Re: Sabres & Witchery « Reply #15 on Jun 10, 2012, 5:53pm »
Here's a mini to wet that Solomom Kane whistle.
The Cleft Skull Tavern
*Read the story, "Rattle of Bones", found in The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane by R.E. Howard.
“…mine host hast neither guests nor servants, a strange tavern!”-Solomon Kane
Background: Your party is in search of a fugitive by the name of Gaston the Butcher. The journey has led them deep into the Black Forest. It is getting late and they will need to find refuge to rest their weary bones.
1st encounter: While on the trail, the party is surrounded and attacked by hungry black wolves. #encountered: 1d6+2 AC 12 HD 1 Att: Bite MV 12 XP 15
In the midst of the forray, “Monblue!“, a Frenchman comes to their aid. He will claim to also be on the trail of Gaston, leading the party away from the fact that he truly is Gaston. He will attempt to rob the party the first chance he has. For now, he will play along.
Gaston L’Armon (Gaston the Butcher) Lvl 3 Scoundrel AC 12 HD 3 HP 12 Att: weapon Sp: +1 to hit MV 12 ST 13 XP 60 Gastin is a handsome and bold Frenchman bedecked in lace and plumes stained from travel. He is armed with a small pistol and a rapier.
2nd encounter: By dark, the party will arrive at The Cleft Skull Tavern. The building is a low, long and rambling heavy log structure with strong steel barred windows and door. The host will only answer the door after persistent knocking and calling. Once inside, the party will be offered room and board. There is a fire smoldering in an open fireplace and rough hewn timber table and benches make up the furnishings. The host is a stocky, broad bodied man with a thick black beard, a great curved nose and small beady eyes. He is dressed simply with a white apron and a cleaver hanging from his belt. If questioned, he will remain aloof and avoid answering about his name or background. Upon close examination, the party might notice marks on the mans wrists and ankles from being shackled in a Continental prison. He also bears marks of frequent lashings upon his back that prove him to be an escaped fugitive from Karlsruhe. When questioned about other guests, he might mumble, “few come twice”.
The Host Lvl 2 Woodsman (treat as Berserker) AC12 HD 2+1 Att: weapon Sp: Berserk +2 to hit MV 12 XP 60 *The host is actually quite insane due to his time spent at Karlsruhe. He kills all his guests and feeds them to the wolves. He is armed with a cleaver and dagger.
Once the party is done eating, he will show them to their rooms. Each room contains 2 bunks, a chair, a heavy wooden table, and a candle stand. All windows are barred and none of the rooms doors have locks. There are a total of six rooms down a long hall. The host resides far at the other end of the tavern.
3rd encounter: Room at the end of the hall. This is the only room whose door has a small barred opening that you can open and look in. The door is bolted shut from the outside. This room is furnished like all the others except it has no windows and the furniture is hacked and splintered. The walls are scratched and the floor is darkly stained. (GM: you may find it necessary to use Gaston to lead the party to this room in order to find a means of bolting their doors shut from intrusion. Use Gaston to instill distrust of the host and to help the party find the secret panel in this room) The stains on the floor lead to the far wall where a bar protrudes. If this is pulled, a panel slides away revealing a shackled skeleton that is bolted to the floor (and possibly 1-4 large rats). It is necessary that someone breaks these chains to free the Minor Liche- possibly Gaston? Once this is complete, a number of things could unfold: 1. Gaston could attempt to rob the party, revealing his true identity. 2. The rattling of bones in the secret room will alarm the host. 3. The Minor Liche will rise and attempt vengence on the host and anyone who stands in his way. The Liche will not directly attack the party unless attacked first. Once the host is killed, it will flee.
Minor Liche Lvl 8 Magus AC 16 HD 8 Att: touch Sp: paralysis (no save). The site of Liche can cause paralysis for beings 4 HD or lower (save throw allowed). MV 6 XP 1700
Note to GM: I have not included any treasure in this mini adventure. Feel free to add some dressing to your tastes. Also, if the party survives, they may collect the bounty on both Gaston and the host.
Re: Sabres & Witchery « Reply #21 on Jun 11, 2012, 2:30pm »
I've statted out my first character, the improbably named Maxentius Andor Scarlatti. He's a Chaotic Fighter. My only comment for him under "Background" so far is "The madman from Milan!" I think maybe his war experiences had a detrimental effect on his personality and outlook. I'm assuming a campaign starting date of about 1830 for my games, to keep things in line with Captain Kronos, so, as with the Captain, Max is a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars. And he still hates the Austrians!
