Play@YSDC

What is this? New campaign inspired in silence hill? Isn't Ash enouth?

Who here wants to see what all of the fuss is about? Who wants to go visit Kamchatka? Watch the video? Who here wants to unravel the mystery?

There are four main choices for character options:

The German "Hidden Places" documentary film crew. Presenter, cameraman, mic boy, possibly co-presenter (if two Players are interested in that role).

The Scientific Team who wants to go on the expedition (many disciplines may apply - from zoology to geology to metallurgy to archaeology).

The Bric'a'Brac brought along - Expedition doctor, guide, Russian government adviser. Be aware, the expedition team is small so there won't be dedicated chefs or other such characters involved.

The Desperate - those who will become motivated with a need to join but will have to find their own way - through trickery and deceit - into somehow making their way onto the expedition. You won't need to come up with the motivation (I can do this in-game) but it will be a hard track to follow.

Ooh! Me! Me!

While I am in far too many games already, I can't resist. I'm not sure what sort of character I'll be playing yet, but I gather there will be some time before this starts.

This is a game where people can go off on their own tangents and join again quite easily. There's a lot there so you can always snake in on one tendril or another and there's a definite joining point when the expedition launches, so if it takes time for players to be ready, that's not a problem.

I'm already running this game in RL, but with a very different cast - I'm using Demon the Fallen in the Old World of Darkness out here.

It's certainly not set in the Old World of Darkness. It's not set in the world of Lovecraft, either - there are elements there, recognizable forces, but the world is quite off-kiltre. Unlike The Last Express, Fungal Zombies & Ash - which each use Mythos entities and the like - this one is quite ... different. An amalgamation, if you like.

If anything, it draws most inspiration from Kult...

Though it'll play more like Call of Cthulhu than my other games. If anything, it's play-style will be more like Masks of Nyarlathotep - you'll be swamped with props, clues, leads, locations. The only difference being that even if you run out of time before the expedition launches, you always have that as a verifiable start - a thread that draws it all together. You can never stray THAT far from the path.

Be forewarned - this game will be R-Rated. This doesn't mean there'll be gore and violence around every corner - in my mind, gore is easy to glaze over and rarely hits the right spot. But remember the ambulance scene, Mr. Handy? That's the sort of thing I'm talking about. Worse still, since the reality isn't as in-your-face as Ash, such elements will be more potent for their very rarity.

Those who are squeamish shouldn't join.

I'm not likely to forget it!

That was an excellent and intense scene - terrifying for poor Sarah, of course, but that's one of the things that made it so great for me as a player. I am so in!

I know that i shouldn't... but can i join? I have the same problem that Mr Handy, i'm in too much games, but i can't resist playing a Kult game.

I'd like to play the postion of guide if thats ok, details to follow

I'd like to play. At first look, I'm leaning towards cameraman.

Cool, Guide is taken by Steerpike.

Cameraman is cool - because it requires fewer specialized skills and because you can follow many life paths to reach it, you can have any kind of history you like.

I think I will go with cameraman, can you give me the specifics?

Well, for simplicity's sake, let's simply begin with your interrogation - I mean, job interview - at Ophidian, to get the job as cameraman for "Hidden Places". So that way you have the freedom to figure out where you've worked before, how you trained, etc. through the interview. Sound good? All you need is a personality, a history, and some stats. Normal Call of Cthulhu rules for character sheets.

"Hidden Places" is a hip new occult meets science documentary that introduces people into the rad world of the so-called paranormal and shows how the paranormal is simply the abnormal! The presenters are trendy science geeks with the know-how to bust the legends and myths of the world!!!

I'll play Daniel Carter. You'd better stat him for me, Laraqua. I feel a series of crappy character creation rolls coming on.

Convenient, you get to interrogate ... I mean interview ... Reclaimer's cameraman.

For Mr. Handy...

3d6→ [2,5,5] = (12) - Str
3d6 → [5,5,2] = (12) - Con
3d6 → [5,5,6] = (16) - Pow
3d6 → [5,6,5] = (16) - Dex
3d6 → [1,5,3] = (9) - App
2d6+6 → [6,1,6] = (13) - Siz
2d6+6 → [4,5,6] = (15) - Int
3d6+3 → [4,6,4,3] = (17) - Edu

Now, I'd suggest swapping one of the other 3d6's for App. I'd highly suggest swapping Dex for it ... App will give you the edge when dealing with people and you can use it to make first impressions and butter people up. Just roll under App x 5 and others can't help but make the best logical impression of you - a cop who just arrested you won't release you but will treat you more nicely, be less rough, etc. Works on all genders - the halo effect isn't only for those who find you saucy. Very useful for a highly charismatic Media Advisor. The rest look good as they are.

