Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal.

AllenOwen · 03-17-2019, 09:06 PM

I have been reading GURPS Cabal, and had this idea for a campaign:

The players will be told the game has the PCs as members of a CIA Special Activities Division team (GURPS Special Ops. Can also use GURPS Covert Ops, probably).

The players will be told it will be a gritty action and investigative game, with a twist that they will learn as the game progresses. As the game progresses, the PCs learn that the world is not as it seems, and after their initial encounters with the supernatural, they are assigned to Dr. Seldon Graves (GURPS Cabal, pg.17) as his agents/hitmen.

The Cabal will serve as both adversary and possibly ally to the PCs, depending on what part of the Cabal with whom they are dealing.

An example story seed:
A rather high ranking member of the US military is also a Cabal member, who has gone completely insane. His/her activities threaten not only the national security of the US and world, but also the goals of certain parts of the Cabal. The PCs will be assigned the mission to investigate and terminate the high ranking officer's command. With extreme prejudice. Think COL Kurtz in Apocalyspe Now. A certain part of the Cabal is willing to assist the PCs in this endeavor for unknown reasons.

William · 03-17-2019, 11:09 PM

I'd recommend at least making sure the players are okay with knowing "there's a substantial setting twist built in to this campaign" whenever you go that route.

Most people I've gamed with would rather know the Cabal part from the start and would be capable of role-playing the surprise. Some people like the reveal. Just make sure you're playing with people who would.

ColBosch · 03-18-2019, 12:57 AM

I agree. If I was blindsided with "you're working for the bad guys now" after getting invested in my character, I'd feel pretty betrayed. You'd have to be a damn excellent GM to keep me showing up.

Michele · 03-18-2019, 01:11 AM

Isn't the twist "supernatural actually exists", though?

I think I would recommend the players to keep some 5 unspent points. So that the PCs can adapt more quickly. They will be geared towards the mundane, to start with, so that might reduce any disappointment.

AllenOwen · 03-18-2019, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColBosch

I agree. If I was blindsided with "you're working for the bad guys now" after getting invested in my character, I'd feel pretty betrayed. You'd have to be a damn excellent GM to keep me showing up.

They aren't working for the bad guys, actually. They work for the CIA, then are seconded or assigned to Dr. Graves, who is not necessarily a Cabal member(in this version, he's not or is no longer a member). They work against the Cabal. Since the Cabal is not a unified organization, sometimes elements of it assist the PCs for their own ends. And sometimes they hinder the PCs. Or maybe these elements of the Cabal have decided they no longer align with the Cabal's greater goals. Think "X" in the X-Files. So, assistance is provided on the down low, serving as a contact, whom they may or may not trust completely.

And yes, I'd tell them there's setting twist. But I thought it was quite clear they'd know about the setting twist, and that the Cabal is an adversary. Why else would they be assigned by the CIA/DOD to hunt down an Army COL who has gone bonkers (and also is a Cabal member, but only Seldon Graves knows this). So unless they decide in game they want to, they aren't working for the Cabal ;-)

AllenOwen · 03-18-2019, 06:47 AM

Reasons that "X" might want to help the PCs? In the example story seed, the COL knows who "X" is, therefore, "X" wants him gone. So "X" helps them.

Reasons "X" might want to hinder the PCs? Their current mission might result in "X"'s identity being revealed. That can't be allowed to happen, so "X" might try to hinder them a little.

Gold & Appel Inc · 03-18-2019, 11:09 AM

Am I the only one whose first thought was not related to the surprise twist, but, "I want to run this using Action?"

AllenOwen · 03-18-2019, 12:27 PM

You could use Action! for this. Steal stuff from Monster Hunters too.

Apollonian · 03-18-2019, 01:58 PM

I think if I were pitching this to my players, I'd make sure they knew that the twist was going to be weird, though not necessarily magical. After all, a twist in that kind of carne could range from "you're all actually manchurian candidates" to "the balloon went up, now it's Morrow Project time. "

AllenOwen · 03-18-2019, 04:16 PM

Oh yeah, I'd tell them there's big twist and it will be weird; I just wouldn't tell them how weird. :-)

That way, when the players won't be completely blindsided by the existence of the supernatural in a game that seems to take place in modern, materialistic times.

