Not straight up of course, but for a while I have been playing around with the idea a Call of Cthulhu like adventure inside a Rapture like super structure.
The basic plot hook will be that they will be sent from Sigil to New Atlantis (Rapture) to find certain NPCs. However, they loose their memories as soon as they arrive and have to piece together their mission.
The denizens of New Atlantis (Rapture) would not be corrupted from plasmids but instead from magic and the horrors of the Cthulhu mythos. Some are still sane, barely, and be willing to help the PCs.
The location of New Atlantis is a secret which is why their memories have been expunged. The super structure and society would be based off of magictech like innovation. This will allow the PCs to create magical gear as they progress.
Eventually they must find their way to the NPCs they must seek and or escape in case everything hits the fan.
I am thinking they will start at or around level 5. I am looking for suggestions on how I can achieve what I want to do as well as a list of monsters from the bestiary.
This sounds like an awesome idea. You definitely have to use the Aboleth(sp?) for a monster or two, that just screams Call of Cthulhu.
This sounds like an awesome idea. You definitely have to use the Aboleth(sp?) for a monster or two, that just screams Call of Cthulhu.
I was writing down a list of possible monsters I was thinking of and I can't believe I didn't write that one down.
I am of course going to be using the actual Lovecraftain monsters that are printed out.
I am also considering using the qlippoth line of demons. They of course would have to wait to way later in the adventure because of their high CR but they are so Lovecraftian in nature I cannot say no. I just wish they were a wider range of CR.
Perhaps, I could modify the Cythingot and turn it into a template to apply to other creatures.
You could also use the Sahuagin and the Skum as the fishmen that are tied to Cthulhu and Dagon. Also, check out the Call of Cthuluh book made by WoTC.
I'm kinda working on something similar myself.
One thing I know from the games the the ability to receive injuries that are not just hp damage. If you are wanting to make a it a bit more survival horrorish, consider using some sort of insanity/wound features.
There is also things like Taint from Oriental adventures. Causing damage to the players that a healer cannot just CLW away, I think is probally the way to go.
I agree that this idea sounds fresh and awesome. Bioshock + Lovecraft would be like chocolate and peanut butter!
Might be interesting if you present some situations to gauge the party's morality, a la the little sisters save or harvest in bioshock. Maybe gain power at the cost of sanity?
In my opinion, some of the best moments in Bioshock were the times when you saw how great the city was before it fell, and the contrast between that and its current degraded state.
Not sure if you're wanting to draw directly from the Cthulhu mythos too much, but Dagon and the Deep Ones would be thematically appropriate, if it's an underwater city. An avatar of Nyarlathotep might make a compelling Andrew Ryan figure as well.
Geez... this makes me want to put together a similar campaign! Kudos.
Edit: Ahh Spyder beat me to the Dagon reference :)
Edit: Ahh Spyder beat me to the Dagon reference :)
What can I say, I somewhat know my Lovecraftian lore >:)
I agree that this idea sounds fresh and awesome. Bioshock + Lovecraft would be like chocolate and peanut butter!
Might be interesting if you present some situations to gauge the party's morality, a la the little sisters save or harvest in bioshock. Maybe gain power at the cost of sanity?
In my opinion, some of the best moments in Bioshock were the times when you saw how great the city was before it fell, and the contrast between that and its current degraded state.
Not sure if you're wanting to draw directly from the Cthulhu mythos too much, but Dagon and the Deep Ones would be thematically appropriate, if it's an underwater city. An avatar of Nyarlathotep might make a compelling Andrew Ryan figure as well.
Geez... this makes me want to put together a similar campaign! Kudos.
Edit: Ahh Spyder beat me to the Dagon reference :)
I have been contemplating the little sister and big daddy concept. I was thinking I could use Soul Bound Dolls that have partial free will but they are bound to different types of Golems for various levels of Power.
I think if they PC's release the souls of the Soul Bounds then they get partial HP or spell restoration. If they rape the soul then they get it major restoration of either but they get hit by insanity effects.
