Help With Lovecraftian Old Gods (Please)

[Snipewing]

So, on my discord server we currently have a roleplay event going on based on the Old Gods of H.P. Lovecraft's mythos (Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, etc.), and I would like a little advice on how to progress it. The OCs taking part in the roleplay are all the well developed characters by my friends and I, which we have developed to the points to where they are quite powerful. (We do not irresponsibly OP, we manage it well and do not use absolutes, are susceptible to death and damage, and so on.)


This is what I have to initiate the RP:


"Eons after the time of humanity's lonesome existence as the apex predator on a run-down planet in some backwater galaxy, the Gods had breathed new life into the planet after a mass extinction. Snipewing had managed Earth for some time, keeping the planet flourishing after its near eradication, along with others. Earth was now a bustling planet with numerous interactive species, both of old and new, within the atmosphere's reach. Cities grew, wildlife prospered as much as civilization, peace was more common than not. But most had forgotten about the dangers beneath the depths of the oceans and the crusts of the Earth. Lately, great tremors cracked the planet's shell, and reports of maddening whispers had grown in numbers. Snipe and most of the Gods were gone now, working on LOFAR or within their own worlds, and had neglected the cosmic powers stored within. The stars were aligning once again, the very night sky gave a foreboding sense of despair and insanity, and soon the Old Ones would rise from their depths to burn this world in madness before they move on to the next.


R'lyeh rose from the sea, blessing now overthrown ships with the choking grips of insanity as He ascended the overbearing abyss. Cthulhu soon went over the planet, driving all within his gaze into a blissful, destructive madness. Earth was aflame. Nothing would soon remain. The few not yet inflicted with the Old One's gift fled to the mages that upheld emergency portals to Erion. Earth's pantheons abandoned their dying world and worshipers. Families fled, leaving behind their seizing children to be consumed in Insanity's flames. True anarchy. Those inflicted would chant for their new Lord as they would cut down any and all near them until the burning of the Earth had licked at their skin as well.


Soon, Erion's palace had been flooded with Gods and refugees of the dying world."


And there's a little more, just simple dialogue, but that's not very important. I would like some advice as to how I could improve this, and find a logical way for the Old Gods to make their way to my rp team's world, Erion. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. I have read Lovecraft's stories numerous times, yet I still have trouble with implementing my own twist. If needed, I can explain our OCs, the world, and more backstory.


Thank you! Have a great day!


~Gunter (Snipe)

 

[Snipewing]

Please PM me if you need character descriptions in order to assist.

 

[augmentedspartan]

What exactly do you want to do with them? Are the characters supposed to stop Cthulhu from waking? Are the Great Old Ones already running amok? Or is this after all the chaotic bits and the characters are trying to make due with what's left?

 

[Snipewing]

What exactly do you want to do with them? Are the characters supposed to stop Cthulhu from waking? Are the Great Old Ones already running amok? Or is this after all the chaotic bits and the characters are trying to make due with what's left?

Cthulhu, as well as the other Great Old Ones (I was just too lazy to type them into the intro) have ended Earth, and are making their way towards the planet Erion. Cthulhu and the others are awoken and active, and will lay siege until slain somehow or preferably banished. This is a large scale thing and will include the other Great Old Ones as well as the Outer Gods.

 

[augmentedspartan]

Well, you've got a few choices:


1. You can go the Derleth route and add the Elder Gods to fight against the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods, in which case the plot would be for the characters to search and recruit the Elder Gods.


2. On the other hand, you can go "true" Lovecraft and simply be it an impending and unstoppable doom, with the characters trying whatever they can but failing at the end. You can exaggerate this more by having the Outer Gods not really care, since one planet isn't really that important when compared to galaxies or the universe.


3. The so called "Lovecraft lite" in which the Great Old Ones aren't as powerful as depicted in his stories and have the characters collect a McGuffin or gain special powers to be able to defeat them. This one is pretty flexible since you can have their defeat happen in a lot of ways. Special artifact, the Elder Sign, super advanced technology, whatever you want.


Depends mostly on how close you want to get with Lovecraft's interpretation (which did waver sometimes) of cosmic horror. The problem is that he didn't write much in the way of having the Great Old Ones be awake and roam about, so you might want to either go with Derleth's version (which include opposing forces such as the Elder Gods and nuking Cthulhu) or the lite approach, which gives the characters something else to do rather than mop around and wait for death.

 

[Snipewing]

Well, you've got a few choices:
1. You can go the Derleth route and add the Elder Gods to fight against the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods, in which case the plot would be for the characters to search and recruit the Elder Gods.


