PRINCE OF FOOLS (event notes for Marcon) Character Generation: quick form 1: select race 2:roll stats and apply modifiers 3:choose Edges, Beginning Edges for Race plus 4 additional Edges. All Edges are at 60. If a higher Edge Score is desired, each additional “slot” assigned to the same Edge adds to base 60 1st additional slot adds 2 2nd adds 10 and any further slots add 5. 4: choose Skills. 6 Skill slots, all at 60. Additional slots add to starting level as per Edges The PC’s are called together by Golgotha, whom they all owe Big Favors. They receive the following briefing: Not too long ago Dickie Downing, a British tv comedian and former vaudeville star, was found dead in his posh London flat. He was surrounded by empty gin bottles and had a fat Cuban cigar (cheap) still smouldering in his mouth. The authorities ruled the cause of death “heart-failure aggravated by advanced lung disease”. (The report shows that his lungs appeared to have “rotted”, showing signs of deterioration far in advance of the relatively fresh appearance of the body. ) Kin experts suspect some type of foul-play since Dickie was actually a Weryl, one of the first generation Weryls from Vector Frankenstein’s experimental breeding program, and had a Substance Vulnerability Lo Tobacco. There were no signs of forceable restraint on the wrists or ankles and no indications that Dickie was forced to smoke the lethal cigar, except the look of helpless horror on his face. (The evidence does indicate that Dickie died the True Death from Tobacco poisoning, information that Vector Frankenstein has carefully noted since the exact means of permanently killing Weryls have not been thoroughly documented yet. ) Since the time of Dickie Downing’s death, two important facts have come to light. The first is that Dickie was considered to be the heir of the Mock-Tudor bloodline by members of the shunned Mock race and that he infrequently filled the hereditary Mock-Tudor seat at meetings of the Mock-Court in Europe, though the exact nature of his duties or activities there are unknown (since the few surviving Mocks are extremely secretive about their affairs). It is generally known among those Kin circles which are aware of the existence of the Mocks that they despise Weryls on basic principle. The second important fact is that Dickie had one known son, and apparent heir, and he is currently residing in Brooklyn. His name is Billy Bottoms and he works regularly at a Brownsville comedy club and “burlesque-house” called the Bottom’s Up. He has been uninvolved in Kin activities in general in the New York area up until this time and has been essentially ignored by the various Kin Factions and their enemies Golgotha has recently learned that a number of powerful, centuries-old Mocks have emerged from hiding and are headed into New York with their underlings and minions, all with the apparent goal of reaching Billy Bottoms first. Their exac intentions are unknown, but the fact that they are coming armed and in numbers suggests that they plan some kind of major conflict or power struggle. Golgotha is not very pleased by the notion of several gangs of Mocks tearing up Manhattan in some kind of secret war without even notifying the Elder Kin of the city of their int ons or plansGolgotha has a meeting scheduled with the leaders of the various Kin Factions with the hope of organizing an allied front which will drive the Mocks out of the city and preserve the peace. Even Red Moonrise is hostile to the presence of Mocks in the city and is likely to join in if cooperation with the other Factions can be arranged. It will take a couple of nights to hammer out the particulars of any agreement between the Factions, and the favor that he now asks from the PC's is that they find this Billy Rottoms and keep him out of trouble for one weekend. After that time the Klders should be able to attend to the matter UPDATED MOCK STATS STR:+10 DEX:no modifier INT:+5 WIL Humanity: -10 Mask added to Racial Edges. 