Guest bblackmoor Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 What loony conspiracy theories have you used as fodder in your games? Were the works of William Shakespeare really written by Illuminati ghostwriters as a subliminal attempt to overthrow the English throne? Are the pyramids really extraterrestrial energy converters powering trans-dimensional teleportation devices? Did chickens build Stonehenge? Enquiring minds want to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories The Bermuda triangle is an ancient alien teleporation nexus. Old, and ill maintained it has been malfunctioning for centuries and zapping things at random threw time and space. The triangle is responsible for a few fortean events and historical incidents and formed an alternate timeline by dumping several modern humans into prehistoric times. The moon is a hollow alien construct/space craft of immense size and unknown purpose. The US (and several other world governments) have known this decades but its kept under extremely tight wraps lest the knowledge create panic. There ARE aliens among us. Major corporations and idustrial cartels are keeping several breakthrough technologies under wraps for various sinsister reasons. Such as a cheaper fuel sources and enviornmentally friendly technologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Major corporations and idustrial cartels are keeping several breakthrough technologies under wraps for various sinsister reasons. Such as a cheaper fuel sources and enviornmentally friendly technologies. Dude, thats not a conspiracy, thats just SOP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agemegos Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories My first Justice, Inc. campaign (in 1986) featured the International Fascist conspiracy (controlled by Ciano), the Second International (commanded by Stalin), the Zionists, the Bavarian Illuminati (commanded by Charles E Hughes), the Freemasons (commanded by Winston Churchill as chief-of-staff to George VI)), the Catholic Church, the Brothers of the Sword (commanded by Borman), and the Assassins involved in a complicated underground struggle so labyrinthine that they often lost track of who was whose puppet, and sometimes of which secondary conspiracies (Rosicrucians, Knights of Malta, KKK, Nazis, Opus Dei, the SS, the Thuggee) were controlled by whom. I worked in every bigoted and xenophobic conspiracy theory I could find in an elaborate web of intrigue and deception. It was particulary important that these cons-iracies were not terribly well co-ordinated, so that some parts of each conspiracy were taken in by the deceptions of other parts of the same organisation. The plot of the campaign involved an attempt by the Illuminati to portray Hitler as a Zionist mole in the delicate alliance between the Fascists and the Brothers of the Sword, the Illuminati hoping that this would make his backers turn on him in time to avert a world war. Unfortunately the Swiss Zionists had been taken in by the deception, thought Hitler must be an agent of some other branch of the Zionist conspiracy, and were struggling to conceal the (fake) evidence. Meanwhile, Hitler's personal agents were trying to destroy it without letting either of his backers work out what it was. The 'evidence' fell into the PCs' hands in a café in Zaragosa in March 1939, and a fun if very confusing time was had by all as they tried to get it to Philadelphia. This campaign gave rise to such deathless quotes as: "Eh Gringo! Take me to Grenoble.", "At least it will be a democratic bloodbath.", and "There, looming in the doorway, you see a figure seven feet two-and-a-half tall, two axe-handles across the shoulders…" (chorus) "…and with a face that only a mother could love." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bblackmoor Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories My first Justice' date=' Inc.[/i'] campaign (in 1986) featured the International Fascist conspiracy.... I so dig this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories In a modern fantasy/occult game I ran breifly the PCs discovered that several reality tv shows (Fear Factor, Fear, etc) were actually produced and controlled by an underground conspiracy of occultist. The stunts were parts of an incredible intricate and vastly powerful ritual that had to be witnessed by as many people as possible. The game folded before they could find out just what the ritual was supposed to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories In a modern fantasy/occult game I ran breifly the PCs discovered that several reality tv shows (Fear Factor' date=' Fear, etc) were actually produced and controlled by an underground conspiracy of occultist. The stunts were parts of an incredible intricate and vastly powerful ritual that had to be witnessed by as many people as possible. The game folded before they could find out just what the ritual was supposed to do.[/quote']Now that has potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories The Philadelphia Experiment was caused by the insane and disgruntled scientist, Nikola Tesla (who was also trapped aboard the USS Eldridge along with the crew, Tesla however, gained strange electrical powers). The ship had been travelling through time and space and the PCs were recruited by Majestic 12 to put a stop to it, save the crew or put them out of their misery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories In Haymaker I've been running (gradually) through an entire campaign setting based on loony conspiracy theories. It's called Chaos Theory. Here are a couple of examples: The "grey" aliens are really irresponsible joyriders. The crash in Roswell was caused when the ship's pilot did a little too much "hotdogging." Simple crop circles are a not-yet-understood natural phenomenon, but complex ones are their form of writing -- it's graffiti. Cattle mutilations and similar events are caused by an obscure cult centered around a group of gods even older than the Old Ones, older than the Ancient Ones, older than the Venerables Ones... they're the Decrepit Ones, of whom the king is Xagyg. The cult believes that one advances through life from level to level, earning "points" through such things as killing one's enemies and amassing great wealth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stmichaeldet Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Ah, the sweet smell of paranoia; how I love it. As a long-running Over the Edge GM, perhaps the question should be, what haven't I used? (No, really, I want to know - I can always use more material.) Various permutations of the Illuminati, the Templars, secret Nazi holdouts with Antarctic bases and UFOs, David Icke's Reptoids, Baigent and Leigh's bloodline conspiracy, ancient civilizations, Hermetic secrets, Men in Black, Timewave Zero, Theosophy, etc. Currently, I'm riffing on the story of Jack Parsons, who, in the fourties and fifties, was America's #1 solid-fuel rocket expert and America's #1 occult figure as the head of our branch of Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientalis. In Champions, though, not so much. Although my library clearly betrays my passion for all things dark and secretive, when it comes to superheros, I'm just a four-color sucker. Give me a good supervillan over a shadowy conspiracy any day; superheros need someone to hit. - St. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StGrimblefig Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Cattle mutilations and similar events are caused by an obscure cult centered around a group of gods even older than the Old Ones' date=' older than the Ancient Ones, older than the Venerables Ones... they're the Decrepit Ones, of whom the king is Xagyg. The cult believes that one advances through life from level to level, earning "points" through such things as killing one's enemies and amassing great wealth.[/quote'] LOL! Xagyg! I would love to see the PCs walk in on one of their meetings... cultist#1: I want to cast Magic Missile. cultist#2: There's nothing here to attack. cultist#1: I attack the darkness. HA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost who Walks Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Stonehenge was built to trap aliens, the true rulers of earth. The Pyramids used to be gold plated, and powerful sources of magical energy. The "secret conspiracy running the US government" is based out of the IRS. Bermuda Triangle leads to another world, called Atlantis. Over the centuries, the people who have accidently gone through it have conquered the poor Atlanteans and established an imperialistic culture. Whith themselves on top, of course. The saucer aliens lived on the moon, and were abducting superhumans to fight in their galactic war. VIPER is run by the aliens are fighting, and was started by the Roswell aliens. The saucer aliens took Hitler with them, and made him a general. He immediately started a revolt, and has rallied many human abductees to his side, to try and conquer the saucer aliens. The great wall of China is an ancient anti-spacecraft defense system, that erects a giant force field over China, should it be targeted by missiles. Fidel Castro of Cuba controls a Stargate, and is sending teams to other worlds to spread communism. The Trojan war was fought between bronze age greeks and a trading post established by aliens. Odysseus and the Illiand chronicle his adventures in outer space, when he accidently blasted off in a trojan space ship. Pluto is an alien colony/refugee ship, charon is its supply of fuel. (Ramjet time!) The Dali Lama is the most powerful being on Earth, but can only use those powers against galactic level threats to the cosmos. He swore an oath not to misuse hius awesome powers. No threat has yet to appear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories I die laughing everytime I read your sig GWW. Was this ingame, or just a hilarious idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost who Walks Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories I die laughing everytime I read your sig GWW. Was this ingame, or just a hilarious idea... Just an idea, really. One of my players was thumbing through the Champions Universe, before a play session (I use a homebrewed campaign). He asked me who were these guys who had died fighting Doctor Destoyer? Somewhat annoyed, since I was reviewing my notes at the time, (I had given them the book to look at to keep thenm quiet), I offhanded said. The Dynamic Duo, Mister Plow and the Plow King. I put it my sig, because I wanted to see if anyone would get it. I'll probably change it to something else soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Poor Marge, Maggie, Bart, Lisa. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakboy6117 Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories I used to write conspiracy theories for my school newspaper back in the primordial days of yore. One of my favorites was about spiders how they weren’t really native to earth but alien invaders bent on surveillance and mind control with there biopolymer computer technology AKA webs. Of course not all spiders have to be mind controlling sinister vanguards for an alien invasion. No wonder so many people are scared of them just wait till there big brothers show up with the attack fleet and the hideous giant spider robot tanks cringe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories The only ones our team usually got involved in were to stop time travel rewritting the Present. However one that the GM came up with that makes no sense when you think about it is people travelling back to the past to present important ideas that change life. In this case Euclid and geometry. Consider if he doesn't have it right how can anyone else in the future ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Cattle mutilations and similar events are caused by an obscure cult centered around a group of gods even older than the Old Ones, older than the Ancient Ones, older than the Venerables Ones... they're the Decrepit Ones, of whom the king is Xagyg. The cult believes that one advances through life from level to level, earning "points" through such things as killing one's enemies and amassing great wealth. Now thats funny Killer "Rune Of Madness In Hand" Shrike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKJAM! Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Superhero comic books are actually an attempt at social engineering by a time traveler from a future where metahumans had no such guidance, and society was subsequently destroyed by their selfish antics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bblackmoor Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories The phenomenally successful album "Slippery When Wet" (Bon Jovi, 1986) was actually a test-run of a mastermind supervillain's use of subliminal mind-control, in preparation for a fiendish scheme for world domination. The heroes had to track down the CD mastering equipment used to create the original recordings, track the device back to the villain, and deal out some whupass in the name of artristic freedom and consumer choice. A decade later, another would-be mastermind supervillain discovered the prototype device used by the first mastermind supervillain, and used it to create a best-selling CD: "I'm a Genius" (Miles Needleman, 1996). He wasn't using it as a test run for world domination, though. He just wanted a hit album. His rendition of "The Love Boat Theme" was #1 on the Billboard charts for six weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted August 13, 2004 Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 Re: Loony conspiracy theories Two of our PC's, Buster and the Bolt, appear to be weapons in a Cold War between the B’ltz and B’Starri, two factions of the same alien race who have extended their feud throughout the cosmos, encompassing all space and time. In pursuit of the upper hand, The B’Starri have mastered space, creating weapons that can transport galaxies from one side of the universe to another at the speed of thought. Meanwhile the B’ltz have mastered time, creating weapons that can dismantle a galaxy between heartbeats. Eventually, their feud threatened the existence of time and space itself. In a desperate effort to save both, a truce was signed at the edge of oblivion, effectively removing both factions from the universe as we understand it. By the rules of their truce, each faction is allowed to give the smallest fraction of their power to one sentient creature in every discreet biosphere. Thus the cold war exists everywhere, at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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