The Haunting Session One Play Report

Diary of Robert Hollinsworth, Captain (ret.), His Majesty's Armed Forces

June 3, 1920

Boston, United States (former colonial England)

Having attended the offices of Mr. Falstaff after his intriguing invitation a ragtag team of investigators was formed to discern the nature of the troubles plaguing Falstaff’s newly acquired property. Said property fell to him after the death of an acquaintance, one Mr. Barns, who informed him of ill doings associated with the property. Apparently there was some sort of domestic affray there that ended with the incarceration of the parents in an asylum and the children becoming wards of the state. Barns requested that the property not be sold but Falstaff being a man of means intent on acquiring more naturally looks to profit on the property. Such is the nature of our investigation. Find what is amiss and report back so it can be properly felt with.


Our cabal of investigators comprises of three individuals who may not cross paths otherwise. There is a surgeon, a capable man, not at all swayed by the notion of things not of the natural world. We also have a somewhat suave socialite of considerable means who seems to be bored at the moment and has tagged along for some reason , maybe to get life experience, maybe to see how the other half lives, who knows. And of corse there is myself, a former soldier of the Great War turned historian, a man looking for the next intellectual pursuit and, more importantly, the next paying job.


Having formed we headed out and promptly went out separate ways. I to the library, the doctor to the police station, and the socialite for a pleasant morning adventure to the old property. Being comfortable with social interaction, a valuable trait in a doctor, the surgeon headed to the police station and spoke with an old acquaintance to learn more about the tragic tale of the family who lived there. Having found the name of the institution he next set out to speak with the medical staff there and possibly meet the family in question.




The socialite headed to the property. Though it was a fine day, the property close to his lodgings, and he in good health, he took a cab, which give his interaction proved to be a good idea. The property is situated in a neighborhood comprised largely on Italian immigrants and is quite overgrown and obviously vacant. It has not been the subject of vandalism. Either there is a civic pride in this area, or people give the property a wide berth. He did notice one curious element at odds with the surroundings. Someone had graffitied a symbol in yellow on the house. He reproduced it and showed it to us. Odd indeed. Noticing foot prints he followed these around the back to find two men who instead of talking chose to pull a knife and threaten him. He being of weaker fortitude, though probably right in action in the moment, fled back to the safety of the waiting cab.


I contented myself with hours of research in the library where I discovered the house was built pre civil war by a prominent merchant who fell ill and died. It changed ownership and the new person seems to have been sued by his neighbours in relation to untoward behaviour. Though this case was dismissed. In the afternoon we set about our chosen tasks. The surgeon and socialite headed to the institution holding the parents of the locations final residents. Under the guise of study the surgeon met with the director and found more about the situation, helped in the ethically tricky areas of professionalism by the application of money, or rather a generous donation to the institution, offered by our wealthy companion. The couple were by all accounts normal prior to the violent incident that landed them here. The man rambles continuously about red eyes and an old man of some considerable persuasion. The woman could not bee seen, though they did secure the reviewing of her file. The two seem to share with uncanny exactness the same delusion and psychosis. This the surgeon assures us in quite unheard of in the medical field.


Having heard of the street tuffs who threatened our companion I felt a stirring of adventure on though all but extinguished by the war. I decided to confront the tuffs to see what avenues that might lead down. But first I attended Harvard university and engaged the services of three grad students to continue the research. Thankfully a constant in this world is students who need money. I sent the geography doctoral student to the city to find any and all reference to the property and development in the area. The history student was sent to the newspaper to find all references to the said property and the anthropology student to the university archives to find all related to occult or ancient practices in the Massachusetts/Boston area.


