TEXT: 20217
  
  by Doktor Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams
  Line Editor and Chief Henchman: Anthony Boyd 
  Graphic Design: Robin Elliott 
  Typesetting: Paul Wade-Williams 
  Cover: Justin Russell 
  Illustrations: Chris Kuhlmann 
  Ubiquity Rules System Design: Jeff Combos
  This game uses the Ubiquity Roleplaying System, developed by Exile Game Studio (www.
  exilegames.com). Ubiquity Roleplaying System, Exile Game Studio, and all associated logos and 
  trademarks are copyright, Exile Game Studio, LLC. Used with permission.
  ©2018 Triple Ace Games. Leagues of Gothic Horror and all related marks and logos are 
  trademarks of Triple Ace Games. All Rights Reserved.
  Leagues of Gothic Horror 
  Guide to Wicked Science
  www.tripleacegames.com
  First Published 2018
  1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
  Printed in the USA
  
  Chapter the First: the Nature oF the DamNeD......................................... 3
     CreatioN.................................................................................................... 3
     iNvestigatioN............................................................................................ 6
     proteCtioN................................................................................................ 8
     DestruCtioN.............................................................................................. 8
  Chapter the seCoND: ForsakeN Lairs......................................................... 9
     reFuge resourCe...................................................................................... 9
     Lair poiNts.............................................................................................. 11
     siDekiCk aND heLpers.............................................................................. 13
  Chapter the thirD: DiaboLiCaL powers.................................................... 15
     New weirD sCieNCe................................................................................. 15
  Chapter the Fourth: CataLog oF FieNDs................................................... 17
     greater siDekiCks................................................................................... 17
        igor....................................................................................................... 17
        sCieNtiFiC NeCromaNCer....................................................................... 18
     Lesser siDekiCks...................................................................................... 18
        boDy sNatCher..................................................................................... 18
        CLoCkwork physiCiaN.......................................................................... 18
        DeFormeD Lab assistaNt..................................................................... 19
        iNFatuateD stuDeNt............................................................................. 20
        muLti-armeD Lab assistaNt............................................................... 21
        servaNt, geNeraL................................................................................ 21
     miNioNs.................................................................................................... 22
        CommoN thug....................................................................................... 22
        FeroCious Dog...................................................................................... 22
        meChaNiCaL guarD Dog...................................................................... 22
  Chapter the FiFth: priNCes oF DarkNess................................................... 23
     wiCkeD sCieNtist viLLaiNs...................................................................... 23
     abigaiL priCe........................................................................................... 24
     DougLas moresby................................................................................... 25
     proFessor Joshua Lazarus...................................................................... 25
     soNia heNstoN-greeNe........................................................................... 26
     srg-3N................................................................................................... 27
     Dr. theoDosius browNe.......................................................................... 29
     Dr. wiLhemiNa Carruthers.................................................................... 30
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  Table of Contents
  
                                               
  ““You’re a mad scientist,’ said Maggie, in 
  what may well have been intended as a reas-
  suring tone. ‘We don’t expect you to be nice. 
  We just go to bed every night hoping you won’t 
  mutate us before we wake up.’” 
  —Mira Grant, Blackout
  Science, like knowledge, has no inherent 
  moral bias. Whether it is used to aid or harm 
  mankind, or for charitable or selfish reasons, 
  lies squarely in the lap of the individual sci-
  entist. In this work, we focus solely on those 
  scientists who use their knowledge for what 
  the masses would call evil purposes.
  Creation
  Unlike apparitions, shapeshifters, and vam-
  pires, wicked scientists are not supernatural 
  beings. They possess insights far beyond the 
  ken of ordinary scientists, and they are cer-
  tainly monsters, but they are mortal beings.
  Origins
  Few, if any, wicked scientists are born 
  deranged, sadistic, maniacal, or otherwise 
  mentally impaired. Save for a very few, they do 
  not set out to destroy or corrupt at the start of 
  their careers. Indeed, some may begin with the 
  noblest intentions. At some juncture, though, 
  some event triggers their descent into wicked 
  science.
  Such triggers are never mundane—a bump 
  on the head or a single slur is not enough to 
  turn them toward wicked science, for instance. 
  A hideous injury, the death of a loved one, the 
  impending death of the scientist, a grievous 
  wrong that has ruined a reputation—these are 
  the events that change a person’s perspective 
  on life and death, and which permanently alter 
  their moral compass.
  Lesser events can certainly warp minds, 
  but they are usually prolonged. Being turned 
  down by a potential paramour may leave one 
  despondent, but it takes more than a single 
  stab to the heart to turn one into a maniacal 
  stalker or hater or women.
  Motivation
  Humans are complex creatures. While it is 
  easy to tar all wicked scientists with the same 
  brush, the motivations behind their diabolical 
  acts are as individual as snowflakes. A single 
  goal can often be covered by two or more 
  Motivations. For instance, a scientist seeking 
  to prove the existence of ghosts may be moti-
  vated by Faith, Fame, Glory, Hope, Love, Truth, 
  or Wisdom. One may wish to find proof that 
  physical death is not the end of existence and 
  that we may meet our loved one’s again in the 
  afterlife (Hope), while another may seek a way 
  to merge a loved one’s spiritual essence into a 
  new corporeal shell.
  While their actions and methodologies can 
  be typified as cruel, barbaric, or even insane, a 
  
  Chapter the First:
  The Nature of  
  the Damned
                 
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  wicked scientist rarely sees evil or a villain in their 
  own heart. In their eyes they may be a victim of 
  circumstances beyond their control, forced to use 
  their knowledge to prevent death (typically their 
  own or that of a loved one). In other instances 
  they truly believe that what they are doing is for 
  the betterment of humanity. Alas, in all cases the 
  road to hell is paved with good intentions.
  Going back to our previous example, a 
  wicked scientist isn’t interested in finding and 
  studying an existing apparition. Instead, they 
  need to create a ghost by their own hand. A 
  simple death is not enough to spawn an appa-
  rition, though. The formation of a spectre re-
  quires prolonged physical or mental torment, 
  something the scientist is only too happy to 
  do on a hapless subject in the twin names of 
  science and their Motivation.
  This section ignores the basest human 
  desires—such as power for power’s sake, 
  revenge, and greed, as little needs to be said 
  about them—and focuses instead on more 
  unusual motivations, those that make a wicked 
  scientist an interesting villain.
  Faith
  Faith does not automatically imply religious 
  extremism—any wicked scientist with a deep-
  seated belief in some greater cause may have 
  this Motivation. The nature of the individual 
  scientist determines whether their faith is a 
  personal belief or one they wish to share with 
  others.
  Fame & Glory
  Fame and Glory are two sides of the same 
  coin. Wicked scientists with the former require 
  immediate praise and attention, while those 
  with the latter seek eternal recognition. Both 
  strive for their goal through their work.
  Invariably their research is misguided. 
  While it might have a noble goal, they are 
  usually self-righteous in their thinking that the 
  end justifies the means. What does it matter if 
  a hundred nobodies must die if the life of one 
  person of note can be saved? So what if the 
  people must be enslaved by mind control if it 
  makes them more productive?
  Hope
  Faced with problems that require the ap-
  plication of science far above conventional 
  science, it is no surprise that wicked scientists 
  can fall into despair when experiment after 
  experiment meets with abject failure.
  In many ways, Hope is a hook for a sec-
  ondary Motivation. Take, for instance, the ste-
  reotypical doctor trying to restore their dead 
  spouse to life. Love definitely plays its part, but 
  equally they steadfastly refuse to abandon their 
  work in the face of constant failure, ridicule, or 
  scorn. So long as there is the faintest flicker of 
  possible success on the horizon, they will walk 
  the darkest path to reach it.
  Love
  Love is a powerful motivator. Throughout 
  time it has inspired works of beauty and caused 
  madness in equal numbers. Certainly the old 
  adage that love is blind applies well here, it 
  clouds the scientist’s thinking. For the wicked 
  scientist, love takes one of two forms.
  First, the scientist strives to keep a loved 
  one alive, or at least not dead, regardless of 
  the price others must pay. Such scientists are 
  usually trained in the medical arts, seeking to 
  preserve life through extracting blood or hor-
  mones, or harvesting organs.
  Second, the subject of the scientist’s love 
  is already dead. Through twisted science they 
  seek to return their loved one to life. Typically 
  their insidious plan involves transplanting a 
  living brain into a new body.
  Their love for their subject is total and be-
  yond such trifles as morality. In their eyes, their 
  victims are nothing more than a resource. On 
  the other hand, a wicked scientist never gives 
  a thought to the wants of their subject. That a 
  comatose spouse kept alive only by perverted 
  arts might find this horrific, or embrace death 
  for the natural occurrence it is, never enters 
  the scientist’s deranged mind.
  Power
  The need for power takes many forms. 
  Most commonly it is found in the pursuit of 
  
  The Nature of the Damned
  
  immortality or the ability to control others, 
  both rather stereotypical—and somewhat 
  bland—goals for wicked scientists. Sometimes 
  it manifests in a different guise, although the 
  scientist is oblivious to this.
  For instance, a scientist who uses phar-
  maceuticals or machinery to force someone 
  to love them may claim their intentions are 
  romantic (Love). In truth, this abuse, even if 
  absolutely Platonic, is nothing more than con-
  trol (Power).
  Preservation
  The preservation of knowledge that would 
  otherwise be lost without outside intervention 
  is a noble goal, but only if done correctly. For 
  most, it is enough to gather together written 
  records or physical objects, or collect stories 
  and memories, preserving them for the ages. 
  Such mundane methods are not for the wicked 
  scientist.
  They seek to store and be able to access the 
  root of knowledge—the brain. Some favor pre-
  serving living brains in a manner that permits 
  them to be interrogated. Others seek to siphon 
  the brain of its memories and stored wisdom.
  Victims of this perverted act are never will-
  ing subjects—wicked science requires harm be 
  caused. In the former case, the subject’s body 
  must die for the brain to continue living. In the 
  latter case, the victim’s mind is erased, leaving 
  them a vegetable.
  Survival
  Arguably the strongest motivator of all, sur-
  vival can take one down a dark path on which 
  morality does not tread. 
  This Motivation is not the same as the quest 
  for immortality (covered by the Power Motiva-
  tion). The scientist does not seek to extend 
  their life beyond natural limits, but rather 
  wants only to be able to enjoy their allotted 
  years. Those they prey on for raw components 
  (usually blood, hormones, and organs) are of-
  ten members of the lowest social class, such as 
  prostitutes and beggars. In the mind of the de-
  ranged scientist, these are worthless members 
  of humanity no one will ultimately mourn.
  Truth and Wisdom
  As Fame and Glory are the quest for rec-
  ognition, so Truth and Wisdom are the quest 
  for knowledge. Whereas the former is often 
  confined to the search for knowledge for its 
  own sake, the latter sees the wicked scientist to 
  be searching for a solution to a problem.
  Goals vary from the relatively mundane 
  (such as reanimating the dead or creating a 
  flesh golem) to the arcane (constructing a 
  gateway to allow profane beings from other di-
  mensions into our world) to the blasphemous 
  (the search for the soul).
  Categorization
  The Ghost Club has little interest in wicked 
  scientists, but others who do have adopted the 
  Club’s insistence on categorizing everything.
  The first category concerns the scientist’s 
  specialty. Those who work with biological or 
  botanical subjects are referred to as Mad Doc-
  tors, regardless of their medical qualifications. 
  Wicked scientists with a fondness of necroman-
  cy and the creation of life are more commonly 
  known as Frankensteins. Scientists who favor 
  chemicals are called Alchemists (informally) 
  or Mad Chemists (formal). Wicked scientists 
  who design and build machines, regardless of 
  whether they are mechanical or electrical in 
  origin, are regularly called Mad Engineers.
  In terms of Skills, typically Mad Doctors 
  should have Medicine and Science: Biology. 
  Mad Chemists require Craft: Pharmacology 
  and Science: Chemistry, and Mad Engineers 
  must have Craft: Electrics and/or Mechanics 
  and Science: Engineering or Physics. 
  The second category relates to the scien-
  tist’s adeptness. Those with limited skill are 
  Apprentices, while those who have mastered 
  their preferred discipline are Masters. Given 
  that most wicked scientists are egotistical 
  by nature, few would suffer being called an 
  Apprentice, especially by one who lacks the 
  intelligence and foresight to understand their 
  deranged work.
  True villains are usually Patrons rather 
  than Followers (better for henchmen and 
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  laboratory assistants) or Allies (students or key 
  underlings). While a high Level gives the villain 
  more Skill points to invest, not every wicked 
  scientist needs to max them out—there is no 
  reason why a major villain should not have only 
  modest Intelligence or Skill ratings. As a general 
  rule, an Apprentice, regardless of their Patron 
  Level, has their main scientific Skill ratings at 6 
  or lower.
  The third category determines whether the 
  villain uses weird or conventional science. Not 
  every scientist who uses the former need have 
  any understanding of it—they may have paid 
  another to construct a device for their personal 
  usage. Naturally, all wicked scientists who 
  intend to construct their own weird science 
  gadgets need the Weird Science Talent, while 
  those hoping to create living beings must have 
  Spark of Life as well.
  The Work
  Wicked scientists are not generalists, nor 
  do they dabble in multiple projects at the same 
  time. Each one has a single endeavor on which 
  their entire being is focused. This raison d’être 
  is referred to as the Work or the Cause.
  In order to count as wicked, the Work itself 
  must involve the suffering or death of others. 
  Equally, it must be a goal which cannot be eas-
  ily achieved—a project that can be completed 
  in one foul swoop is unlikely to come to the 
  attention of the globetrotters.
  Mundane and benevolent weird scientists, 
  inventors, and researchers alike are often devot-
  ed to their work. In some cases, it may consume 
  them, but never to the extent of the hold it has 
  over a wicked scientist. Fanatics in the truest 
  sense, they forget to eat, drink, and sleep until 
  exhaustion forces their hand, abandon all social 
  activity in favor of the Work, and become highly 
  irritable at the slightest interruption.
  While these personality changes will not be 
  noticeable by globetrotters hunting a wicked 
  scientist already at work, they are ideal tools 
  for when a globetrotter’s friend has begun the 
  transformation into a wicked scientist. A brief 
  note that the friend is looking tired and gaunt 
  in one adventure, and a second scenario in 
  which the scientist cancels yet another social 
  engagement, may lead the hero to discovering 
  a dark truth.
  Timing
  A mad scientist’s plans always involve a time 
  element. Rarely is the matter left in the hands 
  of the villain, but a necessity of their work.
  Some require a constant and frequent sup-
  ply of resources, be they body parts, chemicals, 
  or electrical or mechanical components. Not 
  only must they (or a trusted minion) venture 
  out frequently in search of these items, which 
  leaves them more exposed, but the drive may 
  make them sloppy in their work—when one 
  has the luxury of time, one can remove incrim-
  inating evidence far more efficiently. Those 
  whose plans or devices require only periodic 
  materials or testing are far harder to identify 
  and track down.
  For instance, a crazed scientist who needs 
  to extract a certain gland from the brain every 
  day leaves behind a trail of fresh corpses no 
  matter where they go. Sure they’ll try their best 
  to hide their victims’ remains, but eventually 
  there will come a time when they are forced 
  to leave a corpse in the open, perhaps because 
  someone has inadvertently stumbled onto the 
  bloody scene.
  One who requires the same gland only ev-
  ery decade, though, has time to move to a new 
  location and create a new identity. It may be 
  several decades, if at all, before anyone begins 
  to piece together the clues and learn of their 
  existence.
  Investigation
  Investigating wicked science is not clear cut 
  for even experienced globetrotters. Evidence 
  may unintentionally suggest a supernatural 
  agent at work where none lurks.
  Take the discovery of a body drained of 
  blood and with puncture wounds in their 
  neck. While it may suggest the work of a vam-
  pire, it might equally be the result of a wicked 
  scientist (or more likely a henchman) draining 
                           
