The Thousand Islands; bits and bobs.

B

bulya

Mongoose
Kalimantan

According to ancient Khitain, minji and Garudan manuscripts, western coastal cities of Kalimantan have been trading ports, and part of their trade routes, since the first millennium. In Khitain manuscripts, gold, camphor, tortoise shells, hornbill ivory, rhinoceros horn, crane crest, beeswax, lakkawood(1), dragon's blood(1), rattan, edible bird's nests and various spices were among the most valuable items from Kalimantan.The Minji named Kalimantan as Suvabhumi (the land of gold) and also Karadvipa (the Camphor Island), which includes the western part of the island shared with Cantingna island. The Garudans often call Kalimantan, the Diamond Island.

(1) Lakkawood is a heavily scented liana which is a major component in many Khitain potion formulas especially those which affect a persons mental state.
(2) Dragons Blood ( often used in the construction of enchanted weapons in Khitai to quench the blade) is drawn from captured or trapped individuals of the huge reptiles which are found in the islands interior, often Garudan hunters will be ambushed by Orang Bunian or native peoples such as the Ngaju, Danum and Dusun. Whilst there are many more such beasts on the more easterly Koda Island no one except foolhardy adventurers would set foot on its cursed shores.





If you can do the honors Jiminy much appreciated. ;)
 
War Buffalo

Like the Minji god Yama, the war cavalry of the Garudans ride to battle on the backs of great swamp buffalo bulls. The riders stand with their feet and lower legs placed into great protective shields(1) locked over the bulls necks. From their perch they can fight their foes with both blade and javelin twisting in any direction to engage their foes(2).
The horns of the bulls are tipped with iron spikes and their thick hides are hung over with rattan barding.

Buffalo races and fights between champion bulls are a popular form of entertainment throughout the Empire, and many great warriors got their start as a young rider.

(1) War Buffalo replaces the Skill Ride Warhorse for Knights from the Thousand Islands. Barbarians may replace the skill with another appropriate one or trade two skills for Ride War Elephant.

(2) These shields originally developed from the oxbow yokes worn by single buffalo when ploughing the rice fields and are heavy affairs of wood and metal. They are often heavily decorated with clan symbols, fierce demonic faces or unit colours.
 
Weapons of the Thousand Islands.

The Arbir is a halberd approximately five feet (1.5 m) long.
The plane of the blade has a shallow groove running along it that allows the user to determine exactly where the cutting edge is at all times.
( Stats are Halberd)

The karambit is a bladed weapon found among the cultures of the Thousand Islands. In all of these cultures it is used as an agricultural tool as well as a weapon. It is said that the shape of the karambit is related to beliefs about the power of tigers, and thus the karambit is in the shape of a tiger claw.

The karambit is characterized by a sharply curved, usually double-edged, blade, which, when the weapon is properly held, extends from the bottom of the hand, with the point of the blade facing forward. Karambits are encountered with varying blade lengths and both with and without a retention ring for the index finger on the end of the handle opposite the blade. However, in addition to being held blade facing forward and extending down from the fist it may also be held blade to front extending from the top of the hand.

( stats as dagger for a small karambit/ shortsword for a larger).

The klewang is a single-edged machete-style sword from The Thousand Islands. In size, weight and shape it is halfway between the golok and the kampilan. The style of the klewang differs between the various cultures of the archipelago; there are straight bladed types, but most are curved.
( stats as sword)

The Mandau is the traditional weapon for the people of Kalimantan.

Associated with headhunting seremonies, where people gather to attack other tribes, and gather heads to be used in various ceremonies, the mandau is both a work of art in itself and a formidable weapon.

The blade is mostly made of tempered metals, with exquisite vineworks and inlaid brass. The hilt is made from animal horns, such as deer's horns, although some variations with human bones and fragrant wood also exist. Both the hilt and scabbard are elaborately carved and plumed. Details of carvings vary from tribe to tribe, but mostly depict creatures or, if human bones were used, anthropomorphic deities.

( stats as axe)


A rencong is a traditional weapon from the Western outlying Islands. It is slightly similar in appearance to a kris; and is of the same dark reputation. The rencong is worn during ceremonies and wartime.

A rencong's blade can vary in length from 10 to 50 cm. The blade can be cranked like a kris but sometimes it is straight. It is put in a scabbard that is made of wood, ivory, horn, or sometimes even silver or gold. The rencong is worn in one's belt on the stomach.

Anweh province is also known as "The Land of Rencong" (Tanah Rencong).

( stats as dagger)


The Golok is the name given to a range of large, heavy bladed short swords originating from The Thousand Islands.

( stats as shortsword)

The Sibat a stout, bamboo spear used for both fighting and hunting.

( stats as spear)

Buntot pagi or Sting ray tail is a type of whip like weapon. it is a famous weapon in fighting and warding off demons and the like. In combat a Buntot Pagi is often used with a short knife or sword.

( stats as flail)
 
Silawe Nazarate is the name of moon goddess of Nial Island. She is the symbolic of life in the universe. The god Lowalangi is her husband.

The Ratu Adil, literally means Just Queen, is a messianic figure in Garudan folklore particularly amongst the poor and oppressed. It is said the Ratu Adil will establish universal peace and justice. The Ratu Adil was first mentioned in the Pralembang Joyoboyo, the pseudonymous prophecies ascribed to King Joboyo of Kedir. Though many amongst the noble families cliam that he was senile by the time of his prophesizing.

The Queen of the Silent Sea.

Nyai Loro Kidul is often illustrated as an imperious but stunning woman with the powerful lower part of the body of a snake.

Nyai Loro Kidul is sometimes referred to as Queen of the Naga. This idea may have been derived from some variant myths concerning her once having been a princess of Pajaran who suffered from leprosy. The skin disease was thought to have led to her shedding her skin like a snake and becoming a spirit.

Nyai Loro Kidul is worshipped as a powerful Garudan Spirit-Queen and it is said her favour is tied to the beauty of Garudan princesses. She is noted for her ability to change shape several times a day.

Nyai Loro Kidul is in control of the waves of the Silent Sea from her dwelling place in the heart of the ocean.

For those seeking to petition her in person her courts literal position is considered as corresponding to the position of the Fallen leaf constellation.

Sacred to her is the colour of green, which is forbidden to wear along the south-coast of Garuda.


Her Origin

One folktale is about Kadita of the Pajaran Kingdom, in West Garuda, who desperately sought the Southern Sea after black magic had hit her. She jumped into the the Ocean where the spirits and demons crowned the girl to the legendary Spirit-queen of the South Sea.

Another folktale shows claimed Bening became Queen of the Kelona Kingdom and, suffering from leprosy, travelled to the South where she is taken up by a huge wave to disappear into the Ocean.

Another folktale is about the Ajar Cemar on the mountain of Kumbang in the Pajaran Kingdom. She was a male seer who was actually the beautiful great aunt of Susuruh. She was told in a vision to go to the east of Garuda find the place where a maja-tree just had one fruit and found the Majahit kingdom. Many years after she transmigrated into the "spirit-queen of the south who shall reign over the spirits, demons and all dark creatures".

Ceremonies

The main celebration of Nyai Loro Kidul happens in a cave (Karang Balang) and when these are ended specially prepared offerings are made in an alcove in what is known as the "State Bed of Nyai Loro Kidul". This relic is hung with beautiful silk batik kains, and a toilet mirror is placed against the green-coloured pillows of the bed ...

Nyai Loro Kidul is the patron goddess of the bird's-nest gatherers of Southern Garuda, the gatherers descend the sheer cliff-face on coconut-fibre ropes to an overhang some thirty feet above the water where a rickery bamboo platform has been built. From here they must await their wave, drop into it, and be swept beneath the overhang into the cave. Here they grope around in total darkness filling their bags with bird's nests. Going back needs very precise timing for not misjudging the tides, and fallen into the waves.

Pelabuhan Ratu, a small fishermen city in West Garuda, celebrates an annual holiday in her honor. A memorial day for the locals, who offer a great many ceremonial gifts to the goddess.
 
Dewi Shri is the goddess of rice on the southern islands and Garuda Island. She has the power of the underworld and the Moon. She controls the foodstuffs of the Earth and death. She has the power of the earth. She is the mother of life because she symbolises rice (the primary food of the garudan Empire).

Highly revered especially by the people of Garuda, there are a lot of versions of her legend in the empire, most of them involve Dewi Sri and her brother Sedana, set either in the kingdom of Kamulan, or in the heavens (involving gods such as Batara), or both. In all the versions in which Sedana appears along with Dewi Sri, they end up separated from each other, through either death, wandering, or a refusal to be married.

Some versions make correlation between Sri and the large snakes of the rice fields and Sadhana with the swallows. The traditional Garudan people in particular have a special place in their house dedicated for Dewi Sri, decorated with intricate carvings of snakes, so that she will give prosperity for them.

Among the agricultural Garudans, a snake who enters a house won't be chased away as it is a sign for a success in harvest, and they will give it offerings instead.
 
Undead of the Thousand Islands


Pontianak - in white dress seeking revenge; also known as Kuntilanak. The Pontianak usually announces its presence through baby-like cries or appear as beautiful young women in order to get close enough to frighten or kill the unlucky person ( usually male) who enters or passes through their territory. It usually disguises itself as a beautiful wan young woman to attract its victim (usually male). Its presence sometimes can be detected by the fragrance of an orchid followed by an awful stench afterwords. The distance of a pontianaks cries are very tricky to determine and make it hard to know the creatures location. The Garudans believe that if the cry is soft it means that the pontianak is near and if it is loud then it must be far away.

A Pontianak kills its victims by digging into their stomachs with its razor-sharp fingernails and devouring their organs. Pontianaks must feed in this manner in order to sustain their undead forms.

In some cases where the Pontianak desires revenge against a male individual, it rips out the sex organs with its hands.

It is believed that Pontianaks locate prey by sniffing out clothes left outside to dry. For this reason, Garudans refuse to leave any object of clothing outside.

It is believed that having an iron nail helps to fend off potential attacks by Pontianak, the nail being used to plunge into a hole at the back of the Pontianak's neck.

When an iron nail is plunged into the back of a Pontianak's neck or the apex of her head, she will revert to her former living self.......until the nail is pulled out again.....or works itself loose...........

The Pontianaks hunger is lessened by the scent of bananas and its intangible spirit is said to reside in them during the day manifesting beneath them

The Pontaniak uses the Statistics for a Barudath.

