This is the discussion thread for the solo PBP "Street life"
Welcome Fatespinner. Good handle, by the way.
To create your character, use the character creation rules in the WoD core book.
Here is a section by section annotation of the character creation process, as set out on page 35 of the core book.
1.Background
Concept is wide open within the parameters of a crime drama. You will play a person who breaks the law to make money and who imposes his or her will on others.
No faction at start of game, although you will be connected to a few different organisations and players. You start out neutral, and can choose your affiliations in play.
2.Attributes
5/4/3 arranged as desired. Fifth dot costs two.
3.Skills
11/7/4 arranged as desired. Fifth dot costs two.
4.Skill specialties
Take three and assign as desired.
5.Template
Not available in this campaign. This is a mundane world. There are no hidden overlords or vampires in the darkness.
6.Advantages
Morality will not be used in this campaign. It is specifically a mechanic for horror games. No derangements.
Virtue and vice is up to you.
A few points about vices. You probably smoke. It is the seventies. Substance related vices are certainly possible, but playing a junkie would close doors to you. Alcoholism is possible. Interpret the word vice in a broader sense than the traditional seven sins, or stick with them if you want.
Virtue can be anything. Virtues that are prized on the streets would be honour, reliability, keeping yer damn mouth shut, and being a good earner, and/or anything else you think fitting. The code of morality of the underworld is far more complex than one word on a sheet, so feel free to list a couple of virtues and vices. Use whatever tools you want to get a good idea of your character. You can toss in a nature and demeanor too, for good measure.
7.Merits
Spend seven dots. Nothing supernatural, obviously.
Final touches
The name of the chronicle is not necessary.
Equipment.
++You will start the game with a toothbrush and a set of orange overalls, plus a shiv, a deck of cards, two ounces of dope and three packs of cigarettes.
++You should also list the contents of the personal belongings that will be handed to you when you are released after your three years are up. Total value of possessions in the box should not exceed $125.00
++In the box, you will have an address book with ten names in it. Three personal, and seven business. You should choose who those names are.
++You can have a few things in storage outside, but nothing flashy. Common sense applies.
++You own no weapons at the start of the game, except a shiv and a rep.
Advancement.
you start the game with 75 experience points.
I just want to say that I am very easy-going as a DM. If you want to change anything up, run it by me. Do what you need to to make a character you are happy to play. There is no rush. I am going to start the game on June 1st, as I need some time to prepare the city. I will add plenty of stuff here as I go along. Some of the stuff is from an online source. I would like to ask that you not read the specific source that some of the setting comes from. You will know it if you see it.
There are no house rules except for the money economy. We can use this as a resource to get to know the rules.
As agreed, I will roll for you, and let you know in prose what comes up. This will speed things up a lot, as I won't ever have to wait for a roll or result. As a formality, place any direct rules info in {ooc}
I hope that you have the time of your life with this game. To this end, feel free to give feedback here about the game in progress.
Thank you for playing.
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Tal. I hope that I can make the game as enjoyable to run as I'm sure you will make it to play in.
A few opening questions before I get down to character generation:
1) The Resources Merit. Are you allowing dots to be purchased as normal with my seven merit dots and, if so, how will the progression work according to your non-abstract resources rules? Obviously, the amounts in the WoD book assume a modern campaign, so the totals will need to be adjusted down for the 1970s (as $5000 in 1970 would buy you a car and today you'd be lucky to get a kitchen appliance for that much). Please get back to me on this one.
2) I'm still pretty hooked on the concept of a car thief who is also a fantastic wheelman, but I have some interesting quirks that will set him apart from your typical "Grand Theft Auto" character. Obviously he'll be good at more than just driving and stealing cars, but would this kind of criminal be functional for what you have in mind?
3) The character sheet itself: Would you like me to simply create an alias on the boards here and use the alias profile to list the character sheet stats or would you like me to put the character together in some other format and submit it via e-mail or the like?
That's really all I've got at this stage in the game. I'm sure more will come up when I start putting dots down.
Here's what I've got so far. Check the profile. Everything is, of course, completely mutable pending the answers to the above questions.
He is perfect for this game.
To answer your question, there is no resources merit. Money is going to be a major motivator for the character. You cannot start with any money as such. Read the caveats under equipment in the post above to get an idea for what you start with.
I would love to have a scanned character sheet emailed to me, so I can use it as the game goes on. If you have access to a scanner, that is.
talhoyle@yahoo.com
Here is some inspiration from another role-playing game. I have edited it a bit, but there are still grammar mistakes. This is just to help you play a streetwise guy, and to start getting you into the opportunistic mindset of a career criminal.
Automobile Crime.
Theft From Auto
Pop the lock with a metal ruler if a pro, or put the window through with a house brick, if you don’t know any better to get the goodies inside. Car radios, leather jackets, cameras, expensive work tools and even handguns can be a reward for your criminal’s disrespect for other people’s property. Car crime is easy pickings for those with a bit of savvy, as car security in the late 70‘s was pretty poor. Target back streets at night for the safest missions, but poorly guarded car parks and car dealerships can be lucrative hunting grounds for those with balls. Use dex+larceny+equipment to get in smooth, and without
leaving prints. For those 100mph a fence that can handle a heap of goods is essential. Use manipulation+streetwise+equipment to get the best deal, but it usually won‘t net your criminal more than a quarter to third of the value. Small time for small change; a crime for juveniles and junkies.
Set Up - None but a fence or lookout can be useful.
Rating - Scumbag and punk.
Grand Theft Auto
Cruise the streets looking for that 1975 Mercedes your criminal clocked earlier or any other nice ride parked up just ready for the taking. Pop the door, break the steering lock and hotwire to go. No doughnuts or hot-dogging just straight and slow to the nearest chop shop for ringing or stripping for parts. A very lucrative enterprise or a pro that steals to order with $100 to $200 per car as the going rate, and a top drawer thief stealing 10 to 15 cars a night. Be aware of leaving prints and stealing the wrong guy’s car. Use awareness, break and enter, drive and deal skills for this type of operation.
Set Up - Some tools, an accomplice to lookout and drive the cruise car, plus a crooked garage contact.
Rating - Punk to thief.
HiJacking
Don’t want to mess up a car by breaking into it, or some models look to be too tough and like hard work anyhow. For thief-resistant cars with security up the ass, jack them at the lights, pull open the door and yank the schmuck out onto the tarmac and give him a kicking. Then slip in his seat and its all there baby straight to the chop shop for a wad of green. Counts as a robbery so the jail time is nasty, so be cute and don’t get clocked at the scene or in the car. Dump it off quick and wipe for prints. Target expensive cars that are usually locked up in garages and parked in private lots with security that are difficult to steal on the quiet. The stakes and value are higher and so to are the earnings, $300 to $400 per car. Use dex+stealth+equipment, str/man/pre+intimidation, str+brawl and drive skills: at the chop shop use man+streetwise.
Alternatively hijack delivery vans at gunpoint and steal their cargoes of cigarettes and vcr’s. Three hundred cartons of Camels is a cool chunk of change. If your criminal is clued up he’ll work out of an airport or waterfront bar, where truckers and warehousemen like to drink and gamble. He’ll get in with them, take their bets, loan them money and work them for their loads. Whether just plain dishonest or up to their eyeballs in debt many drivers are amenable to “Give Ups”. For a fixed price of around $500 they tell the hijacker what loads they’re hauling, when they are leaving and what route they’re taking. The driver parks up at an agreed location, tells the thieves the security code to start the truck, and that is that, everyone makes out. If you get to be boss you could make $50,000 on a cargo of fine silk paying the gun-wavers a fixed fee of between $1,000 and $2,000 a truck regardless of what’s inside.
If the company gets wise and tries to sack the driver, the criminal, if he has connections with the union concerned, can pull strings to protect the driver, and get the union bosses to threaten a costly strike. The companies back in the turbulent seventies, would usually back off and just claim on the insurance.
Set up - Contacts and customers.
Rating - Punk to organized gangster.
Auto Stripping
A hot car will stay hot unless it is cooled down by stripping it down at a chop shop into dozens of untraceable parts. Making a car Houdini this way is a very profitable enterprise as new car parts at this time were hurtfully expensive for the average blue collar Joe. Reconditioned parts, sold at cut-rate prices out of auto repair shops, can become a flourishing business in the 70’s. Garages crewed
with criminally minded mechanics work through the night disassembling cars, or ringing them to order as soon as they are brought in hot from the street. Ringing luxury modern cars is also big business and involves replacing the engine, chassis and registration identification numbers with those of a same make and model that has been scrapped or is from out of state. The car is then sold at a vastly reduced price with false registration and ownership documents, privately or through a used car garage. To run this racket takes a lot of set up, know how and the general criminal talent of a gangster.
Stripping as part of a team can earn $20 dollars per car and around half the value of the car in parts. Use your criminal’s grease monkey skills in auto repair to be a super fast strip down specialist. Ringing cars takes a bit of auto repair but is really far more a cheat game.
Set Up - A dodgy employer with a garage and tools, contacts and false documentation.
Rating - Punk to gangster.
Petty Crime, and Small Stuff.
Street scum and confused old people shoplift. From stealing a forty out of the local liquor store to swiping designer threads out of fashionable boutiques. High risk, as you need to be prolific to make any real money, and chances are you’ll get pinched yo’self before too long. Selling hot goods in bars and pool halls yourself can eat a big piece of time, but earn more than the quarter of the price a middle-man will give for taking the lot. Need to have eyes for other people’s eyes and be able to make the goods disappear like a magician.
Set Up - None but a fence or accomplice can be useful.
Rating - Scum.
Snatching
Running up behind an old lady and whipping her bag is for junkies and other mutts. Hit the right bag, and a criminal will have enough for his next fix. Snatch the wrong one and all you’ll score is a packet of boiled sweets. Best done at night or in parks and other more deserted areas, or less attract the attention of public spirited citizens who want to appear on the nightly news. Surprise and speed are crucial unless your criminal wants a mugging where an old dear goesnuts with a hat pin.
Set Up - None.
Rating - Scum.
