Although airplanes had been flying (and landing) for years, the first “air-port,” as a reporter dubbed it, opened in 1919: Bader’s Field in Atlantic City.

Since those humble beginnings, air travel has become commonplace, and today the largest airports handle about 60 million passengers, and almost a million takeoffs and landings, a year. Airports have grown to accommodate the needs of flyers, adding goods and services to make the act of waiting, departing, and arriving more enjoyable (or at least profitable). In modern times, prices in airports are notoriously inflated (+2 difficulty to all Funds rolls), although some airports in larger cities proudly proclaim their airport prices are no greater than their city counterparts – critics point out that larger cities already have inflated prices.

Small airports will always have a place to eat, a newsstand or other periodical vendor, and usually a bar. Large airports have goods and services similar to a mall (see the “Mall” entry); particularly common are bookstores, specialty food items (especially luxury foods), gadget shops, luggage stores, and general gift shops. However, anything that can obviously be used as a weapon will be unavailable in airport stores. Airports also have shops and services unique to them, providing services such as chair- massages and Internet connectivity.

Airports before the 1960s were relatively open; so long as nothing was obviously amiss about someone, they could get aboard a plane (Easy disguise or con roll to bypass security). In the 1960s and 1970s, however, security took the forefront (Moderate disguise or con check to slip through); in an era where terrorist threats are a real danger, security measures have become extremely vigilant (Difficult to Very Difficult disguise or con check, depending on the airport).

In a Weird West or steampunk game, the airport would probably be a field where steam-powered aeroplanes and ornithopters make their questionable landings; the building would probably represent the standard type of its genre, from Western ramshackle wooden buildings to Victorian opulence. In pulp and 1950s-era games, airports were simple but comfortable; flying was an expensive proposition (Difficult Funds roll), and airports generally resembled luxury hotels. Security in this time was virtually nonexistent. From the 1960s and beyond, the world became more dangerous at the same time flying became more affordable. Airports became more Spartan, while security was put in place. In a near-future campaign, airports will probably vary depending on the cost of air travel and security needs; if dirt-cheap tickets become plentiful, airports might resemble noisy, gritty bus stations, while the return of air travel as a luxury would undoubtedly mean nicer terminals. Regardless, in a more dangerous future, airports might come to resemble military- or police-controlled complexes.

Don’t Miss …

When Cuprum Regional opened in 1930, its five gates were deemed overkill by many in the local media. After all, why would more than five planes ever need to land in the tiny region at the same time?

That all began to change in 1964, when LWH Electronics chose the area for its transistor manufacturing plant, transforming the region into a fledgling high-tech industry leader. At that point, traffic into the region increased, and the airport changed its name to Cuprum International and added another six gates in another building wing (later remodeled to nine gates).

After 1978’s Airline Deregulation Act, Omega Airlines selected the airport as its hub, and six years later, construction was complete on Cuprum- McKinley International.

Although not the busiest or unfriendliest airport in the world, Cuprum-McKinley is still confusing to first-time visitors, to the extent that an award- winning book and resulting movie entitled Caught in Cuprum used the airport as a metaphor for being lost and harried.

Although many regarded Cuprum-McKinley as being in decline in the late 1990s, the airport used post-terrorism upgrades to rededicate itself to enhancing the flying experience. Its advertising campaign – “Come From Cuprum Happy” – has proven successful. It currently employs a team of dedicated, uniformed problem-solvers, called Cuprumites, who can be seen running full- tilt through terminals or driving carts. The current leader of this team, the charismatic Sandra Joule, has a reputation for solving impossible problems.

In modern times, Cuprum-McKinley has consciously kept itself less packed than other larger airports, eschewing dozens of duplicated cafes and shops for fewer, strategically placed locations. The remaining open areas keep claustrophobia to a minimum, while rest areas of comfy chairs and exotic plants help soothe frazzled nerves. Critics complain that contraband could be hidden in these areas, especially among the plants, permitting illegal goods or other substances to pass from one flyer to another. However, to date, authorities claim there is no evidence this has happened, despite the fact it handles over 400,000 flights and almost 24 million people a year.

Adjusting the Airport

To simulate a smaller airport with this map, simply “chop off” sections, and rename gates accordingly. Cuprum Regional consisted entirely of Gate E in the 1950s (labeled Gate A), while Cuprum International encompassed Gates D and E (called Gates B and A).

If a larger airport is required, include additional gates and concourses, from Concourse F and beyond.

Things to See

+ Plastic seats in gray or blue, connected on bars in groups of three to six

+ A line of white rocking chairs or small groups of light colored overstuffed club chairs along wide hallways and near large windows

+ Light gray plastic tubs, about half a meter long, by the personal security checkpoint, for put- ting in large personal items, plus little white plastic bowls for smaller items

+ Black, heavy plastic posts with elastic line guides

+ Metal pushcarts for wheeling around oversized luggage

+ White styrofoam cups of hot coffee

+ Colorful bags of snacks

+ Postcards in slots on spinning racks

+ A cart selling sunglasses with a variety of tints and frames

+ Bottles of wine and beer for sale

+ Shelves of national and local newspapers and magazines and softcover versions of popular books

+ Black or silver trash receptacles (most at least one-quarter to three-quarters full of the remains of various things sold in the airport)

+ Backlit advertisements a few meters square for local and national services and products (financial institutions, phone service, furniture, software, etc.)

+ Rectangular luggage in blues, greens, browns, and grays in a variety of sizes

+ Purses and briefcases in various colors

+ Pay phones in small cubicles

People to Meet

Most airport employees have 2D in their attributes, although 3D in Presence is common. Given the service-oriented nature of the field, people-placating skills are often needed – mostly charm and persuasion. Security guards and federal aviation agents wander the halls and check passengers and their luggage in the screening areas. Air marshals have characteristics akin to security guards and have Authority: Law Enforcement (R3). Pilots are common in an airport, and they would possess +3D or more in piloting: aircraft.

Airline Ticket Counter Representative: Reflexes 2D, Coordination 2D, Physique 2D, lifting 2D+2, running 2D+1, Knowledge 2D, business 2D+1, scholar: airlines 2D+1, tech: computers 2D+1, Perception 2D, streetwise 20+1, Presence 2D, charm 2D+1 , persuasion 3D, willpower 3D. Move: 1D. Strength Damage: 1D. Body Points: 10. Wound levels: 2.

Things to Do

+ The players’ characters learn that a nefarious person might have found a way to construct a bomb out of nonmetallic parts that do not register as explosive. Is this all a hoax to discredit the heroes? And if not, can they convince the authorities to help them … without panicking the airport?

+ While in pursuit of an infamous villain, horrible weather forces the players’ characters’ plane to land at the airport. While there, they realize: The weather means the villain couldn’t make his flight out of the airport, either! Can they find and capture the bad guy amid thousands of travelers – either with or without the airport’s help – before the weather improves and he escapes?

Amusement parks are fascinating places, designed strictly to entertain. Some are generic, while others have a theme, like pirates or medieval times, which all of the rides, games, and employee uniforms match. Some are massive, sprawling places, while others are tightly packed little park. They could be located on the outskirts of the city, out in the country, or (more rarely) nestled in between skyscrapers and office buildings.

Most often, they have rides and games. The rides can be massive open-air structures, like a roller coaster or a Ferris wheel, or less thrilling but more atmospheric rides like the Tunnel of Love.

Funhouses are also common – these are similar to rides, in that people wander through them and are entertained by their surroundings, but in a funhouse, people usually walk through (instead of being transported), and the idea is to be scared, surprised, or confused. The attractions could be brand-new, comfortably worn, or completely run down, or different attractions might be in different stages of repair or development.

Games are either games of skill, like the ring toss or the waterguns, or games of chance, like Spin the Wheel. Some amusement parks still have old carnival attractions as well. These can be little games like Guess Your Weight or Strongman (where the participant tries to hit the target with a mallet and make the indicator to strike the bell at the top of a measuring pole) or sideshows with strange sights like the Bearded Lady and the Serpent King (which are becoming more rare in the twenty-first century).

Parks that exist as permanent fixtures are more likely to offer a variety of rides, games, funhouses, and the like. Traveling shows, however, could still have Ferris wheels and some other rides, but might not have roller coasters, and most of its rides and booths would be smaller and more portable) Amusement parks want people to come and spend the entire day there, so they provide bathrooms, benches for taking a break, and concessions. The food can range from surprisingly good to barely edible, but it’s rarely fancy and generally consists of things people can eat while walking around – slices of pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, cookies, and ice cream are the most common. Some amusement parks charge an entrance fee, which includes all of the games and rides. Others charge nothing to walk around, but each game and ride has a separate cost.

Traditionally, the amusement park is a place to take the whole family, to go on a date, or to go hang out with friends from school. People rarely go alone, unless they are meeting someone else there. Because the park is filled with sights and sounds, it is an easy place to get lost – or to do something without being noticed. Teenagers often take advantage of this to steal candy or pull pranks, but adults also use the park’s cover for affairs, drug deals, and anything else they do not want to be seen. Even though amusement parks are supposed to be fun, some actually feel a bit sad, if the place is run-down and barely making money, or even sinister, particularly traveling shows.

Don’t Miss …

The Happy Time Amusement Park was built on a large square lot. It has a massive, aging roller coaster along the back end, a ramshackle House of Mirrors and a cheesy Tunnel of Love on one side, a brightly painted merry-go-round and other kiddy rides on the other side, a peeling Ferris wheel at the center, and a small, sagging ticket stand right in front. The park also has a concessions stand and several game booths (like Whack-a-Mole), plus a pair of small but clean bathrooms. The manager’s office is along the same side as the funhouse, back toward the corner and near the roller coaster. An access road enters between the manager’s office and the roller coast, and then loops around. Once upon a time, this was a wonderful park, and everyone came here on the weekends and in the summer evenings. But it has definitely seen better days, and now it’s just a sad reminder of its own former glory.

Things to See

+ Bags of yellow popcorn

+ Wands of light-colored cotton candy

+ Red hotdogs on white buns, slathered with mustard, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish

+ Wide slices of thin, greasy pizza

+ Waxed-paper cups of fizzing soda pop

+ Brassy arcade and video tokens

+ Dustpans and brooms

+ Green trash barrels mostly filled with crushed cups and half-eaten food

+ Backpacks and purses

+ Baby strollers (sometimes with babies in them)

People to Meet

Most amusement parks have ticket-takers, booth attendants, roustabouts (workers), barkers (salesmen), security, and the manager. Everyone should have at least one pip in con or charm, and everyone except security has one pip in business. The barkers have +20 or more in con or charm, and the manager has +2D in business.

Roustabout: Reflexes 2D, brawling 2D+ 1, climbing 2D+1, Coordination 2D, throwing 2D+2, Physique 2D, lifting 3D, running 2D+1, Knowledge 2D, business 2D+l , scholar: amusement park 2D+1, Perception 2D, streetwise 2D+2, Presence 2D, charm 3D, con 3D. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 2D. Body Points: 10. Wound levels: 2.

Things to Do

+ Kids are going missing, and each of them had been at the amusement park within days of their disappearance. The manager claims he knows nothing about it and that all of his employees are law-abiding citizens. But many of the workers vanish whenever the police show up to ask questions, and it is true that the attendants pay a lot of attention to small kids. Is that just good salesmanship, or something more sinister?

+ The amusement park seems to stay open late, with odd customers arriving in dark vans. They go directly into the covered rides, then emerge and go straight to their vehicles again and drive away.

+ An escaped murderer has vowed to get revenge against the woman who testified against him – her and her family. The police continue looking for him, but they’ve found no sign yet. Little do they realize chat the amusement park is always hiring people shore-term and rarely asks for references. Because the woman’s two kids love going there, it would be the perfect place for the man to go – he can watch her and her children and wait for the right moment to strike.

There are as many different types of apartments as there are different types of people. Apartments can have anywhere from a single bedroom to two, three, or more.

