Wow, /tg/ sure has been moving fast lately.

pimping,extortion,smuggling,scams,gambling/bet fixing,money laundering,hit men

Drugs
Theft
Gambling
Sex work

This is a cool idea. I'd play the fuck out of it. What system?

I'm no authority on modern crime, but I do watch a lot of those 'Underworld Histories" shows. Drugs is a good fallback, but a lot of the more organized crime groups don't like it because it draws big jail sentences if caught. Prostitution is always good, as is human trafficking. Big draw, especially if your gang has Eastern European contacts. Racketeering and extortion are good standbys. Various forms of fraud tend to bring in cash. Let me think for a bit and I'll see what I can remember.

Drugs, guns, prostitution, stand-overs (IIRC getting money from people so you don't trash their business), car rebirthing (Stealing cars, having their VIN and plates replaced and being sold on).

Treasure hunting

>>9165731
Make sure to play "Little Green Bag" when they first set off.

>>9165870
Thanks! That's a big help.

For systems, I was thinking of giving Alternity a spin, or Savage Worlds, or maybe even Shadowrun. I'm leaning toward the first two, since with those I don't have to straight up ignore half the system.

>>9165925
Unless that's the pager theme from Grand Theft Auto, I don't get the reference.

>>9166630
If you want to sort of scale things, don't forget the deliberate fraudwork for insurance, the white collar stuff, or to not be afraid to allow people to specialize in their preferred rackets, ending up with doing some of the same work for different people/factions, with the main change being either the modus operandi or the particulars. There's a ton of ways to steal cars, but setting up specifics like dropoff points, false fronts using legitimate businesses, or even needing to drop formal planning in favor of a simple smash'n'grab.

And don't forget the opposition and competition, ripe for the setting up to take a fall.

I heard somewhere there was a lot of money in moving high-end electronics and counterfeit goods (from money to clothes). If that's true, how much is there and how does it usually work? Do counterfeit jerseys get made in sweatshops here at home or do they come off a boat from Taiwan like everything else? Where the fuck does a truckload of TV's and car stereos come from?

Also, it turns out I have a tragic lack of Grand Theft Auto pictures. I should correct that.

>>9166630
iirc it's from Reservoir Dogs.

>>9166944
>Where the fuck does a truckload of TV's and car stereos come from?

From a truck.

Thieves stop the truck driver or break it open when it's unattended. Or the truck driver gets a cut and is a willing accomplice. Or they simply threaten to kill the driver if he doesn't go along with it.

You should watch Goodfellas.

>>9167025
Fuck! I forgot that part til you mentioned it.

-Spades (The Syndicate):

Brutal, efficient, professional, and well-established. Not every major crime in the city goes through the Syndicate, but they almost certainly know about it. It's members are shrouded in secrecy, well-insulated from their criminal empire by a labyrinthine system of front companies, forged paperwork, and well-laundered money. To most, the Syndicate is an urban legend, and for others it's a bogeyman, one liable to kill you if you speak it's name too often. The Ace of this suit, is a shadowy figure only known as 'Bronson'; gender, race and location unknown, and it's assumed Bronson likes it that way.

Joining The Syndicate is an end-goal of many established criminals in the city: gaining their acceptance is the mark of prestige, one that comes with a number of perks, provided they can keep earning.

-Clubs (Mid - Upper Class / Organized and Unorganized):

The various Mafias of the city. The older Italian families seem to be on their last legs as most are under federal investigation, on life support for a lifetime of bad habits, in federal prison, or flying just under the radar. However, it would still be a mistake to underestimate them: their old ties still run deep, and not even The Syndicate has quite perfected the art of day to day low-level criminal activity the way they have. As it is, even still, most unions have some connection to various Italian families.

The other mafias, from the Russians, Japanese, Chinese, and so on, all seem to be battling for supremacy in their individual neighborhoods, working on high-profile rackets like cars, electronics, pirated software, human trafficking, drugs, and gambling.

-Hearts (Street/Organized):

Street and motorcycle gangs and small scale drug traffickers. These are some of the more promienent criminals in the city, the only one who blatantly wear their affiliation on their sleeves, so to speak. Odds are the majority of violent crime that actually makes it to the 10 o'clock news was done by someone in this category.

Rackets held by this group largely consist of protection, theft, drugs, low-end chop shops, and guns.

-Diamonds (Street/Unorganized):

The unaffiliated crooks of the city. Most of the time, when someone says "they know a guy", they mean one of these people.

The guys people know are a wide and varied bunch, ranging from "guys" who can lose a car or body, weed connections, counterfeit jerseys, on up to guys who can buy or sell organs.

