Headlines, 20 March 1837

[Editor's Note: Ideally this would have been written before the first session. Future editions will appear as the in-game date is advanced.]

Aurora Borealis - On Saturday night last, this interesting phenomenon was distinctly visible for several hours, and presented appearances somewhat extraordinary. About half-past six o'clock, the atmosphere being quite clear, a broad path of crimson light appeared in the west, which shot across the firmament to the east, forming an irregular arch, from which splendid coruscations of light were occasionally emitted. At first the crimson glare was considered to be indicative of a distant fire, but a little observation corrected the error. The appearances continued, we believe, with some variations, till after midnight.

The detachment of soldiers which we stated last week had been marched into town, in consequence of the interruption that had been offered to the Poor Law Commissioner, was withdrawn on Friday last, their services not having been further needed. Lord Valletott conducted in person the examination of the half-witted man who acted as spokesman to the party of the St. Ge.. men, who marched into the town, on the 7th instant, and has issued a reward of £10 to be offered for the apprehension of three other men who took a somewhat conspicuous part in the proceedings of the day. We hope these ill-advised proceedings, which we have reason to believe do not originate with the deluded men themselves, are now at an end.

Commitment - On Monday the 13th instant, a man named Matthew Dansell was committed to Bedlam, by S. Borlase,Esq. of Castle Horneck, on a charge of stealing a woolen shirt and a pair of trowsers from a person called Andrew Stevens

Richard FORRESTER pleaded guilty to a charge of larceny. The prisoner, though young, was well known to have been of very indifferent character. The Judge, in passing sentence, told him he was greatly mistaken if he thought he was going to get his living without working for it; it was by work only he could be useful, an honest, and consequently, happy man. On account of his youth, he should only sentence him to ten days confinement, and to be privately whipped.

Session 2 - The Old Fishery

Lt. Forrester, braced for the inevitable attack by the dog, reacts to the spring by catching hold of the animal and using its momentum to throw it into the river below - by unhappy coincidence upending the skiff piloted by Mr. Dementiev. Then catching hold of a handy rope, he swings over the heads of the confused, frightened orphans to confront the common thug descending from the catwalk.

Dr. Cross, upon emerging from the upper rooms, finds herself overwhelmed by the combination of the heights and riotous activity and momentarily flattens herself against the wall. The major, entering behind her, rushes by her to aid the lieutenant in his melee, drawing his sword and calling out a challenge to the sailor.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ming leads his quiescent patient into the adjoining office and bids him reflect on his life; unfortunately, the doctor's attention is immediately diverted by a sharp cry of pain from Mei Mei. Rushing back into the front room, he discovers a swarthy Spaniard midget (ed. note: Mexican, actually, but they doubtless all look alike to a gentleman of Oriental extraction) standing over her. Confronted, the individual throws a dagger at Dr. Ming, who uses his mastery of the elements to curve the dagger around his person and reflect it back upon the attacker.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dementiev, with the luck of the Roma, is able to not only to regain the skiff, but recognises the dog as one belonging to his brother! Drawing upon the arcane powers of the professional magician, he blasts the inquisitive shark encountered earlier by the Lieutenant, driving it off and allowing him to pull the dog into the skiff.

On the fishery floor, the melee between the sailor and the two officers is quickly settled in favour of the officers. Dr. Cross, rushing to intercede, is immediately brought up short by a shout of recognition from her niece amongst the orphans; in an ill-advised show of bravado she leaps from the catwalk towards Miss Edwards, only to crack her skull against a hard surface and slip into the space between life and death. Most of the orphans, seeing their oppressor subdued by the officers, take this woman landing among them as the signal to scatter from the building in a bid for freedom. Miss Edwards remains, attempting to staunch the blood slowly pooling around Dr. Cross.

Above, Mei Mei injures the Spaniard, who, crossing himself against Dr. Ming's sorcery, flees the scene. Lady Wordsworth, in the carriage outside, watches curiously as he stops, considers, then cautiously makes his way along the ancient boardwalk. Fearing some treachery, she leaves her carriage to investigate...

