This traveling show traverses the Weird West, putting on their form of wholesome entertainment for the benefit of the masses and the hopes of making a few bucks.

The Traveling Mysterium

The Traveling Mysterium is made up of two primary divisions: The Main Show and the Sideshows.

The Main Show

The Main Show takes place in the central tent. It is comprised of the following acts:

• Tightrope Act by Giacomo Giovanni, an Italian acrobat
• The Flying Ravitzes, a trapeze act comprised of a husband and wife team from New York
• The Amusing and Amazing Ambersons, a family of clowns from Massachusetts
• Trick Riding by O. B. Washburne of Montana
• Knife Throwing by Jamie Smith of the Sioux Nation
• Trick Shooting by O. B. Washburne of Montana

A ticket to the Main Show costs $0.10.

The Sideshows

There are actually several side shows available at the Mysterium. Each one is a separate ticketed event ($0.05 each).

These are the sideshows available at the Mysterium:

• Elwanda the Bearded Lady!
• Tito the World's Strongest Man!
• Herve the World's Smallest Man!
• The Wolf-Man!
• Saladin! Master of the Blade!
• Madame Esmerelda, the Fortune Teller
• "What is It?" Exhibit

Concessions and Crew

Besides the performers, the carnival is made up of a crew of barkers/facilitators, handymen, stablemen, cooks, etc. There are probably about 25-30 crew members at any one time on-site. Many times, when the carnival comes to a town, Al wil recruit for local folks to work as barkers for the 3 night stint they are in town. Thus the "permanent" crew is more like 15.

The Carnival also offers concessions of fresh popcorn at a $0.01 a bag.

The Performers

Aloysius P. Southmeyer

Corporeal: 3d6; Mental: 3d8

Scrutinize 4d8; Search 3d8; Disguise 3d8; Language: Polish 2d8; Animal Wranglin 2d8; Leadership 2d8; Performin’:Acting 3d8; Persuasion 3d8; Tale Tellin’ 3d8; Bluff 4d8; Gamblin 2d8; Scroungin’ 2d8; Streetwise 4d8; Filchin’ 4d6; Lockpickin’ 4d6; Shootin’:pistol 1d6; Sleight o’ Hand 5d6; Throwin’: Knives 3d6; Climbin’ 3d6; Dodge 3d6; Fightin’: brawlin’, knife 3d6; Sneak 4d6;

Wind 14; Pace 6; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Loyal (Carnival), Outlaw (1),

Edge: Light Sleeper; “The Voice” (soothing, salesman’s voice +2 persuasion)

Gear: Knife (1 Def/ 1 / STRd4)

Albert Sonkowicz is wanted here and there for various petty crimes and misdemeanors. Aloysius P. Southmeyer is the mysterious and enticing emcee of the Traveling Mysterium! Both, of course, are the same man. Al is not a bad man, just willing to do most anything to make a buck. He’s a natural performer and drawn to sad sacks and actors. He managed to win the seeds of this show from a down-on-his luck card player in Chicago some 8 years ago. In 1868, Al changed the name and took it on the road, hoping to win some dough and see the West.

Giacomo Giovanni

Corporeal: 4d10; Mental: 3d6

Scrutinize 3d6; Search 3d6; Disguise 3d8; Language: Italian 2d6; Performin’:Acting 3d10; Persuasion 3d10; Tale Tellin’ 3d10; Bluff 3d6; Gamblin 2d6; Streetwise 3d6; Sleight o’ Hand 3d10; Climbin’ 5d10; Dodge 5d10; Fightin’: brawlin’, 4d10; Sneak 3d10;

Wind 16; Pace 10; Size 5 (Hits 25)

Hindrances: Scrawny, Poverty

Edge: Brave

Jake Jamison was born in Philadelphia to Italian parents who came over and changed their names. He was a skinny kid that always was willing to take a bet. He got into tightrope walking early and never looked back.

He’s a bit a jerk with a chip on his shoulder, but he’s not out to see anybody hurt.  

The Flying Ravitzes

Corporeal: 3d12; Mental: 3d8

Scrutinize 4d8; Search 3d8; Disguise 3d8; Language: Hebrew 2d8; Language: Hungarian 3d8; Performin’:Acting 3d8; Bluff 3d8; Streetwise 3d8; Climbin’ 4d12; Dodge 3d12; Fightin’: brawlin’4d12; Sneak 3d12;

Wind 20; Pace 12; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Loyal (Each Other), Ferner, Illiterate

Edge: Luck of the Irish

The Ravitzes, formerly of Hungary, are a spousal trapeze team that have migrated to the US. They expected to have more fame and fortune than can be found in Al’s show, but have made friends here. They are truly talented and devoted to each other. They have endured many hardships together, as foreigners and Jews.

