UNBREAKABLE: REVOLUTION PRINTER FRIENDLY B/W VERSION (MINIMAL IMAGES)

CREATIVE LEAD & SENSITIVITY EDITORS & PROJECT MANAGER CULTURAL CONSULTANTS Jacky Leung Lexi Antoku, Daniel Kwan, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Pam Punzalan, Vis Subramanian, NARRATIVE DESIGNERS TOR WAR Doryen Chin, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Rajib Kalita, Charu Patel, Pam Punzalan, INTERIOR LAYOUT & DESIGN Ari Santiago, KC Shi Caroline Amaba MANAGING EDITOR COVER ARTIST Jazz Eisinger Joshua Mendenhall ASSOCIATE EDITOR INTERIOR ARTISTS Brent Jans Caroline Amaba, Alika Gupta, Cammielle Gwisdalla, Sonya Henar, Rajib Kalita, H. “Ink” Kugler, Herman NARRATIVE EDITORS Lau, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Mia Mercury, Lexi Antoku, Omi Chun, Remy Cortez, Tiona Miché, Brian Phongluangtham, Angeli Rafer, Steve Huynh, Brent Jans, Doug Riechel, Alda Yuan TOR WAR, Nichole Wilkinson, Kathryne Wilson, Nala J. Wu

Unbreakable Publishers MANAGING DIRECTOR EDITOR IN CHIEF ART DIRECTOR SampleJacky Leung Jazz Eisinger fileCaroline Amaba

1 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ..... 3 Written By Jacky Leung HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ..... 3 SAFETY TOOLS ..... 4 BIG RAT, THE CRIMSON UPRISING ..... 59 DON’T EAT MY MILLET ..... 6 Written by Rajib Kalita Written By KC Shi Edited by Steve Huynh Edited by Remy Cortez CONTENT WARNINGS: oppression, inequity, CONTENT WARNINGS: rats, claustrophobia, slavery, gaslighting, immolation, torture, child abduction, starvation violence against children and elders DAYS OF POWDER, THE MOUNTAIN’S SHROUD ..... 77 PLUNDER, & PLOT ..... 15 Written by Ari Santiago Written By Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen Edited by Brent Jans Edited By Omi Chun CONTENT WARNINGS: violence, character bodily CONTENT WARNINGS: colonialism, imperialism, harm (via weapons, animals, and fire), racial open water, threatening ocean life (sharks), piracy, and religious prejudice, social stratification and theft, hostages, suicide attempt(s), description of prejudice reflective of Spanish colonial society in the imprisonment, drowning Philippines circa 19th century MAKE OF THEE AN THE FIRST DIYA INSTRUMENT OF PEACE ..... 27 OF NAVRATRI ..... 101

Written by Pam Punzalan Written by Charu Patel Edited by Lexi Antoku Edited by Doug Riechel

CONTENT WARNINGS: colonial violence, profaning of CONTENT WARNINGS: racism, colonizers, cultural and Christian beliefs and imagery, body horror religious oppression, foreign invaders, prison and imprisonment, snakes, mentions of murder BAD LUCK FORTUNE ..... 40 THE ARTISTS ..... 111 Written by Doryen Chin Edited by Alda Yuan SENSITIVITY READERS ..... 114

CONTENT WARNINGS: general horror, gang violence, THE EDITORS ..... 115 deadSample parents & family members, supernatural file aging, loss of bodily autonomy, kidnapping & GAME LICENSES ..... 116 imprisonment, drowning, orphanages, cemeteries, funerals, alcohol, gambling, firearms, knives, hatchets & axes 2 Introduction How to Use this Book

When the Unbreakable Anthology was released in April This book features seven standalone adventures written 2020, the world was faced with a brilliant new reality: to function with multiple different tabletop roleplaying not only are we proud to be Asians, but we also want (TTRPG) rulesets. our voices to be heard. One of the best compliments Each adventure states recommended rulesets or we received was that “[Volume 1] is unapologetically explicitly mentions a specific ruleset. They can be Asian.” standalone scenarios, one-shots, or mini-campaigns. In the spirit of that statement, a boldness was Adventures recommending multiple rulesets are necessary—no, demanded. The Volume 1 anthology written to be agnostic and provide narrative toolkits to was the first of a larger dream and ambition to bring adopt into your favorite system. We encourage groups more voices and creators to share their cultures, stories, to try new rulesets mentioned in these entries, but all and identities. are optional. Adventures optimized for a specific ruleset Unbreakable: Revolution is something new for us. Be make require that particular system to play. bold, just as we have, and be free. This is a revolution. You can find the rulesets mentioned in this book at A revolution is a sudden, radical change, but it these sites: can also be a renouncement of the status quo to drive change. We denounce the view that Asians don’t have • 13th Age by Pelgrane Press a place in creative spaces. We are here, and we have https://site.pelgranepress.com/index.php/the- something to say. We’re not going anywhere. archmage-engine-13th-age-srd/ After the release of Unbreakable Volume 1, we • The Black Hack by David Black wanted everyone involved to be proud of their work https://the-black-hack.jehaisleprintemps.net/ and into the future. We assembled a new anthology • B/X Essentials by Necrotic Gnome in this book to showcase the versatility of Asian stories https://necroticgnome.com/collections/free- and the wider tabletop roleplaying community. There downloads are many games out there, and we want to bring them • D20 systems by Wizards of the Coast to more readers with new perspectives. The game https://www.d20srd.org/ systems featured may be some you’ve heard of, and • One Shot World by Yochai Gal some you may have not. We encourage you to explore https://yochaigal.itch.io/oneshotworld them and give them a try, and you may discover a new • Forged in the Dark by John Harper favorite system. https://bladesinthedark.com/forged-dark We have achieved our dream and much more in • Gun&Slinger by Nevyn Holmes this book. New contributors are entering the tabletop https://forktwenty.itch.io/gun-and-slinger gaming space for the first time in a professional • Ironsworn RPG by Shawn Tomkin capacity as writers, artists, and editors. We also have https://www.ironswornrpg.com/ Volume 1 contributors, artists, and editors returning. • Pathfinder by Paizo As Unbreakable Publishers continues to grow, https://www.d20pfsrd.com/ we refine and improve our processes. Sometimes they • Quest RPG by the Adventure Guild work, and sometimes they don’t. It has been a year https://www.adventure.game/ of learning for the team, but everyone brought their • Year Zero Engine by Tomas Härenstam best to bring you this book. Inside this book, you will http://frank-mitchell.com/rpg/year-zero-engine- find stories about resisting tyranny, rebelling against ogl oppression, and overthrowing colonizers. Like our previous publication, these stories reflect the diverse Asian heritagesSample and cultures of our contributors. file Please look for our other publications for new themes and stories in the future. We are starting our journey with a firm step forward.

4 Pronunciation guides and keys have been provided for Asian-inspired names, items, customs, or locations. Safety Tools They are placed there in the spirit of good faith; it’s reasonable and understandable if the playgroup Each adventure in this book features content warnings mispronounces these names, but mispronouncing is with potentially sensitive subjects. While these often preferable to substituting another name. warnings are at the front of each adventure, they are Please keep in mind that many of the names in this not the only tools available to you. We recommend book have a strong cultural significance, and name implementing the following tools in your game substitutions may result in a loss of context. Some sessions. This is not an exhaustive list, and not every adventures also provide sidebars detailing the relevant safety tool may apply to your group. Additional safety cultural or historical information about the chosen tools curated by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant- names. Monk can be found at bit.ly/ttrpgsafetytoolkit.

Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read Lines & Veils aloud or paraphrased for the players. Before your first session, facilitators and players should list topics or subject matter that fall under two ABOUT SIDEBARS categories: lines and veils. Text in these boxes are extra information. Sidebars help provide Lines are topics that a player absolutely does not the GM further context, helpful hits about NPCs, and advice for want in their game, during play, or in the game’s adjusting encounters. context and background. Veils are topics that a player is fine with appearing in a game session, but the situation or topic will not be Each adventure provides an estimated time for play described in detail. its game system or estimated based on the average When a veil during gameplay, the narrative time in most of the suggested rulesets. A typical game performs a “fade to black” with the implications stated, session may last between 3 to 4 hours. These times are and play moves forward. rough estimates so that facilitators and playgroups may This list can be edited and amended during play as determine the best approach to the content. Time and well. All participants must respect the new boundaries content may also be part of your group’s discussion placed upon declaration. Consider keeping your lines using the Palette safety tool (see Safety Tools). and veils accessible, whether on index cards or a general list at the center of your table. Sample file

5 Palette Script Change

This tool functions similarly to Lines & Veils, except This multifaceted tool respects boundaries placed by the group compiles concepts or narrative milestones everyone in the group. It is often worked alongside they wish to achieve in the game. Making a list of other safety tools such as Lines & Veils, the X-Card, player wishes for the game session(s) helps establish and others. When a sensitive topic is approached (or expectations and goals while also highlighting aspects seems to approach one), the facilitator may “redo” the that players (including the facilitator) are excited about scene from an earlier point in the story with the subject or looking forward to in the adventure. or topic removed. This tool does not necessarily need to be established This “script change” provides a structure for before the game session. Just like Lines & Veils, the conversation in your group, as everyone can freely game palette may be edited and amended at any time communicate amongst each other. Please keep in mind during play. Everything listed in the palette may be that Script Change doesn’t prescribe how you change addressed during gameplay. Be considerate when the content. introducing elements that may be objectionable or go against the established Lines & Veils. X-Card

Support Check-In This tool is similar to Lines & Veils, but it’s a visual cue designed to be a shorthand for boundary Using visual aids (such as a checkmark drawn on an communication during a game session. index card) or using hand gestures (like a thumbs-up/ In a physical setting, set up an index card or piece thumbs-down) are lightweight practices for the players of paper with a large X drawn on it within reach of and facilitators to “check in” with one another during everyone; for large tables and for accessibility, give gameplay. each person a small “X card” within view of all the Check-ins can be used if anyone notices another players and facilitator. player being uncomfortable, a scene strays close to a For a virtual game, have physical X cards to raise sensitive topic, or even after a set period of time to take if there is a video component for everyone, or create a a gameplay break. We recommend your group take habit of typing a large X in the text chat. a short break between each major section or chapter If a subject or topic crosses a boundary for any in the adventures. We also recommend that groups person in the game, they may simply tap on the card, perform a check-in before introducing a potentially raise the card so others may see it, form an X with their difficult topic, even when not expressed as a line or veil forearms, or simply say “X” aloud to indicate they need prior, so that it can be discussed before it’s introduced. the element removed from the game. When implementing the X-card, everyone should respect the person expressing their boundaries without needing to justify it. Additionally, the facilitator may choose to rewind to an earlier part of the story and redo the scene without the subject or topic (see Script SampleChange). file

6 WRITTEN BY KC SHI GAMEPLAY TIME 2-3 hours EDITED BY REMY CORTEZ CONTENT WARNINGS rats, claustrophobia, slavery, starvation

This scenario recommends the following rulesets: d20 systems, SYNOPSIS Pathfinder, 13th Age, The Black Hack, B/X Essentials, One Shot World, Quest RPG, Year Zero Engine. Peasant farmers have worked all their lives within the subterranean compound of King Rat, growing him millet, wheat, and springing grain—but now, they ADVENTURE BACKGROUND decide the time has come to escape. Starving, wielding only farming implements and half-remembered songs Big rats! Big rats! of warding, the party must sneak past both human and Do not eat our millet. rat guards to reach the “happy land” on the surface. Three years have we had to do with you, Once they reach freedom, though, they discover And you have not been willing to show any the horrible truth: Rats rule all the lands above as regard for us. well, blissfully unaware of the slaves beneath them We will leave you, who produce their food. The party can continue their And go to that happy land. journey and take their chances out there, in the hopes Happy land! Happy land! they can find a place beyond the rats’ reach, or they can There shall we find our place. turn back to their home, making a happy land in place of finding one elsewhere. This adventure was inspired by a 7th century BCE Chinese folk song from the Shijing, or Classic of Poetry, ADVENTURE HOOK appropriately titled “Big Rat.” The Confucian scholars who recorded these songs perhaps overanalyzed them This adventure assumes the players are not mighty for allegorical meaning—and certainly modified them warriors or even particularly exceptional people. They to fit the royal court’s stylistic standards—which is are farmers who, after years of hard, forced labor, have one reason why this adventure interprets “Big Rat” decided to flee to greener pastures. They have chosen as literally as possible. (The other reason is because it now because, despite bringing in the biggest harvest amuses me.) of their lifetimes last season, King Rat has decreed even This adventure is system-agnostic, but works best higher quotas for next year and even more draconian in a fantasy or horror game that supports low-powered punishments for those who fail to meet them. Another or under-leveled characters. During this adventure, the year of starvation and beatings will leave the player players should feel hunted, scared, and powerless before characters too weak—and perhaps too demoralized—to their enemies—like, well, rats! attempt escape later. Consider other individual reasons why the heroes have chosen now to leave. Are they running out of food? SampleAre they trying to forge a path for other loved file ones to follow? Perhaps they intend to find help from other humans on the surface, or perhaps they simply want to put as much distance between themselves and this place as possible. 7 CHAPTER 1 XIA CHAMBER

The party lives in Xia [SHEEAW] Chamber, which Years Have We supports several acres of crops and about a dozen extended families of laborers. Four massive stone pillars Slaved For You support the high, rough-hewn ceiling, each inlaid with an ever-burning sunlamp, surrounded by fields King Rat’s domain lies deep below the earth, lit of unmoving millet which have never felt the touch of by spells learned from Suiren [SWAY-rehn] the Fire wind. There is only one exit, a tunnel gated by fortified Maker. In these subterranean chambers, the heroes stone doors. have labored their entire lives, farming the five grains Every family here has served King Rat for at King Rat’s whim, receiving only one bite for every generations, and no one living has seen the surface. But eight the overseers collect. The ensorcelled sunlamps through songs and stories, the farmers retain a blurred which light the crop chambers make the growing collective memory of the Happy Land, a harmonious season constant, and while King Rat never deigns to kingdom where everyone wears silk and eats meat enter the fields themselves, he has both human and daily, where the air is fresh and cool, and filled with rodent servants to ensure the harvest never stops. colorful singing creatures called birds. Most have given up hope of ever seeing the Happy Land—the most jaded don’t even believe it’s real—but for one reason or THE NATURE OF RATS another, each party member decides the time has come The rats in this adventure straddle the line between normal to flee for it. animals and anthropomorphic beings. They look like mundane rats, except that some, like King Rat, can grow to truly monstrous size if they glut themselves on food. They are sentient, with Beneath the Big Rat dexterous hands, extensive infrastructure, and arcane knowledge which they keep under intense guard, and most understand human speech even if they cannot speak it—just as the humans First, establish what roles the characters have in the who work with them have a basic listening fluency in the rat community. On these small farms, everyone learns the language. Killing one bears the same weight as killing a human basics of sowing and harvesting, but people also pick up being. other trade skills as needed. Perhaps one party member In Chinese culture, rats are symbols of surplus, wealth, and specializes in smelting bronze, while another tends the fertility. But in this adventure, their traditional associations are oxen who plow the fields. These roles need not have a exaggerated to the point of malevolence. Their wealth—like all extraordinary wealth—comes at the exploitation of others, and direct impact on the farm’s yield either—storytellers and inversions in their relationship with humans, such as humans cooks are integral to Xia Chamber as well. living in burrows while rats oversee farms, contribute to the The party’s lives are far from the agrarian ideal, pervasive feeling that the world has become unnatural and though. Life in the underground follows a simple rule: wrong. You only eat after you earn it. The elderly and infirm must rely on their children to feed them, and the rats prefer starvation over the whip as a means of control. UNDERGROUND CUISINE Have each character roll a d6 to see how King Rat’s rule has impacted them, or let them choose from the King Rat decrees that the farmers must cultivate the five sacred Effects of Hunger table. grains, but which five grains are considered sacred changes on a whim. Millet, soybean, and wheat are staples, while other fields If any characters possess supernatural or magical might grow rice, hemp, barley, or adzuki bean. From these the abilities, ask them how they developed these powers. farmers make steamed buns and dumplings, supplemented with Did an ancestral ghost give them this magic? Perhaps pickled vegetables. Meat is only eaten on festival days, although an older relative taught them a song of blessings before some Sample farmers secretly trawl the underground rivers after their passing away, or perhaps they filedug up a long-buried shifts for troglobitic cavefish, crabs, and shrimp. These pale, blind tablet as they worked the fields, from which they creatures are considered vermin, fit only for peasants to eat. learned most beneficent Heaven’s mystical secrets.

8 1d6 Effects of Hunger

1 Starving: You can’t remember the last time you ate well. Your hunger is insistent and overwhelming, a primal urge that bends all your energies to finding your next meal.

2 Fatigued: You have worked yourself to the bone keeping yourself and your loved ones fed. A weari- ness hangs over you which no amount of rest seems to heal.

3 Sickly: Your poor diet has weakened your constitution, making you pale, weak, and frail. Your fel- lows whisper that death clings to you, and strangers shy away.

4 Anxious: A lifetime of hunger has made you wary even during prosperity. Paranoid and jumpy, you cling to whatever gives you a sense of control.

5 Scarred: The guards rarely use violence to enforce their will, but for you, they made an exception. Did they beat all defiance out of you? Or did they only harden your resolve?

6 Haunted: Hunger is something you inherited. The ghost of your family’s past trauma—either literally or figuratively—accompanies you.

Finally, how do the characters know each other? King • The journey will take several days, and chances Rat heavily restricts travel between the burrows, so the to forage food beyond Xia Chamber will be next entire party probably grew up in Xia Chamber. The to none. The party must pack their own supplies guards cultivate paranoia and suspicion among the before setting out. laborers, so no one can join the escape attempt without • Only guards and grain shipments pass through the at least one person to vouch for them. gates with any regularity. Laborers are sometimes reassigned to different chambers when other farms are short-handed or “to keep the seed healthy,” Planning the Escape but the paperwork authorizing these transfers has complex layers of seals and watermarks. Before they can escape, the party must first • Almost all the food the farmers produce goes to communicate their plan to each other, but King Rat’s King Rat’s compound. Rats inspect and weigh spies lurk everywhere and listen always. The party the massive earthenware jars at every leg of the members can only talk to each other safely through journey to ensure the guards aren’t skimming any coded songs, hushed whispers, or other secret means. grain off the top. Each knows things the others don’t about the route to freedom. It’s tempting to make your players talk as they would in Distribute the following information as equally as character, communicating entirely through metaphors, possible among the party: pantomiming, or code—and if your group seems like they’d have fun with that, then go for it! • The agricultural chambers form the roots of King However, if the clandestine restrictions get Rat’s domain. Above them lie the barracks where frustrating or if they slow the game down, let your King Rat’s enforcers live, and higher than all are players share their information as clearly as they like. King Rat’s palatial private burrows. Through The dice can decide how much of the information the there, supposedly, lies the entrance to the surface. characters actually understand. • The tunnel network is roughly spiral-shaped, with each level dedicated to a different part of King Rat’sSample ceaseless industry. The route is basically file linear, and the party has no choice but to go through, rather than around, the hubs of King Rat’s security.

9 The Guard’s Deal Suffocating Grain

As the characters plan their escape, a guard named The farmers store the harvest in clay pots, which guards Yilan [yee-LAHN] (she/her) catches wind of their plot. then haul via oxen into the upper burrows. Luckily for the party, Yilan has plans that go beyond If Yilan smuggles the party out through a grain turning them in. shipment, or if the characters decide to do it themselves, Yilan’s mother is sick, and despite Yilan’s service read or paraphrase the following. to the kingdom, the rats have delayed again and again her requests for medicine. Yilan offers to smuggle Millet sleets around you, filling the gaps between your the characters out through a grain shipment, on the clothes, drowning you in rustling grain. To fit, you must condition that one of the party steals the appropriate tuck your knees against your chin, and to breathe, you tonic from King Rat’s compound and returns to her must hold a reed straw between your lips and pray it with it. Yilan doesn’t know the tonic’s name, but doesn’t slip. Light and sound vanish once the lid closes, having seen it used to treat higher officials, knows it and though the millet only extends a few inches above should smell like cinnabar and flow like molten gold. your head, you feel as if you have been buried miles deep. The last time she saw it, the bottle’s label bore a rat-like creature with long ears and round legs (a hare, though Yilan doesn’t know to call it that). The guard implies Each character inside a grain jar must remain still and the party’s loved ones might meet foul ends if none of silent as the jars jostle past the first checkpoint. The them come back as promised, and insightful characters shifting grain can clog whatever apparatus they are realize this isn’t a bluff. using to breathe, and if anyone starts digging, the characters have no way of knowing whether it is a • If the party refuses Yilan’s deal, then she friend or an enemy until it is too late. If the characters threatens to reveal their plans to the rats. While panic over nothing, they risk exposing the entire escape death can guarantee her silence, Yilan’s sudden attempt before it even begins. disappearance causes security to tighten around The most harrowing part of the journey is when the chamber, and the rats sniff out her corpse Yilan, or a party member posing as a guard, presents within hours. the grain for inspection. Rats scuttle over the millet’s • If the party accepts, then Yilan prepares to sneak surface, sniffing and counting before permitting the jars them out with the next shipment, and asks the through the gate. party to cover themselves in dirt and manure before getting in the clay jars to mask their human • If Yilan or an experienced smuggler is here, they scent. prepare for this beforehand by rubbing the party members with dirt and manure to mask their scent. SERVANTS OF THE RAT • If not, the rats smell anyone inside the grain jars, and the party has no choice but to run. Not all humans under King Rat work the fields. Many serve as guards and enforcers, collecting the grain shipments and ensuring the farmers stay on task. For their service, they receive regular meals, better housing, and freedom of movement in the Development middle layers of the burrows. Most are born to the position, but sometimes the rats elevate farmers who inform on the seditious Whether they took Yilan’s deal or found their own to this policing caste. This limited social mobility goes both way out, the party has gone farther than they have in directions, and the constant threat that King Rat shall exile their their whole lives. Depending on how they escaped, families to the lower chambers if they displease him is enough to keep the soldiers in line. they may have only suffered a few frights or they The rats, for their part, permit some humans power over others might have already sustained heavy injuries. They can to diffuseSample tensions. They avoid outright rebellion by maintaining only go forward now, through file the middle burrows the illusion that good behavior leads to good lives, and by pitting where King Rat’s servants live and work, and onward humans against each other they misdirect at least a portion of the to the Happy Land. farmers’ ire.

10 Sneaking through here is difficult. While there CHAPTER 2 is plenty of cover, rats watch all of the side alleys and backstreets. Rat holes line the walls, most no bigger We Will Go to That than a balled-up fist, but if the party searches, they find larger ones they could squeeze into by crawling. Happy Land If they run into a rat while traversing these tunnels, there is no way to hide, so they must move quickly or Yilan can only get the party past Xia Chamber’s gates, else be merciless in silencing or capturing any rats they which bypasses the bulk of security but covers only a encounter. fraction of the way toward the surface. Once past and alone, she digs the party free, reminds them of their agreement, and bids them good luck before returning Yilan’s Mother to her post. If the party did not take Yilan’s deal, give them a chance to regroup before embarking on the Yilan did not tell the party anything about her mother second leg of their journey. They have only folk songs or where she lives, but inquisitive characters can track and their own wits to guide them now, and the way her down if they reach the Middle Quarters. The ahead is treacherous. mud-and-clay apartments here press against the walls, and though cramped and lifeless, they are far more private than the shared quarters of the farms. Yilan’s The Middle Quarters sickly mother lives here with Yilan’s passel of younger siblings, and though she does not have the strength Like a sidestreet merging into the main road, the to travel beyond her home, she puts on a brave face path leading out of Xia Chamber eventually joins a for her daughter’s “friends”—if that’s how the party large, winding tunnel paved with stone. Other smaller members present themselves—and helps them however tunnels link to this central passage, connecting to King she can, such as by giving them fresh clothes or Rat’s other agricultural chambers, but the bulk of the providing them supplies. traffic flows upward, to the residential quarters where the guards and their families live. The Middle Quarters is an underground village which combines barracks, The Grain Paths training grounds, grain depots, cramped apartments, and numerous rat warrens in a disorienting tangle. The Beyond the Middle Quarters lie the grain paths, a sunlamps shine gentler here, but nothing green grows network of road-tunnels along which all the surplus here. grain makes its way to King Rat. No humans, no The party can follow the main road without issue, matter how trusted, are permitted past this point. but once they reach the Middle Quarters they must Rats perch on the foreheads of heavily-laden oxen find out how to get past the crowd of rats and people. ride with their cargo toward the surface, preplanning Their goal is to reach the ox lot on the far side of the their routes to avoid colliding in the narrow tunnels. chamber, a staging ground where the human guards Many passageways have collapsed over the years, and turn over the surplus grain to rat drivers. all of them spiral judiciously so that the oxen have a Only small details separate the party physically from somewhat level route. the humans of the Middle Quarters, so hiding in plain This leg of the journey is the longest, but sight is an option, but the vast cultural gulf between proportionally the safest, for the party is at the least Xia Chamber humans and Middle Quarters humans risk of encountering enemies here. Stamina becomes a can quickly give them away. For example, both the greater concern now, as the tunnels become colder the heroes and the humans here wear clothing made from further they travel from the sunlamps, and the party the same roughspun materials, but the party’s outfits can easily become lost and lose time in the twisting are raggedSample and dirt-smeared. The heroes likely have passageways. file the emaciated, lean frames of people used to hard labor and lean times, and unless they are particularly astute, they only barely understand the language of the rats skittering underfoot. 11 Chittering Hunters The Promised Medicine

A low risk of meeting pursuers does not mean there is The tonic for Yilan’s mother is in a corner storeroom, no risk at all. Midway through their journey, the party where a single elderly rat resides. The apothecary hears snuffling in the dark, followed by vocalizations rat rises to the height of a human being if she stands which sound like rats squeaking but pitched down straight, but she spends most of her time hunched several octaves. Give the party a chance to either hide over her tables, grinding and mixing medicine. Like or run. the hunting pack, she has never met a human before, Rats the size of wolves creep down the tunnel, their and though her first instinct is to call for guards, she is noses raised as they sniff the air. The rat hunters seek sympathetic if the party can communicate their plight. a grain shipment which left the Middle Quarters but A couple of opaque bottles with the hare label Yilan never reached King Rat, and by coincidence they have described stand on a high shelf. If the characters take crossed paths with the party. They don’t recognize the a larcenous approach, they must climb to reach the scent of humans—they’ve never seen or smelled one in bottles and open them to check the contents or grab their lives—but they know enough not to take chances one at random and hope they get lucky. with them, especially runaways who have made it this Once the party secures the medicine, they face a far. If they see any party members, they attempt to kill difficult choice: Who will return the tonic to Yilan? them on sight. The party can try to evade them by The answer might be no one, in which case the party taking advantage of the twisting terrain, but the pack is faces the consequences of their betrayal after the large and coordinated, and if any one rat finds the party adventure ends. If a character does elect to go back, then it alerts its fellows at once. give the party time to say goodbye. That character’s One guaranteed way the party can escape the rat return journey happens off-screen, and they effectively pack is by using their supplies as a decoy. The scent of exit the story. abandoned food muddies their trail and confuses the rat hunters, giving the party enough time to get away. If they do this, each character must roll again on the The Shadow of the King Effects of Hunger table inChapter 1; roll a d6 and divide the result in half, rounding up. The giant spiral of this underground kingdom ends at one last gate, a circular aperture blocked by a smooth, unmarked boulder. A wide ramp leads up to this gate, King Rat’s Palace half plaza and half runway, and when a gong rings midway through the party’s exploration, rats, oxen, and At last, the party reaches King Rat’s palace, where their cargo assemble in this space. When the last ranks swarms of laborers carved vast halls for the ruler of this have filed into order, read or paraphrase the following. domain. The compound mixes both gargantuan and minuscule scales, with some doors so large they could fit elephants and others no wider than a handspan. The boulder grinds and shifts. A crescent of blinding sunlight shines behind it, waxing as the boulder rolls Crafting- or architecture-minded characters can tell away, and a breeze like Heaven’s breath whistles through the large rooms are for King Rat, and the small ones from the Happy Land. But then, crossing before the bright are for his many servants. The party could feasibly cross circle of light, comes the silhouette of the creature pushing the palace without running into another living soul. the boulder—a rat four or five times taller than you, to The rats at this level indulge in the luxury of space; the which all the assembled rats bow their heads in respect. palace seems almost deserted. The single exit to the His voice rumbles as he directs his servants out to the surface liesSample through here. surface, and he stands by the gatefile as they file through.