When all else fails, the Jokers in this deck can be used to invoke Chandler's Law: "If all else fails, have a man come through the door with a gun."

Joker A: Undercover Cop

Someone in this scene is an undercover cop. If there is no one in the scene with the connections for figure out who it is, the cop may attempt to recruit the players in a sting operation in return for a favor or a get out of jail free card. If any of the Ace through 10 characters of any suit is present, should they find out about the cop, the players may have an opportunity to curry favor with them.

Joker B: Hitman

Someone in this room has a hit on them. Depending on their enemies, this could range from a single ultraprofessional hitman (Leon from The Professional, Vincent from Collateral) to a band of gang members bursting down the door and gunning for their target. Hilarity ensues.

Make the two jokers madmen. One is the obviously crazy one (Joker from Batman, or that dick from Army of 2) and the other is a calculating mastermind (Hannibal, Jigsaw).

>>9168073
>>9167945
>>9167918
>>9167866

Sounds like a job for the Midnight Crew.

>>9168090
>>9168096
Aw that wasn't there when I hit submit.

>>9168115

Yeah, these posting freezes are starting to annoy me.

So what are the game mechanics?

>>9168152
I still joke for at least one madman. Especially the batshit crazy one.

I just thought up a hook. I'm thinking of the madman somehow kidnapping the PCs and a few other notable NPCs (maybe the higher cards in a few of these decks) and knocking them out. He straps bombs to their legs while they are unconcious. The bombs act like pedometers. When they wake up, he activates them, and they have to start dancing to swan lake or their bomb will kill them. They'll also have to fight henchmen while doing so.

The Hearts are the sex side of things for obvious reasons; anything from prostitution to child porn rackets to brothels with cameras (blackmail purposes, y'know.) Face cards include the Queen of Hearts, a high-class escort adept at wringing personal information out of high-value clientele such as executives and politicians.

Clubs are clubs- And restaurants, and bars. Fronts; the people that run legitimate business which nonetheless tie into the other Suit interests. The King of Clubs is a gay-tony like figure that runs several trendy, high-cost nightclubs downtown that serve as vital hotspots for clientele of other services.

Diamonds is racketeering and drugs- Counterfeit bills, blood diamonds (obviously) and pure Colombian cocaine all fall under this suit. The Jack of Diamonds isn't nearly as sophisticated as his codename suggests- A brutal African warlord holding a large mine under his sway, he is also a reliable source of low-grade assault weaponry and the occasional child soldier, both of which interest...

>>9168275

The Spades. The highest of the high, the blackest of the black, these men and women deal in the biggest risk operations- Major bank heists are the least of what they do, with the high-end running up to abduction of political or corporate officials, assassination, and occasionally even espionage or sabotage. With cards inside several government agencies, the Spades provide a small cache of cutting-edge weaponry to the Suits as well, though only for its best operatives. They work closely with the Diamonds, who can launder stolen money, utilize de-tagged US assault weapons to give the King of Diamonds an advantage in the latest turf war, or outfit an african child soldier with an urchin disguise and a hidden suicide bomb.

The Ace of Spades is the highest-ranking individual in the organization. Absolutely nothing is known about him; rumors range from his being a slick suit-wearing Assassin to a fat Italian don to a harmless looking old lady. It's said each of the other three aces knows one facet of the Ace of Spades- Whether how to contact him, where to meet him if he's been contacted, or the code phrases needed to request Suit resources directly from him- Ensuring that he can never be compromised with the capture of one individual.

>>9168096

Oooh. That's a good one. Come to think of it, maybe I should have a chart to roll on for Jokers. If two Jokers get dealt for a scene (I'm still not sure on the card dealing mechanic, aside from maybe casting for major game events or something), it'd be a definite sign that shit has gotten real.

Off the top of my head...

Joker Chart: d8
1. Undercover Cop
2. Hitman
3. Cowboy Cop
4. Crash (Someone's drug habit has finally caught up with them and they officially lose their shit.)
5. Dirty Cops (In Soviet Russia, Cops shake YOU down.)
6. The Joker, goddamn.
7. Vigilante
8. SWAT RAID, GO GO GO.

Sounds like a job for Dog Town.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=2179&it=1&filters=0_40020_0_0
(it's free)

How about a small gang or sub-group in a gang who specialize in organ getting and taking back. Essentially a more black market dirty repomen like group.

Take cues from mercenaries' and the real iraqi decks of TURRISTS

Some of the low-tier dudes in mercs were lieutenants, eventually up into the spades you were talking dudes with whole regiments, access to nukes, nuke handlers, nuke builders, nuke nuke nukes.

