The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age. H.P. Lovecraft “The Call of Cthulhu” 6 CHAPTER 1 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 7 WELCOME TO THE MYTHOS Our Terrible Fate is a roleplaying game set Our Terrible Fate was designed so that it in a reality that appears very similar to our could be enjoyed by experienced gamers as own, but which is in fact very different (we well as those new to the idea of roleplaying hope). The setting incorporates the Cthulhu games, but it is best learned from other Mythos, based on the fiction of Howard players. One of the best approaches to Phillips Lovecraft and other authors, into learning the game is to read the first our world. couple chapters of this book, and then try This is a game of secrets, mysteries, and it out with your friends. Don’t try to learn horrors too terrible to contemplate. Playing everything all at once, take it a little bit at the role of characters investigating strange a time. New player should understand that and unusual events, you will explore the while the back story of an investigation is dark places and ancient stories that exist all usually determined prior to the start of play, around us and confront truths that can only players in Our Terrible Fate have a great lead to madness. deal of freedom, and the plot can shift and change in dramatic or unexpected ways at At times, the game can appear to be about a moment’s notice. Experienced tabletop stopping a group of cultists, tracking down gamers should be aware that some elements a killer, or even preventing an impending of Our Terrible Fate are different from many disaster. But that’s only the short term. traditional games, so if you find something Actually, the game is about how humanity confusing or odd, be sure that you’re not will end, if you can delay that end long making a lot of assumptions based on other enough for those you love to live out their games you have palyed. lives, and if you can maintain enough semblance of sanity to live out your life The creation of Our Terrible Fate has alongside them. benefitted from the many Lovecraftian settings and games that have existed over the years. Building on the framework of the Fate Core system, Our Terrible Fate THEMES AND INFLUENCES also draws ideas and inspiration from Call of Cthulhu, Trail of Cthulhu, Delta Green, Our Terrible Fate is an investigative game and Acthung! Cthulhu. Some concepts of cosmic horror, based on the Mythos There are numerous authors were also adapted from the Burning Wheel, created by H.P. Lovecraft. Cosmic horror that have contributed what created by Luke Crane. Anyone that enjoys is about investigating mysteries only to has become known as the roleplaying games would benefit from giving slowly realize that humanity’s perception Cthulhu Mythos over the Luke’s games a look. years. H.P. Lovecraft, Robert of the universe is woefully inaccurate. Not E. Howard. and August only do we understand very little about our Derleth among the most truly insignificant place in the cosmos, but prominent. A quick search even a glimpse of the truth is likely to lead online will reveal dozens to madness or death... or both. There are a of writers and hundreds of number of tabletop roleplaying games that stories you can turn to for incorporate the Lovecraft Mythos into their inspiration in running your settings - the most well-known of which is game. likely Call of Cthulhu - and these settings occur in a variety of time periods. Our Terrible Fate is designed to allow players to incorporate resources and scenarios from other Mythos games, so it can be used to play in any time period. However, a great many amazing stories in this genre are set in the 1920s, so Our Terrible Fate is set in that period by default. 8 WELCOME TO THE MYTHOS investigate the strange and unexplained, ROLEPLAYING GAME... solve mysteries, and often end up try to shield the world from threats to terrible to At its core, Our Terrible Fate is a contemplate – even if it means sacrificing roleplaying game. A roleplaying game is themselves in the process. As a player, you a kind of interactive story – part theater, guide your Investigator through the game As an investigation-themed part storytelling, and part game. Players world, deciding where they go, what they say, create fictional characters using the rules in game, the characters in and what they do when they get there. Our Terrible Fate often this book, and then guide those characters find themselves reacting to through a variety of stories and adventures. KEEPER OF OUR FATE events around them, but they In a roleplaying game each player controls The Keeper of Our Fate, more commonly still possess a great deal of their character’s every action and reaction freedom in how they choose referred to as the Keeper for short, acts as they make their way through the game to act in response to those world. If a player wants his character to run as guide, host, referee, and narrator. The events. down the stairs instead of up, that is what Keeper is tasked with controlling the actions the character does. If a player wants his of other personalities in the game, presenting character to try and convince the local law the environment and setting, and helping enforcement officer that there is a perfectly to determine the outcomes of the player good explanation for the dynamite in his investigators’ actions. The Keeper portrays possession, he can start some fast talking. the game world and acts as the eyes and ears of the characters, describing the locations Our Terrible Fate also includes gameplay the investigators visit and the characters they elements borrowed from board and card encounter there, arbitrating the rules, and games. Keeping track of information is detailing the clues the investigators uncover important – particularly so in investigative throughout the game. In addition, he or she games – and as more locations, characters, uses the rules of the game to determine the and clues are introduced during the game, success or failure of the characters’ actions, cards are put into play to represent them. as well as the consequences of those actions. The title of Keeper originates Some situations can also benefit from a clear All in all, as Keeper, you use the rules and from the Call of Cthulu picture of where the characters are within a guidance in this book and the scenario to roleplaying game, where given location. Players can use miniatures keep the game running smoothly and amke it is known as Keeper of or paper standees to represent characters and sure everyone has a good time playing. Secrets. The person running modular maps to show their position – this a roleplaying game is also can also be used to build suspense as new commonly known as the areas of a location are gradually revealed as STRUCTURE OF THE GAME gamemaster, or GM, in may the characters explore their surroundings. other games. Roleplaying games are somewhat unusual in that there are no winners or losers; the players and the Keeper are actually PLAYER ROLES working together to craft an interesting and memorable story. The players’ and Keeper’s A game of Our Terrible Fate requires actions may typically compete against or at least two people to play. One of them oppose one another, but it is this conflict assumes the role of the Keeper of Our that creates an entertaining and memorable Fate. Everyone else assumes the role of the adventure and makes the game worth players. playing. The plot of a roleplaying game is PLAYERS very flexible and changes depending on the actions of the characters. However, there Each player assumes control of an are some basic elements that help provide investigator, a fictional character that exists structure and keep play moving. within the game world, sometimes referred to as a player character. The Investigators are the protagonists of the game; they 9 investigators uncovering clues to reveal more GETTING STARTED about the underlying mystery, eventually pointing towards a means to resolve the The game begins with the players and issues of the scenario. As the player begin to Keeper choosing a scenario to play. Some piece together the truth, issues may change, scenarios are fairly short and can be played and new issues may emerge. What begins There’s no need to choose a in an hour or two, while others are much as a simple favor for an old friend may short scenario just because longer. Each scenario includes a hook, a turn into a desperate attempt to thwart a you’re limited on time. The brief description that gives players an idea Keeper has a variety of tools potentially world-ending conspiracy while of what the scenario is about. The Keeper evading crazed cultists and whispers of available to help speed up (or presents the hooks for available the scenarios slow down) the game.