Kerberos Club, Fate: In for a Penny Dreadful

August 6, 2011: 2 pm: Kerberos Club: In for a Penny Dreadful

• Morgan Ellis: GM
• ??? (female): Night Hag, sort of a female version of Batman
• Me: Sir Kay (how could I resist?), the Accursed, who had a demon bound into him. He was indeed the original Sir Kay (and, iirc, originally created for a DresdenFiles game, but translated quite well into Kerberos)
• ??? (male): Ferros, Iron Man of London!
• ??? (male): Red Robin, a female Robin Hood, very much a communist
• Had to Bow Out: The man playing Lucas T. Morland. He came down with a migraine. So, we didn't have a telepathic detective.

Nor, to Morgan's disappointment, did we have a Professeur Magnon, Savage Conqueror of Time and Space: The Caveman of Tomorrow! This was a caveman version of Doctor Who, or perhaps Doctor Who combined with The Master.

World Aspects: Each of these could be tagged for free, once.

• Malum Neccessarium: Necessary Evil
• Strangers in a Strange Land (Strange invading Victorian Era)
• For Queen and Country
• Mysterious Superstitions and Traditions
• Brave new World
• Under the Eyes of Scotland Yard
• Lurid Tales of Penny Dreadful

We could also, if we chose, take Collateral Consequences, representing stress to the game world, specifically, stress of a type making life harder for the PCs.

The game was set in the late 1870s, still considered mid-century. Morgan described the scene: London, as the camera zoomed it. There was a Clanking Metal Monstrosity, eight feet tall! Ferros, or so I thought!

Morgan proceeded to describe the rest of the PCs or to get the players to provide such descriptions. I described Sir Kay as _trying_ to be impeccably dressed.

Red Robin -- or someone who seemed to be her -- fired arrows that caused an explosion, and the group of seeming Kerberans was accompanied by a sinister cloaked figure, whom my notes describe as "impeccably white", an epithet which I think refers to the clothing, not the skin, but I could be wrong.

The people described, however, were not the Kerberans, but imposters, and their picture was caught and published in the paper. Our heroes saw the paper the next day, as they relaxed at the club.

Well, in Ferros's case, "relaxed" may not have been accurate. Ferros doesn't eat and rarely moves. He's often mistaken for ornamentation, although he will surprise those who so mistake him, as he does move sometimes.

Regardless, the Kerberans were not slow to grasp their situation.

Someone: We've been framed for theft of crown jewels.

And, indeed, gentlemen from Special Forces arrived at the club to ask a few questions. And, they discovered one of the crown jewels in one of the suspects' rooms.

At this point, we surprised Morgan by being willing to have our PCs submit to being arrested. He would have rolled with this if we'd stuck with that, having someone from the Kerberos Club break the characters out and tell them to clear their name, but Ferros's player noted that Ferros worried that Special Forces might decide to deactivate him! That was good enough for the rest of us, as none of the characters was about to abandon the others.

The heroes escaped, which is hardly a surprise given that they knew the club better than the authorities. Then, they took stock of what they knew and what they could discover quickly. The challenge master at the Kerberos Club, Hugo Reigns, was able to tell them that their primary foes were Chief Inspector Wallace and Detective Inspector Ulysses Belleweather.

Inspector Bellewether was quite popular in the penny dreadfuls these days, it seemed. Inspector Belleweather fought against a club full of miscreants, the Hell Hound Society, a club whose name was clearly a takeoff on the Kerberos Club. And, each of the heroes was represented by a caricature villain.

• Red Robin: The Scarlet Arrow
• Ferros, The Iron Man of London: Colossus, The Brazen Man
• Sir Kay: Percy Evil
• The Night Hag: Lady Nix

Also, the picture in the paper was interesting. The camera framed "us" perfectly. Red Robin went to ask some of her people she had as contacts.

Ferros: Well, I contacted with my fist.

Me (as a theoretical Red Robin contact): We know you're innocent.

GM (as a more practical Red Robin contact): Way to Go! Stealing the Crown Jewels! Striking at the Man!

Night Hag knew that the photo had been taken by the kind of cameras sold at #10 Ellison Street, Jack Sprat Photography. Our heroes went there, and the GM asked how we were dressed.

Night Hag's player: I'm dressed in my full, goofy middle of the day Night Hag outfit!

Red Robin's player: What's the weather like?

GM: Well, it's London -- fog, smoke.

Red Robin was wearing her doublet and hose.

GM: Does Sir Kay even bother with a costume?

He did not, and he had objections to Red Robin's.

Sir Kay: I _told_ her a hundred times, they didn't dress like that, but does she listen?

Sir Kay, Red Robin, and the GM, in chorus: No!

Jack Sprat was somewhat intimidated by the group confronting him, but tried to hold his ground.

Jack Sprat: Wait, I don't have to tell you anything!

Sir Kay: You don't _have_ to tell us anything -- that'd be kind of fun!

