RISUS
WILD WEST!

A Western genre sourcebook for Risus; The Anything RPG
By David E. North
Original material copywright © 2003, David E. North

WHAT IS RISUS?
Risus is a free, universal role playing game by S. John Ross. It is available online at  http://www.io.com/~sjohn/risus.htm  You will need a copy of the core rules to use this sourcebook.
INTRODUCTION
The western genre has been a popular setting for stories, movies and role playing games for many years. Risus Wild West is an attempt to bring this genre to the Risus game system.
My defenition of the Western genre is that period of American history ranging from 1860 to 1890, set in the states and territories west of the Mississippi river and including Mexico. This sourcebook could be used to cover the whole of the 18th century, but the period between the Civil War and the end of the Indian Wars is it's primary focus.
CHARACTER CREATION
Risus Wild West uses the standard character creation system outlined in the core rules. Players have 10d6 to allocate to cliches, with the usual limit of 4d6 per cliche. Hooks, Tales and Pumped Cliches are allowed. Double Pumped Cliches and Funky Dice are not used.
 The following is a list of standard cliches available in Wild West. It is, of course, not a complete list. Players should feel free to come up with their own to add to the list, subject to GM approval.
Army Officer (Leading soldiers, following orders, shooting, knowing tactics, charming ladies) 
Army Soldier (Shooting, brawling, carousing, being crude) 
Blacksmith (Making things from iron, repairing things, shoeing horses)
Buffalo Hunter (Hunting, tracking, shooting, skinning animals)
Cavalry Officer (Leading troopers, following orders, riding, shooting, knowing tactics, charming ladies)
Cavalry Trooper (Riding, shooting, brawling, carousing, being crude)
Con-Man (Pitching phoney goods {snake oil}, persuading, charming, evaiding the law)
Cook (cooking, operating a chuck wagon)
Cowhand (Riding, roping, shooting, carousing)
Dance Hall Girl (Dancing, singing, providing wholesome entertainment for hard working men)
Dentist (fixing teeth)
Doctor (Diagnosing ills, perscribing medicine, healing, performing surgery)
Gambler (Gambling, reading body language, sleight-of-hand, shooting)
Gunslinger (Shooting, shooting and, oh yeah, more shooting)
Indian Chief (Leading braves, negotiating treaties, riding, shooting, fighting hand-to-hand)
Indian Brave (Riding, shooting, fighting hand-to-hand, tracking, being stealthy)
Indian Medicine Man (Healing, interpreting dreams, having visions, influencing other Indians)
Lawman (Riding, shooting, upholding the law)
Merchant (buying, selling)
Outlaw (Riding, shooting, hiding out, being stealthy) 
Prospector (Prospecting, surviving in the wild, carousing)
Railroad Engineer (Operating and maintaining trains)
Sailor (Operating riverborne or seagoing vessels, carousing)
Scout (Tracking, riding, surviving in the wild, being stealthy)
Teamster (Operating freight wagons or stagecoaches)
Trapper (Hunting, tracking, surviving in the wild)

GUNFIGHTS AND SHOOT-OUTS
This being the Wild West, lead will no doubt be flying frequently. Normally, gunfights and shoot-outs should be treated as single-action conflicts, as described in the "conflicts that aren't combat" section of the core rules, with the addition of the weapon chart below. This chart lists the weapons effective range, cliche, ammo supply and it's cost.
In game terms, a shoot-out is treated as a standard opposed action. The character and his weapon are treated as a team, with the character as the team leader, of course.
EFF is effective range of the weapon, in yards. If the character tries to shoot at something beyond this range, his cliche dice are HALVED.
AMMO is the ammo supply and reload speed of the weapon. The first number is the number of shots the weapon can fire before reloading. The second number is the number of combat rounds it takes to reload the weapon.
COST is how many greenbacks your character will have to shell out to get the weapon.

