Need Advice for A Call Of Cthulhu Game

[Algarik]

Hello everyone, i apologize in advance for my not so good english writing skill, French Canadian here! Anyway, that got nothing to do with the purpose of this thread! As you can see in the title, i'm looking for advice for a dark lovecraftian, kinda game.

My System Mastery:

Although i wouldn't call myself a Veteran, i do believe i know quite enough to run a game without any system mastery difficulty.

Here's what wanna do for the moment:

I wanna prepare a short scenario, with a length of 3 to 5 game, but time isn't really an issue, i just don't wanna get into something too big at first, so i wanna start kinda smoothly. If it goes well, i'll be inclined to do more, if it don't i won't start beating on a dead horse, like i just did for a previous campaign! (Long story short: My player weren't as much interested in my gritty epic 6 campaign as much as i was, i'll take the blame!)

At the moment i don't really have ideas about the plot right now, or what kind of challenge are gonna await the players. I do know i wanna avoid a combat heavy game, because my player and i are getting tired of combat focused game. I think an investigation could be pretty fun, and would change the pace.

What I'm actually looking for in this tread:
- Recomendations on book/magazine/book sections to find/read to help me manage an investigation in a dark lovecraftian horror themed world.
- I need mechanics, or stuff to help me deal with the sanity aspect of a lovecraftian story/game. I guess Fright check can help, but more would be appreciated!
- How should i handle magic in that setting? I know magic can be really sanity shattering and physicaly for spellcasters in lovecraftian setting, and i'd like the capture that feeling if magic should ever be involved.
- Links to other thread you feel would be relevant.
- If you have any kind of idea for an investigation, recommendation, that could give me more inspiration, that would be really appreciated!
- Any advice not previously listen here, is gladly welcomed! Feel free to share personal story from previous game, that could gives me some ideas! Just try to keep the thread clean, i don't wanna see it devolve into an argument or anything.

Thanks in advance for your time, and i wish you a Good whatever time it is the moment you're reading this!

[safisher]

I have ran several Cthulhu type campaigns and GURPS works very easily in the setting. It's ideal, IME.
I highly recommend GURPS Horror, as it has a system for enhancing Fright Checks and dealing with madness. In addition, it's chock full of GMing advice for this sort of campaign, including several Lovecraftian monster stats. Also, check out C.R. Rice's article in Pyramid 103, Mad as Bones, for an expansion of the Horror derangement system.
GURPS Mysteries has great advice for running a game based on uncovering clues. It's very detailed, of course, but might help structure certain scenes.
The GURPS Monster Hunters series, especially volume 2, while more action oriented, has good advice for the genre -- the deductions system is great. For a proper pulp era, rather than modern setting, look at Pyramid 31's Pulp Horror article.The Action series is also useful and Pyramid 8 Pulp Action article will help convert that series to the pulp era.

[Gollum]

Hello Algarik.

First, don't worry for your English. It is perfectly readable ... for a French guy! So. I'm sure it is for English speakers too.

Second, I ran a lot of GURPS Call of Cthulhu games. Actually, it is my favorite genre.

I fully do agree with Safisher. GURPS Horror is the book to have. Sure, the Basic Set is sufficient: Fright Checks as written in the rules perfectly work for Cthulhu games; instead of losing more and more Sanity points, like in the Chaosium system, Player Characters get more and more mental disadvantages, which also give the players the feeling that they become more and more mad. But Horror has got an advantage. It makes a difference between Stress (ordinary Fright Checks) and Derangement (true madness). And the rules reamain very simple to use. Until now, I didn't use those rules but I will, as soon as I can. They are great. Furthermore, Horror gives a lot of other very good hints.

Other books mentioned by Safisher are very good ones too. I don't have all them but I probably will get the missing ones as soon as I will have the opportunity.

I would just add one reference that I use a lot: High-Tech. For roaring 20s as well as for modern days campaigns, I use it a lot.

And, yes, as Safisher said: "GURPS works very easily in the setting. It's ideal, IME." It's so easy to translate Cthulhu adventures in the GURPS system that I'm pretty sure that Steve Jacson and other GURPS authors had Chaosium Call of Cthulhu in mind when they wrote GURPS rules.

[Vynticator]

Definitely read GURPS Horror, it is excellent, one of the very best supplements. I would also recommend GURPS Mysteries, brilliant if you plan on an investigative element to the adventure.

