[CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

[Savinien]

A few years ago I had been playing in the RCU for a few years and decided to create my own orginal Champions setting. I used the RCU and Champions genre book extensively and continued to find myself stymied. Worst of all, I felt like I was missing all these wonderful opportunities for stories within the background fodder I was creating.

 

Thereby, I hatched this wonderful plan of creating my Supers world by playing out the differences that occurred when super-powers burst upon the Earth through an EVENT! First though, I'd need to decide what my Earth was like. Best way to detail the current state of affairs was to start a Pulp Campaign just before the 'birth' of super-powers!

 

Thus was born Annals of the Mask. The first few (yes, I've started it 3 different times) attempts failed, twice before the game ever started! I'd hoped to create a distinct, game mechanical line between the people of Earth before the Event, and then after. This was called the Template of 8. Steve used the same idea with Valdorian Age, though I tried it years before. My players revolted and wouldn't do it. They hated the concept and the mathmatical changes it caused in chargen.

 

Long story short, I'm trying again. So far I have a single player and I'm trying to run it on Hero Central again.

 

I'll add more info as I find my muse.

[Trebuchet]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

Good luck.

 

I'm a bit curious about why your previous players "hated the concept and the mathmatical changes it caused in chargen"? What exactly was it they objected to? And why not use a standard template if your custom one is causing so much heartache amongst your players? There's not much point in putting together a brilliant campaign if nobody will play in it.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

The concept behind it is changing the base numbers for PCs/NPC to attributes at 8 as opposed to 10. This makes the cut-offs for bonuses farther away and changes the structure people are used to with a base 10. People, especially players, can be opposed to change and this was the way of the To8.

 

I did end up dropping the concept previously and with this incarnation of the campaign. I can only hope it is brilliant and as enjoyable as I think it can be!

 

Oh, and I have another player that has applied.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

Something on the characters...

 

Tony Lee - Purportedly based off a character from the movie Shangai something-or-other (I haven't seen it). Tony has fled the bloody streets of Shanghai after gaining the wrath of a previous employer, the head of the Green Circle syndicate. Tony finds himself in a stocking in a Chinese Grocery on the edge of Chinatown.

 

Henry Fineman - Ex-cop, Private Eye. Hank's got bills to pay and a new chinese client, a young woman of beauty.

 

Ginny Thompson - Ace Reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle. She's a Lady that has to get the story. (Yamamura is playing this character and I haven't gotten her involved in any story, yet.)

 

I'm waffling about how much info to put here. I don't want the players ruining any surprises.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

An Update:

 

The game has been going on for a month now and a few things have begun to transpire. The player of Henry Fineman was booted for slow posting and another player was added.

 

These players are ALL from this forum.

 

Tony Lee - Mastermind

Ginny Thompson - Yamamura

Austin Williams - RPMiller

 

Hank Fineman has become an NPC and is still with the group.

 

Austin Williams is another Private Detective hired to find the missing Da Heng (purportedly AKA The Chinese Ghost).

 

By this time, all four (the NPC Hank Fineman included) have all congregated at Huan's Grocery in Chinatown. Ginny Thompson and Austin Williams have lived through a harrowing night involving the conclusion of a missing person's case and a run in with a knife-wielding madman. Tony Lee was led to a non-descript door that released a heavy cloud of dust that knocked he, Hank Fineman, and Chin Huan unconcious.

 

Now, the group has realized a connection between The Chinese Ghost, The Albanian Vegetable Merchant, The Alabaster Tiger, and Chin Huan's missing son-in-law.

 

I'm considering a tighter, prose-like write-up for your perusal.

[OddHat]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

 

I'm considering a tighter, prose-like write-up for your perusal.

 

Prose is welcome, and thanks for sharing this much.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

The next day...

