Creating a gaslamp fantasy setting (brainstorming stages)


Homebrew and House Rules


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As the title says, I am in the process of brainstorming for a gaslamp fantasy setting for tabletop RPGs. Inspirations include classic stories such as Dracula and Frankenstein, Lovecrafts works, Stardust by Neil Gaiman and video games like the Shadow Hearts series and Dishonoured. I know there are settings that have some or all of these themes in some respect, but I have my own ideas I want to explore. Current status of brainstorming:

-Cobblestone streets lit by gaslamp are sandwiched between overhanging Victorian style buildings. The lamps keep shadowy creatures at bay that prey on those who wander into the dark alleyways at night.

-A gravekeeper union run by Dwarves that is rumoured to support the practice of necromancy and robbing of graves. Waste not, want not.

-Dirty civilization encroaches on the Elven way of living. They get back at the other races through Elven run opium dens and the magical engineering of opiates and other drugs. Addiction is their curse on the mortal races.

-Many Elves have fallen into their own trap, addiction begets addiction.

-Mad science runs rampant.

-Creatures such as vampires, werewolves and the undead included in some respect. Demons willing to make deals around every corner.

Feel free to toss ideas my way, I will be adding to this post as I brainstorm more.


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Have you looked at Cthulhu by Gaslight?
There is a lot of good source material.


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This just "screams" gothic horror (pun intended). How about secret cabals of "gentlemen" by day who engage in warped twisted acts of depravity by night?

An area/region/continent, etc. that everyone talks about with wide eyed wonder because it is so unexplored. In the real world around this era it would be Africa and specifically cultures such as ancient Egypt.

A fad/obsession with the paranormal; specifically ghosts/spiritualism or maybe diabolism, angels/celestials, or the fey?

Question: Where do Gnomes or Halflings fit in? Also are you thinking of including any exotic races?
For halflings, you could adapt the real-world gypsy culture with social stigma included. That would fit within the setting and around the time period you're focusing on.

Is there a specific country/region/culture that is the economic power of the setting? How about religion? Pantheistic or monotheistic?


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What Daw said, Cthulhu by Gaslight is good.

Other possible sources of inspiration:
- Girl Genius (comic by Phil and Kaja Foglio) 1-3
- Lord Darcy (detective stories set into an alternate Earth)
- Arcanum (steampunk-magical setting computer game; I am sure there is a wikipedia with the relevant info, too)
- some of the AD&D 2nd edition adventures written for Ravenloft: The House on Gryphon Hill (I rather liked that one, it is about mad science and the undead) and Adam's Wrath (a Frankenstein story)
- Iron Kingdoms: a roleplaying game with that kind of setting
- Mechamancy: another d20 book
- OGL Steampunk: d20 rules for such a setting, so pretty compatible with Pathfinder
- Castle Falkenstein: GURPS setting, said to be pretty good

All of those above are just sources for ideas and can be cannibalized for stuff. There should be wikipedias around and probably PDF versions.


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How willing are you to go into the lighter areas of this setting? Sherlock Holmes was written during this time period as well. Then too there are stories by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells - the latter of whom had an alien invasion story!

For the Elves, do you see them being encroached upon in places ala Native Americans or possibly more like some oriental societies? There could be a lot of interesting potential fro Elven Druids who make pacts with werewolves in order to fight back against encroaching civilizations.

Where do the deities (if any) fit in all this? I imagine that those gas lamps you mention must have some form of holy protection on them to keep various creatures at bay.


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It looks like the elves are set up as a twisted role reversed China of the Opium Wars. The West in our world went in and defeated China when their arrogant leaders tried to force Western traders to stop importing Opium from the Middle East into China.

This was a fascinating time, maybe the best time for questionable "heroes" to excel, appearance is everything.


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@JosMaritgan: You have some good ideas and I definitely want to do the unexplored continent thing. Somewhere where 'adventurers' travel to and come back with trophies stolen from the civilizations there and stories of fighting 'cannibals' or what have you.

The Halflings=Romani is definitely a connection I was considering and I would like to do something like that. I was also thinking of a high number of jobs where deft hands are needed have become dominated by Halflings as they will take less pay.

As for Gnomes, my thoughts were that their natural curiousity and preinclination to mad science would lead to a reputation as important but dangerous. Gnomish scientists would be highly prized in research teams but require extra safety precautions.

@Vatras: Thanks for the list of sources, some I've been looking at already, but some that are entirely new to me!

@Indagare: Deities would be a fad to some and a way of life to others. They would not be like most D&D settings where they definitely exist, but when confronted with divine power even the most practical of minds may revise their thinking. I like the idea of a lamplighters association which is a cover for a large religious organization that worships a god/goddess of light.

@Indagare and Daw: Definitely going for what Daw said when it comes to Elves.


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Remember the wierd mixture/combination of xenophobia and xenophilia that went on. You must have the exotics at your parties, as long as they are not challenging. You certainly could not have them in a responsible position.


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The Pale King wrote:

@Indagare: Deities would be a fad to some and a way of life to others. They would not be like most D&D settings where they definitely exist, but when confronted with divine power even the most practical of minds may revise their thinking. I like the idea of a lamplighters association which is a cover for a large religious organization that worships a god/goddess of light.

@Indagare and Daw: Definitely going for what Daw said when it comes to Elves.

Okay. Do you think that at some point the Elves might be tempted to summon in the Fey for help - possibly opening a portal between worlds? It could even be a world within their own system (something like a Mars analogue but obviously hospitable).

Do you think there's anything like Skull Island or a similar area of large critters long thought extinct?

Are there dragons here?

Are any of the humanoid races like catfolk and ratfolk the result of experiments ala The Island of Doctor Moreau?

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