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 Alone Against the Dark is an adventure for one player, set in the Fall of 1931. Your goal is to solve strange disappearances and to forestall a calamity about to beset the world. They journey as a whole from New York City to Greece, Egypt, Germany, and Antarctica. As the player, your job is to successively assume the identity of a new investigator when the last one has been eliminated by the forces of darkness, and to attempt to confound the power of evil before time runs out. These adventures are guaranteed dangerous. But, no matter how skillfully you avoid death, your characters fail if they do not prevent the turning of the world and the freeing of the city of the Old Ones from the ice. If you are not aware, Call of Cthulhu is a tabletop roleplaying setting, first published in 1981, which involves a party of investigators who struggle with cults, eldritch forces, and their own dwindling sanity in order to prevent some catastrophe – or, sometimes, simply to survive. Like any popular roleplaying system, there have been many campaign books, official or otherwise, published over the years, and they can be useful if you want to play with friends without having to write up all the details yourself. Alone Against the Dark, however, is something different – it's a product of the brief trend, during the 80’s, of publishing solo campaigns, books which use traditional Choose-Your-Own-Adventure mechanics to play the part of the DM, letting you put a solitary character through an adventure at your leisure. There were actually quite a few of these written for the more traditional fantasy RPs (especially Tunnels & Trolls, which nowadays is hardly used for anything else) but only a few for Call of Cthulhu. They were usually less successful than books like the Fighting Fantasy series, which used self-contained rules rather than requiring access to one or more actual published rulebooks for use, for obvious reasons, but as I have plenty of CoC material and a copy of the Second Edition right here there shouldn’t be any problems. But unlike most gamebooks, solo adventure or otherwise, Alone Against the Dark is special in another way: the rules allow for player death, and simply ask that you send in another character to take over the investigation from them. Heart of the Ice alleviated the frustration of death by dice roll through removing random chance; Alone does it by making death not really matter. All you need is another character sheet, either premade or your own, and you can just keep on going until you either win or the world turns to ice. And that’s where you, as the thread, come in!  This is Professor Grunewald. He’s the first default character that the book comes with, and I’ve taken the liberty of filling out the rest of his sheet. This gamebook assumes you will, at minimum, be starting off with Grunewald – he’s mentioned by name later on, and his home makes a good starting point, balance-wise, for the adventure. This means we can get started right away, without having to wait for people to figure out how to make or suggest their own heroes (or heroines, if you like), and I can show off the somewhat unusual way that this book works first-hand. But, unless somehow he survives all the way to the end (and he won’t, if only because I’m going to kill him off if he lives too long) we’ll need more characters.  Don’t worry if this looks confusing – I’ll handle as much of it as you need. Plus, Alone uses non-standard rules for making characters (CoC vets will notice not all of the official skills are present), so it won’t be too difficult. All you need to do is roll your stats and then pick skills; I’ll work out all the extra stuff later on. For your stats, you can use an online dice roller. STR (strength), CON (constitution), POW (Power), DEX (Dexterity) and APP (Appearance) are all found by simply rolling three dice and adding them up. So if you rolled a 3, a 4, and a 5, you’d get 12 for that given stat. SIZ (Size) and INT (Intelligence) are found by adding up two dice, then adding 6 to it. So if you rolled a 2 and a 1, then you would add the total (3) and 6 together, to get 9 for that statistic. And EDU (Education) is found by adding 6 to the total of three dice. All of the other statistics on the sheet derive from them, but don’t worry about that – I’ll handle it. You will want to figure out how many skill points you get, though, which for the purposes of Alone Against the Dark is equal to 20xEDU. You can spend these on any skill you want. You will also get 150 bonus points, which should only be spent on something your character would know as part of their profession or backstory or whatever. So you could spend 60 points on CLIMB, which starts at 40 for everyone, to get a CLIMB of 100 – that means you’re 100% likely to pass anything that requires climbing. Just pick things that sound useful, or don’t – there’s always more characters if you fall to your death or something like that. The only tricky part of choosing skills is the R/W/S skill – what’s that? It’s how good you are at understanding a language, and you can technically pick any language in the world. I’ll tell you, though, that this book specifically adds Hieroglyphics as a language skill, so that one might be a good choice. And, of course, H. P. Lovecraft did love his made-up Arabic scholars! Is all that too complicated? If you want, you can simply post an idea for a character and I’ll give it a go myself. Don’t worry about it! Just try to have fun with it; it’s just a game, after all. But now, let’s start our adventure properly. For you, Professor Louis Grunewald, this first day of September, 1931, has been tiring and uncomfortable. Light mist has covered Arkham for most of the day. You held two uninspired undergraduate classes at Miskatonic University. You also met with the new chairman of the Literature Department, a giddy Technocrat. You survey your desk and see that a stack of papers to grade has already formed. You're enjoying your second pipe of the evening when the doorbell rings. To your surprise, it's a telegraph messenger. “This arrived at Kingspoint Head station not more than an hour ago,” the boy says. You sign for it, and slip a dime into the youngster’s hand. “Oh, thank you. sir!” You open the envelope and scan the contents. ATHENS, GREECE 9/1/31 via Kingspoint Station IN JAIL FOR ANTIQUITY THEFT STOP NEED HELP STOP CAN YOU COME STOP URGENT STOP SEE CORPORAL ILIONAS. ATHENS BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. GLIERE My goodness, you think. Imagine! Dotty old Gliere in prison! You recall that he had gone to Greece to work on his book concerning primitive myth. What has he gotten himself into? Should you wire money? You recall all the amusing discussions you've had with him, and a sudden insight lets you understand that Tibor Gliere had no close friends - except you. Should you go help him? You suppose the University will grant you leave. But do you want to go? With uncommon speed you decide to go to Athens to help Gliere. You write him a wire, and another to some friends of yours. If something happens to you, then they will surely help, so you decide to keep them posted on your progress. You give both telegrams to the waiting messenger, along with the necessary funds. What to do now? You have four dollars left in your wallet – you‘ll go to the bank first thing in the morning. Trans-Atlantic schedules – the Advertiser surely carries that information. As you pack. You wonder if you should check Gliere’s room at Mrs. Harding’s boarding house. Maybe you could get a clue about Gliere’s activities or a hint about his arrest. Your passport’s in order; your clothes and sundries are packed. You‘d best turn in. You’re going on a little trip. When you awake, it is Sept. 2. Arkham. Tuesday, September 2nd. By the time you have finished your morning repast, it is already 7am. So, Alone Against the Dark is fairly non-linear – at least, until the climactic dungeon at the end – and as such it’d be tedious to repetitively ask the thread where to go or what to do. So I’ll ask you all this: what is our plan for today? Please note that traveling around Arkham takes time, though it does not take any time to call any indicated locations for information. ARKHAM LOCATION TABLE Arkham First National Bank (open 9am-3pm, M-F) Hospital (always open)  Arkham (Boston & Maine RR) Depot(open 24 hours every day) Arkham General Store (open 8am-6pm, M-Sat) Arkham Advertiser newspaper(open 8am-6pm, M-F) Harding House (open “respectable hours”) Miskatonic University(open 8am-5pm, M-F) Bee's Diner (Open 6am-5pm,M-F) Grunewald’s Home
