In Deep O'Rhyleh

[fluke]

Part of me can't believe I had this idea. I do know that I can't flesh it out properly, so I turn it over to another's able hands. Any who wants it can run with it.

Driving home from work, I had this idea based on H P Lovecraft's horror writings. Lovecraft was a huge inspiration for Stephen King. In HP Lovecraft's world, mankind is insignificant on the cosmic scale. It is barely noticed by the greater beings and will not be mourned when it is gone. Human values have no meaning on the larger scale. Looking into this state of affairs and realizing what it is can drive one mad. This is seen in Lovecraft's works by great monsters who came to earth and were worshiped as gods by earlier civilizations. Most of them didn't notice or care. Some did, and were amused, Nyarlathotep, the crawling chaos, even holding mankind in contempt (none more so than his worshipers) for being so backward.

The namesake of the mythos, Cthulhu, lies "dead but dreaming" in the lost city of O'Ryleh on a sunken island north of Australia. He waits for his tomb to be opened when the stars are aligned before he can walk the earth again. He is described as having a face like a squid (tentacles around the head), claws, a scaly humanoid body, and wings like a dragon.

There are lots of other monsters in the Lovecraft mythos.

Here's the idea. Several friends are pulled into another world, a world very like our own ca. 1920. One of them, Dev, is Keeper (GM) for a Call of Cthulhu gaming group. Most of the friends have gaming experience, but none of them have played CoC except Dev. He is the first to recognize the place they wind up as the setting for one of the CoC scenarios (a haunted house scenarios like "Cracked and Crooked Manse" would be perfect).

They have to solve the mysteries as they uncover them, leading up to a cult attempting to raise Cthulhu (and said cult attempting to stop the investigators after they are detected). They will encounter the monsters (known as Elder Gods and Outer Gods). These creatures are demons. The group has to realize this and turn to Christ to overcome the monsters.

Here is a little bit I had after Dev realized what was going on.
Dev: Some of you have played RPG. Think of this as a LARP, but it's no game. Our lives are on the line. In whatever system you've played, the expectation is for the players to win after a long, hard fought battle. That's not the case in CoC. Investigators often die. Expect to go insane at least once and at least temporarily. You'll develop phobias and other mental problems. In other games, you yell Hurrah! and run slash the dragon with swords. That is a sure way to die in CoC! Remember, you are meat bags in a universe that doesn't care one lick for humanity and you just might live. You might even prosper, but settle for living to get home!

Anyone interested in taking this one?

[fluke]

Further thoughts:

I have a few characters so far for the game. I have all men, but either there needs to be a woman or two or a player needs to find a love interest in the scenario (might be an investigator from another group sucked into the game). I have only come up with their online handles.

"Dev" - College senior. Married to the identical twin of H's ex-girlfriend (insert tension point here). Loves horror novels and games. Can't stand modern slasher films but likes the old monster movies. Keeper for a CoC group. Has anger and pride issues.
"H" - First year out of college. Depressive personality. Borders on obsessive compulsive. Single. Prefers fantasy RPGs. His time of insanity could manifest in manic depression or full-blown OCD.
"Ace" - Happy go-lucky guy. Married his high school sweetheart after 1 year of college. A senior and just found out they are expecting their first child the summer after graduation. Likes superhero RPGs (usually names his character a variation of Ace).
"Maverick" - Was Dev's roommate when Dev was a sophomore and Mav was a freshman. Cowboy. Likes western movies, novels, and music. Draws a sharp distinction between country and western and won't listen to country (Western deals with horses, cowboys, roping, gun fighting, etc. Marty Robbins' cowboy ballads like "Strawberry Roan" or "Big Iron" are excellent examples.) Already a crack shot with a pistol (a helpful skill in CoC). Dev introduced him to RPGs, and he plays Western Hero. Has just had his first session playing CoC (slight change from above) with Dev as Keeper.

I thought an opening might be Dev at the head of a gaming table. Several people around it. Maverick is one of them. Dev says, "You catch the stumbling man, and look behind him to see why he was running. SAN rolls, everybody!" He chuckles.

Once in the game they all have occupations and skills relevant to a 1920s New England, CoC setting, such as librarian, priest, professor, doctor, detective, stage magician, gangster, career military, etc. The people in the new town know them by period names and their occupations.

This needs to be written for horror and terror (neither of which I do). Naturally, the view point of the game (that man is insignificant on the cosmic scale) is completely unbiblical and the mental concept they have to overcome.

Quotes for flavor:
Dev is passing out weapons to the group. He gives each of them knives and several guns.
H: I thought you said fighting was a bad idea here!
Dev: In Cthulhu, fighting, especially against mythos creatures, is never a good option, but sometimes it's the only option.

Ace: Are you planning to play the violin in there?
Dev hefts a case: Tommy gun. Stereotypical, yes. I may be a gangster here, but I am not proud.

Maverick: Please tell me that you have more incendiary rounds!

Encountering an "alien":
Alien: You are no threat to the great race.
H (a priest): I thought that was humanity.
Alien laughs.

Ace: A toast to the alien! Maltov cocktails anyone!

Dev [upon hearing the name of someone well known in the game like Mr. Corbitt] (turns white): Who's coming?