Pick Pocketing
A gentler more refined way of stealing this is about your criminal dipping his fingers into some guy’s duffel bag when he ain’t looking and lifting his gear. Ready cash is best, but American Express and check books will do nicely if your criminal is up for a bit of fraud, or knows someone who is. Subways, buses and busy streets where people are crammed together are the top places to commit this crime. Use a wits+streetwise roll to set up right and a dex+larceny rollto perform the dip. Accidentally bumping into some fella to sneak-steal his wallet, is known as a slip and dip, and requires manipulation+subterfuge roll to seem like a harmless fool, and not the pro you are.
Set Up - None.
Rating - Punk to thief.
Smash and Grab
Amateur night on the boulevard; pick up a brick and hurl it through a shop display window, swipe what’s on offer and hot foot it outta there. Says look at me in neon, and guaranteed to set any alarm off which means cops on the lookout for a stupid crim running with a TV under his arm. Reinforced glass and steel shutters protect most of what’s worth lifting from this kinda caper. Wait till a riot or power blackout then everyone will be at it, but this type of crime can be done professionally with a nail gun for the safety glass and a getaway car at the ready. Earnings vary. Use the object rules on page 137 to break the defences, and dex+stealth to disappear.
Set up - None.
Rating - Junkie to thief.
Runner, Courier, Lookout
At the bottom of the totem pole in a policy gaming racket there are guys called runners, who literally run around town all day collecting the bets. Pay is ok at $40 to $50 bucks a day but won’t make your criminal rich. A mule is a criminal that couriers drugs from one place to the next for a fixed fee. For flights out of the country the fee can be $1000 bucks a trip, but the risks are high. Either from getting frisked by customs, or from an accidental overdose, if a balloon of heroin or cocaine - that has been ingested to avoid detection - bursts inside the courier’s stomach. Trafficking interstate, or going under a boat to collect a consignment will earn your criminal $500 a time and is generally a safer option. This type of crime needs an ability to conceal contraband and appear respectable. A lookout is typically a petty hoodlum that stands around on street corners scouting for the Five O, and other kinds of trouble. Lookouts are used to protect numbers bank, gambling joint and dope den operators from raids, giving them enough time to ditch the dirt. This is strictly small time action for dead end punks who are not looking past their next drink.
Set Up - A big time dealer or gangster boss that doesn’t want to get his hands dirty with the details.
Rating - Expendable punk.
Muscle jobs.
Standing on the door of a club or illegal card game and making sure only the right people get in, or sitting in a warehouse minding a consignment. Door work is the low and le�gal end of this type of work, but is accessible by cold calling at clubs, as many bouncers get injured or busted in doing one thing or another and there are vacancies. There are profitable sidelines to be exploited: one is taxing small time drug dealers of their junk and money. Either clean them out, or tax them to use the club for business. Make a deal with one pusher to keep the others out, and he’ll corner the market, and maybe cut your criminal in for a slice of the action, or have to throw a big chunk of change in your direction instead. Best get with the other doormen and form a crew, as there is strength in numbers. Be big, mean and good with your fists to stay in this line of work.
Set Up - Definitely need a contact for the illegal side.
Rating - Thug.
Mugging
Street robbery is scaring good decent folks into handing over their hard earned cash with the threat of violence should they re�fuse. Unless your criminal is built like a go�rilla or there be a pack of you, you’ll need a blade to persuade. Use brute force (Str+Intimidate),verbal threats(Manipulation+intimidate), or menacing body language (Presence+Intimidation)to get the message across that yo Criminal mean business. Come on like Charles Manson and you’ll get the dough. Can be profitable if the right victim is picked and the situation fully exploited. Take rings, watches, house, and car keys and get the guy to show you where they are and really take him to the cleaners. Get caught or pick on Charles Bronson, and your criminal in real trouble.
Set Up - None but an accomplice can be useful.
Rating - Punk or Thug.
Battery
Getting paid for meting out punishment. Better to beat some guy for money than for personal reasons. On the streets, there are plenty of people who’ve got it coming to them, and other pissed off people willing to pay to see that it happens. Could involve working a punk over lightly to breaking some bones so that he walks like a duck the rest of his life, or just slapping someone around without leaving a mark. Cost depends on the severity of the beating, who it is, and who’s doing it. $50 to $100 bucks for smacking some low life around, to about $500 to put someone in plaster with a baseball bat,, and an aggravated battery rap if things gowrong. Smacking the pig that comes to get you is an automatic aggravated assault, no matter what the injuries.
Get a regular job as an enforcer for a loan shark and you will most likely be salaried between $250 to $500 a week to do whatever is required. This will mostly involve just leaning on customers, as dead men don’t pay debts. Not generally a risky crime as victims are nearly always smart and scared enough not to talk. Other sources of employment can be with bookies, gangsters and businessmen. For example your criminal could be sent to straighten out problems at a club, that’s losing money due to a rowdy clientele. Get good at your job and you’ll get a reputation. Then the very mention of your name should be enough.
Set Up - Need a contact to set up this line of work.
Rating - Thug to enforcer
Body Guarding
Getting paid to watch someone’s back from those he has rubbed up the wrong way. Minding a businessman or boss can pay well, and be a good opportunity to make contacts. Difficult to get into without a recommendation, and dangerous if your criminal’s client is high on another gangster’s shit list. Body guarding is usually salaried and can pay $300 to $600 a week depending on the circumstances. There are ex- cops, military, and security people who specialize in this line of work. Requires a keen awareness and suss combined with a degree of menace, so that the threat gets the right idea. Another drawback is that this type of work is full time, and won’t leave much time for anything else except perhaps selling your client out to his enemies; sweet.
Set Up - Need a contact to get started.
Rating - Thug to bodyguard.
Armed Robbery.
The armed robbery of gas stations, drug, liquor and convenience stores is a high profile crime that can easily turn ugly, and end in murder or justifiable homicide. Your petty heister can either pack a piece and stick it in the proprietor’s face, or smash him upside the head with something nasty before he knows what’s happening. The score will depend on the time of day for some stores, and with others the maximum amount of cash they hold in the register as a matter of policy at anyone time. Security cameras are in their infancy and the majority of small places don’t have them. However places that have frequently been knocked off, quite often have silent panic alarms fitted that directly alert the cops of a 2,11 in progress. Privately Owned joints of this kind tend to have peeved owners with sawn offs underneath the counter. Use an Wits+Streetwise roll to case unfamiliar places, and Intelligence+Streetwise for those in your hood, to pick the safest hold ups. intimidate and athletics skills
are used to commit this crime, and can earn generally between $200 to $1000 dollars.
Bank jobs
“I do what I do best, I take scores. You do what you do best, try to stop guys like me.”
Neil Macauley from the Movie Heat tells it as it is to cop Vincent Hanna.
At the top end of the felony are bank robberies, a federal crime that carries a lot of time in the can. Be the man with the plan and leave nothing to chance. Know the when and the how, as split second timing is essential to beat the response time of the Five O. Think of behind the counter heist alarms, armed security guards, marked bills, C.C.T.V. cameras, and time locked security vaults. Get it right and getaway, and the full $200,000 could be made.
Set Up - Best go packing and with an accomplice.
Rating - Punk to heister.
Burglary and Fraud
Home Invasion[b]
Prowlers and sneak thieves slide through open windows in the still of night, or reach through cat-flaps to turn the key of a locked door. Be double Q in and out with small per�sonal items, or just untraceable cash. Stay longer and find the victim’s car keys, load up, roll off the drive without a sound and away to go for a discount trunk sale. Target wealthy lawyers, doctors and businessmen who have safes, expensive jewelry, coin col�lections, and fancy furs in their wardrobes. Wake them up at gunpoint to take their rings, and to get the combination to the safe, then leave them tied up with the phones pulled. Having a tipster in an insurance firm or jew�elers will make the scores sure payoffs, and not random rummages.
Set Up - An extra pair of eyes and hands is a good idea, a fence to take a large score off your hands, and a contact with insider info on the where and when.
Rating - Thief to cat burglar.
[b]Commercial Burglary
Hitting commercial premises for bigger hauls and more cash means more security to overcome. Better be better to pull off these kinds of jobs or your ass be busted again. Do ya homework and case the premises for alarm systems, private security, cop patrol patterns and most importantly the box ya gonna have to crack open.
Profits anywhere from $50 for a scabby dudes pad, to $100,000 or more for the right time and right place where there are diamonds and mink coats to be had. Become a class act and your criminal may get a call from a boss who is putting a little something together.
Set Up - An extra pair of eyes and hands is a good idea, a fence to take a large score off your hands and a contact with insider info
on the where and when.
Rating - Thief to cat burglar.
Distraction Burglary
Your criminal pretending to be something he ain’t to get through the door. Impersonate a city pest controller fumigating against cockroaches and you’ve got the in your criminal needs, and the excuse to wander freely around the apartment looking for the right moment to steal. Counts as a trespass because consent is falsely obtained, and has the drawback of being face to face. Alter your criminal’s appearance to throw off the cops, and be subtle in the burglary, and maybe the old boy won’t know he’s been done. Use cheat, impress, creep, conceal and lifting skills where appropriate.
Set Up - A well thought out scam.
Rating - Con man.
Fraud and Deception
You’re at Sam’s Super Stereos with a credit card as hot as Charlie’s Angels in swimwear, but you is a sly muther, and cool as a Popsicle in a New York winter. $550 worth of system on the counter and your criminal signs like he’d been poor Dave Nuberg all his life. Transaction complete and $1800 smackaroos put on the card that morning. Keep go�ing to the $5,000 limit, before Dave wakes up at the hospital and cancels the card. The hi-fi stays in the box to sell it later at Shacks pool hall, for a must have $300.
Steal a driver’s license and assume someone’s identity, then fill up in gas stations using false plates on your ride. Oops forgot the money, give the jerk your false details and plate number for an I.O.U. chit that your criminal will never pay. Pay, threaten or coax some stooge with no priors to apply for a gun permit. He then legally buys the gun at a store, and keeps it for all of a New York minute, before it gets into your criminal’s dangerous hands.
Obtain a doctor’s prescription pad by theft or bribery, and forge bogus drug prescriptions, which can then be sold on the street.
Play the Murphy con and pretend to be a pimp hooking a sucker john, with the promise of a sweet young thing just waiting for him in the back of that there building. Take his dough, and send him in to an empty room.
