The Why of Caravans

Not that sort of caravan.

This caravan is coming from:

1. The provinces
2. A farming community
3. A mining town
4. A fishing village
5. The coast
6. A neighbouring country

And headed for:

1. A market town
2. A temple
3. An outpost
4. The capital
5. The border
6. A ship

Bearing:

1. Tools
2. Candles and lamp oil
3. Medicines
4. Textiles
5. Furs
6. Tribute from vassal states

Most of the travellers are:

1. Traders
2. Pilgrims
3. Settlers
4. Armed guards
5. Guides
6. Porters and animal handlers
   

But there are also a few:

1. Healers
2. Mercenaries
3. Scholars
4. Priests
5. Entertainers
6. Mysterious travellers

They are:

1. Friendly
2. Nervous
3. Suspicious
4. Hostile
5. Hurried
6. Secretive

A danger they faced along the way was:

1. Bandits
2. Bad weather
3. Poor leadership
4. Got lost
5. Difficult terrain
6. Internal strife

And before they reach their destination they expect:

1. Disease
2. Low supplies
3. Hostile locals
4. Toll roads and heavy taxation
5. Supernatural threats
6.  Difficult navigation
   

What if we kicked Cthulhu's arse? - part 2

Part 2: The bad stuff.

Read part one of this article here.

Ithaqua

The world is freezing. Ithaqua is spreading his influence from the poles, extending great sheets of ice down across North America and up through Australia. The seas are beginning to ice over. Greenland and Siberia are uninhabitable. Scandinavia is gone. Maybe Ithaqua is taking revenge for Cthulhu, maybe he just sees an opportunity to take over now that we're enforcing Cthulhu's sleep.

It isn't normal cold. The UN has tried to reverse the cooling by launching giant orbital mirrors to collect more sunlight, and pumping heat-retaining chemicals into the atmosphere. They made no difference. Every year the ice walls eat away another hundred kilometres of arable land.

November

The most immediate threat to the world is the people given the job of protecting it. Stolid and unimaginative as they are, November agents get repeatedly exposed to influences the human mind isn't built to tolerate. Counselling, drugs, working in pairs and in some cases specialised forms of brain surgery aren't always enough to keep them stable. Some go independent, striking out on their own to fight the mythos without government backing or approved methods. Some go rogue and sell their skills to organised crime. Some go mad and turn cultist. Those are the most dangerous, using their knowledge and contacts to threaten the world instead of protecting it.

Cults

Despite November's suppression of mythos knowledge it leaks out, corroding human sanity wherever it comes in contact. Cults tend to fall into two distinct patterns. The first spring up when the right kind of mind reads the wrong kind of book and begins actively recruiting followers. Extremist, hysterical, violent, they burn out after a few months - destroyed by the authorities. The other sort of cult forms when someone with a plan begins searching out mythos knowledge. Patient and calculating, they often spread for years before November even becomes aware of them. These cults are more dangerous by far, because they're patient and work towards a goal without distraction. The leaders have made a cynical choice to gamble the fate of the whole species for personal gain.

Deep Ones/Shoggoths

With Cthulhu neutralised, the Deep Ones have broken into opposing factions. They worship Dagon, who is an avatar* of Cthulhu. One faction wants to restore Cthulhu, as their god's god. Another wants to elevate Dagon to take his place. The third (and currently largest) faction wants to keep the status quo, using human breeding stock to revitalise their race. The human hybrids make up the largest percentage of the zealot factions, and are far more active.

So far no one faction wants to break with the others and go it alone, so there's a veneer of unity. In secret, all three are taking action to further their own goals. Both zealot factions want access to the human accumulation of mythos knowledge, and with shoggoths at their command they're a formidable force. After losing several archive buildings, it became necessary to shift the others into low Earth orbit. The authorities don't want open war with the Deep Ones if it can be avoided, but the shifting balance of power between their factions makes negotiation difficult.

Ghroth

Ghroth has changed course and is now heading directly for Earth. What it intends to do when it gets  here is anyone's guess. Even if it does nothing and simply passes through the solar system, the results will be catastrophic. The passage of a planet-sized creature will disrupt planetary orbits and cause hurricanes, tidal waves and volcanic eruptions the likes of which the world has never seen before. Its speed isn't consistent, so estimates on its arrival vary between five and 20 years.

S'glhuo

The beings of the plain of sound need very precisely-modulated matching sounds on this side of the dimensional divide to cross over, but it turns out the cracking of splitting ice sheets is close enough. They've been able to cross over on their own in the colder regions, and travel south by sticking to the hospitable areas of Earth's sound-scape.

What they want from us is the human vocal apparatus. Jaw, teeth, tongue, lips, some of the throat lining, vocal cords and a lung. Their technology can remove the organs without killing the 'donor'. So far all the victims have been displaced refugees without much in the way of documentation or community, so November investigation has been hampered.

What to do with this?

My first idea would be to run a slightly more optimistic Call of Cthulhu game. You, the characters, are probably going to die horribly but the human race isn't necessarily doomed.

