Call of Cthulhu d20 conversion of Worlds of Cthulhu Issue 2

Transcription

Call of Cthulhu d20 conversion of Worlds of Cthulhu Issue 2
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Call
CallofofCthulhu
Cthulhu
d20d20conversi
conversionn
of Worlds
Issue22
of WorldsofofCthulhu
Cthulhu Issue
Conversion by Ken Finlayson, based on material originally appearing in Worlds of Cthulhu issue 2.
E-mail Ken Finlayson at [email protected]
Release version 1.0
The Call of Cthulhu d20 material presented here is not official, and
has not been approved by either Chaosium or Wizards of the
Coast. It instead represents suggestions by the author for your personal use with the game. Worlds of Cthulhu is a Call of Cthulhu
magazine published by Pegasus Press. For more information,
please visit www.worldsofcthulhu.com.
The boxed text is designated as Open Game Content. No other part
of this document is Open Game Content. To learn more about the
Open Game License and the d20 System License, please visit
www.wizards.com/d20.
Call of Cthulhu® and Chaosium Inc. are the registered trademarks
of Chaosium Inc. d20 System is the trademark of Wizards of the
Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. D&D, Dungeons &
Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast are the registered trademarks
of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The use of trademarked terms without permission should not be construed as a challenge to the ownership or trademark status of said trademarks.
‘The Flapper’ conversion based on material copyright © 2005 Tina
Wessel. ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Utterly Insane’ conversion
based on material copyright © 2005 Frank Heller. ‘The Hunt for
Kid Richter’ conversion based on material copyright © 2005 Frank
Heller. ‘The Icarus Project’ conversion based on material copyright © 2005 Christoph Maser and Matthias Oden. ‘The Library of
Averoigne’ conversion based on material copyright © 2005 Dan
Harms, Steven Kaye and Steven Marc Harris. The tome Selections
de Livre d’Ivon is based on material in The Complete Masks of
Nyarlathotep copyright © 1984, 1989, 1996 Chaosium Inc. The
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tomes Black Rites, The Black Tome, Cabala of Saboth, Confessions
of the Mad Monk Clithanus, Daemonolorum, Hierón Aigypton,
Pnakotica, Praesidia Finium, Rasul al-Albarin, Reflections,
Sapientia Maglorum, Song of Yste, Testament of Carnamagos, The
Three Codices, Tupsimati, and Tuscan Rituals are based on material in Cthulhu Dark Ages copyright © 2003 Chaosium Inc. ‘The
Singer from Dhol’ conversion based on material copyright © 2005
Florian Hardt, Anne Abelein and Adam Crossingham. ‘Super 8’
conversion based on material copyright © 2005 Andreas Melhorn.
The avatar of Y’golonac is based on material in the Wizards of the
Coast web enhancement “Shantak and Y’golonac” by John D.
Rateliff and Bruce R. Cordell; it also draws on BRP material from
‘Love’s Lonely Children’ by Richard Watts, in The Stars Are Right!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Some Words on the Conversions
PAGE
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Player’s Section
The Flapper
The Good, the Bad, and the Utterly Insane
3
3
GM’s Section
The Library of Averoigne
The Hunt for Kid Richter
The Icarus Project
The Singer from Dhol
Super 8
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16
18
26
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SOME WORDS ON THE CONVERSIONS
The process of converting Basic Roleplaying (BRP) Call of Cthulhu
material into Call of Cthulhu d20 material is an idiosyncratic one.
This author has been guided by the conversion system outlined in
the Call of Cthulhu rulebook (and the slightly expanded conversion system in the d20 Call of Cthulhu Gamemaster’s Pack), but he
has freely departed from it where he felt it necessary. In particular,
this author has made a decision regarding the conversion of the
BRP skills Cthulhu Mythos and Navigate which is a little different
from the standard method.
THE CTHULHU MYTHOS SKILL
In the original BRP Call of Cthulhu game, both the Cthulhu Mythos
skill and Sanity points were in the range of 0-100. A character’s maximum Sanity was 99 - Cthulhu Mythos. While this rule persists in
the Call of Cthulhu d20 game, the highest example DC for a skill check
is 30. A character with 9 ranks in Cthulhu Mythos can succeed at a
DC 20 task 50% of the time, and would have a maximum Sanity of
90. This level of effectiveness would correspond to a Cthulhu Mythos
skill of 50% in the original Call of Cthulhu game; but such a score
would result in a maximum Sanity of 49 in the original game. It can
be seen that in Call of Cthulhu d20, Cthulhu Mythos is less damaging to a character’s mental state.
Note too that ranks in Cthulhu Mythos gained from reading
Mythos tomes are roughly one-fifth the amount gained in the original Call of Cthulhu game. This suggests that one rank in Cthulhu
Mythos in the d20 game is equivalent to 5 percentiles in the original game. A 5 percentile gain in the original game would result in
a 5 point drop in maximum Sanity. In Call of Cthulhu d20, it seems
that maximum Sanity ought to be 99 - 5 ranks in Cthulhu Mythos.
And yet, since the Cthulhu Mythos skill has no maximum rank,
since no example DCs are given in the rulebook, and since the printed
rule for maximum Sanity has a one-for-one correspondence with
ranks in Cthulhu Mythos, it could be that the DCs for Cthulhu Mythos
checks are on a 1-100 scale, not the 1-30 scale used for other skills.
This appears to be the approach taken in Chaosium’s d20 Call of
Cthulhu Gamemaster’s Pack. In that product, Dr. Henry Armitage
has 23 ranks in Cthulhu Mythos, which is exactly the number of
percentiles Armitage has in the BRP game.
Which path to follow? This is something only the individual GM
can decide. If you prefer a game in which staunch investigators stand
fearlessly against the Mythos, use the rules as printed in Call of
Cthulhu d20. Such a game will resemble Derleth or Lumley. Oldtimers may scoff, but pay them no heed. It is your game.
Should you prefer to emulate the original game, it is suggested
you stick to the standard d20 System DC scale of 1-30, but establish the house rule that maximum Sanity is 99 - 5 ranks in Cthulhu
Mythos. However, you must take care when working with dual-stat
products. Dr. Armitage, with 23 ranks in Cthulhu Mythos, knows
nearly as much as some of the Great Old Ones, and ought to be insane
by the house rule. This would be a mistake. When working with dualstat products, if a character’s BRP Cthulhu Mythos percentiles are
equal to their d20 System Cthulhu Mythos ranks, you should instead
treat them as having one-fifth as many ranks, to a minimum of 1
rank. Thus Dr. Armitage ought to have 4 ranks, not 23.
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In this document, a character’s skill in Cthulhu Mythos is onefifth of their BRP equivalent, and Cthulhu Mythos check DCs are
set on a 1-30 scale.
NAVIGATE AND INTUIT DIRECTION
In the Call of Cthulhu d20 rulebook, it is suggested that the BRP skill
Navigate be converted to the Intuit Direction skill. There is no Intuit
Direction skill in the book (though there is an Intuit Direction special
quality in Chapter 8); it appears in the errata that accompanies the
Gamemaster’s Pack. And yet Intuit Direction doesn’t adequately
represent what can be accomplished by the BRP skill. In the modern
era, Navigate allows one to read maps, make maps, plot a course,
and so on. Intuit Direction lets one find north.
For Dark Ages material, the Navigate skill has been converted
to Wilderness Lore, as Wilderness Lore covers the rudiments of navigating by landmarks (the chief use of Navigate in the Dark Ages).
In Jazz Age and modern day settings, the Navigate skill has been
converted into ranks in Wilderness Lore or Knowledge (navigation)
as appropriate.
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TheTheFlapper
Flapper
As the article makes clear, being a flapper is an attitude, not a
career. Pick a regular profession template, and use the article for
roleplaying tips. Skills of interest to a flapper include Bluff (for
flirting), Gather Information (for gossip), Innuendo (for flirting
and flapper slang), and Sense Motive. Performance (dancing) is
really for people who make a living through dance (ballerinas,
chorus line girls, etc.), though the GM might allow a flapper to
make a Performance (dancing) check to impress her partner and
make rivals jealous.
The TheGood,
Bad
Good,thethe Bad
andandthetheUtterly
Insane
Utterly Insane
If you own OGL Wild West or Sidewinder: Recoiled, it is a simple
matter to add Cthulhu d20 elements (the Cthulhu Mythos skill, the
Sanity score, spells, monsters, Mythos books and artifacts) to those
games. Without those books, though, the following can add a Western flavor to your Cthulhu d20 game.
PROFESSION TEMPLATES
The following templates from the rulebook can be used with little
or no change: Artist/Musician, Blue-Collar Worker (replace Drive
with Demolitions), Doctor (replace Computer Use with Speak Other
Language [Latin]), Priest/Clergyman, Soldier, Writer/Reporter
(replace Craft [photography] with Craft [printing]). Parapsychologists exist in this era, though they call themselves Spiritualists. Antiquarians, archaeologists and professors exist in this era, but they
are unlikely to be found in typical Wild West campaigns.
A number of occupations in the original article have been
combined into single profession templates. Use the Gambler
template for lucky ladies as well as gamblers. Use the Lawman
template for law dogs and U.S. marshals. Use the Professional
template for barbers, bartenders, cooks, schoolmarms, shopkeepers, and undertakers. Use the Saddleman template for cavalry troopers, cowboys, jayhawkers and shootists. Use the Saloon Sister
template for dancing girls and soiled doves.
Brave: Use the Soldier template from the rulebook, but replace
Use Rope with Ride.
Businessman: Use the White-Collar Worker/Businessman
template from the rulebook, but replace Computer Use and
Forgery with Handle Animal and Knowledge (accounting).
Gentleman: Use the Dilettante template from the rulebook, but
replace Drive and Pilot with Concentration and Knowledge (any one).
Greenhorn: No equivalent. Being a greenhorn is not a profession but a sign of inexperience. Any character new to the West is a
greenhorn.
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Hunter/Trapper: Use the Soldier template from the rulebook,
but replace Swim with Craft (any one).
Inventor: Use the Technician template from the rulebook, but
replace Computer Use and Open Lock with Bluff and Demolitions.
Judge, Lawyer: Use the White-Collar Worker/Businessman
template from the rulebook, but replace Computer Use and
Forgery with Knowledge (accounting) and Research.
Piano Player: Use the Artist/Musician template from the rulebook, but replace Craft, Innuendo and Knowledge (art) with Concentration, Knowledge (accounting) and Repair.
Pinkerton Detective: Use the Bounty Hunter template below, but
replace Ride with Search.
Railroad Worker: Use the Blue-Collar Worker template from the
rulebook, but replace Drive with Demolitions.
Rancher/Farmer: Use the Blue-Collar Worker template from the
rulebook, but replace Drive, Disable Device and Operate Heavy
Machine with Craft (homesteading), Handle Animal and Ride.
Scout: Use the Soldier template from the rulebook, but replace
Move Silently, Swim and Use Rope with Knowledge (folklore), Ride
and Speak Other Language (any one).
BOUNTY HUNTER
Bluff [Cha]
Gather Information [Cha]
Hide [Dex]
Intimidate [Cha]
Knowledge (law) [Int]
Move Silently [Dex]
Ride [Dex]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Spot [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
EXPLORER
Climb [Str]
Heal [Wis]
Jump [Str]
Knowledge (history) [Int]
Knowledge (folklore) [Int]
Knowledge (navigate) [Int]
Speak Other Language (any one) [Int]
Swim [Str]
Wilderness Lore [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
GAMBLER
Bluff [Cha]
Diplomacy [Cha]
Disguise [Cha]
Gamble [Wis]
Innuendo [Wis]
Knowledge (law) [Int]
Listen [Wis]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Spot [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
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LAWMAN
Diplomacy [Cha]
Gather Information [Cha]
Knowledge (law) [Int]
Move Silently [Dex]
Ride [Dex]
Search [Int]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Spot [Wis]
Use Rope [Dex]
+ three more of the player’s choice
MEDICINE MAN
Concentration [Con]
Diplomacy [Cha]
Heal [Wis]
Knowledge (local*) [Int]
Knowledge (occult) [Int]
Listen [Wis]
Ride [Dex]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Wilderness Lore [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
* Choose any one tribal area.
PROFESSIONAL
Bluff [Cha]
Craft (any one) [Int]
Diplomacy [Cha]
Gather Information [Cha]
Knowledge (accounting) [Int]
Knowledge (any one) [Int]
Listen [Wis]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Spot [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
PROSPECTOR
Climb [Str]
Concentration [Con]
Demolitions [Int]
Jump [Str]
Knowledge (geology) [Int]
Knowledge (navigate) [Int]
Search [Int]
Spot [Wis]
Wilderness Lore [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
SADDLEMAN
Climb [Str]
Handle Animal [Cha]
Heal [Wis]
Jump [Str]
Listen [Wis]
Ride [Dex]
Spot [Wis]
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Use Rope [Dex]
Wilderness Lore [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
SAFECRACKER
Craft (electrical) [Int]
Demolitions [Int]
Disable Device [Dex]
Gather Information [Cha]
Hide [Dex]
Listen [Wis]
Knowledge (chemistry) [Int]
Move Silently [Dex]
Open Lock [Dex]
+ three more of the player’s choice
SALOON SISTER
Bluff [Cha]
Craft (any one) [Int]
Diplomacy [Cha]
Innuendo [Wis]
Listen [Wis]
Performance (any one) [Cha]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Sleight of Hand [Dex]
Spot [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
STAGECOACH DRIVER
Animal Empathy [Cha]
Gather Information [Cha]
Handle Animal [Cha]
Intimidate [Cha]
Knowledge (navigate) [Int]
Repair [Int]
Sense Motive [Wis]
Spot [Wis]
Use Rope [Dex]
+ three more of the player’s choice
BACKGROUNDS
The article presents packages of skill and statistic modifiers. It calls
these packages ‘backgrounds,’ not to be confused with the d20 System
backgrounds introduced in Chaosium’s H. P. Lovecraft’s Arkham
supplement. There is little value in translating the backgrounds in
the article for use with Call of Cthulhu d20. However, they do serve
as a useful source of roleplaying hooks for your characters.
If you own H. P. Lovecraft’s Arkham, you can use the d20 System
backgrounds presented there in a Wild West game. The Crime Scene
Investigator, Hacker and Pilot backgrounds don’t exist in this era.
The Cat Burglar, Professional Student, Raider and Religious
Scholar backgrounds are available, but are poor choices for most
Wild West games. Delete the references to Knowledge (electronics)
and Knowledge (psychology) in the Gifted Scientist background.
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SKILLS
The following skills from Call of Cthulhu d20 do not exist in the Wild
West: Computer Use, Craft (electronics), Drive, Knowledge (electronics), Knowledge (psychology), Psychoanalysis. Of the Pilot skills,
only Pilot (hot air balloon) and Pilot (sailboat/sailing ship) are available to Wild West investigators. (If the game is set late in the Western era, Pilot [dirigible] may be available.)
CRAFT (INT; TRAINED ONLY)
With the exception of Craft (electronics), all the Craft specialities
listed in the rulebook exist in the Wild West era. Craft (electrical),
Craft (homesteading) and Craft (steam engine) are three new specialties open to characters. Craft (gunsmith) is given some extra detail
to accommodate the setting. In addition, the GM should allow any
character can make an untrained Craft check to perform simple
repairs. The frontier life means everyone learns to make do. The DC
for a repair check is equal to the DC to create a similar item. For
example, to repair an iron pot is a DC 10 check.
CRAFT (GUNSMITH): In the Wild West, this skill allows a character to customise weapons, load black powder weapons, overcharge
black powder weapons, and cast bullets. A character requires the
appropriate tools to make a Craft (gunsmith) check to customise a
weapon or cast bullets. If only improvised tools are used, the character suffers a -2 penalty to their check. No tools are required to load
or overcharge a black powder weapon. A character can take 10 on
a Craft (gunsmith) check, but cannot take 20.
Fine-Tune A Pistol: With a successful DC 20 check, a character can fine-tune a pistol so that it grants a +1 mastercraft bonus
to attack and damage rolls. This takes a week and costs $50 (or more,
at the GM’s discretion) for tools, materials, etc. A failed check means
the work is unfinished. The character can attempt a second Craft
(gunsmith) check in a week. A check that fails by 5 means half of
the materials needed have been exhausted; the character must pay
half the cost of the materials (i.e. $25 or more) and take another week
before being able to attempt a second Craft (gunsmith) check.
Shorten A Shotgun Barrel: With a successful DC 15 check, a character can shorten the barrel of a shotgun. The weapon’s range increment is reduced to 10 feet, but a character firing a sawed-off gets a
+2 equipment bonus to attack rolls. A failed check reduces the
weapon’s range increment, but does not grant a bonus to attack rolls.
A check that fails by 5 or more ruins the weapon.
Cast Bullets: With a successful DC 10 check, a character can
spend a day to produce 10 bullets (lead balls) for a black powder
weapon.
Load A Black Powder Weapon: It is a DC 5 check to load a black
powder weapon using a prepared cartridge (a paper wrapping
containing the lead ball, measured powder charge, and percussion
cap). However, prepared cartridges are frequently unavailable,
requiring the shooter to measure and pour the powder themselves.
To load a black powder weapon in this way requires a successful
DC 15 Craft (gunsmith) check.
If the check fails by less than 5, there was insufficient powder.
Roll d%. A result of 01-50 indicates the gun does not fire, and needs
to be reloaded. (The cap and charge are wasted, but the bullet can
be reused.) A result of 51-00 indicates the gun fires, but the bullet
does not reach its target. (The charge, cap and bullet are wasted.)
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If the check fails by 5 or more, there was too much powder. Roll
d%. A result of 01-50 indicates the gun fires with heavy recoil. The
shooter suffers 1d3 points of subdual damage and suffers a -2 circumstance penalty on their next attack roll. If the attack hits, the bullet’s
increased velocity grants a +1 to the damage roll. A result of 51-00
indicates the gun explodes, doing 3d6 points of damage to the shooter
(or 2d6 points with a successful DC 20 Reflex save).
Since a character cannot know if the gun has been safely loaded
before it is fired, the Craft (gunsmith) check should be made when
the gun is fired. To speed things up, it is suggested the player roll
two d20s of different colors; one represents the Craft check, the other
is the attack roll.
If you are using the variant rule about firearm malfunctions (see
p. 81 of the rulebook), a correctly loaded black powder weapon never
malfunctions.
The Craft (gunsmith) check to load a black powder weapon can
be attempted untrained. Loading a weapon on a galloping horse (as
per Day of Anger) or in the heat of battle would require the character to succeed at a DC 15 Concentration check first.
Overcharge A Black Powder Weapon: A character can deliberately put more powder than is necessary, in an attempt to overcharge
the weapon. The DC of the Craft (gunsmith) check to load the weapon
receives a modifier, varying with the desired effect. See the table.
Desired effect
Increase range increment by 10%
Increase range increment by 20%
and +1 to damage roll
Increase range increment by 30%
and +2 to damage roll
Increase range increment by 40%
and +4 to damage roll
Craft DC modifier
+1
+2
+5
+10
The new range increment should be rounded to the nearest 5 feet.
For convenience, pre-calculated increased range increments are
provided for sawed-off shotguns (10 ft. range increment), pistols
(20 ft.), shotguns (50 ft.) and muskets (175 ft.).
Original Range
Increment
10 feet
20 feet
50 feet
175 feet
+10%
10 ft.
20 ft.
55 ft.
190 ft.
Improved Range Increment
+20%
+30%
+40%
10 ft.
15 ft.
15 ft.
25 ft.
25 ft.
30 ft.
60 ft.
65 ft.
70 ft.
210 ft.
225 ft.
245 ft.
If the check fails, roll d%. On 01-50, the weapon fires successfully.
On a 51-00, the bullet is fired (make attack roll as normal), but the
weapon’s barrel explodes, destroying the gun. The shooter is
unharmed.
