The Bringham Society (A Lovecraftian Horror Quest)
DumplingJr
(Verified Eldritch Being)
- Location
- 4th dimension in 17th plane in the 4th DImension
Oh boy my favorite what more could you ask for "you will die" Pshaw dude we all die in the end so who cares "Lovecraft" Oh does this mean Cthulu is gonna happen fun "Abandon all hope ye who enter here" Nah dude Hope is all you need, if you have hope we can dance around a campfire and sing Hakuna Matata,
DeepWaters
No one will be the wiser.
- Location
- Land of Spiders and Shipping Charts
[X] Mr. Stephanos
[X] Mr. Randolph
[X] Lady LeBlanc
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] On The Guelphs
This is definitely giving me Fallen London/Sunless Sea and Cultist Simulator vibes.
[X] Mr. Randolph
[X] Lady LeBlanc
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] On The Guelphs
This is definitely giving me Fallen London/Sunless Sea and Cultist Simulator vibes.
- Location
- Texas
All of those are counted among my inspirations here, especially Cultist Simulator.
I don't know if I can make you as unsettled about the frail nature of reality as Alexis Kennedy, but I will certainly try.
- Location
- iTALY
Everyone needs to start from somewhere, no?
On Signs and Portents, And A List of Their Influences
- Location
- Texas
Portents, or signs, are happenings of mystical significance and power which indicate certain fortunes for certain times. The signs must always be heeded: when ill winds blow and certain stars are seen, some ventures may always fail, while others have a greater chance of success. A few rare portents may herald events of great import to the Society and the occult world as a whole. Beware, for when the stars are right, madness awaits.
Some portents last multiple turns, while others last only a single turn, and some may even occur together. Timing your actions with portents that benefit them may greatly improve your chances of success. What follows is a list of the most common portents and their effects:
The Hour of the Wolf: When the moon waxes and the stars grow sharp, when the mulberries weep and man's blood runs hot, then is come the Hour of the Wolf. Among the most common of the Signs, the Hour of the Wolf occurs around the full moon on certain months long foretold. During this time, tempers run hot and blows find their mark quicker. It is easier to spill blood, and easier to have your own blood spilled. Those who would wage war under the sign must be wary, for the wolf drinks deeply and well.
The Necromancer's Moon: When the stars dim and the moon grows fat and black with the weight of worms, when the dead stir uneasy in their graves and the veil between the worlds grows thin: then is come the sign known as the Worming Hour, or the Necromancer's Moon. The dead stir during this time -- beware of invading tombs or crypts when this sign is active, for the inhabitants may not welcome the intrusion. Communing with those who have passed on is easier, as are acts involving the animation of corpses and the binding of spirits.
The Wormwood: It may come to pass that the Dog Star burns crimson, that the rivers dry up and the sky turns sere. This is the hour prophesied in the Book, the time of the Wormwood star long foretold. It is a bitter sign, heralding times of misfortune and dismay. Even the surest of actions may meet with misery when the Wormwood is come, and old friendships may break to hated mutiny. Step with care and caution when the Wormwood star shines -- there is no mercy in it's light.
The Mongrel: When a child is born without tongue or eyes, when the stars outshine the moon and the madmen speak with clarity -- by these signs you shall know the Mongrel. The Mongrel is ever the champion of the downtrodden and those found underfoot. Under him, you will have greater success working against powers greater than yourself, and succeed against all odds where else you might have died. But beware -- for there is always someone lesser than you, and the weak who act against you might find themselves strengthened and filled with renewed purpose.
Samhain: When the nights grow long and the days grow short, when the winter chill seeps into the bones of men and the stars grow distant, then is come the antediluvian time of the cold and the dark. As the world slides into the grip of winter, the world begins to remember what it was before man. Things slip forth from icy graves to walk the night that have not walked in millennia, and horrors wake that have slept long eons dreaming. Light the ancient fires, if you still remember how, and hold your loved ones close, for you are prey once more.
The Sun-In-Splendour: There may come a time when the solar winds blow right, when the stars align and the worlds hang well. Then shall come the Sun-In-Splendour, the most loved of the signs, hated by occultists. The dead will sleep right and the darkness will shrink back. The old ones will sink deeper into their slumber, the waves will grow still and the spirits will settle. There will be reprieve, even for a moment, against the horror and the madness. Broken minds may soothe themselves, and the lost may find their way home. Shelter well under this sign when it comes, for it is rare, and the balm it offers only temporary.
The Dreaming: In the lost and sunken city of many-pillared Irem, a Nameless King lies dreaming, tended by a thousand servants clad in cloth-of-gold. It is said that when he wakes again from sleep, the path to Irem will be clear again, and the end of days will be upon us. They say that when his dreams turn foul and he shakes in his bed, then is come the hour known as the Dreaming. The ley lines shake with the Nameless King's fits, and the old paths are disturbed as he trembles under the earth. Ways may be found that could not before, and explorers in the far regions of the world may find themselves in strange lands without a name. Those who wander without maps may well find what they seek when the Nameless King dreams bad dreams.
The Red Season: When the earth spits up her treasures and the seas turn over, when the hills dance and four moons hang in the sky, then is come the impossible sign, the Red Season. The dervishes shall dance furiously in their halls to a tune only they can hear, and certain preachers shall preach the sound of thunder and the coming of dragonflies. The frame of the world rests uneasy, the shape of time is malleable, and things are easier to change. Magic is greater than ever during the Red Season, and even the weakest of parlor magicians can summon demons and cavort with beings from outer worlds. Rituals have a greater chance of success, but bindings, wards, and curses are all made stronger. Beware magical foes, for they will be at their mightiest under this sign.
The Stars: There is a power in the stars. They burn, they roar, they live, they hate. They are the mightiest of the signs, for as the moon rules the tides, the stars rule the occult. Their arrangement allows for certain rituals, and the power of certain entities waxes and wanes with their alignment. It may come to pass that the stars are wrong. You may notice troubling shapes in the heavens and unsettling signs in the sea. When the stars are wrong, you will see all things as they truly are, and even gods may be slain. It may one day come to pass that the stars are right. Pray that that day is not soon.
There are many more signs, many more ways the world itself may hinder or aid you, but these are for you to discover over the course of your efforts. Heed well the signs, for your enemies may be strengthened or hindered by signs as well. Even if you do not take advantage of them, there are those who certainly will.
Some portents last multiple turns, while others last only a single turn, and some may even occur together. Timing your actions with portents that benefit them may greatly improve your chances of success. What follows is a list of the most common portents and their effects:
The Hour of the Wolf: When the moon waxes and the stars grow sharp, when the mulberries weep and man's blood runs hot, then is come the Hour of the Wolf. Among the most common of the Signs, the Hour of the Wolf occurs around the full moon on certain months long foretold. During this time, tempers run hot and blows find their mark quicker. It is easier to spill blood, and easier to have your own blood spilled. Those who would wage war under the sign must be wary, for the wolf drinks deeply and well.
The Necromancer's Moon: When the stars dim and the moon grows fat and black with the weight of worms, when the dead stir uneasy in their graves and the veil between the worlds grows thin: then is come the sign known as the Worming Hour, or the Necromancer's Moon. The dead stir during this time -- beware of invading tombs or crypts when this sign is active, for the inhabitants may not welcome the intrusion. Communing with those who have passed on is easier, as are acts involving the animation of corpses and the binding of spirits.
The Wormwood: It may come to pass that the Dog Star burns crimson, that the rivers dry up and the sky turns sere. This is the hour prophesied in the Book, the time of the Wormwood star long foretold. It is a bitter sign, heralding times of misfortune and dismay. Even the surest of actions may meet with misery when the Wormwood is come, and old friendships may break to hated mutiny. Step with care and caution when the Wormwood star shines -- there is no mercy in it's light.
The Mongrel: When a child is born without tongue or eyes, when the stars outshine the moon and the madmen speak with clarity -- by these signs you shall know the Mongrel. The Mongrel is ever the champion of the downtrodden and those found underfoot. Under him, you will have greater success working against powers greater than yourself, and succeed against all odds where else you might have died. But beware -- for there is always someone lesser than you, and the weak who act against you might find themselves strengthened and filled with renewed purpose.
Samhain: When the nights grow long and the days grow short, when the winter chill seeps into the bones of men and the stars grow distant, then is come the antediluvian time of the cold and the dark. As the world slides into the grip of winter, the world begins to remember what it was before man. Things slip forth from icy graves to walk the night that have not walked in millennia, and horrors wake that have slept long eons dreaming. Light the ancient fires, if you still remember how, and hold your loved ones close, for you are prey once more.
The Sun-In-Splendour: There may come a time when the solar winds blow right, when the stars align and the worlds hang well. Then shall come the Sun-In-Splendour, the most loved of the signs, hated by occultists. The dead will sleep right and the darkness will shrink back. The old ones will sink deeper into their slumber, the waves will grow still and the spirits will settle. There will be reprieve, even for a moment, against the horror and the madness. Broken minds may soothe themselves, and the lost may find their way home. Shelter well under this sign when it comes, for it is rare, and the balm it offers only temporary.
The Dreaming: In the lost and sunken city of many-pillared Irem, a Nameless King lies dreaming, tended by a thousand servants clad in cloth-of-gold. It is said that when he wakes again from sleep, the path to Irem will be clear again, and the end of days will be upon us. They say that when his dreams turn foul and he shakes in his bed, then is come the hour known as the Dreaming. The ley lines shake with the Nameless King's fits, and the old paths are disturbed as he trembles under the earth. Ways may be found that could not before, and explorers in the far regions of the world may find themselves in strange lands without a name. Those who wander without maps may well find what they seek when the Nameless King dreams bad dreams.
