Retro-Review Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu
by Sandy Petersen
Publisher, Chaosium

This is the fourth edition of the game released in 1989. First edition was 1981. The game is a softbound edition and after more than twenty five years it has held up to a dozen moves, time in storage, being lost at the bottom of a closet and re-found.

The contents are great it is based on the RuneQuest percentile system and is entirely skill based. No levels for these adventurers. However, I should note that most of your adventurers just aren't going to last long. You'll have fun while they last, I can guarantee you that but long, happy lives? Not in the cards.

I seem to remember the game came with two ten-sided dice but I could be entirely wrong, it was twenty plus years ago.

The players take the part of intrepid investigators and one player is the 'Keeper' or game master. The players investigate arcane mysteries. Usually very dangerous and deadly mysteries that almost always lead the character into doom, insanity, and death.

The skills offered and the sample character types cover about all you will need as an investigator of any kind that fits the genre. A scholar of the occult, a private detective or police officer, a scientist, or archeologist are all solid builds for this game. One thing you should not neglect is running skills.

Nearly everything in this game is immune to bullets, knives, hand to hand combat. Some can be budged with high-explosives or field artillery and there are rules for such. Better results are usually obtained by thwarting the evil critters' worshipers before they are able to summon whatever foul horror they are trying to unearth.

The game is absolutely chock full of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. It is true to the stories and the atmosphere. It give players and Keepers tips on how to roleplay the era and the type of stories that Lovecraft wrote. The illustrations are excellent and hold up even after all my abuse and time. The would fit in any game anywhere.

The game includes plenty of tips for a Keeper to set up a game and keep it taut and exciting. Doom should be just around the corner at all times. There is a list of horrific words to describe things in the Lovecraft mythos (squamous is a particular favorite). The creature list covers nearly every critter in the mythos and some that are just plain dangerous. Everything from an ape to a vampire can be found in the creature section. Vampires and werewolves and such are just in case the Keeper wants something low key and easy for the players to face after one of the Elder Ones.

The good things in this game just keep on coming. There's a size chart (players won't like it), some humor, a timeline of the Nineteen Twenties and so much more. If you can find a copy anywhere I still would recommend it. I have not played later editions so I cannot comment as to whether they hold up as well as this classic. At 190 some pages this is an information dense and very playable game. We even played a Hyborian age campaign using these rules and it was fun.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the most important mechanic that I believe that CoC introduced 'sanity'. Sanity is a stat just like all the others. You start with a certain amount of sanity and what you see and do affects your sanity (usually in a negative way). It is not uncommon for players to acquire phobias, suffer panic attacks, become unconscious due to the psychic shock or even become incurably insane). The sanity stat has been used in other systems by me an others and it works really well if your players are faced by anything 'man was not meant to know'. 

There is something in here for nearly any gamer, game master or game system. It's worth reading. A D&D game influenced by Call of Cthulhu can be tons of fun.

The Giant gives this game Two Mighty Thumbs Up.

Drop me a line in the comments especially if you've played any version of the game and follow the Giant's blog. It's lonely in these woods.

Book Review - API of the Gods

API of the Gods
by Matthew P. Schmidt

This is a short story or novella written by Matthew Schmidt an up and coming author of science fiction. The story starts with our protagonist Michael Arnold in the middle of some very unusual programming and production. I know very darn little about either facets of computer production but I have to think Michael has found himself in a unique situation.

Michael takes us back briefly to his interview and it was rather non-standard with a rather strict NDA.  From there it progresses to his current position as head of golem production and programming and having to join in battle using them.

The story is quick moving, has a fair amount of programming jargon that definitely does not get in the way and several mysteries that Michael needs to solve.

It was a quick read and it never flagged nor ceased to hold my interest. I wanted to know just as badly as Michael did what was going to happen before the end.

The larger themes of religion, the nature of reality, and man's place in the universe are explored throughout the story. The question of what the mysterious Ichor is and where it comes from kept me wondering the whole way through.

It's a short story with great personal growth for our protagonist and left an opening for a second part if Schmidt wants to continue with the story. It is very reasonable on amazon.

