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Chaosium Digest Volume 23 Number 04
Chaosium Digest Volume 23, Number 4
Date: Sunday, February 22, 1998
Number: 1 of 2
Contents:
Le Selva de los Lobos, Part One (Erick-Noel Bouchard) FRENCH NEPHILIM
Editor's Notes:
Howdy everyone, and welcome to a special issue of the Chaosium
Digest. I've got a lengthy Nephilim campaign in three parts waiting
for the digest, so I've decided to break the normal biweekly status of
the Digest to send it out. This week you'll find the first adventure
in the campaign. Next week will be the regular issue of the Digest,
featuring several other articles that are in the queue as well as the
second adventure.
A few things need to be said about the Nephilim campaign, because its
odd in two ways. First, it uses the _French_ Nephilim rules. Rules are
actually very scant in the article, so conversion should be simple.
Second, and more importantly, it's set in 1320, not 1998. The main
reason I enjoy Nephilim is because of its historical content, so I
think that pushing the envelope, and running adventures back in
historical times, is very cool.
That's about it for this week; I'll see you next Sunday with the
normal issue of the digest, featuring Nephilim and more. As always,
contributions are welcome.
Shannon
RECENT RELEASES:
These books started shipping to distributors on Tuesday and should
begin appearing in stores around the end of the week.
* Call of Cthulhu - _The Innsmouth Cycle_ (Chaosium, 256 pg., $12.95),
edited by Robert Price, is a set of stories all about everyone's
favorite decadent Lovecraftian city. From preliminary stories by
Dunsany, Chambers, and Cobb, to the Lovecraft classic, and follow-up
stories by Wade, Searight, Rainey, Sargent, Glasby, and others, this
book has it all.
* Glorantha - _Tales of the Reaching Moon_ #16 (Reaching Moon
Megacorp, 64 pg., $6.00) has been around for quite some time, but
it's now being introduced into the gaming distribution system in the
US, and so you should soon be able to pick it up at your favorite
gaming store. This is the Lunar Special: Danfive Xaron to the Red
Emperor.
--------------------
From: Erick-Noel Bouchard <samedi@colba.net>
Subject: Le Selva de los Lobos, Part One
System: Nephilim
La Selva de los Lobos
(The Wood of Wolves)
An introduction story for three to six beginning heroes
for NEPHILIM: THE OCCULT ROLE-PLAYING GAME
First part of the Crown of Keter Chronicle
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.
September of the year 1320 after the Jesus Accident
INTRODUCTION
This story is intended for a small group of heroes of little
experience, starting from simple wilderness adventures to city
intrigues and politics. For background purposes, it has been assumed
that the heroes are all low-ranking free men and women employed by a
rich French merchant named Maitre Etienne, an ambitious man travelling
to the Byzantine city of Instanbul. Although harsh, he behaves fairly
towards his employees and pays them honestly for their work.
For the heroes, this job offers the chance to travel safely to a
renowned city rich in both wealth and adventure, as well as making a
little money instead of having to pay just to get there. The Nephilim
need discretion in this pilgrimage as the Templars are very active.
They have been told that many foci are stored in the Ottoman capital,
as members of Arcanum VIII have a powerful stronghold there.
Different Nephilim would have different reasons to travel, but the old
Byzantum's resources are appealing to any Fallen One. While the
caravan makes its plans for the night, the heroes are sent to the
nearest human settlement, the village of Santo-Felician (halfway
between France and Spain, in the Alps), to get food and equipment for
the caravan. Rather dull, perhaps a little degrading, but fairly easy
work. That's where the adventure begins...
Unknown to the heroes, an obscure secret society known as the Order of
Holy Trinity has sent emissaries towards these lands, to warn the
followers of of rumours about demonic worship swarming in the eastern
Spanish kingdoms. In fact, the emissaries of this society believe that
these same worshippers of an unknown demonic god possess at least one
of the legendary cristal pyramids capable of opening the mythical
gates of Geburah, realm of justice and rigor in the kabbalistic
tradition.
Three messengers have been sent: one of them got to Bilabali, one was
slain and the last one was heavily wounded by cultists but managed to
flee in the woods. There Simon, an old hunchback living as a hermit,
hid Corbin the messenger in a cave and now tends to his wounds. Simon
and his bear Momo hide and protect the wounded man from the wrath of
the villagers, their anger stirred by the baron Olivier de
Rosecouronne, a secret supporter of Darkness.