12 To reach the surface, the party must sneak past King Rat himself. The giant rat watches as the rat and ox CHAPTER 3 teams march through the gate, and will roll the boulder back as soon as the last makes it through. The party must make it through the gate before that happens, Where We Shall or else they spend weeks hiding in King Rat’s palace before they have another chance. The lowing oxen Find Our Place and the bulky jars provide useful tools to mask their presence, but allow any solution which showcases the The sky is so blue up here. Even the enchanted skills the heroes have developed over the course of their sunlamps could not replicate Heaven’s light, and the journey. party needs a few minutes to adjust to the brightness. In front of them is a lush valley, the first uncultivated, wild field they have ever seen. The procession of rats, oxen, Development and grain heads toward the rising sun, which shines over a beautiful city without walls. Nothing stops the After a fraught journey, the party has at last reached the party from entering the city. Happy Land. But where is King Rat sending the grain The Happy Land is everything the folk songs they worked so hard to grow? What do the people said it would be, a metropolis with soaring pagodas, aboveground know of the awful kingdom beneath lush gardens, and sprawling palaces. Peach trees line their feet? The time has come for the party to discover the wide, paved streets, and on their branches black- the differences between their songs and the reality. throated sparrows flitter and sing. Beautiful, well- groomed people walk along these paths, dressed in fine silk robes, chattering and laughing as if they do not have a care in the world. There is just one thing the songs did not mention: all these people are rats. The Happy Land

Every person in the Happy Land is a rat, some small, others even bigger than King Rat. The grain grown by humans feeds this prosperous, harmonious city, and the inhabitants prefer not to acknowledge the foundations upon which the picturesque Happy Land literally stands. King Rat is not royalty, just a two-bit overseer who the surface rats pretend does not exist, and as the party explores the city, they find tunnel entrances indicating that King Rat’s domain is not the only one of its kind. None of the rats here have ever seen a human, and if they discover the heroes, they are treated with a full range of emotions; bafflement, disgust, amusement, and pity are just a few. The heroes do not risk capture or violence if they walk in the open, for the rats of the Happy Land do not have the stomach for such ugly business. They leave that to the overseers assigned to Samplethe farms below. file

13 An Informed Choice Turning Back

The heroes can stay in the Happy Land as long as they If the characters plan on returning to the underground, like, but no matter how well they learn the language or they must wait until the boulder rolls away again. The what skills they demonstrate, their humanity remains context is different this time—hopefully, the party is their defining feature. The worst rats treat them like well-rested, well-fed, and well-equipped—but once infants or pets, but even those sympathetic to humans they pass below the earth, they are in King Rat’s always seem uncomfortable, or perhaps self-conscious, domain. So long as the grain arrives on time, the rats around them. If any party member wishes to leave the of the Happy Land turn a blind eye to everything that Happy Land, there are two options: going forward or happens underground. turning back. At first, getting humans to believe what the party has seen is a struggle, but if the heroes can somehow prove their claims, whispers spread among all the deep KING RAT chambers. If the party instigates a violent revolution, The supreme ruler of the party’s home is little more than a glorified the fighting is long and protracted in the winding grocer. He revels in the power and control he has over his subjects, tunnels, with the Happy Land’s warrior-mystics but he is also bitter and resentful, longing for acknowledgment descending underground if food production stutters. from the peers that he serves. He is uninterested in diplomacy, for Strikes and slowdowns may invite less overt retribution he believes he holds all the bargaining chips, but he considers any proposition that offers him the respect he craves. but still suffer sabotage from King Rat’s forces, and attempts to negotiate make progress only if the farmers ▶ If the party tries to assassinate him, then King Rat have some kind of leverage. proves himself a capable fighter, as quick and stealthy Either way, the conflict is not as simple as humans as he is monstrously strong. versus rats. Guards who profited from King Rat’s rule ▶ If they try to talk to him, King Rat reveals that he speaks take his side, just as sympathetic citizens of the Happy the human language fluently and eloquently. Land might lend the party their support from above. Development

Going Forward The characters have reached the Happy Land, but their trials have only just begun. Now that they know the The Happy Land lies in a deep valley, surrounded by truth, what will they do next? jagged karst mountains, cloaked in abundant greenery. The rats don’t say what lies beyond the mountains, but watchful characters get the sense that it scares them. They warn any character who wishes to leave that they shall not return, though whether this is a threat or a prophecy is unclear. If a party member wishes to leave the Happy Land, no one stops them. They can pack however much they can carry and go. If any character takes this route, leave their fate open-ended. What lies outside the valley is beyond the scope of this story, though if you want to connect this adventure to a larger campaign, then read “Continuing the Adventure.”Sample file

14 AUTHOR’S NOTES/ CONCLUSION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This is an odd time to be a writer, but my partner Lex The heroes may choose to never reveal themselves has supported me through all of it and for that he has to the people of the Happy Land, scavenging scraps my love and gratitude. Some elements of the adventure and living in terror of the giants surrounding them, are inspired by the Western Zhou Dynasty—a time or maybe that they never escaped the underground both foundational and far removed from modern at all. But if the characters escape and learn the truth, China, predating Confucianism, Buddhism, or then they face a major choice. To claim ignorance Taoism—but others are pure fantasy. To paraphrase and be complicit would be to live like the rats do, but Mark Oshiro in The Unintended Education of Literature, acknowledging the rotten foundations of the Happy POC authors need not teach readers about “our Land is only the first step to effecting true change. cultures” whenever we write secondary worlds. Our The branches following this revelation have been left works deserve space to be playful and imaginative as deliberately open-ended, for now the characters truly well! have the freedom to decide what to do next. ABOUT THE AUTHOR KC Shi is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. You can contact her at [email protected], or find her on Continuing the Twitter at @KCShiWrites. Ask her about bees. Adventure

If any characters left the Happy Land behind, use their departure from the valley to bring them into a larger setting. The Happy Land’s isolation means it could slot easily into a number of fantasy worlds. If any characters returned home, then what do they tell their families and friends? Who joins their side, and what resistance do they meet? By the end of the adventure, the status quo teeters like a stack of plates, and what the characters decide shall determine how it comes crashing down. Sample file

15 WRITTEN BY Days of KEVIN THIEN VU LONG NGUYEN Powder, EDITED BY OMI CHUN This scenario is optimized for Black Hack v1.2 by David Black Plunder, and similar OSR & rules light systems. GAMEPLAY TIME 3-12 hours CONTENT WARNINGS colonialism, imperialism, open & Plot water, threatening ocean life (sharks), piracy, theft, hostages, suicide attempt(s), description of imprisonment, drowning SYNOPSIS ADVENTURE BACKGROUND

They call you rebel, fanatic, pirate. They would have Days of Powder, Plunder, & Plot assumes a Southeast you call them lord, liege, and God. On these waters... Asian–analogue setting (Sông), specifically Vietnamese, your waters? No. You’ll have none of that. Out there in that has been colonized by many including a French- your water is your prey. A Soleil [sol-ey] frégate [fray- analogue nation (Empire d’Soleil). The setting assumes gat], a heavy warship, carries the key to the efforts back a marginal incorporation of black powder technology, on the mainland. You will find it. You will take it. You but this can be easily changed from arquebus to will deliver the prize to your allies. If not, the Empire of crossbows and cannons to ballistae to your taste. the Sun will never set on Sông [s-ONG]. The Imperials have captured a demagogue and are holding them captive on the L’Ouragan to take back to the Imperial capital and tried for an already-determined ADVENTURE HOOK sentence. The rebels have contracted the party’s ship to capture the L’Ouragan, save the demagogue, and True-believers or mercenaries, it matters little. What retrieve taxes to fund the revolution, as well as for the matters is what you can contribute to the cause of a free crew’s own gain. Sông. Crewing the infamous Hươu Nước [who n-ou-k], Player responsibilities do not diverge too far the party captures the SS Le Tigre [tee-grey] gun brig from the typical game, but this adventure adds a that holds a manifest that leads them to the prize on new simple mechanic to emulate Boarding Actions. the Imperial frégate-class SS L’Ouragan [lure-a-gone] Ships themselves, once boarded, function essentially which Intelligence reports is anchored on one of the as a typical dungeon delve with the treasure being at many islets off the Sou-Eastern coast. In it’s hold is the the “heart” of the ship. Players are also tasked with key to Sông’s revolution. roleplaying with each other and NPCs in order to get Find them. a sense of the conflict at hand, express themselves, and Take them. further the adventure through simple investigation. Bring the prize back home. GoodSample hunting. file

16 This adventure takes place in four stages. MECHANICS THE LEAD. Taking of Le Tigre illustrates the primary phases of play for the adventure: • Boarding Action. Black Powder Weapons • Delving in the Ship, 2-3 setpiece rooms. All firearms have theLOUD (breaks stealth when THE HEADING. A necessary adjournment on the Hươu discharged) and RELOADING (must spend an action to Nước and at dock: reload after a charge is expended) tags. • Socializing with the ship’s crew to get to know them better, get a feel for their motivations, and • PISTOL: Nearby, Loud, Reloading prepare for the coming mission. • BLUNDERBUSS: Two-handed, Close, Loud, • Investigating the manifest found on the Tigre Reloading with some NPCs with the opportunity to barter • MUSKET: Distant, Loud, Reloading and get a feel of the public opinion regarding the • CANNON: Distant, Loud, Reloading, +5 to roll & revolution outside the crew. damage when targeting non-structures

THE PRIZE. Taking the L’Ouragan, the full showcase of the custom mechanics and a more robust delve as the BOARDING ACTIONS main setpiece of the adventure. • Boarding Action. Boarding a hostile vessel isn’t just holding a spear out • Delve into the Ship, 4-6 setpiece rooms. and screaming. No, there’s tact and strategy to be had. There are 3 lanes to try to cross: Fore, Mid, and Aft. THE SLIP. Escaping with the treasure, the Empire leaves Each comes with its own benefits and risks. Each party nothing to chance. A Man o’ War arrives just in time to member decides for themselves where and how to lead chase the Hươu Nước from the scene of the L’Ourgan’s their vanguards. reaping. This turns the tables and puts the crew on the defense, fighting off an incoming boarding party. • FORE: Least enemies, but need to test Dex to clear • Defending from a Boarding Action the bigger gap and not fall in the water • Escape or die. • MID: Most enemies are stationed here, but need to test Will to hold together to press the attack • AFT: Less enemies than the mid, but built tall, and need to test Str to ensure one can scale the side of AS PLAY BEGINS… the target vessel Take a moment to review the principles of play as Black Hack or your selected system presents them with the group. An especially On a failed test during a Boarding Action, the character useful practice with new groups, groups new to the game, or just as a refresher for those familiar. In general OSR style games picks one of the following consequences: assume Player ingenuity with limited resources is needed and to be rewarded and Player Character death is on the table if not • Lose an important piece of equipment to the common. But fear not! There are plenty of other crew on the water. Hươu Nước to be promoted to the prestigious position of Player • Fall overboard and take a chance against 1 Shark Character. enemy who starts with Initiative against the swimmer. • Take 1d6 damage as one of their marines takes advantage of an opening with a cheap shot.

SampleSuggest or implement alternativesfile as you see fit.

17 CHAPTER 1 5A. The Lower Gun Deck

THE LEAD Taking the narrow steps down to the gun deck below, you see the light from above cuts through the darkness below like a knife. Sparse lanterns help little down here. After reaching the second or third step down, the next three There’s the signal. ‘Round the bend of the cove is where explode, a cloud of shrapnel and gunsmoke flooding the you see her. She’s riding high, light hold. They’ve made deck below. the resupply. Perfect. The crew know what to do and get on it. You have surprise and the wind on your side. Le Tigre is yours for the taking. The blast from the cannon below rings in the their ears and their hearts beat like the bronze drums of the Hươu The party knows that Le Tigre is the first step on Nước so hard they feel it behind their eyes. this quest for a grand prize. Start the adventure with a Boarding Action and quickly transition to the Top • SHRAPNEL: The player who leads the group makes Deck of Le Tigre in combat. The rest of their crew a Dex test to avoid shrapnel. On a failed test, that fight off the enemy at the same time as the party fights; character takes 1d4 damage. roleplay focuses on their moments of the party’s battle • CANNON TRAP: Cannons aim at each of the as small area of the greater scope. stairways leading down from the top deck. The discharged cannon is quickly reloaded if the party does not immediately rush in. The character If this is the players’ first time with these characters, intercut going first down the stairs must traverse the space moments for them to interject personality into the fight as a pseudo-introduction. Have enemies say silly battle-efforts for without the enemy’s notice or make a Dex test to them to quip off, ask them how their fighting is distinct from the avoid being hit for 2d12 damage. rest of the crew, and the like; keep it tight, as the players will have • 2 MARINE SERGEANTS: Hid down below, waiting a moment to breathe and roleplay after the fight and later in the to attack the party members as they come down. adventure. Once the party members are in the gun deck, any degree of examination of the cannons aimed at the 4A. Top Deck stairways reveals the long, string-pull triggers. The length of the string leads to one of the sergeants hiding on the far end, ready to pull as soon as they notice any Their ships are broader, designed for the open water rather targets descending the stairs. The other sergeant is out than the narrow bends of the river. All the better, plenty of of sight near the stairs to ambush any targets after they room to work. With guns and swords they’ve been waiting at the ready. Their officers shout orders in Impérial, words enter the Gun Deck and obstruct the exit back up the of brutish intimidation to conformity and sacrifice for the stairs, pincering with their ally on the far end. captain and empire; typical. Littered with splinters the size of a leg and mangled bodies, the Top Deck of Le Tigre is a picture of hell, but there’s bloody work to be done. 10A. The Hold

The simple, easily-spotted trap door to the Hold is Distribute across the Le Tigre Top Deck grid map: not locked, but there is resistance to opening it if one of the party members attempts to pull it up. It opens • Marine Grunts equal to the number of party on a successful Str test or by destroying the door with members bludgeoning tools or weapons. • 1 Sergeant Once the party members open the trap door to The • 1 MarineSample Sniper high above in the rigging Hold, a quick, panicked scramblingfile is heard below. The space is sparse, as expected for how high the ship The majority of the force is around the Mid ship. was riding, but not empty. At the far end, huddled

18 together behind a barricade of crates and barrels are the The Captain’s Quarters are as ornate as the door, two sailors of Le Tigre including the biggest and bravest, levels high with polished, engraved wood on nearly every holding out pistols and cutlasses with fear in their surface, trinkets and trophies all around telling the tale of eyes. If the party doesn’t announce themselves as non- an accomplished noble officer of the Imperial Navy. Said threatening or immediately attack, one of the sailors officer lies dead at the landing of the stairs leading up to lets off an accidental shot at the strongest-looking party a Sôngese [s-ONG-ease] person at the top, dressed in member. the uniform of an Imperial First Mate, holding a bloody hatchet. The First Mate quickly draws a pistol and aims • TWELVE SAILORS in The Hold. Place them in a without firing at the party entering, calling out in a single group tight together on the opposite side of commanding “HOLD!” in Imperial. The Hold from the stairs down. • The Sailors are scared for their lives and do not If the party hesitates, the FIRST MATE explains, “I told want to fight unless they must. him to surrender. Take what you want, but leave the • If there is a fight, they all surrender when one of crew and ship to me and we’ll go our separate ways.” them is witnessed being killed. If allowed, the First Mate holds to this offer. • If there is not a fight, theBOATSWAIN tells the party Furthermore, if the party is diplomatic in the about the CAPTAIN’S secret compartment in the interaction, avoiding aggression for the most part, Captain’s Quarters. the First Mate warns the party of Le Requin–Baleine patrolling the area around L’Ouragan. If the party attacks, place the First Mate at the upper 8a. The Captain’s Cabin level of the map of the Captain’s Quarters and proceed with combat as normal. The First Mate makes every effort to force the Accessible from the gun deck, an especially-ornate door party into narrow paths in order to limit engagements stands out from the rest of the ornate ship marking the to one-on-one. The First Mate surrenders after a few entrance to the Captain’s Quarters; you can practically feel the craftskin’s soul radiating out of it. The door is rounds of combat when it’s clear they can’t win the thoroughly locked, a surprise for sure. fight. Once the encounter is resolved, exploring the cabin reveals many things: The door is trapped with a fishing line leading to two pistols aimed to fire on anyone entering unawares. • The Ship’s Log next to a brazier with a few pages torn out and burned. • A successful Wis test makes the trap noticeable • An Heirloom Rapier (Silver, +1 damage, worth with no additional Dex test required to disarm. 500 Coins) on the Captain’s body. The First Mate • A successful Str test to break down the door or tries to take this, but gives it up if pressed. a successful Dex test to disarm the lock allows • Found with a successful Wis test or from the passage. Neither the Str or Dex tests disarms the Boatswain in The Hold, a secret compartment trap. under a scale model of the Le Tigre behind the • If breaking down the door unaware of the trap, captain’s desk has 397 Coins inside. The First Mate the player makes a Dex test. Upon success, deal is unaware of the existence of this compartment. half damage, or full damage on a failure, at your discretion. • If they are aware of the trap, or you wish for a DEVELOPMENT less-deadly adventure, the breaking of the door may have broken the trap mechanism as well, Once the party members have the Log, they see the informing the players there are traps, but not pertinent pages were excised and burned. As keen punishingSample them for an otherwise-successful action. sailors who have pirated before,file they know that the missing information can be reverse engineered by the right person. One such expert calls Cảng Tự Do [k-ANG two Z-aw] home.

19 CHAPTER 2 Rumors

Ask where each party member goes with their THE HEADING downtime. Allow them to interact with the crew of the Hươu Nước, crews of other ships, and locals. Make these NPCs diverse in gender, build, and personality. In You don’t need the whistle from the spy up top, you know the conversations, intersperse some of the information these waters and have docked at Cảng Tự Do more times below to give the players a better sense of the state of than you can count. Coming in very fast, you pass some of the stilt houses in the bay and pull in at a pace any the world. other ship would beach themselves in a few buildings deep. Disembarking porters greet you familiarly and hawkers • A prominent anti-Imperial thought-leader, swarm you looking to trade. The sprawling port spills out Nguyên Hương Huỳnh [we-IN who-ng h-win] over the water and river, with colorful and bright flags of (he/they), has not been seen for some time. Some pink, teal, green, and gold betraying the direction of the speculate they’re on retreat, avoiding spectacle wind and hailing friends home. as the Imperials begin to feel abrased by their dialogue. • Some locals are dispirited towards the rebellion. In this section of the adventure, the party should have The violence comes with a significant cost of some time to meet with their contact to intuit the lives and resources and is starting to spill out of location of The Prize, but also some time to resupply, control, affecting civilians more everyday, and interact with NPCs to have some lighthearted the retaliations by the Imperials are harsh at best. moments, and receive some information on the state of The deaths and absence of several leaders in the the rebellion. rebellion lets these despondent attitudes run unchecked. • Pirates (proper pirates, not like the Hươu Nước) The Analyst are getting very aggressive in these waters these days. Some think they’re taking advantage of Found living apart from the rest of the port on high the unrest the rebellion is causing. Others say at the uppermost peak of the ridge around the bay, it’s always been this way, just no one ever cared Thanh Bùi [t-AN buoy] (he/him; young, bright, speaks before. very slowly & deliberately) spends his days charting • Another nation with a tumultuous past, including the winds and his evenings charting the stars. Even if colonization of Sông at some points, is sending they don’t know him, the party can’t miss his shack that “military advisors” and aid to the rebellion. This resembles something closer to an overgrown, over- is a very divisive issue. Some are glad for any aid, stuffed paper wastebasket announced by the flocks of while others do not want to adopt another debt to songbirds he invites with haphazard dishes of feed and foreign power. syrup. • A crew has been warning others to tread carefully Thanh does not need convincing to help the party. around some of the islands off the coast. They No, Thanh needs convincing that this endeavor should were accosted by an Imperial heavy gunship that be made a priority. Otherwise, he lets the task wait seemed to be patrolling around a couple small weeks, if not more, before addressing it. uninhabited islands off the coast. If the party has Thanh is not overly motivated by money, power, the information from Thanh at this point, they or pride. However, he is very susceptible to the promise know it’s the same area as L’Ouragan, but does not of information, the offer of a new calligraphy kit, or the match the verified description ofL’Ouragan . dissuasion of a local wild goat that eats his work and attacks his person, leaving terrible injuries like a bruise on the hipSample that one might otherwise think is a smudge Be sure to use the thought-leader rumorfile because it ties in directly to the end of the adventure reveal. of dust. Once an agreement is made, Thanh tells the party to return the next day.

20 As Thanh warned, conditions are not ideal, but work DEVELOPMENT needs doing. Testing their sailskinship, the party describes their Once the party returns to Thanh, he has re-engineered actions to aid the journey along and make appropriate the location of L’Ouragan as promised and turns it tests. The party needs to make a number of successful over along with an ideal heading given the current tests equal to the number of party members before conditions. The Prize is moored for repairs in the bay half the number of party members in failed tests occur, of one uncharted island among many off the coast. rounded down. For example, if there are 5 party Thanh warns the sail is not easy; it is a dangerous members, the party needs to make 5 successful tests course. before 2 unsuccessful tests. Once the party members are back on the ship, a If the party proves themselves exemplary in their couple of the NPCs in the crew haven’t returned. The sailskinship, award the ship with advantage on their party may pursue them or not if the players wish, but it Boarding Action tests and their first actions after those is of no consequence otherwise. tests. If the party’s sailskinship is lacking, the Hươu If the party members wish to pursue and you wish to keep Nước finds L’Ouragan ready and waiting. Each player it short, the missing crew might be found at a romantic must make a Dex save against the incoming cannon partner’s home after asking a few people. If you wish to make battery. Upon failure, a character takes 1d10 damage. the scene more pertinent to the current events, the missing Additionally, the party members are at disadvantage on crew might be selling secrets to an Imperial far up the beach. their Boarding Action tests as they are met with great If the party members do not pursue, you may opt to increase the number of successes needed to the following sailskinship section resistance from the crew of L’Ouragan. to reflect fewer hands on deck; 1-2 successes are recommended at most, so as to not be overly punishing. L’OURAGAN

CHAPTER 3 She’s huge. A whole deck taller than you, maybe two. But she’s sitting low, she’s got a heavy load. Just resupplied like you learned from Le Tigre. A real beauty, THE PRIZE L’Ouragan. Shame you’re gonna have to take her to task.

“Well? What’re you waiting for!? Someone else to get 4A. Top Deck it? Weigh anchor, raise the sails, you know your jobs. Trung [tch-OO-ng], I swear to Biển Mẹ [BE-in may; Your boots land on the deck with a solid thud, or maybe Mother Sea, a Sôngese deity] if your lines slip again, it’s none at all, given your demeanor. Brain going a hundred the crabs with you. I mean it this time!” knots a minute, heart racing, shoulders tense. Your instinct says you should be fighting at this moment but you’re not. The cannon smoke billows around you like a thick fog. SAILSKINSHIP You feel the sting in your eyes and heaviness in your lungs. You blink hard and feel a catch in your throat. One of the crew shouts, pointing up where the smoke thins to a robed Skill challenge of sailing dangerous waters. figure with a wand scrambling up the rigging. At your level, you hear traces of quieted steps in the smoke but She’s choppy today and you are barely able to keep your cannot place them. legs about you. The hard cuts to avoid the corals certainly aren’t helping you keep the xôi (s-oi; sticky rice) from a If any of the party members are blind or deaf, adjudicate few hours ago down, let alone the rigging getting blown appropriately. In the designer’s opinion, air on the side of the aboutSample by the gales near to knocking your head off. file party members, and let them be Heroes. If a player wishes to opt for more obstacles as a result of their party member’s disability, respect that but you should not necessarily make that decision for them.

21 GUNSMOKE ascending vertically, a character needs to make both a Str & Dex test to navigate and clamber • While present, gunsmoke obscures visibility up quickly without falling to get close-quarters on the Top Deck beyond five feet from each with the mage before the flare wand is used. character. • Round 1: Warn players they start to feel their eyes • Optional Encounter Modification: Hostages. sting and throats itch. Each of the enemies takes one of their Sôngese • Round 2: If no precautions are taken and they rowers hostage and uses them as a shield. Unless remain in the smoke, they start having coughing otherwise addressed, any damage targeting the fits and serious eye pain requiring Con tests. L’Ouragan crew is dealt to the Sôngese hostages. • Smoke passes naturally after 2 more rounds, or Each hostage has 1 HP. can be dissipated by party ingenuity at GM’s discretion. If a player has previously described their party member as someone who wears an eyepatch without a vision disability, their If a player opts to move silently through the smoke, a party member can remove the eyepatch at this point and see as recommended adjudication is that they are able to at the cost of they would in daylight conditions. half of their given total movement that round.

8B. The Captain’s Cabin ENEMIES The Captain’s Cabin door is ajar when approached. No • Place 3 Grunts on Mid-Deck. traps. Inside, it’s surprisingly simple. There are signs - Their attack strategy is ingenious: they attack of some effort to decorate by the Boatswains, but little head on. The party shouldn’t expect it. personalization. Of note is a sparse bookshelf including a Sôngese-Imperial dictionary and a desk with • Without placing them on the grid for the party to straightforward notes and records. Upon thorough see, note privately where 2 Marine Sergeants and inspection, the Captain nor any other officer are 1 Marine Lieutenant on the Top Deck forecastle present in the cabin. and aftcastle. They should be as far from the party Easily found: members land post–Boarding Action as possible. - Their attack strategy is hit and run. They • A small chest of 500 Coins worth of mixed move in, Attack, and move out back into the jewelry, jewels, and coin. obscurity of the smoke. • 2 Potions of Cure Light Wounds. • A manifest listing Sôngese Taxes (much more than • Place The Mage up high in the rigging as they the chest value) & 1 Unnamed Prisoner w/ Order climb up. Their intent is to let off a magical flare from the Emperox himself to deliver the prisoner to summon reinforcements. to the Imperial Capital for trial “by any means.” - If any of the characters are a Conjurer, they immediately clock the Mage’s wand as a Flare wand. 6B. The Crew’s Quarters - If by Round 3 of the combat the party members have not stopped the Mage at their discretion, Down the steps it’s dark. And quiet. You can hear the the Mage sends off a Flare signaling distress swings of the hammocks and creaking of the ship. You to the nearby but just over the horizon Le maybe even hear a lock being cocked. Reaching the bottom [l-uh ruh-CAN BELL-en] Requin–Baleine . step you don’t see them but you know they’re here. All the - SampleAny ranged attacks made against the Mage lanterns are snuffed, but the portfile holes are still op—BAM from the Top Deck but below the Mage are BAM BAM BAM. They’re all shut. Pitch black. A scream made with disadvantage. in the dark, the flash of a shot, that’s how it starts. - Unless the party members have other means of

22 If the party enters the Crew’s Quarters without sneaking or failing to sneak once they’re inside, the 10B. The Lower Hold port-holes are shut and the space is made pitch black. • Torch gives good light for 30’ radius, Candle 10’ The entire third deck down was the main hold where radius. Opening a Port hole gives good light for supplies and sundry were stored overly tightly, all worth a straight line 5’ across. Each light source takes an a good sum at market, but not as much as The Prize. action to illuminate. Cannon holes in the hull, if Coming down another level to the Lower Hold the steps the party can manage it, create a 10’ beam of light lead to a door. A simple door. Untrapped. Unlocked. in a straight line. Behind the door is a Hold like any other, that is of a • On the grid for the Crew’s Quarters make note brand new unmanned ship. Totally empty, but well lit. of where a number of Marine Grunts equal to Stepping on each board below your feet are loose and the number of party members +3 are in the space sing like birds. It’d be enchanting if you weren’t on alert. without informing the players. Something isn’t right here. - Players with an especially high Wis might hear one of the Marine Grunts whisper at the very NIGHTINGALE FLOOR. Each step betrays anyone walking start, “Blindfolds off.” on the floor of this deck. - The Marines charge in and try to drag the party members away from each other to surround • Stealth checks may be made at disadvantage for them best they can and refrain from using every 10’ crossed. firearms if possible. • Every round in “uninterrupted darkness” sighted THE BRIG. Behind the stairwell bars partition the back Characters begin to acclimate and see. section of the Lower Hold. Currently empty but - Round 1: No Visual, disadvantage on attacks obviously recently occupied there are several cots. At - Round 3: Slight Vision, disadvantage on the foot of one are several texts in both Imperial & attacks against enemies further than 10’ away. Sôngese, an ink well, pen, and loose leaf manuscript - Round 5: Clear vision, no penalty in Sôngese of legal precedents, first hand accounts of Imperial activity, and an incomplete last Will & Testament. 9B. The Galley THE WALL & SAFE ROOM. On the far side the Hold is a wall which at a glance from the entryway is like any The Galley is ridiculously large. Likely takes a quarter of other wall. Upon closer inspection there are narrow the ship? Your entire hold could fit in here and then some. slits in the paneling where musket barrels rest. Chances Unoccupied at a glance all the cookfires are snuffed and no sharps are out. There is a tray of slightly warm baguettes are if you see them they’ve already discharged at you. on a counter closer to the far end of the space. • Once more than half of the party members cross In the pantry, one of the cooks is hiding. Immediately halfway from the entrance towards The Wall or they drop their rolling pin and fall on their knees if any of the party members get within 15’ of The begging for mercy in Imperial. Wall, Marine Grunts behind The Wall let off 3 If given the opportunity, The Cook sabotages shots and quickly swap muskets with loaded ones the party’s efforts at the earliest chance. This could be while the expended are reloaded. warning the Marines in the Crew’s Quarters of the • Behind the reinforced wall are 6 Marine Grunts, Officer’s entrance, the Captain and his hidden marines The Captain of L’Ouragan, and their prisoner. just the same, or simply a quick stab in the back with a Once their hiding place is betrayed the Captain boning knife. calls out, “I have him! If you continue this siege the ‘esteemed’ Nguyên Hương Huỳnh will not live to Samplesee tomorrow’s sun! Extricatefile your persons from this vessel immediately or I will be forced to sink it with the charges of black here with me! I’m willing to die for my Emperox. Are you?”

23 • They are not bluffing. CHAPTER 4 - If anyone approaches within range the marines fire. - The Wall has 40 HP and is immune to non- THE SLIP bludgeoning type damage. - After either 3 rounds or a few minutes of real Your ears perk up. The whistle? You cast your gaze time the Captain calls out, “How many did you around and your brain catches it before your senses. lose to get here? Do you think you have enough to The horizon is even. Calm. Empt—wait. There it is. hold against a fresh company of marines? Surely The smallest dot just rising up. Then one dot becomes you don’t think we’re out here alone?! Any moment four. A four-master. A Man o’ War. It’s too late, she’s already onto us. now Le Requin-Baleine will arrive to take you to task. Take what little dignity you have, tell your rebel friends you won if you like. Run. Run while The hunter becomes the prey. The intent of this you still can.” section is to turn the tables and have the party defend - If the door is breached The Captain tries from another crew of Imperial Marines as they board to ignite a fuse to set off the charges. This the ship and make their way through it. causes irreparable damage to the hull, as well as dispatch themselves and Nguyên Hương Huỳnh from this mortal coil. The fuse refuses LE REQUIN-BALEINE a charge for 2 rounds and can be cut off before detonation before the third. - Inside is The Prize, the revolutionary anti- Boarding Action imperial scholar Nguyên Hương Huỳnh and a chest of imperial ingots worth 50,000 Coins. The main vanguard that the party faces off against is made of 5 Grunts, 2 Sergeants, 1 Lieutenant, and The Captain. They predominantly cross Midship, with DEVELOPMENT the Captain at the rear protected by his subordinates to the best of their ability. Once the party disembarks from the ship either with or without The Prize they can sail on. If the Mage from the Top Deck was able to let off the flare,Le Requin- Defending the Ship Baleine can be seen approaching quickly on the horizon. If not, Le Requin-Baleine shows soon after. If the party were able to prevent The Mage on L’Ouragan from signaling Le Requin-Baleine in the previous section, the party should be prepared for the If tight on time, feel free to jump directly to the Conclusion, skipping Chapter 4: The Slip. boarding party and get one round of unreciprocated actions against them with Advantage on their actions during said round. In the likely case the Imperial vanguard has not been defeated on the Top Deck of the Hươu Nước within 2 full rounds of boarding, a prominent NPC if there are any from the party’s previous interactions suggest a tactical retreat and regrouping below decks. This is where the party gets to be the monsters of the dungeon so to speak. As the Imperial vanguard regroups the party can plan its defense. Allow the party Sampleto look across the maps of the Hươufile Nước and scheme as it likes. Lean into the scheming, especially the party’s plans to draw on things they encountered against the crews of Le Tigre and L’Ouragan.

24 THE WAKE CONTINUING THE Either the Imperials were routed or the Hươu Nước was taken. No other ways about it. If the Imperials ADVENTURE were defeated, the party members are free to return to port and deliver any share of the coin & goods claimed From here the party is free to chart its own course. they wish and deliver Nguyên Hương Huỳnh into safe The party may wish to formally become part of the hands. rebellion having bought its way in with trust, coin, and If the Hươu Nước is taken, summarily describe the a VIP. Or the party may wish to simply go its own way remaining healthy crew being taken prisoner, escorted and cause some trouble for Imperials and anyone else back to the mainland, made an example of, and that is unfortunate enough happens to cross its paths on imprisoned for the rest of their days. Or until the rebels these waters. break them out within a few months upon learning of their capture. While all this is happening to the party, Nguyên Hương Huỳnh is taken back into custody, delivered to the Imperial Seat, tried, and summarily executed.

AUTHOR’S NOTES/ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This adventure is inspired by dramaticized real history of Vietnam, and works of high seas adventure such as the Pirates of the Caribbean films, the Black Sails television series, Treasure Island, and more. Deepest thanks to Charu Patel, Viditya Violetti, Simon Moody, J.R. Zambrano, and Alex Guerrero for help in the developmental process, Omi Chun for editing, and TOR WAR for sensitivity reading this adventure. Without them and many others this work would not be what it is and they have all my thanks and then some. AUTHOR BIO Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen is a queer second-generation Vietnamese-American currently residing in Southern California, US making TTRPG content, painting minis, and trying to reconnect with his roots. You can find Kevin’s personal game work at NguyenConditions.com and on Twitter @knit_nack.

Sample file

25 Appendix A: NPCs

MARINE GRUNTS 1HD; 1d6 Cutlass & Pistol / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising.

MARINE SNIPER 1HD; 1d10 Rifle (Loud, Reload, Distant) / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising.

MARINE SERGEANT 3 HD; 2d8 Heavy Hatchets & Blunderbuss / 1d6 Unarmed or Improvis- ing.

MARINE LIEUTENANT 2 HD; 1d10 Rapier & 2 Pistols; 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising. As an ac- tion can Rally, healing all allies for 1 HD once per combat.

MARINE MAGE 1 HD; 1d6 Pistol / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising. Can cast up to Level 1 Arcane Spells.

FIRST MATE 2HD; 1d12 Broadsword & 2 Pistols. Disadvantage on defense rolls when First Mate attacks.

CAPITAINE DE LE REQUIN-BA- 3 HD; 1d8 Rapier & 3 Pistols / 1d4 Unarmed or Improvising. Can cast up LEINE to 3rd Level Divine & Arcane Spells. At any time The Captain can sacri- fice a Grunt to avoid taking all damage from an incoming attack.

SHARK 2 HD; 1d8 Bite, on a successful attack the target is grappled and is pulled further down under. Every pull brings the party member 1 movement further from the surface. Party members can naturally survive a number of rounds equal to their Con underwater before running out of air.

Sample file

26 APPENDIX B: MAPS

Sample file

27 Forged in the Dark. BY PAM PUNZALAN A scenario for EDITED BY LEXI ANTOKU GAMEPLAY TIME 3-4 hours CONTENT WARNINGS colonial violence, profaning of Christian beliefs & imagery, body horror SYNOPSIS ADVENTURE BACKGROUND

Demons Walk Among the Devils of Spain. This module is focused on investigation, intrigue, Christian themes, and supernatural encounters. It has It is 1896, year one of the Philippine Revolution. The fires been designed to be played with Forged in the Dark, of rebellion rage across the archipelago where the Governor- a game system by John Harper based on the heist- General and his constituents still have control, challenging themed game Blades in the Dark. You’ll need 4-6 the power of the Crown. These are dark days in the wake of players, with one player as the GM, and enough six- Jose Rizal’s execution, but the fighters of the Katipunan are sided dice for everybody—we recommend a personal relentless in their pursuit of a nation free from Spain. pool of six. Have safety and consent tools available. Games are The battles you wage, however, are of a different sort. best when everyone has clear expectations and is able to buy into the module’s content well. Don’t worry too much about historical accuracy. ADVENTURE HOOK Generally, we have included what we thought would be helpful for players and this module, and left the You and your crewmates are hunters from the rest. While there’s a wealth of reference material for Order of Iscariots, a shadow organization that fights the Philippines between the 1600s and 1900s, and a supernatural threats to Luzon. You have been operating number of texts that specifically focus on the Katipunan as Katipuneros since day one now, unknown to your Revolution, we want to enable players of all colors and comrades, and—for some of you—even your family, from all walks of life to enjoy a story of rebellion with friends, and lovers. After months of careful observation demon hunting in a respectful but fun fashion. and more than a few risky engagements, the Order has Don’t get too bogged down by details like finally had a breakthrough. whether a district existed in Intramuros, or whether Governor-General Diego de los Rios, Spain’s or not LGBTQIA+ people could be a revolutionary in appointed ruler of the country, has been possessed the first place. Go with what seems plausible, and what by Beelzebub, a Demon Prince of Hell. The Order works for your table. If you do have good access to is sure that even if the Revolution overthrows Spain, historical sources, or if it is a period that is personally Beelzebub will seek out another vessel to continue his familiar to you, feel free to use your knowledge to infernal work on Earth. enrich your experience and guide your fellow players, As the best cell of Iscariots that the Order has to but don’t let the lack of such access stop you. offer, youSample have been asked to deal with the situation. file End Beelzebub’s unholy reign of terror before it begins.

