From: "John & Christine Thompson" To: Subject: Chaosium Digest v34.01 Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2001 9:10 PM Chaosium Digest Volume 34, Number 01 Date: Tuesday, June 12, 2001 Number: 1 of 2 Contents: * The Horror On Two Forks Trail (CTHULHU) by Mervyn Boyd jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk * The Whippoorwill House Affair Chapter 3 (CTHULHU FICTION) by Michael Blenkarn and Brooke Johnson Editor's Note: The archive is up and running in it's most basic form at http://pages.prodigy.net/gobackstage . It currently contains links to text files of the individual issues. I'm still missing 32.12 and 33.01- 33.04, the issues from January - March of this year. If anyone has these available please let me know or these issues will be lost. I'm going to be working on indexing the articles as time permits. If anyone wants to help out, let me know. I also want to remind everyone that this month ends the second quarter of 2001 and therefore is the deadline for submissions to qualify for the second quarter Chaosium submission contest. The prize is a $40 gift certificate from Chaosium for the best reader submission dealing with a Chaosium product. Keep those submissions coming. This issue features a Call of Cthulhu adventure set in the American Old West by frequent contributor Mervyn Boyd and Chapter three of The Whippoorwill House Affair, Cthulhu fiction by Michael Blenkarn and Brooke Johnson. The first two chapters may be found in issues 32.02-32.04 which are available at the above mentioned archive. Enjoy! ANNOUNCEMENTS * From Issaries Inc. ISSARIES, INC. NAMES GLORANTHAN VOLUNTEERS COORDINATOR Issaries, Inc. is pleased to welcome the services of Graham Robinson as Volunteers Coordinator for Issaries, Inc. and the Glorantha Trading Association. Graham has actually been serving in this capacity for a few months on a trial basis, and we want to take this opportunity to thank him publicly for his service, both past and future. Previously, Stephen Martin had been coordinating the efforts of volunteers to perform data entry, help with the web site, and help with manual labor, among other things. However, his duties for Issaries have long been too time-consuming for him to continue in that role effectively. Malcolm Serabian also served as coordinator for a time (and a big thanks to him as well!), but he too ended up with insufficient time. "Graham's service will enable us to concentrate on producing game and fiction books," said Issaries president Greg Stafford, "but will still allow us to provide our fans with the extra that they have come to expect from us. With Graham coordinating volunteer efforts, we hope to soon have a lot of additional background material, cool programs, and other game aids available on www.HeroWars.com, the official Glorantha web site." Stephen Martin Issaries, Inc. 900 Murmansk St., Suite 5; Oakland, CA 94607 Phone: (510) 452 1648 Fax: (510) 302 0385 Publisher of Hero Wars, Roleplaying in Glorantha See our site at: www.HeroWars.com * From Chaosium ** RUMORS & NEWS ** The Leng Embassy has moved to Silverton Colorado! From high up in the Rockies we will continue to serve Chaosium and the Great Old Ones here on Earth. Many thanks to all of you who have sent well wishes. The Spiders are very happy. You can read more about our new town at http://www.silverton.org San Francisco Guidebook Delayed! Our 1920's Call of Cthulhu sourcebook for San Francisco was victim to a hard drive crash in late May. Many files were lost, so it seems unlikely that the book will release this summer after all. Our editor is hard at work re-creating the book. We'll let you know when we expect it to release in our next report. You can read about the book at http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2378.shtml Straits of Chaos & Slaves of Fate coming soon! Our Slaves of Fate adventure, intended as a Spring release, but delayed due to earthquakes, migration, and strange doings in Texas will hopefully release late June or Early July. Author Jason Durall has been hard at work, despite moving across the country to a new job. http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2018.shtml Our second D20 adventure for Dragon Lords of Melnibone just might be our first d20 adventure! Yithians are undoubtedly to blame. Shawn Havranek has been hard at work with Straits Of Chaos which is due out in July. http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2019.shtml No one expects an early Chaosium Release! But they just might get one. Stormbringer 5th Edition, announced as a July Release, is at the printer and could be out at the end of June. Stormbringer uses our Basic Roleplaying System and replaces our Elric RPG. For more info check out http://www.chaosium.com/elric/index.shtml 