If a businessman owes your criminal money take his business and bust him out. Order from the suppliers around the clock. The goods arrive and go straight out the back door like in “Goodfella’s” for resale on the street. When the creditors want their money and the well is dry, file for bankruptcy and leave him to carry the can. Or if your criminal be real greedy cause an accidental fire to claim on the insurance.Deceptions can include standing behind the dealer in a Black Jack game and carefully signaling the hand to an accomplice play�ing the game, so he knows when to bet or fold. Others would be to sell a crate of la�beled whisky, which was in fact bottled tea, or showing a $20 bill to a bartender before passing him a $10 bill instead.
A simple con is the flim-flam, which is basically selling something that ya ain’t got to sell. During the 70’s Philadelphia Mafiosi Nick “The Crow” Caramandi made thousands appealing to people’s greed. He would approach a businessman like an electrical retailer, and tell him he had a dirt-cheap consignment of 5,000 batteries if he was interested. Most were, and understood that the “said” goods were knocked off. Caramandi would get them to drive him to a bar he knew with a front and back entrance, tell the mark that the guy inside needed the money upfront, and would only deal with him. Caramandi would then take the guys money and disappear out the back entrance to a waiting car. Caramandi sweetened these cons by using samples, props and accomplices.
“I broke this guy. I musta took, in a six-month period, maybe a hundred thousand off him. Soon he went broke, and whaddya think this guy did? He killed himself. It’s un-f!##ing believeable the way some people are suckers. But it’s only the f%#%ing greed. You know when a guy’s greedy ... people believe anything through greed.”
Mafiosi Nick Caramandi from the book Blood And Honor.
The rule is if the cheat is very sweet, then the need to impress is less. The cheat skill is the format of the fraud, how it needs to operate to get the money. For instance take the same con man wanting payment for a a false service as a pest controller, instead of stealing, he would if he was on the money wear a uniform, carry a phony I.D. badge and bug spray, and say he was from the city doing inspections. If he got the in, he would then drop a couple of dead cockroaches around the guys house to make it look there was a problem, suggesting that a nest was developing which would then overrun the property when all the eggs hatched. The con man would then offer for a fee to fumigate the house. A crap cheat roll would mean some shabby planning and prep work, and the criminal would need to fill in the gaps by impressing the victim that he was the real deal. Use Subterfuge skill foremost to devise and execute scams, and persuasion to smooth over any rough edges.
Set up - Varies, but frequently needs phony documentation.
Rating - Petty cheat to out and out fraudster.
Blackmail
Dig up some dirt on someone that he doesn’t want anyone else to know about, and threaten to shoot your mouth off unless he coughs up some hush hush money. Works well on politicians and eminent businessmen with squeaky-clean reputations, and marriages to protect. Can also come up trumps with low lives to, especially if your man is having a fling with the boss’s lady. But tread carefully, as the only sure way to stop a stoolpigeon singing is to silence it forever. Rewards can be as big as the victim can afford, and can be asked for time and time again.
Set up - Information someone wishes to keep very secret.
Rating - Punk, gangster or boss.
Stock Floating
Commit white-collar crime with pump and dump stock broking. Buy a big a bunch of worthless shares using hundreds of different phony names in a struggling company, for say $3 bucks a share. Then by using some disreputable brokering firm that you’ve set up, you get to work pumping up the shares that because now of the new interest have risen in price a little. Your criminal gets his guys to push the stock like crazy over the phone to professional and retired people with money to invest. Telling them that they will be able to triple their money if they buy in now, as the stock is hot and gonna go through the roof. Being greedy many will go the whole nine yards, and invest their entire life savings on the strength of your slick words to get their piece of the action. When the stock hits an optimum price, which can be six to fifteen times what you paid for it, pull the plug on the operation and dump large. The stock market gets wind of a mass sell and the shares drop, then plummet in value as everyone tries to bail out at the same time. For many, particularly your clients who you continue to bullshit as your company moves offices, lose everything.
A legitimate though ethically wrong way of earning money in the gray area of “Stock Broking”, is by handling Mob controlled union pension and welfare funds. These vast funds are invested repeatedly in different stock for the broker’s sales commission. Constantly buying and selling stock on a 1 to 3 percent commission, when dealing in millions, quickly adds up.
Set Up - A pseudo fly by night stock broking firm and a good six figure investment.
Rating - Wall Street gangster.
Assassinations.
Inevitably from time to time a person will get in the way of good business, and become a problem or liability. The solution is to kill them, as dead men don’t need money, or tell lies. Be the one who gets paid to do it,
or pay someone to do it, or do it yo’self and don’t pay jack to nobody.
Whacking people for money is profitable if you’ve got the brains and the stomach for it. Pro hitters earn $5,000 to $50,000 a hit, if the target is well connected and powerful, or extremely dangerous to the hirer.
This type of work is expected of members by some gangs and criminal outfits, and in the Mafia it is a condition to becoming a “Made Man”, being referred to in past tense as “He made his bones when he whacked Carlo.” You won’t get paid for getting a contract, only the respect of the Family for carrying out “A piece of work”, and the prospect of being cut into a slice of a lucrative racket, and not whacked out ya self. At gutter level, street trash assassins will kill for as little as $500 bucks and the sheer kick of it. As with everything in life you get what you pay for. Pay peanuts and you’ll most likely get a strung out nut job, wired on crystel meth that’ll botch the job by shooting the wrong guy.
Use stealth to slide up like a ghost, break and enter to be in the apartment waiting, firearmsto do the job with two behind the ear, and a Composure+Streetwise roll not to leave any clues behind. Remember: no body no crime, so get the butcher's knives out and the garbage bags ready. Use subterfuge to set the victim up where you want him, and then persuasion to be the smiling killer he never suspected.
For the sophisticated killer with a background in explosives, a car bomb is the way to go. Detonated off the ignition or activated by remote control, it is the preferred method of disposal in Cleveland, earning it the title of car bomb capital of the U.S.
Some Contracts are put out as “Buckwheat” killings as they are known in Mafia circles. Here the object is not to deliver a quick send off with an unexpected bomb or bullet, but to stab, strangle and beat the victim to death in a protracted and excruciating manner. The body is then dumped where it can easily be found. Buckwheat killings serve to scare, punish and assert the control of the organization. Other organized crime groups like the Columbian Drug Cartels have similarly gruesome methods like the infamous “Columbian Necktie”.
“Alberto is an expert in the disposal business.”
Sosa from the movie Scarface introducing his special employee to Tony Montana.
Being a hired killer though can have a fatal flaw: knowing too much. Your criminal could get bumped off himself to cut off any loose incriminating ends that could tie the set up man to the hit.
Set Up - Contacts get you work, and an accomplice or two is necessary to dispose of the body.
Rating - Killer thug to professional hit man.
That is enough to go on for now. Think of that as a little primer in streetwise, to better empathise with your character.
Here are three more things. I am going to spoiler them, because they are long. One is a specialised equipment list. The second is a lexicon. The third is a sort of streetwise checklist. If you don't say you do something, I am not going to assume you did. You will need to clean up, and cover up to avoid getting caught.
Tools of The Trade
Some stuff you just can’t rip off with your hands, you need the right gear. The following are essentials in the career criminal’s tool kit:
Gloves. Unless its an inside job and your prints are all over the pad anyway wear gloves, as only clowns leave their dabs all over a crime scene for forensics to dust up.
Screwdriver. Useful for punching the lock on a car door and prizing off the ignition casing after. Also for unscrewing burglar alarm casings, ventilation shafts and the balcony railings of someone you wish to have an unfortunate accident, are all good criminal uses of a screwdriver. Hell in a jam it even doubles as a weapon.
Slap Hammer. A short vulcanized rubber mallet that is very effective at removing ignition casings from cars.
Jemmy. Opening hijacked crates, mailboxes, stubborn doors are all made easier with this small concealable crowbar. Every break and enter man should carry one on a job to open locked drawers, and peoples heads if they get in the way.
Electrical Tape. This sticky tape has a number of illegitimate uses from gagging and trussing up security guards, to taping windows before breaking them to prevent the sound of falling glass. Tape sticks of
dynamite together, or a piece to the underside of a table for that meeting you’re not sure about. Give a baseball bat some added grip, or tape two magazines together on your AK, for that final suicide assault on the Meth lab.
Mask. A balaclava or novelty mask, or even a ladies stocking over the head will do the trick, and keep your criminals face out of the papers and ass out of the can.
Beeper. Made for doctors, and used by drug dealers to know when a customer is phoning them for some nose candy. This little paging device is new on the market and fits on a belt. It makes hanging around a telephone all day for business obsolete.
Slim Jim. This thin strip of bendable metal is in the right hands ideal at opening locked car doors. Adds +2 to break in attempts.
Plastic Credit Or Store Card. This flexible innocuous item is useful at sliding under the latch mechanism of a door, and popping it out of the lock. Adds +1 to break ins.
Amp Reader. A device that measures elec�trical current; so that clamping a clip on a bunch of electrical wires coming out of a building, can tell you if you know your shit which wires the alarm. The alarm wire can then be cut, and the amp used to continue the correct supply of electricity to the alarm company, so that everything seems hunky dory.
Mag Drill. A large industrial, diamond headed magnetic clamp drill, is what is required to put a hole in a serious commercial safe. Provides a +2 edge to break ins.
Chisel. Used with a hammer to punch the lock of a safe open through the drill hole that’s been made.
Slug. A round piece of metal the same size and shape of a quarter used for vending machines and free telephone calls.
Lump of clay. A small block of clay or play dough is great at holding an imprint of a door key, so that later on a locksmith can make a replica for your criminal to walk right in, whenever he wants.
Aerosol/Spray can. If your criminals a gang banger then he’ll want one of these to leave his tag everywhere and piss off the opposites. If a crook with a penchant for top draw burglary, then an aerosol spray will show up motion sensor alarms, that use invisible laser beams across doorways and corridors.
Glass Cutter. A strong suction cup with a circular glass-cutter on top removes a large round section from the window without any smashing glass, or activations from impact sensitive alarms.
Bunch Of Skeleton keys. A big bunch of car keys from various car manufacturers, can be sufficiently similar to work on a sur�prising number of other cars. The same is also true for basic house locks and padlocks. Provides a +2 edge to break ins.
A Deck Of Marked Cards. Subtly mark the key playing cards in a pack for a very dangerous advantage in a poker game. Provides a +2 edge to card games.
Remote Control Ignition Starter. Not just for the flash, but for the careful in a climate of ignition activated car bombs as a popular method of assassination. Stand back, click, and see if the starter motor starts anything other than the engine.
