Through The Dark Looking Glass : GURPS 1891

England. 1891. It has been three years since Jack the Ripper last struck, Sherlock Holmes works as a consultant with Scotland Yard and other police services around the globe, Nikola Tesla is employed in England, developing his wondrous Tesla coil and other devices for the betterment of England and the world. Victor Frankenstein works tirelessly to develop his resurrection machine in time for the World's Columbian Exposition set for 1893. Industry is booming throughout England and Europe. But despite enormous advances in technology, superstition and paranoia runs rampant throughout England and Europe. Serial killers prowl the streets of every major city, what little remains of wilderness in the world is dark, dangerous and very inhospitable, covens of witches are exposed and tracked down by Scotland Yard and other security services throughout the world. Strange tales fill the newspapers; of monsters, shadows that haunt the periphery of society. Numerous cults plague all levels of society, worshiping a variety of entities and possessing an even wider set of sinister goals. The worst, widest spread and least known cult being a lose amalgamation of cults from around the world, unofficially named R'lyehian Cultists by Scotland Yard. The R'lyehian Cultists are comprised of groups from all levels of society and though separated by thousands of miles, culture and language, as well, in some cases hundreds of years, all share the singular focus of worshiping a dark, sinister god who lies trapped beneath the seas, whose awaking is to signal the end of the world.

In 1890, Lord William Xavier Greythumb, the 7th Marquess of Hertford, returns from the dark continent of Africa where he had spent the last decade exploring and advancing Englands' interests. His ventures have made himself and England extremely wealthy. The favourite of the crown, his rugged handsomeness and history as an adventurer and explorer make him a celebrity among the tabloids as his mystery quickly grows into legend. Unprepared for the intrigues and subterfuge of life within the nobility in London, Lord Greythumb retreats to his family estate in Hertford. In December 1890, his 19 year old daughter Alice Greythumb disappears. Lord Greythumb assembles an eccentric group, tasked with investigating his daughter's disappearance, locating her, returning her safely and bringing her abductors to justice.

This is where you come in. Summoned from the far corners of the globe, the group is comprised of unique individuals from all walks of life, whose only common link is their expertise or singular talent which makes them invaluable to Lord Greythumb. Gunfighters, vampires, witch doctors, scientists, bare knuckle boxers, fencing champions, mystics and mediums, thieves and murderers. Lord Greythumb requires your skills and is willing to pay very handsomely for your employ. You each receive a letter addressed to you from Lord Greythumb promising $250.00 if you come, meet him and listen to his proposal with a promised additional $250.00 should you succeed in his task. Considering that in 1891, a skilled laborer (carpenter, blacksmith, etc) made approximately $0.25/hour, Lord Greythumb's offer is astronomical. You each arrive at Hertford castle in Hertford, 31 miles North of London on the evening of January 7th, 1891.

This game will be run using GURPS 4th edition. Characters will be made with 200 points and 100 points of disadvantages allowed. Any conceivable character will be allowed with a feasible and detailed enough backstory. This game is inspired by the following works of fiction;
-Steampunk as a theme
-The works of H.P. Lovecraft
-"Penny Dreadful" television series
-The videogame "Dishonoured"
-"The League of Extraordinary Gentleman"
-The graphic novel series "Hellboy"
-equal parts "Sherlock Holmes", "Downton Abbey", "Dracula" and "Frankenstein"

I envision a game where we unlock the mysteries of an ever expanding world, confronting horrors both new and ancient, with each character struggling to find their place. It will be a game of horror, exploration, adventure and drama, set in a Victorian/steampunk-esque era. Emphasis will be on character development and interaction as the plot unravels and reveals itself over time.

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What I want from a RTJ:

-Statement of age
As this is going to be an adult game, with dark themes of horror and violence, preface your RTJ with the following;
"I, (insert RPOL name), born (insert DOB) am (insert age) am legally allowed to view adult material in my country of residence (insert country)."


-Commitment
A commitment to post quality, spelling and grammar checked posts that have substance. As we are working together to craft this game world your contribution is as important as mine. Dialogue will be in a colour of your choice, with any internal monologue you wish to add in italics. Any dice rolls or game mechanics notes will be added at the end of the post in bold. In character conflict is allowed and encouraged as it adds to the drama of the game. It goes without saying that out of character conflict is strongly discouraged, as we are all adults and not here to engage in name calling or infantile in-fighting. I'm here to create an interesting story with vibrant characters, not participate in a pissing contest via the medium of the internet.

-Character Concept
A character concept that includes a detailed background of who the character is and how he/she came to be where they are.

-Character Description
A description of your character...Physically, clothing, armour... Be descriptive. also include a picture of approximately what your character looks like.

-Character Sheet
A character sheet of your completed, character. Necessary, but not with the initial RTJ. What is necessary is what race, class, gender, etc you intend to play, even if included in your character concept.

-Character's Background/History
A, albeit, basic outline of who your character is...

This may seem like a lot of work just to apply to this game, but I am dedicated to making this a quality, long-running game enjoyable for all writers(players) involved and a RTJ serves to dissuade those that aren't interested in a serious, plot driven game.


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What I offer as a GM/Narrator:

-Accessible
I want to work with you to develop your character and allow this game world to flourish and grow. Lets work together to develop plot arcs that further immerse and involve your character in this game world.

-Dedicated
I will work to write interesting, exciting plot arcs that immerse your character in the plot and develop your character over the course of the game. I will be able to post twice weekly without fail, sometimes much, much more, real life dependent.

If the above is of interest to you, please feel free to apply to join us. RTJs to this game will not be a first come first serve, it will be based on character concept and submission. When the game is full I will post a notice, otherwise I am still in the process of accepting new players.

Game closed.