Not the kind of encounter 'Emperor vs Elector' emperor-elector.blogspot.com members are accustomed to, yet known, if rare, in 18th C. settings. Indeed even among countries represented in this 'League of 18th C. Imagi-Nations' Ardoberg has its wildest part plagued by werewolves link and Saint-Maurice suffered a zombie invasion link ; some *very* link weird events link in Galatea passed unnoticed against the background of the war of independence.
Elsewhere such 'weirdness' are reported to occur in Eastern Europe link , and are a constant concern in antipodial Pangaea link where for centuries the Underworld is put to fire and the sword by the struggle between 'the Damned Followers of the Bat and the Grand Order of the Wolf' link . But -though as yet not involving the native wendigo- such incidents seem to be specially less uncommon in the New Continent link : zombies appear in Canada link and in the British Colonies link , which are also haunted by 'Cthuluesque' beings link and various monstrosities link .
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Note that such 'weird' encounters are less uncommon at sea: pirates are reported to quite often meet cannibals, sea monsters
link , zombies, 'Deep Ones'
link /
/
, Atlanteans
(Scheltrum) /
link , comely cavegirls & irascible dinosaurs
, King Kong, 'normal'
(human:
link ) and octopus-faced cultists
/
if not Great Cthulhu itself. Thus
it's only a matter to extending this 'biodiversity' to (or *
under*,
Pellucidar en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellucidar fashion)
dry land.
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The image comes from a report by a French player link of his first game of Lovecraft-inspired 'Strange Aeons' link , and illustrates his conclusion that such adventures can be set in any place and time of Human History, from Antiquity (with reference to the Xipehuz link by the author of 'The quest for fire' link I'd correct: from prehistoric times) to space hulks; indeed Cthulhu and its kind started recruiting cultists as soon as Humankind was receptive to dream suggestions.
The author specially refers to the 18th C. with 'monster hunting' expeditions in Nouvelle-France, the Carpathians or simply French Gevaudan link (indeed H.P.L. himself felt like 'a man of the 18th C.', and wrote several novels rooted in the 'tricorne era': 'The lurking fear' link , 'C.D. Ward' link , 'Arthur Jermyn' link , 'He' link , 'The Shunned House' link …).
Lovecraft's Ancient Ones and their minions were here before Humankind, thus to restrict 'Cthulhuesque' games to the 1920 is to be faithful to the letter, not to the *spirit* of the novels : one can play in any period one likes and already has a few 'human' minis for; the 'monsters' link of course don't change.
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The same is true, of course, of 'Pulp' link / 'Horror' link games: 'Chaos in Carpathia' link for instance can be played with figurines in tricornes.
From Le Fanu en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmilla to the creators of 'Twilight' all authors agree on the single point: vampires cannot be distinguished from 'us', and thus *don't need special minis* [though, if you *really* want some: females: (Foundry; also some males) tinyurl.com/6ddphxh ; male: (Reaper) link ].
'Naked' werewolves and ghouls link can be used in any setting;
figurines of 18th C. zombies
are few, but the best way to have zombies in 'period' costume is simply to 'customize' (35th post in the thread:
TMP link ) normal minis (comment:
link ).
Even Malifaux link despite its bizarre and original background can be played with 18th C. figurines. For an 'isolated' enough location, what about a remote, backwards area of hills, forests and swamps, largely depopulated by a plague generations ago and 'repulsive' to newcomers. Due to malnutrition and inbreeding, most of the native population is as degenerated as the worst cases in Dunwich link . Indeed the true 'natives' have turned to cannibalism ( link ) favoring the spread of a TSE causing apparent 'ghoulification' link : use 'ghouls' figurines
. But they know where to find
soulstones link …
.
(Coming from 'historical' -well, almost- wargaming, I feel the concept of a 'compulsory' / 'inseparable' association "1 setting <-> 1 set of rules <-> 1 range of figurines" to be basically a marketing trick / consumer trap.)
