Colonial Gothic: The Ross-Allen Letters

By Rogue Games

Something is afoot.

Lurking between these two covers are a collection of correspondences of the most disturbing of nature. What is this mystery, and what ramifications does the discovery of it hold?C

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rogue Games
• Release date: Mar 29, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452455426

Rogue Games

AboutWho We AreFounded in 2007, Rogue Games motto is simple: Games so good they sneak up on you.The Rogue’s RulesRule 1: Have fun!Rule 2: The setting defines the rules, the rules do not define the setting.What’s this all about?Games.That is what it is all about.For as long as he can remember Richard Iorio II has enjoyed not only playing, but designing games. Rogue Games is where he designs and produces games.

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Colonial Gothic: Rulebook

by

Richard Iorio II & James Maliszewski

Smashwords Edition

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Published by:

Rogue Games, Inc. on Smashwords

Colonial Gothic: Rulebook

Copyright © 2009 Rogue Games, Inc.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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Credits

Written by Richard Iorio II & James Maliszewski

Curious Words, Safehouse & Where Loyalties Lie by Jennifer Brozek

Edited by Ariana Fisch

Art by Jeff Preston, Doug Kovacs, Jeremy Simmons, Clipart courtesy of FCIT (Florida Educational Technology Clearinghouse), Dover Publications, Alex Nikada, Nikolay Staykov, Govinda Jakosalem-Trazo & Janne Ahvo

Colonial Gothic logo by Leanne Buckley

Playtesting by Jae Walker, Joe Kavanagh, Phil Morey, Amanda Lange, Craig Norman, The River Gods of Gaming (Jason Duncan, Mike Barnes, Ryan Shelton & Joe Myers), Zachary Houghton, Shane Philips, Kal Christoph, Clark George, Rober Maitland, Warjna Suellen Plonski, Cirroco, James Jones, Cynthia Jirel Hart, William Butler, Steven Bowden, Spencer Scisson, Brendan Davis, & Anoma ChindamaiSpecial thanks to Ariana Fisch (love of my life), James Maliszewski (you put the friend in business partner), Timothy Eccles (a different point of view), Anthony Ragan (the older brother I never had), Graeme Davis (sending that email), Zachary Houghton (making my day with a simple blog post), Leanne Buckley (a logo that makes me smile), Ed Healey (I could not ask for a better cheerleader), Ron Barton (random comments that make me smile), Jeff Preston (knocking my socks off every time you send me a sketch), Bruce Baugh (encouragement when I need it), Jae Walker (being there with a helpful hand), Jennifer Brozek (I am so happy you stopped by the booth at GenCon 2008), the members of the Colonial Gothic Gazette Yahoo! Group (I am very thankful for all the advice and willingness to lend input), the coffee of the Siren, the history teachers who taught me, the writers who influenced me & the enemies who motivated me.

Colonial Gothic: Rulebook all contents © 2007-2010 by Rogue Games Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced without permission except small parts for review or scholarly criticism.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

Published by Rogue Games, Inc.

Rogue Games' Rogues are Richard Iorio II & James Maliszewski

Rogue Games, Rogue Games logo, Colonial Gothic & Colonial Gothic logo are TM and © 2007-2010 by Rogue Games, Inc.

Visit the Rogues on the web: www.rogue-games.net

Curious Words

By Jennifer Brozek

5 April 1775

Dear Jeremy,

I hope this missive finds you well. I know it has been a long time since we spoke, especially on Society business. However, I found something I know you will be interested in. I am in Charlotte Haven in Florida at the moment, going through the effects of one Jeffrey Rumsey, a deceased member of our Society. Our highest superior felt it important to ensure that Society business remains within the Society. You know how interested we all are in keeping our esoteric information safe.

Mr. Rumsey disappeared six weeks ago. There was no sign of struggle within his home and his housekeeper said that he had a single gentleman visitor the night before. She does not know when he left as she was dismissed to her quarters shortly after the visitor arrived. In the morning, Mr. Rumsey and his visitor were gone. One week ago, Mr. Rumsey's body washed up on the northern end of Carlos Bay. The presumed reason for his death is drowning; although no one could tell me why Mr. Rumsey would have been on a boat. He detested open water and was frequently sick on most moving transportation, including carriages and horses.

