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Chaosium Digest Volume 02 Number 02
Chaosium Digest Volume 2, Number 2
Date: Sunday, April 4, 1993
Number: 2 of 2
Contents:
The Adventure of the Bear (Heidi Kaye) PENDRAGON
The Adventure of the Mysterious Manor (Heidi Kaye) PENDRAGON
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From: Heidi Kaye [via <P.A.Snow@gdr.bath.ac.uk>]
Subject: The Adventure of the Bear
System: Pendragon
This is an adventure outline, to be used in any period. It could be
fleshed out or the journey could become a frame story for another
adventure.
During a meal at court, a woman comes in to ask for help. She says
her cart has been upset on the road outside. Any player knights who
rush in to volunteer to help at this point may tick Merciful or Modest
but will be laughed at, for this is an unknightly job. It is work for
some of the squires. The lady also requests help of a larger kind.
Her father has been turned into a bear because of a curse put on him
and she needs an escort to take him to a sorceress to have the curse
removed. Knights who volunteer at this point may tick Generous or
Energetic.
The lady is Elana and her father is Sir Melianus. He is locked up in
the cart because he is uncontrollable in his bear form. Playing music
helps to calm him.
Dangers met en route to the sorceress's forest home should include an
attack of bandits and a knight at a crossroads who must joust with
passersby. Either of these events may link with other continuing
stories in the campaign.
At one point along the route, the cart is again upset on rough ground
or crossing a ford and the bear knight escapes. The player knights
must fight him, but should rebate their sword strokes to subdue and
recapture him, rather than injure him. Sir Melianus will remember the
kindness or lack of it later. Use the statistics from the main rules
for Sir Melianus in bear form; if the bear takes either a major wound
(18) or would be unconscious (11) then he may be considered subdued.
The sorceress, Meroe, will ask a favour from the knights in exchange
for removing the curse. They must kill a giant who lives in the
forest, Piram, and bring back a lock of his red hair to prove they
have done the deed.
Piram the giant is actually a nice fellow; it is Meroe who is not.
The knights may either kill him straight out and take their lock of
hair or talk to him and discover that he is misunderstood. He will
bargain with the knights to provide the needed hair and trick Meroe.
Successful Courtesy rolls will be necessary to conduct the bargaining.
He will ask that the knights do him a favour he is to big to do
himself. Piram wants the egg of a bird in a small nest on a delicate
tree. One of the knights must climb the tree and not drop the egg.
This will require successful rolls of Dexterity to climb the tree and
half Dexterity to return with the egg unbroken. Use either small or
ordinary Giant statistics for Piram, depending on the party.
It will take all Meroe's magic power for the day to accomplish the
transformation, so player knights are safe from retribution if they do
trick her. She will inspect the hair, recognise it as Piram's, then
turn the bear back into a knight. Then, she will ask the knights for
their story. Fooling her with it will require an opposed Deceitful
roll (against Meroe's Deceitful of 15).
Sir Melianus was turned into a bear on an adventure in a strange
chapel for being rude to the loathly lady in charge of its sacred
spring. He could be convinced by the knights to go out as a knight
errant to protect and defend ladies for a year. Successful Courtesy
rolls and an opposed Just roll (against Sir Melianus's Arbitrary of
14) will accomplish this.
Alternative ending
Knights wishing to trick Meroe must tell her their story before she
does the Spell. If they fail the Deceitful roll, she will turn the
lying knight into a dog. Getting him transformed will require another
adventure. She will then disappear in a puff of blue smoke. In this
case, any knight who succeeds at Faery Lore will realise that by
getting the bear to agree to the quest of protecting ladies mentioned
above will transform him back into Sir Melianus. As long as he
fulfills this oath, he will remain in human form; should he give up
before a year or fail to be courteous and protecting toward ladies in
that time, he will revert to bear form. To get through to the bear
will require a success at playing a musical instrument or singing,
followed by successful Courtesy and Just rolls.
Glory
Ordinary awards for bandits, jousts, and killing giant
For getting bear transformed into Sir Melianus 70
For bargaining with Piram and doing his favour 25
--------------------
From: Heidi Kaye [via <P.A.Snow@gdr.bath.ac.uk>]
Subject: The Adventure of the Mysterious Manor
System: Pendragon
If you feedback on these adventures, please drop a line. Any
constructive criticism would be appreciated.
