Rail Baron Thaddeus Craine
Rail Baron of the Kessick Junction
Location: Kessick
- Tier
- Boss
- HP
- 18
- Defense
- 10
- Pool
- 8
- Mettle
- 3
- AR
- 2
Notes: Speed 6. Gear: Consortium Vest (AR 2), Masterwork Dragoon (WR 4, Tempo 5, Breaker), Cane-Sword (WR 3, Tempo 4, Concealed — +2 Initiative if opponents don't expect it), gold pocket watch, leather ledger (contains enough blackmail to topple three towns), cigar case. Short, fastidious, never raises his voice — he doesn't need to.
A regional governor who rules the Kessick junction with the calm efficiency of a man who has signed more death warrants than he can count. Craine is a Consortium lifer — born in Orvain, educated in the East, sent west to squeeze profit from the rails. He is short, fastidious, and never raises his voice. He doesn’t need to. The dozen armed men who follow him everywhere raise their voices plenty.
Craine’s most dangerous weapon is his ledger. He knows who owes what, who’s been stealing, and who’s been talking to the Dust Vultures. He has never drawn his Dragoon in anger — but his bodyguards have drawn theirs 347 times, by his count.
Attacks
| Attack | Pool | WR | Tempo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masterwork Dragoon | 8 | 4 | 5 | Breaker |
| Cane-Sword | 7 | 3 | 4 | Concealed; +2 to Initiative if opponents don’t expect it |
Traits
- The Ledger: Craine knows secrets. Before combat, the GM may reveal one compromising fact about a PC’s background or contacts, used as leverage.
Abilities
- Call Reinforcements (Tempo 4): 1d6 Enforcers arrive in 12 Ticks. In Kessick, this becomes 2d6 Enforcers and 1 Rail-Guard squad.
- Blood Money: Once per scene, offer §100+ to convince an enemy combatant to switch sides, stand down, or walk away. Target rolls SWAY + Resilience vs. TN 13 or is Tempted (must spend 1 Mettle to refuse).
- Slippery: Spend 1 Mettle to force an attacker to reroll one die and keep the new result.
Tactics
Craine never fights fair and never fights first. He surrounds himself with guards, positions himself behind hard cover, and opens negotiations before opening fire. If combat begins, he targets the party’s most mercenary-looking member with Blood Money, uses Slippery to survive incoming fire, and calls reinforcements immediately. He will retreat through a pre-planned escape route if the fight turns — he always has one.
Morale
Craine does not break. He strategically relocates and sends a bill for the damages.
Plot Anchor
Kessick is Craine’s seat. Any plot hook involving Kessick’s Consortium operations — the labor train, the rail yards, the Dust Vulture raids, the Iron Revenant detour at the junction — runs through Craine’s office, whether the party realizes it or not.