The Red Season: When the earth spits up her treasures and the seas turn over, when the hills dance and four moons hang in the sky, then is come the impossible sign, the Red Season. The dervishes shall dance furiously in their halls to a tune only they can hear, and certain preachers shall preach the sound of thunder and the coming of dragonflies. The frame of the world rests uneasy, the shape of time is malleable, and things are easier to change. Magic is greater than ever during the Red Season, and even the weakest of parlor magicians can summon demons and cavort with beings from outer worlds. Rituals have a greater chance of success, but bindings, wards, and curses are all made stronger. Beware magical foes, for they will be at their mightiest under this sign.
The Stars: There is a power in the stars. They burn, they roar, they live, they hate. They are the mightiest of the signs, for as the moon rules the tides, the stars rule the occult. Their arrangement allows for certain rituals, and the power of certain entities waxes and wanes with their alignment. It may come to pass that the stars are wrong. You may notice troubling shapes in the heavens and unsettling signs in the sea. When the stars are wrong, you will see all things as they truly are, and even gods may be slain. It may one day come to pass that the stars are right. Pray that that day is not soon.
There are many more signs, many more ways the world itself may hinder or aid you, but these are for you to discover over the course of your efforts. Heed well the signs, for your enemies may be strengthened or hindered by signs as well. Even if you do not take advantage of them, there are those who certainly will.
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[X] Mr. Davenport
[X] Mr. Yasir
[X] Lord Black
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] The Travel Diary Of Ashley Enoch
Edit: @Fission Battery has a good point. Changed my vote.
[X] Mr. Yasir
[X] Lord Black
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] The Travel Diary Of Ashley Enoch
Edit: @Fission Battery has a good point. Changed my vote.
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[X] Mr. Davenport
[X] Mr. Yasir
[X] Lord Black
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] The Travel Diary Of Ashley Enoch
A gentlemen's adventure club filled with archeologists and explorers raises far less suspicion than an occult club. I have to second all of DamienR's thoughts on the various members. Davenport, Yasir, and Birch compliment each other, while Lord Black ensures we have funding and underworld connections to make sure less than savory aspects of our group can stay off the books. The Travel Diary fits with Davenport and Yasir's backgrounds, so the group makes thematic sense too.
Rawlings seems like he'd get into a fight with Oxford the moment he gets the chance, Stephanos might sacrifice everyone else in the pursuit of arcane power, and Randolph is already half mad. Everyone involved all has their own vices and personal goals, but a necromancer or witch driven by power or revenge could eventually jeopardize the organization.
Plus Yasir has the mystery box option.
[X] Mr. Yasir
[X] Lord Black
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] The Travel Diary Of Ashley Enoch
A gentlemen's adventure club filled with archeologists and explorers raises far less suspicion than an occult club. I have to second all of DamienR's thoughts on the various members. Davenport, Yasir, and Birch compliment each other, while Lord Black ensures we have funding and underworld connections to make sure less than savory aspects of our group can stay off the books. The Travel Diary fits with Davenport and Yasir's backgrounds, so the group makes thematic sense too.
Rawlings seems like he'd get into a fight with Oxford the moment he gets the chance, Stephanos might sacrifice everyone else in the pursuit of arcane power, and Randolph is already half mad. Everyone involved all has their own vices and personal goals, but a necromancer or witch driven by power or revenge could eventually jeopardize the organization.
Plus Yasir has the mystery box option.
- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
So... something like a League filled with Gentlemen who are Extraordinary?
Downstreamer
The Architect
- Location
- The Manifold
[X] Mr. Davenport
[X] Mr. Yasir
[X] Lord Black
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] The Travel Diary Of Ashley Enoch
Tally-ho Gentlemen! We are here for some invigorating exploration!
[X] Mr. Yasir
[X] Lord Black
[X] Mr. Birch
[X] The Travel Diary Of Ashley Enoch
Tally-ho Gentlemen! We are here for some invigorating exploration!
Turn 1: April, 1923
- Location
- Texas
April, 1923
Mulberries weep and the woods howl at the moon. An angry wind tears across the land. The Hour of the Wolf is come.
You convene for the first time in the fourth month of that year. The four of you gather in a darkened basement of the university from which you have taken your name. The institution of learning known as Bringham is an old place, an ancient place, long a home to secrets and intrigues. Now it is home to a few more.
There is a ritual, of course. It would only be appropriate for this sort of venture. Murmured words of fealty are spoken by candlelight. Blood is spilled on wax, and names signed on thematically rotted parchment. There are four of you gathered around the table at your first meeting. You were close before this. Now you are closer still, part of something greater than yourselves. You come from different countries, different faiths, different rungs of society. But now you are bound together by something indelible. A sodality. An order. A cult. A fraternity.
