70 Mongoose Publishing Presents

Signs & Portents 70 July 2009 MGP 5570 www.mongoosepublishing.com 70

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 Editor:
Charlotte Law

Managing Director: Being a horsey girl, summer should be my time to relax. Yet due to the fact that I am also a
Matthew Sprange Mongoose girl, there is no time to relax!

Mongoose Studio Staff: June has been another classic month in the studio… non-stop work all round, a whole bunch of
Nick Robinson, Will Chapman, Richard insane deadlines to meet and a few conventions thrown in for good measure! Dragonmeet South
Ford, Sandrine Thirache and Kelly West was very well received and we all had a good day.
George
Paranoia and Judge Dredd are at the printers, which is a relief to all of us and preparations are
Cover Art: Chris Quilliams well under way for GenCon in August.

As for Signs & Portents, Will Chapman and myself have spent a great deal of time in talks with
Border Art Jesse Mohn each other and with Matt over the past few months. For now that is all I can say, except for
letting you know to look out for the August issue… you will not be disappointed.
Artists: Furman, Carl Walmsley, Katrina
Hepburn, Jesse Mohn For now I shall get back to editing some Conan supplements. Have fun all and enjoy the fabulous
July weather.
Contributors: Simon Beal, Charlotte
Law, Carl Walmsley, Rodrigo Vilanova de Charlie
Allende, Alex Greene, Katrina Hepburn,
Uri Kurlianchik, Alan Oliver and PS. On July 2nd I have been with the company for 2 years... Happy Mongoose birthday to
me!
Shannon Appelcline

Copyright Information
All Babylon 5 material is copyright 2008 Warner Brothers. Babylon 5 created by J. Michael Straczynski
All Judge Dredd material is copyright Rebellion A/S

ADVERTISING: All ads are subject All Conan material is copyright Conan Properties International.
to approval by Mongoose Publishing, Copyright © 2008 Warner Bros. All Lone Wolf material is copyright Joe Dever.
which reserves the right to reject any Entertainment Inc.
ad for any reason. Advertisers and/or BABYLON 5, characters, names and All Eternal Champion material is copyright Michael Moorcock.
all related indicia are trademarks of
agencies of advertisers agree not to hold and © Warner Bros. Entertainment
All WARS material is copyright Decipher, Inc.
Mongoose Publishing liable for any loss Inc.
All Starship Troopers material is copyright Tristar Pictures, Inc.
or expense from alleged wrongdoing that WB SHIELD: TM and © Warner
may arise out of the publication of such Bros. Entertainment Inc. All RuneQuest material, with the exception of open game content designated above is copyright Issaries, Inc.
(s08)
advertisements.

2
 Contents

Mongoose News Ten Reasons to Leave Cimmeria

Editor Charlotte Law fills you in on the
latest Mongoose info 6 Some new Conan plot hooks by Rodrigo
Vilanova de Allende
45
July 2009 Releases The Fantasy GM’s Emergency Toolkit
A rundown of everything to look forward
to in the way of new releases for the 7
Alan Oliver provides Fantasy GMs with
some emergency tools for those surprise
64
coming month situations which were not covered in
prep
The Legacy of War
Episode 8: Life In Shadow (Part 1) by
Plunder of the Ducks
Simon Beal. The 8th in a 14 part epic
campaign for use with the new Universe of
14 A Glorantha supplement by Shannon
Appelcline.
67
TRAVELLER Babylon 5 rules
UK Games Expo 2009 Ships Locker
Katrina Hepburn reports from the TRAVELLER A supplement about non-lethal weapons
55
“funnest” convention so far this year 24 for use in Traveller by Alex Greene

The Witching Wheel

Carl Walmsley brings you another
excellent RuneQuest adventure. This
32
scenario can be used as a stand alone
adventure, or as a follow on from The
Malady from Issue 67.
Convention and Events Diary 4
The Magic of Kabala Write for the Mongoose 82
A generic supplement by Uri Kurlianchik
37 Mongoose Product List 83
Mail Order Form 86
 Convention and Events Diary

AmberCon UK ‘09 GEN-CON

Harben House, Newport Pagnell, Thurs 13th August - Sun 16th August
Buckinghamshire, UK Indiana Convention Centre
Fri 10th - Sun 12th July 2009 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A
www.ambercon.org.uk www.gencon.com

Yog-Sothoth.CON 2009 Furnace 2009

University of Bradford, Student’s Union, The Garrison Hotel, Sheffield, UK
Bradford, UK Sat 10th - Sun 11th Oct 2009
Fri 10th - Sun 12th July 2009 www.rpgfurnace.com
www.yog-sothoth.com
Ludicrus ‘09
Constitution 2009 Kesgrave Community Centre, Ipswich, UK
New Hall Cambridge, UK Sat 5th - Sun 6th Dec 2009
Fri 31st July - Sun 2nd August 2009 www.ludicrus.org
www.constitution-con.org.uk
More events will be added to this list on a
monthly basis as they are confirmed

4
 Mongoose News
Slammers Rule the Dragonmeet Comes to Earthdawn Countdown
World the South West We are now into the final countdown for the
release of Earthdawn at the end of July. Be sure to
Hammer’s Slammers has proved immensely Sunday 28th of June saw the first annual keep an eye on the Mongoose website for previews
popular, with wargamers as well as roleplayers! Dragonmeet South West in Swindon. The traders throughout this month.
If you fancy pushing some tanks and soldiers came, the gamers came and much fun was had by all.
around a table or are just after more information Everyone involved agreed that this was a successful Black Missions Going
on Hammer’s Slammers, you should visit: first show and the wheels have been set in motion
to grow this fledgling show dramatically over the Fast
http://www.hammers-slammers.com next few years. Keep an eye on the Dragonmeet Paranoia: Black Missions is at print and pre orders
website to stay abreast of future plans. are flooding in. Be sure to order your copy as soon
This site is run by John Treadaway, co-author as possible. We are expecting Black Missions to
(with John Lambshead) of the Hammer’s Mail Order Deal sell out on the first day of release in late July so if
Slammers Handbook and author of Hammer’s you have your heart set on the special edition you
Anvils, the miniatures game based on, well, Throughout the whole of July we are running had better act fast.
Hammer’s Slammers! Much of the vehicle design a special deal for all of you fans of the Noctum
in the Hammer’s Slammers RPG was based on the RPG. If you order Vivisection from Mongoose Matthew gets Stranger!
technical illustrations of John, who knows more this month you will receive an Abbadon Horror
about Hammer’s Slammers than you can shake a book for free! Quite a bargain there, so be sure Mongoose head honcho Matthew Sprange has
dead mercenary at! not to miss out. recently been spotted acting even odder than
usual this month. He has frequently been spotted
We should also mention Kevin Dallimore, a man RIP Babylon 5 in dark corners and under the stairs, clutching
of excellent talent, who has done a great deal of the Traveller rulebook and ritualistically chanting
work on the individual components, colours and After six years, over 40 books and 200 miniatures, about “Big Robots”… I shall investigate further
details of many of the vehicles. Mongoose has finally jumped off the B5 ride… and and keep you posted!
what a ride it was! We have loved producing this property
as much as, we hope, you guys have enjoyed playing.

5
 July 2009 Releases
Alien Module 1: Aslan, Price: $34.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-42-5 | MGP3818

The Aslan are revealed as never before in this mighty 200 page tome. Including new careers, equipment and vehicles, Alien
Module 1 also delves into their ship construction and features an entirely new sector to expand your playing area beyond the
Spinward Marches – the Trojan Reaches.

With this book, you will be able to create alien characters, use the Aslan as patrons, or simply let your players explore Aslan
space as visitors, always mindful not to unintentionally upset or irritate these mighty aliens!

Origins of the Specious, Price: $24.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-48-7 | MGP6137

The Origin of the Specious is the perfect book to turn the corpse of Charles Darwin into a powerful turbine to solve the
energy crisis, especially this year. It contains consolidated and expanded research into the minds and bodies of the many
different breeds of gamer along with miscellanea about their habitats, habits and habitual flaws. The book further explores
the related subspecies of online gamer and speculates about the future direction of gamer evolution – perhaps giant, fleshy
potatoes with the ability to poop dice?

Essential reading for gamers, gamer spouses, gamer family members and gamer victims – provided both they and the gamers
involved have a sense of humour.

Price of Honour, Price: $24.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-44-9 | MGP8161

Japan, 999 A.D.

Emperor Ichij� rules Japan and the Imperial Court is dominated by the Fujiwara clan. The power base they have slowly built
over the last two centuries is now being threatened by two rival clans, the Minamoto and the Taira. These two ambitious
clans have gained much standing in the Imperial Court and their influence continues to grow.
Although their losses have been great, if they defeat Enezga then both Minamoto and Taira will gain significant standing and
influence in the Imperial Court for such a victory. Minamoto and Taira now face a war on two fronts, for not only must they
defeat the invading army in Iwami province, but they also play a deadly game of politics in the Imperial Court against the
Fujiwara clan.

6
 Supplement 4: Central Supply Catalogue, Price: $39.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-43-2 | MGP3819

Once your ship is fully kitted out, it is time to bring your character up to spec. The Central Supply Catalogue advertises
all manner of unique items that no self-respecting Traveller should be without. Whether you are looking for a new set of
wheels, a more powerful gun, sophisticated bugging equipment or the finest in evening wear, this book has it all. Neatly
divided into easy to find sections, the Central Supply Catalogue is suitable for any Traveller setting, including the Babylon
5 and Original Traveller Universe.

Spycraft Declassified: Shadow Play, Price: $24.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-50-0 | MGP6139

Spy Like You Mean It

Spycraft Declassified: Shadow Play collects some of the very best in Crafty Games PDFs and Signs & Portents articles,
including Agent X classes and feats, cutting-edge weapons and gear from Bag Full of Guns, advanced combat actions and tricks
from Practice Makes Perfect, alternate gear systems from The Big Score, flexible Attribute-based classes from Back to Basics,
and more! Whether you’re a player or a Game Control, this is your chance to upgrade your clearance and raise your game to a
whole new level.

The Quintessential Rogue, Price: $24.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-20-3 | MGP5206

In this book you’ll find new origins, many additional powers, paragon paths, new feats, new weapons, and many mundane
and magic items specifically created with the rogue in mind. With so many options to choose from, your rogue will
become truly unique. This book also features guidelines to role-play your rogue outside combat, and tactical suggestions to
make the most of your skills. In addition, you’ll find rules to create your own thieves’ guild and build a refuge where you
can hide your riches and plan your next daring raid.

Tripwire, Price: $24.95, Ref: ISBN 978-1-906508-45-6 | MGP3820

Tripwire is set in the Jewell subsector of Spinward Marches. The story takes the players to every system in Jewell where an
adventure awaits them at every turn. This book is more than just a campaign; it serves as a useful guide to the Jewell subsector,
detailing each world with a brief history, local laws and places of interest. Tripwire also includes a timeline of Jewell subsector,
random encounters, new equipment and spacecraft.

7
 Episode 8:
Life in Shadow (part 1)
TRAVELLER by Simon Beal TRAVELLER

Episode Date: July 13th 2267 came from Sector 260 and the Columbus found proximity to Shadows’ home world. The system
the alien jump gate by trying different frequencies remained unexplored until Z’ha’dum was
‘No-one knows the shape of that future, or where it when they were near the Kandar beacon. destroyed in 2260.
will take us. We know only, that it is always born,
in pain…’ Nothing else is known of the race that created
G’Kar “Z’ha’dum” the tablets or the aliens that visited them. Any Legacy Base 1
information on this and the IPX dig where the In 2262, the Legacy Group discovered this
tablets were found was destroyed along with forgotten world and built their first base here.
Mission Briefing the Columbus. The planet may no longer have a breathable
While the players enjoy some R&R, Chen will atmosphere but the gravity is similar to that of
have his people translating the ancient tablets Earth making it a good place to build atmospheric
discovered in the previous episode. It will take Sector 260 domes. The hidden nature of the jump gate also
approximately one week to translate enough Travelling from Babylon 5 to the Kandar system made it an ideal location, safe from prying eyes.
information that can be used. If any of the players will take five days in hyperspace. From there the
have the necessary skills, they can also help out players will need to find the Sector 260 jump gate This was the first base constructed by the
with this. Once enough of the translation has been as detailed later on. Legacy Group and it formed the blueprint
completed, Chen will call a meeting to discuss the for their subsequent outposts. It consists of
players’ new mission. several domes on the planet surface and a large
History underground cavern.
The information translated from the tablets The alien race mentioned in the ancient tablets
reveals a story of strange beings that came from lived here in the third planet in this system for The Legacy Group have a number of vessels
the stars to live with the ancient race that created thousands of years. Unfortunately for them, the leftover from the civil war and others that were
the tablets. The aliens eventually returned to the Shadows had occupied Z’ha’dum. The aliens were hidden after the Psi Corp were disbanded. Their
stars but left details of how to find their world in opposed to everything the Shadows were trying fleet here includes the Equinox, two Psi Corp
the hope that the indigenous people would one to achieve and were perceived by the Shadows as Shadowcloaks (as detailed in Episode Three), the
day reach the stars and visit the aliens. a threat. Just over 1,000 years ago the Shadows Shadow Striker, and a Psi Corp Mothership that
attacked the alien world, killing the entire race is hidden nearby in hyperspace. Although the
The navigational data is included on the final and leaving little evidence of their civilisation. jump gate is hidden, there are always a number
tablet and will match the details retrieved from the of these vessels nearby ready to react to any vessel
Columbus’ computer system (as detailed in the Since the last Shadow war, this region of the that approaches.
previous episode). The data shows that the aliens galaxy had not been explored much due to its

9
The Fate of the Columbus
The Legacy Group’s secret remained until the
Columbus and its determined crew found the
beacon frequency. As they emerged from the
jump gate they were greeted by a number of the
Legacy Group’s ships. The Columbus crew knew
instantly that they should not be there and fled
back into hyperspace, where they were pursued and
destroyed by the Shadow Striker. The chase lasted
for 30 minutes, during which time the Shadow
Striker jammed all communications before it was
able to catch up and destroy the Columbus.

Finding the Jump Gate

The players will probably be thinking back to the
previous episode where they had to find a jump
gate off the beacons but this is slightly different.
The beacon is transmitting on a non-standard
frequency and can be found with a successful
Astrogation check made near the Kandar beacon.

Once the players have found the hidden beacon

frequency they can plot a course to the jump
gate as normal. It will take approximately 16
hours to reach their new destination. As the their predicament and panic a little before A Psi Corp vessel docks and squad of marines, lead
players emerge from the jump gate, they will be continuing. If they decide to run, their engines by a telepath, board the ship to restrain everyone.
greeted by the Equinox, the Shadow Striker and will be targeted as they try to leave. If they make They remove all personal items and lead you all
the two Shadowcloaks. it into hyperspace, they will be pursued and Seth into holding cells on their ship. The ship then heads
will call in the Psi Corp Mothership to block the towards the planet.
End of the Line players’ escape.
All the Legacy Group ships will target the Star The Legacy Group telepath is a P12 and any
Dancer (which will be detected by anyone If the players do try to fight, the battle will be telepaths in the group will be given sleeper drugs.
operating the sensors) and Seth will make contact. short as they cannot win. Seth will try to disable
Appearing on the monitor he will shake his head. the Star Dancer as he wants to capture the players Through the portholes of the ship you see an orbiting
alive. Ultimately, the result will be the same and repair platform. An Earthforce Omega destroyer is
‘What a pity you found this place; I was beginning to the Star Dancer will be boarded. If the players currently docked there. As you pass by you can read
like you. Prepare to be boarded.’ have any sense they will stand down as fighting its name plate as the ‘Orinoco’.
will serve no purpose at this point.
The players have little choice here. They are
outnumbered and outgunned. Let them discuss

10
The ship stops nearby and a shuttle heads toward the converted to peons using Shadow technology. ‘You will now be shown to your cells and tomorrow
planet. On the surface you can see two large domes However, the number of people they can convert you will begin to earn your keep.’
and the shuttle heads towards them. is limited so the rest remain here to be used as
slave labour in the work camps. The warden turns around and walks away. One
The players wait in their cells for several hours. of the guards motions you to follow and you are all
They might discuss potential escape plans but they When the prison was being built the Legacy Group escorted to a holding area.
are restrained and have no way out at this time. discovered some alien ruins on the dark side of the
moon. Machinery cannot be used to excavate for
After a few hours, you see the Star Dancer dock at fear of damaging any finds so the prisoners were Prison Guard
the repair platform. A short time later you watch in used to do the bulk of the work. Most areas of Str: 8 (0), Dex: 9 (+1), End: 8 (0), Int: 7 (0),
horror as workers and repair bots begin to dismantle interest are buried deep under rubble and hard Edu: 8 (0), Soc: 7 (0)
it. Whilst this is happening, the shuttle returns from rock so progress is slow. Skills: Athletics (Co-ordination) 0, Gun Combat
the planet and the ship begins to move again. (Energy Pistol or Energy Rifle) 2, Investigate 0,
Melee (Unarmed Combat) 1, Persuade 1, Recon
It does not take long before you can see your destination Ryan Hopper 1
as a moon slowly comes into view. A small base has Str: 10 (+1), Dex: 8 (0), End: 11 (+1), Int: 7 (0), Equipment: PPG or PPG Rifle, Flak Jacket,
been built into the moon’s surface and the ship docks Edu: 12 (+2), Soc: 9 (+1) Flashlight
with it. Skills: Computers 1, Drive 0, Gun Combat
(Energy Pistol) 1, Melee (Unarmed Combat) 2,
As the security guards lead you into the facility Persuade 2, Pilot 1, Recon 1 Other Personalities
you feel the welcome sensation of gravity. You are Equipment: PPG, Flak Jacket
marched through several heavy security doors, Information: Ryan expects total obedience Captain Ando Kim
where a number of efficient-looking guards await from his inmates and is very harsh with his Captain Kim is the warden’s right hand man and
your arrival. A large man with several nasty scars punishments, ranging from physical violence to is in charge of new arrivals and cell allocation. He
on his face, steps forward. solitary confinement. He is a very violent man has the same details as the other prison guards.
and has a nasty scar running up the left side of his
‘Welcome to the Legacy prison facility, this your new face from a prison riot several years ago.
home.’ Dr Sakina Avari
‘This is not an official facility so you have absolutely no Dr Avari was called in to oversee the excavation
rights. You cannot escape and you will not be rescued. of the alien ruins discovered on the moon. She
Legacy Prison You do what you are told, when you are told. spends most of her time in a secured laboratory
The Legacy Group prison facility became necessary located near the dig site and is separate from the
to detain anyone who might pose a threat to the As long as you understand this you might last more prison facility. Once the prisoners are locked in
group. Most of the prisoners are those unlucky than a week here. Any questions?’ their cells, Dr Avari and her team are transported
enough to have discovered the base or seen the to the ruins to work through the night.
Hybrid vessel. If anyone asks a question, he will simply walk over
and punch them in the stomach, as they double Bob Nash
Although some of these unfortunate victims were over in pain he will grab their head and knee them Bob supervises the work camps and reports to Dr
destroyed on sight, the Legacy Group likes to take in the face. This is not a person you mess with. Avari; however he delegates the organisation to
prisoners when possible. Some prisoners are taken With his point made, he will continue. one of the inmates. Bob uses the same character
away to Legacy Base 2 and experimented on or details as the other prison guards.

