The Leeds (or, Jersey) Devil – For Ghastly Affair and other OSR Games

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, Colonial America, Colonial Folklore, Cryptozoological Creature, Cryptozoology, dreadpunk, Eighteenth Century, Folklore, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, History, Napoleonic, New Jersey Folklore, OGL, old school renaissance, old school revival

I’ve previously written up the Jersey Devil for Castles & Crusades, as the “Pine Devil”. Here is the beast redone for use with Ghastly Affair, and other OSR games. Although the creature is now commonly known as the “Jersey” Devil, in the 18th and 19th centuries it was called the “Leeds” Devil.

Leeds Devil

A chimeric monster that haunts the desolate pine forests of southern New Jersey

Creature Class: Monster
Number Appearing: 1
Initial Impression: A bat-winged creature like a dog walking upright, with a horse’s head, and a long, split tail.
Size: Human-sized

Perversity: 13
Disposition: Goading
Charisma: 10 Intelligence: 7 Wisdom: 12
Strength: 15 Dexterity: 15 Constitution: 15
Speed: 9 walking, 17 flying

Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 1 (claws or bite)
Special Abilities: Paralyzing Gaze, Nightvision
Weaknesses: Distracted by Food
Assets: Stealthy, Resistant to Preternatural Effects
Afflictions: None
Preternatural Powers: Dimension Door (6 times a day)

Natural Habitat: The Pine Barrens of New Jersey
Level: 5

The Leeds Devil is a monster that haunts the British colony (and later, State) of New Jersey. It lurks among the stunted pines that cover the southern portion of the region, preying on small animals (and the livestock of neighboring farms). It will usually harass, rather than directly attack, a full grown person, but it enjoys the taste of infants and children. On occasion it will roam to Philadelphia or New York City, but always eventually returns to its gloomy home. It is said to have been first created in the early part of the 18th century, when the witch Mother Leeds cursed her offspring to be born a monster (as per the preternatural Effect Monstrous Offspring). There may in fact have been more the one Leeds Devil created by the witches of the Pine Barrens, although only one has ever been seen at a time. If it is a unique creature, there appears to be no limit to its lifespan. If more are being created, they are likely under the command of the witches who give them birth.

Physically, the Leeds Devil resembles a large, lean dog walking upright on its hind legs, but with the arms of a man. The head, however, is like that of horse, but with sharp teeth. Its hands are clawed, and its feet are cloven-hoofed. A pair of smallish, bat-like wings sprout from its back. Trailing behind it is a long, rat-like tail that splits into three ends. The beast makes an unnerving hissing sound that can frighten animals.

The most famous witness to the Leeds Devil was Joseph Bonaparte, former King of Spain (and brother of Napoleon). After being exiled from Europe in 1816 he eventually settled in Bordentown, New Jersey, where he encountered the Devil while out hunting one night. He was paralyzed by the sight of the hissing creature, which then took flight. Joseph sought many times to find the creature again, but was never able to.

Leeds Devil Special Abilities

Paralyzing Gaze: Anyone meeting the gaze of the Leeds Devil must make a Wisdom Save or be Paralyzed for 5 Rounds.

Frightful Hiss: Any ordinary animal that hears the hiss of the Leeds Devil must immediately make a Morale Check.

Dimension Door: The Leeds Devil can use its Preternatural Power of Dimension Door 6 times a day.

Leeds Devil Weakness

Distracted by Food: The Leeds Devil is essentially a hungry predator, and will break off combat to follow easily obtainable fresh meat. That includes crying babies!

Leeds (Jersey) Devil (for OSR games)

Number Appearing: 1
Size: Medium
Alignment: Neutral
Morale: 10 (or 14)
Intelligence: 7
Move: 120′ (or 12”, or 30 ft.); Flying 360′ (or 36”, or 70 ft.)
Armor Class: 6 (or 14)
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks & Damage: Bite (1d8); or Claw (1d6) Claw (1d6)
Special:
* Magic Resistance: 30%
* See in low light as if daylight.
* Paralyzing Gaze: Make a Constitution save or be Paralyzed for 5 Rounds.
* Frightful Hiss: causes ordinary animals to check Morale.
* Dimension Door: 6 times a day.
Saves: As Fighter 4
Treasure: 1,000 gp worth of rare skins, medicinal plants, valuable shells, raw gemstones, and possible incidental jewelry from eaten children.
Challenge: Four 5th Level characters.

Advertisements

Ghastly Affair Creatures for Other OSR Games

Tags

Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothick, Gothique, hack, OGL, old school, old school renaissance, OSR, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Horror, statblock

Here’s a guide to converting the creature stat-blocks of Ghastly Affair for use in other Old School and OGL role-playing games. Obviously, you can also work the system backwards to translate into the Ghastly Affair format.

A Ghastly Affair creature:

Reanimated Wretch

Number Appearing: 1
Initial Impression: An enormous humanoid with grotesque facial features and a muscular, yet sickly look.
Size: Large (7 – 8′ tall)

Perversity: 13
Disposition: Curious
Charisma: 8 Intelligence: 9 Wisdom: 10
Strength: 40 Dexterity: 18 Constitution: 18
Speed: 10

Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 5
Attacks: 1 (strike or weapon)
Special Abilities: Difficult to Control, Fast Learner
Weaknesses: Emotional Instability
Assets: Resistant to Cold
Afflictions: None
Preternatural Powers: None

Natural Habitat: A Mad Scientist’s lair, or any isolated place.
Level: 5

Reformatted for other OSR games:

Reanimated Wretch

Number Appearing: 1
Size: Large (7 – 8′ tall)
Alignment: Chaotic (or Chaotic Neutral)
Morale: 9 (or 11)
Intelligence: 10
Move: 150′ (or 15”)
Armor Class: 4 (or 16)
Hit Dice: 5
Attacks: 1 strike or weapon
Damage: 2d8 (as a Hill Giant)
Special:
* Strong as a Hill Giant.
* 18 Dexterity.
* Attempts to Magically charm or otherwise control the creature will result in it behaving randomly.
* Learns twice as fast as an ordinary person.
* +3 on Saving Throws against Cold.
* Highly emotional, easily angered, and prone to murderous outbursts
Saves: as Fighter 5
Challenge: Four 4th Level characters.

