Smitten
After all the fighting and fear,
this adventure is a simple love story. It is a story in which the humans must
help the young, love sick, Jen-Ahn-Ag in winning the hand of his sweetheart…
even though doing so means crossing a dangerous
Smitten is set in between the aristocrats, the common folk and, of course, between the criminal element. The adventure starts with our heroes needing parts for the Macao Clipper and while trying to barter for them, coming in between Jen and Am’s brother, Kie, and his friend, Yin-Fel-Li. With the humans having already dealt with Jen and the fact that he knows how to fabricate what they need, he proposes a trade. They help him win the love of his life and he’ll make them the parts they need.
To pull this off they’ll need to
infiltrate a high society shindig and get close enough to Am to let her know
who they are and then sneak her out, without her father and brother catching
on. As it turns out, she’s the guest of honor because her father and brother
publicly engage her to the son of another merchant at the party, allying the
two families through blood.
ACT
Martin, Appleton, and Bergholz
are looking at getting the parts needed for the Macao Clipper. They will be meeting Jen and Kie,
getting embroiled into Jen’s plot, which is pretty much our whole adventure.
Jen’s Smithy
Our scenario starts in Jen’s
shop. After describing the part the plane needs, Martin and Bergholz are trying
to figure out some sort of an arrangement with the proprietor, a fella named Jen.
Jen is in a sour mood. And why
not, he’s being kept away from his true love, Am-Dal-Au. Play this scene with the humans having only a little
success in getting this guy to budge. He’s short of temper and obviously
depressed and slightly distressed.
The players get a clue as to the
problem with an AVERAGE Alertness + Perception to notice a sketch of a
beautiful girl. Now that they understand why he’s being so difficult and have a means to get somewhere.
Jen-Ahn-Ag: Agi d8, Str
d8, Vit d10, Ale d8, Int d8, Wil d6; Life Pts 18; Initiative d8+d8.
Traits: Loyalty-Loves Amanda (Minor Complication), Social
Caste-Commoner (Minor Complication), Tough as Nails (Minor Asset)
Skills: Athletics d6, Artistry d6 / Sketching d8, Covert d6, Craft d6 / Metalwork
d12 + d4, Influence d6 / Barter d8, Knowledge d4, Melee Weapon Combat d6 / Club
d8, Perception d6, Unarmed Combat d6
THE WARNING COMMITTEE
As the humans barter and bargain a couple
of fancy Lemurians, two wealthy merchants and three House Guards by the look of
them, enter the establishment. One guard remains at the door. Inside, Martin
and Appleton can tell that Jen is obviously surprised and a tad scared when he
sees Kie-Dal-Au and Yin-Fel-Li enter with three other Lemurians. Kie
excuses himself to Martin and Appleton, asking them if he can steal Jen for
just a moment. (Not that he’s going to do anything different.) He goes behind
the counter and punches Jen—hard—in the stomach. He grabs him by the hair,
putting a finger in his face and tells him to stay well away from his sister. Jen’s
answer of, “But we love each other” is answered by another punch.
NEVER COULD
GM NOTE: The important
thing to remember here is to let the action come, but keep the violence toned
down. It should be a BRAWL, NOT a BLOODBATH.
Let Jen get manhandled a bit, he’s
tough. When Martin steps in, Kie has Yin and three club totting house guards to
back him up, there is another outside, don’t forget. Appleton and Berholz will
help out Martin and Jen. As for the Lemurians, they won’t push it too much
either. The important thing here is to let the humans stand up to the two lords
and their goons, and discovering that Jen has a serious problem.
Kie-Dal-Au
Abilities: Agi d8, Str d8, Vit d6, Ale d8, Int d6, Wil d10; Life Pts 16; Initiative
d8+d8.
Traits: Friends In High Places (Minor
Asset), Moneyed Individual (Major Asset), Overconfident (Minor Complication).
