From: Vulpine@dontspam.net (Tod T. Fox, a.k.a. Kit O'Connell) Subject: House of the Rising Sun (a chantry) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.storyteller Date: Wed, 06 May 1998 16:09:31 -0400 Organization: Monadnock Region, New Hampshire Path: news.kth.se!feed1.news.luth.se!luth.se!Cabal.CESspool!bofh.vszbr.cz!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!news-peer.sprintlink.net!news-backup-east.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!204.97.16.5!news.monad.net!tcr1-60.keene.monad.net!user Lines: 552 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: tcr1-60.keene.monad.net Xref: news.kth.se rec.games.frp.storyteller:111982 This file will be archived at: http://www.accessdenied.net/leagues/KeenePrime (caps sensitive address!) Lemme know what you all think, or if you'd like to archive it on your WWW page. Kit (known on the 'net as Tod T. Fox) "There is a house in New Orleans they call the Rising Sun. And its been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God I know I'm one." -Eric Burden and the Animals, "House of the Rising Sun" Deep in the old quarter of New Orleans, is a chantry of Euthanatos Mages called the Marabout du Soleil Levant. With ties in the police force, the hospitals, and on the streets, this aging manor takes in orphaned boys and trains them in the ways of the Good Death. All is not as it seems behind the good works of the Marabout and one man, a rogue from their hallowed halls, will tell you all about it if you ask. The Marabout du Soleil Levant has fallen into a lengthy Autumn. The power of the 'Mama San' becomes more entrenched every day that passes and with every day the Resonance of decay grows stronger about their nodes. When the dice finally fall who will be left pulling the puppet strings? Cabals This chantry currently contains three cabals. In theory, the leader of each cabal has an equal say in the edicts and actions of the chantry but no one will argue who is truly in charge -- Angel Delacroix, the 'Mama San.' The Sun's Golden Orb Members: Angel Delacroix (Euthantos -- Master), Jacqueline Summer (Euthanatos -- Adept), Robert Johnson (Euthanatos -- Disciple), Richard Arizona (Euthanatos -- Master) Background: This cabal comprises the two surviving original members of this chantry, Angel "Mama San" Delacroix and her occasional lover Richard Arizona. The manor house was actually originally owned by Arizona, but he transferred ownership to Delacroix years ago. Most of them are privy to Delacroix's dark secret, that she is the ghoul of a Samedi vampire, but none realize just how much sway he holds over the woman. The other members of the cabal, Summer and Johnson are (relatively) more recent arrivals, brought in from the other cabals to replace two members killed in a Nephandi attack. This cabal is the one with the strongest 'street' ties, with Contacts ranging from police to drug dealers to restaurant owners. Angel "Mama San" Delacroix Nature: Director Essence: Primordial Demeanor: Caregiver Tradition: Euthanatos Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4 , Appearance 5, Perception 2, Intelligence 4, Wits 3 Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 1, Awareness 2, Dodge 3, Expression 2, Instruction 5, Intimidation 4, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3, Etiquette 3, Leadership 4, Firearms 1, Melee 1, Research 3, Stealth 1, Cosmology 3, Culture 2, Enigmas 1, Investigation 1, Law 2, Linguistics 4, Lore 4, Occult 5 Backgrounds: Allies 14, Avatar 4, Library 5, Contacts 3 Spheres: Entropy 6, Forces 2, Life 5, Mind 3, Matter 1, Prime 4, Spirit 3, Time 1, Willpower: 7 Arete: 8 Quintessence: 8 Paradox: 3 Other: Potence 1, Presence 1 Background: Born in the mid-1800s in New Orleans, Angel enjoyed the mixed blessings of being a relatively light skinned mixed-breed. Her family amassed a sizable fortune by being skilled merchants and traders but by dint of ancestry were never able to rise to political power. Angel awakened when a strange disease wiped out her husband and children and she was forced to perform her first Good Deaths on her first day as a Mage. Intuitively seeking out the Euthanatos, she was quickly initiated into a chantry that has fractured in the years since with many of them moving into the Marabout Du Soleil Levant. When she met Richard Arizona in 1870, they quickly fell in love. Both were still relatively idealistic then and they happened upon the idea of starting a home for orphans and street urchins who could then be brought up in the Euthanatos paradigm. Coincidentally, shortly after they met Arizona inherited a mansion with a summer house and they used this to begin their project. Delacroix has long since given up directly recruiting children, preferring to oversee the chantry as a whole from within the horizon realm. Due to the slight almond-shape of her eyes, and her slightly lecherous yet maternal bearing a sharp-witted Apprentice once nicknamed her 'Mama San,' the Japanese term for the madam of a whorehouse, and the name has stuck ever since. She's done little to quell this term of dubious endearment but no one ever uses it to her face. For the past 75 years, she has been the ghoul of a powerful Samedi vampire, something only her cabal (and possibly 'Bones,' see below) is privy too. He