Table Of ContentGaslight 
A Victorian Era Fantasy Campaign Setting for Savage Worlds 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marc Gacy 
Stephen Miller 
Jonathan M. Thompson 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Gaslight: A Victorian Era Fantasy Role Playing Game Copyright © 2009 Jonathan M. Thompson. 
Gaslight is published by Battlefield Press, Inc., 494 Springhill Church Road, Ringgold, Louisiana 
71068. All rights reserved. Errata and other feedback can be sent to [email protected]. 
Attention: The bearer of this PDF has the permission of the publisher and the copyright owners to 
have one (1) copy printed for personal use via any commercial printer. If you are a clerk in a copy-
print center and you are reading this notice, please do not treat with our customers or yours as if 
they were a criminal — print this file. We are allowing it and you should also.  
 
Savage Worlds Licensing: This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from 
Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and 
trademarks  are  copyrights  of Pinnacle  Entertainment  Group.  Used  with  permission.  Pinnacle 
makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this 
product. 
 
Authors: Marc Gacy, Stephen J. Miller and Jonathan M. Thompson 
Additional Materials: Herbert George Wells, Jules Verne, Arthur C. Doyle, Stephen J. Miller, Mary 
Shelly, Bram Stoker, H. Rider, Christopher Helton, Lisa Harjtes, Clay Weeks, Carey Weeks, Adam 
R. Thompson, Terrence David Thompson, Clay Weeks, Carey Weeks, Tracey Castanas, Philip 
Baccus,  Christopher  Helton,  Corey  Lerbs,  Jessica  Lerbs,  Michael  Anderson,  Arlen  Wood, 
Angelique  Montag,  Richard  A.  Shepardson,  Jeff  Neppl,  Don  Scurlock,  Paul  W.  Regge,  Jodi 
Napiorkowski, Walter Napiorkowski, Katrina Radcliff, Tad Kelson 
Editing Team: Lisa Clevenger, Tad Kelson, Mitch Williams  
Cover Art: Charles Raymond Macauley - from "Dr Jekyll & Mr. Hyde", layout by Marc Gacy 
Interior Art: WikiMedia Commons 
Layout Design: Marc Gacy 
Playtesters:  The  Local  Group  (Jonathan  M.  Thompson,  Adam  R.  Thompson,  Terrence  David 
Thompson, Clay Weeks, Carey Weeks, Tracey Castanas, Philip Baccus), The BPI-Gaslight Group 
(Mitch Williams, Christopher Helton, Lisa Clevenger, Tad Kelson, Mitch Williams), The Colorado 
Irregulars (Tynan Gacy, Luca Gacy, Nicola Gacy, Liam Nock, Dylan Nock, Ethan Nock), The 
Curmudgeons of London (Angelique Montag, Richard A. Shepardson, Jeff Neppl, Don Scurlock, 
Walter Napiorkowski, Jodi Napiorkowski, Katrina Radcliff, Paul Regge), the Baltimore Misfits 
(Jessica Lerbs, Corey Lerbs, Mark Duffy, Arlen Wood, Mike Anderson, Ken Zimmerman, Grant 
Spencer), and all the others in Minnesota. 
  
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Dedications 
 
From Stephen: To my friends and family who put up with odd questions 
and trivia during the writing of this book. A most special dedication to my 
sister, Tina. You always made sure I did my best, now I will have to struggle 
alone to keep doing that. You will be missed. 
 
From Jonathan: To everyone that has put up with me over the years that this 
book was being developed. This includes my mom (Marilyn DeLeon) who 
started me out with a love of history and put up with my gaming since 1980, 
and my son Terrence who without my life would be much different.  
 
From Marc: To Sonja who encouraged me to get back into gaming after such 
silly diversions as college and grad school, to the kids who now need no 
encouragement to game (success!) and to all in my Sunday night group for 
years of fun. 
 
 
 
 
 
Image by Russ Sutler http://www.stutler.cc/other/misc/baker_street.html  
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License 
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Prospice 
 
Fear death? -- to feel the fog in my throat, 
The mist in my face, 
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote 
I am nearing the place, 
The power of the night, the press of the storm, 
The post of the foe; 
Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form, 
Yet the strong man must go: 
For the journey is done and the summit attained, 
And the barriers fall. 
Tho' a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained, 
The reward of it all. 
I was ever a fighter, so -- one fight more, 
The best and the last! 
I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forebore, 
And bade me creep past. 
No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers 
The heroes of old, 
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears 
Of pain, darkness and cold. 
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave, 
The black minute's at end, 
And the elements' rage, the friend-voices that rave, 
Shall dwindle, shall blend, 
Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain, 
Then a light, then thy breast, 
O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again, 
And with God be the rest. 
 
