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Chaosium Digest Volume 23 Number 08
Chaosium Digest Volume 23, Number 8
Date: Sunday, March 1, 1998
Number: 3 of 4
Contents:
The Convent of Shadows, Part One (Erick-Noel Bouchard) FRENCH NEPHILIM
--------------------
From: Erick-Noel Bouchard <samedi@colba.net>
Subject: The Convent of Shadows, Part One
System: Nephilim
Second Act of the Crown of Keter Chronicle
for NEPHILIM: THE OCCULT ROLE-PLAYING GAME
by Erick-Noel Bouchard, copyright 1996, all rights reserved in all
languages. Any similarity of names and places with real or fictionnous
heroes and locations is certainly not a coincidence. (Unless you
believe in such things.) Nephilim is a trademark of Multisim and
Chaosium.
December of the year 1320 after the Jesus Accident
FOREWORD
The following is a role-playing adventure for the Nephilim game,
intended as a follow-up for "La Selba de los Lobos". It is assumed
that the heroes are henchmen in the pay of Maitre Etienne, a wealthy
French merchant heavily linked with the guilds of both France and
Spain.
While adventuring towards the Spanish city of Instanbul to sell the
merchant's goods, the adventurers have stumbled upon the murderous
activities of evil men at arms in the village of Santo-Felician,
apparently under the orders of the mysterious baron Olivier de
Rosecouronne. In the previous adventure, the adventurers discovered
that the three soldiers had disguised their grisly murders for the
hunting habits of a roaming brigand, in the hope of getting their
hands on a wounded messenger named Corbin.
This messenger, a follower of Kabbalah, was crossing the lands of
Rosecouronne towards the city of Instanbul, to deliver a secret
message about the cristal pyramids of the saint Geburah and the
activities of the dark moon cultists. It is assumed that the
adventurers managed to bring back Corbin to Maitre Etienne's caravan -
he is also (secretly) a member of this Nephilim society. The company
is now crossing the Irana Mountains and soon shall penetrate the
Spanish Kingdoms.
Under the pretext of investigating the activities of the dark moon
cultists, Maitre Etienne intends to discover the fate of the second
messenger, Eric, and put a halt to whatever heretical activities lurk
in the barony of Rosecouronne. It shall be the adventurers' task to
fight baron Olivier and his minions, and to prevent the cultists from
reaching their unspeakable goals.
But all is not what it seems in Rosecouronne, for the Daemon the
Beastmen intend to release is far more than he seems...
Prologue
His hatred nourished by incestuous lust, Olivier de Rosecouronne stabs
his treacherous blade into the heart of the man who was his rival for
the heart of Dame Catheline. His grave face, painted with the crimson
blood of the man-child, grins with a smile broader than darkness
itself: "At last, this vermin lies slain as he always should have, for
now my just revenge is taken! No one shall take her from me, this I
swear upon the devil's blood!"
The moon shines mysteriously over the dark woods, somber in her beauty
and coldness. The baron feels the smell around him; that of blood,
that of the hunter, but this time the hunt is not his. Rapidly, he
turns around to the sad walls of Castel Rosecouronne to find the
dismembered bodies of his sentinels. Panic seizes him, his heart beats
madly as he mindlessly climbs the long stone stairway and locks
himself in the dungeon. The revenge has begun...
Keeper's Introduction
Ten days ago, in a barony of the Irrana Mountains halfway between
France and Spain, baron Olivier de Rosecouronne murdered a young
traveller. Jealousy and lust, inspired by the evils of the dark moon
released in the convent of Santa Claudina, lead the baron to savagely
slay an innocent whose only crime was to be loved by Catheline, the
baron's daughter. Unknown to him, the French merchants who sent Eric
to Spain, carrying a message carved in mysterious runes, were cultists
of Kabbalah intending to warn their peers of the rencent emergence of
precious artifacts: the cristal pyramids, keys to the gates of
Geburah.
Catheline, visiting the countryside, was seduced by the youg
messenger's charm and gentleness and became enamoured with him.
Postponing his "mission" (of which he guessed not the importance) for
a few days, Eric finally incured the wrath of baron Olivier. His body
was buried in the convent and all witnesses were executed. The baron
neglected only one thing: a coven of werewolves, dedicated to the
society of YHWH, had suspected the noble of dealing with the dark moon
for a long time. Their discovery of Eric's message, identified by
their oracle as proof of the baron's vileny, leads to a war
declaration from them, against de Rosecouronne.
