Explaining "Call of Cthulhu " setting

[Luke Bunyip]

Have tried to explain Call of Cthulhu to one of my roleplaying buddies and his missus. Instead, I have suggested that they just read some of H.P.Lovecrafts musings. Any recommendations? Something short would be good, as I have to print it out (they are very 20th C people, like their hard copy).

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Luke Bunyip

Have tried to explain Call of Cthulhu to one of my roleplaying buddies and his missus. Instead, I have suggested that they just read some of H.P.Lovecrafts musings. Any recommendations? Something short would be good, as I have to print it out (they are very 20th C people, like their hard copy).

The Call of Cthulhu itself is pretty good; so is The Colour out of Space. I'm very fond of The Shadow out of Time and At the Mountains of Madness, but both are rather longer. If you can get hold of the silent film of The Call of Cthulhu (filmed within the past decade, I think, but in a classic 20s style), it's quite well made.

Bill Stoddard

[sir_pudding]

The Dunwich Horror is probably the best model of Lovecraft's mythos stuff for the way the CoC RPG is typically played.

[Luke Bunyip]

Thanks gentlemen. I've actually decided to give them hard copies of "Herbert West - Reanimator", and "Whisperer in the Dark".

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Luke Bunyip

Herbert West - Reanimator"

I personally find Reanimator to be one of Lovecraft's weakest stories, and it's not technically a mythos story either (and thus not especially related to CoC), but YMMV.

[Luke Bunyip]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I personally find Reanimator to be one of Lovecraft's weakest stories, and it's not technically a mythos story either (and thus not especially related to CoC), but YMMV.

Twas a recommendation by a friend. Having read little HPL, but I am not sure of the size and merits of his works. However, I have read "Whisperer...".

Might just go with that.


Cheers

Luke

[aesir23]

"Shadows over Innsmouth" would be my recommendation for roleplaying inspiration. It captures the investigative side well.

I second WHS's recommendation of the 2005 Call of Cthulhu silent movie as well. You can find it here. I have shown it to groups as an icebreaker before a character creation session, it worked quiet well.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

The Dunwich Horror is probably the best model of Lovecraft's mythos stuff for the way the CoC RPG is typically played.

Yeah. I think you can get most of the idea about what to do in, and expect from, a CoC campaign by reading it and the eponymous The Call of Cthulhu.

[gmillerd]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

The Dunwich Horror is probably the best model of Lovecraft's mythos stuff for the way the CoC RPG is typically played.

I agree, long run story with multiple stages, solid back story, a story with a pace to it, investigators that are outsiders, innocent insiders, deadly npcs, red herrings, legitimate creepy 'native stuff', impending doom race against time, some amount of nice 'cut scenes', multiple npcs that need to be rallied, various npcs that could go either way as ally or foe, various conflicts that cannot be over come by firepower, opportunities for ultimate sacrifice / hail marry to win, no material gain, a lifetime of searching for answers in a bottle ... suddenly I really play some mythos gurps ... anyone?

[Spudzill]

Actually, I would play the movie From Beyond and Re-Animator. Then bust up at the disonance the game will provide. Strangely, I liked those film adaptations more than the source material. They were livelier.