ISSUE 21 FALL 2014 Protodimension Magazine is a quarterly publication written and produced by fans of the modern, conspiratorial, horror genre of role play gaming. This magazine is provided freely via online download, and intends to follow all rules regarding fair use of copyrighted and trademarked material. No revenue for the writers and publishers of this fan magazine is generated directly or indirectly. Managing Editor : Norm Fenlason Chief Editor : Tad Kelson Contributing Editor : Lee Williams Art Direction : Norm Fenlason Norbert Nagy by Cover: Nagy Norbert Protodimension Magazine is a Trademark of Kinstaff Media, LLC. All rights reserved. While Protodimension Magazine is a trade- mark of Kinstaff Media LLC, all copyrights are held by the respective Corridor Infested authors and artists, unless otherwise indicated. The Dark Conspiracy® game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1991, 1997 Cover illustration: Infested Corridor by Nagy Norbert. 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[email protected] faterpg.com. 2 CONTENTS CONTENTS 4 Dithering in the Dark 26 100 Oddities for a 45 The Bar Run Words from the chief Fiction by Tad Kelson Creepy Old House by Tyler Omichinski 4 Dithering in the Dark 25 AllA Review I Have of Left Skirmisher Is This Publishing'sLousy 42 ForThe Your White Reading People Pleasure 5 EasyWords As Thatfrom the chief Book A horror story byA bit Tad of Kelsonfiction byShield Eric FabiaschiMade Out Of a Stop Sign 50 Oldby RifleArthur For Machen A New Century: by Osmond Arnesto ForDiscussion Your Old on School the post-apocalypse Horror Remembering the Heritage 5 Corrigan'sFor Your Reading Fury Pleasure Campaignsgenre Part 2, the FG-42 A pitch set in the Dark Conspiracy by CW Kelson III (Tad) Guns, guns, guns... 8 The Shadowuniverse of the Fleshless Ones 28 TheFor Birthrightthe GM by Kevin O’Neill byA New Geoff Race Skellams A Dark Seed For Dark Conspiracy Forby Ericthe DramaSystemFabiaschi Series 28 Theby Jason Last GuardiansD McEwen #1 For Call of Cthulhu, Dark Conspiracy ForFey Dark fiction Conspiracy and Other Dark 53 Red Carpet Ready 8 Nazis,& ConspiracyCthulhu and Rules Mutants, Oh My! bySettings Herb Severson Characters and plot seeds Interview with Chris Birch For Inspiration and Enjoyent by Jeff Moeller 11 Callby Leeof Cthulhu Williams Fate Hack 29 Just NoWhere For Call of Cthulhu 6th Edition GameHacking Business the Mythos Insight 30 TheA hap(hazard)ly Last Man on fashioned Earth adventure by Ed Gibbs byMovie Tad inspirationsKelson 10 TheFor TollFATE of (CoC) Madness Forby EricMultiple Fabiashi Settings A vignette encounter For Inspiration! 14 Theby CWDigital Kelson Tome III (Tad) 40 Gumiho ForThe CallRight of to Cthulhu Know, Chapter One 32 TheA New Rukh Race by Ed Gibbs bySocotran Jason Ddenizens McEwen 13 TheFor MysteriesFATE (CoC) of Vaal-Al, Part 1 Forby NormConspiracy Fenlason Rules! Dark history catches up For Dark Conspiracy 22 Randomby Ron McClung Hardware 42 A Haunted Subject: Ghosts ForGetting Dark by Role in the Playing Greater Depression 34 The Whistleblower by Jason D McEwen InInvestigating Dark Conspiracy corruption is a 17 BreshingridgeFor Conspiracy Center Rules! Refereedangerous Advice business A mad, mad location byby EricRichard Fabiaschi Hayden 25 Solitaireby Ron McClung ForDark Dark Conspiracy Conspiracy Fiction ForA Vignette Dark Conspiracy by Bradley K. McDevitt 39 Dark Seed: The Gin Mill 24 DerrinFor Halloween A liver-challenging proto-dimension A character...A Mouse... by CW Kelson III (Tad) by Tad Kelson For Dark Conspiracy For Atomic Highway 3 DITHERINGDITHERING IN THE DARKnspirations to draw from. This whole editorial is devoted to discussing These are some of the many different and divergent sources I pull from I what inspires us in our writing and gaming. Now as an editor, my inspira- in my writing and gaming creation. Of course each of us have our sources to tions lie solely in assisting in providing the best product I possibly can. Not draw from. Other authors, history, mythology, current events, all are totally much to draw from besides what sounds the best and conveys the message or valid to source from. Words contentfrom the in chiefthe clearest fashion it can be. Now of course those that contribute to our magazine draw from simi- by Tad KelsonNow as a writer and creator, my inspirations are both focused and much lar sets of inspirations. The backstory to the Dark Conspiracy setting, the more varied. overall works of HP Lovecraft, shared memes and ideas posted on the online services that are all around us. Making for some similarities in the starting There is a pool of things that help influence much of my work, with other points, all ending up in different places. elements also playing a role. Music, fiction, literature, visual elements, and concepts all play a part in the creation process. In both my fiction and my So why not sit down and make a list of some of the things that inspire gaming, some elements tend to be used and re-used on a regular basis such your gaming and take a look at them all. What can be mixed and matched as the post-apocalypse, mixtures of cosmic horror and cyberpunk, dreams to make something a little different than what has come before. Maybe take and other worlds intruding on the current plane of existence, and similar a look around and see what else you could use to mix in and go in a new influences. direction, without straying too far from what is the comfort zone. Share what inspires your creations with us all and see what maybe gets sparked from it. All of these I mix and match in different combinations creating from them all and usually initiated with music. This is a large portion of my cre- So in this issue of Protodimension Magazine we have tons of articles, ative inspirations. There is a large list I keep updating and modifying of those covering all the usual bases. A little adventure action, some guns and stuff, things that drive my creations and ideas. along with some other assorted fare. From the distant past to obscure rituals, Some of those include: from skinning to Nyarlathotep, we have something to help out your game what ever it is. g The Moon g The Post Apocalyptic We here at PDM and 3 Hombres are always thrilled and grateful for the g The Surreal contributions that are made and sent in support of our magazine. g Dreams and Dreamlands g Cyberpunk and the related Sub-Genres Good Gaming. g Wastelands Tad Kelson g Urban Fantasy Editor in Chief g Music Protodimension Magazine IN THE DARK 4 EASY AS THAT A bit of fiction allisonwonderland [1:00AM] : I just want allisonwonderland [09:57PM] : I’m here by Osmond Arnesto you to feel alive again for you FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE “Nobles, that’s people with royal blood, actionhero6 [10:01PM] : I’m so glad they become knights all the time. No big deal, they’re the kids of kings. The guy who If the lights were on, there would be develops your pictures? Forget about it. pizza boxes on the floor and half-fin- That’s why this game’s so fun. One of the ished cans of this soda, that beer – kids was talking about it. The blonde one’s, bought only on special occasions, like you know the one. White heels, necklace the end of another week – maybe a with a little fish on it. Oh, gorgeous. I’m doggy bag or two. The Buddha’s delight not saying she’s the Venus de Milo, because would have long since eroded the foam she’s real. That, and she’s got arms. So containers and seeped into the carpet. strong, raising a kid by herself like that. I There would be sopping black spots and could never do it. I can barely take care of it would look like walking through a myself. Car dealerships go to me for spare primordial swamp. But the lights aren’t tires.” on, so it’s all just a careful walk to the actionhero6 [09:38PM] : It’s like being computer chair.