  
  The Nature of the Damned
  
  blood for nefarious purposes. Is a dismem-
  bered or eviscerated corpse an indication of 
  a werewolf or of a deranged scientist seeking 
  to remove certain organs? Are those zombies 
  staggering toward you animated by magic or 
  weird science? Was a victim frightened to death 
  by a terrifying apparition or by an illusion cre-
  ated by some diabolical apparatus?
  Even if one suspects a wicked scientist, 
  most do not stand at from the crowd—it is not 
  as if every one of them wears a lab coat and 
  spectacles and sports a shock of white hair.
  Research
  Given the dangers of making assumptions 
  regarding any form of supernatural threat, 
  a globetrotter must keep their options and 
  opinions open until they have irrefutable evi-
  dence. In essence, if one suspects a vampire, 
  one must also keep one’s mind open to other 
  antagonists, and vice versa—charging into an 
  old house expecting a mad scientist and find-
  ing a vampire can be fatal!
  One immense difficulty facing any globetrot-
  ter is actually trying to deduce a wicked scientist’s 
  motives and plans. Without psychic abilities, or 
  deductive powers equaling that of the esteemed 
  Sherlock Holmes, determining whether a mania-
  cal phlebotomist is draining blood to transfuse 
  into a loved one hovering near death’s door or to 
  formulate a super-soldier serum through which 
  they intend to rule the country is near impos-
  sible. Worse, what might one learn from a spate 
  of disappearances where the victims have noth-
  ing obvious in common? Are they to be used as a 
  raw material or a test subject?
  Physical Evidence
  Often, it takes a detailed examination of 
  physical evidence—including corpses—to re-
  veal the hand of a wicked scientist.
  An autopsy may reveal that every victim in a 
  murder spree is missing the same organ or gland, 
  though even this is not a guarantee of scientific 
  involvement—a previously unknown supernatu-
  ral threat may require the same body part to 
  survive. Likewise, studying a zombie might re-
  veal strange chemicals in its flesh or blood, but 
  electrical energy, like arcane energy, would likely 
  dissipate upon a return to its inanimate state. 
  Even if one cannot see or smell evidence, it may 
  be present. Chemical analysis of stains, flecks 
  of dirt under a victim’s nails, cigarette ash near 
  the body, and so on, can, if interpreted correctly, 
  produce a wealth of information.
  A study of injuries may not reveal the 
  killer’s nature, but it can help one build up a 
  mental image of the perpetrator. For instance, 
  the angle of a stab wound may allow one to 
  approximate height and even whether they are 
  right or left handed.
  Other Sources of Information
  When suspecting a mad scientist is at work, 
  one logical route is to head the nearest office 
  of public records and start noting down the 
  I Killed Someone!
  Killing a human, no matter deranged or 
  dastardly they are, is very different to slay-
  ing a monster, even one in human guise. 
  Characters in fantasy games may well 
  slaughter human foes with no regard for 
  the consequences, but not so in Leagues 
  of Adventure. That is true even if the vic-
  tim deserved to die or the killer had no 
  other option (“It was him or me.”)
  Players may well feel nothing at the death 
  of an imaginary villain who exists only in 
  a game, but only the most Corrupt globe-
  trotters or those with certain Flaws (such 
  as Callous and Sadistic) lack much in the 
  way of conscience.
  An an optional rule, a globetrotter who 
  kills a fellow human for any reason may 
  suffer a temporary Flaw. Suggestions in-
  clude Depressed, Hesitant (when there is 
  the possibility of causing another death), 
  Malaise, Masochism, or Obsession (such 
  as Lady Macbeth’s constant washing of 
  her hands as symbolic of her attempts to 
  rinse the blood from her soul).
  Optionally, a globetrotter who shows no 
  remorse for their actions may well suffer 
  an additional point or two of Corruption 
  for their lack of conscience.
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  names and addresses of local medical doctors 
  and scientists. Unfortunately, not every “scien-
  tist” holds any official title or recognition—they 
  may be a rather ordinary citizen who just hap-
  pens to grasp the weird technology.
  It is always worth questioning businessmen 
  in the vicinity of the crime. A mad doctor or 
  chemist likely needs a constant supply of com-
  mon chemicals, while even the best mad engi-
  neer needs nuts and bolts, spools of wire, and 
  the like. Recent sales of rare, exotic, or unusual 
  items should always be followed up.
  Few wicked scientists travel far to acquire 
  materials essential for their work—time is 
  usually an enemy of a mad scientist’s scheme. 
  Instead of focusing on grand houses or castles, 
  a globetrotter should scope out other sites 
  where a scientist may erect a laboratory. Ware-
  houses are especially spacious, not to mention 
  ubiquitous in cities, but one should also cast 
  an eye at derelict buildings, factories that might 
  already contain essential equipment, and even 
  ships at anchor.
  Talk to people who frequent the streets—
  ladies of ill-repute, hawkers, urchins, even a 
  police constable may have witnessed some-
  thing, even if they do not comprehend its im-
  portance. People who haunt the same streets 
  are often adept at spotting strangers, especially 
  those who do not fit the location.
  Protection
  Garlic and crucifixes against vampires. 
  Silver and wolfsbane to ward off werewolves. 
  Ecto-armor to defend against the damaging 
  abilities of apparitions. Many supernatural 
  creatures have recognized forms of attacks and 
  means of defending against them.
  In many ways, globetrotters investigating 
  wicked scientists are more fortunate than those 
  hunting down supernatural beings. Few mad 
  inventors are trained in any forms of combat, 
  even pugilism for instance, though they may 
  some form of bodyguard at their beck and call. 
  Likewise, the number of weird scientists who 
  have created deadly compounds or constructed 
  mind-control rays or disintegrator guns is tiny.
  It is essential a globetrotter knows whether 
  their quarry is one of the latter in order to en-
  sure adequate defense. At worst, some form of 
  covering over the mouth and nose and some 
  sort of armor will suffice, although it is better 
  to fight fire with fire when possible and make 
  use of weird science devices.
  If you know your target has a deadly weapon 
  at their disposal, invest in some Ballistic Deflec-
  tion Plates as a precaution. If they can control 
  minds through drugs or a ray, a dose of Mental 
  Focus Enhancement Serum will prove benefi-
  cial. Deadly toxins can be combatted by popping 
  a Toxin Resistance Pill before any encounter.
  Destruction
  Regardless of their motivation or ultimate 
  goal, the plans of wicked scientists are not 
  whims or fancies, a passing fad to pass the 
  time. They are devoted to their research and 
  are beyond the point where they can see any 
  flaws, dangers, or immorality in their schemes 
  and actions. One can no more convince a 
  wicked scientist they are in any way wrong 
  than one convince a cat it can fly.
  Few weird scientists have any supernatural 
  abilities or strange gadgets to aid them against 
  fists (from those who want to see their prey 
  face justice) or bullets (from those who would 
  rather save the courts time and effort). In terms 
  of martial prowess, they rank as the weakest 
  threats to a globetrotter.
  Whereas as a vampire is a monster, a ruth-
  less fiend that sees the entirety of humanity as a 
  walking buffet, wicked scientists are, as we have 
  said above, ordinary human beings. Though 
  their souls may be damned through their ac-
  tions, wicked scientists have not literally traded 
  them to a demon (unlike black magicians).
  Killing a maniacal inventor may well save 
  many lives and rid society of a great menace, 
  but it is still an evil (small “e”) act whenever 
  there are any alternative nonlethal options 
  available, such as knocking them unconscious 
  or merely wounding them so they cannot es-
  cape. To kill one trying to surrender or who is 
  currently no direct threat to anyone, no matter 
  the vile crimes they have committed, is an Evil 
  act—that is murder, plain and simple.
                       