Hateful of the Nephilim since his wife was executed (wrongfully) for
witchcraft by Arcanum VIII, the baron sent his men to the village of
Santo-Felician to search for the messenger, accusing him (ironically)
of being a satanist cultist and a werewolf. Although not "officially"
ruler of Santo-Felician, de Rosecouronne bears power over the village
and has many times in the past exerted his terrible wrath upon those
who opposed him. The townsfolk do not really like him, but they fear
him a great deal. The baron put a price of thirty crowns on Corbin's
head, more money than most of the villagers shall ever see in their
whole life.
Corbin was assaulted by three of the barons men - Pietro, Emmanuel and
Beck - and two lumberjacks were witnessess; the baron had them killed
and blamed it on the "werewolf". Now, aside from greed, anger and
vengeance also drive the villagers to hunt and slay Corbin. One of the
baron's men, Pietro de la Francia, was badly hit during the fight and
conned the naive folk into believing his wounds (dagger inflicted) are
proofs of Corbin's lycanthropy, for who as ever seen animals make
marks as large as these?
The men at arm's plans works perfectly, as they have the peasants
working for them as well as managing to cover up their messes. Only a
few flaws betray their schemes:
1) First, a competent physician surely could identify the true origins
of Pietro de la Francia's wounds. Sebastien, the village's carpenter,
who healed the soldier, has doubts about this but dares not speak of
it. Pietro de la Francia, although still weak, is able to walk again
(on crutches) and wanders by the village, listening for gossip. Should
he ever suspect the old man, ill fate would result...
2) Ana Isabella, the miller's daughter, heard the three men at arms -
Pietro, Emmanuel, and Beck - plot late at night, at the eastern
crossroads. She overheard them while waiting for her secret lover,
Nicolas (the gravedigger's son), and has felt deadly afraid since
then. Unfortunately, her father would punish her harshly were he to
learn of this secret liaison, for he utterly despises the gravedigger
("that lousy French"), a feeling which is shared both ways.
3) And last, the hunckback who showed Corbin hospitality has been
informed of the three villains' plots but, unfortunately, the
villagers think of him as a warlock and a probable follower of
Darkness. His schizoid temper also puts him apart from humanity, as he
prefer the loneliness of his forests to the company of his fellow men.
It shall be the role of the adventurers to unveil the mystery of *La
Selba de los Lobos*, as their fates are already tied with Corbin's...
FIRST SONG: THE PATH OF HORRORS
(To read to the players)
"Dame Claudine, the 'matrone' responsible of the caravan's welfare,
charged you with the unpleasant mission of getting to the nearest
hamlet to buy and bring back some goods needed by Maitre Etienne, as
well as hiring, if possible, an armorer or metalsmith to repair
dammages suffered during a violent storm, some days ago. As the
closest human settlement (according to your - rather old - map) is
Santo-Felician, you ride down the rocky and used road aboard a squeaky
topless chariot carried by a very, very slow donkey. About an hour
ago, the rain and the wind decided to inflict misery upon you, and the
icy torrent which showers upon your heads makes you appreciate the
warmth of the Spanish autumn. Still seven more hours before getting to
this damned village, across a forest so huge that the sky can barely
be seen through it. Humble, a very humble day for the great Nephilim,
yet even a caravan has to eat. An exercice in humility, as the times
demand secrecy: the Templars are everywhere and more than the
Simulacra's life is at stake.
"'It is a very easy job,' said Dame Claudine, 'three days of vacation
just to get to the village and back. The caravan cannot move any
further until the wheels have been repaired, and the company has to
eat. Thou shall not even have to make the effort of walking, one of
our donkeys shall pull the chariot! Just bring back three bags of
weath, one tonnel of ale, five drams of salt, an iron cauldron, two
pigs and a few other things. Three days been given to thee for this
fairly easy task; as it takes a whole day to get to the village and
one to get back, one shall be left for your errand. Thou can even keep
the pennies leftover, as Maitre Etienne feels very generous today.'
Still, the caravan has to eat...
