Mad Scientists

Mad Scientists: Pioneers of the New Science

"Science must press on, sometimes with tragically unpredictable results."

Ever since the discovery of ghost rock in the California mountains, the world of science has turned upside down. What was once impossible is now merely improbable. Steam wagons cross the desert, cameras capture moving images, and armored suits turn away bullets. These aren't the work of wizards or miracle workers—they're the creations of mad scientists, inventors who've unlocked the secrets of the New Science.

But there's a price for progress. The very act of creating these "weird gizmos" seems to fray the edges of a scientist's sanity. Most eventually become neurotic hermits or raving lunatics, though they leave a legacy of amazing gadgets in their frantic wake. They don't call 'em "mad" scientists for nothing.

What Makes Someone a Mad Scientist?

Mad scientists are pioneers exploring the intersection of ghost rock and human ingenuity. They create devices that defy conventional physics, powered by the strange glowing mineral that groans and emits ghostly vapors when burned. Whether they know it or not, these inventors are channeling energy from the Hunting Grounds through their blueprints and contraptions.

Key characteristics of mad scientists:

Knowledge of conventional sciences (physics, chemistry, engineering, biology)
The spark of mad science—an intuitive leap beyond normal scientific understanding
Ability to create weird gizmos that shouldn't work but somehow do
Skill at tinkerin' to build and repair their devices
Risk of developing dementia from contact with otherworldly forces
Devices that occasionally malfunction spectacularly

Ghost Rock: The Miracle Mineral

Ghost rock was discovered in California after the Great Quake of '68. This dark mineral burns far longer and hotter than coal, emitting eerie groans and ghostly vapors. Scientists worldwide flocked to study it, and within years, impossible inventions became reality. The Confederacy even commissioned mad scientists to create war machines, leading to the devastating Battle of Washington in '71.

Becoming a Mad Scientist

Unlike blessed or hucksters, mad scientists are made through education and inspiration (or desperation). Here's what it takes:

Required:

The arcane background: mad scientist Edge
At least 1 level in the mad science Aptitude
At least 1 level in a science concentration (science: general, biology, chemistry, engineering, or physics)
At least 1 level in tinkerin' if you actually want to build your devices

Starting Equipment: A newly created mad scientist begins with one weird gizmo they've already invented (either from the examples below or created with Marshal approval). This first device is free.

Why Science Concentrations Matter

Your science Aptitudes represent your formal education and understanding of conventional physics, chemistry, and engineering. When designing a device related to your specialty, the blueprint process is easier (TN 5 instead of TN 9). Higher science levels also give you bonus cards when drawing for blueprints—each science at level 5 or higher grants one free card.

Creating Weird Gizmos: The Four Steps

Making a device that defies common sense follows a specific process. Each step must be completed in order:

Step 1: Concoct the Theory

First, decide what you want to build and describe the "scientific principles" behind it. Write a paragraph or two explaining your theory—from your character's perspective, using appropriately mad reasoning.

Example: "By harnessing the etheric oscillations inherent in ghost rock combustion and channeling them through a series of magnetized copper coils, I can create a sympathetic resonance with the natural electromagnetic field, thereby generating sufficient repulsive force to achieve sustained levitation!"

Mad scientists can never keep quiet about their inventions. Share your theory with the posse—they'll appreciate the entertainment.

Step 2: Devise the Blueprint

Now comes the dangerous part. As you draft your blueprint, you unknowingly consort with manitous who whisper impossible equations and diagrams into your mind.

The Process:

Make a mad science roll against TN 5 (or TN 9 if you don't have a related science concentration)
If you fail, you're stymied and can't try to build anything for 8 hours
If you succeed, draw 5 cards from the Action Deck, plus 1 for every raise
Draw 1 additional free card for each science Aptitude at level 5 or higher (optional)
Form the best poker hand you can from the cards

What Your Hand Determines:

Hand	Complexity	Construction Time
Ace	Simple device	1 day
Pair	Fairly simple	2 days
Two Pairs	Moderate complexity	1 week
Three of a Kind	Complex device	2 weeks
Straight	Very complex	1 month
Flush or Better	Extremely complex	2 months

The Danger: If you draw a black Joker, you develop a dementia (see below). Roll on the Dementia Table immediately. The madness might not manifest until later, but the seed is planted.

Base Reliability: Your device starts with a Reliability of 10. Each raise on your blueprint roll adds +2 to Reliability, up to a maximum of 19.

Step 3: Gather Components

Once you have a blueprint, you need parts. This might mean buying materials, scavenging scrap, or commissioning specialized components. The cost and availability depend on the device's complexity.

Typical costs:

Simple devices: $50-$200 in parts
Moderate devices: $200-$500 in parts
Complex devices: $500-$2,000 in parts
Extremely complex: $2,000+ in parts (plus ghost rock)

Your Marshal determines exact costs and availability based on where you are and what you're building.