FOR EVERYONE INCLUDING MR. HANDY: You are all going to be selected because you are the best of the best. Mr. Handy was lucky and I rolled a good set on the first go. For those who roll very badly, I will have the option to veto the rolls and ask you to do a re-roll. This doesn't guarantee you a good set of rolls like lucky Mr. Handy got ... it just means that if you have a sub-par set you wouldn't be allowed on the expedition anyhow. One or two sub-rolls is fine, but a whole set? PLUS after doing up the rolls you may portion out +3 attribute points amongst them - but this bonus may NOT exceed the normal cap (which for someone in their 20s, their Edu is capped at 21). You may be phenomenal, you aren't super-human.

Mr. Handy, I would suggest putting the +3 into Education. You are partially responsible for getting the expedition off the ground and will need the skills to be an expert organizer - a lot of skills is important.

Other Details: APP helps with first impressions - cushion the blow by making an APP x 5 roll.
CON will help you maintain speed, ignore fatigue and reduce the risks of sickness on the expedition.
STR will dictate your carrying capacity - important when you're carrying your life on your back. Be prepared to think on your feet if you let a low roll stay with STR. Those who want to carry extra equipment will need above average strength or enough Persuade to get a PhD student or other person carry your stuff.
POW, along with CON, will be used to compel yourself to keep moving, much like Willpower.

This survey expedition is meant to be kept small. So when the time comes, you won't be able to bring a retinue along with you.


Most Importantly: Many of you may not be preparing to go on the expedition when the game begins. You may be drawn in due to other events. The question is more whether you can hack it or will completely fall behind ... this expedition will be a tough one. We will actually be starting in Berlin.

Optional: Also, please consider taking secrets, medical disabilities you may have to cover up, psychological derangements, infamy, youthful appearance (people think you look 16), mistaken identity, or other Flaws. You can take up to 3 so long as they make sense to your character.

For each Flaw you can take a Bonus: something like cat-napper (you need 8 hours of sleep per day but can break it up however you like), Light Sleeper, Bundle of Energy (only need 5 hours of sleep per day), Fame (alters how people treat you), Sexy (people find you erotic), Upright Citizen (people assume the best in you - he COULDN'T possibly have been involved in arson despite what people thought they saw), Eidetic Memory (both a flaw and a boon - remember everything, when failing sanity, make two sanity loss rolls and take the WORST one).

You don't HAVE to. This is just an option.

ESSENTIAL: If this seems overly complicated to read through, don't worry, just roll up your stats, submit them here, along with your character concept (if you have a history/flaws in mind, best to PM me). I'll guide you from there.

Woohoo! I've never gotten 110 total stat points in character creation, so I'm glad I asked you to roll. I'll finish up character creation this weekend. I need sleep soon.

Use invisiblecastle so I can see the link, also...

I've prepared what you enter into invisiblecastle for ease.
3d6;3d6;3d6;3d6;3d6;2d6+6;2d6+6;3d6+3

Rolls:
Str-13
Con-8
Pow-10
Dex-9
App-9
Size-9
Int-17
Edu-16
I'd like to put all my bonus points in Con, bringing it to 11.

As far as concept goes, I was thinking maybe a wise guy with a smart mouth who doesn't really care if your opinion is different, except he'll hold it against you whenever possible.

Got some solid rolls there but it's not quite solid enough. If you had one other above average roll it'd be fine. At this point, you wouldn't make selection for this particular mission later on.

Try again!

Shazam!
Str-14
Con-12
Pow-10
Dex-12
App-9
Size-16
Int-18
Edu-11

I think I wanna swap Size with App. The Education is pretty bad, but I think I only have 9 less ability points than Mr.Handy.

That's a mighty fine series of rolls. Okay, turning APP into SIZ ain't easy because they're based off very different rolls.

APP is 1,6,2. Remove the last dice (2) and add a +6 and you get 13 for SIZ
SIZ is 6,4,6. Remove the +6 and add a dice which is luckilyalso a 6!

You now have SIZ 13 and APP is still 16 (luckily - it could have gone much worse).

So Far:
Str-14
Con-12
Pow-10
Dex-12
App-16
Size-13
Int-18
Edu-11

Edu can be swapped with any of the other 3d6 stats - just subject 3 from Edu - it becomes 8 - and add 3 to the new Edu stat! So if you swapped Con out, you'd have Edu 15 and Con 8.

Tell me what you wanna do, stat-wise, and then add your plus 3.

You can also add your +3 to EDU to make it higher, and for every 10 years above the minimum age (EDU+6) you make your character, you get +1 EDU.

Yeah, true enough. He could swap a 3d6 around and/or use the bonus +3 everyone gets.

He has already applied the usual +3 to Edu, and he still got an overall 11, with 3,1,4,3.

Let's make that swap, and put the +3 in Con, making it only decrease by one point.

