Setting and Rules

[order99]

  After several years of desperate one-shots with my local group, I despair of actual gaming anytime in the near future.

So instead, i'm going to bite the metaphorical bullet and try to post what i've got so far, and see if anybody wants to play with our toys while we're waiting. It's that or drown in Sticky Notes, soooooo... 

Setting-Lighthouse Bay

    Founded by settlers in 1799 as the town of Gabriel Key, Rhode Island, this sleepy hamlet was unremarkable in every way-except for the massive bonfire lit nightly by the Millar Family on the Rock of Light, a sturdy little island a single league away from the rocky cliffs, treacherous reefs and numerous sandbars. Lacking a true lighthouse, the Rock of Light kept merchants bound for other cities from being wrecked and looted on the rocky shores of the Bay. The Moore and Claremont families banded as one to ban Wreckers and smugglers from preying on trade vessels, even as the Kirbys used their tiny fleet (5 sturdy armed clippers) to deter piracy and render aid to stranded vessels.

This charity did not go unnoticed by the great Merchant Houses of the Yankee states-compacts and treaties were signed, Monies were invested from Boston , Plymouth, Harrisburg, Richmond, Savannah, Columbia...workers were hired to dredge the shallows, and by 1837 bands of men (with bright shuttered lanterns by night and silver mirrors by day) flashed an early form of Morse Code to ships and thereby at last allowed merchant vessels access to the waiting customers of Gabriel Key. The Kirbys were allowed a 2% tariff on incoming and outgoing goods to maintain a small Naval Militia and to build a Fort on the cliff overlooking the Quay. By the end of 1859 both Fort Mcfarlane (a small granite building lurking behind a hill of packed clay and boasting a modest 30 swiveled 20-pound cannon) and the newly-christened Gabriel's Lantern were ready for operation. The Lantern boasted the brightest lamp that could be installed in 1859-furthermore, it had a secondary lamp, usable in emergencies but also equipped with high-speed shutters to enable night-time warnings in Morse, and a deployable lensed mirror to signal the same by day-truly a miracle of the modern age, and in acknowledgment of this wonder the town renamed itself Lighthouse Bay...

And in 1861, Civil War came to the United States, and Lighthouse Bay's newfound prosperity ended-as did everyone else's.

For all that, the Bay was largely untouched by the War-Husbands and sons went to join the Union Army, and did not always return alive or whole, and a rather lively Confederate spy network was unearthed and dealt with...but Lighthouse Bay was too far north to see Confederate armies, and if a few Blockade runners were spotted off the coast they were largely ignored. Unless they came too close or tried to raid the Bay, in which case the Guns of Fort M would bark-and all the lights would go out, leaving only the dark, hungry teeth of reef and shallow to devour Confederate hulls...times were lean in Lighthouse Bay, but as everywhere else, the citizens made do.

But the war is past now-it is the year 1886 and money flows through Lighthouse Bay once more. The town is now nearly 1/5 the size of Boston (only three days by ship or 5 by carriage) and almost 1 person out of 15 in the Bay got to visit the 1883-1884 World's Fair held there. Lighthouse Bay clippers visit Boston, Kingsport and have been spotted as far as Virginia. The Kirby Fleet has only three vessels now-but they are decommissioned Union Ironclads, and Fort M boasts 25-pound repeaters and Maxim Guns even though the Militia is growing lazy and lax during peacetime. It is a wonderful time to be alive in Lighthouse Bay.

But all is not as it seems in the Bay. Dispossessed soldiers from both sides have turned criminal from desperation and bloodlust-smuggling is up, as is banditry, confidence games and burglary. Discovery of Iron, Phosphorous and Pitchblende have spurred mining industry in the nearby Red Hills, but also tent villages full of rowdy miners looking for rough pleasures after weeks of backbreaking labor. Cottage industries are growing into true manufacturing, but the machines maim and kill, and the runoff is driving away the fish and lobster that so many livelihoods depend upon...

Lighthouse Keepers James and Karen Romita know that Lighthouse Bay is in more danger than the town knows-Pastor Jurgen Larsen has faced literal Unnatural evil.Hungry Wampyr were discovered in his very own rectory, feeding under cover of a sudden outbreak of 'consumption'...one was burned to ash yet one escaped. Two of Fort M's men were lost to 'bandit' attacks while on guard duty-but NO human hand slashed those throats, not unless those hands were tipped with blades and stank of seawater. Down in the mines men were lost-and cave-ins are rarely marked by woman-like screams or flashes of purple flame...and why did did that Hungarian fellow Carl Russev build what he calls a textile plant, yet hires no willing workers from Lighthouse Bay? And why the countless barrels of pickled Hog carcasses delivered there when the Bay has so many farms? Why all the strange chemicals, the copper rods and wiring and the cut quartz pyramids? And where are the textiles?

The Romitas suspect why-and also suspect why so many young children are becoming 'runaways' never to be seen again-why three 'evening doves' disappeared from the local 'house'...from the Third story balcony. The Romitas understand that sometimes, things learn to walk-that ought to crawl.

But James and Karen Romita have a secret of their own-they and pastor Larsen, and one of the Kirby family, young Dean-and Shawn Claremont and young Emily Millar, who are considering an Elopement to spite both of their recently-estranged Houses...they all assembled together and formed a secret Guild-the Guild of the Lamplighters. This guild gathers and shares every rumor,collates statistics, deduces facts and forms theories,sends discreet messages to Police Commissioner Moore...

And they are recruiting. Persons of either gender and any ethnicity...those who have encountered wickedness and unnaturalness and vowed to oppose it-even some who are unnatural themselves, touched by the bizarre, who dabble with are are possessed of dread powers...if you will swear Covenant under the Lamp of Gabriel, you are welcome here.

Before Light City, there was Lighthouse Bay. And before The Assembly, before The Association...there were the Hounds of Gabriel.

 ( CUE CELLO SONATA)

[order99]

Hoodlums & Hideouts in the City of Light-Regrettable Houserules

 Rulebooks/References- Hoodlums & Hideouts (H&H) Light City materials (LC) Swords & Wizardry Continual Light (SW&CL) Plus expansions as needed.

Because the gang wants to be able to play both Light City and H&H PCs, some changes to the RaW will be needed:

Classes-Players will have the option to play-

From Swords & Wizardry Continual Light-Fighter, Cleric, Magic-User, Thief, and the optional Classes on Page 7 as well if they whine about it.

The LC Magic-User may engage in a Contest of Wills the same as a H&H M-U, but since they have no Focus they are instead deprived of their ability to use Spells for 1D6 Turns. Since LC M-Us start with fewer Spells and regain Spells at a slower rate they have learned to create Scrolls of any Spell they know for $100 and 1 week's time per Level of Spell (for H&H M-Us use the Research Rules from 1st Edition).

 Please note that all Classes can attempt to Turn Undead, so a Cleric will be getting a Bonus Die if played. We will be using the Turn Undead Chart from H&H for this.

From Light City-The Brick, Marksman or Supersoldier (a Bonus Ability or Power will be allowed for each of these at Lvl 5). The Angel, Amazon, Brawler, Cursed, Elemental,Sidekick, Size-Shifter, Super-Butler and Super-pet.

In order to match the damage output of H&H characters, The Cursed Class now has 1D6-1 Unarmed(later 1D6+1) and the Super-Butler gets a free Boxing Background (+1 AC, +1 Damage Unarmed). This is due to normal LC Classes normally doing 1pt.+STR Bonus Unarmed and getting upgraded to 1D3 H&H standards.

Both the LC Fighter and the H&H Fighter (due to Genre Tweaks and less access to Armor in general) gets a free Hobby or Language and an additional +1 when using Soft Cover (shields etc). The LC Amazon gets this tweak as well, replacing the 'Double DEX Bonus with a shield' for a more tangible benefit.Amazons still get the "Bracers or Gauntlets are a Shield" benefit.

From Hideouts & Hoodlums-Fighter, Magic-User, Mysteryman, Superhero. These will be (lightly modified) from Basic 2nd Edition.

Since Superheros no longer get special scaling WIS bonuses for Wrecking under the Unified Ability chart they will be allowed to choose a True Ability (add WIS to one of the other stats for bookeeping purposes)instead.

Mysterymen, deprived of scaling DEX-based AC bonuses under the Unified Ability Chart, gain a Bonus to AC equal to their Save vs Bullets.

From the H&H Forum-Everyman, Mystic Hero, Summoner, Science Hero, Speedster, Superspy, Conduit, Shapeshifter. Everymen start out with both an additional Hobby and a bonus Language due to Genre changes.

Others-if we ever get this game off the ground and if the Players whine badly enough, I will Flailsnails just about any OSR class into the game with a sledgehammer and a chainsaw if need be...

Unified Ability Scores Chart

Ability Modifier Lift
3-7    -1        150 lbs          STR- includes HTH modifiers (and damage).

8-14   0         300 lbs         DEX- includes Missle Modifiers (and AC bonus)

15-19 +1       800 lbs        CON-includes (Saves vs all except Plot, Hit Point Modifiers)

20-24 +1(+2) 1600 lbs      INT-includes Bonus Spells available (Extra Language or Hobby)

25-29 +1(+3) 3200 lbs      WIS- Wrecking (Save vs Plot)

30-34 +1 (+4) 6400 lbs     CHA- Maximum SCMs, Loyalty of SCMs (temporary Reaction Chart bonus)

35-39 +1 (+5) 12800 lbs
                                             Lift-the Amount a Superhero may lift without a using a Power(H&H) or STR Feat(LC)


Feat of Strength vs Wrecking-all LC Classes may Wreck as non-Superhero PCs. Elementals  may Wreck as Superheroes when using an applicable Trick of the Trade (damage dealing) and as a non-Superhero with a normal attack. Brutes and other LC Classes with above-average STR may use a Feat of Strength instead of a Wrecking Roll as per LC Rules, with a modifier of +1 if it is possible for a normal human, -1 for truly Superhuman Feats (flip a tank, destroy a large castle), -2 for Cosmic(lift an Ocean liner, destroy most of a mountain).

Skills-any LC Class uses the listed skills under their Class as it is written-any skill otherwise attempted uses a 1D6 Skill check as per H&H rules. Most H&H Classes roll 1D6 at Levels 1-3 and roll a Bonus Die (keep the highest) at Levels 4-7. Mysterymen get an additional Bonus Die to boot (2D6K1 ay 1st Level etc).

 All PCs get a Background-a broad category of skills that a) get a +1 on the check and  2) never need to roll a Check on a routine use of said skill. If a Class or Ability Bonus allows the PC may have one or more Hobbies-a single, narrow skill at +1. And yes, you can have both an Athlete Background (climb, swim, run, sports, cycling etc) and a Swimming Hobby and get a +2 modifier...I doubt it will break the game.

 Character Generation

Roll 3D6 for each Ability-and just this once, count all ones as sixes.

Roll for Starting Funds likewise.

Roll 3D6 for Hit points, keep the best single roll (best two for Superheroes) This game will be using D6-1, D6, D6+1 and 2D6(M-U, Mysteryman, Fighter and Superhero) Hit Dice as per H&H 1st Edition in order to model closer to the LC Classes.LC Classes will use the LC charts of course.

Races-mostly Human for LC, though if the Players whine they can use Dwarf, Elf and Halfling from S&WCL, and i'll open up the LC Classes to them as well at a +1 Adventure Penalty (advanced Class rules). H&H Classes may choose any Race from the 2nd Edition Rules, Trophy Case or Big Bang sourcebook. Anybody trying for a H&H Alter Ego into a LC Race/Class will be mercilessly pelted with dice for giving the Editor a headache. 

Advancement: Light City Classes advance as per S&WCL Rules-but may attempt Ability Advancement as they advance in Levels as per H&H rules (Abilities set above 18 are considered at half value for the dice roll-a 24 would be a 12, a 31 would be a 16 etc).

Both Light City Classes and Hoodlums & Hideouts Classes will top out at Level 7 6-H&H Mysterymen get an extra Stunt, H&H M-Us get extra Spell Slots to match their  LC counterparts. H&H Superheroes get one additional 1st, 2nd and 3rd Level Power Slot at Level 7 6 .All advancements from Level 7 6 and up are handled as per S&WCL page 7 under 'Perks'.  The Level 7 6'cutoff' helps make H&H compatible with LC and also scales slightly better to the 'Penny Dreadful' genre.

 Languages-PCs start out with two languages that they are fluent in(both spoken and written), modified by INT. A Save vs Plot in this genre will only allow basic communication, so having an SCM with fluency comes in handy...if the PC is not interested in extra Languages they may 'spend' the extra Language on a Hobby Skill instead.

Karma

 Since LC Classes advance per Adventure there is no way to award bonus XP-but this Editor considers SCMs and Good Deeds to be essential to the H&H experience and refuse to deny LC heroes that sweetness. So...

Karma-is given any time a PC:

1) Commits a Good Deed

2) Activates  an active SCM (once per SCM per adventure)

3) Does something that really, really makes the Editor's job easier

4) Activates or allows the Editor to activate a Hangup (more below) to the PCs detriment

5) Destroys a Trophy deemed dangerous to use or sell, or with unacceptable side effects.

6) Rewards of $100 or more-but since most Heroes will operate secretly ( and given the value of 1880's currency) this won't happen often.

 Since Karma can also be earned through Player actions (see 3 above) I have decided to award Karma to Players, and let them distribute it as they wish across any PCs they play. So if a Player takes over an SCM in a scene they aren't in and play well, the Editor might give out a Karma point for the assist and the Player could bank it with one of their characters(or even spend it for a roll the SCM makes later!).

