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Chaosium Digest Volume 13 Number 10
Chaosium Digest Volume 13, Number 10
Date: Sunday, March 31, 1996
Number: 1 of 2
Contents:
The Adventure of Gwaet's Love (Bill Filios) PENDRAGON
Editor's Note:
This time around, two terrific adventure. A fun Pendragon adventure in
V13.10, and an interesting Nephilim adventure over in V13.11. I've got
some source material for Nephilim and an adventure for Pendragon lined
up, but keep those submissions coming in!
With that said, I have a ton of short information this week.
Shannon
NEW RELEASES:
Although neither of these RPG releases is actually for the Nephilim
game, they look to each contain information of interest to Nephilim
gamemasters.
* Nephilim - _Conspiracy X_ (NME, 224 pg., $25.00) is a brand new RPG
that seems to have been inspired by the X-Files. It's about
government agencies, psychics, extraterrestrials and the
supernatural. Being a rulesystem, there is lots of stuff in here
that will be useless to the Nephilim gamemaster, but this book might
contain a few interesting ideas to get you thinking.
_GURPS: Places of Mystery_ (SJG, 128 pg., $17.95) is a really good
sourcebook detailing Atlantis, Stone Circles, the pyramids and other
mysterious locations scattered all across the world. There are lots
of maps which will make running adventures in these locations easy.
Although the history will clearly be wrong for Nephilim, the actual
locations, and story ideas that they represent, will be a huge boon
for Nephilim gamemasters.
MAGAZINE SIGHTINGS:
Thanks to Tim Ellis (tim@timellis.demon.co.uk) for pointing out this
sighting which I'd missed.
* Pendragon - "Spear of Wyrds", by Jonathan Rowe, is part one of a six
year mini-campaign for Saxon Characters, Valkyrie #10
Valkyrie is a UK magazine that is distributed in the US through "On
Millitary Matters" and Chessex.
BOOKS TO LOOK FOR:
Here's another listing of upcoming books, gleaned from the March issue
of Locus magazine. Some of these are repeats from the December listing
that was published in V12.6.
Caveat: I have no idea what some of these books are, but the title
or author leads me to believe that they might be related to the game
I've noted. TPB = Trade Paperback. HC = Hard Cover.
* Call of Cthulhu - _The Mask of Cthulhu_, by August Derleth, pub. by
Carroll & Graf, APR96; _The Averoigne Chronicles_, HC, by Clark
Ashton Smith, pub. by Donald M. Grant, MAY96; _The Cthulhu Cycle_
(Book #11 of the Cthulhu Cycle series), pub. by Chaosium, MAY96;
_Fruiting Bodies and Other Fungi_ (reprint of the HC story
collection), TPB, by Brian Lumley, pub. by Tor, MAY96; _The New
Lovecraft Circle_, HC, edited by Robert M. Price, pub. by Fedogan &
Bremer, MAY96; _The Trail of Cthulhu_, by August Derleth, pub. by
Carroll & Graf, JUN96; _Miskatonic University_, edited by Greenberg
& Weinberg_, pub. by DAW, NOV96
* Elric! - _The Eternal Champion #6: The Roads Between The Worlds_, by
Michael Moorcock, pub. by White Wolf, AUG96; _Blood: A Southern
Fantasy_ (reprint of the 1995 HC), TPB, by Michael Moorcock, pub. by
Avonova, SEP96
* Nephilim - _The X-Files: Ruins_, HC, by Kevin J. Anderson, pub. by
Harperprism, MAY96; _The Arcana, Book II: Silverlight_ (interesting
modern day fantasy which might contain some ideas), HC, by Morgan
Llywelyn & Michael Scott, pub. by Baen, JUL96; _The X-Files: Ground
Zero_ (paperback reprint of the 1995 HC), by Kevin J. Anderson,
pub. by Harperprism, OCT96
* Pendragon - _Mordred's Curse_, by Ian McDowell, pub. by Avonova,
OCT96; _Pendragon's Banner_, HC, by Helen Hollick, pub. by St.
Martin's, OCT96
* Ringworld - _The Ringworld Throne, HC, by Larry Niven, pub. by
Ballantine Del Rey, AUG96; _Three Books of Known Space_ (an omnibus
reprint of three of the KS books), TPB, by Larry Niven, pub. by
Ballantine Del Rey, SEP96
RESTAURANTS OF NOTE:
I didn't particularly expect a followup to the V13.8 note on a cool
1920s-esque restaurant, but here you go. Thanks to Chris Hodgson
(chris@castlelink.co.uk) for this information.
