Hello everyone, first post...
Found mention of Cthulu or Mythos from 2006 by searching, and despite the temptation of Necromancy, resisted. So, CrIm a new thread instead.
Thinking of introducing a Tome from Chaosium's
"Keeper's Compendium - Blasphemous Knowledge & Forbidden Secrets"
but would like some feedback on evoking a CoC style atmosphere of creepiy uncertainty and dread. I'd really like it to be innocuous when discovered as a side note in a future story and and first placed into the library. Something like Occult Knowledge 'x' with additional Local Lore and History, with perhaps an unknown spell or two. A Season of Study would uncover the first disturbing hints of Diedneep Ones, Bjornaer Tentacle-Beasts, perhaps Criamothian Mind Swaps along with the regular XP Gains, and then maybe season two, introduce the Horror.
Possible Mechanics and Ideas
Twilight as Sanity
- Gaining Twilight Points in return for XP in the field studied, perhaps concealed with extra botch dice. I imagine playing this Twilight Episode as similar to what the original author, Al Azif, experienced before penning the original Necronomicon.
"Not even Criamon could decipher your mad ravings in this latest 'required work' for the Covenant!"
"Why exactly, do you want to fund an expedition to the Levant? I've never heard of R'lyeh, where did you say it was?"
"Have you seen what Hasturius just bound as his familiar? Ugh!"
Spells that Players were not meant to know
- ReVi for summoning things that should not be, by innocent perusal. These things wreak havoc before retreating/dying/fleeing, or they never quite coalesce and remain wisps of shadowy movement only caught from the corner of the eye. I imagine they might count as distraction days for Lab Work, or generate a story hook for a grog story. Certainly not a Magi story, as it's their fault in the first place.
"Sergeant Sacrificius, take command of this squad of the Guard, and destroy that ... thing ... hiding in the Cellar. Do not let it escape, and once you have slain it, immediately bring the corpse to my Lab, along with anyone who might have been um, injured, or unfortunately killed. I've lost precious days already... Yessss... time slips away..."
Mythos Might scores in confrontations
- the "Things" should be completely invulnerable to any standard Hermetic Rego/Muto/Perdo direct magic. Perhaps new the Formulaic PeVi "Nyarlathotep's Eternal Oblivion" or a ritual "Aegis of the Threshold", with a true Elder Sign having +10 Form/Effect bonus for affecting Cthonic Entities...
"Fellow Magi, have you noticed, that this Thing seems to be avoiding the Priest, Father Dagon, with his Eldritch Holy Symbol demonstrating his Faith in the Lord?"
Innsmouth Covenant, Stonehenge Tribunal
All I have to say about this is "Deep Grogs"
The Complete Glossed, Illustrated and Commented Edition of Kitab Al-Azif translated by Tehodoras Philetas ex Bonisagus of Constantinople Covenant.
- I think I'd eventually want someone to rack up enough Twilight points to where they SHOULD pass into Final Twilight... but they don't. And instead they get +1 Virtue Strong Writer, +1 Affinity for Secrets (Blasphemous) along with -1 Flaw Hears Voices (while Cthulu likes Dreaming). I'm not sure how much in demand this Tome would be among other Covenants, but I think this makes a wonderful flavoring to the stew of any Saga, just not the main dish or even a topping. How far might your characterss would be willing to go in pursuit of this Knowledge? Especially if cleverly presented with little or no upfront costs, and potentially powerful benefits later?
Thoughts, feedback, helpful advice, rants, unhelpful criticism, insults and flames, all gratefully appreciated.
Len