A Looking Glass Jukebox

The Backstory

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A Looking Glass Jukebox was a finalist in Chaosium’s BRP Design Challenge 2024. It is still in development. There is a draft version of the game currently being playtested. And a demonstration scenario will be run at the end of July at Chaosium Con 2025.

The game is inspired by a series of Call of Cthulhu tournament scenarios run at Arcarnacon Melbourne, Australia. His Master’s Voice, the CofC scenario by Terry Cooper, Mark Morrison, Liam Routt, Rap and the Duckmaster played at Arcarnacon IV, 1986, and His Master’s Voice II by Mark Holsworth, Jules Mortensen, Liam Routt and the Duckmaster played at Arcarnacon VII, 1990, and His Master’s Voice III by Mark Holsworth, Owen Rigby, Judy Routt, Liam Routt and the Duckmaster played at Arcarnacon XII, 1994.

It was not just the scenarios that inspired me, but the teams playing and the bands they created. I remember the Torps, the Groovy Parkas, and Conqueror. (Check out the Torps on Facebook.) They were more than band names, filling in the character sheets. There were publicity photos, badges, and spontaneous LARPing spilling out from the tournament. The game was a catalyst for creative fun, and I hope A Looking Glass Jukebox will be too.

For decades, I kept this idea in mind until Jane Routley suggested that I enter the BRP design competition. Thank you, Jane.

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  1. His Master’s Voice Launch – A Looking Glass Jukebox Avatar
    His Master’s Voice Launch – A Looking Glass Jukebox

    […] Most of the Torps were there. The Torps are the greatest rock band that could not play their instruments. They were invented for His Master’s Voice, but they did more than just play the scenario; they cosplayed the whole thing, creating a whole band with badges, T-shirts, and two movies. And they inspired me to write A Looking Glass Jukebox; for more, see the backstory.  […]

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This is A Game for People who want to make love, and music, not war.

A Looking Glass Jukebox is a creative tabletop role-playing game for adults. It is for adults, not because of the level of violence—violence is not the solution to any of its scenarios—but because of references to sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll.