[DL] New AB

[Sitting Duck <sittingduck_1313@yahoo.com>]

Well, I've threatened to post this, so here it is.

Arcane Background: Melodramatic Villain

The Weird West is full of badmen of all stripes, but
it takes a special sort to be a Melodramatic Villain.
Possibly frustrated actors gone bad, the arcane
trappings include limited use of hexslinging and mad
science for suitably melodramatic purposes.
Melodramatic Villains must have the Outlaw Hindrance
at a minimum of three. I should hardly need tell that
this AB is not available to posse members (unless you
run a really odd campaign). Melodramatic villains must
also draw a card and consult the following table.
(Note that this table is incomplete and there are a
couple of entries I'm a bit leary about. Any
suggestions are welcome.)

Deuce: Mawkish Sentimentality.
The villain wasn't always this way. He used to love
animals and make daisy chains. He's not bad, he just
ended up this way. Doesn't that bring a lump to your
throat? Heroes tend to be suckers for this shtick.

Three: Mortgage Forecloser.
The villain will offer mortgages (preferably to
widows) in which the microscopic print mentions the
triple digit interest rates and unreasonable terms of
three monthly payments. Failure to pay up means
foreclosure, typically in the dead of winter. The
villain will have the Dinero 3 Edge and the Miser
Hindrance.

Four: Railroad Fetish.
The villain has the bizarre urge to tie ladies to
railroad tracks. If he's particularly desperate, he
might even tie a man to railroad tracks. Freud would
probably see something in all this, but they aren't
familiar with Freud in the Weird West, so it doesn't
matter.

Five: Bad Genes.
When the villain's parents were skinny dipping in the
gene pool, his DNA came from the scunge filter. Draw a
card from a fresh deck and consult the Whateley Blood
table in Black Circle (note that this doesn't mean
that the villain is a Whateley, though if you want to
make him one, more power to you).

Six: Unhealthy Green Complexion.
The villain has the Ugly as Sin Hindrance and is
automatically recognizable for what he is.

Seven: Long Winded.
The villain just has to tell his fiendish plans to the
heroes just before he does away with them. He has the
Big Mouth Hindrance.

Eight: Lust Crazed.
The villain has unwholesome desires for a certain
young, nublie woman, preferably someone of import (and
blonde), like the daughter of the C.O. of the local
fort, and wishes to forcably marry her. If you've read
The Solitary Cyclist or (better yet) seen the
adaptation with Jeremy Brett and David Burke, you get
the idea.

Nine: Mad Bomber
The villain just has to go about blowing up stuff,
whether it's a bridge or a dam, as long as it's
suitably melodramatic.

Ten: Price Gouger
When there's a shortage of certain critical supplies,
the villain will buy up all of whatever it is and
charge through the snout for it. If he doesn't have
them already, he gets the Dinero 3 Edge and Miser
Hindrance.

Jack: Sawmill Hideout.
The Canadian Northwoods are chock full of these.
Villains will find plenty of uses for these, the most
popular being strapping helpless damsels to the
(poorly oiled) conveyer belt leading to the saw.

Queen:

King:

Ace: Overly Melodramatic.
Draw two cards.

Joker: Marshall's Pick.
Choose any of the descriptions on this table.

What do you think, sirs.

=====
I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a Congress.
Want Deadlands stats for your favorite radio Western heros? Go to http://www.geocities.com/sittingduck_1313 and click on Extras.

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