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[lawastooshort]

Do you want to save the British Empire? Do you want to defeat those blasted foreigners? Did you go to Eton?

Roll to Be a Gentleman Spy
 
The year is 1906.
 
The year of the Dreadnought and of the first Viking submarine!
The year of the first aeroplane flight in Europe!
The year of the first recorded weaponisation of Nazi monkey brains!
 
The year of a nascent arms race between the British and the Germans, and the year when the British Empire realised that a new branch of the Admiralty was needed to combat the growing Prussian threat in the East: MI:G – Military Intelligence Gentlemen. A force of the Empire’s Finest, to cope with matters beyond the purview of regular police and intelligence services. A force of British Gentlemen, trained both to be and to protect the future of Great Britain and her Empire through the rigours of Rugby, grouse shooting, and commanding butlers.

Spoiler: Rules, edited Jan 2012 (click to show/hide)

Simple and based on a traditional d6 RTD roll. No stats.

Combat will from now on be handled thus:

[Attacker d6] - [Defender d6] = [Damage]

Injuries
--------
Light Bleeding: 10 healing points. [-1 HP per turn]
Fracture: Requires medical attention and 20 healing points.
Heavy Bleeding: Requires medical attention and 20 healing points. [-5 HP per turn]
Very Heavy Bleeding: Requires skilled medical attention and 30 healing points. [-20 HP per turn]
Broken Bones: Requires skilled medical attention, then 40 healing points.
Missing Limb: Never heals, obviously.
---------
You make a healing roll each turn after an injury has been sustained; the amount you roll is added to your healing points, and the wound disappears when you have enough. For major wounds (anything above light bleeding), you can't make healing rolls until you've received the appropriate medical attention. Only doctors can provide skilled medical attention properly, anyone else gets a -2 to first aid rolls, although the application of brandy can add +1. Bleeding injuries drain health, of which each player starts with a maximum of 100. If a player has no bleeding injuries, they regain 4 hitpoints per turn.

Thank you Gatleos.

Spoiler: Character Sheet (click to show/hide)

Name: This is obviously your name. The right name is important.
Nationality: You are either English, at a pinch Scottish, or a Heathen whoops I mean from another country and hoping for the honour of serving His Majesty the King, although let's face it old boy, that might not be enough to wipe away the shame of being Foreign. It's optional, and if it's blank you'll be assumed to be English.
Relation: You must surely be well connected to have been invited for this honour. Also optional.
Skill: A skill that you have learnt – offering you +1 in attempting this kind of thing (say, Revolver (although that's not especially Gentlemanly), Horse riding, Speaking at Commoners, etc.). Can also later be learnt through your Gentlemanly espionage-based experiences.
Trait: A natural trait – offering you +1 in certain things (for example, Having a Stiff Upper Lip, Naturally Good at Talking to Ladies, Do You Know Who My Father Is? and so on). Can also later be acquired, or discovered, through your Gentlemanly responses to the whims of fortune.
Item: Your signature (and sole, for now) inventory item. Probably a cigarette holder.

Bio: Entirely optional, although if convincing I might add a skill or trait (whether bad or good - I get to decide).

As a Gentleman you have a Reputation to uphold and which is affected by your actions - if they are found out about. This will, RPG-like, affect some of your interactions with people, and probably the amount of medals and titles the King awards you. If you weren't a Gentleman you'd consider it something to boast about.
Gentlemanliness: This is a measure of how much of a gentleman you are. The higher it is, the more likely you are to get into exclusive clubs. It starts at 5. It could go down; it will go up. Hopefully. At a certain point the King is bound to notice your elevated gentlemanliness.
Caddishness: If you have a reputation of being quite a cad and ungentlemanly you won’t be getting into any clubs. You don’t see the Prussians relaxing at the Turf Club do you! I say old chap. It starts at 0. If it was much higher you wouldn't be playing cards here, your father would probably have arranged for you to do service in India. And damned right too. It will also sometimes effect the likelihood of your gentlemanly abilities working, or rather not working, or even backfiring.

