Non-Mythos Mixed Bag Horror

[OathinBlood]

I've been wanting to play many of the horror RPGs I own ever since I got them, but only ever actively play Call of Cthulhu. I also have Kult, Dread, and Sorcerer though, and although I want to play them, I've never really had the right inspiration to start a game. I did try to run a game with Dread, though the game mechanics didn't really appeal to me, despite the setting and style's appeal. Recently I've been conjuring up an idea where I basically meld all the games together into some sort of contemporary horror RPG, borrowing traits from all four games.

I am most familiar with the CoC mechanics, and may borrow them as well as the grim, protagonist's fragility that the system carries. Dread has a very splatterpunk/action movie feel with a darker undertone that I like. I might take out the crazy action movie part of it, but keep the hideous demons and the awesome spells/powers from it. Kult has the most intriguing mythos aside from CoC, what with the Illusion and all (fear not if you don't know about this, it will only help you stay more in-character). Sorcerer's mechanics also appeal to me, though I've never play-tested them. Sorcerer has this hard-to-grasp concept that I like about it - sort of wrestling with your own inner demons, usually literally, while trying to maintain your humanity, which is where I can tie it into Kult. I also would like to add a liberal dash of Franz Kafka's The Trial into there, since I always felt that would make an awesome horror scenario.

So, the idea is slowly solidifying into a scenario/campaign. It might have a tad more action than the typical CoC scenario, but no more than an 'Escape From Innsmouth' level of action, so it won't be a Clive Barker movie - well, it could be, but I'm not shooting for one. It would certainly be very dark and grim, getting into the level of Kult's subject material, so one would have to be pretty mature to handle it. It also won't have the typical 'something's bad, investigate and kill it' layout to it - it'll play out a lot more like a dark horror story than a horror/action flick. This means that characters may be in individual threads with individual storylines, not group threads - though this is mainly up to the players. It will almost definitely not be linked to the Mythos, as I don't like to blur lines between universes.

So, do I have any interest here? I'd like three or four players or so, ideally.

[OathinBlood]

So, no interest?

[OathinBlood]

Right, let me try to summarize briefly to hopefully attract some interest.

Modern day. Several unsuspecting humans are suddenly drawn together in a life-altering event. Something ensues (I want to keep this part secret), and they are soon drawn into a world of otherworldly horrors and dark secrets.

Inspirations - Dread. Kult. Sorcerer. H.P. Lovecraft. Franz Kafka.

System - Popular consensus. Most likely Sorcerer, but possibly some Sorcerer/CoC hybrid.

[Dave Syrinx]

I´d like to play a part here! Save me a spot, please. I´ll await the kick off...
/Dave

[OathinBlood]

Hurrah! Two or three more players and I'd be ready to start this. Thanks for your interest.

[Yakumo]

I'd definitely be interested. I imagine you will give a detailed description of any rule changes and what have you?

[Ash]

I read the complete short strories of kafka last Summer and have finished a Lovecraft Onibus in Winter. I read the Trial some years ago and was spellbound and baffled.
I'm interested to revel in this darkness again. Sounds great.
Let me know when you are ready. Definitely interested.

Ash, 28 British male, current location Japan.

[OathinBlood]

That's great! I'd like to get one more player, ideally two or three, but one will do before we start.

[Mr. Handy]

Well, I'm interested, but I'm not certain if I'll have time. Put me down for a maybe. I'd like to know a little more about the game, the rules, and the expected posting frequency first before I make up my mind.

[OathinBlood]

Well, as for posting frequency, I'd like at least once a day, but the more the merrier. I'm gonna look over the Sorcerer rules again, now that this has a serious shot as an up and coming game. I'll debrief you guys on them later.

[OathinBlood]

Oh, I actually missed Yakumo's post. That's three, potentially four players. Great! I'm going to start prepping to get ready for this game, deciding on the rules and what not. I'll let you guys know as soon as I've finalized things.

[Mr. Handy]

I might be able to manage once a day, though I might not be able to post at all for a week or two in late April and early May. I probably won't have time to post more often than that.

[OathinBlood]

On further review of the Sorcerer rules, I don't think they'll work too well with what I have in mind. I'll probably stick to the CoC rules with a stat changed here and there.

You guys can start thinking of your characters. Remember, it's modern day, 2008. You will be in an urban environment, a large city - where, I'm not quite sure yet. I'd like to say Vancouver just because I live there and am comfortable with it, but I might change it to some city in America or Europe or something.

[Yakumo]

What are your Creation rules? A point buy in system, You send us the rolls we have to work with, or the Honor system for us to not tweak our rolls?

[OathinBlood]

The honour system, though I don't really care. You can roll your rolls, or just add in points. Just don't make a superhero and I'll be fine with your stats. The essence of the character is far more important than his stats.

[Yakumo]

Quickstart rules or the Normal, 20x EDU Skill points?

[OathinBlood]

The normal rules, but hold up on making your character. I might tweak things a bit.

[OathinBlood]

Alright, go ahead and make your characters. Standard Call of Cthulhu rolls, honour system - roll up your character and tweak his stats as you see fit, or just input stat numbers if you're experienced enough. As long as you're not playing Superman, I'll be fine with it.

Setting - Modern day, 2008. Your character has to come from a heavily urbanized and large city - Vancouver, New York, Toronto, L.A., Tokyo, Hong Kong, Berlin...any will do. He/she will have to have a reason for currently being in a large city, even if they weren't originally born there (they still should have grown up in one, though.) Other than that, anything goes.

Enjoy. If you want me to pre-gen a character for you, just send me a PM.

[Mr. Handy]

Have you decided which city our characters will start out in? It might be important when deciding on our characters' backgrounds.

[OathinBlood]

Your characters will start in whichever city you want them to start, as long as it is large and heavily urbanized. You don't have to start in the same city. By the way, our forum is open in the modern era section - it's called 'Hecatomb'. I'll see you guys there in a bit.