Table of Contents INTRODUCTION FROM SANDY ........ 1 Who is Wounded? .........................20 Black Marble .............................20 USING THIS BOOK .................... 1 A Stranger at the Table ......................20 WHAT IS THE MYTHOS? ................. 1 Demanding to Leave ........................21 KNOW THINE ENEMY ................... 2 OUTCOME ......................... 21 Tsathoggua ................................2 Sidebar: What if the PCs Don’t Cooperate? .......21 Voormis ..................................2 THE HALL OF JUSTICE ................ 22 Troglodytic Serpentfolk ......................2 ROOTING OUT THE CULTISTS ............ 23 RUNNING THE BIG SLEEP ............... 2 Sidebar: What if the PCs Botched the Investigation? ...23 In-Universe Excerpts ........................2 Milestone Leveling ..........................2 LEADS ........................... 24 CAMPAIGN SYNOPSIS ................... 2 FATHER JOACHIM ................... 24 Secret Library ............................24 ACT: 1 THE SLEEPER RISING. .5 An Esoteric Quest .........................25 THE SETTING OF DANTAN ............... 5 MRS. VANDER’S BOARDING HOUSE ........ 25 THE EMPIRE OF DANTAN ................ 5 THE COPPER COIN ................... 27 HISTORY OF DANTAN ................... 5 Skinny Pat’s Bunkhouse .....................27 RELIGION IN DANTAN .................. 6 Slumberville .............................27 Galdun ..................................6 THE ALCHEMIST ON THE CORNER ........ 28 Saint Verotha ..............................8 THE VICTIM ....................... 28 Saint Berthold .............................8 Gregor’s Room ............................28 Saint Zalan ...............................8 The Trapdoor Chamber .....................28 Saint Helga ...............................8 The Owners’ Room ........................28 Julovna ..................................8 THE CATHEDRAL ..................... 29 Grum Gorgrim ............................8 The Groundskeeper ........................29 ORGANIZATIONS IN DANTAN .............. 8 Curate Happel ............................29 Sidebar: Rogue Archanists ....................9 The Basement ............................29 Esoteric Order of the Candle ..................9 THE PROFANE RITES ................. 30 The Guild Arcane ..........................9 Sidebar: Defeat. .30 Sidebar: Arcane Spellcasting in Dantan ...........9 The League of Scoundrels .....................9 CHAPTER 2: EVIL BENEATH THE CITY . 31 Postilions’ Guild ..........................10 ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS ................. 31 Road Wardens of the Sunless Forest .............10 THE TUNNELS ...................... 31 Winged Hussars ...........................10 1. Catacombs .............................31 KINGDOM OF AXPHAIN ................. 11 2. Cultist Sanctuary ........................34 KINGDOM OF LORENZ ................. 12 3. Corpse Pit .............................34 KINGDOM OF YETIVE .................. 13 Tunnel D Trap ............................34 4. Secret Entrance .........................35 THE CROWN LANDS ................... 14 5. Crystal Cavern ..........................35 CHAPTER 1: THE SLEEPER’S MINIONS .. 15 6. Swamp Cave ............................35 ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS ................. 15 7. Serpentfolk Lair .........................36 CHAOS IN THE THREE SKULLS ........... 15 8. Palace Cellar ...........................36 9. Mysterious Door .........................37 HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT ................ 16 10. Fungus Cavern .........................37 BESIEGED IN THE TAVERN ............... 16 11. Alchemist’s Basement .....................37 Preliminary Evidence .......................17 12. Cistern ...............................37 TREATING THE WOUNDED ............... 17 SLUMBER COMES TO DREG-TOWN ......... 38 TAKING CONTROL OF THE SITUATION ....... 17 INVESTIGATING THE DISTURBANCES ........ 39 CAST OF CHARACTERS ................. 17 TROUBLE IN THE PALACE ............... 39 The Cultists ..............................18 Kip the Bartender .........................18 CHAPTER 3: MASQUERADE ........ 41 A King in Disguise .........................18 ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS ................. 41 SampleThe Arbiter ..............................18 EVIL IN THE PALACE .................. file41 INVESTIGATION ...................... 18 Cover Story ..............................41 Green Cloaks .............................18 CAST OF CHARACTERS ................ 42 Black Hair ...............................20 Guard Captain Palladius Rehak ................42 iii Queen Celina ............................42 Interior .................................55 Lord Mayor Viktor von Hradivaz ...............42 Services at the Cathedral .....................55 Chamblerlain Anders Friesen .................42 D. THE THREE SKULLS TAVERN .......... 