*comment ñáéç…— *hide_reuse *advertisement During the winter of 1898, partisan cracks grow to fissures as the Republicans of St. Louis find themselves trounced by the Democrats of the state legislature. Over the objections of the elected officials of the city, the State Legislature rewrites the Metropolitan Police Act of 1861, putting control of the St. Louis Police Board into the hands of appointees of the governor and removing the mayor as President of the Board, while requiring the city to pay for the entirety of the costs. Republican legislators repeatedly try to defeat the bill, introducing alternatives and amendments to make the new bill more favorable to the people of the city, but the bill passes anyway, going into effect in August of that year. It additionally expands the police force from 850 to around 1200 individuals. By removing the mayor from any involvement, all sense of democratic supervision of the police is discarded. Absent that democratic supervision, accountability falls to the wayside. *choice #I blame Bailey for this. His support of the county in the Great Divorce is more than enough evidence for me. *set bailey_rapport %-5 It is standard practice for elites to move control of political institutions away from the local level. Distance and time are problems both solved by money; when their opponents are the working class—who frequently have neither—such a maneouver is a near guarantee of success. #I blame Bécard for this; this is why she resides in Jefferson City. Why was she unable to stop this? *set becard_rapport %-5 You wonder if Memeskia is similarly disappointed in his offspring. #This is for the best; the workers have too much power at the municipal level, and if they begin to enforce reforms on the police…who knows where that might lead! *set laborvscapital %-15 If the workers can elect more lenient or sympathetic police officers, they might not be punished when they seek to demonstrate for their rights. If they're not punished, they might realize that their numbers count for something real and significant. They must be kept in the dark at all costs! *if (stlouis_enterprise = 2) and ((egans_rats_plot < 3) or (egans_rats_plot = 4)) *selectable_if (wealth > 500000) #No need for blame! This is an opportunity to further expand any and all criminal operations in the city. *set local_fame %+5 *set exposure +2 *set income +5 *set wealth -50000 You lay the bribes on thick, but those in your employ can cross the entirety of the metropolitan area without fear of being bothered by the police. *if (egans_rats_plot = 3) or (egans_rats_plot = 5) *selectable_if (wealth > 250000) #@{(egans_rats_plot = 3) Snake's|Baldy's} boys will know how to make the most of this. *set local_fame %+5 *set exposure +1 *set income +5 *set wealth -25000 You lay the bribes on thick, but soon @{(egans_rats_plot = 3) the Ashley Street Gang|Higgins's boys} can cross the entirety of the metropolitan area without fear of being bothered by the police. *page_break *if stl_vda_drama *if browns_saved <= 2 *comment 1899, the Robison brothers buy the team from Chris von der Ahe, rename it the Perfectos. They do comparatively well. However, the team's success and uniform are both mocked, and for 1900 they change their name to the Cardinals. *if browns_saved = 2 Following a power-struggle with his former secretary and friend, B.S. Muckenfuss, Von der Ahe finally manages to sell the Browns and Sportsman's Park for enough to pay off the vast majority of his debts. *if browns_saved = 1 In August, the franchise is put into receivership for debts owed. Von der Ahe's friend and former secretary, B.S. Muckenfuss, is named receivor. The two friends end the season at each others' throats. By the end of the year, the National League has asserted control over the franchise, and sells it out from under Von der Ahe the following March. *if (sporting_goods = 2) or (sporting_goods = 3) While this does not directly impact the status of ${spalding_sporting_goods}, the scandal continues to taint the business. *if sporting_goods = 3 *set income -4 *if sporting_goods = 2 *set income -1 The franchise is purchased by the Robison brothers, who attempt to revive it. *if browns_saved = 1 Without the baseball team to anchor the project, von der Ahe is forced to sell New Sportsman's Park to the Robison brothers as well. Still in debt, Von der Ahe retires back to the Golden Lion to @{browns_saved lick his wounds|attempt to keep it afloat|ERROR}. *else Buoyed by your support, Von der Ahe is able to fend off a hostile take-over of the Browns by B.S. Muckenfuss, Von der Ahe's former secretary and friend. This is not to say that Von der Ahe's finances are improving, but the Browns are not dead-last in the league and the banks continue to extend him credit. You sometimes wonder if the Golden Lion is the only thing that is really keeping the whole house of cards afloat. *page_break *if heard_ragtime or ((creation >= 3) or (stlouis_enterprise = 5)) @{heard_ragtime That syncopated beat you heard in Chestnut Valley has matured to the point of publication.