Tales of the Old West (Year Zero Engine)

About the adventure

***(Statement on player safety and the time period at bottom)*** Tired of dungeon crawls and dragon slaying? No magic. No monsters. Just grit, gunfights, and hard choices. This is a story about people—not hit points. Tales of the Old West is a gritty, cinematic roleplaying game set in the American frontier of 1873. You won’t find elves or fireballs here—just tough choices, deadly shootouts, and characters trying to carve out a life in a land that doesn’t care if they live or die. This is a system for players who want to: -Tell grounded, character-driven stories -Face the harsh reality of frontier justice -Build up or tear down a living, breathing town -Make every bullet and decision count Inspired by the greatest stories of the era, this campaign puts you in the saddle with flawed heroes and desperate outlaws chasing redemption, revenge, or just survival. Expect high-stakes choices, deadly consequences, and plenty of room to define who your character really is. If you're looking for a Western RPG that hits harder than 5e, has no weird-west/supernatural adversaries and rewards smart, grounded play—this is it. Story Hook: Sundown Springs ain’t on most maps, but blood’s been spilled there just the same. The sheriff rode out before sun-up and never came back. A ranch burned to cinders with the family still inside. Now the mayor’s hittin’ the bottle, hired guns fill the saloon, and the wind carries more lies than dust. Some say it’s a land grab. Others blame old grudges. Nobody’s tellin’ the same story twice. Drifters, lawmen, ranch hands, gamblers, or just plain regular folk—each tryin’ to stake their claim, protect what’s theirs, or outrun what’s comin’. This is a story about choices, consequence, and survival in a town teeterin’ on the edge. What you build, who you trust, and what you’re willin’ to fight for... that’s up to you. New to the system? Don’t sweat it. This land don’t care who you were—it cares who you become. Saddle up, draw iron, and carve your name into the dirt before someone else does it for you. ***PLAYER SAFETY*** Tales of the Old West is set in a harsh, complicated time—1873, just years after the Civil War, during a period of expansion, upheaval, and struggle. While the real history of 1873 includes racism, prejudice, and violence, this game DOES NOT excuse, normalize, or use those things as flavor or entertainment. Racism, sexism, or any form of bigotry will only appear as traits of villains, and even then, only when necessary to serve the story—NEVER to shock, provoke, or “add realism.” As your Game Master, let me be plain: I will not tolerate bigoted behavior from characters or players. If it shows up, it gets addressed immediately, no debate. This table is for storytelling, not suffering. We’re here to explore grit, justice, vengeance, and survival—not recreate trauma. If a theme crosses a line, becomes uncomfortable, or stops being fun, PLEASE speak up. We’ll shut it down. No questions asked.