Lovecraft world

I have been working on a CoC-AW hack called Lovecraft world. The aim is to be able to play AW with my CoC-loving friends. So far we have played two sessions and it seems to work. But I could really use some input.

My plan was to change as little as possible from the original AW.

It is not trying to be Call of Chtulhu or even a game that tries to mimic Lovecraft´s stories. It´s a horror mystery game with a touch of pulp.

Would be glad to get any kind of feedback.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFYTc4OTk1MDItOWQxYi00ZTUzLWFjM2UtYmNhMDhiZmQyM2Yw&hl=en_US

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFMDQ5MDkyYTQtNTA0MS00YmFkLTlmMjItOTdjMWQ4YTgyZmVl&hl=en_US

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFMzJjNjEyNzYtZjVjYy00ZGU4LWJmNWYtZDg5ODllZWUyZGEw&hl=en_US

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFMWQ3ZjUxNjItNDRhNS00MWVlLTljNDMtZThjZDQwZjUzODQ5&hl=en_US

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFNjcwOWE1OTUtMmMzZi00MTlhLTk4YWQtZGRjODRmNTI1NzMx&hl=en_US

Here are the rules for

Sanity and Madness
and
Love letters and Handouts

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFMzVjMGM2YmYtYzFmZC00MTVmLTg4NzUtNWU2OGM1M2MwY2Nk&hl=en_US

I like the keep it together move. That's a good way to handle it.

What do you think about Crazy, and that the more crazy you get, the greater the risk to go nuts when meeting a Horror?

It´s not really logical, but it can´t only be good to have crazy+3. Then everyone would aim at that. It should be ambiguous. .

/ Nils

The death-spiral nature of Sanity is there in CoC as well, although I think your spells are a bit harsh. When you get insight, you get +1 Crazy right? So, even without seeing monsters, you can be insane after learning two spells and casting them each once. I'd keep the +1 Crazy bonus for the really special, mind-blasting terror times.

I guess I think your temporary insanity is really good, but permanent insanity is a bit fast. You want to give the characters enough room to make it to the end of the scenario before they die horribly or go insane, after all.

I see your point, but you also have the move:

Getting insight
When you encounter the horrible truth you may get insight. Raise crazy with +1. When you get +3 crazy and get more insight your character is taken out of play. If you give up your character to madness the group may encounter your character in the future as a threat. You can always activate delusion instead of raising crazy, when you get insight.

So you can always choose to go temporary mad instead of getting carzy +1. I hope this will lead to hard decision between taking the +1 crazy and pushing on, or going mad and not being able to help.

Then there are some creatures with:

Some horrors are truly horrible.
Take 1 insight and activate delusion tag.
(This means that you don´t have the option to not get +1crazy...)

This is so you can´t be sure to never get another crazy, like when you met Chtulhu himself (or herself...?). You can not mini-max and have crazy +3 and always activate delusion tag, instead of getting +1 crazy and loosing your character.

_____

What I´m uncertain of is how the move Keeping it together should be used in game, and how harsh it should be.

One way is to keep it like this:

Keep it together
When you resist your delusion, activated by your delusion tag, roll +collected. On a 10+, you are fine, more or less. Hold 1. On a 7-9, you got 2 hold. On a miss you got 3 hold and raise crazy +1. Until your hold is spent your delusion is active and you may not make any moves other than Act under stress and moves invoked by the MC. Spend your hold, 1 for 1 by:

• flee desperately
  beg for mercy or help
  expose yourself
  attack someone or something
  reveal your condition to someone

But maybe it should be tougher, like getting +1 crazy when you miss it, I don´t know. I wanna have some kind of chance in the system, you should never feel safe.

Oh! I missed the part where activating your delusion lets you skip the +1 crazy. That's good then! I like it.

That new keep it together move is a bit too harsh, I think. Once your delusion is activated, you want to get the hell out without seeing anything else crazy, otherwise you'll get the +1 crazy. But for a one-shot session? It might be just the thing.

Just as a wording point, though, it says when you get insight at crazy+3 you're out of play, and not that you're out of play when you raise crazy to +4, although you say below that something about being at crazy+3 and activating delusion all the time.

Ah, thanks!

