Convicts & Cthulhu Scenario Anthology by Cthulhu Reborn
Five Scenarios of Lovecraftian Horror in the Settlements of Convict New South Wales.
Dark Days in Sydney Town is the first anthology of scenarios for the Convicts & Cthulhu RPG (powered by Cthulhu Eternal). This collection of 5 terrifying adventures focuses on Lovecraftian horrors manifesting in the settled regions of the convict colony at New South Wales (mostly Sydney, Paramatta and places between).
The Demon Drink is a lengthy scenario of investigative horror set in the delicate last days just prior to the military uprising that unseats the infamous and horribly unpopular Governor Bligh (of Mutiny on the Bounty fame).
Sent on an apparently routine mission to survey a section of coastline not far from the Sydney settlement, the Protagonists witness the bizarre and messy demise of a ragged convict, apparently pursued by horrors nobody else can see. This is but the smallest preview of the horrors which a degenerate cult has planned for Sydney.
Amid rising political turmoil in a colony on the verge of inward self-collapse, the Protagonists must race against time to attempt to identify the leaders of this shadowy cult — The Bibulous Sons of Dissolute Truth — and stymie their plans.
Can the Protagonists track down “The Filthy Five” before the ravening maws of their huge and hungry god are unleashed upon all of New South Wales?
The Devil to Play is an investigative horror scenario set in and around an expected location — the convict theatre at Sydney (a real historical location). It’s perhaps surprising to us, but theatrical performances in the bleak penal colonies of early Australia were popular entertainments, somewhat tolerated by Governors.
But some terrible curse or foul influence seems to lurk around Sidaway’s convict theatre. A series of unusually ravaged bodies have been turning up on the streets of Sydney … and the only apparent link between the victims is that they had all recently attended Sidaway’s convict theatre. Could it be that some deranged killer is targetting theatre-goers? But why does this ne’er-do-well dismember and partially devour those he kills? Or is there something more sinister at the theatre, perhaps even something to do with their next play — a surrilous piece called “The Devil To Pay”?
Can the investigators uncover the cause of the terrible slayings before the murderer strikes again? Can they stave off the rising tide of voices that wants the convict theatre closed down altogether? But most importantly can they uncover just what payment the Sydney Devil truly desires …?
The Doom That Came To Five Dock is an adventure set on the main ferry route between the two large settlements, Sydney and Parramatta. Strange stories have recently been circulating in Sydney Town. Tales about a catastrophic event that caused widespread devastation to a staging point along the Parramatta River much used by ferryboat men. According to the lurid accounts of the one surviving man, the shocking destruction was not the product of a terrible storm or flood. Nor was it an uprising of the Aboriginal people. Rather, the doom that came to Five Dock … came on the wings of a vast mis-shapen insect horror!
Protagonists are engaged to investigate these ludicrous claims by travelling to the site of the reported devastation — a remote corner of the colony, on the fringes of settlement. Can the wild stories of insects with 30-foot wingspans possibly signal the discovery of a strange new species? Or could the mad tales of the survivor really mask something even more bizarre? Only by undertaking this most unorthodox “bug hunt” will the investigators reach the truth … but even then, will they be able to make the colony safe from future harm?
Night of the Convict Dead is a scenario which showcases the graveyards of Sydney Town. The penal colonies of early Australia are places where death is a common occurrence. Whether due to disease, starvation, violent flogging, or execution — people depart this life at an alarming rate. This creates practical problems: where to bury so many corpses, and how to maintain a degree of sanitation? These are tasks that the early colonists tackle in a remarkably haphazard way — while there are allocated burying grounds set aside, graves within are dug wherever seems convenient, and no written records are kept of who has been interred where.
This haphazard accounting for the remains of the dead — colonists and convicts alike — would seem to offer a unique opportunity to anyone who had a mind to perform certain … experiments, shall we say … with the eternal forces of life and death. A series of strange discoveries of dead bodies on the night-time streets of Sydney have the colonial authorities baffled, but is there something sinister going on? Could there be a graverobber at work? And can the Protagonists get to the bottom of this mystery in time … or will they need to brave the Night of the Convict Dead?
The Orphan School Horror is a creepy ghost tale set in and around the Female Orphan School at Sydney, the only benevolent institution that has been established to date. The place was founded as a progressive attempt to ease the problem of homeless children on the streets of Sydney, a significant issue — especially as children are born to convicts who simply do not have the resources to feed or support them.
While a fine and respected instition, something peculiar and unwholesome has attached itself to the Female Orphan School in Sydney. Ghostly figures have been reported by several of the girls, and more recently by the serving staff.
Are these just products of the over-active imagination of the young orphans? Or is it somehow all connected to recent unexplained disappearances and a pair of girls struck dumb with terror? The scenario includes three different Lovecraftian style horrors that could be behind the mysterious haunting of the Orphanage, each providing Keepers with a different style of investigation and chilling resolution.
Because broody tales of ghostly hauntings are a staple of “Christmas-time horror”, this scenario makes a great adventure to run for groups looking for a Yuletide-themed Lovecraftian tale of terror. Alternatively it can be equally well run as a story set in any other season.
Dark Days in Sydney Town is available through DriveThruRPG in PDF.
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Voices From The Pulpit 