Game Geeks #137 Realms of Cthulhu by Reality Blurs

[highpriestrsw2]

Great review! I'd love to see a review of Trail of Cthulhu!

[Mii85]

Sounds interesting. I have never played this kind of stuff but it sure sounds interesting.

[inlife9]

Yes you Need it! :) It is freaking great.

[DaysonBrillet]

Any system will work with a good Keeper.

This one plays very well.

[ArchArturo]

What ever happened to the D20 version of Call of Chtulhu? I remember that Wizards was giving away music CDs based on Cthulhu.

[zimoshe]

Kurt, can you now revisit your show #47 and rely to your saying: "I don't know if I will use SW for something like Call of Cthulhu" (around 3:28)?

[orendo]

I already asked that and he answered that he was wrong. See comments below.

[Kogerii]

It bugs me that folks refer to a "Cthulu mythos". Not all Lovecraft's works were in the same setting and Cthulu was a minor monster.

The idea of the sanity mechanic is appropriate and cool. I like the idea of a campaign that's where the battles are mental instead of physical.

3:18 looks like a dragon :(

There's a flash-based card-battle game called Necronomicon 2.0 folks into Lovecraftian horror may enjoy.

[Webhead123]

@Kogerii

True. Many of Lovecraft's stories were separated from the greater theme which he referred to as "Yog Sothoth-ery". It was, however, expressed through his and others' works that many of these stories were, in fact, related and existed within the same "reality". The Deep Ones being one of the most common examples, as they actively worshipped Cthulhu. The "Cthulhu Mythos" stories are regarded as his most developed and influential works which is why they receive the most attention.

[Ragitsu]

I might have played any variant of Call of Cthulhu, if not for the well known biases of the creator. I just can't support that (even though they are dead)...

[Kogerii]

@Ragitsu

You mean his racism, his hatred of technological progress, socialist economic beliefs, favoring civilization over barbarism, or something else?

[Ragitsu]

The first.

[Kogerii]

That's what most everyone believed at the time. Future generations will hate folks from our time for their environmentalism. But it's not a big factor in the stories or games.

[Ragitsu]

It does not matter, it was, and is, still wrong.

[Kogerii]

To say his works are bad b/c he was racist is a genetic fallacy. Games like this one are even separated a degree b/c they're derivative.

Seems you're taking a stand more from a want to feel righteous than integrity.

[Ragitsu]

I do not know what a "fallacy" is, but putting words in someone's mouth (hands?) is generally frowned upon.

[Webhead123]

@Ragitsu

To say that is kind of like saying "I wouldn't play D&D because it glorifies demons and witchcraft" (which, to be fair, was an sadly common attitude once-upon-a-time). Just because Lovecraft had some despicable personal views doesn't mean you have to share those views in order to enjoy or appreciate his work. It's just like Mel Gibson and his racial controversy. I don't think Braveheart any less fantastic a film simply because I don't agree with Mel's personal beliefs.

[Ragitsu]

Actually, no, it isn't. None of the *creators* of D&D support demon glorification or witchcraft.

Furthermore, racism is still prevalent evil, whereas witchcraft is almost entirely a thing of the past.

[Webhead123]

@Ragitsu

Then, to be fair, none of the *creators* of any of the Cthulhu Mythos RPGs (to my knowledge) support racism or socio-ethnic elitism of any form, even though the source material they are based upon comes from biased progenitor.

My point is, reading Lovecraft or playing CoC doesn't make you a racist or even make you inclined toward racism just like reading the Communist Manifesto doesn't inherently make you a Communist.

[Ragitsu]

I never said it makes those that play it something else, but I still do not wish to support it.

[Webhead123]

@Ragitsu

And that's perfectly fine. If it's not for you, it's not for you. I just don't think that it's fair to attribute racism/elitism to the Mythos RPGs simply because Lovecraft was racist/elitist.

[redcardinalist]

@Ragitsu

Fair enough. You're entitled to your opinion. Quite what relevance it has to this review of an rpg supplement is a bit of a mystery.

However, I'm a tad confused as to why you think anyone here would be interested (or care for that matter) whether you wish to play/support CoC or not.

Personally, the fact that you're not going to play CoC hasn't diminished my life in anyway ;)

[Ragitsu]

That I have seen somewhat passionate responses to my replies, shows that others do care.

[Webhead123]

Or, for that matter, reading the Bible doesn't inherently make you a Christian. It's up to the reader to decide if, where and how to place value upon the information in front of them and where to draw a distinction between "knowledge" and "belief".

[baseofzig]

@Ragitsu Wow, D&D doesn't really have anything to do with this, and this game is not demon glorification, if you read any Mythos you would see that glorifying the great old ones makes you more screwed then if you just stayed ignorant.

[Ragitsu]

@baseofzig

The only ignorance here is yours: I was not the one to bring up D&D in the first place, but did respond to someone that mentioned it.

[Aparashi]

Kurt, ignore the haters. Savage Worlds is awesome and more gamers need to recognize.

[venusboys3]

I think I'll stick with the Chaosium version... SW is fine but it seems to lend itself to a wackier style of game, something more lighthearted.