When I arrived and began my sorting of Mr. Rumsey's effects, I discovered that our superior's thoughts were correct. There is something amiss here. There are large quantities of files missing from Mr. Rumsey's cabinets. Most of his correspondence to his immediate superior in the Society, Percival Bannister, have gone missing. Most of his investigation reports for the last year are missing as well. It is clear that someone does not want the Society to know exactly what he was investigating.

However, not all is lost. I found a hidden cache of papers in the study. These documents concern me greatly. I suspect that these were the target of the theft. As such, I will guard them with my life. If they are what I believe them to be, they could unlock a mystery that we have been seeking for more than two and a half centuries.

Attached to this missive are two other letters written in 1522 and 1524, respectively. Upon reading these two letters, my first thought was that they had to be forgeries. There was no other explanation. However, as our superior constantly instructs us to be vigilant and to investigate the impossible, I have come to believe these two documents are not forgeries. Otherwise, Mr. Rumsey would not have taken the care that he did to secure them.

This is where your expertise is needed, Good Sir. Please examine the two letters and verify their authenticity. This is important to both me and to the Society. I know you are the man with both the expertise and the discretion for this task.

I look forward to what you have to tell me with eager anticipation.

Kindest regards,

Hans Brockmeier

19 April 1775

Dear Hans,

Thank you for your correspondence and your trust. I admit I was surprised to receive the package that I did. I have examined these two letters with the most expert eye I could. The paper make is consistent with the 1500's. The aging of the paper is consistent with its purported age. However, the most convincing evidence of the authenticity of these letters is the signature on the bottom of each. I examined just the signatures and compared them to known authenticated signatures of the letters' author and they match. There is no doubt in my mind that these were penned by the man who signed them.

Of course, as you said, this should be impossible. That man died in 1521 in Havana, Cuba from a poisoned arrow in the shoulder. He was shot while he was in Charlotte Harbor, in an attack by Calusa Indians. His tomb is in the cathedral of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. I will tell you now, with utmost certainty, that if we were to open that tomb, a body would be within.

What does this mean for us and for the Society? I do not know, yet. But I suspect that there might be a worm in the apple. What can you tell me of Mr. Rumsey? Do you know anything about his habits or his associates? Did you find any other oddities beyond these documents? More importantly, do you know if he had any specific loyalties within the Society?

As you must know, and if this is your first introduction to this, my apologies, but not all within the Society work towards the same goal. There is infighting and disagreements. There always is when men of strong opinion and intelligence gather together. It cannot be helped. I feel that there might be one of these disagreements at work in this case. I do not accuse one of our own of killing Mr. Rumsey - but I feel there is a possibility that one of our own is hiding his work and this cannot be allowed.

We must know what he was investigating. That is your task now, Hans. Gather all of Mr. Rumsey's effects that would be of interest to the Society and take them someplace safe. I have already begun arrangements to travel to Charlotte Haven to assist you. Let me know where you go and I will meet you there. It should be no more than a four day carriage ride from my present location if we press hard.

I do not say these things to alarm you, but I feel I must warn you that you may have stepped into an age old struggle within the Society. I do not want to see one as promising as yourself fall as a casualty of that struggle. Limit your correspondence about this to me and to our superior. You will be able to make a full report for the archives at a later date. I will inform our superior of these recommendations. Right now, your safety and the safety of what you have in your possession, is paramount.

Sincerely,

Jeremy R. Black

1 May 1775

Dear Jeremy,

I have taken your advice to heart and secreted myself away in the Society safehouse at the Spiritu Santo Lagoon. All my correspondence is being forwarded here. For the past few weeks, I have felt myself watched and I know it is not just my imagination. Over the last two weeks, I have seen the same two Spaniards appearing at the same places I have frequented since I arrived. I changed my habits and found them attending the same alehouse I switched to a day later. I have even seen them loitering outside of the gentlemen's club I have visited from time to time.