takes advantage of the 'Good Works' of the chantry to recruit souls for his own ends. No one, least of all Angel, realizes just how much power the Kindred has over her. Image: Delacroix is tall, elegant, and thin. Her eyes are a wise, caring grey. She is shapely and has golden skin and long, wavy dark hair. Her eyes have a slight almond-set to them. She wears entirely period clothing from the era in which she was born and made only from the finest of fabrics, especially silks. Due to her mastery of Life and the vampiric blood in her veins her aging has halted completely. Roleplaying Notes: Be a compassionate person, motherly, yet flirtatious when it suits your ends (or your libido) regardless of the age or status of the person you are dealing with. Never lose sight of your own importance. Wow people with your every move. When angered, be quietly but utterly brutal. Sanctum: An entire wing of the Realm's mansion and sumptuous but disused quarters in the marabout's physical manifestation. She has a four-poster bed complete with ornate curtains as well as her massive Library of Euthanatos lore that only a treasured few have access to. Society of the Silver Scalpel Members: Dr. John Cossack (Euthanatos -- Master), Dr. Norman Wriggins (Euthanatos -- Adept), Dr. Susan Maris (Euthanatos -- Adept), Renee DeRoche (Euthanatos -- Disciple), Dr. Curtis Robertson (Euthanatos -- Disciple) Background: Formed in 1900 by Dr. John Cossack, the Society of the Silver Scalpel studies medical science, both orthodox and occult, especially the aspects concerning death. They are extremely influential in the local hospitals and are active in campaigning for the legalization of doctor-assisted suicide. They study bodies through medical autopsies and are constantly developing new methods of performing the Good Death which are then tested through medical acolytes secretly on the streets and in local hospitals. Of the three cabals in the marabout this is probably the least active in chantry politics except when their activities and studies are threatened by changes in policy. Dr. Norman Wriggins, MD Nature: Judge Essence: Pattern Demeanor: Martyr Tradition: Euthanatos Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3 Abilities: Alertness 1, Awareness 2, Dodge 2, Instruction 2, Intuition 3, Drive 1, Meditation 2, Research 3, Computer 1, Cosmology 2, Culture 1, Enigmas 3, Investigation 3, Law 3, Medicine 5, Occult 2, Science 3 Backgrounds: Allies 5, Arcane 2, Destiny 1, Dream 2, Familiar 2 Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 3, Forces 1, Life 4, Mind 4, Spirit 3 Willpower: 6 Arete: 6 Quintessence: 5 Paradox: 0 Background: Born in 1940, Norman became a noted Pathologist and was recruited by the Society of the Silver Scalpel and initiated into the Euthanatos Tradition after a ground-breaking study of the effect of death on the human body. He is an unassuming man who simply wants to try and learn more about the human body in order to help others help those who are dying -- he much prefers to work with the already dead then the dying or the living. Although he is not especially aware of the world around him, he is sometimes privy to astonishing flashes of intuition. Dr. Wriggins was responsible for recruiting 'Bones' (see below) and has never quite lived this down. Still, his new protege, a medical student named Renee DeRoche seems quite promising. Image: An older, very average looking man. He has gained some weight with his years and it's beginning to show in his stomach face. He wears thick wire-frame glasses that give his eyes a perpetually startled look. He sometimes wears a wrinkled black suit but more often is dressed in physician's clothes. Roleplaying Notes: You try your best to be warm and friendly, but in reality you are somewhat clumsy in your dealings with people. You tend to treat them more as a problem to be solved or fixed than an actual living, breathing, person, a side-effect of too much time spent with corpses. Speak quietly, and somewhat tentatively when at all. You expect much of yourself and those around and become extremely disappointed at failures. Familiar: Dr. Wriggins 'black bag' is actually a living, breathing entity that produces strange tools as needed for his studies. Sanctum: A medical laboratory in the basement of the chantry, bodies are routinely smuggled there to be studied. Le Morte D'Automne Members: Raymond Snyder (Euthanatos -- Adept), Melanie Beujold (Euthanatos -- Adept), Justin Hadley (Euthanatos -- Disciple), Christophe Delancy (Euthanatos -- Disciple), Jackson Chenier (Euthanatos -- Disciple), Clifton Ardoin (Euthanatos -- Disciple) Background: The largest cabal but also the newest and the group with the least power, this 'Death of Autumn' is (mostly) made up of promising candidates from the orphan initiates. The two adepts are the leaders mostly by the merit of having survived the longest -- because they have little guidance, their is a high mortality rate within this group. The Morte D'Automne enacts most of the more minor Good Deaths and runs interference for the larger actions of the other cabals. There has been talk in recent years of forming another cabal of Mages of low-to-medium skill, and many of the Mages in this chantry vie for attention in the hopes of being given leadership roles in