20th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu almost done! We're finishing up our deluxe Call of Cthulhu and will be sending it to the printer soon. The book is running on time for a July release. http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2399.shtml It's A New Fiction Book! Chaosium Editor Stephen Mark Rainy has orchestrated Song of Cthulhu, for release this summer. We should definitely have this one out in time for Necronomicon in August. http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6032.shtml Hey it's summer! Go play some games. As always, thank you for your support! Dustin Wright Leng Embassy Chaosium Release Schedule through August 2001. Just Shipped: CHA 2361 The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep (reprint) $25.95 http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2361.shtml CHA 6030 The Three Impostors & Other Stories (fiction) $13.95 http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6030.shtml June/July CHA 2018 Slaves of Fate (D20 Dragon Lords of Melniboné Adventure) $8.95 http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2018.shtml CHA 5115 Stormbringer 5th Edition RPG $29.95 http://www.chaosium.com/elric/2115.shtml JULY: CHA 2399 20th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu (Very Limited!) $79.95 http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/rpg/2399.shtml CHA 2019 Straits of Chaos (D20 Dragon Lords of Melniboné Adventure) $8.95 http://www.chaosium.com/woec/2019.shtml CHA 6032 Song of Cthulhu $12.95 http://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/fiction/6032.shtml SLAVES OF FATE A Dragon Lords of Melniboné(r) D20 adventure CHA 2018 $8.95 ISBN 1-56882-152-9 32 pages Written by Jason Durall Far out to sea, captive on a Vilmirian slave ship, the adventurers' troubles are just beginning. If judged worthy they are destined for the slave markets of corrupt and terrifying Pan Tang, If not, they will be callously slaughtered at sea, their souls left for the dread undead galleys of the god Pyaray, Tentacled Whisperer of Impossible Secrets. While struggling to escape before matters get any worse, the Chaos goddess Eequor, Blue Lady of Dismay, takes an interest in the adventurers' plight. Their fates are forever changed. A D20 adventure for character for levels 1-3. CALL OF CTHULHU 20th Anniversary Edition CHA 2399 $79.95 ISBN 1-56882-151-4 300+ pages, illustrated. A Limited, 20th Anniversary Edition Bonded Leather-Bound, New Interior Layout One Printing Only In honor of the 20th Anniversary of our award-winning CALL OF CTHULHU game, Chaosium Inc. is proud to announce a premium, bonded leather-bound edition of the core rulesbook with features such as high-quality paper stock, a new interior layout designed to evoke that 'ancient tome' look and feel, sienna ink, and a durable Smythe-sewn binding that collectively make this the one edition that every Cthulhu player and keeper will have to have. This is a once-in-a-lifetime gift. STRAITS OF CHAOS A D20 adventure on the high seas for levels 3-6 CHA 2019 $8.95 ISBN 1-56882-155-7 32 pages, illustrated Written by Shawn Havranek The seas of the Young Kingdoms are fraught with peril. Some waters are more dangerous than others though all captains avoid the Straits of Chaos. Strange sea beasts, wild magics, and Dharijorian pirates plague the narrow strait and the weather can change from calm to storm within a drumbeat; but when Melnibonéan warships are closing in even the bravest sailor may see the murderous straits as the lesser evil -- our heroes soon find themselves in terrible peril. Appendix includes new prestige classes, spells, and monsters. STORMBRINGER CHA 2115 $29.95 ISBN 1-56882-152-2 approx. 304 pages, illustrated FANTASY ROLEPLAYING IN THE WORLD OF ELRIC This dark fantasy roleplaying game is set in the world of the Young Kingdoms, based on the Elric novels written by author Michael Moorcock. Exhaustive background features rich descriptions of the island of Melniboné and of her former holdings, known collectively as the Young Kingdoms. Character generation is quick and complete. The forces of Law, Chaos, and the Cosmic Balance affect every adventurer: their allegiances reflect the choices which you make for him or her. Magic includes rules for summoning, casting spells, and invocations and enchantments. Creatures and personalities chapters describe the multitude of beasts, denizens and human-like inhabitants of the world. Spot rules highlight important game details. The gamemaster chapter is recommended reading for new gamemasters. Two scenarios, six ready-to-copy adventurers, a new world map, an index, list of terms, and play aids complete this book. All you add are dice and your imagination. * based on the popular Elric fantasy series by Michael