The state of the Lazlo Agency in the early 80's?

[Denaes]

Let me know if we have official material otherwise...

I'm imagining that in this time period Victor is just starting to create a formal agency, still adventuring and collecting evidence and theories. Maybe like how the Ghostbusters first started out. He's got some money and some theories, but everyone thinks he's a total quack (at least in modern times he's got some evidence and published manuscripts).

[gaby]

WE can see the people he help and see how they go on after Lazlo vanished and fromed the Agency.

People can make NPC,s that have interact with Lazlo,to make a flashback game.

Any ideas for the Npc,s?

[vika]

• The eccentric philanthropist
• The cop that looked the other way
• The girlfriend who could not understand
• The reporter curious to hear the story
• The librarian that kept the library opened late

[Lord Z]

I like this concept. The Lazlo Agency was supposed to be the title of a sourcebook for 1st edition that never developed. As a result, the origin of the Agency has always been a little vague. According to 2nd ed., the Agency was officially formed shortly after Victor disappeared. It was composed of friends and allies. I have always guessed (and I think that I even mentioned it in the Court of Tarot) that the Agency existed unofficially and perhaps not by that name while Victor was traveling the world.

The only NPC that we know for certain was there for the early Lazlo Agency would be Robert Mach. That dragon character from Rifts: Africa, I think his name was Lo Fang, was implied to have been a member or at least an ally.

[mrloucifer]

I was hoping in future sourcebooks that Lo Fang would make an appearence. In fact I was going to give mention of him (if only throwing out his name) in an upcoming rifter creation I'm stewing on right now.

[vika]

Lo Fang is in the lazlosociety memberlist, if I remember correct.

[Sir Neil]

You do.

Jay Kishwar (BTS1) and Tommy Tung (MC) are named associates of Vic, so they're likely part of the Agency. If the Lazlosociety boards were canon, you could include Mark Skellian. I doubt A. Pendragon joined before the Falklands war ended and I know William Long didn't join until 2007.

[Denaes]

So is there a timeline?

Heres what I've got from my limited recollection and skimming BTS2e

• 1984, Winter Solistice - Victor Lazlo vanishes
• 1985, est April/May - Lazlo Agency forms from reminants of Victor Lazlo's previous research company under the leadership of Robert Joeseph Mach
• 1986, Unknown - Victor Lazlo's diary published: The Final Words of Victor Lazlo
• 1996, Unknown - LazloSociety.org launches (not sure if this is the foundation of the Lazlo Society or just the website portion of it)

I would think, in the 80's there would be similar resources to LS.Org, but far more localized to an area or limited in depth of knowledge if covering a wide area.

My guess is that maybe a few websites, but more BBS services, some public, some private. Things were more local back then due to the fact that you're calling a number, so you could call a BBS in NY from CA, but that's expensive.

According to the time line, Lazlo and his group/company exists practically until 1985, so this gives the players opportunity to exist during the time he's doing his thing, but before he becomes a paranormal icon.

[vika]

I wish I knew the timeline to say anything.

Telephony hackers found the way to make free long distance phone calls although most or all probably get captured eventually.

But I agree. It will be mostly local BBS type of things (usenet and gopher come to mind but the gopher system is early 1990s tech) and snail mail. The organisations publish underground newspapers/newsletters, and they organise some small conferences in Roswell or the UK.