Monsters and Other Childish Things – The Grid Playtest

The year is 2070.  The place; Seattle, WA.

In this day and age, computers are built into your clothing, the internet is everywhere, and holograms / augmented reality are a practical interface with technology, rather than a simple novelty.

There was a time when computers were totally and completely responsible for everything we did.  Artificial Intelligence was at our beck and call, managing all that was once done by man.  We were able to relax and work on self-improvement.  If you’ve seen any kind of science fiction film, you know approximately what happens next.  Well okay, things didn’t go full Skynet.  We weren’t THAT unprepared.  There were defenses in place, but likewise, the Artificial Intelligences have that second word for a reason.  Their definite power was removed and, to the casual observer, they were completely destroyed.

Just like that pain in the ass toolbar that you got when you opened that email from the Nigerian prince, the victory by Grid Security was merely a ploy.  Slowly, the remnants of the AI began to surface.  No one’s sure where they’re coming from or why, but one thing’s certain:  They are returning.

PLAYERS

  • Nate – Chae Jin-Ae.  A Korean-American freshman at Nova High.  Very socially awkward in the real world.  Her alternate identity goes around to raves in The Grid.
  • Kevin – Nicholas Meyer. A senior who studies and operates under the teachings of Machiavelli.  Realizes that the penalties of his crimes are going to become more prominent after he’s 18, and is now working on his last big score before real jail kicks in.
  • James – Alan Pontier.  Obsessed with walls and mime.
  • Manda – Theo Minor.  A pawnshop worker who loves her pet Cyberrat Minnie.  She operates another pawnshop in The Grid, operated out of her own little bit of obsolete space where she’s built a large and changing maze.  She can open doors to it from where she wants.

10 Comments

  1. I’m sorry, it’s been 58 years and we still don’t have a sarcasm emoticon? This future is most disturbing and disappointing.

  2. Boy oh boy do I wish I still had the concept drawing of this character I drew over the course of the game. it was goofy as hell.

    1. I have a box full of letters, checks, cards, and character sheets. It’s actually somewhere in there.

      1. Author

        It was also sitting on Nate’s dining table for like. . . 3 months.

  3. This has to be one of my favorite setting ideas ever…
    I really feel as if i want to cancel my current campaign and run this setting, but then i would be a terrible person.

  4. fun setup. clearly deep social commentary on the desensitization of kids by social media (“I the wall guy…”). great for rich visuals and creative application of otherwise simple online tasks. overall reminds me a bit of Dreamwalker, by what I understand of the setting

    and called Mr Whispers when we first started whispering.

    1. Author

      Mr Whispers is my favorite monster of all time in all settings.

  5. I can’t listen to the actual play right now, but this has a similiar feel to the anime Denno Coil? Was it part of the influences?

    On another note, love the way you’ve adapted MAOCT to different settings…I really wanna run it again now…

    1. Author

      Dennou Coil was the main inspiration. The others were Shadowrun and Eclipse Phase. I have the rough draft for the setting linked in the comments. You can also find it on the Cult of ORE.

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