CthulhuTech
Encyclopedia
CthulhuTech is a science-fiction and horror
roleplaying game created by Wildfire LLC and published by Sandstorm that combines elements of the Cthulhu Mythos
with anime-style mecha
, horror, magic and futuristic action. The setting is Earth in the year 2085 during a worldwide conflict known as the Aeon War, (from the Necronomicon quote: "And with strange aeons even death may die") wherein the planet has been invaded twice: once by a black-skinned manufactured alien race known as the Nazzadi who are derived from humans and who join forces with them, and then a second time by the Mi-Go
, an advanced alien civilization seemingly bent on the enslavement of humanity. Aside from these conflicts, the game focuses on other factions, such as ancient cults like the Esoteric Order of Dagon
that are running amok across the planet and the eldritch horrors that are rising to destroy the world as, according to the prophecies of the Cthulhu Mythos, the "stars are right" and the Great Old Ones and their servitors are returning/reawakening to reclaim the Earth. The game uses a proprietary ten-sided die (d10) system titled "Framewerk."
system. An unusual feature is the selection of numbers from the d10 rolls – a player can pick a single highest number, all like numbers, or straights of consecutive numbers, and use these to generate the result. The result is then added to a "base" consisting of a related attribute score bought by the player at character creation. The sum of the base and the result is then compared to target numbers or to the results of an opponent's rolls to determine success or failure.
Players build characters using points to buy six attributes, Strength, Agility, Perception, Intellect, Tenacity, and Presence, which are used for attribute tests and serve as the base to which roll results for skills are added. Players have another, separate pool of points used to buy skills such as "Marksman" or "Persuade" in five degrees of competency. These levels of competency determine the size of the player's dice pool. Players can also use their points to purchase Assets, including wealth, status, and allies that are beneficial in the game. They can also select Drawbacks, such as poverty or sickness, that will give them extra points to spend at the cost of suffering an ill effect, either as a direct penalty, or as part of the storyline.
Though the character generation is not class-based, there are "Profession" templates that guide players in building characters suitable for the setting, and include prerequisites to join the many factions. For example, the level of devotion and training required to become a Mecha Pilot is explained in its Profession template. Professions still allow the player to build a unique character despite this.
When rolling, players can make use of "Drama Points," which affect die rolls. One drama point spent can remove a die from an opponent's pool or increase their own pool by one die. Players have ten drama points which are restored every game session (loosely defined as being each time the players get together to play). Despite this being a feature suited mostly to players, important Non-Player Characters also possess drama points to make them tougher or represent their importance.
A major element of CthulhuTech is fear and insanity. All alien monstrosities have a fear factor that forces a Tenacity roll – should the player fail, he or she will be scared or panicked by the presence of the monster, which may have scarring effects on the character's psyche. As well, coming into contact with aliens and demons, performing sorcery, utilizing psychic abilities, or witnessing horrible events, could lead players to gain points of Insanity. These can be opposed with Tenacity rolls as well. Should a player gain enough insanity points, the character will suffer psychological trauma, including common mental illnesses such as schizophrenia
. If a player gains too many points of insanity, the character will be forced out of the game – but can recover with proper psychological attention over a period of time.
, who use sea beasts, monstrous Deep One
s and Hybrid soldiers, brainwashed or conscripted humans, and their own brand of oceanic mecha in their search for R'lyeh
, the lost underwater city of Cthulhu
.
Players can choose from two player races in the Core Rulebook. Aside from Humans, a player can choose to play as the alien Nazzadi, genetically engineered humans once under the influence of the Mi-Go but now allied with the Earth's government. The Nazzadi are depicted as humans except with black skin and intricate tattoos. The CthulhuTech companion book Vade Mecum introduced three new playable races, two of which are results of Nazzadi and Human coupling and are referred to as "Xenomixes." The third is the monstrous "Ghoul," a race of filthy and only vaguely humanoid creatures that hide within human civilization, disguising themselves as homeless people or living in sewers and tunnels.
