conversations.from: system
conversations.value: Paranormal Professionals is opening up a new franchise in Whitfield, NY! Part-time or full-time positions available! Please no preexisting heart conditions. WILL TRAIN
  
  =====
  
  *"Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?"*
  *"Ah, if there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say."*
  
  =====
  
  Many of you will recognize the above quote from the movie *Ghostbusters*. Some of you may also know that the movie inspired a tabletop roleplaying game called *InSpectres* by Jared Sorensen, about untrained, underfunded and generally hapless paranormal "investigators". I noticed some commonalities between InSpectres and Storium, so here's this inspiration/mashup.
  
  The characters are hired by a new franchise owner and tossed out on their own with a few bits of ghost-hunting "equipment". I'm hoping for a mixture of humor and character interaction, with some spookiness to keep things interesting.
  
  I've created all my own cards, based on my suburban roots. Obviously I may not have covered every angle, so *please* feel free to define your own cards! The basic idea is that the characters are, for whatever reason, kind of desperate for work, so they decide to give this flaky-looking job offer a shot. The Natures I've written should show off some obvious reasons why someone might be in that situation. NOTE that the characters are all fairly "mundane"; no vampires, wizards or demon slayers (though *Buffy* is another good source of inspiration for tone). The idea is to juxtapose normal people with crazy situations and see what happens.
  
  Also, InSpectres emphasizes player influence on the story...so if you win an outcome, *make things happen*! Feel free to add things or make the plot twist. You can even do that kind of thing just by roleplaying, without cards, and we just might go along with it! If we even stray into improv comedy territory, I wouldn't be upset...
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Ted's Closeout Furniture: Going Out of Business Sale! Up To 90% Off!!!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Han Zhang Restaurant: The "Closed for renovations" sign has hung in the window for more than a decade. (They'd probably need longer than that to fix the tacky faux-pagoda decor.)
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: The Turnpike Graveyard: Across the street from Bob's Discount Tires. Surrounded by rusty chain-link, but at least the grass is regularly mowed.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Kwannon Corporate HQ: Barely a year old and carefully landscaped. Look, they have a pond!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Strip Mall: For all your laundry, takeout pizza and cheap dentistry needs.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Big Box Mart: "Only fools pay retail." --Ancient saying
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Combination Pizza/Taco Drive-Thru: Just like the song.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: 31 Barrow Blvd.: Fun fact: The streets in this upscale neighborhood are all named after Alaskan cities.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Jatimo Castle: Rumored to be one of the (many) Gold Coast mansions to inspire F. Scott Fitzgerald. Now a museum.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Jamaica Station: A transportation hub. If you're on the wrong train, you need to *change at Jamaica*.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Homemaker: Interviewers say you haven't had a "real" job in years. Like it's *easy* making sure an entire household is fed, has clean clothes, bathes regularly...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Office Worker: You used to have a pretty cushy job. What happened? It...it wasn't anything *bad*, was it?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Minimum Wage Worker: You don't know what you're getting into, but it can't be worse than burger flipper, barista or... (shudder) *retail*
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Veteran: You no longer have the support and discpline of a military life. On the plus side, people aren't shooting at you. Probably.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: College Student: Student loans are a harsh taskmaster. But hey, you might even get some course credit!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Recent Grad: You can't get experience without a job, you can't get a job without experience...except maybe *this* job.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Resourceful: You've had to solve a startling array of different problems in your life. You're starting to get the hang of it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Highly Educated: "Calculus" isn't a word to scare children with. It's a tool used in many areas of science!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Good With Computers: Sure, we all use computers nowadays, but you have a *desktop*. It might even run Linux!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Handy: Whether you were an actual contractor or you're just into the DIY scene, you can fix and build things.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Fit: Hold that yoga pose! Run that treadmill! Kick that heavy bag! PARKOUUUUUR!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Highly Perceptive: You notice things. It's amazing how *useful* that can be.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Tech Head: You hook up stereo systems for *fun*.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gamer: Today that encompasses reflexes, strategic planning and teamwork.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Charming: You like talking to people. And they like talking to you!
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: I Know A Guy: What do you need? The best pizza in the county, a window fixed at 9AM on a Sunday, a bag of weed? Well...
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Cool Head: You may not always have the right answer, but at least you can answer without screaming your head off.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Lemur: A spirit of the restless dead...wait no, I meant the primate. They're adorable. This is kind of joke, you probably shouldn't choose it. I guess I should stop writing this description now
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Socially Awkward: Do we have to *talk* to someone? Couldn't we do something easier, like dig under a wall or hack a government database?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Panicky: What's thAAAAAAA No wait, okay, I'm okAAAAAAAHHH
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Uneducated: You had better things to do than school.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sedentary: Why exercise when modern technology brings the world to your couch?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Butterfingers: Don't touch that--well, I guess we'll just put it on the expense report.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Jerk: Whether through arrogance, awkwardness or simple thoughtlessness, you tend to be mean to people.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Oblivious: Huh?
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tech-Averse: If you touch it, it stops working.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Paranormal Enthusiast: Finally you can quit your boring "real" job and do some *important* work!
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Witness the Supernatural: People all over the world have reported more and more contact with the supernatural. So why not you?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Prove Yourself: You're not the loser everyone thinks you are. You're *somebody*.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Forget Your Troubles: Whatever's bothering you, you might just forget it when running from spooks. And there's always the possibility of drinks afterward.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Debunk the Supernatural: You see yourself as infiltrating an enemy cell.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Pay Off a Debt: Metaphorical? Or dangerously literal?
  
