Lovecraft and the Far Realm - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Lovecraft and the Far Realm

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
pnxer
Sep 12, 2008 18:02:11 I've written a shadowfell-linked swamp which is home to an ancient and terrible evil, the Swamp Mother. It is an abberant plant of colossal size, and old beyond history. The creature was the product of an alien seed from the Far Realm which plummeted to the primordial world and took root there. the Swamp Mother has her own specific rituals that work there, and she can grant characters access to the Star Pact. It is rooted deep within the horrible swamps, and it's servitors bring it sacrificial flesh to feed the great plantlike thing.

I was aiming for something in the direction of Lovecraft, Mantarok from Eternal Darkness, or the plant creature from Mass Effect. I've been reading a lot of Lovecraft lately and I see lot of similarities between the Great Old Ones and the creatures of the D&D Far Realm, so I've chosen it for the origin of these great ancients. I'd like to do some more "monstrous gods" like the Swamp Mother but along some other themes. I'd like something to put in the deep horrible seas, maybe a "Trench Mother" and another creature to reside in the depths of a forgotten and impassable jungle mountain.

any thoughts?
#2
doomsought
Sep 12, 2008 23:27:28 4ed?
Lovecraft doesn't fit well with it, too easy too win, too balanced.
To do Lovecraft properly you have to build if for a TPK and hope the Players are smarter than that.

Call of cuthulhu or 3ed fit better mechanically, the 3ed SRD has rules for insanity. Also go into the d20 moddern forums, the new idiots in charge dumped allot of the non-D&D forums in there.
#3
pnxer
Sep 13, 2008 10:30:44 i'm not trying to create a lovecraft sim specifically (for which call of cthulu does work perfectly) rather i'm trying to add the sort of strong atmosphere to my worlds dark and secret places.
#4
voidraithe
Sep 13, 2008 13:20:29
i'm not trying to create a lovecraft sim specifically (for which call of cthulu does work perfectly) rather i'm trying to add the sort of strong atmosphere to my worlds dark and secret places.

Let me see if I can help. I have in the past spooked out players with nothing more than atmosphere.

1. Sensory Deprivation. Take something away they are used to. This will invoke a slight "helpless" feeling. This is good. In the past I've used thick fogs where the players cannot see past their waists depriving them of sight. Combine this with small creatures like Kobolds and they should be a little scared. They won't be able to see them well and have no idea how many there are.

2. Overdescribe. Lovecraft was fond of overly describing even mundane things. Put into the description what players might think. Example: "The thick mossy bark is glistening with a crimson fluid. The oder around is foul and fetid, overwhelming and the air is thick with swarms of insects. At the base of the tree is the mangled corpse of a person whose pulped remains are oozing a grotesque green puss."

3. Mislead. Narrate things that are harmless as if they were or give more and unexpected information. "As you stoop over to investigate the branch of the tree lurches for you" The tree limb was moves ony by the wind. "You scan the area looking for clues as to what happened when you feel a gust of hot breath on the back of your neck. You wheel around to see ... only empty air."

4. Don't explain. Ever, just let them fill in their own solutions. I had a PC once POSITIVE he was being stalked by an evil entity and went about extreme actions to safegaurd himself.

Lovecraft wrote about a swamp dwelling cult devoted to Cthulhu. This would fit well in your setting. Ad in a dash of Shadow over Innsmouth and have a group of mishapen and mutated people worshiping a foul entity. People with strange deviations, octopus tenticles instead of fingers. Maybe creep them out with the combat tactics. Have Octopus fingers grapple with one hand and attempt, with the other to "rip out your tounge".
#5
doomsought
Sep 13, 2008 15:46:32 Random dead bodies... just there.
some are skeletons, some are mummies, some look almost as if they are still alive... none are animated, or magical, they are just sitting there.
but its dark out and you need a high perception role to notice them.
or to fail a reflex save.

