Stock #37-2717

Contents ­In This

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
City of Lights, City of Blackouts . . . . . . 4
by Jon Black
Issue
The recent release of GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance
Venice is the perfect opportunity to plan trips to other Hot
East Berlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Spots throughout history . . . and beyond.
by Matt Wehmeier Paris of the early 20th century embodied the good and bad
of the new century; it was a City of Lights, City of Blackouts.
Eidetic Memory: Victoria 2100 . . . . . . . 24 This mini-supplement provides a perfect primer to Paris of
by David L. Pulver
this era, including GURPS City Stats details. Discover import-
Villa del Trebbio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 ant aspects of the art and underworld scenes, essential events,
by Matt Riggsby and adventure ideas for three different eras. Then get help
with creating citizens suitable for the period, including a new
Map of Villa Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 GURPS template.
During the Cold War, the front line for the commingling
Floor Plans of the Villa . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 of spies, dissidents, and ideologues was East Berlin. Tour
landmarks, keep your nose clean amid the daily life, and dis-
Revolutionary Cuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 cover important government organizations. It includes a City
by Nathan Milner Stats overview, offers a brief history of the rise and fall of the
famous wall, and has suggestions for adding it to your cam-
Furbo Venezia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 paign, with ideas for espionage, cyberpunk, and more.
by Matt Riggsby
There will always be Hot Spots . . . even in the future
Random Thought Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 of Transhuman Space! Revisit this setting with its cre-
by Steven Marsh, Pyramid Editor ator David L. Pulver in this month’s Eidetic Memory, as
he reveals the history, new landmarks, and current politi-
About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 cal atmosphere of Victoria 2100. It provides City Stats for
Greater Victoria and a timeline of the foundation of
Alberta-British Columbia.
Matt Riggsby – author of Renaissance Venice and
A
rticle olors C GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance Florence – is here
with more fun from that pivotal historical era. If you
Each article is color-coded to help you find your favorite
need a country vacation and happen to know the right
sections.
Medici, you owe it to yourself to visit beautiful Villa del
Pale Blue: In This Issue Brown: In Every Issue Trebbio! Acquaint yourself with the history, layout, and
grounds of this quiet place away from the city; use the
Green: Columnist Dark Blue: GURPS Features
included maps to find your way around; and revel in
Cover Art the adventure seeds for even more fun.
“The Pavilions of the Nations and perspective of the bridges, Revolutionary Cuba was a place of great struggle
Exposition universelle internationale de 1900, Paris, France, between poor and rich citizens, political superpowers,
with the Italian pavilion on the left,” from the Library of Con- and criminal organizations. Discover key events and
gress, Prints & Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 people in this era of Cuban history, plus City Stats
USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print, LC-DIG-ppmsc-05224. details for Havana and a typical village.
Add to the latest Hot Spots volume with Furbo
Cartography Venezia, an assortment of adventure seeds from Matt
Matt Riggsby Riggsby that are perfect for getting even more fun out
of your copy of Renaissance Venice.
Random Thought Table wraps up with ideas for how
Interior Art to turn the rich tapestry of history into an awesome
“Piazza San Marco,” by Canaletto. Purchase, Mrs. Charles
tablecloth for your gaming table. (Did that metaphor
Wrightsman Gift, 1988, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
get out of hand?) With this month’s issue of Pyramid,
York, metmuseum.org.
you’ve got lots of Hot Spots in your hot little hands!

Editor-in-Chief z STEVE JACKSON Chief Creative Officer z SAM MITSCHKE Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED
GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH Production Artist & Prepress Checker z Chief Operating Officer z SUSAN BUENO
GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH NIKOLA VRTIS Marketing Director z RHEA FRIESEN
Executive Editor z MIRANDA HORNER Page Design z PHIL REED Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON
& JUSTIN DE WITT

Pyramid Magazine 2 July 2018

 From the
Editor
A Historical Issue! of that era to life more vividly than any dry documentaries or
wiki pages.)
Among the many and varied GURPS tomes that have been To that end, the GURPS Hot Spots series (including the
released, the historical books have a reputation (deservedly so, just-released GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance Venice) do a ter-
in my humble opinion) as being exemplary resources. They’re rific job of delivering what the fact-fetching electrons can’t eas-
still considered “classics,” and remain popular in digital form ily do: giving the reader more – in an accessible format – and
all these years later. from a gamer’s perspective. Adventure seeds! The smells and
However, with the rise of the Internet, these supplements sounds! Ways to intersect with a dungeon-crawling campaign!
have been trickier to do. Since much of the information con- You’re not getting that from your Wikipedia entries.
tained in the volumes is based on real-world events or loca- This issue of Pyramid celebrates the spirit of Hot Spots,
tions, Wikipedia has made it easy to get “good enough” intel with a bunch of material drawn from real-world resources
on much of history. Online material often doesn’t have the (plus a trip into a future based on real-world events), all with
depth or flavor of a good roleplaying supplement, but if you’re an eye toward gaming. Hopefully this issue gives you plenty of
only going to be including (say) feudal Japan as a one-shot exciting places to visit and add to your game.
destination, you can probably just skim a few articles rather
than buy and read the GURPS Japan supplement.
Fortunately, gamers are nothing if not creative! And if Write Here, Write Now!
the Internet is great at providing historical facts, it’s signifi- How well did this issue scratch your historical itch? Would
cantly weaker at providing historical feelings – what it’s like you like more passports to the past? Or should we do some-
to actually be in the times and eras discussed. (I had a great thing more or different, should we ever plan more travels to
discussion years ago with my uncle – who passed away in other times and destinations? Let us know, privately via email
May – about trying to get a sense of what it was really like to at pyramid@sjgames.com, or via our lively public discus-
live during the height of the Cold War; his anecdotes about sions at forums.sjgames.com.
the feelings of that time helped to bring the day-to-day reality

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purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the authors’ rights is appreciated.

Pyramid Magazine 3 July 2018

 City of Lights,
City of
Blackouts by Jon Black

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Paris was smuggling, propaganda, and rescuing stolen art as well as
shorthand for modernity’s perils and pleasures. Daring new helping those wanted by the Occupation reach safety.
movements in the arts overthrew centuries of tradition. Great War or interwar variations on this theme could
A vibrant if rapacious underworld with an eye for the big emphasize Mata Hari‑style intrigue, backroom diplomacy,
score sometimes blurred the line between heroes and villains. blackmail, and stealing secrets.
Urban explorers known as flâneurs walked wide boulevards
and ancient alleyways seeking the city’s secrets. The Great The Underworld Campaign
War made Paris the poster child for modern conflict’s harsh
realities. In the next war, occupied Paris was the snatched Throughout the period, Paris hosts a lively and distinct
jewel epitomizing the Axis threat, even as the Resistance criminal underworld, from the Belle Époque’s street gangs
ensured the occupiers never slept soundly. to the interwar men of the Milieu (see The Underworld, p. 10).
In short, Paris 1900‑1945 offers almost everything gamers The city’s trading houses and galleries offer rich targets,
could want. while its gloomy alleys, cobblestone streets, sprawling cem-
The city description format comes from GURPS City Stats. eteries, and winding catacombs provide picturesque places
for dark dealings.

Adventure in The Story So Far

the City of Lights Modern Paris’ physical form resulted from Georges-
While Paris 1900‑1945 is sufficiently large and cosmopol- Eugène Haussmann’s mid‑19th‑century urban renewal,
itan to accommodate a variety of campaigns, it lends itself to which demolished many crowded, dirty, and dangerous
three styles of games, with potential overlap. areas (as well as some historic and distinctive ones). The
initiative replaced them with wide boulevards, parks, and
public buildings, like the Paris Opera House.
The Bohemian Campaign Socially, modern Paris began with the Franco-Prussian
Even with the eccentric personalities, fascinating social War (1870‑1871), which climaxed in the city’s devastating
relationships, and quest to create masterworks, it would be besieging, bombardment, and capture. Warfare turned to civil
an uncommon group that wanted a straightforward game in strife with the revolutionary Paris Commune, which governed
the city’s bohemian and artistic scene. However, that sphere for two months before suppression by the French army (with
of activity makes an excellent setting for caper, horror, secret support from the city’s traditional power structures). The
magic, or urban fantasy campaigns. 1894 Dreyfus Affair, the conviction of a Jewish officer in the
For clarity, this article refers to any creative activity (dance, French Army for treason based on fabricated evidence, further
drama, literature, music, photography, painting, poetry, aggravated tensions between the political right and left. This
sculpture, etc.) as art. Painting, in this case, means putting division continued widening until the German occupation in
pigment to canvas. 1940.
On the surface, Paris recovered quickly from the traumas
The Resistance Campaign of the Franco‑Prussian War and Commune. The Expositions
While Paris’ resistance groups certainly see combat during Universelles (World’s Fairs) of 1889 and 1900 confirmed its
WWII, they focus on other challenges that also make for status as a capital of commerce, science, technology, and cul-
enjoyable gaming: intelligence gathering, forging documents, ture. The impressionist movement in painting and symbol-
ist school of poetry and literature staked Paris’ claim as the
avant‑garde’s spiritual homeland.

Pyramid Magazine 4 July 2018

Geography Eiffel Tower (7th Arr.): Built for the 1889 Exposition, it
remains the world’s tallest structure until 1930. Not yet a
Paris sits on a bend in the Seine. The river enters the city beloved landmark, many Belle Époque Parisians consider it
from the southeast, curving westward before exiting from an eyesore.
the southwest. While generally flat, Paris has several hills. Les Halles (1st Arr.): This enormous 19th‑century market
Montmartre is its highest point at 427’. hall and the open-air stalls surrounding it are Paris’ wholesale
The city is divided into 20 numbered arrondissements, food market.
units of municipal government akin to boroughs, town- Grande Jatte (northwest edge of city): A small island in the
ships, or wards. Numbering begins in the center with the 1st Seine, it provides a popular location for dueling.
Arrondissement and proceeds outward in a clockwise spiral. Louvre (1st Arr.): Already one of the world’s great muse-
Generally speaking, Paris becomes less affluent moving from ums, through 1911 lax security enables regular pilfering.
the core to the periphery and from west to east. Immigrants Marais (3rd and 4th Arr.): Haussmann’s urban renewal
typically cluster in outer areas. bypasses this venerable neighborhood, preserving its narrow,
Important landmarks and key period locations in this article mazelike streets and medieval character.
are identified by numbered arrondissement (abbreviated
“Arr.”), except when the location is in a neighborhood
widely known beyond Paris.

Famous Neighborhoods Paris, 1900‑1945

Île de la Cité: This centrally located island in the Population: 2.9 million (Search +3)
Seine is the oldest part of the city and includes many of
its most recognized landmarks. Physical and Magical Environment
Montmartre: A hillside neighborhood noteworthy as Terrain: Plains
Paris’ artistic heart through the Great War. Appearance: Beautiful, Impressive (+3) Hygiene: 0
Montparnasse: This neighborhood supplants No Mana (No Enchantment)
Montmartre as the city’s artist center after 1919.
Pigalle: Adjacent to Montmartre, it shares its bohe-
mian spirit but places greater emphasis on crime and
Culture and Economy
vice and less on painting and poetry. Language: French Literacy: Accented
Quartier Latin: Anchored by the Sorbonne (p. 6), it is TL: 6
a center of intellectual and academic life. Wealth: Average (¥1) Status: ‑2 to 6

Landmarks Political Environment

Many interesting or important places in 1900‑1945 Government: Representative Democracy, Municipality
predate that period, sometimes by centuries. The GM CR: 2 (Corruption ‑1)
should not ignore the potential of such locales and Military Resources: $23.2M Defense Bonus: +5
landmarks.
Bibliothèque Nationale (13th Arr.): Established in
Notes
1461, France’s national library already holds more than Predominantly plains, Paris also has areas of woodlands
five million books, manuscripts, and unique items. Of and several low hills (including the important Montmartre
special interest to adventurers is Les Enfers (“Hell”), its and Montparnasse neighborhoods).
restricted‑access collection. Officially, Paris is no mana and no enchantment, but
Bièvre River (5th, 13th, and 14th Arr.): Paris’ least few other real-world cities seem so believable as low mana
pleasant industries (tanneries, butchers, chemical or secret magic settings. Several adventure seeds (pp. 8, 9)
works, etc.) cluster around this small tributary, render- acknowledge there may be more to Paris than meets the eye.
ing it filthy and odoriferous. According to rumor, casu- Paris’ immigrant communities speak many languages.
alties of gang wars and other missing persons often end Perhaps 10% of the population speaks no or Broken French.
up in its opaque waters. At the Great War’s beginning, CR jumps to 3, escalating to
Catacombs (citywide): Originally medieval stone 4 and then 5 as basic necessities grow scarce.
mines, they have been used for interments since the 18th During the next war, occupied Paris’ stats change in sev-
century. Their total length is estimated at 200 miles. eral ways. Government becomes Dictatorship, Bureaucracy,
Cemeteries (citywide): Many Paris cemeteries are and Subjugated. While Parisians technically reach TL7 in
vast, atmospheric, and isolated. 1940, few experience its benefits over the next five years. Ger-
Académie des Beaux‑Arts (6th Arr.): This elite pro- many tries to maintain a façade of normalcy. For an average
fessional society serves as the standard‑bearer for aca- Parisian on an average day, CR might look like 4. Stepping
demic art (the style of formal schools and academies outside the lines rapidly proves it’s 6. Corruption is ‑6. As the
emphasizing the continuity of European art, impor- Carlingue’s (see The Underworld, p. 12) excesses show, noth-
tance of “national” styles, and accurate representation). ing is impossible with the right connections.
It increasingly defines itself through opposition to the
avant‑garde.

Pyramid Magazine 5 July 2018

 Notre‑Dame (Île de la Cité): This Gothic edifice is one of the Théâtre du Grand‑Guignol (Pigalle): Opening in 1897,
world’s most recognizable cathedrals. Its reliquary allegedly this theatre in a deconsecrated church specializes in perfor-
includes the Crown of Thorns, a Holy Nail, and a fragment of mances of slasher and splatter horror with forays into the
the True Cross. supernatural.
Opera House (9th Arr.): Properly known as Palais Garnier, La Zone (encircling Paris): Law forbids permanent con-
this massive complex debuts in 1875. It becomes a symbol of struction within 750’ of city walls. This zone fills with
Belle Époque Paris and enshrined in popular culture through shanty­towns, semi‑permanent residents, open-air taverns,
Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera. second‑hand markets, smugglers, and unorthodox commerce
The Sorbonne (Quartier Latin): The University of Paris’ col- of all kinds. The area experiences a renaissance when the
loquial name. Established in the 12th century, it is one of the walls (proving useless during the Great War) are demolished.
world’s great institutions of higher learning. Artist and underworld types love the Zone. Come WWII, so
does the Resistance. The Occupation hates it.

Paris by Era
Below are four chronological snapshots of Paris: the late Innovations in literature, painting, poetry, and sculpture
Belle Époque (1900‑1914), the Great War (1914‑1918), the cemented Paris’ status as modernism’s unquestioned capital.
Interwar Period (1918‑1940), and the Occupation (1940‑1945). While the city’s face was beautiful, darkness lurked beneath
Each opens with a general description followed by informa- the surface. Vicious gangs prowled streets in neighborhoods
tion on the era’s art scene and underworld. Each section also that displayed shocking extremes of wealth and poverty. The
includes a timeline of notable events, interesting or important Dreyfus Affair’s aftermath revealed friction between right and
locations, and essential or colorful people. Sections conclude left that paralyzed France politically for much of the coming
with three adventure seeds, one geared toward artistic or half‑century and slowed reaction to fascism’s rise.
bohemian parties, a second for underworld campaigns, and a
more general third option. For the 1940‑1945 period, all three The Arts
adventure seeds have Occupation/Resistance tie-ins.
Intense feuding between the between avant‑garde and tra-
ditional academic art dominates the period. Many tradition-
Late Belle Époque alists still believed it was possible to eradicate, rather than
merely contain, avant‑garde art.
(1900‑1914) By 1900, impressionism was almost respectable, a black
sheep but acknowledged as part of the family. But academic
With the 1900 Exposition turning all eyes toward Paris,
the city began the 20th century and second half of the Belle art faced new challengers (post‑impressionism, fauvism, and
Époque already one of the world’s great cities: wealthy, cul- cubism), each deemed “worse” than the last. The avant‑garde
tured, beautiful, and envied. Decidedly cosmopolitan, it had saw itself as liberating art from purposeless forms and restric-
more residents from elsewhere than any other European tions. Spurred by the invention of photography, painters
capital. These included significant communities of Belgians, attempt a radical reconceptualization of their medium.
Eastern European Jews, Italians, Poles, Portuguese, Russian Artists concentrated in Montmartre and, to a lesser degree,
exiles, Spaniards, and Swiss. Montparnasse. The Belle Époque’s avant‑garde experienced a
unity it would never again enjoy. While rivalries between
individuals (such as Matisse and Picasso) existed, its
artists had a sense of solidarity and common cause
The Shadow Kingdom that cut across art forms, styles, and backgrounds.

Throughout the Belle Époque, belief persisted in a “criminal The Underworld

society” parallel to but hidden from bourgeois society, church,
Violent street gangs dominated the Belle Époque’s
and police. This supposed underworld nation possessed its own
underworld. They were known as Apaches (by police,
laws, institutions, factions, and social stratification . . . often
public, and even gangs themselves) after a detective’s
parodying those of respectable society. Some stories claim a
slur was repeated in the press. Gangs sometimes
Prince (or King) of Thieves ruled the whole group.
numbered under a dozen members and seldom more
The existence of entire neighborhoods where most Parisians
than two dozen. They ran rackets appropriate to
seldom trod and even the vaches (literally “cows,” underworld
their small size and local orientation: street prosti-
slang for police) hesitated to set foot made such notions seem
tution, extortion, and mugging. A common mugging
plausible. Sensationalism‑loving journalists and novelists hap-
technique was the coup de père François (blow of
pily fanned the fires of belief. With the growth of social science,
Father Francis), in which one man garroted the vic-
such ideas waned after the Belle Époque (just as the Milieu’s rise
tim (pulling him back‑to‑back, piggyback, to prevent
lent them an element of truth).
struggle). An accomplice removed jewelry and picked
Or is that what the nation of thieves wanted people to think?
pockets while another acted as lookout.

