Sample file CREDITS Product Director: James D. Flowers Line Developer: Carsten Damm Senior Editors: James D. Flowers, Carsten Damm Associate Editors: Steven J. Black, Eike-Christian Bertram, Jason U. Wallace, Donovan Winch Cover Artwork: Jeff Laubenstein Interior Artwork: Janet Aulisio Dannheiser, Tom Baxa, Peter Bergting, Joel Biske, Steve Bryant, Kent Burles, Elizabeth Danforth, , Tom Dow, Earl Geier, Jeff SampleLaubenstein, Larry fileMacDougall, Dave McKay, Darrell Midgette, Mike Nielsen, Jim Nelson, Robert Nelson, Tony Szczudlo, SKKM, Kathy Schad Layout: Carsten Damm, James D. Flowers, Kathy Schad Original Writing: Rob Cruz, Shane Lacy Hensley, Robin D. Laws, Nicole Lindroos Fein, Diane Piron-Gelman, Louis J. Prosperi, John J. Terra, Sam Witt, Teeuwynn Woodruff Additional Material: Steven J. Black, Eike-Christian Bertram, Carsten Damm, James D. Flowers, Lars Heitmann, Jason U. Wallace, Donovan Winch Administration: Kim Flowers, Rewa Vowles Web Design: Richard Vowles Dedication: Special thanks to Steven J. Black, Eike-Christian Bertram, Lars Heitmann, Kathy Schad, Donovan Winch, and Jason U. Wallace! James would especially like to thank his “long-suffering” gaming group—guys and gals, you know who you are. ® is a Registered Trademark of FASA Corporation. Barsaive™ is a Trademark of FASA Corporation. Original Earthdawn® content copyright © 1993–2007 FASA Corporation. Earthdawn Adventure Compendium™ is a Trademark of FASA Corporation. Earthdawn® and all associated Trademarks used under license from FASA Corporation. Published by RedBrick Limited—Auckland, New Zealand. All Rights Reserved. The Earthdawn Adventure Compendium™ contains content originally published by FASA Corporation in the adventure supplements Mists of Betrayal, Terror in the Skies, Infected, Shattered Pattern, and Blades. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. Permission is granted to copy the Player Handouts for personal use only. Internet: http://www.earthdawn.com Contact: [email protected] ISBN: 978-1-877451-00-3 January 2007—eBook Edition—20070131 • C ontents •  1 1 1 2 7 7 7 7 5 5 5 3 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 9 9 6 8 3 3 2 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 7 3 7 9 7 3 9 8 8 8 8 8 13 18

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n I Campaign Ideas On The Grim Legion Campaign Ideas Campaign Ideas ast of Characters ast of Characters aiting the Trap error nfected Charboyya’s Betrayers Quarantined Crimson Dawn C C Cast of Characters Obsidian Flyer Charboyya’s Heroes I Talon Kaer The Road to Hanto T The Magical Child B Hearts of Stone Loose Ends Loose Ends Plot Synopsis Plot Synopsis Loose Ends Pyres over Travar Endgames Knights of the Skies Friends Indeed Prelude to Terror Broadsides! Finding the Sanctuary Journey into Doom Aardelea’s Cavern

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Shattered Pattern Game Information Mists of Betrayal Terror inTerror the Skies Blades Infected Encounters and Events A Note on Continuity ists aven ampaign Information lood Wood illage of Mists ntrod Search for a Slaver Scorched Earth Policy Scaling the Adventures Gamemastering Notes Caravan of Death C Going Hunting Cross Country M Meeting a Midland Trading Post I Inside Akarem Kaer Akarem B H Preparing the Adventures Hiermon Again Back to the Palace Plot Synopsis How How to Kalourin’s Last Gambit V Visiting Hiermon Arrival in Tureem Ambush!  • C ontents • Adventure Background Adventure While in Kratas in While U Plot Synopsis Plot Plot Synopsis Plot Loose Ends Loose Loose Ends Loose R B Blades Running B Poisoned Rites Poisoned Fort in the Foothills the in Fort Plot Synopsis Plot The Finale The Tyrlaan’s Lair Tyrlaan’s The Horror’s Temple Horror’s The The Blades of Cara Fahd Cara of Blades The Traveling the Land the Traveling The Lost Kaer Lost The In Search of Knowledge of Search In Copper Cauldron Copper G Cast of Characters of Cast Cast of Characters of Cast S Secret of the Runes the of Secret hattered lades ond unning Shattered Pattern Shattered unning sing the Blades the sing rave Adventure Style Adventure Weaving Threads Weaving History of the Blades the of History Horror-marked! Researching the Blades the Researching How Many Characters? Many How Blades and Your Campaign and Blades Betrayer and the Liferock the and Betrayer Betrayer’s Influence Betrayer’s Betrayer’s Powers Betrayer’s The Blades’ Curse Blades’ The The Blades Since the Scourge the Since Blades The Beyond From Betrayal Battle The Betrayer’s Influence Betrayer’s The Arrival of Betrayer of Arrival The Wielders their and Blades The The Seven Spokes Seven The The Adventures The Campaign Ideas Campaign Getting the Blades the Getting Connections On Kaer Varenna Kaer On On the Cult of the Great Hunter Great the of Cult the On Can’t We Get Rid Of These Things? These Of Rid We Get Can’t On the Great Dragons Great the On On Kaer Carell Kaer On B W reaker isdom

