Mutant Brainchild

The Man from ZOMBIE in the Convict Era

As Geoff is the co-creator of the Convicts & Cthulhu game setting it seems only right to celebrate the third anniversary of its release on May 30th 2019. And since this is the Mutant Brainchild site, we thought the best way to do this is to present what The Man from ZOMBIE might look like if it was a product of the early modern era rather than the 1960s.

We have also included game stats using the Renaissance SRD by the fine folk of Cakebread & Walton; this way they can be ported over to whatever Basic Roleplaying (BRP) compatible system you might run Convicts & Cthulhu in or even use it for Dark Streets, C&W’s own Enlightenment-era game.

For the uninitiated Convicts & Cthulhu is a roleplaying game setting for Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu game, released under Creative Commons and is Pay What You Want. Its second edition, coming soon, will be a stand-alone game using a BRP compatible system.

The Man from ZOMBIE is a cold war zombie-super spy mash up series of short stories and novels. Knowledge of the series will make a lot more sense of the following. If you want to dip in without cost our free short story Zero in the Dolomites offers a good introduction.

The Revivification Bureau: Convict-era Man from ZOMBIE
The Bureau is short for The Revivification Bureau (acronyms were not as popular in this era), dedicated to resurrecting soldiers to fight the agents of darkness and tyranny wherever they may be. A product of the Enlightenment, its is an international organization with founder members from France, England, Austria, Germany and Scotland. Rumor has it Franz Mesmer himself is a founder and that his mysterious magnetic vats play an important part in the process of recalling the dead to life. The Bureau’s base is on an uncharted island in the Orkneys. The process of revivification fuses alchemy, animating magnetism and surgery to return the dead to grim and hungry life to serve a secret war against the eldritch cults and secret societies which would claim the world.

In the setting of colonial era New South Wales the Revivification Bureau would have well-placed agents in Government House or the Royal Navy or both. They would be unlikely to have influence with the NSW Corps who could function as an enemy should their tendency to self-interest and chaos conflict with the Bureau’s plans. A Zero Agent and Handler could be brought in as an officer and serving man or free settler or official and their servant (probably free rather than the convict, though the latter could be good cover until they get flogged and start bleeding green. They may pose as an agent of the Colonial Office on secret assignment looking for French spies or Irish revolutionaries. Their mission may already involve whatever occult or Mythos story is the core of any given adventure, or it may be something they are drawn into later.

The following stats offer how to create a Recalled Agent, either as a PC or NPC, followed by the Occupation of Handler who usually accompanies the agent.

Recalled Agent of the Revivification Bureau
STR 4D6 (14) CON 1D6+12 (15)
DEX 2D6 (7) SIZ 2D6+6 (13)
INT 2D6 (7) POW 1D6 (3)
CHA 2D6 (7) DM +1D4
HP 14 MWL 7 Move 15
Unarmed Combat 70% (1D4+damage bonus)
Sabre 70% (1D6+1+damage bonus)
Bite 50% (1D6+damage bonus)
Wheellock Pistol 60% (1D6+2)
Armour: None

Skills: Athletics 80%, Close Combat 70%, Dodge 30%, Gun Combat 60%, Persistence 60%, Resilience 90%, Stealth 50%, Survival 40%, Unarmed Combat 70%
Regeneration: A Recalled agent regenerates one hit point per Combat Round in every damaged location. Regeneration will cease if the agent’s brain is destroyed.
Feeding Frenzy: The Recalled have a taste for human flesh. Exposed to the taste or close smell of blood or torn flesh from a fresh victim the agent must make a POW x 5 role of fall into frenzy. The Recalled agent attack anyone in the vicinity, friend or foe, biting and rending them. Frenzy last 1D10 minutes or until the immediate live targets run out. There is a 10% chance the frenzying Recalled will eat its victim’s brain in enough time to retain some of its skills. However the process of frenzying makes it impossible for the Recalled to retain anything. Recalled agents can be brought out of frenzy using a command word, a type of hypnotic technique established in the creation process.

Equipment: Brain Fabrication Potion
Type: Ingested
Delay: 1D3 Combat Rounds
Effect: The victim learns a single skill at 90%.
Duration: 1D20+24 hours.
These potions work only on the unique physiognomy of the Recalled. In extremis a Recalled can eat a person’s brain directly and gain some of the skills, provided the brain’s donor has been dead no longer than an a few minutes. They are also bombarded by the memories and feelings of the donor. Make a successful POW roll or be overwhelmed for 1D10 rounds. On a Fumble the Recalled frenzies.

Profession: Convict-era Handler
The Bureau sends Handlers along with its resurrected agents. Handlers are usually skilled in matters of espionage and know a code word that can bring the Recalled Agent out of frenzy. Handlers can be women as often as men.
Social Class: Any
Common Skill Bonuses: Dodge +5%, Influence +5%, Insight +5%, Lore (The Bureau) +5%, Perception +5%, Persistence +5%
Plus choose one from Sleight +5%, Stealth +5%
Advanced Skills: Choose two from Courtesy, Disguise, Streetwise, Track

Profession: Convict-era Revived Agent
Agents are generally chosen from among soldiers or spies who have fallen in the line of duty. They retain little of the previous life but their new training is rigorous. The Agent is always accompanied by a Handler. An agent immediately responds to their code word. Roll 1D100 and on a 00 something has gone wrong and they will continue to frenzy until subdued. Agents are usually men, but can be women also.
Social Class: Any
Common Skill Bonuses: Athletics +5%, Close Combat +5% Dodge +5%, Persistence +5%, Unarmed Combat +10%.
Plus choose one from Gun Combat +5%, Lore (The Bureau) +5%, Stealth +5%
Advanced Skills: Choose two from Craft, Dual Weapons, Survival, Track