Introduction to Classic Deadlands

About the adventure

It's 1877, and to put it mildy, times are different. Back east, the civil war is still going on. Prospectors are heading out west to collect mostly a mineral called Ghost Rock, named after the fact that when it's on fire it screams as if the souls of the damned are crying in agony. Mad Scientists love Ghost Rock as it allows them a source of fuel for their insane inventions, some of the most common in use are flamethrowers, rocket packs so people can fly, and the Gatling Pistol. Some people, known as Hucksters, have found a way to cast magic by challenging evil spirits known as manitou by beating them in a game of poker. Gunslingers, sheriffs, cowboys, soldiers from the Union and Confederacy, spies, as well as special forces known as Men in Black and Texas Rangers are all around trying to find out and possibly defeat the horrors that have sprung up in the west. Many people turn to religious people that seem to channel some sort of holy divinity that can either smite an opponent or heal an ally. The Sioux, Lakota, Cherokee, and other Native Americans defend their lands with the help of shamans who seem to have a connection to the spirit world. Deadlands is one of the most unique game systems that is easy to play. Instead of experience, you get poker chips to improve your character. If you want to cast a spell as a huckster, draw a poker hand. The stronger the hand, the more powerful the spell. The game has a unique combination of dice and playing cards (including jokers) to make it feel like a western movie while combining elements of horror into it. It's self described as "a spaghetti western with meat!"

Additional Details

How to prepare

Have a Roll20 account ready. We will use that to show maps and scenes. Also, have Discord ready as we use that for audio and video communication.

What I provide

The game is online so everything is provided for you.

Gameplay details

Deadlands is unique in the fact that it is horror based, but a character can also survive when compared to other horror games. It has a following that loves the way the game feels. Often, there is a "boss" at the end of a campaign and if the players are able to defeat it, a specialized poker chip is thrown into the "pot" known as a legendary chip. It is also possible to create a part of the world where evil is triumphant, and a "Dead Land" is created. The characters are the heroes, not the villains (though they may not know it at first). In this game, expect something early on that allows players a chance of combat. After that, they are trying to solve what is happening around them. The players will then decide how to deal with the problem, which more than likely will end up in a combat situation. For a quick rating, I tend to run at a PG-13 rating. If younger children join up, I will modify to where parents are comfortable. For horror based adventures, players are encouraged to use traffic light signals when it comes to comfortable/uncomfortable situations. Green is fine, yellow is proceed with caution, and red is a stop. You can either type this in the VTT I'm using or say it out loud in the Discord chat. The last thing I want is players to feel uncomfortable. I want to create a game experience that everybody enjoys.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

(none)

How will character creation work

I can create the character for you, but I encourage that you schedule a time with me to create your character online. You will get dealt 12 virtual cards, including jokers, in which you are able to discard the lowest two (except for deuces and jokers). Character creation is a fun process that many players enjoy, so it is encouraged that you schedule a time before the game to do this. This is given free of charge as well.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.