As for clothing, a Savile Row tailored suit at the very least is assumed. A hat is obligatory, out of doors.



An example:
Name: Gerald Smythington-Smythe.
Nationality: English.
Relation: The Duke of Exeter is his uncle.
Skill: Particularly good at Whist (+1 to playing whist)
Trait: Actually Quite Bright (+1 to intelligence based checks)
Item: A cigarette holder.

Bio: You went to Eton too? I say! Gerald was a boxing Champ at Eton - now that's a sport for men. Wears a particularly expensive Savile Row tailored suit, and a hat worth several hundred pounds.

Gentlemanliness: 5.
Caddishness: 0.

Spoiler: Notes (click to show/hide)

I will show the dice rolls relating to the main actions but probably keep the rest hidden. I welcome suggestions, requests, and constructive criticism. However, I am the GM, and Gentlemanly Spying is a dangerous occupation. Your evening jacket may get damaged and it would be unseemly to complain.

The rules will be simple and the numbers limited (5) and any slight errors will have to be forgiven. There is, however, a story. It may involve Viking submarines, scheming Prussians, and Zeppelin chases. It will involve port, cigars, and stiff upper lips.

Please try to bold your actions, it'll be easier for me. Thanks.

[lawastooshort]

Current Gentlemen

2 - areyoua
Name: Winston Smith

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: American
Skills: We Carry Large Sticks (+1 with blunt weaponry), Knowledge of the English Gentleman (+1 to discerning real English Gentlemen), Walking Bat Stick Deflection (+1 to avoiding missile fire when wielding a walking bat stick, A little more expertise in the art of walking bat stick bullet deflection, Baseball Cricket Fatality! (+1 to Weaponised Baseball Cricket!)

Traits: We Never Lost a War!(yet) (+1 when obviously losing), Fallible Pedant! (-1 to Pedantry), Fatally Bad Doctor! (-1 to Medic type rolls), Not a Zoologist! (-1 to Zoology rolls)

Items: A Walking Bat Stick Capable of Serious Bodily Harm, an Umbrella, a Fine German Sword, Masterwork Top Hat! (+1 to Gentlemanliness when worn), Mysterious Ancient Bagpipes, French-English Dictionary

Gentlemanliness: 9 (10 with Top Hat) (Duels = 1/1).
Caddishness: 4.

Bio: On loan from the United States Marshals. By on loan, I mean that he resigned after "accidentally" clubbing a fugitive to death. In his defense, he did it in self-defense and was even acquitted, but you know how the courts are. One charge, and you're mistrusted for the rest of your days.

3 - _DivideByZero_
Name: William Wellington

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: English
Skills: A Quite Talented Salesman (+1 to persuasion), Top Hats (+1 to Top Hat wearing), Top Hat Black Belt (+1 to Top Hat Fu), Airship Pilotage.

Traits: Top hat Acquisition (+1 to acquiring a Top Hat through any means), Extraordinarily Convincing (+1 to convincing)

Items: Two Fine Duelling Pistols (with case).

Gentlemanliness: 11. (Duels = 1/1)
Caddishness: 0.

Wound Acquired: None.

Bio: A hat salesman who became famous for his stylish implementation of top hats.

5 - Geen
Name: Henry McGeenyton

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: English
Relation: A gentleman descended from a long line of tophat-wearing warriors, ninjas, and knights. His father invented the monocle.
Skills: Graceful combat (+1 to Gentlemanly forms of combat, AKA fencing, pistol duels, using a sword-cane, etc.) Monocles (+1 to Monocle wearing), Tedious Oratory! (+1 to chance of speeches taking so long the enemy is negatively affected. Increases chances of Death by Dull Conversation).

Traits: Refined Accent (+1 to vocal and social interactions with the distinguished), Particularly Calm (+1 to remaining calm)

Items: Monocle, (Two Duelling Swords, a Revolver, both temporarily impounded by Swiss Customs), Double Barreled Walking Stick With Tartan Trim.