Should be that you have +3 and get one more crazy and then you get taken out of play, my english sometimes gets a bit... unclear :)

/ Nils

I have made a new playbook for the game on thuesday, we are having a new player join the game. I didn´t have much time but I think this will work. It´s more or less the Skinner. It should be a 1920 charmer or Gold digger. I´m still trying to come up with good names though, don´t know what the gold digger of the 20´s were named...

Lovecraft World

Face
Creating a Face

Name Maria, Babe, Franklin, Kennedy,

Looks
•   hypnotic eyes, deep eyes, mysterious eyes, trustful eyes, tempting eyes, hungry eyes
•   beautiful face, strong face, strange face, perfect face, reliable face
•   thin body, fit body, perfect body, muscular body,
•   suit, dress, coat and hat, evening wear, jewelry and bare shoulders, turban of silver and pearl necklace, sexy cloths

Stats Choose one:
•   Collected +1, Hard -1, Charming +2, Sharp +1, Lettered 0
•   Collected 0, Hard -1, Charming +2, Sharp +2, Lettered -1
•   Collected +1, Hard 0, Charming +2, Sharp 0, Lettered 0
•   Collected -1, Hard +1, Charming +2, Sharp +1, Lettered -1
Also, you get Crazy -2

Collected ____  [  ] Highlight Act under stress

Hard ____  [  ] Highlight Go aggro, sieze by force

Charming ____  [  ] Highlight manipulate/ seduce

Sharp ____  [  ] Highlight Read person, read sitch,

Lettered ____  [  ] Highlight Study info, look for clues

Crazy ____  [  ] Highlight face horror, study corr, witchcraft

Choose 1 delusion tag:
Phobia (fear), paranoia, panic attacs, obsession, depression, bipolar, psychosis, catatonia
This is your potential mental weakness

Moves
You get all the basic moves:

Characters moves
Choose 2

Smooth voice You get +1 Charming. (max+3)

Secrets of the bedroom. If you have sex with a NPC roll +Charming. On a 10+, ask any three questions, and you will get answers, also you get hold 1. On a 7-9, ask one question and you will get answers, also hold 1. You may spend your hold at any time when you have eye contact with the NPC to make them.
•   leave now
•   back down
•   answer a question
•   try to save your life
•   give you a warning
•   take the blame
If you have sex with a PC, on a 10+ hold 2. On a 7-9 hold 1. You may spend your hold 1 for 1 by

• making them act under stress to act against your will
  giving them experience to help you, or to do as you want them to

Artist. When you perform your chosen art- any act or expression of culture, or when you put it´s product before an audience, roll +Charming. On a 10+  spend 3. On a 7-9 spend 1. Spend 1 to name an NPC member of the audience and choose one:
•   this person must meet me
•   this person must have my services
•   this person loves me
•   this person must give me a gift
•   this person admires my patron
On a miss you gain no benefit, but suffer no harm or lost opportunity. You simply perform very well. 

Hypnotic. When you have time and solitude with someone they get fixated upon you. Roll +Charming. On a 10+ Hold 3. On a 7-9 hold 1. They can spend your hold, one for one, by:
•   giving you something you want
•   being your eyes and ears
•   fighting to protect you
•   doing something you tell them to
For NPC´s while you have hold over them they can´t act against you. For PC´s, instead, anytime you like you can spend your hold, one for one by
•   they distract themselves with thoughts of you. They are acting under Stress
•   They inspire themselves with thoughts of you. They take +1 right now.
On a miss, they hold 2 over you, on the exact same terms. 

You are famous. When you meet someone roll +Charimg. On a hit they have heard of you, and you say what they´ve heard. The MC will have them respond accordingly. On a 10+ you take +1 forward for dealing with them as well. On a miss, they´ve heard of you but the MC will decide what they have heard. 

The center of the party. In a crown of people where you can be seen or heard, everybody watches you. Roll +Charming. On a 10+ hold 3. On a 7-9 hold 1. Spend your hold
Make them stand there and stare
Come to you
Leave now Probably won´t use this...

