Call of cthulhu 7e keeper rulebook pdf download free

» Horror Roleplaying in the Worlds of H.P. Lovecraft 7 - r Call of Cthulhu Call of Cthulhu originally written by Sandy Petersen, with later revision by Lynn Willis. This revised 7th Edition is a collaboration between Paul Fricker and Mike Mason. Edited by Scott Dorward, Badger McInnes, Mike Mason, Charlie Krank. Design Format: Mike Mason. Layout: Badger McInnes, Nick Nacario, Charlie Krank, Cover illustration by: Sam Lamont. Chapter Illustrations by: Jonathan Wyke, Paul Carrick, Rob Gould, François Launet, Victor Leza, Charles Wong, Mike Perry, Nicholas Cloister, Antonio Luis, Kalli Schulz. Interior Illustrations by: Rachel Kahn, Grilla, Chris Huth, Loïc Muzy, Paul Carrick, Scott Neil, Jonathan Wyke, Victor Leza, Sam Lamont, Celeste Burcham, Caryad, Antonio Mainez, Tom Sullivan, Marco Morte, Cartography by: Steff Worthington. ® The reproduction of material from within this book for the purposes of personal or corporate profit, by photographic, optical, electronic, or other media or methods of storage and retrieval, is prohibited. Address questions and comments by mail to: Chaosium, Inc. 22568 Mission Blvd. #423 Hayward CA 94541 U.S.A. Please do not phone in game questions; the quickest answer may not be the best answer. Our web site www.chaosium.com always contains latest release information and current prices. Chaosium Publication @@@@@@@. ISBN @@@@@@@@@ Published in @@@@@@@ 2014. Printed in U.S.A. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the following people for their on going support and assistance: Charlie Krank, Christian Grussi, Keary Birch, Alan Bligh, John French, Scott Dorward, Matthew Sanderson, Dean Engelhardt, Matt Anderson, Tim Vincent, Kevin White, Garrie Hall, Pedro Ziviani, Dan Kramer, Scott David Aniolowski, Brian Courtemache, Brian Sammons, Chad Bowser, Tom Lynch, and of course Sandy Petersen, without whom none of this would have happened! Dedications To my father, who introduced me to Lovecraft and to science fiction in general. From one of his books I read my first Love- craftian story,“Pickman’s Model.” Thanks, Dad. —S.P. For my boys, Felix and Ernest. You're the best! —Mike Mason To my friend, Phillip Sidebotham, for introducing me to both roleplaying games and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. —Paul Fricker To the fans and backers of Call of Cthulhu and Chaosium who helped to make this new edition a reality. To all those around the world who give their time and energy to spread the word, and are truly one of us. Our thanks to you all! In Sanity—Chaosium Clear Credit Paul Fricker revised and wrote the 7th edition rules with de- velopment and additional material from Mike Mason. Chap- ter 11 was written by Paul Fricker and Mike Mason. Chapters 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 were revised with additional material by Mike Mason and Paul Fricker. Amidst the Ancient Trees was written by Matthew Sanderson with additional material by Mike Mason. Crimson Letters was written by Alan Bligh with additional material by Mike Mason, and playtest note from Christopher Smith Adair. The timelines were updated by John French and Mike Mason. Updated equipment costs were provided by Mike Mason and Dan Kramer. The 7th edi- tion investigator sheets were designed by Dean Engelhardt. Joe Schillizzi also helped with the revised weapon tables. This edition additionally draws from earlier editions of the Call of Cthulhu rules. The following authors’ work has been used or revised in this current edition: Sandy Peters- en, Lynn Willis, Keith Herber, Kevin Ross, Mark Morrison, William Hamblin, Scott David Aniolowski, Michael Tice, Shannon Appel, Eric Rowe, Bruce Ballon, William G. Dunn, Sam Johnson, Brian M. Sammons, Jan Engan, Bill Barton, Les Brooks, and friends. Original compositions from earlier editions revised and/ or used in this edition: Keith Herber wrote the Necronom- icon chapter, Mythos Prehistory, H. P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, Prehistory of the Cthulhu Mythos, and (with Kevin Ross) Books of the Cthulhu Mythos. Les Brooks compiled sample gear and prices. Kevin Ross tracked down many quotes and sources, and added material and statistics. Scott Aniolowski concentrated on monster descriptions and statistics. Long ago Bill Dunn wrote the Guide to Sanity Loss- es. Michael Tice, Eric Rowe, and Shannon Appel assembled the Sanity information. Shannon Appel also constructed the Alien Technology section, using some inventions from past supplements, and did revisionary work on Deities, Creatures, and Mythos Prehistory. Bruce Ballon originally revised the Sanity chapter and wrote the Dangerousness Criteria exam- ple, the timeline, and summaries of drugs and treatments. Jan Engan contributed the occult book summaries. Brian Sammons originally created the Mythos tomes table. Sam Johnson wrote some of the stats for the weapon table. Bill Barton helped provide the stats for Chaugnar Faugn, the Colour, and others. Call of Cthulhu is published by Chaosium Inc. Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition) is copyright ©1981, 1983, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014 by Chaosium Inc.; all rights reserved. Call of Cthulhu® is the registered trademark of Chaosium Inc. Similarities between characters in Call of Cthulhu and persons living or dead are strictly coincidental. All material concerning Shudde-M’ell and the Cthonians, and all other inventions of Brian Lumley as portrayed in his works, specifically The Burrowers Beneath, are used with his kind permission. J. Ramsey Campbell’s “Cold Print” ©1969 August Derleth. William Lumley’s and H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Diary of Alonzo Typer” ©1970 by August Derleth. Colin Wilson’s “The Return of the Lloigor” ©1969 August Derleth. Frank Belknap Long’s “Hounds of Tindalos” ©1946 Estate of Frank Belknap Long. Clark Ashton Smith’s “The Return of the Sorcerer” ©1931 Clayton Magazines Inc. Clark Ashton Smith’s “The Nameless Offspring ©1932 Clayton Magazines. Inc. The quotes from “The Inhabitant of the Lake” are ©1964 by J. Ramsey Campbell and “The Last Revelation of Gla’aki”©2013 Ramsey Campbell,. Clark Ashton Smith’s “The Seven Geases” ©1934 Popular Fiction Publishing Co.Derleth’s “The Dweller in Darkness” ©1953 August Derleth. Eddy C. Bertin’s “Darkness, My Name Is” ©1976 Edward P. Berglund. Bloch’s “Notebook Found in a Deserted House” ©1951 Weird Tales. Derleth’s “The Gable Window” ©1957 Candar Publishing Co. Derleth’s “The Lurker at the Threshold” ©1945 August Derleth. Donald J. Walsh, Jr.’s “The Rings of the Papaloi” ©1971 August Derleth. Derleth’s “The Thing That Walked on the Wind” ©1933 The Clayton Magazines Inc. Blish’s “More Light” ©1970 Anne McCaffrey. Kuttner’s “The Salem Horror” ©1937 Popular Fiction Publishing Co. Clark Ashton Smith’s “The Treader of the Dust” ©1935 Popular Fiction Publish- ing Co. Derleth’s “The Lair of the Star-Spawn” ©1932 Pop- ular Fiction Publishing Co. Carter’s “Zoth-Ommog”©1976 Edward P. Berglund. Brennan’s “The Seventh Incantation” ©1963 Joseph Payne Brennan. Henry Hasse’s “The Horror at Vecra” ©1988 Cryptic Publications. H.P. Lovecraft’s works ©1963, 1964, 1965 by August Derleth. Works within are quoted for purposes of illustration. H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) Master of Horror J:'*** pe > -t O1 dm'. 1 Foreword What has risen may sink, and what is sunk may rise… Cthulhu still lives. —H. P . Lovecraft My own introduction to H. P. Lovecraft was as a child, when I found a tattered book of stories, printed long before I was born. I read that book in bed that night, and became entranced forever. If you, too, love Lovecraft’s stories, you can now experience the Cthulhu Mythos in a whole new way. I’ve been a game designer more than 30 years, and a Lovecraft fan far longer. I’ve been an author, a college professor, and even executive producer on a movie. You’ve probably heard of some of the games I helped to create, and might even have played them. In the video game field, I’m probably best known for the strategy games I worked on. But I am most proud of how I helped create the horror roleplaying genre, as original author/developer of the Call of Cthulhu game way back in 1980. My other ventures have, at times, been successful. Some of the computer games I helped to develop sold millions of copies. But when I am invited to a game convention as a guest, or when a fan offers to buy me a drink, or asks for an autograph, or any of the perks that my modest fame has accumulated, it is always for Call of Cthulhu, never one of my other games. Call of Cthulhu is beloved in a way nothing else has been – and this is of course due mostly to the power of Lovecraft’s world, and Chaosium’s dedication in bringing it forth to you, my friends. Chaosium, through Call of Cthulhu, popularized the terrifying universe of H. P. Lovecraft in gaming and made Cthulhu a household word. Now, Chaosium has put together a team of experienced game professionals with decades of experience. In this 7th edition, Chaosium has managed once again a suc- cessful combination of roleplaying adventure with Lovecraftian horror, both of which are dear to my heart. They are, and were, the right team for this topic. Hardcore fans will be thrilled to hear that the new edition has lost nothing in the transition, and teems with terror, horror, and ways to introduce you and your friends to the dread world that H. P. Lovecraft and his friends constructed. Sandy Petersen 2014 1. Introduction An Overview of the Game Example of Play What You Need to Play 2. H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos Howard Philips Lovecraft The Cthulhu Mythos 3. Creating Investigators Quick Reference: Investigator