Wound Acquired! Severely bruised cheek.

Gentlemanliness: 13. (duels = 2/2)
Caddishness: 2.

Bio: A middle-aged man, descended from a line of inventors, psychopaths, and warriors. Often wears a top-hat and a monocle, preferring it to those barbarian bowler hats. Has a moderate amount of experience in espionage, prefering grace to brute force. Has a taste for tea and biscuits, but dislikes coffee.

6 - Scriver
Name: August von Fersen

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: Swedish
Relation: Surely you've heard of my father, who made a career in the Royal Army?
Skills: Enthusiastic Hunter (+1 to Gun Use), Well-Versed with Pipes (+1 to Pipe Holding), Tremendous Orator (+1 to Speeches), Masterful Pipe Holding (+1 to Gentlemanliness whilst holding a pipe), Fleetfooted Tenacity of the Swedish Elk (+1 to fast stealthy movement across difficult ground), a Modicum of Knowledge in the Area of Medicine.

Traits: It Runs in the Family (+1 to interacting with ladies and gentlemen-of-certain-disposition), Published Poet, Dangerous Misfires (+1 to chance of exploding guns causing injury), Knowledge of the Elk (+1 to Elk knowledge rolls).

Item: 11 Shotgun Shells, Umbrella-Sword, Copy of Gentleman Hunter’s Weekly, Fine Hunting Rifle,  Masterwork Gold Eye Patch (+1 to Gentlemanliness when worn), Finely Crafted Pipe, Swedish-Dutch Dictionary, a Magnum Revolver, Exquisitely Crafted Letter of Apology.

Bio: Unlike his father, who forged a career for himself in Her Majesty's Army, and two older brothers, both concerned with politics and estate, August preferred a more leisurely life, of art, gambling, smoking, hunting, and women, and general leeching of his family. Eventually getting fed up with this unproductive conduct, his father used his contacts to send him abroad, hoping it would finally give him some character, or at least get him out of the way for some time.
 
Wound Acquired Left Eye Blown Clean Off.
Gentlemanliness: 16 (17 with Eye Patch), (+1 with a pipe). (duels = 1/1)
Caddishness: 2.

Roll of Honour: The Gentlemanly Deceased

4 - Firelordsky
Name: Thomas Wallace - died for the King in the heat of battle, of self-inflicted bowling-ball-on-a-chain induced wounds.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: Scottish
Relation: He was the great-great-great-great-great-great-greatgrandson of William Wallace who is known for his gentlemenliness throughout England
Skills: En Garde!!! (+1 to duelling), Ghostly Apparition (+1 to causing ghostly suggestions)
Traits: Flexible (+1 to getting into tight spaces), Left Handed (+1 to being left-handed), Ghost
Items: Blood Covered Evening Jacket

Wound Acquired! Shattered Thigh! Severe Difficulty Standing!
Wound Acquired! Particularly Bad Whiplash! Unpleasant Headache!
Wound Acquired! Injured Spine! Difficulty Moving!
Wound Acquired! Broken Left Arm! Unable to Hold Objects!
Wound Acquired! Broken Right Arm! Unable to Hold More Objects!
Wound Acquired! Damaged Skull!
Wound Acquired! Bruised Brain!
Wound Acquired! Unconscious!
Wound Acquired! Struck Down!
Wound Acquired! Deceased!

Gentlemanliness: 12
Caddishness: 3.

Bio: A duelist who duelled his way into a bank vault and got away with a fortune, but shortly after he was arrested by Scotland Yard and was made an offer to join the MIG which he happily accepted.

Mr Thomas Wallace was struck down in the service of the King. He was notable for his bloodthirsty and heroic charges in battle, and met his end outnumbered in hand to hand combat against the German foe having lost his weapon and improvised to continue the fight with whatever he could. A tremendously brave and gentlemanly gentleman, even if there was whispered criticism of his bloodthirsty nature in some circles, who died of his numerous and severe injuries after meeting his bowling-ball-on-a-chain induced fate.

