Something I think which adds a good degree of verisimilitude to a game world is conspiracy theories (or as some people call them, spoiler warnings) mainly because it's an interesting vehicle for conveying setting information to the players without info dumping, kind of like NPC rumors or gossip is.

This of course doesn't mean the conspiracy theory is true, in part or whole, but all the same characters in the setting believe it, likewise the conspiracy theory could have a false pretense, it could be a pysop as well.

Across the games I've run I've had a couple across varies settings. I lifted an idea from Doctor Who: suggesting the royal family of some kingdom -that players happened to be in-  that the loyal line had lycanthropy in it, with the added wrinkle that such slander or suggestion was considered blasphemy from the crown (though I never confirmed if it was true)

One I do treat as true for the big setting I'm working on is that the Voyager-1 space probe is sentient. (this one is believed in real life by the way) but as far as my game setting is concerned is true. even if it isn't really verifiable.

Conspiracy theories abound in Shadowrun and Dark Heresy (or pretty much any of the WFRP or WH40K lines).

I have to admit I don't see much point in dropping conspiracy beliefs into a game unless those beliefs are going to be proven true somehow, or at least indicative of something that does turn out to be true; the only other use they would be is in settings based on our own real history and cultures, where it can easily be recognized as just "mise en scene" characterization to mention an NPC is firmly convinced Elvis faked his own death, or the moon landings were filmed on soundstages, or the like. Imaginary cultures without this handy "brand recognition" are only going to make it hard for the PCs to tell what's merely setting colour and what's a vital plot clue.

Furthermore, conspiracy beliefs in pre-industrial cultures tend to be extremely simplistic and xenophobic, q.v. the infamous phenomenon of the blood libels of anti-Semitism. Even letting characters play in the conviction of such beliefs being true, without ever indicating them justified, would risk introducing very un-fun behaviour for me.

The critical point is that while some of them may be true, many others are distractions. Some players will chase down anything, and a distraction can end up killing a lot of game time if players just won't let it go. Red herring is truly an addictive delicacy among players.

Quote from: HappyDaze on May 18, 2025, 02:08:53 AMRed herring is truly an addictive delicacy among players.

That's the Law of Conservation of Detail -- the assumption that if the GM bothers to mention it, it's important somehow.

Quote from: Socratic-DM on May 17, 2025, 01:32:31 PMOne I do treat as true for the big setting I'm working on is that the Voyager-1 space probe is sentient. (this one is believed in real life by the way) but as far as my game setting is concerned is true. even if it isn't really verifiable.

I advise you watch the most recent Scott Manley video on the software update which saved Voyager 1. It's actually quite rare to get to peek into the internal computer science workings of a probe from almost 50 years ago.

In any case, I suppose I can share a few. I think that some of these may constitute minor spoilers for an adventure module I'm writing to go with the game, but how likely is it that people on a majority-OSR board will actually want to play an experimental modern hard SF game? It's possible, but the overlap isn't that large.

The Aquarium which acts as a hub is the entrance for a government black site: True

The campaign's main hub location is an aquarium which is slowly flooding and filled with mutant monsters. It's rumored that somewhere in this aquarium is the entrance for a government black site, although the rumor isn't set to it being any particular sort of black site. Most people hearing this rumor will immediately assume that the monsters are caused by some form of a lab leak (including a number of officials at the Department of Defense). This is actually not the case; the campaign's Nexill (main antagonist), is intentionally creating the monsters and setting up the lab to take the blame.

There is actually a hidden genetics laboratory which is slowly collecting and sending DNA samples to a DNA vault project, but it isn't equipped for active genetic manipulation and is a rather low security lab. The primary reason its hidden is to keep the public from accidentally stumbling in. However, the Nexill frequently keeps tabs on the location with Remote Viewing because anyone seriously investigating the matter will visit the lab eventually, and likely discover it wasn't up to anything particularly nefarious.


The storm drain was clogged with a monster egg until recently. False

The remains of an incinerated shell-like organic structure were recovered by sewer maintenance workers about a month before the campaign began. As soon as monsters started to appear, people assumed this was an egg for a monster. It's actually the remains of a chrysalis the Nexill used to create their human body. (The players should figure this out quickly, as the Arsill--the quest-giving NPC--had to use an almost identical chrysalis.)

A pterodactyl was seen roosting in a radio tower. True

Selection campaigns have a match-up between a Nexill and an Arsill, and their contrasting abilities often define the campaign. In this case, the match-up showcases two different time-related abilities. Ayakriss (the Arsill) allows players to rewind one session per campaign which goes poorly at the expense of experience. The Nexill Shodex is able to reach through time to acquire genetic samples from long extinct animals, enabling the use of extinct animal flavors (dinosaurs.)

There's also always a personal beef between the Nexill and the Arsill. In this case, Ayakriss was once a high ranking Nexill who defected to the Arsill. Shodex has a grudge over this because she taught Ayakriss how to use faulting to manipulate time.

Quote from: Stephen Tannhauser on May 18, 2025, 02:03:10 AMI have to admit I don't see much point in dropping conspiracy beliefs into a game unless those beliefs are going to be proven true somehow, or at least indicative of something that does turn out to be true; the only other use they would be is in settings based on our own real history and cultures, where it can easily be recognized as just "mise en scene" characterization to mention an NPC is firmly convinced Elvis faked his own death, or the moon landings were filmed on soundstages, or the like.