Ferros: Whirrrrr......

Jack Sprat chose to exercise the better part of valor. He'd installed the camera at the appropriate intersection or rooftop for Special Forces. The photo in the newspaper was blurred on purpose, so that the faces of the supposed Kerberans could not be clearly seen. But, how did the newspaper get this photo? Access to the camera and its images was supposed to be limited to Special Forces.

The group decided to split up, Red Robin and Ferros going to pay Chief Inspector Wallace a call, and Sir Kay and Night Hag going to visit Inspector Belleweather. I think Inspector Belleweather, who was the son of an earl, had announced that there was going to be a break in.

Someone: Oh that's a beautiful set up! A wonderful mind! We must _crush_ that wonderful mind.

Red Robin decided to find out where Wallace lived and to start rumors that the Kerberans had been seen in multiple places.

Night Hag: Keep me out of it! No alibis!

GM: Take a Fate point for making life more complicated for yourself. (to Red Robin) Good point -- you _were_ other places.

Ferros: An alibi! Almost as if you had a traditional mind -- oh wait, that's an Aspect.

My notes say that Inspector Belleweather was at #4 Stanton and "Sightings other than Night Hag". I don't know what that last bit means.

Red Robin shot an arrow at the lock to Chief Inspector Wallace's home, and, with a total of 13, shattered the lock. There was a brief bit of confusion about where she was breaking into, but this was quickly resolved.

GM: Unless you want to invade Special Branch -- which I think would be awesome.

Awesome, yes, but we decided that was as yet uncalled for. As Red Robin went to confront Chief Inspector Wallace, outside the building, Ferros saw a child looking out a window on an upper floor. After exchanging pleasantries, the child (mis)recognized Ferros.

Child: You're 'im, ain't ya?

Ferros (charmed -- I think he has an Aspect about children): Oh, a little child.

Meanwhile:

Wallace (recognizing Red Robin): You! (ducks in, shuts door)

As if that would protect him from Red Robin! She followed, and he told her that Inspector Belleweather had foreseen her attack and the army was on its way. Red Robin urged him to cooperate.

Red Robin (aiming an arrow at Wallace's crotch): Because the army's not going to make it here -- and you _will_ live.

Meanwhile, Ferros was concerned about the child.

Ferros: Is he in danger?

GM: I think so.

Ferros: I must protect him!

Actually, this wasn't an unreasonable assumption, given that there were bars on the child's window. Ferros climbed up and the boy got a good look at him.

Child: You're the wrong color.

Ferros: It's a night time thing. Why don't you show me what you read.

The boy, Doug Wiggins, showed him a Penny Dreadful.

Doug: Mr. Wallace brings the books, and I get to read them sometimes.

Ferros: That's all you read? Nothing educational?

Naturally, when Red Robin left, Ferros decided to bring the boy.

Doug (both scared and delighted): Oh God, I'm being kidnapped! I don't want to go! Mr. Wallace!

Meanwhile, the Night Hag and Sir Kay found Inspector Belleweather's home curiously mostly empty. They took the servants' corridor to a wide, blank room, and eventually found Belleweather from the sound of his violin.

Another odd thing occurred to Sir Kay, Knight of the Realm: Supposedly, Inspector Belleweather was Earl Belleweather. But, there were no Belleweathers listed in the peerage! And... just who wrote the Penny Dreadfuls, anyway?

That question had to wait, as Inspector Belleweather was ready for the duo, having predicted that there would be an attack both on his home and on Chief Inspector Wallace's. Armed forces were en route to both places!

But, while Inspector Belleweather was a very capable man, he was facing two members of the Kerberos Club, and these were not the cowardly foes he expected. Sir Kay maneuvered to keep the inspector occupied, while Night Hag tripped him (Consequence: Is Knocked to the Ground).

But, the wily Inspector quickly shook that off , for he was (aka a reroll, tagging) Trained manly art of fisticuffs!

But the 2:1 odds was telling on the good inspector, although his opponents were baffled anew by his beliefs. He thought Sir Kay to be Perce Evil in truth, cursed by a devil's bargain involving an infernal rail spike. But, Sir Kay's inner demon had been bound into him by Merlin. Trains and train tracks had nothing to do with it.

Sir Kay started figuring things out about Belleweather as he and Night Hag overpowered the man. Belleweather had no pulse. His body temperature was off. In short, Belleweather was Not Real!

Sir Kay: Well, well. well --

Inspector Belleweather: What foul magic is this?

Sir Kay: That is a very good question.

He tried to explain what he had figured out. Belleweather, while skeptical, now had the Aspect: Self Doubt.

This was then tagged by Sir Kay. In non-mechanical terms, Sir Kay was telling Inspector Belleweather that:

• Belleweather was wrong about Sir Kay's origin
• Belleweather was not, as far as Sir Kay knew and believed, real
• Belleweather was a good enough detective to know that Sir Kay was not lying

Also, Sir Kay and Night Hag did a quick experiment. When cut, Inspector Belleweather did not bleed. Or at least, newsprint, not blood, flowed from his body.