Roll of Honour: The Gentlemanly Misplaced

1 - Darvi
Name: Link. John Link.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nat.: British-European with a dash of Scottish.
Relation: the father. Jack Link.
Skills: Adaptable to new environments (+1 to disguise), Knowledge of the Bagpipes (+1 to all bagpipe related knowledge rolls), Stealth of the Belgian Ox (+1 to stealthiness), Advancing Steadily in Cookie no Jutsu, Cookie no jutsu Multi Boomerang Throw Technique!

Traits: Charismatic (+1 in social situations), Knows When To Display Feelings (+1 when speaking to ladies), Heroic Incompetence (+1 to likelihood of terrible incompetence having a somehow beneficial outcome), Inferior Biscuit Acquistion! (-1 to acquiring biscuits)

Items: A Napkin, Expertly Knotted Bowtie, a Briefcase, Dangerously Hard Biscuits, Comet Vintage Brandy, Masterwork Cigars, Excellent Biscuits.

Gentlemanliness: 10.
Caddishness: 2.

Bio: Being the son of a politician, John noticed that there were ways of self-enrichment that didn't make yourself unpopular with the public. After having conned his way into the Bank of Scotland (using an esoteric combination of sweettalking, a disguise and a rubber duck), he managed to get away with ~50 mil.£ . After he got traced by Scotland Yard, MI:G made him an offer: use his skills for them or go to prison. Obviously he accepted, and now he is working for them to protect the Kingdom.

7 - Hitty40
Codename: "G"

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: German
Relation: None. Went against his country, cutting all ties.
Skill: Quick and Clean (+1 to attacking rolls)

Traits: Fluid diplomacy (+1 to rolls related to talking to Germans), Germanic Fondness for the Elk (+1 to appreciation of the Elk).

Item: Mondragon Rifle, two magazines of exploding ammunition, a goat carcass

Gentlemanliness: 5.
Caddishness: 0.

Wounds Acquired: A rather hideously cut chin (temporarily -1 to Gentlemanliness)

Waiting List

Quip
Talarion
Zako
Name: Charles Cavendish

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: English of course, old chap!
Relation: Why surely you know of my brother, a famous boxing champion? His gentlemanly ways are spoken of throughout the country!
Skill: Practiced boxer (+1 to fisticuffs)
Trait: Stiff upper lip (Reduction to bodily damage)
Item: A Napkin.

Bio: A tall and muscled man of grand stature, Charles has a square jaw, dark brown hair, large meaty hands with calloused knuckles, a finely curled mustache of the proper style which is family tradition and is judged by many ladies to be somewhat ruggedly handsome. He wears a tailoured Saville Row suit, of course only the true gentlemen wear such suits, and a top hat when he is outside. His brother is the famous gentleman, Lawence Cavendish, a champion boxer who has held the title for 3 years running and tutored his younger brother to take the title later in life. After a boxing duel with a gang of caddish robbers who were troubling a pair of ladies, he was picked up by MIG for such gentlemanly conduct.

Firelordsky
Name: Torin Filib Wallace

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: Believe it or not: Irish
Relation: Cousin of Sir Thomas Wallace and great-great-great-great(and so on)grand nephew of William Wallace.
Skill: Paragon of Irish/Scottishness (+1 to talking/recruiting to Irish and Scots)
Trait: Iron Stomach (+1 to resisting poisons and alcohol)

Bio: As the Cousin of Sir Thomas Wallace and great-great-great-great(and so on)grand nephew of William Wallace and his mother being the a relative of the English Prime Minister he had great expectations for himself being the relative of all these people he had great influence among the people of the British Isles. When he got news from his aunt that Thomas Wallace died, he set out to avenge him and take his place in the MIG.