11
Hank Muller ‘I am captain of the guard and I run a tight ship. You Cells
Hank is one of the nicer guards and often helps will address me as Captain Kim. When things do The cell walls are reinforced with korrilium making
out inmates if they do not cause problems but not run smoothly, I get upset. And when I get upset, them virtually impossible to break through. The
always collects on his debts. He has the same people get hurt.’ doors look like typical barred prison doors and
details as the other prison guards. are made from the same material. The only way
He smiles. of breaking through is with a high performance
cutting tool or with explosives, neither of which is
Lucas Abel ‘You will now be assigned your prisoner ID and cell available to the inmates.
The least liked guard in the prison. Simply talking number before proceeding to your cells.’
to him usually results in a beating. He has the The cells are split over three wings. A wing and
same details as the other prison guards. Hank Muller will allocate each member of the B wing house the male inmates and C wing is for
party with a prisoner ID and cell number. A the female prisoners. Each wing has 30 cells split
bracelet marked with these details is attached over two levels. Like most prisons, the cells here
Dr Peter Moore to their wrists. They will also be given some are very small consisting of two bunk beds, a wash
Dr Moore is a medical doctor stationed in the basic hygiene items such as a towel and some basin and a toilet.
prison infirmary. He is a good surgeon but has a soap before being marched to their cells. Unlike
terrible bedside manner. most prisons, they are not given uniforms and Male guards are stationed in wings A and B, whilst
are left in whatever clothes they were wearing female guards are in charge of C wing. The wings
when captured. and showers are restricted by sex but everywhere
Holding Area else is considered common areas where anyone
This is where new arrivals are processed. Once Prisoner ID numbers will start at 422 and be may go.
the party is inside, the door will be automatically assigned sequentially. Cell numbers (1 to 60
locked. Six guards stand at the sides while two for men, 61 to 90 for women) can be assigned Most of the players will be sharing their cell with
more search the party and remove all personal at random or to coincide with whichever one of the other 80 inmates. Details of the main
items except the clothes they are wearing. If inmates you want them to share with (as personalities are listed and you can assign their
anyone has a concealed item, the guard must make detailed later on). cellmates randomly, or pick ones that might make
an Investigate check to see if it is discovered. an interesting match.

The players would have already been searched Security Bracelets If anyone wants to change cell due to a clash of
when they were first apprehended so it is unlikely The bracelets are made from kirrilium and contain personality, they will have to speak to Captain
the guards will find anything, it is just an additional a small tracking device, which automatically Kim and convince him to allow the transfer. Kim
security measure. If the guards do find anything, sounds an alarm if they are anywhere they should will most likely refuse the request but he may
a swift punch to the stomach will remind the not be. The bracelets can only be removed agree if he wants something in return (such as
party that such things are not tolerated. Once the by transmitting the correct release code; this acquiring information).
searches are complete, the players will meet the requires an appropriate device to be constructed
captain of the guard. using appropriate materials and an Engineer
(Electronics) check –6 DM. Prison Security
A short skinny man with glasses enters the room and A number of reinforced doors separate each
speaks with a loud clear voice. section of the prison and the entire facility is

12
heavily monitored and guarded. If any situation Alien Groups 1, Drive 0, Persuade 2, Pilot (Spacecraft) 1, Vacc
gets out of the hand, each section of the prison Cage’s gang make life very unpleasant for most of Suit 0, Zero-G 0
can be locked down as appropriate. Even if the the aliens, so they tend to stick together. There are
players somehow manage to break through the several alien groups, the most notable one being The most prominent inmate personalities are listed
security and beat the guards, there is no way they the Narns. here with their statistic type in brackets. Please feel
can get off the moon as no transport remains free to add your own NPCs as required.
docked here.
Personalities
Rather than list separate statistics for each NPC, Captain Marco Sanchez (Officer)
Inmates a number of character types are detailed here that Captain Marco Sanchez was in command of the
All the prisoners here are those who were unlucky you can use as appropriate. Earthforce destroyer, Orinoco. Their mission was
enough to see the hybrid vessel or be in the area to investigate the ship disappearances near the rim.
when the jump gate was being used. The prisoners Crew After patrolling hyperspace for many months, they
are a mix of races and backgrounds including Str: 8 (0), Dex: 9 (+1), End: 7 (0), Int: 9 (+1), finally encountered the Equinox and hybrid vessel
mercenaries, traders, raiders and the Earthforce Edu: 8 (0), Soc: 8 (0) but even the Omega class destroyer was outgunned
crew from the Orinoco. Due to this mix of Skills: Astrogation 1, Comms 1 or Gunner 1 or by the forces of the Legacy Group. The surviving
captives, a number of gangs have formed making Sensors 1, Computers 0, Gun Combat (Energy crew from the Orinoco stick together and due to
it much like any other prison in the galaxy. Pistol) 0, Mechanic 0, Pilot (any) 2, Vacc Suit 0, their number most inmates do not give them any
Zero-G 0 trouble other than the odd passing insult.

Gangs Officer
A natural evolution of any prison is the formation Str: 8 (0), Dex: 8 (0), End: 8 (0), Int: 9 (+1), Claudia Kaufman (Officer)
of gangs, as like minded people gravitate together. Edu: 9 (+1), Soc: 10 (+1) Claudia is Captain Sanchez’s first officer. She
There are many gangs in the prison community, Skills: Computers 0, Gun Combat (Energy Pistol) is loyal and always looks out for her captain
but the most important ones are listed here. 1, Leadership 1, Mechanic 0, Melee (Blade) 1, and crew.
Pilot (Capital Ships) 1 or Pilot (Small Craft) 1,
Tactics (Naval) 1, Vacc Suit 0, Zero-G 0
Cage’s Gang Chris “Cage” Jackson (Officer)
This gang was established shortly after Cage Lurker Cage was the commander of a raider wing and
(detailed later on) and his men were captured. Str: 7 (0), Dex: 8 (0), End: 8 (0), Int: 7 (0), Edu: is now the leader of the toughest gang in the
The gang initially comprised of his raider group 8 (0), Soc: 7 (0) prison. If he was not locked up in prison, Cage
but the numbers soon grew as Cage made a name Skills: Athletics (Co-ordination) 1, Deception would most likely be a crime lord in some
for himself. 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Pilot (any) 1, Recon 1, seedy underworld.
Stealth 1, Survival 0

Orinoco Crew Malcolm “Roach” Adams (Lurker)

Of the 280 crew on the Orinoco, only 120 Merchant Cage’s right hand man. He gets his name because
survived the battle with the hybrid vessel. Many Str: 7 (0), Dex: 7 (0), End: 7 (0), Int: 9 (+1), he will not die. One look at him confirms this as
of the survivors have since been transported to Edu: 8 (0), Soc: 9 (+1) he only has one eye and one arm. He also has a
Legacy Base 2, leaving only 20 of the original crew Skills: Advocate 1, Broker 2, Comms 0, Computers
including several of the command staff.

13
variety of scars and walks with a slight limp but Ja’Lon (Crew) Eventually, the darkness is broken as light fills the
still looks like he means business. Ja’Lon was a communications operator on a Narn room, blinding you for a moment. Two men enter the
trading vessel. Several of their number were killed room, closing the door behind them. You instantly
by the hybrid vessel including the captain who recognise Seth Warner but the other man looks
Nina Stubbs (Lurker) was also her mate. She soon established herself as familiar too.
Nina used to be a mercenary and once she was a strong leader. Her own gang comprises of her six
imprisoned, she knew her best chance of survival remaining crew and a few other aliens that have ‘Hello again Captain. I believe you already know Mr
would be to join a gang. rallied to her cause. Quinn here.’

It takes a while for you to register who it is but

Chris “Napes” Napier (Merchant) Interrogation then you remember from his photo. This is William
Chris Napier and his friend Bruce Murphy Shortly after arriving in their cells and meeting Quinn, the man who used to work for Chen before
went into business together, trading supplies to their cell mates, the player captain will be taken to he ran away. The man you pursued to Mars before he
backwater worlds. Having had a few run-ins with the interrogation room. finally eluded you.
the law, he found it increasingly difficult to trade
in the more civilised areas but managed to make Captain Kim arrives at your cell with two guards. Allow this to sink in for a while as the player will
some good money buying and selling off the main He speaks into his link. hopefully start to put the pieces together, that the
trading routes. seemingly unrelated situation back in Episode
‘Open on (captains’ cell number).’ Three was all part of a larger plot.

Bruce “White Boy” Murphy (Crew) Your cell door opens and the two guards come in. ‘I just wanted to meet the man who chased me all the
White Boy, as he has become known to the prison You are cuffed and the guards pushed you out as way to Mars. You do like poking around don’t you?
population, is anaemic. This frail individual is Kim orders the cell to be closed behind you. You are However, your curiosity has finally got the better of
Chris Napier’s business partner and co-pilot. Both then led out of the cell wing into a separate part you this time.
Bruce and Chris keep a low profile to avoid any of the prison. After going through several security
trouble but Bruce is a common target of several doors and corridors, you come to a stop outside a We need to find out what you know. Personally, I like
gangs. room labelled IR1.’ to do things the old fashioned way but telepaths tend
to be more efficient.’
One of the guards unlocks the door and you are led in
Brandon Dodge (Merchant) and forced into a metal chair. As you sit in the chair, Seth walks up to you and places his hand on your
Dodge used to be an independent trader and restraints clamp around your ankles and the guards face. An intense pain erupts in your head as he begins
is one of the few people who has not made any hold you down as two more restraints lock your arms to scan you.
enemies in here, even the guards like him. He in place.
is the guy who can get you things, for the right
price of course. He does not belong to any gang to Kim and the guards then exit the room, leaving you Seth (detailed in Episode Two) will then begin a
maintain his neutral position amongst the inmates. in total darkness. deep scan and he will not be gentle. He will make
This standing has lead to certain privileges, which three separate checks to get what he needs. His
gives him access to goods no other inmates can The player will be left here for some time but they main focus is to find out if anyone else knows
get hold of. will have no sense of how much time has elapsed. the location of the base but he will also look for
anything else of interest.

14
It is unlikely that the player will be able to Prison Life 14:00 – Work Schedule
resist the scans and after a few seconds it will The inmates return to their assigned duties.
all be over. The player will suffer damage as
appropriate and the experience will be so Daily Routine
intense that their nose will start bleeding and Life in prison consists of a strict daily routine, as 18:25 – Count
they will feel mentally exhausted. follows. The third count is conducted as before.

Resisting the Scans

If the player managed to resist any of the scans, 07:00 – Wakeup call 18:30 – Dinner
Quinn will have to resort to more traditional A buzzer sounds as the lights some on. Inmates Inmates get one hour for their dinner.
methods of getting the information. Quinn’s get 15 minutes to freshen up before count.
interrogation techniques are quite brutal and the
player will wish they had not resisted the scan. 19:30 – Recreation Time
07:15 - Count The inmates get one and a half hours to themselves
Whatever happens, the player is going to be Another buzzer sounds as the cell doors open. as detailed later on.
feeling pretty rough. They will be so exhausted by The inmates must line up outside their cell and
the experience, that they are carried to their cell. the guards do a count to make sure everyone is
present. 21:00 – Cell Time
If Seth determines that the location of the beacon Inmates spend the rest of the evening locked in
is known to anyone else, the jump gate will be their cells but are free to pass the time as they
destroyed to prevent anyone else from finding 07:20 - Breakfast choose.
the base. Since no one has ever escaped from The inmates must walk in an orderly fashion to
this system, the precise jump coordinates are not the mess hall where they are served breakfast.
known to anyone outside the Legacy Group. 21:55 - Count
The final count of the day.
07:45 - Work Schedule
Fugitives Inmates are assigned duties in the excavation site,
Seth realises that having the Star Dancer added kitchens, laundry, workshop or as janitors. These 22:00 – Lights Out
to the list of missing ships may draw attention, tasks are detailed in the next episode. The cell doors are locked and the lights go out.
especially since they came looking for the hidden
jump gate. Using the transponder codes from the
Orinoco, Seth transmits a false report stating that 12:55 - Count Telepaths
the Orinoco is out near the rim pursuing the so A buzzer sound indicates the second count of the Any telepaths in the prison are given frequent
called ‘Ghost of Hyperspace’, the ship responsible day. doses of the sleeper drug to inhibit their telepathic
for the missing ships. abilities.

He will name the Star Dancer and its crew which 13:00 – Lunch
will filter through official channels and eventually Inmates get one hour for their lunch.
to the media. The players become known fugitives
and Seth is rather pleased with himself as he has
solved several problems with one swift move.

15
Eating & Recreation Duties Kitchens
The players will most likely be allocated to the Only the more trusted inmates are given kitchen
Gym work camps unless their skills make them more duty. Anyone working in the kitchens has a
A gym is provided so inmates can help maintain useful elsewhere. For example, an engineer or slightly different schedule, as they must have the
their physical health. Facilities are quite basic and mechanic would be assigned to the workshop. food ready and start serving as the other inmates
include bench presses, treadmills and exercise come to be fed at the appointed times. This is one
cycles. of the most sought after roles as the inmates get a
Excavation Site lot more recreation time, even if they do have to
This is where most of the players will spend their work the more unsociable hours.
Mess Hall time and is the key to their escape. This is detailed
Inmates are served set meals and are free to talk in the next episode.
amongst themselves without much interference Science Labs
from the guards. Anyone with archaeological or linguistic skills
Infirmary might be asked to work in the science laboratory
Characters with the appropriate skills are to help Dr Avari and her team research the findings
Recreation Rooms sometimes chosen to help out in the infirmary. here. This provides a rare opportunity for players
There are several recreation rooms where inmates This is another highly sought after duty but due to befriend Sakina and gain her trust.
gather to talk, play cards. Gambling is quite to the drugs and equipment kept here, only the
common for the meagre scraps the inmates have most trusted and well behaved inmates are selected
to bet with. to work here and they are always supervised by a Workshop
security guard. The workshop is where tools and equipment
are repaired. This is considered one of the better
Sports Hall duties, although inmates must demonstrate the
The small sports hall has facilities for several Janitorial Duty appropriate skills to work here. Although the
Earth-based sports including basketball and This is usually a punishment duty, or failing that, workshop is more heavily supervised than other
football. However due to the lack of organisation, the unpleasant cleaning jobs are given to the least duties to prevent anything being stolen by the
small groups tend to use different corners for their popular inmates. However, one advantage of being prisoners, inmates still manage to smuggle out
own preferred activities. given this task is that the inmates are given access items now and then.
to areas they would not normally be in (even if
they are supervised most of the time).
Possessions Next Time in the Legacy
Some prisoners have managed to get hold of
various items to help pass their time here. If an Laundry of War
item is not regarded as a threat, the guards will Laundry duty is hard work in a hot and steamy The story continues as the players slowly adjust to
acquire certain items (sometimes in exchange for environment. On the scale of duties, this one sits prison life. After several months of hard labour in
favours). Other items are liberated by inmates just above being a janitor. the work camps, the players discover an alien ship
during their duties. buried deep underground. This could provide
the party with a means of escape but keeping it a
secret while they prepare the way will not be easy.

16
 Gamesfest 4 :
24/10/2009 10:00 -17:00
Watford Colsseum
Rickmansworth Road
Watford

A one-day convention encompassing RPG’s, Board Games, CCG’s War Games, Comics, Books, Film, Video and PC Gaming.

Our aim is for an informal event that enables the enthusiast and casual gamer to sample the best the hobby has to offer.

This year will see Gamesfest’s fourth convention and our move to the exciting venue of the Watford Colosseum.

This year’s event represents a greatly increased scope and scale as we look to build on our previous successful events and firmly establish Gamesfest
as a regular and firm favourite in the convention calendar
The Watford Colosseum is a fantastic 1,000 person plus venue that is accessible by all forms of transport. By moving the event from our humble
origins we aim to make this one-day convention a truly memorable occasion. The increased space gives us scope to have a more exciting and varied
line up.

The Major Manufacturers, Publishers and Retailers that are coming to Gamesfest with hopefully some exciting new releases , are: Games Workshop
,Forge World, Warhammer Historical ,The Black Library ,Mongoose Publishing, Simple Miniature Games, Flames of War, Project Hydra ,Warlord
Games ,Chaos City Comics Calamity Comics ,Murky Depths, Cardbreakers plus many more.

There will be Tournament/Demo/participation games of: WH40K , Warmachine / Hordes, Flames of War, 4th ed Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder
, Memoir 44 , Helldorado and of course games from Mongoose publishing plus many many more.

Our guest includes luminaries such as Dan Abnett , Gav Thorpe , Simon Scarrow , Robyn Young , Richard Williams and many , many more

See you there – and Let the fest be the best – The Gamesfest Crew.

www.gamesfest.co.uk

17
 UK Games EXPO 2009
By Katrina Hepburn
Hug a Dalek
It was 6am on the morning of June the 6th 2009... of events. We eventually arrived at the venue, 4
wait...6am on the 6th of June?...666?...OMG! floors of gaming fun for the whole weekend! After
Anywho... the initial set up of the Mongoose stand, both
Sandrine and myself decided to check out the
It was the morning of the UK Games Expo. We floor we were on before the hordes of gamers were
jumped out of bed at lightning speed, totally allowed entry. Seeing familiar faces in the crowds,
enthusiastic about the coming day. Of course, like Mel from pagan angel with her bountiful array
I say lightning speed, ‘Lightning’ being our of jewellery and Ralph Horsley, the wonderful
neighbours’ pet tortoise, which had an unfortunate artist who has contributed so much to Blizzards
biking accident in his youth and is now lame in World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, we knew
both of his back legs. Yet it was 6am and we were this event would be simply fantastic.
enthusiastic.
After a hearty breakfast of sausage and bacon rolls,
Arriving at the Mongoose office we began the cash in hand and an air of enthusiasm that can only
loading of all the fantastic goodies we would be come from 3 espressos drank one after the other,
placing on sale at the stall at this most snazzy we hit the gaming floors. Our first game of choice
which immediately caught our attention was a
game very similar to Warhammer, though instead Hordes is also the perfect tabletop game for those
of controlling a vast army of possibly hundreds people who love the Warhammer style of gaming
of miniatures you control a party of beasts and but do not have hundreds of pounds to spend on
heroes, each model having its own distinct an army of models. This being said, we also had a
abilities. ‘Hordes’ is a tabletop game which, as well game of the World of Warcraft Miniatures (which
as being aesthetically pleasing to the eye, is also a are purchased pre-painted! WooHoo!).
strategy wargame, which does not require a huge
table to play on or a massive amount of miniatures Through the course of the day we also witnessed
at your disposal. If you are anything like myself, the Deluxe edition of Settlers of Catan, which is
you love playing the game but hate having to the most beautiful set of this classic board game I
paint hundreds of miniatures – painting days at have ever seen; Numerix, a simple yet amazingly
the Mongoose offices for me consist of a can of strategic game; And It’s Alive! by Reiver Games,
coke, the next series of Battle star Galactica DVDs a game where you need to try to build your own
and an insightful word of appraisal when Matt or Frankenstein monster. This game is one of those
Sandrine show me the masses of figurines they particularly fun games, which are amazingly
have managed to paint over the course of the day. brilliant for those nights where you have a few
History Lesson
18
 Mongoose Crew We cornered him Sir!

Birmingham. Anyway, the sunlight tends to burn

our pale gamer skins so it’s probably not worth
stepping outside at all.

