Kingsport 1844: Mechanics & Tables

The eve of a voyage is an integral part of the voyage itself.
—Jorge Luis Borges, “Atlas”

Kingsport Timeline & Programmed Events

Arrival of the Player Characters
The scenario begins on October 27, 1844. The Quiddity is scheduled to depart the morning of November 1. The Keeper is encouraged to precede gameplay with a prologue outlining mid-century Kingsport and highlighting the importance of whaling. This helps set the tone, and provides players with the opportunity to ask clarifying questions. Knowing the mechanics of whaling is not yet necessary, and may be introduced when player characters visit “Jonah’s Amazing Whaling Panorama” in Encounter 25. When everyone is ready, gameplay should begin with individual Character Vignettes. Once this prelude is over, the cast is ready to mingle! The player characters’ Starting Positions and Adventure Hooks are detailed in their individual character profiles. Some characters begin in Kingsport, others arrive on the 10:00 am coach from Arkham, and others arrive at noon on the packet ship Getty Lee. The Keeper may conduct small “meet-and-greet” scenarios based on shared Starting Positions. Perhaps the Arkham coach gets stuck, forcing the players to interact? Or some sailor points out the Quiddity as the Getty Lee approaches Kingsport? Such episodes provide the Keeper with bite-sized roleplaying opportunities to introduce the characters to each other and get the ball rolling.

Why Not Start at Sea?
White Leviathan is an epic campaign that spans the globe. This week in Kingsport establishes the framework for everything that follows. Chapter 1 foreshadows future events, introduces nonplayer characters who will impact later chapters, and offers tantalizing glimpses of the scenario’s deeper mysteries. In terms of game mechanics, these first few sessions offer players a chance to “test drive” their characters, becoming comfortable roleplaying in this particular time and place. Each player character has Adventure Hooks designed to draw them deeper into the campaign, and while some of these threads are not directly tied to the overall plot, they help players establish and define their characters. They provide the opportunity to interact with other player characters free from the social restrictions of shipboard life, forming alliances and rivalries that shape future gameplay. Additionally, most Adventure Hooks offer tangible awards such as skill boosts, exotic items, or helpful clues.

Necessary Encounters
The Kingsport locations described in Chapter 1 are quite detailed. The intention is to create a fully-realized town, one that Keepers could conceivable use as a setting for additional scenarios. No single playthrough of White Leviathan is going to visit every location and meet every nonplayer character! Also, not every group will feature the full cast of player characters, so some locations and NPCs may be deemphasized or even excluded. For instance, if Rachel Ward is not in the game, Lady Jezebel and the Starry Busk become less important. If there’s no Tobias Beckett, the office of the Kingsport Chronicle may never be visited. Player decisions also have an impact. If Professor Lowell decides to ignore Talbot’s letter, the entire Adrian Talbot/Diego Salva thread becomes invisible. However, certain encounters must transpire for the overall plot to make sense. In order to better orient the Keeper, the following encounters represent “Necessary Encounters.” In the language of RPGs, these are “main quests” as opposed to optional “side quests.” The Keeper must ensure these three sublots are addressed and satisfactorily resolved before the player characters depart Kingsport.

1. Investigating Elijah Watts
On the last voyage of the Quiddity, second mate Elijah Watts went mad. Elijah Watts should be visited at St. Erasmus (Encounter 4), and his sea-chest should be plundered at Mercy Hospital (Encounter 29). Investigating Watts provides clues on the intentions of the Kingsport Cult, and provides the player characters with two important resources: a page from the Coffin Papers and a functional Great Key. Because of its importance, the Elijah Watts subplot has been integrated into the Adventure Hooks of three separate characters: Tobias Beckett, Ulysses Dixon, and Leland Morgan. If this isn’t enough, the characters are likely to hear about Watt’s madness from town scuttlebutt.

2. Investigating Professor Riddle’s Cabinet of Curiosities
During their first few days in Kingsport, the player characters attract the attention of Silas Grimble, a villainous wretch driven mad by the Call of Dagon. He and his associate Sydney Prim are holed up in an abandoned dime museum (Encounter 27), where they are stitching together a “moonraker” sail they believe shall carry them to the “Golden Altar of God.” The dime museum is the largest adventure sequence in Chapter 1, and represents something akin to a “dungeon.” Here the player characters realize there’s a larger force in play than the Kingsport Cult, and get their first taste of White Leviathan’s endgame in Abaddon.

While this thread is tightly knotted to the Adventure Hooks of Tobias Beckett, Quakaloo, and Milton Redburn, it’s possible these characters may not be in the game. In that case, the Keeper should shift Grimble’s attention from Quakaloo to a different player character. (Be sure to bestow that character with an unusual tattoo or birthmark!) Oliver Moneypenny can also be “reassigned” as the family friend of Joseph Coffin or Ulysses Dixon. Being a regular at the Starry Busk, it’s also possible that Moneypenny was one of Rachel Ward’s regular clients. No matter how it’s accomplished, the Keeper must deliver the player characters to the doorstep of Professor Riddle’s Cabinet of Curiosities!

