Reddit reviews Realms of Cthulhu (REB20001, Savage Worlds)

To answer your questions in order:

What do you need to get started?

Depends upon the system, but most require a couple players(3 friends works best for me) a GM, a set of dice, character sheets (most systems have character sheet PDF's you can print out, just google "SYSTEM-NAME character sheet"), pencils and snacks.

optionally: coins, poker chips, maps and mini's can be useful depending upon the system.

Start by choosing a system, getting the book, and following directions on what you need. Once you're started, if you want to invest more into your game, invest more.

How is a roleplaying game generally set up?

Several players and a GM gather around a table. The GM plays the part of NPC's and gives detail regarding the scene's they're in. The players tell the GM what they'd like to do, and the GM officiates. If the action the players want to make is easy, they generally avoid rolling dice, if it's difficult, the GM determines a target number that has to be beaten, and the players roll. Each system has their own method of determining difficulty.

I've heard you need sort of a game master, how does this work? Is this guy allowed to participate? Is it fun being a game master?

See question 2 for most of this information. The GM participates quite a bit, by setting the scene, playing the part of NPC's and providing a fun story for the players. The key is to keep the players involved, and the story moving. When running a game with new players, keep their motivation and goals very clear. It is very fun and rewarding to play as GM, especially as your games evolve and you see your players enjoy the game you setup.

What would be a good non-fantasy style RPG? Preferably horror or Sci-Fi; after a few plays of Arkham Horror which piqued my interest in that universe I think Lovecraft-style horror would be the best. Or possibly some kind of post-apocalyptic science fiction (taking place on earth).

For a horror game, I'd suggest something like Trail of Cthulhu, it uses the GUMSHOE system which has gotten some great reviews. With Call of Cthulhu often times there is a possibility that the players might get stuck or lose an important opportunity to find a clue, based upon a bad roll. ToC sidetracks this with their system quite well. Heads up, most Lovecraftian based RPG's have a high mortality rate which may be overwhelming for new players.

For a Sci-Fi based game, I'd recommend trying something like Savage Worlds. It has a generic setting, which means you can use it's rules to fit into any setting you like with a little adjustment. It also has the easiest learning curve I've encountered, and works great for new players. From there, you can either design your own setting, or use something like Savage Fallout:. If you want to use Savage Worlds rules for your horror game, try Realm of Cthulhu. It's a great supplement for SW, and works pretty well.

Realms of Cthulhu

For posterity, I found it.

http://www.amazon.com/Realms-Cthulhu-REB20001-Savage-Worlds/dp/0981987443