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Feb 2, 2015 20:24
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First go to Arkham First National Bank and get all your money from there. 500$ in dollars, the rest in gold. Then go to Arkham General Store and buy trenchcoat, hacksaw, 2-barreled 12-gauge shotgun, 100 ammos for it, 4 sticks of dynamite, flashlight, crowbar, pocket camera and plenty of film for it, forceps, brush and magnifying glass. Make a sawed off shotgun and carry your poo poo in your coat. Hide half of the money at home. If we know some place that sells booze, buy 2 bottles of whiskey. After that go to Arkham Advertiser newspaper and check from their archives if they have published anything about the crime and check the Trans-Atlantic schedules. Hogge Wild fucked around with this message at 20:52 on Feb 2, 2015 |
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Feb 2, 2015 20:48
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This might be a fun thread, anyway I guess make sure you got everything and get some money at the bank. Get some stuff for the trip and start the trip.
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Feb 2, 2015 20:57
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Hogge Wild posted:First go to Arkham First National Bank and get all your money from there. 500$ in dollars, the rest in gold. I agree with this but skip the newpaper and news agency and instead: Check Gliere’s room at Mrs. Harding’s boarding house. We need clues as to what he was going after or what his research was focusing on. The telegraph is only a day one at this point and probably wasn't big enough to warrant anything but local news in Greece. There's tons of people crawling around ruins grabbing poo poo so it wouldn't be that big a deal for another touchy researcher to get nabbed for taking something he shouldn't. Then: Go check the Trans-Atlantic schedules and get the first ship to Greece. Also: Send another set of telegraphs before we leave telling our compatriots that we left some money in our room in case they need to take over. Also here's my go for another character:  Basic Stats before filling in: STR: 12 CON: 11 POW: 13 DEX: 13 APP: 13 SIZ: 11 INT: 15 EDU: 21 Skill points: 420 Crain fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Feb 2, 2015 |
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Feb 2, 2015 21:21
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Hm. This will be interesting. The preferred order I'd do my actions in: 1. Take at least $100 out of the bank. Keep half of it in cash hidden on my person and have the other half in gold as universal spending currency. 2. Check the Trans-Atlantic schedule. We want to get out to Greece ASAP. Also, while dealing with the paper, call and ask if they have any information on stories out of Athens. 3. Go to the boarding house and start searching.
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Feb 2, 2015 21:25
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Walk to each location but don't actually do anything. Repeat until the day is done, using the time spent to reflect on the state of affairs in the world today.
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Feb 2, 2015 21:51
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Hogge Wild posted:First go to Arkham First National Bank and get all your money from there. 500$ in dollars, the rest in gold. This, but after buying the shotgun, go home and shoot yourself in the head. We all know what's going to happen, let's be ahead of the curve for once!
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Feb 2, 2015 23:26
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First things first: you need to stop by the bank. You leave home and begin preparing for your trip. It is now Tuesday, Sept. 2, 8am. You head over to the Arkham First National Bank, and withdraw your entire savings. As far as I know, while having money in Gold or Silver bullion is useful in the tabletop game, it doesn’t offer any benefit here. Money is just automatically converted, depending on what country you’re in. But we can, indeed, stash items or money in locations to get them later, if you want. You now have $2200 on hand. The bank, fortunately, has a telephone, so you call up the Advertiser and ask for the Trans-Atlantic schedule. You discover that a Cunard liner departs Pier 56 in New York City every Saturday for Athens and Alexandria, with intermediate stops. The trip takes nine days to Athens and one more to Alexandria. It costs $300. On a whim, you also ask if they have any news of Athens. The secretary is happy to give you the latest news: “In a gala ceremony, Zeno Pisistratos was installed as curator of the National Museum of Archaeology at Athens today. Pisistratos, an expert in Greek and Egyptian antiquities, is said to be interested in arranging exchange-exhibits with other important world museums.” Of course, for more information you would need to visit the office yourself and spend time digging through their files. But you realize, if the nearest ship to Athens departs from New York City, then you’ll need to get there. A quick phone call to the train station informs you that trains for Boston leave at 9am, noon, and 5pm. The trip takes an hour and costs $1.25. Your business at the bank concluded, you decide to head back home. 9am You stash half of your current money in your house safe, and dash off a telegram explaining where it is hidden. If something happens to you on the way to helping Gliere, then hopefully it will aid whoever comes after in dealing with the situation. You now have $1100 on hand and $1100 is stashed in Professor Grunewald’s home. Next, to the general store. 10am The clerk at the counter is bemused by your request for so much ammunition, but acquiesces. You purchase: Trenchcoat, $14 Carpenter Toolset (the closest thing to a saw, I guess), $50 Flashlight, $2 Box Camera, $6 100 12-Gauge Shotgun Shells, $4 The clerk, however, refuses to sell you any dynamite or alcohol on the grounds that it is extremely illegal to do so. Your current cash comes to $1024. You travel to Harding House, Gliere’s last place of residence. 11am Mrs. Harding greets you amiably. She is uncertain whether she should show you Gliere’s room. This entry in the book gives you a choice: you can Debate her, Fast Talk her, try Oratory, or offer a bribe. Since the only one of those skills that Grunewald has any chance of success with is Oratory, I turned to that section. Sometimes the book will ask you which skill to try before actually running a skill check; sometimes this is because you are offered a bonus to your skill or because the outcome of such a thing is predetermined, as in this case. You try your skill at oration on her, and her eyes are wary, but she is listening. Try to roll APPx5 or less on a D100. This is a special check based solely on Grunewald’s stats. His APP is 11, so we need lower than that to pass. I roll a 3, so it’s a success! 