Witch Hunter: Are you playing? Yes? No? Why?

[sasseyfrass]

Reading the first chapter, I saw that there were changes to history, but the majority of those were minor with the exception of two things that I can think iof offhand (I'm sure there are a couple more).

1. The Aztec Empire defeated Cortez and thus the Spaniards hold in that area of the world is different.

2. (and in regards to your post), women in society are essentially the equals of men. This is due to the Black Plague taking as it's victim, many more men than women. Women stepped up to fill the void in roles normally held by men. Once that foothold was gained, it was not reversed. Well, except in the ranks of nobility where they at least pretend that women are genteel and such (but even they can go and learn swordsmanship and such behind the scenes). There are women in historically male roles: soldiers, officers, blacksmiths, etc... One of the lines in the book refers to "Rosie the blacksmith", where I chuckled at the reference to the American "Rosie the riveter" from WWI that was a similar result as this fictional black plague on women in society. Great parallel. So I guess I'm saying, you don't have to really stretch to play a female character in the campaign, it is already part of the game (at least as far as I can tell).

/cheers!

-Dave

The state of women of the time has also not stood in the way of any of us playing female characters-- I've known folks playing school marms, nuns, "grannies from hades", prissy academics, and in one case a Russian thug who was tough enough that no one was going to argue the inappropriateness of it with her. My own is a half-Indian folk healer who got sent off to be educated by nuns in Quebec. She can excuse any lapses in her French accent to the Algonquin influence, and packs enough pistols and heathen magic that the sailors don't hit on her for long.

--Eloiwyn

 

[Walt C]

Reading the first chapter, I saw that there were changes to history, but the majority of those were minor with the exception of two things that I can think iof offhand (I'm sure there are a couple more).

The other "major" one would be that the Dutch East India Company still controls New Netherland, which comprises modern-day New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut (although that is disputed by the English Connecticut Colony) and parts of Maryland and Massachusetts. This splits the English colonies into two separate regions, New England and the Southern Colonies.

Walt

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

It's funny. I enjoy running it despite it's historical setting.

Usually historical settings bore the !@#$% out of me. I really don't care that much about it. I don't have this vision of things being somehow "better" in the past, and the thought of a real historically grounded game is just "bleh" to me.

Ars Magica, Harn (fantasy, but really freaking grounded in history none the less), High Medieval... I don't expect to ever play in 'em, and I'm certainly never going to run 'em.

But I like Witch Hunter because I don't really have to be all wrapped up in history to be able to run it. I've got a "good enough" understanding of history, and that's about all that matters. It provides a touch of familiarity for people to be able to identify with, just like you can say "elf" and people automatically have an idea what they're dealing with, even if the specifics vary somewhat depending on the actual game.

The only player in the game that tries to put on an accent does such a bad job of it (and we all tease him) that nobody else feels a particular need to do so.

My wife likes playing her Native American character, and appreciates the changes to the setting enough that it means she doesn't have to constantly deal with the automatic "Oh look, it's a woman talking" thing that seems to infuse most other games that are "historically" based.

Why am I running it?

The overall premise of the game was different, and I'd just finished running a year long BESMd20 game. One of the players refuses to play anything that isn't d20 or White Wolf, and I was able to get him to try the game by saying, "It's really similar to White Wolf in how it does stuff."

It's a nice change of pace for me as a GM, and it gives me a chance to actually use one of the many games in my library. With a bit of luck it'll expand some of the player's minds in terms of being willing to try other games.

And even though it's "historically" rooted, it's nice to have something that isn't A) Medieval, B) Modern, or C)Sci-Fi. Those three right there cover about 75%+ of all rpgs.

 

[HalWhitewyrm]

The other "major" one would be that the Dutch East India Company still controls New Netherland, which comprises modern-day New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut (although that is disputed by the English Connecticut Colony) and parts of Maryland and Massachusetts. This splits the English colonies into two separate regions, New England and the Southern Colonies.

Of all the big alterations to history the game takes, that is my favorite. I love that it is still New Amsterdam; having the Dutch with such a strong presence in the New World adds a whole new dynamic to the power struggle between the European powers. Plus I just plain like the Dutch.

And even though it's "historically" rooted, it's nice to have something that isn't A) Medieval, B) Modern, or C)Sci-Fi. Those three right there cover about 75%+ of all rpgs.

I personally love historical games, with a passion, but that aside, WH had the bonus on focusing on the Americas, a land that has gretly underused in games. It's the same reason why Northern Crown called my attention. So, the fact that it was historical already endeared to me, and an initial focus on the Americas (yet with a view of the larger world out there) sold me on it.

 

[kenobi65]

My own is a half-Indian folk healer who got sent off to be educated by nuns in Quebec. She can excuse any lapses in her French accent to the Algonquin influence, and packs enough pistols and heathen magic that the sailors don't hit on her for long.

Hey, Kristi, fancy seeing you here!

- Red Wolf, the linguistically-challenged Oneida healer

 

[Armadillo]

I'm not playing and don't intend to. First, I'm in a group that's playing Solomon Kane. Second, this is close to a project that I'm working on. And third, I don't like the alt-history premises underlying the game.

It isn't extremely alt.

My read is that it's fairly alt. From the Campaign Guide (http://darkprovidence.net/Files/WH_Campaign_Guide_v1.03.pdf):

It is Earth 1689. Colonists have been settling the New World, nations and churches are in deep turmoil in the Old World, the Aztecs continue fending off the Spanish invaders, the Dutch control New Amsterdam, and the French have begun settling New Orleans.

Still having the Dutch in New Amsterdam isn't such a big deal since that's only ten or so years off and it could have gone either way historically. But having the Aztecs still resisting the Spanish more than 150 years later is a big deal with major consequences for the Spanish in North America.

Also, it's been a year since I looked at the book, but I recollect that something else about the history and nature of the witch hunters didn't sit right.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I'm running it at Gen Con for some of the CM faithful

It's been our "fallback" game for awhile. It is great fun

 

[HalWhitewyrm]

But having the Aztecs still resisting the Spanish more than 150 years later is a big deal with major consequences for the Spanish in North America.

Not so much in North America; they still hold Florida and the Caribbean. Central America is all Aztec territory, and South America is contested. I have no problem with that change, actually. I think it adds a whole new tension to the area.

I'm running it at Gen Con for some of the CM faithful

Awesome. Eric told me there were other, non-DP WH games going on, so at least now I know about one of them.

 

[Eloiwyn]

Hey, Kristi, fancy seeing you here!

- Red Wolf, the linguistically-challenged Oneida healer

Heh, hiya Red Wolf! It's not my usual hang-out, but I try to learn a new trick every now and then...

Genevieve and her pistols are looking forward to rebuffing more sailors at DragonCon

 

[HalWhitewyrm]

I'm running it at Gen Con for some of the CM faithful

What scenario are you running, a pre-made one or a homebrewed? I think I'd like to run a WH game as well but I'm not sure what to run.