 |
| Dice Dread |
The Game System
Dread is a RPG that uses a Jenga tower and player dexterity to make skill rolls. There is a variant of Dread, that we played, "Dice Dread" which uses five physical towers of dice instead. As the session progresses, the towers get more and more unstable and prone to falling, thus this is a tension-building mechanism.
When a character attempts a dangerous action, the player rolls a D6, notes the value and then must gently place that die onto the tower of that value (if it is a "6", he can choose). The player may only use one hand. If the die falls or the tower collapses, the action has failed and the character suffers badly. Drinking wine does not help!
Early on in the evening, a collapse just means a bad fail, but past half-way (by the wall clock), it means bad damage or death.
Needless to say, this game system is really only for one-shots!
Welcome to Uncle Henry's Inheritance, a one-shot.
The Scene
It was October 1855.
Last year, Uncle Henry Martini Packenham had returned from the Crimea. He was wounded in the battle of Balaclava. During the trip home, he had met a nurse, a Ukrainian girl called Sofia Zlasuka, and took her back to Wales, and, after a quick romance, married her. But sadly his war injuries never healed, and he died September this year.
Henry was childless himself. He had two brothers Gammon and Argus, and two sisters Megan and Julia.
Brother Argus Packenham had married Margaret Primrose and had two sons Clarence and Harry. Then Margaret had an affair with Argus's brother Gammon and she had a son called Archie. Argus was enraged and duelled Gammon and killed him, but was wounded himself, dying a few years later.
Sister Julia Packenham married Lorne Wade, and had two sons Derren and Logie, and three daughters Sally-Anne, Florence and Mary-Grace. Lorne was killed in a hunting accident.
Sister Megan Packenham consorted with raconteur Terence Chapman and had two illegitimate sons Eddie and Basher. Terence was murdered by a gangland thug. So widow Megan married Welshman Richard Prichard, and had more children Goff, Hywel, Morag, Bronwen and Gwithefyr ("Giff"). She died during child-birth with Giff. Sadly, Goff and Hywel drowned at sea.
After Henry's death, his will was to be read. So, his eight nephews were all summoned to his estate on Caldey island (in the Bristol channel near Swansea), so as to see what they would inherit.
Dramatis Personae
- Clarence Witherspoon Packenham [Jamie]. Brother to Harry and Archie. He was a ship's doctor who was court-marshalled for running a frigate aground in the Baltic (heaven knows why he was let at the wheel - maybe it was his impressive brass sextant). He is addicted to opium (smoked in a hookah), and thinks he is superb at navigation and seamanship, but is actually woeful. But, he is a superb linguist; a "cunning linguist" as he so deftly purports it. With his sextant, he has a Russian army helmet trophy, a Colt 1851 navy revolver, and a copy of Moll Flanders with the pages stuck together.
- Harry Packenham [Shane] aka Harry Belafonte aka Francis Albert Emmanuel aka John Smith. Brother to Clarence and Archie. He is a dilettante, a reprobate, a bounder, and an appalling gambler who thinks he is superb. He is not a bad marksman with his Smith and Wesson lever-action revolver. He was dishonorably discharged from the army for stealing the battalion's pay (which he then all lost in gambling). His poor mother Margaret was beside herself over this shame, which was one of the reasons that she sought comfort in the arms of his uncle Gammon.
- Archie Primrose [Kevin]. Half-brother to Clarence and Harry, his father was Gammon Packenham whom his mother was seduced by. He took his mother's name. He was one of Lord Raglan's batmen during the Crimean war until Raglan's death (of dysentery). Archie was a consummate thief and could not resist any shiny objects. In fact, he stole a silver watch off his Lord to consummate their relationship as Archie was a closet homosexual (which would get him executed if discovered). He was convinced that he was the bees-knees regards charm and wit, but in reality came off as an upstart full-time arse and pill.