|A new sound is taking the nation by storm. A type of music that has been percolating through the city for years has finally been published.} In saloons, juke joints, and music halls throughout the region, everyone has begun to dance to the beat of ragtime. @{(anachronism > 50) You take it upon yourself to indulge in the fad as well,| Despite your best efforts, you end up} learning the steps of the dance that accompanies the music. *set heard_ragtime true *set anachronism %+5 *page_break *if (((stlouis_enterprise = 1) or (stlouis_enterprise = 5)) or (creation > 2)) and speaks_english *comment April 20th, 1899; the novel will be released two days later, on Saturday the 22nd. *if (stlouis_enterprise = 5) or (creation > 1) Quite the salon has been formed at the home of the widow Chopin. She is a novelist, whose second novel will be out for sale on Saturday. *elseif stlouis_enterprise = 1 A local reporter, the widow Chopin, has announced the publication of her second novel. She is having a small soirée at her home to celebrate. The house is modest, with a narrow porch with a slightly bowed roof. The gas lamps—still @{(anachronism > 50) novel|alien} to you—illuminate the house with their cheery glow. You are greeted at the door by a cousin or a friend—the introduction is rushed and you don't @{(discretion > 50) care|have time} to clarify—and soon find yourself amid the guests and their laughter. *choice #I spend the evening in witty repartée and flirty innuendo@{(stlouis_cult and (stlouis_cult_celebration = 3)) ; there could be new disciples here|}. *set anachronism %+5 It is important to immerse yourself in the flow and the cares of humans. Doing so reminds you what is important to them, and helps you remember what it was once like to care about similar things. *if charm >= 3 *set local_fame %+5 *if stlouis_cult and (stlouis_cult_celebration = 3) *set stlouis_cult_power %+10 #I try to isolate the hostess; the blood of the gifted calls to me. *set exposure +1 *if charm >= 3 *set fed_from_chopin true With the right honeyed words, it is simple enough to spirit Chopin away from her guests for a short while. When your fangs sink into her neck, she gives a small gasp of pleasure. "[i]Oh, Robbie,[/i]" she exclaims in a breathy delirium. When you have drunk your fill, you wipe your lips, lick the wound, and wait for the clouds to clear from her vision. She puts her hand to her head and excuses herself. *else As much as you might like to find yourself alone with Chopin, she eludes your efforts with aplomb. She commands the attention of the room and refuses to cede it to anyone—and certainly not for your benefit. *if (temperance_movement) #As much as I love witty banter, the very real question of women and @{(wctu = "WCTU") temperance|suffrage} is more pressing. *set discretion %+5 *set shepherd_credentials %+5 *if wctu = "WCTU" *set missouri_prohibition +1 *else *set missouri_suffrage +1 You find a willing set of ears in the room. @{(charm > 2) They seem truly moved by your speech.|} When you are finished, you suspect that you have several new recruits for the cause. *selectable_if (willpower >= 3) #I use the occasion to underscore my humanity. *set exposure -2 *set local_fame %+5 @{beast_of_gevaudan Between the silver jewelry and stuffing your|Stuffing your} face with hors d'oeuvres, you do your best to assure the guests that you are @{beast_of_gevaudan neither a werewolf nor|not} a vampire. #I spend the evening describing the miserable conditions of the factories in the city. *set laborvscapital %+5 *set stlouis_business_climate %-(charm) *set local_fame %+(charm) It is unclear to you if this is the time or the place to advocate for the liberation of the working class, yet one could argue that it is always the time. Among the other guests, you find two or three who seem sympathetic to your cause. You spend as much time as you dare bending their ear on the matter. Besides the hostess, one character in particular stands out: Peter Busch. @{(stl_met_pbusch = 2) You spied him once before, at the organizing meeting of the SLBA. He was a teenager then, and thankfully doesn't seem to recall you.