... Melhorn, and all play-testers for reviewing Cthulhu Dark Ages and instigating
many ... ing the historical consistency of Cthulhu Dark Ages, to Christian Bloom.
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Quod in aeternum cubet mortuum non est, et saeculis miris actis etiam mors perierit. That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons, even death may die.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks are due to my wife Lydie, Kevin Anderson, Hervé and Benjamin Boudoir, Christophe Château, Frank Heller, Andreas Melhorn, and all play-testers for reviewing Cthulhu Dark Ages and instigating many decisive improvements. Special thanks go to Hannes Kaiser for checking the historical consistency of Cthulhu Dark Ages, to Christian Bloom for his scholarly knowledge of dead languages, and to Stephen Posey for his abnormally high Cthulhu Mythos skill — we pray for his soul! Many thanks to our many supporters out there on the web; I can’t name them all for lack of space and for fear of forgetting a few (mind the wrath of Mythos cultists). Walk through the gate to the Strange Aeons mailing list hosted by Chaosium to find them all (and maybe a few detractors too). Thanks in particular to Richard Extall of Dark Moon Design for his beautiful Dark Ages investigator sheet and to Matt Wiseman of Shoggoth.net for his support. Last but not least, I want to express my thanks and affection to my three “old” pals Eric Brisson, Philippe Vallet and Jacques Baudrier with whom it all started in the late 70’s. And a sad thought for Eric Devisscher — my first player ever — who eventually lost his sanity because of real life, and with it his desire to live.
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Cthulhu Dark Ages is published by Chaosium Inc. Cthulhu Dark Ages is copyright © 1997–2002 by Stéphane Gesbert; all rights reserved.
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English language version copyright © Chaosium Inc. 2003.
Cthulhu Dark Ages paraphrases or repeats copyrighted material from Call of Cthulhu, Elric! and Stormbringer and supplements by Chaosium Inc. “Return Follower of Mad Cthulhu” spell in The Old Grimoire chapter written by Brian M. Sammons for The Keeper’s Companion 2. Call of Cthulhu® is the registered trademark of Chaosium Inc.; Elric! and Stormbringer are the trademarks of Chaosium Inc., and all are used with the permission of Chaosium Inc. “Chaosium Inc.” is the registered trademark of Chaosium Inc. Similarities between characters in Cthulhu Dark Ages and persons living or dead are strictly coincidental. H. P. Lovecraft’s works are copyright © 1963, 1964, 1965 by August Derleth and are quoted for purposes of illustration. Except in this publication and related advertising, or unless otherwise agreed to, artwork original to Cthulhu Dark Ages remains the property of the individual artist, and is copyright by that artist under his or her separate copyright.
H. P. Lovecraft 1890-1937
Address questions and comments by mail to Chaosium Inc. 22568 Mission Blvd. #423 Hayward, CA 94541-5116 U.S.A. Please do not phone in game questions; the quickest answer may not be the best answer. Our web site www.chaosium.com always contains the latest release information and current prices. Chaosium publication 2398. ISBN 1-56882-171-9. Published in January 2004. Printed in the United States.
