[OOC]House of Hell[CoC/FF]

[bruin]

IC
Rogue's Gallery

So, what this game will be is a pulpy d20 COC game. It will be more about combat and cheap scary thrills than roleplaying, though you're free to do the latter as much as you like. It's a conversion of one of the old Fighting Fantasy books, House of Hell, for COC rules. Likely I won't be drawing on any of the Cthulhu mythos creatures; many of the encounters will be with more DND type beasties. I will, however, be utilizing the sanity and mythos skill rules as normal, and they will be integral to completing the game. {Edit: and non-combat type skills will come in handy at times, so it won't be just a hack-n-slash affair, just a little bit more confrontation than a normal COC game}

So I will be leaving certain aspects of the game up to the group for discussion. First, your character backgrounds will need to match up in some way. You basically all need to start the game driving on a dark road across the countryside at night. So you would need to have similar backgrounds or a reason to be travelling together fairly long distance. Maybe you're all college students, maybe you're making a business trip; it's up to you how you get them in that car.

Edit: decided level 4 is best for this game. Rules have been modified, so check through them again

Some rules up front:
-{Edit: Level 4 Characters (XP 6000)}
-40 pt. ability buy
-You will have weapon proficiency (melee) and (primitive ranged) as free feats. No other weapon proficiencies are allowed, so any guns you might find will only be usable at a penalty. {Edit: except that Master_Pugs will have weapon proficiency (pistol) rather than (primitive ranged)}
-{Edit: Equipment: some forensic equipment, toolkits, and other items might be appropriate, but you won't start with any weapons except for Master_Pugs. Just say what equipment you'd like to have on you and I'll check it over.}
-Full HP at first level, 2/3 at each subsequent level (so 6 at level one, and 4 each level after that, not counting the con. modifier)
-Variant defense bonus
-{Edit: Don't worry about income modifiers or starting cash unless you want to fully flesh out that aspect of your character. If you don't list starting cash, just assume that you get everything you need for free.}

 

[Majin]

Hey bruin, reporting in here. If Pugs wants to bring in Tanya then I guess we can explain them being together for reason of an investigation of some sorts. Maybe one that the police reluctantly agreed to try a "weird" alternative of investigation in my parapsychologist. That would seem to work. I'll wait a bit to hear what Pugs wants to do before posting so I know how to scale my background accordingly.

 

[Shattered Archon]

Just letting you know i'm here.
I'll start work on a character idea, but i'll wait and see what the prevailent reason for the characters being together is, so that i can adapt my background to fit with it...

As for degree of pulpyness, i would have a preferance for the lower end, but i'd be happy to go higher.

By the way, are we using the variant defence/offence option rules?

 

[bruin]

Glad to see you're around Shattered. Yes, you'll get the variant defense bonus; the offense option won't really be available, since I have house rules about which weapon proficiencies you get for free and which aren't allowed. Pretty much the only exception to the house rules regarding weapons will be Master_Pugs cop, who'll get weapon proficiency pistol rather than primitive ranged. Basically I want you guys to have the freedom to choose some of the more interesting feats and build unique characters out of them without worrying about weapons so much.

The more I think about it, level 4 is the way to go, so I'm going to be editing the post above to reflect that as well as some other things in a minute. I can "nerf" the creatures a bit and maybe throw in a DND item for healing as needed; I want you guys to have a good chance to survive, but I also want you to be in constant fear of death or insanity at the same time.

Just as a suggestion; I don't want to force a character concept on you Shattered, but something like a forensic investigator might mesh well with the cop and parapsychologist. It doesn't have to be someone into forensics, but basically anything that might work in the context of investigating a crime scene(though skills like heal, research, knowledge, and languages will be useful in this game). And even if Pugs doesn't want in the game, I could always say that your characters are on their way meet up with a cop at a crime scene of some sort, which is where they're driving to as the story begins.

Of course, let me emphasize again that whatever you want your characters to be is your business. The crime scene idea is just a convenient example of what you guys could do.

 

[Master_Pugs]

Sounds good... and yes I would like to keep Tanya and to keep the combat fair, me having a gun and all, I could just roleplay the whole "Never actually killing something before and afraid to shoot" shtick... when I find a few seconds to breath I'll slap the new stats togethor and flesh her out a bit. (CoC Rulebook finished downloading *Cheer*) I also like the investigation idea, leaves a lot of room for angst and perhaps a few superiority complexes... although on top of that with more points to throw around I may decide to make her a lot more attractive and less @#*$%y... I'll keep in touch.

 

[Majin]

Name: Damien
Profession: Parapsychologist
Level: 4
Age: 22
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 120
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Black

*Stats*

Str: 10
Dex: 18 (4th level stat increase)
Con: 14
Int: 13
Wis: 16
Cha: 12

AC: 14 (15 w/ Dodge)
Hp: 26
Sanity: 80
BAB: +2
Init: +8 (Imp. Init.)