Pyramid Magazine 6 July 2018

 Believing real men killed bloodily, gangs extolled
the virtues of knives over guns. In absence of a blade,
savate (GURPS Martial Arts, pp. 193-194) was a suit-
ably manly substitute.
Apache Revolver
Proof that the gangs’ disdain for firearms was sometimes
Criminals used Argot (p. 14), a secret language com-
honored in the breach, the Apache revolver combines a bar-
bining French grammar with distinctive slang vocab-
relless revolver with a knuckleduster grip and a small knife
ulary, to avoid comprehension by police and public.
below the muzzle.
Argot varied from gang to gang, becoming nearly
Any TL6 revolver can serve as the base for an Apache
incomprehensible with distance.
revolver. To model the missing barrel and weapon’s general
Like many criminal cultures, Parisian gangs
unwieldiness, reduce Acc to 0, and adjust 1/2D and Max to
embraced tattoos. For those in the know, gangland ink
1/10 of those of the unmodified pistol. For its melee weapons,
offered a lexicon of its own (a successful Streetwise
use small knife (p. B272; the knife cannot be thrown) for the
roll allows interpretation). Luc Sante’s book The Other
blade and brass knuckles (p. B271) for the grip. Because the
Paris describes many markings, and examples can be
weapon’s arrangement is awkward, apply ‑1 to all uses.
found online.
For concealment, both blade and knuckleduster fold
Paris’ Belle Époque gangs largely ignored drug rack-
toward the revolver cylinder. Treat as only ‑1 to Holdout in
ets. German syndicates controlled the cocaine trade.
this position.
Ether was legally obtainable at pharmacies. Soldiers
Cheap quality (p. B274) is common.
returning from Indochina and North Africa supplied
opium and hashish respectively.

The three Fratellini Brothers are considered some of history’s

Essential Events greatest clowns.
1900 – Paris International Exposition. Lapin Agile (Montmartre): A neighborhood cabaret also
1902 – The city’s imagination is captured by a vicious gang patronized by artists and intelligentsia. Its proprietor, père
war resulting from a love triangle between rival gang lead- Frédé, keeps beans on the stove and makes them available
ers and a prostitute called Casque d’Or (“Golden Helmet”). regardless of patrons’ ability to pay. Frédé’s pet donkey, Lolo,
1903 – Fire on the Paris Metro kills 84. has the run of the place.
1908 – Right-wing paramilitary organization Camelots du Roi Luna Park (16th arr.): Opening in 1909, it is the era’s largest
founded. (though not first) amusement park and one best matching the
1909 – First performance by Russian avant‑garde dance term’s modern connotations.
troupe Ballets Russes in Paris. Moulin Rouge (Montmartre): Though its heyday was the
1910 – The worst flood in 400 years pushes the Seine 25’ early Belle Époque, the Red Windmill still has some life left
above its banks. Sawhorses and boards are used to con- (and can remain the center of bohemian nightlife for a GM
struct improvised pedestrian bridges throughout the city. willing to fudge a decade).
1911 – Mona Lisa stolen from the Louvre. Suspicion initially La Ruche (Montparnasse): Eiffel designed “The Beehive,”
falls on bohemian poet Guillaume Apollinaire. It is eventu- named for its distinctive shape, for the 1900 Exposition.
ally recovered from Vincenzo Peruggia, a former museum Moved after the Exposition, it serves as artists’ housing for a
employee intent on returning the painting to his native contingent of primarily Eastern European and Jewish artists.
Italy. Théâtre des Champs‑Élysées (8th Arr.): This elaborate art
1911‑1912 – Rampage by the Bonnot Gang, a criminal gang deco space hosts modernist performances and houses the
with an anarchist ideology, throws Paris into hysteria. Ballets Russes. Most famously, it is the scene of the 1913 pre-
1912 – Creation of the Brigade criminelle, a modern, profes- mier of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and the resultant near
sional detective division, within the Paris police. riot (see Art Matters, p. 10).
1914 – Success of the Peau de l’Ours (Skin of the Bear) auc- Vollard’s Gallery (9th Arr.): One of the first commercially
tion delivers a major critical and financial victory for successful avant‑garde galleries. Mischievous and obstinate
avant‑garde art. proprietor Ambroise Vollard makes a challenging encounter.

Key Locations Colorful Personages

27 rue de Fleurus (6th Arr.): Residence of Gertrude Stein, Arthur Cravan: Oscar Wilde’s congenitally antagonistic
her brother Leo, and her partner/personal secretary Alice nephew, Cravan earns his living as a full‑time poet and critic
Toklas. They host Paris’ most influential avant‑garde social and part‑time prizefighter and pimp.
circle. A favorable reaction roll from Gertrude secures admit- Casque d’Or (real name: Amélie Élie or Hélie): Celebrated
tance. A good word from Toklas or a regular guest each give femme fatale at the center of the era’s most notorious gang
+2 to the reaction roll. war.
Bateau‑Lavoir (Montmartre): This oddly‑shaped apartment Marie and Pierre Curie: Nobel laureate (1903) physicists
building houses many artists (notably painters Picasso and and chemists engaged in groundbreaking (and ultimately
Modigliani and poets Max Jacob and André Salmon) and is a fatal) work on radiation.
hangout for late Belle Époque bohemian heavyweights. Eugène Descaves: Police commissioner infamous for coerc-
Cirque Médrano (Montmartre): The city’s most popu- ing artists to part with works for a fraction of their value in
lar circus throughout this article’s timeframe, its acrobats, exchange for his “services.”
equestrians, and clowns draw Parisians of all backgrounds.

Pyramid Magazine 7 July 2018

 Charles Maurras: Activist, writer, poet, and bard of Paris’ While creation and innovation slowed to a snail’s pace,
ultranationalist and anti‑Semitic elements. bright spots existed. Stranded by war (and later the Russian
Pablo Picasso: Taciturn, moody, jealous . . . and almost pre- Revolution), the Ballets Russes became a focus for cultural
ternaturally successful at any style of painting he attempts. life, pulling in top artists from every discipline (writers,
Henri Poincaré: Mathematician, physicist, and polymath composers, painters as set and costume designers, etc.).
whose work lays groundwork for both chaos theory and Apollinaire, home after being wounded at the front, presented
relativity. the play Les mamelles de Tiresias (The Breasts of Tiresias), which
Victor Serge: Russian exile, writer, anarchist, and surviving juxtaposed an avant-garde style with nationalist themes. To
member of the Bonnot Gang. his delight, it antagonized both right and left. The new book-
Louis Vauxcelles: Eloquent and respected academic art store, La Maison des Amis des Livres, provides a social haven
critic and perpetual thorn in the avant‑garde’s side. in a time with few other options.
Léon Zamaron: Another police commissioner, Zamaron
is sympathetic to artists, sometimes bending a rule on their The Underworld
behalf, and protects them from Descaves when possible.
With Germans exiled, imprisoned, or under observation,
the lucrative cocaine trade was up for grabs. While not com-
Graines d’Aventure plete until after the war, this started a fundamental shift in
Les Guerriers: After a significant heist, con, etc., the pro- Paris’ underworld. Competing to fill the vacuum, larger and
tagonists’ gang receives a summons from someone claiming better-organized outfits had an advantage in defeating rivals
to be the King of Thieves. Is it an elaborate prank? A setup and managing the complexities of smuggling and distribution.
by the vaches (police) or, worse, a rival gang? Or is there
something behind the age‑old stories after all?
Iron Will: A wealthy eccentric wants the fame of scal- . . . we are nothing but a bunch
ing the Eiffel Tower. He’s hired the PCs to create a distrac-
tion while he makes his attempt. They’ll need a really good of bastards . . . the little differences
distraction. And is the millionaire being honest about his between greater or lesser bastards
intentions?
Phony Smile: The adventurers receive a credible tip that are irrelevant . . .
the Mona Lisa recovered in 1911 was a forgery, sending
them after the world’s most famous painting. Is Apollinaire
– Tristan Tzara
responsible after all? Or are stranger players involved?
Essential Events
The Great War August 1914 – Germany declares war. French government
moves to Bordeaux (returning in December). Louvre mas-
(1914‑1918) terpieces evacuated to Toulouse.
The war’s impact took Paris by surprise. When French September 1914 – Germans advance within 10 miles of
troops first marched from the city, residents expected quick Paris. First Battle of the Marne. Hundreds of Paris taxis
and easy victory. Instead they got four years of cold, hunger, carry reinforcements to the front.
and privation; shelling by artillery and bombing by airplanes January 1916 – First zeppelin bombing kills 26 people.
and zeppelins; and, at the end, “Spanish” flu. German soldiers Winter 1916‑1917 – Unseasonably cold winter strains scarce
came within sight of Paris, prompting an exodus of the pru- coal supplies.
dent or skittish. As the capital of a major combatant, dramas February 1917 – Dutch‑born dancer and demimondaine,
of intrigue and espionage played out behind the scenes. Mata Hari, arrested for spying and later executed.
Colonial troops became a major presence in the city for May 1917 – Workers strike, demanding a five‑day workweek
the first time. Additionally, more than 100,000 colonials were and wage increase to match rising prices. The government
brought in to work in factories. grants their demands.
Shortages, blackouts, and curfew rendered most Parisians’ June 1917 – U.S. soldiers arrive in Paris.
daily life drab and dull. January–March 1918 – Germans again threaten the city.
Bombers, zeppelins, and “Big Berthas” kill and injure
hundreds.
The Arts October 1918 – Influenza pandemic hits Paris; thousands die.
War dealt a blow to the avant-garde’s solidarity which November 11, 1918 – Armistice signed. Celebrations begin
never completely healed. A three-way feud of slander and on Champs-Élysées and spread throughout the city.
recrimination erupted between those who fought in the con-
flict, conscientious objectors, and those who stayed home for
pragmatic reasons. Key Locations
As creators of luxury goods and services in a time of Bal Bullier (5th Arr.): This popular Belle Époque ballroom
scarcity, the conflict hits artists hard. Because many avant- is repurposed as one of Paris’ main munitions dumps.
garde dealers and gallery owners were German (exiled or Blériot Aéronautique (Suresnes): This factory in a section of
detained for the duration), bohemian visual artists espe- the western suburbs is France’s main facility for manufactur-
cially felt the pinch. ing military aircraft.

Pyramid Magazine 8 July 2018

 Le Dôme (Montparnasse): This inexpensive neighbor- Mata Hari (Margaretha Zelle): Zelle comes to Paris fleeing
hood cafe attracts painters and intellectuals. After the war, it a disastrous marriage to a Dutch East India Company officer.
becomes a popular hangout for Anglophone writers. Assuming the persona of a Javanese princess, she works as
Grand Palais (8th Arr.): This massive glass, iron, and steel circus rider, artist’s model, and exotic dancer before becoming
structure was the 1900 Exposition’s grand hall. It is converted a demimondaine to powerful gentlemen. Her connections and
into a military hospital. talents encourage the Allies to recruit her as an agent and the
La Maison des Amis des Livres (Quartier Latin): French‑ Central Powers as a double agent.
language bookstore and lending library operated by Adrienne Amedeo Modigliani: Chronically poor but generous and
Monnier. It serve as a meeting place for the avant‑garde liter- charming, the Italian painter brings a bit of color to Paris’
ary scene. wartime years. He spends the duration painting the nudes
Marie Vassilieff’s Soup Kitchen (Montparnasse): A pri- which will make him famous . . . after tuberculous and alco-
vate canteen for artists and bohemians operated by Vas- holism kill him.
silieff, a Russian painter. It serves plain but nourishing Adrienne Monnier: A former au pair, teacher, postal
stew and, more importantly, wine and tobacco. A successful worker, and secretary at a publishing house. In an era when
Savoir‑Faire (Bohemian) (p. 15) roll or appropriate Reputa- female‑owned businesses of any kind are uncommon in Paris,
tion secures admittance. Monnier opens La Maison des Amis des Livres bookshop.
Renault Factory (Boulogne-sur-Seine): Another factory Lucien de Scévola: Painter and officer commanding the
located in a section in the western suburbs, it is converted Camofleurs, the world’s first dedicated camouflage unit. De
into one of the world’s first tank factories. Scévola leads a team of painters (predominantly minor cub-
La Rotonde (Montparnasse): Popular bohemian café ists and fauves), aiding the war effort by using their talents
located across from Le Dôme. It has a dim reputation among to break up lines, obscure colors, and misdirect enemy eyes.
polite society, especially police, as a haven for foreigners,
anarchists, and pacifists. Graines d’Aventure
Val‑de‑Grâce (5th Arr.): Paris’ main military hospital. Many
Pipe Down: Scheming to get their hands on items to sell
of the era’s key figures recover from wounds here. Surrealism’s
on the black market, the protagonists crawl through a dis-
future leaders meet at Val‑de‑Grâce. At the time, they are med-
used sewer pipe allegedly leading to a warehouse brimming
ical students: bright, disaffected, and horrified by the carnage
with coal and other necessities. Instead, the pipe connects to
around them.
tunnels seemingly unused for centuries. Where do they go?
What’s down there? And can that really be singing they hear
Colorful Personages in the distance?
Guillaume Apollinaire: The avant‑garde’s leading poet, Privateers Over Paris: As slaughter in the trenches drags on
flâneur, and one-time suspect in the Mona Lisa’s theft. He and Paris grinds under German bombing, an adventurous ace
enlists in the artillery corps and, later, leads infantry in the has an idea to boost morale: capture a zeppelin in flight over
trenches. Returning to Paris after a wound, he resumes artis- Paris, turn it around, and drop things on the Kaiser’s head for
tic activities. Apollinaire dies of influenza in 1918. a change. His superiors have said no. But he’s putting together
Blaise Cendrars: Swiss‑born poet, adventurer, and traveler. a team of brave soldiers and talented civilians who don’t give a
He co-authors the “Appeal for Foreigners to Defend France,” damn what the brass says.
vigorously advocating that foreign artists in Paris have a duty Turncoat of Many Colors: Someone among the avant‑garde
to protect their adopted home. Joining the Foreign Legion, is spying for the Central Powers, passing coded information
Cendrars losses an arm in battle and returns to Paris. in their artwork. Can the PCs, good bohemians, identify the
Jean Cocteau: Embodiment of the avant-garde’s chic, high- agent and deal with the problem before the authorities (who
society faction (and, later, arch‑nemesis to surrealist André might use the situation to justify mass expulsions) or, worse,
Breton), Cocteau spends the war as an ambulance driver, the academic artists (who will never let the avant-garde live
wearing an extravagant uniform of his own design. down the humiliation).
Joseph Gallieni: An aging general brought out of retire-

Interwar Period
ment to serve as Paris’ military governor. Strong‑willed
and colorful, Gallieni is uncompromising in his commit-
ment to the city’s defense and highly critical of French high
command, whose incompetence he believes will lead the (1919‑1940)
Germans right into Paris. The Années Folles (“Crazy Years”), the 1920s, saw Parisians
Ernest Hemingway: One of the city’s best known U.S. living with wild abandon as they attempted to forget the Great
expats. He arrives for the first time, in the midst of artillery War’s hardship.
bombardment, as a Red Cross ambulance driver. Returning New arrivals flooded the City of Lights, seeking oppor-
as a writer and journalist, Hemingway makes Paris home for tunity, security, or freedom. Many colonial soldiers and
the next decade. workers remained after Versailles. The 1917 Revolution’s
Victor Libion: Proprietor of the La Rotonde (above), Libion success exchanged one group of Russian exiles for another.
helps his customers to the extent of bringing financial hard- Germans and Austrians sought economic opportunities
ship on himself (even looking the other way when silverware with their recent foe, as did more Italians, Spanish, and
“disappears” in their presence). La Rotonde’s reputation Greeks. Central and Eastern European Jews, Armenians,
brings him into frequent conflict with the authorities. and various Balkan nationalities came seeking Paris’ safety.

