Truth Is Stranger . . . .

Hiring the Undead

2009-09-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

It looks like the anti-healthcare folks are hiring ghouls to help out with their protests!

http://www.channel3000.com/politics/20705936/detail.html

While that’s interesting, it got me to thinking: in a world where the undead are real, can be created by a necromancer and can be controlled wouldn’t there be zombie filled sweatshops?

Would a greedy man start killing migrants and the homeless to add to the work force? And how would this be part of a game? Must think on this further . . .. .

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A Sad Day

2009-08-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

Too sad to comment.

RIP Senator Kennedy

Summum?

2009-02-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

This is almost too easy to slot in here:
Article on the Summum cult

While I'm sure that in reality these are some fairly harmless folks, they're a natural for adventuring.

A pyramid shaped temple is erected in town. They quietly begin recruiting, especially among the homeless. Minor crime in the city drops through the floor.

Rumors abound of weird stuff in the temple, including mummification. Then a formerly homeless congregant escapes and runs into a party member. They convey a tale of horro, human sacrifice, forced mumification and ritual torture.

It turns out that the head of the cult id an animated mummy of an ancient magician. They seek to create an army of the undead to take over the city and eventually the country. Can our heroes stop them?

Necessary for the Summoning?

2009-02-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

I think it would be wild if these statues were required for some sort of summoning that could make the Chines RULE THE WORLD!!!! PErhaps that's why Christie's won't return them.

Chinese Statues auctioned

For an adventure I think it would be a great time to have the characters escort the statues to the new owners.

Ideally the statues should be liberated from the characters and the characters have to stop the spell before it's complete.

A Night at the Aquarium!

2009-02-27T06:45:00.002-08:00

This charming little heart-warming tale of a prankster octopus:
Roving Octopus . . . .
makes me think of how much fun it would be to have a Call of Cthulhu game set inside an aqaurium. Very much makes me think of the Abe Sapien storylines from BPRD.

oops!

2009-02-27T06:45:00.001-08:00

Ever lose track of all the places you post things, yeah, me neither . . .

The Unfriendly Skies . . . .

2008-11-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

Cheetahs on a plane!

Sure, the cover-up says two cheetah's got loose in the cargo hold, but I think another tale is to be told here . . .

Having defeated the cultists at their jungle temple, our intrepid heroes are enjoying their first class trip back to New York. They see a stewardess go into the galley and suddenly there's a scream!

Rushing to save here (FAR too late!) the PCs have to descend into the lower galley where a blood soaked scene awaits them. From there it's a game of literal cat and mouse through the luggage hold as the Were-Jaguars hunt the PCs, seeking vengence for the destruction of the temple.

Have fun!

Suspicious fire?

2008-08-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Fire at UW Lab

So, last night there was a fire at the UW Molecular Biology Lab . .. that's scary on a lot of levels, the news reported radioactive materials, but some of the chemicals in Molecular Biology Lab are FAR scarier than radioactives.

In any case, this struck me as another example of PC action aftermath.
The Mad Scientist has created his creature in the Molecular Biology Lab. It's up to the PCs to destroy the creature before it can escape and start converting new victims into part of its mass.

Of course the players have to burn the creature and the doctor's twisted notes. The remains leak toxic chemicals and radioactive materials.

Pure Genius!

2008-08-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Directions to adventure!!!!

I can say no more, this is simply the best adventure hook ever!

Invisibility, hoorah!

2008-08-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Prototype invisibility cloak!

I envision the PCs being tasked with testing a prototype invisible sneaksuit. Of course it fails at the worst possible moment . .then starts working again! =)

Have fun jerking the PCs around!

Super Spys!

2008-08-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Julia Child OSS Super Spy

I had actually heard years ago that the French Chef was part of the OSS, so this wasn't a surprise to me, but it did get me thinking!

In any campaign the PCs may be surprised who in town has hidden abilities. Mix in secret societies and government spy programs and the list of surprising folks get longer and longer. Here's several hooks you can use:

After being initiated into a secret organization (it's usually best if it's governmental spy agency) the PCs are given a contact. The contact, a well respected merchant is also a notrious fence and was once a daring thief. Once caught he was offered a job with the government. Wounds taken in the field forced his retirement, but now he uses his underworld contacts to keep his handlers informed. This is primarily for flavor, but it is intended to make the characters a little paranoid about seemingly 'normal' NPCs.

After a long journey the PCs arrive at the village near their latest assignment, the hidden fortress of a terrible villain. The village seems well run and while slightly poor, in good order. The village elders greet the adventurers and get them situated in the Inn. It turns out that EVERYONE in town works for the villain. The PCs will be faced with wave after wave of attacks from the villagers until they kill more that 50% of them, or leave the village.

