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Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:29 am
by Spideydave
So I am new to the boards and relatively new to Cthulhu. I have owned Delta Green and I own a 5.3
version of CoC. I have been gaming for 20+ years but Cthulhu games have never really been a
big hit for my group.

I was wondering if a campaign idea I have has legs.
So the idea I had would be to run a group of players being members of the
National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime of the FBI.

The NCAVC consists of four units:
•Behavioral Analysis Unit 1 (counterterrorism/threat assessment);
•Behavioral Analysis Unit 2 (crimes against adults);
•Behavioral Analysis Unit 3 (crimes against children); and
•Behavioral Analysis Unit 4 (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program-ViCAP).

This is the best way for me as GM to add the Cthulhu mythos to a team of players that allows them
to investigate wierd human behaviors and crimes. The tone of this game would be much more procedural
and investigative. And have an added dose of conspiracy in there to keep things exciting.
If this sounds familiar it should. The television show Criminal Minds is where I got the idea of the
BAU. The Players would have reason to be able to fly all over the country tracking down and helping
local law enforcement capture people doing bad things. Of course my players would eventually be a unit within the
BAU that specialises in the really wierd cases.
I would draw much from the Delta Green setting but probably leave out the Majestic 12/Mi-go Grey alien
stuff.

So should I use the CoC rules or a modified Trail of Cthulhu?


Spideydave aka Dave McBride

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:59 am
by Keeper Dan
Welcome to the forums Dave!

Your idea sounds well thought out and pretty awesome.
The way I'd approach this kind of campaign is to use the cultist angle as the hook to get the players into things. Cultists can be a formidable threat on their own, but add in someone in their chain of command with a Wither Limb, Wrack, or Hands of Columbra, and you're at a whole new level.
If you wanted to keep the feel of the procedural, you could stick with human antagonists and have monsters be a side effect that leaves clues behind, rarely encountered.

As for the rule-set, I'm biased to the BRP/CoC rules. But you have to look at the advantages of both and see what served the tone and feel of the game you have in mind. Both can give a gritty or action/adventure feel, so it's hard to point to one specifically.
Is there a specific aspect of play you want to have or shoot for? That can give us an idea of how to recommend a method of achieving it.

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:47 am
by Dr. Gerard
As a cointerpoint, I think you should consider running it as a straight up Gumshoe game, and look at the way Trail of Cthulhu handles Mythos. Gumshoe was basically designed as a forensics investigation game to emulate the genre you're talking about. I think your players will enjoy the investigative benefits of it.

What do you think the players are less keen on about the idea of CoC?

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 1:29 pm
by trevlix
Love the idea, and since I've played more Call of Cthulhu than Trail, that would be my vote.

Have you thought of having a secret Team 5 to the NCAVC that investigates unusual phenomena, that the players get introduced to slowly?

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:02 pm
by Spideydave
I have three different game groups I may end up proposing this game to. Not at the same time :o So I may need to make my choice of system depending on which group.

So what I seem to understand is go with CoC/BRP if I want gritty, and go with Gumshoe/ToC if I want more action/pulp?

The 5th unit would be exactly that. A Unit made up of the characters once they find out there are things that go bump in the night and those things are not just human serial killers and homicidal maniacs.

My main weekly group is made up of a bunch of "butt kickers" to use a Robin D. Laws term. So it would be much more pulpy if I went with them.

If I understand though Trail of Cthulhu has a gritty/pulp dial for game play doesn`t it?

And up until now there hasn`t been another GM in the gang that has wanted to do CoC. although I try to cram CoC monsters and things in other campaigns all the time. Ask me sometime about how I put the Karotechia from Delta Green into my Shadowrun campaign.

Spideydave aka Dave McBride

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:30 pm
by Keeper Dan
Trail of Cthulhu actually has mechanics that let you choose from the Pulp or Purist directions. I'm not experienced enough to know if the game allows a swap between them for different sessions of the same campaign.

BRP/CoC works dandy for Pulp games. I'll have to look up the ep number (21 maybe?), but I had some simple house rules for turning up the pulp in CoC.

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 8:55 pm
by Spideydave
I am only up to 19 of your backlog so I will get there soon :D

Keep up the good work btw. Your Podcast is the reason I am interested in trying my hand at a CoC game of some kind.

Spideydave aka Dave McBride

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:54 pm
by Keeper Dan
I seem to never get tired of hearing that. :mrgreen:

Growing the game is why we do this. You guys are why we do this. :rock:

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:22 am
by Dr. Gerard
Keeper Dan wrote:I seem to never get tired of hearing that. :mrgreen:

Growing the game is why we do this. You guys are why we do this. :rock:
Every time we gain a new player, a nightgaunt gets its wings.

Re: Cthulhu Now campaign idea

Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:26 pm
by Spideydave
I think I found the systems guys. Esoterrorists by Robin D Laws. I will also use the Mythos stuff from Trail of Cthulhu since it uses the same system no converting just cut and paste!

Dave