*Saving Throws*

Fortitude: +3
Reflex: +8
Will: +9 (Iron Will)

*Skills*

Computer Use: +8
Gather Information: +8
Hide: +11
Knowledge (History): +8
Knowledge (Occult): +8
Knowledge (Religion): +8
Listen: +6
Move Silently: +7
Psychoanalysis: +6
Research: +8
Search: +4
Spot: +5

*Feats*

Dodge
Improved Initiative
Iron Will
Weapon Proficiency (Melee)
Weapon Proficiency (Primitive Ranged)

Description:

Damien's black hair is long in the front, nearly reaching his chin, and shaved extremely short in the back. He almost always wears black, and is never seen in public without wearing his long black trenchcoat (Even on hot days) that reaches down all the way to the ground. He always had an interest in the occult and it's workings and originally began to dress the way he does to get an "in" with a specific crowd that could possibly bring him closer with his desires of more and more occult knowledge. Eventually after awhile he began enjoying the look and sticks by it even when not out on "business"

Digging his way through the "Goth" society weeding out the wannabes to find people that really know the deep dark secrets he seeks has become nearly an obsession to Damien over the years. Damien has made somewhat of a name for himself in the "Parapsychologist" field, as little of a niche job as it is. He has many legit connections to collectors of Occult literature and other items that he has made over the years.

He takes a loving interest in all things strange and unusual and has quite the vast Occult library himself. Yet one thing has eluded him. Whether the collectors he knows aren't "in the know" or they are just keeping the real jewels of their collections from him Damien has yet to come across something that he could say with utmost certainty is "real". Do these contacts of his just think him too young and inexperienced to learn what they have learned, or are they just fearful of the lengths Damien will go to possess a genuine article of the occult, even as much as "taking it" from them in his thirst for power and knowledge?

He's a good guy tho, if not a little dark & weird around people that don't share his interests. He has some other little quirks tho. He was raised in a pretty well off family and carries himself as such most of the time. He only comes out of that shell to people he's befriended or when he is being very serious. He is also very interested in other cultures, Egyptian being one of his favorites, and wears jewelry to show it. When he's nervous or bored, he usually fiddles with a small solid gold ankh necklace he wears around his neck connected with a silver chain.

 

[bruin]

Alrighty, Pugs is in, looks like the investigation scenario is the reason they're traveling together. If you like, I can provide the details of the investigation when I write up the intro to the IC thread, or I could let you drive along discussing the details before anything happens. Your choice. As soon as you guys chime in on this, I'll start the IC.

Rogue's Gallery is up. Majin, everything checks out, just add your BAB (+2) to the character sheet when you post it in the RG so I'll have it for later reference. Shattered, Pugs, please post your characters here like Majin did so I can look them over, then I'll give the ok to put them in the rogues gallery.

Just in case nobody knows how the ability point buy works: all abilities are assumed to start at 8. You then spend your 40 points buying up your abilities. Notice that it costs more to increase scores after 14 (double) and 16 (triple). After spending all your points, you also get to increase any score by one (for reaching level 4); make sure you mention which one gets this, like Majin did.

For your reference: (Ability Score/Total point cost)
8=0
9=1
10=2
11=3
12=4
13=5
14=6
(after 14 it begins to cost double to increase the scores)
15=8
16=10
(after 16 it costs triple)
17=13
18=16

 

[Shattered Archon]

Decided to make my character a crime scene photographer, should fit well with the general investigation theme that seems to be developing.

I hate to ask, but i don't think i missed it anywhere in the thread... when will this be set? Is it modern era? (it's only that it makes a difference to the kind of camera my character will lug around with him )

I'll post the details here asap.

 

[bruin]

Sounds good. Yes, it's modern day.

 

[Shattered Archon]

Ok, here's my character... let me know if i missed or miscalculated anything.
(lol, Majin - your character sounds a lot like me, irl)

Name: Kyle Rodriguez
Level: 4
Age: 21
Height: 5'11"
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

Str: 14 (+2)
Dex: 14 (4th level stat increase) (+2)
Con: 10 (+0)
Int: 17 (+3)
Wis: 16 (+3)
Cha: 12 (+1)

Hit Points: 18
Initiative: +2
Armor Class: 14
Base Attack Bonus: +2
Fort Save: +4 (+4 defence option)
Ref Save: +6 (+4 defence option, +2 dex)
Will Save: +5 (+2 defence option, +3 wis)

~Skills~

Craft: Photography ... 7 (+3 int) (10)
Craft: Writing ... 2 (+3 int) (5)
Diplomacy ... 7 (+1 cha) (8)
Gather Information ... 7 (+1 cha) (8)
Innuendo ... 5 (+3 wis) (8)
Knowledge: Law ... 7 (+3 int) (10)
Knowledge: Psychology ... 7 (+3 int) (10)
Research ... 7 (+3 int) (10)
Sense Motive ... 7 (+3 wis, +2 sharp-eyed) (12)
Search ... 7 (+3 int, +2 sharp-eyed) (12)
Spot ... 7 (+3 wis, +2 alertness) (12)
Drive ... 7 (+2 dex) (7)

~Feats~

Weapon Proficiency: Melee (free)
Weapon Proficiency: Primitive Ranged (free)
Sharp-Eyed
Alertness
Run

~Equipment~

Camera with flash and zoom lens, notebook, ballpoint pen.

~Description~

Dressed in a grey suit which seems to be almost permanently (and inexplicably) dusty, Kyle is a quiet and solemn young man who takes his profession very seriously. He has not been a crime scene photographer for very long, but his patience and dedication have earned him notice and a reputation for dependability.
His blonde hair is short and scruffy, almost always looking as though he had just got out of bed and forgotten to comb it - which is most often the truth, as a lot of his calls are last minute affairs. His sharp eyes observe everything, and his natural attention to detail has been honed by his chosen line of work - he rarely misses anything, however small. He seldom speaks - or even moves - unless he has to, sometimes seeming almost like a statue, but although he looks to be distracted, his mind is firmly focused on the situation at hand.