The next morning after a good night sleep and a full breakfast we headed out to the property. Our socialite friend indicated there appeared to be more foot prints than on the previous day but as to whether they were made by the same foot or different foot he was completely oblivious, as he informed us, such trifling details mean little to him and his world. Not being one to hide from the enemy I chose to proceed directly to the back. The individuals were still here though apparently they had brought back up. Mustering my old Sergeant’s demeanour I greeted the gentlemen. Of what ethnicity they were we could not determine but their darker complexion, accent, and language suggests they were not originally from the United States. The individuals were clearly not in the mood to converse and pulled small knives. I chose not to draw my webley but to continue to engage, which was a mistake as it turns out as I had woefully underestimated the distance between us. The lead street tuff managed to tag me in the face with his blade. I tried to dodge the blow but my mind is far quicker than my body these days and years of war have taken their toll on my physicality it seem. As the blade sunk in I reached for my weapon. Fortunately the surgeon bravery came to my aid without hesitation. Quick of action but poor of aim he let off the first shot. This startled the lead attacker and gave me time to draw my revolver and blow a lump off of him. He at this all four would be toughs turns tail and ran. The doctor again with a spirited alacrity unleashed a few more rounds. He claims he was trying to injure the opponents legs to preserve them for questioning, but luck was not with him. I, being still on my feet after such a wound, for which I credit my previous service, managed two more shots but the wound to the face played the devil with my accuracy and I too followed the doctor’s path of failure. After the dust settled out fair weather friend returned. It seems when the situation touched off he decided it best to avoid a potential wounding, which as it turns out may not have been a bad course of action, though I am thankful the doctor stayed or it may have been a different story. Mistakes were made, lessons learned, and a new scar gained. The knife that struck me bore the same symbol that was painted on the front of the house. I shall provide this symbol to the student researchers to follow up on. We will need to take some to recuperate. It seems this is more involved than we first thought.

What I Learned From The Haunting Session 1

One of the things I love most about GMing a game, besides exercising my storytelling capabilities, is what I learn about the process of creating a shared fiction through roleplaying. Here is what I learned from last night's Call of Cthulhu session.

1) SHARED CREATIVITY IN RULINGS

We had a situation where a PC shot the knife-wielding leader of a group of toughs threatening the investigators. The question was how to determine if the toughs would stay & fight or cut and run.

I put the question to the players - in clunky old CoC, how should we adjudicate this?

One player suggested using SAN as morale when a henchmen sees his leader shot.

GENIUS! I applied it on the spot and the investigators rightfully drove the toughs off in a hail of gunfire, then got their wounded man to the hospital.

Rulings should not be the sole responsibility of the GM, but players should also be invited to bring their creativity to the process.

2) NO NPCS AS PUNCHING BAGS

I see this so much in players coming from D&D. They think social skills are magic and they can intimidate NPCs just by talking (I've posted on this previously HERE). I find it much more engaging and immersive if NPCs are the centers of their own worlds with their own objectives, and that the bigger world rolls on with or without the PCs. This makes even more sense in Cthulhu, where man is insignificant in the face of the cosmos, as opposed to the human centric conception of pre-Renaissance thought which also dominates heroic fantasy.

So when some NPCs with nefarious purposes were found hanging about the haunted house (my addition to the scenario), they of course tried to scare away the PCs and were deaf to any types of intimidation. The toughs were armed with switchblades, and although the PCs had firearms, they kept them hidden and just tried to scare off a group of toughs that outnumbered them.

Things escalated, a PC was stabbed, the investigators drew their guns (finally), winged the assailant and sent the thugs packing.

3) MAKE IT MAKE SENSE

One thing I found myself saying during the session was "Make it make sense," and this is now my GM / Keeper mantra. I think players get too hooked on rolls for social interaction and make up unconvincing stories just to get things out of NPCs.

For example, in our session, a surgeon approached a sanitarium where two survivors of a mysterious incident were kept. The players first discussed trying to fast talk their way in. This could lead to a dead end in the investigation, or even serious professional consequences if their ruse was found out.

"Make it make sense" I advised. I suggested they could offer themselves as wanting to learn more about psychology, or else offer to do a medical procedure.