 Karma may be spent on a one-time basis to modify any dice roll, and is then gone. These dice may be of any type, and the points may be spent before or after the dice roll-turning that failed Save into a success, that Transportation Trophy into a Magic Item, that miss into a Strike, or that normal unarmed strike into a devastating blow...remember, once spent they are GONE.

 H&H Classes have the option to 'cash in' Karma instead if desired...1 Karma=100 XP. Unlike regular XP, if the Karma XP results in enough points to advance in Level, the PC advances right then, even in the middle of combat-this is the moment Spidey has an epiphany about his loved ones while trapped under debris, reaches deep down and finds he has an extra Power Slot as heroic music surges on the soundtrack...

 Once LC or H&H PCs reach 7th 6th Level,  Karma may be traded for 5 Karma= 1 Perk 'credit' (S&WCL page 7).

 Genre Rules

 Hangups (optional)-many of the protagonists of Penny Dreadfuls are flawed in some way. The PC may take one or more Hang-up to reflect this. The Hang-up can be an intermittent or a permanent limiter on a normal Ability or Power or might trigger a Save under certain conditions, and they can last as long as the PC finds it interesting or it may vanish between Adventures. Any time an Editor invokes a Hangup to limit the PC in any way the PC gets a free Karma Point. Examples include:

 Bad Luck (re-roll a die, take the lowest)

 Trick Knee (save vs Plot or 1/2 Movement for 1D6 rounds)

 Heart Murmur (exhausted , must rest)

 Oh No Not You (random Encounter , probably sent by your Arch-rival)

 Where is My Suit! (android body actually an armored costume, need to go get it or fight powerless)

  A Lasting Hangup might be permanent in nature,  could be  intrinsic to the PC's Concept and results in a Karma point every single time it significantly effects them (3 awards maximum per adventure). Examples include:

 Lame Newsboy(-3" movement with crutches, half speed without and can't full run)

 RAAAAR I'm a Monster! (Reaction penalty die, never get the best result, temporary SCMs unlikely)

 Under a Curse (be creative!)

 Always With the 'Effin Ninjas!(three or more random Encounters replaced with story-driven Nemesis!)

 Unreliable Powers( one or more Power Slots/Spell Slots/Trophy unavailable right now, call later!)

 The PC can have as many Hangups as they want-but still, 3 Karma per session for any combination of Hang-ups should be the guideline...cheap Drama should have limits, folks!

Starting Equipment-Prices for most common items are going to be listed under TSRs Boot Hill rules. However, Body Armor and high-tech Items will be at listed H&H prices due to scarcity (they are either ancient antiques or highly experimental and not widely used). This will result in many starting PCs having a surplus of funds-since most of the period novels gloss over such trivialities as money this is well within genre. Magic and Scientific Research will still use H&H prices due to expensive and rare re-agents or equipment...

Most firearms are still cap-and-ball (load bullet, then pre-measured paper cartridge of powder) and therefore take twice as long to re-load. Muzzle-loaded single-shot items are still pretty common. New technology such as Bicycles are considered Luxury items (H&H Prices) as are early primitive automobiles (which seldom achieve speeds over 15' and are finicky and fragile).

 All Classes may fire guns without a Save vs Plot if they are: hunting, faced with a dangerous beast or unnatural creature or if their opponents also have and are using guns. Few people in this age fear firearms-but still refuse to commit Murder.  Killing a sapient, living being without a really good reason is a Save vs Plot for any non-chaotic PC, and only Fighters can still use Guns vs lesser-armed opponents.

Ritual Magic and the Forbidden Sciences- AKA Tampering in God's Domain- is a mainstay of the genre. Any Class may attempt to use any Level of Spell or Ability once after a Research check (1st Edition Book III page 31, but no percentile check required).  Once the Ritual or process is activated, a Save vs Plot must be attempted. If the PC has a M-U, Summoner or Cleric Class then the PC Level may modify the roll on a Ritual, whereas the Science Hero may due the same with an Experiment, and the appropriate Background may allow a re-roll. To fail this Save is to invite the Editor to strand you in remote alien locations, change your Powers or even Race, or anything else they might consider fun for the readers out there, heh heh heh....

Minor Trophies, Potions, Pills and Scrolls are not considered Tampering in God's Domain, nor are spells or Disciplines within reach of Class or Level, nor are minor modifications of Equipment or improvements of a Known Technology.  Permanent Magic Items or Resurrection Machines are. If in doubt, consult the Editor-many an Origin Story has resulted from some idiot SCM attempting this cliche...

Damage Codes

Minor, 1D3, Unarmed, thrown bottle or rock, shuriken or dart.

Loaded, 1D3+1, roll of coins, cosh, plumbata or war-dart, whip, leather fist wraps, firecracker.

Light, 1D6-1, club, brass knuckles, dagger or short blade, sturdy walking stick, derringer or pocket gun,thrown knife etc.

Average, 1D6, arming sword or saber, axe, reinforced club or light mace, hunting bow, pistol.

Heavy, 1D6+1,  Rifle, Crossbow, two handed weapon (sword, axe or mace)

Deadly (2D6 pick the best,  Shotgun or scattergun or blunderbuss at Close range, Buffalo Rifle.

Deadlier Than That-as per H&H rules. (mortar-fire, dynamite , Gatling Gun etc).

 Minor Tweaks

 Morale-will be using 2D6 rolls as per Basic/Advanced D&D because I steal a lot of sources and because I prefer the bell curve. Roughly multiply by 1.5 the Morale number listed for a standard H&H game, +/- 1.

 Ascending AC-because my gang prefers it.

 More Rules Edits if needed, but unlikely.

 (tosses Sticky Notes in the garbage and raises arms in TRIUMPH)

 

[Edit: to clarify Karma Rules and other Light City tweaks so they can participate in H&H].

 [More Edit: Players want a Lvl 6 'cutoff' now-okay.]

[order99]

The Lantern

Secret meeting place of the Hounds, the Lantern stands four stories above the rocky igneous island upon which it was built. The walls are four feet thick, the glass panes backed with two-inch iron strips and the oaken doors were harvested from the same stand of timber that went into making the USS Constitution! Circular stairs with railing rim the inner wall, with the second, third and fourth floor having a 10 foot railed cut-out in the floor and a one-ton rated chain hoist above on a spinal mount.

(Walls Wreck as Battleship, Doors Wreck as Cars, Top of tower with lights Wreck as Generators as does Hoist)

Bottom Level-40 feet across, with a half-dozen small square tables and a dozen maple rocking chairs(for impromptu Hound meetings by the Dark of the Moon) A small wood stove, pans and a gigantic coffee pot(also for meetings) a half-ton of packaged dry goods for emergencies, 1D6 First-aid kits for same, a few tool kits suitable for repair of bicycles small boats and sundry.

Level One- 35 feet across, with barrels of Lamp oil (a combination of vegetable tallow and naptha for the brightest possible light) in individual Stone cubby holes which should prevent spread of flames in case of fire...enough for 15 nights of operation. NO SMOKING in this room! Not even if you are the President of the United States, the Archangel Uriel or the Queen of England! Got it?

Level Two- 30 feet across, the modest and cozy headquarters of the Lighthouse Keeper. A cozy twin bed, small kitchen with a camping-sized wood stove and an office with two desks, three bookshelves and a tiny cubicle with water pitchers, washtub and chamber pot, and with canvas curtains (seldom used)instead of walls. James and Karen Romita live here in married bliss, and if it wasn't for the occasional crisis or the Sabbath they would likely never visit the mainland...

Level Three-20 feet across, lined with the finest polished silver mirrors one could ask for, a transparent dome to provide the sun, shutters to transmit Morse Code via Heliograph, and the powerful Lamp ready to glide on oiled bronze rails for cloudy days and long nights. Several racks of specialized tools line the outer rim of the floor. The hoist sits suspended from a suspended steel beam and can be locked to the wall.

Basement, Room One-15 feet square. Lined with spare tools, canvas, steel beams and sandbags for emergencies.

Basement, Room Two- also 15 feet square, accessible by Secret door only, this is where the Hounds keep the Trophies that they deem both too dangerous(or confusing) to use and (so far) unable to destroy. Inventory to date consists of:

-an antique surgical cataract knife that instills a thirst for blood-drinking in its wielder (and using the knife can be as addictive as opium)
-15 lbs of an unknown mineral that keeps floating towards the ceiling
-a copy of The Maquis de Sade's Justine, capable of causing its readers to hallucinate being characters in the work. It drove one Hound to a breakdown, is considered vile beyond belief and will not burn
-an unbreakable bottle of green glass with a lead seal that will not budge, holding a small lead weight on a string. It buzzes and whistles sometimes but no one as yet has been able to determine if there is a code to it or if the noises are just annoying and meaningless

Emergency quarters- two A-frame houses on the right and left of the Lantern are available for rescue operations and emergencies. Measuring 10 feet by 30 and resting on granite slabs,they each carry-

-a week's supply of dried goods and two barrels of water and rum (beer strength, rum prevents spoilage)
-1D6 Emergency kits
- 4 Foldable Civil-war era cots
-100 yards of rolled canvas and thread for makeshift clothing, coats, or sails.

Outhouse-next to the front door and over a small shallow pool (no cleaning required) with several old catalogues.  Chamber pots are for emergencies or hurricane weather only, capeesh?

[order99]

The Gerhardt Textile factory (closed)

The sprawling Gerhardt Textile factory began in 1859 as a modest trio of armored powder-houses manufacturing ammunition for the newly-christened Fort Macfarlane. The powder-houses were located on the rocky shores 1/3 mile away and below Fort M-well within reach of the fort's cannon for either defense or destruction in wartime. The walls were of stone measured 48 inches thick, with a fragile roof tilted to face the ocean-in event of an explosion the roof was meant to channel debris into the sea while leaving the structures intact.

In 1867, the powder-houses were deemed unnecessary for use and too far away for storage, and decommissioned. In 1876, wealthy merchant Holst Gerhardt purchased all three structures, and used both them and the cliff face to create a unique architectural marvel, with access directly to passing ships-and The Gerhardt Textile Factory opened in November of 1879.

The factory generated controversy from nearly the moment it opened. The textile factory included bleaching and dying facilities as part of its repertoire-and within days the run-off from the antiquated processes Gerhardt used began to kill the sea life nearby, and while the factory employed nearly a hundred men, hundreds more felt their livelihoods threatened. By the second week the Bay itself was reeking of dead fish and the water burned the eyes and sinuses...the city demanded restitution and closed the facility until it could be re-opened safely.

On February of 1880, the factory re-opened-and two days later a six-ton loom slipped down a loading ramp and killed 11 men, maiming 4 more. In March two men were blinded and disfigured by splashing caustic dyes and a woman lost half her left hand to a steam-powered carding press-in April three women were badly, hideously burned when a vat of bleach split open, and two security men drank heavily on duty and fell off the roof...

The Lighthouse Bay Council had had enough, and closed the plant for good. Bankrupt, Holst Gerhardt was contemplating  his revolver when a young messenger appeared with his salvation-perfumer and financier Richard Galte had purchased every last penny of the debt, and would consider the debt canceled-in exchange for the factory and two Yankee Clippers from Gerhardt's four vessel merchant fleet...the deal was judged more than fair, and six days later Holst Gehardt sailed to Pennsylvania with 30 days of decent food and a cask of 75-year old Brandy(an unexpected farewell gift from Mr. Galte) and joined his brother in a modest shipping concern.

Galte raided the factory for chemicals and machinery to sell, outfitted the two clippers with whaling gear and recovered his losses within a single year-the factory itself he had no use for, and let rot.

In October of 1884, an odd Hungarian fellow named Carl Russev made Galte an offer to purchase the useless old factory-and after a consultation with his Patron(and taking the wry booming laughter in his head as assent) the deal was struck.

It is now January 1886. Crates and crates of chemicals, machines and foodstuffs have been seen entering the factory. No activity has been observed since the factory's purchase. No men have been hired. Yet the factory is slowly showing signs of repair and fresh paint...

West Foundation- the 40'X40X10' square building has large steel shelves bolted across the front and back walls, holding various tools and sundry parts such as coils, gears and electrodes, and (Trophy Check, 1D6/+1 Tech). The shelves themselves bear no trace of corrosion as they have somehow been fused with a zinc coating, a process that the manufacturers of 1886 would kill for...

The left wall is filled with large waxed barrels of Sulfuric Acid (1D6 if Spilled, Save vs Science 1/2 damage,plus 1 Damage/Turn for 1D3 Turns. The Right wall is filled with barrels of quicklime (1D3 if spilled,Save vs Science for half, 1 Damage next Turn, then 0). Note that in case of spillage, the acid and the caustic will neutralize each other. The center contains wooden crates lined with sealed glass, with stacks of lead plates nearby, ready to be assembled into electric Accumulators. The room has no windows, only narrow slits near the roof-line to let the light in. Stairs lead up to Floor 1.

The walls Wreck as Tanks due to thickness and the reinforced galvanized door Wrecks as a Generator-but the lock is quite crude(+1 to Skill to pick).

Alcove West-The 20'X40'X10'space between West and Center Foundation is roofed over but otherwise open from the South. Copper cabling wrapped in layers of tarred cloth run across the soil, connecting the buildings. The alcove houses two large flat boats (10X5') several bolts of waxed canvas and 1D3+2 Feral Dogs-they will warn intruders away but not require a Reaction Check unless the warning is ignored, and offering food nets a +2 to such a check.