One of the things about this particular convention

that I found unique was the Historical aspect. Not
only was the whole of the second floor dedicated
to portraits and masses of Medals of honour from
numerous wars around our globe (the complete
collection of medals being in the hundreds)
but also Kevin Goodman, a well known and
experienced medieval re-enactor, while giving
out the occasional basic swordplay lesson, was
showing off his impressive collection of real
medieval weaponry and giving talks and insight
on medieval weapons, armour, herbology and
numerous other historical subjects. To say this
man knows his stuff is an understatement. It was inspired by the likes of Nightmare and Crystal
friends round for food or drinks and you want an amazing pleasure to be able to chat on and off Maze. The emphasis is instead on teamwork,
something quick to learn and easy to play. Other with him throughout Expo. tactics and logical thinking with the players
featured games at the Expo included Hellfrost . trying to solve the various challenges. Both myself
by Triple Ace Games, Starblazer Adventures by This report would not be complete without a and Sandrine were taken on a tour through the
Cubicle 7 and of course many games we all know mention of the Living Dungeon. Now before dungeon that spiralled around numerous areas of
and love including the 4th edition of AD&D and you bite my head off, this is not LARP but rather the building, each room presenting its own brain
Warhammer. teasers and perils and we both agreed that it was
one of the most impressive live action dungeons
As we continue through my little article on the we had ever seen.
UK Games Expo of 2009, I feel a need to stress
the benefits of having a cafeteria at a convention Add to all of the above Stormtroopers, Battle
held in Birmingham. Myself, Matt and Sandrine Droids, live Daleks, Doctor Who with his
decided that on the second day, it would be nice Tardis and even characters from Final Fantasy
to try the cuisine of a local pub just a few minutes’ VII collecting for children charities. The thrill
walk from Expo. Let’s just say potatoes that deflate of actually getting to hug a Dalek is still wearing
when a fork is stuck into them would have been bad off.
enough, however the resounding “ppprrrrppphh”
noise that followed made us decide that the food The UK Games Expo 09 was an experience to
served at the convention itself was indeed the remember: Gaming, Live Role-play, Charity
food of the gods. My personal opinion, for what work, History and much much more all glooped
it is worth, is to never eat anything outside of the together with that sickly sweet substance we all
safe confines of the convention. At least not in love called FUN!
Nick...Erm...Anyway

19
 The Witching Wheel
By Carl Walmsley

When a band of slavers take prisoners into the flowers and herbs in the forest to make poultices All she needs now, is three hearts that are pure
forest to sell them to a notorious witch, the PCs are and unguents to heal the sick. Whenever a local – and three as black as night.
called upon to intervene. Before long they discover woman gave birth, she and her sisters would assist
that the slavers themselves have been betrayed and with the delivery.
that the witch’s plans involve a terrible sacrifice in
order to resurrect her long-dead family. On one occasion things did not go well. A mother Taken
and child both perished and the finger of blame The adventure begins when the PCs encounter
This scenario will work perfectly well as a stand- was pointed at Malyce’s mother. Gripped by grief Jeriniah, an escaped slave. This can occur either
alone adventure but can be run as a continuation and religious fervour, the locals turned on Estabel shortly after the conclusion of The Malady as
of the events which began in The Malady (Signs and her daughters. Her first child was crushed the PCs are planning to leave Sicklemede or
& Portents 67). beneath a witchblock; the second burned at the any time they are travelling the wilds, close to
stake. Only the youngest managed to escape a large forest.
– fleeing deep into the Grimwood. Estabel herself
A Century of was drowned on the witching wheel. Read or paraphrase the following:

Darkness What happened to the child whilst she was alone A lone figure, her bloodied arm hanging by her side,
For longer than anyone can remember, there has in the forest is not known but a decade after she half runs, half staggers into view. A sheen of sweat
been a witch in the forest. She is hard and cruel fled, she returned to Colmfet – the village where and grime covers her limbs, which are visible through
but will bestow great gifts upon those who venture her family had been slain – now a fully fledged her tattered clothing. Still clinging to her wrists is a
deep into the Grimwood and seek her favour. Each witch. Capable of all the terrible ills that her broken tether. Her lips move breathlessly, trying to
time that a petitioner’s wish is granted, however, mother had once been accused of, she first cursed form words that are clearly a plea for help.
there is a high price to pay. It is said that the witch and eventually destroyed the entire settlement.
can turn the truth into a lie or make a sword strike Since then the Grimwood has been hers – and Jeriniah is one of several people recently captured
off the hand that wields it. hers alone. by slavers. Whilst being marched northwards
she managed to escape and, after a chase, eluded
For this reason she is known as Malyce – The Recently, Malyce’s power was – temporarily – her captors in the woods. She is now desperate
Lady of Lies. augmented by a pestilential plant: a cursed creature to find someone who will go after the slavers
able to drain the life force of living creatures and and rescue their prisoners. Despite her ragged
It has not always been this way. Malyce was once channel it to her. The witch used this power to appearance, it is apparent that her clothing was
mortal and the youngest daughter of a midwife learn of a ritual that would enable her to resurrect once finely made, indicating that Jeriniah is a
called Estabel. During her childhood years, she and her murdered family. No longer would she need lady of some means.
her sisters learned their mother’s craft, gathering to be alone.

21
If the PCs talk with Jeriniah, she will reveal the • Calus is the name of a brigand who The Trees Have Eyes
following: used to terrorise the region. When travel A few hours into the journey (if the PCs are
through the area decreased, he faded following Jeriniah) or as soon as a Tracking Test
• A group of a dozen slavers lead by a man almost from memory. is failed (if they are guiding themselves) the
named Calus captured several locals and party will encounter a very strange forest denizen
marched them into the forest. – a wytchwood tree. The first of these trees was
• Amongst the captives were Jeriniah’s The Beginning of created by Malyce as a fitting punishment for
father, Henrick and a pregnant lady those who hang witches. A wytchwood tree grows
named Bethan. There were three other the Trail creepers that are tipped with nooses and seeks to
slaves, whose names Jeriniah does not Despite her injuries and exhaustion, Jeriniah wrap these around the throats of trespassers in
know. They are Mardin, Glaim and will offer to lead the PCs into the woods to find order to string them up.
Caffod. the slavers. She will certainly benefit from some
• Henrick is a rich man – a banker – and healing and any fatigue-relieving potions or spells The first the PCs will know of this tree’s presence
will certainly offer a rich reward to that the PCs can rustle up. Otherwise, she will will be when it attacks the lead two characters.
anyone who frees him. need to stop frequently and rest.
• Jeriniah overheard Calus reassuring his Wytchwood Tree
men that ‘the witch’ would abide by her Alternatively, the adventurers can trust to their CHARACTERISTICS
word and that she could be trusted to own tracking abilities and tell Jeriniah to stay STR 3D6+6 (17)
provide the gold in exchange for the behind. In this instance, checks made to follow DEX 1D6+6 (9)
slaves. Jeriniah’s trail are Simple (+20% modifier). The CON 5D6+9 (26)
• Calus’ men are afraid of the woods; tracker must test once per hour to stay with the SIZ 6D6+6 (27)
several of them believe they are cursed. trail and five successful checks must be made INT 3 (3)
• One of Calus’ ‘men’ is actually a dark to reach the slave party’s trail. From this point POW 1D6 (3)
troll. onwards, no further tests are required: the passage CHA 2 (2)
of 16 people – including four dragging tethered
feet – is unmissable. Wytchwood Tree Hit Locations
The Grimwood D20 Hit Location AP/HP
If the PCs talk to any locals, they will be able to Once the party embarks on their journey, read or 1-12 Trunk* 5/40
hear the legends surrounding the witch and the paraphrase the following: 13 Noose One 1/6
Grimwood. 14 Noose Two 1/6
Stepping within the confines of the Grimwood is like 15 Noose Three 1/6
• A witch holds sway over portions of entering another world. A weave of branches, leaves and 16 Noose Four 1/6
the forest, accepting offerings from the glistening fronds obscure the sky, casting an eerie twilight 17 Noose Five 1/6
animals and beasts in a sort of ‘wild over the forest interior. This gloom is accompanied by a 18 Noose Six 1/6
court’. Her name is Malyce. sense of violation – a feeling that you are intruding in a 19 Noose Seven 1/6
• The witch was once wronged and, in place that does not welcome you. 20 Noose Eight 1/6
revenge, cursed the forest.
If its trunk is reduced to 0 Hit Points, a wytchwood

22
tree dies. At this point – and with a resounding that has not rusted despite the fact it must have The ruins have an almost organic look, so
crack – it will topple. All creatures within 5m of been in the tree for several months. The armour overgrown are they with moss and creepers, they
the trunk must succeed with a Dodge test or suffer is a full suit of chain, reinforced with ornately seem very old indeed. They form a rough ring
1D8 Damage to a random location. decorated strips of plate depicting scenes of battle. with only one obvious route in. Accordingly, the
The accompanying helm is topped with an effigy slavers have positioned their troll on guard duty
A Noose vine reduced to 0 Hit Points is severed. It of a winged cobra about to strike. Unfortunately at this point.
will take a week to re-grow. for the former owner, all this armour provided no
protection from a wytchwood tree’s noose. The walls of the ruins are 0.5m thick and 4m
WEAPONS high. They are pitted and worn, providing plenty
Type Weapon Skill Damage All told, the armour encompasses: of handholds for anyone who attempts to climb
Noose vine 50% Grapple + them (+20% modifier).
suffocation* Item AP ENC Locations
Chainmail 6 4 Chest
*A successful noose vine attack initiates a Grapple Chainmail skirt 6 3 Legs Ruins Map
and begins to suffocate the target. Trying to Full Helm 6 2 Head
escape from this grapple is considered heavy 1. Reasoning that the eyes of any would-be-
activity: therefore, once a number of rounds equal There is unique enchantment on the armour that attackers will be focused on the troll, the slavers
to half the victim’s CON have elapsed, it must not only prevents it from tarnishing but enables have constructed a simple trap in this location. It
start testing for suffocation (see RuneQuest, page it to repair any damage it suffers. Overnight, any consists of a tripwire that releases a weighted net
90 for rules on suffocation). Once a Resilience test dents of holes miraculously vanish. suspended in the branches above.
is failed, the victim suffers 1D3 Damage to his
Chest location each round. Characters that are looking for traps need simply
Ruins pass a Perception Test to notice the tripwire and
SPECIAL RULES After several hours trekking through the forest, the net. Those who are not looking may still test but
Combat Actions: 2* party will reach the point where Jeriniah escaped receive a –30% Modifier.
Strike Rank: +5 from the slavers. The trail from this point is easy
Movement: 0m to follow and after another couple of hours hiking, If sprung, the trap immobilises a character until
Traits: Tremor Sense the PCs will discover a set of ruins, within which he passes an Unarmed or Brute Force Athletics
Skills: Perception 70% the greater part of the slaver band is encamped. test and struggles free of the net. Activation of the
Typical Armour: Thick Skin (5 AP on trunk; no trap will alert the troll (2.) and any slavers by the
Skill penalty; 1 AP on vines; no Skill Penalty) Part of Calus’s instructions from Malyce was that fire (3.)
he should wait at these ruins until one of her
*A wytchwood tree may attack with two noose servants contacted him. This has occurred a few 2. Standing watch over the entrance to the ruins
vines as a single action. hours before the PCs arrival and, taking three is a hulking troll. It carries a great hammer and has
of his most trusted men, Calus has followed the five javelins slung across its back. It has orders to
If the PCs topple the wytchwood tree, they will servant – a blood nymph – deeper into the forest. hold the entrance against attackers and will hurl
discover the remains of a rotted corpse strung He has taken with him a single slave – Bethan, the javelins at assailants rather than be drawn forth
from an upper branch. The putrid remains are pregnant woman. The other members of the band into a fight.
held together within an impressive suit of armour – eight men and a dark troll – have orders to wait
in the ruins for Calus’s return. Dark Troll (RuneQuest Monsters, page 31); replace
skill with sling for javelin.

23
24
3. The slavers have built themselves a campfire, should ideally be role-played out and not simply SPECIAL RULES
secure in the knowledge that its glow cannot be left to the whims of the dice gods. The key thing Combat Actions: 2
seen beyond the circle of ruins. Whilst they wait to remember whilst running such a negotiation is Strike Rank: +10
for Calus to return, 1D4+2 of them will be sitting that the slavers are essentially cowardly bullies but Movement: 4m
here chatting, eating or playing cards. they will not accept a deal that stings their pride: Skills: Athletics 32%, Dodge 32%, Perception
they want to leave but also want to feel this trek 40%, Resilience 35%, Stealth 32%, Survival
4. Using an alcove within the ruins, the slavers has not been a complete waste of time. 35%, Tracking 35%
have constructed a simple pen to hold their Armour: Padded Shirt (2 AP on Abdomen, Arms,
captives. Henrick and three other men are held If the PCs elect to attack the slavers camp, they Chest; –6% skill Penalty) and Leather Trews (1
here. One of the slavers sits nearby, keeping watch will have quite a fight on their hands. Many of AP on legs; –2% Skill Penalty)
over the prisoners. the slavers are former brigands and highwaymen,
recruited by Calus when he practised such a trade Note: Skill penalties from armour have already
5. The slaves have selected this secluded spot as a himself. Only if half of their number is downed been applied to relevant skills
sleeping area. Any of the eight human slavers not will the slavers seek to retreat or, if that is not
at locations 3. or 4. will be resting here. possible, surrender.
Freeing the Slaves
This area may be accessed by climbing over the Slavers (8) Assuming that the party manages to either defeat
rubble in the south western corner. Doing so STR (12) the slavers or strike a bargain with them, they
requires both an Easy (+40%) Athletics (Climbing) CON (13) should be able to free the captives. If Jeriniah is
Test and a Stealth Test to avoid knocking loose DEX (10) with the party she will be happily reunited with
rocks and alerting any sleeping slavers. SIZE (13) her father. Regardless of whether his daughter
INT (10) is present, Henrick will promise to reward the
POW (11) adventurers for saving him and will offer to
All of the slavers are unhappy with the way CHA (9) increase the payment if the PCs go after Calus and
their current assignment is working out. Calus save Bethan. Exactly how much he offers is up to
was promised a rich payment from Malyce in Slaver Hit Locations the GM but he is a rich man and somewhere in
exchange for the slaves but now it seems the witch D20 Hit Location AP/HP the region of 1,000 SP per party member is not
is only interested in buying the pregnant woman. 1-3 Right Leg 1/6 unreasonable.
Once divided between the group, the slavers 4-6 Left Leg 1/6
are wondering how any payment for a single 7-9 Abdomen 2/7 The rest of the slaves will be eager to leave the
person can provide enough to make this journey 10-12 Chest 2/8 forest as soon as possible. Though grateful to
worthwhile. 13-15 Right Arm 2/5 the PCs for any rescue, they will be unwilling to
16-18 Left Arm 2/5 venture further into the forest.
If the PCs can get close enough to listen to the slavers 19-20 Head 0/6
talking, their dissatisfaction will be apparent. This If the PCs have left any of the slavers alive they can
will present the PCs with an alternative to an all- WEAPONS question them about Calus’ plans and destination.
out fight. The slavers are unscrupulous men. None Type Weapon Skill Damage AP/HP A subdued slaver will be even more cowardly then
of them have any great loyalty to Calus. If the PCs Battleaxe 42% 1D6+1 3/8 usual and will quickly reveal that:
can present a bargain that provides the slavers with Buckler 37% 1D4 5/8
a way to leave the forest and still earn some coin,
they may well accept the deal. Such an encounter

25
 • A half woman, half-tree creature with party, his befuddled mind will be thrown into their path will still lead north: and from what
red, hoary skin came out of the woods further turmoil. This will give the party a chance Zhimon can reveal, it will seem more important
and spoke with Calus. This is the blood- to challenge him or simply surround him. Once than ever to rescue Bethan.
nymph messenger sent by Malyce. he recovers his wits, if not restrained in some way,
• Shortly after this creature arrived, Calus he will flee again – southwards and out of the
took the pregnant woman and three of forest. The Bones of
the slavers and followed it north. He
said that he would be back in a day or After what he has seen, Zhimon is terrified. He no Colmfet
two with a hefty payment in gold. longer cares about getting paid – he just wants to After a few hours trudging through the forest,
• He insisted that nobody was to harm get safely out of the forest. If talking to the PCs the party will discover the clearing where Calus,
the other slaves whilst he was away, as he seems like it will help accomplish that, he will Zhimon and the others met with Malyce and were
might yet be able to sell them to Malyce need no prompting before he starts recounting betrayed:
– though, at least for now, she seemed what has happened:
only interested in the pregnant woman. Ahead, you notice more light filtering through the
• Calus went to an awful lot of trouble to • Calus, Zhimon and the two other slavers dense canopy, making it apparent that the trees are
acquire this particular woman. There is followed the blood nymph northwards thinning out. Just visible beyond the foliage, you spy
something special about her, though the to the edge of a clearing. There were a clearing. Irregular bumps and grooves and few
slavers are not sure what it is. signs that this had once been the site of rough-hewn stones whisper of a settlement that must
a village. once have existed here.
Whether the party is able to question the slavers • Malyce appeared, rising from the ground.
or not, it should be apparent that their path leads She wore a cloak of rotting leaves and Perhaps a dozen yards from the tree line are two large
further north – perhaps to deal with Calus, almost twigs and smelt of decay. slabs of stone, one resting atop the other. A sort of
certainly to rescue Bethan. Let the party get to a • She seemed pleased with the pregnant scaffold has been erected around them, with thick
point where they have decided what to do and woman Calus had brought and promised vines strung about the uppermost stone. A dark stain
then begin the next encounter before they have a him payment. runs in trickling lines from between these monstrous
chance to leave the ruins. • Without warning, a pair of centaurs slabs.
rushed from the trees and, with the help
of the blood nymph, subdued Calus and This is the site upon which the village of Colmfet
A Lying Witch two of the slavers. Zhimon managed to once stood. It was destroyed by Malyce and her
Read or paraphrase the following: escape. He was surprised that no one followers a little over a century ago: an act of
gave chase but he heard Malyce call revenge for the villagers’ murder of her family.
The noise of pounding feet and snapping twigs echoes ‘Leave him. We have what we need.’
from the forest. Moments later, a man dressed and The scaffold surrounding the witchblock is newly
armed just like the slavers comes bounding into view. Learning that Calus has been betrayed is unlikely constructed. A wheel-operated winch built into
A look of wild panic is writ large of his sweating to change the party’s plans – nor to generate any the frame allows for the upper block to be raised
features. sympathy. It should emphasise how duplicitous and lowered. Currently pressed flat between the
Malyce can be, however. two huge stones (each weighing 1,500 kg) is the
The man is Zhimon and he is one of the three body of one of the slavers who accompanied
slavers who travelled north with Calus. Things Whether or not the party tries to persuade or Calus northwards. His murder is the first step
have not gone according to plan and he has fled coerce the slavers into accompanying them (not in a ritual that Malyce is performing in order to
back to his companions. As soon as he sees the a good idea – they will flee first chance they get), resurrect her family.

26
There is little else of interest in Colmfet – just old Appearing as if from nowhere is a figure that stands nose. The swirl of colours and sounds pounds against
stones and crumbling foundations. A character on what must once have been the centre-ground of your skull and a terrible cold panic chills your bones.
that searches for tracks may discover fresh hoof the village. With slow, deliberate movements, she There is sudden sunlight – a gasp of air – and then a
and footprints clustered around the witchblock. raises a hand and beckons you nearer. return to frosty depths.
In fact, it is apparent that someone was forcibly
dragged to the stones. There are further prints The newcomer is the ghost of a former villager, The visions end as suddenly as they began. It takes
leading eastwards into the forest. doomed to wander this site in shame for the a moment more for you to realise that the woman
acts committed in life. She played a pivotal role before you was present in each scene – screaming for
in the murder of Malyce and her family. The murder and baying for blood – the blood of a family
Malyce’s Ritual arrival of the PCs and the plans being enacted by she now knows to have been innocent.
There are three stages to the ritual that Malyce Malyce, present the ghost with some chance at
must complete if she is to summon her family from atonement. The visions are glimpses of the last moments of
beyond the veil. Each stage involves sacrificing a life for each member of Malyce’s family. Once the
black-hearted soul – Calus and the slavers – in If the PCs move within a few metres of the ghost ghost imparts this vision, she will draw a simple
the same manner that Malyce’s family were killed. they will notice that is she is ever so slightly map in the mud using the temporarily possessed
Her eldest sister was crushed between the same translucent. She will – in as non-threatening a character’s finger (see Player Handout One).
witchblocks that the PCs can see have recently way as possible – reach out to touch one of the
been used. Her mother’s second child was burned PCs on the forehead. If she is allowed to do this, After this, she will fade away to nothing, having
at the stake and Estabel herself was fixed to the the character will experience a vision: done what she can to help.
wheel of a watermill and drowned.
With a sudden jolt, you are forced onto your belly, If none of the PCs are willing to let the ghost
Malyce has completed the first sacrifice by the stone rough and cold against your skin. The wild touch them, she will leave them in peace and fade
crushing a victim between the witchblocks. She jeering of a crowd fills your ears. There is a creaking away. They will soon be able to pick up Malyce’s
plans to burn the second at the stake and drown of wood and something above you blots out the sun. trail but will have missed an important clue in
the third on the witching wheel. This will allow Sudden and terrible pressure exerts itself upon your terms of working out what she is doing.
her to place the souls of her dead family inside shoulders and you feel your lungs pressed flat. Bones
the triplets that Bethan is currently carrying. It creak and deform, splintering within your pinned
is the fact that she is due to bear three children body. The taste of blood fills your mouth. The pain The Watchers
that made her of such value – first to Calus, who is indescribable. By this stage of the adventure, regardless of how
was told to find a woman bearing three babes and careful the PCs might have been, their passage
consequently Malyce. You are somewhere else. Flames rise like wailing through the forest will not have gone unnoticed.
demons with red tongues that lick and burn. Beyond There are many creatures that serve the witch
the haze of smoke and the stink of your own crisping of Grimwood and they have told her about the
A Voice from the flesh, a crowd bellows and shrieks. Their faces are strangers that follow her.
twisted by hatred.
Past As a result of this, Malyce will begin preparing a
Once the PCs have had a brief opportunity to The world turns and the sky lurches. Water gushes few surprises for the adventurers.
explore the village site, a ghostly apparition will into your screaming mouth and down through your
materialise:

