Tags
1960s, 1970s, Americana fantasy, Cryptozoological Creature, Cryptozoology, electronic horror, fortean phenomona, forteana, Gothic America, Groovy Era, magic realism, Midwest Horror, modern fantasy, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Road Trip, Roadcrawl, Roadtrip, sci fi, science-fiction, Seventies, Sixties, Small Town Horror, Southern Gothic, technological horror, Urban Fantasy, Weird America
Whether in truck-stop lounges, motel rooms, or in roadside dive bars, characters on the Uncanny Highway will have plenty of chances to watch TV.
Each 100-mile Section of the Uncanny Highway has 1d4+1 legal Television Stations. All broadcast with UHF, on channels 14 to 69. No matter how close the Highway seems to be to a major city (or how many times one bangs on the TV), one cannot tune into the major VHF stations broadcasting on channels 2 to 13.
In addition to the legal stations, each Section will have 1d4 illegal “Pirate” stations that operate without any kind of license. These might broadcast on any channel from 2 to 69, at any point during the day (but usually during the night hours). Assume that whenever the PC turn on the TV and just cycle through the dials, they will happen to find at least one of these Pirate stations broadcasting.
Remember that during the Groovy Era legal television stations will “sign off” and cease broadcasting around 1 AM. Sometimes, sign-off will as early as midnight, or as late as 2 AM. At that time there will be a station identification, and usually the “Star-Spangled Banner” will play over patriotic images, scenes of the American landscape, or video of a flag. Then, there will only be static and white noise until “sign-on” at 6 AM, which will always start with a station identification. Of course, a Pirate station may just be starting their transmission when the legal stations have signed-off for the night!
Table 1: Legal Television Station Name
The four-letter name (or “call sign”) of a TV Station located east of the Mississippi River will begin with “W”, while a station west of the Mississippi has a call sign that begin s with “K”. So if the station is in Georgia and you roll an “S”, an “N”, and an “X” on Table 1, the station is WSNX. If it was located in Utah, it would be KSNX.
d30, d30, d30 |
You’re watching station W / K– |
||
1 |
A |
A |
A |
2 |
B |
B |
B |
3 |
C |
C |
C |
4 |
D |
D |
D |
5 |
E |
E |
E |
6 |
F |
F |
F |
7 |
G |
G |
G |
8 |
H |
H |
H |
9 |
I |
I |
I |
10 |
J |
J |
J |
11 |
K |
K |
K |
12 |
L |
L |
L |
13 |
M |
M |
M |
14 |
N |
N |
N |
15 |
O |
O |
O |
16 |
P |
P |
P |
17 |
Q |
Q |
Q |
18 |
R |
R |
R |
19 |
S |
S |
S |
20 |
T |
T |
T |
21 |
U |
U |
U |
22 |
V |
V |
V |
23 |
W |
W |
W |
24 |
X |
X |
X |
25 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
26 |
Z |
Z |
Z |
27 |
U |
U |
U |
28 |
S |
S |
S |
29 |
A |
A |
A |
30 |
X |
X |
X |
Table 2: Current Programming of a Legal TV Station
d20 |
This station is currently playing… |
1 |
a horror movie. |
2 |
a movie about World War II. |
3 |
a romance movie. |
4 |
a mystery movie. |
5 |
a historical movie (other than World War II). |
6 – 7 |
a sitcom. |
8 |
a dramatic series. |
9 |
a crime drama series. |
10 |
an action-adventure series. |
11 |
a Western series. |
12 – 13 |
a game show. |
14 |
a variety show or concert. d6: Music is… 1 – 3 = Rock n’ Roll, 4 – 5 = Country & Western, 6 = Polka, 7 = Big Band Swing, 8 = Funk, 9 = Soul, 10 = Rhythm & Blues, 11 = Folk, 12 = Christian or Gospel. |
15 – 17 |
a sporting event. d6: 1 – 3 = baseball (spring / summer) or football (autumn / winter), 4 = stock car racing (spring / summer) or hockey (autumn / winter), 5 = drag racing (spring / summer) or basketball (autumn / winter), 6 = motocross (spring / summer) or ice skating (autumn / winter). |
18 – 19 |
a regular news show. |
20 |
a show devoted to exploring paranormal phenomena and the mysteries of the occult. Use NEWSPAPERS Table 3: Strange News Stories to determine the topic covered. |
- Roll on Table 5 to determine if any broadcast oddities or signal intrusion will occur.
