Down Darker Trails Campaign resources and sub discussion group

[karlhayden]

I am starting a DDT campaign. Using the Pawheton mining camp town as a start. I also bought Metacreator to help in NPC creating and game running. My group is total CoC newbies, which is gonna be cool. I will be using the initial stuff from DDT, but adding in a Yig/Snakeman story, still working on it. Is anybody out else running DDT? Any suggestions on adventures to adapt or computer resources to use besides Metacreator? I have a bunch of minis from Deadlands and Shadows of Brimstone and FFGs Mansions of Madness to use, plus RPGNOW has great paper old west buildings. I will eventually lead the group into the Bone Wars, but with a CoC twist. I was hoping that there would be a subgroup here for DDT. Is there an interest in starting subgroup or one in place already (that I can't find) dealing with the old west CoC?

[goal:dilmun]

Working on my first DDT-scenario now. I'd be interested in such a subgroup. What I'm working on now is a simple story set in Nevada, using the fake native american legend of the Si-teh-kah giants. Going to use Pulp Cthulhu as well, to give this an action oriented spin.

[karlhayden]

Sounds interesting. I'm planning on throwing in a lot of non-supernatural encounters to keep a western feel. Also I plan on using some pulp tropes such as a lost valley of dinosaurs.  I'm going to limit weird science to occasional villains. I'm also to hoping to blog the campaign progress. You and I are both new on the forums, hopefully we can a good Western Keepers Group going. . 

[goal:dilmun]

DDT is still quite new. Most likely more people will be joining in after a while. I agree with you on the non-supernatural encounters, otherwise there's not much point in running a western campaign, really. Also, there's a lot of dark stuff in western movies that can be used to create a dark atmosphere without using supernatural elements. Obviously, there are a lot of crazy murderers walking around , but also things like sinister preachers/religious communities for example, and just the loneliness of the huge landscapes.

[karlhayden]

Creepy preachers are an excellent example. Plus, your players will be thinking he's not a normal creepy guy leading a normal deluded cult. All the guys I have playing have never played CoC, just DnD, so I'm gonna have a good time.

 

[karlhayden]

I have started a WordPress blog for my campaign. In the expectation, the campaign will take off and not fall apart.

https://wordpress.com/post/thegoodtheevilandthetentacled.wordpress.com

Hopefully, I can get my players to summarize or short story their characters experience with each session, along with my Keeper's narrative and have a cool story for them to enjoy when not playing.

[goal:dilmun]

Is there a digital version of the Old West map from the book available somewhere?

[RichardA]

I'm working on creating a Down Darker Trails campaign for my players, which I hope to start in a month or two. This weekend though, I'm running a DDT scenario at a local SFF convention. The PCs will be famous historical characters, such as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday, who form a posse to pursue Apaches who allegedly attacked several local ranches. Their search leads to a "lost valley" of dinosaurs where they uncover a diabolical plot to refight the Civil War. And there are a couple additional twists. The finale may involve using the Chase rules as the PCs, on horseback, try to flee from a ravenous T. Rex. 

[karlhayden]

 

Goal:dilmun: I haven't seen a digital version of the map anywhere.

RichardA: That scenario sounds like a ton of fun! Hope it goes well. 

I play in two groups one I run a DnD campaign the other I play a character in a DnD campaign. I am trying to get both groups to start a second session where I run CoC. One of which will be DDT and one might be CoC Pulp or DDT. I've run Deadlands a bunch so I'm stealing plots and scenarios from there for DDT.

 

[Max_Writer]

I plan to run a Down Darker Trails campaign starting sometime in January.  I've been collecting old west/wild west scenarios and such for some time as I usually run different settings during the summer (it's been limited to Dark Ages, Elizabethan, Jacobean (Pirates), and American Revolution to date) and wanted to run some old west ever since I got Worlds of Cthulhu #2 with rules for making up such characters.

I don't have a plan or a campaign planned out yet, though I've been watching The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. for some kind of inspiration and love the over-arcing "Orb" storyline, though I figure it would be cool if the orb were some kind of information/energy device crafted by the Yithians.  Still working on that idea.

Here are some other Wild West scenarios I've found though:

Worlds of Cthulhu #2: Call of Cthulhu in the Wild West and The Hunt for Kid Richter

Worlds of Cthulhu #3: The Golden Scorpion

Worlds of Cthulhu #6: Sunset at Sandy Gulch

Dragon Magazine #46: This Here's Tyrannosaurus Tex (ideas for dinosaurs)

Blood Brothers 2: The Evil Gun

Night of the Kachina monograph containing three scenarios

Adios-A-Migo

Sundown (online scenario)

Horror on Two Forks Trail (online scenario)

If you're looking for interesting maps (and nice mini-games for running trials and a few other things) Aces & Eights has both.

[karlhayden]

Thanks, Max! That was awesome info.

Night of the Kachina I had forgotten about, and I was completely unaware of Worlds of Cthulhu.

Sundown and Horror at Two Forks Trail were easy to find and I can fit them in what I'm planning.

Can't seem to zero in on Adios-A-Migo web searching. Blood Brothers 2: The Evil Gun was easy to find.

I am currently reading The Edge of Sundown from Chaosium and just finished Frontier Cthulhu both of which have several short stories that could easily be kicked over into a scenario.

