Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

[bigbywolfe]

So, I’m setting up a campaign to take place in the 1880’s or 90’s with a heavy emphasis on mystery and which will have a lot of supernatural/horrific elements. It’s going to be set the U.S. and I don’t want to fall into the Classic English Victorian or Wild West themes that could easily sneak into a campaign set in that era. I’m wondering if A) does anyone have any resources for weapons, prices, etcetera from that time period, and if I post some of the individual adventure ideas if you guys would mind giving me some feedback?

 

 

Note, this is a heroic campaign (100, +100). It will be largely focused on the mystery aspect, yet combat will abound at some point every adventure. The mysteries will range from strange, unexplainable phenomenon being investigated, to grizzly, somewhat disturbing murders. The catch? This isn’t call of Cthulu, not every horrific death, or even every seemingly supernatural occurrence will have a paranormal/supernatural solution. At the same time, it’s not ScoobieDoo either, and every ghost, witch, vampire, poltergeist, etcetera, won’t end up being the butler. Part of my goal is to keep the players guessing at what is and what isn’t supernatural, which will hopefully curb the “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality and help keep the focus on the mystery aspect.

 

I’ll post some of the ideas I have for adventures in this setting later to try to better convey the feel I’m looking for, but until then, does anyone have experience playing this sort of scenario, either time period wise, or supernatural-yet-noy-quite-horror-mystery wise?

[Guest Admiral C]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

I'd love to pitch in. I've been wanting to do a gaslight game on and off, primarily set in London but a Victorian era Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, or New York would be good too.

 

I'm curious about why so high on the point values though. If it's just mystery you can make extremely competent characters on a 150 points with the occasional combats.

 

When I needed to crib weapon stats for Victorian HERO, the closest I could find was old fourth Edition Western HERO. My copy has been lent out but if it comes back in I could possibly scan the weapons page and send it to you. You might have to do some research and add a few more. When I was going to run it I had a target number adding at least 3 guns to each category: pistols, shotguns, rifles, and something unusual like a harpoon gun or a cannon.

 

I've got the GURPS Steampunk books which do have some realistic non steam stuff and was going to check out Victoriana and Victorian Vampire but never got around to it.

[jtelson]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

Cthulu by Gaslight and Space 1889 are both excellent resources about the time period; I just spent a few minutes trying to track down an online copy of a Sears Catalog from the time but my google-fu is weak before my morning cuppa joe. I think you can buy a reproduction of the 1897 catalog from Amazon for around 20-25 bucks.

[yamamura]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

Also read books like the Age of Innocence set in Boston in about 1870. I will admit my Victorian leanings tend to be British and I have had several rules made up for corset and some characters (like a bobby). I need to get that part of my website back up and running. If you would like maybe this weekend I can send you some of it.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

Cool, thanks for the imput. The point value is so high because I haven't run much Hero stuff before, and by the time I realised that 100+100 might be overdoing it we had already had two PCs created. I'm compensating by strongly encouraging the use of many skills.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

I ran a brief mini-campaign along these lines, (though set in Britain). It failed due to lack of time and conflicting schedules but I came up with a few ideas at the time.

 

For weapons I looked at the stats in the core rulebook and just scaled them down slightly, or not in some cases. But the Western Hero suggestion sounds good.

 

I think that Bill 'The Bunny' Keyes is doing a Steampunk supplement at the moment. He might know some helpful stuff with regards to equipment.

 

I'm not going to start rattling off plot ideas because you haven't asked for them but I will mention one idea which you might want to play with.

 

One of the men who was suspected of being Jack the Ripper was an Irish-American who returned to the US after the last of the canonical murders. Curiously this man, a 'Doctor' Francis Tumblety was linked to one of the accomplices in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and was himself picked up as a part of that investigation. That could easily form the first part of some sort of mystery or conspiracy.

[yamamura]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

Allright on my website (see my signature), I have several NPCs made up. They are under RPG. These are old ones I made up a while ago and some of them may fit your campaign. As I said they were all made with an emphasis toward Britain but can be adjusted to work in America or travel there. Hopefully I will have my two villains up plus some other rules.

[ThothAmon]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

The 4th Edition book Horror Hero contains a US Victorian horror campaign writeup with all sorts of stats and sourcebook material

 

I have some experience both running and playing in this era. My advice to the GM is to become very familiar with the class and societal divisions of the period. From POV of minimising shooting, earlier is better as you won't have reliable cartridge-loading guns using smokeless powder.

 

Inspiration-wise I'd suggest looking to the fiction of Manley Wade Wellman and Edgar Allen Poe. I think there's a Caleb Carr novel set just slightly later than your preferred period. And there's also a rather good Flashman tale set out West.

