Sampleshowdown at sund owfilen This page inserted for easier double-sided printing. Sample file SHOWDOWN AT SUNDOWN WRITTEN & DESIGNED BY Rob Wieland ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: Shane Hensley & Simon Lucas EDITING & LAYOUT: Shane Hensley PROOFREADING: David Harriss, Andrew LaCara, Adam Loyd, Laurie Marks, René Martin ART DIRECTION: Aaron Acevedo & Alida Saxon GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT: Karl Keesler, Shane Hensley, Simon Lucas, & Thomas Shook INTERIOR ART: Alberto Bontempi, Wayne Miller, Alida Saxon OPERATIONS & LOGISTICS: Jodi Black CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Jodi Black & Christine Lapp PRODUCTION LIAISON: Alexander Hau EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Simon Lucas DEADLANDS CREATED BY SHANE LACY HENSLEY SampleWWW.PEGINC.COM file Deadlands, Savage Worlds, all unique characters, creatures, and locations, artwork, logos, and the Pinnacle logo are © 2020 Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Printed in China. HAPTER C 1 SHOWDOWN AT SUNDOWN DEADLANDS: THE WEIRD WEST They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. the cusp of opening a portal to Hell in the In the Weird West, things can get even town of Sundown, an act that will spawn all worse. Corruption can lead to damnation manner of terrible creatures. The only thing as the agents of the Reckoners seek out in his way, Marshal? Your posse. those willing to do just about anything for supernatural power. The world is a harsh place, and once some folks get a sample of what that power tastes like, they sink to very THE DEVIL'S DECK murky depths to get another mouthful. Every gambler knows you have runs on top The town of Sundown is a lot like many of the world and runs in the gutter. Silas others on the frontier. It’s a boomtown Wanamaker was in the middle of a really struggling with growing into an actual part bad run. The cards jilted him like a jealous of civilization. Moneyed interests have come lover. Saloons throughout Wyoming kicked into power that want to maintain their hold him out and told him never to return. Even on the people making the money. his powers as a huckster seemed to leave him The richest man in town is spoken of high and dry more often than not. in whispers and allusions because the Eventually, Silas ended up in the small townsfolk are terrified an unkind word town of Sundown, Wyoming, broke and might force them out of town or prompt desperate. He begged for money and lost it their disappearance. Places like this exist all gambling. He stole money and lost that too. over the West. The town of Sundown seems like a perfect example of a place full of good Then he met a traveler by the name of peopleSample living under the rule of the powerful Lucius Clay. Lucius offered file Silas a very and the corrupt. special and private game. The ne’er-do-well accepted and was shocked when he won. But look a little closer at Sundown and The prize? A “Devil’s deck” of cards tied to you’ll see something deeper and darker in a “friendly” batch of spirits, the Whisperers. the shadows of the Weird West. Silas Wanamaker, an inveterate huckster THE WHISPERERS IN THE DARK and gambler of minimal skill, gained The Whisperers in the Dark, as Silas came to power through the occult. He’s on call his new friends, told him the veil between 2 the world and the Hunting Grounds was thin here in Sundown. With his help, they could escape the Hellish prison of the spirit world. S In return, the clever manitous promised to HOW use their powers to turn his luck around. D Silas agreed, not understanding the true OWN extent of the spirits’ plan. But they upheld their bargain. When he gambled with the at Devil’s deck anywhere on his person the S Whisperers would help him cheat, telling UNDOWN him when his opponents were bluffing, what cards they were holding, and even changing the cards when needed! Now and then, however, the Whisperers pointed out certain individuals and demanded he invite them to a private game, one using the Devil’s deck itself. When those unfortunates inevitably lost, the deck drew them in and revealed its true nature—a number of its face cards are graced with the contorted images of those souls it’s absorbed! At first Silas was terrified, but the Whisperers told him not to worry—all his opponents would be released once the doorway was opened and the spirits were MARSHAL BUCK NORMAN free. Of course this was a lie. A man like Silas makes enemies, and those Silas reluctantly returned to gambling, enemies have a nasty habit of disappearing. saving up a stake until he could