Chicago, 1956.
The windy city, is full of sharp contrasts. From its gleaming skyscrapers that rise from the smoke-filled streets, to the bustling factories that churn out their industrial goods, and to the clubs where jazz music flows through the night air. The bright neon lights of downtown cast long shadows and the hum of progress masks the growing whispers of something far more sinister. Rumors of inexplicable disappearances, eerie sounds echoing from abandoned factories, and bizarre cult-like gatherings have begun to spread, but most chalk it up to the pressures of post-war life. However, a select few know the truth. That ancient and unfathomable horrors are awakening beneath the streets. The city, with it’s labyrinthine tunnels and forgotten alleyways hide long buried secrets. Cryptic symbols are scratched into the dark corners of the city, hidden temples are worshiped just below the surface, and forgotten rituals are casts in the ever-growing shadows.
We begin on a round runic platform. Strange symbols have been craved along the circumference, some runic and some written in different languages. In a second inner ring we see the eight phases of the moon but with each phase we see a grim and terrifying face come more into view as we get to it’s fullest phase and when we see it’s darkest phase all that is there is a twisted skeletal grin. The third ring is a series of alchemical and planetary symbols, and in the very center is three interlocking rings with one opened slightly that has a dot in it’s center.
We see a figure step on to this platform. They wear a green feathered robe fastened to their person and a strange grinning gray mask with twisted horns that form a crown upon the head. They walk off to a phonograph and produce a record that is placed with great care. They place the needle on the disk and unfasten their cloak exposing gray skin and an almost corset like top made of bone and a short green feathered skirt almost fashioned like a tutu. Golden ballet-like shoes adorn their feet and the figure begins their dance as the music plays. They sway and spin and heave their body under the silvery light of the moon and somewhere in the windy city something horrible happens.
Welcome Investigators to Chicago Knights...
I'm very excited to talk about my second Pulp Cthulhu campaign. We are set in Chicago in the year 1956 where our investigators will slowly unravel the dark secrets of the city and try to fight back the growing eldritch forces.
We have Edward "Eddie" Rooney, a veteran of the second world war, a former actor, and a con artist. Taking on different personas, Eddie scams the rich and overly entitled by masquerading as psychiatrist. To his surprise, Eddie stumbles upon the actual supernatural when he meets James Jollenbeck. James's older brother, Klaus, served with Eddie and now James is being haunted by the spirit of his dead brother. The two join forces and along the way try to figure out the identity of the mysterious masked cultist that has brought an increase in paranormal anomalies as well as solve the strange cases that find their way to our budding investigators.
I was heavily inspired by games like Fear and Hunger 2: Termina, the Victorian gothic TTRPG The Between (shout to Kitten Marlowe for introducing me to the game go give them a listen on your podcatcher of choice), Alice: Madness Returns, and classic Lovecraftian stories. I'll be occasionally posting my notes, recaps, and posters on here. I hope you enjoy the story as much as we are enjoying it.
Until then, keep an eye out in the darkness, and beware what the moon might reveal
