Play@YSDC

Grab a cup of Joe and sit by the camp fire.

We can start out by building characters.

I have interest from the following players.

Tabs
Mr. Handy
kabukiman
Priest
Grognardsw

Five players should be fine.

Here is a character sheet that you can use.

As for Occupations the Quick Start Rules has a few but the full rule book has a lot. Let me know what kind of character you want to play and I can get you a few Occupations to choose from.

Here is some examples.

Archaeologist [Lovecraftian]
The study and exploration of the past. Primarily the identification,
examination, and analysis of recovered materials
relating to human history. The work involves painstaking
research and meticulous study, not to mention a willing
attitude to getting one’s hands dirty.
In the 1920s, successful archaeologists became celebrities,
seen as explorers and adventurers. While some used
scientific methods, many were happy to apply brute force
when unveiling the secrets of the past— the use of dynamite
was sometimes common. Such bullish behavior would be
frowned upon in modern times.
Occupation Skill Points: EDU × 4
Credit Rating: 10–40
Suggested Contacts: Patrons, museums, universities.
Skills: Appraise, Archaeology, History, Other Language
(any), Library Use, Spot Hidden, Mechanical Repair,
Navigate

Photographer
Photography as an art form has been around a long time,
with most photographers working freelance, for an advertising
firm, or in a portrait studio taking pictures of families.
Others are employed in the newspaper, media, and film
industries.
The elite of photographers are drawn from the worlds of
art, journalism, and wildlife conservation. In each of these
arenas a photographer may find fame, recognition, and
financial reward.
Photojournalists are essentially reporters who use cameras,
but who are also expected to write prose to accompany
an image. In the 1920s, newsreels came into being; heavy,
bulky 35mm film equipment was hauled around the globe in
search of exciting news stories, sporting events, and bathing
beauty pageants. A newsreel team usually numbers three:
one of them an actual reporter who writes the copy, while
the other two handle the camera, lights, etc. Voiceovers are
done at a home studio, based on the written copy.
Occupation Skill Points: EDU × 4
Credit Rating: 9–30
Suggested Contacts: Advertising industry, local clients
(including political organizations and newspapers).
Skills: Art/Craft (Photography), one interpersonal skill
(Charm, Fast Talk, Intimidate, or Persuade), Psychology,
Science (Chemistry), Stealth, Spot Hidden,
any two other skills as personal or era specialties.

Explorer [Classic]
In the early twentieth century there are still unknown
areas of the world that some people can make a career of
exploring. Scientific grants, private donations, and museum
contracts, combined with newspaper, magazine, book, and
film rights often generate enough money to support the
adventurer and this exciting lifestyle.
Much of darkest Africa is still unexplored, as are great
portions of the Matto Grosso in South America, the great
Australian desert, the Sahara and Arabian deserts, and much
of the Asian interior. Although expeditions have reached
both the North and South Poles, much of the surrounding
territory is still unknown.
Occupation Skill Points: EDU × 2 + (APP × 2 or DEX
× 2 or STR × 2)
Credit Rating: 55–80
Suggested Contacts: Major libraries, universities, museums,
wealthy patrons, other explorers, publishers,
foreign government officials, local tribes people.
Skills: Climb or Swim, Firearms, History, Jump, Natural
World, Navigate, Other Language, Survival.

Anna Vesse Dahl is an Archaeologist [Lovecraftian]. I'll do her Investigator Sheet tomorrow. Appraise--is this skill described in Quickstart?

Tabs wrote:Anna Vesse Dahl is an Archaeologist [Lovecraftian]. I'll do her Investigator Sheet tomorrow. Appraise--is this skill described in Quickstart?

Appraise (01%)
Used to estimate the value of a particular item, including the
quality, material used, and workmanship. Where relevant,
the skill-user could pinpoint the age of the item, assess its
historical relevance, and detect forgeries.

Pushing examples: checking an item’s validity with another
expert; conducting testing; researching an item.

Sample Consequences of failing
a Pushed roll: accidentally ruining the item in question;
bringing the item to the attention of other people, leading to
its theft; activating whatever function the item might serve.
If an insane investigator fails a pushed roll, he or she
could destroy the item, believing it to be cursed; alternatively
they regard the item as their personal salvation and refuse
to give it up to anyone else.