this proposed cabal. Jackson Chenier Nature: Visionary Essence: Questing Demeanor: Conformist Tradition: Euthanatos Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4 Abilities: Alertness 1, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Streetwise 3, Drive 1, Firearms 3, Leadership 1, Meditation 2, Melee 1, Stealth 2, Survival 3, Technology 1, Enigmas, Linguistics 1, Lore 1, Backgrounds: Arcane 3, Avatar 1, Destiny 1, Allies 5 Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 2, Life 2, Mind 1 Willpower: 8 Arete: 2 Quintessence: 1 Paradox: 0 Background: Jackson Chenier grew up on the street for the better part of his life. He does not, or will not, remember his parents; his earliest memories are of scavenging and hiding in the street. He was arrested one day when he was about 10 years old for shoplifting food from a convenience store. He was noticed by the chantry's contacts in the force and passed on to the Marabout as a promising young man. Jackson knows his life has been turned around by the Marabout and he believes intensely in its ideals. He works hard with little worry for advancement but in truth he hungers after his Destiny, which, though small, leads him forward in the ways of the Good Death. Image:A young, muscular dark-skinned man who wears his hair in a flat top. His eyesight is going a bit, but he is too embarressed to wear glasses and doesn't think he can afford contacts, so he squints sometimes to see. His eyes are sharp and catch much and he moves with a natural grace. Roleplaying Notes: Speak eagerly and enthusiastically when you are drawn out of your shell, but otherwise be quiet and go along with the plans of others. You express much with your body language -- slumped shoulders, excitedly gesticulating hands, or ready smiles and tears in your eyes. "My mother was a tailor, sewed my new blue jeans. My father was gamblin' man down in New Orleans." -Eric Burden and the Animals, "House of the Rising Sun" Other Mages of Importance Maurice "Bones" DesRoses Nature: Loner Essence: Dynamic Questing: Deviant Tradition: Euthanatos Rogue Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2, Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4 Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Awareness 3, Blatancy 2, Brawl 1, Dodge 2, Fortune-telling 3, Intuition 2, Streetwise 3, Drive 1, Firearms 2, Melee 1, Research 1, Stealth 4, Survival 1, Cosmology 3, Culture 1, Enigmas 2, Investigation 1, Law 1, Linguistics 2, Lore 5, Occult 4 (Tarot) Backgrounds: Contacts 1, Arcane 3, Avatar 3, Dream 3 Spheres: Correspondence 1, Entropy 3, Life 2, Mind 3, Prime 3, Spirit 4 Willpower: 7 Arete: 6 Quintessence: 4 Paradox: 1 Background: Maurice DesRoses's father was a local doctor who worked in a free clinic, and his mother was a poor tailor and fortune-teller of creole origin. He grew up following his father about on his rounds and by learning to read the Tarot cards. He lived a happy childhood with the usual dreams, flights of fancy and fears -- especially vivid for Maurice was his fear of the dark and his fear of the 'thing' that lived under his bed. When he turned 10, however, he had finally overcome that fear or so he thought. That's when his mother took ill with cancer, and all his father's medical knowledge and love could do nothing to save her. She died a painful death over the course of a mere handful of months. The creature under Maurice's bed returned, whispering to him in his dreams. A few weeks after his mother's death, his father found himself treating victim's of gang violence in a clinic with his young son tagging along. The rival gang broke into the clinic and shot the surviving gang members and their doctor as well. As the adolescent DesRoses watched his father die before his eyes he Awakened and the thing under his bed, in reality his Avatar, came to him in its full truth. He was later spotted by Dr. Wriggins when the boy was brought in by police to identify his father's body. Realizing that DesRoses was a budding Mage he adopted him into the chantry and began his training. Bones, however, was far more interested in the study of Spirit than in the study of Entropy or Life and he quickly excelled in that Sphere far beyond the resources of the chantry and this proved his undoing when one day he was brought out with Le Morte D'Automne to perform the Good Death on a sickly homeless child. Though he did not know it, this act had actually been spurned on by the Samedi vampire who hoped to take control of the body of the boy. Bones did as ordered but as he killed the boy he opened his Spirit sight to the act and saw the pain, terror, and anguish as the boy was forcibly removed from this mortal coil. Everything changed for the young teen then. He refused from then on to practice the Good Death. He began to publicly question the actions of the Mama San and her coterie. When he began delving into the powers at work, coming just shy of discovering the Samedi vampire's control over the marabout, the Mama San ordered him killed. Dr. Wriggins, however, prevailed upon her to spare his student's life and instead he was banished from the chantry and (nominally) from the city of New Orleans itself. Nowadays, Bones wanders the country assisting the Ascension War on his own time and in his own way. He makes his