The Mystery at PARADYS HALL
Frederico Parmigiani
You are Frederico Parmigiani Comondante of the
Fratelli Per Anarchico (FpA)
{= Brothers for Anarchy}, sometimes called the Fratelli Rossi. They are a body
originally having the aim of liberating the people of Italy from oppression by
all forms of authority. Having liquidated sundry officials and their supporters,
the CIRI (Corpo dIntelligenzia del Regno dItalia {State Secret Police}) were
closing in on you back in Italy. Unfortunately some of those you killed were in
the pay of the Mafia. They made it their business to assist the CIRI in tracking
you down. However you had some contacts with the Mori Facile {=Easy Death}
organization. They offered to protect you in England if you could provide some
art treasures of suitable value. This you did by robbing the Palazzo Marone and
taking the antiques to the small port of Cala Martina. There the British Steam
Yacht Calleva of the Silchester Line picked you up and took you eventually to
the English Channel. One night you and the cargo of the Yacht, were transferred
to the steamer Iron Duke which took you ashore in the Port of London. There you
were swiftly transported inland in darkness and found yourself in this hilly
forested region called the Weald. Il Professore, (the Prof) the leader of the
Mori Facile in England, has his Palazzo here called Paradys Hall. He has based
you in the stable block with orders to deter any trespassers on his grounds. The
actual Hall is guarded by the Butler
Daffyd Owen and his servants when Il Professore is absent. The estates Agent
Andrew Penistone said that there were
likely to be few intruders but some are poachers after deer and other game. One
of your men Luigi Nascondi encountered one and shot him dead. You then buried
him in a secluded spot (The Dell). No one seems to have missed him. When Il
Professore heard about it, he warned you not to draw unwanted attention to the
estate. Since this was a backward area he thought that a suitably frightening
ghost story might drive away even the poachers. His Agent dredged up the story
of the headless ghost of Squire Peregrine Oaster. He was beheaded for his part
in the Earl of Essexs rebellion against Elizabeth I. The women in the Hall made
a headless Tudor costume for the boy Pepe Rossi, son of Uberto Rossi to wear.
The next time a poacher was spotted he was shadowed until he had killed a deer.
Then Pepe put on his act screaming at the man and pointing his rapier at him.
The man fled but must have returned at some time, because the deer he had
dropped, had disappeared by noon the next day! The Agent Penistone reported that
the poacher had told people in the Oasthouse Inn at Eridge Green, about seeing
the ghost. The Landlord, Makepeace Sefton, is in league with the agent. It was
he who had ordered and bought the deer. It seemed to you that not enough fear
had been generated. So you and your men stalked the poacher, a one-time charcoal
burner named Anselm Whittle. Catching him near his dilapidated cottage Uberto
chloroformed him. Then you cut his head off with one blow from a felling axe
found in the stables. The Landlord and the agent were to spread the word that
his head must have been cut off by the ghost! The police do not appear to
believe this but the locals do, which is what was intended. Whittle had many
enemies as charcoal burners are not popular but the police are finding it hard
to pin down a suspect. Il Professore has said that apart from the police, he has
a rival criminal gang leader called Holmes trying to track him down. If he or
any of his men appear they are to be killed and buried like the first poacher.
You have been given photographs of Holmes and his lieutenant Watson.
After an unfortunate incident with one
of the maids from the hall, all persons connected to the Mori Facile have to
wear a grey goose feather like a quill pen when in the grounds. Any others
should be treated as intruders. One of the advantages of living in England is
that the Mafia have few operatives here but one has still to be careful.
Cavaliere Tabasco Marone whose Palazzo you robbed, was one of their Dons! The
Agent Penistone arranges for supplies of food, drink and other things to be
brought to the Hall two days a week. Recently Lady Verdandi, the Amante (lover)
of Il Professore with three other women have come to live in the Hall. One is a
virago guard Miss Janice Grant who carries a pistol. Lady Verdandi is to be
treated with due respect but not permitted to leave the grounds. Neither is she
allowed to enter the stables for fear of her taking a horse. The stables gate
is always left bolted, with someone on duty in the kitchen or office to open it
if necessary. These next to the presently empty carriage house are your
headquarters and guardroom. Sleeping quarters are above the stable opposite.
Night and day you have a sentry at the hide on Dugdales Tump which can watch
the entrance to the parkland of the estate. The tump is a hillock with one
fallen sarsen stone on it. There was a ring of them originally but the rest were
sold to a builder merchant to make lintel stones. The entrance is marked by two
great Egyptian hound statues. There used to be a gate but it rotted away. It has
been replaced by a cattle grid. One problem that you have is that your Fratelli
speak very little English. If strangers are spotted the sentry is to give
warning by firing two shots. This will alert both you and those in the house. It
is two shots to distinguish it from the poacher warning traps. These are single
shot and are more often triggered by the deer than poachers. Nevertheless you do
investigate such, taking the ghost Pepe with you if it is night time just in
case.