* Call of Cthulhu - In St. Albans Hertfordshire, UK (near what used to
be the De Haviland Aerodrome), the Pizzaland on one side of the
Maltings has an interior patterned on a twenties Airship. Lovely
art-deco interior with dials and struts and a bizzare control cabin
were the till should be. It's either supposed to be the R100 or the
R101. (Judging by the efficiency of the staff and the quality of the
pizzas, it's the R101.)
NEW ELECTRONIC RESOURCES:
Windows Digests Archives
ftp://ftp.csua.berkeley.edu/pub/chaosium/archives/windows
The windows archive of the Digest has once more been updated. It now
includes a ZIP of volume 12 of the Windows files. Thanks to Joab
Stieglitz (stieg@ix.netcom.com) for both putting together the files,
and also fighting FTP to get them uploaded.
--------------------
From: Bill Filios <filios@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU>
Subject: The Adventure of Gwaet's Love
System: Pendragon
The Adventure of Gwaet's Love
[Copyright 1996, William G. Filios]
All the names in this adventure are taken from Welsh books, so if you
wish to locate Lord Penyt's castle outside of Cambria, rename people
as appropriate.
THE SETTING
Along a path or road that runs through a wood, the players will come
upon an open meadow roughly 120 yards across. In the center of the
meadow is an ancient-looking tower, about 40' tall. The path runs
across the meadow, right past the tower. On the other side of the path
from the tower is a brook, about 4' deep on average, and 25' wide on
average. This brook runs alongside the path for most of the meadow,
and is full of trout. The brook is unnaturally cold, and fast, but not
so much as to be dangerous unless the players enter the water for long
periods of time, or at night.
This meadow can appear along any wooded path, even one the players
have traveled before which previously didn't contain this meadow. This
may even be best, as it will immediately let the players know this is
an unusual meadow, and this may sharpen their curiosity. The meadow is
Fay in nature, and appears in different woods, seemingly randomly. If
the players want to avoid this place, nothing will stop them; however,
they may run into this clearing again, at another time, in another
place. If the players investigate, the adventure begins.
APPROACHING THE TOWER
If the players try to approach the tower, they will be immediately
threatened by Gwaet the Giant from the top of his tower: "Begone, you
evil knights of Lord Penyt. My bride and I shall live in peace. Leave
now, or die like the fools you are." The players will not generally
know who Lord Penyt is, but they may make heraldry rolls. [Heraldry.
Success = the player can describe Lord Penyt's coat of arms. Critical =
the player knows where Lord Penyt's lands are. They should be far from
the players' normal haunts.]
If the players try to talk with Gwaet, he will be happy to talk for
hours. He will boast of what a grand and heroic fellow he is, and will
cast all manner of insults at the players whom he considers the evil
forces of Lord Penyt. Nothing will convince him that this is not the
case. In fact, the more the players try to deny any allegiance with
Lord Penyt, the more Gwaet will consider them untrustworthy liars.
If any of the players are goaded into attacking Gwaet as a response to
his insults, [Proud] checks may be warranted. However, Gwaet isn't too
bright, and continued conversation may yield important information
from him. A successful or critical [Intrigue] roll would certainly
help here. Gwaet may tell some of his history, or he may admit his
bride didn't come with him willingly (although she's been quietly
happy for years). He may even admit he has 43 large rocks in the top
of his tower that he can throw with deadly accuracy about 45 yards
(Although Gwaet may have miscounted the stones by as many as six one
way or the other).
THE HISTORY
Gwaet is a giant (use Small Giant attributes, Pendragon Fourth Edition
pg. 341, with exceptions listed later). Gwaet is also a special giant.
He knows this because his mother told him so. He also has a special
home, a tower in a meadow. He knows it's special, because, no matter
where he goes, home is nearby whenever he looks for it. Gwaet also has
the most wonderful bride.
One day as Gwaet was out and about, he happened upon three young
maidens picking flowers. As Gwaet peered at them through the brush he
knew at once that he had found his true love. Yet, on the hill behind
them, he could also see a castle (It was Lord Penyt's castle, the
father of his bride as he would later learn from her), and he knew the
place must be full of evil knights, so he had to act fast. As quick as
he could, he burst from the trees and slew the other two maids. Much
to his fortune, his beautiful bride, Taryan, had quietly fainted at
the sight of him slaying her friends. Then, he heroically grabbed her
and valiantly carried her off to his peaceful meadow.
