Let's Play Arkham Horror! (Open and Recruiting, Cthulu Mythos, Board Game)

[The Great Triangle]

I'm interested in getting people together to play an online campaign of Arkham Horror, a board game in which you play as a group of people caught in a town in 1926 when a bunch of crazy things go down.  The way the game works is that you'll be given a choice of one of four character archtypes; you can either play the character that goes with the archtype, or create your own character based on that archtype. 

The game will take place over a series of rounds, during which horrible things happen and your characters end up jumping through portals to other dimensions and possibly getting raped by betentacled horrors.  The game is based on a board game, but no knowledge of the rules is required.  The basic sequence of events that will occur are:

1. Bad things happen; portals open, the great old one's doom meter fills, the world heads towards apocolypse.
2. You focus yourself and adjust your character's stats to prepare for the challenges ahead.
3. Your character walks somewhere in the city of Arkham, or possibly visits another city if things in that city threaten Arkham. 
4. Your character investigates the Arkham Horror, and possibly has some kind of encounter. 

The game continues until the investigators have sealed the gates to the other worlds, or a great old one awakens and devours the world.  I'm planning on playing the game campaign style, with a series of increasingly difficult challenges facing the players as they grow in power.  Anybody interested in watching the world end? 

[Chaos]

This sounds quite interesting - I love the board game, and I like horror rps...

[The Great Triangle]

I'll be playing the game in an open format, where players can come and go as they please, as long as Arkham keeps from exploding.  However, the Mythos becomes considerably more active when the thresholds of 5 and 8 players are reached.  (though of course, with so many players, it becomes strictly neccisary.)  The startup line is about three investigators, although I'll probobly start when I have five or so. 

[Senti]

As you know sent my PM :)

[The Great Triangle]

The game has 11 planned scenarios, for which I'll now provide an episode guide!   (these plans can change if the players do extremely good or extremely poor play, however)


Episode 1: "Fair Warning"
Episode 2: "Allow Me to Introduce Myself"
Episode 3: "The Evil Within"
Episode 4: "The Ancient Cosmic Evil Down the Way"
Episode 5: "A City Darkly"
Episode 6: "Worlds in Bondage"
Episode 7: "Endless Plague"
Episode 8: "The Conscience of the King"
Episode 9: "The Thousand Young"
Episode 10: "The Stars Are Right"
Episode 11: "End of Everything"

[Scarlette]

I am interested!

[The Great Triangle]

A Practical Guide to Arkham:

Welcome to the hellmouth  the gaping maw of the elder gods  the beautiful, modern city of Arkham!  We have many beautiful natural features and amenities to offer in the city, and I'm sure that whatever you're looking for, you'll be able to find it somewhere in Arkham! 

Some say the city is unlucky, but that's merely a small part of the rich tapestry of our colorful and varied history.  Nearly all of the rumors about frogs and locusts raining from the sky are just that, rumors.  although there was a single incident in 1878...

Map of Arkham:

Northside <--> Downtown <---> Eastown
    [                     [                          [
    [                     [                          [
  Merchant District <----------> Rivertown
    [                                                [
    [                                                [
Miskatonic U <----------------> French Hill
    [                                                [
    [                                                [
    [                                                [
Uptown <----------------------> Southside


Arkham has nine beautiful neighborhoods, each with their own distinct character and local attractions.  The town is still quite small and easy to get around, particularly by motor car, unlike some of the bigger cities of the northeast.  Should you want to visit the neighboring towns and villages of Dunwitch, Innsmouth, and Kinsport, our rail station provides easy access to the entire region.


Northside:             (Conected to Downtown and Merchant District)
Northside is the gateway to Arkham, an attractive neighborhood with old world flai, filled with a good deal of exciting shopping, as well as being the base of operations for Arkham's very own daily newspaper!

Attractions:
-Curiosity Shop: Whatever sparks your curiosity, the northside curiosity shop has something to sate it.  From stuffed cryptozoological creatures, to antique oriental swords, the Curiosity shop provides a fine shopping experience unlike any in the world.  Friendly staff enable you to purchase a variety of unique items with a minimum of hassle. 
-Train Station: The train station is always running, and always a friendly place to hang out.  If you want to investigate the legendary "horror" of dunwitch village (and the only horror you will find is friendly people and fine dining) or explore the mysterious Kingsport head, your first stop will be our Arkham train station.
-Newspaper: The Arkham Advertiser (formerly the Arkham Gazette) is a well renowned pillar of journalistic excellence, distributed throughout the region.  (though the Innsmouth edition distribution channels are currently swimming through the sea so gracefully free disrupted by flooding in Innsmouth.)  Should you ever find yourself short of money in Arkham, submitting your story to the newspaper will likely give you some extra spending money.   


