Call of Cthulhu Pulp Noir (closed)

[DexterWard]

First pass... Perhaps a tribute to Algernon Blackwood?

Names for the party/group of Investigators:

• The Blackwood Investigators
• The Blackwood Scholars
• Blackwood Investigations, Inc.

Based on some book as a central fixture of trouble:

• The Blackwood Horror
• Blackwood's Codex

Hmmm...Still brainstorming...

[Marullus]

A tribute to Algernon Blackwood could be...

To satisfy his interest in the supernatural, he joined The Ghost Club.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_Club

The Ghost Club is a paranormal investigation and research organization, founded in London in 1862.[1] It is widely believed to be the oldest such organization in the world.[1] Since 1862 it has primarily investigated ghosts and hauntings.

[Grognardsw]

Grounding this in as much historical fact (Ghost Club) as we can adds to the verisimilitude of the campaign.

I'm hoping we can capture the Lovecraftian spirit and game type that CoC represents. I have a vague feeling that while monster-of-the-week is fun in its way, it isn’t the spirit of Lovecraft if that is what the group is looking to experience in CoC. While it is admittedly easier to have some prefab group, I’d encourage us not to take some 1920’s Mythosbusters approach. Which in no way is to imply that model is bad (Bluehorse runs a great Ghostbusters campaign), but it’s not Lovecraft. Perhaps it's the commoditization of Lovecraft and Cthulhu that has moved the perception away from the original, but that is another topic.

CoC, particularly in this medium, affords opportunity for deep investigation, role play and the cultivation of horror. Combat in pulp noir may be more frequent (often against more mortal foes like cultists), but compared to D&D is still rare. The noir is as much about atmosphere. Any group that runs into monsters regularly enough usually ends up dead or insane.

[Marullus]

That's an important thing to iron out before making PCs. Base CoC is more Lovecraftian. This request was for Pulp Noir which implies more capable heroes engaged in more consistent action. There's a "scale of pulp" in the book - perhaps we should settle on one for our world build?

Tired of your investigators dying in quick succession
when jaunting around the world in a desperate bid to save
humanity? Wishing that sometimes your investigator could
make a stand instead of hiding and waiting for the eldritch
horror to pass? Pulp Cthulhu ups the ante and provides you
with tougher, more capable heroes—ready to take on the
villainous machinations of the Cthulhu Mythos!

PULP-O-METER:
HOW MUCH PULP?
Do you prefer no-holds-barred, full-on, high-octane games,
or a somewhat gentler version of pulp? The level of pulp
action is designed to be customizable. Choosing which
level of pulp is right for your games is very much a personal
preference and Keepers are advised to try things out before
deciding on a pulp level that is best for them and their
players. Don’t be afraid to mix things up even further if
it helps you to reach the style of game you are aiming for.
Here’s some advice on which rules are better suited to
differing levels of pulp:

• Low pulp is most akin to standard games of Call of
  Cthulhu. Use hero generation (Chapter 2: Creating Pulp
  Heroes, page 15) as is, but either limit Pulp Talents
  (page 23) to one or do away with them completely. You
  will probably also want to use the optional hit point
  rule to reduce the heroes’ hit points (page 42). Also
  don’t allow heroes to take psychic skills or weird science
  (Chapter 6: Pulp Magic, Psychic Powers, and Weird
  Science, page 81). In terms of spending Luck to affect
  the game (Chapter 4: Game System, page 60), you may
  prefer to limit the amount of Luck points a player can
  burn to affect a skill roll, and refrain from using the
  Avoiding Certain Death rule (page 61).
• Mid pulp is the standard for Pulp Cthulhu: use all of
  the rules in this book, and allow players to take two
  Pulp Talents for their heroes (Step Three: Determine
  Pulp Talents, page 23).
• High pulp increases the heroes’ abilities to dramatically
  affect skill rolls. Use all of the rules presented in this
  book and allow players to choose up to four Pulp
  Talents for their characters. Likewise, players should
  have access to psychic skills and weird science. No limit
  on spending Luck should be set.

[Bluehorse]

Yes, and the character generator I shared back on this thread last week has settings for the character rolls based on the degree of pulp. I think it is neat that they included that both in the model and the tool. Personally, I am leaning more to a Low to Medium setting rather than a high pulp to keep an edge of danger. I don't want to cross over into Buck Rogers territory.

[Urson]

This discussion is moving a lot faster than I've been able to keep up with. My own fault, of course.
TL/DR: I'm good with whatever the group decides.

I hate to sound like Joe Weathervane, but there have been a lot of good points posted about episodic vs. story arc gameplay. While I like 'MOTW', I'm much more interested in the game as played than the number and variety of critters faced (or run away from).
For a title/group name, we could go as simple as "Blackwood."
I'm with the Low to Medium Pulp faction. Let's face it: when you play CoC, you know you're getting yourself into an "in over your head" situation. It would be a lot harder to create that situation and sense of inevitability in a High Pulp campaign.