Center Foundation-the construction details are as West Foundation, but the interior is littered with the decaying remains of old textile looms. The back wall contains a 20'X20' gap leading to Floor 1, and a ramp of well-oiled rollers lead up into the darkness. Zinc-coated chains descend from the roof, part of a treadmill-powered hoist-the treadmill itself is in disrepair, but a half-assembled Steam Flywheel is nearly ready to take its place. Bits of discarded debris line the floor haphazardly (Trophy Check, 1D6/-1)

Alcove East-also shows cabling connecting Center Foundation to Right Foundation. There are three cords of seasoned firewood here.There is also a luxurious brass and ebony coach meant for a team of 4 horses-it is worth $200 to the right buyer but is very easily traced. Hidden in a floor compartment is $50 in gold and $100 in small gems. The top of the coach currently houses a small family of adorable raccoons (treat as Monkey but with no ranged attacks)-they will flee rather than fight unless cornered, but if the PCs are careful and non-threatening the raccoons will simply watch and hope for food. They hate and fear the Feral Dogs.

East Foundation-same construction as the West and Center ones, but the locks have been updated (no bonus to pick). The Right, Left and Front walls are lined with barrels of dried and pickled vegetables, dried venison and beef, dried peas and beans, a rack of spices and barrels of fresh water. The back wall has a staircase leading to Floor 1. In the middle of the room is a perfectly-functional steam-powered Generator (worth $125 but also easily traced) fired up a few hours every day to charge the Accumulators in the factory. There are 3 Roboto in this room holding clubs (1D6-1) and simply waiting by a wax candle-clock set to burn in two-hour segments for 24 hours, and the Roboto have learned enough to eat and drink and switch shifts by this clock.Unlike the previous two Foundations, this one is lit by a sputtering Carbon-arc lamp.

South Coastline-littered with the rotted remains of a 40'X15' pier. Without the pier, no boat larger then a flat-bottomed skiff or a canoe can safely beach on the rocky shore.

Floor 1:This massive 160'X40'X15' room is built from massive square-cut seasoned logs held together with iron spikes and massive steel connecting plates. Some original steel beams remain, scaled with rust, while others have been replaced with the miraculous galvanized ones. In the middle of the massive room is a 20'X20' gap in the floor, protected by a wood and steel safety rail-gleaming chains connect to a massive manually-powered 8-ton hoist suspended from the ceiling support. The hoist is made to be operated by a crew of 5 or more. The entire tableaux shimmers under the dancing light of carbon-arc lamps.The Walls here Wreck as Cars due to thickness.

There are 4 squads of 1D6 Roboto armed with ([1-2] massive wrenches, 1D6 damage, [3-5] cleaning implements 1D3+1 damage, [6] bleach sprayer, 0 Damage and Blind for 1 Turn, Save vs Science to avoid). These squads are engaged in routine tasks and if the PCs do not bother them and act like they belong there then they may ignore the PCs (2 in 6 chance)otherwise they will recognize that they are "not Father" and attack.

1A)-West wall, littered with stationary tables, delicate glassware and retorts full of unidentified chemicals-the apparatus is worth $300 to the right buyers but is unbelievably delicate. On an ornate desk lie several Trophies:

a) a full gallon of freshly-made Artificial Blood-PCs brave enough to transfuse a pint of this odd purplish fluid into themselves will gain the benefits of a First Aid kit, but show severely jaundiced skin tone for 1D3 days as a side effect. The blood decays into uselessness within 60+2D6 hours, but medical researchers would pull their own teeth to examine fresh samples.

b) a flask of Keratin-softener, used to soften the skins of the Roboto during surgical assembly-in addition to its normal usage a Roboto splashed with this will have its Damage Resistance nullified for 1D3+2 Turns.

c) Potion of Living Death, 4 doses in a large hypodermic. Used during the repair of damaged Roboto.

d) synthetic adrenaline injector-gives anyone fully living (no Androids or Ghosts)the Get Tough Power for 1D3+2 Turns, followed by 1 Turn of Exhaustion. Enough for 2 doses.


1B-North wall. Several banks of charged Accumulators power the lamps, electroplating vats and sundry other devices. Careless Wrecking Rolls or natural '1s' in combat may result in 'arcing' (2D6 lightning damage, Save vs Science for 1/2). between the charged banks lies a gigantic (15'X8')electroplating vat, currently used to galvanize steel corner-plates and beams. Wrecking this is not recommended as hot charged chemicals will spray everywhere (1D6 damage, Save vs Science for 1/2) and then possibly short out all of the Accumulator banks at once (5D6 explosion-Save vs Science for 1/2, walls subject to Level 5 Wrecking Rolls, no lights).

1C-East Wall, row upon row of vats filled with gently-bubbling golden liquid-and body parts. A vat of skinned and partially-cracked pig skulls, brains soaking within for removal. Pig and steer and human viscera waiting to compose digestive systems for new Roboto. Steer and Horse hearts waiting to beat in new chests. Arms and legs and heads and torsos of the unclaimed dead, bound for Potter's Field but instead bobbing gently, waiting for rebirth into an obscene mockery of life.

1D-South Wall, the Flesh Looms. Some are fully assembled and other are still crated. Fifteen stations, fifteen tables with straps, fifteen Body Jigs to hold limbs and heads to torsos, magnifying lenses to enable intricate stitch-work, hand pumps to pump synthetic blood, transformers to reduce electric current to a trickle,thin needles to deliver current to major nerve trunks and brain stem. Carl Russev has created a Henry Ford-styled assembly line for the creation of synthetic slaves.

In cubicle 10 of the Flesh Looms lies Experiment 27, created from the freshest, most preserved corpse that Russev has found so far.This one might just have a fully-functioning brain and nervous system (increase Move to 12). This one might awaken during the Adventure if the PCs can't keep their hands to themselves. In the event of a PC death, Experiment 27 might serve as a macabre replacement Android PC, with gender and Class chosen by the Player...

At the corner of South and West is a 5'X5' shaft with an electric elevator leading to Floor 2.

Floor 2:A 120'X20X15' rectangular building sits atop the roof of Floor 1, leaving a 10'X 120' balcony North and South and a 20'X 20' space West and East. Unlike the rest of the factory, the upper buildings are made of standard materials and Wreck as normal Walls, Doors etc. The entire balcony area has guardrails to prevent idiots from walking off the roof.

2A, West-Greenhouse. A modest greenhouse of wood slat and used windows cover three rows of elevated straw bales covered in liquid compost. Fresh tomatoes, okra, legumes and carrots are in various stages of growth. There is also a sturdy apple sapling badly in need of transplanting before it outgrows the greenhouse, but it is unlikely to survive planting in the rocky salt soil below.

2B, East-Laboratory. A small, personal, well-stocked lab to test chemical reaction in miniature. If Carl Russev is not expecting trouble his Focus(leather bracer with ampules) will be here fully stocked with re-agents. If there is warning he will be wearing it.

2C, Center. The living quarters of Carl Russev is not divided into rooms but is arranged loft style, with a single door in the middle of the South wall for access. The entire dwelling is easily patrolled by Cesare, the live-in servant bodyguard (Roboto, +/-1 AC, +1 HD, +1 damage in melee, +1 Morale-usually armed with Butcher Knife, 1D6-1 damage). Like his lesser cousins, Cesare is completely loyal but easily confused-failing a Morale check does not result in fleeing but instead doing something well-intentioned but unbelievably stupid, such as grappling a PC after setting himself on fire, grabbing 'Father' and leaping off the roof to 'save' him (30 foot drop!) etc.


1) Western area, dominated by a gigantic picture window on the South side just begging to be Wrecked. The Study is 20'X 30' and contains a high-backed chair and massive desk (contains records, receipts and personal Journals written in Hungarian) a luxurious overstuffed chair for reading and a square coffee table for snacks and tea-the 'coffee table' is actually a heavy safe covered with a tablecloth, and within the safe are the collected secret notebooks of Johan Konrad Dipplel, with which Russev has worked dark miracles...

2) South Central area, a gigantic walk-in closet and wardrobe.

3) North Central wall, covered with empty shelves. Russev is beginning a library here, and several works of Hungarian poetry and plays abound, alongside a Hungarian/English dictionary and a Hungarian/German lexicon. Russev hopes to fill more of his shelves in the future.

4) Eastern area-a large kitchen 20'X 30' with pantry, wood stove, hand-pump to bring up water from East Foundation, lots of cutlery and a small table capable of seating four. A heavy sliding curtain in the North portion hides a tub, sink and indoor composting toilet, kept dry and scent-free with fuller's earth and sawdust, and emptied once per month. The sink boasts a shaving mirror and a small stand containing razors, soap and sundries.

 Cliff Face-The cliff rises North and upwards for 30' until the top is reached., and from there it is a ten-minute hike to Fort M. Heroes with good climbing skills, rope, powers or magic could access Floor 2 quite easily from the top of the cliff.

Possible Good Deed Awards:

Translating Carl Russev's journals into English and turning them over to the authorities as evidence- One award to all participating.

Destroying the Flesh Looms and the means of creating them-an award to all participants.

Returning the stolen notebooks to Adam August's guardianship-an award for everyone.

Destroying the stolen notebooks-Mr August will be quite upset at this, but keeping the world safe is still worth awards.

Burning the place down and dancing in the ashes-while Arson is normally considered a terrible, terrible crime...some places should not exist.

 Saving a family of adorable raccoons from a burning factory-well, DUH!

 Adopting Experiment 27 (if awakened) and giving him/her a decent start in life so that a Gothic Tragedy may be averted-again, DUH!

 Training/taming Feral Dogs or raccoons to give away as pets-GAHH, my diabetes!

 Jungle Lord PC training Feral Dogs and Raccoons as future SCMs-sure, why not? KREEGAH! BUNDALO! AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHhhhhh.....

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A few interesting Trophies suggested by my crew:

1) A copper circlet sewn into the headband of a thick leather 'safety hat' of the kind worn by early firemen. In addition to the bonuses of having a Helmet, as long as the circlet is worn the person is able to see several seconds into the future-the wearer gets a +1 Soft Cover bonus (in addition to any armor or shields), a +2 Save vs Missles (if a PC) and only a 1 in 6 chance of being surprised. Any being capable of a Contest of Wills also gets a +2 to the roll due to being able to predict their opponent's mental stratagem. The circlet may be ripped away from the helmet and used as jewelry or be hidden under a hat or wig at the cost of losing the Helmet bonus. Wearing the circlet for over 8 hours at a time causes low-grade jumpiness and mild headaches (treat as Exhaustion, Save vs Plot to avoid). Does not detect as magical.

2) A large rose-quartz crystal egg just small enough to wrap inside a fist. Up to three times per day a person may grip the stone tightly and wring forth a strange pink, bitter fluid that cures 1D3+2 damage per application, and also allows another Save to those who are poisoned, diseased or cursed. Use of this wonder panacea more than once per day requires a Save vs Magic to prevent a mild but persistent addiction akin to nicotine (treat as Exhaustion, plus Save vs Plot to resist using the stone whenever it is available-Save vs Magic every week to 'kick the habit'). Detects as powerfully magical.

3) A brass Orrery small enough to fit on a writing desk. It keeps perfect, slow rhythm and never varies the planetary movements by one iota-opening the weighted bottom shows a tiny green spark floating inside the base compartment, possibly the power supply. The sun, planets, moons and rogue comet are definitely not ours, nor any that 19th century astronomers are aware of. Does not detect as Magical.

4) A vest of treated purplish-pink Gator hide with adjustable ties like a corset, long enough to cover groin and buttocks, with laced sleeves. Layers of silk line the interior. Provides protection as a Flack Jacket (+3/-3) but fits as comfortably as a Bulletproof vest and can be worn as such by PCs. Does not detect as magical.

5) THE GUN-this perfectly-crafted Wheel-lock pistol will never misfire, not even underwater. It counts as a magical weapon when wielded as a small club (1D6-1) but has no bonuses 'to-hit'. Any single ball fired counts as a +3 magic weapon both to strike and to damage (1D6+3)and will always hit a target. If the firer misses, the Editor chooses a random target up to a mile away (PCs so targeted get the usual Save vs Missles). On a natural '1', or if the shooter is alone, the bullet will hit them in the back of the skull (treat as Head Blow of course). This weapon detects as both magical and evil. The manufacturer's stamp reads 'Morningstar Forge'.

6) Bottle of strange, dark thick oil smelling of metallic salts, enough for 1D6+2 doses. If a full Turn is spent massaging the oil into the skin, the user will gain the following properties:
A) +1 damage in Unarmed Combat
B) +2/-2 AC and +2 to any purely physical Save
C) +2 to Wrecking attempts, limited by Class
D) an extra 100 lbs of weight and cannot even attempt a Swim check

The effects of the one dose of oil lasts one full week. Using it more than once per month results in a Save vs Science-failure results in a -1D6 to both Dexterity and to Movement, both recovered at a rate of 1 per day once the oil wears off (again, a full week!). Neither the bottle nor the oil detect as magical, but the bottle is Wrecked as a Car and is of an unearthly alloy.

7)The AEGIS-these bronze bracers shimmer with a mild distortion field when violently moving (running, combat etc) blurring the user's hands. The AEGIS is both a blessing and a curse-any missles in a 15 foot radius (including any fired by the wearer) curl towards the wearer and attack as a Lvl 1 Mobster...on the positive side the wearer is also protected as if by a +2 Shield (+3/-3 soft cover bonus) from both missle and melee attacks. The bracers detect as powerful magic.

8) This silver circlet is sized for the head of a young child, but will work if held in the hand-if the command words are uttered, 2D6 Winged Monkeys appear (use 'Monkey' entry, replace 'coconut' with 'Tiny Crossbow' and a Flight speed of 15). The monkeys will remain for 1D6+3 Combat Turns, OR obey one command within their power, then vanish. The circlet will only work 3 times for a single user, ever. The circlet Detects as strongly magical.

