The Haunting - again

Please post here if you're trying to gauge interest in a NEW game, which you'd like to run on Play@YSDC
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by Tabs »

Good stuff! What was the disaster which struck the expedition?

Geology, Hide, Ride and Sneak, 30 points each. Owens' Knowledge s/be 85.
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by HoneyDog »

Thanks Tabs. We'll get going in the next few days hopefully

Tabs wrote:Good stuff! What was the disaster which struck the expedition?

Let's discuss it later - it might come back to 'haunt' him...
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by evil_scientist »

HoneyDog, this is what I have so far. What do you think?

Name: Isadora Carmichael
Age: 34
Sex: Female
Occupation: Artist and visionary
Current residence: Boston, MA

Characteristics:
STR: 7
CON: 9
SIZ: 13
DEX: 13
APP: 9
INT: 14 (Idea - 70)
POW: 13 (Luck - 65)
EDU: 8 (Knowledge - 40)
SAN: 65
Spoiler:
(Original rolls: SIZ 14, INT 13 – swapped. STR 13, DEX 7 – swapped)
Phobias/Mental Disorders: ?
Maximum Sanity: 99
Hit Points: 11
Magic Points: 13
Damage Bonus: +0

Occupational skill points (EDU x 15): 120
Personal skill points (INT x 10): 140

Skills: (Occupational skills BOLD, Personal Skills ITALICS)
Spoiler:
Accounting (10%):
Anthropology (01%):
Archaeology (01%):
Art (05%): 5 + 45 + 10 = 60
Astronomy (01%):
Bargain (05%):
Biology (01%):
Climb (40%):
Conceal (15%):
Craft (05%): 10 + 5 + 20 = 35
Credit Rating (15%):
Cthulhu Mythos (00%):
Disguise (01%):
Dodge (DEX x 2):
Drive Auto (20%):
Electrical Repair (10%):
Fast Talk (05%):
First Aid (30%):
Geology (01%):
Hide (10%): 10 + 15 = 25
History (20%):
Jump (25%):
Law (05%):
Library Use (25%): 25 + 0 + 15 = 40
Listen (25%):
Locksmith (01%):
Martial Arts (01%):
Mechanical Repair (20%):
Medicine (05%):
Natural History (10%):
Navigate (10%):
Occult (05%): 5 + 15 + 25 = 45
Operate Heavy Machinery (01%):
Other Language: Finnish (01%):
Own Language: English (EDU x 5%): 40
Persuade (15%):
Pharmacy (01%): 1 + 5 + 20 = 26
Photography (10%):
Physics (01%):
Pilot (01%):
Psychoanalysis (01%): 1 + 30 + 10 = 36
Psychology (05%): 5 + 15 = 20

Ride (05%):
Sneak (10%): 10 + 20 = 30
Spot Hidden (25%): 25 + 5 = 30

Swim (25%):
Throw (25%):
Track (10%):

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

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


Appearance & Personality: Work in progress...

Background:
Isadora was born in India, in the family of an influential and wealthy Colonial Service officer. She had a sheltered childhood, with nannies and tutors watching her every step. She was a quiet, introverted daydreamer, deeply immersed in her own fantasies. The family decided to send her off to a private school in Switzerland, hoping that the company of peers would help her open up a little. Isadora did become a bit more sociable, although mostly by dragging her schoolmates into her elaborate fantasies. Her vivid descriptions of other worlds and weird proved to be infectious, especially in the environment of an all-girl establishment. Isadora and her friends also dabbled in the occult, in their naïve way, held small séances… They didn’t have much success (which is probably for the best!!), but from that time Isadora became interested in the occult, seeing it as a possible bridge between her fantasies and the "real" world.

It also became evident, that Isadora was a talented artist; although she was, once again, more interested in depicting the weird shapes from inside her mind, her dream-like visions, than painting still lives with flowers and realistic landscapes.

Upon finishing school, Isadora decided to pursue art and her father was ready to finance her career. She moved to Paris and began to study painting. But the bohemian social circle, the constant drama and anxiety, and also her forays into the occult turned out to be very bad for her health. Before this her inner dream world was a place full of light and hopes. But now strange, terrifying creatures began appearing in them… She had a serious nervous breakdown, disappeared, and was found three days later in a small village 50 miles from Paris, in a near catatonic state.

This forced her to interrupt her studies and go back to Switzerland – this time to a psychiatric clinic deep in the mountains, led by Dr. Jakob Klaesi. Here Isadora underwent many different experimental treatments, including deep sleep therapy. But not even hypnosis could recover any memories about her three day black-out and disappearance. After months of therapy, her superficial neurotic problems were "cured", but she was plunged back into her dream worlds, deeper than ever before.

