Following on from yesterday’s epic prequel adventure, I am starting a new Call of Cthulhu campaign. Follow this thread if you are taking part, I’ll post relevant information here.
We will meet in R1 on Wednesday evenings at 18h30.
Following.
I won’t be there until half 7 at the earliest, due to a cavern visit. Do you want to talk more about the fate of previous characters/need for new char. gen. then, or beforehand?
Newspaper clipping about the Larkin expedition
Translation of Trinidad Rizo’s notes on the Final Confession of Gaspar Figeuroa
The object that Arthur found beside Trinidad’s body was a length of worked gold, around 2 feet (60 cm) in length, 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide, and 1/3 of an inch (1 cm) deep. Both of its ends are rough, as if it had been ripped or broken from a larger design. It weighs nearly 25 lbs (11 Kg), so it is difficult to carry around.
The piece is largely a straight band, although four sections jut out at right angles into short spurs or squared-off spirals. The surface is imprinted with a series of non-repeating geometric shapes, mostly squares and rectangles, with no obvious meaning to them. None of these shapes resemble any form of writing.
The object was in a small wooden crate that was smashed to pieces beside Trinidad’s mutilated body. When he picked it up, Arthur noticed what looked like the freshly burned remains of skin on the gold, although the item was cold to the touch.
The tattoo on Larkin’s chest. The centre of the spiral is on his sternum, joining onto the sytlised humanoid figure just above his diaphragm.
Map of the pyramid.
I assume the party is coming down the path on the right of that diagram?
Yes, you crossed the top of the ridge and there is a steep path winding down the hillside to the outer wall. It looks quite precarious, might be difficult to get the donkeys down there.
The site is on a plateau overlooking a deep, windblown valley. The surrounding land is desolate and arid, with sparse plant life. Only the man-made structures break up the monotonous brownish-grey of the dirt.
An eerie whistling or piping sound blows on the wind. Despite the cold, some flies buzz around your face. “Blowflies,” comments Basile in his usual monotone. “They feed on dead flesh.”
Handguns in 1921
In the spur of the moment I made a historical error in allowing you to buy .357 Magnum Revolvers in Lima in 1921, as the .357 magnum cartridge was not introduced until 1934.
So we will retcon this and say that in fact you bought Smith & Wesson M1917 revolvers, which is a state-of-the-art handgun, produced between 1917 and 1920.
This weapon has good pulp action credentials, being Indiana Jones’s preferred weapon, which he had with him in Peru. (In the opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark, he hands it over to his nemesis, French archaeologist René Belloq after escaping from the Peruvian temple).
Smith & Wesson M1917 revolver
The Smith & Wesson Model 1917 was an adaptation of their earlier Second Model .44 Hand Ejector, which they had manufactured for the British Army (c.1915-16). The M1917 was chambered for .45 ACP, had a shortened cylinder allowing for use of half-moon clips, and added a lanyard ring on the butt of the frame.
Stats for M1917 revolver
| Skill | Damage | Base range | Uses per round | Bullets in gun | Cost | Malfunction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms (handgun) | 1D10+2 | 15 yards | 1 (3) | 6 | $30 | 100 |
It costs $23 for 100 shells.
If your Credit Rating is 50 or more, you can simply add the gun and ammunition to your equipment. Otherwise, deduct the costs ($53 less your Spending Level) from your Cash reserves.
Summary of firearms rules
To Hit: Within base range, Regular difficulty check. At long range (up to twice base range), it’s a Hard check. At very long range (up to 4 times base range), it’s an Extreme difficulty check. Point-blank range (within 1/5 of DEX in feet) grants a bonus die.
Multiple shots: Firing 1 shot allows for careful aim and steadying the weapon. When firing 2 or 3 shots, it’s speed above accuracy; all 3 shots receive a penalty die.
Reloading: It takes one combat round to load two shells (or to fully reload a revolver using half-moon clips). In desperate situations you can load one round (or one half-moon clip) and fire a single shot with a penalty die.
Rifles in 1921
If you bought a rifle, it’s a Martini-Henry Mark II, because it featured in a movie set in Peru based on a Jules Verne novel (which I haven’t seen), as well as Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (which I just read a few weeks ago to prepare for running this campaign).
Martini-Henry Mark II rifle
The Martini–Henry is a breech-loading single-shot lever-actuated rifle that was used by the British Army. It first entered service in 1871. There were 4 variants; the Mark II was used in the Zulu Wars.
Stats for .45 Martini-Henry rifle
| Skill | Damage | Base range | Uses per round | Bullets in gun | Cost | Malfunction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms (rifle) | 1D8+1D6+3 | 80 yards | 1/3 | 1 | $20 | 100 |
Ammunition costs $23 for 100 shells. Though much longer range than a handgun, it takes 2 full rounds to reload between shots.
Telegram to Penhew Foundation
Cable Address: Pharaoh, London
Date: 16th January 1925
AM FRIEND OF J ELIAS.
J E MURDERED IN NEW YORK YESTERDAY.
KILLED BY THREE MEN.
HAD SYMBOL CARVED IN HEAD.
SAID HAD NEW INFO ON CARLYLE EXPEDITION.
EDWARD GAVIGAN CARD IN POSSESSION.
ANY INFO OR CONTACTS APPRECIATED.
YOURS
CECIL GOULDING.
You should know that the cost to send a transatlantic telegram is $1.25 per word… just in case you want to edit it before sending…
Cheers - I’ll revise a bit then post again in the New York thread.