Hello, and welcome to Modern Dreams in an Ancient Land, a Call of Cthulhu 7th edition recruitment set in the 1920's in New York City, America.
You didn’t expect to inherit anything from Professor Elias Farnwright. You barely knew the crazy old man, or if you did it was strictly a professional relationship with him through your time at Columbia University. Not a word. Not a warning. And certainly not under these circumstances.
The telegram simply reads: ‘You are invited to the memorial and estate reading of Professor Elias Farnwright. Attendance is requested. Details enclosed.’
A funeral. A will. A death that doesn’t quite make sense. The blossoming Empire City. And you, stuck in the middle of it.
How Much Experience Do I Need?
Absolutely none. We’ll all be learning this together! This is my first foray into the CoC system.
How Much Do I Need to Know About the Cthulhu Stories?
Nothing at all. While my world will share similar themes with the Cthulhu Mythos world, it will be a world of my own design, separated from the big names of the usual setting, though I'm sure fans of CoC will recognize the inspirations well enough.
What Kind of Horror Should I Expect?
The best kind! Serious answer, though, all sorts of the usual suspects with CoC: body horror, gore, death, violence, loss of both property and personal natures (up to and including your own character and any of their associates), etc.
Content Warning:
This game may have slight sexual themes such as scenes inside of a brothel or interactions with a prostitute or other sexual content. What this game will not have, however, is any sort of direct, on-screen sexual assault content. Not the place for that.
Character creation: Follow the standard character creation process in the core rulebook, rolling for stats and everything. You aren't supposed to be super powered heroes, these are every day people sucked into something beyond them!
End Date:
I plan for this to run for two weeks, in order for people to have a chance to get everything together. That means I'll be aiming for December 7th as the end date, but that is subject to change.
Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any questions at all!
Dotting for interest
Knew I had forgotten something!
Background:
This game will be more long-form focused than a lot of other CoC games and one-shots, and as such I do expect a significant (but not overly complicated/long) background that explains who your character is and what they are like.
To that end, I would like each character to have one specific fear that is above all others for them, as well as one deep secret. The fear can be nearly anything, but should be specifically tied to some event in their background, and also something reasonably encountered. Sorry, you shouldn’t be afraid of wiener dogs wearing clown wigs.
Luck
We will be using the alternate rule of allowing you to spend your luck to improve certain rolls, as I think it’s an excellent and fun mechanic, especially in a long form game where every point of Luck will matter.
I don't know much about CoC but I love the genre. I'm in. Let's roll duh bones...
I'd love toto join! I'm familiar with 5th edition, so 7th is new, but otherwise, it'll be good!
(Multiplying everything by 5:
STR 50
CON 55
SIZ 60
DEX 55
APP 45
INT 50
POW 75
EDU 80
LUC 45
...Hoo boy.
Hi! Dotting for interest!
I'm in a real life CoC7 game, but we play infrequently, and my GM prefers more modern era game, while I've been hoping for a more traditional early 20th century setting, so this sounds exciting.
I'll come back and roll when I can, but the holidays are a busy time.
OK, I totally screwed up the book-blessed order of the rolls. Here is what those previous rolls should have produced, along with the Luck roll I just plain missed.
You didn’t expect to inherit anything from Professor Elias Farnwright. You barely knew the crazy old man, or if you did it was strictly a professional relationship with him through your time at Columbia University.
Couple of questions...
What was Farnwright a professor of?What year is it exactly?
I'm looking through a long list of occupations (presumably from all the supplements, etc.) You said we are 'everyday people'. Should we avoid really odd occupations like 'zookeeper'?
Great questions!
Farnwright was a professor of archaeology, and it is currently 1925.
As far as professions go, I'm more than willing to put in some work to make the job make sense. The more exotic ones might not be the best fit, but I don't think I'll go so far as to outright ban any (subject to the usual may change rule etc).
Occupation - With these rolls, I am thinking about these:
All of the above would work and fit perfectly fine, I’m really only meaning any super exotic far left field type of job.
Here is a CofC character I played in the past. I'll just upgrade him to 7th edition if chosen and the game starts.