Low tier for criminals though should probably be street hustlers, pimps and maybe carjackers and such, next tier up is people with slight command, money launderers, smalltime smugglers, smalltime counterfeiting, etc
up farther should be HUGE counterfeiting, people transporting full loads of coke out of columbia with C-47s, essentially, a bunch of scarface dudes, throw in whatever else you think is cool, maybe professional style hitmen, HUGE arms dealers, like, RPG-7 launcher in america kind of huge arms dealers.
And obviously you have the spades filled out.

OP, I an confus. Are you planning on drawing from the deck before every encounter and tailoring it around who shows up, or are the cards a sort of awesome hitlist, So the PCs can see how the criminals interact and rank against each other.

>>9168668
It's an awesome hitlist, like the Most Wanted Deck from the Iraq War. However, it's also useful as a deck of cards in and of itself, and I wanna think of a way to use that.

I'm thinking if I need something interesting to happen, I can shuffle and deal for a scene, especially for some kind of criminal hangout. Or something. I haven't quite worked that part out.

>>9168847
I'd sure love to see you accidently draw the Ace of Spades and Kimmo Alm, the 2 of Hearts, for the same encounter together. I wonder how that would work.

Also, you need to have a few contacts for the PCs, like a high-strung pimp who has a pimp cane that doubles as a double barrel shotgun. You can make it more serious if you want, but the players will always welcome comic relief.

>>9168970
The pimp is frequently assaulted by his grandmother, who whips the shit out of him with her cane. Not that she needs a cane for any reason other than beating her pimp of a grandson.

>>9168970
I'm thinking about that.

You remember in my original post about how the people in my friends group are basically criminals? One of the character's always seems to just 'know' a 'guy' for just about everything. Which is always funny when the so-called doctor can get you anything from drugs to body removals, so long as Paco's parole officer isn't around. It's the entire reason why I came up with the Diamonds suit (though I might want to consider using some of the other definitions in this thread. I haven't read them yet because another friend of mine finished downloading the last episode of 24 and wanted us to watch together).

Can we have a hot female operato-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Zetas

>>9169393
Imma find some way to use that.

>>9168527
Duly noted. I'd certainly like room for crazy. Crazy was my favorite part of GTA: San Andreas. Well, that and going to the Ammunation in Los Santos wearing as much loud green as I can and carrying a small arsenal, then just slowly walking back to CJ's house.

I took _so much_ of the city like that.

>>9168284
>>9168275

This is good. This is really good. It doesn't quite have anywhere to put the 'guys' people 'know', but it's definitely material too good to just waste.

>>9169315
?

You know, I still don't have any idea what city I can base this in. Atlanta is what my players and I know, but i'm not sure the criminal elements of the Empire City of the South are quite varied enough to make a campaign like this work.

New Orleans is a nice, original thought, but I'm not sure I could get the tone right. Then, of course there's New York and Chicago, which are both solid and probably interesting, if a little cliched. Any thoughts?

Damn, this board moves fast.

>>9165731
take a look into dogtown. system is a bit clumsy but it got great ideas for criminal campaigns.
http://coldbloodedgames.typepad.com/dogtown/dog_town_products/
also free nowadays

>>9171568
This is EXACTLY the kind of thing i'm looking for. Thank you anon!

>>9171824
you're welcome

>>9168970
>I'd sure love to see you accidently draw the Ace of Spades and Kimmo Alm, the 2 of Hearts, for the same encounter together. I wonder how that would work.

Holy shit. I just remembered who Kimmo Alm is. He's the SysOp of AnonTalk, right? The first couple times I read that I thought you meant the Virginia Tech shooter... which didn't make since, cause he's dead.

That would have to be a result I save for later, but it could be a plot hook in and of itself. Check it:

Kimmo Alm has a problem. He's a huge pedophile, and one way or another, he fucks up. In this case, he made a creepy shitpost on Anontalk about how he wants to smell the hair of some little girl. With the post he links a picture (does AT do that? Nevermind, I don't care). The picture isn't anything explicit, but it's enough to prove he's been within 100 yards of Bronson's little girl.

A short while later, he disappears. Naturally, no one cares except maybe another sick fuck on AT (who may or may not exist. It's entirely possible all the sick fucks on AT are actually Kimmo, but that gets in the way of the plot) who decides to play Internet Detective and tries to find out who the little girl in the picture is. Then The Syndicate makes him an un-person; deleting his social, work history, school records... everything not on paper that would've proven he existed. After this happens to about five more people, the players get wind of it. What happens next is largely up to them. If they're smart, they'll ignore it... but hey. It's a hellava way to get rid of priors on ones record.

Is anyone out there? I'm still looking for input about which city to use.

Or more modern characters. That would work.

