The Cthonian stars
- Thread starter soloprobe
- Start date
Peter Schutze
SOC-12
I only know whats been in the Signs and Portents mongoose mag
Impression I got was that its a single (Sol ?) System horror heavy, Sci Fi light game
Impression I got was that its a single (Sol ?) System horror heavy, Sci Fi light game
Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
Sounds promising. Keep us informed.
Gray Lensman
SOC-13
try going to mongoosepublishing.com and looking it up
Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
I did before I responded (there's a lesson for you, here), and nothing. I did, however, find this: http://www.cthulhutech.com/
and this: http://chthonianstars.com/index.html
Thoth's thought of the day: The world is full of problem finders, be a problem solver.
So again, Sounds promising. Keep us informed.
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Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
Sadly, I've heard this all before. Why do you believe that is, soloprobe? I'm curious for I have never played CoC, but have always wondered if it - the concept - could be mixed with other games.
The basic concept of CoC is that there are the "Great Old Ones," evil transdimensional entities, who have cults wanting to bring them to destroy the world and working to that end, and PC's trying to stop them. The non-human minions and artifacts rob humans of sanity; cultists tend to be dangerously insane, and eventually, so also those who try to stop them.
And it's already been done once... GW did the 40K universe with many of the tropes of both Traveller and CoC.
MongooseFordy
SOC-9
Previews are here: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/sp81.pdf page 48
here: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/sp82.pdf page 34
and here: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/sp85.pdf page 22
here: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/sp82.pdf page 34
and here: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/sp85.pdf page 22
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As someone who does routinely mix Lovecraft with Traveller...I really am looking forward to this setting.
However, it can be done right, for instance substituting the Ancients for the Great Old Ones - as a racial memory - as psionic imprintur across the millennium that is perpetuated by memes. Over time, these get distorted into classic Good/Evil divides till we arrive at the Milieu in Traveller that you call home.
Therefore, these become Monsters of the ID that may actually have their physical presence with the advancement of science - through the creation of artificial life or terrible constructions (ie the creation of bioweapon that is taken the genetic characteristics of thousands of lifeforms across chartered space or a runaway mini singularity). While these scientists are not sorcerers (although a more primitive culture would perceive them as such) and are not mad/insane in the conventional sense but certainly are breaking the frontiers of normality.
Add to that all the nastiness that universe constantly creates whether it be child slavery to serial killers. Those people may be cured in the ZC but not the Imperium. Some might be even found among the Nobility or CEOs or the Megacorporations - imagine what all that power and resources can do - to people who are not accountable to anyone.
Then there is just the plain weirdness that is already out there. We cannot judge Chartered Space from the vantage point of 21st Century Terra. Interaction with alien species, environments is going to create lots of weird new things.
Then there is that abandoned mining colony on the outer fringes of the system. When the players arrive. There is blood everywhere smeared on the wall, garbled messages in the log. Exploration of the mine reveals a fresh tunnel leading down away from the ore's vein.
All this is classic Traveller scenarios or Cthulhu take your pick. Convinced, you [FONT=arial,helvetica]aramis? Take another look.
Also, a great resource for Cthulhu/Traveller crossover with appropriate serial numbers filed off or changed (as there is a wealth of scenarios) is the website for Cthulhu Rising (http://www.cthulhurising.co.uk/downloads.php)
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However, it can be done right, for instance substituting the Ancients for the Great Old Ones - as a racial memory - as psionic imprintur across the millennium that is perpetuated by memes. Over time, these get distorted into classic Good/Evil divides till we arrive at the Milieu in Traveller that you call home.
Therefore, these become Monsters of the ID that may actually have their physical presence with the advancement of science - through the creation of artificial life or terrible constructions (ie the creation of bioweapon that is taken the genetic characteristics of thousands of lifeforms across chartered space or a runaway mini singularity). While these scientists are not sorcerers (although a more primitive culture would perceive them as such) and are not mad/insane in the conventional sense but certainly are breaking the frontiers of normality.
