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!