Generation What the Numbers Mean Sample Occupations Creating Harvey Walters Quick Reference Chart for Half and Fifth Values 4. Skills Skill List 5. Game System Skill Rolls Bonus and Penalty Dice Investigator Development Phase 6. Combat The Combat Round Using Melee Weapons Fighting Maneuvers Armor Firearms Wounds and Healing Sample Poisons 7. Chases Establishing the Chase The Chase Round 8. Sanity Sanity Points and SAN Rolls Insanity Sample Phobias Samples Manias Treatment and Recovery from Insanity Getting Used to the Awfulness 9.Magic Mythos Tomes Using Magic Learning a Spell Becoming a Believer 10. Playing the Game New Keepers Non-Player Characters Rolling Dice The Idea Roll Perception Rolls Using the Rules Presenting the Terrors of the Mythos Creating Scenarios 11. Tomes of Eldritch Lore Using Mythos Tomes The Necronomicon Mythos Tomes 12. Grimoire Spells Deeper Magic The Grimoire 13.ArtifactsandAlienDevices TABLE OF CONTENTS 14. Monsters, Beasts, and Alien Gods Chaosium Pronunciations of Mythos Names Mythos Monsters Deities of the Mythos Traditional Horrors Beasts 15. Scenarios Amidst the Ancient Trees Crimson Letters 16. References Glossary Converting to 7th Edition Rules Equipment - 1920s Equipment - Modern Era Weapons Table Rules Summaries Investigator Sheet - 1920s Investigator Sheet - Modern Era Index ma mm. 4 11 . m. The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.. – H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu (- . a: i - . v mm . r i. : v 55! I I I /Ir I I 7 5i ! s< Me I HILI . i 12 Call of Cthulhu Welcome to Call of Cthulhu! all of Cthulhu is a game full of secrets, myster- ies and horror. Playing the role of a steadfast investigator, you will travel to strange and dangerous places, uncover foul plots and stand against the terrors of the night. You will encounter sanity-blasting entities, monsters and insane cultists. Within strange and forgotten tomes of lore you will find secrets that man was not meant to know. You and your companions may very well decide the fate of the world… Call of Cthulhu is a horror-themed roleplaying game based on the writings of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Lovecraft penned a tremendous body of work during the 1920s and 1930s, concerning both horrors from beyond and from with- in. Following his death in 1937, Lovecraft’s stories of cosmic horror have grown in reputation and stature, and today he is recognized as a major American horror story writer of the twentieth century, influencing numerous authors and film directors, and amassing a huge following of devoted fans. Indeed, Lovecraft himself could now be considered a cult figure in his own right. Lovecraft’s fiction ranges from science fiction to gothic horror and into nihilistic cosmic terror— perfect material on which to base a roleplaying game. Lovecraft’s most famous invention has become known as the Cthulhu Mythos, a series of stories sharing common plot elements such as certain mythical books of arcane lore and alien godlike entities. The Cthulhu Mythos fired the imagination of other authors, mostly protégés and friends of Lovecraft, and soon they were adding to this complex mythology, further advancing its concepts and constituent parts. Today, “Cthulhu” stories are still being written (and filmed) by the heirs to Lovecraft’s literary legacy. An Overview of the Game The aim of playing Call of Cthulhu is to have fun with your friends as you explore and create a Lovecraftian story. One player takes the role of game moderator, known as the Keep- er of Arcane Lore (“Keeper” for short), and his or her role within the rules is to run the game for the rest of the players. The rest of the players take the part of intrepid Investigators of the Unknown (“investigators”), attempting to seek out, understand and eventually confront the horrors, mysteries and secrets of the Cthulhu Mythos. The Keeper picks a story to run. These stories are known as “scenarios”, and you will find three at the back of this book. A scenario provides the Keeper with the structure of a story for him or her to present to the players. The Keeper’s role is a little like that of a director making a film in which the actors don’t know how the story will develop. To extend that analogy, the players are like actors who have the free- dom to improvise their own scripts. The investigators need not be anything at all like the people who play them. Indeed, it is often more rewarding and enjoyable for players to create characters entirely unlike themselves: tough private eyes, rude taxi drivers or sinisterly genteel occultists. Most of the play is a verbal exchange. The Keeper sets the scene, describing the environment, the individuals and en- counters to the players. The players tell the Keeper what they intend their investigators to do. The Keeper then tells them whether they can do it and, if not, what happen...