"This last mention is your only consolation in the grim weather,
getting even worse as the sun hides behind the gigantic trees. The
roaring thunder, the jingle of the donkey's walk and the visquous cold
that cling to your souls make you dream of a hot bed in the village's
hostellery. The ten crowns tinkle in their pouch and this increase of
your meager salary warms your heart a little. More than an hour ago
you passed a little tower nearby a bridge, which could have provided
cover if this damned rain showed itself earlier. It seems like a bad
joke from the gods... After crossing a second bridge, nicknamed by the
natives 'The Virgin's Bridge' (for an unknown reason), the elements
got wild as if they had reason to persecute you, but the humble wooden
structure was insufficient to protect you from its hail. Just how much
can a Nephilim endure?
"Night is coming and the donkey stops to advance forward, assaulted by
fatigue and sleep, silently protesting against its ungrateful work. In
the forest's miry dirt, no roof or dry spot seems to appear, and the
donkey stubbornly refuses to cover the few remaining miles. At least
another hour would be required to reach Santo-Felician, amidst the
putrid and peculiarly revolting perfume of humid dung."
For the Keeper
The chariot is too small to provide effective cover agains the
storm. The forest's ground is too humid and dirty to lie on, and is
even less safe and secure than the meager cover afforded by the wooden
vehicule. The Keeper is invited to describe the scene as desperate and
sinister as he sees fit, with the stupid and stubborn animal, the
cruel rain (which pierces clothing like nails), the laughing crows
under the cedars, etc., at least until his fellow players seem about
to sink into a chronic depression.
If anyone is stupid enough to remain under the rain for a time that
seems unreasonable to the Keeper, especially if stubborness seems the
cause, the poor fellow shall be deprived of a Toughness point for the
rest of this adventure. If he should decide to sleep under the falling
rain, make him loose another point and take a Wound for his stupidity.
If the donkey is left under the rain for the duration of the whole
night, it shall be dead in the morning. (Hypothermia: It was an old
donkey.)
After a few inspections and a lot of despair, the heroes should
finally see a less vulnerable spot under the falling branches of an
old willow tree. After a little while, the buzzing of flies and a
strange odor of decomposed meat shall disturb their senses.
Adventurers proficient with the ways of the woods should notice the
tracks of half a dozen of wolves who stopped there while ago. The
willow's bark is marked with profound lashes (nothing less than dagger
stabs or bear claws), and is bathed in a dark ocre substance. After a
few seconds of inquiry, drops of this disgusting liquid shall slide on
the adventurer's nape. It is the blood of the two murdered
lumberjacks, cut up and mutilated by something straight out of a
slasher movie. The two men, Jouard and Thibeault, were assassinated by
baron's men as they came to help poor Corbin. The men at arms
disguised their wounds as being caused by a foul and mad beast.
it has been over two days that the bodies have clung to the tree's
summit and their smell should not disappoint a Water Nephilim. One of
the men was tall and slim, the other was older and tougher, with tick
horn on his palms. Hidden between the leaves, their tangled limbs
gripping the trunk, the men are not a pretty sight. At the base of the
tree lies a red beret, adorned with a blue pyramid. Maitre Etienne
bears such a symbol, embroded upon his raincoat. Knowledgeable
adventurers should identify this as the mark of Toulouse's guild of
merchants, which hides a small but very dedicated society of the
Geburah. It is bathed in blood in the inside.
Long hours separate our heroes from the dry beds of Santo-Felician...
SECOND SONG: THE VILLAGE OF SANTO-FELICIAN
"From far away the village appears as nothing more than a dozen houses
all far from one another, covered by green majestic trees. The small
houses, built from dark wood and bright straw, are covered with
shining waterdrops and seem as old as the surrounding forest. Amidst
the fair and swirling fog, purple flowers gleam with marvelous color
streaks, as if hidden leprechauns had sprinkled rainbow dust upon
them. Nearby the humble hamlet the road seems easier and rather well
maintained, decorated with spaced but bright red and yellow stones.
Far to the east, beyond Santo-Felician, the road seems to separate in
two directions. A light wind from the east, laden with raindrops,
brings the pleasant odor of burning wood, as well as that of hot
vegetable soup. A warm feeling of well-being accompanies this wind,
bringing peace to your hearts. The village seems peaceful, like an old
bear waking from its winter sleep, but still bright dancing colours
emanate from some of the houses. The temple's steeple is especially
bright, polished like a coin by some experienced and scrupulous
artisan."