Polong - an unseen spirit that can be used by a black magic practitioner to harm someone. Polong is a formerly human spirit enslaved by another for personal use. Like the Hantu Raya and Toyol, it has a master, usually but not always a dukun.

Polong is created from the blood of a murdered person and this blood is put into a ritual bottle for one to two weeks before the spirit is invoked with incantations and magical rituals.

Two weeks after the invocation, the owner will start to hear weeping sounds coming out of the bottle. Then he cuts his finger and drains the blood into the bottle to feed the newborn demon. This is a sign of allegiance and creates a bond of servitude towards the master. The blood which feeds the demon ties both parties together: one as Master and the other as the servant.

No one has ever illustrated the figure of the demon but all that have the ability to see the unseen agree that it is an evil and hideous abomination.

Polong is very similar to the Pelesit, it becomes furious when not fed and will start to harm people around the Master until sated. Normally the owner will keep the Polong inside the bottle but unleashes it when needed; if one who is not the Master releases it it will roam the area possessing people at random and causing them to injure themselves. People who have been attacked by the Polong are left with bruises, a few markings and almost always have blood coming out of their mouths.

During possession, a Polong will not listen to anyone except its owner. Usually the owner will come and pretentiously 'exorcise' the demon in order to get money from people. But in some cases a polong which is "sent out" by its owner refuses to free the body that it has attacked. In fact it goes a step further by causing more permanent suffering to the victim trying to eradicate their mind and take the body for itself. At this stage a dukun or other learned type is called to cast out the polong.

The polong is easily weakened by black pepper seeds ( usually mixed with oil and few cloves of garlic). Normally, the dukun will place the seeds on certain parts of the body to cast off the polong. He will then recite traditional banishment charms until the demon is thrown out. The tormented polong will cry and plead, asking for the recitations to cease. It will then confess to the dukun the name of its master. However, it is not uncommon for the polong to name some other person to misguide the dukun. Hence, the admission must be taken cautiously.

A polong may only be permanently destroyed by breaking its bottle.

It possess with a MA of 18.

Toyol - The Toyol or Tuyul is a small child spirit invoked by a dark sorceror from a dead human foetus using black magic. It is possible for unscrupulous people to buy a toyol from such a dukun.

A person who owns a toyol uses it mainly to steal things from other people, or to do mischief. If money or jewellery keeps disappearing mysteriously from a house, a toyol is often thought responsible. One way used by many Garudans to ward off a toyol is to place some needles under their money, for toyols are afraid of being hurt by needles ( not suprising considering how many of them are created).

The Khitain name for the toyol is guai zai (literally "ghost child").

The appearance of a toyol resembles a small baby, frequently that of a newly born baby walking in nakedness with a big head, small hands, clouded eyes and strangely greyed skin. It can be seen by the naked eye without the use of magic, though they are unlikely to be spotted casually.

Keeping a toyol has its price. In essence, the spirit is that of a still-born (or more often aborted) child, and its temperament reflects this.

According to Garudan practices and beliefs, the afterlife of a person is taken care of by the family, in the form of a carved tablet. It is usually made of wood, with the name of the deceased engraved. A collection of tablets at an elaborate family altar is a typical item in a large (and often wealthy) family.

Following the same principle, the master of the toyol keeps its tablet and cares for it. He must feed it with a few drops of his blood everyday, usually through his thumb or big toe. In addition, it requires certain coaxing and attention, along with offerings. Such offerings might include sweets and toys, for the toyol is essentially a child and must be kept happily entertained. A toyol can be fed instead with the blood of a rooster but they are more likely to 'go wild' on such a diet, than they are on human blood.

People use such spirits for theft, sabotage and other minor crimes. Serious crimes, like murder, are usually beyond the capability of these toyols. A person who suddenly becomes wealthy without explanation might be suspected of keeping a toyol. The toyol is kept in a jar or an urn, and hidden away in a dark place until needed.

What happens at the end of the "contract" depends on the dukun. It could be that the tablet, along with the urn, is buried in a graveyard (with the relevant rituals), and the spirit is then laid to rest.

An alternative method is to dispose them in the sea where it is said they are cared for by The Queen of the Silent Sea .

Or else, a toyol gets passed down in a family through the generations.

Although seemingly cunning, toyols are not very intelligent. They are easily deceived by marbles and sand and strands of garlic hanging on the door post or placed on certain parts of the house. The toyol will start playing with these items until it forgets its task at the intended victim's house. Money placed under mirrors has the potentcy to ward off toyols due to a phobia of their reflections.

Toyol will not fight, they possess stats identical to The Onyx Prowler.

Pelesit - is a minor demonic being in the form of a large spiny grasshopper; it is essentially identical to the Polong but is more often summoned by female dukun as it responds better to a Mistress than Master. Abilities and weaknesses as Polong.

Hantu Air - A water-dwelling ghost in rivers, pools and seas they will draw others down to join them in their watery grave. As spectre.

Hantu Raya - In the case of a Hantu Raya, the owner is said to have formed a pact with a demon or inherited it from older generations in the form known as a Saka or legacy which is handed on down the generations. In return for the advantages and power, the owner agrees to provide for the demon and appoints a new owner for it before dying.

People who fail to untie their bond with the Hantu Raya will suffer terrible deaths and their bodies will rise as living corpses after their death and prey upon the living.

The Hantu Raya will then adopt the look of its owner ever after death and go roaming about the area. It will search for food, victims and a new owner at night and may resort to haunting buildings and people in its frustration.

When it has an owner the Hantu Raya is capable of materializing and shaping itself into a human being or animal and can make itself a double for its owner. Among its less popular powers, though some owners encourage the behaviour, is to form its owner's shape and sleep with the owner's partners. It can be used to perform heavy duties as commanded by its master, even to harm his enemies. It can also possess or cause death to other people if so ordered. The Hantu Rayu can commit any crimes a master may desire and is capable of working without pause as if it were a team of twelve men.

Normally the Hantu Raya feasts on acak – a special offering made for the spirit, containing: yellow glutinous rice, eggs, roasted chicken, rice flakes and a doll bound with the masters hair.

In some cases, particularly for gruelling services, the Hantu Raya is offered the blood of a slaughtered animal as a sacrifice.

Food offerings must strictly be observed in a timely manner, to avoid any harm caused by the spirit.

When materialised the Hantu Rayu has the statistics of a Wight ( sans powers) no matter what its form, it is immune to non-magical weapons, can become immaterial at will and can only be permanently destroyed by finding the original pact and burning it.

Pocong - ghosts which appear still wrapped in a white funeral shroud. As ghost.

Hantu Kubur - ghosts that haunt the cemeteries. As ghost.

Hantu Kum Kum - a female ghost carrying a tombstone as a baby asking for milk. As Spectre.
 
Undead of the Thousand Islands


Pontianak - in white dress seeking revenge; also known as Kuntilanak. The Pontianak usually announces its presence through baby-like cries or appear as beautiful young women in order to get close enough to frighten or kill the unlucky person ( usually male) who enters or passes through their territory. It usually disguises itself as a beautiful wan young woman to attract its victim (usually male). Its presence sometimes can be detected by the fragrance of an orchid followed by an awful stench afterwords. The distance of a pontianaks cries are very tricky to determine and make it hard to know the creatures location. The Garudans believe that if the cry is soft it means that the pontianak is near and if it is loud then it must be far away.

A Pontianak kills its victims by digging into their stomachs with its razor-sharp fingernails and devouring their organs. Pontianaks must feed in this manner in order to sustain their undead forms.

In some cases where the Pontianak desires revenge against a male individual, it rips out the sex organs with its hands.

It is believed that Pontianaks locate prey by sniffing out clothes left outside to dry. For this reason, Garudans refuse to leave any object of clothing outside.

It is believed that having an iron nail helps to fend off potential attacks by Pontianak, the nail being used to plunge into a hole at the back of the Pontianak's neck.

When an iron nail is plunged into the back of a Pontianak's neck or the apex of her head, she will revert to her former living self.......until the nail is pulled out again.....or works itself loose...........

The Pontianaks hunger is lessened by the scent of bananas and its intangible spirit is said to reside in them during the day manifesting beneath them

The Pontaniak uses the Statistics for a Barudath.

Polong - an unseen spirit that can be used by a black magic practitioner to harm someone. Polong is a formerly human spirit enslaved by another for personal use. Like the Hantu Raya and Toyol, it has a master, usually but not always a dukun.

Polong is created from the blood of a murdered person and this blood is put into a ritual bottle for one to two weeks before the spirit is invoked with incantations and magical rituals.

Two weeks after the invocation, the owner will start to hear weeping sounds coming out of the bottle. Then he cuts his finger and drains the blood into the bottle to feed the newborn demon. This is a sign of allegiance and creates a bond of servitude towards the master. The blood which feeds the demon ties both parties together: one as Master and the other as the servant.

No one has ever illustrated the figure of the demon but all that have the ability to see the unseen agree that it is an evil and hideous abomination.

Polong is very similar to the Pelesit, it becomes furious when not fed and will start to harm people around the Master until sated. Normally the owner will keep the Polong inside the bottle but unleashes it when needed; if one who is not the Master releases it it will roam the area possessing people at random and causing them to injure themselves. People who have been attacked by the Polong are left with bruises, a few markings and almost always have blood coming out of their mouths.

During possession, a Polong will not listen to anyone except its owner. Usually the owner will come and pretentiously 'exorcise' the demon in order to get money from people. But in some cases a polong which is "sent out" by its owner refuses to free the body that it has attacked. In fact it goes a step further by causing more permanent suffering to the victim trying to eradicate their mind and take the body for itself. At this stage a dukun or other learned type is called to cast out the polong.

The polong is easily weakened by black pepper seeds ( usually mixed with oil and few cloves of garlic). Normally, the dukun will place the seeds on certain parts of the body to cast off the polong. He will then recite traditional banishment charms until the demon is thrown out. The tormented polong will cry and plead, asking for the recitations to cease. It will then confess to the dukun the name of its master. However, it is not uncommon for the polong to name some other person to misguide the dukun. Hence, the admission must be taken cautiously.

A polong may only be permanently destroyed by breaking its bottle.

It possess with a MA of 18.