"Why don't we say the surgeon is doing research on the environmental effects on victims of violent crime, and wants to interview the two patients?"

Brilliant. It made perfect sense in the context, and they rolled with it beautifully. I interjected once or twice when they strayed back into 'con the NPCs' territory, bit in the end they got lots of clues without compromising their professional standing.

And that is how it should be.

4) NO UNCLEARED ROLLS

Finally, I told the players to try not to just start making rolls without consulting the Keeper (me).  I am open to most suggestions, ie a player's idea of using SAN for morale was genius and I ate it up. But in my experience, players sometimes do a roll without clearing it with the GM first. The problems with this are the roll might not fit the situation, so the player wastes their time and feels dumb and the GM is uncomfortable having to shoehorn in something just because a roll was made. So better to clear it first so both sides can be satisfied.

CoC

 Did a first session of Call of Cthulhu’s The haunting last night. It was epic, and players were at the top of their game.

I will make a session report as soon as possible

In the meantime, this is what a player drew from the description of the cult sign I gave.. Stop showing them every little thing, explain, and just like a game of magic telephone, let the gaps between what’s in your mind and what’s theirs color the session.

Inspirations for a Magic / Cosmological System

 This has so many implications for Stormbringer and similar games.

HERE

MORE AI Content??!?!??!

 OK, this is the last one I swear!

This is practicing step by step prompting for an assignment in the AI course I am taking..

Here we go.

Helen Konek, 1949

PROMPT

Hello. Please do the following step by step. First, read the lyrics for the songs written by Michael Moorcock. Next, read his Eternal Champion series. Finally, write a paragraph profiling a different Eternal Champion who is an Inuit.

Sure! Here’s a structured approach to complete your request:

THE BREAKDOWN

### Step 1: Read the lyrics for songs written by Michael Moorcock

Michael Moorcock has written lyrics for several songs, often collaborating with bands like Hawkwind and Blue Öyster Cult. Some notable songs include:

1. "The Black Blade" by Blue Öyster Cult

2. "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" by Blue Öyster Cult

3. "Sonic Attack" by Hawkwind

4. "The Wizard Blew His Horn" by Hawkwind

5. "Standing at the Edge" by Hawkwind

These lyrics often contain themes of science fiction and fantasy, resonating with Moorcock's literary works.

### Step 2: Read the Eternal Champion series by Michael Moorcock

Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion series includes a complex and interconnected universe featuring various incarnations of the Eternal Champion. The primary series and books include:

1. **Elric of Melniboné** series

2. **Corum** series

3. **Hawkmoon** series

4. **Erekosë** series

5. **Von Bek** series

The Eternal Champion is a recurring figure destined to maintain the balance between Law and Chaos across different worlds and timelines.

### Step 3: Write a paragraph profiling a different Eternal Champion who is an Inuit

After synthesizing Moorcock's themes and style from his lyrics and the Eternal Champion series, we can create a new Eternal Champion character with an Inuit background.

---

THE RESULT

**Aaluk of the Frozen Lands** is an Eternal Champion hailing from the icy expanses of the Arctic. Born among the Inuit tribes, Aaluk possesses a deep connection to the spiritual and natural world, embodying the spirit of her people and the harsh yet beautiful environment they inhabit. She wields the Iceblade, a legendary weapon forged from the heart of a glacier, which can control the elements of ice and snow. Aaluk's destiny as an Eternal Champion is to protect her world from the encroaching forces of Chaos, represented by the malevolent entity known as Qaumaneq, the Dark Light, who seeks to engulf the Arctic in eternal darkness. Guided by the ancestral spirits and aided by her loyal sled dogs, Aaluk traverses the frozen wilderness, battling monstrous creatures and confronting the inner turmoil of her dual existence as both a savior and a harbinger of necessary destruction. Her journey is one of balance, where the preservation of her people's way of life and the natural world stands against the inevitable march of change and conflict brought by the forces of Law and Chaos.

