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[Deadlands] The Weird West (OOC)

Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
edited February 2011 in Critical Failures
DeadlandsLogoSmall.png

The year is 1877, but the history is not our own...

It's time to play some Deadlands. But, you may ask, what is that game? Deadlands is a RPG that was released in 1990, and instead of the sword and sorcery, the setting was a steampunk Wild West where the dead walked, gamblers played demons in poker for power and magic returned to the world. If this sounds up your alley, if you want the chance to play a mad scientist, a gunslinger, or a card-tossing huckster, read on.

The Weird West starts out as a sort of Alternate History: long ago, around the time of the Renaissance, a group of Native Americans finally succeeded at closing the doors to the "next world", referred to almost ubiquitously in the game material as "The Hunting Grounds." Doing so sealed the mystical gates between worlds, which made all magic, good or ill, much, much harder to perform. That was actually the goal, as "ill" vastly outnumbered "good".

All that changed on July 3, 1863. By this time, monsters and dragons were nothing more than folklore, footnotes in cultural history. Then, an enterprising (and vengeful) Susquehanna shaman named Raven re-entered the Hunting Grounds and succeeded at undoing the work of those who had come before him, opening the spiritual barriers between worlds once more. This would be Raven's Reckoning against the white man.

All Hell broke loose, and is none too interested in being caged again.

In this world, the Civil War drags on, zombies rose at the battle of Gettysburg, half of California has fallen into the sea, leaving a mass of canyons and islands, and a powerful strange new fuel has been discovered. "Ghost Rock" burns hotter and longer than coal, notable from the white streaks in the black rock, and the screams that emerge when it is burned. Scientists say it's merely steam and gasses escaping from the porous rock, but sometimes, the screams seem a bit too familiar.

The Details:

Is this your first time DMing a PBP?

Yes. I should mention that right up front, this is my first time, so things may be a bit shaky to start. Hopefully you can overlook the shaky start and we'll have some fun with the setting.

How many people are you looking for?

I was thinking about 4, but I'm flexible. not more than 6 though.

Which ruleset are you using?

The ruleset I'll be using is "Deadlands, Reloaded", the Savage Worlds ruleset.

That's all I can think of now, but feel free to ask questions, give advice or anything you'd like to help make this go smoothly. I love the setting of Deadlands, and I'm excited to get a chance to DM it. Thanks for your time!

FTC: honk.
FTC: HONK.

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«134

Posts

  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Player List:

    Matev - Brett Rivers

    Radical Ans - Edmond 'Finn' Finnegan

    Erich Zahn - Jacob Harrison

    Celebrim - Bertram Smythe

    OptimusZed - Plays With Fire

    Popesnax - Elias Quinn

    IC Thread

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  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Color me interested.

    Are you planning on running homebrew stuff, or are you going to dig into the meta-plot of the setting?

    Radical Ans on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I was planning on digging into the meta-plot, at least a bit. That's one of the big reasons I liked the Deadlands setting so much, they had such a huge plot for everything, and it was a pretty good plot as well.

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  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Sounds good. Put me down as a player. Hopefully you can rustle up a few more hombres

    Radical Ans on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Hope so, and hope it goes well too, not totally sure how to best do some of the mechanics over PbP, heh, first time doing it :)

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  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Fuck yah Deadlands, count me in for this hand partner.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I've never actually played Deadlands, though I did own the rulebook at one point.

    I might well be down for this.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    I've never actually played Deadlands, though I did own the rulebook at one point.

    I might well be down for this.

    I can promise you it'll be well worth the time Zed :)

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Cowboys, Steampunk, and zombies. What's not to love.

    Radical Ans on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Awesome, 3 players! Hmm...Do you guys think I should run it with 3 to get my DM legs and figure out what needs tweaking in a PbP game, or wait a while and see if there's more interest?

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  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Give a little more time. I find a 4 player dynamic best for running a game. Also, it's still early in the day (least ways for me) so you can wait a bit to see if more interest generates. Additionally, posting a bit more about the setting and where to acquire resources for play would behoove you.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Updated the intro bit, hopefully it catches some interest.

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  • CelebrimCelebrim Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I recently got the new? rulebook and would love to try this out.

    Celebrim on
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Celebrim, you mean Reloaded? That's the rulebook I've got at home.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • CelebrimCelebrim Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Yes that sounds right. I got it looking for something with a steampunk theme. My local group is still mid-campaign so no chance to actually use it yet.

    Celebrim on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Alright, that's 4 people, using the "Deadlands, Reloaded" (Savage Worlds) ruleset, works for me if everyone else is ok with it? Any problems with the ruleset, we can work with it, Savage Worlds is quite a bit simpler than the old ruleset, if I recall. If you guys are good, make up some characters and send em over!