28 Running The Game

This adventure is designed like a structured sandbox full of story hooks with a few suggested directions for the “score” rather than a set narrative. This is where Forged in the Dark games shine: have a conversation rolling with each other, both in character and at the table as players, and play together to find out what happens. Katipunero Demon Hunters

This adventure does not use the Crew creation system. Background Instead, the characters come from a cell of Katipunero demon hunters with a range of special abilities available Backgrounds give players a better idea of what each to them at the start of the adventure. Rather than entails within an 1800s Filipino context. having a crew type that sets long-term goals and incentives, the players select a specialty and an approach • ILLUSTRADO: a professor or student from one of to the score. the many universities in Manila. The cell and its hunters count as Tier I. You are • CLERGY: A priest, a nun, a monk, an acolyte. welcome to advance the Tier of the hunters if you want • LABOR: A servant, a coach driver, a docker, a the module to be easier. Factions are in Appendix A. sailor, a farmer. Advancements, Rivals, Vices, Heat, and Payoff are • LAW: Guardia civil, a barangay captain, a not used in this adventure. bodyguard. • MERCANTILE: A shopkeeper, a merchant, a galleon trader, a skilled craftsperson. Character Creation • MILITARY: A Spanish soldier or conscript, a naval officer, a mercenary, a spy. • ARISTO: A dilettante, a haciendero, a principalia, a Playbooks scion of a rich house, the latest in a line of datus. • UNDERWORLD: A street urchin, a gang member, a Use the playbooks provided or create your own within young thug. the theme of the game. The playbooks cover special abilities and items that are custom to the module. Players choose one special ability for this module unless Friends the GM allows them to select more. Available NPCs are dependent on the approach chosen against the Governor-General and Beelzebub. Heritage

All characters are Filipino. When we say “Filipino,” Action Dots however, we mean both “pure” Filipinos and biracial Filipinos. Nothing about a Chinese-Spanish mestiza Characters have four action ratings, and distribute character makes her less than a born and bred their four actions dots however they wish. Use the Batangeño. Background as potential inspiration for assigning action dots rather than as a mechanical restriction. SampleLoadout file

The default loadouts are suggestions and can be used or adjusted to the needs and direction of the players.

29 The Playbooks Barong Sigbin

The muscle and fighters of the Katipunero Demon Sigbin, like their namesake, patiently lurk in the Hunters. Barong excel at physical combat and violence, shadows. Preferring to engage at longer range, sigbin like using arnis and eskrima techniques and handling also calculate skirmishes and firefights before engaging guns. their prey. This focus gives them an acute sense of the arcane and supernatural, channeling this sense through a familiar. Special Abilities

BATTLEBORN: You may expend your special armor Special Abilities to reduce harm from an attack in combat or to push yourself during a fight. SHARPSHOOTER: You can push yourself to do one of the following: make a ranged attack at extreme distance BODYGUARD: When you protect a teammate, take beyond what’s normal for the weapon—unleash a barrage of +1d to your resistance roll. When you gather info to rapid fire to suppress the enemy. anticipate possible threats in the current situation, you get +1 effect. FOCUSED: You may expend your special armor to either resist a consequence of surprise or mental harm NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH: You may push yourself to (fear, confusion, losing track of someone) or to push do one of the following: perform a feat of physical force yourself for ranged combat or tracking. that verges on the superhuman—engage a small gang on equal footing in close combat. ARCANE FIGHTER: You may imbue your hands, melee weapons, or tools with spirit energy. You gain potency in combat vs. the supernatural. Special Items

BLADED WEAPON OR TWO: One or two small bladed Special Items weapons that can be concealed. [1 load] PAIR OF WHEELGUNS: A matched pair of handguns, DANGEROUS WEAPON OR TOOL: A dangerous and made for greater accuracy, with revolving cylinders to imposing weapon or tool. This item grants potency allow for multiple shots before reloading. [1 load] when the power or reach of the weapon is a factor. [2 load] BOLT-ACTION RIFLE: A well-crafted single shot, breechloader rifle, deadly at longer ranges, unwieldy in SILVER WEAPON: A weapon forged from a melted down close quarters. [2 load] cross and tempered with fire and holy water. Silver weapons gain potency against demons, monsters, and SILVER BULLETS: A bandolier of bullets forged from a spirits, but have reduced effect against mortals.[1 load] melted down silver cross and tempered with holy water and fire. Especially potent against spirits and demons, HOLY WATER: A bottle of water drawn from some but ineffective against mortal targets.[1 load] miraculous source and sanctified by one of the High Inquisitors. A weapon sprinkled with holy water gains GHOST POCKET WATCH: A timepiece that is possessed by potencySample against supernatural targets. [0 load] a diwata, a spirit of the archipelago. file Winding the watch in reverse slows time down to a crawl for everyone in a small area except yourself. Time returns to normal after the cycle finishes. Can be done once per score.[1 load]

30 Gorrono / Gorrona Sundo

Gorronas are tinkerers and saboteurs. They delve into The Katipunero demon hunters move clandestinely, alchemy, medicines, and tinctures to draw connections and sundo are experts at stealth. Sundo focus their with the spiritual and supernatural. Gorronos can also expertise in breaking-and-entering, skulking and expertly meddle and tamper with the enemy’s wares to slinking about to gather information or necessary damage their equipment and undermine any well-laid items. plans. Special Abilities Special Abilities INFILTRATOR: You are not affected byquality or Tier PHYSICIAN: You gain potency when you Tinker to when you bypass security measures. When you attack treat wounds or stabilize the dying. You may Study an from hiding or spring a trap, you get +1d. illness or corpse. You may treat supernatural conditions as though they were mundane. THE DEVIL’S FOOTSTEPS: You can push yourself to do one of the following: perform a feat of athletics that verges SABOTEUR: When you Wreck, the work is much on the superhuman—maneuver to confuse your enemies so quieter than it should be and the damage is hidden they mistakenly attack each other. from casual inspection. SHADOW: You may expend your special armor to resist SUPERNATURAL WARD: You know how to Wreck an a consequence from detection or security measures, or area using arcane substances and methods so it is either to push yourself for a feat of athletics or stealth. anathema or enticing to the supernatural, your choice. Special Items Special Items SET OF LOCKPICKS: A set of tools for disabling and TINKERING TOOLS: A well-crafted set of tools for bypassing locks. [0 load] detailed machinist work, containing measuring devices and implements. [1 load] SCALING GEAR: A set of climbing gear that is lighter than a standard set. [1 load] WRECKING TOOLS: A set of tools for sabotage and destruction, containing everything you could need, NIGHT GOGGLES: A special optical device that allows including handheld drills, mallets and spikes, crowbars, the wearer to see in darkness. Blinding in a well-lit large cutters, and files. [2 load] environment. [1 load]

ALCHEMICAL KIT: A pack containing empty syringes, SOUND SNUFFING POWDER: A packet of special vials, flasks, and needles. An array of non-reactive oils, powder that negates all sound from the user for several compounds, and powders. [0 load] moments. [0 load]

GHOSTLY MEMENTOS: A leather belt worn across the body or around the waist, fitted with padded pouches containingSample elements gathered from the supernatural. file [1 load]

31 Mariposa Aranya

Ever sociable, mariposa are smooth in social situations, While part of the Katipunero, aranyas may make keen in deceit. They’ll be your pare (pal, buddy), themselves a bit more public, upfront, part of the endear authority as señor (sir, boss), and twist tsismis principales even. They can see the bigger picture and (local gossip) to get the information they need. weave connections with groups, all while supporting their cell and other katipon (Katipunero members). Special Abilities Special Abilities ROOK’S GAMBIT: Take 2 stress to roll your best action rating while performing a different action. Say how FORESIGHT: Two times per score, you can assist a you adapt your skill to this use. teammate without paying stress. Say how you prepared for this. LEADER: When you Command a cohort, they continue to fight when they would otherwisebreak CALCULATING: Due to your careful planning, during (they’re not taken out when they suffer level 3 harm). downtime, you may give yourself or another crew They gain +1 effect and 1 armor. member +1 downtime activity.

SUBTERFUGE: You may expend your special armor to WEAVING THE WEB: You gain +1d to Consort when resist a consequence from suspicion or persuasion, or to you gather information on a target for a score. You get push yourself for subterfuge. +1d to the engagement roll for that operation.

Special Items Special Items

ARISTO CLOTHES & JEWELRY: An high-quality outfit FACADE: Through paperwork, planted alibis, rumors, that passes you as one of the Aristos. [0 load] and false relationships, you can pass as a different person. [0 load] DISGUISE KIT: A make-up kit that allows an expert to apply impressive looks that fool anyone. [1 load] PLANS & SCHEMATICS: You have a portfolio of useful architectural blueprints, maps, and plans. [1 load] REVERIE SCENTS: An odorless aroma contained in a small box that when inhaled, induces an altered mental SLEEP TONIC: A single dose of slumber-inducing tonic state. The victim is not fully unconscious, but becomes that can put a person to sleep for an hour. [0 load] calm, placid, and impressionable. [1 load] CONCEALED PISTOL: A small firearm easily concealed in A GHOST-KILLING SWORD CANE: A slim blade concealed a sleeve or long coat. The pistol has limited range, but in a slender sheath, disguised as a cane. The blade gains it’s difficult to detect while on your person, even when potency when fighting against the supernatural. searched. [0 load] [1 load]Sample file

32 Balyan The Crew: Hunters from the Order of Iscariot Balyan are the medium among the spiritual, supernatural, and material. They are attuned with You are elite exorcists, monster hunters, and otherworldly forces, like their ancestors, and they are supernatural investigators from an international well equipped to wield arcane powers to influence network of Christian warriors who stand against the ghosts, devils, and spirits - an important role for the darkness. In addition to the special ability each hunter Katipunero demon hunters. has, everyone in the cell has the following abilities.

• INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE: The crew gains potency Special Abilities against supernatural creatures, ghosts, devils, the undead, and spirits. Even if your weapons may be ARCANE MIND: You’re always aware of supernatural mundane, your faith can imbue the tools of your entities in your presence. Take +1d when you gather trade with holy power. information about the supernatural. • FAITH’S SHROUD: You invoke your faith to shield you from any unwanted gaze, becoming RITUAL: You know the arcane methods to perform unsubstantiated, blurry shadows. Take 2 stress ritual sorcery. You can Study an occult ritual or create when you invoke your shroud, plus 1 stress for a new one to summon a supernatural effect or being. each extra feature: it lasts for a few minutes rather You begin with one ritual already learned. than mere moments—you are invisible rather than shadowy—you may fly through the air like a spirit. WARDED: You may expend your special armor to resist • VOICE OF LIGHT: You know the secret method of a supernatural consequence, or to push yourself when communing with ghosts, devils, and spirits as if you deal with arcane forces. they are mortals, regardless of how wild or feral they appear. You gain potency when speaking or interacting with the supernatural. Special Items • IRON WILL: You’re immune to the terror that some supernatural entities inflict on sight. Take +1d to SPIRIT CONDUIT: A small arcane item that allows a resistance rolls with Resolve. trained wielder to see supernatural energies in great detail. It also grants some protection against ghostly possessions. Each item is unique. What does yours look like? What makes it strange or eerie? [1 load]

CAPTURE VESSELS (2): Special vials or items made to trap spirits. [1 load]

SPIRIT KEY: A special arcane item that grants entry into the realm of spirits, devils, and the dead. The realm beyond is a pale echo of the world you know, shifting through the ethers of time. [0 load]

SPIRIT LURES: A thin chain or thread with arcane charms used to connect to a capture vessel for ensnaringSample and capturing spirits. [2 load] file

33 The Briefing

Casa Bustamante is one of the few villas in Intramuros that is still owned by a Filipino family. They say that the clan is particularly beloved by Spanish authorities due to some deep betrayal in the past. When asked of the truth, Señora Emilia merely smiles her customary close-lipped, quiet smile. She is a tall, statuesque woman with bronzed skin, lustrous dark hair, deep brown eyes, and rosebud lips. Her makeup is impeccable; every fold and crease of her dress stays in place. She merely nodded as your cell entered her sala, and looked on without a word as her staff served dinner and refreshments. As soon as everyone’s plates are cleared, she beckons for her butler to bring the tobacco case and offers each of you a stick. Then, with a deft turn of her wrist, she spins the large round table that you are seated at to reveal a map of Intramuros. A few other locations in Intramuros, in Manila, and beyond the capital itself are encircled.

“Beelzebub wears the skin of the Governor-General. It is in our Order’s best interests that your cell—the finest we have to offer—handles this situation delicately. If we are able to banish the hellspawn and keep the General alive, we will have an excellent bargaining chip with the Spanish Crown.”

There are three ways to exorcise Beelzebub from the Things the Señora emphasizes during the strategy Governor-General: meeting with the cell:

• TOTAL BEATDOWN. If they injure the Governor- • THOU SHALT NOT KILL. The Iscariots protect mortal General enough with holy weapons and sanctified lives and stand upon the Watchtower of God in ritual, the vessel collapses, and the Demon Prince the Darkness. Hunters are absolutely forbidden will flee. from killing mortals or doing undue harm upon • RITUAL CIRCLE. If they lay the right trap, the them, even if they are evil men. Only God has the Governor-General is stuck within a powerful right to decide who lives and who dies. exorcism ceremony designed by St. Benedict. It • ASSASSINATION IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. takes time and requires the hunters to find creative The Señora says the Order knows that you may ways to keep the possessed man inside, but once feel pushed to kill the Governor-General for the ceremony is finished, Beelzebub is expelled. threatening mortal lives or if your own lives are The Governor-General is most likely to survive in grave danger (the Order values the lives of its the process. hunters). However, the opportunity to have a • SLAY THE DREAM FORM OF BEELZEBUB. If they high-level Spanish official answering to Iscariots enter the realm beyond and seek the Prince of Hell is too good to pass up; remember that. Of course, out in this otherworldly space, they can defeat if the Governor-General does not survive the Beelzebub. This approach does the least amount exorcism, then there’s nothing to be done. of harm to the Governor-General and their home • OUR REVOLUTIONARY FRIENDS MUST NOT KNOW. It realm, but it poses significant risk for the hunters. is imperative, even before your own lives, that the secrets of the Order and the truth of the existence of the supernatural world be kept secret. You’re welcome to get assistance from any comrades you may have within the Katipunan, but they must be kept in the dark. • THE ORDER PROVIDES. Your cell receives Coin to use for this engagement. Roll 4d6 to determine Samplehow much extra Coin thefile Head Inquisitor provided you with. Remember that Coin as a measure of in-game work is equal to a week’s salary for one person.

34 Approaches Ambush Assault

The Order of Iscariots has determined the route that There is an underground passageway that has tunnels the Governor-General is taking from Bulacan to running directly under the Governor-General’s home. Manila. He is traveling with an armored entourage The Order has determined that it may be ideal to attack along the main thoroughfares between the province De Los Rios on the night of his return from Bulacan. and the capital. There are several points, however, There is an entryway to the passage through Fort where the main roads cut through swathes of farmland, Santiago’s dungeons. through heavy crops and tall grass…

Allies Available Allies Available

• ELIAS TAGABIGAY, Katipunero. Your cell is aware • JOAQUIN RECIO, undercover hunter. The Iscariots’ that his troupe regularly ambushes Spanish cohorts informant planted among the guardsmen of Fort that travel the thoroughfare. He may be able to Santiago. While he won’t be able to accompany assist you. (Handsome, Driven, Superstitious) you through the tunnels, he can get you a way • BIG BALETE, Kapre. One of the few supernatural in. Talks constantly to the ghosts around him. creatures who works closely with the Order of (Cheerful, Jittery, Haunted) Iscariots. Part of the main thoroughfare runs • STELLA RUIZ, smuggler. A fence on the Order’s through the forest he haunts. (Colossal, Gentle, payroll. She knows the underground passageways Measured in word and gestures) and some interesting canal routes within Manila like nobody’s business. (Shrewd, Soft spoken, Large Gather Information burn on her face from Spanish torture)

• PARTIAL SUCCESS: You get a sense of how the Gather Information Governor-General’s bodyguards act and a reliable pattern of their shifts while they’re on the road— • PARTIAL SUCCESS: You have reliable details on the Iscariot arcanists have determined days on which guard shifts at Fort Santiago—you have reliable the weather is stormy and it serves as good cover. details on when the Governor-General is due back • CRITICAL SUCCESS: The Governor-General will home. be making an off-the-record stopover at the • CRITICAL SUCCESS: The lover of another Iscariot hacienda of a mestiza woman that he is attempting hunter just got a new job as a maid in the to woo. He rides off without guardsmen, leaving Governor-General’s estate and she can give you him vulnerable to attack. the keys to a room of your choice.

Potential Complications Potential Complications

• PARTIAL SUCCESS: Negotiations with an ally do • PARTIAL SUCCESS: You have a way in but you not go well—there is an undesirable quirk to the have no reliable way out—you belatedly discover ally you have chosen to assist you—there are far that some of the crucial passages are flooded moreSample guards than usual in the entourage. through. file • CRITICAL FAILURE: The Governor-General has • CRITICAL FAILURE: The restless spirits of prisoners been warned of your ambush and the crew only who died in Fort Santiago are attracted to the discover this when they’re already in the field. hunters the moment they enter the tunnels. They demand justice. 35 Infiltration Social

Beyond uncovering the fact that the Governor-General Don Felipe Crisostomo is holding a party on his is possessed by a Prince of Hell, Iscariot spies have private barge in honor of the Governor-General, and— also determined that Reverend Felipe Corpuz—the perhaps spurred on by his demonic master—De Los current parish priest of the San Agustin Cathedral—was Rios is expected to attend that night. Crisostomo is a the infernal agent who allowed it to happen. Another self-professed magician, and his gatherings are known cell of hunters will be busy with Corpuz in another to have fortune telling, divinations, seances, exorcisms, location. The Order wants your cell to infiltrate and similar rituals (only some of them are real). It the Cathedral and find the hellish relic that keeps may be possible to disguise yourselves as occultists, Beelzebub inhabiting in Governor-General’s body. find a way to get close to the Governor-General, and expel Beelzebub in an environment where most of the civilians in the area are used to magical fireworks. Allies Available

• SISTER MODESTA DELA CRUZ, nun. A dreamseer Allies Available that the Order of Iscariots occasionally calls upon for aid. The echo realm and dreamscape around • RAQUEL ASTERIO, diwata. A fairy lady of starlight the San Agustin Cathedral are familiar places to and beauty who likes to parade among humans her. (Contemplative, Zealous, Learned) whenever she is bored. She’ll be attending the • Andrea Centeno, hunter. The Iscariot who party, and has quite the thing for Iscariots. will be leading the cell that’s going to go after (Bewitching, Arcane, Capricious) Felipe Corpuz. A candidate for leadership of the • INIGO CASTELO, sailor. The captain of Don Iscariots cohort in Batangas, her home province. Crisostomo’s private barge. He despises his boss (Competent, Brave, Loyal) with a burning passion due to how he mistreats his household, and is sympathetic to the Katipunan. Gather Information (Embittered, Gruff, Competent)

• PARTIAL SUCCESS: You are able to uncover some Gather Information of the traps that Corpuz laid within the catacombs and other locations in the Cathedral grounds—you • PARTIAL SUCCESS: you have access to the catering locate a viable entry and escape points in the area. service that Don Crisostomo favors—you know • CRITICAL SUCCESS: Something extra that you the general profile of his servants and how best to would not have uncovered until you were facing disguise yourselves. the relic: the nature of its magical traps and locks. • CRITICAL SUCCESS: some bodyguards that were meant to accompany the Governor-General are ill, and they are scrambling for replacements. Potential Complications

• PARTIAL SUCCESS: A six-segment clock or less Potential Complications reflecting time pressure as Centeno’s cell fails to contain Corpuz. • PARTIAL SUCCESS: a desperate cadre of scoundrels • CRITICAL FAILURE: Another agent of Hell has crash the party which complicates the situation. caught wind of your plans for the Cathedral and • CRITICAL FAILURE: Beelzebub is planning to movesSample to intercept you. reveal his full glory duringfile the party, which will definitely result in civilian casualties.

36 Preparation & CONCLUSION

Engagement We’ve provided some read-aloud endings for three of the possible conclusion. Use them as you wish for Each character gets two downtime actions to prepare your adventure or use them as inspiration for your own for the score. In terms of game time, assume that two ending to tie up any loose ends. weeks covers this entire period. Play out individual scenes according to the table’s SUCCESS: The Governor-General is alive, and the preferences or go fully out-of-character for your Demon Prince has been banished. planning and strategy in order to leap right into the action of the engagement. On the night of the aftermath, you all dream of a garden At the GM’s discretion, the engagement roll for aureoled in light so brilliant that it was impossible to make the score can get an extra +1d. This reflects the direct out the full forms and faces of the figures you encountered aid that Bustamante provided the hunters, given that there, yet the entire place was filled with a profound sense she gave them Coin and the initial spread of possible of peace. The Señora calls for you a week after. She is all approaches. smiles when your cell arrives—and so is the Governor- General, a little worse for wear, but fully human. “I wanted to thank you personally,” he tells your cell, after formalities are exchanged, “And discuss the future.”

Suggestions for PARTIAL SUCCESS: The Demon Prince has been the Score banished, but the Governor-General did not survive.

• Do not hesitate to portray Beelzebub and Seasoned Iscariots as you are, you will never forget the the possession of the Governor-General in smell and heat of the flames that engulfed the room in that frightening, vile fashions. However, make last fatal moment before Beelzebub disappeared, nor will sure any actions and situations are within the you fast forget the howling that swept over the area. The boundaries that your table discussed during safety embers remain, dancing about in the darkness, surrounding tools and consent. the Governor-General’s broken form.

• Encourage your players to go in hard. Modules are the best way to get a taste of a system. This FAILURE: The Demon Prince has been unleashed. being a one-shot also means that they don’t have to worry about character harm or death—unless, of It has been a week since the purge began. Day by day, more course, that is a player’s line. of your own disappear. At times, you have been lucky to find only the eerie emptiness left in the wake of vanished • Initiate the effects of Devil’s Bargains immediately. Iscariots and friends to the Order. Most times, you come This score is a self-contained adventure, so long- to rooms drowning in blood and fragments of your old haul consequences won’t have much meaning. If comrades. He is on the hunt now, enraged by the attempt your players want to risk everything with their that you made on his life. huntersSample to accomplish the goal, match their fervor. file

37 Continuing the Adventure After Success After Failure

If the Iscariots managed to exorcise Beelzebub and save If Beelzebub won the night, the Demon Prince razes the Governor-General, consider that the Governor- the Iscariots to the ground. First he goes after all of the General is aware of other high-ranking Spaniards who allies the Iscariots tapped for their score, then he seeks are in cahoots with Hell, or have been possessed by other hunters out. The situation is bleak and terrible, other Demon Princes. Those could make for additional but not impossible. interesting missions. What difficult missions can the cell engage in now to stop the Demon Prince once and for all? After Partial Success

If Beelzebub is banished but the Governor-General doesn’t survive, consider how messy (or clean) the incident turned out and how the public reacts. Oceans and other countries separate Spain from the Philippines, and at this point in history, the Spanish Crown is struggling to keep its hold over its colonies. As such, someone from the islands will succeed as acting Governor-General. Are they innocent, corrupt, or possessed?

AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AUTHOR BIO I’d like to dedicate this adventure to my partner Sin, Pam Punzalan is a game designer, writer, editor, our cat Mallow, my firstBlades in the Dark GM Erich, sensitivity & cultural consultant, and community Hidetaka Miyazaki for making a game whose aesthetic organizer from the Philippines (Sundo: We, Once I 100% love even if I’m ass at playing it, and all those Mortal, Navathem’s End, Spire, The Islands of Sina quirky Jesuit teachers I had during my university years. Una, D&D 5E: Ancestry & Culture Zine). Her games are explorations on the fringe, reclamations of topics and themes that are often barred to her and her own, adaptations of popular tropes and archetypes, and a good mix of sweetness and light that dances on the Sampledarker edges of human experiences. file

38 Appendix A Factions

Beelzebub, Demon Prince The Katipunan (TIER III) of Hell (TIER IV) The brave revolutionaries who organized themselves under ilustrado leadership and are now a formidable One of Satan’s top lieutenants, a veritable lord of flies, force challenging the Spanish Crown on Philippine waste, corruption, and decay. Whenever he possesses a soil. Many of their members revere the Virgin Mary in mortal vessel, they gain power over swarms of insects a fashion that borders on religious fervor. The top brass and vermin. Beelzebub hopes to drag the Philippines of the Katipunan are unaware of the fact that the Order into squalor and profane the faithful of the Philippines. has populated chapters of the revolutionary front with Note that Beelzebub already counts as Tier IV, as hunters. though he were an entire army all on his own. This applies even while he is bound to his current vessel. The Order of Iscariot (TIER III) The Guardia Civil (TIER III) The Iscariot Chapter in the Philippines who trace The guardsmen and law enforcers who keep the their roots back to the Jesuit Brotherhood. Their peace in any Spanish-controlled area of the country. practices are often syncretic with local cosmologies An uncomfortable mix of bullish Spaniards, apathetic and shamanic traditions, making Filipino hunters stand mercenaries, and desperate Filipinos who were in it out against their often overly-zealous and pedantic for the Coin. They come running whenever there’s counterparts from other countries. trouble, and go down especially hard on anyone with connections to the Katipunan.

Sample file

39 Appendix B The Katipunan, Christianity, and Religious Syncretism

Something that isn’t widely discussed outside of like their own gods and spirits. Generally, local Filipino Philippine academic circles is how the leaders of worship is, for the lack of better terms, reverent and the Katipunan used Christian symbolism and native transactional. These beings are not of your world, play traditions to radicalize their subordinates. This is by their own rules, and will almost always get the best of discussed at length in the book Pasyon & Revolution, by you. As such, it’s important to give them due respect, Reynaldo C. Ileto. Essentially, the story of the Passion negotiate well, and supplicate them with worship and of Christ was used to mirror the struggle for freedom, favors in the hopes that they will let you share in their thus imbuing rebellion against the Spanish with holy power. Ultimately, though, if you meet a spirit, god, or purpose. The specific form that the Passion of Christ monster that has zero interest in dealing with you—or takes for Filipinos at the time was The Pasyon, which is wants nothing more than to eat you—best stay away the Filipino epic poem retelling of the tale. because there’s no defeating it, especially if it has an On a wider scale, religious syncretism with respect extensive family of its own. to the Philippine archipelago and Christianity may be How do these blend together? rooted in a precolonial trend. Archaeologists theorize Imagine Katipuneros preparing for a raid against the islands’ resources were abundant, more than able to some Spanish guardia civil, dressed in armor that is provide for the needs of precolonial Filipinos. As such, entirely made from agimat—native trinkets believed when Filipinos struck out past their mandalas, they to ward off both mundane bullets and spiritual did so in search of foreign resources that would enrich possession. Consider Katipunero leaders catching wind them in the eyes of their constituents. This happened of iron nails from the cross of Christ being discovered to include gods. Based on this, some academics believe on a galleon shipment. The Philippine Chapter of that initially, many Filipinos viewed the Holy Trinity Iscariots may not, in general, be so quick to label the as a new and intriguing pantheon—one that they could supernatural creatures endemic to the archipelago integrate, at their leisure, with their own beliefs. as “evil.” They know that demons are different, and Thus, they engaged in Christian rituals and more gods beyond the so-called One True God exist. traditions in much the same way that they did with Furthermore, the “natives” of the Philippines’ world of their own belief systems, and treated Christian entities darkness may want those foreign devils gone.

Sample file

40 Bad Luck Fortune BY DORYEN CHIN EDITED BY ALDA YUAN CANTONESE PRONUNCIATIONS & TONES Many of the words, names, and places featured in this adventure This scenario is compatible with 5e & d20 systems, utilize Jyutping romanization devised by the Linguistic Society optimized for 1-4 level 1 characters. of Hong Kong. Each phonetic pronunciation is accompanied with a superscript denoting one of six tonal contours found in GAMEPLAY TIME Cantonese. Like Mandarin, tonal pitches are important to denote 4-6 hours specific characters and words. The tonal pitches are described CONTENT WARNINGS below. You can learn more about Jyutping at general horror, gang violence, dead parents & family http://www.jyutping.org. members, supernatural aging, loss of bodily autonomy, 1 “Upper Level” - High-level pitch kidnapping & imprisonment, drowning, orphanages, 2 “Upper Rising” - Lower-middle level rising to high level cemeteries, funerals, alcohol, gambling, firearms, 3 “Upper Departing” - Middle-level pitch knives, hatchets & axes 4 “Lower Level” - Lower-middle level falling into a lower pitch 5 “Lower Rising” - Lower-middle level rising to middle-level pitch 6 “Lower Departing” - Lower-middle level pitch This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental. SYNOPSIS ADVENTURE BACKGROUND

Chinatown, San Francisco. The year is 1976. The family was shocked by the death of their patriarch, Taking over the family business in the wake of King, at the start of the new year. The disgraced former their father’s death, the adult siblings of the King Ho detective was found unresponsive during a walk after Family Detective Agency [hou4] 豪 become their own dinner; police said no signs of foul play were found. first clients when their fortune-seeking younger brother Devastated, Mary Ho and her children temporarily Johnny Ho goes missing. closed the agency to honor his memory. They planned In order to obtain crucial info about Johnny’s to open again on April 4th in honor of the annual whereabouts, they must resolve a growing feud between Qingming Festival, a.k.a. Tomb-Sweeping Day. two warring Chinatown youth gangs: the Ba Ching Boys [baa2 cing1] 把青 and the Wo Sung Gang [wo1 seon2] 萵筍. Only with their help can the siblings defeat Hollywood Ho! the dark force that holds their brother captive. Instead of working in the family business, Johnny Ho mopped floors for acting lessons and Kung Fu training. ADVENTURE HOOK Johnny was first in line when a Hong Kong film producer named Ji Xiaolan [gei2 hiu2 laam4] 紀曉嵐 During an interview with a nosy reporter covering the came to Chinatown looking for talent. He convinced grand re-opening of the King Ho Family Detective the eccentric fat cat to make him the star of his first Agency, the Ho family learns that their youngest sibling American action film, but not all is as it seems. Johnny—an up-and-coming Kung Fu action star—has gone Samplemissing. file COLD EYES, COLD HEART Behind Ji Xiaolan’s expensive sunglasses, cold eyes covet the world with a bottomless lust. No-one knows how old he truly is, where he comes from, or that he is an ancient and immortal geung-si [goeng1 si1] 殭屍, a vampire that feeds on youth and beauty. When Johnny refused to help seduce other victims, the cruel master drained Johnny of his youth and now keeps him imprisoned for amusement.

41 CHARACTER CREATION

• This adventure is designed to be played without the use of Classes or Races. • Characters should be related and be between 21 and 30 years old.

Names Skills

For characters and NPCs, use the Character Names table Player characters select skills to be trained in (mark an for common 1950s Chinese-American Names. “A” beside for advantage next to the skill bonus) by taking deficiencies (mark a “D” beside for disadvantage) in others. No minimum skill pair selections are required, Stat Generation but trained and deficient skills aids roleplaying and combat, and adds personality to the characters. • Roll 4d6 and drop lowest, or use the Standard Array: 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15. • The character’s Constitution (CON) number is also COMBAT the character’s health points (HP). • Armor class (AC) is a character’s Dexterity (DEX) Characters begin the adventure without any weapons, number + Constitution (CON) modifier. however, weapons can be gathered during the story. • Each character’s initiative in combat is a d20 roll + The use of improvised weapons is strongly encouraged. their Dexterity (DEX) modifier. Except when specified, fights between living characters and NPCs end when the first character or an NPC falls unconscious.

