Prudence Penitentiary

Summary

Those who society judges “dangerous” largely end up under the care of Warden Tabitha St. Mercy, matron of “Our Good Home for the Peregrine and Penalized: Prudence Penitentiary”. Known in some circles as “Killhouse Prison”, it is home to the most vile and wicked souls in the San Saba Wastes. Deemed “too dangerous” to risk execution and passage through the morgue, the inmates of Prudence Penitentiary are kept under lock, key, and strict supervision. Nemesis, war-criminals, powerful psions, and unstoppable juggernauts are all bound within - each sentenced to indefinite internment with the only path to redemption being through the Warden Tabitha St. Mercy’s unique definition of faith. Killhouse Prison was built near the town that was once called Temple Station, and has for some time been the Lone Star’s monument to refined barbarity.

Under the leadership and supervision of the Warden are the Justices of Sin: traveling magistrates who sit in judgement over those who are guilty of crimes against the peoples of the San Saba and pronounce sentences against those who are not deemed vile enough to be locked up in Prudence Penitentiary.

The Penitentiary is represented on the San Saba board by Warden St. Mercy herself, who stands as a steadfast reminder that no man is free from sin, and none shall escape judgement. The Warden spins a vast web of propaganda to assure law-abiding citizens that the people within the walls of Killhouse are neither exploited nor in any danger, yet rumors of strange experiments and horrendous gang wars persist.

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: Prudence Penitentiary is designed as a villain and is intended to be something that can be removed and destroyed by the actions of our players. It is by nature designed to be temporary, but the fall of Killhouse and Tabitha St. Mercy will be a story that occurs over multiple seasons.

  • This is a CVC faction, and involvement in this group will involve CVC activity.

Key Phrases

  • Incarceration, Rogue’s Gallery, Sins are Absolved Through Atonement, Greed is Eternal, Society Requires Walls

Why Should I Join?

The only individuals that should join the Prison faction are characters that are willing to support an entirely evil organization. This is a CVC faction, and characters that choose this side should know up front that they are choosing for conflict.

The themes of Killhouse Prison can and will brush against the experiences of the real world. Because of this, it is important to the DR:TX team that our NPCs and players that support this faction are played in a way that is respectful and aware of the real-life issues surrounding Prisons and Prisoners. It is important that we handle this subject with the care and intelligence it deserves, but it is a powerful subject that we want to explore within the boundaries of our setting.

Faction Objectives

  • The Prison is “Necessary” — Publicly, the Penitentiary’s stated goal is to protect law-abiding citizens from “dangerous” individuals. By reminding the San Saba of the need for the Penitentiary, they can keep their seat on the San Saba Board and have a say in the leadership of the Territories. No one doubts the horrors of the Prison, but they choose to look the other way as long as the status quo is maintained.

  • Greed is Eternal — Privately, Tabitha’s goals are simply the personal enrichment of the administration and employees of the Penitentiary. The Prison is responsible for a large portion of the Crystal Candy trade in the San Saba, as well as the recent influx of Leviathan Salts. But, as a questionable member of the Light of Hedon, Tabitha is also focused on fulfilling her religious zealotry by enacting the annual Indulgence.

Casted Characters (NPCs)

  • Tabitha St. Mercy

  • Juliet Butcher

  • The Lifers

  • Former Governor Amberdraught

  • Justices of Sin

Subfactions

  • Rogue Law Dogs - The Law Dogs as well as the Hell Hounds used to be under the Warden’s thumb, and to an extent are still reliant on her and the Penitentiary. However this relationship has grown more frayed as the Law Dogs Unionized and have begun asking questions that Tabitha St. Mercy does not want to answer.

  • The Justices of Sin - As the political and financial situation of the Lone Star has evolved, so too have the Guards of the Penitentiary. No longer simple muscle, many have been promoted to assist Warden St. Mercy in judging those who are brought in on criminal charges. The Justices of Prudence are paid well but are not always in agreement with the Warden on her approach to justice. This means that while some may be harsh, others are far more willing to hear someone out before throwing them into a cell. 

  • The Lifers - One of the largest yet least populated areas of the Penitentiary is cell block XXX, home to criminals determined too dangerous to otherwise be loose. Each Lifer is different, yet all have embraced the violence and chaos of Killhouse Prison, either because it benefits them in some way to do so, or they are no longer able to function within the bounds of 'civilized society'. They are frequently incentivized to stay by way of gifts and praise, but are held in place by enormous tax debt they owe the Grave Council.

    • Note: Lifers are the only prisoner NPCs that can be described as genuinely bad people. They’re reckless, selfish, violent, and extremely independent. They’re also fairly powerful, as they have to be able to fight PCs of all XP levels. That said, the focus for these NPCs is on psychological horror, not simple murder. They are to be played similar to Nemesis, and never as simple thugs or bruisers.

Traditions of Prudence Penitentiary

  • The Indulgence — After an event known as the Killhouse Massacre, the Warden created the Indulgence, thus forever changing the Lone Star. The new foundational rule for the Penitentiary was that once a year the doors of the Penitentiary would open and allow the prisoners free reign on the Lone Star. During this free-for-all, they can escape, challenge a rival, or simply bunker down and hope for the best. In practice, some people die during the Indulgence, some people escape, but largely the status quo is maintained. There have been five Indulgences since the Prison was formed, and the next is set to occur during our next October event.

  • The ‘Crime Scene’ — The scene that occurs between the Justices of Sin and a PC who is caught and determined to have committed a heinous crime is a personalized scene that melds the player’s goals and comfort level with the story and consequences brought about through their play. This may involve ‘closed door’ black box narration scenes, or public displays of punishment or atonement also known as The Gauntlet. Completion of a Crime Scene is seen by the San Saba Board as absolving that character’s criminal strikes and all Law Dog Contracts will be nullified for those crimes.

Key Story Points

  • The “Truth” of the Indulgence — The annual Indulgence is Tabitha St. Mercy’s key propaganda tool. Every year it allows her a stage to show the entire Lone Star exactly why they trust her and her Justices do their jobs. She relies heavily on the Lifers for this, and their service during this period tends to determine how well their lives will be inside the Penitentiary for the next year.

  • Wasteland Justice — The Justices are now responsible for being Judge, Jury, and Executioner of any and all citizens of the Lone Star who violate the laws set forth by The San Saba Board and those who breach contracts that are backed by the Railroad Conglomerate. Justices will sometimes travel with Law Dogs, to ensure a quick resolution to whatever issue is at hand, but this is not a requirement of the job and they are not allowed to participate in the actual retrieval, which is the duty of Law Dogs/Hell Hounds. They can vary in their application of justice, and never seem to agree with each other, but somehow maintain a strong sense of righteousness in their decisions.

  • Mad Science! — There is a price to be paid for scientific advancement, but the Warden’s pockets are always full. The Butcher has a delicate hand with a scalpel, a florid creative mind, a refined palate, and many soundproof walls between their workshop and the town of Bravado. Stories abound within the prison of those who have disappeared only to emerge later changed, or not at all. During this last year, the Butcher kidnapped dozens of citizens of Bravado and performed unnecessary experimentation on them during the Indulgence. They are still at large, pursuing whatever strange scientific endeavor that brought them to Bravado.

Favored skills & PFAs

  • Exotic Weapon (Violence Technician)

  • Larceny (Villon)

  • Malicious (Inquisitor)

  • Pyrokinetics (Incinerator)

  • Thrown Weapon (Death Chuckah)