The Rippers world is similar to the real world, so the number of potential character conepts is virtually unlimited. With so many choices, you might feel overwhelmed, so the list below provides you with some common character types to get you started. This is not an exhaustive list from which you must choose. Rather, it is to give you some ideas about your hero's background and what he or she did before joining the Rippers.
Acrobat: Circus acrobats and athletes sometimes don disguises to fight both crime and the terrors of the night. Dressed in colorful costumes and brandishing simple weapons like staves and throwing knives, these agile heroes defeat their enemies with a combination of speed, strength, and deadly skill.
Alienist: These doctors specialize in handling the criminally insane and healing the mind through the use of mesmerism or the recently developed technique of psychoanalsis. Their understanding of the fragility of the human mind can be of great use to unstable Rippers. Dr. Seward is one of Van Helsing's original vampire slayers, and an alienist of considerable skill. A few alienists have discipled themselves to the point where they can affect their surroundings through sheer willpower. These people are known as "sensitives" or "psychics."
Clergy: Men and women of the cloth normally live lives of quiet contemplation. Sometimes, however, the forces of evil loom large, and these holy men are forced to take up the sword and do battle against the creatures of the night. Drawn from many different religions and denominations, these holy Rippers have hte power to perform miracles through the strenght of their faith.
Cowboy: Gunslingers, card sharps, lawmen, and other folkds from the fading frontier sometimes make their way into the ranks of the Rippers in search of adventure. The most famous Ripper cowboy was Quincy Morris, an amateur vampire slayer and one of Van Helsing's first recruits. Morris was cut down in 1876 during an unsuccessful attempt to destroy Count Dracula, but others of his ilk have joined the struggle.
Detective: While detectives might seem outclassed when confronted by vampires, werewolves, mummies, and similar terrors, their investigative minds are always an asset. Also, their keen eye for detail and ability to work in public as legitimate officers of the law gives them much more latitude than the typical Ripper.
Doctor: Because their specialized training allowed them to perform Rippertech implant surgery, medical doctors were once at the core of the Rippers. Since Van Helsing introduced strict limits on Rippertech implantation, their importance has declired somewhat, but they are still valued members of the organization, and they perform vital research work.
Explorer: Adventurers and explorers of all types can be found among teh ranks of the Rippers. Some come from "civilized" countries like England or the United States, while others hail from more isolated regions of the world like the deserts of Egypt, the Amazong Jungle, or the mountains of Tibet. Expert at tracking, survival, and other wilderness arts, explorers have proven an invaluable asset when stalking creatures of the night.
Officer: Britain and the other great imperial powers have military bases located around the globe. The military officers in these places frequently take it upon themselves to aid the Rippers. Some have a degree of autonomy and can bring the soldiers they lead with them.
Scholar: Archeologists, historians, and other scholars are vital to unlocking the secrets of the past and learning the forgotten lore necessary for victory. Far from being cloistered academics, many of these scholars are more at home crawling through forgotten tombs and dodging ancient traps than they are in a library or research facility.
Scientist: The Rippers employ many experts in electricity, mechanical engineering, gunnery, and related technological fields. Their expertise makes them excellent researchers and planners, though they sometimes struggle in the field.
Slayer: When some thinks of the archetypical Ripper, they picture the slayer. Training from early age to hunt vampires by Abraham Van Helsing's adopted son Johann, slayers are fast and athletic, but are also well educated and strong of spirit.
Vengeant: Men and women who have lost loved ones to creatures of the night always make willing Rippers. They often with a righteous fury that can only come from a burning desire for vengeance and a total disregard for their own lives.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
October is Horror Month!
September is here, which means the leaves are going to start turning gold, the winds are going to get chillier, and October is just around the corner. I love horror roleplaying, and for several years I've wanted to get a Victorian-era horror game going in October. Well this year I'm doing it.
Starting on Friday, October 3rd, I'm going to get a short Rippers game going for the month. Rippers is a setting for the Savage Worlds system that takes the ideas and characters behind classic monsters - Dracula, Frankenstein's Creation, Dr. Van Helsing, John and Mina Harker, etc. - and creates an atmospheric world of horror and madness. It's set in the Victorian-era (1890's).
