CthulhuTech!

[SkyLion]

Hey all!

Allistaire talking about awesome Sci-Fi rpgs in another thread reminded me that I should share my new passion, CthulhuTech!

It's a fusion of anime tropes with the classic Cthulhu mythos, modified of course by the author's own artistic license and given a typicly more gritty and real tone than alot of anime.

The Migou are a race of alien fungoid/insect/crustaceans from Yuggoth (Pluto) who, after failing to wipe out humanity with their race of cloned/memory implanted soldiers, have invaded the planet in their own right. Humanity faces a three front war between the aliens, the Esoteric Order of Dagon, which is now an army scouring the seas for lost R'lyeh, and the Disciples of the Unnameable, the servants of the Old One Hastur. Meanwhile various cults threaten the New Earth Government from within.

That's the briefest way to say it. Character types range from Soldiers and Mech Pilots to Arcane Investigators, Men in Black and Occult Scholars. Character can be sorcerers but its not DnD wizard style. Magick in the game takes the form of rituals which take hours or days to perform and often require more "juice" than the caster has, necessitating acolytes. There are also Guyver like characters figting a shadow war or you can choose to play a para-psychic, which at the high end of power (either with xp or by starting off as a mad out of control "Zoner") are at an Akira like level of ability. Lastly are Evangelion like Engels, who are essentially monstrous like cyborgs encased in armor both to hide what they truly are and to keep them from going Berserk when their pilots are knocked unconsious.

In fact the game can be seen as an ingenious mashup between Robotech, Evangelion, Guyver, Akira and the Cthulhu Mythos.

Anyways, I really dig it, and thought you might too! Check it out:

www.cthulhutech.com

[Sprocket]

Re: CthulhuTech-

Well, I've looked over the core book several times, and I have to admit that it's one heck of a radical take on the Cthulhu Mythos. The effort they put into it - game mechanics, plausible setting details, even the artwork - was all first-rate from what I've seen & heard from friends who've actually played it.

That said, I don't think that I'll ever play it myself - CoC's themes always rubbed me the wrong way for some reason, & I had a similar reaction to those found in CthulhuTech. But I bet that there will be many more WoD angst-junkies chomping at the bit to play something so utterly doom-laden. ::sly

[BertJammin]

Re: CthulhuTech-

Well, I've looked over the core book several times, and I have to admit that it's one heck of a radical take on the Cthulhu Mythos. The effort they put into it - game mechanics, plausible setting details, even the artwork - was all first-rate from what I've seen & heard from friends who've actually played it.

Ditto.

I've always fancied a go but Dark Heresy came out at about the same time (20 years of waiting for a Wrhammer 40K rpg finally paid off) and I went for that instead.

[SkyLion]

Actually you aren't copmpletely correct there. CTech is NOT CoC. It is a fusion of mythos but also of anime...so rather than being doomed like in CoC, the humans now have access to Mecha, Magic and psychic powers...we have a fighting chance against the Darkness. I'd encourage you to take a second look.

[Rorx]

So Sky when are you going to start running some here for us? ::biggrin

[SkyLion]

This isn't really the site for it. if you want Cthulhutech games just come on over to the cthulhutech.com website and check out the forums. There are currently 7 PbP games going on or in the process of starting up and I am in al but one of them. I also happen to be one of the site's admins. ::biggrin There is also a PbP game going on over at Giantitp.com's forums. And I just started up with a Ctech tabletop game this evening over in Berkeley! ::happy

To be honest I am not much of an ST period...although I did recently come up with an adventure of evil genius for another ST. I might be able to run it actually...it's funny how inspiration can just come out of nowhere when you get less than 3 hours of sleep and then go work an 8 hour shift of manual labor!

But I digress...are you seriously asking?

[Sprocket]

Actually you aren't copmpletely correct there. CTech is NOT CoC. It is a fusion of mythos but also of anime...so rather than being doomed like in CoC, the humans now have access to Mecha, Magic and psychic powers...we have a fighting chance against the Darkness. I'd encourage you to take a second look.

I hadn't ignored the anime influence, esp. since it's what drew my attention to CthulhuTech in the first place. That said, I've also lurked on several gaming boards where the game was being discussed, & must counter your optimistic take on it. IIRC, one of the writers said that instead of it being a game where human victory was an actual goal, it was more of an Alamo situation (with the human race as the Alamo defenders).

