Call of Cthulhu: New World Colonists

After my pal and I watched the Black Goat short film he suggested I run a historical game about the Roanoke colony. While I'm not sure the campaign will be about Roanoke exactly, the game will take place sometime during the 16th-century and focus on the colonial experience.

I expect a rather different tone to emerge in this game than a classic 1920's/30's era CoC scenario.  Though the Age of Exploration is so removed from Lovecraft's 1920's and 30's, the Cthulhu mythos seem particularly suited to the mysteries lying in wait behind the veil of discovery in the New World.

The Age of Exploration evokes desperation and tested-faith particularly well. The benefit of operating outside of a Lovecraftian purist setting is that I feel more comfortable experimenting. Specifically this game will emphasize survival horror elements more than the traditional CoC session might.

CoC is an investigation and horror game. Adding a survivalist edge will take some research on my part. In New World Colonists, maintaining ones scarce resources, shelter, and warmth are sufficient distractions to keep most from questioning the uncanny. The survival component of this game applies just as much to the cold in pathless woods as it does to horrors from deep space.

Technology is also a significant consideration. Firearms are slow and unwieldy, light requires oil or wood, and medicine cannot alleviate some of the malady's modern science solves with a few pills. But perhaps the most interesting element of this game will be the developing relationship players will make with the indigenous peoples.