12am Mrs. Harding leads you to Gliere’s apartment. You cautiously turn on a light and see a room in proper professorial confusion. Scattered about are books of myths and fables, and there are bundles of clippings from various foreign newspapers. For each hour you spend here, you can attempt one roll for one of the following skills. Each skill may be tried once daily. Astronomy Cryptography Cthulhu Mythos Idea Luck Spot Hidden Since we need to get to the station in time to catch the train, we don’t have time to try everything. Fortunately, that’s not necessary; of these, Grunewald has no chance of passing an astronomy, cryptography, or Cthulhu mythos roll. Trying the other three will leave enough time for a quick exit and a trip to the station. Idea: 31 is less than 70. Success! In rifling through Gliere’s notes and letters, you find a portion of manuscript: "The Great Upheaval Myths Correlated with Climatic Change," by T. Gliere. Skimming, you see a bizarre collection of tales mentioning nearly every rumored land, from Atlantis to Mu. Many stories you do not recognize at all. Apparently Gliere sought historical and physical evidence for these legends of lands sunken and frozen. He seems to have found common dates for the devastation myths common to nearly every culture. Interesting. Spot Hidden: 77 is higher than 25. Failure! That line of investigation has dried up. Fortunately, there are still others. 1pm You continue rifling through Gliere’s papers. Luck: 42 is lower than 55. Success! Flip a coin. It’s tails. In Breasted‘s classic, A History of Egypt, a slip of paper is sticking out. It marks page 170, and on that page phrases are underlined: “internal conflicts,” “the fall of the Old Kingdom,” “the triumph becomes complete,” “the crocodile god.” You also notice a word on the slip of paper. In Gliere's hand it reads: “Quattara.” Spot Hidden: 19. Success! You find a strange drawing.  2pm Spot Hidden: 93. Failure! You don’t find anything else in Gliere’s room. 3pm It’s time to leave. You head over to the train station, and wait to catch the 5pm train to Boston. 5pm After buying a ticket, your cash on hand is $1022.75 6pm You arrive at Boston Railway Station, only to find that the next train to New York City is tomorrow morning. Fortunately, a friend agrees to put you up for the night. Wednesday, Sept. 3rd. 5pm. You have finally arrived in New York City. The boat for Athens leaves on Saturday; you may spend the time until then as you wish, or simply skip ahead to its departure. Unlike Arkham, which was small enough for walking, you will need to take a taxi around New York City; rides are 50 cents each, or $3 a day. What do you want to do in New York City? NEW YORK LOCATIONS Pier 56 (Cunard Lines)(open 24 hours every day) Grand Central Rail Station & Restaurant(open 24 hours every day) E S. Wilentz Booksellers (open 10am-6pm M-Sat) New York Public Library (open 9am-9pm every day) Greek Consulate (open 9am-noon; 2pm-6pm, M-F) Hotel with Room Service (open 24 hours every day) Empire General Merchandise Emporium (open 8am-7pm, M-Sat) New York Sun newspaper (available 5am-2pm or with successful Luck roll) Hospital (always open) Character Status Professor Grunewald HP: 10 MP: 11 SAN: 55 $1022.25 Epee .45 Revolver, 100 bullets 12-Gauge Shotgun, 100 shells Trenchcoat Carpenter Tool set Flashlight Box Camera corn in the bible fucked around with this message at 02:04 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 00:27
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First things first: Use the saw to make a sawed off shotgun. Hopefully we pass whatever check is needed. Next: Go to E S. Wilentz Booksellers, ask about the section marked in A history of Egypt and the phrase "Quattara" in hopes of finding out what it means. If that fails: Go to the New York Public Library and try to find out what "Quattara" means there Last thing, if there is time: If we can't saw off the shotgun ourselves, go to Pier 56 and see if there is a workshop around that can saw off the barrel and stock (The shotgun suggestions are only valid if we haven't done it yet, but since you didn't post it in your update I assume we haven't) After investigating I say just skip to departing for Athens after writing telegraphs to give our compatriots updates as to what we've done or found
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Feb 3, 2015 00:47
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Ahahaha, I didn't notice that we had a motherfucking épee. Go to Empire General Merchandise Emporium to buy a fedora, it will go nicely with our trenchcoat and sword. We are going to a warm country, so better buy some shorts too. Make sure that they have lots of pockets. Pocket watch too if we didn't have one already. I recall that we already have a pipe, that's good. Get also some nice sandals. Buy large trunk and briefcase. Then head for New York Public Library. Loan as many books about Japanese art as you can fit in the trunk. Check their books about Quattara and other clue stuff. If we need a visa to Greece, go get one from the consulate. After that go to E S. Wilentz Booksellers and check for Quattara. If we have time, go read the newspaper archives and check their Greece and Egypt related news. Do we have to write what skills to use and what stuff to look for in libraries etc, or is it enough that we write 'go to library'? Also, should we write all the things we're going to do in one place, or write one action at a time? Hogge Wild fucked around with this message at 01:04 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 00:59
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Oh poo poo, an Epee is a sword!? Also failed to notice we already had a revolver with 100 bullets. Goddamn are we packing. Maybe before we get on the boat take some time to hide the guns and ammo in our luggage so we don't get pulled aside and asked why we're trying to smuggle so much weaponry into/out of the country. Also gently caress the neckbeard ensemble go to the emprium and get something like this: 
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Feb 3, 2015 01:05
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Hogge Wild posted:Do we have to write what skills to use and what stuff to look for in libraries etc, or is it enough that we write 'go to library'? Also, should we write all the things we're going to do in one place, or write one action at a time? I don't remember if the library works the same way as Griere's room did, but if there's a real decision with consequences then I'll pause the day and ask the thread about it. When searching his apartment it didn't matter, since there were only three options we could actually pick from and none of them were actively dangerous. As far as I know, you can't die until you get to Athens, since that's obviously where the plot picks up. Once stuff gets more dangerous we'll have to take things a little slower, but I don't want to make the thread tedious through too much voting. My plan for the beginning is to let people figure out a general plan and then cue them for quick decisions while playing it out. corn in the bible fucked around with this message at 02:05 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 01:17
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I'm on board with most of these ideas. 1. Use the bookstore and/or library (bookstore first) to research the notes we found in the room. 2. Saw down the shotgun. Any hacksaw can do it, so it's easy. And keep all guns hidden from view. 3. Send telegraphs to the necessary individuals to update them and head to Athens.
