RPG Replay Halloween Episode: Call of Cthulhu || Bound In Blood

This RPG replay is from my Call of Cthulhu game. Dick Tracy, the private investigator receives a strange package in the mail. He becomes hunted by a mysterious figure called "the Stranger" and the group need to figure out what's going on, or else suffer a grim end.
Dick Tracy- Private Investigators
Jane - Pilot
Walters- Engineer
Some random stings and sounds are my own composition, the ones which aren't are:
opening song: "The Black Cat" by Aaron Kenny.
Closing song, and during the monologue: "Spirit Of The Dead" by Aakash Gandhi

[@buttermonkeyFTW]

Hearing Puffin do every voice is just too good

[@muhammadhashir6136]

Agreed he is super talented

[@Speed001]

Yeah, he must have practiced for years

[@bubbasbigblast8563]

"Hey cousin, let's go bowling! Also, I need your help with another demon I summoned."

[@KaibaSeto.]

"I kinda...well you know...gambled my soul in a game of poker...i know it sounds crazy,but i'm the janitor! I was gonna clean the table!,i tell you cousin,they must've cheated on me,anyways,now there is demonic loansharks i owe my soul to,give me a call if you see them arrive in a shity gray interdimensional portal"

[@michelveilleux1275]

Roman for fucksakes, I DON'T WANT TO GO FUCKING BOWLING!!! 🤣

[@MasterZebulin]

@@michelveilleux1275 Okay, cuz. Maybe some other time.

[@Greshgore]

"As the woman in the hall is twisted and broken, Tracy looks back long enough to shout "I waaarrrnnned you!"

[@bast4rdlyreaper]

So Tracy is the Flawed Sword of Warning now?

[@jesuschrist9677]

@@bast4rdlyreaper bro no spoilers pleaze

[@bast4rdlyreaper]

@@jesuschrist9677 ?

[@Sh1ft3r123]

@@bast4rdlyreaper it’s a joke about how people don’t like movie plots getting spoiled.

[@drakox9603]

​@@bast4rdlyreaper Who thinks we should have puffin forest rene rate and entire call cthululu story

[@flameloude]

Me: oh corny intro, cool.... Wait a second this narrator sounds familiar.... Laughing when i hear dick's name

[@catdust0348]

He's the best investigator I know(cough cough)

[@matthewletexier]

Remember when Puffin censored his swears? Lol

[@jesternario]

Yeah, I remember. It’s why people thought the Turtle Friends were called the Turtle Fuckers instead of Turtle Molesters.

[@matthewletexier]

@@jesternario was that their actual title of them? LOL.

[@jesternario]

@@matthewletexier The Turtle Molesters? Yeah, it was. But because the censor sounded like it had an f and and s at the end (Puffin was just making random noises to censor for the goof), they became known as the "Turtle Fuckers." At least Warriors of Really Shitty Timing was better.

[@commanderstorm8874]

@@jesternario oh great another name I have to censor

[@Speed001]

@@jesternario Turtle Fuckers is better

[@MasterZebulin]

"Chicago's a lady that's in turmoil. Unruly and violent, riddled with crime." *IT STILL IS!* Like, what the hell!?

[@bigredwolf6]

Chiraq or Chicongo. Take your pick.

[@asthmatickobold7844]

Call of Cthulhu: Where you either die a hero, or live long enough to become a fluid-draining abomination. --Seth Skorkowsky

[@Schovelink]

Whoa! In my opinion this quote is just... just plain wrong. In Call of Cthulhu there are no 'heroes'. You can find bloodthirsty cultists, regular people not aware of impending doom, or the ones that will end as a snack for some crawling abomination or rotting feast for maggots, because they misspelled one letter in 6 hour ritual. If they are less lucky some insane asylum will be place of their demise, after long years of rambling about the things that lurk in darkness. Pulp Cthulhu on the other hand... let's load our Tommyguns and shotguns, jump into a tank and shoot those damned aliens back to their abbys!

[@jsteckle4897]

@@Schovelink I think the quote can be correct. If any person willing or unwilling puts their life on the line to push back the darkness even if it is Futile in the grand scheme of things. I would call that person a hero

[@Schovelink]

@@jsteckle4897 In that definition, you are right. But for me Call of Cthulhu universe is so full of decay and corruption, that the term 'hero', which implies hope and light, is just... out of place. One of the CoC handbooks even says something like 'player's characters are just humans so we call them Investigators, if you are looking for Heroes then Pulp Cthulhu is probably for you.'

[@thegreatoldone]

We have come

[@donatodiniccolodibettobardi842]

Did a take in the air as I read as "Call of Duty" for some reason.