FINAL STAT BLOCK
Str-14
Con-11
Pow-10
Dex-12
App-16
Size-13
Int-18
Edu-15

How about a co-Presenter -- Milly LeCrique, Science Geek.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1701807/

STR 11
CON 8
POW 12+3 = 15
DEX 15
APP 13
SIZ 12
INT 13
EDU 18

Millicent LeCrique was born in Toronto in 1978, her father a francophone research chemist and her mother an anglophone poet (who had been compared to Sylvia Plath). She entered McGill University at 16 and graduated with a major in Biology and a minor in Literature at 19. She spent 2 years at Johns Hopkins University for an MA in Communication. At 22, Milly was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to study at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge and completed graduate studies in Psychology. Milly's first book, "Nerd Girls Rule!" was published by Wiley Publishing in 2001. In 2002, she became one of three rotating hosts of "Is That For Real?" on Fox Network in New York City, an afternoon "weird science" program pitched to adolescents. She has appeared as a presenter on science-related special progammes for several Murdoch-owned outlets, including STAR TV.

What do you think?

Sounds really good, actually.

Awesome, now we have a start-up team! Cameraman and presenter! Write yourself up a character sheet and go post it in the Character Sheet section. I'll start you up a thread.

Positions still available include an assortment of scientists and professors, a co-presenter, another cameraman (potentially), a medical doctor (could also hold a degree in another science) and one pre-gen character: a rather shy epigrapher from a bad past called Natasha Chaikovskaya.

None of the other characters are pre-generated.

A psychologist could also be a good expedition member. Perhaps to do a qualitative study on the social-dynamics of scientific expeditions/mountaineering, etc. Plus, there has been some unusual psychological phenomena encountered amongst even those who have traveled along the base of the mountain.

Definitely sounds intriguing! I'd be interested.

Meet: Dr. Magnus Urqhart, Scottish Geologist
Die rolls (2nd try)

Str 9+3=12
Con 16
Pow 14
Dex 10
App 4
Int 11
Siz 13
Edu 21

Not the most graceful fellow, either socially or physically, but a hearty Highlander and an acknowledged expert in seismology.

Looks good. Though I'd suggest putting the +3 on Dex and just be hideously ugly. Perhaps you fell face first into a campfire or something? Massive burn scars on the face, long since treated, but still gross. Play with ridiculously low APP. C'mon, it'd be fun!

I defer to your judgement, GM but I'm gonna go for that dmg bonus!

That series of rolls would be too low if not for the stellar Edu score. I suggest taking a few relevant sciences. Have a double degree in two things that complement each other. You may build your character sheet and introduce yourself in the Chit-Chat thread. Read that thread, there is a small offer of +2 skill points for those who answer a particular two questions.

I might be interested! I love the sound clips. What a great idea.

When do you forsee beginning? I've no idea what kind of character to play...not sure I have the background to pull off Natasha, although she sounds interesting.

I have already begun the game but each is in their own separate thread, slowly finding their feet, so you would find no difficulty in joining this game then in any other. It hasn't been going that long either.

http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/viewtop ... 113&t=1420

This prop will explain a lot about Natasha. She's a very involved and complex PC but she does know the most out of everyone in the game. You will be thrust in a very different game with her. It'll also require a lot of info dumping. Be wary. She has met one other PC, briefly, in a museum, but that's about five or so posts you'd have to read, and should hardly be the off-putting element.

As to others, there are many character options, preferably scientists outside of the geophysics or biology domain. There is also a need for a person to carry the boom mike.

Here's some stats for the 'investigator' role you suggested:

Stats

STR: 11
CON: 10
POW: 8
DEX: 12
APP: 15
INT: 14
SIZ: 13
EDU: 16

I'm thinking of switching APP and POW, and sticking the +3 into CON.

Character backgroud I'm still trying to work up, but I'm thinking of a Stefan Broche, German or Dutch junior doctor or professor (not connected to the Hidden Places show), wrote something about one of the Russsian incidents in his final year at university, after which he remained fascinated with the inexplicable (and inconclusive) information he was able to dig up.

Considering a linked Flaw and Bonus. Flaw: Obsessive (go over all the details, tries to follow all potential leads, finds it hard not to think about unresolved issues) and Bonus: Intuition (makes connections that a less observant person wouldn't make).

How's that sound? I've made it vague enough that it can be tailored towards any specific type of 'expert', depending on what works best for the story.

Hum...would you be able to pm me info on Natasha so that I can get a feel for her? Not that I'm set on playing her exactly, but if you have something already written up it would be nice to get an idea.

Otherwise I will think of a different sort of character. I'd rather stay away from a scientist or I'll have to make too much up for posts. Rather keep to what I know or feel I can fudge.

Stats are a little low, yellowsigh, try again.

