This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan discuss ways to make a scenario your own with Holly and Lex of the RPG Reanimators!

Patreon Plug & Update

Bonjour, les auditeurs! We have a Patreon, through which you can support us! You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patreon! 

That’s right! Head over to patreon.com/MUP to subscribe. Because we know how things are out there, our tiers are surprisingly affordable! Oh… I don’t mean t-i-e-r-s, although the backer tiers are quite reasonable. I mean our actual tears, from our actual eyes. We’re selling them in little glass vials. Bringing in such esteemed guests as the RPG Reanimators IS NOT CHEAP! Help us. Help us, guys. Don’t make us sell our tears. 

And listen guys– if monetary support isn’t in the cards for you? A like, a share, a referral, a nomination, engagement on spotify, engagement on Discord… all of those points of contact truly do make a significant difference. So yes, please, back us on Patreon! 

And if you would like to create a mythos or horror-related ad for us to read, please visit the Patreon Chat on our Discord. Like this one!

• [Movie trailer announcer voice] Asenath Waite is ready to make her way through life alone. The only woman enrolled at Miskatonic University, she doesn’t have time for romance. But when she meets Edward Derby, it’s more than just a fling on the doorstep. Can she learn to let go and have fun? Can he be the man she wants him to be? They’ll just have to… Waite and See. A new romantic comedy, coming this fall.

And if you’d like to make Evan apologize to you in person for the terrible, terrible puns in that ad, you can do that! At…

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor BEN for editing this episode. 

Main Topic 

Welcome everyone to the Main Topic! Tonight we are discussing ways to make a scenario your own! This is a natural continuation of episode 355, where we talked about how to develop your own GM style. So once you know yourself a little better, how can you take that and make changes to the scenarios you run to make them reflect your own way of doing things? 

Define: Making it your own: written scenarios? Improv? 

Address: Why does it matter?

Perspective: Some things you can adjust to make it your own: 

• Plot points, structure, rules
• Areas of focus: action, emotion, mystery, suspense, NPC interactions, level of OOC humor, tactics
• Tone and pacing
• Move it to a setting you love (time, place)
• Lean into certain kinds of horror you like – body horror, weird science, chases, absurdity

Personal “calling card:” a certain NPC or voice; a plot or setting element; a running joke with players (or an audience) who know you; 

Presentation: lean into things that reflect how you like to move and speak at the table or online

• What things can you adapt in a scenario to suit your storytelling style?

Clarify: Is this something you can do as a new GM, or do you need to really have a sense of who you are first? Should you feel obligated to change things?

• How do you know if players walk away feeling like this is an experience they can only get with you GMing it?

Homework

Dear listener, tell us – what do you do to make a scenario your own? Join the Discord and on channel: ep-356, give us your best tips and tricks. I feel like this is going to be a hot topic. I just have that feeling. Let’s see if I’m right.

This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan welcome GMs Alex and Nathan of the RPG Reanimators to discuss how to hone your GM Style!

Patreon Plug & Update

Hellloooo, listeners! We have a Patreon, through which you can support us! You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patron! 

That’s right! Head over to patreon.com/MUP to subscribe. We have tiers as low as $2 a month, or $24 a year, or $240 a decade! And listen guys– if monetary support isn’t in the cards for you? A like, a share, a referral, a nomination, engagement on spotify, engagement on Discord… all of those points of contact truly do make a significant difference. So yes, please, back us on Patreon! 

And if you would like to create a mythos or horror-related ad for us to read, please visit the Patreon Chat on our Discord. It’s easy, fun, and leads immediately to spiritual enlightenment and emotional fulfillment. Just ask backer Steve-O who suggested the following ad:

• Are you a new student at the Miskatonic or spending a pleasant summer strolling the seven hills of Arkham, you can have all the comforts of home. Wondering witch house to stay at? Ma’s Boarding House in Arkham is the next best thing to being at home with your own Ma. Three hot meals a day with laundry included. Bringing a pet with you? Ask about staying in our pet-friendly attic loft. When you’re far from home, let Ma’s Boarding House in Arkham take care of you. You’ll never stay anywhere else.

