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* DarkerAndEdgier: The "Darkly Illuminated" variant rules heavily dials back the wacky aspects of the setting, instead having the IOU as a [[TheMasquerade seemingly mundane university]] full of dark and dangerous secrets.
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* DoctorWhomage: One of the faculty members is the Fourth Doctor with his serial numbers very lightly sanded off.
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* FunWithAcronyms: ''Everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U). Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
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* FunWithAcronyms: ''Everywhere''. The History department(which department (which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U). Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
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Asskicking Equals Authority has been renamed.
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* MasterComputer: [[SpellMyNameWithAThe THE]] Computer, which is basically responsible for anything computer-related at the university (except that maintained by the Robocrat). It's sentient, and more than a little weird given just how often people mess around with it. It's not quite as bonkers as Friend Computer from ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'', but it can get pretty close on a bad day. It's also the determinant of who gets to be dean of WUSE - if you can convince THE Computer to give you the Dean's salary, you're the dean. Not surprisingly, the position is typically held by [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority the best programmer on staff]].
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* MasterComputer: [[SpellMyNameWithAThe THE]] Computer, which is basically responsible for anything computer-related at the university (except that maintained by the Robocrat). It's sentient, and more than a little weird given just how often people mess around with it. It's not quite as bonkers as Friend Computer from ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'', but it can get pretty close on a bad day. It's also the determinant of who gets to be dean of WUSE - if you can convince THE Computer to give you the Dean's salary, you're the dean. Not surprisingly, the position is typically held by [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership the best programmer on staff]].
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* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Very much in place for the most part. The [=ArchDean=] [[LordBritishPostulate has no listed stats]], as anyone dumb enough to take her on is going to find themselves dead, then revived, then discover their bank accounts and credit ratings are DeaderThanDead. Most of the deans are head and shoulders above their professors, as well, with Metaphysics run by an actual demon ("Fred" to his equals, the [=DeanMon=] to his inferiors) and C.T.H.U.L.H.U. run by a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]] at his most capable. An interesting variant applies for WUSE - the best programmer (who can thus convince THE Computer that they deserve it) is the one who generally becomes dean (though if said programmer can't kick enough ass, they don't live long enough to ''stay'' the best programmer). For the exceptions, see above.
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* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: The best programmer (who can thus convince THE Computer that they deserve it) is the one who generally becomes dean (though if said programmer can't kick enough ass, they don't live long enough to ''stay'' the best programmer).
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Very much in place for the most part. The [=ArchDean=] [[LordBritishPostulate has no listed stats]], as anyone dumb enough to take her on is going to find themselves dead, then revived, then discover their bank accounts and credit ratings are DeaderThanDead. Most of the deans are head and shoulders above their professors, as well, with Metaphysics run by an actual demon ("Fred" to his equals, the [=DeanMon=] to his inferiors) and C.T.H.U.L.H.U. run by a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]] at his most capable. An interesting variant applies for WUSE - the best programmer (who can thus convince THE Computer that they deserve it) is the one who generally becomes dean (though if said programmer can't kick enough ass, they don't live long enough to ''stay'' the best programmer). For the exceptions, see above.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Very much in place for the most part. The [=ArchDean=] [[LordBritishPostulate has no listed stats]], as anyone dumb enough to take her on is going to find themselves dead, then revived, then discover their bank accounts and credit ratings are DeaderThanDead. Most of the deans are head and shoulders above their professors, as well, with Metaphysics run by an actual demon ("Fred" to his equals, the [=DeanMon=] to his inferiors) and C.T.H.U.L.H.U. run by a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]] at his most capable.
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* TakeThat: Several, particularly at the ''Literature/{{Gor}}'' series.
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* ContemporaryCaveman: One of the sample characters is Og, a caveman with an eidetic memory. He came forward in time with a CTHULHU student who was fleeing a wooly mammoth, and arranged to stay by volunteering as a research subject in exchange for tuition, room and board.
