33AR - A Steampunk Campaign

Wellington
#1

As some of you may know, I’m looking to start a steampunk campaign in Wellington. It is likely to run at Brookfields Scout Camp as weekend sessions (Friday evening until Sunday afternoon) twice a year (6 months apart, approximately) for 6 weekend sessions total, with the occasional day-game or theatreform in between.

Scenario:

[quote]It is with great sadness in my heart that I must join you in the sorrowful anniversary of the death of Queen Victoria I at the hands of the Demon attack. 33 years ago, the day of Ragnarok, in the last year of our Lord, 1873, Britain stood at the height of the Victorian Age. With her allies, our fair country mourned the passing of such a strong exemplar of morality. With appreciable, but waning, forces, Britain defended her empire in the face of an other-worldly onslaught from beyond the Abyss.

In a time of war, we invented grand new technologies to aid the defence of the Empire. The power of the Steam Engine was applied to a great many things, and never before were the weapons of the empire so mobile or so well armed. For a brief time, the advanced technology from the worlds greatest minds pushed the demons back towards the hell they had crawled from. However, the devil is cunning, and did learn of the mechanisms by which our war machines functioned. What little we had gained, we soon lost.

A great many nations and peoples fell to the hell-fire of the demons. Land was torched with a flame unlike any seen in nature or science. 33 years of war with an enemy that just kept creeping forward and never seemed to lack in numbers brought the fall of the human population. Our numbers have sunken steadily, and now only a few of us remain. Hunted like dogs, we few from many fallen nations cling together.

In these last few weeks, even Britain has not been able to stave off the tide of the devils. As you well know, they have reached our shores. I am sad to report that London herself has fallen to the demons. That is why you, many of our fellow countrymen, and even Queen Victoria II herself, are being evacuated to the Isle of Skye while the Army of Allied Nations kicks the hell-spawn from our lands.

However, just because we are being evacuated, does not mean you should let your guard down. As you can see in the distance, the smoke of demon fire rises. That is the location of the evacuation camps, and we have reason to suspect that one in our number is a traitor, or worse yet, a changling devil. Before we can set up residence within the bounds of the camp, we must first seize it from the despicable hell-spawn who would see it destroyed.

I realise not all of you are fighters. Some of you have come in the hopes of finding a safe place to settle your wary feet. Stay with the ships, or close behind those who would take arms against the demon horde, and you will be safe. We will drive them back to the Abyss, and right the wrongs they have committed here.[/quote]

Let me know if it piques your interest. I should have more information available as soon as I’ve finished the website which I’m currently working on.

#2

Oh I am so interested! I’ll be coming down from Auckland to play if I possibly can!

#3

Awesomeness.

#4

So very excited for this. plots

#5

Count me in too

#6

Not sure how this will map into the schedule, but Hannah and I will likely support it :smiley: I may even crew :slight_smile:

#7

I’m keen. I’m only in Wgtn for the summers usually, but depending on timing I might make it to other games.

#8

Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone!

I’m hoping to be able to run the first session of 33AR late next year (about this time next year). Although I admit that depends on my ability to raise funds for the booking of the venue and other expenses that need to be covered before I can allow character submissions and payments from players and crew.

#9

[quote=“Tetrajak”]Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone!

I’m hoping to be able to run the first session of 33AR late next year (about this time next year). Although I admit that depends on my ability to raise funds for the booking of the venue and other expenses that need to be covered before I can allow character submissions and payments from players and crew.[/quote]
You should talk to NZ Larps about floating you some of the money. That seems like the kind of thing that might be able to done, if it is accepted as an NZ Larps project…

#10

Sounds cool.

I reckon there’s heaps of potential for a steampunk or sci-fi larp campaign run in the style of Mordavia/Wolfgang’s/Teonn, using latex weapons and Nerf guns.

This review of the new Nerf Vortex guns (which fire discs that go further and straighter than the foam darts) seems to have larp written all over it. It would be possible to run a larp with only those four Vortex weapons available IC (there’s an auto and a pump action in there), pricing each one IC (and perhaps limiting available ammo somewhat) to balance them against melee weapons. They’re pretty cool looking, and could be modified to look steampunk or futuristic.

Also, seconding what Norman said. If you go the NZLARPS Project route, you shouldn’t have to worry about upfront funds. S’one of the things the society is for.

#11

One of the reasons I’m not getting financial help for this project is so I can use the profits to help fund Orion (which is a separate issue). There are also a number of problems when it comes to running a larp completely under the umbrella of NZLARPS, which I am happy to discuss somewhere other than in this thread.

There will still be discounts for NZLARPS members, except it’ll be me soaking up the loss. Having said that, it’s not much of a loss based on the first draft budget I’ve created for 33AR, which shows the first session running at a profit (albeit a very small one, but enough to soak up discounts without becoming negative).

As for the use of guns in 33AR; they wont be available to the players as equipment, but they may appear very rarely as usable items. This is mostly due to the armour mechanic of the game (more on that later).