False Compartment. Whether a fake Cuban heel for drugs, or a false bottom in a suitcase for those diamonds, best have a safe inconspicuous place to hide illegal contraband. Provides a +3 edge to conceal attempts.
Fake ID. Passports, driver’s licenses, job identity cards. A fake license can allow your criminal to drive without ever having passed his test, and if in a different name may fool some cop that you haven’t got warrants out for your arrest. In the late 1970’s drivers licenses did not have the holders photograph.
Flashlight. When burglarizing a store it’s generally stupid idea to switch the lights on at 4am in the morning. Instead carry a small pen flashlight, and keep the beam away from the window.
Uniform. Dress up like a road maintenance crew to stop the payroll van, or pretend to be a cop to get near for the hit.
Counterfeit Plates. Make them if you know how, or acquire them in some way but need them you will, if printing bogus bills your racket.
Roll Of Quarters. Innocent to look at, but when held in a fist adds a knockout weight to a punch.
Acetylene Blow Torch. This is a good piece of kit for burning open safes and frightening people.
Drugged Meat. Feed those hungry Dober�man guard dogs something other than your fleeing ass, and give them some snooze food. A burger or steak with a barbiturate garnish, will put them in doggie dreamland in less than half an hour.
Bolt Cutters. Barb wire fences are
supposed to keep crooks out of property, so cut right through them as well as padlocks and chains with this essential burglars tool.
Cutting Pliers. Small and versatile these are great for cutting that 911 call dead, or for snipping wires on alarms or bombs. Also if your criminal is a real animal and likes to be pain persuasive, lop off a little piggy or two to find out what you need to know.
Wire Tap, Bugs. Bug your enemies or even your Goombah’s phone, and find out what they’re saying, ripping off, and setting your criminal up for behind his back.
Scanner. This two way radio unit allows the user to tune into police communication channels, and find out what the cops are going to be doing before they even do it.
Walkie Talkie. For those military style payroll heists involving teams of crooks and split second timing, a short range open channel walkie talkie set will coordinate your moves nicely. Good up to 200 yards.
Styrofoam Gun. A squeeze gun with a nozzle that injects a liquid plastic into cavities, which quickly expands and solidifies acting as an insulator. An unintentional use of the product is when it is injected into a drilled out hole of an alarm box, insulating the noise of the alarm to a low murmur.
Electronic Scales. Drug dealers need a precise set of scales to check what they are buying and selling is the full weight.
Dictaphone. Never mind the secretary, small tape recorders are best kept for taping cops when “Protect and Serve” sounds more like them making demands for protection money, and serving themselves a slice of the action.
Sledgehammer. A useful piece of kit for the criminal that likes to make unexpected and noisy visits on tenants, that have over stayed their welcome. Also an essential tool for hole in the wall burglaries, where a softer premises adjacent to a tough score is broken into first. The thin interior wall divided the properties is then demolished, bypassing any outside security measures.
Long Coat With Deep Pockets. Your hungry gangster could be swiping some steak from the supermarket, or need a home for the sawn off he be packing. A good thieves coat can turn your criminal into a walking larder, or gun rack.
A set of butchers Knives. For killers with a cast iron stomach and sense of the macabre, complete this dismemberment gift set with a jumbo box of garbage bags. Strip down to underwear and cut up in the tub for less mess. Bag wrap and drop off in several dumpsters around the neighborhood, or perforate well and let the strong currents of the East River do the rest. Gambino Mafioso and hit man extraordinaire Roy Demeo was especially fond of the disassembly method, and gave his crew a set of butchers knives each, which they carried in their cars in case of emergencies.
Bag Of Lime. When you’ve clipped a guy and dug the hole, throw in a bag of lime with the body, and it will dissolve away to powdery bone in a year.
This is slang from the seventies. A lot of these words are in common usage today. This will help you know which words were already in use in 1978.
Sounds of the Street. A to C
Slang
Abusador
Spanish for a bully and brute that abuses others.
Ace
Something or someone that is excellent.
“Roy’s an ace mechanic.”
Action
An enterprise, deal, sideline, business ven�ture or job. “ I did 3 years inside and kept my mouth shut, now I want a piece of the action on this Morales thing.”
Agarra
Spanish word meaning “Go For It.”
Aguarda
Spanish meaning “Hold On.”
Babania
Italian for Heroin.
Baby Gangster, Baby G
Refers to younger members of street gangs.
Bad
A bad and wicked person to be feared or a terrible situation. Could be said as “He’s one bad ass mutha” or “That’s bad man.”
Bad Business
Something not to get involved in, or shouldn’t have happened. Could be said as, “What happened to Henry, man that was bad business.”
Bare Ass Broke
Having no money whatsoever. ”Nah I can’t I’m bare ass broke.”
B. Bat
A baseball bat.
Bada Bing
Italian slang for and that’s what happened, there you go. ”He was going on and on breaking my balls about the Mclaren thing, and bada bing I hit him with the ashtray right upside the head, he was driving me crazy.”
Bandera
Hispanic term for gang colours.
Banger
street gang member. A gang banger.
Barrio
Hispanic term for neighborhood.
Beef
An argument, problem or trouble between two dudes or gangs. “This beef with the Crime Lords is going to get a lot of people iced.”
Bindle
Small packet containing a five dollar, or ten dollar deal of drugs.
Bit
A convict term for a term of imprisonment. “I’ve just done a three bit in Green Haven I’m in no hurry to go back.”
B!*&!
Derogatory term for a female withparticularly bad connotations if used for a man, as it implies that he is weak, and can be dominated both physically and sexually. “Whose b$@@% were you in prison, cos you’re talking like a b&**# right now b$$&$.”
B~$#!ing
To complain a lot in a nagging, whining and, wimpy way. “What you b~~#@ing about now.”
Bling, Bling
Slang to describe the effect of wearing a lot shiny showy jewellery especially diamonds. “Man look at him he’s all bling, bling.”
Blood
Positive term of reference from one black man to another. “Hey blood what’s up.”
Blow
Another term for cocaine.
Blunt
A cigar with most of the tobacco removed and replaced with marijuana.
Bodega
A Spanish grocery or convenience store.
Bomb
Marijuana cigarette laced with heroin.
Boogie
Disco term meaning to dance and party.
Boost/Boosted
Street term for stealing.
Borgata
Italian meaning “The Family”.
Bottom Whore
Pimp term for his best prostitute.
Bread
Cash money. “Listen fool you better lay some bread on me now.”
Breaking/busting my balls
Italian expression meaning to be given a hard time, nagged or teased by someone. “Why you busting my balls all the time over this crap.”
Broad
Older slang term used by gangsters for a woman.
Bucks
Dollars. “Can you spot me 50 bucks.”
Bugged Out, Bugging
To go crazy over something. “Look Zee why you bugging out about this rap its only a petty misdemeanour.”
Bumpin
The practice of one pimp stealing another pimps ho.
Business
Term used to describe work, crime and per�sonal matters. “I’ve got a bit of business to take care of.”
Bust A Cap
Gang speak for shooting at someone. “That Primo was just cruising by like he owned the place, so I bust a cap at him just like that.”
The Can
Term for Prison.
Capisch
Italian for you understand, do you get it. “Lay off Jimmy, don’t go near him no more, don’t call him, nothing, Capisch.”
Capo
The middle management rank of the Mafia. A capo runs a crew of made guys and only has to answer to an Under Boss.
Cat
Term of reference normally used for a person in the life, but can be used in the same way as “Dude”. “That cat be one smooth operator.”
Che Gotz E Fa
Italian expression meaning “What the f*&+ are you doing?”
Chiba
Hispanic term for a stool pigeon, rat and informer.
Chick
Slang for good looking female.
Chilli Pimp
A trying to be pimp with only one ho.
Chillin
Gang term meaning to relax and hangout.
Chipper
A person with a small part time drug habit. A person not fully addicted to heroin, not yet anyway.
Chiva
Spanish meaning Heroin.
Chola
Hispanic term for a female involved in gangs.
Cholo
Hispanic term for a male involved in gangs.
Chop Shop
A garage that illegally strips stolen cars for parts, or alters the identity of stolen cars so that they can be re-sold without being detected.
Clams
Another word for dollars. “That’s 50 clams you owe me now.”
Clica
Spanish for gang.
Clip
To kill somebody over a dispute or problem.
A term usually used by gangsters for planned, set up murders. “He didn’t listen he got clipped, what can you do.”
Coglioni
Italian for balls or courage.
Cojones
Spanish for balls or courage. “Hermano see the cojones on this Puto.”
Coke
The drug Cocaine.
Connected
Term used to describe a mafia associate or underling that isn’t a made guy, but works closely with the mafia family. “You’re with me now, which means people will say he’s connected, he’s Sonny Ballisamo’s man. You’ve got juice, but remember I own you now, 50% of what you make you turn over to me.”
Contract
An ordered homicide given to one party to kill another. Contracts are often for money and are also made open; that is word is put out that a price is on the head of the victim and anyone can collect. “ Vito said we got the contract to whack Ally Boy.”
Comare
Italian word for mistress.
Cool
Very good, in keeping with the current trend, in control, not bothered by something. “That’s a cool ride” or “Joey’s cool about it don’t worry.”
C Note
A 1 hundred dollar bill.
Crank
Street term for crystal Meth, a powerful stimulant drug.
Sounds of the Street C to E.
Crew
A close knit group of criminals that engage in organized criminal activities together. “Sal’s part of Grasso’s crew now you can’t mess with him.”
Crib
Term used by black street youth for their home.
Cugine
A young ambitious Mafia associate trying to get made.
Curb Service
To sell narcotics on the street.
Dead Presidents
Term for money derived from the dead pres�idents on the back of bank notes.
Deck
Term for 1 to 15 grams of heroin.
Dig
Do you understand, agree. “Do you dig my brother.”
Dime Bag
Ten dollars worth of drugs.
Dis
Short for disrespect. “Dis me one more time and I’m going to pop you in the jaw.”
Dope
Term used for drugs particularly Marijuana.
Dough
Cash money. “Have you got the dough.”
Down
To be loyal, to be with the gang or there for the gang or someone. “I’m down wit ju Two John, all the way.”
