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Call of Cthulhu Session Zero (Part Two)

Subscriber Episode • • RPG Blokes • Season 2 • Episode 28

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We set up our Call of Cthulhu live play with a Session Zero focused on creating the investigators and defining the details that will matter in play. We go through each character’s background, appearance, beliefs, significant people, treasured possessions, and personality traits, including an archaeologist with a gambling habit, an outdoors-focused explorer, and a scientist-traveler interested in other cultures. 

We also discuss each investigator’s connections, items, credit rating, cash, and equipment, making sure their gear fits the 1920s setting and the trip to Peru. At the end, we review the finished characters and their flaws, and we say the next session will begin the actual adventure in Lima and the Peru-based scenario.

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Mark:

Okay, welcome back to RPG Blokes and the second episode of our Call of Cthulhu Session Zero to set us up for our forthcoming live play. Over to you, Stephen.

Stephen:

Yes, welcome back. We all remember the characters. I know it's such a long time ago.

Barry:

My character still doesn't have a name.

Stephen:

No, this is what we're going through now.

Jon:

Did you want the name generator?

Barry:

I don't know.

Jon:

It's rather special.

Stephen:

So now we're going to look at the backstory. It doesn't have to be too involved, but name, obviously, and then a few sort of personal details for the investigators, just so I can use them against you when it comes down to it.

Mark:

Okay, then. So I've already got my name.

Stephen:

A specified name, yes. The name is a good starting point for any investigator. It sets the tone. But you can randomly roll it or just call yourself Charles or something.

Mark:

I don't mind randomly rolling a name as well because I quite like John's name and it was randomly rolled. So I'm going to give myself a second option on a name here.

Barry:

My favourite ever character had a randomly generated name.

Mark:

Which one was that?

Barry:

Volts.

Mark:

Volts Steiner.

Stephen:

That sounds like Warhammer.

Barry:

Yeah, is that Warhammer?

Stephen:

It was.

Barry:

Warfuts, yeah.

Mark:

That's a great name, Volts. Yeah, I love it. I remember him.

Stephen:

So, if you want to, we can grab up the table. Have you got it there, John? I'll try and find it.

Mark:

And that was a COVID game, wasn't it? Which, coincidentally, was your only previous experience of Cthulhu.

Barry:

Wasn't it?

Jon:

It was my only previous experience of Cthulhu. Call Cthulhu. It's got tables and tables of sample phobias and manias. All the things are growing, person.

Mark:

Coming my way, I tell you, with my 50 power.

Barry:

Marking crap dice, shocker.

Mark:

It will turn.

Barry:

You're the only person who softens my stance on the good fortune thing because you're terrible.

Mark:

It is. Yeah, exactly. It's happening in real time. You cannot deny it.

Stephen:

Right. So who wants to roll first? So percentile. Are we all men here? There's no men here. Or are we all men here?

Mark:

I am a man, yes.

Stephen:

Okay.

Mark:

So you saw your number. Hello.

Stephen:

Hello.

Mark:

Amos avery you re-roll the surname oh you re-roll the surname otherwise.

Stephen:

You could be a superhero with that sort of.

Mark:

Amos i like.

Barry:

Though and amos lockhart.

Mark:

It's lovely i like it thank.

Barry:

You so much there.

Mark:

We go perfector i'm going to re-roll my name because i quite like rupert west but i'm going to go with a random name you can't have.

Jon:

West that's just.

Mark:

I was going to be a westler but I couldn't fit it in. All right, so it's red.

Jon:

I'm sure there's a hot dog joke there.

Mark:

Sakurai?

Stephen:

Zadok.

Mark:

Zadok.

Jon:

Wow.

Mark:

That's a proper upper class name, isn't it?

Jon:

That's why Zadok.

Stephen:

It's time for tea, Zadok.

Mark:

I'm going to go with Zadok.

Stephen:

Are you?

Mark:

Yes.

Stephen:

Okay, cool.

Mark:

Zadok.

Stephen:

Yeah, go for it.

Mark:

Zad. Zad.

Stephen:

Zad. Zadus. Zadok.

Mark:

Not sad. No, definitely not.

Stephen:

Zad.

Mark:

18.

Stephen:

18 for a surname.

Mark:

Crabtree.

Stephen:

Is that a Crabtree?

Mark:

Sadduck Crabtree. That's who I am now.

Stephen:

Wow, that's a good name.

Barry:

Who is it?

Jon:

Salib. So are your people allowed to use modern technology? Sadduck.

Mark:

Sadduck, yeah.

Stephen:

Definitely sounds like some sort of Mormon.

Mark:

I'm older 99, so I'm up there in the Zeds.

Stephen:

All these bad guys' names are given to the Zed. We've established that.

Jon:

Zeds are X's, isn't it?

Stephen:

Okay, so what else have we got on the couch here?

Jon:

Sad case Crabtree.

Mark:

Your name, John, was?

Jon:

Really? It was Hudson. Hudson Stenberg.

Stephen:

So you can think of a distinct look that sums up your investigator, your appearance. So you can roll something here if you don't have an idea of what your character would look like. You could be rugged, pretty smart, dirty, foul-mouthed, stout. What sort of characters are we here?

Mark:

So I've already got a fair idea of this because my size is 30. I don't want to be short, so I'm going to just be very wiry.

Stephen:

Stocky? Oh, right. Short.

Mark:

Yeah I'm so I'm average height but very wiry yeah my size is small and that makes me quick and agile and yeah I'm, I'm a slippery bastard.

Stephen:

Is there a little personal description thing on there? I'm not sure on the back. I don't know. Yeah.

Barry:

Oh, back.

Stephen:

Yeah, at the back they've got a little back story stuff there.

Jon:

I am absolutely happy to roll all of this stuff because we've got tables there for a reason.