|} He fits in with the bohemians and scribblers here quite well, though you hear it whispered that his family quite disapproves of these connections. The two of you have an enjoyable conversation about Oscar Wilde's [i]Ballad of Reading Gaol[/i]. *set stl_met_pbusch 3 Of course, this soirée is also a business affair; Chopin is selling copies of the novel, and inscribing them as needed. Do you purchase a copy? *choice *if (choice_randomtest = false) #No. *set discretion %-5 #Yes. *set book_awakening true You pick up a copy. *if literate [i]The Awakening,[/i] proclaims red lettering against a green background. Chopin takes it from you and inscribes: [i]To my dearest ${given_name} ${surname},[/i] @{fed_from_chopin [i]How is it that I've already forgotten you…[/i]|[i]Remember our laughter always,[/i]} *line_break [i]Kate Chopin[/i] *if fed_from_chopin You look at the inscription. She seems flustered by the words herself. But then again, people do all sorts of strange things in the aftermath of you supping on their lifeforce. *else You're not entirely sure what laughter she's referring to; perhaps it's a simple nicety? You slip the book into your @{male pocket|bag} and think little more of it. You're fairly certain she won't give it a second thought herself. *else She inscribes something on the inside cover to you. You thank her and excuse yourself. Sometime after midnight, the guests begin excusing themselves and heading for their respective homes. You bid your new acquaintances goodnight and summon ${stlouis_valet} for the return home. *page_break Bailey's fears come true in the summer of 1899: [i]Dracula[/i] finds a publisher in a Chicago serial, and soon the rights are sold to a publishing house in New York for a full print run. The idea catches fire in the popular imagination, and soon there are stage adaptations of the book, and shortly thereafter cartoons lampooning it. For better or worse, vampires have entered the popular consciousness. *page_break *comment unclear when exactly it opened, so I'm putting it in the spring, before the streetcar strike starts. *set year 1900 *temp with_annie false *if (stlouis_affair >= 13) *set with_annie true *if (baseball_failed = false) *if browns_saved = 3 *set stl_cardinals "Lions" *elseif (werewolf_hysteria > 6) *set stl_cardinals "Werewolves" *elseif (werewolf_hysteria <= 6) and corgi_power *set stl_cardinals "Corgis" *if (baseball_failed = false) and ((shepherd_credentials > 40) and (browns_saved < 3)) The Robison brothers rightfully seek to distance themselves from Von der Ahe's legacy by changing the name of the Browns to the Perfectos. However, the new name is largely rejected by the fans. Therefore, they announce in the spring of 1900 a new mascot: *if werewolf_hysteria > 6 *achieve fighting_werewolves the werewolf. The brothers seek to cash in on the stories of mayhem in and around St. Louis, and the symbol of the werewolf serves as a fierce totem for the players. The fans go wild at the announcement. *else *if (laborvscapital > 75) and (corgi_power) *achieve fighting_corgis the Welsh Corgi. The brothers seek to cash in on the enthusiasm for the corgi as a champion of workers' rights. The fans go wild at the announcement. *else the cardinal. The Perfectos' jerseys were already a bright shade of red, so the change allows them to go about their business with a minimum of fuss. The new owners of the team also close down their other franchise—the Cleveland Spiders—and bring the best players to St. Louis. All told, the future looks bright for the ${stl_cardinals}. *elseif browns_saved = 3 In an attempt to revive interest in the Browns, Von der Ahe resolves to rebrand them with new jerseys and a new name. Conveniently, the corporate restructuring involved fully excises any financial interest once held by B.S. Muckenfuss. Since the Golden Lion is still so dear to his heart, he resolves to double-down on its success, and renames the team to the Golden Lions. *page_break The opening of the Rosebud Cafe is trumpeted throughout Chestnut Valley@{exodusters and the Reach|}. @{heard_ragtime Another ragtime composer, Thomas Turpin, invested what little profit he made into the swankiest of clubs for the St. Louis community.