Death on the Streets — by Gerry Saracco

Death on the Streets is for one or two players (3 with tweaking). This adventure takes the players away
from the Secret War, into the middle of events taking place in the contemporary juncture. This adventure is
set in the United States East Coast. (I'm using Hudson City from Dark Champions, but New York is a fine
substitute.)

Backstory

Siju Haifeng is a transformed Tiger unaffiliated with the Ascended. He knows what he is, but wants no part
of the Lodge's schemes. He decided to use his special abilities to become a criminal. At first, he was an
enforcer for the Tongs, working his way up from affiliated street gangs to the Tongs themselves. Not
content with that. he decided to break away, and form his own organization. Though his group is small, he
made inroads when he met Thomas Lu. Lu was a chemist who wanted to get into designer drugs. Together,
Haifeng and Lu worked out a plan to make and market a designer drug called “Monsoon”, which is a
mixture of Heroin laced with less than a pinhead's worth of Fentanyl. This is a volatile mix, and could kill
users, or make them comatose. Working through the Brass Monkeys, a Viet Ching gang Haifeng recruited,
they've been selling Monsoon on the streets, and it's slowly becoming the designer drug of choice in certain
parts of the city.

Recently, a few users have become comatose and/or died using this drug, which should attract the attention
of certain types of PCs. Hopefully this will lead them to investigate, and lead them on a struggle ending in a
confrontation with Siju Haifeng himself.

Hooks for Characters

As this is a mundane adventure in the contemporary juncture, not all PCs will have hooks to draw them in.
Here are hooks for the archtypes best suited for this:

Journalists
You're investigating this new wave of designer drugs to hit the street, and the consequences of
using it. You know the major crime organizations in the city aren't involved, so who exactly is
peddling this deadly drug on the streets?
Killer
A long time ago, when you still hired out to criminal groups (or if still involved with them, a few
months ago), you were hired to take out Haifeng, but for one reason or another, failed. Maybe a
partner of yours was killed, either during the botched hit, or in retalliation. Now's your chance for
payback.
Karate, Magic, and Maverick Cops, Masked Avenger
There's a new designer drug on the streets, and you've been assigned (for cops) to investigate.
Masked Avengers take it upon themselves to remove more vermin poisoning the streets you
protect.
Martial Artist and Old Master
An old friend has lost a relative to this new drug. They are despondent, and unable to do anything.
You offer to look into the matter for them, and see if you can exact vengeance for them.
Scrappy Kid
One of your friends has been lured into becoming a courier for the Brass Monkeys. You know he's
in deep shit, and decide to stick your nose into his business, since he's too dumb to realize how
much trouble he can get into.
Transformed Animal
Haifeng is one of your own. He's using his abilities for self-gain, and while that's not
unforgiveable, you dislike his selling drugs on the street. It's beneath your kind, and you've
decided to show him the error of his ways by disrupting his operations. Alternately, if you're a
 member of the Ascended, you've been assigned to disrupt his operations as punishment for not
joining the Lodge
Everyone Else
An old friend of yours is lying comatose in the hospital. When you found out that it was some new
street drug that did this to him/her, you decided to exact some “street justice”.

Scene One: The Robbery

As the players first prepare to investigate “Monsoon”, they come across a robbery in progress. A half dozen
thugs are holding up a small supermarket. There are four mooks, and two named GMC's named Eddie and
“Duster”. The men are agitated, as they need cash for a quick refill of their almost depleted supply of
“Monsoon”. Eddie and one mook are by the cash register, while “Duster” and the other 3 mooks are spread
out around the market.

Eddie

“Open the register bitch, or I'll blow you away!”

Attributes
Bod 6, Chi 0, Mind 5, Ref 6.
Skills
Guns 10, Intimidation 8, Leadership 6, Martial Arts 8.
Weapons
Mac 10 (10/3/32), one extra clip, Knife (7).

“Duster”

“You're Dusted Sucker!”

Attributes
Bod 6, Chi 0, Mind 5, Ref 6.
Skills
Guns 11, Intimidation 9.
Weapons
Benelli 90 M3 (13/5/7), seven extra shells, Colt Python (11/3/6).

Mooks

“Shit! It's the cops!”

Attributes
Bod 5, Chi 0, Mind 4, Ref 5.
Skills
Guns 8, Martial Arts 6.
Weapons
Browning Hi-Power (10/2/13+1).