- Derren Maximilian Wade [Chris]. Brother to Logie. He had a club foot, of which he was ashamed, and was a tinker. He thought he was superb at disguise but was actually appalling at it. He was actually an excellent forger, and carried a bunch of forged five-pound notes. He was dressed in brown tartan "disguised as a laird", but it always seemed to fail. He carried a Sharps slant-breech carbine.
- Logie Wade [Richard]. Brother to Derren, and was an artiste, who thought he was a great orator. He wore a Vaudeville tartan suit and bowler hat like a Mississippi boat con-man, and like a con-man, was an excellent pick-pocketer. He was short in stature and was bullied at school.
- Eddie Chapman [Ian] was full brother to Basher, and half brother to Giff. Eddie was street-wise and his father, Terence, taught him all about locks, before Terence was killed by gangsters. Eddie thought he was good at leadership, bad sadly not.
- Basher Bruiser Chapman [Darryl] was brother to Eddie and half brother to Giff. He had a rough bringing up with Eddie, and like Eddie, took to the streets and became a thug.
- Gwithefyr Pritchard "Giff" ap Richard [Jeff] was half brother to Basher and Eddie. His mother was Megan Packenham, but with a different father, Richard Pritchard. Giff was a soldier and had seen action in Europe, and was excellent with a sword. He was a bit of a lady's man but found that the mother's of the young ladies he pursued, chased him. His latest têt-à-têt was at Burnley where Lady Scarlett interrupted his dalliance with Miss Charlotte Scarlett. The lady gave him a Samuel Roberts pocket watch. Like so many of his cousins, Giff, too, thought he was good at leadership.
The steam-powered launch left the eight nephews standing on the wharf by the beach on Caldey Island.
A large coach was waiting for them, pulled by four horses. Porter, a well-dressed coachman, helped them into the coach. The coach could only sit six, so two of the group, Basher and Eddie, road on the outside with Porter. It was only a short trip to the manor. All of their luggage, which was substantial, was loaded onto a separate cart, a dray.
On the way to the manor, the coach passed some ruins by the road. Porter commented that this was an old abbey which was left to ruin after Henry the Eighth's dissolution of the monasteries four hundred years ago. Some claimed it was haunted.
They arrived at the two storey sprawling manor, and were shown inside. It was almost dark.
The legal team was already there from Burnley. It was the Greenspan and Benney law firm. The representatives there was Jonathan Benney, an older gentleman, his assistant John Trotter, and Miss Charlotte Scarlett, the legal secretary.
The mansion staff all lined up neatly too: Butler Leighton Cleaver, Cook Shirley Frobisher, housemaids Camilla Boatwright, Fiona and Sarah Shepherd, Coachmen and House-boys Porter Shepherd and Benson Parker. And there were two gardeners who don't take part in this story at all, Edmund and Simon Tilman.
The Leighton told the group that the widow lady Sofia was at Tenby on business, and was taking the last launch. He then showed them all to their rooms to freshen up. There were enough bedrooms upstairs to have one each, except Derren and Logie who shared.
Leighton Cleaver the butler called them all down to dinner. It was a grand meal.
"The reading of the will will occur after dinner," announced Jonathan Benney.
Lady Sofia arrived during the meal, and she was accompanied by her three sisters Anya, Polina and Sasha. All were very beautiful and in exquisite gowns. Sofia and sisters were in their early twenties, whereas the late Henry was in his late forties.
 |
| Anya, Polina and Sasha |
"I can see Uncle Henry didn't marry her for her smarts," someone glibly commented.
Sofia and her sisters had very strong Russian accents.
After dinner they table was cleared and the lawyers got out their documentation. Which was the will of Henry.
Basically, Sofia got the lion's share of the Caldey estate. All the nephews got 100 pounds each (NZ$30,000 2010 dollars).
Then Jonathan added "But you have to stay the night."
They were staying the night anyway, and all had their own rooms, so they did wonder why he said that.
Sofia gave Jonathan a cold stare.
DM note: Sofia had forced the lawyers to do an alternate will. I thought I had dropped enough hints that something wasn't right, but not enough! Darryl almost got it, by protesting the "meagre" 100 pounds. I blame the wine.