I must admit, Jeremy, while I was aware there was a schism within the Society, I had no idea that it had degenerated into sabotaging other Society members' investigations, especially an investigation into the death of one of our own. Now, to discover that I am being watched by unknown forces that may or may not be associated with the Society? It is enough to give a man nightmares. I am little more than a records keeper. A librarian of sorts. I am not cut from the same adventurous cloth as you, old friend. I will be very glad when you come to assist me. I know you can hold your own in a fight. I saw enough of that in our college days.

I have done the investigation into Mr. Rumsey's past as requested. He was an odd man of odd hours and odd tastes. I received most of my information from Miss Sophia Logsdon, the housekeeper. Based on her testimony, I must conclude that Mr. Rumsey was, if not a practitioner, then a student of the occult. She told me of late night meetings with strange people, mysterious lights and strange smells coming from Mr. Rumsey's workroom as well as occasional sounds she could not identify. After all that though, she was quick to assure me that Mr. Rumsey was a good man and not one to do his servants harm. Miss Logsdon is a loyal sort of woman who should be commended. I may take her on as my housekeeper when this is all done. She has been a proper housekeeper and mine is getting on in age.

As for keeping my correspondences to a minimum, I have obeyed. I send regular progress reports to our superior and I have sent one polite response to Mr. Bannister, Mr. Rumsey's immediate superior, informing him that my work was ongoing but I had nothing to report at this time. I did not mention that I have moved myself and Mr. Rumsey's things to the Lagoon safehouse.

I look forward to seeing you soon, Jeremy. This investigation has become too adventurous for my taste. When you arrive, I will turn over the rest of the documents and the more esoteric items Mr. Rumsey had in his workroom, file my report, and be done with it.

Kindest regards,

Hans Brockmeier

8 May 1775

Dear Hans,

I would say I hope you are well but I fear you are not. Tell me more about these Spaniards. Tell me of their dress, how they travel, and if they are scarred in any way. Also, do they carry weapons openly?

I am not familiar with the Society safehouse at the Spiritu Santo Lagoon. I shall look up its location this afternoon and be on a carriage in the morning. I should see you no later than the 13th or 14th of this month if all goes well. I fear for your safety. Have you seen these Spaniards since you secreted yourself away? If you have, move again immediately and leave a clue as to where you are going at the safehouse or one of the drop boxes in Charlotte Haven. In the meantime, do not disparage your own abilities to keep yourself safe. I saw you make it through more than a few scraps at college and you were one of the best pugilists I knew back then. What happened to Hans the Fist Brockmeier?

I have more questions for you to think about before I arrive. You will not have time to respond before the 13th, I will wager. I might even make it to the safehouse before this letter does. If not, these are some of the questions I will be asking in regards to your investigation:

Miss Logsdon – Will she be able to provide an accurate description of Mr. Rumsey's last visitor? Is she a learned woman? You state she is a loyal woman but do you believe her to be trustworthy? Perhaps trustworthy enough to keep up a safehouse? If she is as you say she is, she may be too valuable to lose. When my part of this investigation is over, I will want to interview her.

These letters – While they, themselves, are of a mundane nature, their author cannot be ignored. The fact that he was supposed to have been dead at the time these were written begs the question: If he was alive then, why did he fake his death? My mind immediately goes to the thing he searched for and wonders if he actually found it. Is there anything else within Mr. Rumsey's effects corroborating this idea? A map, perhaps?

At this point, you may believe I jest at your expense. I do not. Not at all. The mere possibility that the Fountain of Youth exists and, possibly, someone knows its actual location, is a serious matter for all concerned; especially within the Society. Men would kill, and have killed I will warrant, to find its location. The simple knowledge that it is real would be a great boon to the Society. It could also warrant the attention and interference of some members of our society who actively hunt and purge the esoteric from the world as 'too dangerous' to be allowed to exist.