Factions include the "Tagers," a group of warriors who work for the mysterious Eldritch Society and bond with alien symbionts that produce alien-like suits of flesh over their bodies, giving them enhanced strength and other abilities. Tagers combat the powerful and nearly all-encompassing Chrysalis Corporation, a front for a terrible cult known as the Children of Chaos, who worship Nyarlahotep, and create shapeshifting super soldiers called "Dhohanoids" to accomplish their ends. "The New Earth Government" is the most encompassing faction, with numerous government agencies, military powers, and all of the world's remaining nations under its command. NEG players will fight the cults and the alien Mi-Go using mecha and military technology out in the battlefields or sorcery, wits, and investigative ability in the futuristic urban arcologies. The players can also, if they choose, ally themselves with the Chrysalis Corporation and other evil cults.
such as Robotech
, The Guyver
and Neon Genesis Evangelion
, and by cyberpunk
games like Shadowrun
. The core inspiration is drawn from the works of HP Lovecraft and others. A few Mythos elements have been extrapolated into a futuristic setting, such as monstrous Ghouls and Byakhee
, the alien Mi-Go
, as well as Lovecraftian deities such as Cthulhu
and Hastur
.
Despite the use of races and deities created by Lovecraft and others, there is little to connect the game with the Lovecraftian style of horror; the game is more action oriented. A number of other popular creatures and races - such as Elder Things, Yithians, and Shoggoths - are missing from the setting entirely.
The setting features futuristic elements such as the architecturally efficient and futuristic arcologies, powered armor and mecha
, energy weapons, and bio and nano-technology. In addition, the setting also includes many paranormal or fantastic elements, such as dangerous sorcery and psychic abilities, which take a toll on the sanity of the user, and the Arcanotechnology, a paranormal technology that produces near-endless amounts of efficient and clean fuel.
The second review is more critical. It concedes that CthulhuTech has a setting that is "varied and creative", but of Framewerk itself states that "The rules are boring, flawed, and fail to support the setting." One strong point that is given in favor of Cthulhutech are the game's mecha options, of which the review states, "This makes games of all mecha pilots very viable since players have enough options to select unique mecha and still not step on one another’s toes." However, of the Tagers, the reviewer cites "With only four types to choose from and no customization, groups composed solely of Tagers may find that there just aren’t enough options for them to feel unique."
Io9
featured a short review of Vade Mecum, the CthulhuTech companion book. The reviewer referred to the artwork as "amazing, really helping to evoke the gloomy, decadent world of CthulhuTech" and recommended the book for those who are looking for a dark RPG.
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
roleplaying game created by Wildfire LLC and published by Sandstorm that combines elements of the Cthulhu Mythos
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
with anime-style mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
, horror, magic and futuristic action. The setting is Earth in the year 2085 during a worldwide conflict known as the Aeon War, (from the Necronomicon quote: "And with strange aeons even death may die") wherein the planet has been invaded twice: once by a black-skinned manufactured alien race known as the Nazzadi who are derived from humans and who join forces with them, and then a second time by the Mi-Go
Mi-go
The Mi-go are a race of extraterrestrials in the Cthulhu Mythos created by H. P. Lovecraft and others. The name was first applied to the creatures in Lovecraft's short story "The Whisperer in Darkness" , taking up a reference to 'What fungi sprout in Yuggoth' in his sonnet cycle Fungi from Yuggoth...
, an advanced alien civilization seemingly bent on the enslavement of humanity. Aside from these conflicts, the game focuses on other factions, such as ancient cults like the Esoteric Order of Dagon
Esoteric Order of Dagon
The Esoteric Order of Dagon is a fictional cult in the Cthulhu mythos of H. P. Lovecraft.-Esoteric Order of Dagon in the mythos:Esoteric Order of Dagon was the primary religion in Innsmouth after Captain Obed Marsh returned from the South Seas with the dark religion circa 1838...
that are running amok across the planet and the eldritch horrors that are rising to destroy the world as, according to the prophecies of the Cthulhu Mythos, the "stars are right" and the Great Old Ones and their servitors are returning/reawakening to reclaim the Earth. The game uses a proprietary ten-sided die (d10) system titled "Framewerk."
Game overview
CthulhuTech uses a proprietary game system known as "Framewerk" that focuses on a dice poolDice pool
In some role-playing game systems, the dice pool is the number of dice that a player is allowed to roll when attempting to perform a certain action.-Mechanics:In most RPG systems, most non-trivial actions require dice rolls...
system. An unusual feature is the selection of numbers from the d10 rolls – a player can pick a single highest number, all like numbers, or straights of consecutive numbers, and use these to generate the result. The result is then added to a "base" consisting of a related attribute score bought by the player at character creation. The sum of the base and the result is then compared to target numbers or to the results of an opponent's rolls to determine success or failure.