And if you’d like to hobnob with other Patreon supporters of high moral character and super personal hygiene, you can find them at…

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor EQUINOX for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

Welcome GMs Alex and Nathan of the RPG Reanimators to help us discuss how to hone your GM Style!

GM Style Points to consider: 

Viewpoint & Tone: What’s your attitude towards the story  (e.g., humorous, serious, cynical, or empathetic)?  Does your personality shape the narrative? 

Structure & Pacing: Note if they tell stories chronologically (linear) or use flashbacks and non-linear jumps to build suspense. Evaluate how quickly or slowly events unfold to maintain tension. 

Sensory Details: Look for the balance between showing and telling. See if they rely heavily on figurative language (metaphors, similes) or use dialogue and raw thoughts to paint a picture.

Content Engagement: How much agency do you provide your players? How included are they in the narrative? 

How do we hone?

Practice

Feedback

Soundboarding

Engaging with storytellers whose style we wish to implement

Trying new things 

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Evan discuss ways to spice up your scenarios with something new!

Patreon Plug & Update

Hellloooo, listeners! We have a Patreon, through which you can support us! You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patreon! 

That’s right! Head over to patreon.com/MUP to subscribe. We have tiers as low as $2 a month, or $24 a year, or $240 a decade, or… well, tell you what, you tell me how long you plan on living, and I’ll help you budget things so you can continue to support this fantastic community of friends, collaborators, and sometimes even enemies-to-lovers. (I mean, it’s not impossible that that could happen.)

And listen guys– if monetary support isn’t in the cards for you? A like, a share, a referral, a nomination, engagement on spotify, engagement on Discord… all of those points of contact truly do make a significant difference. So yes, please, back us on Patreon! 

And if you would like to create a mythos or horror-related ad for us to read, please visit the Patreon Chat on our Discord. Don’t be shy! Don’t worry about making it perfect! We just read the words that are here on the sheet! We will read anything that’s put in front of us!

For example, I will now read: THE DISCORD PLUG.

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor NATE for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

New Things You Can Do in a Scenario:

1. Scope and Stakes:
   1. If you usually play world-spanning campaigns where the fate of the Earth is at stake, try limiting yourself to one city, one neighborhood, or even one building, like the airship or submarine scenarios.
   2. Try playing for small, personal stakes. One person, maybe not even life or death, maybe just their ability to continue living the life they thought they knew.
2. Threat/Antagonists
   1. What to do instead of cults? Instead of a big monster?
   2. Think antagonist rather than villain
   3. Or little monsters that do horrible things when they gang up on you (gnomes, puppets, dolls, cloud of vampiric gnats, etc)
   4. Try a scenario where the threat is unconventional – I’ve done a few where the threat is basically just a spell, that exists, but it draws people in and ruins them
3. Pacing
   1. If you usually do long, leisurely multi-session scenarios, try a tight 1 or 2 hour event that starts fast and doesn’t let up. You can check out No Time to Scream as a place to start.
4. Structure and Clue Trail
   1. Shoutout to Heinrich – start the scenario *after* the bad thing has already happened
   2. Emphasize or de-emphasize the clue trail
   3. In a short scenario, try fewer “Acts”
   4. Try improv – Players can do this too, leave your background blank and fill it in as you go, or roll randomly and make it fit the emerging story
5. Tone
   1. Pulse-pounding vs. cerebral, quiet and sad, loud and shooty, comic, uncomfortable
   2. Singing! An opera/sung-through-musical
6. Setting:
   1. Try a new time in a familiar place, or a new place in a familiar time
   2. Give your brain lots of new things to explore
   3. Try Pulp in any setting
7. For Players
   1. Play a totally different kind of investigator: brainy vs. brawny, different social background, different approach to solving problems
   2. See what happens if you don’t optimize for the traditional Cthulhu skills; Keepers, are you willing to reward a player who puts points in Climb, Swim, Throw, and Track?

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Evan discuss meaningful and creative ways to bring back retired PCs.