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* ContemporaryCaveman: One of the sample characters is Og, a caveman with an eidetic memory. He came forward in time with a CTHULHU C.T.H.U.L.H.U. student who was fleeing a wooly mammoth, and arranged to stay by volunteering as a research subject in exchange for tuition, room and board.
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* BroughtDownToNormal: There is a specific trait called Mundanity, which is literally this as a power. Those with high-enough level of Mundanity can literally turn anything extraordinary into something normal. For example, any aliens threatening a character with high-level Mundanity with zap-guns will find that their arsenal has turned into stage props while he’s enjoying the antics of the “drama students.”
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* ContemporaryCaveman: One of the sample characters is Og, a caveman with an eidetic memory. He came forward in time with a CTHULHU student who was fleeing a wooly mammoth, and arranged to stay by volunteering as a research subject in exchange for tuition, room and board.
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* VengefulVendingMachine: The campus vending machines will dispense almost anything a character might need, from a cold soda to a flamethrower. However, they don't always give you what you ask for.
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''GURPS IOU'' can be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to ''TabletopGame/TeenagersFromOuterSpace'', and the authours note the inspiration of the older game in the introduction.
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''GURPS IOU'' can be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to ''TabletopGame/TeenagersFromOuterSpace'', and the authours authors note the inspiration of the older game in the introduction.
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* AllMythsAreTrue: A least in the default 'Silly' setting the universe is teeming with aliens, ancient gods, cryptids, undead, everything. Some of them are probably your room mate (assuming you are not playing one yourself.)
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* AllMythsAreTrue: A At least in the default 'Silly' setting the universe is teeming with aliens, ancient gods, cryptids, undead, everything. Some of them are probably your room mate (assuming you are not playing one yourself.)
* AuthorAvatar: Or rather 'artist avatar'; Phil Foglio pops up in a couple of pictures, complete with trademark bowler hat.
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* BrainlessBeauty: The university boasts two entire OneGenderRace of these who work in the administration as secretaries and general flunkies. The female Bimbiras are HumanAliens introduced to the campus by the [=ArchDean=] while the Kajones, who are all male hunks were created via genetic engineering at the University itself.
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* BrainlessBeauty: The university boasts two entire OneGenderRace {{One Gender Race}}s of these who work in the administration as secretaries and general flunkies. The female Bimbiras are HumanAliens introduced to the campus by the [=ArchDean=] while the Kajones, who are all male hunks hunks, were created via genetic engineering at the University itself.
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* DeathIsCheap: Part of the student health plan includes ResurrectiveImmortality - after all, students can't become rich donors if they can't live to get their degree. This does not mean that death is consequence-free, however - just because you're guaranteed to be resurrected does not mean that the university will be quick about it, and many teachers will view "I was dead at the time" a poor excuse for missing a test or turning in an assignment late.
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* DeathIsCheap: Part of the student health plan includes ResurrectiveImmortality - after all, students can't become rich donors if they can't live to get their degree. This does not mean that death is consequence-free, however - just because you're guaranteed to be resurrected does not mean that the university will be quick about it, and many teachers will view "I was dead at the time" as a poor excuse for missing a test or turning in an assignment late.
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* FunWithAcronyms: ''Everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U) Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
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* FunWithAcronyms: ''Everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U) U). Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
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* ShoutOut:
** One illustration features Creator/TerryPratchett creating a physical version of the Literature/{{Discworld}} as part of the World Construction finals.
** The main University (Dis-)Organizations picture features the ComicBook/{{XXXenophile}} Society.
** In the Librarian's profile picture, he's holding ''[[Literature/GreenEggsAndHam Green Eggs and Spam]]''.
** There's a picture of [[Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds a Martian war machine]] on p. 74.
** In addition to the acronym for the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings, there're a couple of student organizations actually devoted to [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Cthulhu]].
** One illustration features Creator/TerryPratchett creating a physical version of the Literature/{{Discworld}} as part of the World Construction finals.
