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hauh_2d_buying_mortician_cart

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102 Pen and Paper Adventure | Beta Age | Hunting an Unknown Hunter

SCENE 2d — BUYING A MORTICIAN’S CART

1 | Scene Overview

Atmosphere & Sensory Cues: Faint incense · soft scraping of woodwork · lantern-light reflecting on burnt hull plating · the sharp scent of citrus, beeswax, and fresh cedar shavings.

2 | Read-Aloud Description

Initial Read-Aloud (Scene Opening)

The parlor feels like a different world — silent, cool, and aggressively orderly. The walls are built from dark starship plating, salvaged from the Last Frontier, but they are polished to a solemn, burnished sheen. The air doesn't smell of mud or smoke; it smells sharply of citrus, beeswax, and fresh cedar shavings.

Soft lantern light reflects off the dark alloy panels. Somewhere in the back, the rhythmic shhh-shhh of a hand plane smoothing wood echoes through the quiet.

The sound stops. Heavy, deliberate footsteps approach from the workshop.

A man steps through the velvet curtain, wiping sawdust from a dark apron. He has the unhurried expression of someone who knows that, eventually, everyone comes to do business with him.

“Just a moment,” he says, his voice low and steady. “I was just finishing a lid.”

3 | Scene Intent

Scene Type Player Intents DM Function / Story Link
Negotiation · Acquisition Inspect the cart · assess price · negotiate · gather local gossip Provide a unique, highly tactical travel option · give insight into Schmitz rivalry · force a tense hide-and-seek moment if the Ticking Clock is active.

4 | Key (N)PCs + Dynamic Cues

Name Role / Affiliation Motivation / Goal Dynamic Cues — How They React in Play Wiki Link
Ernest Schmitz Owner & Mortician Sell old cart; defend reputation against rival brother Calm, honorable, slightly weary. Proud of his craftsmanship. Dislikes violence. Schmitz Funeral Home
Guarding Trooper Patrol Guarding Troopers Sweep for fugitives Methodical and deeply superstitious; they dislike being inside the funeral home. Guarding Troopers
Jop the Hoo Older draft-mount Eat pellets · pull carts · nap Slow movements; gentle temperament; reacts well to soft voices. Hoo

5 | Triggers, Actions & Consequences

Phase 1a — The Ticking Clock (Wanted & Compromised)

This phase applies only if the PCs have a High Exposure status and trigger the clock, OR if the Funeral Home is their +1 Location visited after triggering the Macro Clock on the streets.

Trigger / Cue (Player Action) Immediate Reaction Clue / Consequence
🚨 Ernest recognizes the PCs (The Micro Clock Starts) Ernest pauses while inspecting the PCs. He recognizes their faces from the bounty wire. He steps back toward his workshop, his voice tight: “I just need to fetch the ledger.” A PC with a Passive Perception of 12+ hears him quietly keying a shortwave radio to alert the street patrol. The Clock Starts: The PCs have exactly 1d4 rounds (a few precious seconds) to initiate countermeasures — silence him, flee out the back gate, or aggressively negotiate—before Troopers surround the building.
⏳ The +1 Location Trap / Time Expires A heavy knock rattles the front door: “Guarding Troopers. Open up, Schmitz. Routine sweep.” If the PCs have not fled, they must immediately find a hiding spot. Countermeasure (Hide): The PCs can attempt to hide inside empty coffins. Requires a DC 14 CHA (Intimidation or Persuasion) probe or a heavy bribe to convince Ernest not to give them up. “I will not have a shootout in my parlor,” he hisses. “Get in the coffins and do not breathe.”
💥 Guarding Troopers attempt to arrest the PCs If the PCs fail to convince Ernest, fail a DEX (Stealth) check while hiding, or simply run out of time, the Troopers push inside. If PCs submit: Arrest and detention at the local Guarding Troopers Station. If PCs resist/flee: A violent brawl breaks out among the polished coffins.