Pyramid Magazine 9 July 2018

People from the United States arrived, lured by the city’s toler- including Josephine Baker, Djuna Barnes, F. Scott Fitzgerald,
ant and relaxed social mores. Hemingway, James Joyce, Henry Miller, Lee Miller, Anaïs
In the arts, Dada’s arrival and the rise of surrealism Nin, Ezra Pound, Cole Porter, and Man Ray.
thwarted a return to traditional forms and styles.
Transformed by consolidation and conflict, the underworld The Underworld
saw genuinely organized crime replace the old patchwork of
The Interwar period saw the Apaches replaced by the
neighborhood street gangs.
Milieu, better-organized and more sophisticated criminals.
External developments ended the Années Folles by the early
Individually, they were called les beaux voyous (“beautiful
1930s. Global depression landed hard on Paris. Soon after,
thugs”) or vrai de vrai (literally “true of true,” idiomatically
France was forced to contend with Europe’s deteriorating
“the real thing”). They consciously emulated American gang-
political situation. Both events catalyzed unrest and violence
sters, notably Capone’s Chicago Outfit, including a fondness
between (and sometimes within) the left and right as well as
for suits, fedoras, Tommy guns, American cigarettes, Ameri-
within many immigrant communities.
can cars, and incorporating American underworld
slang into a more standardized Argot.
Crime became bureaucratic. In place of
the charismatic leader and his men arose a
Art Matters multi‑tiered command structure. At each gang’s
For the period’s artists, connoisseurs, and critics, artistic dif- top was a leader called a caïd (borrowed from
ferences could inspire levels of passion, even violence, difficult to North African Arabic for “commander”), sur-
understand today. The modern notion of art as subjective personal rounded by lieutenants who controlled the
preference would be alien to many, perhaps most, of them. Instead, beaux voyous. Below, not formally members of
particular styles or schools were objectively good or bad, right or the outfit, were unmade associates, affiliates,
wrong. Artistic allegiances were considered declarations about an and allied street criminals.
individual’s politics, class, morals, social philosophy, and personal The Milieu disdained the street crime of
merit. In that context, events such as the near riot between tradition- earlier gangs, preferring rackets which utilized
alists and the avant‑garde at the premier of Stravinsky’s The Rite of their greater size and organization. Instead of
Spring (the best known such incident but neither the only one nor the pimping streetwalkers, the Milieu ran brothels.
most egregious) become easier to comprehend. Rather than fencing stolen goods, they sold con-
traband liquor and cigarettes. In place of rolling
pedestrians, they robbed banks or jewelry stores.
Because the Milieu (usually) restricted violence to
rivals outfits, they were less feared than their predecessors.
The Arts Through the 1920s, most gangsters were native Parisians.
By war’s end, the heart of bohemian Paris relocated from Over the Interwar Period, the Milieu began reflecting the city’s
Montmartre to Montparnasse. Throughout the 1920s, art was changing demographics. An influx of Corsican gangs proved
largely a reaction to the Great War. Many, including some particularly challenging as rivals. Established gangs claimed
members of the avant‑garde, sought solace by returning to the that conversing in their native language (not Argot) gave the
harmonies of traditional art. Corsicans unfair advantage.
Others pushed boundaries farther than ever. Dada arrived
from Switzerland and Germany with messianic nihilism. Essential Events
Seeing the war as a consequence of fundamental flaws in civi-
1919 – Jazz, brought by U.S. servicemen (especially Afri-
lization itself, the movement aimed to deconstruct every facet
can‑Americans), takes Paris by storm.
of society (including art).
1921 – The arrest and trial of real‑life Bluebeard, Henri
Surrealism arose from internal struggles within Dada as
Landru, for killing 10 women scandalizes and titillates
well as many members’ desire to offer new answers instead
Paris.
of just tearing down old ones. Through painting, poetry, hyp-
1920s – American Man Ray adds photography and later film-
nosis, automatic writing, and dreams, surrealism attempted
making to the avant‑garde’s toolkit.
to destroy barriers between the conscious and subconscious
1924 – Paris hosts the Summer Olympics.
mind, liberating the latter.
1931 – The Great Depression arrives, causing population
Historical hindsight reduces Dada and surrealism to
decline and flight from expensive inner arrondissements to
campy, non‑threatening clichés. Many contemporaries found
more affordable neighborhoods at the edge. The Colonial
them profoundly disturbing – Dada for its aesthetically dis-
Exposition, intended to portray a “happy family” image of
cordant nihilism; surrealism because its exaltation of the sub-
France and her colonies working together toward a bright
conscious seemingly threatened society’s received truths.
future, backfires. The exposition faces criticism from the
With exceptions, the period saw the avant-garde align
right, left, and colonial representatives.
with the left, and with the French Communist Party in par-
1933 – National Lottery created.
ticular. Surrealism eventually split into communist and liber-
February 1934 – Political standoff between the right‑leaning
tarian factions. The former later schismed into Stalinist and
city government and left‑leaning National Assembly sparks
Trotskyite camps.
some of the worst rioting in the city’s modern history, leav-
Already cosmopolitan, the art scene received another
ing 17 dead and more than 2,000 injured.
influx of immigrants, notably a wave of Anglophones,

Pyramid Magazine 10 July 2018

1937 – Attempts to bolster Paris’ international standing Kiki de Montparnasse (Alice Prin): Singer, artist’s model,
with another international exposition are undermined by actress, and painter. Arriving from the provinces in 1913,
the prominent pavilions of both Nazi Germany and the Kiki attains her greatest fame between the wars, becoming
Soviet Union (unwisely positioned directly across from the most painted and photographed model in history. Many
each other). see her as the living embodiment of Montparnasse’s enchant-
ments and excesses.
Key Locations Alfonse Lecroq: A Milieu caïd known as “The Mirror” and
“The Handsomest Man in Paris.” He is vain and enjoys his
42 rue Fontaine (Pigalle): Home to poet André Breton, this
reputation as a ladies’ man.
is the surrealists’ inner sanctum. The movement conducts its
Auguste Montfort (later, Auguste Le Breton): A minor
most important meetings and experiments with hypnosis and
Montmartre gangster, Montfort later joins the Resistance and,
automatic writing here.
ultimately, writes crime fiction and children’s books. Though
Le Bal Nègre (15th Arr., near Montparnasse): Housed in
young during this period, he already makes an interesting and
a 19th‑century farmhouse, this club is the social and artistic
unusual encounter.
center for Parisians of African‑American and Afro‑Caribbean
Tristan Tzara: Romanian artist, by way of Zurich, bringing
origin. Many innovations in music and dance which sweep
Dada to Paris. Long before there are words for them, he is a
through the city originate here.
master of guerrilla art, performance art, culture jamming, and
Bal Petit Jardin (Montmartre): Nightclub and dancehall
flash mobs.
catering to the Milieu but not a sanctuary or neutral ground.
Violence and arrests are frequent occurrences.
Le Boeuf sur le Toit (8th Arr.): Chic cabaret frequented by
Cocteau and other members of the avant‑garde’s elegant set. I’m going to the Louvre; do you
Galerie Surréaliste (6th Arr.): If Breton’s home is the surre-
alists’ sanctuary, this gallery is the movement’s public face and
want me to bring back anything?
point of contact. – Guillaume Apollinaire
Gaumont-Palace (Montmartre): A vast movie palace (reput-
edly the world’s largest), seating 6,000 on its floor and balcony.
The Jockey Club (Montparnasse): Bohemians and the
Milieu mix at this lively American‑owned bar. Graines d’Aventure
Le Select (Montparnasse): Open 24 hours, the café was pop- The Exquisite Corpse: A neighborhood clochard (vagrant)
ular with American writers and poets. In 1928, a brawl between won last week’s National Lottery. Unfortunately, he died
surrealist factions severely damages the establishment. days ago and had the ticket on him when buried in a pau-
Shakespeare and Company (Quartier Latin): This English‑ per’s grave in one of Paris’ many cemeteries. Adventurers have
language bookstore and lending library serves as a second done worse than grave robbing for five million francs. Can the
home for U.S. and British expats. PCs find the grave and retrieve the ticket before the rest of the
neighborhood? For a soul‑searching twist, the ticket isn’t on
the body after all.
Colorful Personages Seeing Double: It’s May 1932. In the United States, Al
Sylvia Beach: Operates Shakespeare and Company book- Capone has been imprisoned. So, why has a dead ringer for
store across from Monnier’s La Maison des Amis des Livres the famous gangster appeared in Paris and started making
(p.  9) (the two proprietors become friends and eventually a play to control the entire Milieu? Is it really Capone or just
life partners). Beach serves as benefactor to the Anglophone someone cashing in on his reputation? Either way, can he
poets and writers patronizing her establishment. She dares be stopped?
to publish Joyce’s novel Ulysses, so experimental that even Where Everybody Knows Your Name: One of the party’s
avant‑garde publishers balked. favorite haunts (café, bar, etc.) has run afoul of the surreal-
André Breton: The iron‑willed and iron‑fisted leader of the ists (or, if the protagonists are surrealists, a rival faction). Can
“orthodox” surrealist clique. The fastidious and authoritarian they keep their beloved hangout open by defending it against
leader of a movement dedicated to mental liberation, Breton weeks of inevitable vandalism, slander, harassment, and phys-
is a bundle of contradictions. Ally or enemy, his shadow hangs ical assaults?
over the interwar arts scene.
Roger Ducret: Fencer winning three gold and two silver
medals in the 1924 Olympics (with two silvers and a bronze
from other Olympics). Ducret later becomes a journalist.
The Occupation
Fulcanelli: Though theories abound, this alchemist’s iden- (1940‑1945)
tity remains unproven. Tutoring a small cabal of students, he After the French government relocated to Vichy, Paris
also allegedly transmutes lead into gold and warns French sci- remained in the occupation zone administered by the Germans
entists about atomic weapons. Fulcanelli disappears in 1926 and German‑approved French officials.
(though people claim encounters as late as 1953). Wishing to minimize unrest, the Germans promoted a cha-
André Gide: Elder statesman of avant‑garde literature, Gide rade of normalcy, and some Parisians were happy to lose them-
is 50 at the interwar’s beginning and more reserved than his selves to the fantasy. Beneath the surface, occupied Paris was
younger protégés. His powers of observation and investigation anything but normal. Jews and others deemed “undesirable”
are formidable. were first harassed and then rounded up and sent to camps.

Pyramid Magazine 11 July 2018

Occupation officials conscripted over 100,000 young men to The Occupation was not a period of artistic innovation.
work in German factories, and retooled the city’s economy to Light entertainment, like banal comedies and family melo-
feed the Axis war machine. Each night, curfew and a manda- dramas, were popular with audiences and likely to receive
tory blackout transformed cosmopolitan Paris into a ghost censors’ approval. Even among Resistance artists, emphasis
town. Staples and essential goods were rationed, with prices was on morale and information rather than pushing artis-
for other items skyrocketing every year. For those with suffi- tic boundaries.
cient money or connections, however, products and services The biggest art story during the Occupation was what
remained obtainable throughout the duration. disappeared, not what was created. German officials appro-
Paris was one of the great centers of the Resistance, though priated Paris’ artistic treasures, both from museums and pri-
its efforts there focused on propaganda, intelligence gather- vate collectors (especially Jews). Authorities also destroyed
ing, and sabotage rather than combat. “degenerate” avant‑garde works. Art sufficient to fill 138 box-
cars was removed to Germany, with the choicest
bits often ending up in the personal collections
of Hitler and Göring. Some remain missing.
Fictional Paris
While history offers ample resources for adventure in Paris, fic- The Underworld
tion also presents worthwhile ideas for a period campaign. Despite certain romanticized accounts, the
underworld’s record during the Occupation was
Arsène Lupin: A gentleman thief appearing in nearly 60 works by not pretty. Many outfits actively collaborated in
Maurice Leblanc. Intended as a lively Gallic counterpart to stodgy exchange for a free hand running rackets, only
Sherlock Holmes, Lupin takes the side of justice (if not law) against switching allegiance to the Resistance after
real villains. D‑Day’s success put the handwriting on the wall.
Cultes des Goules: Canon ascribes this Cthulhu Mythos tome The Carlingue, often called the French Secret
to French noble Comte d’Erlette. Published in 1703 (definitely in Police or French Gestapo, was an odd mix of cor-
France, likely in Paris), copies could still lurk around the City of rupt police and Milieu men.
Lights, notably in Les Enfers (see Bibliothèque Nationale, p. 5).
Fantômas: An antihero and criminal mastermind created by
authors Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre. Reveling in murder, Essential Events
psychological torture, and destruction on a grand scale, Fantômas 1939 – With war considered inevitable, the city
remains a shocking villain even today. begins civil defense drills and distributing gas
The King in Yellow: This Cthulhu Mythos tome (inspired by masks.
Robert W. Chambers’ real book) is, by canon, an 1895 English trans- June 12, 1940 – Deeming the German advance
lation of a lost French play (perhaps from the early Belle Époque). unstoppable, the French government declares
An original may hide in the city. Paris an open city. German units begin occu-
Rue d’Auseil: This steep and claustrophobic street, the setting for pation two days later.
Lovecraft’s “The Music of Erich Zann,” seemingly possesses curious September 1940 – Museum employees establish
properties. It may appear and disappear, possibly moving between Paris’ first resistance cell. Activities include
locations around Paris. It could be a portal to alternate Parises or propaganda, publishing underground newspa-
even the Dreamlands. pers, intelligence collection, and helping pris-
The Phantom: Gaston Leroux’s Opera House villain is the most oners of war escape. Authorities discover the
widely known figure from period literature. While set in the 1890s, cell in January 1941.
Leroux’s tale offers good inspiration and flavor for later Belle Épo- April 1941 – First train of stolen art leaves Paris
que stories. for Germany.
June 22, 1941 – Germany’s invasion of the Soviet
Union voids the Molotov‑Ribbentrop Pact.
French communists are free to join the Resistance
The Arts (efforts remain hampered by mistrust between communist
resistance groups and those loyal to de Gaulle).
The art scene produced its share of both collaborators
September 2, 1941 – Parisian officials are required to swear
and resistors. Some artists fled to neutral Spain (and, often,
personal allegiance to Vichy President Phillipe Pétain.
onward to the United States or the United Kingdom). Others
July 1942 – Germans begin deportation of Parisian Jews to
relocated to less oppressive Vichy‑controlled territory. Many,
camps around France before transfer to Auschwitz.
however, toughed out the Occupation in Paris.
February 1943 – Creation of the Milice, a Vichy and Ger-
Officially, every artistic performance or broadcast required
man‑backed paramilitary organization dedicated to com-
preapproval by Occupation officials, and written materials
bating the Resistance.
were subject to censorship. In reality, the number of officials
August 19, 1944 – Seizing police stations and other govern-
allocated to these tasks proved inadequate for Paris’ artistic
ment facilities, the Resistance begins active insurrection
output, and things sometimes slipped by.
in Paris. Resistance members, police, and residents erect
The Germans and the Vichy government were more thor-
barricades and clash with Occupation troops throughout
ough about ensuring Jewish artists did not perform or exhibit.
the city.
Friends and colleagues supported (and hid) the lucky ones.
August 25, 1944 – French and U.S. troops liberate Paris.
The less fortunate faced destitution and far worse.

Pyramid Magazine 12 July 2018

Key Locations Algeria. He goes to Paris afterward, earning a reputation in
the Milieu as a hard‑drinking and hard‑carousing casual killer
93 rue Lauriston (16th Arr.): A four‑story building serv-
(even the Gestapo finds Loutrel’s behavior unsettling). He
ing as Carlingue headquarters. While leaders are partial to
reputedly kills more than 80 Resistance members. Late in the
the rear gardens, the building’s real selling point is the deep
war, Loutrel switches sides and joins the Resistance after kill-
cellars where prisoners can be tortured without being heard
ing a German officer to “prove” his loyalty.
outside.
Marcel Petiot: Doctor and serial killer. Posing as a Resis-
Catacombs (citywide): Both sides make use of the tunnels
tance member, Petiot robs and kills (via lethal injection) an
during the Occupation. They allow resistance groups to move
estimated 60 people attempting to flee occupied France.
throughout the city unobserved. Germans establish under-
Henri Rol‑Tanguy: Leader of the city’s communist resis-
ground bunkers in the catacombs, most notably beneath the
tance groups. He joins the Resistance with an extensive mil-
6th Arr. Lycée Montaigne.
itary background, including service with a highly decorated
Citroen Factory (15th Arr.): Retooled to produce trucks,
regiment in Algeria and volunteering with Republican forces
Germany commandeers the factory’s output for the war effort.
during the Spanish Civil War.
Unsympathetic workers often build intentionally defective
Rose Valland: Art historian and sole French employee of
vehicles.
Jeu de Paume (above) during the Occupation. Writing notes
Hôtel Drouot (9th Arr.): Officials sometimes use this vener-
in shorthand and never letting her employers know she
able auction house to sell avant‑garde works of no interest to
speaks German, Valland documents and, when possible, hin-
Occupation collectors.
ders the theft of art. She also passes information through the
Hôtel Lutetia (6th Arr.): Headquarters of the Abwehr,
Resistance, ensuring Allied airstrikes don’t target art trains.
German military intelligence.
Alexandre Villaplane: A famous soccer midfielder whose
Hôtel Majestic (16th Arr.): German military command
career ended in a corruption scandal. During the Occupation
headquarters.
he joins the underworld, extorting Jewish families. He eventu-
Hôtel Meurice (1st Arr.): Residence and offices of the
ally becomes one the Carlingue’s bloodiest enforcers.
German commandant in charge of Paris and his staff.
Jeu de Paume (1st Arr.): Art museum serving as a warehouse
for pilfered French art before transportation to Germany.
Lycée Louis‑le‑Grand (Quartier Latin): A 16th‑century
school commandeered as barracks and offices for the Milice. In Paris, there are streets as
Musée de l’Homme (16th Arr.): Curators and staff operate
Paris’ first resistance cell from this anthropology museum. dishonored as any man guilty
Some items in its collection which are appropriate for a Weird
Resistance campaign include Rene Descartes’ skull, the 25,000 of infamous deeds. There also
year‑old Venus of Lespugue fertility figurine, and a crystal
skull alleged to be a Mesoamerican antiquity.
exist noble streets, and merely
honest streets . . .
Colorful Personages – Honoré de Balzac
Josephine Baker: The U.S.‑born dancer has been a Paris
celebrity since 1925. During the Occupation, she uses her sta-
tus to gather information from Occupation officials at society
events and then pass it (often concealed in her underwear for
safety) to Resistance contacts. Graines d’Aventure
Pierre Bonny: The Carlingue’s founder. The most prom-
Phantom of the Resistance: The Paris Opera’s director is
ising detective of his generation, Bonny escaped accusations
concerned. Several German officers have had . . . accidents
of falsifying evidence only to be imprisoned for corruption.
. . . during performances. Occupation authorities are ask-
During the war, Bonny turns his skills to ferreting out resis-
ing questions, and stagehands whisper things not heard in a
tance cells and other enemies of the Occupation.
half‑century. Can the party discover what’s going on? If they
Jacques Chaban-Delmas: Leader of Paris’ pro‑de Gaulle
do, should they stop it, let it continue, or actively assist?
resistance groups. While a hard fighter, he is a smooth opera-
Shoot the Messenger: It’s May 1944. A German agent has
tor with a political background.
reached Paris with intelligence about something big the Allies
Robert Desnos: Surrealist poet, automatic writer, flâneur,
have planned for June. The agent will depart for Berlin in the
and Resistance member who collects intelligence for the Allies
morning. The Resistance has 12 hours to make the agent and
and forges identity papers. Arrested by the Gestapo in 1944,
his information disappear. (To crank up tension, include a
Desnos dies in the Terezín concentration camp.
rival resistance group determined to get there first.)
Jacques Jaujard: An official with the French administra-
Le Sting: Not every Paris criminal is happy about the
tion, Jaujard organizes an evacuation of Parisian art before
underworld’s cozying up with the Axis. Growing fat off the
the Germans consolidate control. Serving throughout the
Occupation, Carlingue headquarters has become the sweetest
Occupation under the façade of a meek functionary, Jaujard
plum of all. Can a motley collection of smalltime operators
slows and complicates the removal of art.
strike a blow for liberty, equality, and fraternity while pulling
Pierre Loutrel (“Crazy Pete”): A Carlingue leader, Loutrel
off the big score?
was arrested at 15 and sentenced to a penal battalion in

Pyramid Magazine 13 July 2018

 Being Parisian
While few traits are truly out of place in a city so large, for ‑10 points during the Interwar Period, and ‑4 for ‑20 points
diverse, and innovative, some are especially appropriate. during the Second World War.
Likewise, bringing the time and place to life begs new special- Minority Group: Colonials use Minority Group to represent
ties, twists on the familiar, and optional rules for the GM to their status. -10 points.
consider.