3. The Halloween Tempest
The Halloween Tempest is the climax of Chapter 1, and it should impact every player character. Some characters may be emerging from the Preacher’s sermon at the Mariner’s Bethel (Encounter 3), others may be heading to the Knotted Iron or the Diving Bell for customary libations (Encounter 1 and Encounter 5), while some may spend their last night ashore at the Starry Busk (Encounter 6). Less adventurous characters may hunker down in their lodgings at the Kingsport Hotel or King Timmy’s Hotel to wait out the storm (Encounter 2 and Encounter 9). Rachel Ward uses the storm as cover to stow away on the Quiddity (Encounter 11). The Keeper should make this final night in Kingsport memorable, and Programmed Events are described at all of these locations! 

But What About…?
Kingsport is a delightfully haunted location with many opportunities for colorful Call of Cthulhu scenarios. As any Lovecraft devotée knows, along with “The Festival,” which has direct relevance to White Leviathan, Kingsport is the setting of “The Terrible Old Man,” “The Strange High House in the Mist,” and arguably “The White Ship.” The town is mentioned in “The Silver Key.” Kingsport is populated by an usually high number of Dreamers; humans who visit the Dreamlands in their sleep. Having said this, White Leviathan is not designed to be “Kingsport’s Greatest Hits,” and players have less than a week to explore its environs. Indeed, while the Strange High House certainly exists in 1844, the Terrible Old Man is only 41 years old, and is currently doing the very things that make him so terrible! Of course, if a Keeper wants to include any of these Lovecraftian elements in her game, she is certainly welcome to do so, and may summon the player characters to Kingsport a week earlier to give them more time. (The Quiddity’s November 1 departure date must be maintained.) For Keepers interested in exploring additional Kingsport scenarios, Kevin A. Ross’ Kingsport: The City In the Mists offers detailed notes, along with some excellent adventures of its own, such as “Dead In the Water.”

Calendar & Weather

Although the actions of the player characters drive the scenario, certain events are beyond their control: the behind-the-scenes actions of NPCs, the weather, and the simple turning of the calendar.

August 15­—The Quiddity arrives in Kingsport after a three-year whaling voyage. The ship is guided past the shoals by harbor pilot Andrew Orne. Ulysses Dixon and Leland Morgan disembark. Second mate Elijah Watts is consigned to Mercy Hospital. That night, Andrew Orne commits suicide.

August 16­—During the middle of the night, Sleet, Baker & Blood unloads five “black casks” from the Quiddity’s secret hold, and a pair of “hooded figures” are escorted from the ship. Liam Teague oversees this spectacle and informs Graham Blaine at the Chronicle. An Irishman who works for Professor Riddle, Teague is destined to be Silas Grimble’s first victim.

August 21­—Elijah Watts is transferred to St. Erasmus. After Jacob Macy removes his notebooks, Watts’ sea-chest is locked away at Mercy Hospital and forgotten.

August 23­—Repairs and re-fitting begin on the Quiddity. Departure is set for November 1.

September 4—Oliver Moneypenny shutters Professor Riddle’s Cabinet of Curiosities to begin working on his “moonraker” project.

September 9—Graham Blaine writes to his nephew Tophet, inviting him to investigate the strange matters concerning the Quiddity.

September 13­—Oliver Moneypenny sends a distraught letter to Milton Redburn, along with a page from Revelations 9.

September 14­—The Covenant hosts a Roodmas service at the Congregational Church. Ties to the Covenant are renewed, particularly among Captain Joab and William Pynchon.

September 15­—Captain Joab visits the Starry Busk and spends the night with Rachel Ward. Despite taking preventative measures, she unknowingly conceives.

September 30—Rachel Ward begins her month-long Mandragora ritual. 

October 1­—Captain Joab travels to Innsmouth to privately confer with Obed Marsh about Dagon. While there, Marsh presents him with the gift of an ivory leg.

October 15­—Captain Joab returns from Innsmouth.

October 16—The Virgin arrives in Kingsport after a two-year whaling voyage. A sick harpooneer named Diego Salva is admitted to Mercy Hospital and treated by Dr. Adrian Talbot.

October 17­—Bembo Burn, one of the Quiddity’s harpooneers, is murdered in Cock Lane and dumped at Pauper’s Shame. He is disinterred by Silas Grimble, who hires Sydney Prim to assist.

October 18—Rachel Ward discovers her pregnancy. Through the Levantine Dream Wheel, she divines that Joab is the father.

October 19­—Silas Grimble flays the tattoo from Sydney Prim, and Oliver Moneypenny abandons the museum to stow away onboard the Fenris.

October 21—Silas Grimble captures Liam Teague.