The number of bedrooms is largely the determining factor when differentiating between apartments. Most apartments have a kitchen, bathroom, dining area, and living room. More often than not, the dining room and living room or dining room and kitchen or even sometimes all three exist a single area.

Fancier apartments may contain different levels with bedrooms on upper or lower levels than the “living area” (living room, dining room, and kitchen). Some even come with other amenities such as a den, a fireplace, deck or patio, or even more than one living room. Other variations in apartments include multiple bathrooms, the number of closets (usually at lease one per bedroom, but chat sometimes is not the case), and off-street parking. Parking may be within an outdoor lot, a designated spot next to the apartment, or an underground parking garage.

Some apartments come with extra storage areas. While it is nor unheard of for these to be in a separate building, most are either in a basement or parking facility located under the building. Most apartments have a common area (for example, entrances and hallways) used by all tenants. While larger apartments may include hookups for a washer and dryer within them, most apartments have a washer and dryer usable (for a price of 25 cents to a few dollars per load, or a Very Easy Funds roll) by all tenants in a common area or no laundry facility at all.

Two apartment styles of note are the studio apartment and the “flophouse.” A studio apartment is basically an entire apartment within the confines of a single room. The only separated room in a studio is rhe bathroom, with all other “rooms” defined by whatever rhe tenant decides co put between chem. A flophouse apartment is much like a studio except that it has no individual bathroom. The bathroom is in a common area and used by all tenants. A flophouse also has no kitchen. It basically consists of a bed and possibly a table and chairs. Unlike all most other apartments, which are rented either monthly or yearly, a flophouse is often rented by the day or week.

Don’t Miss …

This apartment consists of three bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room, and bath. The front door of the apartment opens onto a dining room area lit by a ceiling fan hanging from the ceiling’s center. The dining room is filled with a large rectangular wooden table surrounded by four chairs and a bench. Off to one side in a corner stands a bookcase with two shelves on top and doors covering two more below. Pictures and a clock cover the walls.

Directly across from the front door is the kitchen. This tiny area is more hallway than room. It is about three meters in length and two meters in width. A long counter balanced at the ends by a dishwasher and stove dominates the area. A two- basin stainless steel sink sits in the middle of the counter. Cupboards occupy the space above and below it. Off to the left of the room stands a largish refrigerator, which has seen better days.

The dining room runs directly into the living room. Separating the two is a bright yellow chair. Off to the right of the chair sits a red couch flanked by end tables with lamps standing on them. To the right of the couch is a blue loveseat next to a large television on a dilapidated black stand. The stand’s paint is chipped in several places, revealing the wood beneath. A lemon-colored wooden coffee table just large enough to fill the area without impeding movement occupies the living room’s center. A doorway opens off the living room into a small room that was obviously intended as a bedroom, but it is now being used as a makeshift office. Several bookcases line the walls and a computer sits on an old desk, its CPU and monitor taking up the majority of the surface.

Leading from the living and dining rooms’ other side is a hallway down to the apartment’s other bedrooms and sole bathroom. The bathroom is a simple affair with toilet, sink, and shower. A ripped, mildew covered shower curtain hangs from several rings on a pole above the bathtub, its bottom stuck to the tub’s surface in several places.

The first bedroom is larger than the makeshift office and contains a closet, though with a single dresser and queen-size bed, it’s quite full.

The final room is evidently being used as a bedroom for children. Bunk beds dominate one wall and toys are strewn about the floor. Colorful posters bedeck all the walls and a table with wooden trains on it sits underneath the one window. The room also contains two closets, one filled with extra clothes and toys, and the other being used for storage.

Things to See

+ Scruffy or fluffy stuffed animals

+ Colorful or worn throw pillows

+ Glass or plastic dishes

+ Glass or plastic drinking cups

+ Metal eating utensils

+ Kitchen knives of all sizes and sharpnesses

+ Cloth or paper towels

+ Cleaning supplies (chemicals in plastic bottles, broom, dust- pan, mop, bucket, sponge)

+ Paperback and hardcover books

+ Cotton- blend blankets in colorful patterns

+ Floor or table lamps with shades in muted colors

+ For additional ideas, see the “House” entry

People to Meet

The single mother living here has 2D in each attribute. She has some pips in a Knowledge-skill based around college courses she is undertaking and a pip in driving. Use the “child” game characteristics for her two children, both boys.

Child: Reflexes 1D, climbing 1D+2, jumping 1D+2, melee combat: baseball 1D+2, sneak 1D+1, Coordination 1D, throwing 1D+2, Physique 1D, running 1D+2, swimming 1D+1, Knowledge 1D, scholar: school subjects 1D+1, tech: computers 1D+2, Perception 1D, Presence 1D, charm 1D+2. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 1D. Body Points: 61 Wound levels: 1. Disadvantage: Age: Young (R2).

Things to Do

+ The players’ characters have been given an apartment address by an informant as a place where they may find some clues that they seek. The single mother opening the door at their knock surprises them as the informant said the information could be gotten from Tony.

The person they are actually looking for lives next door. The woman is quite pleasant. She men- tions that her neighbor keeps strange hours and she just worries about keeping her children quiet and not bothering anyone.

A Difficult search roll from listening at the door reveals that Tony has heard them and is trying to escape by way of the balcony. Anyone watching from the outside can see him do this.

Bars have been around almost as long as civilization itself, and they have taken many forms. One variant, the nightclub, is a comparatively recent innovation. Bars and pubs offer alcoholic beverages and a place to socialize, but often not much else. Nightclubs, on the other hand, typically offer somewhat sturdier fare, as well as dancing and live music or comedy acts. Even so, there are exceptions; some bars do offer live entertainment, and some nightclubs do not.

Rural taverns encompass one or two rooms and do not offer a wide variety of beverages, while upscale urban nightclubs often occupy several floors of downtown real estate, serve the rarest vintages, and treat guests to dazzling floor shows or performances by famous names in entertainment. To some, the Roaring ’20s represent the Golden Age of nightclub success and glamour in the United States, but this style of business survives today, around the world. American nightclubs enjoyed a resurgence in the I 970s, though the traditional “dinner and a show” has given way to other consumer preferences. Nightclubs located in former American “sin capitals,” like Atlantic City and Las Vegas, used to showcase chorus lines of scantily clad dancers. Even these establishments have had to change their line-ups, and many now offer more family-oriented entertainment. Some are quite elaborate and promise to immerse visitors in another world, with many themes to choose from (ancient, futuristic, and haunted being just a few examples).