Skills
Whether historically accurate, part of popular imag-
Language (Argot) ination, or just useful for the campaigns detailed above,
see pp. B23-24 the skills of Carousing, Sex Appeal, and Streetwise are
Argot is the criminal class’ working tongue. By the time especially appropriate for Paris during this time. Other
of the Milieu, Argot is fairly standardized. Previously, it var- skills are equally pertinent but deserve additional com-
ies from gang to gang. Between gangs with little contact, mentary or suggested modifications.
the GM may reduce effective comprehension level by one.
In either period, speaking broken Argot (suggestive of infor- Area Knowledge
mants, poseurs, or novices) invites contempt or suspicion.
Argot is verbal with no special written conventions. see pp. B176-177
Someone who writes French can write Argot at the same Paris was a patchwork of neighborhoods more than
comprehension level. a unified city. Montmartre and Montparnasse seemed
Speakers are understandably selective about whom they like different worlds to someone from avenue Montaign
teach Argot. Knowing the language without being part of the or Quartier de l’Europe, and vice versa. Area Knowledge
underworld could be worth a 5-point Unusual Background. (Paris) would be unusual, the province of flâneurs and
those whose professions take them across the city (taxi
drivers, municipal employees, etc.). Knowledge of spe-
cific neighborhoods is much more common. Parisian

Disadvantages neighborhoods are populous – in 1911, arrondissements have

an average population of about 150,000. So the GM may want
Some existing disadvantages need special explanation. to treat them as using the village or town area class (p. B177)
rather than neighborhood.
Jealousy
see p. B140 Artist
Many of Paris’ historical artists were profoundly touchy see p. B179
about their creative output and their standing in the artistic Forged artwork was endemic in Paris. Some artists made
community but otherwise untroubled by the green monster. more money forging others’ work than selling their own. The
Model this using a special version of the Accessibility modifier Forgery skill is for documents. Use Artist to forge paintings
(p. B110). or sculptures. Apply non‑familiarity penalties (p. B169) if the
person has little experience with the style of art forged (a cub-
New Special Limitation ist forging a fauve, for example). Consider ‑1 for every level by
Accessibility (Artistic): The disadvantage’s effects are lim- which the skill of the artist being forged exceeds that of the
ited to creative endeavors and situations directly connected would‑be forger (brutal, but not everyone can paint a Picasso).
with them. ‑50%. See also Be True to Your School (p. 15) for suggestions on
narrowing the scope of this skill to further capture the flavor
of early 20th-century Paris.
Secret (Papers Out of Order/No Papers)
see p. B152 Combat Skills
An undocumented immigrant, someone whose status has
Most gang members rely on Garrote and Knife skills. A
lapsed, or with lost or stolen papers. If arrested, individuals
GM wanting a detailed underworld campaign could design
are subject to deportation. Additionally, many employment
a technique (pp. B229‑233) for the coup de père François (see
and educational opportunities are unavailable. ‑20 points.
The Underworld, p.  6), a complicated, multi‑person attack.
Milieu members may want Guns (SMG) for their beloved
Social Stigma Tommy guns.
see p. B155 Resistance members, who have to use whatever they can
Foreigner: While the nomenclature doesn’t work, Second- find or improvise, should consider spreading combat skills
Class Citizen accurately models the status of most foreigners widely rather than focusing. See Improvised Weapons, GURPS
in Paris. ‑5 points. Martial Arts, p. 224, for popular items and their suggested
German in Paris: Germans are a special case, qualifying for skills, plus the Improvised Weapons perk (Martial Arts,
a ‑3 reaction modifier for ‑15 points during the Great War, ‑2 p. 50), for those are particularly good with whatever’s at hand.

Pyramid Magazine 14 July 2018

 Bohemians had a proclivity for violence that belies modern Scrounging
stereotypes. Many carried handguns and fired to make a point,
get attention, or drive people away. Melee combat was com- see pp. B218-219
mon (André Breton disrupted a performance he opposed by Resistance characters need to locate equipment, med-
breaking a performer’s arm with his cane . . . hardly the only ical supplies, and maybe even ammunition. Poor artists
assault perpetrated by the father of surrealism). often scrounge for used canvases (to paint over), pigments,
Any Parisian character might know savate. A striking‑ori- brushes, etc.
ented martial art, it falls under Karate (p. B203). See Martial
Arts, pp.  193-194, for a detailed presentation of savate as a Soldier/TL
combat style.
see p. B221
Any time after 1914, Paris is awash with men with military
Connoisseur experience.
see p. B185
For appropriate flavor, consider subdividing
existing specialties of Dance, Literature, Music, and Be True to Your School
Visual Arts into Academic or Avant‑Garde. Many
(perhaps most) critics, patrons, and collectors of the For campaigns emphasizing the arts, the GM may require Art-
day seemed incapable of appreciating both. ist, Dancing, Group Performance, Musical Composition, Poetry,
and Writing to specialize (or, for Artist and Group Performance,
further specialize) in a particular school or technique (cubist,
Current Affairs/TL fauve, impressionist, surrealist, etc. for painting; alexandrine,
see p. B186 Dada, free verse, symbolist, etc. for poetry; and so on). Attempt-
The GM may consider adding the specialty Avant‑ ing to create a work in an unfamiliar school is at ‑2, at least.
Garde, as neither High Culture nor Popular Culture
quite cover this topic.
Avant‑Garde: Information about the latest creations, exhi-
bitions, performances and trends among those on art’s cutting Flâneur
edge. Information, gossip, and scandal about the community’s 45 points
movers and shakers. The flâneur is an inveterate city wanderer. He is driven not
by professional or practical reasons, but by an inexorable need
Filch to discover, and experience, whatever is out there. Though
other cities no doubt have them, Paris is unusual in its aware-
see p. B195 ness of flâneurs as a defined and distinct group.
While applications for resistance or underworld charac- This template’s relatively low point cost makes it viable as
ters are straightforward, even a starving artist might pocket an avocation even for a 100-point character while also per-
a shiny item to pawn or a crust of bread from a nearby table. mitting a more traditional adventuring path. Primary skills
provide the essential flâneur toolkit, and secondary skills
Hobby Skill allow for customization of principal activities while exploring
see p. B200 and methods for handling challenges encountered along the
The following skill is IQ/Easy and defaults to IQ-4. way. Background skills shed light on why the flâneur lifestyle
appeals to the person or how they afford a pastime requiring
Physiognomy: The notion that a person’s facial features so many idle hours.
reveal their character was common in Paris. Unless the GM With modification, this template is portable to other set-
decides there is something to it, this is a Hobby Skill. tings for characters with wanderlust, or even an archetypal
itinerant in a low-powered fantasy campaign.
Savoir‑Faire Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
see p. B218 Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d‑2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP
Parisians from all walks of life prize the art of graceful 10 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.25
social interaction. A Bohemian specialization is useful for [0]; Basic Move 5 [0].
1900‑1945 Paris, and the preexisting Mafia should be altered Advantages: 30 points chosen from among DX +1 [20], IQ +1
slightly. [20], HT +1 or +2 [10 or 20], Per +1 or +2 [5 or 10], FP +1
or +2 [3 or 6], Absolute Direction [5], Acute Senses 1-5 [2/
Bohemian: Enables adroit navigation of the eccentricities, level], Animal Empathy [5], Charisma 1 or 2 [5 or 10], Cul-
idiosyncratic personalities, and shifting fads of Paris’ artistic tural Adaptability [10], Danger Sense [15], Daredevil [15],
and bohemian set. While this scene has few formal rules, there Empathy [5], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Independent Income
are numerous unwritten conventions. 1-20 [1/level], Intuition [15], Less Sleep 1-4 [2/level], Luck
Mafia: Given the fractious and localized nature of pre‑1918 [15], Night Vision 1-4 [1/level], Peripheral Vision [15], Ser-
gangs, the GM could impose penalties when using this skill on endipity 1 [15], Silence 1 or 2 [5 or 10], Unfazeable [15], or
other gangs, especially those with which the person has little Wealth (Comfortable or Wealthy) [10 or 20].
or no preexisting contact.

Pyramid Magazine 15 July 2018

Disadvantages: Curious [‑5*]. • -15 points chosen from A compendium of information treating almost every aspect of
among Chummy [‑5] or Loner [‑5*], Compulsive Wander- the city, supported by over 500 images.
ing [‑5*], Impulsiveness [‑10*], Insomniac [‑10 or ‑15], On Franck, Dan. Bohemian Paris: Picasso, Modigliani, Matisse,
the Edge [‑15*], Overconfidence [‑5*], Pacifism (Reluctant and the Birth of Modern Art (Grove Press, 2003). Novel‑like
Killer) [‑5], Weirdness Magnet [‑15], or Xenophilia [‑10*]. prose makes an easy and colorful read which brings the peo-
Primary Skills: Area Knowledge† (Paris or specific arrondisse- ple and places of Paris – from the Belle Époque to the Interwar
ment/neighborhood; see p. 14) (E) IQ+3 [8]‑13; Hiking (A) Period – vividly to life.
HT [2]‑11; Navigation/TL6 (Land) (A) IQ [2]‑10; Observa- Laws, Robin D., et al. Dreamhounds of Paris (Pelgrane
tion (A) Per [2]‑10; and Psychology (H) IQ‑1 [2]‑9. Press, 2014). This sourcebook for Pelegrane’s Trail of Cthulhu
Secondary Skills: Two of Climbing (A) DX‑1 [1]‑9; First Aid/ game is an excellent resource for interwar Paris and especially
TL6 (E) IQ [1]‑10; Acting, Cartography/TL6, Disguise/TL6, noteworthy for detailed character studies of major surrealists.
or Shadowing, all (A) IQ‑1 [1]‑9; Running (A) HT‑1 [1]‑10; Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen, 2011). This often bitter-
Scrounging (E) Per [1]‑10; or Urban Survival (A) Per‑1 sweet romantic comedy revolves around time slips between
[1]‑9. • Two of Body Language (A) Per‑1 [1]‑9; Detect Lies the present day and interwar Paris. Great casting and per-
(H) Per‑2 [1]‑8; Diplomacy (H) IQ‑2 [1]‑8; Fast-Talk (A) formances for some period notables – including Dali,
IQ‑1 [1]‑9; Savoir-Faire (Bohemian, p. 15, High Society, Hemingway, and Stein – really sell the story.
or Mafia, p. 15) (E) IQ [1]‑10; or Streetwise (A) IQ‑1 [1]‑9. Moulin Rouge (Baz Luhrmann, 2001). Set just prior to
•  One of Brawling, Guns/TL6 (Pistol), or Knife, all (E) DX this article’s timeframe, Luhrmann’s quirky musical spectac-
[1]‑10; Boxing (A) DX‑1 [1]‑9; or Karate (H) DX‑2 [1]‑8. ular nonetheless has the perfect flavor for a cinematic Belle
Background Skills: One of Dancing (A) DX+1 [4]‑11; Architec- Époque campaign.
ture/TL6, Connoisseur (any), Gambling, Merchant, Poetry, Riding, Alan. And the Show Went On: Cultural Life in Nazi‑
Soldier/TL6, or Writing, all (A) IQ+1 [4]‑11; Artist (any), Occupied Paris (Vintage Books, 2010). Excellent snapshot of
History (Paris, France, or Early 20th-Century French), Law daily life’s complexities during the Occupation with, as the
(France or specific field), Literature, or Musical Instrument title suggests, special emphasis on Paris’ creative community.
(any), all (H) IQ [4]‑10; or Carousing or Singing, both (E) Sante, Luc. The Other Paris (Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
HT+2 [4]‑13. 2015). An examination of topics which seldom make it into
guidebooks or conventional histories (crime and punishment,
* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
drinking culture, prostitution, etc.).
† Or multiple Area Knowledge skills totaling 8 points.

Ressources Additionnelles About the Author

Jon Black is your basic absinthe-and-BBQ guy from Austin.
Casque d’Or (Jacques Becker, 1952). A loose retelling of the
He has been gaming for over 30 years, playing GURPS for
love triangle between the eponymous femme fatale and her
more than 25 of them. Look for The Green Muse, his Cthulhu
gangland beaus, the film offers a romanticized but informa-
Mythos novella set in Belle Époque Paris, later this year from
tive portrayal of the Belle Époque underworld. Now part of
18th Wall Productions. He is the author of the Bel Nemeton
the Criterion Collection.
series, blending Arthurian historical fantasy and contempo-
Durozoi, Gérard and Bouvet, Vincent. Paris Between the
rary pulp, also from 18th Wall. He dabbles in artwork of the
Wars, 1919-1939: Art, Life, & Culture (Vendome Press, 2010).
distinctly Dada variety.

Pyramid Magazine 16 July 2018

 East Berlin by Matt Wehmeier

The Deutsche Demokratische Republik (German Demo- commingling in the heart of the GDR. The capital of East
cratic Republic, or GDR) was created in 1949 as a Soviet pup- Germany came to symbolize a prosperous socialist future to
pet state in the years following the Second World War. More some, and the bitter realities of a divided Germany to others.
commonly known as East Germany, the GDR played a pivotal This article describes the situation in East Berlin as it
role in the unfolding Cold War, fought from the late 1940s existed in the early to mid-1980s. It covers basic geography,
to the early 1990s between the capitalist powers (led by the information on daily life in the city, the basic governmental
United States) and the Communist nations (led by the USSR). structure of East Germany, essential details of the Berlin
Because of its placement in Europe and its relative influence Wall, and ways to incorporate East Berlin into several cam-
in the Warsaw Pact, East Germany was considered to be on paign genres. The city description format comes from GURPS
the front lines of the Cold War. A divided Berlin was at the City Stats.
center of that struggle, with spies, dissidents, and ideologues

The City
For 15 years after the end of World War II, the two halves zone to prevent East German civilians from getting too close
of Berlin were ruled by two different governments, but travel to the Wall.
between them was almost unrestricted. That all changed on
August 13, 1961, when East German soldiers erected barri- Alexanderplatz
cades overnight to separate East from West.
Alexanderplatz was located in the center of East Berlin, and
After the construction of the Berlin Wall, East Berlin
it served as a major public transit station, an economic center,
made every effort to come into its own as a separate city.
and a tourist destination. The Centrum-Warenhaus location
It was home to over a million people by the mid-1980s, and
on the square was one of the most well-stocked department
it served as the political, cultural, and economic center of
stores in the East, and the GDR used it as an opportunity
the German Democratic Republic. The East German gov-
to demonstrate the material benefits of a socialist economy
ernment took great pains to differentiate the city as the cap-
to foreign visitors. The Weltzeituhr (World Clock) became a
ital of a Marxist-Leninist republic. At the same time, the
nationally recognized landmark after its completion in 1969,
Eastern capital’s ties
and the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) loomed over it all as the tall-
with West Berlin were
est structure ever to have been constructed in Berlin.
too entrenched to sever
entirely; they remained
Travel between
evident until the city’s the two halves of Unter den Linden
eventual reunification in Berlin changed Immediately east of the Brandenburg Gate is Unter den
1989. Linden, a main thoroughfare and wide boulevard built well
in 1961. before the Franco-Prussian War. Of most interest to travel-
Landmarks ers along this route is the palatial Soviet Embassy, which
served as a full diplomatic consulate as well as a hub of
These are some of the more famous landmarks that stood
intrigue and espionage.
in East Berlin during the Cold War. Some were built before
the Second World War. Others were created by the East
German government in order to showcase the accomplish- Palast der Republik
ments of state socialism. The Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic) was the
parliament building of the GDR. Located on a large island
Brandenburg Gate formed by the Spree River, the Palace was built as a monu-
ment to the accomplishments of socialism. It was torn down in
Though the monument remained a well-known symbol of
the mid-2000s due to asbestos contamination and replaced by
Berlin during the Cold War, the Brandenburg Gate was closed
a recreation of the Berliner Stadtschloss. The island was also
to East Berliners for security reasons until 1989. The Wall
home to several world-class museums built before the war,
passed to the west of the Gate, cutting off the entire structure
including the Pergamonmuseum and the Alte Nationalgalarie.
from West Berlin. The nearby Pariser Platz served as a buffer

Pyramid Magazine 17 July 2018

Border Crossings from the Soviet Union to rebuild, but resources such as bricks,
concrete, and manpower were often difficult to come by, even
The East German government maintained several border
decades after the war. To save on materials and on-site labor
crossings within Berlin that allowed for limited contact with
time, the East German government erected a large number
the West. Checkpoint Charlie was easily the most famous, and
of Plattenbauten, or prefabricated buildings. The pieces were
this is where military personnel from the West (who were by
cast in factories and transported to building sites across the
treaty permitted to travel anywhere in Berlin) were required to
country. This allowed for efficient, modular construction, but
cross. Friedrichstraße was another famous site; this is where
it also made the East German architectural style boxy and
West German citizens could travel by S-Bahn and U-Bahn to
drab. Many of these buildings still stand today, and some were
visit relatives or friends in the East. The “Tränenpalast” (Palace
decorated with murals extolling the value of hard work, scien-
of Tears) was built as an extension of the border checkpoint
tific inquiry, and socialistic fraternity.
in the station in order to handle a larger number of travelers.