Toyol - The Toyol or Tuyul is a small child spirit invoked by a dark sorceror from a dead human foetus using black magic. It is possible for unscrupulous people to buy a toyol from such a dukun.

A person who owns a toyol uses it mainly to steal things from other people, or to do mischief. If money or jewellery keeps disappearing mysteriously from a house, a toyol is often thought responsible. One way used by many Garudans to ward off a toyol is to place some needles under their money, for toyols are afraid of being hurt by needles ( not suprising considering how many of them are created).

The Khitain name for the toyol is guai zai (literally "ghost child").

The appearance of a toyol resembles a small baby, frequently that of a newly born baby walking in nakedness with a big head, small hands, clouded eyes and strangely greyed skin. It can be seen by the naked eye without the use of magic, though they are unlikely to be spotted casually.

Keeping a toyol has its price. In essence, the spirit is that of a still-born (or more often aborted) child, and its temperament reflects this.

According to Garudan practices and beliefs, the afterlife of a person is taken care of by the family, in the form of a carved tablet. It is usually made of wood, with the name of the deceased engraved. A collection of tablets at an elaborate family altar is a typical item in a large (and often wealthy) family.

Following the same principle, the master of the toyol keeps its tablet and cares for it. He must feed it with a few drops of his blood everyday, usually through his thumb or big toe. In addition, it requires certain coaxing and attention, along with offerings. Such offerings might include sweets and toys, for the toyol is essentially a child and must be kept happily entertained. A toyol can be fed instead with the blood of a rooster but they are more likely to 'go wild' on such a diet, than they are on human blood.

People use such spirits for theft, sabotage and other minor crimes. Serious crimes, like murder, are usually beyond the capability of these toyols. A person who suddenly becomes wealthy without explanation might be suspected of keeping a toyol. The toyol is kept in a jar or an urn, and hidden away in a dark place until needed.

What happens at the end of the "contract" depends on the dukun. It could be that the tablet, along with the urn, is buried in a graveyard (with the relevant rituals), and the spirit is then laid to rest.

An alternative method is to dispose them in the sea where it is said they are cared for by The Queen of the Silent Sea .

Or else, a toyol gets passed down in a family through the generations.

Although seemingly cunning, toyols are not very intelligent. They are easily deceived by marbles and sand and strands of garlic hanging on the door post or placed on certain parts of the house. The toyol will start playing with these items until it forgets its task at the intended victim's house. Money placed under mirrors has the potentcy to ward off toyols due to a phobia of their reflections.

Toyol will not fight, they possess stats identical to The Onyx Prowler.

Pelesit - is a minor demonic being in the form of a large spiny grasshopper; it is essentially identical to the Polong but is more often summoned by female dukun as it responds better to a Mistress than Master. Abilities and weaknesses as Polong.

Hantu Air - A water-dwelling ghost in rivers, pools and seas they will draw others down to join them in their watery grave. As spectre.

Hantu Raya - In the case of a Hantu Raya, the owner is said to have formed a pact with a demon or inherited it from older generations in the form known as a Saka or legacy which is handed on down the generations. In return for the advantages and power, the owner agrees to provide for the demon and appoints a new owner for it before dying.

People who fail to untie their bond with the Hantu Raya will suffer terrible deaths and their bodies will rise as living corpses after their death and prey upon the living.

The Hantu Raya will then adopt the look of its owner ever after death and go roaming about the area. It will search for food, victims and a new owner at night and may resort to haunting buildings and people in its frustration.

When it has an owner the Hantu Raya is capable of materializing and shaping itself into a human being or animal and can make itself a double for its owner. Among its less popular powers, though some owners encourage the behaviour, is to form its owner's shape and sleep with the owner's partners. It can be used to perform heavy duties as commanded by its master, even to harm his enemies. It can also possess or cause death to other people if so ordered. The Hantu Rayu can commit any crimes a master may desire and is capable of working without pause as if it were a team of twelve men.

Normally the Hantu Raya feasts on acak – a special offering made for the spirit, containing: yellow glutinous rice, eggs, roasted chicken, rice flakes and a doll bound with the masters hair.

In some cases, particularly for gruelling services, the Hantu Raya is offered the blood of a slaughtered animal as a sacrifice.

Food offerings must strictly be observed in a timely manner, to avoid any harm caused by the spirit.

When materialised the Hantu Rayu has the statistics of a Wight ( sans powers) no matter what its form, it is immune to non-magical weapons, can become immaterial at will and can only be permanently destroyed by finding the original pact and burning it.

Pocong - ghosts which appear still wrapped in a white funeral shroud. As ghost.

Hantu Kubur - ghosts that haunt the cemeteries. As ghost.

Hantu Kum Kum - a female ghost carrying a tombstone as a baby asking for milk. As Spectre.
 
Soera- lies on the northern-eastern coast of Garuda at the mouth of the Wan River. It is known as the city of heroes; because it once stood against a ferocious assault by Khitain 'pirates' ( Actually the ships were a part of the Seven River Fleet sent by the Yellow Sun Emporer to try and force the Garudans into trade concessions; when this failed the Emperors envoy to the Golden Court delivered a vast 'gift' of gold and iron in exchange for the Garudans acceptance that the attacks were made by pirates and any notion that they were crewed by Khitain navy was a falsehood.

The natives of Soera worship two powerful spirits the White Shark and the White Crocodile ( it is said that the spirits empower the natives warrior prowess).

Soera is the fourth largest city on Garuda and is the home of the Imperial fleet and the naval barracks. It is an important producer of seafood, vegetables and pearls.
 
Places of Mystery

Sarak Chambers
On the south coast of Kalimantan are enormous yawning limestone caverns and chambers which descend deep into the earth. Ancient rumours talk of titanic men from a lost island who descended into these caves thousands of years ago.

Those who have descended speak of vast open spaces deep within the earth, and strange carvings on the cave walls. Further still have been found enourmous footprints...and in the wet season, during the worst monssons, when the waters are highest; entire villages are sometimes found decimated, the inhabitants vanished except for their smashed and burnt buildings. Hunters coming across such a scene after the storm is over have noted huge man-like tracks leading away.....back towards the caverns.....

Surakah Temple Ruins
Surakah Temple is located on the western slope of Mount Laru in deep jungle. Hundreds of years before the Garudan Empire it was a site of worship for the Lemeki Empire.

The temple was judging from the friezes and statues adorning it; dedicated to life, fertility and reproduction. Its main structure is a simple 50m tall pyramid with reliefs and statues in front of it, including three tortoises with flattened shells and a male figure grasping his penis. A giant 6m high staue of lingga (phallus) with four balls, representing penile incisions stands some way off in the encroaching jungle.

The temple was founded in the early days of expansion in the lost empire' it was believed that the slope of the mountain was a sacred place for worshiping the ancestors, nature spirits and the observance of the fertility rites. The monument was built around 37 years after the foundation of the Lemak civilisation, as written on a chronogram date on the western gate.


An overgrown relief of yoni–lingga comprises the floor of the temples entrance. Unlike later meticulous designs and reliefs, the temple has a simple truncated pyramid as its main monument, surrounded by monoliths and life-sized figures.

The temple architecture and decoration depicts many scenes of spiritual liberation and physical acts.

On the wall of the main monument there is a relief portraying two men forging a weapon in a smithy with a large dancing figure having a human body and the head of an elephant, two other nearby friezes show the same scene but depict the forging of the sun and the moon. In the beliefs of the Lemaki, and the later Garudans the smith is thought to possess not only the skill to alter metals, but also the key to spiritual transcendence. Smiths could draw on their powers to forge an enchanted kris or rarely another type of weapon from the blessings of the god of fire; and a smithy is and was considered as a holy shrine. Rulership is legitimated and empowered by the possession of an ancestral kris.

The elephant headed figure with a crown in the smithy relief depicts what is believed to be Ganesha, the god of obstacles in the Minji pantheon. This figure, however, differs completely with other usual depictions. Instead of sitting, the Ganesha figure in the relief is shown dancing and it has distinctive features including the exposed genitals, the demonic physiognomy, the strangely awkward dancing posture, the rosary bones on its neck and holding a large rat. The figures pose recalls a barely remembered rite still practiced by some isolated villages in which the dead are called upon to bestow fruitfulness on the living.

The huge lingga statue has a dedicated inscription carved from top to bottom representing a vein followed by a chronogram date. The inscription translates "Consecration of the Holy Ganga sudhi in ... the sign of masculinity is the essence of the world." Reliefs of a kris blade, an eight-pointed sun and a crescent moon decorate the statue. Young married women will sneak out to the jungle and plant a kiss on the statue in order to be blessed with a child......very occasionally one will not return.

Other statues in the temple grounds include a life-sized male human figure with his hand grasping his own penis and three flattened shells of tortoises. Two large tortoise statues guard the pyramid entrance and the third one lies at some distance in front of the monument. All of their heads point to the west and their flattened shells once served as altars for purification rituals and ancestor worship.

( The temple was a very powerful centre for the worship not of Ganesha but of the ancient jungle god Ralwang. The huge god-beast lies in repose beneath the temple surrounded by a horde of enourmous rats who maintain its sleep and occasionally devour anyone who seems too curious about the temple.

The statue of the lingam lies directly over his resting place and it does indeed grant fertility to those who kiss it, however the child is his child and not the husbands. After hundreds of years of this activity, almost every village in the area is populated with his children. Occasionally one will be born with physical aspects of the demon but the child is usually exposed and left to die.

Those who live, often those with more hidden or subtle characteristics, often rise to positions of power in the villages. If directly attacked the newly awoken Ralwang will call out to the minds of these 'chosen' chieftains to bring their warriors to aid him.

The entrance to the underworld beneath the temple will only open when a sacred kris, a gold eight pointed sun symbol and a silver crescent moon are placed one each on the turtle altars. If those who do so are not worshippers of Ralwang or 'chosen' the two turtle statues will animate and attack. The turtles are identical to Moon Dogs in stats except having +2 AF, and are no where near as slow as their forms may suggest.

The statue of the man will sink into the ground revealing a set of stone steps leading into darkness.

Below ground a maze of tunnels is revealed within them are a number of rooms lined with rich fabrics and hung with silk. Braziers and incense burners hang from the ceilings.

The walls are thick with ferns and mosses, growing without need for sunlight in the fecund aura of the god-beast. The rats live in hundreds of tiny tunnels and bolt holes and there is no sign of their presence within the complex itself.