                    
  
                                                               
  “It was I who thought of the deserted Chap-
  man farmhouse beyond Meadow Hill, where 
  we fitted up on the ground floor an operating 
  room and a laboratory, each with dark cur-
  tains to conceal our midnight doings.” —H. P. 
  Lovecraft, Herbert West - Reanimator
  Vampires have their crypts, mummies their 
  tombs, and apparitions their haunted houses. 
  The wicked scientist, too, has their pairing. In 
  this case, it is a laboratory.
  A wicked scientist may live in a small 
  house, a castle, or even a warehouse, but such 
  places and their various facilities are of little 
  importance to the Work. A bedroom is merely 
  somewhere to rest, the kitchen a place where 
  one can find nourishment. The beating heart 
  of every wicked scientist’s lair, their sanctum, 
  is their laboratory. Here they can work at all 
  hours of the day and night without raising 
  suspicions.
  A scientist’s lair is likely to play an impor-
  tant role in any adventure, for it is here the 
  final showdown between the globetrotters and 
  their enemy occurs. Not only is it a staple of the 
  genre, it permits the Gamemaster to add extra 
  features and hazards into the climatic confron-
  tation. Examples include crackling coils that 
  emit bursts of electricity at nearby characters, 
  chemicals that explode or combust if knocked 
  over or shot, tanks full of acid or water whose 
  contents flood out if they are smashed, whir-
  ring machinery that might catch clothes or 
  limbs, and even elevators leading to catwalks 
  to add a third dimension to the battle.
  Refuge Resource
  Like his arcane counterpart the black magi-
  cian, Refuge is the wicked scientist’s most im-
  portant Resource. It is here the inventor lives 
  and, more importantly, works. In this section 
  we look at the three Refuge aspects individu-
  ally.
  Equipment
  A scientist may have to go out and collect 
  specimens, samples, and materials, but their 
  Work takes place in their laboratory. Before 
  rushing to add levels in this Resource, the 
  Gamemaster should ask whether or not the 
  laboratory will actually be used in play.
  For example, Doctor Augustus Drewe 
  needs to mix together the nutrient fluids that 
  keep his collection of living brains active, but 
  is he ever going to actually make a Craft: Phar-
  macology or Science: Chemistry roll? Surely 
  such efforts are made behind the scenes when 
  the villain can be certain of success? Likewise, 
  the horror behind John Smith’s Work is not the 
  fact that he can create Hibernation Booths, but 
  what he stores in them. This doesn’t mean the 
  scientist should not have the required Skills at 
  all, of course—logic demands they do.
  In both examples giving Refuge: Equipment 
  0 or 1 is a requirement of logic and theme if 
  nothing else. Giving them a higher ratings is 
  rarely, if ever, going to be beneficial.
  Another reason to add a low rating Refuge: 
  Equipment is as a reward for the globetrotters. 
  
  Chapter the Second: 
  Forsaken Lairs
                                 
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  10
  As the rules state, any character with the rel-
  evant Skills can make use of the Skill bonus. 
  Thus, assuming they remove the equipment 
  before the police confiscate it, nothing pre-
  vents them from adding it to their own refuge 
  or Refuge. Remember, that having no Refuge: 
  Size rating gives a globetrotter a small apart-
  ment or a single, limited space workshop. In-
  stalling new equipment may require boosting 
  their own Refuge: Size Resource first.
  To prevent abuse, we suggest that free 
  Refuge: Equipment ratings do not stack with 
  existing one, even if they augment the same 
  Skill. For instance, a character who already has 
  Refuge: Equipment 2 (Medicine) gains nothing 
  free from adding a second Refuge Equipment 
  0, 1, or 2 (Medicine)—he gains some dispos-
  able items (such extra test tubes and surgical 
  tools), but nothing more useful.
  Security
  Patching together human remains, brewing 
  up chemicals and medicines, storing cadavers, 
  and attempting to reanimate the dead is not 
  something the wicked scientist cares to share 
  with all and sundry. In game terms, Refuge: 
  Security is far more beneficial to the occupant 
  than a Skill bonus they’ll probably never use.
  During the investigative stage of an adven-
  ture, the modifier applies to attempts to locate 
  the villain’s lair. This can be applied in numer-
  ous and novel ways—there is little paperwork 
  regarding the building, it is hard to spot from 
  the road, the villain clears up his footprints, he 
  has urchins who run interference for him, and 
  such like.
  Preventing intruders is also important to 
  those with hidden secrets. Strong doors (a 
  penalty to Strength rolls to batter them down) 
  and locks (penalizing Larceny: Lockpicking), 
  and secret doors (a modifier to Perception 
  rolls) are essential in keeping nosey globetrot-
  ters out, or at least hampering their efforts 
  while the owner prepares a defense.
  Size
  When it comes to non-player characters 
  wicked scientists, Size does not matter. Regard-
  Laboratory  
  Trappings
  In many instances it is enough to describe 
  a villain’s laboratory in the most basic 
  term, that being its purpose—chemical, 
  electrical, mechanical, or medical. Using 
  what they know from real life and depic-
  tions in movies, the players can form a 
  general image of the contents. Even with 
  players with great imaginations, its some-
  times fun to drop in a few interesting bits 
  and bobs, if only for flavor.
  * A mechanical computator, with numer-
  ous dials and switches [Any].
  * Control panels or levers. Operating 
  them during combat tends to produce 
  explosions or malfunctions to other 
  equipment [Any].
  * Furnace for melting metals or destroy-
  ing evidence [Any].
  * Glassware. Beakers, bottles, burettes, 
  condensers, distilling tubes, Erlenmeyer 
  flasks, retorts, and test tubes in copious 
  quantities, usually containing smoking, 
  bubbling, and/or weirdly colored liquids 
  [Chemical or Medical].
  * Operating table that can be raised us-
  ing chains and a winch [Medical].
  * Roof that opens, usually to let lightning 
  in [Electrical or Medical].
  * Shelves holding various containers or 
  books. Ideal for pushing over [Any].
  * Specimen cages containing animals or 
  helpless victims [Chemical, Electrical, or 
  Medical].
  * Specimen jars containing animals or 
  body parts [Medical].
  * Sparking electrical apparatus, such as a 
  Jacob’s ladder, Tesla coil, Van der Graaff 
  generator [Electrical or Medical].
  * Stuffed animals, often chimeras [Medi-
  cal].
  * Tables. Great for tipping over in a rage 
  or by intruders [Any].
  * Tanks holding acid (for getting rid of 
  failed experiments) or a body preserved 
  in liquid. May be horizontal or vertical. 
  [Medical].
  * X-ray Screen. A glass partition that re-
  veals the skeleton of anyone who steps 
  behind it [Medical].
  
  Forsaken Lairs
  11
  less of they whether they occupy a townhouse 
  or a grand castle, the overall size of their Ref-
  uge is irrelevant, serving merely as a backdrop. 
  Such characters do not need to purchase 
  Refuge: Size but instead automatically have 
  a rating their background and the adventure 
  demands.
  Certain Refuge levels automatically grant 
  the character a bonus Resource. Given that the 
  villain is receiving free levels in Refuge: Size 
  anyway, some Gamemasters may wish to ignore 
  the bonuses as an unfair advantage. On the 
  other hand, bonus Resources can actually help 
  round out both the villain and his lair. A castle 
  is a large fortified building, so using bonus Re-
  sources from its Refuge: Size to take Followers 
  (servants) or Refuge: Security (mundane doors 
  and locks) isn’t entirely unreasonable.
  What matters in terms of common sense 
  and the adventure is the size of the scientist’s 
  laboratory. A small attic or basement may be 
  sufficient for a townhouse, but a castle de-
  mands an entire tower or a vast expansive hall 
  (again usually a basement).
  Since the final battle is likely to take place 
  there, ensure the laboratory has enough room 
  and obstacles for the combatants to make good 
  use of—a stand-up slogging match where no 
  one has room to maneuver, swing from cables, 
  tip over shelves, and so on would be boring 
  in a movie, and ultimately the Gamemaster is 
  creating the same experience in the players’ 
  imaginations.
  An interesting twist is to make the labora-
  tory mobile. A train carriage is equal in size to 
  a house (Refuge: Size 0), although the scientist 
  needs a private engine to be able to move 
  around outside of scheduled trains. A single 
  carriage can hold a small living area and a 
  modest laboratory (Refuge: Equipment 1 maxi-
  mum). A large wagon, such as a police van, 
  would also count as a house for Size purposes. 
  Space is limited, but the van could house an 
  Equipment 0 laboratory. A ship may range in 
  size from a river barge (Size 0, Equipment 0 
  max.) to a large ocean-going ship, such as an 
  Exploration Steamer (Weird Science Compen-
  dium). Villains who really want to travel and 
  work in style might use an airship as their base 
  of operations.
  Not only is a mobile lab a more memorable 
  location, but boarding one while it is in motion 
  is an exciting scene in itself. Instead of break-
  ing a window, for instance, the globetrotters 
  must leap onto a moving train and then fight 
  the villain’s minions (best on the roof) before 
  they can gain access.
  Lair Points
  Unlike mummies, shapeshifters, and vam-
  pires, wicked scientists don’t have the option 
  of gaining supernatural powers for each Level 
  in Patron they have. Sure, black magicians 
  don’t gain this benefit either, but they at least 
  have rituals to wield against globetrotters. In 
  most instances, all a mad scientist has are their 
  wits, their fists, and maybe a firearm.
  For each Level they have in Patron (includ-
  ing Level 0), a wicked scientist gains one Lair 
  point as a means of addressing their relative 
  weakness. Spending a Lair point allows the sci-
  entist to pick one of the abilities below, so long 
  as they are in their lair. By lair we mean their 
  entire abode, not just their secret laboratory or 
  other type of sanctum. 
  The Gamemaster doesn’t have to decide on 
  these abilities in advance—he can pick one as 
  a Lair point is used. Similarly, the list isn’t ex-
  clusive—the Gamemaster should create their 
  own, unique abilities. Each Lair point can be 
  used just once per adventure.
  The abilities won’t make a wicked scientist 
  a superhuman, but used well they’ll turn a dull 
  crawl through a deserted townhouse or castle 
  into a more exciting scene.
  Although some abilities can inflict nasty 
  injuries, they should not be used to punish the 
  party or ensure their ultimate demise—having 
  the adventure end before they get to meet the 
  primary antagonist is rather an anticlimax. Of 
  course, bad luck may well mean that one or 
  two globetrotters meets a messy end, but so 
  long as at least one can challenge (and hope-
  fully defeat) the villain that’s okay.
  Instead, use them to weaken the party, 
  especially if the globetrotters are martial types. 
  That way, even a few shots from a poorly 
  trained mad scientist’s revolver may lead to 
                       
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  1
  serious injury or death, rather than causing 
  flesh wounds.
  If there a time element involved in the cli-
  max (such as having to save an innocent from 
  being sliced open or having their mind erased), 
  having to deal to with effects of an ability forces 
  the globetrotters to burn precious time.
  Do You Mind if I Smoke?
  Throwing a switch causes a door shut and 
  lock, and smoke or gas to quickly fill the room. 
  Naturally, it needs to be either a room without 
  any windows or ones sealed by the There’s No 
  Escape! ability below.
  Since they weren’t expecting to need their 
  lungs filled with air, the globetrotters can hold 
  their breath for one turn per success of a re-
  flexive Body roll. After this, the globetrotters 
  suffer 1N damage each combat turn. Escaping 
  requires the door (Defense 4, Structure 5) to 
  be broken open.
  When all the globetrotters lose conscious-
  ness, the villain may choose to drag them to the 
  secret lab to gloat or use them in experiments; 
  suck out the smoke but leave them where they 
  are while the scientist tries to vacate the prop-
  erty, destroy his notes, or whatever; or leave 
  the smoke present and let the globetrotters 
  continue to choke to death.
  Frying Tonight!
  When activated, this ability causes a pit to 
  open right under the feet of one or more glo-
  betrotters. The unlucky souls have a chance to 
  leap clear by making an Acrobatic or Athletics 
  roll (their choice) at Difficulty 4. Failure causes 
  them to plunge into a vat of boiling liquid or 
  acid. Common sense requires the vat be placed 
  on the ground floor or a basement, rather than 
  an upper story.
  Anyone so unfortunate as to plunge into the 
  liquid suffers 3L caustic damage each combat 
  turn. The vat isn’t especially hard to escape 
  from—a lone globetrotter must make a Strength 
  roll (Difficulty 3) to pull themselves free, while al-
  lies who avoided the trap require only a Difficulty 
  2 Strength roll to haul them out before they boil 
  to death or the flesh dissolves on their bones.
  Lights Out!
  Globetrotters exploring a vampire’s castle ex-
  pect to need some source of illumination, even in 
  daylight (a vampire’s crypt usually lacks windows 
  for obvious reasons and there is no need to leave 
  a night light burning). Those wandering around 
  a scientist’s townhouse are more likely to rely on 
  either natural light during the day or switch on 
  electric lights or gas lamps at night.
  By spending a Lair point, the scientist not 
  only extinguishes all source of artificial lights 
  installed in their lair, they prevent them from 
  working until they decide otherwise. Naturally, 
  this won’t affect the secret laboratory unless 
  the scientist has some means of seeing in the 
  dark. Since this is of little use during the hours 
  of daylight, it is best employed with the There’s 
  No Escape ability below.
  Many houses and castles likely have a stock 
  of candles for emergencies, but the globetrot-
  ters will have to search for them—even the 
  crazed mad scientist isn’t going to install a cut 
  off switch and then leave candles lying around 
  for all to find.
  A devious scientist may use this ability and 
  then follow it up with Shocking Isn’t It! when 
  a globetrotter flicks a light switch or tries to 
  relight a gas lamp.
  Release the Hounds!
  By throwing a lever or calling out to a 
  sidekick, the scientist unleashes some sort of 
  guardian to roam the lair.
  Despite the name, the ability isn’t re-
  stricted to dogs (mundane, augmented, or 
  living constructs). A mad doctor may release 
  a Frankenstein’s monster, flying monkeys, or 
  some gruesome living corpses with multiple 
  arms whose hands have been replaced with 
  the claws of a giant crab. A crazed engineer 
  may have a pack of mechanical spiders or a 
  clockwork humanoid with swords instead of 
  lower arms, or perhaps a built-in gun.
  There is no set number of creatures re-
  leased. Instead, the Gamemaster should set 
  enough on the globetrotters to create a chal-
  lenge, but not slaughter them—they are a 
  distraction, not the final fight itself.
  