Mitchell 'Mitch' Cooper. A photographer. Character sheet under way. Any game requirements/restrictions?

The autocalc pdf doesn't work for me?

STR 50, CON 50, POW 60, DEX 60, APP 50, SIZ 40, INT 80, EDU 70

Luck 3d6 10 x5 =50 [ Roll: viewtopic.php?f=316&t=5501&p=173187#p173187 ]

MP 12, DB and Build -, HP 9, SAN 60

Archaeologist. Occupation Skill Points: EDU × 4 =280 Credit Rating: 10–40
Skills: Appraise 40, Archaeology 50, History 30, Other Language
(Spanish) 40, Library Use 10, Spot Hidden 50, Mechanical Repair 10,
Navigate 40, Credit Rating 30--I just noted that Quickstart is more generous with Occ. Skill Points, total is 460!

Personal Interest Skills: Charm 35, Firearms (Handgun) 40, Survival 30, Swim 40

I'll add a back story tomorrow.

If anyone needs the quick start rules here is where you can get them for free.

http://www.chaosium.com/call-of-cthulhu ... rules-pdf/

Hum I think I will go with these rules for character creation.

Option 5: Quick Fire Method
This method is recommended if you wish to get up and
running quickly.
1. Allocate 40, 50, 50, 50, 60, 60, 70, 80 where you like
among your characteristics.
2. Apply age and EDU modifiers
3. Figure Damage Bonus and Build
4. Figure Hit Points (CON+SIZ divided by 10) and
Luck (3D6 x 5).
5. Decide an occupation and select eight appropriate
occupation skills.
6. Allocate the following values among the eight
occupation skills and Credit Rating: one at 70%,
two at 60%, three at 50%, and three at 40% (assign
the skills directly to these values and ignore the skill
base values). If your chosen profession states a lower
Credit Rating skill than 40%, you should set an
appropriate Credit Rating skill value and distribute
the excess points elsewhere.
7. Pick four non-occupation skills and boost them by
20% (adding 20 to the skill base values).
8. Roll for backstory details then elaborate upon them
later, during play.
9. Start Playing.
10. Fill in half and fifth values during play.
11. Sort out money if and when you need it.

Age Modifiers:
15 to 19: Deduct 5 points among
STR and SIZ. Deduct 5 points from
EDU. Roll twice to generate a Luck
score and use the higher value.
20s or 30s (20-39 years of age):
Make an improvement check for
EDU.
40s: Make 2 improvement checks
for EDU and deduct 5 points
among STR, CON or DEX, and
reduce APP by 5.
50s: Make 3 improvement checks for EDU and deduct 10
points among STR, CON or DEX, and reduce APP by 10.
60s: Make 4 improvement checks for EDU and deduct 20
points among STR, CON or DEX, and reduce APP by 15.
70s: Make 4 improvement checks for EDU and deduct 40
points among STR, CON or DEX, and reduce APP by 20.
80s: Make 4 improvement checks for EDU and deduct 80
points among STR, CON or DEX, and reduce APP by 25.

To make an EDU improvement check, simply roll percentage
dice. If the result is greater than your present EDU add
1D10 percentage points to your EDU characteristic (note
that EDU cannot go above 99).

Damage Bonus and Build [STR & SIZ]
All investigators have attributes known as "Damage Bonus"
(DB) and Build. Larger and stronger creatures and humans
do more physical damage than their lesser brethren.
To determine damage bonus, add STR to SIZ and look
up the total on Table I: Damage Bonus and Build, reading
across to find the damage bonus. Each range of results correlates
with a die modifier or dice roll. Build is determined
using the same figures.
In hand-to-hand combat, add the indicated modifier or
roll to all the character’s blows, whether using a natural weapon,
such as a fist, or a melee weapon, such as a club or knife.
Build is used in fighting maneuvers and also to give a
sense of scale.
Note: Damage bonus is not applied to firearms attacks.