You have a patron of the arts. Name that person and whenever there is a bit of downtime roll +charming. On a 10+ hold 3. On a 7-9 hold 1. Use it by asking the patron for favours.
•   get something expensive
•   getting protection or shelter
•   letting the patron appear with the cavalry at the right moment
•   getting in touch with the right people
•   spreading the word
On a miss the patron asks something of you instead

Beautiful and lucky. Hold 1 every session. Use it to reroll any move.

Magic ability
All characters may trough improvements learn how to open their inner eye and see the truth. You may then Open your head.

When you use some kind of stimulantia to open your head to horrible insight, roll +Crazy. On a 10+, the MC will tell you something new and interesting about the current situation, and ask you a question or two, answer them. On a 10+, the MC will give you good detail. On a 7-9, the MC will give you an impression. If you already know everything there is to know, the MC will tell you that.


Gear
You have access to appropriate things according to your status.

Hx
On your turn, choose one or more:
•         one of them is your lover. Tell that player +2.
•         one of them is your friend. Tell that player +2.
•         one of them is in love with you. Tell that player -1.
Tell everyone else Hx 0..

On the others’ turns, choose one or more:
•         one of them is truly strange, ignore what they say and write -1

Advances
[  ] +1 collected (max +2)
[  ] +1 hard (max+2)
[  ] +1 sharp (max+2)
[  ] +1 lettered (max +2)
[  ] get another Face move
[  ] get another Face move
[  ] get another Face move
[  ] get a move from another playbook
[  ] get a move from another playbook
[  ] get magic ability

Harm
[  ] 1- Heals slowly
[  ] 2- Heals slowly
[  ] 3-
[  ] 4- Rapidly getting worse, can´t do any Hard-moves
[  ] 5- Rapidly getting worse, can´t do any Hard-moves,-1 to all other moves
[  ] 6- Dead
If you get a 3 harm damage, you mark 1, 2 and 3. If you get damaged to above 3 you may take damage to only 3 and instead take a permanent debility
•         [  ] Shattered -1 collected
•         [  ] Crippled -1 hard
•         [  ] Disfigured -1 charming
•         [  ] Broken -1 sharp

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFOTJjMjdjN2MtMDQ0Yy00NWE2LWIyMTYtYjk4OGZlN2IyMGU0&hl=en_US

Lovecraft World

Bad ass

Creating a Bad ass

Name
Slim, Sandy, Randy, Bert, Doc, Jane, Bill, Angela, Belle, Joy, Molly, Dexter, Jim

Looks
•   stupid eyes, dark eyes, cold eyes, kind eyes, concealed eyes, busted eyes
•   grim face, scarred face, baby face, savage face, mocking face, weathered face
•   muscular body, gigantic body, fat body, hard body, slender
•   bowler and waistcoat, dirty clothes, suit, jail clothes, long coat

Stats
Choose one:
•   Collected -1, Hard +2, Charming 0, Sharp +2, Lettered -1
•   Collected +1, Hard +2, Charming +1, Sharp 0, Lettered -1
•   Collected +1, Hard +2, Charming -1, Sharp +1, Lettered 0
•   Collected 0, Hard +2, Charming +1, Sharp+1, Lettered -1
Also, you get Crazy -2

Collected ____  [  ] Highlight Act under stress

Hard ____  [  ] Highlight Go agro, sieze by force

Charming ____  [  ] Highlight manipulate/ seduce

Sharp ____  [  ] Highlight Read person, read sitch,

Lettered ____  [  ] Highlight Study info, look for clues

Crazy ____  [  ] Highlight face horror, learn spell, sorcery

Choose 1 delusion tag:
Phobia (fear), paranoia, panic attacs, obsession, depression, bipolar, psychosis, catatonia
This is your potential mental weakness

Moves
You get all the basic moves:

Characters moves

You get this:

Breaking bones. You work for someone or as a freelance. Whenever there is a stretch of downtime in play or between sessions choose one gig and roll +hard.
•   murder
•   collecting money
•   fighting for money
•   scaring someone
•   breaking and entering
•   spying
•   selling drugs
•   arranging illegal clubs, gambling or prostitution
On a 10+ it´s done and you get hold 2. On a 7-9 you are in the middle of it and when it´s done you get hold 1. On a miss, you are in the middle of it and everything is going to hell. You may spend your hold, 1 for 1 by:
•   having money or some kind of expensive thing at the right moment
•   getting access into a shady place
•   feeling good about yourself, +1 on any one move
•   sharing information about someone (which you think is the truth) and give another PC +1 forward when dealing with that person
•   getting some thugs to help you with one thing
•   knowing who to talk to about something illegal


Also choose two:
Tough as nails. You can take one more harm before you die.