The setting is hooked around two organizations - the Rippers and the Cabal. The Rippers are the good guys, formed and led by Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, who hunt the monsters and evils of the world. They're called Rippers because of an ancient secretive technique that rips the power out of supernatural creatures and bestows it to a willing subject. This "Rippertech" eventually drives men and women insane but it is often the only edge they have in their fight against the darkness.
The Cabal is a loose organization of that darkness. Led by a mysterious man known simply as Dr. Jack, the Cabal is made up of disparate factions each with their evil agenda and nefarious schemes. They are united in their hatred of the Rippers. All manner of terrible creatures are found within the loose ranks of the Cabal, but Dr. Jack has yet to secure the support of the ancient vampires (led by Count Dracula).
It's a world where a secret war between the darkness and the light has been brewing for centuries. The disciples of Van Helsing, brave men and women, know they fight for not just their own lives but for the safety of the entire world. But they also know that the edge they sometimes need to confront the darkness will drive them ultimately towards madness, death ... and worse.
I'm going to make another post with PC suggestions, but I'll have character information packets available in a week or so. Also - EXTRA EXPERIENCE POINTS will be awarded for anyone who dresses up in costume on Halloween. Or any day really.
Starting on Friday, October 3rd, I'm going to get a short Rippers game going for the month. Rippers is a setting for the Savage Worlds system that takes the ideas and characters behind classic monsters - Dracula, Frankenstein's Creation, Dr. Van Helsing, John and Mina Harker, etc. - and creates an atmospheric world of horror and madness. It's set in the Victorian-era (1890's).
The setting is hooked around two organizations - the Rippers and the Cabal. The Rippers are the good guys, formed and led by Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, who hunt the monsters and evils of the world. They're called Rippers because of an ancient secretive technique that rips the power out of supernatural creatures and bestows it to a willing subject. This "Rippertech" eventually drives men and women insane but it is often the only edge they have in their fight against the darkness.
The Cabal is a loose organization of that darkness. Led by a mysterious man known simply as Dr. Jack, the Cabal is made up of disparate factions each with their evil agenda and nefarious schemes. They are united in their hatred of the Rippers. All manner of terrible creatures are found within the loose ranks of the Cabal, but Dr. Jack has yet to secure the support of the ancient vampires (led by Count Dracula).
It's a world where a secret war between the darkness and the light has been brewing for centuries. The disciples of Van Helsing, brave men and women, know they fight for not just their own lives but for the safety of the entire world. But they also know that the edge they sometimes need to confront the darkness will drive them ultimately towards madness, death ... and worse.
I'm going to make another post with PC suggestions, but I'll have character information packets available in a week or so. Also - EXTRA EXPERIENCE POINTS will be awarded for anyone who dresses up in costume on Halloween. Or any day really.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Age of Worms Campaign Update 8/24/2008
CHRONICLE VAULT 20080824, FROM THE LIBRARY OF RHAVUS THE FIEND-SAGE ...
Coldeven 18, 595 CY
Other interests have pulled my attention away from the Kings of the Road for a time, other interests that will soon become their interests. For all things come to pass in the end, and the end starts with the Age of Worms.
The heroes, having met Lashonna at the palace of Prince Zeech of Alhaster during a feast and games commemorating his 20th anniversary as ruler, arranged a meeting at her palatial home at midnight on Coldeven 12. The companions arrived early and were greeted by Lashonna's house servant, who brought them to her spacious and impressive library. Duke was especially interested in the volumes of lore, most of which seemed to center on the history, flora, and fauna of the Bandit Kingdoms region.
After a short wait Lashonna arrived in a gossamer nightgown that accentuated her graceful elven figure. She apologized for the lateness of the hour, and gave them the remnants of Grimoire Barackus' journal. The elven noble admitted a certain obsession with Grimoire's work, and remember fondly his visit to her almost twenty years ago.
From what the heroes could read from the tattered remains of Grimoire's journal gave them a newfound respect for the missing wizard. Grimoire identified the dracolich Dragotha as the herald of Kyuss, and it was him that the companions saw in the visions they experienced in the ruins of Kuluth-Mar far to the south carrying away the physical remains of the Wormgod. The ancient dracolich laired somewhere in the Rift Canyon to the north, but Dragotha's phylactery was taken by a group of druids called the Order of the Storm and hidden away from the world. Lashonna told the heroes that Grimoire had gone north to the Wormcrawl Fissure in the Rift Canyon to confront Dragotha against her guidance.
In the time since Grimore disappeared, Lashonna had been researching and discovered that the Order of the Storm secreted away Dragotha's phylactery in a hidden place called Last Resort. The only way into Last Resort was through the island of Tilagos, ancient stronghold of the druids somewhere in the Nyr Dyv. Tilagos appears on no maps, however, and is kept hidden from the world by powerful storms that destroy passing ships.
Lashonna was very frank with the heroes. The Age of Worms is upon them all, and if they have a hope of stopping this terrible event they must destroy the herald of Kyuss. But to defeat a dracolich one must first destroy its phylactery, and in Dragotha's case you have to first find it. The elf noble admitted at this point that she had made many enemies, and one of them planted a spy in her household. A month ago most of her research notes on the existence of Last Resort and the Order of the Storm was stolen by a trusted associated of hers, so it is likely someone else is seeking the knowledge of the druids.
And there was one more catch. In order to access Last Resort one must possess the blood of one of the Order's members. The druid line had been diluted greatly in the last 1500 years, but Lashonna was able to trace the lineage down to one person - Christine, wife of King Toka Deasseana of Bloodstone. The companions needed to get a vial of blood from King Toka's wife before setting out for Tilagos.
In this they were partially lucky. King Toka and his wife were both in Alhaster for Prince Zeech's banquet. The heroes were in agreement - they could not turn back now, not after all they had done. The elf rogue Fin, whom the companions met at the banquet, explained that his liege - Lord Dextarian Nightshade of the Homogeny - had sent him on this quest as the strange worm-ridden undead had begun to appear in his lands as well.
And so, at 2 am, Duke, Argo, Fin, Drake, and Kong set out to find King Toka wherever he was staying in Alhaster. They found the inn and managed to bribe the keeper to get Toka's room number. After several minutes of pounding on his door they were confronted with a very upset man who held a hammer that could kill a giant in a single blow. But the heroes were not deterred and explained in a rush what was going on.
Toka invited them in and listened to their tale, adding that he had been warned by Malakara that they might be showing up. At first he refused to give up and his wife's blood for the reason that she was with child. But given the circumstances surrounding the situation and the dire threat the dracolich posed to everyone in the Bandit Kingdoms he relented. He took a vial into the bedroom and returned a few minutes later with it filled with blood. Toka gave them the vial, and told them that the should return to Bloodstone if and when they came back from Tilagos Island.
The heroes returned to their inn for one more night in Alhaster and went out early the next day. Captain Shadowstalker and the Sunshadow were two days outside of Alhaster, and upon arriving it didn't take much convincing to get the shadow elf captain to sail into the elemental storm that surrounded the island. The crew prepped the ship quickly and within an hour the Sunshadow set off into the Nyr Dyv, traveling at rapid speed across the lake's choppy waters.
It was still a two day trip into the heart of the Nyr Dyv even at the accelerated speeds of the Sunshadow. On the afternoon of the second day they entered the path of a powerful storm, which Captain Shadowstalker identified as the storm that concealed the island of Tilagos. The winds whipped about and the ship heaved back and forth, but the companions held firm to their ground (impressing even the crew of the Sunshadow!).
After three hours of being buffetted around by the torrential rain and winds one of the crew shouted "land!" and out of the center of the storm an island came into view. It was mostly obscurred by the powerful downpour, but from what could be seen was a barren rocky terrain dotted with what appeared to be stone ruins. Captain Shadowstalker sent the heroes ashore on a dinghe as the water was too shallow for the Sunshadow to approach close enough.
As the companions plowed through the choppy waters they could see that the beach was littered with the remains of ships that had been dashed to pieces on the rocks. One wreck seemed recent - The Secret Hand, a large schooner, lay broken in half on the rocks. Kong pulled the small boat to shore and everyone kept an eye out for trouble.
Which was a good thing since trouble appeared behind the rocks of the beach. Argo spotted them first, then Fin pointed out a few more - orc pirates, moving stealthily amongst the debris. There were about eight of them it seemed moving in on their position. Fin ducked down into the boat and disappeared while the rest of the heroes loosened weapons and steeled their nerves.
The orcs made the first move - big mistake. They leapt up with a ferocious yell that could be heard over the roar of the wind, and then one found two daggers lodged in his skull from Argo's masterful throws. Drake charged a pair, the orcs rushed forward and melee was engaged. With an acrobatic leap Fin revealed himself and stabbed one of the pirates with his rapier. Duke's image seemed to waver for a moment but then he literally scared one of the pirates to death.