Downtown:           (Connected to Northside and Eastown and Merchant District)
Downtown Arkham is the beating heart of the cosmipolitan melting pot that is Arkham.  From the financial center of the Bank of Arkham, to the nationally famous Arkham Asylum, you'll find a great deal to shock your puny mortal brains into submission entertain and enlighten Downtown. 

Attractions:
-Arkham Asylum: World famous for its innovative treatments and track record for dealing with seemingly "hopeless" patients, Arkham Asylum is quite possibly the greatest mental institution in the world.  The friendly and professional staff love to perform mental health checkups on anybody who visits, and the asylum is a great way of reminding yourself that you're still sane after you visit to Arkham.  You complete and utter idiot.
-Bank of Arkham: The Bank of Arkham is as fine of an institution as you'll find outside of Wall Street.  If you're in need of a loan to get yourself some stock to invest in, or just for a truly special night on the town to remember, the Bank of Arkham offers loans no questions asked to anyone who can pass a basic background check. 
-Independence Square: Independence Square is the historical center of Arkham, filled with charming colonial era antique shops, and the cursed "unlucky" founder's rock, which lies at the center of a numcer of fanciful local legends.  The square also has a charming fortune teller who can tell you about your future.


Eastown:                (Connected to Rivertown and Downtown)
Eastown is the dining and cultural center of Arkham, watched over by Arkham's professional and effective police force, who have their headquarters in the neighborhood.

Attractions:
-Hibb's Roadhouse: Hibb's roadhouse is Arkham's worst kept secret except for the cult of the thousand Despite the modest environment, some of the best spirits in Arkham can be found at Hibb's, as well as a wide variety of local color.
-Police Station: Arkham's police station is a modern bastion of justice and fariness.  Our friendly officers can provide you with all manner of guidance in the city, should you need it.  The Arkham police force is always looking to deputize those who show great committment to the cause of justice. 
-Velma's Diner: Velma's Diner is Arkham's best restaurant, bar none, except perhaps for Ma's boarding house.  Enjoy the wonderful food of the Diner to excess so that you will be more delicious when the time comes for the harvest.  Velma's diner is a great place to relax after a hard day of enjoying the local sights, to restore the body and mind.


Merchant District:     (Connected to Rivertown and Northside and Miskatonic U and Downtown)
The Merchant district is a bustling warehouse district on the Arkham river, basically in the center of town.  It has many mysterious attractions to entertain the enterprising visitor. 

Attractions:
-River Docks: The river docks are a good place to pick up bargains, as well as to sell all manner of strange things you might find in your journeys through Arkham.  Note: The River Docks are not a pawnshop; if you truly need to sell your goods for a good rate, you'll have to visit the pawnshop in Kingsport.
-The Unnamable: The unnabable is a mysterious warehouse open to the public.  It has a number of strange tapestries, and incredibly strange architecture.  Truly, a must see for any serious tourist to Arkam.
-Unvisited Isle: In the middle of the Arkham river is a pristine island, perfect for a nice day excursion.  Despite rumors to the effect that the island has been used for everything from pagan rituals to arcane energy field experiments, it remains an incredibly peaceful and beautiful place.


Rivertown:    (Connected to Merchant District and Eastown and French Hill) 
Rivertown is one of Arkham's more rustic neighborhoods, located near the edge of town.  It's also one of the better places to pick up supplies and take in local history, however.

Attractions:
-Black Cave: Just to the north of the graveyard, the Black Cave is a place of mystery and danger, as well as being an extremely popular place to smoke hashish. 
-General Store: Run by a shopkeeper who nobody has ever bothered to learn the name of and his charming wife, the General Store is the cheapest place to stock up on general purpose supplies.
-Graveyard: Voted by local agreement "the creepiest place in Arkham" the graveyard is reputed as unlucky, although it's filled with local history and culture.  As well as vampires.  But not really.  That was a joke. 


Miskatonic U:     (Connected to French Hill and Merchant District and Uptown)
A nationally accredited (for four out of the last five years) institution of higher learning, Mikatonic university is the perfect place to learn new skills, dissect the fascinating wildlife of Arkham,  and explore the nature of our universe. 

