Welcome to the “Shadow Over The Olympic’”
A Lovecraftian Horror Adventure on the RMS Olympic (early 20th century, 19xx)
You are a passenger aboard the RMS Olympic, the grand sister ship of the Titanic, now stranded in the middle of the Pacific over the loneliest point on Earth — Point Nemo. An unnatural, iridescent fog has swallowed the ship, bringing failing instruments, growing panic, and horrors from beyond.
A fanatical human cult known as the Esoteric Order of the Abyss has sabotaged the vessel. Their goal is to use the Olympic as a ritual beacon to awaken the Great Old One that slumbers in the sunken city of R’lyeh directly beneath the hull. They plan to sacrifice the passengers in a night of torture and murder.
However, the cult is not the only threat. The Deep Ones — the ancient fish-like servants of the same god — have begun boarding the ship. This is a racial war for the favor of their shared deity. The Deep Ones see the human cultists as arrogant upstarts and will not allow them to complete the ritual. Meanwhile, opportunistic Mi-Go from the stars have unleashed a cordyceps plague in the lower decks, turning crew and passengers into fungal mind-slaves.
You and every other soul aboard are caught in the middle of this three-way cosmic nightmare.
Step 1 – Level
Your character begins at Level 5.
Step 2 – Ability Scores
You have the following six numbers to assign to your abilities. Place the highest numbers in the stats that matter most to the kind of character you want to play:
{16, 16, 12, 12, 10, 8}
Strength (Str) – Lifting, fighting, wrestling, breaking doors, throwing things
Dexterity (Dex) – Combat order, dodging, shooting, stealth, lockpicking
Constitution (Con) – Endurance, resisting poison/disease, healing
Wisdom (Wis) – Perception, spotting danger, medicine, survival
Intelligence (Int) – Investigation, knowledge, insight, engineering, mythos lore
Charisma (Cha) – Persuasion, deception, performance, intimidation, spellcasting
Step 3 – Skills
Choose 5 skills you are proficient in.
Acrobatics (Dex) – Flipping, balancing, dodging obstacles
Athletics (Str) – Running, climbing, lifting, swimming, physical feats
Medicine (Wis) – Healing others, treating wounds, identifying illnesses
Insight (Int) – Reading people, detecting lies, understanding motives
Deception (Cha) – Lying, bluffing, disguising your intentions
Sleight of Hand (Dex) – Pickpocketing, hiding small objects, quick hand movements
Performance (Cha) – Playing music, acting, entertaining a crowd
Intimidation (Cha) – Threatening or frightening others
Persuasion (Cha) – Convincing, negotiating, charming people
Arcana / Cthulhu Mythos (Int) – Knowledge of occult and forbidden lore
History (Int) – Recalling historical events and facts
Investigation (Int) – Searching for clues, examining scenes
Perception (Wis) – Noticing hidden details and danger
Religion (Int) – Knowledge of cults, gods, and rituals
Stealth (Dex) – Hiding, moving silently, avoiding detection
Step 4 – Class
Choose a class that fits your character concept. You may not choose “Cultist” unless you are fully committed to roleplaying as one from the very beginning.
Step 5 – Items
Pick 1 Armor and 1 Weapon that make sense for your character.
(Example: A femme fatale may choose a concealed pistol in a garter holster.)
After you have created your character, you will choose (or I will randomly assign) a Starting Location. Each location drops you straight into the middle of the horror with immediate danger and roleplay opportunities.
Examples of Starting Locations (you may pick one or ask me to choose):
Trapped in a cultist ritual cabin
Fighting for survival in Boiler Room 5
Hiding in the Library Lounge
Barricaded in the Third-Class Dining Room
Defending the Poop Deck as Deep Ones board
And many more…
Important Note: Some starting locations are significantly more dangerous than others. If you want an easier or harder start, give Feedback in discord or reddit.