---

This character integrates the mythological and environmental elements characteristic of Moorcock's work, while introducing a unique cultural perspective through an Inuit Eternal Champion.

CONCLUSION

Once again, we have a bit of the trite AI content (Iceblade, sigh), as well as some stereotypical depictions of Inuit and the arctic. Yet because my prompting skills are improving after learning techniques such as chunking, we see some interesting details (female protagonist, loyal dog sleds, inner turmoil, Quamaneq). Still, it is a pale imitation of a Moorcock character, no matter how happy I am to see a fellow Inuit as the Champion Eternal, I feel this is not up to the standards we expect of a Moorcock character.

The hidden danger of AI, however, is that this level of generated knock offs becomes the norm as it is mass generated by AI, and that people forget what the sublimity of true art really looks like.

AI Generated Content?!?!?!?!

 So, I am doing a great Coursera course on AI to help me bone up for a chapter on AI and Society I have agreed to write to help me widen my appeal to Canadian universities. I had to prompt and refine something so here is what I did (not the pic, the content below it).

AI Generated Elric pic from the web

Chaos Prompt Engineer?

Here is the prompt I wrote:

Create a new monster for the Stormbringer RPG using the article Moorcock Bestiary on the Tomb of Tedankhamen blogger.

Based on the content from the Tomb of Tedankhamen blog, here's a new monster for the Stormbringer RPG:

AI Content

### The Shadowed Harbinger

#### Description:

The Shadowed Harbinger is a dark entity from the Plane of Shadows, embodying fear and darkness. It appears as a tall, cloaked figure with an ever-shifting form, its face hidden beneath a hood that reveals nothing but an empty void. Whispering shadows trail in its wake, spreading dread and confusion.

#### Attributes:

- **STR**: 3D6+6 (15)

- **CON**: 2D6+6 (13)

- **SIZ**: 2D6+6 (13)

- **INT**: 2D6+6 (13)

- **POW**: 3D8 (15)

- **DEX**: 3D6 (10)

- **CHA**: 1D6 (3)

#### Abilities:

- **Fear Aura**: Any creature within a 10-meter radius must succeed on a POW vs. POW roll or be paralyzed by fear for 1D6 rounds.

- **Shadow Manipulation**: The Harbinger can manipulate shadows to create illusions or hide within them, granting it +30% to Stealth and allowing it to disappear and reappear within 20 meters.

- **Life Drain**: On a successful melee attack, the Harbinger drains 1D6 POW from its target, healing itself by the same amount.

- **Dark Vision**: It can see perfectly in complete darkness.

#### Combat Skills:

- **Unarmed Attack**: 75%, 1D6+3 (Life Drain effect)

- **Shadow Whip**: 60%, 2D6, range 10 meters

#### Armor:

- The Harbinger has a natural armor of 6 points due to its shadowy form, reducing damage from physical attacks.

#### Special:

- **Difficult to Harm**: The Shadowed Harbinger can only be harmed by magical weapons or spells.

- **Binding Ritual**: To bind the Harbinger, a sorcerer must perform a ritual requiring a rare shadow gem and the blood of a fear-stricken creature. The ritual includes a POW vs. POW struggle, where the Harbinger's POW is rolled as 3D8.

This monster, inspired by the various entities and binding rituals discussed on the blog, offers a unique challenge to adventurers in the Stormbringer RPG【9†source】【10†source】【11†source】.

Verdict

This monster, like the AI Elric portrait I added above, is incredibly trite and boring compared to what I slavishly created for this blog and for a zine coming out this year. I don't know if Moorcock has voiced his opinions on AI art, but I hope he'd agree that this soulless, corporate content pales in comparison to anything human passion and imagination can create. There is a meme making the rounds (couldn't refind it sadly) that goes something like,

It took AI to make me realize how terrible art without soul can be.

Truer words were never spoken.

Fuck AI 'art'