October 22­—Dr. Talbot writes to Dr. Montgomery Lowell, inviting him to examine Diego Salva at Mercy Hospital.

October 24—Dr. Talbot botches the amputation of Diego Salva’s arm. He hangs himself the morning of October 25.

October 26—Under the light of a full moon, Rachel Ward slips aboard the Quiddity and explores her hold, finding a place to stow away. The body of Diego Salva is interred at Pauper’s Shame.

October 27, Sunday—The scenario begins!
The weather is fair, with a light wind coming in from the sea. After sunset, a gentle mist floats over the wharves. It dissipates by sunrise. At 11:00 am, a small funeral is held for Dr. Talbot.

October 28, Monday
The weather is fair, with a light wind coming in from the sea. It begins drizzling around 10:00 am, but skies clear by 3:00 pm. The evening is crisp, clear, and cool.

October 29, Tuesday­
The weather is fair, slightly chilly, with a wind coming in from the sea. It begins drizzling around 6:00 am, but clears by 3:00 pm. A light fog rolls in around midnight, dissipating by 5:00 am the next morning.

October 30, Wednesday­
The weather is unusual. The day starts clear and crisp, but darkens by noon, the sky piling high with clouds. It begins snowing around 3:30 pm, easing off around 8:30 pm, leaving about two inches on the ground. A cold fog rolls in, covering the harbor in a thick blanket, the infamous Kingsport “aether of faëry.” At 10:30 pm, a small fishing boat washes ashore, its two fishermen­—Jose Carvalho Pinto and Lawson Court­—apparently lost at sea. Rumors circulate around the wharves: the One took ‘em to the High House; the sharks ‘et them, the ghost ship Anna mowed ‘em down in the snow, etc. The truth is they were drunk, got lost in the snow, began fighting, and toppled overboard and drowned. Nothing supernatural at all.

October 31­, Thursday—The Halloween Tempest
The morning remains fogbound. At 9:00 am, Jose Carvalho Pinto, one of the missing fishermen, washes ashore on the rocks beneath Kingsport Head and is found by a hiker. The Town Crier announces this at noon. As the day wears on, the fog is burned away by a cold, crisp sun around 1:00 pm. The snow melts under a few hours of clear skies, but by 5:00 pm the sky over the harbor goes completely black. Kingsporters become alarmed and start battening down the hatches. By 6:00 pm, the squall slams home with astonishing speed and rapacity. It is one of the most violent storms in recent memory; houses are damaged, shallops are washed ashore as far as Turner and Howard Streets, and the steeple of the Congregational Church is struck by lightning at midnight. By the time it ends at 3:00 am­—suddenly, unnaturally, bringing a preternatural calm­—twelve Kingsporters will have lost their lives on land and at sea.

November 1­, Friday—All Soul’s Day
The morning dawns misty and cold, and wreckage from the storm lies everywhere. The Quiddity nevertheless sets sail, after a breakfast feast provided by Sleet, Baker & Blood.

November 4—The Quiddity’s articles are filed at the Kingsport Custom House.

December 22­—The Aldebaran is finished and “christened” at the Tuttle shipyard. That night the Covenant gathers for Solstice Mass below the Congregationalist Church.

January 1, 1845­—The Aldebaran departs on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain Nathaniel Coffin Warnock.

Programmed Events

Certain encounters and events are scheduled to occur at specific times. These are listed here, but the actual descriptions of those events are detailed under their corresponding location. For instance, the description of the “green fire” surrounding the Quiddity during the October 31 tempest is found in Encounter 11: The Quiddity Dock.

October 27
October 27, 10:00 am: Arrival of the Arkham Stage (Encounter 22)
The coach from Arkham arrives at South Hill Station on Circle Street, delivering Tobias Beckett, Ulysses Dixon, and Dr. Montgomery Lowell to Kingsport.

October 27, Noon: Arrival of the Getty Lee (Encounter 10)
The packet ship Getty Lee arrives from New Bedford, docking at the slip in front of the Custom House. Mr. Joseph Coffin, Milton Redburn, and Quakaloo disembark.

October 27, Noon to Evening: Mr. Coffin Pays a Visit to Orchard Rise (Encounter 32)

Mr. Joseph Coffin is scheduled to meet his cousins at Orchard Rise.

Starting Around October 27
October 27-29: Silas Grimble Fixates on Quakaloo (Encounter 1)
Early in the game, Silas Grimble discovers Quakaloo.

October 27-29: Leland Morgan’s Opium War, Part 1 (Encounter 5)
Early in the game, Leland Morgan attempts to purchase $40 in opium.

October 27-30: Rachel Ward’s Mandragora (Encounter 39)
Each day from October 27-30, Rachel Ward must “water” her Mandragora with “bat milk.”

October 27-31: Ulysses Dixon’s Tradition (Encounter 6)
Sometime during the week, Ulysses Dixon plans to drop a large amount of money at the Starry Busk.

