Hidden gems in TTRPG you may not of heard of. Part 2

 

Hidden gems in TTRPG you may not of heard of Part 2

Hi Everybody, Scott here again. I am sorry it has been so long since I last posted a blog but the winter weather has a way of destroying any motivation I have. I feel I tend to hibernate. Also, my SAD doesn't play well with the lack of sunshine this time of year.

Anyway, I thought I would dust off another forgotten gem for your perusal. This time I will be talking about a game very near and dear to my heart.

Mutant Chronicles 1^st/2^nd edition

Again, I would say that this game is one of my all-time favourites, it ticks all the boxes for me from a roleplay game perspective, sci-fi-check, dystopian near future-check, horror-check.

The game takes place in a future where Earth has long been depleted of all natural resources and abandoned. Humanity, as it does, has spread far and wide throughout the solar system, spreading like a malignant growth, looking for new avenues of plunder. Venus, Mars, Mercury and the Moon have become the new frontier, some humans have even begun the exploitation of the Kuiper belt.

Since the exodus from Earth, nationhood and ethnicity has made way for a new form of governance, the Mega-corporations, each with it's roots in geographical stereotype and traditions. There are five such Mega-corps.

Bauhaus, as the name implies finds its roots in the ever-efficient stoicism of continental Europe.

Capitol is rooted in the American philosophies of freedom and might make right.

Mishima have a lot of their workings being based on Japanese culture and codes of honour rooted in the Bushido code.

Imperial, as the name suggests, is heavily based on the notion of Empire and using force to get things you want, they are loosely based on the British and have similar class systems and attitudes you would expect from fantasized British imperialists.

Mankind found a tenth planet in the solar system, beyond the orbit of Pluto(which at the time of publication of MC in 1993 was still classified as a planet, now it just needs to settle for dwarf planet lol) that they named Nero, when the planet was investigated a strange citadel was found and entered, upon entry the explorers found that they had somehow broken a number of security measures that contained something, this thing was the Dark Legion who were brought to our dimension from wherever they reigned, along with the Dark Symmetry.

The Dark Legion was hell-bent on exterminating mankind's blight from the universe, powerful leaders of the Dark Legion harnessed mighty legions, destroying who they could and raising the fallen through dark magics to fight on in undeath.

Another force based on the Moon, known as “The Brotherhood” that had no allegiance to the Mega-corporations, made it their sworn duty to vanquish the Dark Legion and Dark Symmetry. They triumphed and a thousand years of peace from the Dark Legion occurred. 

During this time the fifth Megacorporation surfaced, the ultra-secretive Cybertronic, who make use of very hi-tech arms and armaments, which make them an anomaly in the world of Mutant Chronicles. Cybertronic are an anomaly because a dire consequence of the Dark Symmetry was that all kinds of electronic devices became corrupted and unreliable, with mankind forced to adapt their technology, going back to non-digital weaponry and good old-fashioned technology, which proved just as lethal in the wars the corporations waged. The other four Mega-corps look at Cybertronic with suspicion and fear in equal measure.

What makes Mutant Chronicles stand out to me is the setting protagonist, The Dark Legion and Dark Symmetry that have after a thousand years of slumber, re-awoken. The Mega-corporations have continued to make war over resources and power, with multiple generations of mankind having lived and died since the last time of the Dark Legion, people forget but the Dark remembers.

There is the basic story outline for Mutant Chronicles, you get to make a character that either comes from a specific corporation or the brotherhood (they have kept an eye out for the return of the Dark seeing as it is the entire purpose of their organization). I always liked the way the setting worked for roleplaying in, we either had great threat involving the Dark Legion or small Mega-corp intrigue. You could basically play at any power level you wanted, with the overarching narrative of you being a small cog in a massive machine that would probably not notice you were missing but without you might end up imploding.

There have been a number of editions and even a Kickstarter. There was a film made in 2008 but IMHO it could have been better, the world-building in it gives you a hint of what the roleplaying game setting is like but I felt it didn't live up to it's potential.

I know I haven't really talked the game mechanics or game system at all but to me the system does okay for what it is intended, the main love I have is for the fluff and lore of the setting which could be used with any random number generating system and would still be great. Even if you have never heard about this system, even if you have, I would recommend delving into the lore as it is such a good read and could be a massive inspiration for you if you want to play a game in any dark future setting.

Well, I have fanboyed enough for now. Keep rolling!!

As always feel free to leave a comment, suggestion or question in the replies.

Thanks for reading

Scott