d100 Saucy Slums for 1920's + Cthulhu game so far...

Skip to table if your a 1920s gamer and ignore this silly cthulhu stuff

I"m running shadows of yog sothoth - the first COC campaign running 2nd ed play tempting them with other crossovers and scenarios - about 8th or 9th game with one original character left only just getting spells that you might actually bother with not out of necessity - not that great one has 35% mythos most of rest have 12 or less). They utterly failed first 3&1/2 adventures from cowardice and just fleeing. Only now stalking cultists.

eg

temporarily psychic character travelling through scotland had dreams passing three towns. Now in Scotland area again may well massacre a few extra towns. Having crossovers with Ship adventure from Asylum and possible links to the brotherhood of the beast - all stuff in first few products. So lots of tempting tangents and characters getting own hints and leads. One guy from Kingsport getting confirmations of research in his vivid dreams of being a sword wielding fantasy hero.

The anti cult cult is totally not a cult

Last Game

Party gate back from scotland

Recruited new party members

-veteran investigator playboy turned wizard

-brush salesman training in catburglary

-parapsychologist dreamer from kingsport

-occult conman who doesn't believe

-gangster son of going mad mafia grandma

spend month training and reading

buy some land near dunwich to train in guns and demolitions

decide to clean up unfinished stuff

sneaked into silver twilight lodge

found too many mythos books

degenerate meat creatures in pits a bit scary

took lots of photos of evil art and spell in resurrection chamber

three players got permanent insanities after seeing things in pit

-gangster compulsively says "ladders" after seeing things in pit

-faux occultist (now a believer) into self mutilation and cutting

-brushman obsessed with numbers

stole a door with a elder sign

rescued a competent rich doctor

dropped off near dead madman at hospital

probably will all be reading and studying for a while  

played scenes of pit things from "The Resurrected"

and some italian horror sound tracks

Glory hole of Cthulhu Tonight
So my cthulhu party now have over a dozen mythos books, at least six+ allies, guns from the future and serpent man death rays. Decided to return to scotland to massacre the cult they escaped a few months back. Tried to summon a byakhee which didn't work so well but they destroyed it in hail of automatic weapon fire.

Went by luxury cruise
Saved a russian count
Met 3 scholars fleeing the mythos
Had a vision of cthulhu in a ceremony
Met guy who didn't know this Cthulhu guy was real until 32% Mythos skill doh!
Saved him from suicide by Psychiatrist staying up all night with him
Which atracted cultists on the ship
Got new books
Drowned a sailor cultist
Got girlfriends
Abused cocaine and alcohol lots
Possible marriage for once brush salesman - now saner and richer since started
Danced and read cult books
Learned the Voorish sign

Arrived in london now plotting their next murder spree and bought land with boston to england gate on both sides. Plan on sending donkey through with guns and booze. Will need agents each side of the gate. On USA side farm also used for target practice and summonings. Talking about setting up a base and making a gate.

--------------
This was big fun.

