A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER
MARCH 20, 2014
John wick Presents
Welcome Aboard!
Hello and welcome to
Wicked Words Magazine. Our
goal (and by “our,” I mean,
“my”) is to provide players and
game masters tools that
enhance your gaming
experience.
When I’m sitting in the
GM’s chair, I want to invoke
emotion out of my players. I
want them to feel what their
characters feel. In order to do
that, you can’t play fair. You’ve
got to play dirty. This magazine
will help you do that.
Each issue has a number of
regular features we’ll be
switching around. In this, the
first WWM, we have two of our
standard features: GM Advice
and a systemless genre-specific
adventure.
We will have other features
in the future, including guest
writers, system-specific
adventures and advice as well
as some John Wick Presents
material.
This time around, we have
a short essay on Killing
Characters, starting on Page 2.
Then, a nasty little
adventure called Who Killed
Lord Davenport, starting on
page 6.
Our third presentation is
the first chapter from the
forthcoming Houses of the
Blooded: Slumming Sourcebook.
It’s got a ton of information on
playing unblooded ven. If you
don’t own a copy of HotB, don’t
Magazine
worry, you can get it from this
link.
http://
rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/
61061/Houses-of-the-Blooded
I’ve set it up as a Pay What
You Want product, so
download it for free if you like,
then if you enjoy it, drop us a
few pennies for our effort, eh?
Hope you enjoy the issue.
Please let us know!
Take care and KEEP
GAMING!
Wicked Words
Magazine Issue #1,
Volume #1
Wicked Words Magazine is
published by John Wick
Presents, LLC and is © and ™
2014 by John Wick. Logo by
Jessica Kauspedas.
You can find out more at
www.johnwickpresents.com.
This Magazine is made
possible by pledges made by
contributors via
www.patreon.com.
As always, we want to thank
all those who helped us reach
our goals and hope that if you
find this magazine useful, you’ll
spread the word. Thank you, and
let’s get on with the show!
CONTACT US!
Email: johnjwick@gmail.com
Website:
johnwickpresents.com
Facebook: facebook.com/
johnwickpresents
Twitter: @wickedthought
THIS ISSUE!
Page 2: Play Dirty: Killing
Characters
Page 5: “Who Killed Lord
Davenport?”
Page 15: Houses of the
Blooded: Slumming (Chapter
1)
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A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER
MARCH 20, 2014

Play Dirty:
Killing Characters
In this installment of Play Dirty, our editor-in-chief takes a look at just when you do and do not
kill a player’s character.
As usual, he has an opinion on the subject and he isn’t subtle about it.

One of the questions I get

asked a lot in GM Advice
Seminars is the one of PC
mortality.
Since I’m known for running
games like Call of Cthulhu, folks
assume I play fast and furious
with my PC’s lives. But the fact
of the matter is, I often surprise
folks when asked, “When is it
okay to kill a character?”
My answer is simple.
Don’t.
I mean it. Just don’t.
Killing a character is what
professional wrestlers call
“cheap heat.” It’s easy. As the
GM, you can kill characters with
ease. A meteor falls from the sky
and whacks you on the head.”
How hard is that?
I mean, you’d be a jerk for
doing that, but you can still say,
“I’m the GM and that’s what
happens.” But there’s an implicit
promise between the players and
the GM.
I’m your friend. I’m looking
out for you. I may be the
antagonist in this relationship,
but I’m here to help you tell a
story with your character. Trust
me.
That’s the promise. It’s a
sacred promise. Something that
should never be broken.
Of course, you know what
they say about things that
shouldn’t be broken… Jessica Kauspedas as Beryl Tal and me holding up a sign.
*** It’ll make sense later.

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A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER
MARCH 20, 2014
A while ago, my buddy Jess Heinig and I
worked on 3rd Edition Chill. The game itself has
yet to see the light of day (but we’re hoping!) but
Jess came up with a brilliant mechanic for the
game. He called it “dire peril.”
Dire peril is a response to a question about
character mortality in a horror game like Chill.
There’s an implied promise in most roleplaying
games: the GM is your friend and he’s not out to
get you. Even when I’m running games, the
players know that even though I’m running all the
antagonists, I’m still a collaborator. I’m still their
friend. I’m not out to kill them. Why? Because a
character’s death shouldn’t be random. It should
have meaning.
Imagine a kobold killing Conan with a lucky
shot (“Twenty! Critical hit!”). Or Elric failing to
detect a trap and dying from the poison needle. Or
Raistlin failing his saving throw and getting
burned to a crisp by a wayward fireball. As stupid
and ridiculous as that sounds, that’s exactly what
happens in so many roleplaying games. A failed
saving throw, a missed Perception check, a
random knife hit when the character had only a
few hit points left. These kinds of deaths are
meaningless. Worse, they are the very definition of
absurd.
When we were designing 7th Sea at AEG, this
thought was dominant in my head. Like Samuel L.
Jackson, I did not want our heroes “going out like
some punk.” So, we created a rule that said a
character could not die unless certain conditions
applied. We took that implied promise and we
made a rule out of it. “Don’t worry,” we said. “Your
character is a hero and his death will have
meaning.”
Now enter Jess and dire peril.
This is the exact opposite of what 7th Sea
promised. Dire peril means, “this is some stupid
crap your character is about to pull and he could
die for it.”
In other words, dire peril notifies the players
that real danger is afoot. Watch your step.
Dire peril only exists because of the implied
promise. Using dire peril became a thing for both
Jess and I. He uses it in his Dying Kingdoms
games. I use it for just about everything. And
when it works… it stops the players in their
tracks. Let me show you how.
***
I’ve used dire peril many times in the past but
the two times it was most effective was during a
Vampire game and during a Houses of the Blooded
live action game.
Friends of mine asked me to run Vampire to
help introduce two new players to roleplaying
games. I ran a trimmed down version of the game,
omitting most of the rules but keeping the rich
flavor. One of our players, my (now) brother-in-law
Nick asked if he could play a mage instead of a
vampire. I told him “No.”
Now, I know this violates the “Just say yes”
rule, but that’s okay. Like killing characters, some
rules were meant to be broken. I refused Nick’s
request because I knew later on in the game, I’d
give him exactly what he wanted… but not in the
way he wanted it.
I encouraged Nick to play a sorcerer—a kind of
“lesser” spell-caster with strict powers that were
still magical in nature but did not have the full
fledged reality-altering power of a true mage. He
created his character and played him for about six
sessions. That’s when I sprung the surprise on
him.
Nick’s character was approached by a real
mage who informed him that Nick’s magical
conman was nearly ready to become a mage
himself. But this would present a problem. As
soon as his “avatar awoke,” (translation: he
becomes a mage character), reality would notice
and immediately try to kill him. He would be
attacked by all sides. The whole world would, in
fact, become so antagonistic, that even crossing
the street would be a deadly exercise.
I told Nick that for this entire session, the
Promise (mentioned above) was null and void. I
was going to do my best to kill his character.
Then, I took a mage character sheet from my
pouch and showed it to Nick. “But if you make
it… if you survive this session… you can trade in
your sorcerer character sheet for this one.”
I then looked at the other players and told
them, “If you try to protect Nick, if you get in the
way, you’ll be collateral damage.”
The rest of the game was a race. They tried to
find a hole in the wall to dig in and hide. That
didn’t help. Vampires found them.
They tried leaving the city. That didn’t help.
Werewolves found them.
They tried hiding in plain sight, standing on
street corners. That didn’t help them, either.
Vampire hunters came looking for Nick’s friends
and, somehow, all their crossbow bolts and fire
bombs seemed to find Nick instead.
They ran and they hid and they persisted. And
Nick’s friends stuck by him through all of it. They
never gave up on him. They protected him even
after I told them that they’d be nothing more than
collateral damage. True grit.
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A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER
MARCH 20, 2014
The tension was so thick, they were watching
every roll of the dice, leaning in close, sweating onand she made Beryl just as deadly as they come.
their brows. Usually, I have very few rolls during a
game. But that night, I made them roll for
everything. I even invoked the critical fumble rules Houses of the Blooded, sorcery is illegal (a law
—something I never do—just to make them sweat
a little more.
At the end of the night, Nick’s sorcerer was
still alive and I gave him the mage character
sheet. He was smiling. And that’s an
accomplishment. There are times I swear that
Nick can make The Dude look tense.
(If you haven’t seen from The Big Lebowski
and have no idea what I’m talking about, fix that
problem as soon as you can.)
Nick earned that character sheet. And, if given sorcerous deeds all that more painful.
the opportunity, I would have killed his character.
Not because I’m a jerk, but because I made a
different kind of promise.
“I’ll kill you if I can.”
The sincerity of that statement means a lot.
And it should not be used lightly. Nor should it be
used too often. In the entire run of that game, I
used it once. And I meant it. But Nick made it out
alive. His friends took heavy damage for him. Used the players’ reactions. Some of them backed away,
sparingly, it can change the entire course of a
game.
***
The second example comes from the Houses of
the Blooded live action game I run here in
Phoenix. The game not only has the implicit
promise behind it but also an explicit rule. “Your
character cannot die without your permission.”
That goes to the Friendly Game rule I talk about
elsewhere in this book.
But I also explained dire peril to my players. I what counts.
told them about the rule when they decided they
wanted to explore a ruin for artifacts.
“You are poorly equipped for such a chore,” I
told them. “And if you go down there, I’m invoking
dire peril.” A couple new players asked what I
meant. I told them. The entire party quickly
decided against that course of action.
But dire peril does not only lurk outside the
ballrooms and secret libraries of ven society.
Sometimes it crashes the party wearing a red
dress.
One of the more feared characters in the game
was Beryl Tal (played by the lovely and talented
Jessica Kauspedas). Beryl was a kind of reaction
to previous HotB games she played in. She wanted
to make a duelist. A deadly character. She had
played less combat oriented characters in the past
Beryl also had a particular attitude about
sorcery. She killed sorcerers. In the world of
most ven ignore in the same way we ignore speed
limits) and Beryl made sure that law was
enforced… even if it was by her own hand.
She was the bodyguard of another character
in the game, a fellow by the name of Caliban Ru.
Caliban’s player, my buddy Ben, plays him as the
ven equivalent of Iago from Othello. All the players
know Caliban is the villain but the characters do
not. The characters trust Caliban. Especially Beryl
Tal. Which made her discovery of his many, many
Word got out that Beryl had discovered
Caliban was a sorcerer. I made sure everybody
knew. I also warned them that both Caliban and
Beryl would be at the next party.
Jessica waited until the game was already a
couple of hours in before making her dramatic
appearance. And when she did, I was behind her
holding up a banner.
It said, in big letters, DIRE PERIL.
As she walked through the room, I watched
fear in their eyes. Beryl approached them anyway
asking if the had seen Caliban. Their stuttering
responses were worth the two bucks I shelled out
for the poster board I held above Jessica’s head.
When a few got in her way, she cut them
down. Later, Jessica told me that those same
players e-mailed her before the game, asking if
they could get injured by Beryl to add to the
scene.
Beryl didn’t kill anyone that night, but that
fact didn’t matter. The players believed it. That’s
Play Dirty
Play Dirty was the most
controversial column in
Pyramid Magazine history and
remains a keystone of GM
Advice.
You can get your own copy
of the collected columns (and
bonus stuff) at DrivethruRPG:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/
product/85816/Play-Dirty
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A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER
MARCH 20, 2014

Who Killed Lord Davenport?

