Nicola’s Follies

Forum for discussion of Victorious, the upcoming Siege Engine RPG

Moderator: DMMike

Post Reply
User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

A little background, I had the ‘pleasure’ of going to my daughter’s county wide 4H talent show tonight … It was … painful … accident filled … twistedly humorous …. The assistant MCs got nervous and forgot how to read, miss pronounced names, singers voices cracked and they forgot words, kids tripped over props, the curtain would get stuck, or be opened too much and you could see EVERYONE in the wings messing around, the heater was broke so it was frigid in the theater, and a baby pig ran loose after the skit it was in was over, and the list could go on and on. So, to save my sanity I let my mind wonder to greener gaming pastures.

Now, before anyone calls me evil for saying bad of all the kids efforts, I’ll defend myself. My daughter was one that was wearing a hat to large, it covered her eyes, and she tripped going up to get her groups 2nd place award, my favorite teacher in high school was running the theater and I did try and help him reset the heater –but there was no time for it to run up and heat the theater in time – and back in school I worked the same stage and have had my own problems with spot lights burning out in the middle of the play, the curtain coming off the pulley etc etc etc, So I do empathize with them, and salute the kids for getting on stage, try and do something, and push through all the chaos that happens when groups of 9 – 18 year old kids try and sing and do skits, having never before been on a stage.

Ok, now to what I came up with

Nicola’s Play House of Bohemian Wonders, otherwise known as Nicola’s Follies.
The play house is owned by Nicola Adele, a Prussian immigrant from Bavaria. 20 years ago his family was tied to a political family of minor importance, but one that lost favor in the various political intrigues in the chaos following the consolidation of power after the chaos of the Napoleonic wars. As such the family fled the Prussian holdings and eventually settled in England.

In his own right and in his youth , Nicola was an exceptional musician and skilled actor orator. This earned him and his family a good reputation and enough money to buy their own play house. Additionally, in his travels Nicola found a violin of exceptional quality – and unique abilities – which further enhanced his innate musical abilities and furthered his success.

The violin has the ability to change mesmerize those listening to the music played on it, highlighting the emotions flowing behind the music. Additionally, any positive emotions felt would be enhanced for up to days, while negative emotions – though strongly felt – would be short lived and then be purged from the hearer for days. Also, the violin has the ability to allow any hearing it’s owner to understand the general meaning of whatever they are performing even if there is a language barrier. *** I’m sure there should be other powers too, but that is all I could think of off the top of my head *** However, and unfortunately, there is a dark side to the violin … it is jealous ! It MUST be part of the main attraction to a performance. When it is not, after a few days of being out of the lime light, it’s effect of ill luck begins to impact the performance. It may be little things at first – and will never reach the level dangerous / harmful / life threatening – but more and more things go wrong in the play house. Actors will sneeze at an in opportune time, they will repeat their lines, or say lines form other recent plays (not realizing it and leaving the fellow actors in a spot where they must adlib to get the play back on track) actresses will trip, rip their dress, and show more leg than proper, curtains will stick, or swing wider open than they should, and the list can go on and on.

However, Nicola, and his violin, are not the only unique and special / powerful individuals in the play house.

Peater James, a bit actor, stage hand, and help all, is inherently lucky and always seems to be in the right place at the right time to limit the impact of the ‘ill luck’ and bad happenstances that are so often experienced in the play house. Also, though he is never the leading man, he has the gift of entering a scene (even when he has not been scripted a part) and helping to adlib any oddities in the play caused by the violin’s ill luck – Luck & Intuition acting knack and high charisma prime.

Robyn , Nicola’s daughter, A raven haired ivory skinned beauty. She had no acting or musical inspirations, but she has a keen insight and sharp wit. One night she sat on the edge of the stage, mocked the players as they struggled through a particularly ill luck filled performance and played off the crowd and Peater’s ad libs. After that, she has been in the habit of being on stage and making side bar comments and epilogs, which the crowd love. Also, she has discovered she knows what someone is going to say before the even realize they are thinking it, so she can quote them and answer their thoughts and comments defusing any issues that are building. Plus, her looks are exceptional for a minor un important play house – more high attributes and knack, with a Telepathy.