This story (although from a different perspective) will become known
to the players if they seize Gwaet's tower and find Taryan's diary.
For a long while, much to Gwaet's surprise, none of Lord Penyt's
knights came looking for him. In more recent years, however (since the
Enchantment of Britain), more knights have appeared and he has slain
them to protect his love. As of late, Gwaet has had to spend more and
more time atop his tower on lookout for such knights.
WHAT MAKES GWAET SPECIAL
Over the years Gwaet has developed a decent throwing skill with the
rocks he keeps stacked on top of his tower. His great strength and the
height of his tower give him a respectable range. The stones do 2 dice
less than Gwaet's damage bonus up to 20 yards (i.e., 6d6), and an
additional die less for every 5 yards beyond that. He loves the taste
of horseflesh, and will target knights on horses first if his tower is
charged.
Additional Combat Skills: Stone throwing 15; every third melee round
Gwaet must stoop to pick up two more rocks.
Significant Directed Traits: Valorous (Taryan) 18, Suspicious
(Knights) 16
TAKING THE TOWER
If at any time the players move within range of his rocks, Gwaet will
consider this an attack, and begin throwing his stones. If he should
run out of stones, or if the players should reach the tower, he will
rush to the base of the tower, and try to make his stand at the door,
if possible.
The players may wish to try to sneak into the tower. This might be
accomplished under cover of darkness, or by hiding in the brook.
Gwaet's chances of catching on to this will be minimal, and the likely
result is a melee within the tower. Such an approach should earn
someone a [Deceitful] check.
If the players try to siege the tower, that is, wait or starve Gwaet
out, this also won't be too difficult, although it should take some
serious time. Gwaet does have a supply of smoked horse and knight meat
stored in the base of his tower (anyone foolish enough to eat it will
find it tasty; Gwaet really knows how to smoke knight flesh!). The
players also have a supply of food, ie, the brook trout. The meadow is
Fay, however, so eating the trout can have consequences. The players
may have a few visions in the next year or so. The players need not
worry about surrounding or sealing off the tower. Gwaet will have no
interest in leaving as long as the knights threaten his bride. After a
sufficiently long wait, a month or two, Gwaet will sally forth, and
attack the players.
If any players choose to leave the meadow, there is no guarantee they
will find their way back to the meadow or any of their friends left in
the meadow.
INSIDE THE TOWER
The tower has three floors.
On the first floor, the players will find the store of smoked meat and
the accoutrements of a few defeated knights, perhaps the remains of an
old friend not seen for a few years.
On the top floor, the roof, will be whatever stones Gwaet hasn't
thrown, and all the coins Gwaet took from his victims, laid out to
make pictures on the floor.
On the second floor, the players will find a door barricaded with
several large rocks. This will take some time to clear. Inside the
players will find the skeletal remains of the long-dead Taryan. She
will be wearing some valuable jewelry, including a silver ring shaped
like a shell with a ruby in it. The exact value of this jewelry is up
to the gamemaster. Taryan will also have her diary with her, in her
skirt pocket. This will reveal her home, and the history of her
abduction and confinement, all of which occurred some 98 years ago.
AFTERWARDS
Just travelling to Lord Penyt's lands could be an adventure in itself.
If anyone brings news of Taryan's fate to her family, they will learn
she was the sister of the grandfather of the present Lord Penyt. They
will also learn how all the knights who searched for her so long ago
found no clue beyond the remains of her unlucky friends. In addition
to the glory for solving this family's mystery, the players have the
opportunity to make a good friend and ally. This will depend upon how
diplomatic they are, and if they have the good sense to return
Taryan's jewelry. The silver ring is an old family heirloom. If it is
missing, it could be trouble for the players.
GLORY: Dependant upon who brings the news to Lord Penyt's lands, and
upon what else they bring: Bringer of news earns 75 pts; if Taryan's
remains, ring, and diary are also brought, up to 200 pts (dependant
upon manner in which these items are cared for and presented). Extra
glory is also earned for killing the giant, but only if they bring his
head or other proof (Taryan's diary, for example), 100 pts.
--------------------
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