Return of the Shapeless Spawn

Forward: I’ve been a fan of H.P. Lovecraft for awhile now and an avid game master for  the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game.  After rereading some classic Swamp Thing comics and discovering Hellboy for the first time, I thought it would be interesting to put together a simple campaign for my friends with a Swamp Thing/Hellboy feel to it. At first I was going run it using Call of Cthulhu but then I though I wanted my players to ‘put it to the elder gods’ so I decided it should use a Narrative style Super System campaign. It should be a good time and so I thought I’d share it. Enjoy!

Miniatures: The miniatures I used for this campaign come from three major sources; Grenadier Call of Cthulhu and Nightmares, RAFM Cthulhu, and Eureka Miniatures.  

RAFM: http://www.rafm.com/
Grendadier: Check ebay and http://www.greatbearlink.com/
Eureka Miniatures: http://www.eurekamin.com.au/

Narrative Style Game: This campaign could easily be played using the campaign system for Super System and my method isn’t much different. One notable difference is that each player only controls one character of the good guys superpower team while I controlled  all the villains. Characters and villains are found at the end. My purpose here was more to tell a story then to have Shapeless Spawn come out victorious. Besides, if the I won, I would never have reason to run “Revenge of the Shapeless Spawn!” or would I?

Game  Play: The game follows the events on the campaign progression chart on the next page. If the characters win an encounter they follow the right arrow out of an event. If the characters lose, the follow the left arrow. The are modified scenarios from S2 in the Super System scenario format. They can be found following the progression chart. Notes about the scenarios: All text in this dripping goo font or  this Comic Sans MS font should be read aloud to players. Our group will use the text as a the basis for a role-playing session instead of being read aloud. 

Players should not read the scenarios as it spoils the fun. The events initially take place over a short period of time unless the characters foul things up. Experience is applied after the campaign is finished.

Campaign Progression Chart

Just Another Day

Narrative: You are members of the Department of Otherworldly Activities (DOA) - a branch of the government whose duty it is to investigate and, more importantly, eradicate aliens, demons, and elder things much worse. 

Recently it was determined by researchers at the DOA that the Hope Diamond is actually an alien artifact of unknown origin and power. It has been decided that your team must secure the diamond and bring it back to the DOA for analysis. Currently the Hope Diamond is on a tour of the major capitals of the world and is, at the moment, being shown in Washington, DC.   

Description: The Hope Diamond is actually an ‘egg’ of the Great Shapeless Mass – a vast being of cosmic proportions.

Switch

Narrative: In order minimize undue publicity, your mission is to replace the Hope Diamond with a near perfect fake and bring the real one back to the DOA. 

You arrive at the Smithsonian at 2:15 am and disable the alarm system. Upon entering the museum you make your way toward the diamond only to find your information about the diamond’s location incorrect. Instead you find a break room with some security guards playing poker. After quickly rendering the guards unconscious you find a museum brochure and correctly locate the diamond.

At 2:30 you finally reach the diamond only to notice robed figures heading for the diamond from the opposite direction. Apparently you aren’t the only ones interested in the diamond. 

Description: Unbeknownst to the characters a group of cultists is also after the diamond. These cultists, through the wishes of the elder gods, arrive at the site of the Hope Diamond precisely as the characters arrive. They are take advantage of the characters disabling the security system to procure the diamond for themselves. 

The information given the characters about the location of the diamond was from a cultist who had infiltrated into the DOA.  The purpose of the misinformation was to delay the characters so a team of cultists could acquire the diamond and make off with it before the characters could. This, in fact, has already happened. The diamond the characters think is the Hope Diamond is actually a fake and the cultists the characters see are part of a second team of cultists to act as a decoy. 

The task for the second group of cultists is to attempt to ‘steal’ the fake diamond and cause the characters to follow them allowing the first group to make a getaway. 

If the characters win they take the fake diamond back to DOA and play the Assault scenario. If the cultists win the characters are forced to play the Diner scenario before playing the Assault scenario. 

