Episode 01 - The Order of the Stone | Call of Cthlhu

[@louisecphotographer]

I liked RoL a lot but so glad to see the gang back at CoC

[@sub-jec-tiv]

So stoked!

[@sub-jec-tiv]

This is why i’ve never taken a cruise. Well, this, and the food. And the chance of disease. And the desperation for meaning. Well anyway, i’m sure some people like cruises.

[@smalltownvices]

Love watching this group!

[@claraginevra6527]

Currently playing this campaign!

[@markt7177]

Love ❤️ these folks.

[@kenknowsnothing]

When will you guys do another Pulp Cthulhu?

[@sub-jec-tiv]

I’d love to see a pulp run of one of the deadlier classic campaigns like Masks.

[@tomjohnson4922]

cool beans! I live an hour west of Boston. I'm trying to get a feel on how to both run & write a campaign as I'm sure these are different than my D&D ones.

[@amedeus40k]

So, I don’t know how much you know about Call of Cthulhu, but if you you’ve only played D&D, please keep in mind that the most important difference between the two games is that Call of Cthulhu is an INVESTIGATIVE rpg, and is not combat oriented like D&D is. Classic CoC is extremely deadly. Player Characters die or go insane very easily. So, it’s more of a Mystery Survival Horror game than anything else. Straight up fighting a monster, and surviving is possible, but very difficult, and more often than not, running is the best option. There is a way to defeat or survive the horror that is the antagonist of the scenario, but this is usually learned through investigation, research, interviewing NPCs, etc. This also means that CoC is a much more role-play intensive game than the average game of D&D. If you want more robust characters that can actually fight, and live to see another day, Pulp Cthulhu is probably your best bet. I only tell you this because many D&D players try CoC, and try and play it like D&D, and they quickly realize they are vastly two different games, and often die pretty quickly.

[@tomjohnson4922]

@@amedeus40k I've got the two differences which is my main issue :) My problem is just how to get things started. It's not like I can use the cliched "meet in a tavern" intro. I have the concept in my head and not quite sure how to start or quite how in-depth I write. Do I plan it out like my D&D session or just summarize and then see where the investigators go with things? I actually want to delve more deeply into horror as it's what I write in short stories but not really what I can do in D&D. I've learned straight horror doesn't work well there.

[@amedeus40k]

@@tomjohnson4922 Oh, I understand what you’re saying. You just have to think about the setting. Most CoC games are set in the 1920s. Arkham, Massachusetts is a good localized sandbox that you can run all kinds of scenarios in. I highly recommend getting the Arkham setting book that was released not too long ago. As for getting your players together, rather than a tavern like in D&D, your players can all be members of a secret society that seeks out, and fight’s against the Cthulhu Mythos. By being members of the society (I recommend choosing one out of the Investigators Guide. There are several in there.), they can easily know one another from society meetings, and with a common goal. Maybe each of them has had a personal experience with the mythos, and this is what drives them to help the society. Or maybe they have all been hired by Miskatonic University to investigate something. Your player character’s backstory can lead to really interesting role-play between your PCs. As for how to plan for your game, this is all about personal preference really. I personally, like to decide what or who the main antagonist is first. Is it a monster, if so, is there an evil cult who wishes to unleash it upon Arkham. Does it involve a monster at all? Maybe it’s the finding of some evil Cthulhu based tome that is causing havoc all over Arkham. Maybe NPCs are unwittingly causing all kinds of terror simply by reading the tome, and your investigators have to find out where it is, and safely return it back to the Miskatonic University Library’s restricted section. Once you’ve determined the main storyline then I recommend breaking out the story into scenes. Each scene provides your players with clues (i.e. handouts) to what’s actually going on. Decide what’s most important for your players to learn in each scene, and link them together, culminating in the final confrontation with the threat, whether it be a monster, or otherwise. Sorry, for the novel. I hope I was able to help at least a little. If you find coming up with a scenario from scratch too daunting, I highly recommend the recently released “No time to Scream.” It provides three scenarios that are designed to help keepers, and players that are new to the game. I think the scenario’s are pretty good, and are relatively easy to run. Happy gaming! :)

[@skyblazeeterno]

Some written scenarios give suggestions as to how the characters have met or know each other. I forget the name of the modern day scenario in which part of the plot is that the characters start by not knowing who they are and how they are related. They find that out as they play ​@@tomjohnson4922

[@dmeep]

@@tomjohnson4922 the CoC version of meeting in a tavern is getting a letter or an inheritance from a friend/relative and rushing to their aid / take possession. you can be part of a society that look into the supernatural holds seances etc and get hired to investigate something. or just private detectives that has to find a missing person that is kidnapped by a cult. detective stories from the 20s can be a place to start. its after ww1 so a lot of males have returned home and are trying to find their way forward. so anyone can have been a soldier and know how to handle themselves in a fight but if you want more hack and slash power fantasy then i recommend looking at pulp chthulu as its more like indiana jones movies, the mummy, skycaptains world of tomorrow and some of leuage of extraordinary gentlemen. If you are new i recommend running a few modules so you get a feel for the structure of CoC as its a defferent thing from DnD before writing your own stuff. Ive found seth skorkowskys YT channel where he talks about modules and how to run them a great help in this regard. I hope some of thiw was usefull and that you and your group have a great time with CoC

[@larsdahl5528]

23:11 What about cats of Saturn?

[@louiskat1900s]

Luce immediately reminds me of the mechanic from Atlantis:the lost empire

[@trapbuilder2283]

Cthlhu