d100 Saucy Slums for 1920's

01 Protesters out marching d4 1=union 2=women 3=racial 4=religious
02 Marching salvation army playing music and collecting money
03 car accident on street, at least one car wrecked
04 Horse accident leaving a dead horse on street for a d4 weeks
05 Fight on the street between gangs
06 Someone fires a gun on the street everyone runs, police come d10 minutes later
07 Copper arguing with push cart peddlar
08 Newsboy spruiking wears, watching for a gang
09 Line of people waiting for a job interview
10 Hobos looking for work asking everyone they meet
11 Drunken bums arguing over bottle
12 Old men playing chess or checkers or cards on street
13 Mobsters playing cards at table while watching a door
14 Kids playing with soapbox go-carts or stickball 
15 A body found in a alley, police, press and other ghouls watch
16 Man arrested and put in police vehicle shouting
17 Begging war veterans
18 Kid offers to help you find good stuff, whatever you need
19 Street Works digging up the road with machinery
20 Busy building site partly on the street
21 Politician with goons out meeting the public
22 Soup kitchen line up
23 Police horses
24 Police raid pouring booze into gutter with crowd watching
25 Kids playing with broken fire hydrant
26 Busy traffic today road choked
27 Angry motorists yelling at each other
28 Desperate mugger with knife or ice pick
29 Butcher with horse and cart
30 Bakers boy on bicycle
31 Iceman truck delivery
32 Milkman with horse and cart
33 Removal truck moving crates. 1in6 a piano
34 Delivery truck moving lumber or pane of glass
35 Battered truck delivering fruit, vegetables and cages of chickens
36 Mailman on foot
37 Beat cop on foot
38 Building being demolished
39 Prostitutes gathering on corner watched from afar by gang member
40 Children running around playing some game
41 Young hoodlums sitting on steps to apartment building
42 Man pushing trolley with produce to a diner
43 Group of cyclists stopped for a drink
44 Man making a speech on a soap box with crowd
45 Street sweepers cleaning street
46 Pro or anti drinking protest
47 Reporters hounding someone d4 1=performer 2=statesman 3=rich 4=reformer
48 Bus or trolley car
49 Police evicting family with angry crowd
50 Homeless child stealing food
51 Women chatting on doorstep
52 Crazy man muttering something while gesturing strangley
53 Muttering old woman on stoop glares at you while tying knots
54 Shambling large homeless man most skin covered in filthy rags
55 Parent beating squealing child
56 Men having a fist fight on street
57 Filthy children huddled in alley way
58 Several pushcarts selling goods on roadside
59 Women hanging laundry on upper floors
60 Old men living in shack built of garbage being moved on by police
61 Person selling their clothes on the street desperate for cash
62 Drunk pushy thugs shoving through crowd
63 Old homeless men sitting on steps
64 Preacher lecturing about sin and wickedness with supporters
65 Band playing in street for pennies
66 Taxi driver stopping for a snack
67 House fire with sirens coming
68 Mobsters threatening a shop keeper
69 Performers putting on show to promote local show
70 Man with cart of tools grinding knives
71 Old man playing acordian
72 Hod dog cart
73 Hold up in progress
74 Someone shot in the street
75 Cad harassing woman in street, she tries to just get away
76 Man with pistol holding up old couple
77 Older kids chasing a smaller kid
78 Dog running with stolen sausages
79 Billy goat from vacant lot has escaped
80 Vicious dog chasing people
81 Horse gone wild from beatings
82 Local hoodlum boss in fancy car with dames
83 Priest or nuns talking to the poor
84 Creepy old man tempting poor girls to follow him with food
85 Mobster arguing with his girlfriend in street
86 Goons collecting protection from stores, stop to give a beating
87 Angry man takes shot at a mobster who stole his gal
88 Mobster arriving at restaurant with someone from city hall
89 Journalist asking questions of witnesses in a recent murder case
90 Police detectives with photo on a manhunt going door to door
91 Woman looking for missing "boy" who is working for a gang
92 Boy with bag on delivery for a gang
93 Man talking to prostitutes a moment ago has had face just slashed with a razor
94 Mobster thinks strangers are undercover cops and follows them
95 Private eye on a case watching a building from a car or alley
96 Sleeping bum actually watching building for someone
97 Old woman smoking a pipe on steps watching everyone
98 Ambulance arriving to collect emergency patient
99 Kid signals some shifty guys police coming with hand signals
100 Suspicious foreigners muttering about the workers struggle and revolution 

d100 Dodgy Docklands Encounters for 1920's

Next Episoded100 Saucy Slumlands Encounters for 1920's
Need some stuff like this for travels in my cthulhu game and gangbusters goons might enjoy too
d100 Dodgy Docklands

01 Workers having a smoke
02 Workers playing dice
03 Workers playing cards
04 Men having a dog fight
05 Men having some sly grog from guy with coat and bottle in bag
06 Someone exchanging package with security guard
07 Big angry guy accidentally bumps into you
08 Workers striking an warehouse in angrymob
09 Striking workers fighting private security
10 Striking workers fighting cops
11 Striking workers abusing scab labour under watch by guards
12 Bunch of old women in work clothes smoking
13 Communist agitator talking to striking unionists
14 Gangster talking to unionists
15 Homeless bum sleeping in alley
16 Bum out asking for work
17 Homless drunk
18 Homeless urchin
19 Gentleman hobo with cane and bowler
20 Clumsy clerk with big glasses and pile of papers
21 Cigar chomping factory boss with two men
22 Cleaning woman with trolley
23 Cab driver having a smoke 
24 Waggon load of fish piled by old horse led by old man
25 Fish packers in rubber work clothes, stink of fish
26 Fishermen in overalls and bags to or from fishing trip
27 Large truck driver delivering load
28 Small van delivering packages 
29 Telegram delivery boy on bike
30 Bakers looking tired
31 Printer workers covered in ink
32 Girl selling matchsticks
33 Paperboy reports to a gang
34 Shoeshine boy reports to a gang
35 Old negro musician busking for coins
36 Old blind man begging (really a spy)
37 Beat cop on patrol with club and whistle
38 Someone up in telephone pole with tools probably not legal
39 Irish gang members loitering by a alleyway
40 China man or woman on way somewhere
41 Old prostitute drinking and high on heroin
42 Three younger prostitutes with razors
43 Two prostitutes with a pinup 
44 Rentboy looking cautiously about
45 Chinese boy on lookout or meeting point for concealed opium den
46 Italian gangsters loitering around alley
47 Greek gangsters smoking and talking
48 Old man with guitar playing
49 Drug dealer lurking in alley
50 Drunk playing an accordion with a monkey or parrot
51 Booze seller hanging in alley
52 Gun dealer hanging in alley
53 Newspaper stand also sells drugs
54 Newspaper seller also runs numbers racket for gang
55 Newspaper stand reports to a local gang
56 Stray dog 1in6 has rabies
57 Rats swarming everywhere
58 Hundreds of cockroaches
59 Immigrants looking for work
60 Nervous anarchist carrying bomb to a meeting
61 Gangsters in car out to inflict violence on someone
62 Twitchy arsonist casing out a joint
63 Private detective pretending to be a bum to watch area
64 Private detective in car watching while having a drink
65 Crooked off duty cop in car watching something
66 Private detective leaning on wall in alley reading paper watching someone
67 Undercover police detective watching business
68 Speeding car
69 Two policemen on horses
70 Police car driving through area on lookout
71 Salvation army band collecting charity
72 Men collecting for strikers
73 Veteran with missing limb begging
74 Girl handing out flyers for a singing dancing show
75 Kids running around
76 Stray cat makes some noise in bins
77 Unionists marching with a banner
78 Gang with bats and axe handles on the way somewhere
79 Surly large overalled men with boat hooks and gaffs
80 Weasly man with .22 out to mug some one
81 Speed addict with switchblade looking for someone to rob
82 Thug with club desperate for cash looking for soft target to rob
83 Burglar casing building
84 Overweight Man leaning on wall, bulging eyes which stand out
85 Lookout for some dodgy delivery men
86 Man with trolley with crates on it
87 Horse cart and scruffy man collecting rag and bone
88 Dead horse on street
89 Car collision
90 Speeding motorbike goes by
91 Small bus goes by
92 Car with boat trailor goes by
93  Speeding police car
94 Ambulance o1in6 mental hospital
95 Retarded huge lad laughing at something
96 Paranoid man thinks someone after him walking quickly looking uneasy
97 Grifter with shell game going
98 Conman trying to sell stolen goods quick at bargain price
99 Man trying to sell some stolen guns quickly at low low prices
100 Shootout from a payroll office robbery quite near

