Overview

In a world of superheroes and villains, the line that divides the two can become blurred. The Night Warden sees themself as a hero, but the truth is, they fell from grace long ago. Corrupted by the power imbalance inherent in the US prison system; the man who would become the Night Warden came to believe that their rules were the only ones that mattered and that whatever they deemed as immoral was criminal. 

This One Shot provides a number of plot hooks to introduce the Night Warden and his Trustees into a campaign, along with his resources and methods. The idea of heroes who fall from grace, has a long history in the comic book world. To ensure that the Night Warden can fit into your campaigns we have kept his exact motivations up to the GM. The Night Warden can serve as a great warning to heroes who are becoming increasingly violent where that path might lead.

Content Warning: The Night Warden’s methods are cruel, aggressive, and can involve forced medical procedures. 

Author’s Note: GM’s running a story based on the current George Floyd/BLM protests, the Night Warden would side with the police. More so, he would see any protester as a criminal for standing against the police. 

Introducing the Night Warden

The following are possible ways to introduce the Night Warden

Quelling Dissent

It is unwise to speak out against the police, especially if the Night Warden is listening. After an expose on the police’s use of excessive force, the reporter who broke the case goes missing. Following the trail will put the heroes on a collision course with the Night Warden. If the heroes have never come into a public conflict with the police, or a government official and don’t meet any of the criteria listed in Targeted By The Night Warden below, the Night Warden may try to warn the heroes off expressing that he’s acting on behalf of the greater good, and that he’s removed the propagandist from the public. 

Targeted By The Night Warden 

Characters with a known criminal past, have any kind of negative public image, or ever had a conflict with the police or government officials may find themselves targeted by the Night Warden. In this scenario the Night Warden will stalk the hero, learning their routine and patterns. The Night Warden may go so far as to have a group of his Trustees dress in their former gang colors and assault the hero to learn their capabilities. Once the reconnaissance is done, the Night Warden will strike. Should he defeat the hero, they will be taken back to Morecroft State Penitentiary for conversion into a Trustee. 

Trustee Review 

Rumors of a new gang are beginning to circulate. Brutal, and aggressive, they aren’t interested in anything other than wiping out the competition. Heroes who research these rumors will find that the gang goes by the Trustees, and wear orange prison jumpsuits reinforced with Kevlar. Additional degrees of Success will reveal that no one has been able to locate their hang out, and that some are members of other gangs that were supposed to be in jail. Heroes who locate a group of Trustees can try to follow them back to their headquarters, Morecroft State Penitentiary, a prison that was decommissioned several years ago. 

Resources of the Night Warden 

Morecroft State Penitentiary

Opened in late 1830. Morecroft State Penitentiary was heavily influenced by the ideas of labor as punishment as reform. Each cell was brick encased and housed a single inmate and contained a bathroom, and a feed door so that any cell could be converted to solitary confinement. The system kept inmates isolated but suffered bouts of insanity due to the lack of contact. After an escalating number of riots the prison was eventually decommissioned. 

The property was acquired by the Night Warden through back channels and sympathetic pirates within the prison system. It is currently off the books and not up for sale or reuse. From the outside, there is no visible activity. Trustees in guard towers use night-vision goggles to avoid lights. 

Trustees  

Culled from the most violent members of the local prison population, Potential Trustees are shipped to Morecroft via private shuttle bus, manned by the Reformed. As an actual prison warden by day, the Night Warden is able to make paperwork disappear putting the inmates in a legal limbo. Once arriving at Morecroft, the prisoner is kept in isolation until they are mentally prepared for Dr. Kelly’s treatments. Once completed, they join the Night Warden’s growing personal army. 

New Bloods (Low Powered Mind Controlled Gang Members + Advanced + Brawler + Devastating)

Fresh recruits have been treated by Dr. Kelly and are now willing to serve the Night Warden unquestioningly. 

Basic Rolls 8 + 3d6

Stamina 6

Defense 14 Dice 3 Armor 2 

Offense Pistols 8 Dice 3 Range Short Damage 6

Offense Riot Batons 14 Dice 4 Range Close Damage 6 

Guards (Low Powered Mind Controlled Gang Members + Advanced + Brawler + Striker + Armored + Devastating)

After the trustee has proven the treatments from Dr. Kelly have worked, they are given more autonomy, along with better weapons and armor.

Basic Rolls 8 + 3d6

Stamina 6

Defense 14 Dice 3 Armor 4 

Offense Pistols 8 Dice 3 Range Short Damage 6

Offense Electrified Rods 18 Dice 5 Range Close Damage 10 

The Reformed (Classic Powered Mind Controlled Super villain + Advanced + Brawler + Shooter + Striker + Tough) 

Once super villains, they have been broken by Dr. Kelly. While they wear the Trustee Orange, they often incorporate equipment or powers they possessed before their treatment. 

Note: GM’s this may be a great place to inject villains heroes have defeated in the past, and had a chance at reform. 

Basic Rolls 12 + 3d6

Stamina 18

Defense 24 Dice 4 Armor 6

Offense Ranged 18 Dice 4 Range Long Damage 12   

Offense Melee 24 Dice 5 Range Close Damage 12  

Dr. Martha Kelly (Classic Super Scientist + Advanced + Shooter + Nutcracker + Talented (4))

Like the Night Warden, Dr. Kelly wants to make a better world. An orderly world, where nothing is out of place. She sees the Night Warden as a useful tool to these ends. Dr. Kelly has a deep understanding of the human psyche which she uses to manipulate and control those around her. With the aid of the Night warden’s resources she has built a Submission Gun that triggers pain through the body based on the brain’s reaction to the wavelengths used. She uses this to reinforce her more natural methods of training the potential trustees. 

Note 1: Dr. Kelly is unlikely to enter combat unless trapped or cornered, and will try to talk her way out first convincing the heroes she was forced to work for the Night Warden. 

Note 2: GMs wishing to expand on Dr. Kelly may consider converting her into a Low Powered villain. 

Basic Rolls 12 + 3d6

Stamina 9

Defense 12 Dice 3 Armor 3

Offense Mind Melting Blast 16 Dice 4 Range Medium Damage 6 Note Defended By Psyche    

Offense Electrified Baton 12 Dice 3 Range Close Damage 6  

Etiquette 21 Dice 4

Science 21 Dice 4

(S) Social Science 30 Dice 5

Subterfuge 21 Dice 4

The Night Warden 

Presented below is the full character sheet for the Night Warden. At any moment, the Night Warden is likely to have a Minor or Typical Mob of Guards near for support. When performing reconnaissance they are often close but hang back to avoid detection. If the Night Warden is expecting a fight, he will also have a Mob of Reformed with him. He referees to these Mobs as Work Gangs. In combat, the Night Warden will focus on one “criminal” at a time using his Electric Blast, or Electric Fist to immobilize them until they are dead or disabled.  Trustees will provide cover attacking anyone who gets in the way until the Night Warden completes the “arrest.” If there are no other “criminals” the Trustees will join in the arrest. Inside Morecroft the Night Warden can bring out up to three Major Mobs of New Bloods, two Major Mobs of Guards and a Major Mob of Reformed. 

References

Police brutality in the United States https://www.britannica.com/topic/Police-Brutality-in-the-United-States-2064580

Mapping Police Violence https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/

Solitary Confinement As Torture https://www.amnestyusa.org/the-shocking-abuse-of-solitary-confinement-in-u-s-prisons/

Use of Solitary Confinement in the United States https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_confinement#History_in_the_United_States

Eastern State Penitentiary (Inspiration for Morecroft) https://www.easternstate.org/about-eastern-state