Victorian Gentlemen with Sellswords and Spellslingers

I’ve really enjoyed playing Sellswords and Spellslingers, both in a sort of D&D style fantasy setting (as per the rules) and in a less magic-dominated Middle Earth setting. I’ve also been looking at my collection of terrain thinking that bit would be great to play games in other settings, tropical jungles, blistering deserts or frozen arctic wastes. But somehow it doesn’t seem right to have the fantasy party, essentially existing at a medieval level of technology, flitting around the world (yes, I know it’s fantasy, but I still need it to make sense for me).

Looking at my collection of figures for these various geographic settings, they are mostly dating to the late nineteenth or early twentieth centuries. Setting games in the later Victorian era would have the transport infrastructure to whisk the adventurers around the globe, and if I add in a little science fiction, around the solar system as well! That would also allow for a bit of “magic” in the form of some advanced scientific “devices”. I’m going more Victorian Science Fiction (in the style of Verne and Wells) rather than Steampunk for this. Gentlemen (and gentlewomen) adventurers striving on behalf of Queen and Empire in Darkest Africa or the sands of Egypt , or even on the plains of Mars, against ferocious animals, fearsome natives and dastardly foreigners (usually of vaguely Germanic/Central European persuasion).

One of the prime objectives of S&S is the acquisition of cash, often gained by looting the bodies of fallen foes. As with my Middle Earth games, this does not feel as if it really fits with the VSF idea. After all, a gentleman who can afford passage around the world by steam liner, airship or whatever, is not likely to be interested in riffling the pockets of the Balkan bandit or African tribesman he has just overcome. I am going to have to give some thought to the scenarios, making the objectives the discovery of “clues”, “artifacts” or some such (sometimes portable, sometimes not).

I am also going to review the traits, simplify the choice and add a couple of new ones, like SCIENTIST and MISSIONARY.

I’m going to start off with various archetypal characters, Hunter, Soldier of Fortune etc, who will have some predetermined traits (about 10 to 12XP worth), which can be added to in order to individualise the player characters.

Sample PC Card

Here are a few pictures from a recent test game.

 The PCs enter the table, a Hunter, Gentleman Adventurer, Soldier of Fortune and a Missionary.

 A ferocious pygmy challenges the party.

 More pygmies lurk in the jungle.

 Three more rush forward.

 AMBUSH! A pygmy jumps out from the undergrowth and attacks the Missionary.

 The Gentleman Adventurer takes aim at a charging warrior.

 Whilst more pygmies close in on the party.

 Another AMBUSH! This time the Soldier of Fortune who swiftly deals with his attacker.

 WANDERING MONSTERS - a band of great apes arrive.

 Inspired preaching, the Missionary avoids attack by her persuasive powers (failing that she will clobber them with her heavy bible!).

 But her words can't sooth the angry beast and she legs it as the apes give chase.

First draft of Devious Devices for the Scientist to use.