It’s the gangster era and quite
a stir has been generated at the news that the ninth Knocktoff
painting surfaced a few weeks ago after being missing for more
than 100 years. Though it is worth a fortune, its rumored curse
has struck fear in all but one potential buyer – Godfather Mac
O’Bray, a disfigured reclusive mob boss that collects objects
d’art macabre. Intrigued by the history of the curse, Don O’Bray
put out word to the misfits and muckups in his crime family
that redemption PLUS payment of $1 BILLION DOLLARS goes to the
Mafioso member that procures the painting and brings it to him.
Plucky gangsters from all over
the world craving to redeem themselves with their Godfather
and willing to risk the curse are now assembling at Krackers
Art Auction to sell pieces from their personal collections and
to otherwise raise money by any means possible in hopes of acquiring
enough cash to make the winning bid for the Knocktoff piece.
So, will they get the Knocktoff
or will they get knocked off….? The night will tell….
Art Attack
Characters
Godfather Mac O’Bray (Mob
Boss/Art Collector) – a disfigured reclusive mob boss
that collects objects d’art macabre. Intrigued by the history
of the curse, O’Bray put out word to the misfits and muckups
in his crime family that redemption PLUS payment of $1 BILLION
DOLLARS goes to the mafioso member that procures the painting
and brings it to him.
Mya Schipscumin (Art Broker/Auctioneer)
– Owner of Krackers Art to Go Auction House. The Knocktoff auction
is the biggest thing to happen in her career and since she gets
a 20% commission, she’s very excited.
Det. Sheila Getzurmann
(Auction Security) – Her name says it all – if trouble
abounds on her beat, this detective always gets her man.
Det. Will Nabbum (Auction
Security) – Just like his co-worker Sheila, he relishes
the chance to nabbum if anybody pulls any funny business at
the Knocktoff auction.
Gabby Tellsall (Reporter)
– Charming chatterbox that wins peoples confidences
and then plasters the story all over the papers.
Poppa Rotzi (Reporter)
– Relentless in pursuit of a story; nothing gets in the way.
Much like the credit card motto, “is everywhere you want to
be”.
Wilgette DeScoop (Reporter)
– Believes “the devil is in the details”. Meticulous in questioning,
analyzing and reporting.
Vlayd I. Foundit (Knocktoff
owner) – A happy man – the infamous Knocktoff piece
was found hidden in a shelf that fell in the attic of the Herr
Tavern while a servant was cleaning. Although he’s the owner
of the Knocktoff piece, he hasn’t seen it yet and can hardly
wait to get his hands on it. Its sale is going to make him a
comfortably wealthy man. In the words of his Transylvania ancestors
“He’s so vlayd he found it!”
Gangsters contending
for the Knocktoff Painting:
Men
Jimmy the Wrench
Guiseppe the Snitch
Tito the Fixer
Ol' Nicky Leatherchest
Marco the Enforcer
Oscar Scarface
Big Al
Lousy Lou
Tony the Fist
Jerry the Gent
Motor Mouth Mike
Itchy Fingered Sal
Good Looking Jack
Rocko the Whacko
Diamond Dutch
Angelo "Bugsy" Luka
|
Women
Maggie the Mouse
Sly Sally
Petty Crime Carla
Little Lulu
Pretty Legs Alice
Stilletto Stella
Blood Bath Betty
Knock 'em Dead Mitzi
Mad Midge
Deadly Spice
Dagger Dawn
Mandy the Minx
Kayla the Kid
Ruthless Ruth Anne
Betsy "BooBoo" Luka
Wendy the Wolf
Lucky Shot Sugar
|
What character will you be? Upon
arrival, you will be assigned a character and receive background
information, your character’s detailed goals, simple rules,
possessions and other necessary information. Fond of a particular
character name? Request it and if it hasn’t been assigned, you’re
it!
What to wear? You should wear
whatever makes you feel comfortable. However, gangster attire
is encouraged to set the mood. Straight dresses and headband
with feather are suggested for females and white shirts, ties,
black armbands and slacks for males. If you’re feeling particularly
festive, feel free to deck out in full-blown gangster attire
– flapper dress, boa, rope pearls, feather head band, or fedora,
zuit suit, tie, armband, spats etc. …
Note – please do not bring
weapons or realistic replicas. If you feel your character needs
such a prop, please use a costume shop / department store plastic
prop or improvise a cardboard representation.)