Stephen:

Yeah, there is a list of them here. Give us a second.

Jon:

Oh, there's no rolls.

Barry:

So did you say rugged? Was that an option?

Stephen:

It's plenty of options.

Barry:

Yeah, it's up to you. Well, I think an outdoorsman would be a rugged type.

Stephen:

Rugged sounds about right. Yeah. rugged so you don't you know you don't worry too much about your appearance no you kind of take care as you come, Is that fair?

Barry:

Everything I own is function over form.

Stephen:

Yeah. Okay. So you're more tweed jackets rather than sort of like a suit and boot. Yeah. What sort of description would you say your character was? Similar sort of outdoorsman or does he take more care of himself? Is he hairy? That's one of the descriptors.

Jon:

I wouldn't have thought so. No. He explores jungles and things like that. So if he was hairy initially, he would take steps to not...

Stephen:

He's just saying it sums him up, really, in a way that people could, you know...

Jon:

The first thing that will catch people's notice is he's actually got a few of the local tribal tattoos on him.

Stephen:

Okay, yeah. Tattooed?

Jon:

Yeah, which is going to be unusual.

Stephen:

On his face?

Jon:

Yes.

Stephen:

Okay, so tattooed would be inaccurate.

Jon:

Just a few on the cheek, some of the...

Mark:

Did that hold you down to do that, do you?

Jon:

Nope. No, no.

Stephen:

He's gone right into the local culture.

Jon:

He literally went native a little bit.

Stephen:

Yes.

Jon:

So he speaks the language really well. He's quite immersed in the culture.

Mark:

Well enough to read the words that they've tattooed to your head.

Jon:

It's not words.

Stephen:

It's off a menu for their food.

Jon:

Isn't it? That's when the academic falls asleep.

Stephen:

It's fried rice.

Mark:

Well, he's on the menu. Yeah, exactly.

Stephen:

Fried rice. Wow. Half-right foreigner. Yeah, they're not that. They're not that uncivilized.

Jon:

He just says, leave him till last.

Stephen:

Yeah, so one of us.

Jon:

Tenderize.

Stephen:

Ideology and beliefs is the next thing it recommends. So you can either roll D10 or you can pick something, or you can come up with something completely unique. Things like you believe in a higher power. Or you can not believe in religion. Science has all the answers. Another one. You believe in fate and karma. Roll here. Or you can come up with some sort of ideology for yourself.

Mark:

So I'm going to go with the Z. Sorasterism.

Stephen:

Okay, you'll have to explain what that is.

Mark:

It's just a really old religion.

Stephen:

Did you just make that up?

Mark:

Yeah.

Jon:

No, it's a thing.

Stephen:

Raster.

Mark:

Sorasterism.

Stephen:

Not rasters.

Jon:

Yeah. Slightly less known than Rosicrucians.

Stephen:

Okay, what sort of religion is that? Is that based off a Christianity or something?

Mark:

No, it's completely.

Stephen:

Do you want to.

Jon:

Roll and see what comes up i think i have an idea okay cool um i you just said the science yeah but with a leaning towards kind of obviously with the outdoorsman bit i see him as being like an early environmentalist.

Stephen:

Okay so yeah you're interested in yeah i suppose what sort of science would that be that work could be.

Jon:

Geology or natural sciences yeah.

Stephen:

Yeah okay so you're into natural sciences like the modern day druid john through science.

Jon:

Well he's in his travels he's realized there's more there's just more out there than his, background and everything prepared him for or knew, so he he's willing to experience firsthand the cultures and everything else that So he doesn't, he'll try to assimilate rather than or beat the primitives or anything. They've survived like that for thousands of years. He would like to know how they do it.

Stephen:

So you're open to alternative cultures and religions.

Jon:

That's what he's, yeah. He doesn't necessarily believe.

Stephen:

Is he an atheist, do you think? Or he's just very a passive observer of these things? Or...

Jon:

Unlike me. A recorder. Yeah, he wouldn't actually care.

Stephen:

Yeah, okay.

Jon:

But the police came about for a reason, that the way they deal with injuries, or hunts, it all happens for a reason. They were doing absolutely fine. So, yeah, he's a bit of a people person. Cool.

Stephen:

Yeah, sounds good. Note that down. Are you looking up Zastra's, Mark?

Mark:

Yeah, it is. It's a religion's foundation's maxim. It's good thoughts, good words, good deeds, It's requiring active participation in life through justice, charity, and care for the environment. So he's a good guy. And he would have picked up on this religion himself. It wouldn't have been part of his background. Believes in the supreme creator, God.

Stephen:

Lovely. Yeah, sounds good to me. What's his name?

Mark:

Ura Nasda.

Stephen:

Sounds like a car.

Mark:

It has become a car.

Stephen:

Sorry for any of his asterisks out there.

Mark:

Yeah, which there will be one or two.

Stephen:

And I just put myself on death list.

Mark:

Well, the maxims were kindness.

Stephen:

Yeah, definitely.

Mark:

Religion of peace, apparently.

Stephen:

Right.

Mark:

So we'll, significant people's next. And I think my father would be a significant person in my life because he finances everything I do. So I'm going to have a father who has a name beginning with Z as well, because that's what you do in these Apple Plus Vows, isn't it?

Stephen:

Are you a junior?

Mark:

No, he's not going to be Sadoc. I've decided it's not Sadoc. It's Sadoc.

Stephen:

Sadoc Jr.

Mark:

Yeah. And is there any other names on that chart that begin with a Z?

Stephen:

Yeah, probably.

Mark:

Okay, you haven't got it open. I'm going to go with Zachary then.

Stephen:

Yeah, okay.

Mark:

Zachary Crabtree. That's a tongue twister.

Jon:

Zebediah.

Mark:

Zebediah, I'll go with Zebediah. Is that a Z or an X? Zebediah is a Z.