October 28
October 28, 2:00 pm: Interview with Professor Lowell (Encounter 26)
Dr. Lowell is scheduled to meet with Sleet, Baker & Blood.

October 28, 4:00 pm: Tobias Beckett Meets His Uncle (Encounter 14)
Tobias Beckett is scheduled to meet with his Uncle Graham Blaine.

October 28, 6:00 pm: Tobias Beckett Meets the Anti-Slavery League (Encounter 12)
Tobias Beckett is invited to dine with his uncle at Black Joe’s Tavern.

Starting Around October 28
October 28-30: In the Wake of Elijah Watts (Encounter 4)
Sometime during the week, Ulysses Dixon and Leland Morgan should visit their old shipmate Elijah Watts at St. Erasmus.

October 28-30: Tobias Beckett Snoops Around the Office (Encounter 26)
Sometime during the week, Tobias Beckett may break into Sleet, Baker & Blood.

October 28-30: Paging Dr. Talbot! (Encounter 29)
Sometime during the week, Dr. Lowell should pay a visit to Mercy Hospital to meet Dr. Adrian Talbot. This may send him to the Hotel Poseidon (Encounter 21) and Adrian Talbot’s House (Encounter 24).

October 28-30: Dr. Lowell Consults the Red Right Hand (Encounter 36)
Sometime during the week, Dr. Lowell may ask the Powderhouse Ghouls to help him exhume the corpse of Diego Salva.

October 28-30: Graverobbing In the Name of Science! Part 1 (Encounter 5)
Once Dr. Lowell has contacted the Powderhouse Ghouls, he’ll meet with Mr. Lovejoy at the Diving Bell.

October 28-30: Leland Morgan’s Opium War, Part 2 (Encounters 36 & Encounter 37)
If Leland Morgan has accepted Hurricane Jane Mersey’s proposal, he meets the Powderhouse Ghouls at the Old Powderhouse, then robs the Liberty Bells at the Burnt Sawmill.

October 28-30: Leland Morgan’s Opium War, Part 3 (Encounter 39)
If Leland Morgan has any concluding business with the Powderhouse Ghouls, he’ll meet Hurricane Jane Mersey at the Old Gibbet.

October 28-31: Rachel Ward’s Last Lesson (Encounter 6)
Sometime during the week, Rachel Ward must decide whether or not to inform Lady Jezebel she is leaving the Starry Busk.

October 28-31: A Rose for Rachel Ward (Encounter 12)
Sometime during the week, Rachel Ward may visit Black Joe’s Tavern to purchase Lucretia Brown’s rosepetal perfume.

October 29
October 29, 7:00 am: Message for Mr. Coffin (Encounter 2)
The Preacher sends Mute Charlie to the Kingsport Hotel with an invitation for Mr. Coffin.

October 29, 5:00 pm: Mr. Coffin Meets the Captain. (Encounter 11)
Mr. Coffin is scheduled to meet Captain Joab on the Quiddity.

Starting Around October 29
October 29-30: Mr. Coffin’s Cookie Run (Encounter 12)
After Mr. Coffin has visited the Quiddity, Mr. Pynchon asks him to pick up some Joe Froggers at Black Joe’s Tavern.

October 29-30: Rachel Ward’s Grave Errand, Parts 1 & 3 (Encounter 40)
In order to complete her Mandragora, Rachel Ward must acquire a strip of winding-sheet from the corpse of a dead man. This errand takes her either to the Slaughterhouse Ghouls (Encounter 5) or directly Paper’s Shame (Encounter 40.)

October 30
October 30, 11:00 pm: Rachel Ward’s Mandragora, Part 2 (Encounter 39)
Rachel Ward must retrieve her mandrake root from the Old Gibbet and return to the Starry Busk.

October 31­
October 31, 2:00–5:00 am: Graverobbing In the Name of Science! Part 2/Rachel Ward’s Grave Errand, Part 2 (Encounter 40)
This combines Dr. Lowell and Rachel Ward’s separate Adventure Hooks, and assumes both have business robbing a grave at Pauper’s Shame.

October 31, 4:30–5:30 pm: The Halloween Sermon (Encounter 3)
The Preacher gives a Quiddity-related sermon at the Mariner’s Bethel.

October 31, 5:30 pm–3:00 am: The Halloween Tempest
Kingsport is seized by the worst storm in decades. During the storm, Elijah Watts breaks free and escapes St. Erasmus, and the Covenant holds a Hallowmas ritual beneath the Congregational Church. There are several Programmed Events that may occur in a variety of locations throughout Kingsport. Both “The Strange Visitor” and “The Thing on the Doorstep” are detailed under Encounter 1, and may happen at the Knotted Iron (Encounter 1) or the Diving Bell (Encounter 5). “Mary Brody Paints the Tempest” happens at the Kingsport Hotel (Encounter 2). “Visions of Old Kingsport” and “Kingsport Gives Up Her Dead” are detailed under Encounter 1, and may happen almost anywhere.