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Feb 3, 2015 05:40
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chitoryu12 posted:I'm on board with most of these ideas. This is the right move, though this is New York and we still need dynamite and booze, is there an option for or a location that represents seek out the local black market and get a healthy portion of dynamite and booze? e; Look for a tall thin blond man and a quiet portly fellow in front of the emporium and see what illicit goods they might have available.
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Feb 3, 2015 06:43
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It is Wednesday, September 3rd. The time is 5pm. You casually saw off the end of your 12-Gauge, creating a Sawn-off Shotgun, which you hide in your coat. The station workers are somewhat confused by the sight, but do not interfere. You immediately hire a taxi to the Greek Consulate, who may be able to offer more information on Griere. 6pm Concerning Greek criminal matters, they advise visiting the Athens Bureau of Investigation. A Corporal Ilionas, they say, has handled the Gliere case. You ask for information about the National Museum and its treasures, but they have only an unhelpful travel brochure. They jokingly caution you about the cab drivers of Athens. Apparently, you are free to travel to Athens at your leisure. At this late hour, there is hardly enough time to visit either the library or the bookstore, but it is possible that the New York Sun’s offices are open late tonight. Luck: 38. Success! The taxi driver takes you straight there, and you are lucky enough to be let in for some after-hours research. 7pm You find a few items that seem interesting. “The oft-delayed Starkweather-Moore expedition to the Antarctic nears completion, with a late December departure now virtually certain. Bremenhaven, Germany, will be the expedition’s jumping-off point, and its last European port of call.” “An American professor, Dr. Tibor Gliere of Miskatonic University, has been arrested for the alleged theft of an antiquity. Miskatonic’s Dean Wilcox reports that a colleague, Dr. Louis Grunewald, has gone to Athens to investigate the matter for the University.” That’s you! Thirty years of academia never got you famous, but perhaps this investigation may do just that. There’s not enough time to do proper library work tonight, so you head to the hotel. 8pm What a find! This hotel costs only $2 a night, and is roomy, warm, spacious, comfortable, and clean. You sleep soundly, and head out to reach Wilentz Booksellers when they open. Thursday, Sept. 4. 10am. E. S. Wilentz is famous for its rare books, and rightly so. Three floors of books! Some titles interest you: Harrison’s English/Greek Phrase Book ($1.75) Harrison’s English/Arabic Phrase Book ($1.75) Basel’s English/German Phrase Book ($2.25) Cherry-Gerrard, The Longest Journey in the World ($2.50) Douglas, With Lake in the Antarctic ($2.00) Planchon, Guide to South America ($2.00) You have enough room in your suitcase for no more than three. Buying them doesn’t trigger any events directly at this point, so just let me know which ones you want to purchase, and I’ll deduct the cost from our current savings and add them to the inventory. They may come in handy once we reach Greece. These books seem interesting, but don’t seem to offer any clues to whatever it is Griere has gotten you mixed up in. Maybe the library will be more helpful? 11am While not allowing browsers, the helpful librarians provide a selection of books on a topic. They are busy and understaffed, so only two topics per visit. It takes 2 hours to study each topic: Archaeology Egyptology Greece The Occult Polar Studies Pacific Isles Germany No rolls are needed for these books. You start with Egyptology, since you know from Gliere’s room that whatever is happening involves that ancient land. “Egypt today is a mixture of ancient and modern. Camels and marketplaces are side by-side with motor cars and luxurious hotels.” “Religions of various kinds play a special role in Egypt, many of them of a most unusual nature. It is best, for example, to avoid the cult of Aten, a mysterious and perhaps dangerous group found in the major cities of Cairo and Alexandria.” - Baedeker’s Guide to Egypt Library Use: Automatic Success (Grunewald has a 100 in Library Use, so he can never fail a Library Use check.) You get specific directions to the Fuzira Marketplace. Two alternate names for the marketplace run through your mind: “the place where anything can be lost or gained; the place where souls are battered.” You idly thumb through the volume. You would like to go to Egypt. But alas, you are still here in New York. 1pm Gliere’s notes seemed Occult in nature. You decide to search the library’s works on the supernatural. They have several books on the Occult: Die Mythe, Cultes Des Ghoules, Liber Ivonus, and the famous English work Marvels of the Spirit World. As you are a specialist in Ancient Egyptian, all you can decipher is the English book. “It is said that the spirits of the Pharoahs haunt the pyramids, and that some fortunates even have seen them!” Below is shown the symbol of the cult of Aten, the so-called Egyptian death cult. You think that you may have seen that shape before...  3pm The librarians gently, but firmly, refuse to help you any further, as they have other customers waiting. You return to your hotel, and pack to prepare for the long journey to Athens. During your time in New York City, you happen across the Empire General Merchandise Emporium, where by some small miracle you manage to finagle your way into a few sticks of dynamite. Four sticks comes to $8 dollars, which seems quite expensive, but you pay it willingly. Booze, for the moment, is a different story. But then, not all nations labor under the Temperance shackles of the 18th Amendment. Saturday, September 5th. Noon. The Cunard Lines representative tells you that the liner will reach Athens in nine days, and you may , if you choose, stay on another day until it reaches Alexandria, in Egypt. Tickets are $300. Including the fare for taxis, you have spent $311.50 during your time in New York, plus the cost of your books. Your current funds total $710.75 Just before you leave, you send off a telegram detailing your plans. Insurance, of a sort, should anything go untoward once you reach Greece. Cunard Lines. September 5th. The Cunard liners are truly luxurious, with spacious rooms in every class, remarkable recreation facilities, and superb cuisine. Starting Sunday morning, select three ship activities – one for “am.," one for “p.m.," and one for "night" each day for the days specified below. When the day arrives, go to the specified entry number and follow that entry to its conclusion if the activity you selected matches an