ColoradoCthulhu Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 My gaming group is currently running "The Shadow Harvest," a Cathulhu scenario set in ancient Egypt around the 24th century B.C.E. The scenario's been a lot of fun and very rich in atmosphere as well as historical detail, which got me thinking... Why not have a full Call of Cthulhu supplement set in the ancient world, pre-Roman era? This would include Egypt, Sumeria, Babylon, and other settings from the beginning of recorded history but with likely a focus on ancient Egypt, the most famous of the potential settings. The supplement could be something like the Reign of Terror mini-campaign in length, with Sinister Seeds for Babylonians, Phoenicians, and so on. What do you think? I believe this would be a popular campaign setting, worthy of a full book. The angle for cults would be fantastic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunlessNick Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 I think it would better to focus on one area in particular. Egypt is the best option, because it has the biggest presence in the Mythos, and can be tied into other products (also, when it comes to Mesopotamia, there are a couple of superb Babylon games out there already). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) In HP Lovecraft's universe modern Egypt is a thin veneer over an ancient mythos tradition - at least that was my impression reading "Under the Pyramids". In Under the Pyramids, a visiting stage magician gradually becomes ensnared by an ancient evil. Everywhere there are hints the locals are at least partly aware of the evil, and are subservient to it. Some actively help and participate. There are also hints some strong willed rulers of Egypt attempted to clean house, to rectify the worst abuses - but if "Under the Pyramids" is any guide, they were less than successful. Or maybe the evil seeped back in after the various attempts at cleansing. The mythos version of ancient Egypt then is a magical battleground - under the veneer of calm, it would contain insane cultists almost openly practicing their abominations, with frantic and continuous efforts by decent people to destroy and disrupt their activities, sometimes helped, sometimes hindered by the ruler. In the midst of this chaos, gods would sometimes take human form and manipulate events for their eerie amusement, or perhaps for motives utterly beyond human comprehension. Quote ... Abdul led us among such wonders as we had before only read and dreamed of. Old Cairo is itself a story-book and a dream—labyrinths of narrow alleys redolent of aromatic secrets; Arabesque balconies and oriels nearly meeting above the cobbled streets; maelstroms of Oriental traffic with strange cries, cracking whips, rattling carts, jingling money, and braying donkeys; kaleidoscopes of polychrome robes, veils, turbans, and tarbushes; water-carriers and dervishes, dogs and cats, soothsayers and barbers; and over all the whining of blind beggars crouched in alcoves, and the sonorous chanting of muezzins from minarets limned delicately against a sky of deep, unchanging blue. ... I sure hope this age is fleshed out. Maybe even scenarios which lead modern people into an adventure in the ancient past, perhaps a quest to save a child who would one day become one of the great cleansers, and save the modern world from an unbearable burden of mythos evil. Terminator meet Cthulhu 🙂 Edited January 24 by EricW 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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