[Four-Colour Apocrypha] Horror (game thread)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [Four-Colour Apocrypha] Horror (game thread)

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

quote:

The Age of Speed,
The Wireless Age
The Age of Invention...

A city of horror. A city of stories. People drive technological development at an ever-faster pace, for convenience, for the accumulation of wealth, for sheer speed� It makes for good stories, but who�s behind all this, and what truth is there in fiction?

This is Four-Colour Apocrypha 2�Horror, a game of Four-Colour Apocrypha (itch, DriveThruRPG), which I designed and published earlier this year. This game is for the following people:

UnCO3
Frgrbrgr
Agent Rush

This is also our player order.

Four-Colour Apocrypha (or FCA) is a world-building game of confusion, doubt, and contradiction. It could be about any setting, but in our case it�s about a modern city soaring on technological progress, into the jaws of horror.

THE CITY and AGES PAST

Our city is the pinnacle of modernity, with all the good and bad that brings, but there are things lurking in the night, haunting, manipulating, consuming. Each �Age� in our city�s history is a living generation, and the three Ages leading up to the present day are:

quote:

The Age of Speed, an era of rapid technological development allowing people to travel and send messages very fast (via widespread automobiles and telephones).

Hope: these machines will not bring new horrors (no).
Fear: these machines will render humanity obsolete (no).

quote:

The Wireless Age, defined in large parts by the growth of radio and satellite transmissions. The creation of the Internet. Experimentation that perhaps has gone too far.

Hope: this will bring the world together (no).
Fear: something else, something other, is reaching out to us (yes, but we don't know what it means).

quote:

The Age of Invention, where as new technologies make communications easier than ever, all sorts of gadgets designed to make modern life even more convenient are thought up by various teams and individuals all over the world. More than a few of these designs are spread courtesy of 'people not from around here', and no one is quite sure where they're from. This rarely stops some enterprising creator from taking a crack at one of them.

Hope: these devices will make life better for everyone (yes).
Fear: these devices aren't solely for humanity's benefit (yes).

UnCO3 posted:

The first new Age, the Age of the Mask: everything is steadily being replaced by online analogues, leaving humanity either vulnerable from all angles if they expose their true identities on the internet, or safe but pseudonymous if they use online avatars. Usernames, profile pics, landing pages, they�re all masks�and some entities are using this new age of secrecy to blend in with a largely-unsuspecting humanity.

Hope: the people with their hands on the system�s levers have everyone�s best interests at heart.
Fear: malevolent groups will use this secrecy to advance their sinister agendas.

Topic: iotaPhone
--Rumours: Where do the unconventional elements in the iotaPhone's design come from? the BrainStem app / the elite design collective Carcimach

Topic: Arcadian Embassy Suites
--Fact: People go missing at the Suites and nobody seems to care. You should visit. "Isn't it true that the government employees and law enforcement can stay there free?" / "What went wrong during the induction process?"
--Rumours: So, who's running the Arcadian Embassy Suits anyway? Either the CEO, Andrew Arcadia III, or the board of directors (members of the Incite Society), or genius loci / the Luggage Consortium, an operations and logistics firm with a controlling stake

Topic: the Masquerade Ball
--Fact: There were colossal broad-spectrum digital privacy breaches in the runup to Masquerade Ball's release. "Who, aside from the people behind Masquerade Ball, benefited the most from the cloud bursting like that?" / "And, what's with this new "three-factor" authentication everywhere that requires Masquerade Ball?"

Topic: Peace Industries

loose thread to tie up
--Fact: state of emergency in Clark County, Missouri. Nothing to worry about, says Country Supervisor Bert Helmsley. "...Was that really Bert Helmsley? Did he always look that sickly, and have those black dots on his palms?" / "What caused the neon orange glow several observers reported seeing regularly during the state of emergency?"

THE STORYTELLERS

UnCO3 posted:

My Storyteller:
Aubrey Marcone, she/her

Foundation: working as a DJ in a dying overnight radio station, tuning into what she's pretty sure were cult communications across the airwaves, and having the higher-ups at the media conglomerate that owns the station essentially put a corporate gag order on her.