Don’t Miss …

The Lucky Sevens occupies half a city block in an economically prosperous urban area. Its parking lot accommodates 30 cars, and valet services ensures that no customer turns away, being discouraged by parking. The main entrance is lit by an art-deco sign reminiscent of the club’s heydays in the 1920s, and opens onto a lobby with a coatcheck and greeter’s station. An arched doorway beckons patrons into the club proper, where they may sit at the bar or choose a table near the dance floor. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the stage near the dance floor is used for concerts or comedy acts. Many new and vintage alcoholic beverages (useful for sterilizing wounds, in an emergency) can be found behind the bar and in the club’s kitchen, along with minor cooking utensils such as chef’s knives and iron pans. Several emergency exits are discretely located about the main room. The manager’s office sits at the rear of the building, next to the kitchen and storeroom. The kitchen service entrance permits staff to bring in supplies and escort unruly customers out of the building without disturbing patrons or interrupting a show. Depending upon the setting, the club’s clientele may range from honest citizens to some of the shadiest figures in organized crime.

Things to See

+ Wooden chairs and tables

+ Padded barstools

+ Glassware (mugs, coolers, highballs, shot glasses, wine glasses, margarita glasses, martini glasses, champagne glasses)

+ Bar towels

+ Bottles of alcohol in various heights and flavors (amber or clear: brandy, cognac, rum; ambers or browns: ale, beer, bourbon, scotch, whiskey; straw or clear: champagne, gin, tequila, vermouth; pink, reds, or straw: wine; clear vodka; red grenadine; clear or fruit-colored cordials or schnapps; etc.)

+ Small glass bowls of peanuts and pretzels

+ Smooth tablecloths in white or off-white

+ Musical instruments (piano, drums, cymbals, tambourine, trumpet, clarinet, guitar, cello, etc.)

+ Microphone on a stand

+ For additional ideas, see the “Restaurant” entry

People to Meet

Bar/club owners and employees have 2D in each attribute, with some having business of 2D+2 and know-how: mixing drinks of 2D+2 to 3D+1. Many bars and nightclubs hire security guards, which are usually called “bouncers.” For these individuals, use the attributes and skills of the chug or security guard.

Bartender: Reflexes 2D, brawling 2D+1, Coordination 2D, sleight of hand 2D+1, Physique 2D, lifting 2D+2, Knowledge 2D+1, business 2D+2, scholar: armchair psychology 2D+2, Perception 2D+1, know-how: mixed drinks 3D, streetwise 2D+2, Presence 2D+1, charm 3D, con 3D, willpower 2D+2. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 1D. Body Points: 10. Wound levels: 2.

Things to Do

+ Mr. Edward Lindy, a wealthy playboy, owns the upscale nightclub Lucky Sevens, secretly named for a daring group of seven men (including Mr. Lindy, then known as “Lucky” Lindy) that pulled off che last daylight bank-robbery in the city’s history. Mr. Lindy’s nightclub books some of the best musical and vocal talent available, and it is a favorite nightspot for local mob figures. It is also a place to find young bravos seeking employment, or desperate people willing to do almost anything to improve their lot in life.

While the players’ characters visit the club, whether for a specific reason or simply to enjoy some well-deserved rest, someone tries to assassinate a noted crime boss – in the presence of the characters. Should the characters foil the attempt, the grateful mob boss lavishes praise and gifts on his benefactor. Whether accepted or not, these gifts come with a price, and the player’s character soon receives a letter from a “dear and respected uncle” requesting an unwholesome-sounding favor. Failure to carry out the instructions in the letter leads to a string of suspicious accidents that plague the characters’ family and friends. The only way to bring an end to this string of bad luck is to put the mob boss and his henchmen behind bars. Game Masters can throw in a few supernatural practitioners or super- science artifacts to increase the challenge or add unexpected plot twists.

Once considered the height of sin and shunned by so-called proper society, casinos are now seen as a lawful if not quite yet respectable source of revenue for many civic entities. They can be fow1d in many U.S. states, especially on Native American reservations, where the added income is (theoretically, at any rate) channeled into education and other social programs. Despite protests co the contrary by local law enforcement officials, organized crime has a connection (however distant) to every casino operated outside of the reservations (and probably has a hand in those, too). Some casinos are dark, dingy, rather depressing places full of cigarette smoke, noisy gaming machines, and desperate-looking, glassy-eyed patrons chat mechanically place bets as if they’ve never known another life. Ocher casinos are clean, relatively smoke-free, and achieve at least the illusion of energy and opportunity with bright lights and flashing and pinging machines.

Don’t Miss …

The Bar None Casino’s main entrance, designed in Western cattle-ranch style, welcomes visitors into a clean, wholesome-appearing facility that seems honest and law-abiding. An attractive hostess suggests games based on short, simple questions disguised as friendly small talk, and the club always scores well on customer satisfaction surveys. The casino’s three main gambling halls each have a different cowboy theme, but all are filled with tables for card- and dice-related games of chance, as well as roulette tables and rows of slot machines crafted to fit each room’s style. The Round-up Room is decorated with cattle-drive motifs and serves fresh hamburgers and steaks prepared on the premises. The Dry Gulch Room resembles a Hollywood-inspired Wild West saloon, with costumed croupiers and servers and period music delivered by a player piano. The Cavalry Room imitates a frontier U.S. Army fort on the high plains, and features clips from westerns projected on movie screens suspended above the bar.

For those less inclined to gamble but still desiring Wild West ambience, the casino’s Bar None Bar serves light drinks and appetizers amid autographed Western movie memorabilia and photographs donated or on loan from actors and recording artists. The management offices, located well away from public areas of the casino, include one dedicated to security monitors, which are linked to dozens of cameras hidden throughout the facility. Off-duty police supplement the casino’s full-time security guards and assist with public relations issues, such as politely asking professional gamblers and lucky winners to consider retiring to the restaurant for a meal and drinks “on the house.”