Your idea sounds fine. I'll soon start you up in a thread in a folder called Other Places - I'll put a whole bunch of props-links around the description of your hotel room, or what-not. I'll connect you with Natasha Chaikovskaya (you likely would have contacted her if you were interested in the tablets and may want to info-swap at times) and the Expedition Leader, Aleksandra Grakov, who was also involved in one of the other Liltian tablet digs so you may know her from way back.

I vote going Dutch. You don't need to be in Berlin if you're not a part of the media circuit. Hell, you don't NEED, per se, to be fully involved at first. If you do decide you don't want to play anymore, or can't find the time, just drop me a PM whenever you feel the need and I can NPC your character into info-dumping on a PC or two and retire the character. You have total freedom when it comes to a commitment (or no commitment).

She Devil, check out Milly LeCrique's thread in the Berlin folder. It has a bit that showcases Natasha's role play. Other than that, Tash's thread would be ... interesting, to say the least. I'll feed you information as you require it, post by post. If you stuff up because you don't know the information, that's fine. It all makes sense with Tash.

That's the scary thing...

But yeah, check out Milly's thread and see if that's a character you'd be interested in.

Otherwise, you could be the dedicated boom mike guy for 'Hidden Places'. The doctor position, Kamchatka guide position and cameraman position are taken and I think they're the main non-scientists. You could play an archaeologist as much of the history on the area would be different from what's in real life so you'd be fed the info from me. Unlike biologists/chemists/meteorologists, it'd be relatively easy to feign being an archaeologist as most of it's actually in English. I need to do some research on it myself for the NPC, Aleksandra Grakov, and for the dig survey itself, so I could give you advice, hints and information on what an archaeologist would think, expect or do. Up to you, of course.

Let's try again...

STR: 9
CON: 11
POW: 14
DEX: 12
APP: 18
INT: 13
SIZ: 14
EDU: 13

Either switching APP and INT over, or taking the 18 from APP and swapping with the 10 from EDU. Sticking the bonus +3 into STR. Keeping the Flaw and Bonus.

Dutch is good. Trying to find an 'expertise' I've looked online for possible qualifications my character can pinch and found: Associate Professor, Chair, Medical Physics & Applied Radiation Sciences Unit, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Principal research interests: Medical and Radiation Physics. Will that field of interest work well?

Much better rolls. If you want to swap APP with Edu, remember to strip it of it's bonuses (oh wait, you did, hence the 10 from Edu). Okay, coolies. Do it and get the heaps of new skills!

Could do, actually, though you'll end up way out of your league regardless.

Hell, your role you can make with a soccer mum. All you need is an obsession and that'll make up for a lack of expertise. Won't be a problem to justify high Edu so long as you don't select high levels in anything that requires university training. (even if it is an occupation called Fanatical "I've lost all my friends and drawn symbols on the walls" Investigator). I was always a big believer that since Sneak and Track are skills, you should be able to play a high Edu native shaman. Why? Because I've never seen a university course that teaches sneak and track better than native tribes.

On the plus side, if you do pick that job, you'd find it easier - down the line - to get onto the expedition. Of course, anyone with a better sense of what's going on then the scientists should be able to get involved fairly easily.

So yeah, your call.

Nice roll on that 18, btw. I definitely suggest upping your strength. You'll want it. Either that or get ridiculously high POW (might be a good idea for a fanatic delving into What Should Not Be Known). Average strength soccer mum, anybody?

And okay, okay, I'll stop babbling about soccer mums. Sorry, it's midnight and I'm maddened by thesis work.

Sounds Interesting. I'd love to play. Do you have room for another scientist (physicist), or would you prefer something else?

We really need scientists, actually, as opposed to the other character types. Any particular reason for a physicist? Is physics an area you know? Or are there particular field studies you can imagine your physicist character would be interested in on the mountain? I am absolutely fine for a physicist, we have two biologists already, and one who works somewhat in chemistry. I suppose you could be interested in some of the bizarre phenomena seen on the mountain and could be there as a geophysicist. Not sure about other fields. I'd have to take a deeper look into the area to really draw you out some more evidence and the like.

Other scientific disciplines that could be involved are vulcanologists, botanists, climatology, geology, meteorology, volcanology, zoology (study of animals), zooarchaeology (study of animals from archaeological sites).

Don't be turned off, though, I'm willing to go a fair way in providing you with the scientific knowledge your character will have, so if you don't know much in the field, I'll keep you covered. A lot of the time it'll be the usual investigative techniques but your scientific field will come into things in helping you figure out what the hell is going on.

The emphasis is also going to alternate between the more cosmic horror of unpeeling a universe your character (and likely you as a player) don't know about, and between the more personal horror of the impact of certain events, and the interactions of certain characters, all around you. The universe is not Lovecraft's though the game follows solidly in the Lovecraftian tradition.

Hi there, Laraqua!