While written for Wicked Fantasy, you can use this little steaming tea pot of noble intrigue in just
about any fantasy game.
You can also use it with the forthcoming Divine Right setting from JWP...

In the postscript of his novel, The Name of the
Rose, Umberto Eco suggests the greatest mystery
novel would end with the reader discovering that
he was the murderer.
As soon as I read that, I said to myself, “That
can only happen in a roleplaying game.”
And thus, this adventure.
The answer to the question, “Who Killed Lord
Davenport?” is that the PCs are responsible for his
death. They weren’t conscious when it happened,
nor was it of their own will. They were pawns in
an elaborate plan to execute our titular character.
“But how?” you may ask. Easy. With magic.
Someone placed a spell on the tabards the
Courage wore on the evening in particular and
that spell compelled our heroes to assassinate
Lord Davenport when he was alone with them.
During the attack, Davenport injured one of the
heroes and ripped the tabard on another. That
second action broke the spell and the entire group
awoke to find Lord Davenport dead at their feet,
their blood on his hands.
They look around with no memory of where
they are or why they are there. They have no idea
what has occurred in the last 24 hours. And now,
there’s a knocking on the door...

In Medias Res “What’s a Courage?”

It’s a Latin phrase translating as, “In the
middle of things.” It means, “Beginning a story in
the mid-point.” And that’s the trick we’re using
here. The story of Lord Davenport’s murder
begins at the beginning of what most consider
the “second act” of a mystery novel or play. The
murder has occurred and the detective must
solve it.
Unfortunately for our heroes, they are both
the murderers and the detectives. They’ve been
framed for a killing. Blood on their hands, no
less. And before the hangman’s noose goes
around their necks and they’re kicking at the
sky, they must discover who did this to them
and why.
In Wicked Fantasy, a “Courage” is a group
of adventurers who hire themselves out to
nobles, villages, caravans, rich merchants, etc.
to protect and guard those individuals from
danger.
It’s a time-honored tradition in the Reign of
Men, one that is taken sincerely and with great
responsibility. Typically, a Courage wears the
colors of their sponsor and carries their flag,
showing who they represent.
Are there evil and corrupt Courages? Yes,
just as there are evil and corrupt men. But for
the most part, a Courage dedicates itself to
protecting those who cannot protect
themselves and avenging the unjust fallen.

A Bit of History Dramatis Personae

Lord Davenport’s seneschal hired the
adventurers as a Courage to protect him against Let’s take a look at the people involved in Lord
dangers. He knows many are trying to assassinate Davenport’s life and who may be a suspect in his
him to take his title and his lands, and he hoped death.
this band of adventurers would protect him. He
was wrong.

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MARCH 20, 2014
Oh, by the way, they’re all suspects. In fact,
I’ve given each of them a motive to arrange for
Davenport’s death. You get to decide which one is
guilty and play from there.
Oh, one last thing... if you decide on a suspect six months prior, he kept the knowledge to
and your group comes up with a better answer,
feel free to switch “in medias res.” I designed the
adventure to work that way.
Let’s start with the victim, shall we?
Vannel Bajin, Lord Davenport
Role: Victim
Vannel Bajin has a thick white beard, no hair
on his head a long scar that goes from the nape of then shook his head. “No,” he said. “End it with
his neck all the way across his right eye. He wears the wizard or I will.”
an eyepatch. If asked, he gladly tells of the time he
and his fellows in his father’s Courage slew a
band of raiding ogres. “The last one nearly got
me,” he says, touching the patch and smiling.
“But I got him first.”
Bajin is a good man; too good for those who
surround him. He has few ambitions other than
protecting his family and the town of Davenport.
His castle is as modest as he is and when he
laughs, every corner of the castle can hear it.
He’s dead now, so he doesn’t laugh anymore.
Samaja Bajin, Lady Davenport
Role: Wife
Motive: Divorce
Lady Davenport is a beautiful woman with
long golden hair, a charming smile and eyes so
blue, they shine in the darkness. She has also
been cheating on her husband for two years with
Lazinjus, the wizard who lives in town (more on
him later).
Samaja came to Davenport Castle with high
hopes. She knew her husband would not be a
cruel man—his reputation proceeded him—but
she did not count on him being… well, so boring.
Samaja grew up reading stories of handsome
rakes and gentleman pirates and hoped to find a
man with at least some edge in his voice. But
Vannel had nothing of the sort. Even when she
lost her temper at him, he spoke calmly and
softly, calming her temper.
When she met Lazinjus, she fell for him quick.
He was precisely the kind of man she was hoping
to find. He had a roguish grin and when he spoke,
his flirtations hinted of dangerous pleasures. She
was his the moment they met.
And, for two years, she has kept her romance
with Lazinjus a secret. That all changed a week
ago.
While Vannel discovered her infidelity nearly
himself. He did not want to confront his wife and
hoped her indulgence would fade just as quickly
as it began. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Finally, a week ago, he told her that he knew
of her infidelity and asked her to cease. She
refused, saying that it caused no harm. Vannel
already had heirs (two daughters and a son) and
he had no right to interfere with her happiness.
Vannel considered her argument carefully,
Once Lord Davenport said those words, he
was a marked man.
If Lady Davenport Killed Lord Davenport…
… the wizard concocted a spell that would
coerce his bodyguards into murdering him. That
makes Lazinjus an accomplice to the crime.
If accused, she will sell out Lazinjus, claiming
that he convinced her to go along with the plan
using the same magic he used on the bodyguards.
Lazinjus, The Wizard
Role: Town wizard
Motive: Fear of shame and punishment
Lazinjus is more than handsome. He has the
kind of features you’d find on the hero in a lady’s
pillow book. His rakish smile, his curly black hair,
his well-manicured beard and his dark eyes…
women find themselves drawn to him knowing
he’s trouble. Maybe that is part of his lure.
Lazinjus is also an incredibly talented wizard,
which raises the question, “What is he doing out
here in the middle of nowhere serving a minor
noble?”
That smile, that charm and those eyes got
Lazinjus in trouble with the wrong people.
Specifically, the head of the Wizard’s Guild did not
like the way his wife was looking at the young
wizard. He liked the way she invited Lazinjus into
her bed chambers even less. And so, the wizard
sent the young man out here, to serve Lord
Davenport, far from the City of Ajun where he
came from.
Once he got here, he set up shop assisting the
town and the castle with their magical needs. He
thought he had drowned his past, leaving it
behind him for good. One look into Lady
Davenport’s eyes, however, and all his bad habits
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A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER
MARCH 20, 2014
came swimming back to the surface. Their affair
lasted a year and a half before Lord Davenport
discovered it, but Lazinjus and Lady Davenport
knew no better. Only last week did Davenport
reveal this knowledge and the two lovers have
been reeling since.
Lazinjus knows that another scandal like this
will not only cause him to lose his position in
Davenport Town, but may also lose his
membership in the Wizard’s Guild. He can’t let
that happen. He just can’t…
If Lazinjus Killed Lord Davenport…
… he did it without Lady Davenport’s
knowledge. He has to play a delicate game here,
because he loves Lady Davenport and if she
discovered his treachery, not only would he lose
her, she would report him to the Wizard’s Guild
and he’d lose everything.
Elwyn Bajin
Role: Davenport’s Daughter
Motive: Love of Beduvyn Hallin
Elwyn Bajin is the eldest daughter of Lord and
Lady Davenport and the presumed heir. She has
been trained since she was young for this
responsibility and undertook it with seriousness
and sincerity.
She is almost the spitting image of her mother;
the only difference being her father’s wide smile.
She is not graceful, but moves with a purpose.
She cut her hair short to show her dedication to
her role. When her mother arranged for suitors,
she was a part of making those decisions, and has
yet to find a man she considers worthy of her
hand.
Part of the reason for that last part is because
Elwyn is secretly in love with another woman: the
daughter of Davenport’s most dangerous ally,
Antonius Hallin the Lord of Palvin.
Lord Palvin is a known villain who has enough
power to maintain his position. But he is a known
buffoon and braggart regarded by Davenport as a
fool. (More on him in a moment.)
Elwyn met Lord Palvin’s daughter, Beduvyn,
when the two were children. They grew to be fast
friends regardless of Lady and Lord Davenport’s
concerns. The two girls were like sisters seen
through a mirror. One was blonde and practical
while the other was raven-haired and indulgent.
Their illicit affair began many years ago when
the two were caught in a barn during a rainstorm.
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MARCH 20, 2014
The moment was perfect. Friendship and
sisterhood transformed into love.
When Davenport discovered their true
relationship, he forbid Elwyn from ever seeing
Beduvyn privately again. The two of them wrote
letters, maintaining their relationship, even
though many of them have been intercepted and
destroyed. They manage private meetings when
they can, but otherwise, theirs is a forbidden love.
Elwyn wants no husband. All she wants is
Beduvyn. And she’s willing to do anything to get
what she wants.
If Elwyn Bajin murdered Lord Davenport…
… she did so out of love. When her father
discovered the two girls together, he showed a
rage Elwyn had never seen before. Perhaps his
anger was powered by discovering his own wife’s
betrayal. Who can say? All Elwyn knows is that
she was her father frightened her for the first
time. Whenever she even dares mention the House
of Palvin, she can see his face turn red and his
eyes fill with anger. That fear has brought her to
this moment. She wants Beduvyn. And she
arranges for her father’s murder so she can be
with her true love.
Antonius Hallin, Lord Palvin
Role: Neighbor
Motive: Ambition
Lord Palvin has long, silver-blond hair, sharp
features and an annoying laugh that makes
fingers on chalkboards sound like angelic choirs.
He is not only a wicked, treacherous and
deceitful man, he is also a secret student of
magic. His father’s reputation kept him out of the
Wizard’s Guild, and so, his father arranged for
clandestine lessons. The boy proved a natural and And what better way than to execute a conspiracy
has been using wizardry ever since.
He puts himself across as a simple, ambitious
man with little or no wit or cunning. Nothing
could be further from the truth. He openly
threatens those who offend him, promising eternal the murder, all of it -- to make her father look like
hatred and quick revenge and his ruse works on
most, winning a dismissive attitude from his
enemies. But then, years later, when they are
underground and his pawn sits on their throne,
he quietly laughs to himself while he dances on
their graves.
Palvin has a network of nobles who all owe
him favors for the blood on their hands. He keeps with her father, her fear will crumble her resolve.
his thralls in constant debt, and if they ever show
any sign of rebellion, he replaces them, quickly
and quietly.
He came to Davenport Castle with a plan. He
knows all the Castle’s secrets and everyone’s
motives. All he has to do is find someone to put
the knife into the Lord’s throat, and then, he can
put his own pawn on Davenport’s throne.
If Lord Palvin Killed Lord Davenport…
… he either provided the tabards or knew
about them and encouraged their use. The first
way is easiest, but the second method keeps his
hands clean of the actual murder.
Beduvyn Hallin
Role: Daughter of Lord Palvin
Motive: Framing her father
Beduvyn is everything her father wanted. He
made sure of that. She is a raven-haired beauty
who moves like a velvet shadow. Her voice is low
and dark and hints of secrets. She knows exactly
how to make both men and women do what her
father wants.
But what she wants is Davenport’s oldest
daughter, Elwyn. The one thing she can’t have.
The two have carried out a secret love affair for
years, but when Davenport discovered their tryst,
he put an end to it.
Surprisingly, Beduvyn doesn’t hate Davenport
for ending the affair. She understands the
decision completely. It is her father’s fault the two
cannot be together.
Beduvyn knows her reputation. She knows
what others whisper about her just before and
after she enters a room. And she knows it all has
to do with the creature her father turned her into.
She wants to punish her father and to be free
of his leash. But in order to do that, he has to die.
that stinks of him.
If Beduvyn killed Lord Davenport...
... she makes it look like her father is to
blame. She’s arranged all of this -- the invasion,
the guilty culprit. As soon as everyone turns to
the obvious choice, she will sell him out. She’ll
even cut his throat herself if she has to.
At least, that’s what she tells herself. In fact,
Beduvyn is terrified of her father and will never
move against him directly. That’s why she needed
this plan. But if she’s ever put in direct conflict
The only thing that may be stronger than that
fear is her love for Elwyn. But we’ll never know
that unless it happens.
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MARCH 20, 2014

Telluris Bajin is too much of a coward to try taking them. But

now, with the silent support of Lord Palvin, he
Role: Son of Lord Palvin just may get them.
Motive: Accidental Lord Palvin promised Amavale chaos when he
Telluris is the second-born child in the launched his sneak attack against Davenport
Davenport household. He is tall for his age, plain- Castle. Palvin arranged for the tabards and made
looking and plain-spoken. He has been a failure at sure they were in place by the time Amavale’s
everything in his life save one profession: armies arrived.
soldiering. If Avinus Tengel killed Lord Davenport...
Telluris is not clever or witty, but he is also Tengel is probably a bad candidate for
not dumb. He is a simple man who understands murderer. He’s outside the castle and just isn’t
simple things. Above all, he loves his family clever enough to pull something like this off. He’s
without question. He does not know about his a better candidate for lackey.
sister’s secret affair, but if he did, he would not
care. But when his father voices his disapproval, Someone in the Castle tipped off Tengel,
that’s when Telluris starts to worry. He almost letting him know when the murder would occur,
always sides with his father, but if he sees Lord giving him an advantage.
Davenport standing between his sister and her
happiness... his heart will be torn asunder with Janna Ren, The Assassin
uncertainty. Role: Provocateur
Telluris has also spent a great deal of time Motive: Money
preparing for the inevitable attack from his
father’s neighbor, Lord Palvin. He knows Palvin Down in the dungeon of Castle Davenport is
wants his father’s lands and also knows the villain Janna Ren. She’s young and beautiful with black
has a plan. That’s why Telluris has a plan to deal hair peppered with crimson. She also has a black
with the problem. eye and a broken arm. She’s currently sitting in
her cell, awaiting Davenport’s judgment.
If Telluris killed Lord Davenport…
A few days ago, Janna arrived to assassinate
… it was a tragic mistake. He hired the town Lord Davenport. She failed. The question on
wizard, Lazinjus, to create the tabards and everyone’s mind is, “Who sent her?” No matter
assumed these guards would be assigned to how much they ask, Janna isn’t talking. Her
protect Lord Palvin. Unfortunately, the tabards got silence is the only reason she’s still alive.
mixed up and they were given to his father’s Davenport wants to know who sent her and killing
bodyguards instead. Janna will not answer that question.
Telluris is so overcome with shame and grief, Someone had to deliver the tabards. That
he cannot even deal with the fact that his actions someone was Janna Ran. Her whole attempt at
have killed his father. Instead, he will divert his killing Davenport was a ruse to distract from her
focus to the incoming invasion. In fact, his sorrow real goal: delivering the tabards. Now, she’s just
is so complete, he has forced the memory to the waiting in the dungeon. Waiting for the plan to
back of his brain. In complete denial, he honestly finalize so she can get out of here and get paid.
does not remember asking Lazinjus to create the
tabards. But Lazinjus remembers…

Avinus Tengen, Lord Amavale Castle Davenport

Role: Neighbor of Davenport Castle and Co-
Conspirator
Motive: Acquisition of Davenport Castle
Standing a hand and a half over most men,
his shaved head is covered in scars. His ice cold
eyes reflect nothing back at you but frigid hatred.
He knows only one thing: murder. Only his own
cowardice holds him back.
Lord Amavale is a scoundrel and a villain and
his hatred of Lord Davenport is well-known. For
many years, he has wanted Davenport’s lands but
Castle Davenport is your typical medieval
keep. It includes the following structures. This
section also includes some important servants you
may want to know about before running the
adventure.
The Moat
A standard moat, circling the castle. A
drawbridge stands high, preventing outsiders from
entering. Nothing of interest here.

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The Wall The master of the great hall is a man named

The wall surrounding the castle is strong and
guarded by men with spears and bows. Each wall
has a catapult and a three man team manning it.
The Gatehouse
The gatehouse has the controls for the iron
gate that prevents enemies from entering. Also,
the controls for the drawbridge are here. Usually,
two guards stand at the ready.
The Four Towers
Each corner of the castle has a tower. At the
top of the tower on guards looking out for trouble.
Each tower contains three floors with private
chambers within. Lord and Lady Davenport share
one chamber and their child has one of her own.
The rest of the chambers are for guests.
The Main Courtyard
After entering the castle from the gate house,
you find yourself in the main courtyard. Within
the courtyard is a common well (filled with fresh
water) and lots of empty space for a marketplace
when the villagers show up with wares.
The Great Hall
The largest part of the main building inside
the walls, the great hall is the place Lord
Davenport holds social events. This is also where
the Davenport Throne rests. The room has large,
long wooden tables and dozens of chairs for
guests. It also has access to the kitchens, the
servants quarters and the guard house.
“Aldren.” He is a young man — perhaps younger
than most men in his position — but he inherited
the job from his father who recently passed away.
He is capable, reliable and a good judge of
character, despite his age. He runs the great hall
and the majority of the servants… except for the
kitchen. That’s the cook (who you’ll learn about
below). Aldren is a good ally for the heroes. He
believes them if they tell him their tale (“Never
trust magic,” he’ll say) and will assist them unless
they treat him poorly.
The Servants Quarters
The servants quarters are actually part of the
great hall. They are above the meeting hall itself
and kept warm by common fireplaces.
The servants of Castle Davenport are generally
happy with their lot. The Lord treats them fairly
and evenly. He seldom displays anger — if when
he is displeased — and does not punish the
servants himself. Instead, he leaves that to the
cook and the headman (Bea and Aldren).
Lady Davenport, on the other hand, is a
different matter. The servants fear her greatly,
knowing she has a quick temper and a quick
hand. Her personal maids often wear make up to
hide bruises on their faces and hands. Lady
Davenport goes through maids on a regular basis,
firing them then hiring another from the local
village. She hasn’t always been this way.
Something has changed recently that has spurred
her angry humor.
The Guard House
This is where the guards sleep. It is located
outside the main hall, to the east. It houses two

The Problem of Evil

Many fantasy roleplaying games provide the players with means--both magical and
otherwise--to discern truth from lies. They also have ways to tell if a character is “good” or “evil.”
With a murder mystery, this is a problem and you and I have to address it.
The simplest way is to have the Castle fitted with runes that prevent such magic. Davenport
hates any magic that may affect his mind, and thus, he forbids its use in his Castle. In other
words, no magic that reads a person’s intent works within the walls of Davenport Castle.
As soon as you say that, clever players may retort, “Well, we’ll just take them outside the
Castle.”
Not unless you want to deal with an army of a few thousand men throwing heavy stones, fire
and diseased cows at the walls, you don’t.
So, the players are stuck with the evidence at hand, their instincts and perhaps a couple of
lucky rolls. It's up to them to figure out who set them up, not their magic items and spells.