Things to See

+ Comfortably padded stools

+ Cigarettes, cigars, and ashtrays

+ Poker chips in red, white, and blue

+ Legal tender (bills, coins, or “credit” cards)

+ Metal payout coins with the casino’s logo on them or slips of white paper with a payout printout on them (post-2000)

+ Alcoholic drinks or soda pop in glasses on trays or small tables

+ Playing cards with backs bearing the casino’s logo + Dice about an inch on the side in clear red, green, or blue with white pips

+ Small pencils in cups for filling out lotto cards

+ Croupier’s stick for gathering in chips

+ See the “Bar/Nightclub” and “Restaurant” en- tries for ideas on what to include the dining areas

People to Meet

Casino owners and employees have 2D in each attribute, with 2D+1 in business, 2D+1 to 2D+2 in sleight of hand, and 2D+1 to 3D in gambling. For bartenders, see the “Bar/Nightclub” entry. For security guards hired by the casino, use the attributes and skills of the thug or security guard.

Card Dealer: Reflexes 2D, brawling 2D+1, Coordination 2D+2, sleight of hand 3D, Physique 2D, Knowledge2D+1, business 2D+2, scholar: gambling 3D, Perception 2D+l , gambling 3D, investigation 2D+2, Presence 2D+l , charm 3D, con 3D. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 1D. Body Points: 10. Wound levels: 2.

Things to Do

+ A rash of underworld killings tips off police to a civil war among members of a powerful mob family.

A notorious mob boss, father of the owner of the Bar None Casino, has been executing his lieutenants on suspicion of embezzling from his operation. They are fighting back, of course, and the organization is weakening so quickly that syndicate wolves from nearby cities are howling at the gates, ready to fight over the remains of the organization. Someone is stealing money, however, bur it is not the boss’s lieutenants. A rogue named Jost Pernhem has been using his telekinetic powers to manipulate the casino’s gambling tables and slot machines. He has so far made off with nearly half a million in winnings, too much for any one person to win in small games in only three weeks. While his takings have been substantial, Jost has merely been practicing for a much bigger job with serious and far-ranging implications. Not only is he psychically able to rig slot machines, he can also trip a handgun’s safety or pinch shut a small but crucial blood vessel feeding the brain ….

City streets include everything from a dirt road through a one-horse town all the way up to multiple lane highways filled with hundreds of pedestrians in a major metropolis.

Old West or even very rural modern city streets may not be paved, have light posts, or even sidewalks (although wood ones included when the building was erected are not uncommon). Modern-day small towns and large cities have a lot of similar distinctive features on their streets, including light posts or traffic signals on corners, a public mailbox (usually blue in color), fire hydrants, street signs, and sometimes parking meters.

In larger cities, telephone and electrical poles are as all wiring has been shunted underground. Instead, the average large-city street includes bus stops (either just a sign or a sign and a covered waiting area), newspaper stands, cart vendors, and, occasionally, raised medians (of concrete or with grass and trees) to divide the traffic lanes.

The smallest hamlets may not even have cars in them, while small towns may have a few cars and an occasional person walking the streets. Large cities have hundreds and hundreds of people clogging sidewalks and creating a virtual wall of bodies when they all cross the street together. Cars (moving and parked) may not be a problem on small city streets, but larger cities have streets more like freeways in the eyes of pedestrians.

These represent major streets in various locales, but every city also has back roads and darkened streets folks don’t walk down at rught. These streets usually have the same signs, light posts (not necessarily working), and other features of a better-traveled street, but they are more run down.

Don’t Miss …

The corner of 63rd and Grand Avenue has seen better times. Grand used to be a hot spot of the city with several prominent businesses located here, but over time, the demographic center of the city shift- ed to the south of the intersection. Grand slowly turned into a residential neighborhood.

Now brownstone apartment buildings and small shops line the blocks along Grand, and those around 63rd street are no different. Mr. Voss runs the grocery store on the corner. Every morning at 6:00 a.m. he opens his doors and places the crates of fruit outside his front windows before bringing in the morning paper. Out front of Voss’ Grocery is the local mailbox, which Katy the Post Lady (as the kids call her) empties every day at 2:00 P.M. Katy delivers mail for the entire block and usually stops to talk with Mr. Voss before returning to the post office.

Across the street stands Idle’s Coffee Hause. Derrick Idle was a member of a traveling comedy troupe until his father and mother died in a car ac- cident. He gave up his dreams of stardom to return home, run the family business, and take care of his little sister, Josephine. Jo helps out around the shop and can usually be seen on the weekends serving coffee to the patrons sitting at the three wrought- iron tables on the sidewalk.

Just down from Voss’ Grocery stands the Norville Retirement Home … well, at least that’s what Norville calls it. He’s been the landlord of the brownstone at the center of 63rd and Grand for the better part of 40 years, and most of his tenants have been around just as long. Now landlord and residents can be seen sitting on the steps of the three-story apartment building on warm, sunny days. Norville and his tenants know everybody on the block, and nothing slips past their notice.

There are a few cars parked on 63rd and Grand during the day, but not as many as there are at night when everyone comes home from work. The local alderman, Russ Feinless (who lives in Norville’s building), got the city to remove the parking meters, allowing the people living here to park freely and not worry about fines. The whole block shut down and had a big party the day they were removed.

A four-sided three-light traffic signal hangs from wires in the center of the intersection of 63rd and Grand. Traffic used to be such that a five-light signal was being considered, bur with the exodus of businesses, the locals decided ic wasn’t necessary. Light poses stand on opposite corners of 63rd and Grand with one more in the center of the block. This one is a new addition, as the residents felt the blocks were a little too dark ac night.

Things to See

+ Red stop signs and green or white street signs

+ Post box (blue for outgoing; green for the postal worker’s use)

+ Streetlights offering fluorescent orange or bright white illumination to the area at night

+ Scraps of newspaper blowing down the street

+ Bus shelter with a clear, break-resistant plastic back, dark plastic top, plastic sides covered in large advertisements and small bus schedules, and a bench in between.