A number of hard-wood statues ( 6 in total) of slightly larger than life size shapely, naked nymphs are present around the tunnel complex. Any close inspection will note that the statues are hollow. If broken open the statue will split like a seed pod to reveal a young woman encased in a honey-scented resin. ( These are the brides of the god who were incased in their semblances to await his reawakening and susequent impregnation; they do not speak any modern languages and will be confused at not meeting their god).

A number of traps exist in the complex, although the rats ( 40 strong) will attack anyone who enters the gods chamber Ralwang himself is not violently disposed to those who enter and will call off the rats after he rouses ( 3 turns) unless he is attacked himself. He does not speak any of the current toungues though he will learn them if he speaks with anyone for more than 5 minutes.

Ralwang is an ancient remnant of a lost age and he is inquisitive about what has occured in his absence. He is however a primal being and is enslaved to his passions; any male who makes physical contact with him will father a child at his next sexual encounter; any female who does so will fall pregnant immediately.

Any children born will be 'chosen' roll once on Hellion tables....or Gms choice.

If the PCs attack Ralwang his stats are identical to Garambars from Sleeping Gods except he uses huge hooked talons instead of an axe ( Same Stats.) Once every three rounds he can dance this has the effect of the Burden spell with an MA of 20; the effect is not a gain in gravity but those effected are over-come by overpowering sensations of pleasure, birth pains or childish glee and are unable to freely act.


Killing Ralwang gives access to about 3000 florins in gold sacred objects arrayed about his chamber, it also drains the power from the lingam statue and prevents the local villages from accessing its power. Eventually without the god-blood the villages inhabitants will be overcome by diseases they are no longer immune to and the area will fall back completely into the jungle.
 
The people of Molasaria are a people divided, they hail from Anari, Likan, Emphidian, Ta'ashim and many other peoples. But they are also a people united by a common heritage and the struggle to survive in the shadow of darkness which has long troubled their lands.

Molasarias rich folk traditions have been nourished by many sources, many of which predate the Selentine or even the Emphidian occupation.

Traditional arts include wood carving, ceramics, weaving and embroidery of costumes, household decorations, dance, and richly varied folk music.

Wood is the main construction material, and heavily ornamented wooden objects are common in houses. In many cities wood is used to create impressive structures such as churches or gates, in the south, windmills were made of wood, and in mountainous regions hardwood is used even for covering the roof.

Linen is the most common material for clothing, combined with wool during the winter or colder periods. These are embroidered with traditional motifs that vary from region to region. Black is the most common colour used, but red and blue are predominant in western areas.

Men wear a white shirt and pants with a wide leather belt, usually over the shirt, and a vest sometimes made of leather and embroidered. They wear either hard boots or a simple shoe made of leather and tied around the foot and they usually wear a cap or hat which differs in design from region to region.

Women wear a white skirt and a shirt with a vest. They wear an apron which is also embroidered and a headscarf;on special occasions they wore more elaborate outfits.

Music and dance represent a lively part of the Molasarian folklore, and is invaluable in lifting the spirits or drowning out the howls of wolves or less wholesome beings.

Party music is very lively and shows both Emphidian and Analikan influences. Sentimental music, however, is the most valued, and Molasarians consider their songs unique in the world.

Molasarians have had, from time immemorial, a myriad of customs, tales and poems about love, faith, kings, princesses, the undead, dragons and witches.

Customs related to certain times of year are: Midwinter chants, the burning of effigies of the past on the turn of the year or the Martis, marriage festival, custom marking the first day of spring. Other customs are of pre-Selentine origin, like the Paparuda rain enchanting custom in the summer, or the masked folk theatre or the Two Dragons War pantomines and rituals in winter.
 
Molasarian rituals and customs

The Nestvo is a ritual performed in several villages in the Strazha ( South Emphidian) Mountains close to the coast in the very southwest of Molasaria. It involves a barefooted dance on smouldering embers. It is usually performed on the square of the village in front of the whole population on the day of St. Vagda or the day of the village's patron saint. The ritual is a unique mixture of True Faith beliefs and older pagan traditions from the Strazha Mountains.

Traditionally, the right to perform the ritual is hereditary and the head dancer may be succeeded only by his or her son or daughter, and only when he or she is too old or ill to continue performing it. The head dancers house is sacred, because it houses the stolna – a small chapel where icons of several saints are arranged, as well as a sacred drum used specifically for the ritual and believed to cure the drummer if he is ill.

On the day of the ritual the villagers would go to the stolna led by the head dancer and the local priest, where they would watch him thurify the icons and the other dancers, symbolically transferring them the spiritual power and inspiration. The people would then head to a local holy spring carrying the name of the saint, where they would eat an offering of mutton.

After sunset, the crowd would build up a large fire and would dance a traditional jeer-filled round dance until the fire dies and only embers remain. The barefoot dance on embers that follows as the climax of the night is accompanied by the beat of the sacred drum and the sound of a bagpipe. It is popularly thought that some of the dancers reach a religious state of trance while dancing, explaining why their feet don't burn and they allegedly don't feel pain.

The origins of this custom stretches back to those villages who honoured the cthonic worm draconic principle over the fire-drake draconic principle, in other parts of Molasaria a similar but inverted ritual is practiced where burning oil is poured over a votive representation.

Their offerings at the spring and the dance over embers symbolizes both their allegiance to the water and earth and their rejection of and triumph over fire. In more recent times with the loss of old traditions and the retreat of the dragons into legend the rituals have become focused around the saints of the True Faith, though canny, and long lived, observers will note that little has actually changed....in some cases the local saint is even called by the same name as the old object of veneration.



The Kukeri is a traditional Molasarian ritual to scare away evil spirits and undead performed at Winters End, with a costumed man performing the ritual. The costumes cover most of the body and include decorated wooden masks of an animal ,usually a goat, and large bells attached to the belt. Around Mid-winter the kukeri walk and dance through the villages to scare evil spirits away with the costumes and the sound of the bells, as well as to provide a good harvest, health, and happiness to the village during the year.

The kukeri traditionally visit the peoples' houses at night so that "the sun would not catch them on the road." After going around the village they gather at the square to dance wildly and amuse the people. The ritual varies by region but its essence remains largely the same.

The ritual is attributed to ancient Cerna origins. Similar rituals can be also found in Emphidor and Lika . The masked goat-type figure is known as Kukri, its horn's are adorned with girls' beads and kerchiefs, ribbons, multi-coloured tassles, mirrors, ivy, basil, natural or artificial flowers etc. The Capra's body may be made of different materials depending on local tradition, such as carpet or red cloth with adornments sewn on: traditional colourful cloth, embroidered handcerchiefs, beaded ornate women's textile girdles, reeds, seed heads, goat pelts and fabric ribbons

Whilst the ceremony today is seen as a ritual of protection, despite church mutterings about devil worship and the image of The Enemy, there are disturbing hints as to its original function:

When the predations of the night became too great the Cerna would bind up their war-prisoners and old house-slaves arms and dress them in horned goat pelts drenched in blood. To the horns would be attached fluttering streamers, noise-makers and shiny things which would attract attention. The 'scape-goats' were then driven out of town during an elaborate ritual of drumming and chanting which attracted the attentions of all nearby predators.......when the screams had died down in the early hours of the morning the Cerna would rise and go to war to fetch more offerings.......safe in the knowledge that at least for the moment the ancient hungers were appeased............
 
An ALA, plural ALE, is a demonic hag recorded in the lore of the Molasarians and their Likan neighbours. Ala are considered to be demons of bad weather who lead hail-producing thunderclouds in the direction of fields, vineyards, or orchards to destroy the crops, or loot and take them away.

These horrific female creatures are extremely voracious especially for the flesh of man, Ala particularly like to eat children. They are very active about the time of lunar eclipses when their magical power waxes strong.

When people encounter an ala, their mental or physical health, or even life, are in peril; however, if they are brave and possess a strong nerve her favor can be gained by approaching her with respect. Being in good favour with an ala can be very beneficial: she makes her favorites rich and saves their lives in times of trouble, but if the fickle demon comes to believe they have betrayed or spoken against her their lives are forfeit. Often those who worship or once worshipped the cthonic serpentine draconic principle find themselves to be on a better footing with the Ale.

Ala are fey creatures of chaos and wrath and their appearance can be quite varied though many of them betray the ancient ancestry that spawned them, the mating of an ancient forest hag and a primordial Worm. Others claim that the Ale are fellow spawn of hydra, gorgons and the like out of the Emphidian demoness Echidna, others yet claim they are ancient faerie beings of the wilds.

Ale are at all times surrounded by a ' black wind' of strange vapors, they are, in appearance, large female human-like beings with huge fang lined mouths and strange serpentine features.

They can shift shape to look like a human or animal at will, and can become invisible if they bathe in human blood for an hour.

Ala can also alter their size growing from their normal ogreish size to truly draconic proportions.

Ale can be found in a variety of climes throughout their range; they live on cloud-choked mountain sides, or in a lake, spring, hidden remote place, forest, cave, or gigantic tree.

While ale are frequently an enemy to humans, they have powerful enemies who can defeat them, in Molasaria these enemies were traditionally dragons. After the establishment of the True Faith various Saints began to take the dragons’ role; however, there are rural beliefs in which the saint and the dragons fight ale together. Giant Eagles are also regarded as defenders against ale, chasing them away from fields and thus preventing them from bringing hail clouds overhead.

Individual Ala Appearance

Within Lika among the mountains and dark forests the most common reports of the Ala is as a great dark cloud of black vapours before the storm clouds, her powerful hissing resonating in front of the dark hail clouds.

In Molasaria, huge Ala with bat-like wings and long thick snake-like tails hidden within in the contours of strange dark clouds pounce on lone villages, unprotected in the current age by their draconic 'guardians'. When an ala–cloud overtakes the village, villagers peer into the sky hoping to see an Giant Eagle emerging there. They believed that the mighty bird could banish the ala–cloud from the fields.

Likan settlers in Moasaria say that the ala lowers her long tail to the ground and hides her head in the clouds. Anyone who sees her head becomes instantly insane.

In a high relief carved above a window of the Visalaki monastery, a great eagle clutches a snakelike ala while an eaglet looks on.

Somewhat serpent-like Ale are often sighted among the Molasarian mountains, whilst within the forests and fields the demonesses appear to prefer/adopt a more human form.

