ShadowsofCthulhu

Cosmi
cHorror Adventurei
n theWorldofH.
P.Lovecraft

By RussellBrown
Requi
resTrue20AdventureRoleplayi
ngby Green Roni
n Publi
shi
ngfor Use
 Credits Legal C
Declaration of Open Gaming Content: The following is designated
Design as Product Identity, in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open
Russell Brown Game License, Version 1.0a: all character and place names and de-
scriptions, all art and images. All references to Mythos Creatures
including Creature names, place names and descriptions of all El-
Contributions by der Gods, Old Ones, Greater races, and Lesser races are Intellectual
Property of Chasoium Inc. Used with permission.
Gary “Where’s the jock?” Phillips
The following text is Open Gaming Content: all text not previously
Playtesting declared Product Identity.

Alex Brown, Paul Drees, Darryl Van Minnen Copyright Information: This PDF utilizes and expands on Open
Gaming Content found in the System Reference Document. Reality
Deviant Publications and Shadows of Cthulhu are copyright 2008 Re-
Editing ality Deviant Publications. All rights reserved. Intellectual properties
Ed Healy, Troy E. Taylor of Chaosium Inc are reprinted under license from Chaosium Inc. and
in no way constitutes a challenge to their copyrighted materials.

Art Produced under license from Green Ronin Publishing LLC. Refer-
Jason Walton ence to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge
to the respective copyright holders of that material. Green Ronin,
True20 Companion, True20 Adventure Role-playing, and their as-
Layout sociated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
Robert Stefko The ‘WereCabbage’ logo is © Edward Reed and used with permis-
sion.
Product Manager
David Jarvis

Special Thanks
Lou Agresta, Ted Reed

Contents
Introduction.......................................................2 Chapter 5: Mythos Skills, Feats, & Powers......51
Chapter 1: Hero Creation...................................4 Mythos Skills....................................................... 51
Backgrounds........................................................... 4 Mythos Feats........................................................ 52
New Roles.............................................................. 6 Mythos Powers..................................................... 54
Sanity Save........................................................... 10 Chapter 6: Mythos Bestiary..............................65
Mythos Traits....................................................... 10 The Gods.............................................................. 65
True20 Core Roles............................................... 10 Creature Descriptions.......................................... 68
Archetypes........................................................... 11 Chapter 7: Terrible Things................................94
New & Modified Skills........................................ 17 Ancient Places...................................................... 94
New & Modified Feats........................................ 19 Forbidden Books.................................................. 99
Sample Heroes..................................................... 20 Mythos Artifacts................................................ 107
Chapter 2: The 1920s..........................................23 Chapter 8: Adversaries & Allies. .................... 110
Daily Life............................................................. 23 Cults & Adepts.................................................. 110
Factions................................................................ 25 Narrator Characters........................................... 113
Equipment & Services......................................... 26 Ordinaries.......................................................... 114
Chapter 3: Narrating Shadows of Cthulhu......32 Chapter 9: The Village of Dunwich................ 116
The Cthulhu Mythos Setting............................... 32 History............................................................... 116
Insanity & Other Impairments............................ 36 Places of Interest................................................ 117
Exposure & Awareness........................................ 37 Appendix: Alternate Sanity System................. 120
Adventure Ideas................................................... 38 The Sanity Save.................................................. 120
Chapter 4: Insanity & Other Disorders............42 Recovering Mental Damage.............................. 121
Disorder Descriptions.......................................... 42 Disorders............................................................ 121 1
Random Disorder Tables..................................... 49
I Introduction
“There are black zones of shadow close to our daily paths,
and now and then some evil soul breaks a passage through. Warning: Contents may have mind-shattering
When that happens, the man who knows must strike before properties. Reality Deviant Publications assumes
reckoning the consequences.” no responsibility for lost or stolen sanity. Read at
- H.P Lovecraft, The Thing on the Doorstep your own peril.

In 1981, Chaosium released its groundbreaking horror love the True20 system. The longer answer has to do
roleplaying game, Call of Cthulhu. with the way the mechanics of True20 add to the fun of
I was a student at the University of Wisconsin at roleplaying in the Cthulhu Mythos.
the time, and I remember visiting the Call of Cthulhu The Conviction point system opens up opportuni-
boxed set day after day at Pegasus Games. I remem- ties for heroes to use Mythos spells and abilities with-
ber the great Gene Day illustration of Cthulhu on out having to wait until they level up to learn them.
the back of the box, and the mysterious lure of a new, Conviction points also provide the model for the new
shrink-wrapped roleplaying game. I had no idea who Awareness points, which give the Narrator a way to
H.P. Lovecraft or Cthulhu were, or what the game was control the level of insanity and Mythos power in their
about, but somehow I knew it was different and impor- adventures.
tant. I finally convinced myself that it was more impor- True20 also has a very clean, discrete feel to it. Many
tant than food and bought it. I was right. of the calculations have been simplified, at least when
Call of Cthulhu did something no other roleplaying compared with other d20 systems, and it deals with
game had done up until that point. It made it all right to wounds, spells, roles and combat in larger chunks. In
be afraid. By assuring that you were probably going to Shadows of Cthulhu, this translates to quick play and no
die or go insane, it eliminated the desperate need to de- sanity points. The interesting details in True20 come
velop your character’s abilities. But it replaced the drive from the adventure, not the rule system.
for power and increasing numbers on a piece of paper So here it is. I hope you use it in the spirit in which
with a true drive for character development and story. it was written – as a tool for terrifying your friends and
It made bad character traits and debilitating insanities driving them insane. Lead them into the midst of a cult
fun. of insane cab drivers trying to bring a spawn of Yog-
After nearly thirty years of publication, the world Sothoth into downtown Boston, or introduce them to a
of Call of Cthulhu is now bolstered by hundreds of set- rural postman who has swapped minds with a member
ting books, monographs, adventures, and pieces of in- of the Great Race of Yith. Send them on expeditions to
teresting paraphernalia. It has stood the test of time and the Antarctic, or Transylvania, or hidden Mayan ruins
taken its place among the ageless tomes of the Cthulhu in the Yucatan.
Mythos. It is canon. Give them the chance to develop their characters
So why develop the Cthulhu Mythos setting for and create a great story. This is still Cthulhu, after all, so
True20 Adventure Roleplaying? The simple answer is in the end, the story may be all they have left.
that there are lots of roleplayers who know and really

2
I

3
1 Chapter 1: Hero Creation
This chapter presents everything you need beyond ba- rificed much of your non-work life, it’s been worth it to
sic True20 Adventure Roleplaying to create your hero for get you where you are.
Shadows of Cthulhu. The backgrounds, roles, feats, and Bonus Feats: Wealthy, Leadership
skills presented here are additions or modifications to Bonus Skills: Knowledge (business), Bluff
those already available in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Favored Feats: Master Plan, Seize Initiative
Your Narrator may make other traits available to you as
your hero digs deeper and deeper into the mysteries of
the Cthulhu Mythos. Big City
You grew up in the big city, learning to navigate the
complex geography and social interactions of the streets.
Backgrounds You met people from all over the world and you’ve
learned to take care of yourself.
The Human background from True20 Adventure Role-
playing is available to heroes in Shadows of Cthulhu, as Bonus Feats: Connected, Contacts
well as the backgrounds described below. Each reflects Bonus Skills: Knowledge (streetwise), Stealth
a specific upbringing or profession that has heavily in- Favored Feats: Hide in Plain Sight, Weapon Bind
fluenced the hero’s development before play begins. A
few of these backgrounds are specific to the traditional
1920s setting for Lovecraftian adventure, but most Cultist
work just as well in modern time periods, or even the You have spent your life among the rituals and trappings
near future. of a cult. You and your fellow cultists may worship one
of the Old Ones, or you may follow prophets who have
heard whispers of the destruction of the world from
Ancient Bloodline strange minds across the universe. This background isn’t
Somewhere back in your family tree is a branch that available without special permission from the Narrator.
isn’t completely human. There may be hints in family Bonus Feats: Dedicated, Iron Will
diaries of strange interactions with creatures from the Bonus Skills: Mythos Knowledge (theology and
sea or with white apes from the deep jungles of Africa. philosophy), Stealth
The ancient bloodline has manifested itself in you, cre- Favored Feats: Channeler, Mythos Language
ating an ominous resemblance to your more eccentric (choose one)
ancestors.
Ability Adjustments: +1 Con, -1Cha
Bonus Feats: Endurance, Low Profile Degenerate
Bonus Skills: Disguise and either Climb or Swim You come from an area where lack of communication
Favored Feats: Defensive Roll, Rage with the outside world, interbreeding, or something in
the water has created a mentally and morally degener-
ate group of humans. You’re uncomfortable in normal
Athlete society, but not much shocks you.
You have developed your natural talents in one or more Ability Adjustments: +1 Str, -1 Cha
sports such as football, baseball, or basketball. Your Bonus Feats: Jaded, Improved Grab
natural talents make you a hot commodity. Bonus Skills: Language, Knowledge (supernatural)
Bonus Feats: Connected, Wealthy Favored Feats: Jack-of-All-Trades, Tough
Bonus Skills: Choice of two chosen from Acrobat-
ics, Climb, Concentration, Diplomacy (an athlete has
to know how to give a good interview), Jump, Knowl- High Society
edge (Current Events - with an emphasis on sports and You’ve grown up among the rich and powerful, so you
sports trivia), or Swim know how to move in social circles and you know in-
Favored Feats: Fascinate, Master Plan fluential people.
Bonus Feats: Connected, Wealthy
Bonus Skills: Bluff, and one of Craft (art), Knowl-
Big Business edge (art), Perform or Ride
You come from the world of big business and big deals, Favored Feats: Weapon Bind, Inspire
and you’re on your way up the corporate ladder. You
4 spend your days worrying about growth curves and
profit margins and the competition. Though you’ve sac-
Maritime Bonus Skills: Handle Animal, Survival
You grew up in a coastal town where the sea provided
both recreation and livelihood. Your first memories are
Favored Feats: Sneak Attack, Tough
1
of townspeople returning from the sea or lost forever
beneath its waves. The ocean is freedom to you, while
Religious
You grew up in a strict religious community or a highly
land presents only defined paths and restrictions. religious household, and you’ve attended regular reli-
Bonus Feats: Light Sleeper, Lightning Reflexes gious services all you life. Whether or not you still have
Bonus Skills: Drive, Craft (boatbuilding) your faith, the religious foundation will stay with you.
Favored Feats: Slow Fall, Tough Bonus Feats: Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge
(theology and philosophy))
Old World Bonus Skills: Knowledge (theology and philoso-
phy) plus Perform or Intimidate
You’re not native to this country, and its customs are
Favored Feats: Favored Opponent, Mind over
sometimes a mystery. But you still have your traditional
Body
knowledge of things the western world has forgotten.
Bonus Feats: Connected, Great Fortitude
Bonus Skills: Knowledge (supernatural), Language
(choose one)
Secret Society
As you grew up you were indoctrinated into the mys-
Favored Feats: Jack-of-All-Trades, Tough teries of an ancient, secret society. The society may be
dedicated to gaining power and eventually changing,
Organized Crime ruling, or destroying the Earth—or it may exist only to
guard something or destroy another group. This back-
Whether through family ties or your own initiative,
ground isn’t available without special permission from
you’ve managed to find a place among the criminal
the Narrator.
gangs. People know your allegiance by how you dress
Bonus Feats: Connected, Dedicated
and how you talk, and they respect it.
Bonus Skills: Bluff, Stealth
Bonus Feats: Connected, Taunt
Favored Feats: Favored Opponent, Master Plan
Bonus Skills: Intimidate, Stealth
Favored Feats: Master Plan, Favored Opponent
Small Town
Primitive You grew up in a very small, rural town. Your education
was pretty basic and the styles of the big city are foreign
You are from a more primitive culture that is more at-
to you. But you’re tough and you know your way around
tuned to nature and not very familiar with technology.
the wilderness.
The exact circumstances may vary depending on the
Bonus Feats: Firearms Training, Track
time period of play.
Bonus Skills: Ride, Survival
Bonus Feats: Animal Empathy, Weapon Training
Favored Feats: Chokehold, Jack-of-All-Trades

5
 Wild West libraries, dim studies, and formaldehyde-tainted biol-
1 You’ve spent considerable time on the range out west,
rustling cattle and fixing fences. You are not comfort-
ogy labs. Outside of these erudite environments, how-
ever, academics may be uncomfortable. They often leave
the practical application of their knowledge to others
able without a good pair of boots, a tall hat, and a lot of
and remain at their studies to uncover more. Even so,
dust on your hands.
archaeologists might visit remote dig sites, oceanog-
Bonus Feats: Animal Empathy, Tireless
raphers may descend into the ocean’s depths in diving
Bonus Skills: Handle Animal, Ride
capsules, and linguists might travel the world in search
Favored Feats: Improvised Tools, Chokehold
of new material.

New Roles Abilities

In addition to the expert and warrior roles presented Upon gaining any level divisible by 5 (5th, 10th, 15th,
in True20 Adventure Roleplaying, Shadows of Cthulhu 20th), an academic’s Intelligence score increases by 1.
heroes may be academics dedicated to learning and cre- This is in addition to the bonus ability point gained at
ating knowledge, investigators specializing in finding levels divisible by 6. Academics crave knowledge, and
information and connecting clues, or reverents totally that means they need strong Intelligence scores. Mod-
dedicated to a cause or belief system. Although heroes est score in the other abilities will help the academic
cannot start as adepts at first level, they may acquire survive in the cruel world beyond blackboards and
adept levels later on. notebooks, but they are not as valued as Intelligence.

Academic Genius (Core Ability)

Academics spend their time in the pursuit of knowl- An academic can spend a point of Conviction to treat
edge for knowledge’s sake. They astound others with the any Intelligence-based ability or skill check as a 20.
esoteric facts they offer up at just the right time, and Note this is not considered a “natural 20,” but in all oth-
their ability to study and learn new areas of knowledge er ways works as a die result of 20. The academic must
is unsurpassed. Academics are truly at home in dusty spend the Conviction point to improve a roll before the

Table 1-1: The Academic

Level Combat Fortitude Reflex Will Sanity Reputation
1 +0 +0 +1 +1 +2 +1
2 +0 +0 +1 +1 +3 +1
3 +0 +1 +2 +2 +3 +1
4 +1 +1 +2 +2 +4 +2
5 +1 +1 +3 +3 +4 +2
6 +1 +2 +3 +3 +5 +2
7 +1 +2 +3 +3 +5 +2
8 +2 +2 +4 +4 +6 +3
9 +2 +3 +4 +4 +6 +3
10 +2 +3 +5 +5 +7 +3
11 +2 +3 +5 +5 +7 +3
12 +3 +4 +6 +6 +8 +4
13 +3 +4 +6 +6 +8 +4
14 +3 +4 +6 +6 +9 +4
15 +3 +5 +7 +7 +9 +4
16 +4 +5 +7 +7 +10 +5
17 +4 +5 +8 +8 +10 +5
18 +4 +6 +8 +8 +11 +5
19 +4 +6 +9 +9 +11 +5
6
20 +5 +6 +9 +9 +12 +6
1

7
 Table 1-2: The Investigator
1 Level Combat Fortitude Reflex Will Sanity Reputation
1 +0 +0 +2 +0 +2 +0
2 +1 +0 +3 +0 +3 +0
3 +2 +1 +3 +1 +3 +1
4 +3 +1 +4 +1 +4 +1
5 +3 +1 +4 +1 +4 +1
6 +4 +2 +5 +2 +5 +1
7 +5 +2 +5 +2 +5 +2
8 +6 +2 +6 +2 +6 +2
9 +6 +3 +6 +3 +6 +2
10 +7 +3 +7 +3 +7 +2
11 +8 +3 +7 +3 +7 +3
12 +9 +4 +8 +4 +8 +3
13 +9 +4 +8 +4 +8 +3
14 +10 +4 +9 +4 +9 +3
15 +11 +5 +9 +5 +9 +4
16 +12 +5 +10 +5 +10 +4
17 +12 +5 +10 +5 +10 +4
18 +13 +6 +11 +6 +11 +4
19 +14 +6 +11 +6 +11 +5
20 +15 +6 +12 +6 +12 +5

Narrator announces the result. In addition, an academic gator must be tough as well as smart. They are handy in
can use any Knowledge skill specialty untrained. combat and specialize in stealth and reflexes, and they
are always watching and gathering information. Inves-
tigators may be journalists, genealogical researchers, po-
Skills lice detectives, lawyers, FBI Investigators, spies, or just
Choose 8 + Intelligence score starting skills (minimum the town gossip. They have contacts in the right places
of 1), plus 4 additional Knowledge skill specialties. Aca- and they usually have access to a venue for making their
demics gain 8 + Int skill ranks (minimum of 1) plus 4 case, whether it’s a courtroom, a daily newspaper col-
additional Knowledge skill ranks per additional level. umn, a secret government conference room, or a gather-
Besides Knowledge, important skills for academics ing of neighbors at the back fence.
might include Craft, Gather Information and Lan-
guage. In a modern setting, the Computer skill could
also be very useful. Abilities
Investigators gather their information by actively en-
gaging the world. While they must have reasonable
Feats Intelligence to piece everything together, in the end, it’s
Choose 4 starting feats from the general or expert cat- their Charisma that allows them to gain sources and
egories. You gain an additional general or expert feat for their Dexterity that helps them get information that no
each level beyond 1st. one will give up willingly.
Levels of academic are treated as levels of expert for
determining the effectiveness of expert feats.
Insight (Core Ability)
An investigator can spend a point of Conviction to treat
Investigator any Bluff, Gather Information, Notice, Search, Sense
Investigators are very good at finding information in a Motive or Stealth skill check or any Reflex save as a
real-world setting. They excel at tracking down facts 20. Note this is not considered a “natural 20,” but in all
and connecting them to develop new theories. Because other ways works as a die result of 20. You must spend
8 getting information may mean undertaking covert op- the Conviction point to improve a roll before the Nar-
erations or going into dangerous situations, an Investi- rator announces the result of your roll.
Skills life around their deity or ideal and can sometimes be
Choose 6 + Intelligence score starting skills (minimum
of 1). Investigators gain 6 + Int skill ranks per additional
intolerant of those who don’t. Reverents may be ascetic
monks, spending their entire lives within the confines 1
level (minimum of 1). of a monastery, but they are just as likely to be out in
Important skills for Investigators include Bluff, Di- the world, acting on their faith. They may be teachers,
plomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Gather Informa- motivational speakers, counselors, butlers, missionaries,
tion, Intimidate, Notice, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight politicians or ecoterrorists. They may spew damnation
of Hand and Stealth. from a pulpit, dish out soup and bread in a homeless
shelter, or visit ancient religious sites to gain some spark
of divine insight.
Feats
Choose 4 starting feats from the general, expert or war-
rior categories. You gain an additional general, expert or Abilities
warrior feat for each level beyond 1st. Reverents rely on their Wisdom most of all, to lead
Levels of investigator are treated as levels of expert them to the right answer and to protect them from the
for determining the effectiveness of expert feats and as unknown dangers and terrible realities of the world. Be-
warrior levels for determining the effectiveness of war- cause many reverents express their faith through inter-
rior feats. action with other people, a good Charisma score is also
very important. Physical abilities, especially Constitu-
tion, will help reverents survive and succeed when they
Reverent take their message out into the world, but they are not
Reverents rely on faith in a cause, deity, ideal, or code of as important as mental abilities.
conduct as a guide for life. When faced with a horrify-
ing or tempting situation, reverents can focus on their
faith and resist more effectively. Reverents are also ca-
Faith (Core Ability)
A reverent can spend a point of Conviction to treat any
pable of sudden insights that can save them and their
Will save or Wisdom-based ability or skill check as a
companions from destruction. They are the world’s reli-
20. Note this is not considered a “natural 20,” but in
gious leaders, nationalists and activists. They build their
all other ways works as a die result of 20. The reverent

Table 1-3: The Reverent

Level Combat Fortitude Reflex Will Sanity Reputation Feats
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 +2 +1 Dedicated
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 +3 +1
3 +1 +3 +1 +3 +3 +1 Bonus Feat
4 +2 +4 +1 +4 +4 +2
5 +2 +4 +1 +4 +4 +2 Bonus Feat
6 +3 +5 +2 +5 +5 +2
7 +3 +5 +2 +5 +5 +2 Bonus Feat
8 +4 +6 +2 +6 +6 +3
9 +4 +6 +3 +6 +6 +3 Bonus Feat
10 +5 +7 +3 +7 +7 +3
11 +5 +7 +3 +7 +7 +3 Bonus Feat
12 +6 +8 +4 +8 +8 +4
13 +6 +8 +4 +8 +8 +4 Bonus Feat
14 +7 +9 +4 +9 +9 +4
15 +7 +9 +5 +9 +9 +4 Bonus Feat
16 +8 +10 +5 +10 +10 +5
17 +8 +10 +5 +10 +10 +5 Bonus Feat
18 +9 +11 +6 +11 +11 +5
19 +9 +11 +6 +11 +11 +5 Bonus Feat
9
20 +10 +12 +6 +12 +12 +6
 must spend the Conviction point to improve a roll be- accessible to characters. During play, the Narrator will
1 fore the Narrator announces the result. grant each hero Awareness points. A hero who has been
exposed to a specific Mythos trait may spend an Aware-
ness point to unlock it, after which they can acquire it
Skills just like any other trait. An exposed Mythos trait can
Choose 8 + Intelligence score additional starting skills. also be used at any time by spending a Conviction point
Reverents gain 8 + Int skill ranks per additional level in a manner similar to the adept and expert core abili-
(minimum of 1). ties. More details about Exposure and Awareness are
Besides Knowledge about their particular faith or provided in Chapter 3.
cause, important skills for reverents include Diplomacy,
Medicine and Sense Motive. If a reverent intends to
take their message to the more remote corners of the
world, Language and Survival skills might also be use-
True20
ful. Core Roles
The core roles of expert and warrior from True20 Ad-
Feats venture Roleplaying are available to heroes in Shadows of
Choose 4 starting feats from the general or expert cat- Cthulhu. Although this chapter presents three interest-
egories. You gain an additional general or expert feat for ing new roles, the two original roles are very flexible and
each level beyond 1st. In addition, you gain Dedicated will probably be chosen for many heroes in the Shadows
as a bonus feat at 1st level, and a bonus reverent feat ev- of Cthulhu setting. Players should give the original roles
ery two levels beginning at 3rd level. These bonus feats due consideration when creating their characters. The
must be chosen from the list below. Note that many adept role is not available for 1st-level heroes, as ex-
require specializations, so they may be chosen multiple plained below.
times. If you already have the Dedicated feat because
of your background, you may choose a bonus feat at 1st
level instead. Adept
Levels of reverent are treated as levels of expert for In Shadows of Cthulhu, adepts represent those rare indi-
determining the effectiveness of expert feats. viduals who delve into supernatural knowledge general-
ly hidden from the human race. A hero may not choose
adept as their starting role, though they may add levels
Bonus Reverent Feats of adept later, advancing as a mixed-role hero. Note that
Endurance, Fascinate, Fearless, Inspire, Iron Will, even if mixed-role heroes advance a level in adept to ob-
Leadership, Mass Suggestion, Mind Over Body, Sec- tain a power, they may only choose from those powers
ond Chance, Suggestion, Tireless, Vow of Poverty. they have been exposed to and have unlocked by spend-
ing Awareness points. Exposure and Awareness are ex-
plained in Chapter 3. All adepts in Shadows of Cthulhu
Sanity Save use Charisma as the key ability for their powers.
Shadows of Cthulhu adds a new saving throw, the San-
ity save, which is used to resist the effects of mentally
disturbing events. Heroes will make Sanity save checks Expert
when they encounter terrifying and horrifically un- Experts are the most general role, representing those
real knowledge, powers and creatures. If they fail their who study and practice in a particular field and become
check, they will acquire one or more of a wide range of extremely competent in it. They are the world’s engi-
mental disorders. neers, mechanics, nurses, doctors, accountants, thieves,
A Sanity save is d20 + the hero’s Charisma score and entertainers, businessmen, bankers and firemen.
level-dependent save bonus, along with any bonuses
from feats or special abilities. Unlike other saves, Sanity
saves do not depend on the hero’s role. Every hero has a Warrior
good Sanity save bonus, meaning the bonus starts at +2 Warriors are trained to defend themselves and hold
at level one and advances at the same rate as an expert’s their own in violent confrontations. They have more
good save. Note that Sanity is a Charisma-based save, weapons training than the rest of the population and
so the benefits of the Lucky feat do not apply. are less affected by the unique stresses of combat. In
Shadows of Cthulhu, warriors might be beat cops, sol-
diers, FBI agents, mob enforcers, professional boxers,
Mythos Traits bodyguards, or big-game hunters.
Every hero in True20 has the ability to learn and use
10 Mythos skills, feats and powers, which are not normally
Archetypes even find a way to decode unknown hieroglyphs found
Lovecraft and other horror authors and screenwrit-
ers provide a large cast of characters as archetypes for
on impossibly old monoliths and blasphemous statu-
ettes. 1
Feats: Skill Focus (multiple Languages), Linguist,
Shadows of Cthulhu heroes. The most frightening hor- Low Profile
ror starts with ordinary people and things anyone can Skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge
relate to, then takes terrifying twists and turns into the (history), Language, Sense Motive
abyss of fear. Not all heroes need to start as paranormal
investigators, or professors of archeology and ancient
languages. Playing the preacher or the movie star or the Professor
schoolteacher or even the hairdresser from the beauty Professors generally have secure positions at universi-
shop on Main Street can be just as fun. ties, from which they are free to follow lines of study
The following archetypes are designed to help you that may appear impractical to the world outside the
define your character by providing suggested feats and ivy-webbed college quadrangles. They have access to
skills. These are just suggestions, not restrictions, and impressive libraries, and they know how to use them.
you should feel free to mix and match these ideas as you Living in the university setting has exposed them to
see fit. Sometimes a hero that doesn’t fit the archetype may different fields of knowledge, not just their spe-
can be even more interesting. cialty. Professors generally concentrate on developing
new knowledge, teaching, and providing peer criticism
on the works of other professors.
Academic Archetypes Professors are sometimes called upon to give expert
There are many good examples of academic heroes opinions on objects or events that the world at large
throughout Mythos literature. Professor Rice and his doesn’t understand. These invasive encounters with the
friends confronted the colossal Dunwich horror. Sci- mysteries of the world might draw a professor from be-
entists from Miskatonic University explored Antarctica hind the lectern out into adventure.
and the mountains of madness. The strange tales of ru- Feats: Eidetic Memory, Fascinate, Skill Focus (main
ral folk convinced a literature instructor from that same Knowledge specialty)
university to search for alien creatures in the hills of Skills: Craft (writing), Knowledge, Language, Per-
Vermont. The quest for knowledge led Herbert West to form (Oratory)
his terrible discoveries about death and re-animation.

Scientist
Archaeologist Scientists work in laboratories and out in the field, gath-
Archaeologists visit the old, dead and buried places of ering data to develop and support theories about how
civilization to reconstruct the past. They may spend the world works. They may also apply that knowledge to
their time searching the poorly-cataloged archives of create new materials, processes or technology.
museums, or traveling the world to dig sites, hoping for Science is always on the edge of the supernatural
that one great discovery. and is sometimes indistinguishable from it. Scientists
Archaeologists may discover the evidence of civili- are often the ones that draw the unknown horrors of
zations and creatures beyond the sane understanding of the Mythos into the world of humanity.
the human race, and they may uncover very real dangers Feats: Eidetic Memory, Skill Focus (Knowledge
that aren’t as dead as they might seem. (any science)), Skill Mastery
Feats: Contacts, Endurance, Skill Focus Skills: Craft (science), Knowledge (earth science),
(Knowledge(history)) Knowledge (life sciences), Knowledge (physical sci-
Skills: Climb, Knowledge (art), Knowledge (earth ences), Knowledge (technology), Notice
science), Knowledge (history), Language, Notice,
Search, Survival
Expert Archetypes
Experts come from a variety of backgrounds and their
Linguist talents are the engine that keeps modern civilization
The linguist specializes in translating modern languag- running. They are well represented in Mythos stories by
es and deciphering dead ancient languages. Linguists dozens of medical doctors and alienists who investigat-
work as translators for international travelers, as writ- ed strange stories and directly confronted the unknown.
ers reproducing foreign works in a local language, or as Experts also include Richard Upton Pickman, whose
archaeologists visiting dusty museums and ancient dig fascination with painting the supernatural put him in
sites to study inscriptions. touch with a terrible reality, and the great magician who
Linguists may be needed to translate obscure mark- visited Egypt and was imprisoned with the pharaohs.
ings found on old tablets and pottery shards. They may 11
Experts are the pilots for expeditions to remote regions
 until they are discovered, and that almost
1 never happens.
Artists are able to express the horror
they’ve seen in real life or in dreams and vi-
sions. Their artistic creations may be nearly
as frightening to the general populace as the
events that inspired them were for the art-
ists.
Feats: Skill Focus (Craft (painting)),
Tireless.
Skills: Craft (painting), Craft (sculpting),
Knowledge (art), Knowledge (life sciences),
Knowledge (popular culture), Notice, Search

Bootlegger
During prohibition in the United States,
bootleggers continued to produce alco-
holic drinks. They sold them through
rumrunners, directly to consumers or to
the many speakeasy clubs that formed in ur-
ban areas.
While not hardened criminals like mobsters,
bootleggers do have valuable covert skills and
helpful underground contacts.
Feats: Contacts, Hide in Plain Sight, Ve-
hicular Combat
Skills: Bluff, Craft (brewing), Craft (scientific
equipment), Disguise, Drive, Knowledge (business),
Knowledge (physical sciences), Slight of Hand,
Stealth
of the Earth, and the mechanics that take care of their
planes. They are the miners who discover hidden cave
systems and the shopkeepers who find mysterious arti-
Doctor
Medical doctors help heal the sick through medication
facts among their common wares.
and other treatments. They can set broken bones, aid re-
covery from disease, and treat wounds. They are usually
Antiquities Dealer well-respected in their community and fairly well-off
Heroes who make their living buying and selling rare financially.
antiquities will need a good understanding of archaeo- Doctors may treat wounds inflicted by human cult-
logical periods and locations so they can identify the ists or terrifying creatures, or diagnose and treat bizarre
truly rare items. They may also be good at convincing diseases carried to earth from beyond the stars.
customers that mediocre items are truly precious. Feats: Challenge (Medicine: Heal Thyself ), Notice,
Antiquities dealers may provide the link between Skill Focus (Medicine), Wealthy
supernatural events and archaeological finds. They have Skills: Gather Information, Knowledge (life sci-
seen so many strange and ancient items that they may ences), Medicine, Surgery
be able to make connections others can’t.
Feats: Connected, Haggler, Hide in Plain Sight,
Low Profile, Wealthy
Explorer
Explorers travel the unknown areas of the world, which
Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information,
often means the sparsely-populated wilderness. They
Knowledge (art), Knowledge (history), Language, Sense
are hardy and self-sufficient, and they know how to de-
Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
fend themselves. They may map out uncharted regions,
make trade deals with indigenous populations, or even
Artist search for oil.
Artists see the world in a unique way, measuring it and Explorers may come across inhuman, timeless ar-
12 absorbing it so they can reproduce it in pen, paint, stone chitecture or disturbing aboriginal rituals passed down
or clay. They often lead meager, nearly destitute lives among primitive people through dark millennia. They
explore the fringes of known geography, and what they car, or draw a little more power out of an ocean liner’s
find sometimes pushes human knowledge beyond the
bounds of what’s considered sane.
engine to escape pursuing sea monsters.
Feats: Talented (Craft (mechanics), Disable De- 1
Feats: Endurance, Firearms Training, Inspire (cour- vice), Skill Mastery (Craft (mechanics), Disable Device,
age), Jack-of-All Trades, Leadership, Steady, Trailblazer, Drive, Pilot)
Weapon Training Skills: Craft (mechanics), Disable Device, Drive,
Skills: Climb, Handle Animal, Knowledge (earth Knowledge (physical sciences), Knowledge (technol-
science), Knowledge (life sciences), Language, Notice, ogy), Pilot
Ride, Sense Motive, Survival
Movie Star
Farmer Movie stars, even relatively unknown ones, are the idols
Farmers and ranchers are the salt of the earth and among of popular culture. They look, love and live in a way ev-
the most practical and self-sufficient archetypes. They eryone else envies. Successful movie stars can be very
know the land and the weather, and they have a special rich and most influential.
understanding of animals. They are accustomed to hard Movie stars may find themselves shooting in truly
work and seem to know a little bit about everything. horrifying real-life locations, or they may discover that
Farmers may be the owners of the remote piece of the lines they have been asked to memorize are actually
land where mysterious artifacts or alien creatures appear. an ancient spell or a signal that will set off a dreadful
They may also be among the first to notice that animals sequence of events.
are acting strangely or plants are being destroyed by a Feats: Attractive, Fascinate, Inspire (awe), Wealthy
strange purple blight. Skills: Bluff, Disguise, Knowledge (art), Language,
Feats: Great Fortitude, Jack-of-All-Trades, Chal- Perform (acting), Perform (singing), Perform (dance)
lenge (Craft (mechanics)/fast craft), Night Vision,
Tireless
Skills: Craft (buildings), Craft (mechanics), Handle Psychiatrist/Alienist
Animal, Knowledge (earth sciences), Knowledge (life Psychiatrists, also known as alienists, are experts in hu-
sciences), Notice, Drive, Pilot man psychology and mental disorders. They are trained
to treat patients with mental disorders through counsel-
ing, therapy, and medication.
Fortune Teller The support of a good psychologist may be vital to
In western civilizations, fortune tellers are relegated the mental health of the heroes. The unthinkable truths
to dingy, back-alley storefronts and circus sideshows, of the Cthulhu Mythos can damage the untested mind.
but in the east they are often respected as true oracles Feats: Challenge (Psychiatry/dig deeper), Fascinate
and guides. They make vague predictions about the fu- (Perform (oratory)), Skill Focus (Psychiatry), Inspire
ture and offer cryptic interpretations using tarot cards, (competence)
bones, or astrology. Skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge
Even though starting heroes in Shadows of Cthulhu (behavioral sciences), Medicine, Perform (oratory), Psy-
have no true psychic or supernatural abilities, the pow- chiatry, Sense Motive
erful creatures of the Mythos may find fortune tellers
more open subjects for their mental contact or physi-
cal omens. Fortune tellers may also go in search of true Stage Performer
divination powers. Stage performers are magicians, sideshow acts, vaude-
Feats: Fascinate, Inspire (complacency), Inspire ville comedians, or serious stage actors. They are gener-
(fear), Skill Focus (Perform (oratory)), Suggestion, ally well-traveled, streetwise and charismatic, and they
Well-informed often have unsuspected and unusual skills.
Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (behavioral In Shadows of Cthulhu, stage performers have seen
sciences), Knowledge (supernatural), Perform (oratory), the underside of major cities, studied ancient plays, and
Sense Motive, Slight of Hand performed spectacles as close to real magic as a sane and
unenlightened human can get.
Feats: Animal Empathy, Exotic Weapon Training,
Mechanic Fascinate, Skill Focus (Perform)
Mechanics keep the world’s machines running and Skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Disguise, Escape
sometimes come up with new and interesting machines Artist, Handle Animal, Jump, Perform, Ride, Sleight of
of their own. They know their way around electric mo- Hand
tors and internal combustion engines.
Mechanics may get the farmer’s old tractor to start 13
after some monstrous rural creature crushes the heroes’
 Surgeon Paranormal Investigator
1 Surgeons treat physical disorders that will not heal on
their own, even under a doctor’s care. Surgeons may be
Paranormal investigators openly profess their belief in
psychic powers and the supernatural, and they’re will-
call upon to repair a mangled arm, stop internal bleed- ing to help people explain unexplainable events. They
ing, or fix a damaged eye. are essentially private eyes who deal in the world of the
Surgeons can repair many of the permanent physical supernatural.
injuries inflicted on the heroes during their adventures. Supernatural investigators may find themselves
Feats: Challenge (Surgery/radical procedure), Im- face-to-face with real supernatural events, possibly for
provised Tools, Skill Focus (Surgery), Sneak Attack, the first time in their careers. They may be the hook that
Wealthy leads all the heroes into adventure.
Skills: Knowledge (life sciences), Medicine Feats: Contacts, Jaded, Night Vision, Steady, Tal-
ented (Gather Information, Knowledge (supernatural)),
Track
Wealthy Heir Skills: Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, Knowl-
The truly wealthy and privileged are at leisure to study edge (supernatural), Language, Stealth, Survival
whatever interests them, and to do just about anything
within reasonable economic means. They are often pa-
trons of favorite artists, writers, or academics, and they Police Detective
are usually have helpful contacts. Police detectives investigate potential crimes to deter-
The independently wealthy furnish other heroes with mine if a crime actually occurred and to identify the
the freedom to investigate strange events without risk- criminals. They investigate crimes ranging from petty
ing financial ruin. Wealthy heirs also provide contacts, theft to mass murder, and they have the authority and
significantly better equipment, and esoteric knowledge resources of the police to back them up.
and skills that aren’t practical for anyone who has to Police detectives may be called upon to investigate
earn a living. criminal activity by Mythos creatures or cults.
Feats: Connected, Inspire (awe), Lucky, Wealthy Feats: Benefit (legal enforcement powers), Con-
Skills: Bluff, Drive, Knowledge (art), Knowledge nected, Firearms Training, Talented (Gather Informa-
(popular culture), Language, Perform, Ride tion, Intimidate)
Skills: Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge
(streetwise), Knowledge (civics), Notice, Search, Sense
Investigator Archetypes Motive
Investigators are a curious class of characters that are not
content until they understand every aspect of a mystery
and have reduced it to hard facts and irrefutable deduc- Private Eye
tions. They include Inspector Legrasse, who disrupted a Private eyes are investigators for hire. They track spous-
cult ritual in the Louisiana swamps, and Detective Ma- es suspected of cheating, search for missing persons that
lone, who discovered things he would never reveal in may not want to be found, and sometimes solve murder
the tunnels below the Red Hook district of Brooklyn. cases that the police have given up on.
Private eyes may find that their cases lead them to
horrific discoveries of twisted cults and otherworldly
Journalist creatures.
Journalists go for the story, and some of them are not Feats: Skill Focus (Gather Information), Skill Focus
above embellishing the truth a little to make things (Drive), Stunning Attack, Tough,
more interesting. Journalists may be freelancers selling Skills: Disable Device, Disguise, Drive, Gather In-
stories to whichever editor will pay the most or staff formation, Intimidate, Knowledge (streetwise), Notice,
reporters working for a specific publication or broadcast Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
station.
Journalists may find that the supernatural spin of
certain events make them more interesting, even though Spy
the supernatural angle is certainly bogus. Some readers Spies gather information for foreign governments. They
believe that sort of thing. may come from the country they’re loyal to, or some-
Feats: Benefit (press pass), Contacts, Skill Focus one may have recruited them from the local population.
(Gather Information), Fascinate (Diplomacy), Well- Spies keep a low profile and often have elaborate cover
Informed identities.
Skills: Craft (writing), Diplomacy, Gather Informa- Spies may wonder if strange Mythos events are
tion, Knowledge (current events), Notice, Search, Sense actually part of a government project worth knowing
14 Motive about.
 Feats: Benefit (alternate identity), Challenge (Gath- Butlers may be the silent problem solvers, always
er Information/discretion), Low Profile, Master Plan,
Skill Focus (Stealth)
there to provide aid when needed or to gently steer the
other heroes in the right direction. They may also be the 1
Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, best drivers in the group.
Gather Information, Language, Notice, Search, Sense Feats: Dedicated, Inspire (competence), Low Pro-
Motive, Stealth file, Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Mastery (Diploma-
cy, Drive, Sense Motive, Stealth)
Skills: Diplomacy, Drive, Knowledge (behavioral
Town Gossip science), Knowledge (current events), Notice, Sense
Town gossips usually play some key role that gives them Motive, Stealth
access to all kinds of juicy personal information. They
might be the local hairdresser or barber, or the tele-
phone operator, or the organist at the local church. Nun
Town gossips will latch onto any mystery like a bull- Nuns dedicate their lives to service within the church.
dog and won’t let go until they know what’s going on They are the teachers at parochial schools and the medi-
and can spread the news. cal caregivers at church hospitals.
Feats: Contacts, Fascinate, Inspire (awe), Light Nuns may get involved in Mythos mysteries because
Sleeper of their extensive knowledge of religion, or because the
Skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Perform children or patients under their care are threatened.
(oratory), Notice, Search, Sense Motive, Stealth Feats: Dedicated, Inspire (courage), Iron Will,
Leadership, Vow of Poverty
Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (history),
Reverent Archetypes Knowledge (theology and philosophy), Medicine, Per-
A reverent can be the heart and soul of a group of inves- form (singing), Sense Motive
tigators. They provide strength of will when confront-
ing the mind-twisting reality of the Mythos, and in-
spiration when the will to go on fades into despair.
Although the faith and trappings of mainstream
human convictions and religions seem to provide
no direct counter to the horrors of the Mythos,
they can be of great indirect benefit to the hu-
mans themselves.

Activist
You re so dedicated to a particular cause that
you’ve focused your entire life around it. You
might be trying to save a species of animal,
keep alcohol illegal, establish female suffrage,
preserve the gold standard, or unionize work-
ers.
An activist may find the object of their ded-
ication threatened by Mythos activities, and
they will certainly take action to preserve it.
Feats: Dedicated, Fascinate, Perform (ora-
tory), Inspire (fury), Iron Will, Leadership
Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge
(civics), Perform (oratory), Sense Motive

Butler/Chauffeur
Butlers are dedicated and selfless servants
who anticipate their masters’ needs and pro-
tect them from unwanted interruptions. But-
lers often understand more of the world in
general, and society in particular, than their
masters.
15
 Preacher joined raids on cult gatherings, the Marines who ex-
1 Preachers spread their faith through inspiring sermons
and one-on-one interaction. They may preach within
plored newly-risen islands in the Pacific, and the Na-
tional Guard soldiers called in to clear out degenerate
an established church and congregation, or they may towns like Innsmouth.
hit the road, bringing brief tent revivals to small towns
across the country. Beat Cop
Preachers may be among the first to recognize true Beat cops protect the people within their jurisdiction.
evil in a situation where others just see more of the gen- They might completely ignore the battles between orga-
eral failings of society. nized crime and the FBI, let one or two bootleggers go
Feats: Dedicated, Fascinate (Perform (oratory)), In- about their business, and take bribes from any number
spire (courage), Suggestion (Perform (oratory)), Mass of sources, but in general they do their best to stay alive
Suggestion (Perform (oratory)) and protect the safety of the people.
Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (behav- Feats: Attack Specialization (club), Benefit (legal
ioral sciences), Knowledge (theology and philosophy), enforcement powers), Contacts, Firearms Training, Im-
Perform (oratory), Sense Motive proved Grab, Weapons Training
Skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge
Buddhist Monk (civics), Knowledge (streetwise), Notice, Sense Motive
Buddhist monks live contemplative lives in ancient,
incense-tainted monasteries set apart from the world. Big Game Hunter
They are masters of their own emotions, and ironically, Big game hunters travel to the remote wilderness areas
extremely wise about the ways of the world. of the world to hunt the largest animals they can find,
Buddhist monks may make good use of their basic and then hang parts of them on their walls or sell them
combat training. They may also be able to resist more of to museums. Big game hunters may be wealthy indi-
the effects of insanity than other heroes, since they have viduals funding the expeditions themselves, or talented
denied much of the reality of the world already. guides hired by aspiring hunters.
Feats: Dedicated, Dodge Focus, Improved Defense, Big game hunters are experts at surviving in areas of
Improved Disarm, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Slow the globe where the Mythos still thrives, and their skill
Fall, Steady with firearms may come in handy when the heroes are
Skills: Acrobatics, Concentration, Jaded, Knowl- faced with mad cultists or raging beasts.
edge (theology and philosophy), Notice, Sense Motive, Feats: Assessment, Far Shot, Firearms Training,
Stealth Improved Critical (elephant gun), Steady, Track, Trail-
blazer
Missionary Skills: Climb, Knowledge (earth sciences), Lan-
guage, Notice, Ride, Survival
Missionaries take the message of their faith to the world
and are often among the first to visit remote areas. They
are hardy, selfless individuals who have given up the Bodyguard
comforts of civilization to bring the truth to those who Bodyguards are trained to protect their employer from
have not yet heard it. harm, even if it means putting themselves in danger.
Missionaries will be exposed to the strangest surviv- They are trained to identify threats and neutralize them
ing religions and rituals, including many that predate with lethal force if necessary.
human civilization. Bodyguards might protect other heroes from en-
Feats: Dedicated, Inspire (awe), Endurance, Fas- emies, both natural and supernatural. They can provide
cinate (Diplomacy), Iron Will, Talented (Diplomacy, physical protection while the other heroes do most of
Sense Motive) the thinking and social interaction.
Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (earth sciences), Feats: Attack Specialization, Dedicated, Firearms
Knowledge (theology and philosophy), Language, Ride, Training, Improved Disarm, Seize Initiative, Skill Fo-
Sense Motive, Survival cus (Notice), Weapons Training
Skills: Concentration, Disable Device, Drive, No-
Warrior Archetypes tice, Search, Sense Motive, Stealth
Although confronting the worst horrors of the Cthul-
hu Mythos directly with weapons is certain to lead to FBI Agent
disaster, there have been many times when organized FBI Agents are the foot soldiers in the battle against or-
force was enough to disrupt the activities of human cult ganized crime. They are trained to track suspects and to
16 members and weak supernatural minions. The warriors assault criminal strongholds. They have the latest weap-
of the Cthulhu Mythos include the countless police who onry and the best support personnel at their disposal.
 FBI Agents may be called in when Mythos activity
New &
gets so out of hand that it draws the attention of the
authorities.
Modified Skills
1
Feats: Benefit (legal enforcement powers), Favored
Opponent, Firearms Training, Improved Precise Shot, All of the Skills in True20 Adventure Roleplaying are
Knowledge (tactics), Precise Shot, Weapons Training available to heroes in Shadows of Cthulhu. A few new
Skills: Disable Device, Drive, Knowledge (civics), skills are also available, as well as some new tasks and
Intimidate, Notice, Stealth specialties for existing skills. Any skill that is not de-
tailed here works just as described in True20 Adventure
Roleplaying.
Mobster
Mobsters enforce the order of organized crime. They
protect the businesses from the police, collect protec- Craft (Science)
tion money, rough up those who won’t pay, and carry Intelligence, Trained Only, Requires Specialization, Re-
out raids on other mobs competing for territory. quires Tools
Mobsters may be the prime suspects for the horrible The Craft skill in Shadows of Cthulhu includes the new
crimes perpetrated by cults or Mythos creatures. specialty of science. Craft (science) skill give a hero the
Feats: Connected, Dedicated, Firearms Training, ability to make and repair scientific equipment, includ-
Inspire (fear), Jaded, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Tough, ing equipment used with scientific powers (see Chapter
Wealthy 5). To determine the Difficulty and cost of creating sci-
Skills: Drive, Intimidate, Search, Stealth entific equipment, consult Table 1-4: Craft (Science),
starting with the Wealth Difficulty of purchasing the
equipment and reading across. Each entry lists the Dif-
Soldier ficulty for the Craft (science) check to complete the
Soldiers are trained for intense mass combat, and many item, The Craft Wealth Difficulty, which is the Wealth
of them have seen it first-hand. They might be in the check you must make every time you attempt to make
Army, the Marines or the National Guard. They are ex- the item, and the time it takes for each attempt.
perts at firearms, have hand-to-hand training, and un-
derstand the basics of tactics.
A group of soldiers may be called in when a fight Knowledge
is too much for the police to handle, or a single sol- Intelligence, Trained Only, Requires Specialization
dier could provide extra combat force to a group of less The Knowledge (supernatural) specialty is available
physical heroes. in Shadows of Cthulhu, but it covers only the common
Feats: Armor Training, Attack Specialization (ri- supernatural folklore available through normal educa-
fle), Firearms Training, Leadership, Point Blank Shot, tion and research. A hero with good Knowledge (su-
Weapons Training pernatural) skill would know all about vampires and
Skills: Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (tactics), might sense hints that there is more to witchcraft than
Stealth, Survival the simple mind of man can comprehend, but that hero
would know nothing about Mythos creatures or loca-
tions.