Drive By
The planned though largely opportunistic method of killing rival gang members by driving slowly passed a group of them on the street, and firing on them with handguns, shotguns or automatic weapons, before hightailing off at speed.
Droguero
Hispanic for a drug pusher.
Dude
Street slang for man or guy. “That dude be stoned outta his mind.”
Eat Alone
Mafia speak for a greedy gangster that doesn’t share opportunities or money. “Cirilo, now there’s a guy who always eats alone.”
Eight Ball
An eighth of an ounce of heroin or cocaine.
End
The cut from a score or racket. “No Paulie’s your problem, his cut comes out of your end on this.”
Envelope
Italian mafia term for cash payment. “Make sure Paulie gets an envelope too.”
Enforcer
A criminal who beats or kills for his superior to further or protect criminal enterprises.
Ese
Popular Hispanic greeting meaning “Hey man”, but often used as a general term of reference and to finish sentences. “ Nah no way ese.”
Sounds of the Street, F to H
G Down
Street gang speak for to get dressed up in gangster attire.
Gabagool
Italian meaning getting something to eat. “After the sit down, we go for some Gabagool.”
Gear
Gang slang for clothes.
Gauge
Term for a shotgun. “Hey Flaco get me my gauge there‘s going to be some thunder.”
Getting Busy
Gang speak for doing robberies, drive bys, burglaries etc.
Get Some Gone
Gang speak for “Get out of my face.”
Ghetto Star
Black slang for a gangster riding high in the Hood, one with juice and things going on. A cash laden local crime celebrity.
Goombah
Italian word for close friend.
Gorilla Pimp
Street term for a pimp that is all muscle and no finesse. “Johnny Lata ain’t no real pimp, his game ain’t deep all he know how to do is gorilla a girl.”
Got It Going On
A successful person or gangster doing a lot of business.
Grand
A thousand dollars in money.
Gravy
Slang for having it easy or good. “When we finish with this bad business, life will be pure gravy.”
Greaseball
Derogatory term for Italian Americans involved in organised crime. “I didn’t get involved it was real greaseball shit.”
Green
Slang term for cash money or for someone new and inexperienced. “If you want it you’ve got to show me some green first.”
Groovy
Term meaning cool, trendy.
Guineas
Derogatory term for Italian Americans “I told ya not ta get mixed up with the Guineas didn‘t I, youse just can’t trust them.”
H
Street term for heroin.
Hack
Convict term for prison guard.
Half Assed Wiseguy
Term used to describe someone on the fringes of the mafia, like the associate of a connected guy.
Half Piece
A half ounce deal of heroin or cocaine.
Heat
Term used to describe unwanted attention or scrutiny from the law.
Heavy
Slang meaning something serious, or a term for hired muscle. “That’s some heavy shit my brother.”
Heavy Work
Mafia expression for work involving violence and murder. “He may be getting old now but Albert Tieri did a lot of heavy work for the family on his way up.”
Hermano
Spanish word meaning brother, or blood brother.
Hijo De Puta
Spanish insult meaning “Son of a Whore”.
Hip
The state of being fashionable and at the forefront of new trends. “Andy’s a hip guy alright.”
Ho
Street term for a prostitute.
Hodedor
Spanish word meaning hoodlum.
Hog
Black street slang for a large automobile like a Cadillac.
Holding Down
Gang term meaning to control a territory.
Homey, Homes, Homeboy
Terms typically used by black and Latino gang members to refer to other affiliated gang members. “Hey homes where’s the party at.”
Honey
A fine good looking person. A term of endearment. “Oooeeee, she a honey alright.”
Honky, Cracker, White Bread
Derogatory terms used by some black peo�ple at the time for white folk.
Hood
Abbreviation for neighbourhood.
Hooker
Cop term for a prostitute.
Hook Up, Hook Me Up
To meet up or set up a deal. “I need some green now, so hook me up with that dealer you’ve been rapping about.”
Hot
Beautiful and sexy, “She’s hot”, stolen “That tv is as hot as hell”, On form and on a roll, “I’m hot tonight.”
Hot Dogging
Term for showing off behind the wheel of a car, by throwing the car around at speed and pulling handbrake turns etc.
Hot Shot
Slang term with two meanings. It can mean someone who is young flash and talented. “My new lawyer is a hotshot outta Harvard, he blew my last bullshit beef outta the courtroom.” Or it is used to describe a potent uncut dose of heroin deliberately given to a junkie to O.D., and kill him.
Hustle
Being an entrepreneur on the street, which means looking for and taking advantage of opportunities. Begging, borrowing, stealing and cheating are all ways to do this.
Sounds of the Street. I to L.
Ice
Street term for diamonds. “Gee look at all the ice on his fingers, he loaded.”
Iced
Street term for getting killed or murdered.
“Christo got iced in a drive by last night.”
Jack
Nothing, a big fat zero. “Take a walk cos I don’t owe you Jack.”
Jam
A tight spot, a difficult situation from which to get out of. “Phil’s put me in a real jam with this Terry business.”
Jamook
Italian meaning idiot or loser, the one that f~!%s up.
Jefe
Spanish for boss or chief.
Jeva
Spanish meaning girl.
Jive
Street speech, a forerunner to rap in that it quite often rhymes. Comprised of street slang used to impress and put others down.
Can also be a string of B.S. to lie the way out of a situation. “Don’t jive me Trey Parker I ain’t one of your ho’s.”
Jive Turkey
Black expression for a detestable person. ”He’s a low down jive turkey.”
John
A generic term used to describe a customer of a prostitute. “How many Johns you been with tonight.” Also slang for toilet.
The Joint
Prison, the big house.
Jumped In
Expression used by Latino gangs to describe the initiation process of new members into the gang, which involves them being set upon by the other members of the gang for a period of time, taking their beating and fighting back.
Junk
A street term for heroin. “I can’t believe you shoot that junk into your veins.”
Junkie
A completely drug addicted person.
K
A kilo in weight or a thousand bucks. “Theo earned 3K on that last trip.”
Lame
Poor, pitiful, boring uncool and otherwise just bad. “Those sneakers are just lame, where you jack them Homes, off a bum?”
Le Comes El Cerebro
Spanish expression meaning to outsmart or outfox.
Lid
An ounce of marijuana.
Lip
Slang term for a lawyer derived from the fact that they speak for the criminal in court.
Load
Twenty five bindles, wraps, or bags of heroin.
Loaded
Can mean very rich, or alternatively drunk or stoned on drugs.
Loco
Hispanic word for crazy.
Low Budget
Gang expression for something cheap.
Low Down
Street slang for the important facts about someone or something. “Give me the low down on this numbers bank.”
Sounds of the Street. M to O.
Mack Man
Another name for a Pimp.
Madonn
Common Italian expression meaning holy shit, god damn, what the f@#$.
Marano
Spanish for pig and often used to refer to police officers.
Maricon
Spanish for homosexual, and used on the street like “Puto” as an all purpose derogatory comment, whether someone is gay or not.
Maton
Hispanic word for killer.
Me Cago En Tu Madre
Hispanic insult meaning “I shit on your mother.”
Mexican Brown
Brown heroin powder from Mexico.
Mick
Derogatory term for Irish Americans.
Mortadella
Italian word meaning sausage but used in slang to call someone a loser.
Moxie
Word used by Italian, Jews and Anglo Amer�icans meaning courage and daring. “For a small fella you got to admire his moxie.”
On The Lam
Slang expression meaning to leave town and go on the run from the law.
Our Thing
Italian Mafia term for the mafia, it’s busi�nesses and dealings. “You know not to mention our thing don’t you?”
Moyete
Hispanic word for a black person.
Mutt
A derogatory name mostly used by cops and somewhat respectable criminals, for a sleazy, immoral criminal. The type that would rob his own mother. “That one he’s a complete mutt.”
Nickel Bag
A five dollar deal of drugs.
Nigger
Ugly but widely used derogatory word for a black person, used by both blacks and whites.
No Sweat
Term meaning don’t worry everything’s running ok.
Nut
Police and Mob speak for the profit and pay�ment at the end of a deal. “Look I don’t wanna know the details, what’s the nut?”
Nuttin But Gangsta
Street life, keeping it real, 100% criminal.
On the Arm
Italian slang for having something on credit or for free.On The Lam
Slang expression meaning to leave town and go on the run from the law.
Our Thing
Italian Mafia term for the mafia, it’s businesses and dealings. “You know not to mention our thing don’t you?”
Sounds of the Street. P to R.
Packing
Slang for carrying a firearm. “Don’t sweat it homes I’s packing.”
Peckerwood
Derogatory name used by some black peo�ple for white men, based on the belief that they have small genitalia.
Piece
Street term for a handgun. “Hey do you know where I can get a piece?”
Pinched
To get arrested and charged by the cops for an offense. “I got pinched on that one, and did 6 months in the joint.”
Played Out
Expression meaning something has finished, run its course, no longer used.
Pollack
Derogatory term for a Polish American.
Poor White Trash
Derogatory term for low income illiterate white folk.
Pops
Name used by the young for anyone over
over the age of 40. “Take it easy Pops and no one will get hurt.”
Por Vida
Hispanic gang expression meaning for life or always. Often said to pledge undying gang loyalty.
Ports
Gang expression for the windows of automobiles.
Primo
The top, the first, the best, the premiere of its kind. “That coke is primo.”
Prowler/Prowl Car
Street term for a marked police vehicle.
Puneta
Spanish word for jerk off.
Punk
A derogatory name for a stupid petty crimi�nal that usually ends up dead or in jail with�out making much money. “Bones has nothing going on, he’s just a punk.”
Puta
Spanish for Prostitute.
Puto
Spanish for homosexual.
Quarter Piece
A quarter ounce deal of a drug.
Que Pasa
Spanish for what’s happening.
Rack Up
To shoplift in large quantities.
Raise
To praise and flatter someone or something. “All he do is raise her it make me sick.”
Rapping
Black street expression for talking or
telling. “Hey be cool we’s just rapping about the club nuttin else.”
Rat
A criminal that is a police informant, and the practice of providing information to the police about other criminals activities. “We‘ll cut you a deal alright, fully cooperate and rat out the Testa brothers and we’ll go to the D.A. and ask for only 3 years.”
Rattle
Street term used to describe the withdrawl from addictive drugs like heroin. “I need a fix I’m rattling like crazy.”