If the check fails by 5 or more, roll d%. On 01-50, the weapon
fires successfully. On a 51-00, the weapon explodes before the bullet
is fired, destroying the gun. The attack misses, and the explosion
deals 3d6 points of damage to the shooter (or 2d6 points with a
successful DC 20 Reflex save).
These effects of failure effects replace the usual effects associated with misloading a black powder weapon.
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Since it is impossible to anticipate the result of overcharging a
weapon, the Craft (gunsmith) check should be made when the gun
is fired. The player should roll two d20s of different colors; one is
the Craft check, the other is the attack roll.
GAMBLE (WIS)
You know how to play the popular gambling games of the West.
Check: Your Gamble check is opposed by the Gamble checks of all
other participants in the game. If there are many characters participating, the GM can opt to make a single roll for all of them, using
the highest Gamble skill modifier among them and adding a +2
bonus to the check. If you beat all other participants, you win and
collect the stakes.
A Gamble check represents a string of games; if playing poker,
you might win some hands and lose others. The result of the check
reflects your overall degree of success (or failure).
Retry: No, unless you join a new game.
Special: A character can’t take 10 or take 20 when making a
Gamble check.
KNOWLEDGE (INT; TRAINED ONLY)
Add the specialty Knowledge (folklore). This speciality covers
legends, personalities, traditions, tribes, and discoveries pertaining
to the West. (It is effectively Knowledge [local-The West].) At the
GM’s discretion, characters can attempt untrained Knowledge (folklore) checks, to represent rumors and common knowledge.
FEATS
The following feats from Call of Cthulhu d20 do not exist in the Wild
West: Gearhead, Weapon Proficiency (submachine gun). The
Weapon Proficiency feat has a new weapon category: machine gun.
Twelve new feats are suggested for use with the Wild West setting.
Feats marked Medicine Man are restricted to characters with the
medicine man profession template.
Two-Weapon Fighting: Though the rulebook does not spell it
out, the benefit of the feat Two-Weapon Fighting appears to be
restricted to melee attacks. (The off-hand penalty is reduced if the
off-hand weapon is light, but there is no way to determine which
ranged weapons are light. The natural conclusion is this is because
the feat is not intended to be used with ranged weapons.)
However, two-gun men have a place in the Western. For Wild
West Cthulhu, the Two-Weapon Fighting feat allows a character to
fight with a weapon in each hand, but the weapons must be the same
type: two melee weapons or two ranged weapons, not one of each.
(GMs who are fans of John Woo can allow this change to stand in
regular campaigns.)
Pistols are Small weapons, though a pistol with a silencer fitted
is a Medium-size weapon. (Silencers are not available in the West,
but this is mentioned for those GMs who allow two-gun fighting in
modern campaigns.) Rifles, assault rifles, submachine guns and shotguns are Large weapons. The exception is the sawed-off shotgun;
it is a Medium-size weapon.
Weapon Finesse: Add whip to the list of weapons investigators
can select as the subject of the Weapon Finesse feat.
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Using the Feats in Other Settings: The Dead Aim, Iron Gut and
Quick Reload feats are suitable for use in regular Call of Cthulhu d20
campaigns. (If you are using the variant rule for reloading on p. 81
of the rulebook, the Quick Reload feat halves the times: 2 rounds
to reload becomes 1 round, and 1 round to reload becomes a move
action.) If the GM wishes, the Hardened feat is also suitable for regular Cthulhu games. The feats Danger Sense and Diehard should be
restricted to pulp or cinematic campaigns. The Medicine Man feats
are not suitable for non-West settings.
Using Feats from The Twenty Sides of Terror: In this issue’s
column, Mike Mearls presents a number of new feats. With the exception of Practiced Researcher, all are suitable for investigators in the
Wild West. (The usefulness of the Practiced Researcher feat is greatly
reduced, given the scarcity of major libraries in the setting.)
For the feat Last Gasp, change the trigger “Your hit points are
reduced to below 0” to “Your hit points are reduced to -10 or below.”
(The other triggers for Last Gasp do not change.) This change allows
the feats Diehard and Last Gasp to interact.
ANIMAL KINSHIP [MEDICINE MAN]
Your connection to the spirit world means animals respect and fear
you.
Benefit: Normal animals, whether wild or domesticated, will
never initiate any hostile action against you (such as an attack, or
barking). They will act normally to defend themselves and their
young against hostile actions you take. Animals under a malevolent or magical influence (such as Serpents of Yig or an animal
affected by the dominate animal spell) must succeed at a Will save
to attack you (DC 10 + your Charisma bonus + half your level). Such
animals use the Will save of the entity or sorcerer controlling them
if it is better than their own.
Special: This feat is only available to characters with the medicine man profession template. You cannot have more than three
Medicine Man feats.
BIG MEDICINE [MEDICINE MAN]
You know a powerful ritual.
Benefit: Pick one spell from the following list: detect magic,
divination, exaltation (see the d20 System conversion of Worlds of
Cthulhu issue 1), flesh ward, frozen tracks, hide from the eye. You
know how to cast that spell.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you
take this feat, select a different spell. The GM may veto this feat, or
alter the list of available spells. This feat is only available to characters with the medicine man profession template. You cannot have
more than three Medicine Man feats.
DANGER SENSE
You are warned by a sixth sense when trouble looms.
Prerequisite: Wis 13+.
Benefit: When you are in unwitting danger, the GM makes a DC
15 Wisdom check on your behalf. If the check is successful, you have
a sense of impending trouble. If you are asleep and the check is
successful, you awaken. (If you are unconscious, your danger sense
does not work.) In situations where you would normally be surprised,
a successful check means you are not surprised.
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DEAD AIM
You are skilled at lining up ranged attacks.
Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot.
Benefit: Before making a ranged attack, you may take a fullround action to line up your shot. This grants you a +2 circumstance
bonus on your next attack roll. Once you begin aiming, you can’t
move, even to take a 5-foot step, until after you make your next attack,
or the benefit of the feat is lost. Likewise, if the your concentration
is disrupted or you are attacked before your next action, you lose
the benefit of aiming.
IRON GUT
You can stomach anything, from the roughest rotgut to the most
dubious grub dished up by cook.
Prerequisite: Con 11+.
Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus to Fortitude saves to resist the
effects of ingested poison, food poisoning, and alcohol. In addition,
you can always rustle up enough for yourself to eat without having
to make a Wilderness Lore check, except in environments totally
hostile to life (a blasted wasteland or a frozen tundra, for instance).
DIEHARD
You’re as tough as nails, and won’t go down without a fight.
Prerequisite: Endurance.
Benefit: When reduced to between -1 and -9 hit points, you automatically become stable. You don’t have to roll d% to see if you lose
1 hit point each round.
When reduced to negative hit points, you may choose to act as
if you were disabled, rather than dying. You must make this decision as soon as you are reduced to negative hit points (even if it isn’t
your turn). If you do not choose to act as if you were disabled, you
immediately fall unconscious.
When using this feat, you can take either a single move action
or attack action each turn, but not both, and you cannot take a fullround action. You can take a move action without further injuring
yourself, but if you perform any attack action (or any other action
deemed as strenuous) you take 1 point of damage after completing
the act. If you reach -10 hit points, you immediately die.
Normal: A character without this feat who is reduced to between
-1 and -9 hit points is unconscious and dying.
LITTLE MEDICINE [MEDICINE MAN]
You know two lesser rituals.
Benefit: Pick two spells from the following list: augury, bless
blade, cast out devil, control weather, detect life, dominate animal,
healing touch, locate creature, locate object, message, unmask
demon, wandering soul. You know how to cast those two spells.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you
take this feat, select two spells you do not already know. The GM
may veto this feat, or alter the list of available spells. This feat is only
available to characters with the medicine man profession template.
You cannot have more than three Medicine Man feats.
FROM THE SADDLE
You are skilled in making ranged attacks from the back of a moving
horse.
Prerequisite: Ride 1 rank, Mounted Combat.
Benefit: The penalty you suffer when using a ranged weapon
from horseback is halved: -2 instead of -4 if your mount is taking
a double move, and -4 instead of -8 if your mount is running.
HARDENED
You have seen a lot of death in your time, and in time, have become
inured to it.
Prerequisite: GM approval. (This feat is especially suitable for
grizzled doctors, military veterans, Pinkerton men, and undertakers.)
Benefit: The Sanity loss you suffer for witnessing human violence
and its results (such as corpses, body parts or blood) is reduced by
3, to a minimum of 0. This feat does not protect you from Sanity
loss caused by violence inflicted by supernatural means or by creatures of the Mythos.
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MOUNTED COMBAT
You know how to fight on the back of a horse.
Prerequisite: Ride 1 rank.
Benefit: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you
may make a Ride check (as a reaction) to negate the hit. The hit is
negated if your Ride check result is greater than the attack roll.
(Essentially, your Ride check result becomes the mount’s Armor
Class if it’s higher than the mount’s regular AC.)
QUICK RELOAD
You can load a firearm speedily.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: Reloading is a move action.
Normal: Reloading is a full-round action.
TRACKLESS STEP [MEDICINE MAN]
You can travel without leaving a track.
Benefit: You leave no trail in natural surroundings and cannot
be tracked. You may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Special: This feat is only available to characters with the medicine man profession template. You cannot have more than three
Medicine Man feats.
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DRINKING
Every time a character consumes an alcoholic drink, he or she must
make a Fortitude save against a DC of 10 + the number of alcoholic
drinks consumed in the last 8 hours. A failed save indicates the character moves one step down the sobriety chart below.
A drink is considered one mug of beer, one glass of wine, or one
shot of liquor.
Stage
Sober
Tipsy
Drunk
Smashed
Unconscious
Modifiers
None
-1 to ability checks, skill checks, initiative
checks, and attack rolls.
+1 to all saving throws.
-2 to ability checks, skill checks, initiative
checks, and attack rolls.
+2 to all saving throws.
-3 to ability checks, skill checks, initiative
checks, and attack rolls.
+3 to all saving throws.
Character falls unconscious.
If a character refrains from drinking further for one hour, he
or she moves one step up on the sobriety chart, unless the character has fallen unconscious. Once a character has passed out from
drinking, the only cure is 8 hours of sleep.
A character who becomes drunk or worse suffers a -1 penalty
to all ability checks, skill checks, initiative checks, attack rolls and
saving throws for 24 hours after sobering up.
COMBAT IN THE WILD WEST
Showdowns
The Face-Off: The classic Western showdown begins with the two
sides facing off against each other, trying to get the jump on their
opponent. In Cthulhu d20, this is represented by the surprise round.
(Normally, two characters who can see each other would not get a
surprise round. In a showdown, things are different.)
Each character in a face-off makes a Spot check and their choice
of a Bluff check or an Intimidate check. A character whose Spot check
beats their target’s Bluff or Intimidate result can act in the surprise
round.
Remember that a character can take a move action or an attack
action in the surprise round, but not both. The Quick Draw feat is
especially useful here, as it allows a character to draw and shoot in
the surprise round.
If there is a character who should genuinely surprise the others,
that character acts in the surprise round with a +8 bonus to their
initiative for that round only. For example, two gunmen are facing
off in the dusty main street. Meanwhile, a bank clerk aims a rifle at
one of the gunmen from a saloon window. The bank clerk is assured
of acting in the surprise round, whereas the gunmen act only if they
succeed at their Spot checks. Furthermore, the bank clerk gets a
bonus to his initiative result, reflecting the fact that he has the drop
on the gunmen.
Characters who are not using firearms suffer a -4 penalty to their
initiative for the surprise round only. This penalty even replaces the
bonus for genuine surprise if the character with the advantage of
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surprise isn’t armed with a firearm. In the previous example, if we
have an Indian with a bow instead of a bank clerk with a rifle, the
Indian is still assured of acting in the surprise round, but he suffers
a -4 penalty to his initiative result for that round. Bullets travel so
fast that surprise with a non-firearm isn’t as good.
The Shooting Match: All successful firearm attacks in the surprise
round and the first round of a showdown are automatically critical
hits. Fanning is especially deadly here. Remember that a human who
suffers 10 or more points of damage in a single hit must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or die immediately.
Variant: Close Calls
Showdowns are deadly, because most shots will require Fortitude
saves to prevent immediate death. This variant rule allows characters to survive when massive damage should have killed them, by
turning death into a close call instead.
The number of close calls a character can survive depends on
the character’s dramatic importance. Investigators and villains can
survive two close calls. Henchmen can survive just one close call.
Desperadoes, bystanders, and supporting cast cannot survive close
calls. Mythos creatures do not score close calls, though with a massive
damage threshold of 50, it is hard to cause a Mythos being to die
from massive damage.
A character who fails a Fortitude save to resist massive
damage does not die. Instead, the character marks it down as a close
call, and continues as normal.
Severe Wounds: The d20 System uses an abstract pool of hit
points; the effects of a close call are similarly abstract. However, if
you wish to incorporate the severe wounds system from the article, the following is suggested. Use the d% table in the article to determine the location injured in the close call, and apply the effects listed
below. If a character suffers repeated close calls to a location, apply
the listed additional effects. This system adds a level of gritty realism that is possibly inappropriate to the genre, and might frustrate
players.
Arm: If your favored arm was injured, you suffer a -2 penalty
to attack rolls, and to Disable Device, Escape Artist, Forgery, Open
Lock, Repair and Sleight of Hand checks. Most Craft checks also
suffer this penalty. (A Craft [gunsmith] check would, a Craft [writing] check would not.) Your favored arm is the arm you wield
weapons with, e.g. your right arm if you are right-handed. If you
are ambidextrous, you have no favored arm, and do not suffer these
penalties provided your other arm is uninjured. You suffer a -2
penalty to Climb, Swim, Tumble and Use Rope checks. (These skills
need two arms, so the matter of which arm was injured is irrelevant here.) Additional Effects: Each extra time you suffer this close
call, apply the effects again. The penalties stack.
Chest: You are easily exhausted by strenuous physical activity,
such as combat or running. After 5 rounds of exertion, you become
fatigued. Your fatigue lasts 1 hour (rather than the usual 8 hours).
If you continue to exert yourself once fatigued, you become exhausted
for 1 hour, after which you are fatigued for 1 hour. If you have been
exerting yourself but haven’t yet reached 5 rounds, a round spent
catching your breath sets the count back one round. For example,
you could fight for 3 rounds, and rest for 2 rounds. This would be
as if you had only been fighting for 1 round. Additional Effects: Each
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extra time you suffer this close call, reduce the period you can act
normally by 1 round (from 5 rounds to 4 rounds, etc.).
Gut: You become fatigued. Your wound continues to bleed, causing the loss of 1 additional hit point per round. Bleeding takes place
at the start of your turn. Staunching the wound requires a Heal check
(DC 15); this is a full-round action. Additional Effects: Each extra
time you suffer this close call, apply the effects again. Wounds bleed
separately; if you receive two gut wounds, you will lose 2 additional
hit points each round until the wounds are tended. A single Heal
check suffices to stop the flow of all gut wounds (you don’t need to
make a check for each one you have).
Head: You suffer 1 point of permanent Intelligence drain and
1 point of permanent Wisdom drain. You must make a Fortitude
save (DC 15) to remain conscious. If you fail, you fall unconscious
for 2d6 minutes. Additional Effects: Each time you suffer this close
call, apply the effects again.
Leg: You suffer a -2 penalty to Reflex saves and to Balance, Climb,
Jump, Move Silently, Tumble and Swim checks. Your speed is
reduced by 5 feet. Additional Effects: Each extra time you suffer this
close call, apply the effects again. The penalties and reductions stack.
Throat: You permanently lose the ability to speak. You suffer
a -5 penalty to Bluff and Diplomacy checks which would normally
require you to speak. (A Bluff check to feint in combat would not
suffer this penalty; a Bluff check to convince someone of your innocence would.) You cannot make Gather Information checks, or Innuendo checks to transmit messages. You cannot cast spells with a
verbal component. Additional Effects: You cannot suffer this close
call twice. Reroll on the d% table.
Fanning
Use the regular Call of Cthulhu d20 rules for making extra attacks
with firearms (pp. 80-81).
Two-G
Gun Shooting
A character armed with two ranged weapons can fire them at the
same time, provided the weapons are Medium-size or Small. (See
the note on the Two-Weapon Fighting feat in ‘Feats,’ above.) Use
the regular Call of Cthulhu d20 rules for attacking with two weapons
(p. 67).
The Border Shift: Some armed themselves with two pistols for
a different reason. They’d only fire the pistol held in their shooting
hand; the one in their off-hand was a spare. When the first was
emptied, they’d do “the border shift,” juggling the guns from one
hand to the other. With a successful Sleight of Hand check (DC 20),
a character can exchange the two guns as a free action. A failed check
means the exchange takes place, as a move action. If the check is
failed by 5 or more, the exchange was so clumsy as to be a double
move action. If the character doesn’t have enough move actions open
to them this round, then the character can do nothing more this
round, and loses the appropriate number of move actions in her next
round. e.g. a 7th level Offense Option character holding two pistols
takes a full-round action to make multiple attacks with one of the
two pistols. After the first attack, the pistol is out of ammo, so she
attempts the border shift:
If she succeeds at her Sleight of Hand check, she can continue
with her full attack.
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If she fails the check by 1-4, she loses a move action. Since
she has only made one attack this round, her full attack becomes
an attack action instead. (See ‘Deciding between an Attack or a Full
Attack,’ p. 67 of the rulebook; the fumbled shift effectively decides
for her.) She uses her move action to finish the border shift. Next
round, she can act normally.
If she fails the check by 5 or more, she loses two move actions.
She’s only taken an attack action this round, so she uses her move
action this round to begin the border shift, and her turn finishes.
In her next round, she loses another move action, to complete the
border shift. This leaves her only capable of a single attack action,
or another move action.
The border shift is a tricky maneuver, not to be attempted by
amateurs.
Mounted Combat
Horses in Combat: Most horses are frightened by combat. If you ride
into melee combat, or if you are under fire, you must make a DC
20 Ride check each round as a move action to control your horse.
(Alternatively, you can dismount.) If you succeed at the Ride check,
you can perform an attack action after the move action. If you fail,
the move action becomes a full round action and you can’t do
anything else until your next turn.
Your mount acts on your initiative count as you direct it. You
move at its speed, but the mount uses its action to move.
A horse (not a pony) is a long, Large creature and takes up a 5
foot-by-10-foot space. For simplicity, assume that you share your
mount’s space during combat.
A rider can be pulled from his horse with a successful trip attack.
See the rulebook for details.
Combat while Mounted: With a DC 5 Ride check, you can guide
your mount with your knees so as to use both hands to attack or
defend yourself. This is a free action.
When you attack a creature smaller than your mount that is on
foot, you get the +1 bonus on melee attacks for being on higher
ground. If your mount moves more than 5 feet, you can only make
a single melee attack. Essentially, you have to wait until the mount
gets to your enemy before attacking, so you can’t make a full attack.
Even at your mount’s full speed, you don’t take any penalty on melee
attacks while mounted.
If your mount charges, you also take the AC penalty associated
with a charge. If you make an attack at the end of the charge, you
receive the bonus gained from the charge.
You can use ranged weapons while your mount is taking a double
move, but at a -4 penalty on the attack roll. You can use ranged
weapons while your mount is running (quadruple speed), at a -8
penalty. In either case, you make the attack roll when your mount
has completed half its movement. You can make a full attack with
a ranged weapon while your mount is moving. Likewise, you can
take move actions normally.
Casting Spells while Mounted: You can cast a spell normally if
your mount moves up to a normal move (its speed) either before
or after you cast. If you have your mount move both before and after
you cast a spell, then you’re casting the spell while the mount is
moving, and you have to make a Concentration check due to the
vigorous motion (DC 10) or lose the spell. If the mount is running
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Tables: NEW WEAPONS
Melee Weapons
Lasso
Scythe
Damage
*
2d4
Critical
4
Range
Increment
Size
10*
Medium-size
Large
Sickle
1d6
2
Whip
1d2 subdual
2
15*
*See the description of this weapon for special rules.