9) A helmet of an unknown futuristic alloy with smoky crystal lenses and an adjustable aperture. With the proper adjustment the helmet can be used in a variety of ways:
A) this setting can allow the wearer to see at 15X normal distances and get a missle bonus of +2 at long ranges, but -2 at short ranges and in melee
B) this setting allows a +2 to detect hidden objects, but the wearer has a -1 Surprise penalty.
C) this setting allows detection of Invisible beings and the ability to see in the dark, but is -2 to Blinding Attacks

This helmet does not detect as magical.

10) This phosphorescent purple die comes in a flask of 1D3+2 doses. If drunk, the dye permeates the body of the user, glowing beneath newly-translucent skin. The user cannot hide at all for 1D6+1 Turns but also counts as a torch for lighting purposes. If the drinker needs any kind of First Aid or surgery, there is a +2 bonus to the results due to being able to faintly see the patient's organs and blood flow. Does not detect as magic.

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The House of Rahab

History-In 1852, successful Whaling magnate Kurt Eisner commissioned plans for an enormous, sprawling two-story mansion, complete with guest house, servant's quarters, a stable and carriage-house, two wells and space for several gardens. Despite the buyer hovering over the builders like a nervous parent, the estate was finished in September of 1853, and Eisner, his wife, three daughters, two sons, two sons-in-law and four grandchildren all moved in-the only tiny complication during the welcoming party was that of a recently hired stableboy, caught with a few items of household silver, and dismissed, beaten and arrested in that order...

In October of 1853 the boy was seen again on the property, but was somehow never caught, and naturally he was blamed for the items that went missing-a ring here, a locket there, a hairbrush...still, such things were treated as the nuisances they were. Until December, when the body of the sommelier was found in a cask of sherry, a flint knife in his heart and strange patterns cut into his flesh.

In January of 1854, Kurt Eisner's eldest daughter Elise was found dangling from the massive roof beams of the stable, the blood vessels ripped open from the ankles and thoroughly bled out-but not a single drop on the dirt floor. Three days later, Eisner's eldest sons were found stabbed to death in an alley, less than one hundred yards from the Courthouse....this was the final straw for the Eisners, who placed the entire estate in the hands of the local Auction House, packed the household into the whaling vessel Silver Swan, and hired Dutch Trader Jan Van Eck to take them to distant family in Boston.

In March of 1854, the Silver Swan was found in open waters with signs of struggle but not a single soul on board, neither living nor dead. The Eisner Estate languished in care of the banks until July, when financier and recent newcomer Richard Galte offered the bank roughly 30% of the value, took possession of both ship and mansion, and moved in immediately...for nearly three weeks. Young Galte was then seen fleeing the estate for a local boarding-house, supposedly covered in bites and cuts and weeping bloody tears...he stayed there long enough to build an annex to his recently-acquired rendering plant, then moved there indefinitely.

Attempts to turn the Eisner Place into a Bed and Breakfast proved disastrous-no animal would go near the stables, guests reported cold spots, glimpses of things just out of sight, strange odors, ovens that refused to draft and filled the kitchens with greasy smoke , horrible plaintive moans from the wine cellar...unable to keep staff and simply disgusted with the entire mess, Galte closed and locked the Eisner Estate and left it to rot. And rot it did, until the young firebrands Union Captain John Sim, his fiance Rachel Jurgen and several young companions discovered and routed a ring of Confederate spies operating out of the place in August of 1863...in September of that year, Richard Galte made a show of gifting the young couple the Eisner Place out of patriotic gratitude (though in truth it was four bars of Confederate-stamped gold that purchased it) and promised a full renovation by the time Captain Sim and his new bride returned from his new posting in Maj. General Sheriden's Cavalry...

Major Sim was never seen alive again, felled in October 1864 in the Shenandoah Valley. The widow Sim was not seen again until December of 1865, driving a supply carriage with her husband's coffin within and some horribly thin, faceless creature riding shotgun...the widow was not seen again until the funeral, as her companion (her brother, she would claim, recovering from a long illness)remained housebound-and then she retired to the Eisner Place and was not seen again for quite some time.

The winter of 1865 was the coldest, nastiest one in two generations-even parts of the Bay froze. Such few brave souls that dared go near the dreaded Eisner Place heard terrible wailings and saw ghostly lights, and even Death itself peering from an upper bedroom-but when the ground finally unfroze in late March cautious well-wishers were met with the most astonishing sight. The Eisner House was freshly painted, the interior sparkling, the kitchens immaculate and producing food for a regiment, with off-duty soldiers from Fort Mcfarlane volunteering with hammers, axes and brushes renovating the outer buildings-and Rachel Sim's brother, hair as white as winter ice but otherwise hale and fit, digging and planting at the garden. A thick, woven scarlet rope wound about the railings near the entrance...

It is January of 1886, and the House of Rahab is always open, Day or Night, seven days a week.. Food and drink are plentiful, rooms are available by night or by the week, and both hot baths and laundry services are available upon request. Union war veterans and active military are given 50% off of everything and free breakfasts. The city of Lighthouse Bay has expanded to-and past-the estate, a major overland road runs almost into the place and the new Railroad is less than a mile away. In emergencies, the House of Rahab has gladly provided free room and board to the temporarily dispossessed, and after the first half-dozen incidences the City Fathers set up funds for reimbursement. Money, music, food, drink and money flows through the House like water.

   As does Information, which Madame Rahab hoards like stolen Confederate gold. Because Rachel has a nose for the subtle hints of Change surrounding the Bay, and she will be ready if War comes again to her home, in any form...

  Former Guest House- facing South West,this 30'X15' house is now the living quarters of Rachel Sim, proprietress. One room is 15'X15' and contains a cozy twin bed and comforter, a tiny wood stove for bitter winters and morning tea, a modest bookshelf (sporting Keats, Shelley, Thoreau and Whitman) and a small writing desk(full of several locked books full of code-Rachel's Journals)-a cozy upholstered chair and ottoman lounge near the front door. The second 15'X15' room holds a few shelves of snacks (pemmican and candied fruit)honey, tea and coffee. The nearby wall holds a few crafting tools and knives, three first aid kits, a sewing kit and a half-finished quilt (that will get done one of these days). The far wall has a folding panel for privacy, a chamber pot and a small washtub, wooden chair and washcloths. The wall nearest the door sports a large wardrobe. Under a hidden panel in the floor is a 2'X2' safe with $300 in Gold Dollars and assorted jewelry, a Passport and Letters of Introduction from two Union Army generals. Behind the building is a small drainage trough full of wildflowers, just under the rear window, meant to empty chamber pots and bathwater into.

 Walkway- a 10' patch of ground East, between the Guest House and the Mansion, festooned in wild clover during most of the year. One well is here, fully enclosed and connected to the Mansion Kitchen via underground pipe and hand-pump.

 Main Building,First Floor-The former Eisner Mansion, a massive 100'X40' two story edifice with a wraparound covered porch. A main entrance is set in the very middle of the place (South Face) a rear entrance is set opposite (North Face) and a small personal door leads to the garderobe (East Face). The entire Main Room is 100'X 20', with a cozy brick foreplace on both the East and West walls. Tables and chairs are strewn thickly on both the East and West potions, and thinly in the middle-the mid-potion of the Main Room is often used for local musicians, poetry readings, parlor games etc. A 30'X10' polished oak bar takes up a portion of the middle area. Racks of local beverages take up space behind the bar-nearly all whiskeys, wines, meads  and ales are local and a source of pride at the House of Rahab. The West Wall has stairs leading to the Second Floor.

 The open spaces both West and East run into the 100'X10' kitchen, full of wood stoves, drying racks, racks of silverware and utensils and sinks of water to clean with. Steel stairs in the West lead down into the Wine Cellar.

  Just South of the Main Building are four sets of hitching posts and three troughs of water. The forth post has been modified with large clamps that can hold up to four of those new Penny-farthings that everyone has heard about...

Main Building, Second Floor- Nine well-apportioned 10'X10' rooms each line both the North and the South sides, running East to West. This leaves a 90'X20' corridor with plenty of room for Room Service carts and walking room between them. Each room has a well-padded twin bed, a chair for reading, a plain but functional writing desk, a table with a pitcher of water , washbasin and a chamber pot below. a small, folding privacy screen and small wardrobe finish the ensemble. The Garderobe  takes up a 10'X40' space in the farthest East side, with plenty of room to store extra carafes, chamber pots, trays, carts and cleaning rags, vinegar and bleach, spare sheets etc. The actual Privy is a ceramic tub 4'X2' with a central drain branching into four sub-drains below.

 There is a large door West which cannot be opened from the outside-but if unbarred from the inside it is hinged to slam down onto the outer wall. In case of fire (and blocked access to stairs) the procedure is to unbar the door and jump-the combination of soft ground and heavy clover will reduce Falling Damage to a mere 1D3-and if there is enough warning, Staff will be deployed with blankets (0 Damage). Stairs are planned in the future if the designers can find a decent sub-strata for the foundations...

 Wine Cellar-This 80'X40' edifice is filled to the brim with salted fish, brined beef, dried mutton, dried vegetables and beans of every sort, molasses, casks and casks and bottles and bottles of spirits, ales, mead and wines, candied apples, candied ginger, bags upon bags of flour and cornmeal. A Secret door West leads to-

 The Other Cellar-A 20'X40' room covered in maps of every kind, railroad schedules (updated weekly) pushpins and thread...a small cot lies at the extreme North end, with several more folded against the walls. The entire East wall is covered in first aid kits, hardtack, pemmican, jerky, waxed bricks of coffee and rolls of gold dollars ($500 worth). at the South End is a large desk, dozens of ledgers listing budgetary information from the Lighthouse Bay City Council for the last ten years. Assembled on the desk is a crude, barely functional Analytical Engine of the type proposed by the late Ada Lovelace-Rachel would love desperately to have a working model, but who does she know who can do such a thing, and that she can trust?

 Anyone who knows Rachel Sims well-and who sees this room-will understand that a part of Rachel is still the Stationmaster of the Underground Railroad, and will remain so until her last breath.

Walkway- This ten foot area between the Mansion and Servant's Quarters has a 5'X40' supported roof. The North 5' have four drains leading to large barrels and a pile of moldy hay. Once per day a forkful of old hay is thrown into the barrel to soak up the wastes therein, and roughly once per month the full barrels are capped and dated. The other 30' are taken up by full barrels in rotation-after six months of composting the barrels are safe to use on edible crops. A few are held in reserve for House use, but the rest are donated to local farmers in exchange for discounts on produce, cheese and potables. The second enclosed well is here, with pipes leading to the kitchen at the Servant's Quarters.

Former Servant's Quarters- This 60'X15' building has been refurbished for those Staff who do not live elsewhere. There are 4 10'X5' rooms East, the same West and 5'X 60' corridor between them. The North portion is 20'X15' with a gigantic brick and ceramic wood stove for ducted heating into all the other rooms, and doubles as a decent sized kitchen.

Carriage House- North of  the Servant's Quarters lies the massive stabling area, 80'X40'. Eight 10'X10' West paddocks have facilities for the horses. an enclosed 20'X15' open area to groom and walk the beasts, a 10'X5' area North full of pitchforks, wrenches and farrier's supplies, East are eight 10'X10'  open bays for carriages and wagons, and ladders North and South to the hayloft, with rope hoists nearby on both ladders. The hayloft stores countless bales of hay, barrels of dried oats and casks of powdered molasses sufficient to re-fuel the most exhausted beast.

 Riding Ring- West of the Carriage House, this 20'X 40' rectangular area is perfect for walking, cooling down or grazing horses and is full of heavy clover and wild oats.

Orchard and Garden-this 40'X40' area has a square border consisting of two rows of mature Macintosh trees, perfect for eating off the tree or squeezing into cider. Inside the border grow onions, turnips, rutabaga, parsnips, northern and pinto beans, winter squash and whatever else seems right for the soil and climate.

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Some common transportation in 1886:

Horses are ubiquitous and will not be phased out as a main form of transport until the early 20th century. Rules for Horses are as in the H&H 2nd Edition Handbook.

In the 'City of Light' campaign, only Racehorses($100+) will be considered to have Move 30/24 with Rider-most horses($45-$55)will have 28/22, with Draft Horses($55-$60),Ponies ($25-$30)and Mules($18-$25)at 25/20 and Donkeys($15-$20) at 20/18 (but +1 to Climb). Saddle and other Tack run roughly $35-$45 for non-customized equipment.

Wagons are everywhere and carry cargo and passengers:

Cargo Wagons ($35-$45) are Wrecked as Generators, may be used as Soft Cover, have a maximum speed of 18 but a 'safe' speed of 15, and need at least two horses to pull (it rare if possible that an Ox-drawn wagon may be seen-if so, reduce Speed by 2...Oxen run $20-$25) Their relative the mighty Conestoga has a Speed 16, 'safe' speed of 13...but can float as a shallow boat for up to 4 Turns at ago, though rough rivers may be a problem.

Massive cargo wagons ($50-$55) may be pulled by teams of up to 8 horses at once and are Wrecked as Robots-otherwise treat as a standard Wagon.

Personal Jitneys, Buckboards or Buggies($35-$45) are often seen pulled by a single animal- the maximum Speed is 22 with a 'safe' speed of 20...with only 2 wheels these wagons are quite nimble. They also carry less (two people and perhaps several bags of feed or picnic baskets) and are more fragile (Wrecked as Machines, no Soft Cover bonus).

Stagecoaches($55-$65), with teams of 4 Horses and the Spring Suspension of Buggies, move at 22 Maximum and 18 'safe' speed, provide Soft Cover bonuses and are Wrecked as Generators.