10 ATT:-10 MA:-10 BILLY BOTTOMS (Weryl/Mock-Tudor Heir) STR:15 DEX:23 FIT:27 INT:22 WILL:22 PER:29 ATT:11 LUCK: 28 HTH:3 SP:55 Humanity: 55 Edges: Drain-Laughter (51), Locate Human (54), Photogenics (62), Sense Acuity (54), Telepathy (32). Skills: Acting (24), Alertness (41), Lying (32), Mimic (45), Parking (40), Psychology (38), Seduction (13), Stage Presence (25), Streetfighting (34), Streetwise (37) Description: Billy is a short, somewhat pudgy man wilh unkempt black hair and one beetling eyebrow across his forehead. His perpetual expression is a lewd smirk and his manner is that of an abrasive con artist. He wears faded striped, button-down shirts, loose brown slacks with a brown jacket (rumpled) and @ hideous brown with yellow stripes tie (of which he is inordinantly fond, especially since he knows that everyone else hates it). He drives a battered, puttied Hundai with an anemic engine. (There is a cardboard sign in the dusty windshield which says “Go on, TAKE IT!" in large, friendly letters. Car thieves end chop-shoppers who thrive in the neighborhood won’t come near the piece of junk.) Billy lives in a trash-strewn apartment over a Korean grocery and videos store. The apartment is dominated by an ancient but servicible projection screen tv, a pile of hail Hong Kong horror/martial arts flicks and porn tapes, and a fold out couch. A large black rat whom Billy calls “Sidney” end chats with regularly (treated as a kind of roommate) lives in the trash choked bottom of the kitchen closet Sidney is actually a Wererat with nothing better to do than slip down to Billy's apartment from upstairs and watch his tapes while he’s out (SIDNEY in Wererat form STR:1 DEX:35 FIT:23 INT:13 WILL:18 PER:45 ATT:0 LUCK:15 HTH:1 SP:38 Edges: Drain-Pain (23), Ratform (60), Sense Acuity (80) i way & Stealth both at (80)] lis: Break AT THE BOTTOMS UP The Bottoms Up is a seedy little brick building at the triangular corner intersection of three streets. It has lewd neon silhouettes and badly faded painted signs out front There is a dusty old marquee with “Held Over! Billy Bottoms !!" and a B&W picture of Billy which looks muchbetter, and more reputable than Billy does himself. (He uses Photogenics to not only photograph, but to “photograph well-~Da’ camera luvs me!") All three streets are narrow end potholed, deep in the middle of Scientists’ turf. There are dingy little shops scattered between apartment buildings all around. The tiny alley which runs between the “theatre” and the warehouse behind it is choked with trashcans and dumpsters and frequented by winos (several of whom have crushes on the girls and live to see a dancer come and go by the backdoor. ) The club is owned by Freddy Barnes, a balding paunchy man who always wears disgusting loud-colored polyesters and a gold chain. Perpetually trapped in the ‘70's, Freddy is addicted to Billy’s tickle Drain and will laugh helplessly at anything he says, coughing out "“Ain’t he a riot? A goddamn RIOT!" Freddy will do anything Billy asks him to, within reason, after wheedling and shaking his head until Billy snorts and gives him a quick tickle Inside, the club is a ratty little dive with dim lights, cracked dark linoleum. There is a prominently displayed "No Smoking" sign which Billy insisted on and Freddy eventually agreed to, thinking that he had just decided to go on a health kick. There is a main stage with a short runway and footlights, numerous creaky old tables, a bar along the back wall and two small side stages with topless dancers perpetually bumping and grinding to subdued music. The main show is the stand-up comedy acts Freddy books nightly, with several “open mike" nights a week to keep costs down. The theatre-club draws mostly a local working class crowd with a smattering of Yuppies on nights with particularly noteworthy comedians. Upstairs is a closed off balcony, sometimes used for secret dealings with the girls, clients, and agents; Freddy’s office which contains an old battered desk and mounds of dirty magazines and pictures; a cramped little light booth run by “Morty” an old Jewish midget with a mustache; a fairly reputable dance-room for choreography and rehearsals (left over from the theatre-club’s heyday in the ’20’s); a wardrobe room and a couple of dressing rooms. Billy maintains bis own Green Room with a battered fridge full of imported beer and autographed pictures of most of the dancers (past and present), all of whom have been Addicted to Billy’s touch Drain at some point. (Every time a dancing girl walks past him, she will giggle and say “Hi Billy!” Billy just shrugs and says “Hey! She’s just ticklish, what can I say?") There are rickety old stairs which lead down to the alley and to one of the sidestreets. Both exits are favorite hangouts for Scientists gang members, seeking a little after show action, or just picking up their sisters The basement is a tangled urban nightmare of old seats, boxes of soggy, half-rotted flyers, drums of trash and a pile of antique mannequins from the 50’s. (no animates, for this event anyway). It leaks and is infested with rats. There is an old exit into the alley (chained up and blacked in ages ago) and a broken freight elevator onto one of the sidestreet