Painting
History
U. Wilby Knocktoff was a 17th
century artist that created nine paintings equal to the works
of the great masters van Gogh, Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet, and
Michael Angelo. Unfortunately superstition ruled in his time
and people would not buy his works because of his name. Stubbornly,
Knocktoff refused to sign his works with a pseudo name because
he feared someone else would claim his works – and so he spent
his life unable to sell his beautiful paintings. On his deathbed,
he bitterly proclaimed to his wife and friends:
“may death claim all
who lay hands of ownership to my works”
Extremely hard times befell his
widow and seven small children after his death. Unable to pay
the grocer and too proud to accept his waiver, Mrs. Knocktoff
gave the grocer a painting as payment. That night the store
caught fire and the grocer and painting perished. Two years
later, another of the paintings was given as payment to an unsuspecting
carpenter new to the area, for patching the Knocktoff shanty
roof against the harsh bitter winter. The carpenter fell from
his ladder next day while hanging the painting ruining it in
the fall. He died two days later of a broken neck. The painting’s
shredded remains were buried along with him.
Several years passed and the Mayor
took pity upon Mrs. Knocktoff’s plight and bought six of the
remaining paintings so as not to injure her pride with charity.
Upon the trip home with the paintings, his carriage horse startled
at a rabbit and careened out of control dashing the Mayor to
his death. His widow, certain U.Wilby Knocktoff’s deathbed curse
was real and had claimed her husband, had the six paintings
burned on the spot. Mrs. Knocktoff and her children were driven
out of town taking the one remaining painting with them.
Mrs. Knocktoff, now also believing
in her husband’s curse, vowed never to allow the remaining picture
to pass from family hands. The painting’s ownership was vigilantly
guarded by the Knocktoff lineage until its disappearance approximately
100 hundred years ago. Descendant Terrence Knocktoff and his
wife Amelia came with painting in tow to Oklahoma Territory
and settled in the Woodland Queen area which later became known
as the town of Bristow. For ease of travel to their new home
and to keep the painting safe from thieves, the Knocktoff’s
secured the painting in a false bottom in the wooden crate they
used to carry other goods.
Once settled in the new land,
Terrence Knocktoff took up the occupation of traveling peddler.
While he was away on one of his two week circuits to buy and
sell merchandise, wife Amelia was robbed by outlaws who took
all the Knocktoff’s possessions of worth including the trunk
with the Knocktoff painting.
The outlaws rode on to Little
Rock to sell their goods and have a good time on the town. Within
a fortnight, they returned to the Woodland Queen area and tried
to ambush a prominent local business man but the business man
triumphed and killed the outlaws. Little valuables were left
amongst the outlaws’ possessions except for a sturdy wooden
crate in which they carried coffee, ammunition, tobacco and
some rations. The business man took the wooden crate and used
it for a time to secure sugar and flour to protect it from field
mice and rats. However, the business man soon got oak barrels
to serve the purpose and the wooden crate was placed in the
attic out of sight. Over time, the wooden crate was dismantled
and used for shelving. A few weeks ago, one of the shelves broke
from the wall and shattered on the floor releasing the painting
that had been so carefully concealed by the Knocktoffs years
before. The elated owner, Vlayd I. Foundit, immediately scheduled
an art auction at Krackers to move the piece and cash in on
its worth before it cashes him in!
Though the painting is worth a
fortune, its rumored curse has struck fear in all but one potential
buyer – Godfather Mac O’Bray, a disfigured reclusive mob boss
that collects objects d’art macabre. Not willing to risk his
best men and women, Don O’Bray put out word to the misfits and
muckups in his crime family that redemption PLUS payment of
$1 BILLION DOLLARS goes to the Mafioso member that procures
the painting and brings it to him. So, plucky gangsters from
all over the world craving to redeem themselves with their Godfather
are risking the curse and assembling at Krackers Art Auction
to sell pieces from their personal collections and to otherwise
raise money by any means possible in hopes of acquiring enough
cash to make the winning bid for the Knocktoff piece.
Will they get the Knocktoff or
will they get knocked off….? The night will tell….