Drake was confronted by the leader of the pirates, a nasty orc with a scar running the length of his face. He was a patient and skilled fighter and matched Drake blow for blow in a titanic match of ringing steel and spraying blood. Things did not look good for the human warrior but then Kong- foam frothing at his mouth - charged forward and used his barbarian strength to drop the orc captain.
The captain pleaded for his life, and explained that he was the captain of the Secret Hand. Him and his crew were hired by a Vecnan priest named Darl Quethos to find the island of Tilagos. Several of the crew had been killed by the vicious priest using the Hand of Vecna. They arrived on the shores of the island two days ago whereupon Darl and his retinue went into the interior of the island.
The companions decided to spare the orc his life. They looked upon the wind-beaten interior of the island and knew that not only were they searching for the secret of Dragotha's phylactery they were racing against a powerful priest of Vecna who possessed his god's legendary hand. Not great prospects.
Session Updates
'Bout time! Good to get the campaign back up and rolling, but there are some not so good things about it too. Harris has moved down to Mankato, though it seems he's coming up to the cities every weekend. We've moved the campaign from Thursdays to Sundays. And it sounds like Travis will be joining us as a regular character. What PC he makes is still up in the air, along with Jesse making a new character.
XP Recap
Err ... I don't have the numbers here. I'll update it later.
Until next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
weird.dave.dfga@gmail.com
Coldeven 18, 595 CY
Other interests have pulled my attention away from the Kings of the Road for a time, other interests that will soon become their interests. For all things come to pass in the end, and the end starts with the Age of Worms.
The heroes, having met Lashonna at the palace of Prince Zeech of Alhaster during a feast and games commemorating his 20th anniversary as ruler, arranged a meeting at her palatial home at midnight on Coldeven 12. The companions arrived early and were greeted by Lashonna's house servant, who brought them to her spacious and impressive library. Duke was especially interested in the volumes of lore, most of which seemed to center on the history, flora, and fauna of the Bandit Kingdoms region.
After a short wait Lashonna arrived in a gossamer nightgown that accentuated her graceful elven figure. She apologized for the lateness of the hour, and gave them the remnants of Grimoire Barackus' journal. The elven noble admitted a certain obsession with Grimoire's work, and remember fondly his visit to her almost twenty years ago.
From what the heroes could read from the tattered remains of Grimoire's journal gave them a newfound respect for the missing wizard. Grimoire identified the dracolich Dragotha as the herald of Kyuss, and it was him that the companions saw in the visions they experienced in the ruins of Kuluth-Mar far to the south carrying away the physical remains of the Wormgod. The ancient dracolich laired somewhere in the Rift Canyon to the north, but Dragotha's phylactery was taken by a group of druids called the Order of the Storm and hidden away from the world. Lashonna told the heroes that Grimoire had gone north to the Wormcrawl Fissure in the Rift Canyon to confront Dragotha against her guidance.
In the time since Grimore disappeared, Lashonna had been researching and discovered that the Order of the Storm secreted away Dragotha's phylactery in a hidden place called Last Resort. The only way into Last Resort was through the island of Tilagos, ancient stronghold of the druids somewhere in the Nyr Dyv. Tilagos appears on no maps, however, and is kept hidden from the world by powerful storms that destroy passing ships.
Lashonna was very frank with the heroes. The Age of Worms is upon them all, and if they have a hope of stopping this terrible event they must destroy the herald of Kyuss. But to defeat a dracolich one must first destroy its phylactery, and in Dragotha's case you have to first find it. The elf noble admitted at this point that she had made many enemies, and one of them planted a spy in her household. A month ago most of her research notes on the existence of Last Resort and the Order of the Storm was stolen by a trusted associated of hers, so it is likely someone else is seeking the knowledge of the druids.
And there was one more catch. In order to access Last Resort one must possess the blood of one of the Order's members. The druid line had been diluted greatly in the last 1500 years, but Lashonna was able to trace the lineage down to one person - Christine, wife of King Toka Deasseana of Bloodstone. The companions needed to get a vial of blood from King Toka's wife before setting out for Tilagos.