Introduction
This adventure would fit into any period of the campaign, but I
envision it as in the 490-510 era. It is aimed at knights in the
early stages of their careers. It could be set in Cumbria or north
Logres.
The knights are looking for a place to stay for the night in the
middle of an adventure in harsh country. They come upon a small manor
and request the hospitality of the lord of the manor, Sir Barrius. He
is not too pleased to have the player knights stay because he is in
the midst of planning a local tournament to be held next week. He is
only holding a tournament because other knights have made comments
about his parsimoniousness. However, he will abide by the laws of
hospitality, to the bare minimum, with regard to the player knights.
They can stay one night and are put at a low table away from his own
in the hall.
Love and Death
The meal is moderate at best. One of the serving wenches, Agatha,
flirts with a player knight, bringing him special cuts of meat, the
biggest dessert, etc. She is amenable to arranging a clandestine
meeting in the pantry that night. Whether or not the knight decides
to sneak out of the great hall he'll be sharing with both player and
household knights to meet with Agatha, she will be found dead in the
morning. Her throat was cut. The player knight will be under
suspicion for being so familiar with her the night before.
Sir Barrius is very angry that a knight he had taken in as his guest,
however unwillingly, should behave so unchivalrously and break the
rules of hospitality. (His secret is that Agatha had been his
mistress long ago and he has an illegitimate son by her.) He demands
that the player knight under suspicion be arrested by his men and
locked away, to be dealt with after the tournament. Armed knights
immediately appear, ready to follow his orders. Player knights should
roll against their own Hospitality if they wish to put up resistance
on behalf of their comrade; if they succeed, they cannot, unless they
then succeed at an Arbitrary roll. Barrius's wife is dead, but he has
two daughters who plead prettily with him to allow the knight one day
to clear himself of this foul deed or else face a judicial challenge
against Sir Barrius's champion tomorrow at noon.
Sir Barrius agrees to release the knight on these terms, and then
busies himself with his tournament arrangements. He will refuse to be
bothered until the next morning, unless the knights have evidence to
clear their friend. (He may also be persuaded to talk to the knights
if they have evidence about Sir Barrius's liaison with Agatha. They
will need to be careful how they broach the subject with him; rolls
against Courtesy will be necessary here.)
Sir Barrius
SIZ 14 Move 2 Major Wound 12
DEX 10 Damage 5d6 Unconscious 8
STR 14 Heal 3 Knock Down 14
CON 12 HP 26 Armour
APP 11 Age 45 Glory 5,115
Attack: Sword 17, Lance 13, Battle 13
Significant Traits: Lazy 14, Vengeful 13, Prudent 16, Temperate 17
Significant Passions: Hospitality 6, Honour 14
Significant Skills: Gaming 7, Hunting 9, Stewardship 7
Shield: Barry of six purple and argent, a bear's head sable couped and muzzled
Agatha
SIZ 8 Move 2 Major Wound 15
DEX 13 Damage 3d6 Unconscious 6
STR 9 Heal 2 Knock Down 8
CON 15 HP 23 Armour none
APP 14 Age 30 Glory NA
Attack: None
Significant Traits: Lustful 14, Prudent 17
Significant Passions: none
Significant Skills: Flirting 9, Industry 8
The Investigation
Intrigue rolls should be necessary to glean information. Use of trait
and other skill rolls should be made as appropriate when dealing with
individual characters to get the most information out of them. GMs
should encourage lively interactions with the household characters.
Time spent needs to be carefully accounted for as the player knights'
time is limited. The time taken to learn and/or follow up on the
following information is included in each reference below and takes
into account the time required to get on a character's good side and
then ask the questions subtly if necessary. The murder accusation is
made at breakfast at 10 AM; dinner will be at 6 PM and last an hour
and a half; lights out will be at 10 PM (indoor lighting is
expensive). If the characters split up and then regroup to share
information, their conversation will take one hour. If they let time
pass, Tarquin may solve the mystery, but with his late start he may
well take till the next day.
