Dec 13, 2025 8:53 pm
Off of I-68, on the border of River City, there is a sleazy bar beside a cheap motel, called The Dark Moon Tavern. It seems like an ideal trucker stop, but truckers in the know avoid it. It's the kind of place where you might catch a glimpse of fang from that pasty fellow in the corner drinking his wine, or where that robed woman smoking her joint didn't really seem to have much use for her lighter when she lit up. It's a place where everyone has a gun or a knife or both, and when you meet someone who doesn't, you know they're dangerous.
And it's your home.
Because you saw behind the veil, and now you can't ever look back again. The supernatural world isn't hiding anywhere. It's in plain sight, with the normies covering their eyes and ears and pretending that nothing is wrong. People don't believe because they don't want to believe. You've been made outcasts. Rebels fighting for a noble cause no one else will even acknowledge. All you have is each other, and an unlikely family. A group of renegade succubi who grew tired of being servants of evil have escaped to the mortal realm and acquired The Dark Moon Tavern to repurpose it as neutral grounds for any supernatural creatures willing to behave themselves. The succubi can be mischievous and unhelpful at times, and do not join you in battle under any circumstances, but it's still nice to be able to relax with a beverage of your choice and talk about your problems with someone who actually understands what you're going through.
Because you're going through a lot. After all, when the creatures of the night decide they don't want to behave, you're the ones that have to pick up your swords and guns and make things right again. You're the only ones that will, and the only ones that can.
You've got your work cut out for you, Monster Hunters.
Controversial themes: This game will include mild religious themes which will be downplayed as much as possible. The Crusader template wields powers drawn from real-world religions including but not limited to Christianity, Judaism, and Shintoism, and the characters will sometimes fight monsters with religious themes. I do not condone or condemn any real-world religions, nor do I recommend battling demons and fallen angels. We are likely to get some details wrong, but I am not out to offend anyone.
Character restrictions: Templates only. Each template is built on 400 points. To break it down to players who are unfamiliar with GURPS: 50 points would create an ordinary person on the street who is competent at their job. 100 points would create a plucky adventurer who might make a hero one day. 250 points would make an entirely credible action hero. 400 points makes a hero of legend such as Buffy or Angel (two TV shows that will be touchstones for this game).Each of these templates has a motivational lens that helps explain how you ended up in The Mission. Choose one. Any template can be combined with any lens, some combinations are more obvious than others, but all combinations work fine.Game duration and post frequency: This will be a one-shot adventure, that might become a campaign if the players end up liking the system and setting and we click as a group. I have a lot of experience with play by post and have found that any posting requirements I might have will not survive contact with the enemy (real life), so I am generally pretty lax about this. That being said, I like to give players 48 to 72 hours to post and then try to move on with the game regardless of whether or not everyone has had their turn or not. Exceptions and extensions will be made for those who require them due to real life circumstances. By the way, if you're reading this thread carefully and interested in applying, please DM me with your favorite animal. If you go for a week or longer without posting or communicating with me, you will be removed from the game, and a replacement will be sought.
Specialized software and resources: All OOC communication will take place over a private Discord server. Furthermore, I strongly recommend downloading and familiarizing yourself with GURPS Character Sheet for all your character creation needs. It's free, it's constantly updated, and it does your math for you. Get it here.
Player experience requirements: This game will be open to both new and experienced GURPS players and is explicitly made to be as newbie friendly as possible (which for GURPS is a bit of a tall order). Since I am new to Gamer’s Plane and have never GMed a game on it before, I would strongly prefer at least one player be experienced with the technical aspects and willing to help me.
GURPS is a rules-heavy system about as complicated as D&D 3.5 with all the splatbooks. That doesn't mean it has to be a nightmare, however. Just because there are detailed rules in the base set that describe radiation sickness that even I don't understand doesn't mean we need to be familiar with them. This game is about investigating and confronting monsters, not exploring the ruins of Chernobyl. We'll be using a version of GURPS that is heavily stripped down and action/investigation oriented. I'm not saying it will be easy, but if you're like me and occasionally you like to move away from rules-light systems and just nerd out, then maybe it will be worthwhile.
This game will be welcoming of LGBTQ+ characters and minority or marginalized characters of all descriptions.
How to apply: I do not need a finished character sheet right now. Here is what I do want:
- Your template and motivational lens choices.
- A description of your character, in as few or many words as you'd like.