Small
Small
Weight
Type
8 lb.
*
12 lb. Piercing and
slashing
3 lb.
Slashing
2 lb.
Slashing
Generic Firearms
Range
Weapon
Damage
Critical Capacity Increment Rate of Fire
Revolver (six-shooter)
2d8
3
6
20 ft.
Standard
Rifle (Winchester)
2d10
3
15
200 ft.
Standard
Shotgun (12-gauge double barrel)
3d6/2d6/1d6*
3
2
50 ft.
Standard
Machine Gun (Gatling gun)
2d12
4
200
30 ft.
Autofire
*Damage is by range increment. Shotguns do no damage beyond the third increment.
Black Powder Weapons
Pistols
4-Barrel “Pepperbox”
Beaumont-Adams
Colt Navy Pattern
Colt Old Model Army
Starr Double-Action Army
Caliber
.36
.50
.36
.44
.44
Damage
1d10
2d10
1d10
2d6
2d6
Crit
3
3
3
3
3
Action
rev/S
rev/D
rev/S
rev/S
rev/D
Cap
4
6
6
6
6
Range
Loading Increment
cap and ball
20
cap and ball
20
cap and ball
20
cap and ball
20
cap and ball
20
Rate of
Fire
Multifire
Multifire
Standard
Standard
Multifire
Muskets
Springfield Musket
Caliber
.58
Damage
2d12
Crit
4
Action
n/a
Cap
1
Range
Loading Increment
cap and ball
175
Rate of
Fire
Standard
Action
rev/S
n/a
Cap
4
2
Range
Loading Increment
cap and ball
50
cap and ball
50
Rate of
Fire
Standard
Multifire
Shotguns
Caliber
Damage
Colt Revolving Shotgun
10g or 20g
*
Double-barreled Shotgun
20g
*
* See Table 6-8 in the rulebook for damage.
Cartridge Weapons
Pistols
.22 Knuckle duster
.32 Palm Pistol
Colt Navy Pattern
Colt New Line Pocket .41
Colt Third Model
Remington New Model Army
Remington-Elliot Derringer
Smith & Wesson Hammerless
Smith & Wesson Pocket .32
Smith & Wesson Pocket .38
Smith & Wesson Model No. 3
Schofield S.A. Revolver
Caliber
.22
.32
.36
.41 Colt
.41 RF
.44
.22 RF
.38 S&W
.32 S&W
.38 S&W
Damage
1d4
1d8
1d10
1d10
1d8
2d6
1d4
1d10
1d8
1d10
Crit
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
Action
rev/S
rev/D
rev/S
rev/S
n/a
rev/S
n/a
rev/D
rev/D
rev/S
Cap
7
7
6
5
1
5
5
5
5
5
Loading
break
break
side
side
break
side
break
break
break
break
Range
Increment
5
10
20
20
20
20
5
20
20
20
Rate of
Fire
Standard
Multifire
Standard
Standard
Standard
Standard
Multifire
Multifire
Multifire
Standard
.45 S&W
2d6
3
rev/S
6
break
20
Standard
The following pistols from the rulebook are available in the Western setting: Remington Double Derringer, Colt Single Action Army Revolver
(the famous “Peacemaker”), Colt M1877 “Lightning” Revolver, Colt M1877 “Thunderer” Revolver.
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Crit
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Action
lever
lever
n/a
n/a
lever
lever
lever
Cap
16
1
1
1
7
15
17
Loading
side
side
side
side
side
side
side
Range
Rate of
Increment
Fire
175
Standard
175
Standard
200
Standard
200
Standard
175
Standard
200
Standard
200
Standard
Machine Guns
Caliber
Damage
Crit
Gatling Gun*
.58
2d12
4
*Weapon Proficiency (machine gun) governs the use of this weapon.
Action
auto
Cap
200
Loading
hopper
Range
Increment
30
Rate of
Fire
Autofire
Shotguns
Caliber
Damage
Double-barrel Shotgun
*
*
Whitney Phoenix
10g, 12g, 16g, 20g *
* See Table 6-8 in the rulebook for damage.
Action
n/a
n/a
Cap
2
1
Loading
break
side
Range
Increment
50
50
Rate of
Fire
Multifire
Multifire
Rifles
Henry Repeating
Martini-Henry Mark I
Remington Rolling Block
Sharps Buffalo Rifle
Spencer Carbine
Winchester “Yellow Boy”
Winchester .44-40
Caliber
.44
.45
.44
.52
.52
.44
.44-40
Damage
2d10
2d12
2d10
2d12
2d12
2d10
2d10
Other Ranged Weapons Damage Critical Range Increment
Bow*
1d6
3
70 ft.
Rock, thrown
1d2
2
10 ft.
Spear, thrown
1d8
3
20 ft.
*Weapon Proficiency (primitive ranged) governs the use of bows.
Melee Weapons
Lasso: A lasso (also called a lariat) allows you to make ranged grapple checks. You can only target Small, Medium-size and Large opponents. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack to grab the target. The target does not get to make a free attack against you first, even if
they are adjacent to you. Immediately after succeeding at the ranged touch attack, make an opposed grapple check. If you succeed, the lasso
has tightened around its target, and they are grappled. (If you fail, the target has slipped off the loop.) You do not have to move into the
grappled target’s space.
A lasso can only deal subdual damage to a grappled subject. In addition to the usual grapple options, you can choose to make a trip
attack by pulling the target to the ground. No melee touch attack is needed to initiate the trip. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt,
you can drop the lasso to avoid being tripped.
A lasso, being 30 ft. to 40 ft. long, has a maximum of three range increments. With a successful opposed Strength check, a lassoed subject
can’t move further than the rope allows.
You can also use a lasso to make a disarm attempt. When using a lasso, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an
opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails).
Weapon Proficiency (thrown weapon) governs the use of lassos.
Whip: A whip deals no damage to any target with an armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or higher. The whip is
treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach, though you don’t threaten the area into which you can make an attack. In addition, unlike
most other weapons with reach, you can use it against foes anywhere within your reach (including adjacent foes).
You can make trip attacks with a whip. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the whip to avoid being tripped.
When using a whip, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being
disarmed if the attack fails).
Weapon Proficiency (melee) governs the use of whips. Add whip to the list of weapons that can be selected for the Weapon Finesse
feat.
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(quadruple speed), you can cast a spell when your mount has moved
up to twice its speed, but your Concentration check is more difficult due to the violent motion (DC 15).
If Your Mount Falls in Battle: If your mount falls, you have to
succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to make a soft fall and take no damage.
If the check fails, you take 1d6 points of damage.
If You Are Dropped: If you are knocked unconscious, you have
a 50% chance to stay in the saddle. Otherwise you fall and take 1d6
points of damage. Without you to guide it, your mount avoids
combat.
INSANITY IN THE WILD WEST
Psychoanalysis is invented late in the era (circa 1880) and does not
gain widespread acceptance as psychotherapy until some time afterwards. Accordingly, the skill should not be available to investigators without good reason. Most people involved in care for the
mentally ill will not have the skill either. Depending on the year in
which the campaign is set, a physician who has studied with Freud
or his colleagues may possess the Psychoanalysis skill.
In the absence of the Psychoanalysis skill, the Heal skill can be
used to effect immediate psychiatric care (refer to the rulebook).
Private care for the treatment of insanity is not available. Institutionalization is unlikely to cure madness, as the two most effective
measures (psychoanalysis and psychiatric medications) are not in
use. Asylums serve principally to keep the inmates safe. Curing insanity is not the focus.
Following the article’s lead, indefinite insanity should be dealt
with by picking a mental disorder that will not render the investigator unplayable. Dissociative disorders, eating disorders, psychosexual disorders and schizophrenia should be avoided. On the other
hand, alcoholism is a classic Western cliche. Alternatively, an investigator might seek out a medicine man for treatment. In terms of
game mechanics, consider the healing ritual to be the spell exaltation (from the d20 System conversion of Worlds of Cthulhu issue
1). However, the ritual should be more dramatic than saying “The
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Quick Draw = No equivalent. Characters with a Quick Draw skill of
50% or more might have the Improved Initiative or Quick Draw
feats. See also ‘Combat in the Wild West,’ above.
Scripture = Knowledge (religion).
Seduce = A Diplomacy check to adjust an NPC’s attitude. See p. 255
of the rulebook for details.
Sixth Sense = No equivalent. Characters with a Sixth Sense skill of
30% or more could have the Danger Sense feat.
Spit = No equivalent. If it’s important, resolve spitting with a ranged
touch attack. (Does no damage, and you can only spit on a
target in your space, or in a 5 foot square adjacent to you.)
Teamster = Handle Animal.
Tether = Escape Artist and Use Rope. (Some characters will have
ranks in both, others will have ranks in only one [usually Use
Rope].)
Tipple = No equivalent. Characters with a Tipple skill of 50% or more
may want the Iron Gut feat.
Trap = A Wilderness Lore check. It is a DC 15 Wilderness Lore check
to set an animal trap.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Blevins, W. The Wordsworth Dictionary of the American West.
Wordsworth, 1995.
Crowe, J. ‘U.S. Handguns for Call of Cthulhu and Gaslight,’ in The
Unspeakable Oath, vol. 1, issue 3. Pagan Publishing, 1991.
- ‘American Shotguns, 1860 to 1940,’ in The Unspeakable Oath, vol.
1, issue 4. Pagan Publishing, 1991.
Macdonald, A., Macdonald, G. and Sheridan, M. Shapeshifting:
images of Native Americans in recent popular fiction. Greenwood
Press, 2000.
Moulton, C. The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the Wild West.
Writer’s Digest Books, 1999.
Tice, M., Appel, S. and Rowe, E. Taint of Madness. Chaosium, 1995.
CONVERTING BRP WILD WEST TO D20
The conversion of BRP skills to d20 System skills is much the same
as in the rulebook or d20 Call of Cthulhu Gamemaster’s Pack. Convert
Wild West skills to Cthulhu d20 skills as follows:
Black Powder Weapons = Craft (gunsmith).
Demolition = Demolitions.
Forage = Wilderness Lore.
Gamble = Gamble (new skill, see above).
Grit = No equivalent. Characters with a Grit skill of 50% or more
should probably have the Diehard feat.
Homesteading = Craft (homesteading).
Insight = Sense Motive.
Lasso = No equivalent. Use of a lasso requires an attack roll. See
‘New Weapons’ above.
Legends & Lore = Knowledge (folklore).
Pick Pocket = Sleight of Hand.
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WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
The remainder of this document concerns scenarios and other material for the Keeper.
If you are a player, not a GM, please do not read any further.
The LiThebLirary
braryofof Averoi
Averoignegne
TOMES FROM THE RULEBOOK
The following books detailed in Call of Cthulhu d20 are appropriate for the Averoigne setting: Al Azif, Cthaat Aquadingen (in Latin
rather than English, otherwise as per the rulebook), Liber Ivonis,
Livre D’Ivon, Necronomicon (the Greek and Latin translations).
TOMES FROM CTHULHU DARK AGES
All the books detailed in Cthulhu Dark Ages exist in the Averoigne
setting. As Cthulhu Dark Ages is a BRP Cthulhu product, we provide
d20 System statistics for the books not already presented in Call of
Cthulhu d20. Refer to CDA for the bibliographic details of the books,
and the exact spells contained in each.
Black Rites. In Greek. Examination Period: 1d12+1 weeks. (DC 23).
Contains 2d6 spells. Sanity Loss: 1d6 initial and 2d6 upon
completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +2 ranks.
The Black Tome. In Latin. Examination Period: 2d6 weeks (DC 22).
May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1d6 initial
and 2d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +2 ranks.
Cabala of Saboth. In Hebrew. Examination Period: 1d6 weeks (DC
20). May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1d3
initial and 1d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
Confessions of the Mad Monk Clithanus. In Latin. Examination
Period: 1d10 weeks (DC 22). Contains 1d6 spells. Sanity Loss:
1d6 initial and 2d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +2
ranks.
Daemonolorum. In Latin. Examination Period: 1d10 weeks (DC 22).
May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1d4 initial
and 1d8 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
Hierón Aigypton. In Greek. Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20).
May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1 initial and
1d3 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
Pnakotica. In Greek. Examination Period: 2d10 weeks (DC 25).
Contains 1d6 spells. Sanity Loss: 1d10 initial and 2d10 upon
completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +3 ranks.
Praesidia Finium. In Latin. Examination Period: 1 week (DC 20).
May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1 initial and
1d2 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
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Rasul al-A
Albarin. In Arabic. Examination Period: 2d6 weeks (DC 23).
May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1d6 initial
and 2d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +2 ranks.
Reflections. In Arabic. Examination Period: 2d6 weeks (DC 22). May
contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1d4 initial and
1d8 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
Sapientia Maglorum. In Latin and Greek. Examination Period: 2d6
weeks (DC 23). May contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity
Loss: 1d6 initial and 2d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos:
+2 ranks.
Song of Yste. In Greek. Examination Period: 1d6 weeks (DC 20). May
contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1d3 initial and
1d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
Testament of Carnamagos. In Greek. Examination Period: 1d6+1
weeks (DC 20). Contains 2d6 spells. Sanity Loss: 1d3 initial and
1d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank. (This
edition is less complete than that which appears in H. P. Lovecraft’s Arkham, hence the differences in game statistics.)
The Three Codices. In Latin. Examination Period: 1d10+1 weeks (DC
23). Contains 3d6 spells. Sanity Loss: 1d8 initial and 2d8 upon
completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +2 ranks.
Tupsimati. In a dead language. Examination Period: 3d10 weeks (DC
27). Contains 5d6 spells. Sanity Loss: 1d10 initial and 1d20 upon
completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +4 ranks.
Tuscan Rituals. In Latin. Examination Period: 1 week (DC 20). May
contain spells (GM’s discretion). Sanity Loss: 1 initial and 1d3
upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +2 ranks.
TOMES FROM OTHER SOURCES
Book of Eibon. In Hyperborean. Refer to The Keeper’s Companion
vol. 1 for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 3d6 weeks
(DC 24). Contains 4d6 spells, or refer to the Companion for
an exact spell list. Sanity Loss: 1d10 initial and 1d20 upon
completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +3 ranks.
Selections de Livre d’Ivon. In French. Refer to the New York chapter of The Complete Masks of Nyarlathotep for bibliographic
details. Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20). Contains 1d6
spells, or refer to Masks for an exact spell list. Sanity Loss: 1d3
initial and 1d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
NEW TOMES
Annales. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20). Contains the spells
contact Formless Spawn, create gate, detect magic, evil eye,
exorcise (new spell), identify spirit and power drain. Sanity
Loss: 1d6 initial and 2d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos:
+1 rank. (If the character passes a DC 15 Speak Other Language
[Senzar] check at the start of the examination period, and
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succeeds at the study check, the Annales grants +2 ranks in
Cthulhu Mythos instead.)
Compendium Daemonum. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20).
Contains the spells call Shub-Niggurath, contact deep one, and
contact hound of Tindalos. Sanity Loss: 1d6 initial and 2d6
upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
De Noctis Rebus. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details.
Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20). Contains the spells
call Nyogtha, contact ghoul, create gate, dismiss Nyogtha and
speak with dead. Sanity Loss: 1d6 initial and 2d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank.
Lucien Wycham His Boke of Magick. In Middle English (see note
below). Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20). Contains the spells enchant
item (bless blade), evoke the familiar of erudition (new spell),
locate gold (as locate object, but can only locate gold), immolation of Aforgomon (new spell) and speak with spirit (new
spell). Sanity Loss:1d4 initial and 1d8 upon completion. Cthulhu
Mythos: +1 rank.
A Note on Language: Middle English is the contemporary form of
English in the Averoigne setting. Natives of England in this time do
not need to make a skill check to read this book. Others must succeed
at a DC 15 Speak Other Language [Middle English] check. A modernday reader must succeed at a DC 20 Knowledge (literature) check
to understand the work. (A modern-day character with Speak Other
Language [Middle English] may use that skill instead.) A native
English speaker may attempt the Knowledge (literature) check
untrained; success indicates the reader has understood the gist of
the text, though fine details may have been missed. (A non-native
speaker may attempt a DC 25 Speak Other Language [English] check
to get the gist of the work.) Characters receive a +2 bonus to the
check if the work is printed rather than written, and a +2 bonus to
the check if the work comes from the late Middle English period (in
which the language closely resembles modern English). These
bonuses stack with each other.
OCCULT WORKS
Occult works are books that deal with the supernatural (magic, spirits, arcane theories) without containing any knowledge of the Cthulhu
Mythos. Occult works rarely cause Sanity loss; those that do are
usually rambling, tedious or incomprehensible. Use the regular rules
for studying a book, but a failed study check does not result in a
Strange Event. Not all occult works contain spells, but this will only
be apparent after the investigator has completed a successful examination period.
Almadel. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1 week (DC 20). Contains the spell evoke the
familiar of erudition (new spell). Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu
Mythos: No ranks gained.
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Ars Notoria. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details.
Examination Period: 1d4 weeks (DC 20). Contains the spells
chant of Thoth, exaltation (new spell) and voice of Ra. Sanity
Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No ranks gained.
Book of Hermogones and Philetus. In (Middle) English. Refer to the
article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d4 weeks
(DC 20). Contains the spells dominate spirit (as dominate
person, but affects incorporeal undead of Medium-size or
smaller rather than humanoids), enthrall (new spell), locate
gold (as locate object, but can only locate gold), and levitate.
Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No ranks gained.
Ghayat al-H
Halkim. In Arabic. Refer to the article for bibliographic
details. Examination Period: 1d6 weeks (DC 20). Contains the
spells augury, create astrological talisman (enchant item) (new
spell). Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No ranks gained.
Liber de umbris idearum. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1 week (DC 20). Contains
no spells. Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No ranks gained.
Picatrix. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d6 weeks (DC 20). Contains the spells
augury, create astrological talisman (new spell). Sanity Loss:
None. Cthulhu Mythos: No ranks gained.
Sefer ha-B
Bahir. In Hebrew (requires a Speak Other Language
[Hebrew] check against DC 20). Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d4+1 weeks (DC 20).
Contains no spells. Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No
ranks gained.
Sworn Book of Honorius. In Latin. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 1d4+1 weeks (DC 21).
Contains a variant of the spell exaltation (a new spell) which
requires ritual preparation for two and a half months before
the spell can be cast. Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No
ranks gained.
Testament of Solomon. In Hebrew. Refer to the article for bibliographic details. Examination Period: 2 weeks (DC 20).
Contains the spell evoke the familiar of erudition (new spell).
Sanity Loss: None. Cthulhu Mythos: No ranks gained.
NEW SPELLS
Enchant Item
See the rulebook for the specifics of this spell.
Create Astrological Talisman
The caster constructs a talisman that will grant its wearer a +2
enhancement bonus to an ability score. The ability score must be
specified when the talisman is created. The bonus is conferred when
the talisman is first donned, and lasts for 24 hours, or until the talisman is removed or destroyed. Thereafter the talisman loses its power.
The increased ability score affects all skill checks, saving throws, and
attack rolls related to it. It improves damage dealt (if Strength), AC
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(if Dexterity), hit points (if Constitution), spell save DCs (if Intelligence) or Sanity points (if Wisdom). An increased Intelligence does
not grant extra skill points. Bonus hit points and Sanity points are
lost when the talisman loses its power. For example, a 3rd level character has 15 hit points and Constitution 13. Donning a Constitutionboosting talisman grants the character an extra 3 hit points, for a
total of 18 hit points. Later, the character is injured, reducing their
hit points to 12. When the talisman’s power ends, the character loses
the 3 hit points they gained from it, leaving them with 9 hit points.
Construction of the talisman requires one day’s work. Casting
this spell costs 2 temporary Constitution.