>>9169642
Was looking at all the data and ideas put forth, started playing with a few ideas to use it for random generation in pretty much any campaign.

The notion went down like this...

For a campaign, deal one's self a hand of poker. Card results are combined to create the overarching plot. The order of cards establishes the respective roles; the first card is the sort of level the campaign works at, inspired by the first set of suite definitions, plus helps establish the major boss, possibly the PC's role or goal. The second is an ally or ally group who will be a major influence on the happenings of the campaign. The third card is the primary subplot conflict source, the fourth the major variable that could be swung for or against the PCs based on their actions. The fifth card is the overarching antagonism cause. Either of the two suite definitions can be used, going from card to card.

>>9179411 cont.

Random hand example - KHQDQCJD9H translates into a Street-level game/campaign, but fairly high up - players would be reporting directly to the person in charge, involving at least a couple of prominent freelance criminal figures who are NOT part of the gang but are either affiliated or who have business with the PC's boss/contact/overhead. One subplot involves said 'independents' having a conflict with an 'organized' crime family - perhaps one of the ethnic crime families putting out feelers into the area, hoping to muscle in. The recurring source of conflict is from within; perhaps betrayal from within the gang or group whom with the PCs are affiliated; it will be from below their own effective 'rank' in the gang, possibly in the form of someone coveting the position of the PCs. As both lead and conflict are Hearts, there is an emphasis on the sex trade - as it's a King at the head, we assign the PC's boss as either a major player in the industry - perhaps the head of the porn market, in the area, a figure more Larry Flynt than Hugh Hefner. The affiliate, being a Diamond, is perhaps a former employee who branched out on her own, who supplies the PC's boss with nose candy and 'performance enhancers' for those who work for him - a very likely cause for the conflicting group to want to get that person out of the way, since they may genuinely have a moral opposition to that end of the recreation industry...or maybe they just want the clubs they run as fronts to be the only supplier in the area. Besides, if their own girls get caught up in the drugs, they may become easy pickings for the PC's boss. The sample Jack of Diamond listed above could be the 'cameo catalyst' in the conflict, but more generally they would be the antagonistic variable player, potentially court-able to bring into the ally side, but is more interested in working with the antagonists, perhaps giving them an edge in their attempts to usurp the Boss.

How about the suites being various aspects?

Spades - Old-school Mafia, with lower levels being more like the Sopranos than the face cards. Mostly protection rackets and hijacking.
Clubs - Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs. Just about everything, although low-level narcotics, hijacking, and smuggling. Usually work as third-parties for the other three.
Diamonds - Russians, with their field being mostly human trafficking and stolen autos.
Heart - Mexican/South American drug cartels, complete with heavily armed Zeta-style narcocommandos.

>>9179411
>>9179427

That's. Fucking. Brilliant.

>>9179427 cont.

By contrast, the GM may have whatever plot in mind that they want to go with, but they happen to be stuck for something to throw at the PCs for a scene, which is where the cards come into play again.

Random encounters are a quick Blackjack self-deal. First card establishes the 'scope' of the random encounter (using the 52 pickup set). The second card determines the happenings or type of NPC encountered; sex workers, drug dealers, business--/'face'men, or possibly a Syndicate/Cartel member.

Face cards may not necessarily be specific NPCs, but will relate to them - just because one pulls a Queen of Hearts doesn't mean they get THE well-connected call-girl, but someone who happens to work closely with her.

>>9179546
Thank you. I've got an admitted hard-on for Random Generation that Doesn't Suck.

With all the info supplied, it made for a compelling sort of 'hey, instant easy GM aid for when the PCs feel like Sandboxing, and there's not an immediate random encounter chart in mind or specific situations plotted out'.

Feel free to gank!

Bumping while I have a cig, maybe doze off afterwards.
Hopefully it's being archived.
Hopefully, my contribution as >>9179411, >>9179427, and
>>9179592 were useful.

Will contribute more if I don't zonk after the smoke.

I just finished playing Saints Row 2, so I'm in the mood for some over-the-top criminal action. I'm gonna do a couple of these and write fag them up.

>>9181843

Ok, so campaign: KH 7C 8S 3C JS.

The PCs are pimps - high up on the fleshtrade ladder, reporting to the Daddy-O himself. They're his captains, so they'll be overseeing the various strip clubs, porn studios and brothels that are the groups bread and butter, as well as running the lucrative people smuggling and illegal sex parties (rich people got weird fetishes).

The ally is a middle ranking Mafioso – lets make that a small independent outfit – 4 Expat Russian Vory (actually only one is Russian, the others are Czech and Georgian) who run a couple of nightclubs that the PC's gang hire dancers out too, in exchange for ex-military gear and stolen consumer electronics. The Vory aren't strong in the city generally, due to the small number of of 'made' members, but they are THE bogeymen of the Eastern European migrant community.

