For Evil
Scientist, a Haunting Holiday and Gothic New Year!
My Secret
Santicore buddy made a request for some gameable tools for injecting games with
some of 1970s Gothic Romance novel attitude. This was perfect for me! Growing
up, I stumbled onto reruns of Dark Shadows, the 70s soap opera with vampires,
witches. ghosts and time travel in a gothic wrapping. In high school, one of my
favorite reading assignments was Emily Bronte's classic Wuthering Heights,
which went on to inspire many of those later Gothic Romances. Love, loss, and
creepy houseservants watching you through eyeholes in an oil-painting--what's
not to love?
One note
about adding touches of Gothic Romance to a typical RPG: keep the conflict
small and PERSONAL. The overarcing campaign may still have an Evil Overlord or
big bad looming darkness, but that cannot be the focus of a Gothic-themed
adventure. Gothic threats will *know* the PCs and be out to target *them* and
their comrades specifically. Think of someone the PCs may have wronged in the
past, willingly or even unknowingly. Better yet, who have the PCs *parents*
wronged in the past? The party's wizard may be the spitting image of his
father. Too bad the local constable blames the wizard's father for their failed
engagement, and still holds onto her dreams of vengeance to this day.
Sundering:
The Gothic Loss
With credit
to authors and literary critics Eve Sedgwick and Anne Radcliffe for the
terminology, here I propose that two fundamental concepts drive Gothic fiction:
the "Sundering" and the "Transgression" (think of these as
"Loss" and "Cost"). The Sundering is a character's forceful
separation from something thay they would naturally have access to--their
family, for example, or their beloved. How do we translate this Loss into
gameable material? RANDOM TABLES OF COURSE!
1d4/1d4
SUNDERINGS - Use this loss as PC or NPC background with some Gothic flavor
1. PAST
1.
Amnesia - You cannot remember your past due to a
traumatic medical condition. While you might recall fleeting images or names,
most of your past is a hazy mystery.
2.
Incognito - You cannot acknowledge your past,
for fear of dreadful consequences. You are essentially hiding in disguise, and
perhaps old enemies seek you out still.
3.
Secret - Your past has been kept a secret from
you by an older relative or caretaker. Perhaps they knew your birth parents, or
the horrible truth about your hometown.
4.
Change - Your idyllic past has changed
irrevocably. Time's arrow moves ever forward, with past comforts (wealthy
status, popular reputation, etc) now distant memories.
2. FAMILY
1.
Disinherited - You were cast out from your
family. It was likely not a unanimous decision, but you are cut-off from funds
and property, left to fend for yourself.
2.
Orphaned - Your immediate family members have
died. Was it a terrible accident or the ultimate revenge of a family foe?
Perhaps only your late parents knew for sure.
3.
Estranged - Your family was fractured due to
infighting. Whether or not you picked a side in the feud or tried to play
peacekeeper, you are met with hostility at every turn.
4.
Cursed - You are the last sane member of the
family left, for now. By turns they all fell to madness, illness, or
corruption, until only you remained, not totally unscathed.
3. LOVE
1.
Betrayed - Your lover secretly loved someone
else. Wether they loved you once or merely played along, soon they could no
longer bear the ruse, outing their affairs.
2.
Love Lost - Your lover perished. Your brief time
with them was bliss, but nothing gold can stay. You see them still, in your
dreams, or at the window on moonlit nights.
3.
Unworthy - You were found unworthy by your
lover's family--or was it the other way around? They looked down upon you and
forbid the two of you from ever marrying.
4.
Unrequited - Your would-be lover did not return
your feelings. Though you were sincere and promised them everything, they did
not love you back--so they claimed.
4. LIFE
1.
Social Misfit - You find it hard to fit into
society. Your demeanor, appearance, or reputation makes it hard to walk in
public without catching sneers and stares.
2.
Faked Death - You are believed deceased. Its
true you had a near brush with death, but it will definitely complicate matters
should you decide to make your survival known.
3.
Unliving - You are an undead creature. You
linger in the living world, haunting and stalking those you once knew while
they pursue worlds now forbidden to you.
4.
Transformed - You have been cursed with a dread
transformation. Your state may be permanent or arrive with the full moon, but
it interrupts your ability to live life fully.
Transgression:
The Gothic Cost
What must a
tortured Gothic hero or heroine do with their great Loss? Well first they must
let it eat them up inside, causing entertaining and dramatic torment. But also?
They try to recover their Loss at any Cost. This is what the Transgression is:
the dire Cost that the character is willing to pay to be made whole again.
