A Manor of Speaking: A Good Society RPG

## Background

*A MANOR OF SPEAKING: a Good Society RPG* is a miniseries RPG based on the Good Society RPG by @storybrewers, which debuted on Kickstarter on Feb 3, 2018.

It is a Jane Austen RPG set in Regency society. Whether in person, in novel scenes; or in letters, in epistolary phases, the various characters deal with scandal and gossip. No dice are used.**Facilitator** (GM) : @RandomTuesday, who also plays the NPCs:

* **Agnes**, Isaac Croft's sister, who has been described in chat both as *the worst* and *the best* for the way she manhandled Isaac.

* Lady **Charlotte Spencer**, the 37-year-old dowager who is the main connection that links the PCs and the NPCs.

Card from the *Pride, Prejudice & Practical
Magics* expansion of the **Good Society RPG**
by StoryBrewers.Picture by
Aviv Or.
Also starring...

* @LizzieTheBold: **Margaret Harding**, a 24-year-old maid whose father tries to hitch to any of several suitors.

* @AljernonBolden: **Gerald Hawkins**, a lieutenant who has returned from The War™.

* @Genkisoda: **Charity Fairfax**, a young lady who has to play the part of her twin brother **Jasper** in society, because a nervous breakdown rendered him unable to appear in society. Charity was officially sent to a school, or a university, on the Continent.

* @Space\_Cat189: **Isaac Croft**, a young man whose decision to become a cook his father disapproved of.

## Connections

### For Gerald Hawkins (AJ)

* **Mary** (cousin)

> *A young woman coming of age, Mary has had the unfortunate fate of losing her parents as a child. Raised by family, she is now facing a world of wonder as an adult. However, those close to her fear she does not fully grasp the gravity of her social prospects.*
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> **Key personality traits**:  Enthusiastic and Naive, Sweet and Dutiful
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* **Elaine Martin** (business partner)

> *A brilliant writer and scholar, Elaine helped establish herself and her husband of people of note before his untimely death. With little option in the world as it was, she would end up taking jobs below her skillset until one Edward Dean introduced her to the ambitious Gerald Hawkins. They would strike an arrangement to create a new business model that had potential to bring a small fortune, even if she has to sacrifice the acclaim to a man yet again.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Friendly and Cordial, Headstrong and Insistent
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* **Edward Dean** (old Comrade from *The War*, played by Lizzie)

> *A hero of The War, attached to the same brigade as Gerald, Edward Dean has become something of a darling back home. Already coming from a well respected family, his recent betrothal to a Baroness has set the town ablaze. Soon to arrive on an extended shore leave, he has come to check in on his old friend and the affairs of town.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Clever and worrisome, Strikingly handsome
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### For Margaret Harding (Lizzie)

* **Benedict Harding** (father)

> *Benedict Harding made his money in the least respectable of respectable ways: he earned it. Owner of a thriving business in textiles and imports, he built his family up from humble beginnings to wealth and status. Embittered by his wife’s death in childbirth and now old and ailing, he uses the only card he has left to try and exert some control over his daughters life: her inheritance. If Margaret is not married before his death, his estate will pass entirely to his sister’s eldest son Cecil.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Aloof and proud, authoritative and intimidating
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* **Cecil Linfield** (cousin)

> *The Linfield’s came from humble beginnings and hard-working stock, but while Cecil’s father did well for himself, he amassed nowhere near the fortunes Benedict Harding did. This was in no small part due to the small army of siblings that all came after Cecil. The windfall of the Harding estate would turn around the prospects of his entire family.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Virtuous and Confrontational
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* **Mr. Dudley Egerton** (suitor. Andy plays this one!)

> *Mr. Egerton is known as a man of means and a gentleman. The eldest son of an old-money family, what no one knows is that Egerton’s Red Coat brother got himself into a fair bit of trouble overseas, from which he was extracted by his father depleting the already failing family fortune. He must marry, and marry well. Unfortunately he has some.. Personality quirks, which have made it somewhat more difficult than it should be for a man of his status.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Awkwardly familiar, Two-faced and scheming
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### For Charity/Jasper Fairfax (Aria)

* **Josephine Bailey** (Jasper’s promised / Charity’s nemesis)

> *Thinks Jasper is perfect in looks and station. She finds Jasper incredibly charming even more so now that it has been a few years since she has seen him.
> She sees Charity as embodying everything that she dislikes about herself. However she would never express any of this, not even in prayers, lest she risk securing a proper marriage to Jasper.*
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> **Key personality traits**: a goody two shoes. A bit judgmental. Sweet deep down.
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* **Cornelius Fairfax** (father to Jasper/Charity)