In this they were partially lucky. King Toka and his wife were both in Alhaster for Prince Zeech's banquet. The heroes were in agreement - they could not turn back now, not after all they had done. The elf rogue Fin, whom the companions met at the banquet, explained that his liege - Lord Dextarian Nightshade of the Homogeny - had sent him on this quest as the strange worm-ridden undead had begun to appear in his lands as well.
And so, at 2 am, Duke, Argo, Fin, Drake, and Kong set out to find King Toka wherever he was staying in Alhaster. They found the inn and managed to bribe the keeper to get Toka's room number. After several minutes of pounding on his door they were confronted with a very upset man who held a hammer that could kill a giant in a single blow. But the heroes were not deterred and explained in a rush what was going on.
Toka invited them in and listened to their tale, adding that he had been warned by Malakara that they might be showing up. At first he refused to give up and his wife's blood for the reason that she was with child. But given the circumstances surrounding the situation and the dire threat the dracolich posed to everyone in the Bandit Kingdoms he relented. He took a vial into the bedroom and returned a few minutes later with it filled with blood. Toka gave them the vial, and told them that the should return to Bloodstone if and when they came back from Tilagos Island.
The heroes returned to their inn for one more night in Alhaster and went out early the next day. Captain Shadowstalker and the Sunshadow were two days outside of Alhaster, and upon arriving it didn't take much convincing to get the shadow elf captain to sail into the elemental storm that surrounded the island. The crew prepped the ship quickly and within an hour the Sunshadow set off into the Nyr Dyv, traveling at rapid speed across the lake's choppy waters.
It was still a two day trip into the heart of the Nyr Dyv even at the accelerated speeds of the Sunshadow. On the afternoon of the second day they entered the path of a powerful storm, which Captain Shadowstalker identified as the storm that concealed the island of Tilagos. The winds whipped about and the ship heaved back and forth, but the companions held firm to their ground (impressing even the crew of the Sunshadow!).
After three hours of being buffetted around by the torrential rain and winds one of the crew shouted "land!" and out of the center of the storm an island came into view. It was mostly obscurred by the powerful downpour, but from what could be seen was a barren rocky terrain dotted with what appeared to be stone ruins. Captain Shadowstalker sent the heroes ashore on a dinghe as the water was too shallow for the Sunshadow to approach close enough.
As the companions plowed through the choppy waters they could see that the beach was littered with the remains of ships that had been dashed to pieces on the rocks. One wreck seemed recent - The Secret Hand, a large schooner, lay broken in half on the rocks. Kong pulled the small boat to shore and everyone kept an eye out for trouble.
Which was a good thing since trouble appeared behind the rocks of the beach. Argo spotted them first, then Fin pointed out a few more - orc pirates, moving stealthily amongst the debris. There were about eight of them it seemed moving in on their position. Fin ducked down into the boat and disappeared while the rest of the heroes loosened weapons and steeled their nerves.
The orcs made the first move - big mistake. They leapt up with a ferocious yell that could be heard over the roar of the wind, and then one found two daggers lodged in his skull from Argo's masterful throws. Drake charged a pair, the orcs rushed forward and melee was engaged. With an acrobatic leap Fin revealed himself and stabbed one of the pirates with his rapier. Duke's image seemed to waver for a moment but then he literally scared one of the pirates to death.
Drake was confronted by the leader of the pirates, a nasty orc with a scar running the length of his face. He was a patient and skilled fighter and matched Drake blow for blow in a titanic match of ringing steel and spraying blood. Things did not look good for the human warrior but then Kong- foam frothing at his mouth - charged forward and used his barbarian strength to drop the orc captain.
The captain pleaded for his life, and explained that he was the captain of the Secret Hand. Him and his crew were hired by a Vecnan priest named Darl Quethos to find the island of Tilagos. Several of the crew had been killed by the vicious priest using the Hand of Vecna. They arrived on the shores of the island two days ago whereupon Darl and his retinue went into the interior of the island.
The companions decided to spare the orc his life. They looked upon the wind-beaten interior of the island and knew that not only were they searching for the secret of Dragotha's phylactery they were racing against a powerful priest of Vecna who possessed his god's legendary hand. Not great prospects.
Session Updates
'Bout time! Good to get the campaign back up and rolling, but there are some not so good things about it too. Harris has moved down to Mankato, though it seems he's coming up to the cities every weekend. We've moved the campaign from Thursdays to Sundays. And it sounds like Travis will be joining us as a regular character. What PC he makes is still up in the air, along with Jesse making a new character.