The Costs
will vary depending on the Loss, but classically Gothic heroes will transgress
against the established "natural order" of the universe. They will
cross lines of religion, nature, family, and society to get what they want. If
they can't get what they want, good old fashioned revenge will do nicely!
1d6
TRANSGRESSIONS - lines a Gothic Romance character will cross to get what they
want
1.
Transgression vs Religion: Commit blasphemy!
Does a church or its cleric stand between you and what you want? Maybe it was
the Church that deemed you unworthy of your lover for being from a different
religion. Perhaps the seemingly kind priest who raised you as a foundling kept
your (still living!) parents' true identities from you. Who cares if this is a
holy place? Tear this church to the ground!
2.
Transgression vs Nature: Dabble in dark science!
Forbidden breakthroughs in science will solve everything. Do you wish to live
forever? Purge yourself of unwanted base urges? Perhaps you even hope to bring
the dead back to life? Somewhere on the darkest fringes, mad science has you
covered.
3.
Transgression vs Family: Break up that happy
home! Family is a core construct of the natural order, so it's prominent target
of Gothic revenge. "Rescue" your lover from their new marriage, and
if you can't seduce them away simply make sure their new family's happiness is
short-lived.
4.
Transgression vs Society: Try blackmail,
intimidation, hostile manipulation! There's nothing better than the feeling of
having someone under your thumb. The very concepts of forgiveness and charity
go out the window when you have been wronged and have the opportunity to do a
little wrong back.
5.
Transgression vs Religion: Deal with the devil!
Some look up to the heavens for guidance, but some look a little bit *lower*.
Aligning yourself with unholy beings for greater power over your enemies is a
classic Gothic powermove. This is not limited to the classic Faustian pact,
though summoning an actual heckspawn is certainly on the table. Vampires are
also a viable alternative.
6.
Transgression vs Society: Want it? Take it!
Blatant theft solves so many problems.
Want some
examples? Here are sixdesperate creatures and their craven coteries, ready to
unleash havoc upon your games. Also below is a table for creating quick Gothic
NPCs - Enjoy!
1d6
Gothic Villains (the Heroes of their own Tale) + 1d6 Henchmen
1. Young
Effie Dauphine is a fair and bright eyed woman, the belle of every ball. In her
brief stay here she's made many new friends. Little does the town know she is
in truth Sarah Draven, daughter of the wrongly executed Edgar Draven, returned
to exact her vengeance upon the townsfolk who wronged her family?
- Adventure setpiece: PCs are invited to the elaborate Masquerade Ball at the Governor's Manse, where Effie begins eliminating her targets one by one. Her targets include respected town elders, but also several known criminals.
- Adventure setpiece: PCs are invited to the elaborate Masquerade Ball at the Governor's Manse, where Effie begins eliminating her targets one by one. Her targets include respected town elders, but also several known criminals.
Possible Accomplices:
1.
Nana, Sarah's childhood nursemaid, planted in
the home of a town elder
2.
Edwin Melfort, a devoted but expendable young
aristocrat under "Effie's" sway
3.
Edgar Draven, Sarah's ghostly father urging her
to get justice where he couldn't
4.
Sanguide, a coachman in "Effie's"
employ, ignorant to her origins but loyal
5.
Jeannette Douglas, a socialite aiding
"Effie's" plots, unaware she's also on her list
6.
Adrian Vantres, a retired killer and Sarah's
tutor in the arts of assassination
2. Lord
Heathton Blake keeps to himself, and well out of the sunlight. This softspoken
artistic vampire has kidnapped Judge Walpole's daughter Vivian, who has an
astonishing resemblance to his late wife from over a century ago. The town's
guards have attempted to rescue her, to no success. Blake promises the Judge
he'll give Vivian a happy (and eternal) life when they are wed.
- Adventure setpiece: Within Lord Blake's manor, his private vault is full of priceless artifacts. Beyond that, it is a shrine to his beloved Anastasia, memorializing his late wife in giant murals, oil-paintings and sculptures.
- Adventure setpiece: Within Lord Blake's manor, his private vault is full of priceless artifacts. Beyond that, it is a shrine to his beloved Anastasia, memorializing his late wife in giant murals, oil-paintings and sculptures.
Possible Accomplices:
1.
Hans Remarche, Blake's lawyer and human agent to
the outside living world
2.
Sir Carter Rothschilde, a knight Blake rescued
long ago and made a vampire
3.
Perdida, a housemaid whose family line has
served Blake for generations
4.