WILD WEST WEAPON CHART
WEAPON                                                                                  EFF    AMMO    COST    
LONG ARMS
                        Smoothbore Musket(2)                                                            100       1/3           $5.00
                        Rifled Musket(2)                                                                        350       1/4        $10.00
                        Breech Loading Rifle(4)                                                           350       1/1        $12.00
Breech Loading Carbine(4)                                                     200       1/1        $11.00
Breech Loading "Buffalo Gun"(5)                                            300       1/1        $17.00
Henry Repeating Rifle(3)                                                          150      15/3       $17.00
Spencer Carbine(4)                                                                  150        7/3       $18.00
Winchester '73(4)                                                                      150       17/3      $20.00
Winchester '76(4)                                                                      250       13/3      $22.00
SHOTGUNS
Muzzle Loading Shotgun(5)                                                       10    1 or 2/4       $7.00
Break-Open Shotgun(5)                                                             10    1 or 2/2     $15.00
HANDGUNS
Colt Dragoon (3)                                                                         75         6/5          $6.00
S&W Model 1(1)                                                                         20         7/3          $6.00
Colt Army .44(2)                                                                          65         6/5        $14.00
S&W Model 2(2)                                                                         60         6/3        $10.00
Colt "Peacemaker" .45(3)                                                         75          6/3        $10.00
Remington .44(3)                                                                        80          6/3        $15.00
S&W Schofield .45(3)                                                                75          6/3        $13.00
Colt Lightning(3)                                                                          60         6/3        $13.00
POCKET PISTOLS
Deringer .44(2)                                                                              5          1/5         $2.00
Colt One-Shot(1)                                                                            7         1/2          $3.00
Remington Two-Shot(1)                                                                7          2/2         $5.00
Knuckleduster(1)                                                                            7          5/3         $7.00
Colt Cloverleaf(1)                                                                           7          4/3         $9.00
MACHINE GUNS
Gatling Gun(6)                                                                             350     100/2    $120.00
Hotchkiss Gun(10)                                                                      350     100/2    $250.00
OTHER RANGED WEAPONS
Tomahawk, Thrown(2)                                                                    5          1/0         $1.00
6" Throwing Knife(2)                                                                       4          1/0        $2.00
Short Bow(1)                                                                                  50          1/1        $1.00
Medium Bow(2)                                                                             75          1/1         $1.00
Spear/Lance, Thrown(2)                                                                7           1/0         $2.00

It is important to remember that characters who have their cliche reduced to zero have lost the fight, but are not neccessarily dead. As stated in the core rules, the character is usually considered to be at the mercy of the victor. 

ANIMALS
The following is a small bestiary of common animals found in the old west. The Cliche ratings are suggestions. Feel free to alter them as needed.
Domesticated Animals
Cattle(2); commonly used as draft animals and for meat. Quite strong, but not very smart. Prices vary widely from one locale to the other, anywhere from $5.00 a head to $30.00 a head. 
Dog(2); They come in all shapes and sizes, and are used for hunting, herding and as pets. They are very intelligent and trainable. Prices vary widely, from nearly free to $100.00 or more.
Donkey(2); Strong for their small size, donkeys are popular pack animals. Known for their agility, they are frequently used by prospectors in mountainous terrain. $30.00
Horse, Cavalry(4); Fast and strong, the cavalry horse is trained not to spook in battle. $100.00 
Horse, Draft(3); Slow but powerful, true draft horses are uncommon out west. Some wagon drivers have them. They're not very good for riding, but make excellent workhorses. $60.00  
Horse, Saddle(3); The most common type of horse out west, the saddle horse is quick and relatively strong. $60.00
Mule(3); excellent pack animals, mules are far easier to maintain than draft horses. They are notorious for refusing to overwork themselves. $90.00
Pony(3); Also known as mustangs, ponys are descendants of wild horses. commonly used by indians, they are popular with cowboys as well, for their ability to live off the land. Although not exceptionally strong, they are very quick and agile. $50.00
Sheep(1); Shy and stupid, sheep are used for meat and for wool. $5.00
Wild Animals
(The monetary value listed for wild animals is it's pelt and/or meat value)
                        
Armadillo(1); Native to southern Texas. Not good for much of anything. .30¢

Bear, Black(4); Common in the mountain states, the black bear is usually not dangerous if left alone. $5.00

Bear, Grizzly(6); Mean, deadly and best avoided. $10.00

Beaver(2); Valued for their pelts. $2.00

Buffalo(3); Buffalo are the lifeblood of the plains indians. They are hunted nearly to extinction by the whites, for their hides. Buffalo travel in huge herds, and are easily spooked, causing stampedes. $5.00

Coyote(2); Smaller but more intelligent than wolves, coyotes are viewed as a nuisance by farmers. They are difficult to trap. .75¢

Eagle(2); Large birds of prey, eagles are considered sacred by Indians. Captured live, they are worth $12.00.