Table 1-4: Craft (Science)

Purchase
Craft Craft Wealth
Wealth Craft Difficulty Time Example
Complexity Difficulty
Difficulty
11 or less Simple 15 5 1 hour Radio
Basic chemistry
12-16 Moderate 20 10 12 hours
lab
Scientific Imbue
17-21 Complex 25 15 24 hours
Life equipment
Portable
Scientific
22 or more Advanced 30 20 60 hours
Enhance Ability 17
device
 Knowledge specific to the Cthulhu Mythos is only
Table 1-5: Language
1 available to heroes with the Mythos Knowledge skill
described in Chapter 5. Complexity Example Difficulty
All of the basic Knowledge skills have one addition- Basic directions,
al task, as follows: Simple 10
street signs
Gain Familiarity (Difficulty varies): If you have ac- Description
cess to the proper research materials and an appropriate Moderate of a person, a 15
Knowledge skill, you can study details about a particu- newspaper
lar creature, item or place to become casually familiarity
with it, reducing the Difficulty of powers that required A dfficult novel
familiarity. For instance, a hero with Knowledge (street- or textbook, a
Complex 20
wise) could talk to a few people and get a pretty good subtle joke or
description of a particular warehouse or a specific crime involved story
lord. The Difficulty depends on how powerful and se- A sholarly
cret the creature, place or item is. In general, the Diffi- paper, streetwise
Advanced 25
culty of becoming casually familiar with a non-Mythos idiomatic
creature is 20. Common, well-documented places are speech
Difficulty 20. Very remote and secret places on Earth
are Difficulty 30. lowed regular recovery checks for their disorder, they
may add your Psychiatry skill ranks to their recovery
check if you succeed on your skill check. If you fail on
Language your skill check, they instead suffer a -2 penalty on their
Intelligence, Trained Only, Requires Specialization recovery check. You may provide psychiatric care for up
Languages are extremely important in Mythos adven- to your skill rank in patients at any given time.
tures, especially the ancient and secret languages. There- Treat Mental Disorder (Difficulty 15 + level of disor-
fore, this skill is handled differently in the Shadows of der): If a patient’s disorder is treatable with psychiatric
Cthulhu than in other True20 settings. Each language is care, you may make a psychiatry check once per week to
treated as a specialty of the Language skill, and any lan- remove one level of the disorder. You must have contact
guage task requires a skill check. The same applies to the with the patient every day during the week. If you fail
Mythos Language skill described in Chapter 5. Heroes, your psychiatry check by 5 or more, you make things
and most intelligent creatures, automatically receive 8 worse and the patient gains one additional level of the
bonus ranks in their native language. disorder. You may treat up to your skill rank in indi-
Check: Intelligence is the key ability for the Lan- vidual disorders at any given time.
guage skill. Difficulties apply to any attempt to speak, Treat Mental Episode (Difficulty 15 + level of disor-
listen, read, or write in any know language based on the der): With a medical kit, you can tend to a character
guidelines in Table 1-5: Language. who has failed a save to avoid the situational effects of
a mental disorder, like a Compulsive Gambler stuck at
a blackjack table or a hero with Explosive Disorder in
Psychiatry the middle of a rage. If you succeed on your check, the
Wisdom, Trained Only, Requires Tools patient may re-roll their save, adding your Psychiatry
You are trained to understand how the mind works, skill ranks as a bonus. If you know ahead of time that
both psychologically and physiologically, and you can a patient is entering a situation that might trigger an
treat mental disorders using counseling, drugs, and vari- episode, you can treat them in advance to improve their
ous types of therapy. initial save, possibly preventing the episode altogether.
Check: The Difficulty and the effect depend on the Treating a mental episode is a standard action. You may
task attempted. only make one attempt to treat each mental episode.
Hypnosis (Difficulty 20): You can put willing subjects Challenges: You can take the following challenges
into a trance and draw information from their subcon- with Psychiatry.
scious or repressed memories. The subjects will not re- Heal Thyself: You can provide psychiatric care for
member the conversation, but you could use hypnosis yourself, or treat your own mental disorder with a +5
to help get information they have forgotten because of increase in the difficulty of your check. You cannot treat
Amnesia, or to question them about dreams they can’t your own mental episode.
remember. Dig Deeper: For each +5 increase in the Difficulty
Provide Psychiatric Care (Difficulty 15 + level of dis- of your Psychiatry check while treating a mental disor-
order): Providing care means maintaining daily contact der, you can remove one additional level of that disorder
with patients and providing whatever personal care or with a successful check.
18 medication they need for recovery. If a patient is al-
Surgery Press Pass: Your press credentials can get you into
Dexterity, Prerequisite: Medicine Rank 4, Trained Only,
Requires Tools
places where the general public can’t go, as long as
someone there is interested in the publicity. 1
Alternate Identity: You have worked hard on a
You are trained to perform surgery to repair debilitat-
convincing alternate identity, building up a collection of
ing or life-threatening physical conditions. With a suc-
paperwork, contacts, and correspondence as that identi-
cessful Surgery check, you can cure one level of another
ty. You gain a +4 bonus on any Disguise or Bluff checks
character’s injury disorder, if it is treatable by surgery.
supported by your alternate identity.
The Difficulty for this check is 15 + the level of the
injury disorder, and the surgery takes one hour. If you
fail your check by 5 or more, you make things worse and
your patient gains one additional level of the injury dis-
Jack-of-All-Trades
order. One long multi-hour surgery can cure multiple (Expert)
levels of an injury disorder, but you must make Surgery You can use any skill untrained, even skills that nor-
checks every hour. You cannot perform surgery on your- mally cannot be used untrained, but this does not apply
self, though you can aid another character operating on to Mythos skills or the Language skill. You must still
you. have the proper tools if a skill requires them.
Surgery is traumatic for the patient. Whenever you
make a Surgery check, your patient must also make a
Difficulty 18 Toughness save to avoid damage, as if they Jaded (General)
had been successfully attacked by a lethal weapon. Ar- You’ve seen so much violence and degradation that the
mor modifiers, including natural armor, do not apply to truly horrifying doesn’t affect you as much anymore.
this save. You gain a +2 bonus on all Sanity saving throws.
Surgery requires the use of a modern operating
room, or all checks suffer a -4 penalty. Pre-modern set-
tings may offer substandard operating rooms that im- Linguist (Expert)
pose a -1 or -2 penalty. Note that the Improvised Tools You are an expert at deciphering and learning new lan-
feat cannot reduce the Surgery penalty to less than that guages. You can use any Language specialty untrained.
of the standard operating room of the setting. This does not apply to the Mythos Language skill.
Challenges: You can take the following challenges
with Surgery.
Radical Procedure: For each +5 increase in the dif-
Haggler (General)
You are an expert at negotiating for the best price on
ficulty of your Surgery check while treating an injury
items. Subtract one from the cost of any items you
disorder, you can remove one additional level of that
purchase before you make a wealth check to purchase
disorder with a single successful check.
them.

New & Steady (General)

Modified Feats You are disciplined and in control of your own emotions
when faced with difficult or frightening situations. You
A few new feats are available to heroes in Shadows of get a +3 bonus on all saving throws to avoid the effects
Cthulhu. Most are related to investigating the unknown of fear auras, Calm, Heart Shaping, or any other powers
or to the modifications in the way Language skills work. that manipulate emotions. This bonus does not apply to
Note that the benefits of the Jack-of-All-Trades feat Sanity saves.
from True20 Adventure Roleplaying have been modi-
fied.
Vow of Poverty
Benefit (General) (General)
The following additional Benefits are available in Shad- You have taken a vow to remain poor and give any
ows of Cthulhu. The Narrator should avoid granting wealth you do obtain to those who need it more. If your
these privileges to heroes that don’t have these Benefits Wealth bonus is at least +1, you may donate wealth to
unless they succeed on a Bluff or Craft (forgery) check a cause, reducing your Wealth bonus by 1. Whenever
to convince others that they do have them. you do this you recover one Conviction point, but your
Legal Enforcement Powers: You have the right, Conviction point total cannot exceed the maximum for
under the law, to arrest those suspected of committing a your level. If your Wealth bonus ever exceeds +5, you
crime and to use force to protect law-abiding citizens. must donate to the cause until your bonus is reduced to 19
 +5. In addition, you may never purchase or accept as a Skills: (8 +4 Int starting skills, +4 bonus Knowledge
1 gift any item with cost higher than 14. skills) Bluff 4 (+4), Craft (boatbuilding)B 4 (+8), DriveB
4 (+5), Gather Information 4 (+4), Knowledge (art)B 4
(+8), Knowledge (earth sciences)B 4 (+8), Knowledge
Sample Heroes (history)B 4 (+8), Knowledge (supernatural)B 4 (+8),
It can be difficult to create a new character for a role- Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 4 (+8), Language
playing setting you’ve never played before. How do you (Akkadian) 4 (+10) (+2 Talented), Language (Ancient
know which skills will be important for which situations, Egyptian) 4 (+8), Language (Arabic) 4 (+10) (+2 Tal-
or what type of character you’ll really enjoy playing? If ented), Language (French) 4 (+8), Language (Greek) 4
you want to start playing Shadows of Cthulhu right away, (+8), Language (Latin) 4 (+8), Perform (oratory) 4 (+4),
you can use one of the sample heroes provided here and Sense Motive 4 (+6), Swim 4 (+3)
learn the basics before you make your own hero. Feats: (4 starting feats) Fascinate (Perform(oratory)),
Even if you’re not going to use these heroes, you may Light SleeperB, Lightning ReflexesB, Linguist, Night
want to review them to help your understand hero cre- Vision, Talented (Language (Arabic and Akkadian))
ation. Equipment: backpack, bedroll, camera, flashlight,
Skills and feats marked with a ‘B’ are bonuses from walking cane (treat as club)
the character’s background or role. None of the back- Conviction/Awareness: 3/0
grounds chosen for these heroes affect their base ability
scores. Each starting skill begins with 4 ranks.
Raymond Harding
Lead Actor at the Barker Playhouse
Dr. Clarence Mr. Harding is a trained Shakespearean actor trying to
hide his small town upbringing behind British accents
Allen Roche and proper diction. He is currently appearing in two
Associate Professor of Arabic and Classics at Brown Uni- productions at the strange little Barker Playhouse on
versity Benefit Street, Providence. He has had reasonable re-
Doctor Roche grew up in the seaside Massachusetts views in the Providence Journal, but nothing that could
town of Danvers, earned his degrees at Harvard, and launch a respectable career in New York.
only recently joined the faculty at Brown. Although To supplement his means, Mr. Harding leaves the
still quite young, he has earned some respect from older playhouse in the evenings and goes directly to the House
colleagues for two papers he presented at the Harvard of Correction on Howard Avenue, where he serves as
Archaeological Society regarding the ancient traditions a night guard and orderly. He has spent many nights
of tribes of the Sinai. studying the nocturnal activities of the most peculiar of
Doctor Roche is very precise in his work, never the inmates, hoping exposure to a wide range of human
jumping to conclusions without sufficient evidence, conditions might improve his acting.
careful to credit others when credit is due, and meticu- Background: Small Town
lous in his writing. He expects the same level of exac- Role/Level: Expert/1
titude from everyone else, from his housekeeper all the Abilities: Str +0, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +1, Wis +0,
way up to the president of the United States, and he can Cha +3
be very disparaging when he finds their work lacking. Initiative: +1 (Dex +1)
Background: Maritime Combat Bonus: +0
Role/Level: Academic/1 Melee/Ranged Attack Bonus: +1/+1
Abilities: Str -1, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +2, Damage: +2 (Derringer)
Cha +0 Dodge/Parry: +1/+0
Initiative: +1 (Dex +1) Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude
Combat Bonus: +0 +4 (+0 base, +1 Con, +3 Lucky), Reflex +6 (+2 base, +1
Melee/Ranged Attack Bonus: +1/+1 Dex, +3 Lucky), Will +3 (+0 base, +0 Wis, +3 Lucky),
Damage: +1 (walking cane) Sanity +5 (+2 base, +3 Cha)
Dodge/Parry: +1/-1 Virtue/Vice: friendly/self-centered
Saving Throws: Toughness +0 (+0 Con), Fortitude Wealth/Reputation: +6 (5 +3 Char, reduced by
+0 (+0 base, +0 Con), Reflex +4 (+1 base, +1 Dex, +2 purchase of Derringer pistol and fine clothing)/+1
Lightning Reflexes), Will +3 (+1 base, +2 Wis), Sanity Skills: (8 +1 Int starting skills) Bluff 4 (+7), Diplo-
+2 (+2 base, +0 Cha) macy 4 (+7), Disguise 4 (+7), Handle Animal 4 (+7),
Virtue/Vice: professional pride/highly critical Intimidate 4 (+7), Knowledge (behavioral science) 4
Wealth/Reputation: +4 (5 + 0 Cha, reduced by (+5), Language (French) 4 (+5), Perform (acting) 4 (+7),
camera purchase)/+1 RideB 4 (+5), Slight of Hand 4 (+5), SurvivalB 4 (+4)
20
 Feats: (4 starting feats) Attractive, Firearms five of her brothers and sisters were raised by their older
TrainingB, Inspire (awe), Lucky, TrackB, Skill Focus
(Perform(acting))
sister, Grace. Abigail was drawn to the convent by her
compassion for the poor she saw all around her, and by 1
Equipment: disguise kit, fine clothing, flashlight, her indignation at the young lives she saw wasted on
hooded lantern, hold-out pistol the streets.
Conviction/Awareness: 3/0 Abigail took her final vows as Sister Bernadette
Grace with the Sisters of Mercy. She now serves in
the Rhode Island Catholic Orphan Asylum on Prairie
Lillian Brodie James Avenue in Providence. When the orphanage requires
Heiress and Gossip Columnist for the Providence Journal someone to go out into the world, it often sends Sister
Lillian is the daughter of Emmet James, the powerful Bernadette because of her tough upbringing, streetwise
Providence shipping magnate, and Madeline Brodie, a manners and keen intuition about others.
sardonic fashion critic of the late 19th century. Despite Background: Big City
her high society upbringing, Lillian detests most of the Role/Level: Reverent/1
trappings of the wealthy and lives, mostly by her own Abilities: Str +1, Dex +0, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +3,
means, in a modest apartment building for single ladies Cha +1
on Dexter Street. Initiative: +0 (Dex +0)
Lillian writes the gossip column for the Providence Combat Bonus: +0
Journal and takes great joy in rooting out the most sor- Melee/Ranged Attack Bonus: +0/+0
did details of the lives of the rich and famous. Her con- Damage: +3 (sap)
nections and inborn tenacity make her very effective at Dodge/Parry: +0/+1
her job. Although she is respected by most local jour- Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude
nalists, her profession is a great embarrassment to her +3 (+2 base, +1 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 base, +0 Dex), Will
family, and they seldom mention her. Her parents have +5 (+2 base, +3 Wis), Sanity +3 (+2 base, +1 Cha)
most likely taken her out of their will. Virtue/Vice: loyal/intolerant
Background: High Society Wealth/Reputation: +4 (5 +1 Cha, reduced by Vow
Role/Level: Investigator/1 of Poverty and purchase of medical kit) /+1
Abilities: Str +0, Dex -1, Con +0, Int +3, Wis +2, Skills: (8 +0 Int starting skills) Diplomacy 4 (+5),
Cha +2 Intimidate 4 (+5), Knowledge (streetwise)B 4 (+4),
Initiative: -1 (Dex -1) Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 4 (+4), Language
Combat Bonus: +0 (Latin) 4 (+4), Medicine 4 (+7), Notice 4 (+7), Perform
Melee/Ranged Attack Bonus: -1/-1 (stringed instruments) 4 (+5), Sense Motive 4 (+10) (+3
Damage: +1 (knife) Skill Focus), StealthB 4 (+4)
Dodge/Parry: -1/+1 Feats: (4 starting feats) ContactsB , ConnectedB ,
Saving Throws: Toughness +0 (+0 Con), Fortitude Dedicated (children)B, Inspire (competence), Jack-of-
+0 (+0 base, +0 Con), Reflex +1 (+2 base, -1 Dex), Will All-Trades, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Vow of Pov-
+2 (+0 base, +2 Wis), Sanity +4 (+2 base, +2 Cha) erty
Virtue/Vice: generous/ruthless Equipment: candles, medical kit, sap, wine
Wealth/Reputation: +7 (5 +2 Cha, +4 Wealthy, re- Conviction/Awareness: 3/0
duced by Packard roadster purchase)/+0
Skills: (6 + 3 Int starting skills) BluffB 4 (+6), Di-
plomacy 4 (+6), Gather Information 4 (+6), Knowledge Frank Heath
(business) 4 (+7), Knowledge (civics) 4 (+7), Knowledge Bodyguard of Lillian Brodie James
(current events) 4 (+7), Language (French) 4 (+7), No- Frank is a large, muscular man who dropped out of high
tice 4 (+6), RideB 4 (+3), Search 4 (+7), Sense Motive school to help with the family business, which just hap-
4 (+6) pened to be distilling and smuggling alcohol. After his
Feats: (4 starting feats) Attractive, Benefit (press brother was killed during a run-in with the FBI, so his
pass), ConnectedB, Contacts, WealthyB, Well-Informed father sold the business to a local mobster, and Frank
Equipment: knife, poodle, Packard roadster began working as a bodyguard.
Conviction/Awareness: 3/0 Frank is currently employed by Emmet James to
protect his daughter, Lillian Brodie James, as she moves
in dangerous circles trying to find gossip about the city’s
Sister Bernadette Grace most powerful citizens. It’s an uncomfortable arrange-
Roman Catholic Nun of Sisters of Mercy ment for Frank, since Lillian doesn’t want his protec-
Sister Bernadette grew up as Abigail Sweeney in one of tion. She knows her father has hired him more as a
the roughest and poorest neighborhoods in Brooklyn. nanny or a spy than a bodyguard. Frank is there to make
Her mother died when she was very young, and she and 21
sure Lillian doesn’t further embarrass the family.
 Background: Organized Crime During the Great War, Dr. von Essen kept a very
1 Role/Level: Warrior/1
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int -1, Wis +1,
low profile, spending most of his time at the House of
Corrections and only returning to his modest apart-
Cha +0 ment to sleep and study. Much of his life has passed by
Initiative: +2 (Dex +2) without any interesting events and with no real friends.
Combat Bonus: +1 He thinks it may be time to change that.
Melee/Ranged Attack Bonus: +3/+3 Background: Old World
Damage: +3 (brass knuckles) or +3 (M&P .38 re- Role/Level: Expert/1
volver) Abilities: Str -1, Dex +0, Con +1, Int +2, Wis +3,
Dodge/Parry: +3/+3 Cha +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +2 (+2 Con), Fortitude Initiative: +0 (Dex +0)
+4 (+2 base, +2 Con), Reflex +2 (+0 base, +2 Dex), Will Combat Bonus: +1
+1 (+0 base, +1 Wis), Sanity +2 (+2 base, +0 Cha) Melee/Ranged Attack Bonus: +0/+0
Virtue/Vice: dependable/rude Damage: +1 (sap)
Wealth/Reputation: +2 (5 +0 Cha, reduced by pur- Dodge/Parry: +0/-1
chase of revolver)/+0 Saving Throws: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude
Skills: (4 -1 Int starting Skills) Bluff 4 (+4), Drive 4 +3 (+0 base, +1 Con, +2 Great Fortitude), Reflex +0 (+0
(+6), IntimidateB 4 (+4), Notice 4 (+5), StealthB 4 (+6) base, +0 Dex), Will +5 (+2 base, +3 Wis), Sanity +3 (+2
Feats: (4 starting feats) ConnectedB, Favored Op- base, +1 Cha)
ponent (federal agents), Firearms TrainingB, Improved Virtue/Vice: compassionate/pessimistic
Grab, Point Blank Shot, Seize Initiative, TauntB Wealth/Reputation: +6 (5 +1 Cha)/+1
Equipment: brass knuckles, flashlight, M&P .38 Skills: (8 +2 Int starting skills) Diplomacy 4 (+5),
revolver Knowledge (behavioral sciences) 4 (+6), Knowledge
Conviction/Awareness: 3/0 (civics) 4 (+6), Knowledge (life sciences) 4 (+6), Knowl-
edge (supernatural)B 4 (+6), Language (English)B 4 (+9)
(+3 Skill Focus), Language (German) 12 (+14), Medi-
Dr. Friedrich von Essen cine 4 (+7), Notice 4 (+7), Psychiatry 4 (+10) (+3 Skill
Psychologist at The Providence House of Corrections Focus), Sense Motive 4 (+7), Slight of Hand 4 (+5)
Doctor von Essen is a psychologist, sometimes known Feats: (4 starting feats) Challenge (Psychiatry/dig
as an alienist, who works with the patients at the House deeper), ConnectedB, Great FortitudeB, Inspire (com-
of Corrections on Howard Avenue, in Providence. petence), Skill Focus (Language (English)), Skill Focus
Friedrich grew up in Frankfurt, Germany, and moved (Psychiatry)
to the United States when he was still a boy. He earned Equipment: flashlight, notebook, sap, psychiatry
his psychiatry degree at Brown University and has spent kit
very little time outside of Rhode Island, except for oc- Conviction/Awareness: 3/0
casional trips back to Germany.

22
 Chapter 2: The 1920s 2
H. P. Lovecraft wrote his stories in the 1920s and
1930s, and most of them took place in that time pe-
Transportation
By the end of the 19th century, the railways had opened
riod or shortly before. So the 1920s have become the
up travel between major cities across the country and
traditional setting for most Cthulhu Mythos roleplaying.
were the primary means of long-distance travel. Just a
Shadows of Cthulhu follows this tradition by using the
quarter century later, half of America had access to a car,
United States of the 1920s as its default setting. Future
and they traveled five times as far in them as they did
books will provide information about other interesting
by train. Regular bus services ran through major cities,
settings.
and short hop airline services were in place across the
entire country.
Daily Life Most of the cars on the roads were still the simple,
slow models produced by Ford in the previous decade,
The 1920s began with a post-war recession, then ex-
and most of the roads were still the unpaved dirt paths
ploded into one of the largest economic booms the
built for horses and carts. But car models and technol-
Unites States has ever seen, only to come tumbling
ogy were changing rapidly, and the Federal Highway
down again with the stock market crash of 1929. This
Act of 1921 created decent two-lane roads between
decade saw the beginnings of many aspects of today’s
most major cities. These well-traveled highways were
society. Telephones and automobiles became common-
lined with traffic signs, electric traffic lights, and the
place, women moved into the workforce, and mass ad-
first franchised filling stations.
vertising teemed up with radio broadcasters and credit
Air travel was a novelty in 1920, but by the end of
banks to jump start the consumer economy.
the decade it was commonplace. Some of the largest
airlines, like United and PanAm, were just getting off
Work the ground with flights between major cities. Coast-to-
coast airmail service reduced the time to send letters
As more and more laborers moved from farms to the
growing number of factories in the cities, the modern and packages from New York to San Francisco from
work week began. Henry Ford’s assembly line ideas had weeks to just days. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh proved
been adopted by many other industries, which now re- that nonstop flights across the Atlantic were possible,
quired every worker to show up on schedule and main- and interest in air travel increased dramatically.
tain output. A strong middle class emerged which could With no commercial flights between America and
afford their own homes and automobiles. They couldn’t Europe, ocean liners were going strong and still the only
always afford to live where they worked, so morning way to cross the Atlantic, but their days were numbered.
commutes began, as well as traffic jams. The transatlantic ships were grand affairs, floating pal-
Labor shortages and mandatory schooling during aces with ballrooms, live entertainment and expensive
the First World War had created more opportunities for furnishings. Most ships also had small, cramped steer-
women to work outside the home, and millions of them age rooms on the lower decks for immigrants and tour-
did. Some of them kept their wartime jobs in factories ists on a budget.
and other professions that were traditionally reserved
for men. The image of an independent working woman
developed. She lived on her own, flouted old behavioral
Communication
Before the 1920s, Americans got their news from the
codes, and probably smoked filtered cigarettes to show
local newspaper. They communicated with friends and
how far she had come.
family in person or by letter, and listened to live music,
Typical wages ranged from $1,000 a year for fac-
or maybe a Victrola. By 1930, about half the homes in
tory and office workers to $5,000 or more for middle
the country had telephones and most of the rest were
management. Wealthy businessmen, celebrities, and
eager to be connected. Pay phones were available on
mob bosses could make millions. Pensions and unions
most busy city streets and a call cost only a few cents.
became more common, but were often accused of being
Local newspapers still thrived, as did tabloid “Jazz Jour-
communist. Servants, who were once common among
nalism,” but the new national radio networks, like the
the middle class, became a luxury of the rich as the
National Broadcasting Company and the Columbia
middle class made do with new labor-saving devices
Broadcasting System, began broadcasting across the
like washing machines, vacuum cleaners and electric
country. The iconic scene of the family gathered to lis-
mixers.
ten to their favorite music or entertainment program
had arrived. Hand-held radios were still decades away, 23
 so military units and anyone who needed point-to- knickers or baggy Oxford pants, argyle socks, and
2 point communication used portable telephone units
connected by wires.
sweater vests.
While the younger generation experimented with
new, lighter fashions, more traditional Americans fell
in line behind the etiquette advice of Emily Post. In
Fashion her books, she laid down firm rules like “you must never
Fashions, especially young woman’s fashions, changed wear an evening dress and a hat! And never wear a day
dramatically during the 1920s. The confident, carefree dress without one.”
“flappers” established the major trends with their simple,
lightweight dresses, basic hosiery, smaller hats and short
haircuts. Before the 1920s, women who wore makeup Pasttimes
were assumed to be of questionable morals, but mass The booming economy, regular work hours, and easier
marketing and a deliberate rejection of old restrictions travel of the 1920s opened up a wide range of new lei-
changed those attitudes almost completely by the end sure activities. Americans went to the cinema more than
of the decade. Of course, wearing pants, which many ever before, saw more shows on Broadway, and bought
women began to do, was still inexcusable. The young more magazines. They took road vacations, increased
men who accompanied the flappers were called “sheiks,” the national obsessions with baseball and football, and
and they maintained their own fash- discovered dieting and exercise with the help of Charles
ion gap with their three-piece- Atlas.
suit elders. They slicked their Movies were silent and people packed huge movie
hair and parted it down palaces that could seat thousands. They got news from
the middle, wore the newsreels before the main show and got to see their
first “talkie” in 1927. Movie idols like Rudolph Valen-
tino drew them in and showed them how to be fashion-
able.
Music got a boost from new radio programs and
corporate sponsors. Jazz was everywhere, and Ameri-
cans polarized over whether they loved it or saw it as
the moral downfall of the country. They even took
a brief, but enthusiastic interest in “hillbilly mu-
sic.”
People took vacations by car, and within a few
years the highways were lined with diners, bill-
boards, campgrounds, and the new automobile-
friendly hotels called “motels.” Train travel de-
creased dramatically and car repair became a big
business.

Prohibition
Besides jazz, flappers, and economic
good times, the 1920s is most re-
membered for the crime and corrup-
tion that seeped into society through
the financial doorways opened by
prohibition. The Eighteenth Amend-
ment of 1917 and the Volstead Act of
1919 severely restricted the manufac-
ture and public sale of alcohol. Exist-
ing criminal organizations that had
survived on drug trade, prostitution,
protection rackets and imaginative cons
found bootlegging and rum-running to
be very profitable, low-risk ventures.
Raids on speakeasies were rare, and
generally resulted in only modest fines
24 for the patrons. The speakeasy was usu-
ally shut down, but often opened again in a month or The bureau’s agents were generally better trained and
two under a different name. Some speakeasy owners got
around prohibition by calling their establishments pri-
better equipped to confront the gangs, and they could
concentrate a larger force for investigations and raids. 2
vate drinking clubs and handing out membership cards As members of a federal agency, the bureau’s agents
to customers. sometimes ignored local sensibilities, but they were se-
rious about process and new what it took to convict a
criminal in federal court.
Factions
The 1920s was a decade of relative peace abroad, but
intense, formative conflict at home. Dozens of factions Fraternities & Sororities
and organized groups vied for power and a piece of the Attendance at American colleges doubled during the
growing economic pie. 1920s, but college graduates still represented only an
elite fraction of the entire population. The young men
and women who formed social networks on college
Big Business campuses and in the growing number of national fra-
Legitimate businesses thrived in the heady atmosphere ternities and sororities would go on to run the coun-
of the mid-1920s. Banks and investment companies try’s government and its most powerful businesses. They
appeared and for the first time had ordinary working- formed secret societies, like Skull and Bones, whose
class customers. Local retailers expanded and stocked members favored each other for employment and busi-
new personal items like deodorant, as well as an ever- ness deals. They came off of the college campus with
increasing variety of dry and canned goods from the gi- untested, high-minded ideas about change and the fu-
ant, well-established food companies like Kellogg’s and ture, and they made many of them work.
General Mills.
Consumer credit combined with new advertising
opportunities on the radio, billboards, and in the grow- Gangs
ing selection of magazines created a marketing and sales Organized crime gangs, led by members of the mafia
bonanza. Americans shopped in record numbers at de- families from Italy and Sicily, had established them-
partment stores like Gimbel’s, Marshal Fields, and Ma- selves in America long before the 1920s. They made
cy’s. Dozens of companies copied Sears Roebuck and money through prostitution and protection rackets, but
began producing illustrated catalogs for consumers. prohibition fueled their growth into powerful, unchal-
The stock market crash of 1929 erased much of the lengeable tyrannies. These gangs supplied the thousands
accumulated profits of these businesses, but many of of illegal speakeasies and semi-legal drinking clubs with
the companies themselves survived and led the world of alcohol, and money poured in. Local police generally
commerce throughout the 20th century. didn’t interfere, because they received little or no fund-
ing from the Federal Government for enforcement
of prohibition and were usually underpaid and open
Bootleggers to bribes. By the end of the decade, mobsters like Al
Not everyone who defied the prohibition laws was a Capone in Chicago and Lucky Luciano in New York
gangster. Before the big gangs got into the business, were among the richest and most powerful men in the
small-time, enterprising bootleggers began distilling country.
alcohol and employing rum-runners to smuggle the
goods to the speakeasies. Though they were generally
less sophisticated and less violent than their gangster The Government
counterparts, they usually benefited from extensive lo- During the early 1900s, the people developed a general
cal knowledge and long-time connections in their com- distrust of the U.S. government, and the government, in
munities. Since they weren’t involved in other criminal turn, seemed to develop a distrust of the people. Amer-
activities, bootleggers often avoided the attention of the icans were swept up in the Red Scare of 1917, fear-
police and federal agents. ing that a copycat Bolshevik revolution was imminent
in the U.S. Their fears were encouraged by a series of
anarchist bombings aimed at prominent government
Bureau of Investigation officials and institutions, including the office charged
In 1924, J. Edgar Hoover became the head of the Justice with anti-Bolshevik investigations. President Hard-
Department’s Bureau of Investigation, which would ing’s administration was rife with corruption, includ-
eventually become the FBI. Initially only comprising a ing a number of blatant incidents of bribery, such as
few hundred special agents, the bureau grew as it took the Teapot Dome scandal. The heavy-handed tactics of
on prostitution and interstate crimes, becoming the J. Edgar Hoover’s Bureau of Investigation made some
primary arm of the government opposing organized American’s feel safer, but left others uneasy. 25
criminal gangs.
 Immigrants & Minorities so police had more freedom to investigate suspicious
2 Residual fear from the Red Scare and real concerns
about the nation’s ability to employ both its native citi-
situations and make arrests with little evidence, if they
believed they were promoting public safety.
zens and its immigrants led to a wave of xenophobia in
America. The most definitive result of this was a series
of anti-immigration laws, including the National Ori-
Unions
Powerful unions like the National Labor Union, the
gins Act of 1924, which significantly limited immigra- Knights of Labor, and the American Federation of La-
tion from Europe and completely cut off immigration bor existed long before the 1920s, but they moved to the
from Asia. The fears of white Americans also made forefront of politics in that decade. The unions included
possible the re-emergence of the Ku Klux Klan, which all sorts of workers, from factory workers to truck driv-
was once presumed dead but was suddenly marching ers to police officers. They pushed for the eight-hour
openly, in costume, through the streets of Washington work day and the elimination of child labor, and they
D.C. The targets of the new KKK’s wrath included Af- began to feel the power of city-wide strikes and col-
rican Americans, Asians, Catholics, Irish immigrants, lective bargaining for wages. Workers credited them
and union organizers. with significant improvements in working conditions,
but enemies of the unions accused them of being com-
National Guard munists and of plotting a Bolshevik-style revolution in
the United States.
With the Bureau of Investigation struggling to deal
with organized crime, the U.S. Marshals undermanned
and local police unmotivated to do anything without
federal funding, state governors were often forced to use
Equipment
their National Guard or state militia to keep order in
potentially volatile situations. When police in Boston
& Services
The following tables present the equipment and services
went on strike, for instance, the state militia had to step
available in the United States in the 1920s. Many of the
in. These “citizen soldiers” were poorly trained for the
items listed in the equipment tables in True20 Adven-
situations they were thrust into and it’s a credit to their
ture Roleplaying are also available in the 1920s, and the
leadership that more terrible situations didn’t result.
costs remain the same because the Wealth system scales
with inflation.
Police
Most urban police officers in the 1920s were beat cops,
walking a few blocks of the city. Rural police gener-
Adventuring Gear
It’s hard to say what equipment a hero might need dur-
ally waited at their station for someone to call with a
ing an adventure, but devices that provide basic needs of
complaint, while some patrolled in automobiles. Local
light, shelter and communication are a good start.
police dealt with local crime and were usually happy
to hand over responsibility for organized or interstate
crime to federal agents. Police would typically pursue Portable Telephone Unit
gang members only when they killed or injured local A portable telephone unit consists of two rather bulky,
citizens. battery-powered telephone handsets and receivers at
Police officers were generally armed with revolv- either end of a two hundred foot roll of double wire.
ers or shotguns and carried clubs. The 1920s predate Parties at either end can speak to each other as if they
Miranda rights and close scrutiny of arrest procedures, had a normal telephone connection.

Table 2-1: Adventuring Gear

Gear Size Cost
Portable Telephone Unit Medium 13
Radio Transceiver Medium 21
Box Camera Small 9
Digging Tool Medium 4
Film Tiny 5
Flashlight Tiny 4
Photo Developing Lab Large 13
26
Tent Medium 9
Radio Transceiver Tent
A radio transceiver can send and receive voice signals
over hundreds of miles, or Morse code signals over
This is a standard canvas 4-person tent suitable for
camping down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. It can be
2
thousands of miles. A transceiver fits into a large suit- packed up in a bag about the size of a suitcase.
case and includes a microphone, a separate speaker box,
and a Morse code key. Operating a transceiver under
normal conditions requires a successful Difficulty 10 Weapons
Knowledge (technology) check. Morse code is not a Many of the weapons in True20 Adventure Roleplaying
separate language, but is known by anyone with at least are available in the 1920s, but the following weapon de-
4 ranks in Knowledge (technology). scriptions provide more specifics on the firearms of the
period.

Box Camera
A box camera is a film camera which has a lens mount- Colt .45 Revolver
ed on one side and a track system for film rolls inside These are the original large caliber six-shot revolvers.
the opposite wall. Some box cameras open up so the they are more common in rural areas and the American
lens can extend along a track, shielded by an accordion West, where longer range is important.
bellows.
Deringer Pistol
Digging Tool A Derringer is a very small, single shot pistol. It is often
A digging tool could be an axe, shovel, spade or pick. carried concealed within clothing.

Film Elephant Gun

This is a standard roll of photographic film in a foiled An elephant gun is a very large caliber rifle firing
paper wrapper. Any portion of the film exposed to light rounds similar in weight and size to a shotgun slug. It is
is ruined. Each roll is enough for 24 photographs. designed for maximum stopping power and gained its
name because a shot fired from it could penetrate the
thick front skull plate of a charging elephant.
Flashlight
This is a standard 3-cell flashlight about 10 inches long.
It illuminates a cone-shaped area 30 feet long and 15 M&P .38 Revolver
feet wide at the far end. The batteries last for 3 hours. The M&P is a small six-shot revolver that fires .38
special ammunition. Relatively cheap and reliable, this
handgun is used by everyone from police to bank rob-
Photo Developing Lab bers.
A photo lab includes developing solutions, red safe-
lights and an enlarger. It can be used to make negatives
and prints from exposed film. Thompson Submachine Gun
Often referred to as the “Tommy” gun, this machine gun,
with its distinctive circular drum canister, is a favorite
of bank robbers and mobsters. The drum holds enough
ammunition for 10 autofire bursts. A more manageable

Table 2-2: Weapons

Damage Damage Range
Weapon Critical Size Cost
Bonus Descriptor Increment
Colt .45 Revolver +4 20/+3 Ballistic 40’ Medium 18
Derringer Pistol +2 20/+3 Ballistic 20’ Tiny 14
Elephant Gun +6 20/+3 Ballistic 50’ Large 19
M&P .38 Revolver +3 20/+3 Ballistic 30’ Small 16
Ballistic,
Thompson Submachine Gun +4 20/+3 40’ Large 18
Autofire
Winchester Repeating Rifle +4 20/+3 Ballistic 50’ Large 17
27
Double-Barrel Shotgun +5/+6 20/+3 Ballistic 30’ Large 16
 Table 2-3: Vehicles
2 Vehicle Strength Speed Defense Toughness Size Cost
Bicycle 10 20 mph 10 6 Medium 12
Curtis Jenny
25 75 mph 6 8 Huge 27
Biplane
Model A
35 50 mph 8 8 Huge 23
Panel Truck
Model T 20 40 mph 9 7 Large 21
Packard
30 60 mph 8 9 Huge 28
Roadster
Rolls Royce 35 60 mph 8 9 Huge 33

box magazine is also available, holding enough rounds

for 5 autofire bursts.
Model T
Henry Ford set out to produce affordable automobiles
for everyone, and the Model T was the result. Despite
Winchester Repeating Rifle being relatively small, very basic in its amenities, and
This is the classic lever-action repeating rifle that won not terribly comfortable, the Model T quickly filled the
the West. The most common Winchester uses 30-30 roadways and jammed the streets of large cities.
ammunition and an internal tube magazine below the
barrel that can hold up to 15 rounds. Packard Roadster
While Ford produces affordable cars for the masses,
Double-Barrel Shotgun Packard creates beautifully-designed and detailed road-
The double-barrel shotgun provides two shots before sters and touring sedans for movie stars and heads of
reloading is required, or both rounds can be fired to- state. These automobiles are also very well engineered.
gether for greater damage. A shotgun does +5 damage
with a +2 bonus to hit due to its spread. This bonus does
not apply when firing slugs, but the damage increases
Rolls Royce
The Rolls Royce Silver Ghost and Phantom are the
to +6. Increase the damage by an additional +1 if firing height of automobile luxury. These cars are designed
both barrels at once. with more luxurious back seats, assuming that anyone
wealthy enough to own one will have a chauffeur.
Vehicles
In the 1920s, the people of the United states began to
get serious about owning their own automobiles. Horse-
Transportation
The 1920s saw a shift in long distance travel from rail-
drawn carts, which were still common in many places at roads to motor cars and airplanes. The increase in op-
the beginning of the decade, were a novelty by the end. tions and the booming economy meant far more travel
overall.
Bicycle
This is a basic, single-speed utility bicycle with a front
lever brake and a basket for carrying small items.
Airline Ticket
(New York to Boston)
This is a one-way trip on a small aircraft carrying up to
Curtis Jenny Biplane 10 passengers. The combined boarding and flight time
The Jenny made its way into civilian life after serving is about three hours.
as a trainer during the war. Americans use it as a crop
duster, a stunt plane, and a toy for the wealthy. It’s easy
to fly and relatively cheap to operate. Local Cable Car,
Subway, or Bus Fare
Model A Panel Truck Subways and buses are available in major cities and are
The Ford Motor company produces a version of the re- often the best way to get across town. This represents
liable model A with a closed compartment behind the the cost of a single trip of up to 10 miles.
28 driver’s seat. It is very useful for small businessmen and
delivery services.
 Table 2-4: Transportation
Transportation Cost 2
Airline Ticket (New York to Boston) 15
Local Cable Car, Subway, or Bus Fare 3
Local Cab Fare 4
Train Ticket (New York to Boston) 6
Transatlantic Liner Passage 19
Transatlantic Liner Passage (Steerage) 13

Local Cab Fare Appliances &

Taxi cabs aren’t as cheap as mass transit, but they get
you exactly where you want to go and can generally get Household Items
there faster. While the world outside was being transformed by au-
tomobiles and airplanes, things where changing just as
fast in the new middle class homes. Modern consumer-
Train Ticket ism was born, and manufacturers were happy to provide
(New York to Boston) new products.
Two hundred thousand miles of railroad track criss-
cross America. Even with the rise of the motor car,
trains remain the preferred way to travel long distances.
Grand Piano
This is the parlor version of the great grand pianos used
This item represents the cost of a single trip from New in concert halls. It’s about 6 feet wide.
York to Boston, which takes about six hours. Cross-
country trips can cost considerably more and take four
or five days. Locking Trunk
This is a large wooden traveling trunk that can hold
about 4 cubic feet. In includes sturdy metal framing and
Transatlantic Liner Passage a latch with an average lock.
This is a standard cabin on board one of the luxury
ocean liners crossing the Atlantic. It includes food, en-
tertainment and other personal amenities. Radio
This is a standard, but stylish household radio receiver
about the size of large bread box. It requires electricity
Steerage and has a few simple controls on the front.
Steerage passengers on transatlantic ocean liners did
not get their own cabins and were supplied with the
simplest meals. This ticket entitles a passenger to their Refrigerator
own bunk in a long, dark room lined with double or This is a free-standing metal box with two compart-
triple bunks on the lower decks of an ocean liner. Steer- ments, a large one that keeps things cold and a small
age passengers have only limited access to small areas one that freezes them.
of open deck.

Table 2-5: Appliances & Household Items

Item Size Cost
Grand Piano Huge 27
Locking Trunk Large 11
Radio Medium 19
Refrigerator Huge 20
Telegram (60 words) – 4
Telephone Service (per month) – 5
Typewriter Medium 17
29
Vacuum Cleaner Large 14
 Table 2-6: Miscellaneous Items
2 Item Size Cost
Cinema Ticket – 3
Mink Coat Large 29
Opera Ticket – 7
Pocket Watch Tiny 7

Telegram Miscellaneous Items

This is a short message of up to 60 words, transmitted The costs and descriptions of most clothing and per-
to just about anyone in the world by Morse code over sonal items in True20 Adventure Roleplaying are valid
radio or cable. Telegrams remain the only practical way for the 1920s, but the following items may add addi-
to communicate quickly with people overseas. tional period flavor.

Telephone Service Cinema Ticket

This is a single admission to one of the huge movie pal-
(One Month) aces. It includes the silent main feature, and possibly a
Telephones in the home are generally provided by and
newsreel or other short features.
owned by the phone company, which also does all the
wiring. This single monthly cost provides unlimited lo-
cal calling. Long distance calls can be very expensive Mink Coat
and are not available in may areas. The mink coat is a bold sign of wealth and style, for
men and women. Dozens of good quality mink pelts are
required for each coat.
Typewriter
This is a standard Underwood style ribbon ink type-
writer. Opera Ticket
This is a single ticket to a popular New York opera
house.
Vacuum Cleaner
This time-saving electric device produces suction that
cleans carpets, drapes and other surfaces Pocket Watch
Though wristwatches are becoming more popular, many
gentlemen still carry ornate pocket watches attached by
a thin chain to a waistcoat or belt loop.

30
2

31
3 Chapter 3: Narrating
Shadows of Cthulhu
The Cthulhu Horrifying Aliens
These are not the aliens of traditional science fiction.
Mythos Setting They don’t travel through space in sleek metal ships or
demand to see our leaders. Many of them glide through
I...was drawn back through nameless aeons and inconceiv-
able dimensions to worlds of elder, outer entity at which the interstellar space without ships, even crossing the folds
crazed author of the Necronomicon had only guessed in the of time and space to reach Earth. Many are already here,
vaguest way. I was told of the pits of primal life, and of the and were here long before the human race took its first
streams that had trickled down therefrom; and finally, of bipedal steps and fashioned its first tools. Their alien
the tiny rivulet from one of those streams which had become motivations are incomprehensible. They may have out-
entangled with the destinies of our own earth. posts hidden in the hills where they mine the Earth’s
- H.P. Lovecraft, The Whisperer in the Darkness rare metals. They may be the last remnants of a primor-
dial civilization destroyed by even more terrible enemies
The essential element of Lovecraft’s horror is the hu- or imprisoned by strange supernatural forces. They may
man race’s ignorance of the true nature of the universe. be unimaginably powerful and godlike, floating mind-
Our sense of superiority over nature, our post-Newto- lessly in the interstellar voids and imposing an order in
nian scientific explanations, and our timelines of the the universe that appears insane to the limited human
past and maps of the present, pieced together from the mind. Or they may just want to remove our brains.
faintest of clues and a human-centric bias, are all wrong.
Horrible, mindless creatures of unfathomable motiva-
tions, inconceivable age, and godlike power are truly in
Timeless Locations
The hidden places of the world are filled with abandoned
control and care nothing about our race. It is only by alien outposts, and worship sites where prehistoric hu-
chance, and through no virtue of our own, that we have mans or unthinkably older, non-human races sacrificed
survived without permanent enslavement, unspeakable captured enemies to their gods. Millions of years of dis-
torment, mass insanity, or oblivion. carded artifacts, indecipherable runes and disturbing ar-
Our ignorance is a gift that allows us to live our lives chitecture give enough hints about the original purpose
in our self-constructed reality of families, friends and of these sites to drive ordinary humans insane. There are
day-to-day activities. It is a veil that is only drawn aside alien cities high in the mountains of Antarctica, min-
by a few individuals who risk death and insanity to learn ing outposts in the remote Vermont hills, massive, pre-
the truth. Celtic temples in huge caverns beneath English estates,
and secret worship sites along the Massachusetts coast.
Themes Some of these sites are still in use by degenerate descen-
dants of their original creators.
Lovecraftian horror stories draw from a set of common
themes and situations to create their otherworldly ter-
ror. These same themes drive most of the horror and Ancient Books
adventure in Shadows of Cthulhu. The history of the human race is a brief interlude in
the vast eons of the Earth and the universe. We know
almost nothing about the sentient events that span the
Mindless Deities millions of years that precede us and the eons that will
The universe is under the control of a pantheon of large-
come after we are gone. It is primarily through books
ly formless and mindless beings that exist in the void
that the slender threads of Mythos knowledge wind
between stars or the folds between dimensions. They
their way from the distant past into our modern civili-
generally have no personal interaction with humans,
zation. Most of these books are very ancient and cryptic,
though some of them can be contacted for various fa-
penned by half-mad sages and prophets who lived near
vors, and their avatars sometimes visit Earth disguised
the dawn of written language. Yet scholars have dared
as humans. It is almost impossible to have any contact
to translate these ancient tomes into modern languages,
with these abhorrent creatures without becoming seri-
and even to subject them to careless replication using
ously mentally unhinged.
32 the printing press.
Family Secrets own acquired powers to destroy their enemies or bring
Ancient families often possess secret, antediluvian
knowledge and pass it down to new generations. Their
their insanity to the entire world. Some of them walk
among us, gathering together in unimaginably horrid 3
secret could be a hereditary mutation, the practice of temples hidden in the center of modern civilization.
some ancient and criminal ritual, or a symbiotic rela-
tionship with an alien race. These families generally stay Interrelated Mythos
within a small geographic region and are often seen as Each and every mysterious supernatural object or event
strange by the locals. Members of the family who reject adds to the troubling sense that there is a single unified
their heritage either disappear or go public with their structure behind everything. At the core of the Mythos
secret and spend the rest of their lives locked in an asy- floats a pantheon of twisted gods and powerful beings.
lum. Humans who discern even a glimpse of this ultimate
cause or purpose are labeled as insane by society and
Supernatural Science removed from general contact and communication. Yet
the strange black obelisk in the mountains of Turkey
The boundaries of science are as limitless as the bound-
aries of the supernatural, and at some point the two are is linked with the mutilated, partially dissolved body
indistinguishable. Science can restore lifelike anima- found in the streets of Chicago. The blood-red vines
tion to a corpse. It can remove a person’s brain, yet leave engulfing coffee plantations in Peru are key to the plans
them still able to interact with the outside world. It can of a strange cult in Germany. And the aging Benedic-
give us glimpses of the past and the future and make ad- tine monk confined to a cell in an asylum because of his
vanced aliens indistinguishable from supernatural gods. rants about Azathoth and the Elder Gods is more in
But taking science too far always has a terrible price. touch with reality than the rest of the human race.