Feeling his end coming near, baron Olivier locked his daughter in the
dungeon's highest tower and then shut all entrances to the buildings,
fearful that the the dark moon he had awakened was finally taking its
revenge against him.
It began after his wife's death at the hands of Solkanite witch
hunters ten years ago. Then baron Olivier dedicated his life to the
destruction of the Nephilim gods and their kin. Roaming the land for a
way to destroy them, he discovered one of the cristal pyramids, keys
to Geburah's gates, which he offered to the dark moon cultists in
Instanbul in exchange for the secret of conjuring a greater Daemon.
Desecrating the convent for his foul schemes, Olivier released into
the night a dreadful daemonic Selenim called Joltok. Opposing a nearby
coven of werewolves, Joltok destroyed their sacred places and made
sure insanity and violence would tear the barony apart. But his plans
are far greater than they appear...
Paralysed now by his fear of the werewolve's vengeance, baron Olivier
sent a messenger to a friend of his, the archbishop Francisco di Ducre
(of Instanbul's Manann church). The archbishop, a paranoid and
machiavelic priest who also happens to be a Selenim, sent one of his
best agents to investigate: Denis Bucardo, Selenim and sorcerer's
apprentice. Shortly after his arrival, just days ago, he made sure
baron Olivier would never heal from his madness and then prepared his
plan for the werewolves' destruction.
As a combative force for nature and life, the werewolves are fierce
foes of Selenim and as such oppose the archbishop and Denis in any way
they can. This secret war, kept away from the eyes of mortals, has
been going on for decades, but now Denis wants to end this charade
forever. Ignorant of baron Olivier's desacration of Santa Claudina's
convent, his delusions helped by mischevious tricks from the Selenim
Joltok, the villain intends to summon Those Who Hunt At Night
(creatures of Kabbalah from the world of Sohar) to slay his werewolf
rivals. His efforts, aiding by the scheming Selenim Joltok, will
result instead in the awakening of Baal the Selenim, once god
Fertility and destruction. The foul entity was imprisoned by
Claudina's priests centuries ago under the sanctuary and longs for
freedom. Other minions of di Ducre are already on their way to help
Denis in the final ceremony.
All of these strange happenings are not of a coincidental nature, but
instead the subtle plottings of a Selenim master known as Weissenstadt.
More about this creature will be revealed in the next chapter of the
Crown of Keter chronicle...
Players' Introduction
Since his secret meeting with the messenger Corbin, Maitre Etienne has
been brooding and dark, going as far as stopping the caravan's travels
for what he called "a brief vacation". In fact, the true purpose of
this vacation is in little doubt: suspecting baron Olivier of the dark
moon worship, and possibly demonic activities, the merchant calls up
his most trusted retainers (the players' adventurers) to investigate
the barony and put an end to the evil that is rampant there.
Maitre Etienne shall announce the murder of another messenger, Eric,
and suggest that darkness threatness Spain should the baron's (unknown
but decidedly immoral) plans come to an end. For this task, Maitre
Etienne offers up more gold than he ever has: it is up to the Keeper
to dedide what would be reasonable for his campaign, but the stakes
should be high enough in comparison to the risks being taken. As much
as he hates parting from his money (Maitre Etienne is something of a
miser), the merchant truly hates the dark moon and will painfully
untie the knots of his pouch to let go of his precious gold.
ANTAGONISTS
Baron Olivier de Rosecouronne, mad nobleman
Lord of the barony, Olivier was a just if somewhat untrusting man
before his beloved wife's death at the hands of witch hunters in the
service of Solkan, many years ago. Since this tragedy, his hatred has
grown and his desire for vengeance has foretold his doom: finding the
cristal pyramids of Geburah's gates. He exchanged them with the dark
moon cultists of Instanbul for foul secrets of the dark moon. His
growing madness, nourished by the Dark moon emanations from the
desecrated convent of Santa Claudina, enticed him to murder Eric. Now
locked up with his daughter in Castel de Rosecouronne, he is little
but a pawn to Denis Bucardo, loyal retainer of the Selenim archbishop.