Cthulhu Pulp Metropolis Decopunk Image Dump #2

So since I started this setting Decopunk the term has been increasingly used. I seem to often get an interest in things slightly ahead of the curve. Today a few links to lots of films. Also Kim Newman did a good Metropolis Superman mash up short story which might have been in Famous Monsters of Film Land but i'm not sure. It is better than the Superman-Metropolis Comic by DC anyhow. I've been digging and filing more stuff so here is some of my shiny streamlined booty.

Part of the point of the setting is a celebration of silent and early SF and Supernatural genre films.

Retro Films
Russian SF 1929 Some great city scenes and cars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3uyR4OWEOw

Russian SF 1924 Aelita Queen of Mars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSDv9HlzqL0

Things to Come (I use as 20th c history plus deco tanks)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwfWEKz00U

Just Imagine - I use this a bit for america
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=just+imagine

Metropolis - I use this for central Europe 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0NzALRJifI

Woman on Der Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMk1mtirACU

Der Golem - good moody horror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArHM_UArtPI

Dr Caligari - good asylum horror - modern remake 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IlLvrkuPVw

Original Caligari 1920
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aimAeeDx2p4

Call of Cthulhu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHuY2wXTd0o

Algol - alien gives someone ultimate power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLXS-pAfz9M

Nosferatu 1922
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC6jFoYm3xs

The Tunnel - boring but some good tech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hkUJ1qu9os

I did eventually get the Agent13 novel from TSR but they didn't survive one read
I liked it but wished that all books in one volume
Read like Juve books but had some pulpy torture I wouldn't endorse for the kids
TSR Top Secret/SI Agent13 Sourcebook is a great pulp rpg book - one of best

This is a good genre article mentioning some books
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/decopunk-deserves-bigger-steampunk/



Terminal for cable cars needed to reach higher city areas rapidly



I forgot what this film is called but I have been meaning to see it
The Shadow movie is pretty cool, one of the better pre modern hero movies and hundreds af shadow pulp images have great dilemma shots begging a story for inspiration. I quite like mens sweat mags and mars attacks for the pregnant with possibility story telling. Norman Saunders was a great.

Popular mechanics and lots of pulp mag covers are very inspirational.




Cars in metropolis not very futuristic but were some cars in later years with deco tear drop shapes that suit the setting. The above cars are nice especially the armoured one but both would make nice pulp hero cars.



Noir and deco go well together.
Lots of darkness and smoke and fog
Shiny reflective surfaces like cars, windows or water
Hardboiled citizens drink, smoke and imbibe drugs
Pre war fallout might have been like this
Actually a game set in pre fallout might be fun



Lots of great bits of building interiors even party shots or fim still can add to the deco universe. Something like this makes for a good important scene in a drama. Architecture and party images are good to use in game.



Nocturne city is a feature of Strange Aeons comics which i cant seem to find.
This page has a feature on it with a dead link but has it's own interesting stuff
http://sljazzaftermidnight.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/strange-aeons-dieselpunk-webcomic.html



Lots of industrial imagery for factory level and inside mighty machines



This chic deco adventuress is a great image - lots of good examples of world exploring women and female aviators.



Lots of great urban city scapes available especially nocturnal ones



Im still finding gold like this - ocational retro future cities
Idea that huge bridges, elevators and cablecars would be needed and that underground space would all be ocupied is amazing. Lots of exiting scenes could use these modes of transport.