** The main University (Dis-)Organizations picture features the ComicBook/{{XXXenophile}} Society.
** In the Librarian's profile picture, he's holding ''[[Literature/GreenEggsAndHam Green Eggs and Spam]]''.
** There's a picture of [[Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds a Martian war machine]] on p. 74.
** In addition to the acronym for the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings, there're a couple of student organizations actually devoted to [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Cthulhu]].
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* AlmightyJanitor: The most powerful character in the setting - the [=ArchDean=] - is in charge of the whole university, but the second-most powerful character is the Janitor, who seemingly is always right where he needs to be when he needs to be, and he can clean up anything (in a WorldOfWeirdness where nuclear reactor leaks, Cthulhu incursions, and [[TemporalParadox tears in the space-time continuum]] are a boring weekday). He mostly uses his absurd knowledge and power to a) help him clean things up, and b) earn bribes from anyone who might need further info.
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* AlmightyJanitor: The most powerful character in the setting - the [=ArchDean=] - is in charge of the whole university, but the second-most powerful character is George the Janitor, who seemingly is always right where he needs to be when he needs to be, and he can clean up anything (in a WorldOfWeirdness where nuclear reactor leaks, Cthulhu incursions, and [[TemporalParadox tears in the space-time continuum]] are a boring weekday). He mostly uses his absurd knowledge and power to a) help him clean things up, and b) earn bribes from anyone who might need further info. Madame Lucrezia Curry, the woman in charge of the cafeteria, isn't ''quite'' on George's level, but it's worth noting that the only people who would even dare address her by her first name are ones who have received [[CompleteImmortality The Treatment]].
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Very much in place for the most part. The [=ArchDean=] [[LordBritishPostulate has no listed stats]], as anyone dumb enough to take her on is going to find themselves dead, then revived, then discover their bank accounts and credit ratings are DeaderThanDead. Most of the deans are head and shoulders above their professors, as well, with Metaphysics run by an actual demon ("Fred" to his equals, the [=DeanMon=] to his inferiors) and C.T.H.U.L.H.U. run by a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]] at his most capable. An interesting variant applies for WUSE - the best programmer (who can thus convince THE Computer that they deserve it) is the one who generally becomes dean (though if said programmer can't kick enough ass, they don't live long enough to ''stay'' the best programmer). For the exceptions, see above.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Very much in place for the most part. The [=ArchDean=] [[LordBritishPostulate has no listed stats]], as anyone dumb enough to take her on is going to find themselves dead, then revived, then discover their bank accounts and credit ratings are DeaderThanDead. Most of the deans are head and shoulders above their professors, as well, with Metaphysics run by an actual demon ("Fred" to his equals, the [=DeanMon=] to his inferiors) and C.T.H.U.L.H.U. run by a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]] at his most capable. An interesting variant applies for WUSE - the best programmer (who can thus convince THE Computer that they deserve it) is the one who generally becomes dean (though if said programmer can't kick enough ass, they don't live long enough to ''stay'' the best programmer). For the exceptions, see above.
* CompleteImmortality: The results of receiving "The Treatment," which is apparently [[RiddleforTheAges so traumatic that nobody remembers precisely what it entails]], and which results in the recipient being impossible to destroy outside of intervention from the [=ArchDean=] herself. Generally, only the most powerful department heads and deans can afford this.
* DeathIsCheap: Part of the student health plan includes ResurrectiveImmortality - after all, students can't become rich donors if they can't live to get their degree. This does not mean that death is consequence-free, however - just because you're guaranteed to be resurrected does not mean that the university will be quick about it, and many teachers will view "I was dead at the time" a poor excuse for missing a test or turning in an assignment late.
* EarlyBirdCameo: A crossover example. On the page with the yearbook photo, two of the students listed in the yearbook are [[Webcomic/GirlGenius Agatha Heterodyne and Krosp]] (although the names are partly obscured by the student reading said yearbook).
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*** SPCA (School of Performing and Creative Arts) teaches classes in drama, melodrama, villain monologs, and applied courtesanship, among others.
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*** SPCA (School of Performing and Creative Arts) teaches classes in drama, melodrama, villain monologs, monologues, and applied courtesanship, among others.
