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Barad The Dwarf
Belgium
De Haan
Got some sanity left?
Come over to the RPGG Tavern, I buy you a drink.
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Ave Caesar, ego sum Centurion Reviewus Baradus! Specialist in the Chultus Mythos but now I’m researching the mythos presence in the Imperium Romanum!
Well, I have always been a big fan of the Roman culture and stories. Loved watching a show like ‘I Claudius’ and still like a lot I read about the culture. So when I discovered there was also a sourcebook for playing Call of Cthulhu in that period it went straight on my wishlist. In the meantime I received it from my Secret Santa last year and finally got to review it as my 100 th review here on the geek.
Cthulhu Invictus is a sourcebook for Call of Cthulhu to play it in the roman times. It adjust the game an the rules so you can play it easier in the time. It has for instance professions that fit the time like: Soothsayer, Magus, Slave, Rabbi, … also the skills are adjusted at the time.
Well there is a lot of information in the book, maybe I will start off describing what you will get:
- Welcome to Rome: Rome has always been a very special surrounding and it’s always nice to read up on this. Although there is a lot of information that I already knew there was also quit some new information.
- A tour through the provinces, all give some background information off the different provinces that are part of the Roman Empire, although quit a lot of space is put away for this they only have a chance to touch the different provinces slightly. There is a lot of extra information needed to make it really good but it’s a good start.
- Character Creation, not really a lot of new things but adjusted to the time.
- Skills, well a bit the same thing as the Character Creation.
- Equipment and Supplies, well you can’t start adventuring without this so this can come in handy.
- Recovering Sanity, a very short (1 page) description about sanity and how to recover but choices here are very, very limited. I would liked some more information and possibilites in total here. What happens with insane people in this period for instance? I also find it stange that people recover while looking at ‘normal’ violence, I understand that this is a major part of roman life but really?
- Combat: interesting information that will come in handy.
- Roman Siege Weapons: fun information but more background then it will actually be used.
- The Grimoire, well written and good information
- The Besiary: always good to have the info about as well servitors as independent races that live in the ancient times.
- Cults and Secret societies: a good overview about all cults and secret societies that are active during the days.
- The roman legions: a short bit of information about the legions, a bit more would have been good.
- Prophylaxis Panacea Efqa: a scenario
- Scenario Seeds: some ideas for further adventures.
- Selected reading: some books where you can get further information and ideas
- Guide to major topics: always handy
- Investigator sheet
- Maps of rome and the roman empire
Well as you see there is quit a lot in the book. A lot is extra stuff you won’t always need running the game but off course it’s always good to have this when you start a campaign and that is all you actually need. You will be needing the base book of Call of Cthulhu to run the games though but there is also a lot of information here.
One of my favourite part is the part: Cults and Secret Societies. There are some great ideas in here that I really like. Groups that can become part of a scenario quickly and be a good ally or enemy to your group. Some have really strange ideas and some are a great find by the authors like the Olympians and the Bull Dancers.
I do doubt if I ever get a game of this on the table with my regular Call of Cthulhu group, they tend to like the 1920’s but personally I would really like to run this. The scenario in this game looks good, although I’m missing a bit more sanity rolls.
Like I already said, I like the tour through the whole empire but it was a bit short, I do hope they bring out extra information about all the continents.
All in all I do find this a good book to read and it gives you all the information needed for a game in the roman times. I do wonder a bit if it’s that easy to play Call of Cthulhu in these roman times but I do like a challenge.
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There are a couple of free supplements for this -- check out this thread: Cthulhu Invictus Freebies
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Eric Dodd
New Zealand
Martinborough
Wairarapa
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Yeah, I've grown to like Invictus the more I've been reading of it.
The Cthulhu Invictus Companion adds:
"Six new cults and secret societies: two for Gaul, two for Egypt, two for Africa Proconsularis."
If you don't have it I'll be reviewing it early in the New Year...
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Chad Bowser
United States
Kernersville
North Carolina
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Thanks for the review, Jan. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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Got some sanity left?
