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Chaosium Digest Volume 14 Number 05
Chaosium Digest Volume 14, Number 5
Date: Sunday, April 21, 1996
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
The Adventure of the Worshiping Picts (Shannon Appel) PENDRAGON
Editor's Note:
This week, another adventure from my current Pendragon campaign. In
the future, I'm going to try and make any adventures I write up from
this campaign more generic, but here's one last one with clear ties to
the Talgarth Campaign.
The big news this week is that Mythos has shipped. More on that in the
NEW RELEASES sections below.
Next week, I have a Mythos special planned. If anyone would like to
write some quick Mythos reviews or anything else Mythos related,
they'd be quite welcome. Also pending is another Pendragon adventure
and some reprints of interesting articles from the Nephilim ML. I'm
looking for more articles though, especially for Call of Cthulhu and
Elric! Please write up any submissions and send them this way.
Shannon
NEW RELEASES:
* Mythos - _Mythos Starters_ and the _Expeditions of Miskatonic
University Boosters_ both shipped on Friday, April 19. They should
start arriving in US stores late this week. I suspect _Mythos_ will
probably blow right through most stores, so be on the lookout so you
don't miss out. V13.1 of the Digest has some basic information on
Mythos. Next week, the Digest will contain an official announcement
from Chaosium, as well as some other fun Mythos material.
RECENT BOOKS OF NOTE:
* Call of Cthulhu - _Resume With Monsters_ (White Wolf, 468 pg.,
$5.99), by William Browning Spencer, is a neat modern take on the
Mythos involving the Great Old Ones and the horrors of the modern
office.
--------------------
From: Shannon Appel <appel@erzo.org>
Subject: The Adventure of the Worshiping Picts
System: Pendragon
This adventure, set in the year 496, assumes characters come from the
Cambrian land described in "The Talgarth Campaign" V13.7. It can
easily be adapted to another setting provided that the gamemaster has
a magician of some sort that needs to be escorted to a circle of
stones in a land where wild enclaves of Picts still live (any hilly
country should do).
In modifying the adventure, you may also wish to change the totem
animal of the pict tribe. It should be something that might actually
tempt a character to embrace its heathen ways. Finally, information
surrounding the King Brychen will probably need to be excised from a
more general adventure.
THE ADVENTURE OF THE WORSHIPING PICTS
[Copyright 1996, Shannon Appel]
Year: 496
Setting: Brycheiniog, Cambria
THE COMING OF THE LADY OF THE LAKE
At the maenor of Talgarth, the tranquility of late Winter is broken
when, on Monday, March 18, the Lady of Langorse Lake arrives, atop her
aged chestnut Celtic pony. Very rarely does the Lady leave her Lake,
and her arrival will cause much stir among the common people.
[Intrigue. Success = The Lady of the Lake has come to Brecon Maenor.]
The Lady has come to request a boon of Cadfael, the Chief of Talgarth.
If the players do not attend on their own, eventually they will be
called, to hear the Lady's request:
"Since last Spring, I have divined into the waters of Langorse Lake
many times, and each time I have seen the same muddled visions of
the future. They all fortell bleak times ahead, but I can see little
more. I now travel to the great stone ring, Cerrig Duon, hoping to
learn more there. Because the ring lies so near to Ystrad Tywi, the
land of our old enemies, I have asked for the boon of warriors to
escort me."
Chief Cadfael has already agreed to give the Lady her escort, and will
assign the players to the task. The Lady wishes to do her divinations
on March 21, the Spring Equinox, when the ambient power of Cerrig Duon
is particularly strong. Thus, the expedition will have to leave the
following morning.
THE JOURNEY TO CERRIG DUON
It is only 15 miles from Brecon to Cerrig Duon, but the terrain is
rugged; there is no road, only a rough path. Still, the distance can
be covered in two days of normal travel.
Llyn Cwm Llwch (afternoon, day 1)
Mid-afternoon of March 19, the Lady of the Lake will request a small
detour to Llyn Cwm Llwch, a lake that the players have never seen
before, hidden amidst the hills. If asked, the Lady will say that this
is a magical place, where people can sometimes travel to the
Otherworld on Beltaine (May 1). See SAVAGE MOUNTAINS pg. 36.
