Thread: At last.... The Time For A Western RPG

Now that I am entering my final week at University I will have the time to commit whole heartedly to a new RPG. Having studied the two I have been in for 2 months now, and learning exactly how to and how not to run an RPG I feel it is time for me to propose a new one.

Details of the plot are a couple of posts below this. Please read and let me know if you're interested.

Please bear in mind that I am an avid RPG'er, not a fairweather guy, and I will keep it updated, keep it progressing, and make it into a solid fantastic enjoyable piece. I look forward to your comments.

I'd probably be interested depending on the story. Never tried a western before! Yeeha!

I'm up for it, but I am in the middle of my exams ... after 6th June I'll be free as a bird, however!

Great news. The two of you are some of the best RPG'ers here and would be great to have you involved. I am writing up a lot of details as we speak. Check back soon for plot, context, characters etc.

Here we go, this is the general idea. I hope you all dig it as I feel it has great potential.

The Context

The setting is Texas, the year is 1892 and the 19th Century is coming to an end. The American Old West's primitive ways are beginning to succumb to modern culture. The Industrial Revolution has swept through the West and the individuality of towns are taken over, often with force, by big business collective mindsets. Isolated forts, ranches and general homesteads have been pushed off the land, dominated by the barbaric politicans and colonisers. We are all to be residents of a small frontier town. It is a typical setting complete with the usual locations such as the general store, the livery stable, the jailhouse and most importantly, the SALOON! The Saloon is to be the symbolic place we all end up fighting for. It is the home for many of us, encompassing music, sexual relationships, gambling, drinking, brawling, and of course shooting. Our characters can be drawn from the wide spectrem of townsfolk, but predominantly are likely to be ranchers, settlers, gunslingers or some other local resident. The atmosphere of this RPG will be to stress the harshness of the wilderness all our characters will have to travel through;-

The Plot

As members of this town, we have set up our lives here. We may either be local residents, passers through or in the general vicinity (it is best to play a character who lives in the town though). When the RPG begns all will be fine. We will have a chance to get everyone acquainted and present our characters. (NOW THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART). Our town has been approached several times by politicians who wish to take it over and turn it into an industrial land. We have resisted and they are not happy. One night, a group of viscious bandits will infiltrate the town, killing many we love, and kidnapping people who are close to us. We will be left with no option but to trek across the harsh setting, the deserts, the mountan ranges, through Native American villages, through ranches and other towns in our quest to get back those who have been kidnapped and end the bloody reign of the oppressive politicians and bandits once and for all for the sake of our lives and are town. It is important to note that the RPG begins BEFORE the bandits have infiltrated. I will inform you all once the RPG gets underway how your intros should play out. It is important in your intro's to make clear that there is someone you care about deeply. I can then exploit this once the bandits enter so that every one of us has a reason to pursue the kidnappers and murderers. It will be an epic adventure across the west, constantly threatened by bandits, hostile gunslingers, bitter Native Americans, and of course the brutal landscape of the wilderness.

Our Characters

As stated before, we can be from a wide spectrum of townsfolk but the more in depth and interesting the better (rather than just have a bunch of cowboys/cowgirls take to the wilderness). We will move out as a team to track the bandits but it is only natural there will be conflict, tensions, friends and enemies along the way. Our characters will probably have the following posessions, so take these into account;

A horse, or a typical 'faithful steed'. These creatures are often a Western characters best friend.

A suitable weapon; Bear in mind this is a Western, guns are the predominate tools of defense. Typical brands are revolvers/ rifles/ Winchesters/ Colt single action- (But I'm open to suggestions within reason)

Period clothing; For girls and boys it may differ but generally we're talking about large stetson hats/ bandanas/ buckskin clothing/ spurs etc. (You're not stupid, you get it right?)

Canteens; Once on the move we'll need these; plus a good knowledge of how to use your surroundings to survive long periods of travel
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And from here, it moves into your hands. I hope this is sufficient. I may flesh up on this at a later date, this is just to see how many people are willing to go with this idea. I'm looking for about 7 or 8 serious RPG players. I know some of you are doing exams, that's ok. Just let me know when you're free. I hope to have this up and running soon. If you have any questions PM me. I look forward to hearing your replies and as soon as people and I, am satisifed, I'll go ahead and post a profile thread. Hope you like the idea, and here's hoping this is the start of something beautiful.

dang, dang, dang. I am not going to be able to commit to an RPG until July.


Good luck with this one!

The Industrial Revolution has swept through the West and the individuality of towns are taken over, often with force, by big business collective mindsets. Isolated forts, ranches and general homesteads have been pushed off the land, dominated by the barbaric politicans and colonisers.

I find this a little weird, somehow. What exactly are the barbaric politicians, big business(?), and colonisers doing?

To refine it...I think we need a specific big business who is in cahoots with corrupt politicians (btw...remember, since this takes place in a Representative Republic the townspeople voted the politician in...so he/she should still be charming) to take the people's land for their own nefarious uses (might want to figure out what these are), and as for 'colonisers'...do you mean 'squatters'?

All of our townspeople are colonisers themselves...or else one generation removed. When people moved west they applied for a claim through legal means...the squatters didn't do that, they just grabbed land and said if they're on it, it's theirs. Is that what you're thinking of?

As for buckskin...your hardy individualist backwoodsman will wear it. Your Native American will wear it. Townspeople will have access to cloth...calico for women, broadcloth for men's suits? Something called Linsey-woolsey (I think it was a blend of linen and wool that could be produced on a homestead) I believe was used for the bulk of clothing...it was homespun. Might take a little research to come up with clothes that fit the period...but it would be interesting.

Here's something I found that's a quick read and may give a good overview of history for the time/place: http://pinzler.com/ushistory/timeline7.html

That's all I can think of for now...will post more if more strikes me.

Thanks a lot foxee. As I say this was just a brief thing to get people interested and see if they'd buy into the rpg. I dont plan to start this for a couple of weeks yet so i certainly will go into specifics a lot more, particularly when setting out exactly who and what and where everything and everyone is.

Would you be interested though Foxee?

Charlie Eleanou! We'll reserve you a place. We'd love to have you on board.

i'ma in

Originally Posted by Short Tooth

Would you be interested though Foxee?

Sure! I'll give it a shot.

Hey ill give it a shot, if you'll have me.

Hey, dude, western, liekt he whole thing with the guns and the yeeha-ing and the whole cowboys...IM IN!!!!!!!!! can't wait for the plot.
I think it would be cool to be a marksman...execpt as a girl. hehe.

ooops theres already a plot...sorry blonde moment...hehe...hehe...Okay im not funny

ahh crap...sorry for the triple post...gay computer...its glitching

absolutely. check back soon for more substantial details