Language: conspiracy-horror radio plays

Frgrbrgr posted:

My Storyteller:
Kazuro Shiori, he/him

Foundation: A wealthy playboy who spends his time collecting increasingly odd objects, has recently become obsessed with then.

Language: Diary entries

Agent Rush posted:

My Storyteller:
Molly Gadris, she/her

Foundation: After getting lost in an otherworldly space following her new GPS, Molly arrived back at her house twenty minutes before she left. She decided not to warn herself, as the trip had been surprisingly pleasant.

Language: Odd vignettes

UnCO3 fucked around with this message at 14:52 on Aug 23, 2020

# ? Jul 31, 2020 13:24

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# ? May 19, 2024 07:12

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

My Storyteller:
Aubrey Marcone, she/her

Foundation: working as a DJ in a dying overnight radio station, tuning into what she's pretty sure were cult communications across the airwaves, and having the higher-ups at the media conglomerate that owns the station essentially put a corporate gag order on her.

Language: conspiracy-horror radio plays

# ? Jul 31, 2020 13:24

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

My Storyteller:
Molly Gadris, she/her

Foundation: After getting lost in an otherworldly space following her new GPS, Molly arrived back at her house twenty minutes before she left. She decided not to warn herself, as the trip had been surprisingly pleasant.

Language: Odd vignettes

# ? Jul 31, 2020 19:54

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

My Storyteller:
Kazuro Shiori, he/him

Foundation: A wealthy playboy who spends his time collecting increasingly odd objects, has recently become obsessed with then.

Language: Diary entries

# ? Jul 31, 2020 20:00

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

The first new Age, the Age of the Mask: everything is steadily being replaced by online analogues, leaving humanity either vulnerable from all angles if they expose their true identities on the internet, or safe but pseudonymous if they use online avatars. Usernames, profile pics, landing pages, they�re all masks�and some entities are using this new age of secrecy to blend in with a largely-unsuspecting humanity.

Hope: the people with their hands on the system�s levers have everyone�s best interests at heart.
Fear: malevolent groups will use this secrecy to advance their sinister agendas.

-

ACTION: Introduce a Topic

Everyone�s* talking about it, everyone wants it, it�s the iPhone�or �iotaPhone� if you�re a broadsheet columnist who insists on using the full name.

Some critics say it makes people �feel like they�re in a panopticon, seen by vast and terrible things�, others say it �reveals how irrelevant and insignificant everyone is in the new digital era�. Who can say?

^{*10% of the market}

UnCO3 fucked around with this message at 00:17 on Aug 22, 2020

# ? Aug 1, 2020 17:04

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

Action: Ask for Rumors (Topic: iotaPhone)

Where do the 'unconventional elements' in the iotaPhone's design come from?

# ? Aug 1, 2020 23:53

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

Agent Rush posted:

Where do the 'unconventional elements' in the iotaPhone's design come from?

Unlike previous smartphones, the iotaPhone has superior UX design, including a unique app called Brainstem that flashes messages too quickly to read. Some claim that this way of processing the news is better than traditional reading and that they are "always up to date on the news." Others have reported endless nights just staring at these screens, to the concern of health professionals.

# ? Aug 2, 2020 18:53

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

Agent Rush posted:

Action: Ask for Rumors (Topic: iotaPhone)

Where do the 'unconventional elements' in the iotaPhone's design come from?

The device design industry's rumour mill has it that private, highly-esteemed design collective Carcimach were tapped for the hardware. They're highly secretive, using temporary agents to make all their deals and operating under layers of pseudonyms and shell companies that you'd think would be illegal. Their stated mission: turn customers into fanatics, products into obsessions, employees into emissaries, and brands into religions.