Enthrall
[Mind-Affecting]
Components: V, S
Cost: 2 Wis damage
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: Any number of humanoids
Duration: 1 hour or less
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
If you have the attention of a group of humanoids, you can use
this spell to hold them spellbound. To cast the spell, you must speak
without interruption for 1 full round. Thereafter, those affected give
you their undivided attention, ignoring their surroundings. They are
considered to have an attitude of friendly while under the effect of
the spell. Any potentially affected creature of a culture, race or religion unfriendly to yours gets a +4 bonus on the saving throw.
A creature with 4 or more HD or with a Wisdom score of 16 or
higher remains aware of its surroundings and has an attitude of indifferent. It gains a new saving throw if it witnesses actions that it
opposes.
The effect lasts as long as you speak, to a maximum of 1 hour.
Those enthralled by your words take no action while you speak and
for 1d3 rounds thereafter while they consider your words. Those
entering the area during the performance must also successfully save
or become enthralled. The spell ends (but the 1d3-round delay still
applies) if you lose concentration or do anything other than speak.
If those not enthralled have unfriendly or hostile attitudes toward
you, they can collectively make a Charisma check to try to end the
spell by rousing their companions. For this check, use the Charisma
bonus of the creature with the highest Charisma in the group; others
may make Charisma checks to assist. The spell ends if this check
result beats your Charisma check result. Only one such challenge
is allowed per use of the spell.
If any member of the audience is attacked or subjected to some
other overtly hostile act, the spell ends and the previously enthralled
members become immediately unfriendly toward you. Each creature with 4 or more HD or with a Wisdom score of 16 or higher
becomes hostile.
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Evoke the Spirit of Erudition
This spell will appear in the d20 System conversion of Worlds of
Cthulhu issue 3, or substitute chant of Thoth for this spell.
Exaltation
This spell is provided in the d20 System conversion of Worlds of
Cthulhu issue 1.
Exorcise
This spell will appear in the d20 System conversion of Worlds of
Cthulhu issue 3, or substitute cast out devil for this spell.
Immolation of Aforgomon
This spell will appear in the d20 System conversion of Worlds of
Cthulhu issue 3, or substitute death by flames for this spell.
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The Hunt
chter
The HuntfofrorKiKiddRiRichter
ADVENTURE NOTES
This mini-adventure is suitable for a party of 4th to 6th level investigators. The final confrontation will be dangerous, and the average
party will fare better if they only fight small groups (no more than
three bandits at a time).
For a party of 1st to 3rd level investigators, to defeat the bandits
as written they should face them one at a time. This may be a greater
challenge than the adventure should pose. It’s better to reduce the
bandits to 1st level characters; again, the party should not be attacked
by more than three bandits at a time.
For a party of 7th to 10th level investigators, the bandits need to
th
be 5 or 6th level enemies. As before, the party should face only small
groups. Alternatively, use the bandits as written, but arrange matters
so the investigators must face all the bandits at once. This is a less
dramatic option, as it robs the players of a shootout with the Kid.
Old Ben’s Claim: Breaking down the flimsy barred door to the shack
requires a Strength check (DC 13). A character who searches the
shack can find the gold with a Search check (DC 10). A character
who looks in the right place (rather than declaring a general intention to search the shack) finds the loot automatically.
A character who searches the stable finds the sack with a successful Search check (DC 15). Again, a character who looks in the right
place finds the sack immediately.
The Finale: To sneak up on the camp requires a Move Silently check
(opposed by the Listen check of the gang member on watch). The
listening gang member suffers a -1 penalty to their check for every
10 feet between them and the investigators. If the characters are
approaching during the day, they should also make Hide checks.
Note the results; if the guard hears the investigators moving about,
match his Spot check against the recorded Hide results.
In the written adventure, the Kid automatically knows the investigators are approaching. As GM, you could employ your fiat to
ensure the Kid senses something is up. Alternatively, you could make
a Wisdom check for the Kid, as per the Danger Sense feat. This gives
investigators only a small advantage; when the first shot is fired, all
the gang will react.
The Treasure Map: Reading the map requires a successful Speak
Other Language (Spanish) check (DC 15).
EXPERIENCE AND SANITY AWARDS
Typical Story Goals:
Discover the map.
Survive the shootout.
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NPCs
Kid Richter
CR 3; Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+6;
hp 19; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex);
BAB +3; Grap +4; Atk +6 ranged (2d6/ 3, Remington New Model
Army revolver) or +0 melee (1d4+1/19-20, Bowie knife); Full Atk
+4/+0 ranged (2d6/ 3, Remington New Model Army revolvers with
Two-Weapon Fighting); SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +3; San 23; Str
12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 11.
Role: Villain (2 close calls).
Profession Template: Saddleman.
Skills: Climb +5, Escape Artist* +6, Handle Animal +5, Heal +3,
Hide* +4, Intimidate +6, Jump +5, Listen +5, Move Silently* +4,
Ride +9, Search +6, Sense Motive +4, Spot +8, Use Rope +9, Wilderness Lore +5. Synergy bonus to Ride has been included. Skills marked
with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for the Kid.
Feats: Danger Sense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Proficiency
(pistol).
Texas Jim
CR 3; Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+3;
hp 16; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB +3;
Grap +5; Atk +3 ranged (2d6+2/ 3, overcharged Colt Old Model
Army revolver [range increment 25 ft.]) or +1 melee (1d4+1/1920, Bowie knife); Full Atk +1/-3 ranged (2d6/ 3, overcharged Colt
Old Model Army revolvers with Two-Weapon Fighting); SV Fort +4,
Ref +1, Will +1; San 32; Str 15, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha
9.
Role: Henchman (1 close call).
Profession Template: Saddleman.
Skills: Bluff* +2, Climb +3, Craft (gunsmith) +4, Escape Artist* +1,
Gather Information +2, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +5, Jump
+3, Listen +2, Ride +6, Spot +2, Use Rope +1, Wilderness Lore +4.
Synergy bonus to Ride has been included. Skills marked with an
asterisk (*) are not core skills for Texas Jim.
Feats: Iron Gut, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Proficiency
(pistol).
Sanchez
CR 3; Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+3;
hp 19; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB +3;
Grap +4; Atk +3 ranged (2d12/ 3, Spencer Carbine) or +3 ranged
(2d8/ 3, Colt S.A. Army Revolver) or +4 melee (1d3+1 subdual,
unarmed strike); Full Atk -3/-3 ranged (2d8/ 3, Colt S.A. Army
Revolver with fanning); SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +2; San 35; Str 12,
Dex 10, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 9.
Role: Desperado (no close calls).
Profession Template: Saddleman.
Skills: Bluff* +2, Handle Animal +2, Intimidate* +2, Listen +4,
Performance (colorful profanity) +5, Ride +6, Speak Other
Language (English) +3, Spot +7, Use Rope +2. Skills marked with
an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Sanchez.
Feats: Iron Gut, Weapon Proficiency (pistol), Weapon Proficiency
(rifle).
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Irish Bill
CR 3; Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+9;
hp 22; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex);
BAB +3; Grap +4; Atk +4 ranged (2d10/ 3, Winchester rifle) or +4
ranged (1d10+1/ 3, overcharged Colt Navy revolver [range increment 25 ft.]) or +0 melee (1d4+1/19-20, Bowie knife); SV Fort +6,
Ref +2, Will +2; San 42; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha
12.
Role: Desperado (no close calls).
Profession Template: Saddleman.
Skills: Bluff +7, Climb +5, Craft (gunsmith) +6, Handle Animal +4,
Intimidate* +4, Jump +4, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Ride +7,
Spot +5, Use Rope +5, Wilderness Lore +4. Skills marked with an
asterisk (*) are not core skills for Irish Bill.
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Proficiency (pistol), Weapon
Proficiency (rifle).
The Preacher
CR 3; Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+3;
hp 18; Init -1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-1 Dex); BAB
+3; Grap +5; Atk +2 ranged (3d6/2d6/1d6/ 3, 16 gauge doublebarreled shotgun) or +2 ranged (2d8/ 3, Colt S.A. Army Revolver);
Full Atk -2/-2 ranged (3d6/2d6/1d6/ 3, 16 gauge double-barreled
shotgun [both barrels]); SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +1; San 28; Str
14, Dex 9, Con 13, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10.
Role: Henchman (1 close call).
Profession Template: Saddleman.
Skills: Bluff +6, Concentration* +4, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information* +3, Intimidate* +2, Knowledge (religion) +6, Listen +4,
Ride +3, Sense Motive* +3, Spot +4. Synergy bonus to Intimidate
has been included. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core
skills for the Preacher.
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Weapon Proficiency (pistol), Weapon Proficiency (shotgun).
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The TheIcarus
IcarusProj
Projectect
NEW CHARACTER RULES
This adventure is set in the future. SF rules for Call of Cthulhu d20
are beyond the scope of this document. Pregenerated characters are
supplied, but players may create their own characters if desired. A
few guidelines and ideas are given here for GMs who wish to allow
this.
All of the profession templates in the rulebook can be used in
a future setting. For the the Blue-Collar Worker template, replace
Climb with Computer Use. Very little labor is done by humans in
the future; you should use the template for colonists instead. Parapsychologists are highly unusual in an era where materialist philosophy is widespread. Priests are similarly scarce. If religion exists,
it exists as an extension of House politics. God wants what the House
wants.
New Profession Template
TRANSPORTER
Computer Use [Int]
Craft (electronics) [Int]
Drive [Dex]
Knowledge (navigate) [Int]
Operate Heavy Machine [Dex]
Pilot (any one) [Dex]
Pilot (any one) [Dex]
Pilot (any one) [Dex]
Repair [Int]
+ three more of the player’s choice
New Feats
Three new feats are offered here for use in a SF Cthulhu d20
campaign. The Nerve Pinch and Spacer feats are used by the pregenerated characters. The Zero-G Training feat exists in the wider setting,
but few if any of the investigators should have it.
NERVE PINCH
You can incapacitate foes with a vicelike pinch.
Prerequisites: Martial Artist, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: You make an unarmed attack against a foe. If the attack
succeeds, the target takes no damage but must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half your character level + your Strength
modifier) or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.
Special: This ability only works on humans. At the GM’s discretion, Mythos creatures with human-like physiologies, such as deep
one hybrids or ghouls, may also be susceptible.
SPACER
You have a special affinity for spacecraft and space travel.
Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus on Computer Use checks made
to use onboard spacecraft computer systems, a +2 bonus on Knowledge (navigate) checks when plotting a course through space, and
a +2 bonus on all Pilot checks made to fly a spacecraft.
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ZERO-G TRAINING
You can function normally in low gravity or zero gravity.
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13, Tumble 4 ranks.
Benefits: You take no penalty on attack rolls or skill checks in
low-gravity or zero-gravity environments. In addition, you do not
suffer the debilitating effects of space sickness.
Normal: Without this feat, you take a -4 penalty on attack rolls
and skill checks while operating in zero-gravity environments, or
a -2 penalty on attack rolls while operating in low-gravity environments. In addition, you are subject to the effects of Space Adaptation Syndrome, also known as space sickness.
Gravity
The adventure assumes the convenient fictions of artificial gravity
and inertia absorption. Earth-like gravity persists throughout most
of the Icarus. Characters may wish to spacewalk as a shortcut. This
is discouraged. There are space suits (salvage suits) on board the
shuttles; it is up to the GM to decide if there are airlocks providing
access to the other modules. In addition, the pregenerated characters have no training in extravehicular activity, and will suffer space
sickness (see box). Finally, characters might suffer a nasty shock if
they are outside when the Icarus initiates acceleration prior to activating its jump drive.
The Effects of Zero Gravity
Characters in a zero-gravity environment can move enormously
heavy objects. A character gains a +20 circumstance bonus on any
Strength check made to lift or move a heavy unsecured object.
However, stopping an object already in motion does not receive this
same bonus. (Objects in zero gravity lose weight, not mass or
momentum. A character can be crushed by a weightless object. Use
the regular falling objects rules for these situations.)
As movement in zero gravity requires only the ability to grab
onto or push away from larger objects, Climb and Jump checks no
longer apply. While in a zero-gravity environment, a character gains
a fly speed equal to their base land speed, or they retain their natural fly speed (whichever is greater). However, movement is limited
to straight lines only; a character can change course only by pushing away from larger objects (such as bulkheads). A character affected
by a bum’s rush is pushed back 10 feet, plus 10 feet for every 5 points
by which their opponent’s Strength check result exceeds its own.
(This replaces the regular bum’s rush rule.)
Most characters find zero-gravity environments disorienting,
taking penalties on their attack rolls and suffering the effects of Space
Adaptation Syndrome (space sickness).
Attack Roll Penalty: Characters take a -4 penalty on attack rolls
and skill checks while operating in a zero-gravity environment unless
they are native to that environment or have the Zero-G Training feat.
Space Adaptation Syndrome: A character exposed to weightlessness must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) to avoid the effects of
space sickness. Those who fail the save suffer a -2 penalty to attack
rolls, skill checks and saving throws. Those who fail the save by 5
or more are also nauseated. The effects persist for 8 hours. A new
save is required every 8 hours the character remains in a zero-g envi-
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ronment. Characters with the Zero-G Training feat do not suffer the
effects of space sickness.
Radiation Sickness
When characters are exposed to radiation, they may be afflicted with
radiation sickness. Radiation sickness functions exactly like exposure to any other disease, following the normal rules for diseases.
The Fortitude save DC and the effects of radiation sickness vary with
the dose of radiation to which a character is exposed. At low levels,
radiation sickness is a slow disease. Often, a sick character suffers
no severe short-term effects. This is reflected in the fact that even
with a failed Fortitude save, the character might not suffer any Constitution loss.
Degree of Fortitude Incubation
Exposure
Save DC
Period
Mild
12
1 day
Low
15
4d6 hours
Moderate
18
3d6 hours
High
21
2d6 hours
Severe
24
1d6 hours
* Minimum damage 0 Constitution.
Initial and
Secondary Damage
1d4-2 Constitution*
1d6-2 Constitution*
1d6-1 Constitution*
1d6 Constitution
2d6 Constitution
Radiation sickness is considered a treatable disease that can be
cured using the “treat disease” aspect of the Heal skill. Treating radiation sickness requires suitable medical equipment and knowledge.
Radiation sickness would be an unknown disease in the Twenties,
for instance, and so no cure would be possible.
ADVENTURE NOTES
This adventure is suitable for a group of 6th to 8th level investigators.
A party of five pregenerated 6th level characters is supplied. If there
are fewer than five players, discard characters in the following order:
Hatsuko, Sanchez, Marazelos. Players may create their own characters, though the adventure as written gives them no hope of
survival. A GM could use this adventure as the first instalment in
an SF Cthulhu game, but only by removing the adventure’s bleak
climax.
There are a number of opportunities for characters to make
Research checks. Since the characters are searching computer files,
these checks take 1d4 minutes to complete rather than the normal
1d4 hours. This point is worth bearing in mind, given the limited
time available to the characters.
Background Information
The Structure of the Icarus: Bulkheads can be considered to have
a hardness of 10 and 150 hit points or more. Cutting a Medium-size
hole with a welding torch will take a character a minimum of 1 hour.
Long before that, the character will have breached the bulkhead,
resulting in decompression. This should convince the characters not
to tamper further with the bulkhead. Meanwhile, the Computer will
seal other bulkheads to protect the remainder of the Icarus. The
Computer will not reopen those bulkheads until the character-made
breach is sealed. If the characters do nothing, eventually all air will
have leaked from the module and the characters will asphyxiate.
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The maintenance shafts extend both horizontally and vertically.
It is a DC 5 Climb check to scale the insides of a maintenance shaft.
Some shafts are especially narrow; here, Medium-sized characters
must move at half speed. (Under normal conditions, characters climb
at half speed, but can choose to travel more quickly. In the narrower
shafts, it is not possible to travel quickly.) A successful Computer
Use check (DC 22) will allow a user to operate a module’s environmental control (air, power, heating) from a terminal in a shaft.
There are hazards and obstacles scattered throughout the Icarus:
For the dangers of nanites, see below. The chance that a character becomes infected is governed by a Fortitude save, not a flat
d% roll.
Characters who enter freezing cold areas must make Fortitude saves (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) every 10 minutes.
Each failed save means the character suffers 1d6 points of subdual
damage from frostbite. Refer to the rulebook for more details on the
dangers of extreme cold.
Pitch dark areas offer total concealment (50% miss chance
and must guess target’s location).
Locked doors can be opened with a successful Open Lock
check (DC 20). Doors which are locked and alarmed are much harder
to open, requiring a successful DC 35 Open Lock check. At the GM’s
discretion, the locks can also be bypassed with a Disable Device check.
(The DCs do not change.) Characters who are able to open alarmlocked doors may have an easier time of the adventure. For example, they could enter the jump drive room and sabotage the drive,
rather than negotiate with the Esper. Force fields and fragment spawn
can be used as alternate obstacles, if needed.
A successful Computer Use check (DC 15) reveals that the
force fields are controlled centrally, and cannot be bypassed using
local terminals. The field circuits can be disconnected with a successful Disable Device or Craft (electronics) check (DC 30).
The shipboard Computer: With a successful Computer Use check
(DC 20), a character realizes that rebooting the Computer would fix
most of the current problems it is experiencing. (The character also
knows this can only be done from the bridge, on Module 1.) This
Computer Use check can be attempted untrained.
The Nanites: See the nearby box for the effects of the nanites. Being
transformed into biological resources does not always kill a character; a character may be fused alive to a structure in the Icarus. This
process results in a 1/1d10 Sanity loss. (The character continues to
lose 1/1d4 Sanity each month until permanently insane.) Witnessing this fusion is a 1/1d6 Sanity loss, or 2/1d6+1 if the witness knows
he or she is also infected with nanites. Meeting a character fused to
the Icarus costs 1/1d4+1 Sanity points. See the NPCs section below
for a typical wall-fused victim of the nanites.
Any character who comes in contact with the nanites must
attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 25). If the save is successful,
the character has severed contact before any damage was done. If
the save fails, the nanites have gotten into the character’s system.
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Size
Fine
Diminutive
Tiny
Small
Medium-size
Large
Huge
Gargantuan
Colossal
O R L D S
O F
Time to convert
1 round
1 minute
2d6 minutes
2d6 10 minutes
2d6 hours
1d6 days
1d6 weeks
2d6 months
1d3 years
The nanites can convert approximately 10 lb. every 20 minutes.
In time, the character is completely transformed into a source of
biological material. The only way to prevent this is to amputate any
portion of the body that has come in contact with the nanites.
Infection by nanites can be diagnosed with a Knowledge (medicine) check (DC 20), but only after the character’s flesh has begun
to visibly change. A second DC 20 Knowledge (medicine) check
reveals the infection can be halted by amputating the infected parts,
or cured by disabling the nanites and flushing the patient’s system.
The character will know that machines in the sickbay are capable
of filtering out the deactivated nanites, but the process of disabling
the nanobots remains a mystery,
The Fragment of Azathoth: Ignore the description of the fragments
drifting through walls. If the fragment spawn are incorporeal, then
they can’t be flushed into space from concourse 4.5. For further
details of the fragment spawn, see their stat block below.
The Esper’s Son: The Esper’s son
usually climbs at its full speed,
taking 10 on its Climb check. (It
can do this even in the narrowest shafts.) The result of 16 lets
it freely climb the maintenance
shafts. Remember that moving
at full speed incurs a -5 penalty
to its Climb, Hide and Move
Silently checks.
The Man... (box): An Intelligence check (DC 10) can
prompt a character to ask the
Computer to filter out the transmissions.
Module 3: Cryostatics Hall: A
character who leaves their
chamber before a minute has
elapsed must make a Fortitude
save (DC 25) or pass out for 2d6
minutes from a minor circulatory failure. A character who has
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passed out can be revived sooner by applying a circulatory stabilizer (see next paragraph).