CHARACTER NAMES

d10 Family Name Masculine/Male Feminine/Female Gender Neutral

1 Lee James Mary Angel

2 Won g Michael Linda Avery

3 Cheng Robert Patricia Brett

4 Chu John Susan Casey

5 Fong William Jennifer Taylor

6 Wu/Woo David Barbara Alex

7 Chan Richard Karen Terry 8 SampleLau Thomas Nancy fileTracy 9 Yang Mark Donna Tony

10 Ng/Ung Charles Cynthia Ricky

42 CHAPTER 1 DIANA LEE JOHNNY NO-SHOW Human Spy A graduate of U.C. Berkeley’s prestigious school San Francisco, the night of April 3rd, 1976. of journalism, Diana is sharp as a tack, observant, As twilight creeps over San Francisco Bay, the and full of grit. However, she plays the vapid people in the streets of Chinatown turn up their socialite well. collars against the winds of Spring which have not yet forgotten Winter. Tomorrow, these humble citizens GOAL: To get an exclusive private interview with will honor the annual Qingming Festival [cing1 ming4] Johnny Ho. 清明, Tomb-Sweeping Day, a day when families come together to pay respects to their ancestors and loved FAMILY FACTS: With a successful DC 12 ones who have passed away. Intelligence (History) check, a character knows Tonight, however, your family prepares for a Diana’s brother, Ronnie Lee, is the leader of a local different sort of celebration: the grand-reopening of the youth gang, the Wo Sung Gang. King-Ho Family Detective Agency. SECRETS TABLOID TROUBLEMAKER Diana is secretly engaged, and she wears a gold bracelet with a single mandarin orange charm as a coded token of her betrothal. To promote the grand re-opening of the family business, Mary Ho invited local reporter Diana Lee [lei5] 李 (23, she/her, Human Spy) to interview the Ho siblings (the characters) about their work and their father’s legacy. However, Diana is only interested in digging up dirt DEVELOPMENT on their youngest brother, Johnny, the rising movie star. Once all of the characters have been interviewed, their 3 assistant Ben Ji [kei ] 冀 (17, he/him Human Commoner) Conducting the Interview barges in. The characters’ mother, Mary Ho, wishes to speak with all of them in the kitchen, alone. This group interview is designed to introduce the characters and help them get to know the world they • Make a note of which character enters the live in. Encourage the characters to improvise answers kitchen first. that weave together a narrative of their shared childhood. • Diana attempts to eavesdrop. Here are some example questions to get you started: • Characters may catch her eavesdropping with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. • What are your names? • Which of you is the oldest? • What drew you to becoming a private detective? • How did your father feel about Johnny not following in his footsteps like the rest of you? • What do you miss most about your father? DianaSample always reroutes the topic toward Johnny. file

43 CHAPTER 2 BEN JI KITCHEN CONCLAVE Human Commoner Ben is a straight-A student with dreams of You’re greeted by the clang and crash of pots and pans becoming a hustler. Three years ago, King Ho as your mother Mary tears the kitchen apart in search of caught Ben picking his pocket and was so charmed her emergency smokes. The cheap stovetop coffee maker by his ineptitude that he promised to teach him steams and gurgles, dangerously close to her path of how to do it properly. destruction. WHAT BEN KNOWS • Johnny came by the house two days ago The first character into the kitchen must succeed on looking for props for a photo shoot. a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to stop Mary from • When Ben visited Johnny’s apartment this knocking hot coffee everywhere. On a failed save, morning, the curtains were drawn and the Diana bursts in and takes a humiliating photo of the windows were closed. No one answered the family. door when he knocked. • When he checked again this evening, all the MARY HO lights were out. In public, Mary is the height of poise, dignity, and grace. In private, Mary is a tempest of moods and humors. Equally tender SECRETS and ruthless, warm and bleak, compassionate and hard, Mary’s On a successful DC 11 Wisdom (Insight) check, disposition may seem unpredictable and vexing, but she is a character believes Ben is hiding something. governed by love for her children. If he is pressed to tell the truth with a successful DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check, he admits he didn’t knock on Johnny’s door tonight because Where’s Johnny? he saw people loitering outside the building.

Calming herself, Mary apologizes for the scene and explains she is worried about Johnny. Concerned that something happened, Mary asks Ben about Johnny’s whereabouts. DEVELOPMENT

Mary asks the characters to find their brother Johnny and bring him home in time to hold the grand-reopening ceremony tonight. • The family would be humiliated if someone in the neighborhood found out Johnny is missing, so the fewer people that know he is missing, the better. • They have to try to sneak out of the house without beingSample seen by Diana. file

44 CHAPTER 3 With a successful DC 7 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check, a character notices that the JOHNNY’S PLACE bathroom floor, sink, towels, and shower are bone dry. Johnny, who is obsessive about hygiene and appearance, Who can trust a family detective agency whose agents hasn’t been here in at least 24 hours, perhaps longer. can’t even find one of their own? Hidden Objects JOHNNY’S APARTMENT Reveal these clues as the characters poke around the This claustrophobic tenement was once a luxurious apartment; no skill checks are required. hotel, but now languishes as crowded housing for CONTRACT. A signed nondisclosure agreement with students and low-income families. Thanks to spring Ji Xiaolan which swears Johnny to secrecy about The break, the building is fairly empty except for elderly Project, and promises a monthly “talent” rate of two- folk who rarely leave their homes and those too poor to thousand dollars. The contract is dated April 1st, 1976. depart for warmer climates. OLD LUNCH. Half-eaten carton of takeout with a receipt for Long Fong’s Noodles taped outside. The date reads April 2nd, 1976. Exterior TABLOID CLIPPING. A puff piece about Hong Kong producer Ji Xiaolan who has recently come to As the characters approach, they make the following Chinatown to scout locations for his first American observations: action picture. There is no date. An accompanying • A white curtain covers Johnny’s third-floor photo shows a middle-aged Chinese man in sunglasses, window (Number 309) and no light shines the skeletal arms of cargo cranes looming behind him. through it. CRUMPLED PHOTO. A crumpled photo of Johnny • Standing guard at the front doors is a cast-iron and another young man shopping in an upscale mall. A ashtray post in the shape of a horse hitch; its message scribbled on the back reads, “Don’t forget who receptacle is choked with old chewing gum and made you.” In place of a period, there is a doodle in the cigarette butts. shape of a leaf of lettuce. • A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a pile of recently-smoked cigarettes on the • With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (History) ground nearby. One still smolders, warm to the check, a character recognizes the other young man touch. as Steven Wong [wong4] 王 (he/him, Human Scout), a member of the Ba Ching Boys. • A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check Number 309 reveals the Wo Sung Gang uses the lettuce leaf as their calling card. The hallways on each floor are identical. All are dimly lit, grungy, and reek of mildew. BAD LUCK FORTUNE. A handwritten note that The front door to Johnny’s apartment opens onto reads “lucky fortune,” followed by what appears to be a single room with a kitchen and a living area. A twin a succession of lottery numbers. A successful DC 12 mattress sits on the floor beside a coffee table built from Intelligence check reveals the note uses a code taught a sheet of plywood laid across two empty plastic milk to the characters by their late father. crates. ASample Bruce Lee poster watches over the space, taped to file the inside of the sliding glass door.

45 CHAPTER 4 Lucky Fortune

March 18 BA CHING BEATDOWN 12-15-23 Dragon Boy Tang [tong4] 唐 (he/him, Human 21-22-22-23-8 Bandit ), the leader of the Ba Ching Boys, has a bone to 12-13 2-12-6-13-20 Captain pick with Johnny. March 27 They’ve been keeping an eye on his place, waiting 21-22-26-9 12-21 for him to come home so that they can teach him a lesson 4-26-7-22-9 about associating with the Wo Sung Gang. April 2 Once the characters have discovered all the necessary 14-6-8-7 21-18-13-23 clues, read or paraphrase the following: 8-7-22-5-22-13

As you’re wrapping up your investigation, there is a sudden rapping on Johnny’s front door. The hallway light shining HINT 1: The numbers correspond to letters of the alphabet. through the peephole goes dark. • Reveal 1: LOW UVVWH LM BLFMT. UVZI LU DZGVI. NFHG URMW HGVEVM. Unless the characters open the door, four Ba Ching HINT 2: The message is scrambled using an Atbash cipher. Boys (unarmed Human Bandits) use the heavy horse • Reveal 2: OLD FEEDS ON YOUNG. FEAR OF head ashtray to ram down the door. WATER. MUST FIND STEVEN. Roll Initiative! DEVELOPMENT COMBAT

After searching Johnny’s apartment, the characters know Believing the characters are Wo Sung members escorting the following: Johnny home, the Ba Ching Boys have come to send them a message that their disrespect is not tolerated. • Johnny hasn’t been home in two days. As soon as the first combatant goes down, read or • Johnny has been hired to work as “talent” for Ji paraphrase the following: Xiaolan. • Johnny owes a debt to the Wo Sung Gang. • Johnny has been spotted fraternizing with a Ba The melee halts when a deep voice calls out from the fong3 sung1 放鬆 Ching Boy, Steven Wong. hallway, “Fàng sōng! [ ] That’s enough!” The Ba Ching back down immediately, as a man • Johnny is (or was) looking for Steven Wong. in a red suit with a jade green tie steps into view. You recognize Dragon Boy Tang, the leader of the Ba Ching Boys, and he recognizes you.

Dragon Boy Tang apologies for the misunderstanding and orders his subordinates to provide medical attention to any character who needs it. Unconscious characters Samplerecover 2d4+2 hit points. file

46 DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 5

In exchange for getting Steven back from the Wo Sung, Dragon Boy offers to joins the search for Johnny. WO SUNG MARKET If the characters agree, he tells them to seek out Ronnie Lee, the leader of the Wo Sung Gang at the The market is a bustling international bazaar that serves Wo Sung International Market and ask Yee Lo [jyu4 lo4] the local immigrant community. Food from around 余羅 (he/him, Human Assassin) for “the special.” the world can be found in market stalls, carts, and small grocers. DRAGON BOY TANG Human Bandit Captain FISH COUNTER

Flashy, proud, and flamboyant,Edward Tang, The fish counter is fronted by a glass case filled with ice a.k.a. Dragon Boy, believes the Wo Sung Gang and fresh fish fillets and cuts. Large, stacked fish tanks kidnapped his beloved lieutenant, Steven Wong, house a variety of sea creatures behind the counter. and that Johnny might be involved with the The characters find a greasy man with slick hands kidnapping. cutting a humongous fish with a glistening cleaver. Yee Lo does not speak. WHAT DRAGON BOY KNOWS • Dragon Boy confirms the Ba Ching Boys have been attempting to recruit Johnny, but despite A Test of Patience the efforts of his most charming lieutenant, Steven Wong, he has rebuffed their invitations. If the characters ask for “the special,” Yee Lo • The leader of the Wo Sung Gang, Ronnie Lee, acknowledges with a nod and continues slicing fish for accused Steven of stealing a priceless jade bagua 1d4 real-world minutes. [baat3 gwaa3] 八卦 mirror that belonged to his • If the characters (and players) don’t interrupt his grandmother—an egregious claim. task and remain polite to Yee Lo, he wipes cleans • Following the accusation and a threat that dire up his station, washes his hands, and gestures for consequences would follow if the mirror was them to follow him upstairs, where Ronnie waits. not returned, Steven Wong went missing. • The characters may observe their surroundings, • Dragon Boy trusts Steven with his life and interact with each other or other patrons, make personally confirmed he did not steal the checks to learn more about the market and area, or mirror. choose to interrupt or bother Yee Lo. • If they interrupt or otherwise attempt to provoke a response beyond his initial acknowledgment of their request, Yee Lo assumes they would like to eat “the special.” Sample file

47 The Special RONNIE LEE Yee Lo reaches under the counter and pulls out a silver Human Bandit Captain tray of raw fish eyes the size of large marbles. Setting it down, he pops one of the eyes into his mouth Ronnie sees himself as a businessman and an and swallows it whole, then glares at the characters important community leader. expectantly. The platter holds one eye for each character present. WHAT RONNIE KNOWS Once the characters have consumed their eyes, he Regarding Johnny nods and resumes his task. If the characters interrupt him again, he assumes they would like more fish eyes and • Both gangs want Johnny to help them acts accordingly. When he finishes, he takes them to become “legitimate.” meet Ronnie. • A week ago, Johnny was spotted mingling If the characters do not eat their fish eyes, he stares at with a Ba Ching lieutenant, Steven Wong. them until they do or until they leave. • Ronnie’s father arranged Johnny’s meeting If the characters attempt to leave, four Wo Sung with Ji Xiaolan. • No one has seen Johnny for at least twenty- hatchetmen (Human thugs) wielding gold-plated hatchet stop them and escort them to Ronnie Lee upstairs. four hours.

Regarding Steven Wong RONNIE’S REQUEST • During the interaction with Johnny, Ronnie’s Dressed in a dark green suit with a red necktie, and lookouts discovered that Steven possessed cradling a lowball of scotch, the leader of the Wo Sung a Lee family heirloom, a jade bagua mirror which belonged to Ronnie and Diana’s Gang, Ronnie Lee (he/him, Human Bandit Captain), invites the characters to sit. grandmother. • Two days ago, Dragon Boy Tang publicly accused the Wo Sung of kidnapping Steven. DEVELOPMENT • Ronnie denies the Wo Sung have any involvement in Steven’s disappearance. Ronnie provides the address for the orphanage where • The Wo Sung spies were unable to discover they can find more information, but only assists with much about Steven’s background, except that the search for Johnny if they promise to recover his he was raised in a local orphanage and his grandmother’s mirror. only friends or family are the Ba Ching Boys Steven may be the only person who knows where gang. Johnny is, and the peace and safety of Chinatown may depend on finding him. Regarding the Orphanage

• Dàn Tóngzhì Orphanage [daan2 tung4 zi3] 蛋 同志 is located on Orchard Street. • It was founded by white missionaries, but is now run by a foundation owned by a Chinese family. • The employees won’t speak to the gang and Ronnie adamantly refuses to force the Sampleissue, but they might trustfile someone more “respectable.”

48 CHAPTER 6 DIANA TELL YA

Once Steven reveals himself to the characters, he DÀN TÓNGZHÌ encourages Diana to share everything she knows too to ORPHANAGE help find Johnny. • Two days ago, Johnny told Steven to go into Despite its origin as a boarding school for Christian hiding, warning him about impending danger. girls, today Dàn Tóngzhì Orphanage is a firmly secular • If Johnny’s warning was not about the gangs, it institution and performs its function with solemn duty. could only be about Johnny’s new boss, Ji Xiaolan. • Johnny told Steven that Ji Xiaolan was looking for fresh new talent, and wanted to meet him. As you turn onto Orchard Street, you lay eyes on an • Before seeking refuge at the orphanage, Steven imposing stone edifice with high gothic windows and asked Diana to keep an eye on Johnny, which is cathedral arches. The aged wooden sign over the entrance why she agreed to interview the Ho family. reads DÀN TÓNGZHÌ ORPHANAGE. A single window • Ji Xiaolan has a boat at the shipping docks, and is on the ground floor glows with warm electric light. seen elsewhere. • Diana jokes it’s convenient they’re going to a boat, APPROACHING THE because water destroys geung-si. ORPHANAGE DEVELOPMENT

The area around the orphanage is deserted. Cars, trees, Diana offers to drive the characters to the docks. If they and other buildings cast long shadows in the dim insist on speaking with Ronnie or Dragon Boy first, she greenish streetlight. Every exterior door and window urges them to gather more evidence. The car ride offers is locked, and can be picked with a successful DC 12 a chance for a short rest (all characters regain health to Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a failure, the full). character must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be discovered. STEVEN’S LOCATION

Hiding in a crawlspace between the first floor and the basement, Steven Wong hears everything inside the building and near the front doors. When Steven overhears Johnny Ho is missing, he reveals himself and demands to know everything. Sample file

49 STEVEN WONG DIANA LEE Human Scout Parked down the street in her silver Datsun 240Z with the engine off and lights dark, Diana watches WHAT STEVEN KNOWS the orphanage for suspicious activity. • Steven doesn’t know Johnny is missing until • Diana has a +3 Wisdom (Perception) bonus he overhears it from Madam Hung or from against any Dexterity (Stealth) checks made the characters at the orphanage. by characters approaching the building. • Two days ago, Johnny told Steven to go into • If she sees the characters, she confronts them hiding, but didn’t specify why. at gunpoint near the front doors and demands • If the Wo Sung found out that Johnny was to know why they came to the orphanage, helping Steven keep his relationship with what they know, and who told them. Diana a secret, that could explain everything. • Once she’s gotten all she can from them, she attempts to force them to leave. SECRETS • When Steven hears Diana confronting the • Instead of directly divulging his secret, he characters, he begs her to allow them inside. asks the characters if they are familiar with She reluctantly agrees. the legend of Fa Mulan, the legendary warrior who went to war to protect her SECRETS father’s honor. • Diana Lee, sister of Wo Sung leader Ronnie - Mulan’s secret is that she pretended to be a Lee, is engaged to none other than Steven man. His secret is that he is a man, through Wong, a lieutenant of the Ba Ching Boys. and through. • She knows all of Steven’s secrets, and protects • Steven and Johnny became friends when them. Johnny helped to protect Steven’s secret. This is why he didn’t question the reasons when Johnny told him to go into hiding.

WHAT STEVEN KNOWS ABOUT JI XIAOLAN • Ji Xiaolan is always seen with an old man MADAM HUNG dressed up like a geung-si, a fairy-tale Human Noble monster also known as a “Chinese hopping Burning the midnight oil, Madam Marigold vampire.” Hung [hung2] 孔 (40s, she/her) busies about the - With a successful DC 12 Intelligence front office, listening to a marriage advice talk (Arcana or History) check, characters show on a desktop radio while she goes through remember Johnny’s note said, “old feeds paperwork. on young.” • Geung-si hop because of rigor mortis, but • Madam Hung has a +6 Wisdom (Perception) when they feed on enough hei [hei3] 氣, bonus, and the uncanny ability to appear their joints loosen up and they can blend in anywhere inside the building within one with humans more easily, and have fewer round. vulnerabilities. SECRETS • She knows all of Steven’s secrets, and protects Samplethem. file

50 CHAPTER 7 Bridge

Paint peels from rusting consoles, glass gauges are OLD MAN AND THE SEA yellowed with age, a long-abandoned spider web in the corner catches dust. BARGE CARGO MANIFEST. On the floor is a clipboard with a cargo manifest. The most recent cargo is Ji Xiaolan’s Diana’s connection to the Wo Sung gets the characters furniture, his movie production equipment, and a through security at the docks. As the characters arrive, collection of priceless art. they’re met with an ominous peal of thunder. Looks like SAN FRANCISCO CHINESE TOURIST GUIDE. Under rain. the captain’s chair is a book with popular Chinese- American tourist locations in San Francisco. There are no markings or notes written on it, but the page that SHUǏMǓ should contain a map of historic Chinese cemeteries is torn out. A newspaper crossword puzzle falls out when According to Steven, Ji Xiaolan’s barge is moored at picked up. the old shipping docks, where the narrow wooden piers CROSSWORD CLUES. The puzzle contains a code are too rickety to accommodate the massive cranes used similar to the one in Johnny’s apartment. It says: by modern cargo ships. The area near the ship, Shuǐmǔ • The Note: TZMT EH. TZMT. DSVIV RH [seoi2 mou5] 水母, is deserted; nobody has the nerve to GLNY. DSVIV RH XIVD linger longer than necessary. • Decrypted: GANG VS. GANG. WHERE IS TOMB. WHERE IS CREW.

A silent hulk cuts a hole in the shadow of the night, a missing tooth among the brightly lit dockside ships. When you see Lower Decks its grotesque form against the inky sky, you feel its name rolling around in your skull. Shuǐmǔ. Your destination. The lower decks are a dank mess hall and claustrophobic crew quarters with no personal belongings. The doors SIGHTS, SOUNDS, AND SMELLS. This vessel is not alive, leading to the cargo deck are welded shut. yet it would be wrong to call it dead. The hull groans and flexes with the tide, exhaling a sharp reek of oxidizing steel and stagnant seawater with every low snore. SHIP SECRETS Only one living creature, The Old Man, is aboard the Shuǐmǔ. The Dock & Gangway CLUES Ask for a Wisdom (Perception) check every time the characters Halfway down the rickety, seaworn dock, a rope- enter a new part of the ship. Whisper the following clues to the character with the highest result. and-plank gangway leads from the dock to an access ▶ CHECK #1: Among the salt, seaweed, and metallic walkway, wide enough for a single person to walk. tang of rust, a musty whiff of decay catches your nose and then is gone. ▶ CHECK #2: From out of sight, you hear a faint Access Walkway whisper of labored, wheezing breath. ▶ CHECK 3: A shadowy figure lurks around random corners, but on further inspection, it’s nothing more At the top of the gangplank, an unlocked door and an than a trick of the light. open walkway lead to the rear of the ship. Through the door, signs point to the bridge FUN FACT upstairsSample with the crew quarters, mess, and engineering Shuǐmǔ is Chinese for “jellyfish,” filebut literally translates to “water below. The cargo deck and shipping containers are not demon,” which is a great name for a boat. However, Shuǐ Mù 2 6 水墓, which is not its name, means “water tomb.” accessible from the walkway. [seoi mou ] Don’t worry, though. I’m sure this won’t come up later.

51 CARGO DECK pasted to the tablet with wax.

There is now only one way to get access to the cargo • Characters recognize photos of Dragon Boy and deck, and it’s extremely dangerous. Ronnie Lee. • A Polaroid of Johnny, posing with a cigarette and Over the Bridge and winking at the camera. Down the Arm • Several more Polaroids of other youths which the characters recognize from town, taken in candid or Two loading arms arc over the deck of the bridge and less-flattering styles. the container claws hang fifteen feet above the tallest • Upon the scripts of paper, and on the back of every containers. photo, are complex inscriptions in Old Chinese.

• OPTION 1: REPOSITION THE LOADING ARMS. The - With a successful DC 17 Intelligence check, controls for the loading arms are inside the bridge, a character translates the writing; it mentions but starting the ship’s generator attracts attention. warring gangs and establishing a new “Temple” Activating the generator alerts the Port Warden to or perhaps “Church.” suspicious activity. - Ji Xiaolan intends to turn the youth gangs against one another, and crown himself as a new • OPTION 2: TEST YOUR REFLEXES. On a successful power in Chinatown. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, a character climbs down the arms and drops onto the deck. On a Under the rug below the altar is a hidden hole, wide failure, they fall and take 1d4 bludgeoning damage. enough for a single person.

Navigating the Containers Lower Container

Twelve containers are arranged five feet apart, stacked The lower container is filled with the desiccated bodies two high, and all have heavy, but unlocked, latches. of the crew, piled on top of dirt. The first six containers hold film production equipment: massive lights, generators, lumber, sandbags, • The soil is grave dirt. dolly tracks. • This container transported Ji Xiaolan’s tomb, but The next four containers contain expensive antique now serves as a grave for the ill-fated crew. furniture in Chinese and European styles. The final two containers, which contain a priceless art collection according to the cargo manifest in the bridge, are unusual. The doors on the bottom container are welded shut, but the doors on the top container are cracked open.

Upper Container

The funk of old incense and moldy earth permeates the container; the floor is covered in clumps of dirt. At the back, a stone altar is shrouded in shadow. Stalks ofSample incense and bone-white candles crowd a carved file tablet. Several photos and scraps of paper have been

52 THE OLD MAN THE OLD MAN Elderly Human Noble Once the characters discover the grave dirt, they spot The Old Man watching them. APPEARANCE A shadow like a man lurches from the darkness, He attempts to scare them off the boat, but if they chase arms outstretched, eyes wide. him, he stumbles and falls overboard, disappearing in the • Dressed in a traditional black silk hat and water. burial robes from the Qing Dynasty [cing1] 清. • After he falls into the water, bits of disintegrating skin • Long black claws at the end of wrinkled, and flesh bubble to the surface, along with the burial crooked fingers. hat and a rotten finger. • Withered, sallow green skin clings to its skull, • Characters who jump into the water roll a DC 12 sunken and bony. Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they take • Lips and jaw clenched tight with rigor- 1d10 cold damage and gain 1 level of exhaustion. On mortis. a successful save, the damage is reduced by half and they don’t gain a level of exhaustion. SECRETS - The Dock Warden arrives to rescue any characters The old man is actually Johnny. Ji Xiaolan, the in the water, but the old man is gone. true geung-si, drained him of his youth and left him a husk. Additionally, Ji Xiaolan applied geung-si makeup to make Johnny look the part. DEVELOPMENT He has been bound about the ankles and mouth with glue and bandages so he must moan and hop If Diana and Steven didn’t join before, they reconsider, like the “real thing.” and swerve onto the scene in Diana’s car in time to save the characters from dock security scrutiny.

Sample file

53 CHAPTER 8 STACKING THE DECK

Diana encourages the characters to come up with a HILL STREET CLUES strategy for deescalating. Depending on the approach, the standoff resolution significantly helps or hinders the On the way back to Chinatown, Diana careens the party’s chances of getting Johnny back alive. Datsun and its terrified occupants down the rainy streets of San Francisco. Wo Sung Gang Objective: Return The Jade Bagua Mirror SOCRATIC GAME MASTERING Ronnie believes Steven stole the priceless heirloom Diana asks specific questions so they fully process what during a New Year’s party. He does not know Diana they encountered on the boat. gifted Steven the mirror when she proposed that night.

• Who do they think the old man was? • Steven possesses the mirror. • Do they believe Ji Xiaolan is a geung-si? • Unless the characters suggest it first, Diana offers to • What was the purpose of the photos on the altar? hold onto it to convince her brother the mirror was not stolen. BEN JI BEEN RUNNING Ba Ching Boys Objective: Caught in the headlights as Diana power-slides around Return Steven Wong a corner, Ben Ji dives and avoids being smeared across the asphalt. Diana screeches to a stop as Ben runs up to Dragon Boy believes the Wo Sung have kidnapped the window. Steven and the four missing Ba Ching members.

• Dragon Boy needs proof Steven wasn’t kidnapped While You Were Out and an explanation for his disappearance. • Steven reveals to Dragon Boy that Johnny told Ben Ji explains that their mother ordered him to figure him to go into hiding and warned him not to tell out why they haven’t returned yet. Along the way, he anyone. found out that four Ba Ching Boys are missing, and they’re blaming the Wo Sung gang. Now they are all gathered in the gardens with guns. DEVELOPMENT

Ben Ji runs home to fill Mary in and the characters continue to the gardens to stem the tide of war. Sample file

54 CHAPTER 9 THE FINAL CHOICE

GARDEN GANG-UP The characters need the aid of both gangs to save Johnny and stop Ji Xiaolan. However, the NPCs are split on a If the players want help to defeat Ji Xiaolan and rescue plan of action. Johnny, they must convince both gangs their conflict • Dragon Boy asks for Steven to join him to confront isn’t with each other. Suggest players think of a detective’s Ji Xiaolan and take him by surprise. climactic reveal moment. • Ronnie Lee demands Diana return home with him and help the Wo Sung come up with a secret plan. When you arrive, you find two armies in a standoff as their leaders circle one another, trading taunts. The Ba Ching A mutual enemy is not enough to heal the division Boys in red and green, the Wo Sung Gang in green and red. between the gangs. Only mutual hope can do that. Through the rain and trees, you catch the glint of polished The characters can ask Diana and Steven to make a gunmetal and golden hatchets. choice: reveal their love and risk exile, or protect their secret relationship and leave the gangs to their doom. The ancient geung-si Ji Xiaolan feeds on the tension Neither choice guarantees success, safety, or death, but between the two gangs, and such a strong flow of hei their decision dramatically shapes the outcome. has profound effects on their world. As his power grows, • If the characters support keeping the secret, only so does the fury of the thunderstorm. With every step the impulsive Ba Ching Boys accompany the of progress the characters make in de-escalating the characters to the cemetery. conflict, the storm weakens. • If the characters wager on love and hope, Diana and Steven must both succeed on a DC 12 Charisma SAVING FACE, (Persuasion) check against the leader of their KEEPING SECRETS associated gang.

To de-escalate the situation, the characters need to DEVELOPMENT carefully reveal their findings and direct the blame on its true source: Ji Xiaolan. If neither leader agrees to join the confrontation and • As long as the characters don’t reveal any of their hopefully rescue Johnny, Diana drives the characters to secrets, Steven and Diana corroborate the party’s the Old Chinese Cemetery. findings. Regardless of the decision the gangs make, Diana • Ji Xiaolan is likely performing a ritual at the Old and Steven join the characters for the looming fight. Chinese Cemetery tonight, and Johnny’s life may be at stake.

GEUNG-SI LORE FIGHTING A GEUNG-SI By talking to the gang members, the characters collect the following ▶ Normal weapons hurt them half as much as gold weapons beliefs and superstitions about geung-si. ▶ Weapons made of coins (such as swords or knives) are twice as effective as gold weapons. DEFENSES AGAINST GEUNG-SI ▶ Throwing individual coins probably wouldn’t work, but a sock full of coins might. ▶ Holding one’s breath may temporarily prevent a geung-si ▶ If it sees its reflection in a Bagua mirror, it is unable to move from feeding on their hei. ▶ Flowing bodies of water (rivers, sea currents) cause pain and ▶ The heavenly ring of handbells, like those used in prayer, may disintegration. drive away a geung-si for a while. ▶ To kill a powerful geung-si like Ji Xiaolan, a funeral ceremony Samplemust be performed, and the bodyfile must be sealed with a Jiukujing [gau3 fu2 ging1] 救苦經 talisman of Joss paper affixed to its forehead with blood. ▶ Destroying it by other means only stops it temporarily, and it regains its powerful form.

55 CHAPTER 10 Creek and Ponds

TOMB-SWEEPING NIGHT Flowing through the cemetery, and diverted by artificial waterways, a natural creek flows down a slight grade The Old Chinese Cemetery is forty minutes south of from the south, takes a wide berth around the main hill, San Francisco by BART train. and filters into municipal drainage on the north. The characters can use that time to come up with a plan of attack and ask their new allies for ideas. The Old Stones • If both gangs show up, play up the awkward atmosphere during the long ride. The hillside after the cemetery gates is home to some • If neither of the gang shows, the characters find of the oldest, most impressive monuments in the Old the Ba Ching Boys already waiting for them at the Chinese Cemetery. train station near the Old Chinese Cemetery. These cumbersome, extremely heavy monuments are notoriously unstable, liable to crush visitors who lean APPROACHING THE CEMETERY against them from below.

The walk from the bus station to the cemetery is short, The Mausoleum but the path from the sidewalk to the gates winds and curves, obscured by trees. A dense mist rolls across This marble edifice is nearly as old as the cemetery itself. the ground, flowing from the cemetery and down the Only the wealthiest have plots here. cobblestone lane. The wrought iron gates are open, the When the characters first notice the mausoleum, a lock mangled as if pulled apart by great force. bolt of lightning strikes a copper rod on the roof, as if in warning. The open doors of the mausoleum flap and clang in Fallen Guards the wind of the storm.

The bodies of two security guards are in a crumpled heap hidden behind a row of hedges. Their heads are twisted backwards. Closed Casket, Open Grave Characters who search the bodies find two flashlights, chewing gum, the guards’ sidearms (cheap pistols). Each Positioned in front of an open grave is an elegant memorial guard also has 10 rounds of ammunition. wreath with white flowers and a large photo of Johnny Ho. He gazes at the camera with rakish charm, smirking through an unlit cigarette. At the bottom of the grave lies a single AREAS OF THE CEMETERY glossy black casket.

Built on a large hill, there is no vantage point where the entire cemetery is in view. The casket has a split lid which opens to reveal either half of the decedent. Only a character who has hopped into the grave can unlatch the lid. The casket is empty. Paths

The main path, wide enough for hearses and limousines, circles theSample cemetery and snakes to the large mausoleum file on the main hill.

56 JI XIAOLAN DEAD MAN’S PARTY Geung-si sorcerer When the characters open the casket (or if they ignore Thanks to Johnny’s defiance, Ji Xiaolan has not the casket, when they proceed to the mausoleum), the fed as well as he would like, leaving him weak domineering, patronizing voice of Ji Xiaolan booms and vulnerable. As such, he relies on theatrics down to the characters from the sky above. and spectacle to cow his foes into despair and submission. Ji Xiaolan doesn’t actively participate in the “Looking for someone?” he asks. The form of Ji Xiaolan fight, focusing instead on overseeing from above, becomes visible, hovering over the stone roof of the taunting, and monologuing. mausoleum, arms wide in welcome. “I was beginning to worry you would not make it. I have prepared such a wonderful surprise for all of you brave, young, beautiful • Ji Xiaolan expected the gangs to go to war children. I believe a little reunion is in order!” and leave the characters defenseless. • He calls on all of his hei zombies, even those not yet strong enough to fight. With a snap of his fingers, the earth begins to tremble under foot as several hands burst out of the damp earth: a zombie army. The characters recognize faces from the ARMOR CLASS 12 community, people who disappeared with little notice HIT POINTS 22 (5d8) or fanfare. At the front of the twitching army are the SPEED 30 ft. four missing Ba Ching Boys. Dragon Boy Tang asks the party to focus on Ji STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Xiaolan while he and the others handle the zombies. He 13 6 16 3 6 5 feels immense guilt and responsibility for the dead, and (+1) (-2) (+3) (-4) (-2) (-3) believes that it is his destiny to lay them to rest. Roll Initiative!

ACTIONS FLY (1/DAY). Ji Xiaolan gains a flying speed of Running This Encounter 30 ft. for the duration. Requires Concentration. MULTIATTACK. Ji Xiaolan makes one unarmed This boss fight covers multiple scenes, and progress is strike and can use his Hei Drain. Requires always triggered by the characters’ choices and actions. Concentration. UNARMED STRIKE. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to FLIGHT OR FIGHT hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4-2 bludgeoning Ji Xiaolan hovers over the mausoleum roof. His flight damage. ability requires concentration, and cannot be reactivated HEI DRAIN (RECHARGE 5-6). Melee Spell Attack: once lost until he completes a long rest. +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) When he fails a Concentration check, he drops from necrotic damage. the sky and attacks the character that caused his break in The target must succeed on a DC 12 concentration. Constitution saving throw or the HP maximum On the ground, he continues to goad the party but is reduced by an amount equal to half the damage now also fights with his claws and Hei Drain ability. taken; Ji Xiaolan regains hit points equal to the If they didn’t arrive with the characters on the train, reduction. The HP maximum reduction lasts until the entire Wo Sung Gang emerges from the mist and after the target finishes a long rest. rain, golden hatchets in hand, to fight alongside the Ba SampleChing Boys. file

57 Return of the King? THE LAIR OF JI XIAOLAN This event occurs when either the possessed body drops Ji Xiaolan, seeing he’s made a huge miscalculation, flees to zero HP or only one character remains standing. for his mausoleum lair.

Accessing the Lair A voice—deep, calm, and authoritative—resonates through the tunnels. A voice you remember. A fatherly voice. It says, Inside the mausoleum, a stairwell reveals an underground “It’s over, Xiaolan. You will hurt my family no more.” It’s crypt. At the back of the crypt, a hidden door leads to a coming from a nearby chamber. At the sound of this voice, network of underground tunnels where Ji Xiaolan has Ji Xiaolan’s spirit returns to its body, leaps up, and attempts been building a new lair. to flee. But the voice pipes up once more and says, “Bring him to me.”