October 31, 5:30 pm: Rachel Ward Stows Away (Encounter 11)
Rachel Ward departs the Starry Busk to stow away onboard the Quiddity.

October 31, 6:30 pm to Midnight: The Green Fire (Encounter 11)
The Quiddity is enveloped by a cold green fire that protects it from the storm.

Additional Gaming Notes & Mechanics

Town Scuttlebutt
Like any thriving port town, Kingsport has its share of gossips, wags, and tale-spinners, and the player characters are likely to hear numerous rumors as they wander its labyrinth of wharves and taverns. Whenever the Keeper thinks appropriate, a Charm or Persuade roll earns a random rumor from the “Kingsport Rumor Table” below. Repeats are possible, subject to additional elaboration as the Keeper sees fit. Rumors are marked as being “true” or “false,” information meant only for the Keeper!

 Kingsport Rumor Table: (1D100)

1-5. Oh, Kingsport has its witches! On the full moon, you can see Old Mother Cawches flying on her broom, seeking out bad children to gobble their eyeballs. She still has the pox, you know—wears a plague mask, like those old doctors! (False, unfortunately)

6-9. Back in the old days, a Witch Cult practiced black magic in Kingsport. Fortunately, Mayor Eben Hall rooted them out. (True)

10-12. Back in the old days, a Witch Cult practiced black magic in Kingsport. They were hanged in 1692. The Puritans tried to burn down their chapel, but the Devil wouldn’t let them. It’s still standing at the end of Hangman’s Trail! I hear witches from all over New England flock there for their Sabbaths! (Mostly true.)

13-15. Back in the old days, a Witch Cult practiced black magic in Kingsport. After the Revolution, some of them relocated to Innsmouth, which is why the town has become “strange.” (Not true)

16-18. The people of Innsmouth have made a bargain with Satan, and that’s why the fish have returned. (Uh…not quite true)

19-21. The churches of Innsmouth have all shut down, driven away by the Freemasons. They call themselves the “The Eccentric Order of the Dragon!” (Nice try)

22-24. Those fishing boats from ’42? Sure they were poaching on Innsmouth waters. But capsized by a storm? Naw—those fishermen were gutted by Innsmouth pirates that emerged from the mist. That’s what Danny Houghton said before they stuck him at St. Elmo’s! (Not quite true)

25-27. That blind old Preacher? He was once a member of the Witch Cult, but he turned against the wicked ways of his forefathers. (False)

28-30. The widow that runs Kingsport Hotel—Mary Brody? About a year ago, they found her sleepwalking up the Causeway! She was talking some French gibberish, but after she woke, she said she didn’t know French! (True; but the language was Jèrriais.)

31-33. That Congregational Church on the hill? It used to be an Anglican church called St. Michael’s. During the Revolution it was busted up by Patriots, and its Tory congregation was tarred and feathered. The priest was even hanged! (True)

34-36. Years ago, old-timers used to claim that dead men were seen walking on Central Hill. Even the priest of the original church, the diabolical Father Rufus Cheever! (True)

37-39. That Irish fellow who works Riddle’s magic lantern show? He claims he saw something queer going on at the Congregational Church in the middle of the night back in August. Something smuggled into the church from a ship. Nobody knows where he is now. Murdered by witches, surely! (Not quite; Liam Teague was killed by Silas Grimble.)

40-42. You know the tale of Evan Orne and the thirteenth iron? No? Well, be sure to visit the Knotted Iron! Anyway, the truth is that Orne actually survived, but was killed by his angry crewmen under the order of the chief mate, that queer old “backgammon player” Bill Pynchon. (False; Pynchon wasn’t even onboard the Neil Pyrt; he was ashore working for the Covenant at the time.)

43-45. Those ruins on Hog Island? Haunted! Used to be a pesthouse, but the town rose up and burned it before the Revolution. Now they bury strangers and foreigners there. (Simplified, but true.)

46-48. You know the Gravesend, that prison ship that burned down before the Revolution? One of the convicts escaped, his flesh burned by fire, and a hook for a right hand. Ol’ Puddinghead, they call him, because of his disfigured face. They say for years after the accident, he survived by eating the flesh of the dead. Some say he’s still alive, preying on young lovers who dare to walk Hangman’s Trail…. (False, unfortunately.)

