Stuff to do in Shanghai during the 30ies

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AsenRG

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First of all: I doubt anyone is reading this, but just in case: my players are to stay out!

So, you're a martial artist cop* from the future who's somehow found himself in 1937 Shanghai. You have a nearly-immortal girl on your arm**, and you two are looking to have fun...and maybe mess some with the Green Gang. Which you don't like for business-related reasons.
For those unfamiliar with FS2, think "a duo of action hero characters". Neither of them is afraid of a fight, though of course, it might spoil the evening, so they'd probably avoid it...
Or it might make it more memorable. Hey, if it's for a good cause...action heroes. 'Nuff said.

So, where would you go? What would you do there?
And who would you meet (or expect to meet) there?

*Actually a reskinned Everyday Hero, because the player wanted lots of improvised weapons (he's explicitly inspired by Max Payne). And I figured, why not? Let's exchange some Info skills and we can go!

**Not literally on his arm, manners are still being observed. But yes, a character in my FS2 game is dating a Ghost NPC.
 
The Hillfolk RPG core rulebook from Pelgrane Press includes many short "series pitches" from various designers. One of them is "Shanghai 1930" by John Rogers. I read that and thought, "Well, why aren't all roleplaying games set in 1930 Shanghai?"
 
The Hillfolk RPG core rulebook from Pelgrane Press includes many short "series pitches" from various designers. One of them is "Shanghai 1930" by John Rogers. I read that and thought, "Well, why aren't all roleplaying games set in 1930 Shanghai?"
I'm even a backer of Hillfolk, so maybe I had access to that...but I can't locate my files from the time.
I should look at it in more detail:thumbsup:.

How about that nightclub Willie Scott sings in from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?

View attachment 13804

They have big dance numbers. . .and booze.

View attachment 13805
Wonderful idea, fits right in with the mood!
So who'd you expect to meet there:devil:?
 
1930s Shanghai Nightclub Encounter Table (1d8)
1 Spies for (1d6) 1-2 UK, 3-4 Imperial Japan, 5 Nazi Germany, 6 choose any other.
2 Trust-fund (1d4) 1-2 boy 3-4 girl from (1d6) 1-3 the US 4-5 Europe 6 elsewhere in Asia slumming it.
3 Chief of a smuggling ring dealing in (1d4) 1 antiquities 2 opium 3 weapons for Chinese warlords 4 slaves
4 Local authorities (1d4) 1 police 2 military 3 political 4 finance
5 Reputed academic specializing in (1d6) 1 engineering 2 mathematics/physics 3 biology 4 archaeology 5 linguistics 6 religion
6 Tong thug on an errand (1d6) 1 stalking a welcher 2 digging up dirt on a patron 3 extorting the club owner 4 carrying messages between club owner and boss
7 Club worker (1d6; 1 waiter, 2 cook, 3 janitor, 4 showgirl, 5 maintenance worker, 6 one of those girls who sells cigars) who’s actually one of the above in disguise (roll 1d6)
8 Club owner doing the rounds
 
Flowers of Shanghai, set in 19th century 'Flower Houses' (aka. brothels) is a slow, meditative but beautiful film with an unforgettable atmosphere and sense of place.



Or there's the more conventional Western melodrama Shanghai set in the 1940s.

 
Keep in mind, if you are setting this in 1937, you only have until August before the Battle of Shanghai between Nationalist China and Japan breaks out. The urban fighting goes on until November 26th with casualties between 187,000 and 300,000.
 
Have you seen the series of Old Shanghai supplements?
I own them all. Just decided to see what the Pubbers would come up with:smile:.

Just remember...do not get in a fight with the Shanghai cops named Fairbairn and Sykes. It won’t go well.
I know...
Nor with the French prefect, in my game. In the previous session, he killed 3 Green Gang thugs with one attack. In his defence, they'd attempted to take him out with a drive-by.
It's Feng Shui 2, so Fist ofthe Blue Sky is totally ipefor the ripping :wink:.

Flowers of Shanghai, set in 19th century 'Flower Houses' (aka. brothels) is a slow, meditative but beautiful film with an unforgettable atmosphere and sense of place.



Or there's the more conventional Western melodrama Shanghai set in the 1940s.


I've been meaning to watch Flowers of Shanghai for ages now :shade:!
 
1930s Shanghai Nightclub Encounter Table (1d8)
1 Spies for (1d6) 1-2 UK, 3-4 Imperial Japan, 5 Nazi Germany, 6 choose any other.
2 Trust-fund (1d4) 1-2 boy 3-4 girl from (1d6) 1-3 the US 4-5 Europe 6 elsewhere in Asia slumming it.
3 Chief of a smuggling ring dealing in (1d4) 1 antiquities 2 opium 3 weapons for Chinese warlords 4 slaves
4 Local authorities (1d4) 1 police 2 military 3 political 4 finance
5 Reputed academic specializing in (1d6) 1 engineering 2 mathematics/physics 3 biology 4 archaeology 5 linguistics 6 religion
6 Tong thug on an errand (1d6) 1 stalking a welcher 2 digging up dirt on a patron 3 extorting the club owner 4 carrying messages between club owner and boss
7 Club worker (1d6; 1 waiter, 2 cook, 3 janitor, 4 showgirl, 5 maintenance worker, 6 one of those girls who sells cigars) who’s actually one of the above in disguise (roll 1d6)
8 Club owner doing the rounds
Very cool:thumbsup:!

Keep in mind, if you are setting this in 1937, you only have until August before the Battle of Shanghai between Nationalist China and Japan breaks out. The urban fighting goes on until November 26th with casualties between 187,000 and 300,000.
I know. But if everything goes according to plan, hey should be in another juncture by mid-July in his juncture.
What could go wrong:devil:?


BTW, this one session went. But the whole party should reunite next session.
 
I seem to recall there are a number of events set in Shanghai in Masks of Nyarlathotep for Call of Cthulhu, so perhaps our heroes could meet some of those neerdowells, including Jack "Brass" Brady, and an evil genius with a rocket of doom. There is also this interesting video and I am sure one can find other suitable music too,
 
Shanghai had a sizable White Russian community. Maybe the party meets a ballet dancer/assassin as a friend or foe (or both!)
The other part of the party had met Russian bodyguards the previous session:smile:. And they ghost and the cop met a Russian strongman in the circus, defeating a couple Chinese martial artists.
There's now going to be a leitai competition to find a suitable opponent for the strongman:wink:.
 
Shanghai at that time is great. It is full of decadence and decay, has a broad mix of people and doesn't give a toss about what anyone thinks of it.

You have bars, night clubs, brothels, opium dens and whatever else you need. It is an industrial hub and a playground for the rich, so you have rich and poor people partying in various areas. It has Chinese, Westerners, White Russians and Nazis, all jockeying for position and influence. Throw in the Japanese Invasion in Manchuria and you could have refugees from there and some Japanese bigwigs.

People say that 1930s Berlin is decadent, but it had nothing on 1930s Shanghai.
 
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