Ride
A ride or drive in a car. Said often as “That’s a nice ride.”
Road Dog
Gang slang for his closest most trusted friend in the gang, the one who keeps his back and won’t run out on him.
Roll, Rolling
Slang for a particular style of robbing some�one. It is usually used to describe muggings where an old or drunken person is rushed from behind, and “rolled” over before items are taken. “Yeah Pernell and I love rolling drunks, it’s easy money.” Can also mean to hang out or run with someone. “I’s rolling with Dewey again now he back in town.”
Roust
Term used by both police and criminals to describe a street search, questioning and checking out by the Five O. “Naw we didn’t get nowhere last night we got rousted by that cold hearted sonavab#*&& Bosco. We was clean but he told us he’d bust our asses for somin, if we strayed over the tracks again.”
Rug Joint
Italian expression for a plush wall to wall carpeted restaurant, bar, or hotel that has quite a bit of dough invested in it.
Rumble
Street term meaning a gang fight, especially in pre-arranged meetings with fists and weapons.
Sounds of the Street. S
Schmuck
Yiddish word in common usage meaning fool or idiot.
Scratch
Old black term meaning money.
S.M.M.
Sex, Money, Murder. Often gangs have particular motto’s such as this. “S.M.M. baby that’s all there is.”
Score
The value or haul at the end of a job, or to get some drugs from a dealer. “What’s the score from the cigarette truck job?” “Do you know where we can score some weed around here?”
Sell Out
To betray your race, your gang, your neighborhood. To forget who you are and sell out to the mainstream for acceptance. “He ain’t hardcore no more he’s sold out.”
Shakedown
Criminal practice of extorting money from other criminals. Corrupt cops also shake�down criminals. “What is this a shakedown?”
Shank
Home made prison knife also called a shiv.
Shooting Gallery
Place where drugs can be injected.
Short Dog
Slang for a half or quarter bottle of hard liquor.
Shot Caller
Gang member in charge.
Sleeved
To have your arms covered in tattoos.
Slick
Street slang meaning smart and smooth and slippery with it. “Better watch that guy over there Hermano, he real slick.”
Slipping
Expression meaning to stop being switched on, and becoming sloppy.
Snakehead
Name for Chinese gangsters involved in the smuggling for profit of illegal immigrants from China into the U.S.
Snitch
A Police informant. A person who provides information to the police about other criminal’s activities.
Speed Ball
A concoction of heroin and cocaine made up for injection.
Speed Freak
Term for a habitual user of amphetamines.
Spic
Derived from Hispanic this is a derogatory term for Spanish Americans.
Spike
To inject a drug.
Spook
Derogatory term for African Americans.
Soldier
Lowest ranking made member of a Mafia Crime Family also called a button man.
Split
To leave somewhere quickly. “Come on Freddie lets split.”
Spot
To lend or borrow something usually money.
Square
Your average ordinary law abiding working guy with fairly conservative views about life, who leads a very regular and ordered 9 to 5 existence.
Stoned
Slang for being heavily intoxicated from smoking dope.
Stoolie
Short for a stoolpigeon and meaning some�one who supplies information to the cops. “You expect me to believe that Darnell is a stoolie just cos Victor says so.”
Straight
Serious, for real. “Yeah straight.”
Stretch
Term of imprisonment. “Tony’s looking at a long stretch for that bank job.”
Sucker
A fool or idiot, a person that falls for an obvious scam or trick.
Sugar
A term of affection, “Come on sugar go out with me”, or being real nice to someone to get something, “You’re going to have to sugar her real good to change her mind on that.”
Sup
Street gang for “Whats up.”
Swag
Stolen goods. “Youse don’t worry ya self, I’ve already got a connection lined up that I can pass off the swag to.”
Sweet
Something that works out real well. “If Lenny comes across with the dough that’ll be real sweet.”
Switched On
Alert and tuned into the street.
Sounds of the Street. T to Z.
Take it Light
Slang expression meaning take it easy.
Taste
A cut off the top of a score or racket for a third party, usually a boss.
Tax
The practice of one usually more powerful criminal charging another criminal a fee, or more often a percentage of his action to freely operate in an area or business he con�trols. “10% is a fair tax, You can tell Tony I agree to it.”
Tecato
Spanish word for heroin addict.
The Life
Italian slang for a life in crime or the Mafia. “I’m sick of the life I want out.” Can also be used by any hustler or street person to describe their situation.
Thumper
Gang term for a gun.
Thunder
Gang expression meaning heavy violence, wreaking havoc. “Get yo gauge ese there’s going to be some thunder.”
To The Curb
Broke no money, no drugs.
To The Max
Trendy hip speak meaning to the utmost. “We’re going to party to the max.”
Track
The strip or block on which prostitutes do their business. Often prostitutes don’t loiter on the corner but continuously walk a circuit in an area with a reputation, hence their tag street walkers. “Hey did I tell you, you better done get yo ass back on that track and git me my money b!~~@.”
Trash
A person or thing that is useless, worthless and completely bad or to make something that way. Often heard as “He ain’t nothing more than poor white trash” or “Trash the place.”
Trey Eight
Gang term for a .38 revolver.
Tripping, Trip
The experience of being under the influence of L.S.D. “That was one freaky trip, the walls were melting.”
Tumbe
Spanish term meaning a con taken from the words literal meaning to knock down.
Turf
An area or territory controlled by a gang. “They shoulda known that if they wandered onto our turf there’d be trouble.”
Vamos
Spanish for go, move. “Vamos Puneta.”
Vato
Hispanic word for guy, dude. “Hey vato where do you think you is going?”
W.A.S.P
Stands for White Anglo Saxon Protestant and things associated with that culture. Usually used to describe rich educated white folk that live in Mansions.
Wearing It
Italian Mafia expression meaning to flaunt one’s success by wearing $800 dollar suits, diamond pinky rings, Piaget watches, and hand made Italian leather loafers. It is also used to describe the flash bravado that goes with it.
Wet Em’ Up
Gang slang for making someone bleed.
Whack
To kill someone over a dispute or problem. Usually planned, set up, and carried out by a hit man. Gangsters mostly use this phrase. “He could rat us out, we’re going to have to whack him.”
Wheelman
A getaway driver on a job.
Wiseguy
A fully fledged member of the La Cosa Nostra or Mafia as it is better known.
Word
Black expression meaning ok, alright, stay righteous.
Whup
To physically beat someone. Said often as “I’m going to whup your ass.”
Wop
Derogatory term for Italian Americans.
Yard
Term meaning one hundred dollars.
Yid
Short for Yiddish and a derogatory word for a Jew, as is Hebe.
Y Que
Spanish for “So what?” or “What are you go�ing to do about it?”
Lastly, here is a sort of common sense guide.
A smart operator does the following:
Wears gloves on jobs.
Cases the joint before pulling off a job.
Doesn’t work with flaky dudes.
Wears a mask or stocking to hide his identity.
Has a very good criminal lawyer on retainer, that can put the fix in for the right price.
Gets an accomplice to make hoax calls to the cops, to put them on the wrong side of town when the job goes down.
Commits crimes when the cops are all in the precinct on the shift crossover.
Sits in a bar with his eye on the door and his back to the wall.
Tidies up loose ends that could incriminate him at a later date.
Cuts phone lines to a house before burglarizing it.
Sorts out an alibi before going on a job.
Sneak kills rivals from behind, when they aren’t prepared for or expecting it.
Does not flash the cash and draw attention to himself.
Uses public payphones when discussing business.
Checks under his car for bombs.
Has a crooked cop in his pocket to provide information and tip offs on his enemies.
Checks people out for wire taps.
Changes their day to day routine to avoid an easy set up.
Makes charitable gestures in his neighborhood to keep the people on his side.
Meets other criminals whose motives are suspicious in crowded places.
Loads a gun wearing gloves, so as not to leave fingerprints on the shell casings.
Uses a shotgun to rub his enemies out, safe in the knowledge that shotguns firing shot have no ballistics, and cannot be identified back to the gun used.
Has a stash of cash safely put away for emergencies.
Always takes precious stones out of their settings so that they can’t be identified.
Has a hideout all set up to lie low in should things go insane.
Checks his phones for bugs.
Employs counter surveillance techniques when moving around to clean any tails.
Pay stooges and mules sucker money to take all the risks.
Tips generously to barmen, waiters and valets for their services, so that he has grateful people who will want to tip him off about cops and rivals, nosing around after his whereabouts.
Gets people indebted to him so that he can always call in a favor they won’t be able to refuse.
Sits in the rear of a car when going on a ride with friends.
Does not make large $10,000 deposits at his local bank as the IRS have to be informed, and they’re worse than the Feds.
Never lets his enemies or associates know what he is really thinking.
When planning a bank job or other big commercial score, uses a crash car to create a traffic accident, to block the approach route of the cops.
When carrying out a hit puts three “to be sures” in the victim’s head.
Changes the M.O. of his crimes to avoid profiling.
Has a secret garage lock-up under a false name.
Does not hurt cops, district attorneys or judges if they can help it, due to the massive heat that this brings down on everyone. Guys have been given up, or whacked out by their associates to pull the cops off.
Burns out or crushes vehicles after using them on jobs.
Dumps a gun after using it.
Takes care of problems before they take care of him.
I know that this was a lot of information, but I had it available to me, and wanted to share it. I did not write this stuff. I certainly don't expect this level of text output from you in your posts, but I like a bit of research in my games.
As I wrote earlier, you have a few days before we start. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have.
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Picking out my $150 of starting equipment right now, I came across a few things that I wanted to pick up that weren't listed in your lists. I assumed that the "Warm Up Suit" in the Men's Department would encompass the windbreaker that I wanted as well as a pair of jogging pants, so that's taken care of (unless I'm wrong) but what about a Maglite? I'm sure they had them back in the 70s and a flashlight would be an important part of my gear, especially as it doubles as a melee weapon or window-breaker in a pinch. :)
Also, am *I* supposed to detail what ended me up in the slammer to start with or did you have some plan for that?
EDIT: One more question - Hotwiring a car. Would that be Larceny or Crafts(Auto)? I checked the WoD book up and down but couldn't find any actual rules for Hotwiring. The big thing is that Larceny is a Physical skill while Crafts is a Mental skill. Are you going to run it as Dex + Larceny or Int(Wits?) + Crafts? There may be some shifting of points based on this issue (since I put a specialty in Hotwiring under Larceny but may need to move it). Also, if Crafts will be used, then I don't really have a good reason for having Larceny 3 as pickpocketing and lockpicking were never really a big part of this character's M.O. (though he is certainly still quite capable at them if needed).