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hundred guards. Currently, Lord Davenport has
three hundred guards, sleeping in shifts.
The Captain of the Guard is a woman named
“Dannah.” She has silver hair, ice blue eyes and a
round face. She was raised in the castle by her
father who was a lieutenant under the old
Captain. Everyone expected Dannah’s father to
take the position, but he was killed defending the
castle from a siege. Dannah rose through the
ranks, earned Davenport’s trust and is now in
command of his small army. She wears necklace
around her neck that holds a picture of her father.
Lady Davenport gave her that necklace when she
became the Captain of the Guard.
Dannah loves Lady Davenport and knows of
her affair. She is more loyal to the Lady than
anyone else in the Castle, and when Lord
Davenport is killed, she will protect Lady
Davenport from all dangers — real and imagined.
The Stable
The stables are located outside and almost
behind the great hall. The stable master is an old,
reliable man with a limp named “Jasson.” He’s
been with the family when Davenport’s father
was the Lord of the Castle.
person here (see Janna Ren, above). The prison
has six cells, all of which are large and cold and
damp. And you don’t even want to know about the
rats.
What’s Next?
Alfred Hitchcock once said that you don’t need
plot if you’ve got great characters; great
characters will make plot for you.
You’ve got a castle full of people who don’t
trust each other. People who are ambitious, loyal
and treacherous. You’ve got a siege on the outside
of the castle and a bunch of ruthless folks on the
inside.
Do we really need a plot?
The key to running this adventure is the key
to any adventure: listen to your players.
Specifically, listen to their theories about who
might be the villain here. I’ve often said that
genius is not coming up with great ideas, but

The Kitchen & Larder

A woman named Bea runs the kitchen. She’s
a short, grey woman as slender as a knitting
needle and she suffers no fools. The kitchen
belongs to her and no-one else. While she comes
across as a short woman with a short temper,
she has a soft heart that she allows none to see.
She saves scraps and gives them to the local
poor. She has kept many stray dogs (called “Bea’s
Beasts” by the other servants) because she can’t
turn away hungry eyes. The other servants know
she has a soft side, and while they may joke
about it privately, they generally keep it to
themselves. The other servants know she is hard
but fair and do not want to get on her bad side.
Bea is also in charge of the larder. She gives
Aldren a list of what she needs and he goes down
to the local village to acquire it. While the two
have a seemingly cold relationship, there is a
deep bond between them. Aldren earned her
trust a while ago when he took a scolding for one
of her own mistakes. Since then, she has grown
to love the young boy and sees him as a beloved
nephew.

The Prison
Far below the castle is the prison. Other than
the two stationed guards, there is only one

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recognizing great ideas, regardless of who thinks

of them.
Your players’ theories might be better than the
ones you come up with yourself. If they have a
great idea, use it. Throw your idea out the window
and use theirs.
Pay attention to their thought processes and
learn from them. When they pick allies, listen to
why they pick allies. When they choose to make
enemies, listen to why they choose those people
as enemies.
For example, if they don’t trust Lady
Denmark, find out why. If you want them to
distrust another NPC, use that knowledge to
maneuver them into the position you want.
Another point: the army outside is not waiting
for the heroes to solve this puzzle. In fact, while
the heroes try to make sense of the situation, Lord
Palvin’s army throws stones and fire over and
against the wall. Soldiers throw up ladders.
If the heroes play it right, they may win
enough trust to help throw back the invading
army. Then, they can get to the business of who
murdered Davenport.

Finale
Lastly, WKLD? works best as part of a
campaign rather than a one-shot. Players tend to
think short-term when they play one-shots,
disregarding the long-term consequences of their
actions.
I suggest introducing them to Lord Davenport
early, earning his trust. Make him an NPC they
love. He admires their courage and rewards them
with compliments and gifts. After all, there’s a
reason he trusts them as personal guard.
Then, when your players truly love him, that’s
the time to kill him off. Get that emotional kick of
not only losing Davenport, but being the hands
that took his life.
Their relationships with the other members of
the Castle will be impacted by Davenports death.
If they befriend the Captain of the Guard or Lady
Davenport, the blood on their hands will be hard
to clean.

