Powderhouse Ghouls

The basic creed of the gangster, and for that matter of any other type of criminal, is that whatever a man has is his only so long as he can keep it, and that the one who takes it away from him has not done anything wrong, but has merely demonstrated his smartness.
―Herbert Asbury, “The Gangs of New York”

Descrption

There are numerous organized gangs in Kingsport, from the Kettle Black Boys who pickpocket the Downtown area to the Liberty Bell Hose Company, a group of toughs who maintain the Illsley Shipyard fire engine and do strong-arm work for Nativist politicians. But the only gang connected to the Kingsport Cult are the Powderhouse Ghouls, a motley group of deserters, pirates, highwaymen, and assassins. Commanded by a former harpooneer named Donovan Wreck, the Powderhouse Ghouls take their name from an abandoned powder magazine which served as their first headquarters. Dispersed from the roads by Kingsport officials, they moved to the docks and took over the majority of Kingsport’s smuggling operations.

The leader of the Powderhouse Ghouls is Donovan Wreck. While Wreck is neither the smartest nor toughest Ghoul, he’s the only one with political connections: Wreck served as Jacob Macy’s harpooneer onboard the Celaeno. And while Macy is hardly a Selectman, he’s an agent for Sleet, Baker & Blood, and his influence over the docks enables the Ghouls to conduct their operations relatively free from official harassment.

Donovan Rex (a.k.a. Donovan Wreck)

Statistics
Age 36, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Kingsport, 1808.

Combat

Skills
Accounting 50%, Appraise 75%, Charm 15%, Climb 60%, Credit Rating 40%, Cthulhu Mythos 5%, Demolitions 30%, Disguise 20%, Fast Talk 80%, First Aid 45%, Intimidate 80%, Jump 25%, Kingsport Cult 10%, Law 30%, Leadership 50%, Listen 25%, Locksmith 50%, Mechanical Repair 35%, Occult 5%, Persuade 40%, Pilot (Boat) 50%, Psychology 30%, Read Lips 40%, Renown 20%, Ride 30%, Seamanship 65%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 75%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 60%, Survival 30%, Swim 20%, Throw 30%, Track 10%, Whalecraft 65%.

Description
A hulking brute of a man, Donovan Wreck dresses like a sailor with just a touch of dandy, and favors fine beaver hats and silk scarves. A former boatsteerer from the Celaeno, he’s traded his harpoon for a fireman’s axe named Lolly, a tool he claims once belonged to “ol’ Cap’n Corben himself.” Donovan brooks no dissent among the Ghouls, but he’s curiously deferential to his old third mate and boatheader, “Captain” Jacob Macy. Although Donovan is only dimly aware of the Covenant, he knows that Macy represents something bigger than himself, and plans to eventually translate his fealty into more tangible rewards. Until then, Donovan and the Powderhouse Ghouls are happy to perform whatever errands Macy requires, including extortion, theft, arson, graverobbing, and sometimes murder.

A motley crew of shoreline pirates, smugglers, and highwaymen, the Powderhouse Ghouls are the lowest of the low, and engage in all manner of wretched activities, from bodysnatching and blackmail to kidnapping and procurement. The gang numbers about three dozen, but these eight scoundrels represent the cream of the crop. They are listed in order of perceived “rank.”

Possessions and Shared Skills: Each Ghoul has 2D10 dollars, various personal items of paraphernalia, and mementos filched from previous victims. Unless listed otherwise, all share these common skills: Climb 50%, Credit Rating 20%, Disguise 20%, First Aid 30%, Jump 30%, Ride 50%, Swim 25%, Throw 40%, Survival 40%.

Mr. Shane Lovejoy

Statistics
Age: 41, Nationality: English, Birthplace: Lancashire, England 1803.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 80%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 25%, Fast Talk 70%, Intimidate 60%, Law 40%, Leadership 35%, Listen 35%, Locksmith 10%, Persuade 80%, Psychology 50%, Read Lips 5%, Renown 25%, Seamanship 50%, Sea Lore 25%, Sleight of Hand 85%, Spot Hidden 75%, Stealth 10%.

Description
Shane Lovejoy is a sardonic Englishman and former bosun with the British Navy. Serving as Wreck’s lieutenant, “Mr. Lovejoy” has impeccable manners, which he maintains even as he’s stabbing someone in the liver with the gully knife concealed up his pinstriped sleeve. Mr. Lovejoy coordinates the general activities of the Ghouls, and only Donovan Wreck has the authority to overrule his decisions. Although Lovejoy is obviously more intelligent and canny than Wreck, the sly Englishman prefers to remain the “power behind the throne.” There’s also the fact that Lovejoy can’t stand the sight of Jacob Macy, “a man whose throat is just begging for unforeseen ventilation.”

John Bishop (a.k.a. Bishop Butcher)

Statistics
Age: 34, Nationality: English, Birthplace: London, 1810.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 50%, Art/Craft (Graverobbing) 75%, Fast Talk 60%, Intimidate 80%, Law 25%, Leadership 15%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 65%, Medicine 15%, Persuade 50%, Pilot (Boat) 50%, Psychology 65%, Renown 15%, Seamanship 20%, Science (Anatomy) 35%, Spot Hidden 80%, Stealth 65%.