Insane Cults Malevolent Towns

The rites, rituals and supernatural relationships of an- Some small towns have been isolated from the outside
cient humans are horrifying to modern, civilized people. world and under the influence of strange cults or aber-
The old races knew of the elder, alien gods and wor- rant creatures for so long that they have become twisted
shiped them, offering up terrible sacrifices and serving mockeries of their charming past. To travelers passing
their deities in their unfathomable plans. In exchange, through, they may appear as welcoming and quaint as
these ancient races of humans received supernatural ever, but visitors staying for any length of time will find
powers, or were transformed into entirely new species plenty of unfriendly locals and hear plenty of hints that
to better serve their masters. The knowledge and rituals staying too long is a bad idea. The ancient habits and
of some of these ancients have been preserved or redis- rituals of the local population are often outside the law,
covered by secretive cults or passed down by generations or so morally unacceptable that the wrath of polite so-
of impossibly old and barely human families. Some of ciety would fall on them if discovered.
these demented groups hide in solitude, working toward
the day when they can summon their god or use their

33
 Hidden Urban Heroes in Shadows of Cthulhu go from the ordinary
3 Neighborhoods
to the extraordinary. They may start out as college pro-
fessors, beat cops and school teachers innocently going
The large, old, densely-populated cities of Europe and about their everyday business, but some shared event
America contain strange neighborhoods of surprisingly throws them together at the threshold of the super-
old buildings and disturbingly ancient culture. Visitors natural. Together they investigate mysterious sightings,
can only reach these huddled, oppressive barrios at cer- crimes without rational motivations, or the manifesta-
tain times of day, or through half-hidden narrow alley- tions of a family curse. Clue after clue leads them to-
ways, or by passing beyond closed gateways or through ward conclusions their minds aren’t willing to make,
hedgerows commonly thought impassible. The aimless until finally they confront irrefutable evidence of some
wanderer stands a better chance of stumbling upon terrible horror. Each new adventure leads them further
these neighborhoods than does any deliberate and de- into the unknown and leaves them uniquely qualified
termined searcher. to recognize and deal with the next revelation of the
Mythos.
Each adventure is a mystery that draws the heroes
Pagan Holidays in. They will study old documents, carefully watch the
Many of the rites and rituals of the Cthulhu Mythos are
movements of suspicious people, and secretly investigate
tied to special days, either annual holidays like Yule-
old tombs, abandoned buildings and bizarre scientific
tide and Walpurgisnacht, or days that come only once
laboratories. They will fight evil cult members and ser-
in centuries, heralded by the alignment of planets and
vant creatures summoned from other dimensions. They
stars. These holidays are not arbitrary days on the cal-
will get hurt and go mad and hopefully get better again.
endar, but precise temporal points where the laws of the
When they reach the adventure’s horrifying conclusion,
universe change. It is on these special days that certain
they may have to sacrifice much to save the kidnapped
rituals can be performed, gates open to other worlds,
child, destroy a terrible creature, or keep cataclysmic
and ancient cities rise from the deep ocean floor.
events from unfolding. If they succeed, they find that
the answers only lead to more questions.
Dreams As the campaign progresses from adventure to ad-
Dreams are a completely separate existence, either venture and the heroes see themselves primarily as in-
vaguely remembered or completely forgotten by our vestigators of the Mythos, their original identities fade
waking souls. While we dream, or spirits wander the to the status of convenient disguises. The terrible knowl-
real world unfettered by space and time, or slip into the edge they gain and the mental and physical disorders
hauntingly beautiful and fearful Dreamlands. While that inevitably afflict them make their normal life im-
dreaming, people see the past and the future, visit worlds possible. Their friends don’t understand them anymore,
orbiting other stars, and fight titanic battles against and their jobs and families are no longer a priority. Their
forces of which our waking selves only catch glimpses. actions may draw suspicion from civil authorities who
To the benefit of our own sanity, this other life usually can’t comprehend what’s happening, so the heroes may
lies unremembered. end up as fugitives.
As the heroes face threat after threat, they begin
to see a pattern emerging. Each individual adventure
Adventure Style might relate back, through a name, a strange symbol, or
the smell of a rare flower, to a hidden organization with
& Atmosphere apocalyptic plans for the world. And only the heroes
Horror roleplaying is different. It’s not fantasy or super- can stop them.
hero roleplaying, where violence is usually the answer Tragically, it’s likely that the heroes’ ultimate reward
and there is a sense that heroes will grow ever-more will be debilitating insanity or a horrible death. But
powerful, maybe even god-like in the end. As in mod- the story of how they got there will be well worth re-
ern action or adventure roleplaying, the heroes investi- telling.
gate and must use their wits, only resorting to combat
when they can’t avoid it. But horror roleplaying also has
an atmosphere of dread of the unknown and ultimate Dream Journeys
doom that doesn’t exist in other settings. This tragic Dreams are a key part of many Cthulhu Mythos stories.
fatalism has a liberating effect, encouraging players to Visions come in dreams, and the Great Old Ones use
develop heroes with depth of character instead of maxi- them as a way to communicate with the weak minds of
mized statistics, with defining flaws instead of universal humans.
powers. Ironically, the often short-lived heroes of horror Entire arcs of Mythos fiction take place in a sepa-
roleplaying seem to develop the most character. rate, shared reality known as the Dreamlands. When
34
humans dream, they sometimes move about the mate-
rial world in incorporeal forms invisible to those who be as easy as having them come across an unexplained
are awake. Other times they descend the seventy steps
to the Cavern of Flame, where the priests Nasht and
murder reported in the newspaper, or hearing rumors of
odd events from a stranger. 3
Kaman-tha guard the entrance to the vast world of the Here are some suggested hooks, along with the types
Dreamlands, where eons can pass in a single night. But of heroes they might draw in.
these fantastic dreams are always forgotten upon awak- Investigation: The hero is sent by a client or boss
ening, or remembered through such a haze and with to investigate disappearances, murders or other strange
such uncertainty that the existence of a separate reality events. This hook works well for police detectives, pri-
goes unknown to all but a few humans. vate eyes, spies, FBI investigators, and journalists.
Humans take on a whole new form while dreaming. Medical Emergency: The hero is sent into the situ-
Each person has a specific dream form in the real world ation to aid the sick, wounded or mentally unstable. This
and another in the Dreamlands. Dream selves in the hook works for nurses, doctors, and psychiatrists.
real world are sometimes ethereal versions of the wak- Personal Friend: A close friend of the hero saw
ing creature, like ghosts unable to interact with those something or was a victim of events leading into the ad-
around them. In rare cases, real world dreamers take the venture, and the hero becomes involved when the friend
form of unseen entities made up of energy and thought, sends a telegram or a letter or goes missing. This hook
capable of destroying whole worlds. Dream selves in the works for any hero who is likely to have close friends
Dreamlands have a form similar in physical appearance in the area.
to their waking selves, but much more ancient and very Enemy: Someone the hero has offended or thwarted
different in abilities and experience. in the past is involved in the adventure and has decided
Heroes who are aware of the reality of dreams can the hero should suffer. The hero may be directly targeted
learn the Dream skill. Heroes with the Dream skill by strange powers, or a friend or family member bay be
can control whether they dream in the real world or taken as a human sacrifice. This hook works for any hero
the Dreamlands, and they can remember their dreams who has an enemy that might be involved in the adven-
when they awake. They may also be able to use the skills ture somehow and is especially useful when the hero has
and powers of their waking self while dreaming. made many enemies in past adventures.
Physical damage and physical disorders inflicted on Family Member: A family member is involved in
a dream self do not affect the waking self. Mental disor- the events leading up to the adventure, and authorities
ders acquired by the dream self do affect the waking self contact the hero when the family member disappears or
if the dreams are remembered. When humans die in the dies. There may be an inheritance involved. This hook
waking world, their dream selves live on in their respec- works for anyone who might have family living or trav-
tive realms. When a dream self dies, the waking world eling in the area.
human no longer dreams of that dream self ’s realm. Scientific Colleague: A Colleague in the hero’s
field of scientific work knows some of what’s going on
and asks the hero to come help study the situation. The
Dream Selves Colleague may fall victim to events before the hero even
If Heroes will be adventuring through the dreamlands, arrives. This hook works for scientists, linguists and pro-
the Narrator may want to prepare character sheets for fessors.
their dream selves ahead of time. It may be exciting for Confession: A member of the clergy hears the con-
the heroes to discover that the forms they take in their fession of a person, possibly a dying person, who was
dreams are consistent and playable as separate charac- somehow responsible for starting the events of the ad-
ters. Entire campaigns could take place in the dream- venture, or knew what was happening and was afraid to
lands while the waking world heroes sleep for a single tell anyone. This hook works for members of the clergy
night. and psychiatrists.
Artifact: The hero comes across a strange artifact
Getting the somewhere. The artifact is so unusual or provocative
that it warrants investigation. It could be a letter tucked
Heroes Involved in an old book, a grotesque statue, the body of an un-
Initially the heroes know nothing about the Mythos identifiable creature, or a piece of driftwood with the
and go about their mundane lives. Sometimes the most name of a missing ship carved into it. This hook works
difficult part of running an adventure is getting the he- for any hero curious enough to investigate the origins
roes involved. This process is called the hook. of the artifact.
For the first adventure, you probably need a hook Dream or Vision: The hero has a vivid dream or
tailored to each hero. Later, when all the heroes know waking vision related to the adventure. The hero can’t
each other, you will only need to hook one hero to bring forget about it and may even develop a mild mental dis-
the entire party in. As the heroes develop and see them- order because of it. The vision has enough real-world 35
selves as investigators of the Mythos, the hook may clues for the hero to begin investigating. This hook
 works for any hero as long as dreams and visions fit the ful nature of the universe. Encounters with these items
3 theme of the adventure.
Victim: The hero is directly involved in the ad-
can also cause insanity, as indicated in their specific de-
scriptions.
venture from the start, as a victim or direct witness to Some encounters may cause mental disorders from
events. This hook works well in the first adventure of a a broader category, such as communication disorders,
campaign, when it won’t seem too coincidental. phobias, or anxiety disorders. If a hero fails a save for
one of these categories, the Narrator can randomly de-
termine the specific disorder using the tables in Chap-
Inspirational Reading ter 4, or simply choose one that is appropriate for the
The best way to become familiar with the themes and hero and the situation.
general atmosphere of Shadows of Cthulhu is to read the A character can acquire the same mental or physical
works of H.P. Lovecraft and other Mythos authors that disorder multiple times, in which case the character has
he inspired. Lovecraft’s horror fiction consists mainly more than one level of a specific disorder. The effects of
of short stories which can be found in a variety of an- multiple levels stack as specified in the disorder’s de-
thologies. Complete listings of Lovecraft’s stories are scription.
available on the Internet, but the following stories are a Characters can acquire multiple levels of a disorder
good place to start. They are all available in The Best of during a single encounter. For every 10 points by which
H.P. Lovecraft from Del Rey Publishing. a character fails a Sanity save, add an additional level of
• The Call of Cthulhu the disorder. For example, a hero who needs to make
• The Dunwich Horror a Difficulty 22 Sanity save to avoid a mental disorder
• The Rats in the Walls would acquire two levels if the save is 12 or less, or three
• The Shadow out of Time levels if the result was 2 or less. Very disturbing encoun-
• The Shadow over Innsmouth ters can drive heroes insane very quickly.
• The Whisperer in the Darkness Once a hero has made a save, successful or not,
against a specific effect, they are generally immune to
Many other authors wrote stories that further devel- that effect from that creature or item for 24 hours. Note,
oped these themes of cosmic horror. Editors occasion- however, that a completely different creature or event
ally compile the important works of these authors into may inflict the same disorder, requiring a separate save.
anthologies like Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, from Del
Rey publishing.
Curing Insanity
Each mental disorder described in Chapter 4 can have
Insanity & Other very different effects on a hero, and the cures for each
may be very different. Barring some sort of supernat-
Impairments ural intervention, a hero must undergo the treatment
Adventures in Shadows of Cthulhu can expose heroes cure specified for their particular mental disorder. The
to horrible creatures and events that are dangerous and most common treatment is psychiatric care, which is
beyond the comprehension of their limited minds. The explained in the Psychiatry skill description in Chapter
result may be physical impairment or various forms of 1.
insanity. Insanity is a key part of Lovecraft’s fiction, and Heroes also have the option of spending Awareness
it is represented in Shadows of Cthulhu by a series of points to cure their mental disorders. This represents the
specific mental disorders, like phobias, addictions and heroes’ ability to overcome their insanities by facing the
delusions. Each mental disorder is described in detail in unknown and prevailing. In general it takes one Aware-
Chapter 4, including its effects on the hero’s actions. ness point to cure a single level of a mental disorder.
A hero who pays the Awareness cost to cure insanity
does not have to undergo the specified treatment cure.
Going Insane See the Awareness section later in this chapter for a full
The descriptions of each of the creatures in Chapter 6 explanation of how heroes acquire and spend Aware-
include the list of physical and mental disorders they ness points.
might inflict on a hero, as well as the saves required to Note that heroes who are fully cured of a disorder
avoid them. Some of these conditions are only a threat through treatment or by spending Awareness points
under specific situations, like prolonged contact or a can always acquire that same disorder at some point in
successful melee attack by the creature, but many are the future. They do not become immune.
brought on simply by the creature’s presence. To avoid
many of the mental disorders, the Heroes will have to
use the new Sanity save described in Chapter 1. The Keeping Insanity Secret
36 world of Shadows of Cthulhu also contains unnerving To build suspense, paranoia, and a little mystery, the
ancient locations and artifacts that hint at the true, aw- Narrator may want to keep mental disorders secret
from the heroes for as long as possible. If a hero ac- the Mythos, or the fact that the hero once lived above a
quires Sleepwalking from an encounter with a haunter
of the dark, the Narrator may keep it secret and just
buried ancient city.
When a hero is exposed to a Mythos trait, it be- 3
have the hero make Will saves every evening without comes available to the hero during play, provided they
telling them what they’re for. The hero might not realize pay Conviction point costs as described below.
the condition until someone witnesses one of his epi- Exposure to Mythos Skills: Most exposure to
sodes or he suddenly wakes up in an unexpected place. Mythos skills come from ancient books and inscrip-
tions. However, it is possible for a hero who has paid
an Awareness point and learned a Mythos skill to pass
Sanity in the some of that knowledge on to other intelligent creatures,
True20 Companion exposing them to that skill. This requires a successful
Chapter 4 of the True20 Companion presents addi- Difficulty 30 check in the exposed skill. The audience
tional rules for sanity, including a Mental Health Track is normally exposed verbally, but the exposure may be
for recording mental damage. These additional rules are passed on in writing by also succeeding on a Difficulty
summarized in Appendix A and are fully compatible 30 Language check, essentially creating a new Mythos
with Shadows of Cthulhu. You should feel free to intro- book for others to read. Any creature exposed to a My-
duce them into your campaign. If you do, your heroes thos skill in this way, either verbally or written, acquires
will no longer save to prevent specific insanities; instead a random mental disorder (Difficulty 12 Sanity).
they will make a single Sanity save to prevent damage Exposure to Mythos Feats: Some ancient books
from the Terror level of the encounter and record the describe Mythos feats like Mythos Familiar, Imbue
result on their Mental Damage Track. When mental Item, and Open Mind, providing a way for heroes to
damage reaches a specific level on the damage track, the gain exposure to them. Other feats reflect the hero’s
hero may acquire some form of insanity, which the Nar- background and the Narrator grants exposure to them.
rator could determine randomly or choose from those Heroes with a given Mythos feat have no ability to ex-
normally caused by the last creature encountered. pose others to it.
Exposure to Mythos Powers: Like other Mythos
traits, most exposure to Mythos powers comes from
Exposure & books. In addition, if a hero sees a power used from
start to finish and is able to concentrate the entire time,
Awareness that hero may make a Difficulty 15 Intelligence check
to remember the details of the power and become ex-
The secrets of the universe are hidden from mankind,
and only a few reckless souls go looking for them. Every posed to it.
once in a while, some hero may learn some fragment of
hidden information and actually manage to use it in the
fight to protect humanity.
Spending Conviction to Use
Exposed Mythos Traits
Heroes can spend a Conviction point to make use of
Exposure a Mythos trait they have been exposed to. This allows
Chapter 5 contains descriptions of new Feats, Powers the hero a single use of a power, provides the benefits
and Skills available only to those who know about the of a feat for one round, or grants 4 temporary ranks in
terrible secrets of the Cthulhu Mythos. In general, they a Mythos skill for the duration of a scene. If the power
will only be available to supernatural creatures and in- has prerequisite powers, the hero must also have been
sane human cultists. However, it is possible for a hero exposed to them.
to use these traits, as long as they have been exposed to In essence, all heroes in Shadows of Cthulhu have the
them. adept’s Talent core ability and the expert’s Expertise
The exact nature of exposure is left to the discretion core ability with respect to the Mythos traits they have
of the Narrator. Seeing a ritual spell cast from a dis- been exposed to. Mythos powers, feats and skills that a
tance probably doesn’t provide enough exposure for the hero has not been exposed to are not available for use,
hero to cast and learn the spell, but studying an ancient regardless of the hero’s core ability. For example, experts
book containing the spell could. Deities and powerful cannot use the Expertise core ability to gain temporary
Old Ones sometimes expose their human worshipers ranks in a Mythos skill they have not been exposed to.
to powers, skills and feats needed in their service, and If a hero with no adept levels spends a Conviction
these may be passed down through secret cults. point to use a power, it is possible that the calculation
The Narrator may decide that a hero was exposed of spell durations and effects based on adept level will
to an trait before play began. This could be due to the make the power useless. For any such calculations, as-
hero’s strange family background, earlier contact with sume the hero has at least one adept level. 37
 Awareness begins at first level as an adept, only multi-role heroes
3 Encounters with terrifying creatures, ruthless cults and
mind-twisting otherworldly artifacts will inevitably
who take at least one level of adept will be able to learn
Mythos powers.
take their toll on the heroes. The heroes will be wound-
ed, driven to insanity, and will probably be ostracized Supernatural Powers
by their community. But overcoming the terrible things
they encounter will give them confidence and an aware- From True20
ness of the true nature of the universe that few other The supernatural powers described in the core True20
humans possess. In Shadows of Cthulhu, this heightened rules are also considered Mythos powers and are subject
awareness is represented by Awareness points. to the same restrictions. This means that any power an
Awareness points are similar to Conviction points, adept acquires has to be revealed through exposure and
in that they are awarded at the discretion of the Nar- unlocked using Awareness points, regardless of whether
rator and are spent to provide some benefit to the hero, it came from the core True20 rules or Shadows of Cthul-
but they are generally awarded far less often and are hu. See Chapter 5 for more details.
used only for hero development – not to enhance or
control individual actions during play.
An Example of
Gaining Awareness Points Exposure & Awareness
The Narrator awards Awareness points when the heroes Journalist Lillian Brodie James and her friend Raymond
overcome some threat of the Mythos. The points may be Harding run into a group of Mi-go while investigating
awarded at the conclusion of a particularly dangerous or strange whistling sounds at an abandoned plantation.
difficult encounter, or at the end of an entire storyline. The Mi-go capture both heroes and restrain them. Lil-
In general, heroes should each receive 1 or 2 Awareness lian watches helplessly as the alien creatures use a strange
points per major storyline and no more than 4 points machine to remove Raymond’s brain and preserve it inside
during each level of heroic advancement. a metal cylinder. The creatures then hook the cylinder to an-
The Narrator can use Awareness points to influ- other machine. Raymond’s brain begins to speak in a metal-
ence the nature of the campaign. Giving out more than lic voice, and he seems to be able to see the world around him.
the recommended amounts will result in a more heroic Lillian manages to stay calm enough to pay close attention
campaign where the heroes have fewer crippling insani- to how the Mi-go operate their machines, so the Narrator
ties and learn more Mythos skills and powers. Award- determines that she has been exposed to the Mythos Knowl-
ing small amounts of Awareness points will result in edge (technology) skill.
fewer Mythos traits and inevitable insanity. While the MI-go are not around, Lillian escapes from
her restraints and decides she needs to understand the ma-
chines herself in order to help Raymond. She spends one
Spending Awareness Points Conviction point to gain 4 temporary ranks in Mythos
Players choose how to spend the Awareness points their Knowledge (technology). She succeeds on a skill check and is
heroes earn. They can use them to eliminate mental dis- able to turn on the machine that allows her to communicate
orders, or they can spend them to unlock Mythos abili- with Raymond’s brain. She convinces him to let her try to
ties. The cost of eliminating a mental disorder is one restore his brain to his body.
point per level of the disorder. Awareness points can be Since it’s still the same scene, Lillian doesn’t have to
spent at any time to eliminate levels of a mental disor- spend any more Conviction to use the Mythos Knowledge
der. (technology) skill to operate the surgical machinery. Her
The cost of unlocking a Mythos feat, skill or power check fails miserably, however, and Raymond dies. Lillian
is one point per feat or power, and one point per skill. manages to escape, but she is so haunted by Raymond’s death
In the case of skills like Mythos Knowledge that have that she decides to learn more about the strange technology
multiple specialties, one Awareness point must be spent that killed him. When she gains her next level of Investi-
to unlock each specialty. Unlocked traits are available to gator, she spends one Awareness point to unlock Mythos
heroes when they advance in level, as described below. Knowledge (technology) skill and puts some of her new skill
ranks in it.
Acquiring Mythos Traits
Heroes can acquire any unlocked powers, feats and skills
during character advancement as if they were normal
Adventure Ideas
This section presents some brief descriptions of possible
traits. There are no role restrictions on individual My-
Shadows of Cthulhu adventures, including ideas for how
thos feats – if a hero pays Awareness to unlock them,
38 to hook the heroes in. You can flesh them out and play
they’re available. As always, only adepts learn powers
when they advance. Since no hero in Shadows of Cthulhu
them, or just use them as models for your own original
Don’t Go Back
adventures.
to Mothvale
3
Call of the Cavmeads A member of the Great Race has swapped minds many
times with humans in this time period, and she finds our
The Cavmeads, an extended rural family of hunters,
bodies physically inferior. She believes she can create a
trappers and herdsmen, have kidnapped a child from
portal to the past and members of the great race can
the nearby town. The brain of the great-grandfather of
migrate to our time and establish an outpost safe from
the Cavmeads, Caleb Cavmead, was taken long ago by
the flying polyps. As an added benefit, humans can be
Mi-go and carried across the universe. Caleb’s brain re-
sent back through to the past for detailed study. She
turned from time to time, and the Mi-go that escorted
has swapped minds with a young researcher at Arkham
him enslaved members of the family while they were on
Industries named Milo Tullen and has started stealing
Earth. The knowledge passed on by Caleb drove some
equipment from labs to build a gate device. She intends
family members mad, but inspired others to thrive in
to open the gate it in a small hamlet named Mothvale
the world. Caleb and the Mi-go have not been back to
in the hills of Vermont.
Earth in many decades, so Eliot Cavmead, a student
Hero Hooks: One of the heroes may know Milo
at Miskatonic University, has plans to perform an an-
and notice his sudden strange behavior, or the heroes
cient ritual on a nearby mountain on Midsummer Eve
may be called in to investigate missing equipment at the
to contact the Mi-go and bring Caleb back. He needs a
labs. You could even replace Milo with a hero who has
human sacrifice to empower the spell.
a scientific job. If Milo’s plan goes unhindered, the he-
Hero Hooks: One of the heroes is from the town,
roes may get involved after many residents of Mothvale
or knows the child that disappeared and has reason to
have disappeared and members of the Great Race have
suspect the Cavmeads.
begun digging their underground chambers.

Max Macon,
Janitor Philosopher
Max Macon, the old janitor and mainte-
nance man at the Kingsport Historical
Museum, decided it was time to clean off
the strange film that had formed over the
years on a green runic stone. The stone had
been part of a pirate’s cache of ancient ar-
tifacts sold to the museum a century ago.
Max rubbed the stone with his clean-
ing cloth and noticed that the six-
pronged hieroglyph glowed brighter
the faster he rubbed. He stole the stone
and rigged up a rubbing machine in his
basement with a piece of rug and an
old pump motor. When the machine
rubbed the stone at high speed, the
markings glowed so brightly that the
neighbors noticed the light shining
from his lower windows. Max touched
the glowing stone and was immediately
in mental contact with the philosopher
insects of Jupiter’s fourth moon, Cal-
listo. His mind was filled with profound
thoughts and esoteric knowledge, and he
managed to write much of it down before
the effect wore off. Max now uses his rub-
bing machine daily. Copies of his poems and
essays, written under the pseudonym “Ento,”
are spreading cult-like throughout the region
and either fascinating readers into a sort of stupor or 39
 driving them insane. His keen, but untrained insights few bodies begin washing ashore, and the Navy claims
3 are also reflected in the strange rock carvings he’s cre-
ated around his home.
that, due to a series of unlikely accidents, they lost an
experimental submarine with all 17 crew members on
Hero Hooks: The heroes may find Max by follow- board. The underwater base was deliberately built near
ing the trail of strange, sometimes horrific events caused the deep one site and had sent teams in diving suits out
by the writings of Ento. They may have difficulty con- to investigate.
necting the plain-spoken janitor with Ento’s profound Hero Hooks: Before the attack, a young crew mem-
discourses, but they should eventually find his rubbing ber named Harris McJohn hid a small, disturbing idol
machine and the runic stone. in some personal effects and sent them home to his par-
ents. The heroes may know or hear about the McJohn
family’s idol and decide to investigate, or one of the
Beauty & the Abyss heroes may come across strange debris while traveling
Margaret Weathering, a beautiful and wealthy worship- along the coast.
er of Yog-sothoth who believes the Flying Polyps she’s
read about in the Pnakotic Manuscript are actually chil-
dren of Yog-sothoth, is determined to see if they still Heiram Gerber’s Journal
exist. After accounting for 150 million years of conti- A German explorer named Heiram Gerber, traveling
nental drift, she determined the current location of one alone in the remote mountains of northern India, came
of their massive underground labyrinths and invested across a village of Moani - rather short, wide-faced and
heavily in a nearby mining operation. She used her in- dark-skinned people who spoke an ancient Sanskrit
fluence to dig new test shafts which eventually struck a language of central Asia. Heiram lived with the Moani
huge underground chamber. An exploration team sent for weeks at a time and learned some of their language.
down into the chamber never returned, and one day a He learned that the Moani are immortal. Heiram told
freak tornado flattened every building and killed nearly no one of his discovery, hoping to keep the secret of
everyone in the small mining town. immortality to himself. He didn’t know that the Moani
Hero Hooks: The heroes could be survivors of the kept from aging by drawing life from humans they cap-
mining town’s destruction, or they may somehow dis- tured once a year on the plains below for sacrifice to
cover that Ms. Weathering has a fragment of the Pna- Shub-Niggurath on Mount Nagalaphu. When Heiram
kotic Manuscript, which may lead them to investigate climbed mount Naglaphu with the Moani, he discov-
her further. Perhaps they are called in by a junior fore- ered that they intended to sacrifice him. He fled across
man of the mining company to investigate, or maybe he the snow-covered mountainside and was killed in a long
confides in a hero who is a member of the clergy. fall to the glacier below. A small British survey plane
spotted his long-dead body and an expedition recov-
ered it. The authorities buried Heiram and forwarded
Revenge Served Cold his fanciful journals and artifacts to his nearest relative.
Deep ones and shoggoths have attacked and destroyed a Hero Hooks: One of the heroes may be the rela-
secret underwater naval base off the Atlantic coast. They tive who receives the journals and artifacts, or the rela-
attacked it in retaliation for the torpedo attacks on their tive may turn to the heroes for help. The relative may
city of Y’ha-nthlei in February of 1928, and because publish journal entries as fiction stories in “Pulp Tales”
it threatens a deep one breeding ground and frequent magazine, and the heroes may come across them and
feeding area of Father Dagon. Parts of the base and a realize their significance.

40
3

41
4 Chapter 4: Insanity
& Other Disorders
The world of the Cthulhu Mythos is so disturbing and ceed on a Difficulty 12 Will save or head home imme-
dangerous that it will almost certainly leave permanent diately by a quick, safe route.
scars upon heroes who venture into it. This chapter de- Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulties
scribes the mental and physical disorders inflicted by by 2.
encounters with Mythos creatures, artifacts, and knowl- Treatment: Treatable with psychiatric care.
edge.

Amnesia
Disorder Mental, Dissociative Disorder
Your mind has responded to the horrors you’ve wit-
Descriptions nessed by denying access to those memories, along with
many others. You may not even remember who you are
All of the disorders described in this chapter, whether
they are mental or physical, share a common set of char- sometimes. You still remember how to do all the things
acteristics. Each listing includes the following informa- you always did, but the details of specific past events are
tion: sketchy.
Disorder Name: This is how the disorder is referred Effects: Whenever you try to use an important
to in the bestiary and other sections of this book. piece of information that you gained during game play,
Disorder Type: This is mental or physical, and in- you must first succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will save or
cludes a category, such as control disorder or mutation you cannot remember it. You can check again every 24
disorder. hours to see if you remember.
Description: This is a detailed description of the Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty by
disorder. 2.
Effects: These are the specific effects on game play, Treatment: If you succeed on your Will save and
including trait modifiers and required saves. remember an important piece of information, you may
Stacking Effects: This explains what happens when attempt an additional Difficulty 20 Will save to remove
a hero is afflicted with the disorder more than one time. one level of Amnesia. Amnesia is also treatable with
Each additional acquisition of a disorder is referred to psychiatric care.
as a higher numeric level. So a hero who has acquired
Cannibalism three times has level 3 Cannibalism.
Treatment: This explains how to cure the disorder, Blindness
if a cure is possible. Many mental disorders are treat- Physical, Injury Disorder
able with psychiatric care. Physical disorders are often Physical injuries, explosions or bright flashes have per-
treatable using the Surgery skill. This section does not manently damaged your vision.
include cures that may be possible using supernatural or Effects: Your opponents have concealment from
Mythos powers. Note that any save Difficulties speci- you, so you have a 20 percent chance to miss in combat.
fied as part of treatment are not affected by stacking In addition, you suffer a -1 penalty on Strength-based
levels of the disorder. and Dexterity-based skill checks.
Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -1 pen-
alty to Strength-based and Dexterity-based skill checks.
Agoraphobia When you acquire your second level of Blindness, you
Mental, Anxiety Disorder move at half speed. When you have acquired 4 levels
Your fear of the unknown keeps you inside. You could of Blindness, you are completely blinded as described
go outside any time you feel like it, but you just never in the core True20 condition descriptions, and further
feel like it. Why go outside when it’s comfortable inside levels of Blindness have no effect on you.
and there are so many scary things out there and bad Treatment: Blindness is treatable with surgery. If
things that could happen to you? the surgery fails, no further surgical treatment is pos-
Effects: You must succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will sible for this disorder.
save to leave your home. You can try again every hour if
42 you fail. In addition, whenever you encounter a threat-
ening situation while away from home, you must suc-
Brain Damage 20 Fortitude save every 5 rounds to return to normal
Physical, Injury Disorder
You have had a serious head trauma that has left you
activity. This check is only required once per scene.
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty 4
by 2.
with debilitating brain damage. You sometimes can’t
Treatment: Catatonia is treatable with psychiatric
remember events of the recent past, and you may have
care.
trouble following complicated conversations.
Effects: Whenever you make an Intelligence check
or use an Intelligence-based skill, you must first make a
DC 12 Fortitude check or suffer a -2 Intelligence pen-
Compulsive Gambling
Mental, Control Disorder
alty due to a period of reduced mental function. The You see gambling as chance to get ahead without much
effects of this check last for the whole scene. This check effort. Even if you’re losing money at it, you believe you
is only required once per scene. have a special gift that will allow you to come out ahead
Stacking Effects: Increase the Fortitude save Diffi- in the end. If you’re not gambling, you’re just passing
culty by 2 and apply an additional -1 penalty to affected up all that opportunity, and someone else is winning
checks made during a reduced mental function episode. instead of you.
When your adjusted Intelligence ability score reaches Effects: You must make a Difficulty 12 Will save to
-6 or lower, you enter a Coma and remain unconscious pass up opportunities to gamble during play. Also, any
as long as this condition persists. time you receive a Wealth award during play, you must
Treatment: Brain damage is treatable with surgery. make a Difficulty 12 Will save or gamble it all away,
If the surgery fails, no further surgical treatment is pos- leaving your old Wealth score unchanged.
sible for this disorder. Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulties
by 2.
Cannibalism Treatment: Compulsive Gambling is treatable with
psychiatric care.
Mental, Control Disorder
Your desire to have power over others is intense, un-
controllable and irrational, and it manifests as cannibal-
ism. Eating someone is the ultimate expression of your
Deafness
Physical, Injury Disorder
dominance over them. Physical injuries, explosions or loud noises have perma-
Effects: When you encounter a dying or recently nently impaired your hearing.
deceased human, you must succeed on a DC 10 Will Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty to initiative checks
save or you are effectively dazed for the rest of the scene and a -2 penalty to Notice (listen) checks.
as you stop to eat. If you are physically removed from Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -1 pen-
the sight of the corpse, or it is taken away, you get an alty to initiative checks and an additional -2 penalty to
additional Will save to try to recover normal activity. Notice (listen) checks. When you have acquired 4 levels
At the end of any scene where you ate part of a friend of Deafness, you are completely deafened as described
or relative, you can attempt a Difficulty 20 Will save in the core True20 condition descriptions and further
to remove one level of Cannibalism, but you must also levels of Deafness have no effect on you.
make a Difficulty 12 San save to avoid gaining a ran- Treatment: Deafness is treatable with surgery. If the
dom mental disorder. surgery fails, no further surgical treatment is possible
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty for this disorder.
by 2.
Treatment: Cannibalism is treatable with psychiat-
ric care. De-evolution
Physical, Mutation Disorder
Something is causing your mind and body to devolve
Catatonia back to an earlier stage of human development.
Mental, Anxiety Disorder Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty to your Intelligence
When threatened, you retreat from the world by re- ability and gain a +1 bonus to Strength. Whenever you
maining completely still like a statue, sometimes in an are attacked, or take any attack action against an enemy,
awkward pose. Parts of your body may make small, re- or make a skill check under stress (in a situation where
petitive motions while in the catatonic state. you would not be able to take 10), you must first succeed
Effects: Whenever you are attacked, or take any at- on a Difficulty 12 Fortitude save or begin acting like a
tack action against an enemy, or make a skill check un- wild ape-man under the control of the Narrator. This
der stress (in a situation where you would not be able to wild episode lasts for one hour. If you fail this fortitude
take 10), you must first succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will save by 5 or more points, you gain an additional level of 43
save or become paralyzed. You may attempt a Difficulty De-evolution.
 Stacking Effects: Increase Fortitude save Difficulty may attempt a single Difficulty 12 Disguise check. If
4 by 2. Apply an additional -1 penalty to Intelligence and
an additional +1 bonus to Strength. When your Intel-
you succeed, you do not suffer the Charisma penalty
for that day.
ligence ability score reaches -4, you are permanently in Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -2 penal-
the wild state described above until your are cured of ty on Charisma checks and Charisma-based checks. In
this disorder. addition, increase the Disguise check Difficulty by 2.
Treatment: You may make a Fortitude 20 check Treatment: Disfiguration is treatable with surgery.
once per day as long as you are no longer exposed to the If the surgery fails, no further surgical treatment is pos-
creature or situation that caused this disorder and not in sible for this disorder.
a permanent wild state. If you succeed, remove one level
of De-evolution.
Explosive Disorder
Mental, Control Disorder
Delusions of Grandeur Sometimes the simplest annoyance sets you off and you
Mental, Psychotic Disorder lose control.
Insecurity over the terrible things you’ve been through Effects: Whenever you are ridiculed, take any attack
has forced your psyche to protect itself by becoming action against an enemy or make a skill check under
someone more secure, more important. You may believe stress (in a situation where you would not be able to
you are a famous doctor, or a powerful lawyer, or a busi- take 10), you must first succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will
ness owner, or a movie star, or a religious prophet, or you save or go into a violent rage. Mechanically, an Explo-
may switch between personae based on the situation. sive Disorder has the same effects as the Rage feat, but
Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty on Charisma. during the 5 rounds of raging, you have no control of
Whenever any ally makes a Charisma-based skill or your actions and attack the nearest creatures or large
ability check nearby, you must succeed on a Difficulty objects with whatever weapon is at hand. Once you
12 Will save or you can’t resist your sense of superior have had an explosive episode, you will not have any
competence and you step in to make the check yourself. more for the rest of that day.
The Narrator will decide when this Will check is ap- Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty
propriate. by 2.
Stacking Effects: Suffer an additional -1 penalty on Treatment: If you disable or wound a friend or rela-
Charisma, and increase Will save Difficulty by 2. tive during one of your explosive episodes, you can at-
Treatment: Delusions of Grandeur are treatable tempt a Difficulty 20 Will save to remove one level of
with psychiatric care. Explosive Disorder. This disorder is also treatable with
psychiatric care.

Depression
Mental, Mood Disorder Hallucinations
You are down most of the time, unable to get motivated Mental, Psychotic Disorder
to do much and generally pessimistic about the world. You hear non-existent voices or catch brief glimpses of
Effects: You suffer a -2 penalty on initiative checks. people that aren’t there. You may see or hear a specific
In addition, you cannot spend Conviction points to re- individual or creature that no one else seems to notice
duce the penalty for challenges or to perform a surge. because everyone looks away at the wrong time.
Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -2 pen- Effects: Because you can’t be sure what you see, you
alty to initiative checks. After gaining three levels of suffer a -2 penalty on all Notice, Search and Gather
Depression, any additional levels gained are treated as Information checks. In addition, the Narrator may oc-
levels of Suicidal. casionally present you with completely hallucinatory
Treatment: Depression is treatable with psychiatric encounters.
care. Stacking Effects: Suffer an additional -2 penalty on
all Notice, Search and Gather Information checks.
Treatment: Hallucinations are treatable with psy-
Disfiguration chiatric care.
Physical, Injury Disorder
Physical injuries have left you terribly physically disfig-
ured. You might be hunchbacked, have a twisted spine, Insomnia
a protruding bone, or burn scars over most of your body. Mental, Sleep Disorder
You can function normally, but your abhorrent appear- You have a difficult time falling asleep, possibly because
ance affects your interactions with others. of all the terrible images that assail you when you let
44 Effects: You suffer a -4 penalty on all Charisma your mental guard down, or possibly because you’re
checks and Charisma-based skill checks. Every day you afraid of what might happen while you’re asleep.
 Effects: Each time you try to sleep, you must suc- ficulty 12 Fortitude save. If you fail, you cannot interact
ceed on a Difficulty 12 Will save or you stay wide awake.
You may attempt a new save every hour. If you haven’t
with the person or participate in the task. You may retry
this Fortitude save once per hour for a specific situa- 4
had a full night’s sleep within the last 24 hours, you gain tion.
a level of fatigue which cannot be recovered without a Stacking Effects: Increase Fortitude save Difficulty
full night’s sleep. by 2. You must succeed on a Fortitude check at this new
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty Difficulty as soon as you acquire each additional level
by 2. of Life Essence Drain beyond the first, or you’re entire
Treatment: Insomnia is treatable with psychiatric body turns to grey dust and you die.
care. Treatment: You may make a Difficulty 20 Fortitude
save once per day as long as you are no longer exposed
to the creature or situation that caused this disorder. If
Kleptomania you succeed, remove one level of Life Essence Drain.
Mental, Control Disorder
Your desire to have what is not yours is overpowering
sometimes. Seeing an object that isn’t yours can make Maimed Hand
you feel inferior, and making it your own gives you a Physical, Injury Disorder
thrill and a sense of security. Through some terrible accident you have lost the use of
Effects: When a small object is a prominent part of one of your hands.
the storyline, you must make a Difficulty 12 Will save Effects: You can only wield weapons with one hand.
or attempt to steal it. You must also succeed on a Diffi- You also suffer a -2 penalty on all skill checks that nor-
culty 12 Will save or a Difficulty 20 Stealth check each mally require the use of two hands.
week or get caught by the authorities while stealing. Stacking Effects: If you gain a second level of
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulties Maimed Hand, your other hand becomes maimed. You
by 2. can no longer wield any weapon or perform any task
Treatment: Kleptomania is treatable with psychi- that requires the used of your hands. Subsequent levels
atric care. of Maimed Hand have no effect on you.
Treatment: Maimed Hand is treatable with surgery.
If the surgery fails, no further surgical treatment is pos-
Lame sible for this disorder.
Physical, Injury Disorder
Through some terrible accident you have lost full use of
one of your legs. Mania
Effects: You may not perform charge, overrun or Mental, Mood Disorder
move all out actions, and you suffer a -4 penalty on You are always excited about the world. New opportu-
Jump checks. nities are everywhere and everything is going to work
Stacking Effects: If you gain a second level of out great.
Lame, your other leg has been injured and you become Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty on Will saves.
effectively paralyzed from the waist down. You can no Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -1 pen-
longer take actions or perform skills that require the use alty to Will saves. If you have a level of Mania and a
of your legs. Subsequent levels of Lame have no effect level of Depression, combine them into two levels of
on you. Manic Depressive.
Treatment: The Lame disorder is treatable with sur- Treatment: Mania is treatable with psychiatric
gery. If the surgery fails, no further surgical treatment is care.
possible for this disorder.

Manic-Depressive
Life Essence Drain Mental, Mood Disorder
Physical, Mutation Disorder You swing between elation over the wonderful circum-
Some part of the basic chemistry of life has been drained stances of you life and hopeless depression.
from you, leaving you disinterested and less motivated Effects: For each day of game play, the Narrator
to face new situations or interact with new people. As should determine if you are manic or depressed and ap-
this disorder progresses through additional levels, your ply the effects of Mania or Depression.
skin may become gray and dry, flaking off at the slight- Stacking Effects: Emulates the effects of one ad-
est touch. ditional level of Mania or Depression.
Effects: Before interacting with a person or group Treatment: Manic Depressive is treatable with psy-
of people for the first time, or performing a task you chiatric care. 45
haven’t done before, you must first succeed on a Dif-
 Multiple Personality you gain a level of fatigue which cannot be recovered
4 Mental, Dissociative Disorder
You have episodes where you are a completely different
without a full night’s sleep.
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty of
this disorder by 2.
personality, or at least that’s what people tell you. You
Treatment: Night Terrors are treatable with psychi-
can’t remember anything from those times.
atric care.
Effects: At the start of each day you must succeed
on a Difficulty 12 Will save or take on your alternate
personality for the remainder or the day. While act-
ing under a secondary personality, you suffer a -2 pen-
Obsession
Mental, Anxiety Disorder
alty on all skill checks and forfeit any Conviction or You are obsessed with a specific object and you are fine
Awareness points that you gain. Any mental disorders as long as it is in your possession. When you don’t have
acquired by the alternate personality, with the exception the object, you become frantic and can concentrate on
of additional levels of Multiple Personality, do not affect little else but getting it back.
the primary personality until the disorder is completely Effects: While your object is not in your possession,
cured. In addition, you may choose one mental disor- you must pursue it above all else. If you do something
der of your primary personality that does not afflict you else instead, you must succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will
while in your alternate personality. save or you suffer a -1 penalty on all attack rolls, skill
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty of checks, ability checks and saving throws.
this disorder by 2. Also apply and additional -1 pen- Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -1 pen-
alty on all skill checks while acting under the alternate alty on all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and
personality. You may also choose one additional mental saving throws. Increase the Will save Difficulty of this
disorder of the primary personality that does not affect disorder by 2.
the alternate personality. Treatment: If you manage to go one week without
Treatment: Multiple Personality is treatable with the object and you succeed on a Difficulty 20 Will save,
psychiatric care. you remove one level of Obsession. This disorder is also
treatable with psychiatric care.
Mutism
Mental, Communication Disorder
Your insecurity has made you almost completely mute.
Obsessive-Compulsive
Mental, Anxiety Disorder
You still understand language and are completely lucid, You develop a set of rituals and nervous responses that
you’re just unable to speak unless you are completely you must perform. These habits could include touching
comfortable with your surroundings or make a signifi- everyone you encounter, untying leather straps, rocking
cant act of willpower. back and forth when talking, counting things, or obses-
Effects: Whenever you are away from home, near sive cleaning.
anyone that is not a close acquaintance, or performing Effects: If you are prevented from completing your
any action for which you would not be allowed to take rituals, you suffer a -1 penalty on all skill checks until
10, you are unable to speak unless you succeed on a Dif- you do.
ficulty 12 Will save. If you succeed, you may speak until Stacking Effects: You suffer an additional -1 pen-
a new person appears or a new task begins. If you fail alty on skill checks when prevented from performing
your check, you may not try again for one hour. If you your rituals.
are unable to speak, you suffer a -4 penalty on all Diplo- Treatment: Obsessive-Compulsive disorder is treat-
macy and Gather Information checks. able with psychiatric care.
Stacking Effects: Increase the Will save Difficulty
of this disorder by 2.
Treatment: Mutism is treatable with psychiatric Panic Attacks
care. Mental, Anxiety Disorder
When under stress, you may become overwhelmed and
panic.
Night Terrors Effects: Whenever you are attacked, or take any at-
Mental, Sleep Disorder tack action against an enemy, or make a skill check un-
Your sleep is frequently plagued with nightmares. der stress (in a situation where you would not be able to
Effects: Each time you sleep, you must succeed on take 10), you must first succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will
a Difficulty 12 Will save or you wake up screaming and save or become panicked. Every 5 rounds you can at-
you cannot fall asleep again for at least 4 hours. If you tempt a Difficulty 20 Fortitude save to return to normal.
46 haven’t had a full night’s sleep within the last 24 hours, Once you have had a panic attack, you will not have any
more for the rest of that day.
 Stacking Effects: Increase the Will save Difficulty Treatment: None.
of this disorder by 2.
Treatment: Panic Attacks are treatable with psychi- 4
atric care. Psychopathy
Mental, Psychotic Disorder
Your experiences have left you with no clear sense of
Paranoia right or wrong, and no ability to love or to trust the
Mental, Anxiety Disorder moral judgment of others. You feel no remorse for your
You’re sure that something terrible is going to happen immoral actions.
to you soon, or that someone or a group of people is out Effects: Whenever you have the opportunity to
to get you. You can’t trust anyone new, because they may benefit or save yourself from harm at the expense of
be agents of your enemies. They’re trying to trick you others, you must make a successful Difficulty 12 Will
into doing what they say, steal from you, harm you, or save or take that opportunity. You are still fully rational,
get you locked up. so this doesn’t mean you’ll take actions that have signifi-
Effects: You suffer a -2 penalty on all Diplomacy cant risk of harming or inconveniencing yourself.
and Sense Motive checks and you must succeed on a Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty for
Difficulty 12 Will save to take action based on informa- this disorder by 2.
tion provided by someone else. Treatment: The Psychopathy disorder is treatable
Stacking Effects: Increase the penalty on Diplo- with psychiatric care.
macy and Sense Motive checks by 2, and increase the
Will save Difficulty for this disorder by 2.
Treatment: Paranoia is treatable with psychiatric Pyromania
care. Mental, Control Disorder
You love to see things burn. The way the fire spreads
and engulfs and destroys things is high art and a thrill
Phobia to watch. You don’t need to start the fires yourself, but
Mental, Anxiety Disorder usually that’s the only way to get a really good one.
You suffer from an intense, irrational fear of some com- Effects: If you find yourself in a situation where you
mon type of creature, thing, or situation. You might could easily ignite highly flammable materials, you must
have a fear of heights, or insects, or churches, or con- succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will save to avoid doing so.
fined spaces. You might have a fear of germs, or being Whenever you encounter a fire that’s the equivalent of
touched, or talking on the telephone. You might even be a fireplace blaze or larger, you must make a Difficulty 12
afraid of certain words. Will save or become dazed. You can attempt the Will
Effects: You must succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will save again each round to resist the fire’s dazed effect.
save to enter a place or situation where it is likely you You must also succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will save each
will encounter the object of your fear. You must also week or get caught by the authorities while you’re start-
succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will save when you actually ing a fire.
encounter the object of your fear or become panicked Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulties for
until you are no longer exposed to the object. this disorder by 2.
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty of Treatment: Pyromania is treatable with psychiatric
existing phobia by 2 or select an additional level one care.
Phobia.
Treatment: If you face and overcome your phobia
during game play and succeed on a Difficulty 20 Will Schizophrenia
save, you remove one level of that Phobia. This disorder Mental, Psychotic Disorder
is also treatable with psychiatric care. You perceive and interpret reality very differently. Things
and events that have nothing to do with each other
may seem related in a significant way. Mundane tasks
Premature Aging which everyone else sees as unimportant or strange may
Physical, Mutation Disorder become life or death struggles for you. People you’ve
Something is causing your mind and body to age and known your whole life seem like strangers, while a
become feeble prematurely. stranger becomes a trusted confidant. Basically, you’re
Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty to your Strength, crazy.
Dexterity and Constitution ability scores. Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty on your Charisma,
Stacking Effects: Apply an additional -1 penalty Intelligence and Wisdom abilities.
to your Strength, Dexterity and Constitution ability Stacking Effects: Suffer an additional -1 penalty to
scores. If any of your ability scores reach -6 or lower, Charisma, Intelligence and Wisdom. 47
you die of old age.
 Treatment: Schizophrenia is treatable with psychi-
Sleepwalking
4 atric care.
Mental, Sleep Disorder
Your overall anxiety brings on episodes of sleepwalk-
Self-Mutilation ing.
Effects: Every time you sleep you must succeed on
Mental, Anxiety Disorder
You’re disgust with your own imperfections drives you a Difficulty 12 Will save. If you fail, you spend up to
to hurt yourself. You might pull out handfuls of your an hour in seemingly normal activities of the Narrator’s
own hair, cut yourself repeatedly, or even break your choosing. During a sleepwalking episode, you suffer a
own fingers or toes. -1 penalty on all skill checks, ability checks, Will saves
Effects: Because of the obvious wounds and scars, and Reflex saves.
you suffer a -1 penalty to your Charisma. In addition, During a sleepwalking episode, you must re-roll any
before any combat you must succeed on a Difficulty 12 daily Will saves made for Control disorder’s like Sub-
Will save or inflict a hurt result on yourself before the stance Addiction, and for any other conditions which
first round of combat. require periodic Will saves to resist.
Stacking Effects: Increase the Will save Difficulty Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty by
by 2 and suffer an addi- 2 and apply an additional -1 penalty to all skill checks,
tional -1 Charisma pen- ability checks, Will saves and Reflex saves while sleep-
alty. walking.
Treatment: Self- Treatment: You can be woken by
Mutilation is treatable someone else without ill effects. Sleep-
with psychiatric care. walking is treatable with psychiatric
care.