This Scenario is a modified version of The Getaway scenario from the book.

Switch cont.

Setup: Each team begins the game on opposite board edges. In the middle of the board should be a counter or objective terrain piece representing the diamond. Additional museum terrain is a nice touch.

Special Rules: The team to reach the diamond first is considered the attacker and must move the diamond off the their edge of the board. At this point use the special rules from The Getaway! If an attacker gets K.O.ed check the counter to see if the attacker is carrying the diamond (critical counter). If so, the defenders become the attackers.  Randomize the critical counter and other counters and distribute among new attackers. Player characters can not be left behind in the case of K.O.’s and Coup De Graces. 

Objective: Use the objective from The Getaway!

End Game: There is no limit on the length of this scenario, but it will end immediately after the last attacking model exits the board. 

Character Victory: Things probably couldn’t have gotten much worse but in the end you retrieved the diamond. Fortunately you were able to make it out of the museum before the cultists. This enabled you to trigger the alarm and trapping the cultists inside. Now any fallout from the incidence will be blamed on the cultists. 

In the end, a success. Or so you thought. After returning to the DOA you find the diamond you have is not the Hope Diamond but a fake.

Cultist Victory:  The cultists made off with the diamond. Furthermore, they were able to leave the museum first setting off the alarm and hindering your escape. The cultists have a good head start and you have some ground to make up.

Rewards: Cultists do not get rewards. Characters gain full vitality if they ‘succeed’ or ¼ of their missing vitality points otherwise. Keep track of K.O.s performed by the characters.

Tables: For the characters use the K.O. table and Coup De Grace table but not the Special Events table from The Getaway! 

Diner

Narritive: After your defeat at the museum you had little time to regroup and heal before heading off after the cultists. Sources at the DOA have determined the location of cultists. They are currently stopped at a diner in Appalachia. Your mission is to still retrieve the diamond and you make haste to the diner. 

As you approach the diner you notice the a generic neon sign EAT indicating the diner’s name. There are several semi-trucks parked outside but only notice two other customers inside besides the cultists. You assume that there are some wait staff and cooks inside as well and are worried about civilian interference. Fortunately the cultists are sitting off by themselves in a corner. Unfortunately for you, they will see you coming once in the diner. 

Description: The cultists are waiting at this diner as part of their plan to delay the characters as well as to met up with some other members of the cult. They fully expect the characters to arrive but are unsure when. They were hopeful that the rest of their cult would arrive before the characters did but this was not the case. If the characters approach the diner by the front the cultists will not be taken by surprise. 

Use cultists that escaped from the Switch as ambushed cultists. They should be in whatever condition they were in at the end of that scenario. Late arriving cultists are listed at the end of this scenario. 

This Scenario is a modified version of the Ambush scenario from the book.

Diner cont.

Setup: In the middle of the table should be a diner surrounded by a parking lot with cars and trucks. A model of a diner with a removable roof would be great but a scale floor plan would be sufficient. The ambushed cultists should be placed inside the diner. The characters can start from any board edge. 

Special Rules: Use special rules from the Ambush scenario in the book. The cultists start out as the defenders. In addition, use the rules from the  Switch with regard to possession of  the diamond. In addition, use both the civilian rules and sixth sense rules. 

Objective: Use the objective from The Getaway!

End Game: There is no limit on the length of this scenario, but it will end immediately after the last attacking model exits the board. 

Character Victory: Finally, the diamond is in your possession. It was more difficult to retrieve then had been anticipated with defeat at the museum and showdown at the diner. In the end though, a success. Or so you thought. After returning to the DOA you find the diamond you have is not the Hope Diamond but a fake.

Cultist Victory:  The cultists defeat you again. And what is worse, you have no idea were the diamond is. Further attempts have been made to locate the diamond but all have been failures. In the end most the cultists from the heist are located but found dead. Those captured alive prove to be quite insane and only provide mad mutterings of the return of some great terror. 

