agree that Great Old Ones and Outer Gods can be a lot of fun to play, especially for the cultist who enjoys the look of horror that dawns upon the other players faces once the horrible truth behind what has just occurred is realized. Unfortunately, playing a GOO can be a resource intensive process that is not always open to beginning players, or people who don't have lots of Mythos cards. Here is a simple little game mechanic to allow people the pain of GOO use, without the pleasure of having necessarily built a deck to properly get one into play! Flavor Introduction: ==================== The End Times are Near! Due to the varied machinations of crazed cultists throughout the world, Great Old Ones and Outer Gods are constantly moving through Earth's reality! Luckily, due to incompetence or imperfect circumstances, those same entities do not actually linger nearly as long as if they had been properly summoned. Game Mechanics: =============== * A GOO is temporarily played to the Mythos Game. That is, for 1 round ONLY, unless other regularly played cards extend or shorten the duration of the GOO's stay. No ROTATION of the card will ever occur, even if the visit is prolonged by eligible cards that cause the GOO to stay in play past its guest appearance of 1 round. * A specific TRIGGERING MECHANISM (explained below) causes the appearance of said monstrosity. This trigger has no direct relation to the NORMAL requirements for said GOO, and cannot be used as a substitute for the usual GOO requirements by any player who intends to Summon a GOO through regular game mechanics. The GOO behaves as if normally played to a threat. While the GOO is in play, its effects box will affect the course of the game. i.e., Investigators will not normally gain sanity while it is in play, etc. * The GOO is NOT considered to be part of any particular player's threat. * After the end of 1 round, or any effects that extend the guest appearance of the GOO, it simply goes away AS IF it had been buried. i.e., When the GOO goes away, it doesn't go to a story deck, and is not eligible to be raised by effects like The High Priest of Elvis (New Aeon card). It IS susceptible to effects of cards like Wakalea or Cthulhu For President, however. * Otherwise, all normal GOO rules apply. i.e., Only 1 specific named GOO in play at any time, regardless of HOW it entered play (treat the special appearance as a `no show' if it duplicates an already *in play* GOO), etc. Triggers: ========= At the beginning of each round, a predetermined means of randomly deciding whether or not a GOO will make an appearance should be performed. This section is broken down into WHO, HOW, WHAT phases. WHO: Typically a designated person will be selected to perform the triggering `ritual'. Options could include the player with the highest or lowest sanity at the beginning of the round, or the person who talked everyone into allowing this game variation to be used, etc... as long as the selection process is consistent throughout the game, so as to not cause further confusion. HOW: A variety of triggering mechanisms can be incorporated into the game. What follows are a few suggestions, but by no means is this list exhaustive. Give them a try, and invent your own if you have an idea that sounds like it would reflect well on your understanding of statistical mathematics, or balances a random sense of fun with apocalyptic overtones! Basic set of Triggering techniques: -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- * Coin Toss: The lucky summoner flips a coin, having someone call heads/tails while the coin is in the air. If the call is correct, a GOO has been summoned. This is for the extremely brave, or extremely foolhardy, since there's approximately (see below) a 50% chance of a GOO being out each round. At least it is the simplest way to determine your own doom! * D20 Vs. Highest Sanity: The designated summoner rolls a spare 20 sided die & if the roll is higher than the Investigator with the highest Sanity, a GOO has been summoned. This technique tends to punish a game where everyone's Sanity is on the lower side of the scale (12 or below). * D20 Vs. Lowest Sanity: A spare 20 sided die is rolled & if the roll is lower than the Investigator with the lowest Sanity, a GOO is summoned. If this method is used, expect to see normally `healthy' players take a nose dive. This method lessens the chance of an `on the edge' investigator going too far. * D20 Matching Sanity: Again, roll a 20 sided die, and if the number rolled matches any Investigators' current Sanity, a GOO has been summoned. Obviously, a difficult thing to do in small games, but with an increasing likelihood for each additional player in the game. WHAT: After it has been