Moorcock. * Replaces Elric (2900) as our core rulebook for Elric/Stormbringer. * Fully compatible with all previous Elric releases! Song of Cthulhu Tales of the Spheres beyond Sound CHA 6032 $12.95 1-56882-117-4 Edited by Stephen Mark Rainey Like any eclectic catalog of dark music, this volume of stories explores many levels of emotion, each writer composing his own unique movement to the symphony. Here, you will find a wide range of voices, some spinning tales of pure, deep dread, much as might be found in the most successful works of HPL himself. Others venture into territory that the Old Gent would never have imagined, or wanted to imagine . . . There's even a touch of whimsy to be found, yet always mingled with the strain of darkness like that faced by Erich Zann in his garret in the rue d'Auseil. -------------------------- The Horror On Two Forks Trail by Mervyn Boyd - jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk 178 Dickson Drive, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, KA12 9HB Foreword This scenario is well suited for all players (and characters) of Call of Cthulhu - no matter their experience, whether they are new and have no prior experience, or are old hands who can outstare a Shoggoth. No special skills or knowledge are required for its successful conclusion and no real time frame is set for the scenario, so events move according to the pace of the keeper, though things should ultimately move along regardless. That said, it should also be mentioned that this is not a scenario in the truest sense. There's nothing really to investigate; 90% of it will be adlibbed; made up; off-the-cuff. This scenario's roll is to fill out that night, or Sunday afternoon when no one really has anything to do, though it can easily fit in well with any ongoing campaign with a little modification. The scenario is intended to be set in the American West of 1868-70, or thereabouts, though names, dates and locations can be changed to suit the individual keeper. Keeper Information & Player Introduction Perhaps players can be enticed onto this coach ride with a seemingly real mission to undertake in San Francisco, or maybe they have their own reasons for traveling there. Initially, some characters are introduced on the first leg of the journey - a cross-state coach ride, headed from Coulterville, to San Francisco California, with stop-offs at Patterson's Ridge and San Jose - San Jose being an overnight stopover. After 10 hours cooped up in a small cramped compartment, passengers will be glad of some R&R in San Jose. Patterson's Ridge is a 1:00 pm stopover for 45 minutes during which secondary characters and NPC are introduced before continuing with the second leg to San Jose. The Crew * Red Jackson. Coach driver. Older guy - mid 40's. Seen a lot of action. Silent and calm. Always on the lookout for Injun raiders. * Will Cronyn. Rides Shotgun. Mid twenties. Facial scar from left temple, across cheek, down through lips to tip of his pointy chin. Immature and brash. Lazy. Often found sleeping, much to Red's annoyance. Passengers: Coulterville - Patterson's Ridge * Some players. Assorted riff-raff. * Collette Bridges. Late 30s. Bookish. Prim and proper school marm. Strict. Spectacles on a chain, hair pulled back in to a tight bun. You know the type. Very vocal about the evilness of alcohol and will not tolerate its consumption in her presence. Dislikes smoking too. * Artemus Penk II. Early forties. Texan Cattle rancher. Overbearing. Fat-headed, and arrogant. Boasts about having the largest longhorn ranch in Texas. Smokes very pungent cigars. Ignores Collette's pleas to extinguish them. * Yuen Chan & Kim Tan. Both Chinese. Uncle and niece. Chan is small and wiry and sports a long well groomed beard. Mid 60s. Silent, polite, and inscrutable. He speaks very little English. Kim Tan, mid 20s. Extremely gorgeous. Bashful, and giggly to anyone who makes eye contact, much to Uncle Chan's displeasure. Kim speaks no English. Passengers: Patterson's Ridge - San Jose * Any other player. * Clifton Westwood. Early thirties. Tough and strong exterior. Clifton appears to be the successful professional gambler type. He spends the time talking about strategy in card games, and how he lives it up as an expert cardsharp. He particularly delights in a tale in which he won $12,850 with nothing more than a pair of fours from a rather nasty game, which ended up with him having to fight his way out against all odds. As well as being a gambler, this man is something more stimulating... * Artemus Kinki. Another Artemus, but this one's a jovial, easy-going fat businessman. Mid-fifties. Smells of violets(!). Will engage anyone in conversation, what ever the topic. Sweats profusely. Concerned over possible Indian attack. Sells Barbed wire for