Nachtberg

[IC thread.https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/ic-trail-of-count-nachtberg.838040/]

Nachtberg

High in the Bavarian Alps stands mountain-girt Nachtberg. Rumors abound that this land teams with monsters-werewolves, ghouls and the like.

Map of Nachtberg

Background

The Barony of Nachtberg is a remote region high in the central Alps. Despite its relative backwardness it has opened somewhat in recent years to visitors. The new steam-train connection at Altdorf, as well as a growth of interest in sports like hiking and climbing has attracted a few tourists. So too has the region's romantic , if macabre history. Apart from the usual tales of vampires and werewolves, a story has been popularized in magazines and books concerning long-dead ancestors of the present Nachtberg incumbent. These medieval figures are said to have been descended from the Devil himself. A Crusader, Baron Manfred the Gentle, was accused of turning traitor by forming an alliance with Saracens. A furious arch-bishop (some tales say the Pope himself) cursed the Baron on his return so he would be barren, unable to sire future traitors of Christendom. His wife, in revenge, lay with the Prince of Darkness and sired a new line. These descendants became monsters who persecuted local townsfolk. In the story a heroic woodcutter enters the Nachtbergs' resting place and kills them as they slumber by day.

Characters

Korvettenkapitän Ercole Tremari, on His Majesty's Security Service

His Majesty inquires and Ercole is one of the methods by which he receives an answer. Ercole is a well attuned sensory organ, always prepared to take on His Majesty's many foes.

• CLASS 2 *connections
• FIGHT 1 *fisticuffs
• HANDINESS 1 *preparedness
• INFLUENCE 2 *lead
• LANDSMAN 1 *read stars
• MILITARY 2 *command
• PHYSIQUE 2 *health
• SCHOLARSHIP
• SCIENCE!
• WILL 2 *interrogate
• WITS 2 *cold read
• VILLAINY

Gear: Imperial Warrant, Naval cutlass, LeMat pistol, comfortable greatcoat.
Motivation: Anything that upsets the peace of the realm must be dealt with swiftly and firmly.

Kurt Muller von Landauer

Kurt is the third son of a poor branch of a minor aristocratic family. He attended university by the grace of a rich second-uncle, who has since cut Kurt off from any funds for spending his time reveling insteady of studying. He was involved enough in his studies, but to the chagrin of that uncle and Kurt's father it wasn't anything they deemed serious, like law. Kurt's father wants him to become a clerk, and he will, but not before he has his last bit of fun.
Appearance: http://tinypic.com/r/2i75kyt/9

• CLASS 1 *impress
• FIGHT 1 *fencing
• HANDINESS 0
• INFLUENCE 2 *persuade
• LANDSMAN 1 *ride
• MILITARY 0
• PHYSIQUE 1 *health
• SCHOLARSHIP 2 *history
• SCIENCE! 2 *geography
• WILL 2 *discipline
• WITS 2 *notice
• VILLAINY 1 *deceit

Gear: his books, primarily. Pad and pen. A favorite beer stein. Not enough money to show off, but enough to be comfortable for a little while. An academic saber he borrowed (stole) from his student corps. His final nice pair of trousers, vest, and coat; the shirt that goes with them is worn out and everything else is too.
Motivation in the setting: to see Europe before he goes home and works for some factory magnate or civil official. Castle Nachtberg is full of romance, or so he hears. He not-so-secretly hopes for some opportunity that will rescue him from a life of the mundane.

Vincent McLeod, Adventurer

A military veteran and roustabout, Vincent is now walking across Europe seeking adventure and excitement!

• CLASS 1 *Intimidate
• FIGHT 2 *Fisticuffs
• HANDINESS 2 *Preparedness
• INFLUENCE 1 *Leadership
• LANDSMAN 2 *Tracking
• MILITARY 2 *Guns
• PHYSIQUE 2 *Endurance
• SCHOLARSHIP 0
• SCIENCE! 0
• WILL 2 *Discipline
• WITS 1 *Notice
• VILLAINY 0

Gear: Hard-wearing clothes, outdoors gear, high-quality pistol
Motivation in the setting: Vincent wants to get involved in dangerous, exciting situations. He runs towards danger and meets it with both fists!

Madam Rose, Gypsy fortune-teller

Rozanna Martinescu is an East-European Romani. She was born with the Sight, which allows her glimpses into the web of Fate. As “Madam Rose”, she uses it to make money as a seer, though she supplements her gift with uncanny insight and inspired theatrics.