 

Tony Lee, Chin Huan, and Henry Fineman lay unconcious in a dirty tunnel beneath Huan's Grocery, victims of a mysterious booby-trapped door. Eventually, the lovely Ju Mei finds them and helps rouse them. Ju Mei is the unwanted neice of Chin Huan and mate of the missing Wei Xue. Covered in dust, the three men move upstairs to speak with Austin Williams and Ginny Thompson. The former bears a chinese puzzle box with a striking resemblance to the door beneath the Grocery.

 

Not put off by the Huan's isolationism, a life-saving demeanor within Chinatown, Austin and Ginny accompany Hank and Tony below. With the light of a lantern, Austin decides the same person built the strange puzzle door emblazoned with the 'mask' of the Alabaster Tiger and the puzzle box obtained by Da Heng's (The Chinese Ghost) widow late last night.

 

Austin decides to pay a visit to an old friend at St. Ignatius College, Sir Terrant Leigh. Leigh was knighted for his ground-breaking book on Orient occult and history, relatively unheard of in the West. He has been visiting the college and library for reasons unknown.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

An'Lung takes it upon himself to stay in the parking lot of the old Victorian. he believes the campus security and possibly Sir Terrant might take it amiss with a Chinaman calling this late. The others agree, still unsure of Tony, anyway.

 

Greeted by Sir Terrant's manservant, Radolph, the group notices him acting strangely and a bit suspicious. He's a recalcatrint sort though and the mystery is put off for the nonce as Sir Terrant himself calls from a nearby den. Austin leads the others within and wastes little time, plopping down the puzzle box before the wheelchair bound Sir Terrant.

 

Sir Terrant's inspection is interrupted after a few minutes by some sort of spectacle outside. Radolph almost immediately has a Tommy gun in his fists, another indication something was already amiss.

 

Outside, Tony Lee finds himself on the run from two trucks filled with a mass of foreigners of all types, they ride on the running boards and fill the truck beds, their hands filled with wicked watercraft tools, such as belaying bins, and bill-hooked staves. There must be nearly two dozen of the men and their intent for mischief is obvious!

 

A massive fight ensues with Tony and Hank Fineman throwing fists or lead at the encroaching Wharf Rats. The ruffians are maddened, throwing themselves over the fence and ignoring their fallen comrades in their haste to reach the small guest house Sir Leigh had claimed as his own.

 

Inside, as Radolph puts his Tommy Gun to devastating affect, our heroes find themselves face to face with a costumed Mystery Man. Sir Terrant supplies his name as The Blue Falcon! The later suggests they flee through the back and head into the kitchen, now bathed in darkness.

 

Another fight breaks out as German soldiers armed with Mausers block the troupes retreat! Things look dire for our heroes!

[Khaymer]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

The concept behind it is changing the base numbers for PCs/NPC to attributes at 8 as opposed to 10. This makes the cut-offs for bonuses farther away and changes the structure people are used to with a base 10. People' date=' especially players, can be opposed to change and this was the way of the To8.[/quote']

This would fit in well with my old gaming group here in Montreal. We were playing with a reduced average of 8 for a long time.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

The Dark Angel, Detlef Engel, is leading the German shock troops. Their goals are unknown and don't seem to coincide with the wharf rat attack outside.

 

During the fight, Hank Fineman is split open by a sailor's knife and Radolph is bulletted to death by the roomsweepers.

 

Security and police arrive to assist in the fight outside. Inside, Detlef escapes.

 

During the aftermath, SFPD uncovers a tattoo on all of the germans. Sir Terrant lets it known that the German could be seeking a journal he'd recently received, but doesn't know the purpose of the dock riff-raff that attacked with such fervor.

 

The Blue Falcon had arrived after receiving message through Veiled Society channels (Sir Terrant - Da Heng) that the Alabaster Tiger was missing.

 

Ginny is called in for important business with the paper (player had to stop playing).

 

The next day, we find Sir Terrant and Austin William's at Mills Air Field baording their rented plane headed to New York and a Steamer back to London. Also at Mills is Roger Mack, a sort of young Einstein working with his friend Tom Swift on the laters Autogyro.

