Miskatonic University Podcast

This episode, we continue with Part II of our Miskatonic Media Club! This is where the hosts explore how to pull game design inspiration from movies, books, TV, and other arts! This episode, we’re joined again by game designer Quinn Murphy to discuss Sinners. 

The Discord Plug

That’s right! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor Equinox for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

Last time we got into a great conversation with Quinn about aome elements of Sinners that we want to use in our gaming, and we’re going to pick up where we left off. Evan, where did we leave off?

Well last time we talked about story development elements, incorporating music into a setting and game, and some great tricks and tools for representation of cultures and people. 

So let’s dive into the next element!

Horror rooted in specific culture, with cultural responses (e.g. Hoodoo performed by a main character)

Survival horror; how to do that well in a scenario?

Integrating sexiness into your horror game?

This episode, Keeper Evan debuts a new segment called the Miskatonic Media Club! This is where the hosts explore how to pull game design inspiration from movies, books, TV, and other arts! This episode, we’re joined by game designer Quinn to discuss Sinners. 

Patreon Plug & Update

Hey guys! Here is your friendly and loving reminder that MUP has a Patreon! To back us you can click the button on the sidebar of our website, mu-podcast.com or head over to Patreon directly at www.patreon.com/mup!

Thank you to everyone has chosen to back and support us! You guys keep the lights on around here and we’re so thankful for all of you. 

The Discord Plug

That’s right! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor Equinox for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

This episode, Keeper Evan debuts a new segment called the Miskatonic Media Club! This is where the hosts explore how to pull game design inspiration from movies, books, TV, and other arts! This episode, we’re joined by game designer Quinn to discuss Sinners.

This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan welcome bestselling creator, Mav Haenze, back onto the show to explore ways that mental health, sanity and madness are used and misused in horror gaming, and ways that Keepers, players and writers can use them in the future to maximize the fun and the horror!

Patreon Plug & Update

Dear listeners! We have a patreon. Our patreon is how we pay our editors, our hosts, our editing software, the podcast hosting service, the podcast recording service, spam filters, and more. I know that we don’t like to discuss money, but it costs money to keep this show alive. 

Our Patreons literally keep the lights on and make this show possible. So if you love this content, and you want to keep it alive, we ask that you visit patreon.com/MUP and subscribe to be a backer. 

And if financial support isn’t in the cards right now, you can spread the good word of MUP in your communities by sharing a link and heaping glowing praise upon us where others can see. And furthermore, you can hang out with us on Discord!

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor NATE for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

Tonight, we bring you PART TWO of March Madness, which is legally and ontologically distinct from any kind of sporting event you may be aware of. What did we do in Part 1?

In Part 1, we talked about ways that mental health, illness and trauma can be used and misused in horror gaming, with some expert advice from our friend Perry Clark. Now that we’ve set a baseline on the role mental health and sanity in general can play in gaming, it’s time to get into the game mechanics!

And as we mentioned, we are joined today by the extra-fantastic Maverick Haenze, beloved friend of the show. Can you tell folks where they may know you from, and what expertise you’re bringing to the conversation?

So: Let’s dive in to our discussion. Where have mental health and sanity mechanics been, where are they now, and where might they be going in the glorious future? Bridgett, can you kick us off? Do you have a favorite sanity or sanity-adjacent mechanic right now?

{For reference or review, some notable games with sanity/madness/mental health mechanics:

Call of Cthulhu, 1981, seems to have introduced the Sanity mechanic

Experiencing horrors leads to a “bout of madness” and then, potentially, long-term effects such as phobias/manias

More recently – players/Keepers can select long-term effects, and writers like Mav are introducing custom bout of madness tables in line with the story

Unknown Armies – get hardened by violence/horror, at a cost

Stress mechanics

Delta Green’s Sanity; can burn connections to people (“bonds”) to cut down on stress; fight/flee/freeze as temp effects

Trail of Cthulhu/Fall of Delta Green splits up into two tracks, Stability and Sanity – Stability is more like stress/mundane effects

Alien has stress dice/panic rolls

Blades in the Dark – vices which burn off your stress points

Note that these systems all represent a particular narrative worldview about how to deal with your stress and trauma!

Madness (more operatic/literary, less representative of real-world issues)

Trail of Cthulhu’s Sanity – affected mostly by exposure to mythos/unnatural

Vampire’s humanity/hunger

Metafictional effects:

Fear Itself (secret instructions to GM/players)

Keeper tricks at the table (describing mundane humans as horrible monsters)}

Topics:

Favorite current mechanics

What supports realistic play? What is more fantastic/genre-leaning?

Things to be avoided (e.g. some people don’t like the old-school random sanity effects)

Things you recommend – what are effective, fun, supportive for Keepers/players?

