IHMN: The Sinister Plans of Fu Manchu (Episode 5.14)

From the personal diary of Dr. John Watson, MD: The tide of "The War of the Witches" had turned. The Americans, though always showing up late, were victorious everywhere they fought. The Wicked Witch of the West had been captured and was imprisoned in Niagara Falls. Omar the Magnificent was dead, Lo Pan had been defeated, Professor Moriarty had been set back by the mysterious Shadow and the Witch King was no where to be found. It was a joyous day; yet my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes seemed to be once again melancholy.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Stanley Hopkins and Dr. John Watson

It was shortly after we finished up the business of The Shadow and Moriarty with young Hopkins and we were in his study for a long time, sitting quietly when suddenly he spoke,"This fellow may be very clever, but he is certainly very conceited."
"Goodness Holmes. Who?"
"There is a hidden shadow behind all of this!"
"The American Vigilante?"

 The Shadow

"Of course not Watson!" and he put his hands upon his forehead. "I'm sorry Watson. I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life. There is something wrong about what is happening."

Here I had heard what he had heard, I had seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident that he saw clearly not only what had happened, but what was about to happen, while to me the whole business was still confused and grotesque.
"Something is definitely wrong - and I have missed it somehow!" exclaimed Holmes, "My name is Sherlock Holmes!  It is my business to know what other people don’t know."

"I am a doctor of philosophy from Edinburgh, a doctor of law from Christ's College, a doctor of medicine from Harvard. My friends, out of courtesy, call me 'Doctor'."

Black and white, life and death, good and evil - two sides in a chess game, two forces in the universe - one magnificent, the other sinister. It is said that the devil plays for men's souls; so does Dr. Fu Manchu... Satan himself, evil incarnate.

Dr. Fu Manchu's murderous plots are marked by the extensive use of arcane methods; he disdains guns or explosives, preferring dacoits, thuggees, and members of other secret societies as his agents armed with knives, or using "pythons and cobras ... fungi and my tiny allies, the bacilli ... my black spiders" and other peculiar animals or natural (or unnatural) chemical weapons. He has a great respect for the truth (in fact, his word is his bond), and will use torture and other gruesome tactics to dispose of enemies. Professor Moriarty may be the Napoleon of crime, but Dr. Fu Manchu is a mysterious villain dedicated to restoring China to it's former glory and then taking over the world.

Fu Manchu and his body guard

There has been speculation that Fu Manchu (if there really is such a man) had been a member of the Imperial family of China or maybe Fu Manchu is an agent of the Chinese tong known as the Si-Fan and acts as the mastermind behind a wave of assassinations targeting Western imperialists. Some think (Special Agent James Dempsey and Special Agent George Curtis, US Secret Service especially) that he runs an international organization under his leadership, which, in addition to attempting to take over the world and restore China to its ancient glory but also tries to rout fascists and then halt the spread of Socialism and Communism, knowing them both to be major rivals in his plans for world domination.

“I imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, a close-shaven skull, and long, magnetic eyes of the true cat-green.” Holmes once again became silent."

Name: Fu Manchu - The infamous villain of Master villainy!

Pluck: 2+

Leadership: +3

Speed: 1

Fighting Value: +4

Shooting Value: +2

Talents: Erudite Wit, Fanatic, Fearless, Inspirational, Intuitive, Martial Arts, Medic, Meticulous Planning, Engineer (the ability to develop weapons like the Green Mist and the Golden Mist), (Immortal for campaigns)

Mystical Powers: Up to 30 points of Mystical Powers

Basic Equipment: His evil genius (yep, he's the real deal)

Armor: The Fu Manchu Coat (Armor is 12 but 11 against Arc Weapons)

Cost: 121 (not counting Mystical Powers)

 Han Xin, Fu Manchu's personal body guard.

Han Xin lived a childhood in destitution as his father died early. He was despised by those around him as he often relied on others for his meals. He had a keen interest in military strategy and spent his time studying military treatises and practicing sword techniques.

On one occasion, a hooligan saw Han Xin carrying a sword and challenged him to either kill him or crawl through between his legs. Han Xin knew that he would become a criminal if he killed him, hence instead of responding to the taunts, he crawled through between the hooligan's legs and was laughed at. That hooligan declared, "This man is a hero. Do you think I could not have killed him when he humiliated me?" That man was Fu Manchu

Fifty years ago, a rare and unusual sword was found in a tomb in China. Despite being well over 2,000 years old, the sword, known as The Sword of Goujian (越王勾践剑), did not have a single trace of rust.  The blade drew blood when an archeologist tested his finger on its edge, seemingly unaffected by the passage of time.  Besides this strange quality, the craftsmanship was highly detailed for a sword made such a long time ago. Through unknown means, Fu Mancu acquired the sword Goujian and granted it to Han Xin for his loyalty and service.