#12

I think a Campaign is exactly what Wellington Needs. I feel very jealous of all the awesome campaigns up north. Teonn, Knightshade, WitchHouse, Starwars, Jade Empire.

I’m happy to help in any capacity I can Nick.

#13

Well, I’m looking for 2 other GMs to help me out with ideas and to GM the sessions, if that sounds like something you’d be keen to help out with. There’s a lot of other stuff as well, but currently that’s the most important thing I’m after in the way of help from others.

#14

[quote=“Ryan Paddy”]Sounds cool.

I reckon there’s heaps of potential for a steampunk or sci-fi larp campaign run in the style of Mordavia/Wolfgang’s/Teonn, using latex weapons and Nerf guns.

This review of the new Nerf Vortex guns (which fire discs that go further and straighter than the foam darts) seems to have larp written all over it. [/quote]

I have just bought one of these from Farmers (The vigilon) and man they are awesome. Well worth the 20 odd bucks. They fly straight and far and they look the business. Can’t wait to paint it :slight_smile:

#15

PM’d, to try and understand the problems better…

#16

I think the Vortex guns are also on special at the Warehouse. Nick will this style of gun be okay for players to use (if/when found) be great to know so we can pick them up whilst they’re cheap.

Cheers.

#17

As I’ve said, players are not allowed to bring guns to 33AR, as they are not player equipment. This is due to the armour mechanic (and it’s roll-on effects to other things sometimes seen as ‘standard’) that I have come up with for this campaign, which I will explain here for clarity;

[quote][size=120]Armour[/size]

Shields
In 33 AR, wood is ineffective for use as a shield, as demon fire can burn it and bullets can pierce it. There is also very little in the way of usable wood left after Ragnarok. Everything that was combustible has generally been combusted. More robust materials that are impervious to demon fire are in short supply. Those who can afford such materials protect themselves with personal body armour, as single combat is a great deal more common for a human than grouped combat in this day and age.

Body Armour
Various materials, from brass, to iron, to silver, to ceramics, to demon-hide, and several others, have been found to be very useful in protecting the human body from the dangers presented by the demon threat. Sadly, these materials are rather rare After Ragnarok, and thus an individual can usually afford no more than a few pieces of armour made from these materials.

Armour of these kinds is impervious to any form of damage that is leveled against them in this era, and are thus highly prized by those in hazardous occupations.

At any time, an individual may armour up to two (2) parts of their body. Each limb counts as one (1) part, and the torso also counts as one (1) part. Any helmet/hat the character wishes to wear does not count towards the max of two (2) armoured body parts. Select which parts of your body you wish to armour carefully, as they will have a direct influence on your fighting style and where your weak points are.[/quote]

Please note that armour doesn’t have to be made out of the materials listed, it just needs to look like it is, and thus can be made out of a great variety of cheaper materials and then painted appropriately.

And the gun rules, for those who are curious;

[quote][size=120]Guns[/size]

Projectile weapons (phys-rep’d by Nerf foam dart guns) are extremely rare in 33 AR, and as such player-characters are not allowed to bring them to games. Most combustible substances, such as gun powder, have been burnt by demon fire, and this has rendered conventional guns useless.

A few very ingenious inventors have created steam powered projectile weapons, which are rare, expensive, and highly prized by those who possess them. However, as these are mostly experimental, and rely on steam pressure to launch their projectiles, they have a bad habit of breaking, running out of steam, or generally malfunctioning after prolonged periods of use. A lucky few player characters may get their hands on one of these weapons, but it is highly likely the gun will be useless even before the end of the session. If you are so lucky, be careful when and how you use them.

If you possess and fire a Nerf gun, please pick up all the foam darts after using them. You are allowed to reuse ammunition you pick up.[/quote]

As you can see, with only 2 armoured body parts, there’s a lot of exposed area for a nerf bullet to hit, thus making them quite powerful when you can’t hide behind a shield either. Even though the darts only do 1 damage each, the standard HP is 3, with a total possible max of 6; that means it only takes a few good shots to incapacitate a character.

#18

Doesn’t it seem reasonable that if someone is shot 3 times they are incapacitated?

They do one damage and you have 3 hp. That doesnt seem to make them powerful, considering armour on the torso will negate quite a lot of bullet damage (large target, whereas its easier to hit legs, arms with melee weapons than nerf guns)

I am not advocating for guns in the game. I think they are quite clunky, but I am just not sure on the rationale is all.

#19

I understand this is all driven by your desired armour mechanic, which is in turn driven by your desired visual aesthetic, but it doesn’t make much sense. There are extant, non-gunpowder firearms in your period, which were perfectly lethal and in use (the Girondi Air Rifle is an older example, but similar weapons were used by the Prussians for sniping during the Franco-Prussian War). If you can make steam apparatus, then you can make these. And if the world is no longer on fire (its not clear - did everything burn, or is everything still burning) then you have an awful lot of raw material to make new gunpowder out of (though if demons spit fire at you, it may not be the best of ideas).

#20

Important question: the queen is dead, the world has ended. Does this mean that one can’t get a decent tailor anymore?