It is a Knowledge (medicine) check (DC 10) to administer the
circulatory stabilizer. However, it’s likely that by the time the investigators enter the First Aid Station, no one will need the shots, their
circulation having already recovered after reanimation.
The black matter cannot be properly examined without opening the chamber first. (Once the chamber is open, the matter can
be automatically identified, though the cause remains mysterious.)
A DC 10 Knowledge (medicine) check can interpret the data on the
display.
To open the chamber requires a successful Strength check (DC
12); only one person can assist with this.
Lasalle has the stat block of a typical wall-fused victim, with a
reach of 0 feet. Killing Lasalle is nigh impossible without access to
Nan-Ex. (At this stage, characters won’t even know Nan-Ex exists.)
Operations Center: No skill check is needed to use the computer
screen and receive the mission orders.
Backup Crew Equipment Store: Investigators might try to enter
the storage hall by climbing the cage. Climbing up is easy (DC 5 Climb
check). If you don’t want the characters to enter the hall, require
an Escape Artist check (DC 30) to squeeze through the opening at
the top of the cage. Equally, allowing characters to enter the storage hall is harmless; the hall doesn’t contain much of interest to player
characters. There are certainly no weapons.
With a successful Intelligence check (DC 10), a character can
think to request a multifunction scanner. (Depending on your players’ familiarity with SF tropes, this prompting may be unnecessary.)
Operating a multifunction scanner requires a successful Computer
Table: IMPROVISED WEAPONS
Improvised
Weapon
Weapon
Craft DC Damage
Melee Weapons
Live wire
20
special
Shiv
10
1d3
Ranged Weapons
Flamethrower
25
2d6
Hand cannon
30
1d6
Critical
Increment Capacity Type
2
19-20/ 2
-
-
2
5
5
1
Proficiency
Electricity Melee weapon
Piercing Melee weapon
Fire
Ballistic
Pistol
Pistol
Flamethrower: A crude flamethrower can be constructed from an aerosol (perhaps a salvage suit
sealant) and a welding torch. You can only target characters within 5 feet of you. (The flame doesn’t
reach any further.) A successful touch attack deals 2d6 points of damage and sets the target alight. The
target suffers a further 1d6 points of fire damage each subsequent round until the flames are extinguished. Smothering or dousing the flame requires a full-round action. A flamethrower never threatens a critical. A flamethrower can be fired 5 times before the aerosol needs to be replaced. Reloading
in this fashion is a full-round action. You need two hands to work a flamethrower.
Hand cannon: A hand cannon uses compressed gas to fire projectiles. Reloading a hand cannon
is a full-round action. You need two hands to fire a hand cannon.
Live wire: A live wire is a portable electrical device which has been converted into a crude electroshock weapon. With a successful touch attack, a shock generator deals 1d3 points of electricity damage,
and the target must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. It is a light weapon.
Shiv: A shiv is an improvised stabbing weapon, perhaps a screwdriver with its tip sharpened. It is
a light weapon.
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Use check. This check can be attempted untrained. Sample uses of
the scanner, and their check DCs are:
[DC -] Automatic functions. As long as the scanner is operating, it constantly monitors the user’s surroundings to ensure their
safety. Changes to the environment (a drop in pressure, an
increase in radiation, etc.) trigger a warning signal. The scanner
displays the problem on screen.
[DC 5] Environmental readings: atmosphere, gravity, radiation,
temperature, pollution.
[DC 10] Life and motion sensors. Detects all life forms of Tiny
size or greater within 100 feet, displaying the results on a radar-like
display. (Fragment spawn do not register as life forms.)
[DC 10] Materials analysis. After a minute’s scanning, presents
a variety of information about the subject of the scan, including
chemical composition and common name (if known to the scanner’s databank).
A character might want to program a scanner to detect nanites
and alert the user as one of the scanner’s standard automatic functions. This requires the character to scan some nanites, record the
reading, and set up appropriate search parameters. This can be
accomplished with a Computer Use check (DC 25).
A welding torch can be used as a melee weapon. A successful
touch attack does 1d8 points of fire damage. The welding torch never
threatens a critical hit. Any creature attacked with a welding torch
is at risk of catching alight (see the Combat chapter of the rulebook).
The intense heat of the flame means the welding torch ignores hardness when attacking objects. (However, the damage it deals is halved
as normal.)
A hammer does 1d4 points of damage and has a 2 critical. A
hefty steel pipe can be treated as a crowbar (1d6/ 2), and must be
wielded with two hands.
Hatsuko may want to use his Craft (improvised weapon) skill
at this juncture. Crude flamethrowers or primitive electroshock
weapons are likely. Typical check DCs range from 20 to 30. See the
nearby box for some ideas.
Life Support: No skill check is necessary to travel along the walkways. No skill check is required to examine life support status.
Cryostatics Control Room: It is a DC 5 Computer Use check to
bring up the chamber records.
Connecting Concourse 3.5: 80 meters is approximately 265 feet.
The investigators can travel its length in 9 rounds, under normal
conditions. (Concourse 4.5 is the same length.)
The Scientist (box): Characters who speak to Antonovitch should
make Sense Motive checks. Characters who beat Antonovitch’s Bluff
check know he is concealing something. Those who fail know only
that Antonovitch is under extreme stress, possibly because of the
rigors of reanimation.
Module 5: The module is dimly lit on the whole. Creatures more than
10 feet away from the characters have one-quarter concealment (10%
miss chance).
With a Listen check (DC 10), a character hears the small, furtive
sounds made by the shafts’ occupant. A character who enters a shaft
near the source of the sound will, with a successful DC 15 Spot check,
catch sight of a scurrying shape. It is a DC 5 Climb check to scale
the insides of a maintenance shaft. Characters who think to inter-
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rogate the Computer about this will learn it is Object C-125. An Intelligence check (DC 10) allows a character to realize that since the creature is known to the Computer, it must have been part of the original crew.
Walkway: Ambitious players may try to reprogram a maintenance robot to serve as a combat machine. This will not be easy.
First, the investigators need to disable the robot: it must be pinned,
and then deactivated with a Disable Device check (DC 30). A character pinning the robot cannot make the Disable Device check. Reprogramming the robot takes 1 hour and a successful Computer Use
check (DC 25). (This reprogramming only bypasses the robot’s protocols against harming living creatures. It does not affect the robot’s
combat abilities or skills.) Finally, the robot must be reactivated with
a Repair check (DC 20). Statistics for a maintenance robot are given
in the NPCs section below. Like the central computer, the robots
respond to spoken commands. The maintenance robots are voiceless, and travel on caterpillar tracks. They cannot climb.
Reactor Room I: Twenty clusters of fragment spawn drift
through this room.
It is a Knowledge (drive systems) check (DC 15) to understand
the emergency venting system. This check can be attempted
untrained. At the GM’s discretion, Hatsuko could use Knowledge
(regulations) in place of Knowledge (drive systems).
Provoking an emergency situation requires a successful Knowledge (drive systems) check (DC 20). If the check fails by 10 or more,
the emergency is a critical one, exposing all characters in the vicinity of the reactor to a high degree of radiation. The emergency can
be faked by tampering with the monitoring systems, with a DC 25
Computer Use check. The venting can then be authorised by a
second-lieutenant or higher rank, from this room or the control room
(see below).
No skill check is necessary to learn what systems are being
supplied by the reactor’s output.
Reactor Room II: The darkness grants total concealment to those
hiding in it (50% miss chance and must guess where the target is).
A character who examines the reactor’s output can, with an Intelligence check (DC 10), realize its unusual activity.
Jump Generator: A Knowledge (drive systems) check (DC 15)
reveals there is no commercially available jump drive system - this
engine must be a new or experimental unit. This Knowledge check
can be attempted untrained.
To disconnect a cell’s force field requires a Disable Device check
or a Craft (electronics) check (DC 30).
Protective overalls form an enclosed sterile suit with a selfcontained air supply. They grant the wearer a +10 bonus to Fortitude saves made to resist infection by disease or nanites. (This bonus
does not apply to an already-infected character who is making Fortitude saves to resist the effects of infection.) The overalls do not offer
any protection against heat, cold, pressure or radiation. If the wearer
suffers 4 or more points of damage from firearms, slashing or piercing weapons, or certain other sources (e.g., fire, acid, etc.) then the
integrity of the overalls is compromised to such a degree that the
wearer no longer receives the bonus to Fortitude saves. The overalls are cumbersome, imposing a -4 armor check penalty on its
wearer.
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Characters can override the retina scan with a Disable Device
check (DC 35). This might allow the characters to sabotage the jump
engine in place of dealing with the Esper. Perhaps the Computer,
in response to unauthorized access to the drive room, activates a
force field around the drive.
Normal STL Drive: The room can be identified with a Knowledge (drive systems) check or a Pilot (spaceships) check (DC 15).
The terminals’ control of the drive has been removed by the central
Computer. A Research check or Computer Use check (DC 10) can
bring up the launch records, showing when the drive was in use.
Control Room: With a Knowledge (regulations) check (DC 10),
Hatsuko knows what the empty shelves should contain.
Investigators who search the terminal records and control
systems can make a number of Computer Use checks:
[DC 10] The investigator brings up a report of the output of one
of the reactors. To see reports for all three reactors requires three
successful checks. Research checks (DC 10) can be used in place of
Computer Use checks.
[DC 20] The investigator discovers the program controlling the
emergency venting system for Reactor Room I. A character of the
rank of second-lieutenant or higher can authorise venting from this
room, but the reactor’s monitoring systems must register an emergency first.
Connecting Concourse 4.5: With a Computer Use check (DC 10),
a character who scans the tortured silhouette with an MFS can identify it as being composed of microspheres. A Knowledge (medicine)
check (DC 10) reveals what microspheres are used for, and where
they come from. (Müller already knows the answer.)
The pulsating darkness confers nine-tenths concealment (40%
miss chance) on all characters in the concourse. Characters who force
their way through the concourse are exposed to a severe degree of
radiation (see ‘Radiation Sickness,’ above). The character suffers 3d6
points of subdual damage for every 5 feet traveled from the pain of
contact with the fragment spawn (half with a Fortitude save [DC 20]).
(The damage and save DC is higher than that for a single cluster;
this reflects the fact that the corridor is crowded with clusters.) Wearing the protective overalls from the jump room will not prevent this
pain. A character suitably medicated (DC 20 Knowledge [medicine]
check) with pain-killers from the first aid station in Module 1 might
be able to travel along the corridor, but there will probably not be
enough for the whole party.
Another approach would be to remove the force field units from
the jump room antechamber and build a portable force shield from
the parts. To do this requires the party to disconnect all four force
field cells, and then combine them. The units can be disconnected
with a Disable Device or Craft (electronics) check (DC 30). To
combine them requires a successful Craft (electronics) check (DC
25). If this check fails by 5 or more, one of the generators burns out
a vital part, leaving only three units combined. If all four units are
combined, the resulting force field envelops the whole party (5
people), though they have to travel huddled together. If only three
units are combined, the force shield covers only three people. The
party can still get through the corridor by traveling in two groups,
but this requires one unfortunate party member to make the journey twice. This is so unpleasant the character will suffer a 1/1d4 Sanity
loss.
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If the characters have learned of the emergency venting procedure, an Intelligence check (DC 15) will suggest an appropriate course
of action. (You should give the players some time to devise a solution themselves. The Intelligence check is for when the players begin
to grow frustrated.) A character who welds girders to prevent a bulkhead closing will be exposed to a moderate degree of radiation.
Module 4: When the engines fire, characters must make a Reflex save
(DC 18) or fall over. This is unlikely to result in injury, unless a character falls more than 10 feet.
Hangar Deck: No Listen check is needed to hear the sing-song
voice. A Listen check (DC 5) allows a character to track the sound
to its source; characters may take 10 on this check.
No skill check is necessary to view the status report on the docking terminal. A Computer Use check (DC 20) allows shuttle 08 to
dock. An Intelligence check (DC 10) allows a character to figure out
how to salvage the report from the data unit.
Nanobot Production: A scan of the Nan-Ex reports it is nontoxic, but otherwise yields no useful information. It is a Knowledge
(medicine) check (DC 10) to administer the Nan-Ex. A character
injected with Nan-Ex must make a Fortitude save every 5 minutes
or be nauseated for the next minute. After six such saves (30
minutes), the effects of the Nan-Ex wear off.
Breeding Station: The protective overalls function as those in
the jump drive room in Module 5.
Connecting Concourse 2.4: With a Listen check (DC 20), characters can catch what sounds like drums and flutes on the edge of
hearing. On second thoughts, it’s probably just the whining of a faulty
air-circulation unit.
Module 2: Sickbay: To initiate reanimation of the patient requires
a Knowledge (medicine) check (DC 15). A sedative can be applied
with a Knowledge (medicine) check (DC 10).
A character infected with nanites can have them filtered from
their body using a machine located here. The character must have
been first injected with Nan-Ex before the filtration can begin. Operating the filtering machine requires a Knowledge (medicine) check
(DC 15). The cleaning process takes 10 minutes. A failed check means
the process takes 20 minutes (but the nanites are removed). A check
that fails by 5 means the process takes 20 minutes and did not remove
all the nanites.
Laboratory: A character who succeeds at a Craft (electronics)
check or a Knowledge (medicine) check (DC 20) can determine that
the crown forms part of an apparatus for measuring psionic ability. A Computer Use check (DC 25) is needed to bypass the security on the computer files.
Panorama Lounge: Once the man has been injected with NanEx,
an investigator can attempt to kill him with a coup de grace.
A Sense Motive check (DC 20) can correctly interpret Object C125’s interest in the bar. To lure Object C-125 into the open requires
a Diplomacy check (DC 25). Characters receive a +4 circumstance
bonus if they offer chocolate.
Captain’s Cabin: The files can be discovered with a Research
check (DC 15). A check is required for each file.
Connecting Concourse 2.1: With a Knowledge (electronics) check
(DC 10), a character knows the energy cell of an MFS would be suit-
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able. It is a Craft (electronics) check (DC 5) to install the cell; characters can take 10 on this check.
With a Listen check (DC 15) check, characters can definitely hear
drums and flutes. The longer the character listens, the louder the
maddening sounds become, to the point of becoming painful. Those
who fail the check can hear nothing.
The Video Recording... (box): A Research check (DC 10) yields the
appropriate video record.
Module 1: A character can open the hatches to level 2 with a successful Open Locks check (DC 35).
Officers’ Mess: Finding the power pack requires a Search check
(DC 10).
Shipboard Computer: With a Craft (electronics) check (DC 15),
a character can assess the state of repairs and determine if the flight
control systems are in working order. A Craft (electronics) check
(DC 10) allows a character to conclude that repairing the
Computer’s sensors would take several hours (and so can not be
completed before the ship jumps).
The Esper Cathedral: The protective overalls function as those
in the jump drive room in Module 5.
The Finale: Characters may want to kill the Esper. The
Computer will not allow armed characters to enter the cathedral. If
characters attempt to take hostile action against the Esper, he can
invert the gravity field in the cathedral. The Esper has been fused
to his control throne, and so remains where he is. The investigators will plummet into the shimmering dome. If the characters subsequently negotiate a peaceful agreement with the Esper, he will switch
the cathedral to a low-gravity environment; characters drift gently
to the floor.
EXPERIENCE AND SANITY AWARDS
The following story goals and sanity rewards are provided for GMs
who wish to change the adventure’s written ending.
Typical Story Goals:
Travel through concourse 4.5.
Discover what happened to the Daedalus.
Discover what happened to the Icarus.
Prevent the return jump.
Bonus Sanity Rewards:
Saving Object C-125: 1d3 Sanity points.
Ending the life of a victim of the nanites: 1 Sanity point
per victim.
PREGENERATED CHARACTERS
Kleoniki Marazelos
Female 6th level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 6d6+12;
hp 35; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex);
BAB +3; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d3-1 subdual, unarmed strike);
SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +7; San 75; Str 9, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 15,
Wis 15, Cha 17.
Profession Template: Transporter.
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Skills: Computer Use +11, Craft (electronics) +8, Diplomacy +11,
Knowledge (astronomy)* +6, Knowledge (electronics) +11, Knowledge (physics)* +4, Listen* +6, Pilot (orbital glider) +13, Pilot
(spaceship) +12, Repair +6, Sense Motive* +6, Speak Other
Language (Greek) +7, Spot* +5. Skills marked with an asterisk (*)
are not core skills for Marazelos.
Feats: Skill Emphasis (Pilot [orbital glider]), Skill Emphasis (Pilot
[spaceship]), Spacer, Wealth.
Tom Hatsuko
Male 6th level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 6d6+30; hp
53; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex); BAB
+5; Grap +12; Atk +12 melee (1d4+7, unarmed strike) or +12 melee
(special, nerve pinch) or +8 ranged (damage varies with firearm);
SQ artificial muscles; SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +3; San 60; Str 24,
Dex 16, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14.
Profession Template: Soldier.
Skills: Computer Use* +4, Craft (improvised weapon) +6, Diplomacy +10, Heal* +2, Hide +9, Knowledge (regulations) +9, Listen
+9, Repair* +4, Search* +4, Spot +10. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Hatsuko.
Feats: Endurance, Martial Artist, Nerve Pinch, Point Blank Shot,
Weapon Proficiency (personal firearms).
Artificial Muscles (Ex): Hatsuko’s vat-grown muscles grant him
a +6 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and Endurance
as a free feat. (These bonuses have already been included in Hatsuko’s
ability scores.)
Note: Weapon Proficiency (personal firearms) allows Hatsuko
to use pistols, rifles, submachine guns and light machine guns without suffering a -4 penalty to attack rolls. (A regular character would
require four Weapon Proficiency feats to achieve this.) This
reflects Hatsuko’s exceptional training.
Rigo Sanchez
Male 6th level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 6d6+6; hp
29; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex); BAB
+3; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d3 subdual, unarmed strike); SV Fort
+6, Ref +5, Will +7; San 70; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 17, Wis 14,
Cha 11.
Profession Template: Professor.
Skills: Bluff +9, Computer Use* +7, Concentration +10, Diplomacy
+11, Gather Information +9, Knowledge (astronomy) +15, Knowledge (astrophysics) +12, Knowledge (mathematics) +15, Knowledge (navigation) +9, Research +12, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11.
Synergy bonus to Diplomacy has been included. Skills marked with
an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Sanchez.
Feats: Persuasive, Skill Emphasis (Bluff), Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [astronomy]), Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [mathematics]).
Ioannis Müller
Male 6th level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 6d6+6; hp
32; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex); BAB
+3; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d3+1 subdual, unarmed strike); SQ
radiation immunity; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +6; San 60; Str 13,
Dex 14, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 18.
Profession Template: Technician.
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Skills: Computer Use +13, Craft (electronics) +8, Diplomacy +12,
Disable Device +11, Gather Information* +6, Heal* +2, Hide* +4,
Knowledge (drive systems) +8, Knowledge (electronics) +11, Listen*
+3, Move Silently* +4, Open Lock +11, Repair +13, Research +5,
Search +8, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand* +4, Spot* +7. Synergy
bonus to Diplomacy has been included. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Müller.
Feats: Alertness, Gearhead, Stealthy, Trustworthy.
Radiation Immunity (Ex): Müller has thousands of radiation-absorbing microspheres implanted beneath his skin. (This is a common
practice of technicians from all Houses.) This makes Müller
immune to mild and low levels of radiation.
Toshiko McCloud
Female 6th level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 6d6+18;
hp 40; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex);
BAB +3; Grap +2; Atk +2 (1d3-1 subdual, unarmed strike); SV Fort
+10, Ref +6, Will +5; San 85; Str 9, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 17,
Cha 12.
Profession Template: Doctor.
Skills: Computer Use +9, Concentration* +7, Craft (pharmacy) +9,
Gather Information* +5, Heal +17, Intimidate* +4, Knowledge (biology) +12, Knowledge (chemistry) +9, Knowledge (psychology)* +7,
Knowledge (medicine) +15, Listen +7, Psychoanalysis +8,
Research +9, Search* +5, Sense Motive +8, Spot +9. Synergy bonus
to Heal has been included. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are
not core skills for McCloud.