Mei Mei, after checking upon Dr. Ming's prisoner, hears him muttering about a secret lair below the fishery. She immediately goes to relay this information to the doctor, who is using his arts to treat Dr. Cross. The latter groggily regains consciousness to find her niece with her arms wrapped tightly around her. While the pair of ladies make their way slowly to the waiting carriage (so as not to strain Dr. Cross too much), Mr. Dementiev and Lt. Cross act upon Mei Mei's intelligence by returning to the skiff and finding an entrance to a basement built into the embankment...

20 March 1837 - Dr. Ming

This Gaedren Lamm has made many wrongs, but true justice cannot be meted out by one who has not achieved inner calm. Pure raw aggression damages more the aggressor when the chi are not properly aligned. It also tends to hurt the one aggressed; as I have tried many times to instruct my wayward student Mei Mei, "the thwack of the switch is not felt when one has reached inner peace". For has it not been said: Free your mind, and the rest will follow. Be colourblind, don't be so shallow. Before you read me, you gotta learn how to see me. So I'm a sista, buy things with cash, that doesn't mean that all my credit is bad... That poor man who answered the door of the warehouse hassuch an awful complexion, if he lives through the evening I think I will recommend that he begins my squid liver detox diet. - Dr. Ming

20 March 1837 - Nastasie Dementiev

It was an unusual note, to say the least. Someone claiming to be able to assist in revenge. Revenge is secondary - the rescue of my long lost brother is much more important than necessarily extracting revenge on those who took him. However, curious as always, I decided to honour the invitation and proceed to the meeting locale.

Not having been raised streetwise for nothing, however, I cased the building and noted all exits before proceeding inside. Arriving very early, I was able to deduce that the proprietor of the shop was someone from the old country, and therefore by right and tradition I would be perfectly safe within. The curse that would flow down upon the owner for hurting a fellow countryman with her walls would make anyone shudder and shake in fear.

A note found inside indicated that food and drink was available. I wondered if the rest of the guests were also Romani, and chuckled at the notion of some of them not being so, and thus being suspicious of both myself and whoever our host might be. I located the most comfortable chair, helped myself to bread and wine, and waited. It pays to be early! Little did I now that I would be the only trueborn one amongst the invitees.

The others soon began to arrive, led by a brash army officer and a matronly female doctor. She seemed taken aback that I was polite and not questioning of her profession. I gather that she, as a female doctor, must get strange looks and whispered mutterings, just as I have for years, ever since being first recommended for the Acadamae. I am still the only Romani to ever go through those halls, and often feel like an outsider.

Others drifted in - a more dignified, and younger, army officer with a Scottish accent; an old Chinese man and his grand-daughter; and finally an elegant but haughty Japanese lady identified as Lady Wordsworth. The name is familiar, she is somewhat famous, although for what I cannot recall at the moment. Then our host appeared, wove us a tale of theft and death, and asked us to take her revenge for her - and for us. I questioned the need for revenge - I prefer restoration - but most of the rest seemed a little bit more inclined than I. Only the lady doctor seemed to share my concern for the innocents that might be caught in the crossfire. Our host then provided us with a tarot reading, which did not seem to bode either ill or good. I wonder if she truly has the sight or not...

The Lt., however, was obviously a man of action, much like myself. We left well before the others to go see what we could find. The Isle of Dogs is a dingy area of the city. I have been there before, for reasons not best shared with my companions yet, but it has been a while. Not much has changed, and if anything the buildings are even more run down than ever. We quickly located the lair of the villain, ascertained that there were three obvious entrances and that all of them were barred, and that there appeared to be no windows available. I suggested to the Lt that there might be another entrance below, near the water, hidden from sight. I wish I could swim, but my parents share the natural reluctance of Romani around water and never permitted me to learn, so the Lt. went by himself.

Not long after he left the carriage with the rest of the "revenge squad" arrived. I handed over the ungainly weapons the Lt had left in my charge (a rifle and a long sword of some kind) to the Major. The old Chinese man then headed toward the front door to knock as we heard a dog barking from somewhere inside. I decided that the Lt might need some assistance, so used my meager powers to walk across the water to locate him. I found a small skiff floating away, dropped into that and steered for under the building, where I located him hanging from a ladder. Above him somewhere was an entrance, and a barking dog, and other faces looking down. I tried to get his attention in case he wanted to drop into the boat and escape, but he looks determined to bull on ahead. Therefore I must prepare myself to follow. If my brother is in there, I WILL be bringing him home.