27
28
The Second The Final Sacrifice
Smouldering Corpse Hit Locations Following the trail or making use of the ghost’s
Sacrifice D20 Hit Location AP/HP map, the party should be able to find its way to
Heading eastwards from the ruins of Colmfet, 1-3 Right Leg 2/5 Maiden’s Mill. This is the spot where Malyce’s
Malyce has ascended a small hill that rises to just 4-6 Left Leg 2/5 mother was executed – lashed to the outside of
below the level of the surrounding trees. The hill 7-9 Abdomen 2/6 the water wheel, submerged time and time again
is a desolate place, barren but for a few patches of 10-12 Chest 2/7 until her body and spirit gave out.
rough grass. Atop this hill, she has constructed a 13-15 Right Arm 2/4
pyre and, at just about the same time the PCs are 16-18 Left Arm 2/4 The old mill is in a poor condition but enough of
encountering the ghost, she sets it ablaze – leaving 19-20 Head 2/5 the structure still stands to serve Malyce’s purpose.
Calus’ slaver companion to be burned alive. When the PCs arrive, a number of important
WEAPONS things will be happening:
The PCs will see smoke from the pyre, rising above Typ Weapon Skill Damage
the tree line. If they have the ghost’s map they can Burning Rake50% 1D3+1D4+1D2 fire • Calus is in the process of being tied to
determine that it originates from the direction the blades of the water wheel by Malyce’s
of ‘Charnel Knoll’. If they investigate the tracks SPECIAL RULES blood nymph servant. He has been
leading from the village – which include two sets Combat Actions: 2 drugged and is not struggling.
of centaur prints and are therefore rather easy to Strike Rank: +7 • The two centaurs, each carrying a bow,
follow (+40% Modifier) – they will see that these Movement: 2m stand watch over the forest, searching
head off in exactly the same direction. Traits: Dark Sight, Night Sight for signs of the PCs.
Skills: Athletics 35%, Resilience 35% • Malyce is out of sight within the Mill.
By the time the PCs arrive at Charnel Knoll, the Armour: Scorched chain (2 AP; no skill penalty) She has prepared Bethan for her role in
slaver will be dead – his corpse a blackened husk. the ritual, binding her fast to the frame
However, Malyce has left a grisly surprise in the The smouldering corpse will fight fearlessly until of an old bed on the ground floor.
form of a spell that reanimates the charred body destroyed.
as soon as anyone draws near: If, for some reason, the PCs head straight to the
mill from Colmfet (effectively cutting out a visit
Charred and lidless eyes swivel suddenly and the Tracks around the hilltop show where wood was to Charnel Knoll), they will be able to get ahead
still steaming corpse wrenches itself from its pole. gathered from the forest and used to construct the of Malyce and her followers. It is clear from her
Clenching black fingers of protruding bone, the thing pyre. The stump of a small tree sits at the edge activities what Malyce will be planning to do
lurches forward. of the tree line – its trunk having been used to – however in this instance the PCs will have a
fashion the pyre’s central stake. From the pyre chance to interrupt her plans earlier on.
Smouldering Corpse itself, the trail leads northwest.
STR (22)
CON (3) If – following the attack of the smouldering The Ritual Begins
DEX (9) corpse – the PCs do not realise that Malyce is If the PCs do not intervene, Malyce will climb to
SIZE (11) aware of their presence, you may want to nudge the upper floor of the Mill from where she can
INT (2) them towards this conclusion. Ideally, the look down on the water wheel and watch as Calus
POW (2) adventurers should be cautious as they approach is drowned. All the while she will chant quietly.
CHA (2) the final encounter, as the witch is not a foe to It will take three minutes for the drugged slaver
be taken lightly. to die. At this point, the ritual will be complete

29
– and the souls of Malyce’s dead family will be them, retreating to the bridge to make a stand if Saving Calus
recalled from the spirit world to inhabit the three necessary. If Calus survives this encounter then, whether
unborn babes within Bethan’s womb. The shock they want it or not, the PCs will have earned
of this will immediately trigger the beginnings of 3. Maiden’s Mill is a ramshackle building but still his gratitude. He will offer to share the location
childbirth. structurally sound. It stands two floors high and of some of his ill-gotten gains, dating back to
has a cellar where the workings of the wheel are the time when he was a brigand. Of course, this
Whatever the PCs do, Malyce’s priority will housed. ‘reward’ will also act as incentive for the PCs not
be to complete the ritual, while her servants to kill him – Calus is one of life’s natural survivors.
do everything they can to keep the PCs on the 4. The Witching Wheel itself has clearly been In other words he is an amoral blackguard with a
southern side of the river. As soon as she is aware repaired in recent times – new wood fitted to devious streak a mile wide.
of the PCs, Malyce will make her way to the wheel the rusted iron frame. The circumference of the
and begin to strike Calus in the stomach each time wheel is 4 metres and it takes 1 Combat Round to Exactly what is in this stash and where it is located,
he cycles on the wheel. This will drive the air from revolve completely. is entirely up to the GM. Perhaps it is hidden deep
his lungs and half the amount of time it takes him in the forest – and that, with Malyce around, Calus
to drown. Only if it becomes impossible for her to was unable to retrieve it. Heading off to claim this
complete the ritual will Malyce seek to escape into A Final Drama money (with an ex-brigand, slave master whose
the forest. If she manages to do so, the PCs will Once the encounter is concluded, regardless of gratitude will only last so long) could provide a
find that they have a powerful enemy to contend whether Malyce has succeeded with the ritual, fitting beginning for the PC’s next adventure.
with. Bethan will go into labour. The stress will have
simply been too much.
You should aim to run this final encounter as a Dramatis Personae
race against time. The PCs will have no idea how At this point, Malyce and her allies will withdraw
long it will be until Calus drowns – or exactly (if not already defeated) and leave Bethan for the Malyce, Lady of Lies, Mistress of the
what will happen if he does. Though they will PCs to take care of. Either the witch has been Grimwood
have little concern for the slaver’s safety, they successful in her attempts to return her family’s STR (14)
should be worried about the fate of Bethan and souls or she has failed. There is no reason to hang CON (17)
her children. around either way. DEX (15)
SIZE (10)
The Maiden’s Mill Map provides a layout of this The PCs will need to comfort Bethan, who is INT (18)
location: understandably upset and make a Simple (+20%) POW (16)
First Aid or Easy (+40%) Healing Test to deliver CHA (13)
1. A simple stone bridge spans the river at this each of her three children. Failure with any roll
point. The river is 5 metres wide, requiring a indicates a complication with one of the deliveries. Hit Locations
Difficult (–20% Modifier) Athletics Test to leap The character should make a second roll to rectify D20 Hit Location AP/HP
from one bank to the other without falling into the situation. If this too fails, the child will 1-3 Right Leg 2/6
the fast-flowing water. Swim tests to cross the unfortunately not survive the birthing. 4-6 Left Leg 2/6
river suffer are Difficult (–20%). 7-9 Abdomen 2/7
After this, the PCs will be free to leave the forest 10-12 Chest 2/8
2. Two Centaur guards (RuneQuest Monsters, page (unless you wish to further subject them to the 13-15 Right Arm 0/5
25) are positioned here to watch for the PCs. They horrors of the Grimwood) and collect their reward 16-18 Left Arm 0/5
will open fire with their bows as soon as they see from Hendrick. 19-20 Head 4/6

30
31
WEAPONS SPECIAL RULES The Grim Heart bestows upon a mortal owner
Type Weapon Skill Damage AP/HP Combat Actions: 3 the life span of a great oak. The owner may
Sickle 65% 1D6 4/8 Strike Rank: +14 also commune freely with all creatures within
Spider Bundle* 60% special - Movement: 4m the Grimwood, with a +40% modifier to all
Skills: Dodge 70%, First Aid 55%, Influence 66%, interaction tests. Finally, it allows him or her to
Within her cloak, Malyce stores a number of web Lore (Animal) 95%, Lore (Grimwood) 97%, Lore grant a single wish, once each year – though the
sacks – each filled with hatchling spiders. Up to a (Plant) 101%, Perception 87%, Persistence 79%, results of this wish will be twisted in some way.
range of 10m, she can hurl these at her foes. Upon Resilience 70%, Stealth 75%, Survival 75%,
contact a bundle bursts in a chittering spray of Tracking 80% If Malyce is slain, the Heart will sink into the
hungry arachnids that bite and feed. The spiders Magical Skills: Runecasting (Beast) 76%, ground and then reappear within the tree where
automatically introduce the following the venom Runecasting (Death) 75%, Runecasting (Plant) it once lay.
into the target’s system: 91%
Rune Magic Spells: Animate Husk, Clear Path, Malyce appears as a woman in her thirties, her skin
Spider Venom Verdant Surge*, Vigour, Worms in the Apple*, smeared with mud and covered in scratches. Her
Type: Smeared Armour: Grimwood Cloak (2 AP on legs, hair is cut short and tucked beneath a fearsome
Delay: Immediate abdomen, chest; no skill penalty), boar’s skull boar’s head skull that she wears as a helm. Her
Potency: 50 helm (4 AP on Head, no skill penalty) cloak, which covers her from head to foot, is made
Full effect: 1 Hit Point Damage to random Equipment: Beast Rune, Death Rune, Plant Rune, from animal pelts and a covering of rotting forest
location, applies –3 penalty to victim’s DEX and Grimwood cloak, boar skull helm, Grim Heart, detritus.
STR sickle
Duration: 1D6 Minutes Against foes that violate her forest, Malyce typically
*RuneQuest Spellbook uses Verdant Surge to hamper their progress. If she
A creature struck by a spider bundle will continue gets close enough, she will add their bodies to the
to be bitten for 1D6 rounds, with the effects from The Grim Heart is a magical artefact that holds rot of the forest floor with Worms in the Apple.
each attack being cumulative. A creature reduced the key to Malyce’s power. She found it within
to 0 DEX or STR is paralyzed until the venom an ancient, hollow tree deep inside the forest. It Blood Nymph
wears off. was placed there by a long forgotten faerie lord. In STR 3D6+6 (19)
form, it resembles a root ball, laced with glistening CON 3D6+3 (15)
tendrils that seem rainbow-hued in the light. DEX 4D6 (18)
SIZE 2D6+6 (12)
INT 2D6+3 (9)
POW 3D6+3 (14)
CHA 3D6 (10)

32
Blood Nymph Hit Locations SPECIAL RULES
D20 Hit Location AP/HP Combat Actions: 3
1-3 Right Leg 4/6 Strike Rank: +14
4-6 Left Leg 4/6 Movement: 6m
7-9 Abdomen 4/7 Traits: Vampiric Touch
10-12 Chest 4/8 Skills: Dodge 55%, Lore (Plants) 90%, Resilience 40%, Stealth 90%, Tracking 100%
13-15 Right Arm 4/5 Armour: Bark Hide (4 AP; no skill penalty)
16-18 Left Arm 4/5
19-20 Head 4/6 A blood nymph resembles a bark-skinned woman with hair of grass and moss. Their rough skin is
the colour of congealed blood and their eyes are orbs of an even deeper hue. They cannot speak but
WEAPONS communicate with an intricate sign language and the release of potent fragrances.
Type Weapon Skill Damage AP/HP
Blood root claws 70% 1D4 + 1D4 —
Blood thorns 50% 1D8 — New Spell
A blood nymph attacks its enemies with snaking Animate Husk
root fingers that burrow beneath the skin and drain Casting Time 10, Duration Special, Magnitude 5, Touch
a target’s blood. A creature injured by these root
claws loses 1 point of STR. This will be recovered At the touch of your hand, the dead flesh twitches and moves. Long sightless eyes roll down from a skinless skull
once the injured body part is completely healed. in order to watch and wait for the next fool who blunders near.

At range of up to 20m, a blood nymph can hurl The touched corpse becomes a lethal trap – lying dormant until any living creature other than the caster
barbed thorns. It may do so only twice each day: comes within 3m of it. At this point it animates and attacks.
after this, it needs time to regrow the thorns.
The corpse has the same characteristics as a zombie. It will continue to attack until either it is destroyed
or 10 Combat Rounds have elapsed – at which point, the husk de-animates.

33
Book 11: The Prisoners of Time, is the
latest instalment from Joe Dever’s Lone
Wolf Series.

COMING SOON, only from Mongoose

Publishing.
 Magic of the Kabala
Uri Kurlianchik
Throughout their long history, the Jewish people have often been confronted
with various threats, ranging from murderous pogroms and persecutions to
supernatural assaults by evil spirits and antediluvian demons. Always the
minority, and far from warlike, the Jews had developed a system of charms
based on exploiting the immense power hidden in the explicit name of God
(YHVH), also known as ‘The Great and Terrible Name.’

The charms presented here are mostly taken from the works of Rabbi Moshe
ben Mordecai Zacuto of Venice (1625-1697), a poet and a philosopher who
also dabbled in kabalistic mysticism in his old age.

Because kabala is a tricky art at best, every charm has a chance to fail even if
performed properly and with the best of intentions; whenever attempting to
use a kabala charm, make a Wisdom knowledge check against the charm’s DC.
Failure indicates the charm fizzled harmlessly, while a critical fumble bestows
a curse (as if cast by a 20th level cleric) on the kabalist or afflicts him with some
other kind of misfortune (chosen by the DM). In most cases, the kabalist will
not know whether the charms worked or fizzled until it is too late.

The author does not recommend trying these charms in real life… just in
case.

Kabala in Your Game

These charms work best in modern or historic settings where magic is not
taken for granted. In such a setting, uncovering these charms and finding
all the right materials to perform them could serve as exciting quests in and
of themselves and the charms, quite often, will be the only escape from an
otherwise hopeless situation. On the other hand, a villain who somehow got
his hands on these charms and uses them for evil could make a formidable
nemesis with his newfound magic powers. To battle this villain, the PCs
will have to gain access to various charms themselves and do it as quickly as
possible, for a man who can walk hundreds of miles per day, become invisible
at will and manipulate anyone to do his bidding is a dire nemesis indeed.

These charms can come in handy for a low-level fantasy hero as well. Although
greatly inferior to their arcane and divine spell analogues, these charms can

35
be performed by characters of any level or class, provided they gain access
to the needed materials and texts. In this case, they will fill the roll of
improvised, low-level magic, rather than the powerful and awesome
mysticism that they would be in a historic or modern campaign.

The Seven Virtues

The Seven Virtues are a collection of powerful charms given to Adam and
Eve after they sinned before the LORD and were exiled from the Garden
of Eden. The Holy, blessed be He, realising that the fragile couple would
not survive in the harsh primordial environment into which they were
cast, naked and unarmed, had created the Seven Virtues to ensure the
survival of humanity.

Upon finishing this wonderful tome, a massive book with sheets of crimson
gold, letters of precious stones and covers of lustrous sapphire, He passed
it to his most trusted servants, Raziel and Galizor, who delivered it to
Adam and told him, ‘from these virtues you will know all that is destined
to happen and will be able to accomplish whatever you want. But,’ and
the great angels’ features suddenly turned severe and terrible, ‘be wary, for
it is consuming fire to abuse them; perform every virtue as ordained and
you will succeed with great purity!’

The original tome given to the First Man was lost eons ago but lesser
versions of these charms are practiced by students of the mystic art of
kabala to this very day. However, even the greatest scholars rarely choose
to attempt these for fear of the consuming flame of God. Even these lesser
virtues are extremely powerful and must be treated with caution and
purity. Any of the following is considered impure and will result in the
automatic failure of the charm and inflict a curse or some other kind of
divine retribution on the kabalist;
• Touching a dead humanoid.
• Eating non-Kosher food.
• Straying from Lawful Good alignment.
• Practicing any form of arcane magic or psionics.
• Worshipping any beings save God.

1. The Virtue of Kings (DC 13)

If you wish to go before a king or a ruler and have him do as you desire and
to give you everything you want, take a mitre on which a baby was born and

36
write on it these 10 names and put it in your sash and go with it before the king, This useful virtue grants the kabalist a +2 luck bonus to all non-
the lord, or the government and he will undoubtedly give you your desire. combat rolls made inside his shop or home, as long as the kabalist
deals fairly with his customers and treats his family kindly. Greedy
kabalists who try to bless both their home and shop, suffer a
The Virtue of Kings grants a 2d4 temporary enhancement bonus to –4 luck penalty to all rolls as long as both fliers are in their places.

Charisma, adding the usual benefits to Charisma-based skill checks and 4. The Virtue of Invisibility (DC 15*)
other uses of the Charisma modifier. This bonus applies only to NPCs who Take a twig, make a small cut in it and write on a parchment made of a fallen
are wealthier or more experienced than the kabalist and only if the request is deer’s carcass these excellent names and put the parchment inside the twig and
just and sincere or works for the common good. So, while asking for a bag of place it against your heart and walk in front of any man and he will not be able
gold to help the community would work, suggesting the baron executed the to see you. But be warned; it is not proper to write it save during the month of
kabalist’s rival would not (and probably cost the villain his own life). Tamuz**.
* Wisdom check must be re-rolled for every minute of invisibility
2. The Virtue of Flying (DC 17) ** mid-June to mid-July.
For the Jumping of the Path, that is, to walk the path of a year in a single day
or to cover the passage of a month in one hour, write these 10 names on deerskin This useful virtue has enabled many Rabbis to escape their persecutors
parchment and take a cane of four cubits, as the measure of a man and cut the cane without committing the sin of bloodshed. This works just like invisibility
and insert the scroll inside it and, during prayer, put on your face a handkerchief but is cancelled if used for theft, peeping, assassination or any other
and ride on the cane and say this: ‘by the 10 names which are written on the scroll immoral purposes. In any case, the kabalist is able to see himself and can
which is inside this cane on which I ride, lead me from this place to place so-and- judge whether he is visible or not only by others’ reactions.
so,’ and you will be there. Also, the old manuscripts say that one should not stay invisible for more
than 10 minutes per day else he would disappear from the world completely.
And be careful not to remove the handkerchief from your face before you reached So far, no one has dared to test the truth of this dire warning, which might
your destination for then you will surely fall. And after you arrived to wherever you or might not be true.
wanted to go, feast in reverence for three days and wash and purify your body and
praise the LORD, for he is great and merciful. 5. The Virtue of Safety (DC 15)
To pacify the sea’s rage, take a new cauldron and write on it: ‘I, so-and-so,
The Virtue of Flying enables the kabalist to fly at the speed 50 miles per implore with the 10 names of the fifth virtue that the lord of the sea, Zerukhael
hour for as long as a day (12 hours) at a time, after which he must rest and the lords of the four winds pacify the sea from its rage and tumult and
and purify himself before attempting the virtue again. During flight, the safeguard this ship from all evil until it comes to shore and let it be unharmed.’
kabalist is extremely vulnerable because he must keep his face covered with a And shatter the cauldron and throw the shards to the four winds of the sea and
handkerchief, his arm holding the cane and his tongue repeating the prayer. reach your destination safely.
If he fails to do so, the cane will lose its divine powers and the kabalist will
plummet to his death. This powerful virtue is usually used by travellers who must travel to faraway
lands. If properly performed, it guarantees good weather throughout the
3. The Virtue of Success (DC 11) passage and automatically cancels any harmful encounter such as pirate
Wash and purify and write these holy names on the newborn baby’s mitre and on raids or monster attacks.
a forged silver flier and bury the mitre and flier under the earth when the sun does
not rule and in the morning remove them and hang them on the entrance to your The Virtue of Safety does not work if there are more evil than good NPCs
shop or home and you will succeed in all of your endeavours. on the ship, instead turning the voyage into a nightmare of violent storms
and murderous assaults until the good-to-evil balance is restored.

