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    Earthdawn Parlainth Adventures

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    Earthdawn Parlainth Adventures

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    Billy Mott
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    Earthdawn Parlainth Adventures

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    Billy Mott

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    | i \ P nes ry eer EARTHDAWN ADVENTURES Ls ede eh ey PABLAINTH ADVENTURES 4 FASA CORPORATION INTRODUCTION Gamemastering Notes Making Tests How to Use This Book Awarding Legend Points Total Legend Point Award Preparing Adventures ‘Traveling through Parlainth MESSENGER BLOOD PACT Plot Synopsis, From the Mouths of Babes, Hearth and Home It’s Mad, Mad World Sleeping Sickness Twists of Fate Loose Ends Possible Outcomes ‘Awarding Legend Points Total Legend Award Campaign Ideas Cast of Characters Mindtzap Sekra ‘Treasure Butterspider Box ‘THE UNGRATEFUL DEAD DEAD MAN'S HAND Plot Synopsis Preparing the Adventure Invitation from the Grave Festival Night Crossing the Threshold Monarch of the Slain Loose Ends Possible Outcomes ‘Awarding Legend Points Total Legend Award Campaign Ideas, Cast of Characters Twicebon Cadaver Men Lenethriel Gharmek Sendrie Torgak Torgak’s Deputies COLLECTING A DEBT DESIRE BOX Plot Synopsis Preparing the Adventure CONTENTS Return to Haven Revival Meeting ‘The Box Changes Hands Enter Chorrolis, Loose Ends Possible Outcomes Awarding Legend Points Total Legend Award Cast of Characters “Archiana Smoothskin Needren Lannen Wiswell Liniarg Blindingshout Bruspri Tylia ‘Treasure ‘The Desire Box WAKE-UP CALL ‘THREADS Plot Synopsis Preparing the Adventure ACall from Torgak Investigations ‘The Cult of Pain Into the Catacombs Final Conflict Loose Ends Possible Outcomes Awarding Legend Points Total Legend Award Cast of Characters The Abomination /ADVENTURES™ are Trademarh (Copyright 1984 FASA Corporation AI Rights Resevec, Prine in the U.S.A, Published by FASA Corporation + 1100 W. Cermak » Suite FASA Corporation can be reached on the GEnie computer network /EMallFASA Support) on SCORPIA’s Roundtable (page RIS) and on FASABQyan BaltleTech or FASAMike (Cera Harremment nthe Online Gaming area (Keyword "Cami Via InteNet use @AO COM, but please, no it server suscrpions. Thanks! Parlainth Adventures PARLAINTH ADVENTURES Waiting ‘Teeuwynn (Blood Pact) Robin D. Laws (Dead Man's Hand) Allen Varney (Desire Box) Samuel Witt (Threads) Development Louis J. Prosperi Editorial Staff Editorial Director Donna Ippolito Managing Editor Sharon Turner Mulvihill Associate Editors Diane Piron-Gelman Rob “Blood Monkey” Cruz Production Department Art Direclor Jim Nelson Project Manager Mike Nielsen Cover Art Les Dorscheid Cover Design Mike Nielsen Ilustration Peter Bergting Joel Biske Kent Burles Jef Laubenstein Larry MacDougall Craig Maher Mike Nielsen Maps James Higgins Layout Steve Bryant Contents/Credits INTREDUCTION HOUSANDS OF YEARS ago there existed 6 si age of magic and high adventure, the age of Earthdawn. The power of magic flowed freely through the world, and people could drav on magic to perform both wondrous feats and everyday tasks. But the dawn of magic also brought Horrors to earth, crea tures from the depths of astral space that devoured al life in their path, For four centres the peo ple of earth hid from the Horrors that devastated their land Suring the time that came to be called the Scourge. Now, the people of Barsaive have re-emerged from their sealed ners and cladels to reclaim their world from the remain- ing Horrors and the oppressive Theran Empire, From all across Barsaive, bold heroes arise to explore the world, Search for magical tease, and slay the Horzors that stil exist. Magicians spin the magical energies ofthe universe ito powerful spells, and adepts use the magic to enhance their natural talents. Through magic, courage, skill, and daring, Barsaive's heroes strive to heal the world of the Scars left by the Scourge and to build their own legends into the history oftheir land Parlainth Adventures i collection of four shor roe- playing adventures son the world of Earthdawn. Each of the adventures takes place in or near the ruins of the Forgotten City of Parlanth and the nearby town of Haven Blood Pact takes the characters into the Twist, a portion of Parlinth’s ruins where they must confront a Horror that can attack those who touch its blood. In Dead Man’s Hand, the characters travel into the Eastern Catacombs, the region of Parlainth’stindercity where the sinister Queen Twiceborn holds court over Pariaint’s cadaver men. The characters must attempt to keep a friend from joining Twicebor’s kingdom ofthe animated dead. Desire Box is a lighthearted adventure set in Haven, in which the charac- ters run across an ancient Theran magical item that brings them face to face with Chorolis, Passion of Wealth. The final adventure, Threads, leads the characters into the magically active passageways of the Western Catacombs, where experiments performed centuries ago by Parlainth’s magicians created a powerful Horror known as the ‘Abomination GAMEMASTERING NOTES ‘The adventures in Parlainth Adventures are linear— each follows a specific sequence. However, feel free to modify the adventures to suit your particular group of players. Though the encounters of each adventure progress logically, the gamemaster need not follow the adventure precisely as written to run a successful game. To run any of these adventures, the gamemaster needs a thorough famnil- iarity with the contents of this book, and both players and ‘gamemaster should be familiar with the Earthdawn rule- book (ED), ‘All these adventures include clearly marked sections intended to be read aloud to the players. Adjust the text of these sections when necessary to accurately reflect events as they occur in your adventure; depending on the choices, made by different groups of players, the assumptions in the existing text may not always be correct. All adventures {in Parlainth Adventures are best suited for player charac- ters of varying Circles; a brief introductory paragraph in cach adventure suggests an appropriate number of charac- ters and their recommended Circles. MAKING TESTS: ‘Whenever player characters attempt to take actions such as casting a spell, swinging a sword at an opponent, tracking a Horror, or flirting with a barmaid, the gamemas- ter o the player rolls dice against a Difficulty Number to determine the action’s outcome. These dice rolls are called tests. To make a test, the player or gamemaster rolls the appropriate Action dice based on the step number of the ability being used (see the Step/Action Dice Table, p. 36, ED). If the dice roll result is equal to or greater than the Difficulty Number, the test is successful and the character accomplishes his action. If the result is less than the Difficulty Number, the test is unsuccessful and the charac- ter fails to accomplish his action. In tests that deal with ‘magic, the dice roll result often determines the duration of 1a magical effect as well. Frequently, a test result determines not only success or failure, but the level of success. A test may have one of five success levels: Poor, Average, Good, Excellent, and Extraordinary. A Poor sticcess level indicates failure that causes unpleasant side effects. An Average success— ‘equal to or barely exceeding the Difficulty Number— means that the character just barely accomplished his action. A somewhat better dice roll yields a Good suc- ‘cess, and a result close to double the Difficulty Number means an Excellent success. To achieve Extraordinary success requires an even better roll. Any success level greater than Average may give the character some gain for his actions or else valuable extra information. The amount of gain for each success level is determined by the gamemaster unless otherwise noted, ‘In many cases when the