Basically AFAICT humanity is still doomed in the game. It's just that they can now go out fighting instead of cowering helplessly en masse before the Mythos creatures. Sorry, but neither of those options are my cup of tea. ::wink

[SkyLion]

Fair enough. Though in all fairness, you and your gaming group are free to ignore metaplot and play how you will. It's just like an Abby group saying eff Divis Mal and and the Abby War...we're going to make this world a better place by god!

[Captether]

I have played a bit in this setting, and I enjoyed it. The system is simple, and becomes intuitive very quickly. However, some advice based on my experiences:

Mood: This is a bit trickier than in standard Cthulhu. All of the tech and the min/max potential in the game tends to breed a feeling of comfidence that cannot go unpunished. Be ready to demoralize over-confident PC's.

Tagers: These are "humans" who have bonded with an extradimensional symbiote. Comparing them to Venoms symbiotic suit is a good start, but PCs tend to think of the cool powers, forgetting that venom was a tragedy. These things burrow into its hosts flesh, mind and spirit, whispering blasphemy and sharing alien dreams. Make PCs suffer from their choice.

Engels: The bad-ass mecha of the setting. Like Tagers, these things are alien things bonded with a human pilot. These things are horrifically evil however, and wanting to lay waste to everything around them. Kind of like a malformed Star Spawn on a leash. And the PC is the leash...

Human society is awful: The wartime situation of the world, and the presence of terrible alien entities has allowed governmental bodies absolute power over the populace, a power than is regularly abused. Grind home the oppresive, 1984-esq feel of the "human" world. No phone call, taxi ride, grandfather clock or mistress can be trusted. All will betray you in the end.

Wartime Civilization: As the world is under seige, society acts out. Alcoholism, drug addiction, violence and deviant sex clubs as well as suicide and cult activity are all widespread beneath a thin layer of bright lights, music and a powerful propaganda machine. And dont be afraid to yank away ammenities and personal rights at any time in the game, as communication and food/water/military/energy resources might be diverted to some degree at any time.

[metaphysician]

OTOH, its worth remembering that the setting is grim, and yet has a note of optimism to it. Humanity is in deep deep shit, but its not helpless. Society is extremely authoritarian, but for a good reason ( war with multiple cosmic horrors ), and generally not corrupt. The alien entities you've bonded with might eventually drive you insane, or they might not. . . and regardless in the meantime, you can do legitimate good with them.

And ultimately, humanity's fate is *not* sealed. While the odds are long and the war will be hard, it *is* possible for humanity to come through the other end victorious. And even if we lose? We're gonna bleed our foes so badly that they won't be able to tell victory from defeat for a long, long time.

[Captether]

OTOH, its worth remembering that the setting is grim, and yet has a note of optimism to it. Humanity is in deep deep shit, but its not helpless. Society is extremely authoritarian, but for a good reason ( war with multiple cosmic horrors ), and generally not corrupt. The alien entities you've bonded with might eventually drive you insane, or they might not. . . and regardless in the meantime, you can do legitimate good with them.

And ultimately, humanity's fate is *not* sealed. While the odds are long and the war will be hard, it *is* possible for humanity to come through the other end victorious. And even if we lose? We're gonna bleed our foes so badly that they won't be able to tell victory from defeat for a long, long time.

Thats what they want you to believe...

To me, the horror aspect of the game is not the inhuman monsters, but that the "good guys" are turning into monsters just to fight them. Any society that uses mythos magic is doomed to degenerate into the worst sorts of madness. Yes, mankind may technically survive, but I can easily see them becoming just as awful as the monsters by the end. Maybe not even knowing it.

Even passing encounters with monsters and magic should leave PCs touched with the strangeness of it all, regardless of game mechanics. Subtle paranoia should be instilled with one-on-one side sessions being common. Even "beneficial" magic and magitech should have this effect.

Youve got to be a real sadist of a GM to pull this off. Exploiting personal fears and discomforts of PLAYERS is advised.

Setting Thoughts (Cause its what I do)

The Good Ship Appuhon: I thought it would be neat to base a campaign in the Cthulhutech seting on a seagoing vessel patrolling the seas of Earth. A small squad of aquatic Engels would be onboard. Primary foes would be Deep Ones and related critters.