The Giant gives it two giant thumbs up. 

API of the Gods
Matthew Schmidt's web page

Monday Dinner and a Movie

There is nothing I like better on a rainy afternoon than making something special for Mrs Giant and the Brood and watching a movie.

Since it's not rainy, in fact it's too dang hot I am not cooking. Sandwiches, it's what's for dinner. At least tonight. And it is too hot to sit inside for a movie. Nope not going to do it. Not even if all three of my readers beg me to. Instead, I will review a movie I've already watched. You can imagine the Giant family eating a whole roast boar right off the iron spit while we sit around the living room eyes glued to the set.

Of course this movie has to do with gaming but it's not really a movie it's a web series. A gem of a web series created in the Pacific Northwest called JourneyQuest.



The utterly delightful Emilie Rommel Shimkus as Wren.

I watched the series on line and in installments. As far as I know there are two seasons produced to date. It is a 'Dead Gentlemen' production and they have only improved with time and experience. They are the people who brought you Gamers and Gamers: The Dorkness Rising. As well as Dark Dungeons based on the 'Chick Tract' of the same name.

JourneyQuest follows the adventures of Perf  the Wizard, an elfess archer named Nara, a priest (of the D&D cleric variety) named Carrow and Glorion the Lawful Stupid knight. They are on a quest (as the title suggests) and their misadventures and mishaps are entertaining in every way.

The writing is top notch and the actors play their parts very well. If anyone has played a roleplaying game sometime between midnight and six am this movie will bring back memories. The gonzo nature of the characters and sometimes incomprehensibly crazy actions mirror many late nights and early mornings.

It is produced in the Pacific Northwest and anybody from the area will recognize a few of their settings. They use the natural beauty and history of the area to great effect including filming at one of the old coastal forts (perhaps Fort Worden or Spring Canyon?). The budget is a shoe string but they really make the best of what they have and the special effects while not Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter are very serviceable.

Some of the monsters are just monsters but some of the antagonists are fully fleshed characters in themselves. The orcs are simply a hoot while still being menacing orcs and I cannot say enough about the gargoyle Roderick played by Nathan Rice. Rice manages to put a humorous sarcastic spin on his character that is marvelous and never grows old.

Perf the feckless wizard played by Christian Doyle and Nara the archer played by Anne K. Brady have the main characters driving the narrative. Although, it is more Perf than Nara doing the driving so far. Their relationship is a little bland for my taste I believe both actors are capable of better so perhaps it is the script. The relationship seems shoehorned in as Perf is actually spending the best part of the first season running or hiding. Not much time for romance when you have your robe hiked up around your knees and your feet are flying.

Carrow the cleric is perhaps the most interesting character and Brian Lewis does a good job of portraying Carrow. The cleric goes through the most amazing series of pitfalls, pratfalls and outright tragedies and still maintains his faith. That's a good cleric right there. Lewis has a good range and he puts it to work here from comedy to menacing and back in one scene and he makes it look effortless.

Glorion (played by Kevin Pitman) in game terms has the intellect and wisdom of an actual bull but that's good because it perfectly matches his outlook on life. Glorion is too brave to take the surrender of his enemies and feels a good beating is a great motivator for flagging spirits. Glorion's answer to everything involves a sword and lots of killing. He embodies the old office poster, 'The Floggings will continue until morale improves' in his interactions with others.

Besides the quest there is a plot involving the bards who are recording the quest. Both of the main bards vying for the scoop on this quest are fun to watch and as interesting as the main storyline. Emilie Rommel Shimkus and Fran Kranz (of Cabin in the Woods) play the dueling bards and their chemistry on screen is fun to watch.

In the second season they add Bob Sapp as the barbarian king of a civilized country. Sapp plays Karn to the hilt and he is truly such a hulking, muscular guy that you can imagine he could chop his way to a throne. I don't know how they got Sapp but Dead Gentlemen have my thanks and respect. I cannot imagine a better 'Conan' type.

