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Home , Fort Jefferson (Ohio), Fort Recovery, Fort Washington (Ohio), Legionville

Sample file The Defeated Dead

A Colonial Gothic Adventure

Sample file

By Bryce Whitacre www.rogue-games.net [email protected] • @Rogue_Games www.facebook.com/rogue.games

Written by Bryce Whitacre (Dedication: To my dad, Kirby, whose passion for history shaped my life.)

Editing by Tom Cadorette

Proofreading by David Carol, Ronald Corn, Sean Misniak, Patty Scalise, B “don’t call me Beatrice” Swift & Henry Thompson

Layout and pre-press by Richard Iorio II

Art by Alonzo Chappel, William McAusland, Bradley K McDevitt, Jeff Preston

Published by Rogue Games, Inc.

12° created by Richard Iorio II & James Maliszewski

Visit the Rogue Games on the web: www.rogue-games.net

A Rogue Games Publication The Defeated Dead

The Deferated Dead all contents © 2016 by Rogue Games Inc. First Published in 2016. 245ASample 11th Street, Wheeling, file IL 60090 Rogue Games, Rogue Games logo, 12°, 12° logo, Colonial Gothic & Colonial Gothic logo are TM and © 2007-2016 by Rogue Games, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior express permis- sion of the publisher. That said, if ou’rey doing it for personal use, knock yourself out. That’s not only allowed, we encourage you to do it. For those working at a copy shop and not at all sure if this means the person standing at your counter can make copies of this thing, they can. This should be considered oury “express permission.” Got it? Good? Carry on. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States. This is a game where people make up stories about wonderful, terrible, impossible, glorious things. All the characters and events portrayed in this work are fictional. Any resemblance to real people, historical figures, unspeakable horrors, or cultists dedicated to ushering the Old Ones into our dimension is purely coincidental. You have to admit it is kinda hilarious. INTRODUCTION Historical Background

s American Colonists moved west- ward to settle the new lands there, tensions between the Natives and Colonists reached an all-time high in the region of the “Old North- west,” part of which would eventually become the state of . In 1790, President Washington, respondingA to outbreaks of violence between settlers and Natives, orderedSample General file to lead an expedition against the Indians. With an armed force of 1,400, Harmar reached the Native villages of , near present day Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Natives quickly and soundly routed the expedition. Washington, embarrassed by the poor showing of the American army, appointed a new general the following year, the territory’s Governor, Arthur St. Clair. Charged with subduing the Indian menace, St. Clair’s plan was to establish a series of forts, starting at and ending in northern Ohio. The Defeated Dead