Primary subplot conflict is middle ranking Syndicate – and 8s a lucky number, so: Rising Star in the Syndicate, out to make his mark. A corporate shark, he originally came into the Syndicate because they own the legal firm he works for. Now he's a lawyer AND a villain. He's trying to take over the PCs flesh trade through strong arming and legal-fu – their clubs have zoning violations, civil lawsuits and tax evasion investigations. He attacks the PCs in a way they probably don't expect, and have very little recourse against, but he's not actively out to kill them – just put them out of business.

Fourth card is a major variable – low level club. That's an actual club – a run down nightclub that went bankrupt a few years ago. The deeds and liquor license have been bought or given to the PCs, and their management of it could turn it into a serious cash cow, helping them to fund their war against the Syndicate. On the other hand, an start-up will need starting capital, and if they don't get a return it could bankrupt them very easily.

Finally the main antagonist is the Jack of Spades – the Maverick of the Syndicate. He's in the inner circle, but not well liked, and only tolerated because he gets results through unorthodox methods. He's the Lawyer Shark's mentor, and backer, and plans on using the legal action to keep the Hearts distracted while he quietly steals their monopoly. He's a young man, but generally considered to be too disloyal to occupy a position of true power – he has no honour, and little loyalty. He will likely wage a guerilla war against the Hearts, through intermediaries – they probably won't know who their real enemy is until it is almost too late.

So the PCs are the captains of the Hearts - the biggest pimps in town. But the lifes not all escorts and flavoured nipples - someone's trying to shut down the Vice King's clubs, and things keep going wrong - high profile clients being outed in the press, liquor shipments going 'missing' and someone's taking shots at the players!

Are you a bad enough Pimp to take on the Bogeyman?

>>9179510
you are forgetting gun smugglers in that list, I mean that's one of the resons for ATF. Could be any of those groups, but mostly russians and their AKs

OP you really should watch Sopranos or Wire for inspiration, Wire especially plays around how different types of groups interact in the world of crime.

Sweet thread.

>>9184412
I believe the phrase is, "By Jove, I think he's got it!
>>9180026 here, by the way, and back with more brainstorming, because the generation system is too awesome to ignore, AND because there were other notions that came to me....in my dreams! (wiggle-fingers motion goes here)

Specifically, given how the immediate impulse and typical behavior in a hand of poker when written down is to put things in value order, digital cardset generators are going to put out a lot of high profile situations - great for most situations, but then you'll rarely have stories where the PCs start at the bottom and work their way up. So I'm in favor of not rearranging cards if done manually, and MAYBE rearranging if using a digital card sampling.

Further, while the face card ranks make perfect sense for determining who in general one is working with, for, or against, I had the nagging urge to look at the numbers themselves, because of the first and most blatantly obvious thing that came to mind.

2s are, in fact, the 'two bit' operations. The start-up gigs. The mook occupations. They are, in fact, the 'dropped deuces' from on-high, and should be treated as the shit jobs they are likely to be. They are the jizz-moppers, dish-washers, newbie drug pushers, the actual flunkies for a nameless goon in the Syndicate. Usually, if a 2 is part of a hand, expect the people so involved to be the equivalents of red shirts or comedy value.

>>9185896 continued
3s, by comparison, are almost worse than 2s; as they say in baseball and certain regions of the law, 'Three strikes, and you're out." As a result, 3s are people either on their way down and out, or perhaps on the verge of getting the lucky break that they need to get into someone's good graces. They've had chances before, and they've fucked up...now they may be desperate to prove they're not the loser that some in higher positions might think them to be. From the under-performing 'working girl', to the restaurant owner that keeps getting bad press for Code violations, to the fence who ikeeps costing his higher ups more money than he brings in due to ending up in court all the time, to the bodyguard who has had too many close calls due to error on his own part, 3s are often people who stand to lose a lot if they fail again...and will be especially grateful for any help they get that keeps them from falling on their face.

If one is using a draw method of campaign generation, and trades the 3 for another card, the new card will reflect the 3's eventual fate, come success or failure.

>>9186029
4s are bad news. While not 2s outright, 4s are a sign of trouble and difficulty, and while not danger in and of themselves, the presence of a 4 indicates that Murphy is Watching. The odds are against this person, regardless of their individual capabilities, which tend to adversely affect the PCs success as well. The porn director who keeps getting stalked by some of his 'performer's' ex-boyfriends (AND girlfriends) is a 4, possibly having been shot or stabbed in the past. The trainee sushi preparer who has just learned how to prepare fugu is a 4 if someone comes in and demands he prepare it while he's under the influence of something. A repo man is a 4, especially if he's doing work in Texas. A brilliant stockbroker is a 4, particularly when the market takes a drastic turn southward and his boss hasn't turned on TV to check his stock prices. Be wary, as such people are dangerous allies, and worse enemies.

