GURPS CABAL: A problem

Michael Cule · 11-18-2010, 03:13 PM

I've long wanted to run a Horror campaign set in the world of the Cabal. One of the things that's put me off starting is that the 'default' campaign idea seems to be that of the player-characters being part of the Cabal. And that strikes me as not the best way to use the idea of gradually peeling back the out skin of the onion to show the hidden truth inside.

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.

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.)

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?

sir_pudding · 11-18-2010, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Cule

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

Infinity or Centrum?

Michael Cule · 11-18-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Infinity or Centrum?

Hmm, that's cunning. Not without it's own problems....

But if I rewrite the default background so that the Cabal is initially unaware of the many worlds... Hmm....

OK. Keep the suggestions coming....

sir_pudding · 11-18-2010, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Cule

But if I rewrite the default background so that the Cabal is initially unaware of the many worlds... Hmm....

The Cabal was probably always aware of many worlds. The Seprioth is pretty central to Kabbalism. However Infiinty wasn't always aware of the Cabal, and the Cabal wasn't always aware of Infinity.

Phantasm · 11-18-2010, 03:31 PM

Perhaps you're over-thinking it a little.

I haven't read everything there is on the Cabal - very little, in fact - but the gist I got from it is that the Cabal is not a unified organization the way ISWAT is. You have factions among the Cabal working against each other. Some factions could be benevolent, and others could be filled with power-hungry would-be tyrants.

Their "Patron" could be one of the many factions among the Cabal. Or perhaps some organization that is aware of the Cabal thanks to the actions of one of the power-hungry factions, and thinks the entire Cabal is like that.

Hell, for a twist, IOU could be a part of the world of the Cabal.

Archangel Beth · 11-18-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Hell, for a twist, IOU could be a part of the world of the Cabal.

It's not? COUP will be surprised! O;>

Diomedes · 11-18-2010, 03:33 PM

Other possibilities could be the organizations on pages 22-23, suitably beefed up. Also, the Cabal doesn't have strict control over the US government, as the McCarthy witch-hunts and Warehouse 23 prove. That's one organization that's big enough to take on the Cabal, and likely to resent its intrusions.

martinl · 11-18-2010, 03:34 PM

Start the PCs out with advantages or artifacts that allow them to hide from the Cabal.

Ex: The PCs are all Righteous Souls who died at the exact moment that a coalition of especially ambitious Cabalists launched an assault on Heaven. Their souls were at the right place at the right time to interfere, and they did, foiling the Cabalists' dastardly plan. (You can even make this the first session.)

They wake up again in the moral world, in the place they died, mysteriously healed, and with several new advantages that make them resistant to, and impossible to track with, supernatural powers. They can also always tell where the other PCs are, and sense Cabalist supernatural powers in operation.

The Ineffable has made them Its agents. Being ineffable, It knows that they will do what is needed without direct instruction.

Michael Cule · 11-18-2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinl

Start the PCs out with advantages or artifacts that allow them to hide from the Cabal.

Ex: The PCs are all Righteous Souls who died at the exact moment that a coalition of especially ambitious Cabalists launched an assault on Heaven. Their souls were at the right place at the right time to interfere, and they did, foiling the Cabalists' dastardly plan. (You can even make this the first session.)

They wake up again in the moral world, in the place they died, mysteriously healed, and with several new advantages that make them resistant to, and impossible to track with, supernatural powers. They can also always tell where the other PCs are, and sense Cabalist supernatural powers in operation.

The Ineffable has made them Its agents. Being ineffable, It knows that they will do what is needed without direct instruction.

Hmm, well the idea is that they start as fairly normal human beings. But the idea of re-incarnation... Now there's a possibility...

Refplace · 11-19-2010, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinl

Start the PCs out with advantages or artifacts that allow them to hide from the Cabal.

Ex: The PCs are all Righteous Souls who died at the exact moment that a coalition of especially ambitious Cabalists launched an assault on Heaven. Their souls were at the right place at the right time to interfere, and they did, foiling the Cabalists' dastardly plan. (You can even make this the first session.)

They wake up again in the moral world, in the place they died, mysteriously healed, and with several new advantages that make them resistant to, and impossible to track with, supernatural powers. They can also always tell where the other PCs are, and sense Cabalist supernatural powers in operation.

The Ineffable has made them Its agents. Being ineffable, It knows that they will do what is needed without direct instruction.

I know your looking for normal to start with PCs who gradually figure things out and grow more capable. But this line or a version could work too.
In the given example the PCs dont have to know the source of thier abilities or even that they have any.
They meet each other, apparently by accident or coincidence but somehow "KNOW" that thier is a connection adn they should get to know each other. Maybe its just Deja Vu maybe something else....
Then they start putting together details or have people hunting them and in trying to figure out who that is uncover more and mroe and start getting more active.

11-18-2010, 03:13 PM	#1
Michael Cule Join Date: Jul 2005	GURPS CABAL: A problem I've long wanted to run a Horror campaign set in the world of the Cabal. One of the things that's put me off starting is that the 'default' campaign idea seems to be that of the player-characters being part of the Cabal. And that strikes me as not the best way to use the idea of gradually peeling back the out skin of the onion to show the hidden truth inside. 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. 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.) 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? __________________ Michael Cule, Genius for Hire, Gaming Dinosaur Second Class Last edited by Michael Cule; 11-18-2010 at 03:24 PM.

11-18-2010, 03:31 PM	#5
Phantasm Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road again...	Re: GURPS CABAL: A problem Perhaps you're over-thinking it a little. I haven't read everything there is on the Cabal - very little, in fact - but the gist I got from it is that the Cabal is not a unified organization the way ISWAT is. You have factions among the Cabal working against each other. Some factions could be benevolent, and others could be filled with power-hungry would-be tyrants. Their "Patron" could be one of the many factions among the Cabal. Or perhaps some organization that is aware of the Cabal thanks to the actions of one of the power-hungry factions, and thinks the entire Cabal is like that. Hell, for a twist, IOU could be a part of the world of the Cabal. __________________ "Life ... is an Oreo cookie." - J'onn J'onzz, 1991 "But mom, I don't wanna go back in the dungeon!" The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation. Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting

11-18-2010, 03:33 PM	#7
Diomedes Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dallas, TX	Re: GURPS CABAL: A problem Other possibilities could be the organizations on pages 22-23, suitably beefed up. Also, the Cabal doesn't have strict control over the US government, as the McCarthy witch-hunts and Warehouse 23 prove. That's one organization that's big enough to take on the Cabal, and likely to resent its intrusions.

11-18-2010, 03:34 PM	#8
martinl Join Date: Jan 2006	Re: GURPS CABAL: A problem Start the PCs out with advantages or artifacts that allow them to hide from the Cabal. Ex: The PCs are all Righteous Souls who died at the exact moment that a coalition of especially ambitious Cabalists launched an assault on Heaven. Their souls were at the right place at the right time to interfere, and they did, foiling the Cabalists' dastardly plan. (You can even make this the first session.) They wake up again in the moral world, in the place they died, mysteriously healed, and with several new advantages that make them resistant to, and impossible to track with, supernatural powers. They can also always tell where the other PCs are, and sense Cabalist supernatural powers in operation. The Ineffable has made them Its agents. Being ineffable, It knows that they will do what is needed without direct instruction. Last edited by martinl; 11-18-2010 at 04:07 PM.