Heh heh heh.

Argh!

2008-08-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't passed away or gotten lost in the jungles of the dark continent . . .nope I was just really busy.

So, updates coming ASAP. Apologies!

Collateral Damage

2008-06-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

Pipe Bomb-Stuffed Chicken Left On Road

I think that headline really says it all . . .

In any event, this seems like an attempt by the PCs to get a horrible monster to swallow the explosives filled bait. In particular since this was in Conn, I'm envisioning some sort or Cthulhoid menace.

Of course, dynamite is the only way to be sure you get some of the larger monsters. However, that this was left over says that possibly the monster was too smart to take this bait.

What if the monster only eats humans? Will the PCs take their good idea (blow the critter up from the inside) to it's logical conclusion? And who gets the explosives strapped to them? The local cultist? A heroic PC? An animated corpse from the local morgue?

Dragon Fight!

2008-06-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Divers battled Komodo dragon before rescue

This sounds like a random encounter gone awry! "What do you mean we see a komodo dragon?"

OR, these gentlemen could be friends of the PCs, who ask their friends to investigate the lizards attacking their community. Are the komodo dragons in service to a tribe of Kobolds who are scouting the area for the liege dragon to move in?

Divine Intervention?

2008-06-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

Indian school names monkey god chairman

While this is just a slightly whacky little story, it makes me wonder about a game that had gods getting directly involved in more mundane aspects of mortal life.

While Dr. Mercury would be great, I think Chief of Police Ares might be wee bit too strict and prone to violence!

The only way to be sure . . . . .

2008-05-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

. . .is to nuke them from orbit!

A laser guided bomb misses by more than two miles? Sounds like a cover story to me! What kind of creature could be so terrible that the PCs needed to call in an airstrike?

Talk about annoying kids on a flight . . ..

2008-05-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Man Says Pilot Made Him Sit On Toilet.

This strikes me as a cover story for PC actions. Here's what I envision:

The PCs find out that the big bad creature they just killed had infested a normal person with its spawn. Once they hatch they'll kill all the normals around the host. And to top it off, they track the host onto a commercial air flight.

How will the PCs save the normals without exposing them to the terrors beyond the ken of man?

This doesn't translate as well in a fantasy setting, simply because the claustrophobic setting is part of the tension, but this could be set in a 'locked in the castle during a masked ball' scenario. So the host needs to be stopped to save the guests AND the royals. Hm m m m. . .I LIKE that! =)

Fire Engulfs UW-Madison Fraternity House

2008-05-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

Fire Engulfs UW-Madison Fraternity House.

I envision a hazing ritual gone wrong and actually summoning a demon or other destructive spirit. Of course, since the ritual never worked before their circle of containment has gotten sloppy over time . . .

In a fantasy world: imagine rather than a fraternity, I imagine student organizations for aspiring wizards housed near the guild. An ambitious young student gets hold of an advanced summoning text with disasterous results.

In any case, the PCs are invited to the site of the fire and have to track down whatever it is that escaped in the fire.

Slum Lord Lightning?

2008-05-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Fire Damages Madison Apartment Building.

So, a kitchen fire isn't all that unusual, especially with college students involved, but what if it WAS something more sinister? It could be:
1) an uncontrolled pyrokinetic almost burned down the building in a fit of anger. The PCs need to find them before anyone gets killed.

2) An unscrupulous landlord, and part-time occultist, is trying to cash in on his insurance and clear the land for redevelopment by summoning fire spirits to the building. The PCs are brought in by a friend who was at the building and saw a 'face in the flames.'

3) The foolish college students attempted to summon a dark power in the kitchen . .and that always works out well . . .

So, how would we see this in a fantasy campaign? Well, rather than a low-rent apartment, the scene changes to a slum in the bad part of town where ramshackle housing leans willy-nilly awaiting but a match to destroy countless lives.

1) An agent of a power opposed to the City is trying to burn the city, starting with seeming accidents, but his efforts will slowly escalte until he succeeds or is stopped.

2) An old-timey landlord wants to burn down the slum because he knows the city wants to build new buildings, but is having problems finding space inside the walls. Can the PCs stop this before there's a tragedy?

3) A salamander has taken up residence beneath the city and is unintentionally going to burn down the city, unless banished back to the Elemental Plane of Fire.

Converting systems/genres

2008-05-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

Because I'm pulling my news stories from today's news, the setting is in the modern day. But that shouldn't limit YOU from using these concepts in ANY campaign setting. I'll attempt to add information on how to integrate these ideas into traditional fantasy campaigns. There are other genres that need very little translation such as 1920s Call of Cthulhu, World of Darkness, and Sci Fi games, etc. that only need changes in trappings/world details to make these work.

