Atomic-Age Cthulhu - Mythos Horror in the 1950's

It’s the 1950s in America and life is good. The most destructive war in human history is over and the good ol’ U S of A is starting to flex her muscles as a global superpower. The GIs have all come home to new cars, houses in the suburbs, and the high-tech wonders of jets, television, and rockets blasting into space. The future is very bright indeed. At least, that’s how it looks on the surface.

Peel away the thin, sunny veneer of everything is A-OK and you find the rot of fear and paranoia. The nuclear genie has been let out of the bottle, and for the first time ever, mankind has the ability to actually murder the entire world. The creeping Red Menace is everywhere. They’ve cut Europe in half, taken over China, invaded some unknown country called Korea, and even conquered outer space with their Sputnik. Worst yet, the godless Commies are already here! Don’t trust your movie stars, authors, news reporters, or even your neighbors. They could all be one of them. Then there is the slow, steady corruption of the youth through promiscuous, unwholesome rock n’ roll and shocking comic books full of gruesomeness like Tales From the Crypt. Never before has our way of life had so many threats to it.

It’s the 1950s in America, and everything looks rosy and perfect on the outside, but beneath the skin fear is rampant. In short, it’s the perfect setting for some Call of Cthulhu action.

In Atomic Age Cthulhu you will find info on how to run games of cosmic horror in the Leave it to Beaver world of the 50s. Background information, new professions, new skills, and adventure ideas tailor made for the 1950s can be found here, along with seven scenarios designed to get you rocking n’ rolling in no time.

This is Atomic Age Cthulhu, remember to duck and cover.

The Seven Scenarios are:

This Village was Made for Us by Christopher Smith Adair: in a closed community devoted to exploring the new found wonders of the atomic age, alien horrors conduct their own experiments and our wellbeing does not factor into their calculations.

L.A. Diabolical by Brian Courtemanche: It's Tinsel Town and the rich and famous want to dabble with the chic side of darkness for kicks, but when something from the darkness starts playing with them, the fun quickly ends.

Destroying Paradise, Hawai'ian Style by Michael Dziesinski: blue skies, loud shirts, surfing and a king of rock n’ roll making a movie, what could possible go wrong? Well when the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos combine with the horror of nuclear weapons, what do you think?

High Octane by Tom Lynch: slick hotrods, dirty and dangerous bikers, a commie plot, and a once slumbering menace starting to stir, will the investigators be able to keep the lid on this pressure cooker or are things going to blow as the fear continues to mount?

The Return of Old Reliable by Oscar Rios: The space race, still in its infancy, gives birth to a world-threatening horror no one could have seen coming.

Forgotten Wars by Brian M. Sammons: The Korean "conflict", never formally classified as a war, and yet technically still underway today, pales in comparison to the aeons long battle between two ancient enemies, and a US Army tank crew gets caught in the middle.

TV Casualty by Matt Sanborn: Television: newfangled technological wonder, or dreaded idiot box looking to enslave us all? Could the answer to both questions be yes?