Finally, I will not speculate as to the existence of Ponce De León in this day and age. That is too fantastic for even me to consider until I see the other evidence you have on hand. I must see what you have first - with my own eyes. Then we may discuss such a possibility.

Stay strong, Hans, and stay safe. I will be there as soon as I can.

Sincerely,

Jeremy R. Black

Chapter 1: A Primer

Introduction

Colonial Gothic is a supernatural historical roleplaying game that draws inspiration from the colonial period of America. From discovery, to the war of Independence, Colonial Gothic gives you the tools to set games during this period. In Colonial Gothic you play a Hero, who through the course of their adventures, slowly uncovers the reality of the world in which they live.

What is this reality?

Lurking in the shadows are mysterious and foul plots. Enemies have been influencing events and pulling strings. Though the world is entering a new age of reason, many see the world in a different way. Creatures of the occult and supernatural exist. Magic is a real force of nature. Your Hero might know this, or they might come to know this.

Everything you need to know as a player and GM is found in this book. This primer tells you what to expect from the game, explains the core mechanic, and what to do with the game.

What to do with the game? Yes. Roleplaying games tend to forget to tell you what to do with the game. After all the rules and options, often little room is spent telling you what a game should feel like. As a player, you should know after reading this chapter what your Hero is able to do, and what they should expect from the world of Colonial Gothic. As a GM, you will know what to do with Colonial Gothic and the type of games you can run. The primer is your amuse-bouche if you will. This one bite sets the table for what is to come. So without further ado, here is Colonial Gothic.

Setting

Colonial Gothic is a world mired in mysteries, secrets and plots. Some of these secrets and plots you determine for yourself; others are found within this book. In this rulebook, the horror relies heavily upon your imagination and ingenuity in using the tools provided to you to play the game. Whether you choose to play a Hero fighting a campaign in the American Revolution who discovers the brutality of war, or you decide to play a Hero tracking down witches, it is entirely up to you. Your Hero will discover more and more about the Villains they face, and you will begin to realize that some enemies are all too human, while others might have never been human to begin with.

Colonial Gothic is designed with a simple premise: the occult and supernatural are real. Drawing upon history, Colonial Gothic’s perspective is how the colonists viewed the occult and supernatural. Witches are real. Devils exist, as do demons. Magic actually exists and is able to be worked. Colonists have dealt with magic in one of three ways: they have chosen to rationalize the occult and supernatural away, they have been irreversibility damaged by their experiences with magic, or they have accepted it for what it is. Those accepting it have chosen to put their sanity, faith and reputation on the line. Viewing themselves as the last line of defense, these Heroes war with forces out of sight in the shadows.

On a larger scale, there is something not right in the world of Colonial Gothic. Something dark, malicious and purposeful gnaws are the edges and its touch causes the world to go awry. Though many try to give this a name, no name defines it and no one knows what it truly is. Not even the Natives who have lived on the land before the White Man, know what it is. They know evil infects the land, and it is spreading. What is this evil? There are many theories, but no real answers. What is known is that it influences things, inspires events, and threatens all life. Who stands against this? Your Hero.

Are you up to the challenge?

For the Players

Your Hero is a colonist hailing from one of the colonies found in the New World. For the most part the world is entering a new age: The Age of Reason. The world is slowly leaving behind its roots of myth and superstition and is embracing a world defined by mathematics and science. It was Descartes, Hobb, Newton and others who moved the world into this new way of thinking. Though most have embraced these new roots, some have not. There are those who know the truth—magic is real!

In Colonial Gothic you play a Hero who not only knows magic is real, but the horrors it creates. These monsters could be anywhere. They could be witches cursing a settlement, vampires that followed European immigrants to the New World, or angry spirits terrorizing a Cherokee tribe. Whether you are fighting in the frontier or you are fending off a supernatural disease like Curse from the Grave, you along with others like you, wage a hidden war because there is no one else brave enough to face the Devil’s minions, fight them and win.

Heroes, be warned: something waits for you in the dark.

And it hungers.