determined that a GOO will enter play, it is necessary to determine WHAT got summoned. Here is a handy chart that you can roll against to select which GOO shows up. Accompanying this table is a list that has the special effects text for each GOO, so that nobody has to bring along all of their GOO cards to know what the effects are. GOO Chart: -+-+-+-+-+ 1. Re-roll twice, obeying any re-roll directives * 2. Abhoth 3. Bokrug 4. Azathoth 5. Ghatanathoa 6. Shub-Niggurath 7. Chorazin 8. Ithaqua 9. No effect (Out rampaging alternate dimension instead) * 10. Re-roll * 11. No effect (Missed wake up call, still sleeping.) * 12. Nyarlathotep 13. Rhan Tegoth 14. Tsathoggua 15. Tulzscha 16. Yog-Sothoth 17. Hastur 18. Nodens 19. Cthulhu 20. Re-roll twice, ignoring further re-roll directives * * If any more Mythos Supplements contain GOOs, replace these entries as appropriate. GOO Descriptions & Special Effects (Alphabetical by Name) -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Abhoth Every Location gains the Gate attribute, and each Gate can be used more than once (pay Location Sanity costs each time). No Investigator may gain Sanity. Azathoth The Nuclear Chaos. Each Investigator suffers 2 points of Radiation damage the moment that this card is played. Ignore red Sanity pentagrams and reverse the effect of green Sanity pentagrams for all cards played while Azathoth is in play. Investigators may not gain Sanity. Bokrug All Locations feature the Water attribute. Do not Bury Storm Events. No Investigators may gain Sanity unless they are in Mnar. Chorazin Nightmares! All Phobias affect only the Investigator who played them. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Cthulhu "In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming" --H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu" All Monsters may Join. No Investigators may gain Sanity. Ghatanathoa Each Investigator flips face-down one random Ally at the beginning of each Turn due to the petrifying nature of this entity's visage. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Hastur It is always night; Bury any Day cards in play. Day cards may not be played. Treat all Locations (including Exotic Locations) as if they belong to the same Region. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Ithaqua Due to the intense cold and the blinding snow, lose 1 Sanity point each time you play a Travel card or when you alter a Location card's orientation. (You are safer in a city.) No Investigator may gain Sanity. Nodens No Monsters are Invisible. No Monsters Bypass Combat. No Investigator may gain Sanity. [Authors Note: I guess that's why they call him NOdens.] Nyarlathotep Spells no longer cost Sanity points to cast while this card is in play. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Rhan Tegoth No Allies are Buried or Discarded while this card is in play. Instead, they become Living Dead. Place two pennies on each Living Dead card. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Shub-Niggurath Black Goat of the Woods. All Monsters may be played as Allies (still must use a Gate). Increase the value of all Dark Young by one point. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Tsathoggua He dwells in the black gulf of N'Kai. At the end of Combat, prior to the regular Discard phase, all Investigators Discard Monster cards remaining in their Hands. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Tulzscha It is Day. Bury any Night or Day cards in play; new ones may not be played while Tulzscha is in play. While this card is in play, three Passes are required to end card play in a Round. No Investigator may gain Sanity. Yog-Sothoth The barriers of time and space are destroyed! Treat all Locations in all Dimensions as if they belong to the same Region. No Investigator may gain Sanity. EXAMPLES: ========= Austin, Brian and Meghan are about to play a friendly game of Mythos, when Meghan decides to pull out "The Guest Stars Are Right" rule variation. Everyone is curious, so Meghan proceeds to explain everything to the players. It is voted that Meghan be the `summoner', and that the triggering mechanism will be the "D20 Vs. Lowest Sanity" method. Everyone shuffles their cards and draws up to their hand. Meghan then rolls a spare 20 sided die, getting an 11. Austin had the lowest Sanity, at 12, so a GOO has been summoned! Meghan consults the table & rolls a D20, getting an 8. Looking the result up on the GOO Chart indicates that Ithaqua has just made an appearance. Austin decides, since it is his turn, to play a city location since he will likely suffer less Sanity loss while Ithaqua is `in play'. Alas, poor Meghan only has country Locations in her hand, so plays one. Brian plays a city