BY MARK A HUNT
EDITED BY MATTHEW POOK
LAYOUT BY MICHAEL DARWIN
This module is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America.
Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained
herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Mark Hunt.

GANGBUSTERS® is a trademark owned by Rick Krebs.

The Blue Book Detective Agency Beginner Game is a supplement for the
GANGBUSTERS 1920s adventure game, and requires the GANGBUSTERS rulebook
for more detailed play.

The names, descriptions, and depictions applied to this supplement are derived
from works copyrighted by and include trademarks owned by Rick Krebs., and
may not be used or reused without permission.

© 2016 The respective authors, artists and graphic artists. All rights reserved. All
quotes are copyright their respective owners, and are quoted for purposes of
illustration only.
INTRODUCTION 1
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY 2
GETTING STARTED 4
ROCK JUNCTION 6
JOE’S DINER 7
NPCS AT JOE’S DINER 9
STAFF AT JOE’S DINER 9
LOCALS AT JOE’S DINER 13
SCENARIOS 18
THE WAREHOUSE 18
DATE WITH DEATH 20
ALBION INN POKER CLUB 22
BEHIND THE DINER 24
THE LAND DEAL 25
FLYNN’S FLYING SPEAKEASY 26
THE RJ PACKING COMPANY 29
TOWNSPEOPLE 31
ROCK JUNCTION OUTRÉ 32
Eat at Joes, one of Rock Junction’s great places to hang out and rub elbows
with the locals and learn what the pulse of the city is really like.
Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner is the first in a series of adventure modules
after nearly three decades for use with the Gangbusters™ RPG rules. As
an adventure module, Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner requires one person to
act as Judge (or referee), but is specially designed for the Judge who needs
to get back up to speed with the system.
Gangbusters is a game that takes place in the Roaring 20’s and early 1930’s,
essentially the Prohibition Era of America. The focus of the game is on the
Prohibition and the police/law enforcement struggle to control the streets
and the halls of power. The player characters can take the roles of law
enforcement, criminals, private investigators, reporters, and other types of
roles. The Gangbusters™ RPG is set in Lakefront City, a fictional version of
the city of Chicago, but Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner is set in Rock Junction,
an ostensibly fictional steel town located in the Midwest. The Judge is free
to set the contents of Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner in Rock Junction or take
those contents and place them in Lakefront City or whatever location suits
his campaign.
The names of the characters used herein are fictitious and do not refer
to any persons living or dead. Any descriptions including similarities to
persons living or dead are merely coincidental. The information in this
module is only for the Judge who will guide the players through the Game
module. If you plan to participate in this module as a player, please stop
reading now.
In order to play Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner you will need the Gangbusters
rule book, pencils, paper, two ten-sided dice and three six-sided dice, and
your imagination! You will also need some time, somewhere comfortable
to play, and maybe even some snacks.

                

From time to time you will need to make up events or NPCs as you play.
You will never be able to predict or plan
ahead for everything that your players and
their characters might do. The adventure
has left a lot of open spots so you as the
Judge can fill in when the players wander.
Do not be afraid to improvise as you
go. Just be sure to keep notes so you
do not forget important details as
you develop a story or adventure in
the middle of playing it out!
            

This module is meant to be played

over a period of several weeks. In the
time, Joe’s diner should be a place
that the PCs (Player Characters)
come to feel at home. The Judge
should not try to rush the action, but
should let the adventure develop at
its own pace. If the players are having
fun with the minor characters, then
that is what this module and Joe’s
Diner is for. There are plenty of
things the PCs can get involved in
if they take the time to talk and get
to know the NPCs who work or eat
at Joe’s Diner.
  ! " # $ % & ' & ( ) * "

The Judge can use Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner in several different ways.
Some of these include the following:
1. The Open Campaign. The players play whatever characters they like.
The Judge fits everyone into the overall flow of events by connecting as
many minor events as possible with the main adventure location.
2. Cops vs. Robbers. The Judge uses Joe’s Diner and the area around it
as a backdrop for the Law Enforcement efforts of the player characters.
Together they will monitor and investigate criminal activity in Rock
Junction, making cases and arrests, and ultimately, the streets safe.
3. Gang War. The player characters decide to form a gang and stake out
their territory in Rock Junction, running protection rackets, numbers
games, and even taking over the local bootlegging operations all while
avoiding coming to the attention of law enforcement and rival gangs.
4. Reporters. The player characters are freelancers and stringers for local
papers, hoping to get the scoop on what is happening in the city.
5. Private Investigators. There are some crimes and cases that the police
will not investigate and this is when the citizens go to a private eye. The
player characters are private eyes who work missing persons, divorce,
and other cases, hoping for the special cases that will get them the big
rewards! This campaign is perfect when using Module GBM-1 Joe’s
Diner with The Blue Book Detective Agency Beginner Game.
+ , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 - 6 2 7 0 -

When you run your first adventure using GBM-1 Joe’s Diner, you should
carefully plan it so that several things should happen. The ‘Getting Started’
section has several ideas, but here is what you should be aiming for:
• Each and every PC should have something important and exciting to
do right away.
• The cases and adventures the various players are working on should
be designed so the PCs will meet each other naturally and start working
with (or against) one another as the game unfolds.
• Ultimately each PC should be made welcome at Joe’s Diner and come
to feel that it is the place to visit in Rock Junction in order to get a cup of
coffee, meet friends (even enemies and rivals), and make new contacts.
 The following suggestions outline how to get the various types of character
started in Module GBM-1 Joe’s Diner. Using this module in other ways will
require some set-up time, and may be easier for an experienced Judge.
The Judge may not need all the information given; for example, if there
are no Reporter player characters, then all of the information on reporters
can be ignored.
8 9 : ; < = > = ?

