Create Characters
Books & Bullets
Players Guide
Introduction
You belong to a cell of paranormal
investigators. You have glimpsed
unspeakable things that live in the darkness
beyond the light of human understanding,
and yet you still dare to seek them out – to
warn others and perhaps contain or banish
them if it is within your capabilities.
Walter Blackthorne, leader of the Esoteric
Order of Nameless Sensitives (EONS), has
just been found dead – in a locked room and
ravaged as if by a wild beast!
You and your fellow EONS are stunned, and
wondering who may be next!
Character Record:
_________________________________
Name
_________________________________
Style & Calling:
_________________________________
Portrait Your Number
___________
< for Books
 frame the first scene.
> for Bullets
 away – except a player never rolls less than
= Insight
Roll the Dice Insight
Choose a style. No two players may choose
the same style, “draft” them in table order.
When you do something risky, determine
whether the action is governed by Books or
Each die you roll ON your number, gives you
an Insight; you may ask the MM one of the
Devious Coarse Ambitious

Bullets. Then roll 1d6 to find out how it goes.
Roll +1d6 if you are an expert. Roll +1d6 if
following questions and you will get an
honest answer.
Jaded Jovial Flamboyant
 you are prepared.
Menacing Naïve Relentless
 ‣ What is really going on here?
Proper Seductive Skeptical
 Expert: You get this bonus die when the ‣ What happened here recently?
Strict Suave Sympathetic thing you are attempting is directly related
‣ What is about to happen?
to your calling: something you trained to ‣ What should I be on the lookout for?
Choose a calling. No two players may handle.
choose the same calling, “draft” them in ‣ What here is of use or value to me?
reverse table order. Prepared: You have taken time to carefully ‣ Who's really in control here?
set up your action in the fiction. Examples: ‣ What here isn't what it appears to be?
Academic Artist Author 
 you study a specific subject before setting
Athlete Collector Clergyman
 out. You take time to aim before shooting or After hearing the answer, you may change
Detective Doctor Dilettante
 prepare an ambush. You watch a person to your action, then roll again. (Yes, you can
Journalist Lawyer Psychologist
 learn their habits and personality before use this to get out of a bad roll! But you
Policeman Scientist Drifter trying to persuade them to do something must change your action to re-roll the dice.)
for you.
Choose a number from 2 to 5. 

A high number means you are better at The MM has final say on how many dice to
matters of the intellect (Books). A low roll, and whether Books or Bullets governs
number means you are a person of action the action, based on the character and
(Bullets). situation.
Books: reason/logic, knowledge, study, After rolling. Compare each die result to
investigation, culture, persuasion your number and count successes.
Bullets: action, fighting, athletics, guns, For Books you count the dice UNDER your
stamina, passion, intimidation
number. For Bullets count the dice OVER
your number.
Mythos Checks
Characterize Your Cell Regardless of the dice outcome, the MM
Choose an edge. (As a group.) 0 = It goes wrong. The MM says how things may reveal something of the Mythos to you
get worse. – a Lovecraftian supernatural truth – even/
Stylish Wealthy Allies
 especially in response to an Insight
Archives Informants Diverse 1 = You barely manage. The MM adds a
complication, harm, or cost. question. When this happens, you
Choose a weakness. (As a group.) immediately roll 1-5d6 (dictated by the MM
Exposed Indebted Hunted
 2 = You do it well. and based on how mind-shattering the
Cursed Haunted Unpopular 3 = A critical success! You do it superbly; the knowledge is). If any die result is ON your
number, your sanity is rocked and you
Introduce your character. Briefly tell others MM may add a bonus effect. choose two options from fight, flight, or
about your look, reputation, or quirks. (No Dice ON your number have a special effect freeze. The MM selects which one of the two
long backstories!) Specify your calling if it's called Insight. 
 actually happens.
broad in nature. E.g. Academic
(Archaeologist, Linquist…), Artist (Painter, Helping & Hindering
Musician, Sculptor, Dancer, Actor …). You can take an action to try to help or
To begin the mystery, the Mythos Master hinder another's action. Say how you do it
(MM) will ask you some questions and and roll to see if you succeed. If you do, add
a die to that character's next roll or take one
one die! Also, helps and hinders never stack
(1 of each per roll.)