Meagan Trainer, Nicola’s younger sister. A soft headed, but with buoyant personality and optimistic outlook, middle aged actress with an encyclopedic memory of speeches quotes and the like. She performs between scenes and as the stage is being changed when the evening show is of 2 or 3 short plays. She has the uncanny ability to find a perfect quote or speech that speaks to the happenings of the day weather great nationwide events or the events on the local street corner. Also, her cometary following the speech filled with her optimism always lifts the spirits of the audience – mesmerism.
All of this leads to a lively play house with a faithful following, and even more wealthy clients that would normally frequent a poorer side street play house. All there to see what follies foibles and missteps will befall the players while at the same time leaving the play house humor filled and spirits lifted greater than they would if they had gone to a more upscale and posh play house. As such the play house is full Monday through Saturday – taking Sundays off .

Furthermore, at times Nicola will decide to bring out his favored violin and play for the audience – or at times on the balcony overlooking the street outside to the joy of the passer buys (this lessens the ill luck of the play house for 2 – 4 days – but none have connected this)
Unfortunately, there is a dark side to the play house. Its success has led to various street thieves, and pick pockets frequenting the house alongside the paying customers, Along with them are the ‘ladies of the night’ that are drawn to any place in the poorer side of town filled with gentlemen with coin in their pocket.

Also, there is one Tony Allen Gatti, a stage hand and handy man that some months ago hired on to the play house and takes a portion of his pay as sleeping in the below stage area – with a few of the other poverty stricken workers. He is a hard worker and is known to be strong and agile, but not overly intelligent. However, he has a dark secret. At times his rage overtakes him and his already high strength and dexterity reach super human levels. At the same time a blood lust consumes him, and he wishes to kill! – normally women and children. Prior to signing on at the play house, the rage was at random and uncontrollable, and lead to numerous unsolved murders. However, after signing on at the play house, with the numerous ways to enhance positive emotions and hinder negative, Allen has learned some limited control and the frequencies of the rage attacks have slacked to Sundays (with the play house being closed) and even then only once or twice a month.

Ok, hope you all like it and can use it
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

User avatar
Go0gleplex
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4051
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 7:00 am
Location: Keizer, OR

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Go0gleplex »

You could also adapt this over to C&C too whereas the family are bards with a side of espionage masked by their apparent ineptness etc.

Nice one Lurker. Inspiration is all over. ;)
"Rolling dice and killing characters since September 1976."
"Author of Wardogs! and Contributor to Iron Stars and Starmada-Admiralty ed."
"Certified crazy since 2009."

DMMike
Unkbartig
Posts: 905
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:38 pm

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by DMMike »

Cool! It could also be a central "group" for a Grim/Chaos chronicle in lieu of the traditional super-group support structure.

You should write this up, and we'll put it on the site? :D

Mike, who loves to see other writers working with Victorious!
The Save for Half Podcast: Old School RPGs Reviewed
http://www.saveforhalf.com

Victorious: Steampunk Adventure in the Age of SuperMankind
http://www.victoriousrpg.com

User avatar
clavis123
Ulthal
Posts: 559
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:00 am

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by clavis123 »

Great work! Interesting NPCs, and many ways the PCs could get themselves caught up in the situation. I also have to wonder what force might be lurking in the playhouse itself, gathering all all those powered people to itself...
Daniel James Hanley
Creator of Ghastly Affair, "The Gothic Game of Romantic Horror".
Player's Manual Now Available on DriveThruRPG and Amazon
Reader discretion is advised.

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

Glad you all liked it and can mine it for ideas.
DMMike wrote: ...

You should write this up, and we'll put it on the site? :D

Mike, who loves to see other writers working with Victorious!
What else would you like to see in the write up? I'm not sure I could (or would want to) d a full character write up on each of them. I like the idea of background and generic general powers for them. That way anyone using them can scale, add to/take away as needed to fit their game. However, if it is more in-depth descriptions and narrative elements, I can give it a try. Heck, I already have an idea for another NPC or 2 tied to the play house.

I have mandatory 3 day annual training this week, so I'll have a lot of time for my mind to wander.
clavis123 wrote:Great work! Interesting NPCs, and many ways the PCs could get themselves caught up in the situation. I also have to wonder what force might be lurking in the playhouse itself, gathering all all those powered people to itself...