player characters must make a test, the required ability is noted, followed by the Difficulty Number of the task in parentheses. For example, a Perception (13) Test means that a player character must use his Perception ability against a Difficulty Number of 13. SLUR URAL Parlainth Adventures SS NEECEUECL EEUU Introduction HOW T? USE THIS B°CK Aside from the Earthdawn (ED) rulebook, this book contains everything required to run Parlainth Adventures However, the Parlainth: The Forgotten City boxed set will greatly enhance the adventures. The boxed set provides ‘much more detailed descriptions of the Forgotten City, its inhabitants, and its history. Gamemasters may also find the Barsaive Campaign Set, the Earthdawn Gamemaster Pack, and the Earthdawn Companion useful. Read the adventures carefully to familiarize yourself with the back {grounds of each before beginning the game, The gamemas- ter should be familiar with the basic outline of the plot of each adventure as well and know precisely which plot ‘developments trigger later events. As always, be prepared to deal with the unexpected Each adventure begins with a prologue story and a brief introduction, followed by a Plot Synopsis that sum- marizes the story background and the most probable course of the adventure. Some adventures include a Preparing the Adventure section, which provides any spe- cial directions needed for setting up the game. The follow- ing chapters, called encounters, describe the situations and events the characters must deal with during the course of the adventure. Each encounter contains five sections: Overview, Setting the Stage, Themes and Images, Behind the Scenes, and Troubleshooting ‘The Overview briefly summarizes the action that ‘occurs during the encounter and describes the encounter’s main conflict. The next section, Setting the Stage, contains ‘narrative description that the gamemaster reads aloud to the players. The narrative describes the player characters’ location and what is happening to them as ifthe characters were actually there. Any special instructions for the gamemaster here are printed in boldface type. ‘Themes and Images helps the gamemaster set the mood and pacing for a particular encounter. It includes hhints about imagery to use in the scene, emotions to con vey, sounds, sensations, and so on. The information pro- vvided varies in form and content from scene to scene, rang- ing from general themes to specific sensory impressions, Behind the Scenes explains what is really going on in ‘each encounter. This section provides the gamemaster with all the information he needs to run the encounter, such as, specialized descriptions of locations and events and statis- tics for gamemaster characters they may meet or creatures. they may fight. IFthe players or gamemaster need a map 0 play an encounter, it appears here. As with Setting the Stage, any special instructions for the gamemaster here are printed in boldface type. The final section of each encounter, Troubleshooting, offers suggestions to help the gamemaster get the adven ture back on track should things go awry. For example, the characters may miss an important clue or lose a fight that they need to win. Most gamemasters will not want the player characters to get discouraged or killed off too easily. ‘This section offers the gamemaster options for keeping the game going over trouble spots. Of course, the gamemaster may ignore these hints and invent his own solutions or simply let the chips fall where they may. Following the encounters, the section entitled Loose Ends sums up the consequences of the adventure and sug: gests ways the gamemaster might use the adventure’s gamemaster characters and settings in future adventures, ‘This section also inckudes Awarding Legend Points, guide- lines for awarding the adventure’s Legend Points to the player characters. In Earthdawn adventures of standard length, the gamemaster awards Legend Points after each gaming session as well as at the end of the adventure. Because the adventures inthis book are designed to fit into a single gaming session, the gamemaster need only give hhis players an Adventure Legend Award (see Awarding Legend Points, following). Cast of Characters provides ‘game statistics and descriptions for significant gamemaster characters in each adventure, including creatures and /or Horrors. One adventure contains a Rumors and Research section, which provides all the information the player char acters can obtain from outside sources in the adventure: rumors, tales and legends, library research, and so on. If he ‘wishes, the gamemaster can adapt much of the information in this Section to future adventures. AWARDING LEGEND POINTS The Loose Ends section of each adventure includes guidelines for awarding Legend Points for that adventure. ‘These guidelines for Legend Awards indicate the points the gamemaster awards for each task accomplished or goal reached during the adventures. The Adventure Legend ‘Award represents the Legend Points awarded for complet- ing the adventure successfully. For more information on completing adventure goals and earning Adventure Legend Awards, see p. 242, ED. In addition, player charac- ters may receive Legend Awards for creative roleplaying, and/or heroics, defeating creatures and /or opponents, and finding or acquiring treasure. For creative roleplaying and/or heroics, characters, may receive a number of Legend Points for taking certain types of actions listed in each adventure. A single character may only receive one such award during a given adven- ture. Unlike other Legend Awards, the Legend Points list- ced for various acts of creative roleplaying or heroics are not divided among the characters. The Creature Legend Award appears in the Creature/Opponent Award Table provided in each adven- ture. These tables list the available Legend Points for defeating the adventure’s creatures and/or opponents, arranged by the type and number of each creature and ‘opponent fought as well as by the number of player char- acters. The Legend Points listed for each creature represent the total number of points for each type, not the number of Legend Points per creature; for example, the Creature Legend Award for the ghouls that the characters battle in ‘Threads, (pp. 62-77) is 180 Legend Points for both ghouls, not 180 for each one. Divide the total Creature Legend ‘Award equally among the player characters (see p. 242, ED). Round points per character down to the nearest mul- tiple of 10; for example, 500 Legend Points divided by 6 characters equals 833 points per character, rounded down to 80 points per character. Entries marked with an asterisk indicate creatures or ‘opponents that the characters may choose not to fight. If they battle these opponents, add the indicated Legend Points to the total Creature Legend Award and divide that total by the number of player characters. Characters earn Treasure Legend Points by finding or acquiring specific treasures in each adventure. As with Points for defeating creatures, divide the Legend Points for each treasure equally among the player characters, If they choose, the player characters may sell certain items for a number of silver pieces equal to the Legend Points that the item is worth, TOTAL LEGEND POINT AWARD ‘The Total Legend Point Award serves as a guideline for the gamemaster. He may award more or fewer Legend. Points depending on the circumstances of his game, but the total should not vary drastically from the average provided ineach adventure, PREPARING ADVENTURES It is impossible to create a published adventure that provides the appropriate opposition level for every diverse group of player characters. Some groups are inherently. more powerful than others. ‘Therefore, gamemasters must adjust the game statis- tics and capabilities of an adventure's opposition to pro vide an appropriate level of difficulty for his or her group. If an adventure does not suit the player characters