Separation Somatic Delusions

Anxiety Mental, Psychotic Disorder
Mental, Anxiety Disor- You believe there is something ter-
der rible wrong with you physically.
You are obsessed with Maybe you can’t exert yourself or
a specific person, and your heart will burst, or maybe you think
you are fine as long as you have a disease that is always on the
they are nearby. When verge of killing you. You might walk
you are separated, you with a limp, even though
become frantic and can there’s nothing wrong
concentrate on little else with your leg. You may
but getting back to them. avoid direct contact with
Effects: When you are others for fear that you’ll
separated from your special spread your disease.
person by more than 30 feet, or Effects: You suffer a -1 penalty on
they are out of your sight, you must make your Strength and Dexterity abilities.
every effort to be reunited with them. If you Stacking Effects: Apply an additional
do something else instead, you must succeed on -1 penalty to Strength and Dexterity.
a daily Difficulty 12 Will save or suffer a -1 penalty on Treatment: Somatic Delusions are treatable with
all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks and saving psychiatric care.
throws.
Stacking Effects: Suffer an additional -1 penalty
on all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and sav- Stutter
ing throws while separated. Increase the daily Will save Mental, Communication Disorder
Difficulty by 2. Your pent-up anxiety causes you to involuntarily stut-
Treatment: If you manage to go one week away ter when you try to speak. You speech difficulties can
from the person you are obsessed with and you succeed sometimes lead others to think you are less intelligent
on a Difficulty 20 Will save, you remove one level of or a little crazy.
Separation Anxiety. This disorder is also treatable with Effects: Any time you use any Charisma-based skill
psychiatric care. that normally requires speech, you must succeed of a
Difficulty 12 Will save or suffer a -2 penalty on all Cha-
48 risma-based skill checks for the rest of the scene.
 Stacking Effects: Apply and additional -1 penalty
Tourette’s Syndrome
on all Charisma-based skill checks and increase the
Will save by 2.
Mental, Communication Disorder
You suffer from one nervous and one vocal tic. Your
4
Treatment: Stutter is treatable with psychiatric
head might twitch to the side involuntarily, or your arm
care.
may flail outwards unexpectedly. You also involuntarily
make short sounds or statements from time to time.
Substance Addiction Sometimes these statements are intelligible, and occa-
sionally they can be offensive.
Mental, Control Disorder
You use the effects of an addictive substance, like alco- Effects: When you make a Stealth check, Charisma
hol or mind-altering drugs, to forget the terrible things check, or any Charisma-based skill check, you must first
you’ve experienced. make a Difficulty 12 Will save. If you fail the Will save,
Effects: You must succeed on a Difficulty 12 Will you have an episode of Tourette’s and suffer a -2 penalty
save every day or succumb to your addiction. When you on your skill check.
succumb, you suffer a -1 penalty on all attack rolls, saves, Stacking Effects: Increase the Will save Difficul-
ability score checks and skill checks for 24 hours, and ty by 2 and apply an additional -2 penalty to affected
you must purchase the addictive substance at a cost of checks made during Tourette episodes.
5. If you fail your Will save and then cannot acquire the Treatment: Tourette syndrome is treatable with
substance, you suffer withdrawal. While in withdrawal, psychiatric care.
you must succeed on a Difficulty 20 Fortitude save or be
nauseated for the entire day.
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty by
Weak Stomach
Mental, Anxiety Disorder
2 and suffer an additional -1 penalty on all attack rolls,
The slightest hint of death or injury turns your stom-
skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws. Increase
ach.
the item cost by 1.
Effects: Whenever you see a wounded, disabled, dy-
Treatment: If you manage to go one week without
ing or dead person, you must succeed on a Difficulty 12
using the addictive substance and you succeed on a Dif-
Fortitude save or become nauseated for one minute. You
ficulty 20 Will save, you remove one level of Substance
must recheck every minute if still within sight of the
Addiction. Substance Addiction is also treatable with
wounded person.
psychiatric care.
Stacking Effects: Increase the Fortitude save Dif-
ficulty by 2.
Suicidal Treatment: If you make it through a scene involving
serious injuries without becoming nauseated, you may
Mental, Mood Disorder
You are so disturbed by the things you’ve experienced attempt a Difficulty 20 Will save. If you succeed, you
that you can no longer see the point of living. remove one level of Weak Stomach. Weak Stomach is
Effects: When you encounter an opportunity for also treatable with psychiatric care.
certain death, like a very high cliff with rocks below,
or a spinning propeller of an airplane, or a deadly poi-
son, you must succeed on a Difficulty 10 Will check or Random
use the situation to kill yourself. The exact time of this
attempt is at the Narrator’s discretion. Once you have Disorder Tables
resisted suicide, you are not at risk again for the rest of Some encounters in Shadows of Cthulhu may cause
the day. mental or physical disorders from a broad category,
Stacking Effects: Increase Will save Difficulty such as “Anxiety Disorder” or “Mental Disorder.” When
by 2. a character fails a save and acquires such a disorder, the
Treatment: If you fail your Will save and somehow Narrator can choose the specific disorder or randomly
survive a suicide attempt, you may attempt a Difficulty determine the result using the following tables.
20 Will save to remove one level of Suicidal. Suicidal is
also treatable with psychiatric care.

49
 Table 4-1: Mental Disorders Table 4-5: Dissociative Disorders
4 D20
Mental Disorder D20 Disorder
Category 1-12 Amnesia
1-4 Any Anxiety Disorder 13-20 Multiple Personality
Any Commnication
5-6
Disorder Table 4-6: Mood Disorders
7-10 Any Control Disorder D20 Disorder
Any Dissociative 1-2 Mania
11-12
Disorder
3-7 Depression
13-16 Any Mood Disorder
8-15 Manic-Depressive
17-18 Any Psychotic Disorder
16-20 Suicidal
19-20 Any Sleep Disorder
Table 4-7: Psychotic Disorders
Table 4-2: Anxiety Disorders
D20 Disorder
D20 Disorder
1-5 Hallucinations
1-2 Agoraphobia
6-9 Psychopathy
3-4 Catatonia
10-13 Schizophrenia
5-6 Obsession
14-17 Delusions of Grandeur
7-8 Obsessive-Compulsive
18-20 Somatic Delusions
9-10 Panic Attacks
11-12 Paranoia Table 4-8: Sleep Disorders
13-14 Phobia D20 Disorder
15-16 Self-Mutilation 1-8 Insomnia
17-18 Separation Anxiety 9-14 Night Terrors
19-20 Weak Stomach 15-20 Sleepwalking

Table 4-3: Communication Disorders Table 4-9: Injury Disorders

D20 Disorder D20 Disorder
1-7 Mutism 1-3 Blindness
8-16 Stutter 4-6 Brain Damage
17-20 Tourette’s Syndrome 7-9 Deafness
10-13 Disfiguration
Table 4-4: Control Disorders
14-17 Lame
D20 Disorder
18-20 Maimed Hand
1-2 Cannibalism
3-5 Compulsive Gambling Table 4-10: Mutation Disorders
6-8 Explosive Disorder D20 Disorder
9-10 Kleptomania 1-5 De-evolution
11-13 Pyromania 6-11 Life Essence Drain
14-20 Substance Addiction 12-20 Premature Aging

50
 Chapter 5: Mythos Skills, 5
Feats, & Powers
The Cthulhu Mythos brings supernatural knowledge
and power to the mundane, everyday world of human-
Dream
Wisdom
ity. Cult leaders summon starving, murderous creatures Most intelligent creatures dream, and when they do
from the depths of space, scientists create deadly pow- their consciousness sometimes travels throughout the
ers as they experiment beyond the bounds of human Earth in ethereal form, or visits the Dreamlands. The
morality, and insane scholars read books by other in- Dreamlands are a separate dimension adjoining our
sane scholars and gain insights too broad for even their own world, where eons can pass during a single Earthly
swollen minds. This chapter describes the Mythos traits night. These dreams are almost always forgotten, and
available to creatures, Narrator characters, and heroes. the few that are remembered are seen through a dull,
These are traits not normally known to mankind and translucent lens that masks the existence of a separate
not generally accessible except through great risk to dream world. This skill allows heroes to remember their
health and sanity. The heroes probably know none of dream journeys, and to control the actions of their
these skills, feats and powers at the start of play. See dream selves.
Chapter 3 for a complete explanation of how heroes Check: A hero must make a skill check before going
might eventually acquire them. to sleep in order to begin a conscious journey through
the real world or the Dreamlands. While dreaming, he-
Mythos Skills roes must also make Dream skill checks to access any
of the skills, traits or powers of their waking selves or
Down through the ages, the creatures, cults and loath- dream selves (see Dream Journeys in Chapter 3).
some literature of the Mythos have propagated skills Dreamlands Dreaming (Difficulty 15): You can make
known only to the initiated. A hidden thread of un- a Dreaming check before going to sleep to attempt to
derstanding preserves knowledge of the Mythos and its enter the Dreamlands in your dreams and remember
creatures, the secret languages of the ancient past, and what happens there. If you fail you dream normally.
the ability to enter the world of dreams. Real World Dreaming (Difficulty 25): You can make
a Dreaming check before going to sleep to attempt to
Learning Mythos Skills travel the real world in your dreams and remember what
happens there. If you fail you dream normally.
The following skills represent secrets of the Mythos un-
Use Waking Self Trait (Difficulty 15): While dream-
known to all but a few humans. Heroes cannot learn
ing, you can make a Dreaming check to use one of the
these skills without first being exposed to them and
skills, feats, or powers of your waking self. This trait
then paying the Awareness point cost to unlock them.
works normally, and is modified by the your waking
Heroes must pay one Awareness point to unlock
self ’s ability scores and disorders. For powers, a success-
each skill, or to unlock each specialty in the case of skills
ful check allows you to use them once. For feats and
like Mythos Knowledge and Mythos Language, which
skills, a successful check allows you to use them for an
encompass many separate skills. Heroes pay the Aware-
entire scene. When using waking traits while in the
ness point cost once for each skill, and from that point
dreamlands, heroes have been known to bend the laws
on they can put as many ranks in that skill as they wish,
of the world and enhance their traits. For every 5 points
subject to normal rank limitations.
by which your Use Waking Self Trait check exceeds the
Difficulty, add one bonus rank to the skill used or one
Skill Descriptions point to the power check for the power used.
These skill descriptions follow the same format as those Use Dream Self Trait (Difficulty 25): You can make a
in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Note that Mythos Dreaming check to use one of the skills, feats, or pow-
skills do not require Sanity saves or inflict mental disor- ers of your dream self. This trait works as if used by your
ders when used. While being exposed to these skills in dream self, modified by your dream self ’s ability scores
the first place may be terrifying, using them once they and disorders. For powers, a successful check allows you
are known is not. to use them once. For feats and skills, a successful check
allows you to use them for an entire scene.
51
 Try Again: Once you fail to use a trait of your wak- Example: Determine the most likely site of a cult
5 ing or dreaming self, you may not attempt to use it again
for one hour.
ritual.

Special: You can take 10 when making a Dream Gain Familiarity (Difficulty varies): If you have ac-
check, but you may not take 20. cess to the proper research materials and an appropriate
Knowledge skill, you can study details about a particu-
lar creature, item or place to become casually familiarity
Handle Aberration with it. For instance, a hero with Mythos Knowledge
Charisma (Art) could study a mural depicting the deep ones. In
The elder races of the Cthulhu Mythos created terrible, general, the Difficulty of becoming casually familiar
undulating aberrations to build their great cities and with a Mythos creature is 20. Very remote and secret
fight their enemies. These creations and their descen- places on Earth are Difficulty 30, while places in other
dants still roam the Earth and serve the lesser races. dimensions might be Difficulty 35 or 40.
This skill works like the Handle Animal skill, but affects
aberrations instead of animals.
Mythos Language
Intelligence, Trained Only, Requires Specialization
Handle Supernatural Beast This skill works just like the Language skill described in
Charisma Chapter 1, but each specialty of this skill is a mysterious
The Cthulhu Mythos is full of simple-minded supernat- Mythos language. Specific Mythos languages include
ural beasts used as minions, mounts or beasts of burden the croaking and aquatic pictographs of the Deep Ones,
by the more sentient races and sinister cults. This skill the beautiful curvilinear hieroglyphics and rhythmic
works like the Handle Animal skill, but affects super- clicking and scraping of the Great Race, and the cyclo-
natural beasts instead of animals. pean language of Cthulhu’s worshipers. Heroes must be
exposed to each individual language before learning it.
Mythos Knowledge
Intelligence, Trained Only, Requires Specialization
Check: This skill works like the core Knowledge Mythos Feats
skill, but reflects the hero’s knowledge of things specific A few new feats are available to heroes who delve into
to the Cthulhu Mythos. The available specialties are as the Mythos and uncover its secrets. Most of these feats
follows: relate to use of Mythos powers. Note that many non-
• Art: Artwork of the Mythos, including the or- Mythos feats that are not detailed here can be used to
igins of carved artifacts, the meaning and history of enhance or modify Mythos feats as described below.
Mythos symbols (but not alphabets), and interpreta-
tion of cultic dances and music. Example: determine
where a strange figurine was sculpted. Acquiring Mythos Feats
• History: Events and ancient stories of the Heroes acquire Mythos feats in the same way they ac-
Mythos, including important places and personali- quire other feats, but with a few important differences.
ties. Also includes Mythos archeology and anthro- First, a hero must be sufficiently exposed to a Mythos
pology. Example: Determine the location of an Old feat to understand it. The exact requirements for expo-
One city; find the name of an ancient book contain-
ing a specific power.
• Life Sciences: Biology of Mythos creatures, as Table 5-1: Mythos Languages
well as supernatural science knowledge as it applies Language Speech Writing
to humans and other non-Mythos creatures. Ex-
Aklo None Sanskrit cipher
amples: Develop theoretical formula for animating
a corpse; know the physical weaknesses of a Mythos Aquatic
Deep One Hoarse barking
creature. hieroglyphics
• Physical Sciences: The strange scientific and Piping,
mathematical systems of the Mythos. Example: Elder Thing Dot clusters
whistling
Understand the behavior of a transient dimensional Ghoul Meeping cries None
gate.
• Technology: Mythos devices, generally of Great Race Clicking and Curvilinea
alien origin. Example: Operate an alien machine. (Yithian) scraping claws script
• Theology & Philosophy: Mythos deities and R’lyehenian Guttural Runic
52 their powers, relationships, cults and motivations. Tsath-yo
Unknown Runic script
(Hyperborean)
sure are left up to the Narrator, but ancient books are Channeler (Mythos)
usually a good source.
Second, heroes must pay one Awareness point to
You are a natural at channeling supernatural energy
from other people. When you use a ritual power, the
5
unlock a given feat before they can acquire it. They maximum number of adepts that may attempt to aid
must have an Awareness point available when they at- your power check is increased by your key ability value
tain a new level and choose the feat, or they must have (Charisma).
previously unlocked the feat. Note that heroes can use
the Heroic Feat option to spend Conviction points and
gain access for a single round to Mythos feats they’ve Imbue Item (Mythos)
been exposed to. You can craft supernatural items, including weapons
And finally, Mythos feats are not restricted to heroes and charms, as described in True20 Adventure Roleplay-
of any particular roles. Once they have been unlocked, ing. However, in Shadows of Cthulhu you may be risking
they function like general feats and are available regard- your sanity by doing so.
less of class. You can craft a charm containing any normal power,
ritual power, or scientific power that you have learned.
When you craft a charm, you must use the power nor-
True20 Adept Feats mally and make any required saves. Anyone who uses
The feats restricted to the adept class that are listed in the charm must also make the required saves for the
True20 Adventure Roleplaying represent enhancements power. You may imbue a charm with a power that you
to supernatural powers that are very rare in the world haven’t acquired yet, as long as you have been exposed
of Shadows of Cthulhu. Therefore, all adept feats should to it and spend a Conviction point as if you were using
be treated as Mythos feats. This means heroes must be the power untrained. See Spending Conviction to Use
exposed to them and pay Awareness points, but it also Mythos Traits in Chapter 3.
means they are ultimately available to all roles. When you craft a supernatural weapon, the Narrator
should select a mental disorder or category of disorders
Skill Enhancement Feats from those listed in Chapter 4. The Narrator then de-
Heroes can use feats that enhance specific skills, such termines the Sanity save Difficulty using Table 5-2 be-
as Skill Focus, Skill Training and Talented to enhance low. At the start of each hour of crafting, you must make
Mythos skills, as long as the hero has learned the My- this save or acquire the mental disorder. Anyone wield-
thos skill to be enhanced. Feats used to enhance Mythos ing the imbued weapon must make the same save.
skills are not considered Mythos feats, so heroes do not Charm Power Checks: If you imbue a charm with
have to pay Awareness points to unlock them. a power that requires a power check to determine its
effects, you make that power check while imbuing. The
result should be noted with the item and applied when
Feat Descriptions the charm is used. You may include the power check
These feat descriptions follow the same format as those bonus for scientific powers or ritual powers, so these can
in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. The type of each of be very effective ways to create powerful charms.
these feats is listed as “Mythos,” as opposed to adept,
expert, general or warrior. This means they are available
to characters of any role who have met the requirements
Mythos Familiar (Mythos)
You have a special bond with a supernatural creature. It
for learning a Mythos feat.
may be something you summoned and bound to you, or
With the exception of the Imbue Item feat, using
some more powerful creature may have assigned your
Mythos feats does not generally require Sanity saves or
familiar to watch over you. Choose a 1st level aberration
inflict mental disorders. While being exposed to these
or supernatural beast as your familiar (see rat thing in
feats in the first place may be terrifying, using them
Chapter 6 for example).
once they are known is not.

Table 5-2: Imbued Weapon/Armor Sanity Save Difficulty

D20 Armor Save Difficulty Weapon Save Difficulty
1-2 8 10
3-6 9 12
7-10 10 14
11-14 12 16
15-18 14 18
53
19-20 16 20
 The specific special abilities you share with your Second, heroes must pay one Awareness point to
5 Mythos familiar are the same as those listed in the basic
Familiar feat. In addition, you gain a gain a +4 bonus
unlock a given power before they can learn it. They must
have an Awareness point available when they attain a
on any Sanity saves required to resist mental disorders new level and choose the power.
normally caused by the presence of your familiar. Finally, when using a Mythos power, heroes may
Any time you use the Link or Share Powers ability risk their sanity. Each power description below includes
with your supernatural familiar, you must succeed on a the required saves for using each power, and the conse-
Difficulty 10 Sanity save or gain a level of Separation quences of failure.
Anxiety with your familiar as the object of your anxiety.
This check is only required once per scene.
Ritual Powers
Any power that takes one minute or less to use also has
Mythos Heritage (Mythos) a corresponding ritual power. Ritual powers are com-
You are somehow the product of interactions between pletely separate powers. For example, a character with
the human race and the creatures or deities of the the Suggestion power cannot perform the Ritual Sug-
Cthulhu Mythos. Perhaps an ancestor of yours wasn’t gestion power unless they acquire it separately. A char-
quite human, or your parents were avid students of the acter does not have to know the basic form of a power
strange and supernatural. Whatever the reason, you to learn the corresponding ritual power.
seem to have a knack for piecing the obscure clues and When multiple adepts have access to a power, ritu-
faint glimpses of the unknown together into a cohe- als offer the advantage of much more effective power
sive view of the terrible truth. For each Mythos trait checks and easier maintenance at the cost of extended
that you unlock by paying an Awareness point, you may completion times.
unlock an additional Mythos trait without paying any Prerequisites: If a power has prerequisite pow-
Awareness points. You cannot use Conviction points to ers, then the prerequisites for the corresponding ritual
gain temporary access to this feat. power must be the ritual forms of those powers. Like-
wise, ritual powers do not count as prerequisite pow-
Open Mind (Mythos) ers for non-ritual powers. For example, a character may
not learn the Ritual Weather Shaping unless she also
Your mind is very open to contact with other minds.
You gain a +5 bonus on Mind Touch and Temporal knows the Ritual Water Shaping and the Ritual Wind
Mind Touch power checks. You suffer a -2 penalty on Shaping.
saves to resist Mind Touch attempts by others. Aid: When an adept uses a ritual power, other ad-
epts who know the ritual (or have been exposed to the
ritual and spend a Conviction point to use it) may par-
Mythos Powers ticipate and aid the ritual leader’s power check. See Aid
in the Introduction of True20 Adventure Roleplaying. If
True Cthulhu takes place in a world where people don’t
believe supernatural powers exist. Stories of healing the base power requires no power check, then neither
powers, psychic communication and alien technology the ritual leader nor those aiding need to make one. The
are the domain of imaginative fantasy writers or the number of adepts attempting to aid the ritual leader is
truly crazy. Yet secret powers do exist for those aware of limited to the ritual leader’s adept level, so a 4th-level
the Mythos. In the hidden corners of the world, ancient adept could have aid from 4 other characters. The re-
cults cast ritual spells, hideous charms transform whole sulting power check for a ritual with many participants
families into carnivorous ghouls, and advanced science can be very large, and thus the effects of a ritual are
allows instant travel to other worlds. generally much more impressive than the effects of a
normal power. All adepts providing aid must also make
any required sanity saves for using the power.
Acquiring Time: The time to complete a ritual is 10 minutes,
plus 1 additional minute per aiding character. If there
Mythos Powers is any serious interruption during this time, all par-
Heroes acquire Mythos powers when they advance ticipants must succeed on Concentration checks or the
adept levels, just as adepts acquire powers in True20 ritual fails.
Adventure Roleplaying, but with some important dif- Duration, Maintenance, & Concentration: If the
ferences. First, a hero must be sufficiently exposed to a normal power on which a ritual is based has a limited
Mythos power to understand it. The exact requirements duration, the ritual effects last 10 times as long. If the
for exposure are left up to the Narrator, but they usu- power requires maintenance or concentration, only one
ally involve concentrating on the power as it is used or of the participants in the ritual needs to maintain or
54 studying it in a book. concentrate on the power, and the responsibility for
maintaining or concentrating may be passed between The cost of the equipment, whether it’s a laboratory, a
ritual participants from round to round.
Fatigue: If the basic power is fatiguing, then the
special weapon, or a complicated machine, is 15 + 2 x
rank bonus. So a laboratory setup capable of support- 5
ritual power is also fatiguing for the ritual leader, but ing the Scientific Imbue Unlife power with a +2 bonus
the fatigue difficulty is increased by the number of par- would cost 19. The cost of the resources expended by a
ticipants attempting to provide aid. Those providing aid single use of a scientific power is 10 + 2 x rank bonus.
do not make fatigue checks. The equipment and resources required for any prereq-
Example: Gareg McNee is a 3rd-level adept who uisite scientific powers are not required when the more
knows the Ritual Elder Sign power and needs to seal advanced power is used.
a gateway to the Abyss. He has three friends that have Portability: The equipment for a scientific power is
all been exposed to the ritual and are willing to spend generally heavy and must be carefully set up in a fixed
a Conviction point to use it. Two of the three friends location before use. Portable equipment weighs only 10
succeed on their Difficulty 10 aid check, one of which pounds and is usable after taking a move action to set it
rolls a 20. This grants Gareg a +5 aid bonus on his power up. Making equipment portable increases its cost by 5.
check. The ritual will take 13 minutes, and, Gareg’s fa- A portable weapon providing a +3 rank bonus for the
tigue check Difficulty will be increased by 3. Gareg and Scientific Elemental Blast power would cost 26 (15 +
all three of his friends must make Fortitude saves to 6 + 5).
avoid Premature Aging. Mythos Knowledge: In order to operate the sci-
entific equipment, the adept must succeed on a Diffi-
culty 15 Mythos Knowledge (life sciences) or Mythos
Scientific Powers Knowledge (technology) check, whichever the Narrator
The effects of any power can be replicated through
the use of advanced science. These scientific pow-
ers, and the equipment required to use them, are
often of alien or supernatural origin or the result of
years of disturbingly morbid scientific research. Sci-
entific powers are separate powers; a character with
the Dimension Shift power cannot use the Scien-
tific Dimension Shift power, unless he acquires it
separately. A character does not have to know the
basic form of a power to learn the corresponding
scientific power.
For adepts with Mythos Knowledge skill
and a reasonable amount of wealth, scientific
powers provide improved effects over normal
powers without fatigue penalties.
Prerequisites: If a power has prereq-
uisite powers, then the prerequisites
for the corresponding scientific
power must also be scientific pow-
ers. Likewise, scientific powers
do not count as prerequisites
for non-scientific powers. For
example, a character may not
learn the Scientific Elemental
Weapon power unless she also
knows a Scientific Cold, Energy, Fire,
Water or Wind Shaping power.
Empower: The effective rank of sci-
entific powers is increased by +1 to +5,
depending on the equipment, but the
maximum bonus is limited to the us-
er’s adept level. This bonus does not
stack with effects of the Empower
feat
Wealth Cost: Scientific powers re- 55
quire special equipment and resources.
 deems most appropriate to the situation. This check get bonuses on their power checks when using normal
5 must succeed before using the power itself.
Fatigue, Maintenance, & Concentration: Scien-
powers and ritual powers. They are favorite times for
very difficult incantations. Scientific powers are not af-
tific powers are not fatiguing, even if the powers they fected by pagan holidays.
are based on are. They do have the same maintenance Including pagan holidays in an adventure increases
and concentration requirements as the normal power the sense of urgency as events lead up to a key ritual
on which they are based, representing the adept’s con- on a certain date. Heroes who dabble in Mythos pow-
tinued operation of the scientific equipment. ers may also gain a temporary boost of competence on
Try Again: The requirements for trying again are these holidays.
the same as the normal power, but if the normal power
is fatiguing, the adept cannot take 20 when using the
related scientific power. Powerful Locations
Example: Egbert Weiss is a 3rd-level expert and a There are certain places in the world where the con-
6th-level adept who has done extensive research on re- vergence of dimensions or the preponderance of eons
animating recently-deceased humans – enough research of interaction with the supernatural has weakened the
for the Narrator to conclude that he has been exposed barriers between the natural world and the powers of
to the Imbue Life scientific power. Herbert successfully the Cthulhu Mythos. These could be as overpowering as
purchases a +3 Scientific Imbue Life lab at a cost of 21 a Mayan temple where thousands of captives where sac-
(15 + 6) and resources for one use at a cost of 13 (10 + rificed to the Outer Gods, or as nondescript as a strange
3). To restore life to a corpse, He must first succeed on stone altar on a hill in the wilds of New England. These
a Difficulty 15 Mythos Knowledge (life sciences) check. places may grant bonuses to all power checks, or maybe
He must then succeed on the Difficulty 25 power check just for certain types of powers. The Narrator should
specified in the power’s description, but the +3 bonus consider including such places to provide focus to ad-
should help. ventures. When all else fails, the heroes can always stake
out the power spot and wait for the action to come to
them.
Pagan Holidays For example, Stonehenge in England, adds +5 to
There are rare alignments of the stars and planets and the power check of any powers used within its circle of
special days during each year when the dimensions of monoliths, an additional +5 on the morning of the Ver-
existence draw closer together and the supernatural nal Equinox, and an additional +5 if the adept sacrifices
powers that bind the order of the world temporarily an intelligent creature in conjunction with a power’s
weaken. During these times, adepts around the world use.
feed off of each other’s arcane exertions in a twisted
eldritch synergy. On these dark pagan holidays, adepts

Table 5-3: Pagan Holidays

Holiday Frequency Power Bonus Description
Love and inspiration. Difficulty modifier
Candlemas Annual
+5 also applies to skill checks when crafting
(Brigid’s Day) (Feb 2)
supernatural items.
The witch’s night, dropped barriers between
Walpurgisnacht Annual
+10 the dead and the living. +15 power bonus for
(Beltane, May Eve) (Apr 30-May 1)
Imbue Unlife.
Midsummer’s Eve Annual Close contact between past, present and future.
+5
(Litha) ( Jun 21 or 24) +10 power bonus for temporal powers.
Lammas Annual
+5 Death of the fertility gods.
(Lughnasadh) (Aug 1)
Samhain Annual
+5 Final harvest, festival of the dead.
(Halloween) (Oct 31)
Annual
Yuletide Darkest point of the year, the time of making
(last 12 days of +2
(Winter Solstice) oaths.
Dec)
Eons
Call of Cthulhu R’lyeh rises, +20 power bonus when calling
56 (Mar 23-Apr 2, +10
(“Stars are Right”) outsiders or contacting Great Old Ones.
1925)
Totems Table 5-4: True20 Powers
Special ancient items are imbued with the ability to aid
adepts when using specific powers by increasing their
Power Sanity Cost 5
power check bonus. These are usually in the form of Body Control None
small, horrific carvings in ivory or marble or the strange Explosive Disorder
Combat Sense
green stone of Leng. They may enhance the adepts’ abil- (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
ity to contact other minds, or help them call creatures Any mood disorder
of a specific type. Cure
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
For example, a deep one charm is a small inscribed
Any control disorder
stone that can be thrown into the waters of an ocean Dominate
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
containing deep ones to provide a +10 power check bo-
nus on attempts to call a deep one. Any mood disorder
Drain Vitality
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Agoraphobia (Difficulty
True20 Powers Earth Shaping
12 Sanity)
The supernatural powers listed in True20 Adventure
Any mood disorder
Roleplaying are very rare in the worlds of Shadows of Energy Shaping
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Cthulhu. Therefore, all supernatural powers should be
treated as Mythos powers. This means heroes must be Any psychotic disorder
Enhance Senses
exposed to them and pay Awareness points to learn (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
them. Pyromania
Fire Shaping
Some powers from True20 are included in the power (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
descriptions later in this chapter because they have spe- Any psychotic disorder
cial traits in Shadows of Cthulhu. Many powers remain Ghost Touch
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
exactly the same, but they probably have a sanity cost.
The following table lists the sanity costs for some addi- Any psychotic disorder
Illusion
tional powers that play a role in the Cthulhu Mythos, but (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
are not included in the detailed descriptions. Hallucinations
Light Shaping
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Multiple Personality
Power Descriptions Mind Probe
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
The powers in Shadows of Cthulhu have the same at-
tributes as True20 Adventure Roleplaying powers, with Any psychotic disorder
Mind Reading
the addition of a special mental or physical cost. Ev- (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
ery time you successfully use a power with a cost, you Any mood disorder
Mind Shaping
must make the listed save or acquire one level of the (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
associated disorder. If multiple disorders are listed, you Any psychotic disorder
must save for each separately. If an entire category of Pain
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
disorders is listed, like mood disorder for example, the
Any anxiety disorder
Narrator can use the random disorder tables in Chapter Phase
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
4 to determine the specific disorder, or just choose a
disorder from the list. If you already have a disorder in Any sleep disorder
Sleep
that category, the Narrator may decide that you simply (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
acquire an additional level of that disorder. Note that Any mood disorder
Water Shaping
Mythos creatures do not acquire mental disorders when (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
they use powers or special abilities. Any mood disorder
Weather Shaping
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Banish Creature Type Wind Shaping
Delusions of Grandeur
Fatiguing (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
This power is actually a set of powers, each allowing the
adept to banish creatures of a specific type. For example, The adept must be able to see the creature and it must be
Banish Aberration, Banish Fey, and Banish Outsider within 30 feet. Banished creatures may remember who
are each completely separate powers. banished them, but for 24 hours they cannot return to
Banishing powers allow an adept to send creatures of a dimension they were banished from or harm the ad-
a specific type back to their home dimension, or wher- ept that banished them. If an adept banishes a creature
that is not from another dimension, the creature returns 57
ever they came from when summoned by a call power.
back to the location from which it was called, traveling
 the same way it did when called. The power check Dif-
Table 5-6: Creature Attitude
5 ficulty is 10 + the level of the creature. The target gets a
Will save to resist. Difficulty Result
Time: Banish Creature Type is a full-round action. +0 Hostile
Sanity Cost: Any communication disorder (Diffi- +5 Unfriendly
culty 10 Sanity)
+10 Indifferent
+15 Friendly
Call Creature Type +20 Helpful
Fatiguing
This power is actually a set of powers, each allowing the ity with any creature of that species or creature type.
adept to call creatures of a specific type. For example, For instance, an adept who has had significant close-
Call Aberration, Call Fey, and Call Outsider are each up interaction with an elder thing would be somewhat
completely separate powers. familiar when calling that specific elder thing, as well
In general, calling powers allow adepts to force crea- as when calling for any elder thing or any aberrations
tures of the specific type to come to them as quickly as in general. If that same adept tried to call a color out
possible. Adepts can be as precise about the creature as of space, which is an elemental, the encounter with the
they like, calling a specific individual by name, calling elder thing would have no impact on familiarity.
any creature of a chosen species, or simply taking the If the adept calls an undead creature, apply any fa-
nearest creature of the required type. For instance, an miliarity the adept had with the undead creature while
adept could use Call Aberration to summon a specific is was still alive.
mi-go known by name, any mi-go, or any aberration at When a called creature arrives, the Narrator should
all. determine its attitude toward the caller based on the
If the creature is from another dimension or another following table. The Difficulties listed are the amount
planet, it is transported instantly through a one-way by which the power check exceeds the calculated Dif-
gateway to the adept’s location. If the creature is from ficulty. Note that the attitude of some called creatures
the same planet, it makes its way to the adept by the can also be improved by offering sacrifices, food, or even
fastest route possible. The called creature gets a Will small trinkets. Other called creatures may respond to
save to resist. Diplomacy or Intimidate skills.
The difficulty of calling a creature is 10 + the level of For example, if an 8th-level adept with a power check
the creature, modified by the adept’s familiarity with the bonus of +14 tries to call a familiar 4th-level outsider at
creature. The following table should help the Narrator Difficulty 24 (10 base, +4 for level, +10 for familiarity),
determine familiarity with respect to called creatures. a check result of 24 or above would successfully call the
If the adept is calling for the nearest creature of a creature, but it would be hostile toward the adept. If
species or creature type, use the adept’s best familiar- the check result is 29 or higher, the creature would be

Table 5-5: Creature Type Familiarity

Familiarity Difficulty Definition
A creature visible to the naked eye or in mental
Present +0
contact with the adept.
Adept senses creature through another power, such as
Very Familiar +5
a gate, or has a close relationship with the creature.
Adept has interacted with the creature many times
Familiar +10 before, or has read memory of someone very familiar
with the creature.
Adept has had significant close-up interaction or
Somewhat Familiar +15 mental contact with the creature, or has read memory
of someone that is familiar with the creature.
Adept has had brief close-up interaction with the
creature, has studied them extensively, or has read
Casually Familiar +20
memory of someone that is somewhat familiar with
the creature.
Adept has a detailed description of the creature, has
58 Slightly Familiar +25 briefly seen one, or has read memory of someone
casually familiar with the creature.
unfriendly, and at 34 or higher the creature would be Time: Contact Deity takes one minute, though the
indifferent.
Time: Call Creature Type is a full-round action.
effects may be delayed by up to an hour. Contact gener-
ally lasts for one minute per adept level. 5
Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disorder (Difficulty 12
Sanity)
Cure Injury
Fatiguing
Comprehend Language This power supersedes Cure Blindness/Deafness in
Fatiguing True20 Adventure Roleplaying. You can cure blindness
You temporarily gain an understanding of a specific or deafness, or remove all levels of a single injury disor-
language in both its spoken and written form. You must der. The Difficulty for curing an injury disorder is 15 +
have access to an example of the written language or be the level of injury disorder.
listening to the spoken language to use this power. If Sanity Cost: Any psychotic disorder (Difficulty 10
you succeed on a Difficulty 10 power check, you receive Sanity)
2 bonus ranks in the specified language. If your check
exceeds this difficulty, you receive additional bonus
ranks as indicated in the following table. Dimension Gate
Comprehend Language can be used to improve your Fatiguing, Maintenance, Prerequisite: Dimension Shift
understanding of a language you already know. You create a visible gateway to another location or di-
Try Again: Yes. If you take 20 while making this mension through which any number of medium-sized
check, you spend 2 minutes and suffer a +20 increase in creatures may pass. The gate is generally created within
the fatigue Difficulty. the bounds of an existing physical portal, like a door or
Time: Comprehend Language is a standard action. window. The gate is visible at the source, but invisible
The bonus lasts for one hour. at the destination, though creatures can pass through
Sanity Cost: Any communication disorder (Diffi- in either direction. This power cannot be used to create
culty 10 Sanity) a gate to the Dreamlands. The Difficulty is 10, modi-
fied by your familiarity with the other location or di-
mension. If you wish to create the gate so that creatures
Contact Deity of greater size can pass through, or creatures can carry
Fatiguing excessive additional weight, modify the base Difficulty
You can force one of the Outer Gods or a Great Old according to the following table.
One to communicate with you. The contact power for Sanity Cost: Everyone who uses the Dimension
each deity is a separate, so Contact Cthulhu and Con- Gate acquires a psychotic disorder (Difficulty 12 San-
tact Yog-Sothoth are different powers. Some form of ity)
avatar or communication channel with the deity gener- Time: Dimension Gate is a full-round action. The
ally appears within one hour. You then have a few min- gate remains open for one hour, plus one hour per adept
utes to make your requests of the deity. After that the level.
deity may continue communication, or take whatever
action it desires. Details about contacting each deity, in-
cluding the power check Difficulty, are included in the Dimension Sense Minds
deity descriptions in Chapter 6. Prerequisite: Sense Minds
Sanity Cost: Any communication disorder (Diffi- As Sense Minds, except you can also sense minds that
culty 10 Sanity), plus specific Sanity effects as given in are “nearby” in another dimension. This power can-
the deity description. not be used by a waking person to sense minds in the
Dreamlands.
Sanity Cost: If you sense the minds of any intel-
ligent, non-humanoid creature, you acquire an anxiety

Table 5-7: Comprehend Language Table 5-8: Dimension Gate

Difficulty Bonus Ranks Difficulty Mass/Size
10 +2 10 Up to 20 lbs.
15 +4 15 50 lbs.
20 +6 20 100 lbs.
25 +8 25 250 lbs.
30 +10 +10 Large creature
59
35 +12 +25 Huge creature
 disorder. The Sanity save for this disorder is 5 + the ing is restored, and the subject suffers 2 points of ability
5 level of the most powerful creature sensed. drain to the same ability. For every 5 points by which
you exceed the base Difficulty, you may restore one ad-
ditional ability point and drain the subjects correspond-
Dimension Shift ing ability by an additional 2 points. You cannot reduce
Fatiguing any of the subject’s ability scores below -6.
As Plane Shift in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. This Remove Premature Aging: The Difficulty of this
power cannot be used to enter or leave the Dream- power is 20. If you succeed on your power check, you
lands. remove one level of Premature Aging from yourself and
Sanity Cost: Everyone who participate in the Di- your subject acquires two levels of Premature Aging.
mension Shift acquires a psychotic disorder (Difficulty Sanity Cost: Any psychotic disorder (Difficulty 12
12 Sanity) Sanity)
Time: Drain Life is a full-round action.
Dispel Unlife
Fatiguing
You can dispel the force that animates any single un-
Elder Sign
Concentration
dead creature within your line of sight, provided it was You may create a symbol that prevents any deity or crea-
created with the Imbue Unlife power. The undead crea- ture from passing through a specific opening, dimension
ture reverts to the dead, inanimate form from which it gate or temporal gate. Creatures cannot pass and they
was created. The Difficulty is 15+ two times the level of receive no save. This Difficulty for this power is 25.
the undead creature. The target creature gets no saving Physical Cost: Premature Aging (Difficulty 14
throw. Fort)
Sanity Cost: Depression (Difficulty 10 Sanity) Sanity Cost: None
Time: Dispel Unlife is a full-round action. Time: Elder Sign is a move action. The effects of
the elder sign last until the physical sign is destroyed or
Drain Life erased, or the portal being blocked no longer exists.
Fatiguing
You drain the life from another creature to eliminate
the effects of aging in yourself. The subject must be of
Elemental Blast
Fatiguing, Prerequisite: Earth, Energy, Fire, Water, or
the same creature type as you (for example, humanoid) Wind Shaping
and is allowed a Fortitude save to resist. Drain life can As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. To use a blast of a
eliminate the effects of natural aging, or remove levels specific elemental type, you must have the prerequisite
of the Premature Aging physical disorder. shaping power of that type.
Remove Natural Aging: The Difficulty of this power Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disorder (Difficulty 12
is 15. If you succeed on your power check, one ability Sanity)
point that you have lost due to natural ag-

60
Enhance Ability Heart Shaping
Fatiguing
As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying.
Fatiguing, Concentration
As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. The target must be
5
Sanity Cost: None in your line of sight when you begin Heart Shaping,
Physical Cost: Premature Aging (Difficulty 5 For- after which no line of sight is required.
titude, add resulting enhancement bonus to save Dif- Sanity Cost: Any mood disorder (Difficulty 12
ficulty) Sanity)

Enhance Other Imbue Life

Fatiguing Fatiguing, Prerequisite: Cure rank 12
As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. In addition to the As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. If successful, the
normal fatigue effects of this power, your target acquires subject must immediately make a Difficulty 15 Sanity
one level of Premature Aging unless they make a suc- save or acquire a random mental disorder, and a Diffi-
cessful Fortitude save of Difficulty 5 + the resulting culty 26 Fortitude save or acquire Premature Aging.
enhancement of this power. Your target may choose to Sanity Cost: Any mood disorder (Difficulty 12
make a Fortitude save to resist all effects of this power. Sanity)
Sanity Cost: None
Imbue Unlife
Exchange Personality Fatiguing
Fatiguing, Maintenance, Mental Contact As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. In addition to cre-
You swap your consciousness with a consciousness ating mindless and intelligent undead, you can also use
from another body, taking control of the subject’s body this ability to animate a corpse that has not been dead
while the subject takes control of yours. In both cases, longer than your adept level in hours. See the animated
the transferred consciousness retains its powers and its corpse described in Chapter 6. The animated corpse is
Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma ability scores, as not under your control – it retains the memories, abili-
well as all saves and skills based on these abilities and ties and goals it once had in life, but it must make a
all feats that affect the retained skills, saves and abili- Difficulty 15 Sanity save or acquire a random psychotic
ties. The physical body retains all other feats and special disorder. The Difficulty of this Sanity save is increased
traits, as well as the Dexterity, Strength and Constitu- by the number of hours the corpse has been dead.
tion abilities and all saves and skills based on them. The Sanity Cost: Any mood disorder (Difficulty 12
subject gets a Will save to resist the exchange. Sanity)
While the adept is immediately in full control of the
subject’s body, the subject’s consciousness in the adept’s
body must make a Difficulty 20 Will save or become Mind Touch
dazed. This save can be re-rolled every hour until suc- Maintenance
cessful, at which point the subject’s consciousness is no As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Mind touch can
longer dazed for the duration of the power and may act operate across other dimensions. You can also use it to
freely. contact creatures who are dreaming if both you and the
After the power ends, the subject of the power must subject are dreaming. The base Difficulty is 10, modi-
succeed on another Will save or forget everything that fied by familiarity. If you attempt to touch any mind at
happened while the personalities where exchanged. This random, the familiarity modifier is +0.
works like the alter psyche ability of the Mind Shaping Sanity Cost: Any time you successfully establish
power. If one of the two physical creatures dies while mental contact with a non-humanoid creature, you
this power is in effect, the exchange becomes perma- acquire an anxiety disorder. The Sanity save for this
nent, trapping the wrong personality in the surviving disorder is 5 + the contacted creature’s level, but for
creature. aberrations, outsiders and vermin the save is 10 + the
In combination with Temporal Mind Touch, Ex- contacted creature’s level.
change Personality can be used to swap minds with
creatures across time, as well as space. Object Reading
Sanity Cost: Dissociative disorder (Difficulty 12 As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. The adept gets a
Sanity) +4 bonus on any saves to avoid mental disorders caused
Time: Exchange Personality is a full-round action by creatures or events seen during an Object Reading
vision, because the vision has an unreal, dreamlike qual-
ity.
61
Sanity Cost: Hallucinations (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
 Scrying Sanity Cost: Any dissociative disorder (Difficulty
5 Fatiguing, Concentration
As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. You may also use
12 Sanity)

this power to sense events in other dimensions. If you Supernatural Strike

don’t choose a specific target for this power, essentially Prerequisite: Improved Strike
scrying on a random location, the familiarity modifier As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Each time you
becomes +0. make an unarmed supernatural attack, you must save to
Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disorder (Difficulty 12 avoid the sanity cost and physical cost.
Sanity) Physical Cost: Maimed Hand (Difficulty 8 Reflex)
Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disorder (Difficulty 10
Second Sight Sanity)
As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. You can also sense
supernatural signatures to locate invisible dimension Supernatural Weapon
gates. Prerequisite: Weapon Training or Combat +3 or Greater
Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disorder (Difficulty 12 As in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Each supernatural
Sanity) attack with your weapon requires a save to avoid the
sanity cost and physical cost.
Sense Minds Physical Cost: Any injury disorder
(Difficulty 8 Reflex)
As in True20 Adventure Roleplay-
ing. Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disor-
Sanity Cost: If you sense der (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
the minds of any intelligent,
non-humanoid creature, you Teleport
acquire an anxiety disorder. Fatiguing
The Sanity save Difficulty for As in True20 Adventure
this disorder is 5 + the level of Roleplaying.
the most powerful creature Sanity Cost: Adept
sensed. and any other teleported
creatures acquire an anxi-
Suggestion ety disorder (Difficulty 12
Sanity)
As in True20 Adventure
Roleplaying. The target
must be within your line of Temporal
sight, or you must have
mental contact, in order Dimension
to make a Suggestion.
Suggestion can convince
Shift
Fatiguing, Prerequisite: Dimension
the target of something that
Shift
isn’t really true, effectively inducing mild hallucina-
As Dimension Shift, but you can shift in time as well
tions. Any time these hallucinations obviously conflict
as space.
with the real world or endanger the target, the target
Sanity Cost: Everyone who participate in the Tem-
gets to re-roll the Will saving throw.
poral Dimension Shift acquires a psychotic disorder
If the target attempts to ignore the suggestion and
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
fails the Will save, the target acquires one level of Sui-
cidal (Difficulty 14 Sanity) per day until the suggested
course of action is acted upon. Temporal Gate
Sanity Cost: Hallucinations (Difficulty 10 Sanity) Fatiguing, Maintenance, Prerequisite: Dimension Shift
You create a visible gate to a different location or di-
mension, and to any time period, through which any
Supernatural Beast Link number of medium sized creatures may pass. You may
Fatiguing, Concentration
look through the gate and see whatever is on the other
This power is identical to the Beast Link power in
side. The gate is generally created within the bounds of
True20 Adventure Roleplaying, except it works on su-
an existing physical portal, like a door or window. In ad-
pernatural beasts. This power does not work on regular
62 dition, the gate is invisible at the destination. The Dif-
beasts.
ficulty of creating a Temporal Gate is 15, modified by
 Table 5-9: Temporal Gate Temporal Sense Minds
Difficulty Mass/Size
Prerequisite: Dimension Sense Minds
As Sense Minds, except you can also sense minds that
5
10 Up to 20 lbs. are “nearby” in another dimension or another time.
15 50 lbs. Sanity Cost: If you sense the minds of any intel-
20 100 lbs. ligent, non-humanoid creature, you acquire an anxiety
disorder. The Sanity save for this disorder is 5 + the
25 250 lbs.
level of the most powerful creature sensed.
+10 Large creature
+25 Huge creature
Visions
your familiarity with the destination location and time This power is not available in Shadows of Cthulhu. See
period. If you wish to create the gate so that creatures Temporal Scrying instead.
of greater size may pass through, or creatures can carry
excessive additional weight, modify the base Difficulty
according to the following table.
Voorish Sign
Fatiguing
Sanity Cost: Everyone who uses the Temporal Gate The Voorish Sign is a complicated hand gesture used to
acquires a psychotic disorder (Difficulty 12 Sanity). reveal invisible or incorporeal things. You can use your
Time: Dimension Gate is a full-round action. The Voorish Sign power check instead of any opposed skill
gate remains open for one hour, plus one hour per adept check or saving throw required to resist skills or powers
level. that fool your sense of sight. For example, you can use
this power as a Will save to see a creature that has used
Temporal Mind Touch Light Shaping to become invisible, or as a Notice check
Maintenance, Prerequisite: Mind Touch to spot someone using Stealth to hide. If you succeed
As Mind Touch, but you can touch minds in the past or on your opposed skill check or save, you see the creature
future. The base Difficulty is 10, modified by familiarity or item as it truly is. Voorish Sign also reveals ethereal
with the mind being contacted. If you attempt to touch creatures (Difficulty 20) and inherently invisible crea-
any mind at random, in any time period, the familiarity tures (Difficulty 25).
modifier is +0. When Voorish Sign is used, the resulting power
Sanity Cost: Any time you successfully establish check is treated as a new opposed skill check or new
mental contact with a non-humanoid creature, you ac- save versus any ongoing visual effects, even if you’ve pre-
quire an anxiety disorder. The Sanity save for this dis- viously attempted and failed to see past those effects.
order is 5 + the target creature’s level, but for aberra- Sanity Cost: None
tions, outsiders and vermin the save is 10 + the target Time: Voorish Sign is a move action and its effects
creature’s level. last for one minute. You make a single power check, and
the result can be used for all applicable sight checks and
saves during that time.
Temporal Scrying
Fatiguing, Concentration, Prerequisite: Scrying
As Scrying, but you may sense events across time, as Ward Creature Type
well and space. The base Difficulty is 15, modified by Concentration
familiarity. If you don’t choose a specific time or target As Ward in True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Wards take
for this power, essentially scrying on a random time and different forms for different creatures in Shadows of
location, the familiarity modifier becomes +0. Cthulhu. Therefore, wards for each creature type are
Sanity Cost: Any anxiety disorder (Difficulty 14 separate powers. For example, Ward Outsider, Ward
Sanity) Aberration, and Ward Monstrous Humanoid are all
separate powers.
Sanity Cost: Any psychotic disorder (Difficulty 12
Sanity)

63
5

64
 Chapter 6: 6
Mythos Bestiary
The Cthulhu Mythos includes races of sentient creatures
that pre-date humanity by eons, mindless beasts that
Contact
The Contact Azathoth power has a power check Diffi-
slip though the cracks between dimensions, and power- culty of 40. If successful, a gate appears through which
ful gods that would quickly destroy us if we ever drew anyone can pass into the domain of Azathoth. While
their attention. there, humans take the form of iridescent bubbles and
Each of the creature descriptions in this chapter fol- are not bothered by the other trans-dimensional crea-
lows the basic format of True20 Adventure Roleplaying, tures. Anyone visiting the domain of Azathoth in this
with the addition of a list of mental and physical dis- way can attempt to return through the gate once per
orders each creature might cause under specific condi- minute with a successful Difficulty 15 Will save. The
tions. This is by no means a complete list of creatures in gate remains open for ten minutes. Azathoth never
the Mythos, nor does it contain every creature type or communicates with humans, but anyone successfully
power represented in Lovecraftian literature. contacting him might draw the attention of Nyarlatho-
tep.
The Gods
The Gods of the Cthulhu Mythos rule the worlds of our Combat
universe from grim voids reachable only through the Azathoth can use any power at will with no saving
intersections of different dimensions of existence. These throws, and he may choose any power bonus. Azathoth
deities are vast and amorphous unless they choose a sol- cannot be damaged or destroyed. Seeing him causes
id form, and they seldom interact with humans except Mutism (Difficulty 30 Sanity), Paranoia (Difficulty 25
through avatars or unspeakable spawn. Their mindless, Sanity) and the fear effect of the Heart Shaping power
unintelligible state puts them beyond influence, though with a Will save Difficulty of 33.
direct contact with them is said to be possible.
Each description below includes a brief statement
of the deity’s motivations, if they’re at all comprehen- Nathicana
sible, as well as details about contacting the deity. Typi- Nathicana is the Fair Maiden of the Gardens of Zais,
cal creature information is not provided for these gods a land that existed before time began and now ex-
because they take so many different forms and it is gen- ists outside of normal dimensions of time and space.
erally impossible to harm them. She has white skin, deep red lips and sleepy eyes. Pale
robes cover her alluring figure as she moves gracefully
through her magical garden. Nathicana sometimes ap-
Azathoth pears in her maiden form to men in visions or dreams,
Azathoth is the Ultimate Chaos from which creation and her beauty haunts them from that point on. Some
came, an immense, formless, idiotic bubbling mass of scholars speculate that Nathicana appears to females in
power at the center of all dimensions. A great void sur- an attractive male form that is the inspiration for the
rounds him, filled with squid-like creatures that destroy Greek god Himerus.
anything they touch and amorphous dancing shapes
that meter his movements with eerie sounds of drums
and flutes. He is lord of all things, but neither knows nor
Motivations
Nathicana is lonely in her magical garden and wishes
cares about any of them. To the ancient Hyperboreans
only to meet with humans in dreams and visions for
he was Ubbo-Sathla, and to the classical Greeks he was
companionship. She prefers human men, because they
Uzzi-Tahuti. Azathoth’s will is embodied in his mes-
seem more pleased to visit with her.
senger, Nyarlathotep.