Cool Stuff in the Market

With the thugs spread out around the store, there are some cool opportunities here. A running gunfight can
take place between the shelves, as Mooks try to avoid pursuers. Shelves can be knocked over, trapping
people. The checkout counters can provide cover. The money tray from a cash register can be used as a
weapon (the change could be used to trip people up, if enough coins are used). The Deli counter can
provide some fun too: large selections of uncut meat can be used as weapons, to distract opponents, etc.
The meat slicers are good for cutting up fingers, etc (but be sure to get them over to them, since they are
usually stationary) Hooks for meat hanging from the ceiling are good to hang someone from too. In the
frozen foods section, frozen meals, meats, etc make excellant bludgeons and/or missle weapons. Go in the
back, and fight in the freezer! And of course there are fresh fruits and vegetables to throw around, or if you
find the lighter fluid, make an improvised flamethrower. And don't forget the store's employees, and any
customers unlucky enough to be trapped in the store when all this goes down :)

Whacking on the Thugs

If Eddie goes down, the mooks suffer a −1 Av penalty from a loss of morale. If Eddie and Duster go down,
the mooks will start to take hostages. If half the mooks are down too, the survivors will either flee (if they
can), or surrender.

Aftermath

This shouldn't take too long, depending on how many PCs there are. If this is done solo, it could take a bit
longer, since all the foes are spread out. Once the fight is over, the PCs will find on Eddie and/or Duster
little packets with drugs in them. The packets will have a stamp of a cloud pouring rain from it.

Any research into what's in the packets will reveal that this is heroin laced with Fentanyl. Dective or Police
contacts will reveal that the stamp is for Monsoon, which is what the drug is being called on the streets at
this time. Further digging will reveal that the drug is linked to the Brass Monkeys, a gang of Viet Ching
(half Vietnamese, half Chinese) thugs. One of their main dealers is Billy Dang. Dang operates out of the
Lavender Club, a hot underground nightclub on the outskirts of chinatown. If the PCs are smart, they will
go after Dang.

Scene Two: The Lavender Club

The Lavender Club is an underground nightclub on the outskirts of Chinatown. It's housed in an old
warehouse. Outside the club, Techno and Trance music can be heard playing. Young asian kids hang
outside, some doing drugs. There are three ways in: Front door, back door, and skylight. The front and back
doors are watched by two bouncers each. They are about as tough as the mooks from scene one. If the
players go through the skylight, they will land in the middle of a bunch of Brass Monkeys, and a gun battle
will ensue (drowned out by the loud music, the people downstairs won't notice, unless someone comes
flying from the upper level to the dance floor!)

Inside the club itself, people dance on a moderate sized dance floor. A DJ plays cd's, and makes
announcements every so often. Scantily clad waitresses move throughout the crowd, selling drinks. The
club is clouded with cigarette smoke, and the lighting is dark, mixing blue and red. Tables ring the dance
floor, and people sit, talking or watching the dancers.

Billy Dang has a table near the back door. Positioned throughout the club are eight Brass Monkeys, with six
more in the upstairs area. Two of them are standing near the table, while the other six in the club are in
strategic positions. Once the players confront Billy, he will act innocent. If they push, he will warn them to
leave, and if they don't, the two thugs at the table will confront them. More than likely, this will lead to a
fight, and the other thugs in the club will start trouble! The two mooks with Billy, and four more spread out
in the club have Glock 17's; the other two have Mack 11's. The six mooks upstairs also have Mac 11's.

Billy Dang

“I'm just here to have a good time. I suggest you leave before my associates throw you out.”
Attributes
Bod 5, Chi 0, Mind, 5, Ref 6.
Skills
Guns 10, Info/Brass Monkeys 6, Info/Drug Culture 8, Martial Arts 10.
Weapons
S&W Sigma (10/1/14+1), one extra clip.

Brass Monkey Mooks

“You're gonna pay for coming to our turf and causing trouble!”

Attributes
Bod 5, Chi 0, Mind 4, Ref 5.
Skills
Guns 10, Intimidation 8, Martial Arts 10.
Weapons
Glock 17 (10/1/17+1) one extra clip, or Mack 11 (9/2/32), one extra clip.