Add to that all the nastiness that universe constantly creates whether it be child slavery to serial killers. Those people may be cured in the ZC but not the Imperium. Some might be even found among the Nobility or CEOs or the Megacorporations - imagine what all that power and resources can do - to people who are not accountable to anyone.
Then there is just the plain weirdness that is already out there. We cannot judge Chartered Space from the vantage point of 21st Century Terra. Interaction with alien species, environments is going to create lots of weird new things.
Then there is that abandoned mining colony on the outer fringes of the system. When the players arrive. There is blood everywhere smeared on the wall, garbled messages in the log. Exploration of the mine reveals a fresh tunnel leading down away from the ore's vein.
All this is classic Traveller scenarios or Cthulhu take your pick. Convinced, you [FONT=arial,helvetica]aramis? Take another look.
Also, a great resource for Cthulhu/Traveller crossover with appropriate serial numbers filed off or changed (as there is a wealth of scenarios) is the website for Cthulhu Rising (http://www.cthulhurising.co.uk/downloads.php)
.
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Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
Excellent, MongooseFordy! Nice detective work for it appears that Mongoose on the search spells it chth...; whereas, Signs and Portents spell it cth... . Mystery solved.
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Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
Nice. I am interested in trying the mix. My gaming group will love this.
Some things you'll need to remember:
.....If it shambles, it will wreck a starship- regardless of tonnage . The Great Old ones, and their cultists tend to go through player characters like peanuts. In Coc the G.M. warned us not to become attached to our characters, Great oldones aside there's so much that can kill them .
.....If it shambles, it will wreck a starship- regardless of tonnage . The Great Old ones, and their cultists tend to go through player characters like peanuts. In Coc the G.M. warned us not to become attached to our characters, Great oldones aside there's so much that can kill them .
There looks to be much that is good with this setting. I'm looking forward to the near-future bits, the tech, and the new chargen options.
The Lovecraft bits? Not so much. Never been a big fan of that setting for games. To read, it's OK. In games though, the whole inevitable "going insane" thing isn't much fun.
The Lovecraft bits? Not so much. Never been a big fan of that setting for games. To read, it's OK. In games though, the whole inevitable "going insane" thing isn't much fun.
The question remains in CS...if RNA memory transfer can prevent the insanity or only act as a vector for the infection. Another creative way to explore the SANity mechanic is to equate with morality/remorse.
It has been a staple of SF literature that people are generally virtuous and good. But, over time, they become more jaded and less moral. So one could start they CS in a virtuous universe - say like Terradyne then descend to something like 2300AD moving down to 2300AD Cyberpunk then before the horror of CS. This progression could be a Campaign arc.
For as Lovecraft foreshadowed we live in a world beyond simplistic notions of Good & Evil - that is when the Great Old Ones would arise - what he neglected was that humanity was rapidly moving toward becoming one with the GOO. And, in our bureaucratic, corporate, homogeneous Future...that is one possibly to view the End of History paralleling the End Times.
My reading of CS work, so far, is just that weird sh*t is beginning to happen in the Solar System. How far you want to delve into the weirdness is voluntary which is why I prefer to keep the Mythos as Monsters of the ID.
Gray Lensman
SOC-13
A quote from thoth-amon's own post: BOLD EMPHASIS MINE
Thoth's thought of the day: The world is full of problem finders, be a problem solver.
(allthough I will admit that my own search turned up zip, maybe it's because I take the time to actually look at every issue of S&P)
A Lovecraftian Sci-Fi Setting For Traveller
Coming in Summer 2010
Designed by WildFire
www.wildfirellc.com
Published by Mongoose
www.mongoosepublishing.com
Thoth's thought of the day: The world is full of problem finders, be a problem solver.
(allthough I will admit that my own search turned up zip, maybe it's because I take the time to actually look at every issue of S&P)
A Lovecraftian Sci-Fi Setting For Traveller
Coming in Summer 2010
Designed by WildFire
www.wildfirellc.com
Published by Mongoose
www.mongoosepublishing.com
Chthonian Stars is a trademark of WildFire LLC.
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Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
Tell us more. I'd love to read about said adventure, soloprobe.
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