If you ran a campaign in your vicinity, what would it be?

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Proteus

Houston?

Spanish explorers working with and vs. native tribes is an obvious choice: add magic and monsters to taste. Were the Karankawa really cannibals or not?

Others have mentioned the Texas Revolution: the Battle of San Jacinto, just south of here, was the turning point, where the Mexican general Santa Anna was forced to surrender. All kinds of Time Patrol / alternate history shenanigans are possible there.

Galveston, just a short drive to the coast, used to be one of the major immigration centers for the United States, and was often favorably compared to San Francisco. I've always wanted to run a Victorian-era campaign of hidden sorcerers vying for social and magical power, but with the shadow of the Mayan demon Hurakan always over them. (It was the Hurricane of 1900 that devastated Galveston and opened the way for Houston to eclipse it as a port and population center.)

The oil "bidness" is another obvious topic; I recall seeing ads for a recent cable-TV miniseries about a fictional Texas dynasty working through similar history.

Houston is well-known as the control center for NASA's manned missions. A Technomancer campaign about a magically-assisted space program could be all sorts of fun. So would a "hidden history" in which the U.S. uses but keeps hidden alien tech from Roswell or such — all those cost overruns weren't bad accounting; they were actually funding the flying saucers and lunar base!

I ran a short Dresden Files campaign set in an urban-fantasy Houston, and had all sorts of fun. Alas, half the players had to move to Virginia, instead. As one of the largest ports in the U.S. and a major business center, Houston has all sorts of potential for recent / current / near-future scenarios, whether magical or mundane.

Post-apocalyptic is difficult, since unless we stem global warming Houston might end up underwater. (Same problem with dinosaurian-era adventures!) Still, warring tribes crossing the swamp between the shells of skyscrapers could be all sorts of fun.

Texas has to much "good" stuff like lawlessnes, wars, feuds, and crime, as well as ordinary cowboys who have a really cool way to make a living. It's Oregon that is hard to work out. I suppose we could have a secret town supporting a government research facility. No one ever thought of that one...

[(E)]

Many years ago I ran a fighter centric sci-fi game based around NZs first spacecarrier. It was entertaining running a game where the nation's spacefleet was launched after America's, after China's, after Russia's, after India's and after the next 50 countries. A string and duct tape spaceforce. It really stressed the make do and cunning approach.

[Jariel]

I'm in Middle Tennessee, so the obvious one is Civil War (we have a battlefield in town). The next obvious one would be Pioneer Days mainly to have an excuse to meet Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and a few others.
We also have Oak Ridge which was part of the Manhattan Project. An Atomic Horror campaign could have the monster/alien/zombies/whatever come from Oak Ridge. We're also close to Nashville, the state capital. It would be easy enough to set a political campaign there.
An entirely different campaign could involve Nashville's moniker as "Music City", the PC's could be aspiring musicians trying to become famous. Alternately they could work for the record companies and try to find new talent, keep the talent they have, or keep the talent out of trouble. It could be set in the past and they could meet/deal with famous country musicians (and maybe even Elvis), or it could be set in the present with the PC/s trying to diversify the music scene (Nashville is famous for country music, but there are a few other types in town).

[RogerBW]

Originally Posted by (E)

Many years ago I ran a fighter centric sci-fi game based around NZs first spacecarrier. It was entertaining running a game where the nation's spacefleet was launched after America's, after China's, after Russia's, after India's and after the next 50 countries. A string and duct tape spaceforce. It really stressed the make do and cunning approach.

Number 8 wire… in space!

[(E)]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

Number 8 wire… in space!

Exactly.
Their fighters have heat compensating targeting systems that allow rear point defence while under thrust, we have a button that dumps 10 kgs of ball bearings into the main drive exhaust.

[Apollonian]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

It's Oregon that is hard to work out. I suppose we could have a secret town supporting a government research facility. No one ever thought of that one...

At this point, if I were gong to run a campaign in Oregon, if just do Gravity Falls.

[simply Nathan]

According to the Yrth timetable, an expedition went in to explore the Blackwoods on the year I was born and the forest does seem to partially overlap the place where my state would be if you overlaid the continental US on top of Yttria.

So a Yrth campaign about exploring a dark, mysterious forest would be the best way to go.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

It's Oregon that is hard to work out. I suppose we could have a secret town supporting a government research facility. No one ever thought of that one...

There are a number of uninhabited valleys... and lots of places a body could be hidden that will not be discovered for YEARS... or if discovered, are discovered by accident.

Besides, any secret project is likely hidden in the basement of one of the many universities, colleges, and/or national guard barracks.

And, what's up with Crater Lake? Is it really a new pluton pushing up? or is it the new hellmouth?

And, like Seattle, there is history hidden underground in Portland. And many other towns.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by ak_aramis

There are a number of uninhabited valleys... and lots of places a body could be hidden that will not be discovered for YEARS... or if discovered, are discovered by accident.

Besides, any secret project is likely hidden in the basement of one of the many universities, colleges, and/or national guard barracks.

And, what's up with Crater Lake? Is it really a new pluton pushing up? or is it the new hellmouth?

And, like Seattle, there is history hidden underground in Portland. And many other towns.

There are close analogues to Eureka that are not places displayed on the actual map which actually has signs saying in effect, "We have secret projects going on here. Come closer and we will cart you away and fine you for trespassing because that is easier then trying you for espionage." St Ermins might qualify, as would Bletchley Park, or perhaps Los Alamos or some of the other sites of the Manhattan.

A newly discovered body is a good idea. Another is a cozy around some rich sportsfolk who find a murderer among their number.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Apollonian

At this point, if I were gong to run a campaign in Oregon, if just do Gravity Falls.

Not Dies the Fire?