Occupations, Archetypes Can Be Nearly Anything You Can Imagine, and Each Is a Broad Description of What Your Secret Identity Is Capable Of

James Pearson

As with occupations, archetypes can be nearly anything you can imagine, and each is a broad description of what your secret identity is capable of. Each is balanced by an “Achilles Heel,” as you’ll see in the “Special Rules” section of this chapter. Work with your Game Host to devise an archetype that fits the adventures you’ll be facing, and a fatal flaw to match. Skills & Powers In this setting vigilantes are often nothing more than exceptionally skilled individuals. While some “super powers” do exist, they aren’t The Invisible Scarlet O’Neil flashy as in present-day comics and movies. The world of the Justice Chamber is full of Noir characters live and die by fists, bullets, or masked vigilantes, normal (and sometimes worse. Think of The Shadow or Green Hornet. enhanced) individuals who have taken up the In terms of modern heroes, you’re more likely cause of defeating evil in all its forms. to be a Jessica Jones, a Luke Cage (but more You and the other members of the Justice vulnerable to bullets), or a Green Arrow. Chamber may be your city’s last hope against corruption and evil. As you meet by the dark of Skills night, you decide the cases and become judge, To reflect their exceptional training, you can jury, and punisher of evildoers in Haddon City, use 3 +’s to boost your character’s starting skills. Add all three to a single skill or divide them between two or three as you see fit. Occupations Everything from the D6xD6 “Basic Skills” chapter is appropriate except “Computers,” & Archetypes because in the noir world those devices don’t yet exist. Character occupations in this setting are the daytime jobs of their alter egos. Any occupation that suits an early 20th century noir Powers setting is appropriate. Instead of adding 2 +’s to skills, you may But your characters lead a double life, decide to invent a “signature” power for your with a secret identity that has its own character. This power works as a special “occupation.” In game terms this is an feature related to your archetype, something archetype. One character might be an with an enhanced effect. abnormally strong and durable bruiser—a For example, Scarlet O’Neil’s archetype “Brick.” Another might be a genius fringe would be Super Sleuth, with Invisibility as its scientist—a “Brainiac.” Yet another might be a power. Your Brick can hit harder and shrug off “Super Sleuth,” a gunslinging “Sharpshooter,” more damage than normal people, but his a master “Hypnotist,” or a “Mystic” trained in signature power might be a Shockwave from the mysteries of a distant monastery. pounding his fists together. And a Super Archer SampleNote: Whenever you succeed at a roll character can shoot a bowfile with amazing using your archetype, add 2 levels of success. accuracy, but her power might be Trick

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Phantom Lady Arrows, letting her fire one that matches the Any more exotic items are either a hero’s current situation—a grapnel, a blinding flare, a signature gear, or a villain’s deadly invention. snare net, and so on. Note: Each power can be used only once per scene—whether it succeeds or fails. Denizens Again, these are the sort you might expect for a noir setting. Most people lead normal lives, Special Rule: though under a cloud of rampant crime and government corruption. Achilles Heel Evildoers are almost always common Finally, it wouldn’t be fair to the villains to thugs, but some are dupes of criminal give your character such special abilities masterminds or agents of shadowy without a special vulnerability—an Achilles organizations with sinister purposes. And Heel. So invent some flaw that the Game occasionally those agents and masterminds Host can use to thwart your character on may employ less commonplace dangers occasion: overconfidence, blinding rage, against our heroes: quicksand, piranhas, pit gullibility for the opposite sex, a dark secret traps—and snakes. that makes them hesitate at a crucial moment, or even a phobia. (“Why did it have to be snakes?”) Sample Adventure: Note: The Game Host will generally use your character’s Achilles Heel only once per “Spoiled Milk!” adventure—generally. A well-known gangster enforcer, Three Finger Frank, has been tried for murder but released on a technicality. The Judge has presented the Equipment case to the Justice Chamber. After reviewing Equipment in this setting is things you’d generally Frank’s past crimes and the unlikelihood of his expect: flashlights, automobiles, pistols, Tommy rehabilitation, the Justice Chamber has Sampleguns, maybe the occasional stick of dynamite. decided to hold a new trial,file on the streets.

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