Arkham Horror in the Ninth World

Converting Arkham Horror game components
to Numenera and other Cypher System games

Introduction

Lovecraftian Numenera

Arkham Horror Components: what, when, how to use in Numenera

Deck/item

When, where to use

Other notes

Terms used -- Translation Matrix

Arkham Horror term

Numenera Equivalent term

Notes on suggested GM Intrusion/s

Increasing the difficulty level

Introduction

Lovecraftian horror is an official variant for Numenera[1], but it requires considerable effort to maintain a sense of horror and a consistent focus on the Lovecraftian aspects of the setting. You might wonder if there is an easier way. This supplement contributes to a Lovecraftian flavour and inspiration that complements the Ninth World setting, without overpowering it.

Lovecraftian Numenera

The weird nature of Numenera can be enhanced by incorporating certain cards and mechanics of Arkham Horror. Each time a GM Intrusion is warranted (including the “free” intrusion from a natural roll of “1”) the GM may choose to draw and resolve a card, guided by what is written on the card and by the Translation Matrix provided below.

Arkham Horror Components: what, when, how to use in Numenera

Deck/item

When, where to use

Other notes

Other Worlds Locations /  Gate deck

Use as an GM Intrusions encounter deck.

GM selects the most relevant, applicable, deadly or even entertaining option from each card.

Arkham Encounters deck

Use as an extra GM Intrusions urban encounter deck.

GM selects the most relevant, applicable, deadly or even entertaining option from each card.

Mythos deck

Use as a “super Intrusions” deck. Draw a Gate token; an extradimensional portal to the relevant Other World appears, as does a Monster. If not closed, this portal continues to spawn monsters at irregular intervals.

Suggested Intrusion: The PCs are involuntarily drawn through the Gate into the Other World and must find a way to escape. They may begin this mini-adventure by encountering a Monster on the other side.

Common items deck

Use as found objects or  equipment. Items that are inappropriately / ridiculously anachronistic (eg firearms) may be: renamed / repurposed; used as cyphers (single-use) or discarded and re-drawn.

Suggested Intrusion: the item breaks / is lost / runs out of consumables / ceases to function.

Unique Items deck

Cyphers or Artifacts

Suggested Intrusion: The cypher/artifact ceases to function as it once did, but a new use is revealed. This is functionally the same as a new cypher/artifact.

Exhibition Items deck

Cyphers or Artifacts

Suggested Intrusion: The Dark Pharaoh, avatar of Nyarlathotep, draws his attention to the PCs.

Old Ones deck

-N: Penalty of N levels to all actions undertaken in the Old One’s presence.

Boss fights? Suggested Intrusion: The PC dies a hideous death, after going irrevocably insane. The player still receives lots of XP.

Allies deck

Use as an “encounter deck”; the individual temporarily joins forces with the PC.  Apply Ally bonuses as an Asset to actions of a similar kind to those listed, eg +1 Fight is an asset to melee Attacks

Suggested Intrusion: The Ally’s advantage is no longer available: they die, disappear, take a cranky pill or refuse to serve a Murder Hobo any longer.

Spells deck

These Mythos-specific esoteries can be used, but at grave peril to the user’s soul.

The Sanity cost of each Spell is the number of d6 to roll, with the result taken from the user’s Intellect. If Intellect is reduced to zero (or is already zero), draw a Madness card.

Monster tokens

Use the monster cup as a random “monster deck”.

The Difficulty level of the monster is double its Toughness value, plus 1 for each special ability.

Select logical parallels for attacks and abilities.

Horror Checks should be made against the Monster’s Difficulty, which is also the Intellect Damage taken on failure.

Endless monsters cannot be claimed as trophies.

The Monster trophy, if retained, represents certain crucial samples from the creature’s cadaver. With intensive study, a Nano might discover a countermeasure (Asset) to actions vs other Monsters of that kind.

Suggested Intrusion: the monster trophy delivers damage to the PC (through toxins, radiation, ultradimensional energy, cypher interactions, briefly returning to life), and is then lost  

Gate tokens

Choose when PCs experience an extradimensional, otherworldly or dreamlike / surreal encounter.

A Gate token, if retained and intensively studied, represents evidence and measurements that enable a Nano to recreate a Gate to that Other World.

Suggested Intrusion: the PC experiences a Glimmer of that specific Other World.

Clue tokens

Experience points (XP) that can only be spent on Intellect task rerolls and are discarded at the end of the Session

Suggested Intrusion: A mishap (concussion, fright, mindwipe) eliminates one, a few or all Clue tokens

Money

Shins

Suggested Intrusion: You discover that your Shins are useless (counterfeit, deteriorated, damaged, not legal tender)

Terror level

May be used to track Horror Mode. Each increase in the Terror Level is an increase in Horror: see Cypher System Rulebook p262

Suggested Intrusion: a squamous, rugose and non-Euclidean vision shocks the PC: increase the Terror Level by 1.

Terms used -- Translation Matrix

The following Translation Matrix helps in exchanging terms from Arkham Horror components (cards) for those in Numenera. Experienced players of both games will realise that the suggested effects of AH cards are less potent, so that the AH cards do not overpower the Ninth World elements in Numenera gameplay.