- There is a 25% chance that show will be interrupted by a Breaking News Bulletin (see Table 4).
Table 3: Local TV News Stories
d20 |
The report begins: |
1 |
“Local man claims to have seen a strange animal on the highway…” |
2 |
“Are the rumors about a local amusement park true?” |
3 |
“Strange events at a local amusement park…” |
4 |
“Are the rumors about a local bar true?” |
5 |
“Does this movie, playing at a local Drive-in, go too far?” |
6 |
“Are the rumors about a local restaurant true?” |
7 |
“Strange events at a local motel…” |
8 |
“Are the rumors about a local motel true?” |
9 |
“Could a new acquisition at local museum be cursed?” |
10 |
“Are the rumors about a local trailer park true?” |
11 |
“Strange events at a local trailer park…” |
12 |
“Local man has a story to tell…” |
13 |
“Local woman has a story to tell…” |
14 |
“Is there any truth to the local legend of…” |
15 |
“Psycho Killer claims latest victim…” |
16 |
“Murder tonight at a nearby…” d4: 1 = truck stop, 2 = motel, 3 = amusement park, 4 = drive-in theater. |
16 |
“There’s been a rash of U.F.O sightings all along the Highway…” |
17 |
“Horrible highway accident claims multiple lives…” |
18 |
“We’re investigating reports of a driverless car running other vehicle off the road…” |
19 |
“More tonight on that string of mysterious disappearances…” d6: The missing people have actually… 1 = been abducted by Extraterrestrials, 2 = been killed by a vampire, 3 = been eaten by werewolves, 4 = been abducted by cannibals to be eaten eventually, 5 = been abducted by the government for use in Psychic research, 6 = escaped the Uncanny Highway to normal America. |
20 |
talking about something that relates directly to a Player Character’s motivation for being on the road. |
Table 4: Breaking News Bulletins
d20 |
The obviously surprised announcer reports that… |
1 |
sudden storms are developing in our area… |
2 |
there has been a sudden explosion tonight at a local… d6: 1 = motel, 2 = truck stop, 3 = amusement park, 4 = house, 5 = church, 6 = farm. |
3 |
local police are hunting a.. See STRANGE ANIMALS and CREATURES. |
4 |
there has been a massive spill of toxic chemicals on the highway… d4: Those directly exposed to the toxic waste will… 1 = die in one day and rise again as Zombies, 2 = suffer enough damage to kill an ordinary person, 3 = grow an extra appendage in 1d8 days, 4 = collapse into a state that is fluid, but still ambulatory and intelligent. The GM should always allow a Saving Throw, Luck roll, or the equivalent to avoid the hazardous effect. |
5 |
police cars are in pursuit of a… d4: 1 = bank robber, 2 = murder suspect, 3 = reported U.F.O., 4 = suspected kidnapper. |
6 |
bank robbers have escaped police… 50% chance that 1d4 armed bank robbers will pass by – or even come into – wherever the PCs are staying. |
7 |
inmates have escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane… 50% chance that 1d4 homicidal maniacs will pass by – or even come into – wherever the PCs are staying. |
8 |
prisoners have escaped from custody… 50% chance that 1d4 escaped prisoners will pass by – or even come into – wherever the PCs are staying. |
9 |
there has been a sudden outbreak of strange disease, whose victims take on a cadaverous appearance, and attack others in order to eat their flesh. They’re now Zombies, of course! |
10 |
there has been a verdict in the mass-murder trial that rocked our area… Equal chances that the suspect was found guilty or acquitted, and equal chances that they were innocent or guilty. If the convicted person was innocent, then there is still a roaming killer for the PCs to encounter. |
11 |
Police are telling motorist to stay off the Highway, as rivalries between Biker gangs have erupted into all-out war near a local… d4: 1 = roadhouse, 2 = gas station, 3 = motel, 4 = truck stop. |
12 |
a local politician has been assassinated… |
13 |
the Town Hall is on fire… |
14 |
Police are right now searching for more victims, after a woman escapes imprisonment at a local… d6: 1 = motel, 2 = truck stop, 3 = amusement park, 4 = house, 5 = church, 6 = farm. |
15 |