A player who is playing a policeman should have his character assigned to

a beat that includes Joe’s Diner. The NPC Robert Wells is a veteran cop and
will be assigned to show rookies around the beat. The player character will
begin the adventure by walking and learning the beat, meeting the staff
and customers at Joe’s Diner, and perhaps getting involved in a foot chase
and run-in with the local vagrant, James Jones.
@ A B C D = ? E F

Any player who is playing an FBI Agent should have his character assigned
to watch the Green Warehouse for signs of smuggling activity. They could
also be looking into the land deal or maybe into the trains activities.
8 G ; H I E = B ? H = F E ; D I E 9 G F

Any player who is playing a Private Investigator could pick up cases or look
for work while hanging out at the diner. This is also a great place to pick up
leads and question people.
J = K 9 G E = G F

Any player who is playing a Reporter might be assigned a local beat that
includes Joe’s Diner. The diner would be an excellent place to follow up on
a tip, interview someone for a story (which could include another player
character), and so on. The players may also interview people here as
human interest stories also.
L G ; > ; ? I : F

Criminal players will have to create their own opportunities.

M N O P N Q R S T U V W X P S P Y Z N [ \ ]

NPC information is given as follows (sections are omitted if ‘none’:)

Name — Profession (Age, Ethnic background) Level and Class
Ability Scores (MS = Muscle; AG = Agility; OB = Observation; DR = Driving;
PR = Presence; LK = Luck; HP = Hit Points)
Skills (if any)
Arrest Record (if any)
History of character (if any)
Tips for Character (if any)
Weapons (if any)
Valuables Carried (if any)
Vehicle Owned (if any)
Other Uses of Character (if any)
“We build America!” is our slogan. Located at the Crossroads of America,
Rock Junction provides the perfect location for a weekend getaway, a
family vacation, a business trip, or a night on the town. Relax in our parks
or sail our rivers! Spend the day shopping in our Downtown shopping
district, filled with boutiques and galleries. After dinner, take a long a long
walk under the stars with Lakefront City beautiful skyline twinkling across
the calm waters of Lake Michigan and then when night draws near, get
dressed up – the 7th Heaven Club awaits!
Rock Junction is a steel town sixty miles from the sprawling, brawling
metropolis of Lakefront City located somewhere in the American Midwest.
Rock Junction serves a town the players and their characters can get to
know and explore, perhaps serving as a home base for when head off to
the life in the big city.
The first European-American settler, Tom McMasters, arrived in 1817 along
with his brother-in-law Charles Black, and a young man named Clark
Dowling. McMasters’ family followed soon after. In 1820, the Rock Junction
Company, a land development company formed by Charles Black, plotted a
village and named the settlement. McMasters became the first postmaster
in 1838. Rock Junction incorporated as a village in 1825 and then as a city
B MY has
in 1845. The McMasters family ARK AH
been in powerUNT ever since, either as city
mayor or head of the localEDITED
fraternity, the Order
BY MATTHEW POOK of the Silver Palm – if not
both. If you want to get anything done
LAYOUT BY M ICHAELinDRock
ARWIN Junction, membership of
this fraternity is a must.
The Rock River provided power for its mills and Rock Junction quickly
became a mill town as well as an agricultural market for the surrounding
counties. A railroad line arrived in 1852, fostering the development of its
other industries. The presence of several major manufacturers since the
19th century has given Rock Junction the reputation of being a factory
town. The city has a population of 30,000.
DINER — 3 SEATING UNITS
The main location of this adventure is Joe’s Diner. It is located in a great
spot, just across the street from the rail yards and a warehouse, on the
northeast corner of Canal Street and Pipestone Avenue. It is just down
the block from the offices of the Blue Book Detective Agency. A haven for
solid American food, this diner has managed to stick around while other
businesses have come and gone.
The diner has a traditional diner floorplan; a service counter dominates the
interior, with a preparation area against the back wall and floor-mounted
stools for the customers in front. There is also a row of booths against the
front wall and at the ends. It is a common American diner from the 1920s
with white and black tile floors and the smell of home cooking as you
enter the eatery. The diner itself stands on a half-acre plot of land, which is
otherwise empty except for the two-room shack where Fess lives and runs
his monthly dice games. The open ground between the diner and Fess’
shack is used to grow fresh vegetables for the diner.
In addition to an extensive lunch and dinner menu, Joe’s Diner serves up
eggs practically any way you can think of 24 hours a day. During busy
times, there is always a staff of two in the kitchen, someone behind the
counter, and two waitresses and a busboy working out front. Betty Joe
Belle the morning shifts (during which she goes to the bank to pay in the
previous day’s or weekend’s takings if the bank is open) and every evening
shift except Sunday and Monday. When it is quiet, there is usually only one
person each to work the kitchen, the counter, and out front.
Betty Joe does not put all of the money that the diner takes in to the bank.
She does not entirely trust banks and only puts in enough to cover the
cost of the loan repayments on the diner. The rest she seals into old fruit
jars and buries in the land behind the diner.
Joe’s Diner is located on the corner where several police beats meet. This
is the main reason why Betty Joe does not have to pay any protection
money to a gang.
g h i j k l m n j h o p j q r l s t u q k

Things the PCs may have heard about the place at the start of the
campaign.
RUMORS TABLE
1d10 RESULT RUMORS
1 Derek Howard is looking for investors for a land deal.
2 Somewhere behind the diner is loot from a bank job 2 years ago.
3 Members of the Purple Gang have been seen here.
4 It’s the best place to get a good meal.
5 Fights take place behind the diner on the 15th of each month.
6 The owner is looking to sell the dive.
7 There is a still in the back room.
8 The diner is in disputed territory so no one is collecting fees from it.
9 The Five and Dime wants to shut down the diner.
10 The back of the diner is a safe place to camp out at night.
v w x y z { | | } | ~ } x  €  ‚ ƒ x „

