GURPS Dark Jazz: OSI

Welcome to the dark and delirious 1960s, an era that's even weirder than the Sixties we know by virtue of being straighter than the Fifties on TV. The world has weathered major technological changes, including the realization of Tesla's broadcast power system, the horrors of the Atomic War, and the beginnings of the Space Age.

Many of the occult undercurrents of the 1920s, which seemed ready to challenge and even upset the order of reality in that tumultuous decade, have all but disappeared from existence. Magic is widely regarded as myth and foolish play where it once was more generally accepted and even respected by some. The truth of magic is now a dark secret held closely by a few surviving cults and occultists, who commonly promote the notion that "magic disappeared in 1926." Faith in technology continued to grow throughout the ensuing decades, resulting in both wonders and horrors as atomic energy was developed by the nations. War was unavoidable, and in the Soviet War (also known as the Atomic War) of 1951-1953 shook the world. The end of the conflict appeared to launch a new age of scientific exploration as the nations agreed to work together toward securing peace and expanding technological progress.

Player characters are members of a team of private contractors working for the Promethean Foundation. The team is tasked with investigating claims of magic and supernatural events, collecting magical artifacts for the Foundation, and otherwise carrying out the work of protecting the Great Secret.

Basic Information

Campaign name: GURPS Dark Jazz: The New Prometheans

Starting year: 1965

Genre: Horror

Realistic or cinematic? Grittematic™

General theme of campaign: Weird Science Horror Conspiracy

Are there multiple planes of existence? Yes

Campaign Background

Campaign’s base city, nation, empire, or planet: Los Angeles, California. See Gernsback-9 for more information.

Society/government type: Libertarian Democracy

Control Rating: CR3

Exceptions to general CR: “Ray guns” and other advanced tech (TL8+) are controlled by the WSC, and are often only available for use by WSC agents. Some medical technology is available only to licensed practitioners.

Tech level: TL7+2

Exceptions to general TL: Weapons, up to TL(7+2); broadcast power, TL7^     See also Technology (Dark Jazz)

Brief description of important neighboring powers, political/economic situation, etc.: Much has changed since the 1920s. Occult and magical studies occupy the fringes of academia. No one openly practices magic any more, and few take it seriously as an art. What little study there is of the subject occurs in the context of history and cultural studies. In an age of secrets, the power of magic is perhaps the most closely guarded secret of all. The dedicated pursuit of practical magical skills takes place in silence, in the halls of secret societies and dimly lit university archives. While the public is largely unaware of the reality of magic, a few have spent their lives uncovering the truth: magic is real, magic works. Some who know this secret have vowed to protect it. There are those within government and private industry who would use the secret to their own ends. In a world that struggles to rebuild itself after a devastating global war, a secret war is taking place in shadows and nightmares.

Information for PCs

Starting point value allowed for PCs: 225

Disadvantage limit (including Quirks): -80

PC races allowed: Human

Especially appropriate professions: Art Appraiser. Barber. College professor. Dancer. Experimental chemist. Fashion designer. Gadgeteer. Historian. Investor. Jeweler. Kickboxer. Ludographer. Mercenary. Newspaper reporter. Occupational therapist. Private investigator. Quiz show champion. Researcher. Stunt performer. Thief. Undertaker. Veterinarian. Writer. Xylographer. Yoga instructor. Zoologist.

Secret Hidden Bonus: One or more of the above professions is Special. Choose the right one and purchase the appropriate skill(s) to represent the job, the GM will award 10 bonus points to spend on character development.

Starting wealth: $20,000

Starting Wealth levels allowed: Struggling, Poor, Average, Comfortable

Starting Status levels allowed: 0

Languages available: Any appropriate to character and setting. Magicians are strongly advised to study Latin, Greek, and German.

Cultural Familiarities available: Any appropriate to character and setting.

Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills

Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills:

• Patron (Promethean Foundation), 20 points.

• Magery 0 (5 points) is required for all spellcasters (and is advised for even non-spellcasters).

Especially appropriate Advantages: Contact.

Especially appropriate Disadvantages: Enemy. Nightmares. Obsession. Secret.

Especially appropriate Skills: Alchemy. Criminology. Occultism. Streetwise. Thaumatology (for spellcasters). Urban Survival.

Disallowed advantages, disadvantages, and skills: None.

Appropriate Patrons, Allies or Contacts: Promethean Foundation

Special Abilities Allowed for PCs

Exotic/supernatural traits: Any are allowable, subject to final approval by GM.

Cinematic skills: Any are allowable, subject to final approval by GM.

Unusual Background cost(s) for these abilities: Unusual Background [10].

Legal or social restrictions on these abilities: Psionic individuals are rare and generally unaccepted in most social circles; most psis have Social Stigma as a result, unless they are keeping it a Secret (-10, Utter rejection).

Magic and Psionics

See Magic (Dark Jazz) for more details.

General mana level: Low. (Only mages can cast spells, and all spells perform at -5 to skill, for all purposes. (Magic items are similarly affected; see Power of a Magic Item, p. 17.) However, critical failures have mild effects or no effect at all.)

Do areas of higher/lower mana exist? Yes. Several known sites are areas of high or very high mana. Additionally magical societies may have their own temples that act as mana generators, bringing the area many cities and holy sites to "normal" or high levels of mana. Even moments of high/low mana exist, according to astrologers.

Are PC mages allowed? Yes.

Are any of the spells from Chapter 5 off limits? No.

Are PC psis allowed? Yes.

Are any of the powers from Chapter 6 off limits? No.

Are PC gadgeteers allowed? Yes.

Rulebooks and Resources

GURPS 4th edition Basic Set

GURPS 4th edition Magic

GURPS 4th edition Thaumatology

GURPS 4th edition Powers

GURPS 4th edition Martial Arts

GURPS 4th edition High Tech

GURPS 4th edition Ultra-Tech (Some TL9 technology, notably fuel cells, micro-electronics, and transportation.)