For the Keeper
Santo-Felician is a hamlet whose population does not have more than a
hundred souls. A road pierces the Wood of Wolves to become two rocky
paths going north-east and south-east. Two rivers pass by the village:
the Malingre (west) and the Rio del Virgin (the River of the Virgin,
east). At the center of the village is erected a small church to Saint
Teresa. (Marked "c" on the map.) On the map, the letters a, b, c, d,
e, f, g and h represent respectively the toll house (a), the Virgin
Bridge (b), the house and workshop of Sebastien (d), the mill of Juan
Francesco (e), the gravedigger's house (f), the crossroads where the
baron's men at arms camp and leave their hounds (g), and the
well-concealed cave of Simon the Hunchback, where Corbin the messenger
is hidden.
The village does not officially belong to any fief but in practice is
under the authority of the baron de Rosecouronne, both feared and
respected by the townsfolk. Four times a year, men at arms come to
request taxes in exchange for which the village is protected by the
baron from outlaws and marauders. This arrangement seems honest to
most Felicians, as they do not have heavy work to do and the taxes
they pay are much lower than those of many French or Spanish peasants.
As such, the Felicians are (relatively) friendly towards the baron's
men. Their relations with people "from the outside" are very neutral,
as they know very little of what happens in the surrounding kingdoms
and like to keep it that way. A visiting troubadour or musician is
always welcome, though, as the villagers (mostly farmers, hunters and
lumberjacks) live a rather dull life. Unless directly provokued,
however, no hostility should arise between the Felicians and
strangers.
Arriving in the village, the adventurers shall learn that almost all
of the men are absent, searching for Jouard and Thibeault, two
lumberjacks who did not come back from the forest yesterday
night. Three men at arms from the baron Olivier de Rosecouronne, one
of them deeply wounded, have come to Santo-Felician to warn the
villagers of a roaming werewolf, already guilty of the massacre of
goats, lambs, and three men at the village of Risible, in the baron's
domains (About ten leagues east). The wounded sergeant of the men at
arms has been taken to the carpenter's house while the two other are
hunting the beast in the woods, along with most of the village's
men. The carpenter shall be home at the adventurer's arrival, tending
to the wounds of Pietro.
If the adventurers confess to anybody their discovery of the slain
lumberjacks, the carpenter, the priest, and two teenagers shall
hastily run to bring them back and give them a decent burrial. If not,
the adventurers shall face many complications, as it is likely that
the woodsmen shall discover their tracks, follow them and discover
that they have been in contact with the dead bodies. The rest is
purely speculation, but speculation can work its way pretty far when
uneducated townsfolk are faced with a supernatural menace.
The grim discovery of the corpses should not make the adventurers
forget of the nature of their presence at Santo-Felician. They are
supposed to do errands for Maitre Etienne, remember! Just one problem
(you guessed it): they do not have enough money to buy all of the
goods. It seems that prices are higher in distant and small villages,
at least that is the answer Maitre Etienne shall give to any future
enquirerer.
If they do not want to face the wrath of Dame Claudine, the
adventurers shall have to negotiate (or steal!) the merchandise - a
tough job for some of the objects. In all cases, the strangers shall
be suspected if anything dissapears. Fleeing with the money is a bad
idea, as Maitre Etienne is a very well-known man and could easily
spread word of his employee's foul attitude. He still has the rest of
this month's salary, anyway, and that represents more money than a few
poor coppers. Bargaining should be more a question of roleplaying than
a question of dice. Let the player make his best impression and then
make the Fellowship tests, with bonuses if he masters the appropriate
skills. His performance could also vary the score needed by as much as
30. Prices bargained could be lowered or increased by as much as 25%.
Note: The adventurers shall have to repeat this procedure with Juan
Francesco (the miller), Godefroy (the merchant of spices), Sebastien
(the carpenter), and Juan Christiano (the smith).
Here is the shopping list:
2 pigs - 36 sous
1 iron cauldron - 44 sous
1 anvil - 230 sous
2 round shields - 25 sous each
3 bags of weath - 6 sous
1 bear tonnel - 40 sous
5 drams of salt - 10 sous
--