[@drcowbell]

I’m already loving this more than the other Call of Cthulhu story. Good comedy mixed with drama and suspense!

[@Greshgore]

And longer, more Ben is best Ben

[@drcowbell]

@@Greshgore I agree but I do wish there was a little compromise between the amount of illustrations and how much Ben talks. But I do understand how much work that is on his end, so I’m always happy with either short and animated or long and sectionally illustrated.

[@w.m.6116]

Ben, where have you been for so long? Of all the RPG content I'm watching I missed yours the most

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

It's only been a month or so.... By the Gods I hate quarantine time so much

[@Noera3]

It hasn't been that long, and it takes a while to make animations.

[@ClingyParasite]

"but he died from a heart-attack last week" Yeah nothing suss about that

[@dseray9494]

'What we call - the stranger' Well we all fall in love, but we disregard the danger

[@bmoney2011]

Me: *tries not to laugh at Jane's comment* Me: *TRIES NOT TO LAUGH AT JANE'S COMMENT* Also Me: *Spends 5 minutes snickering to himself and has to rewind several times to catch the narration he missed*

[@lanceknightmare]

This is an alternate reality where Nicola Tesla created everything from the year 2000 100 years early. Plot problems solved. :D Also, Thomas Edison gets thrown down a mine shaft because the Gamemaster does not like him.

[@bigredwolf6]

I don’t think 1920’s culture could handle Twitter.

[@lanceknightmare]

@@bigredwolf6 People from the 1920's were tough. I believe current Twitter Trolls would not be able to handle them.

[@abysmalace1399]

This man's storytelling is just, amazing.

[@terrorcop101]

2:14 Probably the smartest thing you could do when something Lovecraftian pops into your life. Aside from burn it, of course.

[@Gl3n3rgy]

5:38 Tracey pulls out a stack of cash, flashing it at the pilot. Pilot: For the right price, I can take Dick anywhere!

[@infamousewood]

Yes I've been waiting on new CoC content from you for a while now. Since they arent as common I always feel they are a little more special.

[@mistergrool3941]

If it hasn't been mentioned already, I'd like to point out that the second half of this story is adapted from one of the scenarios in the Cthulhu 5th edition handbook, called "Edge of Darkness." In the original version, the Stranger monster can't go into the main room of the house, but will likely kill any characters leaving the premises. I'd highly recommend using it to get someone into Call of Cthulhu, and this was a adaptation!

[@donutl0ver100]

Dick Tracy 3: the return of the king

[@davidbrennan660]

....... in Yellow? You have seen the sign?

[@redeye3869]

I’d like to see a sequel campaign to this taking place in the 1940 or 50’s about these PC’s kids rebelling against their parents and accidentally summoning some dark entity.

[@DM-nf7br]

Confirmation Bias was an idea developed by psychology in the 1960s so his uncle would not have the idea.

[@drowemos]

The term ‘confirmation bias’ was first used in a 1977 paper detailing an experimental study on the topic (Mynatt, Doherty, & Tweney, 1977). Although his uncle said it on a time traveling tape-recorded so... At least its in theme.

[@romrom920]

Confirmation bias as a psychological concept wasn't confirmed until the late 70s, but the idea of "you see what you wanna see" definitely existed long before that.

[@jesternario]

They had the beginnings of fingerprinting and collecting forensic data in the 1920s. It wasn’t even close to what we have now. At best, you could take fingerprints and send in to a local police precinct and hope that they had them on record, but that was mostly for criminals, as the mass fingerprinting of individuals didn’t happen until the late 1930s

[@madeinchina4179]

Fun Fact: Whence means 'from where', so saying 'from whence' is saying 'from from where'. So don't do it. Edit: Fun Fact: So the first point about it meaning ‘from from where’ is right, but apparently both forms were used throughout history, so while ‘from whence’ is repetitive in meaning, it can be viewed as historically accurate.

[@lazyspade1559]

What do you mean this is even more reason to say it

[@MesoTheMartian]

Fun Fact: Merriam-Webster disagrees. www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/is-from-whence-wrong

[@mitchellslate1249]

Fun fact, enough...From whence is historical regardless. Pedantry and language correctiveness gets you nowhere. Humans overcorrect falsely. Ergo especially language, which is why it is never the same, hahahaha!

[@Gormathius]

From from whence from did you learn this?

[@happyenoughtodie7059]

This adventure is very close to the classic "Edge of darkness". Would recommend, very good for starting a brand new campaign

[@johnnygreenface4195]

Running edge of darkness for my family tonight

[@Ericaodd]

I ran Edge of Darkness for my group. Killed an investigator. Good times, good times...