Skills: Animal Handling d6, Athletics d2, Influence d6 / Negotiation
d10, Melee Weapon Combat d6 / Scota d12, Perception d4, Unarmed Combat d6 /
Brawling d8
Yin-Fel-Li
Abilities: Agi d10, Str d8, Vit d8, Ale d8, Int d8, Wil d8; Life Pts 16;
Initiative d10+d8.
Traits: Friends in Low Places (Minor Asset), Moneyed Individual
(Major Asset), Amorous (Minor Complication), Chip on Shoulder (Minor
Complication).
Skills: Animal Handling d6, Athletics d6 / Dodge d10, Influence d6 /
Seduction d8, Melee Weapon Combat d6 / Scota d12, Perception d4, Unarmed Combat
d6
Au House Guards (4))
Abilities: Agi d6, Str d8, Vit d8, Ale d6, Int d6, Wil d8; Life Points 16;
Initiative d6 + d6.
Traits: Loyal (Minor
Complication).
Skills: Athletics d6, Discipline d6, Perception d6, Melee Weapon
Combat d6 / Club D10, Unarmed Combat D6
THE BARTER
After Kie and Yin and their goons head off, the humans still have to get the parts and helping Jen with his problem seems the best way to do it. If Martin doesn’t bring it ou, Jen will strike up the deal with Martin. After all, he just saw them fight Kie.
Jen offers to make them the parts,
and says that he and his brother will even help with some of the repairs, so
long as Marin and the others help him win his girl..
ACT TWO
THE
If they agree to his deal, Jen tells the humans that the only way to rescue Am is at the high society ball that the Au’s are having that very night. In the meantime Jen will make the parts to get the Macao Clipper into working order as part of his end of the bargain. Otherwise it could take weeks to find another opportunity to rescue her. The reasons are:
First, Am
is currently not allowed to leave the estate because of them trying to
run off before. So they can’t nab her while she’s in town or something.
Second, the party will mean
that there’ll be a lot of people at the estate with which the group to hide
among.
Third, as partygoers the humans
should be able to approach Am without causing any alarms.
As the humans just had a face-to-face meeting with Am’s brother, it’s safe to assume that they will need to have more of a background role at the party, which means that others will have to get all dressed up and be partygoers. Spengler, Nagal, and Bergholz could take up support roles to the others.
The trick here is to have the
heroes attend the party, if only peripherally. Let the players have fun coming
up with ways to work it out, but keep the ball moving.
à PARTY CRASHING
Feel free to have the Act start in
the middle of the party, ask each player where their character is after an hour
or so at the party. Once in place, each of the humans must endure a small encounter.
The encounters should be fun and social, but also could have an element of
danger.
Once each of the cast has someone or something happen, the steward of the shindig announces the Am-Dal-Au. Now the heroes have to get as close as they can to her, to let her know who they are, who they are working for and the plan to rescue her. Depending upon whom they are with and how they set themselves up, this could be pretty easy or pretty challenging.
The Am is very pleased at this turn
of events. In fact she lets out a a little squeal of
joy and sunshiney-happiness, calling a bit of attention to them all. (Am is sweet and all, but she’s not the sharpest tool in the
shed. If the humans don’t speak to her plainly, she’s just not going to “get
it”.) She loves Jen, and she’ll gladly go along with the group, as she loves
her Jen-Boy dearly. However, before they can get out of the place…
ACT THREE
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
The humans have joined the party, they have navigated the social minefield, and have
finally contacted Am, who wants to come away with them. All is well, which
means it is time to drop hurdle. Just as the heroes are about to get out of the
ballroom with the Lady… The hall goes dark and a light shines down on Am’s
father, who calls for the attention of the hall. He also calls for his daughter
and a light shines down on Am. Am, being a good little socialite and a bit of a
daddy’s girl, leaves the characters hanging and goes to her father. The humans
could try and grab her, but they’d be taking a mighty big risk to be sure.
It’s at this point that Lord Au
speaks of his children and the love he has for his daughter. He then announces
that he is happy to announce the engagement of Am and Yin! Ama is obviously
somewhat shocked about all of this, but for all of her sweetness and charm
she’s a social barracuda and takes it in stride. Likely someone will see her
shock and dislike of Yin, if they can roll an AVERAGE Alertness + Perception.
