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Chaosium Digest Volume 27 Number 10
Chaosium Digest Volume 27, Number 10
Date: Sunday, March 14, 1999
Number: 2 of 3
Contents:
MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY: Life at the World's Scariest School, 1999
by R. J. Christen (CTHULHU NOW) pt 2 of 3
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MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY: Life at the World's Scariest School, 1999
PART 2
STUDENT LIFE IN MODERN TIMES
Miskatonic is still a private school, but not as expensive as
other Ivy
League-type colleges. Tuition and Student Fees run about $9,500 per
five month
semester, based on a full schedule of 5 classes, which are held
between 8AM
and 10PM. Miskatonic prides itself on it's 300 year tradition of
Academics and
of course, the school officially desires that it's students behave in
a mature
academic manner; but hey, this is college after all...
Housing: Male students live in either Robert E. Howard Hall (FR,
SO), L.
Sprague DeCamp Hall (SO, JR), Frank B. Long Hall (SR, Grad) or at
home.
Female students live at either Dorothy Upman (FR, SO), Sonia Greene
(SO, JR)
or the Asenath Waite (JR, SR) Halls. All dorms have dining facilities,
study
rooms, TV lounges, and typical 2-bed student rooms. Graduate students
can live
off campus or at the Graduate House on the downtown campus (sorry, no
food
service).
Juniors & Seniors can also live off campus, which can mean either
the
vast acres of condos, apartment complexes, or the ancient and
foreboding
boarding houses located throughout Arkham proper. Married students can
live in
the M.U. Married Student Complex ("the Twilight Zone") or off campus
as well.
The dorms are cheapest, running $550-$675 a semester (meals included),
while
student apartment rent is anywhere from $300 (semi-squalor) to $1800 a
month
(luxury), food and roommates not withstanding. Boarding house rooms
can be had
for $100 a month & up, based on varying conditions and food service.
But
still, living in 300+ year old boarding houses provides far more
opportunities
to uncover the horrors of Arkham's dark past, but never overlook any
equally
sinister activities in
the M.U. dorms....
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Every student need something to do besides attend boring lectures
on The
Salem Witch Trials or Psychosomatic Secretions in Lower Mollusks, and
the
opportunities at Miskatonic abound These include varsity sports, 13
various
Fraternities & Sororities, the newspaper ("The Crier"), the yearbook
("The
Schooner"), and various clubs.
MISKATONIC MEDIA CLUBS
"The Miskatonic Crier". The nearly ageless student newspaper,
"The Crier"
is managed by a tabloid wannabe who gets more thrills out of writing
stories
about student sex, kinky campus gossip, and alleged administration
corruption
then real campus news, even though most students read it only for
music
reviews, sports, and the comics page. Still, the Crier's issue morgue
goes
back to the mid 1880's and can turn up a mythos clue or two for
inquisitive
Investigators on staff, who get 1d6 pts of either Read/Write English
or
Photography skill per semester.
"The Schooner": The M.U. yearbook, named for the sailing ships
that
helped found Arkham & the school, publishes a well-documented picture
book of
that year's events and student body. The editor has student
photographers
roaming the campus at all hours, prepared for that perfect shot. This
also
presents the opportunity for spotting weird happenings (or being the
victim).
The back issues go far back as 1900, although photos go back to the
Civil War
era. Staffers can get the same 1d6 skill points that Crier staffers
get per
semester of service, although Photography would be more prevalent.
WHPL (91.9FM): Arkham's only Rock station (located on the Student
Center
4th floor), it was founded in 1952 as a classical & jazz station.
Since it's
addition of rock music to the format in 1966, one can find every
occultic or
Mythos-based rock song from that year on. Nowadays, they have a
typical
College alternative music format with Jazz/Swing, Blues, Reggae, and
Rap
thrown in. In 1971, WHPL staffers and campus radicals rigged a school
election
to rename the Miskatonic mascot from the "Badgers" to the more
Cthuloid
"Cephalopods", which is still not recognized by the Marching Badger
Band.
Late-night DJs are also good folks to be witnesses (or victims) of
bizarre
mayhem. WHPL Staffers get 5 points Spot Hidden and 5 points Library
looking
for obscure requests like "White Ship" by the 60's Chicago band H.P.
Lovecraft
or "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CLUBS
PSI PHI Science Fiction Society: Home to those wacky folks that
are into
the fantastic, the unusual, and Fantasy Gaming; this is the current
form of
the Miskatonic Science Fiction Guild, formed in 1938. When not gaming
all
night or going to SF/Fantasy conventions, they manage to produce a
semesterly
Fanzine, "Dreamland Journeys", that may include a Mythos-based
submission,
either a story or poetry. Members receive 1d3 points of Occult per
semester,
along with 1d10 of Science Fiction Trivia and 2d10 of Fantasy Gaming
or
Military History (can't leave out the wargamers). Incidentally, they
are also
the most acceptable people in Arkham when it comes to realizing the
danger of
the Cthulhu mythos.
The Miskatonic Players: Members of the University theatrical group,
an
artistic staple since 1889, are eligible for their choice of 1d6
points of the
following skills per semester: Persuasion or Fast Talk (acting),
Electrical
Repair (stagehand), or Art (set design).
The M.U. Film Society: Members of this club only 1 points of
Occult
out of old horror movies; film makers get 1d10 of Photography.
"The Shutterbugs": MU's Photography Club get 1d8 Pts of
Photography per
semester.
Dance Miskatonic: The campus Dance troupe puts on various
theatrical
dance numbers during the Semester and thus receive 1d10 Art (Dance)
per
semester and 1pt Dex per year.
MUSICAL GROUPS
Members of the Miskatonic Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Chorale and
Marching
Badger Band get either 1d10 Sing or Play Instrument per semester,
once
passing an audition (Roll Double prior Musical Skill). Marching Badger
Band
members get 10 temporary pt of Credit rating when dealing with Arkham
residents, School staff, and alumni/boosters. They are also
traditionally
antagonistic towards WHPL staffers. Students who play in the variety
of campus
garage bands only get either 1d6 Sing or Play Instrument per semester
without
an audition, but also get a lot more "affection" from fans.
ACADEMIC CLUBS
Bioscience: Gets the choice 1d6 of either Biology or Natural
History per
semester.
Debate Club: 1d6 Persuasion.
History: 1d6 History and 1d3 Persuade for lively debating.
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers: Choice of 1d6 in
Computer, Electrical Repair or Electronics.
Language clubs (Arabic, French, German, Latin, Russian, Spanish)
get
1d6 Other Language.
Society of Manufacturing Engineers: Get 1d8 of Mechanical Repair
or 1d6
Drive for the annual intercollegiate "All Terrain Vehicle Contest" or
1d8
Pilot Submarine for the "Woods Hole Submarine Derby" contest.
Robot Wars Club: An offshoot of Mechanical Engineering 355
"Creative
Engineering", this club is made of mechanical minded cyber gladiators
who
get 1d6 Mechanical Repair and Computer per year.
SOCIAL CLUBs
The Outdoor Society: During the 2-4 campouts during a semester,
members get 1d8 Natural History, and the choice of 1d6 Climb,
Navigate,
Pilot Canoe/Kayak, or Track.
"The Waves" MU's Sailing Club, members get 1d8 Pilot Small Boat.
The MU Chapter of Greenpeace: 1d3 Biology, 1d6 Persuade and
Climb,
plus -10pts of Credit rating when dealing with the MU Security and
Arkham
Police.
Young Republicans/Democrats/Libertarians/Socialists: 1d3 Persuade
and
Debate, and +20 Temporary Credit Rating when dealing with Party
Politicians.
M.U.C.K. (M.U. Computer Klub), open to all students, provides 1d6
of
Computer Use per semester. Four members are highly qualified Hackers,
with
Computer skills of 70+ and willing to attempt to break into any
computer
system.
The International Club: 1d3 of Any Language (and we mean any!)
plus
lots of overseas legends and mysteries.
The Baptist Student Union: Members of this religious group get
1d3
Occult per year for all those "dangers of Devil Worship" lectures
The Pagan Student Union: Formed in 1986 as a comic response to
the
Baptist Student Union's railing against heavy metal music, these
esoteric
folks are now into the usual melange of new age religions ranging from
simple
Tai Chi to Hari Krishna. Members get 1d8 Occult per semester.
The members of MU's thirteen Fraternities & Sororities members
receive 5
skill points of Treat Poison (hangovers) and 50 temporary pts of
Credit Rating
when addressing alumni of their organization, 10 Pt with Boosters and
school
staff, but -10 when dealing with Arkham police. Student Members of the
Rotary,
Optimist, and Key clubs get 30pts Temporary Credit rating with school
staff,
and community/business leaders. Pep Club members get the 3pts of
Persuade/semester and 20 temporary pts of Credit Rating with Boosters
and
school staff. Miskatonic Cheerleaders are best left to be victims of
supernatural distress unless their name is "Buffy".
MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY SPORTS
Football (Div II) has been a M.U. staple since 1897 and Baseball
for 15
years prior. Scholarship sports include the following; Track was added
in
1900, Basketball in 1920, Swimming in 1921, Golf in 1950, Gymnastics
in 1955,
and Soccer was adding in 1971. Non-Scholarship University supported
sports
include Cross Country, Fencing, Wrestling, Volleyball, and Women's
Softball &
Field Hockey. Club Sports (those supported by members and boosters)
include
Lacrosse, Rugby, and both Ice and Roller Hockey. Students on these
teams can
add skills increases as received in Phys Ed classes, except only once
a
year/season, and must pass tryouts (Roll Double Exiting Skill or
5xPlayer
Stat. Team members get 30 temporary points of Credit Rating when
interacting
with Alumni and Boosters.
Football: 1d10 Grapple, or Throw, or Kick and 1Pt each STR and CON
Basketball: 1d10 Throw and 1pt DEX or CON
Baseball/Softball: 1d8 Club and 1pt DEX.
Gymnastics: 2pt DEX and 1pt either STR or CON
Soccer: 1d8 Kick, 1pt CON
Swim: 1d10 Swim. 1pt CON
Cross Country: 2Pt CON
Volleyball: 1pt DEX
Field Hockey: 1d6 Club, 1pt CON or DEX
Wrestling: 1d10 Grapple
Rugby: Adds 1d8 Grapple and 1pt CON
Hockey: Adds 1d6 Club, 1d10 Ice or Roller Skating and 1pt CON or DEX.
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