Motivations Contact
The Contact Nathicana power has a power check Dif-
None. Azathoth is pure power, and his actions of de-
ficulty of 35, but that can be reduced to 30 if she is of-
struction and creation seem to have no purpose, except
fered fine wines personally brewed by the caller. If the
that which Nyarlathotep gives them. 65
contact is successful, the contactor falls into a trance
 and converses with Nathicana in a vision. Nathicana throws. In human form, Nyarlathotep is usually lead-
6 generally has a friendly attitude. ing an army or is accompanied by powerful human wiz-
ards. He can be slain in any of his thousand forms, and
if slain he cannot return to that place or interact with
Combat his slayer for 24 hours. Most of his more threatening
Nathicana can use Heart Shaping, Suggestion and forms have damage reduction 10/- and a +30 combat
Comprehend Languages at will while visiting mor- bonus. His bite does +16 damage; his tentacle attacks
tals in visions. She has a power bonus of +20 for these do +15 damage and toss medium size creatures 50 ft.
powers and their saving throw Difficulty is 20. She can into the air if they hit. Seeing one of Nyarlathotep’s hu-
be wounded, but never actually dies. Any men seeing man forms causes Mania (Difficulty 20 Sanity). Seeing
Nathicana acquire the Obsession disorder (Difficulty any other form causes a control disorder (Difficulty 25
30 Sanity) with Nathicana as the object of their obses- Sanity) and the fear effect of the Heart Shaping Power
sion. Anyone obsessed with Nathicana who doesn’t see (Difficulty 33 Will). In addition, anyone within a mile
her for an entire day acquires the Suicidal mental disor- of Nyarlathotep acquires Night Terrors (Difficulty 18
der (Difficulty 18 Sanity). Sanity).

Nyarlathotep, Shub-Niggurath
The Crawling Chaos Shub-Niggurath, “The Black Goat of the Woods with
a Thousand Young!” is the most elusive of the Outer
Nyarlathotep is the heart and soul of the Outer Gods,
especially Azathoth. While the gods ignore the Earth Gods. She appears to be the focus of many ancient fer-
and its races, Nyarlathotep takes every chance to be- tility rituals, probably because of her amazing and ma-
come involved. lignant ability to produce spawn. She is worshiped by
Nyarlathotep possesses a thousand forms. He has druids and other cults that are associated with nature
appeared as a handsome charismatic leader from the and fertility.
line of pharaohs, a towering three-legged aberration Shub-Niggurath is rarely seen, but the few sources
with a long red tentacle instead of a head, and a tall lean that mention her appearance claim that she is a gigantic
man with hoofed feet, entirely pitch black in skin and floating mass of forming and reforming body parts, flail-
wardrobe, who entices dreamers to give up their soul by ing tentacles and dripping mouths. Occasionally a pair
signing the Book of Azathoth. of the thick hoofed legs that sprout from this mass will
separate completely, forming one of her dark young.

Motivations Motivations
Nyarlathotep manifests the unfathomable will of the
Outer Gods in our time and dimension. He manipu- Shub-Niggurath’s motivations are unclear, but she fa-
lates his worshipers and twists the fate of humankind vors the woods and other areas that are densely pop-
toward paths of insanity and destruction. His ultimate ulated with life, and she seems to be constantly pro-
purpose is unclear and so incongruous that humans ducing her own young. It would seem that she desires
throughout history could only see him as the center of to propagate life by whatever method, no matter how
a steady spread of madness and death. But he has a goal harsh or ghastly.
– a world once again ruled by the will of the banished
Outer Gods. Contact
The Contact Shub-Niggurath power has a Difficulty
Contact of 30, and if successful a dark young appears to at-
tack any non-worshipers present and do the bidding
The Contact Nyarlathotep power has a Difficulty of 30.
If successful he sends an avatar, such as a hunting horror, of the contacting adept. If the power check to Contact
or appears himself in one of his many forms. He gener- Shub-Niggurath equals or exceeds 42, Shub-Niggurath
ally has a hostile attitude, but he can be indifferent or herself appears instead. She immediately attacks non-
friendly to those who worship him and offer sacrifices worshipers and begins to produce one dark young every
to him. If Nyarlathotep’s attitude is friendly or better, minute. When non-worshipers are dead, she will lis-
he grants exposure to one Mythos trait. Nyarlathotep ten to requests from worshipers. Her attitude toward
speaks all languages. worshipers is indifferent unless they provide a sacrifice.
Shub-Niggurath speaks all languages.

Combat
66 Nyarlathotep has all fascination feats and can use any
power. His power bonus is +35 with Difficulty 33 saving
Combat Umr at-Tawil &
Shub-Niggurath spawns dark young to attack her en-
emies, and she also attacks with one of her flailing ten- Ancient Ones 6
tacles every round with an attack bonus of +35 and +8 Umr At-Tawil is known as the Most Ancient One, or
damage. If she hits any huge or smaller creature with the Guardian of the Ultimate Gate. He is the first of the
a tentacle, she can automatically grab then and draw Ancient Ones, who appear as 10-feet tall, heavily-robed
them to one of her mouths, which drains the victim’s and completely shrouded humanoids. All but Umr At-
blood, causing 1 point of Strength damage per round. Tawil sit dreaming upon thrones atop hexagonal pedes-
Shub-Niggurath holds the victim until she is forced to tals beyond the First Gate of the Void. Umr At-Tawil
leave or the tentacle is destroyed. She can continue to controls the dreams of the other Ancient Ones using
attack with one tentacle each round, even if other ten- chants emanating from a glowing quasi-sphere. Their
tacles are holding victims. dreams, in turn, control the angles and intersections of
Shub-Niggurath’s roiling, gargantuan form cannot dimensions of existence. It is only with the aid of Umr
be harmed, but the individual body parts and tentacles At-Tawil that anyone can pass beyond the First Gate to
can be. Each appendage has Toughness +10, damage the Second Gate of Void, which leads to a point where
resistance 2/supernatural, and a dodge bonus of +30, all dimensions intersect. Creatures passing through the
which is reduced to +8 for tentacles that are holding Second Gate lose their identity and become simulta-
creatures. If an appendage is reduced to dying, it is de- neously conscious of all variations of their existence in
stroyed. Shub-Niggurath disappears as soon as three of all dimensions. If they succeed on a Difficulty 30 Will
her appendages have been destroyed, taking any crea- save they may return to their original identity and gain
tures she still holds in her remaining tentacles with her exposure to all Mythos Knowledge Skills. If travelers
back into the void. fail their Will saves, their consciousnesses settle in the
In addition to her other abilities, Shub-Niggurath bodies of different versions of themselves in other di-
can use the following powers at will with a power bonus mensions.
of +35 , Difficulty 33 saves, and no fatigue costs: Drain Because of his control of all dimensions and travel
Vitality, Earth Shaping, Move Object, Plant Shaping, between them, it is possible that Umr At-Tawil and the
Water Shaping, Weather Shaping, Wind Shaping. Ancient Ones are actually a manifestation of Yog-So-
Anyone who sees Shub-Niggurath gains a control thoth. Or perhaps Umr At-Tawil is a separate deity who
disorder (Difficulty 26 Sanity) and suffers the fear effect brings order to the will of Yog-Sothoth in a similar way
of the Heart Shaping Power (Difficulty 33 Will). that Nyarlathotep serves Azathoth.

67
 Motivations vided an intelligent sacrifice or a young maiden capable
6 Umr At-Tawil keeps the dimensions in place through
his control of the Ancient Ones. He will banish anyone
of bearing his spawn.

who enters through the First Gate with intentions to Combat

manipulate the dimensions or interfere with the dreams Manifestations of Yog-Sothoth can use any elemental,
of the Ancient Ones. He will occasionally escort worthy life, or unlife powers at will, with a power bonus of +30
creatures beyond the Second Gate. and Difficulty 30 saving throws. Each manifestation
only remains for one minute per level of the contacting
Contact adept. During that time, it will kill whatever sacrifices
are provided and impregnate any maidens with spawn.
The Contact Umr At-Tawil power has a Difficulty of
40. If successful, the adept will Dimension Shift beyond If there are non-worshipers present or an offering was
the First Gate of the Void, into the presence of Umr At- not made, Yog-Sothoth attacks with 1d20 spheres each
Tawil and the Ancient Ones. Umr At-Tawil speaks all round, each with an attack bonus of +20, doing +8 dam-
languages and is generally indifferent to visitors as long age, and causing Premature Aging in any creature hit
as they don’t interfere. (Difficulty 22 Fortitude). Each rapidly shifting sphere
has a defense of +20, with a +4 Toughness save. Any
wounded or worse result destroys a sphere, while any-
Combat thing less has no effect. When at least three spheres
Umr At-Tawil can use any temporal or dimension power have been destroyed, the manifestation disappears. See-
at will with complete success and no saving throws. The ing a manifestation of Yog-Sothoth causes a psychotic
Ancient Ones can be attacked normally, but wounds disorder (Difficulty 25 Sanity) as well as the fear effect
affect only one of their infinite selves throughout the of the Heart Shaping Power (Difficulty 30 Will).
dimensions, effectively making them invulnerable.
Standing in the presence of the Ancient Ones causes an
anxiety disorder (Difficulty 16 Sanity), and hearing the Creature
chants from Umr At-Tawil’s sphere causes Brain Dam-
age (Difficulty 16 Will). Descriptions
The following creatures follow the format used in
True20 Adventure Roleplaying. Although many of them,
Yog-Sothoth especially the Great Old Ones, are so powerful that
Yog-Sothoth is perhaps the most widely-worshiped de- most other races view them as Gods, they are still of the
ity in the Cthulhu Mythos. He is known to the Mi-go material world and can be confronted and defeated.
of Yoggoth as the Beyond-one, and is named only with
the untranslatable sign by the vaporous brains of the
Spiral Nebula. He exists in the intersections between Animated Corpse
dimensions but has no existence in any single dimen- Type: 1st Level Undead
sion unless summoned. Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +2 (-2 Somatic Delusions), Dex +0
Motivations (+2, -2 Somatic Delusions), Con -, Int -1, Wis +1, Cha
Yog-Sothoth serves his worshipers and gives them the
+0
power to destroy. He may do this by revealing feats and
Skills: Bluff 4 (+4), Climb 4 (+4), Intimidate 4 (+4),
powers to them or by putting terrible creatures under
Notice 4 (+5), Stealth 4 (+4)
their control. Yog-Sothoth cannot remain in our dimen-
Feats: Accurate Attack, Connected, Firearms Train-
sion for long periods, so he works primarily through his
ing, Improved Grab, Point Blank Shot, Seize Initiative,
cults, servitors and spawn.
Taunt
Traits: Somatic Delusions disorder (2 levels)
Contact Combat: Attack +1 (+1 base, +0 Dex), Damage +2
The Contact Yog-Sothoth power has a Difficulty of 35 (club) or +3 (light pistol), Defense: Dodge/Parry +1/+1
and calls forth a rapidly shifting and pulsating mass (+1 base, +0 Dex/+0 Str), Initiative +0
of protoplasmic globes that is the projection of infi- Saves: Toughness +0, Fortitude -, Reflex +0 (+0
nite Yog-Sothoth in our dimension. Contacting Yog- base, +0 Dex), Will +1 (+0 base, +1 Wis), Sanity +2 (+2
Sothoth also causes an earthquake as described in the base, +0 Cha)
Earth Shaping power. Yog-Sothoth is generally hostile Animated corpses are dead human bodies that have
when he appears, unless those contacting him have pro- been brought back to life with their memories and skills
68 intact, though they often acquire a serious psychotic dis-
order in the process. Animated corpses retain all their
traits from life, but they no longer have a constitution Saves: Toughness +4 (+2 natural, +2 Con), Fortitude
score. They do not acquire any of the immunities or spe-
cial traits normally associated with undead. These are
+5 (+3 base, +2 Con), Reflex +4 (+3 base, +1 Dex), Will
+2 (+1 base, +1 Wis) 6
not mindless zombies, but intelligent beings restored to Byakhees are winged servants of Mythos deities and
the living and often able to resume their place in society. cultists. They are pitch black and bipedal, with ant-like
They are still undead, however. The information given limbs, great bat-like wings, and a head like a vulture or
above is for the animated corpse of a typical 1st-level crow. Their hands and feet are armed with razor-sharp
warrior. claws, and their long, pointed tongues can pierce any
flesh to suck blood. Some appear almost undead, with
patches of missing or pealing flesh and gaping holes in
Combat their wings. Byakee’s ability to fly is partially supernatu-
Animated corpses fight just as they did in real life, but ral, allowing their seemingly slight frames to carry rid-
perhaps with more abandon because they know they ers up to medium size.
can be re-animated if they die.

Ecology Combat
Byakhee attack with their claws, alternat-
Animated corpses are usually the result of an adept us- ing between attacks with their hands and
ing the Imbue Unlife power. Although they are undead, feet as they hop in a half-flying state. They
they still eat, sleep, and breathe, just like they did in real can also attack with their long beak and try to
life. The effects of the Imbue Unlife power can be re- latch onto their opponent’s flesh.
versed with the Dispel Unlife power, returning the Drain Blood: If a by-
animated corpse to its dead corpse state, with all akhee successfully bites
retroactive aging of the corpse taking place imme- an opponent, it remains
diately. Animated corpses attached and drains blood
have a mind of their each subsequent round,
own, but out of gratitude doing 1 point of Strength
they may serve the adept damage. Any staggered or
that re-animated them. wounded or higher dam-
age to the byakhee causes
Adventure it to loose its grasp.
Sanity: Seeing a by-
Hook akhee causes Panic At-
The heroes may come across an old tacks (Difficulty 13 San-
acquaintance who is now an animated ity).
corpse. They may notice strange things
about him, and their curiosity may
lead them to the demented adept Ecology
who re-animated him. Byakee live near other
stars and are the ser-
vants of Hastur, but they
Byakhee, are sometimes brought
to Earth by Outer Gods or
Winged Servitors Great Old Ones to collect sacrifices. More often, they
Type: 3rd Level Supernatural Beast (Lesser Servitor are called by Mythos cultists to use as steeds or to kill
Race) enemies.
Size: Medium
Speed: 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)
Abilities: Str +4, Dex +1, Con +2, Int -1, Wis +1, Adventure Hook
Cha +2 Police have found the dead body of Mabel March hang-
Skills: Stealth 6 (+7) ing from the clock tower of City Hall. She was the old,
Feats: Night Vision, Open Mind, Powers(3)B beloved librarian in the seaside town of Kingsport. Her
Traits: Drain Blood, Powers (rank 6, Cha, save Dif- body had been raked by claws and lost a lot of blood. As
ficulty 14; Mind Probe +8, Mind Touch +8, Pain +8) the heroes investigate her death, they discover that she
Combat: Attack +4 (+3 base, +1 Dex), Damage +7 had once received and ignored the Yellow Sign.
(claws) or +6 (bite), Defense: Dodge/Parry +4/- (+3
base, +1 Dex), Initiative +1 69
 Coleopteran Collective Skills: Coleopterans have a +8 racial bonus on
6 Type: 6th Level Vermin (Swarm, Lesser Indepen-
dent Race)
Climb checks and a +4 bonus on Notice checks.
Powers: All coleopteran collectives use the most
effective scientific equipment to gain a +5 modifier on
Size: Tiny
power checks (already included above).
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Abilities: Str -5, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +4, Wis +1,
Cha +1 Ecology
Skills: Climb 0 (+3), +Craft (science) 9 (+12), Male and female beetles from each coleopteran collec-
Gather Information 9 (+10), Mythos Knowledge (his- tive are designated for reproduction when more mem-
tory, physical sciences, technology) 9 (+13), Notice 0 bers are needed. They lay hundreds of eggs in special
(+5), Stealth 9 (+20) underground larvae chambers tended by non-Yithian
Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Defense, Pow- collectives. When a group of larvae develop into adults,
ers(3)B, Track they leave the larvae chambers as a group and join their
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Distraction, Half Dam- parent collective. If the number of beetles in a collec-
age from Slashing and Piercing, Powers (rank 10, Cha, tive gets too low to support a Yithian mind, that mind
save Difficulty 14, +5 for scientific equipment, Scientific transfers to another available collective.
Temporal Mind Touch +16, Scientific Exchange Per-
sonality +16, Scientific Comprehend Languages +16),
Sanity, Swarm Traits Advneture Hook
Combat: Swarm, Damage +4, Defense: Dodge/ Mental contact with minds in the future, or an acciden-
Parry +9/ - (+4 base, +2 size, +3 Dex), Initiative +3 tal opening of a Temporal Gate, could result in contact
Saves: Toughness +1 (+2 Con, +1 natural, -2 size), with the coleapterans. It’s also likely that the coleopter-
Fortitude +9 (+5 base, +2 Con, Great Fortitude), Reflex ans have swapped minds with humans in our own time
+5 (+2 base, +3 Dex), Will +3 (+2 base, +1 Wis) in an attempt to assess the fate of their old enemy, the
The coleopterans are a hardy race. They develop flying polyps.
from beetles millions of years in the future, after the hu-
man race has died out. Hundreds of these tiny creatures
swarm together to form hive-minds capable of intel-
Color Out of Space
Type: 3rd Level Elemental (Aquatic, Greater Inde-
ligent thought. They are the species that the Great Race
pendent Race)
of Yith chose as hosts for the mass migration of their
Size: Diminutive
minds forward in time. Each Yithian mind takes con-
Speed: swim 5 ft.
trol of an entire hive-mind. The knowledge and genius
Abilities: Str -, Dex -, Con +1, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha
of the coleopterans with Yithian minds will be so supe-
+3
rior that they will quickly dominate and change their
Skills: Perform (dance) 6 (+9), Sense Motive 6 (+6)
entire society. The coleopterans eventually reproduce
Feats: Fascinate, Suggestion
much of the ancient Yithian technology, including their
Traits: Elemental traits, Life Drain, lifesight 90 ft.,
personality transfer devices and language translators.
Sanity, Vulnerable to Electricity
Combat: Attack none, Defense: Dodge/Parry +1/ -
Combat (+2 base, +4 size, -5 Dex), Initiative -5
Coleopterans avoid combat if possible, preferring to Saves: Toughness -1 (+1 Con, +2 natural, -4 size),
communicate with other creatures using their transla- Fortitude +4 (+3 base, +1 Con), Reflex -4 (+1 base, -5
tor device. The Yithians projected their minds far in the Dex), Will +1 (+1 base, +0 Wis)
future to escape their enemies and are not well prepared The color out of space is a simple alien life form that
for combat. If they are forced to fight, they swarm and resembles a small meteor. It requires water to survive
attack until the enemy is disabled, then they back off and reproduce, and goes into a slowly-deteriorating
and try to communicate again. dormant state when exposed to air. When it has access
Distraction: Any living creature that begins its turn to water, it emits a glowing display of prismatic light
with a coleopteran swarm in its immediate vicinity must and mildly radioactive energy. It weaves its waves of
succeed on a Difficulty 15 Fortitude save or be nause- light through the air in a translucent, dancing pattern,
ated for 1 round. The save Difficulty is Constitution- draining the life force from any living thing it engulfs
based. and corrupting the development of nearby plants and
Sanity: Being inside a swarm of coleopterans causes animals. Its hypnotic color patterns can also dominate
a Phobia disorder (Difficulty 10 Sanity). Seeing a swarm or break the minds of intelligent creatures.
exhibit signs of intelligence causes an anxiety disorder
70 (Difficulty 14 Sanity).
Combat else. Invisibility and darkness have no effect on the color
The color out of space grows from a mysterious meteor
that falls from space, and that meteor remains the base
out of space, and it automatically senses living creatures
within range without a Notice check. 6
of the creature’s waving light patterns. Though nearly
immobile, the color out of space is protected by the long Suggestion: The color out of space uses its Sugges-
reach of its devastating power to drain life. tion ability by creating unearthly patterns of light and
Life Drain: A fully-developed color out of space color, drawing living creatures in close. The target can
can lash out at a living target up to 30 ft. away with its resist with a Difficulty 14 Will save.
prismatic waves of color. A successful Difficulty 14 Re- Sanity: Looking at the dancing lights of the color
flex save avoids the color’s touch. If touched, the target out of space causes Explosive Disorder (Difficulty 10
acquires one level of the Life Essence Drain disorder Sanity) and Depression (Difficulty 14 Sanity).
(Difficulty 12 Fortitude).
Lifesight: This operates like blindsight, but the col- Ecology
or out of space can sense only living creatures, nothing The color out of space travels through the universe in
the form of a small, inorganic meteor until it crashes to
the surface of a planet. If one of these meteors encoun-
ters water and life, it drains both and blooms into its
colorful and deadly prismatic display, eventually matur-
ing enough to reproduce and launch more meteor-like
spawn into space.

Adventure Hook
Color out of space meteors are frequently crashing to
earth, but the those that don’t hit water die off, and
the ones that do land in water drain nearby life and
return to space within days. The rare color out of space
that lands in water near civilization is the one that will
draw the heroes’ attention.

Cthulhu
Type: 34th Level Outsider (Great Old One)
Size: Colossal
Speed: 90 ft., swim 60 ft., fly 90 ft.
Abilities: Str +14, Dex +3, Con +8, Int +5, Wis
+5, Cha +8
Skills: Bluff 37 (+45), Climb 37 (+51),
Craft (architecture) 37 (+42), Intimidate 37
(+45), Knowledge (supernatural) 37 (+42),
Mythos Knowledge (history, life sciences, physi-
cal sciences, theology and philosophy) 37 (+42), No-
tice 37 (+42), Sense Motive 37 (+42)
Feats: All-out Attack, Cleave, Double Strike,
Great Cleave, Hover, Imbue Item, Improved Grab,
Iron Will, Move-By Action, PowersB, Seize Initiative,
Tough, Wingover
Traits: Amphibious, Damage Reduction 8/super-
natural, Darkvision 120 ft., Fast Healing, Fear Aura,
Powers (rank 37, Cha, save Difficulty 35, all powers
except elemental powers and curing powers +45), San-
ity, Tear.
Combat: Attack +27 (-8 Size, +34 base, +3 Dex,
-2 two-weapon), Damage +18 (2 x claws), Defense:
Dodge/Parry +29/ - (-8 Size, +34 base, +3 Dex), Ini-
tiative +3 71
 Saves: Toughness +20 (+8 Size, +8 Con, +4 natural), slept while they created great cities, fought wars and
6 Fortitude +27 (+19 base, +8 Con), Reflex +22 (+19 base,
+3 Dex), Will +26 (+19 base, +5 Wis, +2 Iron Will)
named the stars. As he slept he dreamed, and he entered
the dreams of humankind so that they might learn his
Great Cthulhu is hundreds of feet tall, with leathery name and worship him when the stars are once again
wings, and a roughly humanoid body. His head is oc- right.
topoidal, with dozens of tentacles extending all around
and from the lower half of his face. He is the prehis-
toric priest of Azathoth and bringer of destruction. He Contact
plunged to Earth from the stars eons ago, long before While sleeping behind the massive doors of his cham-
men walked upright, and his spawn and servants cre- ber in R’lyeh, Great Cthulhu can use the Mind Touch
ated the great city of R’lyeh and taught the world to power at will to contact intelligent dreaming minds
fear him. anywhere in the world (Difficulty 35 Will save to re-
sist). Cthulhu has used this ability since the dawn of
humankind to create his cults and advance plans for his
Combat resurrection. Those contacted cannot always remember
Cthulhu can rake though crowds of creatures each what happened, but are agitated and disturbed by vague
round with two attacks from his massive hands, taking recollections. Such contact with Cthulhu causes Insom-
advantage of his cleaving ability. He can substitute at- nia (Difficulty 20 Sanity) and counts as exposure to the
tacks with one or two of the tentacles on his face, which Dream skill. A successful Difficulty 15 Dream check
are each capable of grappling and crushing creatures after the fact allows the subject to remember the details
up to Large size. Cthulhu seeks to destroy any non- of the contact, which causes an anxiety disorder (Dif-
worshipers in his vicinity, pursuing them through water, ficulty 27 Sanity).
across land, or through the air. If Cthulhu is slain, his The Contact Cthulhu power has a Difficulty of 27.
body disintegrates and reforms in a slumbering state If successful, the contacting creature falls into a trance
back in the depths of R’lyeh, which immediately sinks and Cthulhu appears in a dream-like vision. Cthulhu’s
back to the bottom of the ocean. attitude toward those who contact him is generally in-
Amphibious: Cthulhu can breathe both air and wa- different. He will, however, reveal information to them
ter. that may help prepare the world for his dominance and
Fast Healing: Cthulhu is not made of the stuff of lead to his revival when the stars are right. Those con-
this earth, so earthly weapons cannot damage him per- tacting Cthulhu are affected mentally as if he had con-
manently. He makes recovery checks once per round tacted them with his Mind Touch.
for staggered or unconscious, and once per minute for
wounded, disabled or dying. Any damage caused by su-
pernatural weapons heals at the normal rate. Adventure Hook
Fear Aura: Anyone who sees Great Cthulhu must There are Cthulhu cults all around the world, prepar-
succeed on a Difficulty 35 Will save or be affected as ing for the dark day when they will all join together to
though by the fear effect of the Heart Shaping power. A raise their master and rule the Earth. They practice their
creature that successfully saves is immune to Cthulhu’s sacrifices and dark rituals, and they seek after other My-
appearance for 24 hours. The save Difficulty is Charis- thos powers that might help them. The heroes may en-
ma-based. counter these cultists or directly contact Cthulhu in a
Sanity: Seeing Cthulhu causes an anxiety disorder poorly-remembered dream.
(Difficulty 35 Sanity) and a mood disorder (Difficulty
39 Sanity).
Tear: If Cthulhu successfully grapples a creature
Dagon
Type: 13th Level Monstrous Humanoid (Aquatic)
with one of his facial tentacles, he may try to tear the Size: Large
creature apart as a move action. The target of this attack Speed: 30 ft., swim 50 ft.
must succeed on a Difficulty 41 Fortitude save or be Abilities: Str +6, Dex +1, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +1,
torn in half. Cha +2
Skills: Notice 16 (+17), Sense Motive 16 (+17),
Ecology Swim 0 (+14)
Great Cthulhu’s flesh is of the stars, and only when they Feats: Great Fortitude, Cleave, Diehard, Powers(1B,
are in certain positions can he awake and move freely Powers(2)
on the Earth. At such times his great non-euclidean city Traits: Amphibious, Damage Reduction 2/super-
of R’lyeh rises from the depths of the ocean and he can natural, Darkvision 60 ft., Fear Aura, Powers (rank 16,
be called forth by his worshipers from behind the great Cha, save Difficulty 19, Call Animal +18, Mind Touch
72 doors of the chamber where he has slept for eons. He +18, Pain +18, Water Shaping +18), Sanity
slept while the first humans learned to use fire, and still
 Combat: Attack +13 (-1 Size, +13 base, +1 Dex), tion while swimming, provided he swims in a straight
Damage +10 (claws) or +9 (bite), Defense: Dodge/Par-
ry +13/ - (-1 Size, +13 base, +1 Dex), Initiative +1
line.
6
Saves: Toughness +9 (+2 Size, +2 Con, +5 natural),
Fortitude +8 (+4 base, +2 Con), Reflex +9 (+8 base, +1 Ecology
Dex), Will +9 (+8 base, +1 Wis) Dagon appears to be a deep one that has grown terribly
Dagon appears to be a grotesquely large deep one. large and powerful over many thousands of years. He
He is worshiped by deep ones and some groups of hu- hunts in the deep Atlantic ocean and the Mediterra-
mans as a demi-god second only to Great Cthulhu. nean and seems to prefer intelligent prey. Dagon was
They offer him humanoid sacrifices, and in exchange he already a demi-god worshiped by the sea peoples four
calls abundant fish for their livelihood. Just his presence thousand years ago, so he must be incredibly ancient.
nearby gives sentient creatures terrible dreams, and if
Dagon is aware of a creature, he can make direct mental Adventure Hook
contact and cause terrible mental anguish. Dagon is still worshiped by the deep ones and may be
called by them if they need his help against the heroes.
Combat The heroes may also come across isolated groups of sea-
faring humans that sacrifice to Dagon.
Dagon fights like an animal, ripping and tearing with
claws and teeth. If wounded he uses his Fear Aura to
drive attackers away, or he retreats to deep water and Dark Young of Shub-
calls on sharks and other vicious sea creatures to aid
him. Niggurath
Amphibious: Dagon can breathe both air and Type: 8th Level Aberration (Greater Servitor
water. Race)
Fear Aura: Dagon radiates a Size: Huge
60-foot radius fear aura as a free Speed: 30 ft.
action. This fear aura also affects Abilities: Str +9, Dex +1, Con +2, Int
anyone within sight of Dagon, or +1, Wis +2 Cha +3
anyone dreaming within one mile. A Skills: Disguise 11 (+14), Notice 11
creature in the area must succeed (+13), Stealth 11 (+7)
on a Difficulty 18 Will save or be Feats: All-out Attack, Improved
affected as though by the Grab, Skill Focus (Stealth),
fear effect of the Heart Traits: Blindsight, Dam-
Shaping Supernatural age Reduction 5/supernatu-
power. A creature that ral or slashing, Drain Blood,
successfully saves cannot Immunities, Maim, Sanity,
be affected again by Da- Trample
gon’s aura for 24 hours. Combat: Attack +5 (-2
The save Difficulty is size, +6 base, +1 Dex), Dam-
Charisma-based. age +12 and Maim (tentacle),
Sanity: Seeing Dagon Defense: Dodge/Parry +5/
causes a random anxiety - (-2 size, +6 base, +1 Dex),
disorder (Difficulty 16 Initiative +1
Sanity). Mental contact Saves: Toughness +10
with Dagon causes a ran- (+4 size, +2 Con, +4 natu-
dom sleep disorder (Dif- ral), Fortitude +4 (+2 base,
ficulty 16 Sanity). +2 Con), Reflex +3 (+2 base,
Skills: Dagon has a +1 Dex), Will +8 (+6 base, +2
+8 racial bonus on any Wis)
Swim checks to perform Dark young are gnarled
special actions or avoid upright masses that vaguely
hazards. He can always resemble trees. Thick, short,
choose to take 10 on a hoofed legs support a torso
Swim check, even if dis- of twisted tentacles and gap-
tracted or endangered. ing maws. Four thick, ropey
He can use the run ac- tentacles emerge from the
top of the torso, flailing in 73
the air until they find a tar-
 get. Dark young can be up to 20 feet high, and although
Deep Ones
6 they may be mistaken for trees, they can move surpris-
ingly fast when roused.
Type: 3rd Level Monstrous Humanoid (Aquatic,
Lesser Servitor Race)
Size: Medium
Combat Speed: 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Dark young are vicious fighters, confident in their own Abilities: Str +2, Dex -1, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +1,
invulnerability. They attack without regard for their own Cha +0
protection, smashing opponents with their tentacles, or Skills: Handle Aberration 6 (+6), Mythos Knowl-
grabbing them and holding them helpless. edge (Theology and Philosophy) 6 (+6), Swim 0 (+10)
Drain Blood: If a dark young grapples a creature Feats: Stunning Attack, Tough, Weapon Training
of Medium size or smaller, it may draw it to one of its Traits: Amphibious, Darkvision 60 ft., Sanity
many mouths as a move action. Once at a mouth, the Combat: Attack +2 (+3 base, -1 Dex), Damage +6
grappled creature takes 1 point of Strength damage each (claws) or +5 (bite) or +5 (spear), Defense: Dodge/Parry
round until it breaks free, the dark young is disabled, or +2/ +5 (+3 base, -1 Dex/+2 Str), Initiative -1
the tentacle is destroyed. A single dark young can hold Saves: Toughness +3 (+1 Con, +1 natural, +1 Tough),
one victim in each of its four large tentacles. Tentacles Fortitude +2 (+1 base, +1 Con), Reflex +0 (+1 base, -1
that are grappling opponents can be targeted separately. Dex), Will +4 (+3 base, +1 Wis)
They have a dodge bonus of +10 and a Toughness of The deep ones are a race of fish-headed humanoid
+6. The dark young’s damage reduction and immuni- creatures that live in large, fantastic cities on the ocean
ties still apply to the tentacle. Any wounded or better floor. Their bodies are slippery and scaly and vary in col-
result while attacking a tentacle means the tentacle is or from gray to green. The have bulging eyes, rounded
destroyed. white bellies, prominent gills, and large feet that slap as
Immunities: Dark young are immune to damage they shamble along dry ground but make them excep-
caused by heat, explosions, acid, electricity and poison. tionally fast swimmers. They speak their own language
Maim: If a dark young hits an opponent with a ten- in a series of guttural croaks and stops. The deep ones
tacle and chooses not to grapple, the dark young may worship Dagon and are somehow involved with the
instead inflict an injury disorder upon the opponent Cult of Cthulhu.
(Difficulty 23 Fortitude).
Sanity: Seeing a dark young causes a control disor-
der (Difficulty 17 Sanity).
Combat
Deep ones are not inherently brave unless they are
Trample: Damage +13, Difficulty 23 Reflex save for
underwater, in a group, or have a shoggoth at hand. If
half damage. The save Difficulty is Strength-based.
caught alone they will generally flee. They can fight with
natural weapons, but when on land they prefer to use
Ecology clubs or spears or whatever is at hand. If they outnum-
Dark young are spawned from the manifested body of ber their opponents, they use Stunning Attacks so they
Shub-Niggurath herself. Some of them may be many can save their victims a sacrifices to Dagon. If a deep
thousands of years old, sitting nearly dormant for cen- one is wounded, it will usually attempt to escape to the
turies as guardians of primeval forests or dense jungles. nearest body of water.
Others may be newly spawned by Shub-Niggurath to Amphibious: Deep ones can breathe both air and
accept a sacrifice on her behalf or to satisfy the request water.
of a worshiper. Once spawned, dark ones live forever Sanity: Seeing a deep one causes a random anxiety
unless they are destroyed. Dark young have no spoken disorder (Difficulty 11 Sanity).
language. Skills: Deep ones have a +8 racial bonus on any
Swim check to perform special actions or avoid haz-
ards. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim
Adventure Hook check, even if distracted or endangered. They can use
The heroes may hear about hikers killed by some un- the run action while swimming, provided they swim in
usual wild animal in a remote forest area. As the heroes a straight line.
investigate, they uncover a cult of neo-druids who wor-
ship Shub-Niggurath and have surprised themselves by
successfully calling a dark young. Ecology
Deep ones are a hardy race that feed on the bounty of
the sea and can live for thousands of years. All animals
domesticated by man hate and fear the deep ones and
their hybrid offspring, but the deep ones have learned
74
to domesticate shoggoths, which they use to construct
6

75
 their marvelous cities below the seas, and sometimes to Five muscular arms extend from the points where
6 hunt humans on dry land.
As part of a plan to conquer the land, deep ones in-
a horizontal ridge around the creature’s widest point
intersects the vertical ridges. Each arm extends a cou-
terbreed with humans, creating hybrid creatures. These ple feet before branching into three stalks, which each
hybrids appear human at birth but develop deep one eventually branch into three thin finger-like structures.
features and are drawn to the sea as they grow older. Each elder thing rests on five thick legs capable of fast
They eventually develop gills and leave the land for movement and able to lift them to a height of well over
good. The deep ones’ relationships with humans, some- eight feet.
times with entire coastal towns, provide them with the
sentient sacrifices they require to remain in Dagon’s fa-
vor. Combat
Elder things traditionally fight with five blades held
between three of the fingers of each of their five arms,
Adventure Hook spinning as they rapidly attack with all five weapons. The
Heroes may become involved when deep ones capture favorite weapon of the elder things during their battles
humans along lonely coastlines and offer them as sacri- with the shoggoths was the molecular disturbance de-
fices to Dagon. The heroes may also come across hybrid vice (see Chapter 7). If there are still elder things alive
humans that will eventually become part of the deep in the remote areas of the world, it may be because they
ones’ plan to colonize the dry land. have these devices to protect themselves. Though they
are made of natural material, the skin of an elder thing
is exceptionally tough.
Elder Things Amphibious: Elder things can breathe both air and
Type: 5th Level Aberration (Lesser Independent water.
Race) Hibernation: When elder things find themselves in
Size: Large harsh environments in which they cannot survive, they
Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft. can enter a state of suspended animation that lasts until
Abilities: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +3, Int +4, Wis +1, they are physically disturbed. This state can last for a
Cha +2 few hours or millions of years. It takes elder things one
Skills: Craft (mechanics) 8 (+12), Mythos Knowl- full day to awake from their hibernating state.
edge (art, history, life sciences, technology) 8 (+12), No-
tice 8 (+9)
Feats: Endurance, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon
TrainingB
Traits: Amphibious, Darkvision 60 ft., Hibernation,
Sanity
Combat: Attack +4 (+3 base, -1 size +2 Dex), Dam-
age +7 (claws) or +8 (blades), Defense: Dodge/Parry
+4/ +6 (-1 size, +3 base, +2 Dex/+4 Str), Initiative +2
Saves: Toughness +10 (+3 Con, +5 natural, +2 size),
Fortitude +4 (+1 base, +3 Con), Reflex +5 (+1 base,
+2 Dex, +2 Lightning Reflexes), Will +5 (+4 base, +1
Wis)
Elder things look like large, barrel-shaped vegeta-
bles ringed and topped with tentacles and cilia of vari-
ous sizes and shapes. Their central barrel shape is six feet
high and lined with five vertical ridges. The body tapers
at the top to a thick neck marked with gill slits, atop
which sits a yellowish starfish shape that serves as the
creature’s head. The head is covered in short cilia, and
each thick point of the starfish ends in a hallow tube, as
do five short stalks that project from the inside angles
of the star.
Seven-foot, membranous wings extend from two of
the body’s ridge lines. While these wings may have once
given the elder things the power of flight, that ability
was lost many millions of years ago. Now the wings
76 seem to merely provide extra control and propulsion
underwater.
 Sanity: Hearing the otherworldly piping, whistling Over all those years they had lost the ability to fly back
language of the elder things causes Paranoia (Difficulty
10 Sanity), while actually seeing a living elder thing
to the stars, so they huddled in hidden places and their
race degenerated. 6
causes an anxiety disorder (Difficulty 14 Sanity).
Adventure Hook
Ecology Elder things may still lurk in hidden cities beneath the
The elder things flew from the stars to Earth billions ocean or deep underground. The heroes may stumble
of years ago and settled in great cities under the ocean. upon clues that lead them to hibernating elder things,
They manipulated the primitive life of earth into the which may eventually lead them to this race’s lost cit-
species they needed for their survival. It is even possible ies.
that they created the first life on Earth from primordial
ingredients. The elder things eventually settled the land,
building their most magnificent city on the great pla- Flying Polyps
teau of Antarctica. The elder things had rich traditions Type: 10th Level Aberration (Greater Independent
of art and history, and a written language consisting of Race)
patterns of dots. Size: Huge
Millions of elder things lived in their cities for millions Speed: 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
of years, until glaciers drove them from their southern Abilities: Str +8, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +2, Wis -1,
settlements and their most fearsome creations, the shog- Cha +3
goths, rebelled and forced them to leave most of their Skills: Concentration 13 (+12), Intimidate 13 (+16),
undersea cities. Mythos Knowledge (physical sciences) 13 (+15), Notice
13 (+12)
Feats: Empower, Move-by Attack, Hover, Widen
Power, Powers(3)B
Traits: Blindsight, Damage Reduction 4/electricity
or supernatural, Fear Aura, Immunities, Powers (rank
13, Cha, save Difficulty 18; Enhance Senses +16, Scry-
ing +16, Wind Shaping +16), Shriek, Call Flying Polyp,
Temporary Invisibility, Vulnerable to Electricity
Combat: Attack +8 (+7 base, -2 size +3 Dex), Dam-
age +12 (tentacle), Defense: Dodge/Parry +8/ - (+7
base, -2 size, +3 Dex), Initiative +3
Saves: Toughness +6 (+2 size, +2
Con, +2 natural), Fortitude +5 (+3 base,
+2 Con), Reflex +6 (+3 base, +3 Dex),
Will +6 (+7 base, -1 Wis)
Flying polyps are malevolent floating,
undulating masses of growing and shrink-
ing bulbous polyps and tentacle-like ap-
pendages. They can stretch to nearly 30
feet in length and normally move about
by flying. When they must land to fulfill
their unfathomable alien purposes, they
leave behind large footprints consisting
of five circular depressions.

Combat
Flying polyps destroy other living things
whenever they get the chance. While
hovering, they attack with transient
tentacles that suddenly protrude from
between their polyps and then disap-
pear. They may use their Move-by At-
tack ability against dangerous opponents
to stay just out of reach, or back away 77
and use an Empowered Wind Shaping
 power. If seriously threatened, they become invisible tep ordered them to dump Djoser’s mummy into the
6 and try to escape, but they often fight to the death.
Fear Aura: Flying polyps can emit a fear aura at will
void and then the seal the tunnel. One of the heroes
receives a barely-coherent letter from an Egyptologist
as a free action. All creatures within 60 ft. must succeed friend who was present when the closed tunnel was dis-
on a Difficulty 18 Will save or be affected as though by covered and reopened and a great wind destroyed the
the fear effect of the Heart Shaping power. A creature expedition’s camp.
that successfully saves is immune to auras of all flying
polyps for 24 hours. The save Difficulty is Charisma-
based. Ghoul
Immunities: Flying polyps are immune to Mind Type: 2nd Level Undead (Lesser Independent
Touch, Temporal Mind Touch, Heart Shaping, and any Race)
powers that require mental contact. Size: Medium
Sanity: Anyone seeing a flying polyp gains a Panic Speed: 20 ft.
Attack disorder (Difficulty 18 Sanity). Abilities: Str +3, Dex +0, Con -, Int -1, Wis +2,
Shriek: A flying polyp can emit a nauseating shriek Cha -1
as a standard action. Any creature within 120 ft. must Skills: Climb 5 (+8), Escape Artist 5 (+5), Stealth
succeed on a Difficulty 17 Fortitude save or become 5 (+5),
nauseated for 5 rounds. The save and duration of this Feats: Track
ability are Constitution-based. Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Light Sensitivity, Sanity,
Call Flying Polyp: Once per scene a flying polyp Scent, Undead Traits.
can attempt to call another flying polyp with 50 percent Combat: Attack +1 (+1 base, +0 Dex), Damage +6
chance of success (11 or better on d20). (claws) or +5 (club), Defense: Dodge/Parry +1/+4 (+1
Temporary Invisibility: Flying Polyps can become base, +0 Dex/+3 Str), Initiative +0
invisible as a move action, but they take one level of Saves: Toughness +2 (+1 undead, +1 natural), For-
fatigue when they do so. They remain invisible indefi- titude -, Reflex +0 (+0 base, +0 Dex), Will +5 (+3 base,
nitely, but they cannot change shape while invisible, and +2 Wis)
therefore cannot use their tentacle attack. The can move Ghouls are the undead forms of deceased humans.
normally and they can become visible at any time as a They have rubbery skin, elongated, almost canine faces
free action. and hairy, hoofed legs. Ghouls speak their own language
of yelps and whining cries.

Ecology
Flying Polyps first came to this part of the galaxy over
700 million years ago. They quickly conquered half a
dozen planets, including Earth. They were the unchal-
lenged rulers of Earth for 150 million years, until the
great race of Yith arrived and drove them into deep cav-
erns underground. The flying polyps remained trapped
in vast subterranean chambers until they escaped 50
million years ago and drove the great race into the far
future. Flying polyps still survive far underground, and
no one knows what happened on the other planets they
conquered.