Rickshaws($25-$30) are rare in Lighthouse Bay but not unheard of.They go no faster than a normal man, but can carry up to 400lbs+ quite easily. They are very fragile, Wrecked as Doors, and provide no Soft Cover Bonus-also, at nearly full capacity, Jogging speed or less is recommended as a Full Run with no brakes is no longer safe...

Pedal-powered, manufactured cycles are less than 15 years old in 1886, although individual Craftsmen have had the knowledge to create them at least 10 years before that. Prices range roughly between $20-$40 dollars depending on two-vs-three or even four wheels, suspension, fixed-pedal vs pawl-and ratchet, direct drive vs the brand-new chain drive, etc. Cycles tend to be Wrecked as Doors, but are often easily repaired from that state. Cycles are not as versatile as riding animals, but require far less maintenance. Examples include:

The antique Draisine ($12-$20) is rarely seen these days but still very easy to assemble from scratch. Essentially a steerable walking Balance Bike, it is no faster than walking-but the operator can jog or run roughly three times as far before Exhaustion sets in and can carry roughly twice the load of a normal Human if it is properly balanced.

Penny-farthings are the most commonly-available cycle of the period.The size of the massive Front Wheel determines both the speed and danger of the vehicle. A modest 40-inch wheel lends itself to easy mounting and dismounting and a maximum speed of 15, 60-inch wheels can reach up to 18 Speed(and are harder both to stop and to mount) and 70-inch wheels are capable of up to 20-but are very difficult to mount and dismount and only a very tall or long-legged person may reach the pedals. Rumors of a chain-driven 85-inch wheeled cycle have been heard of, with a possible speed of 22-but surely such a dangerous dreadnought will be relegated to the racing track? Unless one is attempting some sort of land-speed record, one can journey up to three times normal distance without fatigue while carrying the same cargo as a normal person.

Three and four wheeled cycles tend to more modest speeds of 13 to 14 depending on the gearing, but may carry an extra passenger or cargo as a Rickshaw.Some models allow both the driver and the passenger to contribute muscle-if the Cargo is light enough one could journey up to four times as far without fatigue as one does not have to balance a Tricycle or Quadricycle.

While there has been talk of adding electric motors and heavy accumulators-or a boiler and small steam engine-to these new wheeled conveyances, no one aside from the wildest-eyed of hobbyists has attempted to do so...such power could rapidly overwhelm the modest friction-brakes and the speeds would be very, very unsafe...

Trains, those mighty iron dragons of the 19th century, are not nearly as fast as their 1930's counterparts, with a 'safe' speed of 22 and an 'unsafe' maximum of 32 with the valves restricted and the boiler under stress-only a madman, or one desperate to evade pusuit would even attempt it-a Save vs Science must be made to safely brake or take a curve at any speeds over 22, and any speeds over 28 require a Save vs Science every 2+(1D6) Turns to avoid a Boiler explosion that kills the Engineer and Fire-tender.

Also, 'Race the Train' in the 'City of Light' campaign will be re-named 'Race Arrow' for the flavor of it.

 Folding canvas boats ($30-$40) are waterproofed with tar or bitumen, can go anywhere a canoe can go and at the same speed of 12, and when folded are half the bulk and the weight.

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After roughly twenty years of being lost in a Strange Place, the returning Maestro Moray's carnival of Intrigue and Delight are not unchanged-and neither are the places they now perform. When the tents are raised, the stalls unpacked, the Hurdle-Gurdy's filling the air with music and food and drink available...it is then that the strangeness of the places that the Carnival has toured begin to mingle with the otherwise mundane atmosphere of the town.

Each day/night the Carnival performs at a location, roll 1D20 twice and take both results. Re-roll these every Sunrise:

1) The prizes won at the games of skill turn out to be quite valuable indeed! Roll 1D6, 1-5='normal' 6='Special' A Special Item also rolls 1D6, 1-2=valuable prize worth 25+2D6 dollars, 3-5=lucky charm that activates one time when the user really needs it(can duplicate a random Potion, Pill or Scroll), 6=Random Magic Item-and an Item that normally requires a Class to use (Wands and M-U) will still work for the Owner as if they were a Level 1 of that Class.

2) The food and drink are the best the buyers have had in years! Many purchasers will find themselves eating to capacity if they aren't careful-and they almost supernatural nourishment will grant the eater a +2 bonus on the next Save vs Science or Magic vs any disease, poison, radiation or curse they have to make within the next three days.

3)Even the Kindly Ones think twice before harming a child. This day until the next sunrise, all young children (12 and under) gain a +2 on all Saves and a +1 to their Healing Rates-broken legs are merely sprained, gashes aren't as bad as they thought, and mere 'owies' are soothed by a Parent's kiss...

4)Animals sense something Unnatural at work within the confines of the Carnival today and will be skittish-Animal SCM's need to pass a Morale Check within the Carnival's borders, Animal Training Checks and Animal's Reaction Checks are all at -1.

5) Animals are unnaturally tame within the confines of the Carnival's borders, even wild animals that happen to stray from outside-all Animal Training and Animal Reaction Checks are at +1, and anybody making a Save vs Plot can understand any beast as clearly as if it could speak.

6) Strange Luck is loose at the Carnival this night! Any Gambling or Games of Chance will swing wildly-winners get up to 150% of their normal earnings and losers will lose equally big. Predictions by the Three Fates (sisters in three different tents, all just charlatans with good people skills) will become minor Blessings and Curses (+1/-1 to Combat Checks, Saves and Reactions) until the next sunrise. Most of the long-time hucksters will intuit the "Goblin Wind" within a few hours of it occurring and will shut down the Seer Tents and limit the games to Penny Games for the rest of the day (and offer minor geegaws as 'consolation prizes' to any losers).

7) There's a Clurichaun nearby, and all Alcoholic beverages (including any the customers bring inside) have lost any and all potency, though it tastes the same-if the Carnival hears of it they will reluctantly stop selling the beverages in question, and claim a shortage, while brewing up as much coffee and tea as fast as they can and mix the now non-alcoholic beverages with seltzer and sugars...

8) Blasted Pixies again-All the Patent Medicines and Vitamin Elixirs have turned into strong Rum! Once the Carnival finds out, they will offer refunds-unless the customers actually like the idea of cheap Rum for less than a quarter of the regular price, in which case the Carnival will sell out pretty quickly!

9) Sometimes, when the sun falls and the tents are brightly lit, shadow performances spontaneously appear on the canvas. The Carnival knows better than to charge audiences for these off-the-cuff shows, simply showing up with plenty of folding chairs and moving the food and drink vendors a bit closer...

10) The stuffed animals, wooden dolls and puppets have multiplied ten-fold in their cabinets! All the Games are giving them away as 'consolation prizes' and the ones that were for sale are now a mere penny! Wandering Clowns give them away to any that admire them, particularly ladies and children. Fully 1 in 6 of these creatures retain the Fires of Creation that 'birthed' them, and if the owner is threatened and the toy is nearby, it will animate(once) and attack for up to 6 Combat Turns before falling lifeless forever (treat as Dog-H&H 2nd Edition page 49-but with unshakeable Morale). If the Victim has a history of abuse or neglect, then the chances of the toy being Magical are 6 in 6-because while Real Life isn't fair, stories can be, and as Editor I therefore decree it...

11) The Spirit of Endless Spring suffuses the Carnival this day! Any couples of child-bearing age will be fertile today and for a full week thereafter, with the children born free of ailment and easily delivered. Any suffering from illnesses and entering the Carnival grounds get an immediate Save vs Magic to throw it off, and those with permanent ailments will find that they are lessened today-a man on crutches may suffice with a mere cane today, malignant tumors may become benign, perhaps for months...

12) The Spirit of Farce suffuses the Carnival this night! Murphy's Law runs rampant! Everyone in Carnival Grounds is at a -1 to Skills, Combat, all Saves (except vs Plot), Reaction Checks-and Damage from any source! All weapons have a built-in 1 in 6 chance to misfire or fumble! Likewise though, there is a 1 in 6 chance that a damaging attack becomes a non-damaging result(Disarm, Pratfall, Entangle etc)! Anyone in this strange atmosphere who would otherwise die instead rolls on the 'Zero Hit Points' Table (H&H 2nd Ed P. 88-89) and completely ignores results 11 & 12-even Mobsters and SCMs! On days like this, the performers just sigh, pad their costumes, reach for some Clown makeup and cancel the riskier acts...

13) There are a lot-a LOT-of mummers performing today. These silent performers, male and female both, sport stylish white makeup and pale linen suits. They wander the crowds, entertaining passersby with juggling, sleight-of-hand and spontaneous gift-giving of paper flowers and such. If any member of this troupe is met with any kind of violence, he or she will fall to the ground, apparently 'dead'-and the rest will gather 'round, mourning silently before producing a cardboard casket, hauling the body therein and then setting the coffin on fire! The casket and mummers will all vanish in a puff of smoke, and reappear elsewhere within 1D6 Turns. Smartypants PCs who think to Turn Undead will indeed find that they vanish in a puff of smoke, making Very rude gestures! The other performers, if questioned, simply shake their heads and chuckle sadly-and on a good Reaction might let slip that some performers just can't take the hint to retire...

14) There is something truly reverent about this particular day, as if every breath were blessed. Any attempts at First Aid or Medicine get a +1 to Check and/or Effects, and any who would do violence to another must Save vs Plot to do so. Those who plot evil deeds, or who have performed great sins in the past and not repented, will feel faintly nauseous here (treat as Exhausted). As night falls, those of Demonic or Undead origin will find that the Carnival is Holy Ground until Sunrise...

15) A Bit Unstuck in Time-any who attempt rough action(physical Stunts, Sprints, Combat etc) in the Carnival must Save vs Magic (only once per day at most). Failure indicates a 1D6 roll:
1-2=severe case of Deja Vu, all rolls with Advantage (roll another die and pick the best) for 1D3 Turns
3-4=flashbacks and flashforwards, all rolls at Disadvantage(roll another die and pick the worst) for 1D3 turns
5=Slowed for 1D3 Turns
6=Hasted for 1D3+1 Turns, followed by Exhaustion.

16) The Spirit of Autumn pervades the Carnival, and those who have lost someone dear to them (spouse, child, friend, pet, enemy they wronged, victim they could not save etc) may spot duplicates of same lurking out of the corner of the eye. If the fleeting phantoms are followed, they will lead their chasers to an abandoned area of the Carnival, shrouded in shadow, and simply wait. The past cannot be changed and the lost cannot be either harmed or saved-but if there were any last words that needed to be said, a comforting embrace or a last kiss, you have a single Turn before all vanishes in light and mist...

17) All food and drink has been replaced by exotic and otherworldly equivalents! The standard fare in the vendor's stalls has been replaced by feasts fit for the tables of Lords and Ladies from Kingdoms best not spoken of aloud. The food will be utterly delightful but will not nourish-still, few will notice a skipped meal until the next day, wondering why they are eating so much breakfast...

18) The Carnival tempts those who still daydream with visions of a new life! Those who are not yet adults are particularly susceptible (Save vs Magic or run away from home). The Ringmaster refuses to accept new hires of 15 years old or younger, however, and will send Roustabouts to the local Law with a request to notify any concerned parents. Maestro Moray does make exceptions for orphans though-and if a few adventurous adults wish to travel with them awhile, well, why not?

19) A...very Special Envoy has decided to pay a visit to the Carnival to take in a show. He/she has traveled a long way, and expects to be treated with all courtesy due a member of the Royal House. Treat the Envoy as a Hag(but replace Ugliness with Unearthly Beauty-same effect). His/her entourage consists of 1D6+2 Thralls (use Zombie, but better looking/smelling). This would of course be the perfect opportunity for the PCs to make an Enemy (unreliable Ally, Dangerous Lover etc etc).

20) The Stars are Right! The Strange Lands are near! THE GHOST TRAIN COMES! Roughly 3D6 Turns after sundown, a massive, noisy, unearthly locomotive of gold and silver and hissing fire barrels right down the Carnival Midway! If there are still performers and/or customers nearby, they must Save vs Magic or flee.The Ghost Train is completely unreal, but injuries from fleeing patrons may result. Regardless of any scheduled performances, the Carnival will be leaving the next day...too dangerous to stay, and nobody needs another Wild Hunt, do they now?

[order99]

^{So You Pressed the Button on the Experimental Time Machine in the Mad Scientist's Basement, Hmmmmm?}

1)Everything appears normal-until you step outside and realize that Lighthouse Bay is full of Talking Apes! Reactions rolls at a penalty if you try to to talk to them (and they will suspect all of you to be some kind of sick joke at their expense, at first...

2) Everything appears normal-until you grab a newspaper or start gossiping. You then find out that your beloved United States is roughly half its normal territorial size-and in a 'Cold War' with the Confederate States of America!

3) Welcome to Lighthouse Bay, Crown Jewel of the British Commonwealth! The Prince of Wales is coming tomorrow, and security is a bit tight, so try not to stand out too much...

4) Welcome to Nondam Nigamo Nibi ("Hear the Singing Water") Crown Jewel of the Algonquin Nation! You seem pretty far from the New Amsterdam Reservation, good thing I grok the Angletongue. I'll need to see your medical pass of course-can't visit without proof of your Smallpox shots...

5)Welcome to Bugt Fyrtarn ("Bay of the Lighthouse") The Greatest trading port in all of Vinlandia! Wait, slow down, your speech is too fast and musical for me...are you from Genua? You are in luck my small Italian tradesmen, the local All-thing meets tomorrow and you will get the best prices for your goods...