Arkham Horror term

Numenera Equivalent term

Notes on suggested GM Intrusion/s[2]

Fight / Stamina

Might

Suggested Intrusion: Temporary inability

(minus 1 Asset) in combat/endurance tasks to end of Encounter

Will

Intellect

Suggested Intrusion: Temporary inability

(minus 1 Asset) in Intellect tasks to end of Encounter

Will / Sanity / Luck

Intellect

Suggested Intrusion: Temporary inability

(minus 1 Asset) in Intellect / Sanity-related / ALL tasks to end of Encounter

Speed / Stealth

Speed

Suggested Intrusion: Temporary inability

(minus 1 Asset) in Speed / Stealth tasks to end of Encounter

Luck

Intellect

Suggested Intrusion: Attempt an Intellect task to avoid 1 level of inability in all tasks for 28 hours. There is no XP award for this Intrusion.

Devoured

Reduced 2 levels on the Damage Track. PC is bleeding from ventral sphincters.[3] 

Suggested Intrusion:
Draw an Injury and a Madness card  

Increase / decrease Focus

Increase / decrease of Intellect, Speed or Might Edge (choose most relevant)

Suggested Intrusion: All Edge (Speed, Might and Intellect) reduced to zero for the remainder of the Encounter

Lost in Time and Space

Reduced 1 level on the Damage Track

Suggested Intrusion: All Edge reduced to zero for the next 28 hours

Move slider/s

Reduce/Increase Might, Speed and/or Intellect. Maximums may not be exceeded.

Suggested Intrusion: One relevant Pool (Might, Speed, Intellect) is halved for the remainder of the Encounter, after which, the Pool points are restored.  

Physical / Magical resistance

Halve the level of physical / numenera attacks against the creature

Suggested Intrusion: apply Resistance against non-combat physical / numenera tasks.

Physical / Magical immunity

Physical / numenera attacks automatically fail against the creature

Suggested Intrusion: apply Immunity against non-combat physical / numenera tasks.

Ambush

At the beginning of the combat, the creature gets a bonus attack before initiative is rolled.

Suggested Intrusion: If PCs attempt to flee, they reroll successes and must take the second roll.

Overwhelming N / Nightmarish N

Attacks by the creature deal a minimum of N damage, even on a successful defence

Apply to the most relevant Pool (Might/Intellect/Speed).

Suggested Intrusion: Draw an Injury / Madness card for Overwhelming / Nightmarish respectively.

Unconscious

Reduce 1 level on the Damage Track

Suggested Intrusion: One (or several) items are missing / damaged / broken among the PC’s equipment.

Curse / Blessing

Alter the Level of all tasks 2 steps to the PC’s detriment / advantage

Suggested Intrusions: a Blessing is lost; a Curse attracts the attention of a hideous, squamous being; a nameless, non-Euclidean peril of unnatural dimensions and incomprehensible angles makes an offer the PC cannot refuse.

Increasing the difficulty level

If these rules remain too easy, unthreatening or insufficiently horrific for players or GM, one or more of these tweaks can calibrate the difficulty:[4] 

  1. When the Great Old Ones stir in their sleep, the mortal psyche lies under siege:
    XP may not be used to reroll Intellect tasks.
  2. There is no “luck,” only the inexorable, merciless process of entropy and decay. 
    On a GM Intrusion, d    on’t issue the second XP, which the PC normally “gifts” to another player. Place the extra XP in a “pool” that increments the Horror level,[5] so the minimum roll for a GM Intrusion increases to 2, 3, 4 and so on. This places pressure on players to “mill away” their XP on denying GM Intrusions. Once XP are gone, the PCs are at the mercy of grim, uncaring forces beyond their comprehension.
  3. There are things that humanity was never meant to know: secrets damaging and perilous to the very soul. Each use of an Intellect-based Esotery (or an equivalent Trick of the Trade) increments the Horror level by 1.
  4. Old Ones lend power to their favourites, but is it merely to improve their flavour…?
    On a roll of a natural 1 for an Intellect task, the PC “attracts the eye” of a Great Old One. All further tasks for that game session benefit from one extra Asset. If, however, the PC rolls another natural 1, they are Devoured.
  5. Lower your eyes, lest the sight of Their true form destroy your sanity.
    Many artifacts are sensory organs of the ultradimensional Old Ones. On each use, flip a coin. Heads = no effect. Tails = increment the Horror level by 1.

Michael Barry                                                                          Page  of

[1] Outlined in In Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian Numenera by Monte Cook: MCG.  

[2] These are generally handled through the mechanic of GM Intrusions, with accompanying XP award unless otherwise noted.

[3] Don’t have ventral sphincters? Neither did the PCs, until they tried messing with Nyarlathotep.

[4] Any of these tweaks could be introduced in select circumstances, for specific narrative effect: while inside a cyclopean temple to the Great Old Ones; during ultradimensional travel; during a specific ritual by squamous cultists and their rugose servants; late in the game session to increase pressure on the PCs; or while the PC carries a specific Artifact connected with a nameless, ultradimensional horror...

[5] As outlined in Cypher System Rulebook.