PULP CTHULHU: How to Play 3 - Actual Play Pt 2: Madness is just a failed roll away

2026-02-16

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Nothing says "pulp adventure" like pouring jet fuel into a moving car, chasing Nazis across the desert, watching a monocle explode off someone's face, and then accidentally triggering sanity-shattering cosmic horror before lunch. In this episode of the RPGBOT.Pulp Cthulhu Actual Play, Murray and Bjorn demonstrate that reckless engineering is a valid transportation strategy, grenades are a valid diplomatic strategy, and sprinting deeper into an ancient tomb filled with acid traps and reptilian nightmare monsters is apparently the safest plan available. If you've ever wondered how long it takes before someone loses their mind, their jet fuel, or their grip on...

In this episode of the RPGBOT.Pulp Cthulhu Actual Play, Murray and Bjorn demonstrate that reckless engineering is a valid transportation strategy, grenades are a valid diplomatic strategy, and sprinting deeper into an ancient tomb filled with acid traps and reptilian nightmare monsters is apparently the safest plan available.

If you've ever wondered how long it takes before someone loses their mind, their jet fuel, or their grip on reality — the answer is: about one car chase and a sandstorm. Buckle up.

Show Notes

Picking up from the escape sequence, the cast dives immediately into cinematic pulp chaos as the party chases their enemies across the desert in identical vehicles. The Keeper introduces chase mechanics, and Randall immediately weaponizes poor decision-making by injecting aerosolized jet fuel into the engine — a maneuver that miraculously succeeds and rockets the car forward. The pursuit becomes a back-and-forth exchange of hazards: dunes, quicksand, chasms, and barriers, all resolved through skill checks and player improvisation.

The action escalates when the villains retaliate with occult spectacle. Scarlet Arachnus summons a supernatural sandstorm, forcing sanity checks as the players witness magic in action. The chase culminates in explosive pulp heroics — Tyler uses telekinesis to lob a grenade, annihilating an enemy squad and their fancy monocled leader in one cinematic blast.

Despite the victory, Arachnus escapes toward a ritual site where her artifact awakens a buried desert city. The party follows into ruins that transition the tone from swashbuckling action to creeping cosmic dread. Exploration brings environmental puzzles and traps — light-reflection mechanisms, directional pedestals, acid-spraying carvings — that showcase investigative gameplay and collaborative deduction.

Inside the tomb, tension mounts. Evidence of cult activity, sacrificial imagery, and partially dissolved remains reinforce the setting's horror roots. Soon the players encounter reptilian hybrid creatures resembling carved murals, triggering sanity rolls and frantic combat. Explosives thin the swarm but destabilize the chamber, forcing a desperate escape deeper into the complex.

The episode closes on a classic cliffhanger: Arachnus prepares a ritual invoking cosmic forces as a forbidden tome levitates, mutates her followers into grotesque forms, and tears reality itself. The party arrives just in time to witness the ritual beginning — and the session ends on that looming confrontation.

The overall tone blends humor, pulp action tropes, and creeping Mythos horror, demonstrating how Actual Play showcases system mechanics organically — from chases and sanity to puzzle-solving and narrative escalation.

Key Takeaways

Pulp Cthulhu chase mechanics emphasize cinematic momentum and risk/reward decision making.
Player creativity (even reckless creativity) drives memorable moments and story direction.
Sanity checks reinforce tone shifts when supernatural elements emerge.
Explosives and improvisation can resolve encounters — but often create new problems.
Environmental puzzles highlight investigation and teamwork over pure combat.
Mythos horror escalates gradually through imagery, traps, and creature reveals.
Narrative pacing uses alternating action and exploration to maintain tension.
Cliffhangers remain an effective session-ending tool for serialized Actual Play.

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Meet the Hosts

Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.
Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.
Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.