+ Small trees held in place by ropes tied co the tree and screeched to pegs in the ground.

+ Large metal trash receptacles

+ Large plastic pots of colorful flowers (in warm seasons) or holiday decorations (in cold sea- sons) – or both in some parts of the country

+ Traffic signal (one flashing red light or three changing lights of red, yellow, and green) suspended by wires over me street or hanging from a pole on the side of the street.

People to Meet

Most pedestrians have 2D in all of their attributes, although children and the elderly may have 1D in physical attributes. Anyone living on the street for any length of time should have a few pips in scholar: home neighborhood skill. Taxi and bus drivers should have a pip or two in piloting.

Elderly Person: ReAexes 2D, melee combat 2D+l , Coordination 2D, piloting 2D+2, throwing 2D+ l , Physique I D+2, lifting 2D, running 2D, swimming 2D, Knowledge 2D, business 3D, scholar 4D: home neighborhood +2, Perception 2D, investigation 3D, know-how 3D, search 3D, Presence 2D, intimidation 2D+2, persuasion 2D+2, willpower 2D+l. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 1D. Body Points: 10. Wound levels: 2. Disadvantages: Age: Old (R2); Reduced Attribute: Physique (R2), already included in attribute.

Pigeon: Reflexes 3D, brawling 3D+2, flying 4D, Coordination 1D, Physique 2D, Knowledge 1D, Perception 2D, search 3D, Presence 2D. Move: 17 (flying). Strength Damage: 1D. Body Points: 12. Wound levels: 1. Natural Abilities: wings allow the bird to fly or glide for short distances; beak (Strength Damage only).

Things to Do

+ An elderly tenant in one of che apartment buildings has a stroke and collapses in his apart- ment, knocking over a candle and setting the room ablaze. The local fire department arrives on the scene shortly after an eagle-eyed neighbor noticed smoke. As the firefighters roll out me hoses and hook chem co fire plugs, the various neighbors gather around to watch and help out as needed.

Players’ characters driving or walking by see the throng of people gathered around me fire department barricades. Have anyone watching me smoking building check co see if they notice anything. An attentive onlooker sees (Perception roll of 17 or search roll of 12) a little stuffed bunny pop its head over a windowsill and look around before dropping from view again. Evidently a child is trapped in the fiery building!

Convenience stores are small shops, usually positioned along busy roads or intersections. Most convenience stores also sell fuel for vehicles, and the convenience store sales supplement the primary income provided by gasoline. Convenience stores sell various goods and services, often unessential: newspapers and magazines; lottery tickets; drinks, such as soda, water, juices, and beer; light groceries, such as cereal, canned goods, eggs, and milk; money orders; toiletries and pharmaceuticals (painkillers, cold medicine, and so on); and car materials, such as maps and oil. They also offer junk food (chips, candy, and the like) and sometimes real food (hotdogs, wrapped sandwiches, or even a small deli or hot bar). One hallmark of modern convenience stores is the “slushie” machine – a rotating tumbler that freezes flavored water into a snow-like drink.

Convenience stores have reasonable daytime shopping hours, and many are open 24 hours (although even the all-night locations have locks on the doors). Gas stations are very safety conscious: Most have security cameras and mirrors (Easy security to bypass), and aisles generally do not extend above 1.5 meters to ensure the clerk has extensive visibility. Most stores do not keep large sums of money, and larger store chains have automated time-lock safes to ensure money is unavailable.

The first convenience store in the United States opened in 1927. They can exist any time after that, more or less unchanged from the modern counterpart. In an alternate world or steampunk universe, convenience stores might have a different feel, perhaps combining a tea bar with a “general store” of barrels with dry goods and hardware. In near-future settings they will sell appropriate refueling (such as hydrogen cell recharges), and the ATM or other modern features will be replaced with overpriced futuristic electronic services (such as an InfoNet station or scholarchip uploader). Regardless of the era, however, all convenience stores of a region should feel similar and offer the same type of goods and services.

Don’t Miss …

Tyler “Ty” Gassen founded the Gas’n Go six years ago with a simple philosophy: Provide quality fuel and goods for motorists at reasonable prices in a professional environment. Unfortunately, he has had a slight problem realizing this dream. Although no more or less strategically placed than any of the other convenience stores in town (of which there are many), the Gas’n Go has nevertheless become the nexus for an improbable amount of unusual activity. To date, the Gas’n Go has been the site of (among other events) 16 attempted robberies, five tornadoes, three fires, two hostage situations, and an incident involving a Yakuza member getting shot in the head, which sent his vehicle careening into the store. Fortunately, Ty’s great luck tends to counteract his phenomenal bad luck, so he usually ends up roughly back where he started, talking to reporters, sweeping up debris, or hiding the mysterious manila envelope from the Yakuza’s car. Because of an obscure state loophole, the Gas’n Go’s insurance can’t be raised or canceled unless the entire building is destroyed … which hasn’t happened yet.

Ty is excellent at sizing up a person’s desires and motivations, and he generally helps good folks in bad situations as best he can, by hiding them in the storeroom or office, giving them fuel or goods, or providing a distraction. However, he doesn’t fancy himself a hero and will not risk his life needlessly.

Ty prides himself on a well-stocked and diverse shop. In addition to common brands, he also stocks obscure and regional candies, beer, and cigarettes; he sells diesel fuel, and his magazine racks have comics. He also keeps a surprising number of odds and ends in his groceries and general merchandise sections (treat availability as being equal to a grocery store for most items, with + l to the difficulty of any Funds checks because of increased overhead). Ty also keeps a sawed-off shotgun (damage 6D; ammo 2) under the register, a schnauzer named Killer in the store- room, and silent alarm buttons by the counter and in his office that alert the police; unfortunately, given the nature of the Gas’n Go, authorities take an inordinate amount of time to arrive. His office contains a decoy safe (Moderate lockpicking to open) hidden behind a painting of dogs playing poker; it contains a few hw1dred dollars and a cheap gold chain. His real safe is hidden behind the hinged slushie machine (Difficult search to find; Very Difficult lockpicking to open). In addition to money and important documents, the safe contains all the unusual doodads and knickknacks he has accumulated from his store’s incidents.

