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It’s Roman and Germanic Heroes vs. The Great Old Ones in Modiphius’ Cohors Cthulhu

Cohors Cthulhu

Modiphius Entertainment has announced a brand new range of tabletop games for its flagship IP “Against the God Themselves”: Cohors Cthulhu. This new cinematic tabletop RPG, narrative co-operative wargame, fiction line, and miniatures range is set in the same universe as the successful Achtung! Cthulhu 2D20 RPG, and expands upon it, this time introducing adventurers to an era of daring gladiators, valiant centurions, and brave Germanic heroes.

Cohors Cthulhu details a secret war being fought on the fringes of the Roman Empire. Far up on the Northern border, Romans and Germanic tribes clash in the dark and forbidden forests that cover these lands. Soon, however, they’ll have to band together to stem the invading forces of an insidious cult and its swarm of abhorrent creatures from the deep cosmos. Modiphius has assembled a rockstar creative team led by Modiphius’ Chief Creative Officer Chris Birch, including Lead Writer Douglas Seacat, RPG Lead Writer Matt Goetz, authors John Houlihan and Nick Brown, Modiphius 2d20 Developer Nathan Dowdell, and artists including Bjorn Barends and Phroilan Gardner

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”

 — Marcus Aurelius (Roman Emperor A.D. 161-180 A.D)

Cohors Cthulhu puts players on the front lines of the known world in the 2nd century, using fire, steel, and ancient technology to fight Eldritch horrors!

The first major release for the Cohors Cthulhu roleplaying game will drop players into the Roman frontier town of Laurium, the archetypal walled fort that sits on the border between civilization and the mysterious, foreboding lands. Smoky taverns filled with dangerous vagabonds swirl with gossip and whispers of terrifying creatures, strange ruins, and haunted forests in 2nd century Northern Europe. Barbaric Germanic tribesmen prowl the thick woodland, but are they the only thing the Romans should be worried about? And how do these events relate to ancient Atlantis and the colossal war that would tear Europe apart two millennia in the future?

Modiphius Entertainment has multiple projects planned for this universe, including:

  • A cinematic RPG driven by the 2d20 system also seen in Modiphius’ Dune, Star Trek, Dishonored, and Fallout roleplaying games. This is based on the Achtung! Cthulhu edition of 2d20 and will feature new systems to help groups start playing the moment they open the book. 
  • A narrative wargame designed from the ground up to be playable solo and cooperatively. The game will also get you on the table playing from page 1, while a campaign will unveil the full story of this epic secret war. 
  • A complete miniatures line scaled for 28mm to be compatible with other major historical lines will provide plenty of heroes, creatures, and strange factions battling for the ancient world. 
  • A fiction series including a complete COHORS CTHULHU novel and an anthology of short stories following the exploits of a host of key characters seen throughout the products.

Key Features of COHORS CTHULHU

  • Et Tu, Cthulhu?: A rich setting based in real history, real locations, and real cultures meets the fantastical mythology inspired by H.P. Lovecraft 
  • Explore, Investigate, Interact: Fight deep in the misty forests, on foundering galleys, explore dangerous Atlantean ruins, or run the gauntlet of Roman society as you uncover vast conspiracies and contend with ancient mysteries that threaten the fabric of the universe itself!
  • 2-Tali-20: Modiphius’ patented 2d20 in-house tabletop roleplaying game system keeps gameplay smooth and the cinematic action rolling with an innovative set of narrative-driven rules and mechanics
  • By Spear or Gladius: Whether players prefer the strict discipline and rigid organization of the Legions or the wild bravery and berserker brutality of the many tribes throughout the empire, they’ll need to work together to defeat a sinister cult and its mythos allies. 
  • Unreality Beckons: Tap into powerful magics, ancient lost technologies, and eldritch powers – the heroes will need to draw on many resources to help them hold out versus the vast cosmic forces arrayed against them. 
  • The Empire Must Expand: Major setting expansions will follow the stories of the ever-growing threat of the Outer Gods as they infect other parts of the Roman Empire like Brittania, Aegyptus, Byzantine, and the Eternal City of Rome herself.