Chit-Chat

[Laraqua]

I'll be using some of the Achtung Cthulhu stuff here, especially in terms of character generation. So let me know what occupation you'll be nabbing and I'll give you the details, equipment, skills (new skill descriptions), etc. The convalescent home isn't run by the Nazi military and is actually a privately owned company whose board of directors are all influential individuals in the Nazi Party. You could be journalists, injured soldiers, cleaners, cooks, medical staff, filing clerks, typists, drivers, security guards (ostensibly for dealing with the French resistance), gardeners, or what-not who are arriving for your first day at work. You could be French, German, or even displaced Polish or Ukranian individuals who are forced into work duty. If you're German, remember that you don't need to be a Nazi, though you might be. If you're female, you could even be Jewish on a false passport! Due to a flat tyre and some issues with the French resistance, you've been delayed enough that it's dusk when you arrive. You will all be arriving together because the covalescent home is quite far from anywhere and this is the only jeep heading there. Since you had to travel by rail to get this far rather than taking your own car (for various reasons - invent your own) this was the only way.

[Mr. Handy]

I'd like to play a member of the German Abwehr (military intellgence), though he won't be a member of the Nazi Party. Perhaps I could be there as a patient, or maybe I was even sent there to investigate something.

[Laraqua]

It would make sense for Military Intelligence to get curious about it. Going in as a patient would be too risky as it'd be hard to get you out again. The Abwehr might be interested to know why such a well-connected convalescent home is in place and what they're doing exactly as well as why everyone is so quiet about it. The particular board of directors also belong to companies that provide military armaments and other civilian-meets-military positions. I'd recommend if you go down that route you infiltrate as a cook, janitor, or medical attendant which will provide you with a chance to snoop a bit.

You can take the Mi5 / FBI version from Achtung Cthulhu (internally focused):
SKILLS
Bargain, Disguise, Drive Automobile, Espionage, Fast Talk, Handgun, Hide, Law, Listen, Persuade, Psychology, and Spot Hidden, plus up to two other professional or personal interest skills.

BONUS
Nobody’s Fool: due to his suspicious nature, the MI5 Operative is relatively immune to Fast Talk and Persuade. Treat every attempt to do so as a Difficult skill check.

MI6 Operative Variant (externally focused)
SKILLS
Anthropology, Bargain, Conceal, Cryptography, Disguise, Espionage, Fast Talk, Handgun, Hide, Other Language, and Spot Hidden, plus up to two other professional or personal interest skills.

BONUS
Gone Native: due to his work overseas, the MI6 agent has an in-depth knowledge of one foreign country and is able to blend in with others of that nation (relevant Disguise skill checks are treated as Easy).

Photo-Interpretation and Military Doctrine are other good skills that you might hhave.

[Laraqua]

Cryptography (01%)
This skill deals with the creation, deciphering, and cracking of codes. A successful roll allows the character to encode or decode a message but only if the cipher is already known. It does not allow the character to crack military codes—after all, huge amounts of time and energy are expended by entire teams of specialists throughout the war to bring about such miracles—but the Keeper can allow the breaking of simple ciphers or poor quality codes. A failed roll results in an unintelligible transcript, whereas a Fumble results in a misleading, and potentially dangerously garbled, message being translated.

Espionage (01%)
Espionage characters only. This represents the character’s knowledge of the methods employed in clandestine intelligence gathering and covert operations. This includes evasion techniques, signalling and counter-surveillance, the use of dead letter drops and other secret methods for communicating, as well as training in specific operational requirements and the concealment of activities in enemy territory. The Espionage skill can be used for counter-intelligence purposes to detect likely enemy spy activity, and for employing surveillance techniques to catch them.

[royya]

I want to play an older (55 yo) French gardener that failed to flee the war to southern France and remained here. Now that His family is gone (dead or managed to flee), he is working for the hospital for bed and meals. He has an extensve knowledge in Botany and gardening.

[Mr. Handy]

I'll probably use the internal focus option, and I'll decide on my cover after I've rolled up my character and chosen skills. I should have time to do that this weekend.

[Laraqua]

SKILLS
Fast Talk, Drive (Automobile and/or Horses, depending on the job), Dodge, First Aid, Hide, Mechanical Repair, Psychology and Sneak, plus up to three other professional or personal interest skills.
BONUS
Tough as Old Boots: the Labourer gains either an additional +1 CON or +1 STR.