Rewards: Cultists do not get rewards. Characters gain full vitality whether they win or lose. Keep track of K.O.s performed by the characters.

Tables: For the characters use the K.O. table and Coup De Grace table but not the Special Events table from Ambush. 

Assault

Narrative: After determining the diamond is a fake the DOA made a concerted effort to find the location of the diamond. It was determined that several agents of the DOA that assisted in the planning of the diamond switching operation were members of cult interested in the diamond.

It was learned from these cultists that they had given the team misleading information about the location of the diamond in order for members of their cult to steal the diamond and escape before discovery by the team. Those cultists actually encountered by the team were a mere diversion in order to draw attention away from the cultists with the real diamond.

Also determined from the interrogation of the cultists is the true destination of diamond. It is headed for a small fortified enclave of the cultists in the Mississippi delta. Unfortunately no information about the diamond itself could be gathered from the cultists.

It is now the mission of the team to assault the cultist enclave and recover the diamond along with gathering additional data on the cult and capturing prisoners. In additional to the team a squad of DOA assault troops will accompany the mission. 

Description: The cultists stole the diamond to perform a ritual of summoning. This ritual has already started when the characters arrive at the enclave. The cultists are expecting the characters and will try and defeat them to prevent them from interrupting the summoning. The cultists defending the enclave are no ordinary cultists and will reveal themselves to be lizard men once they are attacked in hand to hand combat.

If the characters lose the battle they will have no chance to stop the summoning. If the characters win they will have an opportunity to prevent the full summoning from being completed.

This scenario is basically the Slugfest scenario from the book.

Assault cont.

Setup: Use Slugfest setup. 

Special Rules: Use Slugfest special rules.

Objective: Use Slugfest objective. 

End Game: Use Slugfest end game. 

Character Victory: After defeating the cultists defending the outskirts of the enclave you are able to enter to continue your search for the diamond. 

Cultist Victory:  The cultists soundly defeated  you and forced you to retreat. After a second assault on the enclave you find the enclave lightly defended and no sign of the diamond. After an investigation of the compound you determine something sinister has taken  place and all you can do is wait for the repercussions.

Rewards: No rewards are given. Characters gain full health if they lose. Keep track of K.O.s performed by the characters.

Tables: For the characters use the K.O. table and Coup De Grace table but not the Special Events table from Slugfest! 

Awakening

Narrative: Moving further into the enclave you come upon some sort of ritual. You see five cultists circling around the diamond chanting in some hissing alien tongue. Outside of the circling cultists an additional cultist is reading from some old tome. Whatever is going on you determine you are going to stop it. 

Description: The cultists are in the process of finishing 1st phase of the summoning. After one turn the spawn will actually be materialized but summoned creature will be rather powerless. (As powerless as a spawn of an Elder Thing can be.)  The 2nd and finial phase of the summoning is the spawn’s maturation process which takes several days.

Narrative: As you approach the cultists each of the cultists surrounding the diamond burst into flame. This flame is then drawn into diamond. The cultist with the tome stops reading and proceeds to pick up the diamond. He holds the diamond up and mouths some incomprehensible words. Suddenly the diamond seems to lose its crystalline structure and oozes down the cultist’s arm dissolving it as it flows downward. Soon nothing is left of the cultist but a pile of gangrenous green material. This material starts to bubble and slowly rises into a hulking, festering green humanoid shape. The Shapeless Spawn takes form.

Description: The cultists succeed in calling forth the Shapeless Spawn. It will take some time for the Spawn to gather its full strength so now is the perfect time for the team to send the spawn from whence it came. 

This scenario is basically the Slugfest scenario from the book.

Awakening cont.

Setup: Use Slugfest setup. 

Special Rules: Use Slugfest special rules.

Objective: Use Slugfest objective. 

End Game: Use Slugfest end game. 