Character background idea:
C. Oliver Vandermeer
Occupation: Architect
Age: 36
Ollie Vandermeer was born and raised in New York City, the child of a reasonably well-off family. From an early age, he always loved buildings. The taller, the better. He watched as the Singer Building, then the MetLife Tower became the tallest occupied building in the world.
His family got him into Columbia University, where he studied to become an architect. During his studies, he kept up knowledge of building materials, their strengths and weaknesses. He also sought out information about buildings all around the world. On late nights, he sometimes feels like there's a connection between them, leaning on ideas like ley lines and feng shui. Stone circles like Stonehenge remind him of medicine wheels in the American Great Plains.
He was just finishing up his studies, walking back home for the day when he witnessed a fire on the 8th floor of a building. He stood in shock as he watched what became known as the Triangle Shirtwaist Disaster, watched people jump out of the building, stood helplessly as people burned within, as the building did nothing but serve as a charnel oven. He volunteered to pick through the aftermath, seeing how the structure survived, what could have been done differently, how people could have been saved.
And he has never trusted fire since. Not since that disaster. Not since seeing that figure crawling among them. Not since... no. Avoid the fire. Build strong.
He has his own practice now, smaller than more famous names, but still a solid shop well-known for designing with fire protection in mind. That's the one thing he never compromises on. He's also convinced that we'll be building taller from now on, and there's nothing stopping us from building an occupied structure that rises higher than a thousand feet!
Here is a CofC character I played in the past. I'll just upgrade him to 7th edition if chosen and the game starts.
Be sure to update his backstory; how he came into contact with the professor, NYC instead of Arkham, his deep secret for me to play with, and his deepest fear.
@Wrong John Silver: fantastic! Don’t forget to include his connection to the professor, tenuous as it may be, and his deep secret in the final product.
@Wrong John Silver: fantastic! Don’t forget to include his connection to the professor, tenuous as it may be, and his deep secret in the final product.
Here's the character. Just finishing a couple extra things I need to roll
Do we have free rein in creating the tie-in with Farnwright? Within reason, of course.
I can work with just about anything. The goal here is a small connection that’s enough for him to remember you, but not enough for you to closely know him.
A single important meeting, a couple of interactions at a university event, seated next to him on a flight over the ocean to Europe, the like. He was a traveling archaeologist during his time outside teaching, so just about any region is plausible.
What is obvious or easily learned…
Malcolm ‘Mal’ Strom stands a hair over 5’9” and is on the slender side . He isn’t an imposing man, in any sense of that word. He has recently clocked – but not celebrated – his 32nd year.
Mal is a generally quiet and introspective man. At parties, he gravitates to the outskirts of the room to either enjoy a private conversation or simply to observe the happenings around him.
He makes no secret of his career. Mal is a barnstormer (when money is tight) and pilot-for-hire – cargo or people – when the price is right. He has no qualms about setting a plane down in ‘adverse situations’. And that is how his professional relationship with the curious Professor Farnwright began. The archaeologist needed a sharp-eyed pilot to shuttle him between remote and hard-to-access dig sites in north Africa and the near east. Mal had the skills, the wherewithal, a passing knowledge of Arabic which could smooth the way at times, and a familiarity with weapons when language skills failed. The relationship profited them both.
I think the forensic surgeon examining some dug up body would be the most interesting one to me, but either of the other two would work well.
Since this is kind of a prequal to the previous game Fergus was in let's adjust things a bit.
Fergus was assigned as an assistant priest at a small chapel near Columbia University. In the winter of 1923 a blizzard struck NYC, and things in the city drew to a standstill. Professor Farnwright was caught up in some studies in the university library and didn't realize how bad things had gotten. He attempted to walk home to his small apartment a few blocks from the university, but the whiteout got him confused and things were dire. Through the blinding snow he saw a light and made his way to the Doorstep of St. Anthony's chapel. He banged on the door hoping someone was there to welcome him in before he froze to death.
It just so happened Father Garrity was in the basement organizing some ancient texts when he heard a faint knock from the front door.
Who would be out on such a night?
He ran upstairs and welcomed in a near frozen Professor Farnwright. As the weather kept him from leaving Fergus helped the professor warm up and they stayed up late in the night discussing the ancient texts uncovered in the croft of the church. This was the beginning of a friendship that though not close was stoked by shared disaster. Every year during the holidays Fergus and Professor Farnwright arranged to have dinner together to remember that fated night.