Betty Joe Belle — Owner and operator

of Joe’s Diner (Age 47, Assimilated) Level 2
Businesswoman.
MS = 50; AG = 75; OB = 75; DR = 65; PR = 9;
LK = 33; HP = 18
Margaret Josephine Belle or ‘Betty Joe’
was raised in the Hills of Tennessee,
but left for the big city when she was
14. Betty Joe is a hard-headed business
woman and has put a lot of effort into owning and running her own
business. She has every intention of making it a success especially since
she named it after herself. She takes no nonsense from her customers, but
enjoys taking the time to chat to each and every one of them, sharing a
smile and even laughing at their jokes. Betty Joe’s primary concern is the
food the diner serves up every day and will have sharp words with ‘Big
Bill’ Valdez and the cooking staff if the food is not up to scratch.
Betty Joe is the matronly type, but is unmarried and has no children.
Indeed noone knows if she has ever been married (she does not wear
a wedding ring). Although she cares about everyone who works for her,
she is very fond of ‘Fess’. Some think that he is the son she never had
Carries: $5d10 in her purse.
Owns: 1920 Model T Ford (3 passenger coupe).
Other Uses:
Betty Joe does have family, in particular, a brother, Robert lee Stewart
Belle. When she hears that he has gone missing after working as a
bootlegger, she might hire a PC private detective to find him. The PCs
will need to travel to Tennessee if they take this case.
Betty Joe has a smooth-talking gentleman caller, Randolph Evans. Is he
sincere or trying to put the moves on Betty Joe to charm her out of the
diner? Fess is concerned and will pay someone his life savings ($100) to
find out.
Fess Washington — Busboy (Age 23,
Black) Level I Worker.
MS = 68; AG = 77; OB = 42; DR = 56; PR = 5;
LK = 32; HP = 20
Skills: Stealth 40.
Fess was a starving street kid when Miss
Betty Joe took him in ten years ago. She
is the only family he knows and she put
him through school before employing
him full time at the diner. Fess loves Betty Joe as the mother he never
had and would never work anywhere else. He will fight for his Miss Belle
to the bitter end.
Fess has an ear for languages and is a sympathetic listener. In the years
spent serving customers and clearing away dishes, he has learned,
Spanish, Dutch, Italian and a bit of Yiddish (he can only read English
though). He is always willing to hear another person’s troubles without
giving unwelcome advice.
He runs a dice game on the 15th of each month behind the diner.
Weapons: A butcher knife kept under his apron.
Carries: $3d10 in his wallet.
Owns: 1923 Indian Scout Motorcycle.
Other Uses:
Someone stole his motorcycle and he wants it back! Fess will put word
on the street, that he has a reward of $100 for its return. This is for anyone
who can bring the person who stole his bike back to him along with the
bike.
Fess is in trouble. Last night someone tried to rob the diner and he has
stabbed a man. Can you help him prove it was self-defense and not some
savage attack on a random customer?
Bill ‘Big Bill’ Valdez — Cook (Age 50,
Assimilated) Level 1 Worker.
MS = 13; AG = 81; OB = 71; DR = 76; PR = 9;
LK = 29; HP = 15
Bill is a modest man, despite the ribbing
he takes for working for Betty Joe. He is
helpful and friendly, a favorite with most
customers.
Carries: $2d10 dollars.
Other uses:
‘Big Bill’ likes to bet on the dog races and is often found at the local track,
Vickers’ Race Track (as detailed in GBE-2 Man’s Best Friend). Well this time
he won big – $3000. Unfortunately the local bookie refuses to pay up. Bill
will gladly split the take 50/50 if the PCs can help him out.
Bill has been asked to join Rock Junction’s leading fraternal order, the
Order of the Silver Palm. He invites one of the PCs to stand as his second
during the initiation ceremony which is in two weeks. In the meantime,
he needs to acquire a list of strange objects.

Vivian Allen — Part-time Waitress (Age 23, Assimilated) Level 2 Worker.

MS = 66; AG = 50; OB = 74; DR = 62; PR = 4; LK = 31; HP = 17
Vivian has a round face, with black hair and gray eyes. She wears a
patterned dress and a short apron. Vivian is a chain smoker and speaks
with a raspy voice.
Carries: $1d10 in her purse.

Nina Capoli — Part-time Cook (Age 28, Italian) Level 1 Worker.

MS = 66; AG = 50; OB = 74; DR = 62; PR = 4; LK = 31; HP = 17
Nina is common in appearance, with bobbed black hair and sharp green
eyes. She wears a basque dress and a gold necklace. Unmarried, she
works the shifts that ‘Big Bill’ Valdez does not.
Carries: $1d10 in her purse.
April Green — Waitress (Age 21, German)
Level I Worker.
MS = 32; AG = 54; OB = 47; DR = 51; PR = 8;
LK = 23; HP = 14
April is a third generation German-
American. She is fiery and fun-loving,
but a good worker. She is looking for a
man to take her away from the diner.
She keeps a flask tucked away for the
German folk who stops by.
Carries: Change only.
Other uses:
April may fall for one of the PCs if they are German decent. She has
knowledge of the goings on in the German-American affairs in the city.
April has not showed up to work and Betty Joe is worried. It is not like
April to not come to work on a Friday. As a favor, Betty Joe will ask a PC
to go and check on April – his next meal will be on the house – but if
April’s absence turns out to be serious, Betty Joe will offer $20.00 and
free meals for a month it the PC can help find her.

Lois Sanders — Part-time Waitress (Age

25, Assimilated) Level 2 Worker.
MS = 55; AG = 55; OB = 38; DR = 47; PR = 3;
LK = 20; HP = 16
Lois has frizzy brown hair and hazel
eyes. She wears a patterned dress and
silver headband. Lois is fascinated by
astrology and divination and is currently
taking a correspondence course in both
subjects.
Carries: $1d10 in her purse.
Karen Greenberg — Waitress & Widow
(Age 31, Jewish) Level 2 Worker.
MS = 60; AG = 28; OB = 41; DR = 21; PR = 8;
LK = 10; HP = 13
Karen’s husband died of the Spanish Flu
in 1919 while two years ago, their eldest
son, Herschel Junior, was caught in the
crossfire when the Rock Junction Police
Department staged a botched raid on
some bottleggers and killed. As a result, she has no love for either the
police or the crooks, the former because they launched the raid and
failed to catch his killer and latter because they were the cause of it.
She delights in making both sides fail, tipping off each side as to their
activities on the sly.
Karen is in charge when Betty Joe is not present, including Betty Joe’s
days off, Sunday and Monday. Karen is Jewish and does not work Fridays
or Saturdays. She is an inveterate gossip.
Carries: $1d10 in her purse.
Other uses:
Karen will be a snitch for the mob in a minute, especially if the mobster
in question is Jewish. Then again, if she thinks that a PC is tough enough,
she might set him up to bump off the same mobster.
Karen has saved enough money to hire someone to investigate the
murder of Herschel Junior. If the PC identifies the culprit, then she will
offer her life’s savings of $860 if he will help her get her revenge.
… † ‡ ˆ ‰ Š ˆ ‹ Œ †  Ž Š   ‘  ’