'The Ghost Club' reminds me of a reference from the Bureau 13 novels: Australia's version of Bureau 13 is "Wally's Spook Club."

[Rex]

I was thinking a bit like "The Shadow" , my Dad had the entire collection of the original radio shows, have listened to them all multiple times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow

[Bluehorse]

Maybe "The Library Shadows"

[Marullus]

I am fine with Low/Medium (or anything). I am crash-coursing myself into CoC and tried using the dholehouse link to spec up sheets. I don't see that my concept requires anything that wouldn't be available at Low Pulp. I'm considering the bookstore owner - a Dreamer/Librarian with "Strong Willed" and "Mythos Knowledge" who I'd like to have spellcraft but I haven't figured out how spells work yet.

Dr. Rupert Hollandsworth:

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Alternately, I liked a pulp noir concept where the guy was picked up by the investigators, convinced he had contracted lycanthropy. He struggles to contain his curse and do good by helping the team like a loyal hound. Perhaps a Laborer, Hobo, or Chauffer by day job.
Bout of Madness: Violence (triggered on full moons)
Insane Talent: Insane Brutality
...not really sure how to build that, but it is probably a More Pulp idea.

[Bluehorse]

Wayne Bennett

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Appearance & Personality:
Wayne was approaching middle age and his blue-collar lifestyle is starting to show on his ever less youthful and ever more rugged appearance. He is still called handsome when he cleans up for the ladies, but most times he is greasy from his work in the garage and during the summer months usually sweaty. He usually wears worn jeans and a T-shirt unless he is working in which case he adds a pair of very well used coveralls. He has slicked-back chestnut-colored hair usually under a hat. He has green eyes with the beginnings of laugh lines over sun-kissed skin of a working man. He is well built and by nature of the work, he does lean and muscular. He will usually have a cigar tucked into the corner of his mouth and his gravely voice is evidence of his like for hard whiskey.

Background:
Wayne all but grew up around cars and racetracks. While his father toiled away on the family farm, Wayne spent every moment he could sneak off to the race tracks and garages in town. It was a hardheaded move and a lot of hard whoopings for him from a dad that didn't even believe in owning a tractor.
Wayne had to drop out of school after 3rd grade to help on the farm, but he knew how to read and went to the library once a week to check out books and teach himself at night. He worked out science and math, and more than a few good stories about submarines, hot air balloons, and airplanes.
Once he was a teenager, he worked out enough money on the side helping neighbors with odd jobs and especially repairs, that he was able to buy a broken-down tractor. He spent the next weeks fixing it under the mentorship of Frank Punt, a local mechanic and moonshiner turned mechanic that had taken a liking to him. Wayne drove the tractor home after only 3 weeks and had never been prouder.
Even his father had to admit the following year that it had made life easier, and gave his son permission to keep on apprenticing under Mr. Punt. There he learned about cars, fast cars, corn whiskey, and more than he bargained for about women.

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By 16, Wayne was on the racetrack with Frank and they worked on the hotrod that Frank raced around the track every Saturday night. Soon, he was not just on the pit crew, but racing his own car around the track in the Junior Sprintcar League. It all came to an end one day when Frank passed in a fatal crash. Wayne was devastated, but Frank had left the garage to Wayne in his will.
Wayne moved into the garage permanently and has run it ever since, living in the back room where he had a simple but satisfactory life. He made a good living fixing cars and farm equipment and had a good reputation. His real love was still on the racetrack. He had built a good hotrod and raced every Saturday just like Frank had. He was always a daredevil on the track and loved every moment of it.

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Wayne had one rival, Nate Tapper. They had been friendly enough, treating the rivalry as a friendly game. One year they were neck and neck for points and it was the last race of the year. Whichever one of them won that night, was going to win a big cash prize. After the 3rd heat, Nate's car was not running right. Wayne, being a good sport, hopped over and before the last heat of the night's race, it was running like a top. They shook hands, wished each other luck, lined up, and it was a race to remember. Both of them seemed to be ever in a battle for first place. On the last lap, Wayne managed to sneak through on the inside and beat Nate in a photo finish.
When Nate came over, Wayne had his hand out, thinking he was going to congratulate him. Instead, Nate shot him with a 9mm. Wayne almost died right there in the pit area but luckily there was already an ambulance on-site and they were able to stabilize him and get him to the hospital. He barely pulled through and still carries that bullet in his breast pocket as a reminder of that day. Last he heard of Nate, he was still up in the county pen.

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Currently, he has put all his savings into his latest project. A 1930 Ford Model A that he has stripped down and rebuilt. It was his pride and joy. He had earned almost legendary status in his hometown as a racer and reliable mechanic after the story of his scrape with death got around. It led to him getting employed for some odd job here and there not the least of which was helping design and build a gimmick for a Magician that was passing through by the name of Thurston. Wayne enjoyed the work and true to his word has not disclosed anything about how the gimmick worked or how it was made. He also enjoyed getting Thurston's monkey Darwin drunk of corn whiskey.