strengths and weaknesses, use it as a blueprint to develop an adventure of your own. Or if it works well except for a alitch here and there, modify the plot or events to make the adventure a better one Keep in mind that you, the gamemaster, have a unique responsibility to make the adventure exciting, keep the players involved, and hold the story on track. In describing. the world of Earthdawa, try to answer all the players questions about what the characters see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. Feel free to go beyond the descriptions provided in this book when evoking places and moods. To keep the players connected to the action, ask “What do you do?” ‘each time you describe a new scene. By having to describe what they want their characters to do, the players help to tell the story and add to their own enjoyment. Ifthe play- ers wander from the storyline, nudge them back in the right direction. Ifthe players make choices that interrupt the story or make them miss a vital clue, drop hints to encourage them to do what the adventure requires. Remember, however, to keep it subtle. A good gamemaster guides the players; he does not tell them what to do, TRAVELING THROUGH PARLAINTH ‘Three of the four adventures in this book require the ‘characters to travel through portions of the ruins of Parlainth, ‘The adventures themselves include little background on the ‘ruins or encounters or obstacles the characters might expert tence during such travel; those details appear in the Parlainth: The Forgotten City boxed set. The Parlainth Gamemaster Book included in the boxed set offers plenty of helpful advice on run- ning adventures in the ruins as well as staging random encounters as the characters travel through the city. Note that each adventure’s guidelines for awarding Legend Points do not take random ‘encounters into account. A gamemaster who stages such encounters, therefore, may have toaward additional Legend Points to the characters depending on the kind of encoun- ters the characters experience during travel Asa rule of thumb, design random encoun- ters so that the Legend Points awarded for those encounters equal approximately half of the appropriate Adventure Legend Award per character. For example, the Adventure Legend Point Award for Threads is 500 Legend Points, In this adventure, ran dom encounters should earn the characters no more than 250 addi tional Legend Points each. By using. this guideline, the gamemaster can give his players the addi tonal Legend Points the characters deserve without allowing the random fencounters to make up too large a portion of the total Legend Points the charac- ters.earn, for an adven- MESSENGER EKRA SKIDDED TO a halt in the gray street, thumping, her tail hard against the large, cracked. paving-stones to keep her balance, The smells of stale ale, rich food, and unwashed trolls drifted toward her from the inn across the way. ‘The feathers of Sekra’s once-fine cloak stuck out at odd angles from her broad body, giving her a bedraggled look she would never have tolerated before last night, before e carnival and the clown. Sekra ripped a few of the larger feathers from her cloak and searched frantically forthe thick leather pouch she had car- ried away from the carnival. If she had lost it, the clown would know. He would take her back to the music and the pain. ‘With a flutering gasp of relief, Sekra pulled the pouch forward from its place behind her now-empty scabbard. Her sword, Browbester, had fallen—she no longer cared where. Somewhere near the clown, she thought. The clown, just like the down who had come to her village years ‘ago and hit her and hit her when she wouldn't laugh at his antics. Now she laughed! Oh, how she laughed! Giggling softly, Sekra opened the pouch and stabbed the handful of feathers into it. As she reached upward toward a bare spot on the wall looming in front of her, Sekra’s claw-tipped fingers shook so hard that she almost dropped the feathers. Giggling harder, Sekra pecked at herself furiously with the tip of her snout, praying that the pain would force her to greater awareness. She must hurry before the clown found her. He could be anywhere, anywhere at al Sekra alternated giggles and sobs as she sketched rapidly with the feather on the map that covered the wall. Her noises made an odd coun- terpoint to the sounds of friendly conversation and occasional laughter that floated toward her on the early morning air. Deep inside Sekra’s mind, a small portion of herself gazed critically at her frenzied handi. work, Before last night, she would not have drawn such a map. It lacked. flair, panache; she could not bring herself to draw the swirls and elabo- rate symbols that would have marked the drawing as her creation. A raw sketch drawn with a few wilted feathers .. ah, how far had her art fallen! ‘Sekra’s final flourish sent her stumbling backwards as she threw her makeshift brush aside, Her work gleamed malevolently at her, its dark Lines shimmering in a sliver of sunlight. Still giggling and sobbing, Sekra ran wildly down the road. She disappeared in the distance, the echoes of her mad laughter drowned out by the noise af yet another brawl at the Restless Troll. Parlainth Adventures LOOD PACT TAKES place inthe adventur- raving ofthe Mindtrap’s lair and its approximate loa- ers’ town of Haven and the ancient, rained ton in the Twists. Hoping that her act would Keep the city of Parlanth. The adventure is best suil- Horror from tormenting her while not endangering the ed for a group of six to eight players using people of Haven too greatly, Sekrn flees home and hides. Second or Third Circle adept characters "The characters come into the adventure as they leave Though linear in structure, Blood Pact (or pass by) the Restless Troll one morning and happen to allows the characters to Teach their goal by notice two small children playing near the Map Wall. Just several different routes. The ater passing the children, the characters hear one of ld familiarize himself with them ery out. Rushing tothe children’s aid, the ture before beginning the ‘characters discover that the younger child game, paying particular atention to the has passed out after touching a strange Forcor known a the Mindtrap. \ncking, pistening paint, The adventor stake the chil home and lave hisn in his mother’s care, then proceed PLOT SYNOPSIS to find out everything they can For the past several years, about what caused his plight Horror known as” th By questioning, the Mindtrap has crept through der child and employees at the rains of Parlainth the Restless Troll and by toward the town of Haven. I currently resides near gamemaster st the entire adv ‘examining the Map Wall, the adventurers learn that a t’skrang troubadour named Sekra painted an addition to the wall just that morning. The char acters go to Sekra’s house and confront her. Though they find her dif: ficult to understand in her half-mad state, the characters find out that the child’s collapse was ‘caused by the blood of a Horror. The characters decide to spend the night in Haven and hunt the Horror in the morning, tak- ing cen wh tr 1 np ; ihe the Hom a the center of the section of Parlainth known as the Twists, Two days before the adventure begins, a small band of explorers stumbled across the Mindtrap. Though they fought it brave: ly, all save one of their number per- ished. The Mindtrap drove the survivor, a Vskrang troubadour named Sekra, half mad before letting her go with a bag of its blood. It also planted in her mind the ire- Sistible suggestion that she rust somehow dispose of the blood in such a way that the residents of Haven would come into contact with it. The Mindtrap can ensnare the psyches ‘of those whom its blood touches, and through Sekra it hopes to mentally enslave Haven’s citizens. Just as the adven- turers are about to set off the next morning, a questor of Garlen tells them that the chil: dren's mother has succumbed to