Cool Stuff in the Club

The tables are all large round ones, so they can be overturned to provide cover. The barstools make
excellant weapons. Serving trays the waitress carry make for good weapons, hand to hand or thrown.
Alcohol at the bar can be set on fire, thrown in someone's face, or bottles smashed/thrown at foes. There is
even a disco ball over the dance floor, and it's support is strong enough for someone to leap onto, and use to
hose down the dance floor below. The crowd will freak out when the fight starts, so feel free to have them
get in the way at inopportune moments!

Whacking on the Thugs

The PCs should do their best to take Billy alive, since he is the only one who can tell them what they want
to know. The mooks are just muscle, and know nothing about the inner workings of Haifeng's organization.

Aftermath

As long as Billy Dang is taken by the PCs, they can learn what they want to know. The basic info Billy can
give them is this: The Brass Monkeys are led by Steve Hung. The gang is affiliated with some former Tong
enforcer named Haifeng, who is putting together his own organization. Haifeng has the Monkeys sell the
drugs on the streets, and takes 70% of the cut. The rest the Monkeys keep. He doesn't know anything else
about Haifeng. The Monkeys use the Lavender Club as one of their bases of operation. Hung operates out
of another warehouse on the opposite side of chinatown, where the Monkeys run fan-tan and paigow games
(fan-tan is a card game, and paigow is a dominoes game, for those who don't know). The PCs should now
want to go see Steve Hung.

If the PCs let Dang live, or if any of the mooks survive/escape, they will alert Hung, and he will pack up his
operations, and move to an undisclosed location. It is essential that the PCs not find Hung right away. The
Monkeys will lie low for a bit, and the Gm should run something in between to let the situation die down
somewhat. Then, when things have settled down, go with the next scene.

Scene Three: The set-up

This scene should take place about 1-2 weeks after the fight in the Lavender Club. Steve Hung will contact
the PCs through a third party, and offers to meet with them to “negotiate”. He wants to meet with them at a
warehouse that he controls by the docks. The truth is that Siju Haifeng wants them dead, and has ordered
Hung to set up this meeting as a trap. Hung will not be there at all.

The PCs will go to the meet, only to find that Hung isn't there, but the Brass Monkey's are! Haifeng has
sent Kai Loo, one of his lieutenants (and a transformed Bear) with some of the Brass Monkeys to ambush
the PCs. There will be at least 3 Brass Monkey mooks for each PC (add more if you feel the need to) Use
the stats from Scene two. All the Brass Monkeys are carrying Mac 11's, and carry two extra clips each.
They will be spread out in the warehouse, with Kai Loo in a strategic place, so that he can engage one or
more PCs in hand to hand combat when the trap is sprung. The Monkeys will wait until the PCs are in the
warehouse before springing the trap. They want them dead, so they will be cautious about not firing until
the PCs are fully in the trap.

Kai Loo

My boss wants you dead, heroes. And whatever my boss wants, he gets. Prepare to die.”

Attributes
Bod 8, Chi 7 (For 2), Mind 5 (Will 7), Ref 6.
Skills
Intimidation 8, Leadership 8, Martial Arts 12.
Schticks
Bellow, Fortitude, Slap, Rage, Bite of the Dragon.
Weapons
None. Kai Loo relys on his martial arts skills, and his schticks, to inflict injury on his opponents.

Cool Stuff in the Warehouse

The warehouse is full of crates, which can be used for cover, broken to make impromptu wooden weapons,
etc. There are some tarps covering some of the crates, with rope tieing the tarps down. The tarps could be
used to trap opponents, as can the rope. The rope can also be made to make impromptu nooses to strangle
people, or for swinging across the rafters.

Whacking on the Thugs

If Kai Loo goes down, the Brass Monkeys will lose heart, and will suffer a −1 AV for all attacks after he
goes down.

Aftermath

Kai Loo will more than likely fight to the death. If he should be taken captive, he will reveal nothing. If any
of the mooks survive, they will squeal easily. Any of the mooks can tell the PCs the following: Siju
Haifeng, the crimelord who the Brass Monkeys work for, ordered Hung to set the PCs up today. He is angry
that the PCs have disrupted his criminal organization. They can also tell the PCs where Hung is hiding out.
Armed with this info, the PCs can track Hung down, and eradicate the Brass Monkeys once and for all.