Had someone sneaked through the lawyers' documentation - or even spoken to assistant lawyer John Trotter in private (but not Scarlett the secretary - she didn't know jack), the true will would have been revealed (hand-out below).
Note 2: Darryl was a last-minute player, so Basher is missing off this.
I, HENRY MARTINI PACKENHAM, a legal adult with an address of the Packenham Manse, Caldey Island, Wales, being of competent and sound mind, do hereby declare this to be my last will and testament, and do hereby revoke any and all wills and codicils heretofore made jointly or severally by me. I further declare that this Last Will & Testament reflects my personal wishes without any undue influence whatsoever.
I HEREBY NOMINATE and appoint Executor Jonathan Benney of The Greenspan and Benney legal firm, Burnley as Executor of this Last Will & Testament. Should the aforementioned individual be unavailable, unable or unwilling to serve as Executor when needed, then I nominate and affirm whomsoever the said legal firm deigns to appoint as the replacement Executor. Immediately following my death, the Executor will be authorized to exercise all provisions of this Last Will & Testament and to use the assets from my estate to make necessary arrangements, without any unnecessary delay, for the payment of personal debts, obligations and funeral expenses.
After payment of all of personal debts, expenses and liabilities, I GIVE, DEVISE AND BEQUEATH all of the remaining and residual property I have ownership in at the time of my death, whether real property, personal property or both, of whatever kind and wherever situated to be apportioned into eight equal shares to my wife Sofia, and to my seven living male nephews Derren Maximillian Wade, Logie Wade, Clarence Witherspoon Packenham, Harry Packenham, Archie Primrose, Eddie Chapman, and Gwithefyr Pritchard.
Each inheritor must be present during the reading of the will, and be present at the final notarization of the will. If this not be the case, then their share shall be apportioned into equal shares over those who are present.
I DIRECT MY REMAINS be interred in the graveyard of the church on Caldey Island.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereby subscribe my name to this Last Will & Testament, as of the date set forth below, at the address set forth below, in front of the attesting witnesses who also subscribe their names to this Last Will & Testament below as of the same date, at my request, and in my company.
Signed Henry and the Burnley lawyers, and dated a few weeks before his death.
============================
After this, most of the group played cards and gambled. It was a chilly October night outside, but the house was well-heated with open fires in the living rooms. Sofia retired early to her boudoir.
As expected, Harry the non-consummate gambler, lost badly.
Giff took Charlotte, the legal secretary, into the kitchen to make small-talk, continuing his dalliance from all those weeks ago in Burnley, that had been interrupted by her mother.
Clarence chatted up Anya (one of Sofia's sisters). She was impressed by his Hungarian. She and Clarence retired to his room to discuss the conjugation of Hungarian verbs, and gerunds made from non-transitive verbs.
Basher went to his room and summoned Fiona, one of the chamber maids. He plied her with gin and gold coins.
After wearing out the cards, Eddie, Archie, Harry, and the brothers Derren and Logie retired to their rooms.
Just after midnight, Derren saw a movement in at his window. He glanced again: it was a ghostly face, pale and wan. He squeaked and pointed, but when Logie looked, it had gone. All their bedrooms were on the second story, and there was no walkway or ledge outside the window.
Then they heard a splintering of a door out in the passage, so they bravely crept out to investigate. Giff's room was the closest, and it turned out that it was his door broken. But there was no sign of him.
Harry, Archie and Eddie had heard the noise too, so, they joined Derren and Logie. Harry thought Giff was downstairs with Miss Scarlet in the kitchen. They crept down the passage to the stairs.
As they passed Basher's door, there was a regular methodical banging within, and the occasional cry of "Yee haw! Ride 'em!" so they didn't interrupt him.
They went downstairs.
They heard Giff's voice behind a door and burst through to find Giff and Charlotte in a state of undress. They left Giff to get decent and went back upstairs to check on everyone.
Giff got dressed and went back to his room, with the broken door, to check on his equipment. He recovered his sword, and went back down downstairs to check on Charlotte.
