Introduction

Our Terrible Fate is an investigative game of cosmic horror that combines elements of tabletop roleplaying and board games. The game set in a reality that appears very similar to our own, but which is in fact very different (we hope). The setting incorporates the Cthulhu Mythos, based on the fiction of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and other authors, into our world.

This is a game of secrets, mysteries, and horrors too terrible to contemplate. Playing as characters investigating strange and unusual events, you will explore the dark places and ancient stories that exist all around us and confront truths that can only lead to madness.

At times, the game can appear to be about stopping a group of cultists, tracking down a killer, or even preventing an impending disaster. But that’s only the short term. Actually, the game is about how humanity will end, if you can delay that end long enough for those you love to live out their lives, and if you can maintain enough semblance of sanity to live out your life alongside them.

Themes & Influences

Our Terrible Fate is an investigative game of cosmic horror, based on the Mythos created by H.P. Lovecraft. Cosmic horror is about investigating mysteries only to slowly realize that humanity’s perception of the universe is woefully inaccurate. Not only do we understand very little about our truly insignificant place in the cosmos, but even a glimpse of the truth is likely to lead to madness or death… or both. There are a number of tabletop roleplaying games that incorporate the Lovecraft Mythos into their settings – the most well-known of which is likely Call of Cthulhu – and these settings occur in a variety of time periods. Our Terrible Fate is designed to allow players to incorporate resources and scenarios from other Mythos games, so it can be used to play in any time period. However, a great many amazing stories in this genre are set in the 1920s, so Our Terrible Fate is set in that period by default.

Our Terrible Fate was designed so that it could be enjoyed by experienced gamers as well as those new to the idea of roleplaying games, but it is best learned from other players. One of the best approaches to learning the game is to read the first couple chapters of this book, and then try it out with your friends. Don’t try to learn everything all at once, take it a little bit at a time. Experienced tabletop gamers should be aware that some elements of Our Terrible Fate are different from many traditional games. While the back story of an investigation is usually determined prior to the start of play, players in Our Terrible Fate have a great deal of freedom, and the plot can shift and change in dramatic or unexpected ways at a moment’s notice.

The creation of Our Terrible Fate has benefited from the many Lovecraftian settings and games that have existed over the years. Building on the framework of Fate Core, Our Terrible Fate also draws ideas and inspiration from Call of Cthulhu, Trail of Cthulhu, Delta Green, and Acthung! Cthulhu. Some concepts were also adapted from the Burning Wheel, created by Luke Crane. Anyone that enjoys roleplaying games would benefit from giving Luke’s games a look

Tabletop Roleplaying…

At its core, Our Terrible Fate is a roleplaying game. A roleplaying game is a kind of interactive story – part theater, part storytelling, and part game. Players create fictional characters using the rules in this book, and then guide those characters through a variety of stories and adventures. In a roleplaying game each player controls their character’s every action and reaction as they make their way through the game world. If a player wants his character to run down the stairs instead of up, that is what the character does. If a player wants his character to try and convince the local law enforcement officer that there is a perfectly good explanation for the dynamite in his possession, he can start some fast talking.
Our Terrible Fate also includes gameplay elements borrowed from board and card games. Keeping track of information is important – particularly so in investigative games – and as more locations, characters, and clues are introduced during the game, cards are put into play to represent them. Some situations can also benefit from a clear picture of where the characters are within a given location. Players can use miniatures to represent characters and modular maps to show their position – this can also be used to build suspense as new areas of a location are gradually revealed as the characters explore their surroundings.

Keeper & Players

A game of Our Terrible Fate requires at least two people to play. One of them assumes the role of the Keeper of Our Fate. Everyone else assumes the role of the players.

Players

Each player assumes control of an investigator, a fictional character that exists within the game world, sometimes referred to as a player character. The Investigators are the protagonists of the game; they investigate the strange and unexplained, solve mysteries, and often end up try to shield the world from threats to terrible to contemplate – even if it means sacrificing themselves in the process. As a player, you guide your Investigator through the game world, deciding where he or she goes, what they say, and what they do when they get there.

Keeper of Our Fate

The Keeper of Our Fate, more commonly referred to as the Keeper for short, acts as guide, host, referee, and narrator. The Keeper is tasked with controlling the actions of other personalities in the game, presenting the environment and setting, and helping to determine the outcomes of the player characters’ actions. The Keeper portrays the game world and acts as the eyes and ears of the characters, describing the locations the investigators visit and the characters they encounter there, arbitrating the rules, and detailing the clues the investigators uncover throughout the game.. In addition, he or she uses the rules of the game to determine the success or failure of the characters’ actions, as well as the consequences of those actions. As Keeper, you use the rules and guidance in this book and the scenario to keep the game running smoothly and make sure everyone has a good time playing.

Game Overview

The game begins with the players and Keeper choosing a scenario to play. Some scenarios are fairly short and can be played in an hour or two, while others are much longer. Each scenario includes a hook, a brief description that gives players an idea of what the scenario is about. The Keeper presents the hooks for available the scenarios and, together with the players, decides which scenario to play next. Through play, new hooks are revealed, unlocking new scenarios for future games. Epic stories consisting of multiple interlinked scenarios can also be played and are referred to as a campaign.

Once a scenario is chosen, players will choose or create their investigators. Using information contained in the scenario, the Keeper helps players ensure their investigators fit in the story. Players may choose from among a variety of pregenerated investigators, which they may then customize, use an existing Investigator from previous play, or create a new investigator from scratch. The options for investigators begin with a small number of archetypes common in Lovecraftian fiction, but additional options are unlocked during play, making new kinds of investigators available to the players.

Early in every scenario, the players are presented with an issue that describes what they are investigating. This could be an unexplained disappearance, a letter from a friend asking for help, a newspaper headline concerning an expedition in foreign lands, or a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger. Gameplay revolves around investigators uncovering clues to reveal more about the underlying mystery. As the player begin to piece the truth together issues may change, and new issues may emerge. Once the investigators have satisfactorily addressed all outstanding issues, the scenario concludes. Any investigators which survive – and are still sane at the end of the scenario – may be used by players in later games.

What begins as a simple favor for an old friend may turn into a desperate attempt to thwart a potentially world-ending conspiracy while evading crazed cultists and whispers of ancient gods.

Scenes & Montages

Once the game gets started, play is roughly organized into scenes – not unlike a television show or movie. Typically, a scene begins with the Keeper describing where it takes place and what is going on; then the players describe what the investigators do. The Keeper details the actions of non-player characters, and so on. Once the action of the scene is resolved, the players usually decide where the investigators head to next, and the process starts all over again. Events and actions can also be played through in different ways, including a montage-like series of related events or a brief side scene. A key responsibility of the Keeper is deciding how to play out each of these scenes in order to keep the game flowing smoothly and ensure a fun, engaging, and interesting game for everyone.