Flesh Golem: Little sister(Soul bound doll) calls him Mister Fleshy.
Clockwork Golem: Little sister(Soul bound doll) calls him Mr. Windy Gears.
Alchemical Golem: Little sister(Soul bound doll) calls him Mr. Bubbly.
Shell Golem (Stone Golem Stats): Little sister(Soul bound doll) calls him Mr. Shells.
Iron Golem: Little sister(Soul bound doll) calls him Mr. Tin Man.
What can I say, I somewhat know my Lovecraftian lore >:)
Edit: Ahh Spyder beat me to the Dagon reference :)
I can claim this as well with some modesty. I do a lot of Lovecraftian artwork My Lovecraft Artwork
I can claim this as well with some modesty. I do a lot of Lovecraftian artwork My Lovecraft Artwork
I am humbled, sir. You do some fascinating work.
I can claim this as well with some modesty. I do a lot of Lovecraftian artwork My Lovecraft Artwork
Very nice art work. I'm writing (and doing the art work) a graphic novel that has a touch of the Lovecraftian lore.
Thanks for the complements you two. I do try and I been getting the urge to do another Cthulhu piece.
For encounters, I figure I would be using NPCs that have the half-fiend template but I will be replacing the fly speed and Smite good with horrific appearance which comes from the Qlipptoh demons and that power will scale with their HD. These will be basically my cultist and the template would be the taint from the mythos.
I also played with the idea of using Morlocks with class levels and the modified template.
For other encounters, this is what I am considering (*=Qlipptoh template):
Aboleth*, (semi-awakened) Soulbound Dolls, Golems (as mentioned before), Ghouls, Merfolk, Merfolk*, Shoggoth, Sea Serpent,Giant Squid, Bunyip, Froghemouth, Devil Fish, Marsh Giant*, Sea Drake, Vexgit Gremlin, Gug, Hounds of Tindalos, Leng Spiders, Merrow, Nereid, the Qlippoth line, triton, undine, Worm that Walks, dimensional shambler,spawning canker, Slugspawn, violet fungus, otyugh (trash disposal), Hezrou, Chuul and Star Spawn.
I would like deep ones as well but I don't know if there is something existing already or if that will be coming with bestiary 3. There are several species that I could modify with templates and class levels such as Skum, Sahuagin, and Locathah but I am unsure which I want to use.
The Sahuagin and the Skum could work for the deep ones.
One of the things I am doing is taking the actual maps of Rapture and overlaying in Photoshop a grid. The alignment is not totally 100% but it is close enough for my use. I am going to modify the maps though when it comes to elevation and such so that if my players get wise to my efforts they can't cheat. I don't think that would be a problem however because I don't think they are into Bioshock, well at least two of them I know are not.
This is going to be a prop for any players who will play this campaign. I am trying to design it so that anyone could really drop in or out of the game depending on attendance, but also makes for a good plot hook. Part of the point of the campaign is also to get your memory back and your character's history will be shaped by how you portray your character but made up by the GM. The prop is a contract that all PCs will find on their person which explains the situation. Would love feedback on this.
From the Aggrandizement Council, City of Doors
The bearer of this contract, ____________________, is forthwith initially charged to travel to the New Atlantis Research facility. He is also charged to work with and cooperate with other freelancers who also bear these contracts. As a pre-caution to keep the nature and location of New Atlantis a secret the bearer of this contract has had his mind wiped of all memory excluding his name, personality, skills, and experience. Upon completion of the following duties the bearer of this contract shall have all his memory restored and in addition receive a flat fee of three-thousand platinum pieces including bonuses upon the performance and completion of the tasks given. In the cases of conflict the bearer of this contract is also granted the right of “spoils of war” with the proviso that such items are not exclusively company property, which in all cases are marked accordantly. In the case that a bearer of this contract is killed, there is no insurance plan and thus the recovery of the bearer is his own responsibility and should plan accordantly upon arrival. This contract may be collected by another bearer for a bonus of one hundred platinum upon that bearer’s death in the case of no hope of revival. These contracts are magically enchanted to mark the killer of the bearer’s life for protection in the case of murder. The mark will instantly alert that there is a bounty placed on such said individual and this will be sent to both the Bleak Cabal and the Fated factions. Other bearer’s of this contract may also collect the bounty and in addition receive bonuses from the collected contracts with no fear of being marked. Bounties that are collected via a group effort as well as bonuses shall be divided equally to all survivors.The bearer is charged with the tasks of investigation regarding the loss of communication with the New Atlantis Research facility, to identify problems that threaten the goals of the facility and the company, to eliminate or slow down such threats, to extract or extradite any responsible individuals and to protect company property and interests.