Derek Howard — Lawyer (Age 38,

Assimilated) Level 3 Lawyer.
MS = 45; AG = 77; OB = 90; DR = 84; PR = 8;
LK = 22; HP = 18
Skills: Law Degree 65.
Derek is the lawyer looking to get rich.
His specialty is corporate law. He has
realized that a dishonest lawyer can
make much more money than an honest
one, but wants to start somewhere small before moving on to Lakefront
City. Thus he is looking to get in the local rackets if he can.
He is working on a land deal to put in new homes while skimming off
the profits. His plan is to trick some deep pocket investors to buy plots
and then sell the same lots to the poor and let them fight it out. He has
two city blocks worth of lots he is hoping to unload. He meets some of
his clients at Joe’s Diner and can be often found in his regular booth near
the back door.
Weapons: Colt M1908 Vest Pocket pistol in his brief case.
Carries: $50 in his wallet.
Other uses:
Derek has screwed over one client too many and now needs protection,
he of course deserves what he has coming, but a job is a job. If Joe’s Diner
is located in Rock Junction, then the client is part of the all-powerful
McMasters family.
Derek would like to hire someone to follow a prospective buyer, he wants
to know a bit more about Mr. Hawkins before he sign over a subtitle to
his share of the land to him. Maybe the PCs can help.
Robert Wells — Beat Patrolman (Age 44,
Assimilated) Level 2 Police Officer.
MS = 66; AG = 86; OB = 73; DR = 80; PR = 6;
LK = 28; HP = 21
Skills: Shadowing 83.
Robert Wells walks the beat that
surrounds Joe’s Diner. Robert is
conscientious and honest. He hates
the fact that many local criminals have
political connections that prevent him from stopping their activities. He
is friendly and outgoing and always carries candy for the local kids.
Tips:
1) He thinks the Green Warehouse is used for booze storage but can’t
prove it, yet.
2) He has seen people at night behind the diner but is unsure why.
3) There have been break in’s at some abandoned buildings lately.
4) He would love to get a look inside The Blue book Detective Agency.
5) He is looking for leads for a missing boy last seen down by the tracks.
6) He is looking for two kids who stole a brief case from Mr. Parker.
Weapons: Smith & Wesson Military & Police .38 revolver and a nightstick on
a belt holster.
Carries: $15 in his wallet.
Bill “The Stick” McKay — Driver (Age 32,
Assimilated) Level 2 Criminal.
MS = 44; AG = 82; OB = 69; DR = 91; PR = 3;
LK = 24; HP = 18
Skills: Auto Theft 64, Stealth 85.
Record: Arrested for Grand Theft, Auto;
May 1919, served 9 months in the Federal
Penitentiary.
Bill is an excellent driver and is currently driving a truck for the Black
Hand Gang operating the Green Warehouse across the street from Joe’s
Diner. He is often at the diner while he waits to make the bootlegging
run to Detroit and back again. As well as the gang he knows several
other crooks in the district, including those who know how to get rid of
stolen vehicles.
Bill is greedy, underhanded, and a sneak. He has grown tired of what
he considers to be the peanuts he is paid to drive to Detroit and back.
So Bill wants to make enough dough to make a clean start elsewhere
in the bootlegging business himself. Thus he is looking for someone to
help him knock off the warehouse and the gang for a cut of the take. He
might even agree to that person going into the bootlegging business
with him, but then Bill does not have an untrustworthy reputation for
no reason.
Weapons: Colt Positive Police Special .38 revolver in his coat pocket.
Carries: $10 in his wallet.
Other uses:
Bill comes back from regular trip to Detroit hours early with an empty
truck. He was hijacked and the bootlegged whiskey stolen. He will be in
serious trouble if he goes back and tells his gang bosses, so he implores
the PCs for help in getting the stolen hooch back.
Bill has two trucks for sale, stolen trucks that is. He thinks that he can get
rid of one of them, but do the PCs know where they can sell the other?
Rosza ‘Rose’ Bartok — Freelance criminal
(Age 38, Hungarian) Level 2 Criminal.
MS = 63; AG = 80; OB = 58; DR = 74; PR = 5;
LK = 24; HP = 22
Skills: Safe Cracking 84, Stealth 66.
Rosza is a first generation Hungarian-
American who learned to speak English
and German as a child. He was a watch
maker back in Szeged, Hungary, before
the Great War when he was conscripted to fight for the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. After the war, he was recruited to work in the American autoplants,
but when he got to the USA he found that there was no such job and the
agents hiring him had absconded with his money. In the years since, he
has done a variety of menial jobs and is currently working at the Green
Warehouse unloading booze where he hates being called ‘Rose’.
He embittered and looking to carve out his share of the American Pie.
Recently he has taken to burglarize homes and premises and around the
city and if he thinks he can get more money elsewhere, he will give it a
try. Rosza sees the city as his turf and will fight tooth and nail to keep it.
If the warehouse where he works is robbed, he will look to get into the
action.
Weapons: Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless .38 revolver tucked into his
belt.
Carries: $500 in stolen jewelry in a lunch box, $250 in his wallet.
Other uses:
Rosza knows where there is a safe stuffed with dough. The thing is, he
needs help getting in to get to the safe, especially there are staff on site.
He offers the PCs $100 upfront and a share of the take. Oh and the safe
is on the 27th floor.
“ ” • – — • • ˜ ™ š — • ” › œ  •

