Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

[bigbywolfe]

Okay, it's not exactly for a campaign. As I discussed in a different thread I am going to be running a two session “filler game” during our break from our primary campaign and I decided to finally introduce my group to Hero System. I’m going to be using 6E, running a pretty basic Heroic level game with few/no optional rules, not tracking END, et cetera (kind of like a lot of introductory convention games). The group seemed most interested in a Pulp game and we decided a Victorian era, lost world/exploration style adventure and this is where I am asking for assistance.

First off below is my basic background/ plot synapsis:

“In May of 189X Oxford Professor James Wesley, along with two graduate students, a hired guide, and a hand full of local natives hired to translate and carry their equipment, boarded a steam powered riverboat and headed up the Amazon. A week later the boat returned and resupplied. When it went back a month later for the scheduled pickup there was no sign of Professor Wesley or his companions and after waiting nearly two weeks it returned assuming the party was lost or worse.

Nearly three months after the Wesley Party was presumed lost an Englishman stumbled into a small fishing village off one of the Amazon’s larger tributaries. Half naked and badly wounded, the student clung desperately to the remains of a supply pack. The local fishermen brought him to the nearest trading post where a Portuguese shop owner and his wife took the man in and cared for him until he died 4 days later of a “brain fever” contracted in the jungle. While the couple did not speak much English, and most of the man’s speech seemed to be fevered ramblings in any case, they did recognize the name “Oxford” and when he died the conscientious couple shipped his few belongings, including a small, waterlogged journal, back to England.

Five years have passed. The year is 190X and a new expedition is heading to into the unexplored Amazon jungle with two goals: Finish the work of the earlier expedition and if possible find out what happened to the Wesley party. The rainforest is a dangerous place, however, and soon the fearless group may have a new priority, simply surviving…”

 

My basic plan is to do a quick introduction to the system explaining the character sheets and then jump right into the adventure. Starting on, or as they depart, the riverboat I’ll give them a little time to get into character/general roleplaying and explore their surroundings. Probably have a few minor encounters such as animal attack, meeting natives (friendly or hostile), that sort of thing. Preferably the session will end with them reaching and getting stuck at the valley/plateau/whatever where they see their first glimpse of some really strange creature and cliffhanger.

Second session will be dealing with said creatures and escaping back to the civilized world.

My first question is, what should the original expedition have been looking for? A lost tribe? Some supposedly extinct animal? Ancient ruins? I just can’t seem to decide. Also, what should the group eventually encounter? Dinosaurs are pretty traditional in this situation, but I could see using giant versions of regular animals (crocodiles and anacondas come to mind), or a cannibal tribe of vicious jaguar worshipers, or sasquatch-ish proto-humans, or something even weirder.

 

So, thoughts, tips, or advice so far?

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

Temples are de riguer as far as this goes. Everything else may be hinted at in relation to said temple. It keeps the options open.

 

It's a nice set-up. My thoughts would be to decide what actually happened to the group and why one member was able to return.

 

Obviously the journal is going to be key with several clues only available from it.

 

My take would be to walk the party back along the path of the returnee until they get to the point where he split from the original group. In that journey they should get a taster of the things they will have to deal with at the denoument and find out about some of the tools they might use to do that.

 

They might find that they are picking up things they have little idea about until they meet the professor who will have the knowledge to make interesting objets d'art into usable tools and/or weapons.

 

The key would be to satisfy the needs of the original quest (save professor - or at least discover his fate) while raising more questions (who are the mysterious tribesmen, what is the source of the technology they use, why have we never seen the monstrous beasts they use before now, will they seek to recoup the things the PCs stole???).

 

 

Doc

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

How about the fabled King Solomon Mines? Though the mines are supposed to be in Africa, who knows? How about El Dorado? the fabled city of gold. Or maybe a last outpost of Atlantis? Or perhaps the secret to the American pyrimids? Or maybe following the trail of the last Knight Templars? Okay a more "realistic" quest would be hints of either the Phoenicians came to the New World, or perhaps Vikings? Like to hear what you picked. : )

[DusterBoy]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

Mind you, even regular crocodiles and anacondas would be a challenge (and anacondas are one of the largest snakes in the world - in the depths of the jungle a 10 metre anaconda would not be impossible, given sizeable prey). You also have caiman, which are a type of alligator. Crocs or alligators, all are capable of flipping boats.

 

Potential horrors I leave to your imagination.

 

(Pssst - Lovecraft)

[itsalwayssunny]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

I dunno but it sure sounds like your players should have a blast finding out! I love "The Lost World" by Doyle.