In southern Molasaria the Ala is a black and horrible creature in the form of wind. Similarly, in the mountains bordering the Principalities the Ala often appears as a cloud of black vapour moving over the land. Wherever she goes, a dark whirlwind blows, and those who are exposed to the truth within the whirlwind go mad.

Within the forests of the Leskac region the Ala takes on its more earthbound form as a great hag with an enormous mouth. One tale from the region has it that a sorceror kept such an Ala in his barn; she drank thirty liters of milk every day and ate a boy child every third til they were both put to the torch by the local villagers. Another tale says that an Ale in the form of a flock of ravens used to take the crops from the Gerasvic vineyards before a wandering holy man bound the hag into a barrel and sank her in the local millpond.

In Analikas mountainous elf and wolf-haunted forests the ale who interact with people make great use of their metamorphic powers, after which their true selves can be seen only by those gifted with The Sight though the human-looking Ale cause houses to shake when they enter.

The evil deeds of the Ale primarily involve destroying crops in fields, vineyards, and orchards by leading flocks of hail storm clouds overhead, usually during the first half of the summer when grain crops ripen. Ale also seize the vitality from the crops of a village and transport their fruits to another place, purportedly in their huge ears, thereby making some villages poor, and others rich.

This was long held as the reason why the Androvac region in central Lika was so fruitful: it was where an Ala, long ago bound by a local lord ( of voracious appetite for both sorcerous secrets and blood if local tales are to be believed) transported her plundered loot to.

The people of Konik believe that the local Ala ( Nicknamed Baba Needles) defended the crops of the area where she lived from other Ale. If hail destroyed the crops, it was thought that an Ala from another area had defeated the local Ala and stolen the crops vitality.

Ale can also spread their influence over fields and thwart the ripening of the crops, or worse, consume the field’s fertility, and drink the milk from sheep, especially when it thunders. Ale also possess great strength;and often uproot trees as the hail drives down around them.

Protection from the Ale.

If dragons, gods or eagles were not present or would not intervene then attacked villages often turn to magic.

In many cases a particular Ala could be addressed by a secret personal name: Smiljana, Kalina, Magdalena, Dobrica, Dragija, Zagorka, etc. which if discovered could be used to drive the demon away.

There is also a custom used when the approach of an Ala was perceived: to bring a table in front of the house, and to put black bread, salt, an iron knife with a black sheath, and an axe with its edge directed skywards on the table. By another custom, an iron fireplace trivet with its legs directed skywards, iron knives, forks, and the stub of a candle were put on the table. The efficiacy of these measures is not known but salt and iron are known to be banes of many foul creatures.

Habits

Another characteristic common particularly among forest dwelling Ala is extreme voracity; in the Leskov region, Ale are widely feared and many villages tell of local Ale who steal children and devour them in their dwellings, which are full of children’s bones and spilt blood. Less often, they attack and eat adults; they are able to find a hidden human by means of their incredible sense of smell.

Ale are very active around the time of lunar eclipses when their power is three times its normal strength. ( 3x normal mp.)

Ale are able to make men insane; by staring into their eyes.

When people encountered an Ala on a road or field, they could catch dangerous diseases from her.

Ale gather at night on the eves of eclipses, diverting men from their ways into gullies, and torturing them there by riding them like horses.

A careful human going into an ala’s house, which is frequently deep in a forest, but may also be in the clouds, in a lake, spring, cave, gigantic tree, or other hidden remote place, or on an inhospitable mountain, can have varied consequences.

If he approaches the ala with an appeal, and does not mention the differences between her and humans, he will be rewarded. Otherwise, he will be cruelly punished and probably eaten.

According to local history in Molasaria, a stepdaughter, driven away from home by her stepmother, cames to an ala’s house; addressed her with the word mother; picked lice from the ala’s hair full of worms; and fed the ala’s “livestock” of owls, wolves, badgers, and other wild animals; behaving and talking as if these things are quite normal to her, and was rewarded by the ala with a chest filled with gold.

When the stepmother’s daughter came to the ala’s house, she did the opposite, and the ala punished her and her mother by sending them a chest full of serpents, which blinded them.



When Ala die their corpses are devoured by maggots and give birth to great clouds of blood-sucking flies which spread many diseases.

The Aloviti

The Aloviti are those male children born from the mating, almost always non-concensual, between a mortal man and an Ala. Aloviti are described as unusually tall, thin, bony-faced, and grow a long beard and moustache.

When the weather is nice, they work and behave like the other people in their village, but as soon as the dark clouds covered the sky, he used to close themselves in their houses, put blinds on the windows, and remain alone and in a trance as long as the bad weather and thunder last.

It is said that they are immune to all forms of faerie magic and may intervene with the denizens of the wilds on behalf of their village.

Female children are invariably Ala and grow to maturity in under a year, they are said to be quite beautiful for the first 2 years but then take on the form of an Ala in their 3rd year of life.


Adversaries

Ale have many adversaries, including dragons, zmajeviti men ( Sorcerors who claim draconic bloodlines), Giant Eagles, and a number of Saints of the True Faith.

In ancient Molasaria the principal enemy of the Ala is the dragon, the firedrake; he is able to defeat her and eliminate her harmful effects. Dragons are thus seen, by those villages who worship them, as guardians of the fields and harvest, and as protectors against bad weather.

Ale can also be defeated by zmajeviti men, who have a human mother, but a dragon father.

In todays Molasaria under the True Faith , St. Elij often replaces the pagan dragon as the Ala’s main opponent. In a common village tale, very much frowned upon by the church, the duel involves St. Elij and the Ala, but there is a belief that the saint and the dragons in fact cooperate: as soon as St. Elij spots an Ala, he summons the dragons, either takes them aboard his chariot or harnesses them to it, and they jointly shoot the ala with fire and lightning.

In a version more tolerated by the church, St. Elij shoots lightning and fire at the devils who lead the hail clouds; the devils in this case are obviously Ale.

A Giant Eagle’s appearance in the sky when thunderclouds threatened was greeted with joy and hope by people who trusted in their power to defeat an Ala; after defeating the Ala, the eagle led the clouds away from the fields. An explanation for this, recorded in eastern Lika, is that the Giant Eagles which nest in the vicinity of a village want thunderstorms and hail as far as possible from their nestlings, so coincidentally protect the village’s fields as well. it is unknown whether the powerful birds of prey are actually effective against Ale or if the belief is simply a matter of folklore.



ATTACK 19
DEFENCE 13
MAGICAL ATTACK 20
MAGICAL DEFENCE 9
EVASION 5
STEALTH 16
PERCEPTION 8

Claws (d8+1,5)
Armour Factor 5 (Scaled and Rubbery Flesh)
2d10+15 Health Points

Ale possess all the powers and weaknesses of a Hag.

Plus the following additional powers:

Summon Hailclouds. For effects see Water Elementalists.
They are surrounded always by a cloud of black vapours, whhich functions much as the vaporous cloud of the CloudSpider does.
They may shapeshift at will into human or animal form; all human forms will be pale of hue and dark of hair with black eyes, all animal forms are large, black furred and wild looking.
They may turn invisible as per the Sorceror spell if they bathe in human blood for one hour before hand.
They may swell themselves up to three times their normal size for an hour a day; though their stats are not affected beyond the increases given to 'Swollen' Ire Goblins.
Looking into the eyes of an Ala exposes one to madness; the Ala uses its MA of 20. Roll on the Madness table if affected, the madness disapates after a lunar month.
Human homes shake in their foundations if entered by an Ala, the Ala may instantly transport up to 3 tonnes of produce from a field and transfer it magically to crops in another field.
They may command any natural animal and often keep a large number of feral 'pets' about their lairs.
 
A Hall in Shadow............

( An Adventure for Dragon Warriors)

After finding themselves in the Molasarian mountain holding of Bestrav the companions soon notice the air of doom that has descended on the settlement.

Asking about they find that something terrible has happened with the jarls family.

A possible scene.....within the stone town hall and manor house.

' Gregor Glavanic is still an imposing man even in his waning years, he sits on the old wooden stool surrounded by the headmen of the minor holdings. His eyes are red from held-back tears.

' Two nights ago something from out of the night made its way into my home and took my daughter........and slew my wife when she made to protect her.'

He turns his head to the side and blinks slowly, ' I........was up with these men discussing the harvest. I........was discussing crops while my family was stolen and butchered.........and now I am forced to call on landless strangers because my men are become farmers and merchants....'.

The men about him shifted uncomfortably....

The man on the right side of the jarl placed his hand on his shoulder, comforting........or silencing?...... him. Gregor looked up, his eyes glaring with hate for the world.

"I need you to go find her, my daughter, Ivana. I will pay well, 50 silver each." He waits for your response.



" I will pay 25 silver now and the rest when you return, even if she is......... slain...... and my brothers son will accompany you, his name is Mikov."

An aged man dressed in a tattered black robe crept forward, the crucifix about his neck has an almost claw-like appearance and you sense the grip of the True Faith in this isolated part of Molasaria is fragile indeed; in his hand he held a wooden bowl.

"This is the only spoor we have." He prodded a dried clump of black ichor within the bowl and a stench like a rotting carcass wafted up.

Gregor stood and said proudly;

"This was gathered at the site of my wife's triumph. She was always a wildcat and she fought hard to save our daughter. She slid this old piece into the foul thing."

He threw a tarnished and chipped dagger to the ground, its handle was a dragons tail cast in bronze.'




NPC



Mikov Gravic is a minor noble by birth but he does not flaunt it amongst the townfolk. He is usually of a mirthful demeanour though a little dour now with the death of his aunt and his cousins disappearance.

He has the stats of a 3rd rank Knight.

He is armed with a Mace, Shield and Dagger.

Armor: Plate mail. ( His fathers and his uncles plate have been cobbled together to form an effective but somewhat odd looking collection of armour).

He also carries two healing potions that his father found on the body of a dead zmajeviti-man when he served in the Tsars armies.

Image: Lucius from Underworld.







Bostra, the Foul, 8th rank Sorceror.

A recluse and local hero in the past Bostra has uncovered some ancient ruins within the forest. His ageing form has led him to panic regarding his own mortality and his efforts to secure eternity have led him down dark paths he would never have travelled in his youth.

He carries Dust of Bear-Form, a Potion of Greater Healing, and a Ring of Obedient Parts at all times.

Image: Anthony Hopkins.



