Character Creation

March, 1945: the forces of the Axis are falling back on all fronts. After half a decade of bloodshed and destruction, the end of the war is finally approaching. Yet, unknown to the Allies, the enemy has one more ace up their sleeve. A routine investigation of an abandoned submarine base leads to the discovery of a massive Nazi secret operation in Antarctica. As the Allies gather whatever forces they can divert to this new front of the war, a desperate race against time begins in the heart of the frozen continent, one last clash under the shadow of the Mountains of Madness to thwart this final plot of horror and madness.

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Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

Now, regarding the group of characters, you were assembled by the Allied joint command to investigate a previously unknown, and now abandoned, German submarine base in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Ideally, each of you should be a veteran that found himself "cut-out" from his previous unit (for example, a last survivor, or someone recovering from a long-term injury), or someone used to working alone (like an espionage operative, or a sniper, or pilot, or the sort). This should give the feeling of the Allied scraping the bottom of their resources to assemble an investigation team on a matter that, at least at first sight, seems to be of little importance. The war has been going on for years, and while winning, the Allied are still stretched thin and with more urgent matters than a routine investigation of an abandoned base.

Now, on to the possible professions (for those of you that do not have the Achtung Cthulhu! Investigator's Guide, I'll provide the occupational skills, just ask about the careers you're interested in).

Civilian Occupations
Boffin
Parapsychologist

Military Occupations
Combat Engineer
Medic
Maori (obviously a very particular choice, I'll provide informations on this)
Infantryman
Pilot
Sailor
Sniper
US Marine
Commando
Paratrooper
US Airborne
First Special Service Force

Espionage Occupations
OSS/SOE Operative


Exactly one of you should have some level of knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos, and at least a direct experience (with a Cthulhu Mythos rating), and belong to one of the occult branches of the Allied intelligence structure (the American Majestic or British Section M).
One more player can have in his background a Mythos experience, but it's not mandatory.
Additionally, one of the characters might be a Soviet soldier sent in to participate in a "joint operation to strengthen the ties of the alliance", which is sort of bullshit and only allowed because, at least initially, the mission is considered to be of little importance. This should open some interesting roleplaying, so I'm giving you the option if you want (onviously not mandatory).


Important
All normal rules from CoC 6th edition apply to character creation. Plus, look in the topic for additional rules for a list of new abilities your character can buy. Feel free to ask me any question regarding the abilities.
Additionally, all your characters have double the normal number of Hit Points.
And finally, I'll give each of you a special talent from the Pulp Cthulhu supplement, at the end of the character creation process.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Mr. Handy »

Could I play as Oliver Carpenter, my character from The Priory and relative of characters I've played in other games? He'd be classified as a Medic, though he has had Commando training and is part of a Commando outfit, and at this point in the war he'd be a Major. I'd need to update his background to reflect the past two years, as well as probably tweak his character sheet. The Priory never was completed, but I imagine that could have given him some Mythos experience.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

Mr. Handy wrote:Could I play as Oliver Carpenter, my character from The Priory and relative of characters I've played in other games? He'd be classified as a Medic, though he has had Commando training and is part of a Commando outfit, and at this point in the war he'd be a Major. I'd need to update his background to reflect the past two years, as well as probably tweak his character sheet. The Priory never was completed, but I imagine that could have given him some Mythos experience.
Yes, it's all right for me. You can probably use the Medic occupation on page 78 of the AC Investigator's Guide (if I remember correctly, you have it right?), but keep in mind that I'm not using the Surgery skill (that I just bundle up with Medicine). I'd like your military rank to be no higher than Captain, if possible. Tweak the sheet as you see fit, adding 1d10 points of Cthulhu Mythos at the expense of the same amount of Sanity.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Mr. Handy »

Yes, I have the book. It's just as well that the Surgery skill is folded into Medicine, as I don't have as many skill points as I'd like anyway. I can still be a Captain at this point. He was a Major at the end of the war in the background I'd established for him, but he could always be promoted after this if he survives. With HP doubled, is healing also doubled, or does it remain the same? Here's the updated character sheet:

Sanity loss/Cthulhu Mythos gain:
[dice]0[/dice]

Name: Captain Oliver Carpenter
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Occupation: Medical Officer, SAS
Birthplace: London, England

Image

Characteristics:
STR: 9
CON: 12
SIZ: 14
DEX: 10
APP: 6
INT: 17 (Idea - 85)
POW: 12 (Luck - 60)
EDU: 13 (Knowledge - 65) [includes +1 from Well Educated]

