Cohors Cthulhu tabletop RPG brings cosmic horror to the Roman Empire

British publisher Modiphius Entertainment is expanding the world of its flagship tabletop role-playing game Achtung! Cthulhu by bringing the Lovecraftian mythos from the battlefields of World War II to the height of the Roman Empire. The publisher plans to launch Cohors Cthulhu in early 2023, providing rules for Roman legions and Germanic tribes to clash with each other — and with horrors from beyond the stars.

“I’ve loved movies about Roman times since I was a kid, from the classic Spartacus to the more recent Gladiator, Barbarians on Netflix, and Centurion,” said Modiphius founder and CEO Chris Birch. “I think Rome is in our blood if you grew up in Europe. You look around and really so much of our everyday life is based on ancient Rome, and there’s something that appeals about the final days of the empire.”

The first Cohors Cthulhu publication is set in Laurium, the Roman frontier town in Northern Europe. It’s surrounded by dense forests and a walled fort. Vagabonds gather in its smoky taverns to share stories about haunted forests, terrifying creatures, and strange ruins. The game will be divided into a RPG using the same 2d20 system as Achtung! Cthulhu is a story-based wargame. Players can play alone or together against fearsome Lovecraftian forces.

“The wargame itself is set during a huge conflagration, as mythos-backed forces wreak havoc along the Roman border in a plot to destroy the empire,” Birch said. Birch said that the RPG was set months earlier than this. Dark clouds hover over the empire and you will see a mixture of adventure, action and social encounters. We envisage some groups playing out the stories of brave Roman legions fighting on the frontiers, others pursuing devious cults in the backstreets of town, balancing political ideals and the needs of your people with nobles or simple dungeon crawls in ancient ruins.”

Modiphius will be supporting the release with a complete miniatures line, 3D printable miniature designs, a Cohors Cthulhu novel, and an anthology of short stories featuring signature characters from the game. Publisher is looking at television and video game licensing options.

The primary plot of the Cohors games involves the myths of Atlantis and Hyperborea, following a priestess who has roamed the universe for millions of years influencing the development of various human civilizations in her quest to destroy the Outer Gods. That arc will link Cohors Cthulhu to Achtung! Cthulhu, which established a precedent for heroes jumping through time with the Shadows of Atlantis campaign.

“It’s quite possible your [Achtung! Cthulhu] heroes might find themselves facing the Roman Empire, or vice versa, your Cohors Cthulhu heroes could be dropped into the chaos of World War II,” Birch said. “We always envisioned Achtung! Cthulhu is part of an ongoing storyline in which heroes from all ages wage a secret battle against the old gods. Cohors Cthulhu “This is the next step to bring that universe to life, and it opens up new possibilities for players to play and create amazing stories that span all of human history.”

As in Achtung! Cthulhu, Cohors Cthulhu characters will be built using archetypes like mystic, scoundrel, or warrior, paired with backgrounds such as merchant, politician, or nomad. Players can build characters who are part of an ancient Atlantean bloodline or have closer ties to the Cthulhu mythos, but you won’t actually be able to play on the side of the Outer Gods.

” I like small-scale heroes who rise above the storm to take on bigger-than-life companies,” Birch stated. “It’s something you see time and again in the real world, from wars to legal battles against big business. The best parts of the Cthulhu mythos have been adapted to our world. It’s not just a world where all hope is pointless and you’re destined to die, but where tiny actions can have consequences across the cosmos. A group of heroic heroes could endanger the existence of age-old creatures. They must still fight and sacrifice, but hope is inextricably mixed in with our story, and your sacrifice is on your terms.”

Birch stated that he created the first Cohors Cthulhu game for Germania. This was to create the feeling of classic fantasy stories. The characters live in small towns in the middle, and have to explore the area. But he plans to expand the game (which is set around A.D. 160-180 during the age of Marcus Aurelius) to other sections of the Roman Empire, including Egypt, Britannia, and the Eternal City of Rome itself. Every area will also see the influence of the Outer Gods, and heroes will need to fight them with powerful magic, ancient lost technology, and eldritch powers.

Modiphius is looking to hire a diverse group of writers to help bring the Roman world’s numerous cultures to life, so it’s making an open call for writers. Anyone with knowledge of the Roman era and a specific culture are invited to send their role-playing writing resume to support@modiphius.com to apply to join the creative team.

“Rome can be seen through rose-tinted glasses,” Birch said. Birch said that many people were treated terribly by them, and it was crucial to allow players from different cultures to play. Sworn enemies will need to come together when confronted with the terrible cosmic terror unleashed upon the peoples in the ancient world.”