High Thrills and Social Ills

Trip the Darkness

Big news greeted our characters this week. The Dash has finally finished undergoing repairs and may see action again in a few months. Charity got a message from her brother letting her know of the East India Company injustices and that he has joined up with some men looking to do some good for India. All the while, Fidget was stealing the weapons and the money from the dead drops around the area.

With news that The Dash has been repaired, Kael decided it was time to act before he lost his chance. He contacted Wiley Willy about getting a crew together to take his ship back. Willy said he would start asking around and see what kind of information he could dig up.

Fidget encountered a strangely dressed Goatman who asked a few strange questions, sprinkled some sand over him, laughed, and walked away before blinking out of existence. The man had with him a strange jug and a goat.

Charity was a popular girl when both Blackmantle and Kael showed up to her place at around the same time that morning. Blackmantle wanted Charity to help him look further into The Prince’s Knot. She agreed to have someone she knew look over everything. Kael wished to discuss the possibility of future adventures together and maybe of leaving London. Charity had taken Kael with her during some of her worked and, after healing a beaten man, she showed him why she would be hesitant to leave. The beaten man explained to them that Rollo Cork, a nasty tempered halfling, had done it to him trying to get information as to where Fidget might be. The man didn’t know.

However, that did not stop Rollo Cork from suddenly finding out where Fidget was. They fought for a bit before Kael and Charity showed up to help him. Kael managed to apprehend Rollo and remand him into custody of the local authorities.

Charity gave the info she had about the Prince’s Knot to Father Dobbs to further research the matter. He learned that it had strong relevance to the story of Lucifer’s fall and it looks like their intent is to bring him back. Later Charity was visited by Donovan Crofton who told her how he expected the Indian problem put down quickly.

Blackmantle himself went to get an outside opinion of the ritual from the Guild. The mage he spoke to hadn’t seen that one before but without know what original magical practice it was from he couldn’t know for sure; obviously not thaumaturge.
While Blackmantle was in Bishopsgate, he overheard Mr. Lexington and Father Dunnsworth talking down a dark alleyway. They were discussing how far along everything was and that their leader, Pan, had finally arrived, but also how one of their own was getting out of hand, even earning a nickname as the Soho Slasher. After talking about doing something about it soon, they blinked out of existence. Blackmantle decided to enlist the services of The Hound to find out more about what they were talking about.

Charity was asked by Sheela to help her sneak a statue into London as a surprise for her father. Charity agreed to the task of erasing the entry. Later on, the Baron came to escort Charity to a show in Soho. During their time together he told her about what he knew about the plight in India and that he had heard news about her brother joining up with some men he knew. He promised he would do what he could to keep her brother from harm.

Fidget managed to secure a printing press to put in his new place. After putting out an ad, he got Pierre Dubois to do the artwork for him. Now he is ready to begin printing his first penny dreadful.

Charity was successful in hiding the statue from her father and he was pleasantly surprised by it later.

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Fight the Power!

Blackmantle had hired the Hound to investigate more into The Prince’s Knot. He asked the Union to look into the matter and after a few days they had figured out who the members were and a little about how they communicate. The Hound also learned the name of the Soho Slasher, Geoffry Haddawick.

Several churches were missing relics. Groups of thugs broke into the churches, taking the money from the donation box and grabbing their relics. Father Dobbs spoke with the priest of the three churches that lost relics.

A strange group of gypsies are selling charms about town. Risa discovers that the charms are bad luck and go to investigate the group. That night she went to their camp to spy on them. While she was their she noticed a woman talking with her old vampire buddy. The charms are supposed to be given to criminals to foil their endeavors.

The Hound decided to hunt down Geoffry Haddawick to prevent him from preying on the Union’s prostitutes. He tracked him down to his place and managed to capture the man and leave him at Cutter’s.

Father Cunningham figured out that Father Chapman was behind the thefts.