6) Bipedal lizardmen with long serpentine tails-and wearing the finest 1886 clothing-run away hissing as you approach! If you can somehow translate their frenzied hisses you will find that they think you to be legendary warm-blooded egg-stealing goblins of some sort...roll only 1D6 on the Reactions Table-but any solutions that ends up with you Not There will satisfy them...

7) You are catapulted into the far future of...1940! Enjoy the insane future world of Horseless Carriages, Tommy Guns and a world on the brink of WAR! Oh, and they renamed your beloved town Light City for some weird reason...

8) Lighthouse Bay is a series of half-fallen ruins, with exotic orchards and gardens winding through street and building alike. The inhabitants are a race of amazingly fit, handsome but rather dim humanoids. At night, several of them vanish and no one mentions them ever again...even the most cursory investigation finds the kidnappers to be pale, hairy photo-phobic cannibals! Chalk one up for H.G. Wells I suppose...now what?

9) Lighthouse Bay is in perfect condition, but is entirely devoid of life. A large, bloated reddish Sun hangs heavily overhead. The oxygen levels are incredibly rich(+3 to Con for purposes of calculating Exhaustion). If the PCs dawdle for more than a few days, man-sized bipedal beetles will arrive, waving instruments in your direction. They will not initiate combat but will do their best to communicate. They are very interested in how an extinct mammalian sapient suddenly re-appeared at the latest Earth Restoration Project and would like to know if A) there are any more of you and B) if you mind donating some tissue samples for a possible Species Reboot?

10) Lighthouse Bay is rubble. Bands of wandering tribesmen approach cautiously or avoid the PCs as per Reaction Check. The tribesmen are of varied ethnicity and have cultures based on hunter-gatherer, supported by raids for cattle and/or companions (oddly enough, most of these 'raids' end up arranged in advance by both sides, resulting in much posturing, mock-fighting and Counting of Coup). The height of weapons technology is woven bark armor (AC 7/12) and bone/antler weapons (1D6-1) and Skin-and-reed Yurts are carried on sledges. If friendly relations and a common tongue are established, the PCs find that the natives think that the PCs belong to the House of the Cold Dead, a strange collection of blue stone domes roughly three days West of here...

[order99]

So You Raided The Dread Sorcerer's Sanctum Sanctorum, YAY!     In addition to your normal Trophy Checks You Find:

1) A personal Spell Grimoire,written in 'Mirror-english' with 1D6+1 Lvl 1 Spells, 1D3+1 Lvl 2 Spells and 1D3 Lvl 3 Spells. A Light City M-U can add one spell to their 'Known Spells' at a rate of up to one per week of 'downtime' between adventures-H&H M-U's, being more Focus-oriented (and knowing more Spells anyway) take two weeks. Opening the Book triggers a one-time Curse (Dyslexia,Save vs Magic or become illiterate in all Languages).Luckily it is a relatively weak curse and can be broken by a single application of-Dispel Magic, Read Languages and Magic(treat as Dispel Magic), Cure Condition (LC Cleric), Read Language(LC M-U) Dispel Magic (LC M-U).

2) A Daemonic Grimoire, written in Aramaic Greek. It has ingredient lists, auspicious dates for proper summoning, Binding geometries, Words of Power and Command-and 1D6+2 Names that allow one to use Ritual Magic to call upon and bargain with...Dangerous Forces. If a PC dares attempt such a thing for whatever reason, use the 'Tampering in God's Domain'(Magic) Houserule earlier in the Thread. Once Summoned, Lawful PCs get a penalty die on the Reactions Chart while Chaotic ones get a bonus die('cuz Life Ain't Fair...).

3) A journal in Hungarian, transcribed poorly from an archaic German dialect and full of Alchemical idioms with Commentaries in the margins. If the texts can be properly translated and understood, the Secrets of Reanimation of dead tissues is yours! Use the 'Tampering in God's Domain'(Tech) Houserule earlier in the Thread. Each successful Check (no more than one per month) will yield(roll 1D10):
(1-2) Artificial Blood! Think of all the lives you can save with transfusions! Your name will be remembered forever!
(3-5) Alchemical Zombie. It has maximum HP, heals as an Android and is not subject to Turning-but is otherwise a Zombie. It will Imprint on the first person it sees upon Reanimation as its 'Master' but it is extraordinarily stupid.
(7-8) Flesh Automaton. Treat as Mummy, but substitute 'Rotting Touch' with 'Wreck as a Lvl 4 non-Superhero(but with a bonus die)'. It is a soulless creature prone to Possession-Roll Save vs Plot once per month to avoid the creature rebelling.Turns as Undead. Fire not only does +1 damage but also counts as a Turn Undead attempt as the being is terrified of it. It heals damage as an Android.
(9-10) It's Alive! ALIVE!!!! You now have a fully-functioning Android SCM, bright but unlearned. The PCs can help decide the being's Background and guide it towards a Class as they help raise the being. Many Artificial Beings will come with a Hangup or two as per their Origin-common ones might be: Mood Swings, Speech Impediment, Unearthly Alien Beauty, Hideously Scarred, Gigantic etc etc. Remember-nobody likes a Deadbeat Parent!

4)Exercise manual written in Hebrew. If read and the instructions are followed for two weeks ($50.00 in training and diet), the PC gains a +1 to melee damage and a +1 to Wrecking Rolls(limited by Class) or a +1 to Feat of Strength if a LC Class. After one week the benefits are lost-but the PC checks STR for a possible increase as if they had Leveled (H&H 2nd Edition Page 9). A PC can only benefit from this manual once.

5)Manual of breathing and stretching written in Sanskrit. Treat as (4) but for one week the PC gains a +2 on Individual Initiative, +1 AC and +2 on Skill Checks to increase Movement. At the end of that period, the PC checks DEX for possible permanent increase.

6) Exercise manual written in Spartan Greek. Treat as (4) but for one week the PC gains a +2 bonus on poison, +2 Temporary HP per day and +1 Healing Rate. Afterward, check CON for possible permanent increase.

7) Book full of hideously difficult brainteasers, written in Latin. Treat as (4) but for one week gain a +1 to all non-physical Skill Checks. At the end of the week check INT for possible permanent increase.

8) Book of impossible Riddles, written in Arabic. Treat as (4) but for one week the PC is only surprised on a '1' on 1D6, and gains +1 to Sense Hidden and Tracking Skill Checks. After one week, check WIS for possible permanent Increase.

9) Book on Political Theory, written in Italian. Treat as (4), but for one week gain a Bonus die on Reaction checks and SCM Recruitment Checks.After one week, check for possible permanent CHA increase.

10) Book in Enochian, with English Commentaries, concerning Mind Control. As (4), but double the cost in both money and time. If successful, the PC has a form of 'Mind Control'-the PC can now enter a Contest of Wills just like a M-U, and can target non-spellcasters if they wish! The PC counts their overall Level as if they were a M-U...but not being Spellcasters they never get bonuses for memorized Spells. An M-U using this manual can now also target non-spellcasters and get a +2 permanent bonus to the Contest of Wills. Needless to say, this form of 'Mind Control' can be very, very dangerous for both parties involved...

11) A series of training manuals written in Welsh. As (4), but for one week gets +1 to all Climbing, Hunting and Foraging, Surprise, Hide and First Aid Skills. At the end of the week the PC makes a Save vs Plot-on a failure the PC gets to choose a permanent +1 increase to one of the above Skills, while on a success the PC gets to choose two of them.

12) A series of Fighting Manuals written in archaic French. Treat as (4) except that a Fighter gets a +1 to all melee checks and damage for the week, and a non-fighter gains the partial Skills of a Fighter (full proficiency in all melee-not missle-weapons, and multiple attacks against foes of <1 HD). At the end of the week, the Fighter gets a Save vs Plot-on a failure the Fighter names a single melee weapon (even Unarmed) as a 'mastered' weapon, gaining a permanent +1 to Strike, while on a successful Save the 'Mastered' weapon is +1 both to Strike and to Damage. Non-fighter Classes get proficiency witha single weapon they are not normally allowed to use on a Failed Save, two on a Success.

13) A rare set of scrolls written in Kanji, concerning tactics and strategy. Treat as (4) except that the PC gains a +1 on both personal and (if listened to) Group Initiative, a +1 on all games of skill or strategy, a +1 to Surprise Checks and two free re-rolls per Adventure, that the PC can use on themselves, a teammate or an enemy.At the end on the week the PC Saves vs Plot-a success allows the PC to retain both the Surprise and Games bonus, a failure lets the PC choose one.

14) A set of parchments in a folio, written in Greek. Treat as (4), but the PC gains a +1 to damage any living creature(no Robots or Undead)+1 to First Aid, +1 to Long Term Care (anybody under their care adds 1 to Healing Rate) +1 to Diagnose/treat Illness or poison, +1 to Surgical Techniques. At the end of the week, a successful Save, the PC permanently retains two of the last three skills(not the +1 damage) and on a failure can keep one.

15) A translation of obscure poetry from (pick a language) to English. Treat as (4) but the PC has perfect fluency/literacy in the language and gains a +1 Reaction Roll to any that speak it. After a week the PC loses the Reaction bonus but retains the new language.

16) A series of field manuals written in German concerning higher mathematics, breathing techniques, finger exercises and weather patterns. Treat as (12) except apply the bonuses to missle weapons and Artillery.

17) A series of maps showing a strange set of continents, and a personal journal written in Archaic French, listing strange 'talking apes', harassment by 'lizard-people', gigantic unknown mammals, strange and unusual phenomena (weather patterns, optical illusions, magnetic fields) and a series of mysterious tiny pyramids of 'strange substance' which seem to exude some sort of control over the lands. There is also a modern map of Rhode Island, and a series of matching co-ordinates between the two maps, with annotations concerning 'phases of the moon' The author is not named, just signs the entries 'A.S.'...

18) A glass jar holding a translucent light grey 'goo' no larger than a human fist. If examined without precautions, the goo spatters all over the offending PC and soaks into the skin within a single Combat turn-the PC seems unaffected. The next day however (and for 1D3 days after) the PC is both constantly Exhausted and has a Healing Rate of 1 lower than usual. After that however, the PC will make a full recovery-and once per day can activate the symbiote at will (Cure Light Wounds, Self only, 1D6+Lvl healing, Exhausted afterwards until a short rest is taken). In the event of PC death (anything not involving total disintegration or puree) The PC can make a Save vs Science to live through it-and if the symbiote has not been activated that day, the Save is automatic.

19) A mug full of blackberry juice. If a PC ingests the Super-vitamin, the Editor re-rolls the PCs Maximum HP-the PC gets to keep the new total if higher, or gets a permanent +1 to the old total. Also, mouth and tongue are purplish-black for 1D3 days.

20) A Black Mirror of polished obsidian, set in a bronze frame. After at least a weeks careful study and a 5+ Skill check on a D6 (Magic-users[and sub-classes] get a Bonus die, as do any PCs with an Occult Background) they can now operate the Mirror. Once per Adventure, the PC may ask the Editor any one question, and the Editor must answer it(not necessarily in tremendous detail) and the PC gets XP/Karma for consulting the mirror as if activating an SCM. If the PC tries to use the Black Mirror more than once per week however, a Save vs Plot is needed to avoid possible consequences (three times/week would be a Save with a Penalty die, 4 times or more =automatic failure). Roll 1D6 and add one for each time the mirror was used:
1) Your magic is rather blatant today-for 1D6 Turns after casting a spell, animals and small children avoid you (penalty die on Reaction table) milk and wine sour, food tastes odd, etc.

2) Your magic is being fed upon-take a -1 to every die of damage or healing etc, and range/area of effect is only 75% normal. Begins when you cast the first Spell of the day and lasts 1D6 Turns.

(Note: non M-U PCs ignore '1' and '2' result)

3) Bad Luck-take a -1 to all combat and Skill checks from Sunup until Sundown.
4) Rejected by Nature-a penalty die as (1) but from sunup until Sundown.
5) Elfblooded-allergic to iron and steel (treat as Exhaustion, but exposure longer than an hour requires a Save vs Magic or pass out) for 1D3 days. On the plus side, +1 to Spot Hidden and Hypnosis (glamor) Skills for the duration.
6+) The Mirror Rejects You-a Summon Mobster spell is cast near the Mirror's location, with the Level of Spell=number of times the Mirror has been abused. Assuming the PC survives the ambush, the Mirror will not work for them again (another week's effort, another Skill check and a Save vs Magic are all needed to re-bind the Black Mirror to one's will...

[order99]

The Strange Quiet Place Deep in the Woods

 Three days journey Northwest of Lighthouse Bay and several miles West of the Algonquin village  Hinono'eiteen wâki ijiwebis-i  (Our People at Peace) is a strange circular clearing exactly 500' in diameter. Grass, wild garlic, clover and other fast-growing plants abound, but there are no trees-the trees in fact create a perfect border around the clearing. Likewise, though animal life is abundant and minding its own concerns, there are no nests or dwellings of any kind in the circle.

 If questioned casually about the Timi ('Deep Place'), the shaman Nòndam Kìzis ('Hears the Sun') will only say that the clearing was once used as a Sacred Space for Manhood and Womanhood rituals, but now has become so Sacred that they no longer disturb it. If he understands that his questioners are from 'the Moon tower'(the Lighthouse) he will be more forthcoming about the Circle-how it is safe by day, and how it is safe on most nights, and the nights (Dark of the Moon following a Harvest Moon) on which it is a really bad idea to visit.

