[CoC] Running Retun to Dunwich | Help Needed.

[omnimpotent]

I think Byron's Ghost has a good point, in that Dunwich is a more advanced investigating area than, say, Arkham. CoC players who don't know better than to be very afraid of the Dunwich underground areas may die like flies for you.

If you are considering buying Arkham, go with it. I only have the old BRP version of it, but I remember it being a little more introductory friendly than Dunwich. The setting is more civilized, which is easier for players to relate to. I recall the scenarios in it being pretty good, too. (WARNING - fuzzy memory and old version of book - don't hold me to it) Plus, it's the home of Armitage, and the likely staging point for any ventures into Dunwich country.

Hey, if you were to run a couple of smaller intro adventures in Arkham, in which the characters need library research help, and meet helpful Professor Armitage, it would be neat if they were to brush up against Wilbur on the way out of the library, and read about his demise in the paper the next day. Then, Professor Armitage will be unavailable for a while, as he is conducting field studies. Then, he might return, haggard and shaken, and in need of a favor returned...

 

[Shapermc]

Omni: I am thinking about going about it exactly that way (well not eactly, but very similar). Make it a extreamly large CoC campeign (if they live that long) and throw in NPC's from the Dunwich scenario. It is just extreamly difficult to (belivably) throw my group into Dunwich and have them either survive or figure out everything.

And the Arkham book has 4 (IIRC) scenarios and I will more than likely be able to tie them all together. But seriously Dunwich is so potent on horror and setting that I would hate NOT to put my group through that. I should at least be able to introduce them to Armatige one or two times and have the locals talk alot about the things that Happen in Dunwich. Then at least the PCs will thing that something EXTREAMLY not right is happening.

Thanks again for all the Tips!

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, actually getting/letting the players read 'The Dunwhich Horror' is also a good idea. Come to think of it try http://www.gizmology.net/lovecraft/works/

which has the complete collection online and in particular http://www.gizmology.net/realaudio/dunwich.ram which is an old radio play of the story. Of HPLs work Dunwich Horror is in my estimation the best. If needed describe the story as the tale Armitage relates to them before sending them off.

Another possibility is before the adventure let them get lost near Dunwich, creep them out, let them leave and if they mention the place to Armitage he can then relate the story. Then a couple of adventures down the line he can send them back there 'because you are familiar with the place and its ways...'. Thats how I set it up when I ran it. It actually runs quite well if you take it slow, let the area scare them, yet get them to care about some of the townsfolk. (Who are then put on the 'Doomed' list.) If you can get some 'night in the forest' type recordings to play in the background it can really help. Oil lights to run the game by, remember - no electricity in Dunwich. A second recording, of Whippoorwills, to be keyed in at the right moments can also really add to the fun....

The Auld Grump