Modern Mythos with Jon and Seth

Jon finally fulfilled his promise to run The Code for Seth!!! And we pulled in three patrons to play with Seth, Andy, Chris, and Nelson. It was a fantastic playthrough. The game was recorded, and it's exclusively available for patrons of the Modern Mythos podcast to enjoy. If you're interested in checking it out, it's a five-hour playthrough completely available in a single audio file, just join the Modern Mythos Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos. Jon is already planning more patron-exclusive games. If you're interested in playing, please consider joining the Patreon campaign. Jon and Seth also discussed pacing in an investigative game. Here are some of the points that were covered: The hard part is getting your players to understand the methods of Investigative adventures, versus just kicking down the door and charging in, (a more common method of investigation in a fantasy realm). Players probably understand how fragile their characters are. Strictly D&D players are the hardest to teach that lesson to, as D&D is pretty much superheroes who can heal instantly. Don't buy that crap that a mystery HAS to be slow. That's a goofy myth that a lot of Call of Cthulhu players buy into. Sure, a mystery isn't going to go with the action and excitement of combat (until there is combat) but it doesn't need to be some drudgery moving at glacial pace. Some people think roleplaying conversations and interviews needs to be played out. Cool in theory, but 95% of the time is boring as hell in practice. So while you will be doing a lot of social interactions, you can sort of speed through them to get to the good parts. A 15 minute interview with an NPC shouldn't take 15 minutes, if there's only 1 minute that gives the key information to push the story forward. Only play out or summarize the important portions. Think about Investigative shows like CSI or Castle. Those are pretty fast-paced. People try to make it like some BBC Agatha Christie re-telling of Miss Marple, taking their time to the point the audience falls asleep. Don't do that. Channel CSI or Magnum PI." Call for Idea rolls if the game gets slow and PC's don't know what to do. We suggest Hard and Extreme Library Use is multiple clues, instead of a roll for every clue. Finding clues shouldn't be difficult, because what they do with the clues is the exciting part. Raymond Chandler's rule: When the investigation slows to a crawl, "Enter a guy with a gun." It's guaranteed to get the excitement going again. We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

In this episode, we'll be imagining changes we'd like to see in an imaginary 8th Edition of Call of Cthulhu. Automatic fire – Simplify the skill roll based on difficulty of hitting the target, ignore bullets fired. Introduce snap fire? Sanity/Mythos - Prefer the idea of relationships and cherished things being sacrificed as SAN disappears or to recover. Rather than a possible consequence for Bout of Madness. Sanity Loss - Mythos San (permanent) vs. Jump-scare San (temp) Credit rating - As with older editions, more about Credit being "reputation" and a reward for completing missions, rather than simply financial status. Tightening Skills - Combine Spot and Listen, and have it include Touch and Taste sense APP, SIZ having more effect on Social Skills – new base %, similar to how Dodge is ½ DEX – Charm as ½ APP, Intimidate as ½ SIZ or STR, Persuade as ½ INT… that kind of thing Some sort of Education Packages (a Character with 80 EDU is super-educated, so something to reflect more of a focused academic path) or clearer use when and how to apply Know Rolls for various science and languages. Characters coming from backgrounds that would be bilingual, maybe some means to allow that without costing the full Skill Points of a 2nd language. Like instead of your EDU in the primary language, you get you EDU in your primary language and half your EDU in a secondary one (so an EDU of 60 is 60 in Primary and 30 in secondary) Is there a way to increase EDU after the game starts? (Training a Skill p98) Aging - Young Characters, like 10-18 Transferable (p78/79) - First Aid/Medicine. Operate Hvy Machinery/Drive. Electrical Repair/Mechanical Repair, Mechanical Repair/Locksmith, Electrical Repair/ Demolitions, Natural World/Astronomy/Navigate, Natural World/Biology, Anthropology/Archeology/History Shout-outs - Thank you to our recent Patrons: Brett Bookout (new patron) Farty McButterpants (upgraded) Chris Airiau (upgraded) Matthew Repp (upgraded) Thank you all for your support Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss RedBubble Link: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Modern-Mythos/shop?asc=u ARTIFACTS BOOK We immortalized a number of our Patrons in a book of Mythosy artifacts appropriately titled, "Mythos Artifacts." Available now on the Miskatonic Repository on DriveThruRPG.com. Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/390047/Mythos-Artifacts?manufacturers_id=2?affiliate_id=51821 We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