a living. The journey to San Jose is no more interesting than it had when it began for some characters. The sun beats down. The air is dry and dusty. A hot wind does nothing to aid the situation. Everyone has one of two options: snooze or stare lazily out at the bleak landscape. Young Will, our gallant co-driver is, as ever, catching some well deserved Zs, before being rudely woken by Red: "Injuns...". Startled, and bleary eyed, Will rubs the sleep from his eyes then grabs his rifle, then warns the passengers. Important Information Clifton Westwood is actually a Secret Service agent, and he boarded the coach after completing some business with the local, Chiricahua Apache tribe. He was sent by President Ulysses S. Grant to strike a deal with Indians, in which the US Government would purchase a tract of land which contained a rich seem of iron ore deposits. The deal fell through. The Indian Chief was adamant about not selling, saying only that, that precise area was a spiritual site to them and their ancient ancestors. Undeterred, Westwood entered the local caves to dig out some samples, for later analysis, and there he found a temple of some kind. And in this temple sacred treasures abound. Some of it valuable looking. Gold and silver. Just sitting there. Doing nothing. Who would miss a few trinkets? Greed took over. Who could foresee that the totems he would take would be magical artifacts. And not just any hokey religious regalia that has some mystical importance attached to it. Oh no, these certain objects are used to imprison a Flying Polyp which the Indians keep entombed in the caves. Without them the Polyp is sure to escape and go on a rampage. Can you see the plot begin to take shape? Well, apparently the Indians did miss them and they want them back. Desperately. So here they come... Typical Indian STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX MOVE HITS 12 12 10 12 13 12 8 11 WEAPON ATTK % DAMAGE Skills: Dodge 25%, Leap on to wagon 80%, Fist 50 1d3 Ride 99%, Throw 45% Bow 65 1d8+1 Knife 60 1d4+2 Tomahawk 70 1d6+1 Rifle 35 1d10+3 Equipment: Bow, Arrows, Tomahawks, a few Rifles, Knife Back to the action By now the players are awake and alert. The horses are spurred on. Quicker. Quicker. Our passengers are jostled and bounced. Here the adventure gets simple. Survive the Indian attack, then head for safety. As the vehicle lurches forward dozens of horse mounded Indians ride into view, whooping wildly... For purposes of this scene, the keeper has access to as many Indians as he/she needs. Keep them coming in waves, even if the players are able to cut them down like wheat before the scythe. Keep them coming until they achieve their objective, which is to stop the coach so that they can retrieve a small strongbox from the baggage compartment. The passengers are of secondary concern and will be left completely alone if the simply stop and give up. Ha, fat chance! Keep the pressure on, but hold back if the players get overwhelmed. Have fun with the action. Encircle the wagon. Describe desperate fist fights, with head-butting, gouging, etc.. Have Indians leap on board, have arrows thud into the carriage, as do tomahawks and the occasional wood-splintering bullet. As the fight continues, all shots fired are reduced to HALF CHANCE, though observant characters might notice that Westwood is an extremely good shot with his pistol despite the penalty. Artemus, is unarmed and scared witless. He hangs on for dear life, fighting desperately to hold back his womanly screams. Red takes an arrow to the shoulder and back, but continues, gritting his teeth. Will fires randomly and ineffectually. An Indian leaps onto the carriage, and a struggle ensues. Will is pushed off and lands badly breaking an ankle. Red pulls a handgun but is too slow and gets a tomahawk to the face, knocking him senseless, after which he drowns in his own blood. With no one at the reins the horses plough on, hurtling forward. Out of control. Somebody should eventually realize that no one is driving. Those able to scramble their way to the reigns must contend with attacks from the Indians as well as bringing the vehicle under control (DRIVE COACH or WAGON check). Red lies slumped over in his seat. Sadly the character is a tad too late, and just at that moment the coach jolts and bucks as a wheel disintegrates into kindling off a conveniently placed boulder. The vehicle crashes, skids, rolls over and is breaks apart. The horses break free and gallop off, stranding everyone to their fate. * JUMP rolls are required to leap out with nothing more than minor damage, otherwise 1d6 damage is taken. * Staying inside and bracing themselves, characters require a LUCK roll to avoid 1d6 damage. * Anyone free-standing or in a fight must make a LUCK roll. Failing