Sensei
Name: Baron von Orlofferfelde

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: Prussian
Relation: Son of senior Baron Orlofferfelde, though disowned, consult biography.
Skill: Chutzpah- +1 to attempting to disguise an ungentlemanly action.
Trait: Whiplash- This evilly curled mustache, when twirled, reveals him as a friend of uncouth figures and a foe of honourable ones, both things he uses to his advantage.
Item: A concealed dagger of the three-edged pyramidal sort. Creates stab wounds which are very difficult to stitch.
Bio: This fiendish cad ascended the family under his father by the same name, but squandered the family fortune and alienated his thus poverty-stricken family (who were left with but one country home and a mere dozen servants), refusing to take the title of Baron von Orlofferfelde the Seconde. He reasserted his fortune and grip on power through industrial espionage and 'acquired' an aeroplane manufactory. People who accuse him of murdering the previous owner have a nasty tendency to disappear. While he name is known among the eastern royalty, he certainly would not be admitted to any reputable English club- not without a disguise, at least.

Powder Miner
Name: Juan Daniel.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Nationality: Argentine.

Relation: Although he comes form a wealthy family (A.K.A. how he got to England), he's mostly a self-made gentleman.

Skill: He is very knowledgeable in mathematics, having been well educated and taken a liking to it. +1 to things involving numerical mathematics.

Trait: Scholarly. (Not sure if I choose the trait +1, but it's +1 in learning scholarly things).

Item: Advanced Mathematics Book (Printed in Spanish). (Not asking for a bonus here, I just thought it'd stick well to his scholarly personality, in fact he's learned all of it but keeps it as a souvenir of Argentina, and since he's learned all of it, it shouldn't give a bonus.)

Bio: Born and raised in Argentine under a wealthy family, Juan Daniel was in his childhood a very curious boy. This led naturally to him being very interested in the ways of gentlemen and in school as he grew up. He found that he loved math and was especially good at it- and although this led to him being unpopular in primary and secondary schools, he found him served him very much well when he went to a prestigious college, taking all the numerical mathematics classes he could get to, attracted by his fondness to the subject. He ended up in a group of gentlemanly young men, and he learned truly the way of gentlemen (which also suited him). However, his opportunities in Argentina, when he got out of college, shrunk due to a pass of bad luck. So he decided to use the English he learned in secondary school and college and set off for England, taking only necessities and his college mathematics book as a souvenir. Looking for jobs, his exceptional skill in mathematics, his scholasticism, intelligence, and his gentle-manliness were noted, and he has now passed training in the gentleman spy corps. He's initiating as a spy.

Yoink

Spinal_Taper
Name: Sir George Williamson the Third

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Sir George Williamson the Third

Nationality: English, of course but with a spot of Irish

Relation: Why, I am the son of the leader of the MI:G, I'll have you know!

Skill: Drinking

Trait: A right honorable sort (Bonus to wagers, bets and duels being accepted)

Item: A Cane with a Sword hidden within it

Bio: George had been in contact with the high-class since his birth, as his father was a rather talented spy as well. As he grew, his bedtime stories varied from "The time I shagged the Soviet double agent" to "When I shagged the American Spy" , to even "The manner of occurrences which lead to me shagging the princess". Filled with bravery and guts by his fathers tales, which only grew more and more spectacular as he rose the ranks, George grew into a sort who enjoyed the ladies. However, as opposed to becoming some manner of degenerate, his fathers tales of courage, honor, and ladies only made him more of the honorable type. Upon his twenty-first birthday, his father brought him to a bar, and challenged his son to a drink-off, as those of Scottish decent are prone. Of course, his fathers experience and age gave him the upper hand, and George ended in a quite ungentlemanly way: tuckered out in the drinking establishment. Since that day until his twenty-fourth birthday, he trained in the art of alcohol retention, until even his father could not best him. Filled with scotch, Scotch blood and bravery, he joined the MI:G under recommendation of his father.

[Darvi]

In.

Name: Link. John Link.
Nat.: British-European with a dash of Scottish. Just like me! xD
Relation: the father. Jack Link.
Skill: Adaptable to new environments: +1 to disguise.
Trait: Charismatic: +1 in social situations.