Household Knights [Time spent: four knights: one hour]
There are five knights domiciled in the manor. On the night of the
murder, four slept in the hall with the player knights. One, Sir
Ortel, was with a serving girl in a storeroom.
Sir Ortel, the Seneschal [Time spent: one hour]
He is the knight who slept with the serving girl. He will admit it
freely and suggest the knights talk to her. He has also recently
hired three new servants: one male cook, one stable lad, and one
carpenter to supervise building stands for the tournament.
SIZ 13 Move 3 Major Wound 15
DEX 15 Damage 5d6 Unconscious 7
STR 14 Heal 3 Knock Down 13
CON 15 HP 28 Armour 10 + 6 point shield
APP 13 Age 27 Glory 2210
Attack: Sword 19, Lance 16, Battle 11
Significant Traits: Lustful 14, Energetic 15, Prudent 14, Indulgent 15
Significant Passions: Loyalty (Sir Barrius) 17, Amor (Lucilla) 12
Significant Skills: Courtesy 11, Flirting 10, Tourney 8, Stewardship 9, Read
(Latin) 7, Horsemanship 13
Shield: sable, on a bend argent a portcullis sable, a quarter purple with a
bear's head couped and muzzled
Sir Efflin [Time spent: one hour]
One of the other four household knights. If confronted with the
knowledge that he had an affair with Agatha he will admit it. He will
say that it was over a year ago, when he started courting a
neighbouring knight's daughter. He and Agatha parted amicably; he
even gave her a coral ring as a parting present. (This will have been
found on the body if anyone inquires.)
SIZ 12 Move 2 Major Wound 13
DEX 11 Damage 4d6 Unconscious 6
STR 13 Heal 3 Knock Down 12
CON 13 HP 25 Armour 10 + 6 point shield
APP 15 Age 35 Glory 1800
Attack: Sword 17, Lance 17
Significant Traits: Lustful 12, Generous 15, Just 14, Honest 14
Significant Passions: Loyalty (Sir Barrius) 16, Amor (Flora) 15
Significant Skills: Courtesy 14, Flirting 12, Tourney 10, Horsemanship 14,
Hawking 11, Dancing 8, Orate 10
Shield: vert, on a chief argent three estoiles gules
Peter, the carpenter [Time spent: two hours (going into the village and back)]
He does not live in the manor house, but sleeps in the village at one
of the cottages. He did not go out all night. His landlady and her
son can confirm this.
Ewen, the stable lad
[Time spent: one hour and a half to talk to all stable help]
He sleeps in the hayloft above the stables with the other grooms. He
woke in the night from a nightmare in which he was drowning, waking
others at the time. But he went back to sleep.
Madge, the serving wench [Time spent: one hour]
She is the one who slept with Sir Ortel and will verify his story.
She may well try to plan a meeting with a player knight for this
evening, as long as it isn't the suspected knight who questions her.
She will say that Sir Barrius did not like having Agatha serve at his
table and never said anything to her except when it was unavoidable.
(This is why she would be serving the player knights' table at their
meal.)
Bart, the cook [Time spent: one hour]
Has his own room by the kitchen, which is also near the pantry. He
will claim that he heard the knight with Agatha (if he did go to her)
but that he went back to sleep; he would not be so indiscreet as to
eavesdrop on a knight. (Flirting with another kitchen maid will
reveal that she went to the cook's room during the night but he wasn't
there.)
If the knights search his room they can find hidden under a false
bottom in a chest an apron with a black tower design on it. Heraldry
success = this is Sir Turquine's livery. [Time spent: one hour when
Bart is busy elsewhere (It may be hard to find time)]
One of the kitchen boys will be able to tell the knights that one of
the big knives is missing. If the knights follow Bart, they can see
him throw a knife into the pond behind the manor. [Time spent: one
hour]
If the investigation continues until the evening, there will be
another meal, rather more sombre than the last and with even less
attention paid to the knights. During dinner, have the knights make a
roll, but do not tell them what it is for. If any succeed at
Indulgent or Read Latin they will recognise the delicious dish that
they are eating is from a Roman cookbook which has never been
translated from Latin. When questioned about it, the cook will claim
that he was taught it by the cook to whom he was apprenticed, who had
had it passed down to him. [Time spent: one hour locating and
questioning Bart about recipe after dinner.]