>>9186311 cont.
5s are more beneficiaries than actual 'workers', living the high life because of the work of others. This does not mean they carry lots of influence, necessarily, only that they are somewhat insulated from any repercussions their affiliations might normally carry in others. A porn starlet turned bit TV star might be a 5; similarly, popular DJ at a specific club, who is known to get better pay as a bigger draw would likely be a 5. The squeaky clean pawn shop owner who has recently branched into Payday Loans, with stores popping up all over the City and ending up in the local paper as Entrepreneur of the Month, is a likely 5. A major PR contact for a Corporation, making the cable news circuit, is a candidate for 5dom. The most unifying tendencies of 5s are an unwillingness to give up their comforts, and a likely generous set of connections.

>>9186525 cont.

6s are the overt open invitation to violence.. While anyone CAN be hostile, confrontational, or combative, a 6 is a blatant excuse to grin at the players while preparing for a firefight. Pimps, Bouncers, Gun-Runners, and Corporate Muscle, all are just a sample of the myriad deliverers of the message of pain.

7s are usually the New Faces In Town. They came from somewhere else, and are now seeking to make their mark, not necessarily in direct conflict with another established faction. Attitudes will vary with where in the sequence they were dealt, but the overall likelihood is that they will at least be somewhere in the middle range of authority and responsibility. At the very worst, they will be the equivalent of a 'Made Man' in the Cosa Nostra.

>>9186917 cont.
Cribbing shamelessly from >>9184594;

8s are people on the upswing, the rising stars of the scene. At the very least, they should be as capable as the PCs, perhaps more so in their preferred field. If the 8 is a location, it will be of an above-average supply and resource-holding capability, a new hotspot for the faction in question. Either way, the 8 will be supplied with its own guards, weaponry, and resources relevant to its affiliation.

Hey OP, I don't know if you're still around, but I just noticed you said you knew Atlanta best. As a Georgia boy myself, I have to ask: where do you guys live? In the city, or just nearby?

So, this things getting some serious fleshing out. We need a name. I'm thinking '54 Ways to Die'. Anyone else got something better?

>>9184412
>>9184517
>>9184594
>>9184638
>>9184723
>>9184815
Back again, taking up on the number where anon seems to have left off. Great work btw.

9s aren't rising stars (8s) or established lieutenants (10s) - they're the old dogs, the guy who took a hit for the don and got given a full retirement plan, or the old world standover artist who can't keep up with his younger cousins anymore. They're very skilled, well connected and probably heavily armed or defended (you don't get to old age in this line of work without being very good at not dying), but well - they're old. They can't move that fast anymore, and though they stay 'in the know' they're probably out of touch with technology and slang (slang is a big part of the criminal underworld - whole languages of 'thieves cant' have been created to disguise the real topic of conversation). These are the old dogs - but they can still bite.

Holy hell, is this thread archived yet?

pic related, one of my suggestions for the Joker card.

10s are the lieutenants - they runs things, they tell mooks what to do, they carry out punishments and see everyone gets paid. 10s actually do most of the day to day running of the organisation - or directly oversee the specialists who do (accountants, head chemists, etc). Some lieutenants are content with their positions, and some are just waiting for the chance to replace their boss - either way they'll see, and learn from, the Captains everyday.

>>9188064
I did an archive a while ago, before the numbers were done. Does it update? First thread I've contributed enough to to want to archive.

So, Court Cards - we need 16 Dramatis Personae.

A couple are easy -
King of Hearts is Larry Flynt-esq, a (mostly) legitimate Porn King.
Queen of Hearts is Ms. M - Madame to the Rich and Famous.
Ace of Hearts is the Vice King - the dark version of the King.
Jack - ???

Each of the Clubs could be the head of a mafia family - Jack is Vory, Queen is Ghost Cartel, King is Yakuza, Ace is old style Don? I'm not actually sure of the comparative strength of the various established cartels.

Queen of Diamonds is literally the Queen of (Blood) Diamonds, and going with the Diamonds = smuggling theme, Jack could be an Arms Dealer, King a Narco Baron and Ace some kind of Warlord?

Spades is kinda hard - Ace an assassin? Not sure about the rest.