* GenreSavvy: More or less an actual skill that can be purchased as Survival (IOU), which can be bought up the same as any other IQ-based skill. It can be substituted in for any number of other skills to let the character know just what kinds of things will end very, very badly (one example was a character rolling against engineering to learn the state of a nuclear reactor... and someone with Survival (IOU) noticing that the AlmightyJanitor was preparing for a massive cleanup).
* KindheartedCatLover: For all that she's listed as more of a force of nature than an actual person, the [=ArchDean=] isn't all that bad of a sort, particularly as she has rules about ensuring the safety of "freshthings," and she's so fond of her cats that one of the suggestions to mitigate her wrath are to distract her with one (not that this is guaranteed to work). And anyone who is dumb enough to [[KickTheDog mistreat a cat on campus]] is at best going to be suffering through a host of indignities to get their way back into the [=ArchDean's graces=].
* LordBritishPostulate: The section on the [=ArchDean=] doesn't list stats, per se. It says that she has ''fnord'' character points, and it only suggests advantages with levels beyond comprehension (such as levels of Resources that would make galactic empires envious), and it only lists a couple of flaws (such as her fondness of cats and her greed) mostly as a guide for the GM to guide her should anyone be foolish enough to get her attention.
* MasterComputer: [[SpellMyNameWithAThe THE]] Computer, which is basically responsible for anything computer-related at the university (except that maintained by the Robocrat). It's sentient, and more than a little weird given just how often people mess around with it. It's not quite as bonkers as Friend Computer from ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'', but it can get pretty close on a bad day. It's also the determinant of who gets to be dean of WUSE - if you can convince THE Computer to give you the Dean's salary, you're the dean. Not surprisingly, the position is typically held by [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority the best programmer on staff]].
* LordBritishPostulate: The section on the [=ArchDean=] doesn't list stats, per se. It says that she has ''fnord'' character points, and it only suggests advantages with levels beyond comprehension (such as levels of Resources that would make galactic empires envious), and it only lists a couple of flaws (such as her fondness of cats and her greed) mostly as a guide for the GM to guide her should anyone be foolish enough to get her attention.
* MasterComputer: [[SpellMyNameWithAThe THE]] Computer, which is basically responsible for anything computer-related at the university (except that maintained by the Robocrat). It's sentient, and more than a little weird given just how often people mess around with it. It's not quite as bonkers as Friend Computer from ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'', but it can get pretty close on a bad day. It's also the determinant of who gets to be dean of WUSE - if you can convince THE Computer to give you the Dean's salary, you're the dean. Not surprisingly, the position is typically held by [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority the best programmer on staff]].
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* RiddleForTheAges: The setting runs on this. IOU is Illuminati University... so what does the "O" stand for? Just who (or, for that matter, what) is the [=ArchDean=] anyway? Who is the Unseen Dean, and how many have they gone through? And what's [[AlmightyJanitor the janitor's]] deal, anyhow? The answer to all these, and more, is frequently "You're not cleared for that." It even says so on the back cover.
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* PragmaticVillainy: Darker ''IOU'' games prominently feature this among the upper echelons of the school, particularly for the [=ArchDean=]. Lighter games will play with this as well, although it's just as likely a facade for a JerkWithAHeartOfGold. About half of the classes at the College of Obscure and Unethical Professions are all about teaching how to do this (the other half merely encourage it).
* RiddleForTheAges: The setting runs on this. IOU is Illuminati University... so what does the "O" stand for? Just who (or, for that matter, what) is the [=ArchDean=] anyway? Who is the Unseen Dean, and how many have they gone through? And what's [[AlmightyJanitor the janitor's]] deal, anyhow? Just what does [[CompleteImmortality "The Treatment"]] entail? The answer to all these, and more, is frequently "You're not cleared for that." It even says so on the backcover.cover.