Damage Bonus and Build
STR + SIZ Damage Bonus Build
2 — 64 –2 –2
65 — 84 –1 –1
85 — 124 None 0
125 — 164 +1D4 +1
165 — 204 +1D6 +2

Mitchell ‘Mitch’ Cooper.
Age:31, Sex: Male
Str: 50/25/10, Dex: 60/30/12, Int: 70/35/14, Con: 80/40/16, App: 50/25/10
Pow: 50/25/10, Siz: 40/20/8, Edu: 60/30/12
Move: 9 HP: 12 San: 50 MP: 10 DB: None Build: 0 Dodge: 30/15/6
Luck: 7x5=35 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846374/)
SKILLS:
Archaeology: 20/10/4, Art/Craft (Photography): 70/35/14, Charm: 50/25/10, Credit Rating: 40/20/8
Dodge: 30/15/6, Firearms (rifle/shotgun): 45/22/9, History: 40/20/8, Language (own): 60/30/12
Language (other) Spanish: 60/30/12, Library Use: 40/20/8, Listen: 40/20/8,
Psychology: 50/25/10, Science (chemistry): 60/30/12, Spot Hidden: 50/25/10, Stealth: 40/20/8,

Backstory to follow

I'll finish off my stats later.

Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu in 1911, but he was only the head of a team of archaeologists. One of these was Anna Vesse Dahl, daughter of Norwegian immigrants to the States, an avid Girl Scout, and hard working graduate of Boston University. It was Anna, gently washing some Incan potsherds, who struck up a conversation with a local policeman, and together with a boy they led Bingham to the lost city.

When the Carnegie Institute advertised their expedition to Yucatan she bombarded them with letters, stating her qualifications and her fervent wish to join. "Oh, hvor spennende!"--tr. "Oh, how exciting!"

Anna Vesse Dahl

Age: 26, Boston University, Professor Ackland
STR 50, CON 70, POW 60, DEX 80, APP 50, SIZ 40, INT 60, EDU 50 +7

Luck 3d6 10 x5 =50 [ All rolls: viewtopic.php?f=316&t=5501&p=173187#p173187 ] and 2nd Luck 14 x5 =70
Improvement check for EDU roll =64, improvement =7

MP 12, DB and Build -, HP 9, SAN 60

Archaeologist. Occupation Skills: Appraise 60, Archaeology 70, History 40, Other Language
(Spanish) 50, Library Use 50, Spot Hidden 60, Mechanical Repair 40,
Navigate 50, Credit Rating 40

Personal Interest Skills: Norwegian 20, Firearms (Handgun) 40, Survival 30, Swim 40

Percy Richmont
Archaeologist
Edu: 80+10=90
Int 70
App: 60
Pow: 60
Con 50
Siz 50
Dex 50
Str 40
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846387/
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846388/
Age: 27
Apraise- 60+10=70
Archaeology- 70+10=80
History- 60+10=70
Other Language (latin)- 50
Library use- 50
Spot Hidden- 50+10=60
Mechanical repair- 40
Navigate- 40
Credit rating 40
Damage bónus: 0
HP: 10
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846394/
Luck: 55


Now is the new character with the quick rules. See if it is ok.

kabukiman,

We are using the these rules for characteristic generation. See above

1. Allocate 40, 50, 50, 50, 60, 60, 70, 80 where you like
among your characteristics.

I used the normal rules from the seven edition. So, it must be from the quickstart? I'l make it tomorrow.

I have put up some character thread for everyone. Well everyone that has built a character that is.

Mr. Handy is delayed to do internet trouble and I haven't heard from Grognardsw.

I got excited then, thinking you'd started off the game for individual characters.

I wonder if Grognardsw realises we're here? . . .

Sorry! This weekend will be making up explorer character using the Quick Fire method. I downloaded the Quick Start rules, as it seems ability scores are percentile in 7th (I haven't played 7th yet.) Thanks.

I have edited the character

kabukiman wrote:Percy Richmont
Archaeologist
Edu: 80+10=90
Int 70
App: 60
Pow: 60
Con 50
Siz 50
Dex 50
Str 40
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846387/
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846388/
Age: 27
Apraise- 60+10=70
Archaeology- 70+10=80
History- 60+10=70
Other Language (latin)- 50
Library use- 50
Spot Hidden- 50+10=60
Mechanical repair- 40
Navigate- 40
Credit rating 40
Damage bónus: 0
HP: 10
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4846394/
Luck: 55


Now is the new character with the quick rules. See if it is ok.

Ok, looking it over you where are the +10 coming from in your skills?

You also get to add +20 to four non-occupation skills of your choice.