Step 4: Construct the Device

With blueprint and components in hand, it's time to build. Make a tinkerin' roll against TN 5. You need at least one success to complete the device.

Each raise on the construction roll adds +2 to the device's Reliability. Expert tinkerers can bring in assistants to help on tough jobs.

Rushing the Job: Need it faster? Each hand above the minimum required for the blueprint halves the construction time. A device requiring a Pair could be built in 1 day instead of 2 if you drew Two Pairs. A Royal Flush device can't be rushed—it requires the full time.

Example: Building a Bullet-Proof Vest

Professor Thaddeus makes his mad science roll and gets two raises. He draws 7 cards (5 base + 2 for raises) and gets Two Pairs. The blueprint requires 1 week to build and starts with Reliability 14 (10 base + 4 from two raises). He spends $300 on special materials. When construction time comes, he makes his tinkerin' roll and gets one raise, increasing Reliability to 16. One week later, he has a working bullet-proof vest with Reliability 16.

Reliability and Malfunctions

Here's the rub: weird gizmos malfunction. They're forged with energies from the Hunting Grounds, which means manitous can meddle with them. Even the best devices have at least a 5% chance of failure.

How It Works:

Every time someone uses a weird gizmo, roll 1d20. If the result is higher than the device's Reliability, a malfunction occurs. A roll of 20 always fails.

When to roll:

Weapons: Every time they're fired
Protective devices: Each time they absorb damage
Vehicles: When starting, stopping, or during stress
Continuous devices: Once per scene or when narratively appropriate

Malfunction Severity:

If a malfunction occurs, roll 2d6 on the Malfunction Table:

2d6	Severity	Effect
2-5	Major	Device fails and requires significant repair or reassembly
6-10	Minor	Device jams or fails, needs a Fair (5) tinkerin' roll to fix
11-12	Catastrophic	Device explodes, catches fire, or causes serious harm

Example Malfunctions:

Flamethrower - Catastrophic: The methane tank explodes, causing 1d10 damage per remaining shot to everyone within 10 yards.

Bullet-Proof Vest - Major: The vest falls apart and must be completely reassembled before it works again.

Gatling Gun - Minor: The weapon jams and won't fire until someone makes a Fair (5) tinkerin' roll to clear it.

Important

Your Marshal determines the specific effect based on the device type and situation. Malfunctions should be dramatic and memorable—mad science is dangerous, after all. But they shouldn't always be fatal. Most of the time, a device just conks out. Sometimes, though, it goes out with a bang.

Dementia: The Price of Progress

Here's the dark secret of mad science: creating these devices slowly drives you insane. Every time you draw a black Joker while devising a blueprint, you develop a mental illness. Roll 1d20 on the Dementia Table (your Marshal has this).

Common dementias include:

Absent Minded (1-2): You forget everything but your work. Need a Fair (5) Smarts roll to remember important details.
Delusion (3-4): You believe something patently untrue. Maybe you think you're a character in some strange game.
Eccentricity (5-6): Strange habits like smothering food in vinegar or obsessive cleanliness. Annoying but harmless.
Evil Deeds (7-8): A manitou convinces you someone or something is evil and must be stopped.
Depression (9-10): Overwhelming depression about humanity's future. Lose 1 point of Grit.
Minor Phobia (11-12): Irrational fear of something. -2 to actions when it's present.
Major Phobia (13-14): Crippling fear. -4 to actions when the source is present.
Mumbler (15-16): Constant self-talk and "voices" talking back. (The voices are real.)
Paranoia (17-18): Everyone's out to get you or steal your ideas.
Schizophrenia (19-20): Multiple personalities with different mannerisms, even different genders or races.

The dementia might not manifest immediately. It could develop as a result of using the device for the first time—a phobia of fire after building a flamethrower, for instance.

Roleplaying Dementia: Players who roleplay their character's madness well earn Fate Chips. Have fun with it—but don't let it completely derail the story.

Rock Fever

Mad scientists who work with ghost rock constantly risk a disease called "rock fever." After each week of prolonged exposure, make a Vigor roll. The TN starts at 3 and increases by +2 per week to a maximum of 11. Failure means you contract the fever—you become feverish and light-headed, taking -2 to all rolls. You must make Hard (9) Vigor rolls every two hours. Three consecutive successes ends it. Three or more wounds from the fever gives you a permanent dementia. Going bust means you spontaneously combust from the inside out.

Example Weird Gizmos

Here are some classic mad science devices to inspire your inventions:

Bullet-Proof Vest

Complexity: Pair | Reliability: 19 | Cost: $1,800

A lightweight, concealable vest that covers the upper and lower guts with Armor 2 (reduces damage die type by two steps). Much better than a steel plate—you can actually move in this thing.