the same mysterious affliction. The characters journey into the Twists and confront the Horror. After defeating it in ‘Unknown to the Horror, Sekra retained a fierce battle, the characters return to just enough of her courage and sanity to slightly Haven to find the boy and his mother miracu alter the creature’s orders. Using the tainted blood, lously restored to health. Sekra sketched on Haven’s famous Map Wall a rough Seren ARMBEZS ite} Parlainth Adventures ROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES IN THIS ENCOUNTER, the characters must aid an innocent child endangered by the terrible effects of a powerful Horror's blood. The encounter takes place at the Map Wall in Haven, near the Restless Troll inn, and provides the first clue to the exis- tence of the Horror known as the Mindtrap. SETTING THE STAGE ‘Your belies filled with a luscious, hat breakfast, you stroll out of the Restless Troll. The bright morning sun makes you squint; you definitely had one too many ales last night. As you wander down the sunwashed street, the aromas of spicy food and fresh air mingle delightfully What a morning for adventure! A perfect day to explore yet another part of the great city of Parlainth AAs you settle your packs around your shoulders, your gaze falls on the Map Wall opposite the Restless Troll Various adventurers—some successful, others mere sur- vivors—have painted a rough map of Parlainth on the ‘wall. Old hands in Haven have told you that the map has a color and symbol scheme for easy reading, but that’s about as true as the promise of snow in Unupa. As far as you can tell, every explorer who ever lived to tell his tale had his ‘own ideas about which symbols and colors represent what In some places on the map the sketches, corrections, and additions blend into an incoherent mass. Other stretches of wall are eerily empty Two small human children, both clad in pants and shirts a bit too big for them, are playing by the wall. They seem fo have just finished 2 game of “Horror Hunt’; the smaller child has dropped his “magic wand” and the older ‘one is putting down her wooden sword, The sight of them brings back memories that make you smile briefly. Turning away from the children, you take a few steps down the dusty road. Time for childhood memories some other day; today you have exploring to do, heroie deeds to perform, ‘great treasures to find (if you're lucky ..) A piercing scream breaks your reverie. Whirling around, you see the little boy collapsed at the foot of the Map Wall. The git! is shaking her playmate’s shoulders and crying out for help. She looks up from her ‘companion, her frightened eyes meeting, yours as she cries, “Please, oh please help my brother!” ‘When the characters go to the children, read the following: ‘The little gir] cradles the boy's unconscious body close, shaking with terrified sobs. As you approach, she SSSR ROTS EES Blood Pact gazes pleadingly at you and wails, “Please make my broth er better! I told him he'd get in trouble if he touched it, but he never listens to me! I'm the oldest and I have to take care of him, but I can’t make him wake up!” THEMES AND IMAGES The theme of this encounter is the vulnerability of youth and the responsibility of the strong to protect the ‘weak. Emphasize how small the children look crouched beside the huge Map Wall, with the empty street stretching to either side of their tiny, huddled bodies, Make the adventurers feel compelled lo aid these helpless innocents BEHIND THE SCENES ‘The boy, Jasom, is a fragile-looking six-year-old. He touched the Mindtrap’s blood, which the maddened {strang Sekra used to draw on the wall just minutes earli- er. The Mindtrap can pull the psyche of anyone who touch- fits blood into its foul mind, and now Jasom’s mind is, lost within the Horrer’s vast miasma, Unless released from the Horror's grasp, Jasom slowly withers away and dies within a month. Only the Mindtrap’s demise releases the Horror's innocent victim Jasom's sister, Jeza, is eight years old. She is trying hard tw be brave, but she desperately needs help for her brother and his sudden collapse has shaken her badly. Though she tries to answer any questions the adventurers may ask, she ‘wants more than anything to get Jasom home to the chil dren's mother. Ifthe adventurers ask too many questions or take too long searching the immediate area, Jezra begins £0 cry very hard and screams, “I want my mother! Take us home! Why won't you help my brother?” and the like. Jezra provides the following information if asked, though she can only answer two or three questions before fear and shock get the better of her. Once home, Jezra calms down enough to answer any remaining questions the adventurers wish to ask If the characters ask Jezra what her brother touched or what he was doing, she says, "We were playing Heroes and pretending to go to the places on the map where real heroes fight monsters and Horrors and get treasure and everything. Jasom was the wizard and I was the sword master. He was tracing the map with his fingers when we saw the new paint. [tald him not to touch it or we'd get in trouble, but he touched it anyway. Now he's going to die and we'll never get to be heroes!” As she finishes speaking, the girl bursts into tears. If the adventurers ask whether Jezra saw the painter, she says, “I don't know. We saw a t'skrang running down FE RZ " the road when we were walking up to the wall ... the '¢skrang kept laughing, but it almost sounded like she was crying, too.” If the characters ask which direction the \’skrang went, Jezra points down the road in the opposite direction from where the characters had been heading. If the adventurers ask whether Jasom has ever col- lapsed before, Jezra answers, “No—Jasom’s tough, like me. Even when he was playing swordmaster with mommy's knife and cut himself, he didn't faint. He didn’t cry much when daddy didn't come back, neither.” If the characters ask Jezra about her family and home, she answers, “We live real close to here—on the other side of the Restless Troll. Please help me get my brother home. help you carry him, even!” If the characters ask Jezra any other questions about her family or what happened, she merely shakes her head dazedly and asks again for help. If the characters examine Jasom, read the following aloud: ‘The little boy is unconscious. His breathing is shal- low but steady, and his eyes have rolled back into his head. He does not respond to his sister's cries or your attempts to revive him. His face, arms, and clothes are smudged with dirt, and he is covered by an assortment of small scrapes and bruises common to any child his age. He also has a small smudge of fresh paint, or perhaps fresh blood, on one finger. ‘The “paint” is the Mindtrap’s blood, which rubbed off ‘on Jasom's finger when he touched the Map Wall, Because it has already trapped Jasom, itis no longer active and so can bbe wiped off without harm to the adventurers, but removing the blood has no effect on Jasom. He remains unconscious as Jong as the Mindtrap is alive and in Barsaive. If the characters investigate'the Map Wall, read them the following: At first the Map Wall looks no different today than on any other day .. until you spot a hastily-drawn sketch of a ‘building. The sketch covers some notes about the section of Parlainth called the Twists. The building appears either halftbumed or only partly built, and a large °X" has been painted just beneath it. The dark, red-black lines gleam darkly up at you, as ifthe paint i stil wet. If the characters examine the paint closely, they notice that it resembles blood. Ifthe characters attempt to wipe off the blood, they find that only a small layer ofthe substance rubs off. Nothing can remove the blood entirely until the “Mindtrap is destroyed or flees this plane of existence ‘Touching the blood still on the wall poses a risk for the adventurers. Unlike the blood spot on Jasom’s finger, the blood on the Map Wall