[Guest Admiral C]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

The 4th Edition book Horror Hero contains a US Victorian horror campaign writeup with all sorts of stats and sourcebook material

 

Inspiration-wise I'd suggest looking to the fiction of Manley Wade Wellman and Edgar Allen Poe. I think there's a Caleb Carr novel set just slightly later than your preferred period. And there's also a rather good Flashman tale set out West.

 

I'd forgotten about Horror Hero but your right.

 

I think the Caleb Carr novels were Angel of Darkness and The Alienist. I had one but I got rid of it before I could read it. Moving sucks.

[Savinien]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

The Poe Shadow and The Dante Club are late Victoran Era.

 

Quite similar to Carr in that regard (and excellence).

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

This page may be of use.

[jtelson]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

You might consider reading Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, excellent material about the early 1890's plus quite a lot about HH Holmes

[Curufea]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

Have I mentioned the horror plot hooks page before?

http://www.talesofterror.net/

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

Wow, lot's of great resources, thanks guys. I probably won't be taking time to read any full novels (at least not as research) but one of my plot ideas was inspired by Carr's The Alienist. One of the earlier adventures is going to be a "werewolf killer" story, where the killer ends up being, not a creature, but a psychopath. It, along with many of the stories for this campaign, are going to be set in a southern port city loosely based on New Orleans, (extremely loosely based, I'm going for tone, not "Historical Fiction Hero"). With a large black population, many with Haitian roots, I can introduce voodoo as a constant issue, both as a supernatural story hook, and as a religious issue. That combined with the racial issues of the time period, the distinct social class issues, and the fact that none of the PCs are from that area should lend itself to plenty of opportunity for social interaction/blunders as well.

[bigbywolfe]

First Victorian Adventure, Solo, What do you think?

 

Well, it looks like this Sunday I’m going to be running a solo campaign with the player who helped conceptualize the setting, and despite having said I wanted to steer away from Old West Hero, this one, and only this one, is going to be taking place in the Western Territories. The PC, by the way, is a US Federal Marshall that was originally raised by Indians, a fact that will probably be a disadvantage for most of the adventures other than this one. Anyway, here’s what I have planned:

 

The PC Federal Marshall (let’s call him Tim) is sent to investigate cattle disappearing near a small settlement. There are four major ranches and a town of no more than 40 to 60 people. Also, there is an Army Fort manned by US Cavalry nearby and two different Indian tribes close by (one of which is the same tribe Tim was raised by, but not the same clan/group). Two of the ranches are blaming one of the others since they haven’t had any cattle stolen yet and the 4th ranch thinks its Indians raiding. The fort is run by a very racist Lieutenant Colonel (which is also Tim’s rival) who blames the natives but cannot act without proof or he’ll be risking an Indian uprising. Here’s where it get’s strange. The only people to have witnessed the cattle rustling have all claimed to have been blinded by a green fog thick as smoke, and almost all of the people who have tried to track the thieves have turned up dead. The few that did return claimed that the trail led to a dead end in a box canyon. On top of this the town drunk from the settlement has been swearing for weeks that he saw a monster or creature in town the night the first cattle went missing. To further complicate things, the shaman of the tribe Tim’s not from is claiming that the strange events and loss of cattle is the work of a spirit punishing the white men and is trying to incite a move to drive the settlers away, an act which would doubtlessly get the military involved and end in a lot of bloodshed on both sides.

 

The twist? This is one of the cases when what’s happening actually is not super natural. The box canyon has a concealed entrance to a network of caves that connect to some abandoned mines in the foothills of the mountains. The villains are neither Indian raiders, nor angry spirits, but a clever cattle rustler, his slow but massive sidekick who used to be a minor, three common outlaws, and a Chinese chemist that specializes in fireworks/Asian explosives who was press ganged into the outlaws’ service. The choking green fog is simply a serious of colored smoke bombs with a fairly wide area of effect that the chemist was forced to construct. The monster the town drunk saw? Just a red herring. The trick will be if Tim (remember Tim? The PC,) will be able to deal with not only the cattle rustlers but with stopping hostilities between the Cavalry and the unsettled tribe, keeping the peace long enough to solve the mystery before the towns people panic, and before the feuding ranches become openly hostile to each other.

 

So, suggestion, question, input? I’m open here. Tell me what you think.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

That is an agreeably complex scenario, that shouldn't be too difficult to solve in play. :thumbup:

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

How does this look for the "Chinese Chemist's" abilities in the cattle rustler scenario?

 

4 Fireworks Burst: Sight Group Flash 2d6, No Normal Defense ([Equally Common Defense]; Cover your eyes, protective eyewear, ; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (20 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Half as effective in daylight/brightlight; -1), IAF (-½), No Range (-½), Restrainable (Must have hands free; -½) [4]

 

20 Green etheral fog (AoE smoke bomb): Change Environment 64" radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls, Long-Lasting 20 Minutes, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (92 Active Points); 2 Charges (Recovers Under Limited Circumstances; -1 ¾), Gradual Effect (5 Minutes; -¾), No Range (-½), IAF (-½)

[Guest Admiral C]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

How does this look for the "Chinese Chemist's" abilities in the cattle rustler scenario?