The Amusing and Amazing Ambersons

Corporeal: 3d10; Mental: 3d10

Scrutinize 4d10; Search 4d10; Disguise 4d10;Performin’: Clowning 4d10; Bluff 3d10; Streetwise 3d10; Climbin’ 4d10; Dodge 4d10; Fightin’: brawlin’4d10; Sneak 3d10

Wind 20; Pace 10; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Mean as a Rattler (Alan), Greedy (Adam), Hankerin’: Alcohol (Arnold)

Edge: Two Fisted (All)

The Amberson Brothers (Alan, Adam, and Arnold) are all professional clowns and acrobats. While talented performers, they are all troubled souls. Alan is a mean ol’ cuss, while Adam is a greedy bastard. Arnold does it all for the next bottle of sauce. None of them are killers, though.

O. B. (Otis Bushwell) Washburne

Corporeal: 3d10; Mental: 3d6

Scrutinize 3d6; Search 4d6; Trackin’ 4d6; Language: Indian Sign 2d6; Animal Handlin’ 3d10; Overawe 3d10; Tale Tellin’ 3d10; Bluff 2d10; Gamblin’ 2d10; Streetwise 2d10; Survival 3d10; Guts 3d10; Fannin’ 3d10; Shootin’: pistols, carbines, rifles 5d10; Speed Load 4d10; Quick Draw 4d10; Fightin’:Brawlin’ 3d10; Horse Ridin’ 5d10; Teamster 4d10;

Wind 16; Pace 10; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Ailin’(1) (early consumption),

Edge: Two Fisted, Rank 1 (Sgt.)

O.B. Washburne is a former “Buffalo Soldier” for the Union who retired when his health started failing him. He started working for Al as a sharpshooter and found he enjoyed the work.

Jamie Smith

Corporeal: 3d10; Mental: 3d8

Scrutinize 3d8; Search 4d8; Trackin’ 4d8; Language: Indian Sign 2d6; Language: Sioux 3d8; Animal Handlin’ 3d10; Overawe 3d10; Tale Tellin’ 3d10; Bluff 3d10; Survival 4d10; Guts 3d8; Shootin’: pistols, rifles 3d10; Fightin’:Brawlin’, Knife 4d10; Throwin’:Knife 5d10; Horse Ridin’ 4d10

Wind 18; Pace 10; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Ferner, Loyal (O.B. Washburne)

Edge: Two Fisted

Jamie "Spirit Walks with Wolves" Smith is a natural knife thrower and a loyal friend to O.B. Washburn—though he can’t figure out why. She just glommed onto him one day and hasn’t let go. It ain’t a crush—nothing like that. Just, undeserved loyalty. No one knows why she left the Sioux Nation—she don’t talk about that. She don’t do much talking at all. She does smile from time to time and seems to have a wicked sense of humor.

Elwanda the Bearded Lady

Corporeal: 3d6; Mental: 3d8

Scrutinize 3d8; Search 4d8; Arts: Painting 4d8; Academia: Literature 3d8; Language: Romanian 2d8; Overawe 3d8; Performin’: Singing 4d8

Wind 14; Pace 6; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Ferner, Loyal (Aloysius)

Edge: “The Stare”

Elwanda Comescu is Romanian by birth, American by choice. She grew up near Transylvania and was ridiculed when she hit puberty and her facial hair started coming in. Nevertheless, she is a cultured, talented young woman with a love of literature and a beautiful singing voice. She is beholden to Aloysius for seeing beyond her beard and treating her as a friend and trusted confidante.

Tito, the World's Strongest Man!

Corporeal: 3d12; Mental: 3d4

Scrutinize 3d4; Overawe 5d4; Fightin’:Brawlin’ 4d12

Wind 22; Pace 12; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Mean as a rattler, Miser

Edge: Tough as Nails 3

Antonio “Tito” Fermincelli, formerly of New Jersey, is indeed a strong man. Unfortunately, there’s not too much more to him than that. He’s big—he’s mean—he’s a penny pincher, and he likes to show off. That’s Tito.

Herve, The World's Smallest Man!