Sanity: 60 -6 (54)
Phobias/Mental Disorders: Mild phobia of fire
Maximum Sanity: 93
Hit Points: 26
Magic Points: 12
Damage Bonus: +0

Appearance & Personality: Captain Oliver Carpenter is a cheerful man, always ready with a song on his lips (even if he often sings off-key). He is tall, and while he was handsome once, the wounds he suffered during the disastrous Operation Crusader have left him badly scarred. In spite of this, his confidence remains unshaken. He feels he has beaten death, counting the fact of his survival as victory enough. Oliver is daring and courageous, and he often seeks out thrills. For him, the war is the ultimate adventure. He is also a hopeless romantic, certain that when he meets the woman he is destined to marry it will be love at first sight for both of them -and so it was.

Background: It has long been Oliver's dream to become a doctor, and he has spent most of his life preparing to become one. His natural intelligence has helped him excel in his studies, and in 1938 he began his freshman year in Oxford University. The Czechoslovakia crisis unfolded during his first weeks there, and it looked as though war could erupt then and there. He had been prepared to join up if it did, but the start of the war was delayed by eleven months, allowing him enough time to begin his studies and enjoy the last summer of peace in 1939.

When the war did start on September 3, 1939, he rushed to sign up for military service. Because of his high aptitude, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. After his training, he was assigned to the Number 2 Commando as a medical officer, and he underwent further training at Achnacarry Castle in Scotland. Though he was far from completing his degree, his skills and knowledge were good enough that he could do the job. After numerous operations in Norway, France, and Belgium in the spring of 1940, his unit was evacuated from Dunkirk. They also saw action in North Africa, and in 1941 they were folded into the newly formed Special Air Service.

Oliver was disappointed that the SAS was used as a decoy designed to mostly exist on paper in order to fool the Axis, but he got to go on enough real missions to keep him excited. Their first one, Operation Crusader, saw them parachute into North Africa in November 1941, where they encountered heavy resistance. Oliver was badly wounded, but he managed to stay conscious and treat his own wounds, then helped to cover his unit's retreat. As a result, he was awarded a medal and promoted to captain. He recovered in time for the SAS's second operation, which was a complete success, resulting in the destruction of three airfields and dozens of aircraft in Libya. With American forces arriving in North Africa in late 1942, victory in that theater was assured. Oliver went back in England on leave, and in 1943 he investigated strangeness at the ruins of Exham Priory that had involved a member of his family twenty years prior. After that, he saw action in Italy.

In the early hours of June 6, 1944, Oliver parachuted into Normandy with his unit, but he was blown off course by the wind and landed badly, injuring his ankle. Fortunately, a French Resistance fighter named Claire Deveraux found him and saved his life from German soldiers. She took him to a safe location where she nursed him back to health, and the two fell instantly in love. Unbeknownst to him, she conceived their son that day. When he was healthy enough, Oliver set off to reconnect with his unit, but he resolved to come back after the war and find and marry Claire.

Oliver participated in the disastrous Operation Market Garden in September 1944, where his medical skills were sadly in demand. and he was also in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. Afterwards, with the war winding down in Europe, he was transferred to the South Atlantic to help look into an abandoned Nazi base.

Family Members: Oliver was born in late 1919 to Stanley and Meredith Carpenter, conceived not long after his father returned from the last war. He has a younger sister Irene, who is 22 years old. She had started out working as an ambulance driver in London shortly after the war broke out, but starting in 1941 she began to be sent on special assignments she wasn't allowed to talk about to anyone. Their younger brother, Joshua, is 20 and is currently with British forces invading Germany. Stanley is a carpenter from a long line of them (hence the name). He served in the Great War, and he joined up again when this war started. He is a combat engineer. Meredith joined the Women's Land Army.

Skills: (Non-default skills BOLD, Professional Skills ITALICS, Hobbies preceded by a DOT)
Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%):
.Archaeology (01%): 11%
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%):
Biology (01%): 11%
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%):
Conceal (15%):
Craft (05%):
.Credit Rating (15%): 40%
Cthulhu Mythos (00%): 6%
Disguise (01%):
Dodge (DEX x 2%): 20%
Drive Auto (20%):
Electrical Repair (10%):
Fast Talk (05%):
.Fieldcraft (05%): 50%
First Aid (30%): 70%
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%):
History (20%):
Jump (25%):
Law (05%):
Library Use (25%):
Listen (25%): 55%
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
Mathematics (EDU x 2%): 26%
Mechanical Repair (20%):
Medicine (05%): 65%
Military Doctrine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%):
Operate Heavy Machine (01%):
Other Language: Latin (01%): 11%
Own Language: English (EDU x 5%): 65%
.Parachute (01%): 26%
Persuade (15%):
Pharmacy (01%): 31%
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
.Psychoanalysis (01%): 26%
Psychology (05%): 55%
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%):
Spot Hidden (25%): 55%
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