Picking out my $150 of starting equipment right now,
Anything that is handed to you in that box will be pretty tame. Nothing like a weapon or incriminating tool. If they found any of the tools of your job on you, you would have gone down for more than three years.
I came across a few things that I wanted to pick up that weren't listed in your lists. I assumed that the "Warm Up Suit" in the Men's Department would encompass the windbreaker that I wanted as well as a pair of jogging pants, so that's taken care of (unless I'm wrong)
Sounds fine to me.
but what about a Maglite? I'm sure they had them back in the 70s and a flashlight would be an important part of my gear, especially as it doubles as a melee weapon or window-breaker in a pinch. :)
Your lawyer claimed you had very weak night vision, and got an alcoholic optometrist to swear to it. Cost a case of bourbon. You can have a maglite in the box.
Maglite: Perfect timing.LIGHTING THE PATH TO SUCCESS
As his company grew, Maglica set his sights on designing and manufacturing a new and improved flashlight. Initially targeted for the public safety sector, the Maglite® flashlight was introduced in 1979. Police officers, firefighters and mechanics quickly spread the word about this rugged, reliable anodized aluminum flashlight, which would change the portable lighting industry forever.
Also, am *I* supposed to detail what ended me up in the slammer to start with or did you have some plan for that?
You went in for conspiracy to commit a felony robbery. Charges of carrying a concealed weapon (Screwdriver)and obstructing justice (Lying through your teeth and digesting the paperwork) were dropped. You have been inside for two years, eleven months at the start of the game. You will start inside Greenhaven Maximum Penitentiary in NY City.
EDIT: One more question - Hotwiring a car.
Dex+larceny+equipment for familiar models. Wits+larceny+equipment for the unfamiliar or specially secured, as that can't be done by feel.
You can definitely have a specialty, but the game will be a bit more fun for you if you are a versatile crook, who can do whatever comes by, and pounce on any opportunity. The game will present chances to do a wide range of illegal business, and a motivation to stay on your toes. If all he does is steal car, rinse, repeat, that may be realistic, but it puts a damper on the range possible. Most criminals are not specialists. They are opportunists instead.
I've tweaked a few things. Changed the Allies from Criminal to Legal, moved the specialty from Drive to Subterfuge. The new specialty is 'Denial' which I take it to mean whenever he's confronted with a situation in which he stands accused of something, he is able to deny it with a straight face, regardless of whether or not he actually did it.
I was not planning on having any of my "tools of the trade" in the box, but you mentioned "having a few things outside in storage." I'm wondering what kinds of things you're talking about here? Could I have a car in storage? Or is that something of too high a value? I'm trying to get a feel for what value these outside items can have before I decide on them.
You can have a car, with some stuff in the boot. Shoot for less than $125. You have no weapons, except maybe, a tire iron. Part of the start of the game will be getting geared up, and, like a first level adventurer, doing the jobs that get you started. In resources terms, All of your assets add up to $250. Thanks for adapting.
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Still more equipment questions. I managed to finish the equipment that's in the box, now I'm moving on to what might be in the car.
First of all, how much would it cost for an emergency road kit? By this, I mean one of those kits with a couple of road flares, a pop-up reflector, a set of jumper cables, and maybe a can of fix-a-flat (not sure if they had that in the 70s). Also, I'm looking for a couple of heavy blankets. What's the approximate cost on those? I'm looking for the heavy wool blankets because New York can be a terribly cold place. Finally, a spare tire, a small set of mechanics tools (socket wrenches, etc.), and a tire iron will round out my list of stuff that's in the car. Just get back to me on the cost please. I'm almost finished.
Filled out the address book. Hopefully it works for what you have in mind. Also, I did some additional tweaking. I decided to get 1 Legal Ally and 1 Criminal Ally, so that refunded 2 xp back to me, which I combined with the 1 I already had and bought my Drive Specialty back.
Call it forty bucks the lot. The blankets are dark green. Fix-a-flat is very hard to find good info about online. I cannot find out when it was invented, and have never lived in a country where it is for sale. If you think it was around in 1979, it is...
1970 Chevy Impala, 4dr. V8 automatic $595. Sounds perfect. You got Marlene to get the car and put it in storage. She parked it in her garage instead. She told you about doing so, during a visit about two years ago. she visits about every two months or so, when she goes out to Dutchess County anyway to visit her ex husband. He found Jesus and gin at roughly the same time, and could never handle her past.
Your contact list is great. One change will be that your mafia contact is an associate, not a made man. He is an associate of the Bonanno crew, and is working hard to get a button. He doesn't like Bonanno underboss Carmine Galante, even thogh he technically reports to him. He hates that money goes up the chain, but he never sees much coming back down.
I will put up the first post tonight.
Call it forty bucks the lot. The blankets are dark green. Fix-a-flat is very hard to find good info about online. I cannot find out when it was invented, and have never lived in a country where it is for sale. If you think it was around in 1979, it is...
1970 Chevy Impala, 4dr. V8 automatic $595. Sounds perfect. You got Marlene to get the car and put it in storage. She parked it in her garage instead. She told you about doing so, during a visit about two years ago. she visits about every two months or so, when she goes out to Dutchess County anyway to visit her ex husband. He found Jesus and gin at roughly the same time, and could never handle her past.
Your contact list is great. One change will be that your mafia contact is an associate, not a made man. He is an associate of the Bonanno crew, and is working hard to get a button. He doesn't like Bonanno underboss Carmine Galante, even thogh he technically reports to him. He hates that money goes up the chain, but he never sees much coming back down.
I will put up the first post tonight.
This looks like it's going to be a gorgeous story. I'm one of Fatey's RL friends, so I'm curious to see how this all turns out, and was going to Bookmark the IC thread and keep up. Is the thread already made?
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Okay, final tweaking is done. Just gotta actually put the backstory into words and get it on there. I ended up undershooting my alloted starting cash, so I just took about 50% of the "leftover" money you alloted me in cash if that's okay. I figure it wouldn't be unreasonable that he may have had a couple twenties on him when he got caught.
Fix-a-flat is very hard to find good info about online. I cannot find out when it was invented, and have never lived in a country where it is for sale. If you think it was around in 1979, it is...
I know it was around in the late 80s, but I have no idea about the late 70s. I decided to just err on the side of caution and took it as a "tire patching kit." Basically a few rubber patches with a super-strong rubber-cement-like adhesive that you can use to slap on a punctured tire and at least get it far enough to have it properly repaired/replaced. I threw in a handheld tire pump too. Call it $20. One of those ones you put your foot on and pump like crazy for 10 minutes. :)
I was all set to type up a lengthy introduction and start the game off tonight, but life is intervening. I will not have time tomorrow. I work eight hours on Saturdays. I will not be able to post much on Sunday either, as I have my meatspace D&D game then. It is looking like Monday night, Beijing time, around 11:00 for the start of the game. I have done my research, at least, and have the broad brushstrokes of the setting down. Sorry to delay, but I just won't have the energy to do it properly if I do it now.
We have a beautiful monsoon downpour outside. I am on the top floor of a sixteen storey building, watching the rain splatter on my window. We had a mild earthquake earlier. I love Taiwan sometimes.
I'm one of Fatey's RL friends, so I'm curious to see how this all turns out, and was going to Bookmark the IC thread and keep up. Is the thread already made?
Not yet. This consensual hallucination is still under construction. Reticulating underworld splines...
Our game thread is up. You can find it here:
This is for reference, as I will have this thread open, and can check for dice rolling and details as I need them.
About Robert "Robbie" Evenwood
Quote: "Nice car. You got insurance?"
Background: Work in progress.
Description: 5'10" Caucasian male with light brown hair and green eyes, weighing about 125 lbs. He typically wears very casual, loose-fitting street clothes (often with a dusky blue windbreaker on cooler nights) and maintains a goatee on his somewhat rugged face. Though only 28 years old, Robbie appears to be in his mid-30s due to the rough life and hard drugs that he's experienced over the years.
Attributes:
Mental: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social: Presence 3, Manipulation 2, Composure 3
Skills:
Mental: Crafts(Automotive) 3, Investigation 1
Physical: Athletics 3, Brawl 2, Drive(Shaking Tails) 3, Firearms 2, Larceny(Hotwiring) 3, Weaponry 1
Social: Animal Ken 1, Intimidation 2, Persuasion 2, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge(Denial) 2
Merits: Stunt Driver (3), Fleet of Foot (2), Direction Sense (1), Quick Draw (Firearm) (1), Allies (Legal) (1), Allies (Criminal) (1), Contacts (Criminals) (1)
Willpower: 5 (5)
Virtue: Temperance
Vice: Envy
Initiative: 6
Defense: 3
Speed: 13
Health: 8
Equipment:
Personal:
Spoiler:
Toothbrush
Shiv
Orange Overalls
Deck of Playing Cards
2 oz. dope
3 packs of cigarettes
Address Book
Sneakers
Warm-up suit (includes windbreaker)
Western Flare jeans
Heavyweight Field Gloves
Crew Socks (3 pair)
Underwear (3 pair)
Knit Shirt
Aspirin (100 ct.)
Hair brush
Right Guard deodorant
Radio Watch (time/date)
Maglite flashlight
On/In Car (1970 Chevy Impala, 4dr. V8 automatic):
Spoiler:
Senturion Mobile Radar Sentry
Heavy Wool Blankets (2)
Emergency Road kit w/flares and reflector
Tire patching kit
Handheld tire pump
Tire iron
Spare tire
Small set of mechanic's tools
Money/Valuables: $45.50 cash
Address Book contents:
Spoiler:
Marlene Evenwood - Robbie's sister; a former prostitute who cleaned up her act in the early 70s and has since gotten an entry-level job with the DA's office. (Ally)
Maxwell "Mack" Davis - Robbie's high school friend; a black man with whom Robbie spent much of his teenage years working on cars and committing petty crimes. He now owns and operates his own garage downtown and has mostly gotten out of crime, though he wouldn't be opposed to getting his hands dirty for a friend. (Ally)
Jeff MacDermott - Robbie's former roommate; a frequent dope user, Jeff maintained a job as a gas station attendant in Brooklyn during the few years that they lived together. He still lives in the same apartment that they shared before Robbie went to prison but has invited his girlfriend Sarah to take Robbie's place and help with rent.