Books & Bullets a Cthulhu adventure game by Ray Otus, Ver. 1.0 text - CC-BY-NC-SA 2019

Books & Bullets
MM’s Guide
Your Agenda
As you follow the character's investigations,
keep the following maxims in your mind.
Ask questions and build on the answers.
Always address the questions to the
characters. “Have any of you ever
encountered the Society of Deep Drinkers
before? What happened?” Or, “Your
company is Indebted; what do you owe and
to whom?” Their answers are true and now
part of the story!
Foreshadow threats. Always show signs of
something bad that is about to happen
before it affects the characters. Then ask the
characters what they do. Example: “When
you pick up the strange artifact there is a
squirming sensation in your brain and the
hairs on your neck stand up. What do you
do?”
Call for a roll when things are risky. Risky
means that not only is failure possible, but
that failure would be interesting and
impactful. The situation always changes after
a roll, for good or ill. There are no “second
tries” until something changes.
Play to find out what happens. Don't pre-
plan outcomes. Be a fan of the characters
when they succeed! Consider letting the
player describe their own success. When
they fail, add something “weird” that makes
the characters' lives more interesting and
dangerous. New mysteries will often
develop from these complications, even/
especially the ones you think up on the fly.
Keep track and try to “connect the dots”
behind the scenes when you can.
Insanity & Death
Characters go insane or die only when
their players choose to. Trust the players to
know when it's time. Discuss it with them
when you feel it's likely. If they aren't ready,
ask them how they survive/stay sane.
There are no cumulative/insanity effects in
these rules beyond the fight, flight, or
freeze reaction. Those should prove “awful”
enough. A panic reaction can lead to a
character being knocked out (or passing
out) and finding themselves alone and lost
hours later.
Physically, the MM can push the characters
to the limit. Inflict complications, harms, or
costs when they fail: dazed, limping,
bleeding, starving, chilled to the bone, etc.
These all “tags” that matter in the fiction. If
you are Bleeding, for instance, you will be
easier to track! Write them on a post it note
and put it near the player if you think you
(or they) might forget.
How Many Mythos Dice?
1d6: an unexplainable incident, apparition,
elder sign scratched on a wall.
 helpful to always be brewing another
2d6: an encounter with inhuman minions,
glancing at an occult tome.
 investigating an established one. At the very
3d6: seeing minor mythos creatures,
studying a tome, casting a spell, glimpsing a
strange or alien landscape
 smoke and vanishes.” (Just when they had
4d6: visiting a strange or alien land.
 the bad guy cornered, right?)
5d6: Seeing a greater mythos creature.
Magic
Characters can cast spells (or use a magic
item) if they find a formula and follow it.
Dabbling with magic always evokes a
Mythos check and a risk roll! (No character
should be an “expert” at it. They can be
“prepared” through rituals.) Failure usually
means some pretty awful backlash. 
 □
Books & Bullets a Cthulhu adventure game by Ray Otus, Ver. 1.0 text - CC-BY-NC-SA 2019
Getting Started
Ask the characters questions about their
headquarters. This gives the players a
chance to ground themselves in the setting.
Example: “Where is the headquarters of
EONS located?” “Is it hidden? If so, how?”
“Name a room, what does it look like?”
“Who is the most unusual member and
why?” “Which member do you often quarrel
with?”
Set a scene around a key to a Mystery. 

Mysteries are a list of keys followed by a
startling outcome. Keys help the
investigators understand what is going on;
the characters will discover/experience
them as they investigate. Keys can be facts,
ominous signs, events, encounters, etc. Keys
in the past are uncovered through research.
Some may never be uncovered. Their order
is often malleable.
For the first session, use the example
Mystery (right): What Happens to Walter
Blackthorne? You can use these to get
started (begin with the key in bold-face
type), but be sure to drop in some weird
things as you play that aren't listed – things
inspired by the fiction that you invent on
the fly or the provided Extra Keys. These will
become the keys of a new Mystery. It's
Mystery while the characters are
least, you can seed the next mystery with a
key like “Dr. Strong turns into a column of
To create your own Mystery, either tie
together random keys with an outcome, or
start with an outcome (e.g. “The EONS are
all transformed into mushroom people by
an infectious spore”) then make a list of keys
to support it. 

What Happened to Walter
Blackthorne?
□ Avisited
professor of linguistics, Dr. Strong,
Walter Blackthorne. (It's in his
appointment book.)
□ They had tea at B's house. The maid saw
Strong leave. When she went to collect
the tea service, she discovered B sleeping
in his chair.
□ A colleague noticed that the back of B's
hair has a missing chunk.
□ S. summoned an invisible stalker using a
lock of B's hair.
□ B's savaged body is discovered.
□ News of the discovery reaches the
EONS at their club. Ask, questions like
“What were you all doing when the news
arrived? How did the news arrive; who
brought it?”
□ S, having gotten B out of the way and
thrown the EONS into disarray, raids B's
office and steals a curious clock. The
characters may know some things about this
clock. Ask them and use their answers.
□ S uses the clock to slip into the
Dreamlands and recruit a group of
ghouls. Is there any way a character would
know it is being used?
□ The ghouls, led by S discover a way into
the hidden (?) headquarters of the EONS
and (try to) wipe them out.

