CoC: The Importance of Hoaxes and False Leads

[DnDChick]

Here is a thought:

In the X-Files, Kolchack the Nightstalker, and other supernaturally oriented Sci-Fi shows, the investigators always find something unusual.

They never follow leads that turn out to be hoaxes, natural phenomena, or misunderstandings.

For example, in all the old Chaosium CoC adventures, I can only think of one scenario in which the events investigated were NOT tied to some ancient and eldritch horror. It was called The Weschester House.

My question is, what, to you, is the importance of having a few adventures turn out to have mundane solutions? Does a CoC adventure always have to end up being part of the plot to awaken the Great Old Ones, etc?

Would you have an adventure that involves the disappearance of children that can be traced back to, say, a pack of wild dogs or something? You could satisfy the players' need for combat by having them fight the dogs. Also...rabies anyone? A rabid dog is a nasty opponent that can, eventually, kill you!

From the game's point of view, having a few (or even several!) adventures turn out to be 'nothing' might keep the players on their toes. If they always expect a sanity-shattering monstrosity at the end of the mine shaft, they might get...well...bored with it! When I ran adventures in the original CoC, I threw in the occasional mundane plot and my players reallly liked it!

 

[Crothian]

This is very important to do. THe PCs get in the habit of all looking for the supernatural solution, so you through something mundane at them. They did this in the X-Files, but they always left the possiblity of supernatural open.

 

[The Crimster]

I totally agree 100%, DndChick. The Mythos should never, ever become 'familiar'. It reduces what it is to a monster mystery bash, with the players resembling the characters in Scooby Doo.

For instance, in my recent game, the players ran across a rather disturbed individual who seemed to have an affection for cockroaches. Or rather, they have an affection for him. Does this mean mythos? Not necessarily. Could it happen in real life? Sure, sure. I've seen it (there are Bad Things (tm) in South Central LA, believe me).

So it *could* be mundane, or it could be something else. I think even in a CoC adventure, where many odd things happen - there should be times when you think, "Hey - I guess that could happen."

 

[Angelsboi]

EXACTLY! Kojac, the cousins and Jack from Friday the 13th the series, XFiles, etc etc etc always found somethign odd. The Scoobies always found ... Hoaxes.

I say balance it evenly

 

[nsruf]

And don't forget that mundane disasters are a nice way to reduce sanity without having PCs gain ranks in Cthulhu Mythos at the same time

But seriously, I too believe that a good horror adventure should contain some clues and events that only appear to be supernatural. And it is a good way to keep trigger-happy players in check if they can never be sure that the perceived "cultist" is really just a harmless eccentric.

 

[Rollo Le Brun]

What an excellent thought! Could one go further and say that most encounters are of the mundane sort? Cultist wannabes, skin heads, and the like? I mean how many people of "real" power are there actually going to be?

 

[Crothian]

What an excellent thought! Could one go further and say that most encounters are of the mundane sort? Cultist wannabes, skin heads, and the like? I mean how many people of "real" power are there actually going to be?

That would ultimately depend on the Campaign. But you could have 75% or more of the adventures start out looking like they are supernatural and just have a mundane explanation. THis will make the supernatural seem even more so, once the PCs get used to finding solutions they can understand. It will also allow the PCs to potentially live longer.

 

[saduff]

You could make the solution to the adventure seem mundane, but in a later adventure let the investigators learn something more about the events at the time. You could call for a sanity roll once they realize that what happened wasn't what they thought.

All the while keeping the supernatural theme going....

 

[Savage Wombat]

This week's Pyramid had an article on the subject.

Basically, the theme was creating a mystery that's got a perfectly straightforward solution (example - he's having an affair, and covering it up) except that the players know they're in a horror game, and keep looking for a more supernatural solution.

 

[trancejeremy]

Of course, if you're going to play a game where you investigate hoaxes, why play at all? What's the point of playing CoC?

IMHO, RPGs should be about things you can't do in real life.


BTW, that's also why you never see things like that on most shows is because people would never watch it. Also, most hoaxes are not all that convincing. It works on Scooby Doo largely because it's animated. With the miracle of animation, a movie projector and a fog machine can make a convincing ghost/demon/UFO/monster.