# ? Aug 4, 2020 11:58

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

Action: State a Fact

In other news, officials in Clark County, Missouri have lifted the state of emergency invoked by the county earlier this month following an explosion at the county's nuclear power plant site. Those following will recall that the county activated its critical emergency services and built roadblocks along all entries to the rural county, along with enforcing a strict no-fly zone. Strangely, it seemed that even radio and cell phone transmissions were affected by the blast, limited communication between those inside the county and those outside. County Supervisor Bert Helmsley spoke at a press conference this afternoon, "Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. We are fine. Do not ask questions. Thank you."

# ? Aug 4, 2020 23:32

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

Frgrbrgr posted:

Action: State a Fact

In other news, officials in Clark County, Missouri have lifted the state of emergency invoked by the county earlier this month following an explosion at the county's nuclear power plant site. Those following will recall that the county activated its critical emergency services and built roadblocks along all entries to the rural county, along with enforcing a strict no-fly zone. Strangely, it seemed that even radio and cell phone transmissions were affected by the blast, limited communication between those inside the county and those outside. County Supervisor Bert Helmsley spoke at a press conference this afternoon, "Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. We are fine. Do not ask questions. Thank you."

...Was that really Bert Helmsley? Did he always look that sickly, and have those black dots on his palms?

# ? Aug 5, 2020 13:04

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

Frgrbrgr posted:

Action: State a Fact

In other news, officials in Clark County, Missouri have lifted the state of emergency invoked by the county earlier this month following an explosion at the county's nuclear power plant site. Those following will recall that the county activated its critical emergency services and built roadblocks along all entries to the rural county, along with enforcing a strict no-fly zone. Strangely, it seemed that even radio and cell phone transmissions were affected by the blast, limited communication between those inside the county and those outside. County Supervisor Bert Helmsley spoke at a press conference this afternoon, "Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. We are fine. Do not ask questions. Thank you."

What caused the neon orange glow several observers reported seeing regularly during the state of emergency?

# ? Aug 5, 2020 19:31

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

Action: Introduce A Topic

Everyone's heard some variation of the story; an acquaintance signed up for a stay at an Arcadian Embassy Suites and came back a whole new person. There's never much detail about what it's like beyond 'it's pretty great' or 'you should definitely check it out', but for the low, low price of 20 dollars or less* it doesn't sound like a bad deal!

*_{_{Subject to numerous terms and conditions, along with consenting to be a Host should you be selected as one. Offer not void where prohibited.}}

# ? Aug 6, 2020 01:59

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

ACTION: State a Fact

Four found ALIVE but CATATONIC five miles from Arcadian Embassy Suite they'd been staying at. The group, two couples, recently made bookings together at the venue and fell out of contact with friends and family during the first night. As per departmental policy, the police only began looking for the missing couples fourty-eight hours after they were reported missing. Police spokesperson Sara Lanser had this to say: "Rumours of the venue's involvement in the disappearances are strictly over-blown. I myself have both conducted the proper survey of the premises and enjoyed them more properly as a guest, and I can assure you it's pretty great, and there's no reason why you shouldn't check it out."

# ? Aug 7, 2020 15:24

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

UnCO3 posted:

ACTION: State a Fact

Four found ALIVE but CATATONIC five miles from Arcadian Embassy Suite they'd been staying at. The group, two couples, recently made bookings together at the venue and fell out of contact with friends and family during the first night. As per departmental policy, the police only began looking for the missing couples fourty-eight hours after they were reported missing. Police spokesperson Sara Lanser had this to say: "Rumours of the venue's involvement in the disappearances are strictly over-blown. I myself have both conducted the proper survey of the premises and enjoyed them more properly as a guest, and I can assure you it's pretty great, and there's no reason why you shouldn't check it out."

Isn't it true that the government employees and law enforcement can stay there free?

# ? Aug 7, 2020 20:06

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

UnCO3 posted:

ACTION: State a Fact

Four found ALIVE but CATATONIC five miles from Arcadian Embassy Suite they'd been staying at. The group, two couples, recently made bookings together at the venue and fell out of contact with friends and family during the first night. As per departmental policy, the police only began looking for the missing couples fourty-eight hours after they were reported missing. Police spokesperson Sara Lanser had this to say: "Rumours of the venue's involvement in the disappearances are strictly over-blown. I myself have both conducted the proper survey of the premises and enjoyed them more properly as a guest, and I can assure you it's pretty great, and there's no reason why you shouldn't check it out."