Ohhhh delicious ! I didn't think about that .... Is it a playhouse built in the shadow of a church and a benevolent power trying to draw together good - an help those influenced by dark hatred, or is it built on the ruins of a ancient Roman villa that was the sight to hedonist debaucheries with a power of malevolent forces looking to corrupt or harm the good on its sight ... which pole star is it drawn to ????
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

DMMike
Unkbartig
Posts: 905
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:38 pm

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by DMMike »

Well, "full" write-ups wouldn't be necessary...maybe just a stat block like this one from Manifest Destiny:

Theodore Roosevelt: (He is a Neutral mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 4; Hit Points 15; Armor Class 13. His prime attributes are: Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence. His significant skills are: History/Legend- American Wars, Martial Arts, Firearms, and Etiquette both Crass and Polite).

That would make the concept useable at short notice wwhile allowing the GM to power scale as needed. If desired I could help a bit, as I'd hate to see this idea eventually scroll away in the forums; and I can't add stickys. ;)

Mike
The Save for Half Podcast: Old School RPGs Reviewed
http://www.saveforhalf.com

Victorious: Steampunk Adventure in the Age of SuperMankind
http://www.victoriousrpg.com

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

Nicola’s Play House of Bohemian Wonders, otherwise known as Nicola’s Follies
Nicola’s play house is an old ramshackle theater located on one of those nameless side streets where the middle class (lower-middle class more correctly) and the working poor (those that have a few extra pennies saved for an infrequent indulgence) intermingle. The building itself is old but often repaired and fairly well maintained. Though it habitually it could use a fresher coat of paint, its windows could use a washing, the lamp and light globes could be more often replaced, and the dust and cobwebs in the darkest corners could be more often swept.

The troupe of actors perform vignettes, short plays, scenes or excerpts from lengthy plays, speeches and a few short multi-scene plays, and at times instrumental and vocal music performances. Normally changing the performances presented every 2 weeks. They attempt to perform a verity of styles of performances, from serious drama or tragedies, to comedies to profound historical speeches, to satires, and to more recently horrific 'penny dreadfuls'. However, inevitably, and to the crowds amusement, most often the plays no matter how serious the content degrade into comedies. This inevitable and unique ability to turn any subject into humor, either from jokes, to misspoke lines, to sarcastic monolog cometary on the players own follies, has turned the play house into a favored destination to many. Even the more well-healed – and therefore more wealthy - members of upper society have begun to frequent the play house. This has earned the play house its unofficial title of Nicola's follies

The play house is owned by Nicola Adele, a Prussian immigrant and political refugee from Bavaria. About 30 years ago, when Nicola was around 20 years old, his family was tied to a political family of minor importance, but one that lost favor in the various political intrigues in the chaos following the consolidation of power after the chaos of the Napoleonic wars. As such, the Adele family fled the Prussian holdings traveling through Europe and eventually settled in England.

In his own right , from his youth , Nicola was an exceptional musician and skilled actor orator. His innate abilities, with little official schooling, allowed him to with ease play nearly any instrument and copy to near perfection any music he heard. With practice he became a master musician. Additionally, his gift or oration, and the gift to sway emotions with his voice, enhanced his acting performances. This earned him and his family a good reputation and enough money to buy their own play house in London. Additionally, in his travels Nicola found a violin of exceptional quality – and unique abilities – which further enhanced his innate musical abilities and furthered his success.

The violin has the ability to change mesmerize those listening to the music played on it, highlighting the emotions flowing behind the music. Additionally, any positive emotions felt would be enhanced for up to days, while negative emotions – though strongly felt – would be short lived and then be purged from the hearer for days. Also, the violin has the ability to allow any hearing it’s owner to understand the general meaning of whatever they are performing even if there is a language barrier.