remains active and therefore haz- ardous. If one of the characters touches the Mindtrap's ‘blood, make a Spelicasting Test for the Mindtrap against the character's Spell Defense. Ifthe test is successful, the character feels nauseated. Bright lights flash in his head and he gets the distinct impression of a place of infinite horror. Normally, the untucky character would be trapped in the Horror's mind; however, the adventuring group should not be split up at this point in the adventure. For now, simply allow the character to feel the Horror's power without succumbing to it. For more information on the Mindtrap and its abilities, see Cast of Characters, p. 22. If the characters examine the road or attempt to track down Sekra, read them the following: ‘A few small drops of blooel-paint and feathers make a 2g-zagging trail away from the wall. Unfortunately, the trail disappears after a dozen yards or so. You gaze down the road, but sce no sign of a fleeing tstrang. The road is sur prisingly empty of people today, and the t’strang the chil dren saw left no clue to indicate where it might have gone. Ifa character uses the Tracking talent to find Sekra’s trail, he or she must make a Tracking Test against a Difficulty Number of 9 (Sekra’s Spell Defense). Ifthe test is successful, the characters can follow the path Sekra took from the Map Wall to her home. Ifand when the characters visit Sekra, goto If's a Mad, Mad World (p. 15) CHECKING FOR RUMORS 1 the characters question anyone about the Uskrang, they may be able to discover some important information. By questioning the patrons and employees at the Restless ‘Troll, the characters discover that one of the employees, an ork waitress named Grezza, saw a t'skrang troubadour named Sekra painting on the wall early that morning Sekra is a regular customer atthe Restless Troll and Grezza lives only a few blocks from her. TROUBLESHOOTING ‘The only possible problem in this encounter occurs if the characters refuse to help Jasom and Jezra. Presumably the characters are heroes by temperament and will there- fore rush to the children’s aid. Should they react indiffer- cently to the children’s plight, have an old woman pass by and beg the adventurers to aid the children. If they still refuse, the woman scolds them, calling them a shame to all adventurers and to Barsaive. If neither the desperation of the children nor the words of the woman can sway the characters, resort to tougher measures. Over the next few days, have the adventurers hear that Jasom’s mother and Jezra have both lapsed into myste~ ous comas. If these events do not make them investigate what happened, the adventure is over. A week later, the characters hear tales of a brave band of heroes who entered Parlainth and battled a fierce Horror, saving the lives of Jasom’s entire family and earning the everlasting respect of the residents of Haven, Blood Pact HEARTH AND VERVIEW IN THIS ENCOUNTER, the player char- acters goto Jezra and Jasons home, where they mest and question the children’s mother, Audra, Jezra may also give them a lithe more information about her brother's condition SETTING THE STAGE Jasom’s body feels light in your arms, so light that you almost can’t believe you are carrying a little boy. The thought that something evil may have touched this little innocent turns your stomach. As you stride through the streets of Haven, the people you pass stare at Jasom in con cern. Jezra runs ahead, beckoning you to follow. Within a few short minutes, you arrive at a small hhouse with a bright green door and shutters, The house is fone of many similar homes in this part of Haven—ages ago, they housed the citizens of Parlainth. Jezra steps up to the door and glances back briefly at her brother, then knocks on the door and calls out to her mother. You men- tally brace yourselves for the difficult task of breaking the awhul news of the child’s collapse. Seconds later a dark- haired woman in her early thirties opens the door with the first phrases of an oft-repeated scolding already on her lips. The harsh words fade to silence as the woman sees, you and your companions. As her eyes s ‘small bundle in your arms, she gas snatches the boy from you. “Jasom!” she then shoots you a glare tinged with fe “What have you done to my son?” THEMES AND IMAGES ‘Audra's house isa tidy, warm, loving abode. Its tranquillity should contrast with and heighten the pain, shock, and fear in this encounter. No matter how hardened the adventurers may be, they should feel for this small family For evil to strike the lives of innocent people who live quietly and do harm. tono one should strike them as mon- strously unfai. BEHIND THE SCENES ‘Audra is Jasom and Jezra‘'s mother. Though early very worried about her young son's condi- ton, Audra stays reasonably calm. She is a strong and SSGBRSRES AE Blood Pact Ax / oT ne couldn't answer before. Jeza is certain that the Uskrang she and Jasom saw was writing on the wall just before she fled If the characters ask whether fits sciousness run in the 1 spells of uncon: family, Audra says that she has never heard of such a thing, but admits she doesn’t know much about her late husband's background. If the characters do not immediately offer to aid Jasom, Audra says quietly, “Please find a way to help my son. I ean give you little beyond supper and a place to uunroll your pallet, but can promise you a strange item that belonged to my husband, I know nothing whatever ‘about it, but he told me it was magical.” The item is a but- terspider box. (For a complete description and statistics for this treasure, see Treasure, p. 25) Alter setling her son into bed, Audra asks a neighbor to find a questor of Garlen, The questor, an elf woman named Bethany, arrives within half an hour but cannot help Jasom. She views Jasom's condition with grave con- ‘cer, certain that it is the work of a Horror or other vile creature. The most Bethany can do is comfort the family and keep Jasom’s body functioning TROUBLESHOOTING This encounter should provide few problems for the characters. As long as the adventurers do not act haughty NE CSESECCLULGES RZ + or indifferent to Jasom's condition, Audra and Jezra both cooperate as fully as they can. The characters may decide not to continue aiding the family, but Audra is a very per- suasive woman and the children only strengthen her posi tion, If necessary, have Audra offer the characters all the family’s silver (32 pieces) in a final attempt to enlist their aid. If no plea ot offer of payment works, the adventure is ‘over, The characters hear what happens to the family later as described in Troubleshooting, p. 12 of From the Mouths of Babes. The characters should have a few ideas about how to begin their search for whatever Horror or creature is tor menting Jasom. If they have not thoroughly examined the area around the Map Wall, they may return there. Alternatively, they may question workers and patrons at the Restless Troll inn (see From the Mouths of Babes). If the characters have already questioned these people, they may already know where Sekra lives. If they decide to seek cout the 'skrang, go to It’s a Mad, Mad World, p. 15. The adventurers may also decide to head toward the section of the Twists represented by Sekra's map, where the Horror may have its lair. Such an action is probably premature, but the characters may stil win the day if they are clever and lucky. In this case go to Twists of Fate, p. 19. Blood Pact ‘S AMAD, MAD WORLD VERVIEW ‘THE CHARACTERS FIND Sekra and question her about the blood she used to Paint on the Map Wall. They may gain some valuable information about the Mindltrap also. If they treat Sekra well, she may volunteer to guide them through the ‘Twists to the Horror’ lar. SETTING THE STAGE Hurrying along Fiaver’s streets, you pass buildings that existed long before the coming of the Horrors and others built just last week. Haven’s cheek-by-jowl combination of ancient permanence and