Quinto (Quinn) Villavicencio


Age: 38
Sex: Male
Occupation: Explorer
Current Residence: Mexico City
Birthplace: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Characteristics:

STR: 60 (30/12)
CON: 70 (35/14)
SIZ: 60 (30/12)
DEX: 80 (40/16)
APP: 40 (20/8)
INT: 50 (25/10)
POW: 50 (25/10)
EDU: 52 (26/10)

Luck: 55 (28/11)
Sanity: 50 (25/10)
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 13
Magic Points: 10
Damage Bonus: None
Move: ??
Dodge: ??

Skills (Non-occupation skills in italics)

Credit Rating: 40%
Dodge: +20% to ?
Hide: 50%
History: 40%
Jump: 50%
Natural World: 50%
Navigate: 50%
Spanish Language: 40%
Spot Hidden: 45%
Survival: 60%
Swim: 60%

Grapple: 45%
Firearms: 70%

Backstory:

Quinn’s father was a British explorer who had an affair with a Mexican woman. He took care of her, settling them in Santa Fe. He visited several times a year. Quin was raised with a romantic and heroic vision of his father and followed in his foot-steps as an explorer. As an adult he has taken a more cynical view of father, but he remains nonetheless an explorer because that is all he knows. Quinn has traveled widely in Central and South America and a trip or two to Africa. While taking occasional independent expeditions in hopes of striking it rich (which he has yet to do), Quinn is usually contracted by universities, wealthy patrons and the occasional business concern.



Contacts:

Archeology Dept. and library of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; the Museo Nacional de Antropología; an editor at National Geographic; Santa Fe and Mexico City libraries; a few wealthy patrons; other explorers; purveyors of exploration equipment; certain gentlemen of low repute who provide shady services.

Equipment:

Clothes
Pistol and ammo
Exploration equipment (rope, spittoons, net, backpack, sacks, rations, tools, flashlights, measuring tape, etc.)
Jeep
Motorbike



Dice Rolls

My original character sheet for Professor David Johnson is here. Should I just convert the character to 7th edition (after making him younger and reducing his EDU and occupational skills appropriately), or do I need to rebuild him from the ground up with the 7th edition Quick Start rules?

That's very nice, Grognardsw. I love the different photos of Quinn! Is it the same chap? and who was he? The last photo, that could be my character, Miss Dahl, talking to Quinn . . . !

Mr. Handy wrote:My original character sheet for Professor David Johnson is here. Should I just convert the character to 7th edition (after making him younger and reducing his EDU and occupational skills appropriately), or do I need to rebuild him from the ground up with the 7th edition Quick Start rules?

I think you should rebuild him using the Quick Start rules. That way you will be on par with the other characters.

Tabs wrote:That's very nice, Grognardsw. I love the different photos of Quinn! Is it the same chap? and who was he? The last photo, that could be my character, Miss Dahl, talking to Quinn . . . !

Thanks. The man isn't the same in each photo, but I liked how one sorta couldn't tell that. The photos came from a Google Image search and I didn't look at the linked page for background, just grabbed the location, so I don't know who they are. Yes, that is in fact Miss Dahl!

Because I had another aditional edu from the age, and I passed the test. So I get aditional skill points.

I am just waiting on characters being completed.

Mr. Handy, do you want me to convert your character?

Your group has spent the several months surveying major sites including Chichen Itza and Uxmal and are now seeking lesser know sites. You are now conducting routine research in the Archaeology Library in Merida. It is early July, 1918.



Mérida (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmeɾiða] ( listen)) is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Yucatán as well as the largest city of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the Gulf of Mexico coast. The city is also the municipal seat of the Municipality of Mérida, which includes the city and the areas around it.

There were three Spanish conquistadors named "Francisco de Montejo": Francisco de Montejo "el Adelantado" ("The Lieutenant", the eldest); Francisco de Montejo y León "el Mozo" ("The Boy", his son); and Francisco de Montejo "el Sobrino" ("The Nephew"). Mérida was founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo y León ("el Mozo") and named after the town of Mérida in Extremadura, Spain. It was built on the site of the Maya city of T'hó (/d̥ʼχøʼ/), which was also called Ichkanzihóo or Ichcaanzihó (/isʃkan'siχœ/; "City of Five Hills") in reference to its pyramids. T'ho had been a center of Mayan culture and activity for centuries: because of this, some historians[who?] consider Mérida the oldest continually-occupied city in the Americas.