living as a fortune teller using his mother's Tarot cards. The origin of his nickname is two-fold -- from his painful skinniness and his fortune-telling prowess. He occasionally returns to New Orleans, either to work against his former chantry or simply to visit his old stomping grounds. Image: Bones is tall and overly gaunt. He has long fingers and white teeth he displays in an easy feral grin. His eyes are green and sharp; they glow a bit more than is natural due to a minor Paradox flaw. His hair is long and black, held back in a pony tail, and tinged preternaturally with white. He looks to be in his late twenties but is actually in his late thirties or early forties. Roleplaying notes: Don't trust people easily but if someone *does* win your trust you will be incredibly loyal to them. Your life sounds like the bark of coyotes. You keep people away, being a loner, by acting a bit strange, even a little crazy, but your heart is in the right place. Due to your behavior and the disturbing nature of your Avatar, people may suspect you to be Nephandic, which upsets you. Almost never tell anyone your real name. Your one major soft spot is for domestic animals and children, whom you will go out of your way to save or help. Nodes of the Marabout du Soleil Levant The old bayou home: Mages from the chantry discovered a run down old shack near the bayou, the air redolent with tobacco smoke smell. To their surprise it was a powerful node, with Tass gathering in drips from the old water faucet. Graveyard crypt: In one of the oldest cemeteries in New Orleans is an ancient crypt full of Entropy resonating Tass. The cracked stone building is also where the 'Mama San' first encountered the shadowy Samedi vampire. The Horizon Realm Basic Concept The horizon realm is small, only slightly bigger than the grounds of the manor house in the physical world. Although it appears to go on much farther than it does, Mages wandering too far encounter a firm invisible barrier. This barrier is not difficult to pierce with Spirit sphere but holes close up quickly. The grounds in the realm are much better cared for. The house is always painted and the lawn always well-clipped in summer. There is an old, Victorian style labyrinth made entirely of vines and briar bushes. Its wandering pathways are said (mostly by Bones) to be inhabited by the spirits of those killed in Good Deaths. True are not, a few people have gone into it and never returned. There are a few more buildings in the realm than in the real world; they are small sanctums and other buildings set up in Mages in a hodge-podge of styles. Environment The realm follows the same seasons as the physical world. Night and day are the same, with the exception that there is no moon or stars at night. The wind whispers strongly through the area from time to time, and sometimes the leaves on trees and blades of grass move as though someone is walking past, but no one can see it even with the Spirit sphere. Denizens of the Realm The realm is almost entirely free of living things except for the odd blackbird, the weird presence, and plants. Other Details Magickal ratings: Entropy +2, Life -1, Mind -1, Prime +1, Spirit +2 "Well I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train. I'm going back to New Orleans to wear that ball and chain." -Eric Burden and the Animals, "House of the Rising Sun" The Chantry The Marabout only has 1 physical manifestation. Description Marabout du Soleil Levant: A large, romantic mansion kept impeccably clean and very well-taken care of, but the slight scent of decay fills the air inside anway. The summer house is worse off as it is used a lot less within the realm. Trees line paths between the two buildings and the other smaller ones, and the yard is lined with grass. Chantry acolytes have their hands full, however, as the grass dies off easily and the trees must be handled with kid gloves to be kept from developing diseases or rot. The summer house looks a lot like the larger house, only a little smaller. In back, near a dead garden, is an old, decaying gazebo that is now completely unused. The Orphanage: The physical manifestation looks almost exactly like the version in the realm, except that this one is much less taken care of. The paint peels, the windows seem to break easily, the door squeaks and hangs on just one hinge. The presence of orphans is a detriment as well; they often etch their names on trees and other edifices. Purpose The Marabout du Soleil Levant's purpose is two-fold. It exists to help the orphans and street urchins and to perform 'good works' in the City. It also, however, acts a recruiting station for promising Mages; the cabals believe that if they grab a budding Mage early enough they will be able to ensure the other Mages in the world don't get them first. Chantry Inhabitants At any given time between 20 and 30 orphaned boys live in the summer house and attend local public schools. They are well taken care of by several members of the orphanage staff, most of whom live in the main house. Almost none have any idea that there is more to the place than it seems and even fewer know that the founder, Angel Delacroix, is still alive and well. There is a fairly average number of acolytes in the chantry-proper, most of whom clearly have some concept