I´ve got a character with a speciality on arctic life forms and evolution. Life in barren wastes and harsh environments. Don´t know if it´s that kind of science you need for the scientist? I´m ready to roll up a character to suit the demand. If I´m welcome, that is...

Of course your welcome!

Unfortunately, Kamchatka is known for its abundance of life and is actually a really pretty place to be - harsh environment some times of the year but not much of a barren waste.





You could take an interest in the snowy peaks, exclusively, of course.

Hi.

This game looks really interesting and I'm keen to get onboard.

Here are my rolls, 2nd attempt.

Str-13
Con-14
Pow-13
Dex-13
App-6
Size-14
Int-17 (14+3)
Edu-17

Seeing as there is a need for scientist I would like to play Arnold Crawford, a seismologist from London but who now works at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico, studying local seismic activity. I thought Arnold could either be working in Mexico or back home at a small London flat he keeps for when he is back in the UK when the adventure begins.

Background teaser:
Arnold graduated from Cambridge University to be awarded a junior position at the International Seismological Centre (ISC). He worked there for many years and formed quite a name for himself amongst his peers. During and expedition to the Amazon Basin Arnold was injured during a fire at the base camp which left him in hospital for several months. After numerous skin grafts the whole left side of Arnold face and body was horrible scarred, leaving him disfigured and deeply depressed. Spending the next 6 months at the bottom of a bottle Arnold soon found himself running short of money and facing the prospect of bankruptcy. Dragging himself from his self dug whole Arnold secured a job at the National Autonomous University of Mexico which at the time was poorly funded and not at all demanding or high profile. Perfect for Arnolds purposes of hiding away from the world.

That was 9 years ago now and Arnold has battled his demons and has turned to the operation in Mexico into a respected research institute, which he now heads. Although still deeply conscious of his appearance and still somewhat of a recluse Arnold now returns to London every few months where he keeps a small flat and often lectures at his old University.


I've put together his skills:

Computer Use 61%
Credit Rating 35%
Fast Talk 55%
Geology 86%
Library Use 75%
Listen 50%
Other Language: Spanish 61%
Persuade 60%
Physics 66%
Psychology 40%
Spot Hidden 60%

As for benefits/flaws I was thinking of:

Benefits: Not sure yet.
Flaws: Reformed alcoholic (has been dry for 5 years)

Let me know what you think and I'll flesh everything out.

Overall, a good character concept. You're in. Feel free to visit the Chit-Chat and chat to people while I set up the new thread - probably only take a day or two. I'll aim for this evening.

I prefer to have expedition members start in Berlin as the funding body adviser, Daniel Carter, of Ophidian Enterprises, has arranged for a number of expedition members to arrive in Berlin, in order to meet, greet and get used to each other, and to do a media circuit. That way you can get involved with other PCs relatively soonish.

(Yikes! Guessed my first roll was a bad one... So I went ahead and rolled again! Resulting in four values below ten... So, am I stuck with the last roll then? As I understand it I can add three points as I see fit. )

First roll:

Second Roll:
Fransesca Morletti

Age: 36yrs ITALIAN She is a helicopter pilot and mechanic besides also being employed at Breckenridge, terra forming branch. She is studying water and air recycling plates and self perserving/sustaining environments. She has ten years experience of cargo flights on Hawaii for Breckenridge Corp. She is able to repair most common malfunctions on either choppers or race cars. She drives a yellow 75 Mustang when stationed in NY-HQ. Now doing penalty duty at station 10 research facility she feels malplaced... The waves of Honolulu beach are far, far away. The current paper she is researching is about terra forming and air-recycling especially. (This being a front for being at Antarctica) In fact being a helicopter pilot for the company to take the team´s leader, Frank Herbert to various peaks of the Antarctic mountain range. The true reason for this is unknown to Fransesca. And she´d learnt the hard way not to ask. She believes they are being monitored - Hey the place is wired to the limit. All this hi-tech stuff, up-links and networking and bs! If you can´t fix it with a wrench it not worth calling a machine. Skills: Helicopter Pilot, Mechanic, Espionage and linguist. Speaks; Italian, English and Spanish. Indo European degree at Oxford linguistic institute. The terra forming is in line with corporate educational branch at Breckenridge. Dislikes: Being taken for granted and cold weather. Equipment: She is handling station 10´s chopper, equiped with five survival suits. Emergency freeze dried rations (add water and shake), one of two evac-cases. The second is at base. They contain two shot guns and 50 shells each. One inflatable 'cave' Survival tent. On board she has one fire extinguisher and a radio for contacting other bases. One satelite cell, speed dial to Frank. Picks and shovels for that angry weather... This mission got aborted due to company policy. Someone had leaked information about the REAL mission in Antarctica. Morletti finds herself on a Hercules, heading back to NY and the next thrill.

