Gothic/Victorian Horror

[Lurker]

I don't know why my mind has drifted into this area, I guess long hours in a deer stand in the rain, and the subsequent sinus cold I have today while trying to teach, will take ones brian to odd places ...


What game would best fit a Gothic/Victorian horror setting? I've looked through my PDFs I got years ago, (when I got back into gaming and discovered RPGNow) and have some 'd20 modern' supplements that are close (Imperial Age RPG I think). However, they are 3e, and I hate 3e feats etc etc etc, Plus, I don't like the d20 modern base classes, so they are only useful to an extent.


For some reason I remember there being a Ravenloft game I played back in the day that was set in that time frame, but can't remember if it was my DM's home brew or a real setting.

I do have Palladium's 'Beyond the Supernatural' , but I'd have to do some significant reverse engineering to get it to work. Plus, I like C&C's quick and easy combat and minimal skills bloat.


Is there something you all would advise I look into, or have any home brew rules to morph C&C (or another TLG game) into Gothic horror ?

[DMMike]

I think the game you're referring to is Masque of the Red Death. Not bad, but if I want Victorian horror (and don't just run a Grim setting of Victorious) I like Cthulhu by Gaslight. Chaosium just reprinted the old box set as a softback so its available again without huge prices.

If you like Savage Worlds there's "Rippers" but I'm not so enthused with it because of the monster-bits/cyberpunk setting.

HTH,

DM Mike

[DMMike]

Oh, and Pacesetter's Chill (now resold as Cryptworld) can be played in a Gothic-Hammer Horror mode too!

Mike

[Treebore]

There is a ton of Ravenloft material you can get and use, from 2E D&D as well as 3E D&D, just ignore the feats and skills. Its what I do. Well, actually, I use feats and skills as guidelines for SIEGE checks I will allow each creature to do or have as a "Class/racial" skill, and treat as Prime.

I own darn near all of it, so if you have specific ideas in mind you can ask me which products would most closely fit them.

[Lurker]

I think the game you're referring to is Masque of the Red Death. Not bad, but if I want Victorian horror (and don't just run a Grim setting of Victorious) I like Cthulhu by Gaslight. Chaosium just reprinted the old box set as a softback so its available again without huge prices.

If you like Savage Worlds there's "Rippers" but I'm not so enthused with it because of the monster-bits/cyberpunk setting.

HTH,

DM Mike

Grim – Victorious, I should have thought of that right out of the gate … It must show how addled I was with the rain and sinuses

Cthulu by gaslight … Lovecraft was always a bit much for me in the horror arena. I prefer Poe (At least people in Poe have a chance to live through it, not like A Lovecraft, 'Mouth of Madness' where everyone dies, goes insane, or goes insane and dies). So, I always avoided the Cthulu games. But 'By Gaslight might at least give me some good ideas to mine


Rgr, 'Red death' that is it. It has been years sense I played it & it was only a few games but I did enjoy it (It could have been as much the DM as the setting).

There is a ton of Ravenloft material you can get and use, from 2E D&D as well as 3E D&D, just ignore the feats and skills. Its what I do. Well, actually, I use feats and skills as guidelines for SIEGE checks I will allow each creature to do or have as a "Class/racial" skill, and treat as Prime.

I own darn near all of it, so if you have specific ideas in mind you can ask me which products would most closely fit them.

As for ideas on specifics of what I'm looking for …. I have no idea, just something that bubbled out of the voices that hang out in the back of my head after hours of setting in the wet woods … What would fit Victoria time frame from Ravenloft?

[Treebore]

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9261.phtml

I enjoyed it far more than the reviewer, but then again I ran a year long weekly game using it...

[Lurker]

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9261.phtml

I enjoyed it far more than the reviewer, but then again I ran a year long weekly game using it...

Thanks, I like the idea of French post revolutionary France, and a mix of Holms & Lovecraft (but I'd dial back to Poe level of horror) for idea mining . I'll have to give it a look

[serleran]

In what part of the world?

Deadlands, for example, does this very well. But, its Wild West US.

[Lurker]

In what part of the world?

Deadlands, for example, does this very well. But, its Wild West US.

I like "deadlands' but the wild west doesn't fit what I'm thinking about. Back east (Boston, New York etc) or down south (Charleston, New Orleans etc) could fit, Hmmmm does Dead Lands have supplements for those areas???? I'll have to look around

[serleran]

I like "deadlands' but the wild west doesn't fit what I'm thinking about. Back east (Boston, New York etc) or down south (Charleston, New Orleans etc) could fit, Hmmmm does Dead Lands have supplements for those areas???? I'll have to look around

Indeed. They're even often called what you said.... Back East, Down South, etc.

If the setting itself doesn't float the desire, the mechanics can still be of help.

Other suggestions for horror, in general, would be Aquelarre (good luck finding it, though), All Flesh Must Be Eaten (use a supplement or three to set the right mood), Kult (set in whatever period you want; the game itself is not Victorian), Nephilim, and many many others. You could also take a game like Victoriana and add dashes of horror to it.

[Treebore]

There is an RPG I own called Victorianna, its in its third edition now, that you may also find of help for getting the period right.