[Atomic Robo] Miskatonic Incorporated - Recruiting/OOC

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [Atomic Robo] Miskatonic Incorporated - Recruiting/OOC

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

This is now an OOC thread - no longer accepting applicants.

Lovecraft was right. Except not really. Sure, he got the bit about horrible bat-winged fungus monsters descending from space, but he didn�t anticipate their initial message being a worldwide text message of �Hello!!!!� followed by a flurry of emoticons and garbled Engrish.

Since then, things have gotten weird, in a good way. The Deep Ones are coming from the ocean and proving that what you knew about the cavemen was wrong, and that gills are rad. The Mi-Go might not be a riot at parties, but they are the smartest guys this side of the supermassive black hole. And oh look, the lost continent of Mu has risen from the ocean, and it�s full of pyramids and golems. Tech has advanced, healthcare is free and easy, and everyone�s a party animal. Leaps in technological understanding has blurred science into magic, made giant robots a reality and made anyone who can afford it a physical paragon. It�s a good time for humanity, especially if you�re rich.

Of course, it�s not all fun and games. The Dread Cthulhu has decided that organized crime is a better racket than being rammed by boats. Nyarlathotep is, as always, a capricious rear end in a top hat with plenty of time for screwing things over for the fun of it. The Elder Things are very keen that these little squeaking things get off their lawn so they can go back to building huge cities. And, of course, there�s the cults and madmen and those who will not just pause for one second and think about what they�re doing with the spellbook.

That�s where you come in.

Miskatonic Inc exists for two reasons - to research the hell out of all of this weird occult poo poo that has transformed our knowledge of the cosmos, and to beat the hell out of anything that threatens the world. Teams of talented individuals from all backgrounds and walks of life are brought together to solve mysteries, fight cults, and prevent the world from being blown up. It�s a tough gig, but nobody else has got the chops to do it but you.

Besides, it�ll probably be fun!

---

MISKATONIC INC is an Atomic Robo RPG game that takes place not in the default setting, but in a very light Cthulhutech-esque setting inspired by Ettin's Nyarlathotech games. It turns out that some of the gribbly space monsters from Lovecraft's writings are in fact friendly, and their contributions have helped humanity advance into a cyberpunk fan�s wildest dream. The player characters work for Miskatonic Incorporated, a security and research firm that seeks to both understand the weird science-magic of the Elder Races and deal with threats that seek to use that science-magic for nefarious purposes.

The tone of this game is to be light-hearted, with none of the doom and gloom of Cthulhutech. Making fun of Lovecraft�s fondness for pudding monsters is highly encouraged. Being anime as gently caress is not compulsory but also highly encouraged. Things are gonna get gonzo from time to time. Things may also get a bit dark from time to time, as they will do when unfeeling monsters from the cold blackness of the unknown get involved. But mostly the game will have you flip off the Yellow King whilst doing a sweet kickflip off a Shoggoth�s face and hacking the universe with some runes you borrowed from your Deep One buddy. The weird not-magic of the Mythos makes the Atomic Robo system perfect for bullshitting explanations and brainstorming/inventing.

_{This will be you, probably!}

I�m looking for 3-5 players to take part in investigations, combat and hijinks across the globe! Whilst there�s no limits on what kind of character you can make, I encourage you to try and make things with some kind of superhuman element, and mess with the custom Modes, Skills and Stunts in order to get some cool and interesting characters out of it. Miskatonic Inc cannot afford to be discriminatory with its hiring practices, so be colorful! If anyone has trouble with character creation, or wants to play but can�t afford a copy of the rules, I�m happy to lend a hand.

Signup deadline is by the 15th November, at 3pm Central Time. I can extend this by a day or two if people want more time to enter, but no more than that!

Join us on #SADeepOnes on SynIRC for live chatting about fishmen and jacking in, and fishmen jacking in.

The Deleter fucked around with this message at 22:45 on Nov 17, 2014

# ¿ Nov 10, 2014 12:56

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 18:11

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Setting notes and FAQs

Yes I have been reading Ettin�s Nyarlathotech games. You should read them too!

Generally, the world is semi-cyberpunk in feel. Lots of shiny black and neon red. People dress in stuff found in the �scissors and paint� department of the mall, or spend honking wads of cash on tailored designs. Everyone�s Kamina shades has access to the internet and a pile of functions and resources. Most contemporary diseases have been solved, which is thankful because there may be a few nasty extraterrestrial ones going around. The meals of the day are very fast food, the Mu Cuisine Restaurant a few blocks down, or something that tastes like mom's homemade chicken (but not quite). Cybernetic implants are the new trend, and body-modding is coming into it�s own.