Connect with Mav!

Name: Mav Haenze

Pronouns: They/Them

Mav is a prolific writer, Storyteller, and verbal purveyor of horror. Their AP work and scenarios can be found at https://linktr.ee/mavhaenze

Homework

What new mechanics or approaches will you try in your upcoming games? Do you mix and match approaches from different games at your table?

This episode, Keepers Bridgett and Evan welcome Licensed Family Therapist and gamer, Perry Clark, back onto the show to explore ways that mental health, sanity and madness are used and misused in horror gaming, and ways that Keepers, players and writers can use them in the future to maximize the fun and the horror!

Patreon Plug & Update

Dear listeners! We have patreon. Our patreon is how we pay our editors, our hosts, our editing software, the podcast hosting service, the podcast recording service, spam filters, and more. I know that we don’t like to discuss money, but it costs money to keep this show alive. 

Our Patreons literally keep the lights on and make this show possible. So if you love this content, and you want to keep it alive, we ask that you visit patreon.com/MUP and subscribe to be a backer. 

And if financial support isn’t in the cards right now, you can spread the good word of MUP in your communities by sharing a link and heaping glowing praise upon us where others can see. And furthermore, you can hang out with us on Discord!

{New Patreon backer: DoctorSlaphammer}

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D

And thank you to our editor GENE for editing this episode. 

Bridgett’s Pet Pick Shout Out

Friend of the show, Rach, swears that this cat, Goose, likes his lovely veil. 

Listen. I’m not so sure. But I don’t speak cat! And the veil is dope. 

Also. Where are my pet pics?!

Main Topic

March Madness is an exploration of the ways that mental health, sanity and madness are used and misused in horror gaming, and ways that Keepers, players and writers can use them in the future to maximize the fun and the horror.

Connect with Perry Clark!

https://linktr.ee/pclarkugcandukpodcast

This episode, Keepers Bridgett & Evan are joined by special guest, Pippa Walton, intimacy choreographer and coach! Tonight we’re going to discuss sex in horror gaming. We’ll unpack topics such as why people may want to engage with sex in gaming, why sex and horror compliment each other so well, how to handle consent, what the experience may look like and more!

Recent Gaming

Recent Gaming is where we talk about the games we’re playing. This episode was recorded 2/25/2026. So whatcha been playing?

Patreon Plug & Update

Dear listeners! We have patreon. Our patreon is how we pay our editors, our hosts, our editing software, the podcast hosting service, the podcast recording service, spam filters, and more. I know that we don’t like to discuss money, but it costs money to keep this show alive. 

Our Patreons literally keep the lights on and make this show possible. So if you love this content, and you want to keep it alive, we ask that you visit patreon.com/MUP and subscribe to be a backer. 

And if financial support isn’t in the cards right now, you can spread the good word of MUP in your communities by sharing a link and heaping glowing praise upon us where others can see. And furthermore, you can hang out with us on Discord!

The Discord Plug

Our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics. Link in the show notes: MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D 

And thank you to our editor Ben for editing this episode. 

Main Topic

Welcome to the Main Topic everyone! Tonight, we’re going to discuss sex in horror roleplaying games. We’re going to approach this topic with respect, curiosity, awareness, and sensitivity. That being said, we’re about to discuss how to introduce and navigate sex in gaming spaces. This content will not be explicit in nature, but we’re not going to run from it. So if this content isn’t your cup of tea, there are 343 other episodes to enjoy, and more incoming!

Questions:

Why would people want to explore sex in gaming? 

Why does sex and horror go so well together?

What does sex in role-playing games look like? 

Personal experiences 

How can it be handled safely and respectfully?

Tools and perspectives to be mindful of. 

Ways to introduce sex and have fun with it! 

What role can sex have, any particular advantages/disadvantages, thematic elements that are fun to explore, things like that?

Resources, books, games, workshops, etc., to review for homework.

Special Guest Spotlight

Pippa Walton (she/her) has been involved in live performance through theatre since her first stage management job in 2015, and her work in the scene has spread into multiple mediums and expanded to include directing and intimacy coordination. Live action role play has become a treasured space where she uses her background in intimacy and fight work to help tell higher stakes stories with different kinds of emotional investment, and has been one of the most rewarding applications of her work. Her passions include gender-based analysis of theatrical practice, adapting her intimacy and consent practices for Live Action Role Play, being entirely too enthusiastic about musicals, and doing everything in her power to make theatre an equitable, comfortable, and uplifting space for the people around her. Her favourite video game to play is Stardew Valley, which can be considered horror media if you check how many hours she’s logged.

Homework

Does sex have a place in your tabletop roleplaying? Yes, no, maybe?