For the GM

As a GM, you create adventures and campaigns inspired by Colonial American history. The horror adventures you create revolve around the supernatural and the mundane. From monsters, to scheming merchants and politicians, there are many campaign possibilities for you to discover in Colonial Gothic. To help you craft your game, we have outlined three different styles of play: High Action Style, Occult & Mystery and Supernatural Style.

High Action Style downplays the supernatural and the occult. Instead of slaying demons, the Heroes will fight against more common threats like slavers, French Traders, and the British Military, to name a few. Campaigns working well for this style can be found in movies like Last of the Mohicans, Dances with Wolves or The Patriot; or the stories of James Fenmoor Cooper. If a military campaign does not interest you, you could create a campaign based around discovery or exploration. The colonies are still new to most people—many resources and native cultures are waiting to be discovered. This style works well for players that like a lot of movement in their game; it also works well for players that want to explore the natural side to this setting.

Occult & Mystery Style introduces players to the occult, but takes a softer approach to the horrors awaiting them. The threats your players face are few and far between because you create adventures focused around a mystery. The mystery you design might be based on a strange cult intent on winning the War for its own devilish reasons, or a mage intent on infiltrating the militia. While the setting details of movies like Sleepy Hollow and From Hell are not an exact fit to Colonial Gothic, these are two movies in a similar vein—strong setting, an aura of dark mystery, and a suspension of disbelief. As for books, the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, Nathanial Hawthorn, Irving Washington and H. P. Lovecraft, and Robert E. Howard are ideal for tone, setting and scope. Whatever mystery you choose, the goal of this style is to utilize players that are more interested in investigation than engaging in constant, heavy combat.

Supernatural Style is the default style of Colonial Gothic. Similar to Occult & Mystery, this style has that same touch of magic and mayhem. However, in this style of play, the Hero’s threats are more ancient and widespread than they would be in Occult & Mystery. Similarly themed examples of a larger, supernatural threat that would be considered epic would be movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, and Brotherhood of the Wolf. These movies each have a large-enough threat that, if it succeeds, would change the world’s fabric of reality. For writers, Shelly and Stroker have the style to set the tone. Many Heroes don not know how Magic works; they only have a vague understanding of how to fight the monsters it sometimes creates. Some Heroes try to use Magic and the occult to their own advantage; others shy away from it.

Regardless of the style you choose, action in Colonial Gothic is larger-than-life. What does this mean to you as a GM? Heroes and Villains are capable of performing feats that others find impossible. When designing adventures and running your games, remember to think big but allow your players to react bigger.

12°

Everything you need to know in order to play Colonial Gothic is found in this book. The basics found in this chapter allow you to quickly understand the game’s mechanical foundations. Of course, Colonial Gothic, is not complex. Most rules are fairly straightforward and easy to remember. Nevertheless, there are a handful of occasions when multiple modifiers and special cases come into play. The better you understand the basic rules, the better equipped you will be to deal with those few exceptions.

Playing the Game

 To play Colonial Gothic you need:

 Two twelve-sided dice (D12). GMs might want to have a few more handy.

 A blank piece of paper (or a Hero sheet) and a pencil.

 A willingness to have fun.

Rules Overview

Action in Colonial Gothic is not intended to be realistic or gritty. It is meant to recreate the type of action you are likely to read in books, see in comic books, or watch in a movie or television show. Note—Colonial Gothic is not cartoonish or ridiculously over the top, but the emphasis is on verisimilitude and plausibility rather than a strict reality simulation. The game’s rules, known as 12°, are designed to accommodate this style of play with ease. Action is about doing things in a flashy and larger-than-life way. It is one thing to say your Hero is fighting a zombie; it is another to say they are doing so while balancing on a church roof.

Every action, regardless if your Hero is firing a musket, or intimidating a merchant, is handled the same way. Roll 2d12 and if the result is equal to or less than your Target Number (TN), the action succeeds.

Simple as that.

Your TN is a number based on two associated Abilities or Skills plus or minus any modifiers. For example, if your Hero wants to throw a tomahawk and has an Agility 6 and Throw 6, your TN is 12. Thus, rolling a 2d12 and getting a result of 11 results in success; rolling 2d12 and getting a 23 results in failure.