Helicopters and planes that go up the mountain don't come back ... you might want to take a few test flights around the foot hills, venture up a little, or send up remote-controlled mini-helicopters, take the information, and see if you can figure out what it is about the mountain that keeps crashing or sending off course helicopters and planes. It would be a really interesting angle to take. You might want to go all the way up the mountain because, after all, how else can you tell the point where these planes either crash or veer off? I'd suggest having lost a friend or acquaintance in the area that caught your eye or a real driving curiosity. You'd need to really want to be on the expedition to get one of the few places. Or you might be part of a funding company that wants to know what kind of issues the current generation of planes or copters are having near the mountain in order to ensure similar issues don't occur in other places. There are a number of different reasons for going ... but the type of experiments would be the same. Be a really interesting route to take, I think, even if you don't end up flying folk up there. A mechanic is always useful, too. Guarantee you'll be needed.

And ugh, both rolls seem pretty crap. Try again. The selection criteria is pretty tight for the expedition so you really need to be top of your game. Having below average strength, con, pow, etc. is NOT gonna help selection.

So try again.

Third roll: Switching the dex and str scores will give Fransesca 16 Dex and 9 Str. Nevertheless quite a crappy roll. I don´t even know if you allow swapping places for the stats? As I see it Fransesca won´t make it to the expedition as things stand right now...
So as a result I might consider dropping this scenario. Fate is against Fransesca and accepting more than three attempts seems to stretch good faith.
Awaiting final verdict.

I rolled, like, six or so times for some of the others. Just roll a number of those and I'll pick the first one down the list that looks okay - only one or two below or around 9. I won't pick the best one, just the first one that looks good - it might be the best one, probably not.

Judging the results - again - I have to vote for the 8th roll - but then again the fourth is a fair one...
Then it´s up to Laraqua to decide.
Excuse the really awkward rolling here.

4th is fair but also fair average. The 8th is the only one that more closely mirrors the other stats. Yes, you guys get to be a bit cheesy (the best of the best) but you will have a lot thrown at you and I want there to be a chance that smart Players may get through the game. Because when you all die ... it's game over. There'll probably only be around 2-5 NPCs to take over when your PC dies... And it's a long game. Though I am aiming for worse than death situations. You understand...

My character creation rolls are notoriously bad too. One of my sets of rolls for Takeo Miyamoto in The Island of Yomi had two 4s and an 8, and a total of only 75 points. The best character creation rolls I've ever gotten were for this game: 110 total points on the first attempt, though Laraqua made them for me. The best rolls I've made myself were probably for Alyssa Valentine in Escape From Innsmouth (104 total points, lowest stat 9, next lowest 12).

I think the 6th one is a great example of a terribly poor character. It's funny how if the world were populated by CoC characters, it seems there would be so many 4-8s amongst our stats it'd be crazy!

Well, I doubt that anyone beats my worst result of ever: 47. I had practically to beg my keeper to let me make another roll. He only accepted when he saw in the rulebook that with averages stats of 3, my character couldn't move, speak or do anything. By invisible castle is very unkind with me too when I'm doing my characters.

Then I´ll flesh out the 8th clone of Fransesca! It will be fun!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Investigator Name: Fransesca MorlettiOccupation: Pilot - helicopter
Colleges, Degrees: Heli Pilot Cert
Birthplace: Palermo, Italy
Mental Disorders:
Sex: F Age: 31
STR: 15 DEX: 15 INT: 11 Idea: 55
CON: 13 APP: 17 POW: 15 Luck: 75
SIZ: 15 SAN: 75 EDU: 15 Know: 75
99-Cthulhu Mythos: 99 Damage Bonus: +1D4
Hit Points:14

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accounting 10% Anthropology 1% Archaeology 1%
Astronomy 1% Bargain 5% Biology 1%
Chemistry 1% Climb 40% Computer Use 56% Conceal 15% Credit Rating 15% Cthulhu Mythos 0%
Dodge 30% Drive Auto 40% Electrical Repair 40%
Electronics 46% Fast Talk 5% First Aid 50% Geology 1% Handgun 20% Hide 10%
History 20% Jump 25% Law 5%
Library Use 25% Listen 25% Locksmith 1%
Machine Gun 15% Martial Arts 1% Mechanical Repair 85%
Medicine 5% Natural History 10% Navigate 10%
Occult 5% Operate Hvy. Machine 1% Persuade 15%
Pharmacy 1% Photography 10% Physics 26% Pilot: Helicopter 86% Psychoanalysis 1% Psychology 5%
Ride 5% Rifle 25% Shotgun 30%
Sneak 10% Spot Hidden 50% Submachine Gun 15%
Swim 50% Throw 25% Track 10%
12-gauge Shotgun (pump) 45% Fist/Punch 50% Head Butt 10%
Kick 25% Grapple 25%



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Call of Cthulhu is a registered trademark of Chaosium Inc.