Gila Monster(2); Native to the arid southwest, the gila monster is a 2-foot long lizard with a poionous bite. 

Jackrabbit(1); Large, wild rabbits that are a nuisance to farmers. Known to carry disease. .05¢

Porcupine(2); Generally harmless, the porcupine is covered with sharp quills that can cause nasty wounds to the unwary. 

Puma(3); Also known as cougars or mountain lions, pumas are large hunting cats. They are fast and agile, and can be quite dangerous if cornered. $2.00

Racoon(2); Native to forest lands, racoons are intelligent scavengers. .50¢

Rattlesnake(2); A deadly poisonous snake, the rattlesnake rapidly shakes it's tail when threatened, making a rattling sound as a warning to stay away. $1.00

Scorpion(1); Despite their reputation, most scorpions are relatively harmless. Some species do have a deadly sting, however.

Skunk(1); When threatened, skunks spray a noxious, foul smelling liquid. $1.00

Vulture(1); Carrion eating scavangers. They are often seen circling above wounded animals (and men), waiting for death so they can feed.

Wolverine(3); Mean little creatures, wolverines are known to drive off bears and pumas. They are a nuisance to trappers. $1.00
Wolf(2); A pack hunting animal, wolves are a nuisance to both sheep and cattle farmers. $1.00 

STAMPEDES

Wether it be buffalo hunters or Indians hunting buffalo, or cowboys driving herds of cattle, the stampede is a very real danger in the old west. In game terms, a stampede is treated like an NPC grunt squad. It's up to the GM to determine the cliche strength of a stampede, but anywhere from 6 to 10 would not be unreasonable for a large herd.

ECONOMICS

Below is a listing of average pay scales for various jobs common in the old west. The values are a rough average, and can vary from place to place at the GM's discretion. Pay is per month.
If you decide to use economics in your campaign, I would suggest letting each character roll his highest cliche, and multiply that by $10.00 to determine his/her starting cash. This should be enough to modestly outfit a new character.

Army/Cavalry Officer                $25.00
Army/Cavalry Trooper             $13.00
Bartender                                    $25.00
Blacksmith                                  $30.00
Cowhand                                     $25.00
Deputy Marshall                         $35.00
Deputy Sheriff                            $25.00
Federal Marshall                        $45.00
Railroad Engineer                     $35.00
Scout                                            $25.00
Territorial Marshall                    $40.00
Texas Ranger                             $25.00
Town Sheriff                               $35.00

SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
     Prices listed are averages, and can vary from place to place at the GM's discretion.

AMMUNITION
100 rounds, .38 caliber or smaller                                                            $2.00
100 rounds, .41-.45 caliber                                                                       $3.25
100 rounds, .50 caliber or larger                                                              $4.75
 5 pounds, loose lead balls                                                                       $0.35
 5 pounds, black powder                                                                           $0.50

WEAPONS
     (Hand-to-hand. Ranged weapons are listed above)
4" Pocket knife                                                                                           $0.50
8" Kitchen knife(1)                                                                                      $0.50
12" Hunting knife(1)                                                                                    $1.00
16" Bowie Knife(2)                                                                                     $5.00
24" Machete(3)                                                                                           $2.50
6" Meat cleaver(2)                                                                                      $1.50
Cavalry sabre(3)                                                                                         $7.00
Axe(3)                                                                                                          $2.00
Hatchet(2)                                                                                                    $1.50
(Note: The white man's hatchet was not as well balanced for throwing as the Indian tomahawk,  but COULD be thrown. Treat as Hatchet(1), range 5 if used this way.)
9 lb. Sledgehammer(3)                                                                              $2.00
Indian war club(2)                                                                                       $0.50
Carpenters hammer(1)                                                                              $0.50
Whip(1)                                                                                                      $15.00