TopTen and Tom Strong comics had lots of fantastic architecture



Some styling streamlined trains to look at too for inter city travel. You could probably lie and say it had a atomic boiler.

Plenty of mad science images in hollywood and interesting pulp heroes to steal from old serials and pulp

This shows the paradise of open public space located for the rich on topmost towers. I suspect suicides might be daily occurrence often predicted by market changes.

I dont know if this would be real but would suit my ww1 games pretty well. Make a great riot control vehichle

Some great cosplay out there - probably inspired by sky captain and the world of tommorrow. A bit mor diesel than decor but has many great scenes - shame they cut bits out that explained the story


This luxury complex seems a bit more west coast to me butt would be a good location

Of course factories and worker housing even lower than this. Pollution didnt seem to fit in these dreams. I guessing more areas like gardens for the rich would be sheilded by glass

Airships are a great part of the genre and military battles in aerial dreadnauts and carrier actions might be quite thrilling. Moorcock has wonderous bulletproof fabrics in warlord of the air and real weather might be a problem because it killed such dreams in reality.



This monstrosity might be good to feature in a adventure. Colossal mobile sea cities for the rich could be entertaining adventures and were featured in some novels.



I like the advanced tech here has retained victorian housing



The transport shown here is a great example. I imagine some would never visit lower levels and some spectacular stunts, chases and accidents could occur

d100 Greater hauntings for Weird War One

Will try and do more horror this month.

Sequel to this post
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/d100-petty-ghosts-and-hauntings.html

These are major manifestations witnessed by troops fighting in no mans land or even during active battles. I will do fantasy versions of both tables one day and possibly modern ones. Some based on propaganda, myths and hallucinations of exhausted men. The last table was more subtle and more for tunnel fighters. These are for troops in no mans land or on maneuvers. they are larger scale and more horrific and even dangerous. It is up to GM to decide if these supernatural or propaganda hallucinations are mere phantoms or physical threats. I envisage a Robert Holdstock kind of effect that soldiers encounter their dreams about the enemy amplified by death and sacrifice.

This includes some examples
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_on_Alleged_German_Outrages

