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Halloween 2014: The King is Dead Collection


I really wanted to produce some awesome Halloween content this year, but writing for Savage Insider, running a new The King is Dead campaign, promoting Steamscapes: Asia, and drinking my way through Texas Wine Month have kind of gotten in the way.  In lieu of new material, I present the following annotated list from the Wine and Savages archives. 

The King is Dead
My longest-running project here is The King is Dead, a gonzo Gothic 18th century revolutionary setting where the aristocrats are vampires so you don’t have to feel guilty about slaughtering them all.  As much as there is on the blog, there’s even more unpublished.  It will – eventually – get published, but paying writing work is too tempting to resist right now.

The King is Dead
The original post that started it all is a fictitious quote from another world’s Declaration of Independence.
The King is Dead: What does that mean?
An explanation of the setting concepts and themes.
A new version of the introduction that brings it more up to date with ongoing development.

Bloodsuckers
The King is Dead: A Vampire History
The vampire history of the world.
The King is Dead: I Never Drink… Wine
Being a “wineaux,” I like to work wine into every setting.  I spun Bela Lugosi’s famous line into a whole wacky mechanic (that I have since redacted).
The King is Dead: I Have Changed My Mind About Vampire Boners
On dhampyres (herein called “dunpeals” because I thought that was funny).
The King is Dead: The Blood is the Life (Revised)
Ghouls, thralls, Renfields…
The King is Dead: VAMPIRES REVEALED!
Vampire mechanics and bloodlines.
The King is Dead: Thank you, Hellsing.
Thoughts on toning down minor vampires and powering up the important ones.

Gazetteer
The game is set in Malleus, an island nation with elements of 18th century Britain, France, and Germany.  Admittedly, it tends to be more Britain than anything else.
The King is Dead: This Grim, Unpleasant Land
The eastern coast and the capital of Hammerstadt.
The King is Dead: This Grim, Unpleasant Land Part 2
The wider reach of the “England” part of the island.
The King is Dead: There May (or May Not) Be Monsters in the Lochs
The “Scotland” section of the setting.
The King is Dead: A Glorious Thing To Be the Scarecrow King
“Cornwall,” smugglers, and a redacted secret society.
The King is Dead: The Colonies
As in “America.”
The brutality of the Mallean "justice" system.

Inspiration
The King is Dead: Hollywood History
The King is Dead: Son of Hollywood History
An inspirational filmography; it’s funny to realize that this is already out of date.  I really need to watch Outlander and Turn.
The King is Dead: Assassin's Creed III
Inspirational art.  I have never played an Assassin’s Creed game.  Seriously.  I suck at video games.
Things I Need to Own: Le Scorpion
I still haven’t bought this.  I am so dumb.
The King is Dead: Need Some Figure Flats?
A bunch of Assassin's Creed pictures that would make awesome paper minis.

Mechanics
The King is Dead: Give Me Gonzo or Give Me Death
Thoughts on Arcane Backgrounds; includes example characters.
The King is Dead: Savage Worlds Character Creation
Includes the skill bonuses attached to each secret society.
The King is Dead: Some Edges
I forgot that I used to think it was important to have no body odor in this setting…
The King is Dead: Names in Malleus
How to name your character.
The King is Dead: New Trapping -- Vehicle
A new Weird Science trapping!

NPC Archetypes
The King is Dead: Mallean Ladies of Good Breeding
The King is Dead: Gentlemen of Malleus
The King is Dead: Churchmen of Malleus
The King is Dead: Some Dunpeals
A quartet of generic stat block entries.
The King is Dead: Bestiary - Lady's Maid
An experiment in less generic stats.
The King is Dead: The Neo-Gothic Society
The King is Dead: The Rest of the Neo-Gothic Society
A secret society of discontented vampires (who are still bad guys).
Creepy Housekeeper (Gothic Tropes NPC)
This did not work out as intended.

Secret Societies
The King is Dead: Plotters and Rebels
Introducing the secret societies that form the core of the setting.
The King is Dead: Libertines and Liberated
Wow.  I just realized this entry is almost completely apocryphal now.  I originally thought that I’d portray vampires as anti-sex because I’m a sex-positive feminist, but then I realized no man would choose eternal life over his penis.  Then I realized that making a good guy secret society in the vein of the Hellfire Club was just wrong-headed.
The King is Dead: Secrets of the Bloodstained Blade
Dumb puns inform the history of the setting’s “Christians.”
The King is Dead: The Benevolent Association
The "thieves' guild."
The King is Dead: An Illuminated Example
Expanded information on the setting's "Freemasons."
Update on the Manis and Hawkeyes.
Revising the feminist society.
Correcting a horrible error on my part.

Theory
The King is Dead: Questions? Comments?
I have no idea why this post is in my top ten most popular.  Is it the picture?
The King is Dead: What I have learned from actual play
I have learned I can’t stop making puns.
The King is Dead: I'm Stumped
I was stumped.
The King is Dead: What Lurks in the Shadows?
Considering whether there should be other monsters in the setting besides vampires.
The King is Dead: Taking it seriously
In which I remember to not take things too seriously.
The King is Dead: Recent Revelations from Actual Play
Vampires have secret societies too!
The King is Dead: This Will Not Be In The Book
The sci-fi at the setting’s secret heart.
The King is Dead: Plot "Points"
Theorizing a way to tie player character advancement directly into achievements for their secret societies.  It sounds like The Rise of Tiamat actually has something like this. 
The King is Dead: A Gothic 18th Century that Never Was
The deliberate use of anachronism in the setting.
The King is Dead: Progress Update
The King is Dead: Progress!
I am so far behind...
The King is Dead: Angels and Demons
Vampires have great PR,

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