one last lancing.
Lancing an idea-boil.
I am not sure there is a less appealing way to put that.
-- After watching an episode of Trigun, I am reminded of my conviction that a fantasy or CoC game full of Western trappings could be cracking good fun.
For Call of Cthulhu I would investigate the always excellent Native American lore, plus some of the invented monsters that settlers came up with. I've never had much trouble adapting real-world beliefs or creatures into a Lovecraftian mold.
For a fantasy setting, I think the Western brings back some of the frontier spirit and "might makes right" that is generally implicit rather than explicit in D&D type games. I've been very intrigued at the idea of using a 13th Age style "Icons" system - the Icons represent powerful, world-shaking individuals with organizations in 13th Age. But in a Western, they don't all need to be individuals - they could be the Far-away Government (maybe personified by The President), the Railway Company, and some more abstract Deadlands style personifications (The Devil Himself).
-- After watching an episode of Vikings, my mind was wandering along similar tracks. While the 13th Age icons are explicitly not Gods, the way the mechanic plays out - roll and see if you have benefits or drawbacks relating to that figure - seems very well-suited, to me, to old school gods of the Roman or Norse variety. Rolled badly for Thor? Sounds stormy. Rolled well for Loki? Your life will be interesting indeed.
I thought a little about Viking werewolves, but I think simply representing the society of the times is a worthwhile challenge on its own.
Vikings is a pretty good show, by the by. Recommended after two episodes.
I also realized I like period/historical dramas WAY more than modern ones.
I am not sure there is a less appealing way to put that.
-- After watching an episode of Trigun, I am reminded of my conviction that a fantasy or CoC game full of Western trappings could be cracking good fun.
For Call of Cthulhu I would investigate the always excellent Native American lore, plus some of the invented monsters that settlers came up with. I've never had much trouble adapting real-world beliefs or creatures into a Lovecraftian mold.
For a fantasy setting, I think the Western brings back some of the frontier spirit and "might makes right" that is generally implicit rather than explicit in D&D type games. I've been very intrigued at the idea of using a 13th Age style "Icons" system - the Icons represent powerful, world-shaking individuals with organizations in 13th Age. But in a Western, they don't all need to be individuals - they could be the Far-away Government (maybe personified by The President), the Railway Company, and some more abstract Deadlands style personifications (The Devil Himself).
-- After watching an episode of Vikings, my mind was wandering along similar tracks. While the 13th Age icons are explicitly not Gods, the way the mechanic plays out - roll and see if you have benefits or drawbacks relating to that figure - seems very well-suited, to me, to old school gods of the Roman or Norse variety. Rolled badly for Thor? Sounds stormy. Rolled well for Loki? Your life will be interesting indeed.
I thought a little about Viking werewolves, but I think simply representing the society of the times is a worthwhile challenge on its own.
Vikings is a pretty good show, by the by. Recommended after two episodes.
I also realized I like period/historical dramas WAY more than modern ones.