Talk:HP Lovecraft's American War of Independence

--Edmiao 19:11, 21 May 2007 (MST) I am currently reading a collection of HP lovecraft short stories. just finished "The rats in the wall" and "the outsider". both excellent. Inspired to read some HP after playing a board game called "Arkham Horror", a great cooperative board game where the players work together to prevent the ancient ones from awakening and destroying the world.

--67.183.132.220 00:01, 22 May 2007 (MST)I have the original Arkham Horror game. I have heard the new one is pretty similar.

--Edmiao 09:14, 22 May 2007 (MST) we have the new one, plus two expansions. haven't even gotten around to playing one of the expansions yet.

--Gdaze 15:20, 23 May 2007 (MST)I'd play.

Ben here:I gotz to read me some lovecraft...never have.

Gabe: I've only read one, it was kinda neat but you never really saw any of the mosnters. Still it kept me reading.

--Jason 15:36, 23 May 2007 (MST)Seeing the monsters makes you go insane! They are rarely described, and when they are I always found it near impossible to imagine, they were so alien.

--Edmiao 18:27, 23 May 2007 (MST) I have two predictions for this game: 1) Gabe's character will go insane 2) Dieter's character will have no interest in investigating anything. 3) Nate's character will want to kill the monsters....three predictions....1) Gabe's character will go insane 2) Dieter's character will have no interest in investigating anything. 3) Nate's character will want to kill the monsters 4) my character will be inquisitive.....Four! four predictions....

--Matts 18:43, 23 May 2007 (MST)We'll either bust the lid off the situation and go insane, or we'll say we should better leave it alone, and then life goes on but everything tastes more bland and colors look duller.

--Jason 13:37, 24 May 2007 (MST)Would you guys want to try a 1-2 session thing of this sometime to break up your constant Nephon-ity, or would it be better served as something on a Saturday sometime? I dont know how close I am, but the idea is coalescing.

--Edmiao 14:16, 24 May 2007 (MST) if you wanted a 1-5 or 1-2 session run, I think we'd all be up for it anytime. same goes for Matt's space marines short game.

--Edmiao 12:14, 29 May 2007 (MST) been reading more lovecraft. i think this would be a fun game. i hope you decide to go for it. if you get disinterested or decide to run it in a different group, i might be interested in picking it up.

--Jason 12:35, 29 May 2007 (MST)I bought a whole bunch of Cthulhu books lately, and I have been reading online kinds of things. I do want to do this, and I anticipate it being ready within 3 weeks. I also think a campaign is possible, whether or not its in the AWI period I dont know. The group may go through many iterations, but as long as everyone understands that going in, it should be ok.

--Edmiao 14:43, 29 May 2007 (MST) god damn it, i'm at work and have no change of clothes, what am i supposed to do about the cum in my pants. this keeps happening to me. i wish you guys would try to not post such exciting things on the wiki. if you have to post something exciting, please put this disclaimer before the post: "Warning: choke chicken within 5 minutes before reading the following"

--Edmiao 22:35, 29 May 2007 (MST) If we are going to use this system, do i need to buy this book, Call of Cthulu RPG 6th edition? if we are to use this system, give us a week or two warning for shipping, as it's only $23 at amazon.

--67.183.132.220 22:50, 29 May 2007 (MST)I doubt Ill use the 6th edition, the newest I have is 5th. That being said, they generally dont make any changes between versions. Its a straight percentage based system. You roll and if its under your number, you succeed. Thats it.

GABE: Still totlly down for this. I like the power level thingy. Not that you'll ever run it, but I'd be very interested. Regarding the characters, would they not "scare" as easily then? Since they've seen these horrors before? Say more like a team that investigates these kinds of things but it more use to them? I mean certain things are scary no matter what, like a floating orb made up of decaying meat and mouths that speak backwards, but like the characters are expecting something horrible. Any ideas for some sort of corruption system? Anyway, all sounds cool, I love muskets, and I think setting it around that time could be very cool.

Edmiao ditto the above. i'd love some lovecraftian rpg. One request, please, lots and lots of cyclopean masonry. that one shot that ben ran, the house of usher, was so fun. the idea about lower point characters with minor powers and higer without is an interesting balance thing, muy bueno (that means it "gives me a boner" in spanish).

GABE: I'm not clicking that link... I don't click links you post at work anymore. Also just how supernatural would this be? Sterotypical? Werewolves, vampires, magic, mental powers, and such? Or is this gonna be more gory, like face stealers, ancient evils, old women who must consume a child's tears, but only those tears that come from a child that is being burned. Stuff like that.

What roll would Native Americans play?

Edmiao I swear on your mother's bed that link is rated G for general audiences. have you read much lovecraft? "Cyclopean" is his favorite word.

JASON: Scaring would be totally a function of PRE I would think. One thing about the supernatural is, in my opinion, its a lot more exciting if its a surprise. In other words, what will or wont be happening will not be divulged to players before the game begins. I will say that sometimes things will be people (the Scooby Doo effect), sometimes it will be supernatural. Enemies will have a PRE commensurate with their ability to scare people. This means that completely alien and horrific monsters like those in HP Lovecraft stories will have exceedingly high PRE.

Stuff must be cyclopean, yes. Or at least that will be the subject of the dreams that draw the characters together. This way they share the common experience that no one else believes and it ties them to one another.

One warning is that a common convention in horror stories (and games) is that sometimes the main characters get screwed, and this will need to occur sometimes, and not always will it get explained. A balance must be struck so it wont be completely insurmountable. To make a game like this into a campaign the characters themselves must be able to sustain their psyches no matter what happens. This means that if a player does go insane, it should only be temporary, unless the player decides they would like to sacrifice this character and make a new one.

Native Americans in this time period are a cool blend of superstitious, naive, wise and formidable. A character could be one, if they so choose. Players could have contacts within local tribes. I think they will have whatever role the player choose to give them, and they may also be involved in some plots covertly and overtly.

My goal with balance is not to punish people, though it probably often seems that way. What I want to do is make every choice a difficult one, and also a viable one. There should not be one that stands out above all others as clearly the best. This way all styles of gaming (even power gaming) are equally rewarded.