Rippers: Campaign Start

The Rippers campaign will begin with the characters already a bit experienced in the world and the ways of the Cabal. Come up with a way for your character to have met and been involved with the Rippers through any of the famous personalities (Abraham Van Helsing, Johann Van Helsing, Jonathan and Mina Harker, Tara LaGrange, Father Angus McBane, etc.).

With that in mind, your characters will begin with the basic understanding of the Rippers and their history. We'll start with an abbreviated history as is known amongst the general Ripper community ...

The monks of the Hospital of St. John, also known as the Hospitallers, were dedicated to healing and providing shelter for pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. One day they took in a pilgrim who happened to be a vampire, who slew many of the monks. After the vampire's defeat the Hospitallers re-dedicated themselves to the destruction of the undead. They became an order of monastic knights, but were ill-equipped to deal with the monsters spawned from teh horrors of the Crusades. They were driven to the island of Malta after losing bases in Jerusalem, Cyprus, and Rhodes. The Hosptiallers of Northeastern Europe broke away from the main order and formed the Teutonic Knights, though after the horrors of the Inquisition this Catholic faction died out in most places.

Everything changed in 1582 when Doctor John Dee, court astrologer to Queen Elizabeth of England, had a chance encounter with a werewolf, accidentally slaying it with his silver-tipped walking stick. Dee brought the body back to his lab for study, and with the help of his research partner Edward Kelley, they started dissecting the body of the werewolf and implanting the parts into other animals. These animals assumed many of the werewolf's characteristics, gaining strength, speed, and a cannibalistic ferocity. Kelley christened the invention rippen-transferre, roughly meaning "tear and transfer."

Queen Elizabeth wanted nothing to do with the horrible process, but Dee and Kelley were not so easily disuaded. They went out and recruited like-minded individuals, organizing them into a secret fellowship of wizards, alchemists, and astrologers. They named the organization "The Brotherhood of the Rose Cross" to remind its members of their dedicated to both peace and faith.

Angered by what he viewed as weakness in Dee, Kelley abandoned the Rosicrucians and later died under "mysterious circumstances." Dee went on to live a full life pursuing his dream, and after his death others took up the mantle. Though not everyone who did so had so altruistic an outlook. Students of the Rosicrucians included Victor Frankenstein, Dr. Henry Jekyll, the now infamous Dr. Moreau, and Dr. Abraham Van Helsing. Van Helsing was the one who identified the madness of the "ripping psychosis" as a very real mental disorder that came from using Rippertech and he fought against his use.

It was Frankenstein's expertimentation with the reanimation of dead tissue that brought things to a head. A horde of failed experiments were sent rampaging across northern and eastern Europe, and so the Rosicrucians turned to both the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Knights for assistance in fighting these terrible creatures. The two orders joined forces, calling themselves "The Order of St. George," and helped the Rosicrucians defeat the monstrous threat. Dr. Van Helsing took command of this larger organization, re-organized it, and christened the new secret society "the Rippers."

The Rippers first true challenge came in 1876 when Van Helsing and a team of amateaur vampire slayers attempted to defeat the notorious Count Dracula. Though the ancient vampire managed to escape the men and women who stood against him that day would be forever changed.

The killing spree of Jack of Ripper has been attributed to the mysterious figure known only as Dr. Jack, and he has eluded capture for many years. Hatred of the Rippers drove Dr. Jack to create the Cabal as a means of catalyzing the horrific forces of the world against the forces of light arrayed against them.

The campaign begins with the heroes being summoned by Johann Van Helsing to the great London Ripper lodge on a matter of the utmost urgency. A dark and stormy night awaits the heroes in foggy old London town ...

Rippers: Character Concepts

The Rippers world is similar to the real world, so the number of potential character conepts is virtually unlimited. With so many choices, you might feel overwhelmed, so the list below provides you with some common character types to get you started. This is not an exhaustive list from which you must choose. Rather, it is to give you some ideas about your hero's background and what he or she did before joining the Rippers.

Acrobat: Circus acrobats and athletes sometimes don disguises to fight both crime and the terrors of the night. Dressed in colorful costumes and brandishing simple weapons like staves and throwing knives, these agile heroes defeat their enemies with a combination of speed, strength, and deadly skill.

Alienist: These doctors specialize in handling the criminally insane and healing the mind through the use of mesmerism or the recently developed technique of psychoanalsis. Their understanding of the fragility of the human mind can be of great use to unstable Rippers. Dr. Seward is one of Van Helsing's original vampire slayers, and an alienist of considerable skill. A few alienists have discipled themselves to the point where they can affect their surroundings through sheer willpower. These people are known as "sensitives" or "psychics."

Clergy: Men and women of the cloth normally live lives of quiet contemplation. Sometimes, however, the forces of evil loom large, and these holy men are forced to take up the sword and do battle against the creatures of the night. Drawn from many different religions and denominations, these holy Rippers have hte power to perform miracles through the strenght of their faith.

Cowboy: Gunslingers, card sharps, lawmen, and other folkds from the fading frontier sometimes make their way into the ranks of the Rippers in search of adventure. The most famous Ripper cowboy was Quincy Morris, an amateur vampire slayer and one of Van Helsing's first recruits. Morris was cut down in 1876 during an unsuccessful attempt to destroy Count Dracula, but others of his ilk have joined the struggle.

Detective: While detectives might seem outclassed when confronted by vampires, werewolves, mummies, and similar terrors, their investigative minds are always an asset. Also, their keen eye for detail and ability to work in public as legitimate officers of the law gives them much more latitude than the typical Ripper.

Doctor: Because their specialized training allowed them to perform Rippertech implant surgery, medical doctors were once at the core of the Rippers. Since Van Helsing introduced strict limits on Rippertech implantation, their importance has declired somewhat, but they are still valued members of the organization, and they perform vital research work.

Explorer: Adventurers and explorers of all types can be found among teh ranks of the Rippers. Some come from "civilized" countries like England or the United States, while others hail from more isolated regions of the world like the deserts of Egypt, the Amazong Jungle, or the mountains of Tibet. Expert at tracking, survival, and other wilderness arts, explorers have proven an invaluable asset when stalking creatures of the night.

Officer: Britain and the other great imperial powers have military bases located around the globe. The military officers in these places frequently take it upon themselves to aid the Rippers. Some have a degree of autonomy and can bring the soldiers they lead with them.

Scholar: Archeologists, historians, and other scholars are vital to unlocking the secrets of the past and learning the forgotten lore necessary for victory. Far from being cloistered academics, many of these scholars are more at home crawling through forgotten tombs and dodging ancient traps than they are in a library or research facility.

Scientist: The Rippers employ many experts in electricity, mechanical engineering, gunnery, and related technological fields. Their expertise makes them excellent researchers and planners, though they sometimes struggle in the field.

Slayer: When some thinks of the archetypical Ripper, they picture the slayer. Training from early age to hunt vampires by Abraham Van Helsing's adopted son Johann, slayers are fast and athletic, but are also well educated and strong of spirit.

Vengeant: Men and women who have lost loved ones to creatures of the night always make willing Rippers. They often with a righteous fury that can only come from a burning desire for vengeance and a total disregard for their own lives.

October is Horror Month!

September is here, which means the leaves are going to start turning gold, the winds are going to get chillier, and October is just around the corner. I love horror roleplaying, and for several years I've wanted to get a Victorian-era horror game going in October. Well this year I'm doing it.

Starting on Friday, October 3rd, I'm going to get a short Rippers game going for the month. Rippers is a setting for the Savage Worlds system that takes the ideas and characters behind classic monsters - Dracula, Frankenstein's Creation, Dr. Van Helsing, John and Mina Harker, etc. - and creates an atmospheric world of horror and madness. It's set in the Victorian-era (1890's).

The setting is hooked around two organizations - the Rippers and the Cabal. The Rippers are the good guys, formed and led by Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, who hunt the monsters and evils of the world. They're called Rippers because of an ancient secretive technique that rips the power out of supernatural creatures and bestows it to a willing subject. This "Rippertech" eventually drives men and women insane but it is often the only edge they have in their fight against the darkness.

The Cabal is a loose organization of that darkness. Led by a mysterious man known simply as Dr. Jack, the Cabal is made up of disparate factions each with their evil agenda and nefarious schemes. They are united in their hatred of the Rippers. All manner of terrible creatures are found within the loose ranks of the Cabal, but Dr. Jack has yet to secure the support of the ancient vampires (led by Count Dracula).

It's a world where a secret war between the darkness and the light has been brewing for centuries. The disciples of Van Helsing, brave men and women, know they fight for not just their own lives but for the safety of the entire world. But they also know that the edge they sometimes need to confront the darkness will drive them ultimately towards madness, death ... and worse.

I'm going to make another post with PC suggestions, but I'll have character information packets available in a week or so. Also - EXTRA EXPERIENCE POINTS will be awarded for anyone who dresses up in costume on Halloween. Or any day really.