| A local musician, Thomas Turpin, is behind the project.} The opening evening is invite-only. Of course, ragtime is not the only entertainment available. A touring company has recently arrived in town, and will be performing a newish opera by Reinecke@{schnaiders_closed .|, and there is even another Offenbach operetta at Schnaider's.} *temp operetta false *choice *selectable_if ((wealth > 10000) or (ethnicity = "african")) #The right amount of money can buy anyone an invitation. *if ethnicity = "african" *set wealth -1000 *else *set wealth -10000 *selectable_if (charm > 3) #Surely I can talk someone out of their tickets. *if with_annie = false *selectable_if (stealth > 0) #I can slip in the back door. *if stealth > 2 It is a simple matter to hide yourself from the minds of the humans. When the time comes, you simply walk in. *else You have to wait for the right moment, but eventually it arrives. You slip in the back door, closing it gently behind you. Once in the kitchen, you draw several stares from the cooks, but a moment later you're gone, and they do not raise any alarm. *page_break *selectable_if (stlouis_enterprise = 5) #My musician friends can slip @{with_annie Annie and |}me in the back door. You have several friends in common with Turpin, and they secure an invitation for you. *if (with_annie) #Annie can get us in. Annie knows the right words to get the two of you in the door at the Rosebud. How could Turpin turn down a celebrity at his grand opening? #I @{with_annie think Annie |}would prefer a night at the opera. *set anachronism %-5 *goto opera *if schnaiders_closed = false #@{with_annie Annie and |}I prefer the operettas of Schnaider's. *set aichinger_rapport %+5 *set anachronism %-5 *set operetta true *goto opera *label opening_night *set anachronism %+5 The Rosebud is a two-storey red-brick building, divided into a number of smallish rooms. Several are dedicated to dining, others to dancing, drinking, and gambling. There is even a cigar room on the second floor—known as the Sportsman's Club—and a few rooms that serve as a brothel. *if met_wheeler_and_turner Passing through the crowd, you spy John Wheeler. @{(local_fame > 45) He has been hard at work raising his profile in the community; there is even talk that he will be founding his own newspaper soon.|} Crossing the room, he @{male shakes your hand|nods his head in greeting} and welcomes you to the Rosebud. He is soon distracted, however, and leaves you to your own devices. Around midnight, Turpin himself emerges. He's a large man who immediately draws the eyes of the assembled guests. @{with_annie He greets Annie warmly, kissing her on both cheeks.|} Without further ado, he sits down at the piano and sets in to the Harlem Rag, his most famous ragtime composition—and the source of the funds that have financed this fine institution. When he finishes, he stands and turns to face the room again. "Welcome to the Rosebud, the finest colored venue in St. Louis. Please, enjoy yourselves. The happy memories that we make here tonight cannot be taken from us by anyone." There is a round of applause and Turpin sits down to launch into another one of his ragtime compositions. After that, other musicians step up to join the performance—the third is a rendition of "Duncan and Brady," where Turpin's baritone fills the corners of the room—and then the party begins in earnest. Turpin relinquishes the ivories and begins to circulate among his guests. *set heard_ragtime true *choice *if (creation > 0) #@{with_annie Annie and |}I join the musicians on the stage. *set discretion %+10 *set anachronism %+5 *if creation >= 2 *set local_fame %+15 @{with_annie The two of you|You} slip right up on stage and join the musicians as they work their way through a number of ragtime and folk standards. The crowd dancers and cheers as you fill the room with jazzy, driving beats. One by one, the other musicians tire or are replaced; they cannot keep up with your immortal stamina. @{(stlouis_affair = 13) Annie too has to take her breaks.