Patreon Plug & Update

Hellloooo, listeners! We have a Patreon, through which you can support us! You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patreon! 

That’s right! Head over to patreon.com/MUP to subscribe. We have tiers as low as $2 a month. JUST $2/month. So let’s do the math… for under $25, you could subscribe for a whole year at once, and know that you’ve invested in both content and a community that you celebrate and enjoy! 

And listen guys– if monetary support isn’t in the cards for you? A like, a share, a referral, a nomination, engagement on spotify, engagement on Discord… all of those points of contact truly do make a significant difference. So yes, please, back us on Patreon! 

And if none of this is possible, don’t worry! We can always run to the loving arms of our sponsors, like Skitter. Listen, we know you’re busy, and it can be hard to find time in the day to fill your home with the right balance of beetles, ants, spiders, and other insects and arachnids. You’ve seen the research, you know how important it is to maintain a home that is simply brimming with chittering arthropod life in every corner. That’s why Skitter makes it easy. With one monthly subscription, we send you a box full of a new and interesting variety of chitinous animals, every month. All you need to do is take the box inside, open it, and relax. The insects will take care of the rest. I’ve been using Skitter for six months now, and I’ve never been more terrified in my own home. 

New backers: Robby H

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor GENE for editing this episode. 

Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out

Tonight, I am shouting out our editor, Nate, LOST TO TIME AND SPACE, and his kittuh in their rendition of… if I fits… I SITS!!!! 

Main Topic

Removal from Play:

1. Insanity
   1. Totally insane 
2. Death
   1. Physically destroyed/died
   2. Massive injury 
3. Relocation
   1. Retired to an asylum
   2. Jettisoned to another plane of existence 
   3. Relocated from the story by unsolved mystery, disappearance, fade to black off screen, etc
4. Age

Resurrection Opportunities: 

1. Insanity
   1. Totally insane
      1. Reset Sanity
      2. Hardened
      3. Explore Cowboys with Big Hearts 
2. Death
   1. Retcon
   2. Return as new version of themselves
   3. Paid a terrible cost
   1. Physically destroyed/died
3. Relocation
   1. Retired to an asylum
      1. Released/escaped/healed/worsened
   2. Jettisoned to another plane of existence
      1. Returned/rescued/etc
   3. Relocated from the story by unsolved mystery, disappearance, fade to black off screen, etc
      1. Veil dropped (could be cinematic)
4. Age
   1. Flush out the family dynamics 

When and Why to Consider These Options:

Bridgett Thoughts:

1. Dave made a good point in 350 about the PCs agreeing to the death event, so I think to honor the story, and table, the entire table should consent to the resurrection or the experience could feel cheap and thoughtless or worst, annoying
2. Check your grief. The story may have ended before you were ready, but is resurrection really what’s best for the story, or for you? Sometimes, you need to let go. 

Evan Thoughts:

NPC Variants on Resurrection 

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Evan unpack the best ways to begin a scenario! We’re going to define what the means, things to consider, best practices, worst practices, and even provide you with some recommendations on authors who truly stuck the landing on a strong opener!

Patreon Plug & Update

Hey listeners! Did you know that MUP has a Patreon? That’s right! We do! 

You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patreon!

“Dr Weir’s Optometry and Travel Agency: Where you’re going, you won’t need eyes to see.” Submitted by iPwned

Head over to patreon.com/MUP or click the patreon icon on the sidebar of our website. If you’re able to support us, we’d appreciate it! Patreon, we offer everything from exclusive backer only bonus content, Patreon only episodes, backer only hangouts, access to our backer only portal on Discord, and more!

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor NATE for editing this episode. 

Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out

Tonight, I’d like to shout out friend of the show, GroucyLenny and their cats, Lily and Camille, who are captured here with the caption– nefarious plan is to absorb all of the sun’s energy to destroy humankind.

Wait. You guys are getting sun? I’m in Ohio. I haven’t seen the sun since October 2025. Can I join this plan??

Thanks for sharing with us, GroucyLenny!

Main Topic

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Main Topic!