* RightHandVersusLeftHand: The various departments and individuals within are so frequently at each others' throats (literally) that the [=ArchDean=] ''codified'' it with the Blood Feud system. There are severe consequences for anyone caught escalating a feud beyond bickering in journals without filing the proper paperwork. And woe betide the unfortunate soul who doesn't realize that their would-be foe ''already'' filed the paperwork.
* SuperPoweredRobotMeterMaids: The Robocrat, who was the result of several WUSE MadScience projects using the results of previous WUSE projects. The end result of [[NoodleIncident an accident with a nuclear lawnmower]] was that boring nebbish Harvey Tillotson's brain was transplanted into what was meant to be a state-of-the-art combat cyborg. Despite being in a new NighInvulnerable body, Harvey decided that life on IOU was dangerous enough and asked for a cushy desk job. Realizing just how useful he could be in administrative settings, the [=ArchDean=] quickly agreed.
* RiddleForTheAges: The setting runs on this. IOU is Illuminati University... so what does the "O" stand for? Just who (or, for that matter, what) is the [=ArchDean=] anyway? Who is the Unseen Dean, and how many have they gone through? And what's [[AlmightyJanitor the janitor's]] deal, anyhow? Just what does [[CompleteImmortality "The Treatment"]] entail? The answer to all these, and more, is frequently "You're not cleared for that." It even says so on the back
* RightHandVersusLeftHand: The various departments and individuals within are so frequently at each others' throats (literally) that the [=ArchDean=] ''codified'' it with the Blood Feud system. There are severe consequences for anyone caught escalating a feud beyond bickering in journals without filing the proper paperwork. And woe betide the unfortunate soul who doesn't realize that their would-be foe ''already'' filed the paperwork.
* SuperPoweredRobotMeterMaids: The Robocrat, who was the result of several WUSE MadScience projects using the results of previous WUSE projects. The end result of [[NoodleIncident an accident with a nuclear lawnmower]] was that boring nebbish Harvey Tillotson's brain was transplanted into what was meant to be a state-of-the-art combat cyborg. Despite being in a new NighInvulnerable body, Harvey decided that life on IOU was dangerous enough and asked for a cushy desk job. Realizing just how useful he could be in administrative settings, the [=ArchDean=] quickly agreed.
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* BrainUploading: One of several different ways in which deceased students and faculty are restored to life in cloned bodies.
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* BrainlessBeauty: The university boasts two entire OneGenderRace of these who work in the administration as secretaries and general flunkies. The female Bimbiras are HumanAliens introduced to the campus by the [=ArchDean=] while the Kajones, who are all male hunks were created via genetic engineering at the University itself.
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* InsistentTerminology: The university prefers the use of terms like 'freshthing' and 'chairthing' to potentially sexist and/or humanocentric terms like 'freshman' or 'chairperson'.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gurpsiou.jpg]]
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* ExtranormalInstitute: Classes at Illuminati University include hysteria and future history, the botany building is a tree, and destruction of any planetary bodies requires written permission from the Arch-Dean (who, according to rumor within the setting, is either a former angel, a former demon, or ''both''). The favorite sport of IOU (you're not cleared to know what the 'O' stands for) is Moopsball, which... well... [[http://www.eblong.com/zarf/moopsball/index.html just look at the rules]].
** The various Colleges within the greater University are mostly devoted to various genres of adventure:
*** The College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies and Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U.)[[note]]''Always'' pronounce the periods[[/note]] centers around time travel.
*** The College of W.U.S.E. (Weird and Unusual Science and Engineering) is made of mad scientists, slightly-less-mad students of Science! and devotees of The Computer (the A.I. that controls, among other things, student schedules and dorm assignments).
*** SPCA (School of Performing and Creative Arts) teaches classes in drama, melodrama, villain monologs, and applied courtesanship, among others.
*** COUP (College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions) trains future spies, super-spies, ninjas, powers-behind-the-throne, IRS agents and the like.
*** The School of Social Anti-Sciences (a parody of pure academia and liberal arts majors) conflicts with the College of Zen Surrealism, since the first resents the second for being obscure and pointless ''on purpose,'' rather than concentrating on pure academics and only achieving obscure pointlessness as a side-effect.