Location. Play continues, but Meghan is forced to walk, causing her to alter a Location cards orientation. She'll lose 1 point of Sanity until she can get to a city, or the Round ends, signifying Ithaqua's departure. Brian and Austin definitely begin to like the idea of this new play variation. At the beginning of the next Round, Ithaqua has left play, but it is time for Meghan to roll the 20 sided die. This time she rolls a 13. The lowest Sanity currently belongs to Meghan, which is a 9 (Ithaqua was NOT nice to her last Round). No GOOs will come into play this particular Round. Austin, Brian and Meghan are in the midst of a different Mythos Game, using these same rule variations. At the moment Cthulhu is `in play' because of legitimate card play by Austin. The trigger is "D20 Vs. Highest Sanity". A new Round has just begun, and the Cthulhu card has been Rotated. Meghan rolls the 20 sided die to determine if a guest GOO will be summoned. She rolls an 18. Brian's Sanity was the highest at 14, so a GOO has been summoned. Meghan rolls the die again, and gets a 19. According to the chart, that's Cthulhu! However, Cthulhu is already in play. Well, since we can't have a clone of Cthulhu running around, the roll is for nothing, and game play continues as if nothing special happened. The trio are again playing a different game, with these rule variations. This time the trigger is "D20 Equals Sanity". A new Round has just begun, and Meghan rolls the die. She rolls a 10. What luck Austin's Investigator currently has a 10! Meghan rolls the die again, getting a 7. Chorazin is the GOO currently out, as a result. The Turn sequence comes around to Brian, who really wants to play an Adventure this Round. Fortunately, he thought ahead for the possibility of the rule variation, and put Wakalea into his deck. Brian decides to use Wakalea's Special Effect "Bury this card to either keep a Great Old One or Outer God in play for an additional Round, or to Bury a Great Old One or Outer God in play." He decides to `Bury' Chorazin, and then Buries Wakalea in his own Story Deck. On Brian's next turn, he plays the Adventure he has been meaning to & wins the Game! Random smart-aleck quote: ========================= "Ph-nglui mglw'nafh Tattulhu Fantasy Island wgah'nagl fhtagn." "In his house at Fantasy Island dead Tattoo waits dreaming." (trans.) Ia! Ia! Tattulhu fhtagn! The guest stars are right! #-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-# Philip C. Robinson Bedlam@InZenity.org Visit The Lair of the Mythos Haiku http://www.inzenity.org/mythku/ Mr. T's Be Somebody Or Be Somebody's Fool Tribute http://www.geocities.com/~mtbsobsf/ "Only to mock had that black messenger revealed the secret... for madness and the void's wild vengeance are Nyarlathotep's only gifts to the presumptuous." ---H.P. Lovecraft -------------------- From: GRHail@aol.com Subject: The Commitment of Laban Shrewsbury System: Mythos THE COMMITMENT OF LABAN SHREWSBURY A Storytelling Deck for the Mythos CCG by G R Hail The Mythos Collectable Card Game allows players to tell a story while playing the game. The rules encourage this: Briefly but colorfully narrate the essential details of your Adventure, displaying the required cards in your Story Deck and arrayed in play around your Investigator. Imagine this as completing a chapter in a horror story. (page 11 of the New AEons rules). The Commitment of Laban Shrewsbury is a storytelling deck, and it's a good tournament deck. Synopsis Luther Harden recruited Laban Shrewsbury into THE THERON MARKS SOCIETY, following publication of _An Investigation into the Myth-Patterns of Latter-Day Primitives with Especial References to the R'lyeh Text_. While on an errand for the Society, an Unexpected Calamity overtook Laban Shrewsbury. Distressed at his patient's disappearance, the Respected New England Doctor began SEARCHING FOR LABAN SHREWSBURY. Professor Shrewsbury had lived too long ON THE EDGE. The doctor discovered the professor confined in a Sanitarium, having succumbed to madness. The words in bold mark the adventures used in this deck. A full list of cards in The Commitment of Laban Shrewsbury is at the end of this document. There are three ways to tell a story while playing Mythos. You may make up a story as you play your cards. This can be difficult, hilarious, and entertaining. You may re-tell the "story" on the Adventure card using the cards you have played, adding extra cards and sentences for dramatic effect. After play of an Adventure card, the time at which a story of the adventure is told, you may ignore the the card after checking that you have fulfilled its requirements, then tell a story based on the cards in your Story Deck and the cards in play around you. Stortytelling