Archie and Eddie were upstairs and they saw a figure in white down the long passage way towards the sisters' bedrooms. It was quickly moving room to room. It was holding a a candle, so Archie bravely investigated. It was Sasha (another sister) in a night gown, eyes wide with fear. She stammered that she had seen something ghostly at her window. Archie escorted her back to her room down the other end of the house.
That was the last they ever saw of him.
Giff got back to Charlotte downstairs next to the kitchen.
Not good there! She had been killed and literally pieces of her wiped around the room. He staggered back upstairs, and re-joined Harry, Derren, Logie and Eddie..
They decided to go from room to room and check in on everyone. First was Basher's room; "yee haws" still emanating from there. Eddie knocked, and they shouted through the door to try to get Basher to join them, but he "was busy".
The five headed to Clarence's room. He didn’t answer the door, but it was ajar. So, they pushed it open and went in anyway.
Anya was sitting there, in a nightgown, licking the blood off the stump of Clarence's neck with a long pointy tongue. His head lay discarded to one side. There was blood everywhere. Scrawled in blood on the floor, in Hungarian script was "I feast. You feast. He, she, it feasts. We feast. You feast. They feast."
She looked at the five frightened guys in the doorway, eyes blazing, and hissed, all four canines unnaturally long: "Feast!"
Harry and Derren had their guns with them. They cocked them as she crawled backwards, up the wall. Both fired, the gun shots loud inside. One hit her head, blowing out her eye, the other her chest, but it didn't seem to phase her much. She leaped at Harry, right across the room, one of her eyes lolling about dangling by the optic nerve, Harry tried to bat her off him, but to no avail. Then, with her long nails, she ripped out his throat.
Discretion being the better part of valour, Giff, Derren, Eddie and Logie fled, leaving behind the revolting noise of rending joints and wet tearing of flesh.
They ended up in Derren and Logie's room, as far as they could physically get from Clarence's room, and barricaded the door.
Derren saw the face at the window again, so they pushed a mattress against the glass.
Something smashed the glass and tried to push through the mattress, but it was just a rock.
When Basher heard the gunshots, he got worried. So, he took a break from the delights of maid Fiona. He happened to peer outside, and saw a lady in a night gown out in the yard ... literally floating, a full storey off the ground. It was Polina, the third sister of Sofia.
He slammed his curtains shut and yanked of the Summon-Staff rope. Surprisingly, butler Leighton Cleaver, arrived after a short time, apparently oblivious to the goings-on.
Basher ordered the coach to be hitched up.
"But it is one A M, sir."
"Do it anyway!"
"Might I point out that the launch to the mainland doesn't travel after dark, sir?"
"No."
As Leighton was rousing staff to get the horses tacked up and onto the coach, Basher got dressed.
He peered out his window again. There was no sign of Polina now, so he ordered Fiona to climb on his back and hold on tight, and he shimmied down the drain-pipe. The pipe was cast iron and very strong, and it was well-anchored to the building. But the same could not be said of Basher's grip; his hands slipped off. He fell a full storey, Fiona on his back, and landed with a sickening crunch, breaking is ankle in a revolting twist.
Fiona was fine and she helped him hobble towards the coach house door. But they only got half way before a musical laugh interrupted them - from above. Fiona fainted dead away. Polina floated down onto Basher. She plunged her hand into his chest and yanked out his heart.
Eddie, Logie, Derren and Giff spent the night holding the door and trying to hold their window closed. There were a few attempts of something animal like scratching at the door, trying to break in. And other something was throwing rocks and garden ornaments through the window. And the occasionally woman's laugh outside.
About an hour before dawn, it all stopped.
When they grey light of dawn arrived, they all crept downstairs. The kitchen staff were busying themselves making breakfast, Giff noticed Scarlet's room (which was a make-shift bedroom made out of th dining room) was completely normal.
The Burnley lawyers were there - no sign of Scarlett - they handed ten ten-pound notes to the four.
Eddie, Logie, Derren and Giff snatched up the money and ran off.