The Bringham Society.
The first real matter facing the Society is it's headquartering. You need somewhere to meet, to plan, to store your artifacts and tomes, and to marshal yourselves for your great endeavor. A place that shall be the beating heart of the Bringham Society, capable of being defended against forces mortal and forces which are decidedly not. The university itself has a few locations which may serve for now, and each member has their own suggestions for a suitable area. This is by no means a final choice, but with your currently limited fortunes and resources, whichever place you choose will most likely serve the Society for the forseeable future.
After this is settled, your true work begins in earnest. You seek to learn, but knowledge is not freely given. The things you seek must be found before they can be claimed. Rumors must be sifted through, fact separated from fiction, truth from untruth. Once you have found a kernel of truth, you must follow it to the location you seek, and uncover what dangers may lurk within. Expeditions must be prepared, forces marshaled, resources gathered. Then you must delve into the hidden places of the earth and wrest your prize from the jaws of madness.
If you can do all this, and survive, the worst is not yet at an end, for you must still study your newly-won curio, and unlock the knowledge it holds -- knowledge which may send you careening over the edge into madness.
But if you can do all of this, and succeed...then you will be one step closer to unlocking the truth behind one of the deep mysteries of this world.
Information:
[] There is a quiet little hamlet somewhere in Europe where the dead are said to rest uneasy. A few questions may pinpoint it. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
[] The Soviets say that they burned Rasputin. A source in Russia swears they did not -- could not. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
[] There is a former German prince attempting to sell occult artifacts to high society. How did he get his hands on them? (Hearsay)
--[] Assign A Member
[] The whaling ship Barbarossa went missing eight years ago. It has returned, with no living crew, and a map to a continent that does not exist. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
[] Rumors abound -- an island that moves of it's own volition has been spotted in the Pacific. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
Discovery:
[] The Travel Diary of Robert Enoch says his journey began in the tomb of a pharaoh no history acknowledges. It gives a general location for this tomb. You could start searching. (-2 Wealth) (Finished next turn)
--[] Assign A Member
[] Yasir has had dreams of a city in the sands. The path to the city begins in the Andes, in a forgotten pass deep within the mountains. You could always pay a few scouts to see if his dreams have any truth to them (-5 Wealth) (Finished in 2 Turns)
--[] Assign A Member
Expedition:
[] The catacombs beneath the university are truly cavernous. Who knows what secrets lie buried in this sleepy hamlet?
--[] Assign A Member
--[] Assign A Member (Optional)
Study:
[] Study The Travel Diary of Ashley Enoch: Parts of this book were written before itself. There are passages that seem to forget how causality works. There are events referred to that never happened, or have yet to happen, and oblique references to places not found on any reputable map. It is quite possibly the worst travel diary ever written. And it is the secret to the history beneath the world.
--[] Assign A Member
Miscellaneous (Pick One):
[] Buy Interesting Information: You reach out into the underworld and pay for the latest rumors of things which might interest the Society. It costs money to weed the wheat from the chaff, but it may be worth it. (-8 Wealth) (One piece of information is guaranteed Rumor level or higher next turn)
[] Hire Muscle: The core members of the Society are capable, but they can't do everything themselves. Sometimes you just need people to get stuff done. (+1 Miscellanous option a turn until cancelled, -1 Wealth a turn)
[] Reach Out: The Society needs wealthy patrons if it is to survive. Reach out and try to get some. (Need at least 5 influence)
[] Backdoor Channels: Getting stuff done is easier if you ignore the legality of certain things. (-5 Wealth)(All non-study actions take 1 less turn. Increases Suspicion)
[] Canvass Students: You search among the young and fresh-minded students of Bringham University for potential recruits to the Society. The University has a certain way of attracting people. (Low chance of discovering potential recruits)
[] A Man On The Inside: Everything is easier when you have people with their ear to the ground for you in the places you'd like. You can make that happen. (-5 Wealth)(Chance of acquiring an Informant)
The Bringham Society
- Society Ledger
- Society Roster
- Artefacts
- Lore
Mulberries weep and the woods howl at the moon. An angry wind tears across the land. The Hour of the Wolf is come.
You convene for the first time in the fourth month of that year. The four of you gather in a darkened basement of the university from which you have taken your name. The institution of learning known as Bringham is an old place, an ancient place, long a home to secrets and intrigues. Now it is home to a few more.
There is a ritual, of course. It would only be appropriate for this sort of venture. Murmured words of fealty are spoken by candlelight. Blood is spilled on wax, and names signed on thematically rotted parchment. There are four of you gathered around the table at your first meeting. You were close before this. Now you are closer still, part of something greater than yourselves. You come from different countries, different faiths, different rungs of society. But now you are bound together by something indelible. A sodality. An order. A cult. A fraternity.