Tests

All actions in Colonial Gothic are called Tests. There are three types of Tests — Ability, Skill, and Opposed — that depend on specific situations; the Game Master will tell you what type of Test you need to make if it is not obvious.

Ability Tests

Ability Tests depend on one of your Hero’s Abilities and is used in times of great need or danger. These Tests are not tied to Skills; instead they are tied to your Hero’s inherent ability to do something. Your Target Number is always the unmodified Rank in your Ability.

For example, suppose your Hero is running away from some cultist thugs. You decide to shake your pursuers by declaring your Hero is diving into a nearby canal and holding his breath while underwater, hoping the thugs do not spot him. Once your Hero reaches his limit, your GM tells you to make a Body Test, to see if your Hero still manages to hold his breath. In this case your TN would be your Hero’s Body Ability (8). Rolling 2d12 the result is 15, failure. Thus your Hero fails his Body Test and begins to drown.

Skill Tests

Skill Tests are the most common tests found in Colonial Gothic. Most actions, from shooting a musket to researching a demon, are handled by Skill Tests. Your Target Number in a Skill Test equals your Skill Rank plus the Rank of the Skill’s associated Ability, plus or minus any bonus or penalties associated with the Test. The resulting number is the one you need to meet in order to succeed.

For example, your Hero is climbing a wall. This is normally a Routine Test. Unfortunately, your Hero is attempting to climb a wall in the pouring rain while not being spotted by guards patrolling the area. Your Hero’s Athletics skill is 7 and his Agility is 6, making your TN 13. Due to the rain and the need for your Hero to be silent, your GM assesses your Hero a –4 penalty, which lowers your Hero’s TN to 9 for this Test.

Opposed Tests

Opposed Tests are tests between two separate Heroes, usually occurring when your Hero is competing against another Hero or is acting out against a non-player Hero of some sort. Opposed Tests are necessary because the degree of your Hero’s success (or failure) determines how the game’s events unfold. Opposed Tests require two or more parties to make a Test; whoever rolls highest, but still below their Target Number, succeeds. Opposed Tests also come into play for some specific skills, such as Stealth, as well as in combat.

An example of an Opposed Test for Stealth would be in the case of hiding. Your Hero is trying to sneak into a protected house. A guard is keeping watch, and the GM states that the guard has a chance of noticing your Hero sneaking into the house. The GM tells you to make a Stealth Test; while the GM makes an Observe Test. Rolling the dice your result is a 4 (your TN was 12)—success! The GM, rolling for the guard (whose TN is 9), rolls a 12—failure. Your Hero easily sneaks into the house, while the guard standing watch fails to notice him.

Success & Failure

As long as you roll a number equal to your Target Number or lower, your Hero succeeds at his actions. Any time you roll higher than your TN, your Hero fails. In some cases, your Hero may also experience a Dramatic Success or a Dramatic Failure.

Dramatic Success

Any time you roll a 2 on a 2d12, you score a Dramatic Success. The meaning of a Dramatic Success varies with the type of Test being used. Typically it means your Hero has not only succeeded, but did so in a spectacular, memorable fashion. In combat, a Dramatic Success indicates you have dealt your opponent maximum damage for his weapon type, whereas in a Skill Test it indicates that you have achieved what you were attempting and more.

Dramatic Failure

Rolling a 24 on a 2d12 means your Hero experiences a Dramatic Failure. What this means is that your Hero not only failed their Test, but also performed his action so badly that he has either placed himself in danger or otherwise adversely affected himself (and possibly his companions). In combat, a Dramatic Failure indicates that your sword breaks, while in a Skill Test it indicates that you are either badly mistaken or have failed in such a way so as to make the situation more precarious.

Degrees

As you might expect a game mechanic called 12°, your Hero’s Degree of Success is important. Your Degree of Success is the amount by which you roll under your Target Number. For example, your Hero’s TN is 14 and you