*** The College of Communication mainly addresses propaganda, misinformation, and creating conspiracy theories for fun and profit.
*** The School of Conservative Arts (parodying liberal arts and conservative politics) teaches classes like Political Architecture 101: Empire Building for Fun and Profit.
*** The College of Metaphysics is a Wizarding School plunked into a genre stew, with majors like Applied Theology (with classes like AT 102: How to Start Your Own Church and AT 401: World Building in 7 Days or Less) and Political Thaumaturgy.
** The various Colleges within the greater University are mostly devoted to various genres of adventure:
*** The College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies and Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U.)[[note]]''Always'' pronounce the periods[[/note]] centers around time travel.
*** The College of W.U.S.E. (Weird and Unusual Science and Engineering) is made of mad scientists, slightly-less-mad students of Science! and devotees of The Computer (the A.I. that controls, among other things, student schedules and dorm assignments).
*** SPCA (School of Performing and Creative Arts) teaches classes in drama, melodrama, villain monologs, and applied courtesanship, among others.
*** COUP (College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions) trains future spies, super-spies, ninjas, powers-behind-the-throne, IRS agents and the like.
*** The School of Social Anti-Sciences (a parody of pure academia and liberal arts majors) conflicts with the College of Zen Surrealism, since the first resents the second for being obscure and pointless ''on purpose,'' rather than concentrating on pure academics and only achieving obscure pointlessness as a side-effect.
*** The College of Communication mainly addresses propaganda, misinformation, and creating conspiracy theories for fun and profit.
*** The School of Conservative Arts (parodying liberal arts and conservative politics) teaches classes like Political Architecture 101: Empire Building for Fun and Profit.
*** The College of Metaphysics is a Wizarding School plunked into a genre stew, with majors like Applied Theology (with classes like AT 102: How to Start Your Own Church and AT 401: World Building in 7 Days or Less) and Political Thaumaturgy.
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* FunWithAcronyms: ''Everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U) Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
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* WorldOfPun: Puns are ''everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U) Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
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''GURPS Illuminati University'' (also known as ''GURPS IOU'') is a setting for ''{{TabletopGame/GURPS}}'' roleplaying system. The corebook was written by Elizabeth [=McCoy=] and Walter Milliken and illustrated by Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio. It was first released in 1995 by Creator/SteveJacksonGames.
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''GURPS Illuminati University'' (also known as ''GURPS IOU'') is a setting for ''{{TabletopGame/GURPS}}'' roleplaying system. The corebook was written by Elizabeth [=McCoy=] and Walter Milliken and illustrated by Phil Foglio Creator/PhilFoglio and Kaja Foglio. It was first released in 1995 by Creator/SteveJacksonGames.
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Crosswicking
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* AlienGeometries: Instead of a quad like most universities, Illuminated University has ''The Pent'', which has five sides for [[RuleOfCool no particular reason]]; students who happen to have a protractor handy will discover that all five of the corners have 90-degree angles. One of the dorms is stated as having rather similar angles.
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* AlmightyJanitor: The most powerful character in the setting - the [=ArchDean=] - is in charge of the whole university, but the second-most powerful character is the Janitor, who seemingly is always right where he needs to be when he needs to be, and he can clean up anything (in a WorldOfWeirdness where nuclear reactor leaks, Cthulhu incursions, and [[TemporalParadox tears in the space-time continuum]] are a boring weekday). He mostly uses his absurd knowledge and power to a) help him clean things up, and b) earn bribes from anyone who might need further info.
* CreditCardPlot: A sample adventure in the campaign book has the characters acquire a magical credit card with '''no''' limit - if you try to check the account's balance, it reads "JACKPOT". Later on - likely ''after'' they've purchased a bunch of expensive stuff - they'll find out that [[spoiler:the card is made in Hell, and the debt is paid not with money, but in souls!]] The plot is played out as a parody of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' with the card taking the place of the Ring.
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Illuminati University actually has several Department of Redundancy Departments.