There are four big species that currently hang out on our big blue planet;

� Humans. Us. Silly hairless monkeys with a knack for trouble.
� Deep Ones. Amphibious fishmen in atlantic and tropical flavours, chill as hell.
� Mi-Go. Crab people from the stars. Biology superstars and huge dorks.
� Mu. Multi-coloured robot people from the sunken continent of Mu. Beep boop, sucker.

However, there�s plenty more where they came from! You can be a talking cat, a giant penguin, a mecha pilot, a tiny talking cube-bot - the weirder, the better.

Creepy Bits

No creepy bits!

Magic of the Elder Races

There are branches of science so advanced that they basically look like magic. Whilst few of the principles are truly understood, enough guesswork and experimentation has created a system whereby those with the time and inclination can alter the fabric of reality in various ways. From hurling fireballs and turning soil to quicksand, to subjecting a kaiju to the square-cube law, to planting subliminal images in adverts telling your ex to go gently caress himself - it�s all there at your fingertips.

Mechanically, Magic-science is treated as part of Science from the base Atomic Robo game. Anybody who has a Science mode can conceivably interact with the strange practices and laws, provided it falls within a related field of study. Characters who are customizing their Modes and Skills can get a bit more hands-on with the whole runes and lightning deal, by specifying areas of Magic-science they�re good at, or by creating magical skills that have different applications.

Investigations and Rituals

Mechanically, brainstorms and inventions work as normal. However, due to the different setting, their context may occasionally morph into Investigations and Rituals respectively. In an Investigation, the players are investigating crime scenes and trying to come up with what exactly caused the Chairman of the West Society to hurl himself from his penthouse window. In Rituals, the player is meddling with magic, trying to create a series of cantrips that flood Yog-Sothoth�s inbox with adverts for Viagra. Mechanically, they�re identical to brainstorms/inventions - its the context that has changed.

Movers and Shakers

Here�s a short list of some of the movers and shakers of the world. (Logos to come because I lack access to Photoshop at the time of this post).

quote:

Miskatonic Incorporated

The private security company you work for. Miskatonic Incorporated was originally the famous research institute of Massachusetts, until somebody realised that having all of these dangerous texts and artifacts in one place wasn�t the smartest idea. Whilst Miskatonic still functions as a place of learning and research into the paranatural, its primary function is to investigate and contain criminal activity involving extreme uses of dark magic and outlawed biological practices.

The structure of the company is decentralized to prevent the loss of one facility jeopardizing the entire thing. The main Miskatonic buildings are host to their research and development facilities, along with containment areas for particularly powerful artifacts, and teams dedicated to understanding and implementing principles of Magic-science. Operatives for missions and investigations are allowed to live their own lives and generally get called together only when needed. Said operatives are picked for their talents and qualities, and their background tends to become less relevant once the lavish paychecks come in. Operatives have total access to any resources they feel will aid them in their investigations, and their lurid adventures and escapades have caused some teams to gain a mainstream following.

Nobody is quite sure who is actually in charge of MI, but it all seems to work, right?

quote:

Paranatural Commands

There are many different �paranatural commands� in the world - America�s Extraterrestrial Command, Russia�s October Initiative, China�s Jade Star, the JDSF - but they all serve a similar function. These military organizations are dedicated to protecting the world from nasty star monsters, but in a more direct way - by shooting it in whatever passes for a face. Their research departments are focused in understanding and countering their foes, and their deployed troops are the faceless redshirts to your player characters.

Although some paranatural task forces will happily work with Miskatonic Inc., others will be working at cross-purposes or be hostile to you. Never take them at face value, and be prepared to fight over something that you want to keep and they want to destroy!

quote:

The Church of Dagon

The first teaching of the Church of Dagon states, in the words of Bill and Ted, �Be Excellent to Each Other.� Spending a lot of time underwater has mellowed out the once vengeful and angry religion of the Deep Ones into something more accepting, welcoming, and trendy. Dagonites worship the Big Man Himself, Dagon, who is currently taking a nap somewhere in the Indian Ocean and will wake up sometime in the next century or so if he doesn�t have a lie-in. Dagonite churches can be found in most cities in some form or another.