Forty four years old, the baron is very tall and slim, underfed and
dressed in ragged clothing. His voice is loud but breathless, his eyes
round and mad. With his sanity gone from him, all traces of his past
nobility have disappeared, leaving behind a pathetic creature maddened
by the forces of the dark moon. Olivier has standard characteristics
for a human noble, apart from his profund insanity. He is skilled with
the arquebus and other firearms, and made himself a reputation in his
youth for his sharp aim.
Role: Baron Olivier should appear to the players as the villain behind
Rosecouronne's miseries, responsible of the deaths of many innocents
and possibly a powerful dark moon worshipper. In truth his madness
prevents him from being as dangerous as he once was. Baron Olivier is
now but a pawn in the hands of Denis Bucardo, the Selenim. Paranoid,
he firmly believes that all strangers are werewolves plotting his death.
Dame Catheline de Rosecouronne, the baron's daughter
Catheline used to be Eric's lover and now lays captive in her father's
dungeons. She is fair and beautiful, with large eyes and reddish brown
hair. Her role in this story is little more than that of a captive
damsel victimized by her father.
Denis Bucardo, Selenim
This man, a renegade from the powerful family of Bucardo, is the
personal servant and henchman of the master Selenim Hendel
Weissenstadt. To anyone else, he is but a Selenim at the archbishop's
service, obeying him faithfully: even the archbishop believes that. In
truth, this man is a very dangerous plotter and politician, skillful
in the arts of betrayal, diplomacy and intrigue. Nowhere nearly as
dumb as most Selenim servants, he uses his cover as an underling to
pierce secrets a nobleman could not, and makes certain the archbishop
remains loyal to his master, Weissenstadt.
Dark haired, elegant, and bearing a glimpse of arrogance in his eyes,
Denis' only flaw is his overconfidence. He is the one who, under the
cover of a fictious dark moon society, managed to get from baron
Olivier the cristal pyramids of the saint Geburah. Ordered by
archbishop Francisco di Ducre to unwrap the mysteries of the dark moon
in Rosecouronne, Bucardo decided instead to call from the Irrana
Mountains five sorcerous Selenims, who obey Weissenstadt directly, and
with their help awaken Those Who Hunt At Night, supposedly imprisoned
under the ruins of the convent. Bucardo's intention is to force the
spirits to slay the werewolves in the region, for these oppose the
master Selenim's plans to conquer the Old World's southern countries
and unify them under his rule.
The ceremony Bucardo intends to complete requires the death of baron
Olivier and his daughter, which is the reason why he imprisoned them
in Castel de Rosecouronne. After the Selenim has purged northern Spain
from werewolves and scattered their numbers, the sorcerous pilgrims
are to report to Weissenstadt in his stronghold of the Irrana
Moutains. (Bucardo does not know that the entities to be released are
not Those Who Hunt At Night but a powerful Selenim...) If he is not
slain in his pursuits, Denis Bucardo shall be back in the following
chapter of the Crown of Keter chronicle.
Bucardo has standard characteristics for a Selenim (see Castle
Drachenfelds p.99). After starting as a Wizard's Apprentice for the
Bucardo family in Instanbul, his betrayal led him to meddle in the
careers of Raconteur and Agitator. Since becoming a servant of the
Selenim Weissenstadt, he is now pursuing the career of a Spy.
Role: The Selenim is Weissenstadt's agent in Rosecouronne. He has
taken control of the barony and pretends to act under archbishop di
Ducre's authority. He intends, with pilgrims from Instanbul, to awaken
a spirit of Kabbalah to clean the land of the werewolves and any other
opposition to the archbishop's rule. Unknowingly, the spirit he shall
free from the convent's ruins is not one of Kabbalah but one of the
dark moon - that is Baal, God of fire and perverted virility.
Note: Denis Bucardo carries with him documents and a seal proving his
association with the archbishop Francisco di Ducre. The letters
identify him as a personal servant of the archbishop and a devout
follower of Manann. They are written in the old language once used in
the eastern nations of the Old World. He also wears a magical ring
upon which the armories of Weissenstadt (a white wall and tower) are
inscribed; it gives him complete control over Weissenstadt's other
Selenim. An adventurer who gets a hold on it can control the minions
by succeeding in two consecutive Leadership tests for each pilgrim to
be controlled. It does not work on Bucardo.