Economics
Daily Life By the 1980s, East Germany was the wealthiest coun-
East German daily life differed in some respects from life try per capita in the Eastern Bloc, and its citizens enjoyed
in the West, but there were also many similarities between the highest standard of living in the Communist world. In
the two. spite of this, the economy of the East lagged significantly
behind that of West Germany. The GDR’s planned economy
Architecture tended to emphasize heavy industry and military spending
for political reasons. As a result, many consumer goods were
In 1945, Berlin had been reduced to rubble by Allied bomb- scarce. Shortages of certain foods (particularly tropical
ers and brutal house-to-house fighting. The GDR received aid fruit) remained common throughout the Cold War,
but starvation was not a serious concern. Durable
goods such as furniture, laundry machines, and

E ast erlinB , 1949-1990 automobiles were extremely expensive. At the

same time, essentials such as food, clothing, and
Population: 1.2 million (Search +3) rent were heavily subsidized. All able-bodied
adults were expected to work, but jobs were guar-
anteed by the state. As in West Germany, students
Physical and Magical Environment were evaluated for career placement before high
Terrain: Plains school. Some were chosen to continue to univer-
Appearance: Average (0) Hygiene: 0 sity, and others were given jobs as skilled trades-
No Mana (No Enchantment) men and factory workers. Party members enjoyed
certain economic advantages, and they tended
Culture and Economy to be prioritized for high-ranking positions in
Language: German Literacy: Native administration and government.
TL: 7 In its rush to catch up with West Germany eco-
Wealth: Average (¥1) Status: -2 to 6 nomically, the East German government neglected
environmental issues almost completely. East
German power stations burned coal that was
Political Environment filthy by Western standards, and strip mining
Government: Socialist Dictatorship, Municipality and unrestricted logging were commonplace in
CR: 4-5 (Corruption -1) the Eastern countryside. Many of the GDR’s most
Military Resources: $126M Defense Bonus: +8 ardent domestic critics were environmentalists
and anti-nuclear activists appalled by the country’s
Notes approach to industrial development.
The Soviet armed forces and National People’s Army garrisoned
thousands of soldiers in and around East Berlin in preparation Transportation
for an attack from West Berlin. Fortifications built by the military The transportation network in East Berlin was
grant significant bonuses to defense. well-developed by the 1980s. S- and U-Bahn lines
Due to aggressive anti-poverty campaigns, very few people in crisscrossed the city, electric streetcars were a
East Berlin ever drop below Struggling. The only people with Sta- common sight even in quieter neighborhoods, and
tus -2 are political prisoners; most people of Status -1 are non-im- regional trains traveled from the Ostbahnhof to
prisoned dissidents who have been targeted by the state for their cities all around Eastern Europe. Almost all transit
beliefs. Political connections determine Status almost entirely, connections with West Berlin were severed after
with most party members being Comfortable and enjoying +1 Sta- 1961, and several U-Bahn stations were closed to
tus. Higher Status is generally reserved for party functionaries and prevent citizens from fleeing to the West. State-
officials within the government and military; their effective Wealth owned airlines flew from Schönefeld, and visas
increases accordingly but never exceeds Wealthy. allowing travel to countries within the Eastern
Bloc were easy for most people to obtain.

Pyramid Magazine 18 July 2018

Culture socialist countries (especially the Soviet Union), and denunci-
ation of capitalist countries, particularly West Germany and
East Berlin was a center for culture in more ways than
the United States. West Germany was portrayed as a haven for
one. On the one hand, the city boasted multiple art galler-
fascists who had been allowed to remain in positions of power
ies, symphony orchestras, and world-class live theater. On the
after the war, and the United States was seen as an imperialist
other, underground music and art movements flourished as
warmonger that would jump at any opportunity to weaken or
people sought to express themselves in spite of official cen-
destroy socialism.
sorship. East Germany was the birthplace of Ostrock, and
East Germany saw itself as a radical break from an imperi-
protest and nonconformity remained common themes in East
alist and fascist past. The ruling political class often portrayed
German youth culture through the end of the 1980s. Certain
the GDR as a new, socialist state tasked with constructing a
Western music albums and books were banned in the East
workers’ paradise out of the ashes of a nation destroyed by
as “anti-socialist,” but such materials managed to find their
the Second World War. Constitutionally defined as a “nation
way into East German hands nonetheless. Local artists in
of workers and peasants,” East Germany also vowed to defend
East Berlin were monitored by cultural authorities tasked
its citizens against any attempts to undermine or reverse the
with assessing their “political reliability” and commitment to
triumphs of the revolution.
Marxist-Leninist principles. Those deemed “unreliable” were
prevented from publishing their work.
Radio and television signals broadcast from West Berlin Dissidents
were also readily available to most East Germans, and these Conservatives in the East longed for peaceful reunification
programs provided the GDR with news and cultural infor- with West Germany and an end to Soviet occupation. Some
mation that were inaccessible to most of the Eastern Bloc. anti-GDR dissidents were influenced by sincere religious
East German officials made viewing Western programs a belief and a distaste for communism. The Communist govern-
serious offense, but the government was unable to block the ment discriminated openly against those who chose to attend
signals without interrupting service in West Berlin. Instead, church services or to profess their beliefs in public spaces.
East German state television created a program named Der Other dissidents were anti-Stalinist or anti-Leninist socialists
Schwarze Kanal (the Black Channel) that offered rebuttals to who believed that the GDR was betraying Marx’s vision of a
Western news segments broadcast the night before. democratic, classless society. Both factions staged massive
protests in the 1980s as the government’s hold on public opin-
Propaganda ion faltered, but the leftist dream of a democratic, anti-capital-
ist East Germany died in October 1990 when the country was
Propaganda was an ever-present feature of life in East
absorbed into the Federal Republic of Germany.
Germany. State rhetoric centered around fraternity with other

The State
After a massive wave of labor strikes and riots in 1953, the youth organization of East Germany. The party itself was run
East German government came to realize that it could not by the Central Committee, and both were notoriously inatten-
depend on socialist goodwill to maintain its utopian project. tive to public opinion. As a result of its legislative and consti-
With the help of the Soviet Union, East Germany constructed tutional power, the SED exercised effective control over the
a powerful, multifaceted state apparatus to exercise control military, the police, the economy, and most other facets of life
over society. Police and the military were tasked with defend- in East Germany.
ing the revolution from sabotage and subversion from the
West, and from malignant reactionary and counterrevolution-
ary sentiment at home. The Stasi
The Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (often shortened to

The Party “Stasi”) was the secret police force and national intelligence
agency of the GDR. The surveillance apparatus they built in
The Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (Socialist East Germany was legendary, and the agency successfully
Unity Party of Germany, or SED) was formed in the Soviet recruited hundreds of thousands of amateur informants to
Occupation Zone after the war by a forced merger of the Social report on counterrevolutionary and subversive activity. Those
Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Germany. targeted by the Stasi were often denied career advancement,
The party adopted a Marxist-Leninist model of organization as well as monitored, harassed, and imprisoned.
from its foundation, and its structure was based on that of The Stasi did not restrict its operations to internal security.
the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The East German It operated in tandem with the KGB in West Germany and
Volkskammer was dominated by the SED, and leftist versions elsewhere, providing covert aid to communists and socialists
of West German political parties were obligated to participate that had aligned themselves with East Germany or the Soviet
in the socialist ruling coalition. Just over 10% of the popula- Union. The Stasi also maintained an elite division of loyal,
tion were party members, many of whom were recruited from professional soldiers based near Berlin that could be deployed
the ranks of the Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ), the socialist in cases of civil unrest.

Pyramid Magazine 19 July 2018

 Unless they work for the East German government directly, both German states throughout the Cold War. Police officers
adventurers operating in East Berlin will attract the attention and Stasi agents were recruited voluntarily. Russian troops
of the Stasi. At best, the Stasi will be a constant annoyance were also a common sight across East Germany, tasked with
and hindrance to PCs in their adventures. At worst, it will be a defending the GDR from both external and internal threats.
deadly enemy that will stop at nothing to prevent the protago- For strategic and political reasons, the NVA never engaged
nists from achieving their goals. in armed conflict outside of the borders of East Germany.
As was the case in West Germany, the GDR wanted to show

The Military and Police the world that it was committed to peaceful coexistence with
its neighbors. The SED maintained that its army was only
Other state law enforcement organizations of note include intended for self-defense, and that West Germany was the one
the Grenztruppen (Border Patrol), the Nationale Volksarmee plotting to use military force to destroy communism. Both
(National People’s Army, or NVA), and the Volkspolizei German states allowed their respective national patrons to
(People’s Police). Soldiers in the Border Patrol and the army station troops, military bases, and nuclear weapons within
were usually conscripts, as military service was mandatory in their territory. Each side needed to be prepared in case the
other decided to strike.

The Wall
The Berlin Wall was originally built in August 1961 as West German citizens were welcome to visit East Germany
a way to prevent millions of workers from fleeing to West provided they exchanged a minimum of 25 Westmarks for
Germany in search of economic opportunities. West Germany Ostmarks at a one-to-one exchange rate per day of travel (on
encouraged migration from the GDR by offering immediate the black market, the Ostmark was worth about one-fifth of
citizenship and a resettlement package to anyone who chose its Western counterpart). The government used the hard cur-
to leave. East Germany faced a demographic crisis as young rency generated in this way to trade with non-Communist
people migrated to the West. By 1960, both the GDR and the countries, as the World Bank refused to recognize any Eastern
Soviet Union realized that drastic action needed to be taken to Bloc currency as fungible.
prevent the collapse of the East German economy. The Stasi made sure to keep track of all Westerners visiting
Officially, the Wall was named the Antifaschistische the capital. Those who ran afoul of police or who appeared to
Schutzwall (the Anti-Fascist Defensive Wall). According to be spying were expelled or worse (though capital punishment
the SED, its primary purpose was to prevent Nazi saboteurs was exceedingly rare by the 1970s). Bags and luggage were
sponsored by the West German government from entering routinely checked at the border, and some guards availed
East Berlin. themselves of the more expensive and rare items they found
The Wall itself was made of concrete slabs 12’ during security screenings.
tall that completely surrounded West Berlin. In
the center of Berlin, the Wall was a single bar-
rier, winding along streets and between buildings. The Wall will stand as long as the circumstances
The entire Wall was constructed just inside East
German territory, and the government ordered
that led to its construction do not change. It will still
many buildings demolished or closed to prevent be standing in 50 or 100 years if those conditions
attempts to jump over the Wall. In some places, are not done away with.
the “no-man’s land” was dozens of yards across,
protected by land mines, tank traps, barbed wire, – SED First Secretary Erich Honecker,
watch towers, and armed guards with orders to January 1989
shoot anyone attempting to cross.
Many citizens of the GDR attempted to tunnel,
fly, sail, or smuggle their way out of East Germany; thousands
died or were captured in the attempt. The inner German bor- M auerfall
der that formed the main dividing line between East and West The Berlin Wall fell on the night of November 9, 1989 as
Germany was well-defended by the National People’s Army massive protests erupted across the Eastern Bloc. The GDR
and the Border Police, but Berlin was a popular destination was integrated into the Federal Republic of Germany less than
for those looking to leave the East. Discussion of all possi- a year later after the Christian Democrats took a plurality of
ble vectors of escape would be well outside the scope of this seats in the East German parliament. Stasi records were made
article, but numerous detailed accounts are available that can open to the public, and many officials (including longtime
provide inspiration for creating an adventure about reaching First Secretary Erich Honecker) were prosecuted for human
West Berlin. rights violations by the new German government. Germany
Despite strict security measures and harsh penalties for began a multibillion dollar development program in the early
illegal crossings, the Berlin Wall was quite a bit more porous 1990s for the newly integrated territories that continues to
than most people realize. The East German government rou- this day, but significant economic and cultural differences
tinely granted exit visas to pensioners and party officials, and between the two regions still persist.

Pyramid Magazine 20 July 2018

 Campaign Ideas
East Berlin was a hotbed for spies on both sides of the Cold psionic black-ops programs. As far as we know, all govern-
War. West German, CIA, and MI6 agents infiltrated the city ment research into psychic phenomena during this period
posing as tourists, diplomats, or citizens of the GDR, and Stasi ended in dismal failure. It is not difficult to imagine a world
and KGB agents attempted to root them out. For Western where they succeeded, however, and the benefits of that suc-
spies in a gritty and realistic campaign, dead drops, indus- cess would be profound. Psionic commandos could block bul-
trial espionage, and political intrigue are the order of the day. lets and crush tanks by sheer force of will. Mind readers and
Agents can spend years building a cover and waiting for the hypnotists could root out and re-educate terrorists and coun-
opportunity to strike; one false move could end a career and terrevolutionaries. Psychic early warning systems could detect
leave the person rotting in a Communist prison. nuclear attacks days or even weeks before the first missile was
In a more cinematic setting, missions involve car chases, launched. In such a world, both sides would spend billions to
state-of-the-art gadgets, and romantic trysts with seductive ensure an advantage in the Cold War. Psionic agents would
double agents. Operatives are far more likely to blow up clash all around the world, but nowhere more frequently or
ammunition warehouses or hijack trains than they are to sit more intensely than in East Berlin.
for eight hours in the cold rain watching Russian helicopter See Infinite Worlds (below) for details about Rejdák, a
maneuvers. Counterintelligence services may be far more per- psionics worldline and campaign suggestion.
missive with enemy agents, simply expelling them from the
country or allowing them to escape dramatically from their
cells so that they can try again next time.
East Germans had their own versions of spy thrillers, as
well. Television shows such as Das Unsichtbare Visier (The
Infinite Worlds
Invisible Visor) depict brave Stasi agents infiltrating West The Berlin Wall is relatively rare in the Infinite Worlds,
Germany to foil imperialist plots, often masterminded by even in timelines with a divided Germany. Usually the
Nazi infiltrators set on taking over the government and Wall is torn down in the late 1980s or early 1990s. In other
sparking World War III. cases, East Germany absorbs West Berlin before the Wall
Protagonists can work together as teams of agents is ever built. Occasionally, the Wall is destroyed by atomic
from either side of the Iron Curtain, or an adventurous warheads. Here is a non-exhaustive list of worldlines in
GM may allow the players to split into two opposing fac- which the Berlin Wall lasted past the year 1995.
tions in direct competition with one another. See GURPS On Brezhnev-2 (Q4, current year 2005), the Soviet
Espionage for tips on how to run such a campaign, and for Union never invaded Afghanistan. Andrei Gromyko
information on the various intelligence services operating charted a much more conservative course than Homeline’s
in the Cold War era. Gorbachev after becoming General Secretary in 1985,
and limited economic reforms have allowed the Soviet
system to remain solvent even in the face of unrest in the
Other Genres Eastern Bloc.
On Ulbricht (Q5, current year 1999), the Berlin Wall
Though espionage is by far the most obvious genre for a
Cold War campaign, it is not the only option. was constructed in 1958. East Germany is currently
preparing for its 50 Jahre DDR celebration as the Clinton
administration confronts the Soviet Union over the
Fantasy humanitarian crisis in Bosnia.
Many Westerners and some Eastern dissidents described On Avtomat (Q6, current year 2035), the Soviets invested
East Germany as “the world’s largest prison.” Though most heavily in microchip technology starting in the mid-1970s.
of the methods of controlling the population used by the The USSR became a powerful exporter of electronics, and
SED could not be implemented in a low-tech world, the it reinvested the profits in modest consumer benefits for its
“city/country as prison” idea is quite easily transferred to a citizens. Security cameras watch every square centimeter
variety of settings. Even before TL5, a mad monarch would of East Berlin, and underground hackers create endless
be able to construct a fortress around a city that is impen- nightmares for the Volkspolizei. Both the United States and
etrable to those kept inside its walls. A sorcerer may curse the USSR are entering TL9.
land in such a way that its inhabitants are unable to leave On Rejdák (Q3, current year 2009), approximately
without removing the hex. In broader terms, the tale of two one out of every 10,000 people possesses powerful latent
brothers growing old fighting over their father’s kingdom is psychic abilities. The United States and the Soviet Union
as ancient as time itself. Taken in tandem, these elements discovered this in the 1970s, and they have been fighting a
could reasonably approximate the situation of citizens liv- psionic arms race ever since. East Germany has the most
ing in East Berlin, even in a world without armored per- advanced program on Earth behind the two superpowers,
sonnel carriers and state-run television. and its psionic agents are widely considered to be the best
in the world. The Armanen Order on Reich-5 knows about
Psionics this parallel, but they are determined to stay as far away
During the Cold War, both the United States and from Rejdák’s psychic communists as possible.
the Soviet Union took an interest in the development of

Pyramid Magazine 21 July 2018

Cyberpunk
In many ways, East Berlin is the perfect setting for a cyber-
About the Author
Matt Wehmeier has spent nearly one and a half years living,
punk campaign. East Germany is governed by a technocratic, studying, and working in eastern Germany. He is currently
paternalistic regime. The city itself is gray and subdued. employed as a legal assistant and holds a master’s degree in
State-owned megacorporations command millions of face- history from the University of Chicago. A Chicagoland native,
less employees, and technology is employed to great effect to he has been reading GURPS supplements and looking out
enforce both order and orthodoxy. If the Stasi had survived with wonder at the infinite worlds for over a decade. His coun-
past the year 2000, it would have jumped at the chance to use terpart on Homeline is a senior analyst at Infinity specializing
digital technology to monitor citizens more closely than ever in Western and Central European comparative politics.
before. Given enough time, the East Germany of the 2020s My sincere thanks to Philip Enders Arden and Dr. Gregory
and 2030s might be all but indistinguishable from the dysto- Baer for their help in preparing this article.
pian societies described in GURPS Cyberpunk.
See Infinite Worlds (p. 21) for
details about Avtomat, a cyber-
punk worldline and campaign
idea.