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

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

Equipment:
Medical kit
Browning Hi-Power 9mm pistol [Handgun, Damage 1D10, Base Range 15 yards, Rate of Fire 2, Magazine 13+1, Malf 98]
Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife [Close Combat, Damage 1D4+2]
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Mister Ginge »

Hi, I'd like to play a SOE operative if possible. With perhaps a Mythos experience while deep under cover behind enemy lines.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by leonardolad »

I suppose we'll need a Pilot, so I can be one. I have the A!C Investigator's Guide, but never had the time to read it, so I don't really know the differences between A!C and CoC character creation.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by andyw666 »

Hmm, pilot's taken. In that case, I might opt for a US Airborne officer (I enjoyed the Band of Brothers TV series) if that's OK. Cheers, Andy
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

Ok, those are fine by me. I'll post the details for your occupations as soon as I can. Anyway, character creation rules are the same as a standard CoC game, except for what I wrote in the other topic (particularly, you should check out the additional skills). You can start by rolling your stats and defining a background, including the reason why your character is fighting (I mean, joining up is mandatory, but probably each one has a personal motivation that keeps him going) and what he wants to do once the war is over.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by leonardolad »

Hey Andy, if you have a special interest in being a pilot, I have no problem in taking another occupation. Just say the word!
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Re: Character Creation

Post by andyw666 »

No, thank you kindly for the offer but I was really thinking out loud, checking off professions we might want. In all honesty, as a big fan of the Band of Brothers TV series, I am as happy playing an Airborne officer as anything. And one suspects PCs may drop like flies anyway so more than on character through the adventure is always on the cards...
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Re: Character Creation

Post by andyw666 »

[dice]0[/dice]
[dice]1[/dice]
[dice]2[/dice]
[dice]3[/dice]
[dice]4[/dice]
[dice]5[/dice] + 6 = 11
[dice]6[/dice] + 6 = 11
[dice]7[/dice] + 3 = 12

PS I've just bought the Achtung! Cthulhu Investigator's Guide but haven't read it yet, will have a squiz tonight / over weekend.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by andyw666 »

Are we using all the PC generation stuff from Achtung Cthulhu?
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

andyw666 wrote:Are we using all the PC generation stuff from Achtung Cthulhu?
Nope, standard CoC creation, except for the new military careers, obviously, and the additional rules I've posted in the other topic.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Steveoknox24 »

Is the parapsychologist still available? I'd be very interested in that career.

I do not have the other book but I can see if they have a pdf to purchase online.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

Steveoknox24 wrote:Is the parapsychologist still available? I'd be very interested in that career.

I do not have the other book but I can see if they have a pdf to purchase online.
Yes, that is fine, although there is already one character with occult background and experience (the SOE operative played by Mister Ginge). If you go for an academical background, though, you shouldn't overlap too much. Also spend some points in a weapon of choice, as you will need to have at least some combat training to survive the campaign.

Anyway, it's not mandatory for you to have the AC Investigator's Guide ;)
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Steveoknox24 »

Overlord87 wrote: Yes, that is fine, although there is already one character with occult background and experience (the SOE operative played by Mister Ginge). If you go for an academical background, though, you shouldn't overlap too much. Also spend some points in a weapon of choice, as you will need to have at least some combat training to survive the campaign.

Anyway, it's not mandatory for you to have the AC Investigator's Guide ;)
Great! Nerds ftw!

Do I roll first, then assign attributes?

Are there any careers that may be a better fit for the party? I'm a little reticent to try something too combat heavy as combat has always been my Achilles heel in RPGs. Getting into character, I'm golden but learning new systems may take some time.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

Well, SIZ and INT are 2d6+6, EDU 3D6+3. Those you just roll. For the other stats, since the careers in Achtung Cthulhu have stats prerequisites, I'll allow you to move around the numbers to fit them. Obviously, only among the stats that roll with the same dices (that is, you can't exchange a result from a 2D6+6 roll with one obtained with 3D6).