masked men have abducted a local celebrity at gunpoint… |
16 |
you are about to see live footage of an Unidentified Flying Object… 50% chance the sighting is a hoax. |
16 |
there has been an unexplained massacre at a local hospital… d6: Massacre was actually caused by… 1 = a temporarily incapacitated Vampire rising again at night, 2 = bodies reanimating as Zombies from exposure to toxic waste, 3 = a Werewolf having their first transformation, 4 = a Psycho Killer, 5 = an Extraterrestrial looking for a piece of stolen technology, 6 = an interrupted assassin shooting their way out of the hospital. |
17 |
people are reporting sudden attacks by massive swarms of rats at a local… d6: 1 = motel, 2 = truck stop, 3 = amusement park, 4 = house, 5 = church, 6 = farm. |
18 |
a maniac is on a rampage at a local… d4: 1 = truck stop, 2 = motel, 3 = amusement park, 4 = drive-in theater. |
19 |
a meteorite has struck a local… d6: 1 = house, 2 = farm, 3 = motel, 4 = amusement park, 5 = lovers’ lane, 6 = public park. |
20 |
a man driving a World War II tank has gone on a rampage… |
Table 5: Television Oddities and Signal Intrusions
d100 |
While you are watching television… |
1 – 75 |
nothing especially weird happens. |
76 – 80 |
programming from an an illegal “pirate” station breaks in. See Table 6. |
81 |
all the colors suddenly change. If TV is black and white, the picture now looks like a photographic negative |
82 |
static overtakes the picture, and you see the ghostly face of a dead relative forming in the “snow”. |
83 |
static overtakes the picture, and you see the ghostly face of a woman forming in the “snow”. |
84 |
static overtakes the picture, and you see the ghostly face of a man forming in the “snow”. |
85 |
static overtakes the picture, and you see a demonic face forming in the “snow”. |
86 |
the sound devolves into static, and in the noise you hear the ghostly voice of a dead relative |
87 |
the sound devolves into static, and in the noise you hear a threatening voice. |
88 |
the sound devolves into static, and in the noise you hear a voice pleading for help. |
89 |
the picture goes out, and sound is replaced by that of an unlicensed radio station. |
90 |
everyone seems to speaking in a foreign language. |
91 |
the signal is completely interrupted by another from a foreign country. d4: The broadcast is from… 1 = Canada, 2 = Mexico, 3 = Cuba, 4 = Japan, 5 = China, 6 = The Soviet Union. |
92 |
and the image is replaced with yourself watching the television, as if there was a camera in the room. |
93 |
the image is replaced by that of a certain location you passed on the Highway, and a mechanical voice telling you to go back there at midnight tomorrow to welcome the “Cosmic Benefactors”. If the PCs actually go there at the appointed time, use STRANGE ANIMALS and CREATURES Table 2a: Appearance of an Extraterrestrial, and 2b: Appearance of an Extraterrestrial Vehicle. |
94 |
the screen turns to static, and a soft women’s voice tells you she is a representative of the “Pleiadian Federation”, and that you have been chosen to transmit their message of Universal Brotherhood to all people. |
95 |
the picture goes out, and a smiling face seems to press itself up against the screen from inside. |
96 |
the picture turns to that of a local Psychic, who says they need you help to find a missing person. The person is someone the PCs have actually seen on the road so far, or will meet tomorrow. |
97 |
the image is replaced by the close-up of a human eye. If the PCs look close, they will see the television set itself reflected in the pupil of the eye. |
98 |
the image is replaced by the close-up of a human mouth. The mouth is saying something, but there is no sound. If a PC can successfully read lips, the mouth is warning them about a potential danger in one of the Roadside Attractions on the Highway. |
99 |
the image is replaced with what looks like a filmed version the dream a PC had last night. |
100 |