Re: Sabres & Witchery « Reply #23 on Jun 11, 2012, 6:39pm »
I really like the Magus and their combined spell lists. It seems very thematically appropriate. Two other ideas related to magic:
(1) Alchemy, based mostly on the actual stuff early modern alchemists believed they could do with some cinematic flair, would also seem to be like a fun addition to the game/setting. Could be a set of techniques that members of other classes could learn, or there could be an Alchemist class to supplement the Magus, since this really is a fairly different kind of magic than Magi can perform.
(2) How about one or more NPC classes for diabolists and/or witches for all those who traffic in the Dark Arts? I also get a Solomon Kane-like vibe (as others have suggested) and while undead-hunting would surely be a fun driver of many Sabres and Witchery adventures, it would also be fun to tangle with humans who have made demonic pacts.
Just some thoughts I thought I would throw out there on directions for possible expansion. In any case, this is all great stuff, and very inspiring!
Re: Sabres & Witchery « Reply #24 on Jun 11, 2012, 10:13pm »
Some interesting characters to meet in a Europe 1830 campaign:
*Berend Kronos: An Austrian vampire hunter; a war veteran with the rank of Captain. *C. Auguste Dupin: An inquisitive Frenchman. *Count de Ville: Another guise of Count Dracula. *Ethan Brand: A brooding American wanderer. *Friedrich Wilhelm von Junzt: The most mystically erudite scholar in Europe. *Nicodemus Grost: An Austrian vampire hunter; a companion of Captain Kronos. *Richard Holt: A sardonic America seafarer from Eastport, Massachusetts. *Plus any number of Karnsteins! (They have branches in Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Spain.)
Some interesting places to visit in a Europe 1830 campaign:
*Castle Branek in Moldavia: Rumored by some to be the final resting place of the legendary Merlin. *Castle Dracula in Transylvania: Enter freely, and of your own will. *Castle Kralitz in Moravia: The ancestral seat of the Kralitz line. Twenty-one generations of liches prowl the tunnels and caverns deep beneath the castle. *The Scholomance: A school of black magic run by the Devil, located near an unnamed lake in the mountains south of the city of Hermannstadt in Transylvania. Count Dracula is said to have studied here.
Joined: Aug 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 598 Karma: 17
Re: Sabres & Witchery « Reply #26 on Jun 12, 2012, 5:53pm »
Need minis for the game check out the Vampire Wars/Gothic Horror figs by Westwind. Also any English Civil War/30 years war to 7 years war/ War of Spanish Succession figures would work well for fighters. Don't forget French and Indian wars lines too.
The fact of the matter is wolf attacks on hum,ans in Europe rose significantly after the Thirty Years war. All those easy to much on corpses.... Lycanthrope outbreaks anyone?
Re: Sabres & Witchery « Reply #29 on Jun 13, 2012, 10:35pm »
Here's one more with a little Cthulhu flavor.
Finding Professor H-- and the Temple of the Toad
*ref: The Thing on the Roof by R E Howard Also Wikipedia: Percy H. Fawcett and the Lost City of Z
Background: Your party has been hired by a group of wealthy aristocrats, known as “The Glove”, who are heavily invested in an expedition by a Professor H--. The professor has disappeared during his travels to S. America where he claims to have discovered the mythical Lost City of Z in a region known as Mato Grosso. You have been advanced 800 marks to make the journey deep into the jungle and return Professor H--, if he still lives, and/or any news of his discovery. You have also been entrusted with a copy of the professors notebook that he left behind. Within it’s pages are historical or folkish references to the Lost City and notes about a mysterious Black Book by a Von Junzt. The notes allude that the book is mostly the ravings of a maniac with clues to strange places, secret abysmal things, and language of “keys to outer doors”. But it also spoke of an old temple where a strange god was worshipped by an ancient tribe. Professor H-- makes extensive mention to a red gem, carved in the form of a toad, that must lie in the temple crypt. He further speculates that the gem is a “key” that will unlock a passage to the Lost City of Z. On the last page he writes of a small native village that is outside of the dense jungle where he will begin his expedition. (GM: This small village is where the party will start after a long voyage)
Encounter #1: The village The natives of the village are known as Kalapolas and are a primitive tribe that wear very little. But, they are all ornately embellished with a peculiar silver jewelry that contains obscene and nightmarish images resembling many tentacled horrors and grotesque frog-like humanoids.
