The Forge Archives

This is hevily inspired by Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars". :-) Players (and me) were in for more action and less angst-ridden NPCs, so "if you want blood"...
I inserted an opening scene, where the Dogs are mocked by a group of (unfaithful) cowboys hanging 'round just outside city: "Nice coats! Mommy did 'em fer ya?", just to make things clear.

One Dollar Branch

Something's wrong
One Dollar branch is a thriving large community, mostly based on farming and cattle. There's around a 25% of unbelievers. The town is, literally, divided between two families: McLeod and O'Malley. They own most of the land, and keep acquiring more, and most of the population works for them. As the enmity has grown, both started hiring outsiders (non-faithful) as workers and pistoleros. Strange accidents happen to the few that refuse to sell their land...
Pride and Injustice
Both br. August McLeod and br. Wiley O'Malley think they're in some way out of br. Mark Colby's stewardship, and answerable only to the King of Life. And their wealth and power is proof that the King agrees.
Both families feel they're above other faithful, and much more above unbelievers.
Br. Phineas McLeod can't court and marry ss. Hester O'Malley. They're deeply in love with each other.
Phineas and Hester meet and rock'n'roll in secrecy.
Sin
Violence as a way to "persuade" small land owners to sell their estate is growing. Some of the accidents recently happened look suspicious. So far, nobody had (or had the guts to) reported open menace or violence. But there has been menace: "Sell me your land and nobody gets hurt..."
McLeods and O'Malleys are actively plotting reciprocal destruction.
Demonic Attacks
Phineas and Hester are growing imprudent in their secret meeting.
Strange accidents are happening: fires, cattle deaths, rats.
Hate is raising higher and higher.
False Doctrine
Br. Malachi O'Malley is developing a perverted feeling about how the King of Life regards his family. In other words, he thinks his sick lust for power is right and blessed by the King.
Phineas and Hester started thinking that, after all, marriage is not so indispensable.
False Priesthood and Sorcery
None yet. Optionally, Malachi O'Malley can be possessed.
Hate and Murder
Not in the sense that follows False Priesthood and Sorcery, yet. But some died in "accidents" that struck people reluctant to sell their estates to either family.

Who's who and What people wants
The Families
Except where otherwise noted, all members of both families have feelings that go from detesting to heartily hating each other family. Both have around (PC+2)*2 cowboys at service, officially to care after and deliver cattle...
All internal riavlities are at once set apart when it comes to faida.
Also, both families exploit the lower class workers, both faithful and unbelievers. Around 20% of them are Mountain People.
The McLeods

   
• Br. Conner Mcleod, pater familias, 68, wants the Dogs to support his families "rightful" pretenses, and defend them from the "sinful" attacks from the O'Malleys. Also to blame the Stewart's weak pulse in "keeping sinners in their places".

      
• Ss. Hester McLeod, wife, 63, wants her family to thrive and grow, whatever means it takes.
• Br. Obediah McLeod, 1st son, 43, to persuade his father to retire and leave the reins to him, to be a better leader.

         
• Ss. Adelia McLeod, wife, 41, to support her husband's "career" inside family, she has projects for Eleazer and Conner jr.
• Br. Eleazer Mcleod, 1st son, 24, doesn't give a damn about his parent's plans about himself, loves his grandpa and wants to take care of his wife and children until, if ever, time comes.

            
• Ss. Eliphal McLeod, wife, 22, fully agrees with Eleazer
• Ss. Lavina McLeod, 1st daughter, 4
• Br. Conner jr. McLeod, 2nd son, 3
         
• Br. Bartholomew Person, son-in-law, 25, idolizes McLeods, feels part of the family.

            
• Ss. Relief McLeod/Person, 2nd daughter, 22, plans to use her (and her husband) influence to support Hiram over Obediah when time comes
• Br. Cornelius Person, 1st son, 5
• Ss. Damaris Person, 2nd daughter, 3
• Ss. Submit Person, 3rd daughter, 1
         
• Br. Phineas McLeod, 3rd son, 19, loves and wants to marry Hester, families blessings or not.
      
• Br. Hiram McLeod, 2nd son, 40, although loves his elder brother, thinks he would make a better steward for the family, but would respect family choices

         
• Ss. Temperance McLeod, wife, 37, Would like her husband to be more ambitious, maybe a community Steward appointment...
• Br. Newton Glover, son-in-law, 22, can't help finding all the faida absurd and pointless, if it wasn't for his wife, would have left.

