OSR NPC's - The Royal Family of Crime For The Victorious Rpg & The Red Room's Belle Epoque Rpg

 In Troll Lord Games’ Victorious, a superhero RPG set in the Gothic twilight of the late 19th/early 20th century, the Royal Family of Crime transitions from their 1944 comic roots into a perfect gang of "SuperMankind" outlaws terrorizing the gaslit streets of London or New York.

Because Victorious uses a modified version of the SIEGE Engine (found in Castles & Crusades), tasks and saving throws revolve around Prime Attributes (where the target challenge base is 12) versus non-Prime attributes (challenge base is 18). Powers are selected from pre-built "cafeteria-style" slots.

Below are the stats for this mid-tier villainous trio, designed as adversaries for a standard group of Victorious protagonists.

1. Stogie (The Mastermind)

An aging, sharp-dressed, cynical gang leader who treats crime like a boardroom meeting. He leaves the rough stuff to his children but can direct them with pinpoint accuracy through a cloud of thick cigar smoke.

• Class/Archetype: Investigator / Mastermind (Villain)

• Hit Dice: 5d6 (22 Hit Points)

• Prime Attributes: Intelligence, Charisma

• Attributes:

  • STR: 10 (+0)

  • DEX: 12 (+0)

  • CON: 11 (+0)

  • INT: 17 (+2) [Prime]

  • WIS: 15 (+1)

  • CHA: 16 (+2) [Prime]

Superpowers & Gadgets

• Super-Intelligence (Rank 2): Grants +2 to all tactical planning, forgery, and structural assessment rolls.

• Super-Senses (Danger Sense): Stogie is rarely surprised; he adds his Wisdom modifier (+1) to initiative rolls and cannot be caught off-guard on the first round of a surprise attack.

• Master Tactics (Thematic Package): As an action, Stogie can direct his children. If Cheroot or Upsweep follow his direct commands, they receive a +2 bonus to their next attack roll or Attribute check.

2. Cheroot (The Muscle)

A hulking, brutal ruffian in a rough tweed suit and flat cap. Cheroot is named after a crude, rough-cut cigar, matching his unrefined, devastating fighting style.

• Class/Archetype: Bruiser / Enforcer (Villain)

• Hit Dice: 6d10 (45 Hit Points)

• Prime Attributes: Strength, Constitution

• Attributes:

  • STR: 19 (+3) [Prime]

  • DEX: 11 (+0)

  • CON: 18 (+3) [Prime]

  • INT: 8 (-1)

  • WIS: 9 (-1)

  • CHA: 7 (-2)

Superpowers & Skills

• Super-Strength (Rank 3): Cheroot deals an additional +3 damage on all melee attacks (total of +6 damage when combined with his base Strength modifier). He can casually lift carriages and smash through bank vaults.

• Invulnerability (Rank 2): Grants a static Damage Reduction of 4 against all non-magical, mundane physical impacts, bludgeoning, and low-caliber ballistic weapons.

• Shortcoming (Short-Tempered): If Stogie or Upsweep are incapacitated, Cheroot must succeed a Wisdom check (Challenge Base 18) or lose his composure, attacking wildly with a -2 to hit but gaining a +2 to damage.

3. Upsweep (The Disrupter)

A sultry, dangerous femme fatale wearing an extravagant, tall Edwardian hairstyle. She uses her high societal charms to infiltrate high-brow galas before deploying chemical weapon traps hidden in her custom accessories.

• Class/Archetype: Mesmerist / Infiltrator (Villain)

• Hit Dice: 4d8 (20 Hit Points)

• Prime Attributes: Dexterity, Charisma

• Attributes:

  • STR: 9 (+0)

  • DEX: 16 (+2) [Prime]

  • CON: 12 (+0)

  • INT: 14 (+1)

  • WIS: 12 (+0)

  • CHA: 18 (+3) [Prime]

Superpowers & Magickal Packages

• Mesmerizing Allure (Rank 2): By engaging a target in conversation, Upsweep can force a victim to make a Charisma or Wisdom Saving Throw (whichever is their non-Prime). Failure leaves them charmed and compliant for 1d6 rounds unless directly attacked.

• Knockout Vapor (Rank 3 Blast/Obscurity Variant): Upsweep exhales or unleashes a cloud of toxic cigar smoke from a customized holder.

  • Effect: Covers a 15-foot radius. Anyone caught in the cloud must make a Constitution Saving Throw.

  • Failure: The target is Stunned or knocked Unconscious for 1d4 rounds.

  • Success: The target takes half effectiveness (dizzy, incurring a -2 penalty to attack rolls for 1 round).

Running the Encounter in Victorious

When running this group under the SIEGE engine, use the environment to showcase the 19th-century aesthetic:

1. The Distraction: Upsweep uses her Mesmerizing Allure to bypass the Scotland Yard guards or private wardens outside a high-society auction houses or bank vault.

2. The Bottleneck: When the heroes intervene, Cheroot steps forward as a literal human wall. His Invulnerability makes him incredibly resistant to standard police truncheons or early firearms, forcing the heroes to find creative ways to bypass him.

3. The Tactical Synergy: Stogie stays behind cover, using his Master Tactics to coordinate his family. He will order Upsweep to drop her Knockout Vapor into tight spaces, blinding and suffocating the heroes while Cheroot swings heavy iron pipes with impunity.

Genteel Magistrate Note: To truly defeat the Family efficiently, heroes should exploit the SIEGE engine mechanic. Striking at Stogie first removes the tactical coordination bonuses from the board, while triggering Cheroot's Short-Tempered shortcoming can make the brute predictable enough to lure into a trap.

These NPC's are perfect for the Red Room's Belle Epoque rpg and I often time combined them for a great campaign.