Nicolai Sergueiovitch Joltok (alias Joltok), mad Selenim
Freed from the convent's crypts by baron Olivier's sorcerous
meddlings. Joltok is a very old Kislevite Selenim who willingly became
a slave of the dark moon centuries ago. He was imprisoned under the
convent by witch hunters of the same order as the murderers of the
baron's wife. Lusting for vengeance, the baron believed this creature
could bring about his revenge upon those who follow Kabbalah; he was
right indeed, but not in the way he believed. Mad and wielding great
powers he barely controls, Joltok serves Baal and intends to summon
him with the (unknowing) help of Bucardo and his pilgrims. As such, he
opposes the brigands and shall use guile and treachery to have them
destroyed before they prevent the conjuring.
Joltok appears as a round-bellied Kislevite of a jolly nature, with
icy blue eyes, a mad grin, and hair ablaze with yellow fire. His
demeanour and moods change in unpredictable ways, being gentle one
moment and violent another. A strange sound, reminiscent of the howl
of a mad turkey, always break the silence around him. He refrains from
entering combat, but if the adventurers should fight him, they shall
find in him a tough adversary: he has standard characteristics for a
Selenim and masters all Illusion spells, as well as Hand of Fire and
Teleportation.
Role: Joltok is the personal agent of Baal in this region of the Old
World. Pretending to fight the spirit's summoning, he shall in truth
attempt anything in his power to make the adventurers participate or
protect the project. The brigands and the Jews are a threat to his
plans and he wants them erradicated. He shall taunt the heroes into
fleeing the area in the hope they will summon Baal to slay him: "Never
would thou, petty humans, dare to assault the true powers of the dark
moon! I do not fear your spirit of Kabbalah, call it to me and see its
death arising!"
"Las Garras Rojas", werewolf leader
Passionate follower of YHWH and keeper of the northern Spanish sacred
lands, Las Garras Rojas bears no love for Europeans and feels utter
hatred for the minions of the dark moon, destroyers of the balance of
nature. Persecution from the christians have made the man quite
furious, hence his nickname: Red Claws. Violent and short-tempered, he
opposes Denis Bucardo and his pilgrims. The werewolf leader has
discovered Eric's message and deciphered its secrets; he knows of
Instanbul's dark moon activities and shall fight them if the
opportunity arises, but sees the keeping of the sacred lands of
Rosecouronne as his main task. "Las Garras Rojas" shall try to
persuade the adventurers to fight the baron and his "minions",
threatening them if necessary. His werewolf tribe is made of eight
werewolves of both sexes and four puppies. All are of Neutral
alignment.
Role: The werewolves are wards of the forests and the sacred places
heirein. They wish to drive the Europeans (especially the baron) away
from the lands and free them from both the dark moon and
Kabbalah. They are foes to both Jews ("fanatics") and the baron's men
("madmen"). They intend to destroy the convent and the village,
slaying all villagers if nothing is made to prevent them.
The message once carried by Eric, once translated, reads thus:
Beware glorious knights of Virtue, for the foulness of evil no longer sleeps!
In the dark kingdom of Instanbul, where Geburah laid his just eye
The minions of darkness play their plottings behind the scenes
Juggling with the lives of men as men do with puppets
Awakening forces that their folly does not comprehend
Beware glorious knights of Virtue, for the foulness of evil no longer sleeps!
By treaty with the Arabians and other infidels
Three lords of darkness quest for a heart of sapphire
In exchange for the pyramids and life of our blessed Geburah
With the heart in their grasp evil shall arise
Beware glorious knights of Virtue, for the foulness of evil no longer sleeps!
For awakening a god is the goal of these three
Fighting amongst themselves, their strength is divided
But each of them commands a whole army of slaves
Beware, knights of Virtue, for the foulness of evil no longer sleeps!
Beware glorious knights of Virtue, for the foulness of evil no longer sleeps!
The lords of Instanbul have corrupted their folk
And great effort is needed to halt their evils
Purify their foulness for justice to prevail
Heroes of Virtue and justice, give these three back to death!