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20 20 20 24 28 20 24 26 20 28 28 2 25 26 26 22 25 25 26 27 27 25 21 27 26 26 26 28 2 25 25 20 24 22 27 25 25 25 25 25 22 26 25 25 26 22 26 25 25 25 25 21 21 26 3 3 2 5 8 6 4 3 6 6 9 9 2 4 4 4 4 8 8 3 3 7 5 5 5 5 0 0 0 9 9 7 7 3 3 2 2 9 6 6 6 6 6 4 5 7 2 5 7 7 7 7 1 1 1 1 A A T A With a Tale to Tell to Tale a With W Rain of Betrayal of Rain Loose Ends Loose Plot Synopsis Plot Way the Lighting Synopsis Plot Dread Rebirth Dread Loose Ends Loose Degree a to Prosperous Dark Fetch Dark PLA L L P L L Pu Into the Woods the Into T The Liferock The I Treasure Game Information Game Treasure N Cast of Characters of Cast Cast of Characters of Cast C Cast of Characters of Cast Getting Soaked Getting Characters of Cast Search for the Hold the for Search Spirits From the Past the From Spirits nto the Hold of Courage of Hold the nto amer Touch amer lot Synopsis lot

ast Words ast ingering Troubles ingering oose Ends oose oose Ends oose haracter ew Rude Awakening Rude ith Amulet of Dirac of Amulet re Headband of Kedar the Dark the Kedar of Headband Betrayer’s Influence Betrayer’s Derita’s Silk-Tailed Wailer Silk-Tailed Derita’s Banesword Screech Banesword Blinding Stones Blinding The Blades of Cara Fahd Cara of Blades The Tamer Claws Tamer Tyrlaan’s Crystal Ringlet Armor Ringlet Tyrlaan’sCrystal Short Sword of Dazzling Speed Dazzling of Sword Short Storm Armor Storm Servitor Sword Servitor Staff of Akarem the Mage-Builder the Akarem of Staff raitor Y M ER HANDO ER L

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28 28 29 29 29 29 29 29 34 29 34 30 34 35 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 32 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 4 4 2 2 0 2 2 5 2 1 1 0 1 5 6 8 8 0 0 8 8 3 5 6 6 6 6 2 9 9 9 9 2 2 2 4 6 8 3 3 3 7 5 5 3 0 5 7 7 7 7 4 1 3 3 2 5 7 7 1 1 • I ntrodu ction •  - - - - . Game Compendium

Player’s ; both gamemaster and players are for the gamemaster’s eyes only. To To run the adventures, the gamemaster needs to be Though gamemaster characters can play significant Each adventure is suited for three to fiveplayers using The contents of the Adventure Compendium should be familiar with the says so, the game session is likely to end very quickly. To smart playing, and a little bit of luck. charactersofvarying Circles If necessary, below). (see the characters battle two dozen orks because the adventure change any part of the adventures that he deems fit.How characters only survive the adventure through hard work, companions who try to help their friends when needed. ever, each adventure should pose a challenge for the players. players. the for challenge a pose should adventure each ever, player ensurethethat gamemaster fun.should has The one own beds and squirm in them. helpTo the player charac adventurers, and also draw them deeper into the story as avoid such problems, the gamemaster should feel free to they come to know the people they live and fight beside. them to overshadow the player characters. When the adven the characters.When player the overshadow to them turers attempt to overcome a particular obstacle, or try to using dangeroussituation,avoid some of out way think a of theproblem. After all, if players make the right choices all thetime, both they andthegamemaster lessfun.lot a have ters out of trouble, these adventures include several loyal gamemaster may adjust the individual encounters that gamemaster characters to tell the players how to resolve master’s Compendium familiar with the contents of this book and the make up each adventure to suit larger or smaller groups. roles in these adventures, the gamemaster should not allow not should gamemastertheseadventures,the in roles These gamemaster characters serve as a safety net for the For For example, if the group has only three players and their Without the risk of failure, the game becomes dull and no Whenever possible let your group of players make their . - - - -