The Sneak is so folk don't notice you as much, light-footed due to the tension, hide so you can get out of sight quick, and the psychology is so that you can tell when things are getting tense. You haven't normally worked as a gardener for this place and instead worked on a nearby German HQ's gardens but have been reassigned.

[Laraqua]

Roll once for your character, though you may swap the stats around. This is the kind of game where playing a character with an attribute at 3 could be quite fitting.

[Mr. Handy]

Character creation rolls (STR, CON, POW, DEX, APP, SIZ, INT, EDU) (3d6=10, 3d6=11, 3d6=9, 3d6=11, 3d6=13, 2d6+6=13, 2d6+6=11, 3d6+3=15)



Player: Mr. Handy
Name: Erich Landau
Age: 41
Sex: Male
Occupation: Sergeant, Abwehr
Current Residence: Paris, Occupied France
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany

Characteristics:
STR: 10
CON: 11
SIZ: 11
DEX: 11
APP: 9
INT: 13 (Idea - 65)
POW: 13 (Luck - 65)
EDU: 17 (Know - 85) [includes +2 from age]

Sanity: 65
Phobias/Mental Disorders: None
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 11
Magic Points: 13
Damage Bonus: +0

Background: Erich Landau has always been very perceptive, with a keen mind well suited for piecing together information and arriving at the truth of a matter. As a youth, he enjoyed and excelled at jigsaw puzzles, and he liked to read mysteries and unravel them for himself before the ending revealed everything. He still does those things in his spare time, but now he does something similar in real life.

Erich was lucky that he was slightly too young to fight in the Great War. Though he was called up in 1918, the armistice went into effect before he completed his training. After graduating from university in 1921, Erich joined the newly formed Abwehr out of a desire to protect Germany from the threat of Communism, which he despises. He has no love for the Nazis either, but he finds some relief that they are also against Communism. Still, their attempted putsch in Munich in 1923 soured him on them, as they showed their blatant disregard for the law by trying to overthrow the government. He never thought they would amount to much after that, but he was shocked that they were able to amass considerable support from wealthy backers. The Nazis' rise to power, though more subtle than in 1923, struck him as brutal and underhanded, but he was smart enough to keep his political opinions to himself.

As time passed, Erich gradually became more aware of insidious corruption within the Nazi Party, and he began to look at their rise in a new light. After taking a closer look at suspicious events in their history, such as the mysterious death of Geli Raubal, Hitler's niece (and possibly lover), and the Reichstag fire, he became increasingly convinced that the Nazis were the greatest criminals of all. The headlong rush towards war in 1938 disturbed him, but he was sure that the military would step in and stop Hitler. He was stunned when Britain and France gave him everything he wanted at Munich without a shot fired. Hitler's popularity had never been higher, and any chance of a military revolt seemed to fade away. Still, Erich's position in the Abwehr gave him unique opportunities. While almost nobody in the Abwehr liked their rivals, the SS, there was a deeper, hidden level. He soon was recruited by a circle within the Abwehr that shares his views on the Nazis.

Erich specializes in counterintelligence, and he does his duty with efficiency and dedication, to the best of his ability. After France fell, he was put to work there. Most of his work involves thwarting the French Resistance, but there are occasional exceptions. Currently, he has been assigned to look into Fallen Lives Hospital, a chance he relishes. He intends to pose as a janitor, which he hopes will give him the run of the place. Here he may be able to find evidence of corruption among powerful Nazis, expose them, and bring them to shame and ruin. While it is a far cry from his fantasies of one day arresting Adolf Hitler, it is still something worthwhile - not to mention more realistic.

Skills: (Non-default skills BOLD, Professional Skills ITALICS, Hobbies preceded by a DOT. Checked skills followed by a *
Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%):
Archaeology (01%):
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%):
Biology (01%):
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%):
Conceal (15%):
Craft (05%):
Credit Rating (15%):
Cryptography (01%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
.Dodge (DEX x 2%): 46%
Drive Auto (20%):
Electrical Repair (10%):
Espionage (01%): 61%
Fast Talk (05%):
.First Aid (30%): 55%
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%): 40%
History (20%):
Jump (25%):
Law (05%): 25%
Library Use (25%):
Listen (25%): 60%
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
.Mechanical Repair (20%): 52%
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%):
Operate Heavy Machinery (01%):
.Other Language: French (01%): 50%
Own Language: German (EDU x 5%): 85%
Persuade (15%): 55%
Pharmacy (01%):
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychotherapy (01%):
Psychology (05%): 55%
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%): 40%
Spot Hidden (25%): 60%
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

Hand-to-Hand:
Fist/Punch (50%):
Grapple (25%):
Head Butt (10%):
Kick (25%):

Firearms:
Handgun (20%): 60%
Machine Gun (15%):
Shotgun (30%):
Submachine Gun (15%):
Rifle (25%):

Bonus: Nobody's Fool (all Fast Talk and Persuade attempts against him are Difficult)

Equipment:
To be determined

[Laraqua]

Excellent. I like it a lot, especially the detailed background.