Feats: Great Fortitude, Skill Emphasis (Heal), Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [medicine]), Sharp-Eyed.
NPCs
Sergei Antonovitch
CR 10; Male 10th level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 10d630; hp 8; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB
+5; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d3-2 subdual, unarmed strike); SV
Fort +0, Ref +7, Will +9; San -; Str 7, Dex 11, Con 5, Int 16, Wis
15, Cha 11.
Profession Template: Professor.
Skills: Bluff* +8, Computer Use +13, Concentration +10, Cthulhu
Mythos* +8, Diplomacy +12, Disable Device* +8, Gather Information +8, Intimidate* +4, Knowledge (astronomy) +13, Knowledge (biology)* +9, Knowledge (drive systems) +19, Knowledge
(physics) +19, Knowledge (space engineering) +13, Repair* +7,
Research +16, Spot +11. Synergy bonus to Intimidate has been
included. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for
Antonovitch.
Feats: Gearhead, Persuasive, Trustworthy, Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [astronomy]), Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [physics]).
Note: This is Antonovitch after he has succumbed to radiation sickness. To represent him before that point, make the following changes:
hp 48, Fort +4, San 50, Con 12, Concentration +15. As he is currently
insane, he won’t consciously use skills other than Bluff, Intimidate
and Cthulhu Mythos.
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Fragment Spawn
CR ¼; Tiny Outsider; HD 1/4 d8; hp 1; Init +3; Spd 10 ft. fly (perfect);
AC 16 (+3 Dex, +2 size, +1 deflection); BAB +0; Grap -3; Atk +5
melee touch attack (special, pain touch); FS 2½ ft. by 2½ ft.; Reach
0 ft.; SA pain touch; SQ amorphous, blindsight 60 ft., quasimaterial, radioactive, ray of darkness; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2; San
-; Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis -, Cha -.
Skills: None.
Feats: None.
Sanity Loss: 1/1d4.
Fragment spawn tend to travel in clusters of 3-8, drifting
aimlessly. A fragment spawn is so plastic that it can seep through
the smallest of openings. (They cannot penetrate force fields or other
force effects.) Fragment spawn are attracted to radiation; as each
spawn is mildly radioactive, this instinct allows them to travel
together. Their only desire is to be rejoined to Azathoth.
Combat
Fragment spawn pay no attention to their surroundings. Fragment
spawn never voluntarily attack. Their listed attack bonus represents
the chance that a fragment spawn (or cluster of fragment spawn)
in the same space as another character collides with that character.
Pain Touch (Ex): A character that comes into contact with a
fragment spawn suffers wretched agony. The character takes 2d6
points of subudal damage (half with a Fortitude save [DC 15]).
Amorphous (Ex): A fragment spawn is immune to poison, paralysis, stunning and polymorphing. It has no clear front or back, and
therefore cannot be flanked. It is not subject to critical hits. A fragment spawn is blind, but has the blindsight special quality. Fragment spawn do not have an Intelligence score, and are thus immune
to all mind-affecting spells.
Quasimaterial (Ex): Fragment spawn are composed of an
unearthly substance. They take no damage from any nonmagical
attack form (including acid, cold, electricity, fire and sound).
However, they are not incorporeal.
Radioactive (Ex): A fragment spawn is weakly radioactive. A
character who spends 10 minutes within 5 feet of a fragment spawn
(or cluster of fragment spawn) is exposed to a mild degree of radiation.
Ray of Darkness (Ex): A fragment spawn emits a conical beam
of darkness which skitters purposelessly over its surroundings. For
a single fragment spawn, this beam is too narrow to have a notable
effect on its opponents. For a cluster, however, the beams grant the
cluster one-quarter concealment (10% miss chance).
Object C-1125
CR 1; Small Humanoid; HD 1d8+3; hp 11; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC
14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size); BAB +0; Grap -4; Atk
+1 (1d3 subdual, unarmed strike); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SV
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1; San -; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 9, Wis
12, Cha 6.
Skills: Climb +11*, Hide +10, Move Silently +5. * Object C-125
receives a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks.
Feats: Skill Emphasis (Climb).
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Typical Wall-FFused Victim
CR 0; Medium-size Humanoid; HD 3d8; hp 17; Init -5; Spd 0 ft.; AC
5, touch 5, flat-footed 5 (-5 Dex); BAB +2; Grap -1; Atk -1 melee
(1d3-3 subdual, unarmed strike); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SQ
fast healing 20, immune to critical hits, insane, nanites; SV Fort +9,
Ref -, Will -4; San -; Str 4, Dex -, Con -, Int 1, Wis 1, Cha 1.
Skills: Not applicable.
Feats: Not applicable.
Sanity Loss: 1/1d4.
Fast Healing 20 (Ex): Provided the nanites are active, the victim
heals 20 hit points each round.
Immune to Critical Hits (Ex): Provided the nanites are active,
the victim is not subject to critical hits or coups de grace.
Insane (Ex): The victim has been driven insane after 50 years
of tortured existence. Whatever skills and feats they possessed before
their transfiguration are lost to them.
Nanites (Ex): The victim is infected by a swarm of rogue nanites.
For as long as they remain active, the victim gains fast healing 20,
is rendered immune to critical hits, receives a +8 bonus to Fortitude saves, and does not need to breathe or eat. If the victim is
reduced to -10 hit points, or if the victim dies as a result of massive
damage, all brain function is lost and the person is medically dead.
If the nanites are active, they will continue to keep the body alive.
If the nanites are deactivated or disabled, the victim dies normally
and is not reanimated should the nanites later resume functioning.
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A construct is hard to destroy because its body is a mass of unliving matter. This is reflected by bonus hit points (in addition to those
from Hit Dice) according to size. Construct Size/Bonus Hit Points:
Small/5 Medium-size/10, Large/20, Huge/40, Gargantuan/80, Colossal/120.
A construct cannot heal damage on its own, but can be repaired
using the Repair skill. One hour of work and a successful Repair check
(DC 30) restores 1d10 hit points to the construct. A construct that
has been destroyed by being reduced to 0 hit points or less cannot
be repaired. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be the subject of the
spell dark resurrection. (In D&D, it cannot be raised or resurrected.)
Most constructs are mindless (have no Intelligence score) and
gain no skill points or feats.
Unless otherwise noted, constructs have darkvision with a range
of 60 feet. Example: robot.
Maintenance Robot
CR 3; Large Construct; HD 4d10+20; hp 42; Init -1; Spd 20; AC 8,
touch 8, flat-footed 8 (-1 Dex, -1 size); BAB +3; Grap +13; Atk +8
(1d4+6 subdual, tool hand); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ darkvision 60 ft., construct qualities; SV Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1; San
-; Str 23, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1.
Skills: Computer Use +8, Disable Device +8, Repair +8, Search +8.
(The robot’s skills are part of its programming.)
Feats: None.
Construct Qualities: See the nearby box.
Darkvision (Ex): The robot can see its surroundings without
needing a light source, up to a distance of 60 ft. This vision is black
and white only. It does not allow the robot to see anything it could
not see otherwise - invisible objects are still invisible, for example.
The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.
Construct: A construct is an artificially constructed creature.
Constructs are immune to poison, stunning, paralysis and disease.
They also ignore mind-affecting spells and effects. (In D&D,
constructs are also immune to sleep effects, death effects, necromantic effects, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
Constructs are not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, or ability drain. (In D&D, constructs are also immune
to energy drain.) Constructs have no Constitution scores and are
therefore immune to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless
the effect also works on objects). Constructs do not need to eat, sleep,
or breathe, and can never become fatigued or exhausted. A
construct is not at risk of death from massive damage, but when
reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.
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The SiThenSigerngerfrfromom Dhol
Dhol
NEW CHARACTER RULES
New Profession Template
The player characters provided use the following profession
template. With a change of name, and a different focus for Knowledge (local), this template is suitable for any character who lives on
an island, or in a coastal community.
OYSTER ISLANDER
Climb [Str]
Craft (any one) [Int]
Gather Information [Cha]
Knowledge (local-Oyster Island) [Int]
Listen [Wis]
Pilot (boat) [Dex]
Spot [Wis]
Swim [Str]
Wilderness Lore [Wis]
+ three more of the player’s choice
NEW ARTIFACT
The Flute from Dhol. Playing the flute is equivalent to casting call
the Singer from Dhol, a variant of call deity. (The scenario repeatedly refers to the flute opening a gate to Dhol. However, as Dhol is
an alien dimension rather than a distant point, the spell call deity
is a better model than create gate.) The spell creates a gate-like link
between this universe and Dhol, through which humans (and the
Singer) can travel. The chance that the Singer appears is 50%, +1%
per level of the listeners (including the flute player). In effect, anyone
who hears the music of the flute contributes to the casting.
The 20 points of Wisdom damage are distributed evenly between
those who hear the music of the flute, to a minimum of 1 point of
Wisdom damage per listener. Even people who are asleep take
Wisdom damage, though they will not be conscious of the music.
(Sleepers who take Wisdom damage suffer nightmares.) If the flute
has any points of Wisdom stored (see below), it draws on them to
pay the cost before dealing Wisdom damage to the listeners. The
flute has a range of 300 feet.
The 1d10 Sanity point loss for call deity is replaced by the Sanity
point losses printed in the ‘St. Savior’ section of the adventure.
The player of the flute suffers an additional 1 point of Wisdom
damage for each 5 minutes they play the flute. This damage continues until the character is killed or reduced to 0 Wisdom. The flute
stores these lost points of Wisdom for its own use. The flute cannot
hold more than 20 points of Wisdom. Once the flute has accumulated 20 points of Wisdom, it attempts to cast call the Singer from
Dhol. It can do this without being played. Treat the flute as a 10th
level caster (i.e., there is a 60% chance the Singer appears).
The flute can also draw Wisdom from those who kill in its proximity. The flute deals 1 point of Wisdom to any person who kills
another within 1 mile of the flute. As usual, the flute stores the point
of Wisdom for later use. The flute can do this even if it is not being
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played at the time. It cannot deal more than 1 point of Wisdom
damage per killer per day.
History: The flute acquired 19 points of Wisdom from the activities of the murderous monks. When the nameless buccaneer played
the flute, the flute’s stored points paid the majority of the casting
cost. The flute then accumulated an unknown amount of Wisdom
points from the hapless pirate. When the British hanged the islanders
in 1780, this provided enough points of Wisdom for the flute to cast
call the Singer from Dhol. The casting did not succeed, and the flute’s
stockpile of Wisdom points is currently exhausted.
ADVENTURE NOTES
This adventure is designed for a specific group of pregenerated characters. These characters are not suited to further adventures. Accordingly, no experience or Sanity awards are given.
Wilma’s uncanny stare ability unsettles people. If the target of
Wilma’s stare fails a DC 20 Will save, they consider Wilma unnerving, and prefer to avoid her. This is a preference only. The target is
not compelled to flee the area.
Florence, George and Robert run the risk of going temporarily
insane at several points during this adventure. The GM should use
these periods to sow misdirection, if necessary. Give out (false) insane
insights to keep players from discovering the truth. e.g. Florence,
going insane at the sight of the mutant lamb, thinks of Bramwell’s
earlier insinuation about sickly lambs. She knew about this! The
villagers are all in it together!
The GM is discouraged from allowing the investigators to employ
firearms. Accordingly, the GM may wish to delete the firearm attack
bonus given in Florence’s stat block. (The others’ attacks can be
explained as a legacy of their military service.)
Northern Winds: Use the wind to foreshadow or emphasise events
in the adventure. When the scenario begins, there is a low but
constant wind, ruffling hair and playing with clothes. When the ruffians begin menacing the investigators, the wind picks up. The gusts
develop into strong winds around the time of the lamb births. The
wind continues to increase in intensity through the evening. By the
time of the climax, the island is assailed by severe winds. See ‘Weather
Hazards’ in the rulebook for the effects of strong and severe winds.
The Beginning: Tanner’s Town: In the main, the Oyster Islanders
are considered to have an unfriendly attitude towards the Gullsons
(see ‘NPC Attitudes’ in the rulebook). As the adventure continues,
this will worsen to hostile. (See the section ‘Meanwhile...’ in the
printed adventure.)
As the investigators travel through the streets, call for a Spot
check. A result of 10-14 means the character gets the feeling they
are being watched. With a result of 15 or more, the character catches
sight of a pale face looking down from a high window.
In the general store: It is a DC 15 Craft (sheep farming) check
to examine the two lamb carcasses. If Florence succeeds at a DC 25
Diplomacy check, she manages to negotiate payment for one of the
dead lambs.
In the streets of Tanner’s Town: There should be one hooligan
per investigator outside the store. If the adult investigators each take
10-15 points of subdual damage, the gang considers this a victory
and departs. (Wilma will be pushed around more than she is struck.)
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Conversely, once a majority of the ruffians have taken 3 points of
subdual damage, or as soon as a youth is knocked out, the deputy
steps in. (Any subdual damage the investigators suffer will have
healed by the time of the lamb births.)
Frenchman’s Plot Farm: Arriving on the farm: To hear the rustling
in the undergrowth requires a successful Listen check (DC 5). No
check is necessary to notice the bite on the dog; it is readily visible.
A successful Heal check (DC 10) leads to the deduction about the
bite wound.
Things to do: It is a DC 12 Handle Animal check to get the
distraught dogs to begin herding the sheep. When speaking with
Newman, the patient questioning can either be roleplayed, or reduced
to a Diplomacy check (DC 15). Stern threats require a DC 16 Intimidate check to succeed.
The birth of the lambs: You might call for Craft (sheep farming) checks from the players during the preparations for the births,
to make things appear normal. The fourth lamb may surprise the
party. After the death of the third lamb, call for an Intelligence check
(DC 15) from the investigators. Success indicates the character has
realized the bite marks on the third lamb indicate a fourth lamb,
yet to be born. Such characters are not surprised when the fourth
lamb appears. (There isn’t enough time between the Intelligence
check and the arrival of the fourth lamb for characters to do anything,
such as move away from the mother.)
See the Equipment chapter for details of a spade or a shovel as
a weapon. A pitchfork is a Large weapon that does 1d8 points of
damage, and has a 2 critical.
To notice the coins bear no date requires a successful Spot check
(DC 10). No check is necessary to assess the coins’ fabulous value.
After speaking to Mole, investigators should make Wisdom
checks (DC 10). Success means they realize they haven’t seen Sarah
since before the birth of the lambs.
A successful Search check (DC 10) is required to find the key
to Ada’s drawers. To force the stuck drawer requires a DC 10 Strength
check. A character who thinks to search Florence’s room can locate
the other half of the pin with a DC 10 Search check.
Sarah: It is a DC 8 Spot or Search check to notice the footprint beneath
the window. Any character looking at the ground will automatically
discover the print. (The skill check is only for characters or players
who are at a loose end.)
Thomas can follow the tracks with a successful Wilderness Lore
check (DC 13 if the moon is out, or DC 16 if the moon is behind
clouds). Only Thomas can make this check (it requires the Track
feat). Alternatively, one of the sheepdogs can follow the tracks. The
sheepdog has Wilderness Lore +5 when tracking by scent; the DC
for tracking by scent is 10, +2 for each hour that has passed since
the trail was made.
It is about 2 miles to the Old Church. At the characters’ normal
pace, it will take 10 minutes to arrive. George may well have to run
to keep up. See the rulebook for details of running. If the party travels slowly so as not to tax George, or because the party is following
the tracks, the travel time doubles.
St. Savior: It is a DC 10 Spot check to notice the pick-ax. No skill
check is required to notice the changes to the floorboards.
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It is a DC 20 Strength check to raise the slab; using a lever (crowbar, spade, etc.) grants a +4 equipment bonus.
The Sanity loss for discovering Harry should probably be 1/1d6
for Wilma and Florence, equal to the loss for a similar discovery in
the section ‘The birth of the lambs.’
Characters making a “thorough examination” of the pit should
make Search checks:
[DC 5] The body is covered in wounds from a massive sharp
object. The extensive nature of the wounds suggests an attack of
immense cruelty. An Intelligence check (DC 13) suggests the wounds
could have been inflicted with a spade or shovel. (At the GM’s discretion, a character who draws this conclusion may make a DC 15 Intelligence check to recall the unusually clean spade in the barn.)
[DC 8] The bloody prints on the walls and slab show the deceased
was entombed alive after the attack, and tried desperately to escape.
[DC 5] The cause of death was penetration of the brain by the
deceased’s middle fingers, rammed through the ear canals. (If the
character succeeds at this check by at least 5 [i.e., the result is 10+],
it is clear the injuries were self-inflicted; there is no sign the fingers
were forced into the ears by another party.)
Anyone examining the map should make an Spot check (DC 15)
to discover the secret chamber.
The secret chamber...: To find the switch that activates the secret
door requires a Search check (DC 20) within 10 ft. of the chimney.
Alternatively, the characters can break through the wall (hardness
4, 60 hit points). With a successful Spot or Search check (DC 15),
a character notices the deep scratch marks already in the stone.
Robert will need to make a Will save (DC 15) to overcome his
claustrophobia and enter the chamber’s narrow opening. At the GM’s
discretion, the chamber itself is oppressive enough to require another
Will save (DC 15) from Robert to remain inside it. Robert will have
to again succeed at a Will save (DC 15) to enter and travel along the
tunnel to the steeple.
With a successful Search check (DC 12), a character who examines the surface opening concludes it has been recently dug, by hand
or paw.
The End: The details of the ritual are deliberately vague. How long
it takes, and how easily it is disrupted, are a matter of GM taste. If
the investigators do nothing, the ceremony will succeed. If the investigators intervene, the ritual succeeds or fails according to dramatic
necessity. (If you desire guidelines, consider the ritual to be a variant of dismiss deity. The Intelligence damage is shared between the
reverend and the chanting villagers.)
Toppling a boulder requires a Strength check (DC 25). It’s not
possible to take 20 on this check; there’s not enough time. The investigators can work as a team here, making cooperation checks. (See
the rulebook.) The villagers will attempt to stop this, if they catch
sight of the investigators.
The wind and rain combine to hinder both investigators and
villagers. All characters suffer a -6 penalty to ranged attacks, Listen,
Spot and Search checks. Characters on the ground, atop the steeple
or climbing the outside wall need to make a Fortitude save (DC 16)
each round they want to move. A failed save means the character
is unable to move against the wind this round. (If Wilma fails the
save, she is knocked down by the wind. If this happens while she’s
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at the top of the steeple, milk it for terror. Likewise, if she’s climbing at the time, she ends up dangling by one hand.)
No Climb check is needed to ascend the rope ladder. To climb
the outside of the steeple’s walls requires a DC 30 Climb check, a
task beyond the ability of any of the investigators. To climb the inside
walls requires a DC 15 Climb check. (Both DCs have been increased
by 5 because of the rain.) If Robert takes the lead and shows the others
the easiest path up the inside wall, all the investigators receive a +2
circumstance bonus to their checks.
The tower is 100 feet tall. The characters need to make a Climb
check every 15 feet, for a total of 7 checks. If you prefer, you can
overlook the usual rules and require the characters to make checks
only every 30 feet, for a total of 4 checks. If the characters reach the
height of 60 feet, they can move through the window onto the rope
ladder, outside. Each time a character moves from the inside to the
ladder, make a Spot check (DC 13) for the villagers on the ground.
A success means the character has been seen; the villagers will shout
warnings to the Reverend. Being 60 feet up, the characters are safely
beyond the range of the villagers’ hurled rocks. (Thrown objects have
a range increment of 10 feet, and a maximum range of five range
increments.) However, the characters may still be attacked by
Herbert. See the Climb entry in Chapter 2 of the rulebook for how
to handle attacks on climbing characters.