20 March 1837, Monday - Lt. Henry Forrester

A fairly usual day in the drab, yet occupational, Home Guard. Once again assigned to patrolling Pleasant Rd. The city planners are nothing if not imaginative when authorising public works. It is one thing to be forced out of the colonial garrisons where something exciting might actually happen, and another entirely to find yourself on patrol right outside an asylum for the deaf and dumb.

For once my fortune seemed to smile upon me again. The morning has given me the promise of vengeance in the form of a secretive note. It seems that some abiding patron also had a beef with Lamm, probably in some similar vain to myself, and offers the chance, in collaboration with others, of retribution. I cannot deny that my desire to seek said retribution for the floggings and scars I received, let alone the smear left on my name, has provided me with a motivation as strong as any Shilling the King may offer for my loyal services. I pray to our Lord that my service to my King will not interfere with my own personal grievance and that I might be allowed to see justice brought to this particular villain.

With this injustice buried so long, I am not entirely certain I will be able to respect the authority passed from God; through the King to the officers below Him; if I be directed to abandon this path of reckoning should the pursuit of this seed of hope prove righteous.

I have an address and I have an appointed time. I shall bear witness to what this mystery individual proposes to this purported, yet unannounced, 'others like myself' and see where this shall lead.

I vow this. If howsoever this boon in the post can deliver me Lamm, I will take the opportunity for all it is worth and gut the worm. I cannot risk through inaction the chance that Lamm may escape. I know not yet how or where I will come across Lamm, but as things stand; there is no way through but forward.

I ramble now and the hour draws close. 'Time', as a buried friend once said, 'to Sword and Savagery. A moments respite, or a moments hesitation, can kill us all.' On the battlefield, or on the street, truer motivation for living has never been mentioned by the most observant philosopher.

The Lord lend my sword arm strength and sharpen my aim. I go to deliver justly deserved punishment this night.

Session 1 - The Foretelling

20 March 1837, Monday - London

Our protagonists, during the course of their ordinary routines, all and sundry discover a mysterious invitation to the home of a GYPSY fortune teller. Thus, our tale unfolds from the acceptance of this invitation.

Mr. Dementiev, a student of the magical arts, having ascertained the address to be the home of a MADAME Zellara, arrives first. Proceeding within, he finds food and drink in the form of slightly stale bread and a passable wine of the Bordeaux persuasion.

Dr. Cross, upon her arrival, tarries somewhat, uncertain of the reception within in such a part of town. The arrival of Lt. Forrester, however, reassures her and she presents herself with forthright confidence.

At this point, with the sun's last light quickly fading, the remainder of our heroic ensemble arrive at the humble establishment, with introductions conducted as propriety demands.

Lady Wordsworth's unexpected arrival forces the officers (and, by extension, the rest of polite society) to their feet. No sooner has she entered the room and been introduced then our hostess appears.

Madame Zellara is a middle-aged, handsome woman of Gypsy extraction, who welcomes the party briefly, then plainly and quickly lays forth her claim upon the party.

Some months ago, her cards were stolen. This precious heirloom and sole support was recovered, but at the cost of her son's life. Ignored by the police, too weak to extract her own revenge, she has pursued every avenue to bring together those wronged by her son's killer, a certain Gaedren Lamm.

For decades, this infamous villain has preyed on the weak and defenseless of the city, yet somehow evaded justice. Now, Madame Zellara has discovered the lair of this creature. Armed with this knowledge, she now empowers his many victims to extract the vengeance denied her.

As a finale and gesture of support, Madame Zellara performs a Tarot reading for the group (much to the poorly concealed derision of Lt. Forrester). Ominously, the Empty Throne is drawn to represent the present, with the Cyclone and the Liar representing the future.