MISCELLANEOUS GEAR
Bed roll                                                                                                        $4.00
Boots & spurs                                                                                           $15.00
Canteen                                                                                                       $1.00
Chaps                                                                                                          $4.00
Gloves                                                                                                         $1.00
Gun belt                                                                                                       $2.00
Hat                                                                                                               $3.00
Holster                                                                                                         $3.00
Horse blanket                                                                                             $3.00
Jacket, leather                                                                                            $5.00
Jacket, sheepskin lined (for cold weather)                                            $10.00
Lamp oil                                                                                $0.25 per 5 gallons
Lantern                                                                                                         $2.00
Lasso                                                                                                           $8.00
Mess kit                                                                                                       $2.00
Pipe, corncob                                                                                             $0.05
Pipe, briarwood                                                                                          $1.00
Playing cards                                                                                              $0.25
Poncho                                                                                                         $2.00
Saddle bags                                                                                                $6.00
Saddle (ornate, with bridle and blanket)                                                 $40.00
Saddle (standard, with bridle and blanket)                                             $35.00
Sheath, knife                                                                                                $0.50
Sheath, rifle                                                                                                  $3.00
Sulphur matches                                                                  $0.25 per box of 50

LIVING EXPENSES
Bath                                                                                                              $1.00
Beer                                                                                               $0.05 per mug
Cigar, cheroot                                                                                              $0.05
Cigar, fancy                                                                                         2 for $0.25
Provisions (rations)                                                                    $4.00 per week
Room, boarding house (meals included)                                    $1.00 per day
Room, bordello                                                                            $5.00 per night
Room. hotel (no meals)                                                                 $1.00 per day
Restaurant meal                                                                                          $0.50
Shave & haircut                                                                                           $0.25
Tobacco, plug (chewing)                                                                            $0.10
Tobacco, pouch (smoking)                                                                        $0.20
Whiskey, Kentucky mash                                                           $4.00 per bottle
Whiskey, "red eye"                                                                     $1.00 per bottle

TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Anasthetic, chloroform                                                               $4.00 per bottle
Anasthetic, ether                                                                         $6.00 per bottle
Blacksmith's anvil                                                                                      $25.00
Blacksmith's forge                                                                                     $60.00
Blacksmith's hammer                                                                                  $3.00
Blacksmith's tools (tongs, punches, etc.)                                                $30.00
Bear grease (metal preservative)                                            $0.05 per pound
Carbolic acid                                                                              $3.00 per gallon
Carpenter's tools                                                                                       $40.00
Dentist's instruments                                                                                 $50.00
Doctor's kit (physician or veterinarian)                                                    $50.00
Iodine solution                                                                              $0.50 per quart
Medicinal alcohol                                                                       $2.00 per gallon
Miner's tools (picks, drills, shovels, etc.)                                                 $15.00

EXPLOSIVES
Blasting powder                                                                         $0.50 per pound
Gun cotton                                                                                   $1.00 per pound
Nitro-glycerine                                                                     $2.00 per 10 ounces
Dynamite                                                                                        $3.00 per stick
Blasting caps                                                                                  $0.50 per cap
Fuse cord                                                                                        $0.10 per foot

TRANSPORTATION
(For live animals, see the Animals section below) 
Stagecoach fare, local                                                                   $0.15 per mile
Stagecoach fare, express                                                      $3.00 per 50 miles
Train fare, 1st class                                                             $10.00 per 100 miles
Train fare, 2nd class                                                              $7.50 per 100 miles
Connestoga wagon (requires 4-horse team)                                         $150.00
Light freight wagon (requires 2-horse team)                                          $100.00
Heavy freight wagon (requires 6-horse or mule team)                          $300.00
Stagecoach (requires 4 to 6-horse team)                                               $600.00
Two-seat buggy (requires 1 horse to pull)                                                 $80.00