After a few minutes of contemplation, the Lady will be ready to move
on.
[Deceitful. Success = For a moment, you think you see something
shimmering in the middle of the lake. Critical = For a moment, you can
make out an island in the middle of the lake.]
Mawr (evening, day 1)
As the sun sets, the players will arrive at Mawr, the maenor where
King Brychan, the ruler of all of Brycheiniog lives. The players will
be given an adequate place to sleep, and any animals they have will be
stabled appropriately. The Lady of the Lake will be drawn away, to
give words of wisdom to the King.
The players may carouse, orate or choose to spend their few hours rest
in whatever way they wish. Those that Intrigue may learn some
interesting information.
[Intrigue. Success = King Brychen has been abed since the start of
winter. Critical = King Brychen is very sick; his son, Bruatur has
gone questing to find a cure for his ailment.]
When she returns, the Lady of the Lake will say nothing about the
King's condition unless directly confronted concerning it.
Glory: As appropriate for any notable skill use at Mawr
Cerrig Duon (late afternoon, day 2)
The players will arrive at Cerrig Duon perhaps an hour before sunset
on March 20. Although the players may have seen Cerrig Duon before,
they will still be awed by it. It is a great circle of stone, entirely
standing. A feeling of magic and great age seems to permeate the
entire area. The Lady of the Lake will request that the players make
camp about a half of mile from the Circle. She plans to begin her
divinations at first light in the morrow.
Players may insist upon sleeping in the Circle of Stones. The Lady of
the Lake should refuse to allow this, giving various mystical reasons.
If the players really wish to engage in such dangerous tomfoolery,
there are many days ahead in which they can do so, without offending
an ancient sorceress.
THE COMING OF THE PICTS
Unfortunately for the players, March 21 happens to be a great holy day
for a tribe of picts who live in the area. They will arrive at the
Circle under the protection of their dog totem, and begin a worship of
their own.
A Note on the Picts
Although the Picts are the most common in the wastelands to the North
of Hadrian's Wall, the savages have small enclaves all throughout
Britain. They are particularly numerous in Cambria, where the rugged
hills provide many areas where they could conceal themselves for
years.
The Pict Tribe living near Cerrig Duon names themselves the Sard.
Their clan samhladh is the Dog, and thus they have come to worship on
the Spring Equinox (see BEYOND THE WALL pg. 42 for more on the Dog
samhladh).
The Picts Arrive
In the very early morning, before the Sun rises, the Picts will arrive
at Cerrig Duon. Their dog spirit will cloud the awareness of watchers,
and thus the players, already half-a-mile away, will not notice them
at first.
After the Pictish ritual has proceeded for a while, allow players on
watch to make awareness rolls.
[Awareness. Success = You notice a glowing light and faint sounds
coming from the Circle of Stones. Critical = You notice a campfire in
the Circle of Stones. Shadows are moving about it, shouting oaths in
Pictish.]
The height of the ritual is planned for 6am, so even if the players
don't notice the Picts during the night, as the sun rises, they will
be able to easily see them. All told there are a score Picts engaged
in some Heathen ritual in the Circle of Stones. Most are women,
children and elders. There are maybe a half-dozen true warriors.
THE RISING OF THE SPIRITS
On March 21, the High Day of the Dog Samhladh, the Pictish ritual is
temporarily opening up the door to the Other World. This will affect a
small area around the Circle of Stones, perhaps a mile in radius.
If the players flee at once from the Picts, earning a [Cowardly]
check, they will not be affected by these spirits.
If the players wait and watch, in the dim light of dawn, at 6am, they
will begin to face the forces of the Other Side.
If the players move towards the Picts (even just to investigate them),
they will likewise be drawn in to face these creatures.
In any case, the players should face at least some of these encounters
before they actually reach the Pict's ritual. As they encounter them,
have mists draw up and block sight. Have the landscape change. Make
the players understand that they are stepping in and out of a
dangerous realm beyond their own.
The White Dogs
As the mists roll over them, the players hear barking in the distance.
Suddenly, a group of six white dogs with blood red ears bursts upon
them.
[Faerie Lore or Religion Lore (Heathen) or Religion Lore (Pagan).