Using Card Play (An Example) In the Evening at Christchurch Cemetery Dr Allen Halsey, Laban Shrewsbury and I mourned the death of a mutual friend. After the ceremony, I boarded a Train for home. During the long journey, I attracted the sympathy of the young man sitting next to me. He introduced himself as Wilbur Whateley. I mentioned my grief, and he encouraged me. In the Blink of an Eye, I unburdened my self of painful memories in which I slighted my now-deceased friend. He said he knew a great secret. "By reading this," he said, tapping a leather-bound library book (Call of Cthulhu & Consume Likeeness) with an overly-long finger, "you can exchange a live enemy for a dead friend." * * * Obviously, it's difficult to keep this up for very long and still make sense. When story-telling by card play, it is the improvisation not the cumulative experience that should be valued. If you're quick-witted, this should be your method of storytelling. It can be framed as a tale-within-a-tale or as a movie. Sometimes you can incorporate the card plays of your opponents, for example, if An Unexpected Calamity ends the round while Train is your Current Location, pick up your story by saying, "following a train derailment, I found myself at remote country location I knew only by legend: the Old Gibbet!" When using this method of storytelling, play of the adventure card is a non-event; a way of scoring game points and possibly the means to close one story and begin another. "What an adventure!" I exclaimed. Storytelling Using the Adventure (An Example) Upon play of The Theron-Marks Society, I told the following story, expanding upon the card. When I told my story, I told it using the card order established by The Theron-Marks Society, but this isn't necessary to play a good storytelling deck. Cards required by the Adventure are listed in bold. * * * When a patient of mine disappeared, friends of his from The Theron-Marks Society, an unusual fraternal organization, asked for my help in locating him. I took time off from my practice, only to discover the Society's tales of the Hunting Horror proved to be true. It was indescribable. It stalked me in the Evening, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. When I walk home, I often glance up, afraid of another attack. My alienist claims this is Batophobia but I have seen it and he has not. While searching the Home of Laban Shrewsbury, I read a Letter from a Friend of his. I didn't believe it at first, but cautious, I pocketed it That letter never left my side. The strange symbols illuminating the letter compelled a Blasphemous Obeisance from the Monster that threatened me. I've joined the Theron-Marks Society. Whever I go I have two friends I can count on: Luther Harden and Dr Allen Halsey. But they are not enough. The horrors have human allies. I carry a .32 Revolver in my pocket. * * * Before I narrated this story at a game session, I thought about what I might be able to say, knowing the cards in my deck. I did not read from a prepared text, though I could have. Storytelling Using Available Cards (An Example) After I proved I'd complete The Theron-Marks Society, I told this story from the cards I had in play around my Investigator or in my Story Deck. Improvising this story took considerably longer than re-writing the Adventure. At a storytelling tournament where players use this method, extend the length of the round as necessary. As I told this story -- a vignette really, I laid down the cards I used. * * * I should have heeded the omen (Sun Spots) and left town. My doctor (Dr Allen Halsey), who knew of developments in Europe, advised me to take in the clean, country air, but I waited too long. As I strolled past The Old Congregational Church parishioners prayed that Arkham be spared. I heard the desperation in the their voices, resolving to leave town that Evening. I saw the luggage of explorer Laban Shrewsbury, who had recently returned from his expedition to the South Seas, piled in a corner of the Boston & Maine Train Station. I bought my ticket, then sat on a bench beside a The Terrible Old Man who smelled bad. Across the aisle a woman read a pulp magazine. Advertised on its cover was The Call of Cthulhu. While I waited for my train, I could smell the infection (Dysentry) spreading. With every breath the crowd exhaled, I feared catching the plague (Halitosiphobia). What if the train is over-subscribed? Will they take my ticket? Will the police officer (Luther Harden) armed with his .32 Revolver be able to control the crowd? I'd never reach the country before the epidemic came to Arkham. It's too late. Where is my Train? * * * THE COMMITMENT OF LABAN SHREWSBURY This is 54-ard deck that plays quickly and contains