Superworld/CoC

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Silverlion

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So I was perusing Superworld (based on the same system as Elric/Stormbringer, Call of Cthulhu, and so many more now "BRP" system. )

Has anyone considered running the beginning of a game as themed tightly to a CoC game set in the modern era, then switches gears as a Cthulhu-esque origin story for supers (and tossing in actual Cthulhu low end monsters, cults, and the like as villains? I realize it is a bait-and-switch which, I'd only do after letting players know that the game after the first adventure will change considerably thematically, and I'd inform them of it framed in the latter terms. I was just curious since there is some cross-compatibility int the two games.
 
I have considered something kinda similar in the past. To be honest, it was more daydreaming than anything serious as I'm not sure I know anyone who would play in the setting. I'm a big fan of Grant Morrison's Zenith (read it when it was originally serialized in 2000AD and re-read it when it got the deluxe hardback treatment about 5 years ago) and that has Lovecraftian elements from the start and gets more focused on them in Phases III and IV.

Wasn't there a supplement of Cthulhuesque Supers for Call of Cthulhu a few years ago? Possibly an Achtung! Cthulhu book?
 
Hrms. I can only hope they did a good job with that. I'm not likely getting it. (I don't like godlike's system, but since it reads like that it probably doesn't.) Though Superworld is pretty compatible.
 
Hmm. Those brightly-garbed superhumans began to appear a little over a year after the most famous chronicler of various hidden horrors passed away...

...no, I don't think there's any connection between the two, nor would I dare suggest that the former might well be the latter hiding in plain sight, and I'm quite certain that the timing of the two events is purely coincidental.
 
Hrms. I can only hope they did a good job with that. I'm not likely getting it. (I don't like godlike's system, but since it reads like that it probably doesn't.) Though Superworld is pretty compatible.

Yeah it was pretty good and use normal BRP / CoC system.
The powers were not particularly powerful, but that was be design. We see a good example of this in The Boys S2, with Homelander where he kills an insurgent that can control sand or winds. He just yawns and shoots him with his laser eyes.

In essence all the powers are designed not to be too overpowering, to make WW2 seem like a cake walk.

I believe Superworld was also done in M&M or champions, cannot remember which. But yeah, Achtung Cthulhu is worth getting, I enjoyed all the add-one to the setting in the series. But YMMV i guess.

That said, you could easily turn spells into powers, or say a character that can control fire, just get Fire as a power and everything done with it is subject to shaping rules.
 
No, as I don't find Lovecraft/Cthulhu stuff interesting enough for more than a temporary diversion, but I always found it amusing how Chaosium couldn't seem to get away from Cthulhu-type material even when making up superhero adventures. I have used these three as loosely connected scenarios:
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My guess, based on the various announcements from Chaosium, is that they plan to release a version of SuperWorld based on their new QuestWorld brand (was HeroQuest), which I think will be a pretty good system for Supers because it scales so well. However, they have also made mention of creating a Pulp Cthulhu supplement for superheroes also - which will appeal greatly to do the sort of things suggested in this thread.

And, yes, running SuperWorld alongside Cthulhu has been mentioned before, and would work in a really compelling way in my view. Alan Moore's Watchmen effectively ends up something like this.
 
I was thinking of players growing up with a strange, sickly boy at school, who is fascinated with the stars; enough so he enthralls a bit when he shares what he finds with his new telescopes (and modification to them.) Hyping up the Cthulhuesqe descriptions.

He disappeared for a while after high school, but recently sent the adults a letter inviting them to his own personal observatory. Of course, he looks far more energetic and healthy even put on weight so he's kind of a round professor of astronomy. Driven to go, since again they were the one who went to bat for him before, he shares his new construction with joy after a meal. He shows them modern high ends HUGE optical telescope built on his land. They're watching for the return of a comet he discovered towards the end of high school and there it appears on the screen, a sickly, alien light, twisting more like a living thing of light and fire, casting its dim luminance through the scope across the large "viewer" he invented. It can't be seen any other way. But this time it veers towards the watchers and all of them end up struck by the alien, disturbing light. None of them at first notice any change, in fact, the Professor doesn't even mention the light, simply doing calculations with a high-end computer at the other side of the room--when some minor Cthulhu-thing bleeds out of the walls and assaults the players--who find themselves suddenly sparked with power.
 
This thread has me thinking (again) that doing The Whispering Vault using a mash-up of CoC and Superworld wouldn't all much work.
 
During the late beta testing of Metahumans Rising we ran a Low Powered supernatural focused campaign. No changes to the engine were required, and all the heroes had occult themed origins, from being chosen by a Crow God, to having their soul ripped out and being unable to rest. As a low powered game, the heroes couldn't just rely on their powers to bust things up, research, and stealth became critical components to gain advantages while dealing with a cult that was growing in power around New York.

In a different game, we ran a group of animal themed heroes. One in particular fits your description of a campaign start as their origin story. They were a small child, born into a cult and later sacrificed by their parents and the other cult members. Only something went wrong, everyone there was killed except for the child, but he was changed by the experience. Resembling the slumbering god, his head was more like a cephalopod resting on a human body. Their tentacles could stretch and had super strength. Although, his body lacked any supernatural strength. He could also spit ink, blinding foes. His name, Kid Squid.
 
My guess, based on the various announcements from Chaosium, is that they plan to release a version of SuperWorld based on their new QuestWorld brand (was HeroQuest), which I think will be a pretty good system for Supers because it scales so well. However, they have also made mention of creating a Pulp Cthulhu supplement for superheroes also - which will appeal greatly to do the sort of things suggested in this thread.

And, yes, running SuperWorld alongside Cthulhu has been mentioned before, and would work in a really compelling way in my view. Alan Moore's Watchmen effectively ends up something like this.

I had been meaning to re-read HeroQuest and try to grok the system as it has been soooo long since I have played it. You tend to forget stuff.
Honestly, Pulp Cthulhu and Supers will likely mean street level heroes, and thinking about it will be like including Achtung Cthulhu elder Godlike. May have to look at that myself this weekend, so good mention.
 
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