Lady Millicent Dupre, a socialite spying on
Vivian in exchange for immortality
5.
August Kaine, Vivian's hapless suitor who
mistakenly thought Blake was his ally
6.
Old Gideon, a wild-eyed vagrant who easily
succumbed to Blake's mind-control
3. Mrs.
Amanda Archibald-Fitzsimmons-McKinnon-Drake is an eccentric widow. She collects
failing business, heirlooms, husbands and enemies. She pays off the debts of
desperate people, who are indebted to her in return. Her reasons and the
criteria for selecting debtors are unknown, but she keeps a long list of
grievances dating back to her turbulent childhood.
- Adventure setpiece: Amanda's well-guarded museum-like estate is in fact a map of her master plan. Her collection is a chronicle of who her victims are, how their families have wronged hers, and her ultimate plans for their fates.
- Adventure setpiece: Amanda's well-guarded museum-like estate is in fact a map of her master plan. Her collection is a chronicle of who her victims are, how their families have wronged hers, and her ultimate plans for their fates.
Possible Accomplices:
1.
Fecundo Drake, Amanda's devious stepson and her
personal extortionist
2.
Miss Albright, beautiful and hateful curator of
Amanda's Collection of Vengeance
3.
Asher Hale, Amanda's oldest friend, similarly
vengeful but acts as a voice of reason
4.
Gemma Tallmadge, a foe/creditor who aids
Amanda's plans for fear of reprisal
5.
Brother Phineas, a scribe and disgraced monk who
keeps records of Amanda's foes
6.
Abel Archibald, Amanda's elderly father,
clinging to life and dreams of revenge
4. The man
known only as Blackwaltz cuts a striking figure, handsome and serious with a
dangerous air. His origins are unknown, making him all the more attractive to
young romantics around town. Rumors of his cannibalism are laughed off as
jealous slander.
- Adventure setpiece: The Blackwaltz Family Crypt is a deathtrap of crumbling stonework, not to mention infested with werewolves. Though Blackwaltz, the last of his family line, resists the transformation, he still shares his kins' bloody hunger.
Possible Accomplices:
- Adventure setpiece: The Blackwaltz Family Crypt is a deathtrap of crumbling stonework, not to mention infested with werewolves. Though Blackwaltz, the last of his family line, resists the transformation, he still shares his kins' bloody hunger.
Possible Accomplices:
1.
Malloy, groundskeeper to the Blackwaltz estate
and procurer of fresh victims
2.
Harvey Spivot, shady butcher who sells
Blackwaltz "specialized cuts" of meat
3.
Reina Mauvais, a fortune-teller and seeming
expert on curses and the dark arts
4.
Lena Heathrow, Blackwaltz's recent lover and
unknowingly his upcoming meal
5.
Samuel, a young orphan under Blackwaltz's
protection, almost an adopted son
6.
Shuck, a suspiciously intelligent black dog
bound to the family for generations
5. Lady
Elzabeta D'Argento is a wealthy heiress, great philanthropist and doting
mother. Her daughter Carmina is her pride and joy. Local asylum patient
Guilieta Triste won't stop ranting--this madwoman calls D'Argento a devil, and
claims that Carmina is in fact *her* daughter, stolen back when Giulieta was
D'argento's scullery maid!
- Adventure setpiece: Lady D'Argento's airship, *The Sovereign*, is plush and well-armed; a place where the Lady can safely look upon humanity's pitiful peons from above, sneering with well-hidden disgust. It's also her escape plan should someone attempt to take Carmina from her.
- Adventure setpiece: Lady D'Argento's airship, *The Sovereign*, is plush and well-armed; a place where the Lady can safely look upon humanity's pitiful peons from above, sneering with well-hidden disgust. It's also her escape plan should someone attempt to take Carmina from her.
Possible Accomplices:
1.
Franz, the Lady's ruthless manservant who helped
steal Giulieta's baby 14 years ago
2.
Dr. Malfant, asylum operator paid by the Lady to
keep Giulieta quiet and confined
3.
Baron Johan Keller, paid to boast the Lady's
good character, loudly and publicly
4.
Lord Renard D'Esprit, whose late nephew Adam was
loved by Giulieta and the Lady
5.
Captain Tommasi, captain of The Sovereign, once
loved Giulieta but was rejected
6.
Madame Rhys, young Carmina's snarky tutor and
secretly her dangerous bodyguard
6. Casper
Dunwalder is a devout family man, most of the time. Sometimes he feels the tug
of base urges he cannot ignore. The full-time teacher/part-time alchemist felt
constrained in his day-to-day life, and to relieve his anxieties he has turned
to a potion of his own making. The deadly beings created as a result are an
unfortunate side-effect.
