[Seed/Location] Wexler College.

[Catsmate]

And idea I noted a while ago, based on a binge watch of the supernatural-urban fantasy-comedy-drama The Librarians.
It struck me there’s a lot of possible inspiration there.
The Librarians are an ancient organization dedicated to protecting an innocent world from a magical and fantasy-like secret reality hidden from view. Sound familiar?
More details on this specific episode here.

Wexler College
Founded by Josiah Wexler, the renowned occultist (who later exploded), in 1813 in eastern Massachusetts. While professing to be a small liberal arts college, he used the university to secretly collect arcane artifacts, research unspeakable oaths, and hold strange and perverse rituals.

• Wexler is based of course on Lovecraft’s Miskatonic. Though in-universe Miskatonic is said to be based on Wexler.

The Librarians investigate a missing college football mascot and discover that:

• Approximately 20% of students and staff just disappear, “transfer out in the middle of the night”.
• The college’s volleyball team disappeared after an away game; all that was found was a bus full of empty clothes. Obviously a prank.
• The college is prone to outbreaks of warts, that cause screaming nightmares.
• Many of the buildings are constructed over a giant summoning circle.
• This explains the occasional dimensional rifts that open, usually with enormous tentacles looking for prey.
  

Everyone thinks this quite normal. Probably a powerful Perception Filter in operation.
Oh and the cheerleaders are chanting a ritual to summon a fire demon.


In the episode the team finds that a the brilliant (and egotistical) student Lucy Lyons has constructed a prototype particle accelerator that used folded space to reduce it’s size from ~100 metres to less than one. Also it draws power from the dimensional rift so created.
Ooops.

Anyway I rather like the setting.
It's perfect for a Misfit Mob scenario (or campaign) as the team (and the rest of UNIT) attempt to fix the ongoing issues in the college, preferably without a serious body count. Alternatively it could be used as a campaign setting of it's own, with the PCs being new students adapting to the unusual environment.
While there are copious references to magic, it's pretty scientific and could be modified easily to fit the Who paradigm


BTW the episode starts with Jenkins giving the tea advice:

• Do not eat anything while on campus.
• Do not repeat anything three times.
• Do not light any candles.
• Do not drink from any chalices.
• Do not read aloud from any grimoire.
• And absolutely do not make eye contact with the gargoyles.
  

The gargoyles are animated and move when not watched, though they seem pretty harmless (and Ezekiel is adopted by one, whom he names 'Stumpy') they could be related to the Weeping Angels.


Comments?

[grinch]

I must admit although I liked the films and some of the ideas it had, I never liked The Librarians as a television series. Had some quite poor writing and at times dreadful performances. Also occasionally indulged into my pet peeve of not doing their research when it comes to mythology. Anubis being the God of Werewolves, indeed... 🙄

All that inside, I do like the idea of the University as a setting. Strikes me as the sort of location where anyone or anything could make an appearance. I could see PROBE at least investigating as I think despite the rumours surrounding the place there probably isn’t enough evidence for the likes of UNIT to make an official appearance. And instead of the Librarians maybe the modern day equivalent of the Legion of Smoke has investigated this place.

Maybe the gargoyles were actually the remains of a stone species (akin to the Weeping Angels as you suggest) but were broken to pieces and then rebuilt into their current form(s) making them less aggressive but still rather clingy.

[Catsmate]

Jun 2, 2022 19:54:29 GMT grinch said:

I must admit although I liked the films and some of the ideas it had, I never liked The Librarians as a television series. Had some quite poor writing and at times dreadful performances. Also occasionally indulged into my pet peeve of not doing their research when it comes to mythology. Anubis being the God of Werewolves, indeed... 🙄

All that inside, I do like the idea of the University as a setting. Strikes me as the sort of location where anyone or anything could make an appearance. I could see PROBE at least investigating as I think despite the rumours surrounding the place there probably isn’t enough evidence for the likes of UNIT to make an official appearance. And instead of the Librarians maybe the modern day equivalent of the Legion of Smoke has investigated this place.

Maybe the gargoyles were actually the remains of a stone species (akin to the Weeping Angels as you suggest) but were broken to pieces and then rebuilt into their current form(s) making them less aggressive but still rather clingy.

I'll take ideas from pretty much anywhere I can find them. Also one of my housemates has a crush on Lindy Booth.

I like the idea of some sort of descendant of an organisation that's been investigating weirdness since antiquity, it'd fit well with the Arthurian elements of the series. Though, as you say, it's hardly a model of historical accuracy.