Shat Mists Sample file Sample , are both Earthdawn Earthdawn adventures—can Infected , contains a number • Krolok, Ork Nethermancer • Introduction Blades Adventures? They make an adept’s life special!TheyAdventures? make life an adept’s is an era of magic that existed , and each of the

Terror in the Skies Earthdawn Gamemaster’s Compendiums , campaign, but is also flexible enough to be

and This book contains everything needed to start an Adventure Compendium amemastering Notes Now, Now, the people of Barsaive have emerged from their The

The age of G sealed kaers and citadels, ready to fight for life and freedom and life for fight to ready citadels, and kaerssealed doing, they become Barsaive’s living legends. ofroleplaying adventures set in the worldof daunting task with powerful magical spells and treasures. dark time that came to be called the Scourge. of magic rose, so, too, did the dangers in the world. The of Betrayal tered Pattern as a campaign. against the remaining Horrors and the oppressive Theran be run on its own, this volume features additional adven ture hooks and gamemaster guidelines for running them to heal the world of the scars left by the Scourge. In so the depths of astral space that devoured all life in their touched every aspect of the lives theof Name-givermen races:and humans, women , dwarfs,of orks, trolls, thousands of years ago in our world’s dim past. Magic ground as the Horrors devastated their lands during the used in a currently running campaign. The path. For four centuries,four path.For thepeoplesBarsaive of underhid required to use the adventures in this book. rise of magic brought Horrors to Earth, creatures from ward to champion their land, arming themselves for their windlings,t’skrang, andobsidimen.asthelevels However, Through magic, skill, and daring, Barsaive’s heroes strive Player’s Earthdawn Empire. From all across Barsaive, bold heroes step for While each of the adventures in this compilation—  • I ntrodu ction • Action Tests Action A somewhat better roll yields a a yields roll better somewhat A Excellent, or Extraordinary. A A Extraordinary. or Excellent, Player’s Compendium Player’s Perception step to make a test against a target Difficulty Difficulty target a against test a make to step his Perception use must character a that means Test (8) Perception Number of 8. A result of 8 or better succeeds; anything anything succeeds; better or 8 of result A 8. of Number will often go very fast, much like a rollercoaster ride. To ride. rollercoaster a like much fast, very go often will result. To achieve an an Toachieve result. unless specifically noted. specifically unless result the magic, with deal that tests In action. his plish pared to deal with the unexpected. unexpected. the with deal to pared have one of six result levels: Pathetic, Poor, Average, Good, Poor, Average, Good, Pathetic, levels: one have result of six later events. As always, the gamemaster should also be pre should also gamemaster the always, later As events. Compendiums for each result level is determined by the gamemaster, gamemaster, the by determined is level result each for ing situation before the players have time to think. The The think. to time have players the before situation ing gain of amount The information. extra valuable including gamemaster the barmaid, a with flirting or Horror, a ing gamemaster should be familiar with the basic outline of of outline basic the with familiar be should gamemaster he so advance in happens what know must gamemaster actions, his for gain additional some character the give and succeeds test the Number, Difficulty the than greater the character accomplishes his action. If the result is less less is result the If action. his accomplishes character the appropriate the the plot and know precisely which developments trigger trigger developments which precisely know and plot the story each of pace The adventures. contained the run to bad often is result, a Poor for listed Number Difficulty the accom to fails character the Number, Difficulty the than book, whenever characters attempt to take actions such as as such actions to take attempt characters whenever book, a test, the required ability is given, followed by the Diffi the by followed given, is ability required the test, a action. his accomplished just only character the means ally else fails. fails. else again. roll better even usu Number, Difficulty the exceeding barely or to equal enough to An have side unpleasant effects. effect. magical a of duration the determines often to is or equal roll result If the dice used. being of the ability called are rolls action’sdice the These outcome. determine a against dice rolls player the or can hurl the unwitting characters into the next challeng next the into characters unwitting the hurl can a example, For parentheses. in task the of Number culty close to an doubleNumber means the Difficulty cates simple failure at the task. A track opponent, an at sword a swinging spell, a casting structured: the events, changing rapidly on top adventures’ stay of the may test A success. of degree the but failure, or success Making Tests Making H Additionally, any result level greater than Average may than greater level result any Additionally, Frequently, a test result determines not only basic basic only not determines result test a Frequently, In many cases when the player characters must make make must characters player the when cases many In During the course of the adventures contained in this this in contained adventures the of course the During To make an Action Test, the player or gamemaster rolls To Test,rolls player Action an the or make gamemaster The following sections outline how the adventures are are adventures the how outline sections following The ow to Use This Book ow toThis Use Aside from the the from Aside (see the the (see Action dice Action , this book contains everything required required everything contains book this , Extraordinary Game Concepts Game , p. , Player’s