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Many stories / potential scenarios are almost independent of time and place and can equally well imply 'normal human' or 'weird' aggressors. 'The 7 samurai' / 'The magnificent 7' / 'Battle beyond the stars' are 3 renditions of the same plot; 'Hair raising tale' link (Canada, 17th C.) and 'Guns for San Sebastian' link (Mexico, 18th C.) are again basically the same story with a single 'samurai'; 'Apache drums' is a " western", 'The 317th platoon' link is set in Indochina after the fall of Dien Bien Phu, 'Deliverance' link (civilian), 'Assault on Precinct 13' link (police), 'Dog soldiers' link (military) are contemporary; long sequences of 'King Arthur', 'The 13th Warrior' and 'Aliens' could be added. All share the same basic core: pitifully few fighters (only one, possibly) are surrounded and relentlessly harassed by swarms of (invisible more often than not) enemies; generally the 'player characters' try to exfiltrate themselves if alone, are besieged if protecting civilians. Any of these ('miniaturized' versions of Xenophon's Anabasis or 55 Days at Peking) could be set in Britain during Boudica's Revolt or South of the Hadrian Wall when the Roman presence was collapsing, in Eastern Russia during Pugachev's uprising, further East in parallel with Michel Strogoff's ride, or 'Back of Beyond' after the Russian Civil War… or in the setting of any other of the list.
For me I like the tricornes and justaucorps of the Lace Wars, and for the corresponding period (# 1715 – 1765) these parts of the Colonies or Canada on the fringe of 'unknown wilderness' look specially propitious to such 'adventures'.
Then, the borders of Great California, jungle surrounding the ruins of Maya temples link , bayous West of La Nouvelle Orleans haunted by degenerated cajuns / maroons half-breeds practicing weird cults link and worshiping strange idols
, Florida, or the Easternmost marches of Russia from Siberia to the foothills of Caucasus, would be equally appropriate.
Or some Scandinavian wilderness: Trolls
link don't have to be *huge* (reportedly they hide under bridges) but can be numerous: some kind of Bigfoot / Yetis -maybe the totally degenerated descendants of the 'Eaters of the dead'
link ?
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Several VSF players have adapted Torchwood en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torchwood to the times of Verne and Wells. It make sense (note that, without 21st C. technology, the organization -a 'Society', by then- has to be far more numerous), but Torchwood can be far older: Francis Bacon link is a possible founder of this 'Secret Brotherhood' (called a 'Secret Lodge' by the 18th C.?); the name (implying 'to bring Light' [against Darkness]) maybe chosen by opposition to Wormwood YouTube link .
'Talkative' rogue members are unknown (they would be silenced in the most definitive manner), but characters such as Cyrano de Bergerac link and the Comte de Saint-Germain link seem to have heard of the activities of the Society / Lodge.
Note that other similar organizations may exist: specially within the Jesuits link , who beside evangelization are known for their implication in intellectual research and their militancy. Likely some of them are secretly devoted to studying (and definitively 'resolving') 'X Files', events of paranormal / supernatural appearance -though for them perfectly normal and natural, if belonging to the occult; while the Societas Jesu as a whole is under the patronage of Santa Maria Della Strada, this peculiar branch could well be under the protection of the Madonna Atra link worshiped in a crypt under the cathedral of Le Puy.
Several Spanish ranges (Napoleonics link , Carlists
) have priests in tricorne, and Westwind Productions and others have 'active' priests that can be converted: adding a tricorne instantly 'tags' a mini "18th C.":
(from
Herrschaden link ).
Then, 18th C. Catholic priests when 'off duty' sometimes dressed in 'secular' all black costume, distinguished by the *collar*:
Thus, miniatures of dragoons with buckled
bottines and tricornes, painted all black with a collar added, could be a better representation of members of the
Ecclesia Militans, the 'God's Marines' in their most … active role?
And… reportedly sometimes the Vatican enlisted the most unlikely (most 'beyond suspicion' of working for the Pope) agents
TMP link
.
paints brigs for the British fleet.
) 
).
)