XP Recap
Err ... I don't have the numbers here. I'll update it later.
Until next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
weird.dave.dfga@gmail.com
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Age of Worms Startup!
Age of Worms on Sunday, August 24th. Who's up? Startup a little earlier than normal (say around 1 pm or 2 pm) and get this campaign back off the ground. Any plans to stop this? Anyone got anything going on?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Trail of Cthulhu Thursday
Trail of Cthulhu
Miskatonic University Expeditions
Trail of Cthulhu (which uses the Gumshoe engine) takes a lot of interesting ideas to the investigatory horror genre of gaming; I really like its take on clues, for instance. Whereas in Call of Cthulhu, one failed Spot Hidden check will make things much more difficult for both players and Keeper, in ToC the clue will be found, only the results will be left unknown. Like in CSI, the test results always come back (instead of rolling a forensics check) but conclusions must still be drawn. It also cuts down on useless or confusing scores such as Appearance and Size as well as adding more power to the character’s backgrounds. While I really like Call of Cthulhu, I want to see if I like Trail of Cthulhu better and if it suits the gaming style of our group better. I'd like to start on Thursday.
The campaign will start in Arkham in the summer of 1928. Here is the scene- the Arkham Advertiser has published an interesting story on the front page.
MU Prepares for Arctic Expedition
In Greenland, the glaciers move across the land slowly, their progress measured in centuries. One such slow moving glacier has recently revealed a great wall of stone, covered in ancient hieroglyphs that are thought to be thousands of years old. Details are still sketchy, but reports say that the massive slab of stone, which apparently protrudes from a glacier features a massive bas-relief of an ancient Eskimo god. Odd hieroglyphs surround the figure, and it is hoped that they may reveal the secrets of a civilization thousands of years old.
Professor Curtis Mathieson of Miskatonic University has recently secured permission from the Danish government to head an expedition to conduct research in the area. He has already begun to select his team, and has recalled the Darlena, a research vessel leased by the University, to carry the expedition to Greenland. Mathieson expects to have the expedition under way in mere weeks.
When asked to speculate about the origins of the wall, Mathieson said, “I am not prepared to do so at this time, although I will be happy to make a full statement when accurate research of this phenomenon has been accomplished. Suffice to say, the wall seems to be extremely ancient, and the sketches I have seen of the hieroglyphs seem to indicate that they belong to no known linguistic family.”
Mathieson is still looking to fill out Greenland research team. Individuals already selected including Doctor Henry Ethelrod, a staff member of the British Museum; Charles Granger, a graduate student at Miskatonic University; Terrence Bhule, a young though renowned anthropologist, and a team of French mountaineers under the leadership of the esteemed climber Phillippe Luvois. Currently, Professor Mathieson is interested in expanding the participants of the expedition, and urges anyone who is interested in helping (particularly Miskatonic students) to contact him at the Department of Archeology at Miskatonic University.
Trail of Cthulhu character creation is fairly simple, it should only take a few minutes, but it will be useful to have a concept ready. If you want, you could remake old characters (even those who might have died in CoC) to provide interesting characters in the Trail of Cthulhu universe. Here is the basic rundown of investigator creation.
Choose Occupation: Full List- Alienist, Antiquarian, Archaeologist*, Artist*, Author*, Clergy, Criminal, Dilettante*, Doctor*, Hobo, Journalist*, Military, Nurse*, Parapsychologist, Pilot, Police Detective, Private Investigator, Professor*, Scientist* (asterisks indicate occupations better suited to the adventure)
The occupation will determine skills, special abilities, and credit rating.
Choose Drive: Adventure, Antiquarianism, Arrogance, Artistic Sensitivity, Bad Luck, Curiosity, Duty, Ennui, Follower, In the Blood, Revenge, Scholarship, Sudden Shock, Thirst for Knowledge.
This will provide a concrete reason why your character would be interested in pursing investigation of the Mythos and is based on your investigator’s backstory and occupation. You can be as specific as you like. Failing to pursue your drive may result in Stability loss (explained later).
Next, you spend build points on abilities, making sure the party has a wide variety of skills.
Finally you choose your Pillar(s) of Sanity (an abstract principle your investigator implicitly believes in, such as a religion, family values, scientific progress, or whatever) and your Source(s) of Stability (a person or people who keeps you sane when things get bad). Last, you can choose to write about any other contacts your investigator might have.