Pateron voting results: Jon's plot idea is selected Jon's Idea: Chloe is missing, and could be the victim of serpent people who want to spread their sinister influence. The investigators must find Chloe before a competing team of (bumbling) investigators ruin the clue trail and seal Chloe's fate. Low-budget grindhouse movie shot in the Philippines. Name of movie: Raining Blood! Seth did a lot of research on what it was like for Hollywood to make cheap exploitation movies in the Philippines back in the 1970s, which included watching a documentary called Machete Maidens Unleashed. A minor earthquake opened a section of a cave being used by the film crew, which initiated the problem with the formless spawn. NPCs to be created: Chloe's Agent Film Director Film Producer Punong-Bayan (Filipino town mayor) Chloe's Agent's Contact in the Philippines Filipino Film Editor Filipino Cameraman WWII War Vet (American ex-pat) - stories of surviving the voormis monster Next up: Seth and Jon will finalize the list of locations that will be used in the scenario, since this will directly impact what maps need to be created. Patreon Shout-outs - Thank you to our recent Patrons: Joe Todaro Scott Core Chris Airiau James W. Matthew Rep Rthr-X Jim Calabrese Darrin Chandler Thank you all for your support Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss RedBubble Link: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Modern-Mythos/shop?asc=u ARTIFACTS BOOK We immortalized a number of our Patrons in a book of Mythosy artifacts appropriately titled, "Mythos Artifacts." Available now on the Miskatonic Repository on DriveThruRPG.com. Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/390047/Mythos-Artifacts?manufacturers_id=2?affiliate_id=51821 We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

In this episode, Jon and Seth talk about some of their favorite books, movies, and music that inspire their tastes in horror, and they review Blackwater Creek, a scenario suitable for new players and Keepers in the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. Topic 1: Inspirational Media for Horror Games The Fisherman, by John Langan Other short short stories by John Langan (ex: Wide Carnivorous Sky) The Color Out of Time, by Michael Shea Darkest of the Hillside Thicket (ex: Let Sleeping Gods Lie) The Haunting of Hill House, Netflix Love/Death/Robots, Netflix 30 Coins, HBO Devil Rides out, Dennis Wheatley. Hammer Film Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammet Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin - Polanski Winter Tide - Ruthanna Emrys Archive 81, Netflix Topic 2: Review of Blackwater Creek Written by Scott Dorward Published by Chaosium in the "Missed Dues and Blackwater Creek" book which was included in the Call of Cthulhu Keeper Screen. 50 pages long: 33 page of text 6 pre-generated characters 6 handouts 5 maps Pros: Sandbox scenario Author describes two ways to engage with the scenario Various "Keeper Notes" to guide novice Keepers LOVE the student who thinks his mother is alive. Cons: More roadside encounters to engage novice players – For example: a mutated wild pig that crashes through the foliage and smashes into the investigator's car. Good opportunity for Spot Hidden rolls to recognize the animal as a mutated pig, (versus maybe a wild boar), opportunity for a Drive Auto roll to avoid or lessen the potential damage the pig could inflict, and an opportunity for combat if the investigators pursue the pig. If the investigators can gain possession of the slain pig's body, it could be studied to gain additional information or clues about the mutating effects of the Mother's Milk. - because there already is Brutis, maybe a mutated deer. Blackwater Creek is a very well designed sandbox scenario, but I think one or two of the roadside encounters described in "Location 1: The Town of Blackwater Creek" need to be reformatted into mandatory encounters. I can imagine novice Keepers being a little overwhelmed with the cornucopia of encounters in each location, and not realize how to select encounters that would further the investigator's drive to pursue the mystery. A note directing the Keeper to "The Mother's Gift" is mislabeled as "pg.28," when it should be "pg.31." – ignore this… too nit-picky It's suggested that the investigators might consider using the home/shack that was once owned by the widow Hawkins as a temporary headquarters, (the investigators don't know that Hawkins is dead). But her shack is right in the center of town, facing Sheriff Sprouston's home. I can't imagine any investigators, (bootleggers or academics), daring to just squat in someone's home… especially if they assume she's alive and simply just not home yet, and because it's in full plain sight of the whole town. Pre-gens only for Bootleggers. Missed Dues, in the same book is also criminals. Would have preferred those to go together and the BWC pre-gens be the University option. Stage 4: Draws People to BWC, so with all the whiskey going out, people should be arriving in town. Random infant Dark Young might be overpowered for the PCs Patreon Thank you all for your support Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss RedBubble Link: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Modern-Mythos/shop?asc=u ARTIFACTS BOOK We immortalized a number of our Patrons in a book of Mythosy artifacts appropriately titled, "Mythos Artifacts." Available now on the Miskatonic Repository on DriveThruRPG.com. Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/390047/Mythos-Artifacts?manufacturers_id=2?affiliate_id=51821 We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