Vincent "Vic" D'Antony - Robbie's former employer; an associate of the Bonanno crew, Vic always had a fondness for Robbie's skills behind the wheel and often recruited him for wheelman duty to help his boys pull off some of their trickier jobs.
Jacob Rowling - chopshop operator; a freelance chopshop owner from Britain servicing most of Queens, Jacob is a savvy man who knows when something is too hot to touch and when to shell out a bit of green for something he wants.
Susanna Houseman - prostitute; the woman who took Robbie's virginity at age 18 thanks to a hefty payment from one of his buddies, Robbie always kept her number and formed a bond with her that was somewhere between professional and personal. She always managed to stay abreast of the local street scene and knew what many of the local crime lords were up to due to her charming skill at... "conversation."
James Johnson, "Jimmy John" or "JJ" - drug dealer; a Jamaican man who has lived in the city almost as long as Robbie has been alive, JJ always has a quality selection of dope available for the right price.
Ralph Emerson - Robbie's older cousin; a former police captain, Ralph retired while Robbie was in jail after 20 years on the force. While he has no actual pull in the police any more, he possesses valuable information about police protocol. Still, he does not really condone Robbie's lifestyle and would never actively aid a criminal... but he might let some useful info slip if he thought it would help Robbie turn his life in the right direction and keep him out of jail.
Craig Marshall - car thief; one of Robbie's old acquaintences, Craig works for a Mafia don to pull off especially difficult jobs and taught Robbie much of what he knows in the art of hotwiring. Still, he is sometimes in need of Robbie's competant skills to supplement his own for especially big jobs.
Rufus Goldberg - pawn shop owner; no stranger to the purchase of stolen goods, this savvy shopkeeper on Market Street keeps an open mind with regards to acquisitions... and often has an assortment of illegal goods to those customers who know how to ask.
Experience History:
Current: 75
Remaining: 0
Expenditures:
Drive 2 > 3 (9 xp)
Firearms 1 > 2 (6 xp)
Stamina 2 > 3 (12 xp)
Presence 2 > 3 (12 xp)
Subterfuge 0 > 1 (3 xp)
Subterfuge 1 > 2 (6 xp)
Larceny 2 > 3 (9 xp)
Allies (legal) 0 > 1 (2 xp)
Allies (criminal) 0 > 1 (2 xp)
Contacts 0 > 1 (2 xp)
Wits 2 > 3 (9 xp)
Drive Specialty (Shaking Tails) (3 xp)
Brief History. Let me know if there's any issues with it.
Born on March 18th, 1951 to Carl and Marilyn Evenwood in Fayetteville, NC, Robert Evenwood was the youngest of three children. His family owned a small plot of farmland just outside of town upon which his father grew a substantial tobacco crop that provided for the family's wellbeing after Carl returned from his service in the U.S. Military during WWII in 1942. Robert was raised well, helping his father with farmwork and learning about engines and machines from his older brother Thomas, who was aspiring to be a helicopter pilot in the Army. Though his family was attentive to his needs, Thomas was both the oldest and favored child. He took to his schooling with exceptional skill and consistantly performed above and beyond his classmates, graduating with honors and entering officer's training for the U.S. Military in 1962. When the Vietnam conflict erupted in 1964, Thomas was sent off to war and died from a Vietnamese grenade in Summer of 1966. He was only 22 years old.
Robbie's parents were devastated when the news reached them. His mother committed suicide only a few days later, further damaging his father's emotional state. Depression caused Carl to turn to drinking, eventually selling off the farm to settle his debts in winter of 1967 and moving himself and two children to New York City where he intended to live off of his Army pension for the rest of his life. He abused his children, chastising Robbie frequently because he never performed as well as his older brother in school and often beating him for petty offenses. His sister began working as a prostitute to escape the abuse, shacking up with a pimp by the name of Joey Simone. She worked the streets during the prime of her life, preferring the company of strangers to that of her own family. Robbie, however, had no alternatives. He began hanging out with a group of misfits at school, getting indoctrinated into the world of drugs and alcohol at a young age. Soon, he became involved in the local street gangs, eventually working up the strength to murder his own father in January of 1969, only 2 months before his 18th birthday.
The state-appointed defense attorney played well upon the history of abuse Robbie and his sister had suffered and was able to convince the jury that it was simply a case of aggravated self-defense. Still a minor (though barely), Robbie served 2 months in juvenile hall and was released on his 18th birthday into his sister's care. His sister and a few of the gang-bangers he had hooked up with in school. Providing for her brother was more difficult than Marlene could have imagined, and Robbie helped her in whatever ways he could to pay the bills, often taking temporary jobs with local garages or simply stealing and pawning valuables when times were especially rough.
Marlene finally hit it off with a member of the Gambino crew who was pleased with her services and offered to "buy her freedom" by offing her pimp for her if she would marry him. She agreed and the job was done. The man, now her husband, was one of the Gambino underbosses by the name of Anthony and he learned about Robbie's aptitude for crime from Marlene. He was especially interested in the young thief, taking him in and teaching him "the ropes" of the business and got him a few connections to get him started. Marlene, meanwhile, lived the easy life for several years as the wife of a wealthy crime boss. That all came to a tragic end in 1972, however, when a rival gang shot Anthony and several of his closest affiliates to death at a nightclub. Having suffered far too many violent tragedies in her life, Marlene decided once and for all that she was done with crime and secured herself a position with the New York DA's office. Robbie, however, had made a name for himself with the Gambinos due to his connection with Anthony and he wasn't about to give up the fast track to criminal success. A few years of fast jobs and dirty money had Robbie well-established but always looking for another score. One job went south, however, and the rest is history...
Absolutely perfect. Fantastic work. It opens up a lot of things for us.
Absolutely perfect. Fantastic work. It opens up a lot of things for us.
Just noticed a mistake I made. In this paragraph:
The state-appointed defense attorney played well upon the history of abuse Robbie and his sister had suffered and was able to convince the jury that it was simply a case of aggravated self-defense. Still a minor (though barely), Robbie served 2 months in juvenile hall and was released on his 18th birthday into his sister's care. His sister and a few of the gang-bangers he had hooked up with in school. Providing for her brother was more difficult than Marlene could have imagined, and Robbie helped her in whatever ways he could to pay the bills, often taking temporary jobs with local garages or simply stealing and pawning valuables when times were especially rough.
The bolded sentence shouldn't be in there. That was part of something else that I was going to write in but decided against it. Evidently, I didn't quite delete all of it. Robbie did not move in with his sister and a bunch of gang-bangers. Just his sister. :)
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I've got some questions before I start making deals with these guys. First of all, what is my character's dope income like? Is it both marijuana and heroin? Something else? Only one or the other?
Also, what is the "norm" for what these guys are asking? Do they deal in money? Goods? Protection services only? These guys are asking for a cut of what I make, so I need to know how much I make, how much I can spare, and all of that good stuff. Thanks!
Not much. Everybody is assuming that you are trading bigger than you are. You get a variable selection from warden Penny. It works out to about one fix of heroin per day, and enough dope for two small joints a day.
Street value about forty dollars a week.
Half the heroin goes to Terry. The other half is sold to different fiends, at your discretion.
The dope is mostly for personal use, and for small favours.
Sometimes it goes dry for a couple of weeks, so you stockpile a little.
There is not really much action there at all, but because you spread it out, people think there is.
The Panther-Zion alliance will want to pay in cash, or cigarettes. They probably want a 30% disount, as a sixty percent mark-up is normal inside.
Fatespinner. How often will you be able to post? Are you primarily posting from work, and thus cannot post on weekends, or was this an exception to the rule for you? Please let me know what your posting schedule is likely to be, and inform me if you need a break.
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Fatespinner. How often will you be able to post? Are you primarily posting from work, and thus cannot post on weekends, or was this an exception to the rule for you? Please let me know what your posting schedule is likely to be, and inform me if you need a break.
I'm primarily posting from work, but the last couple weeks have been a little busy so I try to find time in the evenings. I'm not usually around on weekends. Sorry about that. I'll usually make an effort to check up on this thread from home on a regular basis, however, and may make weekend posts on occassion.
Thank you.
It has been a while since I posted. Sorry to keep you waiting. I am very busy at work. More busy than I thought I would be. I am going to need a bit of time to get my grading done. It is crunch time at the school I teach at. I will be able to split my focus and get back into this game by next week friday, the end of semester, and key in. Until then, I will be dipping in to Paizo occasionally, but will only be PBP'ing my group game.
See you back here on the 26th of June. Thank you for your patience.
I will be in Africa for three weeks in July. The 4th to the 25th. Internet access is not a given, while I am there. Just letting you know in advance.
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It has been a while since I posted. Sorry to keep you waiting. I am very busy at work. More busy than I thought I would be. I am going to need a bit of time to get my grading done. It is crunch time at the school I teach at. I will be able to split my focus and get back into this game by next week friday, the end of semester, and key in. Until then, I will be dipping in to Paizo occasionally, but will only be PBP'ing my group game.
See you back here on the 26th of June. Thank you for your patience.
I will be in Africa for three weeks in July. The 4th to the 25th. Internet access is not a given, while I am there. Just letting you know in advance.
No problem, just means I've got a little time to get some of my own work done. :)
I eagerly await your return.
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Just out of curiosity here, assuming that his sister's death is not an elaborate hoax, am I going to get an option to replace the dot of Ally that I spent on her? I'm totally fine if you want to "upgrade" one of Robbie's other address book contacts to "Ally" status (I'm thinking the prostitute whom he has a pseudo-romantic interest with might be a good candidate). If you've got other plans, no need to spoil things for me, I was just wondering.
EDIT: Also, just auditing my own character sheet, I realize that I improperly recorded my XP expenses. I recorded Wits 2 > 3 as 9xp when it should have been 12xp. I'm considering reducing Larceny to 2 (refunding 9xp), paying my 3xp deficit, and then spending the remaining 6xp on.... something. :) Would that be okay with you?
EDIT #2: I've decided that I'd want to spend the 6xp on the third dot of the "Fleet of Foot" merit. Maybe Robbie performed well on the track team in high school?