By the letter of the rules, a character who fails a Climb check
by 5 or more falls. As the adventure points out, plummeting to one’s
death makes for a very weak conclusion. You might allow a Reflex
save (DC 15) to avoid the fall. (A success means the character makes
no progress, but lives to try again next round.) Or you could rule
that a Climb check that fails by 5 or more results in a complication
rather than a fall: the character’s progress is delayed by 2 or more
rounds, the villagers (or the Reverend) catch sight of the climbers,
etc.
THE CHARACTERS
Florence Gullson
Female 3rd level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+6;
hp 19; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10; BAB +1;
Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d3+1 subdual, unarmed strike) or -2
ranged (damage depends on firearm used); SQ illiterate; SV Fort +5,
Ref+2, Will +2; San 40; Str 12, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha
13.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Bluff* +3, Craft (poison)* +1, Craft (sheep farming)* +1, Craft
(spinning) +3, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +2, Handle
Animal* +6, Hide* +3, Knowledge (accounting)* +1, Knowledge
(local-Oyster island) +2, Knowledge (pharmacy)* +1, Move
Silently +6, Open Lock +7, Pilot (boat) +2, Ride* +3, Search* +2,
Sense Motive* +4, Spot +1, Swim +2. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Florence.
Feats: Animal Affinity, Sharp-Eyed, Stealthy.
Illiterate: Florence cannot read or write.
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George Gullson
Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+9; hp
25; Init -1; Spd 15 ft.; AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-1 Dex); BAB +3;
Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d3+3 subdual, unarmed strike) or +2
ranged (damage depends on rifle used); SQ lame; SV Fort +6, Ref
+0, Will -1; San 35; Str 17, Dex 9, Con 17, Int 8, Wis 7, Cha 7.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Balance* -7, Climb -3, Craft (sheep farming) +4, Diplomacy*
-1, Disable Device +1, Handle Animal +1, Jump* -3, Knowledge
(history)* +2, Knowledge (local-Oyster Island) +1, Move Silently*
-7, Performance (flute)* -1, Pilot (boat) +1, Repair +1, Sense Motive*
+0, Speak Other Language (French)* +2, Spot +1, Swim -3, Tumble*
-7, Wilderness Lore +1. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not
core skills for George.
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Proficiency (melee weapon), Weapon
Proficiency (rifle).
Lame: George lost a leg in the war. His speed is reduced by 15 feet,
and he suffers a -6 penalty to his Balance, Climb, Jump, Move Silently,
Swim, and Tumble checks. (These changes have already been
included in the details above.)
Robert Gullson
Male 3rd level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+9; hp
23; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex); BAB
+1; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d3+1 subdual, unarmed strike); SQ
claustrophobia; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3; San 50; Str 13, Dex 12,
Con 16, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Bluff* +4, Climb +9, Craft (fishing) +6, Diplomacy* +4,
Disable Device* +3, Gather Information +6, Heal* +3, Knowledge
(local-Oyster Island) +2, Knowledge (navigation) +5, Performance
(flute) +3, Pilot (boat) +5, Repair* +4, Sense Motive* +2, Spot +2,
Swim +5, Wilderness Lore +1. Skills marked with an asterisk (*)
are not core skills for Robert.
Feats: Athletic, Endurance, Trustworthy.
Claustrophobia: Robert suffers from claustrophobia - an unreasoning
fear of enclosed spaces. A Will check (DC 15) is required for Robert
to force himself into (and remain within) an enclosed area. Robert
suffers a -2 morale penalty to all d20 rolls (checks, saves, attacks)
for as long as he remains within an enclosed area. See also ‘In the
Grip of Madness’ in this issue for roleplaying tips.
Thomas Gullson
Male 3rd level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+9; hp
23; Init -2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 8, touch 8, flat-footed 8 (-2 Dex); BAB +1;
Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d6+2, club) or -1 ranged (damage depends
on rifle used) or +3 melee (1d3+2 subdual, unarmed strike); SV Fort
+6, Ref +1, Will +1; San 55; Str 14, Dex 7, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 11,
Cha 7.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Climb +6, Craft (sheep farming) +3, Disable Device* +2, Heal
+4, Knowledge (history)* +1, Knowledge (local-Oyster Island) +1,
Molest Sheep +7, Repair +2, Search* +2, Spot +3, Swim +3, Wilderness Lore +1. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills
for Thomas.
Feats: Track, Weapon Proficiency (melee weapon), Weapon Proficiency (rifle).
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Wilma Holmes
Female 1st level Defense Option; Small human; HD 1d6+3; hp 9; Init
+2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size);
BAB +0; Grap -5; Atk +0 melee (1d3-1 subdual, unarmed strike);
SQ night vision, uncanny stare; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6; San
90; Str 8, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 12.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Animal Empathy* +3, Balance* +4, Climb +3, Handle
Animal* +2, Heal* +4, Hide +10, Knowledge (pharmacy)* +5,
Listen +8, Move Silently +6, Performance (flute) +5, Read Lips*
+5, Search* +6, Spot +8, Swim +3, Tumble* +3. Size bonus to Hide
has been included. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core
skills for Wilma.
Feats: Dodge, Mobility.
Night Vision (Ex): Wilma can see without needing a light source,
up to a distance of 60 ft. This vision is black and white only. It does
not allow her to see anything she could not normally see - invisible
objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they
seem to be. The presence of light counters this night vision: if Wilma
is near a light source, she can see only what the light shows.
Uncanny Stare (Ex): Wilma can fix anyone within 10 feet with a
weird, piercing stare. The target can resist the effects of the stare
with a DC 20 Will save. If the target resists, they are immune to the
effects of Wilma’s stare for 1 hour. Wilma can stare once per round,
as a free action.
NPCs
Sarah Holmes
CR 2; 2nd level Defence Option; Medium-size human; HD 2d6+6; hp
15; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex); BAB
+1; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (1d3 subdual, unarmed strike); SV Fort
+6, Ref +1, Will +1; San 65; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 13,
Cha 9.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Balance* +3, Climb +2, Craft (sheep farming) +4, Craft (spinning) +4, Handle Animal* +1, Hide* +3, Jump* +1, Knowledge
(local-Oyster Island) +2, Move Silently* +3, Search* +2, Spot +5,
Swim +2. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for
Sarah.
Feats: Endurance, Run.
Widow Bramwell
CR 4; 4th level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 4d6-4; hp
12; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex); BAB
+2; Grap +3; Atk +3 melee (1d3+1 subdual, unarmed strike); SV
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; San 60; Str 12, Dex 12, Con 8, Int 14, Wis
12, Cha 10.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Bluff* +5, Craft (spinning) +6, Diplomacy +5, Gather Information +5, Hide* +4, Innuendo* +4, Intimidate +6, Knowledge
(accounting) + 5, Knowledge (local-Oyster Islander) +12, Listen +7,
Search* +5, Sense Motive +5, Spot +10.
Feats: Alertness, Persuasive, Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [local-Oyster
Islander]).
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Hooligans
CR 1; 1st level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 1d6+1; hp
7; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex); BAB
+1; Grap +2; Atk +2 melee (1d3+1 subdual, unarmed strike); SV
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1; San 60; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 13, Wis
12, Cha 10.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Balance* +2, Bluff* +2, Climb +6, Craft (varies) +2, Gather
Information +3, Hide* +2, Intimidate* +2, Jump* +3, Knowledge
(local-Oyster Island) +3, Listen +3, Search* +2, Spot +3, Swim +5,
Tumble* +3, Wilderness Lore +4, Handle Animal +2 or Pilot +2.
Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for the hooligans.
Feats: Athletic, Weapon Proficiency (melee weapon).
Frank Herbert
CR 5; 5th level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 5d6+15; hp
35; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex); BAB
+4; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (1d4+3, nightstick) or +7 melee (1d3+3
subdual, unarmed fist) or +3 ranged (1d2+3, fist-sized rock); SV
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +4; San 80; Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 16, Wis
16, Cha 16.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Bluff* +6, Climb +9, Diplomacy* +4, Gather Information +9,
Hide* +6, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (law) +11, Knowledge (localOyster Island) +11, Listen +9, Move Silently* +6, Search* +8, Sense
Motive +9, Spot +11, Swim +7, Wilderness Lore +9. Skills marked
with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Herbert.
Feats: Sharp-Eyed, Track, Weapon Proficiency (melee weapon).
Mutated Lamb
CR ½; Small Beast; HD 1d10+4; hp 9; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; AC 12, touch
12, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size); BAB +0; Grap -6; Atk -1 melee
(1d6, bite); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +0;
San -; Str 6, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 4.
Skills: Hide +9, Move Silently +5, Spot +4.
Feats: None.
Sanity Loss: 1/1d4.
Typical Villagers
CR 1; 1st level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 1d6; hp 9;
Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB +0; Grap
+0; Atk +0 melee (damage varies with weapon) or +0 melee (1d3
subdual, unarmed strike) or -4 ranged (1d2, fist-sized rock); SV Fort
+2, Ref +2, Will +0; San 50; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 10,
Cha 10.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Climb +2, Craft (varies) +5, Diplomacy* +2, Gather Information +4, Heal +2, Knowledge (local-Oyster Island) +5, Listen +2,
Search* +3, Sense Motive +2, Spot +2, Swim +2, Wilderness Lore
+2, Handle Animal +2 or Pilot +2. Skills marked with an asterisk
(*) are not core skills for the villagers.
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Proficiency (melee weapon).
Typical melee weapons for the villagers include clubs (1d6), hatchets (1d6/ 3), axes (1d8/ 3) and pitchforks (1d8).
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Reverend James Cromwell
CR 3; 3rd level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6; hp 13;
Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex); BAB
+1; Grap +1; Atk +1 melee (1d3 subdual, unarmed strike); SV Fort
+1, Ref +4, Will +6; San 65; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 13,
Cha 13.
Profession Template: Oyster Islander.
Skills: Bluff* +1, Climb +2, Concentration +6, Diplomacy +9, Gather
Information +7, Knowledge (history)* +6, Knowledge (local-Oyster
Island) +9, Knowledge (religion) +12, Listen +5, Performance*
(singing) +4, Research* +4, Search* +5, Sense Motive* +4, Speak
Other Language (Latin)* +5, Spot +5. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Cromwell.
Feats: Iron Will, Trustworthy, Skill Emphasis (Knowledge [religion]).
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Super
Super88
NEW TOMES
The video and film recordings in this scenario function as Mythos
tomes, even though they aren’t books.
Unlabeled Video Cassette. A ordinary video cassette, containing a
low-quality copy of a filmed sacrifice to Y’golonac, disguised as a
snuff film. The cassette has an insidious corrupting effect. See ‘The
Seed of Y’golonac,’ below. Examination Period: 1 day (DC 10). A
failed study check indicates the character could not watch the tape
the whole way through. Sanity Loss: 1 initial and 1d6 upon completion. Cthulhu Mythos: +1 rank. (This does not stack with the bonus
from watching the Super 8 original.)
“White Heat.” A Super 8 film of a sacrifice to Y’golonac, disguised
as a snuff film. Examination Period: 1 day (DC 10). A failed study
check indicates the character could not watch the tape the whole way
through. Sanity Loss: 1 initial and 1d6 upon completion. Cthulhu
Mythos: +1 rank. (This does not stack with the bonus from watching the low-quality video cassette copy.)
The Seed of Y’golonac: Watching the video copy of the film creates
a subtle link between the viewer and Y’golonac. The character is
wracked by nightmares, and if morally degenerate, is filled with a
longing to see the original film. The strength of the nightmares and
the longing increases over the course of the adventure, but both
subside when the original film is destroyed. However, this act does
not cure the character. Having watched the video, its influence never
leaves the character. Unlabeled video tapes make the character
uncomfortable. Sighting such tapes in unwholesome surroundings
(such as two men swapping tapes in a dingy bar) causes the character’s palms to itch. Should the character ever deal with Y’golonac
(or his cult) again, the nightmares return. Waking, the character will
be shocked to discover bloody palm prints on their sheets. They
might even find they are clutching a needle-sharp tooth in one fist.
ADVENTURE NOTES
The adventure is suitable for a party of 3rd to 6th level investigators.
The challenges in this adventure are chiefly investigative, so little
need be done to adapt the adventure to other levels. It is quite difficult to succeed in the climax without ingenuity; the GM may wish
to reduce the check DCs by 5 in the section ‘Super 8.’ There is a lot
of Sanity loss in this scenario; investigators with low Sanity scores
run the risk of going indefinitely insane at several points. In such
cases, you may wish to lower the Sanity losses involved, or institute a house rule that indefinite insanity does not take effect until
the end of the current session. To use the adventure hook as written, one of the characters needs to be working for a law enforcement
agency. Since that character is operating undercover, bringing in the
police, or making use of law enforcement credentials, is likely to ruin
the character’s slave trade investigation.
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Unfortunate Awakening: The witness suffered a period of temporary insanity. This implies a Sanity loss equal to half the witness’s
Wisdom, which might be higher than the maximum six point loss
from viewing the tape. Consider any discrepancy to be the result of
the damage done to the tape, making the footage slightly less potent.
Note that, as the character has repressed their memory of the events,
their Sanity score remains unaffected until the memories return (see
the section ‘The End’). At that point, the witness will lose enough
Sanity points to bring the total lost from viewing the tape to equal
half the witness’s Wisdom. Example: The witness has Wisdom 16.
The original encounter with the tape must have resulted in the loss
of 8 Sanity points to provoke temporary insanity. However, all
memory of the event is repressed, and no Sanity loss is recorded.
When the witness views the tape for what seems to be the first time,
the witness suffers a 1d6 Sanity point loss, rolling a 5. When at last
the amnesia lifts, the witness suffers an additional 3 Sanity point
loss, to bring the total lost from viewing the tape to 8.
Initial Investigation: Visiting Bergman: With a Spot check (DC 10),
any investigator peering through the windows of Bergman’s kiosk
will notice that the cash register hasn’t been touched and, despite
the mess, there is no sign of damage to the store. The conclusion is
the chaos was not caused by regular criminals or vandals. To break
into the store requires a Strength check (DC 20). Characters can
search the kiosk, but discover nothing of interest.
It is a DC 10 Listen check to hear low sobbing from within the
apartment. It is a DC 15 Strength check to break the door down, but
this will have negative consequences. Mrs. Bergman is already traumatised; she’s likely to become hysterical at the sight of people breaking in. Furthermore, a neighbor may call the police.
Lois Bergman will break down several times during the interview. If the interview is conducted in the absence of a doctor, you
might require the investigators to succeed at a DC 15 Psychoanalysis
check to provide immediate psychological aid, allowing the interview to continue. (A DC 15 Heal check [untrained if necessary] can
be used in place of the Psychoanalysis check.) Failed checks should
result in pauses or digressions, not in Mrs. Bergman ending the interview; the investigators need the leads she can offer.
Lloyd Stockwell: The witness can recall the Stockwell case with
an Intelligence check (DC 15). Failure means that the name is vaguely
familiar. In any event, the character will not remember Stockwell’s
address. (If the witness failed the Intelligence check, the details of
the case spring to mind when the character learns Stockwell’s
address.)
When speaking with Stockwell, a DC 20 Sense Motive check will
reveal that something is wrong. Stockwell is on edge, but is trying
to conceal this.
No Listen check is necessary to hear the screams. For details
of the pepper spray, see ‘New Weapons,’ below.
The possessed person swells and fattens. In the first two rounds,
their features sink into their face, which is in turn swallowed by rising
folds of fat in the third round. The possessed’s clothes burst and fall
away. Gashes appear in the possessed’s palms, widening into fanged
mouths over the course of the first three rounds. At the start of the
fourth round, the avatar becomes divine, gaining all the divine qualities specified in the appendix of the rulebook. The avatar also gains
all special attacks and special qualities detailed in its stat block. The
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avatar will target any character who has knowledge of Y’golonac (even
if the character knows only the name), to the extent of ignoring other
characters. If none of the investigators have any knowledge of the
Great Old One, the avatar will attack freely.
The nearby tables provide a round-by-round progression of the
transformation. (Round 0 is provided in case supremely paranoid
investigators attack the possessed person before the transformation
begins.) The transformation as presented lasts 10 rounds. You can
slow things down by inserting extra rounds in which no changes
occur, though the transformation should not take longer than 20
rounds. The hit point increase column needs to be explained. It indicates by how many points the avatar’s hit points increase each round.
If the creature is harmed, rather than subtracting the accumulated
damage from the creature’s new hit points, you need only add the
relevant increase. Example: In round one, the possessed suffers 14
points of damage, leaving them with 15 hit points. By round two,
the possessed’s new hit point total is 42. Instead of subtracting 14
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from 42 to calculate the avatar’s remaining hit points, increase its
current hit points by 13.
Responsible investigators may be reluctant to flee, not wanting to leave an obviously powerful Mythos entity to go on a rampage
in suburbia. In this event, the investigators’ best hope is to kill the
possessed before they assume the divine status of Y’golonac’s avatar.
Poisons that drain Constitution or high-powered rifles are the most
effective weapons here, but the investigators are unlikely to have
either close to hand. If the avatar is slain, Y’golonac withdraws in
an explosion of organs, flesh and blood. Sanity loss for witnessing
this event is 1/1d6. (As noted in the scenario, you should be careful in levying Sanity loss during this encounter, so as not to remove
characters from the investigation too early.)
A DC 12 Knowledge (psychology), Knowledge (medicine) or
Psychoanalysis check will alert an investigator to Evelyn’s imminent
breakdown, and will suggest the necessary course of action (move
Evelyn to a quiet and safe place). Investigators who want to force
Table: Round-bby-rround Progression of the Avatar Transformation
Round
HD
0
4d6+4
1
6d6+6
2
6d8+12
3
8d8+24
4* 10d8+30
hit point
hp increase
20
29
+9
42
+13
63
+21
110
+47
Round
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Grap
+3
+6
+9
+11
+14
+17
+24
+27
+29
+32
+35
Attacks
+3 melee (1d3+1 subdual, unarmed strike)
+6 melee (1d3+2 subdual, unarmed strike)
+9 melee (1d3+3 subdual, unarmed strike)
+11 melee (1d3+4 subdual, unarmed sttrike)
+14 melee (1d4+5, 2 hand-mouths)
+9 melee (1d3+2, groin-bite)
5
12d8+48
144
+34
M
60 ft.
21
+12
+8
+12 +17 melee (1d4+6, 2 hand-mouths)
+12 melee (1d4+3, groin-bite)
6 14d10+70 210
+66
L
80 ft.
22
+14
+9
+13 +19 melee (1d6+7, 2 hand-mouths)
+14 melee (1d6+3, groin-bite)
7 16d10+80 240
+30
L
80 ft.
24
+15
+10
+16 +22 melee (1d6+8, 2 hand-mouths)
+17 melee (1d8+4, groin-bite)
8 18d10+108 288
+48
L
80 ft.
26
+17
+11
+17 +24 melee (1d8+9, 2 hand-mouths)
+19 melee (2d6+4, groin-bite)
9 18d12+126 342
+64
L
80 ft.
28
+19
+12
+18 +27 melee (1d8+10, 2 hand-mouths)
+22 melee (2d8+5, groin-bite)
10 20d12+140 380
+38
L
80 ft.
30
+20
+13
+21 +30 melee (2d6+11, 2 hand-mouths)
+25 melee (3d6+5, groin-bite)
* The subject attains divine status at the start of this round, gaining divine qualities, special attacks and special qualities.
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BAB
+2
+4
+6
+7
+9
+11
+13
+15
+16
+18
+20
Str
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
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Size
M
M
M
M
M
Dex
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Spd
30 ft.
30 ft.
40 ft.
50 ft.
60 ft.
Con
12
13
14
16
17
18
20
21
22
24
25
Int
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
AC
10
12
14
16
19
Wis
10
14
14
14
18
18
18
22
22
22
26
Fort
+4
+4
+6
+8
+10
Ref
+2
+3
+4
+5
+7
Will
+4
+5
+6
+7
+11
Cha
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
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Evelyn to accompany them to the Red Rose must succeed at a DC
19 Intimidate check. (Regardless of the threats’ success or failure,
they sour Evelyn to the investigators; she will not help them any
further.)