>>9187554
If 5s are the folks living large out of proportion to their station, the 9s are the true movers and shakers...at least, beneath the Faces. Some might call them big fish in a small pond, but NEVER to their faces. This doesn't mean that the 9s are full of themselves, but neither does it mean they aren't. What they are, however, are the most powerful individuals that the players would be able to reasonably take on and have a vague chance of 'winning' without outright GM fiat. When you are working with the 9s, expect to have to dress to their standards, and be on one's best behaviors - it's likely that they have the ear of a Face. The bigger name porn stars and starlets, those closest to the Don of a crime family, a gun running cartel lieutenant, or a high-powered executive would be the sort of people who one would be working with. If being used for a place, then the location would be the sort of location that one would find a 9 at.

>>9188053
I like how you think. Maybe we should combine our 9s? Makes sense that they're the old loyals, but I should first confess my thinking on the numbers.

All the numbers were meant to be idioms or puns.
2s = Deuces
3s = Strikes and you're out
4 = death
5 = 'high fives'
6 = beasts/bad news
7 = skipped in (thus the idea of it being the new guys in town)
8 = crazy 8s, lucky number
9 = 'dressed to the 9s', big names without being the biggest

>>9188506
>>9188442

Ah, seeing your numbers theme laid out, I really like it. I was just going off a 2-10 power scale, but your list has a really nice theme running through it. I think I like your 9s better, though I still think there should be a place for the old guard. Possibly a 9 could go either way. Its really a personal choice.

This would require two decks, but a thought:

Players are all dealt a blackjack hand, one up one down. these are the closest contacts or resources they have available to them. Obviously one is public and known to other players, the other is secret. I'm thinking this could create some RP or possibly an "Unholy Alliance" type play, with players unsure of loyalties and looking for betrayal. Also when scenes or encounters are dealt, you already have some grounds for how shit goes down.

I'm not quite sold on the Five-card-draw campaign design, but I'm liking the ranking system

>>9188692
Also, its 3 am here, so I'm off. Keep up the good work, I hope I see this when I wake up.

>>9188371
So far, I dig on the idea, though I was avoiding setting identities in stone, more setting approximate roles to fit the faces, filtered by suit.

Kings are obviously patriarchy figures in charge, Queens the matriarchal figure, Jacks should be someone who would answer to either the King, Queen, or possibly both. Aces however are incredibly powerful Lone Wolves as much a part and apart from the hierarchy. To go with the examples already given, the Jack of Hearts is the King's Go-To guy for ideas, as well as the Queen's favorite assistant, something of a direct underling to both but in different capacity, even a bit of a go-between for them. By contrast, the Ace is the Agent - extraordinary Talent Scout, with his own agenda. He could, in theory, charm the daughter of the city's MAYOR into doing porn or venturing into prostitution, if he wanted to, but his own plots are never, EVER in the open. Maybe he does what he does for the lulz, maybe he hates everyone and does it to ruin people he doesn't like, but he's charisma and flirtation and white hot danger, and even the King and Queen are wary of him.

Clubs are crime families, of course, with a special mechanic in mnd to my thinking. After the hand of course is set up, a random card is drawn which determines WHICH family, based on >>9179510 or >>9167866.

Kings, as mentioned, as the Patriarchs, Queens as their spouse or another high ranking female, the Jack as the immediate 2IC. Aces would be either a Major Head from out of town but part of the same Family, or the chief Enforcer from within the Family in that town.

>>9189022 cont.

For the Diamonds, Kings will be blatant crime lords, Queens are the Dragon Ladies or similar, the Jacks are the voice of the King when he is absent, and the Ace handles the most audacious and daring of the King's operations, though not kept on a short leash - possibly because even the King can't do so.

The King of Spades is easy - and interchangeable with the Queen. The Shadow Council of the Syndicate has men and women on it, and the King and Queen are both representative of any of its members. The Jack has the unfortunate task of being the only face not hidden when the Syndicate's inner circle is discussed - people think he/she is in charge, but their job is to keep the Shadow Council hidden. The Ace of Spades is their own personal Professional, their hitman, fixer, and problem-solver...or perhaps one of a FEW.

>>9187843
I was liking 52 Card Pickup - Crime, since I was setting it up as a sort of semi-generic campaign generating device, though it could be used for or with a specific setting/campaign. I just like the idea of making something that will help my fellow DMs out when they're stuck. I'm already planning to use this in my DragonStar crime campaign.

>>9188698
This is really fucking awesome. I was thinking of the cards for campaign generation, but adding that mechanic would give huge incentive for the players getting involved with their own bits of brainstorming to fit with the setting and activities therein.

Now, unfortunately, comes my personal gimmick-bias when it comes to card action and generation - special results should be integrated with reference to hand layouts. To wit:

High Card and One Pair are standard campaigns. Obviously, placement will affect relations in regards to pairs.

