Madness Dossier: Why Tibet?

[Turhan's Bey Company]

In GURPS Horror: The Madness Dossier, Tibetans are closely identified with Project Sandman. I can't find any particular reason for this. Is this just a gesture in the direction of exoticism, or is there something about Tibet in post-Lovecraftian horror and/or lunatic fringe conspiracy theories which I'm missing but in context makes Tibet make perfect sense as the source of warriors against mind-controlling alternate history villains?

[Peter Knutsen]

Weren't the nazis rather interested in Tibet? That's the only angle I can imagine, but I'm not sure how strong an angle it actually is.

[Refplace]

Well there in close proximity to Summaria and isolated. That and Gnostism.

So good place for people who fled as refugees and started a hidden lore tradition.

[Minuteman37]

Ancient mystical Kung Fu mumbojumbo?

[Drifter]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Well there in close proximity to Summaria and isolated. That and Gnostism.

So good place for people who fled as refugees and started a hidden lore tradition.

It's Sumer in the book, so not that close to Tibet. But considering there was no Sumer, or anything we know before 535, the point is moot.

Tibet is home to the most advanced magicians/martial artists/Old Masters - whatever you call the magical guys in this setting. Maybe in Timeline B Tibet was the origin of the resistance? Its traditionally all full of mysterious magical stuff.

[Phil Masters]

Combine the mystical martial arts masters with a thing about meditative reconstruction of the self with a bunch of shadowy CIA deniable ops in the last century, and Tibet is a bit of a natural focus for Madness Dossier stories.

[fchase8]

Could it be the isolation of Tibet? Isn't that a big deal when it comes to language, which is highly influential in The Madness Dossier?

Isn't one of the languages listed in it some super-isolated New Guinea language, that is useful because it is the least influenced by the madness/evil?

And/or it could be that it's an ancient culture that has survived to the present day. Though wouldn't that mean that it is more influenced by the madness/evil of Reality B?

It could also be that it's just a nice isolated spot to train people and the like.

[Flyndaran]

Because it's cool; isolated in the forboding Himalayas, mystical land full of cryptids and ancient wisdom, surviving numerous violent conquests by barbarians.
I'm nowhere near as learned or well read as many here, but if I had to grab a real location to center loads of inhuman knowledge and weirdness on, Tibet would be first on my list.

[dcarson]

When I was planning a pulp Stargate campaign I wanted to give them players a low threat introduction to the Goa'uld. I realized that Tibet was the place that finding a leftover one made sense. Ruled by temples that are headed by semi-divine reincarnations, lots of gold and silver decorations, isolated enough that in 1929 there are only rumors for much of it. Went wonderfully.