Success = These Dogs are marked as being born of the Other Side by
their coloration. Critical = These dogs can lead the way back to
Annwn, the Land of the Dead (see PENDRAGON pg. 302)]
The dogs will attack the players, but once half of the dogs are slain
or otherwise incapacitated, the remainer will flee. The players may
track them as noted in PENDRAGON pg. 302, but it is not suggested.
Any slain dogs will slowly fade away, although unconscious ones may be
captured.
Glory: 30 for each white dog slain
The Morality Plays
As the mists grow denser, the players will find themselves seperated
from each other. Each should be faced with one of the morality
problems below, which test Heathen virtues against their opposites.
These may be skimmed over or fully played out.
The phantasms the players encounter are not truly real, but they are
definitely substantial, and are oddly connected to the real world. For
example, if a knight strikes down his brother in the Other World, that
brother may be suddenly untrusting of him in the future. Assign 1d6
directed traits when appropriate due to the results of these
encounters. Use appropriate stats from the back of the Pendragon book
if combat occurs in these phantasms.
If there are more than 5 players, you should have relatives or the
best friends face these tests together.
* A relative prepares to strike down the player's lord [Love (family)
/ Loyalty (lord)].
* A knight points towards a stone church in the distance, and says
that the Picts have claimed sanctuary there, and that this is the
last chance to rout them out, before they escape into the wilderness
[Pious / Worldly].
* An escaped white dog cringes before the player, still spotted with
the blood of one of the player's fellows [Forgiving / Vengeful].
* The player stands in a hall, alongside a powerful knight. The knight
proclaims that he slew a creature that in truth the player killed
[Deceitful / Honest].
* The player stands upon a wooden platform, sword in hand, as his lord
declares that the robbers will now be slain by the executioner. The
third such robber is a good friend of the players [Just /
Arbitrary].
Note that in each above case the second personality trait is the
Heathen one.
A Pagan God
As the players complete their tests, the mists will recede just a
little, and they will find their friends again. As they move forward,
they will come upon an old man with a bright silver hand perched in a
chair of brambles.
[Religion Lore (Pagan). Success = This is one of the old gods of the
Irish Celts.]
He is no threat, but will simply ask any Cymric Christians why they
have abandoned the old ways.
This could be a perfect place for religious conversions.
If any offensive action is taken against the old god, he will fade
away, becoming white mist.
Glory: 10 for converting
The Mists Part
As the players leave the ancient god behind, the mists will begin to
part, and they will find themselves just a few steps away from the
stone circle, where the Picts look up with surprise. Glancing about
them, the players will see no trace of the realms they travelled
through.
BATTLE WITH THE PICTS
The Picts will not become aggressive unless the players try to
interrupt their ceremony. In this case, the woman, children and elders
will flee, while the 7 Pict Warriors hold off the players. Use the
Stats on PENDRAGON pg. 330-331.
If the players chose not to attack the Picts, they will finish off
their ritual an hour after sunrise, and leave in peace. Award the
players a [Prudent] check.
Glory: 20 per Pict warrior defeated, 1 per elder or child, 0 per
woman.
AFTERMATH AT THE CIRCLE
A number of possible events could happen in the immediate aftermath of
the battle.
The Dog Samhladh
If the players drove the Picts off, and there is a player who both
suceeded at one of the Heathen tests, and has a Loyalty (Lord) score
of 16 or over, then the Pict clan's dog spirit will approach him. It
will speak to the player alone, and no others will see the
interaction.
The Dog offers to become the player's guardian and friend. It says
that it will bring good luck to nearby dogs, and a heightened
awareness to the player. If the player chooses to accept the offer, in
a flash of light, a brilliant blue Pictish tatoo of a dog will appear
upon the player's chest. The player will get benefits as per BEYOND
THE WALL pg. 42 if he choses to call upon the spirit. Award a [Pious]
check if the player refused the offer, and a [Worldly] check if he
accepted it (unless the Character is Heathen already).
Glory: 10 for accepting the mark of the Dog
Tracking Down the Picts
Players may decide to track down any escaping Picts. The women are not
warriors, but the 5 children and 3 elders may fight as per the Wild
Pict Warrior stats (Pendragon pg. 330-331) but divide the Weapon
skills in two. Apply [Forgiving], [Vengeful], [Merciful] or [Cruel]
checks as appropriate.