“COME BACK LATER”
Announcement made, it’ll be
impossible for the humans to get Am out of that room, much less out of the
house. Even if they could sneak her out, Am won’t go. She simply cannot and
will not abandon her father at the party.
So she tells the humans to come
back later, around 4am, the party should be over and the house starting to
settle by that point. She hands them a key and tells them of a gate at the rear
of the estate. She tells which window and balcony of the house is to her room.
She promises to meet them at that time and place, ready to go with them.
RE-INFILTRATION
The first thing the humans have
to deal with is getting onto the property. Am gave them an in at the back fence
of the estate. Then they have to get across the grounds patrolled by
guards. If they don’t mention the guards, Jen will. Dealing with the guards has
to be quiet; else they’ll have additional guards on them before they can get to
Am.
The point of this is to make the
players feel challenged, but honestly, you want and need them to get to the
window and Am. So while it should be interesting and cool, let things happen so
long as the humans have half a brain cell invested in their planning.
THE WOMAN COMES WITH SOME
BAGGAGE
Once past the fence and guards, the humans reach the balcony, some two stories above them. Am appears and tells them she is already. She warns them, in whispers that she’s going to drop down her bags. It is at this time she starts to drop not one, but a dozen, not small, bags. And she fully expects the humans to carry them all for her. This should be a scene played out for fun. Play up the moment, as it is very defining for Am. Also, just imagine the player’s faces as you describe Am pick up and dropping these bags down to the characters, each time having Am ‘whisper-shout’ the group, “Just a few more.”
Just as Am finishes up the baggage drop, she starts to climb down to the group. This is the perfect time to have Yin come into her room for a little engagement hanky-panky. He sees no sign of Am, and then hears something out the window. As he gets on the balcony he grabs her arm, she slips and falls, and now hangs above the humans while Yin calls out for the guard.
The gig is up. The guard is called.
Am hangs from the third story balcony above the group with her unwanted and
pretty mean spirited fiancé holding onto her. However regardless of other
outcome, someone needs to help catch Am when she falls. No doubt Am will
need to be carried off. Not because she hurt herself in the fall, but because
she won’t want to leave her baggage behind unless the humans carry her away
from it. She should be crying, arms reaching futilely for the baggage as
someone drags her away, “No, my hair-care products!”
Am-Dal-Au
Abilities: Agi
d8, Str d4, Vit d4, Ale d8, Int d4, Wil d8; Life Pts
12; Initiative d8+d8.
Traits: Allure (Major Asset), Friends in High Places
(Minor Asset), Moneyed Individual (Major Asset), Overconfident (Minor
Complication).
Skills: Athletics d2, Influence d6 (Conversation d10),
Melee Weapon Combat d2, Perception d6 (Empathy d8),
SHOWDOWN
While they’ve been chased all the
way back to Jen’s home, the humans and Am should get there relatively
unharmed. When the heroes arrive, Am rushes into the
arms of Jen, telling him he’s so heroic for saving her, despite the fact he had
nothing to do with anything even remotely dangerous. This also allows for our
villains to catch up and fight it out with our heroes.
I
Have Am see Mary Reid and have her ask Mary to marry them right away. It will be fun for the wedding to occur, while at the same time the others are trying to hold off Kie and his guards. As the crew fights off the guards, give the cast a good old, action packed fight scene. Make sure everyone has a chance to shine.
YOU HAVEN’T A CLUE WHO YOU’RE
DEALING WITH!
Martin should deal with Yin. Have
him come at Martin, doing a little villainous monologue before the fight
starts. Additionally, he’ll talk about how he can’t wait to top “that fat old
bastard’s whiney tart of a daughter.”
DENOUEMENT
Once Lord Har-Dal-Au learns of Am’s
marriage, he slumps in defeat. Per Lemurian custom, once any ceremony is
complete, the daughter is part of her husband’s clan. Har will call off his son
and men, departing in a huff.