Stephen:

Well, it could be a Z, I suppose.

Mark:

Zeb.

Stephen:

Zeb. Is that the matriarch?

Mark:

That's the matriarch of the family.

Stephen:

Yeah. Zeb Crabtree.

Mark:

Zeb Crabtree.

Stephen:

He's the one that gives you all your cash.

Mark:

He's yeah he's my credit rate which is, it's like when my awareness and andrews and surrounded by all those rich americans that come over to study up there and all flaunting their money as if it's their own you know and literally it's none of that you didn't earn any of it but you just act like it's all yours that's my character it'd be a bit like that, he doesn't he doesn't realize it's a bit crass he'll be generous with it.

Stephen:

Splash his cash yeah significant people Barry for what's your character's name I should write these down Amos Zadok Amos what's your name John.

Mark:

Sadoc.

Jon:

Hudson named after the river, Yeah, why not?

Barry:

Do you remember Hudson Hawk?

Stephen:

Yeah.

Barry:

He was named off the river.

Mark:

I love that film.

Barry:

No, but the way they timed their heists was by singing a song in unison.

Mark:

Would you like to, sweetie? That's a great film.

Jon:

It was a good film. It was Bruce Willis.

Barry:

It was Bruce Willis, yes.

Stephen:

Superfume.

Jon:

I need to watch that again. I never watched it. I remember seeing the video cover. Yeah. Video. Yeah, I think that's the last time we watched this film.

Stephen:

I don't think I actually... So Amos, then Barry, what would be a significant... Remember this will appear in any sort of haunting dreams or someone that might be kidnapped, you know.

Barry:

He has a twin brother.

Stephen:

Okay.

Barry:

But they're very, very different. His twin brother is literally, so high school education, the same as him, but he's gone into a just factory to work, but he's doing okay. He's like kind of worked himself up to nearly middle management. For me, the whole thing is incredibly boring.

Jon:

So the question is, of the two of you, which one was planned? That's weird.

Barry:

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm going to go with neither.

Jon:

Ah.

Stephen:

Nice. So what's the name of your twin?

Jon:

So it wasn't him. It's what I'm hearing.

Barry:

I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm doing his name. His name is Andy.

Stephen:

Andy Anamos. Nice.

Mark:

You've got the better name.

Barry:

Andy Anamos.

Stephen:

Yours is more biblical.

Barry:

What would it be like to be what would it feel like to be famous and dandy just like amos and andy it's a lyric from the disposable heroes of hypocrisy.

Mark:

Wow good good reference love it.

Barry:

Yeah that's great.

Stephen:

And then, John, who's your significant people that we can use against you at a later date?

Jon:

I don't think he's found a significant other as yet.

Stephen:

As in a partner.

Jon:

But certainly the local people have become very important to him. He's followed a lot of directions and he's become part of it. So he does have a vested interest in them not getting exploited, hunted, shot, yelled at, diseased, those things. So, yeah.

Stephen:

Okay.

Jon:

Not quite a local lad, but he certainly has a soft spot for the people that took him in.

Stephen:

Okay. Are they specific names of these people?

Jon:

I will Google that and get back to you.

Stephen:

Because also, for these significant people, you need to give why they're significant to you. I know some people might have already thought this. Obviously, your brother is quite relevant.

Barry:

Yeah, and can I add something to it as well about that? Because I think this could lead to shenanigans at some point. He's an identical twin.

Stephen:

Yeah, certainly. So which one has turned up?

Jon:

Spare parts.

Stephen:

Which one has turned up?

Mark:

I think Barry's working it out. If he dies, he just has to say it's my twin.

Jon:

I don't mind. Don't you think you've been brought fucking?

Barry:

What is wrong with you, man? And if I would do that, that was going completely unnoticed. If I die, I'm just going to go, here's my brother to avenge my death.

Jon:

That is old school. Old school.

Mark:

It's great. Saves you doing all this again.

Stephen:

And the reveal is there all the time, yes. So, yeah, give a reason for your other. Whether they owe you money, whether your parents, you know, or whether they taught you something, any shared experiences.

Barry:

We are close. Like, just because we're completely different, I want to make it sound like we're all close. And I see me as borrowing money off of him quite regularly.

Stephen:

Note that down.

Barry:

What your relationship is.

Jon:

Oh, yes.

Barry:

Oh, no.

Jon:

Definitely having some of that you should actually get that done for next i said john's looking at tattoos peruvian style tattoos for the show me show me i'm in the.

Stephen:

Market i'm in the.

Jon:

Market so just google peruvian tribal tattoos and your eyes will be rewarded they are never go to south.

Stephen:

America though just just in case you don't know what they was like.

Mark:

So you got one of those on your head.

Jon:

He will i i he would that it would be visible so it'd be like a sleeve but i like the idea there might be some facial stuff just just enough to be scandalous in normal society but yeah, it shows that he's you know done his bits and helped out.

Mark:

Yeah because coming back tattoos at the time on the face particularly would be socially awkward wouldn't.

Jon:

I think, tattoos on the face are still socially awkward. It largely depends what they are, but some of them are nicer than spiderwebs.

Barry:

I'm 100% for your body, your choice, but I'm also allowed to judge you for that little bit. Just that one thing.

Mark:

I don't like it.

Jon:

I like some of the Maori stuff that I have. I think it can look really good.

Barry:

I agree completely. If it's like a cultural tradition, then yeah, fine. But, you know.

Mark:

By Mike Tyson. Didn't he have one? He's still got one.

Jon:

Yeah, totally.

Stephen:

He's probably in prison.

Mark:

Yeah.

Stephen:

To be fair.

Jon:

There's prison. I see this section getting cut.

