Laurium, Gateway to the Hidden Wars

One remote town is uniquely situated on the precarious divide between the controlled holdings of the Roman Empire and the wild lands of Germania: the frontier town of Laurium. Far from the Eternal City, though governed by a magistrate who speaks with the authority of Roman law and protected by the soldiers of the I Minerva Legion, Laurium is more exposed and vulnerable than most of its residents believe. The town’s sizable population of Germanic natives includes many who resent Rome’s occupation, some of whom meet in secret to foment rebellion. But this simmering turmoil is only one of the more obvious problems here.

Other hidden forces—far more sinister—threaten all who live in Laurium, be they Roman, German, or from other cultures that have come to this place from afar. The lands near Laurium hide many secrets, including a rising swell of Mythos forces eager to corrupt this town. Dark cults lurk both within and outside its palisade walls, serving forgotten and malevolent gods whose goals imperil all of humanity. The few mortal groups knowledgeable enough to oppose such enemies also hide in Laurium, pretending to live ordinary lives while secretly locked in the Hidden Wars.

This 152-page supplement includes a wealth of adventure opportunities and information for Cohors Cthulhu gamemasters running campaigns centering on the Roman-occupied town of Laurium. This PDF includes detailed information and profiles on many of the most significant NPCs living in and near Laurium, an Otium rules system for handling downtime activity between major adventures, and seven self-contained adventures either set within or near the town of Laurium:

• “Vigilia,” written by Harrison J. Chadd and Dave Semark, features an investigation into a child-abduction ring that reveals a greater plot to empower the Outer God, Mormo.
• “The Silent Mine,” written by Tyler Omichinski, is a story where a newly built silver and gold mine conceals the machinations of Mi-Go north of the town.
• “Fabled Herbs,” written by Jeff Provine, sees a deceptive sect of cultists attempt to corrupt Laurium by enthralling its leaders through the use of an insidious herb.
• “The Amber God,” written by Cat Evans, is set in a prosperous amber mine which brings considerable wealth to Laurium, but where a powerful Mythos entity has long been entombed.
• “Artifact From the East,” written by Mari Tokuda, features the visitation to Laurium by mystics from lands far to the east of Rome, who intend to use an Atlantean artifact to advance the goals of the Outer Gods.
• “Under a Menacing Moon,” written by Simon Kaye and Selena Gray, follows the disappearance of a Roman centurion that reveals a sinister Mythos creature that menaces nearby villages.
• “Find the Witch,” written by Paul L. Mathews, where a clash between mystics in Laurium reveals the threat of a Deep Ones invasion of the town—one that imperils all who live there.