However, and unfortunately, there is a dark side to the violin … it is jealous ! It MUST be part of the main attraction to a performance. When it is not, after a few days of being out of the lime light, it’s effect of ill luck begins to impact the performance. It may be little things at first – and will never reach the level dangerous / harmful / life threatening – but more and more things go wrong in the play house. Actors will sneeze at an in opportune time, they will repeat their lines, or say lines form other recent plays (not realizing it and leaving the fellow actors in a spot where they must adlib to get the play back on track) actresses will trip, rip their dress, and show more leg than proper, curtains will stick, or swing wider open than they should, and the list can go on and on.
###
Nicola Adele: (He is a Neutral - Good extraordinary mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 6; Hit Points 32; Armor Class 11. His prime attributes are: Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence. His significant skills are: Fine arts musical instruments, Thespian, etiquette – Crass & Polite, Language- English, French, & German, History- plays & speeches; significant powers – mesmerism – only influence emotions, knack acting, knack musical instruments
Violin (in theory it can change to another stringed instrument if possessed by another that prefers an instrument other than the violin) powers; mesmerism – individual and mass, enhance positive emotions / purge negative emotions, also allows all listening to any artistic performance that it is involved in to understand the feeling of the performance despite any language barrier; shortcoming phobia jealous
###
However, Nicola, and his violin, are not the only unique and special / powerful individuals in the play house.

Peater James, a bit actor, stage hand, and help all, is inherently lucky and always seems to be in the right place at the right time to limit the impact of the ‘ill luck’ and bad happenstances that are so often experienced in the play house. Also, though he is never the leading man, he has the gift of entering a scene (even when he has not been scripted a part) and helping to adlib any oddities in the play caused by the violin’s ill luck

Peater was born abroad, in India, to Sergeant Jonathan James and his wife – the daughter of a minor merchant in the East India Trading company and maid to Sergeant James’ commanding officer’s wife. Both of his parents died of malaria – or some other tropical disease - when Peater was 12 or 13 years old. Sergeant James’ commander gave the boy letters of introduction and his parent’s wages and savings, and well wishes, and sent him on one of the numerous ships traveling from India back to England. On the voyage, Peater quickly learned skills from the various master workers on board the ship, carpentry, rope work, and many other proficiencies.

On arriving in England the youth found his fraternal grandparents, but sadly, they were on the brink of poverty and suffering from age related illnesses. With this, Peater was forced to work, but he did have the benefit of the letters from the Colonel and the skills learned at sea. As such he was able to find better work than the child labor in the factories. He hoped one day to join the Navy of sign on ship for one of the merchant vessels. However, his grandparent’s health and edge of poverty existence kept him from doing so.

One day, while in the playhouse watching a performance, his attention was drawn to a hoist line that somehow he knew would snap before the scene was over. He made it back to the stage wing and grabbed the line before it snapped and quickly spliced the line. From then on he has been a welcome member of the play house.

###
Peater James: (He is a Neutral - Good extraordinary mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 4; Hit Points 28; Armor Class 13. His prime attributes are: Charisma, Wisdom, Constitution, and Dexterity. His significant skills are: Profession – handy man/stage hand , Thespian, etiquette – Crass, Language- English, Indian, martial arts, fire arm; significant powers Luck Intuition; Shortcoming dependents
###

Robyn Adele, Nicola’s daughter, a raven haired ivory skinned beauty. She had no acting or musical inspirations, but she has a keen insight and sharp wit. One night she sat on the edge of the stage, mocked the players as they struggled through a particularly ill luck filled performance and played off the crowd and Peater’s ad libs. After that, she has been in the habit of being on stage and making side bar comments and epilogs, which the crowd love. Also, she has discovered she knows what someone is going to say before the even realize they are thinking it, so she can quote them and answer their thoughts and comments defusing any issues that are building. Plus, her looks are exceptional for a minor un important play house .

Robyn, like her other brothers and sisters, grew up in her father’s play house. However, unlike her siblings – who became performers themselves and moved to other cities or across to America – she had no desire to perform and entertain. She loved the playhouse none the less, and busied herself with helping her father ‘run’ the house. She was busy making the books balance, checking that the workers and maids at least halfheartedly cleaned the main hall. Also, growing up she would critique the characters and issues in the plays to her father as he directed the plays and ran the play house. Eventually, she turned her wit and sarcastic critiques on the players and performers . Finally, with few exceptions, she is an unerring judge of character. All of these made her a valued, behind the scenes, member of the playhouse. However, after the fateful night she stepped on stage and put her friendly sarcasm to work countering and playing off the performance’s ill luck she is now also a critical part of the acting troupes’ success.