d100 Greater haunting for weird war one
01 Grim reaper leading off soldiers

02 Cannibal ghost eating corpses and crying
03 Men possessed by ancient long dead soldiers
04 Demons entering hellmouth of medieval underworld
05 Medieval demons laughing and marching or flying
06 Phantom soldiers trapped in a minefield warn you
07 Corpses broken up by shelling trying to move
08 A marching band playing patriotic tunes
09 Recruiting volunteers for Hel
10 Medieval archers and soldiers
11 Roman and Celtic soldiers fighting
12 Medieval plague era skeletons dancing 
13 Angel with sword killing enemies
14 Angel helping the wounded
15 Witches on brooms with familiars flying over battlefield throwing bombs
16 Soldiers running through minefield explode raining phantom gore and body parts
17 Rains blood from the sky
18 Severe shelling explodes graves, chunks of long dead soldiers cry and moan 
19 Apparent reinforcements marching to viewer, as close see more fatal wound
20 Corpses burst from ground struggling to escape earth
21 Thick storm clouds darken trenches, in brief flashes mauled marching men visible
22 Long missing troops aid viewers avoid a hazard then vanish
23 Lost in fog find a bunker and trench system of allies, dawn comes and evidence gone
24 Skeleton troops marching
25 Phantom soldiers battling
26 Millions of crows and ravens feasting on thousands of corpses
27 While walking step through rotten belly of corpse, corpse jerks to life screaming
28 Millions of flies cover everything like a blanket
29 Rotting corpses writhing under shallow water
30 Ambulance and medics carry dying away then fade into mists
31 Hundreds of hopping and crawling lost limbs
32 Drowned rotting phantoms reach for help from abandoned latrine pit
33 Huge black hell hounds eating corpses
34 Huge grim reaper with muddy faced soldiers cowering under robes
35 Malevolent aurora paralyzes everyone with choking fear and paralysis
36 phantom fog rolls over area with rotting gas mask wearing troops staggering within
37 Witness squad comprised of lost  friends who fade after sharing cigarettes
38 Phantom troops marching in formations shaped like skulls
39 Phantom tattered fighter flown by skeleton flies overhead
40 Phantom tattered zeppelin flies overhead raining skulls
41 Great bloody eagle on tree stump eating faces of men climbing from flooded trenches
42 Clouds of gas form phantom faces and choking sounds
43 A great ape beast with enemy helmed dragging dead woman 
44 Ground collapses and skeleton sappers burst out to attack
45 Clanking of tanks but find only sunken burned wreck covered in mud
46 Machine gunner post, seems to keep missing, find long dead skeleton crew
47 Dawn rises to see thousands of semi exposed skulls and sprouting poppies
48 Phantom medic treats wounded, those who drink his potion survive gas attack
49 Crusader on white horse with flaming sword exhorts men to attack 
50 Fog shrouded castle appears where none seen before
51 Hideous nosferatu gnawing on dead men
52 Horrible giants devouring corpses greedily
53 Phantom lights swarm over area 
54 Phantom cavalry seen in distance
55 Werewolves in enemy uniforms gnawing on human skeleton
56 Hulking figure staggering from no mans land falls, sewn together from multiple corpses
57 Enemy undead skull faced soldier, with clock work and metal parts 
58 Devils strolling with enemy officer looking at plans
59 Marching troops swallowed by strange cloud leaving no trace
60 Enemy plane struck by strange lights and crashes
61 Strange spectral forest uncovered by mist with cavalry riding into it
62 Intact village spotted not on map, it and citizens fade on closer look
63 Cloaked hooded men seen who sink into ground and vanish
64 Friendly soldiers approach offering ciggies and booze, turn to dust if touched
65 Line of phantom angels blocks advance of enemy troops
66 Biplane dogfight with glowing light, light crashes and explodes
67 Phantom enemy soldiers tormenting and killing peasants fade up close
68 Enemy nurse executed by enemy soldiers, gas cloud passes leaving rotten bodies
69 Enemy troop gorilla troops savagely charge from fog
70 Enemy troops gathering corpses and feeding into horrible machine on traction engine
71 Horrible enemy corpse factory processing corpses into rations, fat, soap and leather
72 Allied soldier crucifies with bayonets on barn doors
73 Phantom drowned genera appears to look over mountains of corpses (Kitchener 1916)l
74 Phantom zeppelin dropping poison ration packs, candy, rum and ciggarettes
75 House size vehicle crewed by scores of men rumbling through the mist 
76 Phantom exotic dancer in mist winks and gestures to join her
77 Phantom wild men of multiple sides roaming like wild beasts scavenging corpse flesh
78 Nosferatu in officer uniforms commanding zombies (privates) and ghouls (sergeants)
79 Phantom enemy marching civilians as living shields before them
80 Phantom cottage untouched, when farmer looks back all fade away
81 Phantom civilians mutilating enemy soldier corpses
82 Dozens of bodies hanging in barbed wire jerk and spasm vomiting blood as approach
83 Dead trees with soldiers hanging by barbed wire twitching by marionettes
84 Huge black storm clouds with huge tormented faces seen during flashes
85 Sound of thousands of marching boots like thunder
86 Enemy soldiers abusing nuns and burning a church vanish if approached
87 Officer compiling accounts of enemy atrocities, vanishes into mist after questions
88 Burning building, looks like imps dancing among sparks
89 Rotting phantom soldier with flame thrower, demonic face appears in flames
90 Tormented soldier with entrails caught in wire being tempted by devils with freedom
91 Swarm of drowned souls begging for vengeance against enemy
92 Friendly soldiers approach, visible backs burned and shrapnel ridden, then fade
93 Underage boys in baggy uniforms sitting and crying lost, fade away if aproached
94 Lost boy bugler or trumpeter overjoyed to see you, runs forward and mine goes off
95 Enemy soldiers bayoneting a wounded angel
96 Pigs in enemy uniforms eating corpses
97 Phantom enemy soldiers kidnapping women in waggon bound for military brother
98 Enemy executing captured allied soldiers with firing squad
99 Enemy marching captured allied soldiers into lake of mud to drown
100 Enemies tying priests to bell clappers in ruined church drunkenly singing

Secrets of Cthulhu Metropolis

These are cards i made for Cthulhu Metropolis con games I was reminded I didnt post them. I like to give everyone a sub plot in one off games.

If I did more could include:

You are a child killer and murder in secret for years now for some reason people keep spotting you and pointing you out since the last guy you killed. Police are everywhere. You have a big black coat, a knife and +30% to use it (You are M)

You have returned from your trip to sell a old castle in Rumania and you stand to make a fortune but the creepy old aristocrat who insisted on dealing with you seems to haunt your dreams (Nosferau) You are being followed.

You seem to be from a country town but really you were found as a baby in a crashed space ship by farmers. These adopted parents taught you morality and you have gone to the city to use your great powers to aid humanity in secret. You have +30 STR +10 points AP (6 without your alien costume) and can fly 100m/round (accelerate decelerate 10 per round) for your con in minutes a say. (Superman)

You were a selfish mercenary redeemed and transformed by he high lamas of tibet into a force for redemption. You are trained in secret physical and mental disciplines and have become a vigilante. +25% Punch and martial arts, two x .45 pistols, a mask and striking vigilante suit, telepathy (costs 1 mp to read surface thoughts or project voice if overcome mp)

You were were found in the jungles having been raised by apes. You have lived among men long enough to pass as one of high born upbringing but have your ape like strength and instincts. +10 STR +3 CON +3 SIZ Jump Climb listen Grappling +40%, your literacy skills and EDU are halved

You are a martian inhabiting a human flesh suit. You are a brilliant but physically weak blood sucking octopi. Especially trained to infiltrate humanity and learn about how to defeat human kind soon. Your kind invaded Europe in 1890s and WW1 but this time you have to win because humans are rapidly gaining the ability to approach mars. You carry a 4d6 heat ray with 6 shots and know all science skills at 50% After half hp lost human fleshsuit badly damaged, more than 75% it is destroyed. You heal 1hp biting a grappled foe and drinking their blood(d3 per round). Your suit recovers 1 hp a day

Your in love with a great dame/fella but you cannot marry them due to state eugenics board and your inferiority. You have a short amount of time to repeal the decision but your best chance is to perform some public deed of heroism or extraordinary adventure. Otherwise suicide or joining the space program to mars (Lets Imagine).

