CTHULHUGEDDON

Cthulhu has awakened. R'lyeh has risen. It's the end of the world as we know it, and no more does ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn. Madness and mayhem abound in a fallen world of monsters and magic. A GURPS After the End campaign.

Introduction

In the early 21st century, a massive seaquake occurred in a remote region of the southern Pacific Ocean. The quake was soon followed by a large tsunami that flooded islands and other coastal regions around the South Pacific. Reports appeared on the internet claiming a large island had risen from beneath the sea. These reports seemed confirmed when the US and China sent their fleets and air forces to the area. Everything after that happened almost too quickly to be recorded or remembered. Madness engulfed society on a mass scale. Wars were declared. Nuclear weapons were launched or detonated in their silos. Militaries were destroyed by monsters or self-destructed in suicidal madness. Cities fell to riot and ruin. Governments succumbed to paranoia and rebellion. The nations of the world soon ceased to exist. Civilization fell into a horrible Dark Age of disease and insanity that has prevailed for decades since.

Campaign Background

Campaign’s base city, nation, empire, or planet: Earth

Starting year: 20??

Society/government type: Anarchy

Control Rating: 0

Base Tech level: 8

Exceptions to general TL: See GURPS After the End 1, p. 29.

Are there multiple planes of existence? Most certainly.

The End

The page references below refer to GURPS After the End 2: The New World.

Primary Cause: X-Factor (p. 7).

Secondary Effects: Bombs Away! (p. 4); Things Fall Apart (pp. 6-7); Mother Nature (p. 5-6).

Tech Level: 8

When: Two or three generations ago. All but the oldest adults were born into the wasteland, but that still leaves quite a few people who lived in the old world and witnessed its end. The youngsters have been told these stories, either by the old-timers directly or by someone who heard it from them, which gives everyone a fairly accurate view of what the world used to be like. Anthropology rolls are not required for broad questions (“What was important about New York?”) but are still necessary to obtain specific information (“How did the subway system work?”). Most ruins are still fairly intact (assuming an area not devastated by bombs, tsunamis, etc., of course).

Appropriate Hazards (in order of significance): Aliens (p. 20); Mutants (pp. 18-21); Disease (pp. 13-15); Gangs (pp. 15-17); Paramilitaries (pp. 23-24); Radiation (p. 25); Chemicals and Munitions (pp. 9-11); Climate (pp. 12-13).

Character Creation

Player characters are experienced adventurers. Players are expected to use a 150-point template along with one of the 50-point lenses for experienced adventurers found in GURPS After the End 1: Wastelanders. Custom characters that are not based on the After the End templates and lenses may be required to conform closely to the character archetypes/roles presented in After the End.

Starting point value allowed for PCs: 200 (No more than 50 points may be spent on magic or psionics.)

Disadvantage limit: -50

Especially useful/useless character types: Doc; Hulk; Hunter; Nomad; Scavenger; Tech; Trader.

Professional Templates: See GURPS After the End 1: Wastelanders for templates and lenses.

PC races allowed: Human; Mutant (see “Mutated” lens, GURPS After the End 1, p. 18).

Magic

Are PC mages allowed (Y/N)? Yes.

Magic System: Ritual Magic (GURPS Thaumatology, p. 72-76), with Threshold-Limited Magery (GURPS Thaumatology, p. 75-82).

Max. Magery Level: N/A (No leveled Magery).

Average Mana Level: High

Enchantment Level: Rare

Are Magic Items for sale (Y/N)? No.

Do areas of higher/lower mana exist? Yes. Wild and twisted mana also.

Prohibited Spells: None.

Legal or social restrictions on magic: Many people fear and loathe spellcasters, associating all magic with the Great Old Ones and their minions.

Unusual Background Cost: None.

Psionics

Are PC psis allowed (Y/N)? Yes.

Allowed Abilities: Use of pre-built power packages from GURPS Psionic Powers is advised. At GM's discretion, custom power sets may be built using GURPS Powers. Strict adherence to rules will be required.

Legal or social restrictions on psionics: People often fear and loathe those with psionic ability, as psionics powers are widely associated with mutants as well as the Great Old Ones and their minions.

Unusual Background Cost: None.

Note: Psionics are especially vulnerable to attacks and other effects of the Great Old Ones, and thus may be severely penalized (especially with regard to Fright Checks and other IQ/Will-based rolls) in those encounters.

Gadgeteering

Are PC gadgeteers allowed? Yes.

Unusual Background Cost: None.

Legal or social restrictions on psionics: None.

Rules

GURPS Books Used: GURPS 4th edition Basic Set; GURPS 4th edition Low-Tech; GURPS 4th edition High Tech; GURPS 4th edition After the End 1: Wastelanders; GURPS After the End 2: The New World; GURPS 4th edition Magic; GURPS 4th edition Thaumatology.

Important Note

Players are required to maintain up-to-date character data in GURPS Calculator, which the GM considers an essential resource, utilized as a "control sheet" to speed up combat as well as to review and monitor character traits and development. The easiest way to satisfy this requirement is create and maintain your primary character sheet using GURPS Character Sheet (a.k.a. GCS), which offers a built-in export to GURPS Calculator. Yes, this means you will have to manually maintain a sheet on Roll20 as well as GCS, and the GM is well-aware of this, so there is no need for you to complain about it. Note that one may use GURPS Character Assistant to maintain a primary sheet, but export from GCA to GURPS Calculator can be problematic (and of course it does not solve the "problem" of maintaining two sheets). The GM is willing and available to assist you in this process, but adherence to this rule in not negotiable.

Current Team

• Carson. Neo-Navajo hunter-shaman and heroic archer with a custom bow.

• Lilith Haverford. Talented scavenger with an enchanted tarot deck

• Nardwuar Serviette. Personable trader with a radio.

• Nathan Parker. Nomad with an all-terrain short bus.

• Samuel "Sammy" Clyde. Hulk with a sword.