Halloween is coming, so for the October November wargame meet at Bonsor this year I am planning a scenario based on Ryan Coogler's 2025 movie, Sinners. Rather boldly, I'm planning to use Garske Games' Sword Weirdos for this scenario, even though I've never played the game!
Objective: Remmick wants to convert Preacherboy into a vampire thrall so that he can absorb Preacherboy's gift of music. The non-vampire humans need to protect Preacherboy, and themselves as well!
Table:
The focus of the game will be on the efforts of the vampire, Remmick, to capture and convert blues prodigy, Preacherboy. The table will consist of the Smokestack Juke Joint - a large warehouse with playable interior (thanks, Lisa!) - and the area immediately around it.
All the action takes place at night. It's dark, so maximum sight lines outdoors will be 2 sticks. Line of sight inside the Juke will be limited mostly by obstacles.
Equipment:
In Sword Weirdos, the designer recommends using WYSIWYG - figures are equipped with whatever can be seen on the model. I'm going to deviate from this. One of the tasks for the defenders will be to obtain suitable weapons and other helpful items that they can find in the Juke Joint. When a character obtains a useful item, the player will be given a card describing its effects. Items on the list so far:
Wooden stake: this weapon allows the wielder to take a vampire OoA. Wielder gets +1 on the Attack Result Table. The stake gets Reach and Piercing +1. Wooden stakes are obtained by smashing chairs.
Garlic water: This can be thrown up to one stick or splashed in HtH combat. It will cause an area effect on vampires. Any vampires in the area of effect will be subject to the effects of Repel. Area of effect is one stick in diameter as per a Blast AoE. Garlic water can be found in the kitchen.
Silver gives the wielder +2 on rolls on the Attack Results table, but note it will not allow an OoA result. Preacherboy's guitar contains silver.
Molotov cocktails can be thrown and will create a circle of fire in a Blast AoE. A vampire may be taken out if kept inside the Blast AoE for two full turns. (in the film, this is how Grace took down Bo). Each turn roll on the Attack Results table with +2. The vampire must suffer an OoA action to be successfully immolated. Molotov cocktails are made from spirits at the bar, or if the players can obtain gasoline from somewhere.
Firearms can be fired up to medium range with Piercing +2. Smoke and Stack each carry firearms. There may be other firearms stashed in different parts of the Juke, locations known only to Smoke and Stack. I'm not distinguishing between handguns, rifles, shotguns etc as everything will be happening at such close range that it's not worth fussing over.
Characters:
The big bad guy will be the Irish vampire, Remmick. Remmick will be speed 3 (vampires are fast!), Def 2d10, Might 2d10 and Will 2d10. His abilities include Charm and Create Thrall (aka Unlife). The idea is that he will use Charm to draw victims away from the group, and then attack them in melee (with advantage as it will be a surprise and they will be too charmed to defend themselves). Once they are OoA, he will cast Unlife on them to make them into vampires like him. He get the Villain Leader Trait, so he can activate twice in a round.
Remmick starts the game with two vampiric thralls, Bert and Joan, local rednecks who he converted after they sheltered him from a group of Choctaw guardians. As lesser vampires, their stat lines are more modest: Def 2d8, Might 2d8 and Will 2d6. They also get Charm and Create Thrall but with lower Will scores they will not be as successful as Remmick.
A special twist for this scenario: any characters that are converted into vampire thralls keep their base profile but are now allied to Remmick.
Remmick's main target is Preacherboy, a gifted guitarist and singer, and cousin to Smoke and Stack. Speed 2, Def 2d8, Might 2d8 and Will 2d10. Preacherboy can Inspire. His guitar contains silver, which gives him a +2 on the attack result table if he uses it as a club on a vampire.
Smoke is a Leader with the Hero trait. He can activate twice per round. Speed 2, Def 2d8, Might 2d8 and Will 2d10. Smoke has a pair of handguns.
Stack is impetuous, so his Will score is lower than Smoke's. Speed 2, Def 2d8, Might 2d8 and Will 2d8. Stack carries a handgun and a trench knife.
Annie is a Healer. She can use an Interact action to remove 1 or 2 conditions from an ally. Speed 2, Def 2d8, Might 2d8 and Will 2d10.
Mary has 2d6 will as she is impetuous. Speed 2, Def 2d8, Might 2d8 and Will 2d6. She has Charm.
Delta Slim - give him the Taunt Maneuver. He can use an Interact action to give all enemies a -1DT on all rolls until the next round.
Cornbread - Speed 2, 2d8 Def, 2d10 Might (he is a big man!), 2d6 will (but not so bright...). He is a Berserker who gets -1 to Def rolls but automatically succeeds at recover actions.
Grace Chow - Speed 2, 2d8 Def, 2d6 Might, 2d8 Will
Bo Chow - Speed 2, 2d8 Def, 2d8 Might, 2d6 Will. Bo is a Martial Artist (unarmed attacks are not weak) and starts equipped with a club (he can do the Bellringer attack which lets him impose a Staggered result instead of a roll on the Attack Result table).
Pearline - Speed 2, 2d8 Def, 2d6 Might, 2d6 Will. She is an Acrobat - she can take 1 action to disengage instead of fight BtB. Can use a Move action to move to the top of a piece of climbable terrain and can jump a gap of up to 1 stick.
Band members (4) - Speed 2, 2d6 Def, 2d6 Might, 2d8 Will. They are Acrobats, same as Pearline, and have Charm, Influence and Taunt.
Nameless Juke patrons - Speed 2, 2d6 Def, 2d6 Might, 2d6 Will
Chayton, leader of the Choctaw guardians - Speed 2, 2d8 Def, 2d8 Might, 2d10 Will. Choctaw guardians have firearms and wooden stakes.
Three remaining Choctaw guardians - Speed 2 (Speed 3 for horsemen), 2d8 Def, 2d8 Might, 2d8 Will
Choctaw guardians have firearms and wooden stakes. Chayton, a driver and one other guardian are in a truck, two others are mounted so get the Cavalry trait/manuevre.