sidewalks. The one modern section is the storage area for the bar, which is separated off from the main basement, has its own staircase & dumbwaiter and is much more brightly lit The top level of the building contains two or three apartments which Freddy rents out to some of the gi > orlets visiting comedians crash in. Freddy used to live in the front apartment, but it is now closed off and vacant since his wife died in ’78. He currently lives in a posh if somewhat seedy suite in a building across the street. MOCK LEADERS/ENEMIES The first group to be encountered will be servants of KoKo, the Clown Prince of Hoboken, the only American Mock to be involved in the search KOKO (Mock leader 200-300yrs old) STR:46 DEX:32 FIT:32 INT:28 WILL:41 PER:26 ATT:10 LUCK:240 MA:18 HTH:9 (+12) SP:272 Max Humanity: 45 Edges (all at 60): Armor (15), Claws, Domination, Drain-Laughter, Infection, Psycho, Sense Acuity, Telepathy Skills (also at 60): Submachinegun, Wrestiling. Acting, Court Etiquette, City Knowledge (Hoboken, NJ & Sarasota/Clearwater FL~-site of the Winter Circus gatherings of the American Clown Mocks), Intimidation, Leadership, Mimic, Stealth Spells: Bloat (10sp focus is balloon which he blows up while the target inflates damage equals 3D10 unless FIT roll is made), Fireworks (2SP 15p/BT damage for MA number of BT WILL save to do anything except try to escape, Limo (2SP) summons a rickety “Clown Car” or Ice Cream Wagon which he will use to escape in, Crack Up (x4) which will cause target to laugh uncontrollably for 3BT unless WILL save is made. No other action is possible. Description: KoKo is a standard American Clown Mock, a "New Age Mock” by his own description, with lime green hair and matching polka-dots on his white silk clothes. His eyes glitter insanely and glow green whenever he uses an Edge or Spell. Actually he is the closest to a neutral, possibly friendly power in the three way struggle. KoKo represents the American “Circus Bizarre" which is trying to dump most of the old feudal trappings of the Mock-Court and move into a newer, modern style. He even seeks a limited detente with the other races of Kin. Ideally, KoKo wants to “resoue" Billy from the others and preserve his vote as an independent voice in the Court, which presumably could be swayed to support the Circus Bizarre’s cause. He will not try to harm Billy in any way and will go to great lengthes to rescue him if he is captured by one of the other factions. His followers have been instructed not to cause too much injury to other Kin who get in the way, but to secure Billy as soon as possible Followers: Use standard Mocks. Armed with SMG’s and bowling-pin clubs. Spells: 10SP of Bloat, or Crack-up with Flight escape spells (Clown Paratroopers!). another spell focussed through a flaming hoop summons a small horde of chibuahues and poodles (with punk-style dyed furcuts) which will be sent to attack the targets (Micro-sized devil-demon lap dog stats SP:5 Damage:2 Bite:40) GIACCOMO THE MIME-KING STR:0 (10 for bite damage) DEX:0 FIT:15 INT: WILL:45 PER:38 ATT:5 LUCK:135 MA:22 HTH:2 (+12) bite ouly SP:150 Max Humanity: 10 Edges: Armor (20), Claws (60), Crowd Control (80), Domination (80), Drain~Laughter (60), Infection (60), Send Dream (80), Sense Acuity (60), Telepathy (60) Spells: Blackout (1SP causes 22’ sphere ofdarkness),Deflection (x2 5SP provides protection equivalent to Armor~10) Shadowpathes (x3 1SP allows movement between places in shadow), Toxic Cloud (1SP causes pt damage/BT for up to 10BT from poisonous gas), Wall Walk (2 SP variant on Skywalk which allows target to walk and climb on vertical surfaces, or even ceilings), Kiss of Death (1SP covers lips with poison which does 20 FIT damage, half with successful Fit Escape Roll), Secret (5SP causes FIT damage if target attempts to talk about the caster) Skills (all at 60): Court Etiquette, Torture, Acting, City Knowledge (Venice, Rome, & Naples), Intimidation, leadership, Occult Knowledge, Library Research (Library of the Venetian “Catacombs” half-flooded vaulted sewers lined with books tended by zombie monks) Description: Giaccomo was once the powerful and influential Mock attached to a Venetian Merhant Prince’s family. He delighted in inflicting petty cruelties on his Drain-addicted nobles until his atrocities pushed one young Prince too far. That noble youth overcame his addiction aad denounced Giaccomo to the Inquisition as an inhuman monster. Ater failing to elicite anything other than laughter from the Mock with their torturous interrogations, Giaccomo was beheaded by an axe blessed by the Pope himself. He went to