Horror
The East German government
would respond to reports of a
supernatural monster running
loose in East Berlin in one of two
ways. They would either devote
considerable (or even exces-
sive) resources to its capture or
destruction, or they would insti-
tutionalize anyone who claimed
to have seen anything and
attempt to cover the whole thing
up. In a world where this sort of
occurrence is common, the NVA
or the Stasi would develop spe-
cial response teams to deal with
the threat swiftly, cleanly, and
most of all quietly.

Further
Reading
Numerous published sources
exist on East Berlin during
the Cold War era, up to and
including travel guides pro-
duced in the GDR for English-
speaking tourists (the various
editions are called Travel Guide,
German Democratic Republic
and were printed by Zeit im Bild
Publishing House in Dresden).
Films such as Good Bye, Lenin!
and The Lives of Others can offer
further cultural and political
context for a campaign in the
East, and game supplements
such as GURPS Espionage and
Berlin ’61 can provide ideas and
information for a roleplaying
adventure.

Pyramid Magazine 22 July 2018

Pyramid Magazine 23 July 2018
 Eidetic
Memory
Victoria 2100
by David L. Pulver
In the year 2100, in the future history of Transhuman pyramid. The colonial past is displayed in remains of Victorian
Space, Victoria is a major city in the post-Canadian Union of architecture, including Craigdarroch Castle mansion and the
Alberta-British Columbia (ABC). Victoria sits on the coastline restored Empress Hotel. Butchart Gardens, with 55 acres of
of the southern tip of Vancouver Island, a large, heavily for- flowers from around the world, is a major attraction; in the
ested island (almost the size of Taiwan) that lies just off the 2070s, the collection was controversially augmented with
western Pacific coast of North America. many exotic artificial species, some mobile and carnivorous.
Victoria is the central city (population 211,000) within In the mid-20th and early 21st century, its agreeable cli-
the larger metropolitan area of Greater Victoria (officially mate and quality of life made Victoria both a popular retire-
the Capital Regional District, or CRD). It’s the largest city ment spot and a location for high-tech companies. The has
on Vancouver Island and fourth largest city of ABC (after become one of Canada’s most popular tourist and cruise ship
Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton). The nearest major cities destinations. Victoria still strives to retain a distinct “British”
to Victoria are on the mainland across the Straits of Georgia character with tea rooms, replica double-decker tourist buses,
and Juan de Fuca: Vancouver (the largest city of ABC) and and a significant population tracing ancestry to England or
Seattle (in the United States). Aircraft, air cars, seaplanes, and Scotland. The city also celebrates its Pacific roots; it has the
high-speed ferries provide daily service. second-oldest Chinatown in North America, and strong busi-
ness and cultural links with China, Japan, and other Asia-

City Features Pacific nations, reinforced in the last 65 years by membership

in the Pacific Rim Alliance (PRA) bloc.
Victoria has a warm Mediterranean-style climate with
a notable absence of snow, and lacks the excessive rainfall
of Seattle and Vancouver. The warming climate of the last Government and Military
half-century has moved the climate toward that of 20th-cen- The seminal event in Victoria’s mid-21st century history
tury California, but it remains pleasant except for occasional was the decision in 2031 of the western Canadian provinces of
drought during hotter summers. Its location on the south- British Columbia (BC) and Alberta to separate from Canada
ern side of Vancouver Island shelters it from the worst of (see p. 26) and form a new union. As the capital of BC (and
the heavy storms that are increasingly taking form in the one of the two capitals of the Union), Victoria found itself
Pacific. The Olympic Mountains, on the mainland, are visi- transformed from a provincial to a national capital, a transi-
ble in the distance. tion it has met, but not without difficulties in reconciling the
Historically, the region was once inhabited by the values of local residents with national politics.
Salish First Nations. The present city traces its origin to a The government continues to be based in the renovated his-
British settlement in 1843; it was named for Queen Victoria toric 19th-century BC Parliament Buildings downtown, sup-
and was a major Pacific naval base of the British Empire. plemented by a new arcology complex. The sprawling former
Kipling described the harborfront, still the center of the city, Canadian naval base at Victoria’s Esquimault Harbour is now
as “Brighton Pavilion, with the Himalayas as a backdrop.” the home port for the Union’s Pacific Maritime Command,
Victoria powered industrial development of Vancouver Island operating four nuclear subs and eight patrol frigates. It often
(railways, shipbuilding, coal mining, and timber), and the city hosts visiting Australian, Japanese, and Korean naval ves-
became the capital of Canada’s province of British Columbia. sels. It also has a dolphin coast guard unit, the BC Scottish
Victoria’s streets lack a grid system; instead, they snake Regiment (Princess Mary’s Ghosts), and the 5th Field Artillery
around hills, parks, and the coastline. Many trails are popular (laser ABM defense), and elements of the Rocky Mountains
with cyclists. The main street is Douglas Street. The tourist Airborne. The latter spend most of their time assisting law
zone is the Inner Harbour by the parliament and museum enforcement and border patrols.
complex. Another landmark is the Royal Roads Arcology

Pyramid Magazine 24 July 2018

 Vancouver Island has long had a significant liberal polit- for such entities, e.g., in the municipal library networks and in
ical counterculture, from welcoming American draft dodg- distributed computing clusters scattered across various non-
ers after the Vietnam war, and Middle Eastern refugees, to critical elements of the urban infrastructure.
electing Canada’s first Green Party members
of parliament to, in more recent decades,
being the first ABC city to ban purchase
of non-fauxflesh meat. In the mid-21st cen-
tury, this spirit dovetailed with the desires
G
reater ictoria V , 2100
Population: 688,000 (Search +3)
of the city’s large population of well-off
retirees, whose growing interest in ever
more radical forms of life extension inex- Physical and Magical Environment
orably moved them beyond the traditional Terrain: Woodlands.
definition of human. Appearance: Attractive (+1) Hygiene: +1
Massive investments in medical and neu- No Mana (No Enchantment)
rological research and liberal attitudes com-
bined to push voters and officials toward
early recognition of both transhuman and
Culture and Economy
Language: English Literacy: Native
posthuman rights, especially of uploads and
TL: 10
shadow SAIs, and to drag the rest of ABC
Wealth: Wealthy (¥5) Status: -2 to 7
into greater recognition of these rights.

Political Environment
Pan-Sapient Government: Representative Democracy, Municipality, Sanctuary
Rights Movements CR: 3 (Corruption -1)
Military Resources: $96.32M Defense Bonus: +4
Today, social positions held by Victoria’s
populace and municipal governments often
manage to unify strong preservationist and
Notes
pan-sapient rights memes. Its most radical Victoria boasts over 900 tech companies, with a focus on robotics,
partisans seek to preserve the existing bio- cybernetics, neuro-tech, medicine, and uploading (+1 to search rolls for
sphere and genetic heritage of Earth, but feel tech); other chief industries are fauxflesh food products, tourism, edu-
the path lies through humanity transcending cation, and government. It has three postsecondary institutions, and
from the world. six national research labs. Its cultural and recreational assets make it
Unsurprisingly, Victoria now has a large a major tourist destination, notably including sea-life watching, a tall
and ever-expanding population of ghosts ships festival, and the dragon-boat race (+2 to search rolls for such
and SAIs, both embodied in cybershells attractions). Since the military bases are under national control, the
and living a digital existence. Pacific Rim Military Resources represent police forces.
Alliance laws and trade agreements which
Alberta-British Columbia are party to grant
ghosts full civil rights, but consider SAIs to
be property, and treat xoxes and emergent intelligences as Challenges
threats. This attitude is anathema to a growing number of Unfortunately, a side effect of such tolerance has been that
BC citizens; Victoria in particular is home to a pan-sapient many corners of the Victoria municipal web systems and com-
rights movement seeking full personhood (on the EU-model) puting cloud are overcrowded with strange weblife, as are sev-
for SAIs and, more radically, similar rights for EIs and xoxes. eral neglected areas of city infrastructure. The major effect has
Their supporters achieved their first major success in 2096, been bandwidth problems and increased cybersecurity costs,
when pan-sapient rights party members achieved a majority but incidents of emergent weblife cannibalizing one another
in city council, and, in defiance of ABC federal law, declared or city LAI and NAI systems, and taking control of augmented
the city’s municipal web a “sanctuary network” for runaway reality systems or even networked physical objects, while rare,
SAIs, xoxes, and emergent intelligences. As a result, Victoria are on rise. For instance, just last year a low-sapient EI repli-
has become something of a hot spot for posthuman rights cated through much of the city’s gardening swarms, mutating
confrontations between national and local political activists. them into a gestalt intelligence that, while notably more effi-
Current Union of ABC law has yet to grant personhood, cient in looking after the ecological balance of the city’s parks
to xoxes or EIs, but Victoria has also elected advocates of and greenspaces, took to harassing businesses and homeown-
pan-sapient rights to the provincial and national legislatures. ers with incessant offers of lawn care in exchange for credits.
Local attitudes largely reflect the “Trans.” column on the Pan- Other such “gremlins” also exist, some sheltered or adopted by
Sapient Rights Table (Transhuman Space, p. 127) rather than local activists, kids, or criminals.
the PRA position! At present, in obedience to the mayor and The city council has tried to deal with the problem by
city council’s liberal views, local police and information secu- raising municipal property and business taxes to fund
rity authorities do not harass such entities, and refuse to coop- larger and more robust sustainable online sanctuaries and
erate with provincial-level efforts at enforcement. City council server spaces, until such time as the PRA freely allows them
has also opened up server systems to provide secure housing to operate in the broader web without risk of persecution.

Pyramid Magazine 25 July 2018

 and PRA laws defining such beings as non-per-
sons; e.g., by registering non-person xoxes or
ABC Timeline: EIs as the property of corporate entities that
they themselves control.
Birth of a Nation
2019 – Collapse of NAFTA with the United States and Mexico trig-
gers a Canadian economic downturn, with the strongest effects in
Problem Areas
industrial regions of Ontario and Quebec. Western Canada is less Aside from activities related to rogue weblife,
affected; a separatist party forms, believing their destiny lies in the the city has a sizable number of supporters of
Pacific. radical preservationist, pan-sapient rights,
2022 – Rise of right-wing populism in Ontario. and environmental groups. Some of these have
2024 – Conservatives win big majorities in Quebec and Ontario, but cells or operate fund-raising activities here,
lose most of Western Canada. New federal government largely including Blue Shadow, the Europa Defense
ignores Western concerns. Force, and the Society of Isidore.
2026 – Growing prosperity in Western Canada thanks to increased Another issue are Maple Mafia-affiliated
trade links with Asia following China’s peaceful reunification with brain upload gangs that offer cut-rate (and
Taiwan, and Korean reunification. A major Alberta-British Colum- dangerous) brainpeeling uploads to increas-
bia issue involves transfer payments from Western provinces to ing numbers of teens attempting to transcend
subsidize economic woes in Ontario. their mortal existence. Perhaps a more serious
2027 – Magnitude 8.7 earthquake strikes the West Coast. Victoria problem for law enforcement is industrial and
takes minor damage, but Vancouver suffers severely. Perceived government espionage. As a research center,
slowness of federal relief and reconstruction aid response furthers military base, and national capital with some-
Western alienation. what lax physical and cybersecurity, Victoria
2028 – Canadian federal government’s costly patronage of a planned is often the target of Chinese, Canadian, and
multibillion dollar HECAN fusion reactor project to be located in United States intelligence operations.
Ontario and Quebec angers voters in oil-rich Alberta and anti-nu-
clear British Columbia.
2029 – The federal government attempts to quash rising separatist
About the Columnist
sentiment through an early referendum before opposition can David L. Pulver is a Canadian freelance
grow; this backfires. author based in Third Wave Victoria. An avid
2031 – Referendum in British Columbia and Alberta favors separa- science-fiction fan, he began roleplaying in
tion from Canada. junior high with the newly released Basic
2033 – Formation of Union of Alberta-British Columbia (ABC). Dungeons & Dragons. Upon graduating
Unable to agree on a new Union capital, provincial legislatures from university, he decided to become a game
in Edmonton, Alberta and Victoria, BC hold their joint “virtual designer. Since then, David has written over
parliament” sessions linked through augmented reality. 70 roleplaying game books, and he has worked
2036 – The British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP) are reestab- as a staff writer, editor, and line developer for
lished, replacing the RCMP. Steve Jackson Games and Guardians of Order.
2038 – Chinese and Canadian industrial espionage scandal spurs for- He is best known for creating Transhuman
mation of ABCSIS (Alberta-British Columbia Security and Intelli- Space, co-authoring the Big Eyes, Small
gence Service). ABC joins the Pacific Rim Alliance. Mouth anime RPG, and writing countless
GURPS books, including the GURPS Basic
Set, Fourth Edition, GURPS Ultra-Tech, and
the GURPS Spaceships series.
On a more practical
level, the city and volun-
teer pan-sapient rights
groups have forged busi-
ness and university part-
nerships to find better
ways to deal with the
more inhuman of the
emergent intelligences,
and to both improve
their quality of existence
and provide access to
necessary social services
(e.g., bank accounts)
and gainful employ-
ment opportunities. This
requires creativity work-
ing around current ABC

Pyramid Magazine 26 July 2018

 Villa
del Trebbio
by Matt Riggsby

The villa was an indispensable accessory for a Roman Beyond the villa’s many outbuildings, the area is fairly
aristocrat, a luxurious home in the countryside where he sparsely populated. Farmers work such patches of soil as they
could play at being a simple farmer nobly tilling the soil can. Most of them are tenants of the Medici, who own most
rather than a crass city-dweller. But with the collapse of the of the nearby land. However, the hills are wooded and full of
empire and the shattering of Italy into dozens of small, feud- game, so the area is ideal for recreational hunting.
ing territories, the villa went out of fashion.
A vacation home in the country was no longer
a safe place to stay.
As the Renaissance dawned, two things Map Notes
changed. Better and more active diplomacy Whether the exterior windows indicated on the villa maps (pp. 30-31)
made the countryside somewhat safer, and a are present depend on the era. They weren’t in Michelozzo’s original
revival of classical culture made the residents renovation in the 1420s, but they had been opened up by the late 16th
of cities (the richer residents, anyway) inter- century. The GM may decide whether or not they’re there as appropri-
ested in adopting some of the habits of their ate to the campaign. They may have been opened up in stages (upper
ancestors. And, always being on the cutting story windows during one episode, lower story during another) or all at
edge of new trends, it’s not surprising that once. All doorways have doors; they simply aren’t displayed. Contour
Firenze’s Medici were among the first to build lines on the area map (p. 29) indicate elevation in yards above sea level.
themselves new getaways in the countryside,
among the first being the Villa del Trebbio.
This article describes the villa, its
surroundings and history, and potential uses of it in a
campaign. While this villa is associated with the Medici
H istory
The origins of the villa are obscure, but it was probably the
(see GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance Florence), it could
site of a small castle during the Middle Ages. It fell into Medici
stand in for any Renaissance villa in relatively peaceful
hands at least as early as Giovanni di Bicci, when it was likely
times or a fortified residence in a more dangerous age.
a small, mixed-use country farm, growing vegetables and
grape vines. Early records also indicate that the site of the
T L
he ocation villa, when Giovanni owned it, was “suitable for a fortress,”
and there are indications that at some point it had a draw-
The villa is about 18 miles very nearly due north from
bridge and a moat. The building is therefore sometimes called
Firenze, a vigorous but not punishing day’s ride. It is also a
the “Castello del Trebbio.” This can lead to some confusion; a
mile and a half south of the course of the river Sieve, a minor
slightly larger, better fortified country residence by that name
tributary of the Arno. (The Lago di Bilancino, created by the
is about 20 miles south-southwest of the villa. Additionally,
construction of a dam on the Sieve, did not yet exist in the
the other location was, for at least part of the Quattrocento,
15th century.) The villa sits on a hilltop overlooking a crossing
owned by the Medici’s rivals, the Pazzi. When asking for direc-
of three roads to its southwest, from which it gets its name;
tions, then, it’s vitally important to know which one you want
“tre via” became “trebbio.” The most notable route it over-
to get to.
looks goes directly from Firenze to Bologna, heading north
In the late 1420s, Cosimo had the villa extensively reno-
past the house.
vated to make it a more comfortable residence and suburban
The immediate environs of the villa include wooded hills
vacation home. The work was undertaken by the architect and
behind it to the north and east, and a convoluted area of
sculptor Michelozzo. This was one of his first projects for the
more or less level ground suitable for farming to the south
Medici, but he went on to become essentially the family’s res-
and west, with more hills not far beyond. The general trend
ident architect until his death in 1472.
of the land is to slope downward from the southwest to the
For the Medici, the villa initially served as a useful
northeast, but there are many little valleys and hills, of which
retreat from Firenze proper in times of trouble. For exam-
the villa occupies the tallest in its neighborhood. Climate is
ple, they stayed there during an outbreak of plague in 1430.
essentially identical to nearby Firenze.