In this episode, Jon and Seth discuss running a Call of Cthulhu game without the influence of the Mythos in it, and they continue designing an original Call of Cthulhu adventure with some help from their patrons. Topic 1: Call of Cthulhu without the Mythos This isn't new, Chaosium has several adventures that don't feature the Mythos. Including the two Blood Brother books which feature more than two dozen horror trope scenarios inspired by books and film. The Rescue, originally published in the first Cthulhu Companion, which was recently reprinted by Chaosium. In The Rescue, the investigators are confronted by werewolves as they try to find a missing friend. The Derelict, which is available in Peterson's Abominations, published by Chaosium. In this scenario, you are aboard an ice-breaker ship that encounters an ancient polar cryptid. And The Code, one of the scenarios published in Chaosium's Mansions of Madness (vol.1), features an extra-dimensional creature that hunts through the time stream. Seth and Jon also discuss possible adjustments a Keeper can make to the Sanity mechanic in games that don't include The Mythos' ancient cosmic truths. Topic 2: Writing a Scenario - Part 2 In this episode, Seth and Jon propose two different ways to use the cards that were drawn as inspirations for the adventure. Each writer outlined a basic structure for an adventure, and they're asking their patrons to vote on which idea is going to be developed. Seth's Idea: Chloe, a young actress, is victim of a mind-swap. An elderly sorcerous has stolen Chloe's young body and trapped Chloe in a frail and decrepit body. The investigators need to not only discover the truth of the mind-swap, but also find a way to reverse it. Jon's Idea: Chloe is missing, and could be the victim of serpent people who want to spread their sinister influence. The investigators must find Chloe before a competing team of (bumbling) investigators ruin the clue trail and seal Chloe's fate. If you want a chance to vote, please join the Modern Mythos Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss RedBubble Link: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Modern-Mythos/shop?asc=u ARTIFACTS BOOK We immortalized a number of our Patrons in a book of Mythosy artifacts appropriately titled, "Mythos Artifacts." Available now on the Miskatonic Repository on DriveThruRPG.com. Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/390047/Mythos-Artifacts?manufacturers_id=2?affiliate_id=51821 We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

In this episode, Jon and Seth discuss running a Call of Cthulhu game without the influence of the Mythos in it, and they continue designing an original Call of Cthulhu adventure with some help from their patrons. Topic 1: Call of Cthulhu without the Mythos This isn't new, Chaosium has several adventures that don't feature the Mythos. Including the two Blood Brother books which feature more than two dozen horror trope scenarios inspired by books and film. The Rescue, originally published in the first Cthulhu Companion, which was recently reprinted by Chaosium. In The Rescue, the investigators are confronted by werewolves as they try to find a missing friend. The Derelict, which is available in Peterson's Abominations, published by Chaosium. In this scenario, you are aboard an ice-breaker ship that encounters an ancient polar cryptid. And The Code, one of the scenarios published in Chaosium's Mansions of Madness (vol.1), features an extra-dimensional creature that hunts through the time stream. Seth and Jon also discuss possible adjustments a Keeper can make to the Sanity mechanic in games that don't include The Mythos' ancient cosmic truths. Topic 2: Writing a Scenario - Part 2 In this episode, Seth and Jon propose two different ways to use the cards that were drawn as inspirations for the adventure. Each writer outlined a basic structure for an adventure, and they're asking their patrons to vote on which idea is going to be developed. Seth's Idea: Chloe, a young actress, is victim of a mind-swap. An elderly sorcerous has stolen Chloe's young body and trapped Chloe in a frail and decrepit body. The investigators need to not only discover the truth of the mind-swap, but also find a way to reverse it. Jon's Idea: Chloe is missing, and could be the victim of serpent people who want to spread their sinister influence. The investigators must find Chloe before a competing team of (bumbling) investigators ruin the clue trail and seal Chloe's fate. If you want a chance to vote, please join the Modern Mythos Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss RedBubble Link: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Modern-Mythos/shop?asc=u ARTIFACTS BOOK We immortalized a number of our Patrons in a book of Mythosy artifacts appropriately titled, "Mythos Artifacts." Available now on the Miskatonic Repository on DriveThruRPG.com. Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/390047/Mythos-Artifacts?manufacturers_id=2?affiliate_id=51821 We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

