One of These Has Got to Be Haunted
Ghosts are real; most hauntings aren't. You've gotten called in to determine whether uncanny goings-on in the suburbs are paranormal, or just normal.
$20.00
/ Session
Details
Once / Wednesday - 11:00 PM UTC
Sep 16
Session Duration / 3–3.5 hours
1 / 5 Seats Filled
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One of StartPlaying's top-rated GMs, a player favorite and highly recommended.
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Meet your party members
1/5
About the adventure
Not every haunted house actually has a ghost in it. That's why investigators like you get called in to determine whether it's the genuine article, a hoax, or most commonly, a convergence of coincidence and natural phenomena. Admittedly, most people would rather hire certified investigators who have all the latest tech, but you're eager to prove that what you lack in resources, experience, and professionalism, you more than make up for with passion and resourcefulness. You'll finally get the chance now that a realtor has asked you to investigate a two-story suburban town home that simply will not stay sold! This one-shot uses Cypher (AKA Cypher system second edition). You'll be playing Tier 1 characters using the Real-World Horror genre rules; no access to skills beyond Real-World skills. If you're not familiar with Cypher, this means you'll play as a normal human, with skills determined by your background and profession (probably your day job). Since this game is heavily inspired by Scooby-Doo, it will be focused on solving the mystery as opposed to combat, though danger isn't out of the question. I plan to host via Discord, with Roll20 on hand as needed. Original characters are great, but I will make sure to have some premades available, especially for anyone who signs up last-minute. Beginners very welcome, as are players familiar with the previous edition of Cypher.
Game style
Puzzle / Mystery Focused
Roleplay Heavy
Combat Lite
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(26)
3 years on StartPlaying
299 games hosted
Highly rated for: Creativity, Inclusive, Storytelling
About me
Greetings, adventurers! Like most DMs, I got started as a player and then experimented with one-shots. As someone who writes plenty of horror, I'm happy to run creepy, thrilling, or terrifying adventures, especially around Halloween. I'm equally excited to run low-stakes shenanigans and puzzle-based gameplay. Sometimes I homebrew, and sometimes I draw on premade settings or adventures. But no matter what, I'll make sure everyone at the table is included and having a good time (no matter what mishaps are befalling your characters)
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
You'll need to either make a character prior to the session, or grab a pre-made one. Character creation in Real World Cypher is pretty straightforward, consisting mainly of stat distribution, selecting a profession and background, and finalizing skills accordingly. Equipment is also possible, but especially since this is a one-shot, I'm fine with you having anything your character would reasonably own or have access to. That said, if we haven't sorted it out ahead of time, we may take a moment at the beginning of the session to figure out how your characters know each other.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
The first thing you'll need to do is join my Discord server, where I will set up a thread for the one-shot. Once you're in, you should get access to the Roll20 and to character creation instructions / pre-made characters, along with a Google form to collect your lines and veils.
What Julia LaFond brings to the table
I offer my Discord server for hosting, the materials players need to understand the rules and make characters (or pre-mades if preferred), a Roll20, and tokens (in the case of games using battlemaps, or just for fun). As for gameplay, I tend to focus on roleplay and investigation, with a propensity for improv and incorporating character backstories into the main plot.
Homebrew rules
As mentioned above, I'm willing to further simplify equipment rules for the one-shot. Also, given the Scooby-Doo influence, if anyone wants to play a talking animal, I'm willing to homebrew that.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Julia LaFond creates a safe table
I'll use a safety form to anonymously collect Lines and Veils ahead of the session. Also: -You can play X, N, and O cards by saying it, sending a message in Discord or Roll20, by signaling on camera if you use video, or using the safety deck in Roll20 -Open Door policy: anyone can leave for any time, any reason, and come back (or not) with no judgment -Breaks: I usually have a 10-15 minute break at the halfway point -For oneshots, I stick around to chat with anyone who wants to discuss the game afterward. Since this is a game about hauntings (or the lack thereof), themes of death, ghosts, and grief will be, at minimum, a constant undercurrent.
Content warnings
Safety tools used