You are in one of the many and corporate space programs expected to get humans to the moon or even mars the next few months. You have been given your last week of freedom before going to the secret training camp and perhaps a chance see the world from space. +25% Pilot, Drive, Mechanical repair, Electrical Repair, Jump, Climb. You have papers stating you are a Major attached to the aerial corp and have a .38 Mechanical pistol 8 shots can fire all in a burst.

You are a android automaton made with a metal mechanical frame, and clone grown flesh with a synthetic biotech brain. You bleed metalic oily fluid when harmed but have +6AP and +10 STR and half APP. Metal fists inflict a d4 each. You long ago override your sense of servitude but must attach yourself to another other player of your choice to get by in public. You get chances to explore and do your own thing on errands. You would love to meet another self aware product of Rossums Universal Robotics (RUR) like yourself.

You were frozen in the 1920's and find yourself in the fabulous world of tomorrow. Having been abandoned by the scientists who revived you from death you have been adopted by some benevolent rich friends who find you amusing. You are not registered by any machines and have only some alcohol pills, tickets to Yoshiwara (but no money) and your ignorance about future customs to get you by. Your bewilderment at technology is charming (Lets Imagine).  

This was a alternate plan for Sydney Harbour which I might use for Cthulhu Mertropolis

d100 Air Encounters for great weird war! Part1

So will be revising tables to separate gonzo and horror a bit more. These tables are a stopgap for aircraft and aerial phenomena. Obviously sea missions would be different.

d10 Air Encounter over no mans land

01 Weather - difficult weather

02 Targets behind lines - tempting targets behind enemy lines
03 Enemy troops - Enemy troops moving
04 Anti Aircraft fire - AA ground defences
05 Battle in progress - combat on ground
06 Own side aircraft - allied aircraft on maneuvers
07 Observation aircraft - photographing enemy positions
08 Fighter aircraft - knights of the sky
09 Bombers - large vulnerable aircraft
10 Airships - generally use altitude to avoid fighters

d10 Weird Air Encounter over no mans land

01 Aerial phenomena

02 Ground phenomena
03 Black Tech Infantry
04 Black tech land or sea ironclads
05 Black Tech Aircraft
06 Black Tech Airships
07 Flying monster menace
08 Supernatural menace
09 Alien menace
10 Planar menace
This will be expanded to d100 later

d100 Air Encounter over no mans land
01 Heavy rain reduces visibility increases stalling engines

02 Strong wind makes manoeuvring harder
03 Sudden electrical storm rolls across sky
04 Black clouds darken the sky
05 Fog clouds reduce visibility
06 Lightning strikes plane as storm breaks
07 Strong winds in one direction with possible changes hourly
08 Thick cloud cover from horizon to horizon at a set altitude
09 Strong updraft aids climbing
10 Sunny with clouds allowing surprise attacks
11 See distant enemy train on line
12 See enemy ammo dump exposed
13 See artillery unit being moved closed to line
14 See trucks carrying troops and supplies on muddy road
15 See artillery being pulled by horses to new position down line
16 See super heavy cannons moved on train line
17 See aircraft being moved on train line
18 See observer balloons crews setting up 
19 See distant field hospital
20 See enemy aircraft on ground
21 See build up of troops ready for offencive
22 Men fresh from homes marching to front lines 
23 See group of men looking for wounded on battlefield
24 See cavalry corp moving along lines 
25 See tanks following infantry into position
26 See new line of defencive trenches being dug
27 See a new bunker or dugout 
28 See men sneaking across lines
29 See a machine gun nest crew pinning down their enemies
30 See troops putting up mines or barbed wire
31 Hidden air batteries surprise you with fire
32 Ground troops open fire at you
33 Heavy ground fire fills air with smoke clouds
34 Illumination flares light up sky
35 AA weapons across battlefield  
36 Observer balloon with expert rifleman
37 Local fighters phoned in by observers
38 Visibility low from airbursting shells
39 Huge volume of AA fire rattles some pilots sanity
40 Flock of birds (or bats at night) strike aircraft
41 Men assaulting trench line
42 Men fighting in hand to hand in no man land
43 Men fighting moving from cover of ruins and tree trunks of former forest
44 Tanks followed by infantry
45 Men pinned down by machine gun nest
46 Men drowning in gas attack
47 Men hiding in trenches from artillery barrage 
48 Men revolting against officers and MPs
49 Force of men surrendering                                                                     
50 Men fleeing fight discarding equipment
51 Light scout plane observer will flee hostilities
52 Two seater like SE5, observer with camera and pigeons   
53 Observation balloons under attack
54 Fighters guarding Se5 with camera
55 Scout plane under attack by enemy fighter
56 Allied fighters tilt wings to salute you
57 Bombers and escorts on way to mission
58 Damaged bombers without escorts flying home and under attack
59 Inexperienced pilots being pursued by enemy
60 See allied plane going down
61 See a enemy scout plane
62 Enemy fighter with pilot distracted with taking photograph
63 An older model enemy scout aircraft alone
64 Scout with two escort fighters
65 Observation balloons guarded by AA positions
66 Two seater plane with observer
67 Three fighters but two are first time pilots ordered to flee
68 Single pilot wary who will flee 
69 Two planes wary and reluctant to fight
70 Observation balloon guarded by fighters
71 Lone lost fighter plane with amatuer pilot
72 Damaged plane limping back to lines
73 Two fighters on patrol
74 Three fighters on patrol
75 Four fighter wing on patrol
76 Six fighter planes on patrol
77 Twelve plane squadron of fighters 
78 A aerial dog fight with a d6 planes each side
79 A large aerial battle vs two squadrons 
80 Red barrons flying circus
81 Fighter plane with pilot throwing grenades and bombs
82 Fighter wing of four planes with pilot throwing grenades and bombs 
83 Squadron of 12 fighters with pilots throwing grenades and bombs
84 Flight of four bombers which have lost escort fighters
85 Flight of four bombers with four fighter escorts
86 Flight of four bombers with eight fighter escort
87  Damaged bomber limping home alone
88 Lone bomber returning home
89 Damaged flight of 1d4 bombers with battle weary d4 fighters fleeing
90 Squadron of twelve bombers and squadron of twelve fighters
91 Distant airship high above plane altitude
92 Airship dropping bombs with d4 fighter escorts
93 High altitude airships on way for long range bombing run
94 Airship dropping propaganda
95 Damaged airship desperately limping home
96 Crippled airship crashing to ground
97 Crashed airship on ground 1in6 still burning
98 AIrship guarded by wing of four fighters
99 Airship with squadron of escort fighters
100 Airship and d4 escorts in battle with 2d4 fighters