55 Steward Sandro Buhl .......................43 ON TAP ........................... 55 Cellarer Tomas Pressenreis ...................43 Royal Arcanist Emese Mezei ..................43 MERCENARIES ....................... 56 Chief Housekeeper Silvie Bednarova ............43 Jindrich Klapil ............................56 “Master of Mice” Grimalkin ..................43 Fruzsina Fazekas ...........................56 Other Household Staff ......................43 Eager Igor ...............................56 E. THE COPPER COIN ................. 56 SUSPECT: THE LORD MAYOR ........... 44 Sidebar: Optional Rule: Inebriation ............56 SUSPECT: CAPTAIN REHAK ............. 44 BEER CELLAR ....................... 56 SUSPECT: STEwaRD SANDRO BUHL ........ 44 Scoundrel Activity .........................56 PALACE ROUTINE ................... 44 Cult Activity ..............................56 Guard Patrols. .44 MISSIONS .......................... 57 Servant Duties ............................45 Free Old Timo ............................57 MISSING SERVANTS ................... 45 Busting Teeth .............................57 “Meet Me in the Pantry” .....................45 The Vampire’s Elixer .......................57 PALACE ROOMS ...................... 45 UPSTAIRS .......................... 57 P1. The Great Hall .........................45 F. THE OWL & MOUSE TAVERN ........... 58 P2. Armory ..............................46 P4. Council Chamber ......................46 G. FELLED OAK INN .................. 58 P5. Chapel. .46 H. GRISELda’S FINE BLADES ............ 59 P9. Pantry ...............................46 I. WHITE STEEL ARMORERS ............. 59 P10. Cellar ..............................46 J. OTTO FITZER’S OUTFITTERS ........... 59 P12. Arcanist’s Chambers ....................46 K. THE ALCHEMIST ON THE CORNER. 59 P15. Captain Rehak’s Quarters ................46 P17-19. Bedrooms .........................46 L. STANEK & SONS JEWELERS ........... 60 P20. Guest Room. 47 SECURITY ......................... 60 P22. Guard Armory ........................47 CULT ACTIVITY ..................... 60 P28. Silver Room ..........................47 M. GUILD ARCANE .................. 60 P29. Sentry Stations ........................47 MISSIONS ......................... 60 P30. Cult Chapel ..........................47 Royal Apartments and Outbuildings ............48 N. POSTILION’S WAYSTATION ............ 61 MERCENARIES ....................... 61 THE LORD MAYOR’S PALACE ........... 48 Ingress .................................48 O. ABBEY OF SAINT BERTHOLD ........... 61 M9. Sentry Post ...........................48 ESOTERIC ORDER OF THE CANDLE ........ 61 M10. Lord Mayor’s Bedchamber ...............48 R. CISTERN ........................ 61 M13. Private Study .........................48 T. CENTENNIAL FOUNTAIN .............. 61 M14. Office ..............................48 M19. Cult Chamber ........................49 APPENDIX B: MAGIC ITEMS ........ .62 Bead of Darkness .............................62 MASQUERADE BALL .................. 50 The Reveal ...............................50 Candle of Truth ..............................62 Earthquake! ..............................50 Cleaver of Axphain ............................62 Elixer of Xoth ...............................62 THE FALL OF HRADIVAZ ................ 51 Hightown ...............................51 APPENDIX C: NPCS ............ .63 Old Town ...............................52 Captain Palladius Rehak .....................63 Ondreyton (Dreg-Town) .....................52 King Atrax ...............................64 Postern .................................52 APPENDIX D: MONSTERS ......... .65 Sidebar: What of King Atrax? .................52 Debased Serpentfolk ........................65 ESCAPE! ........................... 52 Arbiter .................................66 APPENDIX A: THE CITY OF HRadIVAZ . .53 Palace Guard of Axphain .....................67 Road Warden .............................68 ISTRICTS D ......................... 53 Toad-Bat ................................69 A. THE ROYAL PALACE ................ 53 VOORMIS .......................... 70 SampleB. THE OLD KEEP ................... 53 Voormi ................................. file70 Faith Arbiter’s Office .......................53 Voormi Warrior ...........................71 Plaza of Punishment ........................55 C. HRADIVAZ CATHEDRAL .............. 55 iv The Big Sleep A Cthulhu Mythos adventure for 4 to 5 characters of 1st–15th level NTRO FROM ANDY Each chapter should take between one and three I S gaming sessions, depending on the group’s play style. My son, Arthur, came to me with an idea for a Cthul- Before running each adventure, the GM should hu Mythos saga. He said, “Epic adventures almost