Punktown

🐙 Paxton, whose inhabitants almost universally refer to it as Punktown, is a fictional metropolis created by American author Jeffrey Thomas as the setting for a series of dystopian science fiction stories of the same name. Making its first appearance in "The Reflections of Ghosts" in 1995, a number of other authors have since expanded upon its background and culture.

Although not initially created as a setting for Cthulhu Mythos fiction, in the years since its inception Punktown has played host to a number of stories both Lovecraftian and Mythos-related, and has even received its own setting book for Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game.

Overview[]

The city of Paxton, or Punktown as it is more commonly referred to, is located on an alien planet named Oasis and is one of the group known as the Earth Colonies. Home to both high technology and savage barbarism, it is a large urban and commercial sprawl, the host to all types of lifestyles, from corporate business to rampant street thuggery.

Species[]

As noted above, Punktown plays host to a number of alien species from across the galaxy, some of whom even maintain their own embassies. A selection of these is listed below.

Mackoo Durm — Former Choom gang member Mackoo "Mack" Durm

Choom, a humanoid species native to Punktown's planet, the Choom have wide mouths which extend all the way back to their ears. Some members of this species run in violent street gangs.
Ogim, an insectile species from Yuggoth who disguise themselves as tall, cloaked humans, hiding their true appearance using synthetic hands and faces. Although they do not appear to maintain a permanent presence in Punktown, they have been known to visit in order to engage the services of Augmentation Concepts (EXP: "Open Minded").
L'lewed, a "putty-like extradimensional race" which were confined to small life-support containers transported by human helpers before receiving mechanical humanoid bodies from Augmentation Concepts. Looking down on humanity, and humanoids in general, several L'lewed have been deported from Punktown for practicing blood sacrifice as part of religious rituals (EXP: "Open Minded").
Mee'hi, another insectile species described as being "small as termites", the Mee'hi were similarly provided with mechanical armatures by Augmentation Concepts. They share the same disdain for humanoid beings as the L'lewed, and have also had several members deported for criminal activity, in this instance the parasitising of human hosts (EXP: "Open Minded").
Tikkihottos, another humanoid species, the Tikkihotos have nests of sea anemone-like feelers in place of eyes; these organs grant them enhanced vision.
Kalians, a species of patriarchal humanoids with glossy grey skin and jet black eyes which are otherwise very similar in appearance to humans. Originating on the planet Kali, certain extremist sects are known to worship the ancient, powerful, and malevolent entity Ugghiutu.
Sinanese, an extra-dimensional blue-skinned species from the planet Sinan, the Sinanese appear to be physically and psychologically very close to the human norm; indeed, Sinanese women are frequently said to be highly attractive to human males.

Organisations[]

Augmentation Concepts, a technology developer and provider specialising in the creation of "ponies": mechanical armatures custom-designed to ease the lives of accident victims, mutants and alien species (EXP: "Open Minded").
Paxton University, an institute for higher learning that houses an Extraterrestrial Anthropology and Folklore department (EXP: "Open Minded").
Paxton Police Department, the colony's high-tech law enforcement division. Former employer of John Bell, a man with extensive experience of Cthulhu Mythos incursions (EXP: "The Bones of the Old Ones").