of magick. They range from grounds-keepers to cooks to nurses. Internal Structure and Relations In recent months there has been a growing sense of tension in the air, as if the decay in the air is preparing a full-fledged frontal assault. This creates conflict between the groups, but for the most part Mama San has things under control. There is a good deal more suspicion of beginning Mages since Bones turned rogue and they monitor all the activities of Disciples closely. This, of course, creates an air of distrust. The covenant of the Marabout is small and not often modified. It deals with loyalty, the structure of its pseudo-democracy, and rules for new members and new cabals. External Relations Euthanatos Mages visit the chantry from time to time to study at the library or consult with the Society Silver Scalpel on its studies and learning. These Mages are welcomed as long as they appear trustworthy and are known to a member. Mages of other Traditions are only let inside in truly extraordinary situations; this has only happened a handful of times in all the years of the house. Status and Reputation The Marabout du Soleil Levant, though not well known outside the Euthanatos, is respected and trusted. This will only last until someone unveils the Samedi vampire's influences, however. The dedication of Le Morte D'Automne has garnered some attention, good and bad, in recent years. Status: 2 Reputation: 3 Policy Regarding Outsiders Only known and respected Euthanatos are allowed inside the chantry and only then for as short a time as possible, with their every move monitored. All are required to meet with Angel, a sort of obeisance. Allies and Enemies Does the mysterious Samedi vampire count as an ally or an enemy? The jury is still out on this matter, given that so few are aware of his existence at all. The Marabout has several allies amongst the ranks of the Euthanatos. Additionally, some of the Hollow Ones in town are known to get along well with the lower ranks of Mages in the chantry. The Chantry has extensive contacts in the area hospitals and police force, especially among the patrol cops in town who see the good works (what little they know of them) of the 'orphanage' and its 'volunteers' as making their job easier. Research Capabilities The Society of the Silver Scalpel have extensive research laboratories in the basement of the realm's chantry manifestation. There is also a medium-sized library containing a good selection of texts, especially those dealing with the Tradition, ghosts, and death. "Oh mother, tell your children not to do what I have done, spend your lives in sin and misery in the House of the Rising Sun." -Eric Burden and the Animals, "House of the Rising Sun" Story Ideas The Marabout du Soleil Levant is a place of conflicting outlooks. The lower ranks are idealistic and hopeful, truly attempting to make the world a better place. The upper ranks, especially the Sun's Golden Orb cabal simply want to protect and increase their power base. Despite all the good deeds the Mages may try to do, under the Samedi's rotting influence everything decays and slips away. The first three story ideas may be used if the PCs form a fourth cabal in the chantry; the remaining two are for PCs from outside. Story Ideas for the House of the Rising Sun 1. A blood-hunt is called on the Samedi vampire. Through Mama San he orders the cabal to protect him and his interests without their knowing it. What will happen to the PCs caught up in the bloody war? Will they discover who is really in charge? 2. More and more Good Deaths are called for as a mysterious disease (the same one that destroyed Angel's family) ravages the homeless population of the city. When this disease breaks out amongst the orphans, the chantry is forced to act. Can the cabal, working with the Society of the Silver Scalpel, discover the cause and cure for this disease in time? 3. Bones arrives in town and begins acting against the chantry, doing his best to stop them at every turn. But then bodies of those being helped by the cabal begin to show up, apparently brutally murdered by Bones. Has he finally truly snapped or is this the act of someone who wants to frame him? Is he even in town at all? 4. Bones approaches the PCs to request them to accompany him to New Orleans and help him in an outright attack on the chantry. He explains that the Marabout is about to take a truly horrible action, with the Mama San possibly going barabbi. Can the PCs trust this strange Mage? 5. The PCs arrive in New Orleans and seek out the Marabout for an important resource (text, rote, talisman,etc.) needed to fulfill an important goal. The Mama San is tentatively agreeable, but will not turn over the needed item until the PCs perform a (suitably macabre) deed for the chantry. Will the PCs comply or try to steal what they need instead? Copyright 1998 by Kit O'Connell. You may freely use this material as long as you do not profit from it in any way, re-archive it without the author's permission, or steal from it without giving credit. Questions, comments, please E-Mail KeenePrime@wolf-web.com. -- Tod T. Fox (known in RL as Kit O'Connell) Vulpine@dontspam.net (to email, replace 'dontspam' with 'earthling') http://www.accessdenied.net/leagues/KeenePrime http://www.pobox.com/~vulpine