May 22, 2026 1:21 pm
Not a window was broken
And the paint wasn’t peeling,
Not a porch step sagged--
Yet there was a feeling
That beyond the door
And into the hall
This was a house of
No one at all.
Yet something walked
Along the stair
Something that was
And wasn't there
- Vic Crume, 1970
Hi everyone! After a long absence from play by post gaming, I'm looking to make a return to the hobby with a short one-shot, and re-find my bearings.
Obscure is a rules-light found footage-themed horror rpg set in the 1990s, about ordinary people like you and me getting forced to confront the horrifying and the supernatural. To survive, they'll have to piece together clues from their surroundings, as well as VHS recordings left behind by those who previously fell victim to what lurks in the dark. But as the tension builds and fear takes ahold of their minds, it may just be their own panic that'll be their undoing....
Since this is a fairly little-known game, previous knowledge of it is not required. The rules are very light, so I'm even willing to take on players who have not read the game itself, and are willing to rely on the GM to explain important rule concepts as they come up or to roll for them. I'll get more into this under How to Apply.
Adult Content or Controversial Themes:
Due to the horror-focused nature of the game, this one-shot will be for adult players only. Heavy violence and gore will feature in the adventure, as well as themes of abuse against children. Though the scenario is not a deep dive of psychological horror into these themes, they still play prominently into the background and events of the story.
Should you have any topics beyond these that need to be off the table or that are points of especial sensitivity for you, feel free to voice them in your application so I can either adjust the scenario where possible as well as help other players avoid them, or if not possible inform you that the game would not be suitable for you. During the game, I'll of course always be open to pausing the story, and to retcon or remove offending elements if something unexpectedly discomforting crops up during play.
The Story:
It's the year 1994. The house on 1307 Burkitt Street is infamous, surrounded in local gossip by rumors and urban legends about disappearances and hauntings. It has stood abandoned for well over a decade, yet no one seems to know the truth about its former owners, the Travers family, or why they left. Neighborhood children and teens kill the time by daring each other to go near the house, especially around Halloween.
Last year, a group of teens took it a step further than most. During a Halloween party, they were dared to go to the house and knock on its door. But after they left to do so, they all vanished without a trace. Much to the grief of their parents, even a large scale investigation turned up nothing. As time passed, almost everyone gave up hope.
But now, new evidence has surfaced. A video tape, appearing as if from nowhere at the household of one of the parents, its contents confirming that the last known location of the missing people was at the house. You remember its contents well, the blurry, static-y footage. The teens in front of the house, laughing and joking with each other. Cut. A shaking camera being carried through dark corridors, accompanied by screams of terror. Cut. The camera, now lying motionless on the floor, picking up the faint sounds of heavy breathing drawing closer, before a black set of boots stomps into frame and the footage ends.
For one reason or another, this tape has spurred you into action once more. Today, you're heading to 1307 Burkitt Street. If there are any clues left after all this time, you will find them.
Game Duration and Post Frequency:
The game will consist only of the "In This House" scenario, a simple, restricted story about exploring the titular haunted house, with no plans for a follow-up. My posting rate for play by post is pretty relaxed, and I expect only one or two posts from everyone per week, however I will enforce this posting rate, and send out reminders to players who have not posted in over a week.
If real life circumstances force a player to miss out on posting for a week or two, that is perfectly alright and I will not hold it against them, but I do expect them to inform the group somehow so we know whether they are still interested.
Players who have posted neither in-character nor out-of-character in more than two weeks, and who have not contacted me otherwise, will be assumed to have left the game. I will be taking control of their characters as NPCs, who will fall to the perils of the house at the next opportunity.
Overall, I hope to wrap up this scenario within a couple of months, give or take.
How to Apply:
To apply, make a post in this thread with a short description of your character. I prefer brevity over detail when it comes to character backgrounds, especially for one-shots. Specifics can be hammered out either during play or alongside other players once they have been chosen.
Your character description should include the following things:
- A Name
- A Backstory describing how they became who they are, and what their profession is. Please keep in mind that the player characters are intended to be ordinary people in a (as far as they know) mundane world, though of course your character can believe in the paranormal.
- A Phobia that scares them more than anything else
- A Personal Agenda that explains why they are investigating the house
As a personal point, I would like no AI-generated character portraits or text in applications or during the game, and will not be taking on players who wish to utilize either. No character portraits are necessary for this game, in any case.
I plan to be taking on 3 or 4 players total for this game, if enough people show interest. Players will be chosen based on personal preference and whose character concepts feel like they'd fit the story the best.
Once all players have been chosing, we'll be rolling for starting Endurance Points and Flashbacks on the game's forum. I'll also provide a list of equipment for you to roll on or choose from for your character. Should any of the players not have read the game, I'll talk them through the basics and then bring up mechanics as the need arises throughout the scenario.
Thank you to everyone who'll show interest! If you have any open questions left, please feel free to let me know!