Tonight, we’re going to unpack the best ways to begin a scenario! We’re going to define what the means, things to consider, best practices, worst practices, and even provide you with some recommendations on authors who truly stuck the landing on a strong opener! 

From a storytelling perspective and from a game design standpoint, this is such an important topic that I don’t believe it is getting enough affection. It needs some love, so I’m happy that we’re slowing down to really explore the impact that introductory scenes and onboarding have on the rest of your game and storytelling experience!

What is the beginning of the scenario?

Is this… a roundtable of character introductions? What do you look like, name, occupation?

Is this an opening scene?

Is this worldbuilding?

Why do we care about this topic?

Arguably, the introduction, climax, and conclusion are the most essential and vital points of storytelling

Essential things to establish?

The world

The vibe/genre/tone/expectation

Your PC’s place and impact in the world

Character connection

Level of buy-in/care

Good Examples:

1. Sorrow in Tsvao by Bridgett Jeffries (begins with a team meeting) buff.ly/3AvlvAr
2. Taken for Granite by Jade Griffin’s (begins with a car crash) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/379700/taken-for-granite
3. Graham Walmsley’s Cosmic Dark 
4. Opening scenes for a campaign: Two-Headed Serpent drops you right in the action and sprays your face with blood, while setting up the central mystery of the campaign. HotOE lets you fool around at a party with some characters who later become important but it doesn’t do much to establish the plot.
5. [As a counter-example, the start of The Haunting often flops because it’s geared towards new players and doesn’t immediately put them in the action.] 

Homework

Dear listener, tell us of your favorite scenario start!  

This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan talk about how, why, and maybe where and when to teach players to play a tabletop RPG WHILE you play.

Patreon Plug & Update

Hey listeners! We have a Patreon, through which you can support us! You can directly support the show, and our surrounding community, by becoming a Patreon! Why support us through Patreon? Because if you don’t, we have to sell advertising to such beloved sponsors as:

Greyhounds of Tindalos Interdimensional Bus Company. Let’s face it: traveling between dimensions is a difficult experience at the best of times. Whether traveling for work, or pursuing the vacation of a lifetime to parallel realms that you could previously only glimpse with a Tillinghast Resonator, you deserve an option that’s convenient and in your budget. Whether you’re visiting Albuquerque, Azatoth, or any of the sharp corners in between, consider the Greyhounds of Tindalos for fast, budget-friendly service. Routes that travel through the Dreamlands may have higher rates.

Thanks to Patron Dan Tice for this ad idea!

Friends, you can STOP this madness and help us get to the topic at hand WITHOUT ads! How? Head over to patreon.com/MUP or click the patreon icon on the sidebar of our website. If you’re able to support us, we’d appreciate it! Patreon, we offer everything from exclusive backer only bonus content, Patreon only episodes, backer only hangouts, access to our backer only portal on Discord, and more! 

Welcome new Backers:

Adam Alexander & Antheny

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor EQUINOX for editing this episode. 

Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out

FredKiesche’s wildlife tour!

Main Topic

Tonight, we’re going to talk about how, why, and maybe where and when to teach players to play a tabletop RPG WHILE you play.

Why should you teach during play?

Homework

Dear listener, tell us – do you have any tips for teaching at the table?

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Evan discuss losing PCs. We explore how to pay tribute, celebrate, and honor the stories that have ended. We share personal experience and offer varied insight on how GMs could approach PC loss. To aid in the discussion, we’ve resurrected hosts, Keeper Murph and Keeper Dave!

Patreon Plug & Update

Dear listeners! We have a Patreon. Our Patreons literally keep the lights on and make this show possible. So if you love this content, and you want to keep it alive, we ask that you visit patreon.com/MUP and subscribe to be a backer. Because if you don’t, we’ll have to start selling ad space to trusted corporate partners like Curwen and Ward’s Essential Saltes Company! 

Yes, that’s Curwen and Ward’s Essential Saltes. Bridgett, are you feeling tired, run-down, and lacking in your vital energies?

{Yes}

Are you in need of a good revivification? 