            
• Ss. Phidelia McLeod/Glover, 1st daughter (6 months pregnant), 18, guess which are her priorities now... :-)
         
• Br. Hamilton McLeod, 2nd son, 17, wants to be acknowledged as a full grown man!
• Ss. Bethia McLeod, 3rd Daughter, 14, wants she and Honora O'Malley could be friends as everybody else, and thinks grown-ups have strange ways of thinking.
      
   

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The O'Malleys

• Br. Thomas O'Malley, pater familias, 59, wants the Dogs to support his families "rightful" pretenses, and defend them from the "sinful" attacks from the McLeods. Also to blame the Stewart's weak pulse in "keeping sinners in their places", and that Malachi would do a better job.

 
• Ss. Malvina O'Malley, wife, 58, is the "great woman behind a great man", cunning and clever. Plans to use Malachi, doesn't realize he's undependable.
• Br. Thaddeus O'Malley, 1st son, 42, greedy, wants more and more. Thinks that Malachi as steward and himself as family senior will make a great duo!

   
• Ss. Permelia O'Malley, wife, 40, wants Jackson to stop fantasizing about ss. Nina Little-Coyote and Bedelia to marry Virgil Harris, willing or not.
• Br. Jackson O'Malley, 1st son, 22, is in love with ss. Nina Little-Coyote, and would like to court her
• Ss. Bedelia O'Malley, 2nd daughter, 19, dislikes Virgil, and wants to be left alone to choose her man
 
• Br. Malachi O'Malley, 2nd son, 40, is a darn sociopath. He wants power. He's the strongest. He wants to be feared. He wants the dogs to get out of the way, otherwise...
• Br. Hamilton Peacock, son-in-law, 39, is scared of Malachi, and wants him either steward or out of the way. To stand face in front of him, plays "the tough", but he's not quite able.

   
• Ss. Asenath O'Malley/Peacock, 3rd daughter, 36, wants her husband and sons to show more guts that her senior brother, to "put him in his place".
• Br. Hezekiah Peacok, 1st son, 18
• Ss. Hester Peacock, 2nd daughter, 17, loves and wants to marry Phineas McLeod...
• Br. Hiram Peacock, 3rd son, 16. Both Hezekiah and Hiram Peacock brothers want to support their father in showing he's better than uncle Hiram.
• Ss. Honora Peacock, 4th daughter, 13, wants she and Bethia McLeod could be friends as everybody else, and thinks grown-ups have strange ways of thinking.
 

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Other people in town

• Br. Mark Colby, steward, 50, is a clay jar among iron jars. Would like very much to settle things down, but can't help being scared by what he feels being more than he can handle. Wants the Dogs to back him, not to take his place as problem-solvers, but has non practical idea on what to do.
• Ss. Tamar Colby, wife, 42, wants her husband to hide away troubles and show everybody else he can do it all by himself.
• John Brown, sheriff, 33, doesn't want troubles. Wants Thomas Tame-Hawk to cool down and quit being troublesome. Wants to sit and watch as the faida grows, as he thinks it's not his concern, is an internal affair of "those bible-kissers".
• Virgil Harris, deputy, 28, wants to convert by face, marry Bedelia O'Malley, support O'Malleys against McLeods and jump on their bandwagon.
• Br. Thomas Tame-Hawk (native), 43, had his wife and two sons killed in his small farm fire. Wants revenge. Wants the Dogs to save his daughter carrying her away, then wants to kill Malachi.
• Ss. Nina Little-Coyote, 17, wants to marry Jackson O'Malley and be happy with him. She's afraid that her father wil die trying to kill Malachi.

What do the demons want
Phineas and Hester affair to be discovered, both be killed "for family honor's sake" by whoevere discovers, then ... Bang! Bang! Bang! Hate! Blood and murder! Kill 'em all!
Also, br. Tame-Hawk to die trying to kill Malachi, then aftermath.
What do the demons want the Dogs to do
Take a side in the faida and help exterminate the other side.
What would happen if the Dogs didn't come
Phineas and Hester's affair will be discovered, and they will be killed, starting a fight to the death between the families, Meanwhile Thomas Tame-Hawk will try to kill Malachi, and get killed in the try, starting an heavy aftermath against stubborn lowers with an "eye" for mountain-people. Both steward and sheriff will be "collateral effects", and at the very end Malachi will settle an iron-fisted ruling of terror among survivors. Frightening, isn't it?

I like everything that's going on, but that's a LOT of NPCs - seems like it'll be a long session!

Quote from: foucalt on July 03, 2006, 09:16:36 PM
I like everything that's going on, but that's a LOT of NPCs - seems like it'll be a long session!

It took two sessions to nail Malachi, but there were SIX dogs. ;-)

Six Dogs?  Wow.  I'd like to hear more about how you handled that.