The Gas’n Go is open from 7:00 A.M. through 11:00 P.M., seven days a week, 365 days a year. The store has a massive turnover rate in employees, although one recent hire, Almira Klakshae, has stuck around for six months and seems made of sterner stuff.

Things to See

+ Newspapers and magazines on racks

+ Waxed-paper cups of icy soda pop and frozen drinks

+ Bottles of juice, water, and soda pop

+ Small packages of various kinds of convenient foods (soup, stew, candy, chips, pretzels, crackers, beef jerky, sausage, etc.)

+ Paper towels, individual packages of toilet tissue, and small boxes of facial tissue

+ Individual packages and full cartons of cigarettes

+ Vehicle air fresheners in the shape of fruit, leaves, trees, or geometric designs, in a variety of fragrances (vanilla, pine, lavender, floral, new car smell, etc.) and matching colors (white, green, purple, orange, brown, etc.)

+ Bottles of suntan lotion and tubes of lip balm

+ Computer generated and scratch-off lottery tickets

+ Cleaning supplies, including a broom, dust- pan, mop, and bottles of chemicals

+ Detachable metal shelving on heavy metal aisle dividers perforated to hold the shelves

People to Meet

The standard clerks have 2D in all attributes (except possibly 3D in Physique or Presence), with up to two dice split among combat and defense abilities (brawling, dodge, melee combat, or marksmanship). They may also have up to 1D in lifting. Managers and owners usually have +1D in business. Sometimes employees or owners have a love and knowledge of cars (especially if the gas station has an attached garage); these folks have up to +3D in repair: land vehicles. Workers in poor or dangerous parts of town often have pips in streetwise, and most people who stick with the job for any length of time developed + 1D or more in willpower.

Tyler Gassen (Store Manager): Reflexes 2D, brawling 3D, dodge 20+2, melee combat 2D+2, Coordination 2D, marksmanship 2D+2, piloting 2D+1, throwing 2D+1, Physique 20, lifting 3D, running 2D+1, Knowledge 20+1, business 3D, scholar 2D+1, tech: computers 2D+1, Perception 2D+2, repair 3D, streetwise 2D+l, Presence 20+1, charm 2D+2, persuasion 3D, willpower 3D. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 2D. Body Points: 12. Wound levels: 2.

Things to Do

+ The players’ characters are pursued by some dangerous threat (gang members, locusts, Zombies, mecha sent by a dimension-hopping terrorist group), and they find themselves in a one-horse town … and the horse is gone. There’s only one place to make a stand against this trouble: the convenience store. Can they make do with the meager, eclectic offerings of the gas station and use its geography to their advantage?

+ The only lead the players’ characters have to solve their latest crisis is that a convenience store clerk in town has a vital clue. Unfortunately, there are 31 such stores in town. Can they circuitously track down the right person in time, before the Bad Guys find her?

Of the many modern structures in existence, few are as specialized yet utilitarian as the convention center. Even the earliest designs were enormous structures, sometimes created for one-use purposes such as a world’s fair. Designed to host commercial activity, the convention center often serves the same function as the trade fairs of ancient times, when merchant caravans would assemble in large fields outside a nearby city to trade among themselves and the inhabitants of surrounding areas. In size, the modern convention center (from the 1940s and onward) can range from a small facility of thousands of square meters to enormous “cities within cities” of multi-level structures miles across. Such behemoths have their own power plants, attached hotels, gigantic docking areas, and operations centers. Often, convention centers are divided into halls, each capable of hosting a trade show or convention simultaneously.

Usually, except for late at night, convention centers bustle with nonstop activity. Convention centers run on a cycle known as setup-show-teardown, in which exhibitors’ freight and personnel arrive to ready for a convention, then hold then show, and finally pack it all up for a return home or travel to the next convention. The halls are rarely empty, instead being filled with (at minimum) tables and chairs, but more often with curtained dividers between spaces, which are filled with tables, chairs, or elaborate displays of wares (including signs, samples, and salespeople).

A firefight within a convention center can be a dangerous proposition. Most cover provided by display booths and signs is concealment only – bullets and energy beams can blow through such objects. Visual distance is limited – mostly to the long axis of the series of aisles that run the length of the convention floor between booth spaces. The shorter aisles often stop or bend or are choked with packing materials during setup or people during a show.

Of course, fighting during a show will result in mass collateral damage to people and property, and it can create a panic that could lead to more deaths as people shove and trample each other to make it to the distant exits.

Depending on the show, there may be some hard cover and potential weapons. An industrial machine show would provide solid hiding space behind large machining centers or robots, while a military show could have combat machines, drones, and robots. These industrial devices might emit mild EM signatures and a lot of heat, fouling infrared and other combat sensors.

Police and firefighters can be expected to respond en masses to reports of fires or combat at a convention center. After all, such places may be one of the crown jewels of a city and its reputation – it wouldn’t help the city to have its visitors mowed down. Modern convention centers are well built to avoid problems with fires and the like. Many convention centers also feature a small fire-fighting force and somewhat underwhelming security guards. But actual combat can easily overwhelm architectural design safety standards. Some numbers that might be helpful: the size of a booth space (3 by 3 meters to 15 by 15 meters, usually averaging US$ l50 or Easy Funds roll per square meter at today’s rates); height of ceilings (10 to 20 meters); number of people on a floor at a medium-size convention (5,000 to 10,000); time to get service from a vendor (30 minutes to an hour or more); noise level (rock-concert during setup, much less during a show unless a lot of machinery is being run).

Noncombat complications include surly union workers (bribery is possible, but modern contracts tend to outlaw such activity), crabby customers, giant bureaucratic maze of forms and procedures (despite this most conventions are astonishingly well-organized), high-speed load lifters racing to and fro, too much heat (despite huge volumes, most convention centers get sweaty-hot during setup), lost freight, and ridiculously high charges for sandwiches (US$10), cold water (US$3) and electricians (US$60 per 20 minutes).