[royya]

STR, CON, POW, DEX, APP, SIZ, INT, EDU (3d6=10, 3d6=9, 3d6=12, 3d6=11, 3d6=14, 2d6+6=14, 2d6+6=15, 3d6+3=19) - Jean Michel Lorain - Gardener.



Name: Jean Michel Lorain (False identity) Leon Blum (Real name)
Occupation: Gardener, Past professor.
Birth place: Lyon, France
Age: 56 (false) 58 (Real)

Attributes:
STR: 13 (+1 bonus) ; CON: 10 ; POW: 14 ; DEX: 9
APP: 11 ; SIZ: 15 ; INT: 14 ; EDU: 22 (19+3 age)
Luck: 70 ; Know: 99 ; Idea: 70

BONUS
Tough as Old Boots: the Labourer gains either an additional +1 CON or +1 STR.

HP: 13 ; MP: 14
Damage Bonus: +1d4
Sanity: 70

Skills: (Non-default skills BOLD, Professional Skills ITALICS, Hobbies preceded by a DOT. Checked skills followed by a *
Accounting (10%):
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%):
Biology (01%): 71%
Botany (01%): 71%
.Chemistry (01%): 41%
.Climb (40%): 60%
Conceal (15%):
Credit Rating (15%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
.Dodge (DEX x 2%): 26%
Drive Horse (20%): 57%
Electrical Repair (10%):
Fast Talk (05%):
First Aid (30%): 66%
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%): 69%
History (20%):
Jump (25%):
Law (05%):
Library Use (25%):
.Listen (25%): 55%
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
Mechanical Repair (20%): 68%
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%):
Operate Heavy Machinery (01%):
Own Language: French (EDU x 5%): 99%
Persuade (15%):
Pharmacy (01%):
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Psychology (05%): 56%
Sneak(10%): 68%
Spot Hidden (25%):
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

Hand-to-Hand:
.Fist/Punch (50%): 65%
Grapple (25%):
Head Butt (10%):
Kick (25%):

Firearms:
Handgun (20%):
Machine Gun (15%):
Shotgun (30%):
Submachine Gun (15%):
.Rifle (25%): 52%

An identity card
A work permit with qualifications and place of employment.
A ration card.
A tobacco card (even if you don't smoke)
A permit to be in the relevant zone.
Medical certificate

Background:
Leon was a Biology and Botany student when the call for arms for the great wat was heard in Europe. He returned shattered and spoke nothing of his experience in the battlefield. He resumed his studies and graduated in Paris, becoming a professor several years later. Leon was a professor of Botany and Biology but resigned his job several years ago when the winds of new war began to whistle in Europe again. He left with his wife Edna back to Lyon to be with his grown up son and his son's wife and grandchildren. In the early months of war between France and Germany, his son was killed, his wife suffered a mental breakdown and left with the grandchildren to Andora. Leon stayed to take care of the family belonging when the Germans came. Since he is a French jew he decided to adopt a different identity and now he works as a gardener, hoping to earn enough money and join his family one day.

[Laraqua]

That works although his high POW means high SAN. He could be a lucky Jewish person who while fleeing with his children came across the ID of a man who looked quite a bit like him who was lying dead on the road. With that ID he can look after his kids like a regular French citizen rather thanworry about being shipped elsewhere. The mother could have died of pneumonia or something similiar. That way he has to pretend to be a lot less clever than he is and has plenty of motivation to go home after work.

[aine]

I'd like to be either one of the medical staff; fairly senior with specialty in dealing with mental diseases / Psychotherapy /Psychology. He is probably more pro-Nazi and is looking for promotion in the party. Or one of the security forces; maybe one with anti Nazi sympathies so he'd be happy interfering with what ever is happening at the home. Let me know which one will fit in best.