{Yes}

Then turn to Curwen and Ward’s, America’s most trusted provider of alchemical and mystical supplies. That’s Curwen and Ward’s Essential Saltes, a family company since 1662. [Thank you to IPwnedMSCS for the ad suggestion!]

And if financial support isn’t in the cards right now, you can spread the good word of MUP in your communities by sharing a link and heaping glowing praise upon us where others can see. A like, a share, a nomination in your favorite podcast award platform, even a review goes such a long way!

And if are a Patreon backer and you’d like us to advertise YOUR favorite mythos company.

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor BEN for editing this episode. 

Chaosium Con News Brief

Main Topic

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Main Topic! Tonight we celebrate 350 episodes of the Miskatonic University Podcast. This is an incredible milestone and a fantastic achievement. And as we continue to breathe life and tell amazing stories with this beautiful MUP community, we decided the that the best way to celebrate is to honor the PCs who took their final breath and tell stories no more.

Why does this topic matter? Why do we care?

What makes a strong, memorable, and meaningful PC death.

Roundtable where we recount and retell our favorite horror PC deaths!

This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan welcome back Perry Clark to continue our discussion on Madness in Culture and Era! Let’s discuss why this topic matters and dive into Invictus, Dark Ages, Regency, Gaslight, and 1920’s Classic!

Patreon Plug & Update

Dear listeners! We have patreon.Our Patreons literally keep the lights on and make this show possible. So if you love this content, and you want to keep it alive, we ask that you visit patreon.com/MUP and subscribe to be a backer. 

And if financial support isn’t in the cards right now, you can spread the good word of MUP in your communities by sharing a link and heaping glowing praise upon us where others can see. And furthermore, you can hang out with us on Discord!

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor GENE for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Main Topic! As mentioned in the intro, tonight we’ve gathered to discuss Madness in Culture and Era! How did this topic originate? What does it mean? Let’s unpack!

Questions: 

Why does this topic matter? Why do we care?

Each setting/culture has its own:

Relationship to the supernatural/religion

Relationship to violence

Understanding of mental health

Ways of treating and dealing with trauma (or not)

Invictus

1. https://www.chaosium.com/invictus/
2. https://goldengoblinpress.com/

1. Dark Ages
   1. https://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu-dark-ages-3rd-edition-hardcover
   2. Highlights from sourcebook: Humors table; no diagnosed conditions; religious healing (monasteries, pilgrimage, relics)

1. Regency
   1. https://www.chaosium.com/regency-cthulhu-pdf/
   2. Highlights from sourcebook: Mesmerism & Reassure; Reputation

1. Gaslight
   1. https://www.chaosium.com/cthulhu-by-gaslight-keepers-guide-pdf
   2. Highlights from sourcebook: Alienist occupation; Mental health, asylums, Bedlam; insanity as a legal defense
      1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susto
      2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture-bound_syndrome 
      3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanganyika_laughter_epidemic 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania

1. 1920s (Classic)
   1. https://www.chaosium.com/call-of-cthulhu-keeper-rulebook-pdf/

Sources Cited: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lJ_QxYrGrTzTkAr_Gb1O-P9sDzfze1MtufSepHM8PkE/edit?usp=sharing

Homeworkd

Dear listener, tell us something new that you learned from this episode, or some inspiration that you’ve gathered to launch your own research into the topic! 

This episode, we continue with Part II of our Miskatonic Media Club! This is where the hosts explore how to pull game design inspiration from movies, books, TV, and other arts! This episode, we’re joined again by game designer Quinn Murphy to discuss Sinners. 

The Discord Plug

That’s right! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor Equinox for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

Last time we got into a great conversation with Quinn about aome elements of Sinners that we want to use in our gaming, and we’re going to pick up where we left off. Evan, where did we leave off?

Well last time we talked about story development elements, incorporating music into a setting and game, and some great tricks and tools for representation of cultures and people. 

So let’s dive into the next element!

• Horror rooted in specific culture, with cultural responses (e.g. Hoodoo performed by a main character)
• Survival horror; how to do that well in a scenario?
• Integrating sexiness into your horror game?