* ElaborateUniversityHigh: Illuminati University is a large, sprawling campus, which includes nine separate colleges, a large library, a museum, two separate power plants (one of which is a gigantic sunflower), a stadium, multiple dorms, a Frat/Sorority Row, and a Botany building placed within a giant tree. Due to numerous reasons ranging from restructurization to shifts in reality, the exact layout and number of buildings on the campus is susceptible to change, to the annoyance of the faculty and student body.
* CreditCardPlot: A sample adventure in the campaign book has the characters acquire a magical credit card with '''no''' limit - if you try to check the account's balance, it reads "JACKPOT". Later on - likely ''after'' they've purchased a bunch of expensive stuff - they'll find out that [[spoiler:the card is made in Hell, and the debt is paid not with money, but in souls!]] The plot is played out as a parody of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' with the card taking the place of the Ring.
* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Illuminati University actually has several Department of Redundancy Departments.
* ElaborateUniversityHigh: Illuminati University is a large, sprawling campus, which includes nine separate colleges, a large library, a museum, two separate power plants (one of which is a gigantic sunflower), a stadium, multiple dorms, a Frat/Sorority Row, and a Botany building placed within a giant tree. Due to numerous reasons ranging from restructurization to shifts in reality, the exact layout and number of buildings on the campus is susceptible to change, to the annoyance of the faculty and student body.
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* HarmfulHealing: The Lazarus Health Center approaches their job in an... unorthodox way. It's usually easier to [[DeathIsCheap just die and get resurrected.]]
* HighlyConspicuousUniform: The Campus Security wear red uniforms with a ''literal'' Bullseye Badge, underlining their status as the setting's RedShirts. Their most common nickname isn't "Targets" for nothing.
* NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught: One of the scenario ideas involves the final exam for the Advanced Cheating class. The questions are just random obscure trivia; the actual test is finding a good way to cheat in it. If you get caught, you fail. If you don't even ''try'' to cheat, you'll be expelled for "terminal cluelessness." The difficulty to this being, of course, proving that someone did ''not'' cheat.
* OurFounder: There is a statue in the middle of the "Pent" marked "Our Founder". Said statue is humanoid-shaped, but worn down with age, and has hints of tentacles on the face. Oh, and testing showed it to be older than the universe.
* RiddleForTheAges: The setting runs on this. IOU is Illuminati University... so what does the "O" stand for? Just who (or, for that matter, what) is the [=ArchDean=] anyway? Who is the Unseen Dean, and how many have they gone through? And what's [[AlmightyJanitor the janitor's]] deal, anyhow? The answer to all these, and more, is frequently "You're not cleared for that." It even says so on the back cover.
* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: There is the class in the Thaumaturgy department called "Things Men Were Not Meant to Know". There's also a class in "Men Things Were Not Meant to Know".
* WackyCollege: The university nearly defies description. The Dean of the history department is a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]], the Botany department is housed in a giant tree, the sample characters include a witch-girl, a cave-man, and a football-playing werewolf, and the favorite sport on campus is [[http://www.eblong.com/zarf/moopsball/index.html moopsball]].
* WeSellEverything: The campus vending machines in can distribute almost anything. And we do mean '''anything'''.
* HighlyConspicuousUniform: The Campus Security wear red uniforms with a ''literal'' Bullseye Badge, underlining their status as the setting's RedShirts. Their most common nickname isn't "Targets" for nothing.
* NotCheatingUnlessYouGetCaught: One of the scenario ideas involves the final exam for the Advanced Cheating class. The questions are just random obscure trivia; the actual test is finding a good way to cheat in it. If you get caught, you fail. If you don't even ''try'' to cheat, you'll be expelled for "terminal cluelessness." The difficulty to this being, of course, proving that someone did ''not'' cheat.
* OurFounder: There is a statue in the middle of the "Pent" marked "Our Founder". Said statue is humanoid-shaped, but worn down with age, and has hints of tentacles on the face. Oh, and testing showed it to be older than the universe.