Here are some character ideas for the campaign.
Archeologist- another archeologist would be welcomed on the expedition.
Artist- a painter, sculptor, or photographer would be needed on the trip to keep visual records of the sights, and a student artist might need the school credits or excuse to see such beautiful and exotic sights as the arctic.
Author- like an artist, may be a student or simply a interested party who might accompany the expedition to keep records or simply find inspiration.
Dilettante- a great way for a wealthy student to escape parental control during the summer, and to brag to the guys/gals in the club, as aiding an archeological expedition could be quite an adventure.
Doctor/Nurse- a doctor or nurse, or even a medical student would be very useful on an expedition in case of injury or disease, and one would be encouraged to join. Credits in a social science may also be useful to a pre-med or nursing student as well.
Journalist- either a journalism student working for the school paper or a professional from one of Arkham’s major newspapers (or other city) deciding to accompany the expedition for the inside scoop into its discoveries, a journalist would find themselves put to work as well by the scientists.
Professor- another professor or academic grad student could also be invited to accompany, either for their erudite knowledge on a subject or simply as brute labor in the more dirty aspects of archeology.
Scientist- a person with knowledge of a hard science, such as a geologist or biologist might also enjoy the expedition, and even an engineer might wish to test out new arctic designed motors or other technology. Students in the sciences may need humanity credits available from participating in the expedition.
Miskatonic University Expeditions
Trail of Cthulhu (which uses the Gumshoe engine) takes a lot of interesting ideas to the investigatory horror genre of gaming; I really like its take on clues, for instance. Whereas in Call of Cthulhu, one failed Spot Hidden check will make things much more difficult for both players and Keeper, in ToC the clue will be found, only the results will be left unknown. Like in CSI, the test results always come back (instead of rolling a forensics check) but conclusions must still be drawn. It also cuts down on useless or confusing scores such as Appearance and Size as well as adding more power to the character’s backgrounds. While I really like Call of Cthulhu, I want to see if I like Trail of Cthulhu better and if it suits the gaming style of our group better. I'd like to start on Thursday.
The campaign will start in Arkham in the summer of 1928. Here is the scene- the Arkham Advertiser has published an interesting story on the front page.
MU Prepares for Arctic Expedition
In Greenland, the glaciers move across the land slowly, their progress measured in centuries. One such slow moving glacier has recently revealed a great wall of stone, covered in ancient hieroglyphs that are thought to be thousands of years old. Details are still sketchy, but reports say that the massive slab of stone, which apparently protrudes from a glacier features a massive bas-relief of an ancient Eskimo god. Odd hieroglyphs surround the figure, and it is hoped that they may reveal the secrets of a civilization thousands of years old.
Professor Curtis Mathieson of Miskatonic University has recently secured permission from the Danish government to head an expedition to conduct research in the area. He has already begun to select his team, and has recalled the Darlena, a research vessel leased by the University, to carry the expedition to Greenland. Mathieson expects to have the expedition under way in mere weeks.
When asked to speculate about the origins of the wall, Mathieson said, “I am not prepared to do so at this time, although I will be happy to make a full statement when accurate research of this phenomenon has been accomplished. Suffice to say, the wall seems to be extremely ancient, and the sketches I have seen of the hieroglyphs seem to indicate that they belong to no known linguistic family.”
Mathieson is still looking to fill out Greenland research team. Individuals already selected including Doctor Henry Ethelrod, a staff member of the British Museum; Charles Granger, a graduate student at Miskatonic University; Terrence Bhule, a young though renowned anthropologist, and a team of French mountaineers under the leadership of the esteemed climber Phillippe Luvois. Currently, Professor Mathieson is interested in expanding the participants of the expedition, and urges anyone who is interested in helping (particularly Miskatonic students) to contact him at the Department of Archeology at Miskatonic University.
Trail of Cthulhu character creation is fairly simple, it should only take a few minutes, but it will be useful to have a concept ready. If you want, you could remake old characters (even those who might have died in CoC) to provide interesting characters in the Trail of Cthulhu universe. Here is the basic rundown of investigator creation.