> *He is heartbroken by the downturn in his son’s health, desperate to protect reputation. He has always seen Charity as a perfect angel. However since the turn of events his faith in her intelligence and ability has grown tremendously. He is willing to offer her any assistance he can.*
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> **Key personality traits**: A bit stern though tender with his children and wife. No nonsense. Believes firmly in defending the reputation of other families and does not tolerate gossip.
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* **Theodore Lockhart** (Jasper’s oldest friend / Charity’s OTP, played by AJ)

> *Feels that the military academy has been good for Jasper and perhaps made him bolder yet kinder (hint hint that’s part of why he loves Charity). Truly feels himself when in Jasper’s company. And Jasper has always made him want to be a better man.
> He has a deep love for Charity though they’ve never been able to be very close. Writes overwrought poetry about her in secret. Also kinda weirds him out that she and Jasper are twins and he totally sometimes has special dreams about Jasper.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Thoughtful, calm, introspective. Has a gentleness and it is clear that he is quite intelligent though never boastful. Excellent dancer. Oblivious to flirtations. Feels as though he has an impossible task to live up to in following in his father’s footsteps.
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### For Issac Croft (Andy)

* **Edmund Croft** (father)

> *Thinks Isaac is throwing his life away, but secretly has hope for him.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Stern but fair, cautious, diligent
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* **Agnes Craft** (sister)

> *Still sees Isaac as a child, and will take any opportunity to tease him.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Rude, loud, tactless
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* **Bertrand Craft** (estranged uncle, played by Aria)

> *Doesn't know Isaac that well, but doesn't like him much because he talks to Agnes.*
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> **Key personality traits**: Odd, sloppy, funny
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## Connections diagram (posted on 02/17)

Warning, potential spoilers **below** this picture.

## Random facts and quotes (a.k.a. spoilers)

    Lady Charlotte Spencer, who at the ripe old age of 37 has little left to expect from life and is *close to the brink of death*, has found some enjoyment in the company of Bertrand Croft, who may just be a dowagerer. Lady Charlotte is Issac's mother, but not Agnes's (she can't possibly have had her at 10). Her parting words, before Issac leaves for the Americas: *Good luck, don't fuck this one up*. She has more words for Bertrand, in a final letter: *I hate you, you're the worst. Come see me at midnight.*

Bertrand Croft is Issac's true father, he's the one who taught the then 16-year-old Charlotte about the birds and the bees. *Bertrand is a human puppy--*Issac. He is marrying Charlotte very soon, according to a confirmed rumor. He won't speak to his dearest brother, whom he now hates for his treatment of "their" son, but, let's face it: is it really bad news for Edmund? Charlotte rejects his marriage proposal, but doesn't react to the other revelation in his final letter, that is, that their son is gay.

Agnes Croft may be the worst but she can have kinder moments. She would be the perfect wife for Theodore Lockhart, according to his parents, and she would like it too. She finds a husband in the end.

Issac is accused of being a French-American spy but in the words of his mother is too much of an idiot to be either anybody's spy or even a suitable suitor. He intends to leave for the Americas. He will leave with Gerald Hawkins.

Dudley Egerton has to leave the country in shame after losing the duel to Gerald Hawkins. Margaret Harding is not too disappointed that her latest suitor has to leave.

Mary, who'll have to return to London if she doesn't find a reason to stay, is in the habit of making a fool of herself, such as when he climbs on her chair to support her cousin Gerald Hawkins during the duel. Gerald tries to set her up with Theodore Lockhart.

By the end of the show, Charity Fairfax's secret identity as her brother Jasper is not much of a secret anymore. She still proposes to marry Margaret, as Jasper. Margaret, for her part, likes Charity's companionship very much. Then Charity starts talking about finding a father for Margaret's children... So, she loves living as Jasper, and she loves Theodore as much as she does Margaret. Seems complicated, but she does extend her proposal to Theodore: she'll first marry Margaret as a stand-in for Jasper and then also marry Theodore as Charity. Theodore's answer: *If it means you, yes*.

Theodore Lockhart has been in love with Charity, and still loves her after learning of her deception regarding Jasper.

Margaret ends up marrying "*Jasper*" and writes to her father that she is indeed happy after finding the right match. She would like to visit Gerald and Issac in the Americas.

Daventry is a very strange town. The final tea scene makes for a *very Daventry* ending, indeed.

## Fan art

Picture by John W.Jasper. Picture by VoidsmokerIssac CroftMary. Picture by Voidsmoker.
## Notes

1. ↑ The players play a *Connection* in addition to their main character. This second character is somewhere between a full-fledged PC and an NPC. *NftE*: I have not seen their names in writing yet.
2. ↑ Information provided by Lauren.
3. ↑ Spelling not mine.
4. ↑ Sorry, her words. I'm older than that myself. I could have quoted *She's basically dead*, too. Which quote ended up being used by the creators of the game.