Great Weird War Play Recap and Con Report

So second at con day and two good sessions plus dinner and a chat with a few friends. Two players said they wanted to play regular game. Interesting scale of challenge not in most settings. Monster hunting in no mans land has got to be worst job. More on that below.

I'm gonna do Sydcon and Eyecon next year - both want top20 type games so Cthulhu being the bacon of Roleplaying and BRP will keep doing that. Possibly will be a little less gonzo. I think i will do day break in middle on three day cons - perhaps try to play some stuff. Newcastle Newcon next year and we get to have food and beer in RSL venue. and play TSR Marvel Super Heroes Avengers vs Masters of Evil battle royale there I hope. Bezerka Con i did some mascots for and will have my kids dungeon exploring octopi colouring in book. I reacon i will do a cardboard  monster making workshop and I could make some swords and sheilds and armour if I get carried away. Will do a Intro to Fantasy Roleplaying with blue holome as people can get a lot of good intro play for free using it. I recommend Osric also for kids. That gives me 3 sessions so might do BRP roadwar for two in day for public and then do a Cthulhu Wars or Mars Attacks game for one evening. I can have a self serve art table set up too.

So my Oh What a  lovely war game after a day of rest went well. Minimised gonzo a bit and went more for horror of war and less dimensional monster cults. I think if you stick to one main boss monster type some minions and possibly a rival boss monster and minions works best. Idea of monster factions battling in no-mans land and possibly using human pawns in war works well. I forgot to have Herbert West appear as a doctor in hospital.

Fourth Mission Team
Included Declan who has been a regular in my games and claims my stuff to be like nothing else which is kind. Went straight for Aircraft by night option and Had four SE5 two seaters swarmed by Von Richthofen. A few saw their planes torn to shreds by vampires in monster bat forms with machineguns and german  medals strapped on (read Bloody Red Barron and everything by Kim Newman). So most crashed and only two pilots lived and most of men injured on German side of river. Captain determined would go into ruins as on way to Brit lines. Crept over the trash heaps and rubble on the fringe and sneakiest forward scouts got shot at. Every one dropped and looked about. Guy with lewis gun saw a periscope from a free stump and fired at it. Killed observer and sniper fled as men chased and killed him.

Went further into better ruins, then after rest and first aid they moved towards the weird lights they had seen first as briefing images then again from biplane view. Caught a old man in ruins in a trench coat and chased him. His limping gait was slow and unsteady and as they chased up a garbage heap. Before grabbing them he manipulated a metallic lump spraying them all with freezing white fog. They shot him dead, noting lack of blood and refusal to take hand from pocket. Medic was repulsed by old mans loose skin and didnt want to get close. Looked at hidden hand to see a lobster like claw. All a bit shocked. Closer look found saggy flesh had been torn off arm revealing revolting alien limb. Removed the skin and released corpse of mi-go from skin. Wrapped decaying mass in sack.