If the knights finally suspect Bart and search his person, they will
find a note from Sir Turquine with instructions on where to go when he
has killed the woman and to whom to tell the tale to get it spread
most widely.
SIZ 12 Move 3 Major Wound 12
DEX 16 Damage 3d6 Unconscious 6
STR 9 Heal 2 Knock Down 12
CON 12 HP 24 Armour none
APP 8 Age 34 Glory NA
Attack: Dagger 5
Significant Traits: Deceitful 15, Cruel 13, Cowardly 16
Significant Passions: Loyalty (Turquine) 17
Significant Skills: Intrigue 8, Read (Latin) 5, Cook 7
Seeing Sir Barrius
If the knights do attempt to talk to their host during their
investigation, they should be kept waiting for an appointment till 4
PM, or at least one hour, whichever is longer. The conversation will
then take one hour, assuming he will see them, as discussed above.
Glorel and Lucilla, Sir Barrius's daughters [Time spent: one hour]
Glorel is nineteen and attractive, though she dresses in fairly simple
clothes. She is practical and helps her father run the household.
She appreciates steadfast characters who achieve what they set out to
do. She detests showiness and bragging, though, so subtlety is
necessary in impressing her with one's knightly character.
SIZ 11 Move 3 Major Wound 15
DEX 17 Damage 4d6 Unconscious 7
STR 11 Heal 3 Knock Down 11
CON 15 HP 26 Armour none
APP 14 Age 19 Glory 400
Attack: Dagger 4
Significant Traits: Chaste 15, Energetic 16, Honest 17, Just 14
Significant Passions: Love (family) 17
Significant Skills: Chirurgy 14, First Aid 15, Hawking 5, Recognise 7,
Stewardship 7, Horsemanship 5, Industry 17
Woman's Gift: Nimble fingers
Dowry: from mother, #5, from father, #6
Lucilla is sixteen and stunning. She is somewhat gooily romantic and
loves to hear of adventure and tragic tales. She plays sad but
beautiful music on the lyre, accompanying herself with her splendid
voice.
SIZ 9 Move 3 Major Wound 13
DEX 15 Damage 3d6 Unconscious 6
STR 10 Heal 2 Knock Down 9
CON 13 HP 22 Armour none
APP 19 Age 16 Glory 310
Attack: Dagger 3
Significant Traits: Forgiving 15, Merciful 16, Trusting 14, Proud 14
Significant Passions: Love (family) 16
Significant Skills: Chirurgy 12, First Aid 13, Industry 15, Dancing 7,
Flirting 9, Romance 7, Play (Lyre) 13, Sing 15
Woman's Gift: Nimble fingers
Dowry: from mother, #3, from father #5
Either girl, approached in the right way, will be willing to tell the
knights that their father is gruff on the outside, but has a soft
heart. He is very good to his servants and their families. He has
been particularly good to the dead woman's nephew, a handsome young
man of fourteen.
Tarquin, nephew (son) of Agatha
[Time spent: One hour if he is already at the manor (after 1 PM) or if
the player knights are in the village questioning Peter the carpenter.
Two hours if they go to the village to see him (he will go home after
dinner at 7.30 PM)]
He is fourteen years old and lives in the village in the home of his
widowed aunt Florry, whom he thinks is his mother. Florry's husband
Tom, whom he calls father, died when the lad was only a year old. It
is in this cottage that Peter the carpenter is staying. Tarquin will
help the player knights in their investigations, or do some himself to
discover his mother's murderer. He will be at the manor by midday,
news of Agatha's death having reached the village by then.
Tarquin does not know that Sir Barrius is really his father. He will
say that one of the household knights, Sir Efflin, had been close to
his aunt Agatha some time ago and more recently the cook had paid her
a lot of attention. He is a fairly innocent lad, and assumes that
their intentions were honourable.
A country lad, he idolises knights and will be very taken by the
player knights. He is good with horses and has been trying to teach
himself Heraldry.