Carved Maya stones from ancient T'ho were widely used to build the Spanish colonial buildings that are plentiful in downtown Mérida, and are visible, for instance, in the walls of the main cathedral. . From colonial times through the mid-19th century, Mérida was a walled city intended to protect the Peninsular and Criollo residents from periodic revolts by the indigenous Maya. Several of the old Spanish city gates survive, but modern Mérida has expanded well beyond the old city walls.

Late in the 19th century and the early 20th Century, the area surrounding Mérida prospered from the production of henequén. For a brief period, around the turn of the 20th century, Mérida was said to house more millionaires than any other city in the world. The result of this concentration of wealth can still be seen today. Many large and elaborate homes still line the main avenue called Paseo de Montejo, though few are occupied today by individual families. Many of these homes have been restored and now serve as office buildings for banks and insurance companies. Korean immigration to Mexico began in 1905 when more than a thousand people arrived in Yucatan from the city of Incheon. These first Korean migrants settled around Merida as workers in henequen plantations.

Fifteen years ago my wife and I vacationed in Cozumel and took a little eight-seater propeller plane to Chichen Itza. We landed in a field and took a tour. It was a great experience.

Anna should have 11 HP, not 9. HP are one tenth of CON + SIZ, not STR + SIZ.

I'll recreate my character here. I just needed time to recover and catch up after I got back from my trip.

EDU does not increase.

Name: David Johnson
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Occupation: Archaeology Professor
Colleges, Degrees: Ph.D., Archaelogy, Brown University
Current Residence: Providence, Rhode Island
Income: $6,500/year

Characteristics:
STR: 50 (25/10)
CON: 50 (25/10)
SIZ: 60 (30/12)
DEX: 50 (25/10)
APP: 40 (20/8)
INT: 60 (30/12)
POW: 70 (35/14)
EDU: 80 (40/16)
SAN: 70



Sanity: 70
Phobias/Mental Disorders: N/A
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 11
Magic Points: 14
Damage Bonus: +0
Build: 0
Luck: 40

Appearance & Personality: David Johnson is a man of average build with blond hair and rugged features. He often has a serious disposition, though he does find plenty of enjoyment in his work. He is not enthralled with academic life, preferring to be out in the field on a dig whenever posssible, though he does give lectures and run his classes professionally and well. He exercises frequently to stay in good shape.

Background: David Johnson has always had a particular fascination with American history, especially pre-Columbian history. He longs to unearth America's buried and forgotten past to discover what things were like before the Europeans arrived. His specialty is the Mayans, and he has long wondered and speculated about the causes of their civilization's sudden collapse, which was the subject of his doctoral dissertation. He has some unorthodox theories about pre-Columbus contact between America and people overseas. While the Viking presence is known and accepted, his ideas about ancient Phoenicians crossing the Atlantic are not. He is able to get some people to have an open mind through his persuasive arguments, but he knows that he needs hard evidence to convince most in the academic world. He hopes to find definitive proof of ancient transatlantic contact someday, thus changing the way history is perceived and immortalizing his name along with other noted archaeologists such as Heinrich Schleimann, the discoverer of Troy, a city once believed to be mythical.

Skills:
Appraise 40%, Archaeology 70%, Credit Rating 50%, History 60%, Other Language (Mayan Hieroglyphics) 50%, Library Use 60%, Mechanical Repair 40%, Navigate 40%, Spot Hidden 50%
Climb 40%, Jump 40%, Persuade 30%, Psychology 30%

@Grognardsw, whenever I read "propeller plane" and an archeological site in the same sentence, I think of Indiana Jones.


@Mr. Handy, thanks re. the HP for Anna, those 2 points may be the difference between life and death!

David Johnson, Archaeology Professor, age 25--the age is wrong, isn't it? especially when one looks at his photo.

Anna must ask him about his pet theory.

Tabs wrote: David Johnson, Archaeology Professor, age 25--the age is wrong, isn't it? especially when one looks at his.

I was thinking the same thing. Lol

I copied him from Spawn of Azathoth, which took place in 1926 when he was 33 years old. Since it's 1918, I made him eight years younger.

Today is the 125th anniversay of HPL's birth.

Anyone going to Necronomicon 15 in Providence? I'll be gaming there.

Ok lets get the ball rolling. I will post a IC thread tonight or tomorrow.

