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DEVIL'S GULCH - Basic Roleplaying Adventures in the Weird Wild West


Trifletraxor

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devil-s-gulch.jpgDevil's Gulch is a typical town of the American Old West from 1870 through 1885. It is a collection of buildings set along a single dirt road with side streets where private residences are found. It features saloons, a bank, a general store, and a church. Most buildings are made of wood, though some boast of a brick addition or a stone foundation). Hitching rails are found in front of most buildings, and water troughs are set sporadically along the main street. Train tracks form one of the town’s borders. On the outskirts of Devil’s Gulch are mines, ranches, and box canyons perfect for hiding desperadoes. The cast of characters includes gamblers, gunfighters, a preacher, a blacksmith, and a nymph du prairie (that’s a prostitute to those in the know). If you make Devil’s Gulch a base of operations for your Wild or Weird West campaign, the players may be interested in taking on the roles already filled by NPCs. There are many players who would jump at the opportunity to play the town sheriff or even the established gambler.

The basic layout of Devil’s Gulch is suitable for an historical campaign set in the American Old West, but there are many suggestions included for placing the town in the Weird West. You can modify the setting even beyond the author’s suggestions: Devil’s Gulch could be easily transferred to a steam-punk setting in which the town is an outpost of the new British Colony on Mars; perhaps it is populated with humans and grays, and the real trouble comes from tribes of xenomorphs roaming the Martian landscape; or maybe Devil’s Gulch is an immersive amusement park created by an evil gunslinger with superpowers, just waiting to test his skills against your heroes! The town is a tool to use and transform as needed. Also included is a fold-out town illustration and diagram with major establishments identified. On the other side we offer a broadsheet touting Dr. Farnam's Astounding Medicine Show.

By Troy Wilhelmson. 88 pages. Published by Chaosium October 2010.

Edited by Trifletraxor

Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub!
b1.gif 116/420. High Priest.

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So, I have the two Wild West books and thought it might be useful to compare and contrast them. Don't think of this as a full review of either book.

Devil's Gulch:

Assumes historical setting with options to add "the weird"

Details one town with numerous NPCs for play.

Not a lot of information on what "The Wild West" as a genre is.

Five new character occupations such as Mad Scientist and Medicine Man and chart mapping traditional Wild West occupations to BGB occupations.

Handles "triggernometry" through a combination new skills and spot rules.

Only new creatures are manitou.

Guidelines for creating Native, Chinese, African American characters.

Two scenarios, both of which are Weird West.

High production values, but somewhat confusing layout.

Excellent art.

Aces High:

Assumes Weird West setting by default

Covers the Wild West as a genre, doesn't detail one specific location.

Thirty-one occupations, some of which could be handled by BGB occupations.

Handles many of the Wild West signature gun techniques as a combination of new skills and spot rules.

A very well researched bestiary.

Detailed rules and options for creating Native, Chinese, African American characters. As well as outlaws.

One scenario, which is Weird West

Good production values, solid layout.

Good art.

In a nutshell, I like them both and am glad I purchased both. Each one has things about it that I like and things that I think the other book did better. I would use the town created in Devil's Gulch as a backdrop for an Aces High campaign. It's interesting in that neither one seems complete without the other.

Edited by cjbowser
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  • 2 weeks later...

There are only 2 layout issues that confused me on first reading, but they are pretty easy to over-look.

This is a great source book. The artwork is fantastic, the index is decent, and all of the NPCs come with a few options to give you some flexibility with the kind of campaign you're running. This book makes an excellent companion to any campaign set in the late 19th century new world, wierd or not.

I highly recommend it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Actually, for me the artwork represents a step backward from the great art that was in the 6e and also Unseen Masters. The art is akin to Arkham Now - a matter of preference...I suppose. The rules are fairly solid - although, I prefer the rules that were outlined in Worlds of Cthulhu (which also had better art).

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  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I picked this up last night. I love it. The artwork is fun, quirky, and evocative. It really helpes give each NPC a distinct personality. Devil's Gulch is full of stereotypes and archetypes, yet many have a fresh take or spin. It feels like a real place.