Two Pair infers a basic Faction versus Faction conflict, with card placements of course dictating involvement of the players. This COULD lead to the Players getting to be the outsiders watching a bit of 'let's you and him fight'.

Three of a Kind is the cue for a power play - three Factions teaming up against another. Depending on the placement, this could lead to having to work with established enemies against an outside force.

Straights are outright Faction Warfare - the higher the cards, the more overt and open. Ace High straights/'Broadways' are guaranteed to have at LEAST a murder or two. 'Wheels' are more comedic values, or at least less serious, with the chance to see the formative days of the next Ace, or an Ace saddled with work far below their 'pay grade'.

Flushes are Internal Purge campaigns. Who's the traitor? FIND THEM AND FUCK THEIR SHIT UP.

Full Houses are team-ups, regardless of faction - this gives the PCs the chance to have surprisingly effective actions involving subjects far afield of their purview.

Four of a Kind is a tentative pilot project involving all Factions, with placement determining who is the weakest link, and perhaps an extra draw determining WHO stands to gain the most from the collaboration.

Straight Flushes are Massive Power Plays, with the potential to result in full takeover of the area. Royal Flushes are the most Epic of Crime War initiations.

>>9188692
Gven my druthers, I'd want to make your 9s my 10s, if not my Jacks. I too have a love for the 'Old Guy who is proof you don't get old in this field without MAD skill.' It's better than my original idea of making 10s the 'stronghold' cards.

Holy shit, you guys. I make one last bump, go to sleep and woke up to SHIT GETTING DONE. I love you guys. I've got a paper to write, so I won't be contributing much til later tonight, but I just want you all -especially the guy who fleshed out the random generation mechanic- to know... well, pic related.

>>9187753
My friends and I are in South Alabama. Atlanta has the honor of being the largest metropolitan area we've all been to at one point or another.

>>9189671
Right. Names. You use names when you're not trying to post Anonymously. Silly me.

>>9188371
Jack of Hearts - You remember Requiem for a Dream? Keith David.

One of the wilder Wild Cards.

>>9187843
>We need a name. I'm thinking '54 Ways to Die'.

I think that's a pretty awesome name for this.

>>9194209
Yeah, but no one counts the Jokers in a game of 52 pickup.

>>9195637
Please choose a response:

(if that was a serious reply)
The Jokers are used in this system, but I understand what you mean about the recognizability of the number 52. Dunno; I guess it's up to the OP.


(if that was a joke)
Nobody expects the Spanish Hitman!

>>9189610
10s being old dogs works with Jacks being the Go To Guy. I'm gonna go with that.

>>9196860

10 of Clubs?

Glad to see the revival of this thread!!!!!

"54 Blocks" for the name?

Size of the territory where everything takes place...

I agree that 52 is more easily recognizable, perhaps Jokers are optional, used to spice things up whenever.

>>9197012
52 is more recognisable, but I really like the idea of the Jokers. I dealt up Joker, King of Diamonds, Jack of Clubs, Jack of Hearts, Joker last night. Still trying to figure out what kind of campaign that would be.

crate the city first, then populate it.

the city is the real star.

New thought:

A system utilizing a standard card deck instead of dice. Not quite sure how it would work...but:
(Assuming gun-fight)
Attacker Draws the number of shots
Defender draws a defensive card
All Offensive cards of that suit or number Auto fail
Attacker draws damage for each successful attack.

Seems too offensive minded, needs tweaking

>>9197196
* create, even.

though if you must crate up the entire city, I'll be impressed.

Mapfag here...

if you want, to persuade me, I might offer my cartography services to create the city for this world.

pic is the map from the last thread that caught my eye...

>>9197205

Actually, changed my mind
Defense can be tied to rank within your organisation.
Lower your rank the more expendable you are, so it functions more as plot armor. For every hit you take Draw a card, if the card is higher than your rank, then you take the hit. Similar idea for counting hits. This seems a little simple though...give me more ideas!!! /tg/

>>9197196
THIS.
Though if you've a ciy already, it can still be used with whatever NPCs you have...as well as giving the excuse to flesh things out further.

I think you should keep the system short and swift.

Every contest (be it seduction or pistols) is settled with a round of Blackjack. For added spice, important characters (Jacks and higher) can go over 21 (maybe).

new2/tg/ here, where is this archived?

>>9198206
Numbersguy here.
I wasn't making a whole system, just a campaign generator. If you wanna use it as an all-cards thing, go for it, more power to you.

>>9198571
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/9165731/

>>9198571
Sup/tg/ - specifically http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/9165731/