  Forsaken Lairs
  1
  Likewise, where the creatures appear is up 
  to the individual Gamemaster. They be kept 
  locked in cages in the basement and have to 
  hunt down the intruders. Equally, a secret 
  panel may open in the same room as the glo-
  betrotters, giving the fiends a clear run to their 
  startled prey.
  Shocking, Isn’t It!
  Activating this ability closes an electrical cir-
  cuit and turns an ordinary object into a deadly 
  weapon. The Gamemaster must determine 
  three things when using this ability.
  Size: Does the jolt affecting just one globe-
  trotter (say a door knob, that only jolts who-
  ever tries to turn it) or multiple globetrotters 
  (a metal grille concealed under a rug)?
  Charge: Is the weird scientist toying with 
  his prey (1L caustic damage), trying to harm 
  them (2L), or fry them (3L)?
  Contact: Is the electrical charge a single 
  jolt, after which the globetrotter is unharmed, 
  or a continuous current that prevent them 
  from pulling away? The latter requires a char-
  acter to make a Strength roll with a difficulty 
  equal to the electricity’s damage rating in or-
  der to escape. Failure means they continue to 
  take damage but may attempt another escape 
  on their next turn.
  There’s No Escape!
  Best used in conjunction with Release the 
  Hounds (see below), this ability causes metal 
  shutters to slam down across the windows and 
  locks the main doors, sealing the globetrotters 
  inside. At the Gamemaster’s discretion, the 
  ability may also force interior doors to slam 
  shut and lock remotely.
  Logically a mad scientist would employ this 
  to prevent any access to their lair in the first 
  place, but they’re not called mad scientists 
  for nothing. With their foes now trapped, the 
  weird scientist can taunt them at leisure before 
  tormenting them with other defenses. 
  Outside the confines of an adventure, the 
  scientist uses the lockdown to prevent any of 
  their twisted experiments from escaping.
  Metal barricades have Defense 8 and Struc-
  ture 9 and wooden ones have Defense 4 and 
  Structure 5. The Defense rating may be raised 
  or lowered to suit the globetrotters’ Strength.
  Sidekick and  
  Helpers
  Few wicked scientists live truly solitary lives. 
  Even the most deranged, anti-social inventor 
  needs someone to cook their food, gather 
  essential components, and inform would-be 
  guests the master is not at home. After all, the 
  scientist must devote their time to the Work.
  There are three primary types of minion 
  employed by wicked scientists—servants, min-
  ions, and henchmen. We’ll look at each type 
  individually below. Regardless of their helpers’ 
  status, a wicked scientist does not need to use 
  their available Talents buying servants, guards, 
  or lab assistants. These lesser antagonists are 
  part of the adventure, no different to random 
  thugs in a barroom brawl.
  Servants
  Servants are the lowest and least important 
  staff. They are butlers, cooks, and housemaids, 
  usually paid for their services, but sometimes 
  indebted to their master through familial ties 
  stretching back generations.
  The number of staff varies with the scien-
  tist’s social class and residence. A middle-class 
  villain with a townhouse may have only a 
  butler and a cook at their disposal who either 
  live in (occupying a small attic room apiece) or 
  who reside elsewhere. Likewise, while a castle-
  owning scientist may have dozens of servants 
  at their beck and call, there is no reason they 
  too cannot have just a handful of loyal staff. 
  Naturally, the odds of our townhouse residing 
  villain having 20+ staff are nil.
  These lowly employees may know their 
  master is a scientist—hardly a secret if the 
  villain actually is a scientist—but they are ig-
  norant of his true Work. They may be hirelings, 
  but they are loyal. Bribery and verbal trickery 
  may well fail (another use of the Refuge: Secu-
                
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  1
  rity modifier), but torture will open their lips 
  (although that is an evil act at best).
  Servants are Followers and most are Fol-
  lower 0. They are not the master’s bodyguards, 
  nor are they prepared to fight intruders, 
  although they might threaten violence, albeit 
  with a shaky hand and little conviction. A truly 
  devoted servant is prepared to leap in the way 
  of a bullet (or sword thrust) to save their mas-
  ter from harm, though.
  Minions
  Having the globetrotters unweave the 
  network of clues that lead to the villain only 
  to have them face an unarmed scientist pos-
  ing little physical threat is a total anticlimax. 
  Minions are protectors, not much threat to the 
  heroes singularly but deadly in numbers.
  The number a scientist has depends entirely 
  on the needs of the adventure and the combat 
  prowess of the globetrotters. If the heroes are 
  built for investigation rather than combat, than 
  one or two minions is a threat. Parties loaded 
  for bear should be faced with greater numbers 
  of minions to be a challenge.
  Minions are a step above common servants. 
  They may serve in similar roles, but they are 
  more proficient, being Follower 1. More im-
  portantly, they have combat Skills and perhaps 
  even a combat-oriented Talent.
  Not every minion needs to be human. 
  Indeed, in many cases they should not be 
  ordinary humans. Instead, use the wicked 
  scientist’s Work as a guideline to create memo-
  rable minions. 
  A mad engineer might make use of automa-
  tons, such as a Clockwork Knight, Clockwork 
  Sparring Partner or Mechanical Bodyguard 
  (see Weird Science Compendium for these 
  constructs), or Mechanical Guard Dog. A 
  crazed scientific necromancer might employ 
  zombies (even as servants). A deranged chem-
  ist might have ordinary guards, but dose them 
  with Doctor Jekyll’s Serum. In the latter case, 
  the globetrotters find themselves facing a gang 
  of crazed dwarfs with bulging muscles.
  Even mundane beasts, such as a pack of 
  hounds, are as effective as a thug with a cudgel 
  or revolver. Better still, from the scientist’s 
  point of view, animals cannot be bribed, 
  tricked, or threatened into revealing informa-
  tion. Imagine their shock if the dogs have 
  collars that dose them with Invisibility Serum 
  (WSC again) when their adrenaline reaches a 
  certain point.
  Regardless of their nature, minions are not 
  trusted with any knowledge of the Work.
  Henchmen
  The pinnacle of the helper scale, henchmen 
  are not common employees or hired muscle. 
  They out of all the helpers actually assist their 
  master in the Work, even if they do not un-
  derstand all the complexities or the scientist’s 
  ultimate goal.
  Henchmen come in two types. The first 
  expects to be verbally harangued and physi-
  cally abused by their master, given the worst 
  jobs and all of the risks, but they are as loyal 
  as any pet dog. Threats and bribes mean noth-
  ing to them, although they may be temporarily 
  tempted before remembering where their loy-
  alties lie, but they are often cowards. Threaten 
  them with physical harm and they’ll usually 
  start blabbing. When the bullets start flying, 
  they are the first to turn tail and flee.
  The second type expects to be paid for 
  their assistance, or at least given partial credit 
  when the Work reaches a successful comple-
  tion. They are devoted to their master, but they 
  are not obsequious toadies. In literature and 
  the movies, they are the medical student who 
  aspires to be like the master (a medical genius) 
  and is blinded to the immorality of the Work. 
  In essence, a wicked scientist in training.
  Like a minion, there is no requirement for a 
  henchman to be human. Of course, a mindless 
  zombie isn’t going to be much use carrying 
  test tubes, let also partake in complex surgery. 
  However, something like the Multi-Armed 
  Assistant or Clockwork Physician is a perfect 
  employee—immune to bribery and able to 
  work day and night, aside from periodic main-
  tenance.
  Henchmen should be Followers or Allies of 
  Level 1 or 2.
  
                                                                     
  “Science is a magnificent force, but it is not 
  a teacher of morals. It can perfect machinery, 
  but it adds no moral restraints to protect soci-
  ety from the misuse of the machine.” 
  —William Jennings Bryan (The undelivered 
  summation of William Jennings Bryan at the 
  Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial)
  As mentioned before, the nefarious plans 
  and cruel devices of wicked scientists are 
  rarely an overt threat to globetrotters. In most 
  adventures they are nothing more than flavor, 
  an unseen but essential tool wielded only in 
  the background. 
  This short chapter details a handful of new 
  weird science gadgets that can be used overtly 
  against globetrotters (although one does re-
  quire a globetrotter first be captured). While 
  they are unlikely to form part of the Work, they 
  are handy for punishing those would try to 
  disrupt the scientist’s maniacal plan.
  New Weird Science
  Animal Antipathy Gas
  Artifact 4
  This chemical weapon is perfect for hamper-
  ing globetrotters hot on one’s trail. Contained 
  in a stoppered glass vial, the misty, odorless gas 
  releases in a 10-foot diameter cloud on impact 
  (throwing range increments of 5 feet). The fine 
  particles impregnate the clothing, hair, and 
  exposed skin of any creature in the cloud or 
  who passes through it in the next combat turn 
  (6 seconds). 
  For the next 24 hours (or until the victim 
  has laundered their clothes and scoured their 
  body), animals are driven to launch a frenzied 
  attack on the victim.
  A batch contains five doses, each of which 
  is good for one use.
  Enhancements: Increased Area of Effect 10 
  feet (+4 Enhancements), Increased Duration: 
  One day (+2 Enhancements), Induce Flaw: 
  Animal Antipathy (+2 Enhancements)
  Pain Booth
  Artifact 5
  Whether one seeks information, to punish 
  wrongdoers, or merely wishes to inflict suf-
  fering for the fun of it, the Torture Booth is a 
  potent and cruel tool.
  The Booth resembles a thick, glass cabinet 
  with a complex electrical coil on the top. At-
  tached to the outside of the glass door is a dial 
  numbered from zero (off) to 5 (the maximum 
  setting). Once a victim is inside and the dial 
  rotated to a positive integer, the electrical coil 
  produces energy rays that activate pain recep-
  tors in the victim’s skin and brain. The higher 
  the number, the more agonizing the pain.
  The machine inflicts automatic damage 
  each minute it remains in operation. At level 
  one, it inflicts 1N damage—extremely painful, 
  but not enough to cause lasting damage. At 
  level two, the damage is 1L instead. Each ad-
  1
  Chapter the Third: 
  Diabolical Powers
                                      