With only 300 professional soldiers, St. Clair’s army was composed mostly of homeless and desperate men coming from the large Eastern cities. Why did they join? Not for the money. The pay for a in 1791 was $3 a month, not much for anyone to consider, even the poor. Instead, it was the free meals, clothing, and shelter that lured most of these unfortunates to army life. In addition to the lack of trained troops, the money raised for the expedition was not used properly. Poorly made boots, gunpowder kegs that had to be fished from rivers due to barge accidents, broken muskets, and uniforms of poor quality were provided to equip the expedition. St. Clair departed Fort Washington in 1791 with 1,200 men, 300 camp followers (prostitutes, wives, and children), and very few combat-ready troops. In fact, the only thing in St. Clair’s favor were 300 Kentucky Militia troops who decided to accompany the expedition. Suffering from mass desertions and poor supply lines, the entire expedition was in jeopardy from the start. As these issues grew more severe, St. Clair ordered his 300 professional soldiers to locate both the supplies and deserters. This de- cision would prove both costly and fatal. It was on a cold morning on November 4, 1791, when the expedition met its greatest Historical Note defeat. With the trained professional sol- This war has no definitive name. diers away, the poor, desperate, inadequately It’s been referred to as The North- equipped, untrained, tired, and hungry men west Indian War, ’s stood against the resolute Native alliance. At War, President Washington’s dawn, the Indians surprised and routed the Indian War, and The Ohio Indian Kentucky Militia encamped just 300 yards Wars. For the sake of Colonial Gothic timeline, we will refer to in front of the army and then surrounded St. it as the Ohio Indian War. Clair’s main force with ease. Sample file Led by Little Turtle of the Miami, of the , and of the Delaware, the Native alliance utterly destroyed St. Clair’s army in three quick hours. Over 600 hundred soldiers were killed, with 250 left wounded. Compounding this were the deaths of an additional 250 camp followers. The Natives suffered extremely low casualties, with fewer than 60 slain or wounded. The Battle of the Wabash, known to many as St. Clair’s Defeat, stands as one of the worst defeats of any American armed force in action against the Natives. Gamemaster Background President Washington, after suffering two military disasters, still faces Native troubles. Making matters worse, the British are building forts on American soil, using them as bases to stir up Native unrest. Recently, construction of Fort Miamis, located in northern Ohio, was completed. Despite the American Revolution being officially over, the British continue to have a large military presence in the , and the Americans do not have the military might to evict them. It is 1793, Washington has turned to an old friend to aid him, appointing An- M 4 N Historical Background thony Wayne to command the Army. Wayne’s first order of business is to convert the army into a legion modeled after the ancient Roman military machine. At , Wayne has spent the past year drilling the troops, converting them from raw recruits into an elite fighting force. He has ordered the construction of Fort Greenville in order to house the entire military force under his direct command. Three months ago he moved his forces from Legionville to Fort Greenville to prepare for the invasion into hostile Indian lands. Upon arriving at Fort Greenville, Wayne ordered a fort, to be known as Recovery, to be built on the battlefield of St. Clair’s Defeat. But at the construction site of Fort Recovery, strange events are plaguing the builders. Workers unexpectedly fall off ladders, water wells suddenly dry up, random fires break out, and many more unfortunate accidents have brought the construction of the fort to a standstill. Wayne, continuing troop training and invasion preparations, has little time to oversee a construction project, so he has asked President Washington for help. Washington calls for the Heroes for their help in investigating the problems at Fort Recovery, so that construction can resume as soon as possible. The Geography of the Adventure Although most of the original forts are no longer standing today, each fort in this adventure corresponds with an actual American city existing today. It is helpful for Gamemasters not familiar with the area to use a modern-day map to familiarize themselves with the geography encompassing this adventure. In addition, many of these towns have museums and historians dedicated to the struggle of the Old Northwest. Intrepid Gamemasters can easily perform their own research into this fascinating time period. Remember, this is Colonial Gothic, and the history is not necessarily the same;Sample some items file have been changed, and alternate timelines might emerge because of the actions of the Heroes. Fort Washington Constructed in 1789, Fort Washington was built to protect settlers located around the modern-day city of . The wooden palisades are two stories high and protect four blockhouses located in the center. The fort was used as a base from which to launch the expedi- tions of Generals Harmar and St. Clair against the Natives. When General Wayne took command, he built Fort Greenville as his base of operations, and the prominence of Fort Washington diminished, but he still continues to get supplies via the from Fort Wash- ington. The fort is medium-sized in comparison to the larger Fort Hamilton and . M 5 N The Defeated Dead

Sample file

Fort Hamilton and Fort Jefferson General St. Clair constructed these two forts in 1791 as supply depots during his northern expedition. Hamilton was built just miles from Fort Washington. St. Clair describes Fort Hamilton: The circuit of the fort is about one thousand feet, through the whole extent of which a trench about three feet deep was dug to set the piquets [posts] in, of which it required about two thousand to enclose it; and it is not trees taken promiscuously, that will answer for piquets, they must be tall and

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straight, and from nine to twelve inches in diameter. Fort Jefferson is located six miles south of Fort Greenville. Though both of these forts do not make an appearance in this adventure, you should be aware of their existence in case you wish to include them. Assume each fort has a 75-man garrison, as well as two cannons. Fort St. Clair Located just outside of Eaton, Ohio, Fort St. Clair was constructed in 1792, intended as a supply depot between Fort Washington and Fort Jefferson. In November 1792, (almost one year to the day of his amazing victory at the Battle of the Wabash), Little Turtle led 200 warriors in an attack against the 100 Kentucky Militia camped outside the fort. Although only six militiamen died, it proved the Natives still controlled most of the Old Northwest territory’s lands. Fort Recovery The focal point of this adventure takes place at Fort Recovery. Historically, little is known about the fort, except that it had four blockhouses, and was similar in layout to both Forts Hamilton and Jefferson. A more detailed description of the fort is provided later in the adventure. Fort Recovery is located where the modern day city that bears its name, Fort Recovery, Ohio, exists today. Fort Greenville This fort is the largest wooden fort built in North America. Over 50 acres of land cover the inside of the fort. The fort was built for housing General Wayne’s “Legion of the United States,” Sampleand it is from thisfile location that he is making his final preparations to take the war north into the lands of the Natives. A more detailed description of the fort is provided later in the adventure. Fort Greenville is located where the modern city of Greenville, Ohio exists today. Fort Miamis Recently constructed by the British in reaction to Wayne’s expedition, Fort Miamis gives the British a base from which they can support and prod the Natives to attack the Americans. In Historical Note addition, the fort serves to provide protection Historically, Fort Miamis was for Detroit, which the British fear is Wayne’s constructed after Fort Recovery. ultimate objective. The plot of this adventure has delays plaguing Fort Recovery’s This fort is located where the modern day construction; in the Colonial city of Maumee, Ohio exists today. Gothic setting, therefore, this fort was constructed prior to Fort Recovery.