In my last D&D campaign, where there was a good-aligned Sun God, I had an evil cult - The Order of the Black Sun - who were based on a "conspiracy theory" of sorts. The cult taught that once the Moon was a bright as the Sun, but the jealous Sun threw ash into the face of the Moon to lessen her. Claiming the night was robbed of power, they venerated the night and creatures of the night as being misunderstood - including vampires and werewolves.

The conspiracy theory angle meant that there were some of the cult truly believed they were addressing injustice, and the PCs sometimes worked on breaking up the popularity of the cult as well as fighting the evil leader.

Quote from: Socratic-DM on May 17, 2025, 01:32:31 PMOne I do treat as true for the big setting I'm working on is that the Voyager-1 space probe is sentient. (this one is believed in real life by the way)

Quote from: Fheredin on May 19, 2025, 10:26:58 AMSelection campaigns have a match-up between a Nexill and an Arsill, and their contrasting abilities often define the campaign. In this case, the match-up showcases two different time-related abilities. Ayakriss (the Arsill) allows players to rewind one session per campaign which goes poorly at the expense of experience. The Nexill Shodex is able to reach through time to acquire genetic samples from long extinct animals, enabling the use of extinct animal flavors (dinosaurs.)

There's also always a personal beef between the Nexill and the Arsill. In this case, Ayakriss was once a high ranking Nexill who defected to the Arsill. Shodex has a grudge over this because she taught Ayakriss how to use faulting to manipulate time

Not related but this concept struck out at me. Reminds me of the relationship between the Bene Gesserit
and the Spacing Guild. two groups who use effectively the same power of oracular vision but in very different ways.

Or maybe a better comparison would be the Bene Gesserit and Honored Matre. since they use the same powers as well and one is the off-shoot of the other and also have very strong tensions.

Anyway the concept of two different powers/abilities actually being the same just in a different context and by a different group is interesting.

Quote from: jhkim on May 19, 2025, 02:03:07 PMIn my last D&D campaign... I had an evil cult - The Order of the Black Sun - who were based on a "conspiracy theory" of sorts. The cult taught that once the Moon was a bright as the Sun, but the jealous Sun threw ash into the face of the Moon to lessen her. Claiming the night was robbed of power, they venerated the night and creatures of the night as being misunderstood - including vampires and werewolves.

That's a really cool mythology and it makes sense as the belief for that kind of cult, but I wouldn't call that a "conspiracy theory" in the same way the term's usually meant. A conspiracy theory isn't what a secret group believes, it's what people believe about the group from outside it, especially if it's unfalsifiable assertions that the group is far larger or has far more covert influence than most people know -- which, again, are the sorts of implications that only distract PCs if they're not true but the PCs don't have a convenient way to know they're not true.

In a fantasy game, I'd say the closest the PCs come to interacting with a conspiracy theory is a product of the rumor table. All the rumors on the table are either true, false, or have one element that is false even if the gist is true. Rumors are received randomly and sometimes in different contexts so theories will be formed when the information aligns.
On the scale of a campaign I do like to build secret histories into things. I'll seed deep clues into the game and if they bite I'll make sure there are opportunities to develop it. This usually runs them afoul of secret societies, cults, and other string pullers.

In a modern game the PCs are probably balls deep in a conspiracy by the third session so there's not much to theorize about. I have played a lot of Illuminati: NWO and it has had a profound effect on how I design stories and scenarios for the style I typically work in. There's always an upline connect to some other operation and if there's not, maybe it's you. Welcome to the pyramid. 

I like to draw faction maps. That was always one of my favorite things about early VtM. Having a spreadsheet of who's who and what they're up to is a great tool for developing plots and improvising why something is happening. There's a real web of cabals on the bench for our next game and I am very curious where the clues will take them: The Order Omega, satanic mind-control cult; Auric International and its shadowy board of directors; underground fighting rings and a showdown with Nine Lives Liang. It's exciting stuff. 

I wish those X-Files inspired conspiracy theory rpgs from the 90s would come back. They were pretty fun.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on May 20, 2025, 09:27:55 AMI wish those X-Files inspired conspiracy theory rpgs from the 90s would come back. They were pretty fun.

I have the four books of the Conspiracy X 2e from Eden. I've only played a short game of it, but it was fun.

I think Dark*Matter, Nephilim, and Hunter: The Vigil were my favorites. D*M had a whole chapter dedicated to illuminati conspiracies, Neph had a book about secret societies that could help or hinder the PCs, and Vigil provided a plethora of monster-hunting secret societies that PCs could be members of. I'm surprised that these sorts of games died out, when conspiracies and cryptids are so popular online.

I checked out Magnus Archives and the monster chapter was pretty lackluster since they stripped down all the monsters to their most basic archetypal aspects. They're purely monsters of the week and the game doesn't bother to give any metaphysical justification for why any of this exists beyond typical reductive incomprehensible cosmic horror. That works for an anthology series about strange stuff happening to unrelated citizens, but it doesn't work for a serialized series where the protagonists are paranormal investigators who can accumulate knowledge on this stuff.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales on May 20, 2025, 10:39:44 AMI'm surprised that these sorts of games died out, when conspiracies and cryptids are so popular online.

Well, the games mostly appealed to those that could tell the difference between games and reality.