Barry:

Look, look, look, look. I know we're going really off topic here, but that is a really, really weird change in position. Do you know what Mike Tyson is famous for currently? Do you know what he's doing currently?

Mark:

Eating ears?

Barry:

He's running a fucking cannabis business. Tyson 2.0, so there's a strain. But also, he's like, there's talk of him planning some kind of cannabis resort.

Jon:

It knocks you out, bruv.

Barry:

When I was reading this article, I was like, in my head, I was a bit like, we are talking about the same fucking Mike Tyson and me. Because all of a sudden, he's all like, it's peace and love and chill. And I'm like, you bit of bloke's ear off, bruv.

Stephen:

He definitely needs that spliff, doesn't he, really badly.

Jon:

So anyway, going back on track. yes Peruvian tattoos they are really awesome looking I really like them so my father owes me everything I didn't ask to be born he owes you everything does he know that he owes me everything everything.

Mark:

He's without you know I didn't ask to be here he.

Jon:

Brought me into.

Mark:

This world so he has to provide for.

Stephen:

Me and does he does he do that for you.

Jon:

Yeah is he a willing is he a doting father he's gone the whole way by that logic he would also be justified in terminating you well he sent you on this mission he's got another one, funny enough this is exactly what he's done, he knows this is a Cthulhu one it'll save a few quid once you're dead or it'll either kill you or.

Stephen:

Make you as the.

Jon:

Man make me or break me make you or break you that's.

Stephen:

What this is.

Jon:

Unfortunately they go like that when you're older it's just not the same, get them while you're long young folks I shouldn't say that should I.

Stephen:

Okay, so you've got your personal significance plus the reason, right? It's nice to put anything down for some sort of personal.

Mark:

That's okay.

Stephen:

And treasured. No, is it meaningful locations? Meaningful locations.

Mark:

For me, the university would be Boston. Would it be? That's the...

Stephen:

Well, there's a Miskatonic.

Mark:

Oh, let's go there. That sounds very like Kraftian.

Stephen:

It is.

Jon:

It's about as Lovecraftian as you can get.

Stephen:

I don't think it actually exists. No, okay.

Mark:

I love that one.

Stephen:

The Miskatonic, yeah. I mean, you can do normal subjects there, but all weird things always happen there.

Mark:

No, hold on. No, because I thought this character would have no esoteric knowledge whatsoever.

Stephen:

You can go there without any esoteric knowledge, but yeah, it's not a prerequisite.

Mark:

No, I want to go to a boring university that doesn't have any of that sort of shame.

Stephen:

You can make up a name of it. The General University of Boston, if you like.

Mark:

Yeah, I'll just go to Boston.

Barry:

Right, okay, meaningful locations, I'm good.

Stephen:

Yeah, so what have you picked there, very few meaningful locations? What would that be for you?

Barry:

I have picked Tudley Woods.

Stephen:

Okay, is that in the UK?

Jon:

It has to be.

Barry:

It's a forest in Kent.

Jon:

Nice.

Stephen:

Excellent.

Barry:

It's where he started outdoorsing.

Stephen:

Yeah.

Mark:

So, yeah, educated, but not in any way knowledgeable about the esoteric. I'm the kind of guy that will go into rooms, look at ceilings.

Stephen:

You have no interest in anything laying on the floor.

Mark:

No, I'm literally, I just, I'm a sitting duck. You can take me to the cleaners. That's it.

Stephen:

Okay, cool. John, what's your location? I've got a feeling I'll see where this is going. Is there a spiritual place or something that.

Jon:

You know, for them? No, he would distance himself from it as far as he was concerned, but he respects the beliefs of others. He's probably had more of what we would call a college background rather than a university. So he studied a couple of bits that he was interested in, but it was more about getting there and seeing the things.

Stephen:

Yeah.

Jon:

Which is purely why he's an explorer.

Stephen:

So is there any location that was significant to him on his travels? Doesn't necessarily have to be here.

Jon:

Probably the first time that he got lost in a jungle.

Stephen:

Tudley Woods.

Jon:

We don't talk about Tudley Woods. What happened in Tudley Woods stays in Tudley Woods. It's the dog in Tudley Woods. I think the first time he sort of got lost in a jungle, found some deserted bits of rock that had a desert.

Stephen:

Well, it's the Amazon. It's quite a major jungle in these regions, if it's going to be.

Jon:

Yeah. But he sort of stumbled his way out. He survived it. He got the bug, if you like.

Stephen:

Okay.

Jon:

And that was what set him on just finding these other, or forgotten about places.

Stephen:

His first exploration in the Amazon basin or something like that.

Jon:

Yes.

Stephen:

Yeah. It'd be significant to you. Okay. So, like a jungly environment. So, cool. Now that down.

Jon:

Because jungle survival is his skill it's what we're going to Mount Winston as well yeah.

Barry:

Right, okay, hold on, I'm nearly there for possessions.

Stephen:

Yes, treasured possessions.

Jon:

Got it.

Stephen:

So it could be, you can roll something, if that's all. A mentor from your childhood, a departed person gave you something. A photograph. It's always a good traditional one.

Jon:

Isn't it?

Mark:

Daddy's credit line.

Stephen:

Daddy's what?

Mark:

Daddy's credit line.

Stephen:

So you've got your bank on speed dial. Yeah.

Mark:

Also, I'd have a car, but it wouldn't be here in Peru. I'd have a car.

Stephen:

It's difficult to get anything like that across.

Mark:

It doesn't have to. Say what car it is, does it? Let's just put my car.

Stephen:

Model T Ford. As long as it's black.

Jon:

Oh, yeah. And they only came in black because that was the quickest drying paint.

Stephen:

Yeah. I mean, it's not a lot of automobiles and Model T.

Barry:

Fucking hell, I've stumbled here. Right. Okay, cool.

Jon:

Good stuff.

Barry:

I've got my possession.