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  1
  ditional level inflicts a further 1L damage, to a 
  maximum of 4L per minute.
  After each scene, the device must be 
  switched off and its settings modified in order 
  to prevent the victim gaining any resistance to 
  the torturous stimuli. The booth can still be 
  used if the maintenance is not performed, but 
  the victim suffers a maximum of 1N damage 
  regardless of the Booth’s setting. Resetting the 
  device requires a minimum of one hour.
  Enhancements: 
  Altered 
  Duration: 
  1 
  minute (+2 Enhancements), Induce Exhaust-
  ing 2N (+2 Enhancement), Induce Reduced 
  Attribute: –1 Willpower (+2 Enhancements), 
  Induce Toxic 4L (+8 Enhancements)
  Limitations: Requires Maintenance: Craft: 
  Electrics Difficulty 3 (–4 Enhancements)
  Sensory Annulment Ray
  Artifact 3
  Although not designed to inflict permanent 
  harm, the Sensory Annulment Ray is still an 
  insidious tool, for it deprives people of the two 
  most important humans senses—hearing and 
  sight—albeit for a short duration.
  The device is similar in appearance to a 
  handgun, although with various blinking lights, 
  miniature electrical coils, and other weird sci-
  ence adornments. It has a maximum range of 
  25 feet. Anyone struck by the green ray it emits 
  is struck blind and deaf for 24 hours.
  Enhancements: Increased Duration: One 
  day (+2 Enhancements), Induce Flaw: Blind 
  (+2 Enhancements), Induce Flaw: Deaf (+2 
  Enhancements)
  Vocal Nullification Ray
  Artifact 1
  Whether they want to kidnap someone or 
  slice them open for parts, no wicked scientist 
  (or more commonly one of their henchmen) 
  wants their victims screaming blue murder and 
  alerting witnesses or the police. A burst from 
  this gadget ensures they won’t be able to utter 
  a word, let alone call for help.
  More cruelly, it can be used to keep a con-
  scious victim silent while the mad scientist is 
  removing organs, draining blood, or grafting 
  new appendages. It can also be used to silence 
  annoying henchmen for a short while.
  Anyone struck by the yellow ray emitted 
  by the gadget is struck mute for the duration 
  of the combat or scene. The beam has a maxi-
  mum range of 25 feet.
  Enhancements: Induce Flaw: Mute (+2 
  Enhancements)
  Existing Devices 
   and the Work
  Of the many weird science gadgets al-
  ready created for Leagues of Adventure 
  and Leagues of Gothic Horror, some are 
  ideal for the purposes of criminal intent. 
  The Work of a wicked scientist, however, 
  requires that others must be hurt in the 
  pursuit of a specific goal. Without caus-
  ing direct harm, they are merely a villain-
  ous scientist. For instance, a Cerebral In-
  terrogator (Weird Science Companion) is 
  insidious, but it doesn’t leave the victim’s 
  mind permanently erased.
  Unless otherwise stated, those ideal for 
  use in the Work are listed below, along 
  with a brief mention of how they might 
  be employed. The entry in parentheses 
  is the book in which the device is de-
  scribed.
      Life Transference Engine, Mk II
  A loved one is suffering from a deadly 
  and incurable illness. This insidious de-
  vice gives the patient one week’s respite, 
  while the unfortunate victim gains the 
  illness permanently. [Leagues of Gothic 
  Horror Expansion]
      Lunar Transmogrifyer
  In a conventional Leagues of Adventure 
  game, a wicked scientist may be search-
  ing for a means of creating a bestial ser-
  vant or removing man’s bestial nature. 
  In Gothic Horror, the madman may be 
  trying to artificially create wolfmen (and 
  women) in order to find a cure for a 
  loved one’s lycanthropy.  [Leagues of Ad-
  venture]
  
                                                                 
  “I see you’ve met my assistant Scarface 
  His appearance is quite disturbing 
  But I assure you he’s harmless enough 
  He’s a sweetheart, calls me ‘Master’ 
  And he has a way of finding pretty things 
  and bringing them to me”
  —Jonathan Coulton, Skullcrusher Moun-
  tain
  Greater Sidekicks
  Igor
  Igor: “I am sorry, Master. We try and we 
  try, but I fear we are not so smart as Doctor 
  Frankenstein.” —Van Helsing
  A figure known only as Igor has been aid-
  ing inventors and scientists since at least the 
  18th century, when an assistant of that name 
  worked alongside Victor Frankenstein. Natu-
  rally, it is impossible for the same person to 
  have survived into the present age, and yet Igor 
  possess memories that date back centuries. It 
  is possible he is not mortal, but some form of 
  imp, sent forth from the infernal realm to aid 
  inventors.
  Incapable of truly originally ideas, yet natu-
  rally gifted at assisting others, Igor does not 
  work for just anyone. The inventors to whom 
  he offers his services are invariably walking a 
  dark path. Even if they do not start that way, 
  Igor’s presence subtly causes them to drift 
  toward darkness. What begins as a benevolent 
  study, such as Frankenstein’s attempts to re-
  move death, quickly become something more 
  sinister. Once he has corrupted them to the 
  stage where the populace turns against them, 
  Igor packs his bags and moves on, leaving his 
  former master to deal with the consequences.
  Few of his previous masters have treated 
  him well, but Igor never complains at being 
  treated as a lowly minion—the prize of steer-
  ing them from righteousness to damnation is 
  worth a few beatings.
  Igor is a pitiful figure. He has an enlarged 
  right eye, a hunchback, and a lame left leg. He 
  also has a pronounced lisp.
  Igor
  Ally 2
  Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Wisdom; 
  Style: 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 1, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 3, Percep-
  tion 6, Initiative 5, Defense 5, Stun 3, Health 
  6, Sanity 4
  Skills: Academics: Occult 4, Athletics 5, Brawl 
  5, Con 5, Craft: Chemistry 4, Craft: Electrics 4, 
  Craft: Mechanics 4, Craft: Pharmacology 4,   In-
  vestigation 4, Medicine 4, Science: Chemistry 
  4, Science: Engineering 4
  Talents: Skilled Assistant 2 (Provides +4 Team-
  work bonus)
  1
  Chapter the Fourth: 
  Catalog of Fiends
                                    
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  1
  Resources: None
  Flaws: Disfigured (–2 penalty on all rolls 
  where appearance is a factor; +1 Style point 
  whenever he is rejected because of his appear-
  ance), Lame (–2 penalty to Move rating; +1 
  Style point whenever he is unable to outrun 
  danger or if his bad leg gets him into trouble), 
  Speech Impediment (+1 Style point whenever 
  a severe problem or misunderstanding occurs 
  because of his speech impediment)
  Weapons: Punch 5N
  Scientific Necromancer
  The scientific necromancer has a choice of 
  two Craft and two Science Skills. Which ones 
  he has depends on whether his experiments 
  are powered by chemicals or electricity.
  Scientific necromancers, while villains 
  by dint of their vile experiments and lack of 
  moral judgment, are no match for globetrot-
  ters in combat—they are men of science, not 
  violence. Fortunately, they often have a loyal 
  henchman or spare animated corpse or two at 
  their disposal to deal with pesky interlopers.
  Scientific Necromancer
  Ally 2
  Archetype: Inventor or Scientist; Motivation: 
  Varies; Style: 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Percep-
  tion 6, Initiative 5, Defense 5, Stun 3, Health 
  6, Horror —
  Skills: Craft: Electrics or Pharmacology 6, In-
  vestigation 5, Medicine 6, Science: Biology 6, 
  Science: Chemistry or Engineering 6
  Talents: Spark of Life (can create intelligent 
  artifacts), Weird Science (can create weird sci-
  ence devices)
  Resources: None
  Flaw: Righteous (+1 Style point whenever his 
  actions alienate him and his friends, or causes 
  others to publicly question his motives and 
  moral judgment)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Lesser Sidekicks
  Body Snatcher
  Body snatchers, also known as resurrection 
  men, dig up the recently deceased and sell the 
  corpses for use in illegal medical procedures 
  (the Anatomy Act of 1832 made corpses avail-
  able for legal procedures), or to scientists of 
  dubious morality and purpose whose ready 
  supply of cash ensures no awkward questions 
  are asked. When fresh corpses are in short sup-
  ply, body snatchers aren’t above using violence 
  to secure whatever their employer requires, 
  although that might require more money.
  Contrary to reports and public opinion, 
  few body snatchers rob the corpses they 
  gather from graves, so as to avoid felony 
  charges (body snatching from a grave is simply 
  a misdemeanor, whereas theft carries harsher 
  punishments).
  Body Snatcher
  Follower 1
  Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Duty; 
  Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 4, Initiative 4, Defense 3, Stun 1, Health 
  4, Sanity 3
  Skills: Athletics 5 (Digging 6), Larceny 4, Me-
  lee 5, Stealth 5 (Sneaking 6)
  Talents: Pack Mule (Treat encumbrance level 
  as one level less)
  Resources: None
  Flaw: Illiterate (+1 Style point whenever his 
  illiteracy causes him severe difficulty or embar-
  rassment)
  Weapons: Punch 0N, Shovel 7N, Pickaxe 8L
  Clockwork Physician
  Artifact 1
                                 