In this episode, Jon and Seth talk about games where skill failures are still interesting. Games like Dystopia Rising, Kids on Bikes, Achtung Cthulhu, ALIEN, Blades in the Dark, and Call of Cthulhu. Seth and Jon also begin a new series where they will collaborate to design a Call of Cthulhu scenario. We'll be sharing ideas on the Modern Mythos Discord and seeking help from our Patrons. Who knows, maybe we'll eventually publish it on the Miskatonic Repository. Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss RedBubble Link: https://www.redbubble.com/people/Modern-Mythos/shop?asc=u Modern Mythos Artifacts Book Link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/390047/Mythos-Artifacts?term=modern+mythos+art?affiliate_id=51821 We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/ Thank you all for listening.

Modern Mythos with Jon & Seth - Episode 14: Chaosium Con & Horror Atmosphere In this episode, Jon and Seth discuss ways to effectively create an atmosphere of horror at your gaming table, and the guys were able to finally meet each other in person for the first time at Chaosium Con in Ypsilani, Michigan. It was a blast, and they've got lots of thoughts on it as they reflect on the convention weekend and look forward to the next year's convention. Topic 1: Horror Atmosphere MUSIC is overrated – a playlist set to run in the background can't be relied upon to provide appropriate support for the rise and fall of emotions around the table. But, if used judiciously, music can be helpful. Music as a Timer Location-specific music & background sound effects Theme music for a major villain Volume can be difficult to judge. A classic problem is the music is too loud for everyone to clearly hear one another (restaurant problem). Opening song/pump-up song to begin game. DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE – in each location and scene, the players only know what is told to them by the Keeper. So use of colorful descriptive language is used to paint mental pictures for the players. Things to keep in mind as you describe a scene: What is the player's POV? What can be seen as you first enter the room, versus after the character has crossed to the other side of the room? (If a monster or something dangerous and obvious, mention that last. Once you mention the monster, the players will not hear or remember the rest of the description after that) Touch on as many senses as possible – Sight - Sound - Smell (best writing tip I ever got was to always use 3 senses) Not all characters experience a scene in the same way. It's possible for two different characters to see two different things in the same scene. So sometimes the Keeper should describe the scene differently for some of the characters. Maybe the new scene is more personal for Character A and could shake their sanity more than it would for Character B. What's just as important as the words you say is how you say them. Speak quieter if in a library, louder in a bar. Convey the mood of the scene through your voice. The Scott Dorward Trick that I now use. (tone of voice) Voices… accents can really cement players into a scene LIGHTING – like music, lighting can be used to invoke a mood. For most games, enough lighting needs to be available to read the dice or manage the character sheet, but with that assumption in mind, uses of lighting include: Candles – with enough candles each player can see their sheets and dice as the close-set shadows help set the mood. Colored gels could be used to highlight mood, and they can be easily interchanged so the mood can change and flow as quickly as it does at the table PROPS – this is something that Call of Cthulhu has been doing for over forty years. The simplest of props is better than no props at all. But if possible, the use of high-end props, (like those made by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society), can exponentially enhance the game experience. I'm a handout King. Handouts are great for investigative adventures because they can contain subtle clues that might reveal themselves deeper into the scenario, such as handwriting, Handouts can be referenced again and again, versus telling the players what they read and expecting them to remember details hours or even sessions later. Tea-stain paper or use manilla envelope paper. When I ran Ravenloft, my players