play with Sometimes they go quietly, trapped in the big boys. He played it cool, losing a few the Devil’s deck for eternity. But the deck hands here and there before breaking big. He prefers enlightened souls. Those of a lesser soon put the terrible cost aside and enjoyed stripe are handled by Wanamaker’s “pet” his long winning streak. town marshal. A little less than a month ago, he got a Buck Norman came to Sundown intent on job as a dealer at Tawnie McGee’s saloon, getting drunk and raising Hell. But Silas was Gaston’s. At first McGee paid Silas little at Gaston’s when Buck arrived and sensed attention—she was happy to finally turn a the rampage to come. He invited the ornery healthy profit. Eventually, however, she newcomer for dinner and drinks up at his began to meddle and suspect Silas was up house before he could start a bar fight, and to something vile. The deck demanded her there openly revealed the Devil’s deck. soul, and before long McGee graced the deck Surrounded by lies and disappearing as the Queen of Diamonds. She remains there townsfolk, the increasingly worried still, a slowly shifting, screaming image with Wanamaker offered Buck a “seat at the table” betrayal and fear on her exaggerated features. Samplefor his advice and support. Hefile showed him To avoid constant questions, Silas told the Devil’s deck and told him what it could everyone McGee had gone home to Chicago do. Buck knows power when he sees it, and to be with a dying relative, leaving Gaston’s is also just a little afraid of the thing. So he to him until she returns. quickly agreed to the deal. Urged on by the Whisperers, Silas slowly Buck bullies visitors and collects won pieces of most every business in town, “protection fees” from businesses on his including the local ghost rock mine. own time, and uses his iron fists—and 3 DEADLANDS: THE WEIRD WEST an occasional knife—to quiet anyone who Eventually Carson caught a glimpse of raises too much fuss about Silas. Silas’ infernal cards—and even got drawn into gambling with him. Carson barely Silas has all but a few of the souls the escaped with his life that night, then rode demons want when the adventure starts. out for the nearest Rangers outpost for help. He’s not yet playing with a full deck, so to speak, but that changes soon. As the adventure begins, Showboat awaits Carson’s return. Fate takes control, though, THE LEGION TAKES NOTICE for Silas has a soul for almost every card in the Devil’s deck. Once it’s complete, the The many disappearances in Sundown Whisperers told him to venture down into haven’t gone unnoticed. The Agency sent one of the old mine shafts where that veil to Adele “Showboat” Jackson to monitor the the Hunting Grounds is exceedingly thin. situation undercover, and the Wyoming The loathsome manitous then plan to Rangers sent Asa “Ace” Carson. Neither stream out of the portal and whisper to knew what the other was up to at first, but each and every person within miles of town. they quickly joined forces as they sensed They offer deals to anyone who listens and something big was happening. raise Hell all over the West. What better ShowboatSample works at the Gaston, right way to spread the darkness file desired by the under her boss’ nose, and keeps her Agency Reckoners than by playing on people’s greed credentials firmly under wraps. and secret desires? Ranger Carson took the opposite approach, Unless the heroes stop them. nosing around in Wanamaker’s affairs to try and rile him up. He hoped to push Silas into an obvious mistake and take him down. 4 ADVENTURE SUMMARY The huckster and his hired gun, Marshal Norman, put up a fight alongside a host of The posse gets roped into the drama in manitous—the Whisperers—who materialize Sundown through a twist of fate. Territorial S in the flesh. The heroes must fight off their HOW Ranger Ace Carson is returning to town enemies, save their new friends, and close when his stagecoach is ambushed by local the portal to Hell. D bandits led by Gus Cantrell. OWN All in a day’s gunslingin’, right? Carson and the passengers fight valiantly but are overcome by the outlaws’ numbers at and bloodthirstiness. When the heroes catch THE POSSE S UNDOWN up to his bloody stagecoach, he has just This tale of weirdness and woe takes place in enough life in him to press a sealed letter midsummer, 1884, in south-central Wyoming into one of their hands and tell her to see Territory. The Twilight Legion has heard of “Showboat” in Sundown. There isn’t much Sundown’s troubles, and asks the heroes to time to clear up the dying man’s words venture there and see what’s going on.