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New Skill Skills in Colonial Gothic are broad, so they do not get in the way of action. For most games, every Skill you would need is covered by what is found in the Colonial Gothic Rulebook. What follows is an optional skill that can be easily inserted into your game. If the players are creating new characters for this adventure, let them choose this skill as an option.. If continuing from a previous campaign it is a good idea to let players use previous experience to purchase this skill. Command (Resolution, Untrained) This command is used primarily with the mass battle rules located in this adventure (see page 69). This skill allows a Hero to know how to lead and issue commands to small and large groups of soldiers.

The Future Forts of Wayne and Defiance These two forts are included for Gamemasters to use if they wish to continue the campaign after the events of this adventure. Construction of , near modern-day Defiance, Ohio, began a few days before the on August 20, 1794, the last engagement of the Ohio Indian War. Intended to serve as a forward base of operations against the Natives during the way, the fort is now being used as a base from which to punish the Natives. From it, soldiers have engaged in a series of raids focused on the burning of crops, in order to force the Natives to sign the . Construction of Fort Wayne (located in modern-day Fort Wayne, Indiana) occurred a few weeks after the Battle at Fallen Timbers. All the events of the Ohio Indian War come full circle with the building of Fort Wayne on the site of the first disastrous expeditionSample that started thefile conflict, Harmar’s Defeat, in 1790. The Evil Haunting of Fort Recovery After the Battle of the Wabash, or as many call it, St. Clair’s Defeat, the restless spirits of the dead curse the battlefield. To save on time and money, Quartermaster Walter Henry ordered the dead to be thrown in a mass grave. Under his orders, the army moved the remains of the dead hastily with little care or respect in order to expedite the construction of Fort Recovery. Now these vengeful spirits have begun causing “accidents” that have brought the construction of the fort to nearly a standstill. If that wasn’t enough, Natives camped only a few miles away are being encouraged by the British to raid the construction. The Natives, as the British tell them, need only engage in a few raids in order to wipe out the men of Recovery much like they did the men of St. Clair. However, the Natives are deeply afraid of the site and know that Fort Recov- ery’s dead have not moved on to the Spirit World. The shamans and elders have advised their warriors to stay away from the site, and not to listen to the words of the British. This, in turn, has annoyed the British, who, in response, are doing everything in their power to disprove Recovery is haunted.

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Sample file

The Evil Residing in Greenville Meanwhile at Fort Greenville, Quartermaster Walter Henry is plotting his revenge against General Wayne. Quartermaster Henry has managed to make a fortune stealing government funds appropriated for the expedition. Nowhere is this threat more evident than in his deeds relating to the supplying of the St. Clair expedition. Purchasing thin-soled boots, water-drenched gunpowder, uniforms missing buttons, broken muskets, leaky canteens, and other poor equipment, he lined his pockets with the money he saved. To help avoid suspicion, and to cover up his double-dealing, Henry arranged for the destruction of supply trains by bribing the Natives to attack them. This was done to insure things went wrong so he would never fall under direct suspicion. After St. Clair’s Defeat, Henry planned to do the same thing to General Wayne, M 9 N The Defeated Dead but didn’t expect the general to constantly scrutinize the ledgers. Wayne, who quickly sized up Henry as being a cheat and a swindler, is looking for enough evidence to arrest him for theft. Henry must explain each and every purchase to Wayne daily, and show where the money has gone. Not being able to swindle a penny past the new general, Henry’s greed and anger has him plotting to eliminate Wayne. Once the meddlesome general is out of the way, he hopes a new, less scrupulous one will take his place. Henry’s plan is nothing if not simple: poison the general’s dinner with arsenic, which should be arriving soon from local traders. Wayne has a long list of ene- mies, particularly due to his brand of strict obedience and discipline, and Henry assumes it is very unlikely for anyone to suspect him. And arsenic is an odorless and colorless poison, impossible to detect. Justice for the Dead The dead near Fort Recovery want Henry to be brought to justice, as well as have someone of rank apologize for their deaths. It is due to Henry’s actions that they never had a chance against the Natives. The spirits do not blame the Natives for their misery so much as the greed and corruption of Henry, After all there was no better example of Henry’s greed than his cost-cutting measures on their disrespectful burial. Their hatred of him and longing for vengeance binds them to their grave, not allowing them to pass on. Once appeased, the spirits will rest, the accidents will cease, and the construction of the fort will continue without further delay. Adventure Overview The Defeated Dead is an adventureSample of several file acts: • Act One opens with the Heroes meeting President Washington in Philadelphia, who tells them of the problems at Fort Recovery and asks for their help. • Act Two finds the Heroes traveling to , finding themselves mixed up in the events of the Whiskey Rebellion. • Act Three leads the Heroes down the Ohio River, encountering many of the dangers that settlers of the Old Northwest face daily. • Act Four sees the Heroes discover the many secrets of Fort Green- ville, as they receive orders from General Wayne to travel to the Fort Recovery construction site. It is here the Heroes discover and deal with the supernatural truth behind Fort Recovery’s construction delays. • Act Five the Heroes return to Fort Greenville to confront the man responsible for spirits haunting Fort Recovery: the vile and despicable Walter Henry. • And in Act Six the Heroes are dispatched to help lift the Native siege of Fort Recovery in June 1794.