After consultation, the party agrees to meet at the Lamm's supposed fishery on the Isle of Dogs at moon-rise. Dr. Ming and Lt. Forrester go immediately to gather intelligence, whilst Lady Wordsworth returns to her townhouse with Dr. Cross and Mei Mei to prepare appropriately.

Mr. Dementiev and Lt. Forrester, arriving at the darkened fishery, perform a brief reconnaissance. Having determined the fishery to be secured yet seemingly deserted, Lt. Forrester slips into the Thames to scout for a smuggler's entrance as soon as the moon sheds enough light.

The carriage containing Major Burns and Dr.Ming arrives at this juncture, whereupon Mr. Dementiev presents the Major with the Lieutenant's weapons. Shortly thereafter the carriage of Lady Wordsworth and her companions arrives.

As Lt. Forrester explores the area, he startles a shark which has been feeding on the fish remains discharged by the fishery operations. Luckily, the Lieutenant is able to climb into a nearby skiff before the animal reacts. From this vantage point, he spies a utility ladder that can be used to infiltrate the main fishery floor.

With a well-timed jump, he is able to grab the ladder and climb upward - only to rouse the building's guard dog. Trapped between the dog above and the shark below, he hears the shouted commands of the building's inhabitants.

Meanwhile, his companions, alerted to the sounds of activity within, act quickly. Mr. Dementiev manipulates the spirits of the air to lower himself to the river surface and capture the skiff abandoned by Lt. Forrester. Doctor Ming, posing as a salesman, pounds on the door demanding entry. When the inhabitants investigate, Major MacBurns barges in. While Dr. Ming magically soothes the offended defender, Dr. Cross, seeing an opening, launches herself into the building, shouting "Victoria!"

The others, taking this to be a battle cry, follow her, finding themselves in the poorly furnished front room, with the sound of tumult and confusion emerging from the interior of the building.

In the epicenter of this confusion, with candles and matches being hastily lit, Lt. Forrester pulls himself into the room, braced for the inevitable spring of the barking dog. Around him he sees a score or more of orphans, while rushing down from the catwalk is a scarred sailor wielding a lead pipe. More shouts come from above (his companions, as yet unrevealed) while Mr. Dementiev draws up below, attempting to make sense of the melee above...

Campaign Resources

Just a couple of links for you to consult for details.

Cary's Map of London, 1837 -- This is the map I've printed for reference at the table.

The Georgian Index -- Provides a fantastic guide to period shops and addresses.

Regency Town House daily life -- a brief look at daily life during this period. Useful if you can't imagine life before the internet, radio, or electric lamp.

The character creation party

I made two decisions when I first conceived of this campaign. I wanted to make sure the players were more invested in the campaign than the last one (which was all in fun) and I wanted to make sure I didn't screw over the characters.

One of the big weaknesses in RPGs in general and my campaigns in particular is that family ties and/or friendships only seem to exist to be fodder for the DM. It's just so easy and convenient to use them for various plot twists that I might as well be writing for television.

Well, I want to be better than that. I want the players to feel like they can actually build some long-term plans and relationships in my games, and I want to learn to be a better writer and DM. So I'm swearing off one of my tropes for this campaign. Maybe next season I can avoid end-of-the-world scenarios, too.

To tackle this, I ran a character creation party, incorporating ideas from some of the forum postings and blogs I've read recently. It went really well, and I thought I'd provide some details here before I forget them all.

Since I have a couple of artists in the party, we set them to creating a big chart of the characters and their relationships. We had several rounds of character creation using index cards; these went to the artists at the end of the round for incorporation into their chart.

The first round was getting the names and backgrounds of the PCs. The background traits from the player's guide were also determined at this point.

For the second and third rounds, each player created an NPC their character already knew in the city and the relationship between the NPC and the character. People who got stuck were allowed to form a relationship to an existing NPC. For six players we ended up with 10 NPCs and twelve relationships.

For the final round, I asked each player to come up with an exit strategy for their character - a way in which the character could be removed from the campaign. In hindsight, I probably should have had them come up with a strategy for someone else's character.

I was really happy with the outcome. Besides feeling that the players are a bit more invested in the campaign, I also got some really good, creative NPCs that I can use to further strengthen the party and the campaign. Some of them can easily substitute for the pre-written NPCs in providing hooks for the various adventures, which I think will be a real benefit in the long term.