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get Some Excitement in Your Life: "TV taught me how to feel, now real life has no appeal." --Marina & the Diamonds
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Advance Humanity's Knowledge: Knowledge of the supernatural! Knowledge of cool gadgets!
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Barré Shopping Mall: Clothing, clothing, Apple Store, clothing, Sony Store, shoes, clothing, Microsoft Store, clothing...
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Make the World Better: Even if it's in a small way, you want to make things better for *someone*.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Bitter: Hard experience has taught you that people can't be trusted.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bernie Withers: Software guru turned paranormal...not-quite-as-guru.
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Toys!: Time to suit up! What does ParaPro have available for you on THIS assignment?
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Transport?: You're going to have to GET to the haunting site...
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Initial Inspection: You have to start somewhere.
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Haunted House Expedition: Time for a closer inspection!
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Trust issues: You want to trust others, to depend on them, but experience has taught you to stay wary. Disappointment is a bitter pill to swallow.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Conflicting interests?: You want to have some worthwhile experiences in your life, even if that means seeking the unknown and unnatural. But you also appreciate an easy day watching a movie at home with a glass of wine. Preferably with someone you trust to laugh over corny movie lines or cry with when the dog dies.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Minimum Wage Worker: You don’t know what you’re getting into, but it can’t be worse than burger flipper, barista or… (shudder) *retail. * 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Handy: Whether you were an actual contractor or you’re just into the DIY scene, you can fix and build things.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Oblivious: Huh?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pay Off a Debt: Metaphorical? Or dangerously literal? 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Office Worker: You used to have a pretty cushy job. What happened? It…it wasn’t anything bad, was it?  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Resourceful: You’ve had to solve a startling array of different problems in your life. You’re starting to get the hang of it.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Butterfingers: Don’t touch that—well, I guess we’ll just put it on the expense report.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Get Some Excitement in Your Life: “TV taught me how to feel, now real life has no appeal.” —Marina & the Diamonds
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Charlatan: You have fame and a history in the "ghost" world, but it's all a sham.  You are just REALLY good at cold reading people.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Expert Cold Reader: You have a way with both people and words.  You get a read on their surface real easily. And you can move forward with vague words that lead you to bring out the oddest information from people.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Factotum: Jack of all trades, master of none.  You have a broad range of basic skills--or at least you appear to.  How many have you just faked?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Restless: To you, boredom is completely unsustainable.  You do inadvisable things to avoid it fairly often.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Have a unique experience: The routine is anathema to you, but one day  has started to fade into the next again.  It's time to shake things up.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Charlatan: Ghosts may not be a thing, but that doesn't stop you from making a "thing" of them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: "Time for a Coffee Break": There's always time for coffee, no matter what going on, and the best coffee of all is the kind you're being paid to drink!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Self Centered: Sometimes you think of others, but only when you're finished thinking of yourself.