The Bringham Society.
The first real matter facing the Society is it's headquartering. You need somewhere to meet, to plan, to store your artifacts and tomes, and to marshal yourselves for your great endeavor. A place that shall be the beating heart of the Bringham Society, capable of being defended against forces mortal and forces which are decidedly not. The university itself has a few locations which may serve for now, and each member has their own suggestions for a suitable area. This is by no means a final choice, but with your currently limited fortunes and resources, whichever place you choose will most likely serve the Society for the forseeable future.
[] The University: Bringham University was one of the first schools founded in New England by the descendants of European colonists. Nestled in the isolated seaside town of Bringham, it has long been a haunt of scholars who reject (or were rejected by) the popular schools of thought. A twisting labyrinth of tunnels winds beneath the university grounds; they were used as a refugee by escaped slaves. The histories say they were here before that, though -- that they were here before the university was built, that they stretch deeper than any have ever reached. Every generation, a few brave students wander down to search them. Few return.
[] The Chateau: Nestled deep within the French Alps is an imposing and ancient structure, hidden from the world by snow and time -- the Chateau de Vere, the dwelling of the ancestral Lords LeBlanc. Lady Isadora's ancient and noble dynasty has dwelt there amid snow and stone since time immemorial, and the imposing structure is well-built to throw back any outward assault. Once, it was the pride of a lineage stretching back centuries, but the long years and the financial ruin of the family have set the place into disrepair. It is an intimidating structure still, but it will need much work to regain it's former glory. And the Chateau is not without it's mysteries: deep beneath the antique stones, generations of Lady Isadora's LeBlanc ancestors rest rotting softly in their pallid graves. It is from these same catacombs that Lady LeBlanc's father emerged, shrieking and blind, struck to howling madness by whatever he found below. Whatever darkness lurks in their sordid and noble past, it is not for the faint of heart or the weak of mind.
[] Mammon Place: In the wealthier part of New York, on a street men do not speak of openly, there was within the past century a building where the wealthiest and the softest of that city's elite would gather to experience more succulent delights than regular society might allow. Their appetites grew and grew, until even the most perverse and eccentric of desires seemed pale in their eyes. The Mammon Club, as these men of wealth called themselves, began to indulge in pleasures not wholly of this world. Jon Stephanus will not speak of what those pleasures were, or how exactly they sated them -- but the Mammon Club is no more, and the shadowed building where they held their revels sits empty for the taking. For a price, a place at the heart of New York's upper society might be yours, and the influence which follows with it. (-6 Wealth)
[] The Bethlehem House: On a craggy corner of the English coast rises a stately manor of once-distinguished pedigree, an aging Victorian edifice whose imposing windows are lined with ivy. This is the Bethlehem House, once the resort of the British naturalist Edward Prentiss, whose curious tale captured the minds of the British public six decades ago. He returned from an expedition to the Congo with a curious idol that supposedly gleamed different colors when exposed to the light of a full moon. Prentiss eventually became obsessed with the idol and it's history, devoting his considerable fortune to discovering more about it -- fruitlessly. Destitute and bedridden with poxy, Prentiss nevertheless vanished mysteriously from the house -- and seemingly, the world -- one cold December morning. His disappearance puzzled the world, but his extensive collection of exotic plants and trees still remains in the gardens behind the house, and might prove useful to future owners. (-10 wealth)
[] The Chateau: Nestled deep within the French Alps is an imposing and ancient structure, hidden from the world by snow and time -- the Chateau de Vere, the dwelling of the ancestral Lords LeBlanc. Lady Isadora's ancient and noble dynasty has dwelt there amid snow and stone since time immemorial, and the imposing structure is well-built to throw back any outward assault. Once, it was the pride of a lineage stretching back centuries, but the long years and the financial ruin of the family have set the place into disrepair. It is an intimidating structure still, but it will need much work to regain it's former glory. And the Chateau is not without it's mysteries: deep beneath the antique stones, generations of Lady Isadora's LeBlanc ancestors rest rotting softly in their pallid graves. It is from these same catacombs that Lady LeBlanc's father emerged, shrieking and blind, struck to howling madness by whatever he found below. Whatever darkness lurks in their sordid and noble past, it is not for the faint of heart or the weak of mind.