For the setting and story, consider buying Call of Cthulhu source books (we use Cthulhu by Gaslight, 1890s London setting) which usually have starter adventures in there. You can adapt the setting and story as you wish, but it is often helpful to have a plot set up from a published scenario. It will give you an idea how much story to include, how much detective work, what kind of horror level to include in the very first scenario etc. Assume the starter characters have very little knowledge of the Mythos (like in the short stories by Lovecraft himself!).

My advice would be, you need to be very clear with the clues and evidence. What might seem like a clear trail to investigate to you, will seem complex and opaque to the players coming at the mystery for the first time. Expect them to follow some dead-ends quite a lot of the time!

[Algarik]

Wow, Thanks a lot guys, that is really useful, i'll be sure to check it out once i return from job!

Safisher, i think got pretty much all you listed, maybe i'm short on the Pyramid 103, but it might be worth the purchase! Thanks a lot!

Golum, thanks for the suggestion! I was indeed thinking of running the game in the 20's so High-Tech is definetely a good suggestion!

Vynticator, thanks i might go check on their store, if it's not to expensive i might give it a go!

Thank you again all!

On different matter, do anyone know of obvious, or not so obvious, trap to avoid in that kind of game?

[Emerald Cat]

Originally Posted by Algarik

- How should i handle magic in that setting? I know magic can be really sanity shattering and physicaly for spellcasters in lovecraftian setting, and i'd like the capture that feeling if magic should ever be involved.

I'd recommend checking out Thaumatology. There are rules for "reality fighting back" in the Flexible Magic chapter that you could adapt to whatever magic system you choose.

I'd choose between RPM or Incantation Magic if you want a flexible magic system. These are Vancian magic systems where spell difficulty/energy cost determined by the spell's effects. You could tie this into a corruption mechanic. I'd personally go with Incantation Magic for your game. It being an effect shaping Path/Book system means that all spells can be cast using one or two die rolls. The Paths for Incantation Magic are also more archaic than RPM's. This would emphasize the alien nature of the magic threatening the world.

Flexible magic systems are nice because it gives the Players/GM a lot of freedom. However, it can be a nuisance to adjudicate in play. Fixed magic systems are easier to use. Standard Magic - the magic system is included in the Basic Set - and Sorcery would be my preferred fixed magic systems.

Standard Magic's advantages are that it is skill-based and well supported by several expansions. Being a skill based system makes it easy to justify book learning of magic. The Threshold variant described in Thaumatology would be an excellent model for magic that endangers your mind and body if overused. If you're planning on using this magic system, I'd recommend checking out the Magic and Magical Styles books.

Standard Magic's main disadvantage is that some of the spells are broken. In particular, it is possible to abuse the Protection and Warning spells to make an invincible mage. Invincibility makes fights boring if the players have achieved it or frustrating if their enemies have. The easiest way to prevent this abuse is to adopt the 2 buff limit per character - regardless of the number of casters in the party - from Incantation Magic.

Sorcery's main advantage is that it is simple and easy to use in play. This is because all spells are built as advantages with decisions such as damage or radius determine in advance. Applying the Corruption limitation to all spells would be a good way to handle corruption. Sorcery's main disadvantage is that it is time consuming to build a new spell in play.

Originally Posted by Algarik

- Any advice not previously listen here, is gladly welcomed! Feel free to share personal story from previous game, that could gives me some ideas! Just try to keep the thread clean, i don't wanna see it devolve into an argument or anything.

Make sure you get buy in from your players. Not everyone is interested in fighting a desperate struggle against the forces of darkness that will cost them their sanity. Your group will have a lot more fun if everyone is invested in the campaign.

[safisher]

For CoC style magic, I use the Ritual Path Magic system with the Derangement system from Horror. There are a lot of rituals in the RPM book, and here on the forums, and some posters, such a C.R. Rice have blogs where they post CoC-inspired rituals. This has just the right feel, and generally much better mechanics, than the original CoC spells. If you want weird science, look at Monster Hunters Xenology, which fits certain aspects of the Lovecraftian ethos quite nicely.

Others have mentioned High-Tech, and I am biased a bit, but it is useful! For greater weapon details, look at the GURPS Adventure Guns and Pulp Guns books, as they expand on the information in High-Tech.

[GodlessRose]

You may want to check out this guide to converting BRP Call of Cthulhu to GURPS.

[Algarik]

Wow! Thanks a lot everyone, that is super useful!

[dcarson]

If your players like to accessorize with firearms the GURPS Pulp Guns adds lots of them and their paraphernalia, like the violin case for a Thompson.