Flamethrower

Complexity: Two Pairs | Reliability: 17 | Cost: $2,200

A rifle-mounted device with a pressurized methane tank. Fires a 20-yard cone of flame (2 inches wide at the barrel, 3 yards wide at the end). User fires 1-6 shots per pull, dealing 1d10 damage per shot to everyone in the cone. Tank holds 30 shots total.

Warning: Bullets hitting the tank from behind have a 1-in-6 chance of detonating it. When that happens, everyone within 10 yards takes 1d10 damage per remaining shot.

Gatling Pistol

Complexity: Pair | Reliability: 18 | Cost: $1,500

A hand-cranked multi-barrel pistol. Fires up to 6 shots per action with a single shootin' roll. Each bullet fired increases the TN by +1. Holds 20 rounds in a detachable magazine.

Epitaph Camera

Complexity: Pair | Reliability: 19 | Cost: $1,600

Can photograph moving subjects clearly—vital for documenting supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, the very success of these cameras makes skeptics think the photos are faked.

Rocket Pack

Complexity: Three of a Kind | Reliability: 18 | Cost: $2,100

A backpack-mounted device that allows short flights using ghost rock-powered rockets. Speed: 20. Maneuverability requires a Fair (5) pilot roll. If you fail the roll, you plummet and take falling damage.

Catastrophic malfunction: The pack rockets you 1d20 × 5 yards into the air, then explodes for 3d20 damage. Time for a funeral.

Steam Wagon

Complexity: Straight | Reliability: 18 | Cost: $1,500

A horseless carriage powered by ghost rock steam. Pace 20 on flat terrain (doesn't work well on rocky ground). Popular among Mormons for crossing the Salt Flats and among bandits for robbing trains.

Playing a Mad Scientist Character

Here's some advice for bringing a mad scientist to life:

Embrace the Madness: Don't shy away from your dementias—roleplay them! They're not just penalties; they're character traits that make you memorable. A paranoid inventor checking for spies or an absent-minded professor forgetting his pants makes for great moments.

Document Your Theories: Write out your mad scientific theories for each device. Share them with the group. The more elaborate and pseudoscientific, the better.

Know Your Limits: Your devices will malfunction eventually. Always have a backup plan (usually a gun). Don't rely solely on your inventions in critical moments.

Collaborate: Work with skilled tinkerers in the group. They can help with construction rolls. Share your inventions with the posse—just maybe not the flamethrower with the trigger-happy outlaw.

Respect Ghost Rock: It's a dangerous substance. Handle it carefully, or you might catch rock fever. Miners aren't paranoid—those glowing rocks really do make you sick.

Mad Scientist Archetypes

The Practical Engineer: A former railroad engineer or mechanic who discovered mad science by accident. They build practical devices—better armor, more efficient weapons, improved vehicles. They're in it for results, not glory.

The Obsessed Inventor: Driven by a single goal—revenge, wealth, or proving a theory. They'll sacrifice anything, including their sanity, to complete their masterwork. Probably already has 2-3 dementias.

The Confederate Defector: Formerly worked at the Roswell facility building war machines. Deserted with stolen blueprints and a guilty conscience. The Texas Rangers might still be looking for them.

The Academic Outcast: A university professor whose theories were mocked by colleagues. They fled to the frontier to conduct experiments away from prying eyes and closed minds.

The Reluctant Genius: Never wanted to be a mad scientist. Fell into it out of necessity—maybe to save a loved one or solve a local crisis. Now they're stuck with knowledge they're not sure they want.

Ready to Defy the Laws of Nature?

Create your mad scientist with the arcane background: mad scientist Edge, pick your science concentrations, and start sketching blueprints. Just remember—progress demands sacrifice, and sometimes that sacrifice is your sanity.

Mad Scientists and the Troubleshooters

Colonel Brennan appreciates mad scientists more than most employers. He understands that weird problems sometimes require weird solutions, and a scientist with a ghost rock-powered gadget can accomplish things a gunslinger never could.

That said, the Colonel also understands the risks. He's seen too many inventors blow themselves (and their surroundings) sky-high. His standing order: "Test your contraptions away from populated areas, and if it's going to explode, make sure it explodes near the bad guys, not my men."

Mad scientist Troubleshooters often find themselves working alongside people who don't understand (or trust) their methods. Blessed characters see them as tampering with forces beyond human ken. Hucksters recognize the smell of manitou involvement. Regular folks just think they're crazy.

All of which might be true. But when a walkin' dead is bearing down on you and conventional weapons aren't cutting it, suddenly that scientist's experimental disintegration ray doesn't seem so crazy after all.

Miss Temperance Page's Observation

"I've catalogued seventeen mad scientist inventions in the Dodge City Library. Eleven of them eventually exploded. The other six are still working, though I keep them in the basement just in case. Professor Hellstromme says mad science is the future. Maybe so. But it's a future that smells like burning ghost rock and singed eyebrows."

Next: Gunslingers – Those lightning-quick shootists who've turned violence into an art form...