My adventures at Origins… Or - why Cthulhu should be called Coolthulhu -2
Thursday
Day Two
First game - “Stalking the Hunter in Miami” - Modern Cthulhu
M’eh.
The game premise was we were a military group who’d recently been in Iraq and we were recruited to do one of those “don’t ask/don’t tell missions” - cool premise, right?
What it came down to though was a table of 9: 3 of who were together and only really wanted to play with each other; 1 who wanted to take charge; 2 that were probably uncle and nephew and were just fine; 1 (sitting next to me) who’d never played Cthulhu before; and 1 guy who A) knew what he was doing playing Chtulhu and also B) understood how to play a modern military person. The 3 that wanted to play together SEEMED to get the military element but had no clue about Cthulhu. The 1 trying to take charge knew to play Chtulhu but…
Anyhow we spent the majority of the game doing reconn on a yacht. Yes, that is it. Reconn on a yacht - most of which involved us taking turns doing shifts sitting in a hotel bar or restaurant. Did I mention SNOOZE? The only Cthulhu element we came across was at the tail end.
Just before the combat was to start Rob called. I picked up, walked away from the table for MAYBE a minute. When I returned the… cough combat cough… was done. Was there combat? How could there be in a minute? Pah. As I said - M’eh
Second Game - Deadlands - “The Sons o’ Allie Foxwood”.
Not bad. Not outstanding - but not bad or boring.
I was playing a martial artist - which is really just a one-trick pony and I had a -2 charisma so not much to roleplay with. I was a Chinese woman - one of only 2 Chinese in the entire group. I called many, many people “round eyes” ;). The concept was we were orphans who’d all been raised by this sweet old chick who took in tons of kids - so loosely we were a family. But, basically, we were all d*cks as we hadn’t been back in years, were only back to get what we could from the old lady’s estate, and were shocked silly to find out she’d lost her ranch and had been living on charity for several years. Like I said… D*cks. Apparently playing with Matt Culver is something - so sayeth Rob after the fact. The originator of the game stopped by to chat - ends up the GM (Matt) is writing the newest Plot book for Deadlands. Hence Rob’s saying it was something cool to play with him. I dunno. It was fine - a nice con game with some really cool set-up pieces. Otherwise, yeah, it was fine but I will add the caveat that by Sunday I had to think VERY HARD about what I played in the second slot on Thursday. ‘Nuff said?
Third Game - “Silhouette” - Fantasy Imperium - I talked Rob into playing a new game set in 1690 (I think? Definitely cavalier period - towards the end of piracy in the Caribbean and 2 years before Port Royal was destroyed). Rob was… wait for it… FUNNY. Yes, that is right. Funny. The concept was we were a bunch of pirates. Rob and his brother/sister (male played by a woman who liked the Shakespeare twist) were British. A fantastically gorgeous Spaniard was the 3rd person in the crew - Spanish were reviled in Port Royal (should add that). The fourth was a drunken French man. I played an incredibly tiny Chinese woman who spoke no English - only Chinese and Spanish - and was an astonishing Alchemist. The entire table - as well as the GM James Holland - was hilarious and really made the story come to life.
The plot went we needed to find this sword to save our captain who’d been put in a coma by a succubus. The story started with us literally looking at the sword, which was on the belt of this poser girl pirate.
First we tried to send our best bait to talk to her - the Spaniard. But considering if he opened his mouth everyone would know he was Spanish we sent the Drunken Frenchman to be his mouthpiece. Things happened, the Spaniard ended up hanging pirate-style off the balcony in front of the girl. He opened his mouth, spoke, gave himself away and had a drink poured on him. Seeing our first salvo fail I turned and tapped Rob in.
Rob was about as smooth as sandpaper. The girl was obviously offended by his smooth lines. So, I went up, got 2 drinks, doctored 1 for the girl and sent Rob’s “brother” up to save the situation. Through the manuever of telling her NOT to drink the doctored drink, the woman playing Rob’s bro got the girl to drink. As soon as the ‘medicine’ kicked in, Rob yoinked the sword and we were OUTY.
Ends up the GM never expected a player group to get the sword - that wasn’t the story. Oh well. Eye on the prize, man!
Anyhow we make it back to the ship and try to stash the sword but then 15 redcoats show up asking for Rob - he gave the girl his REAL NAME! I grab the sword and jump over the side as, eventually, Rob surrenders to the Redcoats. Long story short, he had a nice long chat with the girl’s father who captained a British Warship! Rob brazens it out hilariously - requesting wine and food and putting his feet up on the captain’s table.
