A short game set in a 1920s Ripping Yarns type background. 3-4 players, three sessions. Here are the pregenerated characters. The PCs are taking a fishing holiday in Europe, travelling around various small German states. Pick a character and write it next to your name on the signup sheet.
Robert Balfour (played by Ben)
Traits:
Languages: speaks the major European languages and several Far Eastern
ones fluently. Can get by in many more.
Intelligence work: worked for British Intelligence during the war. Still
has contacts. Some skill in cryptography, breaking and entering,
explosives etc. Affects an air of mystery about his past.
Cult leader: Robert is worshipped as a god by the Llopis cult who he stumbled across while doing anthropological research in Nepal. Members of the cult will generally do anything for him. He has an elaborate cult tattoo on his left arm which he tries to keep hidden.
Flaw:
Dangerous enemies: several people want to kill Robert. These include Prince Erwin of the Grand Duchy of Klovisbad, who served in the German army during the war and is a longstanding enemy of Robert's. Robert worked as a double agent and Erwin always suspected him. Erwin finally found enough proof to arrest him but Robert got wind of it and escaped. Another enemy is the former chief priest of the Llopis tribe, Fondekar. Robert supplanted him and Fondekar has sworn revenge.
Because of his dangerous enemies Robert always carries a gun.
Robert is tall and thin with greying red hair. He's aged about 35. He is passionately in love with Mary but believes she could not possibly care for him and so has never told her this.
Gerald Temple MP
Traits:
Lawyer: Gerald is a successful barrister. He is eloquent, very
intelligent, and usually has a large pile of papers with him that he
supposed to be reading. He is also something of a workaholic.
Rich: he inherited money and has also made a large pile at his profession.
He dresses soberly but expensively.
Member of Parliament: for the last few years Gerald has been member of Parliament for the constituency of West Hume Rothery in Yorkshire. In England he is often recognised in the street.
Flaw:
Recovering from serious illness. Gerald recently suffered a serious bout of pneumonia which has left him very weak. He has been advised by his doctor to cut back his workload and take a long holiday.
Gerald is a stocky man in his forties, quite good-looking. He remains single despite the best efforts of many mothers to catch him for their daughters.
Mary Greville
Traits:
Beautiful: Mary is a stunning English rose. She has tumbling blonde
locks, cornflower blue eyes, and perfect complexion. She can generally
wrap men round her little finger.
Nursing: to the horror of her parents, but the general approval of her
brother, Mary has gone out to work as a nurse. She is practical and not
at all squeamish. She generally carries first aid supplies and knows how
to use them.
English Lady: Mary is a scion of the English aristocracy. Her picture has been in Tatler as one of the debs of the year. She is always polite and poised.
Flaw:
Incredible obstinacy. Mary likes to get her own way, and up to now she has always succeeded.
Mary is the beautiful younger sister of William Greville. William tends to think of her as a chap in a skirt.
Arthur Stanley (played by Andrew)
Traits:
Mining engineer: Arthur is an expert mining engineer. He wears a
waistcoat with many pockets and is always picking up rocks. He knows
quite a bit about explosives.
Explorer: one of Arthur's hobbies is exploration. His particular interest
is Africa. He's usually suntanned. He owns an elephant gun.
Amazing reflexes: Arthur is incredibly fast and dexterous. This generally
manifests itself as a desire to bore the rest of the party with card
tricks. However he is also a good person to have around in a fight.
Flaw: One eye. Arthur lost his eye in an accidental explosion at a mine.
Arthur is in his late twenties. His eyepatch gives him a piratical look. His life is a constant search for excitement.
William Greville (played by Steve)
Traits:
Aristocratic Englishman: William has that undefinable air of breeding. He
hunts shoots and fishes, knows how to handle servants, is well-off, and
not too bright.
Handsome: William is as handsome as his sister is beautiful. Perhaps
luckily, he is completely unaware of it.
Amateur boxer: William is a fairly decent amateur boxer, he has a Blue
from his time at Oxford. He is muscular and graceful.
Flaw:
Overconfident. William has complete faith in his own ability to do anything at all. Unfortunately, up until now, he's usually been proven to be right.
William was at Oxford with Archie. Since then, he has lived the life of the landed gentleman in a country pile inherited from an aged aunt. His sister lives with him some of the time, as their parents do not approve of her having a career. Archie lives there too. William is starting to get bored of his idle life, and is thinking of finding a career. He is aged about 25.
Archie Stewart (played by Rob)
Traits:
Brilliant philosopher: Archie's subject at university was Philosophy. He
got a double starred first. He often has his nose in a book.
Pilot: Archie can fly a plane, and owns a half share in a plane at the
local flying club.
Strong: he has a Blue for rowing.
Flaw:
Shy, and prone to form romantic attachments to unsuitable women.
Archie and William are best friends. They were at Oxford together, and have lived together in William's house ever since. Archie does not look like your typical philosopher; he has far too many muscles.