User:FeebleMan

Lot 13 – A World of Darkness Game

In Lot 13 a group of young misfits with checkered pasts come together to carve out a place for themselves in the seamy underbelly of 1983 Seattle. In the process they can aid either of the two existing major crime syndicates, or strike out and start their own. Along the way, they’ll confront other strangeness that keeps leading them back to the enigmatic lot 13.

Player Characters

The characters all share the following characteristics…

• Location – grew up in Seattle
• Young – age is 24 plus or minus 1 year.
• Criminal – all characters have felony criminal records, as lengthy or as short as the player determines. Keep in mind there cannot be multiple assault (or worse) charges since jail systems are unlikely to release people that are a danger to society.
• Epileptic – the characters all have a rare condition that can cause epileptic seizures if not properly controlled through medication
• Case Worker/Parole Officer – the players know each other having all been assigned the same caseworker who specializes in the criminally ill.

Criminals

All of the characters have engaged in criminal activity of some sort. The game begins with all of the players assigned to the same caseworker/parole officer. The player can determine the extent of crimes that led to their arrest, jail time and parole. The characters are assigned to a halfway house in the University District and a nearby caseworker. The caseworker requires a weekly visit from all his wards, which typically involves a brief questionnaire and supervised medication. Your caseworker is encouraging all of your to seek full time permanent legitimate jobs, or schooling, and your own housing as part of rehabilitation. As felons many doors to legitimate work are closed. Some players will have connections with criminal elements who can provide jobs of a dubious and dangerous nature.

Knopf-Harkins Condition

All of the characters suffer from Knopf-Harkins Condition. It’s an extremely rare form of epilepsy that causes seizures, typically developing during adolescence. Each of the characters has had at least one seizure in their life, which was the catalyst for discovery of the condition. Once the condition was diagnosed, consistent use of medication has prevented further seizures. This condition is how the characters have come to know each other. The only criminal caseworker specializing in neurological conditions has offices at the University of Washington. The players have all been assigned to this parole officer/caseworker.

Making the characters

Unlike other games we will be playing first and building characters as we go. In most games the first session is tied up with creating characters, some of whom turn out to not be fun or useful. Instead I’m going to ask players to submit a character concept before starting. On the backend I’ll determine which sort of generic character template that persona fits into. The players will have the ability to lock in certain traits and skills as we play. Things that are fun can be kept, the not so fun things diminished. Consider all the different archetypes found in modern crime, action, and adventure films, and try to come up with a team where players have skills sets that work compliment each other and form a strong team. Examples might include…

• Gunslinger, resolves problem with a hail of lead
• Muscle, thuggy intimidator
• Brains, the planner, schemer, connector of dots
• Faceman, the charmer who can talk others out of anything
• Burglar, the sneaky guy
• Driver, um the driver

A one shot adventure for this world would have the players take on the roll of foot soldiers in one of the city’s major crime syndicates. The players would resolve a diplomatic issue between the syndicates that would lead to background material for the game when they play the campaign.