Return of Buffy the VaMPIRE sLAYER
We were thrilled to read the news about Sarah Michelle Gellar’s revival of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy ran for seven seasons across two networks during the nineties and is a classic among urban fantasy, supernatural television.
Mixing monsters with high school was an effective way to tell engaging stories. If you are a fan of Buffy and of the Ironsworn game-engine, The Untrodden Ways can easily be adapted for a horror themed, roleplaying campaign based on the television show.
Vampire slayers
Buffy was filled with all of the high school stereotypes (often with an unexpected twist). To make similar characters for an Untrodden Ways roleplaying campaign, use these free oracles and character set-up suggestions.
the chosen vampire hunter
On the television show, a slayer was always female. For the Untrodden Ways, you could amend the magic and allow any gender to be connected to the spirit of the vampire hunter. You could also align your character to hunting gods like Artemis, Orion, or Ullr (Viking hunter god and keeper of oaths).
Slayer Stats
| Edge | 2 |
| Heart | 1 |
| Iron | 3 |
| Shadow | 1 |
| Wits | 2 |
Assets and Companions
- Banner Sworn
- Slayer
- Glittering Axe
average joe
Every group needs the average high school guy. He’s not great at sports and not a super genius. He is basically average at everything until pushed by circumstance to become something more. The key to this kind of character is to give them a lot of heart and pick a subject they could grow into like swimming or the military.
Core Stats
| Edge | 1 |
| Heart | 3 |
| Iron | 1 |
| Shadow | 2 |
| Wits | 2 |
Assets and Companions
- Loyalist
- Ironclad
- Slide-action Shotgun
rich girl
Everyone’s favorite frenemy has to be the rich girl — so wealthy she has a difficult time associating with the rest of the team. Yet once she is introduced to the creatures of the Untrodden Ways, she quickly becomes adept at fighting them.
Core Stats
| Edge | 1 |
| Heart | 2 |
| Iron | 1 |
| Shadow | 3 |
| Wits | 2 |
Assets and Companions
- True Believer
- Classic SUV
- Bag of Silver and Gold Coins
Goth magic user
Magic played a strong part on the show with many great characters using magic effectively. For your high school mage, remember they don’t have a lot of practice with magic. Unless they tap into one of the deep magics by accident, your character will likely fail at their spells as often as they succeed.
Magic users tend to use rituals of movement and words. On the Ways, we would classify them as sorcerers.
Core Stats
| Edge | 1 |
| Heart | 2 |
| Iron | 1 |
| Shadow | 2 |
| Wits | 3 |
Assets and Companions
- Ritualist
- Illusion, External
- Totem
Vampires and Demons
Vampire NPCs
The show had a lot of different monsters over the years, but the primary NPCs were either vampires or demons.
On the Untrodden Ways, vampires behave like piranha. Their primary motivation is to eat you. On the show, a vampire was as likely to talk to you as it is to eat you. Make a slight adjustment on your NPC vampire Drives to match the television show.
In addition to flunky vampires, the show had several Elder Vampires with dozens of vampire underlings. You can find stats for an Elder Vampire in the UW World Guide. Use Pack tactics to simulate a group vampire attack on your favorite night club.
Demon NPCs
In the Untrodden Ways Quick Quests #16, we introduced demons — dark spiritual entities of vast power that possess the living to interact with the physical world.
On the show, the demons tended to be uber vampires or mega monsters. Some demons showed strong magical powers. A Level 3 Formidable or Level 4 Extreme NPC monster dedicated to subjugating humanity would fit well into a television show inspired campaign.
Evil Government
Playing on a Darkwell
In The Untrodden Ways Quick Quests #16, we introduced the concept of a darkwell or hellmouth, a way-portal to a hellish part of the Untrodden Ways. The darkwell is a convenient way to have a monster of the week appear in your high school. To learn more about darkwells, see Quick Quests #16.
Magic Assets
Cursed items were a constant problem in Sunnydale. From zombie making masks to euphoria inducing amulets, many nefarious plans involved cursed artifacts. For your slayer inspired adventures on the Ways, check the free Asset deck for cursed items or UW Quick Quests #18. The trolls have many enchanted items.
Next Steps
Whether revisiting old television show plotlines or making up your own high school nightmare, the Untrodden Ways has everything you need to slay vampires and go to prom with a succubus.
Officially Licensed Buffy RPG
Would you prefer an officially licensed Buffy the Vampire Slayer product? Check out the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Roleplaying Game from Eden Studios. It’s not an Ironsworn game-engine rpg, but it does have a lot of useful information. Eden Studios also has a variety of Buffy add-ons.
No affiliation between The Untrodden Ways and Eden Studios. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is a Trademark of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. The mention of or references to any companies or products on this homebrew blog post is not a challenge to the trademarks or copyrights concerned.