[@tethalicon]

The Jazz intro is actual perfection

[@tethalicon]

Just when you hear the start of it you know it's gonna be good

[@nailin18]

5:46 That's the spirit!

[@stalwartteakettlepotato9879]

Richard Tracy really enjoys using interesting phrasing with this name

[@RadioZ4p]

Best piece of content since the Curse of Strahd series.

[@novacorponline]

Uncle: Someone needs to finish the ritual to banish the creature. And by someone, I mean you. Also Uncle: I am going to severely reduce your chances of success by waiting until I die and the seal is broken before telling you about this so that the creature could potentially kill you before you even have a chance to start.

[@stm7810]

"For the right price, I can take Dick anywhere!" This is why I need to give my next character an inuendo name!

[@shannonlove4328]

In the time period from 1890-1930, dictaphone cylinders would be used for audio logs. They were hard wax cylinders shaped like a slightly elongated soda can. They were keyed in tubes and could be damaged if touched on the outer surface. Starting in the late 20s, wrote recorders became common. These worked in the same premise as audio tapes but they were thin wire kept on a cylindrical spool not unlike a thread spindle. These were replaced by flat tape right after WW2.

[@eleavate]

"Chigago is like a lady, RIDDLED WITH CRIME!"

[@pclone5019]

I did not expect this much innuendo in an Puffin Forest video. Huh.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

All the Richard jokes 😂

[@Silverstar-wt5rj]

Dang if that intro isn’t the smoothest thing you’ve ever seen, then I don’t know what is.

[@DarkQueenHelba]

Is Jane by any chance being played by Asiago/Gouda’s player? The joke at 16:03 really sounds like a Gouda joke.

[@vanyadolly]

This was brilliant. I'd love to see more CoC stuff!

[@carna-9501]

The double entendre.... dark gods its amazing! Also Alvin went to Miskatonic? That's a bit of plot that could have been used to Dick's advantage "Hey uncle, this invisible thing is chasing me" "oh yeah thats this thing, here's a book on how to kill it, but its written in another language." Good move removing a deus ex level resource, especially with CoC as those tend to make the game a little... boring Also yes they had forensics in the 20s, albeit very basic forensic science, it was quite literally in its infancy and was mainly used for chemical analysis as well as determining cause of death

[@AdonanS]

I laughed like a little kid when I heard that first Dick Tracy joke.

[@wolfytopia.9317]

Whenever you ear that sax music you know its gonna be good. Or at least not matching to the situation

[@russelllamb5729]

That story was enthralling, definitely a great vid. I couldn’t take my ears away xD

[@Pugiron]

There were few places in history where it was EASIER to get a drink than Prohibition Chicago

[@loke6664]

Oh, man. There is just so many sanity rolls here. Just the talking head is at least 1D6 and the spiders minimum 1D4 (heck, the dead cops is 1D4 more). And that is the smallest rolls here and putting the losses at minimum (1D8 or even 1D10 is not really unreasonable for talking severed heads). Sanity loss kinda makes CoC campaigns pretty short.

[@trevorrussell40]

Best Halloween surprise ever!!!

[@bunnypancakes6952]

Nothing like a day of watching puffin Forrest

[@khalidgagnon8753]

To be honest.... He was probably just a member of a speak-easy..... They were so common it was crazy.... Plus there was a chap who went to each city in the US to see how long it took to be offered a drink.... New Orleans won in 30-seconds (his taxi driver offered) He can get it..... Or perhaps he's just a Rabbai or priest on the side.... Membership in THOSE exploded.... For no reason..... At all......

[@TheUnnbreakable]

The severed head reminds me of Larry a talking severed head I made friends with in a Scion game.

[@shootahgun]

its a shame this isn't animated this sounds epic

[@waywardson8474]

We definitely need more of the horror games, these are great.

[@rileymosman2808]

Honestly, I don't mind videos with little to no animation. Watching this for the second time now and it feels like an actual tabletop session. Don't know how other people feel, do what's best for the algorithm of course...but whenever there is more Puffin Forest in any of its iterations I'm content 🙂

[@nikoPiros1265]

Uhg! I didnt get the notification. Always love seeing new content from you, you actually inspired my groups pirate campaign

[@partyrock4144]

Sounds like those hexed bracelets would have come in handy. Frickin fed ex

[@CosmicAggressor]

I like how you try to go all detective show on it but slowly bleed back to your usual style.