* RiddleForTheAges: The setting runs on this. IOU is Illuminati University... so what does the "O" stand for? Just who (or, for that matter, what) is the [=ArchDean=] anyway? Who is the Unseen Dean, and how many have they gone through? And what's [[AlmightyJanitor the janitor's]] deal, anyhow? The answer to all these, and more, is frequently "You're not cleared for that." It even says so on the back cover.
* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: There is the class in the Thaumaturgy department called "Things Men Were Not Meant to Know". There's also a class in "Men Things Were Not Meant to Know".
* WackyCollege: The university nearly defies description. The Dean of the history department is a CaptainErsatz of [[Series/DoctorWho the Fourth Doctor]], the Botany department is housed in a giant tree, the sample characters include a witch-girl, a cave-man, and a football-playing werewolf, and the favorite sport on campus is [[http://www.eblong.com/zarf/moopsball/index.html moopsball]].
* WeSellEverything: The campus vending machines in can distribute almost anything. And we do mean '''anything'''.
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''GURPS Illuminati University'' (also known as ''GURPS IOU'') is a setting for ''{{TabletopGame/GURPS}}'' roleplaying system. The corebook was written by Elizabeth [=McCoy=] and Walter Milliken and illustrated by Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio. It was first released in 1995 by Creator/SteveJacksonGames.
IOU ([[TheUnreveal you are not cleared to know what the 'O' stands for]]) is a fictional university campus populated by people and things from across the timeline, all around the universe and from alternate worlds. The students and staff include witches, demons, werewolves, time travellers, aliens, psychics and [[AndZoidberg even normal young human students]]. The classes available are if possible even weirder than the students.
The default tone of the rules and illustrations leans very heavily comedic with silly puns and bizarre magic and tech aplenty but the book also provides alternate takes with 'Weird' being closer to something like ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' (though the book predates the show) and 'Darkly Illuminated' being more serious and conspiratorial with the humour being greatly toned down.
''GURPS IOU'' can be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to ''TabletopGame/TeenagersFromOuterSpace'', and the authours note the inspiration of the older game in the introduction.
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!!This game provides examples of:
* AllMythsAreTrue: A least in the default 'Silly' setting the universe is teeming with aliens, ancient gods, cryptids, undead, everything. Some of them are probably your room mate (assuming you are not playing one yourself.)
* EvilTwin: An explicit disadvantage.
* WorldOfPun: Puns are ''everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U) Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
* WorldOfWeirdness: The defining feature. The whole point is that a GURPS character from ''any'' setting would fit more at less at home at IOU.
IOU ([[TheUnreveal you are not cleared to know what the 'O' stands for]]) is a fictional university campus populated by people and things from across the timeline, all around the universe and from alternate worlds. The students and staff include witches, demons, werewolves, time travellers, aliens, psychics and [[AndZoidberg even normal young human students]]. The classes available are if possible even weirder than the students.
The default tone of the rules and illustrations leans very heavily comedic with silly puns and bizarre magic and tech aplenty but the book also provides alternate takes with 'Weird' being closer to something like ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' (though the book predates the show) and 'Darkly Illuminated' being more serious and conspiratorial with the humour being greatly toned down.
''GURPS IOU'' can be considered a SpiritualSuccessor to ''TabletopGame/TeenagersFromOuterSpace'', and the authours note the inspiration of the older game in the introduction.
----
!!This game provides examples of:
* AllMythsAreTrue: A least in the default 'Silly' setting the universe is teeming with aliens, ancient gods, cryptids, undead, everything. Some of them are probably your room mate (assuming you are not playing one yourself.)
* EvilTwin: An explicit disadvantage.
* WorldOfPun: Puns are ''everywhere''. The History department(which focus mostly on time travel) is officially called the College of Temporal Happenstance, Ultimate Lies & Historical Undertakings (C.T.H.U.L.H.U) Another department which focus on Law and other 'dirty tricks' is called the College of Obscure and Unhealthy Professions (COUP).
* WorldOfWeirdness: The defining feature. The whole point is that a GURPS character from ''any'' setting would fit more at less at home at IOU.