[grinch]

Jun 2, 2022 20:30:51 GMT Catsmate said:

Jun 2, 2022 19:54:29 GMT grinch said:

I must admit although I liked the films and some of the ideas it had, I never liked The Librarians as a television series. Had some quite poor writing and at times dreadful performances. Also occasionally indulged into my pet peeve of not doing their research when it comes to mythology. Anubis being the God of Werewolves, indeed... 🙄

All that inside, I do like the idea of the University as a setting. Strikes me as the sort of location where anyone or anything could make an appearance. I could see PROBE at least investigating as I think despite the rumours surrounding the place there probably isn’t enough evidence for the likes of UNIT to make an official appearance. And instead of the Librarians maybe the modern day equivalent of the Legion of Smoke has investigated this place.

Maybe the gargoyles were actually the remains of a stone species (akin to the Weeping Angels as you suggest) but were broken to pieces and then rebuilt into their current form(s) making them less aggressive but still rather clingy.

I'll take ideas from pretty much anywhere I can find them. Also one of my housemates has a crush on Lindy Booth.

I like the idea of some sort of descendant of an organisation that's been investigating weirdness since antiquity, it'd fit well with the Arthurian elements of the series. Though, as you say, it's hardly a model of historical accuracy.

As do I. For example, I’d probably steal their approach to the Bloody Benders for an adventure. Ah yes, Ms Booth was thankfully one of the better actors in the series. 

I rather like the idea of agents of the modern day Legion of Smoke still possessing a sense of grandeur although it’s obvious the organisation has seen better days. Mind you, I’d imagine they’re probably better at containing alien artefacts then say UNIT. Actually, that occurs to me should they discover the helmet that contains Publius’s’ consciousness they’d probably demand it be returned to them. 

Be a matter of negotiation. Hand over the helmet and they’ll lend their assistance. But, of course, it’s up to your PCs whether or not they wish to lose such a valuable resource.

[soultaker666212]

Jun 2, 2022 20:30:51 GMT Catsmate said:

Jun 2, 2022 19:54:29 GMT grinch said:

I must admit although I liked the films and some of the ideas it had, I never liked The Librarians as a television series. Had some quite poor writing and at times dreadful performances. Also occasionally indulged into my pet peeve of not doing their research when it comes to mythology. Anubis being the God of Werewolves, indeed... 🙄

All that inside, I do like the idea of the University as a setting. Strikes me as the sort of location where anyone or anything could make an appearance. I could see PROBE at least investigating as I think despite the rumours surrounding the place there probably isn’t enough evidence for the likes of UNIT to make an official appearance. And instead of the Librarians maybe the modern day equivalent of the Legion of Smoke has investigated this place.

Maybe the gargoyles were actually the remains of a stone species (akin to the Weeping Angels as you suggest) but were broken to pieces and then rebuilt into their current form(s) making them less aggressive but still rather clingy.

I'll take ideas from pretty much anywhere I can find them. Also one of my housemates has a crush on Lindy Booth.

I like the idea of some sort of descendant of an organisation that's been investigating weirdness since antiquity, it'd fit well with the Arthurian elements of the series. Though, as you say, it's hardly a model of historical accuracy.

Could tie it in with an organisation investigating antiquity with the Great Library of Alexandria I mentioned a while back.

[Catsmate]

soultaker666212 , I think the idea of tying the Legion of Smoke, and perhaps the Vigiles Umbrum (are your familiar with the Frumentarii, the secret service of the Roman Empire?) into a sequence of organisations investigating weirdness from pre-history (what did Gilgamesh do after his encounter with Doctor^VII, Ace and Qataka? Probably dump the matter onto the smarter Enkidu I suspect), through the Roman (and Carthaginian¹) empires, through the Dark Ages (probably monastic/church), Charlemagne into the Renaissance, and into the "modern" day (Shadow Directory, Secret Congress, LONGSTOP, ICMG, UNIT) and into the future, has some excellent possibilities.
The idea of a surviving, or partly surviving, Library of Alexandria as an extra-dimensional base is a fascinating one.

grinch , I'd forgotten about the Shatterbox and the Mystery Houses. They're oddities that could fit very well into a modern day game, with or without explanations³.
Likewise the idea of a more-or-mundane criminal, be it murderer, smuggler, rapist or thief, who acquires a little alien tech to facilitate their crimes has lots of potential.






1. Here's an idea; during the desperate days of the Punic wars both sides are considering some of the nastier devices that their respective organisations have found and squirreled away, with potentially disastrous consequences². So the two groups must cooperate to stop this plan.

2. I have an outline for a scenario set in the dying days of the Roman Empire when Odoacer plots something similar against Theodoric, seventeen years after Romulus refused the idea and fled Rome for Britain.

3. Inter-dimensional pockets? Misplaced Atrium Rooms? Lost alien survival equipment?

[grinch]

I probably wouldn’t explain the Mystery Houses and allow PCs to make their own minds up. Worse case scenario is they end up being just another entry in the Unexplained Files folder back at HQ. As you say, they could be used from a great many things. From charnel house to safe house. All depends on the character of the person who decides to inhabit it. I’d imagine someone such as Mister Millow would probably be able to settle whatever intelligence riles the house through his mere presence alone.