 

4 Fireworks Burst: Sight Group Flash 2d6, No Normal Defense ([Equally Common Defense]; Cover your eyes, protective eyewear, ; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (20 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Half as effective in daylight/brightlight; -1), IAF (-½), No Range (-½), Restrainable (Must have hands free; -½) [4]

 

Might want to think ahead about how "cover your eyes" work mechanistically. Sure he might not be able to the first time this power is used but what about the second or third? Does he have to make a dex roll? Does he have to declare his eyes are covered at the end of his phase? Does he have to hold a phase and cover his eyes then? He'll probably ask the first or second time this power is used and have an answer pre-thought out makes the game proceed smoother.

[spaceprincessecho]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

4 Fireworks Burst: Sight Group Flash 2d6' date=' No Normal Defense ([Equally Common Defense']; Cover your eyes, protective eyewear, ; +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (20 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Half as effective in daylight/brightlight; -1), IAF (-½), No Range (-½), Restrainable (Must have hands free; -½) [4]

 

You don't need Charges and Reduced Endurance.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

So, that device was a oneshot thing for that adventure, so it won't be used again. I have to ask, however, why don't I need Charges? I see in the book that it didn't need Reduced Endurance, but every example of a Flash attack as a Focus including Pepper Spray, Stink Bomb, etcetera, all use Charges, so why is my construct different? I did mean to make it an OAF, but I don't see how that would make a difference in Charges. I realize it's not a great write-up, it was done last minute, but I don't understand why it would not have Charges like any other Focus might have in a Heroic level campaign.

[jtelson]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

So' date=' that device was a oneshot thing for that adventure, so it won't be used again. I have to ask, however, why don't I need Charges? I see in the book that it didn't need Reduced Endurance, but every example of a Flash attack as a Focus including Pepper Spray, Stink Bomb, etcetera, all use Charges, so why is my construct different? I did mean to make it an OAF, but I don't see how that would make a difference in Charges. I realize it's not a great write-up, it was done last minute, but I don't understand why it would not have Charges like any other Focus might have in a Heroic level campaign.[/quote']

 

He was saying you don't need Charges and Reduced Endurance not Charges or Reduced Endurance.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

My mistake. I asked "does this look okay?" and read his answer as "you don't need these two things" not "you only need one or the other of these things". Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[spaceprincessecho]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

My mistake. I asked "does this look okay?" and read his answer as "you don't need these two things" not "you only need one or the other of these things". Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

Sorry for the mixup. I'll endeavour to be more clear when advising people in the future.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

I also posted this as a "How to Build" in the discussion section of the forum, but since it is for this campaign inparticular, I figured I'd put it here as well...

 

Zombie Powder

 

There are many ideas about where the myth of the voodoo zombie first came from. One idea is that it had some basis in reality. The theory is that the “zombie” is not actually a reanimated corpse, but an individual who had been put into a near-death, comma like state, and then revived. One theory of how this was done is, so called, “zombie powder,” a substance made from pufferfish toxin, which would essentially poison and paralyze the person, leaving them in a death like state until the effects of the poison either wore off or were reversed with a different substance. The reason for a zombie’s supposed loyalty to the master that “brought it back from the dead” is chalked up to a combination of psychological issues (especially if the victim was a practitioner of voodoo as a religion) and more likely, brain damage. The idea is that brain damage, caused either by the powder itself, or by lack of oxygen when the person was temporarily buried, would reduce intelligence, possibly interfere with speech and motor skills (hence the shambling walk and zombie moan), and most importantly, affect the frontal lobe, effectively lobotomizing them, killing off the part of the brain responsible for control of emotion and aspects of ones personality.

 

So the question is, how would you build this in game terms?

 

I’m not sure if you’d use the setup for poisons/venoms listed in the books, or use a BODY drain or something. What all would be linked to it? Simulate Death, UAA? Transform, with requirements like “must have negative BODY but cannot die” from “normal person” to “low intelligence/ego person with severe psych limitations?

 

I know this seems more like a plot device than anything, and it would probably never be successfully used on the PCs, but I like to have write-ups for things rather than handwave them. In my case, this will be used by an NPC in a heroic level (although somewhat high powered at 100/100) Victorian Mystery with Supernatural Elements Campaign. As always, thanks in advance.

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Victorian Era, Mystery Driven, Paranormal Campaign… Help?

 

A powerful mental entangle with a time limit linked to an extremely long lasting Ego and Int Drain?