Danil, the Craven, 3rd Rank Sorceror

Though he is horrified by the changes that have come over his master his loyalty is still holding....for the present.

He carries an Evaporating Potion.

Image: Edmond Blackadder.




Bies

These foul creatures are summoned via the ritual in the magical scrolls found within the ruins.

Currently there are two demons about. One is on the roof of the mages tower awaiting his return or summons and the other is in a sealed cell in the cellar of the mages tower. This one did not like being summoned and thinking the things reticence may be overcome later the mage imprisoned it there.

The creatures are tall, with long limbs and ripping talons. If looked at directly they appears to be merely shifting shadows, but out the corner of ones eye a twisted, insane mockery of the human form can be glimpsed. No light will show it's true form, even magical lights.

Bies are equivalent to Apemen in stats but are only harmed by magic or blessed weapons and spells. They have the same weaknesses as Hellrots.







Setting Out.


1. To Babas house.

Mikov will suggest taking the ichor to an old woman, Obra, who lives on the edge of the forest to see if she can identify it. She can, she was once an Ala, a Molasarian Hag, who long ago was defeated by the, now long gone, local dragon and tumbled into human form.

Obra will enter the room and when told the story and shown the ichor she will tell the characters that is comes from a creature from the dark realms and only a depraved few in the land can summon them.



She will tell that she does not know who, today, can summon the Bies but will point the way to a local hermit who is rumoured to be a witch.



2. A likely suspect.

The hermit is a pale and worm-like thing called Danil whose cave is on the outskirts of the farmland. He looks like he, if anyone, may know of someone who may be able to summon such foulness into the world.



Danil was Bostras old apprentice and will protect his old master, despite his misgivings.



3. Pale as a cave fish.....

Danil is a strangely formed man, sharp of wit but low of morals. He speaks with a quiet, wheedling speech.

He will welcome the characters and will listen quietly to the story, playing at shock and disgust as they talk.



' I know of one man who llives in an old watchtower out in the forest to the east of Bestrav, some days journey away."

The man stops and with a slight grin says, "Head eastwards through the border woods. When you pass the woods there will be an old soldiers path north into the forest.'

"A day or so later there will be an overgrown path tending east; follow it . Then you should see his tower on a crest in the distance.'

'Take the path 'til it branches then take the left way for the other leads into the wilds. In a short while you will find the tower.'

' Now, please go. I am a busy man.'

He will say little more, and will insist he is too busy to talk.....though what one would be busy with alone in a cave is not particularly obvious.


4. If you go into the woods today.....

A wolfpack or similar encounter would be appropriate during the forest journey.



About half way into the forest the characters will crest on a rise and they will see the old watchtower in the distance. The trees are tall and dark and the everpresent gloom is sapping even during the day.

The path divides at this point and tends both left and right.


5. Left for dead......

At the end of the left path are a group of ancient burial cairns. They are they resting place of a sworn brotherhood of ancient Cerna ( some of the original inhabitants of Molasaria). The Cerna do not sleep peacefully here and will rise to attack.

After the characters enter the area for 5 minutes, the characters will hear the sound of rocks falling to the ground. These are the rocks of the cairns falling as the undead dig their way out to feast on the characters.

It will take 4 rounds for the undead to escape their graves. The undead Cerna are skeletal but they are stronger than the regular skeletons ( + 1 to ATT and Dam.)



The disturbingly human-like.....but not.....skeletons will attack without stopping. In the cairns there is some treasure, about 5 silver squares the size of a button and a couple of crude gold pendants. It will take 3 hours to excavate the cairns.

6. All along the watchtower....



The sorceror is not in his tower and he does not expect anyone to brave the woods to rob him. The only creatures in the tower are the two Beis.
The characters will find clues to the location of the ancient ruins in the mans lower lab and in his study.



The tower itself is a dark and brooding structure. There are slit windows every 10 feet along the circumference of the tower on each level. The windows are shuttered from the inside. The only way into the tower is, with a lot of effort and climbing, through the roof which is about 50m above the ground or through the front door.



The Tower Key


The Cellar



The cellar of the tower is one of the sorcerors study areas and also the area where he works his summoning rituals.



1) Stairway



2) Special Holding Cell



This cell is built from ancient stone and the iron fastenings and bars prevent the fiends escape.




The Bies will try to convince the characters to let it go by claiming to be a helpless traveler captured by the sorceror for sacrifice to his foul gods.

The demon will ignore the companions if released and fly up the stairway searching for the sorceror.


3) Main Chamber.



This chamber is where Bostra summoned his demon allies using the ancient scrolls. There is an ancient ( Emphidian) symbol drawn in blood upon the floor. The scrolls rest on a great round table near the symbol.

A sorceror who takes the scrolls may, if of 6th rank or higher, use them to learn how to summon Bies.....though the sacrifices may earn them few friends.....



4) Storage Door.

The door is of iron bound oak.

5) Storage Closet.

This area has several shelves along the walls. Upon these shelves there are jars and vials of magical preparations for creating potions. If sold to the right person the contents of this room would be worth 200 silver florins; but to the uninitiated it is simply a room of smelly powders, oils and liquids.



Upon one of the shelves there is a scroll tube. In the scroll tube there is a map of the surrounding area.



Level 1



This level contains the old guard chambers, the servant quarters and some closets. In the closets there is nothing of real value, just some cloaks, riding clothing and some other household items.



1) The Front Door



This door is of iron bound oak and it is locked with a Ta'ashim lock. It is a 5' wide double door.

2) Foyer

This room is bare and draughty.

3) Main Hall

This room is the central hall of the tower. in the SE corner there is a circular stairway going up. There is also a door which leads to the stair to the sorcerors private chambers and to the labs.



The doors here are all unlocked and there are macabre paintings upon the walls between the doors. They may be sold for 10 - 50 florins each to the right person.

4) Servants Quarters

The old servants quarters when the watchtower was manned it is kept clean and ready as the sorceror is planning on employing servants at some juncture.. There is nothing of real value here.

There is a bed against the south wall, a circular table with three chairs in the center of the room and a dresser with 4 drawers ( which are empty ) against the curved wall. Also there is an empty armoire.

5) Guard Quarters

This larger room is also kept clean but it is empty. There are 8 beds here but the remaining furnishings are basically the same as the servants quarters.

6) Stair

This stair leads into the mage's private chambers and also to the labs. It is a bare affair and it is not lit with any torches or lamps although there are torch holders upon the walls at 10 ' intervals.







Level 2



Level 2 contains provision storage and food preparation areas. Also the mess area is here.



1) Main Eating Hall

A large table dominates this room. The table is 10' long and 5' wide with chairs all around it. Upon the table there is a silver candelabra worth 10 florins. More pleasant paintings line the walls of this room and may be sold for 15 - 30 florins each (there are 6 paintings).

A large fireplace dominates the northern wall.

2) Kitchen

This is a standard military Molasarian kitchen with a large hearth and preparation table. Hanging above the table are pots and pans and upon it are various tools such a spoons, forks and knives.

The hearth is not lit.



3) Pantry



Stored here are casks of wine and mead, crates of food (dried meats and such), barrels of water, barrels of flour and other things such a plates, etc.

There is a stone box in the southern corner of the room with a door on the top. This contains some eggs and cheeses. It is cooler in the box.

4) Stairs



Same as 6 on level 1.



Level 3



The only way into these chambers from the inside of the tower is through the stairs. This level is the personal chambers of Bostra.



1) Stairs



The only way to the stair from the other levels is through the doors. This is the only way into the mages personal chambers.

2) Main Chamber



Here is the personal chamber of the mage. There is a large bed against the northern wall. The sheets are of linen and the blanket on the bed is well made. These are worth 11 florins. There are two dressers with 4 drawers each. There is rich clothing in all of them and in one there is a box with jewelry (worth a total of 100 florins in 4 items of jewelry).



In the southeastern corner of the room there is a desk and another dresser. This is the mage's private working area. In the desk there are various arcane scrolls dealing with the history of the region and one of them describes the ruins. In the desk drawer there is a silver dagger.



The dresser contains various maps of the region and notes on the maps speculating on the location of the ruins.



3) Bathroom



This room has a chair with a hole in it. Enough said.



4) Closet


This area contains clothing and some personal storage. There are 5 chests here and pegs upon the walls for clothing.



In he chests there is more clothing and other personal stuff, (silver mirrors, combs, powders for personal use, etc.). There is no money in the chests. Folded in one though is a cloak that will keep a character warm in the coldest natural weather.



Level 4



This is the main study. There is a large table in the center of the room that has various equipment upon it. On the table there is also an unrolled map. This map is of the area where the ruins are located and it has a pin set in a certain valley along the mountain range. It is archaic in nature and the names are in another forgotten tounge. Next to it there is some vellum and an ink pot with a quill. There is also an empty scroll case there.



Upon the walls there are extensive shelves. Upon the shelves there are 79 scrolls. 29 of them are Emphidian writings on necromancy. The general knowledge scrolls are a smaller group and Molasarian and Likan ritual descriptions are the largest. 43 of the scrolls are descriptions of local areas and the 7 remaining are various arcane texts dealing from basic magical preparations to the descriptions of the various pacts with darkness that the practitioners of the black arts must make.



The atlas and the vellum are clues to where the mage has gone for it is in this valley that the ruins are located.



Roof



Here is the observatory of the mage, complete with celestial charting instruments. Also here is a loyal Bies. The demon will attack the characters on sight.



7. On the scent......



Their quarry will leave a trail for the characters to find from villages to towns to the cities that he goes through. The most prevalent clue will be tales of an old man and his granddaughter staying at the local inns and farmhouses.



Also along the way the characters will come upon a group of slain brigands on the road. The bodies will not be looted.



In another area there will be a burnt out section of grassland 50' in diameter and in the center will be the carcasses of 6 wolves. The sorceror killed them with multiple spells.



The characters will find along the road in another place a brooch that has fallen from the Gregors daughter. Mikov will recognize it immediately.



The characters should end up at Miraz, near the Durwe Peaks and the valley where the ruins lie. If they did not take any maps with them from the wizards tower then the locals will know of the valley and tell them, but they will warn of it's dangers also.



8. Down among the dead men.......



The crypt lies in a desolate valley along the mountain ridge. The entrance is hidden amongst a pile of rocks but the characters should find it if they search. It would be a good place to place the daughters brooch here as a clue as described in the previous section.