I see a pilot submission above, and don't want to step on any toes. Scratch this one.
Thanks. That’s very kind of you.
OK, my character and backstory are done and in my profile. The only thing I’ve got left to do is buy some gear and see if age gave me any wisdom…
I've never played CoC for realsies before, so I'd love to give this a shot! It seems auspicious that I was finally able to recover my account at a moment like this! I'll get back to you shortly!
*5=55
*5=80
*5=50
*5=75
*5 =60
*5=15
5*=55
*5=65
*5=65
Age: 20-39
Perhaps a foppish socialite of some kind? More details to follow!
@Fergus: now he fits in!
@NotEspi: looks great! Tons of character there.
@everyone: could we try and keep large blocks of texts behind spoiler tags in the recruitment? Don’t wanna clog it up with a bunch of stuff that people have to scroll past is all. Thanks!
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Catherine Callahan | Forensic Surgeon | NotEspi
C. Oliver Vandermeer | Architect | Wrong John Silver
Fergus Garrity | Clergyman | scranford
Malcolm Strom | Soldier | stormraven
??? | socialite? | Kazmanaught
Ah, appreciate the list, that’ll be helpful as we go along. Thanks!
Hi! Dotting for interest!
I'm in a real life CoC7 game, but we play infrequently, and my GM prefers more modern era game, while I've been hoping for a more traditional early 20th century setting, so this sounds exciting.
I'll come back and roll when I can, but the holidays are a busy time.
x 5 = 30
x 5 = 75x 5 = 75
x 5 = 25
x 5 = 35
x 5 = 65
x 5 = 85
x 5 = 55
x 5 = 45
Hmm. This is much more brainy than the concept I was working with. I was thinking more of an outdoorsy type. I suppose I can go with the classic university professor. That doesn't step on the toes of any of the concepts put forward so far.
I'll allow a full reroll if you hit the line of 3 stats under 50, yeah.
But you have to accept the full reroll entirely, and you only get one. If they're awful again, the Fates have spoken!
Thanks! But the low rolls weren't the issue, just which stats were high and which were low. I'll stick with the above rolls and make an academic type character.
I'm back! Here is Marcus Kingston, professor at Brown University.
He considers himself a bit of an outdoorsman, mainly due to his yearly duck hunting trips with his older brother. He loves his brother and would join him on a hunting trip any time of the year, despite his phobia of wild animals.
Marcus has met Professor Farnwright a handful of times in academic circles, and while he respects the man, he never expects that Elias would remember who he is.
Quick note: Marcus is enamored with the idea of being part of a secret society, and has eagerly followed through with any invitation or hint of an event that might lead him to an "in" in such an occult society. It was such an event at a backroom meeting where he witnessed an argument that turned into a brawl that turned into... something else? A local politician was attacked by a person that Marcus recognized as a grad student at Brown University. Due to the chaos and commotion, it was unclear just how injured the politician was, but it seemed serious. The mysterious part is that the local politician was never seen in public again, but there was no consequence to the student. Marcus never got up the nerve to confront the student, but occasionally a news article pops up talking about the politician's mysterious disappearance.
Marcus is an Egyptologist, but I'd be happy to change his focus if that fits better for the campaign.
Catherine Callahan | Forensic Surgeon | NotEspi
C. Oliver Vandermeer | Architect | Wrong John Silver
Fergus Garrity | Clergyman | scranford
Malcolm Strom | Soldier | stormraven
Marcus Kingston | Professor (Egyptologist) | Andostre
??? | socialite? | Kazmanaught
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I'm back! Here is Marcus Kingston, professor at Brown University.
** spoiler omitted **
Marcus is an Egyptologist, but I'd be happy to change his focus if that fits better...
Looking great! Egyptology is fine, Egypt was pretty big in archaeology in the 1920's. I assume that's why you chose it, actually.
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Just a post to keep this near the top of the recruitment queue.
Kazmanaught here!
Crunch is done, working on a backstory still. Not sure if I'm 100% on the name yet, thinking of either being an inheritor of a large sum of money through carbonated water sales, or the last vestiges of a railroad baron since I spent a long time exploring the hollowed out building shells they made in my hometown when I was younger!