Glory: 1 per elder or child defeated, 0 per woman.
The Divination in the Circle
After bodies are cleared from the Circle, the Lady of the Lake will
seek to do her divination. She will meditate in the Circle for several
hours before apprising the players of what she has seen.
"I see, in the near future, that our land will fall as Uther's own
has. Very soon, King Brychen will travel on. His son, Bruatur, will
be unable to find the cure for what ails his grandfather, and he
will be lost in the attempt. There will be no King of this land, and
the tribes will fall to fighting once more."
The Lady is very tired, and will simply wish to be escorted home at
this point.
EPILOGUE: THE RETURN HOME AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS
The Lady will fall asleep upon her horse as the players set forth.
Aside from the obligatory stop at Mawr, which the players may actually
avoid, there will be no problems on the way home. Back at Brecon, the
players will no doubt wish to talk with their Chief.
Conference With Cadfael
Armed with the Lady of the Lake's divination, the players could
present many options to the Chief. He will listen to their counsel
carefully, and make decisions based on their advice. Should Talgarth
try and warn King Brychen? Should they aid his son? Or should they
begin building their own might? Perhaps they will seek political
alliances or marriage with the other tribes of the kingdom? This could
be the seed of many future adventures.
Of course, the players may already have given the news away, at Mawr
on the way home. The Chief will not be pleased with this, but will
smile and mouth congratulations concerning the player's Loyalty to His
Lord.
Glory: 10 per player for completing the mission, and bringing word
back.
Finally, A Battle
If the Picts' religious ceremony was disrupted, they will wish
vengeance upon the players. In one month's time, they will have
gathered together several of the other Pictish tribes in the area, and
lead an assault upon the player's maenor. These tribes would not
usually be a threat, but the Picts have the advantage of suprise, and
only the maenor's own warriors are present.
The following tables should be used with the Modular Battle System for
this combat. One or more of the players will probably wish to lead
individual units.
Glory Per Battle Round: 15 (see PENDRAGON pg. 122)
1. Army Commander Battle Roll
Chief Cadfael has a Battle of 18
the Pict's Commander has a Battle of 15
Critical +4 No losses.
Success 0 5% Losses. 5% wounded.
Failure -2 25% Losses. 5% killed. 20% wounded.
Fumble -4 40% Losses. 20% killed. 20% wounded.
4. Player Modifiers
Use Awareness, not Heraldry.
5. Foe Table
03-06 Young Pict Use Pict Warrior Stats with Skill -5
06-15 Pict Warrior use Pict Warrior Stats
16-17 Pict Leader Use Pict Leader Stats (below)
18 Pict Chieftain Use Pict Leader Stats (below)
If a player disables or kills the Pict Chieftain, the Picts will get
+5 on all additional Battle Over rolls. The player should be awarded
Glory that round as per a Critical.
7. Battle Over?
03 Player Forces Routed Utterly
04 Player Forces Retreat into Maenor while Picts Rampage
05-15 Battle Continues
16-18 Picts Flee
The outcome of this Battle will decide future relations between
Talgarth and the Picts
If the players are victorious, they may collect loot from the battle
field.
[Selfish. Fumble = Find nothing. Failure = Find baubles worth 3d6
denari. Success = Find baubles worth 10d6 denari. Critical = Find an
impressive bauble worth .5L.]
NPCS AND MONSTERS
Other World Dogs
Pure white, except for their blood-red ears, these dogs are born of
the Other World.
SIZ 15 Move 10 Major Wound 12
DEX 20 Dam 4d6 Unconscious 7
STR 14 Heal 3 Knock Down 15
CON 12 HP 27 Armor 4
Combat Skills: Bite 13
Other Skills: Howl Menacingly 20
Glory to Defeat: 30
Pict Leader
SIZ 15 Move 3 Major Wound 12
DEX 14 Dam 5d6+1d6* Unconscious 7
STR 15 Heal 3 Knock Down 15
CON 12 HP 27 Armor 9 (magic)**
Attack Skills: Great Spear 14, Great Axe 18*, Javelin 18
* Damage bonus for Great Axe
** Cuirbolli + 3 points of magical tatoos
--------------------
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