The effect I am trying to go for here is similar to True Detective season 1. That there might be a sinister, occult aspect. In True Detective season 1, there's no evidence (or is there?) that the supernatural exists, but there's a weirdo running around who thinks it does.

In this campaign, the gritty special ops/covert ops world really does have a weird cult running around doing stuff behind the scenes. The PCs just don't know it at first.

03-17-2019, 09:06 PM	#1
AllenOwen Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Thomaston, GA	Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. I have been reading GURPS Cabal, and had this idea for a campaign: The players will be told the game has the PCs as members of a CIA Special Activities Division team (GURPS Special Ops. Can also use GURPS Covert Ops, probably). The players will be told it will be a gritty action and investigative game, with a twist that they will learn as the game progresses. As the game progresses, the PCs learn that the world is not as it seems, and after their initial encounters with the supernatural, they are assigned to Dr. Seldon Graves (GURPS Cabal, pg.17) as his agents/hitmen. The Cabal will serve as both adversary and possibly ally to the PCs, depending on what part of the Cabal with whom they are dealing. An example story seed: A rather high ranking member of the US military is also a Cabal member, who has gone completely insane. His/her activities threaten not only the national security of the US and world, but also the goals of certain parts of the Cabal. The PCs will be assigned the mission to investigate and terminate the high ranking officer's command. With extreme prejudice. Think COL Kurtz in Apocalyspe Now. A certain part of the Cabal is willing to assist the PCs in this endeavor for unknown reasons.

03-17-2019, 11:09 PM	#2
William Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. I'd recommend at least making sure the players are okay with knowing "there's a substantial setting twist built in to this campaign" whenever you go that route. Most people I've gamed with would rather know the Cabal part from the start and would be capable of role-playing the surprise. Some people like the reveal. Just make sure you're playing with people who would.

03-18-2019, 12:57 AM	#3
ColBosch Join Date: May 2007	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. I agree. If I was blindsided with "you're working for the bad guys now" after getting invested in my character, I'd feel pretty betrayed. You'd have to be a damn excellent GM to keep me showing up.

03-18-2019, 01:11 AM	#4
Michele Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Udine, Italy	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. Isn't the twist "supernatural actually exists", though? I think I would recommend the players to keep some 5 unspent points. So that the PCs can adapt more quickly. They will be geared towards the mundane, to start with, so that might reduce any disappointment. __________________ Michele Armellini GURPS Locations: St. George's Cathedral

03-18-2019, 06:47 AM	#6
AllenOwen Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Thomaston, GA	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. Reasons that "X" might want to help the PCs? In the example story seed, the COL knows who "X" is, therefore, "X" wants him gone. So "X" helps them. Reasons "X" might want to hinder the PCs? Their current mission might result in "X"'s identity being revealed. That can't be allowed to happen, so "X" might try to hinder them a little.

03-18-2019, 11:09 AM	#7
Gold & Appel Inc Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: One Mile Up	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. Am I the only one whose first thought was not related to the surprise twist, but, "I want to run this using Action?"

03-18-2019, 12:27 PM	#8
AllenOwen Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Thomaston, GA	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. You could use Action! for this. Steal stuff from Monster Hunters too.

03-18-2019, 01:58 PM	#9
Apollonian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Shoreline, WA (north of Seattle)	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. I think if I were pitching this to my players, I'd make sure they knew that the twist was going to be weird, though not necessarily magical. After all, a twist in that kind of carne could range from "you're all actually manchurian candidates" to "the balloon went up, now it's Morrow Project time. "

03-18-2019, 04:16 PM	#10
AllenOwen Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Thomaston, GA	Re: Campaign idea inspired by GURPS Cabal. Oh yeah, I'd tell them there's big twist and it will be weird; I just wouldn't tell them how weird. :-) That way, when the players won't be completely blindsided by the existence of the supernatural in a game that seems to take place in modern, materialistic times. The effect I am trying to go for here is similar to True Detective season 1. That there might be a sinister, occult aspect. In True Detective season 1, there's no evidence (or is there?) that the supernatural exists, but there's a weirdo running around who thinks it does. In this campaign, the gritty special ops/covert ops world really does have a weird cult running around doing stuff behind the scenes. The PCs just don't know it at first.