El Marquis, Jew leader
A yellowish skin and large eyes characterize this Spanish Jew, as well
as a large and curly mustach of shining black. He speaks with a
high-pitched voice and wears a floppy large hat. Leading his agressive
band of three Jews, El Marquis feels a deep respect for Europeans and
tries to mimick their habits. Foe of both the baron and the brigands,
he knows it is not a Creature of Kabbalah but a Daemon that Denis
Bucardo intends to summon and intends to oppose him in any way.
Although primitive and unsophisticated, El Marquis knows of honour and
shall not commit acts of depravity or dishonour. In truth, he and his
people show a much greater respect for virtue and justice than most
Europeans, a fact that brings him great pride. Before the convent's
desecration, El Marquis and his people used to be followers of the
ways of Santa Claudina, converted by the courage and the guile of the
nuns that used to live there. Despite their beliefs, the Jews have
become paranoid over the years and see minions of the dark moon
everywhere. They desperately hunt Joltok in the hope that he shall
lead them to the lairs of other foul the dark moon creatures. Insofar,
little progress has been made.
The twelve other Jews are (relatively) honest but do not share El
Marquis' ideal of honour and devotion to Kabbalah. While they usually
agree with its principles, they think that theory sometimes must make
compromises to reality, as it is not as generous or flexible as Santa
Claudina pretends. Although courageous and honourable, they remain
prudent and witty. Even lies and treachery can be used to survive
another day and make Kabbalah triumph later.
Role: The Jews are possible allies for the adventurers in their fight
against the baron's plans. They fear and hate the werewolves and hope to
bring back the land to the teachings of Kabbalah. In such, they oppose
Bucardo as they see him as an ally of the baron. Unfortunately, the
Jews' untrusting attitude towards Europeans might prevent an true
alliance with them.
FIRST SONG: THE JOURNEY
The barony of Rosecouronne lies at the east of the village of
Santo-Felician; as the villagers are unfriendly (to say the least)
towards the adventurers, a detour through the Wood of Wolves (la Selba
de los Lobos) in the south is mandatory. The trek should take from
three to five days; unless the Keeper feels it necessary, no
significant encounters should happen, except perhaps ffor some fearful
and hungry peasants who would rather flee than talk to strangers.
("The baron forbids us from speaking to extranjeros, please let me
go!") Massive forests and mountain ranges separate the barony from
the Spanish and French kingdoms. At the crossroads of three muddy
paths lies the hamlet of Rosecouronne, a pathetic gathering of shacks
inhabited by no more than two hundred souls. A little-used inn
(l'Auberge de l'Aigle Perce) stands against wind and time about six
hundred paces south of the village. Beyond this, a traveler can find
the not-so-abandonned Convent of Santa Claudina and the Castel de
Rosecouronne, where the now-mad baron lives with his daughter, as well
as the archbishop's agent, Denis Bucardo.
The townsfolk are very superstitious and uneducated, closing their
doors at nightfall and not opening them until sunrise. Nothing could
make them open when the sun is down. Their fear of demons, ghosts, and
evil faeries is as close as it could be from madness without the final
jump. Humid and dark, the weather is very displeasing, and the woods
exude a feeling of resentment of human presence and civilisation.
These woods were once sacred to YHWH and protected by his servants,
but now they are few and have learned to fear the wrath of baron
Olivier.
Le Chemin des Pendus (Hangmens' Road)
Known under this grim name for an old habit of exposing criminals'
hanging bodies along the road, this path is very little used and the
adventurers shall find it very painful, especially if they ride
horses, for rocks are as abundant as holes and pitfalls. At about
eight o'clock, when darkness swells upon the land, a cold breeze shall
welcome the travelers as they stumble upon half a dozen underfed
footpads who politely ask them for their belongings, as they have "a
large family to take care of and little to feed them, please." A
refusal shall be met with hostility, and might even degenerate into
physical conflict if the adventurers behave agressivily. These
footpads are but hungry and poor townsfolk eager to find easy
pickings; they shall flee as soon as they feel disadvantaged, or as
soon as they take a serious wound. If, instead of fighting, the
adventurers manage to bargain with the brigands, they shall become
very friendly and guide them towards the inn. These men are hungry,
but not starving, and certainly not murderers. Panic shall result if
one of their numbers is murdered by the adventurers.
[continued in V23.9]
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