For any of those types of game simple drop these scenarios into their game city, customize names and appearances to the locale- make buildings and personnel conform to the appearance of the game world (1920s, Modern World tinged with despair or shiney future versions, etc.).

Fantasy versions only need a little more work to translate modern institutions into the conceits of the campaign world.

IN any case, I'll try to add conversion notes as we move forward. IF there's a particular genre you're interested in that I'm missing, let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can do!

Sacred Ground

2008-05-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Old UW Dorm Remains Standing After Demolition Is Halted.

So, safety concerns (falling debris hitting cars, a fire in the building, etc.) and delays resulted in the contractor being fired. Seems pretty innocuous, unless you live in MY head!

I see four reasons these things might be happening to keep Ogg Hall from being demolished:
1) Gremlins or other mischievous fey: the hall is on a Ley line, and mischief through the life of the door is actually due to these Fey creatures, only now that no students are present does it become obvious.

2) Poltergeists or other possessive spirits that want their haunt left alone.

3) Urban Gargoyles or other urban mythical beasts who make their home in the building and don't appreciate their nests being disturbed.

4) For decades a campus-based cult had used Ogg as the center for their rituals. They haven't finished removing signs of their activities and needed to drive away the workers long enough to clean up. They have summoned numerous small evil spirits to plague the construction site.

So, now, depending on which option you choose, how this plays out will be very different, but the frame remains the same. The State and University are covering up the real problems at this site, but one of those groups contacts or hires the PCs to investigate the site. If they have to pay the PCs it will be under the guise of contractors who will be determining the safety of the buildings.

Hilarity ensues . . oh wait, not hilarity: Adventure!

A Technomantic Threat?

2008-05-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Gettysburg battlefield map goes dark.

This strikes me as a classic battle of Mad Science (Steam Punk if you will) vs New World Order Technomancy.

You see, the spirits of the Gettysburg soldiers have been protected and kept at peace through the Tesla Spirit Coils in the original electric map. Once it's destroyed and the spirit siphons of the new center are in full operation, the spirits of the combatants will rise and be dragged into the apparatus to power to twisted schemes of the Technomancers.

Calling all World of Darkness GMs!

They trapped WHAT?!?!?!

2008-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Trapped sea lions shot on Columbia River.

What if these weren't Sea Lions? What else lives in water and would like to glut itself on Salmon as they went up the run?

Can we say . .Deep Ones? Deep Ones caught in 'Humane' traps, other Deep Ones coming to free their bretheren, PCs caught in the middle. Hooray!

Terror on the seas!

2008-05-05T06:43:00.000-07:00

1,000 to be rescued from stranded cruise ship.

I see three scenarios here:
1) PCs go to investigate this uncharter waterway obstruction only to find an island that points to Things Man Should Not Know . . .including where and when Ryleh will next rise.

2) Some sort of alien got aboard the ship and was killing/infesting the passengers. The military is trying to clean this up, but need the PCs help.

3) Something under the waves, say Namor or one of his enemies, has declared war on the surface world and this is the first attack in that war.

Zombie Disposal?

2008-05-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

Concrete-encased body parts found at home

This makes me wonder what the authorities in a modern campaign would make of the aftermath of most PC actions.

This seems like a really great way to dispose of those pesky zombie parts that stay animated and keep attacking even after the rest of the body is destroyed.

Bump in the Night

2008-05-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Teen Hides Under Covers From Home Intruders

Now this seems like a fairly straight forward news story. But think about this as a piece of modern horror gaming.

An evil mastermind sends his boogey-men to capture a young girl for sacrifice. This wise girl remembers from her childhood that bedcovers were a sovereign defense against the creatures of the night. When the authorities arrive the creatures resume their disguises as normal human criminals and are hauled away. In the game they mysteriously disappear from the jail.

THrough a personal connection, perhaps one is the uncle or aunt of this girl, the PCs are brought in to investigate this incident as the girl insists that there were 'monsters' in her bedroom.

This opens up a whole campaign for investigating the monsters that regularly attack or menance children that adults dismiss as imagination.

This would make a great D20 Modern campaign.

Mission Statement

2008-05-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

So, all of my previous blogging attempts have died due to dissolution and lack of inspiriation. Hopefully this one will be better! So, what IS my purpose here?

My Truth Is Stranger . . . blog is a gathering place for all the strange and/or compelling news I come across day to day. But it's not simply a compilation of news links, nope. I'm going to take those news items and show you how they could be worked into plots for an RPG campaign. I hope you enjoy, please comment as we move forward.