More Like Maze-Oleum Upon hearing the voice, any unconscious characters awaken with 1 HP. When they follow the voice, the Yet incomplete, the lair is dark, cold, and nigh impossible party finds themselves in a wide chamber filled with to navigate. The walls are mostly rough earth, and the caskets dislodged by Ji Xiaolan’s reckless tunneling. tunnels are riddled with dead ends and false turns. Instead of guiding the characters through a complex map, the characters strike into the darkness at their Standing under a stone arch at the head of the room stands DC 12 Wisdom (Survival fleeing foe. A successful or is an old man in dripping wet clothes who looks remarkably Perception) check counts as a successful attack against like King Ho, but has your mother’s eyes. Ji Xiaolan. On every failed check, he makes an unarmed strike as a reaction. The fight ends when he reaches zero hit points. He Johnny (and a shivering and terrified Ben Ji) arrive just is not destroyed and is immune to falling unconscious. in time to finish Ji Xiaolan. Instead, he becomes extremely weak and is unable to make any attacks or cast spells. • Johnny reveals Ji Xiaolan stole his youth as punishment for refusing to help him. • When Johnny fell overboard as the Old Man, the One Last Trick saltwater dissolved the makeup and loosened the glue on his bindings, allowing him to swim. Sensing his demise, Ji Xiaolan attempts to transfer • He encountered Ben Ji on the way to the cemetery, his spirit to any conscious character within 30 feet. and asked him to bring all the Qingming ceremony Characters make a Charisma saving throw; the lowest supplies from the house. result is the target of the possession. The body of Ji • They must perform a funeral ceremony for Ji Xiaolan goes limp, and the character is incapacitated and Xiaolan to destroy the geung-si he has become. loses control of its body. Note: a loss of bodily autonomy for a player character A character currently grappling Ji Xiaolan must make a may be a Line or X with your group even if not addressed DC 10 Strength saving throw or lose control of him. beforehand; bodily possession can be extended to present If he breaks free or attempts to run, all characters NPCs or otherwise modified to work with your table. may use their reaction to initiate a grapple. Ji Xiaolan • At the time of possession, the character regains all should not be allowed to get away; the character with lost hit points and their HP maximum is restored. the highest result (regardless of the number of the result) • Ji Xiaolan controls the character’s movements and gains an unbreakable grapple on Ji Xiaolan until the end canSample talk, but the character maintains awareness and of the ceremony. file can also speak. Whenever Ji Xiaolan is not speaking, the character may speak. • The character attacks its allies as Ji Xiaolan taunts them. 58 Last Rites, Second Chances CONTINUING THE Initiating the funeral ceremony with incense and candles, Johnny asks each character to tell an honorable ADVENTURE lie about Ji Xiaolan, in the hopes of convincing heaven to allow him in. As rumors spread about their run-in with a geung- The more ironic the lie, the more Ji Xiaolan is si, a trickle of clients with a variety of strange and insulted by the poignancy, and even better if they unbelievable cases darken their doorstep. Every once in describe the traits they miss most in their father. a while, the skeletons in the closet are real, and on rare If Diana and Steven are present, they participate as occasions, they refuse to lie still. well. Once every character has taken a turn, Johnny bites his finger to draw blood, and uses it to apply a Jiukujing paper to its forehead. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Johnny says: “Rest in peace, asshole.” This adventure is dedicated to the memory of Sandra Ji Xiaolan screams a curse on the characters and then Mingua, beloved mother and beacon in the dark. explodes into a cloud of corpse dust. PLAYTESTERS: Matt Klein, Doug Riechel, Drew W. SPECIAL THANKS TO: My godfather, George Kee Cheung; Filmmaker Wayne Wang, an inspiration; My ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS dear friends and mentors, Ashley Warren & Mike Shea.

The characters emerge from the mausoleum as the last AUTHOR BIO of the hei zombies fall. The boys of the gangs, so mud- Doryen Chin (She/They) is a mixed-race transgender soaked and bloody that they all now wear the same color, writer of horror narratives featuring haunted childhoods, stand together, embrace, and weep with their heads on cursed families, and spaceships that love you back. shoulders as brothers.

Sample file

59 This scenario is optimized for d20 systems, including WRITTEN BY RAJIB KALITA modern d20 systems. EDITED BY STEVE HUYNH

CONTENT NOTE GAMEPLAY TIME This adventure aims to reflect the harsh realities of 4-6 hours caste based oppression that exist to this day. It is not possible to “solve” a deep-rooted systemic problem such CONTENT WARNINGS as this in six hours. As such, even the best outcome of oppression, inequity, gaslighting, immolation (fire), this adventure is not a happy ending. It is a matter of torture, child abduction, violence against children choosing the least harmful option. Check in with your and elders players prior to running this adventure.

SYNOPSIS ADVENTURE HOOKS

Every year, on the first day of spring, the village of This adventure presents a story in a setting which will Gunori [gu-no-ree] celebrates the festival of Jetuka be new to a lot of players. Therefore, an outsider point [ je-tu-kaa] which commemorates the victory of good of view suits it best. The party is visiting a new place over evil. An infant prince was saved from a fire by the with unfamiliar customs. They are getting involved gods themselves, while the indigenous woman named in the plot, and at the same time learning about the Jetu [je-tu] who was sent to burn the child burned to history and culture. Some reasons to visit the village: death herself. The legend is a story made up by upper- caste conquerors and still celebrated to this day with • They meet a bright young man named Varun a gruesome and hidden twist. During a celebration, a [va-run] in a tavern who is traveling to his local group of rebels appear to disrupt the ceremony village Gunori for the yearly Jetuka celebrations. and attempt to rescue the live woman stuck inside the He excitedly talks about it. It is a day of bright effigy. The party has the opportunity to side with either colors, delicious food, and merry revelry, and the the native tribe in the surrounding area or uphold the highlight is the burning of Jetu, the effigy of a colonist government in the village with complex moral long-dead witch, on a stupendous wooden pyre and societal decisions. accompanied by spectacular fireworks. It is indeed a sight to behold. He is happy to guide the party to the village if they express interest. • A notice posted by the Thakurs: “Looking for adventurers to help take down a band of bloodthirsty bandits and ruthless savages. For months now, these criminals have harassed innocent villagers, attacked our guards, and stolen our food and livestock. They have caused the death of two persons already and must be Samplestopped. Suitable reward awaits.”file The notice tells interested parties to contact Thakur Surendra [thaa-kur] [su-ren-Dra] in the village of Gunori.

60 • They are passing through when they see the village, all decked out in bright colors. A villager BACKGROUND named Tilak [Ti-lak] sees the party and invites them in. He is a large man, but friendly and A hundred years ago, a group of people moved in to cheerful. He is the second-in-command of “settle” a forested land, displacing the indigenous who Surendra, the Thakur family patriarch. (See lived there in harmony with nature. The humans were Chapter 3 for more details on Tilak.) He happily led by Virendra Thakur of the noble Thakur family. takes them to the village square and introduces Thakur is both the family name and a title (like lord or them to the Thakurs. baron). They called the indigenous “vanastha,” or forest dwellers. Conflict soon turned into confrontation, If a player is interested in playing a character who is and the vanasthas were all but wiped out. After the more deeply entrenched in the story, such as a villager remaining surrendered, the Thakurs executed their or a rebel, for example, it is possible. But they need leader and took his child hostage. They burned the your help in ensuring that they have the background child’s mother in the middle of the village – then made information they need and also, that they treat the it an annual tradition. Every year, the vanasthas are to material with sensitivity. They might play a relative provide a tribute, a woman who is then burned alive. of the Thakurs who was educated in a city and has According to the Thakurs, this is to remind the low- more progressive ideas. They could be a vanastha [va- born indigenous of their place. nas-Tha] whose family fled long ago, and now they Over time, the narrative was altered. It became a have returned to their ancestral lands, with no idea that celebration of the victory of good over evil, so much things had turned this bad. They could also be an active so that the festival, called Jetuka, gained renown in rebel fighter, and meet the rest of the party when the the region and was celebrated in neighboring villages village square is attacked. as well. Very few are aware of the human sacrifice aspect of it. Thakur Surendra has the tribute encased in A NOTE ABOUT SEXISM papier-mâché and douses her with incense to hide the true nature of the celebration. If there are screams, they The ruling class of the village in this adventure is male-dominated are drowned out by bursting crackers. on purpose, and the women don’t really have a voice, to mimic certain real-world social dynamics through a fantasy lens. In Thakur Surendra is a vanastha himself; the child contrast, the rebels are led by a woman and are much more that was taken hostage was Surendra’s grandfather. egalitarian in outlook. Virendra did not have children, so he took the child as If exploring gender dynamics between forces is uncomfortable his own and raised the boy in his own image. to you or your group, you can replace any number of masculine Some of the vanasthas have decided that enough is roles with women. Here is a list of possible names: Anjana, Bhanu, Diti, Janki, Rajani, Ruma, Sumitra, Tara, Bhadra, Malini. enough. A group of young rebels led by a charismatic and fearless woman named Avani, has decided to strike back. They have a hidden underground base in the forest, protected by deadly traps and myriad tunnels, from which they have mounted a guerrilla offensive against the Thakurs. This year’s tribute is Avani’s mother. The whole situation is a powder keg waiting to explode. And now, an adventuring party arrives at the Samplevillage of Gunori. file

61 Water Fight CHAPTER 1 A group of six teenagers are playing with pichkaaris [pich-kaa-ri], a simple water gun. Any interested player COLORS OF TRADITION characters are handed one. They have to hit another reveler with the colored water (a ranged attack roll) and The game begins as the party enters the village of try to avoid getting hit themselves. The teens aren’t Gunori [gu-no-ree]. Read or paraphrase the following: skilled at combat, and don’t dodge very well. The revelers similarly roll to attack the player characters, and the adventurers decide how seriously they want to The loud cheers of merriment ring in your ears even before take the game. you enter the village proper. As you walk into town, the village is festooned with colorful banners. You hear a drum beating a jaunty beat and sounds of laughter. Suddenly, a group of young boys and girls runs out Sweetmeats between the houses. They are all wearing white, splashed with all the colors of the rainbow. At another corner, hot sweetmeats are being deep fried “Jetuka hai!” they clamor, as they throw colorful in oil and then dunked in sugar syrup. powder in the air and spray each other in colored water from bamboo pichkaaris. As you move to the center of the • Cubed khoja [kho-jaa], crispy on the outside and village, the rest of the villagers come into view. It is festive soft on the inside. time, and the whole village is out enjoying itself. • Donut-shaped balushahi [baa-lu-shaa-hi] which are flaky and golden. • Yellow spiral jalebi [ja-le-bi], tangy because they GUNORI are made from fermented batter.

The village of Gunori is a disorganized collection of There is no effect of eating the sweets other than a clusters of houses with no distinctive thoroughfares. sugar high. It has expanded over the last hundred years, clearing The food is being prepared by a large, swarthy man the surrounding forest bit by bit. There is no named Umesh [you-mesh]. He is aided by his nine- distinguishable boundary between the village proper year-old daughter, Munni [mun-nee], who is very shy and the crop fields that surround it. and giggles to herself a lot. Umesh, his brow drenched The people of Gunori are segregated by caste. The in sweat, cheerfully welcomes the party. party witnesses this class division as they make their If they inquire about price, he says that it is all free, way to the center. At the fringes of the village, the courtesy of the Thakur, and encourages the party to lower caste people live in hovels amid squalor. Near the gorge on the sweets. The Thakur is always in a good center, where the upper castes live, the houses are large mood on this day, even more so than on his own and well built, almost luxurious. birthday. Today is the festival of Jetuka, a local festival Thakur Surendra is responsible for keeping celebrated by dousing each other in colors, cooking everyone safe and keeping morale up, even in the and eating sweetmeats, and drinking a milk-based face of the recent disturbances caused by the vanastha drink laced with a minor intoxicant. The party is urged insurgents. to join in the celebrations. If the party asks for more details and succeeds on a In the center of the town is a pyre with three roll to convince him, he keeps his ears to the ground. activities placed around it. He gives the following information.

• The insurgents are led by a woman, who may be Samplethe age of a girl. file • He suspects Veen a , a girl in the village, is working for the insurgents.

62 Thandai THE LEGEND OF JETU In another corner, a cool milky drink is being distributed. Thandai [THan-Dai] is made from milk After the party has spent some time in revelry, Thakur with dry fruits and trace amounts of a mild intoxicating Surendra, the village elder, approaches the group and plant. Upon drinking a glass of it, a player character introduces himself. He is a large, middle-aged man must succeed on a roll or get a nice buzz. with broad shoulders and a bushy mustache who seems quite welcoming and jovial. He introduces the party • On a failed roll: for 1 hour, +2 to all checks and -1 to his wife, Vineeta [vi-nee-Taa], and his two sons, to all attack and damage rolls. Balindra [ba-leen-Dra] and Dharmendra [Dhar-men- Dra]. The person distributing the thandai is a lanky fellow Vineeta keeps her face covered with the end of her with a pencil thin mustache called Maniya [man-iya]. saari at all times. She does not interact with the party. He has imbibed a bit too much of his own product and Balindra, the older son, is twenty-five, and is a spitting is dancing to his own tune (literally) in between filling image of his father. He thinks himself invulnerable up glasses. He incoherently encourages the party to and always needs to prove that he is the toughest guy join in. in any situation. Dharmendra is twenty-three and is As he dances, a party member might notice a red more introspective. A tall and lanky fellow, he was piece of fabric poking out of his pocket. Maniya is one educated outside the village and is starting to question of the rebels, embedded into the village; this is relevant the way some things are done in the village—not out later on. loud, mind, for he is terrified of his father. Thakur Surendra explains to the party the significance of the festival. Read aloud or summarize The Pyre the following:

In the center of the village square, a large pyre stands. Wooden planks and bamboo pieces are piled to create a “It is a celebration of the victory of good over evil. A hundred years ago, the leader of this village was my platform, and a large pillar in the center of the pyre has great-grandfather, Thakur Virendra. An evil woman a life-size papier-mâché effigy of a woman strapped to called Jetu, belonging to the thuggish and deviant tribe it. Incense is piled up on the wooden platform. A priest known as the vanastha, wanted to kill the young son of walks around the pyre, dousing the firewood in ghee Thakur Virendra. She entered their household in the guise (clarified butter made from cow’s milk). of a servant and attempted to burn the innocent child to death by jumping into a roaring fire with the child in her • Unknown to the village, an alive woman is arms. Fortunately, the gods knew who to judge, so even as unconscious and covered in the papier-mâché. the evil Jetu burned to smoldering ash, the young prince was absolutely unharmed. Since then, we celebrate the The priest, Badrinath [baD-ri-naaTH], is dressed in festival every year to remind ourselves that in the end, a saffron cloth wrapped around his upper body and a good always prevails. We burn an effigy of Jetu as a part white dhoti [Dho-Ti], a long, unstitched piece of fabric of the festivities.” that is worn around the waist like a loin cloth. He is an older man, and his head is tonsured except This story is completely false, passed down from for a tuft of hair on the back. He works at the local generations, and many in the village believe it to be temple and is a big part of the daily life of the villagers. true. Thakur Surendra is aware of the truth: the land If the party approaches him at this time, he brusquely the village is built on used to belong to the vanastha, turns them away, saying that he is working. Once the a tribe of indigenous forest dwellers. The ancestors priest is done dousing the firewood in ghee, the party of the present-day villagers encroached upon this can approach,Sample or he calls them over himself. land, led by Virendra [ vee-ren-Drafile]. At first, there He is a decent man, if a little aloof. He does not was tense cohabitation. Then one day, the villagers like that the lower caste folks cannot enter the temple. attacked the vanastha. Due to their superior firepower, Everyone is equal in God’s eyes, he says. But as long as they achieved complete victory and the vanastha were the power structure remains, things cannot change. nearly wiped out. After they surrendered, the leader of 63 the indigenous, a man named Bhima [bhee-maa], was executed, and his young child was taken hostage by the THE REBELS Thakur family. A week or so later, the mother of the child snuck in to attempt to rescue the boy. She was Before the pyre is lit, a group of four individuals on caught and her punishment was public immolation. horseback gallop into the town square. Behind them, To keep them in their place, according to the about ten or so people run in on foot, roaring loudly, Thakurs, in return for the “mercy” and “tolerance” carrying spears and other rudimentary weapons. All of towards the vanasthas, every year one woman from them wear scarlet bandanas. the vanastha tribe is taken as tribute. These days, with The village square erupts in chaos. The unarmed many in the village unaware of the horrific custom, villagers start to scatter, while the village guards draw the tribute is encased in papier-mâché and burned on a their talvar [Tal-waar], a curved sword. There are a pyre while the unwary villagers make merry. total of six guards, in addition to Thakur Surendra and The players can make a relevant check to determine his two sons. whether they believe the story. Thakur Surendra is The Thakur draws his curved talvar and bellows used to recounting it convincingly, so the check is thunderously, “The bandits are here! Kill them all!” relatively difficult. The Thakur entertains any questions Avani, the leader, is accompanied by 3 rebel the party might have about the story and the village. fighters carrying shortswords and 10 commoner His justification for anything boils down to “It’s our vanasthas armed with spears. The lead rider leaps tradition.” The party might notice with a successful cleanly from horseback onto the pyre and rushes to the check that Dharmendra is receptive to their concerns. effigy tied to the pillar at the center. They take out a If the tone of questioning changes to doubt about dagger and start cutting away at the ropes. the story or misgivings about the condition of the With a successful check for listening, a player village, he loses patience quickly, and the Thakur character can hear a woman’s voice on the pyre say, announces that the time to light the pyre has come. “Mother! I am here. I’ll get you out of here, I promise!” In a few moments, the villagers calm down and start assembling around the pyre. Chants of “burn the witch!” starts in one corner, and spreads like wildfire. Avani As the shouts reach a crescendo, the senior Thakur starts approaching the pyre with a lit torch. In the The leader of the rebels and the one that leapt to the commotion, the sound of approaching hoofbeats is pyre is Avani [av-nee]. She looks about twenty years almost drowned out. old, of short stature and with long dark hair. Her arms At this point, it is possible for the party to realize are covered in traditional tattoos, common among that something is not right. many vanastha women, and some older women tattoo their faces as well. They believe that it helps them • Without a check, they notice the Thakurs are recognize each other as they leave the mortal world and all heavily armed and wearing armor, there enter the spirit world. The woman about to be burned are several guards keeping strict vigil over the is Avani’s mother, Revati [re-va-Ti]. proceedings, and look and act more like rowdy bandits. (They are employed by the Thakur.) • A check connected to knowledge of human The Fight In the Village Square anatomy reveals that the effigy is remarkably lifelike, almost as if it is a real, live human covered In combat, the guards engage the commoners first, in thin paper. while the Thakur and his two sons engage the rebels. • With a successful check to observe the pyre closely, they notice a thin trickle of blood slowly • The guards are fewer in number, but physically oozing out of the calf of the statue. stronger and better trained. • WithSample a successful listening check, the player • If not interfered with, thefile guards eventually characters hear the approaching horses. overwhelm the vanastha commoners. • The three rebel fighters engage the three Thakurs. • The Thakurs are superior fighters; only Avani equals them in skill. 64 The party must now decide whose side to take in the Thakur Surendra starts to laugh maniacally. At this fight. They can fight on behalf of the Thakurs, fight on point, if the party still seems oblivious to what’s going behalf of the invading militia, or not engage at all. on, reiterate the clues and amplify them if necessary. Give the players a chance to switch sides if they want. • If the party fights against the rebels, the battle Maniya, the thandai vendor, outs himself as a rebel is likely to be heavily balanced in favor of the and attempts to stab an unwitting Dharmendra, the Thakurs. younger son, from behind. • If the party stands aside and does not join the battle, the sides are more evenly matched. The • If Avani wasn’t able to save her mother, the rebels Thakur urges the player characters to take up arms retreat after half of them are dead. against the rebels. He promises them as much gold • If Avani was able to free her mother, half of the as they can carry. There is no need to make rolls rebels retreat immediately, while the other half for combat if the player characters are not joining stays back to cover their comrades’ escape and in. Narrate casualties on both sides. fights to the death. • If the party joins the fight on the rebel side, they outmatch the Thakurs and the guards. Surendra The rebels never attack any innocent townspeople or concentrates on fighting and forgets about the non-combatant, including the party. pyre for the moment. Avani frees her mother (skip The Pyre Alights). After at least one Thakur is dead, the rest retreat, leaving the guards to fend for Development themselves. After they are taken care of, the rebels urge the party to come to their hideout. Depending on the party’s decisions during the last battle, there are several ways the story could move forward. The Pyre Alights • If the party remains in the village and either helps In order to determine if the Thakur is able to light the Thakurs or remains neutral, they are invited to the pyre before Avani is able to free her mother, have the Thakur haveli (see Chapter 3) in the evening. Avani and the Thakur each make a check for quickness; Thakur Surendra makes them an offer. His the higher roll is successful. demeanor varies based on whether the party chose to help the Thakurs or not, but the offer stays • Thakur Surendra uses his turn to disengage and the same. If the party can find out the location of rush to the pyre, lit torch in hand. the rebel hideout and report to the Thakurs, they • At the beginning of the next round, the pyre starts are rewarded with a significant amount of gold. burning vigorously. If they eliminate the rebel leaders themselves, the reward is doubled. The party is offered some If Avani loses the check, the fire reaches the center the options for where to start looking (see Looking following round, with Avani still cutting at the ropes. for the Hideout). She leaps away from the pyre to escape and joins the • If the party escapes with the rebels, they are taken fight with great vigor. to the rebel hideout through the vanastha village. As the fourth round begins, any player character Once there, the leader of the rebels asks the party standing close to the pyre hears a scream and smells for their help in overthrowing the Thakurs in burning flesh. Chapter 2. In the usual Jeku festival, the villagers stand further • If the party helped the rebels but stayed in the away and do not hear the screams because of the village for some reason, a detachment of ten firecrackers bursting and the bamboo popping from guards is sent to arrest them. If the party is the heat.Sample They do not smell anything because of the captured, they are placedfile in the same room where incense. This time, the firecrackers couldn’t be set off in the rebel Janak is already present. From here, time. a jailbreak scenario can be run. Details of the Thakur’s haveli are in Chapter 3.

65 The Search LOOKING FOR THE HIDEOUT The Thakur provides the location of the vanastha The location of the rebel hideout is not known to the settlement and a suspected area of the hideout (see Thakurs. There are several ways the party can search Chapter 2). for it.

• There is a rebel being held captive in haveli CHAPTER 2 premises who has so far refused to speak. • There might be a few rebel sympathizers in the village. THE REBEL HIDEOUT • There is a vanastha settlement out in the forest which contains mostly elderly folk; the party could ask there. THE VANASTHA SETTLEMENT • The Thakur can inform them of the general area where the hideout is likely to be, and they can The vanasthas live in a small village consisting of search for it using whatever skills they possess. cylindrical earthen huts with thatched roofs made from dried palm leaves. They all feature intricate designs drawn on the walls, though the ink is now The Captive fading. There are thirty huts. Most of them are now empty. Only twenty villagers remain, all of them old A vanastha rebel by the name of Janak [ja-nak] was and weathered. The place looks utterly impoverished. picked up by a patrol a week ago. Since then, he has There is a look of despair and listlessness in every face. been kept in a prison cell within the haveli compound Most of the village has moved to the underground (see Chapter 3 for haveli details). He has been tortured, hideout. Only the old and infirm who are unable to but hasn’t revealed the location of the hideout. travel through the narrow tunnels still live here. This The party needs to succeed on a difficult check to included Avani’s mother, Revati [re-va-TI]. Although either persuade or intimidate him to talk. she was physically capable, she chose to stay back and It is advised that torture scenarios are not actually care for the others. The rebels visit the village regularly played out at the table; if it at all comes up, a fade to and bring in supplies. black is recommended. The party might notice an old woman who remains apart from the rest of the group with a relevant skill check. Her name is Bijli [bij-lee]. Her two sons The Sympathizers and three grandchildren were all part of the rebels. They all ended up dying for the cause, leaving her all The Thakur gives the names of three people among the alone. For this, she blames Avani. The party may be village that he suspects are rebel sympathizers, along able to get the location of the hideout from her if they with their addresses. The party can find them all at their show her empathy. homes if they look for them that evening. If the adventurers ask for a leader, a stooped, Only one, a young woman called Veen a [vee-naa], seventy-year-old man with terrible eyesight steps is associated with rebels. She came across an injured forward. His name is Laalan [laa-lan]. Over the man named Janak near the village some time ago; this years, these villagers have weathered repeated threats is the same Janak currently captive in the Thakur’s of violence, and often actual violence. They haven’t haveli. Veena learned the truth of their shared histories. disclosed the location of the hideout yet; bullying and They kept meeting in secret and fell in love. intimidation does not work. However, the party can Veena does not know the location of the rebel base. convince Laalan that they are on the rebels’ side, using She doesSample tell the party the truth, to the horror of her a check to persuade or deceive. file If they succeed, Laalan own family. points them towards an empty pig pen. Underneath the thick layer of dried excrement is a wooden lid that leads to the tunnels.

66 traverses the tunnels. This results in a large number BHIMA HILL of rebel fighters (up to 10) to rush to the location and attempt to subdue the party. They attempt to knock the The Thakurs suspect the rebel hideout is at Bhima Hill. adventurers unconscious, rather than kill them. Despite months of searching, they haven’t found it, but If the adventurers persist in combat and hostile they did find a tunnel once and one of the guards was actions, the remaining fighters employ guerrilla impaled on a trap inside. They chucked some burning tactics. There are numerous hidden alcoves and pits rags soaked in coal tar within and waited, hoping to along the tunnels that the rebels can attack from, in smoke the rebels out. When none emerged, they sealed addition to many traps. They try to wear down the the tunnel, but it is one of the many decoy entrances. party constantly, picking on more vulnerable party The hideout is located directly underneath the hill. members and anyone left alone. Even here, the goal There are several bamboo groves on this hill. With is to incapacitate and capture, rather than kill. Any a relevant skill check, a player character notice that player character captured by the rebels is taken to the within the groves, one or two bamboos are cut off. domicile. These are ventilation shafts that connect directly to the If everything else fails, the remaining rebels, hideout underneath. If they wait long enough, they see including the leaders, mount a last stand at the fragrant smoke coming out of one of the pipes from the domicile. At this point, some of the children and older kitchen. Human footprints can be seen around the hill folks have taken up arms. They are desperate. (not on the hill). Following these tracks, the party can Avani (or her partner Kavi [ka-vee], if Avani dies) find one of the tunnel exits, camouflaged to look like tries to reason with the party and begs them to hear ground around it. their side of the story. If the party doesn’t relent, they fight to the death. If the party came here to eliminate the rebel threat THE HIDEOUT on behalf of the Thakurs, they succeed. They find nothing of value in terms of loot in the cavern. If they The rebel hideout is a large natural cave which is go back to Gunori, they can claim their reward. connected with a widespread network of man- made tunnels. These tunnels are dark, narrow, and dangerous. The Domicile Most of them are decoys, leading to dead ends and deadlier traps. There are hidden sentries armed The domicile is a large, natural limestone cave with poison darts and with access to an alarm system. measuring 600 feet long, 300 feet wide, and up to 100 There are patrols in the more wider tunnels. Without feet high. An underground spring runs across the floor directions, there is a good chance of getting lost in the and provides fresh water to the residents. There are oil maze forever. See Appendix B, Map A: Hideout for an lanterns in various places. The cave roof, covered in overview of the tunnel network. stalactites, also has bioluminescent algae growing on it If the party has a neutral or friendly disposition, that provides further illumination. The air is humid and they can explain themselves to the first group of rebels still. they encounter with a relevant ability check. They are Off to one side is a bunch of tents grouped taken to Avani if they succeed. together. A total of eighty-five vanasthas live here. Of If the party enters the tunnels on the side of the these, forty are of fighting age. Thakurs, use the map as a dungeon crawl. If the party reached here while in good standing The party can attempt to deceive the first group with the rebels, they are ushered into the strategy room of rebels they meet with a check, but the difficulty is by Avani. She has a fierce look in her eyes and speaks higher. with passion. If she does not survive the last battle, the There are forty rebel warriors in the tunnels, an new leader is Kavi, her partner. overwhelmingSample number for the party to take on at once. He is tall, with shoulder-length file hair and a scruffy In addition, the rebels are well trained in guerrilla beard. He has a leg missing and uses crutches. His tactics like ambush, sabotage, and deception. demeanor is placid, but the revolutionary poetry he If combat starts, the first goal of the rebels is to raise an alarm using a system of strings and bells that 67 writes has fired up the vanastha youth more than truth, Thakur Surendra will have a change of heart. anything else. Avani scoffs, but is willing to give it a try if the party If Avani’s mother, Revati, was rescued, she is lying agrees with Kavi. on a cot, recovering from the trauma. If the party Either way, the evidence is the Janam Patrika [ja- played a part in her rescue, Avani introduces the party nam pa-Tri-kaa] of the Thakurs, a record of birth, to her. Revati thanks the adventurers and blesses them most likely kept in the safe. If the party extricates the by touching their foreheads. documents from the haveli, they can bring the truth to light either by revealing it to the Thakurs in private or to the village publicly. The Rebels Case

Avani (or Kavi) thanks the party for their help. They DEVELOPMENT explain what is going on, including the true story behind the celebration of Jetuka. They request help in After hearing out the rebels, the party decides their next overthrowing the Thakurs once and for all. course of action. If the party is captured and brought before the If the party is willing to help, they decide which leader, they still attempt to convince them. They path. Between Avani and Kavi, the rebels are divided as present their case and plead with the party for help to the way forward; the party’s decision is the deciding against the Thakurs. factor. The layout of the Thakur’s haveli and its The rebel leader explains the following: defenses are described in Chapter 3. If the party is unwilling to help with the cause and • The Thakurs are primarily responsible for the are friendly to the rebels, they can leave at this point. oppression the vanastha have suffered for a They aren’t stopped. century. No progress is possible until that family is If they are neutral or antagonistic, they are detained removed from power. in a makeshift cell until the battle is over. From there, • The rebels have been striking out at the Thakur the party can potentially jailbreak. The cell is not too forces. So far they haven’t made an impact. They strong. The fighters all leave; only Kavi and two fairly have to strike at the heart of the problem. inattentive children named Billu [bil-lu] and Hariya • They know the haveli layout, including guard [ha-ri-yaa] stay behind to guard the cell. If the party assignments and strongholds. They have been manages to escape, they can go back to the village and planning an assault for some time. With the party’s join the fighting if they want. The rebels attempt to help, they may be able to breach the defenses and violently overthrow the Thakurs anyway; the recent finish off the Thakurs once and for all. events provide enough impetus for this. It does not go well, however. At this point, the player characters may have If the party is still captive after two days, then Kavi, reservations about murdering the Thakur family with the look of death upon him, comes to their cell outright. Kavi presents an alternative. and lets them go. He informs them that everyone is There is a tale that the child of Bhima, who was dead. All that remain are the children, the elders, and forcibly taken away by Thakur Virendra a hundred him. This ends the adventure, albeit on a dour note. years ago, is in fact the grandfather of the current Thakur. This means that Thakur Surendra is a vanastha, a lower caste. If this truth were exposed, he would lose all power in the village; they would never accept a lowborn as their leader. Avani, if present, posits the ensuing chaos is the perfect opportunity to put down the oppressors. KaviSample hopes that if there is a different person in file charge of the village, the village can improve. The other villagers are not associated with the barbaric practices of the Thakurs. They are bigoted, yes, but not as much. He hopes that when confronted with the 68 CHAPTER 3 C4. Granary

This is a ten-foot-wide, twenty-foot-long, and ten- THE HAVELI foot-tall structure that is used to store threshed rice grain and wheat next to the guard house. It is raised The Thakurs lived in a sprawling two-story haveli two feet off the ground on stilts to protect the grain (mansion) right in the middle of the village until about from rodents. The space underneath is used for storage. a year ago. When the guerrilla attacks by the rebels Currently, the granary is at half stock. Two windows, began, they built a more secure residence and moved three feet square, near the top of the structure, provide there. The new haveli is just outside the village on a access to the paddy and wheat sections. The grain is low hill, the top of which has been flattened out. The stored loose. It is possible to hide in the grains in an following are the features of the location. A map of the emergency. village can be found in Appendix B, Map C: Village. C5. Cow Shed HAVELI A cow shed is an integral part of any affluent household. Cows are treated with love and care, almost C1. Palisade like family. The Thakur family owns eight cows and two pairs of bulls. The cow shed is a two-story A twelve-foot-tall palisade of sharpened branches structure, although each roof is only seven feet high. surrounds the domicile. There is a single ten-foot-wide During the day, the cows are out of the compound, gate at the front. It is open during the day, and closed pasturing. They are fed on the bottom floor and sleep and barred from the inside at night. There are one or on the top floor. Any harm to the cows is treated as two guards at the gate at all times. At night, torches the most heinous of crimes. Their lives matter more are lit on top of the palisade every twenty feet. The than that of any peasant. Consequently, it is possible to palisade can be climbed with a relevant skill check. take the cows hostage in order for demands to be met. There is a large haystack behind the cowshed. C2. Watchtower C6. Jail Cell A thirty-foot-tall watchtower adjoins the gate. Bamboo stilts hold up a square platform five feet on each side, This room houses any apprehended rebels, and reached by a narrow ladder. A thatched roof protects it sometimes wayward or disloyal villagers. It is a square from the elements. A lone guard with a longbow sits at concrete (or stone) square with no windows. A tiny the platform for six hours until relieved. There is a bell gap between the walls and a tin roof provides the only that can be rung in case of danger, which can be heard airflow. There is a wooden door with a padlock, which across the haveli. The guard has half cover from below. is moderately difficult to pick. The door can be broken down with hard difficulty. Inside, the prisoners rot in a single room, sleep on the dirt floor, and are fed scraps. C3. Servant Quarters Currently there are three prisoners, including Janak, a rebel spy. The two others are from the village, This is a separate room for the servants of the house both low-caste. They have been picked up for minor that is ten feet by twenty feet in size. Inside, there “offenses” and have languished here for weeks. are small individual rooms separated by thin, woven bamboo partitions. Each room contains the meager belongingsSample of the servants and their families who live C7. Outhouses file here. A staircase outside the room leads to the roof, where some of the servants prefer to sleep during the A pair of latrines behind the haveli are used by the summer months. Thakur family. There is a well next to them for cleansing. 69 C8. The Haveli H2. Baithak