Merciless. When you inflict harm, inflict +1 harm.

Boxer. When you fight unarmed against close combat foes (unarmed or knifes, hammers etc) you count as a small gang.

Eye on the door. Name your escape route and roll + Collected. On a 10+, you are gone. On a 7-9 you may go or stay, but if you go it will cost you, either you leave something behind or you take something with you. The MC will tell you what. On a miss you are caught vulnerable, half in and half out.

Brute. You get +1 hard. (max +3)

An ear to the ground. At the beginning of session roll +Sharp. On a 10+ hold 1+1. On a 7-9 hold 1. At any time you or the MC may spend your hold to have you at the scene when another character is in danger. On a miss, the MC can spend it to have you there and pinned down.

Crazy. Ignore harm penalties.

Gear
You have burglary tools and weapons.

You have one heavy weapon
•   Rifle harm 3 close/ far loud
•   Sawed- off harm 3 close, messy, loud
•   Tommy gun harm 3 close messy, loud
•   Dynamite 4 harm, messy, area, reload, hand

You also have two small weapons
•   Gun harm 2 close, loud
•   Revolver harm 3, close, messy
•   Big knife harm 3, close, messy
•   Knifes harm 2, close
•   Baseball bat harm 3, messy
•   Derringer harm 2, close, concealed


You also work with a crew of three people. Name those crooks


Hx
On your turn, choose one or more:
•   one of them helps you. Tell that player +1
•   one of them has seen your mad face, tell that player +2
•   one of them knows something important about you. Tell that player +1
Tell everyone else 0.

On the others’ turns, choose one or more:
•   one of them is afraid of you, ignore what they say and write +3
•   one of them is really smart, add +1 to whatever that person tells you


Advances
[  ] +collected (max +2)
[  ] +1 lettered (max+2)
[  ] +1 charming (max +2)
[  ] +1sharp (max +2)
[  ] get another Bad ass move
[  ] get another Bad ass move
[  ] get another Bad ass move
[  ] get a move from another playbook
[  ] get a move from another playbook
[  ] get a gang and leadership

Harm
[  ] 1- Heals slowly
[  ] 2- Heals slowly
[  ] 3-
[  ] 3- Tough as nails
[  ] 4- Rapidly getting worse, -1 to all Hard-moves
[  ] 5- Rapidly getting worse, act under stress do any Hard-moves,-1 to all other moves
[  ] 6- Dead

If you get harm damage, you mark up to that number (damage 3 = 1, 2 and 3). If you get damaged to above 3 you may choose to take damage to only 3 and instead take a permanent debility
•         [  ] Shattered -1 collected
•         [  ] Crippled -1 hard
•         [  ] Disfigured -1 charming
•         [  ] Broken -1 sharp

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B06M_51wBJSFMDM1MWUyNjktOWJjOC00ODg5LThjYjctNDUwNGQ0ODRkZDI1&hl=en_US

I've been playing a lot of the Fantasy Flight Lovecraftian games this weekend (Mansions of Madness, Elder Sign, et cetera) and was thinking that AW would work pretty well for a Lovecraft setting, so I am not surprised to see a cool hack like this one.

I would just say that the Bad Ass getting a fair share of both Operator and Gunlugger type moves might be giving that playbook too broad a niche, in terms of sharing with others. Have you noticed anything like that in play? On the other hand, it does all hang together very well. You might get some more 20's flavor by just flat out calling him a "Mobster".

Also, in your play, have things veered more investigative or more action-y or somewhere in between? While I've been thinking that fronts would do a great job of representing conspiracies and rituals to summon ancient horrors, I was also wondering if the sort of "find terrible things and try to stop them" would be conducive to the slow-burn inter-character drama AW is so good at. I'd appreciate hearing any thoughts you have on that. At any rate, it looks neat!