Doing conversions, line-by-line:

Creature Class can be translated in a common-sense way where needed. It makes little mechanical difference in most OSR games, and doesn’t usually need to be indicated on the stat-block.

Number Appearing needs no translation.

Initial Impression is likewise purely descriptive.

Size is self-explanatory, and translates directly for OSR systems where weapon damage varies by the size of the opponent.

Perversity converts to “Alignment” in the following ways:

GA Perversity	Equivalent Alignment (3 choices)
1 – 6	Lawful
7 – 12	Neutral
13 – 20	Chaotic

GA Perversity	Equivalent Alignment (5 choices)
1 – 6	Good
7 – 8	Lawful
9 – 12	Neutral
13 – 14	Chaotic
15 – 20	Evil

GA Perversity	Alignment (9 choices)
1 – 3	Lawful Good
4 – 6	Neutral Good
7 – 8	Lawful Neutral
9 – 10	Neutral
11 – 12	Chaotic Good
13 – 14	Chaotic Neutral
15 – 16	Lawful Evil
17 – 18	Neutral Evil
19 – 20	Chaotic Evil

Some Ghastly Affair creatures, such as Demons and Devils, should simply be assigned their appropriate Alignment in the system being used.

Disposition can be used to assign “Morale” as follows:

GA Disposition	Morale (range: 2 – 12)	Morale (range: 2 – 20)
Determined	12	20
Aggressive	11	17
Goading	10	14
Curious	9	11
Friendly	8	10
Scheming	6	7
Cautious	5	6
Shy	3	4
Cowardly	2	2

Disposition may may also interact with certain spells and abilities (such as those which target “aggressive” beings, etc.) Note: under the Ghastly Affair rules, a Morale Check is made by rolling under Charisma.

Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution generally translate directly to most other OSR systems, when necessary. However, an Ghastly Affair Intelligence of 9 (average human) should be translated as a 10. Also, Ghastly Affair handles super-normal strength differently than most other OSR rules. Use the following table to figure the equivalent Strength for your system from the GA score:

GA Strength	Strength in other OSR Systems
19	18 (50)
20	18 (00) (or equivalent to an Ogre)
21 – 50	19 (or equivalent to a Hill Giant)
51 – 100	20 (or equivalent to a Stone Giant)
101 – 200	21 (or equivalent to a Frost Giant)
201 – 300	22 (or equivalent to a Fire Giant)
301 – 400	23 (or equivalent to a Cloud Giant)
401 – 500	24 (or equivalent to a Storm Giant)
501+	25

If a GA creature’s Dexterity score is 15 or above, it can be noted in the creature’s description as a “Special” characteristic.

Speed can be converted to your system’s “Move” or “Speed” by using the following table, based on the speed of an unencumbered human being.

GA Speed	Move (base 120” or 12”)	Speed (base 30′)
1 – 2	10′ or 1”	10 ft.
3 – 4	30′ or 3”	15 ft.
5 – 6	60′ or 6”	20 ft.
7 – 8	90′ or 9”	25 ft.
9	120′ or 12”	30 ft.
10	150′ or 15”	35 ft
11	180′ or 18”	40 ft
12	210′ or 21”	45 ft.
13	240′ or 24”	50 ft.
14	270′ or 27”	55 ft.
15	300′ or 30”	60 ft.
16	330′ or 33”	65 ft.
17	360′ or 36”	70 ft.
18	390′ or 39”	75 ft
19	420′ or 42”	80 ft.
20	450′ or 45”	85 ft.

Armor Class is easy to translate:

• In descending AC systems, subtract the Ghastly Affair Armor Class from 10.
• In ascending AC systems, add the Ghastly Affair Armor Class value to 10.

Hit Dice work the same as in most other OSR systems, but note that Ghastly Affair creatures aren’t assigned additional Hit Points in addition to their Hit Die (for example: 1+1, or 5+5). Add such additional Hit Points where appropriate. Also, Ghastly Affair generally only uses d6 to determine Hit Points, so use the appropriate Hit Die size (d8, d12, etc.) for your chosen system.

Attacks made by creatures are handled slightly differently in Ghastly Affair than in most other OSR systems. Most Ghastly Affair creatures only roll once to represent all their attacks in a Round, doing damage equal to 1d6, + the number of their Hit Dice. If the description indicates that the creature’s attack is actually composed of several different elements (such as a bite and 2 claws), translate the separate attacks of a Small creature as inflicting 1d4 points of Damage each, those of a Human-sized creature as inflicting 1d6 points each, and those of a Large creature as inflicting 1d8 points each. The attacks of particularly large creatures (over 20 feet) might do 1d10, or 1d12 each. Creatures with a humanoid shape who have Strength equal to a Giant’s can inflict the same damage per attack as the corresponding giant type.

Special Abilities will generally translate directly to the “Special”, “Special Attacks” and “Special Defenses” sections of other OSR monster stat-blocks.

Weaknesses are an important element of Ghastly Affair creatures, but don’t generally correspond to anything on the monster stat-blocks of most other OSR systems. They can be indicated on the “Special” line, if present.

Assets don’t directly translate to most OSR systems, but can be interpreted as “Specials” granting +3 bonuses on related Saving Throws, skill checks, proficiency checks, or Ability checks.

Afflictions likewise don’t directly translate to most OSR systems, but can be interpreted as “Specials” inflicting -3 penalties on related Saving Throws, skill checks, proficiency checks, or Ability checks.

Preternatural Powers correspond directly to “Spell-like Abilities”, and can be indicated in the “Special” or “Special Attacks” section.

Natural Habitat is largely self-explanatory.

Level most directly translates to systems where dungeons have Levels rated from I to X. It can be used to figure how challenging an individual creature would be to the average adventuring party of four in the following way:

• • An “Animal” would challenge a party whose average character Level is equal to ½ its own.
  • An individual Human “Antagonist” would challenge a party whose average character Level is equal to ½ their own Level, except for Magicians and Mad Scientists, who could individually challenge a adventuring party of their own Level.
  • A “Fairy” would challenge a party whose average character Level is one higher than its own.
  • A “Monster” would challenge a party whose average character Level is one lower than its own.
  • A “Revenant” would challenge a party whose average character Level is equal to its own.

  Each additional Creature in a group past the first generally raises the Level of adventurers need to handle them by one (if Animals, Adversaries, Monsters or Revenants), or by two (if Fairies or Spirits). A single Ghastly Affair Goblin (a Fairy with Preternatural Powers) can challenge four 2nd Level OSR adventurers, but 2 GA Goblins can challenge four 4th Level OSR adventurers.

  Note that a Ghastly Affair creature’s listed Level is not rated on an absolute scale, but relative to other creatures of its own Class.

  Further Notes on Conversions:

  In systems where Monster Savings throws can vary, a Ghastly Affair creature has the “Save As” value of a Fighter of its own Level, or else as a Magic User (if it has Preternatural Powers).

  Ghastly Affair doesn’t use “Magic Resistance”. If your system does, simply assign appropriate creatures (Fairies, Angels, Devils, and Demons) 5% Magic Resistance per point of Wisdom.

  Lastly, Ghastly Affair creatures have no listed XP values, because characters in Ghastly Affair do not receive Experience Points for defeating creatures. Figure the XP values in whatever method your chosen rules-set suggests.

  If you play Savage Worlds, Sean Tait Bircher (of the Wine & Savages blog) has done a series converting the Adversaries from the Ghastly Affair Presenter’s manual into Savage Worlds terms. I recommend giving it (and Sean’s other work) a look.

25% Off Ghastly Affair PDFs for Christmas in July!

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, dreadpunk, Eighteenth Century, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, mannerpunk, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romance, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman

Both “Ghastly Affair” Illustrated PDFs are now 25% OFF for DriveThruRPG’s Christmas in July Sale!

NOW is the time to get your digital copy of the acclaimed “Ghastly Affair” books, specially designed for on-screen viewing and usability. Each is fully bookmarked, indexed, and extensively hyperlinked throughout. There’s never been a better time to discover the dark romance and shocking horror of Ghastly Affair!

“Ghastly Affair Player’s Manual (Illustrated PDF Version)”
Regularly: $12.95.
NOW just: $9.71!

“Ghastly Affair Presenter’s Manual (Illustrated PDF Version)”
Regularly: $9.95.
NOW just $7.46!

Now until the end of July!

Note: Because Ghastly Affair is intended for mature gamers, you’ll need to sign in to DriveThruRPG to see the listings.

More Great Stuff From Other People

Tags

black powder, Blogs, classic horror, dreadpunk, Free RPG, French Revolution, Georgian, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Horror Gaming, Louis Seize, Louis XVI, mannerpunk, musketpunk, Napoleonic, OGL, Recommended, Regency, role-playing game, rpg, rules conversions, Vampire, vampyre

At the “Wine and Savages” blog, Sean Bircher is converting Ghastly Affair’s character classes (and the typical Adversaries listed in the Presenter’s Manual) for use with the Savage Worlds rules. I mentioned Bircher’s “The King is Dead” setting in an earlier post, and I recommend checking out his work.

As previously mentioned on this blog, William Rutter’s debut novel “Hunter’s Song” is now available on Amazon. The protagonist Lila Davenport is no helpless damsel awaiting rescue, but a heroic woman who defiantly faces the evil that invades her life. The fast-paced book is beautifully written, and supremely readable. I recommend it highly to anyone interested in the themes and historical era of Ghastly Affair!

20 Dubious Statements by Questionable Occultists

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, Consulate Era, Eighteenth Century, esotericism, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Humor, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Magic, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, occult, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman, sorcery, witchcraft

Each claim on the list that follows could certainly be the beginning of a larger plot. Some of them presuppose particular genders and preferences, but the Presenter (or GM) should naturally alter them as appropriate. Some of the claimants may have genuine powers – others will undoubtedly prove to be frauds. It could be a mistake to assume that the more outrageous claims are necessarily the false ones…

They look you in the eyes and say… (d20)

1. “Indeed, I have learned the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone, a mystery held close by the Magi of Persia from time immemorial. I require only the dung of a completely white goat from a litter of four, raised by a girl who has never heard a human voice raised in anger. The girl must have been born on a Wednesday in the sign of Virgo, and must have had her head shaved every day of her life from birth. After that, everything required is perfectly ordinary. Besides a flawless twenty carat diamond, which I will also need. Soon.”

2. “I have extracted the fabled Carbuncle from the head of a toad that once lived in my garden. Unfortunately, if not kept in complete darkness the gem will collapse into dust. Therefore, while priceless, it must be kept in this unopened box. I am willing to part with it for only a small compensation of, perhaps, 5,000 livres”.

3. “I can restore you to perfect health by running my magnetized hands across your body. You will need to be nude, of course, but how else can I be sure that the magnetic power is unimpeded?”

4. “Using the ancient art taught to me in distant Cathay, I can measure your destiny by the shape of your ears. You, for example, are fated to become famous as the generous patron of an extraordinary man.”

5. “You cannot see them, but you are followed by an army of fiery elementals, eager to immolate the next place where you sleep. Due to my pacts with their King, I empowered to prevent their assaults. For a modest fee, of course.”

6. “Tremble, for the Antichrist has been born. But, only I know where. I can tell you, but only if you commit to sponsoring my quest to destroy him. It will take us across Europe, to many picturesque places and spa towns.”

7. “I hold in my hands the lost Grimoire of Quaestius. It contains a powerful ritual that will reduce the mighty Lucifer to little more than a personal valet. The required components can generally be acquired without undue effort. Except perhaps for the heart of a reigning sovereign, which may prove somewhat more troublesome.”

8. “You stand in the presence of an ambassador from the Rosicrucian Brotherhood itself, which has now decided to admit as members the daughters of Eve. However, I am bound to first administer the test of love, to insure that you can truly become one with the Brotherhood in spirit, soul and body. It is a duty which by sacred oath I must perform, though be assured that I personally find it most distasteful.”

9. “The secret method of distilling the sacred Aqua Aurae has been taught from mother to daughter in an unbroken line since the days of ancient Egypt. You must pour it over your head to attain the worldly success you desire. I understand that its color and smell may have distressing implications, but if I was simply handing you hand you a bottle of that, surely the price would be less?”

10. “Concealed within my walking stick is the sacred horn of the unicorn, which grants me the power to remove any poison. No, I cannot profane it by exposing it to your sight. Yes, I can be induced to use its magic for a token fee. Such as 10 guineas.”

11. “Do you swear on your honor to hold secret what I am about to impart? Good. I have possession of the Ring of Solomon itself, but the sacrifices necessary to employ its holy might are too expensive for me to afford without your patronage. Naturally, I will gladly use the powers of the Ring on your behalf.”

12. “In truth, I can no longer remember how old I am. I know I stopped counting sometime after nine hundred.”

13. “During the term of my service with the East India Company, I found opportunity to be initiated into the mysteries of the Hindu Gymnosophists. Among the many esoteric doctrines imparted to me was the secret of flight. Once, I flew clear across the tall Himalayas, and saw with my own eyes the mystic land of Shambhala. That was truly an adventure! Unfortunately, I have found upon my return that the food of Europe is excessively heavy, and therefore prevents my becoming airborne. Nor can I use the other powers of my light-body while so encumbered. However, if you you were pay for my passage back to Madras, I could certainly demonstrate my abilities for you there.”

14. “The celestial alignment that will occur within a month’s time presages the end of the world. Unless, I can obtain a certain gem that I can use to focus the sun’s rays to repel the malign influence of the stars. Such a gem exists in the jewelers on the Rue de N- , and can be had for a trifle of 10,000 francs. Unfortunately, the gem will be ruined by the ritual, and I will not be able to return it to you. It is but a small annoyance compared to being the world’s savior, no?”

15. “I have developed the recipe for a miraculous healing salve, whose effectiveness I will happily demonstrate to you. I will merely need to whip my housekeeper, and apply it to her wounds. Yes, she must be completely disrobed, as must I to avoid staining my clothes. Naturally, I will derive no inappropriate satisfaction from this necessary display, but the progress of spiritual science must go on!”

16. “We Illuminated ones hold the keys to true power in every sphere worldly and spiritual. Of course, it is a rule of our Order that no member may know the identity of any other member, save the one who initiated him, and the one he initiates. But you can trust me that the Order is both vast and mighty. And the dues are thoroughly reasonable.”

17. “By means of the ancient Druidic arts I can speak to the plants of your garden, and determine how best to tend them. Right now they are expressing excitement and eagerness to grow, if only the master of the estate would employ someone who understood their language.”

18. “During my sojourn in Egypt I acquired a book which taught me a foolproof method of finding treasure. Help me obtain the necessary materials, and I will split the proceeds with you. Unfortunately, some of the required items cannot currently be obtained from any merchant. Fortunately, I could with your aid obtain them surreptitiously from the collection of a certain Duke. Did I mention I already possess mystical means to prevent our discovery?”

19. “We of Astarte’s sisterhood do not normally admit males into our mysteries, but I am certain an exception could be made for a young man such as yourself, truly created in the image of Adonis. And such a specimen of obvious, even prodigious, intelligence you are! If at midnight next Tuesday you were to appear at my chateau, my lackeys would certainly admit you to my boudoir, excuse me, chamber of mystic initiation. There I shall explain in particular how to transform your mouth from a vehicle of mere speech, into a wonderful instrument of rapturous enchantment. Selflessly, I shall even allow you to practice your new ability on my person. I must advise you that before I can instruct you in this and other arts, you must have recently communed with the Undines through total immersion in a bath. Afterwards, you will admit that your initiation will have been thoroughly accomplished. I promise.”

20. “It is required of every warlock that he eventually pass on his magic through the exchange of clothing with a new student. For you to complete your initiation and receive your power, you must appear in the marketplace tomorrow morning wearing my distinctive attire. There you must wait until you are approached by men who you will no doubt assume to be the legal authorities. In fact, they are members of my coven, come to lead you away to the ceremony where you will acquire the secret of sorcery! No, you won’t see me again, since I am bound by tradition to leave this area and never return.”

Suggested Sources of Initiation for Magicians

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, Consulate Era, Eighteenth Century, esotericism, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Magic, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, occult, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman, sorcery, witchcraft

Any character can use a Magical Ritual in the Ghastly Affair RPG, but in order to become a true Magician one must first be initiated – either by another initiate, or some spiritual entity. What follows are some ways that a Magician character may have received their initiation. While the list is obviously not comprehensive, it will nonetheless serve to help define character backgrounds, and inspire potential sources of conflict in the ongoing Saga. The sources listed are ones that fit into the Gothic and Romantic themes of the game.

Afro-Caribbean Theurgy: The term includes such things as the Obeah tradition of Jamaica, the Lucumi tradition of Spanish Cuba (popularly known as Santeria), and the Vodun rites of Saint-Domingue (Haiti) and La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans). Both those of African descent, and the members of planter families (raised by enslaved nannies), might practice such traditions.

The Bavarian Illuminati: The actual Bavarian Illuminati was founded in 1776, as an initiatory order within Freemasonry. The founder Adam Weishaupt hoped to spread the ideals of the Enlightenment, combat the influence of the Church in politics, and ultimately reform society. The historical Illuminati were destroyed by a series of actions taken by the Bavarian state in the 1780s, but they have lived on in conspiracy theories ever since. They were widely believed at the time to be responsible for the French Revolution.

The Black Man of the Crossroads: Although strongly associated with the Hoodoo practices of the American South, the belief in meeting the Devil at the crossroads also occurs in European folklore. The Ritual is simple – the postulant goes to a deserted crossroads at exactly midnight on three successive nights, bearing the item that will become their magical Power Object. For the first two nights, the seeker must wait until 1 AM, although they may experience many temptations to depart before then. At exactly midnight on the third night, the Black Man will appear. He will take hold of the item brought, and then give it back. The postulant then signs in blood the book born by the Black Man, thereby receiving magical power, but consigning the Magician’s soul to Hell. The new magician’s Perversity automatically increases by 2 points. [Note: I have altered the traditional crossroads ritual for game purposes.]

Cabbalism: The authentic secret tradition of Judaism was taught from Rabbi to student, and usually only to men. A female cabbalist PC, however, could have disguised herself as a man, or have accidentally summoned an initiating angel while perusing the mystical books of her father (or husband). Alternately, her father might have been a renegade who initiated and instructed her regardless of tradition. Because of the rampant anti-Semitic prejudice of Ghastly Age Europe, Jewish Cabbalists might pretend to be Gentiles.

The Egyptian Rite of Freemasonry: Occultist, adventurer, and physician Count Cagliostro formed his own rite of Freemasonry in 1784. He claimed that it represented the true form of Masonry, rooted in the ancient Egyptian mysteries. Notably, Cagliostro’s Rite admitted women.

The Fairy Folk: Ireland in particular had a tradition of “Fairy Doctors”, healers whose power had been given to them by the Good Folk. As mentioned in the “Ghastly Affair Presenter’s Manual”, a Fairy Doctor is subject to a Fairy Ban, rather than having their abilities bound to a Power Object. Typically, the Ban prevents them from directly accepting payment for most services. Similarly, a character may have been taken to Fairyland, and then returned to the Mundane World (having been meanwhile taught some magic) when their abductor grew bored. Though only a few months might have seemed to pass in the Fairy world, the returned Magician will find that actually been gone for many years.

The Jesuits: In modern times, the education-focused Society of Jesus is seen as the liberal wing of the Catholic Church. In the eighteenth century, however, it was widely feared as a secret order dedicated to undermining the monarchies of Europe. Both the rumored occult knowledge of the Jesuits, and their undivided dedication to the Pope, caused a hysteria that resulted in them being widely banned (and officially dissolved between the years 1773 and 1814).

Martinism: The hermetic Christian mysticism taught by Martinez de Pasqually and his student Louis Claude de Saint-Martin was very popular in Revolutionary-era France. The highest degrees of de Pasqually’s “l’Ordre des Chevaliers Maçons Élus Coëns de l’Univers” (Order of Knight-Masons Elect-Priests of the Universe) were explicitly theurgic, and taught spirit evocation.

Native American Medicine: Perhaps through extraordinary circumstance a European was adopted into a Native American nation, and initiated into their spiritual healing tradition. Alternately, a character could be a Native American medicine man (or woman) who has traveled to Europe on a quest to find the source of the evil that has invaded their world.

The Near East: The early Romantics were often Islamophiles, and the idea of a secret Muslim society persisting in Europe is explored in Jan Potocki’s “The Manuscript Found in Saragossa”. The grimoire called “The Black Pullet” supposedly records the occult knowledge imparted to a French soldier in Egypt by a mysterious Turk. Even the “Fama Fraternitatis” claims that the legendary founder of the Rosicrucian Order was instructed in the Near East.

Neo-Druidism: The eighteenth century saw a profound revival of interest in ancient Celtic culture, although much of what was offered as authentically “Celtic” was of dubious historicity. Many antiquarians studied (and formed strange theories about) prehistorical megaliths, the “Ossian” poems, were wildly popular, and various people claimed to hold the wisdom of the pre-Christian Celts. The best known of such Neo-Druids was the Iolo Morganwg (Edward Williams), founder of the “Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain”.

The Rosicrucian Order: Ever since the publication of the “Fama Fraternitatis” in 1614, European occultist have claimed to represent the mystical order founded by the legendary Christian Rosenkreuz. Casanova was notably fond of claiming to be a Rosicrucian, especially when it gained him money and/or sex.

The Scholomance: The legendary subterranean school of magic taught by Satan is an obvious choice when deciding how a Magician received their initiation, as is the similar “Black School of Wittenberg”. Famous literary alumni of the “Scholomance” include none other than Count Dracula!

The School of Francis Barrett: Francis Barrett’s 1801 occult compendium “The Magus” contained an advertisement seeking twelve students to learn his magical secrets. There is, of course, no known record of whether of not such a school was actually formed.

Tantricism: A character might have been initiated into one of the Indian religio-magical traditions that fall under the loose category of “Tantric”. Contrary to the modern Western stereotype, such groups were never exclusively oriented towards sexual mysticism. British, French, Dutch and and Portuguese soldiers and traders might well have returned from the East with strange powers and abilities. Or, perhaps the Tantric is a native Indian who has journeyed to the strange and exotic Occident.

The Witch Cult: Whether they had been invited to attend the Black Sabbath, or had wandered into it by mistake, characters will have been offered the opportunity to render the Osculum Infame, sign the Black Book, and gain the power to cast spells. Anyone who becomes a witch or warlock at the Sabbath will have been marked on their body with a scar, blotch, or supernumerary nipple. The mark is thenceforth their Power Object. If it is ever removed from their body, the witch or warlock will lose their ability to use magic (but still forfeit their soul after death anyway).

Character Inspirations Part VII: The Magician

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, Consulate Era, Eighteenth Century, esotericism, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Magic, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, occult, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman, sorcery, witchcraft

The era of the Enlightenment also saw an explosion of occultism. The aristocracy of eighteenth century France in particular was obsessed with alchemy and spirit evocation. Freemasonry was intertwined with even more esoteric practices, particularly in continental Europe. Monarchs such as Sweden’s Gustav III ran their nations on the advice of fortune-tellers and mystics. The first books on using Tarot cards for divination were published in the late eighteenth century, and the Egyptomania of the time has left an enduring mark on modern Western occultism. Count Cagliostro mingled with the highest strata of European society, while the lower class looked to witchcraft for cures the quacks of the day could not provide. The Gothic genre itself was partially the result of the eighteenth century’s thirst for the supernatural, turned to dark obsession as war, revolution, and natural disasters engulfed the continent.

The following lists will help inspire Magician and Witch characters for Ghastly Affair, or any role-playing game.

Some Historical Magicians:
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Mamsell Arfvidsson
Francis Barrett
Alexis-Vincent-Charles Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym
Carl Adolf Boheman
Count Cagliostro (Guiseppe Balsalmo)
John Dee
Etteilla (Jean-Baptiste Alliette)
Antoine Court de Gébelin
Magdelaine de La Grange
Étienne Guibourg
Höffern
Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand
Suzanne Labrousse
Adam Lesage
Henrietta Lullier [Multi-classed Magician / Libertine]
Antoine Fabre d’Olivet
Annie Palmer (The White Witch of Rose Hall) [possibly apocryphal]
Martinez de Pasqually
Charlotta Roos
Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin
Henrik Gustaf Ulfvenklou
Marie-Anne de La Ville
La Voisin (Catherine Monvoisin)

Some Literary Inspirations:
Carathis (Vathek – William Beckford)
John Constantine (Hellblazer – DC Comics)
Count Dracula (Dracula – Bram Stoker) [Multiclass Magician / Vampyre. Most of Dracula’s powers are actually necromancy learned at the legendary Scholomance]
Durand (Juliette; or, Vice Amply Rewarded – Marquis de Sade)
Don Pedro de Uzeda (Rabbi Zadok ben Mamoun) (The Manuscript Found in Sargossa – Jan Potocki)
Ginotti (Saint Irvyne; or, The Rosicrucian – Percy Bysshe Shelley)
Haninuh the Scholar (The Book of the Beast – Tanith Lee)
Heinrich Faust (Faust – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
Prospero (The Tempest – William Shakespeare)
Manfred (Manfred: A Dramatic Poem – Lord Byron)
Matilda (The Monk: A Romance – Matthew Lewis) [although Matilda is also something else…]
Ruquel (The Book of the Beast – Tanith Lee)
Zanoni (Zanoni – Edward Bulwer-Lytton)

Some Magicians from Movies and Television:
Angelique Bouchard (Dark Shadows)
The Evil Queen (Snow White)
Justin (Lo)
Rowena MacLeod (Supernatural)
Merlin (Excalibur)
The Mirror Queen (The Brothers Grimm)
Morgana Le Fay (Excalibur)
Nix (Lord of Illusions)
Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Lord Summerisle (The Wicker Man)
Philip Swann (Lord of Illusions)
Asa Vajda (Black Sunday) [Multiclassed Magician / Vampyre]
Katrina Van Tassel (Sleepy Hollow – Movie and TV Series)
Mary Walcott (Salem)
Warlock (Warlock)
Witch Woman (The Company of Wolves)

A Few Inspirational Songs:
The Wizard – Black Sabbath
Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac
The Witch – The Cult
I Put a Spell on You – Screaming Jay Hawkins
Witchy Woman – The Eagles
Black Magic Woman – Santana
Spellbound – Siouxsie and the Banshees
Magic Man – Heart
Over the Mountain – Ozzy Osbourne. Ok, Mr. Crowley too!
Wrapped Around Your Finger – The Police

Gallery of Images

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

---

Credit for Images 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, & 11 : Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org . Copyrighted works available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Character Inspirations Part VI: The Demon Hunter

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, Consulate Era, Eighteenth Century, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman

The historical sources for Ghastly Affair’s Demon Hunter class range from the vampire-hunting dhampirs and vampirovici of the Balkans, to the witch-hunters that terrorized 17th century Europe and America. Oddly, the hunter of supernatural horrors seems not to have become an established literary trope until the 19th century. The earlier Gothics were thick with agents of the Inquisition, but those characters were always more interested in torturing innocent people than pursuing the actual forces of evil. In Sheridan Le Fanu’s story collection “In a Glass Darkly” (which includes both “Green Tea” and “Carmilla”) we find two scholars and adversaries of the supernatural – Doctor Hesselius, and Baron Vordenburg. Those characters were perhaps the inspirations for Bram Stoker’s iconic Doctor Abraham Van Helsing, easily the best-known and most-influential example of the Demon Hunter. Nowadays, the figure is such an expected part of horror novels, movies, and television shows that is easy to forget that it does not have especially deep roots in literary horror prior to the late 19th century. Nonetheless, it can be one of the most enjoyable archetypes to explore in the context of a role-playing game. With that in mind, here are some people, characters, songs, and images to help inspire the creation of your own Demon Hunter characters.

Some Historical Demon Hunters:
Matthew Hopkins
Karl Ferdinand Von Schertz [Author of “Magia Posthuma”]
Jean Chastel
Johann Heinrich Zopf (or Zopfius) [Author of “Dissertatio de Vampyris Serviensibus”]
Dom Augustin Calmet
Johann Joseph Gassner
Johann Flückinger [Austrian army surgeon who exhumed suspected vampires during the 1731 – 1732 hysteria in Serbia]
Cotton Mather

Some Literary Demon Hunters:
Thomas Carnacki (Carnacki, the Ghost Finder – William Hope Hodgson) [Multi Classed Demon Hunter / Magician]
Harry D’Amour (The Last Illusion, Everville, more. – Clive Barker)
Lila Davenport (Hunter’s Song – William Rutter)
Parl Dro (Kill the Dead – Tanith Lee)
Jonathan Harker (Dracula – Bram Stoker)
Dr. Martin Hesselius (In a Glass Darkly – Sheridan Le Fanu)
Solomon Kane (Red Shadows, etc. – Robert E. Howard)
Ann Radcliffe(!) (Vampire City – Paul Féval)
John Silence (John Silence, Physician Extraordinary – Algernon Blackwood) [Multi Classed Demon Hunter / Magician]
Doctor Abraham Van Helsing (Dracula – Bram Stoker)
Baron Vordenburg (Carmilla – Sheridan Le Fanu)

Special mention to Mina Harker. Although never explicitly stated in the text, the ending of “Dracula” can be read as implying that Mina and Jonathan Harker go on to further study and oppose the vampires of Transylvania.

I have included some examples of the “Occult Detective” variety, for those who prefer to run their Demon Hunters more as demonologists and investigators than slayers. Such characters could be allowed to make their Obsession be oriented towards solving supernatural mysteries, rather than always destroying monsters.

Some Demon Hunters from Movies and Television:
Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)
Nick Burkhardt (Grimm)
Clementine Chasseur (Hemlock Grove)
Ichabod Crane (Sleepy Hollow – TV Series)
Grégoire de Fronsac (Brotherhood of the Wolf)
Charles Gunn (Angel – TV Series)
Catriona Hartdegen (Penny Dreadful)
Carl Kolchak (Kolchak: the Night Stalker)
Captain Kronos (Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter)
Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Jack Marshak (Friday the 13th: The Series)
Sir Malcolm Murray (Penny Dreadful)
Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Professor Timothy Eliot Stokes (Dark Shadows, House of Dark Shadows [Movie])
Peter Vincent (Fright Night)
Ash Williams (The Evil Dead)
Sam and Dean Winchester (Supernatural)

A Few Inspirational Songs:
Defender – Manowar
Evil – 45 Grave
Fight– The Cure
Flash of the Blade – Iron Maiden
God’s Gonna Cut You Down – Traditional. Versions by Johnny Cash, others.
No Quarter – Led Zeppelin
Screaming For Vengeance – Judas Priest
Wrathchild – Iron Maiden

Gallery of Images
1

2

3

4

Vampire Hysteria in the Eighteenth Century

Prior to the eighteenth century, vampires as such were largely unknown to Western Europe. There were certainly vampire-like beings thought to exist in various places, such as the lamia of classical legend, or the dearg dul of Ireland. However, the word “vampire” (from the Serbian vampir) didn’t enter into the mass consciousness of the West until several incidents in early 1700s Eastern Europe (the most famous of which were the cases of Arnold Paole and Petar Blagojevich). The panic spread across the lands controlled by the Austrian Habsburgs, in places (such as Serbia and Transylvania) where vampire hunting and destruction were long established practices. By the 1730s, the so-called “Vampire Controversy” was ignited in Western Europe by newspaper reports of recent vampire attacks in Serbia (and the subsequent openings of graves to destroy the supposed revenants). French, German, and English authors began discussing vampires in medical treatises, theological texts, and travel journals. Voltaire himself weighed in, stating that the only real vampires were involved in business, tax collection, and finance. By the 1740s, the vampire had become established as an object of fear in Western European countries where it had never before existed in folklore. It wasn’t until the publication of “The Vampyre: A Tale” in 1819, however, that the modern Western image of the vampire as a dapper aristocrat emerged.

---

Credit for Image 3 : Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org . Copyrighted works available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Character Inspirations Part V: The Grave Robber

Tags

18th Century, blackpowder, Consulate Era, Eighteenth Century, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, mannerpunk, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman

Ghastly Affair‘s Grave Robber class represents not only desperate resurrection men looting recent burials, but also aristocratic antiquarians rifling through ancient barrows. In fact, 18th and early 19th century archaeology was often little more than grave robbing, and the great museums of the Western world were partially founded upon the spoils of looted tombs. By the 19th century, stealing bodies for medical research was mostly a phenomena of United Kingdom, United States, and British colonies. Thieves everywhere, however, dug up new graves for clothing and jewelry, as well teeth for dentures.

Some Historical Grave Robbers (Body Snatchers, Antiquarians, and Physicians):
Thomas Bateman
William Burke
Ben Crouch (See “The Dairy of a Resurrectionist”, page 128)
William Cunnington
Bernardino Drovetti
Bill Hartnett (See “The Dairy of a Resurrectionist”, page 130)
Jack Hartnett (See “The Dairy of a Resurrectionist”, page 131)
William Hare
Sir Richard Colt Hoare
Charles Knowlton
Tom Light (See “The Dairy of a Resurrectionist”, page 132)
Joseph (or Joshua) Naples (See “The Dairy of a Resurrectionist”, page 136)
Girolamo Segato [Multi-Classed Grave Robber / Mad Scientist]

Some Literary Inspirations:
Jerry Cruncher (A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens)
The Editor (The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner – James Hogg)
Doctor Fettes (The Body Snatcher – Robert Louis Stevenson)
Doctor Wolfe Macfarlane (The Body Snatcher – Robert Louis Stevenson)
Jonathan Oldbuck, Laird of Monkbarns (The Antiquary – Sir Walter Scott)
Muff Potter (The Adventure of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain)
William Shiel, and W. Sword (The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner – James Hogg)
St. John, and the Narrator (The Hound – H.P. Lovecraft)

Some Grave Robbers from Movies and Television:
Arthur Blake (I Sell the Dead)
Fanny Briers (I Sell the Dead)
Timothy Broom (The Doctor and the Devils)
Robert Fallon (The Doctor and the Devils)
The Graverobber (The Horror of Frankenstein)
Willie Grimes (I Sell the Dead)
Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Ygor (Son of Frankenstein)

