Pirates and Cthulhu: A Good Mix?

[Setherick]

Another possible setting would be T. Jeff's illegal war against the Barbary Pirates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War

[Kroack]

I think that the pirate theme would be great for sandbox type game play.

[ArtfulShrapnel]

I've done some digging around on Wikipedia. Here's some thoughts.

Quest Line
- Sail the old Pirate Rounds to Ponape. Speak with [local mystic] and get directions.
- Learn from [local mystic] that R'lyeh is not just lost, but deep underwater.
- Steal the experimental Diving Engine from the English inventor, John Lethbridge.
- Sail to Point Nemo, a.k.a the Pole of Inaccessibility.
- Descend to R'lyeh using the Diving Engine.
- Find R'lyeh's treasure. (re: roll SAN loss)

Another take on the quest for a more "mystical" feel. Complete with cults and the writings of a mad arab.

...
- Learn from [local mystic] that R'lyeh is not only lost, but is sunken and rises to the surface only when the stars are right. Supposedly a school of Arabic astrologers know when that might be.
- Sail to the port of Doha in Quatar, where the Cult of the Burning Eye are known to traffic in stolen artifacts.
- Somehow acquire the secret mad writings of Ali ibn Ridwan from the cult, which contain the star charts and diagrams which came to him in dreams while the Burning Eye (now known as Supernova SN1006) burned in the sky for three lunar cycles during the summer of 1006 A.D.
- Decipher the diagrams somehow, perhaps visiting chinese or british astronomers.
- Sail to Point Nemo A.K.A. the Pole of Inaccessibility on the proper date (which is of course reasonably close at hand)
- Discover R'lyeh as it rises from the ocean, hilarity and SAN checks ensue.

[Kroack]

what would the motivation of the pirates be?

[Dogfish]

Gold no doubt Kroack. I just feel that the game as presented is bit weak because it immediately gives players knowledge that they may have gathered via simple osmosis of being near Call of Cthulhu book or RPG.

You mention these specifics to people and they may get giddy but if you have even a slightly survival minded player (and god forbid character) the whole thing falls about your ankles.

[Setherick]

I've done some digging around on Wikipedia. Here's some thoughts.

Quest Line
- Sail the old Pirate Rounds to Ponape. Speak with [local mystic] and get directions.
- Learn from [local mystic] that R'lyeh is not just lost, but deep underwater.
- Steal the experimental Diving Engine from the English inventor, John Lethbridge.
- Sail to Point Nemo, a.k.a the Pole of Inaccessibility.
- Descend to R'lyeh using the Diving Engine.
- Find R'lyeh's treasure. (re: roll SAN loss)

Another take on the quest for a more "mystical" feel. Complete with cults and the writings of a mad arab.

...
- Learn from [local mystic] that R'lyeh is not only lost, but is sunken and rises to the surface only when the stars are right. Supposedly a school of Arabic astrologers know when that might be.
- Sail to the port of Doha in Quatar, where the Cult of the Burning Eye are known to traffic in stolen artifacts.
- Somehow acquire the secret mad writings of Ali ibn Ridwan from the cult, which contain the star charts and diagrams which came to him in dreams while the Burning Eye (now known as Supernova SN1006) burned in the sky for three lunar cycles during the summer of 1006 A.D.
- Decipher the diagrams somehow, perhaps visiting KIDNAPPINGchinese or british astronomers.
- Sail to Point Nemo A.K.A. the Pole of Inaccessibility on the proper date (which is of course reasonably close at hand)
- Discover R'lyeh as it rises from the ocean, hilarity and SAN checks ensue.

One minor fix.

[Tadanori Oyama]

Good fix, dude.

I'd encourage the players to think as pirate-like as possible because it'll make them feel more confident and bold with each wench they kidnap or ship they board until they get to the big finish.

I may try running this. My players have wanted to try another CoC game.

[ArtfulShrapnel]

- Decipher the diagrams somehow, perhaps visiting KIDNAPPINGchinese or british astronomers.

One minor fix.

I was thinking of "visiting" as a sort of vague euphemism for all sorts of piratical social interactions, but yours is definitely a good, much more specific pirate plot point.

I may have to run this one myself after I wrap up my current Masks campaign.

[The_Last_76]

I've done some digging around on Wikipedia. Here's some thoughts.


Setting: 1715. Treaty of Utrecht ends Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession). Thousands of sailors, privateers, and paramilitary are out of a job. Cross-Atlantic colonial shipping trade is on the rise. Many normal, well-adjusted, but poor people are turning to piracy to pay the bills, while true-blue, crazy-eyed pirates are happily accepting all the fresh recruits. Even the normally law-abiding merchants of colonies and countries alike are overlooking - even funding - pirate voyages in the interest of profit.

Hook: The captain (or sponsor) of [your ship here] comes across a book describing the Lost City of R'lyeh, a city where an "ancient god and all His treasures" waits to be discovered. The book doesn't show the way to the lost city, but does hint that the book's author still lives in Ponape, one of many seemingly innocent islands in the Pacific region. It's a long way from your normal stomping grounds of the Indian Ocean, but the captain is eager to begin the search. Perhaps too eager.