Considering it was hastily built a year ago, the current The baithak [bai-thak] is the space for entertaining residence of the Thakurs is impressive. A two-story guests. A number of wooden chairs and low tables building, it is constructed around a central courtyard are laid out. There is also a large wooden swing with which is open to the skies. See map in Appendix B, Map a big, manually-operated fan above it. The Thakur H: Haveli. meets people from the village, representatives of other The house is sixty feet by sixty feet. The facade is villages, and visiting relatives here. impressive. Carved sandstone blocks have been inserted into the walls to give a semblance of luxury. Two jharokhas [jha-ro-khaa] (covered balconies) overlook H3. Verandah the top floor. There are three entrances: the main door made from heavy timber and inlaid with metal, a small This is where the servants, muscle, and assorted back door to the outhouses, and a door on the western henchmen of the Thakurs hang out. There are twenty wall to the servant quarters. guards in total, minus those who perished during the At any point of time, there are at least ten guards first encounter. Many of them sleep here on cots and inside the haveli. While two of them might be mattresses, rolling them out of the way during the patrolling, the others lounge on charpoys [chaar- day. Most of these are unmarried young men from paai], a cot consisting of a wooden frame strung with the village. Working under the Thakurs is not very jute rope, in the veranda. Two additional guards are different from joining a gang. stationed on the roof. While the place is well-ventilated During the day, there are ten to twelve men, with with many windows along the walls, they all have iron the rest out in the village shaking down shopkeepers grills to prevent entry. and leching after girls. Late at night, all twenty are If the party leads a frontal assault, the haveli is present, but only three or four are awake. barred from the inside once the palisade is breached. Most of the guards wait in the courtyard. This is where TILAK the bulk of the fighting takes place once the party gains Tilak is the second-in-command of Surendra Thakur. entry. Some go to the roof and the first floor balcony He is colloquially known as Bahubali [baa-hu-ba- and take potshots. lee]. A bear of a man, he is over six feet tall and well- muscled, cheerful, friendly, and ambitious. Many presume low intelligence from his brawny physique GROUND FLOOR and happy-go-lucky demeanor, to their peril. He is a shrewd tactician and a good, well-liked leader; the The ground floor is used for meeting guests, business Thakur boys are somewhat jealous of his closeness to work, and general entertainment. It is an open-plan their father and undermine him when they can. Tilak space, with few fixed walls for rooms. It can be divided is smart enough to take it in stride. The party may into the following areas. witness one such conversation. If approached when he is alone and propose a regime change, he listens. H1. Courtyard

The courtyard is the center of life for the household. It is twenty feet by thirty feet, paved with mosaic tiles. In the center is a four-foot-tall, elaborately carved pedestal on which grows a tulsi [Tul-si], a holy basil plant. It is worshipped by the women of the house every morning.Sample file

70 H4. Office FIRST FLOOR

This room is reserved for business meetings and This is the private living area of the Thakur family. confidential work. It is lavishly appointed, with Normally, only servants are allowed up here. A lone furniture imported from far off lands. A locked safe, guard sits near the stairs. If the haveli comes under accessed via a difficult lockpicking check, contains a attack, the Thakurs retreat to the master bedroom and large sum of money, gold bars, and land records of are protected by Tilak and three other guards. several villagers that the Thakur has kept as collateral for cash loans. In fact, this is how he has acquired much of his land holdings. H7. Passage The Thakur’s munim [mu-neem], an accountant, is here most of the day. He is a mousy little man named This provides access to the rooms on this floor. A jaali Anil [a-neel], with greasy hair, a perpetual scowl, and a [jaa-lee] (stone latticework wall or screen) overlooks pair of spectacles worn as far down his nose as possible. the courtyard below. A person sits on a stool near the He looks to be over sixty years old, even though he is staircase and remains vigilant. They are called Rani barely into his forties. He cowers under his desk if the [raa-nee] and are a hijra [hij-raa] (eunuch). They have mansion comes under attack, too afraid to even escape masculine features, but are dressed in a saari. They are on his own. fiercely loyal to the Thakurs. If attacked, they protect If confronted by the party, he readily spews out this floor with their life. all that he knows under the slightest pressure. He is unaware of much in terms of history, but knows about the land grabs and extortion racket run by the Thakurs. H8, H9. Janana (women’s) Section

The eastern section of this floor is reserved for the ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVE women of the house, namely, Vineeta (the wife of The party may come to know of the land records while Surendra) with their daughters-in-law Sunita [su- interacting with villagers, particularly the less-fortunate ones. nee-Taa] and Manju [man-ju]. No men other than Liberating these documents can become a secondary objective. family members are permitted here, under pain of severe punishment. There are two rooms. The outer room (H8) is where they spend time talking and doing H5. Kitchen chores like cleaning grains and making paapads [paa- par] during the day. The inner room (H9) contains A large earthen stove is built into one side of this room, divans and mattresses for resting. The women also take lit by firewood. Food for up to forty people is prepared their day time meals here. Both rooms have windows at a time here. The cook, referred to as maharaj [ma- that overlook the courtyard. These are covered with haa-raaj], is a swarthy old man named Vishwanath jaali so that the women are not seen from the outside. A [vi-shwa-NaaTH]. He has two assistants to help him. jharokha opens to the outside in H9. The women are supposed to cover their faces with the end of their saari at all times, even when no men H6. Store are present. Inside the Janana section, the rules are more relaxed. Even their husbands rarely ever enter. It is This room houses a pantry on one side and a storehouse possible for female party members to come here, if they for sundry other items on the other. With a thorough can present a legitimate reason and convince or deceive search of the room, taking upwards of an hour, the first the guards downstairs then convince Rani. party finds some valuable articles. If one of the Thakur sons was killed in the earlier skirmish, the women are in mourning and dressed all in Sampleblack. Vineeta has shaved herfile head and is preparing to spend the rest of her life in penance in an ashram [aash- ram] (hermitage) far away.

71 ALTERNATIVE PATH CONCLUSION If the party interacts with the women without showing any sign of hostility, they find a sympathetic ear. The women are curious to know about the adventurers: visitors from distant lands. Manju, Depending on player actions, the game can end in the youngest at eighteen years old, is especially intrigued. The many different ways, and it is difficult to enumerate all women are not a part of the politics that goes on around them. of them. Here are some possibilities. If the party can convince them successfully, they can tell the party where the Janam Patrika can be found, and even where the key Side with the Thakurs to the locker is. (This assumes the party hasn’t already rampaged through half the haveli.) There are two possibilities. If they come back after finding the location of the hideout and inform the Thakurs, they can organize an army of fifty fighters, H10, H11. Bedrooms with the help of reinforcements from neighboring villages, and send them into the tunnels. The These two rooms are similarly furnished with a bed, adventurers are given their promised reward. They can dressers, chairs, and the like, but there is nothing join in the assault if they like, for some extra money. remarkable about the bedrooms. The rooms are Alternatively, the party eliminates the rebel occupied by the Thakur sons and their wives at night. leadership themselves and the Thakurs mop up the rest. In either case, the outcome is the effective end of the rebellion for now; all vanastha men and women H12. Master Bedroom of fighting age are killed. All that remains are the too young or the too old. It is several years before someone This is Surendra and his wife’s bedroom and it’s lavishly can raise their voice again—that is, if they manage to appointed. survive that long. The eastern wall contains a reinforced walk-in safe. There are two keys: one lies with Vineeta, while the other one is carried by Tilak. The lock to the safe can Attack the Thakurs and Lose also be picked, but requires a very high difficulty check to succeed. The safe is made from metal, covered with It ends in a heroic battle against stupefying odds. plaster. It is supported on a stone pillar that rises from This is where the game can end. If the players would the ground and passes through the kitchen downstairs. like another shot, then they can be imprisoned in the It is not possible to break into the safe using handheld jail cell instead of being killed. They are tortured for weapons or manual tools. The safe contains a large information on the hideout; this must be done with quantity of wealth in coins, gold bars, gems, and the consent of the players. Even then, it is best to avoid jewelry. any kind of detailed description. It becomes a matter If the party is looking for the Janam Patrika, a of passing a check to withstand the suffering and not section of the safe contains a large number of scrolls give away information. From here, they can mount an which are the birth charts of the Thakur family tree. It escape attempt. takes fifteen minutes to sort through all the scrolls until Surendra’s chart is found. Attack the Thakurs and Win

H13. Dining Room The party and rebels win, but many die in the process. The party and rebel NPCs decide the fate of the This is where the Thakur family takes their breakfast Thakurs. They could decide to spare their lives and and dinner. Square embroidered sitting mats are banish them. They could expose the birth records. arrangedSample around a low wooden table. Colorful They might kill them all. file hangings adorn the walls. The women eat after the With any decision, there are enough Thakur men have finished eating, and are served food on the supporters in the village and enough anger due to the same plates as their husbands. deaths that a lasting peace is not achieved. The cycle of violence continues once the party leaves. 72 Approach Surendra with the succeed on a very difficult check. Birth Records Even then, not everyone is convinced, but it convinces enough of the villagers that the others The party takes the other option for taking down reluctantly accept this outcome. An arrangement such the Thakurs, and decides to expose the birth records as this is going to be fragile and could fail in the future. without inflicting too many casualties. Again, there could be multiple ways to approach this. If they decide to confront Thakur Surendra with FURTHER ADVENTURES this information, he is certainly taken aback for a moment. If they hoped that the patriarch suddenly has a Even if everything goes to plan, a change in regime change of heart, then they are in for a rude awakening. in the village does not immediately eliminate a The Thakur rejects the evidence right in front of him. century of strife and mistrust between the villagers He calls it fake. If he is in a position to do so, he tries and the vanastha. For most vanastha, the villagers were to take the party into custody and silence them forever. complicit in their subjugation. For many villagers, the This leads to a combat encounter. If not, he glares at vanasthas are bent on taking away what they have built them and dares them to take it public. He says that “his” over a century. The party could take up the task of people will never stand against him, but that facade reconciling both sides through diplomatic means. starts to crack. He offers them money to go away and The Thakurs were tyrants, yes, but they also hold their tongue. He threatens them. He tries every kept the villagers safe. Perhaps a new threat emerges trick in the book. It is up to the party how they wish to after they are rendered powerless. This might also be proceed. something that could bring the two sides together. AUTHOR’S NOTES/ Make the Birth Records Public ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This adventure is rooted in the caste-based oppression If the party decides to make the birth records public, a and violence that is commonplace in many regions of town hall is called. The Thakurs are present, bringing India to this day. It examines what is to many the true all their arrogance and fury with them. Tensions context of a popular festival. run high. The party can present their findings, and The layout of the rebel hideout in Chapter 2 is whatever arguments they wish to posit. If they have inspired by the tunnel networks used by Communist made any allies in the village, they can ask them for Viet forces during the Vietnam war. My sincere thanks support. The rebels stay away, but stand by. to Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen for helping me Some of the arguments being made against the with the sensitivity reading on that. Thank you Steve Thakurs by villagers are rooted in casteism. These Huynh for helping me through the writing process. villagers say that a low-caste vanastha is not qualified to Thanks for Vis S for sensitivity reading as well as lead them, and must be relegated to the fringes where editing inputs. Lastly, thanks to my wife for always they belong. being the sounding board for my ideas. The party must make a Persuasion check at the end. Decide the difficulty of the check based on how they AUTHOR BIO argued their points. Rajib started writing TTRPG adventures after taking If the party succeeds, the armed militia working part in the RPG Writer Workshop in July, 2020. for the Thakurs immediately lay down their arms. The Since then, he has published bestselling titles on Thakurs are banished from the village. Their property DriveThruRPG and is now focused on writing more is confiscated. They are sent to live on the edge of the stories growing out of the rich cultural heritage of his village, with other lower-caste individuals. country, India. By day, he is a car designer. He lives in The party has some say in who takes the reins of Mumbai and is happily married. You can find his stuff the villageSample now. They might have encountered a few at undeadrajib.crd.co/ file NPCs in the village who are relatively progressive. If the party wants to install a Vanastha as the new leader, the rest of the village is resistant to the idea. The party needs to put forth an extremely strong argument and 73 Appendix A: Pronunciation Guide

Most names in this adventure are in Hindi or a Hindi- • T, TH, D, DH, N: in capital letters, a slightly adjacent language. The following is a very basic guide softer sound with the tip of the tongue touching to pronouncing those words. the back of the teeth. • ph is a harder sound than phone, with air expelled VOWELS by parting the lips There are 10 vowel sounds. See the corresponding table • r sound is not rolled for pronunciation examples. ABOUT SYLLABLES CONSONANTS Syllable stress does not have as large a role to play as it A few examples of some important sounds are: is in English. To determine which syllable is stressed, • kh as in Khyber the weightage is: consonant-consonant syllable (such • gh as a softer, aspirated g as bil)>long vowel syllable (such as kee)>short vowel • chh which is ch in chew with an extra h sound syllable (such as li). If two or more syllables are tied • j as in jam then the last of these is stressed - unless this last one is • t, th, d, dh, n - in lowercase, pronounce with the the final syllable in the word in which case you take the tip of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth: heaviest syllable before that. th is as in thermal, dh is a softer, aspirated d sound.

VOWEL PRONUNCIATION TABLE Representation Vowel Length Sounds like...

a short alone, stuff aa long hard, large i short history, fit ee long keep, lean u short put, book oo long pool, true e long cable, late ai long hen, back, that transition into an i sound (dipthong) o long hotel, four ou long hot, dollar, that transition into a u sound (diphthong) Sample file

74 Appendix B: Maps MAP A: HIDEOUT

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75 MAP C: VILLAGE

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76 MAP H: HAVELI

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77 BY ARI SANTIAGO This scenario is optimized for the Ironsworn RPG, EDITED BY BRENT JANS a GM-less system for solo or group play.

GAMEPLAY TIME 4-6 hours spread over multiple game sessions

CONTENT WARNINGS violence, character bodily harm (via weapons, animals, and fire), racial and religious prejudice, social stratification and prejudice reflective of Spanish colonial society in the Philippines circa 19th century

SYNOPSIS Coming to Tatlonsawa

Characters embark from a remote colonial settlement The settlement’s place on the frontier puts it in on a quest to find the origin of an apparently blessed considerable danger, but risk brings reward. You may artifact: a shroud bearing the likeness of the Divine be drawn there by any of the following. Virgin, though one with unconventional features. Dogged by mysterious pursuers, the characters • The promise of a market with few competing must journey beyond the reach of orthodox society traders. and into the colony’s unconquered highlands. There, a • A demand for private security or bounty hunters. shamanic nation challenges the founding dogmas of the • The chance to disappear from the rest of society. Church with their own bold cosmology. Do they hold answers to the shroud’s nature? Or will the shroud unlock the mysteries of their faith? Taking the Quest

In the suggested setup, your characters undertake a ADVENTURE HOOKS quest at the behest of the parish priest, though other patrons are possible. The scenario begins in Tatlonsawa, a remote lowland Consider these motives: settlement near the foothills of Mount Salambuan. Consider what brought the characters to Tatlonsawa • Earning the Church’s favor. and whatSample drives them to take on the quest. While • The promise of encountering file new magics. a character can be a Tatlonsawa local, the scenario • A chance to escape orthodox society. presumes a group composed predominantly of outsiders.

78 ADVENTURE BACKGROUND RUNNING THE SYSTEM

The Mountain & the Mystery Cults This adventure guide abides by the principle of “playing to find out” that drives Ironsworn. It is divided Long before the empire conquered the land, Mt. into three parts, each based in a different locale. This Salambuan [SAH-lam-BWAN] was held as a sacred site adventure outlines a quest that ties these parts together where humans communed with spirits. The mountain’s and guidance for players to develop their own story. harsh terrain—dense woods and steep slopes—deterred The overview of each chapter describes the general invaders, allowing old beliefs and new apostasies to arc the quest should follow, as well as how it ties into flourish unhindered. the next chapter or the conclusion. Use this to guide The mountain’s environs are a forbidding frontier your interpretation of your move outcomes, oracles, where people go to escape orthodox society. These and story developments. outcasts include bandits, rebels, refugees, and keepers The main quest contains locations and events that of the old faith. Consorting with them is outlawed, drive the story. This section tells you how to tie them but most border barangays trade with them out of together or offers suggestions on modifying them. necessity. Certain deep truths within the adventure are predetermined. These deep truths determine the following. World Truths • The scope of the mysterious religious order This scenario uses a custom setting. You may use the opposing the adventurers. following prompts to determine world truths or expand • The powers of their leader. existing ones. • The disposition of the mountain folk. COLONY. Characters live in the colony of Lusong, • The presence of spirits on Mt. Salambuan. an archipelago ruled by the distant maritime empire of Ispira [ISS-peer-rah]. Other than these deep truths, you’re encouraged to CONQUEST. The colony has not been completely develop the world to your liking. subjugated, despite over a century of oppressive foreign rule. The highest tiers of government are held by Ispirans, with indios relegated to the lower ranks. RELIGION. Converting the natives of the colony proved easier than fighting a protracted war. The Church attempted to absorb the local faiths, but many persist in secret or in syncretism. BLOOD. Not all people are created equal, according to the Ispirans. Native indios are saddled with taxes and kept from the upper echelons of society. Years of intermarriage have, however, begun blurring these boundaries. VOWS. A vow sworn on fresh blood—typically a nick on the fingertip or arm—bears great weight. Having failed to suppress this practice, the Church insteadSample invested it with new meaning. file

79 CHAPTER 1 TRANSIENT HOUSE The publicly-funded transient house is a squat building nestled among Tatlonsawa’s poorest dwellings. Its TATLONSAWA interior comprises a dozen small rooms, each with a hammock hung over a space for storing belongings. In Chapter 1, the adventurers come across the titular shroud and embark on a quest to discover its origins. By the end of this chapter, the party should be en route Extra Locations to San Ludas [san LUH-das], a distant barangay, where Chapter 2 unfolds. AYUNTAMIENTO Questions to consider: This large timber-and-stone hall is used primarily for • Why are the adventurers undertaking the quest? official functions, though local principalia sometimes • Who else wants the shroud or its secrets? hold celebrations here. • Whom do the adventurers oppose or assist? • How do they feel about the Ispiran Church? BARANGAY CABOT Another of Tatlonsawa’s barangays, Cabot [CAA-bot] is known for the medicinal mushrooms and plants its LOCATIONS denizens gather from nearby floodplains.

Stretching from the southern bank of the Dagtaran Baldomero Sucat [baal-dome-MEH-row soo-KAT] [dag-TAH-ran] river, Tatlonsawa [tat-lun-sah-wâh] is (he/him). The town’s gobernadorcillo. a small town whose central barangay comprises some sixty households, a total of around 300 people. The Rank Troublesome, 3 progress per harm; houses are arranged around a plaza flanked by the inflicts 1 harm. church compound and the ayuntamiento. Features Portly and brusque. The outer blocks are filled with small wooden houses on Drives low stilts; closer to the central plaza the dwellings are Indulge in food and drink. larger and higher, with walls of adobe enclosing the spaces Accumulate wealth. between their supports. Towering over them is the church, built from stone and lime, its tower outfitted with a simple Tactics Maintain loyalty through feasts and bronze bell. festivities. Bribe or call in favors. Sampaguita Layao [saam-puh-GEE-tuh LAH-yau] Main Locations (they/them). An albularyo from Barangay Cabot. CHURCH Rank Troublesome, 3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm. The church compound includes the chapel building, a rectory, and a yard stretching between them. Mass Features Ageless appearance. is held at sunrise and sunset. In between, parishioners Rumored to work magic. come to pray, seek advice, or labor for the Church, sometimes voluntarily. Drives Adapt indigenous knowledge to the TRIBUNAL times. Heal bodies and souls. The home of the gobernadorcillo is an ancestral house doublingSample as an office. Adjoining the two-story file Tactics Blend Old-World medicine with Lu- residence is a building that serves as a courthouse for song cures. petty crimes and jail for those found guilty. Invoke god and spirits. Feign senility when necessary.

80 MAIN QUEST

The recommended way to begin the adventure is to have the adventurers participate in extinguishing The Fire (possibly starting within the burning building), discover The Survivor amid the rubble and then, at the behest of a patron, swear an iron vow to Seek the Source of the shroud. The parish priest is the recommended patron, but choose one that fits the party’s motivations.

The Fire

A roaring blaze envelops the transient house. Smoke fills the air and embers rise into the night sky. From within the building come desperate cries. Outside, the alguacil’s voice cuts through the din, spurring the townsfolk to action.

Set up a progress track to represent your attempts to When either: escape from and/or contain the fire, and a countdown 1. your characters take decisive action to track with four boxes. end the fire, or 2. the countdown track is filled, • When you roll a hit on face danger, secure an Make a progress move to resolve the scene. advantage, or clash/strike (using water) mark one progress plus one for each extra harm on clash/ • Hit: the townsfolk are appreciative of your efforts. strike. • Miss: they blame you for the damage: whenever • On a weak hit or miss, mark one box on the you try to compel, gather information, or countdown track. sojourn in Tatlonsawa, take -1 on the roll. End • On a miss, pay the price. this effect once the fiction justifies it.

Ana la Rubia [AH-na lah RUE-beah] (she/her) The town’s remarkably young alguacil. Rank Dangerous, 2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm. Often leads a pack of cuadrilleros with rank: dangerous. Features Light brown, almost blonde hair. Wears women’s camisas with men’s silk trousers. Carries a flintlock rifle. Drives Keep the peace. Silence rumors about her parentage. Tactics Intimidation, then force. Unerring marksmanship.

After the fire has been dealt with, the alguacil,Ana la Rubia, leads the people in assessing the damage. One of the townsfolkSample (or the adventurers), makes a discovery. file

81 Lady of the Cloth

Surprising to those familiar with religion, the Virgin is not depicted as Ispiran, nor in her usual Old World robes. Instead, she has these qualities (choose or roll), all of which are unconventional or vaguely profane.

Likely 26 or greater Features and clothes are native or mestizo.

50/50 51 or greater Bears a spear or axe.

Unlikely 76 or greater Pronounced sexual characteristics.

Small Chance 91 or greater Eyes are luminescent or feline.

In one room, huddled amid the charred rubble, is a man who is perfectly unharmed. Half-covering him is a length of fabric bearing a striking image of the Divine Virgin, dyed in brilliant hues—though depicted in a way never before seen. The survivor is Miguel Lok-Sun, a sangley (Chinese-Filipino) corredor, an itinerant trader. He is surprised to find the image on the cloth and divulges the following if questioned.

• The cloth with the Virgin’s likeness was previously an unmarked bolt of fabric. • He picked it up along his trade route, which spans remote barangays in the province. • He became tangled in the cloth as he tried to escape.

The parish priest, Fray Gustavo Santander, is called. The shroud immediately catches his attention and he tries to confiscate it. The alguacil tries to stop him from such unlawful conduct, but has no supporters. Unless the adventurers intervene, the shroud is carried to the Church.

Miguel Lok-Sun [me-GEHL luhck-sun] (he/him) A sangley corredor, employed by a merchant from the capital.

Rank Troublesome, 3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm.

Features Dressed for travel. Hair in sangley queue or cue, a traditional Chinese hairstyle.

Drives Return to his homeland “dressed in silk.”

Tactics Haggle persuasively. Appear deceptively poor and weak.

Companion When you undertake a journey to San Ludas market, add +1 to your roll. Asset Traits Health track starts at +3 (max). (if applicable)Sample file

82 Fray Gustavo Santander (he/him) The parish priest and the sole full-blooded Ispiran in Tatlonsawa.

Rank Troublesome, 3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm.

Features Tall and gaunt. Receding widow’s peak.

Drives Keep Tatlonsawa’s inhabitants docile. Exploit his position to the fullest.

Tactics Compel with guilt and shame. Leverage social superiority.

d100 The friar’s stated motive is seeking out a potential new source of divine revelation. He may also have an underlying motive (which you cannot simply compel him to divulge).

01-40 Identifying and purging the heretics who created it.

41-65 Seeking magical artifacts for a collection.

66-90 Learning to use the magic behind the shroud.

91-100 Seeking new proof for a waning faith (open to embracing a new religion).

Seek the Source Journey to San Ludas market

The next day (or sometime later), the adventurers The next chapter of the quest is in San Ludas, a remote are contacted by a patron interested in uncovering barangay in the Tatlonsawa area. You may gain this the secrets of the shroud. Fray Gustavo Santander is information from your patron, from Miguel, or from the suggested patron (see his statblock), but you may your own investigations. choose any character from the town or invent one When you undertake a journey, set up a progress yourself. Alternatively, if any adventurers have strong track for San Ludas market with rank: dangerous. convictions regarding the old native faith or the Ispiran Church, they may swear a vow with their comrades • Your second waypoint should be the talahiban. (i.e. other adventurers) as witnesses. • Your last waypoint should be San Ludas Market When you swear an iron vow, set up a progress (see Chapter 2). track with a name based on your vow and a rank of • The other waypoints may not be settlements. formidable. This is your main quest vow and the text specifies when to mark milestones for it. In general, the If the fiction suggests it, Miguel may accompany you. vow should involve discovering the truth behind the He is a seasoned traveler, but a poor fighter. Treat him shroud and should compel the adventurers to seek out as a companion asset assigned to one adventurer; you its point of origin. Rival factions may field agents of may assign him to a different one at any waypoint. their ownSample to investigate. file

83 Talahiban Resolving the Encounter

Tall, white-tufted grass sways in the wind, covering the You may learn the following at the end of the plains as far as the eye can see. The blades of talahib are encounter depending on the result of your progress stiff and rough, threatening to abrade any exposed skin move. they might touch. Suddenly, an arrow embeds itself in the ground nearby, signaling a more urgent threat. • Strong Hit: As above, and note this deep truth: The Order of Ages is led by a shaman with the gift If you attempt to negotiate with them, set up a progress of farsight. track and a countdown track with four boxes. • Weak Hit: As above, and they belong to the Order of Ages based in Mt. Salambuan. • On a hit with compel or secure an advantage, • Miss: Your assailants wore strange charms carved mark two progress. from wood and bone. • On a weak hit or and on a miss, mark one box on the countdown track. Regardless of the outcome, you reach a milestone in • On a miss, pay the price. your main quest vow.

When either: 1. you issue a decisive demand, or 2. the countdown box is full, EXTRA QUESTS

Roll a progress move. Power Struggles Bandits. An NPC pack. The principalia are indios descended from the elite who ruled when the Ispirans arrived. They receive various Rank Dangerous, 2 progress per harm; privileges under Ispiran rule in exchange for their inflicts 2 harm. service as underpaid, overworked functionaries. Principalia ceaselessly vie for power within their Features Armed with hunting bows and tabaks. spheres, even challenging agents of the Church and military if the opportunity arises. Many maintain Drives Destroying your supply or breaking large rural estates. Some raise private armies and many your spirit. employ capable—but plausibly deniable—agents to do Leaving you grievously wounded. their bidding. If Miguel is with you, killing or abducting Miguel. Arson Tactics Hide amid the grass: take -1 when you clash (edge). The alguacil may suspect the fire was the result of Strike from concealment. arson. Your characters may be asked or choose to Retreat to fight another day. pursue an investigation before departing on the Samplemain quest. file

84 CHAPTER 2 MAIN QUEST

SAN LUDAS The party’s main objective in San Ludas is to find enough clues to point them to Mt. Salambuan and In Chapter 2, the adventurers must find information discover the Order of Ages’ involvement along the to lead them to the shroud’s origin while contending way. Depending on their success in reaching San Ludas with the cabeza of San Ludas. By the end of this Market, they may either begin Narrowing the Search segment, they should know the shroud came from Mt. immediately or contend with bandits. Salambuan and be on their way there. Their activities should catch the attention of the This segment is meant to encourage side quests. town militia, who bring them to La Casa Blanca, The ones detailed here expand on the atrocities of the where they meet Elena Durand and either undertake Church and the colonial government, as well as the The Capitana’s Trials or act Against the Capitana. cruelty found in those who oppose them. Players are Once she’s dealt with, they Journey to Mt. Salambuan. encouraged to develop moral ambivalence. Questions to consider: • What would convince the various factions to San Ludas Market abandon violence? • Can these people be redeemed? A ragtag array of huts, shanties, and tents sprawl in • Do the adventurers seek restitution, vengeance, a clearing between two stands of trees. Various odors, reform, or something else? appetizing and not, hang in the air. Even from a distance the din of haggling can be heard. LOCATIONS The San Ludas market is the only major trading hub Barangay San Ludas’ population is just over 200, for several miles in any direction, the next closest being divided between almost forty households. Half of Tatlonsawa itself. If Miguel is with you he confirms this these form a loose cluster between the market and is where he traded for the shroud. the capitana’s house. The rest are scattered amid large Upon reaching this waypoint, roll immediately to gardens cultivated on the dry patches dotting the vast reach your destination. wetlands. • On a hit, the adventurers can begin Narrowing the Search. Hacienda de Santa Cintia • On a miss, the market is under attack by bandits. The local militia, Los Cuadrillos Blancos, reaches Adjacent to Barangay San Ludas is a sprawling coconut the scene either before the fight is over or after plantation owned by an Ispiran religious order. (50/50). Management is left largely to the indio overseers, who live in a compound manor house. The laborers inhabit Regardless of this scene’s outcome, the market is a village of wooden huts some distance away. destroyed and the barangay loses a major community center. Whenever you try to compel, gather information, or sojourn in San Ludas, take -1 on The Wetlands the roll. This stacks with other effects; end it once the fiction justifies it. Over half of San Ludas is composed of swamplands. They have long deterred military efforts to root out vagrantSample outlaws, but are valued by the locals for the file lush vegetation and small game they attract. They also host crocodiles, venomous snakes, and monitor lizards, which pose a threat to unwary travelers.

85 Los Cuadrillos Blancos

The local militia’s movements are brisk and confident. Each one has a steel-tipped spear in one hand and a pistol at their hip. The white putongs they all wear—around the head, neck or waist—suggest a level of discipline rarely seen among cuadrilleros.

The militia of San Ludas are entirely loyal to Elena, who gives them preferential treatment, quality equipment, and hefty salaries. They mostly patrol in groups of four. Their total number is around forty—far larger than the usual barangay militia.

Bandits. An NPC pack. Los Cuadrillos Blancos. An NPC pack. Rank Dangerous, 2 progress per harm; Rank Formidable, 1 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm. inflicts 3 harm. Features Armed with knives and javelins. Features Remarkable discipline. If questioned, they know nothing of High-quality equipment. the Order of Ages except that they Drives Protect San Ludas’s freedom. live in the mountain. Carry out the capitana’s will. Drives Take livestock, tools, and other Tactics Squad-based martial tactics. useful supplies. Tactics Terrify first, fight only if needed. Hit and run.

Narrowing the Search

When you look for leads in the market, set up a When either: progress track, as well as a countdown track with four boxes. 1. your characters take action to make sense of what they’ve learned, or • When you score a hit on gather information, 2. the countdown track is filled, compel, or secure an advantage, mark two progress. Make a progress move to resolve the scene. • On a gather information or compel hit, additionally gain one piece of information or Choose the appropriate number of deep truths closest answer one prompt from the table below. to the topics you asked about. • On a weak hit or miss, envision the complications that ensue and mark one box on the • Strong hit: note two deep truths from the list countdown track. below. • On a miss, pay the price; consider which rival • Weak hit: note one truth from the list below. factions might take action against you, (e.g. Order • Miss: you earn the market’s suspicion. Whenever of Ages, rivals from Tatlonsawa, or mistrustful you try to compel, gather information, or locals). sojourn in San Ludas, take -1 on the roll. End this Sampleeffect once the fiction justifiesfile it.

86 Asking about... Information Deep Truth

Shroud or fabric trade Most fabrics in the market come from The Mountain Folk are mostly highland inhabitants of Mt. Salambuan; or natives avoiding trouble. answer: Where on Mt. Salambuan did the shroud’s maker come from?

Religious icons The mountain’s inhabitants use similar The Mountain Folk are impoverished, items as protection from spirits; or relying on charms for protection and luck. answer: How can you combat the mountain spirits? The Order of Ages has only recently begun to proselytize outside of the hinterlands.

The Divine Virgin Images of a woman are seen carved Mt. Salambuan hosts many minor spirits, on the charms of the Order of Age; some benevolent and some malefic. or answer: What ritual might imbue a shroud with such power? Mt. Salambuan various sects have enclaves on the mountain, which they hold as sacred.