Description
The Ghoul’s main Resurrection-man, Bishop Butcher is a filthy degenerate, a self-professed necrophile who specializes in graverobbing “fresh, rotten, or bone-dry.” He carries “Hicksey,” a club fashioned from a human femur he claims was a gift from the notorious pirate Albert Hicks. Much smarter than he lets on, Bishop has developed a surgically precise sense of mockery and ridicule. A few moments after meeting someone, Bishop has already divined his most shameful secrets and psychological weaknesses—grist for the mill of his predatory sarcasm. He also has the talent for reducing a man’s life story to a single belittling nickname. Bishop revels in his role as gang bully, and even Donovan Wreck thinks twice before upsetting this leering and cunning brute.

Jane Dyson (a.k.a. Hurricane Jane Mersey)

Statistics
Age: 34, Nationality: English, Birthplace: Liverpool, England 1810.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 85%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 10%, Disguise 60%, Fast Talk 75%, Intimidate 70%, Law 25%, Leadership 25%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 10%, Persuade 80%, Pilot (Boat) 50%, Psychology 35%, Renown 20%, Seamanship 20%, Sea Lore 10%, Sleight of Hand 75%, Spot Hidden 55%, Stealth 70%.

Description
Hurricane Jane Mersey is a hard-drinking adventuress from Liverpool. She cut her teeth robbing sailors before traveling to America to escape the law. Settling into New York, Jane worked the Hudson River as part of Shady Tom’s Gang. Although they mostly contented themselves with pilfering from the docks, in 1836 the gang boarded and commandeered a sloop they rechristened the Captain Kidd. Sadly, their career as river pirates only lasted three months, coming to an end when the sloop caught fire after a night of drunken revelry. After Jane met Alabama Dan, the pair worked as highwaymen, drifting north until finding themselves in Kingsport.

Intelligent and level-headed, Jane earned her nickname during a gunfight with the now-extinct Miskatonic Valley Association for the Apprehending of Horse Thieves—“Never saw someone reload that fast! Jane was a regular hurricane of lead!” Indeed, Jane generally carries three flintlock pistols when expecting trouble: an old 9”-barrel East India sea service flintlock, a Model 1805 Harpers Ferry, and a North 1836 percussion pistol. She keeps a razor concealed in her boot for “quiet work.” Having become somewhat bored of Kingsport, Jane has been thinking of trying her luck in California with Alabama Dan.

William Diamond (a.k.a. Blinky Cooper)

Statistics
Age: 28, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Kingsport 1816.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 85%, Art/Craft (Cooperage) 50%, Art/Craft (Forgery) 65%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 70%, Fast Talk 75%, History 15%, Intimidate 65%, Kingsport Cult 5%, Law 15%, Leadership 10%, Listen 30%, Locksmith 25%, Persuade 70%, Psychology 15%, Renown 10%, Seamanship 50%, Sea Lore 15%, Spot Hidden 80%, Stealth 20%, Whalecraft 35%.

Description
A former cooper who grew sick of the stench of trypots, Blinky is native Kingsporter with a nervous tic and a talent for fencing and blackmail. His main claim to fame is his famous ancestor, Exekiel Diamond—“They hung him for a fuckin’ witch!” Whether or not Exekiel deserved his fate never enters into Blinky’s thinking. Although the incident happened over 150 years ago, Blinky considers it a personal insult, an outrage that fuels his perpetual hatred of “constables, judges, politicians, preachers, and all ‘em rich bastards livin’ up the hills!” As might be expected, Blinky has a short temper, and more than one loudmouth has suddenly discovered his preferred method of settling disputes: his hobnail boots are fitted with railroad spikes filed to nasty points.

Arthur Cabot (a.k.a. Biter)

Statistics
Age: 32, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Kingsport 1812.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 50%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 50%, Fast Talk 15%, Intimidate 85%, Law 5%, Leadership 10%, Listen 35%, Locksmith 25%, Persuade 20%, Read Lips 65%, Renown 15%, Seamanship 40%, Sea Lore 5%, Spot Hidden 60%, Stealth 50%. 

Description
Biter Cabot is another sailor who fell from grace with the sea. He gets his nickname from a set of sharpened nickel dentures he slips over his rotting gums—metal teeth that have bitten off their share of noses, ears, and fingers. He claims to be related to the mayor of Kingsport, but holds no malice regarding his “fallen” condition. Biter has few special talents, but he’s always up for a bit of adventure—especially if it involves biting!

Daniel Petty (a.k.a. Alabama Dan)

Age: 36, Nationality: African-American, Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama 1808.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 35%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 25%, Disguise 65%, Fast Talk 60%, Intimidate 50%, Law 25%, Leadership 15%, Listen 65%, Locksmith 80%, Persuade 55%, Psychology 15%, Read Lips 50%, Ride 75%, Spot Hidden 85%, Stealth 70%, Survival 65%.

Description
Alabama Dan is a fugitive slave who wields an exquisite Kentucky rifle and carries a chain of Indian scalps he collected “Out West”—although his stories about obtaining these trophies change every time he tells them. Despite his harmless fondness for self-mythologizing, Dan is generally taciturn and level-headed, and has a soldier’s professional sense of coolness under fire. The only Negro in the gang, Dan knows exactly who his friends are, who doesn’t give a shit one way or the other, and who’s going to get a bullet in the head the day he and Jane set out for California. And you know what? Things ain’t looking good for Slipsey.

Henry Flowers

Statistics
Age: 27, Nationality: American, Birthplace: Philadelphia 1817.

Combat

Skills
Appraise 55%, Art/Craft (Singing) 25%, Fast Talk 65%, Intimidate 50%, Leadership 10%, Listen 20%, Persuade 30%, Psychology 20%, Renown 15%, Spot Hidden 75%, Stealth 60%.

Description
Henry Flowers is a seedy deserter who brags about his days fighting Seminoles in Florida, but his only real skill seems to be seducing young girls and selling them to brothels. He carries a rusty bayonet stolen from a dead soldier in some ill-defined martial engagement. He’s generally in charge of the Diving Bell’s assignation rooms, and makes sure the “ladies” pay their proper kickbacks. Other than that, he tends to keep to himself, and is not well-liked. He also has the annoying habit of becoming fixated on popular songs, which he then sings repeatedly, his voice gratingly off-key. To make matters worse, Flowers can never remember the correct lyrics, so he just makes them up as he goes along. His current favorite is “Ole Dan Tucker,” which he heard when the Virginia Serenaders came to Pickering Hall last month. Although he’s happily adapted to chorus to several off-color rhymes, everyone agrees it’s marginally better than his last obsession, “Stop Dat Knocking at My Door!”

Seamus Ward (a.k.a. Slipsey)

Age: 29, Nationality: Irish, Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland 1815.

Combat

Skills
Art/Craft (Distilling) 50%, Art/Craft (Gambling) 65%, Disguise 50%, Fast Talk 75%, Intimidate 60%, Law 10%, Leadership 5%, Listen 40%, Locksmith 85%, Persuade 50%, Psychology 15%, Read Lips 20%, Renown 10%, Spot Hidden 60%, Stealth 50%, Survival 75%.

Description
Slipsey is a former member of the infamous Five Points gang the Forty Thieves. Brash and reckless, Slipsey ran a distillery for Rosanna Peers on Centre Street. In 1838 he was found in bed with Ann Coleman, the celebrated “hot corn girl” married to the head of the gang, Edward Coleman. Slipsey survived the beating intended to kill him, largely because he was too drunk to die. After he regained consciousness, he eventually made his way north.

The newest member of the Powderhouse Ghouls, Slipsey hasn’t quite figured things out yet. For instance, why they tolerate the woman and the darky talking back; and why everyone fears the British milksop, Mr. Lovejoy. And then there’s Julie Stoker. I mean, sure she’s a molly, but why does Slipsey get so excited every time she mentions his name?

The Role of The Powderhouse Ghouls

The Keeper is free to use the Powderhouse Ghouls in whatever way best suits the drama of the campaign. They may serve as expendable antagonists, dubious allies, or simply colorful extras to liven up the more sketchy areas of Kingsport. Montgomery Lowell, Leland Morgan, and Rachel Ward have Adventure Hooks that lead to mischief with the gang, and individual Ghouls may be deployed by Jacob Macy to intimidate player characters who become too nosy—see “Cult Pushback” for details. They may also be dispatched against the player characters by Lady Jezebel, particularly if they steal from her safe (Encounter 6).

Encountering the Ghouls
The Powderhouse Ghouls are likely to be encountered in the Cauldron, and the Diving Bell is their principal hangout (Encounter 5). Depending on the actions of the player characters, they will also be encountered at the Old Powderhouse (Encounter 36).

Notes and Inspirations

While Mr. Lovejoy is obviously inspired by Ian McShane’s brilliant Al Swearingen from Deadwood, the Powderhouse Ghouls are based on historical nineteenth-century gangs such as the Forty Thieves, the Roach Guards, and the Dead Rabbits. Keepers interested in this bizarre and dangerous subculture are directed to a pair of classic works: Luc Sante’s Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York, and Herbert Asbury’s The Gangs of New York. The latter was made into a Martin Scorsese film in 2002. Although the film takes place during the Civil War period, it offers the Keeper useful glimpses into a nineteenth-century port town, and captures the Nativist vs. Immigrant politics that surrounded the 1844 presidential election. (There’s also sea shanties!) However, the Powderhouse Ghouls are not Nativists, nor do they align with any immigrant community—they’re united only by a collective desire to get rich and an abiding fondness for mayhem. The Keeper may also enjoy researching Sadie “the Goat” Farrell, the Charlton Street Gang, and the Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves; all of which informed the character of Hurricane Jane Mersey. Slipsey Ward was inspired from the pages of Solon Robinson’s Hot Corn.

White Leviathan > NPC Profiles
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Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 3 August 2023
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
White Leviathan PDF: [TBD]