Stéphane Gesbert file
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layout: Charlie Krank, David Mitchell editorial: Lynn Willis, Charlie Krank,
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Hannes Kaiser, Frank Heller, Brian Courtemanche
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based on the page design of: Pegasus Spiele cover painting: Francois Launet interior illustrations: Stéphane Gesbert, François Launet, Andy Hopp, David Grilla, Meghan McLean
maps: Stéphane Gesbert & Björn Lensig • photographs: Gero “Zodiak” Pappe handouts: Kostja Kleye additional spell text: Lynn Willis, Brian M. Sammons, Charlie Krank Chaosium is: Lynn Willis, Charlie Krank, Dustin Wright, David Mitchell, Fergie & various odd critters
Published 2004
German version by Pegasus Spiele GmbH October 2002
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The Game System . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Beasts & Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Encounter Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Creatures of the Mythos . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Spirits & Limbo Creatures . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Deities of the Mythos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
The Tomb (scenario) . . . . . . . . .124 Keeper Play Aids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125 November 1st, 998 A.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127 The Civitas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131 Hinterlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 The Ambush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140 Eye of the Storm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 At the Crossroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 The Black Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 Player Handouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
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Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Game System Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-15 Creating an Investigator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Resistance Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Physical Injury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Spot Rules for Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36-37 Hand-to-Hand Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Spot Rules for Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40-42 Weapons Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44-46 Sanity & Insanity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Costs, Equipment & Services . . . . . . . . . . .52
Bestiary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Cities & Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 A Quick Tour of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Map of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Dark Ages Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66-68 A Hundred Years & More . . . . . . . . . . . .69-71 Natural Disasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71-72 Who’s Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Investigator Sheet . . . . . . . .170-171 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172-173
The Cthulhu Mythos . . . . . . . . . .74 The Old Grimoire . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 The Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Limbo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 Books of the Mythos & More . . . . . . . . . . .93 Non-Mythos Occult Books . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 4
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system, some adjustments and additions to the game have been made as described in the Game System chapter. Cthulhu Dark Ages introduces The Old Grimoire chapter, which combines traditional elements of witchcraft and rituals from ancient religions. Cthulhu Dark Ages also develops the notions of Limbo (the interstices between spheres of existence) and spirits (ghosts, Old Ones) that appear in the Cthulhu rulebook and in Lovecraft’s work. A selection of new Mythos creatures and traditional Mythos foes likely to be met during this era, as well as deities and beasts, is given in the Bestiary chapter. A scenario near the end of this book introduces Cthulhu Dark Ages’ grim world to players and keepers. In this tale investigators will face new unearthly enemies, and may discover scriptures more ancient than the Necronomicon itself. Finally, the “Utilities” chapter is a complete guide to the 950–1050 A.D. era. Cthulhu Dark Ages welcomes both beginning roleplayers and experienced Call of Cthulhu players and keepers into a world of harsh existence and ancient horrors.
Cthulhu Dark Ages is a complete roleplaying game, fully compatible with the philosophy and game system of Basic Roleplaying and Call of Cthulhu. Owing to particularities of the Dark Ages, and demonstrating the flexibility of the
Cthulhu Dark Ages is historically set and presents keepers and players with a contradictory world of absolute oppression and wild impunity. In the Dark Ages almost everyone has a lord to serve, and social status largely predetermines one’s fate. On the other hand, the world is rapidly changing and the changes breed more freedom than earlier or later in the Middle Ages: ambitious brigands sometimes settle down as frontier warlords, and a farmer boy named Gerbert eventually becomes Pope! In Cthulhu Dark Ages the players take the part of investigators, and attempt to solve a mystery or resolve a situation in which the forces of the Mythos have affected Dark Ages life. As in other eras explored in the Call of Cthulhu rules, the ability to read Latin or to use a library is often worth far more than high skill with a weapon. Indeed, swords and arrows do not harm the most powerful creatures. Besides, Dark Ages societies have drastic ways of dealing with people who attract too
And I saw a beast rise out of the sea; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. –Revelation 13:1.
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50 A.D. The Occident is torn apart: empires and kingdoms have endured two centuries of invasions, and now warlords fight over the remains like wild dogs. The clergy is weak and morally depraved, cities are depopulated, trade is stagnant and violence reigns everywhere. History is coming into the Sixth Age of mankind, the ultimate age before the end of the world. 950 A.D. The Byzantine Theodorus Philetas translates the al-Azif into Greek, and renames it the Necronomicon. It will take one century before the blasphemous tome is finally condemned, and most copies destroyed. Cthulhu Dark Ages continues with Lovecraft’s sinister tradition of men and women struggling against the dark forces of the Cthulhu Mythos. However, Cthulhu Dark Ages explores a “Dark Ages” era not yet spanned by Lovecraftian tales: 950–1050 A.D., nearly one thousand years before the period generally considered in Call of Cthulhu. In this troubled era, in these hundred years when manuscript copies of the Necronomicon circulated from hand to hand, mankind almost yields to the uncaring forces of the Mythos: the dark young of Shub-Niggurath infest boundless forests, mi-go guard mountain tops, ghouls and miri nigri haunt burial grounds, and deep ones infiltrate coastal settlements. Nyarlathotep wanders about the earth in his thousand disguises. Great Cthulhu slumbers in the abyss, dreaming of the Seventh Age, when he will be unchained to rise out of the sea and walk the earth again. The last magi try powers that are not meant for humans, and are lured into Limbo, abode of Yog-Sothoth.
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Introduction
What This Book Covers
I n t r o d u c t i o n
Role-Playing in the Dark Ages
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