Pyramid Magazine 27 July 2018

However, Cosimo embraced the Roman ideal of a country The Villa
villa as a relaxing place for a gentleman to spend time. He
The villa as Cosimo knew it was, by accounts, still a func-
was, apparently, actively involved in working on parts of the
tional fortification. It had few windows, plus a moat and a
villa during his stays, becoming particularly skilled at man-
drawbridge. Still, it wasn’t without weaknesses. Notably, it
aging fruit trees.
would be difficult to seal the tower off from the rest of the villa
After 1451, the property passed to a junior branch of the
as a last resort.
family, descended from Cosimo’s brother Lorenzo (after
To those who came after, and in particular by the late 16th
whom Cosimo’s grandson was named). These later genera-
century, it was more of a luxury home in the shape of a cas-
tions of residents took greater advantage of the villa’s hinter-
tle rather than a true defensive structure. There were more
land in ways the gout-plagued main line of Medici never could.
doors than strictly necessary, the moat and drawbridge were
Giovanne delle Bande Nere in particular was fond of using the
gone, and a good many windows had been opened up, even on
villa as a base for hunting in the surrounding woods, as well
the ground floor. Even then, with sturdy shutters and doors,
as for fishing and riding. It continued to serve as a refuge from
it would be a fortification good enough to hold off a small
problems in the city (a young Amerigo Vespucci took shelter
group of bandits or unintelligent threats like packs of raven-
in the villa during a bout of plague in 1476). The villa was also
ing wolves or zombie hordes, but wouldn’t last long against a
a base of power (Grand Duke Cosimo I grew up here) and a
professional army.
place for the Medici to exercise their excellent taste and deep
The lower floor (p. 30) serves as a public space and working
pockets (Botticelli painted a number of decorations around
rooms for the household. The northernmost rooms are a sort
the property during the late 15th century). During these years,
of split level, with (A) down a very short flight from (B). They,
though at less well-established times, the complex underwent
along with (G), could be used as bedrooms or offices. (C) is
other revisions. The drawbridge and moat disappeared, and a
essentially a large shaded alcove off of the courtyard (D), with
number of windows were opened.
one of the stairways leading up to the second floor. (D) has a
But as with most other things, the villa eventually slipped
well in the center and is open to the sky, except for a portico
away from the Medici. It was sold to another noble fam-
roof sheltering the other set of stairs to the second floor. There
ily (though the Medici retained plenty of other villas in the
is a sort of closet underneath the stairs behind double doors.
region by this time). The villa found its way into the hands
The kitchen and a pantry are in (F), while (E) is the bottom
of a monastic order not long thereafter. Through time, and
floor of the tower, into which there is a step up.
with more revisions, the villa came into private hands. The
The second floor (p. 31) is primarily residence. Cosimo’s
property still produces wines, and it’s open to tours. As it was
apartment at (A) is naturally the largest and most comfortable
in the time of the Medici, the Villa del Trebbio is a place for
set of rooms in the building. (B) is open air; the surround-
luxurious agrotourism.
ing windows overlook the courtyard below. The northern
rooms at (C) are, again, a few steps up from the level
of the rest of the floor. There are steps up from other
floors at (D), while there are steps up to the attic at (E).
Building Stats The third floor was under a gabled tile roof wrap-
The villa is roughly but not quite perfectly rectangular; the ping around the building except for the tower, which
shortest side is a bit under 40’, while the longest is a bit over has its own low, peaked roof. It serves as attic storage.
50’. The bulk of the structure is a little over 30’ high (the first It has a few tiny windows facing inward, and is cren-
two stories are taller than the third), while the tower is around elated underneath the eaves of the roof on the outside
50’. The interior walls of the villa are plastered and attractively faces. A map is not provided, because this level has the
painted, but the structure itself is stone. The exterior walls are same outline as the lower floors, with no interior walls.
12” thick. Most interior walls are 6” thick, save for the tower,
whose walls are 18” thick. This gives exterior walls DR 144, HP
95; interior walls DR 72, HP 75; tower walls DR 216, HP 109.
The Grounds and Other Buildings
The building as a whole has HP 453, HT 12. Built from scratch, The villa is the focus of the complex, but there are
it costs about $1.6M. Interior doors have DR 2, HP 29, while several other buildings and features. See the map on
exterior doors have DR 10, HP 34. All can be locked, but none p. 29.
have locks which are notably difficult to pick. A freestanding, single-room chapel stands near
the approach to the villa at (A), so residents can enjoy
their own religious ceremonies without having to go
far to find a church. Like the villa itself, this build-
ing received attention from Botticelli when he came to
T V
he illa omplex C decorate. Remains of old walls (which perhaps denote the
course of the one-time moat) outline a lane which leads to
While modern visitors to the Villa del Trebbio are mostly
the villa proper.
there to see Michelozzo’s renovated castello, the fortified
At (B), just downhill from the villa, a decorative garden is
home was the center of a much larger farming complex. The
bound on its east and west by low walls and on the north and
grounds of the villa included stables, a chapel, a variety of gar-
south by a pair of pergolas. The pergolas are walkways shaded
dens, and a number of outbuildings. Many have been lost or
by grape vines held up by parallel rows of stone columns.
altered over the years, so what follows is a somewhat specu-
Between them are carefully kept square beds of flowers and
lative reconstruction. Letters in parentheses refer to sites on
edible plants for the kitchen.
respective maps.

Pyramid Magazine 28 July 2018

Map of the Villa Grounds
The land to the east of the villa (C) is a carefully tended are into that kind of thing) there’s a chapel for restoring sacred
lawn. The grassy area is suitable for picnics, gatherings, and energies and a tower suitable for observing the stars.
practicing swordplay. A retaining wall forms a sharp right It’s also an excellent place for plotting conspiracies. Prox-
angle pointing more or less due east, dropping off like a cliff. imity to Firenze means it’s accessible to important people
A variety of outbuildings at (D) are spread out downhill in the city, from local noblemen to ambassadors from rival
from the villa along the road going east. These include quar- powers. The command of the landscape means that conspira-
ters for servants and farmhands, a two-story barn (the other tors can easily post a watch which will see unwanted outsid-
buildings are all one story and often one room), a structure ers coming along the road to Bologna from miles away. The
holding wine-making equipment and barrels for aging, and nearby woods give conspirators a chance to flee under cover
a stable. Even when the owner of the villa or some of his should that become necessary. Of course, the woods also
friends and relatives aren’t in residence, farmers and care- allow counter-conspirators cover under which to sneak up on
takers still live here – perhaps a small family or two and a the villa if they’re willing to go the long way around.
few farmhands. The shape of the villa, with a small courtyard and a tower,
is suitably generic, so it could serve as inspiration for a small

In the Campaign
fortress in a range of locations from Western Europe to China.
It could act as a border post on the Silk Road, a baron’s keep
The Villa del Trebbio can serve a number of functions in a in medieval France or Germany, or a stronghold in India. It
Renaissance-era campaign. The medieval architecture makes might require some remodeling, though, like adding floors
it stand out a bit from later, more purpose-built villas of the to the upper parts of the tower; in the Villa del Trebbio, the
period, which are designed from the ground up as large homes upper reaches are inaccessible. If it’s abandoned, it can a be
rather than fortifications renovated for comfort. However, it’s a very nice haunted house. There’s even a well for uncanny
not entirely unique (as the other Castello del Trebbio demon- echoes to come from, and creepy woods nearby.
strates), so it might be symbolic of a slightly eccentric individ-
ual choice, an old family home, or the villa of someone who
can afford a country home but can’t afford to have one built About the Author
from scratch. Matt Riggsby is trained in anthropology and archaeology
Since it’s quiet but still reasonably close to a major city, and, like the rest of his generation, has a job in computers. He
the villa is a good long-term base of operations. It’s a working works for an international healthcare IT company and lives
farm, so it provides the most basic necessities, there’s plenty with his lovely and talented wife, above-average child, and a
of room to rest up between quests, and (for adventurers who pack of dogs.

Pyramid Magazine 29 July 2018

 N

Floor Plan of the Villa’s Lower Floor

Scale: 1 hex = 1 yard

Pyramid Magazine 30 July 2018

 N

Floor Plan of the Villa’s Second Floor

Scale: 1 hex = 1 yard

Pyramid Magazine 31 July 2018

Pyramid Magazine 32 July 2018
 Revolutionary
Cuba by Nathan Milner

Guerrilla fighters struggle to overthrow a corrupt dicta- Batista’s burgeoning dictatorship. He launched several consti-
torial regime. Global superpowers wage a shadow war for tutional arguments against the validity of the Batista govern-
control of a volatile, geographically important nation. Mafia ment, but each was dismissed by the courts. Castro, having
kingpins manipulate political and civil unrest to protect their pursued legal action against Batista and having found himself
empire of gambling and drugs. Cuba from the early 1950s to rebuffed, began to explore other methods of resistance.
1960s brought together the key people, powers, and ideas that

Revolution, 1953-1959
would shape the second half of the 20th century.
The city description format comes from GURPS City Stats.
The tensions caused by Cuba’s increasing wealth gap and
frustration with the corrupt Batista government primed the
The revolution is a dictatorship of country for a revolution. Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl
had little trouble recruiting followers from among the impov-
the exploited against the exploiters. erished working class to join their revolutionary force.
– Fidel Castro The Castro brothers’ opening offensive in the Cuban Rev-
olution occurred at the Moncada Barracks in 1953. Rebel
fighters attacked several military installations in the hopes of
inciting a widespread uprising against Batista. However, gov-
Boiling Point ernment soldiers quickly subdued the rebels, and the Castro
In the early 1950s, Cuba (in particular, its capital, Havana) brothers were imprisoned.
became a destination for tourists from the United States. In 1955, bowing to public pressure, Batista freed the
Sitting just 90 nautical miles off the coast of Florida, the Castros. They fled to Mexico. There, they met Argentine
island nation called to travelers from the United States with Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who stoked their revolutionary ideas
the promise of illicit activities. The city’s numerous casinos and offered his expertise in guerrilla warfare. Still determined
and nightclubs provided easy access to music, dancing, gam- to overthrow the illegitimate president of their home country,
bling, prostitution, and drugs. the Castros set sail from Mexico in 1956 and headed back to
Outside Havana, in the rural areas, the Cuban people Cuba with Guevara and a small band of rebels.
had to watch their nation’s resources being consumed and Cuba at this time was a nation in near civil war. While
exploited by outsiders. Many citizen were employed only sea- the Castros had just returned and only begun their violent
sonally by plantations or sugar mills, and lived in poverty. insurrection, dissatisfaction with the Batista government
American mobsters ran and profited from the casinos, hotels, had spread throughout Cuban society. Workers were strik-
and nightclubs that supported the tourism industry, while the ing. A group of revolutionaries unaffiliated with the Castros
nation’s chief exports (sugar and tobacco) were overseen pri- attacked the Presidential Palace and attempted to assassi-
marily by U.S. corporations. nate Batista.
If the Cuban working class hoped for some relief from the Shortly after the revolutionists landed, Batista’s army
growing inequality, it couldn’t look for help from its govern- attacked and killed most of the rebels who sailed with Castro.
ment. President Fulgencio Batista and his officials catered to The survivors, including the Castro brothers and Guevara,
the interests of American Mafia, corporations, and govern- scattered into the Sierra Maestra mountains. Eventually, with
ment to enrich themselves at the expense of Cuban citizens. the help of locals sympathetic to the rebels’ cause, the sur-
Batista, the democratically elected president of Cuba from vivors reunited, reorganized their forces, and began leading
1940 to 1944, led a military coup in 1952 and reclaimed the guerrilla assaults against Batista’s army and its strongholds.
office. He immediately moved to solidify the power he’d seized As the revolution wore on throughout 1958, the rebels esca-
by canceling the upcoming presidential election. lated their attacks. They launched raids against government
One of the candidates in the now-canceled election was a outposts as well as against symbols of the forces oppressing
young lawyer named Fidel Castro. Castro was distressed by the Cuba’s people. Rebels set fire to sugar mills and plantations.
exploitation of Cuba’s resources and determined to head off Havana lost its appeal for tourists as bombings within Cuba’s
capital become more frequent.

Pyramid Magazine 33 July 2018

 Batista struck back, sending troops into the foothills of the as late as 1959. Following the revolution, the U.S. govern-
Sierra Maestra to root out the rebels, but the guerrilla fighters ment deemed the Castro regime too great a potential threat to
turned back the army forces. In the ensuing months, Batista remain uninvolved.
soldiers would manage some victories, but they were being While Castro didn’t declare himself a communist, he
worn down. The U.S. government – which had once supported allowed the Communist party in Cuba to grow and spread
the Batista government with funds and arms – responded to its message. In the midst of the Cold War with the Soviet
the widespread unrest in Cuba by imposing an arms embargo. Union, U.S. political leaders decided that they could not per-
Batista soldiers began to find themselves outgunned by the mit communism to gain a foothold just off the coast of Flor-
guerrilla fighters. In December 1958, Guevara led a band of ida. They also feared that Castro’s socialist revolution might
rebels and captured a garrison in Santa Clara. The group also provide a model for other colonial nations to follow. More-
seized a train containing arms and ammunition that Batista’s over, Castro nationalized U.S. economic assets (including
army badly needed. sugar and coffee plantations and oil refineries) soon after
The long Cuban Revolution came to an end when Batista, taking power.
rattled by the defeat at Santa Clara, vacated his position as Any overt attempt to overthrow Castro’s government would
president of Cuba and, in the early hours of January 1, 1959, draw the attention of the United Nations, so President Dwight
fled the country. Guevara and Castro marched into Havana, Eisenhower in 1960 authorized a program called “Operation
declaring the revolution victorious. Castro became prime min- Mongoose.” This program would allow the CIA to engage in
ister in the newly formed provisional government. covert activities designed to destabilize Cuba’s government
and remove Castro from power. From propaganda and dis-
information to intelligence gathering and assassination
attempts, CIA efforts in Cuba were far-reaching.
Havana, 1952-1959 The CIA even proposed a partnership with the Mafia to
effect regime change in Cuba. In August 1960, the CIA reached
Population: 1,274,000 (Search +3) out to Chicago gangsters Sam Giancana and Johnny Roselli,
suggesting a plan in which the mob would assassinate both
Physical and Magical Environment Castro brothers along with Guevara. In return, the CIA would
Terrain: Plains allow the mob to maintain its gaming, prostitution, and drug
Appearance: Attractive (+1) Hygiene: 0 operations in Cuba.
No Mana (No Enchantment)

Culture and Economy

Bay of Pigs Invasion, 1961
The most significant action taken by the CIA in Cuba
Language: Spanish Literacy: Accented was the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. The CIA sponsored and
TL: 5 trained an invasion force called Brigade 2506, which con-
Wealth: Wealthy (¥5) Status: 1 to 6 sisted primarily of Cuban exiles, plus some members of the
U.S. military. Brigade 2506 sailed from Guatemala in April
Political Environment 1961 bound for Cuba, where they were sent to overthrow
Government: Dictatorship, Municipality the Castro regime.
CR: 4 (Corruption -4) The counter-revolutionary unit landed in Cuba in the Bay
Military Resources: $350.3M Defense Bonus: 0 of Pigs. After quickly defeating a local militia, Brigade 2506
slowed down when they encountered the Cuban army. The ini-
tial plan – signed off on by President John F. Kennedy – called
Notes for air and naval support. However, as the conflict wore on,
Havana before the revolution was dazzling, dynamic, global sentiment turned against the U.S.-led invasion, and
and deeply unstable. Samba music fills the air. The most Kennedy called off airstrikes. Without air cover, the counter-
popular entertainers of the day – Frank Sinatra, Nat revolutionaries were forced to surrender just three days after
King Cole, Dizzy Gillespie – might be seen performing having landed in Cuba.
or enjoying the nightlife. The incident only reinforced Castro’s distrust and dislike
Foreigners have a Social Stigma (‑4 to reactions) any- of the United States, and it strengthened his ties to commu-
where outside the city proper. Working men and women nism and to Russia.
not employed in the business of entertaining tourists
have the same Social Stigma within the city.
Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
Following the Bay of Pigs invasion, Castro entered into an
agreement with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to deploy
Operation Mongoose, nuclear missiles to Cuba in an effort to stave off future inva-
sions. When U.S. Air Force spy planes produced photographic
1960-1962 evidence of missile facilities in Cuba (putting the missiles well
within range of an attack on the United States), President
The U.S. government had been involved in Cuban politics
Kennedy imposed a naval blockade to prevent additional mis-
well before the Cuban Revolution, providing support in the
siles from reaching the island.
form of funds and weapons to the Batista government until

Pyramid Magazine 34 July 2018

 Tense negotiations ensued between Kennedy and during his time as a medical student; the poor living and
Khrushchev, with the two nations seemingly on the brink working conditions he encountered there inspired him to
of nuclear war. An accord was eventually reached in which oppose by any means necessary the capitalist exploita-
the Soviets would agree to destroy the missiles transported tion of Latin American nations. Guevara met the Castros
to Cuba, and the United States declared that it would not in Mexico City following their release from prison. He
attempt another invasion of Cuba. returned with them to Cuba, where he directed many of
the guerrilla campaigns that would eventually overthrow

Key People the Batista government.

If encountered, PCs will find Guevara to be well-read,
A few people are particularly important to revolutionary well-educated, and well-traveled. He is worldly and philosoph-
Cuba. ical, but he is uncompromising in his beliefs. He devoted his
life to anti-imperialism and empowering the downtrodden.
Guevara inspires conflicting feelings; he pursued a utopian
Fidel Castro (1926-2016) vision but readily resorted to violence to achieve it.
Fidel Castro was the driving force and central figure in
the Cuban Revolution. Castro grew up in Cuba in an affluent
family of farmers. Studying law at the University of Havana, Meyer Lansky (1902-1983)
Castro became interested in fighting social injustice. He took Born Meier Suchowlański, Lansky would earn the nick-
part in rebellions against the governments of the Dominican name “the Mob’s Accountant” because of his proficiency at
Republic and Colombia before turning his attention back managing lucrative gambling operations and at money laun-
to his homeland. Following the Cuban Revolution, Castro dering. Lansky immigrated to the United States as a child
became the nation’s prime minister and ruled Cuba for nearly from Grodno, a Polish territory under Russian rule, where
50 years before stepping down due to health issues. his family faced rampant anti-Semitism. Growing up in
If encountered, Castro is forceful and uncompromising. Manhattan, Lansky forged friendships with both Bugsy Siegel
From the idealistic young lawyer who opposed the Batista and Charles “Lucky” Luciano. The three would go on to build
government because he sought to better the living and a Mafia empire and become three of the most famous, notori-
working conditions of the Cuban people, Castro became a ous figures in organized crime.
radical leader of paramilitary rebels and, later, a dictator Lansky laid out his vision for mob operations in Cuba
who oppressed his people just as severely as the regimes he during the Havana Conference. He went on to spearhead the
fought against. Mafia’s gambling empire in Cuba.
If encountered, Lansky is highly intelligent, calculating,
and ruthless. He has no time for anything or anyone who
Che Guevara (1928-1967) stands in the way of his interests. When mob bosses felt Bugsy
Ernesto “Che” Guevara provided Castro’s revolution the Siegel was mismanaging the Las Vegas casino The Flamingo
skilled guerrilla warfare tactician that it needed to take on and losing them money, it was Lansky himself who approved
Cuba’s army. Guevara journeyed through South America the hit on his childhood friend.

