RPG Update (23)

It is almost a month since I started writing this post. So maybe now I will have the time and clear mind to do that.

 I think, that this post will be somewhat long. For my standard blog posts. It is about the Horror on the Orient Express campaign. But for the full view of the situation, I must go back in history for more than two decades, even to the earlier century. 

When we first play in this monster of a campaign, my Keeper invited one of my friends. But he didn't join that particular game. Years later he told me, that he was supposed to be Andre Coty - an art dealer from Paris, but in secret, he was supposed to be Comte Fenalic - one of the NPCs from that campaign. So this idea stuck with me for almost two decades. 

Back to last year. This notion of secret identity was so strong, that when I planned the new Horror on the Orient Express, I decided that every player has to have some secret. Something that will be nice to reveal during the game. When we created the character, we also created the secrets for them. During this 9 months-long campaign, some of them see the light of the day, another not yet. Doesn't matter. 

When I was planning the campaign, I also decided to have a core group of Investigators - 3 of them. 

My wife - she created Maria Francesca Ludewika Stefania Masseria - a NY socialite and law student, but in fact a daughter of one of the mob bosses of this city Mafia. Her father arranged her wedding, she was not so keen on this idea, so with nothing left to lose, she runs away. Then in London, she met with old friend prof Julius Smith. Her secret - being the daughter of a mob boss.

Maria Francesca Ludewika Stefania Masseria

One of my first players - he created a William Henry Rowlinsan character, a professor of archeology, loosely based on real professor Rowlinsan. His secret is being a member of the secret society of people who know the world isn't what is at a first glance. He also knows the professor.

William Henry Rowlinsan

His wife - she created a Russian medium - Tamara Diatlowa, who in secret is a lost daughter of Car Nikolaj. Living in London quiet life since escaping from Russia. She knows professor Smith since coming to this country. 

Tamara Diatlowa

But  I also invited others to join the game as a more support cast (using tv language). From the start, I decided to plan their role and told them about that. Everyone agrees with that idea. Firstly I invited the original player from long ago, he eventually had a chance to play Andre Coty (aka Comte Fenalik), the second of my friends agreed to play a role of a NY mob boss son (in the hunt for one of my core group investigators - You know who). Andre joins after the Paris chapter and disappears in the Venice chapter.

Andre Coty

 In the Trieste chapter, our heroes are joined by Frediano Buratti (second of my players).

Frediano Buratti

So... last Sunday during the Sofia chapter couple of these secret side stories come to a very enjoyable climax. Only girls in the core group told each other their secrets. So when Frediano joins the group, Maria and he have an affair.  When everything is going great in Sofia, when they obtain the head of Simulacrum and find lost in Venice chapter Andre Coty and get on the train nobody expects what happened next. I talk before the session with both support players, laid out my plan. So the son of the mob boss needs to confirm the origin of his mistress and then kill her. But at the same time, Andre Coty (Comte) listens to everything and joins the couple. Everything went just like in clockwork. Firstly in the steamy scene, Maria reveals her secret to Frediano, and he attacks her - stabbing her with a knife, then, when she screams everyone comes running to her compartment. Andre is at the scene first and attacks with abnormal strength and speed, ripping Frediano apart with bare hands. He says a couple of words and disappears in front of the two remaining players. The shock and surprise on everyone's faces were one of the most enjoyable experiences in my whole RPG life. I think that this will be the most memorable moment of this entire campaign. 

Uch! I hope You understand what I was hoping to write here. And here I am: 

Sinister Keeper waiting for my players to arrive!