Jon:

Sorry. When you guys, when you're done.

Mark:

I've just seen what's on your phone. It looks like a treasured possession.

Barry:

My treasured possession is an original Kephart knife.

Stephen:

Oh.

Barry:

Designed in the early 20th century. so it's air it was basically the first kind of properly functioning outdoors toolsy bushcraft knife.

Mark:

Also good for.

Barry:

Stabbing people and currently today there are only two known remainings one of them's in private hands wow.

Stephen:

There you go is it, your main would you use it as a weapon.

Jon:

I don't know it's it's it's for surviving me i mean if push comes to shove i would use it as a weapon but that's it's not designed to be a weapon you do currently use it yeah yeah absolutely it's always it's always on my waist it's never not on my waist.

Stephen:

Not hidden away.

Mark:

Somewhere so incidentally one of the two remaining knives that people know about these days was found on a dead body in the peruvian pyramid.

Jon:

The dead body of uh sorry what was your occupation again, at the time they would have been and there is no pun intended here at the time they would have been incredibly cutting edge yes like the original swiss army knife yeah.

Stephen:

But just with one knife.

Jon:

Uh john any particular treasure possession that you would have and hold and get lost somewhere I haven't got the details yet, but it would be the first sort of, it might be a bit of rock with a design on it. The first thing he ever found.

Stephen:

Okay.

Jon:

So something from the expedition. No value at all. It was just the thing that sort of set him off. So an old artifact.

Stephen:

Something with a painting on it.

Jon:

About hand side. Maybe something like that or carving. The paint wouldn't have survived.

Stephen:

Okay. What sort of thing would it be? Would it be something recognisable or would it be something Eldritch?

Jon:

Oh, no, no, no.

Stephen:

Nothing of unexplained origin.

Jon:

Just local cultural thing.

Stephen:

Like a meteorite that's fallen down, that's...

Jon:

I'm probably going to have to give this some thought. This is all on the fly at the moment. Yeah, it'll be about hand size, so it'll be something it'll keep in a pouch or pocket.

Stephen:

Something mundane but precious.

Jon:

Yeah, yeah.

Stephen:

Okay, that will remind you of a certain place. Cool.

Jon:

Yeah.

Stephen:

Cool. Traits is another thing that is here, if you wish to… I've already.

Mark:

Written mine down, so I'll read them out. I've got a gambling habit that's led me to be down on my luck right now and caused me to be here to get me out of Boston.

Stephen:

Okay.

Mark:

Well, that's sorted out for me. and I have zero belief in esoteric matters. So everything will be kind of be, I'll be the skeptic of the group without any doubt. I'm also carefree and generous, but then it's easy to be carefree and generous when you're someone else's money. exactly. Yeah. That's me.

Stephen:

Barry, what's your personality traits?

Barry:

I don't know. Let's have a little think.

Stephen:

A little think. What sort of person are you?

Barry:

I mean...

Stephen:

What would trigger you? What would get you going?

Barry:

Well, obviously, the outdoor stuff. I think he would be deeply uncomfortable in urban environments.

Stephen:

Okay.

Barry:

Certainly, he's happiest and he's most carefree when he's sleeping under the stars. Yeah, maybe even quite judgy of people that live in cities.

Stephen:

So you would be down on city folk. You would, you know, so there's a typical, why is this person sort of like traipsing through a jungle with his sort of suit on and a top hat on?

Barry:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, I'm the guide on city slickers.

Stephen:

It's kind of like, yeah, city types are, you know, just stick to the cities. Yeah, it's got its traits, good with animals, I suppose. Would you be good with animals?

Barry:

I like the idea a bit of.

Jon:

Yeah.

Barry:

Yeah, although not so much like, I don't know, is he good with animals? Because you can't really be good with wild animals. He hasn't had experience of livestock. or anything like that.

Jon:

So I suppose he'd be good with domestic.

Stephen:

Do we see animals? Well, animals, I suppose there is sanctuaries and there are that sort of thing around.

Jon:

Okay, so hates the city.

Barry:

Loves animals.

Stephen:

Okay, cool. Something to work on. And then, John, any traits that you think that people should know about?

Mark:

Sir Barry will tame the Jaguar. I will run and hide from the Jaguar and John will be eaten by the Jaguar. I think we've worked this out now.

Stephen:

Well, he'd use his tattoos.

Jon:

A worthy snackrifice.

Stephen:

Are you a ladies man I mean he wouldn't say no but.

Jon:

His occupation does preclude.

Stephen:

Getting involved what would your main personality trait you think would be something that would drive you or even influence some decisions that would be made.

Jon:

He's very interested in the past and sort of bringing that knowledge to light. So it's more of an academic bent, how he goes about doing it. He could be wildly wrong. So he wouldn't publish a paper, but he would absolutely supply evidence for an academic to work from. So that would be more, that actually fits in with the story here.

Stephen:

You think more academic approach to things rather than a physical approach to things.

Jon:

Well, no, he's got the physical approach, but directed by the academics.

Stephen:

So you're more likely to pay attention to someone with authority of knowledge.

Jon:

Yeah.

Stephen:

Then sort of like you wouldn't dismiss anyway. You would go with the science, is it fair to say, or, the accepted knowledge?

Jon:

He would allow the science to analyze things.

Stephen:

Yeah. So I suppose if he's not really believing it, you believe in the science, I suppose. Would that be a personality trait that you would, if science or something tells you that's going to be, it's going to be a fact. So that might be something to drive you. Obviously, you know in Cthulhu, some things aren't explainable, but your character might be quite a brick wall when it comes to that. I don't know. Is that something you would want?

Jon:

Yeah, if it can't be explained, it's just something that hasn't been figured out yet.

Stephen:

So you would do, yeah.

Jon:

Belief and necessarily one day.