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Christian Conkle

Blogs: Geek Rampage! - Swords of Cydoria - Exiled in Eris

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  • 3 weeks later...

Nothing in the sourcebook mentions the Lovecraftian mythos or the CoC game.

Page nine under the Hex Master title makes reference to " the dread Necronomicon". And there is an obvious Elder sign on the guns on the cover. So chaosium were trying to show that it could be used for a CoC setting. Though it would make for a much more enjoyable CoC scenario, as the PCs would have much more kick ass characters to play.

http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. ;)
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Well, the cover was the best part of the book's art...being Cheeky that is...

However, the rules I found were solid yet I would have expected more...as I did get more even from the small sections in Worlds of Cthulhu...I guess if I want something realistic I will have to wait for BRP Western akin the BRP Rome (C7's product). Where you have a solid historical setting with the Mythos as an option. For the thing that I love about Cthulhu is that one plays a highly realistic game and need never really call the Mythos for what they are.

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Does it have Cowboys, Indians and Ninjas?

In might a man, a youth in years, Of boisterous valour, Swift long-maned steeds under the thigh of a handsome youth ...Quicker to a field of blood, than to a wedding quicker to the ravens' feast

- Y Gododdin

"The soldier knows little of philosophers but in him and in his deeds life expresses itself more profoundly than any book can"

- Ernst Junger

E3b1a2 V13 V36

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Gotta have ninjas and stray kung fu masters in the wild west.

In might a man, a youth in years, Of boisterous valour, Swift long-maned steeds under the thigh of a handsome youth ...Quicker to a field of blood, than to a wedding quicker to the ravens' feast

- Y Gododdin

"The soldier knows little of philosophers but in him and in his deeds life expresses itself more profoundly than any book can"

- Ernst Junger

E3b1a2 V13 V36

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Sorry my mistake! Did mix up the Devils Gulch and Aces High thread. :?

But the two modules blend so well together anyway.

Kung Fu wielding Shaolin monks are available for play in the Aces High book.

Yeah Kung Fu was cool in the west.

In might a man, a youth in years, Of boisterous valour, Swift long-maned steeds under the thigh of a handsome youth ...Quicker to a field of blood, than to a wedding quicker to the ravens' feast

- Y Gododdin

"The soldier knows little of philosophers but in him and in his deeds life expresses itself more profoundly than any book can"

- Ernst Junger

E3b1a2 V13 V36

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  • 1 year later...

I've had this book for a while but I really haven't gone through it. I just now picked it up to flick through it quickly. Man, it's beautiful. Thomas Boatwright's art makes this book feel like Hellboy in teh Weird West, which can ONLY be a good thing.

Seriously. Look at that.

9c2e1723.jpg

Look at these guys.

cae90e24.jpg

Just awesome stuff.

Also, merging the Bible and magic staff rules is inspired! :D

70/420

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Had a chance to give the book a proper look.

First off, the writing is clear and direct. I have a very simple mind, so this is a very valuable thing to me. :D The book is covered in art and the layout is great. It all goes towards a very finished feel. There's a fold out map insert with the town layout and a drawing of the town. On the back is an old timey broadsheet.

Character creation starts out with a list of Professions. The BGB name is there beside the suggested name changes and skill swaps. Cowboy becomes Drover, Noble becomes TinHorn or Dude. All nice touches that add flavor to characters and tailor the BGB nicely to the genre.

I should note that the game leans heavily on the BGB allowing normal character generation, new skills, new equipment and an overview of 'the COde of the West' to take up about six pages. There is an additional six pages dedicated to the generation of 'Weird West' characters, which is were some fun mechanic stuff is. Because Devil's Gulch takes this approach, it's able to pack a lot of suggestive stuff into those pages.

Devil's Gulch adds Hexmasters, Medicine Men, Preachers, Snake Oil Hustlers and Mad Scientists as special professions that utilize Powers systems. In fact, the only Powers system from the BGB not represented is Psychic powers. Snake Oil Hustlers utilize Mutations and Mad Scientists use Super Powers. At first I was a bit taken aback by this approach, but I've come to think the way it is instituted is rather brilliant.

