Trains are an integral part of Wild West myth. Among the fans of Deadlands: The Weird West, there is one steam engine in particular that looms large over the strange combination of horror, fantasy, sci-fi and history in the setting. The Night Train is back on the horizon and it brings a chance to test the grit of every gunslinger, huckster and hero in the west.
Night Train 25th Anniversary is currently raising money on Kickstarter. This boxed set celebrates the iconic Deadlands experience by John Goff that first appeared in the game’s line of Dime Novel adventures. The new version looks to combine the classic adventure with new upgrades, expansions and, for those who back the Kickstarter, a collection of the fiction that made Deadlands what it is today.
Let That Lonesome Whistle Blow My Blues Away
In the original adventure, the players (known in the game as a posse) arrive in the small town of Varney Flats. They get involved a classic Western tale in the mold of Rio Bravo. There’s an outlaw in jail awaiting trail and some angry townsfolk outside who don’t want to wait for a trial before executing the criminal.
And then the vampires show up.
That’s what the titular night train is; a vehicle full of bloodsuckers that rolls into town, opens up it doors and lets dozens of vampire swarm and feed on unsuspecting settlers to make a new ghost town before the night is through. The tensions between the posse, the town and the criminals are put aside as they become unlikely allies and vampire killers that have to learn on the job. It’s that right mix of classic tropes and action horror that make Night Train one of the most memorable Deadlands stories that has perservered for 25 years.
Take Your Stakes To Town
The 25th Anniversary Edition of Night Train brings the story up todate with the current edition of Savage Worlds Adventure Edition as well as the most recent Deadlands setting changes. It also includes two more adventures to run as part of a mini-campaign around the Night Train, one of which is brand new from Goff. This edition also collects notes and observations from the author and others with behind the scenes discussion about how the story came to be.
There are additional perks in the boxed set, such as pawns and maps to let players get tactical on the tabletop in their defense of Varney Flats. Wanted posters add an immersive feel as they track down outlaws for bounties. As a nod to the “killer” reputation the adventure has cultivated over the past few decades, there will be toe tags included to fill out for those poor heroes who fall to the fangs of the Night Train’s travelers.
Tall Tales From The Weird West
Kickstarter backers also get a free copy of an upcoming collection of the Dime Novels that helped create the setting in the early days. These releases originally paired a short story with an adventure that players could use to finish or replay the tale. The book only collects the fiction but its a fascinating look into the history of the game, one that even crosses over with other RPGs like Call of Cthulhu and Werewolf: The Wild West.
Night Train 25th Anniversary is on Kickstarer until November 2nd, 2023. Digital rewards are expected in December 2023. Physical rewards are currently slated for a June 2024 release.
Read the full article here