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Houses of the Blooded:
Slumming
Beginning a new series, this section includes the first chapter of the Houses of the Blooded:
Slumming sourcebook. Subsequent episodes will include more chapters.
If you don’t have a copy of HotB, you can get the PDF (pay what you want) at this link:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/61061/Houses-of-the-Blooded
When we think of the unblooded, what comes
to mind? Nameless faces, smudged with dirt and
grime. Hapless and helpless. In the core book, the
unblooded are little more than numbers on your
sheet. “Rank 1 Valet,” or “Rank 1 Personal
Guard.”
But the unblooded had lives of their own and
those lives were represented in the literature of
the ven. Chiefly, the unblooded provided moral
comic relief for the extreme tragedies and
machinations of their masters. Often, the
unblooded spoke directly to the audience,
expressing concern, doubt and other inner
emotions their masters were too proud to reveal.
But the unblooded represented in the operas
of the nobility probably had little to do with the
ven actually living in the streets of the city. In
fact, we know the two had little to do with each
other. An actual ven peasant—scraping by with
little food, less shelter, and even less hope—
wouldn’t recognize the unblooded dancing and
singing on an opera stage.
As I said in the core book, while the nobles
watched their operas in grand houses, the
peasants had a different kind of entertainment.
That would be the theater. Plays were
tremendously popular in the cities. In fact, there
were more theater houses in a ven city than
taverns, inns or any other kind of building. A
theater at every corner.
But even in the gutters of the city, the
unblooded were not completely immune to the
influence of the nobility. Two noble Houses—their
heraldry veiled in the Senate—struggled a secret
war to control the cities. We will take a look at
these Houses, their motives, machinations… and
their Virtues.
Just as the core book looked at the ven
through the lens of opera, my goal with this book
— a document dedicated to the urban ven—looks
at both the Blooded and the unblooded through
the lens of the theater.
In addition to the numerous plays I scoured
for information, two additional sources were
essential for this book. The first was an
anonymous street rebel and the second was a
street guard. Both provided incredible (if
sometimes contradictory) insight to the lives and
routines and troubles of the unblooded.
The Tale of Genis’shiej
If a City were a player in an Opera or a play,
its primary motivation would be commerce.
Buying, selling, trading. And stealing. A
secondary, but still important, motivation.
Commerce and crime. These are the things that
make Cities.
The unblooded scholar “Genis’shiej” wrote
many tracts on life in the City and the plight of
the unblooded. His name itself is a bit of a puzzle.
It means, “House of the Hidden Power” or “House
on the Low Hill,” but the phrasing is in the vulgar
tongue of the peasants, not the High Tongue of
the nobles.
I pulled most of my sources for Slumming
from my copy of the book, The City. It’s a
collection of pamphlets from Genis’shiej, although
whether or not a single author is responsible for
all the writings is up for debate. I, for one, would
like to believe a single ven wrote all the
pamphlets, but evidence is against me. Most
likely, the pseudonym was a cover for many
writers objecting to the treatment of the
unblooded.
However, this is my game, so I can do what I
want and I like Genis’shiej as a single ven trying
to win liberty for the unblooded. And so, I make
him an NPC your ven can run into.
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Three Things True About Genis’shiej
He is unblooded.
He reveres no Suaven.
His generosity is dangerous.
Using Genis’shiej
Your ven may never see him, but they’ll see his
pamphlets everywhere. His outrage is contagious,
especially among the unblooded. “They are right
to call us ‘dirt,’” he writes. “Dirt under our
fingernails. Dirt in our clothes. Dirt in our hair.
We are children of the soil. Children of dirt.” And
then comes the dangerous talk. “And what we are,
they once were. Still are. Slaves. They are slaves,
dressing in the master’s clothes.” Its no wonder
the Blooded want him dead. But, he’s avoided
them so far. His words plastered in taverns, on
the walls of the market and in the hands of
unblooded and Blooded alike. In the hands of the
Blooded, the pages are read with laughter and
fear. In the hands of the unblooded, the pages are
weapons, waiting to be drawn.
Genis’shiej and his writings can be weapons in
your hands, too. Perhaps some of the Blooded are
sympathetic to his cause. Perhaps some of them
may even go so far as to protect him. Of course, if
his writings cause an uproar in a noble’s Domain,
he may become a target. After all, isn’t what he
doing worthy of Revenge? “When the pain has the
beauty of poetry.” And isn’t the pain he inflicts on
the Blooded a kind of poetry? Vrente. Rightful
Revenge.
Tomyn’s Journal
My second source came from a street guard
named Tomyn. His journal documented his time
on the streets including his participation on a war
between two veiled Houses. It wasn’t until the eve
of his untimely death that he knew what kind of
game he had been brought into, but even so, his
commentary and insight were invaluable to the
completion of this book.
Everything we know about the actual
structure and architecture of the ven cities comes
from Tomyn’s journal. The young man was
fascinated by the city’s strange stones. All
illustrations in this book come directly from his
journals.
Using Tomyn
Tomyn is an unblooded member of the city
watch. Here are the three things true about him:
He is unblooded
He does his best to make things right
He keeps a sketch pad to draw the city’s
architecture
Under the Shadow
For the unblooded, life in Shanri is hard. No
protection from the Law. Powerful nobles
demanding your time and services. That
humiliating “Please don’t kill me” greeting. Orks,
bandits, thieves and immoral magistrates.
But in a world like theirs, even the peasants
have secrets.
This chapter looks at the lives of the
unblooded from two perspectives. First, life on the
manor: a glimpse at the servants of a noble house.
Second, life on the street: the urban mess that
makes Shanri’s economy work.
Oh, yes. The ven have an economy. But don’t
tell the nobles. They’ll just screw it up.
Life On The Manor
In the manor, servants perform daily duties so
their noble masters can fix their minds on more
important pursuits: lust, treachery and ambition.
A ven noble with a full staff may have dozens
—even as many as one hundred—servants on his
manor, but to a noble, all of these many people
simply make up your single Staff Vassal. Let’s
take a look at a full house and the busy life the
servants live.
Comic Relief And Insight
Often, the serving staff provides a rare source
of comic relief in pillow books and opera. The
servants are portrayed as “wise fools,” being able
to see simple solutions to a noble’s complex
problems, if only he would listen. If only he would
listen…
Servants also provide exposition, giving the
reader information he needs to understand the
deeper context of the work. Because servants are
born, live, die and inherit the castle, they have a
better understanding of the land’s history, often
seeing historical parallels the nobles are too busy
to see.
Organization
More often than not, a servant’s life begins on
the manor. Most servants are born into their duty,
inheriting it from their parents. Born to a butler,
destined to become a footman or a groom. Born to
a cook, destined to become a maid or a valet.
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If another noble takes over the castle, he
usually keeps the servants of that castle, linking
the entire staff to the land in a deeper, more
profound way. While nobles come and go, the staff
remains. Bound to the land.
Serving in the house is much like serving in
the military. A chain of command that must be
obeyed. Servants who break that chain are
severely punished, and thanks to the rapid
healing of the ven biology, by “severe” I mean,
“beaten within an inch of your life.”
The hierarchy begins with the Seneschal.
Usually Blooded (but not always), the most
trusted servant. Let’s begin with him.
The Seneschal
The Seneschal is the true head of the
household. All servants report to him. While he is
usually not involved in the day-to-day affairs of
the house, the higher servants report to him and
not the noble master. Going over the Seneschal’s
head is a major mistake that usually leads to
immediate dismissal.
The Seneschal is not only in charge of all the
servants, but the Master of the Road, the Spy
Network and any other vassals his master may
command. Because his job requires so much
attention, a wise Seneschal allocates his authority
to lesser figures. The Master of the Road in charge
of the Roadmen, the Master Spy in charge of the
Spy Network, etc.
Only one servant can speak directly to the
master of the house and that’s the servant who is
in charge of the castle’s serving staff. That would
be one of the most popular characters in
pillowbooks and plays, well-known to all readers
of ven fiction: the ever-popular butler.
“Vente Vente.”
The proper way for a peasant to greet one of
the Blooded is with the phrase, “Vente vente.” This
means, “Please do not kill me.” He may also bow
or kneel, depending on the circumstance.
Peasants bow to show respect but kneel out of
fear. If he fears for his life, the ven kneels because
killing him requires additional effort on the part of
the offended noble.
A servant who has a more personal
relationship with their noble masters may only
give one vente upon meeting his lord. If a noble
allows such an immodest greeting, it is a sign of
respect: obviously, this is a valuable servant who
may be regarded as a useful tool.
The Butler
The butler sits directly in command of the
castle’s serving staff. All maids and valets report
to him. As mentioned above, the position of butler
is often hereditary: a family serving in the same
house for generations. A butler’s duties are to
maintain the consistency of the house as well as
its security. He receives the house’s payment from
the Seneschal and pays all the servants under
him. He is often the only servant allowed to speak
directly to the master of the house (an exception
to the Seneschal rule above).
Conflict between the Seneschal and the butler
is a common theme in pillow books. While the
butler is a hereditary role, the Seneschal is not.
The butler knows the lands, the villages, the
servants. The Seneschal does not. The Seneschal
has the authority, but the butler has the
knowledge. Also, the Seneschal is (more often
than not) a Blooded character while the Butler is
unblooded. However, the master of the house
probably grew up with the butler and hired the
Seneschal. This wonderful and complicated
relationship provides many opportunities for
comedy. Use them well.
The Cook
The cook is in charge of the kitchens and
larder (where the food is stored). Anyone who
enters the kitchen knows the cook is in charge. No
one has more authority than the cook while
standing in the kitchen: not the upstairs maids,
not the stable hands and not the butler. The
cook’s authority ends at the kitchen doors, but
while inside his own domain, he is the master.
Conflict between the cook and other servants is
common in ven literature with the cook often
providing comic relief from the more “stiff” servant
characters. Conflict between the butler and the
cook can be a bit cliché if handled poorly, but
when done right, often leads to comedy at its best.
The Valet/Lady’s Maid
Other than the butler, the one servant a noble
trusts most is his valet or her lady’s maid. These
characters are responsible for the appearance of
the noble wherever he or she goes. Clothes, hair,
makeup, whatever. If there’s a stain on a shoe, the
maid/valet is responsible.
But the maid/valet character is more than
just a groom: they often serve as spies and
romantic go-betweens for the lord or lady in
question. They arrange for secret romantic
encounters and keep their eyes and ears open for
gossip among the servants. So many scenes of the
servants griping about their conditions, then the
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lady’s maid appears, and you hear nothing but
songs of praise. Everyone knows the game.
Everyone knows how to play. Because the valet/
lady’s maid is so involved in the noble’s romantic
affairs, they are often portrayed as “the romantic
servant,” wooing the servants of other households
(and sometimes their own) in an attempt to mimic
the romantic games of the nobles… often to comic
affect.
An important note: while the valet/maid is
under the butler’s authority, this servant usually
has a very close relationship with the noble.
Because of their direct contact with the lord/lady,
the valet/maid is sometimes seen as a rival for the
butler and often ignores the butler’s authority or
chafes against it.
Maids
The ven had many kinds of maids, all
performing specific duties. The valet/lady’s maid
characters are sometimes referred to as “the
upstairs staff.” Meanwhile, the downstairs staff
are the maids responsible for cleaning and
maintaining the library, study and other less
personal areas of the house. Maids polish the
brass, brush carpets, change the linens, dust
furniture, clean glass, polish wood, clean dishes
and drinking glasses, air out rooms, wash the
dinge off walls, empty the trash, clean the
furniture, empty fireplaces and occasionally have version usually ends with the wife secretly
time for a romantic tryst with the footman. They
do not directly interact with the nobility (unless by differently…
accident), giving a passing noble a quick bow,
lowering their eyes to avoid contact. The pillow
books often portray the maids as a gaggle of
gossips, providing exposition to “downtimes,”
giving the reader knowledge of what has happened perhaps fed table scraps by a sympathetic cook)
between chapters.
Stable Staff
If a noble has stables—and what noble
doesn’t?—he has a staff of servants making sure
his horses are healthy and looking well. The
groom is in charge of stables with a number of
stable boys working under his supervision. The
groom is often portrayed as a gruff, no nonsense
fellow who speaks his mind no matter who
happens to hear him. The phrase “If you ask me”
often proceeds anything the groom is about to
utter, followed with “but nobody here listens to
me…”
The Groundskeeper
Often portrayed as either an effete male or a
beautiful female, the groundskeeper enjoys the
responsibility of maintaining the grounds around
the castle, providing flowers and shrubbery and
other ornaments of beauty to titillate and
fascinate the eyes that humble his skills by
observing them. And that’s usually how the
groundskeeper speaks: in long, long sentences
that extend the grammar just as far as it will go
while maintaining meaning and testing the
patience of those who tickle his ear with questions
about his daily duties, responsibilities and
pleasures.
The Footman
One of the most popular servants in ven
literature, the footman is a character who serves
as a kind of jack-of-all trades. He waits on tables,
answers the door, drives the carriage and
performs just about any task required by the
butler. He is the butler’s go to guy, filling any role
the butler needs. A capable footman is a value in
any household and is often portrayed as a young
man (or woman) with extraordinary promise. He is
usually educated, a duelist, witty and charming,
but also humble, kind and generous. It’s no
surprise that in most pillow books, the neglected
wife turns to the footman for comfort. In pillow
books where the footman is the protagonist, we
have two endings: tragic and romantic. In tragic
pillow books, the footman ends his life on the tip
of a jealous husband’s sword. The romantic
blooding the footman and the duel ending a bit
Most footmen start out as pages: ambitious
and promising peasants who prove their worth to
a butler or groom and get taken on as a minor
hand in the household. They are not paid (except
but serve for the chance to gain employment.
The Housekeeper
While the butler is usually a male character,
his dramatic foil is the highest ranking woman in
the manor: the housekeeper. Exacting, demanding
and uncompromising, the housekeeper is usually
an older woman who has lived with the family for
some time, knowing all the secrets of the house.
She seems to have a supernatural talent for
getting others to tell her the truth. One look from
her evil eye and they break down, spilling tears
and secrets. While the butler is the chief servant,
the housekeeper has a special relationship with
the lady of the house: the lady has the unique
authority to hire and fire the housekeeper,
regardless of the butler’s wishes. All the maids are
at her disposal. Because of her unique position,
she and the butler often clash in the most
comedic way. Most ven playwrights use the butler
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and the housekeeper as surrogates for the
conflicts of the lord and lady of the manor. Both
trying to exert their authority, both trying to cover
the mistakes of their masters, and both trying
desperately not to fall in love.
The Governess
If the lord and lady of the house have children,
the governess is responsible for their education.
Of all the servants in the house, perhaps the
governess who is most trusted. While we usually
think of a strict nanny in this role, the ven had a
much different image.
Because ven culture is a bee hive of espionage,
treason and murder, the governess takes on quite
a distinctive role in the household. She trains the
children in the “subtle arts,” instructing them in
the ways of self-protection and awareness. She
works with the Swordsman to teach them self-
defense. She works with the Apothecary to teach
them how to identify poisons. She works with the
Master of the Road so the children know the Great
Enemy. Her charge is to protect the children and
she does so with fervor and extreme loyalty. She is
a capable woman: capable with steel, subtlety and
unforgiving wrath for those who seek to harm her
charges.
The Snooty Servant
You are a Baron, visiting the home of a Duke.
The servants are casual with their service to you.
They don’t bow very low. They don’t say “Please
don’t kill me.” They snicker or giggle when you
make a mistake.
Go ahead. Kill one of them. One of the Duke’s
servants. See what happens.
The snooty servant is another common fixture
in ven literature. Yes, they’re dirt, but they are the
Duke’s dirt. And you should be so lucky to get the
Duke’s dirt on your shoes.
The Servant In Literature & History
Let’s talk about a servant’s life for a moment.
Devoted to their Blooded masters, they are more
than just scenery. More than just furniture with
lines. Servants provide the playwright (and you,
the Narrator) with powerful tools.
Servants in ven literature do more than just
toil for their masters: they serve the audience as
well. They are the narrators, delivering valuable
exposition to the audience, filling in the little
details, giving nuance to the action on the stage.
They also provide the comic relief, giving the
audience a chance to laugh in the midst of blood
and tragedy.
Think of the butler mumbling something
under his breath as he turns from his lady, off to
fill her ludicrous request. Mumbling that only you
and I—the audience—can hear. In theater, the
servants are the only characters allowed to break
the fourth wall (that’s “talk to the audience” for all
you non-theater types). They comment on
everything. They turn right to the audience and
make soliloquies that only the audience can hear.
The serving class serves the audience: they
say what the audience wants to say. Occasionally,
they get to say it directly to the nobles, although
that’s a very rare occurrence.
From the diaries we’ve been able to find, we
know that many nobles confided in their maids
and valets for advice: an outsider’s view clear of
the minutia and dilemmas of the noble’s troubling
existence. Often, a maid or valet serves as the
noble’s conscience, giving him fair-minded
counsel. Of course, a more villainous character
would have a likewise suitable servant: perhaps
even more devious and underhanded than his
master.
The ven often portray peasants—in contrast to
their noble masters—as sensible and reasonable.
Love brings them only joy with none of its
uncertainty. While this little observation may be
in direct contradiction to the truth—nobody can
really figure out love—it makes for an interesting
insight into the ven character. They assumed
peasants held a “secret wisdom” on matters of the
heart.
And while they do turn to their maids and
valets for such advice, knowing how much trouble
Romance causes among themselves, they
discourage it in their servants. That much trouble
in their own household is something most nobles
can live without. Therefore, no hanky panky in the
pantry.
Of course, telling a ven—Blooded or unblooded
—that they can’t do something is just a long way
‘round way telling them to do it. Romances
flourished in the servants’ quarters: a part of the
house few nobles ever visit. With the references
available, it’s easy to say that, in most cases,
peasants caught in Romantic trysts are punished
harshly. Whipped and/or branded. Disfigured.
Usually across the face to dissuade any further
Romances.
At the same time, operas and plays are filled
with peasants participating in the Game of Love.
The peasant characters from Opera are often
happy and in love while their masters are haunted
and troubled. In fact, when portrayed in ven
literature, the unblooded show remarkable insight
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in the ways of Romance; more than their noble
counterparts, that’s for sure.
But servants are always working. Always
working. Always working. They may sing songs
and they may gossip and they may dally here and
there, but never forget, a house servant’s job is to