 

--Kap

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

If it's not too late, run down a copy of "The Lost City of Z" by David Grann. The characters could be accompanying Percy Fawcett, or searching for him after his disappearance.

[bigbywolfe]

Characters

 

Thanks again for all the responses everyone. I’ll get back here to respond to some of the specific suggestions above later but I’m short on time and wanted to post what I have for character concepts so far.

 

I need 5 or 6 characters, at least one of which needs to be female. Short version:

Professor- Stereotypical Englishman professor. Technically heading the expedition.

Assistant/Student- Hardy young assistant to the Professor.

Heiress- Young widow of Professor Wesley; she funded the expedition on the condition she could come.

Adventurer- American adventurer (former military?) now living in South America hired as guide and

muscle.

Cook/Doctor- Old war buddy (or some-such) of the Adventurer. Field surgeon who generally acts as

cook for expeditions.

Native Guide- Multilingual guide and translator hired (along with several others) to carry stuff.

 

Long Version:

The Professor: I see the Professor as mid to late 40s. Probably the highest INT in the party and a lot of skills related to his field (which I hope to nail down as soon as I decide what the expedition is searching for) which I can hopefully work into the game some. He will probably also be one of the most observant (high PER roll from the high INT) but is somewhat out of his element in the jungle.

Combat wise I figure he could be an avid hunter and have some well-to-do relatives with a lot of land to explain being decent with a rifle. Past his prime and not experienced in HtH combat though.

 

Assistant/Student: I figure the student will have some science skills in a field similar to, but not necessarily the same as, the Professor. Between 19 and 22 he is an athlete (perhaps boxer or rugby?) and probably one of the strongest in the party.

Combat wise will be very good in unarmed combat, but probably little to no experience with guns.

 

Heiress: Twice an heiress, first from the death of her rich father and second from the disappearance of her late husband, she is only along because it was one of her conditions for funding the trip. She is easily the most diplomatic member of the party and very pretty to boot. Her mother died when she was young and she was raised by her father (and a veritable horde of nannies). As a child her father indulged her interest in his hobby of fencing, and while she was not allowed to participate in such an “unladylike” sport in her finishing school years, she is now rich enough to hire a private instructor and do pretty much what she pleases.

Combat wise she has high DEX and probably the highest nature DCV. Good with her sword (which she carries in the jungle in lieu of a machete) she is not skilled at unarmed combat. She also has a small 2-shot derringer hidden on her person.

 

Adventurer: An American who has lived in South America for some time now as a treasure hunter, guide and all-around thrill seeker. Thinking possibly former military but not sure if that fits the time frame I placed on the game. A lot of his non-combat skills will be survival related and knowledge skills and such.

Combat wise he will probably be the most well rounded being capable in HtH combat both armed and unarmed. Can also handle a rifle but is best with his six-shot revolver which he takes care of almost obsessively.

 

Doctor/Cook: A fellow American I am unsure if he met the Adventurer back in the USA or if they made acquaintance in SA. Either way they are now fast friends. Doc was something of a field surgeon and he often accompanies the Adventurer’s escapades to act as cook and, regrettably often, paramedic.

Combat wise he can handle a rifle but much prefers patching up holes in people than making them. For some reason I see him with a ridiculously unwieldy weapon like a single-shot elephant gun or something. Maybe he is paranoid about jungle animals.

 

Native Guide: Speaks passable English along with Portuguese and a bit of Spanish as well as several tribal languages or trade pigeons. Probably the most able while in the jungle (best survival rolls, Environmental Movement for thick underbrush, et cetera).

Combat wise he doesn’t really know how to use a gun, but he carries a good knife and a light throwing spear.

 

 

So, do these sound workable? Am I missing any obvious genre conventions/archtypes?

[McCoy]

Re: Characters

 

Thanks again for all the responses everyone. I’ll get back here to respond to some of the specific suggestions above later but I’m short on time and wanted to post what I have for character concepts so far.

 

I need 5 or 6 characters, at least one of which needs to be female. Short version:

Professor- Stereotypical Englishman professor. Technically heading the expedition.

Assistant/Student- Hardy young assistant to the Professor.

Heiress- Young widow of Professor Wesley; she funded the expedition on the condition she could come.

Adventurer- American adventurer (former military?) now living in South America hired as guide and

muscle.

Cook/Doctor- Old war buddy (or some-such) of the Adventurer. Field surgeon who generally acts as

cook for expeditions.

Native Guide- Multilingual guide and translator hired (along with several others) to carry stuff.

