Ghastly Affair Antagonists I: Aristocrat through Demagogue

https://engineoforacles.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/ghastly-affair-the-gothic-game-of-romantic-horror/


In the early years of Wine and Savages, one of my obsessions was adapting Savage Worlds to Gothic Romance in the style of The Castle of Otranto, The Mysteries of Udolpho, The Monk, and other such early classics. I made some progress, but Daniel James Hanley beat me to the punch with Ghastly Affair. a charmingly horrific D20 RPG of Gothic horror in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is, frankly, brilliant and I encourage the curious to check out Hanley’s site – The Engine of Oracles – and download the free version of the game (or buy the nifty illustrated version).

Presented below are a selection of NPC archetypes inspired by the Antagonists section of Ghastly Affairbut equally suitable for The King is Dead and other Gothic settings.


Aristocrat, male
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, Taunt d8
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5 (6 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Arrogant, Code of Honor (though honorable behavior does not mean pleasant behavior)
Edges: Noble
Gear: rapier, matched pair of flintlock dueling pistols, flintlock hunting rifle, riding horse and/or carriage, formal clothing
 
Aristocrat, female
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d4, Gambling d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d6, Taunt d8
Charisma: +4; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Arrogant, Outsider (woman in a man's world, prejudices against lower classes)
Edges: Attractive, Noble, Strong Willed
Gear: flintlock hunting rifle, riding horse and/or carriage, formal clothing
 
Assassin
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Gambling d6, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d8
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 6 (7 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy [Major; kills for money] or Vow [Major; kills for master or order]
Edges: Assassin
Gear: dagger or rapier, flintlock pistol or rifle, normal clothing
 
Burglar
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Lockpicking d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d8
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy [Major; risks imprisonment to steal]
Edges: Thief
Gear: club or dagger, flintlock pistol, mask, normal clothing
 
Brute
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4
Charisma: +0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Clueless
Edges: Brawny
Gear: club or dagger, flintlock pistol, normal clothing
 
Cannibal
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d8
Charisma: -4; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 2; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Touched [Major]*
Edges: Berserk, First Strike, Quick Draw
Gear: dagger or other concealed weapon, normal or ragged clothing
 
Charlatan
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5 (6 w/rapier); Sanity: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Greedy [Minor], Wanted [Minor; under another name for previous schemes]
Edges: Charismatic, Level Headed
Gear: dagger or other concealed weapon (possibly a rapier, depending on the disguise), normal or formal clothing
 
Clergy, crazed preacher
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Faith d6, Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Stealth d4, Taunt d8
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Delusional [Major; sees signs of apocalypse everywhere], Touched [Major; tormented by own sins]*
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Charismatic, Strong Willed
Gear: holy symbol, improvised weapon, normal or ragged clothing or vestments
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 10
  • Powers: banish entity,* consecrate ground*


Clergy, inquisitor
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Faith d4, Fighting d6, Knowledge (Occult) d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Stealth d4
Charisma: -4; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 3; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Delusional [Major; sees heresy everywhere], Bloodthirsty [Major], Touched [Major; tormented by own sins]*
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Command, Fanaticism, Strong Willed
Gear: holy symbol, implements of torture, formal or normal vestments
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 10
  • Powers: banish entity,* spirit shield


Clergy, virtuous
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Faith d8, Fighting d4, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d4
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Sanity: 6; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Pacifist [Major], Vow [Major]
Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Charismatic, Tower of Will*
Gear: holy symbol, normal clothing or vestments
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 10
  • Powers: banish entity,* consecrate ground*


Clergy, wicked
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Spellcasting d8, Stealth d6, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Corruption: 3+ (power, satisfied lust, and/or wealth; per Seducer Demon);* Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Delusional [Major; delusions of grandeur], Greedy [Major; sold soul for gain], Quirk (seeds speech with hints of own corrupted nature), Touched [Major; tormented by sins and desires]*
Edges: Arcane Background (Magic), Charismatic, Strong Willed
Gear: holy symbol, formal clothing or vestments
Special Abilities
  • Power Points: 10
  • Powers: bind entity,* puppet, summon demon


Cultist
as Typical Cultist*
 
Degenerate
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Stealth d8, Taunt d8
Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 3; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: Habit [Major; some abominable desire], Touched [Major; tormented by their vice],* Ugly (signs of their vice, such as hairy palms, drooling, and bodily sores)
Edges: Improved Level Headed, Quick
Gear: instrument of their vice (gin bottle, opium pipe, pornography, etc.), formal or ragged clothing
 
Demagogue
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Stealth d4, Taunt d8
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Sanity: 4; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Delusional [Major; sees causes for hate and outrage everywhere], Touched [Major; tormented by own hypocrisy or delusions]*
Edges: Charismatic, Strong Willed
Gear: formal, normal, or ragged clothing
Special Abilities
  • Raise Mob: Demagogues may use their Intimidation skill in place of Persuasion to raise mobs. See Mob Rules.
*see Savage Worlds Horror Companion

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