SIZ 10 Move 3 Major Wound 13
DEX 14 Damage 4d6 Unconscious 6
STR 11 Heal 2 Knock Down 10
CON 13 HP 23 Armour none
APP 14 Age 14 Glory NA
Attack: Spear 5, Dagger 7, Quarterstaff 4
Significant Traits: Energetic 15, Honest 16, Modest 16, Chaste 15
Significant Passions: Love (family) 17
Significant Skills: First Aid 10, Horsemanship 10, Awareness 8, Folk Lore 9,
Heraldry 6, Swimming 5
Sir Turquine's Plan
Turquine knows of Sir Barrius's child by Agatha and expects that her
death will throw suspicion on Barrius when his illicit love is made
known and turn him into an outlaw. Turquine sent his cook into
Barrius's household to do the deed. Unfortunately, he did not expect
any visitors at the manor just before the tournament, and he certainly
did not expect anyone to be seducing Agatha on the night of the
murder. If the player knights have not come across Turquine in the
past, his plot which has put them in danger and brought potential
dishonour to them ought to make them view him as their enemy.
Turquine's plot to shame Barrius also means that it is important that
the player knights deal with the matter of his illegitimate son with
tact.
Solving the Mystery
If the suspected player knight clears himself without publicising Sir
Barrius's involvement with Agatha, or accusing him of her murder on
their way to solving it, he and his companions will be invited to stay
for the tournament. They may well win the favours of one or both of
the daughters during their stay.
If the knights solve the mystery but embarrass or accuse their host
they will be allowed to leave the manor but not invited to the
tournament.
Player knights may strike a deal with Sir Barrius to get him to
acknowledge his son once he is old enough to become a knight.
Strategic use of Courtesy, succeeding at an opposed roll of a knight's
Just v. Sir Barrius's Arbitrary, or doing well at the tournament and
asking it of their host as a boon are suggested ways to accomplish
this. Knight who make a big effort on Tarquin's behalf may get ticks
for their Generous trait.
The Challenge Fight
If the day and night pass before the knights solve the mystery, the
suspected knight must fight a judicial challenge with Sir Barrius's
champion, Sir Baldor. If the player knight wins, he and his friends
will be allowed to leave, having proved his innocence in combat before
God. If he loses, it is up to the GM to decide whether he should be
granted mercy or not. Death in these circumstances would be
dishonourable, and the player knight should lose 500 Glory. His
family and perhaps his friends may want to avenge his honour by
clearing his name after his death.
Sir Baldor
SIZ 16 Move 3 Major Wound 14
DEX 13 Damage 6d6 Unconscious 7
STR 17 Heal 3 Knock Down 11
CON 14 HP 30 Armour 12 + 6 point shield
APP 11 Age 32 Glory 2825
Attack: Sword 20, Lance 18, Dagger 8, Battle 12
Significant Traits: Energetic 15, Honest 16, Just 16, Pious 15
Significant Passions: Amor (Glorel) 9
Significant Skills: Horsemanship 16, Tourney 10
Shield: Vert, five bezants or
The Tournament
This will be in the old style, no matter what period the adventure is
set. The region is somewhat backward and Sir Barrius is both
old-fashioned and stingy. It is a local tournament, with a bull
versus bear fight for its spectacle. It is always possible that one
participating knight is a famous or to-be-famous knight under cover as
a mysterious black knight, who will likely challenge one of the player
knights who has done well in the melee. Tarquin will fight in the
bohort and will make a few captures. The melee stakes will be the
knights' equipment and the prize will be a decorated dagger for each
member of the winning side (value 7d). Either Sir Baldor or Sir Ortel
(Battle 11) will lead Sir Barrius's household side. The knights will
be free to choose to fight on either side. There should be 10
challenge fights. The knight judged to be most glorious after the
challenges will win a pack of 5 hunting hounds (value 25d each).
Consequences
Tarquin, at fourteen, is almost old enough to become a squire. Any
player knight who is particularly kind to him will win his puppy-like
devotion and he will volunteer to come with him. He wants to be a
knight one day.
Glorel and Lucilla may become attached to the knights, or they to
them. They stand to inherit some money but no land from their father,
and have dowries left to them by their mother.
Glory
Solving the murder mystery: 50
Getting Tarquin acknowledged: 10
Ordinary Glory awards for the Challenge fight and the tournament.
Characters will also be earning Glory for successful use of skills
along the way.
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