2. On the other hand, you can go "true" Lovecraft and simply be it an impending and unstoppable doom, with the characters trying whatever they can but failing at the end. You can exaggerate this more by having the Outer Gods not really care, since one planet isn't really that important when compared to galaxies or the universe.


3. The so called "Lovecraft lite" in which the Great Old Ones aren't as powerful as depicted in his stories and have the characters collect a McGuffin or gain special powers to be able to defeat them. This one is pretty flexible since you can have their defeat happen in a lot of ways. Special artifact, the Elder Sign, super advanced technology, whatever you want.


Depends mostly on how close you want to get with Lovecraft's interpretation (which did waver sometimes) of cosmic horror. The problem is that he didn't write much in the way of having the Great Old Ones be awake and roam about, so you might want to either go with Derleth's version (which include opposing forces such as the Elder Gods and nuking Cthulhu) or the lite approach, which gives the characters something else to do rather than mop around and wait for death.

Thank you very much! This is a lot of help, and I will most likely go through the Derleth route or the true Lovecraft route, it seems that there could be plenty of interesting developments with all of the above, and those two seem that they would provide the longest scenarios and greatest challenges. I'll see what the rest of the group thinks, and if you'd like I can keep you updated on developments ^u^

 

[augmentedspartan]

Sure thing. If you need any more help just PM me or something.

 

[Beckoncall]

The peaceful world that just got devoured? It was an OFFERING to the old gods. Peace, prosperity, longevity -- all the so called advancements of good were nothing more than a vast conspiracy to make that planet an altar of slaughter... In short, it was an appetizer and Erion is the main course. Powerful allies are revealed to be witting or unwitting pawns -- and massive new plans to make Erion and even greater paradise to house the refugees as well as current occupants are paving the way for a repeat performance on a larger scale -- a handful of old ones are now seeking to bring forth Azethoth, who will destroy Erion, and then the universe.


The solution? The players have to root out which good guys are actually bad guys just making worlds fat for sacrifice, and quieting the chaos on earth or quarantine it through a web of elder signs in adjacent dimensions.


The goal is the end the party on earth or survive long enough for it to peter out, all the while convincing Erion to become stagnant, separate, bunkered down and as devoid of growth as possible.


Players win when all the madness on earth succumbs to death and entropy (which may need the PCs help) all the while convincing the leaders of erion the best ideas for defense and progress are merely a means to "fatten the calf" -- some very good people may wind up against the heroes... Tough choices.


That's what I'd do.

 

[Beckoncall]

A couple of lovecraftian twists -- nyarlathotep often has many forms/avatars/masks... The players have to learn who the five "masked ones seeded on Erion are and what they are really up to.


A cloning program to produce enough super-soldiers on Erin to "retake" earth is really just a front for shub-niggurath, the black goat with 1000 young.


Yig's serpent cult has infiltrated the richest 1% of the population... They're really into philanthropy, as a means to make Erion a pure and worthy sacrifice.


Amoung the five avatars of nyarlathotep that the party must unmask, hastur himself walks amoung them... To reveal the true name of hastur would spell doom for Erion... So they have to be SURE they have the right guys, and as the suspects get fewer the risk gets higher.


Hope you liked there. I could go on, but this should be a good start if any appeals.

 

[Snipewing]

The peaceful world that just got devoured? It was an OFFERING to the old gods. Peace, prosperity, longevity -- all the so called advancements of good were nothing more than a vast conspiracy to make that planet an altar of slaughter... In short, it was an appetizer and Erion is the main course. Powerful allies are revealed to be witting or unwitting pawns -- and massive new plans to make Erion and even greater paradise to house the refugees as well as current occupants are paving the way for a repeat performance on a larger scale -- a handful of old ones are now seeking to bring forth Azethoth, who will destroy Erion, and then the universe.
The solution? The players have to root out which good guys are actually bad guys just making worlds fat for sacrifice, and quieting the chaos on earth or quarantine it through a web of elder signs in adjacent dimensions.


The goal is the end the party on earth or survive long enough for it to peter out, all the while convincing Erion to become stagnant, separate, bunkered down and as devoid of growth as possible.


Players win when all the madness on earth succumbs to death and entropy (which may need the PCs help) all the while convincing the leaders of erion the best ideas for defense and progress are merely a means to "fatten the calf" -- some very good people may wind up against the heroes... Tough choices.


That's what I'd do.

O.o Wow. Thank you. That was beyond fantastic. I will most likely use this.

 

[Beckoncall]

That's what the forum is for, boss. Glad it helped light your candle for a good campaign.