Character Victory: You have sent the Shapeless Spawn back from whence it came and you have shown the Elder gods the bottom of your boot. After the battle you were able to recover the unknown ancient tome used by the cultists to summon the Shapeless Spawn and bring it back to the DOA. After weeks of study back at the DOA researchers were able to decipher some of the page the cultist was reading from. Apparently the diamond was one of many eggs of the Great Shapeless Spawn.

Cultist Victory:  You were defeated by the Shapeless spawn and barely able to escape from the Mississippi Delta with your life. After regrouping and bringing in reinforcements you were unable to find the shapeless spawn at the enclave. Not knowing where it is headed you can only wait for the worst.

Rewards: If the players want to continue using these characters for further adventures award all the experience points gained throughout the campaign and advance characters using the rules from the book. 

Tables: For the characters use the K.O. table and Coup De Grace table but not the Special Events table from Slugfest! 

Night of the Shapeless Spawn

Narrative: It has been several weeks since your defeat at the hands of the cultists. You are at the DOA preparing for another mission when the call comes in.  A great shapeless mass is moving in on New Orleans threatening the city. Quickly you prepare to leave as the DOA marshals it forces to do battle.

You arrive in New Orleans in the Early Evening. The armed forces had already arrived early in the day to fight the mass. It seems the military was a big pushover in the Big Easy. You only hope the mass was weakened enough by military to enable you to defeat it before any more damage is done. This now, as you approach the mass, seems quite unlikely as the mass is simply huge.

Description: The cultists were able to summon the Great Shapeless Spawn and it has had time to grow in strength. The Spawn has no other motivation other than destroy and devour. 

This scenario is basically the Slugfest scenario from the book with one minor exception. The players cannot defeat the Great Shapeless Spawn in normal Super System combat. Don’t tell this to the players though, let them figure it out for themselves. 

Any characters KOed and in contact with the Spawn are automatically absorbed. Once absorbed the character has a chance to defeat the Spawn. First have the character has to perform a resolve test. If the character passes then character is determined to keep on fighting. Next have the character perform a mind test. For every success give the character a clue. The clues should be given in the order listed. 

Each character absorbed should get the same clues and should not be allowed to share unless they have a mental power. If they do have a mental power they receive a bonus of +½ the successes of the most successful previously absorbed character. Characters attempting to remove the diamond must pass an unopposed resolve roll with 3 goals and win an opposed strength roll vs. ½ the Spawns strength. Removing the diamond causes the Spawn to dissipate.  
Night cont.

Setup: Use Slugfest setup. 

Special Rules: Use Slugfest special rules.

Objective: Use Slugfest objective. 

End Game: Use Slugfest end game. 

Character Victory: You have sent the Shapeless Spawn back from whence it came and, after considerable cost, you have shown the Elder gods the bottom of your boot. Tracing the trail of destruction left by the Spawn backwards your team happens upon an old tome. After weeks of study back at the DOA some researchers were able to decipher some of the pages of the test. Apparently, the diamond was one of many eggs of the Great Shapeless Spawn.

Spawn Victory - Absorbed:  You were defeated by the Shapeless spawn and your soul is trapped within its being. Helpless you witness the destruction New Orleans first by the Spawn and then by a surge of the Mississippi – they must have blown the dams and dikes of the reservoir keeping New Orleans dry in a last attempt to defeat the Spawn. Your last memory is the murky waters of Mississippi overtaking you.

Spawn Victory – Runaway:  Unable to defeat the spawn you flee to avoid being absorbed. In one last effort to defeat the spawn the National Guard blow the dikes and damns protecting New Orleans from floods. It seems the spawn is no match for the might of the Mississippi. 

In several months time the news reports some good news in the destruction of New Orleans. It seems during cleanup a large amount of large diamonds are being found. These diamonds will be sold off to help pay for the renovations.

Rewards: If the players want to continue using these characters for further adventures award all the experience points gained throughout the campaign and advance characters using the rules from the book. 

Tables: No tables are used for this scenario.