37
6. The Virtue of Commanding (DC 17) Any violence towards the target immediately ends the virtue’s effect and
Take a staff of the loz or ashira tree and write on it these fabulous names. And cracks the staff, rendering it useless.
if, while walking down the road, you see people who are mean to you or seek to
do you harm, take the staff and strike the earth with it three times and say each 7. The Virtue of Love (DC 19)
time ‘go your way’ and they will go their way and if you wish to hold them, say If you wish to be loved by all people and have them follow you because of the
‘stand’ and they will stop and write these names in great purity and use them power of their love, take the new born baby’s mitre or a deer parchment that
not for evil lest you be swallowed by the earth. was worked by a pure man and write on it these admirable words in purity and
holiness. And after you have finished that, roll the parchment into a scroll and
This virtue is designed to protect the lone traveller from brigands and touch with it every man or woman and immediately they will follow you.
thugs. It affects anyone able to see and hear the kabalist and whose attitude
is hostile. The first command causes the target/s (7 humanoids maximum) This virtue is the most morally ambiguous and as such is the least used by
to walk away in a random direction for 2d4 minutes, while the second honest Rabbis and the most abused by corrupt kabalists. It causes anyone
simply causes them to stand confused in their places, unable to decide what who doesn’t hold a specific grudge against the kabalist to become helpful for
to do or where to go. Both commands can be avoided with a successful 24 hours, after which his attitude returns to what it was before the virtue’s
Will save (DC 20).

38
application. Only one person can be affected at any given time, and the all questions truthfully and to the best of their knowledge. However, since
same person can only be affected once per lunar cycle. not all angels are friendly and certainly none of them are Omni sentient,
the given answer is very likely to be untrue or partial, depending on the
Those affected by the virtue are not aware of the fact that they are being angel and on how well the charm was performed. In any case, as long as
manipulated and attribute their sudden helpfulness to genuine respect the kabalist and the child remain within the circle, both are safe from any
or attraction, depending on their gender and orientation. The Will DC physical or magical attacks attempted by the summoned angel, who has
to avoid this effect is 25 for indifferent of friendly targets and 20 for only a few minutes to attempt anything before being expelled from this
unfriendly ones. world. Nevertheless, angels are powerful and immortal beings and should
one decide to go on a personal vendetta against the kabalist, sooner or later
they will find a way to hurt him.
Additional Charms
While not part of the seven virtues, these charms are also useful and Roll Outcome
powerful and are worthy of mention. They follow the same rules as 1 The angel is offended and attempts to harm the kabalist.
virtues but do not require such strict purity to attempt and have lesser 2–10 The angel gives a false answer.
consequences of failure (usually simply a –1 luck penalty to all rolls for 11–16 The angel gives a partial answer.
1d4 days or a minor misfortune of the DM’s choice.) 17–19 The angel answers the question honestly.
20 The angel answers the question and gives a useful advice.
The Charm of Augury (see below)
Take a new knife with a black hilt and make a circle on the ground of such The Charm of Protection (DC 13)
a size so that you will be able to sit inside it with a boy or a girl who are To bring in the thief, take a newly-bought axe and write on it this holy name
younger than nine years and older than eight years and anoint the child and hang it above your door and the thief will come and surely be destroyed.
with oil mixed with soot scraped from a pan and warn him not to look
outside the blessed circle and after that whisper in his right ear ‘Catcriel As soon as someone with ill-intentions enters the kabalist’s home, the
who Answers, may you show yourself to this boy and answer truly to what axe immediately comes to life, attacking the intruder with a +14 attack
I ask.’ Three times whisper this and then the child will see a strange man bonus for 2d8+14 points of damage for three rounds before becoming an
riding a white mule and say to the stranger three times ‘welcome in the inanimate object again. Only one door per home can be trapped; trying to
name of God,’ and after that say ‘right before my eyes, may you get down trap more doors simply cancels the previous charms.
from this mule,’ and after that ask your question. And after you have found
out what you wanted to know, tell the stranger ‘leave in peace’ and if the boy This charm can be used in conjunction with the Virtue of Success, for the
did not see anything of that, he will repeat all the above mentioned three more success one enjoys the more enemies he has.
times but if the stranger lied, the child will say ‘in the name of Sansiel, may
you tell me the truth,’ and remember naught of this and that. The Charm of Legacy (DC 14)
For the baby to be wise, let the woman’s son or husband write on her breasts;
And do this only once for every cycle of the moon* lest you invoke the wrath ‘Asa’ on the right breast and ‘Tma’ on the left breast and the baby will suck
of the Almighty’s great host of righteous angels. wisdom and grow in wisdom and walk only the path of righteousness and fear
* a lunar month (29 or 30 days). no evil.

This powerful charm summons an angel (or any other Lawful Good This charm is used by Rabbis who want to ensure they have proper heirs
outsider appropriate for the campaign) to answer a single question to inherit their places and lead their communities in justice and wisdom.
asked by the kabalist, before returning to whatever task it was practicing A baby who enjoyed this charm will gain a +4 inherent bonus to all
before being interrupted. In theory, the summoned angel should answer mental abilities and his alignment will be Lawful Good regardless of

39
the circumstances of his childhood. Substituting
‘Asa and Tma’ with “Koh and Zri” will instead
enhance the child’s physical abilities but this is
rarely used since Jews do not particularly value
physical prowess.

Using all four names will grant a +8 bonus to all

abilities but also guarantee the child will grow
to be Chaotic Evil and betray his family and
faith when he reaches maturity. Such monstrous
children often grow to be mighty but depraved
warlords or insane, scheming sorcerers of
unspeakable potency.

40
 TEN REASONS
TO LEAVE CIMMERIA
Rodrigo Vilanova de Allende.

A land filled with violence and adventure, Cimmeria 1.- The Character’s clan contrary! Not only do the inhabitants of border
can present a small obstacle for Game Master and regions have to ensure their survival, they
Players alike: its inhabitants are somewhat reclusive, loses a blood feud. have to withstand the depredations of their
which makes it hard to understand why one of the It is well known that Cimmerians hold a grudge neighbours, both local and foreigners. In this
native barbarians would even try to go beyond like no other and that they will as soon fight scenario (expanded in ‘Cimmerian Moons’) the
their Forested borders. Although not illogical to Nordheimir, Gundermen or Picts as they will characters either suffer directly or the aftermath
start any barbarian campaign with the characters fight each other. Taking this into account, it is just of a foreigners raid intended on capturing slaves.
already involved in a foreign land, sometimes the a matter of time before the characters get involved Granted, Cimmerians do not make up for good
Game Master and Players may wish to start from in an intra or inter-clan feud. The reasons for slaves but at a pinch, the slavers might make do
the very beginning, with their barbaric characters this feud can be as real or as imaginary as the (in bulk) with the Cimmerian captives, keeping
climbing and fighting (literally!) their way out of Games Master wishes, ranging from scorned love them weak enough to prevent their fury until
their homeland. This article presents some ideas for interests, to cow stealing and the accidental death passing them to another fool.
Game Masters and Players alike for their Barbarian of a relative. The important thing is that the
characters to leave their home country. character’s side losses in a definite way, with the The characters will have to track down the slaves,
characters the only survivors having to choose rescuing them and exact all the revenge due to
Some of the reasons proposed in this article need between leaving Cimmeria for the time being or a every single person involved. Depending on
an extra effort on behalf of the Players or some certain death. The characters may swear to return their abilities and sheer luck this can be over very
background development by the Game Master and finish the feud later on but for the time being quickly or drag on for years.
but they can be used as a link to more long-term they will be on the run in foreign lands.
Campaign objectives or simply as a convenient
excuse to place the characters in an unfamiliar 3.- The characters
situation, especially when playing new or low- 2.- The character´s
level characters. hire themselves as
tribe is attacked
The suggestions presented in this article can be mercenaries for
easily adapted to suit not only other barbarian by slavers from the
nations but as starting scenarios for ‘civilised’ Aesgard or Vanaheim.
characters as well. Border Kingdom. If Conan found it bearable, it surely is for the
Living near a border has never been easy and characters! This line of thought obviously works
the Hyborian World is no different, quite the better if the characters live near the Northern
borders of Cimmeria. There are several reasons

42
for hiring themselves out as mercenaries: there 5.- The characters are rare wares (the King of Nemedia wants his newly
is a shortage of work in the characters’ village, a formed royal guard to wear a Cimmerian panther
grudge against either Aesir or Vanir requires the sent as scouts into sash!), running the risk of every single merchant
characters to track down a particularly doomed in the Hyborian Age: either being robbed in the
Nordheimir and news of a war party assembling Gunderland. road or swindled in the markets! It is extra fun to
is heard, the characters catch a glimpse of a pretty This can be quite an exciting adventure, either imagine the Cimmerian characters haggling with
maid and decide to steal her for themselves or pre or post-Venarium, where the characters are a Shemite!
simple wanderlust to name a few options. This charged by the tribe’s elders to investigate the
idea stresses the fact that there is a constant activities of the Aquilonian. Perhaps a host of
relation between the three cultures and allows for Aquilonian warriors seeks revenge on past offenses 7.- Winter is
several character races to be played simultaneously or the Cimmerians are planning several raids on
in an ambient of fragile tolerance and honour- Gunderland or the information the characters particularly harsh this
bound contracts. gather is even more disturbing that what they
thought (a powerful sorcerer’s designs on the year, in order for the
characters’ tribe, a traitor Cimmerian dealing with
4.- The characters are the enemy) either way, a good face-off between tribe to survive, the
the characters and the Aquilonian borderers is in
part of a war party order, with no quarter asked or given! characters volunteer to
raiding a Pict village. exile themselves.
Cimmeria has several borders, all conflict ridden 6.- The characters’ tribe A good option for low level or very high level
and a brutal experience without a doubt is living characters, life in Cimmeria is known to be brutal
in the Pictish-Cimmerian border. Living in a has a long tradition of most of the time and winter is particularly hard.
semi-constant state of war, it is just a matter of Usually, the elders of a tribe will have to decide
time before the characters are involved in one of trading with foreigners who dies in order for the tribe to survive but in
the most violent conflicts in memory. Perhaps a this case, the characters volunteer themselves (or
hunting accident resulted in a tribesman killed by (Aesir, Vanir, Border are chosen by petty envies) for a chilly death if
Picts (or vice versa), a trade agreement went awry that is what it takes for the tribe to survive. Once
with one side growing too greedy, a shaman has Kingdom) during in the wilderness, the characters may decide to
a wild vision of death and destruction and a pre- survive and migrate southward (or westward, or
emptive strike is assumed in order… Whatever Spring. anywhere else) now as lone wolves with no tribe
the reasons for the attack, the characters have not Being a Cimmerian is not all about bloodshed and of their own. This idea lends itself to exciting
only the challenge of surviving but also to choose violence. Perhaps the characters belong to a border ‘Nature vs. Barbarians’ adventures, with lots of
what terms are going to be offered the survivors clan that trades furs (or timber or brass trinkets) wild encounters, including some of the great
and losers of the war. Assuming the characters’ with the neighbouring kingdoms. This year, an monsters presented in past supplements of Sign
side wins, they may be affected by the senseless opportunity to trade with wealthier races presents & Portents (e.g. S&P # 65, Feb. 2009) and lost
violence and decide to leave their homeland or, itself and the characters cannot resist, either civilisation and cultures near the borders and
even worse, they actually lose to the Picts, having through pure greed or simple need to actually sell sierras of Cimmeria.
to find a way out of the situation. the merchandise. If the characters can trust their
informants they may find themselves travelling
to Nemedia, or even Zamora trying to sell their

43
8.- A capricious lover of and decide to search checks in order to add more pressure to the
mission. A variant to this adventure is having
a character demands for their true identity. someone important or cherished by the characters
A Cimmerian’s life is not expected to be an easy afflicted with said disease/curse, thus the characters
proof of his/her love: to one but being a pariah in the hills of Cimmeria is are called for to obtain the cure.
surely a hard lot. This idea has a lot of character-
recover some ‘exotic’ developing opportunities, especially around the
character’s background. These stories can be of
item across the borders. tragic violence or of deep love (á la Romeo and Aftermath
Perhaps it was the ‘golden helmet’ of a Hyrkanian Juliet) involving the characters parents but the The ideas presented here are merely suggestions to
horse-lord (yeah, right) or a length of rope made main spirit of this idea is the search of identity allow your barbarian Players Characters to interact
of Pict`s hair (good luck!). Whatever the item, and validation on behalf of the characters, with other non-Cimmerian races and classes or to
real or imagined, the love interest of the character perhaps they are better received on their other simply offer some background for their campaigns.
has decided, out of boredom, to impose this parent culture or perhaps they are pursued and After this initial foray outside Cimmeria, the
fool’s errand on them. Done in several works attacked on sight. Tolerance, cross-classing and Player Characters (and Games Master) have to
of literature and film, this idea is none the less even religious leaps of faith can be focal points in come up with a valid motivation to remain outside
good in stubborn characters that can either be this type of adventure (which would include the Cimmeria. Wanderlust and curiosity are the main
competing for the prize set by their love interest or Characters losing all their Crom-given traits!). obvious reasons but, as always, other justifications
can be honour-bound to follow and help the love- can be found/made (revenge for a fallen comrade,
stricken character. It is particularly interesting to ambition, sorrow and so on). Mercenary work is
develop the characters understanding in human 10.- The characters are cut for the barbarian character, either as scouts
nature until they have to actually choose between or as part of a skirmishing unit, on the other
their home bound love and a very real soul mate, afflicted with a strange hand, the characters may wish to follow Conan´s
found during their travels through Hyboria. footsteps and learn about the ‘civilised’ lands they
curse/malady and have have caught a glimpse of.

9.- One (or several) of to look for a cure.

Perhaps, during a hunting trip, one of the
the Characters learn characters got bit by a strange, poisonous animal;
or they met one of the many terrible monsters of
that they are not full- the dark woods of Cimmeria, barely escaping but
ending with a strange debilitating affliction. It is
blooded Cimmerians possible also that, during a raid against Picts, a
shaman curses all the raiding party, including the
(i.e. half-Gunderlander, characters (a variant of Awful Rite of the Were-
Beast is can be very appropriate). One way or
half Aesir, half another, the characters are in a race against time
and have to travel far and wide to learn and obtain
Hyborian and so on) the cure for their disease. The Games Master may
decide to make the afflicted characters Fortitude

44
45
 The Fantasy GMs Emergency
Toolkit
By Alan Oliver

This article is aimed at all Fantasy Referees, This may also highlight some interesting things.
Games Masters, Storytellers and whatever else we Stalling the Characters For example the belt pouch that has over 50,000
choose to call ourselves. The aim of the article is So, the players have just come up with a plan gold pieces in it. Even assuming that these are
to provide said worthies with some emergency that involves attacking someone the GM had tiny coins, no more than 10g each, this would
tools for those situations that are not covered not though they would be silly enough to pick still come in at 500 kilos of gold hanging from
in the prep. Some games are going to be more a fight with but there have been no preparations your waist. Even Conan himself would have some
subject to this than others. Storyline scenarios made for running a fight. What you need is a stall, difficulty with that. Not to mention that the
where the players are following a specific plot are something to keep the players occupied while you pouch would have to be the size of a body bag
less likely to jump the rails and go off on unusual do some emergency stating. That is the purpose and made of heavy duty leather.
tangents. However, when they do there is less of the following.
background material for the GM to use. On the
other hand a sandbox game does provide the GM What does he look like
with more background material to work with, by Players love lists
default, however it is much more likely that the Knowing what most players are like, they love again?
players will do something unexpected during a lists. So get them to list all their equipment, Get each player to describe their character or
session that necessitates the GM reaching for the weapons and other hardware. This should include characters again. It has probably been a while
Emergency Toolkit. how heavy it all is and where it is carried or worn since this was last done. It is a useful thing to do
on the body. This should keep the players busy for regularly anyway, as it keeps the imagery sharp
The ideas presented here are not tied to any specific a while, as they will want to make sure that they in the players’ minds. It should also take up a
game system and no game stats are provided. have not missed something that they are going bit of time, during which you can be frantically
Should the situation develop to the stage where to need. Make the point that anything not listed scribbling away.
combat occurs the GM will have to rely on their now they will not have available later.
own resources.
This should give you at least half an hour. More Second thoughts
For ease of use the ideas have been grouped together if some of the group are not especially organised Most players are by nature rather cautious. This
by type. There are Stall, Delay, Distractions, Kit and have to produce these lists from scratch. Do can be used against them in this situation. If
removal and finally Bar-fluff. not worry about the player who already has all of you have an NPC within the party have them
this done, he or she will just have to wait for the highlight some potential flaw in the plan, as well
others to finish. as bringing some new small piece of information

46
to the table. The players will then want to go over Delaying Tactics identities recorded and their tax bill calculated.
the plan again, possibly starting from scratch. If There are times when the characters are making The tax inspector does not collect the taxes, so
you keep quiet and concentrate on getting the too good progress and will arrive at a plot point or there is no money to be had.
stats you need while they do this, they are likely location at the wrong time. That is when you need
to talk themselves round in circles as they try and a delay to throw at them. They are not intended They will probably hear about the curse or geas
figure out what the safest way of reaching their to weaken the party, kill characters or otherwise that the tax inspector is under. He was once a
objective might be. be a major challenge, just slow them down. mighty warrior, prince by his own hand sort of
hero. However he was forced to give it all up
If there is no NPC within the group that you can suddenly when he crossed paths with the royal tax
use for this, then you will have to find a way for the The Tax Man Cometh inspector. Not wanting to be inspected, assessed
group to get access to some new information. If This only works within an established kingdom and billed and believing himself too powerful to
the game has a strong mystic element to it you can or empire with state institutions. The rulers fear any reprisals, they killed the tax inspector.
have some sort of premonition dream sequence, will not want to let a lucrative income stream That is when the curse descended upon them,
where one of the characters sees everyone else die like adventurers avoid paying taxes to the state. forcing them to take up the position until death.
horrible deaths because of something they have However in a world filled with sorcery, magic How true this story is the other travellers in the
not planned for. Alternatively have a contact that or just huge barbarians with big choppers and cue cannot say but nobody dares find out.
they know offer to sell them some information bad attitudes, you are going to need something
that looks like it might be relevant to the situation. more than a middle aged tax collector. This is the Whether it is actually true will depend on what
That information should include some detail that solution that they come up with. happens, as if players do decide on violence then it
will again make them want to rethink their plans. could result in major characters being written out
This will occur at some natural narrowing of of the game as they become tax inspectors.
As to the nature of the information, unfortunately the route, somewhere that you cannot just leave
that will depend on their plan. However some the road and travel cross country to avoid the What is true is that the tax inspector is protected
possibilities would be a rumour that the normal encounter. Whether this is on a mighty bridge by the best sorcery, magic or science available to
guards have been replaced with elite troops of over a big river, or a mountain pass, does not really the state. Not to mention being an ex adventurer
some sort. If their plan relies on some form of matter. Use something suitable to the established of at least twice the skill of the hardest character
invisibility, then a rumour that the target employs terrain. in the group. If they resort to violence after
a specialist who can see through invisibility in being warned then character’s deaths should be
some way. If they are trying to steal something, Players will see traffic on the road backed up for a real possibility. Even if they win, their careers
then a rumour that its location has been changed some distance at the narrow point. They can either as adventurers are likely to be over as the geas or
at the last minute. Another rumour is that some join the cue or turn around and take another route curse will take effect. Violence basically is not an
rebellious part of society is planning a riot or to where they are going. If they do just walk away, option here.
demonstration at the time the party are planning that is fine. All you are doing is trying to delay
to conduct their raid. This might actually help their arrival and so whatever alternative route they Their only option, other than running away and
them if they use it right and they will want to take can take them as long as you need it to. taking another slower route to where they are going
take advantage of this apparent good fortune. Of is to sit and wait their turn, then be inspected.
course the riot need not actually occur. If they do hang around, those ahead of them in The inspector will be very diligent, going through
the cue will probably be talking about what is every last pocket, pouch, backpack, saddlebag,
The point of all stall techniques is to keep the happening. They will learn that it is a state tax chest and basket. Everything will be noted down,
players talking among themselves for a little while inspector. Everyone travelling along the road as will the personal details of the characters. Again,
to give you a chance to get some work done. is being searched, inspected and assessed, their