- Answers to these questions: Who are you as a player (i.e. a powergamer, a roleplayer, an explorer, a puzzle solver, or something else entirely. No wrong answers, just want to see who I'm working with)? Why are you interested in this game? Why do you think you would be a good fit for this game? How much experience do you have with GURPS 4E (hopefully I can get a roughly even split of newcomers and experience)?
I will be actively recruiting for a week or until I've selected my group, whichever comes first. It will not be first come first serve. Once I have a group of three to five hunters that I like (hopefully on the higher end), I'll close recruitment.
And it's your home.
Because you saw behind the veil, and now you can't ever look back again. The supernatural world isn't hiding anywhere. It's in plain sight, with the normies covering their eyes and ears and pretending that nothing is wrong. People don't believe because they don't want to believe. You've been made outcasts. Rebels fighting for a noble cause no one else will even acknowledge. All you have is each other, and an unlikely family. A group of renegade succubi who grew tired of being servants of evil have escaped to the mortal realm and acquired The Dark Moon Tavern to repurpose it as neutral grounds for any supernatural creatures willing to behave themselves. The succubi can be mischievous and unhelpful at times, and do not join you in battle under any circumstances, but it's still nice to be able to relax with a beverage of your choice and talk about your problems with someone who actually understands what you're going through.
Because you're going through a lot. After all, when the creatures of the night decide they don't want to behave, you're the ones that have to pick up your swords and guns and make things right again. You're the only ones that will, and the only ones that can.
You've got your work cut out for you, Monster Hunters.
Controversial themes: This game will include mild religious themes which will be downplayed as much as possible. The Crusader template wields powers drawn from real-world religions including but not limited to Christianity, Judaism, and Shintoism, and the characters will sometimes fight monsters with religious themes. I do not condone or condemn any real-world religions, nor do I recommend battling demons and fallen angels. We are likely to get some details wrong, but I am not out to offend anyone.
Character restrictions: Templates only. Each template is built on 400 points. To break it down to players who are unfamiliar with GURPS: 50 points would create an ordinary person on the street who is competent at their job. 100 points would create a plucky adventurer who might make a hero one day. 250 points would make an entirely credible action hero. 400 points makes a hero of legend such as Buffy or Angel (two TV shows that will be touchstones for this game).
[ +- ] Templates
Commando: You’re a one-person combat squad! In your hands, a gun – any gun– is more precise than a surgeon’s scalpel. If it can be put down with bullets, you can do it. If not, you can hold your own with other forms of combat, too– and enough firepower can often weaken a foe enough for one of your teammates to land a true killing blow. Your situational awareness helps you predict your enemies’ tactics and find the best cover before the fight starts. And if things go really wrong, you’re a good man to have when slogging a retreat through the sewers or patching each other up.
Crusader: You are deeply connected to a higher being, and you may draw upon its power to smite the forces of evil. When it comes to spiritual warfare, you have no equal– your Mysticism abilities protect you and keep you in tune with the world beyond the veil, your training and knowledge make you adept at identifying uncommon threats, and you can cleave a demon in two with the best of ’em! As these skills translate well to hunting other threats, you’re a useful part of any team.
Experiment: You’re human... just not, technically, 100% human. They reengineered every part of you– or, alternatively, grew you from scratch– using the latest biotechnology. Now you’re faster, stronger, and smarter than a normal human could ever hope to be, all thanks to Bioenhancement. Whether your creators were Good Guys that you still work for, or Bad Guys that you managed to escape, you now use your advanced body and mind to protect humanity.
Inhuman: You are one of the monsters that stalks humanity from the shadows...fortunately, the resemblance is only physical. Either you were always a "little weird" in preferring humans over your own kind, or you had an experience or revelation that made you renounce your evil ways and swear allegiance to the Good Guys. Your attitude and tactics will depend greatly on what kind of creature you are, but details aside, you’re ready to take your fight to The Enemy, even your kin.
Psi: Some people say brains aren’t everything, but theirs can’t do the nifty stuff that yours can! You are a master of mind over matter, with abilities potentially ranging from information gathering to instantaneous movement. While the techie shares some of your skills and the experiment shares your attitude, neither has a mind as versatile as yours. Oh sure, you may not be as physically buff as some of your teammates, but there’s more to life than swinging a battleaxe. All you need is your brain (and a few good guns– you know, just in case!) to investigate, hunt, and wipe out any threat.