Catherine Callahan | Forensic Surgeon | NotEspi
C. Oliver Vandermeer | Architect | Wrong John Silver
Fergus Garrity | Clergyman | scranford
Howard Schweppes | Dilettante | Kazmanaught
Malcolm Strom | former Soldier (freelance pilot) | stormraven
Marcus Kingston | Professor (Egyptologist) | Andostre
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Unless we get a large influx of interest, I will most likely end the recruitment at the end of Friday and announce the party sometime Saturday. Should get everyone enough time to finish any details that may be lacking!
Sweet! Let me know if you need anything further in my background (in my profile). Both the deep secret and the connection with Prof. Farnwright have been added.
Yeah, totally okay with reallocating skill points after selection to make the party more well-rounded. Not an issue.
Before i miss the boat, I'll roll and see if I get inspired
= 75
= 60
= 80
= 55
= 55
= 65
= 70
= 85
= 65
Pretty good.
Catherine Callahan | Forensic Surgeon | NotEspi
C. Oliver Vandermeer | Architect | Wrong John Silver
Fergus Garrity | Clergyman | scranford
Howard Schweppes | Dilettante | Kazmanaught
Malcolm Strom | former Soldier (freelance pilot) | stormraven
Marcus Kingston | Professor (Egyptologist) | Andostre
??? | ??? | Spazmodeus
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Before i miss the boat, I'll roll and see if I get inspired
[dice=STR] 3d6 = 75
[dice=CON] 3d6 = 60
[dice=SIZ]2d6 + 6 = 80
[dice=DEX]3d6 = 55
[dice=APP]3d6 = 55
[dice=INT]2d6 + 6 = 65
[dice=POW]3d6 = 70
[dice=EDU]2d6 + 6 = 85
[dice=Luck]3d6 = 65Pretty good.
Not pretty good. Amazing. No roll under the average.
Not quite complete, but I hope this will do!
Howard Morgan was the adopted son of J.P. Morgan, famous banker and railroad tycoon. His adopted father only was with him for about a 15 years before he died of a stroke in 1913. To be frank, his death did not particularly fluster Howard. J.P. Morgan never spent much time with Howard, looking at him with a mixture of pity and loathing whenever they were forced to spend time together. He could not remember anything about his time before being adopted, everyone told him that he had fallen from a horse when young, and had a nasty head injury that caused him to forget many things. Curious about why he was adopted, Howard investigated, never to find an answer. He never even found out what state he was born in. Before his adopted father's death, he was put in a lesser board role in the Boston & Maine railroad company, specifically to oversee the management of Iron Horse Park in Billerica Mass. Howard, not being particularly business savvy, but quite wise in his own right, appointed an assistant to help him maintain his business ventures that he paid handsomely, and made an early retirement to Salem Massachusetts to live out his true passion; fraternization.
Being rather wealthy, and a product of his father's philanthropy, Howard was an avid philanthropist himself. Donating money to the less-fortunate, and to academia were passions of his, or at least ways to make himself feel better about what his hedonistic lifestyle. It was then a surprise that after spending quite a bit of money to fund some expedition that a Professor Elias Farnwright was going on (the exact nature of which Howard never particularly cared about learning), that the old man showed up at Howard's Salem residence. The conversation was quick, and cordial, he thanked Howard profusely for the donation of funds, nothing that normally would have stuck out in Howard's mind. However, the professor looked at him with the exact same expressions of fear and pity that his late father looked at him, something no one else had ever done since. As much as Howard tried to forget about it through the various vices of the time, the expression stuck with him, like a thorn in his mind. He was not entirely surprised then, to learn that apparently he had stuck in the old man's mind too, and had been invited to his funeral.
Catherine Callahan | Forensic Surgeon | NotEspi
C. Oliver Vandermeer | Architect | Wrong John Silver
Fergus Garrity | Clergyman | scranford
Howard Morgan | Dilettante | Kazmanaught
Malcolm Strom | former Soldier (freelance pilot) | stormraven
Marcus Kingston | Professor (Egyptologist) | Andostre
Not quite complete, but I hope this will do!
** spoiler omitted **...
Background looks great, what’s his deepest fear (preferably actionable by me) and darkest secret? Be sure to include those!