Mr. Handy, your character looks great!

So Who is the leader of this expedition?

kabukiman wrote:Because I had another aditional edu from the age, and I passed the test. So I get aditional skill points.

Oh? What page is that rule on. I cannot seem to find it.

I guess that kabukiman has improved all skills by 10 instead of just EDU. . . ?

Great to be starting. The leader of the expedition has to be Professor Johnson.

Agreed. It has to be the professor.

The Players:

David Johnson (Mr. Handy)
Quinto 'Quinn' Villavicencio (Grognardsw)
Percy Bertrand (kabukiman)
Mitchell ‘Mitch’ Cooper (Priest)
Anna Vesse Dahl (Tabs)

Oh and make sure you have posted your character in their character thread.

Thanks, I've posted him! Since the consensus is that David be the leader, and it does make sense, he'll accept.

@Quatermass, would you like everyone to post before those who've already done so (me) post again?

@Everyone,

Johnson's latest find, the crudely bound notes of a mid-nineteen century explorer named Donald
Stillbridge. Johnson had found them in a box in a storage room at the Archaeology Library. The notes are on coarse paper with a string binding The front and back covers are each composed of two sheets of heavier paper that are glued together.

--it occurred to me that the unusual binding may hide secret notes . . . ?

Tabs wrote:@Quatermass, would you like everyone to post before those who've already done so (me) post again?

No it is ok to post. I don't want to slow things down.

Quick question. How do you label a spoiler?

Test,Oh I see. Thanks

(spoiler-button]label,Text.[/spoiler-button)

label,Text.

Or,

Name,text

Grognardsw hasn't been on since the 22nd. We will have his character in the background just incase he comes back.

Once you are though discussing what yall want to do just post them here.

Sorry, I'm back.

Ok, from your posts this is what a few of you want to do.

1) Miss Dahl is going to send a telegraph to Prof. Ackland at Boston University and then check out some bookshops for info on Stillbridge.
2) Quinn is going to check on some local guide contacts for info on Stillbridge.
3) David is going to do some research at some Libraries.

What about everyone else?

You have also talked about going to Muna to check out Stillbridge's last known location. Muni is about 45 miles south of Merida. There is a train service from Merida to Muna.

Quinn is also going to try to steam open the paper on the cover.

Mitch will accompany Miss Dahl, as she seems by far the most photogenic of the group and may be the image that puts his work on the pages of Time Magazine.

Percy will go make some research in the library too.

@Quatermass, shall we continue in the main ic thread?

Tabs wrote:@Quatermass, shall we continue in the main ic thread?

Yes, yall can break up to you appointed tasks and I will pick it up from there.

From Necronomicon 2015 in Providence on August 22...

The 2nd photo, the shop window, I have that edition. Do you read a lot of H.P.L.?

Which book in the window do you have?

Yes I've read all of Lovecraft's fiction (and letters to Robert E. Howard), though a long time ago now. I occasionally reread some stories, and listen now-and-then to audio adaptations. I collected the Arkham House editions of his works, all except the first two which are quite pricey. More recently I've enjoyed Alan Moore's Lovecraft-inspired work, from the Courtyard short story (and comic adaptation) to Neonomicon and the ongoing Providence series.

Ok,

I need Anna, Percy, David, and Mitch to make Library Use rolls.

Anna, Percy, and David can also make Archaeology rolls.

Quinn needs to make a Intelligence roll.

Post your results on here.

@Grognardsw, in the centre, the thick black book, Necronomicon. Like you I haven't read his stories for years, but I did try a few recently and (whisper) didn't enjoy them. I take it that you'd recommend Alan Moore?

Anna Library Use 50% [dice]0[/dice]

Archaeology 70% [dice]1[/dice]

What is everyone's opinion on Keeper making rolls vs character making rolls?

Library Use roll (60% skill) doing research (1d100=20) (hard success)
Archaeology roll (70% skill) doing research (1d100=14) (extreme success)

I've read a lot of Lovecraft, but most of it was a long time ago. I've only reread a few of his stories recently. I've read some of Alan Moore's graphic novels, including The Courtyard and Neonomicon, but Watchmen is my favorite of his.

I prefer to make my own rolls, but if you'd rather roll for us, I'm okay with that.

Mr. Handy wrote:
I prefer to make my own rolls, but if you'd rather roll for us, I'm okay with that.

