Red Scare (CoC - 1929)

One-Shot CoC game.

Scenario for 2 players. I hope to run this multiple times to different groups. There is an option for a future campaign if suitable matches are formed around the virtual table.

In summary: I'm looking for narrative appreciating unreality connoisseurs and story weavers in need of a new imaginative fabric to work with. I am hoping to form a group of at least somewhat like-minded role-players and storytellers to practice, explore, challenge, and improve our skills in our beloved craft of role-playing.

The Stage:

It is autumn of 1929. The most paranoid mayhem of the Red Scare might be over, but the threat itself, or at least the fear of one, certainly isn't. You and your partner are agents of the FBI, serving in a special task force designed to root out ideological troublemakers before they become a major problem.

Walter Hudson, a professor of Ancient Languages at the University of Michigan has recently attracted the interest of the Department of Justice. During the past year, he has spent a significant amount of time at an archeological site at Tarim Basin in northwestern China. Not only did he extend his stay in China well over the originally planned time, but he has also been in frequent correspondence with academics in Russia who are also heading the expedition. It is suspected, but not verified, that the expedition might have some non-academic connections to the Chinese civil war.

Professor Hudson had been a low priority until last week when the Bureau received a worrying report from inside the University: Hudson has spent past month at his family Farm doing research, something he does every summer, but on last Friday Professor Hudson had reportedly appeared at the University in obviously distressed state of mind; he had visited the library as well as picked up something from the university archeological archives without signing the items. The staff has been discreetly interviewed and he was seen carrying a package but his failure to comply with the University regulations wasn't noticed until after four days.

This unseemly behavior has prompted the Bureau to investigate and you and your partner have been sent to the small village where Professor Hudson's family farm is located. Your task is to identify the current status of Professor Hudson and any possible contacts he might have with anarchistic elements and act accordingly. He might be in possession of items of significant historical, scientific and monetary value and you have been ordered to try to make sure that no harm comes to any such items.

In the case that there is no foul play involved regarding Professor Hudson, it is advised that you do not expose the Bureau's interest towards him and his activities.

The System:

We will be using Call of Cthulhu. I have the 5th edition on my shelf so quite likely will be that, been several strange aeons since I have used it, but if I recall correctly it is simple, and if it is not, I will cut enough corners to make it so.

Other editions are possible IF I happen to get inspired enough to learn one (the 7th?) OR (maybe if) someone is willing to be a rules guide during the game.

However! This won't be a Cthulhu game, the mythos, as it is portrayed in the rules, doesn't exist. There might be some similar elements, there might be horror, but then again, maybe it's just an anarchist revolution come true.

However!(2) Some might lose sanity points from the fact that I am altering the sanity system. It is still there, but it won't dominate the game and there will not be temporary insanities bringing their freaky comedy reliefs. If for some reason sanity is lost, I leave it up to players to rp that out, but will give some guidelines regarding it; basically, it should/could only lead to characters getting more and more nervous. Anyways, details will be decided with the players later. For now, be warned that this is not CoC as you probably know it.

The Characters:

FBI agents.

Specialties and such are up to players. You can come up with an initial plan how to approach the task and choose/create characters accordingly. You can just create your standard physically capable agent(s) ready for confrontation and take a rather direct route to finding answers. Maybe you prefer more subtle approach and a pair of experts at subterfuge and undercover work has been called in.

This is one-shot, although I have no idea how many sessions it will take to complete (1-3?). But there is an option to continue, and as long as your character survives, s/he could have a future ahead in form of a campaign.

This should be doable also with non-agent characters; for example, worried friends/colleagues from the University could go see what is going on. Maybe some family members/friends react? Even the classic PI approach might work: someone at the University works also as a member of Private Investigators and this thing smells suspicious enough to warrant them to take a look.

Me (copy-paste from my other lfg)

I have been playing on and (mostly) off since 1990, but only recently I have come to appreciate the actual depth of this form of narrative arts. You don't have to be as ancient as I am, you don't need to be a voice actor or published writer; all you need is an appreciation for imagination and its narrative products no matter your current skills of using it. I am first to admit that my narrative and expressive skills are lacking despite all the years of playing. It is these very skills I am hoping to not just put in active use, but to specifically challenge and improve them while doing so. It should also be noted that I am not native English speaker and I might be bit awkward using English at first but I trust and hope that part will be fast to improve, but a certain amount of patience is hoped from you :).

Disclaimer:

I might record the game audio/video and do stuff with it that includes uploading it somewhere. However, I can almost guarantee that my futile attempts to pronounce English with my Finnish accent will overshadow pretty much any and every possible awkwardness.

More things to say and walls of text to build, but I will move now to forums threads below before this wall becomes too huge and scares even the nerdiest of nerdy hordes away.