Havana Conference, 1946

The American Mafia played an integral, if clandestine, Soon after the conference, mobsters began building
role in the Cuban Revolution. Mafia kingpins had arrived extravagant playgrounds for the rich and influential, like
at a mutually beneficial relationship with the Batista gov- Lansky’s Havana Riveria. At these places, some of the
ernment. Batista turned a blind eye to the mob money most famous entertainers and politicians of the day could
being funneled into Cuba to build hotels and casinos, indulge their basest desires out of view of the press.
because the Mafia ensured that a portion of their profits Lansky understood that the Cuban casinos would be
went back to government officials. During the revolution, more successful if tourists felt safe physically and finan-
Mafia casinos and nightclubs became target of the rebels’ cially. Fair dealing was encouraged and enforced. The
anger, both as a symbol of the foreign presence invading integrity of the games was strictly monitored to assure
their homeland and as active means of exploiting Cuba’s gamblers that they were not playing rigged games. The
people and resources. casinos’ mob connections and bribed local law enforce-
The exploitation by the Mafia started when a group of ment ensured gamblers’ physical safety. Corruption and
mob bosses gathered at the Hotel Nacional in Havana in violence needed to be restricted to the management of the
1946 to discuss a plan to build a criminal empire in Cuba, casinos and kept off the casino floor.
catering to tourists but outside the jurisdiction of U.S. In the immediate aftermath of Castro’s victory, many
law enforcement. Known as the Havana Conference, the casinos were ransacked and destroyed. Just a year after
meeting was organized by Meyer Lansky, an established taking power, Castro dealt a serious blow to the Mafia’s
figure in the U.S. mob and the man who would come to operations in Cuba when he nationalized the casinos and
serve as the head of the mob’s operations in Cuba. outlawed gambling.

Pyramid Magazine 35 July 2018

 violent action is discouraged and would have
serious political repercussions for the United
Cuban Village, 1950-1959 States. The PCs must find a way to penetrate
Castro’s inner circle and ruin his public image.
Population: 35,000 (Search +1)
During their operation, they might encoun-
ter Mafia assassins in the midst of a clumsy
Physical and Magical Environment attempt on Castro’s life. If the assassins aren’t
Terrain: Mountain, Jungle, Plains stopped, the failed assassination attempt will
Appearance: Average (0) Hygiene: -2 surely backfire and make Castro a hero to the
No Mana (No Enchantment) Cuban people.
A New Missile Crisis: The PCs discover
nuclear missiles being secretly moved into
Culture and Economy Cuba. They can try to make contact with one
Language: Spanish Literacy: Broken of the CIA operatives active in Cuba and raise a
TL: 2 red flag, but can they tell CIA spies from Soviet
Wealth: Struggling (¥1/2) Status: -2 to 0 spies or Castro loyalists? Every interaction is
fraught with the potential for misdirection and
Political Environment deception. They might attempt direct action to
Government: Dictatorship prevent the situation from developing into an
CR: 5 (Corruption -1) international crisis. But will their interference
Military Resources: $1.1M Defense Bonus: +1 make an already volatile situation worse?

Notes
Life in rural Cuba before and during the revolution was difficult.
About the Author
Nathan Milner spends his days slogging
Unemployment was high. Even the peasants who could find work through a minefield of hashtags, social media
on plantations still lived in debt, just barely getting by on their mea- engagement, and actionable insights as the
ger wages. There was close to no access to education or healthcare. director of technology for an interactive mar-
Malnourishment and illiteracy were widespread. For those with revo- keting firm. In his free time, Nathan, his wife,
lutionary aspirations, potential allies can easily be found in rural com- and two daughters enjoy the real world in and
munities, where dissatisfaction with their station in life runs high. around Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Adventure Seeds
Revolutionary Beginnings: In the villages of Cuba, peas-
ants are starving, living on the fringes of survival. In Havana,
the casinos are glittering shrines to wealth and decadence.
It’s up to the PCs to bring some measure of equality to the
situation. They might stage a heist or rig the games in their
favor. They’ll need to steer clear of or outwit the gangsters
in charge, or face painful retribution if caught. Rebel forces
could potentially be engaged as active participants in the
mission or as a distraction.
In the Crossfire: During this volatile, highly contentious
time, life was dangerous for ordinary Cuban citizens caught
up in the conflict. A distraught mother flags down the PCs
pleading for help. Her young son and daughter were playing
on the beach when guerrilla fighters emerged from the jungle
to ambush passing Batista soldiers. The children are caught
in the crossfire and rescuing them will require the PCs to nav-
igate a treacherous political landscape between the revolu-
tionaries and government forces. It’s not enough to cooperate
with one side alone, or they will be seen as enemies by the
other. They will need to appease both groups to avoid disaster.
Operation Mongoose: The CIA developed numerous plots
to eliminate or undermine Castro following his successful
revolution, from planting explosives in his cigars to using
thallium salts to cause his beard to fall out. A CIA operative
recruits the PCs to generate and execute a plan to humiliate
Castro and damage his image in the eyes of his people. Direct,

Pyramid Magazine 36 July 2018

 Furbo Venezia by Matt Riggsby

Don’t you already have enough to do in Venezia? It’s got they passing messages hidden in the card designs from for-
fabulous clothes custom-tailored to narrowly circumvent eigners to a local conspiracy? From foreign agents to Venetian
sumptuary laws, new books coming out all the time, plays spymasters through a well-hidden back channel? Is someone
and processions to see, spectacular paintings, business setting the targets up with trumped up charges of smuggling
opportunities around every corner, and as much secretly (a small matter in itself, but useful for establishing leverage
informing on your neighbors as you can eat. Still need more against them)? Is someone setting up the adventurers them-
to keep you busy? Here are the seeds of a few more adven- selves? And even if their erstwhile employer explains the pur-
tures set in and around the city. pose of their mission, is he telling the truth?
See GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance Venice for more

Quella Sporca Dozzina

details about the various groups mentioned in these adven-
ture seeds.
A number of rough-but-capable Venetian exiles are given an

The Infernal Portolan offer: assassinate a particular Turkish general before he starts
an advance up the Balkans and they’ll be allowed back into the
The Renaissance sees a proliferation of highly accurate city as well as handsomely compensated. This can be an inter-
portolans. A portolan is a detailed map for sea travel. It shows esting start to a Venezia-based campaign, bringing together a
mostly coastlines and ports, with networks of lines originat- group of adventurers who would otherwise have little reason
ing from compass roses all over the document, indicating to know or work with one another. And it can be even more
sailing directions. interesting if there are more members of
Rumor has it that a haunted sea captain in the team than there are players, so a core
cooperation with a mad publisher and a blind group of adventurers has to deal with
engraver have assembled a portolan which can both the Turks and unruly colleagues.
be used to navigate to Hell. To some, it could be

Risi e Bisi
incalculably valuable, but in the wrong hands,
it could be catastrophic. And everyone is after
it, from the Council of Ten to the pope to the If Venezia has a national dish, it’s
other cities of Italy and nations of Europe to, risi e bisi. This dish of creamy rice and
it is said, the Turks. Adventurers could try to fresh peas is a beloved spring favor-
identify the people who made it, find innocu- ite, particulary associated with the
ous individual engraving plates placed with a Feast of San Marco. This April 25, two
range of independent printers, or track down compagnie de calze have resolved to
the pages scattered across the city, all the while have the honor of bringing the doge
fending off other searchers. the season’s first dish of risi e bisi this
year. They will stop at nothing to get

Card Sharps a fresh, hot dish to the doge’s palace

and prevent their rivals from doing the
Adventurers are recruited to smuggle decks same. Adventurers may be enlisted in a
of cards into Venezia and place them with cer- frantic campaign of sabotage that day,
tain notables around the city without those peo- snatching up all the fresh peas from
ple knowing about it. They must get four or five the markets, finding out where their
decks into the city (that can’t be very hard . . . rivals might be using a kitchen, and
can it?) and quietly deposit them in the homes blocking roads.
or casinos of their targets. Their choice of meth-

About
ods is their own. They might break in and leave
the cards behind, get invited to a gathering (easy

the Author
if they move in the right social circles, harder
otherwise), or simply crash a party.
Clever adventurers can easily come up with For more details about Matt
ways to get the job done. Wise adventurers may Riggsby, author of GURPS Hot Spots:
wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into. Are Renaissance Venice, see p. 29.

Pyramid Magazine 37 July 2018

 Random
Thought Table
Stealing History for Fun
by Steven Marsh, Pyramid Editor

One of the great things about the Internet is that it’s basi- I remember the original thread being one of commiseration
cally a fountain of ideas . . . admittedly, of varying quality. among the creators in question. Yes, it’s frustrating to design
One of the bad things about the Internet is that – being a something that feels fresh and original in your mind, only to
fountain of ideas – you’ll sometimes run across a brilliant learn that – nope – you’ve inadvertently ripped off something
concept and then be unable to remember its origins or pedi- that’s already existed for hundreds or thousands of years.
gree years later. Being an incredibly lazy GM, I realize that the opportu-
Such is the springboard of my column this week. I recall nity is there to do the exact opposite – namely, if you need
reading many years ago about a concept where the gist was, to come up with some interesting bit of worldbuilding, just
“Congratulations! You just invented the Catholic Church!” take something that exists in history and consciously steal it
The idea was that – as a worldbuilder – you have to come up with abandon.
with interesting details for your worlds. (I can’t remember if The GURPS Hot Spots series – like other GURPS histori-
the principle was directed at authors or GMs, but it doesn’t cal volumes – are perfectly accessible tomes to which to apply
really matter.) So you go through all these hoops to invent these techniques. Although some supplements already offer
something interesting in a culture or world: say, a group with insight into adapting their elements to different eras or situa-
a hierarchal nature, odd rituals, a supreme authority who tions, here we’ll take a more meta approach to the same idea.
appoints members of a small group that – in turn – selects the
successor to that authority after death. And after spending all Compression’s the Thing
that time coming up with interesting ideas that make sense
As a tip: Using the techniques from this article can allow
in your head and seem to be invented out of whole cloth, you
you to assign large bits of “data” in fairly compact notes. For
lean back, look at the whole picture, and realize . . . you’ve just
example, if the heroes look like they’re going to spend a lot of
accidentally invented the structure of the Catholic Church. Or
time at a local tavern and you want to come up with a bar-
British Parliament. Or the Constitutional Convention. Or any
tender, you can jot down something like . . . BARTENDER:
other incredibly specific element of this rich tapestry that is
Named “Gus.” Walter Cronkite voice. James Dean hair.
the human experience.

People
“Why Not Just Go to Egypt, Then?” Perhaps the easiest — and arguably most
The idea of swiping historical locales and adapting them to your useful — place to start with this technique is to
needs raises an obvious question: Why not just set the game in the his- file off the serial numbers of people, and turn
torical location and era? That’s certainly a great option; it’s also the them into characters in your game. To do this,
default assumption of the Hot Spots series. For many folks – your decide what you’re striving to swipe.
Humble Author included – the challenge is that it can feel constraining
to be “true” to history. If you want to set a campaign starting in 1200 The Look
in Constantinople, you’ve got four years before it all goes to heck. That You can certainly take the entire physi-
inevitability of history can be a draw for some gamers, but it can also cal appearance of a celebrity or a person you
feel like a straitjacket for other groups. (Of course, the other option is know and assign it to a PC or NPC. Indeed, an
to say that history can change . . . but if you go that route, then it’s dif- easy technique – especially if you have access
ferent from just plunking it on another planet by a matter of degrees.) to a color printer – is to take interesting pho-
There’s no right or wrong answer; have fun! tos you find online and say, “The pilot looks
like just like this gal, in an aviator’s uniform.”

Pyramid Magazine 38 July 2018

But you can just as easily assign elements of a person’s appear- There are two interesting things to consider when it comes
ance to someone. Albert Einstein had a distinctive hairdo to adapting “hot spots” to your own campaign. In broad
and facial hair. David Bowie had two different-looking eyes. strokes, you can mix or match.
Muhammad Ali had an infectious, confident smile.
If you’re concerned about staying too true to the appear- Match . . .
ances you’re taking, modifying them slightly will throw off
You just take what’s interesting about a location and apply
most folks. “The librarian has unkempt red hair that juts
it more-or-less intact, perhaps changing names or nudging
out at odd angles, and a large bushy mustache. He greets
geographies as appropriate.
you warmly.” That’s a description of Einstein’s hair, except
This is the approach taken by TSR during their world-cre-
I added “red.”
ation days in the 1990s, with the creation of Kara-Tur (incor-
porating Asian elements) and Al-Qadim (“Arabian Nights”).
The Act The advantage of this is that you know it’ll probably make
In addition to physical appearance, the mannerisms of sense if you stay true to the original skeleton of the structure.
someone can be taken. This can be harder to perform convinc- If you plunk down something that’s pretty much the Vatican
ingly and not have it break the mood, since most people know City on your alien world – complete with the architecture,
if you’re doing (say) an Elvis impression. But if you don’t exag- power structure, political outlook, and relationship with the
gerate the traits, you can take the mannerisms of an actor or rest of the planet – then you know it should “work” and make
person and apply them to your own characters. For example, sense. (And . . . um . . . congratulations! You’ve just invented
you might assign a cab driver Fox Mulder’s mumbling charm, the Catholic Church!)
or give the manic energy of Dr. Ian Malcolm to a police officer. The downside is that it’s painfully obvious what you’re
Similarly, you can pull from your own history to create doing, unless you pick a culture or area that’s relatively
memorable characters. This can be challenging with close underutilized. This isn’t a bad thing if it’s a feature (“Oh, boy!
groups of friends; if you steal your friend Mark’s penchant for We get to explore the cool Egyptian part of this world!”). But it
starting most sentences with, “Okay, so . . . ,” then be care- can be incongruous if there’s no real reason for those elements.
ful that the other players don’t know Mark! (Members of your (How many science-fiction efforts of the 1960s had stories that
family are ideal to crib mannerisms and personality quirks took place on alien worlds that were fully co-opted Wild West
from . . . unless, of course, you invite members of your family realms or Roman times, simply because Central Casting and
to join in your games.) Wardrobe had complete sets and costumes for the eras?)
Finally – and perhaps more germane to those of you look- If you’re going to take this approach, roll with it unapol-
ing at your GURPS library – you can easily swipe histories of ogetically. Some of the most popular RPGs in the world are
people, modifying as needed, to design interesting and mem- set in Basically Medieval Europe. So, if you want the era-
orable encounters. of-pirates Caribbean in your game world (see, say, GURPS
For example, consider this description: Supporting Cast: Age of Sail Pirate Crew), just plunk it in
there, change some island names, and call it a day.
The character is likely to deal with any situation aggres-
sively. Unfortunately, his personality is better suited for war-
fare than kingship; he tends to favor brute-force solutions . . . or Mix
to political problems, even when subtlety might yield better The other option is to take elements from different cultures
results. (For that matter, his approach to warfare is not overly that look cool to you, and apply them to your own region.
subtle.) Personal insults are never forgotten, and a threat to With enough interesting bits, your own world should come
his position will be dealt with harshly. together as a cool realm of its own. The Fading Suns role-
playing game did this amazingly well, with inspirations drawn
Looking at that, you can probably think of a half-dozen
from medieval Catholicism, the Arabic world, various pagan
ways that description could apply to any number of battlefield
influences, and myriad science-fiction ideals.
generals, politicians, police detectives, powerful merchants,
Just to make up some bits at random: Imagine a culture
and other people. In fact, it was chosen almost at random
that combines the personality-based decentralized govern-
from GURPS Who’s Who 1, from the “Encountered” section
mental justice of the Wild West, the centuries-spanning his-
of Harald Hardradi (p. 45), Norway’s King from 1047 to 1066.
tory of China, the mythology and monsters of Greece, and the
With a well-stocked library, Internet search function, or
culture and spice-enriched seafood cuisine of Venice. Provided
taste in movies, you can file off the serial numbers of anyone
the bits you choose make sense in their intersection, and you
you might want to meet, adapting their personalities, appear-
take care to blend the edges, you’re probably already imagin-
ances, and situations to your own. This results in encounters
ing a pretty interesting setting . . . one that should, hopefully,
that feel fully realized, because they’re based on people who
be a “hot spot” for action.
actually lived.

Places About the Editor

Steven Marsh is a freelance writer and editor. He has con-
The same techniques used above can be applied to places.
tributed to roleplaying game releases from Green Ronin, West
Distinctive architectural styles can be swiped whole cloth; the
End Games, White Wolf, Hogshead Publishing, and others.
flavor or mottoes of cities and nations can be tweaked and
He has been editing Pyramid for almost 20 years; during that
borrowed; and the history of locations can be adapted and
time, he has won four Origins awards.
modified to serve the needs of your campaign.

Pyramid Magazine 39 July 2018

 About GURPS
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port of GURPS players. We can be reached by email: pyramid.sjgames.com.
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Pyramid Magazine 40 July 2018