[griffin]

Originally Posted by Michael Cule

I've long wanted to run a Horror campaign set in the world of the Cabal. ... the 'default' campaign idea seems to be that of the player-characters being part of the Cabal. ... Ideallly, I'd like to start with 150 point characters and gradually expose them to the truth of the world and build them up into enemies of the Cabal who can actually threaten their schemes.

I'm assuming you'll run a cinematic campaign, which I'd recommend given you want them to be able to eventually challenge the Cabal. Let all the characters start with some special ability that will let them grow to be powerful enough to challenge the Cabal later in the game. Require as part of their character creation that they have some link to the supernatural and an opposition to the Cabal or at least some possible contingent of the Cabal. So the Martial Artist that has Trained by a Master (TBAM) will have the master that trained her as a Patron whose greatest pupil went over to "the dark side" and was corrupted and joined the Cabal as an assassin. The Gunslinger is a former police detective who suspects his partner was killed by a vampire and is tracking the vampire down with the help of an Ally who is a fringe newspaper reporter who's viewed as a crackpot but is really Illuminated and has seen some of the "Truth" that is going on behind the Cabal. The Researcher-Slayer's mentor was killed by a werewolf and he has a host of contacts who know bits and pieces about the Cabal. The Gunslinger also has a Contact who is a weapons dealer who makes him special monster slaying equipment - silver bullets and knives, custom stake firing guns, etc. BTW, get GURPS Loadouts: Monster Slayers for when the PCs are ready to fight the Cabal underlings.

Trouble is I can't see a way to that end that doesn't either end up with them killed very early on or with them corrupted and joining the Cabal. (I like heroism: so sue me.)

Start slow and don't have them challenge the Cabal early on at least not directly. Make sure they have plenty of Allies, Patrons, and Contacts to supply them with weapons, gear, info, and training.

Any suggestions? I suppose a Patron of some sort is indicated. But who? And is it inevitable that I'm going to have to reveal that the people fighting the Cabal are but another part of it?

I'd suggest avoiding a single Patron. Go with the various suggestions above. Have them work for an investigation agency where one of the PCs is the owner the rest are either partners or workers with a significant stake in the business. Something like Angel investigations from the Angel TV series (a spin off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) which is headed up by Angel, a vampire with a soul (unlike other vamps in the Whedon Buffy/Angel setting).