—

Phase 1b — Inspecting the Cart & Animals (Standard Interaction)

Trigger / Cue Immediate Reaction / What Happens Future Hook / Consequence
💬 PCs ask why he is selling the cart He points next door to New Horizon Funeral Services. “My brother Joe built a hearse with a roof made of salvaged starship glass. Everyone wants the glass. It’s not mourning anymore; it’s a parade. That old cart outside… it offers privacy. And apparently, privacy is out of fashion.” PCs understand the sale is based on changing trends, not a defect in the cart.
🔧 PCs inspect the Cart (accompanied by Ernest) Constructed from dark wood and copper. The frame is sturdy; wheels are worn but intact. The interior is red-upholstered with heavy coffin clamps still present. PCs realize this vehicle is perfect for transporting smuggled goods, hiding from Troopers, or taking mobile cover during combat.
🐂 PCs inspect the beasts in the yard A black-coated Hoo snorts and paws the straw. Ernest pats its flank. “This is Jop. Old, but loyal.” Two young, slender Veyras stand nearby. Ernest smiles: “They are a better fit for the new glass cart.” PCs learn the purchase includes Jop the Hoo. Jop is strong but slow, and will require regular feeding.

—

Phase 2 — Negotiation with Ernest

Trigger / Cue Immediate Reaction / What Happens Outcome Options
💰 PCs ask for the price Ernest smirks softly. “The fixed price is 400 Kourou. That includes the cart, the tack, and the beast.” PCs must decide to accept, refuse, or attempt to haggle.
🗣️ PCs attempt to haggle on price Ernest folds his arms. “I am a mortician, not a Hoo-trader. I do not haggle.” Success (DC 14 Persuasion): He will not lower the price, but he throws in a spare wheel, a lantern, and a week of Hoo pellets. Failure: Price does not drop; no extras.
✔️ PCs buy the cart Ernest hands over the reins, a spare brass key for the back doors, and feeding instructions for Jop. PCs acquire the Mortician's Cart. Transition directly to Scene 3 – Traveling to Morningstar.
❌ PCs refuse to buy the cart Ernest nods politely. “Then may the road still carry you safely.” PCs must choose another travel option from the Hub.

6 | DM Notes

  • Tone: Respectful, calm, subdued — but not depressing. Ernest is a craftsman first, mortician second.
  • The Coffin Hide-and-Seek (Ticking Clock): Troopers are superstitious; if the PCs stay quiet inside the coffins, the Troopers will likely avoid searching the “dead space” too closely.
  • Negotiation Boundaries: The 400 Kourou price never changes. The extras (pellets, spare wheel, harness oil) are negotiable rewards for empathy or politeness.
  • Rivalry Flavor: Ernest’s tension with his brother Joe should feel human — a small glimpse into Beta Age funeral culture and vanity.
  • Vehicle Purpose: Encourage PCs to consider the cart not only as transport but as a mobile cover, smuggling space, and tactical shelter once they reach Morningstar.
  • Jop’s Role: A lovable liability. Jop is slow but sturdy, perfect for character moments and the occasional travel complication.

DM Tutorial: How to approach the scene

New Kourou Hub Overview (Other Travel Options)

Location Type / Activity Primary Opportunities Tone / Difficulty Leads To Scene
New Kourou Courier Station Travel · Ticket Purchase Buy caravan tickets · Check departures Bureaucratic · Busy → Scene 2a – Courier Station
Mandala’s Mounts Travel · Mount Rental Rent Veyras · Speak with Mandala Loud · Mildly tense → Scene 2b – Mandala’s Mounts
New Kourou Food Market Supplies · Provisions Buy trail food & water · Spot Sola Enu’s Tandora stall Crowded · Friendly → Scene 2c – Food Market
Schmitz Funeral Home Vehicle Purchase Inspect & buy mortician’s cart Quiet · Slightly eerie · Low pressure → Scene 2d – Buying a Mortician’s Cart
hauh_2d_buying_mortician_cart.1775107153.txt.gz · Last modified: 2026/04/02 05:19 by admin
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