The existence of the Green Warehouse and what goes on there is an open
secret to anyone who decides not to look the other way. It is just that no
one is stupid enough to mess with it. With beer deliveries once a week
the warehouse is always busy and traffic at the Warehouse is always so
heavy that a few more trucks or cars will not draw any attention. In fact
the warehouse is so busy that anyone with any real guts might be able
to get a truck or two loaded with booze and driven out of the loading
dock without raising suspicion. The warehouse belongs to the RJ Packing
Company.
JUDGE PREPARATION:
Once the PCs have agreed to go all in with Bill McKay to steal a shipment
of booze he will have the PCs watch the place for a week to be sure of the
times when it is nearly empty.
THE PLAN:
Drive a convoy in the warehouse, load up, and then make off with the beer.
Further planning is up to the players involved.
SET-UP:
There are six people in the warehouse between 1am and 8am and twice
that during the daytime. These six consist of four regular workers and two
mobsters. The workers will either flee at the first signs of violence or follow
the order of whomever who is sticking them up, while the mobsters will
refuse to take the attempt lying down.
THE ACTION:
When the hijack is attempted, any gunfire will alert the two mobsters at
the front of the warehouse. The Judge should also remember that the dock
workers are neither armed with guns nor heroes.
THE WRAP-UP:
If successful, each hijacked truckload of beer is worth $550 and each truck
is worth $400 to a chop shop. McKey’s 50% cut comes out before any XPs
are figured.
THE DOCK WORKERS
Will Reed — Mobster (Age 28, Assimilated) Level I Criminal.
MS = 60; AG = 72; OB = 57; DR = 70; PR = 7; LK = 18; HP = 19
Skills: Lockpicking 62.
Will was a Corporal in the army during the Great War. When he left the
army he drifted into Lakefront City. Here, he found his skills at killing
came in handy. Soon he found a place in the Mob.
Weapons: Colt Government (M1911) .45 in a shoulder holster, knife in his
coat pocket.
Carries: $400 in his wallet.
Owns: Shares a motorcycle with a side car with John “Lil John” Greggs.

John “Lil John” Greggs — Gang member (age 40, Assimilated) Level 3 Criminal.
MS = 54; AG = 82; OB = 60; DR = 76; PR = 4; LK = 50; HP = 20
Skills: Auto Theft 58, Explosives 79.
Record: Arrested for Armed Robbery — November 1920, served 2 years in
the State Penitentiary.
Lil John has nerves of steel. He will do anything to keep the trucks from
getting away.
Reed and Greggs have a motorcycle with a side car if they have to chase
the hijacked trucks. Reed will drive while Greggs will ready his Thompson
Machine Gun.
Weapons: Thompson submachine gun and three sticks of dynamite.
Carries: $120 in his wallet.
Owns: Shares a motorcycle with a side car with Will Reed.
ž Ÿ   ¡ ¢ £   ¤ ž ¡ Ÿ   ¤

Last week, Merritt &

MacLachlan’s Five & Dime
was robbed of over $1,000.
The burglary was carried
out by Rosza ‘Rose’ Bartok
who unbeknownst to
him, was spotted leaving
the building by a local
squatter, Jimmy Jones.
Desperate for food and
a place to stay Jones has
called the cops and agreed
to inform on Bartok for
a train ticket and $10.00.
Unfortunately, Sergeant
Niall O’Malley, the cop
who is put in charge of
keeping Jones safe is on
the take and informed Bartok that there was a witness to his crime and
where the witness is. In response, the Hungarian Bartok has hired three hit
men from the Detroit Purple Gang to kill Jones.
JUDGE PREPARATION:
The player characters should be near or in Joe’s Diner at the start of this
scenario.
THE PLAN:
Sergeant Niall O’Malley has agreed to meet Jimmy Jones outside Joe’s
Diner and take him to a safe house above Carlson & Sons Shoe Repairs
across the street from the diner. Unfortunately for Jones, a room above the
store overlooking the street has been hired by a middleman acting for the
Purple Gang where three hit men will be waiting for him. They have a black
sedan parked outside Joe’s Diner on Pipestone Ave. They will shoot Jones
as he crosses the street towards the shoe repair shop and then escape in
their vehicle.
SET-UP:
The Purple Gang gunsels are Arthur O’Gorman, Sean Dawson, and
Kristoff Budny. The hit men are all standard NPC hit men armed with rifles
(MS = 17; AG = 88; OB = 83; DR = 86; PR = 5; LK = 15; HP = 21).
James ‘Jimmy’ Jones — Worker (Age 33, Assimilated) Level I Worker.
MS = 31; AG = 80; OB = 74; DR = 77; PR = 1; LK = 20; HP = 17
Jones is a down and out shop worker. He is irritable, cold, and sarcastic.
He is an altogether unlovable person.
Carries: $1O in his wallet and a ticket to Albion, Michigan.

THE ACTION:
The action starts as soon as Jimmy Jones goes to meet Sergeant O’Malley
outside Joe’s Diner. Officer O’Malley makes sure the street is clear and then
waves Jones over to him. When Jones is halfway towards the cop a flurry
of shots ring out and Jones will crumple (dead, unless he makes his Luck
check).
Any character who the Judge decides might see the hit men open fire is
allowed an Observation check to see the flash of their rifles and where it
came from. If the characters react immediately, the likelihood will be that
a gun battle will ensue with the escaping hit men.
If Jones is shot down, O’Malley will react by running over and checking,
not to see that he is alive, but to see he is dead. He will do his best to
ensure that Jones does die while drawing his revolver and firing back at
the assassins. His aim is to make himself look good rather than kill them.
THE WRAP-UP:
If any of the hit men are captured, they will say they were hired by a man
with thick European accent and that they were only doing their job. They
never met Rosza and do not know what he looks like. A clue can be found in
the pocket of one of the hitman or on the floor of the room from the shots
were fire. This is a matchbook from the Albion Inn Poker Club. Inside the
matchbook is a telephone number. This is for Canalside Bed & Board, a cheap
flophouse where Rosza lives. There are several men residing there with thick
European accents, so identifying Rosza may take some investigation.
¥ ¦ § ¨ © ª ¨ ª ª « © ¬ ­ ® ¯ ¦ ° §

