Ghastly Affair Antagonists II: Duelist through Mob

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.

 

Duelist

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

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

Charisma: -4; Pace: 6; Parry: 7 (8 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Arrogant, Bloodthirsty

Edges: First Strike, Counterattack

Gear: rapier, matched pair of flintlock dueling pistols, formal clothing

Fairy Doctor

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d6, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Healing d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d4, Taunt d6

Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Sanity: 6; Toughness: 5

Hindrances: Greedy [Major; stickler for the bargains they make], Vow [Major; must uphold their fairy ban or lose their powers]

Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Healer

Gear: herbs and medicines, formal or normal clothing

Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: greater healing, healing, slumber

Feral Child
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Survival d8
Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Clueless, Outsider, Yellow, Young
Edges: Alertness, Berserk, Danger Sense
Gear: ragged clothing (at best)


Financier
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d8, Knowledge (Finance) d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d4, Taunt d6
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy [Minor], Overconfident [Major; believes their wealth protects them from reprisal]
Edges: Connections (high society or secret society), Filthy Rich
Gear: gems and jewelry, formal clothing


Footpad
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8
Charisma: +0; Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy [Major; risks imprisonment to steal]
Edges: Fleet-Footed
Gear: club or dagger, flintlock pistol, mask, normal clothing


Gambler
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Stealth d6, Taunt d8
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy [Major; risks social ostracism and imprisonment to steal]
Edges: Charismatic, Strong Willed
Gear: cards and dice or other gaming equipment, enough cash to flash, formal clothing


Guard
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Greedy [Minor] or Vow [Minor]
Edges: Combat Reflexes (if mercenary or watchman) or Fleet-Footed (if a household footman)
Gear: club or dagger, flintlock pistol, saber, and normal clothing (if mercenary or watchman) or staff and formal clothing (if a household footman)


“Gypsy,” animal tamer or drover
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d8, Knowledge (Animal Husbandry) d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Stealth d6, Taunt d6
Charisma: +0 (see below); Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 6; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Outsider, Wanted [Minor]
Edges: Beast Master, Charismatic, Martial Artist
Gear: animal (caged wolf, dancing bear, fast horse, mule), cards and dice or other gaming equipment, normal (if flamboyant) clothing


“Gypsy,” dancer or musician
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d8, Knowledge (Performance) d8, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Stealth d8, Taunt d8
Charisma: +0 (see below); Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 6; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Outsider, Wanted [Minor]
Edges: Attractive or Charismatic (possibly Very Attractive), Martial Artist
Gear: cards and dice or other gaming equipment, musical instrument or props (sabers, scarves), normal (if flamboyant) clothing


“Gypsy,” elder
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d8, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6, Taunt d8
Charisma: +0 (see below); Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 6; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Elderly, Outsider, Wanted [Minor]
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Charismatic (possibly Very Attractive), Strong Willed, Visions
Gear: cards and dice or other gaming equipment, occult instruments, normal (if flamboyant) clothing
Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: boost/lower trait, grave speak,* suppress lycanthropy* (which they can reverse to bestow lycanthropy)

Highwayman
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8, Taunt d8
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (7 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Arrogant or Code of Honor, Greedy [Major; risks imprisonment to steal]
Edges: Beast Bond, Steady Hands
Gear: pair of flintlock pistols or blunderbuss, cavalry saber or rapier, mask, riding horse and tack, formal or normal clothing


Immortal Wanderer
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d10
Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d8, Gambling d4, Knowledge (Occult) d12, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d8, Taunt d8
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Angst,* Cursed,* Touched*
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Jack-of-All-Trades, Strong Willed
Gear: normal or ragged clothing
Special Abilities

• Power Points: 20
• Powers: banish entity,* consecrate ground,* light
• Prohibition: Immortal Wanderers are cursed by a deity or spirit they once defied, doomed to try to win forgiveness or redemption. If they sleep in the same place twice in a row, they are teleported in their sleep to adismal spot 100 miles away.
• Slow Regeneration: effective even if the Immortal Wanderer is “killed”

Mad Scientist
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d4, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Knowledge (Mad Science) d10, Intimidation d8, Investigation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Repair d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d6, Taunt d6, Weird Science d10
Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Delusional [Major], Mean, Touched,* Wanted [Minor]
Edges: Arcane Background (Weird Science), Connections (academia), New Power, Scholar
Gear: Forbidden Lore,* Frankenstein’s Laboratory,* formal or normal clothing with lab coat
Special Abilities

• Power Points: 10
• Powers: some combination of boost/lower trait (elixir), burst (electrical gun), enhance undead* (see Frankenstein’s Laboratory), greater healing (limb and tissue grafting), grave speak* (head in a jar),  growth/shrink (elixir), invisibility (æther bath or elixir), summon ally (nutrient bath in which to grow homunculi), warrior’s gift (elixir that bestows Berserker, which technically isn’t a Combat Edge, but who cares?), and/or zombie (see Frankenstein’s Laboratory)

Mob

see Mob Rules.


*see Savage Worlds Horror Companion