 On those rare nights adventurous PCs will find the following:

South Border- the land is covered in pale, fronded weeds of a type completely unknown to 19th Century Botany, along with equally unknown and obviously cultivated fruiting bushes in a 30'X30' square.. If eaten, the odd fruits are (Roll 1D6) 1) Emetic-vomiting and mild nausea(treat as Exhaustion, cured by a brief rest and a beverage) 2-3) Tasty and nourishing 4) Mildly hallucinogenic (-1 to all Skills, Surprise checks, -2 to combat checks, +2 to Hypnotize, lasts 1D3+4 Exploration Turns, or 50-70 minutes). 5) Burn salve (bitter-tasting but not poisonous, acts as First Aid Kit for Fire/Acid damage as a salve) 6) tastes minty and peppery, makes a refreshing hot drink when steeped. Time and testing will enable the PCs to identify the fruits and their properties. Botanists, Pharmacists and Medicine Men  will feel like  Bandits in Aladdin's Cave...

Further North- There is a refuse pit roughly 40'X20' and 4' deep, capable of embarrassing but not really harming PCs if they trip into it (5+ on a D6 for 1-2 damage). It is littered with broken and rotted woven cord, broken leather patches and thongs, miss-chipped bone and stone shards, broken knives of an unknown horn as hard as bronze, broken pottery, rotted sticks used as darts and fire-starters, spoiled meats and vegetables. Any Anthropologists/Explorers in the party may well be loading up sacks full of this garbage FOR SCIENCE!...

Eastward- There is a very cross half-grown ankylosaurus  who is having a very bad night-an entire pack of furred things attacked it hours before, some gibbering creature threw sharp sticks at it after that (one is stuck in its neck and it itches) and the food it ate farther out tasted wrong and upset its stomach (it went out too far and ate some 19th Century Rhode Island Flora) and all it wants is a nap. If it spots the PCs make a Reaction Roll with a penalty die(3D6 pick the two lowest) and unless the roll is  better than 7 it will CHARGE! The good news is that it is ill and attacks at -2 Initiative and -2 to Strike compared to its normal prowess. If the PCs drive it out of the Clearing it will get lost, find itself stranded in a Rhode Island wilderness, and die in 1D6 weeks from maladaption to the new conditions (and screw up Paleontologist's records for centuries...)

 Adolescent Ill-tempered Ankylosaurus (AC 5/14, HD 5+10(HP 27) Attacks: 1Bite(1D6+1) or tail swipe (2D6K1,+1) Move 6, Morale 8(Fed-Up and Cranky) Trophies-Meat, bone, horn and hide.

 East Border- Nine very dead wolves lie here, victims of their own hubris for trying to eat a dinosaur.   The furs are ruined for resale, but enough might be harvested to cure and sew into a few small pouches-likewise, the tenderized meat is still fresh enough to wash off and eat if the PC are hungry(or adventurous) enough, roughly 5 meals worth of meat after prepping.

North Border- A pattern of flagstones, each 1'X1'X1' make up a perfect semi-circle 100'X 50'.  Each stone is an odd black basalt flecked with faintly glowing sparkles, weighing 150 lbs. A Geologist would risk their lives for the opportunity to study one. Each stone is marked with a radiant silvery pattern, and the whole stone floor spells out what appears to be a Runic message of some sort-smartypants M-Us who prepped Read Magic and Languages will translate as follows:

-elcom-

-o the Greate-

--diface ever concieved b-

-lory to Yss the SunKiller and hi-

-lease exchange your currency for th-

Further South- The dying coals of a large campfire remain. A 10-pound fish rests on a wooden skewer above the coals, not quite smoked through, though it will be by dawn. Near the fire is a circle of flat, palm-sized smooth stones, still hot enough to burn flesh (1 point). Blood has been trickled onto the hot stones in a complex pattern-the stones smell like roast pork. Inside the circle is a tiny poppet made of woven cord, a bit of russet fur attached. A leaf with a tiny mark in blood lies just in front of the doll. Anyone with a knowledge of Aboriginal cultures, an Occult background or a spellcaster will immediately see this as a work of sympathetic protective magic.

Westward- An adorable herd of 2-24 EUHIPPUS (H&H 2nd Ed. Page 50) are gamboling and grazing on the tall fronded grasses. If approached very carefully and with no ill will, they may interact with the PCs (roll on the Reaction Table as normal) This particular herd is used to warm-blooded humanoids and easily tamed...they are gradually becoming domesticated by the Pok (more on them below) While the Euhippus do not hunt, they have the keen senses and endurance to match the Pok(and Humans) and will fight to protect Herd...at this point they are as trainable as dogs, and as useful.

 If for some reason the PCs scare the animals across the border, roughly a third will be eaten by 19th Century Predators-but the others will probably end up in the presence of some very surprised Algonquins, possibly starting a new Breeding craze...

West Border- A large, shallow pond only 3' deep in a rough 30'X30' semicircle. This is a runoff from a slow-flowing creek, disrupted by the Displacement. Resting contently within are a 2-24 Armored Fish of some sort, 1D6 tailed frog-sized amphibians of some kind, and 2-20 Honest-to-Grodd Trilobites! None of the creatures can put up any real fight other than a nibble or two, and paleontologists would murder each other for a carefully preserved specimen-even more if the PCs somehow come up with a way to keep them alive. Gastronomically adventurous PCs will also find the taste quite pleasing, and there are enough here for 3-30 meals altogether.

 Lurking nearby is Kyrsiss, a Ysskar hunter (more on them below as well.) He was tracking a fresh, juicy young Pok for dinner in the near twilight, and wandered into range of the God that Travels. Now he is alone and cold-but if he is patient-and if the God has not spotted him before then-he may yet stumble into the hated blinding light of day, hungry and half-blind to hunt another night. If the PCs find him he will either attack or retreat-they are Warm-Meats like the Pok and either prey or enemy. If he retreats it will be parallel to the grove-better to die at Warm-Meat paws than to freeze to death in a Forbidden Land.

  Dead Center- A constant musical hum, as if a swarm of cicadas had learned the art of Harmony, surrounds a 40'X40'X60'tall pylon of an unnatural alloy.on the surface it resembles hematite, but with an under-stain of violet. If anyone attempts to break off parts of it it Wrecks as a Tank-and whoever succeeds gets zapped by a 3D6 Lightning Bolt (Save vs Science or 1/2, plus Stunned as if suffering a Head Blow). The 8'X8' diamond-shaped door lies open and waiting...

  Inside the God that Travels- The floor is smooth and glassy but as tough as the exterior(and the same defenses). The walls are covered in a runic script of some kind-the appropriate language or background or spell will reveal the lettering as Enochian as recorded by John Dee...but the letters do not seem to form words of any kind that make sense.

 Tiiruu-In the Southwest corner stands a young Pok named Tiiruu. His short russet fur is well-groomed, he wears a breechcloth of woven fibers and a belt of reeds. His hunting darts (tiny Javelins, 1D3+1 range 25) and Notched Launching Stick(expanded range of 60) are stacked neatly  at his feet. As the PCs spot him, he draws a knife made of sharp horn, carefully turns the hilt to the PCs then lays it beside the other belongings, and sinks slowly to his knees, breathing in a slow rhythm as if to stay calm.

 If the PCs use Sorcery, Super-science or some other method to communicate, they will find that Tiiruu is both terrified and happy enough to weep...Journeying to the God that Travels is a rite of Adulthood for the Pok, but Tiiruu never expected to meet other Gods traveling along! PCs may or may not disabuse the young Pok of this notion as they wish-whether they do or not, the new adult Pok will have quite the story to tell his tribe! The Pok will gladly let slip that:

-it is customary to leave a gift at the Altar, one that reflects your heart. The God will eat it by the next Cycle.

-when daylight comes he will be Home

-some legendary Pok wander too far, whether from error or Adventure, and are left behind

-some who are lost have been known to return after many patient months and many Adventures-the God Travels in a pattern of sorts

-some places the God Travels to have nothing outside but Death

-If the PCs wish to come Home with him they will be greatly welcome and Adventures Await!

-Tiiruu must go Home this time, but he is young and unwed and if the PCs promise to return next Cycle he will step off into their world, learn their strange tongue and go Home filled to bursting with stories!

  The Altar-In the exact center of the God that Travels is a ornate altar of a multicolored Marble-like substance shot through with strands of a silvery substance.Inside the Altar lie dozens of strange stones, arranged in patterns of brightly-glowing colors. Before the Altar lies a woven cord necklace with a small amethyst attached, a gift from Tiiruu's mother Kalya, who died at Ysskar hands two Cycles ago(BTW, Tiiruu  is well aware of Kyrsiss  lurking outside, but is hoping the Eater of Pokaa [plural-Pok] will either be stranded by the God, or facing blinding Day where Tiiruu has the advantage-if the PCs have killed the scaled hunter he is overjoyed).

 When Greedy and/or Stupid PCs desecrate the Altar-  Yeah, you just know that the PCs will, whether looking for Trophies, Scientific Curiousity or a desire to play a boardgame while waiting for Sunrise. Poor Tiiruu won't think to warn them-that's like warning your buddy not to stop breathing or to not stand on your head in the campfire, who does that?   Of course, the PCs might leave the Altar be, but if they don't-roll 1D10 and check the list:

 1) Weather Patterns Disrupted-even if the Pattern is restored, the entire state of Rhode Island will experience 1D6  days of Torrential Downpour followed by 1D6 days of Blistering Heat and becalming winds (even in Winter!) followed by 1D6 days of Gale Force winds in random (1D4 )directions per day. This will continue for 3-30 days.

 2) Meteor Shower!- A hole in the air opens up in the night sky and 1D3 meteors fly through to say hello to Central Rhode Island (mostly forest in 1886 but still). Another 1D3 meteors will appear every Regular Turn(4 hours) or until either the PCs try to fix it or Day breaks and the pylon leaves.

3) Temporal Reset-The PCs will find themselves at the entrance to the pylon. They can enter or leave as they please-Time has re-wound. Hey, you know how you were were fiddling with the Altar earlier? Like-maybe don't do that this time?

4) Too Stupid to Live!- the God possesses the most capable PC (Save vs Science-if the PC succeeds then the God will try another PC). The possessed PC will repair the Altar-then bolster its new temp home with Lvl 1 Get Tough and attempt to slap some sense into the other PCs until either the body is comatose or the others are defeated and/or on their knees apologizing...

5) ROAD TRIP! The God that Travels decides to shake up the itinerary a bit! Roll 1D6:

  A1) Dead Planet-a lifeless world full of decayed buildings. A gentle force field keeps plenty of air inside, but any PCs pushing past it rapidly find that this world has no atmosphere to speak of. Now if the PCs can overcome this issue they can go Trophy Hunting to their Heart's Content-but how will they know when the Sunrise is on this world? Needless to say, if the God leaves without them they will be doomed...

 A2) "What's a Nazi?" All of the Heroes from Scott's current campaign show up, thinking that Per Degaton is behind all this and that the PCs are his allies! They will either have the Levels they have or be breveted two Levels above the PCs whichever is higher.  If the PCs can convince them of the Truth, they just shake their heads in disgust, lecture them for hours and leave.    hideoutsnhoodlums.proboards.com/board/27/dc-ish-campaign

A3) Get Out!- The PCs are teleported to just outside the boundary, back in Rhode Island.

A4) No Really, GET OUT!- The PCs are teleported to Istanbul. Does anyone speak Turkish? 

A5-6) Lost in Time- see So You Pressed the Button on the Experimental Time Machine in the Mad Scientist's Basement, Hmmmmm?  from Up-thread.

 

6) Gaaassss....- Everyone inside the pylon must Save vs Science every round or fall asleep. Everyone is back on their own world upon waking and find that 1D6 days have passed.

7-8) Laying Down the Law-a copy of the God that Travels shows up simultaneously at every Nation's Capital, Harangues them for an hour in Enochian (baffling nearly everyone) then leaves. The entire planet sort of panics for awhile, and 'Cultist' starts being the default Mobster for a few years...

9-10) Your Pass is Revoked-the pylon doesn't show back up on Earth for 1D6+2 years. Hope you're happy on whatever world you're on right now...

  If the PCs thought to record the order in which the stones were placed, they can undo the damage-if not, roll for a Hard skill(6+) hope you have a background that helps (Codes, Puzzles , being the Spy Class, Artist maybe?). Failure means another 1D10 roll.

  Editors Notes-While this scenario has little by way of Trophies, bundling up enough Stuff and finding the right buyers could easily net the PCs 2D6X1000 1886 dollars, making them very wealthy! It could also severely disrupt a certain Algonquin village, much of Rhode Island, the scientific community as we know it and turn the campaign into Planetary Scientific Romance-which I personally can roll with. But if the PCs consider the damage and then give up all that money voluntarily-well, that should easily be worth the same XP as if they had been awarded it (and or multiple Karma Good Deed awards for both the H&H and the LC characters). Other Good Deeds might be-an extended visit to the Pok Homeworld and giving them such gifts as-better weapons technology (bow, metal weapons) Teaching the local Shamans (use Superstitious Hoodlum Page 60 of H&H 2nd ed ) Actual Magic, somehow brokering a lasting peace between Ysskar and Pok, etc...

 The Ysskar-bipedal tailless nocturnal Lizardmen. If you have any copy of Basic D&D or a Retroclone, just use the Lizard Man entry, give them a -1 to all actions and Skills in bright light, and Nightvision to 60'. Some versions of Lizard Men are amphibious-the Ysskar is not. One in one hundred Ysskar is a Throwback to the Ancient blood-they are capable of Telepathic speech (and/or Contest of Wills as if a Spell-less M-U) has 3+3HD, think eating sapient races is revolting and can master the ancient Super-science of the land. The other Ysstak rarely listen to them...