You can use the forum dice roller, or an external dice roller like http://orokos.com , where you can just like the results.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Steveoknox24 »

Sorry, I kept screwing up the format. How do I do that to get the format to come our correctly?
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Re: Character Creation

Post by andyw666 »

Player: andyw666
Name: Michael "Stogie" Callahan, Lt US Army
Age: 28
Sex: Male
Occupation: US Airborne Officer
Current Residence: Europe
Colleges, Degrees: None
Birthplace: Chicago IL

Characteristics:
STR: 11
CON: 17
SIZ: 11
DEX: 17
APP: 9
INT: 11 (Idea - 55)
POW: 10 (Luck - 50)
EDU: 12 (Know - 60) [+1 EDU from age]

Sanity: 50
Phobias/Mental Disorders: None
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 28
Magic Points: 10
Damage Bonus: +0

Background:
Michael "Stogie" Callahan hails from a large Irish American Chicago family. He left school at 16 to help pay the bills at home and was driving a cab by 20. Stogie enlisted in the Airborne in '41 for the money and prestige, and subsequently worked his way up to the rank of Sgt. He was then very surprised when, despite his limited education, he received a battlefield promotion to 2nd Lt based primarily on his occasional bouts of suicidal bravery. More recently, Stogie was promoted further to full Lt as his contemporaries have been weeded out by enemy fire. Stogie was severely injured by artillery fire and has spent some weeks in hospital, only just released now.

Stogie is short and stocky, with dark brown hair. He speaks with a very working class Chicago accent. Stogie gets his nickname from the lit or unlit cigar always between his teeth.

Stogie joined up early because he figured sooner or later he'd get drafted and better to volunteer for something good, with a nice uniform. And it sure beats being cabby. The extra $50 a month is no bad thing, Ma appreciates it. And bub, do you want to go into battle with highly trained volunteers or sad sack draftees?

After the war's over, Stogie assumes there will be no room for poorly educated junior officers, so his plan is to return to Chicago and open a garage. Ain't going back in the cab though.

Skills: (Non-default skills BOLD, Professional Skills ITALICS, Hobbies preceded by a DOT. Checked skills followed by a *)
Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%):
Archaeology (01%):
Art (05%):
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%):
Biology (01%):
Chemistry (01%):
Climb (40%):
Command (05%): 40%
Computer Use (01%):
Conceal (15%):
Craft (05%):
Credit Rating (15%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
.Dodge (DEX x 2 34%): 44%
.Drive Auto (20%): 50%
Electrical Repair (10%):
Electronics (01%):
Fast Talk (05%):
Field Craft (05%): 35%
.First Aid (30%): 40%
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%):
History (20%):
Jump (25%):
Law (05%):
Library Use (25%):
.Listen (25%): 35%
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
.Mechanical Repair (20%): 50%
Medicine (05%):
Military Doctrine (05%): 10%
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%):
Operate Heavy Machine (01%):
Other Language: (01%):
Own Language: English (EDU x 5%): 60%
Parachute (01%): 31%
Persuade (15%):
Pharmacy (01%):
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychoanalysis (01%):
Psychology (05%):
Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%):
.Spot Hidden (25%): 35%
Swim (25%):
Throw (25%): 50%
Tactics (01%): 31%
Track (10%):

Hand-to-Hand:
Close Combat (25%): 40%
Fist/Punch (50%):
.Grapple (25%): 35%
Head Butt (10%):
Kick (25%):
Knife (25%):


Firearms:
Handgun (20%): 40%
Machine Gun (15%):
Rifle (25%): 75%
Shotgun (30%):
SMG (15%):

Equipment:
M1 Garand Rifle + bayonet (Dam: 2d6+4, Range: 110 yards, 1 att/round, 8 rounds in clip)
1 loaded mag + 16 spare mags
M1911A1 semi-automatic pistol (Dam: 1d10+2, Range: 15 yards, 1 att/round, 7 rounds in clip)
1 loaded mag + 2 spare mags
2 Mk 2 Pineapple Grenades (Dam: 4d6/yards, Range: 9 yards, 1 att/round)
Uniform et al
Wrist Compass
Cricket Noise Maker
Entrenching Tool
M2 Switchblade
Zippo Lighter
Flashlight (TL 122-A "Crookneck")
Cigars
Last edited by andyw666 on Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:33 am, edited 13 times in total.
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Re: Character Creation

Post by Overlord87 »

Steveoknox24 wrote:Sorry, I kept screwing up the format. How do I do that to get the format to come our correctly?
I've found the tutorial: viewtopic.php?f=318&t=5318

I never use it though, so I can't tell you anything more than that. If you still have troubles, i suggest moving to an external dice roller like Orokos ;)
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