I´ll have to reflect on the flaws and benefits issue... Now seh´ll be able to operate a helicopter and fix some mechanical end electrical errors. (The +3 went to DEX)

Very cool.

So you've played her seven times before? How'd that go for you?

And yeah, feel free to post it in Character Creation and get yourself on to the Chit-Chat thread. I'll go over the skills later on to be sure all is in order.

I'll have to have a think to determine how best to start you off in going to Berlin...

I think he meant that this is the 8th set of character creation rolls.

Ahh. Never can tell. Mason was a character he'd used to play through The Haunting and he wanted to use it again, so for all I knew, Syrinx really liked this character.

And yeesh, a total pool of 45 points ... Kabukiman, you roll really badly. Least I've gotten is around 80. I roll well!

And I thought I tend to roll badly! 75 is the lowest I can remember rolling, but there was a character I rolled up for a one-shot at a convention over 12 years ago that may have been worse (both EDU and INT were single-digit, and his other stats weren't so good either). He turned out to be a lot of fun to play and outlived all of the other PCs. The minimum possible point total without adjusting for age is 37, so 47 is almost as abysmal as you can get! The maximum possible is 147, but I've never gotten anywhere near that much. Anyway, Fransesca looks like an awesome character, and I look forward to meeting her!

Also, there's a potential opening for an Undercover Police Officer to enter the expedition. You'd need to be German kriminalpolizei (detective) and in your late-twenties or higher. Other than that, there's a lot of flexibility.

Actually Fransesca started out with another character of mine Frank Herert who made a second appearance in Hecatomb (Oathinblood´s scenario). Their first work together was in a game at Storycrafter. The game stalled and the keeper just faded off. So I guess I relocated both Fransesca and Frank here to yog-sothoth.
Neither of them are clones then. just survivors. A clone indicate that a character has died like an reincarnation. The game at Strorycrafter was dice less. The game was weaved from storytelling. So, no deaths and no prior skill checks. Fransesca´s bio comes from Storycrafter and I tried to get the skills to reflect the bio from the first appearance. Sweet that she didn´t get like 4 in APP, that wouldn´t reflect her char pic. But then beauty is relative.

As a flaw/benefit I´d like her to have Mechanical aptitude to go against Interpersonal inability - consequently she´d rather spend her time "discussing" with her computer or chopper than a work mate. For reference: Ducky´s monolouges with the corpses in NCIS. Another flaw should be the former company (a German institute from the facility in Antarctica) who has agents looking for her. This results in a Chutzpah in Fransesca's demeanor. She´ll be engaging in the task at hand with audacity because the option to stay in the ruts of ordinary life would lead to a fate as a scape goat for something gone bad on the white continent.

Cheers!

Hehe, I can do stuff with that.

The University of Moscow is looking for a number of able-bodied and interested people from a multitude of scientific and non-scientific disciplines to study the unique scientific phenomena found in the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Several archaeological digs have found references to specific co-ordinates located within the peninsula and the University of Moscow, in collaboration with the Russian Government and Ophidian, are sending an exploratory expedition to see if the location, referenced in ancient sites on multiple continents, houses the remains of a long dead civilization.
However, the expedition is not only of interest to the archaeologists and historians out there! We already have a guide native to the area, but we are eager for medical staff, technicians and people from multiple scientific fields. This location is of interest to meteorologists, due to the perpetual storm cloud cover that inhibits satellite imagery of the co-ordinates and which downs each observational airplane sent over there. It is of interest to the zoologists, entomologists, botanists and biologists, due to the bizarre, unique and almost maladaptive adaptations of numerous animal, insect and plant species found in the area whose corpses have often been delivered by locals, that were not previously available for study due to a complete absence of funding.

Ophidian is also looking for a camera operator (psst, undercover cop), boom operator and a skilled co-star of the trendy new documentary series, Hidden Places, to chronicle the expedition.

Come and take on this exciting new opportunity, plump up your gaming resume and gather new anecdotes to share with friends and love ones!

Camera Operator (Undercover Cop) still available?

Ooh, excellent timing. Yes, it still is. So sorry for the delay in PMing you, I'm currently on holiday and will be away for a week without much internet access.

Basically, you've been assigned to be a pretend camera operator and assigned to the case from an investigative bureau (I gotta find the German name for their version of the F.B.I. or anti-terrorism unit).

So far, two members of the expedition have been kidnapped.

Several interviewees for the expedition's cameraman position have been murdered.

One member of the expedition was found at the location that the latest killing of a vicious serial killer has occured.

Those are the basic details.

They want you as both bait and as a way to figure out if there are any inside men or any reason why someone's trying to stop this expedition.

You can play either a man or a woman, up to you.