Bio: Being the son of a politician, John noticed that there were ways of self-enrichment that didn't make yourself unpopular with the public. After having conned his way into the Bank of Scotland (using an esoteric combination of sweettalking, a disguise and a rubber duck), he managed to get away with ~50 mil.£ . After he got traced by Scotland Yard, MI:G made him an offer: use his skills for them or go to prison. Obviously he accepted, and now he is working for them to protect the Kingdom.

[areyoua]

Name: Winston Smith
Nationality: American
Relation: You wouldn't happen to know my 16th uncle twice removed John D. Rockefeller would you? I certainly don't. (Which means none)
Skills: We Carry Large Sticks +1 with blunt weaponry
Traits: We Never Lost a War!(yet) +1 when obviously losing.
Item: A walking stick capable of serious bodily harm.
Bio: On loan from the United States Marshals. By on loan, I mean that he resigned after "accidentally" clubbing a fugitive to death. In his defense, he did it in self-defense and was even acquitted, but you know how the courts are. One charge, and you're mistrusted for the rest of your days.

[Geen]

IN! WRITING UP A CHARACTER ASAP!

[lawastooshort]

In.


Relation: I don't understand.

Apologies. This is just if you want to have your character have a rather high placed relative whose name you can drop. I suppose it might get one entrance to certain clubs, but it won't be much use in mortal combat with a Foreigner!

[_DivideByZero_]

Name: William Wellington
Nationality: English
Skill: A Quite Talented Salesman (+1 to persuasion)
Trait: Top hat Acquisition (+1 to acquiring a Top Hat through any means)
Item: A Top Hat.
Bio: A hat salesman who became famous for his stylish implementation of top hats.
Gentlemanliness: 5.
Caddishness: 0.

[Darvi]

In.


Relation: I don't understand.

Apologies. This is just if you want to have your character have a rather high placed relative whose name you can drop. I suppose it might get one entrance to certain clubs, but it won't be much use in mortal combat with a Foreigner!

Ah.

Also, guess where I got a name from so quickly.

[lawastooshort]

In.


Relation: I don't understand.

Apologies. This is just if you want to have your character have a rather high placed relative whose name you can drop. I suppose it might get one entrance to certain clubs, but it won't be much use in mortal combat with a Foreigner!

Ah.

Also, guess where I got a name from so quickly.

was randomness anything to do with it?


Edit: Oh. Then perhaps it is yours. I say.

[Darvi]

Nope.

[Firelordsky]

In gonna write character nao

Name:Thomas Wallace
Nationality: Scottish
Relation: He is the great-great-great-great-great-great-greatgrandson of William Wallace who is known for his gentlemenliness throughout England
Skills: En Garde!!!(+1 to duelling)
Trait: Flexible(+1 to getting into tight spaces)
Item: Greatsword
Bio: A duelist who duelled his way into a bank vault and got away with a fortune, but shortly after he was arrested by Scotland Yard and was made an offer to join the MIG which he happily accepted.
Gentlemanliness: 5
Cadliness: 0

[Geen]

Name: Henry McGeenyton
Nationality: English
Relation: A gentleman descended from a long line of tophat-wearing warriors, ninjas, and knights. His father invented the monocle.
Skill: Gracefull combat- +1 to Gentlemanly forms of combat, AKA fencing, pistol duels, using a sword-cane, etc.
Trait: Refined Accent- +1 to vocal and social interactions
Item: Monocle
Bio: A middle-aged man, descended from a line of inventors, psychopaths, and warriors. Often wears a top-hat and a monocle, preferring it to those barbarian bowler hats. Has a moderate amount of experience in espionage, prefering grace to brute force. Has a taste for tea and biscuits, but dislikes coffee.

Gentlemanliness: 5
Caddishness: 0

[scriver]

Damn, already full. Put me on waiting list, maybe?

[Firelordsky]

I could give up my spot if you really want it.

[IronyOwl]

FFFFFFFF-

Onto the waiting list with me.