Ghastly Affair Antagonists I: Aristocrat through Demagogue

https://engineoforacles.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/ghastly-affair-the-gothic-game-of-romantic-horror/

In the early years of Wine and Savages, one of my obsessions was adapting Savage Worlds to Gothic Romance in the style of The Castle of Otranto, The Mysteries of Udolpho, The Monk, and other such early classics. I made some progress, but Daniel James Hanley beat me to the punch with Ghastly Affair. a charmingly horrific D20 RPG of Gothic horror in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is, frankly, brilliant and I encourage the curious to check out Hanley’s site – The Engine of Oracles – and download the free version of the game (or buy the nifty illustrated version).

Presented below are a selection of NPC archetypes inspired by the Antagonists section of Ghastly Affair – but equally suitable for The King is Dead and other Gothic settings.


Aristocrat, male

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, Taunt d8

Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5 (6 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Arrogant, Code of Honor (though honorable behavior does not mean pleasant behavior)

Edges: Noble

Gear: rapier, matched pair of flintlock dueling pistols, flintlock hunting rifle, riding horse and/or carriage, formal clothing

 

Aristocrat, female

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d6, Taunt d8

Charisma: +4; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Arrogant, Outsider (woman in a man's world, prejudices against lower classes)

Edges: Attractive, Noble, Strong Willed

Gear: flintlock hunting rifle, riding horse and/or carriage, formal clothing

 

Assassin

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d8

Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (7 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Greedy [Major; kills for money] or Vow [Major; kills for master or order]

Edges: Assassin

Gear: dagger or rapier, flintlock pistol or rifle, normal clothing

 

Burglar

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Lockpicking d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8

Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Greedy [Major; risks imprisonment to steal]

Edges: Thief

Gear: club or dagger, flintlock pistol, mask, normal clothing

 

Brute

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4

Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Clueless

Edges: Brawny

Gear: club or dagger, flintlock pistol, normal clothing

 

Cannibal

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d8, Vigor d8

Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8

Charisma: -4; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 2; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Touched [Major]*

Edges: Berserk, First Strike, Quick Draw

Gear: dagger or other concealed weapon, normal or ragged clothing

 

Charlatan

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Taunt d6

Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5 (6 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Greedy [Minor], Wanted [Minor; under another name for previous schemes]

Edges: Charismatic, Level Headed

Gear: dagger or other concealed weapon (possibly a rapier, depending on the disguise), normal or formal clothing

 

Clergy, crazed preacher

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Faith d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Stealth d4, Taunt d8

Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Delusional [Major; sees signs of apocalypse everywhere], Touched [Major; tormented by own sins]*

Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Charismatic, Strong Willed

Gear: holy symbol, improvised weapon, normal or ragged clothing or vestments

Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: banish entity,* consecrate ground*

Clergy, inquisitor

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Faith d4, Fighting d6, Knowledge (Occult) d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4

Charisma: -4; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 3; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Delusional [Major; sees heresy everywhere], Bloodthirsty [Major], Touched [Major; tormented by own sins]*

Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Command, Fanaticism, Strong Willed

Gear: holy symbol, implements of torture, formal or normal vestments

Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: banish entity,* spirit shield* 

Clergy, virtuous

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8

Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d4, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d4

Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Sanity: 6; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Pacifist [Major], Vow [Major]

Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Charismatic, Tower of Will*

Gear: holy symbol, normal clothing or vestments

Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: banish entity,* consecrate ground*

Clergy, wicked

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6, Taunt d6

Charisma: +2; Corruption: 3+ (power, satisfied lust, and/or wealth; per Seducer Demon);* Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Delusional [Major; delusions of grandeur], Greedy [Major; sold soul for gain], Quirk (seeds speech with hints of own corrupted nature), Touched [Major; tormented by sins and desires]*

Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Charismatic, Strong Willed

Gear: holy symbol, formal clothing or vestments

Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: bind entity,* puppet, summon demon* 

Cultist

as Typical Cultist*

 

Degenerate

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Stealth d8, Taunt d8

Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 3; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Habit [Major; some abominable desire], Touched [Major; tormented by their vice],* Ugly (signs of their vice, such as hairy palms, drooling, and bodily sores)

Edges: Improved Level Headed, Quick

Gear: instrument of their vice (gin bottle, opium pipe, pornography, etc.), formal or ragged clothing

 

Demagogue

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d4, Taunt d8

Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Delusional [Major; sees causes for hate and outrage everywhere], Touched [Major; tormented by own hypocrisy or delusions]*

Edges: Charismatic, Strong Willed

Gear: formal, normal, or ragged clothing

Special Abilities

• Raise Mob: Demagogues may use their Intimidation skill in place of Persuasion to raise mobs. See Mob Rules.

*see Savage Worlds Horror Companion