It is here that the characters will meet Bostra.



9. The Ruins of Alussi.



The ruins are a simple affair, only having five chambers. The entrance chamber has the key to open the door to the inner chambers. Bostra will have made it here first and the door will be open but the characters will have to cross the chasm.



The three first inner chambers have the remains of a Cerna court. The final chamber contains the royal remains of the last king of the Cerna before their descent began in earnest. The characters will meet the sorceror in one of the first three chambers. He will be at the far end of the chamber when the characters enter. He will cast an raise dead upon the remains of the Cerna. If he can he will cast it twice.



If the demon from the cellar was released then it will come flying into the chamber and grab the mage. It will then fly off to kill him. The charm will wear off the daughter then. If the demon was not released then the wizard will cast Mantlet in front of them, hiding the wizard from the characters seeing him operate the ancient secret door.


Their quarry will then perish at the wiles the traps that the Cerna put into the corridor to the final chamber.







1) Entrance to the Crypts



The entrance is hidden amongst a pile of boulders and debris along the canyon wall. It is not hard to find and there are several weathered carcasses of previous explorers.


2) Trapped Door



The corridor goes down rather steeply for 40 feet then ends in a bronze door. The door is locked and trapped. If the characters do not disarm the trap then the grates will open as soon as the door is opened. If the trap is disarmed then the grates will stay closed. The rank of both is 3.



3) Chamber of Fiery Death



This chamber is dominated by a large chasm along the northern wall. Flames leap up from the depths of the crevice. Upon the other side of the crevice there is a landing with a door. Upon the landing is an altar with runic writings upon it.



There are two columns supporting the 30 foot high ceiling and there are two grates upon the floor.



If the characters examine the grates a wailing can be heard from the depths of the pits that the grates protect. If the characters are so foolish as to open or move a grate (if the trap did not open them) then the creatures of the pit will come forth. They are the preserved and dried remains of the royal guards who were cursed with undeath to guard their rulers forever and there are 4 of them in each pit, they will climb up in 5 pulses. (The pit is 50' deep with a 20' room at the bottom. The Cerna lords thought putting them in here and having the grates open if the door is not opened with a proper key would be a good thing to have guard their rest.)

have the same sats as Zombies and are armed with ancient Emphidian short swords.

The door is open, having been activated by the Gregors daughter.



4) Corridor Junction



At this junction there is a rune. If a character who is not carry Cerna blood crosses this place a Shadowbolt will be cast at the offender.



The floor is runed and glows with a faint red light.



5) The Chamber of Sleeping Horrors



(It is in one of these three rooms that the characters will meet the sorceror)



It is here that the dead of the cerna court are buried. There are 30 biers along the wall and each has a body upon it. The bodies are not undead and there is little here except rusty armor and weapons, rotting clothing and the stench of death.



6 - 9) The Traps

6) The Impaling Wall



Hidden in the wall is a device that looks like a lattice of iron with 3' spikes spaced every foot. The lattice work is 7' tall and is as wide as the corridor. There is a switch upon the wall to disable the trap, it is hidden with a Stealth of 6.



The characters standing first in formation will be subject to 3 - 7 hp damage.


7) A stone slab door.



8) I've Fallen Down and I can't Get Up



Here is a basic 5 metre wide pit trap lined with spikes.




9) I See You

A set of hate filled disembodied eyes floats in the darkness here, they vanish if touched.



10) The Chamber of Reeking Doom



This large chamber contains 10 biers. In this room is a wight. He will wait for the characters to enter then kill them. He will stay as far as possible from them to use his inherent magic. He is a former Cerna lord who wears Emphidian Bronze Plate and carries a two handed sword.






The two handed sword is a magical weapon doing +2 damage against non-Cerna.

In this room, upon the bodies is the following:


13 Items of Jewelry worth 270 florins in total.

845 florins worth of ancient coins in various types

Ring of Defence ( adds +1 to AC)

Amulet of Darksight.

Leather armor, +1.

Gold Dagger, 25 florins.

10 arrows of accuracy, +1 to ATT.

Rod of Command.

Amulet of Protection from Disease.

Ritual Scrolls of Athraxis; detail the steps needed to become an immortal........none of them are pretty. It is in Ancient Emphidian.




It was this that the sorceror was searching.



These magical or special items are on the bodies and if a character takes more than one or two of them they will be subject of a curse, roll on the table.



Their companion will warn the characters that a dead lords treasure is not to be taken and if the characters are greedy then something usually happens to the greedy character. He does not know of the curse, per se but he has knowledge that the characters may not have acquired about this kind of thing. He will also say that it is best if the treasure is taken from the tomb and lain out upon the open field to be scattered.





3.0 Endings



when the sorceror is killed his controlling influence over the girl will vanish. After the daughter is rescued and returned to her father he will pay them the remaining silver.



After each section (1 - 7) each character gets 500 XP
 
<stands to attention>

I salute the Most Excellent Awesomeness that is the Thousand Islands! :D

<stands at ease>

... and for anybody that doesn't already know, lots more cool stuff (including the Thousand Islands) can be found on the Dragon Warriors Wiki. Head on over to the Magnum Opus Press community page to find out how to join: http://www.magnumopuspress.com/?page_id=67
 
Jiminy said:
<stands to attention>

I salute the Most Excellent Awesomeness that is the Thousand Islands! :D

<stands at ease>

... and for anybody that doesn't already know, lots more cool stuff (including the Thousand Islands) can be found on the Dragon Warriors Wiki. Head on over to the Magnum Opus Press community page to find out how to join: http://www.magnumopuspress.com/?page_id=67
Click to expand...

Well theres some Molasaria stuff too but thanks!!

Though I get the feeling that people aren't particularly interested in places outside Ellesland....and apparently their all obsessed with having an 'archer' class, I thought we already had 7 of those. ;)
 
... and Molasaria, of course!

It's not really surprising that everyone focuses on Ellesland - that's were most of the official & introductory campaigns are located and we are still in the middle of reprinting them. Importantly, it's also the easiest culture/society for the primary audience to empaphise with (i.e. UK/AUS/NZ/US). That said, there is still a whole world out there that is waiting to be explored - players will start journeying to the Thousand Isles in time.

As regards archery.... I'll post that in a different thread.
 
The trouble with the Chaubrettans......

Background:

A few days ago Gunnar Hasbakk, a Kurlish merchant, was in town trading furs and, unknown to most of his associates, attempting to relay information to a fellow Kurlish spy.

While he haggled late into the night with his contacts at the Grey Goose Inn, he got more than a little drunk and was persuaded to hire a working girl named Molly. Molly caught on that the information Gunnar was carrying was very important and very valuable. After the merchant lapsed into unconsciousness, Molly slipped out with the majority of his florins and the doeskin package containing the information: the orders and information requests for a, not as loyal as he appears, a steward high up in Hadrics court.

Her plan is to sell the information to Betsy Cooper, a local madam and information broker, take the money and flee with her young daughter, Kelly back to her parents holdings in Baron Aldreds barony.

Hasbakks first mate, Eli, discovered this lapse on his masters part and immediately pounced upon the chance of seizing the ship for himself and moving up in the esteem of the Kurlish nobility.

He plans on hiring a group to find the information and get it to him so that he can humiliate his boss and be the hero. Hasbakk has hired his own team of ne'erdowells, however, to retrieve the package.

The local Chaubrettan spy-ring, however, has also been notified of this debacle through the infamous Betsy Cooper, hoping to make a sale. They have no intention of bargaining, however, when politics are at stake. They plan on taking the package by force and gaining the upper hand on both the Albish and the Kurlish.


Part 1.The Companions are told through a contact that a gentleman has heard of their prowess and has arranged a table at the Owl and Badger to discuss a new job. It's a simple job:

"Retrieve a stolen item from a woman named 'Molly.' Return said item to me in a days time to receive 200 florins each."

Eli is flamboyant and outlandish, he is dressed in bright colors of red and purple and his blue-tinted facial tattoos and ragged, gold ringed ears attract a lot of attention. His smugly sarcastic attitude can barely hide his nervousness.

"Molly is a whore. Her address is unkown. There are no descriptions of her that I have been able to find. She was last seen working at the Grey Goose four nights past. Her fate is inconsequential to the job but it is preferred that she not be harmed.'

' I have to go now, but I will be here tomorrow at this time to collect my package, at which point the money will be handed to you. Please do not try to contact me, follow me, or double-cross me."

"Good Luck."


Eli
Stats: Int: 12, Ref: 8, Psy: 5, Str: 14, Looks: 5,

Combat Stats as 1st rank Barbarian.




Part 2.
The Grey Goose

A few questions in the right ears will reveal that the fellow running the ladies of the night at the inn is an ex-Clysteran named John Willson.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Willson
Stats:
Int: 18, Ref: 10, Psy: 6, Str: 13, Looks: 13,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wilson will at first try to get one of the PCs to "borrow" one of his girls.
When, if?, they don't oblige, he gets really pissed off. Then after a minute or two he collects himself and relaxes. If pressed he will reveal, "Damn you to hell, you bastards are worse than those Chaubrettan scum that came by an hour ago! Yeah, I know Molly! She still hasn't paid me for that favour I did her with the guards. She isn't around and she hasn't been working. I'm losing money. If you find her worthless arse, tell her I'm gettin' impatient?"



"Wheres she livin? Hells, I don't kn- Wait! I think I remember goin' there once."

" Little place on the east Side of the Lungbarrows, near the tanneries, I think. Big building, warehouse, kinda run-down?" A successful chat with any lower-class contacts, or lower class PCs will reveal the building as an old warehouse, abandoned due to rumours of plague which houses a large number of itinerent labourers and the like.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3: Followed by the Chaubrettans
A successful Perception check vs. Jean Croix's Stealth of 10 will alert the PC's that they are being followed. If discovered a short gentleman in a long-coat and unruly hair will be seen to be following about 300m behind.

If the PC's take any action, Croix must make an Perception (17) vs. their Stealth if they are attempting to hide their interest. If successful, he will duck into a nearby building or shopfront and hides.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jean Croix
5th rank Assasin.
Stats:
Int: 9, Ref: 18, Psyc: 14, Str: 7, Looks: 9,

Gear:
Leather armour.
Shortsword.
Throwing knives(shuriken).