Meanwhile when I dove into the water I lost the sword and it took like 6 rounds to find the damned thing. I stayed in the water, swimming off with the prize and leaving my last 3 crewmates to fight off some scurvy knaves as Rob chowed down elsewhere on a 44 oz steak.
Eventually Rob got let go when the girl was found/returned. Meanwhile the 3 Stooges are going all over Port Royal looking for her and end up at the British Warship - where they are taken captive.
I’m still in the damned water. I pull myself out, put the sword in a bag, and start off to the bar where we first encountered the sword and girl. I meet Rob on the road. He suggests he take the sword. I’m about to give it to him when I halt because… yeah…
Why was he let go? What deal did he make? He is, after all, a Dirty, Dirty Pirate. So, I tuck the sword away and glower at him. He sticks to me like glue - I do my damndest to get away from him but I have very little feet and legs and he does not so we end up at the bar together where we sit on a balcony and do diddly squat until the entire place rocks from an explosion that the 3 stooges have managed to set off on the ship.
See, they had to give up all their weapons when they went on board but the French man had a string of 5 grenades in his pants. When someone asked what the lump was he made references to “being French” and gave a knowing smile - managing to get away with having 5 grenades in his pants. When the 3 were trapped they decided to blow their way out of the dining room they were trapped in - the goal to blow a hole in the wall to let the Spaniard and Rob’s ‘brother’ get away while the French man blew another hole into what they assumed was the powder magazine - with the intention of using a 3rd grenade on that combustible room. The first 2 grenades did their job - 2 holes - one into the powder room and one through the far wall and also the deck beyond it (leaving a 1 story drop that the escapees had to jump over). The Spaniard jumped the hole. Yay. Rob’s sib missed and fell to the next floor. Oops. The Frenchman got trapped behind/under the massive table they were using for cover. But, whatever, he thinks and releases the extra grenade. He rolls HORRIBLY. It arcs above him and then falls smack onto his forehead.
Fantasy Imperium has a built in escape valve though - spend most of your characters Luck (or something) and you can save your character from death. So, the Frenchman does this. The ship shifts, the grenade rolls off of him and into the powder room. Kaboom.
But, he is blown down a story to land with Rob’s sib who is now facing (unarmed) several crewmen and eventually the ship’s captain (who I need to add was described as looking like the Kingpin). Hilarity and combat ensue. Somehow ALL end up on the deck with the Spaniard for straight up combat.
(In an aside - the 3 have discovered that the daughter is this folk-hero of Port Royal with a magic sword that can command darkness. Yes, the sword that we sort of yoinked from her. Oops.)
Rob and I meanwhile have made the docks. Saw the big ship casting off. Ran back to our ship to cast off to chase them; decided to go back (Why? Rob and his honor damn him! I kept saying “We have the sword and the reward for finding the girl (which was ‘given’ to Rob - in reality there was no reward but did Rob share that???). We outy. We can get a new crew.” But, no, Rob has to be all honorable. Hello - Pirate?)
We go back, Rob leaps towards the ship and ends up in this weird vortex created by the (evil - so I say ) hero girl. I’m still on the dock. Rob gets flung off the ship and at my feet with these weird Chtulhu tentacles digging into him. I pull out the Magic Sword - which, mind you, I have no clue what it does, but hello… magic sword? - and hack at the tentacles. Hero girl sees the sword and comes sliding down the evil tentacles. When we cut through the tentacles they create a ball around her to protect her - yes, evil… get it? She and I get into a bit of a scrum - okay, she charges at me and I try desperately to defend myself. I did mention I was 4’10 or shorter , right?! We both roll - good rolls but I manage to beat her by ONE.
Fantasy Imperium has this system that tells you exactly where you hit - for me, Torso - and then also where on that target - in my instance, the Heart. In a series of 4 really good rolls I manage to perfectly pierce the heart of the HERO of the STORY, killing her but good. Oops.
So, after the 3 Stooges killed the father, we managed to end the story with a nifty magical sword and many, many, MANY laughs.
Oh, and apparently there will now be a Silhouette 2 with a very tiny Chinese girl pirate as it seems the sword was what made the other girl a heroine. Who knew?
The System was pretty good but the rulebook is like 5 MILLION PAGES and very intimidating. And, this thing with rolling to hit, then rolling to see where you hit, then rolling to see exactly where you hit, and then rolling to see how boss your hit was kinda hurts my brain. But, all in all it was a great table of people and did I mention that Rob was funny?