plenty of cards to harass your opponents. Investigator Respected New England Doctor Plan to play On the Edge after Searching for Laban Shrewsbury, if possible. Six key cards for On the Edge may be held and retained by this Investigator, who also has discard-and-draw power. By holding these cards, one may play On the Edge rapidly. SEARCHING FOR LABAN SHREWSBURY (+8 / +2; 19 cards) Named Cards Letter from a Friend x2 Laban Shrewsbury x2 Arkham Police Department x2 Luther Harden x2 Hunting Horror x4 Evening x2 Old Congregational Church x2 Weapon .32 Revolver x2 -32 Revolver is a Sanity-increasing weapon. Laban Shrewsbury permits play of Tome when one's Current Location hasn't the Tome attribute. Arkham Police Department reduces the value of opponent's directed threat by one. This is the MSGS Evening, which permits discard and draw of a card. The Old Congregational Church may bury a phobia. Hunting Horror increases its strength during the Day; alas, this Evening is a Night card. In every Mythos game I've played, one thing you can count on is Day changing to Night and Night changing to Day. ON THE EDGE (+6 /+2; 13 cards) Named Cards Call of Cthulhu x2 Sanity Below Six Points Your Sanity must be at five or less when the Adventure card On the Edge is played. Sanitarium Arkham Sanitarium (unique) Congregational Hospital (unique) Doctor Dr Allen Halsey x2 Corrupt Cultist The Terrible Old Man (unique) Wilbur Whateley (unique) Two different Phobia Batophobia Eosophobia Claustrophobia Scotophobia Re-roll Your Investigator You must re-roll your Investigator after play of any prior adventure! If you re-roll your Investigator, then play Searching for Laban Shrewsbury, the change in Investigator will not count for play of On the Edge. (Mythos Digest 01.173) The Terrible Old Man can know a Spell. Wilbur Whateley buries Tomes; unfortunately he may be found only on Train in this deck. Dr Allen Halsey mitigates the effects of Epidemic. Arkham Sanitarium & Congregational Hospital were chosen because this is an Arkham-Kingsport deck. Select your own less harmful Sanitariums, if you desire. THE THERON-MARKS SOCIETY (+6 / +2; 7 cards) Cards listed below that are preceeded by an asterisk have already been included in the deck. Do not add additional copies. Monster *Hunting Horror Phobia *Batophobia *Eosophobia *Claustrophobia *Scotophobia Tome *Call of Cthulhu *Letter from a Friend Spell Blasphemous Obiesance (Letter from a Friend) Concentric Rings of the Worm (Call of Cthulhu) Dust of Sulieman (Call of Cthulhu) Eibon's Wheel of Mist (Letter from a Friend) Country House The Strange High House in the Mist x2 Two Steadfast Allies *Dr Allen Halsey *Laban Shrewsbury Weapon *.32 Revolver While the Resurrection Spell would make a good replacement for Eibon's Wheel of Mist, I don't wish to frighten my opponents into believing that my Tome with a Skull Icon & Resurrection Spell will be used for Seeking Everlasting Life! Blasphemous Obiesance returns a Monster in a directed threat to its owner's hand. Concentric Rings of the Worm buries a Monster in a directed threat. Dust of Sulieman controls lesser independent Monsters. Eibon's Wheel of Mist reduces the strength of Lesser & Greater Servitor Monsters. All of these Spells may be cast without arousing suspicion that their use isn't entirely what it seems. Use the Spells to lower Sanity prior to playing On the Edge. The Spells are only suggestions. I didn't want to list any rare cards, but I prefer Consume Likeness (to put Luther, Laban, or Wilbur back into play) to Eibon's Wheel of Mist. Extra Cards (15 cards) Arkham Mystical Supply Boston & Maine Train Station x2 Children Have Sweet Dreams (-1 Sanity) Home of Laban Shrewsbury Hound of the Tindalos (-1 Sanity) Influenza (-1 Sanity) Old Brick Powderhouse Succumb to Temptation (-1 Sanity) Train x2 Unexpected Calamity, New AEon Edition (-1 Sanity) Waning Moon x2 Yithian Mental Contact (unique) The point of vulnerability for this deck the re-rolling of one's Investigator. If Waning Moon cannot remain in play until one's next turn, one's Investigator cannot be changed. Yithian Mental Contact should help. Most of the extra cards were selected to lower Sanity to prepare for On the Edge and to harass opponents. Train is the only means by which Wilbur Whateley may enter play. The Locations chosen increase those with the Gate, Tome, or Artifact attribute. Of these three, Tome is probably the least valuable because of the special effect of Laban Shrewsbury. Alternate Cards I can't resist playing Great Old One or Outer God, and since the deck already requires Waning Moon, add two Storms and Ithaqua. Most play of this deck is within Arkham, so special effect of Ithaqua is unlikely to affect one's own Investigator. --