Speakeasy (SIGN UPS)

[Mystic_clown]

Waterford City, July 13th, 1922.

On the tenth of April, city Mayor Tolkees enacted a law of prohibition to the city: the restriction of the production, distribution, and consumption of all types of alcoholic beverages. While some people were happy for this new law, the majority of citizens were displeased with the mayor’s choice, and Waterford wouldn’t stay for dry for long.

Hardly a week later, a tide of illegal booze washed over the city, most likely smuggled in from foreign countries. Some rumours even claimed the alcohol was being brewed in secret within the city. Speakeasies and other such establishments began to spring up and flourish in the city's underground, bring with them an age of excitement and danger.

Rumours also spoke of a group of five leading this bootlegging ring. The media dubbed this group as the “Speakeasy Five”, though the identities of each of the members is still a mystery.

The rush of alcohol and money running through the city was even enough to sway old John Law. It wasn’t long before most of the police force, including the commissioner, were underneath the thumb of the Five, leaving them virtually unopposed in Steampipe.

Desperate to bring an end to the bootlegging and the Five, Mayor Tolkees sought help from the U.S. government. In response, the government sent a small group of federal agents down to Steampipe, offering them both up-front rewards and retirement plans in order to ward off any chances of them being corrupted.

Three months later, both the growth of the speakeasies and the federal investigations are at a standstill. Either side could find a breakthrough at any moment, or they could find a different kind of end to what they seek.

So watch out guys and gals, because things are going to get wild in Waterford.


Ok folks, here’s everything in a nutshell. This is a steampunk, gangster RPG taking place during the prohibition era, so for technology, picture the technology level they had back then, but with more emphasis on steam power. As for the storyline, think along the lines of the “Untouchables” and you would pretty much be right (for those who don’t know what that movie is, google it.)

Just so you know, here are a few small things I should tell you, so you wont have to ask:

-A woman can be a member of the Speakeasy Five. In fact, female members can easily avoid suspicion, since the media believes they are all men and no one ever suspects the dame ~_^

-You can be someone else other than one of the Five or one of the agents. Though I would appreciate people on both sides of the conflict, you can be who you wish.

Now for the sign up:

Name: include any nicknames here
Age: 18+ please
Gender:
Occupation:
Appearance: Remember, this is the 1920s, so dress accordingly.
Personality:
Favourite Weapon: You can use other weapons, but what’s your favourite. Remember, 1920s.
History: I would like some detail here please.
Relations: any ties to any of the other characters?
Other:

And for me:

Name: Lucious “Prettyboy” Carmine

Age: 24

Gender: Male

Occupation: Club Owner/Bootlegger

Appearance: Just as his nickname suggests, Lucious as quite an attractive individual. With a well-toned form and a healthy, almost flawless, complexion, he has soft, ashen black hair which neatly falls down to his chin and enticing green eyes. Within his club, he normally wears a white buttoned up shirt, a red vest, black pants and black Italian shoes, all kept in good condition. Whenever he’s out in public, he wears a dark red pinstripe jacket over this as well as a dark red homburg hat. He wears two rings on his right hand and a pinky ring on his left.

Personality: His enemies could best describe Lucious as a “honey tongued devil”. He’s the charmer and diplomat of the Five, capable of sweet-talking his way out of trouble and getting people to do what he likes. If diplomacy doesn’t work, he has a number of subtle ways to get rid of obstacles, usually through poison or convincing another to do it for him. He has a thing for attracting ladies, yet unlike most men, he doesn’t seem interested in getting them into bed.

Favourite Weapon: although he isn’t much of a fighter himself, he normally does have a Chicago Typewriter close by in case he absolutely needs it.

History: Lucious’ habits of taking good care of his appearance stemmed from his three elder sisters, who would give him pedicures and the like when he was only a child. Always with a fondness for mixing drinks, Lucious took up bartender and worked at a high profile club before the prohibition law forced it out of business. Lucious had worked hard for his position, and there was no chance in hell he was going to loose it because of some stupid law. It wasn’t long before he met four more individuals who felt the same way, and formed the group which would be later be known as the Speakeasy Five. They started by smuggling booze from Canada, but as their success and the demand for more grew, they began smuggling from Mexico and Ireland as well. With the money they had gained from their bootlegging operations, he opened up the Neon Jazz club, which also doubled as a speakeasy, and one f the Five’s bases of operations. He has been able to keep the police away from his establishment through bribes and charm, and since he wasn’t the first speakeasy to exist in the city, there wasn’t much suspicion that he was one of the five.

Relations: is in a relationship with Lydia Tolkees (Dru’s character)

Other:

[Drusilla]

Name: Lydia Tolkees
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Occupation: Entertainer/bootlegger
Appearance: Five foot two, slender, and always smiling, this woman knows how to get what she wants. Large blue eyes dominate her delicate facial features, and black hair frames her face, cut into a long-in-front bob that moves with her. Her wardrobe is predominantly black and dark blue, mostly sparkly little flapper dresses that she wears when preforming at the club.
Personality: Normally happy and smiling, she's a bit like a tamed tiger. Nice to look at, even nice to cuddle with, but yank her tail and she'll bite your head off. She dislikes killing in cold blood, but if needed she will to get things done. Some call her the devil in disguise behind her back.
Favourite Weapon: She prefers not to get her hands dirty, but is an excellent shot when needed.
History: Daughter of the mayor, she grew up in a political and wealthy family, and rarely was told no or went without. When she decided to become a club singer, her father didn't have the heart to tell his only child that she couldn't. When the prohibition came into effect, she lost both her job and what respect she had for her father, joining forces with Carmine to continue doing what she loved and to "stick it to the man"... even if that man happened to be her father.
Relations: Lucious' "pet".
Other: She idolizes Theda Bara.

