Devilry Afoot in Franklinton, 1797

[mikedemana]

My first six Hunters that I painted up for Devilry Afoot

It all started with two well-born siblings, bored and reading newspapers from Europe, in their new frontier settlement of Franklinton in the Ohio country. Enoch Domigan pointed out an article about secret societies springing up all across Europe to investigate the supernatural -- werewolves, vampires, and the dead arising and walking about at night. His sister Marib, no shrinking lilly, leapt up to sit at her brother's side and read the article. "I would so love to see a werewolf...!"


When venturing abroad at night, Marib Domigan goes in disguise, and carrying her rapier she has trained for hours and hours with! This is the M'Lady from the Brigade Games pack 'Cardinal and M'Lady'.

The two decided to begin their own secret society, though it began with only the two of them. Their father William owned one of the few brick buildings in town and rented rooms to travelers. The young man and woman plied their father's guests for stories of strange things they'd seen in their journeys along the frontier. They walked daily through growing Franklinton, asking the news and prying for strange stories from their fellow settlers. When Goodman Jacob Grubb regaled them with lurid descriptions of one of his cows that had been slaughtered on the night of the last full moon, the Domigan siblings were thrilled. When John Brickell, who had once been captive of Indians, told him of the drumming and chanting he heard on the wind at night, Marib had to restrain herself from clapping her hands in glee!


Presbyterian Pastor Noble was the first ally that Enoch and Marib enlisted into their secret society. This is a Crucible Crush figure from one of their Puritan packs -- love the stern & conservative look!

And then, suddenly, it wasn't a game anymore. More frightening stories piled upon the last. The settlers of Franklinton were visibly nervous. Strange animal cries were heard at night. The drumming went on from a nearby hill -- rumored to be an old Indian burial ground -- nearly every night. Enoch and Marib sought out Pastor Noble, the Presbyterian priest and confided everything to him. The severe, black-clad man of God grasped his bible to him and intoned, "Fear not, young Enoch and Marib -- we shall visit God's righteous wrath on these demons from Hell! I will be God's sword and yours on this mission you have devoutly chosen. But tell me where to go, and I will see God's justice served on the evil savages and their demon minions!"


Sarah Starling, is the fiance of the settlement's founder, Lucas Sullivant. She is a skilled nurse so a 'Scholar' archetype. The figure is the Scholar from the Bad Squiddo Games pack, Beer Maiden and Scholar.

Next, Marib brought her friend, Sarah Starling, the fiance of Franklinton's Founder, Lucas Sullivant. "She is a skilled nurse and is wise in the ways of herbs," she told her brother. Sarah was skeptical, arguing non-supernatural causes for each story the two told. She was willing to accompany the siblings on their investigations, though. Enoch felt that Sarah -- a bit older than he and his sister -- was doing it more to keep an eye on them.


Franklinton Lawyer Orris Parish is quite skeptical of the siblings' stories, but is a closet naturalist, and would love to find the new species behind their supernatural events! He is a scientist from a Brigade Games pack from its Napoleonic range, 'French Scientists/Savants'.

Next, Enoch insisted they talk to Orris Parish, a lawyer who was serving as the local judge in Franklinton until a court was established. Enoch insisted the siblings explain every incident they'd investigated in detail. He questioned the two about who else they had brought in to their investigations. Mr. Parish grilled them about Pastor Noble and Sarah Starling's responses. After he finished his questions, he sat back in his chair, seemingly lost in thought. "Master Enoch, Miss Marib. I see two possible outcomes here. One, you are engaging in childish fancies, conflating every story to involve supernatural creatures of the night." Marib folder her arms and sat back and sighed, eyeing the lawyer with a dark look. Orris chuckled, smiling at Marib. "Two, there may be things out here on the edge of civilization we don't understand. What we don't understand, we fear. Imagine one who has never seen a crocodile -- is it not a water dragon, born from myths?" Enoch and Marib eyed the lawyer hopefully. "You may not know it, but I am also a naturalist. I love categorizing new animals and new specimens." He smiled at the two. "So, I will join you! Maybe I can have a demon or werewolf named after me...?" The three laughed and shook hands.


Probably one of my favorite figures from this batch of six, The Monsignor is a Brigade Games churchman from the 'Cardinal and M'Lady' pack. The wandering Catholic priest holds immense knowledge of the supernatural horrors on the frontier, and will be a valuable ally.

The siblings would go on to recruit other members to their secret society pledged to investigate and protect the budding settlement from the supernatural dangers of frontier America. One of these is known to the local Wyandot Indians as "The Monsignor." He is a Catholic priest who comes to ministers to the natives who were converted by the French when they held influence here. Staying at their father's tavern, the priest drank wine with Enoch and Marib late into the night, telling many hair raising tales of what he's seen in his wanderings in Indian country. Although he holds much information close to his vest (or mantle?), he is still a man of God and wants to see the influence of the pagans among the tribes weakened, and the Catholics strengthened.


Unlike the lawyer Parish, Mr. Jacob Shade is a ready believer in the supernatural. He is another figure from the Brigade Games 'French Scientists/Savants' pack.

Another Franklinton resident that the two young nobles sought out was Jacob Shade. Like Enoch and Marib, he has ever been fascinated by tales of the occult and supernatural. He has accumulated a small library that he brought with him to the rough settlement. Lawyer Parish suggested the two seek him out and recruit him. Unlike himself, Mr. Slade is a willing believer in the supernatural. He and Orris have held debates for hours on whether mankind's history of supernatural tales is ignorant superstition or accumulated knowledge passed down from darker days.

I have another batch of six figures ready to go next on my painting desk. Enoch is in this group, as are five Followers. I have decided to give each player a Hunter and Follower in Devilry Afoot rules. Since I am setting my games in frontier America, my extensive 28mm French & Indian War figures will see use in these games. They'll make good figures for the "Soldier" and "Goodman/Goodwife" types.


A final look at my first six Hunters, ready to set out and investigate the horrors of frontier America...

So, there is a possibility I may run my first game of Devilry Afoot as early as Halloween weekend this month. My games will be large -- with six players normally, that means 12 figures total. However, I will fiddle with adding more monsters to the recommendations in the scenarios. I am captivated by the 100% cooperative nature of these rules, as opposed to Silver Bayonet or Dracula's America.

For more discussion (and less narrative) on how I painted these miniatures, check out my entry on them on Lead Legionaries:
https://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2025/10/devilry-afoot-first-figures-for-new.html

I really like how these six came out and look forward to painting more for this project!

Mike Demana

[OSHIROmodels]

Great stuff 

What sort of beasties have you got planned?