the block laughing at the futility of the sentence. Unfortunately, though he did Resurrect the next night, Giaccomo has been unable to regenerate a full body ever since. He exists as nothing more than a bleached white head with red lips, fangs, and a Jester’s cap mounted on a stout pole carried by one of his minions. Giaccomo was banished from his previous seat on the Mock-Court’s ruling councils and has been shunned even by his own kind ever since his fall from power” (into the headman’s basket). Since that time, Giaccomo has studied the ocoult arts and recruited an army of Mime servitors who interpret his commands through lip reading or by Telepathy. He backs his Mime agents with his own sorcery, making them a formidable and dangerous force. Giaccomo plans to abduct Billy and indoctrinate him so that he may use the Mock-Tudor place at the Court to re-establish his influence. He plans to one day become the Silent King of the Mock’s displacing both Emperor Bobo and Tristam Punch who actually controls the court from behind the scenes. He will not hesitate to kill Bottoms if he cannot capture him and will gladly destroy any who get in his way. If one of the other Mock lords capture Bottoms, he will attack them in hopes of either recapturing the Weryl, or simply destroying his enemies. He is insane and monsterous and cannot be reasoned or negotiated with Followers: MARCEL LeMORT (Mime Renfield) STR:16 DEX:30 FIT:17 INT:13 WILL:13 PER:22 PT:18 LUCK:17 HTH:3 SP:34 Spells: He will have l0pts of Deflection “Armor” when encountered, cast upon him by his mast Skills: Breakaway & Club at (60), Hard Martial arts (40); Acting, Alertness, Mime & Stealth at (60) Description: A handsome if gaunt Frenchman, has served the master under his stage name for several years He is mute, having had his tongue bitten out by Giaccome as punishment for once speaking while in Mime persona. In combat he carries Giaccomo’s head on a pole which he will swing atopponents as a club. If he hits, no damage is determined, but rather Giaccomo can roll against Claws in an attempt to bite the target MIME AGENTS SYR:12 DEX:15 FIT:14 INT:i0 WILL:12 PER:15 ATT:12 LUCK:16 MA:15 HTH:2 SP:30 Spells: Giaccomo’s followers share a spellcasting SP pool which allows them to cast a specialized form of Magic which creates solid effects for Mimed objects. Use MA as STR or SP of these objects and Mime as the appropriat skill for any combat uses of these abilities. Skills: Breakaway & Soft Martial arts (40), Mime (40), Stealth (40) Description: These are all outwardly normal, albeit sinister, Mimes who have devoted themselves to their master. All are Addicted to Giaccomo’s touch Drain (tongue-tickling, not a pretty sight) and are absolutely loyal. TRISTAM PUNCH (Elder Mock Lord/Grand Puppet: and secret master of the Mock-Court) STR:50 DEX:35 FIT:38 INT:40 WILL:50 PER:32 ATT:0 LUCK:342 MA:30 HTH:10 (+20) SP:380 Max Humanity: 15 Edges: Armor (20), Claws (100), Crowd Control (100), Domination (100), Drain-Laughter (80), Infection (60), Mask (60), Psycho (60), Sense Acuity (60), Speed (60), Telepathy (60) rv of Britain Spells: Breakdance (1SP 3BT effect 1st:+10 Skill Mod. 2nd:1d10 damage 3rd:2d10 damage, Escapes vs DEX, STR, & FIT), Compel (x2 5SP control for 30 minutes), Goodbye (x2 1SP), Grabber (2SP DEX Escape to avoid STR to break free, takes 30 damage/turn of resistance. Spelleffect is of strings attached to limbs with control stick above), Meathooks (1SP 30BT effect takes 1SP/BT and is held by 30 STR DEX Escape to avoid), Paralysis (2SP up to 30 people/all within 30’ radius with DEX under 30 are paralyzed, Escape vs DEX for 1/2 DEX), Puppet (7SP takes over target's body unless Escape vs WILL), Secret (SSP). Additionally, will use Zombie (as will Giaccomo) if able to do so from distance/not actively involved Skills (all at 60 unless otherwise noted): Court Etiquette, Kin Lore, Occult Knowledge, Torture. Acting, Administration, City Knowledge (all major British cities), Intimidation, Lying, Persuasion, Puppetry (80) Description: (see Mock notes) If he must retreat from a situation, he will drop to all fours and use the Speed Edge to lope away, Tristam is seeking Billy to establish the kind of control over him that he used to have over Dickie Downing (whom he did not kill--that murder was apparently committed by agents of some other Mock Lord in order to weaken Punch’ s power in the Court). If Bottoms is captured by the Mimes, Punch will reluctantly form alliance with PC’s and/or Koko ("I would rather lose him altogether than let the Mimes have him." shudder}. Punch is old and powerful and wiley