[Master of Paradox]

Name: Franklin Bondello, also known as "Bad Luck Frank"
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Occupation: Owner of the Southern Cross Theater ("legit"); head of several protection rackets ("unofficial")
Appearance: A large, heavyset man with gray hair and a thick mustache, Franklin wears well-cut, flamboyent clothes much of the time to help mesh with his public persona as a theater owner; his most common outfit is a bright red suit. He never leaves his house without his faded gray Panama hat, and he limps slightly on his left leg, thus leading him to use a cane. There are two scars on his face, one under each of his brown eyes.
Personality: For most purposes, Franklin is a very friendly man, with a bright smile and warm voice. He is very accomodating and generally seeks to make sure that any guests and customers leave happily. This is, however, mostly a front. Among the underworld, stories of Bondello's fierce temper are mythic. Failure is never tolerated and stupidity is punished harshly. When negotiating, he combines the two - he acts very friendly, but seeks to destroy the other party.
Favourite Weapon: That cane mentioned earlier is usually a cane-sword, though when Franklin isn't worried about attack he just uses a normal one. He also keeps a loaded derringer in his coat.
History: Born in Missouri in 1875, the eldest child of the wealthy Bondello family, Franklin Bondello was one of the lucky ones, raised among luxury. It was expected he would go into the banking business, his father's family profession, but he grew bored with the continuous tedium of the banking life and decided to find some "excitement". This took the form of leaving his family behind and moving to New York. He had such a good time that he spent three years in prison for robbery. During his term, he gained both of the scars under his eyes when a rather myoptic fellow inmate attacked him in the exercise yard with intent to blind; the bastard aimed low, and Franklin beat the hell out of him.

On his release, Bondello decided to seek a more peaceful line of work and stumbled into vaudeville. He never reached the heights of a Fields or Keaton, but managed to make a decent living - and more importantly, realized that he enjoyed the performing arts. He returned to his family, and after a considerable amount of time being seated at the foot of the table convinced his father to let him take up the acting life.

Franklin Bondello came to Waterford City in 1910. By this time he had long since reached the limits of his acting abilities and knew he needed something more stable. Using his family money (which he had long since inheirited), he stepped into the production and management side of the performing arts by building the Southern Cross Theater. Doing so, however, drew a number of complaints from the local immigrants who were none too happy about his chosen site - too near the poor part of town for their liking.

Bondello's response was to hire some cheap thugs, burn a few tenements, and make it clear to the other complainers that their homes were next if they didn't shut up. The response was positive enough that Bondello kept the thugs on his payroll.

Twelve years after his arrival, the Southern Cross Theater is now one of the great social and cultural centers of Waterford City. Franklin Bondello keeps an office for himself in the back, organizing the next event... and keeping a close eye on his web. Most of the shopkeepers in town pay him not to ruin their lives.

The opening of the Neon Jazz club has put a kink in Bondello's business, though, and he isn't happy. It's not big enough to warrant action yet...
Relations: Bondello does not know the identities of the "Speakeasy Five", but is wary of their possible expansion into his lines of work.
Others: Franklin Bondello has never married. He currently has two living siblings, ages 41 and 38, also wealthy.

[Dark Sage]

Name: Peter Corleone, aka "C-Note Pete"

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Occupation: Works as a handyman as his "official" job, but as a hired gun in reality.

Appearance: Pete is muscular, but not too so, handsome and well-built, with short, black hair, and a small scar on his left cheek. He always dresses in work clothes (as he claims to be a handyman to anyone who asks although his real occupation is well-known in the underworld).

Personality: Pete is no thug, and can be very approachable if you aren't the one he's been hired to take out. He's popular with the ladies in every speakeasy owned by the Five, and willing to help anyone out who isn't working for the feds. Just never ask him where he got the scar on his face - he doesn't like talking about that.

Favourite Weapon: Always carries a concealed .44 and a retractable razor, but is skilled with most gangland weaponry, including tommy guns. Can get anything he needs.

History: Pete was once a handyman, and was rather quite good at doing his job, until he was cheated out of a big payment by a crooked businessman. Unable to get what was due him and full of rage, Pete bought a gun and killed the deadbeat. He was surprised at how easy it was, and how he was never caught or never even suspected. Pete found out that being a gun for hire was much easier than being a handyman, and when prohibition started, it would soon become far more in demand.

Pete will work for practically anyone who needs his services, even a cop who is bought by the Five. He's become one of the most sought-after assassins in the city since he started. His usual fee is one-hundred dollars per target, which is how he got his nickname. (a c-note is slang for a one-hundred dollar bill).

Relations: Pete has worked for each member of the Speakeasy Five at least once each, and can identify each one of them if he has to. He is also on friendly terms with almost everyone else in a position of power in the Waterford underworld.

[Mystic_clown]

Alrighty, all three of you are approved. Nice to see you again Paradox.