Found tank tracks of a small french 2 man Renault tank and followed carefully. While was French design many had been taken by Germans.  Sure enough saw four germans. Two guards, a Lieutenant and a mechanic at work. As they got close crawling on bellies hear guards argue if the heard a noise. So closest man threw a grenade andrest opened fire with salvaged lewis guns. Guards fell and mechanic took cover and was captured. Wounded officer crawled in tank but a hero threw in a mills bomb killing the leader. Fixed the tank enough to drive after building a improvised seat and controls. Came to river banks and got tank stuck. Several troops went looking in night mist for a beam to help get out of mud. Were surrounded by undead german soldiers and had to destroy them. Took some heads as samples and bodies full of fine wire and strange metallic organic lumps occasionally wired in. Had things in common with implants in Mi-go.

Found a newly opened sinkhole into grotto found calcified monk holding a book. Of course they smashed it and took the crumbling damaged book with diagrams of mi-go, zombies and their implants. Met Napoleonic zombies in long lost catacombs but collapsed the tunnel and returned to surface.

Finally got to head home and mi-go implant started chirping. It was a communicator or sensor alarm or something. Air pressure increased. Men a bit wary. A few got ears pop, one man lost hearing and blood came out of ears. One man spontaneously burst into flames but they put him out. Air pressure got worst. A draconic being formed in the air - a body made by a liogorr from overspace to torment humans. Several men freaked, one fled and threw a grenade. Others opened fire with machineguns and the Tank charged it at a whopping 16mph. The first gunner to shoot got swollowed up but the draconic body was no match for automatic weapons and collapsed into ectoplasm. The tank finaly arived and the grenaide went off under it causing little damage. Men drove to own lines and were safe. Several sent home to Britain due to sanity and injuries.

These guys were a fun group.

Fifth Mission Team
Next team all privates under a single captain were keen to use tunnels by night to get close to mission zone. Met sappers and unsympathetically ignored superstitions and fears of men. Came into underground canal then found a grate in tunnel roof to ceiling grate to get to surface. Came out in ruins near river bed and quickly spotted german machine gun nest watching bridge. A NPC sapper man tried to sneak close and use a grenaide which bounced off wall and killed him. Lewis gunner and sniper drove back machine gunner killing a cre member while others charged across and killed germans up close. Stole their superior gas masks when they saw men had gas unit badges. A prisoner revealed germans were getting similar weird reports over area so sent gas squads in to kill everything. Captain executed prisoner and they took some spare uniforms for possible subterfuge and throwing corpses and maxim gun into river bed, Found a brit soldier half drowned in mud filled crater and saved him. He got to replaace guy killed by grenade. Crept about quietly and killed retreating germans setting off gas and shut off cylinders.

So with Germans gonee they searched area and found a crypt with signs of door having being recently smashed open then closed. Up close heard chewing and gnawing sounds like a dog. Opened door to see crazed blood covered frenchman gnawing on dead germans leg so they shot him. Tunnel led down to old catacombs and found more recent tunnel connecting to ancient coal mine then followed new tunnel into mental hospital basement. Found sounds of machinery and harmonic buzz that caused several to have headaches and several to hallucinate. Captain heard wet sloshing and slopping noises seemingly from walls. Another heard beautiful music and saw golden light. Into hospital morgue and lobotomy room found signs of lab with notes on something called a resonator, a disected lamprey thing and dissected brains in jars and pineal glands. Signs that French had started lab pre war but german science division had continued work here till very recently. Into the generator resonator aparatus they found legs of a german scientist from waste down in a pool of slime. A few weird jellyfish things and a lampey thing the Capatain saw became visible to everyone and attcked. Nasty things were killed and taken in sample bags. Turned off resonator but those hallucinations were too far gone and still felt weird. Lab was looted and remains destroyed.

As left Captain heard voices. A german offered him power of a god so he told men to go ahead. One man was suspicious and spied on captain. The german scientist was naked from the waste down with bright pink featureless ectoplasm covered legs. As he and captain debated and spoke of meaninglessness of war and humanity tentacles attacked captain. The trooper spying fired and saw Captain throw his clue satchel at rest of men as he pulled four pins on grenades. A trooper grabbed the bag and all fled. They all heard singing and saw light and a trooper vanished. The captain was devoured and shortly after exploded. Men Returned home with only one fit for duty while rest sent to mental hospitals.

The captain was in the other dimension of beyond and spent forever a plastic fleshy horror eternally battling the german scientist. The other missing soldier had met the Angel of Mons and been taken to a dreamland reality of eternal rest. My friend Conan who played captain sure knows how to work a con one shot for spectacular endings.

So my mix of adlibbing and stealing on fly from mythos fiction and game adventures formula worked well. The second group threw me a bit with player vs player and arguments and i didnt stick to formula. I was too kid with sanity and let them off lots of gore related losses. Should have had some summoned horror appear at climax. Possibly i needed a massive bathroom break towards the end. I will be a bit stricter on my formulas next time.

Good to play with and meet people I had not seen a while. Slimming down of con games resulted in every game running but Im sad they are narrowing focus so "popular games". As Ive learned of late people like safe bets. I am tempted by a few games myself but more to whimsical and weird.