Adapting the Dracula Dossier

One of the elements of The Strange I consistently rave about is it adaptability.  Previously, I mentioned that I am adapting Delta Green as well as other settings (e.g. Warmachines, Primeval Thule).  A recent kickstarter has me reconsidering some of my plans.

I recommend everyone check out the kickstarter campaign for the Dracula Dossier.

Dracula's Castle -- Lisa Cyr (Flickr)

The Dracula Dossier imagines a campaign in which it is revealed that Dracula was (is?) real and the events of Bram Stoker's novel are a redacted version of a British intelligence operation to recruit him as an asset.  The kickstarter will fund an unredacted copy of Stoker's novel (for use as a prop for the game) with clues for players to follow to unravel the history of this secret program.  The game materials are designed to allow players to follow clues from the unredacted novel to a wide variety of locations and people.

I see this as a potential supplement to or replacement for my original Delta Green campaign idea.  It would be natural for Estate operatives to get caught up in the investigation of the reality behind the novel Dracula.  Maybe they receive the unredacted document from an anonymous tip.  Should they believe the document?  Is this fictional leakage "leaking back?"  Have there been strange manifestations on Earth for much longer than the Estate ever thought?

Part of what excites me is how easy it will be to adapt the campaign from its home system (Night's Black Agents -- using the Gumshoe system) to the Cypher system.  Both games are narratively focused which gives players opportunities to adapt their skills to given situations.  Instead of "spending" a skill point (as in the Gumshoe-based systems), the Cypher system has players "buy down" the difficulty of a skill roll.  The Gumshoe architecture underlying the Dracula Dossier makes it easy to adapt by simply assigning difficulties to various challenges, investigation tasks, and even the NPCs and creatures.

So, check it out.  Anyone who pledges at the level that gets the draft game information (which is already largely complete -- though still awaiting proofing, additions for stretch goals, and layout).  I think it could prove inspiring for many Strange GMs.

I may be posting more about this as I get into the details.