the roll results in the unfortunate taking 1d12 crash damage. Success limits this to 1d6 damage. An impale results in no damage. The Indians come in again... With ammunition hopefully getting low, and Indians converging in all around our heroes should withdraw, scrounge what cover they can find and pray that their death will be swift. The Indians watch the players closely. No attempt to communicate is made, and any questions asked are ignored. Others move in to search the wreckage. The limp body of Westwood is retrieved and scalped. The box is likewise found, before they leave en-masse - whooping triumphantly. Shantak If the fight seems too easy for the players, have a Shantak swoop out from the sky and join the fray. Use it like a giant Ray Harryhausen special effect. It swoops ominously, moving in close then away. For added effect it could grapple somebody (players and horses included) in its mighty claws, before flying away. Is this excessive? Is it gratuitous? Is it a flagrant misuse of keeper impulse? Does there have to be a reason for it being there? Only you can decide. The Aftermath The players find themselves to be the sole survivors, unless otherwise killed. Those without war or combat experience lose 1/1d6 sanity for the harrowing experience. After taking note of their situation, they find themselves in the middle of nowhere. A barren landscape of rocks and brushwood. The desert looks pretty unappealing. Distant hills being the only feature, apart from wreckage strewn all over, and of course dead Indians. This next scene starts to stoke player apprehension with desolation, isolation, the need to survive, the demand for food, water, shelter, rest, and medical attention. (Without proper first aid or medical supplies players only regain 1 hp on a successful skill use - 2 hp if the roll is impaled. Medicine does nothing.) Searching for useable equipment, before heading in a direction, the players find: * Red Jackson: Colt .45 revolver, gun belt with 60 rounds of ammunition. Pocket flask of Whisky. * Will Cronyn: .52 Spencer Carbine Rifle, 73 rounds of ammunition, Colt .45 revolver, 100 rounds. Bowie Knife. * Artemus Kinki: Case containing barbed wire samples. Assorted paperwork pertaining to sales made. Most recent edition of Cavalier - a magazine containing pictures of women in provocative poses. Patterson Ridge News-sheet. * Clinton Westwood: Colt .45, 33 Rounds. Pack of cards. Identification identifying him as a Special Agent of the United States Secret Service, (Department of the Treasury) based in Washington DC. A large leather wallet contains an unsigned land purchase agreement between the US Government and the Chiricahua Apache tribe. A total of $75 and 1d100 cents can be scavenged as can a watch on a fob. Assorted baggage contains nothing to interest the players. Light snacks may be found. Water consists of one canteen full (unless players have their own limited stock, which can be reduced further by a well aimed missed shot.), certainly not enough to benefit the party. Other stuff consists of a few bows and arrows, tomahawks and a few rifles that the fallen Indians had. Heading Out Would you credit it? The blasted Indians rounded up all the loose horses and took 'em away. Inconsiderate bastards. The characters will have to hoof it if they want to get anywhere. The question begs: Where are they? Even if someone does the maths and calculates a relative speed and time equals distance traveled equation, they'll be no closer to safety. Patterson's Ridge may be 25 miles east... San Jose 25 miles west. Oh... the choice. The sun beats down relentlessly. More so than before it seems. The characters are fatigued, hot, sweaty and thirsty. A hot wind whips up. Striking out in whatever direction they choose, they head out to meet the full desert harshness. Vultures circle overhead. A cheery omen indeed. The 25 mile trek is hard, and dehydration is a problem, and with it comes the inability to think straight. Dazed and confused, the players are bound to wander off course. Eventually, when they skirt around the low hills, they see in a distant valley an Indian camp... and a little further beyond - a river which reinforces calm and relief. The river, with its thirst quenching and life preserving properties is a mirage and serves only to draw the needy players closer. Realizing the river is a sad illusion results in 1/1d4 Sanity loss. (continued) -- To unsubscribe from the chaos-digest ML, send an "unsubscribe" command to chaos-digest-request@chaosium.com. Chaosium Inc., Call of Cthulhu, and Nephilim are Registered Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Elric! and Pendragon are Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. All articles remain copyright their original authors unless otherwise noted.