Disciples of Cthulhu

                                                             Who am I?

My name is John Cahoon and I have been a professional illustrator and game designer for over 30 years. It has been a while since I’ve made an effort to publish any of my games but with this project, I know it's time. I literally was dreaming about the game play well before the theme. I couldn’t get it out of my head. It worked so well in my mind I had to make it. After three years of play testing and refining the illustrations I am excited to bring this project to life!

                                                               About the game?

The inspiration for making the game was a desire to create a system of play that could keep all of the things I loved about collector card games but without the need to purchase hundreds if not thousands of cards. Not to mention the breakability so many cards can create. So, in an effort to boil down the best game play and visuals I created “Disciples of Cthulhu”. My mission was to create a game with unique playability and design. There were three main objectives I worked on to achieve this. I will refer to “we” in parts of the game play and creation because I have had many play testers and gamer friends help guide the game to the version it is today. Thank you to all of you who helped the game grow.

1. The game play came first with the idea of “sets” of cards to do the mathematical heavy lifting of a typical card game. Instead of assigning arbitrary different values to cards all the cards themselves have the same starting value increased by the amount of cards played in a set. One “Cthulhu” card used in offence has 1 point of value. Two in a set now has a starting value of 2 points each making them together now a total of 4 and so on. All cards regardless of whether they have other abilities have these values. the strategy and complexity comes in how these cards interact with the cards with additional abilities and how well you use them. There is a very simple formula to keep up with the totals as well as a chart in the rule guide to make it simple.

2. This led to the visual aspect of the cards. With a concise card value system you no longer need anything but an identifier of “what” the card is and not what it can do on the card itself. Leaving the card to reflect the artwork alone outside of game play. All rules and abilities can be learned from the rule guide and then remembered for streamlined play. Much like a chess piece has a set ability, a pawn does what a pawn does and a knight does what a knight does, the cards themselves have set abilities of their own. A “Cthulhu” card can avoid an opponent's defenses. A “Yog-Sothoth” can duplicate any card it is played with. Thus, leaving the cards to be art pieces. With a Tarot card size, quality and feel this additionally sets the game apart.

3. Finally, I wanted to allow players to be able to be versatile in the type of game they enjoy. While “Disciples of Cthulhu” isn’t a “deck building” card game the players do get to choose which rules they play with. Prefer a streamlined game? Choose the “rule cards” that make it so. Like a high-risk high reward game? You can adjust the “rule cards” to reflect that by perhaps not playing with “Nyarlathotep” which can negate damage. Players use the same deck of cards they choose after agreeing on their rules for a "best of three" bout making it a flexible game without being open ended which so often makes deck builder games breakable and frustrating. What we have achieved is a fun game with high re-play value. Players will play this game many times in a row without losing interest.

                                        How it started/How its going

You can see here some of the original pencil drawings I created to play test the game. I played with painting them as well. You can see my attempt above to make the "Shoggoth" more "finished". Ultimately I decided to keep to the style I feel most comfortable with which is Pen & Ink. I not only feel it reflects who I am most as an illustrator but I also think it meets the Gothic Horror genre at its core. In the end I wanted the art to be as good as the game and I think I've come pretty close. 

I am very happy where the game is, but I am looking for expansions! There won't be hundreds of expansion packs but new rule cards will occasionally be released. There is an option for FOUR sets of expansion cards in this KickStarter alone. New cards will be playtested vigorously and be open to suggestions from, what I hope will become, fans of the game. The future of "Disciples of Cthulhu" will be growth but not for its own sake. It will be to make it more fun and accessible to those that enjoy playing it.

                                                       Finally

I set the goal at a relatively modest amount for a few reasons. I have the illustrations, rules and box design ready to go and have priced it out such that with that amount I can produce enough copies beyond the pledges to begin selling them at game shows and retail locations that are asking for it. I'll build from there. If it does amazingly well here then all the better allowing me to give you an even better box, a 'battle map' and other really fun extras as stretch goals! I also really want it to be funded and just can't wait to get it out there. I want to make it accessible to as many people as I can so keeping the pledges well under what the game will retail for in the future. I think this is a very attainable goal and no reflection on what I think the true value is. 

                                              STRETCH GOALS

$6,000 A cloth rollout battle map with cryptic runes and areas for all card placement       $8,000 An even better box! The one we've priced is lovely but I'd love a magnetic latch! $10,000 The two 'eldritch symbols' on the opposing sides and on 'Disciple' bags             $15,000 A Cthulhu sculpture (originally ceated by me) printed to establish players turn    

Of course I hope to get your support for this project. Everyone here on KickStarter is looking to have a dream realized and I want us all to succeed. I will add that if you like games I truly believe you will enjoy this game and play it again and again. If you like the genre of Cthulhu or Gothic Horror I think you'll just love it for the illustrations and attention to the themes within. If you like both then what are you waiting for?! Thank you so much for your consideration to this project. Being a full time artist and game designer is my life long dream and any part of your help achieving it is appreciated more than I can ever express in words here.

My wife said I should put a picture of myself, sorry. :O I'm as photogenic as I am good at making a glossy KickStarter pages, lol. Not my lizard btw