Scene Four: The Brass Monkeys last stand

Steve Hung and the remaining Brass Monkeys are holed up in a condemned building on the outskirts of
Chinatown. Hung has abandoned all his other residences, as he's afraid of the PCs. Hung and a dozen Brass
Monkeys are all that are left of the gang. All of the Monkeys are armed with Mac 11's (3 extra clips each).
Hung is armed with two Browning Hi-Powers. These men are in desperate straights, and are expecting no
mercy, so don't expect them to surrender. Once confronted, they will open fire on the PCs.
Steve Hung

“You've ruined everything! Thanks to you, my gang's been whittled down to nothing. You're going to pay
for this!”

Attributes
Bod 6, Chi 0, Mind 5, Ref 6.
Skills
Guns 10, Info/Brass Monkeys 14, Leadership 9, Martial Arts 10.
Gun Schticks
Both Guns Blazing, Fast Draw, Hair Trigger Neck Hairs.
Weapons
2 Browning Hi-Power (10/2/13 + 1), 4 extra clips.

Cool Stuff in the Abandoned Building

As this building is condemned, there are assorted pieces of wood lying around. Some old furniture is in the
building too. Rotted Doors, rusty nails of assorted sizes are spread out around the building. The building is
dusty, and enough action will cause clouds of it to rise up, obscuring vision somewhat (−1 AV to all ranged
attacks)

Whacking on the Thugs

If Steve Hung is killed, the surviving Brass Monkeys will either flee or surrender. With their leader dead,
they will have lost all heart whatsoever. If they attempt to flee, any combat actions on their part will suffer a
−1 AV.

Aftermath

If Hung is taken alive, he can give the players the info they want: The location of Haifeng. More
importantly, he knows the location of Haifeng's drug lab, which should be the player's first objective.

Scene Five: The Drug Lab

Armed with the information given to them by Hung, the players should now want to target Haifeng's drug
lab, and eliminate his ability to produce Monsoon. The lab is located in a house in a rundown part of town.
Inside the lab are some guards, lab technicians, Thomas Lu, and Haifeng's enforcer, Chen Chao-Xing, a
transformed Crab. She is one of Haifeng's most trusted lieutenants, and was assigned to keep watch over Lu
and his lab. Chen has about 12 mooks with her at the lab. There are also 12 lab technicians, none of whom
have any combat skill.

Chen Chao-Xing — Transformed Crab

“So, you're the fools who've meddled in our affairs. It's going to be my pleasure to see you die.”

Attributes
Bod 5 (Tgh 8), Chi 7 (For 2), Mind 5 (Will 8), Ref 8.
Skills
Intimidation 10, Leadership 12, Martial Arts 12.
Transformed Animal Schticks
Impervious, Pincer, Scuttle, Shell.
Weapons
None. Chen Chao-Xing solely relies on her martial arts skill and shticks to damage opponents.
Lab Guards

“Don't shoot the…”

Attributes
Bod 4, Chi 0, Mind 4, Ref 5.
Skills
Guns 10, Martial Arts 10.
Weapons
H&K MP5 (10/5/30), 2 extra clips.

Thomas Lu — Drug Chemist

“My life's work ruined by a bunch of do-gooders! Damn them!”

Attributes
Bod 5, Chi 0, Mind 7, Ref 5.
Skills
Guns 8, Info/Chemistry 10, Info/Pharmacology 12, Medicine 8.
Weapons
Glock 17 (10/1/17 + 1), one extra clip.

Lab Technicians

These unamed characters have no combat skills. If hit in combat, consider them down as per normal
mooks. Their main purpose in the scene is to get in the way. :)

Cool Stuff in the Drug Lab

The drug lab has racks of glassware, as well as a table sized distillation apparatus. Beakers containing
various harmful chemicals are all around. There are tongs lying around, which are used to handle the
beakers. There are two computers, complete with keyboard and monitors. A bunsen burner is lit in one
corner. There are at least six fire extinguishers around the lab, which can either be used (either hand to
hand, or shooting the foam to blind opponents), or shot at, causing minor explosions. Lab Technicians will
scurry about in fear, constantly getting in the way of the PCs while they fight Chen and her goons. And of
course, there are bags of Monsoon lying around. Force-feeding someone large quantities will kill them
outright.