Stephen:

So you're quite a believer in the established science. Yeah. Okay.

Jon:

On the basis that if it's wrong, they will study it and figure it out. They don't believe one thing and stick, or they shouldn't. He might butt heads with some of the more dyed-in-the-wool types, but he would love to take one of these stuffy little academics and drag them through the jungle so they can see what they're missing. That's what he's about. So I suppose more of a guide, explorer type.

Stephen:

Yeah okay and note down that on your couch sheet to give you some sort of guidance yeah, Okay, key background connection. It says here, consider your investigator's background and pick one entry that you feel is most important. This is the key connection, the one thing above all else that gives meaning to your life. Mic up with a star or underline it on the investigator's sheet. And this connection can aid in your sanity recovery.

Mark:

So everything we've put down so far.

Stephen:

So something's the most important to you.

Mark:

The most important thing.

Jon:

Where's this? Sorry, I'm sorry.

Stephen:

So on that sheet that you've written all that stuff down.

Jon:

That one.

Stephen:

So far. Yes, I've missed anything here. What else is there?

Mark:

Well, you've got injuries and scars, fogos and malignities, where those come later.

Stephen:

Yeah, that's cool. So yeah, pick one of these and star it. That's your most important feature about yourself. And this can help mechanically.

Jon:

Pick one of what and star it?

Mark:

Anything that you've already put down. Ah, gotcha.

Barry:

One of the ones that we've got.

Jon:

Fertility.

Stephen:

But it's good. Is that your most important position?

Mark:

John, show me vases at the moment.

Stephen:

Yes. We should post these up.

Mark:

Some people should have their phones removed from their hands.

Jon:

Pre-Columbian art.

Stephen:

So yeah, if you, um, all the traits, the star, one of the ones we've just done, and then that'll be your most important connection. And your most important connection, if you go insane, end up in a mental asylum, you can draw on this to regain sanity points or even just recover from sanity.

Mark:

I'm not going to be shallow enough.

Barry:

Then I should make it my brother.

Mark:

I'm not going to be shallow enough to put my daddy's credit line down as my key possession. I'm going to put down my father himself.

Stephen:

Is that your key? That's the most important thing.

Barry:

Provided he brings his wallet.

Jon:

Okay, I've no idea what that is. That's the first thing you found.

Stephen:

That looks good.

Barry:

So we're just starring one of the ideology.

Jon:

Belief, significant people.

Mark:

And what does that describe us, Tim?

Stephen:

Your key connection.

Jon:

It looks like a very small, it might be a rock. I can't see the rest of the picture. it might be the tiniest stone vial, with symbolised sun, moon and stars on it and what might be an equator line.

Stephen:

Take these six planets just for looking at that.

Jon:

I just like that, that's quirky.

Stephen:

That's the opposite, that's something that calms and suits you.

Jon:

I've just seen it was on Etsy, so sort of, but it still fits.

Mark:

Did you find that here in Peru or is it something that's got you interested in Peru from previous.

Jon:

Yeah, it would have been the first thing on his first ever expedition. Yeah. Again, he got lost in the jungle. He made his way out, but he found that while he was stumbling around. Yeah.

Mark:

That's a perfect plot tool for Stephen, isn't it? That's something like that.

Stephen:

Yeah, that's good.

Mark:

Yeah.

Jon:

Perfect.

Mark:

Don't give John plot tools for the advice I'm on.

Stephen:

It's his own plot tool. He made it up himself. Sure, he can't ignore it. It's not possible.

Jon:

I'm so glad you said that.

Stephen:

Yeah it was some meteorite from.

Jon:

Eldritch God it's a Quero Q-E-R-O hand-carved stone artifact from Peru often used as a shamanic energy tool there we go they are similar items are sold as chumpi cures, which are ceremonial stones used by Andean shamans I like that that is definitely I mean that would appeal to me so, as on his player.

Stephen:

That's what he gets well next thing to do is equip yourself pretty much and your cash and assets basically you can get some equipment which comes.

Mark:

First cash and assets or do we equip.

Stephen:

Ourselves yeah cash and assets we have.

Mark:

Money to spend rather than just.

Stephen:

Yeah there are but i'm not too fussed about being too strict with money it's a matter of just don't don't be carrying huge amounts of weird as long as.

Mark:

I've got more than everybody.

Stephen:

Else i'm sure you will what's your credit rating then mark we'll see what you've got it is your average aren't you Well.

Mark:

It was maximum I could have had as an archaeologist. Yeah, so as an archaeologist.

Stephen:

You have average. You're not considered wealthy as yet.

Mark:

No, he's denying my full inheritance.

Stephen:

So if you have zero, you're penniless. You've got nine, zero to nine, you're poor. Zero to 49, you're average. 50 to 89, you're wealthy. It's like, I'm just telling you.

Mark:

I'm average then.

Stephen:

Yeah, you give credit rating, which is one of your skills.

Mark:

So where did you put the average? Was that just your talent?

Stephen:

Yeah, it's just me telling you what sort of character. If you've got above 50, you're considered wealthy.

Mark:

Okay.

Stephen:

Yeah, I mean, don't worry about too much.

Barry:

Oh, so that should have ended.

Stephen:

And then 99, you're kind of super rich.

Mark:

I'm kicking myself with my gambling habit because otherwise I should have had more.

Jon:

Can you go through that again for me.

Barry:

Stephen, just because I was writing stuff down?

Stephen:

Absolutely.

Barry:

I've got a credit rating of 10.

Stephen:

Okay, so you're not quite poor, but you're just a step above poor. Because you have a nine, it means you're poor. So you are on the breadline pretty much.

Barry:

So my spending level would be?

Stephen:

Let me just have a look at exactly what that is.

Jon:

I didn't put anything in credit rating.

