The Five Techniques (No Future #1)

Excellent scenario, clearly written by someone who has a solid grasp of the time, both in terms of the music scene and the politics of the time. I ran it yesterday (9/9/2023), and the characters managed to mostly survive, except for one who died in the epilogue.

There is something deeply chilling about doing horror in this particular era and location. Between the real-life horrors of the Troubles, the Five Techniques, and rising Thatcherism about to make it all much, much worse, it feels like a bit of a relief when the supernatural horrors start to manifest.

As I’m wont to do, I went down a massive research rabbit hole (Hello, AuDHD hyperfocus!) and built some personal resources for myself, including the attached playlist. Use it to set mood or just get yourself into the GMing headspace. You’ll notice the lack of Sex Pistols, because compared to the rest of the scene, I don’t find them that interesting.

I botched my research on one point: For the sake of detail, I decided to set the scenario in late 1979, after the death of Sid Vicious and the election of Thatcher. Unfortunately, part of the scenario involves The Undertones showing up to play the wake, and noting that “They’re going places.” The Undertones’ first single, “Teenage Kicks,” came out in late 1978, establishing them as a vital force in the scene. Oopsie. Too many balls in the air.

The rivalry between the Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers might also be illustrative of the tensions in the scene:

Derry-based punk band The Undertones released their debut single, “Teenage Kicks”, the same week as Stiff Little Fingers released “Alternative Ulster,” starting a rivalry between the two bands within the Northern Irish punk scene.While the Undertones were accused of ignoring the events of The Troubles in their music, the overtly political lyrics of “Alternative Ulster” and “Suspect Device” drew criticism from the other side. When asked in 2007 if “Teenage Kicks” was the best song about being a teenager, Bono responded, “My soundtrack was more “Alternative Ulster” by Stiff Little Fingers.” (Wikipedia)

Given the volatile nature of the content, especially the dream sequences and their historical origin, I strongly recommend keeping an X-card or other safety mechanism on hand.

Very much looking forward to running “Career Opportunities” No Future: A Mixtape for 1979.

Love this zine, and am hoping to run it soon!

I really want to make my own scenario with a  similar pitch (on a much smaller scale, admittedly), that being "70s punks + Lovecraftian horror".

I want to make sure I wouldn't be stepping on any toes by doing so. Is there a way I can contact you?

Looking forward to the next issue.