49-51. The madam of the Starry Busk is from a long line of Dunwich witches, and she practices black magic. That’s why her girls are so beautiful. They cast a glamour on you! (Not quite true)

52-54. Lady Jezebel of the Starry Busk? She was Cap’n Sleet’s mistress back in the twenties. I hear she’s 200 years old, and has a copy of “Old Hoag’s evil bible” hidden somewhere in her brothel! (The first part is true, the rest is false)

55-57. Believe it or not, Cap’n Sleet used to be a handsome young man, a real heartbreaker. Then he sailed away and came back all twisted up, with that pop-eye of his—it sees things no man oughta see! (True)

58-60. That gang that operates from the Cauldron, the Powderhouse Ghouls? You ever wonder why they haven’t been locked up? Kingsport’s Selectmen hire them to rough up rivals! (Sadly true)

61-63. After they burned down Opium Row, the Powderhouse Ghouls found some Chinese women in cages. They run an opium den in the basement of the Diving Bell. (True)

64-66. That dime museum on the South Shore? It closed up because Professor Riddle went crazy. Some say he’s inside, working on a new exhibit about ghost ships. (Sort of true)

67-69. These last few weeks have been dangerous ‘round the Wharves! Men have just been vanishing. Started with Riddle’s Irishman, then Nutting the barber, and now I hear old Ben Pedrick never reported for duty! (True, thanks to Silas Grimble.)

70-72. Been a rash of grave robbin’ lately. That Mowree harpooneer with the tattoos? Gone from Pauper’s Shame the night they dumped him! And the Ghoul’s Resurrection-man knows nothin’ about it, so it ain’t like them college doctors from Miskatonic are body-snatchin’ again! (True, thanks to Silas Grimble.)

73-75. The Talbot Curse is kicking up again. I hear the last of the “moneyed” Talbots hanged himself in that fancy new mansion on Summit Street. (True)

76-78. Poor Tom Elton. The missus had to take over the light because Tom’s become askeert to climb the stairs! Becky may be a bit forward, but she’s a damn fine wickie. (True)

79-81. That new whaler the Tuttles are building? Old Doppler says the figurehead’s going to be a gold-plated calf! What heathenish nonsense! And going to cost thousands of dollars! (False, the reality is worse.)

82-84. That new apothecary? The fellow that runs it is a Dunwich wizard. Makes goddamn potions he sells as tonics. (Sort of true)

85-87. That queer captain Dickie Holt? Ever notice how he always loses sailors overseas? Some folk say he puts a hex on them, captures their souls in little bottles! (True. See “The Terrible Old Man” by H.P. Lovecraft.)

88-90. The Strange High House on Kingsport Head? They say the One that lives there is old as Kingsport, might even be old Malachi himself! (Not quite true. See “The Strange High House in the Mist” by H.P. Lovecraft.) 

91-00. Oooh! A Quiddity Rumor! Consult the table below.

Quiddity Rumor Table (1D6) 

1. Aye, the poor Quid. Her last voyage was awful. Captain Joab lost his leg to a whale, the mate fell to a stroke, and ol’ Watts went mad. The hospital couldn’t cure him, St. Elmo can’t cure him, and soon he’s being shipped to that new madhouse in Arkham. That ship knows how to butcher fish, but she carries a curse. (True)

2. One thing you won’t hear from the Quids—they were attacked by pirates near the Offshore Grounds! Why are they so quiet about that? Because they were forced to eat the pirates to survive! (False)

3. Some sailors say the Quiddity is protected by St. Elmo’s fire. I hear rumors that the old St. Michael’s Witches worshiped a green flame that game them powers! (True)

4. The chief mate of the Quiddity substituted a “fake” logbook for the real one; probably because they found a new whaling ground. (True story, wrong reason)

5. That last voyage of the Quiddity? Whipple says his crew was killed by Mocha Dick, but after a month adrift at sea? How’d he survive? And wasn’t there blood and teeth on the whaleboat after he was rescued? (True)

6. The fine Quaker owners of the Quiddity made a pact with God, and that’s why she always comes back so oily—all other gossip is hateful lies spawned by jealousy. (Um, false, real false.)

All rumors may be embellished and altered as the Keeper sees fit. Bear in mind that strangers are viewed with some suspicion; and certain tale-spinners relish “putting on” connies. But nevertheless, sailors love to talk, and confide in fellow tars quite readily.

Player Finances

For the most part, White Leviathan doesn’t concern itself with player finances. Once the characters depart Kingsport, money ceases to become an issue. But that still leaves six days in town, and Kingsport does not run charity! Every player character begins the game with enough funds to eat, acquire appropriate lodgings, purchase clothing and supplies, and enjoy some recreational activities. In certain cases, these resources may be stretched; such as Morgan’s desire to acquire opium, or purchasing the cooperation of Lulu. These situations are described under their relevant encounters.

Currency
In 1844, the United States is two decades away from printing the paper “greenback,” and citizens use coins for most common exchanges. Large companies such as railroads, mining companies, and shipping concerns sometimes issue promissory notes and scrip, but these are often limited to company stores and are frequently used to swindle their laborers. The most reliable paper money takes the form of banknotes, printed by regional banks and exchangeable for coins and precious metals. Kingsport’s sole bank is the Marine Bank of Kingsport (Encounter 16). A subsidiary of Arkham First Bank, the bank honors most Massachusetts banknotes, and is available for obtaining loans.