Adventure Hook
In the Third Dynasty of Egypt’s Old Kingdom, King
Imhotep ordered a special tunnel dug beneath the tomb
of his predecessor, King Djoser. Imhotep believed that
Djoser’s obsessions with the Old Gods had left his soul
restless in the Land of the Dead, and it needed to de-
scend to the depths of N’Kai. Hundreds of Imhotep’s
subjects worked beneath the pyramid day and night for
years, many of them dying of exhaustion or being bur-
ied alive in terrible cave-ins. Three diggers died when
they finally broke through into a seemingly bottomless
78 chamber, and surviving workers spoke in half-mad sen-
tences of strange smells and sounds from below. Imho-
Combat Great Race of Yith
Most ghouls are fairly timid and prefer to fight in large
numbers, but if they are desperate for flesh they may
Type: 8th Level Aberration (Greater Independent
Race)
6
hunt alone aboveground. They fight with their claws Size: Huge
and teeth, and will usually retreat if wounded. Speed: 20 ft., Burrow 10 ft.
Light Sensitivity: Ghouls are dazed for the first Abilities: Str +6, Dex -1, Con +2, Int +6, Wis +2,
round in bright sunlight or the equivalent, and dazzled Cha +1
(-1 on attack rolls, Notice checks, and Search checks) Skills: Bluff 11 (+12), Craft (electrical, science) 11
while they remain in the light. (+17), Gather Information 11 (+12), Mythos Knowledge
Sanity: Anyone seeing a ghoul eat human flesh ac- (history, life sciences, technology) 11 (+17), Knowledge
quires the Cannibalism disorder (Difficulty 10 Sanity). (behavioral sciences, history, technology) 11 (+17), No-
tice 11 (+13)
Feats: Defensive Attack, Eidetic Memory, Open
Ecology Mind, Powers(5)B, Weapon TrainingB
Not all humans become ghouls, and it is unclear how
Traits: Powers (rank 11, Cha,
the transformation happens. People of cer-
save Difficulty 15, +5 scientific
tain demeanors may be destined to be-
equipment; Scientific Exchange
come ghouls, and there are cases of
Personality +17, Mind Shaping
the transformation happening
+17, Scientific Temporal Mind
even before death took place.
Touch +22, Scientific Temporal
Some ghouls may also be the
Scrying +17, Scientific Tem-
result of adepts using the Im-
poral Sense Minds +17),
bue Unlife power.
Sanity
When a corpse trans-
Combat: Attack
forms into a ghoul, the
+3 (+6 base, -2 size
creature is weak and thin
-1 Dex), Damage
and must eat the flesh of
+10 (claws), Defense:
the living or the recently
Dodge/Parry +3(+6 base,
deceased in order to gain
-1 Dex, -2 size)/ +10 (+6
strength. Ghouls con-
base, +6 Str, -2 size),
stantly lose strength and
Initiative -1
vitality and must continue
Saves: Toughness
to consume flesh to re-
+8 (+2 Con, +2 natu-
main strong and grow
ral, +4 size), Fortitude
into large specimens.
+4 (+2 base, +2 Con),
Newly-created
Reflex +1 (+2 base, -1
ghouls seek out com-
Dex), Will +8 (+6 base, +2
munities of ghouls
Wis)
below the earth or in
Members of the great race
deserted places of death.
of Yith are fleshy, iridescent
Ghouls also seem to be one
cones about 10 feet tall that
of a rare class of creature that
move by expansion and contrac-
can somehow cross into the
tion of rings hidden under their
Dreamlands without sleeping
bulk. Thick appendages protrude from
or dreaming. Although they kill
the top of their cone, two of them ending in pairs
to get fresh flesh, they are also creatures of their word,
of massive, opposed claws, one ending in four red trum-
and they cooperate and form alliances with other sub-
pet-like organs, and the last terminating in a fleshy yel-
terranean races.
low sphere. The sphere is about two feet in diameter
and serves as a head. It has three big, dark eyes around
Adventure Hooks its circumference, and it is topped by four gray stalks
Ghouls are common underground in the waking world that seem to bloom at the ends. A mass of thin green
and the Dreamlands. Adventurers may run into them tentacles dangles from the bottom of the sphere.
in old family tombs, or in the sewers of major cities. Yithians manipulate tools, such as their books and
Where there are ghouls there may be members of other, writing instruments, with the tentacles beneath their
more powerful races they sometimes serve. head, and with the massive claws at the end of their
arms. They communicate in the Yithian language by 79
 clicking and scraping their claws, and their written lan- ing to the location of one of the ancient library cities of
6 guage is an elegant, curved script. the great race.

Combat Hastur the Unspeakable

Members of the great race avoid combat if at all possible Type: 35th Level Outsider (Great Old One)
and try to communicate with their enemies. If they are Size: Gargantuan
forced to defend themselves, they use their huge claws Speed: 60 ft., swim 40 ft.
to attack. Abilities: Str +12, Dex +4, Con +5, Int +5, Wis +7,
Sanity: Seeing a member of the great race causes Cha +9
an anxiety disorder (Difficulty 15 Sanity), and creatures Skills: Concentration 38 (+45), Craft (writing) 38
who exchange personalities with a member of the great (+43), Diplomacy 38 (+47), Disguise 38 (+42), Intimi-
race acquire a dissociative disorder (Difficulty 15 San- date 38 (+47), Mythos Knowledge (art, history, physical
ity). sciences, theology and philosophy) 38 (+42), Notice 38
(+45), Sense Motive 38 (+45)
Ecology Feats: Canny Dodge,
Chokehold, Cleave, Eidetic
The great race of Yith inhabited
the earth 150 million years ago, Memory, Great Cleave, Imbue
living in great cities that con- Item, Improved Grab, Iron
tained libraries filled with the Will, Move-by Action, Pow-
knowledge they pulled from ersB, Quicken Power, Uncanny
time and space. To aid them Dodge, Widen Power,
in their search for knowledge, Traits: Amphibious, Dam-
they developed machines ca- age Reduction 6/supernatural,
pable of swapping their minds Darkvision 120 ft., Fast Heal-
with the minds of any ing, Fear Aura, Powers (see
other creatures through- description), Sanity
out time and space. This Combat: Attack +35 (-4
allowed the Yithians to ex- Size, +35 base, +4 Dex), Dam-
perience history and the fu- age +15 (tentacle), Defense:
ture first-hand. Non-Yithian Dodge/Parry +42/ - (-4
minds inhabiting bodies of size, +35 base, +4 Dex, +7
the great race where treated Wis), Initiative +4
well and encouraged to record Saves: Toughness
everything they could about +12 (+6 Size, +5 Con, +1 natu-
their native time and place. ral), Fortitude +24 (+19 base, +5
Before the mind swap was Con), Reflex +23 (+19 base, +4
reversed, the great race would Dex), Will +28 (+19 base, +7 Wis,
use Scientific Mind Shaping +2 Iron Will)
to erase all memories of the experience from Hastur’s appearance varies widely, ranging
the subject. from a king in pale robes to a monstrous octopoid
When the great race was finally threat- with dozens of tentacles (the form detailed here).
ened with destruction by the race of flying polyps, Indeed, he may have no preferred form. To the People
they swapped their minds into the coleopteran race of of Carcosa in the Dreamlands he is Haita, the shepherd
the far future, condemning the collective minds of many god. To those who scribe the Yellow Sign, he is the ter-
of those insects to die in alien bodies at the hands of the rible King in Yellow. Hastur’s motivations are unclear,
Yithian’s ancient enemies. and many actions taken in his name may only serve the
goals of his power-mad worshipers, for he seems to at-
tract those in pursuit of personal power.
Adventure Hook
The heroes could encounter the great race because one
of them, or someone they know, was once the subject Combat
of a mind swap and suddenly remembered things while Hastur prefers to attack his enemies with mental pow-
under hypnosis. Or someone they know could be acting ers, either destroying their minds of forcing them to
suspicious because they are really under the control of a fight each other. He is also capable of defeating oppo-
Yithian! The heroes may also stumble across clues lead- nents in melee, especially when in his tentacled form.
80 Amphibious: Hastur can breathe both air and water
in his tentacled form.
 Fast Healing: Hastur is not made of the stuff of infrequency and indirectness of his interaction with
this earth, so earthly weapons cannot damage him per-
manently. He makes recovery checks once per round
the affairs of Earth. There is a disturbing contrast be-
tween his subversive, destructive influence in the wak- 6
for staggered or unconscious, and once per minute for ing world, and his central position as a keeper of order
wounded, disabled or dying. Any damage caused by su- in the Dreamlands. The two images of Hastur may rep-
pernatural weapons heals at the normal rate. resent a yin and yang split between light and dark, and
Fear Aura: Hastur can emit a fear aura at will. All order and chaos.
creatures within 60 ft. must succeed on a Difficulty 36
Will save or be affected as though by the fear effect of
the Heart Shaping power. A creature that successfully Contact
saves is immune to Hastur’s aura for 24 hours. The save The Contact Hastur power has a power check Difficulty
Difficulty is Charisma-based. of 30. Hastur will normally speak to the caller through
Powers: Hastur can use any powers with a power a byakee, in a language the caller understands. If the
check bonus of +48 and a save Difficulty of 37. His power check is 40 or higher, Hastur himself appears in
Widen Power and Quicken Power feats allow him to one of his many forms, usually with an indifferent at-
make mental contact with all creatures within a 70 ft. titude toward the caller.
radius as a move action. In addition, he can maintain
mental contact with up to 20 creatures at a time. Adventure Hook
Sanity: Seeing Hastur in his tentacled form causes a The mysterious Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign is
control disorder (Difficulty 36 Sanity). Mental contact somehow linked to Hastur’s plans for the world. One
with Hastur in any of his forms causes a communica- of the heroes may come across evidence that the yellow
tion disorder (Difficulty 32 Sanity). sign was delivered to a friend, or one of the heroes in
a prominent position in business or government might
Ecology receive the sign themselves.
Hastur is said to dwell near
the star Aldebaran, and
if so, his remote-
Hound of Leng
Type: 5th Level Supernatural Beast (Lesser Servitor
ness may help Race)
explain his Size: Large
mystery Speed: 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
a n d Abilities: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +1, Int -3, Wis +1,
the Cha +1
Skills: Survival 12 (+13)
Feats: Power(1), Track
Traits: Damage Reduction 2/supernatural,
Darkvision 60 ft., Frightful Presence, Power
(rank 8, Cha, save Difficulty 14, Scrying +9),
Sanity, Scent
Combat: Attack +6 (+5 base, -1 size +2
Dex), Damage +8 (claws), Defense: Dodge/Parry
+6(+5 base, -1 size, +2 Dex)/ -, Initiative +2
Saves: Toughness +4 (+1 Con, +1 natural, +2
size), Fortitude +5 (+4 base, +1 Con), Reflex +6 (+4
base, +2 Dex), Will +2 (+1 base, +1 Wis)
The hound of Leng is a hulking sphinx-like
creature with a canine head. Its muscular body and
fearsome paws are covered in coarse black fur. It is
a single-minded hunter.

Ecology
These hounds are usually called up by supernatu-
ral forces to hunt and kill specific creatures or
protect valuable items. They are entirely super-
natural creations.
81
 Combat teeth and claw, and will often do so to rend sacrifices,
6 The hound of Leng automatically recognizes the scent
of the creature it has been ordered to hunt, and it has a
hunting horrors seem to prefer to drain the life essence
from those they hunt.
+0 familiarity bonus when Scrying on the hunted crea- All Knowing Gaze: If any creature looks into the
ture. hunting horror’s face while it is in corporeal form, the
Frightful Presence: Creatures who hear the baying hunting horror may inflict Premature Aging on that
of the hound of Leng must succeed on a Difficulty 13 creature (Difficulty 30 Fortitude). This ability works
Will save or become shaken. Any creature that succeeds even in total darkness. If the hunting horror, and there-
on this saving throw becomes immune to the same fore Nyarlathotep, favors the creature it gazes upon, it
creature’s frightful presence for 24 hours. may instead grant exposure to one Mythos skill, feat or
Sanity: Seeing a hound of Leng causes Paranoia power.
(Difficulty 13 Sanity). Incorporeality: The hunting horror may become
incorporeal or change back to its corporeal form as a
full-round action. In its incorporeal form, the hunting
Adventure Hook horror appears as a dense black cloud and it has a fly
A woman hunted by a hound of Leng approaches the speed of 90 ft. (good).
heroes for help, and they must determine why the per- Sanity: If the hunting horror gains the scent of in-
son is being hunted, by what, and how to stop it. Per- telligent creatures, they immediately acquire the Sleep-
haps she has worn a hound of Leng amulet. walking disorder (Difficulty 17 Sanity). Whenever the
victims sleepwalk, they will attempt to return to the
spot where the hunting horror gained their scent.
Hunting Horror, The Sensitive to Light: When exposed to any light other
Haunter of the Dark than starlight, even the light of a small candle, a hunt-
ing horror must make a fortitude save (Difficulty 15) or
Type: 9th Level Outsider (Greater Servitor Race)
suffer a level of fatigue. It must repeat this save every
Size: Large
minute it remains in the light. A very bright light, like a
Speed: 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
nearby lightning flash, can banish a hunting horror.
Abilities: Str +5, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +6, Wis +6,
Skills: Hunting horrors gain a +8 racial bonus to the
Cha +3
Stealth checks in darkness.
Skills: Intimidate 12 (+15), Mythos Knowledge (art,
history, life science, physical sciences, technology, theol-
ogy and philosophy) 12 (+18), Notice 12 (+18), Search Ecology
12 (+18), Sense Motive 12 (+18), Stealth 12 (+17), Sur- A hunting horror is a manifestation of Nyarlethotep and
vival 12 (+18) has no existence outside of his service. It is a creature of
Feats: Hover, Tireless, Track, Improved Initiative pure darkness, so light, even the flicker of a candle, will
Traits: All Knowing Gaze, Darkvision 60 ft., Incor- eventually destroy it. Hunting horrors have no will of
poreality, Light Sensitivity, Sanity, Scent their own, and they cannot be summoned with the Call
Combat: Attack +9 (+9 base, -1 size +1 Dex), Dam- Outsider power. They generally remain until they have
age +8 (claws), Defense: Dodge/Parry +9(+9 base, -1 drained the life of an intelligent creature.
size, +1 Dex)/ -, Initiative +5
Saves: Toughness +4 (+0 Con, +2 natural, +2 size),
Fortitude +6 (+6 base, +0 Con), Reflex +7 (+6 base, +1 Adventure Hook
Dex), Will +12 (+6 base, +6 Wis) Hunting horrors are associated with the Shining Trap-
The hunting horror is an avatar of Nyarlathotep. It is ezohedron and the Starry Wisdom Cult. A hunting
a giant black winged creature that can take incorporeal horror may also appear as an avatar when an adept con-
form as a dense black cloud. It has claws and teeth to tacts Nyarlathotep, then find itself trapped in some dark
rend with, but its victims often die of fear when faced place, waiting for prey to come to it.
with the terrible realities this creature can conjure in
their minds. Hunting Horrors speak the language of
those who called them.
Insect Philosophers
of Callisto
Combat Type: 4th Level Vermin (Lesser Independent
Race)
Hunting horrors will attack any non-worshipers pres-
ent when they are called. If any creatures approach Size: Medium
within 30 ft. of a hunting horror, the hunting horror Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
82 gains their scent and hunts them, whenever darkness Abilities: Str +2, Dex +0, Con +4, Int +4, Wis +6,
allows, until they are dead. Though they can fight with Cha +0
6

83
 Skills: Diplomacy 7 (+13), Mythos Knowledge (art, most advanced Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma-
6 history, philosophy and theology) 7 (+11), Perform (or-
atory) 7 (+13), Sense Motive 7 (+13)
based skills. They also share any known powers. Both
creatures are aware of each other during the merge, and
Feats: Evasion, Improved Trip, Powers(3)B any humans that participate in a merge acquire a dis-
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Mind Merge, Powers sociative Disorder (Difficulty 14 Sanity).
(rank 7, Cha, save Difficulty 12; Cold Resistance +7,
Cold Shaping +7, Earth Shaping +7), Sanity
Combat: Attack +3 (+3 base, +0 Dex), Damage +6 Adventure Hook
plus poison (mandibles), Defense: Dodge/Parry +3(+3 Someone may call upon the heroes because they have
base, +0 Dex)/ -, Initiative +0 heard voices in the home of Mason Hayes, the town
Saves: Toughness +6 (+4 Con, +2 natural), Fortitude simpleton. The voices seem to be discussing very strange
+8 (+4 base, +4 Con), Reflex +1 (+1 base, +0 Dex), Will and sophisticated subjects. Mason has denied having
+7 (+1 base, +6 Wis) anyone else in his home, but some townspeople think
Jupiter’s fourth moon, Callisto, is home to a race of he has kidnapped someone, perhaps a professor from
insect-like creatures with long, armored bodies, dozens the local university. In reality, Mason has been in con-
of short, powerful legs, and a thick, kite-shaped head tact with insect philosophers and the overheard conver-
armed with four viciously serrated mandibles. Full- sations where just him talking to himself.
grown insect philosophers can be up to ten feet long.
Mi-go, The Fungi
Combat From Yoggoth
Insect philosophers move quickly and can rear up to at-
tack taller targets with their mandibles. However, they Type: 3rd Level Aberration (Lesser Independent
are more likely to retreat into one of the thousands of Race)
tunnels they have cut through Callisto. Size: Medium
Poison: Mandibles; Fortitude Difficulty 16; initial Speed: 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (poor)
damage 1 Str, secondary damage 1 Str. The save Dif- Abilities: Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +1,
ficulty is Constitution-based. Cha +1
Sanity: Seeing an insect philosopher causes a Pho- Skills: Craft (electronics, science) 6 (+10), Mythos
bia (Difficulty 12 Sanity) Knowledge (life sciences, technology, theology and phi-
losophy) 6 (+13), Perform (oratory) 6 (+7)
Feats: Fascinate (Perform(oratory), Powers(4)B,
Ecology Skill Focus (Mythos Knowledge (technology))
Insect philosophers live in intricate burrows deep in the Traits: Brain Removal, Damage Reduction 4/blud-
crust of Callisto, just above a layer of salty sea warmed geoning, Darkvision 60 ft., Light Sensitivity, Resistance
by the planet’s interior. They feed on the gelatinous life to Cold 6, Electricity 6, Sanity, Scientific Powers (rank
forms in the briny water and enter its hidden depths to 6, Cha, +3 equipment, save Difficulty 13; Comprehend
lay eggs. For some unknown reason, they make regular Language +10, Cure Injury +10, Dominance +10, Sleep
trips to the moon’s lethally cold surface, where they can +10)
survive for only an hour or two before returning to the Combat: Attack +4 (+2 base, +2 Dex), Damage +6
more temperate depths. electricity (electric weapon) or +3 (pincers), Defense:
The insect philosophers have developed the ability Dodge/Parry +2(+2 base, +2 Dex)/ -, Initiative +2
to merge minds with each other over long distances. Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +2 (+1
This has profoundly affected their view of themselves base, +1 Con), Reflex +3 (+1 base, +2 Dex), Will +4 (+3
and their purpose in the universe. They have become base, +1 Wis)
obsessed with the concept of universal perfection and Long before the human race evolved, mi-go came to
spend much of their time merging minds to contem- Earth from their colony on the planet Yoggoth, known
plate it. today as Pluto. They are plant-like in many ways, but
behave more like intelligent flying crustaceans. Though
they vary widely in appearance, a typical mi-go is a
Special Notes pink crustacean about five feet long, with a large pair
Mind Merge: Insect philosophers have extremely of membranous wings extending from the center of
developed brains capable of reaching out across space to its back. It has many pairs of chitinous limbs ending in
touch other minds. An insect philosopher can merge its pincers, and a tapering tail used for balance in flight and
mind with that of any other intelligent creature in the when walking upright on only the hindmost limbs. Its
galaxy. While merged, both minds share their abilities heads is an oblate spheroid covered with short antennae
84 and skills, choosing the highest Intelligence, Wisdom that glow different colors when communicating with
and Charisma scores from the two creatures and the other mi-go.
6

85
 Mi-go can speak the language of most other crea- Special Notes
6 tures by using scientific implants and their Scientific
Comprehend Language power, but their voice still
Mi-go have developed devices for many different bio-
logical tasks, but the one they most commonly bring
sounds like the buzzing of an insect. Mi-go are used to with them to earth is a surgical machine that removes
much lower gravity and almost no atmosphere, so on brains.
Earth they are clumsy fliers and react poorly to bright Brain Removal: Mi-go have devices that can re-
light. move a human brain and place it in a life-sustaining
cylinder. When the cylinder is hooked up to another
Combat machine, the brain is able to perceive the outside world
Mi-go can fly, but they are so poor at it in Earth’s thick and communicate in the buzzing voice of the mi-go.
atmosphere and high gravity that they tend to fight The mi-go have removed the brains of many sentient
from solid ground. They may attack with an electrical species across the galaxy and carried them through
weapon if they have one, or they may slash and jab with space in their protective canisters. They have taken them
their sharp pincers. If wounded they try to fly away. back to Yoggoth, and even to their ancient home planet.
There is very little on Earth that could motivate a mi- They seem to find value in exposing the limited human
go to fight to the death. brains to the vast universe. The mi-go can animate the
Light Sensitivity: Mi-go are dazed for the first brainless body left over from this process as a sort of
round in bright sunlight or the equivalent, and dazzled puppet. Most often they just let the body die. Success-
(-1 on attack rolls, Notice checks and Search checks) fully operating each piece of machinery involved in the
while they remain in the light. Brain Removal process requires a Difficulty 20 Mythos
Sanity: Anyone seeing a mi-go acquires a Phobia Knowledge (technology) check.
(Difficulty 12 Sanity). Anyone interacting with a dis-
embodied brain acquires a dissociative disorder (Dif-
ficulty 10 Sanity), and any creatures who have their
Adventure Hook
Mining exploration in the hills of West Virginia has
brain removed acquire a psychotic disorder (Difficulty come too close to a long-time mi-go mining site. There
16 Sanity). are no mi-go there right now, but Jeb Orrick, a local
man who got wealthy in the mi-go’s employ, tried to
Ecology operate an alien communication devices to warn them.
The mi-go have set up outposts on Earth to mine rare His incoherent talk of Yuggoth and “old ones” came
metals which they can’t get elsewhere. They protect through on a local radio station during a popular jazz
their operations by recruiting help from local humans, music program.
and there are rumors that, through their agents, they
control whole agencies of many national governments.
Their appearance and methods are abhorrent to sane
Rat Thing
Type: 1st Level Aberration (Lesser Servitor Race)
humans, but many of their goals are beneficial to the
Size: Tiny
human race. They protect earth from destructive threats,
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
if only to protect their precious mines, and they have
Abilities: Str -3, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +1, Wis +1,
taken an interest in human physiology.
Cha +2
They are perhaps the most scientifically and techno-
Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+5), Notice 4 (+5), Stealth
logically advanced of the Mythos races, especially in the
(+5)
areas of life sciences and bio-technology. On Yuggoth
Feats: Power(1)
they have devices capable of completely transforming
Traits: Darkvision 60 ft., Lock Jaw, Power (rank 4,
the appearance and physiology of any living thing, but
Cha, save Difficulty 13; Mind Probe +6), Sanity
they bring only a few necessary devices with them when
Combat: Attack +3 (+0 base, +2 size, +1 Dex),
they visit the Earth.
Damage +0 (bite), Defense: Dodge/Parry +3 (+0 base,
Mi-go remain deep in their mines during the day,
+1 Dex, +2 size)/ -, Initiative +1
performing necessary surface tasks and meeting with
Saves: Toughness +8 (-2 size, +0 Con, +2 natural),
human servants at night when the darkness suits them.
Fortitude +0 (+0 base, +0 Con), Reflex +1 (+0 base, +1
They worship Nyarlathotep, Shib-Niggurth, and all the
Dex), Will +3 (+2 base, +1 Wis)
Outer Gods, and perform rituals in their names when
Rat things are twisted combinations of humans and
the world is darkest. They encourage their human ser-
rats. They are the size of a large rat and the same basic
vants to worship with them.
shape, but they have elongated human faces and tiny
human hands at the ends of all four of their legs.
86
 sible that a hero might acquire a rat thing as a
familiar themselves.
6
Shoggoth
Type: 12th Level Aberration (Lesser Servi-
tor Race)
Size: Gargantuan
Speed: 40 ft., swim 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Abilities: Str +13, Dex -1, Con +2, Int -1,
Wis +0, Cha +4
Skills: Language (Elder Thing) 0 (+7), No-
tice 15 (+15)
Feats: All-out Attack, Cleave, Favored En-
emy (elder thing), Improved Grab, Jack-of-All-
Trades
Traits: Amphibious, Damage Reduc-
tion 6/supernatural, Darkvision 60 ft.,
Decapitate, Resistance to Cold 6, San-
ity
Combat: Attack +4 (+9 base, -4
size, -1 Dex), Damage +17 (slam), De-
fense: Dodge/Parry +4(+9 base, -1 Dex, -4
size)/ -, Initiative -1
Saves: Toughness +8 (+2 Con,
+6 size), Fortitude +6 (+4 base, +2
Con), Reflex +3 (+4 base, -1 Dex),
Will +8 (+8 base, +0 Wis)
Shoggoths are mammoth crea-
tures of bubbling polymorphic goo and pro-
toplasm, capable of taking any shape suitable to the task
at hand. They form eyes and mouths and appendages at
will and reabsorb them just as quickly.

Combat Combat
Shoggoths can slam opponents with spontaneous pseu-
Rat things fearlessly climb and bite dopods, behead them with vice-like jaws, or smother
and latch onto their enemies. them below their massive gelatinous bulk. As a move
Lock Jaw: If a rat thing does any damage with its action, shoggoths can reshape themselves in order to
bite attack, it locks its jaw and continues to bite into the use any weapon or device, or to fit through any opening
flesh, doing automatic bite damage every round. at least two feet wide.
Sanity: Seeing a rat thing causes a phobia (Diffi- Decapitate: If a shoggoth grapples an opponent, it
culty 12 Sanity). may attempt to rip the opponents head off with one of
its many mouths as a move action. A Successful Dif-
Ecology ficulty 29 Fortitude save avoids this fate, and this attack
Rat things live for hundreds of years and often serve does not work on creatures without heads. Decapitated
wizards and priests as familiars. They are creations of creatures die instantly.
powerful wizards who have perverted the bodies of Regeneration: Each round, a shoggoth gains an ex-
cultists and followers. Anyone who knew the rat thing’s tra recovery check with a +2 bonus. Damage dealt by
human form during their normal life can recognize supernatural weapons cannot be healed in this way. A
them in the tiny face of this creature. shoggoth that loses a piece of its body can reform it as
a free action.
Sanity: Seeing a shoggoth causes a psychotic disor-
Adventure Hook der (Difficulty 24 Sanity). Anyone who hears a shog-
The heroes will most likely encounter rat things as fa- goth chant its call of “Tikeli-li! Tikeli-li” acquires a
miliars of more powerful Mythos adepts. It is also pos- communication disorder (Difficulty 20 Sanity). 87
 Trample: Damage +19, Difficulty 29 Reflex save for
6 half damage. The save Difficulty is Strength-based.

Ecology
The elder things created the shoggoths a billion years
ago from the primordial matter of Earth. These crea-
tures were their most useful creation, helping them
dig tunnels into the Earth and build their great cities.
But the elder things gave shoggoths intelligence, and
a talent for their language. The shoggoths rebelled
and killed nearly all of the elder things, then retreated
to dark places in the deep ocean or far underground.
Some of them now serve other races, like the deep
ones. The shoggoth’s dream-selves live in the Pit of
the Shoggoths in the Dreamlands, at the foot of the
six thousand steps.

Adventure Hook
Shoggoths still roam the Earth, and some of them
serve other races deep underwater or underground.
The heroes may come across evidence of shoggoths
after a mining operation breaks through into a huge
underground chamber, or they may discover that a
sinister cult is calling these monstrosities to do its
dirty work.

Spawn of Yog-
Sothoth, Greater
Type: 9th Level Outsider (Lesser Servitor
Race)
Size: Gargantuan
Speed: 40 ft.,
Abilities: Str +15, Dex -1, Con +3, Int
-2, Wis +0, Cha +3
Skills: Climb 12 (+25), Mythos Knowl-
edge (theology and philosophy) 12 (+10),
Sense Motive 12 (+15)
Feats: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus (tentacle),
Move-by Action, Trailblazer
Traits: Damage Reduction 4/supernatural, Dark-
vision 60 ft., Consume, Invisibility, No Home Di-
mension, Path of Destruction, Sanity
Combat: Attack +0 (+1 tentacle) (-8 size, +9
base, -1 Dex), Damage +18 (slam or tentacle), De-
fense: Dodge/Parry +0 (-8 size, +9 base, -1 Dex)/ -,
Initiative -1
Saves: Toughness +11 (+8 size, +3 Con), Forti-
tude +9 (+6 base, +3 Con), Reflex +5 (+6 base, -1
Dex), Will +6 (+6 base, +0 Wis)
Greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth are immense, in-
visible creatures that leave a path of physical destruc-
tion and awful-smelling tar-like substance wherever
88 they go. They push trees aside, flatten buildings and
crush anyone in their path. They have elongated,
6

89
 bloated bodies supported by dozens of clusters of oc- Adventure Hook
6 topoid tentacles of various lengths. Their heads are
flattened lumps atop their bodies, but have hideous,
Any worshiper of Yog-Sothoth insane enough to un-
dertake raising a pair of spawn will probably go to great
stretched out versions of human faces, including ragged lengths to hide and control the greater spawn. Even
patches of human hair. though the greater spawn is invisible, its destructive ef-
fects could draw unwanted attention before the day of
Combat the final contact with Yog-Sothoth. The heroes may hear
Greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth crush their opponents rumors or strange events that lead them to the spawn.
by trampling them or smashing them with one of their
tentacles. They are driven to destroy, especially at night,
when they seek out buildings to crush or gatherings of
Spawn of Yog-
people to kill. Without their twin lesser spawn to calm
them down, they frequently enter terrifying rages of de-
Sothoth, Lesser
Type: 4th Level Outsider (Lesser Servitor Race)
struction. Size: Large
Consume: If a greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth re- Speed: 30 ft.,
duces a creature of Medium size or larger to a state of Abilities: Str +2, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +2,
unconscious, dying or dead, it will take a full-round ac- Cha +3
tion to consume the body. Any creature not dead when Skills: Bluff 7 (+10), Concentration 7 (+9), Gather
consumed takes +20 crushing damage and +8 acid dam- Information 7 (+10), Mythos Knowledge (life sciences,
age every round. A greater spawn’s stomach Toughness theology and philosophy) 7 (+11), Mythos Language
save is +3 and it can hold 2 Large, or 8 Medium op- (Aklo) 7 (+11), Notice 7 (+9), Search 7 (+11), Sense
ponents. Motive 7 (+9), Stealth 7 (+8)
Invisibility: Greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth are in- Feats: Eidetic Memory, Linguist, Night VisionB,
visible. They gain a +2 bonus to hit defenders unaware Powers(3)B, Weapon TrainingB
of them, and those defenders lose their dodge bonus Traits: Calm Twin, Dog Bane, Powers (rank 7, Cha,
to defense. Attacks against invisible spawn have a 50 save Difficulty 15; Call Outsider +10, Contact Yog-
percent miss chance. Sothoth +10, Voorish Sign +10, Ward Outsider +10),
No Home Dimension: If a Banish Outsider power Sanity
successfully banishes a greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth Combat: Attack +4 (-1 size, +4 base, +1 Dex), Dam-
before Yog-Sothoth takes control of it (see below), the age +3 (knife), Defense: Dodge/Parry +4 /+5 (-1 size,
greater spawn is destroyed. +4 base, +1 Dex/+2 Str), Initiative +1
Path of Destruction: A greater spawn of Yog-So- Saves: Toughness +4 (+2 size, +1 Con, +1 natural),
thoth can use its Trample attack to destroy inanimate Fortitude +5 (+4 base, +1 Con), Reflex +5 (+4 base, +1
objects up to its own size. Dex), Will +6 (+4 base, +2 Wis)
Sanity: Anyone seeing a greater spawn of Yog- Lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth look like very tall hu-
Sothoth while it is visible acquires an anxiety disorder mans whose faces have elongated, goat-like features,
(Difficulty 17 Sanity). yellowish skin and thick lips. Coarse black fur covers
Trample: Damage +25, Difficulty 29 Reflex save for their legs, which end in hooves, and masses of tentacles
half damage. The save Difficulty is Strength-based. ending in sucking mouths extend downward from their
waist. Each hip contains a short stalk ending in a pro-
Ecology to-eye. A thick tube marked with purple rings extends
Greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth are born of a human from where a tail would be and ends in another orifice
mother impregnated by an avatar of Yog-Sothoth. The that could be a mouth. Their skin from the neck down
gestation period is about three months, and the greater is more like scaly reptilian hide. The entire creature gives
spawn is born with a twin lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth. off an unearthly smell of decay and strange chemicals.
The greater spawn grows to full size in about 15 years, Lesser spawn are very intelligent and generally able to
consuming stupendous amounts of flesh as it devel- function in human society if they can somehow keep
ops. When the greater spawn is fully grown, the lesser their obscene lower halves hidden.
spawn calls Yog-Sothoth, and the deity takes control of
the greater spawn as an avatar. As an avatar, the greater
spawn gains all the supernatural powers of Yog-Sothoth
Combat
Lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth concentrate more on eso-
himself. teric learning than the art of combat, so they are rela-
tively poor fighters. They may carry melee weapons or
even firearms.
90
 If a lesser spawn feels threatened, it may use its Call
Outsider power to call its twin greater spawn. The two
spawn are so linked that the lesser spawn gets a +5 pow- 6
er bonus when calling its twin. If a lesser spawn is killed,
its body quickly dissolves into a pool of grayish-white
fluid.
Calm Twin: A lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth can
calm its twin greater spawn as if using the Calm power.
Mental contact is not required. The greater spawn can
make a Difficulty 15 Will save to resist.
Dog Bane: Domesticated dogs have an intense ha-
tred of lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth and instantly attack
them. While a dog is attacking a spawn of Yog-Sothoth,
it enters a rage as described in the Rage feat.
Sanity: Anyone seeing a lesser spawn of Yog-So-
thoth with the lower half visible acquires a control dis-
order (Difficulty 15 Sanity).

Ecology
Lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth are born of a human
mother impregnated by an avatar of Yog-Sothoth. The
gestation period is about three months, and the lesser
spawn is born with a twin greater spawn of Yog-So-
thoth. The lesser spawn grows to full size and maturity
in about 8 years, absorbing knowledge at a superhuman Feats: All-out Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Hide
rate. Their odd skin and obscenities on their lower half in Plain Sight, Imbue Item, Improved Grab, Iron Will,
develop only after they reach maturity, so they can easily Light Sleeper, PowersB, Tough, Widen Power (Imbue
blend in with human society as they grow. Each lesser Unlife)
spawn is responsible for keeping its twin greater spawn Traits: Damage Reduction 6/fire, electricity or su-
safe until it matures, and for making the final contact pernatural, Darkvision 120 ft., Fast Healing, Fear Aura,
with Yog-Sothoth that will transform the greater spawn Powers (see description), Sanity, Swallow Whole
into the deity’s instrument of destruction. Combat: Attack +28 (+31 base, -4 size, +1 Dex),
Damage +17 (claws), Defense: Dodge/Parry +28/ -
Adventure Hook (+31 base, -4 size, +1 Dex), Initiative +1
Saves: Toughness +16 (+6 Size, +7 Con, +2 natural,
Lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth are constantly searching
for arcane knowledge that could help them protect and +1 Tough), Fortitude +24 (+17 base, +7 Con), Reflex
control their twins. The heroes may come across one +18 (+17 base, +1 Dex), Will +22 (+17 base, +3 Wis, +2
of these strange-smelling creatures as it seeks knowl- Iron Will)
edge. If the heroes have reputations, the lesser spawn Tsathoggua is a Great Old One who fell to Earth
may even seek them out to find information. However millions of years ago and stayed in the black pits of
the heroes discover the presence of the spawn, it will be N’Kai, far below the surface. There he is served by an
their job to stop the final contact with Yog-Sothoth. army of his amorphous, viscous spawn. His form ap-
pears to be somewhat fixed as a squat, toadlike colossus
with a bat-like face. Tsathoggua speaks Tsath-yo.
Tsathoggua
Type: 31st Level Outsider (Great Old One)
Size: Gargantuan
Combat
Tsathoggua grabs his enemies in his massive hands and
Speed: 50 ft., burrow 30 ft.
swallows them whole. He moves very little during com-
Abilities: Str +13, Dex +1, Con +7, Int +4, Wis +3,
bat, grabbing anything or anyone close at hand and us-
Cha +7
ing his powers to attack creatures that don’t approach
Skills: Concentration 34 (+37), Craft (blacksmith-
him. Tsathoggua is a careless fighter, often mistaking
ing, architecture) 34 (+38), Intimidate 34 (+41), Jump
his worshipers for enemies or sacrifices.
34 (+47), Mythos Knowledge (history, physical sciences,
Fast Healing: Tsathoggua is not made of the stuff
theology and philosophy) 34 (+38), Notice 34 (+37),
of this earth, so earthly weapons cannot damage him
Sense Motive 34 (+37) 91
permanently. He makes recovery checks once per round
 for staggered or unconscious, and once per minute for gua to offer a sacrifice, or archaeologists may discover
6 wounded, disabled or dying. Any damage caused by su-
pernatural weapons heals at the normal rate.
tunnels below an Egyptian burial chamber that lead to
caves near Tsathoggua’s home of N’Kai.
Fear Aura: Anyone who sees Tsathoggua open his
eyes or consume a living creature must succeed on a
Difficulty 32 Will save or be affected as though by the Yig, Father of Serpents
fear effect of the Heart Shaping power. A creature that Type: 27th Level Outsider (Great Old One)
successfully saves is immune to Tsathoggua’s aura for 24 Size: Huge
hours. The save Difficulty is Charisma-based. Speed: 50 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Powers: Tsathoggua can use any power dealing with Abilities: Str +9, Dex +5, Con +6, Int +3, Wis +4,
sleep, gates, dimensions or teleporting with a +41 power Cha +6
check bonus and a saving throw of 33. He can also use Skills: Concentration 30 (+34), Diplomacy 30 (+36),
Imbue Unlife with the same bonuses, and his Widen Knowledge (tactics) 30 (+32), Handle Animal 30 (+36),
Power feat means it can animate all dead within a 62 Intimidate 30 (+36), Mythos Knowledge (theology and
foot radius. philosophy) 30 (+32), Notice 30 (+34), Sense Motive 30
Sanity: Seeing Tsathoggua causes a sleep disorder (+34), Stealth 30 (+27)
(Difficulty 32 Sanity). Feats: Animal Empathy, Assessment, Canny Dodge,
Swallow Whole: If Tsathoggua grapples a Large Cleave, Evasion, Improved Grab, Imbue Item, Improved
creatures or smaller, he may swallow them whole on Initiative, Jack-of-All-Trades, PowersB, Tough
the following round as a move action; +26 bludgeoning Traits: Call Sacred Snake, Damage Reduction 4/
damage and +5 acid damage per round; Tsathoggua’s cold or supernatural, Darkvision 60 ft., Fast Healing,
stomach Toughness save is +9 and it can hold 2 Large, Fear Aura, Maim, Poison, Powers (see description),
or 8 Medium opponents. Sanity, Squeeze.

Ecology
Unlike many other Old Ones, Tsathoggua appears to
have actively intervened on behalf of his human wor-
shipers throughout human history. He sleeps most of
the time, but his opponents are mistaken if they think
that will give them an advantage. He was a primary de-
ity of the Voormi of ancient Hyperborea, as well as the
proto-humans who conquered them. It is likely that
Tsathogua personally taught his followers the basics of
Hyperborean civilization and gave them his own lan-
guage of Tsath-yo. In exchange for his help, his follow-
ers offer him sacrifices in some of the most abhorrent
and violent ceremonies of any known cult.

Contact
The Contact Tsathoggua power has a Difficulty of 26. If
successfully contacted, Tsathoggua may personally ap-
pear using Teleport, or he may just speak through a very
small dimensional gate. If an intelligent sacrifice is of-
fered, Tsathoggua is more likely to come himself, and if
he is satisfied with the sacrifice he may grant those who
contacted him exposure to one Mythos trait. If Tsathog-
gua comes and no sacrifice is provided, the Great Old
One attacks and kills everyone in sight.

Adventure Hook
Tsathoggua is still worshiped by primitive cultures
around the world, and as those cultures are absorbed
into modern society, so are his followers. The heroes
92 may come across cultists trying to contact Tsathog-
 Combat: Attack +28 (+27 base, +3 Dex, -2 size), Sanity: Seeing Yig causes an anxiety disorder (Dif-
Damage +13 (claw) or +12 plus poison (bite), Defense:
Dodge/Parry +32/ - (-2 Size, +27 base, +3 Dex, +4 Wis),
ficulty 29 Sanity) and a Phobia of reptiles (Difficulty
17 Sanity). 6
Initiative +3 Squeeze: If Yig grapples a Medium creatures or
Saves: Toughness +16 (+4 Size, +6 Con, +5 natural, smaller, he may squeeze it each round for +15 damage.
+1 Tough), Fortitude +21 (+15 base, +6 Con), Reflex Yig can hold up to two creatures in his claws.
+18 (+15 base, +3 Dex), Will +19 (+15 base, +4 Wis)
Yig takes the form of a huge, scale-covered man
with the head of a snake and long claws instead of fin- Ecology
gers. He is always accompanied by dozens of poisonous Yig is the dominant old one in the New World. He
snakes. came to North America long before humans migrated
over from Asia, so his origins are unclear, but he ap-
pears to have been worshiped by a race of intelligent
Combat serpent people at some time in the distant past. He
Yig is a fearsome, fast fighter, slashing with his huge was worshiped by many native American tribes un-
claws to cause terrible and sometimes permanent dam- der various names, such as Quetzalcoatl, Kukalkan, or
age to his opponents. the Snake-man. Thousands of years ago he guided the
Call Sacred Snake: As a standard action, Yig can tribes of the central plains into a period of brutal war-
call a large specimen of a local snake species and imbue fare and heartless sacrifice. The northern tribes rebelled
it with some of his power. That snake then relentlessly against the priests of Yig and freed themselves from his
pursues one of his enemies, trying to bite it. Anyone bloodthirsty tyranny, but the Aztec peoples to the south
bitten is subject to poison as if Yig himself bit them continued in the ways of Yig until the arrival of the
(see below). Europeans. Today Yig has few followers and has lost
Fast Healing: Yig is not made of the stuff of this some of his power.
earth, so earthly weapons cannot damage him perma-
nently. He makes recovery checks once per round for
staggered or unconscious, and once per minute for Contact
wounded, disabled or dying. Any damage caused by su- The Contact Yig power has a Difficulty of 24. If suc-
pernatural weapons heals at the normal rate. cessfully contacted, Yig will appear with his army of
Fear Aura: Anyone who sees Yig must succeed on a poisonous snakes. He typically arrives with an indiffer-
Difficulty 30 Will save or be affected as though by the ent attitude and gives those present a brief chance to
fear effect of the Heart Shaping power. A creature that state their reasons for contacting him. If those who con-
successfully saves is immune to Yig’s aura for 24 hours. tact him also provide an intelligent sacrifice, his attitude
The save Difficulty is Charisma-based. becomes friendly and he exposes them to one Mythos
Maim: If Yig hits an opponent with a claw and trait, or he reveals a serious weakness of their enemies.
chooses not to grapple, he may instead inflict an injury Regardless of Yig’s attitude, his snakes will attack if
disorder upon the opponent (Difficulty 32 Fortitude). threatened or startled.
The save is Strength-based.
Poison: Bite; Fortitude Difficulty 29; initial damage Adventure Hook
2 Con, secondary damage 4 Con. The save is Constitu- Some native Americans still worship Yig, and it is pos-
tion-based. sible that there are serpent people surviving in remote
Powers: Yig can use any power with a +36 power areas. Yig may directly intervene if even more of his
check bonus and a saving throw of 30. However, Yig worshipers’ lands are threatened.
cannot use plant, animal or elemental powers when not
on land controlled by his worshipers.

93
7 Chapter 7: Terrible Things
If human interaction with the Cthulhu Mythos was the cause of this great calamity center on natural disas-
limited to fleeting visions of other worlds or brief en- ters like earthquakes or volcanoes, but more ancient and
counters with creatures that embody all of our primal less circulated texts provide hints that the Atlanteans
horrors, we could preserve our sanity by confining these brought about their own destruction through misuse of
things to the corners of our mind, locking them away their supernatural powers. Modern scholars may never
with labels like “dreams” or “waking visions.” But the know just what terrible, unimaginable fate the Atlante-
terror and insanity of the Mythos is not always so ethe- ans conjured up. What on Earth is capable of erasing an
real. It is anchored in the tangible things of our reality entire continent and civilization in a matter of days?
— mysterious artifacts, ancient books and tainted loca- Atlantis is gone, but it left its mark all around the rim
tions that we can’t just dismiss as hallucinations. of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It inspired the
stone circles of the British Isles, the marvelous pyramids
of Egypt and Central America, and the entire culture of
Ancient Places the Sea Peoples who settled around the Mediterranean
The fiction of the Cthulhu Mythos is filled with disturb- before 2,000 B.C. It may have been the final haven for
ing ancient places that challenge the human race’s view the great prehistoric civilization of Hyperborea, and the
of history, the universe, and themselves. This section de- lifeboat though which much of the wisdom of those
scribes some of the places that are most significant to truly ancient humans survived into classical times.
the Mythos or appear frequently throughout Mythos The true treasures of Atlantis may yet rest on the
stories. ocean floor, covered by miles of ocean under crushing
pressures. Sailors tell of glimpses of underwater temples
where the ocean floor is not too deep and the water is
Arkham & clear. They also claim that some of those who drown at
Miskatonic University sea are called to the crumbling, silt-covered deep ocean
cities of Atlantis to live on as a sort of animated under-
This small colonial settlement of about 20,000 residents water corpse.
in northeastern Massachusetts is somehow involved in
many of the horrific tales of the Cthulhu Mythos. There
is something about this old riverfront town that seems Dreamlands
to draw even more macabre and bizarre events than its The Dreamlands are a completely separate and utterly
sister city of Salem, just five miles to the south. fantastic realm of existence reachable only during sleep.
Arkham strides the Miskatonic River and is a travel They are a consistent and persistent world, where eons
hub between many of the smaller coastal towns, like may pass away during a single night’s dreaming on
Innsmouth and Kingsport, that sit below the seaside Earth. Every dreaming creature has a counterpart in
cliffs and bluffs of the area. Arkham is also home to the Dreamlands, another self which may be very simi-
the prestigious Miskatonic University, which provides lar in form, but is most likely much more ancient. The
a more open-minded alternative to Harvard, Yale or Dreamlands are unknown to waking creatures because
Brown. Miskatonic’s faculty and graduate students are all dreams of it are forgotten, or the memory of them is
academic leaders in such diverse areas as psychology, so clouded that their reality is masked. Remembering
archeology, and advanced medical techniques. The re- and controlling access to the Dreamlands is a skill de-
search carried out by the university and the field work veloped by very few humans. Once a dreamer acquires
it funds is so groundbreaking that many local residents this skill, the waking world may begin to seem the less
feel they are delving into things that should be left significant of the two.
alone. Dreamers reach the Dreamlands by descending
the seventy steps to the Cavern of Flame, where they
Atlantis must convince the priests Nasth and Kaman-thah to let
them descend the seven hundred steps to the Gate of
Great kings ruled the ancient island of Atlantis in Deep Slumber which leads to the Dreamlands. This is
the center of the Atlantic, massive fleets defended its the land of the Enchanted Wood, the city of Ulthar on
shores, and powerful wizards and devout priests of Po- the river Skai, the shining Cerenean Sea, and the valley
seidon protected it from the slippery abominations that of Ooth-Nagai wherein lies the fabulous city of Cele-
sometimes crawled from the ocean depths to destroy it. phias. Here the dreamer will find Zar, land of forgotten
94 Plato dates the height of Atlantean power, and its de- dreams and beauty, and Mighty Thalarion, city of won-
struction, to around 9,000 B.C. Traditional theories of ders from which no dreamer returns. Far to the south lie
7

95
 Xura, land of pleasure unattained, Sona-Nyl, the Land pagan holidays, drawing participation from the entire
7 of Fancy, marked by a great crystal arch rising out of the
sea, and the huge Basalt Pillars through which a strong
population and involving ancient rites in caves below
the town. The same rumors speak of contact with un-
current is said to lead to Cathuria, the Land of Hope. wholesome minions of the abyss.
A complete description of the Dreamlands is be- Despite the fantastic rumors, or maybe because of
yond the scope of this book, but there is no better intro- them, Kingsport has recently become a modestly popu-
duction to them than H.P. Lovecraft’s short novel, The lar tourist destination again.
Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.