One watershed I have on a weird west game is how easy it is to run something like this...

3036879640_9dc0519ab1.jpg

In the case of Devil's Gulch, this is actually an example listed under Mad Scientist. It would be a Clockwork Automaton created using the Sidekick power.

I think Devil's Gulch does a good job in roughing out how the Powers should be used without bogging itself down into detailing out all of the specifics. Devil's Gulch presents a Powers system as a guideline and leaves a lot of room for decisions to be made between the GM and the Player.

Sanity rules are here, and tied into using the Powers for the weird professions. Should a PC fumble a roll regarding their Powers system (casting roll, resistance roll, skill roll, etc.) the Sanity system kicks in. It's a nice touch and I like how some of the consequences would seem to shake out. For example, I would think an Hexmaster, who's main power deals with the Magic system, would be tempting sanity more than a Preacher, who's system revolves around the Sorcery system. There just tends to be more die rolls with Magic than Sorcery. A similar artifact would exist if one tied Psychic skills into the game as well. This is not a big thing, but a nice touch.

The only things I would possibly add to weird west characters is a Gunslinger type who could augment their skill with pp and thus performing impossible feats and maybe a Whisperer or Medium to pull in those Psychic rules.

That leaves about sixty pages of other content. The book details eleven locations in Devil's Gulch (and more in the surrounding area) and over 30 NPCs. The NPCs all have artwork attached and are written to be easily utilized. Not too much information to be overwhelming but not too little to be dull or lifeless. Almost all of the NPCs have potential secrets attached to them.

There are two scenarios in the book. The first one incorporates the possibility of bar fights, jail breaks, hangings, gunfights, roaming through badlands, standing on holy ground, stake outs and hostile ranchers. The second one is a mystery surrounding a 'Medicine Show' and is delightfully evil.

I've never actually run a western before, though on occasion I get the hankerin to try. This book definitely feeds into that desire.

70/420

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I think Chaot did a very well review. I never played a Wild West RPG, but this book actually got me interested. The atmosphere is good and the new rules add flavour. :)

Exactly. Chaot make so good job in his review, that I have purchased Devil's Gulch PDF from chaosium before few minutes. B-)

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I think Chaot did a very well review. I never played a Wild West RPG, but this book actually got me interested. The atmosphere is good and the new rules add flavour. :)

Thanks Boss! As I was reading through it again the book has been floating around the house. I walk into a room and my seven year old daughter is going through it. She was particularly taken by The Spider-Like Thing. Her over all assessment is that it looks like a 'very cool dice rolling game book.' So that makes the three of us. :D

If I ever get around to a weird west game, this book is certainly going to be an influence. There are a few NPCs in there that I might yoink for other games on general principal. Just because they're neat.

Exactly. Chaot make so good job in his review, that I have purchased Devil's Gulch PDF from chaosium before few minutes. B-)

I hope you enjoy it!

An odd thought and first thing that came to my mind when they talked about the Weird West profession power sources. Since The Good Book acts as a staff, it stands to reason that it might also get a 1d6 damage bonus. I mean, look at that Preacher man there.

1de9bb87.jpg

You just know he's busted some deadite's jaw with his holy book.

It looks like Troy also wrote In Search of Trollslayer, which is another book that I have but haven't read. I'll have to pick it up again.

Edit: Hmm, sorry the pictures sideways. I have it rotated at my hosting site, but it looks like those edits don't follow to img codes.

Edited by Chaot

70/420

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I have that book and it's an excellent one. I don't think you will be disappointed. I was planning to use the scenarios for our Aces High (another weird west monograph) campaign but we never got to it and finished the campaign before we got to use Devil's Gulch.

But Devil's Gulch will probably be the starting point for our next weird west campaign when that starts. I does describe a town and two scenarios. But the first part of the book does contain a very nice description and suggestions on how to use the BRP rules for a Wild West or Weird West campaign with some new professions added in as Chaot described.

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