just randomly have a player role a reflex as they walk along... if they ask why, just say "you almost tripped on something"
If they want to know what almost tripped them, they have to make a perception check. and if they make it they find a dead body.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pnxer Sep 12, 2008 18:02:11	I've written a shadowfell-linked swamp which is home to an ancient and terrible evil, the Swamp Mother. It is an abberant plant of colossal size, and old beyond history. The creature was the product of an alien seed from the Far Realm which plummeted to the primordial world and took root there. the Swamp Mother has her own specific rituals that work there, and she can grant characters access to the Star Pact. It is rooted deep within the horrible swamps, and it's servitors bring it sacrificial flesh to feed the great plantlike thing. I was aiming for something in the direction of Lovecraft, Mantarok from Eternal Darkness, or the plant creature from Mass Effect. I've been reading a lot of Lovecraft lately and I see lot of similarities between the Great Old Ones and the creatures of the D&D Far Realm, so I've chosen it for the origin of these great ancients. I'd like to do some more "monstrous gods" like the Swamp Mother but along some other themes. I'd like something to put in the deep horrible seas, maybe a "Trench Mother" and another creature to reside in the depths of a forgotten and impassable jungle mountain. any thoughts?
#2 doomsought Sep 12, 2008 23:27:28	4ed? Lovecraft doesn't fit well with it, too easy too win, too balanced. To do Lovecraft properly you have to build if for a TPK and hope the Players are smarter than that. Call of cuthulhu or 3ed fit better mechanically, the 3ed SRD has rules for insanity. Also go into the d20 moddern forums, the new idiots in charge dumped allot of the non-D&D forums in there.
#3 pnxer Sep 13, 2008 10:30:44	i'm not trying to create a lovecraft sim specifically (for which call of cthulu does work perfectly) rather i'm trying to add the sort of strong atmosphere to my worlds dark and secret places.
#4 voidraithe Sep 13, 2008 13:20:29	i'm not trying to create a lovecraft sim specifically (for which call of cthulu does work perfectly) rather i'm trying to add the sort of strong atmosphere to my worlds dark and secret places. Let me see if I can help. I have in the past spooked out players with nothing more than atmosphere. 1. Sensory Deprivation. Take something away they are used to. This will invoke a slight "helpless" feeling. This is good. In the past I've used thick fogs where the players cannot see past their waists depriving them of sight. Combine this with small creatures like Kobolds and they should be a little scared. They won't be able to see them well and have no idea how many there are. 2. Overdescribe. Lovecraft was fond of overly describing even mundane things. Put into the description what players might think. Example: "The thick mossy bark is glistening with a crimson fluid. The oder around is foul and fetid, overwhelming and the air is thick with swarms of insects. At the base of the tree is the mangled corpse of a person whose pulped remains are oozing a grotesque green puss." 3. Mislead. Narrate things that are harmless as if they were or give more and unexpected information. "As you stoop over to investigate the branch of the tree lurches for you" The tree limb was moves ony by the wind. "You scan the area looking for clues as to what happened when you feel a gust of hot breath on the back of your neck. You wheel around to see ... only empty air." 4. Don't explain. Ever, just let them fill in their own solutions. I had a PC once *POSITIVE* he was being stalked by an evil entity and went about extreme actions to safegaurd himself. Lovecraft wrote about a swamp dwelling cult devoted to Cthulhu. This would fit well in your setting. Ad in a dash of Shadow over Innsmouth and have a group of mishapen and mutated people worshiping a foul entity. People with strange deviations, octopus tenticles instead of fingers. Maybe creep them out with the combat tactics. Have Octopus fingers grapple with one hand and attempt, with the other to "rip out your tounge".
#5 doomsought Sep 13, 2008 15:46:32	Random dead bodies... just there. some are skeletons, some are mummies, some look almost as if they are still alive... none are animated, or magical, they are just sitting there. but its dark out and you need a high perception role to notice them. or to fail a reflex save. just randomly have a player role a reflex as they walk along... if they ask why, just say "you almost tripped on something" If they want to know what almost tripped them, they have to make a perception check. and if they make it they find a dead body.