###
Robyn Adele: (She is a Neutral - Good extraordinary mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 2; Hit Points 18; Armor Class 12. Her prime attributes are: Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence (Comeliness also if used). Her significant skills are: Profession – Play house manager , Etiquette – Crass & polite, Language- English, German, French, Fine art – Critique; significant powers Telepathy – individual and mass, mesmerism – influence emotions knack, oration
###

Meagan Trainer, Nicola’s younger sister. A soft headed, but with buoyant personality and optimistic outlook, middle aged actress with an encyclopedic memory of speeches quotes and the like. She performs between scenes and as the stage is being changed when the evening show is of 2 or 3 short plays. She has the uncanny ability to find a perfect quote or speech that speaks to the happenings of the day weather great nationwide events or the events on the local street corner. Also, her cometary following the speech filled with her optimism always lifts the spirits of the audience – mesmerism.

Meagan was young when h the Adele family fled Bavaria, so young that she does not remember the mountain lands that Nicola is still wistful for. She grew up as the family traveled and then settled in London. She acted with her father’s troupe and was skilled enough. She married at the proper age and her husband was willing to allow her to continue acting. Unfortunately, her husband died before their 3rd anniversary . She kept his name and house, which she rents rooms to the actors, actresses, and some of the stage hands.

Throughout her life, those around her treated her like she was slow and soft headed. She always had an ‘off look’ and was slow to answer or mumbled answers to unanswered questions. However, even those that consider her daft must admit that she is completely kind hearted and has a limitless knowledge of quotes, speeches, monologs, and the like. Plus, she has the natural ability to know exactly what needs to be said to lift someone’s spirits or encourage the weary.

Little do those around her know that the reason Meagan is slow to speak and usually has a faraway look is that she is trying to weed her way through all the thoughts and feelings she reads from those around her. She has to concentrate to make sure what she is feeling or thinking is her own. Plus, she is always working through the best answer or advice for those whose spirits are flagging.

###
Meagan Trainer (She is a Neutral - Good extraordinary mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 4; Hit Points 22; Armor Class 12. Her prime attributes are: Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence. Her significant skills are: Thespian, etiquette – Crass & Polite, Language- English, French, & German, History plays speeches; significant powers Telepathy – mass and individual , mesmerism – only influence emotions to become more positive, knack oration
#####

Hailay Reinhart, a recent addition to the Nicola's actors and stage hands. She is the daughter of an old family friend of Nicola – a fellow Prussian that fled their home land at the same time a Nicola. She has the dark hair of others from the region her family fled from, but her more swarthy skin color shows her mother was from a more Mediterranean location (her mother was Spanish). Unfortunately, her father, a merchant and trader, had not been as successful in honest trade as Nicola is in his theater. This lead to him becoming tied to the seedier side of London.

Regrettably, the ties to less than savory individuals lead to his murder some 6 months ago. The murder of her father put Hailey on the street with no income. Due to her youthful beauty, and on the verge of desperation, she nearly became a street walker like so many other young ladies with no hope. However, she met a gypsy fortune teller one evening that said “In a friend's house of follies you will find relief”. Later that evening, she heard violin music echoing through the night streets and was drawn to the sound. After the music finished, she realized the musician was her late father's friend from the old country. She told her story and begged for a place in the acting house. Though she had little skill at acting, but innate abilities and youthful beauty, she quickly became a member of the troupe.

However, all this time she has been looking for vengeance for her father's murder. The crime has never been solved, so she is growing more disillusioned with the local police. Over the months, she has noticed a specific gentle man, to well-dressed to be a member of the working poor society, talking to men she knows are part of the local beggars, thieves and surrounding poor. She has assumed he is a successful and more wealthy member of the same ilk of outlaws. As such, she began to develop a grudge against the man without knowing anything about him. However, last month during a scene of a Shakespeare comedy – Taming of the Shrew – one of the play houses frequent accidents occurred. This resulted in her tangling her feet in a prop and tumbling off the stage, into the arms of the man. At that moment she knew she missed something about him, but did not know what it was. She is now focused on trying to quietly find out about him.

