[M&M] New Orleans / Bayou villains needed for Monday night game

[MetalBard]

Heh, how about a side quest where they have to save a popular author who lives in the area from a group of low power vampires (to be used only for this encounter and not as a constant presence in the game) who are trying to "silence" her because she has gotten to close to the truth in her well known gothic horror novels revolving around vampire culture.

Okay, it's cheesy, but my group would probably appreciate it. Although they might not realize that Anne Rice has a home there.

Hehe, yeah I know about Anne Rice's house. She actually sold it and moved out to some plantation outside of the city. I think I want to avoid the vampire idea, though. It doesn't quite fit into what I imagine as a slightly more supernatural version of the show Carnivale.

 

[MetalBard]

I'm not sure what houngans and loas are.

I'm kind of hoping Aristotle explains them.

 

[DnDChick]

I explained them in my edited post. lol I hit "submit reply" before enclosing your words in quotes and typing my response.

 

[Aristotle]

I'm kind of hoping Aristotle explains them.

They've since been touched on, but I don't mind posting a little something as well.

<<disclaimer! I've researched Voodoo on my own time in the past. I don't practice voodoo, nor do I claim to be an authority. My information could be wrong, but should be fine for fictional gaming.>>

Voodoo is the glamorized/fictionalized concept of vodun (sometimes vodou), a religion/culture that combines catholicsm, masonry, and tribal african beliefs. it's primary practitioners are of hatian descent, although most anyone can practice voodoo and there are several very similar groups found in other areas of the south, caribean, and latin america.

A houngan is a voodoo priest, a priestess is called a mambo. The primary method of worship performed by priests is to entice, through gifts (food and liquor) or sacrifice, the Loa (great spirits) into their own bodies. It is ritual, invited, possession known as "mounting".

The Loa (actual spelled Lwa) are powerful spirits, each with a domain they control. The most powerful spirit is Bondye, but preists never worship him directly. They pay tribute to the Loas who in turn pay tribute to Bondye. All Loa have a 'dark' aspect. The dark aspect of a Loa is called a Petro Loa. The Petro loa actually go by different names as well, but that isn't necessary for your purposes.

You can find lists of Loa by googling the word. Many won't serve the purposes you need them to, but a few good candidates exist. I'd suggest Baron Samedi, the petro loa of death and the creation of zombies; or Kalfu, the petro loa of the crossroads who brings about bad luck, deliberate destruction, and commands evil spirits, or Ogoun the "Iron Warrior".

A priest often calls exclusively on one Loa, to avoid jealousy among the Loa, but nothing says yours can't call on more than one. While it may be unfounded in the real culture, and depending on how dark you want to go, perhaps your voodoo priest is in league with a number of petro loa who are looking for a sacrifice worthy of summoning Bondye himself. Either because they want to invoke his wrath, or (because Bondye translates to "good god") so they can destroy him and take his place. Maybe it's best to leave the exact reason a mystery. Either way a carnivale full of innocents might be just the sort of target the priest is looking for.

Or don't go the voodoo route. It was just an idea...

 

[Aristotle]

I think I want to avoid the vampire idea, though. It doesn't quite fit into what I imagine as a slightly more supernatural version of the show Carnivale.

Yeah, I understand that. But, just to push the idea one last time, they wouldn't have to call themselves vampires or even resemble what we consider vampires to be. Murderous socialites with superhuman strength and the ability to move quickly and stealthily in the dark. No fangs or (obvious) blood drinking need to be present.

Anyway, I hope to hear what you ultimately decide on and how the game goes. I've been thinking of running a supers game for a while, but haven't looked into M&M yet.

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

Right after WW 1, there were a series of decapitation killings attributed to "the New Orleans axeman" that caused quite a stir. The killer, if there was one (and not instead a gang, or a series of copycats, as has been speculated) was never caught. Could make for a neat, locally flavored villain- a guy with a big axe and an executioner's hood (if he has a head at all, of course).

Check out the link here for some of the story (and no, I don't think that the killer was a ghost. Could be in the game, though):

http://www.prairieghosts.com/axeman.html

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Right after WW 1, there were a series of decapitation killings attributed to "the New Orleans axeman" that caused quite a stir. The killer, if there was one (and not instead a gang, or a series of copycats, as has been speculated) was never caught. Could make for a neat, locally flavored villain- a guy with a big axe and an executioner's hood (if he has a head at all, of course).

Check out the link here for some of the story (and no, I don't think that the killer was a ghost. Could be in the game, though):

http://www.prairieghosts.com/axeman.html

I recently read about this story. Pretty interesting as it was kind of Jack the Ripper-esque. Didn't he make all kinds of ridiculous claims about insisting he would kill people if their houses were not playing jazz music on a specific night?

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

Sure did- there was a Ripper-style letter sent to the papers making that claim. Someone even wrote a song for the occasion, called it "Axeman's Jazz". I think the letter is reproduced on the site, actually. At any rate, there's no way of knowing if the letter was written by the killer, or was a hoax (as where almost all of the literally hundreds of letter received by police in London claiming to be from Jack).

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Sure did- there was a Ripper-style letter sent to the papers making that claim. Someone even wrote a song for the occasion, called it "Axeman's Jazz". I think the letter is reproduced on the site, actually. At any rate, there's no way of knowing if the letter was written by the killer, or was a hoax (as where almost all of the literally hundreds of letter received by police in London claiming to be from Jack).

I find that Axeman letter a bit odd, to say the least... it was addressed 'Hell'. One of the most famous (and most likely to be genuine) Ripper letters was the letter sent to George Lusk, which also bore the address 'From Hell'. Also, full-scale decapitation could have been the natural progression of Jack's MO (in part, he seemed to be trying his hand at decapitations, and almost succeeded a few times). And, all things considered, 1911-1919 isn't TOO long after Jack. And one of the prominent Jack suspects (James Maybrick, albeit he's one most discount) was from Texas, I think. At any rate, he was a stockholder or even a foreman or something on some Southern railroad which connected New Orleans and several other Southern cities.

I've read some discussion linking the Axeman to some decapitations or assaults, can't recall which, in the Austin, TX area.

 

[RangerWickett]

This is convenient. I've got a party of PCs in New Orleans now, and they're going to get involved in Halloween festivities. Hmm. I've got too many options. I need to decide on what to do.