Quest Line
- Sail the old Pirate Rounds to Ponape. Speak with [local mystic] and get directions.
- Learn from [local mystic] that R'lyeh is not just lost, but deep underwater.
- Steal the experimental Diving Engine from the English inventor, John Lethbridge.
- Sail to Point Nemo, a.k.a the Pole of Inaccessibility.
- Descend to R'lyeh using the Diving Engine.
- Find R'lyeh's treasure. (re: roll SAN loss)


I was thinking that a maritime "professor of occult" would fit well with this setup. The captain/sponsor has probably been looking for R'lyeh for a while now and has called on the services of educated men to help with the search. A character with an emphasis on knowledge skills could still be involved with the game even if they aren't an actual seaman.

Has anyone tried this?

Because, it's seems like it has a metric fuck-tonne of potential.

[Setherick]

I've done some digging around on Wikipedia. Here's some thoughts.


Setting: 1715. Treaty of Utrecht ends Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession). Thousands of sailors, privateers, and paramilitary are out of a job. Cross-Atlantic colonial shipping trade is on the rise. Many normal, well-adjusted, but poor people are turning to piracy to pay the bills, while true-blue, crazy-eyed pirates are happily accepting all the fresh recruits. Even the normally law-abiding merchants of colonies and countries alike are overlooking - even funding - pirate voyages in the interest of profit.

Hook: The captain (or sponsor) of [your ship here] comes across a book describing the Lost City of R'lyeh, a city where an "ancient god and all His treasures" waits to be discovered. The book doesn't show the way to the lost city, but does hint that the book's author still lives in Ponape, one of many seemingly innocent islands in the Pacific region. It's a long way from your normal stomping grounds of the Indian Ocean, but the captain is eager to begin the search. Perhaps too eager.

Quest Line
- Sail the old Pirate Rounds to Ponape. Speak with [local mystic] and get directions.
- Learn from [local mystic] that R'lyeh is not just lost, but deep underwater.
- Steal the experimental Diving Engine from the English inventor, John Lethbridge.
- Sail to Point Nemo, a.k.a the Pole of Inaccessibility.
- Descend to R'lyeh using the Diving Engine.
- Find R'lyeh's treasure. (re: roll SAN loss)


I was thinking that a maritime "professor of occult" would fit well with this setup. The captain/sponsor has probably been looking for R'lyeh for a while now and has called on the services of educated men to help with the search. A character with an emphasis on knowledge skills could still be involved with the game even if they aren't an actual seaman.

Has anyone tried this?

Because, it's seems like it has a metric fuck-tonne of potential.

Probably not. We just like to throw around ideas for games.

[doctorscraps]

Pirates are perfect for Lovecraftian adventures.
Though you might have trouble keeping it solely horror and will probably wander into Pirates of the Carribean territory for a bit.

...A swash buckling avatar of Nyarlathotep.
...Cthulhu wearing a Tricorn...
...Hastur up in the crows nest...
...Yog sothoth in a powdered wig and pantaloons...

[clockworkjoe]

Freeport (from Green Ronin) is a pirate and Cthulhu heavy D&D type setting - might be worth looking into for ideas.

[The_Last_76]

Pirates are perfect for Lovecraftian adventures.
Though you might have trouble keeping it solely horror and will probably wander into Pirates of the Carribean territory for a bit.

...A swash buckling avatar of Nyarlathotep.
...Cthulhu wearing a Tricorn...
...Hastur up in the crows nest...
...Yog sothoth in a powdered wig and pantaloons...

I will move heaven and hell to make this my next campaign.

[Setherick]

Pirates are perfect for Lovecraftian adventures.
Though you might have trouble keeping it solely horror and will probably wander into Pirates of the Carribean territory for a bit.

...A swash buckling avatar of Nyarlathotep.

Technically Nyarlathotep has a nearly infinite number of avatars, so I don't see why this wouldn't be acceptable.

[Leofric1313]

It's not piratey, but it is at sea and it is Call of Cthulhu.
The 20 Weeks of Hell Podcast did a 1920's Ocean Cruise Liner game a few years back, the download feed is on Podbean at -
http://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail?pid=27354

Try that, it is not only freaky, but freeking hilarious.   Takes a while to get going (like most CoC games), but when it does, boy does the blood and guts hit the fan!


Also, like most red blooded males I am absolutely 'into' the whole Pirate idea [in general, and not just the game idea  ], and I am loving this idea of Pirate Cthulhu.   I have been looking for something to run for a xmas one -shot (it was going to be Paranoia), I think I may have found my inspiration!

I think you may all be onto something here.   My wife loves 7th Sea AND Call of Cthulhu, my son and his group have played 7th Sea and had fun but only a couple of them have played CoC.   Now, do I use CoC or 7th Sea rules (with an additional homebrew rule for Sanity!), OR do I go for something else.   
I'm thinking of using the Song of Ice and Fire RPG (SIFRP) system - it has brutal combat and excellent social mechanics.   The social mechanic could be adapted to some sort of Sanity system!   Unfortunately, there are no firearms in SIFRP, but it would only take a few minutes to add black powder weapons.

I think this idea has legs [sits pondering idea, whilst thoughfully stroking his goatee], thanks guys.