In addition, we got a beautiful chart that we can hang on the wall during game sessions, and which I have a sneaky suspicion will be embellished as the campaign proceeds.

Party NPCs

Society NPCs

Brigadier-General Sir Charles Mortimer -- A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, Sir Mortimer served with distinction and has been decorated twice. No longer on active field duty, the Brigadier does not suffer fools gladly and takes a keen interest in ensuring that the ranks under him are filled by officers with talent rather than connections.

Lord Quimby Sutherford -- Lord Sutherford is a lover of all things Oriental, often scouring Chinatown for new and interesting artefacts. Unfortunately, his excursions have been severely curtailed the last couple of years as his arthritis has gradually worsened. Dr. Ming has happily been able to provide some relief.

Mr. Richard Forrester -- An inveterate gambler and hugely irresponsible, Lt. Forrester's brother has brought the family name into disrepute several times.

Rev. James MacBurns -- An Army chaplain attached to Brigadier Mortimer's unit, he feels a special responsibility to his clan. This is clearly demonstrated by his recent intervention on his cousin's behalf.

Sir Edmund Bairn -- One of Mr. Norris' early pupils, Sir Bairn is celebrated for his expertise in matters draconic; his work on the magical fields providing dragons with the power of flight allowed for the design of frigates capable of carrying Longwings and other heavyweight dragons. He lost his wife to smallpox some years ago. He is generally considered a true gentleman with a great interest in the well-being of others.

Miss Victoria Edwards -- The niece and ward of Dr. Cross, this young lady has endured a great ordeal for several weeks as the prisoner of Gaedren Lamm.

Commoners

Miss Bridget Smith -- Personal maid and confidant of Lady Wordsworth.

Mrs Joy Carter (widowed) -- Washerwoman who takes in laundry from a number of merchants in the East End.

Mrs Annie Montgomery -- Owner of a small, unnamed pub serving the East India docks.

Master Toddy Lewis -- A grocer's assistant in Limehouse.

Mr. "Rat" Biggins -- A shingle runner often seen in Whitechapel.

EDIT 23-10-2008: Updated an incorrect name and added Miss Edwards.

Dramatis Personae

Lt. Henry Forrester -- Framed for the murder of Lady Margaret Cross Edwards, Lt. Forrester has only recently had his commission reinstated. His ordeal has led to strained relations with many of his fellow officers and left him slightly paranoid.

Major "Scotty" MacBurns -- Assigned as an aide-de-camp to Sir Charles Mortimer, this former opium addict has recovered thanks to the intervention of his cousin, the Reverend James MacBurns.

Lady Shizuko "Suzanne" Wordsworth -- The widow of the late Lord Wordsworth, this former geisha has inherited his London townhouse and a generous settlement. She has a strong supporter in Sir Bairn, which has led to her grudging acceptance into society.

Dr. Katherine Cross -- Formerly a nurse in the Napoleonic Wars, Dr. Cross is the first female surgeon recognised by Charing Cross Hospital and a member of the College of Physicians. She is also the guardian of Miss Victoria Edwards, should the missing child be found.

Dr. Xian "Charlie" Ming -- Owner of a small shop in Chinatown, Dr. Ming trafficks in traditional Oriental medicine. Thanks to the patronage of Lord Sutherford, who swears by his arthritis treatment, Dr. Ming has been visited by the servants of several well-known society members.

Mei Mei Wu Shi -- Dr. Ming's shop assistant, this young woman is also secretly a master of the deadly Crane techniques of Kung Fu.

Mr. Natasie Dementiev -- Sponsored by Sir Edward Bairn, Natasie is the first Romany admitted to the pretigious Acadamae. Still conscious of his heritage, he has not yet grown accustomed to being treated as a gentleman.

The Regency Throne

This blog is dedicated to the new campaign, so we have a central place for people to catch up on missed sessions or follow the course of events from afar. The campaign is an adaptation of the Curse of the Crimson Throne Adventure Path. The setting is 1837 London and we are using the True20 rules as our engine.