were amazed when I picked up sealing wax and seals for the letters, and they had to break the hard wax seal. LISTENING – it is near-impossible for a Keeper to solely create horror at the gaming table. If the Keeper listens, they may hear subtle suggestions that the players unknowingly reveal that would be scary for them, in that moment, at the table. The Keeper can then use that subtle suggestion and reveal it to be exactly the horror that the players were fearing. Topic 2: Chaosium Con Jon and Seth each recount their experience at the con. Patreon Shout-outs - Thank you to our recent Patrons: Arthur O'Connor, Joe Collins, Ken Austin, Marc Storey, Xtroce, Joe Todaro, and Ken Frankovich Thank you all for your support Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

Modern Mythos with Jon & Seth - Episode 14: Chaosium Con & Horror Atmosphere In this episode, Jon and Seth discuss ways to effectively create an atmosphere of horror at your gaming table, and the guys were able to finally meet each other in person for the first time at Chaosium Con in Ypsilani, Michigan. It was a blast, and they've got lots of thoughts on it as they reflect on the convention weekend and look forward to the next year's convention. Topic 1: Horror Atmosphere MUSIC is overrated – a playlist set to run in the background can't be relied upon to provide appropriate support for the rise and fall of emotions around the table. But, if used judiciously, music can be helpful. Music as a Timer Location-specific music & background sound effects Theme music for a major villain Volume can be difficult to judge. A classic problem is the music is too loud for everyone to clearly hear one another (restaurant problem). Opening song/pump-up song to begin game. DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE – in each location and scene, the players only know what is told to them by the Keeper. So use of colorful descriptive language is used to paint mental pictures for the players. Things to keep in mind as you describe a scene: What is the player's POV? What can be seen as you first enter the room, versus after the character has crossed to the other side of the room? (If a monster or something dangerous and obvious, mention that last. Once you mention the monster, the players will not hear or remember the rest of the description after that) Touch on as many senses as possible – Sight - Sound - Smell (best writing tip I ever got was to always use 3 senses) Not all characters experience a scene in the same way. It's possible for two different characters to see two different things in the same scene. So sometimes the Keeper should describe the scene differently for some of the characters. Maybe the new scene is more personal for Character A and could shake their sanity more than it would for Character B. What's just as important as the words you say is how you say them. Speak quieter if in a library, louder in a bar. Convey the mood of the scene through your voice. The Scott Dorward Trick that I now use. (tone of voice) Voices… accents can really cement players into a scene LIGHTING – like music, lighting can be used to invoke a mood. For most games, enough lighting needs to be available to read the dice or manage the character sheet, but with that assumption in mind, uses of lighting include: Candles – with enough candles each player can see their sheets and dice as the close-set shadows help set the mood. Colored gels could be used to highlight mood, and they can be easily interchanged so the mood can change and flow as quickly as it does at the table PROPS – this is something that Call of Cthulhu has been doing for over forty years. The simplest of props is better than no props at all. But if possible, the use of high-end props, (like those made by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society), can exponentially enhance the game experience. I'm a handout King. Handouts are great for investigative adventures because they can contain subtle clues that might reveal themselves deeper into the scenario, such as handwriting, Handouts can be referenced again and again, versus telling the players what they read and expecting them to remember details hours or even sessions later. Tea-stain paper or use manilla envelope paper. When I ran Ravenloft, my players were amazed when I picked up sealing wax and seals for the letters, and they had to break the hard wax seal. LISTENING – it is near-impossible for a Keeper to solely create horror at the gaming table. If the Keeper listens, they may hear subtle suggestions that the players unknowingly reveal that would be scary for them, in that moment, at the table. The Keeper can then use that subtle suggestion and reveal it to be exactly the horror that the players were fearing. Topic 2: Chaosium Con Jon and Seth each recount their experience at the con. Patreon Shout-outs - Thank you to our recent Patrons: Arthur O'Connor, Joe Collins, Ken Austin, Marc Storey, Xtroce, Joe Todaro, and Ken Frankovich Thank you all for your support Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/

