BRP Heroes by Gaslight

[caeman]

By December, I will be starting a new series of superhero adventures for my group using BRP. Here is the introductory text to get them in the mood:

The London Times

Friday, April 4, 1890

The temperatures are higher than usual for spring, which

does not bode well for our fair city come summer. Of

more troubling news is the increase in crime reported

in each district. The constables have reported strange

behavior by some of the thieves they have attempted to

stop. One constable was rushed to Charing Cross with

reports of burns over the entirety of his body. The constable

expired soon after arrival. Attempts to gain comment from

Scotland Yard have been answered with silence. The good

people of London want an answer! Where is Sherlock Holmes

when we need him most?

-Herald Rames, reporter

Professor Moriarty is my designated Master Villain, with Fagan pulling street duty for nastiness. The players do not have to be literary characters, but I fully plan to make use of many. I am even working on my version of Jack of Ripper.

Adventure #1 has the working title of Fagan's Game.

[seneschal]

Sounds intriguing. Don't forget to include Spring-Heeled Jack ... a supervillain or superhero depending on whose version of him you pick.

[caeman]

I had forgotten about Spring-Heeled Jack.

I am going to bring Timogen back to life in one adventure. My group has a long tradition of running a zombies-type adventure in any game we play. Resurrecting Genghis Khan will be close enough to a zombie.

Edited November 11, 2008 by caeman

[Kairos]

Very cool. Keep us posted on your progress with this. Mysticism was big in the Victorian era. Any plans there?

[caeman]

Very cool. Keep us posted on your progress with this. Mysticism was big in the Victorian era. Any plans there?

There will be some magic involved, especially with the Timogen awakening adventure. I think I may even try to fit an egyptian-themed adventure.

I am going to post the two descriptions that two of my three players have submitted to me.

[caeman]

Dr. Ian Syms put down the Times and carefully took a sip of his coffee, which was no easy task while hanging upside down.

"This news is quite disturbing, Mrs. Pennyapple." he said as he gently placed his coffee mug on the table above, or rather, below his head. "It would appear the gents at Scotland Yard could use a helping hand, or foot, as the case may be."

Reaching up to replace his feet with his hands on the wooden ceiling beam, Dr. Syms deftly drops to the floor and pushes his spectacles a little farther up onto his nose.

"Will there be anything else, sir?" the housekeeper, Gertrude Pennyapple, asks with a slight bow.

"No thank you, my dear..." Syms responds absently. "Oh, wait. Yes. There is something you can do before you leave." He says. Downing his coffee in one gulp, he grabs the paper and literally bounds from the room and up the stairs. Mrs. Pennyapple softly sighs, shaking her head, and collects the dirty dishes from the table.

A few minutes later, as Mrs. Pennyapple is finishing the last of the breakfast dishes, Dr. Syms thunders down the stairs and skids to a halt on the kitchen tiles. His over-large bare feet making a slight squeak on the freshly waxed floor.

"Would you be a dear and post this for me on your way out?" He says, handing his housekeeper an envelope; the address, in his crisp handwriting, across the front.

"Of course, sir." she says with a slight bow and nod of her head.

"This mornings news might be of some import to an old colleague of mine. And, perhaps, we can work together to ascertain the extent of this mystery." Lost in thought, the doctor's eyes stare off into the past.

**********

The accident. Trying to harness the power of a lightning storm to energize his chemical elixir. What was originally supposed to cure the paralysis of his legs actually granted Dr. Ian Syms both a boon and a curse. No longer would he be confined to a wheelchair, that was true. But, also he would now be mostly shunned by the general public.

The sheer power of the lightning strike overloaded the equipment, sending a feedback charge into the elixir container which then exploded, covering the doctor in the viscous fluid. The fragmented glass slashed his skin in several places, allowing the elixir direct access to his bloodstream. Days later, he discovered that he could not only walk again, but his physical strength was greatly increased. As was his manual dexterity and overall agility.

He discovered he could leap impressive distances, and had an almost super-human sense of balance. Additionally, he discovered that he could now grip surfaces with his suddenly much larger feet, and his hands grew larger as well. His posture quickly became a low slouch, and most times he found it easier to walk and move using his hands along with his newly working legs and feet.

Dr. Syms realized that the simian DNA he was working with had somehow infused itself to his own genetic structure. Increasing his strength, agility and sense of balance to those of the various primates he had been working with.