I also recommend the Six-Gun Tarot, which describes an awesome weird west town and has a very Lovecraftian plot. The Shotgun Arcana sequel is also very good. 

The original Deadlands RPG and Deadlands Reloaded also have a bunch of material that can be ported over fairly easily. You can trim out the weird science if you don't want too much of that in a CoC style game. They are all available on RPGnow. Coyote Trail a separate RPG also may have some useful material to use. It has like five books one of which looks to add supernatural elements, also a colonial supplement. I'll have to check out Aces & Eights. 

Also if you are looking for miniatures, there are paper ones on RPGnow plus paper old west buildings and a train. Also searching for Deadlands miniatures will get you some lead figures. Dixon Miniatures also produces western minis.

 

 

 

[Max_Writer]

Thanks.

Adios A-Migo is actually an old Deadlands dime novel scenario.  I should have been more specific.  It's here:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16599/Deadlands-Dime-Novel-Adios-AMiGo?it=1

I've got to sit down and figure out where to start.  I think I'm going to start my own campaign in 1870 as it's close enough to the Civil War that investigators can have the choice of having fought in that conflict.  Otherwise ... I've got nothing so far.  I will, though.

[RichardA]

My DDT scenario went very well this weekend, enjoyed by all the players. Two characters were killed by a T. Rex and one character made a sacrifice to remain behind, shutting down a planar gateway.  Everyone remained sane, though there were few opportunities in the scenario to lose sanity. I'm running the scenario again later this week for my online group so will report back once that is done.

As for Western resources, I'd suggested the Knuckleduster Cowtown Creator, which helps you design western towns. 

[10baseT]

The Hanging Garden issue 5 is a western themed issue and has some cool western scenarios, for BRP there's "The Run Away Bride" and "Once Upon a Mine". Then for GURPS western there's "Damned of the Earth" all easily convertible to 7e.

[Max_Writer]

12 hours ago, 10baseT said:

The Hanging Garden issue 5 is a western themed issue and has some cool western scenarios, for BRP there's "The Run Away Bride" and "Once Upon a Mine". Then for GURPS western there's "Damned of the Earth" all easily convertible to 7e.

Excellent.  I'm stilling looking for more scenarios.  Thank you.

[RichardA]

You can also check out the Aces & Eight supplement, The Running Death, which adds Zombies to the Wild West

[jeffjerwin]

The Aces & Eight supplement Judas Crossing is simply amazing. It's an incredibly detailed Western town and could make an excellent basis for a campaign (just add a Great Old One...)

 

http://www.kenzerco.com/product_info.php?products_id=683

[Max_Writer]

I'd forgotten about The Running Death.  I thought I had a copy of the pdf somewhere but can't figure out what I did with it.

I'll be referring to Aces & Eights a bit and plan to use the train maps for Trouble on the Sequoya Star at some point.  I own all of the supplements as I spent several Origins and Gen Cons working the Kenzerco booth.

[RichardA]

Jeff, I've already planned to use Judas Crossing as a major city in my upcoming DDT campaign. I've just been spending my time adding some supernatural elements to the city. 

I've also been planning to create a Midian-like city for my campaign. In the story Cabal, by Clive Barker (which was made into the movie Nightbreed), Midian is a city of "monsters", essentially a cemetery with an enormous underground community. My DDT city of Midian would be a typical western town where all the inhabitants are supernatural, and there would be an underground city beneath it with supernaturals that can't pass as human. 

[RichardA]

And one more resource: The Chaosium adventure, Red Eye of Azathoth, has five scenarios, including a Western one called "And Madness Shall Rise To Devour The West." The adventure contains a small town and one of the regenerated characters is Doc Holliday. 

[goal:dilmun]

Wow! Activity on this thread suddenly exploded. Lots of great suggestions here. Thanks guys!

[Toadmaster]

I didn't even know this was coming until just a few weeks ago. Lots of possibilities, native curses (calling on old ones to rid them of these intruders), Wild Wild West plots (calling on old ones to do nefarious things), cryptozoological encounters (bigfeets and more of their ilk), all mixed in with old west adventures.

 

The long term secret society campaign now has another link for any who want to do a Pendragon style arc beginning with Rome and working generation by through the ages.

[klecser]

I've enjoyed reading the suggestions in this thread. 

Just a consideration for everyone:  "Native curses", shaman "magic" and other tropes like it ("evil" Voodoo, "Indian burial grounds") are potentially triggering experiences for players.  We don't NEED to use them as GMs for a great story.  No matter how good your intentions are, they potentially work more in support of early Pulp's/Lovecraft's racism than against it.  Please consider this.  I'm not trying to start anything here.  I just want to point out things that people don't often consider.  Or even think they are playing appropriately and really aren't.  That's my concern with this setting, which I think is a spectacular product as a whole.  I think the book itself does a pretty good job of handling it and I look forward to incorporating it into my games.

[goal:dilmun]

This character was cut out of the movie "The Crow" from 1994. I think this picture would make a pretty cool handout for DDT. I'm including both the original image and one I have edited to make it seem more like a period photo.

[Max_Writer]

I'm planning on calling my campaign "The Catastrophe Engine."  I'm going to borrow somewhat from The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. and put that story arc around the Old West scenarios I've been gathering together.  The main villain will be John Valentine.