  
  Catalog of Fiends
  1
  Mad doctors who don’t want the trouble 
  of employing living henchmen to aid in their 
  work will find the Clockwork Physician a suit-
  able substitute. Unlike living assistants, the 
  Clockwork Physician has no morals and is not 
  squeamish.
  The anthropomorphic automaton’s clock-
  work mechanism allows it to function for 
  an entire day if merely passing surgical tools 
  or mixing chemicals. Using it in its surgical 
  capacity requires much more computational 
  power, not to mention its arms and its internal 
  vocabulator, and thus shortens its operating 
  time to one combat or entire scene. Recharg-
  ing it requires nothing more than 30 minutes 
  of turning a key.
  While modestly talented at creating phar-
  maceuticals and tending injuries on its own 
  recognizance, the Mobile Physician lacks imag-
  ination. Thus, it is best used as an assistant to 
  a human physician.
  Enhancements: Follower 1 (+2 Enhance-
  ments)
  Clockwork Physician
  Follower 0
  Archetype: Artifact; Motivation: Duty; Style: 
  0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 1, Charisma 0, Intelligence 2, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 3, Percep-
  tion 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Craft: Pharmacology 4, Medicine 5
  Talents/ Resources: None
  Flaws: Automaton (+1 Style point whenever 
  its lack of creativity causes difficulty)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Deformed Lab Assistant
  A stereotype of modern Gothic Horror 
  cinema (first introduced in the 1931 version 
  of Frankenstein), the deformed laboratory 
  assistant is treated like dirt by his master and 
  yet remains faithful, much like a beaten dog. At 
  least, he remains loyal until his life is in dan-
  ger. Given the choice between pain or death, 
  the deformed lab assistant either reveals his 
  master’s profane plan or takes to the hills as 
  fast as his twisted form allows.
  Whether he works in the laboratory or 
  does his master’s dirty work elsewhere, the 
  deformed lab assistant knows his place in the 
  grand scheme of things—at the bottom. What-
  ever his personal goals, he bows and grovels 
  at feet of his master, acts which are rewarded 
  only with further physical and mental abuse.
  These unfortunates, often referred to as 
  “Igors” by those who hunt down wicked scien-
  tists, have at least one physical deformity, such 
  as a humpback (the stereotype), a swollen 
  eye, bandied legs, dwarfism, obesity, or, more 
  rarely, a missing limb. Many also suffer from 
  extremely poor personal hygiene.
  Deformed Lab Assistant 1
  This version of the deformed assistant 
  confines his activities to the laboratory. As well 
  as performing menial chores, like throwing 
  switches, mixing chemicals, stirring vats, and 
  general lifting and carrying, he aids his master 
  in their Work. He hasn’t the know-how to cre-
  ate weird science or living constructs himself, 
  though. 
  When his master demands entertainment, 
  the assistant is requested to play an instrument 
  or, for those with physical impairments, dance. 
  If the master has no other servants, his labo-
  ratory also serves as butler, cook, waiter, and 
  general servant.
  Ally 1
  Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Duty; 
  Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 
  6, Sanity 3
  Skills: Brawl 4, Craft (pick one) 4, Intimida-
  tion 4, Medicine or Science (pick one) 4, Per-
  formance 4
  Talents: Robust (+2 Health rating)
  Resources: None
  Flaw*: Coward (–2 penalty on all rolls when he 
  is threatened with physical violence; +1 Style 
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  0
  point whenever he gives up without a fight or 
  abandons his friends to save his own skin), 
  Obsequious (+1 Style point whenever he is 
  tormented for his grovelling nature or when 
  his blind obedience causes him problems)
  Weapons: Punch 4N
  * Pick at least one additional Flaw from Albino, 
  Bad Reputation, Disfigured, Dwarf, Flea-In-
  fested, Illiterate, Lame, Obese, One Arm, Poor 
  Vision, Repulsive, Sadism, and Treacherous 
  (see p. 28).
  Deformed Lab Assistant 
  Whereas his cousin works in the laboratory, 
  this version is charged with dealing with the 
  public. It is he who must purchase supplies, 
  keep away strangers, and, when the Work 
  requires it, acquire corpses, body parts, or liv-
  ing victims. Despite any physical impairment, 
  he is quite athletic and capable of stealthy 
  movement. Quite content to attack unarmed 
  opponents, he remains cowardly in the face of 
  targets capable of defending themselves.
  Ally 1
  Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Duty; 
  Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 
  6, Sanity 3
  Skills: Athletics 5, Brawl 4, Intimidation 4, 
  Melee 5, Stealth 4
  Talents: Run (Doubles running speed)
  Resources: None
  Flaw*: Coward (–2 penalty on all rolls when he 
  is threatened with physical violence; +1 Style 
  point whenever he gives up without a fight or 
  abandons his friends to save his own skin), 
  Obsequious (+1 Style point whenever he is 
  tormented for his grovelling nature or when 
  his blind obedience causes him problems)
  Weapons: Punch 4N, Dagger 6L
  * Pick at least one additional Flaw from Albino, 
  Bad Reputation, Disfigured, Dwarf, Flea-In-
  fested, Illiterate, Lame, Obese, One Arm, Poor 
  Vision, Repulsive, Sadism, and Treachery (see 
  p. 28).
  Infatuated Student
  The infatuated student is another Gothic 
  Horror stereotype. Usually young and brilliant 
  in their own way, with a great future ahead in 
  their chosen field, they are also naïve and utterly 
  beguiled by working with a respected peer. Of 
  high morals (normally), they are not entrusted 
  with the truth of the Work, but instead toil on 
  lesser experiments or are misguided about the 
  true reason for their assistance.
  For instance, a mad medical doctor might 
  tell his student he is working on a means of tis-
  sue regeneration in a bid to advance medicine. 
  The poor student has no idea where the ca-
  davers they work with come from, nor do they 
  know that their mentor seeks only to return 
  his dead wife back to life,  a blasphemous en-
  deavor for sure, for it goes against the natural 
  order of things.
  Naturally, 
  outsiders 
  who 
  accuse 
  the 
  student’s mentor of being a madman are dis-
  missed as kooks, for in the eyes of the student 
  their superior is a luminary seeking only to bet-
  ter mankind. It takes inconvertible evidence to 
  persuade them otherwise.
  Infatuated Student
  Follower 1
  Archetype: Physician; Motivation: Wisdom; 
  Style: 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Percep-
  tion 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 
  4, Sanity 4
  Skills: Diplomacy 4, Gambling 4, Linguistics 
  4, Medicine or Science: Chemistry 4, Perfor-
  mance 4
  Talents: Skill Aptitude (+2 Medicine or Sci-
  ence: Chemistry rating)
  Resources: None
  Flaw: Gullible (–2 penalty on rolls to resist 
  deception; +1 Style point whenever they are 
  taken advantage of because of their trusting 
  nature), Loyal (+1 Style point any time their 
  unswerving loyalty causes them trouble)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  
  Catalog of Fiends
  1
  Multi-Armed Lab Assistant
  Artifact 3
  Based on the Multi-Armed Assistant em-
  ployed by globetrotting expeditions, the Lab 
  Assistant is designed to help with scientific and 
  construction projects.
  This steam-powered humanoid construct is 
  not only programmed with a variety of useful 
  practical skills, it has four arms, allowing it to 
  work on two projects simultaneously (so long 
  as they are in arm’s reach). Its torso comprises 
  two revolving sections, each with an arm on 
  either side. To facilitate working on different 
  projects, its head is capable of full 360-degree 
  rotation. A powerful computator and articulate 
  vocabulator complete its suite of abilities. 
  The automaton’s primary weakness is its 
  relatively short working life before the com-
  plex mechanisms must be maintained.
  The automaton is primarily designed to 
  serve as an assistant, but it can function ad-
  equately on its own recognizance on minor 
  tasks, allowing the wicked scientist to get on 
  with more important work. A range of plug-in 
  modifications means it is never without the 
  appropriate tool.
  Enhancements: Extra Limbs: Two arms, 
  Strength 2 (+4 Enhancements), Follower 1 
  (+2 Enhancement), Talent: Skilled Assistant 2 
  (+4 Enhancements)
  Limitations: Flaw: Conspicuous (–2 En-
  hancements), Requires Maintenance: Difficulty 
  3 (–3 Enhancements)
  Multi-Armed Lab Assistant
  Follower 1
  Archetype: Artifact; Motivation: Duty; Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 2, Charisma 0, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 5, Initiative 6, Defense 5, Stun 2, Health 4
  Skills: Craft: Chemistry 4, Craft: Electrics 4, 
  Craft: Mechanics 4, Craft: Pharmaceuticals 4, 
  Investigation 4, Medicine 4, Science: Biology 
  4, Science: Chemistry 4, Science: Engineering 
  4, Science: Physics 4
  Talents: Skilled Assistant 2 (Provides +4 Team-
  work bonus), Tinker (Ignores penalty for using 
  improvised tools)
  Resources: None
  Flaws: Automaton (+1 Style point whenever its 
  lack of creativity causes difficulty), Conspicuous 
  (–2 Stealth penalty due to grinding of metal and 
  stench of smoke), Requires Maintenance
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Servant, General
  From butlers who announce “the Master 
  is not at home,” to cooks who prepare elabo-
  rate meals to maids who keep the house tidy 
  (except the secret laboratory, of course!), the 
  general servant is charged only with ensuring 
  their master’s house runs smoothly. Unlike 
  the deformed lab assistant, they are loyal and 
  deferential but not obsequious.
  If you need to create additional household 
  staff, a servant should have one or two Skills 
  (no combat Skills) related to their position 
  only. Don’t worry if you can’t think of a suit-
  able Skill for a boot boy or chambermaid—it’s 
  not likely they need to meaningfully interact 
  with the globetrotters. If you really need to roll 
  dice, just assume they have 4 dice.
  Servant, General
  Follower 0
  Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Duty; 
  Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 1, 
  Strength 1, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Percep-
  tion 4, Initiative 3, Defense 2, Stun 1, Health 
  3, Sanity 4
  Skills (Butler): Diplomacy 4 (Etiquette 5), 
  Empathy 4 (Motives 5)
  Skills (Coachman): Ride 6
  Skills (Cook): Craft: Cooking 7
  Talents/Resources: None
  Flaw: Loyal (+1 Style point any time their un-
  swerving loyalty causes trouble for themselves 
  or their companions)
  Weapons: Punch 0N
  Loyal to the Death: Whether or not the 
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  servant has acted in the turn and is within 10 
  feet of their master, they can throw themselves 
  in the way of harm to protect their master. This 
  is done after the attack roll is successful. Dam-
  age is automatically assigned to the servant.
  Minions
  Common Thug
  Follower 2
  Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Duty; 
  Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 2, Intelligence 1, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 3, Initiative 3, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 
  4, Sanity 4
  Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 8 (Punching 9), In-
  timidation 6 (Threats 7)
  Talents: Skill Aptitude (+2 Intimidation rating)
  Resources: None
  Flaw: Overconfident (+1 Style point when he 
  is forced to ask for help or when his bravado 
  gets him in over his head)
  Weapons: Punch 9N
  Ferocious Dog
  Guard dogs make ideal minions for a 
  wicked scientist. They have no curiosity about 
  their master’s Work, cannot reveal his secrets, 
  and are extremely loyal. While in fiction it is 
  possible for nosy globetrotters to keep dogs 
  distracted by throwing them raw meat, this is 
  unlikely to work in real life.
  Follower 1
  Archetype: Animal; Motivation: Survival; 
  Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 0, Intelligence 1, Will-
  power 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size –1, Move 6 (12)*, 
  Perception 4 (Smell 8), Initiative 4, Defense 6, 
  Stun 2, Health 4, Horror —
  Skills: Brawl 6, Stealth 6**, Survival 6
  Talents: Keen Sense (+4 smell-based Percep-
  tion rating)
  Resources: None
  Flaw: Bestial (Can’t talk or use tools)
  Weapons: Bite 8L
  Mechanical Guard Dog
  Artifact 1
  For the wicked engineer, a mechanical 
  guard dog makes an ideal guardian. Not only 
  does it need any exercise, it doesn’t need to 
  eat, which means it cannot be distracted by 
  juicy steaks, and it never has to sleep. Apart 
  from a few lumps of coal each day and some 
  routine maintenance, it runs for 24 hours 
  without needing any attention.  The mechani-
  cal guard dog answers to the verbal commands 
  of its master.
  Enhancements: Follower 1 (+2 Enhance-
  ments), Increased Damage: +2L (+2 Enhance-
  ments), Increased Duration: One day (+2 
  Enhancements)
  Limitations: Flaw: Conspicuous (–2 En-
  hancements), Requires Maintenance: Difficulty 
  2 (–2 Enhancements)
  Mechanical Guard Dog
  Follower 1
  Archetype: Artifact; Motivation: Duty; Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 4, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 0, Intelligence 1, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size –1, Move 5 [10]*, 
  Perception 5, Initiative 3, Defense 7, Stun 4, 
  Health 5
  Skills: Athletics 5, Brawl 5, Intimidation 4, 
  Stealth 6**
  Talents: Alertness (+2 Perception rating)
  Resources: None
  Flaws: Automaton (+1 Style point whenever 
  its lack of creativity causes difficulty), Con-
  spicuous (–2 Stealth penalty)
  Weapons: Bite 8L
  * Creatures with four or more legs double 
  their Move rating when running.
  ** +1 Size bonus to Stealth rolls.
                 
  
                                       
  “We are going to experiment, dear boy. 
  Our first order of business will be to find a 
  deranged alchemist, which should not be 
  very difficult. China,” said Master Li, “is over-
  stocked with deranged alchemists.” —Barry 
  Hughart, Bridge of Birds”
  Whereas the characters in the previous 
  chapter are generic examples, the wicked 
  scientists presented in this chapter are named 
  individuals with unique histories and goals.
  Wicked  
  Scientist Villains
  In order to be a true wicked scientist, the 
  villain of your adventure needs two things. 
  When creating a foe worthy of the globetrot-
  ters’ attention, the Gamemaster must keep 
  these in mind at all times.
  First, they need a single project, the Great 
  Work that consumes their very being, corrupts 
  their soul, and corrodes their sense of morality. 
  As previously mentioned, it is not enough for 
  the scientist to create a weird science gadget 
  for the purposes of mundane goals, such as 
  robbing banks or taking over a country. Even 
  one who murders for sport is only a villainous 
  weird scientist, not a wicked one.
  The Work requires a great sacrifice of time. 
  In many instances the goal can never actually 
  be achieved, but that doesn’t prevent the wick-
  ed scientist continuing day after day—that they 
  refuse to accept failure even when evidence is 
  staring them in the face is part of their overall 
  madness.
  The nature of the Work demands that oth-
  ers must suffer or die. These unfortunates are 
  never mourned by the wicked scientist, for they 
  are lesser beings whose pain, insanity, memory 
  loss, or death are a necessary sacrifice for the 
  Work to be completed. In the same as their Vic-
  torian peers use, abuse, and discard animals in 
  their experiments, the wicked scientist has the 
  same view about other humans.
  Second, the wicked scientist needs to 
  be more than a heartless monster in human 
  guise. Power and Greed for their own sakes 
  are base Motivations and should be avoided. 
  The wicked scientist’s Work is definitely evil on 
  many levels, but they should be pitied for their 
  misguided aims as much as despised. On some 
  level, the globetrotters must sympathize with 
  the wicked scientists’ motives, even if they ut-
  terly abhor their foes’s means.
  Many globetrotters would take great risks 
  and give up much to save a loved one from 
  death, for instance, but whereas they (usually) 
  have a moral line they will not cross lest it 
  damns their eternal soul, the wicked scientist 
  has gleefully bounded across that line into 
  insanity and damnation.
  Other options may be available to the 
  wicked scientist, but they are blinded by their 
  conviction that their way is the right path, no 
  matter the cost to themselves or to others. 
  This is not a matter of arrogance or vanity, but 
  a symptom of their madness.
  
