De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

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ashmie
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De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ashmie » Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:19 am

In my delirious influenza I was happy to receive this small book through the post this morning.
Funnily enough the author writes to his readers as if we are recovering from a fever so it was perfect.

http://shop.cubicle7store.com/epages/es ... ts/CB71401

Cubicle 7 game recently revised into second edition. It seems a bit mad but similar to Dogs in the Vineyard ideas. However there is no GM and the 'game' or should I say narrative unfolds through a series of letter writing between players. Yes, actual letters with an envelope and a stamp too. The rules clearly express that the format of email would kill the atmosphere. (Some gamers have bypassed this rule by setting their game in present day and scanning their handwritten letters, not quite the same but it worked for them.)

No dice involved either! In that sense it is not an rpg game in the normal sense but an exercise in creative writing, building a narrative as a group and possibly some psychodrama thrown in depending on how far players let themselves get immersed. It's not your traditional play by post game either.
I may use this method as a way of communicating with existing players from my previous games. This set of ideas is designed for a Lovecraftian environment but in theory you could use these ideas for any rpg set in a time where e mail was not the preferred method of communication.

The book does aim to bring back the art of letter writing and re explore the depth and humanity that may have been lost in modern communication. I'll probably send out a few letters this week to try and get the ball rolling. I know many of you will think, "When do I have time to write a letter and why would I want to play a game that might not have an end and I can't theoretically win?" Well, I guess that would be up to the writers of the narrative. Think of Bram Stokers Dracula, Shelley's Frankenstein or other Victorian horror that is paced out in a series of letters and diary extracts. In many ways it would be creative writing with a bit of method role playing thrown in. Don't anyone start training like De Nero or going jogging like Dustin Hoffman though. It's more conceptual than that. Kind of like, "Oh it's started to rain, I must finish here and run to the post office before the storm comes." You can write your characters letters either as a classic Lovecraftian character from the 20's where HP Lovecraft does not exist and the stories he wrote are unknown but the places are there, Innsmouth, Dunwich, Arkham etc. Or you play as yourself (be careful) in the modern setting where Lovecraft is a writer of weird fiction from the beginning of the last century. He and everything else in our world is as it is.
Wherever players are writing from in the world they form a narrative from daily experience around them that may seem a bit odd or out of place. As a group of letter writers a story and kind of game will be formed where the mythos atmosphere can be experienced as role play or merely imaginative writing. The emphasis is on horror of course and the unknown.

If you are interested I recommend this book merely for the joy of reading if nothing else. I have the pdf if you would like a copy but I think the book is one to buy.

Yours in sanity, :D

Ash.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ashmie » Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:33 am

After reading a bit more of the rulebook it appears to me that this game is quite dangerous and pretty dark in it's methodology. Not for the faint hearted. I would have to think carefully if I were to conduct a campaign via pure post without Internet as we must trust the recipients and addressee with our home address. Perhaps with Internet would be a safer option if gaming with people you haven't met before and post for friends you know.
Anyway it7s a good read none the less so I recommend it for that.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by The Other Dave » Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:51 am

I've heard good things about De Profundis - I thought for a long while that it was out of print. Hooray for a second edition! I'll have to pick it up.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ennui » Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:47 am

Would anyone be up for starting up a campaign of this? I've had it sitting around for a while and I have been thinking about how great it would be to start it up lately.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by Moyashimaru » Fri Aug 05, 2011 1:18 pm

I'll have to have a look at it and see if it is my cup of tea. File me under "undecided".

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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ashmie » Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:23 pm

Hey I'm playing this at the moment with four others around the globe. Two letters have turned up so far and they were beautifully crafted, typed with a typewriter. I can get you in on our new game if you like.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ennui » Mon Aug 08, 2011 2:56 pm

That would be great. What time period and whatnot is it in?

I bought a small black notebook yesterday. I've started filling it in as though it were a journal from the 1800s and I'll be filling it up with lots of cryptic stuff, then tear a few pages out and give it to a friend back home to kick off our De Profundis campaign.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ashmie » Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:06 am

Oh it's 1925 and we are writing with two other players at the moment. One from Wales and one from Holland. We are writing from the place where you live but imagining it is 1925 Japan. So for me that is Tsu and for you your town. If you have started writing and 1800s notebook that's fantastic as you can use that as a document you have found or perhaps was left to you by a family member. It's totally open to interpretation. I'll PM you my address or I can give you an address of another player abroad if you prefer?
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ashmie » Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:07 am

We are writing as if Lovecrafts mythos exists but the writer/man never did.
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Re: De Profundis: Cthulu gaming on the edge of madness

Post by ennui » Mon Aug 15, 2011 3:18 am

That would be great. Shoot me your address, please!
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