 The Pok- They are a Fur-covered version of the Native from H&H 2nd ed Page 55. A PC version can be had with a Half-Man template, with Alertness, and either Hide in Shadows or Track by Smell. Animal features include-Slouch, Covered in short fur and Oversized knuckles.

 Adventuring in the Pok Homeworld- for inspiration I heartily recommend the adventure X1 The Isle of Dread:

 www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17083/X1-The-Isle-of-Dread-Basic?term=isle+of+dread

 And binge-watching Land of the Lost:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka7sB7dyheE&list=PLfFi0Ay-vNV0xOYxfEVdhq5MTChgudQXj

 

[order99]

Last night I was in an IRC conversation with Per Negaton that went as follows:

PN-Hey, can we have Druids in this game?

O99-Yeah, sure...take a H&H or a S&WCL M-U and pick 'druidy' spells I guess? Failing that, you can take the S&WCL Cleric, i'll change your special Turn Undead Ability to Call/Turn Beast and again and we handwave stuff?  Conan-style Acolyte of Jebel-sag type maybe?

PN-Not quite what I want. How about some Druid spells?

O99-No prob, we have the entire OSR for Druid spells-mail me a list, i'll tweak it for H&H...heck, check H&H 1st Edition, several Nature spells there.

PN-Ummmm, maybe? Gonna brew some Chai and ponder a bit. Later!

Six hours later I checked my e-mail and there was an honest-to-Grodd spellbook waiting for me! I love this gang!   Must...play...soon....

 The Green Moon Codex

 The actual title of this book is unknown-but the nickname will have to suffice. The covers are of thin plank that resemble Rosewood but with an open grain similar to Red Oak and highly resistant to wear and damage. Several letters of an unknown Runic alphabet and a large circle are embossed on the front and appear to be filled with a glistening green powder-the circle is further decorated with tiny bits of blue suggesting fissures and craters. The interior pages are of an unusual parchment, smooth as human skin but thick and tough as Rhino-hide.  Pages and pages of illustrations in multi-colored inks and the same incomprehensible alphabet are found throughout this book.

 A simple Read Magic and Languages spell will reveal:

 -A pleasant travelogue written by scholar Hoshuun Reisa  and his Pilgrimage to the Zertahl Valley on behalf of the Order of the Bone Ziggurat

-Crude maps that no cartographer can match to any Earth analogue

-A treaty on the medicinal purposes of certain plants, with illustrations that match nothing a Botanist can identify. One in particular resembles a giant honeydew of some kind, while another has broad leaves like a palm tree and has transparent seed-pods that appear to contain fanged, pointy-eared infants

-Recipes for soups and stews using ingredients no one has heard of...with substitutions listed by a third party in Ye Olde English .

-The culture, poems and dances of the Eddeyo. The dance illustrations appear to be of active, well-formed humanoids with flat facial features, who are either wearing elaborate feather bonnets or actually sport crowns of feathers.

-A list of 'Sciences' that Hoshuun has learned from the Eddeyo Loremasters..again, with commentaries in an antique English hand.

 SPELLS, Lvl 1

Travelcakes-(range Touch, Duration listed below) The original recipe calls for unknown herbs and meats-the unknown Commenter recommends either mutton, lamb or beef,tallow of same, lemongrass and blackberries. Without the ritual magic one is left with a tasty form of Pemmican that will keep for months-10 Meals' worth. Reciting the brief Ritual will reduce the longevity of the cakes to 1D6+4 days, but will grant them a magical potency:

-if the eater is injured, eating one grants the benefits of a First Aid Kit.

-if the eater is sick, poisoned or Cursed, they get another Save to 'shake it off'

-if the eater is healthy, they gain a +5 to CON for purposes of tracking Fatigue.

-in addition to all of the above, each Meal will sustain healthy activity for a full day, but will not replace the need for water/drink.

Mastery of Forms-(range Self Only, Duration 1D6 minutes plus 1 minute per Level) This a much more limited form of the Minor Polymorph spell (H&H 2nd Edition, Page 40).

Join-(range Touch, duration Permanent or 1D6 Turns). By running a finger across an inanimate object, the caster may repair small breaks, imperfections and holes in any inanimate, non-magical material, or even join together two small objects permanently. Living things may also be repaired under certain circumstances-green and still living branches may be re-grafted to a living tree, a broken bone sticking from flesh may be made whole (which will in no way repair open bleeding wounds or restore Hit Points). If the caster thinks to try this spell on an Android it will be found to heal 1D3+2 damage immediately. Grafting items to living flesh may be horrific or amusing, but eventually the skin/scales/feathers will pull free of the objects or the target gets a haircut...

Detect Poison-(range 15, duration 1Turn+1 Turn per Level. This spell is identical to Detect Traps, but only works to reveal things that are intrinsically poisonous or corrosive to living flesh, up to and including pools of acid, poisonous powders, plants, and animals/insects with venom-or even slimes/jellys. The spell will not identify the effects/properties  of the toxin or beast, only that it is poisonous.

SPELLS, Lvl 2

Carapace-(range Touch or Self, duration 1D3+3 Turns+1 Turn/Level) The caster either targets themselves or an ally (Save vs Magic if not wanted) and the target's skin and soft tissues are reinforced by ultra-thin layers of chitin. While it lasts, the target gains:

-a +/-2 to AC and -1 damage from non-magical weaponry and from every 1D6 of falling damage

-a +1 to Unarmed damage dealt in combat

-an Immunity to Head Blows as if wearing a Helmet.

-an odd purplish hue and rough-textured skin

Animal Senses-(range Self or Touch, duration 1D3 Turns +1 Turn/Lvl) Except for the shorter duration, this spell is identical to the Power of Super Senses (H&H 2nd Edition Page 33). In addition, the recipient of this spell gains a -2 on Saves that target the senses while the spell is active.

Animal Speech-(range Self or Touch, duration 1D3+3 Turns +1 Turn/Lvl) The target of this spell may communicate with any animal type-fish, lizard, insect, mammal etc. The Editor is still within their rights to request a Save vs Plot for things mere beasts would not know or understand or cannot properly communicate with the caster.

Brother to Eagles-(range Self or Touch, duration 1D3+1 Turns+1 Turn/Lvl) The target of this spell has a limited form of Flight. The target may make stunning jumps as an Alien (distance 30 feet+10 feet per Caster Level) and will not take falling damage for the duration of the spell. If the user launches from a high location they may glide the Jumping distance for every Story they would 'fall', and powerful updrafts may increase the distance by 1D6X10 feet as per Editor discretion.

SPELLS, Lvl 3

Porter-(range Touch, Duration indefinite) This long, complicated Ritual involves the construction of either a man-sized humanoid or a steer-sized quadruped. The recipe calls for a series of unknown woods and fibers, a complex mechanical 'heart' composed of alien metals and some sort of lamp oil-the unknown Commenter recommends fresh willow branches, jute twine, a quality pocketwatch and lard-roughly $50 in 1886 American currency. This minor golem takes an entire day to properly assemble, though a Skill check can cut that time in half-the animating spells themselves take mere moments.

 Once you have animated the Porter, it will obey either the caster or the one the caster names as its owner-the owner now has an untiring, obedient, literal-minded servant of limited skills. Treat the humanoid Porter as follows-use the abilities of the Zombie,Supernatual (H&H 2nd Edition page 62) except that they 1) cannot be Turned, 2) have an AC of 7/12 and 3) have double the Carrying Capacity of a normal human before becoming encumbered. If forced into combat the Porter can use its grasping digits, grappling abilities or simple weapons such as a club or mace-they cannot master missle weapons. Treat the Quadruped Porter as the Humanoid, except 1) they cannot use any weapons at all, nor grapple 2) they have twice the carrying capacity of a Mule and 3) they gain +1 HD and add +1 to Unarmed damage.

  In addition, Porters need a certain amount of maintenance. Because they must be instructed on every little detail, Porters used during an adventure count towards the PC's  SCM maximum. They also fall permanently Inert at 0HP, they do not get Knocked Out. Finally, they must be repaired by magical or mundane means as if they were an Android-they do not heal naturally at all.

 Soooo...I guess that Per Negaton has his Druid if he wants it!

[order99]

 

 More Trophies from my Players who wish they could play more often:

1) A beautiful red leather saddle of Eastern make, decorated in gold braid and stamped with a Crescent Moon Maker's Mark. A Read Magic and Languages (or the Light City variant) will reveal the Secret name inscribed invisibly upon the leather-if spoken between sunrise and sunset, a gently glowing translucent Djinn Horse will appear beneath the saddle, ready to obey it's rider's commands. The creature of smokeless flame will gladly carry up to 1000 lbs of cargo/rider, pull a wagon reluctantly and defend itself  only if attacked. (Djinn Horse-AC 3/16, HD2+4, Move 25, Attacks 1 at 1D6+1, Morale 9, no Trophies, Spider Climb at will). The Djinn Horse will serve up to 6 hours at a time (or Sunset), then shrugs out of the saddle and fades to Parts Unknown to graze and frolic...if encountering other, natural animals the otherworldly nature of the Djinn Horse often spooks them (Reaction Check Penalty die). Detects as Magical.

2) A pouch of six rings of some copper-colored but very strong metal, and a ritual written on parchment in ancient Greek. It describes a ritual where small amounts of blood from willing donors are mixed in a chalice, the rings submerged within and then donned while dripping. If the ritual is followed then those who participated (up to six as that was the number of rings) the wearers of the rings may sense each other's presence by concentrating (as per Locate Object, but range is up to 50 miles and duration is at will-but only each other). In addition, once per day a wearer may contact other wearers ( as per Message, duration is one Exploration Turn only but range is, again, up to 50 miles).  In order to key a ring to a new participant(s) The blood ritual must be undertaken again by the entire group. Detects as Magical.

3) A sealed iron bottle with a hand-scrawled label in English that reads "Caution! Tornado Pills-Not A Joke!". If anyone breaks the wax seal they will find 2D6+10 small but heavy pills, wrapped in several layers of cotton.  A pill may used as a thrown weapon, loaded into a slingshot or a sling etc for range. Anyone within 5 feet of the pill when it breaks must make a Save vs Science or be whirled 10+3D6 feet into the air for one Combat Turn-and then take the appropriate Falling damage when it dissipates (barring the use of Fly, Feather Fall, a room full of soft pillows etc).  Carrying a handful of these pills in one's pocket or fist might be a bad idea if one is struck in combat or otherwise knocked down...does not Detect as Magical.

4) A small pad of 50+1D6 6"X6" sheets of sturdy rice paper. They may be used as normal paper of course-but for those who know how to fold paper(origami artist for example) they will find that their creations will animate and do the folder's will for as log as they last-being of sturdy paper, this is only a few days in optimal indoor conditions. Uses of tiny living creatures made of paper is left strictly to Player/Editor  imagination...detects as faintly magical.

5) A  small wooden  pill bottle filled with some sort of powdery, oily make-up, 3D6+10 dosages. One turn after it is applied (and the oils are soaked into the skin or other surface) Pale golden flames flicker over the marked target. These flames produce no heat, damage or poisonous effect whatsoever-but the surface or person puts out as much light as a lantern for 12 Exploratory Turns (2 hours). Detects as non-magical.

6) An abandoned project consisting of A) one hand-made willow and tarred cotton Coracle. B) one Treadle-powered propeller chair. C) One tarred canvas bag three times the size of the coracle and D) one odd, compact apparatus that burns strong alcohol and releases fresh oxygen from one outlet and pure hydrogen gas from the other. PCs with an imagination (and a Hard Skill check-or a normal one for a Science Hero or the right background) can assemble a fragile  one person lighter-than air Flying Machine (Move 12, levitates up to 20 feet per Combat Turn, descends as fast as the Pilot dares, Wrecks as Door). Of course, the components an also be used as a tiny fishing boat, Treadle engine for many 19th century devices (potter's wheel, lathe etc), weatherproof cloth and a gas generator...Detects as non-magical.

7)  A well-preserved Bear's Head meant to hang upon a wall. If any amount of explosives (TNT, bullets,loaded guns etc) are brought within 30 feet of this head, it will animate, give a cautious sniff-then begin bellowing loudly enough to wake an entire street! Please note that the head will not differentiate between friend or foe-powder is powder! Detects as Magical.

8)  Two circlets-one of beaten copper and one of beaten iron-the iron one being sharp and jagged on the inside. If a living person dons the copper crown and tacks the iron one onto the skull of a corpse, then the latter will animate as a standard Supernatural Zombie (H&H 2nd ed page 71). The living partner may command the Zombie up to a full 5 miles distance, and see what the Zombie sees by closing their own eyes and concentrating. Use of these circlets is a Chaotic act, and barring desperate circumstances Lawful and Neutral Heroes must make a Save vs Plot to do so. Detects as both Magical and Evil.

9)  A bizarre, hollow bronze-colored  hilt with a series of tiny clear gems lining the interior. The bottom of the hilt has a tiny, sharp prong. It is Wrecked as a Truck. If the wielder injures themself with the hilt (a mere 1 Hit Point) then a blade of unnatural colors appears with a hissing as of a brazing torch acting as a Flaming Sword+2 for 1D3+4 Combat Turns. A Read Magic and Languages will reveal a glowing script in Enochian that reads "The Blood of Heroes Sustains the Flame". Detects as powerful magic.

10) A small padded wooden box containing a dozen colored eggs. These eggs never seem to rot and never hatch-but if broken, a full-grown chicken appears, the same color as the eggs! Aside from the color these appear to be normal chickens, capable of laying (normal) eggs and breeding with other chickens (with odd color combinations). The chickens can be eaten with no side effects aside from a full belly. Roll 1D6 for each hatched egg: a 1-4=Hen, 5-6=Rooster. Neither the eggs nor the box Detect as magical.