[Laraqua]

Either should work out just fine. You'll have access privileges and would be expecting a full tour once you arrive. Unfortunately due to various war-related issues you are stuck in the same vehicle as the others but you'll at least get to ride shotgun rather than out the back.

[royya]

Sounds good to me ... I'll flesh it up in the weekend.

[aine]

3d6=10, 3d6=13, 3d6=7, 3d6=13, 3d6=6, 2d6+6=13, 2d6+6=13, 3d6+3=9 With these rolls, the medical man was out so I've gone with a soldier acting as security forces at the hospital. Not sure on his rank, or what weapon he'd have as standard issue. Will flesh him out later. Is it sensible to have POW 7 (sanity35) after my experience with John Brook?! I've gone with 'soldier' skills from the standard rulebook.

WIP:




Player: Aine
Name: Herman Kluge
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Occupation: Soldier/Stabsgefreiter/security forces
Current Residence: France
Birthplace: Black Forest, Germany
Home Era: 1940's

Characteristics:
STR: 13
CON: 7
SIZ: 13
DEX: 13
APP: 10
POW: 13
INT: (Idea - ) 13/ 75
POW: (Luck - ) 13/65
EDU: (Know - ) 9/45

Sanity: 65
Phobias/Mental Disorders:
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 10
Magic Points: 13
Damage Bonus: +1d4

Background: Herman Kluge is a natural-born German from the Black Forest. Although not handsome he has a certain animal-like physicality and cunning that gives him presence. He is rather more intelligent than his fellow soldiers and uses this to his full advantage; he has good connections with the black market and is well known for his ability to procure all types of luxuries and contraband. His superiors allow him to continue as they too benefit from his merchandise. He is very confident, popular, a card and a prankster. Herman suffered from TB as a child. He survived but has a weak constitution; hence he is not on the front line. His commander in (Supply and Support) has sent him to assist with the security forces at the hospital as a favour to one of the directors.


Skills: (Non-default skills BOLD, Professional Skills ITALICS, Hobbies preceded by a DOT. Checked skills followed by a *
Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%):
Archaeology (01%):
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
.Bargain (05%): 35%
Biology (01%):
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%): 50%
Conceal (15%): 35%
Craft (05%):
Credit Rating (15%)
Cryptography (01%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
Dodge (DEX x 2%): 26%
Drive Auto (20%):
Electrical Repair (10%):
Espionage (01%):
.Fast Talk (05%): 35%
First Aid (30%): 40%
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%): 40%
History (20%):
Jump (25%):
Law (05%):
Library Use (25%):
Listen (25%): 45%
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
Mechanical Repair (20%):
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%):
Operate Heavy Machinery (01%):
Other Language: French (01%):
Own Language: German (EDU x 5%): 45%
Persuade (15%):
Pharmacy (01%):
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychotherapy (01%):
Psychology (05%):
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%): 50%
Spot Hidden (25%):
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

Hand-to-Hand:
.Fist/Punch (50%): 60%
Grapple (25%):
Head Butt (10%):
Kick (25%):

Firearms:
Handgun (20%):
Machine Gun (15%): 35%
Shotgun (30%):
.Submachine Gun (15%): 35%
Rifle (25%): 55%

Equipment:
Uniform, oilskin, webbing and rucksack, gas mask. ID papers, wallet. Small contraband. Tabacco card. Ration card. Mauser Kar98k bolt-action rifle, 30 7.92x57mm rounds, (5 to a magazine) and bayonet.

[Laraqua]

I would whole-heartedly recommend having more sanity as this game will have far more opportunities for sanity loss, including a slow drizzle. At that sanity you'd be permanently insane after, what, 7 points of sanity loss?

By the way, did folks just want to use 7th edition Call of Cthulhu or stick with 6th? There's a quickstart out now and I'll be eventually getting the full book due to Kickstarter.

[Laraqua]

The Frenchman will need for equipment:

An identity card giving the citizen's name, parentage, birth date, place of birth and marital state.
A work permit with qualifications and place of employment.
A ration card.
A tobacco card (even if you don't smoke)
A permit to be in the relevant zone.
Medical certificate signed by an identifiable doctor stating what health reasons exempted you from immediate deportation for forced labour in Germany - though in this case it's more like to be a pass / letter stating that you have been previously assigned to an important role with this hospital.

[Mr. Handy]

I'd prefer to stick with 6th. I'm familiar with it, and some of the changes in 7th that I've heard about rub me the wrong way.

[royya]

I'm with the 6th edition.
I finished my character.