Or if grimdark is the mood for the game, it might be fun to say that the human race has been extraordinarily lucky for half a century but now it's over and the Great Old Ones are pissed at us.

* My personal interpretation. Your Mythos May Vary.

What if we kicked Cthulhu's arse? - part 1

Part 2 of this article is now up here. 

A campaign idea that starts from the point where we win the Cthulhu Mythos.

Mythos fiction is some of my favourite fiction, but you have to admit it's dark. The setting comes with the explicit knowledge that some day, probably sooner rather than later, the stars will be right and the Great Old Ones will rise. The human race will collectively go mad under Cthulhu's psychic influence and turn on each other in ecstatic slaughter.  If we survive at all, it'll be as just another lowly servitor race to Big C. And with the Mi-Go interested in Earth's resources, shoggoths hating us for not being them, Lloigor malice, Nyarlathotep's games, etc.... that's probably the best outcome we can expect. Dark.

Something I enjoy is taking nihilistic settings like this one and extrapolating what they would be like if we solved all the existing problems. And introduced a few new ones so they're still interesting to play.

Your mythos may vary. There have been so many writers involved that you have to to pick and choose. Lovecraft gets in, obviously. Also Ramsey Campbell, Frank Belknap Long and August Derleth (although I don't give any credence to his shuffling of Great Old Ones into neat elemental associations).

Cursed items

A list of six cursed items that do exactly what they seem to do.

My concept of cursed items isn't objects that stick you with a negative modifier and can't be put down - although those have their place. It's perfectly serviceable items that perform a valuable function in a way that compromises the character's values.

Admittedly that's not much of a threat to murderhobo characters. But the caveats for these items should at least make non-chaotic players pause and then avoid the GM's eye while mumbling about the end justifying the means!

1. Death Holds No Secrets

A gem-studded collar that can temporarily revive a being dead for less than INT bonus days and no more than user's level+INT bonus HD to answer three questions in full. The being can save vs Magic to resist. After the questions have been answered, the collar returns the being to its rest.

After Death Holds No Secrets has passed out of range, there is a 3-in-6 chance of the being reviving again as a hostile undead with HD up to user's level.

2. Stand-Alone

A sword with faceted obsidian inlaid in the pommel in place of a gem. It allows the user to reduce the closest ally NPC's STR bonus by 1 in order to gain the same bonus until the end of a combat. The borrowed strength does not return to the NPC.

 

(Technically, the effect should apply to PCs as well. Would you want to be in that game? I wouldn't. I wouldn't want to be the same building.)

3. The Uneasy Crown

A simple gold crown, decorated with gold wire and rubies. This item only works if placed on a second person's head by someone who knows the passphrase, 'uneasy is the head'. After that, if the crowned one gives an order anyone with a lower charisma modifier will carry it out automatically, provided it isn't dangerous to them. (Save vs device to resist.) Each time an order is given, the crown tightens slightly. It cannot be removed until the person who crowned the wearer speaks the passphrase. That person is immune to the crown's effects. After being removed it cannot be used again by the same wearer. It will immediately tighten until it's too small to place on their head.

4. The Mirror Gem

The owner of this gem can enter a magical sleep and possess whoever wears the gem. The possessed wearer will look and sound like the owner, and has no will of their own while their actions are being directed. The wearer takes 1d4 HP damage each week they wear the gem. That damage can never be recovered.

5. Man-breaker

This is a lash with a core of hardened clay in the hollow handle. Each time it's used on a person, the victim loses a point from either INT, WIS or CHA and gains one in STR or CON. Over time their skin becomes more and more clay-like until they lose their last point of mental attributes and transform fully into a clay golem, good only for manual labour.

6. Persuasion

 

A narrow chain, with spiked links. If one of the spikes is used to nick a victim, the entire cord will slither inside through the wound and coil around their bones. From that point, if they refuse to follow when ordered to the chain will constrict, causing awful pain. Persuasion leaves a body the way it enters, but causes a lot more damage in the process. Most die.

The Why of Ships

It's sometimes important to know about passing ships. In a coastal village, sails on the horizon could mean raiders, or vital supplies arriving. Sometimes your characters need passage, no questions asked. Sometimes they need an unreasonable amount of flammable oil in a hurry, for perfectly legal activities. Sometimes, heh, it's a funny story, but they're stuck without a ship of their own because they set the vessel and its crew on fire completely by accident and there's no-one left to say otherwise.