What went wrong during the induction process?

Players left: UnCO3, Frgrbrgr, Agent Rush

Agent Rush fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Aug 10, 2020

# ? Aug 10, 2020 00:17

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

ACTION: Ask for Rumours

So, who is running Arcadian Embassy Suites anyway?

Players left: UnCO3, Agent Rush

# ? Aug 11, 2020 05:59

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

Frgrbrgr posted:

ACTION: Ask for Rumours

So, who is running Arcadian Embassy Suites anyway?

Players left: UnCO3, Agent Rush

They want you to believe it's the CEO, Andrew Arcadia III. He's the face of the corporation, constantly popping up in ads and press releases. More savvy people think it's the board of directors, all of whom are members of the Incite Society (though some of their membership is more public than others.) No one seriously considers the possibility that Arcadian Embassy Suites run themselves as a network of genius loci, inhabiting and replacing guests and employees alike in an effort to understand these strange "individuals". That would be ridiculous.

Players left: UnCO3

# ? Aug 12, 2020 20:00

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

Frgrbrgr posted:

ACTION: Ask for Rumours

So, who is running Arcadian Embassy Suites anyway?

Players left: UnCO3, Agent Rush

Uhm, probably the Luggage Consortium? I mean, they own 50%+1 of the stock, and they apparently funded the corporation in the startup phase, and if you look at the public records you'll see that Luggage basically runs and supports all the day-to-day operations and logistics, everything from towels to cutlery to staffing to wifi. That's my guess, unless anyone has any better ideas.

# ? Aug 14, 2020 22:38

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

Action: Introduce A Topic

Having trouble keeping all your masks straight in these trying times? Try joining the Masquerade Ball! Our app securely stores usernames, passwords, and profile information behind a single high-security encryption. Sign up today, and never have to worry about showing the wrong face ever again!

Players left: UnCO3

# ? Aug 16, 2020 20:07

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

State a Fact: a string of high-profile digital security breaches plagued the news in the weeks leading up to the Masquerade Ball release. Banks, money-handling sites, medical databases, government documents�you name it, someone got their hands on it. Everyone, corporate, government, private, nicely timed so the news never let up for it, at least not for those few weeks.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 00:14

Agent Rush: Aug 30, 2008; You looked, Junker!

UnCO3 posted:

State a Fact: a string of high-profile digital security breaches plagued the news in the weeks leading up to the Masquerade Ball release. Banks, money-handling sites, medical databases, government documents�you name it, someone got their hands on it. Everyone, corporate, government, private, nicely timed so the news never let up for it, at least not for those few weeks.

Who, aside from the people behind Masquerade Ball, benefited the most from the cloud bursting like that?

# ? Aug 22, 2020 14:01

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

UnCO3 posted:

State a Fact: a string of high-profile digital security breaches plagued the news in the weeks leading up to the Masquerade Ball release. Banks, money-handling sites, medical databases, government documents�you name it, someone got their hands on it. Everyone, corporate, government, private, nicely timed so the news never let up for it, at least not for those few weeks.

And, what's with this new "three-factor" authentication everywhere that requires Masquerade Ball?

# ? Aug 22, 2020 16:54

Frgrbrgr: Jan 20, 2009

Action: Introduce a Topic

Civil unrest seems to be increasing (though, oddly, conflict across media and social media is way down), but local police forces are now being bolstered by Peace Industries, a non-profit dedicated to keeping people safe and orderly. Any riots or protests are quickly put down by Peace Industries, with offenders placed in free education camps as opposed to jails.

# ? Aug 22, 2020 17:39

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# ? May 19, 2024 07:12

UnCO3: Feb 11, 2010; Ye gods!; College Slice

Phase 2 of the Age of the Mask

# ? Aug 23, 2020 14:50

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Traditional Games > The Game Room > [Four-Colour Apocrypha] Horror (game thread)