Attractions:
-Library: The Miskatonic University library has an extremely high quality collection of ancient tomes from the orient, as well as a number of Egyptian curiosities.  Although the books are priceless, the librarians are often willing to lend them to trustworthy looking individuals even without academic standing in Miskatonic University.
-Science Building: The science building of Miskatonic university is equipped with world class dissection labs, a large number and variety of electromechanical field generators, and even an incredibly well equipped orrey and observatory, for being able to tell when the stars are right.  ...for science.
-Administration: Miskatonic university is always accepting applicants for their continuing education courses, as well as holding many of the town hall meetings of the town in the administration buildings.  The historical buildings are a great place to relax and maybe even learn a bit about Arkham's history.


French Hill:   (Connected to Miskatonic U and Rivertown and Southside)
French hill is a charming residental district, slightly off the beaten path.  It's home to the "secret" headquarters of the venerable Silver Twilight Society, a masonic group which is known to recuit even travelers into their inner circle, provided they are sufficiently brave.

Attractions:
-Silver Twilight Lodge: The Silver Twilight society is very welcoming, offering tours of their lodge at nearly any hour of the night, and offering membership to those who meet their mysterious criteria for a nominal fee.  Of course, to outsiders, nothing can be said of what goes on in their inner sanctum...
-The Witch House: This burned out building holds a particularly important place in Arkham's history, being the residence of the last woman burned as a witch in the long history of witch trials in Arkham.  The house is rumored to be haunted.  But are the rumours true?  Go there and find out for yourself!


Uptown:         (Connected to Miskatonic U. and Southside)
Uptown Arkham is the location of the St. Mary's hospital complex, as well as the gateway to the untouched natural forests to the south of Arkham.  Enjoy the pristine beauty of Arkham, and the rustic ambience of some of our poorer neighborhoods. 

Attractions:
-St. Mary's Hospital: Founded in the 1830s, St. Mary's is one of the older hospitals in this United States, and has a sterling reputation for medical excellence.  Very few patients of St. Mary's walk out with extra internal limbs.  In the unlikely event you should be injured during your stay in arkham, the St. Mary's ambulance will motor you to the hospital, and our trained staff will nurse you back to health.
-Woods:  The woods of Arkham are both vast and pristine, a perfect place to marvel at the beauty of nature while still having the comforts of civilization nearby, and to get away from inconvenient laws like prohibition.  Remember, rumors about gates to other worlds opening up in the middle of the forest to devour forsaken lost travelers are just ridiculous in the light of our modern science.
-Ye Olde Magick Shoppe: This charming establishment, positioned as it is near the woods, provides a variety of fortune telling, seance, and "occult" teaching services, for those interested in such things.  The establishment also serves a charming bowl of gumbo, which most certainly won't have the eyes of small children floating in it.  It also smells bad.  Don't go there.  The power of bh'all dagon mars satan compels you!


Southside:       (Connected to Uptown and French Hill)
If downtown is the beating heart of Arkham, Southside is its soul.  The population density in Southside is the highest in Arkham, and this leads to an artifically high crime rate, which is indeed quite exaagerated.  It is one of the best parts of the city to find lodging in, as well as the location of Arkham's vaunted Historical Society.

-Historical Society: The Arkham historical society is an institution of learning nearly as remarkable as Miskatonic University.  The society collects genealogical records from all over the Northeast, as well as pursuing the many local legends of Arkham.  Should you ever need an intersting way to spend an evening, you won't be dissapointed by going to the historical society.
-Ma's Boarding House: Although Arkham has not yet attracted enough tourism for a full hotel to be practical, a constant stream of visitors do visit our remarkable city, and they nearly all choose to stay in Ma's boarding house.  Not merely for the delicious food, but also simply for the wonderful company which Ma herself promotes, which you wouldn't get in one of those big city motor hotels.
-South Church: The South Church is a colonial era chapel, continuously renovated and kept in top shape by its dedicated flock.  The south church is a very traditional sort of gothic cathederal, complete with a font of holy water always kept flowing.  Visit the church, and you'll be sure to find peace within your soul.



That's the city of Arkham, ladies and gentleman.  I hope you'll pay it a visit real soon.  Learn about it, love it, and remember our motto:  "Ia!  Ia!  Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"  "From Excellence, Many Strengths" 


Pamphlet prepared for the Arkham chamber of commerce by Petor Lathayn

[Transgirlenstein]

I would be interested.  Do we make our own characters or would we use them from the game?

[The Great Triangle]

You'll be given the opportunity to customize characters from the game, changing around names and other relevant details.  I'll send you a PM with four character archtypes you can choose from.

[The Great Triangle]

Okay!  The threads for the game are up!  :-)


Rules and Character Thread

OOC/Mythos Thread

City of Arkham Thread


Hopefully you aren't too overwhelmed with information.  I'm hoping to get the game started as smoothly as possible, in spite of my lack of time to post lately. 

[Remiel]

This looks awesome. Sign me up!