MUP Episode 161 – Investigators From Away

This episode, Chad and Jon join Edwin, one of our fastidious audio editors and a podcaster in his own right, to talk about player-characters in horror games, who they usually are, how we might rethink the casting, and the whole “outsider” nature of protagonists in horror. This episode was recorded on November 16, 2018.

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Campus Crier

The Cult of Chaos Convention Scenario Competition 2019 has been announced and...according to the announcement, “With Call of Cthulhu already covered, we can turn our eyes to the other major roleplaying game that Chaosium publishes, RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha.”

Mike Mason announced through social media that several special Call of Cthulhu adventures are available for free on Chaosium’s website. Along with the introductory solo scenario, Alone Against the Flames, Keepers can also download The Dead Boarder - Extended Demo Scenario (by Todd Gardiner with Mike Mason), What’s in the Cellar - One Hour Demo Scenario (by Jon Hook), and Camp Sunny - Convention Scenario (by Paul Fricker with Mike Mason based on an idea by Keary Birch).

Terror Australis is available to purchase now on the Chaosium website.

Feedback

Greetings Keepers! I am an avid listener to your fantastic podcast, and had written previously, as a new keeper about questions regarding how to run The Haunting. While that was nearly a year ago, my group still meets every Saturday to play Call of Cthulhu, or Delta Green and we are having a blast! We are also planning on transitioning our C.O.C. campaign to Pulp Cthulhu, by the requests of my intrepid investigators. In our Cthulhu campaign, I have introduced them to some famous Lovecraftian characters (Jackson Elias,etc…), taken them through many of the classic Lovecraftian locations, and now plan on taking them to Innsmouth, running the classic C.O.C adventure Escape from Innsmouth / Raid on Innsmouth. My question to you guys, do you think the second part of the adventure, Raid on Innsmouth can be converted successfully into a Pulp Cthulhu adventure? Or should it stay traditional to the standard Cthulhu ruleset? My reasoning? Well, I was also planning on transitioning into the new “Pulp” converted Masks of Nyarlathotep, after introducing them to Jackson Elias in previous investigations, and thought running Raid on Innsmouth as pulp would help the jump from traditional Cthulu to Pulp Cthulhu. Am I over thinking this? I would love your input to my minor dilemma. Keep up the fantastic work gentlemen! P.S. I was curious why you reference Miskatonic University’s mascot by saying “Go Pods?” when in Chaosium’s Miskatonic University Dire Secrets & Campus Life resource book on page 18 notes their mascot as a badger? - Keeper Michael

(Listen to the show for answers on all of this, but look here for info on how the "Go Pods" thing started.)

Topic

The topic is representation in horror RPGs, examining and challenging the default assumption that investigators should usually be Westerners. We also talk about the trope of PCs being "outsiders" or "fish out of water" in any given setting,