PM me as you come up with ideas and the like. Also, I'll be saying yay or nay to your rolls... This expedition is fair hard and no one with too many low or average stats would ever get on it. Yeah, you're starting out undercover, but I hardly want to faze your char out as the expedition progresses. So yeah, I'll check your stat line to see if it's good enough.

Remember to use www.invisiblecastle.com and send me the link.

I'm in this game too, and I think you'll really enjoy it. Your character will probably be with mine frequently, at least at first.

The German elite counterterrorism unit is the GSG 9, and this is exactly the sort of case it would be involved in. It was established in 1973, after the disastrous failure of the German police response to terrorism at the 1972 Münich Olympics.

Abbo Durer
465 : 19.375 Cameraman Undercover Cop, Kamchakta Exp
STR 10
CON 11
POW 5
DEX 10
APP 12
SIZ 9
INT 14
EDU 13

What do you think of these rolls?
Age 36, son of German refugees to England, educated at Konigsberg University, duelling scars etc, etc.

I'll think up more detail and post them & PM you.

I'm sure you're going to need to reroll those. Even I don't usually get character creation rolls that low, and I'm notorious for it.

Also, you'll be getting 3 extra points to add to whatever stat or stats you want after you do get an acceptable set of rolls.

Abbo Durer
Re-roll
STR 11
CON 7
POW 9
DEX 8
APP 11
SIZ 18
INT 14
EDU 8+3=11
Slightly better, I did roll a 3rd time but that was worse....... SIZ is impressive, could I swap two stats or use some points from it to bump up others?

Thanks Mr Handy for the info.

My character's history involves an ancestral connection to Germen royalty, a member of the White Fraternity at Konigsberg Uni (carousing and 'Schlager Play'), job at the ITV in UK making adverts and ?. Maybe a fear of cold steel due to an appalling accident whist at Konigsberg. I'll thoroughly read your posts before finishing Abbo's history.

You're welcome. Laraqua's good about letting us swap stats, though the only stat you might be able to swap SIZ for is INT, since they're the only two rolled on 2d6+6. However, this set of stats is also going to be too low. The average point total of all stats is 94, so any set of rolls that is below or even equal to that isn't going to be good enough.

Abbo Durer
5th attempt
STR 11
CON 13
POW 9+3=12
DEX 8
APP 14
SIZ 14
INT 13
EDU 18
Woo hoo, 103, whaddya think?

Yes, that's a better set of rolls. You'll have to wait for Laraqua to return (which should be in later in January) to tell you whether or not it's good enough.

I got net time. Looks good.

Hey there, Syrinx has had to pull his Dreaming Man game to a premature close and I'm looking for another game to join. Are there any positions available?

Edit: Just read some of the previous posts. Can I take the boom operator's spot?

Edit2: Stats: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1889808/

STR: 11
CON: 9
POW : 6
DEX: 12
APP: 8
SIZ: 15
INT: 17
EDU: 17

Boom operator spot is good. Your rolls are near decent but the low CON and POW would mean you wouldn't be found suitable, though if you like these rolls, you could split your +3, put 1 on CON and 2 on POW.

Yeah, I think I'll do what you suggested.

So now:
STR: 11
CON: 9+1=10
POW : 6+2=8
DEX: 12
APP: 8
SIZ: 15
INT: 17
EDU: 17

I'll work on my getting my character sheet together now.

Edit: Here it is, I checked it on that Byakhee program and it seems to be okay

Skills: (Non-default skills BOLD, Professional Skills ITALICS, personal interests denoted by an *)
Accounting (10%):
Archaeology (01%): 46
Anthropology (01%):
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%): 21
Biology (01%):
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%):
Computer Use (01%):
Conceal (15%): 50
Craft (05%):
Credit Rating (15%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
Dodge (DEX x 2): 24
Drive Auto (20%):
Electrical Repair (10%): 60
Electronics (01%): 60
Fast Talk (05%):
First Aid (30%):
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%): 40
History (20%): 30
Jump (25%):
Law (05%):
Library Use (25%): 40
Listen (25%): 60
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
Mechanical Repair (20%): 50
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
*Occult (05%): 85
Operate Heavy Machinery (01%):
*Other Language: Russian (01%): 40
*Other Language: German (01%): 85 (bilingual benefit)
Own Language: English (EDU x 5%): 85
Persuade (15%):
*Pharmacy (01%): 50
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychotherapy (01%):
Psychology (05%):
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%):
Spot Hidden (25%): 58
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

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

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


Benefits:
-bilingual
-catnapper

Flaws:
-cowardly
-low pain threshold


I'm thinking of him being quite scholarly, having been to university and studying a wide range of things without really achieving anything, and subsequently being forced to work at a job that is not worthy (in his eyes) of his skills and talents.

Still have openings - no back-reading necessary. No scrabbling to catch up on other PC's plots.