[] Mammon Place: In the wealthier part of New York, on a street men do not speak of openly, there was within the past century a building where the wealthiest and the softest of that city's elite would gather to experience more succulent delights than regular society might allow. Their appetites grew and grew, until even the most perverse and eccentric of desires seemed pale in their eyes. The Mammon Club, as these men of wealth called themselves, began to indulge in pleasures not wholly of this world. Jon Stephanus will not speak of what those pleasures were, or how exactly they sated them -- but the Mammon Club is no more, and the shadowed building where they held their revels sits empty for the taking. For a price, a place at the heart of New York's upper society might be yours, and the influence which follows with it. (-6 Wealth)
[] The Bethlehem House: On a craggy corner of the English coast rises a stately manor of once-distinguished pedigree, an aging Victorian edifice whose imposing windows are lined with ivy. This is the Bethlehem House, once the resort of the British naturalist Edward Prentiss, whose curious tale captured the minds of the British public six decades ago. He returned from an expedition to the Congo with a curious idol that supposedly gleamed different colors when exposed to the light of a full moon. Prentiss eventually became obsessed with the idol and it's history, devoting his considerable fortune to discovering more about it -- fruitlessly. Destitute and bedridden with poxy, Prentiss nevertheless vanished mysteriously from the house -- and seemingly, the world -- one cold December morning. His disappearance puzzled the world, but his extensive collection of exotic plants and trees still remains in the gardens behind the house, and might prove useful to future owners. (-10 wealth)
After this is settled, your true work begins in earnest. You seek to learn, but knowledge is not freely given. The things you seek must be found before they can be claimed. Rumors must be sifted through, fact separated from fiction, truth from untruth. Once you have found a kernel of truth, you must follow it to the location you seek, and uncover what dangers may lurk within. Expeditions must be prepared, forces marshaled, resources gathered. Then you must delve into the hidden places of the earth and wrest your prize from the jaws of madness.
If you can do all this, and survive, the worst is not yet at an end, for you must still study your newly-won curio, and unlock the knowledge it holds -- knowledge which may send you careening over the edge into madness.
But if you can do all of this, and succeed...then you will be one step closer to unlocking the truth behind one of the deep mysteries of this world.
There are four mission types:
Information, in which you gather information of some sort from various sources, picking through whispered rumors or dusty journals or arcane hints to find a lead on an artifact. The quality of the Information you have determines the chance of finding something worthwhile. Hiring or otherwise acquiring Informants will increase the quality and reliability of your leads. As well, the higher the quality, the better the location it may lead to. The Information Qualities, from lowest to highest, are: (Gossip, Hearsay, Rumor, Intelligence, and Legend). Absent any informant, the quality of a given turn's information is determined by a random roll.
Discovery. Information now in hand, you can now set out and search for the precise location of what it is you seek, and determine exactly where it is held. This may require crossing a desert, sending scouts to an enemy location, investigating areas of interest, or simply finding a place on a map.
Expedition. The most expensive and time-consuming step, an expedition is the most dangerous of all the mission types, and one of the focal points of the quest. You will delve into ancient crypts, walk in sunken ships, and brave black cities built before the days of man. You must select the Society member(s) sent on an expedition, hire mercenaries and flunkies if necessary (it usually is) and allocate proper resources. Then you will play through the expedition, and, hopefully, emerge alive with the artifact.
Study. The final step, though not often the safest. You will study the artifact, which has a chance of giving horror that increases the greater the artifact is. Failing a roll here can mean a character plunges into madness. Characters experienced with the artifact's lore have a greater chance of success than those who are not. Study an artifact, however, and horror gain is guaranteed, even in small amounts --you cannot gaze into the abyss unscathed.
Information, in which you gather information of some sort from various sources, picking through whispered rumors or dusty journals or arcane hints to find a lead on an artifact. The quality of the Information you have determines the chance of finding something worthwhile. Hiring or otherwise acquiring Informants will increase the quality and reliability of your leads. As well, the higher the quality, the better the location it may lead to. The Information Qualities, from lowest to highest, are: (Gossip, Hearsay, Rumor, Intelligence, and Legend). Absent any informant, the quality of a given turn's information is determined by a random roll.
Discovery. Information now in hand, you can now set out and search for the precise location of what it is you seek, and determine exactly where it is held. This may require crossing a desert, sending scouts to an enemy location, investigating areas of interest, or simply finding a place on a map.
Expedition. The most expensive and time-consuming step, an expedition is the most dangerous of all the mission types, and one of the focal points of the quest. You will delve into ancient crypts, walk in sunken ships, and brave black cities built before the days of man. You must select the Society member(s) sent on an expedition, hire mercenaries and flunkies if necessary (it usually is) and allocate proper resources. Then you will play through the expedition, and, hopefully, emerge alive with the artifact.
Study. The final step, though not often the safest. You will study the artifact, which has a chance of giving horror that increases the greater the artifact is. Failing a roll here can mean a character plunges into madness. Characters experienced with the artifact's lore have a greater chance of success than those who are not. Study an artifact, however, and horror gain is guaranteed, even in small amounts --you cannot gaze into the abyss unscathed.
