Small Lovecraftian Horror Larp

Community Game ideas
#1

[i]"Welcome to Strangeways Convalescent Home. Comfortable, quiet and offering a good quality of care invalids, at quite a reasonable cost. It is sometime between the two world wars, and money is tight, so it has no shortage of residents. This despite its isolated location; the nearest town is about an hour’s drive away.
Strangeways itself is a neat little Victorian building that sits on the cliffs overlooking the cold, rocky sea. Despite its outward appearance of tranquility, Strangeways has gained a troubling reputation. Strangeways itself used to belong to the Strangeways family, but passed into private ownership after the death of the family heir in The Great War; one of many Strangeways to meet an early end. But there has always been something not quite right about Strangeways.

The patients have noticed, of course. They either grow accustomed to the subtle atmosphere of menace or beg their families to take them away. Often this request is ignored, and these poor, unsettled souls slowly sink into despair and lethargy. But for those who can cope, Strangeways is somewhat bearable. Made up of a mixture of old and young, from all classes and backgrounds (not to mention a wide range of ailments), Strangeways patients are a microcosm of the outside world. They spend long hours together, talking over their pasts, taking walks and doing any number of therapeutic activities. For some, a better life than they could ever dream of outside. Others long for life outside Strangeways’ walls. Everyone is supposed to leave eventually; it is merely a question of how long your stay will be.

Strangeways has always been quiet, until the death of one of the patients in what was either a freak accident or a very unusual suicide. Scribbled across the wall of his bedroom was the message “The stars are right.”A new, darker, more intense unease grows among the patients; many of them are starting to have strange dreams and they begin to suspect the others of being involved in some unknown horror. Even the usually placid nursing staff are beginning to look anxious…" [/i]

So this is something that’s been knocking around in my head for a while. I’ve got a good few characters with backgrounds and potential ‘abilities’ which is something I’ve always enjoyed having in a game, although I may remove them later if it doesn’t quite work. There’s about 10 characters so far. I’m pretty happy with that number. (5 m, 5 f)

I still have some other bits to work out, like deciding just what exactly is deeply wrong. Yes, I know, that is very important. I have a vague idea, but it needs some tinkering to make it stronger.

I thought I’d pick your brains about some other things I’m pondering:

  1. Since it is set at a Convalescent home, all the characters are ill, in one way or another. Would it make sense to have this as a limitation reflected in the character sheet? IE: Bob has tuberculosis, and therefore can’t get up the stairs to retrieve object. He needs object…could he get Joe to get it for him?
    I do wonder if this is in poor taste and/or may get annoying for players.

2)The question of just how firm goals should be. Of course, players are free to ignore goals as they wish,but from my experience people tend to stick to most of them. So what about goals that are more open ended? Choose between X and Y, for example. Again, too annoying for players?

Thanks for any suggestions. It’s very much appreciated.

#2

As an enormous Lovecraft fan, this sounds awesome :smiley:

It depends on the feel for the game you’re writing. If the physical limitations are important to the plot, then write them in. If they’re more for flavour, give the players a general description and encourage them to roleplay it as appropriate to the situation. Good roleplayers will find a way to integrate it successfully into the game regardless of instructions, and bad roleplayers will ignore it even if it is dictated to them on the sheet.

Again, it depends on the style of game you want. My personal opinion (and that’s all it is, a personal opinion) is that Lovecraft particularly as a genre where atmosphere and character are far more important to the experience than ‘plot’, since in most Lovecraftian stories/games, you tend to be lucky to escape with your life. I see goals as something aid or guide the roleplaying experience, rather than as something which should define it :slight_smile:

#3

Sounds awesome to me too !

I think giving limitations to player can be a good way to have players collaborate one with the others, especially mental limitations but to keep one or two ideas secret I’ll send them in MP…

#4

Its interestingly like a game I suggested to Kane one night as a laugh. The players win, they defeat the evil, and then we cut forward sixty years. the evil rises its ugly head once more, and the only people who can stop it are those that stopped it before. but they are now very old. Zimmer frames, walking sticks, thick glasses. we laughed and laughed.

R

#5

[quote=“Raoul”]Its interestingly like a game I suggested to Kane one night as a laugh. The players win, they defeat the evil, and then we cut forward sixty years. the evil rises its ugly head once more, and the only people who can stop it are those that stopped it before. but they are now very old. Zimmer frames, walking sticks, thick glasses. we laughed and laughed.

R[/quote]I would definitely give that a go :stuck_out_tongue:

#6

[quote=“Raoul”]Its interestingly like a game I suggested to Kane one night as a laugh. The players win, they defeat the evil, and then we cut forward sixty years. the evil rises its ugly head once more, and the only people who can stop it are those that stopped it before. but they are now very old. Zimmer frames, walking sticks, thick glasses. we laughed and laughed.

R[/quote]

No one was laughing at the end of the playtest, trust me laughs maniacally

#7

The laughter I spoke of was only from GMs, and only at the fun things we would be making the players do to servive. it certainly wasnt from a player point of veiw.

(Titters gently like a japanese girl.)

R

#8

[quote=“RobotPie”][quote=“Raoul”]Its interestingly like a game I suggested to Kane one night as a laugh. The players win, they defeat the evil, and then we cut forward sixty years. the evil rises its ugly head once more, and the only people who can stop it are those that stopped it before. but they are now very old. Zimmer frames, walking sticks, thick glasses. we laughed and laughed.

R[/quote]

No one was laughing at the end of the playtest, trust me laughs maniacally[/quote]

I recall cackling wildly as I died in flames…

#9

Really seriously thinking about running a Call of Cthulhu game, written by Michael LaBossiere, called BLOOD MOON. Set in the very near future about things that go horribly wrong (as they do) on two moon bases, the U.N. base, and the Mars mission base. Re-hashed the KiL Quest III rules engine for combat and skill testing.

If I do run it, I could do with some help. It should be at night (Friday) in Takarangi (lower hall).

Six Investigators and 10 (minimum) of Crew or more, many will be specific roles. Already thinking about the space suits that NZLARPS has, as well as making new ones especially for the Investigators. 8)

#10

Forgot to specify - Chimera 2013! :mrgreen: