Thursday, March 3, 2022

I Want a New Drug

The following is designed for use with Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars, but will work with any variant of the oldest school game. GMs and players interested in learning more about Night Shift should check out Elf Lair Games

The following text is copyright 2022 Derek Stoelting

Overview

“Clootie” is a new type of psilocybin available for drug users. The product appears to be a black oily substance. According to dealers, they make the drug by boiling the mushrooms. The liquid is then cooled with nitrogen and divided into vials for distribution. Ingestion is through the eye. Users can either inject the substance directly into their eye with a needle or use an eye dropper.

 The drug opens the user up to possession by demons. Users report feelings of euphoria, out of body experiences, and that they are not in control of their own bodies. Many claim they live out their deepest and darkest desires while on clootie. Others report meeting angels and feeling “the light” open them up to absolute bliss.

 The drug is actually made from the bodies of clootie demons, not mushrooms.

Clootie Drug

Users of clootie succumb to a penalty to resist demonic possession or banish demons equal to -40% for 1d4 hours, just from using the drug. If there are clootie demons in the area, their affects are in addition to the drug’s affect. For example, Jimmie the Junkie uses clootie and a demon possesses him. Kim the Psychic wants to try and banish the demon within the 1d4 hour timeframe. Kim starts at a penalty of -40% to her basic Psychic ability. If there are three clootie demons within ten feet of Jimmie the Junkie, Kim suffers an additional penalty of -25%. This brings the penalty to banish the possessing demon to -65%.

After the drug wears off, the user must make a Constitution Saving Throw at a -1 penalty or become addicted to the drug. Any future use adds an additional -1 penalty to the difficulty to resist addiction. So, if Jimmie the Junkie takes a hit today, the difficulty to resist addiction to Clootie is -1. If Jimmie the Junkie resists and then uses clootie again in four days, the penalty to resist becomes -2. The role to resist addiction is not modified by clootie demon’s Influence Possession ability, nor a possessing demon’s presence or lack of presence.

In addition to the penalty to resist addiction, for every -5 worth of penalties, the character’s Constitution score drops by two. Hit points per level are negatively affected by this modifier.

Once the user is addicted, they must pass 20 consecutive Constitution Saving Throws (one attempt per day is allowed) to become unaddicted. This roll is modified by the current penalty to resist addiction. For each consecutive day the character resists addiction, the penalty decreases by one. If, at any point, the test is failed, the addiction penalty is re-set. Example: Jimmie the Junkie is at a -10 penalty to resist addiction and enters rehab. Each day his player rolls a Constitution Saving Throw with a -10 modifier. The second day he passes the test, it becomes a -9 modifier. The third day, it is a -8 modifier. However, if on the fourth day the player fails the roll, the modifier is re-set to -10.

Once the user passes 20 consecutive Constitution Saving Throws, their Constitution will begin to recover to its original score at a rate of one per month. Spells and special abilities may modify the rate of recover. Hit points per level are positively affected by the return of the Constitution score. 


Clootie Demons

Clooties are a class I demon. Their primary purpose to lower human resistance to demonic influence. This purpose functions as a power that is always on.

Clooties are tall and skinny humanoids. They do not have a corporeal form and give off a ghost-like vibe to those who can see them. They appear to be dressed in rags that flap in the wind, regardless of there being any wind present. Their faces are blank with round, black eye sockets and a round, black hole for a mouth. Most clooties are a shade of red, but they can choose any/all colors they wish for appearance. The mystical wind that makes their rags flap is their means of flight as they are devoid of wings. 

Clootie
Class I Demon
No. Appearing: 1-4
AC: 5
Move: 30 ft., fly 50 ft.
Hit Dice: 2 (8 hp)
Special: 2 attacks (claw and/or bite), Immortal, Demonic Immunities, Demonic Resistances, Telepathy, Demonic Vulnerability, and Influence Possession (see below)
XP Value: 51

Influence Possession: this demonic ability is “always on.” It provides a penalty equal to -15% to anyone attempting to resist demonic possession or banish a demon within a ten foot radius. Each additional clootie within the same ten foot radius provides an additional -5% penalty. Clooties do not have the ability to possess any creature with a Willpower score higher than zero. 

Using Clootie in Your Game 

I Want a New Drug

Demonic possession is seeing a continuing spike of activity. Cast members who interview anyone that survives the demonic possession or their acquaintances discover those possessed are drug addicts who use mescaline, LSD, and/or magic ‘shrooms. These survivors will claim to be able to see angels, gain superhuman strength, grow claws, etc. Investigating related crime scenes backs up their claims regarding improved muscle mass and weird abilities. Anyone they claim to have talked to that was an angel or demon shows up as a normal person on camera (unless your Night World has different rules). GMs are encouraged to use the demonic possession rules starting on page 146 of the Night Companion.

Interviewing low level drug dealers will provide bare minimum information about what is going on. They know the drug is called clootie, but have no idea who is making it for the street or that demons are involved. With enough arm-twisting, they will provide the name of their distributor. Talking to enough distributors garners the name “Blue” or “Double Dee” as someone in charge of distributing the new drug.

Blue was approached by Devon Morgorm to develop the new drug. Devon spent time in the criminal community, learning about the trade and those producing product. At the time Devon approached Blue, Blue was working for a man known simply as “Double Dee.”  While Blue relished the thought of introducing a new drug to the streets, Double Dee was not as keen. He wanted guarantees.

Devon provided those guarantees by possessing Double Dee’s body and setting Blue to work. At first, Devon provided clooties for experimentation, but eventually taught Blue how to design a scientific device that would summon clooties. The development process took months to perfect. Today, clootie sales represent one-fourth of Double Dee’s income.

Devon eventually released his hold on Double Dee. Double Dee understands his new role as a servant of Devon Morgorm. He knows that Devon’s name is only an approximation to its demonic name. He also understands that if he steps out of line, Devon will step in and control his body once more.

Diabolical Hoodoo

One of Devon’s goals is to make clootie users available to other demons. As it happens, a demon using the moniker “Cassie” is looking to build up a bit of an army. She’s made a pact with Devon for a supply of clootie users in return for money sent to the Double Dees. Cassie could care less about money.

Cassie is looking for a promotion from her boss. 3,000 years ago, she and her band of warriors were banished from Earth, unable to return in physical form. Since then, she has worked to regain the trust and confidence of her baal, Chemosh. Her plan is to bring all of her warriors back to Earth inside the bodies of Clootie users and destroy as much as they can before being struck down. Naturally, the city Cassie has chosen is the one where the characters live.

As the amount of destruction increases, the cast members will begin to notice news reports of a gang that is destroying buildings, driving cars through crowded, civilian areas, and firing assault rifles at “rival” gangs that also happen to kill (mostly) innocent bystanders. They will eventually target law enforcement officers, lawyers, and judges. These victims will be ambushed, tortured, and left to be found by the public. Members of Cassie’s army might even call some of their victims into various news agencies if the demon is particularly proud of their handiwork.

The cast members need to find where Cassie’s army is staging, find some way to banish them and her back to Hell, and then track down the source of the drug in the bodies they were possessing to put a stop to that mass.

Cassie’s army is composed of class II and class III demons. GMs can use standard demons from Night Shift or if they want to change things up, use the first two levels of demons from the Night Companion. Cassie is a class IV demon with a chip on her shoulder and a lot to prove.

Clootie NPCs

Cassie

Cassie is a class IV demon inhabiting the body of a druggie. The human shell was not very durable when she inhabited it. However, she has made improvements on the chassis since then. Her primary goal is chaos, destruction, and conflict. Anything she and her warriors can do to cause all of that, and a lot of death, she is all about. Only Chemosh and “Cassie” know her true name.

Remember, these are demons. They are not going to play nice. If their physical shell is destroyed, they don’t leave Earth. They simply go find another clootie user to inhabit. To get rid of them semi-permanently, they will need to banish the demons back to Hell. For now, these demons will be slaughtering the innocent, skinning sinners alive, and melting faces. Good luck with that.

Class IV demon
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 2
Move: 40 ft.
Hit Dice: 16d8 (64 hp)
Special: 4 attacks (2 claws, bite, tail), Demon abilities (Immortal, Immunities, Resistances, Telepathy, and Vulnerability), Summon Class I demon 80%, Summon Class II demon 75%, Summon Class III demon 60%, and Summon Class IV demon 50%
XP Value: 2,048,000

Devon

Devon is a class III demon who was once an Ishim. Instead of lending aid and comfort to humans, Devon provides corruption and harm. Information about Ishim is located in the Night Companion. Devon’s true name is “deamhan mòr gorm.”

Only Double Dee and Blue know that Devon is a demon.

Class III Fallen Ishim Demon
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 3
Move: 30ft.
Hit Dice: 11d8 (44 hp)
Special: 3 attacks (claws and bite), Demon Abilities (Immortal, Immunities, Resistances, Telepathy, and Vulnerability), Summon Class I demon (75%), Summon Class II demon (60%), Summon Class III demon (50%)
XP Value: 42,240


The Double Dees Gang

Double Dee is a gang lord. He has close to 200 people he can call upon to do his bidding. Below Double Dee in the org chart are his lieutenants. Each lieutenant oversees a specific criminal enterprise. In the Double Dees, those enterprises include killing for the gang, drug production, drug sales, murder for hire, and credit card fraud. Under each lieutenant are two levels. The first level are standard gang members. These are the people who set up trap houses, pose as bodyguards, watch over the slaves making the drugs, and commit fraud. Above them are the specialists. These are the shooters who never miss, drug dealers who make large sales, the heads of different drug production facilities, and those who teach others how to commit fraud.

The people who make the drugs are considered slaves. They have no gang rights, are often illegal immigrants or people the gang dislikes enough to want to torture through the process, and all slaves have zero living value to the gang. They are replaceable.

Symbols used by the gang include tattoos of two letter Ds connected or one letter D inside another (larger) letter D. The gang’s colors are purple and gold. Sports attire consists of the Lakers, Vikings, and Kings.

The gang has a working relationship with the Almighty Vice Lord Nation.

Double Dee
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 6
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 8d8 (32 hp)
Special: Two attacks per round (firearms or punching), Kevlar-reinforced leather body armor, typically surrounded by 1d10 Shooters of which 30% are armed with converted to fully automatic rifles, 20% are armed with shotguns, and the rest are armed with semi-automatic pistols.
XP Value: 960

Blue
No. Appearing:
1
AC: 8
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 7d6 (21 hp)
Special: Clootie Summoning Device, Clootie Boiling Devices, Science! as per the Inventor ability, one attack per round (firearms or punching), Gang Followers
XP Value: 960

Gang Followers: Blue typically travels with 4d4 gang members who are typically all shooters 77or specialists

Appearance: They are asexual and will respond to any sexual identity used towards them (he/she/they/other). Blue stands 185 cm tall and weighs 79 kg. They dress in a business suit with pants, and all of their clothing is a particular shade of blue. The shade may change day to day, but it is always blue and the entire outfit is always the same shade.

Signature Items: clothing

Background and Role: Until Devon’s arrival, Blue was a specialist working in the labs for Double Dee’s drug production lieutenant. Now that Devon is in charge of the gang, Blue is elevated to lieutenant. The same drug production lieutenant is still around and is in charge of everything Blue does not oversee (clootie products only).

Blue has a doctor pharmacy degree. He is much more interested in experimenting with drug combinations to see how they affect users to be a legit pharmacist. He is a perfectionist and has O.C.D. He does not do well with people who cannot perform their job in life. He operates from the west end of town.

Blue was surprised to learn that Devon was a demon. He had no previous interactions with the supernatural. He approached Devon’s species like a good scientist and is documenting everything he can as it relates to the demon. Devon is unaware of Blue’s notetaking.

Double Dees Gang Lieutenants

These are Double Dee’s trusted inner circle, or at least as much as he trusts anyone. They oversee killing for the gang, drug production, drug sales, murder for hire, and credit card fraud.

T-Bone (Tamarius Wilson)
No. Appearing:
1
AC: 5
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 6d6 (18 hp)
Special: all Psychic Gunslinger abilities up to level 6, two attacks per round (firearms or punching) as a 6th level Psychic Gunslinger, Incapacitate or Assassinate, Trick Shot, That Gun is Mine, Unlimited Ammo, Gang Followers
XP Value: 880

Gang Followers: T-Bone typically travels with 6d4 gang members who are typically all shooters or specialists

Appearance: T-Bone wears loose fitting black clothing such as sleeveless shirts and baggy military pants with combat boots laced half-way up the boot

Signature Items: AK-style assault rifle colored purple and gold and a silenced pistol

Background and Role: T-Bone is in charge of the shooters. These include those who perform killing that helps the gang, as well as, murder for hire contracts. T-Bone got to where he is by killing anyone who got in his way. He has zero interest in the other enterprises in the gang. Nor does he have interest in being the gang’s leader. He is quite happy leading the killers and doing a lot of the murder for hire killing himself.

Quertiz (Fisher)
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 7
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 5d4 (10)
Special: Gang Followers, one attack per round (firearms or punch), all Survivor abilities at 5th level
XP Value: 240

Gang Followers: Queritz typically travels with 3d4 gang soldiers

Appearance: Quertiz dresses very sharply in the latest street styles. He likes bright colors. He visits the barber shop at least once a week to touch up his fade.

Signature Items: high-end clothing, designer quality jewelry, money roll of $100 bills, and a gold plated, large caliber, semi-automatic pistol

Background and Role: Quertiz is a street kid through and through. He worked his way up through various gangs before finding a place with Double Dee. He oversees sales for the Double Dees. He sets regular sales goals for his people and expects them to hit those sales numbers. Those who don’t are often demoted to horrible parts of town where it is very hard to make goal. People who consistently fail to meet those goals are sent over to T-Bone’s team to function as low-level shooters (i.e., cannon fodder).

Dokter Dokter (Shawn Mckenzie)
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 7
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 5d6 (15 hp)
Special: all Inventor abilities at level 5, Gang Followers, one attack per round (firearms or punch)
XP Value: 180

Gang Followers: Dokter Dokter travels with 1d6 gang members, mostly bodyguards

Appearance: Dokter Dokter wears a chef’s jacket left over from his days working in restaurants. It is completely out of place and covered in stains. He lets his hair grow out to about four inches before having it trimmed. He keeps his facial hair long and scraggly.

Signature Items: stained chef’s jacket, several dime-bags of drugs (samples), semiautomatic pistol

Background and Role: Dokter Dokter is the head chemist for Double Dee. He was in role and mentoring Blue before Devon showed up. At first, he was irritated that Blue was getting all of the attention. However, when he learned that Blue would be stuck doing Blue’s thing and not taking over for Dokter Dokter, he stopped being concerned. Dokter Dokter splits his time evenly between overseeing production at the various locations around town and dabbling with enhancing the product. When he travels to sites, he travels with soldiers for protection.

Rashawna Wilson
No. Appearing: 1
AC: 3
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 6d6 (18 hp)
Special: Gang Followers, all Inventor abilities at level 6 with items focused on hacking and electronic security
XP Value: 320

Gang Followers: Rashawna is typically surrounded by 1d10 soldiers. Double Dee insists upon it.

Appearance: long, curly hair past her shoulders, bright blue eyes, a few teeth with gold fillings, and clothing with an African flair

Signature Items: bullet-proof vest, designer backpack containing two laptops, various portable hard drives, and make-up

Background and Role: Rashawna is Double Dee’s “baby” cousin. After spending ten years in Joliet for fraud and dealing cocaine, Double Dee put his cousin to work funding his gang. Rashawna has spent the past five years training a team of electronically-based criminals how to commit various forms of fraud. When she’s not overseeing her team, she can be found hanging out with Quertiz – something that her older cousin will not be too keen on when he finally notices it. He likes to keep his people separated.

Double Dees Gang Specialists

Specialists are the hitters among the shooters, the hackers on the fraud team, and the wizards of the chemistry team. However, outside of their chosen field, they are no better than soldiers.

Gang Specialist
No. Appearing: 1-6
AC: 5-10
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 4d8 (16 hp)
Special: at least special ability related to their function; for example, hitters might have a Psychic Gunslinger or Veteran ability and chemists may have an Inventor ability
XP Value: 70

Double Dees Gang Soldiers

These are the soldiers of Double Dee’s gang. They run trap houses, watch over production facilities, etc. There is nothing special about these people, other than their willingness to do bad things to people and the sheer amount of self-serving shit they will do for themselves.

Gang Member                                
Number Appearing:
1d10
AC: 8
Move: 30 ft.
Hit Dice: 2d8 (hp 8)
Special: One attack per round (firearms or punch)
XP Value: 15

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