Stephen:

Everyone's got average or you need to put something in credit rating there's a minimum you had to put into it.

Barry:

Which was 10 wasn't.

Stephen:

It for an explorer you'd have to look in the book you had to put at least 10 in the moment yeah make sure you.

Barry:

Take it off where you put it.

Stephen:

Before you cheat I didn't realise it was a man I.

Mark:

Actually went either but I just wear maximum anyway.

Jon:

He's been living like a savage. He doesn't need a credit rating.

Mark:

A lot of the possessions that we'd need for this kind of thing would be provided by our employer, wouldn't they? He's not going to ask us to do more intents.

Stephen:

Yeah, I mean, it's not necessarily you'd bring all the stuff for an expedition on with you. You'd bring your personal effects, really, or any personal weapons you wanted.

Jon:

Maybe they meet him in Peru rather than have him make his way back.

Stephen:

Yeah, I mean, you would probably have been in Peru. Yeah, exactly. You would just come to Lima. which you would probably maybe have just been travelling around the Amazon basin or something like that. Let me just find the investigator's handbook then unless you want to look it up and you can find it. Yeah so you're all to your credit rating basically so you need to put the minimum amount in. So if it says 10 to 50 you need at least 10.

Mark:

Can I have a pith helmet?

Stephen:

Pith helmet you can have yeah yeah absolutely. Okay for people with average is that everyone I'm assuming is going to have average. You cash you have I would have credit rating multiplied by two in ready cash.

Barry:

So I would have 20 in cash.

Stephen:

Yeah. So that's dollars. So your cash, what you got in your pocket would be your credit rating times two.

Barry:

I think it's fair to say that I don't have any assets.

Stephen:

Yeah, you don't have to have any assets, but it says a credit rating times 50 would be assets as an average person if you wanted to.

Mark:

Oh, nice. That's 2,000.

Stephen:

That's what you could draw on. But in this game, a lot of things are done are a role of credit rating.

Jon:

Oh, yeah, 55.

Stephen:

If it really matters, you'd make a credit rating roll to buy something expensive. Otherwise, your general day-to-day buying is just covered. It's not really... You don't have to worry about knocking out cash.

Barry:

It's significant.

Jon:

A lot plot movement purchases yeah you know you're not you're not worried about how many bottles john's character now no that's all that's all covered yeah we're not worried about my new show of money is if you need something you want something quickly and large like a truck or something someone wants to buy it.

Stephen:

Someone makes a credit rating roll that sort of thing.

Mark:

I think john needs to deconstruct his.

Jon:

Character minimum credit rate in 55 ah yeah i'm assuming that means like a full expedition that's not what he's doing what is the explorer yeah that's.

Stephen:

What you needed 55 in it yeah minimum.

Jon:

Didn't get it because daddy.

Mark:

Paid for it did you yeah.

Barry:

Does that mean you've got to fucking extract 55 worth of points from all the things that you've already done, John, in this game that you've played before multiple times?

Jon:

Yes, that is the case. Didn't have pre-done credit ratings before. It used to be a basic, and then you'd get a few points.

Barry:

What, you mean they changed it without consulting you?

Stephen:

I know, it's terrible. To be fair, I did say it a few times.

Jon:

I've been there since the beginning, Danny. I played it before it was an edition.

Stephen:

I think there's an equipment list somewhere if you want to pick a gun and stuff like that.

Mark:

Picking a gun is quite a serious thing because they all do different damage, don't they? It's not a revolver.

Barry:

I'm assuming I can automatically put my prized possession, the Kephart knife.

Stephen:

Yes, absolutely. You can have that, yes. I want that in there. And anything, you just equip your character. If you want to look at the equipment list, do so, or anything you think your personal thing. You'd probably be travelling here lightish because you're having to get to Peru, Lima.

Barry:

Do we think I'd be allowed to take my rifle with me?

Stephen:

Yeah, if you have licenses, you can take the rifle.

Barry:

Okay, so my rifle's with me.

Stephen:

You'd be a licensed hunter.

Barry:

Now I've got to fucking Google.

Stephen:

It would have to be packed up away. But yeah, find out what particular rifle you'd like the sound of.

Barry:

Where do you think the equipment lift is?

Stephen:

I believe it is in there. Let me...

Jon:

I'll look at the contents.

Barry:

Yeah. I'll do it the old-fashioned. I do like lifting for a book, though.

Jon:

Nerd.

Mark:

Nylon swim trunks. Seriously.

Stephen:

And a 25-meter badge.

Mark:

I've got the swimming skills.

Barry:

We need the weapons table for the weapons.

Stephen:

I think, yeah. I think it's further along.

Barry:

250 to 255.

Stephen:

Yeah, there's a separate weapons table. Also, make sure it's a 1920s weapon.

Jon:

That's exactly what, yes.

Stephen:

Because otherwise you end up AK-47s.

Barry:

I would like you to introduce my friend Glock.

Stephen:

So far more 1920s, please.

Mark:

I go something automatic with my revolver, something sort of medium size, maybe a 3.8.

Stephen:

Yeah, that's the general choices we could do. Something lighter that fires more, something heavier that fires less.

Barry:

Oh, so are we going to have to stat up my knife, aren't we? We're going to have to give it...

Stephen:

I think knives are what they do, D4 or something. That makes it... Obviously, the next category up would be doing a D8 damage, which makes it more of a sword.

Barry:

Well, yeah, the large knife machete, which is not beyond the realms of me having, but I like the idea of having the Kephart.

Stephen:

Which is actually true to form and famous in its time. There you go. And what needs you to get that? Get one.

Jon:

Credit rate is 56, and I've butchered my main skills.

Stephen:

Okay, then you're considered as wealthy.

Jon:

Rifle. Yeah.