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he adventure begins in Philadelphia, the nation’s capital in 1794. President Washington has sent an invitation to the Heroes. How Washington knows the Heroes is left up to the Gamemaster, but here are a few suggestions. TVice President John Adams might know one of the Heroes, and it is Adams who recommends the Heroes to President Washington. In addition, one of the Heroes might be a member of the Freemasons, and it is through the PhiladelphiaSample Lodge that file Washington is introduced to a fellow Mason for their ability to handle “delicate” matters. The Heroes might be involved if one is a member of the Templars, who bring the Heroes to the President’s attention through backchannels. Regardless of how they are brought together, Washington dispatches a letter to them (see Player Handout One; note that the letter might need to be modified, depending upon the circumstances of how the Heroes come to Washington’s attention). Upon arriving, the Heroes are greeted by servants and shown to a waiting area outside Washington’s office. A successful Observe Test [+1] allows them to hear an argument coming from behind the closed door. Though the door muffles most of it, Heroes are able to make out mentions of a revolution in France, and the neutrality of America. The arguing stops abruptly and the double doors swing out followed by the emergence of Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and . Telling the two men that they will continue The Defeated Dead their discussion tomorrow, the President greets the Heroes and invites them into his office, which is a large room lined with packed bookcases, a large desk and a smaller writing Player Handout One: desk. The room is well organized. Dear [player character], Despite being the president, I wish to speak with you on a matter of Washington is an informal man, National Security & the Native problem who does not like ceremony or facing Settlers on the Frontier. Mr. Adams pretense. He is direct in his discus- has related to me your special talents, which could be useful on a mission such as the one sions, and does not couch issues I have in mind. Please accept my invitation in flowery phrases. The following & come with all haste to the Morris Home can be read aloud to the players, on Market Street. I will receive you on the paraphrased, or even brought out morrow at noon. through roleplaying: Your President, “Four years ago, savage Native George Washington raids in the became unbearable, with hundreds of settlers losing life and property almost on a daily basis. I commissioned General Harmar to lead an expedition against the Indians. Harmar failed, losing a couple hundred men in the process, and ran back to the safety of Fort Washington like a spanked puppy. The following year, the Army under General St. Clair was massacred by the Natives. Faced with the situation for the third time, I must show the settlers in the Northwest, and the citizens of these United States, that the Army will not fail again to protect them from this menace. “I have appointed General WayneSample to command file the army now. He has constructed a large Fort at Greenville and spends night and day drilling troops, improving the supply lines, and making a true fighting force to take against our foe. He is, however, only one man, and he is having problems with the building of a new fort called Recovery. I need you to travel to Greenville, meet with the General, and do whatever you can to help speed up the process of the construction of Fort Recovery. “This mission will be fraught with danger from the savages who now raid settlements with impunity. A few Kentucky Militia try to protect the settlers, but they cannot be everywhere at once. It is a wild and unforgiving land , but also beautiful and holds great promise for our country. Helping General Wayne while he trains the soldiers will be most valuable in our efforts to pacify the Indians. Wayne has been duly authorized to pay you for your services a fee of two dollars a day for each of you. I must ask you to leave at once for Pittsburgh, stop and get provisions and lodging at Fort Fayette, then travel up the Ohio River to Fort Washington, and from there north to Fort Greenville. Barring any unfortunate setbacks you should reach Fort Greenville in a month’s time. Do you have any questions?” Washington listens to any questions the Heroes might have, and answers M 12 N Meeting the President

them to the best of his ability. Once all questions are answered, Washington states the following: “Your country and I thank you for undertaking this mission. If you have need of weapons, you may see SecretarySample Knox and hefile will get you what you need from the army stores. Knox also can put you in touch will the local stablemaster if you need horses.” Once finished, the Heroes are escorted out by one of Washington’s secretaries and given directions to see Secretary Knox if needed. They are to leave for Pittsburgh at dawn.

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