Innsmouth
Hyperborea Innsmouth is a small Massachusetts coastal town
Ancient Greek writers mention a far older civilization tucked around a small harbor beneath inland cliffs. Its
known as Hyperborea, which controlled a vast area of buildings are old and poorly kept, and it has maintained
land somewhere to the northwest of Europe. This is little of the colonial charm that has made the nearby
evidence of how powerful and important the legacy of town of Kingsport a tourist destination. In fact, the
Hyperborea was, for that great pre-human empire had people in the towns around Innsmouth avoid it if they
been gone for hundreds of thousands of years when can, and they also avoid the only public transportation
Greek scholars wrote of its power. that passes through Innsmouth — an old private bus
Hyperborea controlled lush, fertile lands covering that makes the circuit between Arkam and Innsmouth
modern Greenland. The area was originally the home of a few times a day.
primitive hunters, the Yeti-like Voormi who worshiped The problems in Innsmouth seem to have started in
Tsathoggua. Another race of furry pre-humans invaded 1846, with an event referred to by locals as the “epi-
the lands from the southeast, pushed the Voormi back demic.” Prior to that year, nothing distinguished Inns-
into the remotest mountains, and established the Hy- mouth from the other fishing towns along the coast,
perborean empire. The pre-humans adopted the local except perhaps the romantic tales of her acting as a ha-
worship of Tsathoggua and their language transformed ven for privateers and pirates after the American Revo-
under the deity’s influence to become Tsath-yo, which lution. But in that year there were riots in the town, and
they spoke thereafter until the end of the empire. nearly half the population disappeared. The town has
The ice sheets of the Pleistocene advanced south- faded ever since, and ended up with only three or four
ward, gradually shrinking the extent and power of hundred residents.
the empire. As the ice threatened the last great cities, Not only did the people in the area never go into
Hyperborean sorcerers desperately called upon all the Innsmouth, but it appears its residents seldom came out,
unnameable forces in the universe to save them, but to especially the older residents. The people of Innsmouth
no avail. Many of the residents of Hyperborea fled to made a living selling strange artwork and jewelry made
islands to the south, and this migration may have been of gold, presumably left over from some hidden pirate’s
the genesis of the great island empire of Atlantis. cache. And their interbreeding gave them all a singular
The compacted snow and great glaciers that cover look, with wide faces and bulging eyes.
modern Greenland hide evidence of a pre-human civi- Investigations in the winter of 1927 led to a series of
lization so advanced and so different in outlook than raids by federal agents and the Coast Guard. The nature
our own culture that it could radically change our view and results of those raids remain classified, but the town
of ourselves if it were brought to light. The Inuit, who today is almost entirely deserted.
are the heirs of that barren land, tell terrible legends
about the curse of the “Old Peoples” and they destroy
any Hyperborean artifacts they find. Leng, The
Nightmare Plateau
Kingsport Of all the mysterious and ancient places of Earth, only
Colonists from southern England settled the old coast- Unknown Kadath, where the Old Gods dwell, is more
al town of Kingsport, Massachusetts, and it became a feared than the dark and sinister Plateau of Leng. This
thriving seaport and shipbuilding town by the end of barren, rocky land, high in the mountains, is somehow
the seventeenth century. As other towns grew, Kings- a nexus for many different realities. It exists simultane-
port stagnated and lost much of its advantage and it ously, although in slightly different form and scale, in
ceased to be a destination. It has been an insular and Antarctica, central China, and in the far north of the
isolated community for so long that its residents have Dreamlands. Little is known about it, although rumors
taken on a peculiar squat and wide-faced look, not un- from the Dreamlands claim that at its center is a huge,
like the residents of Innsmouth up the coast. There are ancient stone monastery wherein dwells a high priest
96 rumors of strange rituals performed in Kingsport on in a pale yellow mask who sits on a golden throne and
7

97
 prays to the Outer Gods. The priest may, in fact, be an lia’s Gibson Desert. Many of its buildings still stand,
7 avatar of Nyarlethotep himself.
The monastery contains miles of labyrinthine pas-
and many of the ancient books still rest in their cases.
This prehistoric, dead city was probably where the elder
sages and a series of deep pits that descend to the lower things found the first chapters of the Pnakotic Manu-
reaches of the Dreamlands, which are populated by script. The entrance to the city may lie near a collection
ghouls and much more terrible creatures. The massive of carved stones at 22° 3’ 14” South Latitude, 125° 0’ 39”
building is surrounded by the stone villages of horned, East Longitude.
hoofed, wide-mouthed humanoid creatures that dance Pnakotus still lies above impossibly large chambers
around huge fires and serve the high priest as slaves. in the Earth that are inhabited by flying polyps, the ter-
The plateau itself has supernatural powers and is rible enemy that forced the great race to abandon the
somehow the key to reaching Unknown Kadath, the city long before humans arose. Many of the windowless
mountain on which the Old Gods dwell. Leng may also black towers have fallen, and the massive gates holding
be the source of the strange green soapstone favored for back the flying polyps now lie open.
carving totems.

R’lyeh
Pnakotus, Library City R’lyeh is the city of Great Cthulhu. It rests on the ocean
floor of the far South Pacific, approximately 3,000 miles
of the Great Race west of Cape Horn and 3,500 miles east of New Zea-
A vast, abandoned underground city lies below Western land. Cthulhu and his minions slumber in a colossal,
Australia’s Desert. This was the library city of Pnako- monolith-capped vault beneath this city’s dark, ooze-
tus, where the great race lived 150 million years ago. It covered, non-euclidean architecture. When the stars
was a city of wide roads and giant buildings, curving up are right, Cthulhu will stir from his dormancy and the
to rooftop gardens overlooking cavernous plazas. The entire city of R’lyeh will rise above the ocean. Great
chambers of the largest buildings were lined with metal Cthulhu’s call of nightmares and visions will go out to
cases containing large books of celluloid paper. In these the world, and cults of his followers, human and non-
books the great race recorded historical and cultural de- human alike, will come to R’lyeh to draw him forth
tails from the past and future of the Earth and other from his vault.
nearby planets. In other parts of the city, enormous
cylindrical towers, black and windowless, stood guard
over doorways that led down to the vast subterranean Whitcomb House
chambers of the ancient and terrible enemy of the great The old Whitcomb House lies along Hope Street in
race, the flying polyps. Providence, just a short walk south of the Dexter Asy-
Although no longer inhabited by members of the lum. Captain Forbearance Whitcomb originally built
great race, Pnakotus still lies below Western Austra- the two-story, gambrel-roofed house in 1765, high

98
above the thriving colonial port. He personally super- cans crossed from Asia and settled along the coasts of
vised much of the construction and furnished the home
with items from his voyages in the Near East. He al-
North America. After the raids on Innsmouth during
the winter of 1927-28, the American military attacked 7
lowed only a small band of Libyan sailors to handle cer- Y’ha-Nthlei with torpedoes and depth charges, but it
tain aspects of the construction. Whitcomb seldom left survived and the destroyed parts were rebuilt by shog-
the house, and when he died in 1799 he left the house goth servants. From the city’s cold, dark dwellings, the
to one of the Libyans, who abandoned it a few years deep ones patiently plan their next infiltration of the
later and set sail for his homeland. Ownership of the land above, their next rejuvenating union with the hu-
house fell to the city, then a series of landlords and ten- mans of New England.
ants. Tenant after tenant abandoned the house, report-
ing rare dreams of strange places and horrible events
that were so vivid they drove some dreamers to a more Forbidden Books
permanent residency up the street at Dexter’s. By 1860 More than through any other means, the terrible se-
no one would rent the place, and it became a billet for crets of the Cthulhu Mythos have become known to the
soldiers and a hospital during the War. It has had only human race through ancient books. Forbidden tomes
temporary squatters since that time and has fallen into like the Necronomicon and the impossibly old Pnakotic
embarrassing disrepair. Manuscripts tell the truth of a world hostile to humani-
The parlor of the Whitcomb House contains an or- ty, but they also offer humans insight into the true pow-
nate doorway to an empty room barely large enough for ers of the universe. The histories, taxonomies and rituals
a man to stand in. The door frame is worked in silver contained in these books are often too much for the
and inlaid with small, dull stones marked with strange mundane human mind to comprehend, so readers may
runes, all of which seem to have aged considerably better forfeit their sanity in payment for their curiosity.
than the rest of the house. The doorway is a window to
other times and places, manifesting the Temporal Scry-
ing power at midnight on the eve of every new moon. Reading Books
Captain Whitcomb was able to control it, but now it Heroes read Mythos books a section at a time, whether
merely shows a random location in time and space. it’s a chapter of the Pnakotic Manuscripts or a single act
of The King in Yellow. Reading a section of a book ex-
poses the reader to the Mythos powers, feats and skills
Yoggoth listed for that section and may increase the reader’s fa-
Ancient writers referred to the planet we know as Pluto miliarity with a particular place or creature.
thousands of years before scientists discovered it. In the Most book sections are so frightening and mind-
ancient writings it is Yoggoth, the local colony of the expanding that they cause mental disorders. Descrip-
fungoid mi-go race of crab-like aliens. The mi-go live tions for each book below include the mental disorders
in great cities with multiple tiers and terraced towers caused by each section, along with the required save.
of black stone and ice, built by an even more ancient Heroes only have to make Sanity saves the first time
race that abandoned the planet long before man walked they read a section. Re-reading does not cause further
upright. The mi-go survive terrible cold and almost total disorders.
darkness, relying on their advanced technology to pro- Reading each book section requires a Language skill
tect them and give them access to other worlds of the check using the language and Difficulty listed for the
galaxy. Yoggoth is a bizarre place of vertical structure particular book. Failure means the reader didn’t com-
on an unimaginable scale, where the inhabitants have prehend anything read, so no benefits are gained and no
wings and the gravity is light. It’s a hub station for crea- disorders risked. Each attempt to read a section takes
tures moving to and from different worlds, many just one full day. Retries are allowed and the reader can take
bodiless minds shepherded by the mi-go and trapped 10.
in their horrifying brain canisters. Yoggoth is so far be- Note that many of these books may be found in an
yond anything in human experience that just seeing it incomplete state, with only a small set of the sections
causes a psychotic disorder (Difficulty 18 Sanity). listed here. Heroes may also find the essence of one or
two chapters of a book in a scholar’s notes, or carved
into the wall of an ancient monolith or temple. Poor
Y’ha-Nthlei translations of books are also available, providing only a
The undersea city of Y’ha-Nthlei lies about two hun- fraction of the exposure of the original.
dred miles off the coast of Massachusetts, where the
ocean floor drops away to crushing depths beyond the
edge of the continental shelf. The oldest deep ones have Skimming Sections
lived in its phosphorescent palaces and terraced gardens If a the reader of a book knows what they are looking
of strange coral since before even the Native Ameri- for — specifically a single power, feat or skill they want 99
to be exposed to — they can skim a book for it. The
 reader briefly scans each section, looking for signs of
Table 7-1: Borellus
7 the desired information. Skimming a section takes one
minute and requires a successful Language check based Section Exposure Sanity
on the Difficulty of the book. If the Language check Obsession
is successful, the reader determines whether or not the Lecture 1 Imbue Item (Difficulty 10
desired trait is in that section. Sanity)
When heroes successfully skims a section of a book, Control
they must also succeed on a Difficulty 10 Wisdom Disorder
check or they understand too much and must make any Lecture 2 Dispel Unlife
(Difficulty 12
Sanity saves associated with that section. They cannot Sanity)
take 10 on this Wisdom check.
Skimming a section never fully exposes the reader Control
to the traits listed for that section, but if the reader is Disorder
Lecture 3 Imbue Unlife
forced to make the Sanity saves due to a poor Wisdom (Difficulty 12
check, they do not have to make those saves again when Sanity)
they actually read the section. “...call up the shape of any dead Ancestor from the Dust
whereinto his Bodie has been incinerated.”
Adapting Books she studied with the masters of the ancient wisdom in
Tibet from 1868 to 1870. According to Blavatsky, the
to the Adventure scrolls of the Book of Dzyan and other ancient manu-
The contents provided in these book descriptions are
scripts where kept from the sight of the unworthy by
merely a starting point, and the Narrator should feel
a group of supernatural beings called the Great White
free to change the content of a section or add whole
Brotherhood, or the Ascended Masters. There seems
new sections. If your heroes desperately need the power
to be some relationship between the Ascended Mas-
to banish an outsider, then maybe the book they just
ters and the Ancient Ones beyond the First Gate of
found should contain it, even if it’s not listed here. You
the void. Madame Blavatsky wrote the Secret Doctrine
can also use these descriptions as a guide for creating
based on her recollection of the Stanzas of the Book of
entirely new ancient books that fit your adventures.
Dzyan.
Correspondence between Blavatsky and other
Book Descriptions prominent Theosophists shortly before her death hints
at the existence of at least one complete copy of the
Each book description below includes the title of the
book, a brief description of its origins and history, and Book of Dzyan. Fifty years later, in 1936, a used book
a list of the languages in which it is available. A table shop near Federal Hill in Providence sold a handwrit-
provided with each book lists details of each section of ten copy of a book by that title to two men claiming to
the book, including the exposed Mythos traits and the be Theosophists.
sanity cost of reading that specific section. Language: Tibetan (Difficulty 14), coded in the
Aklo Cypher (Difficulty 22)

Borellus Cultes de Goules

The book of Borellus is a collection of lectures and notes
by a gifted 15th-century French alchemist known only Written by the Comte d’Erlette around 1700, this small
as “Borellus.” It has had at lease two limited printings, book describes a completely unexpected and ancient
one in French and one in English. Though it is not an necromantic cult that still existed at that time through-
exceedingly rare book, it is a difficult book to under- out Europe. This book was suppressed by the church
stand, even for those with a modest background in the and never reprinted, and copies are exceedingly rare.
subject. Language: French (Difficulty 16)
Language: English (Difficulty 18), French (Dif-
ficulty 16). Because of the depth of the subject, the Curwen Papers
reader of any chapter must also succeed on a Difficulty This is a collection of papers, letters and a journal writ-
16 Mythos Knowledge (life sciences) check. If the My- ten by or Joseph Curwen of Providence, who was killed
thos Knowledge check fails, the reader gains neither the in a battle with customs officials in April of 1771. These
listed exposures nor disorders. papers and letters were collected and organized by his
descendant, Charles Dexter Ward, into three sheaves.
The Book of Dzyan Some of the notes and letters are in archaic English or
Czech, but additional notes include translations and in-
100 Madame Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy, claimed
to have seen a copy of the ancient Book of Dzyan when terpretations of these difficult items.
 Table 7-2: The Book of Dyzan
Section Exposure Sanity 7
Mythos Knowledge (History), Mood Disorder
Stanza I
Contact Azathoth (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
“Alone the one form of existence stretched boundless, infinite, causeless, in dreamless sleep; and life pulsated unconscious in
universal space”
Mythos Knowledge (Theology & Mood Disorder
Stanza II
Philosophy) (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“Darkness alone was father-mother, Svabhavat; and Svabhavat was in darkness.”
Psychotic Disorder
Stanza III Mythos Knowledge (Life Sciences)
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Mythos Knowledge (Physical Psychotic Disorder
Stanza IV
Sciences) (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Control Disorder
Stanza V Contact Nyarlathotep
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“They make of him the messenger of their will. the Dzyu becomes Fohat”
Contact Yog-Sothoth, Anxiety Disorder
Stanza VI
Contact Cthulhu (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
“There were battles fought between the Creators and the Destroyers, and battles fought for space.”
Call Elemental, Anxiety Disorder
Stanza VII
Call Aberration (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“Said the Flame to the Spark. Thou art myself, my image, and my shadow”

Table 7-3: Cultes de Goules Table 7-4: Curwen Papers

Section Exposure Sanity Section Exposure Sanity
Mythos Anxiety Disorder
Imbue Unlife,
Knowledge (Life Cannibalism Sheaf 1 (Difficulty 14
Drain Life
Chapter 1 Sciences), (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
casual familiarity Sanity) “Do not calle up That which ye cannot put downe”
with ghouls
Anxiety Disorder
Cannibalism Sheaf 2 Dispel Unlife (Difficulty 12
Ritual Imbue
Chapter 2 (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Unlife
Sanity)
“ Yog-Sothoth ‘Ngah’ng Ai’y Zhro!”
Communication
Mythos Language Scrying, Temporal
Disorder Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 3 (Ghoul), Scrying, Mythos
(Difficulty 10 Sheaf 3 (Difficulty 14
Call Undead Knowledge
Sanity) Sanity)
(History)
Sleep Disorder
Dream, Ritual Dissociative
Chapter 4 (Difficulty 12
Ward Giant Contact Yog- Disorder
Sanity) Journal
Sothoth (Difficulty 12
Call Outsider, Anxiety Disorder Sanity)
Chapter 5 Contact Shub- (Difficulty 14
Niggurath Sanity)
Mood Disorder
Chapter 6 Drain Life (Difficulty 14
Sanity)

101
 Charles Dexter Ward dis- printed copies became a personal,
7 appeared from a hospital in
Providence, Rhode Island, in
ruthless crusade of Pope Paul III.
He couldn’t destroy them all be-
1928, and his papers were last fore his death, and his successor
seen in the possession of his took little interest in the book. A
physician, Doctor Marinus few complete printed copies still
Bicknell Willett, who exist, and scholars have circulat-
claims he destroyed ed a few hand-written copies of
them at the Ward some sections.
family’s request. Ru- Language: Latin (Difficulty
mors that the papers 20)
survived and have been
copied circulate among
the would-be alchemists Forms of
of old New England. Hesy-Ra
Language: English The Forms of He-
(Difficulty 14) sy-ra are a series of
notebooks containing
De Vermis hieroglyphics that de-
scribe the secret medi-
Mysteriis cal rituals of the Ancient
Ludvig Prinn penned this Egyptians. They are all at-
book in the sixteenth cen- tributed to Hesy-ra, a physi-
tury while in prison await- cian of the 27th century B.C.,
ing trial and torture by the and the style of the hieroglyphics
inquisition. Friends smuggled fits that period. The original source of the
the book and published it in Cologne less forms is unknown, but the brief notes written in
than a year after his death. Destruction of the few French, and the arrangement of lines and breaks, sug-
gest the characters were copied from inscriptions on
the interior walls of a temple. The transcriber has never
Table 7-5: De Vermis Mysteriis come forward and is certainly no longer alive. The origi-
Section Exposure Sanity
Mythos Mental Disorder
Chapter 1 Knowledge (Difficulty 10 Table 7-6: Forms of Hesy-Ra
(Life Sciences) Sanity) Section Exposure Sanity
Communication Mental
Mythos
Disorder Disorder
Chapter 2 Contact Yig Journal I Knowledge
(Difficulty 12 (Difficulty 10
(Life Sciences)
Sanity) Sanity)
Mythos Control
Psychotic
Familiar, Call Disorder
Disorder Journal II Body Control
Chapter 3 Outsider, casual (Difficulty 12
(Difficulty 14
familiarity with Sanity)
Sanity)
hunting horror Enhance Hallucinations
“Tibi Magnum Innominandum, signa stellarum ni- Journal III Senses, Cure (Difficulty 14
grarum et bufaniformis Sadoquae sigillum...” Injury Sanity)
Paranoia “King Djoser brushed at the sun as though it were
Chapter 4 Second Sight (Difficulty 12 within his grasp. He looked at me and laughed as he
Sanity) counted his slaves far out in Goshen.”
Mood Disorder Mood Disorder
Cure, Drain
Chapter 5 Drain Life (Difficulty 14 Journal IV (Difficulty 12
Vitality
Sanity) Sanity)
Mythos Mood Disorder Mood Disorder
102 Chapter 6 Knowledge (Difficulty 12 Journal V Heart Shaping (Difficulty 12
(History) Sanity) Sanity)
nal journals are locked deep in the Library of Archeol- lished in anywhere from two to twelve volumes. The
ogy and Art History in the Sarbonne University, Paris.
Replicas of a few of the journals are available on request.
section table below assumes a six volume set.
Frazer was writing for a wide, uninitiated audience, 7
Poor French translations of “the Forms” have been so the books are easy to read. However, the innocence
widely circulated, but are so badly done that they offer and propriety of most of his readers required that he
no significant insights or exposure to Mythos traits. hide the true meanings in the work behind well-known
Language: Ancient Egyptian (Difficulty 16) symbols and popular, though naive mythologies.
Language: English (Difficulty 16), and most other
European languages (Difficulty 18). The Golden Bough
Fragments of the Book is long, and its true meanings hidden, so the reader must
of Eibon, Liber Ivonis make a Wisdom check (Difficulty 16) for each section
The Fragments of Eibon are the collected writings of the read. If the Wisdom check fails, the reader does not
wizard Eibon of the lost prehistoric land of Hyperborea. gain the listed exposures or disorders.
Based on references in the text itself, the fragments ap-
pear to be the remnants of what was once an immense
volume describing his travels to different worlds and
The King in Yellow
The King in Yellow is a two-act play set in the hidden
the dark myths and powerful spells he discovered. The dream city of Carcosa on the shores of lake Hali. The
original, lost volume was written in Tsath-yo, the an- author of the play is unknown, but it was probably writ-
cient language of the Hyperboreans, but sections have ten sometime between 1890 and 1920. Copies circulat-
been translated to Greek and then to French. Though ed widely in French and English society prior to 1920,
both translations are exceedingly rare, the French is bringing suffering to many and threatening public order.
more easily obtained. Those who read the play became depressed, even sui-
Language: Greek (Difficulty 18), French (Difficulty cidal. Most of the French copies were confiscated and
20) destroyed by the French government, but many English
editions still rest forgotten and unread on bookshelves
Golden Bough in private homes and libraries in England and America.
Written by Sir James George Frazer and first published This book is somehow associated with the Cult of the
in 1890, the Golden Bough is widely available in many Yellow Sign, but its purpose is unclear.
languages after about 1925, but the English edition is Language: English (Difficulty 14)
most common. The Golden Bough is a long work, pub-

Table 7-7: The Book of Eibon

Section Exposure Sanity
Mythos Knowledge (History), Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 1
casual familiarity with Hyperborea (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Mythos Language (Tsath-yo), Communication Disorder
Chapter 2
Voorish Sign (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Mythos Knowledge (Art), Imbue Mood Disorder
Chapter 3
Item (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“..a cloudy stone, orb-like and somewhat flattened at the ends, in which he could behold many visions of the Terrene
past...”
Call Outsider, Banish Outsider, Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 15
Contact Azathoth (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 17 Call Aberration, Banish Aberration
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Control Disorder
Chapter 18 Handle Aberration
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Mutism
Chapter 21 Water Shaping, Wind Shaping
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Pyromania
Chapter 22 Ritual Fire Shaping
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Agoraphobia 103
Chapter 24 Ritual Dimension Shift
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
 Table 7-8: Golden Bough
7 Section Exposure Sanity
Volume 1: Magic Ritual Water Shaping, Ritual Wind Control Disorder
Chapters 1-16 Shaping, Ritual Weather Shaping (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
“I knok this rag upone this stane, To raise the wind in the divellis name,
It sall not lye till I please againe.”
Volume 2: Taboos Psychotic Disorder
Mythos Knowledge (Life Sciences)
Chapters 17-23 (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Volume 3: Royal Sacrifice None. Adds +2 bonus to Wisdom
None
Chapters 25-28 check when reading Volume 5
Volume 4: Gods Mythos Knowledge (Theology & Anxiety Disorder
Chapters 29-49 Philosophy) (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Volume 5: Divine Sacrifice Mood Disorder
Enhance Ability, Enhance Other
Chapters 50-52 (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“...do you imagine that anybody is so insane as to believe that the thing he feeds upon is a god?
Volume 6: Evil Ritual Banish Outsider, Ritual Psychotic Disorder
Chapters 53-69 Ward Outsider (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“...a death-like silence reigns, the priest lifts up his voice and addresses the spirits in their own language”

Table 7-9: The King in Yellow

Section Exposure Sanity
Act 1 None None
CASSILDA: Indeed it’s time. We all have laid aside disguise but you.
STRANGER: I wear no mask
Hallucinations (Difficulty 14
Act 2 Dream, Open Mind Sanity), Suicidal (Difficulty 12
Sanity)

Necronomicon
Written by the mad Arab Abdul Al-hazred after the
terrible visions he had while sleeping outside the an-
cient Nameless City in Arabia, this book is the most
comprehensive collection of the most unacceptable se-
crets of the Cthulhu Mythos. Rumors insist that hand-
written copies of the original Arabic version still exist,
guarded by ancient cults or moldering in long-forgotten
desert caches. The original copies are said to be nearly
two thousand pages of meticulous Arabic script, bound
in ebony covers set with silver and blood-red garnets.
No one knows how many times this cursed book was
translated to other languages and then destroyed. The
Latin translation of Olaus Wormus survived to reach
the printing press in the 17th century, and hundreds
of copies were made. Although the Catholic Church
denounced the book and forbade any good Christian
from reading it, it spread to the east, survived in secret
in the west, and made its way to America with the earli-
est colonists. At least six Latin copies are known to have
survived.
The Latin translation appears to have introduced er-
104 rors and omissions into the text, and these were severely
 Table 7-10: Necronomicon
Section Exposure Sanity 7
Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 1 Mythos Knowledge (Art)
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Obsession
Chapter 2 Imbue Item
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Mythos Knowledge (Theology & Mood Disorder
Chapter 3
Philosophy) (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die.”
Paranoia
Chapter 4 Mythos Familiar
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
“For he who passes the gateways always wins a shadow,
and never again can he be alone.”
Dissociative Disorder
Chapter 5 Mind Touch, Exchange Personality
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Imbue Unlife, Dispel Unlife, Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 6*
Call Undead (Difficult 14 Sanity)
* This chapter only exists in the original Arabic versions.
Temporal Mind Touch*, Dissociative Disorder
Chapter 7
Suggestion (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Ritual Call Outsider, Banish
Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 8 Outsider *
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Contact Yog-Sothoth*
“ Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate.
Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate.”
Mythos Knowledge (History), Communication Disorder
Chapter 9
Contact Nyarlathotep (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 10 Elder Sign*
(Difficulty 20 Sanity)
Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 11 Dimension Gate*, Temporal Gate*
(Difficulty 16 Sanity)
“Nor may those who pass ever return, for in the vastness transcending our
world are shapes of darkness that seize and bind.”
* Items in italics are missing or corrupted in the English translation.

compounded in Dr. Dee’s hasty English translation, great race (Chapters 1-5), the elder things (Chapters
which is more widely available than the Latin. 6-8), and the Hyperboreans (Chapters 9-10) cover such
Language: Arabic (Difficulty 18), Latin (Difficulty 22), different topics, they are often copied and circulated as
English (Difficulty 20) separate documents called the Pnakotic Fragments.
The Pnakotic Manuscripts, or fragments of them,
are known to have been translated into Tsath-yo (Hy-
Pnakotic Manuscripts perborean), Greek, and English, but they are exceeding-
The great race of Yith began the Pnakotic Manuscript ly rare and all known copies were transcribed by hand.
150 million years ago in their vast library city of Pna- Language: Tsath-yo (Difficulty 16), Greek (Diffi-
kotus, on the combined post-Pangaean continent of culty 20), English (Difficulty 20)
what is today Antarctica and Australia. The text was ex-
panded by the elder things that thrived on Earth after
the minds of the great race had fled forward in time. Unaussprechlichen Kulten
The original document, written on the large, resilient Written by Friedrich Wilhelm von Juntz and first pub-
green cellulose paper of the great race, has never been lished in 1839 in Germany, this disturbing book con- 105
found. Since the parts of the manuscript written by the tains a thorough account of the rites, practices and his-
 Table 7-11: Pnakotic Manuscripts
7 Section Exposure Sanity
Mythos Language (Great Race),
Communication Disorder
Chapter 1 casual familiarity with great race,
(Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Scientific Comprehend Language
Mythos Knowledge (History),
Mood Disorder
Chapter 2 Mythos Knowledge (Physical
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Sciences)
Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 3 Mythos Knowledge (Technology)
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Scientific Mind Touch, Mood Disorder
Chapter 4
Scientific Exchange Personality (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Paranoia
Chapter 5 Scientific Temporal Mind Touch
(Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Mythos Language (Elder Thing),
Mood Disorder
Chapter 6 Mythos Knowledge (History),
Difficulty 10 Sanity)
casual familiarity with elder things
Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 7 Call Aberration, Banish Aberration
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Mythos Knowledge (Life Sciences), Mood Disorder
Chapter 8
Handle Aberration (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Mythos Language (Tsath-yo),
Channeler, Sleep Disorder
Chapter 9
casual familiarity with Hyperborea, (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
Voorish Sign
Ritual Contact Tsathoggua,
Dissociative Disorder
Chapter 10 Mythos Knowledge (Physical
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Sciences)
“Six and twenty thousand years have revolv’d, and I return to the spot where now I burn.”

Table 7-12: Unauchsprechlichen Kulten

Section Exposure Sanity
Mythos Language (Deep One),
Phobia of Water
Chapter 1 casual familiarity with deep ones,
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Ritual Call Aberration*
Call Monstrous Humanoid,
Control Disorder
Chapter 2 casual familiarity with Byakhee,
(Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Ritual Contact Tsathoggua*
Mythos Knowledge(Theology & Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 3
Philosophy), Call Undead* (Difficulty 10 Sanity)
Scrying, Open Mind, Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 4
Contact Nyarlathotep* (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Mind Touch, Psychotic Disorder
Chapter 5
Ritual Contact Cthulhu* (Difficulty 12 Sanity)
Visions, Sense Minds*, Mythos Anxiety Disorder
Chapter 6
Language(Aklo) (Difficulty 14 Sanity)
* Due to poor translation, exposures in italics are not provided by the Golden Goblin Edition.

106
tory of some of the most horrible cults
known to man. Two English translations
exist, the rare Bridewell translation of 7
1845, and the relatively poor Golden
Goblin edition of Unspeakable Cults
published in 1909.
Language: English (Difficulty 18)

Mythos
Artifacts
The demi-gods, alien visitors and ad-
vanced pre-human civilizations of the
Mythos have brought all sorts of profane
and powerful artifacts to Earth. Some
may be useful to an enterprising group
of investigators, but most will bring
only death or uncontrollable, salivating
insanity to all who interact with them.
The following artifacts are provided as
examples. You should feel free to create
new artifacts that fit your adventures.

Black Stone
of Stregoicavar
This great hexagonal black column rises
from atop a hill above the Hungarian
village of Stregoicavar. The column is six-
teen feet high and a foot and a half thick,
and it’s pitted near the bottom where vil-
lagers tried to destroy it with hammers
and axes. The stone once capped the roof
of a great citadel which is now buried be-
neath the hill, and it was the site of ter-
rible ceremonies and sacrifices to a dis-
gusting, toad-like avatar of Tsathoggua.
Anyone who looks closely at the stone
will begin to see some translucency in its
surface. Anyone staring into the stone
for an hour or more, or sleeping within
30 feet of it, must succeed on a Difficulty
10 Will save or see visions of the ter-
rible ceremonies and the avatar. The Dif-
ficulty of this Will save increases to 25
on Midsummer’s Night. Anyone seeing
these visions acquires an anxiety disorder
(Difficulty 22 Sanity). Anyone attempt-
ing to destroy the stone (like the villagers
who chipped away at it) is hunted by a
byakhee or other servitor creature until
they are dead. Similar stones may exist
in other locations.
107
 Calling Stones Electrical Weapon
7 These are small stones marked with runes that aid in the
calling of specific creature types or individual creatures.
The Great Race of Yith created weapons resembling
cameras that emitted electrical charges similar to light-
Deep one calling stones, for instance, are small, smooth ning. They used them to some effect against the fear-
stones marked with aquatic pictographs. When you some flying polyps, keeping that ancient enemy at bay
drop a deep one calling stone into the ocean, it grants for a while. The weapon itself requires a successful Dif-
you a +10 bonus on your power check to call a deep one. ficulty 18 Mythos Knowledge (technology) check to
Some calling stones are actually charms imbued with operate. It is a ranged weapon with a 50 ft. range incre-
the calling power and can be activated by anyone. ment and +5 electricity damage.

Crystal of Zon Elixir of Eternal Life

The recipe for the Elixir of Eternal life has been sought
Mezzamalech by alchemists since the dawn of civilization. What the
The Crystal of Zon Mezzamalech is a teaming throngs of fleetingly mortal humans don’t re-
cloudy orb-like stone, somewhat flat- alize is that the elixir exists. It has been known to
tened at the ends. The great Hyper- a few immortal alchemists throughout history,
borean sorcerer Zon Mezzamalech and they keep it secret and to themselves.
originally found this orb hundreds of The Elixir is a foul-smelling bluish liquid
thousands of years ago in what is now Green- that requires a human sacrifice and three
land. By using it, he was able to peer into the days of Yuletide to create. When con-
past, all the way to a time before the Elder sumed, it removes all effects of aging,
Gods, when only Ubbo-Sathla (Azathoth) including all levels of the Premature
existed. Zon Mezzamalech vanished and the Aging disorder.
crystal was lost, but it seems to resurface every
so often to tempt a new owner into gazing into
its depths. Hound of Leng
If you gaze into the crystal for one full round, you
see a random place and time as if using the Temporal Amulet
Scrying power. If you are able to use the Temporal Scry- This amulet is a small figure of a
ing power yourself, you may attempt to control the winged sphinx with a canine face. Each
target location and time as if using the power, such amulet has an actual hound of
but if you fail your power check, you see a Leng that serves the amulet’s owner.
random target like anyone else. If you wear the amulet, you must
After three full rounds gazing into the succeed on a Difficulty 18 Cha-
crystal, you make contact with a random risma check to become its owner.
intelligent creature in the target time and If you fail to become the amulet’s
location as if using Temporal Mind owner, you may not try again and
Touch (Difficulty 20 Will save). You you acquire the Obsession mental disorder
attempt to make mental contact with with the amulet as the focus (Difficulty 22 San save). If
a different creature each round until you fail to become its owner, you are also hunted by the
successful. hound of Leng. If you are killed by the hound, the amu-
Two rounds after mental contact let’s owner is affected as if he used the Drain Life power
is established, the crystal forces you to on you. If the amulet’s owner is dead when the hound
take control of the target as if using the kills, the owner revives as if the target of an Imbue Life
Dominate power (Difficulty 20 Will save). power. If the hound is killed, the amulet disappears.
No concentration is required by you to maintain domi-
nance, but you must concentrate to control the actions
of the target. After you have dominated the target for Molecular
5 rounds, the dominance becomes permanent and the
crystal absorbs your body and disappears, trapping your
Disturbance Device
This is the weapon that nearly saved the elder things
mind in the target body. in their epic war against the shoggoth uprising. It is a
You may not look away from the crystal unless you small, silver, star-shaped device that could disrupt the
succeed on a Difficulty 20 Will save, which you may dynamic shoggoth molecules and bind them in a form
retry each round. If you are physically removed from the easily destroyed by other weapons. This weapon requires
108 area, or the crystal is removed from your line of sight, a Difficulty 15 Mythos Knowledge (technology) skill to
your save is automatic.
operate. When discharged, it emits a cone of energy 120 stroyed, banished, or collects an intelligent living sacri-
ft. long and 30 ft. wide at the end. Any non-shoggoth
creatures caught in the cone take +8 electrical damage
fice to drag back into the void.
7
(Difficulty 14 Reflex save for half damage). Any shog-
goths hit by the beam take no direct damage, but lose The Silver Key
their damage reduction and regeneration abilities for 4 The Silver Key is a huge key of tarnished silver, obtained
rounds. This device takes one minute to recharge. by crusaders in the middle east and handed down in
secret through generations of the Carter family of New
England. The Silver Key comes from beyond the First
Powder of Ibn Gazi Gate of the Void and has the power, when used with the
The powder if Ibn Gazi is a fine dust imbued with the correct incantations, to cut through all dimensions of
power to make invisible things visible. When you blow existence. If you hold the Silver Key and turn it a specif-
the Powder at an invisible creature, it’s as if you used a ic way, you receive a +15 bonus on a power check for one
Voorish Sign power. However, the Powder of Ibn Gazi of the following powers: Contact Umr At-Tawil, Di-
can make the invisible creature visible to any other crea- mension Gate, Dimension Sense Minds, Mind Touch,
ture within line of sight, provided the power check value Scrying, Sense Minds, Temporal Mind Touch, Tempo-
of the powder is high enough. (see Imbue Item ral Scrying, and Temporal Sense Minds. Each use
in Chapter 5). Truly ancient samples of of the silver key causes an anxiety disorder (Dif-
the Powder of Ibn Gazi were created ficulty 18 Sanity) in addition to any disorders
in rituals and have power checks as caused by the powers themselves.
high as 30 or 35.

Translator of
The Shining
the Great Race
Trapezohedron In their fabulous library cities, the great
The Shining Trapezohedron is a many-faceted race of Yith used their Temporal
egg-shaped object about four inches across. Personality Exchange powers to
The mi-go created it and brought it to trade minds with creatures from
Earth, and it may be related to the all over time and space. The great
Crystal of Zon Mezzamalech. The race used this translator to com-
elder things found it and placed it municate with the bewildered
in its asymmetrical metal box. It minds inhabiting the bodies of
was used for millions of years by the Yithian explorers. The transla-
serpent people before falling into the tor appeared to be some sort of mu-
hands of the humans of Atlantis. The Pharaoh Nepren- sical instrument, which members of the
ka worshiped it and built a great temple for it, and time great race played with the delicate appendages of their
buried it beneath the sands of Egypt until it was uncov- heads. Anyone can use a translator by making a Dif-
ered again in the 19th century. It is the central artifact ficulty 14 Mythos Knowledge (technology) check. Its
of the Starry Wisdom Cult. effects, including Sanity costs, are the same as the Com-
When you stare intently into the Shining Trapezo- prehend Language power.
hedron for at least one full round, you gain the effects of
Temporal Scrying on a random time and subject, with
no power check necessary. Once the scrying visions be- The Yellow Sign
gin, you must make a Difficulty 14 Wisdom save each The Yellow Sign is a curious symbol, usually written or
round to stop looking into the Shining Trapezohedron. engraved in gold upon a piece of jewelry or a scrap of
The Temporal Scrying effects continue as long as you parchment. The sign is a tool of the Cult of the Yel-
continue to stare. If you stare into the Shining Trap- low Sign, servants of the King in Yellow and Hastur the
ezohedron for three full rounds, you call a hunting hor- Unspeakable. Each sign is a charm, usually imbued with
ror. The called hunting horror is actually an avatar of a Suggestion that the recipient visit the sender to be
Nyarlathotep which the Starry Wisdom Cult calls the initiated into the secrets of the cult. Those who ignore
haunter of the dark. The haunter stays until it is de- the sign do so at great peril.

109
7 Chapter 8:
Adversaries & Allies
As heroes struggle to stop the bizarre, destructive forces Feats: Powers(rank 10, Cha, save Difficulty 13; Ban-
of the Cthulhu Mythos, other humans who worship the ish Aberration +13, Call Aberration +16, Ritual Call
Outer Gods or share the goals of terrible, inhuman Monstrous Humanoid +13), Supernatural Focus (Call
creatures, will oppose them. This chapter gives examples Aberration), Stunning Attack, Tough
of some of the cults and individual adversaries the he- Traits (see deep one): Amphibious, Darkvision 60
roes may have to face. It also includes everyday people ft., Sanity
that heroes might encounter, either as potential enemies Combat: Attack +4 (+3 base, +2 adept, -1 Dex),
or as allies. Damage +6 (claws) or +5 (bite) or +4 (club), Defense:
Dodge/Parry +4/ +7 (+3 base, +2 adept, -1 Dex/+2 Str),
Initiative -1
Cults & Adepts Saves: Toughness +4 (+1 Con, +1 natural, +1 robes,
Even the races that lived on Earth long before humans +1 Tough), Fortitude +3 (+1 base, +1 adept, +1 Con),
evolved created cultic practices centered on deities and Reflex +1 (+1 base, +1 adept, -1 Dex), Will +8 (+3 base,
very powerful creatures. The purpose of such a cult is to +4 adept, +1 Wis)
garner the favor and intervention of the deity, or simply The high priests of the Esoteric Order of Dagon are
to assuage its wrath. Being a member of a cult can affect full-blooded deep ones. They emerge from the sea with
one’s sanity, so some of the detailed descriptions in this an entourage of deep one minions to lead the hybrids
section include disorders that characters have already in chanting, ancient rituals, and sacrifices to Dagon. The
accumulated. high priests wear long robes and high golden tiaras. The
tiaras grant them a +2 bonus to power checks, which
is already included in
The Esoteric the bonuses above.
Order of Dagon
The Esoteric Order of Dagon is the cult of Dagon
worship for deep one hybrids. Gatherings of the
Esoteric Order take place in abandoned churches
and seaside caves along the coastlines where the
deep ones have interbred with humans in the past.
The Esoteric Order has two goals. The first, and
most mundane, is to gain Dagon’s favor so he
will maintain a good supply of fish in nearby
seas. The second is to colonize the land with
hybrids, replacing all humans if necessary. If any
outsiders witness this cult’s ceremonies or dis-
cover the truth about the hybrids, deep ones hunt
them down as sacrifices to Dagon, possibly using
trained shoggoths as trackers.

High Priest of Dagon

Deep one adept/4
Speed: 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +2, Dex -1, Con +1, Int +0,
Wis +1, Cha +1
Skills: Handle Aberration 10 (+11), In-
timidate 4 (+5), Mythos Knowledge (Theol-
ogy and Philosophy) 10 (+10), Language (el-
der thing) 4 (+4), Swim 0 (+10)
110
Member of the Follower of a
Esoteric Order of Dagon Prophet of Perfection 8
Human adept/1 minion (deep one hybrid), Ancient Blood- Human Academic/4, Cultist background
line background Speed: 30 ft.
Speed: 30 ft. Abilities: Str -1, Dex +0, Con +1, Int +3, Wis +2,
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +0, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +1
Cha -1 Skills: Bluff 7 (+8), Craft(mechanics, electrical) 7
Skills: DisguiseB 4 (+3), Intimidate 4 (+3), Mythos (+10), Disable Device 7 (+10), Gather Information 7
Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 4 (+4), Mythos (+8), Knowledge (earth sciences, life sciences, physical
Language (deep one) 4 (+4), Notice 4 (+4), SwimB 4 sciences, technology, theology and philosophy) 7 (+10),
(+5) Language (German) 4 (+7), Mythos Knowledge (the-
Feats: Dedicated (to secrecy), EnduranceB, Low ology and philosophy)B 7 (+13), Notice 7 (+9), Search
ProfileB, Night Vision, Powers (rank 4, Cha, save Diffi- 7 (+10), Sense Motive 7 (+8), Sleight of Hand 7 (+7),
culty 10; Ritual Call Monstrous Humanoid +3), Startle StealthB 4 (+4),
Combat: Attack +0 (+0 adept, +0 Dex), Damage Feats: Benefit (security clearance), Dedicated (ulti-
+3 (club), Defense: Dodge/Parry +0/ +0 (+0 adept, +0 mate perfection)B, Eidetic Memory, Firearms Training,
Dex), Initiative +0 Iron WillB, Low Profile, Maser Plan, Skill Focus (My-
Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +1 (+0 ad- thos Knowledge (theology and philosophy)), Tireless
ept, +1 Con), Reflex +0 (+0 adept, +0 Dex), Will +2 (+2 Combat: Attack +1 (+1 academic, +0 Dex), Dam-
adept, +0 Wis), Sanity +1 (+2 adept, -1 Cha) age +2 (Derringer), Defense: Dodge/Parry +1/ +0 (+1
Disorders: Any Level 2 anxiety disorder. academic, +0 Dex/-1 Str), Initiative +0
Hybrid deep one cult members try to maintain their Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +2 (+1
disguise as normal humans until their transformation is academic, +1 Con), Reflex +2 (+2 academic, +0 Dex),
far enough along for them to start a new life in the sea. Will +6 (+2 academic, +2 Wis, Iron Will), Sanity +5 (+4
academic, +1 Cha)
Disorders: Level 1 Stutter
Prophets of Perfection Followers of the prophets adhere to the instructions
(Oraculum Perfectus) given to them regarding how to make just a few pieces
of the world “perfect” in the eyes of the insect philoso-
This is a loosely-organized cult based around the words phers. It may mean slightly changing the formula for
and writings of prophets who have been in mental the plastic used in airplane windshields, finding a way
contact with the philosopher insects of Jupiter’s fourth to cross-breed specific strains of wheat and barley, or
moon, Callisto. An insect philosopher may contact an calculating the last number in a finite mathematical
individual prophet dozens of times, but each time con- sequence. Whatever the tasks, these followers will do
tact is severed, the prophet is generally unable to re- anything to accomplish them, even if it means subter-
member or comprehend much of what transpired. The fuge or violence.
prophets have caught glimpses of perfection, and each
prophet’s followers move toward it in their own way.
Each prophet is unaware or unable to grasp the com- Vessels of the
bined “perfect” result of all their individual visions of
perfection, but it may be the complete destruction of Great Race
the Earth. Many thousands of years ago in Hyperborea, a group
The university library in Arkham contains tran- of scholars used information from the rare Pnakotic
scripts of secret philosophical debates in ancient Greece Manuscripts to prove that one among them was the
that mention a transcendent state which felt like hav- subject of a Yithian mind swap. Shortly after being
ing many legs. This is the first suspected evidence of the discovered, the Yithian mind returned to its rightful
Prophets of Perfection, but the document is hardly con- place. The Hyperboeans began looking for evidence of
clusive. By three hundred years later, the Roman gov- other minds from the great race and researching ways
ernment knew of the society and openly documented to make themselves more attractive subjects for mind
its own efforts to eradicate a group of insane, extremist swaps. They called their secret cult the Vessels of the
academics calling themselves Oraculum Perfectus. Great Race and passed down their knowledge in secret
Today the Prophets of Perfection are shrouded once ceremonies and rites meant to test the loyalty of new ini-
again in secrecy. It isn’t clear how much contact the in- tiates. Some of them studied the Pnakotic Manuscripts
sect philosophers currently have with humans, but the in depth, along with other ancient documents, trying to
Prophets of Perfection still exist and are still seeking for learn the Temporal Exchange Personality power so they
all the pieces of the great plan of perfection. could initiate the swap themselves. This so offended the 111
 Yithians that they denied any special status they might Feats: Attractive, Contacts, ConnectedB, Dedicat-
8 have granted the vessels.
There were vessels of the Great Race in Atlantis,
ed (great race)B, Eidetic Memory, Firearms Training,
Inspire(competence), Open Mind, Powers (rank 4, Cha,
in ancient Egypt, throughout the Roman Empire, and save Difficulty 12, scientific equipment +1; Scientific
in Medieval Europe. Today the vessels form sub-cults Mind Touch +6), Wealthy
within powerful societies like the Freemasons or the Combat: Attack +4 (+3 expert, +0 adept, +1 Dex),
Trilateral Commission, or they work ruthlessly to gain Damage +3 (M&P 38 revolver), Defense: Dodge/Parry
access to classified government information, all to make +4/ +3 (+3 expert, +0 adept, +1 Dex/+0 Str), Initiative
themselves more attractive hosts. +1
Saves: Toughness +0 (+0 Con), Fortitude +4 (+4 ex-
pert, +0 adept, +0 Con), Reflex +2 (+1 expert, +0 adept,
Elder Vessel of +1 Dex), Will +2 (+1 expert, +0 adept, +1 Wis), Sanity
the Great Race +5 (+4 academic, +0 adept, +1 Cha)
Human expert/4, adept/1, Secret Society background Disorders: Level 2 Manic-Depressive
Speed: 30 ft. Cult members initiated into all the secrets of the
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +3, Wis +1, Vessels of the Great Race have open minds, ready to
Cha +1 accept contact at any time. They already know the ba-
Skills: BluffB 4 (+5), Diplomacy 7 (+8), Gather sics of the Yithian language, so they’re ready to begin
Information 7 (+8), Knowledge (Art, Current Events, recording their knowledge as soon as they get used to
History, Technology) 8 (+11), Mythos Knowledge (his- their new alien physical form. Vessels will go to great
tory, technology) 8 (+11), Mythos Language (great race) lengths to gain access to new information or to follow
8 (+11), Notice 7 (+8), Sense Motive 7 (+8), StealthB 4 clues that might lead to a Yithian among us.
(+5)
Yezidi Malektaus Cult
The Yezidi cult of central Asia is loosely associ-
ated with Abrahamic faiths, especially Islam, but
it appears to have developed much earlier, pos-
sibly in conjunction with Zoroastrianism. Yezidis
do not accept the story of the fall of Malek Taus,
or Shaitan (Satan), but believe he still reigns from
the heavens as the primary architect of the physical
world. Some Mythos scholars have linked the Yez-
idis’ image of Shaitan back to its earlier rendering
of “Uro-Sattal”, or “Ubbo-Sathla” – Azathoth.
The rituals that the most secret Yezidi cults em-
ploy to contact Shaitan are actually directed at
Azathoth, or more specifically, his messenger
Nyarlathotep. The Yezidis are generally a quiet,
isolated people, but groups of them will occasion-
ally be inspired by Shaitan to seemingly senseless
acts of violence throughout the world. The native
language of most Yezidis is Kurdish.

