Pulp Fantasy Core--The Character Angle

PULP FANTASY CORE
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.

Pulp Fantasy Core Index

THE CHARACTER ANGLE
The characters are different from the majority of humanity in that they have all had experience with some form of the supernatural. They managed to deal with or survive it and retain their sanity. In the great American way, they've also found a way to make a buck because of it, legally or otherwise.

The government doesn't control magic use, but deals with it very seriously if it catches or suspects somebody of using it to commit crimes. Incidents are often referred to a special FBI unit. They usually employ "consultants" (who could be the characters) to deal with them.

People using magic or supernatural creatures that have committed a violent act are normally put down without delay. Petty criminal abusers may be put on probation and have to work off their sentence as a "consultant" (again the characters).

The supernaturally aware community is small and very secretive, but word still gets around. Those who have experience in dealing with magic will acquire a reputation and various organizations and powerful individuals will eventually hear about them and may seek to hire them for "interesting" situations.

Individually, the characters are motivated to be in the supernatural world either monetarily (as their primary career or peripherally, such as a writer or journalist writing about the supernatural) and/or driven/obsessed with it (and their day job just finances it or they're already well off).

Characters can range from the Great Gatsby who sleuths on the side, to a prematurely retired Babe Ruth as a wizard, to Doctor Who (it might be best if the Doctor is currently in exile and the TARDIS is confined to earth and only this time period), to Buckaroo Banzai, (no really, you can build and work towards a rich physicist surgeon musician that's also a crackshot), to Tom Swift and his Atomic Zeppelin (Oh, the humanity!), to young Indiana Jones, to Noir Detectives, to flat-out superheroes, to sexy femme fatale spies, to Amelia Aerhardt with a jet-pack, to spoiled, spunky little rich girls looking for thrills, and to old Cowboys and Great War vets along for the ride.

Players are free to write as much or as little background for their characters as they want, just try to be a bit eclectic.