|} It is only with the approaching dawn that you reliquish your instrument and take your leave. *elseif with_annie The two of you slip onto the stage and try your hand at the music. Annie finds a place with the musicians, but at some point they gently suggest that you retire to the audience. You sense that trying to force the matter would be unappreciated. *else *set local_fame %+5 You slip onto the stage and try your hand at the music. After a song or two, the musicians thank you politely; you sense that staying any longer would wear out what little welcome you have left. #I join the card games. *if with_annie Annie is not much of a card-player, so instead *if stlouis_affair = 13 she socializes with some of the other guests while waiting for you to win. *if stlouis_affair = 14 she takes the opportunity to practice her hunting. *if perception > 2 *set wealth +2000 *set local_fame %+10 You play the people rather than the cards and make quite a killing doing so. One by one, the other gamblers fold their hands in disgust and walk away, but not before dropping whatever coins remain to them on the table. *elseif intelligence > 2 *set wealth +1000 *set local_fame %+5 You play the odds and hold your own in the process. When the numbers say to bet, you bet; when they say to fold, you fold. *elseif (stealth > 1) and ((discretion > 55) and (streetwise > 0)) *set wealth +1500 *set local_fame %+5 By palming a card here and there, you gain an unbeatable edge. By the time the night is done, you've won a nice purse with no one the wiser. *else *set wealth -1000 You play slowly, taking in the buzz of conversation around you. You've no talent for cards, but find yourself enjoying the experience anyway. By the time you walk away from the table, you've lost a fair amount, but nothing that truly concerns you. #@{(with_annie and (stlouis_affair = 14)) Annie and |}I feed from one of the revelers. *set discretion %-5 The Rosebud has numerous nooks and crannies for private conferences and assignations@{(feeding_style = "drunks") |; and while these celebrants may not be your typical fare, that is no reason to turn your nose up at them}. It is easy enough to induce a young woman to join you for a few moments of conversation, which quickly turns into your fangs piercing the soft flesh of her wrist@{with_annie while Annie has a go at her neck|}. She gasps at the pain, until your saliva works its way into her bloodstream and the grimace on her face relaxes into ecstasy. *if ((with_annie = false) and (male or (charm > 3))) #I gain admittance to the Sportsman's Club. *set local_fame %+5 The Club is a small room adorned with several animal trophies, mimicking a hunting lodge. A bear rug fills most of the floor, and a magnificient twenty-two point buck's head reins above the mantle. The men in the room, including the host himself, sit discussing the affairs of the community while puffing on cigars. *if ethnicity = "choctaw" As you are taking this all in, you realize that a hush has fallen over the room. Everyone is looking at you. You and your skin. Some of the looks are worried. Others are amused. Still others are clearly hostile. It only takes a moment for Turpin himself to stand. "Excuse me, @{male sir|ma'am}, but I believe you must be lost." "Aren't all of us, here, lost?" Turpin looks confused for a moment, but then lets out a hearty laugh. "Come, join us," he says, offering you a cigar from his own stash. *elseif (ethnicity != "african") *set exposure +1 As you are taking this all in, you realize that a hush has fallen over the room. Everyone is looking at you. You and your very pale skin. Some of the looks are worried. Others are amused. Still others are clearly hostile. It only takes a moment for Turpin himself to stand. "Excuse me, @{male sir|ma'am}, but I believe you must be lost." "No, not lost. This is the Sportsman's Club…" "Yes, lost, because I know that I did not invite you here." "This is a social club, is it not? Are not all welcome here?" "This is not for you, ${sir}. I did not eject you from the rooms below, in the interests of maintaining the peace for the opening of this establishment. But this is too much. Now, if you please…" he says, as politely as he can muster. Recognizing that your presence is unwanted, you turn and depart. *comment how to make the point that it's incredibly rude and oppressive for a white person to intrude on black spaces? *goto wrap_rosebud *else You take a seat and accept a proffered cigar. *set local_fame %+5 The debate at hand is the usual one: how to deal with the menace posed by white society. *if met_wheeler_and_turner Wheeler returns to his regular saw, arguing for separation and self-reliance of the black community. *else *set met_wheeler_and_turner true A man who introduces himself as