47
they might try to lie to the inspector; however the powerful enough to just kill it, you can have but they will not be able to maintain a fast pace
game world will probably provide some sort of the bridge troll or giant demand their help in through these conditions. It may take two or three
truth potion, magic amulet or other method of rebuilding the bridge. This could easily take days, times as long to reach their destination, which
ensuring that the characters have to give their real possibly even weeks, which will certainly keep may buy you enough time for whatever needs to
identities. Without this, the tax inspector could them away from whatever it is you need them not happen.
not gather the information to raise taxes and the to see.
state does not get it’s money. Obviously if there is a real weather mage among
Against a paranoid party you can also leave signs the characters then they will be able to do
If you want to further annoy the characters, you that this was no accident. They are likely to assume something about the weather directly. Yet in my
can have their clothing searched as well or maybe that their enemies have sabotaged the bridge to experience few players see much fun to be had
even more invasive searches but that depends on get at them. This will make them more paranoid with such characters so they are rarely used, even
the style of game being played. which is likely to slow them down later as they in game worlds where they are available.
look for ambushes and so on.
Overall this should keep the characters busy for Other weather will be more specific to
much of a day, while giving the game world a circumstances, so is rarely as useful as heavy
greater sense of realism and detail. It may even Do not shoot the rain. Strong winds will generally not make much
lead on to further plotlines, for example the difference but if the characters are climbing high
players setting up an enemy to kill the current tax weather mage in the mountains or through the treetops of some
inspector, to become victim to the curse. For some adventuring parties there is little that mighty forest, then strong winds will suddenly
you can throw at them in the way of a fight that become a serious issue.
will slow them down. If you have to deal with a
A Bridge too Gone party like this, then you can always turn to the Deep snow is very good for slowing down
A straight forward delay, their route takes them weather. For many purposes heavy rain will be the movement, however it is only really possible
across a major river or deep ravine and when they most useful for a number of effects. in arctic or winter conditions or high up on
arrive the bridge across is out. This will mean the mountains.
characters having to navigate across the natural To start with it will reduce visual range drastically,
obstacle for themselves. This can be made to take which will slow them down as they look for Strong sunlight can be useful, dehydrating
as long as you need it to. ambushes at every turn. You do not even need to characters and possibly causing heat exhaustion if
ambush them at all, just have them see things in they don’t take precautions. However for the sun
They may choose to use magic to get across, if it the rain that make them suspicious can be enough. to be this strong they will have to be in the right
is available to them but this will at least use up I have once kept a whole party of powerful part of the world.
some resources. Try to make this awkward if you characters occupied as they crossed farmlands
can but basically there may be little you can do with heavy rain and a black horse standing out
about it. in a field. The more they watched it, the more Slime Plague
paranoid they became about it. This one is slightly different; it is designed to stop
They may try wading or swimming across a river. the players going somewhere that they previously
If they do small but valuable pieces of kit might Rain will also turn most roads to mud, slowing wanted to go to.
be swept away. This can either force them to travel down progress and making travelling much more
down river to find it. Or if they do not notice that tiring to man and beast. Again this is nothing that Have the area infested with a plague of slimes
it is gone might deprive them of it permanently. experienced characters will not be able to handle large and dangerous enough to make the area

For added delay against a party who are not

48
seriously uncomfortable, not to mention gross. If they are riding animals of any description, way to a horse breaking a leg and throwing a rider.
They should not only be dangerous but really then one of them can be injured or go lame. This If off road then dense forest and undergrowth
unpleasant as well, staining or dissolving clothing forces the party to either slow down to allow the will either slow them down or force them to go
and hardware while causing acid burns to people. injured animal to keep up or abandon the animal. around, either way the journey will take longer.
If that is not bad enough, you could have the slimes Even the later will involve some delay as they
actually turning other living things into slime. must redistribute people and packs. It also cuts An experienced bunch of players will probably
Either consuming them, growing and splitting, or down on their overall transport capacity and if recognise a delay for what it is. This will make
actually infecting living things by touch so that their mounts are expensive then they will feel the some groups determined to bypass it as quickly as
they gradually disintegrate into slime. financial loss as well. possible. However a group of players that include
a number of experienced GMs will actually
This should make the area seriously unattractive, Basic provisions, if carried by the party can understand the situation and accept the delay,
scary or outright dangerous depending on how easily spoil along the way or possibly their water knowing that the ongoing plot is furthered by
bad you make the slime plague. However there container leaks. Either way they will have to stop them being late to the event. This trust should not
can be more to it than that. Why are there so along the way to replenish them, either by hunting be abused. Do not throw in delays then do the
many slimes in the area, is it just the giant slime for food or finding clean water. Not going to be party over because they did not get there in time.
breeding season or has some mad mage or sorcerer of much use if they regularly pass through towns These should be used when the party arriving
let loose some evil spirit that is turning people or villages, as they can just buy provisions but if late will further the plot, not just to make things
into slimes. If playing a techno-magic game like in the wild then it can easily take a few hours out difficult for the players.
Hawkmoon, you could even get into nanotech, if each days travel.
some sort of nano weapon running riot and
dissolving everything to reproduce more of itself. Depending on the party’s abilities to deal with Distractions, or “are
sickness, you might be able to stop them for a few
If the players do start to investigate the slimes then days by having one of the characters come down we nearly there yet”
this may shift from a simple delay into a whole with some sort of illness. Just giving a character Characters travel, often across long distances.
distraction sub plot. They may be investigating the flu for a few days will mean either trying to Some times you can just cut to the end of the
the cause of the slimes or get involved in slime- transport a sick character, which is not going journey with a “three weeks later” moment. For
slaying for the bounty offered by the local princes. to be easy, or they will have to stop somewhere those times where you cannot skip ahead, you
Killing slimes, if it is even possible, should be a while the character gets better. Another option is might need something to add to the journey to
hard and messy business. a stomach upset, with the vomiting and diarrhoea keep the players interested.
that goes with it. As anyone who has ever suffered
from a stomach bug will tell you, you really do Alternatively you might need a distraction if they
Practical and Mundane not want to be sat on a horse for 10 hours a day players have picked a route to their destination
with diarrhoea. that avoids all the interesting places you have
delays already got planned.
These will require little actual game play to resolve Stretches of bad road will slow down a party trying
but will add time to the journey. to move fast. Galloping over bad roads is a sure

49
Where is Everybody? is that these are a team of inhuman mercenaries odd things about it. Firstly it does not appear to
This will work best if set near to a border with a in the pay of the other nation. They have been be worn at all. There are no scratches on it nor is
hostile nation of some sort. sent in to commit atrocities in assorted small the underside worn smooth by contact with the
communities to weaken or break the spirit of the stones and paving of roads or cities. The shoe is
Start off with the characters seeing a village in the local population. It is important that they are both also much lighter than a normal horseshoe.
distance. Get the players to make whatever passes intelligent and non-human. They are deliberately
for an awareness roll and whatever they get, just doing horrific things to scare the locals and are That is not the whole story but the other abilities
tell them that something seams wrong but they able to do so without being insane because it is of the shoe will only be discovered through more
cannot pin it down. If they ask for more details not their own species that they are killing. The intensive investigation. If they try and damage the
you can say that nobody is out in he surrounding more inhuman you can make them the better. horseshoe they will discover that it appears to be
fields and that there are a lot of birds in and indestructible, at least to anything that they can
around the village. bring to bear on it. Actually an opportunity to
The Horseshoe of de-kit a player here, if they bring out some magic
Now some players may be able to resist the lure sword that has caused you problems by being too
and will just walk on by but in my experience Death effective in the past and try and cut the horseshoe
most will not be able to resist investigating. As This should prove a distraction for the party, with it. Have the troublesome sword snap on
they get closer they might pick up on a charnel whether because there is not much else going on contact with the horseshoe. The horseshoe also
house smell of freshly spilt blood from the village. or because you want to side track them away from floatsand not just a little. Even with heavy weight
They are likely to approach cautiously, let them, something or somewhere you are not ready for on it the shoe will not go under the surface of the
it will keep them busy. As they move through the them to encounter. However this distraction may water. A horse with four of these could therefore
village they will find the bodies of the inhabitants, not be suitable for all games as it has a definite air run across water with ease.
killed by sword and axe. Some of the bodies of humour and whimsy about it.
have also been defiled in unspeakable ways, both Investigating their new toy is going to keep them
before and after they were killed. This should be The players are crossing open country, when they occupied for a while. However sooner or later
unpleasant enough to trouble the guts of even see a figure on a white horse galloping across someone within the party is going to question
hardened adventurers. the fields at some speed. The horse leaps a wall who it belonged to before. This is obviously
or hedge but stumbles on landing and the figure an item of some power, perhaps even divine or
If the players run at this point, then give them is thrown. At this point get the players to make otherworldly origins and its owner will probably
some sign that someone or something is still alive observation tests. Whoever gets the best result will want it back. Obviously the rider in question,
in the village. It might make them stay or just run notice that something went flying when the horse mounted on a pale horse, was death himself (or
quicker. If they stick around to hunt the killer, stumbled. Given that most players are magpies herself ). Many entertaining hours can be had with
they will have to search the village house to house. and will pick up anything going, they are likely to the players trying to run from death personified
If you want the fight, have the killers still around. go looking for whatever was dropped. The figure but eventually they will get caught and have to
If not, then they will eventually discover the village will get back on their horse and ride off, looking explain hanging onto the horseshoe of death!
is empty but may be able to piece together clues as a little sore.
to what the killers were and what they were doing. All of the distractions are basically intended to fill
This should only be discovered if they take some What they will find is just a horse shoe, obviously what would otherwise be a quiet or dull session.
time to look for clues. thrown by the horse when it stumbled or maybe Mostly they should not actually alter the overall
the loss of the shoe caused the stumble. At first direction of the game but just provide a little
As to what the killers actually are, you are free to glance it is just a horse shoe, although if they entertainment for the players and maybe a scare
do what you want. However the basic concept examine it closely they will start to notice a few or two.

50
Kit Removal take too much or take too long thinking that rocks, weeds, playful water spirits or whatever else
Sometimes it just comes down to the fact that the might be in trouble. fits in with your game style. Each character will
players are too well prepared and their characters get a chance of going over and those that fail the
have too much stuff. When faced with this there For added tension you can give the players only appropriate roll under the game system will be
are some options available, although it is rare that seconds to make their mind up as to what they swept off their feet and carried down river.
you will need this in an emergency. grab, using a stopwatch on them. This is often a
great trick to put the players under pressure and Now get them to make swimming rolls to avoid
Before implementing any of these plans you need get more realistic reactions. drowning, without telling them the targets.
to make sure that the players have detailed lists of Whatever they roll they will only just make it.
their gear, including where everything is carried. Then point out that dumping packs, boots or
Is it me or is it hot in whatever else they are carrying will improve their
chances. The trick here is to make them think that
Is it me or is it hot in here 2? you are trying to drown them, when you have no
This will only work if they have already had a bad intention of doing so. If they think it is a choice
here? fire experience as described previously. This time between drowning and loosing some kit they will
The party is staying overnight in a village inn describe an inn that looks very similar to the first probably take the loss of kit and think that they
on route to their destination. The inn itself is one, tall and narrow building, barred windows, got off lightly.
a beautiful old half timbered building, with a thatched roof and so on. The players may not
thatched roof and a cluster of chimneys. Make sure believe that you would do the same thing to them Those characters swept away can also loose belt
you describe the interior of the place, featuring the twice but they might. pouches, pockets can get ripped open, straps
narrow winding stairs, low doors and the heavy can snap and so on, so you can leave a trail of
bars on the windows for added security. If they do then they might keep much of their kit destruction through their personal effects. Not to
on the wagon, horses or whatever they are using to mention the damage that water will do to spell
Characters will eventually sleep and will have had transport their effects and themselves. Then you books and the likes.
to remove armour to do so, as well as most if not just drug whoever they leave guarding the wagon
all of their weapons. They wake in the middle and steal it and everything on it while they sleep
of the night to shouts of fire, smoke filling the peacefully in their beds. All of these are based on the concept that players
corridors and a definite sense that the building is would rather loose kit than loose characters and
burning. most will be happy to get out with their characters
Now for a cold bath alive. This way the players will not be too unhappy
They have little time to get out of the building This can be combined with the Bridge too Gone about the lost kit. Happy players are easier to deal
before the whole place goes up in flames. Given delay. with after all.
the narrow stairs they will not be able to do
multiple trips to their rooms to carry their kit out. Come up with a reason why the characters have to
Some items can be thrown from the windows but wade through deep and fast flowing water. Make Bar-fluff
only items that will fit through the bars. They will sure the water is cold enough that their skin will We’ve all been there, the characters are in a bar,
not have the time to get dressed in full armour be numbed by it. tavern or inn, you have told them that there are
and pack up all their gear, those that try should other people around while trying to set the scene.
just be burned. Those who make quick decisions Then when they are crossing the fastest flowing Then one of the players asks who else is in the bar
about what they grab and what they leave behind water have something that will take their footing room and suddenly you have got 20 or 30 people
should escape easily. It is characters who try and out from under them. This might be unstable to come up with. If they were all just unimportant
background characters it would be bad enough.
51
What if there is a major Non-Player Character on the town. Mix of men and women, and a greasy baker’s jacket. Pies are
there that you need to hide among the rest? So all young, all know each other well and ‘mixed-meat’ pies, taste good but you
here is some general bar-fluff to fill a fantasy are more interested in each other than probably do not want to ask what is in
drinking hole at short notice. those around them. them.

In addition to filling up a bar, these NPCs might • Work gang of construction labourers • Gaggle of young women or girls, dressed
actually lead to sub plots of their own if the working on something for the local to thrill by whatever the local standards
characters start interacting with them. This might ruler. Most are exhausted and just want are. All come from rich families and are
be no more than a little side gaming, but could a quiet pint or three. Language will be probably too young to be out on their
open up whole new directions to the game. coarse and offensive and likely to make own. Definitely likely to cause trouble
comments about any pretty girls around by flirting with the wrong people and
Races and species have been left out so that they that could be unpleasant. However these just having no idea of the dangers around
can be adapted to the specific gameworld. are just working guys so will not actually them.
get into a fight unless really provoked.
• Group of professional warriors, Viking/ • The bar bore, old guy, slightly rumpled
barbarian/dwarf types with beards, • Large group of fans for whatever sports clothing and definite smell of booze
boisterous manners and a liking for beer, or games are locally popular. Loud and about him. Will start talking to anyone
ale, mead and whiskey. Loud singing and aggressive, not to mention drunk, are who does not manage to get out of the
boisterous but not massively aggressive. likely to get seriously aggressive if there way and will keep going unless forcibly
Should be at least twice as many of them are any opposing fans about. Group stopped. Unpleasant company but no
as there are characters present. should be three or four times the size of real threat to anyone.
the party.
• Classic hooded figure sitting in the • The bar letch, middle aged guy, probably
corner of the bar, smoking a long, thin • Sewer workers, likely to be from an handsome when younger but still thinks
stemmed pipe and watching the room. ethnic or racial minority. Dirty and he is the god’s gift to women. Will start
stinking, sat in a corner drinking strong talking to any women present who are
• Girl’s night out. A dozen or more young smelling liquor to get the taste of sewers not obviously spoken for and will be
and middle aged women out on the out of their mouths. Half a dozen of offensively pushy. Guy also has a slightly
town. Not dangerous except to any them. Most people avoid them because dangerous air to him, looks like he could
young men in the party. Probably drunk of the smell, however they might actually get into a fight easily.
more wine or mead than they should provide useful information if talked to.
have. • Old couple, man and woman, both grey
• Three couples, all young and pretty, out haired with lined faces. Well dressed
• Couple, neither of whom are especially for a night on the town. Unlikely to in expensive clothing that still allows
attractive, sitting at a table together, be talking outside the group although freedom of movement. Both are actually
conversation and body language is stiff glamorous adventurers might attract retired and highly skilled adventurers
and stilted, forced laughter occasionally. their attention. with vast fortunes, an array of magical
A blind date that is not going well. hardware and the skills to keep hold of
• Pie seller, big round guy with a tray of it. Just out for a few drinks to catch up
• Students from the nearest higher pies strapped to his chest. Greasy hair on old times.
education establishment, out for a night

52
• Half a dozen farm hands come in for the • Hulking barbarian looking guy, broad • Male and female orc, beastman or
beer and the food, poorly educated and bare chest, massive loin cloth, huge sword other intelligent non-human race that
likely to have some offensive racial or across his back. Actually not a warrior are normally just bad guys. Both are
ethnic views but otherwise good natured or adventurer at all but a professional relatively respectably dressed and are
working guys. artist model for heroic paintings and actually in the tavern on a date and not
sculptures but plays on the image to get looking for trouble.
• Woman in full plate black armour, girls.
seriously nasty weapons on her belt and Obviously these are all just starting points. Often
a dangerous steed outside. Actually just • Pretty girl with slightly wild hair sat the players will pick out one or two that they are
come in for a meal and a glass of wine alone at a table eating, drinking and interested in and that interest will dictate later
but looks scary. talking to herself about something game play.
totally incomprehensible. Might just be
• Four of the town watch, city guard, night crazy, or maybe she actually knows more
patrol or whatever peace keeping forces about the nature of the universe than Conclusion
are responsible for patrolling the night everyone else. If playing a Cthulu related I hope that these will prove useful. If nothing else
time streets. Come in to the bar for a game then it is likely to be both. they will hopefully give you some ideas for how to
couple of pints on their rounds. Not deal with these situations in your own games, even
deliberately looking for criminals in the • Preachers and priestesses from the local if you never need to use the specific suggestions
bar but if something obviously criminal religion, come to the tavern seeking here. Some of these I have used myself, others are
is going on they may feel obliged to take converts. Depending on the religion they entirely new.
an interest. might be scary or just kind of pathetic,
either way they should be persistent and Remember that just because the players are doing
• Beautiful woman, exotic ethnic group a little annoying. something that you do not expect, you should not
or race, dressed in very expensive dress punish them for it. The beauty of role playing
of high quality. Looking a bit worse for • Boyfriend or girlfriend of one of the bar with a live GM in the room is the freedom to
wear, dirty and the dress slightly torn staff, sat at the bar chatting with them do anything you can think of, not just what the
in places. Slightly dazed expression and generally taking their attention writers thought you might do. That freedom
on her face and not entirely coherent. away from paying customers. should not be curtailed just because you have
Obviously just been through something been caught out.
unpleasant.

53
 Plunder of the Ducks
By Shannon Appelcline
All of the races of Glorantha have magic, mystical • Famous notes that the item is quite well
and divine items that they call their own, known and that its possessor will be viewed
even a lesser race like the Durulz. This article in a different light as a result. For Influence
describes many duck-related PLUNDER items tests, take a +20% bonus for associated cults,
that adventurers may find, building upon the a +10% bonus for friendly cults, a –10%
background of Ducks: A Guide to the Durulz. penalty for hostile cults and a –20% penalty
It is written in the format of Plunder, a classic for enemy cults.
RuneQuest book and complements “Plunder of • Few means that there are limited numbers of
the Elfs” found in Signs & Portents #63. the item.
• One of a Kind means the item is unique.
Most of the categories used in this article are • Owner Only means that some or all of the
self-evident but two of them require more item’s powers can only be used by the original
explanation. owner/creator.

