[Renaissance] Dark Streets > Five Points

K Peterson · August 10, 2015, 11:59:19 AM

I stumbled upon this news over on BRP Central:

QuoteMystical Throne Entertainment is proud to announce the licensing of Cakebread & Walton's Dark Streets, powered by the Renaissance system, to develop a setting guide for 1850s Five Points, New York.

Press release here: http://mysticalthrone-ent.com/blog/mystical-throne-entertainment-licenses-dark-streets-for-five-points-new-york-setting/.

I know next to nothing about Mystical Throne Entertainment, much less 1850s New York, but I'm a big fan of Cakebread & Walton's Dark Streets so I'm going to keep my eye on its release. If it's anywhere near in quality to DS then I'll probably pick it up.

Simlasa · August 10, 2015, 12:18:56 PM

Oh cool! That would be a dark and violent setting for a game.
I read the old 'Gangs of New York' book... full of colorful characters and brutal violence... lots of tall tales about the various Irish gangs (the movie version was a lot tamer). The BBC show Copper is about the Five Points as well.

K Peterson · August 10, 2015, 12:37:15 PM

Quote from: Simlasa;847897The BBC show Copper is about the Five Points as well.

Oh. I think I've seen one episode of Coppers, which didn't really draw me in to the series. Perhaps I need to give it another chance to get more perspective on what this setting will be like.

Kiero · August 10, 2015, 12:44:12 PM

Quote from: K Peterson;847900Oh. I think I've seen one episode of Coppers, which didn't really draw me in to the series. Perhaps I need to give it another chance to get more perspective on what this setting will be like.

I thought Copper was brilliant, a nice "back East" counterpoint to Hell on Wheels.

Simlasa · August 10, 2015, 12:53:05 PM

Quote from: K Peterson;847900Oh. I think I've seen one episode of Coppers, which didn't really draw me in to the series.

I saw the first episode and it didn't grab me either, I'm not sure why.
Gangs of New York was a decent movie but not nearly as chaotic and weird as Asbury's book.
The setting is the Irish slums in NYC, lots of street gangs with colorful names like The Dead Rabbits, Blood Tubs, Plug Uglies... etc. working to terrorize the streets and enforce the will of various political groups like Tammany Hall.
Dog and rat fight arenas in the cellars. Tough women like Lizzie the Dove, Gentle Maggie, and Bunty Kate... Hell-Cat Maggie who filed her teeth into points and wore long claw-like brass fingernails... Sadie the Goat who head butted her enemies and later became a river pirate.
Lots of dark/nasty stuff to prime a game setting with.

RPGPundit · August 12, 2015, 04:40:38 AM

Quote from: K Peterson;847893I stumbled upon this news over on BRP Central:

Press release here: http://mysticalthrone-ent.com/blog/mystical-throne-entertainment-licenses-dark-streets-for-five-points-new-york-setting/.

I know next to nothing about Mystical Throne Entertainment, much less 1850s New York, but I'm a big fan of Cakebread & Walton's Dark Streets so I'm going to keep my eye on its release. If it's anywhere near in quality to DS then I'll probably pick it up.

Given my choice of avatar, I think it goes without saying that they should definitely send me a review copy.

Mankcam · August 12, 2015, 04:56:02 AM

If it's the New York from the Gangs Of New York movie, then this is going to be good. However if it's the New York from what I've heard about the novel Gangs Of New York, then this setting will really rock

Simlasa · August 12, 2015, 12:16:52 PM

Quote from: Mankcam;848207However if it's the New York from what I've heard about the novel Gangs Of New York, then this setting will really rock

Totally! The movie was quite polite compared to the book. Not that the book is anything like rigorously researched history but enough of it is true that I wouldn't balk at calling it a historical setting.
I wonder if there will be some guidelines for starting, running, expanding gangs... getting on the payroll of Boss Tweed and his cronies.

RPGPundit · August 13, 2015, 09:50:28 AM

I never actually read the book, but I'm obviously quite partial to the movie. I think it was badly under-rated at the time.

K Peterson · October 06, 2016, 04:10:58 PM

Hey, saw a post on another forum that Five Points is available in PDF now. I'll definitely be dropping $10 on this, but am hoping for a physical copy at some point.

Simlasa · October 06, 2016, 04:26:06 PM

Yay!
Bought it, got it, reading it

RPGPundit · October 11, 2016, 04:21:40 AM

Let us know what you guys think! Though I have no doubt it'll be good.

And if the publishers are reading this, they should send me a review copy.

doomedpc · October 13, 2016, 10:42:42 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;924427Let us know what you guys think! Though I have no doubt it'll be good.

And if the publishers are reading this, they should send me a review copy.

Sure thing