Need Help Starting Shadows of Yog-Sothoth Campaign

[creatureslagoon]

Hi all,

I am a new keeper with only 6 scenarios under my belt so far, but my group (which we are all new to RPGs) is wanting to undertake a campaign now. I am wanting to run the Shadows of Yog-Sothoth campaign and have read the 1st scenario, The Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight. However, I am unsure of the various ways to introduce the investigators to this scenario and how scenes in the scenario will normally play out. Especially the information about rising in the higher rings of the Order, etc. How far do you let the investigators progress in the Order, and what particular scenes should play out to conclude this scenario? I am sure this is a popular one and was hoping I could get some good advice on starting this campaign. Thanks everyone for your help on this!

[Keeper Dan]

Ah, a venerable old classic.

The Order does pose some interesting quandaries. To my mind, it seems like the Order should be an element of the character's lives apart from their Mythos investigations for a while. To me, it would play out like this...
The player characters have an investigation or two under their belts. (Assuming the prior games have the same PCs). They get an invite from someone at the Order and join up per the written game. I would have a prior game involve the person that invites them to the Order (Edward Call is the guy mentioned in the scenario). That gives them an organic connection to the party.
The rising within the Order is a lengthy process. The characters will need to have some investigations while slowly rising through the ranks. I would also just have some periods of time where you can say "Six months have passed. Did you do anything interesting in that time?" This gives time to finish books they were reading, roll checks accumulated, and maybe even give them a free skill check they can put wherever they like to show what they worked on in that time. That gives you a pattern to follow while they rise in the ranks of the Order. Make sure to give them some sessions that include meetings with members, and getting benefits from the group. Make the Order a very useful resource for them with "lodge brothers" they grow to like.
Then when they start to see the levels of corruption and horror involved, it will be worth a San roll to see how their buddy Carl Stanford is an evil monster. (We had him over for dinner!)
Then you can go into the campaign proper.

This slow start is the main issue the campaign has for Keepers. I think that's where Masks has an advantage in that it jumps right into the investigation. Though in that one, I think there should still be some lead-in where the players can get to know and like Jackson Elias before he calls for their help.

[creatureslagoon]

Ah, a venerable old classic.

The Order does pose some interesting quandaries. To my mind, it seems like the Order should be an element of the character's lives apart from their Mythos investigations for a while. To me, it would play out like this...
The player characters have an investigation or two under their belts. (Assuming the prior games have the same PCs). They get an invite from someone at the Order and join up per the written game. I would have a prior game involve the person that invites them to the Order (Edward Call is the guy mentioned in the scenario). That gives them an organic connection to the party.
The rising within the Order is a lengthy process. The characters will need to have some investigations while slowly rising through the ranks. I would also just have some periods of time where you can say "Six months have passed. Did you do anything interesting in that time?" This gives time to finish books they were reading, roll checks accumulated, and maybe even give them a free skill check they can put wherever they like to show what they worked on in that time. That gives you a pattern to follow while they rise in the ranks of the Order. Make sure to give them some sessions that include meetings with members, and getting benefits from the group. Make the Order a very useful resource for them with "lodge brothers" they grow to like.
Then when they start to see the levels of corruption and horror involved, it will be worth a San roll to see how their buddy Carl Stanford is an evil monster. (We had him over for dinner!)
Then you can go into the campaign proper.

This slow start is the main issue the campaign has for Keepers. I think that's where Masks has an advantage in that it jumps right into the investigation. Though in that one, I think there should still be some lead-in where the players can get to know and like Jackson Elias before he calls for their help.

Thank you Keeper Dan for the understanding on how this should play out. I was not sure of how the rising in the organization should be played out, but how you describe it makes perfect sense. Thanks again!

[Keeper Dan]

You're very welcome. I wasn't sure if I was making myself very clear. I tend to ramble a bit sometimes.