[@Feedbackking13]

Fun fact, it was only illegal to produce alcohol and sell it, not consume it. So you could drink it if you stole it and would get less of a punishment admitting you stole alcohol than bought it.

[@buttermonkeyFTW]

EARLY

[@buttermonkeyFTW]

@Douglas Bonbeck I commented 22 seconds after vid came out so i hope so XD

[@Henrikdead]

Thanks for this , been a long wait , but happy to hear more about CoC

[@weltervids]

Me a chicagoan: "Chicago" - nice something taking place in Chicago "1923" -Fuck, every time

[@andresdiaz-kirk6316]

Was this adventure based on Edge of Darkness?

[@damek_productions]

Hey Puffin, For myself i find it hard to watch the sideshow EP. I could understand for the curse of S, how much work it would have been. I understand! Putting that extra 110% (=210%) makes your work competitive, attracting people that know of you but are from the other animators. Because they could be getting sloppy, lazy or just dont have the skill that you do cant produce that sort of quailty that ive seen you do in the past. Capitalize on that dont sway then get that $$$. It also adds re watch ability for the funny animations, well created animations, more immersion.

[@cakecinema9385]

Actually, pretty sure the recording could have been a wax cylinder. Primitive but definitely a thing in the 1920’s, I mean we have intact cylinders recorded after the American civil war, so Richards uncle definitely could have used one of those.

[@cakecinema9385]

And yes, fingerprints, wound examination ect was definitely a thing be then

[@Cubics_Rube]

To be honest, I kind of liked the Alaska story a bit better, maybe the "man vs. the unknown" storyline was a bit spookier than "digging up the past" Maybe it had more player agency? In this one the players' only option is to go there and deal with it, not much space for out of the box solutions. Still, it's was an entertaining watch (or listen in this case) as always, especially loved the dead relative's recording and recollection of the event.

[@LostTheNecromancer]

Good story thanks puffin 😊

[@TommysMatchbook]

Hey Ben, what is your opinion on alternative or "joke" races? Like a skeleton player character?

[@andrewbradley6901]

It wasn't illegal to drink alcohol in one's home, only illegal to serve it in a public place

[@toddriverden613]

Yeah, that pretty much describes Chicago of today as well as the 20's. :)

[@UkkoTBronte]

Fite me, Dick Tracy (no relation) was dope. I’m proud of the name I stole and the man I built!

[@eliandervalderen5849]

My big question is how much did it cost to have a record recorder used to make that will/message for Tracey

[@liseegeskov8769]

Just What i needed to cheer me up after we couldnt go out an trick and treat

[@lazerninga]

I’m curious, was this an edit of the starter box adventure? It strongly reminds me of it.

[@broke_af_games9661]

If you got more we wanna hear them :) that was a good ride

[@thegreatoldone]

He should do more of these

[@Pizzawarriorcooker]

This is grand hahaha me and a bunch of friends just started our Call of Cthulhu game. Not even three sessions in two of our players got knocked out and dragged off while exploring the sewers while the third person with them managed to escape and im in the hospital with my 1 hp Lordy this game is great hahahaha

[@Kreau]

Ben I will send you a horde of DnD figures if you do a Call of Cthulu story series in a similar fashion to your Curse of Strahd series

[@alexrogers7951]

This is edge of darkness right, or atleast based off it?

[@agentegg2486]

Oh thank god I missed you Ben

[@colemanbrenner6555]

Welcome back

[@patrickjames9030]

Oh my ..this narrative..it’s excellent as always..but man. It tells me you we in ravenloft too long with strahd....

[@AlainproFredric]

And that is why I like to set mine in the 1950s

[@laegu5430]

Fucking finally freedom from fleeting Fridays

[@ratboi3553]

5:47 my mind is so fucking dirty I need help

[@savageantelope3306]

here now that my COC game on Halloween got cancelled

[@DrPluton]

I doubt I could enjoy Call of Cthulu anymore. I played a ton of World of Darkness back in college and don't get the same enjoyment out of horror-related stuff.

[@42astrutsen]

Thank you for a good story!

[@lowrider993]

Yeah, new video!

[@NobodyThatsIt]

Could you give us a few Tipps for DnD while being in quarantine?

[@zachjones2443]

We need more❤❤❤

[@monopolysloth7957]

Frick me that opening

[@TVlord5]

"Call of HHHHHUAREZ! Bound In Blood" (ZP reference)

[@kevinshupenia276]

Nice touch!

[@xenosmoke8915]

“Riddled with crime!”

[@alexross1816]

I understand Dick Tracy is a reference to the old comic character, but did they run this game just to make Dick jokes?

