I stumbled across Gunsmoke & Goblins for Microlite20 last week. It’s been out since last August and I’m not sure how I missed it. It’s fantasy wild west setting for Microlite20. Take the “Wild West” and plop it down in a fantasy world (e.g. goblins replace Indians). It sounds silly until you read the four pages of rules/setting.

Having seen this setting, I decided to do something like this as a supplement for Swords & Wizardry — after checking with folks on the S&W forum to see if there was any interest. I think this setting would work much better in a 0e variant than it does in 3e variant. Everything in Gunsmoke and Goblins except for a few names is OGL content, so I can borrow as much as I like.

I’ll be posting about development on the Swords & Wizardry message board. However, to whet your appetite, here is a brief description of the tentative “Fantasy Wild West” classes:

FRONTIERSMAN — a fighter who is expert in wilderness survival. He can use light and medium melee weapons, bows, crossbows, and all firearms.

GUNSLINGER — a fighter who is expert with firearms. He can use light and medium melee weapons and all firearms. He can use a pistol in each hand and can quick-draw.

GADGETEERS — a techno based off the magic user. He makes discoveries (use the MU spell chart). A discovery is just a spell of the appropriate level. He can’t cast his discoveries, but he can turn them into weird science gadgets by spending time and money. For example the 1st level discovery “magic missile” could be turned into a “Tracking Electro-Rifle” — a rifle that shoots a pulse of energy that always hits what it is aimed at. These items are so complex that only the Gadgeteer who made them or someone who successfully figures a device out can use it. Aside from their gadgets, they can only use light melee weapons, crossbows, and one firearm of their choice.

PRESTIDIGITATOR — an illusionist like class. Aside from their magic they can use light melee weapons and short range pistols.

PREACHER — a cleric of the one true Sun God. They can use light melee weapons, whips, and pistols. They are immune to the effects of spirits of the night, but their presence angers those spirits decreasing the chance that animal blood will placate them enough for others to sleep soundly.

RUFFIAN — a fighter who can fight with anything that comes to hand. They can use all melee weapons and revolvers. They are often thieves and bandits.

SHAMAN — a cleric of the Old Gods (or one of them) who interacts with the spirit world. They can use Druid Spells, light and medium melee weapons, bows and crossbows, one firearm of their choice. The can perform a brief ritual at night that will always appease the spirits of the night (even without animal blood), allowing themselves and those they are with to get a sound sleep in the open. If a Preacher is with their party, the ritual requires animal blood and is not automatically successful, although the chance of success is not reduced because of Preacher.

Finally, here is a description of the spirits of the night. Without this, some of the above description will not be very clear.

Spirits of the Night: In the Fantasy Wild West, the spirits of intelligent beings who die and are not buried with the full rites of the Sun God walk the world at night. They don’t bother people in permanent, inhabited structures but those who camp out or otherwise spend a night in the wilds hear screams, gibbering, and have horrible dreams. This prevents them from getting the full benefit of a night’s sleep. These spirits can be appeased by the blood of a small animal — generally people traveling kill a small animal for their supper and leave the blood for the spirits. Preachers tend to consider this an superstitious ritual performed by those who lack faith in the Sun God — the fact that Preachers are immune to the spirits reinforces this belief.