Globetrotting Cat Burglar Adventure Generator

Between being inspired by finally watching Lupin the Third Part Four (the blue jacket series set in Italy) and not feeling like ingesting all the setting lore needed to really give Blue Rose a proper shot, Robin and I decided to run a 1970s-set globetrotting cat burglar Savage Worlds duet game. Unfortunately, there really isn’t much in the way of support materials for such a game.

This isn’t that surprising; the particular mood and tone we’re going for isn’t found in that many works. Outside of the Lupin the Third franchise, there’s what? The Saint? Two Pink Panther movies? Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s series? Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief?

Leverage – both TV series and RPG – come close without quite hitting the mark. The basic rulebook at least doesn’t really support the mood we want, and I don’t feel like paying $25 for the Leverage Companion, Vol. 1 (which, with its firearms rules and the like, might expand the game into more Lupintic territory). I can mine my copy of the main rules for some ideas, but the adventure generator is linked to the premise of the franchise (heroic con artists scam nasty bigwigs) that it falls short of what I need.

Here then is a generator for more – shall we say – “self-directed” larceny on a global stage. Enjoy!

Continent

1. Europe (France, Greece, San Marino, Spain, Portugal, Ruritania, Russia, United Kingdom, etc.)

2. Asia (China, India, Korea, Japan, Lugash, Malaysia, Turkey, Vietnam, etc.)

3. Africa (Algeria, Bangalla, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar, etc.)

4. Central and North America (The Bahamas, Canada, Cuba, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Saint Honoré, United States, etc.)

5. South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Sierra Gordo, Venezuela, etc.)

6. Australia/Oceania (Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Republic of the Marivelles, Samoa, etc.)

City Characteristics (roll twice)

1. Commerce/politics 

2. Bohemian/art scene

3. Historical/heritage

4. Resort/sports 

5. Military/national security

6. High crime 

Examples: “Bohemian/art scene” and “resort/sports” suggests Aspen, Colorado in North America, Lucerne, Switzerland, in Europe, and Rio de Janeiro in South America. “Commerce/politics” and “historical/heritage” might suggest Kyoto, Japan in Asia, London, England in Europe, and Mexico City, Mexico in North America.

Target

1. Art (paintings, statues, first-edition comic books, etc.)

2. Cash (bearer bonds, bills, bullion, gold coins and pirate booty, etc.)

3. Gem(s) (crown jewels, gigantic single stones, necklaces created for famous actresses, etc.)

4. Artifact (non-art antiquities, supposed alchemical secrets, near-mythical sword, etc.)

5. Technology (new artificial diamond technology, prototype super-safe, military hardware, etc.)

6. Intelligence (roll again for subject of intelligence; intelligence about intelligence might be a dossier on the burglar herself or criminal allies)

Target Location

1. Estate or townhome

2. Armed compound or facility

3. High-rise office building or penthouse

4. Museum or government building

5. Casino or entertainment venue

6. Other (ancient ruin, country club, haunted house, private plane, ski lodge, yacht, etc.)

Security Details (roll twice or more, ignoring contradictory or implausible details)

1. Laser grid

2. Armed guards

3. Attack dogs or other animals

4. Access badge or card reader

5. Combination lock

6. Magnetic or electronic lock

7. Security cameras

8. Deathtrap

9. Cage

10. Motion sensors

11. Pressure plates

12. Weird (curse, poison darts, floor is made of lava, etc.)

Mark Characteristics (roll once or twice)

1. Brutish

2. Callous

3. Decadent

4. Sleazy

5. Slick

6. Aloof

7. Paranoid

8. Aboveboard (roll twice; two results of aboveboard mean mark actually is honest, any other second result mark is hiding their true nature)

Mark Profession

1. Crime (assassin, crime lord, rival thief, high-ranking intelligence or police agency official, etc.)

2. Politics (dictator, executive official, governor, legislator, mayor, royalty, etc.)

3. Entertainment (producer, promoter, artiste, athlete, men’s lifestyle magazine publisher, etc.)

4. Business (real estate developer, military-industrial contractor, technological futurist, etc.)

Twist

1. Mark has a scheme of their own in the works (trying to take over the world, etc.)

2. Burglar’s employer/fence/informant has a scheme of their own (roll on Mark tables for employer/fence/informant type)

3. Law enforcement has set a trap

4. Rival criminals on the job

5. Friend/lover works for mark

6. No twist