[@romainsavioz5466]

Was there a lot of dick published ?

[@thebolas000]

@@romainsavioz5466 At the time they really shoved Dick down people's throats. ...Too far?

[@Msoulwing]

@@thebolas000 After "for the right price, I can take Dick anywhere," I think you're in the clear.

[@Sir_Lorekeep]

I have one of those in my game. Dick is a dick.

[@joeporch2882]

sticking the Dicks pretty smoothly though

[@kermitusiii5524]

"I can take Dick anywhere" that was the best I cracked up laughing

[@bradpotts1747]

"for the right price"

[@skornehollow]

Gm:"It's one of America's finest cities." Savage Rage: "RIDDLED WITH CRIME!"

[@islaydragons1563]

It’s ok, they’re with me. Detective Rage, San Diego P.D.

[@gargoyles9999]

@@islaydragons1563 *clenches buttcheeks furiously*

[@SuperNerd9695]

@@islaydragons1563 *Detective Detective Savage "Savage Rage" Rage.

[@EndFright]

Too bad this narrative is too serious for the sword of warning's shenanigans because that woman that got twisted in half definitely deserved an 'I warned you.'

[@rickrollerdude]

Too serious? Come on, with the constant "they didn't have that in the 20's" the sword of warning would have been a welcomed addition.

[@Ethaknyl]

If it's to graphic for you, just turn back to HD (high definitiv)

[@duckbuttah915]

Yes because “with enough money, I’ll take Dick anywhere!” Is too serious?

[@Ethaknyl]

@@duckbuttah915 At least the adventure didn't end with a Dick in a box.

[@salenstormwing]

Sword very far away: "I waaaaaaaaaaarnnnnned you!"

[@Audiotrocious]

Plushies of Whimsy the Aboleth when? Who else wants audiobooks read by Trixie Starbright and Abserd?

[@andrewdiaz3529]

You want him coughing blood!?!?!?

[@Audiotrocious]

@@andrewdiaz3529 typically when recording a voice, you give the talent (performer) at least a bottle of water. When I recorded people in studios, I would provide the largest bottles I could find and throat lozenges. Got to treat them with care 😁

[@bluenagisayt118]

yes, just yes

[@andrewdiaz3529]

@@Audiotrocious I was joking about how in the Trixie Starbright video he would periodically draw himself coughing blood. :)

[@Audiotrocious]

@@andrewdiaz3529 I am aware and was adding commentary on how it could be done with less of Ben’s blood 😜

[@jonandrescu6054]

This story is in the the scariest place ever ..... CALIFORNIAAAAA !!!!

[@davidbrennan660]

The Horror of the Left Coast.

[@master0fthearts894]

NOOOOOOO0! Not California!

[@chrisrebert9271]

Land of Fire! 🔥🔥🔥🌲

[@R3GARnator]

There are a thousand Harvey Weinstein like people still operating there, you're not far off.

[@sarosp9330]

I told you, not in front of the children!

[@zombielizard218]

"For the right price, I can take Dick anywhere" That got me man. I haven't laughed that hard at a video in some time.

[@asbestosfish_]

Ah, Call Of Cthulhu, “God isn’t dead, but you wish it was.”

[@ancapftw9113]

A foolish notion. That is not dead which can eternal lie.

[@ancapftw9113]

@Dark Star I assumed he meant the old gods.

[@eyesoftomorrow6647]

Best HP lovecraft joke I have ever heard my man

[@eduardoavila646]

@Dark Star Well.. elder gods are there...

[@luska5522]

@@ancapftw9113 and with strange eons even death may die

[@cthulhufhtagn2483]

"He looked back to the woman picked up by the invisible creature" Oh oh, its a star vampire.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

A what?

[@RadiantJo]

@@thomastakesatollforthedark2231 It's a creature that only can be seen when it drinks the blood of its victims.

[@cthulhufhtagn2483]

Alas, as far as I can tell, it was not a star vampire. But still, it bore a strong resemblance to one.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

@@RadiantJo like... You can see the blood in it or something?

[@RadiantJo]

@@thomastakesatollforthedark2231 No, You can see the blood being drained from its victim into it.

[@seantaylor6339]

5:46 this sound bite is gonna haunt you puffin, XD

[@alexandrudorries3307]

I’m not surprised there aren’t any adds on this video

[@codywilson682]

What? I say that all the time. It's never caused me any trouble. .......though I am a regular at the clinic

[@conduit64]

I had to check the comment section immediately after hearing that line, glad I wasn't disappointed.

[@noone-igloo]

I could not stop laughing at this one.