activity there, both in topic and in time. While you are aboard the liner, it is not necessary to keep track of the time. You must pick activities for: Sunday, the 6th. Monday, the 7th. Tuesday, the 8th. Wednesday, the 9th. Thursday, the 10th. Friday, the 11th. Saturday, the 12th. Sunday, the 13th. On the 14th, at noon, you will disembark in Athens. There will not be any time for ship activities on that day. Ship Activities Schedule: Bingo: afternoon, night Bridge: afternoon, night Cinema: morning, afternoon, night Cocktails: afternoon, night Deck Tennis: afternoon, night Library: morning, afternoon, night Mahjong: morning, afternoon, night Nightclub: night Ping Pong: morning, afternoon, night Oil Painting: afternoon, night Rest in Room: morning, afternoon, night Rest on Deck Chairs: afternoon, night Sauna: morning, afternoon, night Ship’s Tour: afternoon Shopping: afternoon, night Shuffleboard: afternoon, night Stroll Decks: morning, afternoon, night All time slots on all days must be filled. Yes, this is really in this book. Tonight, however, you simply find your room and sort through your provisions for the trip. You notice the books you purchased in New York – what were they, again? And you must decide how to amuse yourself during the trip to Athens. Character Status Professor Grunewald HP: 10 MP: 11 SAN: 55 $710.75 Epee: 1D6+1 .45 Revolver, 100 bullets: 1D10+2 Sawn-off 12-Gauge Shotgun, 100 shells: 4D6 4 Sticks of Dynamite: 5D6 Trenchcoat Carpenter Tool set Flashlight Box Camera Various Books (not yet determined) corn in the bible fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 07:01
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We should be hitting the library once a day at least. Nightclub and cocktails to meet and find out what kinds of other interesting characters happen to also be heading to athens and why. Can we raise skills with this interim? Ping-pong is always good for the mind and reflexes. Card games might help us read folks' tells better. Maybe oil painting is good for the wellbeing of the psyche?
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Feb 3, 2015 07:21
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Is the activity "Rest in Room" when we sleep? Or do we just sleep every day after the "Night" time slot? I think we should Buy the Greek and Arabic phrase books and "The Longest Journey in the World". As far as activities I think we should try and hit as many groups as possible at different times to try and get the different results. If we don't need to explicitly sleep we can forgo resting in our room, We probably only need to go shopping once along with the Ship's tour and Nightclub. Then spread out between the indoor social activities (Bingo, Bridge, Mahjong, Oil Painting, Cocktails, and Sauna) and the outdoor social activities (Deck tennis, and shuffleboard). Hopefully that means running into as many different groups as possible. Crain fucked around with this message at 07:47 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 07:40
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Crain posted:Is the activity "Rest in Room" when we sleep? Or do we just sleep every day after the "Night" time slot? Good call. Buy: Harrison’s English/Greek Phrase Book ($1.75) Harrison’s English/Arabic Phrase Book ($1.75) Douglas, With Lake in the Antarctic ($2.00) Do: Sunday, the 6th. am: Cinema pm: Cocktails (Rebel against the Prohibition). night: Rest on deckchairs (Pass out from too much drink). Monday, the 7th. am: Library (Quiet place to be hungover). pm: Ship’s Tour night: Rest in Room Tuesday, the 8th. am: Mahjong pm: Rest in Room night: Nightclub Wednesday, the 9th. am: Ping Pong pm: Shopping night: Rest in Room Thursday, the 10th. am: Rest in Room pm: Shuffleboard night: Stroll Decks Friday, the 11th. am: Sauna pm: Rest on Deck Chairs night: Bingo Saturday, the 12th. am: Stroll Decks pm: Deck Tennis night: Rest in Room Sunday, the 13th. am: Library pm: Oil Painting night: Rest in Room
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Feb 3, 2015 17:02
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You pack up your Greek and Arabic books, as well as your new copy of The Longest Journey in the World, as you probably won’t need any of them on this voyage. But, of course, you continue to carry your weapons around; as a Miskatonic University professor you know it’s always best to be armed. You resolve to spend a fair amount of time in the library, but otherwise plan to amuse yourself with as many different amenities as possible. I tried to include as many of your requests as I could, since they didn’t all fit together perfectly, especially considering what happened during the trip. The result is that we missed a fair amount of possible events, but that’s how things go sometimes! Sunday, September 6th. Day one. You spend the day leisurely, taking in a film at the cinema and drinking cocktails in the lounge. That night, you have a wonderful time in the nightclub, though perhaps at your age you’re a little too old to be doing something like that? Nonsense, of course. Ultimately, though, nothing very interesting occurs today. Monday. Day two. You spend the morning in the library, too, dealing with your hangover – after all, it’s been over a decade since you had a drink (a legal one, at least). The afternoon is spent following the captain around on a rather dull tour of the ship. That night, however, when you head off for more cocktails, you notice something unusual. Two foreigners stand on deck. The tall fellow wears a robe with a cowl. He is probably Arabic or Turkish. A shorter fellow, ferret-like, looks in your direction. Though they seem out of place on this ship, they make you feel uncomfortable. Though, of course, not too uncomfortable to sample the ship’s finest liqueurs... Tuesday. Day three. In the morning, you play some mahjong, and lose a few dollars to the charming American from the cabin next-door. That afternoon, you play bridge, and win them back again. Tonight is a good night to visit the library again, you think. The library is deserted. Well, peace and quiet is just what you crave. You're examining the newest Agatha Christie novel when a short, swarthy-looking fellow enters the room, followed by an Arab wearing a cowl. You nod uneasily, then return to your book, uncomfortably aware that they are moving nearer. You look up again. The short man smiles, and pulls out a gleaming dagger. You have your weapons with you, of course, but you are not dexterous enough to get anything ready before the man strikes. Fortunately, his dagger misses you by inches – you’re unharmed, and you’ve got your shotgun out. You have to do 8 or more hit points of damage to the littler man before he breaks off the attack. He'll continue to stab while you fire, try to Dodge his attacks, or Dodge and then Jump past him. But you have a gun, and you're firing at point-blank range. Roll to hit: success! You blast him with the shotgun and deal 12 damage! He breaks off his attacks, but his tall companion stands at the library entrance, blocking your escape. You can shoot the tall one, but he has 40 hit points, so even that method will probably take time. You fire anyway, land a hit, and... the shell passes right through him without even touching him! His dull eyes are now visible within the gloom of the cowl. You are shocked. You lose 4 Sanity upon seeing this minor entity! Current SAN is now 51. Now the thing's hands reach out, and the shorter fellow is coming back, his knife poised. Only a successful Luck roll can save you... but you roll a 91. And you know that they will take their time in making sure that for you it is . . . THE END.  