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  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Savage Worlds is ridiculously easy to use IMO, it just take a "slight getting used to" switching away from other systems. I'll roll a character tonight after I'm home from my development meeting.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Is the savage worlds version the one that's free for download?

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Not unless they've died, which as far as I know they haven't. If people want to run original Deadlands, I can hunt down that book if it's free by the publishers online.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I have zero experience with Savage Worlds, so unless I can find something online I'm going to have to bow out I'm afraid.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    No, the Savage Worlds one is not the free one. Heh, sadly, Deadlands has, to my recollection, 3 or 4 completely different rulesets. We'll work with it, I'd rather play with SW just because it's simpler for everyone involved, but whatever works best for everyone is fine by me.

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  • samurai6966samurai6966 Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I'd love to play but I don't have any rule books. If I could get a character creation PM, I'll write something up.

    samurai6966 on
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    don't sweat it, let's go with old Deadlands since everyone will be able to access that book easier it sounds like. It's easy for me to pick up new systems so I can adapt.

    I'll have to learn you people Savage Worlds some time, very flexible system.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • CelebrimCelebrim Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Old Deadlands is fine. I bought the book mainly for thematic ideas so I'm not any better with the new rules than the old.

    Celebrim on
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I can go either way. I own both versions.

    Radical Ans on
  • Edith UpwardsEdith Upwards Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I prefer Classic. Unless you have the Adventure Deck.

    Because the Savage Worlds Adventure Deck is the single best gimmick in the history of ever.

    Edith Upwards on
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Erich Zahn wrote: »
    If the Adventure Deck isn't available, I prefer Classic.

    Because the Savage Worlds Adventure Deck is the single best gimmick in the history of ever.

    I've herd good things about that. I've only ever seen it in PDF form though

    Radical Ans on
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I've herd good things about that. I've only ever seen it in PDF form though

    Apparently it's only available in that form, from what I can see. Still, looks like it would be fun times, even with the old rules.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Edith UpwardsEdith Upwards Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Which version of DL:R do you have?

    If you don't know that there's different versions, you've got the first.

    Actual Adventure Decks are coming again soon. Pre-order details at PEG's Store.

    Edith Upwards on
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Couldn't tell ya, saw it at the game store a couple years back, read through some of the fluff, bought it because I <3'd the setting so much. Possibly the first version, couldn't be sure.

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    There were 2 printings of DL:R. The first was everything in one book. The second was the same material split into two volumes.

    I'm a bit of a Deadlands fanatic, so I own both printings plus a ton of the DL classic books.

    Radical Ans on
  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I've got the all in one volume, bless it's vile little pages. :twisted:

    Oooh, other new shinies there. I kinda want the bennies chips just because.....well, I'll leave that for the uninitiated.

    Sure hope I can be some sort of Veteran of Weird West in this older version we're doing....

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Edith UpwardsEdith Upwards Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    The two-book edition of DLR has errata. Precious errata.
    Shamans don't need to take the Old Ways Oath in order to be Shamans.

    Mad Scientists can create their own Infernal Devices.

    And the minor version of the OWO(Only use hand-crafted tools. Don't use Infernal Devices or Ghost Rock.) allows you to use fetishes created by Shamans.

    Among other things.

    Edith Upwards on
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Started thinking on a character concept. I'm thinking I might go with a muckraker, perhaps a newbie writer for the Tombstone Epitaph. An investigative reporter who relies on disguise and fast talking to get his stories. Pretty much a western version of Fletch.

    Radical Ans on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Heh, so what version are we useing? Gotta update the main page if we're useing a diffrent one. And is everyone here confirmed to play? That would be Radical Ans, Matev, Celebrim and Erich Zahn. OptimusZed is a Maybe once we decide on the ruleset and samurai6966 as well?

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  • Edith UpwardsEdith Upwards Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    If I must choose, I choose DLR.

    EDIT:Thanks!

    Edith Upwards on
  • Ghostly ClockworkGhostly Clockwork Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    That's one for DLR (And I'm sure I can cobble together some kinda adventure deck. I could even use the special Deadlands cards)

    Ghostly Clockwork on
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  • MatevMatev Cero Miedo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I'd prefer DLR myself, just because I'm a lazy ass who doesn't want to have to have to go traipsing for a book if I can't help it.

    That said, I would like as many people to be able to play as possible.

    EDIT: Oh hay, a character!

    Matev on
    "Go down, kick ass, and set yourselves up as gods, that's our Prime Directive!"
    Hail Hydra
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    DLR would probably work best in a PbP. If it's a dealbreaker for Zed, you can get the savage worlds test drive rules and I can stat up your character from a concept.

    Radical Ans on
  • Radical AnsRadical Ans Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    There are also some pregens here. You could file the serial numbers off and create your own backstory.

    Radical Ans on
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