make everything look perfect. Spot on, spit spot.
Not that nobles ever notice or care—unless
something is wrong, of course—but the butler
notices. And he’ll drag you by the ear down to the
kitchen and put your hands in scalding water if
you mess up.
Your hands will heal by morning, after all.
Just in time for you to get back to work.
Life on the Streets
Ancient ruined Cities crammed with bodies.
Mobs stalk the Streets, armed with knives and
clubs, protecting those who are willing to pay,
terrorizing those who don’t. Merchants claiming
noble title act as if the Blood flows through their
veins. And in the darkest shadows, remnants of
the unspeakable ones wait for a moment of
weakness.
This is life on the Streets. Brutal, bloody and
short, but better than living in the country, toiling Shamed and ostracized, they are the secret
from sunrise to sundown, ever watchful for the
threat of orks. And a ven can go far in the City… if
he has the Blood to carry him.
This part of the chapter looks at ven life on the Futha’sen.
Streets. We’ll talk about the Cities themselves, the
merchant barons who rule them, and the gangs
trying to wrest control from those who would call
themselves “Blooded.”
The City
Ruined monuments to the unspeakable ones.
Doorways taller than the tallest ven. Stairs so
large, the old and young cannot use them. Wide
broadways and avenues. Buildings made from
stone… but not stone. Alleyways that end in walls.
Walls cutting across Streets. Stairways reaching
to rooftops, reaching a sudden end.
And you could swear the City itself is moving.
A giant puzzle house full of secrets, keys and
traps. That’s a ven City.
From The Ruins
Cities grow in places where commerce is easy. secret army.
Rivers, sea shores, localized areas. Almost all ven
Cities are built on the ruins of the sorcerer-kings. every opportunity, assuming they would never
There are many ruins in Shanri that lay dormant, really be a bother. That all changed when the first
filled with spectres and orks. They remain that
way because they are not convenient to the ven.
No nearby villages or castles. No trade routes. No
common ground. If such things don’t exist, Cities
don’t exist.
Like the castles and puzzle houses of the
country lords, ven Cities are built from the ruins
of the unspeakable ones. Once great and proud
architectural marvels, the Cities of the foul past
now house those who were once servants… and
are servants again. The walls are too tall to climb.
The doors reach high above their heads. Children
playing in their parents’ clothes, the ven
populated the Cities out of necessity: to protect
themselves from orks and the Storm. Armies of
the old Ages marched against the Cities. Ven with
the Courage to look into the dark places.
Removing all dangers (well, most dangers), the ven
slowly began occupying the ruins. Then, they
slowly transformed the ruins to their own needs.
Inside the Cities, the streets filled with
workers, merchants, farmers and thieves.
Barbers, butchers, bakers, glassblowers,
blacksmiths, silversmiths, tradesmen of all kinds.
The ven mastered the old architecture of their
masters, making the City their own.
And among them all, half-hidden, are the
Veiled. Those with the Blood who wear the black.
masters of the City. Or so they think…
Let’s look at the real sources of power in the
City. The uv’shanna, the shuvalay, and the
Uv’shana: The Merchant Barons
The term uv’shana, “merchant Baron,” does
not get used often in pillow books. Most Blooded
ven found the title disgusting. Nevertheless, the
term did exist, giving an uncouth title to the class
of unblooded buying titles from the noble class.
The uv’shana rose during the first days of the
Age of Clandestine Blood. Nobles desperate for
resources and loyal vassals began giving away
titles in exchange for Goods, Resources and
services. The more vassals they had under their
control, the higher a title they could claim.
The Blooded were reckless with their granting
of titles. They Law didn’t forbid giving titles to the
unblooded and the noblity assumed such a title
would not protect the proud dirt should a Blooded
Baron come knocking with his personal guard and
The Blooded went on making uv’shana at
uv’shana showed up at the Senate expecting a
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seat. This threw the entire building into disarray.
The quiet assumption was the titles the Blooded
gave out were illusions. Unreal. But a cunning
uv’shanna—Ytll Butcher—got himself a copy of
the Law and studied it carefully.
As I said above, he found no Law
differentiating between Blooded and unblooded
title. The Right of Revenge, the Right to Weapons,
the Right to Own Land. Most importantly, Ytll
demonstrated that because he could walk into the
Senate and say the land was his, it belonged to
him (invoking the Third Law). And because he was
a Baron, the First Law (You are All Bound to the
Law) applied to the Senate as well as himself.
A Baron is a Baron, even if he has no Blood.
Ytll Butcher’s boldness changed ven Law forever
and earned him a position in the House of the
Wolf (who appreciated such a crafty use of hidden
advantage).
Now, the uv’shana are protected by the Law.
All the Rights granted to the Blooded are granted
to uv’shana. They own land. They carry Swords.
They declare Revenge. But there’s a problem. They
are still dirt. Unblooded.
However, because of their significant influence
and power, the uv’shana all but rule the Cities of
Shanri. Permitted to carry weapons, using wealth
to buy personal guard and bribe officials, they are
big fish in a small pond.
This is the new Blood.
At the time of which I write, the merchant
class of Shanri was making its rise. Armed with a
weapon the Blooded do not know or fail to
understand, their power is growing. And what
weapon might this be?
Currency.
Rending
It started on the Streets. A merchant trying to
negotiate a trade of contracts, but finding himself
with a difficult problem: his contracts were too
rich. What he had was too valuable for what he
wanted to trade for. He had a contract for ten
Seasons of iron and needed a contract for seven
Seasons of grain. So, instead of taking a loss, he
tore a piece from his contract, wrote “seven
Seasons” on the fragment, signed it, and traded it
off.
The concept spread quickly among the
merchants of Shanri. They called it “rending.”
Ripping pieces off a contract, offering it in
exchange for other lesser favors. Got a contract for Becoming A Merchant
five Seasons of spices? Rend it into five pieces: one
with the original signatures and text and four
pieces promising one Season each. Got a contract
for seven Seasons of rice? Divvy that up into three
rendings: the original contract and two pieces,
each promising two Seasons of rice.
Each rending requires a signature from the
holder of the contract and exactly what the holder
of the rending can expect. “1 Season of stone.” “2
Seasons of wine.” “Half a Season of herbs.”
Now, wait a second. Half a Season?
Yes. Exactly. Rendings even went down as low
as “a handful.” Merchants kept specially made
bowls to measure out “hands” and “bushels” of
grain, herbs and other goods. See the nearby
sidebar for information on how many hands and
bushels make a Season. Now, these
measurements are still very rough. Don’t expect
precision here.
Rendings change everything. They allow a level
of commerce unseen in Shanri. They’re also a very
new concept, being used exclusively by the
unblooded, trading handfuls and bushels and
Seasons of goods… and services.
There are some writings of the Blooded getting
wind of all this. The response is fairly typical.
“How vulgar.”
No Blooded would ever desecrate tradition by
tearing a contract. Might as well piss on a
Suaven’s altar. Tearing contracts? How obscene!
How profane!
No, a Blooded ven would never participate in
such a scurrilous act. At least, not yet.
GM Note: Using Renders
As a Narrator, I hate money. I mean, I hate it.
Players spending all their time counting the
money in their pockets. The more time they spend
bookkeeping, the less time they spend in ruins, on
the Streets and in rivals’ bedrooms. Counting,
counting, counting. It drives me mad. That’s why I
liked the ven so much. All the counting takes
place off-screen. Season Actions.
But putting money directly in the players’
hands… this is risky. Counting. “Do we have
enough money to…?” questions annoy the hell out
of me, mainly because a character’s lack of
equipment shouldn’t be what hinders him. What
hinders him are his own choices, his own vows,
his own code of ethics. Not how much cash he has
in the bank.
Don’t let money get in the way of a good story.
Even in this culture of absolute power and
absolute helplessness, there is a chance to move
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beyond your birth to something greater.
Merchants hold real power. Unblooded power.
Every Spring, poor families bring their
children to the market, line them up, and sell
them like cattle to the merchant Guilds. Children
are bought and sold on the Streets of the City.
“Ten Seasons of wheat for this one.” “Five
Seasons of wine for that one.” “I’ll give you seven
handfuls of pig meat for that one.”
Children are valued for their Virtue. Strength,
Cunning, Courage. The Guilds value Virtue. They
need apprentices. And so, a child is sold to a
Guild—the Cooper Guild or the Bricklayer Guild
or the Mason Guild. The family goes home with
enough food to live for another year and the Guild
gets an apprentice.
Guilds: Cults Of Secret Knowledge
The Guilds are trade organizations. Think of
them as the precursors of modern day unions
mixed with a bit of secret society.
Think, for example, about your own trade.
Think about the secrets of your trade. Every trade
has them. For example, do you know how to
make a sweater? Could you, if I handed you the
right tools and materials, make a sweater? If you
can, then you have secret knowledge. Something
valuable. If you were a blacksmith, you would
know how to make horseshoes and nails, swords
and farming tools. And if you were a mason, you’d
understand how to carve stone, mix mortar and
understand the mathematics to create a castle.
Secret knowledge.
Now, consider a culture where each trade had
such knowledge. Sure, in today’s society, you
could just look things up on the internet, but
consider a less advanced culture. A world where
secrets aren’t just powerful; they’re sacrosanct. A
world where such knowledge has value.
I know how to turn sheep’s wool into yarn and
how to turn that yarn into clothing. And if I’m the
only person in my village who knows how to do
that, I have a valuable trade. I have secret
knowledge.
Now… who are you going to share that secret
with? Just anybody? Hell, no. You’re going to
share it with someone who pays you for it. And
you’re going to make sure nobody else gets those
secrets. The person you share it with is going to
pay for it and they’re going to swear to keep it.
Now we’re talking about the Guilds of Shanri.
Cults of secret knowledge.
When an apprentice joins a Guild, he
undergoes rituals of secrecy. He makes vows to
So the city, she’s all quiet. But not quiet
like a baby, more quiet like a spider. There’s
only one moon out tonight, and it’s in the sky
like a long, cold shiv, lookin for a mark. A
begger’s night is what they calls it, cos only a
beggar be out on a night like this one. This
night, she’s got the mercy of the grave.
Cobblestones, they make that noise when
feets walkin on em, and it echoes off the brick
walls and thick glass windows. Clip-clop,
clip-clop, that’s the sound, only it’s whole lots
louder. That’s why some folks be wearin boots
with soft soles, so’s they don’t make that
sound. They wears coats and cloaks dyed
with black black inks from places that ain’t
here, and in them coats and cloaks is knives
that’s hard to see but easy to reach. And these
be the folks we’re tellin stories about tonight.
And don’t get attached to nobody. This is a
bloody one all right.
-- from The Streets
keep those secrets… even under penalty of death.
He vows not to teach his secrets to anyone else…
unless he is also a member of the Guild. And he
vows to protect the Guild’s secrets… even if that
means murder to do so.
Life Of A Guildsman
A guildsman (uvanna) undergoes these rituals.
He vows to keep what he learns a secret, to teach
what he learns to other guildsmen and to prevent
any unworthy ven from learning the guild’s
secrets.
As an apprentice, he is taught the basics of
his trade. The most rudimentary secrets. These
prepare him for more advanced knowledge.
Generally, a Guild hires an apprentice when he is
still very young. Few apprentices are hired beyond
the age of nine. Get them when they’re young and
impressionable. Get them when they still fear
authority.
As an apprentice, he serves another
guildsman. He performs mundane tasks,
undertakes simple jobs. As a blacksmith’s
apprentice, he learns how to stoke the furnace,
how to work the bellows and how to clean up the
shop. As one of his first tasks, he learns how to
make tools.
A guildsman remains an apprentice for about
five to six years. During that time, he slowly
learns how the shop works and how to perform
more advanced tasks. Then, when he’s ready, he
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undertakes another ritual that reveals deeper
secrets of the trade. Now, he’s a journeyman. He
has enough skills to represent the Guild. He goes
out on his journey, performing tasks for other
shop owners, learning as he goes. Each shop has
its own character, its own skills, and its own
secrets. He learns them all.
Then, when he is ready, he takes the final test.
The test that will make him a master of his trade.
He creates an object of true Beauty. Something
unseen before. Something that demonstrates the
knowledge and skills he acquired on his journey.
He makes his masterpiece.
His act of Beauty sits before the masters of his
trade. They judge it. If it is found to be worthy, he
is considered a master and given a shop of his
own. If not, he must continue on his journey,
serving other masters in their shops.
Once a master, the Guild assigns him a
territory where only he may practice his trade. A
blacksmith? No other blacksmith in his territory.
A glassier? No other glassier in his territory.
Sidebar: Thalla: A Firm Grip
The ven word is thalla and it literally means
“firm grip.” The word takes on many connotations
in the ven language. It is a noun, signifying an
agreement. “We have made a firm grip here.” It is
a verb, meaning to make such an agreement. “Let
us grip firm on this, then.” It is also an adjective
used when speaking of a ven who keeps his word.
“He has a firm grip.”
The opposite, shialla, means “weak grip.” And
yes, you can use it as a noun, a verb and an
adjective.
Rise Of The Merchant Class
Armed with solidarity, the Guilds gained
significant Strength in Shanri’s Cities. Then, with
a new weapon—currency—that Strength doubled.
Merchants could negotiate deals the nobles would
never consider. Most noble contracts are written
with Blood, meaning they could not be changed
even if the two in agreement wanted to change it.
Merchants found a way to change and modify
contracts quickly and in the moment. Need one
Season of Stone to make a firm grip with a fellow?
Tear off a render.
Because of this versatility, the merchant class
made a quick rise to power in Shanri. At this time
in the game, however, they are still finding their
feet, still preparing for that rise. They are still
under the shadow of the Houses, still unblooded,
still dirt. Proud dirt, but dirt, nonetheless.
It has just begun. A quick rise to power. And
we all know what follows...
Shuvalay: Street Gangs
At this time in ven history, the streets run
rampant with the worst kind of organized crime.
Street gangs control nearly every aspect of city
life. They provide protection from other street
gangs in exchange for almost free reign wherever
they go. They divide the cities into warring
neighborhoods, playing a game that’s far from
invisible, and all too bloody.
For the unblooded, the choice of becoming a
professional criminal is far from the safest one.
The unblooded are not protected by the Law. No
Revenge. No ownership. An object can’t own other
objects. As far as the Blooded are concerned,
stealing from a peasant isn’t a crime unless it
upsets the Blooded who owns the peasant. Then,
you’ve caused Insult. And then, nothing can
protect you. Thus, being a criminal isn’t just
robbing from dirt, but taking the chance you may
Insult one of the Blooded.
But this provides a unique environment for
the unblooded. Without the Law to protect them,
they have to find a way to protect themselves. In
ven history, this lead to the formation of street
gangs: the shuvalay (an individual member of the
gang is a shuval). Unblooded with enough muscle
to protect entire neighborhoods. Emulating the
system the nobility created themselves, the
peasantry turned to the strong for protection,
trading goods and services for iron and brute
force.
Most neighborhoods have their own shuvalay:
a group of ruffians who protect the residents and
shop owners from violence. The Dirty Skirts. The
Bloody Boots. The Cobblestone Boys. They walk
together, dress alike, share passwords and
handshakes, and—when they went into battle—
carried banners to declare themselves.
“Who Am I Willing To Insult?”
Any act on the street must be put into the
context of “who am I willing to insult?” Steal from
a merchant and you insult the street gang
protecting him. Dine and ditch on a tavern and
you insult the street gang protecting the tavern
keeper.
In exchange, of course, the gang providing
that protection can take any kind of liberty it
wants with the merchant and the tavern. They
can take merchandise, eat and drink for free, stay
there all night, beat up the staff. Anything they
want.
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Anything they want. structure. We’ll start at the bottom and make our
What is the owner going to do? Complain to way to the top.
the street gang protecting him? They are the
street gang protecting him! Of course, if he’s Gupa
unhappy, he can try to assist another gang—give At the bottom of the gang are gupa. The word
them some leverage for nosing in on his best translates as “punks.” Peasants who want to
protector’s rackets… if he has the courage to do join a gang but have not been officially accepted.
so. These petty criminals are the chattel of the
The gangs own neighborhoods. A small gang criminal world. Cheap and expendable. The gang
has enough strength to hold a single owes them nothing, but whenever they perform
neighborhood while larger and more powerful any illegal activity, the gupa must pay up to the
gangs expand their influence. If a gang gets strong gang that controls their neighborhood.
enough, it can take over a neighborhood owned by It’s a dangerous place to be. Without any
another gang. Either the usurped gang now pays protection, gupa operate at the whim of the gangs.
tribute to the usurpers or they get wiped out. If they offend someone, they’ll most likely end up
Their choice. Although, sometimes, there is no dead. Maimed at least. But if they play their cards
choice. Only blood. right, show the proper respect and pay off
whenever they score, they might get recognized by
Sidenote: Illtavna a gang. And when that happens, a whole new
It means “never back world opens up.
down.” To survive in the
City, a ven has to carry Salu
himself a certain way. Never Are Uv’shana Part The salu are official members of
showing weakness. Never
showing doubt. You could of a House? gangs. The word is slang for
saluvaria which means “to salute.”
also call it “bravado.” Yes and no. The salu are the engine that drives
If you have illtavna, you A House can recognize criminal activity on Shanri’s streets.
don’t apologize for anything. an uv’shana, but the Recognized and protected by a gang,
You never make mistakes. merchant baron cannot call the salu earn a special kind of
You have a justification for himself Blooded. They respect from the unblooded. They
all your actions. You never cannot go around saying, “I take what they want when they want
back down. am Baron Tantos Yvarai, it, providing protection for local
Blooded of the Fox.” Instead markets and merchants. Protection
Questioning another
they say, “I am uv’shana from what? From the rival gangs, of
ven’s illtavna is more than
Tantos, under the shadow course.
just questioning his honor;
of the Fox.”
it’s questioning his There is no single caricature for a
competence. His Strength, salu. Some are ruthless: wrecking
his Courage… his virtue. life wherever they go, abusing the
Street gangs value their members based on their authority that comes with their titles. Others are
ability to defend their own turf and to give virtue more circumspect about their role in society:
to the gang. It’s more than just questioning a seeing themselves as what we might recognize as
ven’s honor. It’s questioning his usefulness to the police officers. They protect the people against the
gang. And that’s the worst kind of Insult. The kind worst part of society. Of course, these “noble salu”
that can only be answered with blood. are still criminals: they rob, steal, hijack and thug
all day long, but they choose to do because they
Organization feel their actions protect their neighborhoods from
criminal elements even worse than themselves.
Blooded or unblooded, the ven are slaves to
tradition and ritual. Becoming a salu is no small affair. Typically, a
gupa has to prove his worth to a gang before they
Street gangs have their own traditions and adopt him, making them one of their own. When
rituals. Unfortunately, we only have secondary he’s proven his worth, the gupa is told he’s
sources on those rituals and traditions. We do allowed to wear the gang’s tattoo: a symbol of
know a bit—thanks to Tomyn’s journal—and we’ll status on the streets. Once he has the tattoo—
be using that information here. usually worn in a prominent manner, such as the
Gangs had their own hierarchies: leaders, cheek or forehead or chest or back of the hand—
underlings, hangers on, etc. Let’s look at a gang’s