Don’t Miss …

The Burnside Convention Center is hub of economic activity in a typical medium-sized city. Unknown to residents and most of the workers, the center was built on an extradimensional gateway node. Unfortunately, this node leads to some rather nasty infernal regions populated by an assortment of evil beings.

Once every three months, the dimensional bar- rier weakens, allowing access to Earth via the node. Fortunately for its inhabitants, the area around the node is sealed with another magical barrier that prevents infernal access to outside the convention center grounds. Those “in the know” can spot the edge of this barrier (Moderate divination or Very Difficult search roll) – its flowers, plants, and other outdoor accents burst with life and vigor – much to the puzzled pleasure of the groundskeepers. When the node opens each third month, the denizens of these infernal regions set up a little trade show of their own. The various demons, devils, and vile spirits set up hideous booths – displaying their evil and vile wares and services and vying for con- tracts for souls, infernal hit jobs, and the like. The convention starts at midnight and lasts three hours. At the end of the three hours, everything is sucked back into the node in a furious hellstorm.

Evil human sorcerers and their ilk know of the convention center and eagerly await its arrival. There, they can sample the wares from the infernal planes, pay to learn new sorceries and corruptions, and bargain for their souls or the sacrifices they make of unwitting victims.

Secrecy, of course, is paramount to the operation. In a somewhat “realistic” world, there may be divine rules at work specifying that normal people cannot find evidence of the supernatural … or else. In a more cinematic game, the convention center owner takes great measures to keep the general public unaware to prevent troubleshooters from crashing the event.

The owner of the convention center, James Balthazor, participates in the Convention from Hell and is well paid to make sure absolutely no one is around during the event unless they have a special ticket to attend. He carefully uses bribery, blackmail, and mind-affecting sorcery to ensure the privacy of the event. (Players’ characters may need to overcome such spells to enter the grounds, usually Moderate to Very difficult willpower tasks).

The players’ characters become aware of the Convention from Hell in one of a variety of ways. Perhaps the characters are accidentally mailed a ticket after subscribing to an occult magazine. Perhaps Balthawr’s headstrong daughter insists on going to the show, thinking her father is merely up to some illegal activity and the characters are contracted to restrain or rescue her. Or, maybe the characters are tasked to follow a necromancer bent on bringing his latest captive to the convention to trade for a Zombie-creating spell.

If played as a humorous scenario, the Game Master should stress the absurdity of the show – little demons running around setting up booth walls, rigging lighting, fine-tuning torture racks and like. Vendor demons dressed like used car salespersons pester the visitors with special show-only offers and one-time deals. The characters might even witness a group of devils getting into a brawl with the Union of Infernal Heat Producers and Distributors (IHP&D) reps.

In a serious scenario, the entire atmosphere is very deadly: the characters must constantly be on the lookout for aggressive foes seeking an advantage and must “act the part” of evildoers (Moderate to Difficult con and disguise rolls are appropriate, as is liberal use of intimidation). One slip and they could (literally) bring Hell down on their heads.

The booth sections will feature a litany of abhorrence the likes of which mere mortals have a hard time adjusting to – Game Masters should play up the gore, fear, and hopelessness on display. If the heroes are here to rescue someone, they had better figure out a way to frame a group of infernals for their deeds – a common enough practice for these beings. Once the fireworks begin, they can hopefully escape with their captive.

Things to See

+ Waxed-paper cups of soda pop, with clear plastic lids and straws

+ Large black or metal posts with wide elastic or thick rope strung between them to mark offline- forming areas

+ Metals poles, about two and a half meters tall, with a dark purple, dark blue, or black thin curtain hung on a metal bar between then

+ Folding chairs with plastic seats and backs and metal legs

+ Large gray-brown plastic trash cans

+ Two-meter long folding cables covered by white plastic sheets and encircled by white, black, dark purple, or dark blue skirts of a thin polyester material

+ Information booklets or fliers

+ Small free items (pens, pencils, magnets, mugs, first-aid kits, etc.) – with company logos on them

+ Paper name tags, attached by adhesive or pins or kept in clear plastic holders on lanyards worn around the neck

People to Meet

Most convention workers are tradespeople and have 2D in each attribute. Each should have skills appropriate to their profession, such as tech 4D, artist 3D, hide 6D, repair 4D, streetwise: convention center 4D, intimidation 30, and con 3D. Security guards have marksmanship, brawling, and security at 2D+l to 3D.

Demonic Sales Rep

Surprisingly friendly, these lower planar creatures come in numerous shapes and sizes and can be found attending to customers at d1eir booths. If a characters is so foolish as to offer his soul for trade, the demon will cheerfully take down the character’s information so that the home office can get in touch with the person at the soonest opportunity.

Demonic Sales Rep: Reflexes 3D, brawling 4D, sneak 4D, Coordination 2D, throwing 4D, Physique 3D+2, lifting 4D+2, running 6D, Knowledge 20, business 4D, Perception 2D, Presence 4D, charm 60, persuasion 6D, intimidation 60, willpower 4D. Move: 10. Strength Damage: 2D. Body Points: 21. Wound levels: 3. Disadvantages: Employed (R1), anyone who knows its true name can command it completely; Sense of Duty (R3), totally committed to making the sale. Special Abilities: Attack Resistance (R1), +1D to damage resistance total against weapons not blessed or enchanted; Immortality (R1), a holy symbol and proper ritual returns it to its realm.

Things to Do

+ An acquaintance of the players’ character calls and, in a worried voice, says no one has seen her nephew since he attended the last trade show. The nephew was hired by the acquaintance’s company to set up and tear-down the booth. The company sells some kind of exotic or military technology: high-capacity storage, cutting edge optics, laser systems, or early nanotechnology.

Oddly, the corporate reps at the show were reportedly from one of the company’s “black” divisions, engaged in some cop-secret work. Supposedly, they were to meet with very select clients at the show. The characters are asked co look into the nephew’s disappearance, as the police have turned up nothing.