Professor GrunewaldFriday, September 11th. 1931.  You are Doctor Aidan Bennett, and something is wrong. There should have been no reason to expect any danger, but you learned long ago to trust your strong hunches. Grunewald's telegrams stopped without explanation 72 hours ago; your inquiries have gone unanswered. Perhaps he has simply been unable to write? No, you don’t believe that. This is something you will need to handle for yourself. Grunewald hinted of mysteries beyond the capacities of mere assistants. You trust his judgment—you'll go yourself. You scrawl a note, requesting a leave of absence, and dictate phone messages to a secretary whom you have callously woken from a sound sleep. Hopefully your job will still be there when you get back. Your passport is in order. You can be packed and ready to go in an hour. You have plenty of time. You find yourself eagerly anticipating action in the field. You feel ready for anything. You open your safe. You have $35,000 in cash on hand. You decide to bring it all along. You call Nora McShane at the Sun. A despicable rag of a newspaper, but a crackerjack young lady - “the light of the Sun," you like to say. Miss McShane has heard nothing from Grunewald. You notice her professional interest grow as you talk, and you ask her to write nothing for a few days. “I‘m sure there's a proper explanation,” you say grandly, but somehow you know that neither of you believes that statement. Now you sleep. You'll attend to details tomorrow. Saturday, September 12th. After grabbing supplies (and, to be safe, a weapon or two), you make it onto the next boat heading to Athens, where Grunewald was heading when he broke off communication. After buying a ticket, you still have $34,700 – that should be plenty. The other passengers amuse themselves as if nothing is wrong, but you have no time for such things. You keep to your room. One night, you hear a knock at your cabin door. “Cabin steward, sir. May I make up the room?” Will you let the him in, or tell him to come back later?  Inventory: Up to you. What did Dr. Bennett pick up in New York before his trip?
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Feb 3, 2015 19:34
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Inventory: Same as the Grunewald, except also glass bottles filled with gasoline and no sword. Make copies of the clues and mail them forward to your friends. Tie your dynamite around the molotovs, put them under your bed and draw the fuse under your pillow. Light your pipe. Keep one hand under your coat ready to pull out your shotgun. If the incomer is an arab use your pipe to light up the explosives.
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Feb 3, 2015 19:54
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corn in the bible posted:
A loving bodyguard. I kid. Same stuff as before and I agree with Hogge Wild, but if the option is available ask the steward why he's calling.
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Feb 3, 2015 20:01
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Look around the room. It should be made up by now, and I don't like housekeeping interfering when I'm in the room. "My room is in fine condition, sir. I'd like my privacy."
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Feb 3, 2015 20:14
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Dead before the end of the first page. Truly, this is a Call of Cthulhu adventure. We picked up our trusty revolver, and whatever information we can scrounge up about what Grunewald was working on.
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Feb 3, 2015 22:46
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I'd like to propose an idea for the next character, Dr. Bennett's (or Gruenwald's if it makes more sense) daughter. An intelligent younger officer in the US Army Air Corps. Engage in a quick bit of conversation and listen at the door, let them in if nothing seems amiss. Victis fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Feb 3, 2015 |
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Feb 3, 2015 23:06
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Leap to the floor and squeeze off a few shots in the shape of a smiley face through the door to show we mean business.
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Feb 3, 2015 23:12
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Victis posted:I'd like to propose an idea for the next character, Dr. Bennett's (or Gruenwald's if it makes more sense) daughter. I like making character sheets.  F.O. Janine Grunewald: Janine spent far too much time under the woefully un-watchful eye of her father as a child. She had a terrible temper and the desire to back it up when things came to blows. Constantly getting into fights her father had to take her to his office at Miskatonic University to watcher her. While he worked to taught she'd keep herself busy by bothering other professors about their research or by holing up in the Libraries Cryptography section. Eventually, after many years of self study she convinced the Dean to grant her a degree in the field, although no officially. While still wasting time around Miskatonic after "graduating", she came across some Generals from the US Army Air Corps looking for Cryptographers. They were convinced that future wars would need the field dearly. At the recommendation of her father and the Dean, she was commissioned into the US Army Air Corps as a Flight Officer. Her main charge was learning to intercept and rely information on the fly to her squadron. Her tomboy nature makes her fit right in the rowdy flyboys, and for those who still think she doesn't belong after losing to her in a dog fight she reserves a nice pair of brass Knucles. She's taken one of the youngest members of her Squadron under her wing, a far too young to be 18 local kid named Daniel Foster. He may be dumb, and not have any clothes that fit, but he's reliable and strong as an ox (if only half the size of one).  
