Yokai Hunters Society

Book excerpt: A rules-light pen & paper RPG about monster hunters in Meiji Japan. Words, illustrations, and layout design by Chema González. Edited by Tyler Crumrine. Layout design advice by Salva González. Based on Tunnel Goons by Nate Treme. The year is 1889. After months of deliberation, a Constitution is about to be approved, giving absolute power to Emperor Meiji. In the last two decades, there have been profound political and social reforms that have cleared the way for "modernization: " the abolition of feudal privileges, the establishment of European-style political, police, and judicial systems, restructuring of the army, etc. But not everyone is happy with these changes. In these convulsive years, yokai sightings and encounters have increased tremendously. Some blame the barbarians, others accuse nostalgics of the bakufu times, and a few even dare to hold His Majesty responsible. The truth is nobody knows the reason behind the uptick in sightings for sure. The Yokai Gari Kai, or Yokai Hunters Society, has been around for centuries, gathering brave people from any social stratum willing to fight these abominations that lurk in the shadows. --- The adventures you can play range from facing the monster of the week, to complex investigations or political plots, to routine cleansing jobs. A horror-genre approach to the game's stories is recommended, with bonus points if it gestures towards the psychological horror characteristics of many Japanese films and comics. This game was created as an entry for the Goon Jam, and it's based on Tunnel Goons by Nate Treme. Text licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution v4.0 International. Art and layout Copyright (c) Chema González / Punkpadour.