  Chapter the Fifth: 
  Princes of  
  Darkness
                                  
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  Abigail Price
  “There are many strange legends in the 
  Amazon. Even I, Lucas, have heard the legend 
  of a man-fish.” —The Creature from the Black 
  Lagoon (1954)
  Price 
  fervently 
  believes 
  humanity 
  is 
  doomed. A growing population is devouring 
  Earth’s natural resources at an ever-greater 
  rate. Since the start of the century, famine has 
  caused over 150 million deaths. Colonialism 
  has helped spread disease across the globe 
  while overcrowding fuels the threat of plague. 
  Endless rows of factory chimneys belch toxic 
  smoke into the atmosphere. It may not come 
  today or tomorrow, perhaps not even in the 
  next century or two, but the end of humanity 
  will come.
  Only 21% of the Earth’s surface is land and 
  large portions of that are useless for farming 
  or habitation. The seas that make up the rest 
  are fertile places, teeming with all manner of 
  life and with considerable vacant space. Were 
  humanity to return to the seas abandoned by 
  our most distant ancestors, there would be 
  plenty of resources for all.
  Price’s frequent attempts to raise this is-
  sue among the Leagues of Adventure and in 
  scientific circles led her to becoming a pariah, 
  a doom monger to some. To others she was 
  a blasphemer, for was not man God’s chosen 
  creation? Ridicule and scorn only made her 
  more determined to find a solution.
  Simply to construct habitats on the ocean 
  floor is not enough to stem the inevitable 
  doom—mankind would still need the resourc-
  es of the surface world to survive. In Price’s 
  eyes, the only solution is to modify humans to 
  breathe and live in water. In essence, to turn 
  them into fishmen!
  Her experiments have had very mixed re-
  sults. She has successfully modified her neck 
  with rudimentary gills through surgery, but 
  they do not allow true water breathing, only 
  extended capability to stay submerged. She 
  disguises these by always wearing a scarf.
  Attempts to create true fishmen through 
  injecting various fish hormones have resulted 
  in abominations—creatures with both human 
  and piscine physical features, but also the 
  dull intellect of fish. Many of her failures died 
  within hours of the surgery; others were dis-
  carded into the local canals to survive as best 
  they could.
  Her most abhorrent creations are a meld-
  ing of human and shark, mindless predators 
  capable of hunting in water and on land. These 
  ravenous beasts, discarded as failures, are 
  currently responsible for a series of disappear-
  ances and gruesome deaths.
  Price has recently learned of the supposed 
  existence of Gill Men, a race of prehistoric fish-
  men (see Leagues of Adventure). If she could 
  acquire one of these creatures, she could distill 
  its hormones to create a true hybrid. Either 
  that, or she might be able to transplant a liv-
  ing human brain into a Gill Man’s body. She 
  has enough savings to sponsor a single private 
  expedition to the Amazon.
  Abigail Price
  Patron 2
  Archetype: Scientist; Motivation: Preserva-
  tion; Style: 0
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 2, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 4
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Percep-
  tion 7, Initiative 6, Defense 6, Stun 3, Health 
  7, Horror —
  Skills: Athletics 5, Brawl 4, Expeditions 5, In-
  timidation 6, Investigation 5, Medicine 6 (Sur-
  gery 7), Melee 5, Science: Biology 6 (Aquatic 
  animals 7)
  Talents: Artifact 1 (Rudimentary gills*), Spark 
  of Life (Can create living artifacts), Weird Sci-
  ence: Medicine (Can create biological weird 
  science gadgets)
  Resources: Refuge: Equipment 1 (+2 Medi-
  cine: Surgery bonus)
  Flaw: Doomsayer (+1 Style point whenever 
  she is persecuted for her predictions or when 
  one of her dire predictions comes true)
  Weapons: Punch 4N, Scalpel 5L
  * Price can hold her breath for two minutes 
  per point of Body rating, or two turns per suc-
  cess on a reflexive Body roll during combat.
                          
  
  Princes of Darkness
  
  Douglas Moresby
  “A mind of moderate capacity which close-
  ly pursues one study must infallibly arrive at 
  great proficiency in that study.” 
  —Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Franken-
  stein ; or, The Modern Prometheus
  Young Moresby is considered a credit both 
  to his family, from whom have been spawned 
  many senior military officers and politicians, 
  and his university college, for which he is a 
  member of the cricket, fencing, and rugby 
  team. At least he was until recently.
  A medical student, Moresby has recently be-
  gun devoting more and more time to his stud-
  ies. His anatomy professor has noted a marked 
  improvement in his student’s understanding 
  of the human body, though it has come with 
  increased arrogance. As the professor once 
  remarked to a peer, it is almost as if young Mo-
  resby has somehow learned to see the inner 
  workings of the human body in action.
  Many a true word has been spoken in jest, 
  and these are no exception. It was all well 
  and good dissecting cadavers under labora-
  tory conditions, but it revealed nothing of how 
  muscles actually act when used or seeing the 
  inflation of the lungs and the beating of the 
  heart packed inside flesh and bones rather 
  than moved by mechanical means. To see a 
  body working without its veil of skin would 
  be a wonder of nature and lead, no doubt, to 
  many revolutions in medicine.
  A knowledgeable chemist as well as a medi-
  cal student, Moresby has, after months of work, 
  devised a drug that will keep a victim alive 
  and mobile after its skin has been flayed and 
  chunks of muscle and entire organs removed. 
  Suitably drugged, he forces his victims to run, 
  jump, and climb while he studies their insides. 
  Once the concoction wears off, shock causes 
  instant, merciful death.
  Douglas Moresby
  Patron 1
  Archetype: Physician (in training); Motiva-
  tion: Truth; Style: 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 2, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 2, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Percep-
  tion 7, Initiative 8, Defense 6, Stun 2, Health 
  5, Horror —
  Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 4, Craft: Pharmacol-
  ogy 5, Linguistics 4, Medicine 5 (Anatomy 6, 
  Surgery 6), Melee 7, Science: Chemistry 5, 
  Sports 5
  Talents: Run (Running speed is doubled), Skill 
  Aptitude (+2 Melee rating)
  Resources: Status 1 (Scion of a notable family; 
  +2 Social bonus)
  Flaws: Aloof (–2 penalty on social rolls when 
  trying to establish a rapport with other people; 
  +1 Style point whenever his business-like at-
  titude causes him trouble)
  Weapons: Punch 4N, Arming sword 9L
  Moresby’s Elixir
  Artifact 2
  A batch contains five doses, each of which 
  lasts for an entire combat or scene.
  Enhancements: Talent: High Pain Toler-
  ance 2 (+4 Enhancements).
  Professor  
  Joshua Lazarus
  “Ginny!” said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. 
  “Haven’t I taught you anything? What have 
  I always told you? Never trust anything that 
  can think for itself if you can’t see where it 
  keeps its brain!”
  —J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the 
  Chamber of Secrets
  Servants are such bothersome things. You 
  have to find ones with good references, you 
  can never entirely trust them not to steal from 
  you or spread gossip about your household, 
  and you have to pay them for their time. 
  For those prepared to pay a not inconsid-
  erable one-off fee, there is a solution that can 
  last a lifetime and replace several human ser-
  vants—Lazarus Industries manufactures a range 
                                
                                   
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  of domestic automata, from old-fashioned (and 
  thus relatively cheap) steam-powered models to 
  (expensive) sleek, clockwork designs.
  Joshua Lazarus is an engineering genius, 
  but even brilliance has its limits. While the 
  bodies of his automata were nigh-on perfect 
  examples of engineering excellence, he had 
  great difficulty getting the complex mechanical 
  brain to work correctly. Time after time they 
  malfunctioned after a short period. Within a 
  few years, Lazarus’ business had collapsed as 
  customers turned to rival inventors.
  Driven by a yearning to be remembered as 
  the greatest creator of automata ever, Lazarus 
  did not take his fate lightly. Originally trained 
  in medicine, Lazarus devoted several years to 
  perfecting a new means of automaton con-
  trol—a human brain. Naturally the brains had 
  to be lobotomized first—it simply wouldn’t do 
  to have the victim tell others of its fate.
  Aside from installing the brain in the me-
  chanical body, Lazarus remains detached from 
  the fleshy side of his work. Thugs are paid to 
  acquire fresh brains, and Lazarus doesn’t care 
  where they find them.
  Like his namesake, Lazarus rose from the 
  dead and relaunched his business. It has taken 
  time, but he has once again become a promi-
  nent supplier of automata.
  Alas, despite Lazarus having sold dozens of 
  automata to wealthy clients, his process is not 
  yet perfected. On occasion, a spark of its for-
  mer life flashes through an automaton’s brain, 
  driving it insane and sending it into a murder-
  ous rage. It is through such an occurrence that 
  the globetrotters are likely to become involved 
  with the mad inventor.
  Professor Joshua Lazarus
  Patron 2
  Archetype: Inventor; Motivation: Glory; 
  Style: 2
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 4, 
  Strength 2, Charisma 3, Intelligence 4, Will-
  power 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Percep-
  tion 7, Initiative 8, Defense 6, Stun 2, Health 
  5, Horror —
  Skills: Academics: Philosophy 5, Bureaucracy 
  5, Craft: Mechanics 7, Diplomacy 4, Firearms 
  6, Investigation 5, Linguistics 5, Medicine 7, 
  Melee 5, Science: Biology 6, Science: Engineer-
  ing 6
  Talents: Spark of Life (Can create intelligent 
  artifacts), Weird Science (Can create weird sci-
  ence devices)
  Resources: Status 1 (Renowned inventor; +2 
  Social bonus)
  Flaws: Condescending (+1 Style point when-
  ever he proves someone else wrong or estab-
  lishes his own superiority), Secret (+1 Style 
  point whenever he is confronted with the truth 
  or goes out of his way to protect the secret)
  Weapons: Punch 0N, Heavy revolver 9L, Sword 
  cane 7L
  Sonia Henston-Greene
  “Soylent Green is made out of people. 
  They’re making our food out of people. Next 
  thing, they’ll be breeding us like cattle for 
  food.” 
  —Soylent Green (1973)
  Same Name,  
  Different Work
  While the characters in this chapter are 
  ready to use straight from a page, their 
  entire background can be replaced by 
  something of your choice without need-
  ing any changes to their statistics.
  Abigail Price, for instance, may have a 
  belief in the existence of Atlantis and 
  that they possessed vast wealth, superior 
  technology, or both. Submarines have a 
  limited depth before the massive pres-
  sures of the deep open crush them, but 
  a human/fish hybrid might be able to ex-
  plore the depths of the ocean floor with-
  out any problems.
  Doctor Browne may have been studying 
  vampire bats (or even vampires). Bitten 
  by a mutated bat, the creature’s saliva 
  caused the doctor to suffer from hemo-
  philia. Thus, he now seeks a coagulant 
  rather than an anticoagulant.
                                             
  
  Princes of Darkness
  
  Sonia Heston-Greene was, by social norms, 
  insane long before she began her Work. A 
  membership of the Wendigo Society, she dined 
  on human flesh once a week at the clubhouse 
  and, due to her culinary prowess, frequently 
  cooked meals for her peers.
  While accompanying her husband, a co-
  lonial administrator, to India, Heston-Greene 
  discovered two things—a taste for “exotic” 
  flesh and the devastation that famine was 
  wreaking on the land. Sensing an opportunity 
  to rid the world of famine, Heston-Greene, a 
  keen amateur biologist, began working on a 
  food substitute as soon as she returned home.
  She gained some fame with the advent of 
  a nutritious plant substitute pill. Although 
  flavorless, it provided essential vitamins. Her 
  next venture was to create a protein substitute 
  using fungi, a relatively common foodstuff. Al-
  though one could not live on the pills for long, 
  regular doses would supplement the diet and 
  alleviate the need for more conventional food 
  on a daily basis.
  Her husband, a petty man who considered 
  himself the bread winner, took umbrage at 
  his wife’s rising star. During a bitter row at 
  her factory, she struck her husband across the 
  face, causing him to fall into the mushroom 
  pulping machine. Suddenly struck by a curi-
  ous thought, Heston-Greene watched as her 
  husband was sliced, pulverized, and squashed 
  into pill form. Popping one into her mouth, 
  she instantly realized that not only was this 
  a more concentrated form of protein, but it 
  tasted far better than her bland mushroom 
  substitute. Her only problem was finding a 
  regular source.
  Attempts to use cadavers, even fresh ones, 
  proved fruitless—as soon as life expired the 
  flesh resulted in a foul taste, even after the ad-
  dition of herbs and spices. If she was going to 
  remove the blight of famine, she would need 
  live ingredients. Not only could a single body 
  provide enough material for many thousands of 
  pills, but each corpse meant one less mouth to 
  feed—an added bonus in her insane reasoning.
  Sonia Heston-Greene
  Patron 2
  Archetype: Inventor; Motivation: Hope; 
  Style: 2
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 3, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Percep-
  tion 6, Initiative 6, Defense 6, Stun 3, Health 
  6, Horror —
  Skills: Bureaucracy 5, Con 5, Connoisseur 5, 
  Craft: Cooking 6, Empathy 5, Investigation 5, 
  Melee 5, Science: Biology 6, Streetwise 5
  Talents: Flurry 2 (Can attack same opponent 
  twice at no penalty), Weird Science: Biology 
  (Can create weird science devices)
  Resources: Rank 1 (Wendigo Club; +2 Social 
  bonus), Refuge: Equipment 1 (+2 bonus to 
  Craft: Cooking rolls)
  Flaws: Secret: Cannibal (+1 Style point when-
  ever she is confronted with the truth or goes 
  out of her way to protect the secret)
  Weapons: Punch 0N, Cleaver 7L
  SRG-N
  “The soul is the weariest part of the body.” 
  —Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky
  Artifact 2
  Constructed not only to aid surgeons but 
  to perform surgery unassisted, SRG-3N, better 
  known as Surgeon, was intended to save lives. 
  It performed its duties admirably, but over time 
  it came to the conclusion that while it could 
  heal physical injuries, it could do nothing for 
  spiritual ones.
  Consulting several old books on religion 
  and philosophy, Surgeon deduced that the 
  cause of such sickness was the human soul. 
  Unfortunately, its readings were less than 
  complete, and the construct learned only that 
  it dwelt somewhere in the body. Its limited 
  ability to be creative caused it to equate the 
  soul to an organ, no different from the liver 
  or kidneys. Find it, Surgeon reasoned, and it 
  could be rid of any disease.
  Surgeon’s first “patient” was his creator, a 
  brilliant inventor who suffered from chronic 
  depression and often complained of having a 
  “wounded soul.” Despite a thorough and ex-
                      