He will throw knives a few times and escape out the back. He will make use of his climbing abilities to disappear up walls and across rooftops.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 4: A home by any other name......
The PC's get to the warehouse building. A bit of a scare put into any urchins playing in the street or any neighbors will reveal her hovels location.

The door is hanging open, the piece of wood bracing it in splinters. The inside is trashed. A successful Perception check vs. 15 will reveal someone lying under a pile of furniture and trash. It is Mick, blasted out of his skull on cheap booze.

"Angels, heh heh.....they spoke to me, ! But they, like sounded like demons! Three lovely angels........"

"And they wanted Molly? She must be chosen by the Lord!"

" You got any booze?'

"Oh, Molly, right! She said she was goin' out. Said somethin' going to happen. Then...... She's gone!.......Then the Angels came!..........The angels came and asked me where Misty was, then.....then......she sent her little girl to play at Betsys house'

He lapses into unconciousness. Any PC with knowledge of the local area knows who Betsy is.

As the PCs leave they hear a noise on the rear stairs. On the way down, they find Anya and her mercenaries with Molly. Misty is being beaten. A fight should ensue.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 5:
Anya, Kurlish She-wolf.
4th rank Barbarian.
Stats:
Int: 13, Ref: 17, Psyc: 13, Str: 8, Looks: 13,
Skills:
Track, Speaks: Albish, Kurlish, Chaubrettan.

Gear
Chainmail ( Maille)
Two handed Sword.



Maria

2nd rank Knight.
Int: 14, Ref: 10, Psych: 9, Str: 12, Looks: 10.

Padded Armour.
Shortsword.


Slava
1st rank Knight.
Stats:
Int: 8, Ref: 9, Psych: 10, Str: 7, Looks: 9.

Gear:
Padded Armour.
Shortsword.


Owl
2nd rank Mystic.
Stats:
Int: 12, Ref: 11, Psych: 14, Str: 14, Looks: 9

Gear:
Crossbow.
Dagger.
Mace.
Hardened Leather.



Molly.
Stats:
Int: 13, Ref: 9, Psych: 8, Str: 6, Looks: 8,

Note: Misty is a non-combatant in this scenario. After being beaten up she is at 1 hp. Any further damage may kill her.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyas tactics:


Attack the nearest sorceror
Slava attacks anyone with missile weapons.
Maria attacks any one closing.
Owl uses a spell.
Everyone takes off, getting to the next level and splitting up. Owl gets down the hall, behind some cover, and casts a delaying spell.

They've already gotten what they want to know. Mollys daughter has the package and is probably already on her way out of the city headed for home.
Molly, however, is done for. She has been stabbed, kicked, knocked around a little and punched in the belly. She is hurt really bad and will die in 1 to 10 hours without the attentions of a competant leech or magical aid.

The PC's are given a choice, go get the package across from across town or save Molly.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 6: Sweeter than Honey
Anya and her group will regroup near the Grey Goose.

They know:


Molly handed the package to her daughter.

Her daughter must go to someone to fence the goods.
The closest person capable of fencing such information loot is Betsy.

Their new plan:


Go to Betsy, find out if she still has the package. If so, buy it back for as cheap as possible. If not, contact their employer and have the money raised to be able to purchase it.

If the package is not in her possession, find either the girl or the new owner and take it back, killing the owner if necessary.
They go to Betsys, hoping to find it, only to find the PC's there already.

The PC's should go to Betsys. All weapons are held at the door.

The 4 guards will stop any PC's concealing any weapons, otherwise, they just want to know what they're up against cybernetically.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Queen Bee
Init: +10, Save: 10, BTM: -3.
SP: 25 all areas.

Stats:
Int: 7, Ref: 10, Tech: 8, Cool: 5, Attr: 4, Luck: 6, MA: 4, BT: 8(10), Emp: 4.

Skills:
Streetdeal +9, Trade +8, Pilot +13, Persuasion +7, Spanish +8.

Cyberware:
Twin optics with Infrared, Targeting Scope, and Dodgeball. Skinweave, grafted muscle.

Gear:
Light armor jacket.

Notes: Queen Bee is not a fighter and has a team of solos called the Drones who devotedly fight to the death for her.



Mr. Cheung
Init: +10, Save: 4, BTM: -2.
SP: 10 all areas except for head.
Stats:
Int: 10, Ref: 10, Tech: 10, Cool: 7, Attr: 3, Luck: 3, MA: 10, BT: 4, Emp: 2.

Notes: Interface +8. Mr. Cheung serves mainly as a plot device in this scenario. He is constantly plugged into a computer contolling every aspect of the environment around Queen Bee. He never opens his eyes, preferring instead to view the world through the eyes of the many security cams he's set up or the visual sensors of whatever vehicle he's controlling.



Kelly Brock
Init: +10, Save: 3, BTM: -1.
SP: torso 15, arms 15.
Stats:
Int: 8, Ref: 10, Tech: 3, Cool: 3, Attr: 5, Luck: 8, MA: 10, BT: 3, Emp: 9.

Gear:
Squirtgun (+10 to hit, no damage)

Notes: Suburban Ninja +15, Dodge +16. Kelly is just an innocent little girl, but she's not stupid. She knows that what she's carrying is valuable and knows how to exploit the situation for a profit, or at least for survival.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Queen Bee will try to bargain for the Biochip. She wants 750,000 E$. The PC's, of course, can't pay. If they try to take it by force the drones will stop them. Mr. Cheung will immediately activate the sprinklers so that Kelly and Queen Bee can get away. Otherwise, after a few moments of bickering and dealing, Engel comes in, what a cozy suprise!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Drone #1, Tyson
Init: +14, Save: 8, BTM: -3.
Stats:
Int: 3, Ref: 6 (8), Tech: 3, Cool: 10, Attr: 5, Luck: 5, MA: 5, BT: 8, Emp: 3.
.Mac 14 (+15 to hit, 4d6, ROF:10, 20 rounds).
SP: head 10, torso 20/18, arms 20/18, legs 20/18.

Drone #2, Felix
Init: +11, Save: 8, BTM: -3.
Stats:
Int: 4, Ref: 6 (8), Tech: 3, Cool: 9, Attr: 5, Luck: 5, MA: 7, BT: 8, Emp: 3.
Minami 10 (+15 to hit, 2d6+3 AP, ROF: 20, 40 rounds).
SP: head 10, torso 20/18, arms 20/18, legs 20/18.

Drone #3, Edina
Init: +14, Save: 6, BTM: -2.
Stats:
Int: 3, Ref: 7 (9), Tech: 3, Cool: 10, Attr: 4, Luck: 5, MA: 5, BT: 6, Emp: 3.
Colt AMT 2000 (+22 to hit, 4d6+1 AP, ROF: 1, 8 rounds.)
SP: head 10, torso 20/18, arms 20/18, legs 20/18.

Note: The Drones will fight to the death defending Bee's escape.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Engel and her solos are confident. There is really no need for fighting at this scene.

If they PC's describe their employer at any point, Engel laughs. "Mister Y" works for EBM. In fact, "Mister Y" works for Engel's employer! Unfortunately, She is getting paid much more by someone higher up on the EBM corporate food chain, so the PC's have lost. She buys the biochip, game over... until the French attack!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 7: Party Crashers

Jean Paul Croix

Init: +12, Save: 5, BTM: +0.
Stats:
Int: 9, Ref: 8, Tech: 4, Cool: 7, Attr: 7, Luck: 8, MA: 6, BT: 5, Emp: 6.

X-9mm Autopistol (+17 to hit, 2d6+1, ROF: 2, 11 rounds).
SP: Torso 20, arms 20, legs 20.


Francois
Init: +10, Save: 9, BTM: -3
Stats:
Int: 4, Ref: 5, Tech: 4, Cool: 8 (10), Attr: 4, Luck: 4, MA: 4, BT: 9, Emp: 3.
Sternmeyer Type 35 (+12 to hit, 3d6 AP, ROF: 2, 8 rounds).
SP: torso 20/10, arms 20/10, legs 20/10.
Notes: Combat Sense +5.

Pepe
Init: +13, Save: 4, BTM: -1.
Stats:
Int: 6, Ref: 7, Tech: 4, Cool: 7 (9), Attr: 5, Luck: 4, MA: 8, BT: 4, Emp: 6.
MPK9 (+15 to hit, 2d6+1 AP, ROF: 1/3/25, 35 rounds).
SP: torso 20/10, arms 20/10, legs 20/10.
Notes: Combat Sense +6.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Frag grenade goes off at the stairway. The Union Corse are attacking. They don't see why they have to pay for anything they can just take. Damn Europeans.



Kelly takes her Biochip back from Bee and disappears into the shadows. She slips out the cargo door and onto the loading dock in the parking garage. The goons battle each other. Engel, Jean Paul, Queen Bee, and Mr. Cheung all flee the battle to find Kelly. Mr. Cheung, before unplugging himself from the computer, activates the sprinkler system, turns off all the lights, and brings Bee's car around in the parking garage.





Kelly heads down the ramp, around the corner, over the short wall, and runs for the stairs back up to the street.

Bee and Mr. Cheung get in the waiting car and go up the ramp into the street.

If Kelly isn't captured, she will head to the docks across the now crowded Stadium parking lots. If she makes it, she will threaten to drop the Biochip into the water unless she is paid 500,000 Euro and allowed to leave.

If the PC's are smart, they'll get rid of everyone else and deal with Kelly. Secretly, Edgar is reluctantly willing to pay an addtional 250,000 Euro for the chip, though his job would be placed in jeapordy. He will do it, if he has to, but only if the PC's know it's a Biochip, only if everyone else has been dealt with, that a little girl has it, and if the PC's know Edgar's own boss wants it far worse than he does. If the PC's don't know all that, or if they don't have possession of the Biochip, he wil l hire others to kill the PC's, find the girl, kill her, and take the Biochip. If anything happens to him, EBM will be after anyone responsible.

Once he gets the chip, minus 250,000 Euro or otherwise, he'll be happy and leave. He has the goods on his boss, Gunther Hausmann, who lost the Biochip to Misty when he hired her as a prostitute. He'll remember the PC's and their attitudes next time he needs a job done.

If the PC's deal with Kelly, give her at least 100,000 Euro, and help her any other way, they each receive +10 IP. If they just kill the girl and hand over the Biochip, they'll get paid their 2000 each and receive no extra IP. Game Over.
 
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