Although the popular public appearance of the Church is their new consumer-friendly image, there are plenty of off-shoots and sects who are less accepting and more murder-crazy. They tend to hang out on inhospitable islands or remote villages, trying to sacrifice people and wash away the sins of the world in a big tidal wave or something.

quote:

Royal Brood of Shan�Rila

The royal family of the Mi-Go living on Earth. The Shan�Rila are, in theory, in charge of Mi-Go law and policies whilst on Earth. However, most Mi-Go have thrown themselves at the exciting new prospects of planet Earth with gusto, and only pay scant attention to the customs of their race. Those that do obey the Royal Brood are seen as traditionalists, and whilst they are just as inquisitive and scientifically minded as their compatriots, they tend to have a lot of strange customs.

More radical Royalist factions, in particular, like to stick people�s brains in jars as trophies. This is not terribly social of them.

quote:

The Island of Mu

The original creators of the Mu golems, the Pharaohs of Mu, enjoyed a long and prosperous reign full of crazy hyper-advanced technology before some horrible star beast decided to sink their island for a laugh. In their last moments, the people of Mu managed to preserve themselves in a stasis field, causing their bodies to atrophy over centuries but keeping their organs - and their minds - intact. Their golems are the only living remnants of their destiny, and have created a provincial government to deal with the whole �new island nation� deal.

Although the continent has resurfaced, nobody seems to be in a hurry to investigate the ancient pyramids or revive the pharaohs. The carvings on the walls don�t paint a very pleasant picture of the former rulers...

The Deleter fucked around with this message at 22:56 on Nov 10, 2014

# ¿ Nov 10, 2014 13:04

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Wow, this is an enthusiastic response so far! Thanks a lot. I'll have the IRC channel up tomorrow, so Krysm can bounce ideas.

Alien Rope Burn posted:

Interested as well! Thinking of drawing upon some some of the goofy Mythos stuff from Derleth or Lumley that is usually snubbed by Lovecraft purists. "In the name of Kthanid, I will punish you!"

This sounds fantastic and I have to read some of those guys. Lumley sounds about the right tone - fighting back against the tentacled space jerks is what this is all about!

# ¿ Nov 10, 2014 23:22

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Monathin posted:

I've never played the Atomic Robo RPG but anything that lets me play an Isaac Clarke knockoff (only far more comical, given the setting) has my vote. How long does this take to learn?

The system has some foibles but is pretty light and easy to grasp. If you're coming from Fate Core then the only real differences are the Modes, which are a bit weird but cool once you understand them, and Megastunts, which own, and then there's setting specific mechanics like Brainstorms and Inventions which can be ignored (but don't because they are cool). If you're new to RPGs in general then it's not too hard to learn - I found it easier than Fate Core because the rulebook took the time to define the limits of things like Stunts and Aspects more clearly.

When I get IRC up, I'll be happy to walk anyone through character creation.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2014 15:30

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

The rules are pretty cheap from DriveThruRPG, but I'll explain the differences if I'm helping you with making a character.

The IRC is up! Join #SADeepOnes on SynIRC for cool times talking about fishmen.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2014 16:42

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

This is your reminder that signups end on the 15th! Two days from now!

I'm loving all of the entries so far. I'm willing to extend the deadline by a day or two to make sure everyone gets their characters finished!

# ¿ Nov 13, 2014 21:49

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Due to the whims of fate, and Hypnos calling in saying he couldn't make it today, I'm extending the deadline by one more day. That's the 16th NOVEMEBER. This should be enough time for people to finish any works in progress. Good luck!

# ¿ Nov 15, 2014 16:38

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Apps are closed, ladies and gentlemen! You will find out who got in on Monday, and the adventure will start Wednesday due to various IRL shenanigans. Thanks to everyone for all of your great apps!

# ¿ Nov 16, 2014 23:27

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Okay folks, the results are in! I want to make it known that all of your entries were fantastic, and I had an incredibly difficult time choosing between all of them. Thanks once again for the enthusiatic response, and condolences to those who didn't make it in.

The chosen players are, in no particular order;

Arthur Douglas from Monathin
Jed Raspers from Dedman Walkin
Lutwidge Aspen from Davin Valkri
Amaryllis Armitage from Alien Rope Burn
Jake Bass from Spincut
and, surprise! The sixth ranger is SPACECRAB from AtomikKrab!