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Preparations

Willy informs Kael that they need some basic info before they can really begin recruiting. He tells Kael that they will need a list of the employees, a lay-out of the place, the schedule of activities for the places, and the ship’s future plans. Luckily, Kael had been about the around and was able to draw up a map of the place. He was also able to get a copy of the activity schedule and a pass to look at the ship, but only on the condition that Kael babysits for him so him and the Mrs could go out for the evening.

During the earliest hours of Tuesday, Charity was awakened by the sounds of screaming and growling. She rushed downstairs to see an armed man getting attacked by her tiger. Turns out he was trying to assassinate Mr. Lockhart and hadn’t counted on the tiger. Charity felt concerned but Mr. Lockhart told her she had nothing to worry about.

Fidget begins selling his penny-dreadfuls around the city, hiring orphans at a decent sum to sell as many as they can. The wordless books turned out to be popular with the lower class and began to inspire orphans. Some people didn’t take too kindly to the idea.

Kael enlisted Charity’s help in their babysitting endeavor. Neither of them had any experience in the subject and found the child just horrible. However, he got his pass to visit his ship.

Fidget was visited by Stokey, head of the Quick Hand, who demanded that Fidget keep his penny-dreadful out of St. Giles or else their will be trouble. Undisturbed Fidget just made that the subject of his next story. The next day he noticed a sign on a nearby tenement building. Turns out the back has foreclosed on it and is willing to let it go for 10 pounds. While expensive, he thought it would be a good place to house his future army.

Kael went out to Wormwood Scrubs to get a list of who was employed there. While he was there he met Bertram Entwhistle, a dwarf fascinated by flying machines and an old friend of Archie’s. They made plans to all meet up later that evening. Having all the info he could get, he turned it into Willy so he could begin recruiting.

Mr. Lockhart went on a date with Sheela but was killed during a skirmish with an assassin. Charity was informed of the tragic event the next morning. Preparations were made and the funeral was held that Saturday. During the funeral, Eloise Trinity picked up Mr. Lockhart’s pocketwatch and gave it to Charity, claiming she may need it one day.

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For the Good of the Common Man

Alistair arranges to meet with Blackmantle so he gave deliver Geoffry Haddawick to him. Blackmantle chose to execute Haddawick without ceremony and move on to remove the rest of The Prince’s Knot.

A strike at The Three Mills gin distillery has caused discord amongst the population. A lot of people in Bethnal Green support the strike and either work there or know people who do. The group of strikers was being led by Graham Cunningham, a charismatic young man who is sympathetic to the plight of the workers. The gypsies in the surrounding area have also been facing hard times without a working populace. Going to investigate, Father Dobbs learns the reasons behind the strike but is on the fence about his position.

Later that night, The Masked Bandit overhears that a group of thugs are going to try to break up the strike. That next day, with Father Dobbs, Fain, and Alistair in the audience, the thugs try to break up the strike. After witnessing the abuses from the thugs against innocent people the three men take to their defense and smashed the thugs. Graham thanks them for their help and Alistair volunteers to help them, for a price.

Father Cunningham hears about what happens and thanks Father Dobbs. Turns out that Graham is his son and would be willing to back Dobbs’ play for Bishop if he will keep his son safe from harm. Father Dobbs agrees since he was planning on keeping tabs on the strike anyway.

Later, Alistair instructs Graham on how to extort what you want from people and how to start a union. All that is required is that a portion of the dues goes to The Union for protection.

Lee Magilton, the manager of The Three Mills distillery, met with Dobro of West End Terror to discuss the permanent removal of Graham Cunningham. Dobro says that he will take care of the situation. Unfortunately for them, the conversation was overheard by The Masked Bandit and Risa. They followed Dobro and jumped him when they had the opportunity. After a pitched fight they managed to knock Dobro out with thrown grappling hook to the head. After questioning, most of their worst fears were confirmed. However, they decided to do something about the immediate problem and slowly staked Dobro out on the street, turning him to ash within minutes.