- Adventure setpiece: Dunwalder's basement laboratory has all the ingredients for his signature concoction, as well as other miracle elixirs. It is also the lair of Dunwalder's Doppelgangers--physical copies of Casper embodying his darkest impulses of hatred, violence, and greed.
- Adventure setpiece: Dunwalder's basement laboratory has all the ingredients for his signature concoction, as well as other miracle elixirs. It is also the lair of Dunwalder's Doppelgangers--physical copies of Casper embodying his darkest impulses of hatred, violence, and greed.
Possible Accomplices:
1.
Bad Cas, the firstborn, smartest, and most
dangerous of the doppelgangers
2.
Father Amadeo, misguided priest who sees
Casper's method as a holy work
3.
Philippe Arne, Casper's top student, blindly
bound to him out of admiration
4.
Lady Bianca Wright, a colleague in alchemy and
provider of the rarest ingredients
5.
Freddy Danforth, a local cad madly in love with
Casper's Wrath doppelganger
6.
Casper Pinchpenny, the manifestation of Casper's
Greed, a shrewd manipulator
7.
Harmony Dunwalder, Casper's knowing wife who
secretly covers up his activities
MALE
|
FEMALE
|
SURNAME
|
OCCUPATION
|
SECRET
|
1.
Peter
|
Adeline
|
Franks
|
Barber
|
True name is (roll again)
|
2.
Gustav
|
Mary
|
Temple
|
Mortician
|
Foresaw a grim prophecy
|
3.
Victor
|
Annette
|
Byron
|
Whaler
|
Remorseful killer
|
4.
Barnaby
|
Catherine
|
LaMotte
|
Carriage driver
|
Blackmailer
|
5.
Joseph
|
Jane
|
Ingram
|
Artist
|
Has died at least one
|
6.
Richard
|
Laura
|
Cross
|
Pickpocket
|
Witnessed a crime
|
7.
Louis
|
Matilda
|
Enfield
|
Gardener
|
Owes a debt to a vampire
|
8.
Diego
|
Sarah
|
Blackthorn
|
Socialite
|
Planning a murder
|
9.
James
|
Esmerelda
|
Summers
|
Doctor
|
Stole something personal
|
10. Edgar
|
Helen
|
Moorland
|
Lawyer
|
Being blackmailed
|
11. Theodore
|
Rebecca
|
Lockwood
|
Graverobber
|
Helped bury a corpse
|
12. Henry
|
Julie
|
Beckford
|
Detective
|
Knows a PC from the past
|
13. Gregory
|
Nelly
|
Wheatley
|
Serial killer
|
Keeping a prisoner
|
14. Frederic
|
Evelyn
|
Rosemont
|
Teacher
|
Has a secret child
|
15. William
|
Daphne
|
Henley
|
Judge
|
Serial killer
|
16. John
|
Isabella
|
Little
|
Fairfax
|
Uses forbidden sciences
|
17. Conrad
|
Victoria
|
Sweet
|
Farmer
|
Speaks with ghosts
|
18. Matthew
|
Charlotte
|
Charlotte
|
Servant
|
In severe debt
|
19. Samuel
|
Alice
|
Truly
|
Vagrant
|
Secretly married
|
20. Albert
|
Margaret
|
Doom
|
Diplomat
|
Substance addict
|
21. Eaton
|
Eleanor
|
Irving
|
Circus acrobat
|
Is a beast under a full moon
|
22. Carl
|
Georgette
|
Rymer
|
Hunter
|
In an affair with (roll again)
|
23. Lorenzo
|
Madeline
|
Montague
|
Barkeep
|
Knows old family spell
|
24. Percy
|
Agnes
|
Malcolm
|
Baker
|
Skilled impersonator
|
25. Manfred
|
Regina
|
Collins
|
Veteran
|
Has an unknown twin
|
26. Nicholas
|
Eliza
|
Brams
|
Prostitute
|
Obsessed with (roll again)
|
27. Robert
|
Eudora
|
Freeman
|
Psychiatrist
|
Involved in a failed ritual
|
28. Ambrose
|
Louisa
|
Radcliffe
|
Butcher
|
Stole something valuable
|
29. Nathaniel
|
Olivia
|
Hoffmann
|
Haberdasher
|
Greedy for treasure
|
30. Charles
|
May
|
Wilde
|
Governess
|
Accidental murderer
|