THE POKER CLUB — 2 SEATING UNITS

The Albion Inn Poker Club is owned by the Purple Gang, though its
ownership is hidden behind a number of dummy companies. The
establishment is on the outskirts of Albion, a small farm town roughly three
hours’ drive from Rock Junction. The town is a sleepy place and easy prey
for anyone wishing to rob or con them. In fact, the current City Manager,
Norman Lawrence, is skimming funds and has so far amassed $15,000. He
has this stashed under the floorboards of his home, only drawing from it
to fund his weekly late night poker games at the Albion Inn Poker Club.
The city manager is crooked as two left shoes.
Norman Lawrence — Hotel Manager (Age 53, Assimilated) Level I Businessman.
MS = 64; AG = 22; OB = 82; DR = 47; PR = 7; LK = 18; HP = 13
Norman is a solid, if slightly flabby man with balding dark hair who wears
glasses and a neat suit. He has a winning smile and knows just how to
kiss the babies and glad hand everyone else. He is a big cheese in a
small town and he likes it that way. He tries to keep everything running
smoothly and maintain a balance between the interest of the town and
the interests of the Purple Gang. He also knows that if the Purple Gang
wanted to a bigger slice of the town, there is little that he could do about
it without calling in outside law enforcement – and that might reveal
his own crooked practices. Apart his weekly poker game, his only vice is
building up the nest egg to supplement his pension.
Carries: $5O in his wallet.

Norman Lawrence, Jnr. — City Manager (Age 28, Assimilated) Level I Businessman.
MS = 48; AG = 47; OB = 83; DR = 65; PR = 4; LK = 01; HP = 14
Skills: None.
Record: Arrested for Drunk Driving — July 1925, served 30 days county
lock-up; Arrested for Drunk Driving — September 1925, served 30 days
county lock-up); Reckless Driving (Fine).
Norman Junior is the spitting image of his father thirty years ago, except
Norman Junior is more florid and appears to be sweating constantly. He
wears the exact same suits his father does. They go to the same tailor.
 Norman Junior has felt like a failure all of his life. He cannot live up to
his father’s reputation, he never completed college, and now, even his
father got him this dead end job of running the hotel in a town he hates.
Equally, he cannot stand the idea of his hotel being owned by criminals,
but is afraid to do anything about it. Norman Junior knows about his
father’s embezzlement and it would not take much in the way of a threat
to persuade Norman to tell someone where it was. Likewise, it would not
take much of a threat for Norman Junior to reveal the activities of the
Purple Gang at the Albion Inn. If he did and his father got into trouble,
then Norman Junior might feel real good about it.
Carries: $2O in his wallet.
± ² ³ ´ µ ¶ · ³ ² ¸ ´ µ ² ¹

Almost half an acre of dirt, grass, and vegetable patches stands behind the
diner. This space is used as a garden where Betty Joe and the staff of the
diner can take a break, but it is also where Betty Joe keeps her spare cash.
So far she has $300 saved up in 2+1d10 empty, cleaned, and resealed fruit
jars. It takes 10+d100 minutes to dig them all up. Only Fess and Betty Joe
know the locations and even that fact that they are back there. Unless a PC
stakes out the diner and specifically watches its rear, he will not see Fess
burying a newly filled jar on the 7th of each month.
Fess also has a two-room shack here where he lives. From this shack he can
keep an eye on the garden and Betty Joe’s stash of cash and see if anyone is
snooping around. So far he has been unable to spot that anything is amiss.
Once a month, on the 15th, Fess runs a dice game. It is usually attended by
2d10 people and there is about $200+d100 at stake at any one time.
When Fess is running a game, he pays an ex-gambler, Max Fraser, $20 to
keep an eye out for anyone who might bring too heat to the game. Fraser
has promised his wife that he will never gamble again and gets a vicarious
thrill from listening to others roll the dice and make bets.
Max Frazer — Lookout (Age 31, Assimilated) Level 1 Dock Worker.
MS = 60; AG = 20; OB = 61; DR = 21; PR = 8; LK = 18; HP = 13
Weapons: Baseball bat, Pocket knife.
º » ¼ ½ ¾ ¿ À Á ¼ ¾ Â

Should any of the PCs appear to be

a sucker and have money to spare,
then Derek Howard will try to get
them to invest in the plots of land
he has for sale. He will show them
the deeds and map of Rock Junction
showing the plots and explain, “The
capital returns for this project are
substantial. For just a few thousand
dollars you can become a partner.
Once the project matures, I predict
that we will be able to split the
$20,000 worth of property sales.” Of
course, what he needs help with are
a few city permits, greasing the right palms, and so on. This of course, takes
money.
Howard’s investment scheme appears to work well and without a hitch.
That is until it is time for Howard to pay out. It turns out that the investment
scheme is another big Ponzi scheme. The lawyer is just another patsy and
is being used as the fall guy.
OTHER USES:
• The PCs decide to go in and are encouraged to sell the benefits of the
scheme onto a few wealthy people. They look to be making some money
when everything is revealed to be part of an FBI sting operation and
now the PCs are involved!
• An older couple in their sixties, Herman and Gertrude Pongetti, have lost
their life’s savings to an investment scheme. They might be overheard
lamenting their situation in Joe’s Diner or scrape together enough funds
to hire a private investigator to find out who has their money.
Ã Ä Å Æ Æ Ç È Ã Ä Å É Æ Ê Ë Ì Í Î Ï Í Î È Å