Whacking on the Thugs

If Chen is killed, the guards will suffer a −1 AV for the remainder of the battle.

Aftermath

With the lab destroyed and Lu dead, Haifeng's drug supply has dried up. Along with the destruction of the
Brass Monkeys, he has lost his entire drug operation. The players have just one more objective: Taking
down Haifeng himself!

Scene Six: Showdown with Haifeng

After all the players have been through, they finally find themselves at the end of their quest: confronting
Siju Haifeng himself! Haifeng's home is on the outskirsts of the city. It is a small estate, with walls
surrounding the property. There are some wooded areas on the land, which give the easiest access to the
estate itself. Haifeng keeps a small army at the estate; he has 20 men spread out over the estate. Haifeng is
in the house, along with his last remaining lieutenant, Mao Fei, a transformed Tortise. Mao Fei is always
with Haifeng, so once the players confront Haifeng, they will also confront Mao Fei.

Siju Haifeng — Transformed Tiger

“So, you are the fools who have cost me so much. You have cornered the Tiger in his lair, and now will feel
the fury of my claws!”

Attributes
Bod 6 (Str 7), Chi 10 (For 2, Fu 4), Mind 5, Ref 7.
Skills
Info/Brass Monkeys 12, Info/Tongs 12, Intimidation 12, Leadership 12, Martial Arts 12.
Transformed Animal Schticks
Bite, Mark Prey, Pounce, Surprise, Claw of the Tiger, Tiger Stance.
Weapons
Shuang Tou Quiang (Double Headed Spear) (Str + 4).

Mao Fei — Transformed Tortoise

“If you want Haifeng, you must pass through me first!”

Attributes
Bod 5 (Con 9, Tgh 9, Mov 4), Chi 7 (For 2, Fu 4), Mind 5 (Int 7), Ref 4.
Skills
Intimidation 12, Leadership 10, Martial Arts 12.
Transformed Animal Schticks
Rebuke, Reflect, Shell, Wise Fist, Clothed in Life, Armored in Life.
Weapons
Darn Dao (Sabre) (Str + 4).

Haifeng's Mooks

“Die Motherfucker!”

Attributes
Bod 5, Chi 0, Mind 5, Ref 5.
Skills
Guns 10, Martial Arts 10.
Weapons
H&K MP5 (10/5/30), 2 extra clips.

Cool Stuff at the Estate

Outside the estate, there are a few items the players could find useful. There is a woodshed near the house
(between the house and the woods), and firewood is piled outside. There is also a woodsman's axe. There is
a pool on the estate, and there are various chairs (lawn chairs, benches, etc.) surrounding the pool, as well
as two round tables w/umbrellas. Pool cleaning equipment is stacked on a rack on one side of the pool, and
there is a hose on the wall of the estate near the pool.

Inside the estate, there are chairs, various sized pottery, etc. For specific rooms:
  Kitchen: All the standard kitchen items (knives and other utensils, pots and pans, food items, cups
and glasses, bottles and cans, etc.) abound. There is a stove, a lighter, and various types of cooking
oil in the kitchen as well.
 Dining Room: A large table stands in the middle of the room. There are at least 12 chairs, 5 on
each side, and 1 on each end. A large chandalier is over the table (good for swinging on!)
 Living Room: Two sofas are here, as well as a large screen TV, and an entertainment system. A bar
is by one wall, filled with bottles of alcohol. The bar also has 4 stools in front of it, and a large
mirror behind it.

Whacking on the Thugs

Once Haifeng is down, the mooks will lose heart, and scatter. With their leader dead, they have no reason
left to fight the PCs. Mao Fei on the other hand, will not desert Haifeng for any reason. He will fight with,
and die with, his boss.

Aftermath

With Haifeng dead, and his organization destroyed, the players have removed one would be crimelord from
profiting on the suffering of others. The supplies of Monsoon will slowly be used up, and drug users will
turn to other drugs to satisfy their needs. If any of the named characters should survive, they can turn up
later in the employ of other enemies to oppose the characters. Some may even become servants of one of
the factions in the secret war.

Experience

As there are six scenes to this adventure, my suggestion is to try and split it up into three parts, with
experience given after scenes two, four, and six. That will allow the players to gain at least 9 experience on
average, as long as they don't screw up :)

Copyright 1998 by Gerry Saracco