A simple RPG for running Lovecraftian adventures, inspired by Escape from Triassic Park and Lasers and Feelings.
Roll a number 6-sided dice equal to the appropriate stat to do a thing. If you get at least one 6, you succeed. If you don't, you fail and the associated negative stat increases by one.
Every character has Mythos and Brawn, which represent the mental and physical aspects of the character. A character must have at least 1 point in each stat and both stats must add up to 6.
Intellect, knowledge of the occult, will power, and everything with the mind.
How crazy you are. Every time you fail a Mythos roll, increase your Insanity by 1. When your Insanity reaches 6, your mind breaks a little and you do something insane or perhaps gain an appropriate mental disorder such as claustrophobia.
Strength, endurance, holding your breath, and everything physical.
How injured you are. Every time you fail a Brawn roll, increase your Injury by 1. When your Injury reaches 6, you're afflicted by some physical limitation until the story is over. Some injuries may end being permanent, like losing an eye or walking with a limp.
Performing extraordinary acts of will or strength can help in recovery. Particularly clever actions in defying the antagonists will reduce your Insanity by 1. Heroic actions will reduce your Injury by 1.
Roll 1d6 to choose your Role or choose from the table below
| Role | Mythos | Brawn | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scholar | 5 | 1 | +1d when reading or translating texts |
| 2 | Priest | 4 | 2 | +1d when dealing with demons and spirits |
| 3 | Journalist | 3 | 3 | +1d when researching in archives |
| 4 | Burglar | 3 | 3 | +1d when picking pockets or opening locks |
| 5 | Private Investigator | 2 | 4 | +1d when trying to avoid notice |
| 6 | Police Officer | 1 | 5 | +1d when intimidating people |
Or make up your own role!
- Mythos and Brawn must be at least 1 each
- Mythos plus Brawn must add up to 6
- Each role has a Special giving them +1d in certain situations
For example, Emma decides to create a role for a professional Soldier. She decides this is similar to the Police Officer so assigns the Role a Mythos of 1 and Brawn of 5. In addition, the Soldier's training gives her a bonus of +1d when using firearms.
| Who are they | What do they desire | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Great Old Ones | 1 | Open a portal to another world |
| 2 | The Elder Gods | 2 | Recover an ancient text |
| 3 | Cultists | 3 | Retrieve a an artifact |
| 4 | Deep Ones | 4 | Sacrifice a person |
| 5 | A Mad Scientist | 5 | Make a deal with a powerful entity |
| 6 | An Undead Sorcerer | 6 | Consecrate a monument to darkness |
| Where is this taking place | When is all of this happening | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | An abandoned asylum | 1 | New Year's Eve |
| 2 | An old church | 2 | During an eclipse |
| 3 | A decrepit home | 3 | During the winter solstice |
| 4 | A deep cavern | 4 | While the planets are in conjunction |
| 5 | A manufacturing plant | 5 | When the government changes hands |
| 6 | An abandoned lighthouse | 6 | During an opera performance |
| Complications | Random Bits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The location is haunted by spirits | 1 | The antagonist cannot cross portals of a certain color |
| 2 | Devious traps are placed all about | 2 | A player has an unknown twin working with the antagonist |
| 3 | The authorities work for the antagonist | 3 | The smell of jasmine follows the antagonist |
| 4 | The weather is hazardous | 4 | A player is a descendent of the antagonist |
| 5 | The location is on the brink of collapse | 5 | A player possesses either the location or what the antagonist desires |
| 6 | The players' loved ones are held hostage | 6 | A player unknowingly holds the secret to the antagonist's defeat |
These are optional rules that add some additional complexity to the game but provide for some variation. Players should consult with the game master before employing any of these rules.
Legacy games continue with the same characters and world from game to game. Individually, legacy games are no different from regular games. However, since the same characters are being played again, they will be able to recover from some of their wounds. After each session, the players may choose one of the following options:
- Recover all Insanity and Injury
- Recover from one mental complication
- Recover from one physical complication
Recoveries should be supported by the story, such as spending time at a sanitorium to get over one's fear of darkness.
A player may choose to Strain a Stat. Doing so gives them +2d to roll for completing an action. However, the player will always gain a point in the associated negative stat, even if the roll is a success. When straining a state, the player must announce their intention before they roll any dice.
Instead of Injury and Insanity levels, the players have Wounds. When the player has 6 points in Wounds, they may choose to take either a physical or mental ailment. Their Wounds points are reset to 0. This rule is designed to speed up some aspects of play and make the game a little riskier by increasing the rate for ailments.