d20 Past: "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and the definitive steampunk setting

[WizarDru]

If you want a setting that's about as Steamtech Victorian as it gets, then you want Castle Falkenstein, which has, IMHO, one of the most enchanting world-settings ever. It beguiled me enough to actually run a short campaign in it, but I was not terribly happy with the card-based skill-resolution mechanic. It always seemed unfairly balanced to the GM, and didn't really work as I anticipated. Unless I was doing it wrong.

I didn't much care for the idea of a Gurps Castle Falkenstein, especially as I made my own adaption about two years ahead of SJG and RTG did. It was great fun, and I actually used some of the material from "Flashman and the Dragon" for an adventure set in Hong Kong and Tai Pei during that period (with Fu Manchu! Hoo Hah! It was a lot of fun!).


Sorely miss that, in fact. Maybe I'll ressurect that sometime in the near future. Mind you, my players have long asked me to ressurect my GURPS Japan game, and I've often promised I would. Perhaps if I could make it work under the d20 system. Hmmmm......

 

[Hawkshere]

Um, Castle Falkenstien, anyone?

Edit:

Rats! Wizadru beat me to it... Curses!

/em violently twists his mustache

 

[WizarDru]

Rats! Wizadru beat me to it... Curses!

HA HA! Foul Villian! Such a nefarious scheme using your Babbage Engine could never succeed!! Remember, the sun never sets on the British Empire!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a spot of Tea. Don't make me use fisticuffs, sir, or you'll find that I am pugilist of the most pussiant nature.

Good day to you, sir.


WizarDru, esq.
Order of the Golden Dawn
631 Lethbridge Street
East London (recently of Vienna)

 

[JPL]

I've heard good things about Falkenstein...but I guess I'm wanting something a little more real-world [but with all manner of sentient animal-men, Martian tripods, vampires, and lost cities out there waiting to be encountered].

 

[Hawkshere]

Hehehe! /bow wizardru

Seriously, even if you don't intend on using their rules or exact setting, CF is a tremendous source material for any victorian era game.

Another, completely different take on the genre is Space: 1889.

 

[WizarDru]

Well, Falkenstein is pretty modular in concept. You can really do with it what you want. If things like the Unseelie Court don't appeal to you, there remarkably easy to drop.

However, I think you may instead be looking for something more like Space: 1889, which was more of the imperial British spreading to Mars and elsewhere sort of feel to it. Of course, that has flying ships, and is more Borroughs than Chesterton. I personally dropped some of the sillier aspects of Falkenstein, such as the nudge-nudge-wink-wink references to handheld babbage engines that played games like "Backstreet Pugilist", for example.

For example, in my game, one particular run was called "Peabody and the Emperor's Pearl", where the PCs were accused of stealing a prized possesion of the Emperor, which was in fact a true Dragon's Egg. They encountered gun-runners for the Tai-Ping rebels, fought Fu Manchu's martial artist mooks, attended a fancy ball in Hong Kong, argued politics with William Randolph Hearst and a famous author on river-boat ride, and so on. Very little by way of fantastic elements, if you so desire.

 

[F5]

I'd perfer a League of Gentlemen D20 Modern game. Only for local people of course.

HA! It's a local rules supplement. For LOCAL PEOPLE!

I can all but guarantee I'm the only American on these boards that caught your League of Gentlemen reference, Bagpuss. What a weird little show that was...

 

[JPL]

Well, Falkenstein is pretty modular in concept. You can really do with it what you want. If things like the Unseelie Court don't appeal to you, there remarkably easy to drop.

However, I think you may instead be looking for something more like Space: 1889, which was more of the imperial British spreading to Mars and elsewhere sort of feel to it. Of course, that has flying ships, and is more Borroughs than Chesterton. I personally dropped some of the sillier aspects of Falkenstein, such as the nudge-nudge-wink-wink references to handheld babbage engines that played games like "Backstreet Pugilist", for example.

For example, in my game, one particular run was called "Peabody and the Emperor's Pearl", where the PCs were accused of stealing a prized possesion of the Emperor, which was in fact a true Dragon's Egg. They encountered gun-runners for the Tai-Ping rebels, fought Fu Manchu's martial artist mooks, attended a fancy ball in Hong Kong, argued politics with William Randolph Hearst and a famous author on river-boat ride, and so on. Very little by way of fantastic elements, if you so desire.

Funny you should mention "Backalley Pugilist" --- I damn near ran a one-shot based on the idea. A big martial arts tournament in Hong Kong circa 1890...I really wanted to play that old-timey boxer with the handlebar mustache...

It eventually evolved into a more conventional pulpy d20 Modern adventure featuring Fu Manchu's worst nightmare, Hanoi Xan.

That sounds like a fine adventure you ran...might have to score a copy of CF...

 

[Eridanis]

So somebody get to work on that, O.K.?

Don't worry. Go over to Wulf's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Story Hour for hints as to who might be heeding your wishes.

 

[JPL]

Interesting.

Most of the Leaguers are public domain, so there's no reason why someone couldn't put out a sourcebook featuring all of the major characters of the 1800s.

Too bad Fu Manchu isn't PD yet...