I have several versions but ..MikeGame idea for module:(edited 04/21/06, 04/02/2009)(Thank you Steve, Mars, David and others for ideas and corrections)ELEMENTS OF A WESTERN:INDEX:CHARACTERS:Sheriff/MarshalCattle PoliceRustlers – Cattle main ones but need not be.Priest/PreacherCowboysBanditsLittle Boy/GirlSoldiers/FederalsMexican ArmyFederal AgentIndian AgentScout - white or indian, or maybe even black.Indians (helpful of they are known aggressive types, but not always, depends on the plot). Never know they might be the victims.BartenderBar MaidWhores/Entertainers/MadameDrunk(s)PreacherLord/Don/Owner of the local ranchUndertakerHangmanSchool TeacherSnake Oil Salesman (or some other traveling sales person)Conmen (see snake oil, but not always the same)Carpet Bagger (more for southern style)Bankers (can be a character or just a plot device, or? )Prospectors/MinersBlacksmithGamblerGunslingerPeasants/PeonSlaves - Former or even depending on time and place, current. Slaves are not always black, some Asian and Irish slaves/in dentured servants, as well as some Indians (From India) was used in late western times.Chinese/Blacks/Irish slaves or semi-slaves (Indentured). Many southerners used black slaves from their plantations/stock to mine california gold from their lands there.Confederate (former/bandits or refugees?)Engineers (Train normally, but possible others, like the oil or water or projects type)Doctor/Dentist/Snake Oil Salesmen - Kwak or for realAdventurer/Big Game HunterJudgePost MasterGunsmithCarpetbagger (southern style or ?)Foreign dignitary (not often)President or member of current or past administration)Member of Congress, but not oftenSecret Agent (See James West for some ideas, but not always)CHARACTERS - GENERICHeroVillain – Often a big land owner, or trying to be.Main Secondary Villain, often the head of the local ranch or like, the face of the Villain.Side Kick -Victim(s)SnitchLove Interest (Even if not romantically involved)HorseDog or other animal non-ridingMadameDeputies/ PosseVigilantesBounty HuntersBuffalo huntersBarber/ bathhouseTelegraph operatorPiano PlayerFarmerCattle rancherSheep Herder/RanchCalvarymenMadameSchool TeacherPony ExpressWells Fargo StageRailroadSpanish Mission monks and maybe nunsSuttler (general store)Mule SkinnerChinese railroad workersChinese Doctor/Pharmacy/Apothecary.Early Union OrganizerCooperWainwright (making wagons and like)Assayer(got to remember what some of the professions was doing)PLACES:Hotel/BarWhore HouseRanch - Sheep/CattleFarmBankJailTrain Stop/StationStore (General)HousesCourt HouseFeed Store/Livery Stable/Blacksmith/CorralHacienda/Ranch (And buildings for it)ChurchGallowsUndertakers OfficeDoctors OfficePost OfficeFortApothecaryOpium Den (sometimes the same as the Apothecary, some time separate) Often run by a Chinese doctor.CorralBrothelAssayers officeLand claims officeWainwrights or Cooper place/shop (one does wagons the other does wheels or is it pots/pans and like?)GROUPS:CattlemenSheep HerdersFarmerFormer Slaves - SettlersSettlersMormonsWives ClubGrange/Farmers GroupsCrime GroupHattfield/McCoy/etc: Any group that might have a natural grudge against the other, often due to a land or like issues that went to far. Racial/Religious/Romance and more (Romeo and Juliet).DeputiesSoldiersTribesCattlemenSheep HerdersFarmersMinersChinese: Chinese or other Asian group (most often seen in the western US). Chinese and like can add Eastern elements, such as the early Tong/Triads and more. But also how they was treated..Mexicans (Spanish and Non-Spanish).Revolutionaries (Ponco and Friends and more). Much of the troubles of the 1840s to 1920 was over Northern Mexican issues, and land acquisition from Mexico).Groups, ex-Confeds, like Klan or like type people, or you mean like the James/Younger/Dalton gangs, who had Mosby or Quamtrille backgrounds.. True, need not be ex-confederates, can be real ones, such as they mission in like 1863 to go to California. But they did not get there to cut off the gold mines.. Or as said before they got lost or just trying to escape from justice.Mormons or other religious group, most often Christian in nature.Like Black settlers, off to find a land where slavery is not around, or something like that.Monastery or like things?PLOT IDEAS:Gun slingerCattlemen vs Sheep HerdersSheep Herders vs FarmersFarmers vs CattlemenFarmers vs Sheep Herders or CattlemenMiners vs someone? Claim jumpers or ?Murder or self defenseLocked up wrongyDefense, sheriff arrests someone and he can not do much until judge or marshal is in town or army is.Runaway slaveBurning down the local Chinese doctors house (why many Chinese doctors houses/work place was strong and nearly bullet proof).Conflict: Well, Hatfields and McCoy, can also means two groups that do not like each other, to include farmers vs cattle headers, or sheep herders vs cattle and so on.Looking for more ideas and such, some westerns are more 1900s, but could be westerns, sort of.OTHER ELEMENTS:Foreign elements such as:Mexico/Spanish- Poncho Vila- Emperor Maximillian- Texas/Chiuahua RebellionFrenchCanadian- What is now NW US was once US/British Territory (Oregon/Washington/Idaho and ..)As well as foreign trade. California was a nation for a short time.. Also