newborn vitality impresses you as always, though today you have no time to stop and savor it. As you turn one last corner, you spot the house Greeza described to you. A large handpainted flag depict- ing a 'skrang symbol of song and a collection of birds’ nests cover the gently sloping roof of the house, making it stand out even in the jumbled buildings of Haven. The hhouse looks quiet; you can't tell whether the t'skrang,trou- badour named Sekra is inside. THEMES AND IMAGES Though a Horror has caressed Sekra’s mind and left considerable damage in the wake of its touch, the t'skrang, has managed to cling to a shred of her former self. Emphasize the sense of bravery in the face of madness and also the feeling of “there but for the grace of God go 1.” In Sekra, the characters meet an adventurer no different than they-—save that she has faced the creature they are seeking, ‘The striking difference between the talented troubadour of afew days ago and the pathetic t’skrang now struggling for sanity should give the characters pause. BEHIND THE SCENES ‘Sckra has already begun to feel horribly guilty about painting the Mindtrap's blood on the Map Wall, for she knows exactly what kind of death awaits those sucked into the Horror’s foul mind. She is still fighting off the madness the Horror inflicted on her, and when the characters approach Sekra’s home she is sorting and re-sorting her collection of counting stones. These stones, used by mer- chants of most races to keep track ofthe value of their mer- chandise, come in a variety of colors and carved shapes. Sekra, however, cares nothing for their beauty at the ‘moment. By counting them over and over, she is attempt ing to keep her mind off the events of the last few days. She believes she can do nothing to avenge her slain friends ‘or save anyone else from the Mindtrap. If the characters knock or otherwise advertise their presence, they hear a sudden crash and a hissing sound {rom inside the house. Any sudden noise or movement star- tles Sekra, and she reacts accordingly. Ifthe group continues to knock, Sekra calls out frantically, “T won't take down the nests, I must protect my birds from what [have seen!” Ifthe adventurers try the door, they find it unlocked. Eventually Sekra will open the door and exclaim, "Don’t stand out there like thal. The clown might see you!” MEETING SCKRA When the player characters enter Sekra’s house, read the following to them: Inside, the tiny house looks as cluttered as the nest- covered roof. Shelves line the walls from ceiling to floor, stuffed with a remarkable profusion of materials. Scrolls and tomes of all kinds cover one entire wall; other shelves hold various curiosities from across Barsaive, including a collection of dwarf-made drinking mugs, several rolled-up t’skrang river banners, various small slabs of carved stone, a few statuettes, and countless other odds and ends your overwhelmed eyes can’t even begin to identify. A stone drum sits on the floor beside several elven flutes, a windling fiddle, and several odd Vskrang instruments called K'lingra, which resemble wings of hammered metal Standing near the center of this room is a female {'skrang wearing a ratty doak of multicolored feathers that ‘must once have been exquisitely beautiful. Now its ruined finery is merely depressing. The t’skrang somehow reminds you of her cloak; bedraggled and pitiful, but pos- sessing the last shreds of an inquisitive wit and noble spir- it. This Uskrang must be the one the children described, You watch her almost pityingly as she maves stones from pile to pile, her movements rapid and jerky. If the characters attack Seka, read the players the following: ‘As you approach the unknown t’skrang with your ‘weapons drawn, she sinks to the floor with a hissing groan, Hugging herself, the 'skrang repeats over and over again, “Don’t let the clown eat me! Don’t let the clown eat me!” ‘This pathetic, mad painter may not be as dangerous as you first surmised |f the characters attempt to talk to Sekra, read the players the following: ‘The t'skrang sinks down onto a pile of pillows, a small ‘loud of feathers fluttering around her and then drifting to the littered floor. Her bright green head crest seems to sag, as she dispiritedly pushes the small stones from pile to pile. Sighing, she says, “T suppose you've come from the clown? Well, you can tell that bloat-ball of a Horror that Sekra fixed his wagon!” Sekra glares up at you, gripped by a brief spark of defiance ‘Questioning Sekra If the characters ask Sekra about her past adventures ‘and/or her dead companions, devise whatever informa- tion works best for your campaign. Consider making one ‘of Sekra’s dead companions someone the characters have ‘met and liked during a previous adventure; such a coinci- dence adds to the continuity of the campaign and also fur- ther motivates the characters to seek out and destroy the Mindtrap. Sekra rambles a bit throughout her conversation, toss- ing out odd bits of information that seem to have nothing, to do with the subject at hand. Her experiences with the Horror and the loss of her friends have virtually shattered her, and she is barely holding onto her sanity. Despite her trauma, Sekra volunteers to show the characters the Horror’ lair if they treat her well, saying, “The terrible song of that place is too close to my heart to ever let me forget. I could find it with my eyes closed.” Sekra is afraid of the Mindtrap, but she is also furious at what the Horror took from her and will take any chance to avenge her loss. If the characters ask Sekra about the Map Wall, read the players the following: “I had to paint it because the clown told me to take his paint and paint it on everyone—but | didn't take my first dip in the river yesterday, you know! I painted all over ‘where that ooze-pus lives, that’s what! I painted over him, I did. Now I'm counting everything with my counting. stones. Aren't they pretty?” If the characters ask Sekra about the clown, read the players the following Sekra grows suddenly still, only the top of her head ‘rest quivering slightly. Breathing softly, she leans close to you and whispers, “He'll eat me right up if he finds out ‘what I painted on the wall, he wil. He'll suck me right out of my head and he won't spit me out again, no he won't He's so round and slow ... we didn’t think it would be so hard. None of us did. And now I'm all alone except for my nests and birds and coins and ...it doesn’t matter. Nothing ‘matters. Itkilled my friends, but not me. Ihave to stop it If the characters ask Sekra the clown’s Name, read the players the followis “Hah! You don’t think I'm smart enough to get the lowa-blob’s Name out of him. I can tell by how you look ‘at me. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Mindtrap is his Name Mindtrap the clown. I'm a troubadour ... [always find out the Names of the great enemies I fight, so that Tean add a proper flourish to the tales I tell. At least .. I did once V'mvnot sure anymore.” If the characters mention Jasom’s condition to Seka, read the players the following; “The t’skrang stares at you, then suddenly begins to cry softly. “Poor litte thing. Shouldn’t have touched the blood paint, poor little mite. Just like lla and Jo'aradin and the rest. Poor lad, he must be s0 frightened. I hope he finds a blanket to cover himself before the clown finds him and chews him up for good.” [Ef the characters ask what Sekra did with the blood, read the following: "1 buried that blood-paint somewhere east of here. Or maybe west. Or north ... well, I buried it, anyway. You don’t want it. It doesn’t belong in anyone's collection of anything.” If the characters suggest fighting the Mindtrap, read the following: ‘Sekra’s crest shakes as she grabs a small handful of her ‘counting stones and holds them out to you with a fierce grin, “Inside or out, you can bring something special to bear. [left Browbeater behind—but if you have something that’s