The signal is replaced with one from an alternate America. d6: In the alternate America… 1 = the nation is Communist, and Russia is Capitalist., 2 = the nation has always been a full and equal union of Native Americans and immigrants from elsewhere, 3 = there has already been a nuclear war with Soviet Union, 4 = the nation has been overrun by Zombies, 5 = Satanism is the official religion, 6 = Richard Nixon and the Mary Jane Band are the grooviest and most popular Psychedelic Rock group in the world! |
- Oddities and Signal Intrusions last 1d10 minutes.
Table 6: Programming of a Pirate TV Station
d20 |
This station broadcasts… |
1 |
movies currently in theaters. |
2 |
bootleg concert footage. |
3 |
masked people reporting on local corruption. |
4 |
uncensored footage from a local Hippie commune. If the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance of seeing them. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location of the commune, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |
5 |
far Left Wing / Communist political commentary. 25% chance of a specific terrorist threat against a local town or Roadside Attraction. |
6 |
far Right Wing / Ultra-Nationalist / Fascist political commentary. 25% chance of a specific terrorist threat against a local town or Roadside Attraction. |
7 |
Libertarian political commentary. |
8 |
pictures of a local person in various places, including their place of work. The caption underneath gives a dollar figure for each person, and a phone number to call “with proof”. The PC will recognize at least one of the people from their recent travels. |
9 |
a show devoted to some kind of unconventional Christianity. d6: This church advocates… 1 = Free Love, 2 = mixing Christianity and Hinduism, 3 = ancient Gnostic teachings, 4 = the unity of Jesus and Satan, 5 = that Jesus was an Extraterrestrial, 6 = smoking marijuana to commune with Christ. |
10 |
teachings from a Yogi. If the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance of seeing them as part of the Yogi’s audience. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location where the lecture was filmed, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |
11 |
illegal bare-knuckle boxing matches. 10% chance a fighter is killed during the broadcast. |
12 |
illegal Kung Fu contests. 25% chance a fighter is killed during the broadcast. |
13 |
programming centered around illegal drugs. |
14 |
the teachings of a U.F.O cult. If the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance of seeing them as part of the teacher’s audience. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location where the talk was filmed, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |
15 |
a lecture by the charismatic leader of a new self-help group. If the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance of seeing them as part of the teacher’s audience. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location where the lecture was filmed, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |
16 |
pornography. If the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance of they are one of the performers. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location where the movie was filmed, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |
17 |
pictures of local landmarks captioned with dates and sequences of numbers. One of the dates is tomorrow. |
18 |
Satanic Black Masses. All the participants will be masked, but if the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance of seeing someone who seems to resemble them. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location where the Mass was filmed, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |
19 |
blurry pictures of a Strange Animal or Creature, and a message reminding all “DH’s” that more information is available at the “Safehouse”. Of course, this station is operated by the local Demon Hunters. The building shown is a Roadside House that the PCs have either already seen, or will encounter soon. |
20 |
actual snuff films. If the PCs are looking for a missing person, there is a 25% chance they are the victim shown. If so, there will always be some clue indicating either the location where the movie was filmed, or the place from where the broadcast originates. |