[Call of Cthulhu] First Impressions on Masks of Nyarlathotep

Last weekend my gaming group managed to get our hands dirty with some Call of Cthulhu, with none other than the classic adventure: Masks of Nyarlathotep. Since it was the first session, we spent a good chunk of time working on character generation (and laughing all the while at the terrible rolls that people had) until we finally had a working team. I don’t have the names on me right now, but the team of investigators were the following:

• Bored, Wealthy Artist – played by Hikkikomori
• Plucky Athropology Professor with an Alcohol Problem – played by Silver Countess
• Gin Runner – Played by Paulo

Three investigators to start off the game, with a few more waiting in the wings to join the game later on. I’ll try to avoid spoilers with regards to the adventure, but we did start off in the New York chapter with a lot of progress. The team was remarkably well skilled in gathering the kind of clues that had all sorts of leads, but they were also perhaps under-prepared for combat. Sure the Gin Runner managed to hold his own, but aside from him, the other two investigators were like fishes out of water when combat began.

Overall the system was very easy to learn and teach, and I was very happy at how the players adapted to the systems. There was a lot of talking and roleplay, and a single combat incident in the adventure so far, but I imagine that will change later on. I’m impressed by how well this team is doing in the investigation angle, but I can’t help but worry that the lethality of the campaign may yet get to them if they don’t find new allies or teammates to join them soon.

A Sudden Change of Plans of Campaigns to Run

Given the shift in the number of players I have, and some real life scheduling conflicts, it seems that I will have to put my plans for Qin on hold. The Eight Swords of Vengeance campaign will run eventually, but not in the next few months, I fear. I’m stuffing all my research and reading into a file somewhere, and will be coming back to it when we’re able to run a game with all the interested parties.

So in lieu of that, I’ll be running Call of Cthulhu instead, specifically the Masks of Nyarlathotep mega-campaign. It’s a big book with various adventures around the globe, so I have no fear that it will be able to take up many a gaming night with thrills and chills of the Lovecraftian persuasion. I’m currently working with only Hikkikomori, Mappy and Silver Countess as my players so far, with Sheimaruen on the fence at this point.

Given the small turnout of players, I may have to issue a general call for other players in other gaming groups I know of. I’m slated to pay a visit to another group if their game pushes through this Friday and see if any of them there will mesh well with our groups play style. It’ll be good to get some new blood in our group after all.

[Gaming 101] Games to Start With Part 2: Horror

Next to Fantasy, Horror has to be one of the most popular genres for Roleplaying games. In today’s installment for Games to Start With, we’ll take a look at the games focused on the creepy and horrifying.

Call of Cthulhu by Chaosium
If you haven’t heard of H.P. Lovecraft, then you have some serious catching up to do. Call of Cthulhu is one of the most revered and well respected horror roleplaying games in history. Aside from having an incredibly rich tradition of horror literature to draw from, the game’s Sanity system ensures that nobody survives an encounter with evil without developing a few derangements.

Trail of Cthulhu by Pelgrane Press
If the classic Cthulhu experience sounds a little dry, then perhaps the newer Trail of Cthulhu game will be more up your alley. Powered by the Gumshoe system, the game focuses less on being able to find clues and more on what to do with them. Pelgrane has some terrific support for this line, and you can’t really go wrong with this pick either.

World of Darkness by White Wolf Publishing
Perhaps the most popular horror game series in recent times, the World of Darkness puts players in a world similar to ours, but where things hide in the shadows and prey upon humanity. The default of the game has players take the role of ordinary people who have had a glimpse of the supernatural and need to survive it (like the protagonists vs. Sadako in The Ring.) But the line truly shines when it starts getting into the supernatural games, where the aspect of Personal Horror becomes clear when the players take on the role of the monsters themselves, as you’ll see in the games below.

