Age of Masks AP Thread

[Valegor]

I enjoyed the end.  You did not go where I expected you to with the story. 

[Richard]

I enjoyed the end.  You did not go where I expected you to with the story. 

eeehhhh...

I'm so-so in regards to that. I wanted to hear brutal antiheroes choking the bad guy to death/lighting him on fire/(insert Punisher execution here), and, while I won't say it was bad or unimaginative, it...kind of makes Ross look like a one-trick-pony in the sense that it had Cthulian Horror at the end. I enjoy and respect Ross' ability as a GM, but it almost seems as if he can't fully separate himself from horror.

[Kyyrn]

I would argue that the mixture of genre was great, it was unexpected but worked well in my opinion.  If you want to hear Ross DM non horror stuff, try listening to his New World stuff, it's great and doesn't involve any horror elements. 

If I'm not mistaken Ross achieved what he was going for, in that the end was unexpected, and wasn't really horror in my opinion, it was more of a Watchmen ending, with an unexpected twist.  Horror would have faced the heroes off against something they had little hope of defeating, the reality layers ending wasn't really horror in my opinion, and has deep roots in comic books.  I once read a comic by DC where Superman squared off against aliens... not Cthulian horror, just comic idealogy.  Multiple realities seem to me to be a strong comic, super hero theme.  Shrug, just my thoughts.

[clockworkjoe]

My whole conceit was to explain how a single guy in tights could defeat so many criminals with hand to hand combat and gadgets. The ritualistic angle of superheroes (donning the costume, alter ego, code of conduct, etc) also appealed to me. To me, it's post modern magic and thus works with horror. Also, Watchmen is pretty horrific too. Dr. Manhattan is a newborn Great Old One - there's little difference between him and Yog-Sothoth except personality. Furthermore, the 'good guys' commit genocide.

[Richard]

If I'm not mistaken Ross achieved what he was going for, in that the end was unexpected, and wasn't really horror in my opinion, it was more of a Watchmen ending, with an unexpected twist.  Horror would have faced the heroes off against something they had little hope of defeating, the reality layers ending wasn't really horror in my opinion, and has deep roots in comic books.  I once read a comic by DC where Superman squared off against aliens... not Cthulian horror, just comic idealogy.  Multiple realities seem to me to be a strong comic, super hero theme.  Shrug, just my thoughts.

Actually, in that case, I'd agree with you: it is a comicbook/superhero niche (doesn't Superman usually fight aliens anyway? You know, next to nothing on Earth can mess with him). In retrospect it wasn't very horror. My fault on that, I kind of just thought to myself 'omfg Cthulhu Mythos means Horror!!!!' without thinking about it.(Can you really blame me? )

My whole conceit was to explain how a single guy in tights could defeat so many criminals with hand to hand combat and gadgets. The ritualistic angle of superheroes (donning the costume, alter ego, code of conduct, etc) also appealed to me. To me, it's post modern magic and thus works with horror. Also, Watchmen is pretty horrific too. Dr. Manhattan is a newborn Great Old One - there's little difference between him and Yog-Sothoth except personality. Furthermore, the 'good guys' commit genocide.

I guess for me it just seems to clash: with Cthulian horror, the theme is usually "you're doomed", even before you start, even before you were born, you're fucked. With superheroes, even the dark and grim ones, there's always the theme that they will save the world/make it a better place: that their actions will ensure peace. With Cthulian horror, even though you saved the day, you're still going to fail to save the world.


Anyway, I liked what you were attempting to do, Ross. I think I just thought it was hokey that you felt compelled to bring in something from the Cthulhu Mythos to explain it.

[Richard]

Actually, now that I think about it, Cthulian horror and superheroes can actually coexist without it screwing up the theme too bad: Conan the Barbarian fought all sorts Star-spawned, Eldritch things before using only cunning and brawn, and won! (In one comic he actually took on a Great Old One and beat it!)

Lovecraft and Howard were buddies, apparently (or, more like penpals), so every now and then you'd find them referencing each others works in their own respective stories. The big difference just comes from how Lovecraft and Howard responded to the whole concept of the Universe being cold and uncaring: Lovecraft accepts it and wallows in despair and Howard rages against it, maybe even attempting to make the universe notice us.

It's this realization that makes me take back what i said about Cthulian horror and superhero themes being unable to stand by each other in a game.

[clockworkjoe]

Another thing to keep in mind is that I was specifically looking to Robert W. Chambers and the Hastur mythos - the King in Yellow, Repairer of Reputations etc. Chambers preceded Lovecraft and his work is thematically distinct from HPL.

There's a great essay in Delta Green Countdown that talks about the Hastur Mythos and how to use it in gaming as a theme. It was more or less my manifesto for this game. It focuses on artistic decadence, creativity, and the surreal. Hastur is entropy made manifest. Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.