Information:
[] There is a quiet little hamlet somewhere in Europe where the dead are said to rest uneasy. A few questions may pinpoint it. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
[] The Soviets say that they burned Rasputin. A source in Russia swears they did not -- could not. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
[] There is a former German prince attempting to sell occult artifacts to high society. How did he get his hands on them? (Hearsay)
--[] Assign A Member
[] The whaling ship Barbarossa went missing eight years ago. It has returned, with no living crew, and a map to a continent that does not exist. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
[] Rumors abound -- an island that moves of it's own volition has been spotted in the Pacific. (Gossip)
--[] Assign A Member
Discovery:
[] The Travel Diary of Robert Enoch says his journey began in the tomb of a pharaoh no history acknowledges. It gives a general location for this tomb. You could start searching. (-2 Wealth) (Finished next turn)
--[] Assign A Member
[] Yasir has had dreams of a city in the sands. The path to the city begins in the Andes, in a forgotten pass deep within the mountains. You could always pay a few scouts to see if his dreams have any truth to them (-5 Wealth) (Finished in 2 Turns)
--[] Assign A Member
Expedition:
[] The catacombs beneath the university are truly cavernous. Who knows what secrets lie buried in this sleepy hamlet?
--[] Assign A Member
--[] Assign A Member (Optional)
Study:
[] Study The Travel Diary of Ashley Enoch: Parts of this book were written before itself. There are passages that seem to forget how causality works. There are events referred to that never happened, or have yet to happen, and oblique references to places not found on any reputable map. It is quite possibly the worst travel diary ever written. And it is the secret to the history beneath the world.
--[] Assign A Member
Miscellaneous (Pick One):
[] Buy Interesting Information: You reach out into the underworld and pay for the latest rumors of things which might interest the Society. It costs money to weed the wheat from the chaff, but it may be worth it. (-8 Wealth) (One piece of information is guaranteed Rumor level or higher next turn)
[] Hire Muscle: The core members of the Society are capable, but they can't do everything themselves. Sometimes you just need people to get stuff done. (+1 Miscellanous option a turn until cancelled, -1 Wealth a turn)
[] Reach Out: The Society needs wealthy patrons if it is to survive. Reach out and try to get some. (Need at least 5 influence)
[] Backdoor Channels: Getting stuff done is easier if you ignore the legality of certain things. (-5 Wealth)(All non-study actions take 1 less turn. Increases Suspicion)
[] Canvass Students: You search among the young and fresh-minded students of Bringham University for potential recruits to the Society. The University has a certain way of attracting people. (Low chance of discovering potential recruits)
[] A Man On The Inside: Everything is easier when you have people with their ear to the ground for you in the places you'd like. You can make that happen. (-5 Wealth)(Chance of acquiring an Informant)
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Plan I'm Bad At Names
-[X] Mammon Place
-[X] There is a former German prince attempting to sell occult artifacts to high society. How did he get his hands on them? (Hearsay)
--[X] Lady Le'Blanc
-[X] The Travel Diary of Robert Enoch says his journey began in the tomb of a pharaoh no history acknowledges. It gives a general location for this tomb. You could start searching. (-2 Wealth) (Finished next turn)
--[X] Mr. Yasir
-[X] The catacombs beneath the university are truly cavernous. Who knows what secrets lie buried in this sleepy hamlet?
--[X] Mr. Birch
--[X] Mr. Stephanos
-[X] A Man On The Inside
I figure that Mammon Place would be the best option for an HQ, as it will make it easier to find wealthy patrons for the Society. Then we may as well nab the highest quality info mission, and it fits since it's about a German prince, and Le'Blanc has noble connections, so that might help. Following the path of the Travel Diary may help give a bonus to studying it or something, so Yasir should go, especially since it's an Egyptian tomb, and he has ancient civilizations as a skill. We can wait on his city for a turn. I figure having Birch and Stephanos explore the catacombs would be the safest bet, with Birch being lucky and if there's anything magic or any rituals, Stephanos will be able to recognize it. Lastly, an informant would be helpful with information missions, and I'm reluctant to spend a lot of money this early, and this is one of the cheaper and more useful miscellaneous options.
-[X] Mammon Place
-[X] There is a former German prince attempting to sell occult artifacts to high society. How did he get his hands on them? (Hearsay)
--[X] Lady Le'Blanc
-[X] The Travel Diary of Robert Enoch says his journey began in the tomb of a pharaoh no history acknowledges. It gives a general location for this tomb. You could start searching. (-2 Wealth) (Finished next turn)
--[X] Mr. Yasir
-[X] The catacombs beneath the university are truly cavernous. Who knows what secrets lie buried in this sleepy hamlet?