 

The Blue Falcon has found his way to Huan's Grocery and has begun discussion with Tony Lee concerning the mysterious box, the Chinese Ghost, and Da Heng.

 

Roger Mack is a player character - A gadgeteer/mechanic

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

UPDATE

 

Chinatown - The Blue Falcon and Tony Lee have found their way into the Lao Jin Courtyard among the fog seeped streets of Chinatown. Clues from Sir Terrant will hopefully be answered at the Yellow Door of Yun Wu (the builder of the box and the secret door below Huan's Grocery.

 

They've been met by four hatchetmen of the Bang Lim Quan (powerful tong) and combat started with word from within Yun Wu's shop. Does Yun Wu want our heroes dead? Let's see after the battle of the Lao Jin Courtyard finishes.

 

Mills Field - Austin Williams helped load his and Sir Terrant's belongings into the mail Carrying Fokker they'd rented for their hasty return to New York. Apparently, it wasn't fast enough as Jerries blasted at Austin and sent him scurrying from the plane!

 

Roger Mack heard the automatic gunfire and leapt into his Jalopy to help. His friend, Tom Swift gave chase in his autogyro. A harrying chase down the runway followed with the Fokker's fuel line being clipped. It wasn't much, but presumably, it was enough to cause a forced landing in Oakland across the bay.

 

Mack and Austin are now headed towards the Mole and a ferrying across the bay into Oakland.

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

Update

 

Lao Jin Courtard

Tony Lee and the Blue Falcon are more than capable for the Bang Lim Quan hatcthetmen and leave all four kaput among the shadows of the courtyard. With questions of what the men were doing, our heroes move into the woodshop of Yun Wu. After a quick examination of the outer shop, both men head behind the curtain to the workroom itself!

 

A short man, stinking of too-sweet musk attacks from the shadows and flits out of the shop. He couldn't have been the craftsman, could he? Tony and the Falcon search high and low, discovering a hidden apperature below the workbench. The Blue Falcon uses his Veiled Society ring to gain entrance to the marvel. Inside is a journal/diary and land registrations of several different names. The journal is marked with the name: Artisan, a member of the Veiled Society that Gregory had heard off.

 

The final journal entry says thus:

"Goodbye, Edward. You can have my land, but you can never take my freedom."

-Duncan

 

The Jalopy

Further investigation awaits Roger Mack and Austin Williams in Oakland. The duo arrived on an airfield similar to Mills just outside of San Francisco across the bay. A familiar plane was visible in the darkness along with the police.

 

After some searching and a bit of chewing the fat, Austin discovered some Chinese markings within the plane on the back of one of the seats. it seems Sir Terrant left a message, the wily old Professor.

 

Outside, Mack kfound wheelchair marks spelling a single word: Shasta.

[Mastermind]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

Its fun. I play Tony Lee. He's the perfect sidekick! I think I'll rename him Kato

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

UPDATE

 

Chinatown, Huan's Grocery

 

Conveniently, both teams of investigators returned to Huan's Grocery in Chinatown about the same time. Both groups had interesting information to share; Austin and Roger wanted help in finding the kidnapped Sir Terrant Leigh and The Blue Falcon and Tony Lee were returning to see if they couldn't solve the puzzle of that mysterious door beneath the Grocery.

 

It didn't take long to get to the Alabaster Tiger's lair below. Roger Mack was undaunted by costumed crimefighter and hit it off rather poorly with him. Austin was staunch is upporting his new-found friend though and Mack eventually solved the Chinese Puzzle Box. Inside was a non-descript mask Williams recognized as belonging to the Chinese Ghost, and a Veiled Society ring given to associates of the secret group.

 

Mack and the Falcon struggled with the puzzle gate leading into the lair for a bit before Gregory chased him off. Austin took his friend upstairs, hoping the Falcon and Tony Lee would survive the booby-trap the Azure Avenger was sure to set off.