Day Two
First game - “Stalking the Hunter in Miami” - Modern Cthulhu
M’eh.
The game premise was we were a military group who’d recently been in Iraq and we were recruited to do one of those “don’t ask/don’t tell missions” - cool premise, right?
What it came down to though was a table of 9: 3 of who were together and only really wanted to play with each other; 1 who wanted to take charge; 2 that were probably uncle and nephew and were just fine; 1 (sitting next to me) who’d never played Cthulhu before; and 1 guy who A) knew what he was doing playing Chtulhu and also B) understood how to play a modern military person. The 3 that wanted to play together SEEMED to get the military element but had no clue about Cthulhu. The 1 trying to take charge knew to play Chtulhu but…
Anyhow we spent the majority of the game doing reconn on a yacht. Yes, that is it. Reconn on a yacht - most of which involved us taking turns doing shifts sitting in a hotel bar or restaurant. Did I mention SNOOZE? The only Cthulhu element we came across was at the tail end.
Just before the combat was to start Rob called. I picked up, walked away from the table for MAYBE a minute. When I returned the… cough combat cough… was done. Was there combat? How could there be in a minute? Pah. As I said - M’eh
Second Game - Deadlands - “The Sons o’ Allie Foxwood”.
Not bad. Not outstanding - but not bad or boring.
I was playing a martial artist - which is really just a one-trick pony and I had a -2 charisma so not much to roleplay with. I was a Chinese woman - one of only 2 Chinese in the entire group. I called many, many people “round eyes” ;). The concept was we were orphans who’d all been raised by this sweet old chick who took in tons of kids - so loosely we were a family. But, basically, we were all d*cks as we hadn’t been back in years, were only back to get what we could from the old lady’s estate, and were shocked silly to find out she’d lost her ranch and had been living on charity for several years. Like I said… D*cks. Apparently playing with Matt Culver is something - so sayeth Rob after the fact. The originator of the game stopped by to chat - ends up the GM (Matt) is writing the newest Plot book for Deadlands. Hence Rob’s saying it was something cool to play with him. I dunno. It was fine - a nice con game with some really cool set-up pieces. Otherwise, yeah, it was fine but I will add the caveat that by Sunday I had to think VERY HARD about what I played in the second slot on Thursday. ‘Nuff said?
Third Game - “Silhouette” - Fantasy Imperium - I talked Rob into playing a new game set in 1690 (I think? Definitely cavalier period - towards the end of piracy in the Caribbean and 2 years before Port Royal was destroyed). Rob was… wait for it… FUNNY. Yes, that is right. Funny. The concept was we were a bunch of pirates. Rob and his brother/sister (male played by a woman who liked the Shakespeare twist) were British. A fantastically gorgeous Spaniard was the 3rd person in the crew - Spanish were reviled in Port Royal (should add that). The fourth was a drunken French man. I played an incredibly tiny Chinese woman who spoke no English - only Chinese and Spanish - and was an astonishing Alchemist. The entire table - as well as the GM James Holland - was hilarious and really made the story come to life.
The plot went we needed to find this sword to save our captain who’d been put in a coma by a succubus. The story started with us literally looking at the sword, which was on the belt of this poser girl pirate.
First we tried to send our best bait to talk to her - the Spaniard. But considering if he opened his mouth everyone would know he was Spanish we sent the Drunken Frenchman to be his mouthpiece. Things happened, the Spaniard ended up hanging pirate-style off the balcony in front of the girl. He opened his mouth, spoke, gave himself away and had a drink poured on him. Seeing our first salvo fail I turned and tapped Rob in.
Rob was about as smooth as sandpaper. The girl was obviously offended by his smooth lines. So, I went up, got 2 drinks, doctored 1 for the girl and sent Rob’s “brother” up to save the situation. Through the manuever of telling her NOT to drink the doctored drink, the woman playing Rob’s bro got the girl to drink. As soon as the ‘medicine’ kicked in, Rob yoinked the sword and we were OUTY.
Ends up the GM never expected a player group to get the sword - that wasn’t the story. Oh well. Eye on the prize, man!
Anyhow we make it back to the ship and try to stash the sword but then 15 redcoats show up asking for Rob - he gave the girl his REAL NAME! I grab the sword and jump over the side as, eventually, Rob surrenders to the Redcoats. Long story short, he had a nice long chat with the girl’s father who captained a British Warship! Rob brazens it out hilariously - requesting wine and food and putting his feet up on the captain’s table.
