Cthulhu Dark

[Mephistophilis]

As lots of you probably know, Cthulhu Dark is a rules light implementation of Lovecraftian horror, d6 based without any characteristics except 'Insight' (read insanity). The quick start rules (well basically all the rules) are here: http://catchyourhare.com/files/Cthulhu%20Dark.pdf.

I thought it might be fun to have a go at running a one shot scenario to see how it plays. I have an idea for a homebrew scenario based loosely on a Hugh B Cave story. I've heard complaints that Cthulhu Dark can be a bit railroady so I'd try to avoid that, not least because I don't have the time to make my scenario too rigid.

Would anyone be interested? It'd be posting a couple of times per week. It'd be set in the village of Dame Marie, on the fictional Caribbean island of St Joseph (although heavily based on Haiti) in the 1950s. Characters would be St Joseph locals rather than colonial types as befits the Cthulhu Dark aesthetic of playing the 'powerless'. At least one character would need to have a teenage daughter (to give you an idea of the scenario hook).

[Mr. Handy]

I'd be interested. I've been playing Cthulhu Dark at conventions for years, and I enjoy it.

[Mephistophilis]

Cool, how do you find it compares to CoC? I like the idea of avoiding fights with Mythos entities and streamlining the skill checks.

[Mr. Handy]

I like those ideas too, and it can also have a faster pace. My favorite scenario that I played with Cthulhu Dark rules was The Dance in the Blood (which I believe was originally a Trail of Cthulhu scenario). Call of Cthulhu does have more randomness/chaos, which I do like, and while it's more complex than Cthulhu Dark, it's still simple enough that anyone can jump in and play. It is nice having rules that can fit on a single sheet of paper, however.

[SunlessNick]

I don't really know the Cthulhu Dark system, but if it can be explained simply, I'm interested.

[Mephistophilis]

Rules are very simple (pdf linked above), you choose an occupation, and that's all the mechanical character creation. You roll 1d6 for any task within human capabilities, another 1d6 if it relates to your occupation, and you can risk your sanity by also rolling the insight die (which starts at 1). Pick the highest number. If it is your insight die then roll for insight and if you roll above your insight then add 1. Go insane when insight reaches 6. For most tasks, particularly investigation, 1 is a bare pass, enough to move the story on, 4 is a good pass, you learn what a competent investigator would, 5 you succeed and then some, 6 you might learn more than you wanted. Roll insight if you have a scare. If anyone else thinks it'd be interesting for a task to fail they can roll 1d6 against you and the higher roll wins. You can reroll a test if you commit your insight die. It has a lot in common with Trail of Cthulhu but personally I'd probably try and be less railroady and more off the cuff than that would imply. Oh, and if you fight a monster you die.

[SunlessNick]

If anyone else thinks it'd be interesting for a task to fail they can roll 1d6 against you and the higher roll wins.

I can pretty much guarantee I won't be doing that to anyone. Thanks for pointing out the link.

I'm Florence (pronounced the French way) Lavigne, black, early 30's. My husband Fabrice is mixed is a fisherman, while I work in a bar for little extra income - sometimes tending, sometimes cooking. I have a 14 year old son Pierre (who helps his father on the boat), a 13 year old daughter Marise (who sometimes helps clean up the bar after closing, or other times looks after my other daughter, the 8-year old Rosalie, when my sister Lucette can't do it).

[Mr. Handy]

I'll be Laurent Toussaint, a young car mechanic who embraces beatnik culture. There's nothing he'd like more than to visit America and go on a road trip, but he couldn't afford it.

[Mephistophilis]

Cool. Sounds like a plan. I might try and take a more collaborative approach (e.g. ask SunlessNick to describe the bar where Lavigne works then set a scene there) but obviously I'll direct the story when needed, e.g. I think Marise should be more like sixteen.

I'll wait a few more days to see if anyone else wants to start then we can kick off. I'll try and come up with a blurb so Mr Handy can set up the forum. There isn't much more character creation stuff that has to be done. Career wise it looks like we have barmaid/cook/housewife and mechanic/beatnik.

One thing it might be worth thinking about is your character's attitude to Vodou (voodoo) since it is quite a central part of religion for the poorer people of St Joseph along with the Catholic Church.

When we start I'll do an introduction which might help you to flesh out a bit of backstory.

[SunlessNick]

I think Marise should be more like sixteen.

Ok. In that case she sometimes helps out in the bar's kitchen as well, but Florence still doesn't let her in the bar with the customers.

One thing it might be worth thinking about is your character's attitude to Vodou (voodoo) since it is quite a central part of religion for the poorer people of St Joseph along with the Catholic Church.

I think her favourite loa will be Badessy - he holds domain over the sky, which is important for people making a living from boats.

[Mr. Handy]

Laurent would be hep to Vodou, and his favorite would probably be Papa Legba. As the keeper of the crossroads and messenger, he'd appeal to someone who wants to travel.

[Mephistophilis]

Mr Handy, could you set up a thread:

Title: The Lower Deep (Cthulhu Dark)
Blurb: Terror Lurks beneath the waves...

In Dame Marie, sleeping villagers walk in the dead of night - they return without memory, naked and soaking from the sea...when they return at all...

[Mr. Handy]

Done! The forum is here, and I've made you Keeper. I've put it in the Modern section, which encompasses everything from after World War II through the near future.

[Mephistophilis]

I've created a background thread and another for any more character background you'd like to flesh out.

[Mephistophilis]

Okay - this game is kicking off so unless there's any last minute takers I'm going to close it.

[TheWayEternal]

Hello

Any chance of joining in a game? I’m new to the whole forum thing and play by post!

[Mephistophilis]

Sure, I think we should be able to accommodate you. Welcome to Play@YSDC.

Head on over to the forum and have a read of the Background, Introduction, and Rules threads - don't worry, they're not long, and Cthulhu Dark is very rules light. Then have a read through Day 1 (Laurent and Florence) and Day 2 to catch up.

Finally head on over to the Character Creation thread to post some ideas about a character that we can discuss. Character creation is really just sketching out a concept as there are no major mechanical issues. Then we can figure out how your character is connected to the others and how we'll introduce them to the story.

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