Robert Browning (1861) 
 
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Table of Contents  
Prospice .............................................................. 4 
Terror by Gaslight ............................................. 7 
The World of Gaslight ........................................ 7 
The Victorian Era ....................................... 7 
Terminology ............................................... 8 
Victorian Themes ....................................... 8 
Victorian Religion and Magic ................ 11 
Important Organizations and Secret Societies. 12 
MI 7 ............................................................ 12 
Culto de Ostras Azules ........................... 13 
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ... 14 
The Invisible College ............................... 15 
Knights of the Round Table .................... 16 
Pinkerton Detective Agency ................... 18 
Red Headed League ................................ 19 
Scotland Yard ........................................... 20 
Van Helsing Institute............................... 21 
Colorful Characters ........................................ 23 
Concepts ........................................................... 23 
Making Heroes ................................................. 25 
1) Race.............................................................. 25 
2) Traits ........................................................... 25 
Attributes .................................................. 25 
Skills .......................................................... 25 
Secondary Statistics ................................. 25 
3) Edges and Hindrances ................................. 25 
4) Gear ............................................................. 25 
5) Background .................................................. 26 
Races ................................................................ 26 
Beast Men ........................................................ 26 
Humans ........................................................... 28 
Vampires .......................................................... 29 
Werewolf .......................................................... 31 
Wildlings ......................................................... 33 
Edges and Hindrances ..................................... 34 
Changes to Core Rules ............................ 34 
Background Edges ................................... 35 
Combat Edges .......................................... 36 
Professional Edges ................................... 36 
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Arcane Edges ............................................ 37  Survival Gear ............................................ 48 
Weird Edges .............................................. 38  Lifestyle ............................................................ 49 
Hindrances ................................................ 40  Entertainment ........................................... 49 
Gaslight Edges List........................................... 41  Meals .......................................................... 49 
Worldly Goods ................................................. 42  Societal Services ............................................... 49 
Purchasing Equipment ..................................... 42  Medical Services ....................................... 49 
The Wealth Check ............................................. 42  Rules of Order ................................................. 50 
Character Creation ................................... 42  Wealth .............................................................. 50 
Character Creation and Wealth Level ... 42  Social Class ...................................................... 50 
Modifying Wealth Rolls/Persuasion .... 42  Languages ........................................................ 51 
Purchasing Multiple Items ...................... 43  Language Groups .................................... 51 
Adjusting Costs and Amounts ............... 43  Beyond the Veil ................................................ 52 
Reselling Goods ........................................ 43  Shape Change by Race ............................ 52 
Weapon Types .................................................. 43  Gaslight Powers List ........................................ 53 
Silver Weapons ......................................... 43  The Sun Never Sets ........................................ 54 
Armor ............................................................... 43  Gazetteer .......................................................... 54 
Melee Weapons ................................................. 44  England and Europe ................................ 54 
Ranged Weapons .............................................. 45  North America ......................................... 58 
Goods and Services ........................................... 46  South and Central America .................... 60 
General Equipment........................................... 46  Africa ......................................................... 62 
Ammunition ............................................. 48  Asia ............................................................ 63 
Clothing ..................................................... 48  Timeline: 1859-1901 ........................................ 68 
Professional Equipment .......................... 48  1888 Calendar .................................................. 77 
Medical Equipment .................................. 48 
 