La Casa Blanca DIVERSIFYING RIVALS Most factions in the hinterlands are only loosely The adventurers should eventually catch the attention of the militia, organized. People opposing you may be acting who take them to the Capitana. They reply if spoken to, but do not on their own prerogative, maybe even against discuss details of the barangay’s security. their superiors’ wishes. You can use this to introduce difficulties to your quest without arraying entire factions against you. Furthermore, Beyond a copse of trees you spot a curious edifice: a house, elevated you can use these opportunities to add nuance on wide hardwood pillars, with a high, tiled roof in the Old World to the ranks of your rivals. style. Upon the verandah, a woman with sangley-mestiza features cools herself with a folding fan, observing your approach.

Capitana Elena, the barangay tanod, asks the nature of your business. She immediately distrusts anyone who appears faithful to the Church. Reach a milestone on your main quest vow. Elena refuses you travel to Mt. Salambuan on the blatantly false pretense that consorting with mountain folk is illegal. Her true objective is to implicate you in her own illicit schemes. She assigns a quest (see Extra Quests) based on the adventurers’ apparent loyalty to the Church; If you don’t appear devout, she assigns a troublesome one, but if you appear devout, a dangerous or formidable one. Any quest Sampleundertaken this way grants only three experience; quests taken file outside this context award the usual experience.

87 Capitana Elena Durand (she/her) The barangay tanod of San Ludas. Rank Troublesome, 3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm.

Features Short and slender. Strong resemblance to her sangley father. Refined and educated manner.

Drives Avenge her husband’s mistreatment. Bring ruin to the Church and its adherents.

Tactics Blackmail and extortion. Earn from smuggling, illegal trade, and bounty hunting. Exploit connections with powerful sangley and Old World merchants.

The Capitana’s Trials

Elena refuses to accept a conventional vow. She insists you perform some gruesome, heretical gesture to demonstrate your commitment. Roll or choose from the chart, or create your own heretical gesture.

d100 Heretical Gesture

01-70 Breaking or sullying a Church symbol.

71-90 Mutilating an animal dear to the Church (e.g. a dove).

91-100 Spilling the blood of an imprisoned Ispiran loyalist.

• Unless your character is especially sadistic, you suffer -2 spirit and endure stress. • On anything less than a strong hit, take -1 on your roll to swear an iron vow.

Return to this section after you’ve completed the appropriate quest(s). When you do so, reach a milestone on your main quest vow.

Against the Capitana

If you refuse to work on Elena’s terms she conspires to remove you from the picture by other means, such as:

• Poisoning attempts. • Harassment by the Cuadrillos Blancos. • Attacks by hired thugs (rank: dangerous).

The people of San Ludas show reluctance to associate with you. Whenever you try to compel, gather information, or sojourn in San Ludas, take -1 on the roll. This stacks with other effects; end it once the fiction justifiesSample it. file If you can put a definitive end to Elena’s interference before leaving San Ludas,reach a milestone on your main quest vow.

88 Journey to Mt. Salambuan

If you undertake the journey with Elena’s blessing, she Outcasts at the Border gives you additional items.

• A gilded white putong, like those her militia wear, Just outside San Ludas’ border, the marsh grass and damp ensuring free passage throughout San Ludas. soil yield to a gentle rise, leading up to low, rolling hills in the distance. A group of people stand at the crest of a rise, • If you informed her specifically of The Order hands ready on their bows. One of them halts you and of Ages, a sash with threads that glimmer under demands your identity and purpose. starlight, to mark yourself as a guest of the Order.

When you undertake a journey, set up a progress track These outcasts belong to one of several outcast groups for Mt. Salambuan with a rank of dangerous. If you roaming the hinterlands. If defeated, tracked, or have Elena’s help, take +1 on the roll. bargained with, they may lead you to their base, Purok Subok. When envisioning the encounter, modify it • Two of this journey’s waypoints are related to the according to the encounter table. main quest. • Your second waypoint is Purok Subok. • The last waypoint is The Base of Mt. Salambuan (See Chapter 3).

If... Is true… Is not true…

The mountain folk are mostly The Outcasts avoid violence at all Add the deep truth: The mountain folk highland natives avoiding costs. You may compel them to despise colonial subjects. The Outcasts trouble. offer you hospitality. attack you unless you can prove you have opposed the Church and Ispira (e.g. by undertaking Elena’s quests).

The mountain folk are The Outcasts have a rank of Add the deep truth: The mountain folk impoverished and rely on dangerous. are readying for war. The Outcasts have a charms for protection and luck. rank of formidable.

You have not earned Elena’s In the middle of your encounter, No adjustment. favor. a group of hired thugs (dangerous) attacks you from behind. Sample file

89 Purok Subok Outcasts. An NPC pack. Rank See encounter table for rank. Dangerous The adventurers can sojourn at Purok Subok and, , 2 progress per harm; if they establish rapport, use it as a base, though its inflicts 2 harm. Formidable supplies and services are limited. , 1 progress per harm; The settlement is little more than a campsite in inflicts 3 harm. the lee of an especially large hill. Wooden huts and Features Rugged dress. weather-proofed tents encircle a cluster of cook fires. There are some 100 residents, but over half are out Drives Protect their home and freedom. scouting or hunting at any given time. The locals May be aligned with the Order of are skilled at hunting, gathering, woodworking, and Ages. scrimshaw. Tactics Strike with bows (rifles ifreadying for war) from the high ground. Signal for help. EXTRA QUESTS Tactical retreats. Elena’s Tasks BLINDING THEIR EYES STAYING THE HAND The army periodically sends scouts into the hinterlands An especially ruthless Ispiran officer, Colonel Mercurio to survey outlaw activity. These small troops consist Fonsera, has begun a campaign to exterminate outlaws of indio conscripts and mestizo officers; the former near Mt. Salambuan. He makes no distinction between are easily bribed or coerced but the latter are harder to bandits and peaceful folk and has already put one dissuade. Elena tasks you kill or capture a scout captain community to the sword. Elena would have you put and deliver them (or their body) to the mountain folk. the unit to rout and deliver the colonel to her—dead or alive—at a secluded location. RANK: Troublesome. POSSIBLE MILESTONES: RANK: Formidable. • Gathering information from the locals. POSSIBLE MILESTONES: • Finding the scouting party’s tracks. • Making contact with resistance groups in the area. • Obtaining intelligence on Fonsera’s movements. STRIKING THE HEEL • Fortifying a settlement targeted by Fonsera. A nearby Church encomienda (i.e. enfeoffed land) is • Win the first clash, forcing Fonsera’s retreat. managed by an overseer who’s given to flogging and detaining his subjects on a whim. He is aided by several Colonel Mercurio Fonsera (he/him) violent thugs. Elena would have you infiltrate the A Lusong-born Ispiran military officer. encomienda to kill the overseer and his adjutants. Rank Formidable, 1 progress per harm; RANK: Dangerous. inflicts 3 harm. POSSIBLE MILESTONES: Features Stocky and muscular. • Making contact with a plantation worker. Carries rifle, pistol, and saber. • Learning the overseer’s schedule. • Hiding weapon caches for the workers to access. Drives Chastise the “savages” that killed his parents. Escape the ignominy of his child- Samplehood. file Tactics Counter-guerrilla tactics. Maiming and torture. Old-World military strategy.

90 Other Plots LOCAL DISCONTENT A minority of San Ludas residents fear Elena’s actions bring future ruin to the barangay. Led by a hunter named Gemino, they may seek your aid in supplanting Elena as tanod. Their candidate is an indecisive cousin of Elena whom they use as figurehead.

RANK: Formidable.

Gemino Gubat (he/him) Retired cazador. Rank Dangerous, 2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 harm. With residents: Formidable, 1 progress per harm; inflicts 3 harm. Features Uneven gait from a once-broken leg. Uses hunting bow and tabak. Drives Make a living despite disability. Keep watch for mountain folk plots. Tactics Traps and ambushes. Use all senses in the hunt. SEAMLESS SCARS Elena’s hatred of the Church stems from its callous treatment of her husband. Albion Durand was once a sought- after physician in the capital of Lusong, who championed liberal ideas. When his mental health deteriorated the bishops were quick to make an example of him: seeking truth through godless science, they claimed, could only destroy both mind and soul. Elena has given up seeking a cure for her husband’s illness but still dreams of finding one. Curing his illness may require divine intervention, but it could free Elena from her all-consuming quest for vengeance.

RANK: Extreme.

Albion Durand (he/him) Elena’s husband and a retired doctor. Rank Troublesome, 3 progress per harm; inflicts 1 harm. Features Short, broad-shouldered. Vacillates between listlessness and nervousness. Rare moments of clarity. Drives Enjoy life with his wife. During moments of clarity, minimize her burdens. SampleTactics Entrusts most matters to Elena. file

91 CHAPTER 3 MT. SALAMBUAN

In Chapter 3, the adventurers arrive at Mt. Salambuan and explore its slopes, aiming to confront the Order of Ages and discover the truth of the shroud. How this plays out depends on the exact vow sworn, the deep truths in play, and your interpretation of these. LOCATIONS

Mt. Salambuan

Mt. Salambuan is a dormant volcano rising some 2,000 meters high. It is surrounded by densely forested, moderately steep slopes with five lower peaks arrayed around it. When envisioning a place on the mountain, you can use the modifiedlocation oracle. Combine this with the standard location descriptor oracle for further detail, or with the sacred aspect oracle to envision a puesto, a sacred site.

Location Oracle (D100)

1-12 Sparse woods 49-60 Flower patch 85-89 Cave 13-24 Dense woods 61-68 Ancient tree 90-94 Animal lair 25-36 Stream 69-76 Pool 95-97 Hot spring 37-48 Clearing 77-84 Rock formation 98-100 Campsite

Sacred Aspect Oracle (D100)

01-15 Spirit’s lair 61-70 Site of communion

16-30 Source of magical materials 71-80 Site of historic event (several sects)

31-45 Site of past revelation 81-90 Magical phenomenon (benign)

46-60 Site of historic event (specific sect) 91-100 Magical phenomenon (harmful)

The pathways up the mountain are in perpetual gloom, owing to the thick woods. Old magics suffuse the place, throwingSample travelers off the path and confounding their senses The( Shrouded Slopes ). file

92 The Shrouded Slopes Rank Formidable, 1 progress per harm; inflicts 3 harm. Features Tangled pathways through the trees impossible to remember. Phantom sounds and smells. Drives Keep strangers away from holy sites. Feed the forest with travelers’ corpses. Tactics Lead travelers in circles. Drive wanderers to exhaustion or panic.

When you undertake a journey to a place on the mountain, set up both a progress track and a countdown track of four boxes. • When you score a hit on undertake a journey, face danger, or secure an advantage, mark progress based on the journey’s rank. • On a weak hit or miss on any of these moves, also mark a box on the countdown track. • On a miss on any of these moves, pay the price. • You can use vague destinations, like “the peak” or “the other side.” • Reaching the peak or crossing the mountain is formidable (1 progress per waypoint); for shorter journeys, scale accordingly.

CHARACTERS Alunsina Taguyod [ah-loon-SEE-nah tah-GOO-yod] The Order of Ages (she/her) Rank Dangerous, an emissary party, Rank Formidable, 1 progress per harm; 2 progress per harm; inflicts 2 inflicts 3 harm. harm. Formidable, a detachment, most- Features Wild, lustrous hair. ly untrained, 1 progress per harm; Sonorous, musical voice. inflicts 3 harm. Extreme, a detachment, seasoned Drives Upholding the spirits’ customs. guerrillas, 2 ticks per harm; in- Living free of the Church’s yoke. flicts 4 harm. Deep truth: serving the Voces Celis. Membership Large base of mountain natives. Tactics Guiding people into contact with Deep truth: several lowland spirits. converts. Cultivating her followers’ spiritual and physical strength. Drives Challenging the Church’s truth Establishing a just, virtuous communi- with their own. ty. Deep truth: fulfilling the will of As a last resort: Voces Celis. Beseeching spirits to chastise her foes. SampleSending her followers into battle. Tactics Using thefile mountain and hinter- Fighting with the ferocity and prowess land terrain to their advantage. of a beast. Mustering covert forces in secret. Deep truth: cursing her foes. Using native magic and beseech- ing spirits for aid.

93 MAIN QUEST

The main quest begins at the Base of Mt. Salambuan. From there, the adventurers Further the Quest by navigating the mountain to find the object of their vow.The Order of Ages should play a major role. Mountain Spirits or Mountain Sects can help drive the story, helping or hindering as appropriate. The quest should reach its climax at the Pamanaog Langit [pah-mah-NAH-ogg LAH-ngit], a mystic ordeal that tests the adventurers’ resolve. The outcome of the ordeal determines where the adventurers go from there.

The Base of Mt. Salambuan

As you arrive at the base, immediately roll to reach The mountain stands before you, its slopes deep in the your destination. You also reach a milestone on your shadows of the trees covering it like an emerald dress. main quest vow. The paths, cloaked in endless twilight, are thick with the If you have only noted one deep truth related whisper of leaves and furtive chirps of unseen creatures. to Mt. Salambuan, add another one based on the one already active. If you have none, add both.

Hosts many spirits… Mt. Salambuan is ruled by The Order of Ages, who have driven out or subdued other groups.

Various sects have enclaves… A capricious spirit, Voces Celis, dominates Mt. Salambuan, and the sects vie for her favor. If only the Order of Ages is left, they have secured her favor.

When envisioning the outcome of your reach a destination, consider what may support or hinder you.

The nature of your vow. What would aid or hinder Your deep truths. Either may require something in your next steps? exchange.

• Finding strategic intelligence or secure positions. • Members of various sects can offer hospitality or • Discovering a path through the mountain. guidance. • Establishing peaceful contact with a member of • Spirits can provide supernatural aid and insight. theSample Order. file

94 The Order of Ages

The Order of Ages is the final layer surrounding the mystery of the shroud. They are led by Alunsina Taguyod, a powerful shaman raised in the mountain folk traditions, but tempered by years of pilgrimage in the lowlands and Ispiran-ruled pueblos. She is active in the Order’s affairs and, if you make your presence felt, confronts you personally. When you encounter the order, add deep truths according to the table.

If you have not noted Note that it... that the Order…

is lead by a shaman gifted is led by a shaman blessed with farsight, command of spirits, and powers to heal, with farsight fascinate and curse. has only recently begun has widespread influence among the border barangays. to proselytize outside of the hinterlands

After resolving your first encounter with the Order of Ages on the mountain,reach a milestone on your main quest vow.

Further the Quest

Succeeding encounters with the Order depend on the quest you’ve set up and the vow you’ve sworn.

COMBAT COOPERATION If you seek to combat the Order openly, they respond The Order welcomes you as guests if you submit to with the following tactics: these conditions until your loyalty is proved.

• Employing spirits to disorient and hamper foes; • Constant surveillance. each spirit is a separate threat. • Remaining disarmed. • Using quick raids to disrupt supply and lower morale. Whenever you make significant strides in your quest • Scouting with their leader’s farsight. (e.g. decisive victories against The Order, or acquiring new knowledge about the shroud and its magic) you may reach a milestone in your main quest vow. Mark up to two boxes this way. Sample file

95 Mountain Spirits Voces Celis

Spirits cannot be harmed by common weapons. You The Voces Celis is a powerful spirit, who extends first need to learn how to combat spirits or deal with her influence through scattered revelation. The few them by other means. consistencies in her lore are that she is among god’s first Mt. Salambuan’s spirits are either benevolent or creations, and she seeks the lost Virtues to ascend to malevolent, known respectively as putián (white) and her full power. All else known about her is conflicting itiman (black) in native lore. The pulahan (red) act rumors. according to esoteric laws of territory and behavior. Flesh out spirits by choosing from the qualities below Voces Celis (she/her) or envisioning your own. A powerful spirit. Rank Extreme, 2 ticks per harm; inflicts 4 Lesser Spirits harm. Rank Troublesome to Formidable. Features Hawk or eagle with silver feathers. Features A silhouette half-seen against a tree Tree crowned in bright pink mush- trunk. rooms. Human-like, but: Beautiful woman (shares features with • Uncannily small. the image on the shroud). • No philtrum. Drives Gather the Virtues and ascend to full • Feet or hands never visible. power. Drives Torture humans. Expand her influence among mortals Aid humans. and spirits. Defend territory or esoteric customs. Tactics Entice humans to her cause. Tactics Disorient victims. Enchant mortals with might and Curse with fever (treat as poisoned charm. condition). Bend lesser spirits to her will. Enthrall into stupor. As a last resort: Beseeching spirits to chastise her foes. Sending her followers into battle. Fighting with the ferocity and prow- ess of a beast. Deep truth: cursing her foes. Rumors Will strike down the false Ispiran god. Is related to Ispiran god. Has chosen Lusong as her nation. Seeks a mortal woman to carry her child.

You can resolve the truth of the ru- Samplemors later on (seefile Revelation).

96 Sects of the Mountain Pamanaog Langit

Depending on your deep truths, Mt. Salambuan may Near the peak of Mt. Salambuan is a narrow cave host sects other than the Order. To generate other where the realms of mortals and spirits meet. Spirits and sects, combine features, drives, methods, and practices shamans refer to it as Pamanaog Langit [pah-mah- from the Sects of the Mountain statblock. NAH-ogg LAH-ngit], the Descent to Heaven. Here, Generate sects other than The Order of Ages. they say, those with strong souls may gain insight into the profound truths of the world. The Pamanaog Langit is a trek through the cave Leadership Native shaman. that is both physically and spiritually demanding. Those Former Church faithful swayed undertaking the ordeal are allowed to bring nothing by apocrypha. into the cave, wearing no more than a thin robe and Old World scholar or mystic. rattan sandals. Membership Mostly mountain folk. GETTING TO THE CAVE Mostly lowland outcasts. You can reach the cave by: Even mix. • Being brought there by Alunsina. Drives Contemplative withdrawal from • Being guided there by another sect. society. • Following a spirit there. Evangelization. • Coming across it when you undertake a journey Political upheaval. to the peak. Practices Maintain a puesto (sacred site). THE ORDEAL Rituals based on lunar activity. Communion with spirit(s). The ordeal unfolds over a series of segments in the cave. At each segment, you are asked a question; you must provide one answer you hope is true, and one you fear may be true. Below each question are a pair MYSTERIES of sample answers, written with the assumption your character cleaves to the Ispiran faith. The sects of Mt. Salambuan form around mysteries of faith: tenets When you begin the descent, set up a progress their leaders learned through contemplation of the universe or through revelation from a higher power. Such mysteries track, as well as a countdown track with ten boxes. may integrate the “mainstream” Ispiran religion, usually in a At each passage, face danger twice. subordinate position where it has no claim to absolute truth. This may involve revelations about its god, its spirits, or its prophets. • On a hit, mark one progress. • On a weak hit or miss, mark one box on the countdown track. • On a miss, pay the price, choosing from the following: - Suffer -3 spirit and endure stress. - Suffer -3 momentum. - Lose all supply.

If you undertake the ordeal as a group, choose which of your characters rolls both tests for each passage.

• The character making the moves should answer Samplethe corresponding questions.file • You cannot secure an advantage or aid an ally during the ordeal.

97 FIRST PASSAGE SECOND PASSAGE

The cave’s mouth is a gash in the earth, scarcely an arm’s A rhythmic dripping of water presages the cold liquid length across. The descent is steep, with steps turning this that you must ford. The floor drops precipitously; where way and that, so the light from the surface is soon no more footsteps find no purchase, it is water itself that you must than a dim memory. tread.

Face danger (Edge). Face danger (Iron).

The thought comes unbidden: ‘Here is the threshold The echoing drips seem to speak in multiple voices. Ask between one world and another. Ask yourself: “what lies yourself: ‘who can you trust to speak the truth of god?’ beyond the mortal world?”’

PROMPTS PROMPTS: • Hope: An afterlife of peace awaits those who keep • Hope: Truth is in the prophets’ words, handed god’s commands. down in scripture. • Fear: The spirits have crossed the veil to speak to • Fear: The prophets lie. The truth is scattered in us. We ignore them at our peril. myriad voices crying out in the wilderness.

Face danger (Heart). Face danger (Wits).

THIRD PASSAGE FOURTH PASSAGE

A half dozen passages unfold before you, a tangled Your next step thrusts you into a vast cavern, higher than blossom of dark and emptiness. They curve and writhe into you can reach, broader than your arms can span. The air is the darkness, under and above each other, going forward dry and scalding. and twisting back.

Face danger (Wits). Face danger (Iron).

How can one trust the work of one’s hands? Is virtue found There is no refuge from the scorching heat, no clever tricks in the fruits of our actions, or the intent with which we to alleviate it, nor deft maneuvers to escape its wrath. Do cultivate them? Ask yourself: ‘what is the source of virtue?’ you cry out for aid? Ask yourself: who is there to answer?

PROMPTS: PROMPTS • Hope: By god’s grace can we choose good over • Hope: God is always present and active, helping evil. in his inscrutable ways. • Fear: Virtue is a lie that softens the pain of our • Fear: You do not even have the reassurance of animal existence. lonesomeness—the spirits are watching, mocking your suffering. Face danger (Heart). SampleFace danger (Shadow). file

98 FIFTH PASSAGE REVELATION

The cavern angles upward, gently at first, then When you’ve cleared all five of the ordeal’s passages, precipitously—a shelf of jagged handholds and loose scree roll a progress move. that skins your knees. • Miss: all your fears are true; if any are contradictory, adjust them to match the last Face danger (Edge). question. • Strong hit: your hopes are true. • Weak hit: your fear for the last question is true; As you crest the rise, she appears to you: the lady of adjust other answers accordingly. the shroud—luminous as the night sky, beautiful as the promised dawn, awesome and terrible as the arc of heaven. Consider how the final truth answers important She speaks an answer to the question: who is she? questions related to your main quest vow, such as:

PROMPTS: • Who is depicted on the shroud? • Hope: She is the Blessed Virgin, though in a guise • How was the shroud created? Why? you have never beheld. • How might you work similar magic? • Fear: She is the Virgin, but known by other names too. She is mother to more than one god, Furthermore, on a weak hit or miss, the unsettling queen of realms beyond heaven, subject to no one revelations threaten your sanity. You must face danger and nothing save her own desires. (Wits, Heart or Spirit up to +4). When you do, add the number of checked countdown boxes to the challenge Face danger. Add your spirit (up to +4) to your action dice based on the result of your progress move. die. • Miss: add it to the higher challenge die, and half (rounded down) to the lower one. • Weak hit: add it to the higher challenge die.

If you would pay the price as a result of this move, you must forsake your vow on your main quest as the revelations shatter your will to go on. New Vow

Any of the ordeal’s outcomes has the potential to turn your world upside down. If you choose (or are forced) to forsake your vow, you may swear an iron vow in service of the apparition (or another party, as fits the fiction). Frame this vow based on all you’ve learned; it should unambiguously contradict your previous vow’s principles. When you swear an iron vow: • Strong hit: immediately mark progress equal to your forsaken vow’s progress minus 1. • SampleWeak hit: immediately mark progress equal to half your forsaken vow’s progress file (rounded down).

99 Fulfill Your Vow Further Adventures

The revelation from the ordeal should answer the most Here are some quest prompts for continuing your pressing questions remaining, and set the direction for adventure. the final leg of your quest. Generally, fulfilling the quest entails a return to orthodox colonial society. For example: The Order of Ages

• Return to Fray Gustavo with knowledge of the To expand its presence, the Order needs connections power behind the shroud. and resources. Alunsina has identified a principal • Procure an enchanted item and bring it back to willing to help, provided you can eliminate their rivals. your patron. • Return to your patron with a promise of allegiance from the Order of Ages. La Casa Blanca • Kill or convert Fray Gustavo and spread the influence of the Voces Celis. Elena’s activities have come to light and the authorities are intent on chastising her. She has mustered her resources for a final stand. Will you aid or hinder her? Resistance

Any parties you are not loyal to by the end almost The Voces Celis certainly oppose you. If, for instance, the Pamanaog Langit has not swayed you to the Order of Ages’ side, The Voces Celis seeks an agent to convince another they strive to trap you on the mountain or bury you on sect of the truth of her words, by bearing the shroud its slopes. with her likeness to their leader—and trusts she handles Conversely, if you take up their cause, you have the rest. to contest the empire’s power: military, Church, and crown. If you choose another marginal group, such as Elena or the outcasts of Purok Subok, you find yourself walking a narrow path between greater powers.

CONCLUSION AUTHOR’S NOTES/ACKNOWLEDGMENTS If you successfully fulfill your vow, you enjoy a Heartfelt thanks to the Merger Hobos for participating moment to enjoy your rewards, gather your strength, in the playtest of this scenario and for your support in, and ponder what you’ve learned from your journey. well, a whole lot of other ways too. You, your patron, and your rivals are adrift on the tides of powers far greater than any of you. If you choose to AUTHOR BIO confront them, see further adventures. Ari is a freelance writer from the Philippines, who got Conversely, if you fail to fulfill your vow (i.e. roll a started in tabletop RPGs with D&D 3.5e and now plays miss), consider what may have gone wrong. mostly 5e, City of Mist, and Ironsworn. In addition to For instance: pen-and-paper games, their hobbies include fantasy • YouSample lose conviction at the last moment. and weird fiction, video games,file and collecting action • You are thwarted by your rivals (e.g. your patron figures. Also a bit of a visual novel nerd. assassinated, a key objective denied). • You are betrayed by your patron (e.g. sold out to Tweets very sporadically at @arisia_rolls. authorities or rivals). 100 The First Diya of Navratri written by CHARU PATEL This adventure is optimized for Gun&Slinger edited by DOUG RIECHEL and the Sword&Bearer supplement for 1 Maestro and 2 or 4 players. GAMEPLAY TIME 4-6 hours CONTENT WARNINGS racism, colonizers, cultural & religious oppression, foreign invaders, prison & imprisonment, snakes, mentions of murder SYNOPSIS ADVENTURE BACKGROUND

Foreign invaders have crossed the threshold of the There are ten villages of varying sizes counted in the Mithvani [Mith-vAHh-nee] region, seizing control of Mithvani area, the furthest outskirts of the City. The the villages and the roadways both between the villages city is the size of a large country, but the villages are and leading to the City. No one is sure where these governed independently. invaders came from or whether the City is aware of Characters can be from anywhere in the world, but their presence. Once they arrived, the land began to they live in Jharwadi [JAHR-wah-dee] right now, one morph, and there are rumors of an increased presence of the ten Mithvani villages. Although the City distrusts of the Twist. Cultural and religious festivals have been the Wilderness outside the City walls, the Mithvani forbidden by the invaders, as they say it risks further villages have lived nearby without much trouble, Twist interference. despite the City walls that have fallen into disrepair. The Mithvani village plan to celebrate Navratri Openings have allowed the Wilderness into Mithvani, [NUHv-raht-ree] in secret; the villages leaders have however the Wilderness has not moved further into tasked the party to escort Mahraj Atamdaras [mAH- the City. The Mithvani villages have lived in relative rahj Ah-tUHm-duh-raas], a local priest, to pick up harmony with the Wilderness for centuries, with the festival supplies, weapons, and information about the help of the pritvashas. invaders. Through either roads or fields, guards and One year ago, communication with the City was pritvashas [prEEt-vuh-shas] (nature spirits) present disrupted by foreign invaders who took over Mithvani. different kinds of danger to the mahraj and the group, The village leaders don’t know where these invaders as the party seeks to light the spark of rebellion. came from or whether this is happening all over the City or just in their area. Messages sent to the City asking for support have not returned. The Mithvani ADVENTURE HOOK leaders have lost control of the roads, but keep the invaders out of the villages by paying taxes and In Gun&Slinger, you play as either a sentient, magical agreeing to implement the invader culture over time. weapon or the person who bears that weapon. In this The invaders insinuate that the culture of the Mithvani setting, magic is commonplace, but people are not as villages allows the Twist to grow its influence. familiar with this type of magic. Also, there is always The lack of response from the City is flavor for the fear of the Twist’s touch. the adventure; have the group play to find this out or The leaders have chosen you because of your use one of these reasons why the City is not sending unique relationship with the Twist. Many of the help: the City has abandoned Mithvani, the City sent villagersSample grumbled about your involvement as the the invaders themselves, or thefile City was taken over Sword and Bearer (or Gun and Slinger), not trusting first and the invaders have now reached the Mithvani anything that has such close ties to the Twist. region. However, most are unwilling to travel between the villages now that the pritvashas are absent—or angry. 101 RUNNING THE SYSTEM PRITVASHAS & PRIKHET Pritvashas (PREEt-vuh-shas) are nature spirits that exist in the Mithvani region. Pritvashas look like large versions of the animals This adventure is optimized for Sword&Bearer and the native to this area; they are vibrantly colored and have added base rules of Gun&Slinger. It references the City of features, such as extra eyes or limbs. They have the ability to stay Sword&Bearer including additional lore. This adventure invisible until they wish to address villagers. Stories are passed can be run using either ruleset, by combining the two down that they controlled all of the land and gradually gave it as (four players: a Gun, a Slinger, a Sword, and a Bearer) gifts to the mortal beings that lived in the City. Many believe that the pritvashas fled to the Mithvani region because the rest of the or by doubling up (for example, two Swords and two City forgot them. There are also theories that the Twist may have Bearers). caused this move. Pritvashas protect the fields that are in between If you are only using Gun&Slinger, feel free to and around the villages in the Mithvani regions. Pritvashas have use the lore from the Sword & Bearer section. If you their own magic, power, and their own agendas that exist outside use both Gun&Slinger and Sword&Bearer together, of their dealings with mortals. choose with your group if you’d like to mix and match Prikhet (PREE-khet) is land that is owned by the pritvashas. Their lands are not bound by the climate of the region and their questions from the two “For the Table’’ sections or only weather can be vastly different from that of the nearby villages. want to go with one. As this is your game, feel free to Villages give offerings and have pujas for the pritvashas, who allow skip any For The Table questions that don’t serve the the villagers to live in peace alongside them. When villages need story you want to explore. to expand their land, they bring offerings to the pritvashas and The stats are narrative and open to interpretation. ask for permission to push outward into their prikhet. Sometimes For example, the Fragile Spirit of a Weapon could be this must be done over years to convince a pritvasha. Otherwise, villages will break off and send some of their villagers to land used to make the Sword look rusted and old, allowing that is already given up by the pritvashas elsewhere. Destroying for the group to avoid a guard’s suspicion. (The section a prikhet is rumored to affect the magic of pritvashas and cause “How to Treat Stats’’ in the core Gun&Slinger rule set unforeseen consequences. has more detail for players.) Pritvashas are inspired by yakshas (nature spirits) in Hinduism, The City’s Twist Capacity from Sword&Bearer can but pritvashas were created specifically for this adventure. be used specifically for the Mithvani villages in either or both rulesets. Use Twist Capacity to add tension and don’t be afraid to fill up the tracker before the climax. You may quickly fill up the tracker again during the climax of the adventure. NAVRATRI Suggested difficulties for NPC encounters are given In Gujarat, Navratri is a festival of nine days that celebrates nine but can be adjusted as you see fit. aspects of the goddess Shakti. The most well-known part of Play is separated into two phases: the day phase the festival in Gujarat is Garba, a communal folk dance. Feasts, socializing, and fasting during the day are also a part of the and the night phase. Players negotiate interactions celebration. The festival uses many diyas (oil lamps) for both with NPCs and obtain supplies for Navratri (and the decoration and as a part of pujas (religious ceremonies). rebellion) during the day phase from the villages. Most This festival is celebrated in a myriad of ways across India and of the encounters during the day phase utilize skills such many states/regions celebrate different gods and goddesses. The as charm, diplomacy, wit, and intelligence. Navratri Wikipedia page is a good place to start if you’d like more They travel the roads or the prikhet at night. In information. If a player celebrates Navratri differently, they are absolutely encouraged to add that to their play-through of this night encounters, characters may seek opportunities to adventure. use deception, negotiation, bribery, and combat. The addition of festivals to appease pritvashas is unique to this setting.

BRAIDS Look forSample opportunities in play to give players a braid. Be generous with them, scaled with the number of gamefile sessions. Players should feel comfortable spending braids throughout the sessions to progress their characters and the story. It’s recommended for one person to keep the Braids section open during the play. In addition to progressing characters, braids can be used to creatively solve conflicts. Sword&Bearer has specific ways to spend braids in addition to the base options of Gun&Slinger. Use both as you see fit.

102 Lighting the Match

You hear the chirps of sparrows carried on the breeze, the sounds of your neighbors chatting over lunch, children playing and laughing It is well into the heat of the day, but the wind is a cool relief as you walk towards the familiar home of Mahraj Atamdaras. Jharwadi

Jharwadi [JAHR-wah-dee] is a large, sprawling village; the homes and locations are woven among the farmlands owned by small clusters of families. This village is cleaved into two pieces by a large river, a major thoroughfare for the villagers. Most families own their land, but band together with others in their vicinity to share the farm workload and as mutual safety nets during hard times. These community systems allow the village to hold together despite the closing of the harvest festival. Agitation about the occupation of the Mithvani villages is high here and adventurers are free to talk openly about their plans without much fear.

