Sep 4, 2017 6:49 am
Taken from CoC 7th Ed.
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Becoming a Believer
An investigator who comes face-to-face with a deep one or a ghoul has an experience that leaves no option but to believe in
the cosmic horror of the Cthulhu Mythos. However, reading the Cultes des Goules while safe in an apartment with the lights
on, the reader might dismiss the contents as a work of fantasy.
This is the player’s prerogative, but disbelief has it perils.
Whether one believes what is read or not, the knowledge is still absorbed. If the character chooses not to believe what
is read then the Cthulhu Mythos knowledge granted by the book is added to the investigator’s skill and maximum
Sanity points are reduced by the corresponding amount, but no Sanity points are lost. In this way an investigator can accumulate considerable knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos without losing any Sanity points at all. However, when encountering evidence of the Mythos firsthand, the investigator will realize that those accursed books held the truth! At that point the investigator becomes a believer and immediately loses Sanity points equal to his or her present Cthulhu Mythos score.
Keepers may be relieved that this requires little bookkeeping on their part. The player records their investigator’s gain of Cthulhu Mythos skill as normal and it is that value that is deducted from their Sanity points when becoming a believer.
An investigator can choose to remain a nonbeliever until forced to lose Sanity points for encountering the Mythos firsthand. Viewing human corpses or torture may cause Sanity point loss, but such loss does not lead to belief in the Mythos.
A nonbeliever may read Mythos books and learn (but not cast) spells. Firsthand experience of the Mythos always calls for a Sanity roll, and the loss of one or more of Sanity points compel an investigator to believe in the Cthulhu Mythos therea er. However, even some firsthand experiences may not convince a disbeliever; if a Sanity roll is passed for encountering a deep one (SAN 0/1D6) no Sanity points are lost and, as such, an investigator might remain a nonbeliever,
perhaps rationalizing the creature as Earthly human mutation.
However, meeting a clearly unearthly being or a manifestation of one of the gods of the Mythos will always be enough to rip
through the façade of the investigator’s beliefs.
An investigator can become a believer at any point the player wishes (and take the Sanity point loss).
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Becoming a Believer
An investigator who comes face-to-face with a deep one or a ghoul has an experience that leaves no option but to believe in
the cosmic horror of the Cthulhu Mythos. However, reading the Cultes des Goules while safe in an apartment with the lights
on, the reader might dismiss the contents as a work of fantasy.
This is the player’s prerogative, but disbelief has it perils.
Whether one believes what is read or not, the knowledge is still absorbed. If the character chooses not to believe what
is read then the Cthulhu Mythos knowledge granted by the book is added to the investigator’s skill and maximum
Sanity points are reduced by the corresponding amount, but no Sanity points are lost. In this way an investigator can accumulate considerable knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos without losing any Sanity points at all. However, when encountering evidence of the Mythos firsthand, the investigator will realize that those accursed books held the truth! At that point the investigator becomes a believer and immediately loses Sanity points equal to his or her present Cthulhu Mythos score.
Keepers may be relieved that this requires little bookkeeping on their part. The player records their investigator’s gain of Cthulhu Mythos skill as normal and it is that value that is deducted from their Sanity points when becoming a believer.
An investigator can choose to remain a nonbeliever until forced to lose Sanity points for encountering the Mythos firsthand. Viewing human corpses or torture may cause Sanity point loss, but such loss does not lead to belief in the Mythos.
A nonbeliever may read Mythos books and learn (but not cast) spells. Firsthand experience of the Mythos always calls for a Sanity roll, and the loss of one or more of Sanity points compel an investigator to believe in the Cthulhu Mythos therea er. However, even some firsthand experiences may not convince a disbeliever; if a Sanity roll is passed for encountering a deep one (SAN 0/1D6) no Sanity points are lost and, as such, an investigator might remain a nonbeliever,
perhaps rationalizing the creature as Earthly human mutation.
However, meeting a clearly unearthly being or a manifestation of one of the gods of the Mythos will always be enough to rip
through the façade of the investigator’s beliefs.
An investigator can become a believer at any point the player wishes (and take the Sanity point loss).