Cults describes which Gloranthan cults are Thanks to Rudy Kraft for creating the idea (and
familiar with the item. format) of Plunder and to Bryan Steele for the
• Associated cults probably made the item and duck background underlying this article.
know all about it.
• Friendly cults will have a positive reaction Albatross Eye Sunbill was enthralled by the joy of his physicality
if they recognise the item and may know and Pelican by the joy of his gluttony, Albatross
something about it. Description loved the joy of hope and the possibilities of the
• Enemy cults will usually attack a bearer of the A glass eyeball with a black pupil. Communication future.
item. and fate runes are etched in a band encircling the
• Hostile cults probably will not like the eye. However in time Albatros grew discontent. He
possessor of the item. found that his hopes were sometimes dashed, for
Cults even in primal Delicate Swamp the future could
Knowledge describes what the public knows about Associated – The Seaside Brothers. never stand up to his dreams. Thus Albatros
the item and how to use it. struck out from his home looking for a seer; for
• Automatic suggests that its use is self- Knowledge he believed that if he could truly know the future
evident. Few. then he could once more begin to dream of it.
• Common means that everyone knows about
the item and how to use it. History Albatros travelled far and wide. There are many
• Cult Secret suggests that the making and/or Albatros could not always see the future. Instead, legends about these journeys: how he met the
use of the item is only known to a few. when he was young, he was a joyful bird. Just as youngest gos and was chased away from their land;

54
how he learned that the elfs looked far forward but p.74), except that it may be used no more than Heron’s first child was pure white like him but
without prophecy; how he mistook Ganderland three times a day. his second child was coloured blue-silver. Ducks
for a great lake and so never entered that place; say that every duckling repeats the mistakes of
and how he searched the dwarf caverns where no Value his drake at least once and such was the case with
duck ever goes. Finally he met a shrouded duck No keet in his right mind would want one of these Heron. When he saw the coloration of his second
who lived in a web and she agreed to give him the eyes but other cults (especially cults of knowledge) son Arden he banished him at once. Thus Arden
gift of prophecy if one day his descendents would might pay 5,000 SP for this rare chance to glimpse became an exile among exiles.
repay the favour to her. the future.
However there remained more love between Arden
Thus Albatros gained the gift of prophecy and Blue Heron Feather and Heron than there had been between Heron
he soon learned that it was not all that he hoped. and the cold Flamingo. Heron and his son were
Worst of all it cost him the very hope he wished Necklace eventually reconciled but not before Arden had
to rekindle, for in knowing the future he now spent many years wandering the world. Forever
could only fear what would be rather than praying Description
for what might come. So Albatros returned to A collection of 20-30 blue-silver heron feathers,
Delicate Swamp saddened and broken, while his threaded together by a thin but sturdy silver wire.
descendents thereafter always awaited the call of
She Who Spins the Web. Cults
Associated – Prince Heron.
Some keet never learn from their ancestors’ Friendly – Most keet cults.
mistakes and so in the First Age after the Dawn, Hostile – Grandfather Flamingo.
when an entire flock of albatross was born without
the sight, a powerful magician from before Time Knowledge
made them eyes that they could look through and Automatic; Cult Secret.
see the future as other albatross did. Many of these
albatross cast their new eyes away and for several History
years there were albatross in the world who lost When Prince Heron was born Grandfather
their gray feathers and lived once more in hope Flamingo was stunned by his child’s ugliness:
and joy – but now that time is gone. he was much too plain. When Grandfather
Flamingo learned that his cast-off son had raised
Many of the First Age albatross eyes have since himself to godhood he warred against his child,
been scattered across the world. turning Delicate Swamp into a wasteland. When
the ducks came to the swamp Heron tried to join
Procedure them, hoping to discover a new family but soon he
The method for creating these eyes is lost. found himself forbidden from Ganderland. Thus
Heron is the great exile of the durulz, welcome
Powers nowhere.
Any person can hold one of these glass eyes up
to their own and through it see the future. This
power acts as the keet Seer ability (see Ducks,

55
after Arden’s children have been the wanderers Cults of Ganderland (though perhaps there is still good
and explorers of the Heron race. Associated – Duru-Orlanth. to come of it in the future, as destiny is a slippery
Friendly – Any duck cults. thing).
Today the feathers of particularly brave and
curious blue-silver herons are sometimes collected Knowledge If Duru’s Reed Boat is used as a normal vessel it
together in a ritual to make a necklace. These Automatic; Famous; One of a Kind. is slow and obstinate. All Boating tests are made
necklaces are then given to the herons from which with a –40% penalty.
the feathers were taken – although they often are History
afterward traded or given away, dispersing them Duru-Orlanth was the most curious of the duck Each season there is a 5% chance that Duru’s
across the world, just as Arden’s children are. gods and thus it was he who decided that he Reed Boat disappears while tied up and left
wanted to know what lay beyond Ganderland. alone – though it will usually not do so if the
Procedure He built a mighty boat out of reeds and magic disappearance would noticeably inconvenience its
Some priests of Heron know the Longwandering and used it to sail to lands that only the Hurtler owner.
Enchantment (Difficult –20%). The participant had seen before. One of these lands was Delicate
must expend 1 POW when the enchantment is Swamp and another was the land of the Orlanthi Value
created. See RuneQuest Companion pp. 38–43 for but these were not the only places that Duru- As an ancient artefact Duru’s Reed Boat has a
more information on enchantments. Orlanth visited. potential value of 50,000 SP or more, though no
one who actually knows its history or power would
Powers After the horrors of Hoonra Field, Duru’s Reed pay that as it will disappear in just a few years.
The wearer of the necklace rarely becomes lost Boat was used to help evacuate the people of the
when travelling away from his home and is often devastated land and sometime after that it passed As a vehicle of destiny, some might pay 10,000 SP
accepted by the foreigners that he meets. He gains out of history. However part of the boat’s magic or more for it.
a +20% bonus to any Lore (Regional) Skill Test is that it is always appears when it is needed and
used to determine directions and a +10% bonus to thus since Time began it has shown up to aid Flamingo’s Fascinating
any Influence Skill Test meant to make foreigners ducks and others alike.
friendlier toward a traveller. Feather
Powers
Value Duru’s Reed Boat is primarily a vessel of destiny. If Description
These blue-feather necklaces are worth 2,000 SP. sailed idly or in an exploratory manner the Games A brightly coloured feather that changes colour
Master should secretly roll a POW x3 test for the as one looks at it, shimmering through all the
Duru’s Reed Boat pilot. Whether the test succeeds or not the boat colours of the dawn.
will take its passengers somewhere new that has
Description a connection to them. However the trip will be Cults
A huge boat made out of ancient reeds tied largely beneficial if the test succeeds while largely Associated – Grandfather Flamingo.
together with vines. It is big enough to hold about detrimental if it fails. Note that the good or bad
a dozen normal-sized people or about 20 ducks. effects could be very long term, such as Duru’s Knowledge
There is no means of locomotion for the boat visit with the Orlanthi, which originally seemed Automatic; Few.
other than paddles. good but which eventually led to the destruction

56
History one and become a god himself. There were also Old Duck Whistle
When Vrimak embraced Grandmother Duck many feathers that Flamingo preened away
she gave birth instantly to all the birds in the himself which slowly lost their divinity as they Description
world. One of the birds flew directly east into the were separated from his body. Today these feathers A duck whistle made out of tin with a large Beast
sunrise. Though he was thus denied Ganderland, are still magical but they do not hold the deifying and Spirit rune carved into the top.
Flamingo would find a much greater destiny in power that they once did.
the east. Cults
Procedure Associated – Swimmer in Shadows.
At the end of the world Flamingo tried to enter Grandfather Flamingo could make more Friendly – Other duck cults.
the Gates of Dawn to find what lay beyond but fascinating feathers by preening them from his Enemy – Sky cults.
the dawn goddess Theya turned him back. Where coat.
Theya placed her hand upon Flamingo’s back his Knowledge
feathers changed to become the pinks, yellows Powers Automatic; Few.
and oranges of the dawn and that change soon Flamingo’s feathers are strangely fascinating to
spread across his whole body. Thus he became the everyone but their holder. History
sunrise bird. Some say that there are two sorts of ducks: the
If anyone is looking at the holder of a feather he is ancient ducks who lived before Yelm’s Sentence
Flamingo settled in the Delicate Swamp which automatically affected by it. Other people within and the new ducks who lived after. For the most
abutted the Gates of the Dawn and there fathered sight must make a Perception test, with success part the ancient ducks are gone and lost, with one
many offspring. In that Golden Age his feathers meaning that they have noticed the feather and exception – they can be summoned by an Old
were divine; this is what allowed Heron to pluck are affected. Once someone has been affected by Duck Whistle.
a feather his eyes will be drawn to it every turn
until he either leaves the area or the feather is put The Old Duck Whistles were created by Swimmer
away. in Shadows before the Sentence. They were meant
to summon forth the spirits of ducks who had
A viewer of one of Flamingo’s Fascinating Feathers passed on but after the Dawn the nature of the
must make a Persistence roll each round to take world changed. They could no longer be used to
any actions other than staring at the feather. summon the spirits of newly slain ducks but they
Failure means that the victim stands looking at can still summon forth ancient ducks.
the feather for the turn.
Powers
Note that a feather could affect friends of its An Old Duck Whistle acts as a spirit rune. A user
holder as easily as his enemies. must integrate it in order to be able to use any
of the powers of the whistle. When he does so,
Value he also gains the usual advantages of a spirit rune
These divine objects are worth at least 5,000 SP including the Runecasting skill and a spirit rune’s
to appropriate parties such as God Learners or normal power.
Phoenics.

57
If a user has already integrated a spirit rune from a Value Silver Tomia
separate source, he does not also need to integrate Worth 5,000-10,000 SP to an interested buyer.
the rune from the whistle in order to use it. Any sky god worshipper would want to destroy Description
it without question if he realised what exactly the A set of silver tomia (duck teeth), which slip over
In order to use the whistle the user must succeed whistle was and what it did. a duck’s own tomia.
at a Play Instrument (Whistle) test. This test may
only be attempted once a week as repetitive play
of the whistle just upsets the spirit world. Portable Pond
Cults
If the whistle playing is successful an ancient duck Description Associated – The Death Drake.
ghost will appear and remain for 1D6 minutes. A large, bright blue roll of kidney-shaped velvet- Friendly – Any duck cult.
It has a POW of 4D6, an INT of 2D6+6 and a like material. When unrolled onto earthen ground Enemy – Any troll cult.
CHA of 2D6. It also has Lore (Ancient Duck) at it becomes a small pond.
1D10x10%. Finally, it has a Persistence of 80%. Knowledge
This spirit has three main purposes. Cults Automatic; Cult Secret.
Associated – Grandmother Duck, The Hurtler.
1.) It can answer questions about ancient ducks. Friendly – Any other duck cult; any water cult. History
Sharpbill was a Death Drake hero of the Darkness.
2.) It will, upon request, possess a target (see Knowledge One of his greatest adventures occurred when
RuneQuest Companion, pp.46-47). Automatic; Few. he disguised himself as one of the Hungry Folk
and resided with them for 101 days. While there
3.) It can lend its wings, gifting a single person with History he learned many of their fighting techniques,
a Flight spell (Cults of Glorantha: I, p.84). This is When the Hurtler began to travel once more particularly how to bite and gnaw his foes.
the one known flight magic (see also the ‘Scarf of following the loss of her wings she sometimes
Blind Ignorance’ and the ‘Sword of Stormbill’) that became homesick, particularly for the pleasant When he left the Hungry Folks’ dark, smelly
a duck may use without immediate repercussion. waters of ponds near her home. Thus Grandmother caverns Sharpbill made himself a set of war tomia
This is because the ancient ducks slip by Yelm’s Duck sewed a portable pond which she could take to slip over his own teeth. To declare that he was
Sentence by coming from Before Time. wherever she went and so always have the waters not one of the Hungry Folk he made them of silver
of home nearby. instead of lead. Later Sharpbill met the Hungry
However, ultimately, all things must be paid for. Folk once again in the Dark Valley of Slime and
Sometime in the future a duck that flies with the Powers when they saw his glittering smile they knew
whistle will be repaid in kind by the sky gods. The portable pond offers an effectively limitless that he had stolen and defiled their secrets. Ever
Vengeance could be very mundane, such as a sky source of water. It never dries out and it cannot after the Hungry Folk have particularly hated the
priest attacking the duck and his family. Or it be tipped or otherwise spilled. The water also followers of Sharpbill – which just makes them eat
could be much more magical, such as a Sunspear always stays clean and drinkable, no matter what those ducks with more gusto than usual.
(RuneQuest Companion, p.22) suddenly striking is placed in it.
the duck at a particularly inopportune time. Any Procedure
such revenge should have the potential to be Value Only the runedrakes of Death Drake know the
devastating – though not definitely so. Once the There are less than a half-dozen Portable Ponds in procedure to create the Silver Tomia. Although
vengeance is carried out the matter is concluded existence. Each is worth 10,000-25,000 SP.
unless the duck tries to fly again. Others can of
course fly without issue using the whistle.
58
the tomia are not magic the process to create them the likelihood of pregnancy and the likelihood of One of Loonus’ most daring inventions was the
is long and tedious – and death drakes deal poorly multiple births. It also gives any ducks or keets in Scarf of Blind Ignorance. It was intended to slide
with tedium. the nest a general feeling of well-being that almost by Yelm’s Sentence via a loophole. It does not
offsets their natural cynicism. exactly allow ducks to fly, it just allows them not
Powers to fall and even then only when the duck does
The Silver Tomia fit any duck that tries them on – All reasonable Influence tests against ducks or not realise he is doing so. Unfortunately Loonus’
though not keets. A duck wearing the tomia may keets in a nest warded by Ganderland Soil have success was quite limited; gods are not that fond
use their Unarmed skill to make a close combat a +20% bonus. of loop holes. However the scarves have proven
attack that inflicts 1D4+2 damage to the target. quite useful to other races.
Value
Value Ducks have been known to pay 2,000+ SP for Procedure
Because of their rarity Silver Tomia may be sold Ganderland Soil – but woe to those who would Loonus’ secrets were lost when he died in a
for 300–400 SP each to ducks – though there try and cheat them. Ducks have also been known laboratory accident following a lightning strike –
might be some questions about how the seller to kill for Ganderland Soil if a death drake was nor would any sane duck try to repeat his creation
acquired them. involved in the dealings. of the scarves anyway. The sky gods are not to be
meddled with!
Soil of Ganderland Scarf of Blind
Powers
Description Ignorance To activate a scarf it must be tied around the
A handful of rich, red-brown soil usually kept in a wearer’s eyes, blinding him. This results in the
sturdy pouch marked with the runes of the duck Description typical –60% penalty to combat (and to other
gods. A black scarf made from a rough, heavy material. visual skills) as if the wearer were blind. If the
Woven into it, in black thread, are runes of scarf ever slips or the wearer in some other way
Cults disorder and illusion. sees under or over it then the spell of the scarf is
Associated—Any duck cult. abruptly disrupted (and cannot be reactivated for
Friendly—Any keet cult. Cults the duration of the current situation).
Associated – The Hurtler.
Knowledge Hostile – Any sky cults. While the scarf is activated a wearer can step
Few. straight out onto air as if it were a hard surface.
Knowledge He cannot climb upward or in any other way
History Few. ascend but he can continue to walk across a
Ganderland was the beautiful homeland of the level plane. This can be useful for walking across
ducks during the Golden Age. It was destroyed History broken bridges, out over cliffs or in other similar
at the battle of Hoonra Field. Some of the fleeing Loonus Ditty, a duck who lived during the First circumstances.
ducks and keets took with them soil from their lost Age, was not a particularly good follower of the
homeland and now it brings fertility and safety to Hurtler. Rather than going out and exploring on If the wearer is a duck there is a 5% chance
those nests where this ancient loam is preserved. his own he invented things that might (or might each round that the scarf will slip – no matter
not) make exploration simpler for other ducks. what precautions are taken – causing him to
Powers Some of his inventions were purely mechanical see his current location and thus immediately
The Soil of Ganderland is usually buried under while others depending upon careful weavings of begin to fall.
a duck nest. Its prime effect is to increase the magic. Some worked but a lot more did not.
fertility of the ducks therein – increasing both
59
Value its way into the hands of a chaos fighter when he Motion. The wielder may use the Orlanth cult
A scarf might bring prices up to 5,000 SP, though needs it most. spell Flight (Cults of Glorantha: Volume I, p.84)
more frequently from non-ducks than durulz. three times a day. However this power is a joke to
Powers ducks, which have not been able to use it correctly
Sword of Stormbill Though a shortsword for purposes of being since the Dawn. If any duck tries to fly with it
wielded, Stormbill’s Sword acts as a greatsword he must make a POWx3 roll each turn to avoid
Description for the purposes of combat: being thrown to the ground, doing 3d6 damage.
A short sword with beast, motion and death runes
scribed along its blade. The grip is covered with Weapon Skill Damage Dice STR/DEX ENC AP/HP
very smooth, old rhino leather. The blade itself S t o r m b i l l ’s 1H Sword 2D8 5/7 1 4/50
glitters and shines when drawn. Sword

Cults It also has several special powers, related to the Death. The death rune controls the anti-chaos
Associated – Stormbill. three runes shown on the blade. powers of Stormbill’s Sword. The wielder may cast
Friendly – Stormbull, other duck cults. Face Chaos (Cults of Glorantha: Volume I, p.83)
Enemy – Any chaos cults. Beast. The blade acts as a spell matrix for the seven times a day and Impede Chaos (Cults of
common rune spells Strength and Vigour. The Glorantha: Volume I, p. 87) once a day.
Knowledge wielder can cast them as if he knew them, up to
Automatic; Famous; One of a Kind. magnitude 6. Though the blade does not offer a Stormbill’s Sword also acts as a permanent True
beast rune to integrate the wielder can cast the Sword against chaos, adding +2D8 to any damage
History spells without having such a rune as if he had done to chaos. This does not stack with actual
In the Golden Age of Ganderland, Duru-Orlanth Runecasting (Beast) at 95%. castings of the True Sword divine spell.
brought the storm gods back to his home. This
was how the duck Stormbill met the Orlanthi Value
Stormbull. When that occurred Stormbill Whatever its origin Stormbill’s Sword is a priceless
exchanged his axe for Stormbull’s greatsword and artefact for chaos fighters. It could easily sell for
they each carried the other’s weapon throughout 100,000 SP or more.
the rest of the mythic age (although many
Stormbulls scoff at the idea of such a trade ever
having occurred).

During the Darkness Stormbill’s Sword

disappeared for a while but it reappeared in the
First Age in the hands of the Stormbill Arkati
Chaosfoe, who stormed Dorastor and slew many
chaos creatures there (although many Stormbill
wonder whether this was actually the same sword
or not).

Since then Stormbill’s sword has appeared and

disappeared over the years but it frequently finds

60
TRAVELLER Ship’s Locker: TRAVELLER

Non-Lethal Weapons
for Traveller and Mercenary
by Alex Greene

fretful or fugitive animals harmlessly, for capture, Paralysis: Exposure to the agent induces
Designed To Subdue, rescue, or for tagging, measurement and study. immobilisation, or a state of muscular relaxation
in which physical actions are no longer possible.
Not to Kill Whatever the reason, the following non-lethal
devices are available to Travellers, the Law and Shock: A current flows through the target’s tissues
Combat in Traveller is usually lethal. It requires criminals alike. or a sudden release of energy in some form jars
little effort to terminate a life; and some of the subject (e.g. an intense burst of sound or
the weapons available from a disturbingly low light or release of kinetic energy). The target is
technological level, can terminate thousands, Using Mercenary immediately sent into a state of shock and may
even millions, of lives in an instant. However, The Mercenary sourcebook lists heavy artillery and lose consciousness – but will certainly be stunned
sometimes, characters need to take their targets support weapons, as well as other weapons more and at a disadvantage to all physical actions whilst
down and keep them alive for some reason. suited for heavy deployment in a military context. in shock.
Referees are likely to need Mercenary as a reference
A bounty contract might stipulate no collateral for some of the weapons listed here. Restraint: The target is physically restrained, as if
casualties; a criminal may need to be brought grappled by an overwhelming force.
back to life to face justice. Security personnel on
a ship or space station might be outfitted with Incapacitants and Knockback: The target suffers a physical impact
low-impact stun rounds to avoid puncturing hull which knocks him down.
walls or viewports. Restraints
Criminal abductors might need to subdue their Manner of Means of
victims; a corrupt government might equip its riot
control forces to subdue rioting crowds, putting Incapacitation Incapacitation
down insurrections while keeping dissenters alive A non-lethal weapon may subdue a target or Chemical Restraint: The weapon exposes the
for “trial and exile” (for which read “torture and targets in a number of ways. target to a chemical agent that induces sedation,
secret execution away from the media gaze”). paralysis or even shock. A chemical agent takes
Sedation: Exposure to a chemical agent induces a time to act upon the subject’s metabolism but it
Of course hunters, conservationists, scholars and state of sedation or unconsciousness. is thorough and hard to resist. Chemical restraints
zookeepers need rounds designed to incapacitate cannot induce knockback.

61
Binder: An agent which physically restrains Mercy Rounds At two technological levels above the weapon’s
the target in a mass of strands of some kind of Chemical stun rounds are available for a range level, mercy rounds take the form of flechettes of
material, often adhesive, most often a synthetic of slug throwers. Non-lethal sedative rounds a water-soluble gelatine laced with the sedative
polymer but sometimes a natural product such as for slug throwers are known as mercy rounds. In agent. The tiny needles enter the body and leave a
a discharge of silk-like threads. some circles, they are also known as street sleepers, tiny, quickly healed mark on the skin. When they
goodnight specials, jelly babies, hush bullets and dissolve, the round releases the payload.
Electrical: The weapon discharges an electrical other similar nicknames.
current, inducing shock and unconsciousness. Mercy Shot: Available for shotgun rounds, a
Action: A mercy round inflicts no more than mercy shot round contains, not regular shot pellets
Sonic: The weapon discharges a combination of 1d3–2 (minimum 1) physical damage when it but tiny pellets of semi-rigid gelatine laced with
an ultrasound burst and a plasma discharge. The strikes (this is not part of its stun rating). It must an agent such as DMSO (dimethyl sulphoxide)
target exposed to this weapon will be stunned and bypass armour and penetrate bare flesh, which and a metabolic rate-controlled anaesthetic. The
may also be knocked back. requires that the wielder of the weapon must take DMSO allows the anaesthetic round to penetrate
an aiming action against an armoured opponent. the skin without piercing it; thus, mercy rounds
Armour that fully encloses the target cannot be only inflict 1d6 physical damage, halved, in
The Stun Effect bypassed. addition to its full stun rating.