Russia claimed what is now Alaska, British Columbia, Washington/Oregon/California coast to San Fransisco and Hawaii..CLASSIC PLOT LINES:Corrupt Judge or like? Such as federal agent, indian agent, sherif and more.Hum, maybe a list of known clash types as well as scenarios for classic weasterns?Cattle/Sheep RustersHerders vs the Animals (not common, but more than people think)Sheriff vs someone, sometimes a good thing, sometimes not, like a corrupt sheriff in the pocket of the cattlemen, and the son of the local sheep herder who is in love with the cheif cattlemans daugjhter or something else, but he faces hanging cause of a murder or self defense or ..Like the classic Sheriff besieges in his jail until the Army gets there?Railroad vs ... Cattlemen or .. Sheep or Indians or ....Will review and make changes..How many movies that was not a western, but might as well been one?Star Wars for instance?Moves that come to mind for ideas?MikeFrom SteveDISPUTES:There was always disputes between farmers and ranchers. Often Ranchers would buy up huge tracts of land and then fence it off, usually tying up water supplies ans roads that farmers disparately needed. Sometimes it was vice-versa where farmers would fence off alot of small properties and not allow ranchers to let their cattle/sheep/whichever to graze.Grange/Farmers GroupsCommonly, farmers were in struggle with buyers. These companies, back when there were no regulations, would try to low ball them every time and would go so far as to use hired guns or sabotage to get their way. Farmers would try to fight back with their Co-op groups (kinda like a farmer's union) but these were often busted up with hired guns. Alternately, buyer companies would try to pose as legit commodities brokers and start co-ops with farmers - and then screw them afterwards (very low).Crime Group:Usually ex-confederates who didn't get over losing the war, or just didn't adjust to life after the civil war. Confederacy did move out to the western US, but failed.Hattfield/McCoy/etcI personally wouldn't focus on something like that. Thats more of a southern thing - although if you want to combine it with one of the above themes, it might make interesting twist.Soldiers/TribesEnraged natives who are hell bent on protecting their way of life because the white man keeps renegging on their treaties - and the soldiers who are caught up in the mess. Many times, ranchers and prospectors would encroach on native lands despite ironclad treaties, these groups would form lobby-groups in Washington who in turn would make laws which allowed these groups to ignore the treaties. Also, the effort to put telegraph lines and railways tracks across the country. Almost always they didn't ask first. How would you like it if it built a swimming pool half on your backyard - and then built a fence around it so you couldn't use it?These are merely some ideas off the top of my head. I watched many a western as a young lad...so often these plot ideas can be political back drops to a senario. Of course you could still mix in the typically bank robbers, glory seekers, street duels (gunfights), barroom brawls, etc etc. Until civilization moved in in the 1880's-90s, the west was fairly lawless - except in big cities or large towns (Dodge City for instance). But out in the boonies, it was pretty pure anarchy.SteveFrom David I Think: The 7 Standard Western Plots1 Shane - retired gunslinger defends the little guy2 The Magnificent 7 - Team is hired to defend entire town.3. Silverado - team must get rid of evil sherrif and his cronies.4. Save the widder's farm from Simon LaGrie who is forclosing on themortgage5. Zorro (late period swashbuckling adventures)6 Defense of the Settler from Indians or Bandits, or on the trail from starvation or like7 Train robbers or likeCheck out the cowboy channel on cable or satellite. Just look at theschedule menu, the plots are summarised.Claim jumpers on gold prospectors, Jail breaks or preventing jailbreaks, Bankrobbers,From David (world create?)Leader / Planner / LawmakerDiplomat / TranslatorCounsellor / Peacemaker / Priest / PhilosopherArcheologist / Scientist / Scholar / DesignerBerserker / Loner / Wild CardSidekick / Comic ReliefCon Man / Charismatic---------LAW ENFORCMENT:Sheriff/MarshalCattle PoliceDeputyLEGAL:BUSINESS:ENEMIES: (depends on point of view):(From Adds)PLOT LINES:Abused wife on the runCowardly SheriffEscaped SlaveFreed Slaves (group or)MexicanLaborersEscaped IndiansPeonsSoldiersDamsel in DistressKidnappingRustled CattleSheep HerdersWater RightsWesterns can include South America?Wandering Monk(s)PilgrimsHow far back is a Western?Spanish conquest?Pre-Spanish (some basic background from pre-columbian.CHARACTERS:Post Master/ClerkStagecoach Driver/Guard/ClerkSheriff/Prison Guard/Deputy/MarshalBounty HunterMadame/Whore/Bartender/KidBank Manager/Clerk/GuardGeneral Store Owner/Manager/Clerk/WorkerMiner/Prespector/AssayerCattlemen Police/SheriffNewspaper Owner/Press personMortician/Grave DiggerExecutioner/HangmanPriest/PastorMine Owner/ManagerDoctor/Nurse (more like helper or wife?)Doctor might also do Vet work?Blacksmith/Copper Smith, Gunsmith.Bandits Mexican Former Union/Confederate/French/Mexican Army.Guards/SoldiersFormer or current Militia