Multiple Settings Horrific Events

[Wicked Jester]

Hi all!
I have this up in the dice section as well, as it's intended to be run on call of Cthulhu 7th edition, however, it should also be perfectly fine to propose this idea without using dice, and that section is slow to gain interest, so if you see this in both sections, please don't mind it

Rather than running a long running campaign, I want to run a series of short to mid length horror one offs for player counts ranging between 2-5 players. When you respond to this interest check, I'll add your name to a master list that I'll pull players from. Characters will be premades with 1-2 extras above player count for options (and possibly recycled if they fit another scenario.) With selection being offered in the order players were pulled from the master list. Once a scenario is over, and I'm ready for the next one, I'll pull new players, and message them asking if they're interested. If you are at the time, you'll be offered character selection and then you're set to participate in the new one off. I will try to keep one offs new and interesting, but may every now and then repeat a scenario with some key details changed. For the respect of time and everyone participating if you take over 2 irl days to respond in turn order (which since this is not running with dice will be decided by random number generator in stressful situations), your turn will be skipped. After a scenario, I may ask you what you thought of it as well as my dm'ing of the scenario. I'm definitely looking to improve how I run CoC and the atmosphere of my scenarios.

The variety of scenarios will vary vastly depending on the situation, such as waking up in an old abandoned artic research station. Investigators called upon to investigate screaming in an old mansion at the top of the hill. Rescuers sent in to help with a collapsed mine. Over night Security in a research facility. There are many options in all different locations and time eras. And it's all roll of the dice as to what scenario I may be running.

If you're interested in being added to my master list, please respond and I should start the first scenario in just a few days. However even after the first scenario has started, please feel free to keep applying here to be added to the master list if you have any interest in horror rps and their atmosphere!

 

[Murdergurl]

Wait... so if I read this correctly, the players don't make their own characters?

 

[Wicked Jester]

Wait... so if I read this correctly, the players don't make their own characters?

That would be correct. You would be given a selection of premade characters to select from that fit the scenario. I.e. researchers at that artic research base who all know each other, or strangers who have been kidnapped and chained together and are being forced to work together for the first time in a stressful situation. This is for a few reasons. One for the sake of time. And two, although this isn't being ran with dice, it's still running on the principal's and concepts of call of Cthulhu. Characters will die. There is no question to this, there will be many many many deaths across these one shots. This isn't the type of horror where you kill the monster at the end and go home living happy ever after. This is the type of horror where you try desperately to keep the monsters back on the other side of the door and survive for just one more day, knowing that someday the creatures on the other side may just push the door wide open.

 

[Murdergurl]

I... might be interested. But that really all depends on what kind of characters are available, specifically. I'd hafta know what I was in for before making that commitment.
Also, while I'm very familiar with Lovecraft and his Cthulhu mythos #teamazathoth, I've never played a game based on it. Call of Cthulhu (from the sounds of it) is a system game, yeah? I've no experience with system games, so if there is some methodology about it even w/out dice, i will be a noob.

 

[themagnoliaofutah]

Count me in!

 

[Wicked Jester]

I... might be interested. But that really all depends on what kind of characters are available. I'd hafta know what I was in for before making that commitment.
Also, while I'm very familiar with Lovecraft and his Cthulhu mythos #teamazathoth, I've never played a game based on it. Call of Cthulhu (from the sounds of it) is a system game, yeah? I've no experience with system games, so if there is some methodology about it even w/out dice, i will be a noob.

Tbh, characters will be mostly pretty thin, with a brief character history, and a brief physical description along with maybe a picture. I trust players will be smart enough to be able to determine what kind of personality the character might have had from their upbringing and their history. As for systems, the only real ones I would be bringing over are the sanity and health systems. Sanity goes down the more you see horrific and unnatural things. See enough terrible stuff and you'll suffer a mental breakdown. I would handle this on my end, with some extremely simplified RNG, and for health/combat. You have next to no health. If you get shot, stabbed, bit, mutilated, etc, most aren't things you power through, it's a medical emergency. As for turn order, it will always be players decided by rng, then any monsters, traps, NPCs, etc. Youll get to tell me what do you want to do, Sprint down the hall, hit the monster with a stick, try to open a nearby door, etc, I will tell you the outcome. Next player. Those are the only real systems I'm bringing over.

 

[Murdergurl]

okie dokie. well it definitely sounds interesting. I'm interested in dying playing!

 

[Wicked Jester]

As for how those systems might look in rp, it would be something like
Murdergurl as you stare at the creature before you, it's pale grey skin throbbing and unhinged jaw gaping like a chasm into hell, lined with circular rows of jagged teeth, it's eyeless face staring right back at you. You can feel your natural view of the world slowly slipping away as the weight of the knowledge of this unholy abominations existance forces all other thoughts from your head, and that terrible chasm slowly fills your vision before the shrieks of terror from your fellows brings you back to the present and you realize that monstrosity has begun to crawl towards you.

That would be an example of when you loose sanity, with a mental breakdown having more severe and long lasting impacts.

 

[Murdergurl]

gotcha. and you'll be taking note of when we should "break", so to speak?

 

[Wicked Jester]

gotcha. and you'll be taking note of when we should "break", so to speak?

Yup! They will be extremely obvious. Might even highlight them in red to make them more so. I'm not giving examples, because it's far more interesting and fun to see how people will deal with them when they happen

 

[Murdergurl]

cool. well, I guess sign me up for your first list, then?

 

[Wicked Jester]

cool. well, I guess sign me up for your first list, then?

I plan to keep anyone who shows interest on the list as long as they want so they can be pulled for subsequent one offs too. Once there's atleast 5 people on the list, I'll start drawing for the player count I plan to run the next one for :3