Stun Rating The mercy round takes effect 1d3 + End DM A mercy shot round affects all targets in the
A non-lethal weapon’s damage rating is its stun (minimum 1 round) rounds after striking the weapon’s cone of fire, exactly the same as for
rating. A weapon whose rounds inflict 2d6 target. Targets roll End each round for the next regular shot. However, the mercy shot rounds
damage can deploy non-lethal rounds that inflict hour or fall unconscious. Unconsciousness lasts automatically bypass any armour that offers only
2d6 + Effect stun damage instead. Some weapons 2d6 – the target’s Endurance in hours, minimum partial cover, such as flak jackets, cloth or jack
inflict minor physical damage as well, usually 1 hour. armour. Mercy shot grenades are grenades filled
if deployment of a non-lethal chemical agent with the same mercy shot pellets and affect all
requires piercing the target’s skin. Availability and Cost: Mercy rounds for each targets within the blast radius.
type of slug thrower are available at a +2 DM to
The round usually takes 1d3 + End DM the availability roll and mercy rounds cost 10%
(minimum 1) rounds to begin working on the – 60% less than standard, lethal, rounds. Paralysis Rounds
target, unless stated otherwise. If a chemical stun Similar to mercy rounds, a paralysis round works
round’s damage exceeds the target’s Endurance Technological Level: Mercy rounds become on the central nervous system and muscles. The
DM (if positive), the target must roll End each available for each weapon at the technological target must exceed the weapon’s stun rating with
round to avoid losing consciousness. Sometimes a level at which the weapon becomes available. At Dexterity instead; failure means that the character
chemical stun round’s damage does not exceed the the same technological level, the mercy round remains conscious but paralysed and incapable of
Endurance DM; the target is often not knocked comprises a hollow metal hypodermic flechette taking any action, even to defend himself. The
out but remains fatigued for 2d6 – Endurance that pierces the skin and injects the chemical character becomes fatigued if the Effect is less than
hours (minimum 1 hour); the target is at a –2DM payload. or equal to the target’s current Endurance DM, if
to resist further similar attacks, as well as other positive. Paralysis lasts for the same duration as for
actions. mercy rounds. Availability, costs and technological
levels are as for mercy rounds.

62
Other Sedation and all affected targets must roll Endurance
each round to stay awake.
Techniques
Spiked Drinks and Food: A character can
surreptitiously spike the target’s food or drinks Gas TL Rating Availability Mass (kg) Cost (Cr.)
with a sedative. Lacing the drug requires a
successful Dexterity characteristic check: the Nitrous Oxide 4 2d6 6 4kg bottle 250
target can detect the presence of the adulterant on
a successful Intelligence check against the rating Halothane 8 3d6 8 4kg bottle 600
of the drug.
Petrizine 10 4d6 10 1 kg bottle 800
Once ingested, the drug takes effect in 1d6
minutes. The target suffers fatigue and makes Drug-Soaked Pad: The character soaks a at which these weapons are introduced, stunners
Endurance checks each minute or fall unconscious volatile chemical such as chloroform onto a (also known as tasers) use compressed air to shoot
for 2d6 – Endurance hours, minimum of 1 hour. pad and then applies it over the victim’s mouth two tiny metal darts at short range. Thin copper
and nose. This requires a successful surprise wires connect these darts to the taser weapon:
attack and a successful melee grapple attack. when discharged, the stunner delivers an electrical
TL Rating Detection Availa- C o s t The drug’s rating is 2d6 and onset is in 10–60 current to the target.
DM bility (Cr.) seconds, with fatigue if the target wins the
Endurance roll against the rating but with an The target must roll the weapon’s stun rating or
2 1d6 –2 10 15 Effect less than her Endurance DM if positive. greater on Endurance for each round the taser
Unconsciousness lasts for 2d6 – Endurance continues to discharge into him; if the target
6 1d6 +0 8 10 hours, minimum of 1 hour. succeeds, the taser has no effect on the target.

8 2d6 +0 10 15 Injection: This requires a successful surprise Stunsticks, another form of stunner wielded like a
attack and a straightforward Melee attack to melee weapon and known as stun guns, inflict the
8 2d6 +2 8 10 deliver the chemical payload, either through same damage but are wielded as melee weapons.
a hypodermic syringe (delivering 1 point of
14 3d6 –2 10 50 damage and requiring that the attacker bypass Shock rounds become available for slug throwers
any armour the target is wearing) or through at the same technological level as the level at which
Gas: Tranquiliser gases become available at TL 4 a slap patch. Onset begins in the next combat the weapons become available.
with the invention of nitrous oxide, laughing gas. round, with effects as for mercy rounds.
Gas release systems take time to disperse a volume Sonic Weapons: At TL 12, sonic stunners
of gas within the atmosphere of an enclosed space: Physical become available in pistol, carbine and rifle
enough to fill a single stateroom with an effective form. These weapons have the same statistics,
concentration of gas within 10–60 seconds or a Incapacitation including availability and costs, as laser pistols,
larger enclosed space such as an office block or Stunners, Stunsticks carbines and rifles but have a maximum range of
hospital complex within 10–60 minutes. Medium. These energy weapons discharge a bolt
and Shock Rounds of superheated plasma and ultrasound designed
The effect of the gas is as for tranquilisers in These are the weapons listed in the Equipment
drinks or food but onset is within 1–6 seconds section of Traveller. At the technological levels

63
to knock down and disorient the target; these Strength rating of the binder agent. TL 9, Police Combat Shotgun: These are short (95 cm),
weapons’ damage rating (which is the same as Availability 10+, Cost 200 Cr. smoothbore specialised shotguns used by police
for laser pistols, carbines and rifles) is their stun forces. Available as single – shot, breech-loading
rating. Binder rounds and grenades come with a spray shotguns at TL 7 and as automatic shotguns with
which dissolves the fibres. Cost Cr. 50; mass 0.5 a 10 round clip from TL 8, the police combat
If the target succeeds with the Endurance roll kg. The spray dissolves the fibres within 1–6 shotgun is a larger version of the cartridge pistol
against the rolled stun damage of the weapon, seconds. that takes a large calibre shot shell which is
he still must roll against the same stun damage incompatible with standard shotgun shells. With
with his Dexterity or be knocked down: a target a simple bead sight, the police combat shotgun
knocked down ends all actions for the current Weapons has a flip-up sight for ranged shots. Round types
combat round and begins the next round prone. Blowgun: A long tube for launching darts at targets include beanbag rounds, shock and stun rounds,
up to Medium range, blowguns are powered by mercy shot and binder spray, flashbang and
TL 12 stunsticks operate under the same principles breath and are surprisingly accurate. Darts must gas grenades of various types (smoke, aerosol,
as TL 12 stunners but are still melee weapons. bypass armour; against a target wearing armour, knockout, tear, irritant and incapacitant). Bulky 3
the character must aim the attack. Blowguns kg drums are available containing 30 rounds.
use the Athletics (archery) skill described in
Beanbags and Binders Mercenary.

Beanbag Rounds
Available for the police combat shotgun, a beanbag
delivers stunning and knockback damage as for
TL 15 sonic stunner weapons. These rounds have Mass Maga Availa- Cost Ammo
no effect on targets armoured with any armour Weapon TL Range Damage Recoil Auto (kg) - zine bility (Cr.) Cost (Cr.)
stronger than jack.
Blowgun 0 Ranged 1d6 0 No 1 0 8+ 0 Negligible
(thrown)
Binder Rounds
Binder rounds envelop the target in a fine cloud Police 7 Ranged 2d6 4 No 0.9 0 8+ 800 Special
of nanofibres. These fibres cling together in a Combat (shotgun)
binding cocoon, immobilising the target for 1d6 Shotgun
hours. The target can attempt to break free by
exceeding the rolled rating of the round with his Police 9 Ranged 3d6 4 2 0.9 01/10 8 + 850 Special
Strength; he may attempt this once a minute. Combat (shotgun) /3.9 /30
Shotgun with
Binder grenades have the characteristics of frag drum
grenades (p. 101, Traveller) but roll the listed
damage ratings to provide the effective grappling

64
Mercy and Paralysis ACR 3d6 supplies the water: the vehicle can fire continuous
bursts for 10 minutes before the tank needs to be
Rounds Gauss Rifle 4d6 refuelled.

Weapon Stun Rating Shotgun 4d6

Sample NPCs
Revolver 3d6–3 Police Combat Shotgun 4d6
Marion Bolivar, The
Cartridge Pistol Mercy Shot 2d6+3 Shotgun Slug 4d6
Huntress
Autopistol 3d6–3 Police Combat Shotgun Slug 4d6 Agent, Age 36, 4 terms

Flechette Pistol 3d6–2 LMG 4d6 Str8 Dex11 End8 Int10 Edu9 Soc 9

Snub Pistol 3d6–3 LAG (TL 5) 6d6 Admin–1, Advocate–2, Deception–3, Diplomat–
2, Gun Combat (snub pistol) –3, Stealth–2.
Body Pistol 3d6–3 LAG (TL 8) 8d6
Snub pistol with two full clips of mercy rounds,
Gauss Pistol 3d6 Allies (her two partners), 3x tranq spray, several
Heavy Weapons doses of liquid chemical restraint (knockout
Carbine 3d6–2 Law enforcement forces with access to large scale drops, chloroform pad), petrizine bottle and
incapacitating shells can subdue whole areas at a dispersal mechanism, van, 1 low passage ticket
Autocarbine 3d6–2 time. Frequently, law enforcement officers deploy per character, 3 medium passage tickets – one for
tear gas grenades and beanbag rounds with police herself, one for her partners
Flechette Carbine 3d6 combat shotguns.
Appearance: Marion looks like a typical harassed
Gauss Carbine 3d6 Tear gas grenades and mercy shot grenades for stay-at-home mother. Her hair and makeup are
police combat shotgun rounds inflict their stated slightly dishevelled and her clothes a little behind
Rifle 3d6 stun rating on all exposed targets within a 1d6 current fashion trends. To all intents and purposes,
metre blast radius of the point of impact. she looks like someone out to do the shopping.
Autorifle 3d6
Police forces engaging in riot control have access She is, however, a ruthless man hunter.
Sniper Rifle (TL 4) 2d6+6 to heavier weapons, such as water cannon, shot
grenade and gas mortar shells and, at TL 15, Encounter: At some point in the characters’ career,
Sniper Rifle (TL 8) 3d6+3 mounted stun cannon. they will get on the wrong side of some powerful
and influential person or other. That person will
Flechette Rifle 3d6 Water Cannon: Vehicle mounted, a water cannon be very determined to see that the characters suffer
delivers a spray of high-pressure water at the same for their presumption: however, he is a hands-on
Gauss Rifle 4d6 range as a flamethrower. Targets resist the rolled sadist and he will want to torment the characters
stun rating with Dexterity to avoid knockback in person.
Assault Rifle 3d6 from the water. A water tank inside the vehicle

65
Weapon TL Stun Rating Recoil Mass Magazine Availability Cost (Cr.)

Water Cannon 7 3d6+6 3 25 water tank 10+ 2,500

Mortar Mercy Shot Rounds: These shells spray bursts of mercy shot across a wide area. Used in standard mortar launchers. Mortar launchers’ minimum
range, effective range, rates of fire and operating crews are listed in Mercenary.

Weapon TL Stun Rating Radius Availability Cost (Cr.)

Mortar Mercy Shot Shell 11 5d6 9 metres 8 1,250

Vehicle-Mounted Sonic Stunner: At TL 8, a vehicle-mounted heavy sonic stunner is available. The effect is the same as for the TL 12 sonic cannon, with
a maximum range of Medium. Too large to be carried by hand, the vehicle’s power source also powers the device.

The field of fire of the vehicle mounted sonic stunner is the same as that of a shotgun, affecting a cone spreading out from the point of fire and affecting all
targets within that area.

Weapon TL Range Stun Rating Auto Mass Magazine Availability Cost (Cr.)

Heavy Stunner 8 Medium 3d6 + knockback Yes - Vehicle 10+ 5,000

Heavy Stunner 10 Medium 4d6 + knockback Yes - Vehicle 10+ 8,000

Heavy Stunner 12 Medium 5d6 + knockback Yes - Vehicle 10+ 10,000

This is the kind of person who hires Marion Bolivar.

Referee: Use Marion as your quick and dirty railroading agent. If the players are bored with the current adventure, have an old enemy of theirs hire Marion.
She will track them down and, one by one or all at once, incapacitate the characters, hauling them all off before her Patron.

Marion charges a hefty fee for her services. As a Patron, she could approach the characters asking if they can aid her to pull off an elaborate scheme she is
running to bring in an elusive target: a banker whose incompetence brought a major sector Corporation to its knees two sectors away. She stands to gain
Cr. 500,000 from the banker’s capture.

Marion is ... (roll 1d6):-

1-2: True to her word. The banker is physically harmless but he has been extremely lucky. Marion suspects he may be a psion.
3-4: Honourable and generous. She has to be. The banker has already managed to kill both of her regular boys.
5-6: Actually planning on subduing the characters: they are her real prey. And with a bounty of Cr. 100,000 apiece, she is not going to give up the
pursuit, even if her true plot is revealed.

66
 Ready painted terrain designed for use with 28mm miniatures

Dugout Range
SFDUGS001 Open sided dugout £8.00 SFDUGS007 Earthwork 90 deg Corners £12.00
SFDUGS002 Weapons pit £12.00 SFDUGS008 Earthwork 270 deg Corners £12.00
SFDUGS003 Command bunker £16.00 SFDUGS009 Barbed Wire Kit £12.00
SFDUGS004 Earthwork Straights £12.00 SFDUGS010 Shell Holes £12.00

For our complete set of ranges see our website - www.tablescape.co.uk

TableScape, 22 Glenfield Terrace, London, W13 9JF. Tel: 02085678306

 Write for the Mongoose
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Traveller MGP 7800 Conan the Roleplaying Game: Second Edition $49.95
MGP 3800 Traveller Core Rulebook $39.95 MGP 7702 The Scrolls of Skelos $24.95
MGP 3805 760 Patrons $29.95 MGP 7703 The Road of Kings $34.95
MGP 3802 Spinward Marches $24.95 MGP 7704 The Pirate Isles $24.95
MGP 3801 Book 1: Mercenary $24.95 MGP 7705 Conan GM’s Screen $14.95
MGP 3803 Book 2: High Guard $24.95 MGP 7706 Across Thunder River $34.95
MGP 3804 Adventure 1: Beltstrike $29.95 MGP 7707 The Free Companies $24.95
MGP 3806 Supplement 2: Traders and Gunboats $24.95 MGP 7708 Shadizar: City of the Wicked $39.95
MGP 3807 Supplement 3: Fighting Ships MGP 7709 Messantia: City of Riches $39.95
MGP 3809 Traveller Core Rulebook: Pocket Edition £19.95 MGP 7710 Aquilonia $34.95
MGP 7711 Pocket Conan RPG $19.95
MGP 7713 Hyboria’s Fierceest: Barbarians, Borderers and Nomads$24.95
Historical MGP 7714 Tales of the Black Kingdom $19.95
MGP 8137 RuneQuest: Land of the Samurai $24.95 MGP 7715 Hyboria’s Finest: Nobles, Scholars and Soldiers$24.95
MGP 7716 Heretics of Tarantia $9.95
Babylon 5 MGP 7717 Hyboria’s Fallen: Pirates, Thieves and Temptresses $24.95
MGP 3500 Babylon 5 2nd Edition Roleplaying Game $49.95 MGP 7718 The Lurking Terror of Nahab $9.95
MGP 3501 The Cold Equations $9.95 MGP 7719 Tower of the Elephant $9.95
MGP 3502 The Ragged Edge $29.95 MGP 7721 Tito’s Trading Post $24.95
MGP 3505 Ships of the Galaxy $29.95 MGP 7722 Stygia $29.95
MGP 3506 Ship Builder’s Manual $24.95 MGP 7723 Faith and Fervour $24.95
MGP 3507 Babylon 5 Station Guide $49.95 MGP 7724 Ruins of Hyboria $29.95
MGP 3508 Final Flight of Santiago $9.95 MGP 7725 Argos and Zingara $24.95
MGP 3509 The Drakh $24.95 MGP 7727 Reavers of the Vilayet $9.95
MGP 3510 2nd Edition GM’s Screen $14.95 MGP 7728 Shem $24.95
MGP 3513 Bounty Hunter $24.95 MGP 7729 Conan Compendium $24.95
MGP 3514 Heroes and Aliens $24.95 MGP 7802 Return To The Road of Kings $34.95
MGP 3515 Freedom Station $27.95 MGP 7803 Bestiary of the Hyborian Age $29.95
MGP 3516 IPX $24.95 MGP 7805 Secrets of Skelos $29.95
MGP 3517 The Rim $27.95 MGP 7808 Player’s Guide to the Hyborian Age $24.95
MGP 3520 The Lurker’s Guide to pak’ma’ra $27.95 MGP 7809 Trial of Blood $34.95
MGP 3523 The Lurker’s Guide to Telepaths $27.95 MGP 7812 Cities of Hyboria $24.95
MGP 3524 Legend of the Rangers $27.95 MGP 7811 Cimmeria $29.95

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 MGP 6658 Alpha Complex Nights $24.95
MGP 7815 Betrayer of Asgard $29.95 MGP 6659 Big Book of Bots $19.95
MGP 7813 Khitai $24.95 MGP 6661 The Thin Green Line $19.95
MGP 7807 Adventures in the Hyborian Age $29.95 MGP 6662 Alpha Complex Nights 2 $19.95
MGP 6663 Mandatory Mission Pack $ 9.95

Flaming Cobra
MGP 6100 Spycraft 2.0 $49.95 Lone Wolf
MGP 6103 Spycraft: World on Fire $34.95 MGP 1250 LW1: Flight from the Dark $21.95
MGP 6107 Cthulhutech $39.95 MGP 1251 LW2:Fire on the Water $21.95
MGP 6112 Dark Passions $19.95 MGP 1255 LW3:The Caverns of Kalte $21.95
MGP 6122 Dragon Warriors RPG $39.95 MGP 1257 LW4: The Chasm of Doom $21.95
MGP 6123 Dragon Warriors Bestiary $24.95 MGP 1261 LW5: Shadow on the Sand $21.95
MGP 6126 Apocalypse Z $19.95 MGP 1265 LW6: The Kingdom of Terror $21.95
MGP 6114 Fantasy Craft $39.95 MGP 1267 LW7: Castle Death $21.95
MGP 1268 LW8: Jungle of Horrors $21.95

Paranoia
MGP 6630 Paranoia $34.95 Dungeons & Dragons 4e GSL
MGP 6631 Paranoia GM’s Screen $14.95 MGP 5200 Wraith Recon $34.95
MGP 6632 The Traitor’s Manual $21.95 MGP 5202 Wraith Recon Mission 1: Skies of Fire $24.95
MGP 6633 Crash Priority $14.95 MGP 5203 Wraith Recon: Enemies WIthin $24.95
MGP 6634 The Mutant Experience $21.95 MGP 5204 Quintessential Wizard $24.95
MGP 6635 Paranoia Flashbacks $34.95
MGP 6636 Paranoid STUFF $21.95
MGP 6109 STUFF 2 – The Gray Subnets $27.95
MGP 6637 WMD $14.95
MGP 6638 Extreme Paranoia $24.95
MGP 6639 Service, Service $21.95
MGP 6646 The Little RED Book $9.95
MGP6650 Paranoia Flashbacks II $24.95
MGP 6657 My First Treason/Sweep of Unhistory $19.95
MGP 6660 Paranoia Mandatory Card Game $24.95

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