And the paint wasn’t peeling,
Not a porch step sagged--
Yet there was a feeling
That beyond the door
And into the hall
This was a house of
No one at all.
Yet something walked
Along the stair
Something that was
And wasn't there
- Vic Crume, 1970
Hi everyone! After a long absence from play by post gaming, I'm looking to make a return to the hobby with a short one-shot, and re-find my bearings.
Obscure is a rules-light found footage-themed horror rpg set in the 1990s, about ordinary people like you and me getting forced to confront the horrifying and the supernatural. To survive, they'll have to piece together clues from their surroundings, as well as VHS recordings left behind by those who previously fell victim to what lurks in the dark. But as the tension builds and fear takes ahold of their minds, it may just be their own panic that'll be their undoing....
Since this is a fairly little-known game, previous knowledge of it is not required. The rules are very light, so I'm even willing to take on players who have not read the game itself, and are willing to rely on the GM to explain important rule concepts as they come up or to roll for them. I'll get more into this under How to Apply.
Adult Content or Controversial Themes:
Due to the horror-focused nature of the game, this one-shot will be for adult players only. Heavy violence and gore will feature in the adventure, as well as themes of abuse against children. Though the scenario is not a deep dive of psychological horror into these themes, they still play prominently into the background and events of the story.
Should you have any topics beyond these that need to be off the table or that are points of especial sensitivity for you, feel free to voice them in your application so I can either adjust the scenario where possible as well as help other players avoid them, or if not possible inform you that the game would not be suitable for you. During the game, I'll of course always be open to pausing the story, and to retcon or remove offending elements if something unexpectedly discomforting crops up during play.
The Story:
It's the year 1994. The house on 1307 Burkitt Street is infamous, surrounded in local gossip by rumors and urban legends about disappearances and hauntings. It has stood abandoned for well over a decade, yet no one seems to know the truth about its former owners, the Travers family, or why they left. Neighborhood children and teens kill the time by daring each other to go near the house, especially around Halloween.
Last year, a group of teens took it a step further than most. During a Halloween party, they were dared to go to the house and knock on its door. But after they left to do so, they all vanished without a trace. Much to the grief of their parents, even a large scale investigation turned up nothing. As time passed, almost everyone gave up hope.
But now, new evidence has surfaced. A video tape, appearing as if from nowhere at the household of one of the parents, its contents confirming that the last known location of the missing people was at the house. You remember its contents well, the blurry, static-y footage. The teens in front of the house, laughing and joking with each other. Cut. A shaking camera being carried through dark corridors, accompanied by screams of terror. Cut. The camera, now lying motionless on the floor, picking up the faint sounds of heavy breathing drawing closer, before a black set of boots stomps into frame and the footage ends.
For one reason or another, this tape has spurred you into action once more. Today, you're heading to 1307 Burkitt Street. If there are any clues left after all this time, you will find them.
Game Duration and Post Frequency:
The game will consist only of the "In This House" scenario, a simple, restricted story about exploring the titular haunted house, with no plans for a follow-up. My posting rate for play by post is pretty relaxed, and I expect only one or two posts from everyone per week, however I will enforce this posting rate, and send out reminders to players who have not posted in over a week.
If real life circumstances force a player to miss out on posting for a week or two, that is perfectly alright and I will not hold it against them, but I do expect them to inform the group somehow so we know whether they are still interested.
Players who have posted neither in-character nor out-of-character in more than two weeks, and who have not contacted me otherwise, will be assumed to have left the game. I will be taking control of their characters as NPCs, who will fall to the perils of the house at the next opportunity.
Overall, I hope to wrap up this scenario within a couple of months, give or take.
How to Apply:
To apply, make a post in this thread with a short description of your character. I prefer brevity over detail when it comes to character backgrounds, especially for one-shots. Specifics can be hammered out either during play or alongside other players once they have been chosen.
Your character description should include the following things:
- A Name
- A Backstory describing how they became who they are, and what their profession is. Please keep in mind that the player characters are intended to be ordinary people in a (as far as they know) mundane world, though of course your character can believe in the paranormal.
- A Phobia that scares them more than anything else
- A Personal Agenda that explains why they are investigating the house
As a personal point, I would like no AI-generated character portraits or text in applications or during the game, and will not be taking on players who wish to utilize either. No character portraits are necessary for this game, in any case.
I plan to be taking on 3 or 4 players total for this game, if enough people show interest. Players will be chosen based on personal preference and whose character concepts feel like they'd fit the story the best.
Once all players have been chosing, we'll be rolling for starting Endurance Points and Flashbacks on the game's forum. I'll also provide a list of equipment for you to roll on or choose from for your character. Should any of the players not have read the game, I'll talk them through the basics and then bring up mechanics as the need arises throughout the scenario.
Thank you to everyone who'll show interest! If you have any open questions left, please feel free to let me know!
Last edited May 26, 2026 3:18 pm