• CLASS
• FIGHT 1: knife-fight*
• HANDINESS 1: cook*
• INFLUENCE 2: charm*
• LANDSMAN 1: gather food*
• MILITARY
• PHYSIQUE 1: health*
• SCHOLARSHIP 2: religion and occult*
• SCIENCE! 1: astronomy*
• WILL 2: courage*
• WITS 2: cold read*
• VILLAINY 2: deceit*

Appearance: Adrienne Barbeau in “Carnivale”

Gear: old covered wagon, deck of tarot cards, sharp knife. Wears a red dress with a black shawl.

Motivation: She had a dream about a dangerous threat to her clan. She left it to follow the strands of Fate, in the hopes of averting this disaster. This reporter is somehow connected to the grand scheme.

Fritz Reinhold

• 1 CLASS-connections
• 1-FIGHT knife-fight,
• 2-HANDINESS fix
• 1-INFLUENCE persuade,
• 1-LANDSMAN track
• 1-MILITARY guns
• PHYSIQUE
• 1-SCHOLARSHIP languages
• 2- SCIENCE! Medicine
• 1-WILL interrogate
• 2- WITS notice
• 2- VILLAINY stealth

Gear: Medical Gear, lockpicks, crowbar, shovel, hammer, revolver, knives, worn labcoat, heavy greatcoat with pockets on the inside for concealing crowbar, hammer, burglary tools

Motivation: Fritz turned to graverobbing and gambling to pay his way through the university, and ended up supplementing that with patching up those who had gotten wounded on the dodgier side of the law. He met the missing journalist during his time at the university.Fritz Reinhold

System

It is inspired by the Gumshoe principle, in which players move the story/investigation on by spending from discrete point pools, each representing one of a list of investigative skills. In this simplified version of the game, pools are fixed at lower numbers 0, 1 or 2. This eliminates the drag of keeping tabs on lists of multiple points pools. At chargen, players invest 0, 1 or 2 points in each of the (just twelve) general multi-purpose skills, most of which cover both investigate knowledge AND practical competence , e.g LANDSMAN can be used to identify tracks, animal fur, etc. as clues but also to hunt, read the stars, etc. These (smaller than RAW) pools stay static over the course of the game so records don't have to be updated.

A score of even 1 means your character is actually quite competent in this area, hopefully picking up basic clues and usually succeeding at moderately challenging tasks. A score of 2 indicates they are experts . Players assign 15 points to the skills at chargen. If players buy at least one point in a skill, one sub-skill can be asterisked (*). These 'specialist' abilities can be performed at the next higher step (*1= 2, *2 =3). 3 can only be achieved in this way, and is the highest natural rank possible - 'famous specialist' level.

The twelve generic skills are:

• CLASS impress, wealth, equipment, manners, fashion, connections, bribe, intimidate
• FIGHT combat knowledge, fisticuffs, wrestle, leap and kick, fencing, knife-fight, antique weapon
• HANDINESS fix, sew, cook, smith, lockpick, 'preparedness' (from RAW)
• INFLUENCE charm, reassure, bribe, money, persuade, lead
• LANDSMAN ride, drive, survival, gather food, read stars, track, camp, stealth, guns
• MILITARY soldier talk, command, milhist, guns, miltech, ride
• PHYSIQUE health, might, endurance, swim, climb, throw, jump, run
• SCHOLARSHIP history, current affairs, art, architecture, religion and occult, languages
• SCIENCE! medicine, astronomy, chemistry, geology, geography
• WILL courage, faith, discipline, intimidate, interrogate
• WITS notice, cold read, sense motive, sense danger, uncanny dodge
• VILLAINY lockpick, stealth, gambling, street-talk, deceit, pickpocket

PHYSIQUE and WILL are less likely useful for investigative purposes; all others are 'dual' (investigative and practical)
Skills work in exactly the same way whether they are being used investigatively to find clues, or to perform actions. To resolve a skill action in either case, roll 1d6 and add the relevant skill level. Outcomes are as follows:

• 1-3: you fail in any practical task; for an investigation roll, the GM may still give basic trail clues
• 4,4+: you succeed, getting basic trail clues and extra clues if these are available; complete practical tasks successfully.