bound to you and you to it, well, you can bring it inside with you when the clown swallows you. [ wielded Browbeater until the clown snuck up on me. He was cov- ered in Jo'aradin’s blood. T don't remember very much after that except its mouths and slicers and the blood, blood everywhere..." TROUBLESH9PTING Tf the characters insist on attacking Sekra, have the troubadour snatch up a chair and try to block the adven- turers’ blows. All the time, she keeps asking why they are attacking her and if the clown sent them. They should swiftly realize that the poor woman is not in her right ‘mind and poses no threat. If the characters continue to attack, Sekra attempts to escape. Under no circumstances ddoes she attack the characters; she fears they may come from the clown and she does not wish to touch their blood for fear of falling back into the Horror’s mind. Sekra is very confused and does not realize that such fears are ground- less. If the characters give any hint oftheir intent to search for the Horror, Sekra volunteers to accompany them at least as far as the outside of the ruined house where the Mindtrap lives. She does not insist on going ifthe charac- ters are reluctant to take her. They will ind their task east er if they accept Sekra’s offer, but they can find the house ‘without her help. Sekra also offers to draw another map for the characters, but they will not find it much more helpful than her scrawls on the Map Walll. Go to Sleeping Sickness, p. 17, SLEEPING SICKNESS ty VERVIEW IN THIS ENCOUNTER, the characters discover that Audra has slipped into a ‘coma similar to Jasom, but that she does not appear to have touched any strange Le blood. Bethany, the questar of Garlen, tells the adventurers the Horror may be using, the ties of blood to feed on Audra. Completing all the encounters 1xp to this point will take the adventurers into th smoon, and so they may want to stay in Haven overnight before venturing into the ruins, Unless the characters stay somewhere entirely Blood Pact Sekra’s house, they find the litle ir beds if they decided to spend Otherwise, Jezra rans into the unknown to Jezra, such git at their door (or by the night at Audra’s haw ‘characters on a street near her house as they set out on, their mission If the characters have already chosen to track down and destroy the Mindtrap, the gamemaster may skip this ‘encounter. SETTING THE STAGE The waiting is almost over; there’s nothing left to do but make your final preparations for your expedition into Parlainth. As you begin your own personal last- ng your jokes to brea i drift throug! : by open window. Funny how the clatter in the streets that usually annoys you sounds so sweetly famil: iar the morning which you know you may well die Suddenly you h swiftly followed aning footsteps, t but insistent pounding on your door. You can barely hear Jezra’s strained voice from the other side: “Please, oh please open the door!” SSS SSSI IIS 7 BEHIND THE SCENES When the characters open the door they find Jezra standing outside, She is breathing hard, her face pale. She grabs the nearest adventurer’s hand and tries to pull him (or her) along with her, saying, Bethany—the questor—sent me for you. You've got to come quick. She said it was very important. Please hurry!” Jezra will not take no for an answer. If ques: tioned, she says only that Bethany stayed with Jasom last night and that in the morning she went to talk to Jezra’s mother. A ‘minute or so later Bethany came out of Audra’s bed- room and told Jezra to run as fast as she could to fetch the adventurers. If pressed, Jezra says she glimpsed her mother still lying in bed and that Bethany looked upset ‘Once Jezra and the charac- ters reach her house, she leads them inside and calls Bethany. Bethany tells the characters to come to Audra’s room in the back of the house, but orders Jezra to stay where she is. When the characters enter Aucda’s room, read the players the following The room is dark, the rose-colored curtains pulled shut over the windows. Bethany sits in a chair by the head ‘of a carved! wooden bed. Audra lies on the bed under sev: eral green and rose-colored woven blankets, her face pale and relaxed. The tall questor immediately rises and walks ‘over to you, shutting the door to block Jezra’s view of her mother. As Bethany turns to face you, you can see her news isnot good. fear Jasom's mother has fallen into the same sleep- ing state as her son. 1 have examined her thoroughly and asked Garlen’s advice, but I have no answers for you. I sus- pect the creature that attacked Jasom with a mere touch of its blood has somehow extended its hald to Jasom’s moth- cer. Lam certain Audra has touched none of the creature's blood, yet she has all of Jasom’s symptoms. The Horror, as this creature must surely be, appears capable of using the and there is no pauses ties of blood-kin to entrap more victims reason to assume it will stop with Audra.” Bethat and glances atthe door, behind which Jezra waits. “You must stop this Horror,” she continues. “I would go ‘with you if [ could, but my place is here. Go with n'sblessings—I wish you success.” The characters may examine ‘Audra briefly if they wish, but find no evidence of foul play or blood of any kind. She appears to be sleeping. When the characters leave Audra’s room, Jezra takes one look at their faces and says, ‘My mother's going to die too, isn’t she?” in a small, quavering voice. If the adventurers reassure her, she shakes her head uncertainly, then offers to join them on their quest. Needless to say, they should refuse. If Sekra is with the adventurers, Jezra asks why the troubadour is allowed to go. Ifthe characters explain that Sekra knows how to find the Horror, this answer satisfies Jezra (ust barely). As the characters set out for the Twists, any who glance back can sce Jezra's forlorn figure stand- {ng in the doorway watching them depart, TROUBLESHO STING ‘The only real trouble occurs if the characters refuse to {go after the Horror. If they hesitate, both Bethany and Jezra ‘urge them on, with Jezra once again offering to accompany them. IF Sekra is there, she too urges them to find and fight the Mindtrap. Ifthe characters absolutely refuse to go after the Horror, the adventure ends here. The characters later hear that the entire family withered away and died in the space of a few weeks. True adventurers should find the family’s deaths a heavy burden. If the characters agree to let Jezra come along, Bethany puts a stop to it in no uncertain terms. She tells Jezra, "Your mother and brother need you to protect them, Jezra I cannot care for their inner spirits and guard and take care of the house as well.” This argument convinces Jezra to stay put; she wants nothing more than a way to feel useful during this family crisis. Go to Twists of Fate. VERVIEW ney through part of the Twists. If the char- acters succeed in destroying the Horror, they save Audra, Jasom, and Jezra (who ill be the next struck down if they fail) They will also win undying respect from the hard-bitten citizens of Haven. SETTING THE STAGE Truly, the Twists are aptly named. Rows and rows of buildings rise up on either side of you as you travel down the narrow streets; the lanes wind and loop and circle back on themselves unexpectedly until you no longer know Which direction you are facing. You gaze at every structure you pass, seeking one that bears a resemblance to the hhouse Sekra painted on the Map Wall. So far, all the build- ings look intact. Then again, you might be seeing the same buildings over and over again. The constant curves make you dizzy, and you cannot tell where you are in relation to anything, dlse. As you wander onward, the air seems to grow chilly, as if in dread expectation of the approaching battle with the Horror. Assuming, of course, that you can find your way through this tangled maze of buildings and alleyways. without falling prey to the ghouls and other foul creatures rumored to live