Meanwhile when I dove into the water I lost the sword and it took like 6 rounds to find the damned thing. I stayed in the water, swimming off with the prize and leaving my last 3 crewmates to fight off some scurvy knaves as Rob chowed down elsewhere on a 44 oz steak.
Eventually Rob got let go when the girl was found/returned. Meanwhile the 3 Stooges are going all over Port Royal looking for her and end up at the British Warship - where they are taken captive.
I’m still in the damned water. I pull myself out, put the sword in a bag, and start off to the bar where we first encountered the sword and girl. I meet Rob on the road. He suggests he take the sword. I’m about to give it to him when I halt because… yeah…
Why was he let go? What deal did he make? He is, after all, a Dirty, Dirty Pirate. So, I tuck the sword away and glower at him. He sticks to me like glue - I do my damndest to get away from him but I have very little feet and legs and he does not so we end up at the bar together where we sit on a balcony and do diddly squat until the entire place rocks from an explosion that the 3 stooges have managed to set off on the ship.
See, they had to give up all their weapons when they went on board but the French man had a string of 5 grenades in his pants. When someone asked what the lump was he made references to “being French” and gave a knowing smile - managing to get away with having 5 grenades in his pants. When the 3 were trapped they decided to blow their way out of the dining room they were trapped in - the goal to blow a hole in the wall to let the Spaniard and Rob’s ‘brother’ get away while the French man blew another hole into what they assumed was the powder magazine - with the intention of using a 3rd grenade on that combustible room. The first 2 grenades did their job - 2 holes - one into the powder room and one through the far wall and also the deck beyond it (leaving a 1 story drop that the escapees had to jump over). The Spaniard jumped the hole. Yay. Rob’s sib missed and fell to the next floor. Oops. The Frenchman got trapped behind/under the massive table they were using for cover. But, whatever, he thinks and releases the extra grenade. He rolls HORRIBLY. It arcs above him and then falls smack onto his forehead.
Fantasy Imperium has a built in escape valve though - spend most of your characters Luck (or something) and you can save your character from death. So, the Frenchman does this. The ship shifts, the grenade rolls off of him and into the powder room. Kaboom.
But, he is blown down a story to land with Rob’s sib who is now facing (unarmed) several crewmen and eventually the ship’s captain (who I need to add was described as looking like the Kingpin). Hilarity and combat ensue. Somehow ALL end up on the deck with the Spaniard for straight up combat.
(In an aside - the 3 have discovered that the daughter is this folk-hero of Port Royal with a magic sword that can command darkness. Yes, the sword that we sort of yoinked from her. Oops.)
Rob and I meanwhile have made the docks. Saw the big ship casting off. Ran back to our ship to cast off to chase them; decided to go back (Why? Rob and his honor damn him! I kept saying “We have the sword and the reward for finding the girl (which was ‘given’ to Rob - in reality there was no reward but did Rob share that???). We outy. We can get a new crew.” But, no, Rob has to be all honorable. Hello - Pirate?)
We go back, Rob leaps towards the ship and ends up in this weird vortex created by the (evil - so I say ) hero girl. I’m still on the dock. Rob gets flung off the ship and at my feet with these weird Chtulhu tentacles digging into him. I pull out the Magic Sword - which, mind you, I have no clue what it does, but hello… magic sword? - and hack at the tentacles. Hero girl sees the sword and comes sliding down the evil tentacles. When we cut through the tentacles they create a ball around her to protect her - yes, evil… get it? She and I get into a bit of a scrum - okay, she charges at me and I try desperately to defend myself. I did mention I was 4’10 or shorter , right?! We both roll - good rolls but I manage to beat her by ONE.
Fantasy Imperium has this system that tells you exactly where you hit - for me, Torso - and then also where on that target - in my instance, the Heart. In a series of 4 really good rolls I manage to perfectly pierce the heart of the HERO of the STORY, killing her but good. Oops.
So, after the 3 Stooges killed the father, we managed to end the story with a nifty magical sword and many, many, MANY laughs.
Oh, and apparently there will now be a Silhouette 2 with a very tiny Chinese girl pirate as it seems the sword was what made the other girl a heroine. Who knew?
The System was pretty good but the rulebook is like 5 MILLION PAGES and very intimidating. And, this thing with rolling to hit, then rolling to see where you hit, then rolling to see exactly where you hit, and then rolling to see how boss your hit was kinda hurts my brain. But, all in all it was a great table of people and did I mention that Rob was funny?