[CathodeRay00]

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

[Jeffrywith1e]

Would you say the conversion is backward engineerable to Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying system. I'm assuming the one in this book is from BRP to Savage Worlds. In my opinion, that is THE BEST system that ever existed.

[nutherefurlong]

It's good to see a push for a bit of pulp into horror games. I guess I'd move out of Lovecraft expectations but still try to keep a sanity system for people to be a bit scared of being scared, but not necessarily the same group of things to find. And yeah, Indy with a bit more supernatural would be fun :)

[TacticusPrime]

Cthulhu is definitely its own sub-genre.

[MoyashiMaru]

Thanks for the review. I've been a little on the fence with this one... have you had a look at Trail of Cthulhu? I'm wondering how the mechanics in that version might effect game play.

[ArchArturo]

lol 3:22 "Heresy!!1"

[knwiegel]

Sometimes the mood just takes me.

[ArchArturo]

@knwiegel I know how that feels. I've been called heretic as well when I've ran Star Wars games, even if I'm the only one in the group that actually runs the game.

[nutherefurlong]

Didn't stick with the canon or whatever? Good for you :)

[greenghost2008]

3:30 yes yes thats why lovecraft is aesome(one reason)

[knwiegel]

Yeah- sorta the anti-Ellison.

I don't think Lovecrsft would have been well published these days, at least not through standard vendors.

He MAY have been a great blogger though....

[highpriestrsw2]

Very nice. Thank you for reviewing this game! I'm going to pick it up ASAP! Could you please review Rogue Trader and Dark Heresy?

[orendo]

Ah, and here's the review I asked for 2 weeks ago. Definitely going to get this book. Again, I find it funny that in the original Savage Worlds review Kurt said that he wouldn't use the system to run something like Call of Cthulhu :) Guess that the Savage Worlds system is even more flexible and adaptable than what Kurt has originally thought.

[knwiegel]

You know, I remember than now. I freely and openly admit I was wrong.

[jesternario]

Cthulhu and savage world combine!?

As a fand of Deadlands, I just got to say anyone who plays with THIS Martial better watch their sanity from now on :p

[EliteOM3G4]

The shouting of HERESY made me think of something, have you thought about reviewing Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader?

[guitardbucket]

Looks awesome. I just got my copy of Savage Worlds Explorer Edition about a week ago.

I have to ask Kurt, what happened to your wedding ring? Also, I know your wife is very patient with your gaming hobby. Is she also into reading and fantasy and sci-fi as much as you are? Or does she just put up with it and you just have your own different areas of enjoyment?

[Anitropius]

Yeah... now that you mention it, I decided to take a look back at some of his older videos and sure enough; he had a ring in them. Huh, wierd.

[ThePenWolf]

Yes, Cthulhu is it's own genre.

[liabatud67]

The Cthulhu beasties remind me of the Illithids of DND fame.

[ThePenWolf]

@liabatud67 Where do you think the Illithid came from?

[liabatud67]

I acknowledge that. It seemed so obvious. I know that Lovecraft was out there first but I didn't know for ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN who came up with the octifaced brain eating underground meanies first.

I do know that the Illithids are written well and have many possibilities for great wickedness and by in which for deviance unparalleled or the "possibly" greatly redemptive character and a force to reckon with for good.

Is it the same with the Lovecraftian Baddies?

[ThePenWolf]

@liabatud67 Actually, the whole brain-eating thing isn't really what Cthulhu does himself, nor most of the monsters therein. I'm sure some would, but mostly they just render you mad, kill you and eat you, and devour your soul (or combination thereof). From my own personal perspective playing CoC, it's not so much the monsters you worry about but their human cult worshippers who do their bidding, but I'm sure everyone's experiences vary.

[liabatud67]

I like the War of the Spider Queen book only because of Drow Archmage Gromph Baenres' being the main character.

His killing of the Illithid Sluuguth with the enchanted Duergar War Axe was well written.

The lengths that an Illithid will go to to gain power may be above even the tenacious greed for power of the Drow... and that is saying something.

No "Craziness" necessary.... just the tenacious will to live and thrive can be the backbone of any storyline.

[ThePenWolf]

@liabatud67 Well, they are the acme of Lawful Evil (sort of). I wrote an adventure for 2E AD&D years ago where a cabal of Illithid had taken over a tribe of wood elves and used them to develop a domain of evil. They closed off the forest to travel, they assassinated key human rulers, and they set out to gather enough magic relics and items to consolidate their control and expand their empire.

[bathlarper]

You've got it the wrong way round. Illithids are based on the starspawn from the Cthulhu mythos

[thadrine]

I like SW, but not nearly as much as you do.

That said, I have not cared for any of the SW games you have reviewed recently.

This one actually sounded interesting, mainly because I am actually thinking about running my first Cthulhu game, but really hate the Chaosium system.

I still think that I would go with Gumshoes, Trail of Cthulhu over this though.

[ParadoxHazard]

Thanks Kurt! I'm just getting into Savage Worlds properly and really enjoying it. RoC sounded up my alley as a CoC vet. Seeing as Pulp Cthulhu is lost in time and space than it might be something I need to pick up.

[TheGMsGuide]

More Cthulhu!