###
Hailay Reinhart (She is a Neutral - Good mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 2; Hit Points 16; Armor Class 13. Her prime attributes are: Charisma, Wisdom, Dexterity and Intelligence (Comeliness also if used). Her significant skills are: Thespian, etiquette – Crass , Survival – Streets, Roguery; shortcoming poverty

####

All of these exceptional people and comedic ill lucks leads to a lively play house with a faithful following, and even more wealthy clients that would normally frequent a poorer side street play house. All there to see what follies foibles and missteps will befall the players while at the same time leaving the play house humor filled and spirits lifted greater than they would if they had gone to a more upscale and posh play house. As such the play house is full Monday through Saturday – taking Sundays off .

Furthermore, at times Nicola will decide to bring out his favored violin and play for the audience – or at times on the balcony overlooking the street outside to the joy of the passer buys (this lessens the ill luck of the play house for 2 – 4 days – but none have connected this)

Unfortunately, there is a dark side to the play house. Its success has led to various buggers, street thieves, and pick pockets frequenting the house alongside the paying customers, Along with them are the ‘ladies of the night’ that are drawn to any place in the poorer side of town filled with gentlemen with coin in their pocket. As such the area around the play house can be a dangerous affair for those not careful enough to keep a wary eye on their coin purses. However, even with the influx of ne’er-do-wells in the area, there are few truly violent crimes committed in the vicinity of the play house.

In addition to the numerous outlaws, there is one Tony Allen Gatti, a stage hand and handy man that some months ago hired on to the play house and takes a portion of his pay as sleeping in the below stage area – with a few of the other poverty stricken workers. He is a hard worker and is known to be strong and agile, but not overly intelligent. However, he has a dark secret. At times his rage overtakes him and his already high strength and dexterity reach super human levels. At the same time a blood lust consumes him, and he wishes to kill! – normally women and children. Prior to signing on at the play house, the rage was at random and uncontrollable, and lead to numerous unsolved murders. However, after signing on at the play house, with the numerous ways to enhance positive emotions and hinder negative, Allen has learned some limited control and the frequencies of the rage attacks have slacked to Sundays (with the play house being closed) and even then only once or twice a month.
None know Tony’s history or story. All they know is that one morning when the play house was shorthanded and in need of a strong back Tony was there. He worked the day, unloading wagons and carrying heavy bags, doing more work than any of the other stage hands. He accepted his meager day labor wages, and a cup of sour and bread Nicola and Robyn include as payment for the poorest worker.

As he ate the soup, behind the play house, he heard the habitual laughter and then the violin’s music, and his spirits lifted for the first time in years. With that his blood thirsty anger evaporated. He ended up sleeping in the alley behind the stage house, his first peaceful sleep in years. The next morning, Peater noticed him and remember his hard work from the day before. He convinced Robyn to offer him a job as a stage hand. Since then, he has been a faithful worker at the play house, but is stand offish even now to his fellow workers.
###
Tony Allen Gatti (He is a Neutral - Evil when enraged and blood thirsty - extraordinary mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 5; Hit Points 38; Armor Class 13. His prime attributes are: Strength, Dexterity and Constitution. His significant skills are: Profession – handy man/stage hand , etiquette – Crass, martial arts, roguery, survival streets; significant powers; Attribute – STR, DEX, CON,(all 16+, and when enraged 23+) knack sneaking, shortcoming bloodthirsty for ‘innocent/weaker murder’

###

Additionally, there is Detective Inspector Richard Taylor. Some few months ago he began using the play house, and the surrounding by-ways, as a location to quietly and clandestinely meet with some of his various contacts and informants in the area. As such, he has not used his real name with anyone in the play house and hidden his true vocation and reason for being so frequently at the play house. As such, rumors have built and speculation grows as he comes to the play 3 times a week, and is seen with various known beggars thieves and the like.

Detective Taylor is a prior soldier recently returned from the Crimea (if set in the late 1850s, however, there are numerous conflicts in the decades following the 1850). He is keen eyed and highly observant which has led to him leading investigations and arrests that others would have failed. These successes, and his war service and medals earned in the war, have overcome his lack of political connection and relative youth ( late 20s as opposed to late 30s to mid 40s for other police inspectors in his position). Unfortunately, in the war Richard Taylor was severely injured by and exploding artillery shell . The injury has resulted in a stiff and difficult to move left arm. Only his inherent luck kept him from completely losing the injured arm.