After a short break, she returned to her art, now drawing and painting more than ever.

At the same time, a certain George Auden from Boston was staying at Dr. Klaesi's clinic as well. Auden, heir to a major American industrialist, was recovering after the trauma he received when the ship he was travelling on was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. He was a connoisseur of arts and member of a Theosophical Society, so no wonder he became infatuated at first with Isadora's paintings and then with her as well. Isadora didn't fall in love with George (she could never establish deep connections with other people), but enjoyed his profound fascination, and they also shared many interests, supernatural experimentation included. After the end of the war, they got married and moved to the States, to Boston.

Now she resides in Boston, attending the meetings of Auden's Theosophical Society, working on her paintings (sometimes she has small exhibitions), pursuing her interest in the supernatural.


Short version/timeline:
Secluded childhood -> Private school in Switzerland -> Studies in Paris -> Disappearance -> Psychiatric clinic in Switzerland -> Meeting with George Auden -> Move to Boston
"I feel as if my soul would be torn out of my body," she gasped. "I am being drawn into a whirlpool. What is happening? What does it mean?" - The Secrets of Dr. Taverner
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by HoneyDog »

This is a great character Evil S, really well-rounded. She has the right touch of mystery. I suspect that she would clash very much in terms of character and outlook with Norman Owens, which should make for interesting playing. I might think though according to the conventions of the age, that she would share her husbands last name? Or I suppose her artwork is associated with Carmichael so she keeps that name?

Mr Handy or Tabs, here is the scenario description for the game as was requested for setting up the forum:

"Boston 1920: strange events at 20 Copp’s Hill Terrace have left minds ruined and families shattered. But how believable are such tales as strange figures and moving inanimate objects in our modern age? How readily should we disregard the influence of the otherworldly? After the recent real-life horrors of poison gas and industrialized slaughter, can we give credence to tales of odd visions and supernatural presences?

Investigating 20 Copp’s Hill will prove that we should not dismiss such tales too lightly..."

Not too overly dramatic I hope. I am working now on introducing the characters to the mystery, please give me a few days to get that ready.
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by Tabs »

Really good, e_s.

I'm writing this on a tablet so I'll setup the game later on my desktop.
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by Tabs »

Right, it's my first time setting up a game and I can't see what I need to do. I'll PM Mr. Handy.

Here's Norman Owens with a cousin and her children:

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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by Tabs »

E_s, will try to remember for Norman to find out about Isadora's lost weekend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Klaesi
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by evil_scientist »

HoneyDog wrote:This is a great character Evil S, really well-rounded. She has the right touch of mystery. I suspect that she would clash very much in terms of character and outlook with Norman Owens, which should make for interesting playing. I might think though according to the conventions of the age, that she would share her husbands last name? Or I suppose her artwork is associated with Carmichael so she keeps that name?
For official documents she hyphenates it: Carmichael-Auden.

But generally she goes by Carmichael, as she already has some renown in certain circles (she isn't a widely known artist, and is more likely to be known to occultists than art dealers; although her works sometimes appeal to the "uninitiated" as well).
Tabs wrote:E_s, will try to remember for Norman to find out about Isadora's lost weekend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Klaesi
Cool!

Yes, I used a real-life psychiatrist for my backstory. Isadora's background was also influenced by the life of Ithell Colquhoun: http://www.ithellcolquhoun.co.uk/
"I feel as if my soul would be torn out of my body," she gasped. "I am being drawn into a whirlpool. What is happening? What does it mean?" - The Secrets of Dr. Taverner
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by HoneyDog »

Thanks Tabs! Nice photo.

I looked through Colquhoun's biography Evil s, she's quite an inspiration.
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by Tabs »

I haven't read about Ithell, but this photo is fab.

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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by Mr. Handy »

I've created the forum for you here and made HoneyDog the Keeper. Have fun!
Doctor Who/CoC Campaign:
(viewforum.php?f=176)The Terror Out of Time
(viewforum.php?f=191)]The Ninth Planet
The Shadow Over Dunwich
The Brotherhood of Death
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by HoneyDog »

Thanks Mr. Handy! I'll set up the threads there.

I love that photo Tabs.
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Re: The Haunting - again

Post by evil_scientist »

Tabs wrote:I haven't read about Ithell, but this photo is fab.

Image
Great photo!
Image Image

The same person (Moina Mathers) channeling Isis...
"I feel as if my soul would be torn out of my body," she gasped. "I am being drawn into a whirlpool. What is happening? What does it mean?" - The Secrets of Dr. Taverner
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