WEDNESDAY MATINEE! The Deep Cabal [a one-shot of campy B-movie fun]

About the adventure

"You're a winner! You and a guest are invited to embark on a free pleasure cruise around the reefs, followed by cocktails and dinner at your host's private island (formal wear requested). Come to the docks at 7:00 AM, and brace for fun!" This is a short single-session one-shot of They Came from Beneath the Sea, a role-playing game of camp and funny horror inspired by the obscure sci-fi B-movies of the mid-20th century [think Creature from the Black Lagoon, or Them!]. I've got characters for you to choose from, and there's no need to know the rules before you play. It's a fairly simple system where your successes are determined by rolling d10 dice, and even failures move you forward. Jump in with both feet, it's a cheezy movie and boring characters never last long. Over-acting is encouraged.

Additional Details

How to prepare

You will need a decent microphone for Discord chat and a free Roll20 account. A webcam is a nice-to-have. The rulebook will also be available in the Roll20 Journal tab, but it is not required reading. Players will get more enjoyment of the Cinematic gameplay mechanic if they peruse the available Cinematics in the back of the book.

What I provide

I've got the rulebook and the character sheets. This is going to be run theater-of-the-mind, but there will be art drops for visuals occasionally.

Gameplay details

This game contains the following themes: horror and gore. Players can make use of the safety tools available, and can always message the DM privately if they wish about any issues they might have. Lines and Veils: Lines are topics we just do not touch, and these things do not happen in the game. Veils are things that can happen in the story, but they happen "off-camera"; mentioned but not described in detail. Current Lines: sexual assault and harassment Current Veils: torture, violence against children and pets Players are encouraged to message me if you have any topics you would like added to Lines or Veils. Safety Cards: at the bottom right corner of the Roll20 game board, you should be able to see a deck of cards. When you mouse over the deck, a menu pops up. Select the "Choose" option, and you'll be able to drag a Green (Keep Going), Yellow (Slow Down/Ease up), or Red (Stop) card onto the map anonymously. If we're having an intense roleplay scene, you can use these cards to let us know your comfort level; if a red card drops on the map, I'll stop the scene immediately no questions asked.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

Lines and Veils
X, N, and O Cards

How will character creation work

We're using the pre-generated characters only. Hopefully, this helps keep this one-shot to a single session. When you sign up for the game, you will get access to the Roll20 game and the characters will be in the Journal tab.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.