Players build characters using points to buy six attributes, Strength, Agility, Perception, Intellect, Tenacity, and Presence, which are used for attribute tests and serve as the base to which roll results for skills are added. Players have another, separate pool of points used to buy skills such as "Marksman" or "Persuade" in five degrees of competency. These levels of competency determine the size of the player's dice pool. Players can also use their points to purchase Assets, including wealth, status, and allies that are beneficial in the game. They can also select Drawbacks, such as poverty or sickness, that will give them extra points to spend at the cost of suffering an ill effect, either as a direct penalty, or as part of the storyline.
Though the character generation is not class-based, there are "Profession" templates that guide players in building characters suitable for the setting, and include prerequisites to join the many factions. For example, the level of devotion and training required to become a Mecha Pilot is explained in its Profession template. Professions still allow the player to build a unique character despite this.
When rolling, players can make use of "Drama Points," which affect die rolls. One drama point spent can remove a die from an opponent's pool or increase their own pool by one die. Players have ten drama points which are restored every game session (loosely defined as being each time the players get together to play). Despite this being a feature suited mostly to players, important Non-Player Characters also possess drama points to make them tougher or represent their importance.
A major element of CthulhuTech is fear and insanity. All alien monstrosities have a fear factor that forces a Tenacity roll – should the player fail, he or she will be scared or panicked by the presence of the monster, which may have scarring effects on the character's psyche. As well, coming into contact with aliens and demons, performing sorcery, utilizing psychic abilities, or witnessing horrible events, could lead players to gain points of Insanity. These can be opposed with Tenacity rolls as well. Should a player gain enough insanity points, the character will suffer psychological trauma, including common mental illnesses such as schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. If a player gains too many points of insanity, the character will be forced out of the game – but can recover with proper psychological attention over a period of time.
Game setting
CthulhuTech is set on Earth in 2085, during a veritable world war known as the "Aeon War," against aliens and cultists with varying goals. Due to the Aeon War, the political layout of the world has changed greatly. The remainder of the civilized world has joined forces to create the New Earth Government, comprising mainly Western Europe, China, Japan, Australia, and the Americas. Vast swathes of Asian and European territory have been destroyed by the rapidly expanding Rapine Storm, a cult of crazed psychopaths and cannibals who ravage the land in hordes of armed men and terrifying alien beasts. Antarctica, Alaska, and Northern Europe have fallen under the control of the Mi-Go aliens and their advanced technological war machine. All of the oceans and most of the coasts of the world are sparsely controlled by the Esoteric Order of DagonEsoteric Order of Dagon
The Esoteric Order of Dagon is a fictional cult in the Cthulhu mythos of H. P. Lovecraft.-Esoteric Order of Dagon in the mythos:Esoteric Order of Dagon was the primary religion in Innsmouth after Captain Obed Marsh returned from the South Seas with the dark religion circa 1838...
, who use sea beasts, monstrous Deep One
Deep One
The Deep Ones are creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. The beings first appeared in Lovecraft's novella "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"...
s and Hybrid soldiers, brainwashed or conscripted humans, and their own brand of oceanic mecha in their search for R'lyeh
R'lyeh
R'lyeh is a fictional lost city that first appeared in the H. P. Lovecraft short story "The Call of Cthulhu", first published in Weird Tales in 1928. According to Lovecraft's short story, R'lyeh is a sunken city in the South Pacific and the prison of the malevolent entity called Cthulhu.R'lyeh is...
, the lost underwater city of Cthulhu
Cthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
.
Players can choose from two player races in the Core Rulebook. Aside from Humans, a player can choose to play as the alien Nazzadi, genetically engineered humans once under the influence of the Mi-Go but now allied with the Earth's government. The Nazzadi are depicted as humans except with black skin and intricate tattoos. The CthulhuTech companion book Vade Mecum introduced three new playable races, two of which are results of Nazzadi and Human coupling and are referred to as "Xenomixes." The third is the monstrous "Ghoul," a race of filthy and only vaguely humanoid creatures that hide within human civilization, disguising themselves as homeless people or living in sewers and tunnels.