Players who want a feel for their financial situation may use this general rule of thumb: $1 in 1844 has the approximate purchasing power of $35 in the mid-2020s. Keep in mind, the actual value of different commodities varies widely, as mass production is still in its infancy. Fancy new machines and specialized equipment are more expensive than their modern counterparts. The simple table below offers the prices of some typical commodities in 1844. If the Keeper would like more specificity, she is welcome to look up mid-nineteenth century advertisements and catalogues.

Optional System: Kingsport Vouchers

As White Leviathan takes place over three years, only six days of which are spent in Kingsport, it’s quite conceivable that a player character may be at sea when he realizes that he should have purchased a pocket watch, or perhaps looked up the history of Jacob Macy. Whereas the players only spent a couple of sessions in Kingsport, their characters have been preparing for weeks, and are unlikely to have overlooked something vitally important. In order to compensate for this imbalance, the Keeper may employ this system of “Kingsport Vouchers.”

In the Kingsport Voucher system, every player character is awarded 6 hours of Kingsport time they may “spend” at any point later the scenario. This time is allotted in “vouchers” of one-hour increments, and is entirely at the Keeper’s discretion. Whether or not these “flashbacks” are actually roleplayed is up to the Keeper, but four guidelines should be kept in mind:

1. The amount of time it takes to accomplish the desired task is determined by the Keeper. Once that’s been announced, the player may decide to cancel the request and save the vouchers. For example: The day after sailing, Ulysses Dixon wants to retroactively “have purchased” a new Colt Paterson revolver. The Keeper states that on account of its rarity, such a task would take the entire six hours. The player decides it’s not worth it. He privately tells the Keeper to “go pound sand, ye scurvy dog,” and changes his request to “an old Navy flintlock.” The Keeper charges him three vouchers and $4, which Dixon willingly pays. He has three vouchers remaining. The Keeper then describes Dixon’s trip to Valentine & Howell’s Gun Shop and discusses how he smuggled his purchase onboard the Quiddity.

2. The player may not use a voucher to act upon knowledge she did not yet possess while in Kingsport. For example: In the Sandwich Isles, Rachel Ward discovers a letter containing the name “Commodore Alan Loveless.” Because she had no knowledge of this name back in Kingsport, she may not use a voucher to look him up in the Kingsport Public Library.

3. Events that have already transpired may not be altered. For example: Mr. Pynchon searches Beckett’s sea-chest. He discovers the hollowed-out copy of Balzac that exposes Beckett as the reporter Tophet Blaine. Beckett’s player cannot say, “I’d like to spend a Kingsport Voucher to have a secret compartment installed in my sea-chest, where I’d keep that book hidden!” However, that might have been an appropriate request before Pynchon searched the player character’s chest.

4. Vouchers may not be used to rescue a player character from immediate peril. For example: When faced with a murderous Frenchman waving a loaded Charleville musket and shouting threats, Mr. Coffin would like to have retroactively studied three hours of French language. The Keeper laughs in his face.

Kingsport Cult Pushback

Cult Pushback
Player characters are expected to research the Kingsport Cult before setting sail; but investigations are best carried out with caution. Mentioning the name Dagon to the wrong people, ostentatiously poking into the history of the Covenant, or displaying too much curiosity about Sleet, Baker & Blood—such indiscretions may raise red flags. The person in charge of handling these red flags is Jacob Macy, who decides how the Covenant should respond to any “civilian” intrusion.

Low Alarm
If word gets back to Macy that someone is inquiring into past voyages, Sleet, Baker & Blood finances, or the history of the Covenant, it only provokes a state of Low Alarm. After all, whaling is a profitable industry, the Quiddity is rumored to be cursed, and Kingsport’s history of witchcraft is public knowledge.

The Friendly Conversation
If such disturbances come from Coffin, Lowell, Dixon, or Morgan, Macy is liable to pay them a personal visit, smoothing things over with glib palaver backed by a touch of menace—“Aye, ye know how sailors talk! ‘Taint nothing to it. Sure, everyone knows Kingsport used to have some non-Christian folk, but didn’t ol’ Eben Hall put paid to that? So how about ye do me a personal favor, and drop such talk. Ye may be a man of intelligence, but ye rattle the crew, and all manner of silliness may arise. And silliness cuts into profits, ye mark me?” If this fails to work, things escalate to Moderate Alarm.

The Letter of Warning
If such disturbances come from Redburn, Quakaloo, Beckett, or Rachel, Macy sends them an anonymous letter of warning. If this fails to work, things escalate to Moderate Alarm.

Moderate Alarm
If the persistent character does not desist, or if Macy hears someone’s been asking about Dagon, black casks, or Bons pêcheurs, it provokes a state of Moderate Alarm.

