I recently began running a campaign set in the Wild West. This has been a refreshing change for both me and the players, and has bought with it some new RP situations.
However, so far I've found the process of adventure creation more based around incidents than longer story threads... i.e. encounters with outlaws, hucksters, missionaries and greedy landowners etc. I've been able to develop some medium term story threads but am finding it a challenge to develop more 'meaty', longer adventures in this setting.
I'd welcome any ideas you may have or adventures you've enjoyed in similar settings : )
Thanks
My favourite movie is "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" -- with enough changes, that could make a great long-form module!
(Warning -- may contain exclamation points!)
- Con artists!
- Bounty hunters!
- Bathtubs!
- War!
- Robbery!
- Revenge!
- Treasure hunting!
- Escaping from prison!
- Blowing up bridges!
- Showdowns with assassins!
- Betrayal!
- Mexican stand-offs!
- Ponchos!
If you can fit even half of those things in a campaign, it'd be pretty cool, I think!
Owner - Johnny Scott Comics and Games
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How about a setting where the Indian Wars are winding down, and your players have to hunt down rebel warbands that are resisting the US Government's reservation laws (or, go the other way - your players are proud tribesmen who refuse to bow to the will of the US Government)?
Or, maybe you set it during the Civil War, and you are fighting on the frontier (Texas, Kansas, etc) for the side you believe to be right.
Or, set it during the Railroad Race. Your group is working with the railroad to be the first to get to the Pacific Ocean. You have to foil other company's attempts to delay you, battle off raiders, and provide protection to the railroad workers as they lay track. You could do an awesome NPC appearance by John Henry...
Or, your group works for the Pinkerton Agency, and must protect passengers and cargo as it is carried across the country via the new locomotives.
The historical information during this era is full of ideas that can be used as an over-arcing campaign. Personally, I've loved role-playing in the Wild West, but it's hard to find a group to play with.
For a cool horror/wild west hybrid, I highly recommend Pinnacle's Deadlands RPG. Check it out. You'll love it.
I ran a western game where the players were framed for robberies and murders that they did not do. It started in jail, they had to break out and escape into the indian territories. Later they had to find the real villains and clear their names. It turned out the district prosecutor was running for governor of the territory and staged the robberies to get the money and prosecuted the PCs to get the fame.
-jack
I think Repairman Jack hits on a good point. You need a good villain for an over-arching plot. The villain needs some kind of power, not necessarily martial, lots and lots of minions always works well. At first the PCs just stumble blindly into the villain’s plans. Maybe the villain even offers them an out (join me or die). They then proceed to become a real thorn in his side.
Thanks friends - good suggestions : )
Lichmans idea about joining the Pinkerton Agency will be a great way to get very diverse PC's working together. Link that in with Repairman's 'framed' situation and we have the PC's approached in jail to join the Pinkerton's to bring down the real bad guy, who will be established as per Courtfool's suggestion - a clever and manipulative landowner with a lot of hired guns at his disposal.
Thanks for the other lists and source materials too : )
I'm running a second version of this setting for a single player which will be more about life among the Sioux, and working with a 'medicine man'.
I'll second the recommendation for Deadlands by Pinnacle, awesome awesome stuff.
I recently began running a campaign set in the Wild West. This has been a refreshing change for both me and the players, and has bought with it some new RP situations.
However, so far I've found the process of adventure creation more based around incidents than longer story threads... i.e. encounters with outlaws, hucksters, missionaries and greedy landowners etc. I've been able to develop some medium term story threads but am finding it a challenge to develop more 'meaty', longer adventures in this setting.
I'd welcome any ideas you may have or adventures you've enjoyed in similar settings : )
Thanks
Pardon the spam, but have you looked at Aces & Eights yet? It was designed with long-term campaigns in mind, and there's a chapter devoted to how to run a western campaign.
I recently began running a campaign set in the Wild West. This has been a refreshing change for both me and the players, and has bought with it some new RP situations.
However, so far I've found the process of adventure creation more based around incidents than longer story threads... i.e. encounters with outlaws, hucksters, missionaries and greedy landowners etc. I've been able to develop some medium term story threads but am finding it a challenge to develop more 'meaty', longer adventures in this setting.
I'd welcome any ideas you may have or adventures you've enjoyed in similar settings : )
Thanks
I've never ran an Old West campaign, but I absolutely love westerns. Pick up Sergio Leons films: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (already mentioned), Fistful of Dollars, A Few Dollars More, and Once Upon a Time in the West. Deadwood is great too, and Lonesome Dove is worth a watch. You might pick up some Louis L'Amour and give some of his books a read. There's a ton of inspiration to be found.... In fact now I really want to run an old west campaign myself now.
you could likely form a good campaign based around a western territory's quest for statehood. Allow the PCs to start their careers in the rough and wild Nevada Territory (or somesuch) and show them how their actions are helping tame the land.
Near the end of the campaign, one or more of the PCs could even represent the territory in Washington, DC and potentially become the first governor of the new state.