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Feb 4, 2015 00:21
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You make sure your handy revolver is at the ready in case of trouble, but decide to let the steward in. He enters, carrying fresh towels for your stateroom. He looks Egyptian. Suddenly, the small man pulls out a dagger and swings it toward your midsection with alarming speed! But it misses and sticks into the wall. You grab your revolver and fire at him from point-blank range, dealing 7 damage. The coward runs from the cabin and escapes! An unsuccessful search is made for your attacker; he seems to have disappeared. The rest of your trip passes without incident. Monday, September 14th. Noon. Approaching the coast, you see that it is similar to that of New England, with oddly shaped inlets, gulfs, and headlands. But New England is cool, moist, and green; here a luxurious golden warmth pervades everything. The Greek republic, only seven years old, totters under the hardships of the world-wide depression. The people are eager for tourists, for foreign money is much needed. Your ship docks at the gaily-decorated harbor at Piraeus. Higher up in the hills beyond, Athens gleams beneath the midday sun. You note that a steamer departs for Alexandria every Tuesday and Friday at 3pm, and arrives exactly 24 hours later for 400 drachmas. A ship leaves for Bremen every Tuesday and Saturday at 4pm, and arrives in Bremen exactly 120 hours later for a cost of 3650 drachmas. If you wish to return to New York, a ship leaves every Friday at noon, and arrives in New York exactly nine days later, for 10,000 drachmas. Many black autos bear the word “taxi” hand-lettered on their sides. With Athens miles away, you take a cab to the Bureau of Investigations. 2pm You quickly locate the office of the investigator in charge of Gliere‘s case, a Corporal Ilionas. After a few pleasantries, his words stun you. “Sir, I regret to inform you that Professor Tibor Gliere is dead by his own hand. He has hanged himself. Perhaps he was too ashamed at his theft of the Karpathos Device from the museum. We do not know. But yes, a suicide. A sad end.” Your mind reels for a moment. You have come all this way, to no purpose. You cannot believe that Gliere would end his own life, even though his career was in jeopardy. Is Ilionas positive? “You suspect foul play? No, that is not reported. The pathologist found signs of self-mutilation, common enough with suicides. What? Oh-the doctor is vacationing in Switzerland. He will not be back for weeks." The Corporal considers for a moment. “You can see Gliere's cell, I suppose, unless someone new has been moved in. He was held at the Hall of Justice." You ask to see Ilionas’ report. lt says that Gliere refused to talk freely, but that he made libelous statements about Museum Director Pisistratos, and that he pleaded that the Karpathos Device not he sent to Cairo. It also notes that Gliere demanded protection even while he was in his cell. “But yes, very strange... Professor first stealing the device, then taking his own life. I wish I could tell you more,” Ilionas says. “The Karpathos Device is mysterious. No one knows its true nature. Perhaps the scholars at the National Museum could tell you about it.” Idea roll: success! “And the Karpathos Device,” you ask, “was it returned to the museum?” He shakes his head. “Oh, no. It was scheduled to be sent to the National Museum at Cairo for a special exhibit. The Device may be Egyptian, you see. The plans were not changed. It’s on a ship right now, bound for Cairo.” Psychology roll: failure! You are unable to glean any more useful information from Corporal Ilionas. Perhaps it is best to see what you can find out from other sources in Athens. All you know is that two men now have died over this business, and it is up to you to sort it out. As you exit the station, a slender, dark-haired young fellow calls out, “Hey, English! Taxi! Anywhere in Athens, five drachmas!” At current rates, a drachma is worth about three cents; your funds come to 11,566,667 drachmas. You see three other drivers standing near their cabs. One is young, another is an old man, and the third is nattily dressed, almost English in his impeccability. Which will you hire? And where do you want him to take you? ATHENS LOCATION TABLE Athens Harbor(open 24 hours every day) Taxis (always available) Athens Bureau of Investigation (open 9am-noon, 3pm-7pm, M-F) Athens Hall of Justice (open 9am-noon, 3pm-7pm, M-F) National Museum of Archaeology (open 9am-noon, 3pm-7pm, M-F) New York Sun (European Edition) (costs 10 drachmas, available 24 hours a day) Piosotos Cafe (open 6am-2am daily) Motorship Kyonas (hirable 24 hours a day) Athens Airport (open 24 hours a clay) Athens Railway Station & Restaurant(open 24 hours a day) The Parthenon (always open) Hotels (always open) Inexpensive (100 drachmas) Moderate (250 drachmas) Expensive with Room Service (500 drachmas) Spyro, Outfitter and Supplier (open 8am-noon, 2pm-6pm) Hospital (always open) On-The-Street Food Vendors (always available) Character Status: HP: 11 MP: 13 SAN: 65 11,566,667 drachmas Man’s Topcoat Flashlight Popular Novel Box Camera and Film Pocket Knife .45 Revolver and ammunition Ten sticks of dynamite corn in the bible fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 05:37
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Ok, how the hell do they even know who we are now? I'm going to assume the answer is that they're reading our mail (meta game reason is because that's the game). Further correspondences should purposefully delay our current position by at least a week. Hopefully that gives us a little breathing room. As far as what to do now: We're rich, hire all three. Ride in the young guys cab. Have the others follow. That way we have an escape route if one is trying to kidnap us. Go to the Harbor and try to at least examine the Device before it leaves. Crain fucked around with this message at 05:50 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 05:45
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Crain posted:As far as what to do now: We're rich, hire all three. Ride in the young guys cab. Have the others follow. That way we have an escape route if one is trying to kidnap us. Go to the Harbor and try to at least examine the Device before it leaves. After that go to Spyro and buy a shotgun and ammo and saw, and make a sawn off shotgun so that our shooting victims can't run. Then go through all places in alphabetical order.
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Feb 4, 2015 06:36
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Crain posted:As far as what to do now: We're rich, hire all three. Ride in the young guys cab. Have the others follow. That way we have an escape route if one is trying to kidnap us. Go to the Harbor and try to at least examine the Device before it leaves. Seconding this idea. If we can't get to the device or steal it, get over to the Hall of Justice and investigate Gliere's cell and death. We want to get as much info out of what he left behind as we can. After that, go to the museum and investigate Pisistratos.