Video: Anyone who watches the video must make a study check.
(See the details for the unlabeled video cassette, in ‘New Artifacts’
above.) Success indicates the character managed to stomach the
recording, gaining a rank of Cthulhu Mythos. Characters who watch
all of (what remains of) the video can attempt the following skill
checks:
[Spot check, DC 20] The footage is strangely out of focus.
However, the reason for this blurriness is not evident without a
successful Craft check (see next check). It is possible to take 20 on
the Spot check; this reflects a character who is watching the recording intently. (Such a character forfeits their Listen check. If the investigator plays the tape a second time, they can attempt a Listen check.)
[Craft (audiovisual), DC 15] The video is out of focus because
it is a recording of a film screening, in the manner of a bootleg video.
This implies the existence of an original film version. (Other appropriate Craft skills can be used in place of Craft [audiovisual]; the rulebook suggests Craft [photography] covers video production.) It is
not possible to take 20 on this check, as the character is searching
their knowledge for an explanation. The character can take 10 on
the check.
[Craft (audiovisual), DC 10] Despite the no-budget quality of
the set, the special effects are the work of a master. (Only investigators or NPCs who have no experience of the Mythos would make
this conclusion. Any investigator with at least 1 rank in Cthulhu
Mythos will suspect otherwise. Again, other Craft skills can be used
in place of Craft [audiovisual].)
[Listen check, DC 15] The soundtrack has recorded sounds from
outside the film set, including a muffled conversation and a loud
bang. However, the words of the conversation cannot be made out
without further work (see below). It is possible to take 20 on this
check; this indicates the character is listening carefully to the soundtrack. (Such a character forfeits their Spot check. If the investigator plays the tape a second time, they can attempt a Spot check.)
[Cthulhu Mythos check, DC 25] The flabby creature can be identified as Y’golonac. (Y’golonac is obscure even by the standards of
the Mythos, hence the high DC.) It is not possible to take 20 on this
check, nor does watching the video a second time allow the check
to be retried.
In addition to this casual examination, the video can be subjected
to professional sound analysis. An investigator with an appropriate Craft skill (Craft [audiovisual] or similar) can perform the skill
checks. The analysis is time consuming, taking two days (or less at
the GM’s discretion), and requires access to appropriate facilities.
Because this will take the investigator away from the case, this analysis is better left to NPC allies. (The typical audiovisual expert will
have a +13 modifier [+2 Intelligence, +8 ranks, +3 Skill Emphasis feat]. On the other hand, you shouldn’t make a skill check; the
NPC ally serves as a plot device to feed clues to the investigators.)
The check DC is 18. With a success, the recording of the conversation can be cleaned up.
Events Behind the Sounds: To find the driver requires a successful Gather Information check (DC 15). Investigators can use police
contacts or speak to taxi companies. To find out more about the ware-
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house killing requires a Research check (DC 15), or police contacts
and a successful Gather Information check (DC 15). If the match
book is to be found in the warehouse, the Search check is DC 10,
but the investigators will have to perform a lengthy search of the
entire warehouse.
Plastic Gifts: It is a Sense Motive check (DC 20) to realize Jackson
knows something. To scare Jackson into talking (with talk of a prison
sentence or other threats) requires a successful DC 19 Intimidate
check. Alternatively, characters might be able to sway Jackson with
a DC 25 Diplomacy check.
General Investigations (box): Characters in search of sex tape rumors
should make a Gather Information check:
[Result of 10] Yeah, there’s a snuff movie, real sick stuff. There’s
people willing to pay a lot to see it. A lot. Nah, man, I haven’t seen
it.
[Result of 12] (As above, with:) But I heard they cut out the sickest parts. The original, that’s the real shit. That’s what the buyers
want.
[Result of 15] (As above, with:) I hear it’s up for auction. Secret.
Highest bidder gets to see the uncut movie. Hey, I dunno who’s
running it. Guess you gotta know the right people, huh?
A character with police contacts can learn all of the above with
a successful Gather Information check (DC 12). The police contact
doesn’t believe talk of a secret auction or an uncut tape.
The Red Rose: Characters can discover the word on the street
about the Red Rose with successful Gather Information checks. The
first two points can be learned at any stage of the investigation. The
remaining information can only be learned by speaking to staff at
the Rose’s neighboring establishments.
[DC 15] The Red Rose caters to every sexual interest imaginable, legal and illegal. The illegal services are located in the basement.
[DC 15] The police raided the Red Rose three times, but have
never laid any charges. (This can also be discovered with a successful DC 15 Research check. An investigator with police contacts can
discover the raids failed to turn up any evidence of illegal activities.)
[DC 18] Tony Castelo, owner of the Red Rose, is a man you
should not cross. It’s bad for your health. (If the questioner gets a
result of 23 or more, some vague and whispered rumors of Castelo’s
connection to organized crime are related.)
[DC 25] Castelo has ties to the Network. (At which point the
speaker realizes they have said too much, and will refuse to discuss
the topic further.)
(Investigators who learn Castelo is part of organized crime - no
matter how low on the ladder - may be reluctant to later break into
his house, an action which is vital to this scenario. Feel free to make
the information about Castelo’s ties to Big Crime impossible to find.)
When speaking with the Rose’s rivals, a character who succeeds
at a Sense Motive (DC 20) check realizes that people are more scared
of Castelo than one would expect.
Meeting Karl: Statistics for the two thugs are provided in case
investigators feel the need to physically intervene. Otherwise, the
thugs deal 6 points of subdual damage to Karl, leaving him staggered.
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To question Karl about the video without provoking a fit of rage
requires the questioner to succeed at a DC 15 Knowledge (psychology) check or a DC 20 Sense Motive check. A failed check means
Karl begins a confused and frothing diatribe about Castelo and how
“someone needs to bring down some justice on that fucker.” Karl
eventually calms down, allowing further attempts to question him.
Investigations at the Red Rose: If players don’t think to look in
the phone book, an Wisdom check (DC 10) will give the right idea.
Castelo’s House: With a successful Spot check (DC 14), an investigator can notice a figure moving about in the house in an attempt
to pass undetected. Interestingly, the figure is smaller than a man.
Investigators suffer a -1 penalty to the check for each 10 feet between
them and the house. (The use of binoculars, a camera with telephoto
lens or a similar optical device eliminates this penalty.) Characters
who set up watch on the house (a stake-out) can take 20 on their
check.
Breaking and Entering: To break down the front or back door
requires a successful Strength check (DC 18). A crowbar grants a
+4 equipment bonus to the check. The subtler approach of picking the lock requires a successful Open Lock check (DC 25); use of
a lock gun grants automatic success. Characters could force a window
open (DC 13 Strength check), or cut a hole in the glass and work
the window latch.
No Search check is necessary to find the documents (they’re in
plain view) or the various signs that the house is not empty.
Shortly after discovering the documents, characters should make
a Listen check (DC 14) to hear the children moving in. The children
are 10 feet away, if discovered. If the investigators fail the check, they
will be surprised by the children.
The Final Screening: Characters can locate the rave with a DC 20
Knowledge (local-New York) check, a DC 12 Research check or a
DC 15 Gather Information check. The characters need to attend the
rave to take part in the conclusion to the adventure, so if these checks
fail, they could search the streets of Red Hook and find the church
just as the rave begins.
The scenario says the investigators will have no chance to find
the screening place before the rave starts. Mostly this is a matter of
time; as the adventure suggests, the GM should arrange matters so
the investigators have little spare time between finding the documents and attending the rave. On the other hand, the party may
split up, with some investigating the rave and the others searching
the nearby areas. Short of breaking into every nearby building, the
party will have a hard time discovering Castelo before the climax.
The Rave: At midnight, and every 10 minutes afterwards, characters in the church suffer 0/1 Sanity losses. Once a character has
lost Sanity points equal to half their Wisdom in this fashion, they
go temporarily insane, indulging in the obscene pleasures on offer.
(This deliberately contradicts the usual rules for temporary insanity.)
Investigators watching the church from outside will automatically notice the departing guests. Those inside the rave can notice
with a Spot check (DC 15). Only sane investigators can make this
check.
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Super 8: After the investigators have arrived, and taken in the
scene, the film begins to allow Y’golonac and his Children into this
world. A timeline of events:
Round 1: Camera pans to the side.
Round 2-4: Door slowly opens.
Round 5-6: Camera zooms in.
Round 7: Children press up against the screen.
Round 8-10: Children enter the room.
Round 11-16: Y’golonac lumbers through the screen.
Round 17: Y’golonac is free.
The investigators may not realize the danger the film poses until
rounds 7-8. If the projection is stopped between rounds 8 to 16, then
the only creatures to have escaped from the labyrinth are 1d6+4 Children.
The characters will find it very challenging to get into the projector room to stop the screening. Castelo is behind 1-inch thick bulletproof glass. It has hardness 5 and 5 hit points. Remember that objects
take half damage from ranged weapons (divide the damage by 2
before applying the window’s hardness). The doors can be unlocked
with a successful Open Locks check (DC 30). The locks are too wellmanufactured to be defeated with a lock gun. Characters might try
to cut through the armored doors; they have hardness 10 and 30 hit
points. Alternately, the doors can be broken down with a Strength
check (DC 28). The projector itself is easily destroyed (hardness 1,
6 hit points).
Y’golonac and his avatars: One or two members of the audience
become avatars of Y’golonac during the screening (transforming
during rounds 2-11). The possessed revert to their human form when
the projection is halted. Use the presented stat block for the avatars,
though they should concentrate on killing only other NPCs.
Y’golonac, on the other hand, needs no game statistics. An undiluted force of the Mythos, Y’golonac can kill and destroy all that he
touches. Once he is loose, the investigators’ only hope is to halt the
film before he can reach them.
EXPERIENCE AND SANITY AWARDS
Typical Story Goals:
Survive the suburban encounter with Y’golonac’s avatar.
Discover the link between the video and Castelo.
Find Castelo’s notes.
Stop the screening of the Super 8 film.
Bonus Sanity Rewards:
Stopping Y’golonac’s avatar from wandering the suburbs: 1d6
Sanity points.
Stopping the screening before Y’golonac escapes his labyrinth:
1d4 Sanity points.
Stopping the screening after Y’golonac has escaped: 1d6 Sanity
points.
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NPCs
Tony Castelo
CR 4; Male 4th level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 4d6;
hp 16; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB +3;
Grap +4; Atk +5 melee (1d3+1 subudual, unarmed strike) or +3
ranged (1d10/ 3, .380 AMT pistol); SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +2;
San 21; Str 12, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10.
Profession Template: White Collar Worker/Businessman.
Skills: Bluff +9, Computer Use +4, Diplomacy +6, Drive* +3, Forgery
+8, Innuendo +8, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (law) +3, Knowledge
(streetwise) +5, Listen +3, Search* +4, Sense Motive +6, Spot +4.
Synergy bonuses to Diplomacy and Intimidate have been included.
Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for Castelo.
Feats: Persuasive, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Weapon Proficiency (pistol).
Eric Shorey
CR 4; Male 4th level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 4d6+12;
hp 28; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; BAB +3;
Grap +6; Atk +6 melee (1d4+3, unarmed strike) or +3 ranged (1d10/
3, Glock 26 pistol) or -1 ranged (3d6/2d6/1d6, Remington Model
870 shotgun); SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1; San 54; Str 16, Dex 11,
Con 16, Int 10, Wis 7, Cha 9.
Profession Template: Soldier variant (Wilderness Lore replaced with
Knowledge [streetwise]).
Skills: Bluff* +2, Climb +5, Demolitions +3, Drive +5, Gather Information* +2, Intimidate* +2, Jump +4, Knowledge (law)* +1,
Knowledge (streetwise) +4, Listen +5, Open Lock +4, Spot +5, Use
Rope +3. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for
Shorey.
Feats: Iron Will, Martial Artist, Weapon Proficiency (pistol).
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Thugs
CR 3; Male 3rd level Offense Option; Medium-size human; HD 3d6+9;
hp 22; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex);
BAB +3; Grap +5; Atk +5 melee (1d3+2 subdual, unarmed strike)
or +5 melee (1d3+2, brass knuckles); SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2;
San 50; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8.
Profession Template: Soldier variant (Wilderness Lore replaced with
Knowledge [streetwise]).
Skills: Bluff* +2, Climb +5, Escape Artist* +4, Hide +4, Initimidate
+5, Jump +4, Knowledge (streetwise) +4, Listen +4, Move Silently
+4, Sense Motive +3, Spot +5, Tumble +5, Use Rope +3. Skills
marked with an asterisk (*) are not core skills for the thugs.
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Proficiency (melee weapon), Weapon
Proficiency (pistol).
Karl Foresman
CR 1; Male 1st level Defense Option; Medium-size human; HD 1d6;
hp 6; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex);
BAB +0; Grap +0; Atk +0 melee (1d3 subdual, unarmed strike); SV
Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3; San 54; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 14, Wis
12, Cha 10.
Profession Template: White Collar Worker/Businessman.
Skills: Appraise* +3, Bluff +2, Computer Use +4, Craft (songwriting)* +3, Diplomacy +2, Gather Information* +2, Hide* +3, Knowledge (accounting) +4, Knowledge (history)* +4, Knowledge
(psychology)* +3, Knowledge (streetwise)* +4, Move Silently* +3,
Research* +2, Search* +3, Sense Motive +3, Speak Other Language
(French)* +4, Spot +3. Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are not
core skills for Karl.
Feats: Stealthy.
Table: NEW WEAPONS
Pistols
AMT Backup Pistol
Glock 26
Shotguns
Remington Model 870
Caliber Damage
.380
1d10
9×19mm 1d10
Crit
3
3
Action
semi/D
semi/D
Caliber
Damage
Action
12g See Table 6-8 pump
Other Ranged Weapons
Caliber Damage
Crit
Pepper spray*
special
* See the description of the weapon for special rules.
Cap
5
10
Cap Loading
5
side
Action
-
Cap
1
Range Rate of
Loading Increment Fire
mag
20
Multifire
mag
20
Multifire
Range
50
Rate
Standard
Loading
-
Range
5
Rate
1
Other Ranged Weapons
Pepper spray: A chemical irritant that can temporarily blind a target, pepper spray comes in a single-shot container. To use it, make a ranged
touch attack against the target. The target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15) or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. Pepper spray is limited
to 5 range increments. Anyone can use a pepper spray without suffering a nonproficiency penalty.
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Y’golonac (avatar)
Large Great Old One; HD 20d12+140; hp 380; Init +4; Spd 80 ft.;
AC 30, touch 10, flat-footed 30 (+20 natural, +1 divine, -1 size, +0
Dex); BAB +20; Grap +35; Atk +31 melee (2d6+11, hand-bite); Full
Atk +31 melee (2d6+11, 2 hand-bites), +26 melee (3d6+5, groinbite); FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SA improved grab, nameless
hunger; SQ divine qualities (see rulebook), damage reduction 36/+4,
SR 33, blindsight, possess mortal; SV Fort +20, Ref +13, Will +21;
San -; Str 32, Dex 10, Con 25, Int 20, Wis 26, Cha 30.
Skills: Balance +24, Climb +35, Cthulhu Mythos +29, Hide +20,
Jump +35, Listen +32, Move Silently +24, Search +20, Spot +32,
Swim +35.
Feats: Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack.
Sanity Loss: 1/1d10+1 to see Y’golonac’s avatar, 1/1d20 to witness
the transformation of worshipper to avatar, 1d10/1d100 to experience possession.
Blindsight (Ex): Headless Y’golonac perceives the world with
unknowable senses, ignoring invisibility and darkness. Y’golonac’s
blindsight extends to a range of 5 miles.
Improved Grab (Ex): If Y’golonac hits an opponent smaller than
itself with a bite attack, he deals normal damage and begins a grapple as a free action, without provoking an attack of opportunity. If
the grapple is successful, Y’golonac begins feeding; see nameless
hunger, below.
Nameless Hunger (Ex): A character attacked by one of
Y’golonac’s mouths loses 1d3 points of permanent Intelligence drain
and 1d3 points of permanent Wisdom drain each round. A character whose Intelligence or Wisdom reaches 0 falls into a comalike
stupor. The character can be possessed at any time by Y’golonac,
transforming the character into an avatar of Y’golonac. Such characters cannot resist the possession.
Possess Mortal (Su): Y’golonac can possess any character who
worships him, or any character whose Intelligence or Wisdom has
been reduced to 0 by Y’golonac’s nameless hunger. The possessed
transforms into an avatar of Y’golonac, with the skills and abilities
given here. A sane character can resist the possession with a successful Will save (DC 30). If an avatar of Y’golonac is reduced to 0 hit
points or less, the character is slain and Y’golonac is forced to withdraw his consciousness from the possessed. This causes a violent
eruption of blood and viscera. Sanity loss for witnessing this event
is 1/1d6.
Priest of the Children
CR ½; Medium-size Outsider; HD 3d8+3; hp 16; Init -1; Spd 40 ft.;
AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-1 Dex); BAB +3; Grap +3; Atk +4 melee
(1d6, bite); Full Atk +4 melee (1d6, 3 bites) ; FS 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach
5 ft.; SQ blindsight 30 ft., divine link, scent; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will
+5; San -; Str 11, Dex 9, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Skills: Hide +4, Listen +10*, Move Silently +6*.
Feats: Weapon Focus (bite).
Sanity Loss: 0/1d4
Divine Link (Ex): The priest has a connection to Y’golonac, and
consequently, to those who serve Y’golonac (those who worship him,
who participate in his rites, or who bear the seed of Y’golonac). By
concentrating for 1 minute, the priest can determine the direction
of Y’golonac, or his nearest human servant, provided they are within
1 mile of the priest. This sense lasts for 30 minutes.
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Blindsight (Ex): The priest, though eyeless, can maneuver and
fight as well as a sighted creature. See Chapter 8 of the rulebook.
Scent (Ex): The priest can detect approaching enemies, sniff out
hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. See Chapter 8 of the rulebook.
Skills: *Children of Y’golonac receive a +4 racial bonus on Listen
and Move Silently checks.
CHILD OF Y’GOLONAC
Small Outsider (Lesser Servitor Race)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft.
Armor Class: 11
Attacks: 3 bites +2 melee
Damage: Bite 1d4-2
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., scent.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +4, Listen +9*, Move Silently +4*
Feats: Weapon Focus (bite)
CR: ½
Climate/Terrain: Any
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium-size)
Sanity Loss: 0/1d4
‘Beyond a gulf in the subterranean night a passage leads to a wall
of massive bricks, and beyond the wall rises Y’golonac to be served
by the tattered eyeless figures of the dark.’
- an excerpt from the Revelations of Glaaki, cited by Ramsey Campbell in “Cold Print”
Seen briefly, or in poor light, a child of Y’golonac could be
mistaken for a horribly deformed child. A closer encounter rapidly
corrects this mistake. A child of Y’golonac is an eyeless dwarf, clad
in what might be tattered rags, and might be sloughed and blackened skin. Like their master-father, they have a mouth in each palm.
They also have a mouth in their face. Like infants, they tend to experience the world through their mouths; a place inhabited by a child
of Y’golonac will have gnaw marks on all surfaces within the child’s
reach.
Combat
Children of Y’golonac prefer to attack in packs, surrounding an opponent and attacking with their three mouths.
Blindsight (Ex): A child of Y’golonac can maneuver and fight
as well as a sighted creature. See Chapter 8 of the rulebook.
Scent (Ex): A child of Y’golonac can detect approaching
enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. See Chapter 8 of the rulebook.
Skills: *Children of Y’golonac receive a +4 racial bonus on Listen
and Move Silently checks.
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OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and
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2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content
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Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
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System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the
Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams,
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Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004,
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