inthis part of Parlainth THEMES AND IMAGES The Twists ate a maze of curving, winding, narrow streets lined with blocks and blocks of identical buildings The lence and deadness ofthe place the confusion pro- diced by the sameness of the streets, the constant cil, and the occasional strange noise should heighten the players characters fecings of error They are searching for lethal Horror and death could come at any time. Who wants to meet his end in a godforsaken place like this? (See the Parlainth: The Forgotten City boxed set for further backs ground on the Twists) BEHIND THE SCENES If Sekra has accompanied the characters, she is very talkative until the adventurers enter the Twists. After that point the tskrang grows pensive, playing with her count- ing stones and occasionally mumbling about the clown. ‘She hesitates often as she leads the characters through the ‘Twists, even reversing course a few times. Ifthe chatacters SSSR ACES RE Blood Pact ask Sekra whether she really knows where she is going, she insists that she does. Though the characters may believe themselves hopelessly lost, Sckra remembers where to find the Mindtrap's lair and leads the characters to it in only two hours, If the characters did not bring Sekra along, they have a harder time finding the Mindtrap’s lair. Characters with the Tracking talent or skill may be able to retrace Sekra’s original path out of the Twists by making a successful Tracking Test against Sekra’s Spell Defense (9), with a +10 ‘modifier added to that Difficulty Number to reflect the sheer difficulty of tracking anything in a bewildering envi- ronment like the Twists, If the adventurers cannot retrace Sekra’s steps, they ‘must wander through the Twists in a hit-or-miss search for the half-built or burned building Sekra drew. In this case, have each character make a Perception Test against the Mindtrap’s Physical Defense (13), with a +5 modifier to reflect the confusing surroundings. If any of the characters! tests are successful, the adventurers find the Horror's lair {in 2D10 hours, FACING THE HORROR When the characters enter the Mindtrap’s lair, read the players the following: The old house looks completely empty, neat and pris- tine. Somehow you had expected a pile of rubble, or bricks left behind by its long-dead builders. But the house holds nothing but shadows ... and skittering out of those shad- ows toward you is the bloated form of a creature, eight oF nine feet long, its rippling skin the texture of a rotten melon, Gaping maws all over what looks like its head open. and close as the Horror comes toward you on four spidery, knotted legs that end in sharp spikes. Open cuts and sores dot the Horror's body, and its mouths bubble with bloody drool. As you draw your weapons, the monstrosity draws one of its spikes along its side, opening another wound and coating the spike with fresh blood. Battling the Horror However the characters enter the Mindtrap’s lair, the creature is lying in wait for them. The Mindtrap fights as craftily as it can, using every ability and spell at its dis- posal. The creature tries hardest to hit characters with its blood-covered spikes; such a strike allows it to use its Soul Trap ability to drag the adventurers! minds into its ‘own. If this happens, the gamemaster must run the exter- nal and internal combat simultaneously. One way of doing this is to remind both groups of players—those bat- SUEUR EUR = LOOSE ENDS HE INFORMATION IN this section wraps up the adventure's loose ends, suggests ‘ways to use story elements and characters from Blood Pact in future Earthdawn adventures and campaigns, and provides {game statistics for the Mindlrap and Sekra, POSSIBLE SUTCOMES If the characters succeed in destroying the Mindtrap, a joyous celebration greets them upon their return to Haven, Both Jasom and Audra have recovered, and Bethany gives them a clean bill of health. Jezra, grinning from ear to ear, hhugs each and every member of the party and swears to become a great hero just like them. Jasom also appreciates the adventurers’ heroism, though he remembers litte of his ordeal inside the Minderap. As a token of her gratitude, ‘Audra insists that the characters take the magical butter- spider box that belonged to her husband (which she may already have offered as payment in Hearth and Home, p. 13). Audra also tells the characters they are always wel- come in her home. If Sekra is still alive, she begins to retreat out of her madness and shows every sign of event ally recovering fully. If the characters fail in their quest, they have either died or been forced to flee the Horror. If all the characters get killed, the gamemaster may want to re-examine the level of adventure his players and their characters are ready to handle. If the Mindtrap beat back the characters but left them alive, the Mindtrap flees deeper into Parlainth. The characters may still be able to track the Horror, but there is no guarantee that a second attempt to Kill the Mindtrap will succeed. If the adventurers give up ‘on destroying the Mindtrap, Jasom, Audra, and Jezra live ‘on for weeks in a state of constant mental torture before their weary minds collapse and they finally die. The chi acters should find their failure a hard burden to bear; they ‘may want to find a way to atone for this disgrace, perhaps performing a mission for Garlen or some similar escapade. AWARDING LEGEND POINTS ‘As stated in the Introduction, Blood Pact is a short adventure meant to take place in one game session and so awarding Legend Points is a simple process. The Adventure Award for Blood Pact is 250 Legend Points Award Legend Points for the actions listed below. For ‘more information on completing adventure goals and earning Adventure Legend Awards, see pp. 6-7 of the Introduction and p. 242, ED. Creative Roleplaying and Heroics Each of the characters should receive Legend Points if ‘they take the following actions: Helping the children 100 Not harming Sekra 30 Defeating Creatures ‘The Mindtrap is the only creature the characters face in this adventure. Destroying the Mindtrap earns the adventurers 4,725 Legend Points, which should be distrib- tuted evenly among all the players. ‘Treasure The characters should each receive 125 Legend Points for obtaining the frost pouch and the same amount for the butterspider box TOTAL LEGEND AWARD Based on the figures listed above for each Legend Point Award, a single character who completes Blood Pact receives an average of 1,100 Legend Points. This average assumes 7 players in a group and does not include points earned for battling optional opponents or finding extra treasure placed by the gamemaster. CAMPAIGN IDEAS ‘The following characters and story elements from Blood Pact can be modified easily for use in further adven: tures. Feel free to use the information in whatever way you see fit in your Earthdawn campaign, First and foremost, the characters may have gained two new treasures—the butterspider box and the Mindtrap’s frost pouch. They may want to learn about these wondrous items; their pursuit of this knowledge opens up a host of ‘opportunities for interesting and exciting storylines. If Sekra survives and recovers, she becomes a fast friend of the characters. A well-trained troubadour adept, Sekra knows a great deal about the legends of almost all, the peoples of Barsaive and so can become a source of ‘many adventures, For example, she may ask the adventur- fers to help her acquire a certain artifact, a task that may entail many perils. Alternatively, Sekra might disappear while performing such a dangerous errand alone, prompt- ing her new friends to search for her. Jezra and Jasom both wish to become adventurers, and if a campaign lasts long enough, Jezra may apprentice her- self to one of her personal heroes. Also, Audra is an attrac- tive and interesting woman who might become a love interest for a character. Blood Pact 2

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