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Feb 4, 2015 08:01
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It is Monday, September 14th. The time is 2pm. You think it best to hire all of the taxi drivers in Cairo, regardless of price. The young man is a simple cab driver who charges 20 drachma per trip – a reasonable price – but has nothing more to say to you. The old man, however, questions you about your visit. He seems almost... suspicious of you! “You have wandered into something beyond your wildest dreams. My friends,” he says,” wish to help you. Find out what you must, then meet me at the Parthenon at sundown.” You then attempt to hire the English-looking gentleman. “May I be of assistance?” the man asks. “I too was once a stranger in this sacred land. My temporary employment allows me to stay here while I work on my book. Where can l take you?” He is Richard Hawkes. He spends the rest of his time with you chatting amiably about the splendors of Greece, but hints that he knows something you wish to know, and tells you to meet him at 6pm at the Piosotos Cafe. Finally, you turn to the man you met at the police station. “I’m Christos. Where to, Yank?” he asks. “To the harbor!” you tell him, and your taxi fleet drives off together. Along the way he says, “Listen: I’m a great interpreter. If you need help with Greek, you couldn't do better than me. Fifty drachmas a day: I stay with you, drive you around. Like a guide. What do you say?” Weighing his character, you think there's some chance that he'll abandon you and do a little celebrating on his own as you go from one point to another. But probably he can interpret just fine, and he seems to know where to go. 4pm When you arrive, the old man and Hawkes drive off, leaving you behind. You can take a boat from here to Egypt, Germany, or America, but there is no ship in the harbor – whether Ilionas was telling the truth, it is clear that the Device is not to be found here. However, you are Lucky enough to discover that Grunewald’s possessions are still held here! The rules say that, if you return to where a past investigator died or his belongings would be, on a successful Luck roll you can recover them for yourself. In public places, they are lost, but I am willing to assume that a cruise liner probably doesn’t count. His fateful voyage ended prematurely, but the boat itself arrived last Monday and his inventory has apparently been waiting here ever since. You found: Epee .45 Revolver and bullets Sawn-off 12-Gauge Shotgun and shells 4 Sticks of Dynamite Trenchcoat Carpenter Tool set Flashlight Box Camera German Phrasebook Arabic Phrasebook The Longest Journey in the World But, sadly, no Karpathos Device. You decide to visit the Hall of Justice, to find out more about poor Gliere’s death. 5pm When you get there, Christos knows exactly where to go. He leads you to the desk sergeant in charge of jails, who unfortunately speaks no English! “He says,” Christos tells you, “that Gliere hung himself, he killed himself. Yes, his body has been shipped to the United States. That is all he knows. Apparently the Professor left nothing behind to be recovered.” Psychology roll: failure! You can’t discern anything more from this conversation. As you leave, the sergeant remembers something. He pulls a letter out of a drawer, and gestures that you may read it. The guard explains that this letter was found in Gliere‘s cell when it was cleaned. It should have been sent to the Bureau of Investigation, but – a shrug – it was not. Though he speaks English, the guard doesn‘t read it, so he doesn’t know the contents of the letter. Gliere is dead, and the Device returned. The case is closed. You unfold the sheet. Gliere's tiny, precise script marches across it. There is no date and no signature. quote:Dr. Louis Grunewald Here the letter ends. There is no second sheet. There is nothing on the reverse of the sheet. As you struggle to digest and evaluate the letter. The guard casually informs you that nothing else of Gliere’s is now at the prison. By now, it is 7pm. Investigating Gliere has taken longer than you thought, and now the museum is closed for the night. But no matter: you can always visit it tomorrow! Tonight, however, you need to decide what you will do – you could go to the Piosotos café, to see what Hawkes wanted to tell you about, or visit the Parthenon as the old man suggested. There is even a ship, the Kyonas, available for hire if you wish to leave Athens altogether! But, if you wish to stay in the city and continue investigating tomorrow, you will need to decide which hotel you will stay in (I’ve been handling this myself up to now, but, unlike the United States locations, here the hotels can sometimes have events linked to them. So which one you pick actually matters.) and what you want to do until then. Character Status: Dr. Bennett HP: 11 MP: 13 SAN: 65 11,566,667 drachmas Man’s Topcoat Trenchcoat Flashlight (x2) Popular Novel Box Camera (x2) and Film Carpenter’s Tool set German Phrasebook Arabic Phrasebook The Longest Journey in the World Pocket Knife Epee .45 Revolver and ammunition Sawn-off 12-Gauge Shotgun and ammunition Fourteen sticks of dynamite Most of Athens’s locations have events, or tell you about things you might want to follow up on, so I think breaking the time here up more finely than in previous locations is a good idea. corn in the bible fucked around with this message at 20:21 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 18:01
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Start with Pisotos Cafe. At least Hawkes speaks English.
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Feb 4, 2015 18:19
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Hang on....I'm noticing some typos in that letter. Let me gather them up. "Ma bag he and he hoard altar tile beth" Hopefully none of that is important! Anyways take the moderate hotel and visit Hawkes.
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Feb 4, 2015 19:18
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chitoryu12 posted:Hang on....I'm noticing some typos in that letter. Let me gather them up. Those are just errors from the scan transcription that I didn't catch, sorry. Still better than me having to copy everything from the book by hand, though! Fun fact: Carl Stanford, who is mentioned here, is a Chaosium original character and features more prominently in some of their actual tabletop adventures. He's named after one of the more prolific CoC writers, Carl Sanford Peterson, so he's sort of an in-joke where 80's Call of Cthulhu books are concerned. corn in the bible fucked around with this message at 20:26 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 20:18
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Ah, I thought it was some kind of puzzle!
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Feb 4, 2015 20:46
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Really pro Cthulhu Game. The Gm died.
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Feb 4, 2015 20:47
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Welp, there goes that game. Maybe Corn'll buy back yet again. Unless this is a permaban. Crain fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 21:13
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I knew it was a bad idea to invest myself in the guy with 14 probations and 1 ban. Now 2 bans.
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Feb 4, 2015 21:28
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That is not dead which can eternal lie; and with strange aeons, even death may die...
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Feb 4, 2015 21:36
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Anyone want to take over? Although someone would have to buy the same book and I think it's like $60+. Corn might be coming back, but until then...
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Feb 4, 2015 21:41
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