One series of investigations Detective Taylor is leading is some of the various murders in the poor neighbor hoods of ladies and young children. These investigations have been fruitless, but last month a murder victim was strangled with a tasseled cord used to tie open drapes. Taylor, when seeing the cord, was sure he had seen the cord before and believes he saw it used as a prop in one of the Nicola's playhouses ill-fated performances. He remembered the cord because it ended up tripping a young actress - Hailay Reinhart - and her falling off the stage, into his arms. The sock of the first meeting of the actress, and helping her back on stage – resulting in a joke by Robyin at the young inspector's expense – marked the event, with every detail, in the police inspector's keen memory.

####

Detective Inspector Richard Taylor: (He is a Good extraordinary mortal whose vital statistics are: Level 6; Hit Points 36; Armor Class 13. His prime attributes are: Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity. His significant skills are: Criminology, melee, martial arts, fire arms, etiquette – Crass & polite, Language- English, French, roguery; significant powers Luck intuition knack observation

####
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

Sorry it took so long to get it out ... the training gave me a ton of time to think, and let my mind wander, but little time to type anything up.

Plus, I had to clean up all the ideas I had and weed through the extra unneeded ideas. Then I had to go over it 3 - 4 time and try and get all the type os out.

Clavis .... now its your turn ... is it truly a place of innocent goodness , or is it a vile trap gathering the good to it to corrupt them?????
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

DMMike
Unkbartig
Posts: 905
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:38 pm

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by DMMike »

Most excellent! Would you mind us posting the complete (post-Clavis sub) in the V. downloads section as a pdf? Your credit, of course. ;)
Mike
The Save for Half Podcast: Old School RPGs Reviewed
http://www.saveforhalf.com

Victorious: Steampunk Adventure in the Age of SuperMankind
http://www.victoriousrpg.com

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

DMMike wrote:Most excellent! Would you mind us posting the complete (post-Clavis sub) in the V. downloads section as a pdf? Your credit, of course. ;)
Mike

Of course, share it away.

I'd go over it again and make sure I didn't miss any misspelled words or a jacked up sentences if I was you.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

DMMike
Unkbartig
Posts: 905
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:38 pm

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by DMMike »

No problem, I wheedled my lovely wife (who is a graphics designer) to go over it and make it "pretty". Do you want a author name for it, or just "Lurker"?

Mike
The Save for Half Podcast: Old School RPGs Reviewed
http://www.saveforhalf.com

Victorious: Steampunk Adventure in the Age of SuperMankind
http://www.victoriousrpg.com

User avatar
clavis123
Ulthal
Posts: 559
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:00 am

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by clavis123 »

Lurker wrote: Clavis .... now its your turn ... is it truly a place of innocent goodness , or is it a vile trap gathering the good to it to corrupt them?????
Oh, I've got something in mind...
Daniel James Hanley
Creator of Ghastly Affair, "The Gothic Game of Romantic Horror".
Player's Manual Now Available on DriveThruRPG and Amazon
Reader discretion is advised.

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

DMMike wrote:No problem, I wheedled my lovely wife (who is a graphics designer) to go over it and make it "pretty". Do you want a author name for it, or just "Lurker"?

Mike
Tell her thanks, even with all the papers I had to write, editing my own work is my weakness!

For the name, like Domesday, use my name Les Rouell.
clavis123 wrote:
Lurker wrote: Clavis .... now its your turn ... is it truly a place of innocent goodness , or is it a vile trap gathering the good to it to corrupt them?????
Oh, I've got something in mind...
I can't wait ! I hope I gave you enough to work with !
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

User avatar
clavis123
Ulthal
Posts: 559
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:00 am

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by clavis123 »

So, here's whats I've come up with about the theater...

Unknown to its current occupants, “Nicola’s Play House of Bohemian Wonders” occupies the place where ancient bards once gathered to propitiate “She Who Delights in Laughter”. Each night two bards would be selected by lots to stand before an ancient standing stone, and tell each other humorous stories until both were overcome with laughter. Their place would be taken by two other bards the next night. The strange practice continued even after the Romans conquered Britain and founded Londinium. It is said that a Roman official once tried to stop the meeting of the bards, for fear that it was actually being used to organize resistance to the Empire. He was found dead in front of the standing stone the next morning, his face contorted into a grotesque smile.