Sage: (GURPS experience will be helpful) You are the guardian of the greatest weapon in this war... knowledge of The Enemy. You have spent your entire life studying, learning, and understanding what you’re truly up against. Some tend to classify you as a bookworm, useless in a fight, but they don’t realize that most of what you know can only be learned in the field– you can swing a sword with the best of them. Your magic is more versatile, however. While you’re no witch, you can work rituals in the field– though you’re better when you have time to prepare beforehand.
Sleuth: You are a master of obtaining information, whether by investigation, reconnaissance, or social manipulation. Where others see randomness, you see patterns, piecing together the true story behind any situation. As the "face man" of the team, you’re skilled not only at talking to witnesses without revealing the truth, but at figuring out what they really saw, even if they don’t realize it. When necessary, you are unequaled at stealth and concealment. In a hostile situation, you use the latter to your advantage– while the rest of the team is charging at the monsters, you slip around for a few well-placed shots or stabs from behind.
Techie: Dealing with the supernatural doesn’t mean science can’t save the day! You have spent most of your life applying technological solutions to esoteric problems. With some time and access to a decent hardware store, you can whip up something that’ll even scare the monsters. You don’t understand why some people call a priest to drive a ghost away when you can achieve the same effect with a UV fluorescent bulb, 15 yards of Cat-6 cable, and a guitar tuner that’s had some slight modifications... and yes, the headaches are a normal side effect...
Warrior: You are the toughest member of the team– a front-line melee fighter who wades into the action with a sword in one hand and an axe in the other. While this consistently puts you in the most risky position, you wouldn’t have it any other way. Few monsters can stand against you in a straight-up fight, and weaker ones can often by dropped by a single one of your powerful swings. You’ve studied their weaknesses, and tactics to use against them– your knowledge isn’t deep, but it is broad. Still, you’re used to letting the others track ’em down, then stepping to the front to lead the assault.
Witch: (GURPS experience will be helpful) Arcane forces bend to your will! In the time it takes most casters to work a simple cantrip, you can create powerful and potent magical effects. Your magic is fast enough for fieldwork– you can even rely on it for combat, as long as you have friends protecting you while you concentrate. You’ve trained in basic combat skills as well, but it’s not what you’re good at– if you run across a situation that can’t be resolved directly by magic, your first instinct is to find an indirect way to do so. (And more often than not, you can!)
Crusader: You are deeply connected to a higher being, and you may draw upon its power to smite the forces of evil. When it comes to spiritual warfare, you have no equal– your Mysticism abilities protect you and keep you in tune with the world beyond the veil, your training and knowledge make you adept at identifying uncommon threats, and you can cleave a demon in two with the best of ’em! As these skills translate well to hunting other threats, you’re a useful part of any team.
Experiment: You’re human... just not, technically, 100% human. They reengineered every part of you– or, alternatively, grew you from scratch– using the latest biotechnology. Now you’re faster, stronger, and smarter than a normal human could ever hope to be, all thanks to Bioenhancement. Whether your creators were Good Guys that you still work for, or Bad Guys that you managed to escape, you now use your advanced body and mind to protect humanity.
Inhuman: You are one of the monsters that stalks humanity from the shadows...fortunately, the resemblance is only physical. Either you were always a "little weird" in preferring humans over your own kind, or you had an experience or revelation that made you renounce your evil ways and swear allegiance to the Good Guys. Your attitude and tactics will depend greatly on what kind of creature you are, but details aside, you’re ready to take your fight to The Enemy, even your kin.
Psi: Some people say brains aren’t everything, but theirs can’t do the nifty stuff that yours can! You are a master of mind over matter, with abilities potentially ranging from information gathering to instantaneous movement. While the techie shares some of your skills and the experiment shares your attitude, neither has a mind as versatile as yours. Oh sure, you may not be as physically buff as some of your teammates, but there’s more to life than swinging a battleaxe. All you need is your brain (and a few good guns– you know, just in case!) to investigate, hunt, and wipe out any threat.
Sage: (GURPS experience will be helpful) You are the guardian of the greatest weapon in this war... knowledge of The Enemy. You have spent your entire life studying, learning, and understanding what you’re truly up against. Some tend to classify you as a bookworm, useless in a fight, but they don’t realize that most of what you know can only be learned in the field– you can swing a sword with the best of them. Your magic is more versatile, however. While you’re no witch, you can work rituals in the field– though you’re better when you have time to prepare beforehand.
Sleuth: You are a master of obtaining information, whether by investigation, reconnaissance, or social manipulation. Where others see randomness, you see patterns, piecing together the true story behind any situation. As the "face man" of the team, you’re skilled not only at talking to witnesses without revealing the truth, but at figuring out what they really saw, even if they don’t realize it. When necessary, you are unequaled at stealth and concealment. In a hostile situation, you use the latter to your advantage– while the rest of the team is charging at the monsters, you slip around for a few well-placed shots or stabs from behind.