Modern Mythos with Jon & Seth - Episode 14: Chaosium Con & Horror Atmosphere In this episode, Jon and Seth discuss ways to effectively create an atmosphere of horror at your gaming table, and the guys were able to finally meet each other in person for the first time at Chaosium Con in Ypsilani, Michigan. It was a blast, and they've got lots of thoughts on it as they reflect on the convention weekend and look forward to the next year's convention. Topic 1: Horror Atmosphere MUSIC is overrated – a playlist set to run in the background can't be relied upon to provide appropriate support for the rise and fall of emotions around the table. But, if used judiciously, music can be helpful. Music as a Timer Location-specific music & background sound effects Theme music for a major villain Volume can be difficult to judge. A classic problem is the music is too loud for everyone to clearly hear one another (restaurant problem). Opening song/pump-up song to begin game. DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE – in each location and scene, the players only know what is told to them by the Keeper. So use of colorful descriptive language is used to paint mental pictures for the players. Things to keep in mind as you describe a scene: What is the player's POV? What can be seen as you first enter the room, versus after the character has crossed to the other side of the room? (If a monster or something dangerous and obvious, mention that last. Once you mention the monster, the players will not hear or remember the rest of the description after that) Touch on as many senses as possible – Sight - Sound - Smell (best writing tip I ever got was to always use 3 senses) Not all characters experience a scene in the same way. It's possible for two different characters to see two different things in the same scene. So sometimes the Keeper should describe the scene differently for some of the characters. Maybe the new scene is more personal for Character A and could shake their sanity more than it would for Character B. What's just as important as the words you say is how you say them. Speak quieter if in a library, louder in a bar. Convey the mood of the scene through your voice. The Scott Dorward Trick that I now use. (tone of voice) Voices… accents can really cement players into a scene LIGHTING – like music, lighting can be used to invoke a mood. For most games, enough lighting needs to be available to read the dice or manage the character sheet, but with that assumption in mind, uses of lighting include: Candles – with enough candles each player can see their sheets and dice as the close-set shadows help set the mood. Colored gels could be used to highlight mood, and they can be easily interchanged so the mood can change and flow as quickly as it does at the table PROPS – this is something that Call of Cthulhu has been doing for over forty years. The simplest of props is better than no props at all. But if possible, the use of high-end props, (like those made by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society), can exponentially enhance the game experience. I'm a handout King. Handouts are great for investigative adventures because they can contain subtle clues that might reveal themselves deeper into the scenario, such as handwriting, Handouts can be referenced again and again, versus telling the players what they read and expecting them to remember details hours or even sessions later. Tea-stain paper or use manilla envelope paper. When I ran Ravenloft, my players were amazed when I picked up sealing wax and seals for the letters, and they had to break the hard wax seal. LISTENING – it is near-impossible for a Keeper to solely create horror at the gaming table. If the Keeper listens, they may hear subtle suggestions that the players unknowingly reveal that would be scary for them, in that moment, at the table. The Keeper can then use that subtle suggestion and reveal it to be exactly the horror that the players were fearing. Topic 2: Chaosium Con Jon and Seth each recount their experience at the con. Patreon Shout-outs - Thank you to our recent Patrons: Arthur O'Connor, Joe Collins, Ken Austin, Marc Storey, Xtroce, Joe Todaro, and Ken Frankovich Thank you all for your support Link: https://www.patreon.com/modern_mythos Discord Link: https://discord.gg/t7Ud67zRG3 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmk5Y_OheFJL7-Xgvx-REJA/featured Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/jon.seth.921 RSS Link: https://modernmythos.libsyn.com/rss We can't do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome! We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He's a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes. https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow http://www.johnsumrow.com https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft's writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes. https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/ http://thickets.net/