Edit: I am looking for loopholes in this contract prop. Not to get rid of them but so the players can exploit them, but I don't want it to be obvious loopholes. I am hoping for suggestions on modifying or adding on to what I have thus far.
So I think that the contract is good enough. I am also planning on using the maps from both Bioshock 1 and 2 so this is basically going to be like an epic dungeon with rest spots and such, but there will be time they have to leave the structure and brave the ocean which will be basically the wilderness.
Since the Bestiary 3 came out I have a fine list of creatures that will both be scripted on random encounters.
This is the list I have so far, but it may include creatures I may or may not use. Creatures with a * by it are possible plot or mini quest related.
Aboleth*
Basidirond* Garden Encounter
Black Pudding* * Chemical Lab Encounter
Chuul
Crab, Giant
Crab Swarm
Demon, Hezrou
Eel, Giant Moray
Elemental Water
Flytrap, Giant * Garden Encounter
Froghemoth
Gray Ooze * Chemical Lab Encounter
Neothelid *
Ochre Jelly * * Chemical Lab Encounter
Octopus, Giant
Otyugh *
Sea hag
Shark, Dire
Shoggoth *
Skum *Possible Deep One or hybrid
Squid, Giant
Violet Fungus * Garden Encounter
Yellow Musk Creeper * Garden Encounter
bunyip
Carnivorous Blob * Chemical Lab Encounter
Chaos Beast
Demon, Piscodaemon
Denizen of Leng *
Devil Fish
Gar, Giant Salt water variety
Giant, Marsh *Possible Deep One or hybrid
Golem, Alchemical
Golem, Clockwork *
Gremiln, Vexgit *
Gug * Hangman tree * Garden Encounter
Hound of Tindalos *
Jellyfish, giant and swarm
Leng Spider*
Moonflower * Garden Encounter
Qlippoth, Augnargar, Chernobue, Cythnigot, Nyogoth, Shoggti *
Quickwood * Garden Encounter
Seugathi
Shining Child
Soulbound Dolls*
Tendriculos * Garden Encounter
Triton
Viper Vine * Garden Encounter
Worm that Walks*
Clockwork Spy, Servant, Soldier, Leviathan *
Ceratiodi *Possible Deep One or hybrid
Sea anemone, Giant
Crab, Shark Eating
Div Aghash
Globster
Grodair*
Jellyfish, Death's head and Sapphire
Lukwata
Moon Beast *
Nephlim
Nixie
Pale Stranger*
Phantom Fungus
Sargassum Fiend
Siyokoy
Yithian* Possible major plot race
Dark young of shub-Niggurath
Dimensional Shambler
Elder Thing
Mi-Go* Possible Major Plot race
Star Spawn* Major Plot
As you can see I think I have a pretty good list to draw upon for encounter in addition to tainted hybrid humans.
Right now in addition to writing up the main plot I want a bunch of mini-plot and quests along the way that have rewards for the PC's to aid them on the main plot.
Some ideas for side quests or encounters.
Gremlins are tinkering with the clockwork servants which will then start to malfunction. Engineering Workshop NPC will aid PC's in creating magical items or gear in return for stopping the gremlins.
Biolab chemcial Lab containing oozes may have a desired item but PC must get past the oozes which will escape.
They will need to find why the botanical gardens ( the main air supply ) has gone bad.
I would love suggestions on encounters and side quests that would fit in with the theme of Bioshock meets CoC.