Thursday, June 11, 2009

Postman brought GURPS Cabal

Happened to buy Star Wars SAGA and Unknown Armies from one roleplaying game forum user and got GURPS: Monsters also free of charge (but as it was very nice act to give free stuff, I decided to pay him a bit extra what we originally agreed). In GURPS: Monsters there was advertisement of GURPS: Cabal what catched my eye.

I am not sure why I got interested of that book, but started to google it around and for example found review from rpg.net and got more fascinated of this product.

One sentence got my eye the most:
The Cabal is the conspiracy, trade union, and mutual-assistance society that lets all these creatures survive in a world of hostile humans. If a demon needs a lawyer to keep the exorcists off his back . . . or if a little old vampire lady needs a bit of daylight muscle . . . who are they gonna call? The mortal-busters . . . the Cabal.

I thought, that this book could suit very well for World of Darkness games and went through few rpg dealers, founding it for very reasonable price at Boostep. Ordered monday night, got it wednesday. Quite fast action there!

I haven't read yet the book, but browsed it quickly through to get first impression of the book.

For first, book looks neat, cover art is cool enough and well painted. A bit thin it is though, the book i mean. Reading the back cover of book doesn't show any hint of that cursived sentence I introduced earlier. From reviews I had impression, that Cabal is secret society of humans to help supernatural beings, but in this books back cover I find out, that Cabal is secret society of supernatural beings. First I was "what the heck", but cannot be sure before I read the sourcebook through. Still, sounds fishy and nothing like I thought.

Content seems to be ok. Easy enough to read. Artwork is most of the time ok, but biggest pictures between chapters look horrible, just like 80's/90's rpg books. Just horrible! There seems to be more text than actual game mechanics what is actually good as (if] I am going to use it on other game system than GURPS.

Basically it looks and feels ok, but cannot be sure before I read it through.

One funny thing got on my mind when flapping that book around. As everyone know, rpg culture has struggled in 90's for it's bad reputation and inaccurate accusations of Satan worshipping and other charming bullshit. But now there next to me lays book full of occultism, cabbalism, black magic, supernatural beings, secret societies and stuff... yet again.

"Welcome Cabal, you like my oWoD and nWoD collections. I'd like to introduce you for my friends All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Call of Cthulhu, Unknown Armies, Kult..."

Not related to this topic, but side note. If I don't like pointy-eared elves and chunky dwarves helping clueless hairy-feet to take some ring to lava, is it my problem? And majority yells "YES" and throws me with rotten tomatoes!

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