 

Long Version:

The Professor: I see the Professor as mid to late 40s. Probably the highest INT in the party and a lot of skills related to his field (which I hope to nail down as soon as I decide what the expedition is searching for) which I can hopefully work into the game some. He will probably also be one of the most observant (high PER roll from the high INT) but is somewhat out of his element in the jungle.

Combat wise I figure he could be an avid hunter and have some well-to-do relatives with a lot of land to explain being decent with a rifle. Past his prime and not experienced in HtH combat though.

 

Assistant/Student: I figure the student will have some science skills in a field similar to, but not necessarily the same as, the Professor. Between 19 and 22 he is an athlete (perhaps boxer or rugby?) and probably one of the strongest in the party.

Combat wise will be very good in unarmed combat, but probably little to no experience with guns.

 

Heiress: Twice an heiress, first from the death of her rich father and second from the disappearance of her late husband, she is only along because it was one of her conditions for funding the trip. She is easily the most diplomatic member of the party and very pretty to boot. Her mother died when she was young and she was raised by her father (and a veritable horde of nannies). As a child her father indulged her interest in his hobby of fencing, and while she was not allowed to participate in such an “unladylike” sport in her finishing school years, she is now rich enough to hire a private instructor and do pretty much what she pleases.

Combat wise she has high DEX and probably the highest nature DCV. Good with her sword (which she carries in the jungle in lieu of a machete) she is not skilled at unarmed combat. She also has a small 2-shot derringer hidden on her person.

 

Adventurer: An American who has lived in South America for some time now as a treasure hunter, guide and all-around thrill seeker. Thinking possibly former military but not sure if that fits the time frame I placed on the game. A lot of his non-combat skills will be survival related and knowledge skills and such.

Combat wise he will probably be the most well rounded being capable in HtH combat both armed and unarmed. Can also handle a rifle but is best with his six-shot revolver which he takes care of almost obsessively.

 

Doctor/Cook: A fellow American I am unsure if he met the Adventurer back in the USA or if they made acquaintance in SA. Either way they are now fast friends. Doc was something of a field surgeon and he often accompanies the Adventurer’s escapades to act as cook and, regrettably often, paramedic.

Combat wise he can handle a rifle but much prefers patching up holes in people than making them. For some reason I see him with a ridiculously unwieldy weapon like a single-shot elephant gun or something. Maybe he is paranoid about jungle animals.

 

Native Guide: Speaks passable English along with Portuguese and a bit of Spanish as well as several tribal languages or trade pigeons. Probably the most able while in the jungle (best survival rolls, Environmental Movement for thick underbrush, et cetera).

Combat wise he doesn’t really know how to use a gun, but he carries a good knife and a light throwing spear.

 

 

So, do these sound workable? Am I missing any obvious genre conventions/archtypes?

More junior student / coward / comic relief; the Shaggy/Gilligan character who is certain they are all doomed. I'm thinking of the missing Professor's child from his first marriage, reluctantly following in Daddy's footsteps, along on the expedition because Step-Mommie / Heiress didn't trust him if left unsupervised back in England.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

Thanks again for all the input everyone. A few really basic questions. What would you put for the damage of a machete? The book lists short sword as 1d6k and broad/long sword as 1d6+1k, both medium length. I figure those are the closest, though I might consider it short since it isn't really a stabbing weapon, (not that weapon length is likely to be an issue). Thoughts?

 

Randall Irons, the core books Pulp Hero example character has no rDEF. To those of you that have played more heroic level games or pulp games than myself, is this reasonable? The worst weapons the characters will have to face will probably be spears at 1d6 - 1 1/2d6k, though the raptor from the bestiary has a 3d6k (or was it 4d6k, rdeuced pen? don't have it with me) and that will probably be the strongest thing they face, at least in terms of killing attacks.

 

ONce again thanks for all the tips and advice so far.

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

For Randal Irons, I would squeeze in combat luck at 3pd/3ed somewhere. since I only have the 5th version, recommending what to reduce, may not help. And that's what combat luck is all about. Plus did I mention that Hero system genre by genre that there is an an explorer murdock? He's at 200pts but I think that you could reduce him easily- especially since he's in 5th and you would have to convert (alittle). Machette at 1D6 I think would be fine-remeber most characters don't have armor. And didn't they make adding DC easier in 6th? So strong man can be making the 1D6 to a +1 or +1/2 much easier too.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Victorian "lost world" Hero System introduction

 

For the goal of the original expedition, I think I'd start with fleshing out James Wesley as a character (not necessarily a write-up, but a character in the literary sense). Then ask myself, "What would this guy be looking for?"