Before any real game production began, I needed to write in-depth, distinguishing backstories for all of my six American Frontier archetypal characters. These backstories would ultimately form the character design decisions and further develop the roleplay aspect of my game. However, I didn't know too much about the gamblers of the American Frontier, so I decided to do some research so that I could professionally write the backstory for my gambler character, Gabrielle Aquinas. What follows is all the research I did on this topic, which can be found in pages 5 - 7 of the black sketchbook.
Sketchbook page 5:
The image of a group of mean-looking gamblers sat around a poker table in an old saloon is one of the most iconic and endearing imaginings of the American Frontier.
Gambling tables of course didn't originate from the saloons, but rather from camps or settlements. You could gamble anywhere.
The gamblers of the old West have been branded legends by their daring and risky exploits. They, along with lawmen and gunslingers, are among the most iconic archetypes of the era.
They could come from any walk of life, and usually erred on the wrong side of the law .
"Dead Man's Hand"
The term refers to the final poker hand 'Wild Bill Hickok' was holding when he was shot in the back after 'busting out a competitor'.
The hand itself was two-pair, black aces and eights with an unknown hole card.
Gambling was feverishly popular because it was another 'get rich quick' method.
Games could be played anywhere, from mighty steamboats to mining camps, large thriving saloons to military camps.
Poker reigned as king throughout any table.
Gamers played with their backs to the wall and guns at their sides, as saloons were dangerous places when tensions ran high.
Popular games included Chuck-A-Luck, Three Card Monte, High Dice and Faro.
Gabrielle Aquinas
Comes from money originally, only character to do so
Gambles for the thrill of winning and the love of the game
Mainly plays poker and sometimes Blackjack
High-end, expensive clothing and jewellery
Well-spoken, eloquent, has good manners
Deadly on the poker table
Uses her winnings to invest in expensive items
Doesn't like hand-to-hand violence but knows how to draw quickly on cheaters - "Where do you think you're going?"
Knows all the tricks of the trade and can count cards and can cut through a person's facade in poker
Picked up gambling as a young girl watching her father and his friends play at their family estate (As her family were high-class, her father spent his recreation time in their drawing room playing cards and swilling whiskey. He wasn't addicted to the game or alcohol, but it just simply came with the culture of wealthy living).
She can handle a gun, but tries her best not to use it
She is never arrogant in victory
Sketchbook page 6:
Higher class gambling venues offered a wider, more refined selection of liquor, roulette wheels, gourmet food, Faro tables, poker and other games.
Some towns outlawed gambling altogether.
The frontier gambler is or can be:
One of the most recognised stock characters of the American frontier
Both sexes
Come from a variety of professions, class and geographical backgrounds
Different nationalities
A well-respected profession
As the West became increasingly populated and domesticated, public perception of gambling changed to a negative one and caused almost every state legislature to pass anti-gambling laws in an effort to 'clean up' their towns.
Gamblers still remain a legend of the American frontier, symbolising the freedom and risky nature of the time.
The heyday of gambling in the American frontier lasted from 1850 - 1910.
It was the number one form of entertainment for the time.
People of all professions played, including cowboys, miners, lumberjacks, businessmen and lawmen. They played for profit, entertainment and pleasure.
One of the first buildings erected in a new settlement or camp was usually a gambling hall. As the settlement grew, these halls would get larger and more elaborate.
These buildings, and gambling in general, were a driving force behind the local economy and many towns measured their prosperity by the number of gambling halls and professional gamblers they had.
Most citizens considered gambling to be a respectable profession and those who chose to make a living doing it were respected members of society.
It was the greatest paying profession of any town at the time.
Professional gamblers ran their own games and settled in one place. They took their profession as a business and, to be viewed as a professional business, ran a straight game and needed to cultivate a reputation for fairness. They did not drink, swear, cheat, they paid rent and licensing fees and encouraged customers to run up bar tabs. They were widely welcomed in towns because of their positive impact on the economy.
The California gold rush of 1849 created one of the largest draws for migrant gamblers, and San Francisco soon became the gambling hotspot of the West.
Cattle towns in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska became the prime centres of gambling as well. Thanks to the railroad and cattle industries, a great number of people worked in and around these towns and had plenty of money to wager.
Sketchbook page 7:
10/02/2020
STEAMBOATS AND RIVERBOATS
Although the covered wagon is the most recognised method of travel for people living in the Old West, some made their way West by riverboat.
They travelled farther inland than most people realised.
At a cheap price, people could travel on the lower deck. However, it wasn't ideal as those travelling on the lower decks were crammed in alongside the boilers, barrels, livestock, cotton bales, and all the other passengers who chose to travel on those decks.
Double the fee bought a private room on an upper deck and the chance to enjoy fine cuisine in the elegant dining room, gamble at a table in the bar and watch the river slide by.
However, riverboats were dangerous for multiple reasons. They could easily catch fire, get caught on a tree snag, suffer a boiler explosion, or contain people whose motives weren't the kindest. People could have been robbed at any time.
However, they were generally fast and less dangerous than travelling on the trail.
GAMBLING CONT.
It is a common stereotype that frontier gamblers were well-groomed and wore tailored suits. They are known for being gentlemen and honourable, but become cold-blooded killers when crossed. They are also cool under pressure, as befits their profession.
The act of gambling itself reflects the risky nature of the time.
It was widely considered a legitimate way to make a living.
All of this gambling and steamboat/riverboat research was made to inform my final characters backstory - the gambler Gabrielle Aquinas.
If I didn't have to change the Sheriff's backstory, Gabrielle would have been the last character to be written about.
Her backstory has since been written.
07/02/2020 - 10/02/2020
Sketchbook pages 5 to 7