Vampire: the Requiem by White Wolf Publishing
The most popular of the World of Darkness supernaturals, Vampire: the Requiem is an unrelenting look into the vampires of the World of Darkness. It’s vicious, ugly and horrifying, and there’s nothing sparkly about the vampires here. Some enthusiasts have likened it to The Sopranos with fangs, where the politics of the undead take center stage and the struggle for power is eternal. (Requires the World of Darkness Corebook to play)

Werewolf: the Forsaken by White Wolf Publishing
Predator and Prey, the Werewolves of the World of Darkness are live a life of constant struggle for survival. Tasked with an ancient duty to police the spirit world and mortal realm from incursions from both sides, the Werewolves live lives of terrifying violence and constantly ride the razor’s edge between fury and sanity. (Requires the World of Darkness Corebook to play)

Mage: the Awakening by White Wolf Publishing
What would you do if you had the power to change reality? Players take on the role of Mages, ordinary people who have been blessed or cursed with the ability to see beyond the boundaries of this false reality. Much like the protagonists of the Matrix, Mages have been made aware of a higher reality and can no longer close their eyes to the unreal horrors that creep in from the cracks of this fallen world.  Mages are cursed with knowledge and hubris in equal measure, and the world shudders at the tragedy that follows in their wake. (Requires the World of Darkness Corebook to play)

Changeling: the Lost by White Wolf Publishing
Players take on the role of humans who have been abducted by the Gentry to the realm of Arcadia, home of the Fae. In their terrifying period of capture they are twisted and transformed, turned into something no longer human. They are the Changelings, and their escape from Arcadia was no easy feat, but now that they’re free, they must constantly remain vigilant against the jealous Keepers who want them back. (Requires the World of Darkness Corebook to play)

Hunter: the Vigil by White Wolf Publishing
Something happened, and you know it wasn’t some freak accident that took her away from you. The players take on the role of Hunters, humans who have seen the supernatural and have taken steps to take back the night. Desperate and perhaps more than a little crazy, the Hunters live a lonely life of struggle to find closure by killing the monsters that shattered their normal lives. (Requires the World of Darkness Corebook to play)

There’s more to the World of Darkness, with Promethean: the Created, Geist: the Sin-Eaters and the upcoming Mummy: the Curse but I feel that the above titles are the strongest in the line so far.

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That’s it for my initial batch, next week we’ll look at another genre: Sci-Fi

If you’re interested in picking up any of these in hardcover, you can order them directly from Gaming Library.

To place an order, please go to Gaming Library’s special order express page : http://www.gaminglib.com/pages/special-order-express-page

Take note that placing an order there doesn’t mean you’re committed, rather the Gaming Library team will be giving a quote and you can now choose whether to push through with the purchase or not.

The Cthulhu Conundrum: Call or Trail for running the Masks of Nyarlathotep?

I’ve been thinking of running Masks of Nyarlathotep for my gaming group after I’m done with my current Mage: the Awakening campaign. However, one of the possibilities that has been recently opened to me is the idea of running the campaign using the highly praised Trail of Cthulhu by Pelgrane Press.

It’s an interesting possibility, as it’ll give me a chance to both run an old favorite campaign that I’ve been itching to run for a while now, and playtest the GUMSHOE system that I’ve been meaning to study for a while now. Still, I’m worried about being too ambitious about trying both at the same time.

As such I turn to you guys. Call of Cthulhu is no slouch, it’s been around forever, and it works great as a game that enforces the kind of horror play that has made it a timeless classic. Trail of Cthulhu on the other hand is getting rave reviews and a lot of praise, while opening the possibilities of playing other GUMSHOE titles down the line, such as Mutant City Blues or even Esoterrorists and Ashen Stars.

I’m curious to hear from both sides, and from those who’ve run or played the games before. I’d like to read about your experiences with the systems and why you feel that I should run with one or the other.

[Review] Cthulhu by Gaslight, 3rd Edition

I wish all setting books were this thorough.

I’ve heard that Call of Cthulhu boasts some of the most meticulously researched sourcebooks in gaming (along with GURPS and HERO games) but somehow I found myself taken aback by just how damned MEATY this book is. Despite its rather small 196 page count, I can’t help but think that the authors did a fine job in cramming everything that could possibly matter in the setting into this book.