This could all be told under fire of hostile Indians, money-grubbing cattle barons, political rivals, pro-/anti- slavery conflicts, etc. etc.
Dang, now *I* want to run this campaign. Where's my Deadlands book?
Werewolf: The Wild West might also be useful
I think with such a campaign, it isn't so much of not being able to come up with "ideas" for adventures but rather working on the continuality of the campaign. The adventures may consist of the same characters, but each game or few is a new adventure. If your looking for something that brings things together better I would try concentrating on these two ideas as you create a scenario.
I would concentrate on my sub plot writing and the use of foreshadowing in the game. This is what I did with Top Secret/S.I. and will be with my Legion (super-hero) game and I think it will be your best option as well.
Subplots start out as just that, a subplot and as bits and pieces are introduced throughout the main adventure and that scenario winds down, the subplot can start to take over as the next "big" plotline. As this subplot turns into the next big plot, start introducing the next subplot.
Outline the information if you think you want to tie things together from one plot/subplot to another in order to create a more comprehensive, tied to campaign feeling. The outline should be sketchy and not a lot of detail in order to allow you the freedom of making changes as you go. This is what I did with my D&D campaign.
In regards to foreshadowing, you'll be adding it and obviously recognize it for what it is. The players may not however. If so, that's ok. You want to feel like things tie together better and this will help give you that feeling because you'll see it right away and maybe after the fact, the PCs will see it as well.
In regards to developing lengthier plots so that things carry over from one game to the next and last for several playing sessions, I struggled with this at first with my Top Secret/S.I. campaign as well. At first, an adventure really was nothing more than just a reason for combat to occur. It took up about a half page of information and that was it. In time, as I got more comfortable with the game and my creativity expanded on its own, these plots went from a half page to a page to 3 pages, eventually up to 25 pages or so of notes. Now not all of the options I created were handled by the PCs and if you want to create a longer scenario you will just have to accept that you'll write more than the PCs will cover.
Start by creating a basic plot. Then decide on the background information which established the plot. Now decide if any of the background information can be used as part of the actual adventure for the PCs rather than just serve as background information. If so, you have created more details and a longer adventure right there.
Look at each "encounter" you create and draw up a likely set of circumstances which could occur as a result of PC actions/success/failure.
Develop each of these success/failure options and decide how the NPCs would react to them, such as making changes in plans, an extra ambush, altering the caravan route, breaking someone out of jail the PCs captured, etc. Everyone must react to what the PCs do rather than having a set reaction and nothing changes beyond that.
If you provide clues in your game to develop plots, think of everything as a circle. Clues should move in a circular motion throughout the game. As one clue in a scenario is revealed and the PCs act on it, two more are revealed as a result of this investigation or action taken by the PCs. As one of those new options are dealt with, it leads to two more clues/scenes, of which one returns the PCs back towards a direction they previously skipped, thus it becomes circular. This will dramatically lengthen your plotlines and create a more comprehensive campaign.
Thanks for all the new input (checking out Aces & Eights now), glad some of you are thinking of running some western material yourselves : ) Let me know what you come up with!
Thanks Eileen, I do need to become more organised with my ideas and will start some more detailed planning and gathering of concepts on paper today.
BTW heres a great resource for making 'Wanted' posters...!
http://www.glassgiant.com/wanted/
Following your advice Eileen I've decided to begin by fleshing out details of my main bad guy so far, landowner Mr Fonda, who was something of a cypher before but giving some thought to his background and motivations has certainly provided new story hooks and new nuances of roleplaying him:
VILLAIN PROFILE:
Mr Fonda (Ruben Fonda)
A wealthy landowner living three miles from Santa Cruz.
Fonda began his career as a bandit in Mexico, riding with notorious outlaw Arcadio Apollo and the Jaguar Gang (named after the ancient Jaguar Temple which is their base of operations).
Fonda was something of a protégé to Apollo, but used his
position of trust to steal a large amount of gold from the temple hideout and escape, eventually making his way to Santa Cruz, Arizona.
Here Fonda invested some of his money to acquire land and property and determined to acquire more, as well as surrounding himself with a cadre of competent gun-fighters in case Apollo should ever catch up with him.
Having both might of wealth and of guns, Fonda found himself in a good position to bully and extort local citizens with loan sharking, extortionate rents and interests in many of the Santa Cruz businesses. Fonda has become increasingly interested in the petty details of such enterprises, whilst also becoming more paranoid that the Jaguar Gang might catch up with him.
Fonda’s regular associates include Mr West, a former lawman who was forced to quit in disgrace. He is always on the lookout for new talent to add to his sense of security, most recently hiring the cocky young gunman Baby Face Clay, who resides always at Fonda’s ranch (he would be arrested if he ventured into town), although this arrogant young man makes an increasing nuisance of himself and is often making advances to Fonda’s daughter Belle.
VILLAIN PROFILE:
Nighthawk
A Sioux Medicine Man operating in the Arizona area.