Likes and Hates:
Likes cigars.
Likes whiskey.
Likes hot rods and/or women often in that order.
Hates loudmouths.
Hates government folk.
Hates spiders.

Religion: Methodist
Political Leanings: Anyone not passin' taxes.
Languages Spoken: English, Bad English
Professional Associations and Connections: Track official, Tom Barker. Moonshiner, Enus Tate. Waitress, Claire Thompson. Cop, Bill Campbell.
A Treasure: He keeps the bullet that nearly killed him in his shirt pocket as a reminder.
Quote: Hard work never killed anybody, but I've been close.

[DexterWard]

@Marullus

Base CoC is more Lovecraftian. This request was for Pulp Noir which implies more capable heroes engaged in more consistent action. There's a "scale of pulp" in the book - perhaps we should settle on one for our world build?

That’s a good point, and something I’ve thought about too. I am leaning toward Medium myself, but the group as a whole should be comfortable with that. And honestly, I think we will be able to tweak as we go fairly easily. I’m good with that approach.

...not really sure how to build that

Once I get the campaign up we can walk through how to accomplish your ideas. I can tell you there will be deviations from the rules. That’s just how I run things. But not so much that we veer of course. If that makes sense. I’m also working my way through as much CoC material as possible so I can adjudicate how this campaign will work and feel.

@Grognardsw

capture the Lovecraftian spirit and game type that CoC represents
not to take some 1920’s Mythosbusters approach
this medium, affords opportunity for deep investigation, role play and the cultivation of horror
The noir is as much about atmosphere

Absolutely agree with you Grognardsw. I didn’t mean to imply I was planning to depart from the core Lovecraftian spirit. On the contrary, I simply mean to apply that same spirit to smaller one-off’s. Pulp Cthulhu offers an opportunity to “increase the investigators’ options and chances of survival.” In that light, I think a minor shift toward smaller episodes, and downsizing the typical mind rending eldritch horrors that are typical of Lovecraftian abominations a wee bit, will also afford the players a bit more of that “atmosphere” you spoke of; if done right ☺

Bluehorse

Personally, I am leaning more to a Low to Medium setting rather than a high pulp to keep an edge of danger. I don't want to cross over into Buck Rogers territory.

Thanks Bluehorse. I need to check out that generator too. We may be able to use that for character creation to make things easier (if everyone is ok with that).

RE: Wayne Bennett
You went to town didn’t you? ☺
Let’s keep that going and hopefully move that effort to the campaign soon. I’d also like to see how your character gets into the Investigator/Adventure liestyle.

Urson

when you play CoC, you know you're getting yourself into an "in over your head" situation. It would be a lot harder to create that situation and sense of inevitability in a High Pulp campaign.

I agree. I think we need to balance somewhere in between, or slightly below the middle. That’s what I’m going to try to do. I think there will be a delicate balance on my part. But I’m up for the challenge. ☺

I will be submitting the campaign request tonight, as soon as I can settle on a name. You guys all gave me good input/ideas. Thank you.

[Rex]

Medium seems best to me.

[DexterWard]

Admin request for the forum has been submitted. As soon as it's up I will create the CharGen, OOC, Group Backstory Development, and any other threads I think are pertinent to get us started. Please let me know if you have any questions. We can continue to flush things out here until the campaign has been created.

[DexterWard]

I was thinking a bit like "The Shadow" , my Dad had the entire collection of the original radio shows, have listened to them all multiple times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow

That is very interesting Rex. I was actually looking at 20's and 30's historical timelines for Boston and saw "WBZ (AM) radio begins broadcasting" in 1924. That got me thinking about how I could incorporate radio somehow. I think it would be interesting to incorporate The Shadow, but with a very distinct Lovecraftian theme. Food for thought I guess. Thank you for posting that.

Everyone has had really great ideas. I'm keeping a log for potential plot/adventure hooks. So keep them coming

[Bluehorse]

That would actually be pretty cool! Picking up stuff on the radio to track, study, etc.

[Marullus]

I love old radio broadcasts!

Here's a Radio Archive of Orson Welles broadcasts:
https://archive.org/details/OrsonWelles ... Recordings

Here's the episodes of The Shadow:
https://archive.org/details/dep-spl-5-uaaeps-2-g

[Rex]

Cool, thanks for the links Marullus.

[Bluehorse]

Look what we have now

viewforum.php?f=1047

[DexterWard]

Sweet!!!

I will get things set up later today!

[DexterWard]

The following folks have been added to the new campaign: In Dark Recesses

Members:

• Bluehorse
• Marullus
• ybn1197
• Grognardsw
• Rex
• Urson

Campaign ID: 889

Use the Group Backstory Development thread to start flushing out characters and thier associations, including why/how they came about knowing each other and became Investigators.

I will start working on a CharGen and House Rules thread.