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Welcome to a very different America in the middle of 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 the order of things 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 1925." 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.
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 early century, 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. Technological progress increased 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.
 
=== Team Zero ===
Player characters are members of [[OSI Team Zero|Team Zero]], a squad of very special agents operating with the [[Office of Scientific Intelligence]]. The team is tasked with investigating claims of magical and supernatural events as well as collecting magical artifacts for the government.


== Basic Information ==
== Basic Information ==


'''Campaign name:'''  ''GURPS Dark Jazz: The New Prometheans''
'''Campaign name:'''  ''GURPS Dark Jazz: Team Zero''


'''Starting year:'''    1965
'''Starting year:'''    1965
Line 18: Line 21:
== Campaign Background ==
== Campaign Background ==


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


'''Society/government type:'''  Libertarian Democracy
'''Society/government type:'''  Libertarian Democracy
Line 28: Line 31:
'''Tech level:''' TL7+2
'''Tech level:''' TL7+2


:'''Exceptions to general TL:'''  Weapons, up to TL(7+3); broadcast power, TL7^
:'''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.:''' See [[Gernsback-9]] for more information.
'''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.


== Information for PCs ==
== Information for PCs ==


Characters are members of a team of private "secret agents" funded by 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 Great Work.
'''Starting point value allowed for PCs:''' 200


'''Starting point value allowed for PCs:''' 200
'''Disadvantage limit (including Quirks):''' -60  (''including'' required Disadvantages [see below])
 
'''PC races allowed:''' Human


'''Disadvantage limit (including Quirks):''' -75
'''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.


'''PC races allowed:'''  Human, Mutant*, Extraterrestrial*
'''Starting wealth:'''  $25,000


:''*The existence of mutants and extraterrestrials is not known to the general public. If the character is visibly non-human, appropriate social disadvantages such as Appearance, Social Stigma, or Supernatural Feature(s) may be required.''
'''Starting Wealth levels allowed:''' Average


'''Especially appropriate professions:''' Attorney. Circus performer. College professor. Experimental chemist. Fashion designer. Inventor. Mercenary. Newspaper reporter. Police officer. Private investigator. Security consultant. Stunt performer.
'''Starting Status levels allowed:''' 0


'''Starting wealth:''' $17,500
'''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. )


'''Starting Wealth levels allowed:''' Struggling, Poor, Average, Comfortable     ''(No Bruce Waynes or Tony Starks!)''
'''Cultural Familiarities available:'''   Any appropriate to character and setting, i.e. Earth circa mid-1960s.


'''Starting Status levels allowed:'''  0
=== Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills ===


'''Starting TLs allowed:''' Any appropriate to character and setting.
'''Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills:'''  


'''Languages available:'''  Any appropriate to character and setting.
* ''Patron (OSI)'', 20 points.


'''Cultural Familiarities available:'''  Any appropriate to character and setting.
* ''Security Clearance (Secret)'', 5 points. Access to a relatively narrow range of secrets on a “need to know” basis. Note: You may purchase additional clearance, but this minimum is required of all agents.


=== Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills ===
* ''Duty (OSI)'' (Almost all the time, Extremely hazardous), -20 points.


'''Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills:''' Unusual Background (Cost TBD).
'''Required for spellcasters:'''
* ''Ritual Magery 0'' (5 points) and ''Thaumatology'' skill


'''Especially appropriate Advantages:''' Contact. Patron (Promethean Foundation).  
'''Especially appropriate Advantages:''' Contact. Contact Group.  Occultist. Ritual Magery 1+.


'''Especially appropriate Disadvantages:''' Enemy. Obsession. Secret. Secret Identity. Trademark.
'''Especially appropriate Disadvantages:''' Callous. Code of Honor. Delusion (Minor). Discipline of Faith. Loner. Nightmares. Obsession. Secret. Sense of Duty.


'''Especially appropriate Skills:''' Criminology. Streetwise. Urban Survival.
'''Especially appropriate Skills:''' Alchemy. Criminology. Electronics Operation (Psychotronics). Exorcism. Hidden Lore. Occultism. Research. Streetwise. Survival. Swimming. Thaumatology. Urban Survival. Weird Science.


'''Disallowed advantages, disadvantages, and skills:''' None.  
'''Disallowed advantages, disadvantages, and skills:''' Allies. Alternate Form. Duplication. Permeation. Shapeshifting. Super Luck. Unkillable.  Limitations on Magery are disallowed.


'''Appropriate Patrons, Allies or Contacts:''' [[Promethean Foundation]]
'''Appropriate Patrons, Allies or Contacts:''' [[OSI]]


=== Special Abilities Allowed for PCs ===
=== Special Abilities Allowed for PCs ===


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


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


'''Unusual Background cost(s) for these abilities:'''  Unusual Background [10].
'''Unusual Background cost(s) for these abilities:'''  Unusual Background [10-20] may be required for some exotic, cinematic, and supernatural traits.


'''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).
'''Legal or social restrictions on these abilities:''' The GM will apply these in a per case basis.  


==== Magic and Psionics ====
==== Magic and Psionics ====
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:''See [[Magic (Dark Jazz)]] for more details.''
:''See [[Magic (Dark Jazz)]] for more details.''


'''General mana level:'''  Normal.
'''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'', ''GURPS 4th edition Magic'', 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.  