A Few Inspirational Songs:
The Ballad of Resurrection Joe and Rosa Whore – Rob Zombie
Cold Ethyl – Alice Cooper
Dig Up Her Bones – Misfits
The Hearse Song – Traditional. Versions by Harley Poe, and various others
I Like (You Too) – Heathen Dan
I Love The Dead – Alice Cooper
Skull Full of Maggots – Cannibal Corpse
Skulls – Misfits

Gallery of Images
1

2

3

4

5

6

Manufacturing Mummies

One facet of the Egyptomania that swept Europe in the very early 19th century was a fashion among the wealthy for displaying mummies. The mummies might even be unwrapped in front of gathered groups. Of course, there weren’t actually enough genuine mummies to satisfy the demand – considering that ground up mummies had long been used as a paint pigment, and a medicine! Naturally, enterprising Egyptian grave robbers stepped up to remedy the situation. The corpses of criminals and the indigent were dried out and wrapped in bandages to create create counterfeit mummies for the European market. Sometimes, the corpses of disease victims were used. If the cases and coffins weren’t complete fabrications, they would be cobbled together from various broken bits and pieces looted from actual ancient tombs.

---

Credit for Image 1 : Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org . Copyrighted works available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Character Inspirations Part IV: The Mad Scientist

Tags

18th Century, alchemist, blackpowder, Consulate Era, Eighteenth Century, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, mad doctor, mannerpunk, Napoleonic, natural philosopher, nineteenth century, OGL, Regency, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, rpg, schauerroman

The so-called “Mad Scientist” has long been a defining character in Gothic stories. Although the archetype is often considered to have entered the genre with the titular character of Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, there were already a pair of mad (and utterly depraved) doctors in de Sade’s “Justine”. The historical, literary, and cinematic inspirations that follow are generally focused around the Ghastly Age (1765 – 1820), with some notable exceptions whose prominence mandates their inclusion. Even if you don’t play the Ghastly Affair RPG, the lists might proved useful for inspiring Mad Scientist-type characters in your favorite Horror, Steampunk, or Victorian-era game.

Some Historical Mad Scientists:
Charles Babbage
Johann Bessler (Orffyreus)
Henry Cavendish
Armand-Marie-Jacques de Chastenet, Marquis of Puységur
James Cox
Andrew Crosse
Honoré Fragonard
Franz Joseph Gall
Wolfgang von Kempelen
Dr. Robert Knox
Ada Lovelace
Franz Mesmer
Sir Isaac Newton
James Price
Joseph Priestly
Charles Redheffer
Count Saint-Germain
Nikola Tesla

Some Literary Inspirations:
Coppelius (The Sandman – E.T.A. Hoffmann)
Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus – Mary Shelley)
Doctor Henry Jekyll (Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson)
Doctor Moreau (The Island of Doctor Moreau – H.G. Wells)
Doctor Rodin (Justine; or, the Misfortunes of Virtue – Marquis de Sade)
Doctor Rombeau (Justine; or, the Misfortunes of Virtue – Marquis de Sade)
Crawford Tillinghast (From Beyond – H.P. Lovecraft)
Herbert West (Herbert West – Reanimator – H.P. Lovecraft)
Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl)

Some Mad Scientists from Movies and Television:
Ichabod Crane (Sleepy Hollow – 1999 Movie)
Heinrich von Frankenstein (Frankenstein – 1931 Movie)
Dr. Moreau (Island of Lost Souls)
Will Plunkett (Plunkett and Macleane) [ Multi-Classed Mad Scientist / Bandit]
Doctor Pretorius (Bride of Frankenstein)
Dr. Thomas Rock (The Doctor and the Devils)
John Seward (Bram Stoker’s Dracula) [Seward is not a Mad Scientist in Stoker’s novel, but qualifies as portrayed in Coppola’s film]
Dr. Frank-N-Furter (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) [ Multi-Classed Mad Scientist / Libertine]
Rotwang (Metropolis)

A Few Inspirational Songs:
Am I Going Insane – Black Sabbath
Brain Damage – Pink Floyd
Diary of a Madman – Ozzy Osbourne
Flight of Icarus – Iron Maiden
Frankenstein – The Edgar Winter Group
Frayed Ends of Sanity – Metallica
Funtime – Iggy Pop (Covered by Peter Murphy as Fun Time)
Happy House – Siouxsie and the Banshees
I’m Going Slightly Mad – Queen
Living Dissection – Cannibal Corpse [Warning: disturbing image follows link]
No One Knows My Plan – They Might Be Giants
She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
Spiral Architect – Black Sabbath
They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! – Napoleon XIV
Weird Science – Oingo Boingo
Welcome to My Nightmare – Alice Cooper

Gallery of Images
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

The Treatment of Mental Illness in the Ghastly Age

The late 18th century saw rapid scientific and technological progress, resulting in the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. Sadly, the treatment of the mentally ill remained generally abysmal. Despite the work of Philippe Pinel in France (who pioneered compassionate care of the mentally ill), in most of Europe the “mad” were imprisoned, chained, beaten, and abused – or simply starved and neglected. As mentioned in the “Ghastly Affair Player’s Manual”, the mentally ill were sometimes even displayed for money by the asylums that housed them. In 1788, King George III received the best treatment available in the England at the time for his mental illness – he was alternately locked in a straitjacket, purged withe emetics, made to swallow mercury, tied to a chair, had his skin blistered, and was locked in a cold room – when he wasn’t being made to do manual labor. Because doctors had little idea about the underlying causes of mental disorders, treatments for those deemed insane could also include bleeding, enemas, verbal abuse, and regular beatings. King George’s treatment was a country garden party compared to the horrible fate that awaited those sent to London’s infamous Bethlem Hospital, better known as Bedlam. There many patients were kept naked and chained by their necks to metal poles, in the unheated cells of a dilapidated building.

---

Credit for Images 2,3,8, & 9 : Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org . Images 2,3,8, & 9 are copyrighted works available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/