It’s not long at the village that you discover a nameplate and compass that belonged to Professor H--. (GM: It is best to portray the natives as naive and create a cultural communication gap between them and the party) When questioned about the professor, his found possessions, or the Lost City, the party may receive any of a number of rumors: 1. The Lost City is the land of the “Great Old Ones”. 2. Professor H-- gave us his compass and wandered into the jungle stating he would no longer be in need of natural guidance. 3.The professor lost his memory after a long illness and now lives as the chief of a tribe of cannibals. 4. Only a few brave men will dare venture deep into the jungle, saying there is strong and wicked Juju where the professor ventured. 5. Professor H-- is dead, the victim of a cannibalistic tribe that lives in the mountains. They saw him staked to a tree before the full moon. 6. Professor H-- has been overtaken by “the darkness” and is no longer of sound mind. He lives in a cave in the jungle mountains. 7. You foreigners do not understand the laws that govern the jungle. You dare not pursue your friend or you too will be a victim. 8. Professor H-- returned from the jungle a defeated man, never finding the Lost City of Z. He gained passage home upon a Spanish sailing vessel.
The party may also gain some knowledge about the surrounding tribes. None are friendly to outsiders and some are cannibals. They include the Arunas, Suyas, Xavantes, and Aloigne.
The Natives AC 12 HD 1 Att: weapon MV 12 XP 15
The party will be able to obtain two Kalapolas guides that will take them deep into the jungle to the Temple of the Toad.
Encounter #2: Panther attack Along the trail the party will be surprised by a panther that will leap out of the canopy. AC 15 HD 4 Att: 2 claws/ 1 bite MV 21 XP 240
Encounter #3: Temple of the Toad The temple is built in the side of a cliff in a deserted valley. As the party approaches they will hear the sound of drums beating incessantly in the distance. The columns which form its façade are in ruins and the outer walls are crumbling. The temple can be entered through a large open archway made from an unusually hard basalt. Inside, the walls and columns which support the roof remain sound. It’s interior is oddly decorated with similar images of horror to the Kalapolas jewelry. Once the entire party is inside the temple, 1d6 x 10 bats will flutter about the chamber.
Normal Bats AC 13 HD 1 hp Att: confusion- characters who are confused will suffer -2 to hit, saves, and will not be able to cast spells. MV 12 XP 10
(GM: you may want to leave evidence of Professor H-- having been in the temple i.e. A hat, broken pick or shovel, etc.)
Your Kalapolas guides will go no further. They turn around to go back to their village.
The main chamber is a large circular affair with a floor composed of great square stones. In the center is an altar. Behind the altar is a hewn out chamber with the sarcophagus of the temples last high priest. If opened, the party will notice the mummified remains with clothes similar to what would be found in Egypt. Around it’s neck is a copper chain with a red gem shaped like a toad. The party may use this “key” by touching it to the altar, opening the hidden passage beneath. This passage leads deep into the mountain. Before the party can proceed, two giant centipedes scurry out of the passage.
Giant Centipede (Medium) AC 14 HD 2 Att: bite Sp: poison MV 15 XP 240
Encounter #4: The Door At the bottom of this passage there will be a heavy door fantastically carved with strange symbols. At this point the mummy will attack the party in order to retrieve “the key”.
Mummy AC16 HD 5+1 Att: touch Sp: rotting disease MV 6 XP 600
Note: If your party survives, the door may be unlocked with “the key”. Where it leads is up to you. This may be the door to a larger Lost World campaign or maybe there is a room with the professors dead carcass laying upon unimaginable treasure, to be taken back to “The Glove” and in return the party will be handsomely rewarded. It’s up to you.
Addendum: If you feel there is not enough Cthulhu horror for the party to experience, you might choose to include a large black stone monolith that protrudes into the sky behind the temple. The party will see it a great distance from the site. It will be strangely alluring to the characters who will need to make a sanity save throw or incur 3 points of temporary damage to their Wisdom. This will cause them to experience flashing dark visions of a monstrous slime dripping toad perched upon the temple and throngs of people from a distant past chanting around it. If the characters Wisdom falls below 3, they will be quite touched in the head for a duration that is at the GM’s discretion. During this time they will lapse into short periods of fearful hallucinations of indescribable horrid things (suffering -2 to hit). If Wisdom falls to 0, the characters mind has permanently snapped and, frankly, they are quite mad. Reduced to a gibbering and drooling basket case who is now in the GM’s complete control. Consequently, the natives are not affected by the black stone monolith and are not subject to these repercussions.
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