Bullets & Bootleggers: Chicago Blues

Bullets & Bootleggers: Chicago Blues

Prohibition Chicago. Gangsters, grifters & occultists fight for power in a city of smoke, jazz, and whispered magic.

TYPE

Campaign

SYSTEM

Homebrew Game

EXPERIENCE

Open to all

AGE

18+
3 NEEDED TO START
$20.00

/ Session

Details

Weekly / Sunday - 12:00 AM UTC

Session Duration / 1–3 hours

0 / 5 Seats Filled

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About the adventure

LIVE: Bullets & Bootleggers — Crime, Power, and the Occult in 1929 Chicago Step into the smoke and jazz of 1929 Chicago — a city caught between bootleg whiskey, backroom politics, and something darker moving beneath it all. Gangsters rule the streets. Federal agents lurk in the alleys. And behind the headlines, old gods and new money fight for control of America’s soul. You play the ones who make history happen — the enforcers, fixers, grifters, and mystics carving their names into the city’s bones. Maybe you’re chasing fortune. Maybe redemption. Maybe both. At this table you’ll get: ⚙️ Easy-to-learn rules powered by the Ghost Ape System (GAS) — fast, cinematic, and story-focused. 💼 Player-driven choices — build rackets, cut deals, or play the mobs against each other. 🎭 Immersive noir storytelling — trench coats, tommy guns, jazz clubs, and speakeasies under the El. 👁️ Supernatural intrigue — spirits in back rooms, cursed money, whispered miracles. A living Chicago that remembers your actions — allies, rivals, and opportunities grow with you. This is a campaign about ambition, loyalty, and power — where every deal matters and every choice shapes your legend. You won’t just survive Chicago. You’ll own your corner of it.

Game style

Theater of the Mind

Sandbox / Open World

Combat Heavy

Meet the Game Master
Game Designer

Less than a year on StartPlaying

Average response time: Under 1 hour

Response rate: 100%

About me

When I was 8 years old the older kids invited me to play D&D. The Blue Book. It changed my life. Me and so many other kids of the same era. D&D let your imagination run wild and for a shy kid with plenty of energy but not a lot of confidence it gave me focus. I developed a love of history from my love of the game. I still carry that to all my games as a player and as a DM. A sense of history, and a sense of gonzo because anything can happen. If my world building has done its job I'm crafting experiences, not just games.

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Character creation

Creating your character

Character generation and learning the system will happen during Session Zero. A Players Guide will be provided for download.

What to expect

Preparing for the session

We'll be using discord. I'll provide a players guide prior to play.

What Tim brings to the table

I'm providing a sandbox world set in 1929 Chicago with my own ruleset. Combat is run as 'real' so tactical play is required. But you don't need 'rules' to know the Rule of Cool.

Homebrew rules

My entire ruleset is homebrew, but old school 1E or 2E players will feel right at home. It can be downloaded for free at: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/535545/gas-ghost-ape-system

Equipment needed to play

Internet

Computer

Microphone

Pen & Paper

Physical Dice

Safety

How Tim creates a safe table

Session Zero will not only cover character generation and introduction to the game system and the world, but player expectations as well. I run a mellow table, you can take a break if you need to.

Content warnings

Safety tools used

Frequently asked questions