Hang onto your hats, brave operatives of Miskatonic Inc., because tomorrow is when the adventure begins! See you then!

# ¿ Nov 17, 2014 22:18

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

GAME THREAD IS UP! Reminder that you start with Fate points equal to the number of Aspects your character has. Good luck, all!

# ¿ Nov 18, 2014 22:21

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

One day I will figure out how to size pictures properly for this site. One day.

# ¿ Nov 24, 2014 14:07

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Alien Rope Burn posted:

How do you want to handle turn order? Do defense and then our actions in the same turn, or what?

Yes, pretty much this. Keep doing how you're doing, and they just get resolved in the order posted. Fate/Atomic Robo doesn't really model the nitty-gritty of combat so there's not an initiative order present in the game iirc. (It is pretty easy to add one though)

# ¿ Nov 24, 2014 21:04

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Okay crap, so uh

I'm going to compel Jed with his temporary aspect to go tumble into the hold with Spacecrab.

You up for it?

# ¿ Nov 28, 2014 22:47

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Spincut posted:

Hmm, is it assumed that we are all in radio contact with each other? Or is the storm, holds in the ship, etc. making that impossible?

You're all in fancy future radio contact out here, yes. Staying in touch isn't a problem.

# ¿ Nov 29, 2014 01:34

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Just as a heads up, since no-one is on the irc at the moment, I'll post it here. I'm going to wrap up this first scene pretty soon, so make with your final preparations. The SS Miskie is gonna set sail soon, TOOT TOOT

Edit: Also, I'm aware holidays are coming up, so I'll gladly let this snooze around Christmas and pick it up again after New Years if/when needs be.

The Deleter fucked around with this message at 21:10 on Dec 10, 2014

# ¿ Dec 10, 2014 16:11

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Alien Rope Burn posted:

Realizing the book is totally unclear on which skill would apply to remove a physical consequence. Science, I presume?...

Usually, it's whatever skill you can justify recovering the consequence with. So if you're just ignoring it and powering on, it's Physique. You can, of course, make up a skill to do with medical procedures and healing. Science will do for this particular instance.

# ¿ Dec 15, 2014 14:32

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

It's the Christmas party at work tomorrow, so update will come sometime this weekend.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2014 23:02

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Merry Christmas, everyone! Did you get what you wanted from Cthulhu Claus this year? :cthulhu:

# ¿ Dec 25, 2014 09:14

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Trapped in snow on the roads right now, but will post tomorrow!

# ¿ Dec 26, 2014 19:31

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

I hear you. Probably wont be paying attention to the game until after New Year's either. Garden Warfare is surprisingly good.

# ¿ Dec 30, 2014 21:53

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

AtomikKrab posted:

how close at hand is my giant robot/spaceship?

It's close enough. I assume you've got a call button or something to summon it. It's there when you need it.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2015 15:37

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Work just punched me hard in the face so I don't have time for posting tonight, but I have enough free time tomorrow to put something up! Hang in there, operatives!

# ¿ Jan 6, 2015 22:20

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

~~Was gonna update today but I had a disagreement with a TGI Friday's burger. I'll have something up tomorrow.~~ FOOD POISONING CANNOT STOP ME

The Deleter fucked around with this message at 00:47 on Jan 31, 2015

# ¿ Jan 30, 2015 20:49

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Alien Rope Burn posted:

I admit I'm a little stuck on how a Brainstorm starts - do I put out a hypothesis and then roll, or roll first to see who forwards the first hypothesis...?

The second - everybody rolls off to see who gets to establish the first fact. The simultaneous aspect of the roll is kind of a problem, but if you spoiler-tag your rolls (or PM me if the honor system doesn't work for you) it should be fine.

First, though, you have to buy in by self-compelling an aspect - this gets you a free fate point just for participating, in other words!

# ¿ Mar 1, 2015 09:01

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Sorry about my absence! Work hit me around the face with a frying pan of workload. Please post here if you're still willing to play on.

# ¿ Mar 23, 2015 22:02

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 18:11

The Deleter: May 22, 2010

Okay, that's great. I know Atomikkrab still hangs out in irc, so I'll ask him if he's still up for it. Might have to get a replacement for Spincut if they don't post soon.

Stay tuned, there'll be an update soon!

# ¿ Mar 26, 2015 17:11

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