[HoE] Thanks and a question on fearmongers

[Ralph Dula <rdula@ezonline.com>]

Hi, all!

First, let me thank everybody who wrote me or posted concerning my question
on money and moving my characters from the Weird to Wasted West.  My
players inadvertantly solved any possible game imbalance, by buying all
sorts of expensive gizmos whose effects could easily be duplicated by
scavenged Pre-War Tech, without pesky Reliability rolls.  A few did build
up a surplus of weapons and ammo, but the first HOE adventure I'm running
them through should take care of that.  It's that adventure that I would
like everybody's help with.

I'm converting an old AD+D module (guess which one from the description and
win nothing!), and the basic converted plot is that a town of horribly
mutated people and their Doomsayer guardians are besiged by an abomination,
who has managed to gain total mental control of roughly 90% of the
population.  The posse's job is to root out the controlled people and
eliminate those who cannot be brought out of it, then track the abomination
to its lair and slay it.

Here's my question:  The abomination is the only supernatural creature in
the area, and by default is the fearmonger of the area.  However, I feel
his control is so total (the people he controls are unaware of his control,
and have no memory of what they do for him; so no fear is being gained by
people going "Oh, my God, I don't want to kill my family but I can't stop
myself!") and so few in town are unaffected that it has stagnated the fear
level.  Since it has stagnated the fear level, is it still considered a
fearmonger (meaning its defeat results in a Grit point for each posse
member and possible Legend Chip if a tale-tellin' role is successful) or is
it just a regular abomination now (meaning nothing special is gained after
its defeat)?  I realize this is all a matter of perspective on the rules,
but would appreciate anyone's opinion on the matter.

Thanks,


-Ralph