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Terror by Gaslight  
The Victorian Era 
The World of Gaslight 
The term “Victorian” immediately conjures 
Gaslight is a fictional world where technology  up images of men in top hats and women in 
meets sorcery. Gaslight is a Victorian Fantasy  bustles taking a hansom through the foggy, gas 
game. It has all the trappings of your standard  lit, cobblestone streets of London. While this is 
Sword  and  Sorcery  game  mixed  with  the  certainly a part of it, the truth is that Great 
elements  from  the  classic  literature  of  the  Britain’s  presence  was  felt  throughout  the 
period.  In  this  game  you  won’t  find  Elves,  world  during  the  Gaslight  period.  She 
Dwarves,  Halflings,  competed  with  other 
etc.  instead  you  will  European (and native) 
find  Vampires,  Beast  powers over control of 
Men, and Wildlings.   Africa  and  Asia.  She 
inspired  Japan  to 
This  book  comprises 
westernize  its  society 
the “Player’s Guide” to 
and armies. Across the 
Gaslight,  with  more 
Atlantic,  the  former 
detail for Gamemasters 
British  colonies  were 
to  be  released  in 
also  making  their 
subsequent products. 
power  known 
In  Gaslight  the 
throughout the world. 
characters  are  most 
While the entire world 
likely  to  work  for  an 
may  not  have  been 
organization  such  as 
controlled  by  Great 
the  fictional  MI-7, 
Britain  during  this 
dedicated  to 
time,  it  certainly  felt 
maintaining  order 
her influence. 
worldwide  by  making 
The  Gaslight  period 
sure  that  evil  doesn’t 
is  best  known  to 
prevail. MI-7 is known 
Americans  as  the  age 
to exist only in rumor 
of the Old West, when 
and  legends,  even 
gunfighters fought for 
those in the very top of 
justice  against  evil 
government  don’t 
cattle  barons,  corrupt 
know it exists.  
landowners,  and 
scalp-hungry  Indians. 
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It is seen as a simpler time, but it was anything 
Victorian Themes 
but  simple.  Driven  by  the  industrial 
revolution,  steam  engines  roared  across  the  There are common themes that run through 
Great Plains, the deserts, and even the Rocky  the  literature  of  the  period.  GMs  can 
Mountains. One could travel from New York  incorporate these themes into their Victorian 
to  San  Francisco  without  ever  leaving  the  Age campaigns in order to enhance historical 
“modern”  comforts  offered  by  locomotive  immersion. These themes are intertwined with 
travel.  The  latest  fashions  could  be  shipped  the  genres  that  are  discussed  in  the  next 
from London and Paris to Boston, New York,  section. 
New Orleans, and beyond.  
Vicarious Adventures 
In short, while most campaigns will probably 
Victorian readers hungered for stories that 
be set in London or, more generally, the British 
would  take  them  to  exotic  (usually  Asian) 
Empire,  Gaslight  campaigns  can  take  place 
places,  such  as  Bangkok,  Bombay,  Calcutta, 
anywhere in the world throughout the 1870s, 
Hong  Kong,  and  Shanghai.  While  the 
1880s  and  1890s,  combining  Western 
steamship and the Suez Canal dramatically cut 
influences with local culture.  
travel times around the world, many people 
couldn’t afford to take long journeys to other 
Terminology 
lands. Travel novels filled that need, allowing 
Throughout this game, the term “Western”  readers to explore exotic places and cultures 
refers  to  North  American  and  European  through the senses of the characters. Western 
cultures, especially those influenced by Great  households  that  could  afford  it  imported 
Britain, France, and Germany, while “Eastern”  carpets, furniture, clothes, and foodstuffs from 
refers to Asian cultures. Victorians often used  the exotic East. 
the terms “occidental” and “oriental” to mean 
While a travel novel in and of itself would 
“west” and “east” respectively, but this author 
hardly make a good adventure, GMs should 
has chosen to use the more familiar terms. The 
keep  in  mind  that  the  journey  is  often  as 
author realizes that the use of “western” and 
important as the destination when designing 
“eastern” is inaccurate and controversial, but it 
exploratory  adventures,  especially  in 
provides  convenient  shorthand  as  well  as 
comfortable  trains  and  ships.  Around  the 
displays the British mindset of the Victorian 
World  in  Eighty  Days  (1872)  is  a  prime 
Age. 
example  of  fusing  the  travel  and  adventure 
The authors have also chosen to refer to the  themes. In addition, the lost world genre is a 
descendants  of  pre-Columbian  Americans  as  combination of the travel novel and historical 
“Native  Americans”  rather  than  “Indians.”  romance.  These  lost  worlds  were  peppered 
While “Indian” is the term used throughout  with liberal borrowings from real world exotic 