The next day, bolstered by knowledge of how to lean on someone, Graham went back to negotiate. Without his reinforcements to kill Graham, Mr. Magilton agreed to an additional 2 pence, would install guard rails, and would shorten the work day to 10 hours.

Dr. Dawson came around Risa’s encampment and mentioned that the people of Bethnal Green were receptive of the gypsies and wouldn’t mind if they set up in their marketplace. He also seemed to have eyes for Risa’s sister, from who he was buying herbs.

The Masked Bandit got a few new pieces of gear to help him in his task and after his aid helped the strikers, people are beginning to doubt the fact that The Masked Bandit is a murderer.

A group of men, strong and loyal, came to Alistair in the hopes of joining up with him. They feel he is a part of something better and are willing to stand with him if it means benefiting society.

Father Cunningham came around to let Father Dobbs know that he would back him for bishop as his plate was full. Lord Velsullius came around and wanted to reward Father Dobbs for his hard work and offered to put forth the money for a special show at his church next sunday. After his sermon that next day, Father Dobbs saw Sheldon Hearst waiting in the back after the crowd had passed. He congratulated him on his new position and told him that he should look into the Thulian Order if he wanted to know the source of his issues.

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King of the Hill

Charity goes to Mr. Schwartz, the family lawyer, to sort out the family fortune. In a rare turn of events, she is the only person Mr. Lockhart had left so she can inherit. The holdings are the estate, the docks and properties of the Isle of Dogs, the museum in Bethnal Green, and the warehouse in Bermondsey. The bureaucracy is in place so she needn’t worry much about the business but she is free to do with it as she wishes.

There was a knock at Fidget’s door; a young ratman with a bullet wound in his shoulder in need of assistance. Charity was about to offer some assistance while the boy told Fidget that he was forced to steal by Bill Sikes who ran the local workhouse. An angered Fidget hires the Hound to help him deal with the matter. They gather a crew and head into Bill’s Workhouse. A battle ensues Bill and his men are beaten and forced to stop their operation.

Blackmantle sends a message to Charity with a request to speak to her about a particular matter. Kael also sends word to he would like to discuss plans with Charity. Blackmantle is the first to arrive and meets her in the study. He expresses his sorrow for her loss and offers his assistance in bringing those responsible to swift justice. He reveals that his has many skills in such a field and would be willing to lend her his talents. This gives her much to think about. So do the plans for the India Mutiny Contingency she finds on her father’s desk. When Kael arrives and revels his plans to steal back his airship and invites her to come along, she seemed to consider the option. She did at least give Kael the plans concerning his airship.

A messenger is intercepted from Lee Monks, another Workhouse operator like Sikes, who works for Viktor Gavrilla. He uses the children there as spies and messengers for the Agents of the Queen. Monks hardly puts up a fight, knowing full well that the Hound and the gang has him beat. He gives up that it was all Viktor’s idea.

Blackmantle follows Gavrilla to his favorite bar, The Red Rover. While there, he studies the man, waiting for his chance to strike. The opportunity presents itself, his whiskey glass. With a deft move, a lethal portion of arsenic pours into Viktor’s drink. Blackmantle then takes his leave, knowing full well that the alcohol and arsenic cocktail will be his last drink. Within no time Viktor Gavrilla, Agent of the Queen and follower of The Prince’s Knot fell dead to the bar floor.

Blackmantle then receives a strange request; transport Bill Sikes to Der Aufhocker in Bishopsgate. He takes the beaten man to the strange shop where he is given a mirror can and a box of Cigars of Obscuring as a gift.

Charity went to speak to Dr. Khan about his interest in buying the museum. He is very interested in the idea and is in the works to getting the school to agree, which he is sure will be no trouble. He promised he would make sure it was well taken care of.

Fidget decided to put a payment down on the nearby tenement building. After negotiating with the banker, he agreed to let it go for 12 pounds; 1 paid as a down payment and the rest paid monthly. Then he handed Fidget the keys. A home/office, a printing press, and now a place for those with him to live. There is nowhere else to go but up

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