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  
  tremely messy search, it was unable to locate 
  its creator’s soul. Surgeon isn’t stupid—it 
  knows humans have been performing surgery 
  for millennia and have still not found the soul. 
  Undeterred by his setback, the construct made 
  more attempts, kidnapping innocent victims 
  to be its guinea pigs.
  Surgeon has grown increasingly frustrated 
  by its constant failure, but it is determined to 
  keep searching, whatever the cost. Yes, people 
  must die under his knife, but they are dying 
  for a noble cause that will ultimately benefit 
  mankind for ages to come.
  Constructed to resemble a human, at least 
  in basic shape, Surgeon is powered by clock-
  work. Fortunately, its winding mechanism is 
  on the front, allowing the construct to keep 
  itself powered indefinitely.
  Enhancements: Ally 2 (+4 Enhance-
  ments)
  SRG-N
  Ally 2
  Archetype: Artifact; Motivation: Wisdom; 
  Style: 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 3, Charisma 1, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Percep-
  tion 5, Initiative 6, Defense 6, Stun 3, Health 
  5, Horror —
  Skills: Academics: Philosophy 5, Athletics 4, 
  Brawl 4, Firearms 6, Medicine 6 (Surgery 7), 
  Melee 7 (Knives 8)
  Talents: None
  Resources: Artifact 2 (Anaesthetic Pistol; as 
  Anaesthetic Rifle in Weird Science Compen-
  dium except Range 25 ft. and Weight 1 lb.)
  Flaws: Automaton (+1 Style point whenever 
  its lack of creativity causes difficulty), Righteous 
  (+1 Style point whenever its actions alienate it 
  or cause others to publicly question its motives 
  and moral judgment)
  Weapons: Punch 4N, Scalpel 8L
  Dr. Theodosius 
  Browne
  “Your blood coagulates beautifully.” 
  —Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms
  Despite shunning membership of any 
  League of Adventure on the grounds of be-
  ing too busy, Dr. Browne is a popular guest 
  speaker at clubs. A renowned physician and a 
  leading hematologist, his lectures on diseases 
  of the blood always attract large crowds. Well-
  liked and respected in his field for his many 
  breakthroughs, Browne’s outwardly friendly 
  demeanor hides a terrible secret.
  Browne regards warfare as mankind’s 
  greatest failure. Land may be conquered to 
  appease politicians, resources gained for the 
  New Mental Flaw
  Amoral: Whether it is due to a strange 
  background, a brain injury, or just faulty 
  wiring in the brain, the character has no 
  concept of good or evil. The globetrot-
  ter earns a Style point whenever their 
  amoral actions alienate them and their 
  friends, or cause others to publicly ques-
  tion his motives and moral judgment.
  New Social Flaws
  Obsequious: Your character knows their 
  place in the pecking order—it’s at the 
  bottom. They are servilely obedient and 
  attentive to those they consider their su-
  periors. They are capable of making their 
  own decisions and fostering opinions, 
  but they always bows to others’ wishes 
  and views. You earn a Style point when-
  ever you are tormented for your grovel-
  ling nature or when your blind obedi-
  ence causes you problems.
  Treacherous: Whether it is to earn the 
  respect of a more powerful figure, for fi-
  nancial gain, out of revenge, or to save 
  his own life, the globetrotter has no 
  qualms about metaphorically stabbing 
  his friends in the back. The globetrotter 
  earns a Style point whenever he betrays 
  an ally for personal gain.
                      
  
  Princes of Darkness
  
  benefit of industrialists, and threats to peace 
  nullified, but the cost in human lives is abhor-
  rent to his sensibilities. Keen to ensure those 
  severely wounded in battle had a chance of 
  survival, he set about trying to produce a fast-
  acting coagulant. Injected into the area of the 
  wound, he theorized, it would stop bleeding 
  in a matter of seconds.
  After months of experimentation, Browne 
  created a single dose of his new drug. He 
  intended to test it on a volunteer, a down-
  and-out tempted by the promise of a hot meal 
  and a handful of shillings. Seeing the needle, 
  the tramp hurriedly changed his mind and at-
  tacked the doctor. During the struggle, Browne 
  accidentally injected himself.
  Seeing no point in wasting the opportunity, 
  Browne dismissed his volunteer and sliced 
  open a finger. To his dismay, his new wonder 
  drug produced no discernible effect. It would 
  be several days later before Browne realized 
  his drug had worked, but not in the manner 
  he intended.
  The symptoms began with a persistent 
  headache, but soon expanded to include 
  chest pains and intense lethargy. On drawing 
  a sample of blood to analyze, Browne discov-
  ered that the blood in his body was starting to 
  thicken. Without thinking, he grabbed a sam-
  ple of blood he had taken from a patient that 
  morning and injected it into his arm. Slowly, 
  the pain eased and his blood thinned. Within 
  a day, the symptoms had returned, forcing the 
  doctor to seek blood donors.
  On further study, the doctor realized that 
  a few pints here and there would not save his 
  life. If he was to continue his medical work, and 
  live long enough to find a cure, he would need 
  more than volunteers would give. Browne’s 
  solution was as simple as it was heartless.
  When he could, he paid prostitutes and 
  hobos to attend his house at night. There he 
  drained them entirely of blood (which he fil-
  tered it to remove the diseases rampant among 
  the lower classes) before dumping their pale 
  corpses in the river. When payment would not 
  suffice, he resorted to kidnapping victims.
  Browne’s decision to drain human victims 
  of their lives is not entirely down to cruelty. 
  Frequent coagulation of his blood has left him 
  with minor brain damage, inhibiting his ability 
  to determine right from wrong. In his eyes, his 
  survival is for the greater good, while the loss 
  of a few paupers is insignificant.
  Undoubtedly he is a monster who deserves 
  punishment for his crimes, but he is one cre-
  ated by good intentions.
  Dr. Theodosius Browne
  Patron 2
  Archetype: Physician; Motivation: Survival; 
  Style: 2
  Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 2, Charisma 3, Intelligence 4, Will-
  power 3
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 7, Initiative 7, Defense 6, Stun 3, Health 
  6, Horror —
  Skills: Brawl 4, Con 6, Diplomacy 4, Investiga-
  tion 5, Medicine 7 (Diseases 8), Melee 6, Sci-
  ence: Biology 7 (Hematology 8), Stealth 5
  Talents: Flurry (Can attack same opponent 
  twice at –2 penalty), Skill Aptitude (+2 Melee 
  bonus), Weird Science: Biology (Can create 
  weird science gadgets)
  Resources: Fame 1 (Hematologist; +1 Social 
  bonus)*, Status 2 (Physician; +2 Social bonus)
  Flaws: Dying (–2 penalty to all rolls whenever 
  his disease acts up; +1 Style point whenever 
  he is incapacitated by sickness or forced to 
  confront his mortality), Secret (+1 Style point 
  whenever he is confronted with the truth or 
  goes out of his way to protect the secret)
  Weapons: Punch 4N, Scalpel 6L
  * Bonus Resource from his Status.
  Dr. Wilhemina 
  Carruthers
  “...whatever is more than animal within 
  us must find its solace and it’s hope. I HOPE, 
  or I would not live.” 
  —H.G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau
  An alienist by training, Dr. Carruthers was 
  fascinated by Edward Prendick’s account of the 
  profane work conducted by Doctor Moreau. 
                      
  
  Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Wicked Science
  0
  She had long held that humanity could never 
  reach its full potential while its instincts and 
  tribal nature, inherited from its animal and 
  pre-human ancestors, remained.
  She believes that instinctive behavior—our 
  needs, wants, desires, and impulses—are nega-
  tive and destructive toward society, as are any 
  emotions that might cloud one’s better judge-
  ment. In order to rise beyond the animal, the 
  mind must be cleansed of these urges, leaving 
  only logic and rational thought.
  Since those traits exist as a product in the 
  mind and are present at birth, they cannot be 
  exorcized by conventional psychology. She 
  considered lobotomy, but quickly realized 
  that route would lead nowhere—she desired 
  to elevate humanity, not reduce it to the level 
  of sheep by destroying the ego. Thus, she be-
  gan to work on a device that would remove 
  humanity’s base nature by directly altering the 
  structure of the brain.
  After many years, her machine was ready. 
  Harnessing the power of the moon, whose 
  phases affected human nature, she began her 
  experiments on the poorest members of society. 
  Since the Lunar Transmogrifyer brought out a 
  person’s bestial nature using the rays of the full 
  moon, her machine was intended to harness the 
  unseen rays of the new moon, the aim being that 
  it would dampen the patient’s primitive urges.
  To date, her experiments have produced 
  varying results. Some patients (who rarely vol-
  unteer) lose all drive, including the desire to 
  eat and drink. Others become megamaniacal 
  as their ego runs rampant. A small few have 
  developed multiple personalities, with one 
  self becoming cold and logical, and the other 
  driven to satisfy its base desires. Unlike the 
  Lunar Transmogrifyer, the effect of Carruther’s 
  device is permanent.
  Many of her victims are captive subjects, 
  inmates incarcerated in her asylum. Others are 
  private patients. Many of these unfortunates 
  are loose in society.
  Dr. Wilhemina Carruthers
  Patron 1
  Archetype: Physician; Motivation: Hope; 
  Style: 1
  Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 3, 
  Strength 2, Charisma 3, Intelligence 3, Will-
  power 2
  Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 5, Percep-
  tion 5, Initiative 6, Defense 5, Stun 2, Health 
  4, Horror —
  Skills: Academics: Philosophy 6, Alienism 8, 
  Con 5, Craft: Optics 6, Firearms 4, Science: 
  Engineering 6
  Talents: Skill Aptitude (+2 Alienism rating), 
  Weird Science: Optics (Can create weird sci-
  ence gadgets)
  Resources: Rank 1 (Society for the Advance-
  ment or Science and Technology; +2 Social 
  bonus), Refuge: Size 3 (Asylum with grounds), 
  Status 1 (Alienist; +2 Social bonus)
  Flaws: Intolerant: Bad Behavior (+1 Style 
  point whenever her intolerance causes trouble, 
  or she convinces someone else to detest the 
  same thing she does)
  Weapons: Punch 0N, Light revolver 6L
  
  From the crazed doctor seeking to build a new and improved human 
  from parts of corpses to the insane engineer who wants to transplant 
  human brains into mechanical constructs, there are plenty of scientists 
  whose work transcends not only mundane science but is utterly 
  immoral.
  This supplement explores the world of wicked scientists. 
  Inside you’ll discover what drives their madness, how to best use the 
  Refuge Resource, learn how wicked scientists use Lair Points to give 
  them an Edge, unearth the various minions at their disposal, and read 
  the background of sample wicked scientists whose dastardly plans the 
  globetrotters must unravel.
  Compatible with Hollow Earth Expedition.
  Leagues of Gothic Horror is a Horror Roleplaying game from Triple Ace Games.
  20217
  $10.99
  Crackling coils, steaming vats, dismembered
  corpses, & deformed henchmen.  
  ����������������������
  © 2018 Triple Ace Games. Leagues of Gothic Horror and all related marks and logos are trademarks of  Triple Ace Games. 
  Ubiquity Roleplaying System, Exile Games Studio, and all associated logos and trademarks are copyright, Exile Games Studio, LLC. Used with permission
  corpses, & deformed henchmen.  
  Welcome to wicked science!
  
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