Extra Keys
□ Athestrange patch of mold that glows in
dark is found in the corner of B's
bedroom.
A mute, phantom double of one of the
characters is seen in the clubhouse
reading a particular book.
□ An unexpected meteor shower lights up
the night. Few see it.
 D66 Helpful Words D66 Names D66 Equipment
Books & Bullets Count across (die 1), then down (die 2). Count across (die 1), then down (die 2). Substitute era-appropriate equivalents as
needed.
Adjectives First Names (Male)
Resources Profane Bloated Festering Aaron Benjamin Clark Weapons (1-3), Gear (4-6)
Odious Withered Repulsive Daneil Edgar Franklin Fists Knife Brass Knucks
Technologies by Era Noxious Spectral Mutilated Gary Harry Isaac Club Garrote Broken Bottle
1890s: The Gaslight Era Diseased Infected Inhuman Jack Kirby Luther Pistol Rifle Machine Gun
Depraved Ghastly Amorphous Maxwell Nathaniel Oliver Axe Grenade Elephant Gun
‣ Transportation: train (coal powered), Unclean Obscene Liquefied Patrick Quinn Randolph Blowgun Poison Sword-cane
steamship, horse and buggy, Spear Special* Bolas/Sling
‣ Communication: telegraph, letters, Gelatinous Fiendish Moldering Stuart Theodore Vernon
courier Putrid Mutilated Hideous Willis Xavier Zane Lantern Bicycle Boat
Vast Leprous Malignant Erasmaus Alexander Barnaby Caleb Rope Shovel Mirror
‣ Research: public/private libraries, expert Bloated Cyclopean Congealed Miles Spencer Pick Axe Lock Picks Goggles
consultation, museums, personal Squamous Perverse Degenerate Lance Jesse Preston Car Truck Radio
laboratories Adam Barry Clive Chalk Matches Field Guide
Fibrous Leprous Deformed
1920s: The Roaring 20s Dog Poncho Climbing Gear
Places First Names (Female)
‣ Transportation: diesel train, diesel ship, Audrey Barbara Caroline * A hard-to-find item, like a flame-thrower, gas-
private automobile, bus, prop plane
 Altar Island Tunnel
Communication: telegraph, letters, Iron Door Swamp Cemetery Delia Elizabeth Faith bomb, or weaponized germ.
telephone and short wave radio, courier Garrett Canyon Catacomb Hannah Isabel Judith
Basement Cave Church Lucilia Margaret Nancy
‣ Research: public/private libraries, expert Mound Tundra Pyramid Olivia Phoebe Rosalind
consultation, museums, personal/private Samantha Tabitha Virginia
laboratories Beach Desert Hotel/Lodge
1950s: The Cold-War Era Grotto Forest Mausoleum Alice Dorothy Lilly
Quarry Mountain Obelisk Molly Nancy Polly
‣ Transportation: diesel train, gas turbine Pier Jungle Palace Rachel Catherine Pamela
ship, private plane, jet airlines, private Ellenor Constance Deborah
automobile, bus Labyrinth Ocean Temple
Shrine Lake/River Statue Emilia Josephine Mabel
‣ Communication: telephone, radio, letters, Well Volcano Train Station Melanie Agnes Zenobia
telegram Sources of Inspiration
‣ Research: public/private libraries, expert People & Objects Surnames ‣ Lasers & Feelings by John Harper (core)
consultation, museums, private Amulet Bone Alchemist Hunter Gibson Jackson ‣ Lady Blackbird by John Harper (idea for a
laboratories, microfilm archives (1938) Tome Crystal Ball Astrologer Justice Osborne O'Grady fixed starting scenario)
Casket Pentagram Astronomer Morris Hopkins Nichols ‣ Teachers & Tentacles by Vincent Howard et
Present Day: The Modern Era Pierce Reynolds Frazer al. (resource lists)
Coin/Gem Casket Coroner
‣ Transportation: private auto, taxi, bus, jet Circlet Crown Cultist Godfrey Carter Armstrong ‣ Dungeon World by Sage LaTorra & Adam
airliner Instrument Clock Ghoul Brooks Marlowe Brown Koebel (insight questions)
‣ The Everyone Everywhere List by Erik James
‣ Communication: cell phone, email, snail Figurine Dagger Mortician Chambers Baldwin Goodwin Olsrud (names)
mail Trunk Necklace Psychic/Seer Hammer Overstreet Rockford ‣ Maze Rats by Ben Milton (d66 table
‣ Research: Internet, public library, special / Portrait Sigil/Rune Secret Society Stone Wheeler Crutchfield structure)
private collections, expert consultation, Vermin Tablet Shaman Woods Young Robbins ‣ Unknown Armies by Greg Stolze (fight,
private consultation firms, public/private Ring Tarot/Cards Skeleton Peabody Prince Morgan flight, freeze reactions)
laboratories Statue Staff/Rod Zombie
 Ripley Rogers McClintock
 ‣ Art © William McAusland, used w/perm.
‣ Find more games by Ray Otus at
www.jellysaw.com.
Books & Bullets a Cthulhu adventure game by Ray Otus, Ver. 1.0 text - CC-BY-NC-SA 2019