TAVERN — 6 SEATING UNITS

This speakeasy is built into a rail car that pulls in behind Betty Joe’s Diner
twice a month, once on the 15th to coincide with Fess Washington’s dice
and then again on the 30th for resupply from Green Warehouse. The rest
of the time, it rotates between Rock Junction’s various steel mills, being
shunted into a siding each time where it can turn a nice profit off the
thirsty workers.
Along with the Green Warehouse, Flynn’s Flying Speakeasy is the center of
the Black Hand Gang’s operations in Rock Junction. The Black Hand Gang
does pay protection money to the Purple Gang (which is based out of
town) for the Green Warehouse, but not for the speakeasy as the Purple
Gang does not know of its existence. This also means that the Black Hand
Gang must get its alcohol from a source other than the Green Warehouse
lest it alert the Purple Gang and they learn of the speakeasy. The McMasters
family does know of its existence and receives regular payments in return
for ignoring it. Otherwise, if the Black Hand Gang thinks that someone
is about to inform the authorities or the Purple Hand Gang about its
existence, it simply shunts the speakeasy to another location and sets up
shop again.
Flynn Harris — Train Conductor (age 54,
Irish) Level 4 Gangster.
MS = 35; AG = 25; OB = 40; DR = 33; PR = 5;
LK = 48; HP = 11
Skills: Public Speaking 63, Gambling 68,
Public Relations 70.
Flynn Harris is the epitome of Irish
gregariousness. He appears to be happy
and likeable, always the genial host.
This is a front, for Flynn is a ruthless and capable gangster even though
he gets his bodyguard or other gang members to carry out any acts of
violence. He would rather turn the public against a foe if he can, but is
not above having him shot or beaten up if it comes to it.
When working at the speakeasy Flynn dresses in the uniform of a train
conductor. In fact, it really is his uniform and he was a train conductor
until an injury on the job forced him to retire on an early pension. As a
result of the injury Flynn walks with a limp.
Weapons: Blackjack.
Carries: Personal jewelry worth $100, $20 in his wallet.

Wade Parker — Bodyguard (Age 24, Irish) Level 2 Criminal.

MS = 32; AG = 87; OB = 79; DR = 85; PR = 6; LK = 25; HP = 18
Skills: Public Speaking 52.
Wade is a second generation Irish-American and a veteran of the Great
War. Wade has a narrow face, with trimmed red hair and green eyes.
He wears a grey suit and is never unarmed. He is a distant cousin of his
boss, Flynn Harris, and shares the same outward friendliness and inner
ruthlessness. Wade is a regular at Joe’s Diner when off duty as he has a
crush on Alice Green and is thinking to pop the question if he can get
her to go away for a few days.
Weapons: Two Colt Government (M1911) .45 automatics in twin shoulder
holsters and a Colt M1908 Vest Pocket in an ankle holster. He also has a
cutthroat razor.
Carries: $30 in his wallet.
OTHER USES:
• Flynn’s Flying Speakeasy does not have a secure supply of alcohol since
the Black Hand Gang will not go the out-of-town Purple Gang because
it does not want to pay any more protection. Sometimes it gets in a
bad batch, known as ‘Bathtub Gin’. This is notorious for its poor, even
poisonous ingredients and effects, leaving some of those who drink it
sick or even dead! Having this happen is a great way to introduce the
speakeasy to the campaign, someone approaching a PC police officer or
private investigator because a relative has fallen seriously ill or died and
the doctors cannot say why. Answers are wanted.
• Rumors are flying around Rock Junction about the existence of a
speakeasy. The police want it shut down, the Purple Gang wants it to
pay the protection it is due or shut it down, and the Black Hand Gang
wants to stay in business. If there any deaths in Rock Junction caused by
‘Bathtub Gin’, the Purple Gang will also want to find the source to avoid
its own supply of alcohol being tarnished with a poor reputation.
• If the PCs are criminals or gangsters on the make, then Flynn Harris
might hire them to help run the speakeasy. The manager will be paid a
salary of $100 a week, the bouncers $30 a week each. These salaries do
not count towards a player character’s Experience Points.
Ð Ñ Ò Ó Ô Õ Ö × Ø Ù Ú Û Ü Ý Þ ß Ö Ú à

Steve Miller founded the RJ Packing Company with his brother Raymond
in 1899 and has since built it up to be Rock Junction’s premier trucking
business (Raymond has since retired). When Prohibition began, the
company found that its scattered warehouses and trucks were idea for
smuggling liquor and other goods all over the mid-west. Just this year the
company struck a deal with the Black Hand Gang to run beer up and down
the state for it. The company receives 25% of the profit from the beer sales
and so far the arrangement has helped the company turn a tidy profit.
Naturally Miller would like it to keep going and should any beer shipment
be stolen, he will pay generously to have the thieves and the beer tracked
down.
In addition to its legitimate warehouses, RJ Packing Company owns
through a series of subsidiaries, three warehouses through which it handles
the shipping and smuggling of alcohol and other goods into and out of
Rock Junction. The Green Warehouse is the main site for its smuggling
operations in co-operation with the Black Hand Gang.
Steve Millers — Co-Owner and Operator (Age 58, Assimilated) Level 5 Criminal.
MS = 48; AG = 67; OB = 62; DR = 75; PR = 8; LK = 22; HP = 17
Skills: Auto Theft 84, Smuggling 65.
Steve is heavyset, with short golden hair and sharp green eyes. He wears
a casual suit and glasses with gold rims. By nature a quiet man, Steve
has a certain charisma that means he is never without female company.
He also likes to ensure that money is kept flowing into the company’s
coffers and although he does not need to drive the trucks any more,
he makes the run from Rock Junction to Lakefront City once a week to
check on things.
Weapons: Colt Government (M1911) .45 ACP automatic kept in his truck.
Carries: $80 in his wallet.
Other uses:
Steve may hire a PC, either a private investigator or a gangster, to trail his
daughter, Pearl, who he thinks is sneaking around with some no good
city slicer from Lakefront City. If PC takes the case, Steve will pay $20 a
day. He will pay this for two weeks. If the PC can get pictures and proof,
he will pay a $500 bonus. If the PC manages to bring the boy to Steve, he
 will pay double this bonus.
The wrong girl has run off with Steve and her father wants her back. He
has put a big bounty of $1,000 on Steve’s head, but would be prepared
to pay double that if Steve was brought back alive. Then the father will
deal would deal with him personally.

Ian Bowers — Foreman and Driver (Age 41, Assimilated) Level 5 Criminal.
MS = 72; AG = 40; OB = 71; DR = 56; PR = 9; LK = 13; HP = 17
Skills: Public Speaking 80.
Ian is the foreman at RJ Packing Company. He is pleasant, always smiling
and joking, and has round features, with short brown hair and brown
hair. He wears worn clothing and carries a satchel where he keeps details
of the routes the company runs as part of its smuggling operations as
well as the locations of the three warehouses where the booze is kept.
Although he is tough as nails, Ian does not like guns and prefers to scrap
with his fists or a baseball bat.
Weapons: Baseball bat.
Carries: $40 in his wallet.