The Unfriendly Conversation
If such disturbances come from Coffin, Lowell, Dixon, or Morgan, Macy addresses them directly—“I hear ye be pokin’ your beak into matters that don’t concern ye. I don’t care if ye be a ship’s officer/payin’ for your voyage/a damn fine harpooneer/the Quid’s blacksmith, I hear one more word outcher biscuit-hole, yer days in Kingsport are through. Ye sabbee?” Macy’s threat is legitimate, and the player should understand he’s treading on game-breaking ice. Macy may even resort to Cloud Memory or Mental Suggestion to solve the problem.

The Fists of Warning
If such disturbances come from Redburn, Quakaloo, Beckett, or Rachel, Macy orders the Powderhouse Ghouls to pay the character a visit. The Keeper should select an appropriate number of Ghouls to deliver the message. This should not be fatal, but may involve a beating, extortion or blackmail, or threats directed at loved ones.

High Alarm
If a persistent character refuses to desist, or if Macy hears someone’s been asking about Cthoaanesel, or if someone publicly connects the Covenant with the Quiddity, a state of High Alarm is reached. Macy’s reaction depends specifically on which player character is involved.

Mr. Joseph Coffin
Mr. Coffin is required on the Quiddity, as he’s the sacrificial lamb for Abner Ezekiel Hoag. If he proves too nosey or becomes too stubborn, Macy blasts him with Cloud Memory and Mental Suggestion.

Dr. Montgomery Lowell
Although Sleet, Baker & Blood want Lowell’s money, they won’t take unnecessary risks and are willing to refuse him passage. To avoid this outcome, Macy may defuse the problem with Cloud Memory and Mental Suggestion. Or—and this is a radical suggestion, and certainly made only at the Keeper’s discretion—because Lowell is a morally ambiguous character with many secrets, perhaps Lowell may be given an inkling of the truth; the promise of future revelations if his keeps his damn mouth shut.

Leland Morgan
If Morgan becomes too troublesome, Macy may drop a bomb—“Lad, I know what ye are!” If Morgan can be persuaded to keep his (unnaturally wide and froggish) mouth shut, Macy promises him, “Ye’ll get some answers in this voyage I promise ye!” If that’s not enough, he’ll have Morgan killed.

Ulysses Dixon
If Dixon pushes things, the Keeper may rule that Macy wipes his memory to preserve a top-notch harpooneer on the eve of a voyage. Or, Macy may have the boatsteerer murdered in a Cauldron alley. Keeper’s choice. (The subject of the Black Island requires further explanation, and is detailed below.)

Quakaloo
Given the nature of his character, it’s unlikely Quakaloo will pursue matters to the point of alarm. However, the Keeper may rule that Macy wipes his memory to preserve a top-notch harpooneer on the eve of a voyage. Or, Macy may have the boatsteerer murdered in a Cauldron alley. Keeper’s choice.

Milton Redburn
As a simple sailor, Redburn is entirely disposable, and Macy may order the Powderhouse Ghouls to slit his throat and dump him in Pauper’s Shame. However, a patient Keeper may elect to have this attack occur on Halloween night or the morning of November 1; in which case, if Redburn survives, he may still show up at the Quiddity and board the ship. Needless to say, Macy informs Pynchon, who keeps a weather eye on the writer.

Tobias Beckett
Beckett’s situation is identical to Redburn’s. However, if Jacob Macy finds out that Beckett is a reporter, he realizes that he can’t just kill him—that would raise too many questions. Therefore, why not inform Mr. Pynchon about the news, and have “Beckett” vanish mysteriously somewhere at sea?

Rachel Ward
A stowaway, Rachel is unlikely to come to Macy’s attention. However, if he hears that one of Jezebel’s girls has been stirring up trouble, he’ll warn former Bonne pêcheuse Judith Espírito Santo to “keep her house in order.” Faced with this threat, Lady Jezebel does whatever’s necessary to bring her wayward protégé to heel. If she fails, Macy sends Henry Flowers to slit Rachel’s throat. Providing Rachel escapes this encounter, she can stow away as planned.

The Black Island
The Covenant doesn’t know about Dixon’s history with the Black Island. If Dixon starts asking questions about this subject, it results in “Moderate Alarm.” However, it also engages the Covenant’s curiosity—just how did Dixon hear of the island? Three outcomes are possible. Gideon Sleet may interrogate Dixon, then wipe his memory clean. Or, Dixon is warned as described above, and Pynchon is instructed to keep an eye on the harpooneer at sea. The third option is the most risky. Similar to Lowell, Dixon may be considered a potential candidate for the Covenant. He’ll be interrogated by Gideon Sleet. If Dixon proves honest, Sleet informs the former lieutenant that if he keeps his mouth shut, he just might get some answers. Pynchon is instructed to monitor him closely for possible membership in the Covenant. Of course, if Dixon cannot follow instructions, he may simply be murdered!

White Leviathan, Chapter 1—Kingsport 1844
[Back to Kingsport History | White Leviathan TOC | Forward to Kingsport Encounters]

Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 26 August 2023
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
White Leviathan PDF: [TBD]