GURPS Troubleshooters (Campaign)

Campaign Background

Troubleshooters, Inc. is the first paranormal investigative agency licensed by the City of Los Angeles. Operating from an old firehouse in the city's Skid Row, this motley crew of psychics, magicians, and former government operatives perform a unique service for citizens who find their lives intruded upon by ghosts, ghouls, vampires, demons, and various other creatures of the night. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, no job is too big, no fee is too big!

Campaign name: GURPS Troubleshooters

Starting year: 1965

Genre: Horror (Monster Hunters)

Realistic or cinematic? Grittematic

General theme of campaign: Characters are owners/operators of paranormal investigation service, licensed by the State of California.

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: CR4

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)

Information for PCs

Starting point value allowed for PCs: 200

Disadvantage limit (including Quirks): −50

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.

Starting Wealth: $25,000

Starting Wealth levels allowed: 0

Starting Status levels allowed: 0

Starting TLs allowed: TL7

Languages available: Any appropriate to character and setting, i.e. Earth circa mid-1960s. (Magicians are strongly advised to study Latin, Greek, and German. Weird scientists and engineers will likely find Russian and German useful.) See to GM about particular exotic, non-human or magical languages.

Cultural Familiarities available: Any appropriate to character and setting, i.e. Earth circa mid-1960s. See to GM about particular exotic, non-human or magical cultures.

Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills

Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills:

• Patron (Secret), 0 points

For spellcasters:

• Ritual Magery 0
• Ritual Magery 1-5 optional

Core skills: Thaumatology

Especially appropriate Advantages: Business Acumen, Common Sense, Occultist, Smooth Operator

Especially appropriate Disadvantages: Discipline of Faith, Sense of Duty

Especially appropriate Skills: Accounting, Administration, Area Knowledge, Current Events, Driving, Exorcism, Occultism, Research, Search, Swimming

Disallowed advantages, disadvantages, and skills: Allies. Alternate Form. Duplication. Permeation. Shapeshifting. Super Luck. Unkillable. Limitations on Magery are disallowed.

Appropriate Patrons, Allies or Contacts: Carl Kolchak, Gardner Graves, Psychic Friends Network

Special Abilities Allowed for PCs

Exotic/supernatural traits:

Cinematic skills:

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.

Are there special limits on gadgeteering? No.

Unusual Background cost(s) for these abilities: For spellcasters, 5 points per Ritual Magery or Power Investiture level above 1. For example, Ritual Magery 3 requires 10 points of Unusual Background. The GM may assess similar costs for powerful psionics. In all cases, the maximum Unusual Background cost will be 20 points.

Legal or social restrictions on these abilities:

Rulebooks and Resources

GURPS Basic Set 4th edition

GURPS 4th edition Martial Arts

Magic & Psi

GURPS 4th edition Magic

GURPS 4th edition Thaumatology

GURPS 4th edition Powers

GURPS 4th edition Psionic Powers

Science & Technology

GURPS 4th edition High Tech

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

GURPS 4th edition Psi-Tech

Pyramid #3/46: Weird Science