With the majority of his research lost in the resultant fire from the explosion, Dr. Syms struggles with both the ups and downs of his newfound abilities. Now able to move around free of his wheelchair, he also must keep mostly hidden from the general public. His large frame and ape-like features cause most people to stare.

One day, Dr. Syms hopes to partially reverse what has been done to him, but prays that he can perfect the elixir to keep the use of his legs. For now, he lives a quiet existence, sometimes helping his colleagues in the scientific field and sometimes helping the downtrodden of the city of London.

Donning a mask and calling himself Symian, the doctor fights crime and helps those who are unable to help themselves.

******

"What was that Mrs. Pennyapple?" says the doctor, broken out of his reverie.

"I said, will that be all, sir?"

"Yes my dear, sweet lady, that will be all for today."

Mrs. Pennyapple drops the envelope into the box at the corner before walking the seven blocks to her modest apartment. She greatly enjoys working for Dr. Syms, such a nice man. She feels sorry for his unfortunate accident, but knows that he uses his abilities for the betterment of mankind, and hopes that he doesn't find a way to cure himself. For without his abilities, she never would have met and come to work for him... and, she would probably not be alive today to even worry about it. Gertrude Pennyapple owes a lot more to her employer than she owes to her own husband, the deadbeat drunk that he is. Probably off in Whitechapel now with some filthy Nightwalker. But, that's neither here nor there.

She picks up her pace to make it home so she can do her own cleaning before tea time.

[caeman]

Upon finishing the article in the paper, Dr. Malcolm Weatherby sat motionless in his well decorated office on campus. Some have said his office is a bit ornate, but being the Emeritus Professor of Engineering at Oxford University can afford you some of the finer things in life.

Although his eyes were still on the paper, his mind was on those dark days in the past.

Some four years ago, he was conducting a study group of graduate students when the door came bursting open. Everyone’s full attention came to the gentlemen standing in and around the doorway as silence fell. Dr. Reginald Geary, Dr. Weatherby’s best mate and colleague, stood with two bobbies and the family priest.

“Mal….you must make haste…..it’s Em!!” he exclaimed breathlessly. Mal stood frozen for several moments before responding, “What’s happened, Reggie?” “She’s been….attacked…in the park. Please Mal, she hasn’t long!” Malcolm examined the faces of all the gentlemen for a moment and could see their stony expressions. “Right!” is all he could muster as he grabbed for his coat and hat.

They arrived at the hospital just minutes later, but it was moments too late. She had already been pronounced. All Dr. Weatherby could do was stare down at the lifeless body of his bruised and bloodied wife of eight years. It was explained to him that his wife Emma had been walking through the park that afternoon and was attacked in broad daylight. There were no witnesses to the crime. There was no money taken or sexual advances made. The perpetrator simply beat her to a pulp and left her for dead. She had taken her afternoon walk everyday for as long as Malcolm could remember with not so much as a cat-call from anyone.

He stood there overwhelmed with sadness for what seemed like an eternity when he started feeling his sadness turn to anger. He had always had a fiery temper, but this was different…..he wanted blood…he wanted vengeance. Turning to the bobbies, he asked quietly,” do you have the man responsible?”. “Sir, we have arrested a man with blood on his clothing, but he-----“ “DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT HAVE THE MAN RESPONSIBLE??” He shouted. “We believe he is sir, but has yet to admit to it”. The bobby replied.

The following day, Dr Malcolm goes down to the local constable’s office for an update on the investigation and learns that the man has been released. They matched the type of blood to Dr Malcolm’s wife, but also to the man. He claimed to have problems with nose bleeds from time to time and said that is where the blood came from. Without any further evidence, he was let go.

The day of the funeral was like a blur. He walked and talked, but he wasn’t really there mentally. After the service, he sat in a chair with the family priest next to him. He had that sick burning in the pit of his stomach that he couldn’t seem to quench. They sat side by side silently for more than an hour when Malcolm finally spoke.

“I want him, father….I want that bastard’s head on a plate….I want him to suffer for what he has done…He needs to suffer and die for his crime.” “My son, you have been through so much in the las----“. “I don’t need your comforts, father” he interrupted. The priest sat silent for several seconds before speaking. “What DO you need, Malcolm?” “Your confidence” he said at a near whisper. “Mal, if you’re planning—“….”Let’s call it a confession for what I am about to do”. “Mal---“. “Father, please”. “MAL, LISTEN TO ME!!” the priest argued. “God has many angels. I believe some of them are here on earth. Angels of comfort, angels of mercy, angels of healing, and yes Mal, angels of vengeance.”

