Setting

United States, 1877 AD/CE

Style

Quasi-realistic, Pulp-style Action. "Mystery-Thriller," not "Investigation."

• Style: On the "Gritty" side of Heroic Realism (ATE2 p. 49)
• Morality: Heroes Wanted (ATE2 p. 50)

Theme

• Law v Anarchy; Order v Chaos; Civilization v Wild West; Liberty v Security; etc.
• Revenge: How far is too far?

Central Tension

Good people trying to survive and thrive on a lawless and wild frontier.

Expectations

• Shooting. Lots of shooting. Maybe an actual showdown or two.
• Action/Mystery, not "slice-of-life"; no cattle-drives, etc
• Expect some (abbreviated/abstracted) long-distance travel segments.

Intended Features

• Tactical combat
• Chases
• Possible use of Action Challenge System

Tropes

The Seven Western Plots: Revenge Story; The Western; The Wild West; Weird West: Teased

Reference

• Reference Language: English
• Reference Culture: Western

Government

• U.S. President Rutherford B Hayes (1877-1881)

Economy

Refer to GURPS Old West (3e) for Jobs (pp. 40-41), and Cost of Living (p. 11)

• See also Prices (OWTD)

Historical Information

Military

• Battle of Little Bighorn, ~1ya (1876)
• Nez Percé War, June 14 – October 5, 1877

Gunslingers & Outlaws

• "Wild Bill" Hickock killed in Deadwood, August 2, 1876 (~a year prior to campaign start)
• James-Younger Gang still active (until 1879)
• Lincoln Cty War will kick off soon (~1878); Billy the Kid killed in 1881
• "Tombstone" hasn't happened yet (1881)—Wyatt Earp still in Dodge City, KS; In late 1878, he went to Texas to track down an outlaw, Dave Rudabaugh, and met John "Doc" Holliday, whom Earp credited with saving his life.