Corporeal: 3d4; Mental: 3d10

Arts: Poetry 3d10; Scrutinize 3d10; Shootin’:Pistols 4d4; Sleight o’Hand 4d4; Academia: Literature 3d10; Language: French 3d10; English 2d10; Persuasion 3d10; Fightin’: Brawlin’ 3d4; Dodge 3d4; Sneak 3d4; Bluff 3d10; Streetwise 2d10; Guts 2d10

Wind 14; Pace 4; Size 5 (Hits 25)

Hindrances: Scrawny, Ferner, High Falutin’

Edge: Sand

Herve Durand is from Belgium originally. He’s very educated and a little snobby, actually, for a little guy. But, once you get to know him, he’s got sand. And he’s a good egg, is Herve.

The Wolf-Man!

Corporeal: 3d8; Mental: 3d8

Search 2d8; Trackin’ 2d8; Shootin’: rifles 2d8; Animal Wranglin’ 2d8; Performin’: Acting 2d8; Fightin’: Brawlin’ 2d8; Overawe 2d8, Horse Ridin’ 2d8; Teamster 2d8

Wind 16; Pace 8; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Ugly as Sin

Johnny Nelson is a plowboy from Kansas with a hair problem. He SERIOUS hair problem. He’s no more a wolf than you or me, but he kinda looks like one. He’s a bit of a goofball, but he’s alright. He’s got a crush on Mrs. Ravitz, but he keeps that to himself.  He helps out a lot with the animals around the camp.

Saladin—Master of the Blade!

Corporeal: 3d10; Mental: 3d8

Scrutinize 3d8; Search 2d8; Sleight o’Hand 4d10; Language: English 2d8; Language: Arabic 3d8; Performin’: Acting 3d8; Fightin’: Brawlin’ 3d10; Sword 5d10; Overawe 4d8, Horse Ridin’ 2d8; Guts 2d8

Wind 18; Pace 10; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Stubborn, Vengeful, Ferner

Edge: Brave

Rashid El-Amin hails from Syria, an Ottoman province. He immigrated to America to seek his fortune. Back in Syria, Rashid would have been imprisoned as a rabble-rouser and thief. He made his way to America to get rich—which he’s yet to do He’s learned many a trick with the blade—some entertaining, some deadly.

Madame Esmerelda, The Fortune Teller

Corporeal: 3d6; Mental: 3d12

Scrutinize, 3d12, Search 3d12, Filchin 3d6, Sleight o’ Hand 3d6; Throwin’: Knife 3d6; Academia: Occult 3d12; Disguise 3d12; Language: English 2d12; Hungarian 2d12; Roma 3d12; Medicine:General 3d12; Overawe 3d12; Persuasion 3d12; Tale Tellin’ 3d12’ Dodge 2d6; Fightin:Knife 3d6; Sneak 3d6; Bluff 4d12; Gamblin’ 3d2; Streetwise 2d12; Guts 4d12

Wind 18; Pace 6; Size 6 (Hits 30)

Hindrances: Ferner, Superstitious

Edge: Arcane Background (“Huckster”), “The Stare”

Hexes

• Hunch (3): Cognition (Two Pair) – 10 sec. – Touch
• Shadow Walk (4): Smarts (Pair) – 1 – Instant – Touch
• Fortune Teller (5) Cognition (Two Pair) – 5 minutes – 1 yard
• Helpin’ Hand (2) Smarts (Ace) – 10 minutes – 1 yard
• Looking Glass (5) Cognition (Two Pair) – 5 minutes—1 min./hex level – 5 miles/hex lvl.
• Old Timer (2) Spirit (Pair) – 1 day – Permanent — Self

Gear: Knife (1 Def/1/ STRd4), Tarot Cards

Aisha Drina Lokatos (“Esmerelda”) is a Roma Huckster who found her way to the US in the mid-1800s. She joined Al’s band on a hunch. She’s a con artist of the highest order to those that deserve such chicanery—but is also a legitimate occult artist. She knows of the Manitou and has read Hoyle’s book. She knows the West is weird and people’s fears are real. She cheats the cheatable, but protects the innocent.

The "What Is It?" Exhibit

The current occupant of the "What Is It?" Exhibit is the "Fiji Mermaid".

It is actually a juvenile monkey sewn onto the corpse of a fish. However, it done very well and is old, and well-preserved. To actually see evidence of the hoax would require either an Incredible (11) Scrutinize or a Hard (9) Medicine:Surgery check.

The Camp

The carnival is generally fairly consistent with the way they set up in any one area. They also tend to set up outside a city's limits as to minimize interference with local authorities.