“I can’t help but read the paper and see time and again where the innocent are at the mercy of those who have none. I can’t help but think that someone needs to do something because Scotland Yard seems powerless to stop them. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I’m tired of seeing the beautiful people of this world, like Emma, suffer at the hands of monsters. Sometimes to defeat the monsters, you must become one.”

“Thank you, father for hearing my confession” Malcolm said as he got up and walked away. “Go with God, my son” the priest said into the air.

The London Times

Tuesday May 15th, 1886

FORMER SUSPECT FOUND MURDERED IN STREET

Brian Gorty, a former suspect in the murder of Emma Weatherby, was murdered in the streets late last night. Scotland Yard has yet to identify the killer or even the murder weapon. “It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen” a constable is quoted as saying. The marks on the body are said to resemble no known weapon of any type. There were no witnesses to this crime and no sounds were heard. Mr. Gorty was discovered early the next morning by a gentleman on his way to work.

-Harold Rames, reporter

Mal flashed back to the present day and realized he was clenching the paper with both fists. He closed the paper and wiped the tears from his face and began preparing mentally for the task he was about to do. He had a meeting in an hour with the university faculty, but then the rest of the afternoon and evening was his to prepare.

Yet again, he would begin his hunt. This man, this angel of vengeance would start the task he has done so many times before.

[caeman]

My group has a tradition of very wordy character concept submissions.

[pulpcitizen]

Sounds intriguing - keep us posted.

Have you checked out the seminal Gaslights superhero works such as Gotham by Gaslight and Master of Tomorrow, as well as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

[caeman]

Sounds intriguing - keep us posted.

Have you checked out the seminal Gaslights superhero works such as Gotham by Gaslight and Master of Tomorrow, as well as the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

Next Sunday, we are having a chargen party for this game. By then, I will have finally settled on the number of build points for buying powers.

I have Gotham by Gaslight. I haven't read the LXG comic, but I've seen the movie (I know, they bear little resemblance). I've never heard of Master of Tomorrow.

I have played plenty of Cthulhu by Gaslight and read a lot of Sherlock Holmes.

[pulpcitizen]

Sorry, I meant Master of the Future - it is the sequel to Gotham by Gaslight. Apologies for the error.

[caeman]

Chargen has begun.

The ape-like man has something like 92 character points to spend on powers. He is looking mostly at physical-based powers. Beast from X-Men is his model for this character.

The gadgeteer is a little different. As a test, I am allowing him to create any number of gadgets, each having a max of POW*2 points to buy powers.

Player #3 has to stay home with Child #1.

[pulpcitizen]

Any update for us, caeman?

[caeman]

Sorry, no update to report at this time. The Thanksgiving holiday messed up our gaming schedule. One of my players needs to finish his character sheet. Probably looking at a first game in mid-December.

[caeman]

Game #1 of Heroes by Gaslight is in the books. Fagan's Game saw the introduction of three super villains: Fagan, Brick and Pinache.

The heroes in the game are Dr. Ian Sym (accident in a lab gave him ape-like features) and Otori Kimoto (super martial arts).

Fagan is a fire wielder (3 levels), creating jets of fire from his hands. Brick has a 40 STR and Armor-like skin, but not much intelligence. Pinache has super-skill with a sword and is very acrobatic. He also has a major attitude because he is French, and believes himself superior to the English. I had fun taunting the heroes during the game with him.

In game #1, Fagan had begun organizing the street urchins of the city into a gang of crime. Their latest crime involved a bank robbery and the death of a constable. The heroes, following a constable report that kids were involved correctly presumed that following some street urchins might give them some clues, and it did. They eventually found a secret entrance and entered the lair of Fagan and his street urchin thieves. A big fight later, the shuttered-factory location is on fire. Brick manages to connect a punch onto Otori, sending him flying and unconscious across the room (and with a broken rib or two). Sym, now outnumbered, flees with Otori. The damage was done, though. Fagan, Brick and Pinache escaped, but the thievery ring is thoroughly busted. The three are now wanted for a laundry list of crimes by the constables. Scotland Yard has taken a keen interest in this and will following up with the heroes.

