Kerberos 01/04/2012
GM Version:
Uriah Clarence hatched a scheme with Lord Summerville to make Lord S. appear to die and come back to life, so as to take over running Lord S.'s company from his wife, Grace. But, in actuality, Lord S. was addicted to the drug Fatalix. One dose of an antidote was available, but it was used to save Lord S.'s illegitmate child by the prostitute Eva Grainer. Enough Fatalix is to hand to keep Lord S. alive while someone (not a PC, possibly a Kerberan) works on coming up with either an antidote or at least a way to create more Fatalix. The chemist who worked for Clarence was killed by person or persons unknown, to keep him from talking too freely to the group. Clarence was arrested following his attempt to sic the dead on people, using John Murray's talents as a medium. The GM is debating having Clarence found dead, apparently taking the Honorable Way out, but likely having been assisted to do so, whether or not he wanted to. Murray is very sad, having thought he was finally making good.
Whoever is behind the whole Clarence business likely knows that Alec Campion is none other than Alice Beauchamp, given that Marlow figured that out. Exactly why Clarence wanted to raise the dead is unclear. Was this a prelude to calling forth something even worse? Was he trying to show that he alone could control the dead, a sort of "all is under control if you do as I say"? Was he targetting someone present? If so, whom? Miriam and Dominick Crehador were clearly able to protect themselves. Robert Doyle? Lord Highgate or his wife or stepson? Another of their circle -- Reverend Halbert, Lady Goodwin, Philip Masterson, or Miss Susan Rigg? Graf von Gheistbienenstock or his sister or brother? Lady Rachel Durless or her younger sister, the eccentric Angelina Durless? (While there were others there, those are the ones I named, so if this is targeting anyone, it would be one of them.)
Lord Winston Beauchamp agreed that there was now sufficient reason to break off the brotheral between Uriah Clarence and Alice. Lady Rachel Durless is engaged to Graf von Bienenstock, which means that, even though Angelina also has a crush on him, she is free for Victor's friends to manipulate -- er, help, yes, help the two get together.
Meanwhile, I'm not clear on who's working on upping their Occult skill. Sophronia is welcome to attend Dominick Crehador's seances, which are the real thing. Dominick has visited a friend of the prostitute, Wisteria. Wisteria works the streets, but her friend, Sheila, is now a much higher class prostitute.
And, still, no one thinks that Sophronia deserves a maid. Whatever is the world coming to?
Does the Entire Underworld hate the PCs? Thus far, I think not. Oh, Mr. Harrington is none too fond of any of them, especially after Sophronia's negotiations. Then again, it was he who suggested to Mr. Clarence that Alice would make a good wife. Then again, Mr. Clarence was wearing the Helm of Minerva at the time.
Wisteria and Sheila don't particularly mind the PCs. The Lip is quite fond of young Lord Campion, and thinks that Lady Alice could do worse than to wed him, which quite amused Victor. Lady Alice protested that she could hardly wed herself. Victor also paid for the services of the Lip's gang in finding information about Mr. Clarence. So, some friendly prostitutes, one friendly gang, one unfriendly minor crime boss, one unfriendly panderer. Thus far, the score's about even.
NB: This is where I was doing a whole lot of borrowing plots and characters from manga, particularly Black Butler (the Gheistbienenstocks) and the Godchild / Cain saga (Dominick and Sheila, among many others). I also used Victoriana scenarios and an Esoterrorist scenario.