Fine by me.

I'm easy either way; maybe it'd be fun to tryout Keeper rolls . . . ? One thing I do prefer are rolls ic, perhaps under a spoiler?

Tabs wrote:@Grognardsw, in the centre, the thick black book, Necronomicon. Like you I haven't read his stories for years, but I did try a few recently and (whisper) didn't enjoy them. I take it that you'd recommend Alan Moore?

Yes Lovecraft's writing is archaic and can be dull if not for the ideas. I have to be in a certain mood to reread them myself. I think Alan Moore is brilliant. While Watchmen is his most popular writing, and a masterpiece, he's also done so much consistently superior work over the years.

On dice rolling, I prefer to do it as it gives one a sense of controlling one's fate (even if a false notion )

Tabs wrote:

OOC:   The Ruins of Xaminik is a cenote surrounded by mounds? and Muna, the last entry in Stillbridge's journal, is situated far from Xaminik? (Muna is south of Merida, Xamink is north-East.)

Correct. You figure Xaminik is about 150 miles east of Merida. Muna is about 30 miles south of Merida.

Ok, everyone has returned from the day's activities to the Hotel to discuss your findings and plans.

"Explorers, prospectors, and aviators spoke of glimpsing the ramparts of a ruined city rising above the jungle."--National Geographic, October 2015

In the Mosquitia rainforest of Honduras is the newly--Feb 2015--discovered "City of the Monkey God."

Cool! I just saw an ad about that for a show on the National Geographic channel about that subject today.

It reminds me of something out of Fortune and Glory. "City of the Monkey God" is one of the possible combinations of Artifact and Adventure cards in that board game.

Lol! I was taking it for granted that you were talking to Mexicans in Spanish. I will have to make sure I let you know who is speaking what in the future.

I know I have been a bit slow but I will try and pick up the pace. I have just been letting you lead the adventure and not trying to push so you can get used to everyone's characters. I think you need some normalcy before the screaming and the dieing begins.

A quick note on your equipment and supplies. Your expedition has the tools to do your work like survey equipment, shovels, tents, cooking utensils, etc. What you don't have right now is transportation (horse, mules, automobiles?) and perishable food stuffs. Your expedition usually hires a few men to take care of any cooking, manual labor, and to take care of any animals you might have with you like mules.

I just read a book about the mayas, and discovered that the mayan hierogliphs were only deciphered in the second half of the twenty century. But the mayan languages in it's oral form are still spoken now.

You can check in the wiki:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_script

Since Anna is going to do the cooking, I take it you dont need a cook for the expedition?

Are you looking to buy mules and horses then?

Well, a cook will be welcome. I meant for Anna to purchase the food supplies. But she'll cook a Norwegian specialty one evening, spiced dumplings or something.

Yeah, we need pack mules for rough ground and hoses to ride, although Anna can only canter on a horse.

I guess we will get the expedtion started then. I will say that you have prepared the best you can.

Yes, it's all gone a bit quiet, though in Mr. Handy's defence he's probably had a busy few days--don't know about the others. . . . I like my character, and look forward to Anna exploring a cenote.

Yeah, I was away for several days, and then it took me some time to catch up again.

Sorry for the delay was out of town with my wife.

I didnt mean trip to be a travelog of the Yucatan but I think it is a good way to establish some normalcy before things start going crazy bad.

And I think we have lost Priest has he has not posted in a long while.

If Anna is "treading water" move the storyline on, no need to consult with me.

As for Priest, it's a bit odd. . . .

Tabs wrote:If Anna is "treading water" move the storyline on, no need to consult with me.

. . .

Oh no not at all! I really enjoy Anna's interplay.

Tabs,
Hernando and Juan Carlos work for the expedition.

Quinn quickly goes to action organizing the expeditions stores and using his contacts to hire some men and buy horses and mules. Quinn hires four men. Two brothers, Hernando and Juan Carlos. Herando is tall and thick bodied while he seems to be a bit simple in the head. His brother Juan Carlos is shorter and thin with a hawk like nose. Juan is a experienced scout and is good in handling mules and horses. The other two are a uncle and nephew, Old Pedro and Jose. Old Pedro is white haired with a beard and good cook. Jose is a baby faced 18 year old.