Sir Kay: This is fascinating!

Inspector Belleweather: Ow!

Sir Kay: Oh, right, sorry.

Inspector Belleweather took a Middle Consequence. First, Morgan thought it might be "Are They Telling the Truth?", but then he came up with a better one: Am I Real?

Mechanically, this progression felt no more artificial than, say, making an oratory roll or two in Chaosium's BRP system.

Also, during this sequence, I made a note to myself: Never name a Skill and an Aspect the same thing! This leads to confusion. The woman playing Night Hag kept thinking that she could not use her _Skill_ Raiment of the Night Hag because she had just used her _Aspect_ Raiment of the Night Hag, and one can only use an Aspect once per round. This is a perfectly understandable mistake to make, especially if this is one's first time playing a Fate game, and it is really easy to avoid: Don't name skills and aspects the same thing!

Special Forces arrived in both locations. Ferros and Red Robin easily absconded with Doug. Night Hag and Sir Kay made a rapid retreat, with Inspector Belleweather astonishing his reinforcements by instructing them not to pursue the miscreants. But, they obeyed. After all, Inspector Belleweather always knew what he was doing, so, no doubt, this was part of his Brilliant Plan!

Everyone rendezvoused in a safehouse.

Ferros: Is kid magical?

GM: Yes -- he has a Gift of some kind.

Doug: Do your worst, villain!

Ferros: Oh, I'm not a villain. I just have to prove it to you!

Doug was persuaded to talk -- gently persuaded, as no one had the slightest intention of harming the boy. He explained that he'd been taken off the streets by Chief Inspector Wallace, who treated him well, even if the Chief Inspector did keep him locked up. Doug read penny dreadfuls about the brave and brilliant Inspector Belleweather, a man constantly battling against miscreants! And, yes, he had the latest book on him.

This book had vast swatches of blank pages. It seemed that what happened was that Doug somehow supplied the details of the story without realizing it. The Kerberans managed to convince Doug that they were working with Inspector Belleweather against the criminals in the book.

It helped that this was pretty much true. Clearly, there were actual villains going by names like Lady Nix, Perce Evil, and so on. And, after the fight with Inspector Belleville, the Inspector and the Kerberans were on the same side. So, the question was: Where would the evil gang strike?

Doug knew the answer. They would strike in the clock tower of Big Ben, obviously! The Kerberans hurried there for the climactic fight. I forget whether they brought Doug or left him somewhere safe.

Regardless, they confronted their opposite numbers from the Hell Hound Society:

• Red Robin: The Scarlet Arrow
• Ferros, The Iron Man of London: Colossus, The Brazen Man
• Sir Kay: Percy Evil
• The Night Hag: Lady Nix
• and, even though Professor Magnon was not in play, his evil counterpart was: Professor Magnon: Docteur Yahoo -- A Brute Neanderthal!
• In addition, that was a hooded figure, the Sinister Specter, who did not appear in the Penny Dreadful.

Sir Kay: I start looking for the evil me hiding in the rafters, because that's what I'd do.

And, indeed, that is where Perce Evil was lurking. There may also have been a crowd of thugs.

The Hell Hounds had an Aspect of Paper Tigers, as they simply weren't as good as the real Kerberans. Also, in terms of tiers, the Kerberans were Superhuman, while the Hell Hounds were merely Extraordinary. In mechanical terms, this meant that the Hell Hounds rolled 4 Fudge dice, while the Kerberans rolled 3 Fudge dice plus 1d6.

The Kerberans did gradually overcome their foes. My notes say that Ferros tagged:

• Tallest Tower of London
• Catwalks
• Lurid Tales of the Penny Dreadful
• Grinding Gears

Someone: But where is Inspector Belleweather?

Someone else: I'm sure he'll arrive any time.

GM: And so he does!

Inspector Belleweather: Wallace!

If I recall correctly, Chief Inspector Wallace was the Sinister Specter. Special Forces had long since been an enemy of the Kerberos Club and sought to discredit it. This was the latest scheme.

However, it was necessary to cover up the full truth in order to maintain the Status Quo. So, that is what was done, although the Kerberans were cleared and the miscreants arrested. I'm not sure whether the Chief Inspector was arrested; I suspect he was persuaded to retire.

Back at the Kerberos Club, there were two new members: Inspector Belleweather and his young ward, Doug Wiggins.

I have two additional notes. One says that his chronicler (Inspector Belleweather's, I presume) is Bow Street Press. The other notes that the writing had been done by a fellow in the East End of the Strand, one Samuel Blake, a wordsmith for hire. He had an Aspect: He / They Can't Be Real! After all, Samuel Blake knew that he was writing fiction, right?