Techie: Dealing with the supernatural doesn’t mean science can’t save the day! You have spent most of your life applying technological solutions to esoteric problems. With some time and access to a decent hardware store, you can whip up something that’ll even scare the monsters. You don’t understand why some people call a priest to drive a ghost away when you can achieve the same effect with a UV fluorescent bulb, 15 yards of Cat-6 cable, and a guitar tuner that’s had some slight modifications... and yes, the headaches are a normal side effect...
Warrior: You are the toughest member of the team– a front-line melee fighter who wades into the action with a sword in one hand and an axe in the other. While this consistently puts you in the most risky position, you wouldn’t have it any other way. Few monsters can stand against you in a straight-up fight, and weaker ones can often by dropped by a single one of your powerful swings. You’ve studied their weaknesses, and tactics to use against them– your knowledge isn’t deep, but it is broad. Still, you’re used to letting the others track ’em down, then stepping to the front to lead the assault.
Witch: (GURPS experience will be helpful) Arcane forces bend to your will! In the time it takes most casters to work a simple cantrip, you can create powerful and potent magical effects. Your magic is fast enough for fieldwork– you can even rely on it for combat, as long as you have friends protecting you while you concentrate. You’ve trained in basic combat skills as well, but it’s not what you’re good at– if you run across a situation that can’t be resolved directly by magic, your first instinct is to find an indirect way to do so. (And more often than not, you can!)
[ +- ] Motivational lens
Accidental Hero: You stumbled onto this fight accidentally, and only survived due to fast reflexes, quick learning, and a dash of luck. Since then, you’ve gotten some experience, knowledge, and training under your belt, and can now hunt with the best of ’em.
Avenger/Atoner: Monsters killed your loved ones. It may have happened while you weren’t there, or you were present but unable to stop them. Either way, you’ve dedicated your life to hunting them down. While you’ll seek out any type of monster, you live to slay the kind who took everything from you.
A variant, intended for Inhumans, is the atoner. Here, you were one of the monsters preying on humanity, before you renounced the ways of evil. Now you hunt those you formerly stood beside!
Chosen one: Fate has marked you as one of humanity’s saviors– a key player in the ongoing battle against the monsters. While it’s good to have The Powers That Be watching your back, it also makes it harder to slack off– whether due to dedication or a metaphysical bullseye on your back.
Clergy: You have the support of a religious organization behind you. This lens represents the mundane benefits of clerical support, not holy powers! (But it does mesh well with the Crusader template). Either you work directly for the clergy as a monster hunter, or they sponsor your activities unofficially.
Criminal: Your extralegal activities require you to spend your time in back alleys and the shadows... which is exactly where certain other things like to hide! Your mix of contacts and street smarts helps you fight these monsters– whether you do so for personal reasons, self-defense, or because it pays well.
Hired Gun: Getting rid of monsters is your business– literally! You might have an ad in the Yellow Pages or only operate via word of mouth; either way, the small percentage of people who don’t think you’re a crackpot come to you for help. Money might be your only motivation, but many so-called mercenaries are really in the business to help the helpless and will negotiate the fee later (if at all).
Law Enforcement: You can only work so many cases before noticing that not everything lurking in the shadows is human. Once you’re 100% sure that you’re facing an inhuman foe, you do your best to put it down without attracting attention. This lens doesn't just fit an active cop, but also retired cops, private investigators, and unofficially sanctioned vigilantes.
Operative: You work for an organization dedicated to The Mission, typically a private corporation or a secret ("black ops") government agency. Your patron supplies you with gear, assigns your missions, and sometimes does research– the rest is up to you!
Philanthropist: You fund and plan your own ops because it’s the right thing to do. Your life isn’t tied to this "shadow world," but you couldn’t imagine not doing something. With a high enough Wealth, an altruistic PC may be able to fund an entire team of less affluent hunters. (Nothing says how you keep the money coming, mind you. This lens can fit a criminal or schemer who does all of his dirty work "off camera.") Philanthropists with more modest funds must compensate by being good planners and tacticians as well.
Soldier: Like the operative above, you secretly eliminate monsters on behalf of an organization, but yours is distinctly military in flavor. This can range from working for a hidden division of your country’s armed forces to being part of a private paramilitary corps.