Dr. Sym, due to his appear, does not have a secret identity, but it is not widely known. The police know. Otori is completely secret. I am going for an X-men feel for the game. The levels of power are not huge. The presence of these heroes is tolerated and appreciated by the constables. The public knowledge of them is hearsay and rumor, the stuff of tabloids.

The bad british accents were out in force in this game. It was fun to run and the players had fun playing.

[pulpcitizen]

Good stuff. Keep us posted. :thumb:

[caeman]

The teaser I just sent my players for game #2 of Heroes by Gaslight.

Sunday, April 20th, 1890

A new villainous brigand has struck the city of London! A mad man calling himself "The Jester" ,and dressed in like manner, entered a grand gala held at the resident of Admiral Tombaughm. Everyone who was anyone -- including this reporter -- were in attendance, but what a day to be on the A-list of the social ladder. This mad Jester and his gang of thugs -- all of whom were wearing comedy or tragedy masks -- proceeded to relieve the guests of their jewelry and money purses. As a parting "gift", as the Jester called it, he tossed a lit stick of dynamite into the ball room! No one was killed, but many were injured by the blast. Many thousands of pounds of valuable jewelry were stolen that night. This Jester is surely a bold thief to have committed this crime. Will the heroes from the fortnight ago rise to the challenge and stop this mad scheme as well?

-Herald Rames

[pulpcitizen]

Sounds like a great game. :thumb:

[pulpcitizen]

Any more update, caeman?

[caeman]

Any more update, caeman?

Game #2 has been scheduled for the 15th. One of the guys had an idea for CoC that they just HAD to run, an adventure called Murder of Crows.

[caeman]

Okay, ran part 1 of HbG#2 Sunday night. The game start was slowed down a tad due to my gadgeteer needing to finish his character.

Dr. Sym and Weatherby investigated the scene at Admiral Tombaughm's estate and found a piece of the bomb bag the Jester threw. "PRO RT F T LO CIR " was written in a circle on a swatch of the cloth. I threw hints at the players that the Jester was talking to himself a lot during the heist, that he used to work for the Admiral 5 years ago. They did catch on to the clue of the circus and think they have spotted the Jester. But, when they went back to the evening big top show, the jester wasn't there. He was out robbing Brooks Savings. The circus owner commented that he thought the man in question seemed familiar from having worked at the circus 2 years ago.

There is a reason to this treason and a rhyme to his crime. Will the players discover the Jester's grand plan before he blows the top off the circus?

Edited February 17, 2009 by caeman

[pulpcitizen]

I do enjoy reading the updates. I like the idea of the Jester villain.

[caeman]

The Jester is insane. He went insane a few years ago, after an accident at the circus due to a head injury. He spent every waking hour working on his physique and skills and escaped. Now, he is seeking revenge on all his past employers, including the circus. He blames them for making him insane. Because, that is what insane villains do.

If the players catch on to the clue about the Jester talking to himself and acting crazy, they will check out the local insanitarium and learn lots about The Jester.

The climax of this symphony of insanity will be the destruction of the London Circus itself! Explosions, bombs, fireworks...ah, the fire, it lights up the night sky so well. Don't you agree, my dear HEROES of London? >:->

[caeman]

Part 2 of "Crying on the Inside" will have to wait for two Sundays from now.

HbG #3 is going to be more action oriented. #2 is a little lacking in action, so I want to give the players a chance to stretch their powers. I think the time has come for an Egyptian mummy to rise up in London.

[caeman]

Completed part 2 of Adventure #2 tonight.

My third player, absent from the first part of this game, was introduced into the game at the scene of the Jester trying to blow up a bank that the Jest used to work for -- before he went completely insane.

The guys never did track the clue that would have sent them to Finsbury Sanitarium, but then did figure out successfully that the Jester has purchased 2000 lbs of gun powder and that he was probably storing it in a disused subway tunnel segment running under the London Circus.

The 3 heroes subdued several of the thugs, but the others ran, as the Jester and Dr. Sym fought it out, including one attempt by the Jester to throw a torch at a pile of gun powder. Ultimately, though, the Jester was defeated when Otori (the Ninja) slashed the Jester across the gut. He would succumb to his wound. Hundreds of people were saved and the city of London once again owes the Heroes of London a debt of gratitude.

The Jester was pronounced "dead" at the scene. Several thugs arrested.

>:->

The end.