Name: Han Xin
Pluck: 4+

Leadership: 0

Speed: 0

Fighting Value: +4

Shooting Value: +1

Talents: Strongman, Tough, Duelist (Sword)

Basic Equipment: The Sword of Goujian (two-handed sword), Breastplate, Shield

Armor: 12

Cost: 48

Centuries ago, Lo Pan, a great warrior, but most of all a powerful wizard, was defeated in battle by the first sovereign emperor Qin Shi Huang. The Emperor placed upon Lo Pan the curse of No Flesh. Although Lo Pan can be temporarily granted a decrepit body by supplication to the gods, in order for him to permanently break the curse and regain his human form, he must marry a woman with green eyes.

Name: Lo Pan (Ancient body form)
Pluck: 3+
Fighting Value: +1
Shooting Value: +1
Speed: 0
Points: 30 (not counting Mystical Powers)
Talents: Erudite Wit, Fanatic, up to 30 points of Mystical Powers, (Immortal for campaigns)
Basic Equipment: Hover Chair (6" of movement, cannot Run)

Armor: 10

Great detail in the sculpting from Pulp Figures.

"Men of China! The skies are red with the thunderbolts of Genghis Khan! They rain down on the rest of the world... and burn them!"

Name: Thunder Warriors
Pluck: 4+
Fighting Value: +3
Shooting Value: +0
Speed: + 2
Points: 24 (not counting mystical powers or equipment)
Talents: Leader +1, Martial Artist, Fanatic, up to 10 points of Mystical Powers (only one Thunder Warrior can have the Leader talent - deduct 3 points if they do not have the talent.)
Basic Equipment: Available - Two Handed Sword, Sword, Anchor Chain, Quarterstaff, Spear, etc.

"You've read about this: the torture of the gong: it never stops. Minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day. Seems harmless, doesn't it? Just a gong ringing. But the percussion and the repercussion of sound against your eardrums will soften and destroy them until the sound is magnified a thousand times. You can't move. You can't sleep. You will be frantic with thirst. You will be unspeakably foul. But here you will lie, day after day, until you tell me what I need to know."

Weird Science: The Gong.

Power: Can be used every other turn during the Shooting Phase. All enemy figures (Fu Manchu's minions brought their ear plugs) within 8 inches (Imperial inches, mind you!) are struck with the sound waves of The Gong suffering a d10+2 attack with no modifiers. Any figures that are hit are immediately knocked down with no recourse to Pluck. The next turn they can roll for Pluck to get up and if successful they spend the entire turn getting up with no Movement, Shooting or Fighting. For every turn they are unable to get up, they lose one point of pluck. If the Keeper of the Gong is in base to base contact with an enemy figure he cannot use the gong. Anyone with the Strongman talent can move The Gong 4" in a turn.; two men can carry it 4". Armor rating is 11 and Pluck is 5+. Insidious, isn't it?

Points: 20

Name: Te Gong Sho, Keeper of the Gong

Pluck: 4+

Leadership: 0

Speed: 0

Fighting Value: +2

Shooting Value: +0

Talents: Strongman, Martial Arts

Basic Equipment: Mallet (Weapon bonus +2, Pluck penalty -1)

Armor: 9

Cost: 22

Members of the Si-Fan Tong.

Other followers of Lo Pan can be Tong Members, Boxer Captain, Boxer Warrior, Boxer Musketman or Boxers. Rules and stats for these members can be found in the books In Her Majesty's Name and Sleeping Dragon, Rising Sun. Also Fu Manchu can use any criminal organization (except the Professor's)and most organizations as a front. Exceptions are Scotland Yard, The United States Secret Service, The United States Marshal Service, The Vigilantes, Lord Greystoke, Allen Quartemain, Martial Monks, Monks of the Star Gods, The Kempeitai, Teddy Roosevelt and Friends and the 14th Sikhs. All others beware!!!

Fu Manchu is a genius who is the master of modern science and the ancient mystical arts. He is the mastermind and leader of the Si-Fan cult and other organizations. His main goal over the decades is to rule the world. He is a scientist by nature. His quest for knowledge is insatiable. His genius drives him to discover things of a dark and unnatural nature. Nothing is out of bounds. His experiments led to things that were eventually regarded as forbidden and eventually led him to criminal activities as he also employed those of the dark arts to do his bidding. Anything he wants or needs to complete his desires cannot be denied him as he has amassed untold wealth and unlimited resources.

 You have been warned.