Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)
2004 (current, sixth edition )
(current) Pegasus Games
2011 ( current edition )
Call of Cthulhu (often abbreviated as CoC, and HP Lovecraft 's Cthulhu, Cthulhu dt on track or just Cthulhu ) is a work based on the created by HP Lovecraft Cthulhu Mythos pen & paper role-playing game. It is the first successful attempt to bring the fantasy genre and horror in a form suitable for the role-playing game shape. Call of Cthulhu is published by Chaosium of the company since 1981. The current sixth edition was published in 2004. English speaking licensee since 1999, Pegasus Spiele, entitled H. P. Lovecraft 's Cthulhu.
History
The first German edition was published in 1986 under the title On Cthulhu track at the company Hobby Products. Later, the rights went to the Laurin Publishing House, where Cthulhu since 1990 was one of the main systems to the bankruptcy of the publisher, in addition to MERS. In 1995, the system briefly from Ars Ludi Verlag ( Constance) in hardcover under the title of H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu, was published The role play.
2001 Wizards of the Coast released a version that uses the d20 rules instead of the control system of the Chaosium edition, which were first introduced with the 3rd edition of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
Other ( licensed ) role playing and role play enhancements with respect to the Cthulhu Mythos include Trail of Cthulhu (2008) by Pelgrane Press, Shadows of Cthulhu (2008) by Reality Deviant Publications and Realms of Cthulhu by Reality Blurs.
Control system
The control system is based on the Basic Role-Playing system. To determine the ( mis) success of actions a percentage system will be used.
Special feature of the game system is the intensive study and control technology mapping of madness and mental deterioration of the player characters. The " mental stability " expressed by Sanity Points (short SAN) suffers in gruesome experiences and knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos. At least at a mental stability of 0, the character is insane and no longer playable. This is consistent with Lovecraft's stories often end with death or insanity of the protagonists. While players in the fantasy role-playing often use their character through many gaming sessions of time, the stability points ensure that the figures for a long time remain playable only in a few rounds.
Setting
Classic setting for adventure is Lovecraft Country, so New England added to fictional places like Arkham and Innsmouth. Classical time in the game, are based on Lovecraft's stories that the 1920s and 1930s. Other popular settings include the 1890s ( Gaslight ), the present ( Delta Green / Cthulhu Now), the Middle Ages ( Dark Ages ) and the dream land. In addition, there are two futuristic sci-fi settings ( Cthulhu Cthulhu Rising and endtimes ), as well as a setting in the ancient world with a focus on the Roman Empire ( Cthulhu Invictus ), whose popularity is low. All these extensions provide separate game worlds is, however, no separate systems because the control system of CoC will be used. In German-speaking also the unofficial fan project " Katzulhu " is popular in which cats are the protagonists (possibly inspired by Lovecraft's love of cats and their prominence in several short stories ). The slim chance to survive (more than ) an adventure CoC also makes it ideal for so-called one-shots, ie Adventures that are played with prefabricated characters and thus can play anywhere and anytime.
Cthuloide worlds
Cthuloide worlds was the official biannual German -speaking Cthulhu magazine from Pegasus. Frank Heller put on 1 December 2011, the office of the chief editor of the reach of Heiko Gill and announced on 18 July 2011 with his retirement as editor in chief, that the Cthuloide worlds would be set in October 2011. In addition to 21 regular issues, special volumes were published as Cthuloide worlds library.