[DitV] Witchfinder Generals

[Rustin]

A buddy of mine watched this Vincent Price flick called Witchfinder General, and thought it would be cool to roleplay in that setting.  I agreed.

I want to tempt the players to set the supernatural elements very high. 

For this I need some really cool ideas on what Ceremony would be in Puritanical times. 

Any suggestions?

[Vaxalon]

Do you really need to change that much?

Just switch the terrain from desert to temperate forest, the weapons from sixguns to muskets...

[Rustin]

Yes, it was very easy to adapt.  I'm only having problems with Ceremony.

The Ceremony from the Book just doesn't seem very Colonial/Puritanical to me.
When I hear "demon out!!" i think Catholic type Ceremony.  When I look at the Ceremony in the book I think Mormonism.  (not all of it but the singing, or three in authority..)

Spectral Evidence was used quite a bit to convict those accused of witchcraft, but I just don't see how it would work as Ceremony. 

I'm thinking: Witch Trial, or Throw them in the water type tests... For some reason I just can't see them working as a See or Raise. 

I just need 1 or 2 ceremonies that bring forth the tone of that time.  It is more for atmosphere than anything. Though I'm going to hit them with Murder and high demonic influence, so I want them properly empowered.

Thanks

[WiredNavi]

You could quite easily have one element be 'The Testing', which would be any kind of test the players cared to make up on the spot, sensible or nonsensical.

[avram]

Rustin, have you tried looking through the Malleus Maleficarum? This was an actual 15th century guidebook for Inquisitors to use in fighting witches. In particular, the second half of the second part (how the works of witchcraft may be successfully anulled and dissolved) looks useful, and the third part (judicial prodeedings against witches and heretics).

On the other hand, the Malleus Maleficarum was a Roman Catholic document, and Puritans were very anti-Catholic, and rejected a lot of the iconography associated with the RC Church. So maybe you should go with the basics -- sign of the cross, reading of scripture, maybe the Apostle's Creed.

Here's a review of a collection of Puritan prayers, with a sample or two. Google can probably find you more.

(And shouldn't the plural be "Witchfinders General"?)

[Darren Hill]

The true origin of the Malleus Maleficarum (or a summary thereof). That doesn't change the fact that you're right - it would be a great resource for a Witchfinder General game (assuming you can slog through it). I've always loved that film.

(Something interesting about the Inquisition: "The Inquisition was not born out of desire to crush diversity or oppress people; it was rather an attempt to stop unjust executions. Yes, you read that correctly.")