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 ------------------------- 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. --