 

Austin and mack met Ju Mei, neice of Hu Huan. Now that Ju had heard Hank 'the Tank' Fineman had been sorely injured the day before (at the Shirt Factory 'natch), she hired another PI to find her missing lover, Xue Wei.

 

Downstairs, the Falcon opened the door without mishap and lead An'Lung within. They found many clues and new mysteries, with the Falcon believing the missing Xue Wei to be the secret identity of the Alabaster Tiger. Among the clues was a reference to a meeting with McDunnough at his home (yes, the same address they found in Yin Wu's shop!)

 

After more discussion (and lines not quite drawn in the sand) the group decided to investigate the McDunnough estate as opposed to leaving immediately for Mt. Shasta where Sir Leigh has been presumably taken. They also discovered (through Tony's reading of the pencil graft) that the Dark Angel (Detlef Engel) is likely seeking Agartha/Shamballah in the Hollow Earth!

 

Next Update Later!

[Savinien]

Re: [CAMPAIGN]Annals of the Mask

 

UPDATE

 

The foursome piles into the Jalopy (Roger Mack's fine tuned, if a bit ugly) car and head to McDunnough's estate. It is late and the hilly territory south of the city is home to rumrunners and far too may mafioso trying to circumvent the Prohibition Act.

 

The Jalopy's head lamps find few other nightriders and eventually finds itself slowing for a covered bridge amongst the hilly territories. The Blue Falcon exits with Tony Lee keeping a sharp lookout. A bit of investigation finds a car has smashed through one side of the bridge and fallen nearly 100' down into a steep ravine.

 

Our heroes decide to push onward, hoping against hope the Alabaster Tiger hadn't been in that car. A few more curves and our heroes turn into a decent sized spread sprawled across a narrow valley almost a mile long. On one side is a modest mansion and the other holds a large sturdy barn butting up against one of the hills.

 

Mack and Austin examine the long level area, trying to discern whether or not this could be an aeroplane landing strip while Gregory and An'Lung move towards the barn. The second group quickly discerns it is more hangar than barn and a gunfight recently took place here, more than one body lumped in its own life-blood.

 

An eerie, heavy thrumming beings to make itself known. The duo in the hangar fear it may be some sort of generator. Those outside quickly know better when a massive airship looms overhead, hidden from sight by the high hills on one side! The ship isn't alone, nearly a dozen motorcycles baring machine-gun toting sidecars careen into sight!

 

Roger and Williams leap into the Jalopy, presumably trying to draw off the cyclists while a mechanically amplified voice calls for the Blue Falcon's surrender! The cycles speed off after the Jalopy towards the opposite end of the strip, Mack quickly realizing there is no escape and the valley dead ends. All the while, the sidecar gunners are spitting deadly lead into and all around the motoring car.

 

Mack tries a daring move and is gunned down, only his steel-plated jacket and helmet saving his life*. Williams sees little hope, but pulls Mack out of the gunfire and tries to pick off the cyclists. But in the end, the overwhelming bludgeon the valiant war veteran into submission. He knows though, he did his best to give Tony and the Blue Falcon what time he could.

 

Tony did take the time to peek outside and saw the massive ship and the motorcycles bearing down on the other two, but he could do little other than fire a single shot from the handgun he'd take from thugs of the Iron Fist. The shot cost him though as a few of the two-wheeled gunners headed towards the hangar.

 

Fortunately, the Blue Falcon had found a lantern and not so fortunately, the missing McDunnough. He'd been shot down against the back wall, seemingly trying to escape through a hidden door bearing the sigil of the Veiled Society.

 

* - The player of Roger Mack decided the game wasn't Pulp and quit at this scene. I was fine with it, as I'd gotten the feeling we had different perceptions for some time. This also drove home the point that AotM might not be Pulp adventure in some people's eyes.