Yezidi Cultic
Sheikh
Human adept/6, Old World back-
ground
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +1, Dex +0, Con +1, Int +1,
Wis +1, Cha +3
Skills: Bluff 9 (+12), Concentration 9
(+10), Knowledge (supernatural)B 4 (+5), Lan-
guage (French)B 4 (+5), Notice 9 (+10), Per-
112 form (singing) 9 (+12), Sense Motive 9 (+10)
 Feats: ConnectedB, Great FortitudeB, Iron Will, appear for a single scene or have a one-dimensional role
Lucky, Powers (rank 9, Cha, save Difficulty 16; Call
Animal +12, Ritual Contact Nyarlathotep (Malek Taus)
to fill. They are the characters that reappear through-
out your adventure and may become friends, employers, 8
+12, Ritual Object Reading +12, Ritual Scrying +12), love interests, or bitter enemies for the heroes.
Quick Draw, Weapon Training
Combat: Attack +3 (+3 adept, +0 Dex), Damage +4
(scimitar), Defense: Dodge/Parry +3/ +4 (+3 adept, +0 FBI Agent
Dex/+1 Str), Initiative +0
Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +8 (+2
Ernest Whye
Human investigator/3, Big City background
adept, +1 Con, Great Fortitude, Lucky), Reflex +5 (+2 Speed: 30 ft.
adept, +0 Dex, Lucky), Will +11 (+5 adept, +1 Wis, Iron Abilities: Str +1, Dex +1, Con +0, Int +2, Wis +1,
Will, Lucky), Sanity +8 (+5 adept, +3 Cha) Cha +0
Disorders: Level 3 Cannibalism Skills: Bluff 6 (+6), Drive 6 (+7), Gather Informa-
The sheikh is the religious leader among the Yezidi tion 6 (+6), Intimidate 6 (+6), Knowledge (civics) 6 (+8),
people. Some of these Sheikhs attain such power and Knowledge(streetwise)B 4 (+6), Notice 6 (+7), Search 6
knowledge that they are able to contact Malek Taus (+8), StealthB 4 (+5)
himself and discover his will for them. These cultic Feats: Assessment, Benefit (law enforcement pow-
Sheikhs gather a small group of trained killers to help ers), ConnectedB, ContactsB, Firearms Training, Point
them carry out Shaitan’s plans. Blank Shot, Seize Initiative, Set-up
Combat: Attack +3 (+2 investigator, +1 Dex), Dam-
Yezidi Assassin age +4 (Colt 45 revolver), Defense: Dodge/Parry +3/ +3
Human expert/2 minion, Primitive background (+2 investigator, +1 Dex/+1 Str), Initiative +1
Speed: 30 ft. Saves: Toughness +1 (+0 Con, +1 leather jacket),
Abilities: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +0, Fortitude +1 (+1 investigator, +0 Con), Reflex +4 (+3
Cha +0 investigator, +1 Dex), Will +2 (+1 investigator, +1 Wis),
Skills: Acrobatics 5 (+7), Climb 5 (+7), Craft (poi- Sanity +3 (+3 investigator, +0 Cha)
son) 5 (+5), Disable Device 5 (+5), Handle AnimalB 4 Agent Whye is about as straight-laced and by-the-
(+4), Notice 5 (+5), Ride 5 (+7), Search 5 (+5), Stealth 5 book as the come. He grew up on the streets of Chi-
(+7), SurvivalB 4 (+4) cago’s south side and always had to play a cop in the
Feats: All-out Attack, Animal EmpathyB, Crippling “cops and robbers” games. He got beat up a lot. Other
Strike, Dedicated (mission), Hide in Plain Sight, Sneak agents may grumble when they find out he’s assigned to
Attack, Weapon TrainingB their case, but they’re happy to have him in the end to
Combat: Attack +3 (+1 expert, +2 Dex), Damage +3 make sure all the paperwork gets done properly and the
plus poison (knife), Defense: Dodge/Parry +3/ +3 (+1 suspect doesn’t get off on a technicality.
expert, +2 Dex/+2 Str), Initiative +2
Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +1 (+0 ex-
pert, +1 Con), Reflex +2 (+0 expert, +2 Dex), Will +3 Mob Boss
(+3 expert, +0 Wis), Sanity +3 (+3 expert, +0 Cha) Martin Castilletti
Disorders: Level 1 Cannibalism Human expert/6, Old World background
Yezidi assassins train for months to carry out what- Speed: 30 ft.
ever mission Malek Taus assigns them through their Abilities: Str +1, Dex +1, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +1,
Sheikh. Cha +2
Poison: Yezidi assassins can apply scorpion poison Skills: Bluff 9 (+11), Craft (blacksmith) 9 (+11), Di-
to their weapons by making a successful Difficulty 10 plomacy 9 (+11), Disguise 9 (+11), Intimidate 9 (+11),
Craft (poison) check. Applying poison is a full-round Knowledge (business, civics) 9 (+11), Knowledge (su-
action. The poison takes effect only if the weapon’s next pernatural)B 4 (+6), Language (Italian)B 4 (+6), Notice 9
attack does lethal damage. Fortitude Difficulty 11; ini- (+10), Perform (singing) 9 (+11), Sense Motive 9 (+10)
tial Damage 1 Str, secondary damage 1 Str. Feats: Canny Dodge, ConnectedB, Firearms Train-
ing, Great FortitudeB, Inspire (fear), Iron Will, Lucky,
Point Blank Shot, Sneak Attack, Taunt, Weapon Train-
Narrator ing
Combat: Attack +5 (+4 expert, +1 Dex), Damage +3
Characters (M&P 38 revolver), Defense: Dodge/Parry +5/+5 (+4
Shadows of Cthulhu adventures should be populated with expert, +1 Dex/+1 Str), Initiative +1
enough Narrator characters to support roleplaying and Saves: Toughness +2 (+2 Con), Fortitude +9 (+5 ex-
help generate story. These are not the ordinaries that 113
pert, +1 Con, Great Fortitude, Lucky), Reflex +8 (+2
 expert, +2 Dex, Canny Dodge, Lucky), Will +7 (+2 ex- Notice 7 (+7), Sense Motive 7 (+7), Sleight of Hand 7
8 pert, +1 Wis, Iron Will, Lucky), Sanity +7 (+5 expert,
+2 Cha)
(+9), Surgery 7 (+12)
Feats: Connected, Dodge Focus, Iron Will, Jad-
“Cast Iron” Castilletti, also known as “Castrated” edB, Low Profile, Skill Focus (Surgery), Sneak Attack,
Castilletti because of his pinched voice and fondness Weapons Training
for singing alto in operas, is a ruthless crime boss from Combat: Attack +5 (+3 expert, +2 Dex), Damage
Boston who’s trying to set up operations in Providence. +2 (knife), Defense: Dodge/Parry +6/+3 (+3 expert, +2
He’s starting with liquor by strong-arming all the inde- Dex/+0 Str, Dodge Focus), Initiative +2
pendent bootleggers, then he’ll move in on prostitution Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +5 (+4 ex-
and the more organized vices. pert, +1 Con), Reflex +3 (+1 expert, +2 Dex), Will +3
(+1 expert, +0 Wis, Iron Will), Sanity +5 (+4 expert, -1
Cha, Jaded)
Pawn Broker Although Doctor Allen has never officially been part
Nellie Shaeffer of organized crime in America, the strong family crime
connections he purposely left behind in the old coun-
Human expert/3, Religious background
Speed: 30 ft. try have followed him to Providence. Shortly after he
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +2, Wis +0, set up shop, he found himself doing covert surgeries on
Cha +1 gunshot and knife wounds for strangers who somehow
Skills: Bluff 6 (+7), Climb 6 (+6), Craft(jewelry) knew his father back in Italy. Now most of his business
6 (+8), Intimidate 6 (+7), Knowledge(theology and comes from criminals who pay extra for no questions
philosophy)B 4 (+9), Notice 6 (+6), Perform (stringed asked and no medical record of their visit.
instruments)B 4 (+5), Sense Motive 6 (+6), Sleight of
Hand 6 (+8), Stealth 6 (+8)
Feats: Firearms Training, Haggler, Iron Will, Jaded,
Thug
Quick Draw, Skill FocusB (Knowledge(theology and Patrick Doherty
philosophy))B, Second Chance (falling) Human warrior/3, Wild West background
Combat: Attack +4 (+2 expert, +2 Dex), Damage +5 Speed: 30 ft.
(double-barrel shotgun) or +2 (knife), Defense: Dodge/ Abilities: Str +3, Dex +1, Con +2, Int -1, Wis -1,
Parry +4/ +2 (+2 expert, +2 Dex/+0 Str), Initiative +2 Cha +0
Saves: Toughness +1 (+1 Con), Fortitude +2 (+1 ex- Skills: Drive 6 (+7), Handle AnimalB 4 (+4), Intimi-
pert, +1 Con), Reflex +5 (+3 expert, +2 Dex), Will +3 date 6 (+6), RideB 4 (+5), Sense Motive 6 (+5)
(+1 expert, +0 Wis, Iron Will), Sanity +6 (+3 expert, +1 Feats: Animal EmpathyB, Far Shot, Firearms Train-
Char, Jaded) ing, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Ranged Pin, Tire-
Nellie owns and operates the First Collateral Loan lessB, Tough
Bank of Providence, a pawn shop on Hope street, near Combat: Attack +4 (+3 warrior, +1 Dex), Damage
the Dexter Asylum. She was once a thief, and a pretty +4 (repeating rifle) or +5 (club), Defense: Dodge/Parry
good one, but she spent time in the state women’s pris- +4/+6 (+3 warrior, +1 Dex/+3 Str), Initiative +1
on and quickly realized there were no fences on the in- Saves: Toughness +3 (+2 Con, Tough), Fortitude +5
side. Only the thieves went to prison. She saw the light (+3 warrior, +2 Con), Reflex +2 (+1 warrior, +1 Dex),
and opened her pawn shop as soon as she got out, with Will +0 (+1 warrior, -1 Wis), Sanity +3 (+3 warrior, +0
money borrowed from her widower father. In the eyes Cha)
of the police she’s gone legitimate, but through all her Patrick is a simple farm boy from north-central
old colleagues she now makes more money from petty Massachusetts who left school early and made his way
theft than ever. to Oklahoma looking for adventure. He spent three
years working on a cattle ranch, then decided to return
to east and ended up in Providence, still wearing his
Surgeon tall hat and boots and carrying his Winchester when
Dr. J. John Allen needed. He had a hard time finding a job and ended up
as a hired thug.
Human expert/4
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +3, Wis +0,
Cha -1 Ordinaries
Skills: Bluff 7 (+6), Diplomacy 7 (+6), Disguise 7 The ordinary people in your adventures make every
(+6), Intimidate 7 (+6), Knowledge (civics, life sciences) scene feel alive. Making up new ordinaries is a simple
7 (+10), Language (Italian)B 4 (+7), Medicine 7 (+7), process, but here is a short list for inspiration.
114
Accountant Flapper
Roy Chizek; Lvl 4; Gather Information +7, Knowledge
(business, technology) +7, Search +7
Emma Fahrenhorst; Lvl 2; Cha +1; Bluff +6, Diploma-
cy +6, Knowledge (popular culture) +5, Perform(dance)
8
+6

Actress
Mabel May; Lvl 5; Disguise +8, Knowledge (art) +8, Librarian
Perform (acting, dancing) +8; Attractive Clara Anne Wendt; Lvl 3; Craft (writing) +6, Gather
Information +6, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (history) +6

Archeology Professor
Prof. Richard D. Weiser; Lvl 5; Int +1; Knowledge (his- Mobster
tory, earth sciences) +9, Language (ancient Egyptian) Maria Panucci; Lvl 2; Bluff +5, Intimidate +5, Notice
+9, Search +9 +5, Sense Motive +5; Connected

Bootlegger Police Officer

Clarence Sagnol; Lvl 3; Craft (brewing) +6, Drive +6, John McLaren; Lvl 3; Drive +6, Gather Information
Sense Motive +6, Stealth +6 +6, Knowledge (civics) +6, Notice +6; Benefit (legal en-
forcement powers)

Cab Driver
Sasha Helzeg; Lvl 3; Drive +6, Knowledge (streetwise) Psychiatrist
+6, Notice +6, Bluff +6; Haggler Oliver Orst; Lvl 5; Knowledge (physical sciences) +8,
Notice +8, Psychiatry +8, Sense Motive +8

Doctor
Dr. Seth Ornesby; Lvl 4; Diplomacy +7, Knowledge Reporter
(life sciences, technology) +7, Medicine +7 Sarah Zanetti; Lvl 3; Craft (writing) +6, Diplomacy +6,
Gather Information +6, Search +6

Farmer
Pal Parker; Lvl 4; Craft (machinery) +7,Handle Animal
+7, Ride +7, Survival +7; Firearms Training

115
9 Chapter 9: The Village
of Dunwich
“Across a covered bridge one sees a small village huddled be-
tween the stream and the vertical slope of Round Mountain, History
and wonders at the cluster of rotting gambrel roofs bespeak- In 1692, three families, the Bishops, Whateleys and
ing an earlier architectural period than that of the neigh- Corey’s, left Salem and moved west. They followed the
bouring region. It is not reassuring to see, on a closer glance, twisting line of the Miskatonic River to a remote region
that most of the houses are deserted and falling to ruin, and of deep ravines and rounded hills. It appears that the
that the broken-steepled church now harbours the one slov- Whateleys had been attracted to the area because of na-
enly mercantile establishment of the hamlet. One dreads to tive American stories of powerful magic.
trust the tenebrous tunnel of the bridge, yet there is no way The families built fine houses and a mill where a clear
to avoid it. Once across, it is hard to prevent the impression stream ran below the slope of Round Mountain. They
of a faint, malign odour about the village street, as of the soon called a preacher and built the Congregational
massed mould and decay of centuries. It is always a relief to Church of Dunwich Village, a fine stone structure with
get clear of the place, and to follow the narrow road around a tall, prominent bell tower and a crenelated roof.
the base of the hills and across the level country beyond till it Dunwich remained alone in the area for decades be-
rejoins the Aylesbury pike. Afterwards one sometimes learns fore nearby towns like Aylesbury and Dean’s Corners
that one has been through Dunwich.” appeared. That isolation cost the town dearly, as poor
- H.P. Lovecraft, The Dunwich Horror breeding and backward thinking created degenerate
lines of each of the original families. These degenerate
The Village of Dunwich is an ancient settlement along groups, led by the gruff, keen-eyed Whateleys, returned
one of the many fast streams that run through the hills to the witchcraft and ancient knowledge the families
of northwestern Massachusetts. It could be an ideal set- had left behind them in Salem. The reverend at the time
ting for your first Shadows of Cthulhu adventure. This recognized what was happening and preached a damn-
chapter describes the town as it was in the fall of 1928, ing sermon against the degenerates. He soon disap-
shortly before the events known as the Dunwich Hor- peared and no preacher could be found to fill his place.
ror, which are detailed in H.P. Lovecraft’s short story by Although a few outsiders moved to Dunwich from
that same title. the new nearby towns, far more people left the ailing

116
village for more sane environs. The population of the Sally Sawyer: Lvl 1 ordinary housekeeper, Craft
town declined, the mill fell into ruin, and most of the
houses were abandoned.
(cooking, weaving) +4, Diplomacy +4, Sense Motive +4.
Sally is the housekeeper for the Bishop men and the 9
daughter of Magnus Sawyer, the fish peddler.
Chauncey Sawyer: ordinary young boy, all abilities
Places of -1, no skills. Cauncey is Sally’s son. He’s overprotected
and suffers from Night Terrors.
Interest
The land around Dunwich is marked by mysterious
and archaic features that predate the founding of the Corey Farm
village. The only occupied buildings in the Village of The undecayed Coreys run a farm about a mile down the
Dunwich itself are Osborne’s general store, the old Glen Road, just before the junction. They raise cows and
mill at the falls, and a few crumbling houses. However, compete with Seth Bishop for the best pasture lands.
the Glen Road that runs south out of the village along George Corey: Lvl 4 ordinary farmer, Craft (ma-
Bishop’s Brook is peppered with a half-dozen working chinery) +7, Drive +7, Handle Animal +7, Notice +7,
farms that generate some goods and keep what’s left of Firearms Training. George is a quiet man who usually
Dunwich alive. lets his wife do the talking for the family.
Rose Corey: Lvl 3 ordinary housekeeper, Cha +1,
Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Gather information +7, Search
Ancient Bishop House +6. Rose is the center of communication among the
When the three families first settled Dunwich, they farms south of the village. She uses the party line tele-
dreamed of building fine gabled cedar houses like those phone often.
they had seen in Salem. The ancient Bishop house was Wesley Corey: Lvl 1 ordinary farmer, Intimidate +4,
the only attempt to reach that dream. In its prime, it Notice +4, Search +4, Survival +4, Firearms Training.
had seven gables and three chimneys and a fine solari- The Coreys’ grown son.
um with large glass windows. Unfortunately, it became Luther Brown: Lvl 1 ordinary hired boy, all abilities
a haven for the degenerate branch of the Bishop family -1, no skills. Luther is a young runaway from Arkham
and fell into ruin. No one will dare live there now, and it who settled in Dunwich.
has been picked down to its skeleton in places, salvaged
by the degenerates to build their shacks up on Round
Mountain. Curtis Whateley Farm
Curtis Whateley, of the undecayed branch of the What-
eley family, manages a modestly successful dairy farm on
Cold Spring Glen the Dunwich road, just across the covered bridge from
Cold Spring Glen is a deep, densely-wooded ravine that the village. He has ample pasture land to the north and
runs for two miles from the Frye farm southwest of the has hired Henry Wheeler to clear even more. He has
village, to the Bishop farm down along the Glen Road. more cows than anyone else in the area.
Even the least superstitious of the locals don’t go down Curtis Whateley: Lvl 3 ordinary farmer, Int +1,
into it for fear of some undefined evil that lives there. Bluff +6, Knowledge (business) +7, Handle Animal +6,
The glen is a favorite haunt of swarms of whippoorwills Ride +6. Curtis is the son of Zacharia Whateley.
that the locals fear as soul-stealing agents of the Devil. Henry Wheeler: Lvl 2 ordinary hired hand, Str +1,
Wis +1, Climb +6, Notice +6, Search +5, Survival +6,
Weapons Training. Henry is a keen young man only re-
Bishop Farm cently arrived in Dunwich.
The Bishop farm, which is run reasonably well by Seth
Bishop, lies south of town along the Glen Road, just be-
yond the Corey farm. Seth raises dairy cattle and grazes Devils Hopyard
them on the common pastures to the south and east The Devil’s Hop Yard is the locals’ name for the desolate
of his land. He is from the undecayed branch of the slopes of an unnamed hill to the east of town, beyond
Bishop family. the communal upper pastures. The southern slopes of
Seth Bishop: Lvl 4 ordinary farmer, Str +1, Wis +1, the hill are dry and sterile. No tree, shrub or grass has
Handle Animal +7, Intimidate +7, Ride +7, Notice +8. grown there since before explorers and settlers came.
Seth is a widower and a strong voice in the community.
He detests the degenerate Bishops.
Silas Bishop: Lvl 1 ordinary hunter, Wis +1, Climb Frye Farm
+4, Notice +5, Search +4, Survival +5, Firearms Train- Elmer and Selina Frye run a clean, well-kept farm
ing. Silas is the grown son of Seth. about a mile southwest of town, near the western head 117
of Cold Spring Glen. The Fryes have a large barn, a few
 outbuildings and a charming old farmhouse filled with
Osborne’s General Store
9 children (the neighbors have lost count). They raise
dairy cows and have a small herd of sheep that Elmer
Joe Osborn sells general goods, including basic firearms
and ammunition, from the sanctuary of the old Con-
grazes in the low meadow to the east. He keeps four
gregational Church. The proud steeple is collapsing and
dogs to help with the sheep and to make him feel more
is shored up with planks and long beams that descend
secure about living next to the glen.
to the floor between the shelves of canned goods and
Elmer Frye: Lvl 3 ordinary farmer, Climb +6, Han-
the racks of rope and hand tools. A few of the old, dark
dle Animal +6, Ride +6, Survival +6. Elmer is a simple
church pews rest against the walls, and one sits outside,
but proud and hard-working man. He is very friendly
exposed to the weather. The pews provide a place for the
and welcoming to visitors.
village’s loungers and ne’er-do-wells to congregate and
Selina Frye: Lvl 3 ordinary farmer, Diplomacy +6,
spread gossip. Osborne’s is the closest thing Dunwich
Knowledge (current events) +6, Notice +6, Search +6.
has to a town hall.
Selina is a loyal wife and nearly-overwhelmed mother.
Osborne’s is also the primary source of information
Eva Frye: Lvl 1 ordinary housekeeper, Bluff+4, Craft
in Dunwich. The mail arrives here, as does news of the
(sewing) +4, Stealth +4, Perform (singing) +4. Eva is the
outside world in the form of the Aylesbury Transcript,
grown daughter of the Fryes, kept at home to help with
the Arkham Advisor, and the Boston Globe. Joe also
the farm and the children. She is not much help and is
has the only telephone in town that isn’t hooked up to
secretly seeing one of the many degenerate Bishop boys
the area’s party line, so anyone wanting privacy for an
that live in shacks on Round Mountain.
outside call comes here. Finally, anyone who wants to
Henry, Clara, Albert, Nellie, Minnie and Ida Frye:
spread news or influence the opinion of the community
ordinary children, all abilities -2, no skills.
visits Osborne’s first to mobilize the pew-sitters.
Dogs (x4): See True20 Adventure Roleplaying.
Joe Osborn: Lvl 3 ordinary shopkeeper, Int +1, Wis
+1, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (business) +7, Notice +7,
Hilltop Circles Sense Motive +6. Joe runs the shop and has regular con-
tact with people from the outside world.
Many of the round hills in the area around Dunwich
are crowned with rings of crude stone columns placed Zechariah Whateley: Lvl 5 ordinary farmer, Diplo-
there by an earlier civilization. Anthropologists have macy +8, Handle Animal +8, Knowledge (history) +8,
difficulty linking them to the native Americans who in- Ride +8, Firearms Training. Zechariah is old, and has
habited the area when Europeans arrived. Many of the left his farm east of town to his son, Curtis.
circles provide power check bonuses for certain types of Earl Sawyer: Lvl 2 ordinary delivery man, Wis +1,
powers used within them. Gather Information +5, Knowledge (current events) +5,
Notice +6, Perform (oratory) +5. Earl runs deliveries for
Osborne’s and acts as the village’s unofficial mailman.
Hutchins Farm Mamie Bishop: Lvl 2 ordinary seamstress, Wis +1,
Old Sam Hutchins runs a small vegetable farm all by Craft (sewing) +5, Diplomacy +5, Medicine +6, Survival
himself just south of the Village. +6. Mamie is Seth Bishop’s daughter and Earl Sawyer’s
Sam Hutchins: Lvl 5 ordinary farmer, Craft (build- common law wife. She serves as village midwife and
ings) +8, Knowledge (earth sciences) +8, Notice +8, doctor for minor issues.
Survival +8, Firearms Training. Sam is good friends Old Zebulon Whateley: Lvl 4 ordinary farmer, Con
with the Fryes but deathly afraid of Cold Spring Glen. -1, Int -1, Craft (metalworking) +6, Knowledge (su-
pernatural) +6, Notice +7, Sense Motive +7. Old Zeb’s
rantings about evil places and events around Dunwich
Mill at the Falls are more true that people realize.
The mill at the falls, built in 1806, is actually one of Magnus Sawyer: Lvl 3 ordinary delivery man, Dex
the newest buildings in the village. It has lain in ruins +1, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (current event) +6, Ride
for decades with its water wheel broken and jammed. +7, Swim +6. Magnus rides up to Aylesbury nearly every
Old Squire Sawyer uses the mill as a distillery to make morning to buy fresh fish from the Aylesbury pond, and
his moonshine, which he mostly sells to the locals. He then he sells them directly to the farms around Dun-
occasionally meets a well-dressed Aylelsbury man at a wich. He is the father of Sally Sawyer, the housekeeper
lonely spot on the north side of Round Mountain and at the Bishop farm
sells him his best brews.
Squire Sawyer: Lvl 5 ordinary bootlegger, Cha +1,
Craft (brewing) +8, Diplomacy +9, Stealth +8, Lan- Sentinel Hill
guage (French) +8, Weapons Training. The old squire is Sentinel Hill is a rocky hill with steep slopes about 4
the father of Magnus Sawyer, the fish peddler. miles south of the village, directly across the Glen Road
118 from Wizard Whateley’s farm. A flat, table-like rock,
reputedly used by ancient inhabitants of the area for
strange sacrifices, sits in a small clearing at the top of the cient farm, without telephone or a decent water source,
hill. It was at this rock that Wizard Whateley contacted
Yog-Sothoth back in 1912 and offered up his daughter
is now solely run by Lavinia’s son, Wilbur Whateley.
Wilbur is a strange, tall lad with goat-like features who 9
Lavinia. It is also here that Wilbur Whateley comes ev- matured at twice the rate of normal boys.
ery Halloween and Candlemas to build fires and recite Wilbur has repaired a couple dilapidated work sheds
alien rituals that cause trembling deep within the Earth. and remodeling the old farmhouse, which is set snug
It is here that the final summoning of Yog-Sothoth will against the cliffs behind it so there are no doors or win-
occur when the greater spawn of Yog-Sothoth living at dows on the back side. He removed the house’s central
the Whateley farm is ready. Any contact or call powers chimney and replaced it with an external stove pipe in
used at this site gain a +5 bonus on their power check, the front. Then he boarded up all the upper widows and
or a +10 bonus if the adept sacrifices an intelligent crea- added huge double doors on the second floor, reachable
ture and pours its blood on the flat stone. from the ground by a sturdy wooden ramp. Wilbur is
actually a lesser spawn of Yog-Sothoth. His twin is now
nearly mature and fills almost the entire second story
Whateley Farm of the house.
The current focus of evil and corruption in Dunwich is Wilbur Whateley: Lesser spawn of Yog-Sothtoth
Wizard Whateley’s farm, which lies about 4 miles south (see Chapter 6).
of the village along the Glen Road. Old Wizard What- Wilbur Whateley’s “twin”: Greater spawn of Yog-
eley has been dead for years, and his albino daughter, Sothoth (see Chapter 6).
Lavinia, disappeared on Halloween in 1926. The an-

119
A Appendix: Alternate
Sanity System
The True20 Companion from Green Ronin Publish- If the Sanity save fails, the target suffers mental
ing presents Fear and Terror systems based on a Mental health damage. The effect depends on the type of check
Health Track for sanity damage. It works very much and degree of failure. If a Fear save barely fails, mark off
like the Damage Track for physical damage. This ap- the startled condition on the Mental Health track. If
pendix presents a summary of that system and explains the save fails by 5 or more, mark off spooked. If the save
how you can use it in your Shadows of Cthulhu adven- fails by 10 or more, the target is frightened, and if the
tures. For even more information about Fear and Terror, save fails by 15 or more, mark off terrified.
check out the True20 Companion. If a Terror save barely fails, mark off the scared con-
dition on the Mental Health track. If the save fails by
5 or more, mark off confused. If the save fails by 10 or
The Sanity Save more, the target is unhinged, and if the save fails by 15
With the Fear and Terror system, the Sanity save is or more, mark off psychotic. As with physical damage,
still d20 + the character’s Sanity bonus, plus any relevant if the target suffers a result that is already checked off
feats. The Narrator can require Sanity saves any time the (other than startled and scared, which can be marked
characters encounter something that could cause Fear, multiple times), check off the next highest result.
which is generally an earthly threat of some kind, or Terror effects cause fear effects as well. Whenever
Terror, which is caused by something so horrifying or a hero suffers a terror effect, check off the correspond-
unusual that it disrupts the characters’ conventional, ing Fear box, too. So, a hero who is confused is also
sane view of the world. Fear and Sanity are two differ- spooked, a hero who is scared is also startled. The effects
ent things, with different effects. of the mental health conditions are cumulative, except
Instead of requiring a Sanity save to avoid acquiring for startled and scared conditions, where only the high-
disorders, the Fear and Terror system uses it to avoid est value applies.
mental damage, similar to the way the Toughness save
is used to avoid physical damage in True20 Adventure
Roleplaying. A Sanity save versus Fear or Terror has a Fear Effects
base Difficulty of 15 plus a modifier equal to the Fear or The specific effects of each of the levels of fear checked
Terror Level of the encounter. off on the Mental Health Track are as follows:
In general, the Fear or Terror level of a creature is • Startled: A startled character receives a –1
the creature’s level, though this can be adjusted up or penalty to further saves against Fear for each startled
down for particularly terrifying or less threatening crea- result.
tures. Any creature with a Fear or Terror Level forces an • Spooked: A spooked character receives a –1
appropriate Sanity save and is immune to the effects of penalty to further saves against Fear. The character
Fear and Terror. flees as fast as possible for one full round or cowers,
The Fear or Terror level of a non-creature encounter dazed, if unable to get away. He defends normally,
is left up to the Narrator, but examples include -5 for but cannot attack. The following round, he can act
finding a corpse (Terror Difficulty 10), -5 when trapped normally.
in a dangerous situation (Fear Difficulty 10), 0 for hear- • Frightened: A frightened character loses one
ing a sudden scream nearby (Fear Difficulty 15), 5 for full round action. They can take no action, lose their
seeing someone sacrificed in a dark ritual (Terror Dif- dodge bonus to Defense, and have a –2 penalty to
ficulty 20), or 10 or more for casting a powerful spell Defense. In the following rounds, frightened char-
(Terror Difficulty 25). acters can only take a standard or move action.

Table A-1: Mental Health Track

+0 +5 +10 +15 +20
Startled Spooked Frightened Terrified
  
   
120
Scared Confused Unhinged Psychotic Insane
 • Terrified: A terrified character falls to the riod. You can make a recovery check once per minute
floor, catatonic and helpless until he recovers. for frightened and terrified, once per hour for confused,
once per day for unhinged and once per week for psy- A
chotic. Insane characters are over the brink and can only
Terror Effects be returned to sanity (and to play) by special dispensa-
The specific effects of each of the levels of terror checked tion of the Narrator.
off on the Mental Health Track are as follows: You can spend a Conviction point to get an immedi-
• Scared: A scared character receives a –1 pen- ate recovery check from Fear effects, rather than hav-
alty to further Sanity saves versus Fear and Terror. ing to wait a minute. You can also spend Conviction on
• Confused: A confused character is shaken. your recovery check. Startled and spooked conditions
They receive a –2 penalty on all checks, including fade automatically at a rate of one per minute. Scared
attack rolls and Fortitude, Reflex and Will saving conditions do the same at a rate of one per hour. Char-
throws. This persists until the confused condition is acters may use the Provide Psychiatric Care task if they
lifted. Additionally, a confused character is stunned have Psychiatry skill to improve Mental Health recov-
for one round after being confused. They can take no ery checks.
actions, lose their dodge bonus to Defense, and have
a –2 penalty to Defense.
• Unhinged: An unhinged character suffers a –2
penalty to effective Intelligence, Wisdom and Cha-
Disorders
When using the Fear and Terror system, encounters
risma until this condition is lifted. with terrifying creatures and situations no longer direct-
• Psychotic: Psychotic characters suffer a –3 ly inflict mental disorders on characters. Any creature or
penalty to effective Intelligence, Wisdom and Cha- situation that could cause mental disorders under the
risma until this condition is lifted and may only take Shadows of Cthulhu sanity system should be assigned
a single action each turn. If a character was previ- a Terror level in this alternate system. The new Terror
ously unhinged, these penalties replace those. level of a mental disorder-causing, non-creature en-
• Insane: This character is unable to interact counter should be about equal to the original save Dif-
meaningfully with the world. This usually means the ficulty minus 10. For example, if casting a spell normally
end for the character, as he is a gibbering shadow causes an anxiety disorder with a save Difficulty of 16,
of his former self. Powerful sorceries or long-term that spell would have a Terror level of 6 and a resulting
counseling can restore sanity in some, but not all, Terror save Difficulty of 21.
cases. Characters can still acquire disorders in this alter-
nate Sanity system. Characters reduced to unhinged
or worse on the mental health track can eliminate all
Recovering mental health conditions in exchange for one level of a
disorder. This disorder should be chosen by the narrator
Mental Damage and could be one of the disorders normally caused by
Recovering from mental health damage requires a Wis- the creatures and events encountered recently. A Narra-
dom check (Difficulty 10). A successful check erases the tor can also automatically give a character a disorder if
mental condition, while an unsuccessful check means the player rolls a natural 1 on the Sanity save or recovery
there is no significant improvement for that time pe- check.

121
I Index
A Deep Ones................................................................. 74
Adventure Ideas......................................................... 38 Deities..................................................................32, 65
Animated Corpse...................................................... 68 Azathoth.............................................................. 65
Archetypes................................................................. 11 Nathicana............................................................. 65
Academic............................................................. 11 Nyarlathotep...................................................66, 82
Expert.................................................................. 11 Shub-Niggurath..............................................66, 74
Investigator.......................................................... 14 Umrat-Tawl.......................................................... 67
Reverent............................................................... 15 Yog-Sothoth.............................................. 68, 90, 91
Warrior................................................................. 16 Disorders...................................................... 42, 49, 121
Arkham..................................................................... 94 Agoraphobia......................................................... 42
Atlantis...................................................................... 94 Amnesia............................................................... 42
Awareness.................................................................. 38 Blindness.............................................................. 42
Brain Damage...................................................... 43
B Cannibalism......................................................... 43
Backgrounds................................................................ 4 Catatonia.............................................................. 43
Ancient Bloodline.................................................. 4 Compulsive Gambling......................................... 43
Athlete................................................................... 4 Deafness............................................................... 43
Big Business........................................................... 4 De-evolution........................................................ 43
Big City.................................................................. 4 Delusions of Grandeur......................................... 44
Cultist.................................................................... 4 Depression........................................................... 44
Degenerate............................................................. 4 Disfiguration........................................................ 44
High Society.......................................................... 4 Explosive Disorder............................................... 44
Maritime................................................................ 5 Hallucinations...................................................... 44
Old World.............................................................. 5 Insomnia.............................................................. 44
Organized Crime................................................... 5 Kleptomania......................................................... 45
Primitive................................................................. 5 Life Essence Drain............................................... 45
Religious................................................................ 5 Maimed Hand...................................................... 45
Secret Society......................................................... 5 Mania................................................................... 45
Small Town............................................................ 5 Manic-Depressive................................................ 45
Wild West.............................................................. 6 Multiple Personality............................................. 46
Big Business.............................................................. 25 Mutism................................................................ 46
Black Stone of Stregoicavar..................................... 107 Night Terrors........................................................ 46
Books....................................................................32, 99 Obsession............................................................. 46
Reading Books..................................................... 99 Obsessive-Compulsive......................................... 46
Skimming............................................................. 99 Panic Attacks....................................................... 46
Bootleggers................................................................ 25 Paranoia............................................................... 47
Bureau of Investigation.............................................. 25 Phobia.................................................................. 47
Byakhee..................................................................... 69 Premature Aging.................................................. 47
Psychopathy......................................................... 47
Pyromania............................................................ 47
C Schizophrenia...................................................... 47
Calling Stones......................................................... 108
Self-Mutilation.................................................... 48
Coleopteran Collective.............................................. 70
Separation Anxiety............................................... 48
Color Out of Space................................................... 70
Sleepwalking........................................................ 48
Communication........................................................ 23
Somatic Delusions............................................... 48
Conviction................................................................. 37
Stutter.................................................................. 48
Crystal of Zon Mezzamalech.................................. 108
Substance Addiction............................................ 49
Cthulhu..................................................................... 71
Suicidal................................................................. 49
Cults...................................................................33, 110
Tourette’s Syndrome............................................. 49
Weak Stomach..................................................... 49
D Dreamlands.............................................. 34, 80, 88, 94
Dagon........................................................................ 72 Dreams...................................................................... 34
122 Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath................................ 73 Dunwich.................................................................. 116
E K
Elder Things.........................................................76, 88
Electrical Weapon................................................... 108
Kingsport................................................................... 96
I
Elixir of Eternal Life............................................... 108 L
Equipment & Services.............................................. 26 Leng.......................................................................... 96
Camera................................................................. 27
Radio.................................................................... 27 M
Telegram.............................................................. 30 Mental Health Track............................................... 120
Telephone........................................................26, 30 Mi-go...................................................................38, 84
Transportation...................................................... 28 Miskatonic University............................................... 94
Vehicles................................................................ 28 Molecular Disturbance Device................................ 108
Weapons............................................................... 27 Mythos...................................................................... 33
Esoteric Order of Dagon......................................... 110 Mythos Knowledge................................................... 38
Exposure.................................................................... 37
N
F Narrator Characters................................................. 113
Familiarity............................................................58, 99 National Guard......................................................... 26
Fashion...................................................................... 24
FBI.....................................................................25, 113
Fear.......................................................................... 120 O
Feats.....................................................................19, 52 Oraculum Perfectus................................................. 111
Benefit.................................................................. 19 Ordinaries................................................................ 114
Channeler............................................................. 53
Haggler................................................................ 19 P
Imbue Item.......................................................... 53 Pagan Holidays.....................................................34, 56
Jack-of-All-Trades................................................ 19 Pnakotus.............................................................98, 105
Jaded.................................................................... 19 Police......................................................................... 26
Linguist................................................................ 19 Powder of Ibn Gazi................................................. 109
Mythos Familiar................................................... 53 Powers............................................................ 38, 54, 57
Mythos Heritage.................................................. 54 Ritual Powers....................................................... 54
Open Mind.......................................................... 54 Scientific Powers.................................................. 55
Skill Enhancement Feats...................................... 53 Prohibition................................................................ 24
Steady................................................................... 19 Prophets of Perfection............................................. 111
Vow of Poverty..................................................... 19
Flying Polyps............................................................. 77 R
Rat Thing................................................................... 86
G R’lyeh...................................................................72, 98
Gangs........................................................................ 25 Roles............................................................................ 6
Ghoul.................................................................78, 101 Academic............................................................... 6
Great Race of Yith.................................................... 79 Adept................................................................... 10
Expert.................................................................. 10
H Investigator............................................................ 8
Hastur....................................................................... 80 Reverent................................................................. 9
Haunter of the Dark.................................................. 82 Warrior................................................................. 10
Hero Creation............................................................. 4
Hooks........................................................................ 35 S
Hound of Leng..................................................81, 108 Sanity...................................................................... 120
Hunting Horror........................................................ 82 Sanity Save.........................................................10, 120
Hyperborea........................................... 92, 96, 105, 108 Science....................................................................... 33
Shining Trapezohedron........................................... 109
I Shoggoth..............................................................77, 87
Immigrants................................................................ 26 Silver Key................................................................ 109
Innsmouth................................................................. 96 Skills.....................................................................17, 51
Insanity.................................................................36, 42 Craft..................................................................... 17
Curing Insanity.................................................... 36 Dream.................................................................. 51
Handle Aberration............................................... 52 123
Insect Philosophers................................................... 82
 Handle Supernatural Beast.................................. 52 U
I Knowledge........................................................... 17
Language.............................................................. 18
Unions....................................................................... 26

Mythos Knowledge.............................................. 52 V
Mythos Language................................................ 52 Vessels of the Great Race........................................ 111
Psychiatry............................................................. 18
Surgery................................................................. 19
Spawn of Yog-Sothoth.........................................88, 90
W
Winged Servitors...................................................... 69

T
Terror...................................................................... 121
Y
Yellow Sign.......................................................103, 109
Themes...................................................................... 32
Yezidi Malektaus Cult............................................. 112
Totems....................................................................... 57
Y’ha-Nthlei............................................................... 99
Translator of the Great Race................................... 109
Yig............................................................................. 92
Transportation........................................................... 23
Yith........................................................................... 79
Tsathoggua................................................................ 91
Yoggoth................................................................84, 99

124
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights,
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and
is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights
Reserved.
title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must
clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing
L
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or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may
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or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark System Reference Document, © 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Inc., Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on
Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
(f ) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs Modern System Reference Document © 2002-2004, Wizards
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associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Charles Ryan, Eric Cagle, David Noonan, Stan!, Christopher Perkins,
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that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may Advanced Player’s Guide, © 2004, White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
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RIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text Craig Cochrane.
of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You Conan The Roleplaying Game, © 2003 Conan Properties In-
are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the ternational LCC; Authorized Publisher Mongoose Publishing Ltd;
copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT Author Ian Sturrock.
NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. CORE Explanatory Notice, © 2003, Benjamin R. Durbin
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Creatures of Freeport, © 2004, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC;
Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as ex- Authors Graeme Davis and Keith Baker.
pressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner Crime and Punishment, © 2003, Author Keith Baker
of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate Crooks!, © 2003, Green Ronin Publishing; Authors Sean Glenn,
compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Kyle Hunter, and Erik Mona.
Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Con- Cry Havoc, © 2003, Skip Williams. All rights reserved.
tent except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement Challenging Challenge Ratings: Immortal’s Handbook, © 2003,
with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use Craig Cochrane.
of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a Darwin’s World 2nd Edition, © 2003, RPG Objects; Authors 125
challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Dominic Covey and Chris Davis.
 Design Parameters: Immortal’s Handbook, © 2003, Craig Co- Spycraft Mastermind Guide, © 2004, Alderac Entertainment

L chrane.
Fading Suns d20 ©2001 Holistic Design, Inc.
Galactic Races, © 2001, Fantasy Flight Games.
Group, Inc.; Steve Crow, Alexander Flagg, B. D. Flory, Clayton A.
Oliver.
Spycraft Modern Arms Guide, © 2002, Alderac Entertainment
Gimmick’s Guide to Gadgets, © 2005, Green Ronin Publishing; Group, Inc.; Authors Chad Brunner, Tim D’Allard, Rob Drake, Mi-
Author Mike Mearls. chael Fish, Scott Gearin, Owen Hershey, Patrick Kapera, Michael
Grim Tales, © 2004, Benjamin R. Durbin, published by Bad Axe Petrovich, Jim Wardrip, Stephen Wilcoxon.
Games, LCC. Spycraft Soldier/Wheelman Class Guide, © 2003, Alderac En-
Grim Tales, Cyberware game mechanics; © 2003, Benjamin R. tertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Chad Brunner, Shawn Carman, B.
Durbin, published by Bad Axe Games, LCC. D. Flory, Scott Gearin, Patrick Kapera.
Grim Tales, Firearms game mechanics; © 2003, Benjamin R. Spycraft U.S. Militaries Guide, © 2004, Alderac Entertainment
Durbin, published by Bad Axe Games, LCC. Group, Inc.; Authors Dave McAlister, Clayton A. Oliver, Patrick
Grim Tales, Horror game mechanics; © 2003, Benjamin R. Kapera.
Durbin, published by Bad Axe Games, LCC. Spycraft, © 2005, Alderac Entertainment Group.
Grim Tales, Spellcasting game mechanics; © 2003, Benjamin R. Swords of Our Fathers, © 2003, The Game Mechanics
Durbin, published by Bad Axe Games, LCC. Tales of the Caliphate Nights, © 2006, Paradigm Concepts, Inc.,
Grim Tales, Vehicle game mechanics; © 2003, Benjamin R. Author Aaron Infante-Levy
Durbin, published by Bad Axe Games, LCC. Tome of Horrors, © 2002, Necromancer Games., Inc.; Author
Hot Pursuit, © 2005, Corey Reid, published by Adamant Enter- Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.
tainment, Inc. True20 Adventure Roleplaying, © 2005, Green Ronin Publishing;
Immortals Handbook, © 2003, Craig Cochrane. Author Steve Kenson.
Legions of Hell, © 2001, Green Ronin Publishing; Author Chris True20 Bestiary, © 2006, Green Ronin Publishing; Author Mat-
Pramas. thew E. Kaiser.
A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe, © 2003, Expedi- The Unholy Warrior’s Handbook, © 2003, Green Ronin Publish-
tious Retreat Press; Authors Suzi Yee and Joseph Browning. ing; Author Robert J. Schwalb.
The Mastermind’s Manual, © 2006, Green Ronin Publishing; Ultramodern Firearms, © 2002, Green Ronin Publishing; Au-
Author Steve Kenson. thor Charles McManus Ryan.
Modern Player’s Companion, © 2003, The Game Mechanics, Unearthed Arcana, © 2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Andy
Inc; Author: Stan! Collins, Jesse Decker, David Noonan, Rich Redman.
Monster’s Handbook, © 2002, Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. Future: Heroes -- Cyborgs, Copyright 2004, Philip Reed. Pub-
Monte Cook Presents: Iron Heroes, © 2005, Monte J. Cook. All lished by Ronin Arts.
rights reserved. Future Player’s Companion: Tomorrow’s Foundation, Copyright
Monte Cook’s: Arcana Unearthed, © 2003, Monte J. Cook. All 2005 The Game Mechanics, Inc.; Authors: Gary Astleford, Rodney
rights reserved. Thompson, & JD Wiker.
Mutants & Masterminds, © 2002, Green Ronin Publishing; Au- Future Player’s Companion: Tomorrow’s Hero, Copyright 2005
thor Steve Kenson. The Game Mechanics, Inc.; Authors: Gary Astleford, Neil Spicer,
Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, © 2005, Green Ronin Rodney Thompson, & JD Wiker.
Publishing; Author Steve Kenson. Future Player’s Companion: Tomorrow’s Evolution, Copyright
Mutants & Masterminds Annual #1, © 2004, Green Ronin Pub- 2005 The Game Mechanics, Inc.; Authors: Gary Astleford, Neil
lishing, LLC; Editor Erik Mona. Spicer, & Rodney Thompson.
Mythic Heroes, © 2005, Benjamin R. Durbin, published by Bad Future Player’s Companion (Print), Copyright 2005 The Game
Axe Games, LLC. Mechanics, Inc.; Authors: Gary Astleford, Neil Spicer, Rodney
OGL Horror, © 2003, Mongoose Publishing Limited. Thompson, & JD Wiker.
Possessors: Children of the Outer Gods, © 2003, Philip Reed and Wrath & Rage, © 2002, Green Ronin Publishing, Author Jim
Christopher Shy, www.philipjreed.com and www.studioronin.com. Bishop
The Psychic’s Handbook, © 2004, Green Ronin Publishing; Au- Caliphate Knights, Copyright 2006, Paradigm Concepts; Author
thor Steve Kenson. Aaron Infante–Levy.
The Quintessential Fighter, © 2001 Mongoose Publishing Lux Aeternum, Copyright 2006, Blackwyrm Games; Author
Relics and Rituals: Excalibur,© 2004, White Wolf Publishing, Ryan Wolfe, with
Inc. Dave Mattingly, Aaron Sullivan, and Derrick Thomas.
Rokugan, © 2001 AEG Mecha vs. Kaiju, Copyright 2006, Big Finger Games; Author
Sea of Blood ©2001 Mongoose Publishing JohnathanWright.
The Seven Saxons, by Benjamin R. Durbin and Ryan Smalley, © Borrowed Time, Copyright 2006, Golden Elm Media; Authors
2005, Bad Axe Games, LLC. Bruce Baugh andDavid Bolack.
Silver Age Sentinels d20, © 2002, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Au- Out for Blood, Copyright 2003, Bastion Press; Author E.W.
thors Stephen Kenson, Mark C. Mackinnon, Jeff Mackintosh, Jesse Morton
Scoble. True20 Companion, Copyright 2007, Green Ronin Publishing,
Skull & Bones ©2003, Green Ronin, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Authors Erica Balsley (Horror Adventures), Dave Jarvis (Mod-
Authors Ian Sturrock, T.S. Luikart, and Gareth-Michael Skarka. ern Adventures), Matthew Kaiser (Fantasy and Space Adventures),
Spycraft © 2002, Alderac Entertainment Group. Steve Kenson (Role Creation), SeanPreston (Horror Adventures)
Spycraft Espionage Handbook, © 2002, Alderac Entertainment Ultimate Equipment Guide, Copyright 2002, Mongoose Pub-
Group, Inc.; Authors Patrick Kapera and Kevin Wilson. lishing.
Spycraft Faceman/Snoop Class Guide, © 2003, Alderac Enter- The Heartlands: Land of Reverie, Copyright 2007, Expeditious
tainment Group, Inc.; Authors Alexander Flagg, Clayton A. Oliver. Retreat Press;Author Joseph Miller.
Spycraft Fixer/Pointman Class Guide, © 2003, Alderac Enter- True20 Expert’s Handbook, Copyright 2007, Green Ronin Pub-
tainment Group, Inc.; Authors Scott Gearin. lishing, LLC; Author Joseph Miller.
Shadows of Cthulhu, Copyright 2008, Reality Deviant Publica-
tions, Author Russ Brown.

126
Name: Speed:
Origin: Virtue: Shadows of Cthulhu
Age: Vice:
Sex: Affiliation: Skills
Height: Language(s): Skill Bonus Ranks Ability Misc
Weight: Acrobatics DEX
Eyes:  Bluff CHA
Skin: History:
Climb STR
Hair:
Computers INT
Background:
Role: Concentration WIS
Size:  Craft ( ) INT
Craft ( ) INT
Ability Scores Saving Throws Diplomacy CHA
Strength STR Fortitude Fort Disable Device INT
Dexterity DEX Reflex Ref Disguise CHA
Constitution CON Will Will Dream* WIS

Intelligence INT Sanity San Drive DEX

Wisdom WIS Toughness Tough Escape Artist DEX

Gather Information CHA
Charisma CHA
Handle Aberration* CHA
Handle Animal CHA
Combat Statistics Feats & Disorders
Handle Supernatural Beast* CHA
Initiative
Intimidate CHA
Dodge Jump STR
Parry Knowledge ( ) INT
Base Attack Knowledge ( ) INT
Melee Medicine WIS
Ranged Mythos Knowledge ( )* INT
Mythos Knowledge ( )* INT

Wealth & Reputation Notice WIS

Perform ( ) CHA
Wealth
Pilot DEX
Prof. Skill
Psychiatry WIS
Reputation
Ride DEX
Search INT
Conviction Sense Motive WIS
 Sleight-of-Hand DEX
Stealth DEX
Damage Track Surgery DEX
+0 +5 +10 +15 +20 Survival WIS

Bruised Dazed Staggered Unconscious Swim STR

* Mythos skill.
/ / / / 
Hurt Wounded Disabled Dying Dead
Weapons
Weapon Att Dmg Crit Rng
Fatigue Track
Winded Fatigued Exhausted
  

Equipment
Mental Health Track Item Wt
Startled Spooked Frightened Terrified
/ / / / 
Scared Confused Unhinged Psychotic Insane

©2008 by Reality Deviant Publications. Permission is granted to photocopy this sheet for personal, non-profit use only.