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all know him for what he is: a ven with the doesn’t belong and she shrieks. You laugh and
backing of a gang. head out to your next stop.
On the streets, the farmers are trading their
Vapa wares. You get an apple here, a peach there, some
Vapa is a complicated word. The literal wine and cheese. Nobody says anything. Everyone
translation is “older brother.” The connotation of knows you protect the neighborhood from the
that word—like most ven words—carries two Rotten Bunks just down the road and they are
meanings. The first is “the one who watches out grateful. Grateful enough to keep their heads
for me.” Older siblings take care of their younger down and their voices soft.
siblings, after all. The second connotation is “the When you hit the blacksmith, that’s when
one I must watch out for.” Older siblings take care business starts picking up. He calls you by your
of their younger siblings, after all. name and you smile and shake his hand. Strong
Vapa are the heads of gangs: those who gather grip here. You chat a little about trivial things.
enough salu around them to earn the title. In You look at the knives he’s got set out. You could
order to claim the title of vapa, a salu must also use one of those, you tell him. He tells you that
be able to claim a neighborhood as his own. If he one’s already spoken for, but if you need it… take
proves his strength, the next tier in the hierarchy it. I’ll just make another. So, you take the knife
of criminals recognizes him as what he is. Vapa. and he grins and laughs. Then, he has his
apprentice come out and opens the box. A box full
For a vapa, the day to day stresses of running of renders.
a street gang are not as glamorous as one might
think. The politics of rival gangs, reluctant You go through the box looking at the names.
merchants and the occasional You see a few you recognize. Good names to own
interference from the favors from. You take the ones you
ignorant, effete and self- want and close the box. The
blacksmith, he asks you not to
righteous noble class make
the job more than a handful
Ven Measurements take all the good ones and you use
of trouble. And if the truth be your new knife on his face. He
known: the vapa aren’t the stops smiling and laughing. His
100 hands = 1 Season
ones who are really in charge. son drops the box and it smashes
20 hands = 1 bushel on the floor, spreading rendings
No, the vapa answer to a
higher authority. The 5 bushels = 1 Season everywhere. You tell the kid to pick
authority that recognizes them up. Tell him, “You don’t want
them for their loyalty, to be the one who ruins your
usefulness and ingenuity. A father’s business.”
shadow tier of the criminal hierarchy. The You go down to the side of the neighborhood
Futha’sen. where the doors are painted red and you meet
your friend with the mask. The one with the little
Life In A Street Gang shrine to the slut suaven. And she does you real
good. You leave her something special: a rending
You wake up when you want. If your gang has with a name on it. A big name. She compliments
any clout, you are probably staying in the nicest you on your generosity and skills.
rooms in an inn or tavern because the guy who
owns the place owes you something. You wash up Later that night, when you’ve had too much to
—if you like—and go downstairs. You get your drink and too much to eat, you and your gang are
food for free. You drink heavy liquor for breakfast walking down a twisting alleyway. You aren’t
as the rest of your gang shows up. Slowly. One- exactly sure where you are. Didn’t this alley turn
by-one. When you are all ready, you hit the left? And behind you, there’s a laugh. You turn
neighborhood. and see the Rotten Bunks. There’s more of them
than there used to be. They’re all carrying sticks
This particular day is the day you make and knives. Cowards won’t even carry swords
collections. You hit the butcher and he gives you when they know there aren’t any Blooded around.
free meat. The best cuts of the day. When you hit
the baker, he gives you hot bread with a smile on You pull your knives and sticks and the fight
his face. You already warned him not to hide his begins. But you don’t make it to the end. Some
pretty daughter, so he makes sure she gives you bastard Bunk slams his stick between your eyes.
the bread. After you make an indecent proposal, You feel something break in the middle of your
she tells you to wait a while while her father looks face and you fall down, blinded. You feel two
on nervously. You put your hand in a place it