Factions include the "Tagers," a group of warriors who work for the mysterious Eldritch Society and bond with alien symbionts that produce alien-like suits of flesh over their bodies, giving them enhanced strength and other abilities. Tagers combat the powerful and nearly all-encompassing Chrysalis Corporation, a front for a terrible cult known as the Children of Chaos, who worship Nyarlahotep, and create shapeshifting super soldiers called "Dhohanoids" to accomplish their ends. "The New Earth Government" is the most encompassing faction, with numerous government agencies, military powers, and all of the world's remaining nations under its command. NEG players will fight the cults and the alien Mi-Go using mecha and military technology out in the battlefields or sorcery, wits, and investigative ability in the futuristic urban arcologies. The players can also, if they choose, ally themselves with the Chrysalis Corporation and other evil cults.
Inspirations
CthulhuTech is inspired by various animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
such as Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
, The Guyver
The Guyver
The Guyver is a 1991 American Tokusatsu film loosely based on the Manga series of the same name. The film was met with a mixed to negative reaction from critics and fans. A sequel was followed in 1994 called Guyver: Dark Hero, which was received more favorably than it's predecessor.-Plot:CIA agent...
and Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
, and by cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
games like Shadowrun
Shadowrun
Shadowrun is a role-playing game set in a near-future fictional universe in which cybernetics, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy and crime, with occasional elements of conspiracy fiction, horror, and detective fiction.The original game has spawned...
. The core inspiration is drawn from the works of HP Lovecraft and others. A few Mythos elements have been extrapolated into a futuristic setting, such as monstrous Ghouls and Byakhee
Byakhee
-Summary:There flapped rhythmically a horde of tame, trained, hybrid winged things ... not altogether crows, nor moles, nor buzzards, nor ants, nor decomposed human beings, but something I cannot and must not recall.—H. P. Lovecraft, "The Festival"...
, the alien Mi-Go
Mi-go
The Mi-go are a race of extraterrestrials in the Cthulhu Mythos created by H. P. Lovecraft and others. The name was first applied to the creatures in Lovecraft's short story "The Whisperer in Darkness" , taking up a reference to 'What fungi sprout in Yuggoth' in his sonnet cycle Fungi from Yuggoth...
, as well as Lovecraftian deities such as Cthulhu
Cthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
and Hastur
Hastur
Hastur is a fictional entity of the Cthulhu Mythos. Hastur first appeared in Ambrose Bierce's short story "Haïta the Shepherd" as a benign god of shepherds. Robert W...
.
Despite the use of races and deities created by Lovecraft and others, there is little to connect the game with the Lovecraftian style of horror; the game is more action oriented. A number of other popular creatures and races - such as Elder Things, Yithians, and Shoggoths - are missing from the setting entirely.
The setting features futuristic elements such as the architecturally efficient and futuristic arcologies, powered armor and mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
, energy weapons, and bio and nano-technology. In addition, the setting also includes many paranormal or fantastic elements, such as dangerous sorcery and psychic abilities, which take a toll on the sanity of the user, and the Arcanotechnology, a paranormal technology that produces near-endless amounts of efficient and clean fuel.
Reception
CthulhuTech has received varying degrees of acknowledgment. The large RPG website and forum RPGNet has featured two reviews of the CthulhuTech Core Rulebook, which details most of the Framewerk system and the game setting. The reviews come with both praise and criticism. The first review refers to the game as "ambitious" and praises it for its creativity and the ease with which it explains and presents itself, though it also suggests that the game was perhaps over-ambitious, including many different focuses that do not tie together completely and that are meant instead to be separate. Yet despite this, it lauds the game for its setting, referring to it as "Creative and interesting" and stating that "CthulhuTech is something that has been thought about and fleshed-out for quite some time, with all sorts of opportunities for different stories you can easily place within the world."The second review is more critical. It concedes that CthulhuTech has a setting that is "varied and creative", but of Framewerk itself states that "The rules are boring, flawed, and fail to support the setting." One strong point that is given in favor of Cthulhutech are the game's mecha options, of which the review states, "This makes games of all mecha pilots very viable since players have enough options to select unique mecha and still not step on one another’s toes." However, of the Tagers, the reviewer cites "With only four types to choose from and no customization, groups composed solely of Tagers may find that there just aren’t enough options for them to feel unique."
Io9
Io9
io9 is a blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The blog focuses on the subjects of science fiction, futurism, and advancements in the fields of science and technology....
featured a short review of Vade Mecum, the CthulhuTech companion book. The reviewer referred to the artwork as "amazing, really helping to evoke the gloomy, decadent world of CthulhuTech" and recommended the book for those who are looking for a dark RPG.