Strong rolls (e.g. 6 or 7) indicate the task has been achieved with special panache. Very strong rolls (e.g. 8 or 9) indicate the task has been achieved remarkably successfully and the GM may provide an extra positive outcome.
As in RAW the GM may decide that a task is harder than normal, applying a penalty modifier. To identify footprints on a clean floor or resist a powerful vampire’s stare, say, a -2 penalty might be applied.

Combat

For a typical combat roll:

• 1-3: no damage
• 4+: opponent takes damage for every point over 4 (e.g. a roll of 6 does 2 damage)

In an encounter with a proper monster, a GM may apply a combat penalty representing its toughness, generally -2. So a GM might apply a -2 penalty for a fracas with a typical werewolf, or -3 (-4?) if it is the legendary Wolfman himself!.

In combat, If the party is properly outnumbered an additional penalty of -1 is applied. +1 E.g. party of 3 fight a pack of 5 wolves, take a -1 penalty. If the opposite is true, e.g. several characters are fighting a lone vampire, gain +1 to rolls.

Brawl fighting. In a brawl facing multiple lesser foes, a character can target two opponents at a time, taking a voluntary -2 multi-action penalty. They roll twice with the -2 penalty. With the GM's permission, 3 foes could be attacked similarly at -3, 4 at -4 and so on.

Guns always do bonus damage as long as they hit (i.e. >=4) but characters generally can't fire into combat. Pistols do +1; rifles and rapid fire revolvers (if used against a single target) do +2. Weapons, e.g. swords add +1. Wrestling with a might of 2 or more also does +1 bonus damage.

Example Character

Max Ludendorf, Jewel Thief'
Although university educated and from a wealthy family of jewellers in Munich, Max never settled down to a life of commerce. He would rather steal jewels than buy them. Well mannered and charming, he easily infiltrates high society here finds easy pickings.

• CLASS 1 *money
• FIGHT 2 *fencing*
• HANDINESS 1 preparedness
• INFLUENCE 2 *charm
• LANDSMAN
• MILITARY 1 *guns
• PHYSIQUE 1 *health (power player!)
• SCHOLARSHIP 2 *geology ('this diamond is full gazy')
• SCIENCE!
• WILL 1 *courage
• WITS 2 *uncanny dodge
• VILLAINY 2 *lockpick

Gear: decent monies, good wardrobe and excellent gear purchased from the best tradesmen in Europe. He dresses in a leather overcoat, trilby and carries an ivory cane (actually a swordstick)

Motivation in the setting: Max wants to steal as many local jewels as he can, especially from the ancient line of Wolfenstein. He does have some morals-he would prefer not to harm common folk, unless they make themselves too inconvenient. He is also a thrillseeker, unable to resist the taste of danger.

Combat example. Party versus werewolf

Party:
Jewel Thief, Guns 2, Fisticuffs 1, Health 1
Circus strongman , Wrestle (=3), Health 2
Countess X, Fencing 2, Health 1
Occultist , Guns 2, Health 1.
Monster
Werewolf, leap and bite, 2, Health (=3). Difficulty -2.

................................

The party encounter a werewolf in the forests near the lakeside. Seeing it, each must make a courage roll of 4 or more. Each rolls 1d6 and adds WILL/courage. All manage to get >4, except the occultist who flees.

............................
The GM assigns the physical battle itself a difficulty mod of -2. This abstract modifier represents the monster's supernatural toughness, plot immunity, etc.

The GM allows the jewel thief to shoot before melee begins as he said he was carrying his pistol loaded with a silver bullet. The Thief rolls 5 , then adds his Guns skill of 2 =7. After subtracting the difficulty rating of 2 this is reduced to 5. The bullet therefore does 1 damage, with an extra +1 weapon bonus. Ww is down to 1 health.

Melee begins. The Order of action is determined once, according to the characters’ pool in their chosen method of combat. This gives us: 1. Werewolf, Strongman
2. Jewel Thief, Circus Strongman

The Strongman attacks the werewolf, rolling 2 plus wrestle 3 = 5. Enough to do 1 damage and bring the WW down to 0 health. But the WW attacks simultaneously, rolling 4 + 2 leap and bite. He does 2 damage to the strongman, bringing him to 0 health .

Countesss X stabs with her sword stick, rolling 5+2= 7, doing 3+1 damage. The monster is killed and transforms into his human form- a local woodcutter!