Stephen:

I think, Spro, I suppose you have to have means to travel. I mean, it's not cheap. You'd have to, you're funding yourself, so you have to get around the globe. And that's a lot of travel. Yes, I suppose it makes it... I mean, if you think that a lot of your wealth has been expended, I'll let you reduce it. I mean, that's just a guideline.

Jon:

Oh, now he says it. After I've fucking wiped out.

Stephen:

Yeah.

Jon:

Can I have this?

Stephen:

Well, keep it then. You are still affluent.

Jon:

I can always go home, I suppose.

Stephen:

Exactly. Otherwise, you could... Yeah, it's true.

Barry:

Oh, my God. Right, okay. Can I run this by you, Stephen?

Stephen:

I wouldn't suggest you change it by March, but you could be unwealthy.

Barry:

Stephen, any rifle I want as long as it's 1920s.

Stephen:

Any what? Sorry, rifle.

Barry:

Any rifle I want as long as it's 1920s. Okay, I'm having that. Just because, listen to the name of this, it's the... 0.45 Martini Henry.

Stephen:

I love it. I'm not dealing with it.

Barry:

That's the greatest name. What's your name, mate? Martini.

Stephen:

Martini Henry.

Jon:

Anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

Barry:

Yeah, you fucking know it.

Jon:

You've got to be a certain age to get that reference.

Mark:

I just realized we haven't done Dodge yet. Yeah.

Barry:

What's all this Wii.

Jon:

White man? Yeah, I have my Dodge is 65.

Mark:

Oh, it's one of the skills. It just translates straight over into the combat box. That is it.

Stephen:

That's the one.

Mark:

Yeah, got it.

Jon:

But you add your points from...

Barry:

Okay, so I am having a...

Stephen:

To get a hold of a... Plus the points you spent on that. Maximum 75. Yeah. Four, five, Martini. Okay, the Martini Henry is a famous lever-operated dropping block breach loading rifle.

Barry:

Yeah, I know that.

Stephen:

Oh, good. That was standard service firearm for the British Army. So it's a British Army service weapon.

Barry:

So that's... I could have very easily fucking got hold of one of them.

Stephen:

It's quite a few of those around. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Barry:

And have you seen it? It does 1D8 plus 1D6 plus three.

Stephen:

It fires a massive black powder cartridge.

Jon:

It's funny as well, though, isn't it? Because it's still a big game.

Barry:

Well, again, the outdoors, the e-hunts, the air. I'm just sort of remembering back to my first ever character creation and writing down something like 1D6 plus 1D6 plus three would have been like, this is a completely different language. What the fuck? Now I'm just casually like.

Jon:

Yeah, I know.

Stephen:

It's code for you can blow people's heads off.

Mark:

You're no longer the novice of RPG blokes.

Barry:

Well, I'm still the novice compared to you guys. I mean, it's all relative, isn't it?

Mark:

But after six, has it been six years now?

Barry:

I came to the club in 2019.

Mark:

Yeah, so seven years.

Barry:

I had been at the club, I think, about six or seven months before the first lockdown.

Mark:

Hmm. Yeah. So, yeah.

Barry:

Yeah.

Mark:

It's been a while, isn't it? So now you're pro now without any doubt.

Barry:

Seems like longer, bruv. Seems like longer. So I think that's all he's got.

Jon:

Apart from his clothes.

Stephen:

Yeah.

Jon:

A knife, a gun.

Barry:

And $20.

Stephen:

Absolutely.

Barry:

What else do you need?

Stephen:

Absolutely nothing. A knife, a gun, yeah. Knife. And some clothes. Just basic equipment. What sort of, how are you dressed? Yeah, I mean, maybe you think about what you look like.

Barry:

Well, that would be covered by the rugged, wouldn't it?

Stephen:

Yeah, I mean, so you have rugged, outdoorsy clothes.

Barry:

Doorsy clothes.

Stephen:

So nothing suit, nothing posh.

Barry:

Let's see what that looks like.

Stephen:

It matters how you appear to people. I mean, the suits and hats are a general trend in the 1920s.

Jon:

Very much so, I think.

Mark:

Yeah. Well, good then, Stephen. You want to talk it out and finish it off for us?

Stephen:

Yeah. That's the end of the character gen. I hope everyone's happy with their characters.

Barry:

Everyone is at muck.

Mark:

If I don't look at my stats.

Jon:

I'm really happy with the character.

Mark:

He's a decent guy. Yeah. He's just...

Stephen:

I think the stats and the shortcomings of characters make a character. and so you concentrate on these sort of things and it'll be brought to the fore, when we actually start the session one for the first time, yes.

Jon:

It is more role-play heavy, isn't it?

Stephen:

Yes, the stats aren't as important, but we all laugh at you when you fail.

Jon:

Endpoint.

Mark:

The thing is, having bad stats makes me think about survival more. I'm not going to be quite so confident and gung-ho, so that, you know, you could balance out. That's about this game. He's a survivor.

Stephen:

Yeah, so next session we'll enter into the produce for Master of Nyrethrotep and the Peru Rolog and we head over to Lima South America sorry I've just come back to another fast show sketch the unpronounceable, exactly yeah there'll be plenty of that the Master of Nigel and they were.

Jon:

Very very drunk.

Stephen:

Yeah it's a different one Nyrethrotep Nigel the Master of Nigel making plans it doesn't matter who he is you don't know who he is it's you know it doesn't matter you won't know it's.

Mark:

A great unknown.

Stephen:

Yes indeed oh okay yes well thank you and we'll catch you next time.

Mark:

See you next time guys thank.

Stephen:

You bye.

Head Shot

Mark (Wēland)

Host
Head Shot

Barry (Silas)

Co-host
Head Shot

Jon (Facthunt)

Co-host
Head Shot

Stephen (Dorian)

Co-host
Head Shot

Dawn (Elspeth)

Producer

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