Mahraj Atamdaras

Mahraj Atamdaras [MAH-rahj ah-TUHM-duh-raas] THE MAHRAJ (she/her, 45, mahraj) is kind and welcoming, but firm in her beliefs. She knows the area and the pritvashas Mahraj [MAH-rahj] is a regional, colloquial definition in Gujarati for a priest. This definition is used in rural villages in Gujarat, the well because she often traveled between the four region that inspired this adventure, near the towns of Navsari, villages she asks the adventurers to visit. Gandevi, and Bilimora. If using Sword&Bearer, Mahraj Atamdaras and her The common word for priest in Gujarati is padari [PAH-duh- mote share the elemental pair of melody and hope. ree]; you may use this word instead if you choose. Characters She happily answers any questions, but may use the title Mahraj-ji [MAH-rahj-jee] in place of her full disseminates information on a need-to-know basis. If name and title when addressing Mahraj Atamdaras. characters are struggling with an encounter, you may provide tips or ideas through Mahraj Atamdaras. Since the beginning of the invasion, Mahraj Atamdaras warned the villagers about the dangerous invaders and advises the village leaders on plans of action. She believes the invasion is a bad omen and a clear sign that the City is in worse shape. From her travels, she knows what is happening with the invasion, the pritvashas and the prikhet, and the City (although she hasn’t visited for a decade). Mahraj Atamdaras and the leaders created the plan for the Navratri festival and chose the characters for this mission to escort her to the secret location of the Navratri festival. Along with retrieving supplies so she can perform pujas for the festival, she wants the party to bring supplies for the resistance.

Avati Mahraj Atamdaras provides the following information: Mahraj Atamdaras looks up as you approach and smiles. “Good, you’ve arrived • Avati gives the group a regional map. It won’t have much just in time. I need you to collect the first detail but it gives a lay of the land. set of supplies from Avati.” She laughs. “We • Avati is very sweet, but he talks anyone’s ear off about the all Sampleknow once he starts talking, it’s hard to different climates in the area. He’s filenever left Jharwadi, so much get him to stop. But he’s kindly used his of his information is inaccurate or based on rumors. connections to gather the supplies on short • He has four bundles of red and yellow sacred thread needed notice. He can be very entertaining, but remember, we need to head out soon.” for the Navratri pujas. Mahraj-ji blesses one for each escort to wear on their wrists. 103 Avati [AH-vuh-ti] (he/him, 25, street vendor) is very Example interactions with Saap: sheltered—he has never left the village—but dreams of adventure. Before he was born, his family lived closer • Gain favor with Saap with braids or other gifts to the core of the City, and he has many stories from (Avati says blessed milk is a favorite treat). that time. He likes to know everyone’s business and • Saap controls the trees and creates impenetrable has information about everyone in the village. He acts paths or can provide clear pathways that are overly familiar with the group, since he’s heard about hidden from guards. their mission and wants to know everything about it. • If Saap is satisfied, he creates a safe path to avoid If using Sword&Bearer, Avati and his mote share the predators. elemental pair of iron and earth. • If Saap is not satisfied, they send the group into the Example benefits and consequences from path of animals like leopards, caracals, or snakes. interactions with Avati: Easy difficulty with social • The guard is rumored to accept bribes of food or Mary Easy-medium difficulty with combat trinkets from the village. • Pritvasha are rumored to like blessed offerings of Mary (she/her, 31, guard) says the guards are for the milk. village’s benefit and safety. She says her people have • He accidentally alerts the guards on the road of the dealt with the Twist before, and if the villagers follow escort group. the orders and beliefs of the guards, they can keep the • He delays the group’s departure which can Twist at bay. She doesn’t think the villagers are much increase the route difficulty or add to the twist of a threat, doesn’t believe in the pritvashas, and doesn’t tracker. believe there is magic in Mithvani. She is curious about where your group is going and why they are traveling Upon returning with the supplies, Mahraj Atamdaras so late, but not outright hostile. gives players two route options: the roads or the fields. Both have consequences: the fields are for the Some suggestions: pritvashas, and you can only enter their land if they give permission or you provide offerings. • Use Mary’s dismissal of the Mithvani culture as The characters know the pritvashas are more “wrong but harmless” to your advantage such as agitated since the invasion and the forbidding of telling her you’re traveling to visit the pritvashas. festivals. The roads are guarded by the invaders, who • Characters can say they agree with Mary’s view will be suspicious of any villagers traveling. The guards and say they are traveling to convince other will range from inconvenient to dangerous. villagers. • Mary can delay the group by telling the group how the invaders will “fix” the area. Obstacles En Route To Saapthar Saapthar

Saap Easy difficulty with social The village of Saapthar [SAAP-thur] is built around the ruins of an ancient mandir (temple). From far Saap [SAHP] (he/they, snake pritvasha), the pritvasha in away, the skeletal structure of the mandir is stark, now this area, is mischievous and more concerned with their overgrown with mango and guava trees. land than what happens in Mithvani. They like to feel important and receive gifts. The broken remains of a temple are visible well before The prikhet guarded by Saap is a scrub forest with you reach the village. The ruins tower above, though only many small,Sample thorny trees along with mango and guava the crumbling hint of a domed rooffile is seen. A soft breeze trees. All types of animals roam wild and free here, brings the sweet fragrance of jasmine, with veils of the which makes it especially perilous for people to traverse small white flower climbing the broken structure of the without the guidance of Saap. mandir walls.

104 The main thoroughfare of the village runs past many Divansh [dee-VAHNSH] (she/they, 48, blacksmith) houses straight to the mandir in the center. The ruins believes very strongly in the resistance, is very idealistic of the mandir are circular, and the village grew in about the revolution, and has firm views of wrong or a circular pattern as well. It is clear that the village right. She is afraid of the pritvashas and distrusts them. expanded organically, with buildings and houses built If using Sword&Bearer, Divansh and their mote share as needed. The marketplace, where the adventurers the elemental pair of heat and gravity. are headed, is in the center of the ruins. Surrounding Benefits and consequences from interactions with the mandir are shops, a school, and social gathering Divansh: locations. Most of the roof of the mandir is gone and the • She knows the next guard fears the pritvashas and sun streams through the interior of the temple. Several is newly promoted to his position. interior columns have colorful fabrics strewn across, • She sneaks the escorts extra weapons needed giving shade to the vendors and customers. for the resistance, but it’s extremely risky if the Most villagers are headed to the busy marketplace weapons are found. in the center of the mandir. Adventurers can ask the • They have plans of how to take out the group of Mahraj Atamdaras where to head to find Divansh or guards on the road leading to Atidmora, and wants explore the village and ask villagers for information the group to help. about Divansh; these should be brief interactions, and the first or second NPC should give them information. The adventurers need to get diyas, some ingredients for blessed food, and colored powders. Obstacles En Route to Atidmora

Divansh Medium difficulty with social Garoli Medium difficulty with social

According to Mahraj Atamdaras, Garoli [GAH-roe-lee] Mahraj Atamdaras stops to buy a mango from one of (she/her, lizard pritvasha) is missing from their prikhet the market stalls before turning to you. The fresh, sweet lately. Garoli felt a greater presence of the Twist in the smell reaches you as she deftly cuts slices. “I always have to get a mango here whenever I visit Divansh. She’s been past year since the invaders arrived. She is fond of the very supportive and helped get people here to understand Mithvani villages and is suspicious about the influence why this resistance is important. Still, she’s not the best at the guards bring. dealing with nuance, and we might need to talk her down This prikhet is a seasonal salt marsh. It is flat and from grand plans of what’s to come.” dry for much of the year until the few months of monsoon season. Even at night, the salt marsh is very hot. Many who enter without permission say it feels as Mahraj Atamdaras relays what she knows to the group. though the land stretches forever, no matter how far you walk. Usually the weather follows the Mithvani • Divansh gets very angry when people have seasons, but sometimes it seems as though the weather doubts, even if they’re perfectly reasonable. shifts rapidly. • She often makes plans without thinking through Some suggestions: the consequences of their actions. • They provide mangoes and guavas to use as • Garoli asks them to do a small puja to bless her offerings for Navratri and weapons for the prikhet. resistanceSample leaders to guard the festival (and as • She otices the Twist’s influencefile on the characters prototypes for what will be used against the and becomes hostile. invaders later). • Garoli anipulates time within her prikhet to delay their journey.

105 Medium difficulty with social Christopher Hard difficulty with combat

Christopher (he/him, 34, sergeant) is vigilant and Some suggestions: wary of travelers. He is suspicious of villagers living so close to the Wilderness and feels that they must • He is nervous about magic and the Twist; a be influenced by the Twist. He is new to the job and sentient weapon would intimidate him. afraid of the pritvashas. • Use magic to convince or deceive him such as To feel more in charge of the situation, he tries to hiding and pretending to be pritvashas. intimidate the group. Christopher is not impressed with • He starts a fight if the group doesn’t answer his English proficiency, but it helps to communicate more questions to his satisfaction. effectively with him. Setting It Aflame

As you walk through Atidmora, the sun-dappled ground and trees stretch as far as you can see. Sometimes, you see the hint of a building past the branches, hidden away like a secret.

Atidmora Tiva Medium difficulty in social

Atidmora [AH-teed-moh-rah] is in the middle of Tiva [TEE-vah] (she/her, 49, teacher) heard from several wadis (orchards) that are either owned by the her relatives what is happening in other parts of village members or owned by the village collectively. the Mithvani region and how the environment is Houses are among large sections of trees, and more changing. She doesn’t want to lose Atidmora to the than one family lives in each. invaders, but the villages are more than just a place. She In this village, collective ownership is prominent, believes if everyone starts fighting, they start choosing and the village culture is to consider the consequences which people they are willing to lose, and that goes for everyone over individual benefits. While this is against Atidmora beliefs. a common culture throughout Mithvani, it’s more If using Sword&Bearer, Tiva and her mote share the strictly held here. elemental pair of melody and hope. Mahraj Atamdaras guides the adventurers through the village; it is very easy to get lost among the village • Tiva is doing a favor to the Mahraj, but she may trees. As they pass through, players see areas cut out get into a verbal spar with her or the adventurers of the wadis for houses and other buildings. They find about the resistance and its dangers. Tiva at the council building that also serves as a school. • She tries to convince the adventurers to abandon the plan for the festival. • For added challenge, Tiva leaves the supplies with Mahraj Atamdaras leads the group through the outer one of her guard-aligned family members. orchards of Atidmora, pulling absentmindedly at a leaf as she passes. “I’ve been friends with Tiva since we were Benefits and consequences from interactions with Tiva: children. She’s been working with me on this plan, but remains convinced that fighting the invaders will only lead to casualties. It was difficult to ask her for help, but • If adventurers go through the prikhet, they notice she holds a lot of influence in the area.” much of the tree cover is haphazardly razed and is now farmland or storehouses for the invaders. Sample• Mahraj Atamdaras notes thefile destruction and says the atmosphere of the prikhet is electric with spiritual agitation.

106 Obstacles En Route to Vhin

Mahraj Atamdaras knows and shares the following:

• Some of Tiva’s family members work directly with the invaders, and believe this ensures their safety. • She has marigolds for garlands to be used in the Navratri puja, as well as nuts and sweets for offerings. • She provides maps of the invader strongholds and information about their weaknesses which she and her family collected. • If adventurers choose the roads, they notice strange signage and road markings. Notably, the guard patrol is greatly increased in this area. If the group tries sneaking past, they find the environment leading to Vhin has been entirely clearcut; they must approach the guard Edward openly.

Hard difficulty in social Hard difficulty in social Kagro Hard difficulty in combat Edward Medium difficulty in combat

Kagro [CAH-grow] (they/them, crow pritvasha) is the Edward (he/him, 32, captain of the guard) is extremely main pritvasha, with many crows responding to their suspicious of the group. If it is within the safety tools orders and feelings. Kagro is a temperamental pritvasha used at the table and the players are accepting of it, he on their best day, and judges others quickly for can heavily interrogate the characters. offenses. They are also very covetous and may desire Edward and the guards in Vhin believe the Twist the group’s supplies, items held by the guards, or even spreads or gains strength because of the cultural one of the sentient weapons. Kagro is extremely angry practices in the City. He thinks the magic used about their destroyed prikhet and looking for someone must come from the Twist, but if the magic can be to blame. controlled, the Twist can be stopped from getting This prikhet is a mudflat with interspersed streams worse. He and his guards attempt to detain the travelers and mangrove forests around the perimeter. The area and bring them to Vhin. The guards have destroyed is difficult to navigate, especially at night. The weather any trees or features to provide cover along the road, so here is erratic even when Kagro is in a good mood, the group needs to face Edward to pass. and this volatility can impact the climate of the nearby Some suggestions: villages. Some suggestions: • Edward has heard about motes and sentient weapons, and wants to take them. • Affect the weather in the prikhet such as a flood or • He escalates to attacking if he see the motes or storm to give cover to the group as they head to sentient weapons. Vhin. • If the group is turned away, they can cause a • Kagro provides information about conditions in distraction, such as a fire or the appearance that Vhin, and may provide a crow to watch over them other guards are being attacked, to get Edward to as they enter the village. move from entrance. • Players can give braids to Kagro. • He captures them and brings them to the jail. • Kagro hides their supplies or wants some of their • Edwards asks them to prove their loyalty by items to add to their collection. helping to destroy prikhet. • They want the escorts to help get supplies from the guards. • They ask the group to destroy the guard strongholdSample being built in their prikhet. file

107 The Smoke Drifts

Vhin Manav Hard difficulty with social

“Vhin is decades of our history crystallized into a Mahraj Atamdaras turns to your group after seeing the location. You can see different eras of time as you walk destruction in Vhin. “Manav is a sensible person who has through different sections of Vhin, like looking at the lived in Mithvani his entire life. The last contact I had rings of a tree.” with him was about four weeks ago. He wanted Mithvani free from these invaders, but he was hesitant to join unless Mahraj Atamdaras knows there is a definite imperial the City sent help to get the invaders out.” soldier presence in Vhin [VhEEn]. The party can deduce that the village is taken over when they see the Manav [MAH-nuhv] (he/him, 62, retired historian) is increased guard presence. Villagers here are entirely terrified of his involvement in the rebellion because under the rule of the invaders; no one beyond this the invaders completely took over Vhin. He’s watched village knows their situation because the invaders killed people killed by the invaders, and he actively wants to all the dissenters. be out of the resistance effort. Manav believes that they Vhin is the largest village that adventurers have may have a chance to succeed if they get some outside encountered so far; it is considered a small city. There is help. a noticeable lack of movement in or out of the village; If using Sword&Bearer, Manav and his mote share most others assume it’s because of the proximity to an the elemental pair of light and shadow. invader stronghold nearby and the increased guard Mahraj Atamdaras tells all she knows to the group: patrols. Vhin is near a large lake, the major water resource • Manav asked if she had received any information for this region. Resources from the lake draw in from the City, and advised her to wait for a City merchants and traders, making Vhin a trade hub for escort arrived before heading out. traveling merchants from beyond Mithvani. Although • Mahraj-ji has sent numerous messages to Manav it is far from Jharwadi, Saapthar, and Atidmora, many after her last contact, but hasn’t received a travel here to trade. response. Vhin has been around for a long time and grew • Manav should have the ceremonial first diya for gradually. The style of the buildings reflect the era Navratri, marigold garlands, coconuts for all the when they were built; there are some buildings that pujas, and information about the location of the are nearly a century old based on the architecture. invader strongholds. When the party enters Vhin, the invaders’ equipment and supplies are everywhere and the soldiers run many Benefits and consequences of interacting with Manav: of the main buildings in Vhin. Villagers keep mostly inside their homes; many homes have been damaged, • He shares the current location of the festival and one of the buildings used for meetings has been supplies. converted to a prison. • He helps if they get the pritvashas to help as well (drops social to medium difficulty). GO ALL OUT! • Manav refuses to help the group if they provide partial information. If characters have any leftover braids, encourage them to spend them • He knows some guards who are not committed to here so they can maximize their choices during the jail break. the invader plans, and can be bribed. If they have enough braids for a new stat, they can create one to fit this particular conflict. If players are only one or two braids away from 5, 10, or 15, look for opportunities to get them to those numbers and Mahraj Atamdaras notices Manav’s house is watched allow themSample to finish the adventure with a flourish! by the guards. There are no lightsfile on inside and guards Any leftover braids can also be used to gain more information are freely moving in and out of the house. She realizes about what is going on inside and possibly information about Manav, Manav has been captured. the NPC that the group is supposed to meet.

108 Jailbreak

The climax of the adventure is the group breaking Manav’s home, currently controlled by the guards. out of jail with Manav or breaking Manav out of jail, Encourage players to take risky, cinematic moves. depending on how they arrive in Vhin. If the group Mithvani leaders are gearing up to stage a resistance; doesn’t sneak in (by being caught or intentionally damaging the property of the invaders could be useful. not sneaking), they are captured and brought to the Some suggestions: jail. They find Manav imprisoned inside. If the group manages to sneak in successfully, they need to break • One person creates a distraction while the rest try Manav out. to sneak to the supplies. Once the group and Manav are free, they need • Recruit help from Kagro nearby, or any of the to retrieve the last supplies without getting caught or previous pritvashas if relevant stats or magic allows revealing the plans and location for the secret Navratri long-distance communication. festival. Manav tells them the invaders suspect him • If Edward or the invaders try to engage the party of having information about the resistance, but don’t directly, they cause a larger emergency away from know if or how he is involved. Manav is afraid that if Manav’s house or their escape route. they find out, they will execute him. • Engage in combat and take down as many guards Guards from the earlier parts of the adventure may as possible. appear during the jail break, while obtaining supplies, • Disguise party members as guards to infiltrate the or during the final escape. Edward should return (or house. enter for the first time if the characters took the prikhet route) as an obstacle for players. The supplies are in

Navratri Festival Success Partial Success

If the party is successful in their escape with the items, If the party is partially successful: they arrive at the preparation for the festival on time They arrive late or without all of the supplies with all of the festival supplies. They are honored needed. and thanked for their assistance and the information The auspicious time to begin Navratri has passed they gathered. They are asked to light the first diya of and the festival started without Mahraj Atamdaras or Navratri to start off the festival. They can enjoy some the first diya. rest or help out with preparing the space. The travelers need to pitch in and help with As evening nears, the festival begins. Some of the preparations to make up for lost time. Scaled with the pritvashas of the journey or other pritvashas of this area severity of the delay and their lack of supplies, they may (in the form of water buffalo, Indian wolves, or house be considered inadequate for future missions. sparrows) join with a parallel celebration. The pritvashas in the area are agitated because a Depending on party desires, pritvashas can be given festival finally occurred, but it was missing some of the offerings, asked to bless the resistance, or participate in elements. the festival. The pritvashas need extra convincing or Sampleceremonies to be appeased. file

109 Unsuccessful Continuing the If the travelers are unsuccessful, a number of results can occur. They may arrive but entirely too late Adventure for the supplies to be useful. The information and weapons for the resistance are still useful, but time • The Leaders task you with getting back control is even more limited for leaders to prepare. The of Vhin. village leaders that were counting on the travelers are • Go off to recruit more help from distant villages. disappointed and are unwilling to put them on any • Get further help from the City. future official missions. If they arrive after the first • Go to investigate what has happened in the rest of day of Navratri is over, other villagers complain they the City. shouldn’t have been sent for such an important task. • Go outside the City to get information and prevent If combat was chosen at Vhin, the adventurers more invasions. may not make it out of the village. Discuss this option thoroughly with players before choosing, make certain that everyone is on board. Make opportunities for the players to do something such as destroying large sections of the village or thinning the number of invaders in the area. Perhaps as their last act of freedom, they sent pritvashas to bring help and the information needed for the resistance.

AUTHOR’S NOTES/ AUTHOR BIO ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Charu Patel (she/her) is a South Asian American game Special thanks to Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, designer/writer, stream producer for All Nerds Here Viditya Voleti, Simon Moody, J.R. Zambrano, and Valor Live!, and a cast member at All Nerds Here and Alex Guerrero for their continual guidance and The Musafirs podcast. She explores themes of in my writing process and for their kind words of cultural identity, the joy of play, and nostalgia through encouragement when I needed them most. Without performance and game design. Follow her for future them, I don’t know that I would have had the projects and cool shares on her Twitter @cherrydrop. confidence to finish this project. This adventure is dedicated to my late grandmother, Pali Patel, and my mother, Usha Patel. My mom has always shared stories about her life and my grandmother’s life in India. Her lifetime of storytelling informed and inspired me to write this adventure.Sample file

110 The Artists

The artists’ works are not wholly included in this Printer B/W version of Unbreakable: Revolution. Their works are featured in the full-color digital and print versions. Caroline Amaba Cammielle Gwisdalla

Featured in Make of Thee An Instrument of Peace. Featured in Days of Powder, Plunder, and Plot and Make of Thee an Instrument of Peace. Caroline Amaba is a Filipino-American software engineer, artist, designer, and gamer. In the TTRPG Cammielle is a half Filipino-American freelance artist space, Caroline has previously been published in from the Metro-Detroit area in Michigan. Most of Uncaged Volume 4, “Cursed Hearts.” She is also an artist her works center around the fantastical and female of a piece in the Uncaged Tarot. Caroline was the layout empowerment. In the TTRPG space Cammielle designer and spot artist for Unbreakable Volume 1. She is a published artist in The Princess Project and Eyes has been part of the Unbreakable Production Team Unclouded. Unbreakable: Revolution is her first project since Volume 1 and is proud of the continued work of with the Unbreakable Production Team and she is her peers in these volumes. excited to work on future volumes!

TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @clineamb TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @sleepycamomile TWITCH: twitch.tv/knillyline CAMMIELLEG.WIXSITE.COM/MYPORTFOLIO Alika Gupta Sonya Henar

Featured in Days of Powder, Plunder & Plot, The Crimson Featured in The Mountain’s Shroud and Bad Uprising, and The First Diya of Navratri. Luck Fortune.

Alika Gupta is an illustrator and graphic designer from Sonya Henar is a mixed race Asian-American artist Mumbai, India. Her work reflects her love for fantasy, who specializes in character design and illustration. monsters and TTRPGs. She has published two D&D She’s done comic work, illustrations for the Tales of modules on the DMsGuild, A Sticky Situation and The BarBEARia board game, concept art and illustration Lightning Struck Desert, and has contributed art for for a mobile game, and is currently also working on other modules and zines. Unbreakable: Revolution is her a children’s book. In the world of TTRPGs you can first foray with the Unbreakable team and she is excited find her work on the upcomingQuest RPG adventure to see it and the other volumes come to fruition! “Bone Appetit” and the cover of The Princess Project and The Heart of the House which are available on the You can get in touch and find her work at the DMsGuild. following links: TWITTER: @sonybaloneyart TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @capefoxalix SONYBALONEYART.COM BEHANCE:Sample behance.net/AlikaGupta file

111 H. “Ink” Kugler Joshua Mendenhall

Featured in Bad Luck Fortune. Featured Cover Artist.

Ink is a Korean-American adoptee, illustrator, creator, Joshua Mendenhall, better known by their online and roleplaying game enthusiast whose work focuses handle HTTPaladin (or just Paladin) is a TTRPG on inclusivity, fantasy, and the beauty of the mundane. content creator, streamer, and essayist. He is best They have done work for the Wisdom Under Fire known for his role as Co-Director of The Islands of Australian charity anthology and Ghibli-inspired Eyes Sina Una, and is the creator of POLYHEDRAL, the Unclouded Anthology. Ink is excited to be working TTRPG interview book, and Incantations, a book with the Unbreakable team for this volume and others. of worldly and narrative spells. When not streaming, When not drawing or scrolling through Twitter, you writing, or doing layout he’s trying to find out whose can find Ink playing on theThreeflings stream, studying hips do, in fact, lie. for university, and trying to make the world just a little bit better. TWITTER: @HTTPaladin

Their links are as follows: Mia Mercury

ARTSTATION: artstation.com/thesedeadpens Featured in Make of Thee An Instrument of Peace. TWITTER: @TheseDeadPens THESEDEADPENS.CARRD.CO Mia Mercury is a Filipino-Chinese Canadian digital artist who currently lives in Richmond, British Columbia. She loves painting portraits that represent Herman Lau minorities in the fantasy world, which was something she yearned to see herself as a child immigrant. While Featured in Days of Powder, Plunder, and Plot, The she enjoys playing with lighting and color in general, Crimson Uprising, The Mountain’s Shroud, Big Rat, Don’t she also has a dark side as seen in her ttrpg-metal- Eat My Millet, Make of Thee An Instrument of Peace, and inspired threadless clothing line. She also streams Bad Luck Fortune. sporadically, loves to eat, meet new friends and read psychological thrillers. Herman Lau is a Chinese-Canadian artist mostly published in speculative fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @miamercuryart genres of books and gaming products. He has also THREADLESS: miamercuryart.threadless.com run children’s visual art programs for non-profit TWITCH: twitch.tv/miamercuryart organizations and galleries, as well as provided graphic facilitation services for various municipal groups and Tiona Miché initiatives. Aside from illustration, Herman works as a martial arts and circus coach. Featured in The First Diya of Navratri.

You can see more of Herman’s visual and performance Tiona Miché is a Korean and African American art on: freelance illustrator, graphic artist, and voice actor. She has done spot and half page art for Unbreakable INSTAGRAM: @paintedmonk Volume 1. Tiona has been a part of the Unbreakable PAINTEDMONK.WORDPRESS.COM team since volume 1 and continues to learn and strive with the amazing team. During her free time she Sampleenjoys illustrating her own characters,file voice acting, working on commissions, watching the latest anime, or reading.

TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @michebluedragon 112 Brian Phongluangtham TOR WAR

Featured in The Crimson Uprising, Big Rat, Don’t Eat Featured in Big Rat, Don’t Eat My Millet. My Millet. TOR WAR is a Mixed Vietnamese artist and writer Brian Phongluangtham is a Thai-American TTRPG who specializes in emotion-driven, lore-heavy, and designer and illustrator from Portland, Oregon. He drama-intensive fantasy folktales. He has had poems, started designing games in 2019 when he formed B short stories, and comics published in Immigratitude: Drone Games with his cousin during a spring break Tales of Asian Immigration, Legends: From Storybook to get together. Since then, they have released multiple Heart, Rain Check Zine, Stratos: A Dream Anthology, adventures and supplements for their serial TTRPG and Pest Control Magazine. series Big Trouble, as well as the sci-fi/martial arts game Legend of the 3 Cosmic Fists. Brian has also created/ TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @torwar_ contributed to many adventure modules for the TORWAR.CARRD.CO popular Hero Kids RPG. Aside from making games, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife and three energetic sons. Kathryne Emily

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BDroneGames Erlano Wilson TWITTER: @BDroneGames Featured in The Mountain’s Shroud.

Angeli Rafer Kathryne is a Filipino-American artist who focuses on striking character designs, beautiful backgrounds, and a Featured in The Mountain’s Shroud. fascination for patterns and details to make her artwork pop. Her first love is fantasy, and she hopes to capture Angeli Rafer is a Filipino-American illustrator from the a similar magic she felt growing up reading epic tales liminal space that is the Jersey-New York-Connecticut of myth and lore in her own art. She has enjoyed her tri-state area. She is a self-taught digital illustrator time with the Unbreakable team, and she hopes to have with a passion for illustrating fantastical stories—or many more opportunities to work with them in the highlighting the magic in the mundane—with a future! She wants to thank her parents’ support in her particular focus on children’s books, graphic novels, endeavors, her loved ones’ encouragement whenever and bad puns featuring cute animals. In her spare time she got tired, and all the friends she made in TTRPG she’s started dabbling in running different TTRPGS, and D&D space that have gotten her to where she and is excited to be part of the Unbreakable team for is now by believing in her. She has previously done the first time! spot art for Unbreakable Volume 1 and deity art for the successfully funded The Islands of Sina Una. TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @angeliraferart ANGELIRAFER.COM You can find more of Kathryne’s work and contact her through these links!

EMAIL: [email protected] OTHERMOONSART.COM INSTAGRAM: @othermoons.art SampleTWITTER: @othermoons_art file

113 Nichole Wilkinson Nala J. Wu

Featured in Days of Powder, Plunder, and Plot. Featured in Make of Thee An Instrument of Peace and Bad Luck Fortune. Nichole is a mixed Thai-American artist based in Southern California. She loves to work on dynamic and Nala is a proud Queer Trans NBi illustrator of color dramatic compositions. Her love of playing tabletop who was adopted from Southern China and raised games brought her to the world of TTRPG publishing, in Massachusetts. A majority of their work consists where she has been creating art since graduating from of fantasy illustration, character/costume design, and university. She was an illustrator on both Book of concept art for animation & games. Besides art, Nala Seasons anthologies and created spot art for Unbreakable does voice acting, sensitivity reading, creative writing, Volume 1. In her spare time, she can be found playing musical theater, and often appears on panels & actual video games, drawing scenes from her D&D campaign, play streams within the TTRPG community! and sculpting 3D characters. NALADRAWS.COM You can find more of Nichole’s work here: EMAIL: [email protected] PERSONAL TWITTER: @NalaWu TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @tcfdendral ART TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @naladraws ARTSTATION: artstation.com/naladraws

Sensitivity readers Daniel Kwan Vis Subramanian

You might know him from the ENnie Award winning Vis is a community manager and editor with a love Asians Represent! podcast or his independent game of tabletop gaming. As someone of Indian descent design work (Wicked Congregation, Ross Rifles, and the born and raised in the US, he has always existed Chronicles of Spring & Autumn series). As a freelance in multiple worlds at once. Though this is his first narrative designer, he co-authored the best selling tabletop RPG publication, he has played dozens of Unbreakable: Volume 1 anthology and has recently campaigns in a variety of game systems since 2017. contributed Wizards of the Coast’s Candlekeep Mysteries He strongly believes in the importance of inclusivity adventure supplement for 5th edition Dungeons & and representation, and strives to ensure these values Dragons. Daniel is also one of the co-founders of are reflected in the communities he moderates. When Level Up Gaming, a Toronto-based organization he’s not getting paid to manage communities or that provides adults with autism and other disabilities edit publications, Vis spends his free time managing opportunities to develop their social skills through communities and editing anyway. You can find him group gaming experiences. rambling about his many different passions on Twitter Sample(@V2Blast) or anywhere else hefile can.

114 The EDITORS Alda Yuan Lexi Antoku

Alda Yuan is a writer, game designer, and cartographer. Lexi Antoku is a professional Oxford comma advocate She writes for the in*die zine and sometimes in law and casual cat advocate. They respect English in the reviews about healthcare policy, space law, and open same way one might respect hot stoves or wires with science. She is the creator of the Integral States Project frayed insulation. They have a casual interest in genders (integralstatesproject.com) which reimagines the US and are tentatively open to the idea of one day having states and territories as fantasy maps and has written one or more of their own. a DIY guide to institutional change for racial equity, which you can find on her website aldayuan.com( ). Omi Chun

Brent Jans Omi Chun is a queer, neurodivergent Taiwanese American who has been independently designing Brent Jans has worked as a freelance fiction and tabletop games since 2019. Xe believes that games TTRPG editor for the last fifteen years. He is currently are arguments about how the world is structured, and an editor for On Spec Magazine, a Canadian quarterly what happens when we treat our engagements with publication of speculative fiction, and has edited for those structures as play. Xis arguments can be found at all four volumes of the Uncaged Anthology. He is omi-the-fool.itch.io. Unbreakable: Revolution is xis first also the lead editor for The Creator’s Catalyst Project published editing credit. (creatorscatalystproject.com) and you can read more from him at renaissancegamer.ca. Remy Cortez

Doug Riechel Remy lives to make things easy and fun to read. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and has edited for Doug is a white, neuroatypical, and quietly queer tabletop RPGs since 2019. Remy is currently pursuing educator from Portland, Oregon happy to lend an the Berkeley Extension Professional Certificate in English teacher’s eye for detail to this amazing project. Editing to polish and expand his repertoire. Outside of Having finally convinced his D&D group to play freelance editing, Remy is an IT professional and an Blades in the Dark, he can be found ruminating on avid swing dancer. consequentialist worldbuilding, mechanics as vehicles for personal exploration, and the importance of analyzing games for their underlying messages. While Steve Huynh still new to the tabletop space, he looks forward to contributing more to this amazing community as a Steve is part of the Toronto-based podcast Asians writer, editor, cartographer, and hype man. He also Represent! He is part of their actual-play (Dungeons knits and plays rugby, though rarely at the same time. & Da Asians) where the team plays in their own unabashedly Asian setting. He also participates in other series, such as Asians Read: Oriental Adventures where he and his co-host critically live-read the titular AD&D book. He works full-time as a business consultant and Samplespends the rest of his time pursuingfile cooking, lifting heavy stuff, crosstraining (with relatively few injuries), talking about education, and working on D&D module design. This is all often done loudly on Twitter (@DeeEmSteve). 115 Days of Powder, Plunder, Plot This work is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with The Black Hack.

DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY: The name The Black Hack, Additional Things and all artwork, logos and layout are product identity.

DESIGNATION OF OPEN GAME CONTENT: All text and tables are open game content. Make of Thee an Instrument of Peace

This work is based on Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). The Mountain’s Shroud

This work is based on Ironsworn (found at www. ironswornrpg.com), created by Shawn Tomkin, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The First Diya of Navratri

This work is based on GUN&SLINGER by Nevyn Holmes (https://www.nevyn.games/) and is licensed for use under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/).

SampleGUN&SLINGER™ is a trademarkfile of Nevyn Holmes. The MARKED&MADE logo is © Nevyn Holmes, and is used with permission.

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