(Location) Widder Jones' Boarding House

SKJAM! · October 23, 2005

History: Kathleen Gillicuddy came to the United States from Ireland sometime before the turn of the century, though exactly when would be rude to ask. She spent some time as a washerwoman before meeting Isaac Jones, a promising young man who was starting his own construction firm. They were soon married, and Kathleen settled down to keeping the house and raising the children. And it was quite a house to keep, as Isaac had built it himself to accomodate a family of ten.

Shortly after the birth of the Jones' sixth child, Isaac was killed in a construction accident. To Kathleen's dismay, she learned that the construction firm was nearly dry of funds due to some bad investments Isaac had made, and embezzlement by an unscrupulous partner.

Faced with poverty, and with seven mouths to feed, Kathleen started taking in laundry, and rented out a spare room to a young man who also helped with the heavy repairs. Over time, as her children grew up and moved out, "Widder" Jones took in more boarders. Now all the children are grown, and they send money when they can, but Kathleen has taken a liking to the boarding house business.

Kathleen Jones: A small white-haired woman somewhere around sixty years of age, with surprisingly muscular-looking arms. (All that laundry work built strength.) She speaks with a slight Irish accent, which thickens when she talks to other expatriates. While she will not put up with disrespect, Widder Jones is notable for being forgiving of eccentricity in her boarders (which makes this a good place for player characters to rent.) She does her tenants' laundry for a small extra fee, but is otherwise retired from that business.

Widder Jones is well respected in her neighborhood, and anyone causing trouble for her will find himself in hot water very quickly. (This protectiveness does not necessarily apply to the boarders, who will have to win their own respect.)

The House: Widder Jones' place is a fine-looking house in what is now a respectable neighborhood. (Back in the days it was built, most of the immigrants were new and things were rougher; The old men will tell you about it for a drink or a smoke.) The six guest rooms are on the second floor, as well as a shared bathroom. Kathleen, a handyman, and a young chore girl live on the first floor. There's a large attic and basement, which can be used to store tenants' property for a small fee. The house is on the electric grid, and has a separate generator for emergencies. There is a telephone in the downstairs hall, next to the parlor. Boarders must pay for their own long-distance calls.

Kathleen rents only to men, and is a fairly good judge of character. The rent is a little on the high side for the time period, and the first month's rent must be paid in advance. Female visitors must be seen in the parlor, and under absolutely no circumstances may go up to the second floor. Breakfast is at 6 AM and dinner at 6 PM, those who are late may well go hungry. Kathleen will pack a cold lunch for a small fee, but must be told at least a day in advance.

Campaign Use: Widder Jones' boarding house can serve as a home base for a bachelor player character or two, or for NPCs of the proper type. The storage areas have numerous boxes and sacks left behind by previous boarders; perhaps something valuable or important? Kathleen's many children might get in trouble that only the player characters can be called upon to relieve; and of course there are the other boarders. Some potentials:

"The Professor": A teacher of physics and mathematics at the local high school, he dabbles in invention. A widower, he's a bit absent-minded and very grateful to Widder Jones for making sure he's fed and sent off to work in time. So far, all of his inventions have failed, but perhaps one day....

"The Hindoo Gentleman" : An exotic-looking dark-skinned fellow, he speaks with a cultured British accent and seems well-read. A doctor in his home country, he has come to America to learn modern medical techniques. Or at least that's what he claims.

"Mr. Eugene": A smooth-cheeked, soft-featured youth who works as a bank teller. He is soft-spoken, when he speaks at all, and avoids being alone with anyone. "Mr. Eugene" is actually a woman in disguise, why she's doing this is up to the GM.

Thoughts, comments?

Basil · October 23, 2005