John Wheeler argues for economic independence and self-reliance within the black community. In his view, integration will never be achieved—nor should it be—but instead the community should develop its own institutions and mutual aid systems. He argues with an invisible interlocutor, James Milton Turner, who seems to be a leading advocate for integration. Some opine about the possibility of emigrating to Liberia. Still others suggest retaliating against certain former Confederates who now live in the city, but they are quickly shouted down. Others in the room have more pratical concerns: they want to know how to keep their homes and businesses from being burnt to the ground. Of particular concern is the recent death of Dr Louis Rice, who was lynched for testifying on behalf of another man in nearby Ripley, Tennessee. Robert Gadley, another local businessman, takes it upon himself to give voice to the concerns of the room: "Doctor Rice played by the white man's rules. He kept a smart house. He was respectful to all. He practiced a trade, tending to the welfare of his fellow negro. When he was summoned to court to testify, he told the truth. And for that, he was strung up in a tree. Now, tell me why we should stand aside and do nothing but bow and scrape and pray for a better future? No white person is going to just give us one." Unfortunately, no solutions are discovered and no conclusions are reached. But no one in the room really expected to find an answer this particular evening. Instead, they were simply relieved to have such a luxurious establishment to call their very own. *if ((stlouis_arsonist_investigation > 1) and (stlouis_arsonist_investigation < 5)) #I ask around about the identity of the arsonist. *set stlouis_arsonist_investigation +1 *set shepherd_credentials %+5 The description is familiar to several of the people you engage. An older white man—nearing sixty, at least—who spends enough time in Chestnut Valley to scope out potential targets has not gone unremarked. Frustratingly, though, no one is able to offer you a name or other concrete information about his identity. @{(stlouis_arsonist_investigation = 5) Though one person does remark that the fellow walks with a limp.|} More clues, yes, but no firm identification yet. *label wrap_rosebud *page_break Many of the patrons have left by the time you exit the club. They wend their way to their various homes, almost all within easy walking distance. It is easy to see why Turpin chose this corner for the café; its placement in the center of the city, and more importantly in the center of Chestnut Valley, makes it convenient for all. Your own return home is uneventful. *finish *label opera The @{operetta operetta|opera} is a new one, with an Italian prima donna doing her best to not mangle a German accent. The performance is @{operetta sparsely attended, making you worry for the finances of Aichinger's establishment|well-attended, with an audience composed of both immigrants and the native-born}. @{with_annie Annie finds the experience mesmerizing. Already a musician, she is able to appreciate the subtleties of the music much more due to the expanded nature of her senses.|} *if met_aichinger_scion From your seat, you are surprised to spy Dieter Aichinger in the audience. He seems eraptured by the performance. The piece is, of course, a comedy, with the prima donna finding a happy marriage in the end. *if met_aichinger_scion @{operetta Surely word will reach Aichinger of your affection for the entertainment his venue provides.|} *else *set met_aichinger_scion true As you prepare to depart, you nearly collide with an energetic young man. Lifting your eyes to meet his, you notice a familiar tint of pasty skin. @{with_annie Annie begins to offer an apology, but you cut her off.|} "I'm sorry, have we met?" you remark. "No, I don't believe so, @{male [i]Herr[/i]|[i]Frau[/i]}. I'm Dieter Aichinger," he says, @{male extending his hand.|bowing from the waist.} You stop cold. "Aichinger? Do you…have family here? In St. Louis, I mean." The press of people trying to exit the @{operetta [i]biergarten[/i]|theater} is making this conversation difficult. He looks at you strangely. "Yes, my parents? I was born here." "Ah. You look like someone I know. Forgive me." "Good evening to you, @{male [i]Herr,[/i]|[i]Frau,[/i]}" he concludes, brushing past you. Could that be a descendant of Lothar Aichinger, here in St. Louis? How curious. *finish