[DitV] Jericho Mills, my first swing at a town

[Rob Donoghue]

Too stoned on cold medicine to put together a coherent AP, but I figured I'd toss up my town writeup:

Jericho Mills
Jericho Mills is a small mill town, with farmland immediately surrounding it, and a few ranches further out.  The three landmarks that really make up the town are  the Mill (south side), the Wagon Wheel (an inn, south side) and the Bridge, a solidly constructed covered bridge in a new england style that seems out of place.  The whole town is prosperous, mostly thanks to the Mill owner and steward of the town, Emmanuel Vickers.  The north side (the old town) is noticeably nicer than the south (the new town) but not so much so as to be a danger of pride, mostly.

1a. Pride
The Steward runs the mill and owns the inn (The Wagon Wheel).  He's a businessman, and he allows a few ladies in his inn to rent their services, so long as he never sees them and he just gets his cut.  Similarly, if strong drink is served out of his sight, so be it. 

1b.  Steward Emmanuel Vickers is a firm believer in hard work and dedication to the faith, and goes out of his way to make sure there are jobs for the faithful in his mill when times are tough.  He owns most of the town, but is a benevolent patriarch, and most of the town is indebted to him in one way or another.  He is also perhaps too much of a pragmatist, and willing to turn a blind eye on the goings on in his town for a profit.  Were these issues made clear to him, he'd be offended beyond measure, but it would be a false front.

2a. Sin – Selling women
Brother Harcourt is a burly bear of a man, and he's the one selling the women.  He's got a lot of hate for women in his heart, and for whores most of all, but he sees no sin in his business. These are dirty women, and there's no hope for 'em, and that same reason means if he has to beat 'em to keep 'em in line, well, so be it.  By the same token, why protect drunks from their own sinnin'.

2b. Demonic Attacks
A broken wagon wheel at just the wrong time left Brother Abel in just the right place to see his son emerge from the wagon wheel, drunk and leaving the arms of one of the ladies.  His son hasn't been seen since (He's healing form the ferocious beating at the Abel farm).  This was two days ago, and  Abel's been cleaning his shotgun every night.

3a. False Doctine – Every man has the right to judge.
Brother Newton, who serves as gravedigger.  is refusing to allow Alice Johnson to get buried by her parents and brother because she was a whore, and he won't sully the ground with her.

3b. Corrupt Worship – The ladies of the Wagon Wheel (Abigail, Nancy and Rita) fear and hate Harcourt for his violence, and have been practicing witchcraft (voodoo) in secret to vent their frustration.


1a. Pride 
Schoolteacher, Sister Adelia is one of the few people willing to speak out against Vickers, but her hoity toity ways (She's just back from getting' educated back east) have alientated her form the townsfolk, who are glad to see their kids learn enough reading to read the Book of life and enough math for some cipherin', but no more than that.  Her pride is in her library, and she is in danger of valuing earthly knowledge over the Book of Life.

1a. Pride
Steward Emmanuel Vickers has just turned forty, and his eye has been caught by the firey spirit and exquisite good looks of Sister Adelia, and he's been serving in the role of kindly uncle, protecting her from other suitors.  However, he just passed his 40th year, and feels entitled to a third bride, and she is the one he wants.  She has, so far, gently rebuffed him, and he has not pressed too hard, but if he can get the Dogs to sanctify it, he will most certainly press harder.

Steward Vickers wants the Dogs to sanctify his union with Sister Adelia, and move on without worrying about minor internal matters.
Brother Harcourt wants everything to appear to be on the up and up in his Inn.
Brother Abel (and his son) wants to punish someone.
Brother Newton wants to keep the dirty whores out of his cemetery, but doesn't want to say why, as it will reflect poorly upon the steward.  He'll claim there's no room, and any slots are "Claimed"
Sister Adelia wants the Dogs to speak up for the values of education!
Abigail, Nancy & Rita want Harcourt to suffer, but also want Alice Johnson to be buried.


If the Dogs don't come:
•   Alice Johnson will never get a proper burial
•   Brother Abel will descend upon the wagon wheel and get killed by Harcourt as he waves his gun around.
•   Steward Vickers will press his case hard on Adelia, and make it clear that her options are marriage to a job at the wagon.
•   Adelia will join the coven of the Wagon as priestess, and the demons will strike Harcourt, then Newton.  Vickers will be gravely injured and his young wife will have to take up matters (after making it clear to the older wives who is in charge).
•   Town becomes an outpost of the east.


First play session went pretty easily, and mostly centered around the whores and Alice but didn't get too deep into other stuff.

-Rob D.