18). based on the the on based Poor Pathetic Good Difficulty Number Difficulty and and result usually indi usually result result, and a total total a and result, result requires an an requires result Gamemaster’s Gamemaster’s result, less than Average chapter of the the of chapter step number step

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Loose Ends Loose varies in form and content from scene to scene, ranging ranging scene, to scene from content and form in varies Images, Behind the Scenes, and Troubleshooting. and Scenes, the Behind Images, rative describing the player characters’ location and what what and location characters’ player the describing rative mood and pacing for a particular encounter. It includes includes It encounter. particular a for pacing and mood nar a contain also may section This applicable. if maps, hints hints about to imagery use in the scene, emotions to convey, highlighted. however, ofnature the freeform roleplaying wemeans can’t with here. As from general themes to specific sensory impressions. sensory specific to themes general from for the gamemaster are highlighted. are gamemaster the for is happening to them as if the characters were actually actually were characters the if as them to happening is and Themes Stage, the Setting is by followed four sections: improvise if required. if improvise ing the game going over trouble spots. The gamemaster can, gamemaster might use the adventure’s gamemaster char gamemaster adventure’s the use might gamemaster he that to should be prepared advised is again gamemaster there. Any special instructions for the gamemaster are are gamemaster the for instructions special Any there. a contains encounter Each adventure. the of course the the player characters to get discouraged or killed off too too off killed or discouraged get to want not characters player will the gamemasters Most win. to need they that fight a lose or clue important an example, miss For may awry. characters the go things should track on back ture Game Information Game and also explains the encounter’s objective. This overview overview This objective. encounter’s the explains also and acters and settings in future adventures. future in settings and acters handouts. and The do! might characters player the everything anticipate the players If fight. may they or creatures meet may acters and events, and locations of descriptions specialized as such encounter, the run to needs he information the of all description of the encounter’s surroundings and includes includes and surroundings encounter’s the of description on the adventure, gamemaster characters, optional rules, rules, optional characters, gamemaster adventure, the on or simply let where may.the they chips fall noted As earlier, solutions, own his invent and hints these ignore course, of options for the gamemaster keep offers easily. section This adven the get gamemaster the help to suggestions offers orneed a map gamemaster to play an encounter, it appears each encounter. This section provides the gamemaster with course of course the story. The encounters that the follow describe sounds, sensations, and so on. The information provided provided information The on. so and sensations, sounds, encounter, the during occurs that action the of summary during with must deal and the events characters situations probable most the and background story the summarizes section—guidelines for awarding the adventure’s Legend Legend adventure’s the awarding for section—guidelines ofways in sequences which the and the adventure suggests char player the characters gamemaster any for statistics Encounters and Events and Encounters Awarding Legend Points Legend Awarding Following the encounters, this section sums up sums con the section this encounters, the Following Behind Behind the Scenes The next section, section, next The The The following sections provide additional information information additional provide sections following The The section offinal each encounter, Themes and Images and Themes Plot Synopsis Setting the Stage the Setting at the beginning of each adventure at the beginning etn te Stage the Setting explains what explains is goingreally on in helps the gamemaster set the the set gamemaster the helps , any special instructions instructions , any special is also included in this this in included also is Troubleshooting cnan a contains , ------,