New Rule
Cattle Grids walking men -1 women -2. Running D6 3+ OK, 2 hurt -1 to all moves 1 -2 to all moves.
Impassable to normal livestock. Stampeding beasts D6 +F Cows -1, sheep -2 Goats -2 Pigs -3 = 2+ OK 1 trapped D6 5+ to escape 0- stuck need help to be freed. {Planks needed to allow horse drawn vehicles to cross. These usually left beside Grid. Takes one man 3 rounds to emplace.}
There are planks hidden
near all the five Cattle grids on the table.
It is midnight as you
lounge with Pepe and Uberto in the Office above the kitchen in the stable block.
You hear two shots fired by Ernesto near the gate. Decide what to do?
Outside is a moonlit
night but there are occasional clouds. There is a light Westerly breeze. Quills
seen at recognition.
In Moonlight
sighting is 20 with possible recognition within 8
In the dark sighting
is 10 with possible recognition within 5
Dark Movement
As normal on paved surfaces but D10
if running 0 trip Bst 3
Cross Country 1
running 2 but D10 1-trip Bst 2
Crops (BCC) 2
running 4 but D10 3- trip Bst -2
Besides yourself you have
Luigi Nascondi, Ernesto Galletti, Rudolfo Subisari, Guilio Paletti, Uberto Rossi
and his son the boy Pepe Rossi.
In the Office upstairs
beside the Coach House
Frederico
Lea
Ac +1 Mo 6, Fa 2/2/2, Ag 0, Th 0, Me +2 dagger Pst 1 Class IV
Unsavoury, Charm M -1, F +1,
Coercion +2, MC £3 3 11d
Revolver Firing 3
4+ Pst 0, 6 5+ Pst 0, 11 6+ Pst 0, 18 7+ Pst 2, 5 +5 rounds
2 grenades 1 Round
to prepare & light, Range 6 burst pattern 4 D10 + Th, 3- lands fizzing
D6 2 rounds time (2- fails, 3+ fizzes on, 5+ explodes) 4+ lands 1 ½
from target {use arrow dice} 6+ explodes on target 1 Bst -1, 2 Bst -2, 3 Bst
-3, 4 Bst -4
Speaks Italian,
English, watch Bullseye lamp Gag & cords watch
Pepe
WA-1, Mo 6, Fa
2/2/2, Ag 0, Th 0, Me -1 Sword Pst 0 Ghost dressed Scream FV 4
Class II
Unsavoury, Charm M -1, F + 1,
Coercion -1, MC £ 0 0 1d
Lamp, Speaks Italian & Very
Poor English Picks pockets D10 6+, 0 caught!
Uberto
Ac-1 Mo 6, Fa
3/3/3, Ag +1, Th +1, Me +2 dagger Pst 1 Class III
Unsavoury, Charm M 01, F +2,
Coercion +2, MC £0 11 0d, Gag & Cords
Revolver Firing 3
4+ Pst 0, 6 5+ Pst 0, 11 6+ Pst 0, 18 7+ Pst 2, 5 rounds
Bullseye Lamp,
Speaks Italian
In hide in bushes on
Dugdales Tump
Ernesto
Ac Mo 6, Fa 3/3/3,
Ag +1, Th +1, Me +2 dagger Pst 1 Class III
Unsavoury, Charm M 01, F +2,
Coercion +2, MC £0 6 8d, Gag & Cords
Revolver Firing 3
4+ Pst 0, 6 5+ Pst 0, 11 6+ Pst 0, 18 7+ Pst 2, 5 rounds
Bullseye Lamp,
Speaks Italian
On patrol in grounds
Rudolfo
Ac Mo 6, Fa 3/3/3,
Ag +1, Th +1, Me +2 pistol Bst 3 Class III
Unsavoury, Charm M 01, F +2,
Coercion +2, MC £0 4 0d, Gag & Cords
Revolver Firing 3
4+ Pst 0, 6 5+ Pst 0, 11 6+ Pst 0, 18 7+ Pst 2, 5 rounds
Bullseye Lamp,
Speaks Italian
Off duty sleeping above
Stables
Luigi
Vle +1, Mo
6, Fa 3/3/3, Ag +1, Th 0, Me +1 cudgel Bst 2 Gags & Cords
Revolver Firing 3
4+ Pst 0, 6 5+ Pst 0, 11 6+ Pst 0, 18 7+ Pst 2, 5 +5 rounds
Class III
Unsavoury, Charm M -1, F - 1,
Coercion +1, MC £ 0 0 7d
Can pick locks
D10 6+ to pick each move, any 0 lock cannot be picked
Lamp, Speaks Italian & Very
Poor English
Guilio
WA-1, Mo 6, Fa
3/3/3, Ag +1, Th 0, Me +1 dagger Pst 1
Class III
Unsavoury, Charm M -1, F + 1,
Coercion +1, MC £ 0 1 6d
Speaks Italian &
Very Poor English. Lamp