That ship on the horizon is:

1. A fishing boat 
2. A freighter carrying goods to market 
3. A smuggler 
4. A military patrol vessel 
5. A pirate 
6. A fast courier 

Its distinctive feature is:

1. An elaborate figurehead
2. Coloured sails
3. An unusual flag
4. A motto emblazoned on the hull
5. An unusual crew makeup
6. A strange passenger
   

The captain is:

1. A drunk 
2. A scoundrel 
3. A strict disciplinarian 
4. Deeply religious 
5. Deeply morose 
6. A lunatic 

Their misfortune is:

1. Damaged 
2. Low supplies 
3. Disease on board 
4. Blown off course 
5. Short-handed after a failed mutiny 
6. Short-handed after a successful mutiny 

The closest ports are:

1. Allies 
2. Enemies 
3. Neutral 
4. Closed to them 
5. Open but may confiscate their goods 
6. Under the influence of a rival

They know:

1. The location of a nearby island with timber, game and fresh water
2. Passwords to make military ships ignore them
3. The location of a cache of supplies, guns and money
4. A colonial governor's humiliating secret
5. A safe route through an archipelago dotted with dangerous reefs
6. Market prices across all ports within a week's travel

Starting situation generator

Tables for instantly generating the bones of a simple adventure. 

Sometimes you want to start with the action and figure out the why of things later. Especially if it's a pick-up game with little or no prep time, you want to play now, plan later. 

With the tables below, you can throw down a set of polyhedral dice and instantly have enough background info to start in media res.

The party is (D4):

1. fighting with
2. negotiating with
3. hiding from
4. chasing

a group of (D6):

1. guards
2. mercenaries
3. zealots
   
4. intelligent monsters
5. unintelligent monsters
   
6. beasts

in a (D8):

1. city street
   
2. dungeon 
3. wilderness
4. crypt
5. temple
6. mansion
7. ship
8. tower
   

because (D10):

1. something has been stolen
2. someone has been taken
3. an offence must be punished
4. a plague must be cured
5. a curse must be broken
6. a bounty is on offer
7. a sentence must be commuted
8. a prophecy has been spoken
9. an oath has been sworn
10. a debt is owed
    

 and if they fail (D12):

1. a debt will default.
2. they will be cursed.
3. they will be outlawed.
4. a bounty will be placed on them.
   
5. an ally/family member will be harmed.
   
6. an allied faction will be weakened.
7. a crime will go unpunished.
8. a regime will fall.
9. a war will begin.
10. their home will be destroyed.
11. an opportunity will be lost.
12. an enemy will be empowered.

The theme for this adventure is (D20):

1. betrayal.
2. the generosity of honourable enemies.
3. competition with another party of adventurers.
4. a generation-spanning grudge.
5. insidious, creeping evil.
6. a race against time.
7. conspirators in every shadow.
8. revenge.
9. defending the weak.
10. reclaiming a heritage.
11. exploration.
12. impending disaster.
13. righteous vs despotic monarchs.
14. revealing treachery.
15. the gods are angry.
16. babysitting.
17. keeping up an act.
18. acting with stealth.
19. allies in unlikely places.
20. forbidden knowledge.

 

(Thanks to Spwack of the Slight Adjustments blog for the generator code.)

D6 delving-adjacent complications

A D6 table of ways an adventuring party can be victims of their own success.

You delved the dungeon. You lived. Now you're on your way back to town with the loot. Neat. Clean. Simple. Except... when has an adventurer's life ever been that easy?

1. Muggers
   Think you were discreet? A party of battle-hardened adventurers rode into town and bought up food, torches, oil, and pack animals. They hired on a group of helpers who look like they can run fast, for 'sundry duties to be clarified as and when needed'. Smells like someone's planning to make some quick money.
   
   Of course, since they are battle-hardened, it makes sense to let them go about their business and stake out the road they take out of town. When they return, exhausted and bleeding, a gang of bandits strikes.
   
   
2. Claim-jumpers
   Everyone knows the corridors of the tomb complex up on the hill are littered with gold coins... and guarded by vicious undead. It's gruel and cheap beer again this week, but that's better than being something else's meal.
   
   But if someone else takes the risk and staggers away for a long rest before returning to finish the lower levels, a clever and careful person sends for the closest neighbours and lets them know there's an opportunity. They grab packs and hurry up the hill to step over the smoking skeletons and ransack the cleared levels.
   
   
3. Price gougers
   As soon as you were spotted returning on the road, the richest merchant in town bought up everything you could possibly need. Of course he's willing to sell it to you... at ten times the original price. He has a squad of mercenaries protecting his stores. You could try taking them, but it wouldn't be easy and then you'd be law breakers.
   
   
4. Lawsuits
   It turns out the family that originally built that tomb on the hill still has scions in the kingdom. Diminished, impoverished, but still inheritors of the family name and crypt. They never had the guts to step inside or the money to pay for someone to clear it out, but fate just handed them an opportunity. You robbed their ancestors and now they're practically salivating at the chance to sue you for the return of that loot.
   
   
5. Terrain
   Paintings, statues, antiques, golden idols. They're as good as money, but only if you can get them home. Can you carry them out of the forest? Will the cart's axle support the weight? Is the road passable to a fully laden cart, or will you bog down in every wheel rut? What if the weather changes and the road turns to mud? What if you have to go cross-country to avoid bandits?
   
   
6. Suspicion
   You chose a platinum crown studded with gemstones as part of your share. Now it's gone and the wizard's pack looks a little heavier. Did you face all this danger to let one of your own companions rob you when you let your guard down?