Nighthawk was one of two apprentices to the late Sioux
Medicine Man Choovio. Together with his fellow student Nemid, Nighthawk learned the practical and spiritual methods of administering to the community and showed great natural talent.
Nighthawk experienced a dream vision where he was wading in the blood of the white man, taking scalps and trophies among the dead until a Raven began to interfere with him. Soon after this vision he gained a spirit guide named Bloodclaw who told Nighthawk he was to be the protector of the true Sioux ways when all others had gone astray.
When the Sioux made certain peaceful negotiations with the new frontiers people, Nightclaw was angered. Nightclaw left the tribe and tried to disrupt things by preying upon travellers on a route the Sioux had agreed would be safe for the white man to travel, near neighbouring Sioux communities.
Nighthawk found himself wanted by the new Western authorities and with few supporters among his own people. Eventually he found a new family among a rival militant tribe of Braves and determined to help them in their battles against the Sioux.
Okay trying to get organised... Feel free to flesh this out with other ideas - especially non-violent encounters.
The Players:
TRENT (Thor) – Bartender
VARGUS (Ed) – Brawler
BRET RIVERBOLT (Jim) – Hired Gun
NAYASABE (Dec) – Wandering Monk
The Setting:
Santa Cruz, Arizona
Bar – The Canyon
Overview First Session:
The players are frequenting a newly opened bar, The Canyon where Trent is owner. Card games are available to play for money. The scene opens with the PC's involved in a card game run by a kindly old timer 'Willie'. We'll play a few games for real giving them a chance to win or lose some money. 'Willie' will ask them a few questions about themselves, showing a friendly interest and this will serve to get everyone talking in character.
Several gun hands come in and behave threateningly. These are Dillon Wedge, Jaylon Jones and Orson Jesus (a very imtimidating character), all of whom have recently begun working for Mr Fonda (see previous post). Apparently Mr Fonda wants a cut of the business. In the event of a fight the villains will not recourse to firearms unless fired upon first.
If the PC’s defeat the hired guns in the bar, they are later approached by Mr West who invites them to visit Mr Fonda at his ranch.
If they agree, they travel to the ranch and see Fonda's spirited daughter Belle riding horses around the grounds. At the ranch they see Baby Face Clay ($700 bounty) in Fonda’s employ, and possibly the rather annoyed gunmen they have beaten. Fonda will offer them work as 'enforcers', collecting his debts etc.
If they don’t do so well in the fight/or didn’t fight but Trent refused to pay up, The Canyon gets torched.
Fonda next targets the schoolhouse, either through his men or via the PC’s if they decided to work for him. The teacher, Kitty, a sweet idealistic person with little money, is being threatened by Fonda in an impossible business deal.
If the PC's decide to take the law into their own hands and there is a gunfight at Fonda’s ranch, unless the PC’s involve the local Sheriff, an imposing and possibly corrupt Marshal arrests them.
Incidental Encounters:
Vargus is approached by swaggering pugilist named Seanie Roarke who challenges him to a fight.
Bret is approached by an attractive woman, but just when he thinks his luck is in, he is surprised by another hired gunman ‘Eddie’ whom he had crossed on a deal.
Ideas for subsequent sessions:
Courtroom scene shows us that others are involved in a conspiratorial ring as false witnesses come forward. Jail brings it’s own dangers – to be developed. However eventually the PC’s are approached by an agent of the Pinkertons and offered work (to bring down Mr Fonda if he is still operating or if not then another assignment).
If you need a quick additional combat encounter, I would have the beaten gunmen hunting for a re-match. This time, with guns.
Additional non-combat encounters
Jacob Miller, a 10 year old boy who supplements his family’s income by pick pocketing. Incidentally, he is also a student at Kitty’s schoolhouse.
Johahn Johnson (JJ), the town drunk who lost his farm and his family to Mr. Fonda’s strongmen. He wants revenge but is in no shape to do much of anything. He will attempt to aid the PCs should they fight against Mr. Fonda. He should prove a nuisance who constantly needs saving from himself.
Catherine Beart, a soiled dove and less-than-enthusiastic girlfriend of one of Mr. Fonda’s henchmen who works at the The Canyon. She becomes infatuated with the most charismatic PC.
A mangy poodle that follows your horse from town to town and begs for Bush's Baked Beans.
Corrected.
Courtfool those are great!
I may hold fire on a physical rematch with the hired guns (until the moment seems right or the PC's start one), because I plan to first escalate up the bad feeling with plenty of 'Tombstone' style bickering and threatening behaviour. In fact the introduction of Catherine Beart will add nicely to the mix of jealously and bad feeling- and will enrichen my 'Eddie' Incidental Encounter.
Johahn and Jacob are also worthy cast additions, I'll start casting them today (I like to use photos for as many NPCs as possible).
It's been a while since I role-played a poodle, Heathansson, but I do like the idea of an annoying beggar : )
Thanks Larry but time would not be a friend to that idea atm. Naturally I'd be delighted if anything here was useful to any other GM, either at home or on the forums.