The downsides. Well the action could be more consistent sometimes it's good sometimes just adequate. The special effects are great for the budget but the budget isn't that big and occasionally the make up is off or odd. For instance Roderick the gargoyle inexplicably changes between season one and two.

Well, what's to add? the series is looking for crowd sourced funding for season three and I would say it is well worth it. If you are a gamer and like seeing movies by people who understand and respect your hobby. This is a good series to get. If you like fantasy lighthearted and fun, this is a good series to get. If you like the Northwest and enjoy seeing how much fun folks can have dressed as elves, orcs and wizards. Well you get the idea.

If you've seen this (or other work by Dead Gentlemen Productions) leave a comment and tell me what you think. If you have a movie to review from a gamer's standpoint drop me a line in the comments. I'm all about the gaming.
Link to episode one on YouTube.

Link to the JourneyQuest season three Kickstarter.

I hold nor claim any copyright for the picture of the lovely Wren whom I almost entirely and unfairly neglected. 

Retro-Review Aftermath!

This is the first in a series of posts reviewing old school games, modules, and settings. Since this is my first review it will jump around a bit and might miss a few points.

The game Aftermath! is by Paul Hume and Robert Charrette the original game debuted in 1981 and was published by Fantasy Games Unlimited. The game was in its time supported by a several different campaign settings and supplements. I have not seen so I cannot comment on the new Aftermath! Magic! supplement for Aftermath! although I was able to run a magic campaign quite nicely back in the eighties without it. Fair warning, while I am not paid to review this game nor do I know the authors or publishers this game has a very fond place in my heart and my enjoyment of it may, no certainly colors my assessment.

The original game I purchased was a boxed set with three softbound 8 1/2 by 11 books. I believe there was also a screen with various charts. My current edition has all the old books with their original page numbers in place in a single book. I do prefer the current book to the old ones as it is easier to handle and keep together. Although I also miss my charts. In this game you will need easy access to the charts.

Before you open the book there is a nice cover illustration that I believe was on my original box. My memories are over thirty years old so any lapses are purely my own. The picture is of two survivors a man and a woman. They are carrying a mix of gear (and standing a bit too close together if they are expecting shooting-type trouble!) nicely posed and the picture certainly evokes the feel of a post-apocalypse setting.

The game itself is a skill based system with various points being used to purchase the skills that the player wants. There are also attributes that correspond to the usual roleplaying game categories and talents that indicate where a character's strengths and weaknesses lay. All three usually contribute in some way to a character's skill in a particular area.

The default setting for the game is the 'twenty years after' campaign. This is set twenty or so years after whatever caused the apocalypse in the first place. Aftermath! gives some very good examples and hints for game masters however it it is a bit dated as the Cold War was the primary danger facing society at the time in regards to an apocalypse.

The character generation system includes an element of randomness although a game master and players can fudge that if they want to. It doesn't break the game if you choose your own age or background. The player's section includes rules for encumbrance travel, search, clothing, and weapons.

The rules for combat require a flow chart to make work but they are comprehensive and realistic. Somebody knew their martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. I wish I could talk to the designers because one of them or both is pretty solid on the subject for a game. While no particular martial arts style is showcased in the game it has excellent rules for striking, throwing, and grappling. I would be interested in seeing an expanded martial arts section if one were ever made.

The character mechanic is purely skill based but has excellent rules for increasing skill abilities and the talents associated with them. If you successfully use a skill enough then you will increase the talent associated with that skill.

The game includes rules for a campaign set longer after the apocalypse as well as rules for during the events that end the world itself. The long after the ruin campaign is covered in the Gamemaster's guide.

The game includes a variety of firearms skipping any copyrighted names but any reasonably informed gun person will be able to identify the gun in question. They also include a list of hand to hand and non-gunpowder missile weapons. The lists are detailed and give a game master a good basis to work up anything that is not on the list.

There are lists for armor as well. These include future armor (well future for 1981) and it is an interesting look at what informed people thought might be coming in the future for police and military protection. The armor rules cover every possible area of the body and are as comprehensive as the rest of the rules.