Choose Occupation: Full List- Alienist, Antiquarian, Archaeologist*, Artist*, Author*, Clergy, Criminal, Dilettante*, Doctor*, Hobo, Journalist*, Military, Nurse*, Parapsychologist, Pilot, Police Detective, Private Investigator, Professor*, Scientist* (asterisks indicate occupations better suited to the adventure)
The occupation will determine skills, special abilities, and credit rating.
Choose Drive: Adventure, Antiquarianism, Arrogance, Artistic Sensitivity, Bad Luck, Curiosity, Duty, Ennui, Follower, In the Blood, Revenge, Scholarship, Sudden Shock, Thirst for Knowledge.
This will provide a concrete reason why your character would be interested in pursing investigation of the Mythos and is based on your investigator’s backstory and occupation. You can be as specific as you like. Failing to pursue your drive may result in Stability loss (explained later).
Next, you spend build points on abilities, making sure the party has a wide variety of skills.
Finally you choose your Pillar(s) of Sanity (an abstract principle your investigator implicitly believes in, such as a religion, family values, scientific progress, or whatever) and your Source(s) of Stability (a person or people who keeps you sane when things get bad). Last, you can choose to write about any other contacts your investigator might have.
Here are some character ideas for the campaign.
Archeologist- another archeologist would be welcomed on the expedition.
Artist- a painter, sculptor, or photographer would be needed on the trip to keep visual records of the sights, and a student artist might need the school credits or excuse to see such beautiful and exotic sights as the arctic.
Author- like an artist, may be a student or simply a interested party who might accompany the expedition to keep records or simply find inspiration.
Dilettante- a great way for a wealthy student to escape parental control during the summer, and to brag to the guys/gals in the club, as aiding an archeological expedition could be quite an adventure.
Doctor/Nurse- a doctor or nurse, or even a medical student would be very useful on an expedition in case of injury or disease, and one would be encouraged to join. Credits in a social science may also be useful to a pre-med or nursing student as well.
Journalist- either a journalism student working for the school paper or a professional from one of Arkham’s major newspapers (or other city) deciding to accompany the expedition for the inside scoop into its discoveries, a journalist would find themselves put to work as well by the scientists.
Professor- another professor or academic grad student could also be invited to accompany, either for their erudite knowledge on a subject or simply as brute labor in the more dirty aspects of archeology.
Scientist- a person with knowledge of a hard science, such as a geologist or biologist might also enjoy the expedition, and even an engineer might wish to test out new arctic designed motors or other technology. Students in the sciences may need humanity credits available from participating in the expedition.
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Ravaged Earth!
Action! Adventure! Heroism! Death rays! Rocket packs! The depths of the unknown and the heights of excitement!
These and more await you in the Ravaged Earth. This is a Savage Worlds community setting available for all to see at the following link: http://www.ravagedearthsociety.com/TRES/tiki-index.php.
It takes a look at the world of 1935 had the Martians invaded in 1898 (I think that's the date). Check out the character creation guidelines and if you're interested get thinking about a character. I'd like to get this off the ground pretty soon. I love pulp.
These and more await you in the Ravaged Earth. This is a Savage Worlds community setting available for all to see at the following link: http://www.ravagedearthsociety.com/TRES/tiki-index.php.
It takes a look at the world of 1935 had the Martians invaded in 1898 (I think that's the date). Check out the character creation guidelines and if you're interested get thinking about a character. I'd like to get this off the ground pretty soon. I love pulp.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
More House Delays?!?!!
Grrr. I heard back from my realtor today saying that the paperwork was all done on THIS end but the bank that owns the house currently is dragging their feet. AGAIN. I've got all the necessary paperwork signed on the dotted lines (as far as pre-closing date is concerned) now all I have to do is wait for the bank to get off their lazy @#&%ing rear ends and get the paperwork back to the underwriters.
Last word is that it could take up to 10 days. The only bit of encouraging news is that the bank's paperwork said that closing woud be on or before 30 days after the acceptance date. Well, the acceptance date was 6/16 - meaning 7/16 for an outside date. Two weeks away, but still within reach. Of course, can they adjust the acceptance date ... ?
Grrr. Aaarrrgh.
Last word is that it could take up to 10 days. The only bit of encouraging news is that the bank's paperwork said that closing woud be on or before 30 days after the acceptance date. Well, the acceptance date was 6/16 - meaning 7/16 for an outside date. Two weeks away, but still within reach. Of course, can they adjust the acceptance date ... ?
Grrr. Aaarrrgh.
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