and will not waste energy in a pointless battle, or risk starting a major vendetta with the NYC Kin. He is confident enough of his powers to believe that he does not need Bottoms to control the Court, it would just be convenient if he could obtain him. Punch will be based in or around Coney Island. JUDY (Hafgryr female follower)STR:40 DEX:33 FIT:35 INT:20 WILL:20 PER:25 ATT:15 LUCK:140 HTH:8 SP:175 Max Humanity: 15 Edges: Armor (20), Drain-Raw Flesh (60), Fear Projection (60) Skills: Wrestling (80), Acting (60), Disguise (60), Stealth (60), Swimming (60) Description: Judy is a 7’ tall, unusually svelte and shapely Hafgryr. When not disguised in public, she wears white face with clown make-up, goes topless with rouged nipples and wears a red polka-dotted white mini-skirt, fishnet stockings over her hairy legs and stiletto heels. She is a combination of bestial sensuality and cannibalistic lust whom Punch finds “charming” BAM & SLAM (Ogre guards) STR:60 DEX:10 FIT:15 INT:5 WILL:10 PER:25 ATT:5 LUCK:25 HTH:12 (+12) SP:40 Max Humanity:5 Edges: Armor (20), Claws (60), Drain-Raw Flesh (80) Skills: Wrestling (60) Description: Twin Ogres who once opposed Punch and whom he ripped literally in half, Bam & Slam are now serving as bis HQ guards. The upper halves of their bodies are attached to strong steel springs secreted in large, brightly painted boxes, from which they will "spring", Jack-in-the-Box style to attack intruders. They have hairless pinheads, wear clown make-up and clothes, and have broad yellow teeth with prominent tusks. They will attempt to use Wrestling to grab any intruders and pull them off of the ground, attempting to Drain while they tear at their prey with their tusk-Claws and crush them simultaneously MINIONS (1? tall mini-Mocks) STR:11 DEX:25 FIT:ii INT:10 WILL:20 PER:20 ATT:0 LUCK:20 ATH:2 (+8) SP:31 Edges: Claws (40), Drain-Laughter (40), Sense Acuity (60) Skills: Breakaway (60), Scavenge (60), Stealth (60) Description: These creatures are puppet-sized monsters created by Punch. It is unknown whether they are a result of Infection, Breeding, or Magic. They are viscious in the extreme and extremely agile. If captured they will squirm and twist constently, making them hard to hold onto. They delight in tickling helpless human victims to death and then devouring the remains. Punch often disguises them as real puppets and toys and uses them to launch suprise wave attacks against intruders.le Hany Menhen Meas ret 10 ‘ arr is iA puck; 10 Our! ° ATH, wrt $0133 -40 Ai sain he Pw) 2F LOOSE OUTLINE FOR EVENT I. Intro characters; Briefing by Golgotha II. Characters travel to Brownsville to find Bottoms at club. Establish character and surroundings III. First opposition, Scientists gang members, (not connected to other events, merely a nuisance encounter) IV. Clown Ambush Attack. KoKo’s followers first to Bottoms. Preferable locale is in an alley (REAL MEN homage scene). Serious attack with straight forward combat V. Mimes attack. Insidious infiltration. crawl up walls, lurk on ceilings or set up ambush along travel route Possible appearance of Giaccomo. VI. Punch sends Zombies in clowa get up (eyelids and lips cut off, whiteface but original clothes), preferably choses Scientists members killed in earlier fight VII. PC’s track Punch’s agents to park, brief scuffle/encounter ensues. VIII Serious effort by Punch to acquire Bottoms, will succeed unless extraordinary efforts by PC’s prevail. Tarce way battle with all three sides showing up, fighting each other and the PC’s. Punch is designated winner unless something extraordinary happens. IX. Rescue effort by PC’s and possible allies (hopefully successful) x. Wrap up and Epilog. (IE: the Elder Kin show up and close the show. ) (Notes: Scientists gang are skinheads who wear as their colors white lab coats--with or without graffiti--and working class overalls with DM boots Punch’s base is in a closed Funhouse in Coney Island KoKo’s is @ Clown-O-Gram shop in nearby Park Slope or other Brooklyn business district. Giaccomo’s base is a Mime studio next to a small park in Greenwich Villege. Any group capturing Bottoms will hold him in their base for at least 24hrs while transportation out of town is arranged Scientists’ leaders or prominent members include “Dr. Brooklyn" and “Dr. Wank" Favorite group is a hardcore local band called “Weird Science Incidental Withered Men who live under park in which Punch is encountered Amos and Poke. Amos is a snarly, gruff, wild-eyed type and Poke is a dedicated alcoholic (even after death) who always carries a paper bag wrapped bottle arc ) Btn Age Pirve) 2S