--[X] Mr. Birch
--[X] Mr. Stephanos
-[X] A Man On The Inside
I figure that Mammon Place would be the best option for an HQ, as it will make it easier to find wealthy patrons for the Society. Then we may as well nab the highest quality info mission, and it fits since it's about a German prince, and Le'Blanc has noble connections, so that might help. Following the path of the Travel Diary may help give a bonus to studying it or something, so Yasir should go, especially since it's an Egyptian tomb, and he has ancient civilizations as a skill. We can wait on his city for a turn. I figure having Birch and Stephanos explore the catacombs would be the safest bet, with Birch being lucky and if there's anything magic or any rituals, Stephanos will be able to recognize it. Lastly, an informant would be helpful with information missions, and I'm reluctant to spend a lot of money this early, and this is one of the cheaper and more useful miscellaneous options.
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- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
The Chateau intrigues me the most, though the Mammon Palace is also pretty good due to reasons mentioned (location, wealth).
I agree with the options by Pogo, not sure what the informant would be. @Telamon will the informant give us a passive rumor quality boost, or some chance each turn of better rumors, or be a new character?
I agree with the options by Pogo, not sure what the informant would be. @Telamon will the informant give us a passive rumor quality boost, or some chance each turn of better rumors, or be a new character?
DumplingJr
(Verified Eldritch Being)
- Location
- 4th dimension in 17th plane in the 4th DImension
[X] Plan I'm Bad At Names
[X] Occult Clubhouse
-[X] Mammon Place
[X] The whaling ship Barbarossa went missing eight years ago. It has returned, with no living crew, and a map to a continent that does not exist. (Gossip)
--[X] Mr. Gabriel Birch
[X] Study The Travel Diary of Ashley Enoch: Parts of this book were written before itself. There are passages that seem to forget how causality works. There are events referred to that never happened, or have yet to happen, and oblique references to places not found on any reputable map. It is quite possibly the worst travel diary ever written. And it is the secret to the history beneath the world.
--[X] Mr. Abdul Al-Malik Ahmad ibn Yasir
-[X] The catacombs beneath the university are truly cavernous. Who knows what secrets lie buried in this sleepy hamlet?
--[X] Mr. Stephanos
--[X] Lady Isadora LeBlanc
-[X] A Man On The Inside
I am seeking to focus on the "The Hidden History" here. Artifacts are the end goal so no sense in not studying ours and Yasir seems to be experienced enough (@Telamon Is it intended for knowledge of a subject to decrease chances of success or is that a typo?). Investigating rumors seems to be a good spot for Birch right now and it seems Hidden History related. LeBlac seems to be our physical combatant and Stephanos our spiritual one so they fit for the expedition.
-[X] Mammon Place
[X] The whaling ship Barbarossa went missing eight years ago. It has returned, with no living crew, and a map to a continent that does not exist. (Gossip)
--[X] Mr. Gabriel Birch
[X] Study The Travel Diary of Ashley Enoch: Parts of this book were written before itself. There are passages that seem to forget how causality works. There are events referred to that never happened, or have yet to happen, and oblique references to places not found on any reputable map. It is quite possibly the worst travel diary ever written. And it is the secret to the history beneath the world.
--[X] Mr. Abdul Al-Malik Ahmad ibn Yasir
-[X] The catacombs beneath the university are truly cavernous. Who knows what secrets lie buried in this sleepy hamlet?
--[X] Mr. Stephanos
--[X] Lady Isadora LeBlanc
-[X] A Man On The Inside
I am seeking to focus on the "The Hidden History" here. Artifacts are the end goal so no sense in not studying ours and Yasir seems to be experienced enough (@Telamon Is it intended for knowledge of a subject to decrease chances of success or is that a typo?). Investigating rumors seems to be a good spot for Birch right now and it seems Hidden History related. LeBlac seems to be our physical combatant and Stephanos our spiritual one so they fit for the expedition.
Downstreamer
The Architect
- Location
- The Manifold
[X] Plan I'm Bad At Names
Alright ladies and gents, lets get this mͭ̉̎͒ͯ̌͊ỳ̷̘̳̟͉̼͓̰͋̂̐̐̊ͯs̩̲̘͇̣̎̅ͨͮͅt͟e̹͗ͪ̋̈̔͑̍r̯̣͑̌ͫ̈́̍̄́y͙͍͕̬ͪ̓ͤ̓̚ bread
Alright ladies and gents, lets get this mͭ̉̎͒ͯ̌͊ỳ̷̘̳̟͉̼͓̰͋̂̐̐̊ͯs̩̲̘͇̣̎̅ͨͮͅt͟e̹͗ͪ̋̈̔͑̍r̯̣͑̌ͫ̈́̍̄́y͙͍͕̬ͪ̓ͤ̓̚ bread
- Location
- United States
[X] Plan I'm Bad At Names
- Location
- Texas
An informant is an NPC who essentially makes the Information process easier, and provides you with more, higher-quality information every couple turns.
The studying thing was a typo — experience with certain lores increases your ability to study their artifacts and not lose what is left of your mind.