This episode, Keeper Evan debuts a new segment called the Miskatonic Media Club! This is where the hosts explore how to pull game design inspiration from movies, books, TV, and other arts! This episode, we’re joined by game designer Quinn to discuss Sinners. 

Patreon Plug & Update

Hey guys! Here is your friendly and loving reminder that MUP has a Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup!

Thank you to everyone has chosen to back and support us! You guys keep the lights on around here and we’re so thankful for all of you. 

The Discord Plug

That’s right! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor Equinox for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

This episode, Keeper Evan debuts a new segment called the Miskatonic Media Club! This is where the hosts explore how to pull game design inspiration from movies, books, TV, and other arts! This episode, we’re joined by game designer Quinn to discuss Sinners. 

This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan welcome bestselling creator, Mav Haenze, back onto the show to explore ways that mental health, sanity and madness are used and misused in horror gaming, and ways that Keepers, players and writers can use them in the future to maximize the fun and the horror! Patreon Plug & Update Dear listeners! We have a patreon. Our patreon is how we pay our editors, our hosts, our editing software, the podcast hosting service, the podcast recording service, spam filters, and more. I know that we don’t like to discuss money, but it costs money to keep this show alive.  Our Patreons literally keep the lights on and make this show possible. So if you love this content, and you want to keep it alive, we ask that you visit patreon.com/MUP and subscribe to be a backer.  And if financial support isn’t in the cards right now, you can spread the good word of MUP in your communities by sharing a link and heaping glowing praise upon us where others can see. And furthermore, you can hang out with us on Discord! The Discord Plug Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D  And thank you to our editor NATE for editing this episode.  Main Topic Tonight, we bring you PART TWO of March Madness, which is legally and ontologically distinct from any kind of sporting event you may be aware of. What did we do in Part 1? In Part 1, we talked about ways that mental health, illness and trauma can be used and misused in horror gaming, with some expert advice from our friend Perry Clark. Now that we’ve set a baseline on the role mental health and sanity in general can play in gaming, it’s time to get into the game mechanics! And as we mentioned, we are joined today by the extra-fantastic Maverick Haenze, beloved friend of the show. Can you tell folks where they may know you from, and what expertise you’re bringing to the conversation? So: Let’s dive in to our discussion. Where have mental health and sanity mechanics been, where are they now, and where might they be going in the glorious future? Bridgett, can you kick us off? Do you have a favorite sanity or sanity-adjacent mechanic right now? {For reference or review, some notable games with sanity/madness/mental health mechanics: Call of Cthulhu, 1981, seems to have introduced the Sanity mechanic Experiencing horrors leads to a “bout of madness” and then, potentially, long-term effects such as phobias/manias More recently - players/Keepers can select long-term effects, and writers like Mav are introducing custom bout of madness tables in line with the story Unknown Armies - get hardened by violence/horror, at a cost Stress mechanics Delta Green’s Sanity; can burn connections to people (“bonds”) to cut down on stress; fight/flee/freeze as temp effects Trail of Cthulhu/Fall of Delta Green splits up into two tracks, Stability and Sanity - Stability is more like stress/mundane effects Alien has stress dice/panic rolls Blades in the Dark - vices which burn off your stress points Note that these systems all represent a particular narrative worldview about how to deal with your stress and trauma! Madness (more operatic/literary, less representative of real-world issues) Trail of Cthulhu’s Sanity - affected mostly by exposure to mythos/unnatural Vampire’s humanity/hunger Metafictional effects: Fear Itself (secret instructions to GM/players) Keeper tricks at the table (describing mundane humans as horrible monsters)} Topics: Favorite current mechanics What supports realistic play? What is more fantastic/genre-leaning? Things to be avoided (e.g. some people don’t like the old-school random sanity effects) Things you recommend - what are effective, fun, supportive for Keepers/players? Connect with Mav! Name: Mav Haenze Pronouns: They/Them Mav is a prolific writer, Storyteller, and verbal purveyor of horror. Their AP work and scenarios can be found at https://linktr.ee/mavhaenze Homework What new mechanics or approaches will you try in your upcoming games? Do you mix and match approaches from different games at your table?