Avenger/Atoner: Monsters killed your loved ones. It may have happened while you weren’t there, or you were present but unable to stop them. Either way, you’ve dedicated your life to hunting them down. While you’ll seek out any type of monster, you live to slay the kind who took everything from you.
A variant, intended for Inhumans, is the atoner. Here, you were one of the monsters preying on humanity, before you renounced the ways of evil. Now you hunt those you formerly stood beside!
Chosen one: Fate has marked you as one of humanity’s saviors– a key player in the ongoing battle against the monsters. While it’s good to have The Powers That Be watching your back, it also makes it harder to slack off– whether due to dedication or a metaphysical bullseye on your back.
Clergy: You have the support of a religious organization behind you. This lens represents the mundane benefits of clerical support, not holy powers! (But it does mesh well with the Crusader template). Either you work directly for the clergy as a monster hunter, or they sponsor your activities unofficially.
Criminal: Your extralegal activities require you to spend your time in back alleys and the shadows... which is exactly where certain other things like to hide! Your mix of contacts and street smarts helps you fight these monsters– whether you do so for personal reasons, self-defense, or because it pays well.
Hired Gun: Getting rid of monsters is your business– literally! You might have an ad in the Yellow Pages or only operate via word of mouth; either way, the small percentage of people who don’t think you’re a crackpot come to you for help. Money might be your only motivation, but many so-called mercenaries are really in the business to help the helpless and will negotiate the fee later (if at all).
Law Enforcement: You can only work so many cases before noticing that not everything lurking in the shadows is human. Once you’re 100% sure that you’re facing an inhuman foe, you do your best to put it down without attracting attention. This lens doesn't just fit an active cop, but also retired cops, private investigators, and unofficially sanctioned vigilantes.
Operative: You work for an organization dedicated to The Mission, typically a private corporation or a secret ("black ops") government agency. Your patron supplies you with gear, assigns your missions, and sometimes does research– the rest is up to you!
Philanthropist: You fund and plan your own ops because it’s the right thing to do. Your life isn’t tied to this "shadow world," but you couldn’t imagine not doing something. With a high enough Wealth, an altruistic PC may be able to fund an entire team of less affluent hunters. (Nothing says how you keep the money coming, mind you. This lens can fit a criminal or schemer who does all of his dirty work "off camera.") Philanthropists with more modest funds must compensate by being good planners and tacticians as well.
Soldier: Like the operative above, you secretly eliminate monsters on behalf of an organization, but yours is distinctly military in flavor. This can range from working for a hidden division of your country’s armed forces to being part of a private paramilitary corps.
Specialized software and resources: All OOC communication will take place over a private Discord server. Furthermore, I strongly recommend downloading and familiarizing yourself with GURPS Character Sheet for all your character creation needs. It's free, it's constantly updated, and it does your math for you. Get it here.
Player experience requirements: This game will be open to both new and experienced GURPS players and is explicitly made to be as newbie friendly as possible (which for GURPS is a bit of a tall order). Since I am new to Gamer’s Plane and have never GMed a game on it before, I would strongly prefer at least one player be experienced with the technical aspects and willing to help me.
GURPS is a rules-heavy system about as complicated as D&D 3.5 with all the splatbooks. That doesn't mean it has to be a nightmare, however. Just because there are detailed rules in the base set that describe radiation sickness that even I don't understand doesn't mean we need to be familiar with them. This game is about investigating and confronting monsters, not exploring the ruins of Chernobyl. We'll be using a version of GURPS that is heavily stripped down and action/investigation oriented. I'm not saying it will be easy, but if you're like me and occasionally you like to move away from rules-light systems and just nerd out, then maybe it will be worthwhile.
This game will be welcoming of LGBTQ+ characters and minority or marginalized characters of all descriptions.
How to apply: I do not need a finished character sheet right now. Here is what I do want:
- Your template and motivational lens choices.
- A description of your character, in as few or many words as you'd like.
- Answers to these questions: Who are you as a player (i.e. a powergamer, a roleplayer, an explorer, a puzzle solver, or something else entirely. No wrong answers, just want to see who I'm working with)? Why are you interested in this game? Why do you think you would be a good fit for this game? How much experience do you have with GURPS 4E (hopefully I can get a roughly even split of newcomers and experience)?
I will be actively recruiting for a week or until I've selected my group, whichever comes first. It will not be first come first serve. Once I have a group of three to five hunters that I like (hopefully on the higher end), I'll close recruitment.
Last edited December 19, 2025 6:14 pm