the  Victorian Age,  a  distinction  was  desired  or historical cultures, such as Romans, pirates, 
between  peoples  of  the  Indian  subcontinent  and Crusaders. 
and  the  Americas.  It  should  be  noted  that 
Another  important  theme  in  the  Victorian 
Americans of European descent usually mean 
Age  is  westernization.  Westernization  is 
“Native American” when they say “Indian,” 
essentially a polite way of saying “abandoning 
while British subjects tend to use the term to 
your native cultures and beliefs and replacing 
mean  anyone  from  South  Asia  or  Southeast 
them  with  ours,  primarily  for  our  economic 
Asia (although the term is increasingly limited 
benefit.”  While  westernization  does  include 
to  the  subcontinent).  In  this  work  “Indian” 
the spreading of Christianity to the rest of the 
refers exclusively to the peoples of the Indian 
world, the term goes much further. The British, 
subcontinent.  
with varying degrees of success, transported 
their  civil  service  model  to  other  cultures. 
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Railroads,  telegraphs,  and  other  machines  Two concepts to keep in mind when using 
found their way to India, China, and Japan.  society are politeness and scandal. Politeness 
Combat  tactics  changed  forever  as  the  rifle  extends  beyond  etiquette;  there  are  simply 
replaced the spear and bow and the machine  things that a member of society will not do. 
gun  tore  through  charging  armies.  Some  Open displays of emotion were not permitted 
leaders,  such  as  the  Emperor  of  Japan,  saw  in  polite  society.  Men,  especially  heads  of 
westernization  as  a  necessity  in  order  to  households,  will  keep  from  discussing 
compete with imperial cultures.  business  or  delivering  troubling  news  to 
women. A common practice is for the head of 
Westernization  also  included  political 
the family to read a newspaper and then relate 
dominance.  Many  early  trade  agreements 
appropriate news to his wife and daughters. A 
turned into imperial influence and eventually 
gentleman  or  his  wife  would  never  be  seen 
conquest.  The  two  competing  models  were 
doing manual labor, that’s what servants are 
imperialism and colonialism. Imperialism left 
for. And although the coin had long since left 
native cultures largely intact, with local rulers 
circulation,  the  guinea  was  used  to  quote 
that  swore  fealty  to  the  ruling  country.  The 
prices  for  art, horses,  land,  and  professional 
ruling country would only interfere when it 
fees. 
was  convenient,  providing  oversight  and 
modernizing the nation (to the Victorian mind, 
“modernization”  and  “westernization”  were 
the  same  thing).  Colonialism,  on  the  other 
hand, was direct rule by the ruling country, 
often displacing local populations with its own 
people.  Colonialism  was  a  more  popular 
option in places where the natives were loosely 
organized and resources were easy to acquire. 
Society 
Society  plays  a  large  role  in  Victorian 
England. Officially, British society is divided 
into two classes, noble and commoner. Each is 
represented  by  a  House  in  Parliament.   
Scandal is the one thing that a member of 
Industry  and  trade,  however,  made  some 
society  must  avoid.  Having  a  mistress,  for 
commoners very rich, and although they could 
example, is not nearly as bad as society finding 
never be nobles (which is a birthright), they 
out about it. Many marital partners will quietly 
shared little in common with the rest of their 
accept  that  their  partner  has  a  paramour  as 
class. Victorian society, therefore, understood 
long as they are discreet. This extends to other 
that  British  society  was  in  fact  made  up  of 
vices as well, especially overindulgence. It is 
three classes. The British middle class apes the 
also scandalous for the upper class to engage 
upper  class in  ritual  and  some  middle  class 
in business (patronage is a different matter).  
gentlemen are actually wealthier than some of 
their “betters.” Faced with dwindling finances,  Other nations have their own class systems. 
many upper class bachelors take middle class  In America, for example, land ownership has 
or  foreign  wives  to  acquire  wealth.  Society  created a de facto elite even though “all men 
discourages such cross-pollination, of course,  are  created  equal.”  Former  slaves  and  other 
and each class has its own constantly shifting  Americans of African descent also tend to be 
rules  of  etiquette  and  manner.  Classes  are  treated  as  a  lower  class.  In  Russia,  the 
encouraged to keep to themselves, interacting  peasantry  resented  the  noble  landowners, 
with each other only when necessary.  especially those that had formerly been serfs 
(emancipation occurred only a decade prior to 
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