Now that we have discussed the Mythos as it applies to the universe, perhaps you think you’re ready to meet one of these beings in person?
Not so fast. Think of a summoning ritual like baking a cake. A really weird, amazing cake. You gather the ingredients - some of which are almost impossible to find, by the way... and as long as the environment is right and you follow the instructions to the letter, you get your cake. If not… well, no one gets cake and everyone is sad. Or dead.
The instructions below aren’t exactly “rules”, but more of a set of guidelines, designed to illustrate exactly how hard - though not impossible - it would be to successfully summon an Old One or a God of any classification.
Find The Recipe
First, you’re going to need a very specific set of instructions, known as the Necronomicon. According to Lovecraft, there are only a few copies in existence in the world. Most are under lock and key by people who really, really don’t want to witness the end of the world. You may have to kill some people to get your hands on a copy.
Learn the Recipe
When you find the Necronomicon, there’s a 100% chance that it’s not written in your language. Or any language known to more than a handful of people in existence. You’re probably going to spend years tracing origins and translating the words with precision. Because remember, you have to get the ritual correct - no mistakes, or it’s going to go horrifically wrong. Oh - and you’re probably going to be pushed to insanity in the process. Remember what Lovecraft said - the human mind can’t maintain both more truth and complete sanity - more of one poured in must push out more of the other.
Find Your Fellow Cultists
There are followers all over the world, and you are definitely going to need their help in calling that Old One. It’s a big task, requiring lots of hands in the kitchen, and you’re going to need all the help you can get. Who better to trust… or sacrifice?
Worshiping Your Chosen Deity
Before you can even hope to summon a deity, you’re going to have to practice, and also prove your worth. And since the proper conditions are probably years and years away, you’re going to have time to practice. This is probably a good time to mention that the ability to summon an Old One might not come around in your lifetime, but you’ll want to pass down what you’ve learned so those that come after you can continue your work.
No Advertising
You’re going to want to keep this a secret, no doubt about it. Remember those people you had to kill to get the Necronomicon? They were most likely members of a secret organization who’d love nothing more than to stop you before you cause the universe to crash in on our planet. Additionally, remember that not all your potential enemies are of this world. The Old Ones who created life on this planet waged a war against the spawn of Cthulhu in the ages before mankind crawled out of the primordial soup. There’s a really good chance that they’ll try and intervene - unless the rituals are attempted in secret.
Perfect Timing
This is probably the easiest part… even if it means you’ll wait an entire lifetime, or even two lifetimes. You’re going to need to wait until the stars form the Eldritch patterns as described in your copy of the Necronomicon. How will you know when the time is right? Everyone will start having nightmares.
Bake That Cake
Now you’re ready to perform the ritual! You’ll be surrounded by summoning circles and candles, your Necronomicon, a pretty impressive sacrifice, and whatever else is required per your book. And again… YOU HAVE ONE SHOT AT GETTING IT RIGHT. You’ll know you’ve succeeded if the ritual leaves you near death, or close to insanity. But look at the bright side - you’ve got the attention of an Old One, and if you’ve done everything right, they just might give you whatever it is you’ve asked for! Just be prepared for the horrible consequences.
Serving That Cake in Wailing Rock
So now you’re probably wondering… what does that mean for my character in Wailing Rock? Well, it means that you’re going to be doing a lot of writing to get to a point where your character is ready to attempt such a thing. Think of it as a life that’s dedicated to a particular Old One or God. Or in our case, a summoning will be the product of several events that lead up to this one opportunity in the cosmos.
It also means that you need to do some homework and look to the stars for an appropriate time and place to perform such a feat. In this case… your stars come in the form of Sim Support! While it’s perfectly fine to worship and go through the motions, such a large feat as an actual summoning should be coordinated with Sim Support. Because trust me - if you get an Elder God here, it’s not going to remain a secret, and not everyone is going to live.
And to reiterate - YOU GET ONE SHOT AT THIS. You get one chance to successfully roll a 75+ to Summon. If you succeed, you get a God. If you fail… Sim Support will ask you to roll for effect. You will definitely suffer some IC consequences!
Best of Luck!