Ha ha! And I've been speculating if they are deep ones in disguise. My lunch is ready now, I'll amend Anna's post later.

So what is your plan? Continue to search for the ruins? Go to the village? Set up camp here in the jungle? Something else?

Set-up camp near to the village first, I reckon, visit the locals, and then search for ruins.

I am going to NPC Priest's character, Mitchel ‘Mitch’ Cooper. He has not posted here in a while and he as not responded to my PM's. Though I see he is active in other threads.

If he returns he can retake control of his character.

Sounds like a good plan to me too.

We have finally made it to Xaminik. Good luck!

Just looked-up "cenote,"--a sinkhole caused by a collapsed cave--the only water source to the Maya (so there would not be a stream nearby our campsite). Am I being too pernickety?

Your right. No close water then.

I edited the post about the the water situation.

Maya stelae (singular stela) are monuments that were fashioned by the Maya civilization of ancient Mesoamerica. They consist of tall sculpted stone shafts and are often associated with low circular stones referred to as altars, although their actual function is uncertain. Many stelae were sculpted in low relief, although plain monuments are found throughout the Maya region. The sculpting of these monuments spread throughout the Maya area during the Classic Period (250–900 AD), and these pairings of sculpted stelae and circular altars are considered a hallmark of Classic Maya civilization. The earliest dated stela to have been found in situ in the Maya lowlands was recovered from the great city of Tikal in Guatemala. During the Classic Period almost every Maya kingdom in the southern lowlands raised stelae in its ceremonial centre.

A "cenote" (pronounced say-NO-tay) is a natural sinkhole created where a cave ceiling has collapsed, a window to this spectacular world. Cenotes were the only source of water in the jungle for the Mayan civilization and are considered sacred by the Mayan people.

Now, not that you will need them but what firearms is the expedtion carrying?

Most of us would probably have hunting rifles. At least, that's what I'd be carrying.

Anna has a pistol, as pictured.

Mitch is trained in Rifles as well so that is what he is carrying.

Old Pedro, Juan Carlos, and Hernando have knives and there are three machetes in the expedition's supplies.

Quinto has a pistol and one of the three machetes.

Percy has a rifle and a pistol.

Anyone examining the stelae found by Quinn can make Archaeology and Language: Mayan Hieroglyphs rolls.

The mayan writing was just deciphered some decades latter, in the 1960/1970. But it could be understand what was the subject.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_script

kabukiman wrote:The mayan writing was just deciphered some decades latter, in the 1960/1970. But it could be understand what was the subject.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_script

I will want a roll. You might not be able to read it but could get some other context.

Just noted in the Wiki article: "Spanish conquest of the Maya"--which contradicts what was said earlier (Maya ghosts). I'm guessing the Maya who the Spanish encountered were descendants of the pyramid builders?

Yes, but the maya were still building new cities and pyramides when the spanish appeared. Just in diferent places.

Tabs wrote:Just noted in the Wiki article: "Spanish conquest of the Maya"--which contradicts what was said earlier (Maya ghosts). I'm guessing the Maya who the Spanish encountered were descendants of the pyramid builders?

While the Mayan civilization did collapse before the Spanish came, the Mayan people did still live there when the Spanish came and conquered them. The villiagers that you just encountered still consider themselves as Maya.

In fact Cortez returned to the New World and lead some military expedtions into the Yucatan.

Oh one thing. I had described the bottom of the cenote as dotted with brush. It is in fact thick with brush.

I visited Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archeology recently and they have a Maya section which I paid particular attention to. They had some "translations" of their pictographic language:

All the Mayan hieroglyphics I know come from The Pandora Directive. I'm not really familiar with how to translate the glyphs in real life, but it did a good job of teaching me the numbers:
And so on.

No wonder the glyphs were not translated until the--70s was it?

Just a little not. kabukiman is returning to the game so Percy is part of the group again.

Since Quinn is making breakfast, I will say you went back to sleep and woke up that morning. (it was only 2 am when you awoke from your nightmares)

Okay.

Oopps I missed the time.

Good luck everyone.

Just subtract the water!

Yeah it's cool. I remember being terrified by the 5m board at the pool.

Everyone having fun so far? I know I am.

I am.

I am too.

Yes!

Ok I am back and lets get moving!

A new cult with insidious motives...



Happy Easter.

Now, what'd be cool is if that was one of you.