How it all ends. There's no skimping on the different methods that the world will end, how many people are killed at which stage, and when civil unrest starts to take hold. You have ecological disasters, comet strikes, apes taking over the earth (where have I read about that?), conventional war, nuclear war, biological war, NBC (all three), and anything else you can conjure from your inner nightmares. The way the world ends matters to the survivors after all and the players themselves might want to play out the apocalypse. Why not? Who wouldn't want to watch a train wreck unfold (in game terms)?

The section on the world after the apocalypse contains rules and examples of mutant human and animals, robots, computers, some ideas for magical creatures and aliens and other items a game master needs to populate the wasteland. The medical tech and battery rules assume that we will develop some pretty impressive batteries and medicine in the future and maybe we will. There are also rules for lasers, specialty shells for firearms, flamerifles, and even nuclear weapons.

So far, so good. The game has rules for nearly anything and everything that you might need to run a campaign. It also has a short bibliography of books and magazines that cover the topics discussed in the game. This is a very detailed game. Some find the detail to be intimidating. It covers rules for bullet ballistics based on length of barrel, weight of caliber and charge of powder. Those are not rules for the quick start gamer. Although, you can play the game just fine without those details and never even miss them. There is no getting around the fact the rules are complex. However, you need only use the level of complexity that suits you and your gamers.

There is more than a little hyperbole on the subject of complexity found on the internet which I will not link to because I believe it is misinformed. However the game is not suited to a quick start without prep. It can be done but it requires being flexible and skipping some steps.

The various supplements included games set in Cairo Illinois and the University of Melbourne hundreds of years later. The game itself could be adapted to other settings, I used it to run a superhero campaign, horror and straight fantasy.

It compares well to games like Twilight 2000 and Morrow Project for complexity and rules for most situations. It is a crunchy game. I have never played a 'rules lite' post apocalypse game and would like to try one for comparison's sake some time.

How does the game hold up after thirty five years? Really well actually. For those that like crunch it is paradise. It is as crunchy as it gets. For those that like mostly realistic gun play it is great (but you better count your bullets!). You can get into knife fights or artillery duels with this game and both are just as playable. The focus on the Cold War is understandable if dated (although we seem to be heading back that way every day). All in all this game has held up pretty well.

Which makes me wonder; why didn't this game become more popular? Gamma World came out three years earlier and comparing the two is less 'apples and oranges' than 'apples and robotic mutated alien-infected oranges'. Gamma world is Thundarr the Barbarian and Aftermath! is those old war movies we used to see on Saturday afternoon. One is very nearly a cartoon and the other is gritty, in the dirt action and adult type roleplaying. Perhaps Twilight 2000 filled that niche or was better marketed. The Morrow Project had also just been released with a more limited setting. Having played all three games I can say I like Aftermath! more because of the setting flexibility and the more open ended nature of the narratives and game play. Aftermath! was well received by critics so that was not a problem.

Perhaps it was the publisher? Fantasy Games Unlimited certainly had a full catalog of games of all types. Every single one that I owned was top-notch in style and execution but none of them were compatible in rules. It also couldn't have helped that they were out of business for nearly fifteen years. It's tough to find a market niche for something that isn't being supported. The current FGU website does leave a little to be desired. There are products without any description at all. I cannot see how you can sell a product that way. However, that doesn't speak to the older Fantasy Games Unlimited.

Certainly other game designers folded during those years or were bought out. I want to emphasis that I have enjoyed every single one of their games. All of them brought something new and fun to their genres and gaming itself. I am guessing that it was simple bad fortune and perhaps the over-hyped complexity of the rules.

The game is informative, fun and if you are a game master that enjoys world building and history this game is definitely a fun time. I say buy it if you enjoy complex games or if you like noodling around with the end of the world.

UPDATE: Leave some comments for pity's sake. It validates my lonely existence as a quiet forest creature.

Fun Fact: The E.E. Knight Vampire Earth series began life as an Aftermath! campaign. The books are excellent on their own and I'll eventually be reviewing the series.