Anton Brodski — Truck Driver (Age 36, Slavic) Level 4 Criminal.

MS = 82; AG = 63; OB = 93; DR = 78; PR = 2; LK = 48; HP = 20
Skills: Stealth 90.
Record: Arrested for Assault and Battery — September 1906, fined $50;
Arrested for Assault — May 1909, fined $50; Arrested for Assault —
December 1916, served 3 months in the County Jail; Arrested for Assault
and Battery — November 1918, served 6 months in the County Jail.
Anton is a second generation Polish-American. He is a fighter who can
barely control his temper and is very sensitive about ethnic slurs.
Weapons: Tire iron (treat as a lead pipe).
Carries: $10 in his wallet.
These are additional characters the Judge can use in the adventure
(customers, off-duty workers, contacts, sources of information, and so on).
Some have been given personality outlines, and the Judge is encouraged
to outline the others.
Kit Baker — Tribune Reporter (Age 34, Assimilated) Level 3 Reporter.
MS = 43; AG = 89; OB = 96; DR = 93; PR = 6; LK = 06; HP = 18
Skills: Public Speaking 78, Disguise 91.
Katherine Baker writes under the byline Kit Baker for the Lakefront City
Tribune. She works the crime beat in Rock Junction and other towns
surrounding Lakefront City and while she has had a rough time breaking
into the world of crime reporting, she has been very successful and got
some major scoops. Last year this included getting evidence that Raleigh
McMasters, the mayor’s brother, was taking payments from the Purple
Gang. While other reporters just cover the news, Kit lives it, specializing
in the bootleggers and gun runners that run down from the Canadian
border.
Carries: $3O in her purse.

Dustin Oliver — Private Investigator (Age 36, Assimilated) Level 3 Private

Investigator.
MS = 42; AG = 73; OB = 64; DR = 77; PR = 6; LK = 38; HP = 17
Skills: Stealth 82, Shadowing 69, Disguise 84.
Dustin is currently working a missing persons case, that of Michael Hayes.
The taxi driver was last seen at the Green Warehouse. Dustin is presently
trying to infiltrating the warehouse.
Weapons: Colt New Service .44 Special calibre revolver in his coat pocket.
Carries: $20 in his wallet.

Tibor Tupi — Gem Appraiser (Age 47, Hungarian) Level 4 Businessman.

MS = 33; AG = 39; OB = 91; DR = 64; PR = 7; LK = 17; HP = 12
Tibor is stout, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He wears sturdy
 clothing and a flat cap. If stolen gems turn up in Rock Junction, he will
most likely know about it.

Matt Tracy — Dock Worker (Age 28, Irish) Level I Worker.

MS = 77; AG = 38; OB = 78; DR = 53; PR = 8; LK = 22; HP = 17
Matt has a long face, with trimmed golden hair and blue eyes. He wears
worn clothing and a flat cap. If bribed enough, he might answer questions
about goods being shipped, such as what, where, and by whom.

Hayden Crane — Boxer (Age 22, Assimilated) Level 4 Boxer.

MS = 86; AG = 82; OB = 44; DR = 64; PR = 7; LK = 35; HP = 23
Skills: Boxing 74.
Hayden has trimmed golden hair and blue eyes. He wears sturdy clothing
and a flat cap. He has come to Rock Junction in search of his sister, Lillian,
who disappeared in the town two weeks ago. He will pay $10.00 a day
for two months to a private investigator to try and track down her down.
If his funds run out, he will try and raise some more by going back into
the ring. If the PC manages to find Lillian, Hayden will give him a solid
gold trophy worth $10,000. Although Hayden is a little punch drunk, he
has enough sense to know if he is being ripped off.
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David Sims — Traveling Salesman (Age 31, Assimilated) Level 2 Salesman.

MS = 32; AG = 49; OB = 49; DR = 39; PR = 9; LK = 40; HP = 14
David is pleasant in appearance, with trimmed black hair and hazel eyes.
He wears a grey suit and carries a suitcase. The suitcase is full of various
brushes and order forms and $15.00 in change. David has seen quite
a lot in the course of his travels and his reminisces could be useful in
getting the PCs into some weird adventures. Of course, the travelling
salesman could just be suffering from the effects of some bad alcohol.
This is up to the Judge to decide.
If asked about his travels, David will speak slowly as if he is trying to
remember the details exactly, having only have remembered them. He
will also ask the PC to buy him a bottle of something which can help him
forget what he has seen.
Tips:
1) A gloomy mill. A corpse is chained to a wall; its eyes crudely hacked
out.
2) A grim hospital. In one operating theatre, the tiled floor has been
shattered, as though by some colossal weight.
3) On a desolate road. A wrecked automobile lies here, surrounded by
strange tracks.
4) A stately mansion. The floor is covered with monstrous claw marks.
5) A forgotten crypt. Several corpses are chained to the wall, each
marked with a different eldritch symbol.
6) A desolate farm. The farmer’s plow has unearthed a mass grave of
degenerate skeletons.
7) A derelict psychiatric hospital. A trail of blood leads to a dusty
cabinet.
8) A dark courtyard. In it stands a car surrounded by shell casings. The
alley out of the courtyard is too narrow to drive the car down.
9) A cluttered office building. All the doors are chained and padlocked
from the inside.
10) A dark pool of water. A girl swims to the surface and asks for help.

Thelma Varga — Housewife (Age 26, Assimilated) Level 2 Housewife.

MS = 60; AG = 30; OB = 21; DR = 31; PR = 8; LK = 25; HP = 13
Thelma has bobbed black hair and hazel eyes. She wears a sleek dress
and red scarf. Thelma was recently inducted into the Ladies Association
of the Order of the Silver Palm. The induction rites at the order’s temple
mentally scarred her and has brought out her depraved and violent
tendencies.