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A MAGAZINE FOR THE DISCRIMINATING GAMER MARCH 20, 2014

heavy hits on your head and that’s the last thing that. The Futha’sen marks those who answer
you ever feel. directly to him with a tattoo, identifying the
marked criminal as property. “This belongs to
Theater Gangs me.” Of course, the identifying mark is also a
warning: Meddle with my property and I’ll meddle
On the streets of Shanri’s Cities, gangs are with you.
everywhere. It seems every neighborhood has a
gang of its own. One particular kind of gang I’d As the Law demands, the fallen blooded wear
like to mention—to demonstrate just how far this black, but they wear it proud. Remember: as far
went—is the theater gang. Before we go further as the Blooded are concerned, under the black,
with that, let me explain a little bit about theater you have no legal protections. So, while you
life in Shanri. enforce the Law, you are not protected by it. Most
Blooded ignore what the fallen blooded do as long
Like I said above, theaters were everywhere in as they don’t mess with their unshamed cousins.
the City. Likewise, the Streets were filled with They can beat up peasants all day long.
gangs of actors. Theater owners would hire a
particular gang of actors to perform specific plays.
Each gang had its own specialties and within each “My Cousin”
gang, each actor had his “famous roles.” Perhaps it is something in the ven Blood that
Theater owners hire out a gang for a particulardemands it. Being surrounded by your family.
amount of time—weeks or even months. Isolated from their kin, the Futha’sen (or simply
Competition between gangs and theaters is f’sen) “adopt” new family members. nephews and
bloody. The gangs sabotage performances of rival nieces to justify claiming Revenge. The unblooded
gangs by gutting the actors. If you can’t walk, you come to them hoping the f’sen will “adopt” their
can’t get on stage. Performance cancelled. Why children, adding the child to the Blooded’s
don’t you good folks come on over across the “family.”
street and see a real show? Ugta’sen. Half-Blooded. Those who have
This bloody part of ven theater undergone the Ritual illegally. An irony,
considering the fact that all Rituals are illegal.
Futha’sen: The Fallen Blooded Fallen Blooded do not, as a rule, perform the
Blooding ritual on just anyone. Filling the streets
In the Great Game, there are winners and with half-Bloods will get you killed. Like
losers. The winners take the spoils. The losers everything in ven culture, the f’sen keep it quiet.
take the black. Shunned and discarded. Rubbish. Unlawfully Blooding a peasant is cause for true
Refuse. The Fallen. pain: Injury and Insult. Any of the Blooded can
Once a Blooded noble has lost his land, he has make a lawful claim. While Blooding a peasant
nowhere to go. His family and his friends must illegally does present dire consequences, it also
shun him as the Law commands. Nowhere to go. allows the Fallen an opportunity to create
Nowhere to go but the streets. powerful soldiers. Soldiers willing to serve his
cause. Adopted into a Blooded family, these
These are the Futha’sen. The Fallen Blooded.
“cousins” claim a different kind of protection.
The Master Criminals of Shanri. They rule the
“Mess with me, you mess with my Blooded uncle.”
gangs quietly. No-one even dares whisper their
A part of the f’sen’s family. Not truly Blooded, but
names.
no longer unblooded.
Futha’sen find their way to the City where they
rule like little gods. While shunned by elite
society, they are still protected by the Law.
Revenge, ownership, weapons. These things still
belong to them. Their Blooded status gives them
the protection of Law and their relationships with
the suaven gives them supernatural backup.
The Futha’sen prefer to remain unseen,
relying on their reputations and sukatel—“street
names”—to support their reputations. A sukatel is
a nickname the Fallen Blooded picks up. It is
usually something ambiguous or misleading. “The
Judge,” “The Widow,” or “The Butcher.” Something
ambiguous, misleading and melodramatic like

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 Next Issue!
More Play Dirty!

Houses of the Blooded:

Slumming (Chapter 2)

A New RPG: The Story Engine!

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