After Christianization the standing stone was removed and the site exorcised. Many different buildings subsequently stood on the site, but each in turn developed a reputation as fairy-haunted. It was that reputation that drew the magician Count Cagliostro to the address in 1787.

His reputation in tatters following the infamous “Affair of the Necklace”, Cagliostro sought sanctuary in London. After he arrived, however, he was attacked in the press and accused of being a charlatan. Learning of the ancient stories regarding “She Who Delights in Laughter”, Cagliostro decided that summoning her might be the only way to restore joy to his life. Seemingly by chance, he encountered an itinerant bookseller who sold him an obscure medieval treatise. The strange book contained a ritual for evoking a Fairy Queen it called “The Lady of Mirth”, obviously another name for “She Who Delights in Laughter”. Cagliostro thereafter rented the building that stood atop the location of the ancient standing stone, and conducted a ceremony of summoning.

“The Lady of Mirth” appeared as expected, and told Cagliostro that if he would travel back to Rome, he would finally be officially noticed by the Church, and there would be much laughter around him. “The Lady of Mirth” spoke true of course, but failed to explain to the Italian sorcerer that the “official notice” would be arrest by the Inquisition, and the “laughter around him” would be at his expense! Fatally misunderstand the nature of comedy, Cagliostro left England for his doom.

“The Lady of Mirth” has never left London since being granted access to this world again by Cagliostro. She doesn't just “delight” in laughter; she craves its sound like a vampire hungers for blood, or an addict needs his opium. In fact, unless she hears human laughter every night, she will be banished back to the joyless, desolate wasteland that is her home in the Fairy realm. So she lurks invisibly, using her powers to inspire hilarity however she can. But she knows no scruples about her source of nourishment. Whether the laughter she needs comes from a humorous anecdote or a cruel practical joke, it is all the same to her. If she cannot get what she wants from a comedic performance, she will make dignified old ladies trip and fall in front of onlookers. It was she who inspired Joseph Grimaldi to create the modern clown, and told Theodore Hook to perpetrate the infamous Berners Street Hoax. For those that please her, the Lady can take away all physical and mental pain. For a time. A short time.

Now the “Lady of Mirth” has set her twisted heart on a grand scheme to forever destroy the dignity of the Queen who dares to employ the name “Victory”! If the Lady's plans come to fruition, the Queen shall die in such ridiculous way that no one will ever be able to think of her or the royal family without howling in laughter. It is for this purpose that “The Lady of Mirth” has drawn together the performers at Nicola’s Play House of Bohemian Wonders. She plans on increasing the reputation of the players to the point where the the Queen herself commands a performance. And then “The Lady of Mirth” will use her unwitting pawns to unleash her fatal scheme. Can anyone discover and thwart the plans of the Fairy before she brings down the Empire itself?
Daniel James Hanley
Creator of Ghastly Affair, "The Gothic Game of Romantic Horror".
Player's Manual Now Available on DriveThruRPG and Amazon
Reader discretion is advised.

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4349
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by Lurker »

Nice. Keeps with the humor of the play house, nothing deep dark Lovecraft like, but with just enough evil twist to make it interesting!
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

DMMike
Unkbartig
Posts: 905
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:38 pm

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by DMMike »

Agreed, though I do loves me some Lovecraft.... in a way I think HPL's being overdone nowadays. ;)

Mike
The Save for Half Podcast: Old School RPGs Reviewed
http://www.saveforhalf.com

Victorious: Steampunk Adventure in the Age of SuperMankind
http://www.victoriousrpg.com

User avatar
clavis123
Ulthal
Posts: 559
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:00 am

Re: Nicola’s Follies

Post by clavis123 »

Lurker wrote:Nice. Keeps with the humor of the play house, nothing deep dark Lovecraft like, but with just enough evil twist to make it interesting!
Thanks!
Daniel James Hanley
Creator of Ghastly Affair, "The Gothic Game of Romantic Horror".
Player's Manual Now Available on DriveThruRPG and Amazon
Reader discretion is advised.

Post Reply