:'''Do areas of higher/lower mana exist?'''  Yes. Even moments of high mana exist, according to astrologers.
: * As of April 1965 numerous reports and surveys indicate that mana levels in the Southern California area are increasing.


'''Are PC mages allowed?'''  Yes.
'''Are PC mages allowed?'''  Yes.


'''Are any of the spells from Chapter 5 off limits?''' No.
'''Are any of the spells from Chapter 5 off limits?''' No. However, limitations on Magery 0 and Magery 1+ are disallowed.


'''Are PC psis allowed?'''  Yes.
'''Are PC psis allowed?'''  Yes.
Line 100: Line 108:
'''Are PC gadgeteers allowed?'''  Yes.
'''Are PC gadgeteers allowed?'''  Yes.


== Rulebooks and Resources ==
==== Characters & Combat ====


== Rulebooks and Resources ==
''GURPS 4th edition Basic Set''
 
''GURPS 4th edition Martial Arts''
 
==== Magic & Psi ====
 
''GURPS 4th edition Magic''
 
''GURPS 4th edition Thaumatology''
 
''GURPS 4th edition Powers''


''GURPS 4th edition Basic Set''. (Required.) A very simple super could be constructed using only the Basic set.
''GURPS 4th edition Psionic Powers''


''GURPS 4th edition Powers''. (Required.) The mechanics of constructing a super-powered character. Absolutely essential to constructing all but the most simple of supers.
==== Science & Technology ====


''GURPS 4th edition Supers''. (Optional.) A guide to the supers genre. Stories and themes rather than mechanics. COntains some very useful and inspirational templates.
''GURPS 4th edition High Tech''


''GURPS 4th edition Martial Arts''. (Optional.) For those special super-moves in super-combat as well as martial-arts-themed supers.
''GURPS 4th edition Ultra-Tech'' (Some TL9 technology, notably fuel cells, micro-electronics, and transportation.)


''The Doom Patrol.'' Published by DC Comics, this trio of outcast heroes is one of the primary inspirations for the New Prometheans. This series began publication in 1963, but of particular interest are "the Morrison years" (issues 19 through 63, published 2000-2008), which begin with a reboot of the team's origin story and eventually becomes a psychedelic super-trip as the anti-heroes face weird "villains" like the Scissormen and the Painting That Ate Paris.
''GURPS 4th edition Psi-Tech''


''The Invisibles.'' Published by Vertigo (DC Comics) after the successful confusion of Morrison's run on Doom Patrol, this is one of the most infamous and successful occult-based limited series ever published. A secret group of psychics and magicians do battle against evil forces of a decidedly Lovecraftian flavor. Mysteries wrapped up in enigmas contained within conspiracies shrouded in secrecy.
''Pyramid #3/46: Weird Science''


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Team Zero Campaign Log]]


 
[[Category: Campaigns]]
[[Category: GURPS Dark Jazz]]
[[Category: GURPS Dark Jazz]]
[[Category: OSI]]

Latest revision as of 05:52, 23 December 2013

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 early century, 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. Technological progress increased 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.

Team Zero

Player characters are members of Team Zero, a squad of very special agents operating with the Office of Scientific Intelligence. The team is tasked with investigating claims of magical and supernatural events as well as collecting magical artifacts for the government.

Basic Information

Campaign name: GURPS Dark Jazz: Team Zero

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.

Information for PCs

Starting point value allowed for PCs: 200

Disadvantage limit (including Quirks): -60 (including required Disadvantages [see below])

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: Average

Starting Status levels allowed: 0

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. )

Cultural Familiarities available: Any appropriate to character and setting, i.e. Earth circa mid-1960s.

Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills

Required advantages, disadvantages, and skills:

  • Patron (OSI), 20 points.
  • Security Clearance (Secret), 5 points. Access to a relatively narrow range of secrets on a “need to know” basis. Note: You may purchase additional clearance, but this minimum is required of all agents.
  • Duty (OSI) (Almost all the time, Extremely hazardous), -20 points.

Required for spellcasters:

  • Ritual Magery 0 (5 points) and Thaumatology skill

Especially appropriate Advantages: Contact. Contact Group. Occultist. Ritual Magery 1+.

Especially appropriate Disadvantages: Callous. Code of Honor. Delusion (Minor). Discipline of Faith. Loner. Nightmares. Obsession. Secret. Sense of Duty.

Especially appropriate Skills: Alchemy. Criminology. Electronics Operation (Psychotronics). Exorcism. Hidden Lore. Occultism. Research. Streetwise. Survival. Swimming. Thaumatology. Urban Survival. Weird Science.

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

Appropriate Patrons, Allies or Contacts: OSI

Special Abilities Allowed for PCs

Exotic/supernatural traits: Subject to final approval by GM.

Cinematic skills: Subject to final approval by GM.

Unusual Background cost(s) for these abilities: Unusual Background [10-20] may be required for some exotic, cinematic, and supernatural traits.

Legal or social restrictions on these abilities: The GM will apply these in a per case basis.

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, GURPS 4th edition Magic, 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.

* As of April 1965 numerous reports and surveys indicate that mana levels in the Southern California area are increasing.

Are PC mages allowed? Yes.

Are any of the spells from Chapter 5 off limits? No. However, limitations on Magery 0 and Magery 1+ are disallowed.

Are PC psis allowed? Yes.

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

Are PC gadgeteers allowed? Yes.

Rulebooks and Resources

Characters & Combat

GURPS 4th edition Basic Set

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

See also

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